4L9IO 

H*3£E 

1863 

v.3 


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in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/descriptionofall03malt 


.-Vnmel  Walker. Box  ton  . 


Printed  &'Publi.sh< 


A 

DESCRIPTION  OF 

ALL  PARTS  OF  THE  WORLD, 

ACCORDING  TO  THE  GREAT  NATURAL  DIYISIONS  OF  THE  GLOBE; 

WITH 

ANALYTICAL,  SYNOPTICAL  AND  ELEMENTARY  TABLES; 

OR, 

UNIVERSAL  GEOGRAPHY. 

BY  M.  MALTE-BRUN, 

EDITOR  OF  THE  “ANNALES  DES  V 0 Y A G E S,”  ETC. 


WITH  ADDITIONS  AND  CORRECTIONS, 

BY  JAMES  G.  PERCIVAL. 


A NEW  EDITION: 

CONTAINING  RECENT  GEOGRAPHICAL  DISCOVERIES,  CHANGES  IN  POLITICAL  GEOGRAPHY,  AND  OTHER 

VALUABLE  ADDITIONS; 

COMPILED  FROM  THE  LATE  FRENCH  EDITIONS  OF  MALTE-BRUN,  BY  MM.  HOOT  AND  LAVALL^E,  AND  OTHER  LATE  AUTHORITIES. 

BY  W.  A.  CRAFTS. 

BEAUTIFULLY  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  STEEL  ENGRAVINGS  AND  FINE  COLORED  MAPS. 

IN  THREE  VOLUMES. 

T©L.  III. 

BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  SAMUEL  WALKER,  JR. 

1 8 6 3. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1863,  by 
Samuel  Walker,  Jr., 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


ADVERTISEMENT 


qf^'o 


v.3 


The  Geography  of  M.  Malte-Brun  has  long  been  acknowledged  as  the  most  complete  work  of 
its  kind.  It  not  only  acquired  a high  reputation  in  the  original  French,  but  when  translated  into 
English  was  admitted  by  the  best  critics  to  be  superior  to  any  English  work.  Its  completeness 
and  general  arrangement  have  been  highly  commended ; but  it  is  the  execution  of  the  work,  the 
animated  and  attractive  style  in  which  it  is  written,  that  makes  it  especially  worthy  of  praise. 
It  is  not  a dry  treatise,  but  so  abounds  in  interesting  description  and  lively  statement  even  of 
philosophical  views,  that  it  enlists  the  attention  as  closely  and  pleasantly  as  works  of  simply  an 
entertaining  character,  while  it  is  none  the  less  a thorough  and  scientific  work. 

The  first  American  edition  was  issued  under  the  supervision  of  James  G.  Percival,  who  was 
distinguished  for  his  literary  and  scientific  attainments.  He  revised  the  translation  with  care, 
corrected  errors,  and  added  numerous  notes  to  explain  or  modify  the  text,  or  further  to  illustrate 
the  subject.  His  notes  on  the  geological  portions  of  the  work  are  especially  full  and  important. 

That  edition  has  for  some  years  been  out  of  print,  and  the  demand  for  the  work,  from  time  to 
time,  among  those  who  know  its  value,  has  induced  the  publisher  to  issue  a new  and  superior 
edition,  beautifully  illustrated,  and  containing  much  additional  matter,  designed  to  adapt  it  to  the 
present  state  of  the  science,  and  to  the  taste  and  wants  of  the  American  public. 

The  additions  will  be  found  in  an  Appendix,  and  embrace  recent  Explorations  and  Discoveries, 
including  those  of  Dr.  Kane  and  the  late  English  Arctic  Expeditions  ; new  facts  in  Physical 
Geography  developed  by  late  researches ; changes  in  Political  Geography  ; statistics  of  Population, 
Agriculture,  Commerce,  Manufactures,  Mineral  Products,  etc.  They  are  compiled  chiefly  from  the 
late  French  edition  of  Malte-Brun,  edited  by  M.  Huot,  an  accurate  and  learned  writer,  and  the  still 
later  edition  of  M.  Theophile  Lavallee,  who  is  highly  esteemed  as  a scholar,  and  the  author  of  a 
History  of  France.  The  statistics  are  taken  from  the  most  reliable  authorities. 

The  work  contains  a series  of  finely  colored  maps,  and  is  illustrated  with  numerous  engravings 
on  steel,  embracing  views  of  the  principal  cities  of  the  world,  places  celebrated  in  history,  and 
remarkable  scenery.  The  illustrations  are  executed  in  the  highest  style  of  the  art,  and  render 
the  work  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  useful,  works  ever  published  in  this 
country. 


NOTE 


The  Appendix  will  be  found  arranged  in  the  same  order  as  the  body  of  the  work.  To  avoid  a 
multiplication  of  notes,  no  special  reference  is  made  on  the  pages  of  the  text  to  the  Appendix, 
but  all  additions,  corrections,  and  changes  may  be  found  by  turning  to  the  corresponding 
“Book”  in  the  Appendix. 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  HI. 


BOOK  CXXII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Germany. — Sixth  Section. — Kingdom  of  Wirtemberg. — Grand 
Dutchy  of  Baden. — Principalities  of  Hohenzollern-Hechingen, 
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen  and  Lichtenstein. 

Present  and  Former  Divisions  compared, 1 

Kingdom  oe  Wirtemberg — Geology — Climate,  ....  1 

Fossil  Bones — Lakes — Ancient  Inhabitants, 1 

House  of  Wirtemberg — Productions — Game — Manufactures 

— Spirits, 2 

Commerce — Inland  Trade, 2 

Revenue — Expenditure — Emigration — Aurora  Borealis,  . . 2 

Army, 3 

Population — Privilege  of  bearing  Fire-arms — Liberty  of  the 

Press, 3 

Education, 3 

Orders  of  Knighthood — Constitution, 4 

Religious  Liberty— General  Assembly— Conservative  Council,  4 

Divisions  of  the  Kingdom — Towns — Stuttgard, 4 

Ludwigsburg — Ellwangen, 5 

Hohenstaufen — Reutlingen — Tubingen,  University — Ulm,  . 5 

Biberach — Antiquities — Crimes, 5 

Grand  Dotchy  of  Baden, 5,  6 

Extent  and  Surface — Mountains — Geological  Formation — 

Lakes  and  Ponds, 6 

Climate — Forests, 6 

Natural  Productions — Mines — Agricultural  Produce — Man- 
ufactures,   6,  7 

Commerce — House  of  Baden,  its  Antiquity — Population,  . . 7 

Religion, 7 

Government — Conscription — Code — Weights  and  Meas- 
ures,   ...  7,  8 

Ranks — Education, 8 

Crimes — Finances — Army — Political  Divisions, 8 

Language — Towns — Manheim, 8 

Population — Heidelberg,  University, 9 

Castle — Famous  Tun — Other  Towns — Carlsruhe,  ....  9 

Supposed  Origin  of  Pforzheim, 9 

Roman  Town — Rastadt — Baden — Marshal  Turenne — Offen- 

burg — Friburg — Brisach, 10 

Southern  District — Willingen — Constance, 10 

Martyrdom  of  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague, 10 

Administration — Freedom  of  Trade, 10*  H 

Principalities  of  Hohenzollern — Hohenzollern-Hech- 
ingen,   11 

Hechingen — Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen — Town  of  Sigma- 

ringen, 11 

Town  of  Lichtenstein, H 

Principality, 11 


BOOK  CXXIII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Germany. — Seventh  Section. — Kingdom  of  Bavaria. 

Political  Limits — Basins, 12 

Mountains — The  Spessart — Rocks, 12 

The  Rhcene-Gebirge — The  Fichtel-Gebirge — The  Bcehmer- 

Wald— Length, 13 

Formations  on  the  North  and  South  of  the  Danube,  ...  13 

Fossil  Bones — Lakes, 13 

Mineral  Springs — Climate — Ancient  Inhabitants,  . . 13,  14 

Hermunduri — Narisci — Vindelici, 14 

Roman  Colonies — Bavaria  during  the  Middle  Ages — Chiefs 

or  Dukes, 14 

Thassilo — The  Country  divided  into  Counties  by  Charle- 
magne— Luitpold,  the  First  Margrave, 14 

Soil — Agriculture, 15 

Domestic  Animals — Oxen — Hogs — Horses — Sheep,  ...  15 

Bees, 15 

Horticulture — Wines — Woods  and  Forests, 16 

Quarries  and  Mines — Iron, 16 

Manufactures — Commerce, 16,  17 

Corn  Trade — Population, 17 

Religion — Inhabitants, 17 

Education — Constitution, 17 

General  Assembly  of  Two  Chambers, 18 

Orders  of  Knighthood — Army — Finances, 18 

Political  Divisions — Circle  of  the  Isar — Munich, 18 

Royal  Palace — Public  Collections, 19 

Places  of  Education — Charitable  Institutions, 19 

Academies — Trade — Landshut,  University, 19 

Library,  Collections,  &c. — Freysingen — Circle  of  the  Lower 

Danube — Passau, 20 

Trade,  Population,  &c. — Fresh  water  Pearls — Straubing,  . 20 

Bodenmais — Circle  of  the  Regen — Ratisbon — History,  . . 20 

Population,  &c. — Kepler’s  Monument — Don  John  of  Aus- 
tria,   20,  21 

Amberg — Ingolstadt — Abensberg — Eichstedt — Circle  of  the 

Upper  Maine, 21 

Bayreuth — Bamberg, 21 

Hoff — Caverns  at  Gailenreuth — Fossil  Bones — Circle  of  the 

Rezat, 21,  22 

Anspach — Erlangen,  University, 22 

Fiirth — Nuremberg, 22 

Commerce — Inventions, 23 

Ncerdlingen — Circle  of  the  Lower  Maine — Wurzburg,  Uni- 
versity,   23 

Vineyards, 23 

Aschaffenburg — Circle  of  the  Upper  Danube — Augsburg — 
Population — Buildings, 23 


11 


CONTENTS. 


Bishops — Industry — Commerce — Neuburg — Tomb  of  La 

Tour  d’Auvergne, 24 

Battle  of  Blenheim — Memmingen — Kempten — Lindau — Cir- 
cle of  the  Rhine, 24 

Soil — Climate — Mineral  Productions, 24 

Ancient  Inhabitants — Spire, 25 

Other  Towns — Landau  on  the  Queich, 25 


Statistical  Table  of  the  Kingdom  of  Bavaria  Proper,  and  of 
the  Bavarian  Possessions  on  the  Rhine,  according  to  the 

Latest  Authorities, 26 

Circle  of  the  Isar, 27 

Circles  of  the  Lower  Danube — Circle  of  the  Regen,  . 27 

Circle  of  the  Upper  Maine, ...  27 

Circle  of  the  Rezat, 27 

Circle  of  the  Lower  Maine, 28 

Circle  of  the  Upper  Danube, 28 

Circle  of  the  Rhine, 28 

Budget  in  1825, 28 


BOOK  CXXIV. 


EUROPE  CONTINUED. 


Germany. — Eighth  Section. — Territories  and  Free  Towns  of  Bre- 
men, Hamburg , Lubcck,  and  Frankfort  on  the  Maine. 


Hanseatic  Towns — Origin  of  Suburbs, 

Origin  of  the  Hanseatic  League — Bremen, 

Manufactures — Herring  and  Whale  Fisheries, 

Territory — Government, 

Military  Force — Hamburg — Population, 

Losses  in  1813 — Public  Buildings — The  Binnen-Alster,  30, 
Places  of  Education — Mendicity — Vaccination — Life  In- 
surance,   

Classes  of  Inhabitants — Jews — Right  of  Citizenship — Gov- 
ernment— Military  Force, 

Revenue — Manufacturing  Industry — Foreign  Trade — Whale 

Fishery, 31, 

Port — Territory — Lubeck — History, 

Government — The  Town — Useful  Institutions,  Places  of 

Education,  &c 

Revenues — Military  Force — Manufactures — Travemunde — 

Frankfort  on  the  Maine, 32, 

Territory  of  Frankfort — Public  Buildings, 

Origin  of  its  Name — Reformation — Quarter  of  Wollgraben — 

Useful  Establishments, 

Government — Religion, 

Finances — Military  Force — Manufactures  and  Commerce,  . 


29 

29 

30 
30 

30 

31 

31 

31 


32 

32 

32 

33 
33 

33 

33 

34 


Tables — Commerce  of  Bremen  in  1825, 34 

Table  of  Grain  Exported  from  Hamburg,  from  1815  to  1825,  34 
Different  Commercial  Tables, 34 


BOOK  CXXY. 


EUROPE  CONTINUED. 


Germany. — JYinlh  Section. — Description  of  Bohemia. 


Kingdom  of  Bohemia — Its  Basin  the  Bed  of  an  Ancient  Cas- 
pian Sea, 

Mountains — Geological  Formation, 

Volcanoes, 35, 

Earthquakes — Mineral  Springs, 

Rivers — Lakes,  Ponds  and  Marshes — Climate, 

Winds — Rain — Ancient  Inhabitants — Boii, 

Marcomanni, 

Slavi — Historical  Recollections, 

Progress  of  Civilization, 37, 


35 

35 

36 
36 
36 

36 

37 

37 

38 


Constitution — Political  Organization  of  the  Kingdom — The 

States, 

Privileged  Towns — Protected  Towns — Religion,  .... 

Moral  and  Political  State  of  the  Jews, . 

Protestants — Convents — Ecclesiastical  Dignitaries,  . . . 
Population — Nations  which  make  up  the  Population — Ger- 
mans,   

Bohemians  or  Tchekhes — Bohemian  Language — Physical 

Constitution, 

Character  of  the  Inhabitants, 

Dress — Food  of  the  People, 

Agriculture — Domestic  Animals, 40, 

Culture  of  the  Vine — Fruit  Trees — Flax  and  Hops — Forests 

— Bees — Game — Fish, 

The  Silurus — Mines, 

Mineral  Waters — Waters  of  Tceplitz, 41, 

Sedlitz  Waters — Precious  Stones,  &c 

Manufactures— Commerce, 

Industry  of  the  Jews — Exports — Means  of  Transportation — 

Towns, 

Prague, 42, 

Its  Antiquity — Other  Towns, 

Public  Instruction — Charitable  Institutions,  ....  43, 

Finances — Army, 


38 

38 

39 
39 

39 

40 
40 

40 

41 

41 

41 

42 
42 
42 

42 

43 

43 

44 
44 


BOOK  CXXYI. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Germany. — Tenth  Section. — Description  of  Moravia  and  Austrian 
Silesia. 


Moravia — Different  Rocks — The  Alt  Vater 45 

Austrian  Silesia — The  Gesenke-Gebirge — Ancient  Mines — 

Geology, 45 

Ancient  Inhabitants — Quadi, 45 

Burii — Moravia  erected  into  a Kingdom — Slavonians,  ...  46 

Slavonic  Language, 46 

Dialects — Germans — Other  Nations — Religion, 46 

Climate — Productions — Minerals — Revenue,  ....  46,  47 

Territorial  Divisions — Government — Towns  in  Moravia — 

Briinn — Public  Buildings, 47 

Public  Walks — Useful  Institutions — Neighbourhood — Wal- 

lacks — National  Dance, 47 

Southern  Frontiers  of  Moravia, 47,  4S 

Towns  in  the  Moravian  Mountains — Iglau — Trebitsch,  . . 48 

Ingrowitz — Olmiitz — Public  Buildings — Trade — Ancient 

Name, 48 

Kremsier — Austrian  Silesia — Troppau, 48 


BOOK  CXXYII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Germany. — Eleventh  Section. — Archdutchy  of  Austria . 


Position, 49 

Superficial  Extent — Mountains — Geological  Structure- 

Mountains  of  Salzburg, 49 

Vegetation, 49 

Lakes — Rivers — Ancient  Inhabitants, 50 

Ancient  Towns — Name  of  Austria,  its  Origin — Blending  of 

Nations, 50 

Language — Climate — Diseases — Agriculture, 50 

Wines — Animals, 50,  51 

Industry — Manufactures — Commerce, 51 

Religion, 51 

Constitution — The  States — Courts  of  Justice — Censorship,  51,  52 

Revenue — Neighbourhood  of  Vienna, 52 

Vienna — The  City — Public  Squares, 52 

Public  Buildings — Palaces — Arsenals,  .....  52,  53 


CONTENTS. 


m 


Number  of  Houses,  &c. — Principal  Churches, 53 

Suburbs, 

Places  of  Instruction, 63 

Charitable  Institutions — Houses  of  Correction — Places  of 

Amusement — Manufactures, 54 

Commerce, 54 

Manners — Sieges  of  Vienna, 54 

Antiquities — Environs — Schcenbrunn — Laxenburg, ....  55 

Villages — Towns — Baden-  — Neustadt, 55 

Visit  to  the  Schneeberg, 55 

Towns  seen  from  the  Schneeberg, • . 56 

Towns  in  Upper  Austria— Lintz — Steyer— Ens, 56 


Gmunden — Benedictine  Convent  of  Garsten — Hallstadt,  . . 56 

Salzburg — Character  of  the  Austrian  People — Revenue,  56,  57 


BOOK  C XXVIII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Germany. — Twelfth  Section. — County  of  Tyrol,  and  Dutchy  of 
Stiria. 


Comparison  between  Tyrol  and  Stiria, 

Acquisition  of  Tyrol  by  the  Dukes  of  Austria — Boundaries 
and  Extent — Appearance  of  the  Country — Direction  of  the 

Mountains, 

Glaciers  and  Rivers — Rocks, 

Lignite — Tertiary  Deposits — Plants, 

Mineral  Springs — Animals — Ancient  Inhabitants — Metals 

and  Minerals, 

Agriculture — Vineyards — Fruit  Trees — Forests — Popula- 
tion— Industry, 

Character  of  the  Tyrolese — Religion — Constitution — Mili- 
tary Force — Revenue, 

Towns  and  Villages — Innspruck,  the  Capital, 

Hall — Schwatz — Botzen — Trent — Roveredo, 

Stiria — Mountains — Rivers, 60, 

Ancient  Inhabitants — Character  of  the  Inhabitants — Religion, 

Climate — Agricultural  Produce, 

Mines — Constitution  of  Government — Towns  and  Villages,  . 

Zell — Bruck, 

Graetz — Radkersburg 

Marburg — Cilly, 

District  of  Voitzberg — Population  of  Stiria, 


58 


58 

58 

58 

59 

59 

60 
60 
60 
61 
61 
61 
61 
62 
62 
62 
63 


BOOK  CXXIX. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 


Germany. — Thirteenth  Section. — Kingdom  of  Illyria  Described. — 
Austria  and  Germany  Concluded. 


Kingdom  of  Illyria, 64 

Ancient  Inhabitants, 64 

Historical  Notice — Boundaries,  Superficial  Extent — Soil — 

Mountains, 64 

Cavern  at  Adelsberg, 64 

Cave  of  Magdalena — Lake  of  Cirknitz, 65 

Metals — Rivers — Climate — Agriculture — Industry, ....  65 
Population — Religion — Language — Government  and  Reve- 
nue— Towns  and  Villages — Klagenfurt,  the  Capital  of 


Gottschee — Government  of  Trieste — Trieste, 66 

Capo  d’Istria — Rovigno — Pol  a, 66 


General  View  of  the  Austrian  Empire, 66,  67 

General  View  of  Germany — Comparison  between  its  Former 

and  its  Present  Constitution, 67 

Northern  and  Southern  Germany,  68 


State  of  the  Sciences, 68 

Education — Gymnastics — Literature  and  Music — Population 
— Improvements  Demanded, 68 


Statistical  Tables  of  the  German  Provinces  under  the  Austrian 
Empire. 


Kingdom  of  Bohemia, 68,  69 

Moravia,  and  Austrian  Silesia, 69 

Archdutchy  of  Austria, 69,  70 

County  of  Tyrol, 70 

Dutchy  of  Stiria, 70 

Kingdom  of  Illyria, 71 


Number  of  Horses,  Cattle,  &c. — Increase  of  Population — 
Population  of  German  Austria  per  square  mile,  in  1825 — 
Proportion  between  the  Numbers  of  the  Two  Sexes — 
Sentences  pronounced  by  the  Supreme  Criminal  Court  at 
Vienna,  from  1806  to  1809 — Amount  of  Capital  Crimes 
committed  in  the  Austrian  Empire — Number  of  Trials — 
Number  of  Children  who  frequent  the  Schools — Number 
of  Journals  and  Newspapers  published  in  Germany  in  1826,  71 


BOOK  CXXX. 


EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Switzerland. 

Boundaries  and  Extent, 

Mountains — Jura — Rocks  that  compose  it — The  Alps — Ap- 
pearance,   

Granitic  Rocks — Glaciers, 72, 

Avalanches, 

Rivers — Lakes — Fish — Metals  and  Minerals, 

Mineral  Springs — Vegetation — Wild  Animals, 

Combats  between  the  Bear  and  the  Bull — Chamois  and  Great 

Eagle  of  the  Alps — Ravens 73, 

Ancient  Inhabitants — Greek  Colonies, 

Helvetii  defeated  by  Caesar — First  Foreign  Invasion — Bur- 
gundian Kings — Religion, 

Other  Invasions — Helvetia  under  the  protection  of  the  Ger- 
man Empire, 74, 

Religion — Languages, 

Manners  and  Character  of  the  Swiss, 

Dress — Agriculture — Domestic  Animals, 

Commerce — Canton  of  Schaffhausen — Canton  of  Thurgau — 

Canton  of  St.  Gall — Canton  of  Appenzell, 

Canton  of  Zurich — Canton  of  Aargau — Canton  of  Basle — 

Basle, 

Canton  of  Soleure — Canton  of  Berne — Berne, 

Canton  of  Lucerne — Canton  of  Zug, 

Canton  of  Schweitz — Canton  of  Glaris, 

Canton  of  Uri — Canton  of  Underwalden — Canton  of  Friburg 

— Canton  of  Vaud, 77, 

Canton  of  Geneva — Lake, 

Geneva — Canton  of  the  Valais, 78, 

Canton  of  Tesino — Canton  of  the  Grisons — Canton  of  Neu- 

chatel, 

Helvetic  Confederation — Political  Constitution, 

Army — Finances, 


Statistical  Tables  of  Switzerland. 

Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  and  Contingents  of  the 
Twenty-two  Cantons,  classed  according  to  the  Order  and 

Rank  they  hold  in  the  Confederation, 

Population,  Surface  and  Convents  of  Switzerland,  . . . . 

Number  of  German,  French  and  Italian  Newspapers,  pub- 
lished in  Switzerland  in  1826, 


80 

80 

80 


72 

72 

73 
73 
73 

73 

74 
74 

74 

75 
75 

75 

76 

76 

76 

77 
77 

77 

78 

78 

79 

79 

79 

79 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


Number  of  Strangers  whose  Passports  were  examined  at 
Geneva  in  1825, 80 


BOOK  CXXXI. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Italy. — First  Section. — Physical  Geography  of  Italy. 


General  Remarks, 81 

Limits  of  Italy — Mountains 81 

Capes — Plains — Rivers, 81,  82 

Lakes — Mineral  Springs — Climate, 82 

Vegetation, 82 

Animals — Fish, 82,  83 

Cuttle  Fish,  Nautilus,  &c. — Winds, 83 

Geological  Constitution — Diminution  of  the  Sea  by  Alluvial 

Deposits, 83 

Fossil  Bones, 84 

The  Appennines — Travertine — Calcareous  Incrustations,  . 84 

Calcareous  Deposit  from  the  Waters  of  San  Filippo — Volcanic 
Phenomena — Salsa  at  Sassuolo — The  Solfatara,  ....  84 

The  Grotto  del  Cane — The  Lucrine  Lake — Monte  Nuovo — 

Vesuvius, 85 

Minerals — Islands — Sicily — Capes — Rivers, 85 

Rocks — Mount  iEtna, 85 

Mud  Volcanoes — Vegetation — Animals, 86 

Separation  of  Sicily  from  the  Continent, 86 

Scylla  and  Charybdis — Malta, 86 

Comino — Gozzo — Pentellaria — The  iEgades — The  Lipari 

Islands, 86,  87 

Lipari — Volcano, 87 

Stromboli — Islands  in  the  Gulf  of  Naples — Capri — Ischia,  . 87 

Procida — The  Pontian  Islands — Island  of  Elba,  . . . 87,  88 

Sardinia — Mountains, 88 

Rivers — Climate — Vegetation — Quadrupeds, 88 

Birds — Insects — Reptiles — Neighbouring  Islands,  . . 88,  89 


BOOK  CXXXII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Description  of  Italy. — Second  Section. — Lombardo- Venetian  King- 


dom. 

Ancient  Inhabitants, 90 

Longobardi — Fall  of  their  Kingdom — Lombard  Republics,  . 90 

Guelphs  and  Ghibelines, 90,  91 

Decline  of  the  Lombard  Republics, 91 

Republic  of  Venice, 91 

Former  Government — Italian  Republic — Kingdom  of  Italy — 
Limits  of  the  Lombardo- Venetian  Kingdom — Climate,  . . 91 

Valley  of  the  Po — Agriculture — Ancient  Recollections,  . . 92 

Industry — Constitution — Government  of  Milan — Milan — Pop- 
ulation— Corsi, 92 

Cathedral — Other  Churches, 92 

Etymology  of  Mediolanum — Public  Buildings 93 

Theatres — Puppets — Their  Antiquity, 93 

Public  Walks, 93 

Useful  Institutions — Great  Men, 93,  94 

Monza — Pavia, 94 

Lodi — Como — Bergamo — Cremona, 94 

Brescia — Mantua — Government  of  Venice — Pellagra,  . 94,  95 

V erona, 95 

Padua, 95 

Vicenza — Treviso— Belluno — Udina — Lagoons — Venice,  . 96 

Jublic  Buildings — Church  of  St.  Mark, 96 

Square  of  St.  Mark, 96 

Ducal  Palace — Churches — Naval  Arsenal, 97 

Education — Gondolieri, 97 

Libraries — Manners — Island  of  Torcello, 97 


BOOK  CXXXIII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Description  of  Italy. — Third  Section. — Sardinian  Monarchy. — 
Principality  of  Monaco. 


Ancient  Inhabitants, 98 

Savoy — Origin  of  its  Dukes — Language, 98 

Religion — Legislation, 99 

Towns, 99 

Mount  Cenis — The  Simplon — Vercalli, 99 

Turin— Royal  Castle — Churches, 99,100 

Other  Towns, 100 

Genoa — Fortifications — Streets — Terraces — Churches — 

Hospitals, 100 

Public  Walks — The  Exchange — Manners — The  Mezzaro — 

Industry, 101 

Gulf  of  Genoa, 101 

Principality  of  Monaco — Island  of  Sardinia 101 

Character  of  the  Sardinians — Towns — Cagliari, 102 


BOOK  CXXXIV. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Description  of  Italy. — Fourth  Section. — Dutchies  of  Parma,  Mo- 
dena, Massa  and  Lucca. — Grand  Dutchy  of  Tuscany. — Republic 
of  San  Marino. 


Ancient  Inhabitants — Senones — Etymology  of  Picenum, . . 103 
Etymology  of  Sabini — Dutchy  of  Parma — Its  Princes — Posi- 
tion of  the  Dutchy — Parma — Farnese  Palace — Theatre  of 

Vignola — Cemetery, 103 

Guastalla — Placentia — Origin  of  its  Name,  ....  103,104 
Celebrated  Men — Neighbourhood  of  Placentia — Industry,  . 104 


Town  of  Massa— Carrara, 105 

Dutchy  of  Lucca — Industry — Town  of  Lucca — Grand  Dutchy 

of  Tuscany, 105 

The  Maremma, 105 

Tuscany  erected  into  a Dutchy, 106 

Rivers — Pisa — Cathedral — Baptistery 106 

Leaning  Tower — Campo  Santo, 106 

Florence — Churches— Ducal  Palace— Florentine  Gallery,  106,  107 

Other  Towns, 107 

Arezzo — Cortona — Sienna, 107 

Piazza  del  Campo — Society  of  St.  Catherine, 107 

Volterra — Leghorn — Ophthalmia — Piombino, 108 

Island  of  Elba — Condition  of  Tuscany, 108 

Republic  of  San  Marino, 108 


BOOK  CXXXV. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Description  of  Italy. — Fifth  Section. — Description  of  the  States  of 
the  Church. 


Spiritual  and  Temporal  Power  of  the  Pope, 109 

Origin  of  his  Temporal  Power, 109 

Late  Events, 109 

Extent  and  Divisions  of  the  Roman  States, 110 

Rome — Appearance  of  the  City — Carnival — Horse  Races — 

Moccoletti, 110 

Police — Marriages — Monopolies — Lotteries — The  Caval- 

letto, 110,  111 

The  Strappado — Punishment  of  Death, Ill 

Government, Ill 


CL  NTENTS. 


v 


Religious  Ceremonies — Certificate*  of  Communion,  . . .111 

Cicisbei — Arts  and  Sciences,  112 

Education — Ancient  Monument*,  112 

The  Pantheon — The  Coliseum,  112 

The  Vatican, 113 

Quirinal  Palace — The  Capitol — The  Forum, 113 

Church  of  St.  Peter, 113,114 

The  Baldacchino, 114 

Ancient  Church — Palaces, 114 

Neighbourhood  of  Romo — Pontine  Marshes,  . . . 114,  115 

Ostia, 115 

Spoleto — Perugia — Bologna, 115 

Ferrara — Ravenna — Faenza — Rimini — Ancona, 115 

Loretto — The  Casa  Santa — Detached  Districts, 116 


Other  Towns — Girgenti — Manners  of  its  Ancient  Inhabitants 
— Public  Buildings — Sciacca — Ruins  of  Selinus, ....  437 

Mazzara — Marsala — Trapani, 434 

Ruins  of  Segesta, 132 

Alcamo — Montreale — Palermo — Its  Two  Principal  Streets — 

Gates — Royal  Palace, 132 

The  Vic  aria, 133 

Useful  Institutions — Moorish  Palaces— Cathedral— Catacombs 

of  the  Capuchins, 133 

St.  Rosalia — Festival  of  St.  Rosalia, 133 

Public  Walks, 134 

Neighbourhood — Termini — Islands, 134 

Character  of  the  Sicilians — Manners — Elementary  Education 

neglected, 134 

Religion — Peasantry — Conversazioni — Society,.  . . 134,135 

Corruption — Police, 435 

Manner  of  Computing  Time — Destinies  of  Italy,  ....  135 


BOOK  CXXXVI. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Description  of  Italy. — Sixth  Section. — Kingdom  of  the  Two  Sicilies. 

f 

Ancient  Inhabitants — Origin  of' their  Names, 117 

Samnium, 117 

Campania — Vesuvius  in  the  time  of  Strabo, 117 

Lucania — Sybaris, 118 

Brutii — Sicily — Foundation  of  the  Dutchy  of  Benevento, . . 118 

Aversa  ceded  to  the  Normans, . 118 

Norman  Princes — Usurpation  of  Henry  VI.,  . . . . 118,119 

House  of  Anjou — Sicilian  Vespers, 119 

San  Germano — Monte  Cassino — Dance  of  the  Reapers,  . .119 

Charity — Mendicants, 120 

Bandits — Costume, 120 

Mola — Gaeta — Capua — Naples, 120 

Manners  of  the  People, 121 

Lazzaroni — Mendicity,  Theft, 121 

Advantages  of  the  Revolution  at  Naples — Education,.  . .121 

Manners  of  the  Rich — The  Chiaja — Squares — Streets,  . . 121 
Theatres — Palaces — Churches — Hospitals — Industry,  . . . 122 

Environs  of  Naples — Pompeii, 122 

Herculaneum — Naples  as  seen  from  Camaldoli, 122 

Pausilippo — Pozzuoli, 123 

Temple  of  Serapis — Traces  of  Pholades — Explanation  of  the 

Phenomenon, 123 

Tomb  of  Virgil — Salerno, 123 

Avellino — Aquila — Chieti, 123, 124 

The  Theatines,  Origin  oftheir  Name — Mount  Gargano — Fog- 

gia — Cannoe, 124 

Terra  di  Bari — Altamura — Trani — Bari — Terra  di  Otranto — 
Brundusium — Otranto — Taranto,  124 

Purple — The  Tarantula 125 

Potenza — Calabria — Cosenza, 125 

Crotona  or  Cotrone — Pizzo, ...  125 

Gierace — Reggio, 125 

Earthquake  of  1783 — Effects  of  the  Catastrophe,  ....  126 

Vegetation  of  Calabria — Bretian  Pitch, 126 

Animals — Quadrupeds — Fish — Sword  Fish 126, 127 

Manners  and  Character  of  the  Calabrians — Condition  of  the 

Peasants — Zingari  or  Gypsies, 127 

Extent  of  the  Neapolitan  Territory — Luminous  Phenomenon, 

Fata  Morgana, 127 

Sicily — Constitution, 127 

Present  State  of  the  Island — Productions — Improvements 

required, 128 

Convents — Nobles — Roads, 128 

Climate— Agriculture, 128 

Messina — Port — Public  Buildings, 128,  129 

Places  of  Education,  &c. — Taormina, 129 

Etna — Gigantic  Chestnut  Trees, . 129 

Catania — Ravages  of  Earthquakes, 129, 130 

Convent  of  Benedictines — Antiquities — University — Knights 

of  Malta — Industry  and  Commerce, 130 

Ancient  Syracuse — Fountain  of  Arethusa — Catacombs,  . .130 
The  Ear  of  Dionysius — Modern  Syracuse, 130, 131 


Statistical  Tables  of  Italy. 

Lombardo — Venetian  Kingdom, 433 

Kingdom  of  Piedmont  and  Sardinia — Principality  of  Mo- 
naco,   136—138 

Dutchy  of  Parma — Dutchy  of  Modena, 138 

Dutchy  of  Massa — Dutchy  of  Lucca, 138 

Grand  Dutchy  of  Tuscany, 439 

Republic  of  San  Marino — States  of  the  Church, 139 

Places  of  Education,  Religious  Houses  and  Hospitals, . . . 139 
Statistics  of  the  Population  of  Rome  from  1816  to  1825,  in- 
clusive,   

Kingdom  of  the  Two  Sicilies, 140,  141 


BOOK  CXXXYII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Physical  Geography  of  the  Spanish  Peninsula . — History  of  the 
Ancient  People  that  inhabited  Spain  and  Portugal. — Mussulman 
Conquest. 

Extent  and  Surface, 442 

Mountains — Pyrenees — Rocks, 442 

Iberian  Range — Fossil  Bones — Rocks — Carpetano-Vettonic 

Range— Rocks, 142, 143 

Lusitanian  Range — Marianic  Range,  . .• 443 

Rocks — Cuneic  Range — Rocks — Bretic  Range — Perpetual 

Snow,  • . 143 

Rocks — Rock  of  Gibraltar — Parameras, 143,  144 

Basins — Basin  of  the  Tagus, 444 

Basin  of  the  Guadiana — Basin  of  the  Duero, 144 

Basin  of  the  Guadalquivir — Salt  Formation,  ....  144,  145 

Basin  of  the  Ebro, 145 

Other  Smaller  Basins — Basins  of  the  Guadalaviar — Of  the 
Jucar — Of  the  Segura — Of  the  Minho — Of  the  Mondego, . 145 
Four  Divisions  from  Declivities  of  Surface — Cantabrian — 'Lu- 
sitanian— Ba:tic — Iberian — Six  Regions  of  Vegetation,  . 146 


Central  or  Celtiberian  Region, 443 

Baetic  Region — Iberian  Region, 446 

Lusitanian,  Galician  and  Cantabrian  Regions, 443 

Balearic  Islands — Fromentera — Ivica — Majorca,  . . . 146,  147 

Minorca — Natural  Productions, 147 

Ancient  Inhabitants, 147 

Origin  of  the  word  Spain — Ancient  Inhabitants — Celtiberi — 

Their  Manners, 147, 148 

Earliest  Colonies, 148 

Spain  a Roman  Province — Lusitania — Bcetica — Tarraconen- 

sis — Inhabitants  of  Lusitania, 443 

Inhabitants  of  Bsetica — Inhabitants  of  Tarraconensis,  . . 443 

Manners  of  the  Ancient  Spaniards, 449 

Dress — Spain  in  the  Middle  Ages, 449 

Spain  under  the  Moors, 149,  459 

Conquest  of  the  Kingdom  of  Granada,  ....  . .150 

Expulsion  of  the  Moors, 459 


r 


I 

i 

■ 


I 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK  CXXXVIII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Spanish  Peninsula. — Kingdom  of  Portugal  and  Algarva. 

General  Remarks, 

Position — Political  Limits — Natural  Limits — Extent  and 

Population, 

Climate — Seasons  and  Temperature, 151, 

Climate  of  Lisbon  and  the  Provinces — Storms — Salubrity  of 

Portugal, 

Diseases — Earthquakes, 

Mineral  Wealth — Agriculture, 

Cattle — Oil — Fruits — Wines, 

Domestic  Animals — Wild  Animals, 

Fish — Religion — Clergy — Character  and  Manners, .... 
Physical  Appearance — Amusements — Language,  . . 154, 

Literature  and  Sciences — Fine  Arts — Education,  .... 
Government — Origin  of  the  Cortes — Their  Prerogatives — 

Constitution  of  1821, 

Province  of  Estremadura — Lisbon, 

Population — Squares — Public  Buildings, 

Places  of  Education — Scientific  Institutions — Police — Neigh- 
bourhood of  Lisbon — Aqueduct  of  Bemfica — Convent  of 

Mafra — Campo  Grande, 156, 

Other  Towns, 

Province  of  Beira — Coimbra — Province  of  Entre  Douro  e 

Minho — Braga — Oporto, 

Province  of  Tras-os-Montes — Province  of  Alentejo,  . . . 

Evora — Province  of  Algarva — Portuguese  Foreign  Posses- 
sions,   

Commerce  of  Portugal, 


Statistical  Tables  of  Portugal, 159, 


BOOK  CXXXIX. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Spanish  Peninsula. — Kingdom  of  Spain. 

Origin  of  the  Spanish  Monarchy — Population  of  Spain,  . . 
Religion — Physical  and  Moral  Character  of  the  Spaniards  . 
Language  and  Literature — Sciences  and  Arts,  . . . 161, 

Government — Revolution  of  1820, 

Power  of  the  Crown, 

Agriculture — Produce, 

Vineyards, 

Sheep — The  Mista — Shepherds, . . 


Sheep-Shearing — Oxen — Hogs, 163, 

Horses — Mules — W ild  A nimals — Locusts — Fish 

Territorial  Divisions, 

Kingdom  of  Navarre — Pampeluna, 164, 

Vasconian  Provinces — Province  of  Guipuscoa, 


St.  Sebastian — Province  of  Biscay — Bilboa — Province  of 

Alava — Vittoria, 

Principality  of  the  Asturias — Oviedo — Kingdom  of  Galicia — 
St.  Jago  de  Compostella — Orense — Lugo,  ....  165, 

Ports  in  Galicia — Ferrol — Corunna — Kingdom  of  Leon — 
Town  of  Leon — Valladolid — Salamanca,  • . . . 166, 

Old  Castile, 

Santander — Burgos — Soria — Segovia — Trajan’s  Aqueduct — 

The  Alcazar, 

St.  Ildofonso, 

Avila — Kingdom  of  Arragon — Tarazona — Huesca,  .... 

Saragossa, 

Catalonia — Character  of  the  Catalonians — Junquera — Figue- 

ras — Gerona, 168, 

Urgel — Linda — Montserrat, 

Manresa — Cardona — Mines  of  Rock  Salt — Solsona — Vich,  . 


Mataro — Barcelona — Pub.ic  Buildings — Fort  of  Monjuich— 


Barcelonetta, 170 

Falls  of  St.  Michael— Road  to  Tarragona — Roman  Remains — 

Tarragona — Reuss 170 

Tortosa— Kingdom  of  Valencia — Character  of  the  Valen- 

cians, 171 

Language — Costume — Towns — Pefiiscola — Pope  Luna — 
Valencia — Public  Buildings — Police — Education,  . . . 171 

Neighbourhood  of  Valencia — Alicante — San  Felipe,  . . .172 

New  Castile — Province  of  Cuenca — Province  of  Guadalax- 
ara — Province  of  Madrid — City  of  Madrid — Climate,  . .172 

Squares — Bull-fights, 172,173 

King  of  Spain  and  the  Indies — New  Palace — Arsenal — Royal 
Library — Royal  Museum — Charitable  Institutions,  . 173,  174 

Public  Walks — Bridge  over  the  Manzanares — Industry — En- 
virons of  Madrid — Alcala — The  Escurial,  ....  174,175 

Manners  of  the  People  of  Madrid — Province  of  Toledo — 

Toledo — Aranjuez, 175 

Province  of  La  Mancha — Estremadura, 175 

Character  of  the  Inhabitants — Chief  Towns  of  the  Districts — 

Plasencia — Alcantara, 175, 176 

Caceres — Merida — Antiquities, 176 

Badajos, 176 

Andalusia — Nuevas  Poblaciones, 176, 177 

Character  of  the  Andalusians — Kingdom  of  Jaen — Baexa — 

Jaen — Kingdom  of  Cordova, 177 

Lucena — Cordova — Mosque, 177 

Province  of  Seville, 178 

Seville — Wonders  of  Seville, 178 

The  Giralda — Ruins  of  Italica — Province  of  Cadiz,  . . 178,179 

Xeres — Cadiz, 179 

Fortifications — Buildings — Isle  of  Leon, 179 

Medina  Sidonia — Kingdom  of  Granada — Province  of  Mal- 
aga,   179,  180 

Ronda — Marbella, 180 

Malaga — Vineyards — Antequera, 180 

Lovers’  Mountain, 180 

Province  of  Granada, 181 

Alhama — Santa  Fe, 181 

Granada — The  Alhambra, 181 

Guadix — Province  of  Murcia — Lorca — Murcia — Cartha- 

gena, 181,182 

The  Baleares — Ivica, 182 

Manners — Costume — Marriages,  . . 182 

Fromentera — Cabrera — Majorca,  . . 182,  183 

Dress — Minorca — Port  Mahon, 183 

Commerce  and  Industry  of  Spain — Foreign  Trade,  ....  183 

Republic  of  Andorra — Origin 184 

Government, 184 


Statistical  Tables  of  Spain, 185 — 188 


BOOK  CXL. 


EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

France. — Historical  Notice. 

Ancient  Inhabitants — Character  of  the  Gauls, 189 

Division  of  Gaul  under  the  Romans, 189 

First  Narbonnaise — Second  Do. — Maritime  Alps — Novem- 

populania — First  Aquitaine, 190 

Second  Aquitaine — Viennoise — Great  Sequanaise — First  Ly- 

onnaise — Second  Do., _ • . 190 

Third  and  Fourth  Lyonnaise — First  and  Second  Belgium,  . 190 
First  Germany — Celtic  Language — Government  of  the  Celts,  191 

Manners, 191 

Marriages — Worship — Priests, 191, 192 

Mistletoe — Chief  of  the  Druids — Druidesses,  ......  192 

Influence  of  the  Roman  Conquests — Christianity  substituted 

for  Druidism, 192 

Burgundians  and  Visigoths — Franks — France  after  the 
Death  of  Clovis, . . 192, 193 


151 

151 

152, 

152, 

152 

153 

153 

153 

154 

155 

155 

155 

156 

156 

157 

157 

157 

157 

158 

158 

160 

161 

161 

162 

162 

162 

162 

163 

163 

164 

164 

164 

165 

165 

165 

166 

167 

167 

167 

168 

168 

168 

169 

169 

169 


CONTENTS 


Vll 


France  under  Charlemagne — France  under  Hugh  Capet  and 

his  Successors, 193 

State  of  France  under  Philip  of  Valois  and  his  Succes- 
sors,   193, 194 

France  under  Henry  IV.  and  Louis  XIII., 194 

France  under  Louis  XIV.  and  XV. — French  Revolution — 
France  divided  into  Departments — Reign  of  Terror — Mont- 
belliard  and  Mulhausen  united  with  France — The  Rhine 
made  the  Boundary  of  France — Nice  and  part  of  Switzer- 
land united  with  France, 194 

French  Empire — Piedmont  united  with  the  Empire — Part  of 
Italy,  the  Valais,  Holland,  and  the  North-western  Part  of 
Germany,  to  the  Shores  of  the  Baltic,  added  to  the  Empire,  195 
France  confined  within  its  Former  Limits — Return  of  Napo- 


leon— Loss  of  Saar-Louis — Position  of  France,  ....  195 

Dimensions — Superficial  Extent — Population, 196 

Corsica — Ancient  Names  and  Inhabitants, 196 

History  and  Revolutions  of  Corsica — King  Theodore, . . .196 
Pascal  Paoli — Corsica  ceded  to  France, 197 


BOOK  CXLI. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 
Physical  Geography  of  France. 


Mountains, jgg 

Franco-Celtic  Group — Ceveno-Vosgian  Chain, jgg 

Armorican  Chain — Basins  and  Rivers — Garonne,  ....  igg 

Rhone,  igg 

Loire — Seine — The  Barre, jgg 

Germanic  Basin — Rhine — Meuse, 199,  200 

Scheldt — Somme — Orne — Ranee — Vilaine, 200 

Charente — Adour — Aude — Argens — Lakes  and  Lagoons,  . 200 

Capes — Gulfs  and  Bays — Gulf  of  Lyons, 201 

Islands, 201 


Corsica — Geology  of  France — Preliminary  Remarks — Gran- 
ite Rocks 201,202 

Old  Sandstone — Saline  Deposits — Jura — Limestone — Cnaik 

Formation, 202 

Ancient  Reptiles — Tertiary  Deposits — Small  Inland  Seas — 

Lakes, 202 

Ancient  Quadrupeds, 203 

Basins  in  Auvergne, 203 

Fossil  Animals — Geology  of  Corsica — Substances  used  in  the 

Arts — Granite  and  Porphyry, 203 

Marble, 204 


Slate,  and  Stones  for  Building — Brick  and  Porcelain — Clay — 

Flint — Millstones — Chalk,  &c., 204 

Metals — Mineral  Substances  not  Metallic, 204 

Value  of  the  Mineral  Products — Mineral  Springs — Atmos- 
pheric Phenomena, 205 

Winds — Rain, 205 

Temperature — Regions  of  different  Plants, 205 

Influence  Of  the  Sea, 206 

Height  of  the  Soil — Plants  Indigenous  to  France — Plants 

Naturalized  in  France, 206 

Forest  Trees — Cork-Tree — Pine — Cherry  of  the  Vosges — 

Mulberry — Plum, 206 

Garden  Vegetables — Vines — Soil  of  France, 206 

Mountainous  Regions — Sandy  Plains — Chalky  Plains — Pro- 
ducts of  the  Soil, 207 

Natural  Vegetation — Wild  Animals — Quadrupeds,.  . . . 207 
Birds — Birds  of  Passage — Partridges,  &c.,  ....  207,  208 

Reptiles — Saurian  and  Batrachian  Orders, 208 

Tortoises — Fish, 208 

Cetaceous  Animals, 208 

Snails — Mollusca — Crustacea — Insects — Domestic  Animals,  209 

Horses, 209 

Asses — Oxen — Sheep, 209,  210 

Pigs — Poultry, 210 

Importation  of  Animals,  . 210 


BOOK  CXLXI. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Kingdom,  of  France. — First  Section. — Southern  Region. 

Division  into  Five  Regions, 211 

Department  of  Corsica — Ajaccio, 211 

Bastia — Mariana — Other  Towns — Department  of  the  Var,  211,  212 

Antibes — Frejus — St.  Tropez, 212 

Toulon, " * ‘ 212 

Pass  of  Ollioules — Brignolles — Draguignan — Grasse — De- 
partment of  the  Lower  Alps — Castellane — Digne,  . . . 213 

Sisteron — Antiquities, 213 

Department  of  the  Mouths  of  the  Rhone— Aix— The"  Orbi- 

telle — University, 213 

Procession  on  Corpus-Christi  Day — Marseilles,  . . . . * 214 

Island  of  Carmague — Arles, . . 214 

Department  of  Vaucluse — Avignon, 214 

Apt — Carpentras — Fountain  of  Vaucluse, 215 

The  Sorgues — Orange, 215 

Department  of  the  Drome — Montelimart — Valence — De- 
partment of  the  Higher  Alps — Gap, 215,  216 

Brianqon, 216 

Department  of  the  Isere — Road  from  Briamjon  to  Grenoble — 

Grenoble — University, 216 

Sassenage — The  Great  Chartreuse, 216,  217 

Offering  of  Omelets — Pont  de  Beauvoisin — Vienne — Histor- 
ical Details,  217 

Department  of  the  Ardeche — Etymology  of  the  word  Hel- 

via — Volcanic  Mountains, 218 

Pont  de  la  Beaume — QJienavari — Rochemaure — Giants’ 

Causeway — The  Gueule  d’Enfer, 218 

Bridge  of  Arc, 218 

Domain  of  Ubas — Volcano  of  Prasoncoupe — Volcano  of  Lou- 

baresse, 219 

L’Argentiere — Temple  of  Mithra — Villeneuve  de  Berg,  . . 219 

Privas — Annonay, 219 

Character  of  the  People — Climate — Department  of  the  Upper 

Loire, 220 

Extinct  Volcanoes — Mineral  Products — Le  Puy,  ....  220 

Miraculous  Image  of  the  Virgin, 221 

Department  of  the  Lozere — The  Pas  de  Souci — Mende,  . . 221 

Chateauneuf  de  Randon — Luc, 221 

Department  of  the  Gard — Alais — Uzes — Pont  St.  Esprit — 

Roquemaure, 221,  222 

Nimes — Roman  Monuments — Maison  Carrhe — Amphithea- 
tre,   222 

Beaucaire — Fair — Aigues-Mortes, 222,  223 

Products  of  the  Department — Department  of  the  Herault — 

Ganges — Lodeve, 223 

Montpellier — University — Celebrated  Men — Medical  School 

— Antiquities, 223 

Botanical  Garden — Lunel — Cette, 223,  224 

Beziers — Department  of  the  Tarn, 224 

Alby — Trembling  Stone — Grotto  of  St.  Dominic,  . . 224,  225 

Department  of  the  Upper  Garonne, 225 

Toulouse — Antiquities — The  Capitole— Gay  Science,  Floral 

Games, 225 

Muret — St.  Gaudens — Bagneres  de  Luchon, 226 

Department  of  the  Aude — Castel-Naudary, 226 

Carcassonne — Narbonne, 226 

Department  of  the  Eastern  Pyrenees — Perpignan,  . • . . 227 
Ceret — Port  Vendre — -Department  of  the  Arriege, ....  227 
Foix — Pamiers — St.  Girons — Department  of  the  Upper  Pyre- 
nees— Shepherds, 227, 228 

Tarbes — Bagneres  de  Bigorre — Campan — Cauterets — Cas- 
cade of  Gavarnie, 228,  229 

Department  of  the  Lower  Pyrenees — Isle  of  Pheasants,  . . 229 

Pau — Castle  of  Pau, 229 

Oloron — Orther — Bayonne, 229,  230 

Department  of  the  Landes — Dax — Thermal  Springs,  . . . 230 

St.  Sever — Mont  de  Marsan, 230,  231 

Department  of  the  Gironde, 231 

Bazas — Langon — Bordeaux — Port,  . . 231 

Castle  of  Ha — Squares — Public  Buildings,  ...  . 232 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


Industry  and  Commerce — Blaye — Liboume— La  Reole,  232,  233 


Department  of  the  Lot  and  Garonne, 233 

Marmande — Tonneins — Agen, 233 

Nerac — Department  of  the  Gers — Condom — Auch,  . . 233,  234 

Lectoure — Last  Count  of  Armagnac, 234,  235 

Department  of  the  Tarn  and  Garonne — Moissac,  ....  235 

Montauban — Department  of  the  Aveyron, 235 

Spontaneous  Combustion  of  Coal, 235 

Rhodez, 236 

St.  Afrique — Department  of  the  Lot — Figeac — Singular  Cer- 
emony,   236 

Cahors — Former  Privileges  of  the  Bishop, 237 

Gourdon — Department  of  the  Dordogne, 237 

Sarlat — Bergerac — Perigueux, 237,  238 

Brantome, 238 


BOOK  CXLIII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Kingdom  of  France. — Second  Section. — Western  Region. 


Department  of  the  Charente, 239 

Angouleme — Confolans, 239,  240 

Jarnac — Cognac — Department  of  the  Lower  Charente,  . 240 

Saintes — St.  Jean  d’Angely, . 240 

Rochefort — La  Rochelle, 240,  241 

Department  of  La  Vendee, 241 

Fontenay  le  Comte— Les  Sables  d’Olonne, 241 

Bourbon  Vendee — Department  of  the  Two  Sevres, . . . .242 

Niort — Parthenay — Thouan, 242 

Department  of  the  Vienne — Civray — Poitiers,  . . . 242, 243 

Chatellerault — Loudun, 243 

Department  of  the  Maine  and  Loire — Saumur — Baug6,  243,244 

Angers — Pont  de  Ce, 244 

Beaupreau — Cholet — Department  of  the  Lower  Loire — Soil 

and  Industry  of  the  Department, 244, 245 

Nantes — Public  Buildings — Commerce, 245 

Paimbceuf — Ancenis — Department  of  Morbihan — Vannes,  . 246 

Peninsula  of  Rhuys — Islands — Quiberon, 246 

Carnac,  Druidical  Monument — Lorient — Port  Louis,  . 246,  247 

Ploermel — Pontivy — Department  of  Finisterre, 247 

Q,uimperl6 — Quimper, 247 

Concarneau — Chateaulin — Carhaix, 247,  248 

Brest, 248 

Landernau — Morlaix — St.  Pol  de  Leon — Department  of  the 

North  Coast, 248,249 

Laudeac — St.  Brieux, 249 

Dinan — Department  of  the  Ule  and  Vilaine, 249 

St.  Malo — Fougeres, 250 

Montfort  sur  Meu — Rennes, 250 

Public  Buildings— Vitr6, 250,251 

Department  of  the  Mayenne — Laval, 251 

Chateau  Gonthier — Mayenne,' 251, 252 

Department  of  the  Sarthe — Mamers — Le  Mans — Cathedral, . 252 

St.  Calais — Chateau  du  Loir, 252.253 

La  Fleche — Military  School,  ....  253 


BOOK  CXLIV. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Kingdom  of  France. — Third  Section. — Central  Region. 


Department  of  the  Indre  and  Loire 254 

Former  Prosperity  of  Touraine, 254 

Tours — Cathedral — Collections, 254,  255 

Amboise — Chateau-Renault, 255 

Langeais — Chinon — La  Haye-Descartes, 255 

Loches — Department  of  the  Loir  and  Cher — Blois, ....  256 
Chambord — Romarantin — Vendome, . . ...  256,  257 


Department  of  the  Eure  and  Loir — Nogent  le  Rotrou,  . . 257 


Dreux — Burgh  of  Anet — Maintenon, 257 

Chartres — Collections, 257 

Chateaudun — Department  of  the  Loiret — Orleans,  ....  258 

Scientific  Institutions, 258 

Commerce  and  Manufactures, 258, 259 

Pithiviers — Montargis — Quality  of  the  Soil  in  the  Depart- 
ment— Department  of  the  Nievre, 259 

Cosne — Pouilly— La  Charity — Clamecy, 259,  260 

Chateau-Chinon — Nevers — Industry, 260 

Department  of  the  Allier — Moulins, 260 

Souvigny — Bourbon  l’Archambault, 261 

La  Palisse — Vichy — Mont-Luqon — Neris  les  Bains,  . . . 261 

Department  of  the  Creuse — Aubusson, 261,  262 

Gueret — Department  of  the  Cher — St.  Amand 262 

Bourges — Public  Buildings, 262,263 

Antiquity  of  Bourges, 263 

Mehun — Department  of  the  Indre, 263 

Levroux — Chateauroux, 263,  264 

La  Chatre — Department  of  the  Upper  Vienne, 264 

Bellac — Limoges, 264 

Antiquity  of  Limoges — Rochechouard, 265 

Department  of  the  Correze, 265 

Uzerche — Tulle — Brives  la  Gaillarde, 265,266 

Ussel — Department  of  Cantal, 266 

Industry — Maurs — Aurillac, 266,  267 

Vic  en  Carladez — St.  Flour — Chaudes-^igues, 267 

Murat — Department  of  Puy  de  Dome, 267 

Appearance  of  Mont-Dor — -Trou  de  Soucy, 268 

Lake  Pavin — Puy  de  Sancy — Its  height — Valley  of  Enfer,  . 268 
Valley  of  Mont-Dor — Cascade  of  the  Serpent — Great  Cas- 
cade— The  Capuchin— Village  of  Bains, 268 

Lake  Chambon — Issoire — Vic  le  Comte, 269 

Billom — Mountain  of  Gergovia, 269 

Pont  du  Chateau — Clermont— Squares, 269,270 

Scientific  Institutions — Fountain  of  St.  Allyre, 270 

Industry  of  Clermont — Its  Antiquity— Neighbourhood— Mont- 

Ferrand, 270 

Valley  of  Royat — Granaries  of  Caesar — Puy  de  Dome,  . . 271 


Puy  de  Nadailhat — Puy  de  Pariou — The  Great  Sarcouy, . . 271 

Pont-Gibaud — Volvic, 271 

Riom — Aigue  Perse — Thiers, 272 

Ambert— Wealth  of  the  Department— Poverty  of  the  Inhabi- 
tants,  272,273 


BOOK  CXLV. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Kingdom  of  France. — Fourth  Section. — Eastern  Region. 

Department  of  the  Loire, 274 

Rive  de  Gier — Rail-road, 274,275 

St.  Etienne, 275 

Montbrison — Roanne, _ _ • 275 

Department  of  the  Rhone — Tarare — Beaujeu,  ...  2*5,276 

Ville-Franche — Lyons, 276 

Origin  and  Antiquities — Confluence  of  the  Rhone  and  the 

Saone, 276 

Squares,  . . . 276>  2‘7 

Historical  Recollections, • ‘ 

Industry — Edifices, 2*7,278 

Scientific  Societies — Charitable  Institutions,  ......  278 

Celebrated  Men — Department  of  the  Ain, 278 

Trevoux — Bourg  en  Bresse — Belley, 2*9 

Nantua — Gex — Ferney — Department  of  the  Saone  and 

Loire — Macon, *279 

Tournus — Charolles — Chalons  sur  Saone, 279,  280 

Autun — Department  of  the  Cote  d'Or — Vineyards,  ....  280 

Nolay — Beaune — Jean  de  Losne — Dijon, 280,281 

Auxonne, 281 

Montbard— Chatillon  sur  Seine — Department  of  the  Yonne,.  281 

Avallon — Vermanton — Chablis, 282 

Auxerre, • • 232 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


Joigny— Sens, 283 

Festival  of  Fools,  283 

Tonnerre — Department  of  the  Upper  Saone,  . . . . 283,284 

Fougerolles — St.  Loup — Luxeuil — Lure, . 284 

Vesoul — Frais-Puits, 284,  285 

Neighbourhood  of  Vesoul — Gray — Department  of  Jura,  . .285 

Dole, 285 

Poligny — Arbois, 286 

Salins, 286, 287 

Lons  le  Saulnier, 287 

Ancient  Customs — Septmoncel, 287 

St.  Claude — Abbey — Industry, 288 

Department  of  the  Doubs — Pontarlier, 288 

Besan^on — Beaume  les  Dames, 289 

St.  Hippolyte — Montbelliard — Department  of  the  Upoer 

Rhine — Befort, 289, 290 

Huningen — Mulhausen, 290 

New  Brisach — Colmar — Department  of  the  Lower  Rhine — 

Schelessat, 290,  291 

Strasburg, 291 

Edifices — Places  of  Instruction — Celebrated  Men,  ....  291 

Neighbourhood — Antiquity — Peasantry — Dress, 292 

Haguenau — Saveue — Seitz — Weissemburg, 292 


BOOK  CXLYI. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Kingdom  of  France. — Fifth  Section. — Northern  Region. 


Department  of  the  Moselle, 293 

Bitche — Sarregue  mines — Thionville, 293 

Sierck — Longwy — Metz — View  of  the  Town — Court  of  Jus- 
tice— Cathedral, 294 

Antiquities, 294 

Metz  in  the  Middle  Ages — Useful  Institutions,  . . . 294,  295 

Department  of  the  Meuse — Etain — Verdun, 295 

Bar— St.  Mihiel, 295 

Department  of  the  Vosges — Domremy — Joan  of  Arc — Neuf- 

Chateau, 296 

Appearance  and  Riches  of  the  Vosges, 296 

Epinal — Remiremont, 297 

St.  Die — Department  of  the  Meurthe — Cirey,  . . . 297,  298 

Dieuze — Luneville, 298 

Road  from  Luneville  to  Nancy — Nancy — Edifices, . . 298,  299 

Useful  Institutions — Industry — Pont  a Mousson,  ....  299 

Toul — Department  of  the  Upper  Marne — Bourbon  les 

Bains, 299, 300 

Langres — Eponina  and  Sabinus, 300 

Chaumont — Joinville — Vassy — Department  of  the  Aube — 

Clairvaux, 300, 301 

Bar  sur  Aube, 301 

Brienne — Bur  sur  Seine — Troyes, 301 

Public  Buildings, 302 

Arcis  sur  Aube — Department  of  the  Marne — Vetryle  Brul6,  302 
Vitry  le  Francois — Sezanne — Montmirail — Epernay,  . . . 303 

Chalons  sur  Marne, 303 

Courtisou — St.  Menehould, 304 

Rheims — Antiquities — Public  Buildings, 304,  305 

Department  of  the  Ardennes 305 

Rethel — Sedan — Principality, 305,  306 

Mezieres — Charleville — Fumay, 306 

Givet  and  Charlemont — Department  of  the  Aisne,  ....  307 

Guise — St.  Quentin, 307 

La  Fere — St.  Gobain — Laon, 307,  308 

Soissons — La  Fert6-Milon — Chateau-Thierry,  . • . . . 308 
Department  of  the  Seine  and  Marne — La  Fert6  sous-Jouare 

— Meaux, 308, 309 

Melun — Fontainebleau — Nemours, 309 

Montereau — Provins, 310 

Department  of  the  Oise — Senlis, 310,311 

Creil — Compiegne, 311 

Noyon — Clermont-Oise, 312 

Beauvais — Department  of  the  Seine  and  Oise, 312 


Pontoise — Mantes — Rosny, . . 313 

Meulan — Poissy — Forest  of  St.  Germain — St.  Germain,  313, 314 
Marly — Rueil — Argenteuil — St.  Cloud,  ...  ...  314 

Meudon — Sevres — Versailles, 314 

Palace — The  Trianons — Expense  of  the  Palace  at  Ver- 
sailles,   315 

Useful  Institutions — Neighborhood  of  Versailles — Montfort- 
l’Amaury — Rambouillet — Dourdan — Etampes,  . . . 315,  316 
Corbeil — Riches  of  the  Department — Department  of  the 

Seine — Paris, 316 

Early  Extent — Enlargement  of  Paris  by  Charles  VI. — By 

Francis  I., 317 

By  Henry  IV.— By  Louis  XIII.  and  XIV.,  ......  317 

By  Louis  XV. — Monuments  of  the  Reigns  of  Louis  XIV. 

XV.  and  XVI.,  318 

Under  the  Consular  and  Imperial  Governments — Quays — 

Bridges, 318,319 

Fountains — Markets — Cemeteries — Monuments — The  Ex- 
change— Since  the  Restoration, . 319 

Population — Under  Philip  the  Fair — Under  Louis  XI.,  319,  320 

Under  Henry  II. — Under  Henry  IV. — Under  Louis  XIV. — 

Religious  Edifices, 320 

Scientific  Institutions,  Schools,  &c. — Neighbourhood  of 

Paris — St.  Denis, 320,  321 

Vincennes — Arcueil — Fontenay  aux  Roses — Sceaux — De- 
partment of  the  Eure, 321 

Vernon — Evreux — The  Andelys, 321,  322 

Valley  of  Fleury — Louviers — Quillebeuf, 322 

Pont- Audemer — Bernay — Department  of  the  Orne — Argen- 

tan, 322,  323 

Mortagne — Seez — Alenqon — Domfront, 323 

Department  of  the  Channel — Avranches — Coutances,  . 324 

Cherbourg — Port, 324,  325 

St.  Lo — Department  of  Calvados, 325 

Isigny — Bayeux — Falaise, 326 

Caen — University, 326,  327 

Lisieux — Honfleur, 327 

Department  of  the  Lower  Seine — Havre — Fecamp — Lille- 

bonne, 328 

Caudebec — Rouen — Edifices, 328,  329 

Elbeuf — Gournay — Aumale — Dieppe,  329 

Department  of  the  Somme — Abbeville, 330 

Amiens — Peronne — Montdidier, 330,  331 

Department  of  the  Straits  of  Calais — Montreuil — Bou- 
logne,   331 

Calais — Guines — Ardres — Bethune, 331,  332 

Arras — Department  of  the  North, 332,  333 

Cambray — Landrecy — Avesnes — Maubeuge,  . . . 333,  334 

Valenciennes — Anzin — Famars — Denain, 334 

Cond6 — St.  Amand — Douay — Lille, 334,  335 

Armentieres — Hazebrouck — Bergues — Gravelines,  . 335,  336 

Dunkirk, 336 

Roads — Canals, 337 

Money, 337 

Statistical  Tables  of  France , 338 — 355 


BOOK  CXLVII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Description  of  the  Scandinavian  Peninsula.— First  Section. — ■ 
Kingdom  of  Norway. 


Language  of  the  Scalds — Scandinavian  P oems, 356 

Creation  of  the  World  and  of  Man— The  Olympus  of  the 

North,  356 

Destruction  of  the  Universe, 357 


Resurrection  of  the  World— Origin  of  this  Cosmogony- 
Runic  Alphabet — Origin  of  the  Scandinavians,  . . 357  358 

Ancient  Names, 358 

Ancient  Inhabitants — Ancient  Manners 358 

Ancient  Names  of  Norway — Historical  Notices,  . . . 359 

Government,  &c., ••  359 


X 


CONTENTS. 


Present  State  of  Norway, 360 

Summer  Occupations — Winter  Occupations, 360 

Character  of  the  Norwegians — Dress — Manners  of  the 

Towns, 360,  361 

Mountains — Rivers, 361 

Geological  Constitution, 362 

Mineral  Wealth — Vegetation, 362 

Animal  Kingdom, 363 

Climate, 363 

General  Appearance — Cities  and  Towns — Hammerfest — 

Tromscee, 363,  364 

Drontheim — Bergen, 364 

Christiansand — Arendal, 365 

Frederikstad — Kongsberg — Christiania, 365 

Frederikshald — Norwegian  Archipelago, 365,  366 

Industry  in  Norway, 366 


BOOK  CXLYIII. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Description  of  the  Scandinavian  Peninsula. — Second  Section. — 
Description  of  Sweden. 


Laplanders, 307 

Westro-Bothnia — Jemtia  or  Jemtland — Helsingia — Nericia 

— Dalecarlia — Gothia  or  Gothland — Rivers, 367 

Lakes — Canals, 367,  368 

Roads — Islands — (Eland — Gothland — Hven — Geology,  . . 368 

Rocks  and  Veins — Diluvium, 369 

Animals — Vegetation, 369 

Agriculture — Climate, 370 

Seasons — Cities  and  Towns — Lulea, 370 

Umea — Manners  of  the  Laplanders — Manners  of  the  North- 
ern Swedes, 370 

Herncesand — Gefle — Fahlun — Manners  of  the  Dalecarlians 

— Manners  of  the  Helsingians, 370,  371 

Upsal — University, 371 

Cathedral — Curiosities  in  the  Cathedral, 371 

Stockholm — Surrounding  Country — Suburbs — Harbour, . . 372 

Royal  Palace, 372 

Squares — Churches — Cathedral, 372,  373 

Useful  Institutions — Environs — (Erebro — Carlstad,  . . . 373 

Linkoeping — Jcenkoeping — Gottenburg, 374 

Uddevalla — .Halmstad — Lund — Malmce — Christianstad,  . . 374 

Carlscrona — Calmar — Union  of  Calmar, 374,  375 

Wisby — Manners  of  Southern  Sweden — Fetes  and  Amuse- 
ments,   375 

Education— Police — Taxes, 375 

Navy — Laws — Government — Senate, 375,  376 

Council  of  State — States-General — Industry  and  Trade,  . 376 
Ameliorations,  377 


Statistical  Tables  of  the  Swedish  Monarchy,  . . . 378 — 380 


BOOK  CXLIX. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Description  of  Denmark  and  of  the  Faroe  Isles. 


Limits  of  Denmark, 381 

Diminution  of  the  Baltic  Sea, 381 

Geology — Fossil  Vegetables, 381,  382 

Fiords — Lakes, 382 

Canals, 382 

Dimensions  of  Denmark — Climate — Seasons — Vegetation — 

Forests,  ....  383 

Meadows — Cultivation, 383 

Wild  Animals — Domestic  Animals, 384 

Fish — Commerce, ...  384 

Language — Danish  Character 384,  385 


Inhabitants  of  Holstein — Education,  ...  ...  385 

Learned  Men, 385 

Artists — Government, 386 

Revolution  of  1660, 387 

Establishment  of  Absolute  Power, 388 

Present  Form  of  Government, 388 

Orders — Privileges  of  some  Provinces — Liberation  of  the 

Peasantry, 388,  389 

Aspect  of  the  Danish  Coasts — Sound  Duties — Zealand — 

Copenhagen 389 

Disasters  of  Copenhagen — Its  Quarters, 389 

Literary  Establishments — Industry  and  Trade, 390 

Police — Environs  of  Copenhagen — Elsineur, 390 

Islands — Bornholm — Mceen— Funen — Langeland — Laaland 
— North  Jutland— Aalborg — Viborg — South  Jutland,  390,  391 

Sleswick — Flensborg, 391 

Islands  on  the  Western  Coast — Islands  on  the  Eastern  Coast 

— Dutchy  of  Holstein, 392 

Gluckstadt — Kiel — University, 392 

Rendsburg — Preetz — Probsty  of  Preetz, 393 

Ploen — Itzehoe, 393 

De  Brut-Kamp — Obelisk — Elmshorn — Pinneberg, . . 393,  394 

Altona — Destruction  in  1713, 394 

Dutchy  of  Lauenburg — Ratzeburg — Lauenburg,  ....  395 
Foeroe  Islands — Thorshavn, 395,  396 


Statistical  Tables  of  the  Danish  Monarchy, 397 


BOOK  CL. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 


Belgium,  or  the  Netherlands. 

History  and  Inhabitants, 398 

Government  of  the  Late  Kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  398,  399 

Recent  Changes, 399 

Mountains — Rivers, 400 

Lakes  and  Marshes — Geological  Constitution,  . . . 400,  401 

Configuration  of  the  Surface  in  Belgium — Minerals,.  . , 401 

Climate  and  Cultivation, 401,  402 

Manufactures — Iron,  &c. — Woollen — Linen — Lace — Cot- 
ton,   402 

Breweries,  &c. — Foreign  Trade — Roads  and  Canals,  . . 402 

Religion — Cities — Antwerp — Cathedral, 403 

Malines — East  Flanders — Ghent, 404 

Alost — Oudenarde — West  Flanders — Bruges,  . . . 404,  405  j 

Ostend — Ypres, 405 

Courtray — Fields  of  Battle, 405 

Fontenoy — Fleurus — Steenkerke — Jemappe — Tournay,  . 406 

Tomb  of  Childeric  I. — Mons, 406 

Dinant — Namur, 407 

Nivelles — Waterloo — Brussels, 407 

Squares, 408 

Churches — Fountains — Population  of  the  Different  Quar- 
ters of  the  City, 408 

Scientific  and  Benevolent  Establishments Prome- 
nades,   408,  409 

Louvain — University — Tirlemont, 409 

Tongres — Maestricht — The  Mosasaurus, 409 

Maaseyk — Wert — Venloo, 410 

Ruremonde — Limburg — Venders — Spa — Liege — Grand- 

Dutchy  of  Luxemburg, 410,  411 

St.  Hubert — Bouillon — Arlon — Luxemburg, 411 


BOOK  CLI. 

EUROPE  CONTINUED. 

Holland,  or  the  Seven  United  Provinces. 


Glance  at  the  History  of  Holland, 412 

Government — Ancient  Physical  State, 412 

Surface — Rivers, 413 


Lakes — Marshes, 

Gulfs  or  Bays — Canals — Islands — Geology,  ....  413, 

Climate  and  Cultivation — Language, 

Ancient  Inhabitants — Territorial  Divisions,  ....  414, 

Cities — Groningen — University,  ...  

Leeuwarden — Harnngem— Assen — Coevorden — Zwol,  . . 

Campen — Deventer — Zutphen — Arnhem — Nimeguen,  . . 

Utrecht — University, 417, 

Amersfoort — Islands  in  the  Zuyderzee — Texel — Camper- 

down,  

Willems-Ord — Medenblik — Horn, 

Alkmaar — Saardam — Broek, . 

Amsterdam — The  Amstal, 

Streets, 

Public  Buildings — The  Stadthouse, 

Commerce  and  Industry, 421, 

Haarlem — Invention  of  Printing, 

Leyden — University, 

The  Rhine  at  Leyden, 

The  Hague — Public  Buildings, 

Environs  of  the  Hague, 

Delft — Rotterdam, 

Dordrecht  or  Dort, 

Middleburg — Flushing — Bergen  op  Zoom — Bois  le  Due,  . 

Breda — Character  of  the  Dutch, 

Manners  of  the  Dutch, 


Statistical  Table  of  the  Belgian  Provinces, 

Statistical  Table  of  the  Dutch  Provinces,  . 

Dutch  Colonies, 

Statistical  Tables  connected  with  the  Late  Kingdom  of  the 
Netherlands,  embracing  both  Dutch  and  Belgian  Prov- 
inces,   430. 


BOOK  CLII. 

EUROPE. 

i 

Kurope  Continued — Great  Britain — England — First  Section — 
Civil  Geography  — Early  Inhabitants  — Roman  Conquests  — 
Saxon  Invasion — Normans — History,  Progress  and  Settlement 
of  the  Constitution. 

Early  Inhabitants, ...  433 

Roman  Invasion,  B.  C.  55, 433 

Intercourse  with  Gaul — Towns,  Houses,  &c. — Married 

State, 434 

Appearance — Method  of  Fighting, 434 

Money — Hospitality — Government, 434 

Power  of  the  Priests — Effects  of  the  Roman  Conquest,  . . 435 

Government  of  Agricola, 435 

Northern  Tribes,  Caledonians— Number  of  Tribes — Roman 

Provinces, 435 

Monuments  of  the  Romans.  Prretentura  of  Agricola — Val- 
lum of  Hadrian, 436 

Vallum  of  Antoninus, 436 

Wall  of  Severus, 436 

Britons  under  the  Romans, 437 

British  Soldiers  in  the  Roman  armies — Corn, 437 

Towns,  &c. — States — Advances  in  Civilization,  ....  437 

Scots  and  Piets — Saxons,  Angles  and  Jutes, 438 

Saxon  Conquest — Chorography — Kingdom  of  Kent — King- 
dom of  Sussex, 438 

Wessex — Essex — East  Anglia — Bernicia,  ....  438,  439 

Deira — Mercia — Octarchy — Divisions  of  the  Country,  . . 439 

Sheriffs — Accessions  made  in  the  Norman  Period — Wales 
— Counties  — Ridings  — L athes — Rapes — Hundreds  and 


Tithings, 439 

Anglo-Saxon  Language,  Similitude  to  the  English,  . . . 439 

Anglo-Saxon  and  English  Words, 440 

Population  during  the  Anglo-Saxon  Period — Domesday 

Book, 440 

Barbarism  of  the  Saxons — Arts,  Trade,  &c 440 

Houses — Government,  . 441 


xi 


Governments, 44X 

Juries — Norman  Conquest, 441 

Henry  the  Third — The  Edwards, 442 

Wretched  Condition  of  the  People, 442 

Famine  in  the  time  of  Edward  the  Second, 442 

Pestilence  in  1349 — Poll-Tax, 442,  443 

Parliaments, 443 

Parliament — Rise  of  the  Towns, 443 

Elective  Franchise  extended  by  Henry  the  Eighth,  . . . 443 

House  of  Lords, 444 

Abuses  abolished — Statute  of  Treasons — Architecture — 

Churches, 444 

Clocks — Woollen  Manufactures, 444,  445 

Foreign  Merchants — Richard  the  Second, 445 

Dependents  of  the  Great — Deposition  of  Richard  the  Sec- 
ond,   445 

Period  from  the  Accession  of  Henry  the  Fourth  to  the  Ac- 
cession of  Henry  the  Seventh — Religious  Persecution, 
Wealth  of  the  Church — Power  of  the  Commons,  . 445,  446 

Electors, 446 

Irregularity  of  Elections — Corrupt  Practices  of  Sheriffs — 

Wages  of  Members  of  Parliament, 446 

Defects  in  the  Government — Dispensing  Power — High  Con- 
stables— Decreased  Population, 447 

Decline  of  Villeinage — Commercial  Regulations,  ....  447 

Population  of  1485 — Period  of  the  Tudors,  447 

State  of  the  A nstocracy, 448 

Wise  Laws  of  Henry  the  Seventh, 448 

Star  Chamber, . 448 

Reformation,  Law  of  the  Six  Articles, 449 

Suppression  of  Monasteries, 449 

Abject  State  of  Parliament — Elizabeth, 450 

Commerce  under  Elizabeth — Trade  to  India — Flemish  Em- 
igrants,   450 

Poor  Laws, 451 

Progressive  Extension, 451 

Work-houses — Bad  Effects  of  the  Poor  Laws, 451 

Roads, 452 

Naval  Power  in  the  time  of  Elizabeth — The  Stuarts, . . . 452 

Canons  of  the  Clergy — Proceedings  of  the  Lower  House,  453 

Unjust  Acts  of  James’s  Reign, 453 

Charles  the  First, 453 

Nineteen  Propositions, 454,  455 

Major-Generals, 455,  456 

Declaration  and  Bill  of  Rights — Appropriation  of  Sup- 


Duration  of  Parliaments, 457 

Law  of  Treason — Liberty  of  the  Press, 457 

Act  of  Settlement — Reports  of  Parliamentary  Speeches,  . 457 

Settlement  of  the  Constitution, 458 

Parties — Whigs  and  Tories, 459 

Religious  Liberty, 459 

Resources  of  England — Commercial  Resources,  ....  459 

Inland  Navigation, 460 

Roads — Piers,  Moles,  &c 460 


BOOK  CLIII. 

EUROPE. 

Europe  Continued — England  and  Wales — Second  Section — Phys- 
ical Geography — Extent  — Climate  — Coasts — Rivers  — Moun- 
tains— Productions. 

Superficial  Extent, 462 

Trigonometrical  Survey, 462 

Climate, 462 

Seasons — Spring, 463 

Summer — Autumn, 463 

Difference  of  the  Climate  in  the  North  and  the  South,  . . 464 

Quantity  of  Rain  in  Different  Parts  of  England — Annual 

Rains  in  the  Midland  Counties, 464 

Counties  in  the  North-West — Neighbourhood  of  London- 
General  Results — Annual  Quantity  of  Rain  in  England,  464 


CONTENTS. 


413 

414 

414 

415 

415 

416 

417 

418 


418 

419 

419 

420 

420 

421 

422 

422 

423 

423 

424 

424 

425 

426 

427 

427 

428 

429 
429,  430 

430 


432 


CONTENTS. 


Temperature — Temperature  of  Liverpool — Temperature  of 
Dover  — Temperature  of  Lancaster  — Temperature  of 

London, 

London  and  the  West  of  England — Extremes  of  Cold  and 

Heat — Winds, 

Prevalent  Winds  near  London — Deviation  at  Liverpool, 

Coasts — Coast  of  Cumberland — Lancashire, 

Estuary  of  the  Ribble — Cheshire,  North  Wales,  . . . . 

Menai  Straits — Holyhead — Cardigan  Bay, 

Pembrokeshire  Coast — Milford  Haven — Bay  of  Swan- 
sea,   466, 

Monmouthshire  Coast — Bristol  Channel, 

Southern  Coasts — Southern  Coast  of  Cornwall, 

Eddystone  Rock — Devonshire, 

Isle  of  Wight, 

Southampton  Water — Spithead — Sussex — Kent,  .... 

Downs — Goodwin  Sands — Isle  of  Thanet, 

Essex, 

Suffolk, 

Lincolnshire, 

Yorkshire, 

Durham — Northumberland, 470, 

Resemblance  between  the  British  and  the  Opposite  Shores 

on  the  Continent, 

Rivers — Thames, 

Feeders — Severn, 471, 

Rivers  that  communicate  with  the  Washes,  ...... 

Humber — Trent, 

Feeders  of  the  Trent, 

Streams  flowing  into  the  Humber  from  the  North — Basins 
of  the  Principal  Rivers — Basin  of  the  Thames,  .... 

Basin  of  the  Severn — Bristol  Channel, 

Basin  of  the  Wash, 

Basin  of  the  Humber — Basin  of  the  Mersey, 

Lakes, 

Northern  Lakes — Derwent  Water, 

Bassenth waite  Water — Crummock  Water — Buttermere, 

Winandermere — Mountains, 

Northern  Range, 475, 

Malvern  Hills — Cambrian  Mountains, 

Cader  Idris — Mountains  in  Devonshire, 

Plains,  &c. — Wealds — Yale  of  York, 

Forests, 

Plants, 

Oaks, 

Soil, 

Geology — London  Clay — Organic  Remains, 

Wells — Chalk, 

Camden’s  Account  of  the  Mole, 

Fossil  Remains — Economical  Purposes — Maries,  .... 

Agricultural  Character — Oolites, 

Position — Purbeck  and  Portland  Stone — Great  Oolite — Or- 
ganic Remains, 480, 

Alum — Coal, 

Coal  Districts  in  England, 

Great  Northern  District, 

Great  Coal-Field  of  Northumberland  and  Durham — Quan- 
tity of  Coal, 

Calculation  by  Dr.  Thomson — Waste  of  Coal — Dangers  to 

which  the  Miners  are  exposed, 482, 

History  of  the  Northern  Coal  Trade, 

Number  of  Individuals  employed  in  the  Coal  Trade,  . . . 

Other  Coal-Fields — South  Yorkshire,  Nottinghamshire  and 
Derbyshire  Coal-Field — Manchester  or  South  Lancashire 

Coal-Field, 

Whitehaven  Coal-Field, 

Central  District — Dudley,  or  South  Staffordshire  Coal-Field, 
North-Western  District  — Coal  in  Flintshire — Plain  of 

Shrewsbury — Coalbrook-dale — Clee  Hills, 

Billingsley — South-Western  Division — Great  Coal-Field  of 

South  Wales, 

Forest  of  Dean  Coal — Sommersetshire  and  Gloucestershire, 
Metals,  Copper  and  Tin— Veins — Length  and  Depth  of  the 

Veins, 

Breadth  of  the  Veins — Number  of  Mines — Management  of 

the  Mines — Ignorance  of  the  Miners, 

Character  of  the  Miners, 

Consequences  of  the  Ignorance  of  Geology, 


465 

465 

465 

466 
466 

466 

467 
467 

467 

468 
468 

468 

469 
469 

469 

470 

470 

471 


Animal  Kingdom, 

Deer — Game — Bustard — Migratory  Birds — Turtle  Dove 

Nightingale — Woodcock, 

Starling— Fish — Herring  Fishery— Mackerel— Pilchards,  . 

Oysters — Domestic  Animals — Horse, 

Suffolk  Horses — Black  Cart  Horse, 

Oxen — Devonshire  Oxen,  and  Other  Varieties, 

Long  and  Short  Horned  Cattle — Sheep — Long  Woolled 

Sheep, 

Short  Woolled — Number  of  Long  and  Short  Woolled 

Sheep — Quantity  of  Wool, 

Pigs» 490, 


BOOK  CLIY. 

EUROPE. 

Europe  Continued  — England — Section  Third — Topographical 
Divisions — Towns,  fyc. 


488 

488 

489 
489 

489 

490 

490 

490 

491 


471 

471 

472 
472 

472 

473 

473 

473 

474 
474 

474 

475 
475 

475 

476 
476 

476 

477 
477 

477 

478 
478 

478 

479 

479 

480 
480 


481 

481 

481 

481 

482 

483 

483 

484 


484 

485 
485 

485 

486 
486 

486 

487 

487 

488 


Divisions.  Anglo-Norman  Islands, 

Jersey — Guernsey — Alderney — Scilly  Islands,  ... 
Cornwall  — Agriculture,  Industry  — Natural  Produc- 
tions,   492, 

Minerals, 

Falmouth — Parliamentary  Representation — Devonshire, 

Dartmoor — North  Devon — Minerals, 493, 

Industry — Towns — Plymouth — Trade — Exeter,  .... 

Dorsetshire, 

Isle  of  Purbeck — Isle  of  Portland — Dorchester,  . . 494, 
Poole  — Somersetshire  — Agricultural  Produce,  Minerals, 

&.c. — Canals, 

W ells — Bath, 

Buildings,  Charitable  Institutions — Bristol, 

Eminent  Men — Gloucestershire, 

Gloucester, 

Industry  and  Manufactures — Mineral  Waters — Stroud,  . . 

Cirencester — Berkeley — Wilts — Face  of  the  Country,  Soil, 

Rivers,  &c 

Towns — Salisbury, 

Amesbury  — Stonehenge  — Representation,  Industry  — 


Hampshire, 

Forests — Isle  of  Wight, 498, 

Southampton — Portsmouth, 

Harbour — Naval  Manufactories, 

Fareham — Gosport — Winchester 499, 

Cathedral — College — Isle  of  Wight — Towns, 

Newport — Carisbrook  Castle — Sussex — Soil  and  Products, 

Rivers — Towns.  Chichester, 500, 

Horsham — Lewes — Hastings^ — Brighton, 

Eminent  Men — Kent, 

Dover, 501, 


Pile  of  Bones — Hythe  and  Romney — Sandwich — Deal,  . . 

Canterbury — Early  History — Cathedral, 

Diocese — Privileges  of  the  Archbishop — Rochester — Chat- 
ham,   

Military  Academy — Greenwich, 

Greenwich  Hospital — Observatory — Gravesend,  .... 

Middlesex — Canals — London, 503, 

Trade — History  of  London, 

Streets  Lighted  for  the  First  Time — First  Printing  Press,  . 

Silk  Manufacture,  

Plague — Fires — Municipal  Divisions, 

Form,  Buildings,  &c 

Squares — Public  Buildings, 505, 

Palace  of  St.  James — Churches, 

Bridges, 

Thames  Tunnel — Parks — Theatres, 

Scientific  and  Useful  Institutions — Benevolent  Institutions 

— Number  of  Houses,  Streets  and  Squares, 

Police — Environs  of  London, 

Chelsea — Surrey, 

Mineral  Products — Products  of  Industry — Guildford — Kew 

— Richmond, 

Berkshire — Windsor — Reading, 508, 


492 

492 

493 
493 

493 

494 
494 

494 

495 


495 

495 

496 

496  ! 

497 
497 

497 

498  ! 

498 

499 
499 

499 

500 
500 

500 

501 
501 

501 

502 
502 

502 

503 
503 

503 

504 
504 

504 

505 
505 

505 

506 

506 

507 
507 


507 
50S 

508 

508 

509 


CONTENTS. 


xui 


Newbury — Abingdon — Wantage — Whitehorse -vale, . . . 509 

Oxfordshire — Soil — Streams  and  Rivers — Products — Ox- 
ford— Antiquities — Historical  Associations,  ...  . 509 

University, 509,  510 

Usefhl  Institutions, 510 

County, 510 

Buckinghamshire — Soil — Inland  Navigation — Towns,  . . 511 

Buckingham — Eton — Eminent  men, 511 

Hertfordshire — Hertford — Ancient  Inhabitants  of  the  Coun- 
ty,   511 

St.  Albans — Battles, 512 

County — Eminent  Persons — Essex, 512 

Coriander,  Carraway  and  Teasel — Potatoes — Minerals,  . . 512 

Industry — Chelmsford — Colchester, 513 

Harwich — Other  Places, 513 

Suffolk — Soil — Domestic  Animals, 513 

Minerals — Ancient  Trade — Sudbury — Ipswich,  ....  514 

Bury  St.  Edmunds — Cambridgeshire — Newmarket — Cam- 
bridge,   514 

University, 515 

Buildings — Colleges, 515 

Ely — County, 516 

Norfolk — Rivers — Agriculture — Face  of  the  Country,  . . 516 

Turnips, 517 

Norwich, 517 

Industry, 517 

Yarmouth — King’s  Lynn, 518 

Feast  of  Reconciliation — Eminent  Persons — Lincolnshire — 

Name  and  Early  Inhabitants — Superficial  Extent — Popu- 
lation— Nature  of  the  Country — Divisions, 518 

Holland — Water  Fowl, 519 

Kesteven — Lindsey — Products — Rivers — Canals,  ....  519 

Boston, 519 

Lincoln — Cathedral 520 

Other  Towns, 520 

Number  of  Churches — Eminent  Men — Newton — Yorkshire,  520 

Ridings — North  Riding, 521 

East  Riding — West  Riding, 521 

Country — Rivers, 521 

York — Minster, 522 

Leeds — Markets, 522 

Bradford — Wakefield, 523 

Huddersfield — Halifax, 523 

Sheffield, 523 

Hull — Old  and  New  Docks, . 524 

Durham — Boundaries,  Aspect  of  the  Country,  &c.,  . . . 525 

Durham, 525 

Neville’s  Cross — Sunderland— Bishop- Wearmouth,  . 525,  526 

Monk-Wearmouth — South  Shields — Life-Boat,  ....  526 

Holy  Island, 526 

Northumberland — Boundaries — Extent — Face  of  the  Coun- 
try— Soil  and  Products, 526,  527 

Agriculture, 527 

Minerals — Rivers — Salmon — Newcastle, 527 

Manufactures,  Trade,  &c., 528 

Charitable  and  Useful  Institutions  — The  Tyne  — North 

Shields — Tynemouth, 528 

Other  Towns — Alnwick — Manner  of  making  Freemen,  . . 528 

Berwick-upon-Tweed — Cumberland — Boundaries, ....  529 

Soil — Mountains, 529 

Carlisle, 529 

Cathedral — Trade  and  Industry — Other  Towns — White- 
haven,   530 

Workington — Isle  of  Man, 530 

Ports — Westmoreland, 530 

Minerals — Towns — Appleby — Kendal, 531 

Lancaster  Canal — Lancashire — Boundaries — Soil — Prod- 
ucts,   531 

Rivers — Towns — Lancaster — Castle, 532 

Liverpool, 533 

Progress  of  its  Commerce, 533 

Contraband  Trade  with  Spanish  America — Slave  Trade,  . 534 

Public  Buildings,  Exchange,  &c. — Town-House — Literary 

Institutions, 534 

Lyceum — Benevolent  Institutions — Docks, 534 

Manufactures — Manchester, 535 


Communications — Cotton  Manufactures, 535 

Means  of  Instruction — Societies, 535 

Situation — Liverpool  and  Manchester  Railway,  ....  536 

Chat  Moss, 536 

Other  Towns — Bolton — Face  of  the  Country — Natural  Prod- 
ucts— Blackburn — Cheshire — Boundaries — Early  His- 
tory,   537 

Brine  Springs — Rock  Salt, 537 

Other  Products — Agricultural  Products — Chester,  . 537,  538 

Canals — Buildings, 538 

Macclesfield — Nantwich — Grand  Trunk  Canal — Derby- 
shire,   538 

Derby — Industry, 539 

Buildings — Chesterfield — Eminent  Men, 539 

Nottinghamshire — Soil — Face  of  the  Country, 540 

Agricultural  Products — Minerals — Rivers — Canals,  . . . 540 

Nottingham, 540 

Situation — Benevolent  Institutions, 541 

Mansfield — Leicestershire — Boundaries — Early  Inhabitants,  541 

Face  of  the  Country — Cheese — Minerals — Leicester — An- 
cient and  Present  Population  of  the  County,  ....  542 

Rutland — Northamptonshire, 542 

Agricultural  Products — Rivers, 543 

Canals — Northampton 543 

Peterborough — Huntingdonshire, 543 

Huntingdon, 544 

Bedfordshire — Face  of  the  Country — Minerals,  ....  544 

Early  Inhabitants — Roman  Works — Bedford,  ....  544 

Eminent  Men — Woburn — Warwickshire, . . ....  545 

Soil — Minerals — Rivers — Canals, 545 

Warwick, 546 

Castle — Coventry, 546 

Manufactures, 546 

Birmingham, 547 

Education — Benevolent  Institutions, 547 

Progressive  Population — Stratford  on  Avon — Staffordshire 

— Situation — Aspect  of  the  Country, 547 

Rivers, 547,  548 

Potteries — Earthenware, 548 

Wedgewood, 548 

Stafford, 549 

Lichfield — Newcastle  under  Line — Wolverhampton,  . . 549 

Salop  or  Shropshire, 549 

Minerals — Products  of  Industry, 550 

Coalbrookdale — Shrewsbury, 550 

Trade — Battle  of  Shrewsbury — Worcestershire,  ....  550 

Face  of  the  Country — Products — Kidderminster,  ....  551 

Trade, 551 

Herefordshire — Agricultural  Products — Fruits — Face  of  the 

Country, 551 

Hereford — Other  Towns — Monmouthshire, 552 

Soil — Minerals 552 

Japanned  Goods — Eminent  Men, 552,  553 

Chepstow — Curiosities — Wales — Limits — Extent — Popula- 
tion,   553 

Aspect  of  the  Country — Mountains, 553 

Roads, 554 

South  Wales — Glamorganshire — Calcareous  Basin,  . . . 554 

Brecknockshire — Caermarthenshire — Pembrokeshire,  . . 555 

Cardiganshire — Radnorshire, 555 

North  Wales,  Merionethshire, 555,  556 

Denbighshire — Flintshire — Caernarvonshire — Snowdon,  . 556 

Anglesea— -Menai  Straits — Suspension  Bridge,  ....  557 

Administration  of  Justice — Ecclesiastical  Government — 

Cardiff — Cardiff  Canal, 557 

Iron  Works  of  South  Wales — Merthyr  Tydvil,  ....  558 

Landaff — Swansea — Caermarthen, 558 

Pembroke — Milford  Haven — St.  David’s, 558,  559 

Cardigan — Brecon, • . 559 

Radnor — Montgomery — Denbigh, 559,  560 

Flint — Caerwys,  Bards — Holywell, 560 

Caernarvon — Beaumaris — Amlwch — Holyhead,  . 560,  561 

Manners — Customs — Superstitions — W elsh  Raptures — 

Witchcraft, 561 

Spirits  of  the  Mountains — Elves  and  Fairies — Family 
Pride, ...  . . 561 


XIV 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK  CLV. 

EUROPE. 

Europe  Continued — Description  of  the  British  Islands — Second 
Section — Scotland. 


Extent — Situation, 562 

Hills  in  the  South — Boundary  between  Scotland  and  Eng- 
land,   562 

Valleys — Grampians — Parallel  Chain, 562,  563 

Sidla  Hills — Ochils — Campsie  Hills — Northern  Chain — 
Rivers  and  Valleys  in  the  Grampian  and  Northern  Chain,  563 

Rivers, 564 

Resemblance  between  the  Tay  and  the  Tiber — Islands,  . 564 

Currents — Coasts, 564,  565 

Western  Coast, 565 

Depth  of  Water — Northern  Coast — Mineral  Kingdom,  . . 565 

Coal — Annual  Consumption  of  Coal — Iron — Lead,  . 565,  566 

Silver — Materials  for  Building — Marble,  . 566 

Precious  Stones — Products  of  Agriculture, 566 

Antiquities, 567 

Early  Inhabitants — Middle  Ages, 567 

Independence  of  Scotland — James  the  First — James  the 
Second — James  the  Third — James  the  Fourth,  ....  568 

James  the  Fifth — Reformation, 568 

Revenues  of  the  Church — Scottish  Parliament,  . . 568,  569 

Change  introduced  by  James  the  First, 569 

Lords  of  the  Articles, 569 

Causes  of  the  Change — Effect  of  the  Change — Changes 
introduced  after  the  Union  of  the  Crowns,  . . . 569,  570 

Heritable  Jurisdictions, 570 

Supreme  Courts  of  Scotland — Court  of  Session — Justiciary 

and  Sheriff  Courts — Ecclesiastical  Polity, 570 

Ecclesiastical  Divisions — Education, 571 

Past  State  of  Parliamentary  Representation, 571 


BOOK  CL VI. 

EUROPE. 

Europe  Continued — Scotland — Section  Second — Civil  Divisions — 
Topographical  Details. 


Population, 572 

Wigtonshire, 572 

Stewartry  of  Kirkcudbright — Minerals — Rivers,  . . 572,  573 

Kirkcudbright — House  Societies — Dumfries-shire — Rivers,  573 

Minerals — Dumfries, 573,  574 

Annan — Roxburghshire, 574 

Soil — Kelso, 574,  575 

Jedburgh — Melrose — Hawick, 575 

Selkirkshire — Minerals — Selkirk, 575 

Berwickshire — Lammermoor — Merse — Towns,  ....  576 

Pease  Bridge — Haddingtonshire — Heights, 576 

Soil  and  Climate  — Minerals  — Agricultural  Improve- 
ments  . 576,  577 

Towns — Dunbar — North  Berwick, 577 

Eminent  Men — Mid-Lothian — Surface — Rivers,  . . 577,  578 

Minerals — Edinburgh, 578 

Castle,  ...  578 

Holy  rood  House — Modern  Works, 579 

New  Town — Register-Office — North  Bridge, 579 

Regent  Bridge — University — Increase  in  the  Population — 

Trade  and  Industry, 579 

Leith,  580 

West-Lothian — Minerals, 580 

Towns — Linlithgow, 580,  581 

Lanarkshire — Coal — Iron  and  Lead, 581 

Artificial  Navigation — Monkland  and  Ardrossan  Canals — 

Surface  and  Population — Glasgow, 581 

Progress  of  its  Trade, 582 

Useful  Institutions, 582 

Public  Buildings, 582,  583 

Other  Towns — Peebles-shire, 583 


Soil  and  Minerals — Renfrewshire — Rivers, 

Minerals — Towns — Paisley — Manufactures,  ....!* 

Port-Glasgow — Greenock — Ayrshire, 

Manufactures — Towns — Ayr, 

Kilmarnock — Troon — Ardrossan, 

Stirlingshire, 

Soil  and  Minerals, 

Stirling — Bannockburn, 

Clackmannanshire, 

Millstones — Coal — Towns — Clackmannan — Alloa,  . . . 

Industry — Kinross-shire — Loch  Leven — Leven,  . . 588, 


Kinross — Fife — Natural  Divisions, 

Minerals — Limestone — Towns — Cupar 589, 

St.  Andrews — University, 

Kirkaldy — Dunfermline, 590, 

Antiquities — Small  Towns  on  the  Forth — Forfarshire  or 

Angus-shire — Surface — Natural  Divisions, 

Strathmore — Minerals, 59], 

Streams — Towns — Dundee 


Manufactures — Arbroath — Harbour — Bell-Rock  Lighthouse, 

Montrose, 

Brechin — Forfar — Kincardineshire — Minerals, 

Rivers — Lakes — Stonehaven — Aberdeenshire, 

Divisions — Agriculture — Cattle — Fisheries 

Minerals — Town  of  Aberdeen,  . . 

New  Aberdeen — Trade  and  Industry, 

Newburgh — Peterhead — Fraserburgh — Highlands,  . 595, 

State  of  Society  before  1745,  . 

Tacksmen  — Cotters  — Consequences  of  the  Rebellion 

in  1745, 

Houses, 

Buteshire  — Climate — Minerals — Agriculture — Fisheries — 

Industry, 

Rothesay — Arran — Cumbraes — Inchmarnock — Pladda,  . . 

Dumbarton — Manufacture — Castle — Imprudence  of  the  In- 
habitants,   

Dumbartonshire — Soil — Minerals — Rivers  and  Lakes,  . . 

Manufactures — Argyleshire — Aspect  of  the  Country,  . . 

Roads  and  Canals, 

Hebrides — Position — Number — Population — Surface — In- 
habitants— Civil  Distribution  — Physical  Features — In- 
verary,   

Perthshire, 

Mountains — Lakes — Rivers — Soil, 600, 

Wood — Minerals — Perth, 

Manufactures — Commerce, 

Inverness-shire — Population — Face  of  the  Country — Glen- 

more — Lakes, 601, 

Rivers — Spey — Mountains — Divisions — Sterility — Min- 
erals,   

Public  Works — Forts — Military  Roads — Caledonian  Canal, 

Dimensions — Locks — Inverness — Banff, 

County — Rivers — Minerals — Cupmoss — Moray  or  Elgin- 
shire— Natural  Divisions, .... 

Minerals — Rivers — Elgin, 

Forres — Nairnshire — Town  of  Nairn — Ross  and  Cromarty, 

Aspect  of  the  Country — Rivers — Agriculture, 

Minerals — Towns — Ullapool — Cromarty, 

Lewis — Stornoway — Sutherlandshire — Coasts — Interior, 
Rivers  and  Lakes — Caves  and  Minerals — Fisheries — Towns 

— Caithness, 605, 

Rivers  and  Lakes — Fisheries — Agriculture, 

Roads — Wick  and  Thurso, 

Orkney  and  Shetland — Extent — Orkneys — Principal  Islands, 

Mainland  or  Pomona, 

Kirkwall — Shetland — Towns, 607, 


583 

584 

584 

585 

586 

586 

587 

587 

588 

588 

589 

589 

590 

590 

591 

591 

592 
592 

592 

593 

593 

594 
594 

594 

595 

596 
596 


596 

597 

597 

598 

598 

599 

599 

600 


600 

600 

601 

601 

601 

602 

602 

602 

603 

603 

604 
604 

604 

605 
605 


606 

606 

606 

607 

607 

608 


BOOK  CLVII. 

EUROPE. 

Europe  Continued — Description  of  Ireland — Boundaries — Nature 
of  the  Country — Harbours— Rivers — Islands,  fyc. 


Situation — Boundaries, 609 

Coasts — South-eastern — Dublin  Bay, 609 


CONTENTS. 


Howth  Harbour — Kingstown  Harbour — Dalkey  Island,  609,  610 
Wexford  Harbour — Southern  Coast — Saltee  Islands — Wa- 
terford Harbour — Dunmore  Harbour, 610 

Tramore  Bay — Dungarvan  Bay — Youghal  Bay — Ballycotton 
Bay — Cork  Harbour — Great  Island — Hawlbowling  and 

Spike  Island — Kinsale  Harbour, 610 

Clognakilty  and  Castlehaven  Harbours — Baltimore  Har- 
bour— Cape  Clear  Island, 610,  611 

Sherkin  Island — Crookhaven — Brow  Head — Mizen  Head — 
Dunmanus  Bay — Bantry  Bay — Whiddy  Island — Bere- 

haven, 611 

Western  Coast — Dursey  Island — Kenmare  River — Skelig 
Islands — Valentia  Island — Dingle  Bay — Blasquet  Islands 

— Smerwick  Bay — Tralee  Bay, 611,  612 

Shannon  River  — Inniscattery  Island  — Malbay  — Galway 

Bay — Arran  Islands, 612 

Cashin,  Kilkeeran,  Birterbuy  and  Roundstone  Bays — Clew 
Bay — Clare  Island — Newport — Westport — Achil  Island,  612 
Blacksod  Bay — Broadhaven — Killala  Bay — Sligo  Bay — 
Donegal  Bay — North  Arranmore  Island — Tory  Island — 


Northern  Coast — Horn  Head — Sheep  Bay,  . . . 612,  613 
Mulroy  Bay — Lough  Swilly — Lough  Foyle — Malin  Head — 

The  Skerries — Ballycastle — Rathlin  Island, 613 

North-East  Coast — Fair  Head — Tor  Point — Olderfleet  Har- 
bour— Belfast  Lough — Copeland  Islands — Donaghadee — 

Strangford  Lough, 613 

Carlingford  Lough — Dundalk  Bay — Drogheda  Harbour — • 


Island  Magee — The  Gobbins — Extent — Surface,  ....  614 

Mountains — Rivers — Shannon, . 614 

Barrow — Suir — Nore — Blackwater — Lee — Bandon,  . . 615 


Lakes — Lough  Neagh — Lough  Erne — Lough  Corrib,  615,  616 
Lough  Mask — Lough  Garra — Lough  Conn — Lough  Lane — 
Lough  Derg — Woods — Bogs — Central  Band,  ....  616 

Species  of  Bog — Fibrous  Bog — Fluid  Peat, 617 

Black  Bog — Bog  Strata, 617 

Surface  of  Bogs, 618 

Geology — Flcetz  Limestone — Granite — Mica  Slate — Basalt,  618 
Chalk — Mulattoe — Lias  Limestone — Dykes — Granite,  . 619 


Copper — Lead — Iron — Antimony — Coal, 620,  621 

Mineral  Springs — Names — Erin, 621 

Scotia — Celtic  Remains — Round  Towers, 622 

Colonization — Partholan — Milesius — Heber  and  Heremon,  622 

Ollamh  Fodlah — Leah  Quin — Leah  Mowa — Provinces — 

History — St.  Patrick — Declan — St.  Kieran, 622 

Danes — Turgesius — Brian  Boru — Cardinal  Paparon,  . . . 623 

Henry  II. — Dermod  M’Morrough — Strono-bow, 623 

Hugh  De  Lacy, 623 

John,  Earl  of  Morton — Division  into  Counties, — The  Pale,  624 

Edward  Bruce— Statutes  of  Kilkenny, 624 

Richard  II. — Art.  M’Murcha — Cumrick — Black-rent, . . . 625 
Brotherhood  of  St.  George — Henry  VII. — Lambert  Simnel,  625 

Perkin  Warbeck — Poynings’  Laws, 625 

Henry  VIII. — O’Neil — Philip  and  Mary — Elizabeth,  . . . 626 


James  I. — Charles  I. — Strafford — Sir  Phelim  O’Neil,  . . 627 

Cromwell — Charles  II. — James  II 627 

Penal  Code — Thurot, 627  628 

Octennial  Act — Volunteers, 628 

Grattan, 628 

Regency  Question— Catholic  Emancipation, 629 

United  Irishmen— French  Invasion — Rebellion,  ....  629 


Representation— Executive— Judicial  Officers, 630 

Lord  Lieutenants — Grand  Juries — Constabulary — Ecclesi- 
astical State, 

Parishes — Tithes, 631 

Ministers’  Money — Roman  Catholic  Establishment,  . 631,  632 

Presbyterian  Establishment— Population, 632 

Occupations— Appearance  and  Character,  ....  . 632 


Education  — University  — Maynooth  College  — Royal’ 
Schools 633 


Diocesan  Schools — Erasmus  Smith’s  Schools — Charter 

Schools — Education  of  the  Poor, 633 

Sunday  Schools 634 

Agriculture, 634 

Grazing, 634 

Hogs — Dairies — Butter — Cheese — Orchards, 635 

Cider — Tobacco — Fisheries, 635 

Manufactures — Woollen, 636 

Linen, 637 

Linen  Board — Flax  Seed, 637 

Silk, 637 

Cotton — Iron — Distilleries, 638 

Beer — Circulating  Medium, 638 

Coinage, 638 

Banks, 639 

Roads, 639 

Inland  Navigation — Grand  Canal, 640 

Royal  Canal — Newry  Canal — Lagan  Navigation 640 

Boyne  Navigation — Limerick  Navigation — Commerce,  . . 640 

Cities  and  Towns, 641 

Dublin, 641 

Kilkenny, 642 

Drogheda, 643 

Dundalk— Wexford — Carlow — New  Ross — Portarlington,  . 643 

Belfast — Lisburn — Newry, 643,  644 

Londonderry — Armagh — Coleraine, 644 

Carrickfergus — Downpatrick — Enniskillen — Cork — Lim- 
erick,   644 

W aterford — Dungarvan — Clonmel — Cashel, 645 

Youghal — Kinsale — Bandon  Bridge, 645 

Fermoy — Mallow — Tralee — Ennis — Galway,  . . . 645  646 
Sligo — Tuam — Athlone, 646 


Statistical  Tables, 647 — 662 


Tables  of  Mathematical  Geografht. 

I.  Comparison  of  French  and  English  Weights  and  Mea- 

sures, Old  Weights  and  Measures  of  France,  . . 663 

II.  Synoptical  Table  of  the  Planetary  System,  . . . 664 

III.  Table  of  Climates, 665 

IV.  Table  of  the  Decrease  of  the  Degrees  of  Longitude, 

according  to  the  Ancient  or  Nonagesimal  Gradua- 
tion, the  Earth  being  supposed  to  be  spherical,  . 665 
V.  Table  of  the  Decrease  of  the  Degrees  of  Longitude, 
according  to  the  New  or  Centesimal  Graduation, 
the  Earth  being  considered  as  spherical,  ....  66f 

VI.  Table  of  the  Decrease  of  the  Degrees  of  Longitude, 

according  to  the  New  or  Centesimal  Scale,  the 
Earth  being  supposed  to  be  a spheroid,  flat- 
tened   665 

VII.  Table  of  the  Increase  of  the  Degrees  of  Latitude, 

according  to  the  New  or  Centesimal  Scale,  the 
Earth  being  supposed  to  be  a spheroid  flat- 
tened   00g 

VIII.  Comparative  View  of  Linear  Measures,  called  (or 

equivalent  to)  Feet, 666 

IX.  A Comparative  View  of  the  Agrarian  Measures 
used  in  the  principal  States  of  Europe,  in  ancient 
French  square  feet,  (pieds  de  roi,)  compared  with 
the  Arpent  fixed  by  the  Government  for  measur- 
ing the  Waters  and  Forests,  and  with  the  Hectare, 
or  New  Agrarian  Measure  of  France,  ....  666 

X.  A Comparative  Table  of  Itinerary  and  Topographical 

Measures 667 

XI.  A Table  of  the  different  Measures  of  Antiquity,  . . 668 

XII.  Comparative  View  of  Principal  Winds, 668 

XIII.  Table  of  the  Decrease  of  Temperature,  according  to 

the  Altitude, 669 

XIV.  Table  of  the  most  Remarkable  Heights  in  different 

parts  of  the  World,  expressed  in  English  feet,  . . 669 


t 


BOOK  CXXII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


1 


BOOK  CXXII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Germany. — Sixth  Section. — Kingdom 
of  Wirtemberg. — Grand  dutchy  of  Baden. — Principalities 
of  Hohenzollern-Hechingen,  Hohenzollern- Sigmaringen 
and  Lichtenstein. 

The  countries  we  are  about  to  examine,  are  more  ex- 
tensive than  the  petty  states  which  were  last  described, a 
but  they  were  not  less  subdivided,  before  Baden  was  erected 
into  a grand  dutchy,  and  Wirtemberg  and  Bavaria  into 
kingdoms.  The  circle  of  Franconia  comprehended  the 
margraviates  of  Anspach  and  Bayreuth,  as  well  as  the  free 
territory  attached  to  the  town  of  Nuremberg.  The  dutchy 
of  Wirtemberg,  the  margraviate  of  Baden  and  the  imperial 
towns  of  Ulm  and  Augsburg,  made  up  the  circle  of  Suabia. 
Lastly,  the  circle  of  Bavaria  was  formed  by  the  electorate 
of  Bavaria,  the  bishoprics  of  Salzburg,  Passau  and  Frey- 
singen,  and  the  possessions  of  the  free  town  of  Ratisbon.b 

The  changes  in  the  territorial  divisions  in  that  part  of 
Germany,  as  well  as  in  other  countries,  were  occasioned 
by  the  preponderance  which  France  possessed  in  Europe, 
under  the  reign  of  Napoleon.  In  consequence  of  the  treaty 
concluded  at  Presburg  in  1805,  the  government  of  these 
ancient  circles  and  free  territories  was  changed  ; the  small 
principalities  of  Lichtenstein  and  Hohenzollern  retained 
their  privileges,  but  Baden  was  raised  into  a grand  dutchy, 
and  Bavaria  and  Wirtemberg  were  made  kingdoms,  within 
the  Germanic  confederation.  Some  alterations  in  the  limits 
of  these  states  have  been  necessarily  occasioned  by  the  last 
treaties,  and  they  have  acquired,  from  their  new  organiza- 
tion, a greater  influence  than  they  possessed  under  the  pro- 
tection of  France.  Bavaria,  which  is  still  a powerful  king- 
dom, holds,  after  Prussia,  the  first  rank  in  the  confederation. 
It  shall  be  described  in  the  next  book. 

The  kingdom  of  Wirtemberg  is  situated  between  Bavaria 
and  the  grand  dutchy  of  Baden.  Roesch  considers  its 
greatest  length  to  be  equal  to  three  hundred  and  forty-eight 
geographical  miles ; it  is  not  less  than  five  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  twelve  English  square  miles  in  superficial  ex- 
tent.® The  greater  portion  of  it  is  covered  with  hills,  or  in- 
dented with  vallies,  the  largest  of  which  is  watered  by  the 
Neckar.  A branch  of  the  Schwarz-Wald,  or  Black  Forest, 

a The  original  states,  that  the  countries  which  are  now  to  be  described 
occupy  together  a greater  extent  of  surface  than  the  small  states  whicli 
have  been  already  enumerated.  Two  of  these  states  (Wirtemberg 
and  Bavaria)  are  larger  than  any  in  the  preceding  book,  but  Saxony  is 
more  extensive  than  Baden.  The  three  principalities  are  among  the 
smallest  states  in  Germany. — P. 

b It  is  not  true  that  the  circles  of  Suabia  and  Bavaria  were  made  up  of 
or  formed  by  the  states  above  mentioned  ; but  only  that  those  states  were 
among  the  most  important  comprehended  in  the  circles.  The  great  num- 
ber of  immediate  small  states,  scattered  over  every  circle  in  Germany,  and 
equally  independent  in  theory  with  the  largest,  is  too  well  known  to  need 
any  special  enumeration.  Such  states  were  particularly  numerous  in 
Suabia.— P.  J 

VOL.  HI.— NO.  42 


forms  for  the  distance  of  seventy  miles,'1  the  western  limit  of 
the  kingdom.  The  chain  of  the  Schwarz-Wald,  being 
composed  of  granite  rocks,  is  consequently  of  a higher  eleva- 
tion6 than  the  Rauhe-Alb,  another  range,  formed  by  lime- 
stone of  secondary  formation ; the  latter  has  been  called 
the  Suabian  Alps  by  French  geographers.  These  two  chains 
are  branches  of  a single  range  that  commences  at  the  banks 
of  the  Rhine,  opposite  Bale,  and  forms  by  its  bifurcation 
the  natural  boundary  of  Wirtemberg  on  the  south-west. 
The  elevation  of  some  of  the  principal  mountains  in  Wirtem- 
berg may  be  mentioned  ; the  Katzenkopf  or  Cat’s  Head,  is 
more  than  3000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea  ;f  the  Storn- 
berg  is  2776,  the  Rossberg  2689,  the  Hohenzollern  2621, 
the  Kniebis  2565,  the  Teck  2327,  the  Stuifenberg  2315, 
and  the  Neufien  2263.®  h The  climate  is  in  general  mild 
and  temperate,  but  on  the  heights  and  in  the  forests  which 
extend  along  their  declivities,  the  atmosphere  is  cold,  and 
the  winters  are  of  longer  duration.  The  rivers  that  rise 
from  the  mountains  are  the  Neckar,  together  with  the 
Enz,  the  Fils,  the  Rems,  the  Kocher  and  the  Jaxt,  all  of 
which  are  feeders  of  the  Neckar,  and  the  Danube,  together 
with  several  small  rivers,  such  as  the  Riess,  the  Roth  and 
the  Iller.1  The  fossil  bones  of  elephants  and  other  antedi- 
luvian animals  have  been  discovered  in  the  valley  of  the 
Neckar,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Canstadt.  The  Federsee 
is  the  largest  lake  in  the  interior  of  Wirtemberg ; we  shall 
not  mermon  the  lake  of  Constance,  which  forms  merely  the 
southern  limit  of  the  kingdom. 

Ammianus  Marcel!inusk  and  other  ancient  writers  make 
mention  of  the  Alemanni,  who  inhabited  the  country  be- 
tween the  Upper  Danube,  the  Upper  Rhine  and  the  Maine. 
That  country  forms,  at  present,  the  grand  dutchy  of  Baden 
and  the  kingdom  of  Wirtemberg.  The  Alemanni,  or  the 
Alemanni  or  Alambani,  as  they  are  sometimes  called  by  the 
ancients,  were  the  ancestors  of  the  people  that  now  inhabit 
the  states  governed  by  the  king  of  Wirtemberg.  Agathias 
and  Jornandes,1  who  lived  during  the  reign  of  the  emperor 
Justinian,  have  left  us  much  valuable  information  concern- 
ing these  barbarous  tribes.  The  first  explains  the  meaning 
of  their  na/ne,  and  tells  us  that  Alemanni  signifies  a junction 

c “ Its  superficial  extent  is  estimated  by  Roesch  at  348  [Germ.]  geogra 
phical  square  miles,  or  967  [Fr.  sq.]  leagues.” 
u “ 28  leagues.” 

e Such  is  the  language  of  the  original,  but  it  does  not  necessarily  follow 
that  a chain  of  primitive  formation  should  be  higher  than  one  of  secondary 
formation  ; many  instances  to  the  contrary  occur. — P. 

f See  Wurtembergisc.he  Jahrbucher  fur  vaterlandische  Geschichte,  by 
Memminger,  1823. 

s Stein’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.') 
h The  measures  here  given  are  those  of  the  original. 

1 These  three  rivers  enter  the  Danube  from  the  south,  and  consequently 

rise  from  the  Alps,  and  not  from  the  mountains  previously  mentioned P 

k Rer.  gest.  XXVIII.  5.  1 De  Reb.  Goth.  17. 


1 


2 EURC 

or  union  of  different  nations  in  Germany  ; in  short,  it  seems 
to  be  derived  from  all  and  maim,  two  words  nearly  the  same 
both  in  German  and  English.  The  Alemanni  were  proba- 
bly descended  from  the  Suevi.  Their  government  was 
monarchical,  or  at  all  events,  they  chose  a chief  when  they 
began  a war ; their  religion  was  the  same  as  that  of  the 
other  Germans,  but  they  were  distinguished  from  them  by 
the  greater  ferocity  of  their  manners.  Their  hatred  against 
the  Romans,  excited  them  to  many  acts  of  cruelty,  which 
were  committed  against  their  prisoners.  Caracalla  defeat- 
ed them,  but  could  not  make  them  submit  to  his  authority, 
and  it  was  only  by  means  of  bribery  that  some  were  gained 
over  to  his  service.  They  made  themselves  masters  of  the 
forts,  which  the  Romans  had  built  on  the  Rhine,  and  laid 
waste  part  of  Gaul  about  the  middle  of  the  third  century. 
They  were  afterwards  driven  back  into  Germany,  and  then- 
country  desolated,  by  Maximin.  Their  history  indeed  ex- 
hibits a succession  of  victories  and  defeats,  until  nearly  the 
end  of  the  fourth  century,1  when  they  submitted  to  Max- 
entius/ 

Wirtemberg  was  formed  into  a county  in  the  circle  of 
Suabia  about  the  middle  of  the  eleventh  century.0  The 
Emperor  Maximilian  changed  it  into  a dutchy  in  the  year 
1495.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  embraced  the  reformation 
under  Ulric  the  Eighth,  who  took  an  active  part  in  the 
league  of  Smalkalden.  The  number  of  protestants  at  pre- 
sent in  the  kingdom  is  estimated  to  be  more  than  a million. 

The  kingdom  of  Wirtemberg  abounds  in  mines,  slate,  mar- 
ble, and  different  kinds  of  limestone  that  are  used  in  building  ; 
it  is  also  well  supplied  with  coal,  sulphur,  salt  and  mineral 
springs.  The  land  yields  good  harvests,  and  more  than  a 
half  of  it  is  in  cultivation ; the  vineyards  take  up  nearly 
a fiftieth  part,  the  meadows  about  a seventh,  and  the  forests 
occupy  the  rest  of  the  country.  The  landed  proprietors 
rear  a great  number  of  horses,  oxen,  pigs  and  sheep me- 
rinos have  been  introduced,  and  are  found  to  succeed. 

The  woods  and  the  fields  were  so  much  overrun  with 
game,  that  government  found  it  necessary  in  1817  to  en- 
courage the  destruction  of  hares,  rabbits  and  other  kinds  of 
game  by  which  the  crops  were  injured.  The  kqppers  of 
the  forests  are  obliged  to  recompense  the  farmers  for  any 
injury  that  these  animals  may  occasion.  Two  persons  are 
appointed  in  every  village, d and  their  sole  occupation  is  to 
destroy  game. 

There  are  many  manufactories  in  Wirtemberg,  but  none 
of  them  are  very  important.  The  articles  manufactured  in 
the  plains  or  low  districts  are  cotton,  linen  and  woollen 
stuffs ; many  wooden  clocks  are  made  in  the  high  country  ; 
and  paper  mills,  tanneries  and  iron  works  may  be  seen  in 
the  vallies. 

But  another  and  very  important  trade  consists  in  spirits  ; 
there  are  not  fewer  than  thirty  distilleries  in  the  district  of 
Heilbronn,  two  hundred  and  twenty-six  in  that  of  Bahling- 
en,  and  sixty-three  in  that  of  Biberach.  The  spirits  made 

)PE.  [BOOK.  CXXII 

in  these  distilleries,  are  not  obtained  from  wine,  potatoes  or 
grain,  but  extracted  from  the  fruit  of  the  small  cherry  trees 
that  increase  so  rapidly  on  the  mountains  in  the  Black  Fo- 
rest. That  spirituous  liquor  is  generally  known  by  the  name 
of  kirschen-wasser.  The  quantity  consumed  in  the  country, 
and  exported  every  year,  is  sold  for  130,000  florins,  or 
.£  13,000.°  It  furnishes  the  means  of  subsistence  to  more 
than  a hundred  and  twenty  families  among  the  lower  orders 
of  society.  In  whatever  estimation  this  liquor  may  be  held 
by  connoisseurs,  it  is  not  the  less  certain  that  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Schwarz- Wald  ought  to  raise  a monument  in  me- 
mory of  Thomas  Leodgar,  who  invented  it,  and  to  whom 
the  people  are  indebted  for  their  wealth.  * 

The  foreign  commerce  of  the  kingdom  consists  chiefly 
the  exportation  of  its  wood,  wines,  grain,  dried  fruits, 
leather,  linen  and  kirschen-wasser,  and  also  of  the 
wooden  clocks  that  are  made  in  the  high  districts.  The 
countries  to  which  most  of  these  exports  are  sent,  are  Swit- 
zerland, France,  Bavaria  and  Austria.  It  receives  in  ex- 
change, cloth,  oil,  fine  wool,  raw  silk  and  silk  stuffs,  tobac- 
co and  colonial  produce. 

As  to  the  inland  trade,  it  is  believed  to  be  protected  by 
excluding  foreign  competition  by  means  of  prohibitory  du- 
ties, and  by  the  monopoly  which  government  has  imposed 
on  certain  articles.  Thus,  the  cotton  cloth/  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Chinese  city  in  which  it  is  made,  cannot  enter 
the  kingdom  ; unwrought  iron  cannot  be  exported  from  it, 
and  salt  and  tobacco  are  sold  exclusively  by  government. 
For  the  purpose  of  encouraging  commerce,  a uniform  system 
of  weights  and  measures,  founded  on  the  decimal  division, 
has  been  established.  The  management  of  the  roads  is  com- 
mitted to  government,  and  some  attempts  have  lately  been 
made  to  improve  them.  Commercial  communications  are 
likewise  facilitated  by  navigable  rivers. 

M.  MemmingerK  estimates  the  value  of  all  the  merchan- 
dise in  the  kingdom,  at  thirty-three  millions  of  florins,  or 
three  millions  three  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling  ; the 
natural  products,  according  to  the  same  author,  amount  to 
sixteen  millions  of  florins,  and  the  manufactured  products 
to  seventeen  millions.  The  value  of  the  exports  amounts 
to  more  than  sixteen  millions  of  florins. 

According  to  Hassel,  the  revenue  in  1821  was  not  less 
than  8,300,000  florins/  from  which  if  the  sum  derived 
from  the  domains  and  forests  be  deducted,  5,681,000  re- 
main, the  amount  of  all  the  taxes  and  contributions,  that 
are  imposed  on  the  people  ; so  that  on  an  average,  every 
individual  in  the  kingdom,  pays  annually  four  florins  or  eight 
shillings  in  the  shape  of  taxes.  The  expenditure  amounted 
to  7,900,000  florins,1  including  the  interest  and  extinguish- 
ment of  the  national  debt,  which  at  that  time  was  estimated 
at  20,000,000  florins.  But  it  must  have  considerably  in- 
creased within  the  short  period  of  two  years,  for,  if  a report 
made  to  the  chambers  in  1823  be  correct,  it  was  then  equal 
to  25,679,616  florins.  The  revenue,  although  sometimes 

“ “ A.  D.  388.” 

b The  dates  in  the  text  do  not  correspond  with  the  common  authorities. 
Maximin  died  A.  D.  238,  and  Maxentius  A.  D.  312. — P. 
c Moreri’s  Dictionary,  art.  Wirtemberg. 

<*  “Commune” — Germ,  gemeinde. 

6 “ The  annual  produce  is  valued  at  more  than  130,000  florins.” — The 
florin  in  Wirtemberg  is  2s.  Ad.  sterl.  Ed.  Encyc.  . 
f Nankeen. 

g Wurtembergisclie  Jahrbucher,  &c.  1821 

h The  following  details  are  subjoined  : Florins. 

Domains 2,268,000 

Direct  taxes 2,000,000 

Florins. 

Indirect  taxes 2,553,000 

Forests 351, 000 

Saltpetre  and  salt  94,000 

Post  office  ........  69,000 

Different  receipts 404,000 

Receipts  in  arrear 561,000 

Total  . . 8,300,000 

1 Some  of  the  items  may  be  mentioned  : for  the  civil  list,  666,000  florins ; 
for  the  ordinary  appanages  of  the  royal  family,  309,000 ; for  the  war  de- 
partment, 1,855,000. 

book,  cxxn.]  DESCRIPTION 

higher  than  in  1821,  has  more  frequently  been  lower;  in 
1824.  one  of  the  most  prosperous  years,  it  exceeded 
10,028,000  florins.*  b 

The  harvests  have  more  than  once  so  completely  failed, 
that  government  has  been  obliged  to  remit  the  taxes  in  se- 
veral districts ; the  same  cause  has  induced  many  indivi- 
duals to  emigrate  to  America  and  the  southern  provinces 
of  Russia.  Stein0  assures  us  that  no  less  than  twelve  thou- 
sand persons  emigrated  during  the  first  four  months  of  the 
year  1817.  But  it  must  be  admitted  that  a considerable 
number  were  influenced  by  religious  notions  ; the  aurora 
borealis,  which  appeared  in  Wirtemberg,  during  the  month 
of  February  fn  the  same  year,  was  considered  a sign  or  an 
injunction  of  the  Lord,  by  which  the  people  were  com- 
manded to  leave  the  country. 

It  was  determined  in  1819  that  the  army  should  consist 
of  nineteen  thousand  men  in  time  of  war,  and  six  thousand 
in  time  of  peace,  exclusively  of  three  hundred  and  seventy 
gendarmes.  The  contingent,  which  the  state  furnishes  to 
the  confederation,  amounts  to  fourteen  thousand  men.  It 
ought  to  be  mentioned  that  a law  was  passed  nineteen 
years  ago,  rendering  it  imperative  on  every  bachelor  from 
the  age  of  twenty  to  forty,  to  enter  the  militia,  which  is 
made  up  of  sixty  cohorts,  and  each  cohort  of  a thousand 
men.d  Those  who  have  attained  the  age  of  forty,  form  a 
corps  of  reserve.  'The  time  fixed  for  the  military  service  is 
ten  years  for  the  cavalry,  and  eight  for  the  infantry.  Offi- 
cers were  entitled  to  inflict  corporal  punishment  on  the 
soldiers,  a privilege  which  has  often  been  abused  in  the 
German  armies.  Government  considered  that  a method 
of  punishment  so  humiliating  to  private  soldiers,  was  not 
tolerated  in  despotic  countries  ; it  was  therefore  abolished 
about  twelve  years  ago  ; at  present,  no  man  in  the  army 
can  be  punished  without  the  sentence  of  a court  martial.0 
It  was  fixed  by  a law  passed  in  1812/  that  the  widows  of 
sub-officers  and  soldiers,  who  had  been  slain  in  the  field  of 
battle,  should  be  entitled  to  a pension  equivalent  to  the  pay 
of  their  husbands  ; their  children  too  may  be  brought  up  at 
the  royal  orphan-houses  at  Stuttgard  and  Ludwigsburg,  if 
their  relatives  are  unable  to  maintain  them. 

Some  notion  of  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  Wirtemberg 
may  be  formed  from  the  military  force.  Hassel  estimated 
the  population  in  1822,  at  one  million  four  hundred  and 
forty-six  thousand  individuals,  consisting  principally  of 
Germans,  W ends/  and  Jews.1*  But  the  number  of  inhabi- 
tants has  increased  since  that  period,  and  it  appears  from 
the  excess  of  the  births  above  the  deaths,  that  the  popula- 
tion amounted  in  1826  to  1,517,770  souls,  from  which  it 
follows  that  the  average  number  of  individuals  for  evet'y 
English  square  mile,  is  upwards  of  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
one,*  a number  that  places  Wirtemberg  on  a level  with  the 
most  populous  states  in  Europe. 

a “ The  revenue  has  sometimes  been  higher  than  in  1821,  as  in  the  year 
1824,  when  it  amounted  to  10,028,000  florins ; but  it  has  occasionally  been 
lower.” 

b Allgem.  Deutsche  Justiz-Kammer,  &c.  February,  1825. 

c Stein’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.) 

d “ There  is  a law  by  which  all  bachelors,  from  eighteen  years  to  forty, 
are  enrolled  m a general  militia,  consisting  of  sixty  cohorts,  each  of  one 
thousand  men.” 

e “ Corporal  punishment  in  time  of  peace,  was  abolished,  about  ten  years 
since,  by  a royal  ordinance.  This  degrading  penalty,  which  is  not  even 
tolerated  in  despotic  countries,  can  now  be  inflicted  only  in  extraordinary 
cases,  and  by  sentence  of  a court  martial.” 

f “ By  a royal  ordinance  of  1812.” 

s Vaudois,  in  the  text  of  the  original ; Wendes,  in  the  Table  of  Errata. 
Waldenses.  (Hassel.) 

11  In  the  above  number  are  included  703,500  males  and  740,600  females. 


OF  GERMANY.  3 

The  law  by  which  many,  before  the  year  1817,  were  pre- 
vented from  having  fire-arms  in  their  possession,  lias  been 
wisely  modified.  That  privilege  is  granted  at  present  not 
only  to  landed  proprietors,  their  stewards,  the  officers  of 
government,  the  magistrates  and  the  huntsmen  appointed 
by  the  districts/  but  also  to  the  tenants  of  isolated  houses, 
and  the  proprietors  of  manufactories  and  storehouses. 
Each  district  may  dispose  of  a certain  number  of  guns,  that 
are  entrusted  to  the  mayor,  who  gives  them  to  any  that 
wish  to  destroy  noxious  animals,  or  to  guard  their  property 
against  the  depredations  of  thieves. 

The  press  is  not  wholly  free  in  the  kingdom  of  Wirtem- 
berg ; but  the  restrictions  imposed  on  it,  indicate  on  the 
part  of  government,  rather  the  desire  of  diffusing  instruc- 
tion and  the  light  of  knowledge,  than  the  dread  of  any 
imaginary  abuses,  that  may  arise  from  a privilege  which 
has  now  become  necessary  to  the  inhabitants  of  a civilized 
state.  According  to  a law  passed  on  the  30th  January, 
1817,  any  work  may  be  published  that  contains  nothing 
contrary  to  religion  and  the  public  tranquillity.  The  jour- 
nals are  equally  free  in  time  of  peace,  but  during  war,  they 
must  be  examined  by  censors.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  crown 
lawyers  to  prosecute  the  authors  of  blasphemous  and  im- 
moral works,  or  of  writings  which  tend  to  calumniate  pri- 
vate characters,  or  to  attack  the  conduct  of  the  king  and 
his  ministers,  or  that  of  the  members  of  the  chambers,  or  of 
the  representatives  of  foreign  powers. 

Government  deserves  to  be  commended  for  its  zeal  in 
diffusing  knowledge  among  the  different  classes  of  the  com- 
munity. There  is  hardly  a town  of  any  size  in  the  king- 
dom without  a gymnasium,  and  not  a small  one  without  one 
or  more  schools.  These  institutions  are  attended  by  chil- 
dren from  six  to  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  schools  of  art 
are  open  for  the  instruction  of  mechanics.1  A gratuitous 
school  has  been  established  in  every  village,  and  school- 
masters repair  twice  or  thrice  a-week  to  the  remote  ham- 
lets, where  the  pupils  assemble  in  each  other’s  houses.  It 
may  be  affirmed,  indeed,  that  almost  all  the  children  among 
the  lower  ranks  of  society  are  taught  to  read,  write  and  cast 
accounts.  The  different  seminaries  are  under  the  inspec- 
tion of  the  clergymen  and  curates,  but  the  scholars  must 
be  examined  every  year  by  professors,  who  are  sent  from 
Stuttgard  and  Tubingen.  The  schools  for  the  lower  or- 
ders"* are  annually  increasing ; thus  there  were  not  more 
than  two  hundred  and  sixty  in  1823,  and  the  number  of 
pupils  did  not  exceed  ten  thousand  and  sixty-four  ; but  in 
1825,  the  number  of  schools  amounted  to  three  hundred 
and  forty-two,  and  the  scholars  to  fourteen  thousand  and 
eighty-seven.  The  masters  of  the  different  public  schools 
are  mostly  selected  from  the  seminaries  at  Esslingen  and 
Ehringen,  which  may  be  considered  normal  schools.  Cler- 
gymen superintend  some  places  of  education,"  but  in  ge- 


The  tables  of  Hassel  enable  us  to  arrive  at 
the  number  of  the  different  classes. 

an  approximation  concerning 

Nobles  ..... 

1,700 

Burgesses  and  householders,* 

1,193,300 

Artisans,  ..... 

108,000 

Husbandmen  and  vine-dressers, 

101,000 

Day  labourers  and  servants, 

42,000 

* “ Rentiers,”  tenants. 

Total  1,446,000 

■ “ 1569  per  sq.  league.”  k “ Communes.” 

1 “ All  the  towns  of  any  importance  possess  a gymnasium,  and  the 
smaller  towns  institutions  of  a lower  order.  Each  primary  school  is  con- 
nected with  a school  of  arts  and  trades.  These  institutions  are  attended 
by  children  from  six  to  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  Sunday  schools  are  open 
for  apprentices,  till  they  have  reached  the  age  of  eighteen  years.” 
m “ Schools  of  industry  ” " “Private  seminaries  ” 


EUROPE. 


4 

neral,  those  who  devote  themselves  to  the  noble  career  of 
instructing  youth,  are  educated  and  trained  by  men  of 
distinguished  merit.  The  sons  of  the  lower  orders,  if  they 
are  desirous  of  following  the  ecclesiastical  profession,  and 
show  any  talent,  for  it  is  a matter  of  indilference  whether 
they  be  catholic  or  protestant,  are  educated  at  the  expense 
of  government. 

Two  orders  of  knighthood  have  been  instituted  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Wirtemberg,  and  the  honour,  which  the  prince 
may  thus  confer,  was  intended  as  a reward  for  civil  services 
and  military  merit.  The  officers,  who  receive  this  distinc- 
tion, wear  a gold  medal,  and  the  soldiers  a silver  one.a  Vir- 
tutis  amicilmque  jadus  is  the  motto  on  the  cross  of  the  Gol- 
den Eagle,  which  was  founded  in  1702.  The  members 
are  foreign  princes  or  officers  of  high  rank,  and  according 
to  the  statutes  of  the  order,  an  intimate  union  must  subsist 
between  them  ; they  must  assist  each  other  in  the  field  of 
battle  if  it  be  in  their  power,  and  perform  good  offices  to  one 
another  in  the  ordinary  occurrences  of  life.  The  number 
of  knights  is  limited  to  fifty,  but  as  none  can  be  admitted 
that  are  not  sprung  from  an  ancient  and  noble  family,  the 
order  of  Merit  was  instituted  in  1806  for  those  who  cannot 
receive  the  decoration  of  the  Golden  Engle.  The  members 
wear  a medal  with  the  inscription  Bene  merentibus,  and  they 
are  divided  into  grand  crosses,  commanders  and  knights. 
These  honorary  distinctions,  the  influence  of  wealth,  and 
the  importance  of  civil  employments,  have  contributed  to 
form  several  distinct  classes  in  the  kingdom. 

The  dukes  of  Wirtemberg  shared,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  sixteenth  century,  the  rights  of  sovereignty  with 
the  assembly  of  the  states,  which  was  formed  by  the-  four- 
teen highest  ecclesiastics  and  eighty-nine  deputies  from  the 
towns  and  districts.  When  Napoleon  raised  the  dutchy 
into  a kingdom,  the  assembly  was  dissolved.  But  after  the 
deliverance  of  Germany,  to  use  a German  phrase,  or  more 
correctly,  after  the  establishment  of  the  new  Germanic  con- 
federation, the  districts  and  the  nobles  claimed  their  privi- 
leges and  a national  representation,  by  which  the  power  of 
the  crown  might  be  confined  within  proper  bounds.  Ac- 
cording to  the  constitution,  the  king  is  of  full  age  at  eighteen 
years ; his  person  is  inviolable ; he  may  be  either  a Ca- 
tholic or  a Protestant ; to  him  only  belongs  the  ratification 
and  execution  of  the  laws,  the  right  of  administering  jus- 
tice, and  of  making  peace  or  war,  and  the  command  of 
the  army. 

Liberty  of  conscience  and  equality  among  the  different 
Christian  communions  have  been  solemnly  sanctioned  by 
(he  constitution,  and  a very  important  privilege  has  thus 
been  conferred  on  the  different  sects  in  the  kingdom.  No 
legislative  enactment  can  be  put  in  force,  until  it  has  been 
approved  by  the  general  assembly  of  the  districts  ; the  same 
body  fixes  the  amount  of  the  taxes,  and  regulates  the  con- 
tributions ; lastly,  individual  liberty  has  been  guaranteed, 
and  the  confiscation  of  property  abolished. 

The  assembly  consists  of  thirteen  members,  who  are 
chosen  for  life  among  the  nobles,  whose  annual  income 
amounts  to  at  least  fifty  thousand  florins,  and  of  six  Protest- 
nut  ecclesiastics,  a Catholic  bishop,  two  Catholic  clergymen, 
and  four  lawyers. b The  deputies  elected  by  the  people 
must  have  an  income  of  eight  thousand  florins.  A deputy 
is  elected  in  the  towns,  for  every  two  hundred  inhabitants. 

a “ The  honorary  distinctions  intended  as  a reward  for  civil  services  and 
military  merit,  consist  of  two  orders  of  knighthood,  and  a gold  medal  for 
the  officers  and  a silver  modal  for  the  soldiers.” 


[BOOK  CXXU 

The  deputies  are  appointed  for  six  years,  and  that  period 
can  only  be  abridged  by  an  extraordinary  dissolution.  A 
fund  has  been  established  out  of  which  the  expenses  of  the 
assembly,  and  even  the  travelling  expenses  of  the  members 
are  defrayed.  The  deputies  of  the  districts  are  elected  by 
the  land  proprietors,  but  no  one  can  exercise  his  elective 
privileges  until  he  has  completed  his  twenty-fifth  year. 
Three  members  are  chosen  by  the  upper  chamber,  and  as 
many  by  the  lower,  and  out  of  that  number,  the  king  no- 
minates the  speakers  of  the  two  houses. 

Government  has  shown  itself  favourable  to  the  represen- 
tative, system,  and  in  order  to  preserve  the. principles  on 
which  it  depends,  a conservative  council  has  been  created. 
It  consists  of  lawyers  and  magistrates,  one  half  of  whom  are 
appointed  by  the  king,  and  the  other  by  the  lower  chamber. 
The  council  passes  judgment  on  the  public  functionaries 
and  deputies,  that  are  accused  of  acting  unconstitutionally. 
It  judges  concerning  the  differences  that  may  arise  between 
the  ministers  and  the  districts  concerning  the  interpretation 
of  the  constitution.  The  districts  may  accuse  the  king’s 
ministers,  but  the  latter  cannot  make  a public  functionary 
resign  his  situation  for  a lower  office,  much  less  deprive  him 
of  office,  unless  lie  be  guilty  of  a crime,  or  unfitted  for  the 
discharge  of  his  public  duties  by  want  of  capacity. 

The  kingdom  of  Wirtemberg  is  divided  into  four  circles, 
which  bears  the  names  of  the  rivers  that  water  them,  or  of 
the  principal  mountains  that  form  the  western  boundary  of 
the  state.  Thus,  the  circles  of  the  Neckar  and  the  Jaxt 
are  situated  on  the  north,  that  of  the  Schwarzwald  or  Black 
Forest  on  the  west,  and  that  of  the  Danube  on  the  south. 
Twelve  provincial  and  sixty-four  subordinate  courts  of  jus- 
tice have  been  instituted  in  these  four  great  divisions  of  the 
kingdom.  There  are  a hundred  and  thirty  towns  in  Wir- 
temberg, a hundred  and  twenty-eight  burghs,  one  thousand 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  villages,  and  two  thousand  four 
hundred  and  ten  hamlets. 

Stuttgart  or  Stuttgard,  the  capital  of  the  kingdom,  rises  in 
the  middle  of  a fruitful  valley,  surrounded  with  hills  and 
vineyards,  on  the  banks  of  the  Nesenbach.  The  town  has 
been  lately  enlarged,  and  it  contained  in  the  year  1823,* 
one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eighty  houses,  and  twenty- 
seven  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty  inhabitants,  ex- 
clusively of  the  garrison.*1  The  streets  are  broad  and  straight ; 
two  of  them  are  remarkable  l’or  their  regularity,  and  the 
number  of  fine  buildings.  Stuttgart  is  the  seat  of  the  su- 
preme courts  in  the  kingdom,  and  the  king  possesses  two 
palaces,  of  which  the  more  modern  has  been  much  admired 
for  its  architecture  and  the  magnificence  of  its  interior;  a 
collection  of  natural  history  is  contained  in  the  other.  Among 
the  buildings  that  ought  to  be  mentioned,  are  the  principal 
church,  the  chancery  and  the  opera.  The  useful  institu- 
tions are  a library  containing  more  than  200,000  volumes, 
a collection  of  twelve  thousand  bibles  and  a great  number 
of  manuscripts  ; a museum  of  arts,  an  academy  of  painting 
and  sculpture,  and  a botanic  garden.  The  commerce  of 
the  capital  consists  principally  in  cloth  and  linen. 

The  small  town  of  Esslingen  may  vie  with  Stuttgart  in  the 
beauty  of  its  situation ; it  is  encompassed  by  vineyards  and  fo- 
rests, and  watered  by  the  Neckar,  and  was  formerly  among 
the  number  of  free  cities  ; it  contains  at  present  a court  of 
justice,  and  its  population  amounts  to  5600  inhabitants. 

b “ Four  monikers  of  the  different  learned  societies  in  the  kingdom.” 

c In  the  original,  the  date  1823  is  confined  to  the  population. 

d Hoffmann  Umriss  zurErd  und  Staatcnkunde,  &lc. 


book  cxxii.]  DESCRIPTION 

If  we  follow  the  winding  course  of  the  Ncckar,  we  remark 
on  its  left  bank,  and  at  the  distance  of  eight  milesa  to  the 
north  of  Stuttgart,  the  town  of  Ludwigsburg,  a royal  resi- 
dence, peopled  by  six  thousand  individuals,  and  containing 
a fine  castle,  an  orphan  hospital,  a house  of  correction,  and 
several  cloth  manufactories. b At  the  distance  often  leagues 
in  the  same  direction,"  and  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river, 
may  he  observed  a larger  town,  that  of  Heilbronn  ; it  was 
formerly  a free  city  and  a commandery  of  the  Teutonic 
Order  ; it  is  enriched  by  the  produce  of  its  vineyards  and 
distilleries,  by  its  lead  works  and  the  navigation  of  the 
Neckar.  Hall,  which  lies  ten  leagues  to  the  east  of  the 
last  place,  has  been  called  Suabian  Hall  ( Schwabisch-Hall ,) 
to  distinguish  it  from  many  others  of  the  same  name.  Situ- 
ated on  the  banks  of  the  Kocher,  surrounded  with  rocks, 
and  peopled  by  more  than  G400  inhabitants,  it  owes  its  ori- 
gin to  the  abundant  saline  springs  in  the  vicinity. 

Ellwangen  on  the  Jaxt,  the  metropolis  of  a circle,  and 
the  seat  of  a theological  university,  cannot  be  compared  in 
other  respects  with  Gmiind,  a town  on  the  Rems,  with  a 
population  of  six  thousand  individuals,  and  well  known  for 
its  different  manufactures,  particularly  for  the  skill  which  its 
artisans  have  attained  in  working  the  precious  metals. 
Gesslingen  or  Geisslingen  carries  on  a trade  in  different 
articles,  made  of  ivory,  bone  and  wood ; the  quantity  ex- 
ported may  be  equal  in  value  to  90,000  florins.  Four 
thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants  make  up  the  population 
of  Goeppingen,  a town  watered  by  the  Fils.  It  has  manu- 
factories of  cloth  and  pottery.  The  mineral  waters  of 
Ueberkingen,  situated  in  a romantic  country  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  last  town,  are  visited  every  year  by  many 
strangers. 

The  neighbouring  village  of  Hohenstaufen  stands  on  a 
height,  that  commands  an  extensive  view.  The  old  castle, 
now  in  ruins,  still  towers  above  the  village  ; it  was  for  a 
long  time  the  residence  of  the  emperor  Barbarossa.  The 
last  descendant  of  the  family  of  Hohenstaufen,  was  young 
Conrad, d who,  for  having  attempted  to  ascend  the  throne 
of  Sicily,  a country  over  which  his  father  had  reigned,  but 
which  the  Pope  had  made  over  to  Charles  of  Anjou,  pe- 
rished on  the  scaffold  at  Naples  in  1269.® 

Reutlingen,  formerly  a free  town,  and  at  present  the  me- 
tropolis of  the  circle  of  Schwarzwald,  contains  nine  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  It  possesses  a lyceum,  its  vineyards 
cover  the  sides  of  the  Alp  and  the  Georgenberg,  and  it 
carries  on  a trade  in  leather,  lace  and  cutlery. 

Tubingen,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Neckar  and  the 
Steinach,  has  been  entitled  the  second  capital  of  the  king- 
dom. The  population  amounts  to  seven  thousand  indivi- 
duals ; it  has  a university,  attended  by  eight  hundred  stu- 
dents, a public  library,  containing  sixty  thousand  volumes, 
a faculty  ot  theology,  a seminary  for  Lutheran  clergymen, 
an  observatory,  and  a veterinary  school.  The  town  can- 
not be  commended  for  its  appearance  ; the  streets  are 
crooked  and  narrow,  the  houses  are  gloomy  and  ill  built. 

Ulm,  peopled  by  eleven  thousand  inhabitants,  has  a bet- 

OF  GERMANY.  5 

ter  claim  to  the  rank  of  second  capital.  It  was  formerly  a 
free  and  imperial  town,  and  its  population  was  at  one  time 
more  considerable,  for  it  contained  in  1808  more  than 
fourteen  thousand  individuals.  Its  situation  on  the  fron- 
tiers of  Bavaria,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Blau  and  the 
Danube,  the  fortifications  that  defend  it,  its  manufactures 
and  transit  trade,  by  which  its  declining  commerce  is  still 
supported,  put  it  on  a level  with  the  principal  towns  in 
Wirtemberg.  Its  fortifications,  it  must  be  admitted,  are 
not  as  formidable  as  when  the  French  made  themselves 
masters  of  it,  but  it  is  equally  certain  that  it  might  be  ren- 
dered a much  stronger  place  than  it  is  at  present/  As  it 
did  not  oiler  any  resistance  to  the  French  armies,  its  build- 
ings were  not  injured  ; the  most  remarkable  are  the  town- 
house,  the  public  library,  and  the  church  of  Munster,®  a 
building  that  cannot  be  too  highly  commended  on  account 
of  its  proportions  and  rich  Gothic  architecture/  The  trade 
of  the  town  may  have  fallen  ofi,  but  it  possesses  other  claims 
to  distinction.  The  pastry  known  by  the  name  of  Ulm 
bread,  its  asparagus,  and  the  snails  fattened  in  the  vicinity, 
are  duly  appreciated  by  gourmands  ; could  it  be  believed, 
that  more  than  four  millions  of  these  animals  are  annually 
exported  1 

Biberach  on  the  banks  of  the  Riess,  a town  peopled  by 
five  thousand  inhabitants,  carries  on  a trade  in  paper  and 
linen. 

The  kingdom  of  Wirtemberg  has  been  often  visited  by 
antiquaries.  Several  ancient  monuments'  are  situated  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  country.  The  ruins  of  air  aque- 
duct about  three  leagues  in  length,  may  be  observed  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Rothenburg  on  the  Neckar.  The  Devi  Vs 
Wall , which  rises  on  the  banks  of  the  Danube,  and  of 
which  traces  have,  been  discovered  at  no  great  distance 
from  Ellwangen,  forms  only  a part  of  the  remains  of  a vast 
line  of  fortifications  constructed  by  the  Romans/  The  re- 
mains of  Roman  earthen  works,  from  which  a great  many 
vases  have  been  collected,  may  still  be  seen  between 
Weiblingen  and  Endersbach,  not  many  miles  from  Stutt- 
gart. An  altar  and  several  basso-relievos  have  been  found 
in  the  same  part  of  the  country.  The  names  of  several 
places  are  connected  with  ancient  recollections.  Beinstein 
or  Beystein  signifies  near  the  stone,  and  a monument  was 
erected  there  by  the  Romans.  Kalkofen,  where  Roman 
potteries  were  discovered  a few  years  ago,  has  always 
borne  the  same  name,  which  signifies  a limekiln. 

We  abstain  from  making  any  reflections  on  the  morality 
of  the  people  of  Wirtemberg  ; it  may  be  remarked,  how- 
ever, that  the  number  of  criminal  prosecutions  in  the  dif- 
ferent courts,  during  the  year  1823,  has  been  published  in 
a German  journal,1  and  the  prevalence  of  crime  must  ne- 
cessarily be  inferred  from  the  result.  According  to  the 
same  document,  the  number  of  persons  prosecuted  for 
crimes  during  the  same  year,  was  not  less  than  eight  thou- 
sand five  hundred  and  sixty-six.  It  appears  from  the  popu- 
lation at  the  time,  that  the  individuals  accused  were  to  the 
rest  of  the  inhabitants  as  one  to  a hundred  and  sixty-nine. 

a “ 3 leagues.” 

b “A  royal  cloth  manufactory.” 
c “ 7 leagues  N.  of  Ludwigsburg.” 
d Conradin  of  Swabia. 

6 J.  F.  Ammermuller,  Hohenstaufen,  ein  Lesebuch.  [F.  Yon  Rau- 
mer,  Geschichtc  der  Hohenstaufen  und  ihrer  Zeit.  6 Bden.] 

f Its  fortifications  are  now  completely  levelled,  but  the  German  diet 
appears  inclined  to  convert  it  into  a national  fortress.  Convers.  Lex.  art 
Ulm. — P. 

e Munsterkirche,  the  minster-church. 

h Kurzgefasste  Beschreibung  der  Reichsstadt  Ulm.  Fabri,  Handbuch 
der  Neuesten  Geographie. 

1 “ Tombelles” — tumuli? 

k The  Devil’s  Wall  ( Tevfelsmaucr ) is  the  name  given  in  Germany  to 
the  remains  of  a wall  constructed  by  the  Romans  between  the  Danube  and 
the  Rhine,  about  80  German  miles  in  length,  and  which  has  been  traced 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  its  extent. — P. 

1 Allgemeine  Handl.  Zeit.  March,  1825,  p.  147. 

— 

G EURC 

To  what  can  so  frightful  a state  of  society  be  attributed, 
unless  to  the  remissness  of  government  and  the  imperfection 
of  the  laws  ? 

Political  commotions,  changes  in  dynasties  and  govern- 
ments, the  long  residence  of  foreign  armies,  the  corruption 
of  morals,  the  ordinary  consequence  of  wars  and  revolu- 
tions, the  destruction  of  trade,  and  the  difficulty  of  pro- 
curing the  means  of  subsistence  for  the  lower  orders,  tend 
to  increase  ciimes  in  a country.  It  is  then  that  wise  legis- 
lators see  the  necessity  of  a new  code  adapted  to  the  new 
wants  of  society.  It  is  then  that  the  laws  must  be  simple, 
precise  and  distinct ; it  is  then,  above  all,  that  the  diffusion 
of  education  among  the  lower  ranks,  serves  as  a barrier 
against  immorality.  The  government  of  Wirtemberg  has 
experienced  the  advantages,  that  may  be  derived  from  the 
instruction  of  the  people  ; it  will  without  doubt  finish  what 
it  has  so  successfully  begun. 

The  grand  dutchy  of  Baden  forms  a long  and  narrow 
tract  that  extends  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Rhine,  from 
the  lake  of  Constance  to  the  country  beyond  the  mouth  of 
the  Neclcar.  It  is  bounded  by  the  Rhine  on  the  south  and 
the  west,  by  Bavaria  and  the  grand  dutchy  of  Hesse  on  the 
north,  and  by  the  kingdom  of  Wirtemberg  and  the  princi- 
palities of  Hohenzollern  on  the  east ; its  irregular  frontiers 
on  the  south-east  are  also  contiguous  to  the  same  principa- 
lities. It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  the  ancient  people  that 
inhabited  the  country  ; they  were  the  Jllemanm,  of  whom 
some  account  has  been  already  given  in  the  description  of 
Wirtemberg. 

The  length  of  the  grand  dutchy  may  be  equal  to  a hun- 
dred and  sixty-two  miles  ; the  breadth  to  thirty-eight  in  the 
northern  districts,  seventy-six  in  the  southern,  and  ten  near 
the  centre.a  Crome  estimates  the  superficial  extent  at  two 
hundred  and  seventy-four  German  square  miles,  which  be- 
ing reduced  into  English  measure,  makes  the  whole  surface 
not  less  than  three  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight 
square  miles.b 

The  greater  part  of  the  country,  particularly  from  the 
centre  to  the  southern  extremity,  consists  of  high  mountains 
and  fruitful  valkes ; the  plains  are  comparatively  insignifi- 
cant both  in  number  and  extent.  The  mountainous 
country  forms  the  highest  part  of  the  Schwarzwald  or 
Black  Forest.  The  most  elevated  summit  or  the  Feldberg 
reaches  to  the  height  of  4G10  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea  ; the  lowest  or  the  Winterhauch  does  not  exceed  1640.° 
The  Storenberg,  the  Rosskopf,  the  Poelle  and  the  Tod- 
nauerberg  have  become  celebrated  in  military  history,  on 
account  of  the  fine  retreat  made  by  General  Moreau  in 
1796.  The  Herberg  and  part  of  the  Odenwald,  two 
chains,  in  which  the  Kniebis  is  one  of  the  most  elevated 
points,  extend  to  the  northern  extremity  of  the  dutchy. 

The  heights  of  the  Black  Forest,  nearest  the  Rhine,  are 
composed  of  granite,  and  those  in  the  direction  of  Wirtem- 
berg, are  formed  by  sandstone  and  other  rocks,  belonging 
to  what  Werner  and  his  disciples  have  termed  the  transition 

)PE.  [BOOK  CXXII. 

formation ; of  the  same  period  is  the  chain  that  extends 
northward  to  the  banks  of  the  Neckar,  and  it  appears  too 
that  trapp  rocks  and  others  of  a volcanic  origin,  have  been 
observed  in  those  mountains.  A belt  of  secondary  lime- 
stone extends  along  the  western  declivities  of  the  Schwarz- 
wald ; but  the  land  beyond  it  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine, 
from  Bale  to  Manheim,  belongs  to  the  tertiary  formation,  or 
to  the  one  succeeding  the  formation  of  chalk,  and  cotem- 
poraneous  with  that  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris. 

The  Bodensee  or  the  lake  of  Constance,  forms  part  of 
the  boundary  of  the  grand  dutchy.  The  others,  which 
have  been  incorrectly  denominated  lakes,  are  rather  large 
ponds,  almost  all  of  which  are  situated  in  the  mountainous 
country,  and  at  a considerable  elevation  ; that  of  Schluch  on 
the  Feldberg,  is  at  the  height  of  2287  feet ; that  of  Echner 
and  several  others  are  at  least  1467  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea/ 

The  climate  is  mild  and  agreeable  in  the  lower  districts, 
or  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  the  Maine  and  the  Neckar ; 
but  the  winters  are  very  rigorous  in  the  mountains  and  par- 
ticularly in  the  chain  of  the  Schwarzwald  ; even  in  summer 
the  air  is  always  keen,  and  the  snow  seldom  melts  in  the 
highest  region. 

The  forests  in  the  grand  dutchy  of  Baden  occupy  a sur- 
face of  one  million  five  hundred  and  eighty  thousand  acres  ;e 
one  million  three  hundred  thousand  are  cultivated,  two 
hundred  and  nine  thousand  are  waste,  three  hundred  and 
thirty-five  thousand  are  in  meadow  and  pasture,  seventy- 
four  thousand  are  planted  with  vines,  and  a hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  belong  to  the  different  towns,  burghs  and 
villages/  The  mountains  are  covered  with  thick  forests 
of  oaks  and  pines,  but  the  low  grounds  and  the  vallies  pro- 
duce varied  and  abundant  harvests.  Crops  of  poor  oats 
and  potatoes  can  hardly  be  raised  m the  high  country,  and 
the  cherry  does  not  ripen  before  September ; but  the  spec- 
tacle is  very  different  in  the  plains  and  vallies  ; the  vine,  the 
almond,  the  chestnut  and  various  other  fruit  trees,  different 
kinds  of  grain,  hemp,  flax  and  the  plants  most  useful  to  man, 
grow  luxuriantly,  and  diffuse  wealth  and  plenty  over  the  land. 

Different  products  are  obtained  ; their  number  and  im- 
portance depend  on  the  nature  of  the  country.  Many 
animals  haunt  the  forests,  game  abounds  in  the  fields,  and 
a considerable  revenue  is  derived  from  the  fishings  on  the 
Rhine  and  the  lake  of  Constance.  Salmon  are  not  uncom- 
mon, and  the  carp  of  the  Rhine,  some  of  which  weigh  more 
than  forty  pounds,  are  considered  a great  delicacy  by  the 
wealthy.  But  though  not  so  well  known  as  those  that  have 
been  last  mentioned,  the  ablets  ( Cyprinus  alburnus,  Linn.) 
is  perhaps  a more  valuable  fish.  The  scales  of  the  ablet  have 
given  rise  to  a branch  of  commerce;  they  are  exported 
into  Saxony,  France  and  Switzerland,  and  used  in  giving  a 
lustre  to  imitation  pearls,  by  which  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish 
them  from  real. 

The  mineral  riches  of  the  country,  though  not  great, 
consist  at  least  of  many  different  kinds.  About  12,000 

» “ Length  about  65  leagues — breadth  in  the  north  11  leagues,  in  the 
south  31,  and  in  tire  middle  4.” 

b “761  geographical  leagues,  Fr.  measure.” 

c We  may  mention  the  heights  of  some  other  mountains  in  the  dutchy, 
as  they  are  marked  in  the  tables  of  Hassel. 

Rosskopf  .......  3633  feet. 

Blaucn  3597 

Stockberg 3358 

Egarten 2898 

Hohckopf 2560 

Kaltenbronn 2400 

Kaiserstuhl  2050 

Katzenbuckcl 1780 

[The  measures  in  this  note,  and  the  two  in  the  text,  are  those  of  the 
original.] 

d These  measures  are  those  of  the  original. 

« “ Arpents” — Forests  1,580,622  morgen , vineyards  74,000  jauchart. 
(Hassel,  1822.)— P. 

f “ to  the  communes.” — The  grand  dutchy  is  divided  into  circles, 

the  circles  into  districts,  and  the  districts  into  communes  ( gemeinden .. 
(Hassel.) 

s “ Ablette,”  Eng.  blay  or  blcalc. 

hook  cxxn.]  DESCRIPTION 

quinta's  of  iron,  700  of  lead,  and  nearly  500  marks  of  silver, 
are  annually  extracted.  The  other  products  are  copper, 
zinc,  arsenic,  alum,  sulphur,  coal,  and  nearly  4000  quintals  of 
salt.  Coarse  and  fine  potter’s  clay,  slates,  marble  and  ala- 
baster are  found  in  several  places  ; even  gold  might  be 
mentioned  among  the  metals,  for  particles  of  gold  are  col- 
lected in  the  alluvial  deposits  that  are  watered  by  the  Rhine. 
A hundred  and  twenty  individuals  are  employed  in  seeking 
it,  but  the  quantity  collected  every  year,  does  not  exceed  on 
an  average  ,£700/ 

That  part  of  the  Black  Forest,  situated  within  the  grand 
dutchy,  may  rival  that  which  belongs  to  Wirtemberg,  for  its 
kirschen-ioasser.  Several  vineyards  are  noted  both  for  the 
quantity  and  quality  of  the  wine  produced  by  them  ; the 
most  noted  are  those  of  Constance,  on  the  banks  of  the 
’ake,  and  next  to  them  the  vineyards  of  Margraff  and  the 
Bergstrasse.  The  domestic  animals,  with  the  exception  of 
the  horse,  are  of  a good  kind  and  very  numerous.  Many 
inhabitants  artfemployed  in  weaving  or  manufacturing  hemp 
and  flax.  The  raw  . and  spun  hemp  exported  every  year 
from  the  territory  of  Ettenheim,  amounts  in  value  to  30,000 
florins  ; and  the  hardware  trade  in  the  district  of  Pforzheim, 
occasions  a circulation  of  1,700,000.  Many  wooden  clocks 
and  other  articles,  which  it  is  unnecessary  to  enumerate, 
are  made  in  the  Schwarzwald.  It  may  suffice  ft)  state  that 
notwithstanding  the  stagnation  of  commerce,  there  were  a 
few  years  ago  in  the  grand  dutchy  of  Baden  nearly  75,000 
workmen  employed  in  different  branches  of  labour. 

The  transit  trade  is  very  active  ; the  exports  are  also 
considerable  ; they  consist  chiefly  in  timber,  which  is  sent 
to  Switzerland,  France  and  the  Netherlands.  The  other 
exports  are  wines,  corn,  hemp,  dried  fruits,  kirschen-was- 
ser,  tobacco,  mineral  water  and  hardware  goods ; the 
country  receives  in  exchange  French  wines,  salt,  different 
manufactures,  colonial  produce  and  a number  of  horses. 

Some  genealogists  have  maintained  that  the  family  of 
Baden  was  sprung  from  the  Gothic  kings  ; others  affirm  it 
to  have  descended  from  Etichon,  duke  of  Alsace  in  684. 
But  it  is  certain  that  the  lordship  of  Baden  was  erected  into 
a margraviate  by  Henry  the  Fowler,  about  the  commence- 
ment of  the  tenth  century.  Hermann,  the  son  of  Berthold,and 
the  first  prince  whom  the  chroniclers  mention,  flourished  du- 
ring the  eleventh  century;  he  derived  from  Judith,  his  first  wife, 
the  heiress  of  Baden,  the  principality  from  which  his  successors 
took  the  title  of  margraves.  But  the  marquisate  was  go- 
verned by  several  families  that  became  successively  extinct.15 
The  country  was  made  an  electorate  in  1802,  and  some 
years  afterwards,  it  was  erected  into  a grand  dutchy. 

It  has  been  already  observed  that  the  population  in  Ger- 
many is  annuajly  increasing  ; the  same  remark  may  be  still 
more  applicable  to  the  grand  dutchy  of  Baden,  than  to  many 
other  states  in  the  same  country.  The  number  of  inhabi- 
tants was  estimated  by  Stein  in  1813,  at  1,001,630,  and 
by  Hassel  in  1822,  at  1,040,700.  But  the  increase  has 
been  still  greater  since  that  period.  According  to  M.  Adrian 

OF  GERMANY.  7 

Balbi,c  the  population  in  182b,  was  not  less  than  1,130,000. 
Stein  remarks  in  his  geography,  that  the  women  were  much 
more  numerous  than  the  men  in  1813  ; indeed  it  appears 
from  his  calculations  that  the  excess  was  equal  to  31,343.d 
The  same  writer  attributes  the  disproportion  to  the  ravages 
of  war,  and  to  the  fact  that  many  young  men  migrated  to 
foreign  countries  in  order  to  avoid  the  conscription.  But 
it  is  not  likely  that  these  were  the  only  causes,  because  Has- 
sel has  shown  that  there  were  27,400  more  women  than 
men  in  the  country  during  the  third  year  after  the  peace, 
and  because  nearly  the  same  proportion  subsisted  at  a still 
later  period  in  the  year  1826.  The  blessings  of  peace, 
which  Europe  has  so  long  enjoyed,  are  not  then  the  sole 
causes  of  the  increasing  population  ; it  must  be  partly  at- 
tributed to  the  diffusion  of  wealth,6  and  to  such  discoveries 
as  vaccination  ; for  during  twenty  years,  the  augmentation 
had  not  been  sensibly  diminished  by  all  the  evils  of  war. 

As  to  the  difference  in  the  number  of  the  two  sexes,  it  must 
be  in  a great  degree  occasioned  by  the  frequent  migrations 
that  take  place  among  the  working  classes,  an  important 
element,  which  does  not  appear  to  have  entered  into  the 
calculations  of  statistical  writers.  It  is  difficult  to  believe 
that  the  men  averse  to  the  military  life,  are  so  numerous  as 
Stein  supposes,  or  that  the  habits  of  the  people  in  Baden 
are  so  peaceful ; they  cannot  be  reproached  for  want  of 
valour  ; besides,  fear  prevents  very  few  in  any  country  from 
entering  the  army. 

The  reigning  family  of  Baden  adheres  to  the  Augsburg  • 
confession,  but  nearly  two  thirds  of  the  population  are  Ca- 
tholics ; the  other  inhabitants  are  mostly  Lutherans  and 
Calvinists ; the  latter,  however,  are  not  more  than  a fourth 
part  of  the  former ; there  are,  besides,  some  Mennoitites 
and  Jews,  the  last  of  whom  enjoy  all  the  rights  of  citizens/ 
Several  convents  for  women  still  remain  in  the  grand  dutchy, 
but  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  erected  has  been  al- 
tered ; they  now  serve  for  places  of  education.  By  a law 
passed  in  1811,  no  person  can  take  the  vows  before  the  age 
of  twenty-one ; the  period  during  which  the  vows  last,  is 
limited  to  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time,  the  nuns 
may  return  to  the  world,  and  participate  in  its  duties  and 
enjoyments.  Silence,  austerity,  and  almost  all  the  obliga- 
tions mentioned  in  the  rules  of  different  monastic  orders, 
have  been  abolished. 

The  government  of  the  grand  dutchy  was  purely  mo- 
narchical ; but  the  sovereign  published  a decree  on  the  16th 
of  March,  1816,  in  which,  after  having  announced  his  de- 
sire of  securing  the  happiness,  tranquillity  and  liberty  of  his 
subjects,  he  declared  that  these  intentions  could  only  be 
accomplished  by  granting  them  a constitution,  in  which  the 
rights  of  the  prince  and  the  people  might  be  more  accu- 
rately determined.  According  to  the  constitution/  the 
duke  possesses  the  right  of  making  peace  or  war,  proposing 
laws,  and  levying  contributions,  dispensing  mercy  to  crimi- 
nals, conferring  titles  of  nobility,  and  lastly,  of  approving  or 
forbidding  the  establishment  of  religious  societies.  The 

a “ Annual  amount,  15,000  francs.” 

*>  Dictionnaire  de  Moreri,  art.  Baden. 
c Tableau  de  la  Balance  politique  du  Globe. 
d Handbuch  der  Geographie  und  Statistik. 

‘ “ New  institutions” — abolition  of  feudal  services,  more  equal  division 
of  landed  property,  extinguishment  of  mortmains,  greater  personal  liberty 
and  freedom  of  trade  and  commerce,  and  the  numerous  other  improvements 
in  the  social  state  which  have  arisen  from  the  convulsions  of  the  French 
revolution,  and  of  which  the  diffusion  of  wealth  may  be  considered  as  one 
among  many  beneficial  consequences. — P. 

f The  increase  in  the  population  being  nearly  the  same  in  the  different 

— " ~ ■ - - - — — 

sects,  the  following  table,  given  by  Hassel  for  1822,  may  still  serve  to  show 
their  numerical  importance. 

Catholics,  705,850 

Lutherans, 248,900 

Calvinists,  69,100 

Mennonites  and  other  sects,  ....  1,450 

Jews, 15,400 

Total  . . 1,040,700 

e The  constitution  was  published,  Aug.  22, 1818. — P. 

8 EUROPE.  [ IJOOK  CXXII. 


states  consist  of  two  chambers,  which  must  be  convoked  at 
least  once  every  two  years ; they  fix  the  amount  of  the 
taxes  and  contributions,  assist  in  enacting  laws,  and  have 
the  privilege  of  proposing  whatever  may  contribute  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  state. 

The  conscription  has  not  been  abolished;  but  the  Napo- 
leon Code,  which  was  introduced  into  the  country,  has  been 
superseded  by  the  Roman  law,  and  the  ancient  customs 
that  were  established  in  the  dutchy  before  the  French 
conquest.  A new  system  of  weights  and  measures,  ac- 
cording to  the  decimal  divisions,  may  be  considered  the 
only  benefit  that  the  country  has  derived  from  its  connexion 
with  France. 

The  inhabitants  are  divided  into  four  classes  ; the  nobles, 
knights,  burgesses  and  peasants.  The  nobles  possess  ba- 
ronies and  estates,  to  which  different  privileges  are  attached. 
The  knights  are  the  members  of  the  three  orders  of  knight- 
hood instituted  by  the  prince.  The  burgesses  hold  pro- 
perty or  civil  offices  in  the  different  towns  ;a  none  can  enjoy 
the  rights  of  citizens,  who  cannot  read,  write  and  manage 
their  own  affairs. 

Government  has  promoted  education  by  different  institu- 
tions, of  which  the  inhabitants  are  daily  reaping  the  advan- 
tages. It  maintains  two  universities,  those  of  Heidelberg 
and  Freyburg;  it  has  founded  four  lyceums,  one  at  Con- 
stance, another  at  Baden,  a third  at  Carlsruhe,  and  a fourth 
at  Manheim  ; it  has  contributed  to  the  establishment  of 
other  schools,  as  the  institution  for  the  deaf  and  dumb,  the 
academy  of  architecture,  and  the  two  commercial  seminaries 
at  Manheim  and  Carlsruhe.  There  are  besides  in  the  prin- 
cipal towns,  ten  gymnasiums  and  fifteen  schools,  in  seven 
ofnvhich  Latin  is  taught,  and  also  a school  of  theology  for 
the  Catholics  at  Mersburg,  and  another  for  the  Protestants 
at  Carlsruhe.  But  in  the  year  1815,  government  found  it 
advisable  to  impose  some  restrictions  on  the  power  that  a 
parent  has  of  educating  his  children  ; according  to  an  enact- 
ment made  in  that  year,  the  sons  of  burgesses,  merchants 
and  peasants,  who  have  no  reasonable  expectations  of  re- 
ceiving a patrimony,  equal  at  least  to  8000  florins,  are  not 
permitted  to  study  the  law,  or  to  choose  the  profession  of 
the  bar,  unless,  indeed,  they  distinguish  themselves  in  such  a 
way  as  to  afford  indications  of  future  talent  or  eminent  suc- 
cess. The  measures  of  government  were  rendered  neces- 
sary by  the  difficulty  experienced  in  finding  employment  for 
the  lawyers  and  attorneys  in  the  country,  as  their  number 
was  three  times  greater  than  that  required  for  conducting 
all  the  business  of  the  different  courts. 

If  the  number  of  criminals  in  the  grand  dutchy  be  com- 
pared with  those  in  the  kingdom  of  Wirtemberg,  a very 
great  difference  will  be  found  in  that  respect  at  least,  be- 
tween the  two  contiguous  countries.  According  to  the 


a “ The  population  is  divided  into  four  classes,  lords  ( seigneurs ,)  knights 
( chevaliers ,)  burgesses  or  citizens  ( bourgeois ,)  and  peasants.  The  lords 
consist  of  all  those  who  possessed  principalities  or  counties  in  the  country, 
and  who  still  retain  many  peculiar  privileges.  The  knights  are  the  mem- 
bers of  the  nobility  who  possess  seignoriaf  estates,  and  the  members  of  the 
three  orders  of  knighthood  instituted  by  the  prince.  The  citizens  arc  those 
who  hold  property,  rents  or  office.” — The  inhabitants  of  Baden  consist  of 
three  classes,  nobles  (die  Adel,)  citizens  (burger,)  and  peasants  (bauern.) 
The  former  arc  divided  into  two  ranks,  mediatized  or  peers  (standesherrn) 
or  such  as  have  the  privilege  of  sitting  personally  in  the  upi>er  house  of  the 
parliament  or  assembly  of  states,  and  such  as  possess  seignorial  estates 
(rittergxiter)  and  are  represented  in  the  upper  house  by  deputies.  (Has- 
sel.) — P. 

b Revenue. 

1821  9,651,827  florins. 

1822  9,597,938 


reports  which  we  have  examined,  the  number  of  persons 
who  are  prosecuted  annually  for  crimes,  varies  from  six  to 
seven  hundred ; so  that  the  proportion  between  those  ac- 
cused of  crimes  and  the  other  inhabitants,  is  as  one  to  six- 
teen hundred. 

It  appears  from  the  report  made  to  the  chambers  in 
1825,  concerning  the  administration  from  the  year  1821 
to  1823,  inclusive,  that  the  mean  term  of  the  revenue  may 
be  estimated  at  9,586,000  florins ; according  to  the  reports 
relative  to  the  expenditure,  it  may  amount  to  9,497,OOO.b 
The  national  debt  was  equal  in  1820  to  19,000,000  florins, 
and  the  expenses  of  the  civil  list  to  2,000,000. 

The  grand  dutchy  of  Baden  is  obliged  to  furnish  a con- 
tingent of  ten  thousand  men  to  the  Germanic  confederation. 
The  army  consists  of  an  effective  force  equal  to  eleven  thou- 
sand men,  and  a reserve  amounting  to  seven  thousand. 
The  Jews  in  the  country,  having  been  long  averse  to  the 
military  service,  the  individuals  amongst  them,  on  whom  the 
conscription  falls,  are  each  permitted  to  deposit  400  florins 
at  the  office  of  the  war  department,  and  these  sums  are  given 
to  substitutes,  who  are  always  very  willing  to  enter  the  army 
on  such  conditions. 

There  are  seven  principalities  and  two  counties  in  the 
grand  dutchy,  and  the  noble  proprietors  of  these  states  en- 
joy manyimportant  privileges.  The  country  is  divided  into 
six  circles,  bearing  the  names  of  the  different  rivers  and  the 
lake  of  Constance,0  and  containing  a hundred  and  eight 
towns,  thirty-six  burghs,  two  thousand  four  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  villages  and  hamlets,  a hundred  and  fifty-four 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ten  houses,  which,  according 
to  the  lowest  calculations,  were  valued  in  the  different  in- 
surance offices'1  some  years  ago,  at  three  hundred  and  fifty 
millions  of  florins. 

The  inhabitants  of  Baden  speak  a harsh  and  guttural 
dialect,  that  appears  to  be  composed  of  ancient  German 
and  Slavonic  ; but  it  is  different  in  different  districts,  parti- 
cularly at  the  two  extremities  of  the  country ; thus,  it  is 
easy  to  distinguish  by  their  pronunciation  the  natives  of  the 
Schwarzwald  from  those  of  the  Odenwakl. 

Wertheim,  a town  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Maine 
and  the  Tauber,  is  a mediate  possession  of  the  prince  of 
Loewenstein  under  the  sovereignty  of  the  grand  duke  of 
Baden.  It  is  encompassed  with  walls  and  adorned  by  two 
castles  ; it  contains  3500  inhabitants,  who  carry  on  a trade 
in  leather,  spirits  and  wines ; the  conveyance  of  goods  on 
the  Maine  forms  an  important  part  of  their  commerce. 

Manheim  or  Mannheim,  the  largest  town  in  the  grand 
dutchy,  has  thrice  within  a century  and  a half,  experienced 
the  fatal  effects  of  war.  Devastated  by  the  Bavarians  in 
1622,  it  had  hardly  recovered  from  its  losses  before  it  was 
included  in  the  destruction  of  the  Palatinate,  a decree  that 


1823 

9,508,955 

Expenditure. 

1821 

...... 

9,849,287  florins. 

1822 

. . .... 

9,323,624 

1823 

9,320,444 

See  the  German 

w'ork  entitled  Hcrtha,  1825. 

c The  following  are  the  names  of  the  circles,  beginning  at  the  nortn 

east. 

Chief  Toxrns 

1°.  Circle  of  the  Maine  and  Tauber, 

. . Wertheim. 

2°. 

— Neckar, 

. . Manheim. 

3”. 

— Murg  and  Pfinz, 

. . Durlach. 

4°.  

— Kinzig, 

. . Oflenburg. 

5°.  

— Treisam, 

. . Freyburg.  r 

6". 

— Lake  (Germ.  Seekreis,)  . 

. . Constance. 

d “ The  general  insurance  office.” 


OF  GERMANY. 


book  cxxii.]  DESCRIPTION 

disgraces  for  ever  the  administration  of  Louvois.  The  fury  I 
of  the  French  soldiers  could  not  be  restrained  ; almost  all 
the  houses  were  demolished,  and  the  generals  of  Louis  the 
Fourteenth  saw  their  men  plunder  the  tombs  of  the  pala- 
tines. Rebuilt  by  its  princes,  it  was  bombarded  in  1795  by 
the  republican  armies  of  France,  and  a great  many  ol  its 
buildings  were  reduced  to  ashes.  But  its  advantageous 
situation  at  the  confluence  of  the  Neckar  and  the  Rhine, 
the  activity  of  its  commerce,  and  the  importance  of  its  manu- 
factures, which  consist  in  linen  and  woollen  stuffs,  and 
jewellery  made  chiefly  of  the  alloy,  that  is  known  by  the 
name  of  JWanhcim  gold,  have  contributed  to  restore  it  to  its 
ancient  prosperity.  Its  population  amounts,  according  to 
Hassel,  to  21,525  persons.  The  streets  are  broad  and 
straight ; there  are  six  squares,  two  fountains,  a ducal  castle, 
a large  building  which  contains  the  exchange,  and  seven 
churches ; the  finest  of  the  churches  forms  a part  of  the 
ancient  residence  of  the  Jesuits,  which  still  attests  their  for- 
mer wealth  and  power.  The  observatory,  enriched  with 
every  useful  instrument  for  astronomical  purposes,  might  be 
considered  an  ornament  to  any  town.  It  possesses  besides 
a theatre  of  anatomy,  a school  of  midwifery,  a botanical 
garden,  a museum  of  natural  history,  a library,  a gallery  of 
paintings,  and  a collection  of  antiquities.1  It  is  unnecessary 
to  mention  its  lyceum,  but  it  may  be  observed  that  a me- 
teorological society  has  been  instituted,  and  some  of  the 
members  have  distinguished  themselves  by  their  researches 
in  a department  of  knowledge  which  is  still  in  its  infancy.1* 

Heidelberg  is  situated  ten  leagues  to  the  south-east  of 
Manheim,  at  the  foot  of  a mountain  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  Neckar.  The  town  was  founded  in  the  twelfth  century ; 
it  contains  at  present  10,500  inhabitants.  The  houses  are 
generally  well  built,  and  some  of  the  squares  have  been 
much  admired.  Nearly  seven  hundred  students  attend  its 
university,  which  ranks  with  the  most  ancient  in  Germany  ;c 
indeed  one  cannot  observe  without  interest  the  different  es- 
tablishments for  the  instruction  of  youth,  the  botanical  gar- 
dens, the  numerous  museums,  the  collections  of  philosophi- 
cal instruments,  and  the  valuable  libraries.  The  most  cele- 
brated scholars  in  Europe  resorted  to  Heidelberg  during  the 
sixteenth  century.  It  was  the  residence  of  Olimpia  Fulvia 
Morata,  who  was  not  less  distinguished  by  her  virtuous  and 
exemplary  life,  than  by  the  extent  of  her  learning,  and  the 
superiority  of  her  genius.  Compelled  to  take  refuge  in 
Germany,  on  account  of  her  attachment  to  protestantism, 
she  filled  the  chair  of  ancient  languages  in  the  university  of 
Heidelberg,  and  was  considered  a prodigy  of  learning,  al- 
though not  more  than  twenty-nine  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  her  death.d  Francis  Junius  was  one  of  the  celebrated 
men  that  have  been  born  in  the  town  ; he  wrote  several 
valuable  works  on  the  ancient  languages  of  the  north,  and 
on  antiquities. 

A castle  is  situated  on  the  hill  that  commands  Heidel- 
berg ; there  too  may  be  observed  the  famous  tun,  which 
was  substituted  for  the  one  broken  by  the  French  during 
the  reign  of  Lewis  the  Fourteenth.  It  contains  130,000 
gallons,6  and  the  weight  of  the  iron  that  encircles  it,  is  up- 


a The  four  last  are  contained  in  the  right  wing  of  the  ducal  palace. — P. 
b Die  sternwarte  zu  Mannheim  beschrieben  vom  staatsrath  Kuber. 
c Founded  in  1386. 

A Musee  des  Protestans  cclebres,  tom.  II.  Notice  de  Renee  de  France. 
' “ 440,000  litres.”— 600  hhds.  Ed.  Encyc. 

f “ The  fortifications  of  Philipsburg  are  now  dismantled  ; it  was  taken 
by  Louis  of  Bourbon  [in  1644,]  and  by  Louis,  dauphin  of  France,  [in 
1688.]”  It  is  not  stated  in  the  original  that  the  ramparts  were  destroyed 
VOL.  ni.— NO.  42  i 


wards  of  1 2,000  pounds.  The  first  hot  houses  in  Europe 
were  built  near  the  same  castle  ; from  its  walls  may  be  seen 
the  finest  country  in  the  ancient  palatinate,  and  the  fruitful 
vineyards  of  Heidelberg  and  Weinheim,  the  latter  a small 
town  of  4500  inhabitants,  situated  near  the  frontiers  of  the 
grand  dutchy  of  Hesse. 

The  ramparts  of  Philipsburg  were  destroyed  by  Louis  of 
Bourbon,  and  the  place  was  taken  forty  years  afterwards 
by  Louis,  dauphin  of  France/  The  castle,  formerly  inha- 
bited by  the  sovereign  bishop  of  Spire,  is  situated  in  the 
pleasant  town  of  Bruchsal,  which  contains  a population  of 
six  thousand  individuals.  Durlach,  situated  in  a fertile  plain 
on  the  Pfmz,  is  peopled  by  four  thousand  inhabitants. 

Carlsruhe  or  Karlsruhe,  the  capital  of  the  grand  dutchy 
and  the  chief  town  of  a district,  is  situated  at  the  height  of 
three  hundred  and  seventy  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  built 
with  much  regularity  ; the  streets  are  straight,  all  of  them 
terminate  in  front  of  the  ducal  castle,  and  diverge  from 
each  other  in  the  form  of  a fan.  That  singular  arrange- 
ment has  a very  fine  effect  when  the  town  is  illuminated. 
The  gardens  and  woods  that  extend  behind  the  castle,  form 
agreeable  public  walks,  and  the  residence  of  the  prince 
must  be  admired  by  every  one  for  its  elegant  yet  simple  ar- 
chitecture. There  are  different  collections  in  the  town, 
but  the  most  valuable  are  the  ducal  library  and  museum  of 
the  prince.  The  buildings  are  finer  than  in  most  places  of 
the  same  size ; the  Lutheran  and  Catholic  churches  are 
considered  the  best  works  of  the  celebrated  architect 
Weinbrenner.  The  theatre  is  a light  and  elegant  building, 
and  if  our  limits  would  permit,  it  might  be  worth  while  to 
describe  some  of  the  private  houses  on  account  of  their  ar- 
chitecture. The  population  of  Carlsruhe  amounts  to  six- 
teen thousand  individuals  ; as  it  is  the  residence  of  the 
court,  it  cannot  be  supposed  a place  of  trade,  still  however 
it  has  been  long  known  for  its  different  articles  of  luxury, 
such  as  jewellery,  watches,  household  furniture  and  car- 
riages. 

Reuchlin,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  that  flourished 
in  the  sixteenth  century,  both  for  his  erudition  and  his 
opinions  concerning  the  reformation  of  Christianity,  at- 
tempted to  prove  that  Pforzheim,  his  native  town,  was 
founded  by  Phorcys,  the  Trojan  auxiliary  of  Priam.  Other 
learned  men,  who  lived  during  the  same  period,  maintained 
that  the  town  was  formerly  called  Orcynheim,  from  the 
name  of  the  vast  forest  mentioned  by  Julius  Caisar,  and 
which  ancient  writers  designated  the  Sylva  Hercynia  or 
Orcynia.  It  has  been  affirmed,  on  the  authority  of  these 
fanciful  etymologies,  that  the  town  which  the  Romans  call- 
ed Porla  Hercynia,,  was  no  other  place  than  Pforzheim.5 
Its  antiquity  may  be  considered  doubtful ; indeed  it  is  very 
probable  that  it  was  not  known  to  the  ancients.  Pforz- 
heim is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Schwarzwald,  and  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Enz,  the  Nagold  and  the  Wurm  ; its 
population,  according  to  Hassel,  amounts  to  six  thousand 
five  hundred  individuals.  It  contains  a house  of  correction 
and  an  orphan  hospital ; it  carries  on  an  important  trade 
in  timber/ 


by  Louis  of  Bourbon ; on  the  contrary,  its  fortifications  were  strengthened 
by  the  French,  who  retained  possession  of  it  till  1676.  Moreri. — P. 

e “ These  forced  etymologies  do  not  prove,  as  some  have  pretended,  that 
this  town  must  have  been  called  Porta  Hercynice  by  the  Romans.” 

h There  are  twenty-one  manufactories  of  jewellery  in  Pforzheim,  and 
the  value  of  the  goods  sold  yearly  is  equal  to  600,000  florins.  Convers. 
Lex. — P. 


EUROPE. 


10 

The  ruins  of  a Roman  town  were  discovered  between 
Durlach  and  Ettlingen  in  the  year  1802;  but  antiquaries 
have  not  yet  agreed  as  to  the  name  of  the  place. 

Rastadt,  on  the  banks  of  the  Murg,  owes  its  celebrity  to 
the  congresses  that  have  been  held  within  its  walls,  and  to 
the  massacre  of  the  deputies  of  the  French  republic.  It 
contains  two  thousand  lour  hundred  inhabitants.  A ducal 
castle,  the  principal  edifice,  may  be  remarked  not  only  for 
its  romantic  site,  but  for  the  Turkish  trophies,  and  other  col- 
lections, which  have  been  placed  in  it.  The  trade,  which 
it  has  long  enjoyed,  may  be  considered  great  in  proportion 
to  the  number  of  its  inhabitants  ; its  cutlery  and  snuff-boxes 
are  exported  to  different  parts  of  Germany. 

Baden  or  Baaden,a  a place  about  six  miles  from  Rastadt, 
has  derived  its  name  from  its  mineral  springs  and  its  baths, 
which  were  well  known  and  frequented  in  the  time  of  the 
Romans.  The  antiquities  that  have  been  found  in  the  vi- 
cinity, form  a valuable  collection.  The  town  is  peopled 
by  about  three  thousand  inhabitants.  None  of  the  buildings 
can  vie  with  the  ancient  college  of  the  Jesuits. 

A road  from  Baden  to  Offenburg  passes  through  the  vil- 
lage of  Sassbach,  where  the  traveller  cannot  see  without 
emotion  an  old  and  decayed  walnut  tree,  for  it  was  there 
that  Turenne  expired  on  the  twenty-seventh  of  July,  1675. 
The  virtues  and  military  glory  of  that  great  man  are  ap- 
preciated by  all ; they  are  admired  in  other  countries  as 
much  as  in  France.  A detachment  of  veterans  is  stationed 
m the  village  ; to  observe  their  sergeant  describe  the  en- 
gagement, and  show  the  cannon  ball  that  put  a period  to 
the  hero’s  career,  one  might  imagine  that  Turenne  had 
died  in  the  last  campaigns  of  Germany. 

The  small  town  of  Offenburg  contains  about  3000  inha- 
oitants,  and  the  lands  belonging  to  it  are  fruitful  in  vine- 
yards. The  population  of  Lahr  or  Lohr  has  much  in- 
creased of  late ; it  may  amount  at  present  to  nearly  five 
thousand  inhabitants. b The  cause  of  its  prosperity  must 
be  ascribed  to  its  trade,  which  is  becoming  greater  every 
year.  Friburg  or  Freyburg  stands  on  the  banks  of  the 
Treisam,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  of  the  Black  Forest. 
Peopled  by  ten  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants,  possess- 
ing a gymnasium,  a university  that  is  still  well  attended,  and 
different  scientific  collections,  it  has  been  considered  one  of 
the  most  important  towns  in  the  grand  dutchy.  Many  of 
the  houses  are  well  built,  and  the  cathedral  has  been  re- 
marked for  its  architecture  and  lofty  tower,  which  rises  to 
the  height  of  five  hundred  feet. 

Brisach  or  Old  Brisach,  or  as  the  Germans  call  it,  Jllt- 
Breisach,  is  supposed  to  have  been  founded  by  Drusus ; if 
that  opinion  be  correct,  it  was  probably  the  ancient  capital 
of  the  Brisagavi,  a German  tribe,  subject  to  the  Alemanni. 
The  fortifications  of  Brisach  were  destroyed  by  Maria 
Theiesa.  It  contains  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  in- 
habitants ; although  watered  by  the  Rhine,  it  is  not  a place 
of  much  trade. 

It  may  be  readily  inferred  from  the  nature  of  the  coun- 
try, which  is  principally  occupied  by  the  mountains  of  the 
Black  Forest,  that  few  towns  of  any  consequence  are  situ- 
ated in  the  southern  part  of  the  grand  dutchy.  The  only 
two  that  can  be  mentioned  are  Willingen  and  Constance. 
But  before  wc  pass  the  chain  of  the  Schwarzwald,  it  may 
be  stated,  that  the  thermal  springs  near  the  small  village  of 
Badenweiler0  have  been  known  for  nearly  two  thousand 

a Germ.  Baden , Du.  Baaden,  Fr.  Bade. 

0 “-1,700.”  c “ Situated  ut  the  foot  of  Mount  Blaucn .” 


[BOOK  CXXII. 

years.  A considerable  establishment  was  founded  there 
by  the  Romans  ; the  remains  of  their  works  are  still  appa- 
rent, occupying  an  extent  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  leet 
in  length,  and  eighty  in  breadth. 

Willingen  is  situated  near  the  confines  of  Wirtemberg, 
in  a lofty  valley  on  the  banks  of  the  Biig  ; it  contains  a po- 
pulation of  three  thousand  three  hundred  individuals. 
Another  town,  Constance  or  Konstanz/  more  important 
than  the  last  place  from  the  number  of  its  inhabitants,  and 
better  known  from  the  council  that  was  held  within  its  walls 
in  the  year  1451,  is  situated  in  the  same  circle.  Con- 
stance gives  its  name  to  the  lake  on  which  it  stands.  The 
two  most  zealous  precursors  of  the  reformation,  John  IIuss 
and  Jerome  of  Prague,  were  condemned  to  death 'by  a de- 
cree of  the  council.  Indignant  at  the  corruption  of  the 
clergy,  they  chose  rather  to  be  burnt  alive  than  to  recant 
their  opinions  on  the  necessity  of  abolishing  abuses. 

The  following  remarkable  passage  for  the  time,  may  be 
found  in  the  treatise  on  the  church,  a work  written  by  Huss 
in  the  year  1413.  “ The  church  may  be  defined  a mys- 

tical body,  of  which  the  head  is  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  mem- 
bers, the  just  and  the  predestined.  The  latter  cannot  be 
separated  from  the  church  by  an  unjust  excommunication  ; 
their  spirit  beareth  witness  to  his  spirit  that  they  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God 

The  sovereign  pontiff,  the  cardinals,  the  bishops,  belong  to 
the  body  of  the  church,  but  the  sovereign  pontiff  is  not  the 
head  of  it.  The  church  would  exist,  although  there  were 
neither  pope,  cardinals  nor  bishops.  Popes,  cardinals,  bi- 
shops and  priests  cease  to  be  members  of  the  church  by  the 
commission  of  sin.  Whatsoever  ye  bind  on  earth,  says  our 
Saviour  to  his  apostles,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven;  whatso- 
ever ye  loose  on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.  If  the 
popes,  as  the  successors  of  the  apostles,  claim  the  same 
power,  it  can  only  be  exercised  through  Jesus  Christ,  for 
as  it  requires  an  infinite  power  to  justify  a sinner,  it  must 
be  the  attribute  of  the  divinity.  No  sins  can  be  remitted, 
without  repentance  on  the  part  of  the  sinner ; absolution 
of  itself  therefore  cannot  he  sufficient.  The  faithful,  with- 
out doubt,  owe  a reasonable  obedience  to  their  bishops ; 
but  Christians  have  a surer  guide  for  their  conduct  than  the 
word  of  man  ; they  have  the  word  of  God,  contained  in  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments.” 

A turret,  in  the  ancient  convent  of  the  Franciscans, 
served  as  a prison  for  Huss,  who  was  burnt  in  the  suburbs” 
of  Constance.  Jerome  of  Prague  shared  the  same  fate  ; 
as  undaunted  as  his  friend  ; it  is  said  when  the  executioner 
endeavoured  to  kindle  the  funeral  pile  behind  him,  the  mar- 
tyr desired  him  to  set  fire  to  it  in  front,  adding,  that  had  he 
been  afraid  of  death,  he  might  have  escaped  from  his  judges. 

Constance,  formerly  a free  and  imperial  town,  is  ill  peo- 
pled in  proportion  to  its  size  ; it  contains  only  four  thousand 
five  hundred  inhabitants.  The  streets  and  houses  are  well 
built ; the  finest  edifices  are  the  ducal  castle  and  episcopal 
palace.  Its  academy,  gymnasium  and  lyceum  are  richly 
endowed.  The  trade  of  Constance  was  formerly  more 
considerable  than  at  present ; it  consists  of  wine  and  grain, 
linen  and  wood. 

The  government  of  Baden  may  be  commended  for  its 
enlightened  views,  to  which  the  prosperity  of  the  state  must 
in  a great  measure  be  attributed.  Judicious  retrenchments 
have  been  proposed  and  enforced.  The  public  funds  are 

ll  Germ.  Costnitz,  Koslanz  or  Konstanz. 
c “ In  the  suburb  of  Bruel.” 


book  cxxii.j  DESCRIPTION 

not  wasted  in  encouraging  a spirit  of  speculation,  as  fatal 
to  national  welfare,  as  gambling  is  to  individual  happiness. 
But  although  such  projects  are  always  opposed,  the  admi- 
nistration is  not  averse  to  any  plan  by  which  the  wants  of 
the  people  may  be  diminished.  An  inhabitant  of  Carlsruhe, 
animated  by  that  philanthropic  zeal  which  can  excite  men 
to  good  and  generous  actions,  persuaded  his  townsmen  in 
1824  to  raise  a fund  for  the  loundation  of  a workhouse, 
where  every  artisan  without  employment  might  find  occu- 
pation, and  every  unfortunate  person,  skilled  in  any  branch 
of  industry,  might  obtain  the  means  of  subsistence.51  The 
government  promoted  the  accomplishment  of  the  plan,  and 
unless  it  had  done  so,  the  efforts  of  the  inhabitants  might 
have  been  unavailing.  The  public  authorities  have  also 
approved  and  encouraged  the  measures  taken  by  a number 
of  wealthy  merchants,  clergymen  and  other  citizens,  to  as- 
sist and  find  employment  for  the  poor  throughout  the 
country. 

Other  interests  of  a more  general  nature  have  not  es- 
caped the  attention  of  government.  By  a treaty  made  in 
1824,  between  the  grand  dutchies  of  Baden  and  Hesse, 
the  utmost  freedom  of  trade  was  established,  and  conse- 
quently with  all  the  states  in  the  confederation.15  The  ob- 
ject of  the  treaty  was  to  extend  the  commercial  intercourse 
of  the  two  principalities  with  foreign  countries,  and  to  faci- 
litate the  circulation  of  commodities  by  removing  the  re- 
straints which  shortsighted  statesmen  have  judged  neces- 
sary for  the  prosperity  of  nations.  Although  the  effect  of 
these  changes  has  been  to  unite  the  interests  of  the  two 
grand  dutchies,  similar  changes  have  not  been  introduced 
into  other  countries — still  it  is  no  uninteresting  spectacle  to 
see  these  secondary  powers  set  the  world  an  example  of 
that  harmony  which  renders  unnecessary  expensive  reve- 
nue establishments  on  the  frontiers  and  coasts  of  different 
countries,  establishments  that  tend  only  to  encourage  fraud, 
and  prevent  the  inhabitants  of  civilized  nations  from  enjoy- 
ing the  mutual  advantages  of  their  industry. 

The  principalities  that  remain  to  be  mentioned,  are  not 
of  much  importance ; they  may  be  therefore  briefly  de- 
scribed. According  to  some  genealogists,  the  family  of 
Hohenzollern  has  existed  for  more  than  a thousand  years. 
But  so  many  families  in  Germany  claim  a like  antiquity, 
that  their  ancient  origin  excites  neither  interest  nor  surprise. 
The  filiation  of  the  family  may  be  traced  from  Frederick 
Count  of  Hohenzollern,  who  flourished  in  the  thirteenth 
century.  The  same  house  was  afterwards  divided  into 
two  branches,0  and  their  possessions  were  erected  into  prin- 
cipalities during  the  seventeenth  century  at  the  diet  of  Ra- 
tisbon.  The  two  families  are  distinguished  by  the  names 
of  the  towns  in  which  they  reside — Hechingen  and  Sigma- 
ringen.  Their  territories  are  surrounded  by  the  kingdom 
of  Wirtemberg  and  the  grand  dutchy  of  Baden. 

The  principality  of  Hohenzollern-Hechingen  may  be 
about  sixty-four  square  miles  in  superficial  extent  ;d  the 
population  amounts  to  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants,  almost 
all  of  whom  are  Catholics.  The  country  abounds  with 
sandstone,  and  calcareous  rocks  containing  organic  re- 

OF  GERMANY.  11 

mains.  It  is  traversed  by  a part  of  the  chain  that  extends 
from  the  Black  Forest  to  the  eastern  extremity  of  Wirtem- 
berg. The  Zollerberg,  one  of  the  highest  summits,  is  not 
more  than  2G00  feet0  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The 
most  of  the  heights  are  covered  with  trees.  The  revenues 
of  the  state  are  equal  to  120,000  florins,  and  the  contin- 
gent for  the  confederation  amounts  to  a hundred  and  forty- 
five  men. 

Hechingen,  the  capital,  is  situated  on  a hill,  the  base  of 
which  is  watered  by  the  Starzel ; it  contains  about  2600 
inhabitants.  The  old  castle  of  Hohenzollern  rises  on  one 
of  the  heights  in  the  neighbourhood.  It  was  built  in  the 
fifteenth  century  on  the  site  of  the  one  which  was  destroyed 
by  Henrietta,  countess  of  Wirtemberg  and  Montbelliard. 
The  building  was  founded  with  much  pomp  and  solemnity  ; 
Nicholas/  count  of  Hohenzollern,  Philip,  duke  of  Burgun- 
dy, Albert,  elector  of  Brandenburg,  Charles,  margrave  of 
Baden,  and  Albert,  duke  of  Austria,  carried  silver  trowels 
and  hammers,  and  laid  the  foundation  stone  in  1460.  A 
valuable  collection  of  armour  may  still  be  seen  in  one  of 
the  halls. 

Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen  lies  to  the  south  of  the  last 
principality;  its  surface  and  population  are  greater  ; Crome 
makes  out  the  former  to  be  equal  to  three  hundred  and 
twelve  English  square  miles,  and  Hassel  supposes  the  latter 
equal  to  thirty-eight  thousand  inhabitants.5  The  soil  be- 
longs to  what  German  geologists  have  termed  the  second- 
ary and  tertiary  formations.  The  country  for  the  most 
part  is  unfruitful,  but  some  of  the  vallies  yield  rich  harvests. 
The  revenues  amount  to  300,000  florins,  and  the  prince 
furnishes  a contingent  of  370  men  to  the  confederation. 

Although  Sigmaringenh  on  the  Danube  is  the  residence 
of  the  prince,  it  contains  only  eight  hundred  inhabitants. 
Haigerloch,  the  only  town  in  the  principality,  for  all  the 
other  places  are  burghs  or  villages,  stands  on  a hill,  at  the 
foot  of  which  flows  the  Eyach.  The  population  amounts 
to  2000  individuals. 

Lichtenstein,1  one  of  the  smallest  principalities  in  Ger- 
many, does  not  contain  more  than  five  thousand  eight 
hundred  persons,  who  inhabit  a surface  of  thirty-six  square 
miles/  The  revenue  does  not  exceed  50,000  florins/  and 
the  state  furnishes  a contingent  of  fifty-five  men.  It  is  si- 
tuated on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  at  the  distance  of  nearly 
fifteen  miles111  from  the  lake  of  Constance.  The  house  of 
Lichtenstein  is  descended  from  Azo  IY.  of  Este,  who 
died  in  the  year  1037.  It  possessed  seventy-three  seignio- 
ries during  the  succeeding  centuries  / and  it  still  possesses 
under  the  sovereignty  of  Austria  and  Prussia  two  conside- 
rable principalities,  those  of  Troppau  and  Jaegerndorf,  to- 
gether with  other  territories  in  Silesia  and  Austria,  of  which 
the  total  population  is  not  less  than  324,000  inhabitants, 
and  of  which  the  revenues  amount  to  1,500,000  florins.0 
The  prince  is  thus  enabled  to  maintain  the  rank  of  his  an- 
cient family. p 

Vadutz,  a burgh  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  contains 
seven  hundred  souls.  The  castle  of  Lichtenstein,  where 
the  prince  resides,  rises  in  its  immediate  vicir.it)1’. 

a M.  Sommelatt  was  the  founder  of  this  excellent  institution.  See  his 
memoir,  entitled  • Einladung  an  alle  menschenfreunde  und  patriotenBadens. 
b Extra  Beylage  zu  No.  258  der  Carlsruher-Zeitung. 
c In  the  16th  century.  d “ Superficial  extent  14  leagues.” 

e 2620  (Hassel.)  f “ Josse  Nicolas” — died  1488. 

e “ Its  surface,  according  to  Crome,  is  equal  to  52  square  leagues,  and 
its  population,  according  to  Hassel,  to  38,000  souls.  The  inhabitants  pro- 
fess the  Catholic  religion.” 

11  Germ.  Siegmaringen. 

“ Liechtenstein,  M.  B.  Hassel. 
k “ 6 square  leagues.” 

1 Revenue  hardly  30,000  gulden.  (Hassel.) 
m “ 5 leagues  south  of  the  lake  of  Constance.” 

“ Mich.  Reinhard,  Breviarium  Hist.  Licht. 

0 Stein’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.) 
p “ The  prince,  as  well  as  his  subjects,  are  Catholics.’1 

EUROPE. 


12 


[BOOK  CXXIII. 


BOOK  CXXIII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Germany. — Seventh  Section. — King- 
dom of  Bavaria. 

The  ancient  dutchy  of  Bavaria,  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
German  principalities,  was  the  one,  according  to  Hassel, 
that  maintained  the  most  numerous  army.  Having  since 
been  erected  into  a kingdom,  it  obtained  by  the  last  treaties 
additional  territory,  but  the  inhabitants  have  derived  more 
important  advantages  from  an  enlightened  and  economical 
government.  It  is  bounded  by  the  kingdom  of  Saxony, 
ducal  Saxony,  and  electoral  Hesse,  on  the  north  ; by  the 
grand  dutchies  of  Hesse  and  Baden,  and  by  the  kingdom 
of  Wirtemberg,  on  the  west ; and  by  the  states  of  the  Aus- 
trian empire  on  the  south  and  east.  The  superficial  ex- 
tent of  the  territory  on  the  east  of  the  Rhine  is  reckoned 
equal  to  1359  German  geographical  square  miles,  or  not 
less  than  22,662  English  square  miles,3  but  if  the  recent 
additions  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine  be  included,  it  will 
amount  to  1499  German  or  25,002  English  square  miles.b 
Adhering  to  the  same  plan  that  was  followed  in  the  account 
of  Prussia,  the  whole  territory  between  Austria  and  Wir- 
temberg, shall  be  considered  as  forming  the  kingdom  of 
Bavaria  proper ; after  having  made  some  remarks  on  its 
physical  geography,  and  entered  into  the  statistical  details 
connected  with  it,  we  shall  proceed  to  examine  separately 
the  Bavarian  province  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine. 

Bavaria  proper  comprehends  almost  the  whole  country 
enclosed  by  the  Rauhe-Alb  and  the  Spessart  on  the  west, 
by  the  Rhcene-Gebirge,  the  Thuringer-Wald,  the  Franken- 
Wald  and  the  Fichtel-Gebirge  on  the  north,  by  the  Bcehmer- 
Wald  on  the  east,  and  by  different  heights  connected  with 
the  Alps  on  the  south.  That  extensive  region  is  naturally 
divided  into  two  parts  or  basins ; the  Regnitz  waters  the 
first  or  the  northern  which  forms  the  basin  of  the  Maine. 
The  mountains  which  enclose  it  on  the  south,  consist  of 
two  chains  or  branches  that  extend  from  the  place  where 
the  Regnitz  rises  ; the  one,  or  the  Frank-Hoehe,  bends  to 
the  right,  and  unites  with  the  Fichtel-Gebirge  ; the  other, 
or  the  Steiger-Wald,  reaches  nearly  to  the  chain  of  the 
Spessart,  from  which  it  is  only  separated  by  the  course  of 
the  Maine.  The  principal  declivity  of  the  basin  is  from 
south  to  north,  and  the  Regnitz  follows  the  same  direction, 
before  it  unites  with  the  Maine.  The  southern  basin  or  the 
.arger  of  the  two  is  traversed  by  the  Danube,  and  is  formed 
by  the  Frank-Hoehe  and  Steiger-Wald  and  the  other 


mountains  that  have  been  already  mentioned.  The  heights 
that  rise  on  the  north  of  the  river  are  much  less  important 
than  those  on  the  south,  and  consequently  the  streams  it 
receives  on  the  left,  are  by  no  means  so  large  as  the  feeders 
that  enter  on  the  right  or  opposite  bank.  The  three  largest 
rivers  on  the  left  side  are  the  Altmiih],  which  descends 
from  the  Steiger-Wald,  the  Nab,  which  flows  from  the 
Fichtel-Gebirge,  and  the  Regen,  which  has  its  source  in 
the  Boehmer-Wald.  The  rivers,  like  the  mountains  on  the 
right  bank,  are  more  important ; the  largest  are  the  Iller, 
the  Lech,  the  Isar  or  Iser,  and  the  Inn,  all  of  which  have 
their  sources  in  the  Alps.  The  principal  declivity  in  the 
basin  inclines  to  the  north-east ; the  different  ramifications  of 
the  mountains  enclose  wide  rallies  or  low  and  humid  plains. 
The  most  extensive  of  these  plains,  or  the  one  between  Ra- 
tisbon  and  Osterhofen,  is  about  forty-five  miles'  in  length, 
and  nearly  as  many  in  breadth. 

Thus,  the  basin  of  the  Danube  marks  distinctly  the  se- 
paration of  two  great  mountain  ranges,  that  of  the  Alps  on 
the  south  of  the  river,  and  that  of  the  Hercynio-Carpathian 
mountains  on  the  north ; a separation  which  we  have  al- 
ready had  occasion  to  observe  in  the  chapter  on  the  physi- 
cal geography  of  Europe.** 1  It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  a 
second  time  the  height  of  the  Alpine  summits,  which,  like 
the  Watzmann  and  the  Hochvogel,  rise  above  the  moun- 
tains in  the  south  of  Bavaria  ;e  but  it  may  be  remarked 
that  the  Boehmer-Wald  and  the  Fichtel-Gebirge  on  the 
eastern  limits,  vary  in  height  from  three  thousand  to  up- 
wards of  five  thousand  feet/ 

The  general  arrangement  of  these  mountains  has  been 
described  in  a former  book  ;£  but  it  may  be  requisite  to 
give  a more  minute  account  of  the  Spessart,  Rhoene- 
Gebirge  and  Boehmer-Wald  in  order  to  complete  the  phy- 
sical geography  of  Bavaria. 

The  chain  of  the  Spessart  commences  on  the  banks  of 
the  Maine,  at  the  place  where  the  course  of  the  river  sepa- 
rates it  from  the  chain  of  the  Oden-Wald.  The  extremity 
nearest  to  the  Maine  bears  the  name  of  Engelsberg ; it  ex- 
tends to  the  north,  giving  off  branches  to  the  south-west 
and  south-east,  and  joins  the  Rhoene-Gebirge  ; different 
streams,  most  of  which  are  tributary  to  the  Maine,  descend 
from  these  heights.  The  mean  elevation  of  the  chain  is 
about  thirteen  hundred  and  thirty-six  feet ; some  of  the 
mountains,  however,  are  considerably  higher ; the  Hohe- 


a “ 3,778  leagues.” 

b “ 4,167  leagues.” — The  English  sq.  miles  in  both  these  instances,  are 
obtained  by  multiplying  the  French  leagues  by  six,  and  are  of  course  much 
too  small.  Present  superficial  extent  3'2,000  sq.  miles.  (Morse.) — P. 

' “ 15  leagues.”  <t  Book  XCIV. 

e See  the  Table  of  Altitudes,  Book  XCIV. 

1 As  these  mountains  have  not  been  mentioned  in  the  general  table  of 


altitudes,  the  heights  of  the  loftiest  summits  may  be 
here  to  the  measurements  of  Hassel. 

Hohe-Staufen  near  Reichenhall, 

Grunten  near  Sonthofen,  .... 
Ochsenkopf  or  Ox’s  Head  (Fichtel-Gebirge  1 
Kmssein,  ....  (idem) 
e Book  CXVI. 


now  stated.  We  ad- 

. 5,408  feet. 

4,160 
3,394 
3,060 


--  ■■  ■ - ■ . — ■ . . ■ ■ 

book  cxxm.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY.  13 


Wart  rises  to  the  height  of  two  thousand  feet,  and  the 
Geyersberg,  the  loftiest  in  the  range,  to  two  thousand  and 
eighty. a 

Volcanic  rocks  are  observed  in  the  Spessart,  but  the 
most  frequent  are  granite,  gneiss,  sienite  and  porphyry, 
which  serve  as  a support  for  sandstone,  limestone  and  beds 
of  clay.  Veins  of  copper,  cobalt,  lead  and  iron  are  found 
in  the  primitive,  but  ottener  in  the  secondary  rocks.  As  to 
the  form  of  the  mountains,  the  most  of  them  are  rounded, 
and  their  gentle  declivities  extend  to  a considerable  dis- 
tance ; it  is  only  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Aschaffenburg, 
that  the  stranger  observes  steep  rocks  and  pyramidical  sum- 
mits.1' 

The  Rhcene-Gebirge  is  more  extensive  than  the  Spes- 
sart ; it  unites  on  the  west  with  the  chain  of  the  Vogels- 
berg,  and  on  the  east  with  that  of  the  Thuringer-Wald.  Its 
mean  elevation  exceeds  that  of  the  Spessartfand  it  furnishes 
two  feeders  to  the  Maine, — the  Sinn  and  the  Saale.  Granite 
rocks  rise  at  the  western  extremity,  on  the  declivities  of 
which  lie  rocks  of  secondary  limestone,  and  above  these 
various  deposits  of  basalt. 

The  Fichtel-Gebirge,  which  connects  the  Rhcene  moun- 
tains with  the  Bcehmer-Wald,  consists  chiefly  of  granite  ; 
the  highest  point  in  the  range  is  the  summit  of  the  Ochsen- 
kopf.  Two  small  rivers  descend  from  the  Fichtel-Gebirge, 
to  form  the  Maine  ; the  inhabitants  call  one  of  these 
streams  the  White  Main  ; the  other,  or  the  Red  Main, 
flows  to  it  from  the  south.  The  bed  of  the  former  at 
Culmbach  has  been  found  to  be  a hundred  and  thirty-six 
feet  higher  than  the  bed  of  the  latter  at  Bayreuth.  The 
declivity  in  the  basin  of  the  Maine  from  east  to  west  is  con- 
siderable ; from  Bayreuth  to  Wurtzburg,  a distance  of 
nearly  sixty  miles, c it  is  upwards  of  six  hundred  feet.d 

The  chain  of  the  Boehmer-Wald  joins  the  Fichtel- 
Gebirge  ; it  commences  at  the  sources  of  the  Eger,  and 
terminates  at  the  Moravian  mountains,  which  shall  after- 
wards be  more  fully  mentioned.  The  Boehmer-Wald  may 
be  about  two  hundred  miles  in  length ; its  breadth  on  the 
north-west  may  vary  from  fifteen  to  twenty  near  the  centre, 
and  from  twenty-four  to  more  than  thirty  on  the  south.® 
It  rises  gradually  from  the  northern  extremity  to  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Waldmunchen ; the  highest  point  is  situated 
near  Swiesel,  and  the  chain  becomes  gradually  lower,  until 
it  unites  with  the  Moravian  mountains.  The  most  elevated 
summits  are  the  Arber,  the  Rachel  and  the  Dreysel.fg 
The  range  is  very  steep  on  the  side  of  Bavaria,  but  much 
less  so  towards  Bohemia.  Several  branches  extend  from 
it  into  the  former  country,  the  most  important  of  which  are 
the  Greiner-Wald  and  the  Bayer-Wald  ; the  first  rises  near 
Waldmunchen,  and  the  Regen,  a feeder  of  the  Danube, 
flows  along  its  southern  declivities  ; the  second  reaches 
from  Mount  Rachel  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Ratisbon,  and 
separates  the  course  of  the  Danube  from  that  of  the  Regen. 
The  last  is  not  the  only  river  that  has  its  source  in  the 

*■  “ Mean  height  about  400  metres — Hohe-Wart  600  metres — Geyers- 
berg 624  metres.” 

b See  the  topographical  essay  on  the  Spessart  by  M.  Behlen,  (in  Germ.) 

c “ Nearly  30  leagues.” 

d See  the  Astronomical  and  Geographical  Correspondence  of  Baron 
Yon  Zach,  vol.  XIII. 

e “ Length  85  leagues ; breadth  on  the  northwest  6 leagues,  in  the  cen- 
tre 8 leagues,  on  the  south  13  leagues.” 

' f The  last  mountain  is  about  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  [Height  449  toises,  or  2694°  feet 
Fr.— M.B.] 

e Dreisessel,  height  2798  feet.  (Hassel.) 

h “ 13  or  14  feet  high.” 


Boehmer-Wald,  and  follows  the  declivities  in  the  basin  of 
the  Danube.  Several  of  the  streams  which  form  the  Nab, 
flow  from  the  same  range  and  that  of  the  Fichtel-Gehirge, 
and  the  Ilz  rises  from  the  base  of  mount  Rachel.  The 
basis  of  the  Boehmer-Wald  is  composed  of  granite,  which 
supports  masses  of  gneiss  and  micaceous  schistus.  One 
may  observe  on  these  heights  deep  cavities  and  numerous 
marshes ; the  naked  summits  resemble  needles  or  pyramids, 
and  the  forests  that  stretch  along  the  declivities  afford  shel- 
ter to  the  lynx  and  the  bear. 

Two  distinct  geological  formations  are  separated  in  Ba- 
varia by  the  course  of  the  Danube.  The  country  on  the 
north  of  the  river,  including  the  basin  of  the  Regnitz  and 
the  Maine,  is  of  secondary  formation,  comprehending  ooli- 
tic limestone,  muschel-kalk,  zechstein  and  other  analogous 
rocks,  as  well  as  variegated  sandstone,  quadersandstein  and 
other  quartzose  deposits.  Vast  tertiary  deposits  extend  on 
the  south  of  the  river,  from  the  lake  of  Constance  to  the 
confluence  of  the  Inn  and  the  Danube  ; they  rest  on  rocks 
of  earlier  formation,  which  are  supported  by  the  granite 
that  belongs  to  the  chain  of  the  Alps. 

The  alluvial  lands  on  the  north  of  the  river  are  of  an  earlier 
formation  than  those  in  southern  Bavaria  ; geologists  have 
discovered  in  them  the  bones  of  the  animals  that  inhabited 
our  planet  at  a time  when  its  climate  and  productions  ren- 
dered it  unfit  for  the  residence  of  man.  Fossil  bones  of  the 
tapir  and  rhinoceros  have  been  found  in  the  valley  of  the 
Regen,  crocodiles  have  been  discovered  in  the  calcareous 
schistus  in  the  valley  of  the  Altmuhl,  and  the  remains  of 
elephants,  which  must  have  been  much  larger  than  any 
that  exist  at  present,11  have  been  collected  near  Schweinfurt 
and  Arnstein  in  the  valley  of  the  Maine.  Some  caverns  in 
the  Steiger-Wald  are  filled  with  the  bones  of  lions  and  hye- 
nas ; the  remains  of  animals  now  wholly  extinct  may  be 
observed  in  other  places ; in  short,  it  is  difficult  to  mention 
a more  interesting  country  than  Bavaria  to  those  who  are 
engaged  in  the  most  attractive  department  of  natural  history. 

The  highest  and  most  southern  portion  of  Bavaria  is  ex- 
posed to  the  influence  of  the  Alps.  The  lakes  are  nume- 
rous, and  some  of  them  are  large  ; thus,  besides  the  lake 
of  Constance,  a very  small  part  of  which  is  situated  in  the 
kingdom,  eight  others  of  considerable  extent  might  be  men- 
tioned. The  largest  are  the  A miner,  the  Worm  and  the 
Chiem.  A river  of  the  same  name  issues  from  the  first, 
and  throws  itself  into  the  Isar.  The  Alza,  a feeder  of  the 
Inn,  flows  from  the  Chiem.  The  others  that  may  be  enu 
merated,  are  the  Staffel,  the  Kochen,  the  Wale  hen,  the 
Tegern  and  the  Bartholomseus  or  royal  lake.  These 
lakes,  and  many  more  of  a smaller  size,  are  not  without 
their  value  to  the  inhabitants ; several  fisheries  have  been 
established  on  them,  and  a lucrative  branch  of  industry  has 
thus  been  produced.1 

The  most  frequented  mineral  springs  in  Bavaria  are 
those  of  Sichertsreuthk  in  the  picturesque  country  of  the 

■ The  following,  according  to  the  most  authentic  maps,  are  the  dimen 
sions  of  these  lakes : — 


Eng 

Miles. — Tr. 

Fr.  leagues. 

Eng.  ffiles.- 

-Tr. 

Fr.  leag 

Ammer  . . . 

10  . . 

. 4 . 

. . 2 i 

. 1 

Wurm  . . . 

in  . . 

. 41  . 

. . 2j 

. 1 

Chiem  . . . 

9 . . 

. 3[  . 

. . 34 

• 14 

Staffel  . . . 

4 . . 

• D • 

. . 1J 

. A 

Kochen  . . . 

4 . . 

. lj  . 

. . 24 

. 1S 

Walchen  . . . 

5 . . 

. 2 . 

. . 2| 

. 1 

Tegern  . . . 

4 . . 

. 1§  . 

. . 14 

Bartholomseus 

4 . . 

. li  . 

• • D 

• 4 

k Or  Alexander sbrunnen.  (Hassel.) 


14  EUROPE.  fiiooKcxxm. 


Fichtel-Gebirge,  the  baths  of  Kissingen  situated  in  a valley 
watered  by  the  Saale,  about  thirty-two  miles  north  from 
Wurtzburg,  the  acidulous  and  ferruginous  springs  of  Bock- 
let  and  Briickenau,  in  the  same  part  of  the  country,  and 
those  of  Hardeck  in  the  southern  part  of  the  kingdom,  from 
which  Munich  is  supplied  with  mineral  water. 

The  climate  on  the  whole  is  temperate  and  salubrious ; 
the  elevation  of  the  soil,  and  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
mountains  occasion  however  considerable  modifications  in 
the  temperature.  The  air  is  keen  in  the  countries  to  the 
south  of  the  Danube,  the  winters  too  are  long  and  severe  ; 
but  that  region  is  the  highest  of  any  in  Bavaria,  and  the  most 
exposed  to  the  influence  of  the  eternal  glaciers  on  the  Alps. 
The  prevalence  of  the  north-east  winds  renders  the  climate 
cold  and  dry  throughout  the  Bcehmer-Wald.  Much  rain 
falls  in  many  places  during  the  spring,  and  the  heat  of  sum- 
mer is  sometimes  excessive  in  valiies  having  a south  exposure. 
The  autumn,  in  general,  is  the  finest  season  in  the  year. 

Before  we  make  any  remarks  on  the  natural  productions, 
agricultural  wealth  and  commerce  of  Bavaria,  it  may  be 
proper  to  give  some  account  of  the  ancient  people,  who  oc- 
cupied the  country.  It  was  formerly  inhabited  by  two  na- 
tions that  were  separated  from  each  other  by  the  Danube. 
The  Hermunduri  possessed  the  lands  on  the  north  of  the 
river,  and  the  country  on  the  south  was  peopled  by  the 
Vindelici.  The  Narisci,  a people  less  important  than 
either  of  the  two  former,  were  settled  in  the  country  that 
extends  from  the  declivities  of  the  Boehmer-Wald  or  Bo- 
hemian foresta  to  the  banks  of  the  Danube,  and  from  the 
month  of  the  Nab  to  that  of  the  Hz. 

The  Hermunduri,  according  to  Tacitus,  adored  Mars 
and  Mercury ; they  were  often  engaged  in  contests  and 
bloody  wars  with  the  Catti,  their  northern  neighbours. 
Their  enemies  were  devoted  to  the  gods,  and  if  they  proved 
victorious,  all  the  vanquished,  men  and  horses,  were  slaugh- 
tered without  remorse. b The  same  people  yielded  however 
to  the  arms  of  the  Romans,  and  became  their  most  faithful 
allies.  Thus  they  were  the  only  German  people  that  were 
permitted  to  travel  freely  through  the  neighbouring  colo- 
nies. While,  continues  the  historian,  other  nations  are 
only  allowed  to  see  our  arms  and  camps,  our  town  and 
country  houses  are  open  to  the  Hermunduri.0 

The  Narisci,  who,  according  to  Tacitus,  inhabited  a 
country  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  last  people,  were  not 
inferior  to  them  in  bravery  and  courage. d The  ancients 
have  left  us  but  little  information  relative  to  the  Narisci ; 
nothing  remarkable  concerning  them  is  mentioned  by 
Ptolemy  or  Dion  Cassius ; it  may  however  be  observed 
that  the  first  of  these  writers  calls  them  the  Varisti,  and  the 
second  the  Narislce. 

The  Vindelici  were  scattered  over  the  country  which 
extends  from  the  lake  of  Constance  to  the  confluence  of 
the  Inn  and  the  Danube  ; the  last  river  served  them  for  a 
boundary.  According  to  D’Anville,®  the  Vindelici  were  so 
called  from  two  rivers,  the  Vindo  or  the  modern  Wertach, 
and  the  Licus  or  the  modern  Lech.  As  they  were  settled 
on  the  banks  of  these  rivers  from  the  remotest  antiquity, 
such  an  etymology  does  not  appear  improbable.  The  Vin- 
delici were  subdued  by  the  Romans,  who,  after  their  subju- 


a  Sylra  Gabrita , Ptolcm.  lib.  II.  cap.  II.  Strabo  calls  the  same  forest 
Stjlva  Gabreta. 

b Tacitus,  Annal.  lib.  XIII.  sect.  57. 

' Tacitus,  De  Moribus  Germanorum,  sect.  42. 
d Tacitus,  De  Moribus  Germanorum,  sect.  41. 


gation,  called  the  country  Vindelicia ; it  was  at  a later 
period  joined  to  Rhaetia  ( provincia  Rhcclia ,)  where  several 
Roman  colonies  were  settled. 

The  most  important  of  these  settlements  appears  to  have 
been  the  Augusta  Vindelicorum  or  the  present  Augsburg, 
which  according  to  different  documents  formed  Oppidum 
Augusti,  or  the  town  of  Augustus/  Cambodunum,e  ano- 
ther place  of  some  consequence,  was  probably  built  on  the 
site  of  Kempten.  Ratisbon  on  the  Danube,  the  German 
Regensburg,  was  the  ancient  Regina,  a name  derived  from 
the  Regen,  opposite  the  mouth  of  which  it  is  situated. 
Passau  was  the  former  Batava  Castra,  and  Neu-Oetting 
near  Muhldorf  seems  to  have  been  the  Puns  CEni,  an 
opinion  confirmed  by  the  remains  of  a Roman  way  situated 
in  the  neighbourhood. 

Bavaria  is  the  most  ancient  dutchy  in  Germany  ; it  has 
retained  its  name,  title,  and  even  part  of  its  constitution, 
since  the  fifth  century.  The  Germans  call  it  Bayern,  a 
name  which  has  probably  some  connexion  with  that  of  the 
Boii,  an  ancient  people,  who  were  driven  into  Bohemia  by 
the  Romans,  and  who  left  that  country  about  the  middle 
of  the  fifth  century  along  with  the  barbarians  that  have  been 
denominated  Ostrogoths. 

Aldiger  or  Aldeger  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first 
chief  or  duke  of  the  Bavarians  ; he  formed  the  design  in 
common  with  other  German  princes,  of  accompanying 
Clovis,  and  sharing  his  conquests ; but  after  the  victory  at 
Tolbiac,  Clovis  confined  the  Germans  within  their  former 
limits,  and  compelled  the  Bavarians  and  their  chief  to  ac- 
knowledge his  authority.  To  diminish  the  chances  of  a 
successful  revolt,  a colony  of  Franks  was  settled  in  that 
part  of  Germany,  which  has  since  been  called  Franconia, 
and  the  dukes  of  Bavaria  were  made  tributary  to  its  sove- 
reigns. The  Bavariaps  began  to  embrace  Christianity  in 
the  time  of  Theudo  the  Third,  the  grandson  of  Aldiger  ; 
in  the  sixth  century,  after  the  vast  monarchy  of  the  Franks 
was  divided,  they  submitted  to  the  kings  of  Austrasia. 

The  weakness  of  the  last  Merovingian  kings  enabled  the 
Bavarians  to  shake  otf  the  yoke ; the  country  retained  its 
freedom  until  about  the  year  786,  but  at  that  period,  Thas- 
silo,  a Bavarian  duke  of  the  Agilolfingian  family,  excited  a 
rebellion  in  different  parts  of  Germany,  which  was  not 
quelled  until  Charlemagne  marched  against  him,  and  forced 
him  to  acknowledge  his  sovereignty.  Thassilo  having  re- 
volted a second  time  in  the  following  year,  was  cited  before 
the  diet  at  Ingelheim,  accused  of  high  treason,  and  con- 
demned to  death.  But  his  punishment  was  commuted  by 
Charlemagne,  who  deprived  him  of  his  dominions,  and 
confined  him  first  in  the  abbey  of  Lauresheim,  and  after- 
wards in  the  monastery  of  Jumiege.  Thassilo,  although  a 
weak  prince,  became  an  excellent  monk,  and  died  with  a 
great  reputation  for  sanctity. 

Charlemagne  having  made  himself  master  of  Bavaria, 
divided  it  into  several  counties,  and  appointed  rulers  and 
princes  over  them.  The  government  of  the  same  country 
was  again  changed  after  the  division  of  the  monarchy  be- 
tween the  sons  of  Lewis  I.  ;h  it  fell,  with  all  Germany,  to 
the  lot  of  Lewis  the  German,  who  chose  Ratisbon  for  the 
place  of  his  residence.  The  dominions  of  Lewis  were 


c Geographic  anciennc,  tom.  I.  p.  47. 

r “ which  in  commercial  transactions  is  still  designated  bj  the  name 

of  ^lieo'uste.”  (Ital.  Augusta.) 

6 Caynpodunum,  Strabo. 
h Louis  the  Debonnaire. 


book  cxxm.]  DESCRIPTION 

divided  among  his  children,  and  Carloman  became  king  of 
Bavaria.  Arnold, a the  natural  son  of  Carloman,  succeed- 
ed his  father,  and  was  elected  king  of  Germany. 

Luitpold  or  Leopold  was  probably  the  first  who  was 
named  Margrave  of  the  country  by  the  German  kings  in 
the  ninth  century.  The  dignity  of  count  or  duke  of  Bava- 
ria was  not  hereditary,  the  emperors  conferred  it  on  dif- 
ferent princes  until  the  thirteenth  century  ; at  that  time 
Lewis  the  Old,  of  the  house  of  Wittelsbach,  duke  of  Lower 
Bavaria,  and  count  palatine  of  the  Rhine,  left  two  sons, 
Rudolph  and  Lewis,  who  were  the  founders  of  the  Pala- 
tine or  Rodolphine,  and  the  Bavarian  or  Ludovician  fami- 
lies. The  lineal  descendants  of  the  Ludovician  branch, 
retained  the  dutchy  of  Bavaria,  which  was  raised  into  an 
electorate  in  1G18,  till  it  became  extinct  in  the  year  1777, 
and  a collateral  descendant  of  the  palatine  l5milyb  is  at  pre- 
sent seated  on  the  throne  of  Bavaria.0 

The  soil  in  the  higher  parts  of  the  kingdom,  is  of  an  or- 
dinary quality,  but  the  low  plains  and  vallies  are  very  pro- 
ductive. The  soil  in  the  northern  districts  is  for  the  most 
part  light ; in  the  south  it  is  heavy  and  fruitful.  The  Ba- 
varian government  is  desirous  of  encouraging  agriculture, 
but  it  will  be  necessary  in  the  first  place  to  overcome  the 
ignorance  and  indolent  habits  of  the  peasantry,  which  are 
obstacles  to  every  sort  of  improvement. 

Nearly  a-  third  part  of  the  territory  on  the  Isar,  the 
lower  Danube  and  the  Regen,  is  still  uncultivated  ; within 
the  last  few  years,  marshes  have  been  drained  at  the  ex- 
pense of  government,  and  waste  lands  have  been  rendered 
arable.  But  as  these  operations  are  attended  with  a consi- 
derable outlay  of  capital,  their  accomplishment  is  retarded, 
although  their  utility  has  been  always  admitted.  The  dif- 
ferences, which  are  obvious  in  the  productiveness  of  the 
same  sort  of  land  in  a country  under  the  same  government, 
can  only  be  attributed  to  the  knowledge  or  ignorance  of  the 
agriculturists.  A more  improved  system  of  cultivation  than 
any  other  in  Bavaria,  may  be  observed  in  the  circles  of  the 
Rezat,  the  upper  Danube,  and  the  upper  and  lower  Maine  ; 
in  the  same  circles  too,  the  harvests  are  the  most  abundant. 
The  produce,  it  must  be  confessed,  is  not  so  great  as  in 
lower  Saxony  and  Flanders  ; still  the  inhabitants  are  in- 
dustrious and  not  ignorant  of  their  true  interests.  The 
above  mentioned  circles  are  the  wealthiest  in  Bavaria,  and 
the  rich  harvests  that  are  reaped  in  them  compensate  in 
some  degree  for  the  deficiency  in  other  parts  of  the  country. 

The  circles  of  the  upper  and  lower  Maine,  yield  not  only 
different  kinds  of  grain,  but  wine  and  fruits.  Agriculture, 
which  was  formerly  neglected  in  the  mountains  of  the  Spes- 
sart,  has  made  great  advances  of  late  years.  Potatoes  and 
bread  form  the  principal  food  of  the  inhabitants.  The  har- 
vests in  some  other  districts,  as  well  as  on  these  mountains, 
hardly  suffice  for  the  annual  consumption  ; it  ought,  how- 
ever, to  be  mentioned,  that  government  makes  use  of  every 
means  by  which  knowledge  can  be  diffused  among  the 
people,  and  the  Bavarians  may  ere  long  be  sensible  that 
the  elements  of  their  prosperity  depend  on  the  cultivation 
of  their  country. 

The  rearing  of  cattle  forms,  after  agriculture,  the  princi- 
pal source  of  territorial  wealth ; the  meadows  that  extend 
along  the  banks  of  the  rivers  are  well  adapted  for  this  pur- 

* Arnou.lt  (M.  B.)  Arnov.l  (Moreri.  Beauvais.)  Arnulph  (Conv.  Lex.) 

b Of  the  house  of  Birkcnfeld. 

c Historisch-Statistische  Uebersicht  ssemmtlicher  Provinzen  und  Be- 
Htandtheile  des  Kcenigreichs  Baicrn,  by  J.  Marx,  baron  of  Lichtenstern. 

d More  than  eighteen  thousand  landed  proprietors,  farmers  and  pea- 


OF  GERMANY.  13 

pose.  It  may  be  remarked,  that  in  those  districts,  where 
agriculture  has  arrived  at  a certain  degree  of  perfection, 
care  has  been  taken  to  improve  the  different  breeds.  Thus 
it  appears  that  one  branch  of  industry  cannot  be  established 
without  creating  another.  The  plan  of  artificial  irrigation 
practised  with  so  much  success,  not  only  in  the  circle  of  the 
Rezat,  but  in  those  of  the  upper  and  lower  Maine,  has  pro- 
duced verdant  and  luxuriant  meadows,  in  which  numerous 
docks  and  herds  are  fattened.  It  must  be  admitted  that 
the  breed  of  cattle  might  be  still  much  improved,  for  it  is 
obvious  that  little  attention  has  hitherto  been  bestowed  by 
the  Bavarians  on  the  form  and  proportions  of  these  animals. 
If  the  oxen  on  the  declivities  of  the  Alps  rival  in  symmetry 
any  in  the  Swiss  Cantons,  it  is  equally  true  that  the  produce 
ol  the  dairy  and  the  rear  ing  of  cattle  make  up  the  chief 
wealth  of  the  people  in  the  elevated  country  that  extends 
to  the  south  of  Munich.  Many  goats  are  fed  in  tlie  same 
districts  and  in  most  of  the  mountains  which  bound  the 
kingdom.  The  hog  is  fattened  in  almost  every  part  of  Ba- 
varia, and  in  many  places,  the  fiesh  of  that  animal  forms 
the  principal  sustenance  of  the  people. 

The  remarks  that  have  been  made  concerning  the  Ba- 
varian oxen,  are  much  more  applicable  to  the  horses  ; the 
inhabitants  appear  to  have  been  still  less  successful  in  im- 
proving the  breed  of  that  useful  animal.  The  number  of 
horses  was  considerably  diminished  during  the  last  wars, 
and  it  has  not  been  sufficiently  increased  since  the  peace. 
Although  horses  are  seldom  used  for  agricultural  purposes, 
it  must  nevertheless  be  confessed  that  the  government,  by 
neglecting  to  multiply  and  improve  them,  renders  itself,  in 
the  event  of  a war,  dependent  on  foreign  powers. 

The  landed  proprietors  pay  great  attention  to  their  sheep  ; 
the  native  breed  has  been  crossed  with  the  Merinos,  and 
other  experiments  have  been  conducted  with  much  sagacity 
and  Corresponding  success.  If  there  he  a greater  demand 
for  the  cloth  and  woollen  manufactures  of  Bavaria,  it  must 
be  attributed  to  these  causes. 

The  peasants  in  some  districts  have  found  the  manage- 
ment of  bees  a very  profitable  employment,  but  that  branch 
of  rural  economy  was  formerly  more  flourishing  than  at 
present,  although  the  use  of  wax  has  now  become  more 
common.  The  circles  of  the  Rezat  and  the  upper  Danube 
are  most  favourable  for  bees. 

It  may,  on  the  whole,  be  concluded  that  the  Bavarians 
have  been  surpassed  by  the  inhabitants  of  other  countries 
in  two  important  branches  of  rural  industry,  in  rearing  cat- 
tle and  other  domestic  animals,  and  in  their  method  of  hus- 
bandry. But  it  is  rather  to  the  quality  than  the  quantity 
of  live  stock  that  their  attention  ought  to  he  directed,  for  it 
appears  from  a statistical  work  published  a few  years  ago, 
that  the  proportion  of  cattle  to  surface  was  as  one  for  every 
five  acres  ( arpens ) of  land.  What  has  been  stated  con- 
cerning the  system  of  agriculture  may  now  be  repeated  ; 
in  both  cases  the  ignorance  and  even  superstition  of  the 
country  people  are  the  principal  obstacles  to  improvement. 
So  long  as  the  peasants  and  farmers,  neglecting  the  best 
means  of  curing  or  arresting  the  progress  of  contagious  dis- 
orders among  the  lower  animals,  lead  their  diseased  cattle 
to  distant  pilgrimages,  it  is  vain  to  expect  any  amendment 
in  whatever  appertains  to  rural  economy. d 

sants,* *  went  on  a pilgrimage  with  their  cattle  to  Griesbach  in  1820,  and 
nearly  thirty  thousand  performed  the  same  journey  in  the  following  year. 
See  the  work  entitled : Ueber  den  Zustand  des  Kmnigreichs  Baiern,  by 
M.  Rudhart,  director  of  the  government  of  Ratisbon,  1825. 

* “ More  than  18,000  cultivateurs.” 


16 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXIII. 


The  art  of  gardening  has  made  some  advances  of  late 
years,  at  least  a considerable  portion  of  ground  has  been 
laid  out  in  nurseries  and  flower  gardens ; but  it  ought  not 
to  be  inferred  that  horticulture  has  arrived  at  the  same  de- 
gree of  perfection  which  it  has  attained  in  other  countries. 
The  culture  of  vegetables  and  culinary  plants  is  principally 
confined  to  the  neighbourhood  of  large  towns. 

It  has  already  been  observed  that  the  vine  is  cultivated  in 
the  circles  of  the  Rezat  and  the  lower  Maine.  The  wines 
of  Franconia  are  produced  in  the  latter  circle,  and  the  best 
vineyards  are  those  on  the  Leiste  and  the  Steinberg,  and 
those  in  the  vicinity  of  Saleck  and  Wurtzburg.  The  wines 
next  to  them  in  repute  are  those  of  Calmuth,  Eiweilstadt, 
Sommerach  and  Eschendorf,  and  also  those  produced  from 
the  vineyards  on  the  lake  of  Constance.  It  may  be  re- 
marked that  the  culture  of  the  vine  is  well  understood  in 
Bavaria. 

The  woods  and  forests  are  committed  to  the  Bavarian 
government,  and  the  carea  of  them  furnishes  employment 
to  several  thousand  individuals.  The  most  ordinary  trees 
are  the  oak  and,  the  beech ; the  first  grows  luxuriantly, 
and  the  second  which  is  much  more  common,  reaches-  in 
some  places  to  the  height  of  more  than  a hundred  feet. 
The  birch,  the  ash  and  several  coniferous  trees  have  been 
planted.  The  most  extensive  forests  in  Bavaria  are  those 
situated  on  the  Spessart  and  the  Rhoene-Gebirge,  those  of 
Zwiesler,  Mitten,  Kulwald,  Retzer  and  Lorenz,  and  those 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Kempten.  Their  superficial  ex- 
tent has  been  estimated  at  five  millions  six  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  thousand  acres  ( arpens .)  It  is  calculated  that 

they  occupy  a twenty-ninth  part  of  all  the  land  in  the  king- 
dom, which  gives  the  proportion  of  nearly  eight  acres  par- 
pens) for  every  family. b 

The  ignorance  of  the  country  people  is  not  the  only 
obstacle  to  the  measures  contemplated  by  government  for 
advancing  the  welfare  of  the  landed  interest.  The  plans 
proposed  by  government  have  been  counteracted  by  differ- 
ent feudal  institutions,  tithes,  baronial  rights,  the  privilege 
of  hunting,  and  different  services  exacted  from  the  peasant- 
ry. These  and  other  customs  equally  antiquated,  have 
hitherto  been  maintained  by  those  who  profit  by  them.  It 
is  in  vain  that  every  man  has  been  permitted  by  a recent 
law  to  use  his  property  as  he  pleases  ; so  long  as  feudal 
burdens  continue,  so  long  as  the  greater  portion  of  the  in- 
habitants are  degraded  by  servile  duties,  land  must  be  al- 
most an  illusory  possession.  The  freedom  of  agriculture 
has  been  proclaimed  in  vain ; if  the  woods  are  under  the 
management  of  persons  appointed  by  the  government,  if 
the  culture  of  the  vine  is  subject  to  regulations  that  emanate 
from  the  same  quarter,  if  the  nobles  are  permitted  to  exa- 
mine whether  the.  lands  of  the  other  proprietors  are  well  or 
ill  cultivated,  and  to  propose  alterations,  agriculture  will 
continue  in  its  infancy. 

Many  changes  must  be  introduced  before  the  country 
can  be  improved  ; the  land  must  be  more  equally  divided  ; 
the  waste  lands,  and  part  of  the  forests,  which  are  too  ex- 
tensive, must  be  freely  granted  to  those  who  undertake  to 
bring  them  into  cultivation  ; nay,  the  new  proprietors  must 
be  exempt  from  every  tax  and  contribution  for  a greater  or 

* “ Exploitation” — preparation  for  use  or  sale. 

b See  the  work  of  M.  Rudhart : — Ueber  den  Zustand  des  Koenigreichs 
Baiern. 

c See  the  letter  addressed  to  the  provincial  states  in  1822,  on  the  pro- 
posed law  relative  to  agriculture,  by  M.  Hazzi,  counsellor  of  state,  (Li  Ger- 
man.) 


less  period  according  to  circumstances,  and  even  premiums 
should  be  granted  them  for  their  encouragement.  Such 
of  the  pastures  as  are  too  poor  to  be  of  much  use  in  fatten- 
ing cattle,  should  be  improved  by  cultivation.  The  right  of 
pasturing  on  the  property  of  others,  or  of  passage  over  it, 
should  he  abolished.  The  inhabitants  should  be  encou- 
raged to  provide  the  best  sort  of  food  for  their  cattle,  and 
to  prevent  them  from  being  exposed  day  and  night  to 
the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  The  woods  in  the  fertile 
meadows  which  are  suffered  to  remain  only  because  they 
serve  to  shelter  game,  should  be  removed.  The  legislature 
should  not  fix  the  minimum  of  landed  property  that  a man 
can  possess,  nor  hinder  any  one  from  building  a house  on 
his  land,  if  it  does  not  amount  to  a certain  number  of  acres. 
It  is  obvious  that  until  these  reforms  shall  be  introduced,  the 
country  can  never  be  in  such  a state  of  prosperity  as  it 
might  be  expected  to  attain,  considering  the  nature  of  the 
soil  and  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants.0 

Many  quarries,  containing  different  kinds  of  stone, d are 
worked  in  the  country  ; there  are  also  mines  of  coal,  lead 
and  copper ; but  all  these  minerals  are  of  little  value,  if 
compared  with  the  products  of  the  salt  works  and  iron 
mines.  The  most  abundant  saline  springs  are  those  situ- 
ated in  the  circle  of  the  Isar,  and  those  of  Reichenhall, 
Traunstein  and  Rosenheim  ; they  yield  annually  about 
four  hundred  thousand  quintals  of  salt  ; the  mine  at 
Berchtesgaden  furnishes  more  than  a hundred  and  fifty 
thousand,  another  at  Orb  twenty-four  thousand,  and  a 
third  at  Kissingen,  sixteen  thousand ; but  in  order  to  sup- 
ply the  wants  of  the  population,  government,  in  consequence 
of  a special  treaty,  receives  every  year  from  Hall  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  thousand  quintals  of  salt,  which,  after  the 
necessary  process  of  purification,  is  reduced  to  a hundred 
and  ninety  thousand. 

The  iron  mines  in  the  territory  of  Amberg  yield  from 
forty  to  fifty  thousand  quintals,  those  in  the  circle  of  the 
Upper  Maine  from  eighty  to  ninety  thousand,  those  in  the 
circle  of  the  Isar  near  the  heights  of  Kressen,  about  a hun- 
dred and  twenty  thousand,  and  those  in  the  other  parts  of 
the  country  about  twenty  thousand  ; so  that  the  whole  pro- 
duce throughout  the  kingdom  amounts  to  nearly  three 
hundred  thousand  quintals.®  The  circle  of  the  Upper 
Maine  is  the  only  one  in  Bavaria  proper  in  which  coal  is 
worked,  but  the  quantity  obtained  does  not  exceed  35,000 
quintals,  or  not  much  more  than  a third  of  what  is  extract- 
ed in  the  circle  of  the  Rhine/ 

The  different  branches  of  manufacturing  industry  are  in 
a still  less  advanced  state  than  agriculture  ; there  are  how- 
ever sixteen  iron  works,  several  manufactories  of  iron  wire, 
and  two  of  fire  arms.  The  moderate  degree  of  perfection 
to  which  some  of  the  arts  have  attained,  has  been  partly  the 
effect  of  rewards  and  encouragements  given  by  govern- 
ment. Coarse  linen  can  only  be  manufactured  in  the 
country  ; all  the  fine  linens  are  imported.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  woollen  stuffs  and  different  kinds  of  cloth,  which 
form  a considerable  branch  of  importation.  Cotton  goods 
and  hosiery  are  manufactured  in  different  parts  of  Bavaria 
for  home  consumption.6 

It  may  be  allowed  that  in  some  articles,  the  Bavarians 

J “ Millstones  and  whetstones.” 

c 316,400  quintals  (centnem.)  Hassel. 

f Coal  in  the  circle  of  t he  Rhine,  85,000  quintals ; in  that  of  the  Upper 
Maine,  33,000.  (Hassel.) 

s The  linens,  woollens,  cottons  and  hosiery,  manufactured  in  Bavaria, 
are  principally  consumed  in  the  country.  (Hassel.) — P. 


book  cxxm.]  DESCRIPTION 

have  acquired  a decided  superiority  over  their  neighbours  ; 
thus  the  different  kinds  of  leather  which  they  manufacture, 
are  exported,  and  Saxony  is  partly  supplied  with  paper 
from  the  same  country.  The  musical,  surgical  and  mathe- 
matical instruments  made  at  Munich,  are  sold  in  many 
parts  of  Germany,  and  the  playing  cards  of  Nuremberg  are 
exported  into  different  countries  in  Europe  and  America. 
The  glass,  porcelain  and  earthen  works  in  the  kingdom, 
suffice  for  the  supply  of  the  inhabitants.  The  cambric  and 
lace  manufactures  are  too  insignificant  to  require  nqtice. 
It  ought  to  be  mentioned  that  the  administration,  anxious 
to  correct  gradually  all  the  abuses  connected  with  the  an- 
cient government,  encouraged  industry  by  abolishing  in 
1827  (lie  offices  of  wardens  and  masters  in  the  different 
corporations. 

It  follows  from  what  has  been  already  said,  that  the  com- 
merce of  Bavaria  cannot  be  very  important.  Fortunately 
for  the  country,  its  situation  enables  the  inhabitants  to  com- 
municate with  different  states,  and  by  this  means  puts  them 
in  possession  of  a considerable  carrying  trade. 

There  is  only  one  navigable  canal  in  the  kingdom,  which 
opens  a communication  between  the  Rhine  and  the  valley 
of  Franconia.  Another  canal,  which  was  begun  by 
Charlemagne,  in  order  to  connect  the  Rhine  and  the  Da- 
nube, and  which  has  since  been  recommenced  at  different 
times,  is  not  likely  to  be  ever  finished.1  Commercial  trans- 
actions are  facilitated  by  the  course  of  the  principal  rivers, 
such  as  the  Danube,  the  Rhine,  the  Maine,  the  Regnitz,  the 
Inn  and  the  Salzaeh,  by  numerous  and  well  kept  roads, 
that  extended  in  1812  more  than  a thousand  and  eighty 
German  miles,  or  nearly  lour  thousand  three  hundred  and 
ten  English  miles, b and  lastly  by  the  posts,  which  although 
expensive,  are  very  expeditious. 

The  corn  trade  was  in  a flourishing  state  a few  years 
ago  ; it  has  since  been  destroyed  by  the  restrictions  im- 
posed 01^  it  by  government.  It  may  excite  surprise  that 
so  few  statesmen  are  acquainted  with  the  most  elementary 
truths  of  political  economy.  It  is  not  wonderful  that  the 
vulgar  confound  corn  merchants  with  forestallers,  eager 
only  to  occasion  famine  or  to  enrich  themselves  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  people",  but  it  is  painful  to  confess  that  the  same 
prejudices  are  common  to  them  with  men  called  to  the  go- 
vernment of  kingdoms.  It  might  almost  be  inferred  that 
Smith,  Say,  Condillac  and  other  great  economists,  had 
written  in  vain,  if  such  men  are  ignorant  that  products  of 
every  kind  belong  to  commerce,  and  that  commerce  must 
be  free  in  order  to  be  advantageous  to  the  community. 

The  Bavarian  ministers  have  at  last  begun  to  encourage 
inland  navigation,  and  vessels  constructed  at  the  expense  of 
the  state,  now  sail  on  the  Danube  ; the  example  of  govern- 
ment will  without  doubt  be  imitated  by  capitalists  ; the  Isar 
and  the  Maine  covered  with  vessels  of  the  same  sort,  or 
with  steam  boats,  will  one  day  facilitate  the  transportation 
of  agricultural  products,  which  under  a better  system  must 
form  the  principal  wealth  of  the  country.' 

Less  accurate  information  has  been  obtained  concerning 
the  population  of  Bavaria,  than  of  any  other  state  in  Ger- 
many ; a census  however  was  made  in  1822,  and  accord- 
ing to  it,  the  number  of  inhabitants  amounted  to  3,566,300. 
Hassel  cannot  be  supposed  to  have  been  ignorant  of  that 

I OF  GERMANY.  17 

a census  ; still  in  his  statistical  tables  of  the  same  year,  he  es- 
timates the  population  at  3,630,800.d  An  author,  well 
known  for  his  accuracy,  has  concluded  from  new  data  and 
other  calculations  that  the  number  in  1827  was  equal  to 
3,940,000.®  If  these  different  results  be  correct,  the  po- 
pulation in  Bavaria  must  have  increased  in  a very  rapid 
progression,  for  the  difference  in  five  years  exceeds  350,000 
individuals.  The  inhabitants  in  the  circle  of  the  Rhine  are 
included  in  the  numbers  that  have  been  now  stated  ; but 
the  population  of  Bavaria  proper  amounted  probably  in 
1827  to  3,510,000  individuals,  and  at  least  four  fifths  of 
them  were  catholics. 

The  tables  at  the  end  of  this  book  are  so  full  as  to  ren- 
der further  details  unnecessary  : one  observation  may  how- 
ever be  made,  and  it  is  that  no  civil  restrictions  on  account 
of  religion  are  imposed  on  the  people  in  Bavaria.  Catho- 
lics, Lutherans  and  Calvinists  enjoy  the  same  rights  ; go- 
vernment never  interferes  in  questions  connected  with  the 
kforms  of  worship  or  the  religious  opinions  of  the  different 
sects.  According  to  the  last  concordate,  the  kingdom  is 
divided  into  two  archbishoprics,  the  one  at  Munich,  the 
other  at  Bamberg,  and  into  six  bishoprics,  those  of  Pas- 
sau,  Ratisbon  and  Augsburg,  and  the  suffragan  bishoprics 
of  Eichstedt,  Wurtzburg  and  Speyer.  The  protestants  ac- 
knowledge the  general  consistory  at  Munich  as  their  high- 
est ecclesiastical  court ; and  the  Israelites  are  under  the 
authority  of  their  rabbis,  whose  nomination  must  be  ap- 
proved by  government. 

The  Bavarians  have  retained  some  characteristic  traits 
of  the  different  people  from  whom  they  are  descended. 
The  inhabitants  of  ancient  Swabia  are  sober,  but  ignorant 
and  superstitious  ; the  Franks  or  the  people  of  ancient 
Franconia,  are  lively,  cunning  and  enterprising  ; the  Bava- 
rians proper,  sprung  from  a mixture  of  the  Vindelici  and 
the  B'oii,  are  grave,  loyal,  faithful  to  their  engagements, 
constant  in  their  affections,  attached  to  the  ceremonies  ra- 
ther than  the  duties  of  religion,  and  ready  to  make  any  sa- 
crifice for  their  country,  if  the  priest  commands  it  in  the 
name  of  the  Divinity. 

The  state  of  society  is  not  so  unexceptionable  as  might 
be  imagined  ; the  vices  in  the  great  towns  are  but  too  evi- 
dent, and  they  may  be  easily  accounted  for  ; but  the  num- 
ber of  natural  children  in  the  country  and  even  in  the 
mountainous  districts,  announces  a degree  of  corruption, 
that  may  perhaps  be  chiefly  attributed  to  the  ignorance  of 
the  inhabitants. 

Government,  convinced  of  that  important  truth,  has  at 
length  made  some  attempts  to  provide  for  the  instruction 
of  the  people.  An  elementary  school  has  been  established 
in  every  parish ; the  time  may  come  when  there  will  be 
one  in  every  village,  and  when  even  the  inhabitants  of  the 
hamlets  may  participate  in  the  benefits  of  education.  The 
higher  orders  of  society  possess  greater  advantages  in  this 
respect ; lyceums,  colleges  and  universities  have  been  esta- 
blished in  several  towns,  but  their  number  is  not  sufficient 
for  the  wants  of  the  middling  classes,  which  in  Bavaria  may 
rank  among  the  most  enlightened  of  Europe. 

What  has  been  said  of  the  character  and  education  of 
the  Bavarians,  leads  us  naturally  to  consider  their  constitu- 
tion, for  it  is  found  that  knowledge  may  be  most  easily  dif- 

a It  is  not  stated  in  the  original  that  it  has  ever  been  recommenced. 
“ Scarcely  a trace  exists  of  the  canal  dug  by  Charlemagne,  in  order  to  con- 
nect the  Rhine  and  the  Danube.”  (Hassel.) — P. 

b “ 1793  leagues.” — The  extent  in  English  miles  in  the  translation,  is 

VOL.  HI.— NO.  42  3 

too  small  for  the  common  German  mile  of  15  to  a degree.  It  should  be 
nearly  5000. — P. 

c Wochenblatt  des  Landwirthschaft.  Vereins  in  Baiem,  1823. 
d Statistischer  Umriss  der  ssemmtlichen  Europseischen  Staaten,  1823. 
e M.  A.  Balbi,  Balance  politique  du  globe. 

J 

EUROPE. 


18 

fused  among  the  people  under  constitutional  governments. 
According  to  the  constitutional  act  passed  on  the  twenty- 
sixth  of  May,  1818,  Bavaria  forms  an  indivisible  kingdom ; 
the  domains  of  the  state  cannot  be  alienated,  the  crown  is 
hereditary,  and  the  person  of  the  king  inviolable.  There 
is  no  civil  list,*  the  king  determines  the  expenses  of  his 
household, b and  the  princes  receive  for  their  appanage  a 
sum  that  has  not  hitherto  exceeded  150,000  florins.  The 
revenue  of  the  queen  mother  has  been  fixed  at  two  hun- 
dred thousand,  and  each  princess  receives  a hundred  thou- 
sand for  her  dowry. 

The  general  assembly  of  the  states  consists  of  two  cham- 
bers. The  princes  of  the  royal  family,  the  great  officers  of 
state,  the  two  archbishops,  some  of  the  nobles,  a bishop  no- 
minated by  the  king,  and  the  president  of  the  protestant 
consistory,  are  members  of  the  upper  chamber.  The  king 
has  it  besides  in  his  power  to  appoint  hereditary  members 
or  members  for  life ; the  number  of  the  latter  cannot  ex- 
ceed a third  of  the  former.0  The  chamber  of  representa- 
tives consists  of  a hundred  and  fifteen  members  ;d  fourteen 
are  chosen  by  the  nobles,®  as  many  by  the  clergy,1  twenty- 
eight  by  the  burgesses,  and  fifty-six  by  the  landed  proprie- 
tors ; the  universities  appoint  the  remaining  three,  who 
must  belong  to  the  Catholic,  Lutheran  or  Calvinistic  com- 
munions, and  who  cannot  be  elected  before  the  age  of 
thirty.  The  number  of  representatives  is  proportioned  to 
that  of  families,  so  as  to  allow  one  of  the  former  to  seven 
thousand  of  the  latter : the  members  are  chosen  every  six 
years.  The  executive  power  is  in  the  hands  of  the  king, 
and  the  ministry  consists  of  five  members.5  According  to 
the  fundamental  law  of  the  state,  no  one  can  be  imprisoned 
or  condemned  but  by  the  sentence  of  a judge,  all  the  citi- 
zens are  eligible  to  the  different  offices  of  state,  and  all  are 
obliged  to  enter  the  military  service. h 

It  may  be  superfluous  to  make  any  remarks  on  the  merits 
or  imperfections  of  the  constitution,  since  at  the  time  it  was 
enacted,  the  necessity  of  some  modifications  was  acknow- 
ledged. While  some  writers  hailed  it  as  the  dawn  of  free- 
dom in  Bavaria,  others  considered  it  very  imperfect.  “ The 
Bavarians,”  says  M.  Hazzi,1  “ can  derive  but  little  advan- 
tage from  the  abolition  of  personal  slavery,  while  a magis- 
trate, in  the  plenitude  of  his  power  or  caprice,  can  inflict 
corporal  punishment  on  the  burgesses  and  peasants,  and 
while  an  officer  can  degrade  his  soldiers  in  the  same  man- 
ner. The  condition  of  the  husbandmen  can  never  be  im- 
proved, so  long  as  compulsory  labour,  different  sendees  and 
every  sort  of  feudal  burden,  are  imposed  on  them.  It  is  of 
little  use  that  a vague  law  entitles  any  individual  to  pur- 
chase exemption  from  such  hardships,  since  there  is  no  law 
by  which  the  purchase  money  has  been  fixed.  Religious 
liberty  has  been  declared  a fundamental  principle  of  the 
constitution,  but  the  Mennonites,  Moravians,  Anabaptists 
and  Jews,  all  those,  in  short,  who  are  neither  Catholics, 

c 

a The  amount  of  the  civil  list  has  been  fixed  at  2,745,000  florins.  (Has- 
sel,  1822.)  ll  “The  allowance  ( ■pin-money)  of  his  queen.”  (M.B.  Hassel.) 

c “ That  of  councillors  of  the  kingdom  ( Rcichsruthe 4 consists  of  the 
princes  of  the  royal  family  (of  full  age,)  the  four  great  dignitaries  of  the 
crown  ( Kronbeamten ,)  the  two  archbishops,  the  heads  of  the  principal 
noble  families  ( standesherrn ,)  one  of  the  bishops  appointed  by  the  king, 
the  president  of  the  protestant  consistory,  and  such  other  persons  as  the 
king  may  designate,  either  as  hereditary  members  or  as  councillors  for  life; 
but  the  number  of  the  latter  (councillors  for  life)  cannot  exceed  a third  of 
the  hereditary  members.” 

d The  number  in  1818.  But  the  number  varies  with  the  population. 
The  rule  of  apportionment  is  $ to  the  possessors  of  seignorial  estates,  £ to 
the  other  landed  proprietors,  £ to  the  clergy,  J to  the  cities  and  market 
towns,  and  1 member  to  each  of  the  three  universities. — P. 


[BOOK  CXXIII. 

Calvinists  nor  Lutherans,  are  deprived  of  political  privi- 
leges. A Bavarian  is  not  permitted  to  emigrate  without 
the  consent  of  government,  and  then  it  must  be  to  one  of 
the  confederated  states ; if  he  does  so  of  his  own  accord, 
his  property  may  be  confiscated.” 

The  king  is  grand  master  of  the  five  orders  of  knight- 
hood in  Bavaria,  viz.  those  of  Saint  Hubert,  Saint  George 
and  Saint  Michael,  the  military  order  of  Max-Joseph,  and 
the  civil  order  of  Merit. 

The  Bavarian  army  corresponds  with  the  rank  which 
the  state  holds  in  the  Germanic  confederation.  The  con- 
scription still  exists,  and  the  military  force  of  the  kingdom 
consists  of  fifty-four  thousand  men,  besides  a numerous  re- 
serve, and  a national  guard  ( lundwehr .)  The  contingent 
to  the  confederation  has  been  fixed  at  thirty-five  thousand  ; 
the  period  of  military  service  is  limited  to  five  years.  The 
troops  for  the  protection  of  the  country  are  trained  after  the 
manner  of  the  French  gendarmes. k A military  establish- 
ment so  disproportionate  to  the  number  of  inhabitants,  can 
only  be  maintained  by  measures  so  severe  as  to  be  hardly 
supportable  except  in  time  of  war.  Every  able-bodied 
man  must  enter  the  army,  either  in  the  active  service,  the 
reserve,  or  the  national  guard. 

The  revenue  of  Bavaria  amounts  to  about  35,000,000 
florins,  and  the  national  debt  to  more  than  110,000,000.' 
These  results  are  not  very  satisfactory,  but  what  has  been 
lately  gained  by  economy  and  retrenchments  not  only  in 
the  expenditure  of  the  state  but  of  the  court,  cannot  fail  to 
improve  the  finances  of  the  kingdom.  The  promises  of  go- 
vernment, which  have  been  already  realized  in  this  respect, 
may  be  considered  a pledge  that  others  made  from  the 
throne  at  the  opening  of  the  session  in  1828  will  also  be  ful- 
filled. The  sovereign  has  publicly  declared  his  intention 
to  establish  provincial  councils,  to  render  the  administration 
of  government  and  of  justice  less  expensive,  to  apportion 
the  taxes  and  imposts  more  uniformly,  to  enter  into  com- 
mercial treaties  with  neighbouring  nations,  to  rend<*r  public 
the  debates  and  proceedings  in  the  different  courts  and  as- 
semblies, and  lastly,  to  introduce  a new  penal  code  adapted 
to  the  presents  wants  of  society.  Such  resolutions  are  the 
best  guarantee  of  the  future  prosperity  of  the  kingdom. 

Bavaria  is  divided  into  eight  circles,  namely,  those  of  the 
Isar,  the  Lower  Danube,  the  Regen,  the  Upper  Maine,  the 
Rezat,  the  Upper  Danube,  the  Lower  Maine  and  the 
Rhine.  The  last  circle  shall  be  described  separately,  as  it 
forms  no  part  of  Bavaria  Proper. 

Munich, m the  capital  of  the  circle  of  the  Isar  or  Iser,  is 
also  the  capital  of  the  kingdom.  It  rises  in  the  middle  of 
an  extensive  plain  between  the  heights  of  the  Isar  and  the 
Galgen.  It  occupies  nearly  the  same  extent  of  ground  as 
Vienna,  if  the  subutbs  of  the  latter  be  not  taken  into  ac- 
count, and  it  has  been  considered  one  of  the  finest  cities  in 
Germany.  It  stands  on  the  Isar,  at  the  height  of  more 

e Possessors  of  seignorial  estates  ( gutsbesitzer .) 
f Nine  by  the  Catholics,  and  five  by  the  Protestants. 

" ■>  The  two  great  central  authorities  ( centralbchordcn ) are  the  ministry, 
consisting  of  five  members,  (viz.  the  ministers  of  foreign  affairs,  of  justice, 
of  the  interior,  of  finance,  and  of  war,)  and  the  council  of  state. — P. 

>i  See  Hasscl’s  Geography,  (in  Genu.) 

■ See  his  work  entitled  : Uebcr  die  Standpunctc  der  Baierischen  Ver- 
fassungs-Urkunde  von  1818.  See  also  the  Bulletin  Universal  des  Sciences 
et  de  1’ Industrie,  Section  des  Sciences  Geographiques,  Ier  Cahier,  1825. 

k “ The  gendarmerie,  for  the  security  of  the  country,  consists  of  1693 
men.” 

1 See  for  the  budget  of  1820,  Allgem.  Justiz-Kammer,  &c.  1S25. 
m Mimchen  (Germ.) 


BOOK  CXXIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


than  nineteen  hundred  feet*  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It 
cannot  he  called  a regularly  built  town  ; modern  houses  are 
placed  near  edifices  which  have  stood  for  more  than  four  hun- 
dred years  ; it  must  be  admitted  however  that  several  streets 
are  broad,  straight  and  well  paved.  The  number  of  houses 
amounts  to  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty,  and 
the  population  to  sixty-five  thousand  individuals.  The 
public  squares  contribute  chiefly  to  the  embellishment  of 
the  town  ; the  most  remarkable  are  those  of  Max-Joseph, 
Anger  and  Maximilian,  the  Place  of  Arms  and  the  Pro- 
menade, the  last  of  which  is  surrounded  with  trees  and  ar- 
cades. The  public  buildings  are  the  royal  palace,  the 
palaces  of  Max  and  William,  the  house  in  which  the  cham- 
bers meet,  another  that  serves  as  a residence  lor  the  minis- 
ter of  the  interior,  the  town-house,  the  new  mint,  the  two 
principal  theatres,  and  the  academy  of  sciences,  formerly 
the  college  of  the  Jesuits,  and  the  finest  of  any  that  the 
order  possessed  in  Europe. 

The  royal  palace  may  be  styled  a model  of  architecture  ; 
it  is  highly  magnificent  in  the  interior,  and  so  extensive, 
that  it  was  a common  saying  in  former  times,  that  all  the 
kings  in  Christendom  might  reside  in  the  palace  of  Mu- 
nich. Many  valuable  curiosities  are  to  he  seen  in  the  court 
chapel,  among  others  a painting  by  Michael  Angelo,  the 
small  altar  at  which  Mary  Stuart  performed  her  devotions, 
when  in  prison,  a reliquary  adorned  with  ancient  cameos, 
a pearl  of  the  greatest  beauty,  known  in  Europe  by  the 
name  of  the  palatine  pearl,  and  lastly  a piece  of  native 
gold,  weighing  more  than  twenty-two  pounds.  Among  the 
collections  in  the  royal  palace,  are  the  cabinet  containing  a 
hundred  and  thirty  miniatures,  which  have  been  valued  at 
more  than  £ 30, 000, b and  the  Maximilian  gallery,  in  which 
there  are  several  paintings  by  the  greatest  masters. 

It  may  be  sufficient  to  mention  one  of  the  twenty-two 
churches,  that  of  St.  Mary,  otherwise  called  Frauen-Kirche 
or  the  church  of  Our  Lady  ; not  fewer  than  thirty  altars 
are  contained  in  it ; its  finest  ornaments  are  several  valua- 
ble paintings  and  a mausoleum  of  the  emperor  Lewis  of  Ba- 
varia. The  two  steeples  of  the  same  building  rise  to  the 
height  of  three  hundred  and  thirty  feet ; it  may  be  easily 
mferred  that  they  command  an  extensive  view  ; hence  most 
strangers  who  visit  the  town  ascend  them. 

The  public  collections  of  Munich  are  highly  valuable  ; 
more  than  thirteen  hundred  paintings  by  celebrated  masters 
are  contained  in  the  royal  gallery  and  there  is  a fine  collec- 
tion of  drawings  and  mosaics  in  the  ancient  convent  of  the 
Theatins.  The  number  of  volumes  in  the  royal  library  ex- 
ceeds four  hundred  thousand,  and  amongst  them  are  eight 
thousand  five  hundred  manuscripts,  and  more  than  twenty 
thousand  volumes,  published  when  the  art  of  printing  was 
still  in  its  infancy.  One  of  them  is  a bible  by  Guttenberg 
and  Faust,  printed  in  the  year  1450.  More  than  ten  thou- 
sand Greek  and  Roman  gold  coins  form  part  of  the  cabinet 
of  medals  ; the  museum  of  natural  history,  the  botanic  gar- 
den, the  observatory,  and  the  schools  of  chemistry  and  ana- 
tomy, contain  whatever  is  useful  in  such  institutions. 

Among  the  public  seminaries  in  Munich,  are  the  royal 
institute  consisting  of  four  different  schools,  the  philological 
school,  the  school  of  medicine  and  surgery,  the  central  ve- 
terinary school,  the  seminary  set  apart  for  poor  students 
from  all  the  towns  in  the  kingdom,  the  school  for  cadets  and 
that  for  the  pages  of  the  king,  the  Maximilian  boarding 

a “Elevation  1920  feet”— 1569  Fr.  feet  (Table  of  Altitudes,  Book 
CXIV.  of  the  original.) 


19 

school0  for  the  daughters  of  the  nobles,  and  different  ele- 
mentary and  gratuitous  schools. 

It  might  be  easy  to  enumerate  several  establishments  for 
the  relief  of  the  indigent,  hospitals  for  the  old  and  infirm  of 
both  sexes,  and  others  for  orphans,  foundlings  and  lunatics. 
It  may  be  remarked  too  that  most  of  these  establishments 
were  founded  by  pious  and  philanthropic  inhabitants  of  the 
town  ; some  have  existed  for  nearly  four  hundred  years,  and 
since  that  period,  virtuous  citizens,  guided  by  the  purest 
philanthropy,  have  used  their  utmost  efforts  to  mitigate 
wretchedness  and  misfortune,  without  being  in  any  way  as- 
sisted or  encouraged  by  government.  Now,  that  their  ex- 
ample is  followed  by  the  state,  the  means  of  relief  are 
greater,  the  repression  of  mendicity  more  effectual  ; indeed 
travellers  have  declared  that  fewer  mendicants  are  to  be 
seen  in  Munich  than  in  any  other  town  of  the  same  size  in 
Germany.  It  rarely  happens  that  the  children  of  the  lower 
orders  accustom  themselves  early  to  indolence,  by  depend- 
ing for  a subsistence  on  the  alms  which  their  importunity 
extorts.  The  children  who  are  found  begging  in  the  towns 
or  in  the  country,  are  removed  from  that  degrading  state, 
the  source  of  so  many  vices,  and  educated  at  the  public  ex- 
pense, until  they  are  able  to  support  themselves  by  their  la- 
bour. Houses  of  correction  have  been  built  for  the  con- 
finement of  vagrants  ; in  short,  it  may  be  sufficient  to  termi- 
nate the  account  of  the  charitable  institutions  in  the  capita], 
by  stating  that  the  plan  proposed  by  Count  Rumford,  an 
individual  to  whom  humanity  is  so  much  indeb*ed,  has  been 
realized  at  Munich.  Food  is  gratuitously  provided  for  six 
hundred  persons,  in  an  edifice  erected  for  the  purpose.  A 
secret  passage  leads  to  the  interior  of  the  building ; those 
who  wish  to  conceal  their  poverty  from  their  fellow  citizens 
enter  it,  and  receive,  without  being  seen,  a sufficient  quanti- 
ty of  wholesome  provisions.  It  has  been  affirmed  that  res- 
pectable individuals,  victims  to  the  vicissitudes  of  fortune, 
are  thus  better  enabled  to  endure  the  hardships  of  poverty. 

The  two  most  celebrated  academies  at  Munich,  are  the 
academy  of  arts,  and  that  of  sciences.  The  latter  is  divid- 
ed into  three  classes  ; the  first,  or  that  of  philology  and  phi- 
losophy, consists  of  six  members  and  one  associate  ; the 
second,  or  that  of  the  mathematical  and  physical  sciences, 
consists  of  thirteen  members  and  two  associates ; and  the 
third,  or  that  of  history,  consists  of  eight  members.  Each  class 
has  its  secretary  and  honorary  members.  The  king  is  the 
patron,  and  there  is  besides  a general  secretary  of  the  whole 
academy.  The  academy  of  arts  consists  of  a director,  a 
secretary,  and  eight  ordinary,  thirty  honorary  and  forty  cor- 
responding members. 

The  residence  of  the  court  at  Munich  is  the  means  of 
furnishing  employment  to  many  inhabitants  ; others  are 
provided  for  by  government  offices.  The  manufactures  of 
the  town,  are  cloth,  leather,  hardware  goods,  jewellery  and 
tapestry,  the  last  of  which  has  been  considered  little  inferior 
to  that  of  the  Gobelins.  Although  there  are  several  fairs 
every  year,  and  corn  markets  every  week,  the  trade  of  Mu- 
nich has  not  risen  to  much  importance.  The  castle  of 
Nymphenburg,  a royal  residence  at  a league  to  the  north- 
west of  the  capital,  is  built  after  the  model  of  the  one  at  Ver- 
sailles, and  the  grounds  are  laid  out  with  great  taste. 

Landshut  on  the  Isar,  is,  after  Munich,  the  finest  town  in 
Bavaria  ; its  name  signifies  the  hat  of  the  country,*1  and  it 
was  in  feudal  times  a place  of  protection  for  the  people 

b “ 600,000  francs.”  0 The  Maximilian  Institute. 

d Q,u.  land,  country,  and  hut,  guard. — P. 


20  EUROPE.  [book  cxxm 


against  the  exactions  of’ the  barons.  It  stands  on  the  decli- 
vity of  a hill,  commanded  by  the  castle  of  Trausnitz,  built 
by  the  ancient  dukes  of  Bavaria,  and  now  changed  into  an 
observatory  to  which  a botanical  garden  has  been  attached. 
The  finest  buildings  in  Landshut,  are  the  university  attend- 
ed by  six  or  seven  hundred  students,  the  chancery,  the 
townhouse  and  St.  Martin’s  church,  of  which  the  steeple  ri- 
ses about  four  hundred  and  twenty  feet  above  the  ground. 
The  places  of  charity  are  two  hospitals  and  two  poor  houses. 
The  public  library  consists  of  a hundred  thousand  volumes. 
A collection  of  coins  and  medals,  another  of  mathematical 
and  philosophical  instruments,  and  a museum  of  mineralogy 
belong  to  the  university.  A theatre  of  anatomy,  as  well  as 
a school  of  medicine  and  surgery,  are  open  to  those  who 
study  the  medical  profession.  The  town  possesses  little  or 
no  trade  ; there  are  not  more  than  five  manufactories,  and 
none  of  them  are  of  any  consequence.  It  was  probably  on 
that  account  that  government  determined  to  transfer  the 
university  from  Ingolstadt  to  Landshut.  The  population 
does  not  exceed  eight  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants. 

Freysingen,  situated  on  the  Isar,  at  an  equal  distance  from 
Munich  and  Landshut,  contains  a castle,  a fine  cathedral, 
a normal  school,  and  an  institution  for  the  deaf  and  dumb  ; 
it  is  peopled  by  three  thousand  six  hundred  individuals. 

It  is  only  necessary  to  mention  those  towns  which  are 
worthy  of  notice  from  their  importance,  the  recollections 
connected  with  them,  or  the  monuments  they  contain.  It 
ought  to  be  remarked  that  Bavaria  differs  from  the  petty 
principalities  that  have  been  described,  inasmuch  as  it  con- 
tains several  large  and  flourishing  cities  ; as  to  the  towns  of 
two  or  three  thousand  inhabitants,  we  have  not  thought  it 
necessary  to  enter  into  a description  of  them,  and  have  pre- 
ferred adding  a list  of  them  with  their  population  to  the  sta- 
tistical tables  at  the  end  of  the  chapter. 

The  principal  places  in  the  circle  of  the  Isar  have  been 
already  mentioned  ; some  account  shall  now  be  given  of 
the  other  departments.  Passau,  the  chief  town  in  the  circle 
of  the  Lower  Danube,  is  situated  in  a very  romantic  countiw 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Ilz,  the  Inn  and  the  Danube.  It  is 
in  all  probability  the  most  ancient  city  in  Bavaria ; it  consists 
of  four  quarters,  Passau  or  the  town  properly  so  called, 
Innstadt  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Inn,  Ilzstadt  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Ilz,  and  the  suburb  of  Anger,  defended  by  the 
castles  of  Oberhaus  and  Unterhaus,  and  also  by  eight 
forts,  formerly  known  by  the  names  of  eight  French  gene- 
rals. The  suburbs  of  Innstadt  and  Ilzstadt  communicate 
with  the  town  by  bridges.  The  principal  buildings  in  Pas- 
san  are  an  episcopal  palace,  a large  cathedral  and  three 
parish  churches,  one  of  which,  St.  Mary  of  the  Capuchins, 
was  famous  for  its  miracles.  It  has  besides  two  public 
schools,  a gymnasium,  an  infirmary,  an  orphan  hospital  and 
five  others. a Although  advantageously  situated  for  com- 
merce, it  possesses  an  inconsiderable  trade,  which  consists  in 
silk,  wine  and  grain.  The  town  is  on  the  whole  well  built, 
and  the  population,  including  that  in  the  different  suburbs, 
amounts  to  ten  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants.  Passau 
was  the  place  where  Charles  the  Fifth  and  Maurice  of  Saxo- 
ny concluded  a treaty,  by  which  the  Reformation  was  con- 
firmed in  Germ  a ny. b The  rural  palaces  of  Frcudenheim, 
Lcewenhof  and  Rabengut  are  situated  in  the  neighbourhood. 

Of  the  many  pearl  fisheries  on  the  Ilz,  some  are  not  far 
from  Passau  ; these  pearls  are  produced  by  a fresh  water 

1 “ It  possesses  a seminary,  a gymnasium,  an  infirmary,  an  orphan  asy- 
hnn  and  five  hospitals.” 


muscle,  the  A hja  margaritifera  of  Linnseus.  The  animal 
having  no  other  means  of  resistance,  says  the  Swedish  na- 
turalist, forms  the  pearls  to  defend  itself  against  the  attacks 
of  a formidable  enemy ; an  aquatic  worm  perforates  its 
shell  and  feeds  on  it ; the  only  way  by  which  it  can  escape, 
after  an  opening  has  been  made,  is  by  filling  it  by  a calca- 
reous secretion  from  its  body.  If  the  secretion  be  too  great, 
it  forms  a tubercle  that  may  be  easily  detached  from  the 
shell.  The  finest  pearls  are  round  and  of  a white  colour. 

Straubing,  a town  of  eight  thousand  inhabitants,  is  ad- 
vantageously situated  on  a height  near  the  banks  of  the 
Danube.  It  was  the  Caslra  Augusta  of  the  Romans  ; it 
carries  on  at  present  a considerable  trade  in  earthen  ware  ; 
its  crucibles  are  exported  into  different  countries.  The  prin- 
cipal edifices  are  a castle,  seven  churches,  one  of  them  with 
a steeple  two  hundred  and  forty  feet0  in  height,  four  hospitals 
and  a townhouse.  The  places  of  education  are  a gymnasium 
and  several  schools.  The  fine  abbey  of  Ober-Adtaich,  fa- 
mous for  its  valuable  library,  is  situated  in  the  vicinity. 

The  burgh  of  Bodenmais  is  known  to  mineralogists  from 
the  minerals  collected  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  to  land- 
scape painters  from  the  cataracts  on  the  Riss  and  the  Mos- 
bach.  The  importance  of  the  place  depends  on  its  mines 
and  vitriol  works  ; the  latter  furnish  every  year  a supply  of 
nearly  two  thousand  quintals. 

Ratisbon,  the  chief  town  in  the  circle  of  the  Regen,  was 
formerly  the  capital  of  Bavaria,  and  the  residence  of  the  an- 
cient German  kings  of  the  Carlovingian  race.  Having  been 
erected  into  a free  and  imperial  city  by  the  emperor  Frede- 
rick the  First,  it  was  afterwards  restored  to  Bavaria  in  the 
year  1486.  It  became  a second  time  independent  in  1502, 
and  continued  so  until  the  year  1803,  when  it  was  granted 
to  the  Prince  Primate.  Lastly,  when  the  grand  dutchy  of 
Frankfort  was  founded,  it  and  its  territory  were  included  in 
the  dominions  of  Bavaria.  The  town  had  been  the  seat  of 
the  imperial  diets  from  the  year  1662  to  that  period.  Many 
of  the  houses  were  formerly  built  with  wood,  and  it  was  seven 
times  almost  reduced  to  ashes  between  the  years  891  and 
1642.  Two  ecclesiastics  were  burnt  at  Ratisbon  in  1418, 
because  they  maintained  that  John  Huss  had  been  unjustly 
condemned  to  death  by  the  council  of  Constance ; but  jus- 
tice was  done  to  the  memory  of  these  two  victims  of  intole- 
rance and  fanaticism,  when  the  greater  part  of  the  popula- 
tion embraced  the  Augsburg  confession  in  1542.  A famous 
battle  between  the  French  and  the  Austrians,  which  lasted 
five  days,  and  in  which  Napoleon  received  a slight  wound 
in  the  heel,  was  fought  under  its  walls  in  1 809.  The  town 
suffered  much  on  that  occasion ; a hundred  and  thirty-four 
houses  were  consumed,  and  the  loss  sustained  is  said  to  have 
amounted  to  one  million  five  hundred  thousand  florins. 

The  town  is  called  Regensburg  by  the  Germans  ; it  con- 
tains 26,000  inhabitants,  and  is  encompassed  with  walls,  but 
not  defended  with  fortifications.  There  are  not  fewer  than 
twenty-eight  churches ; the  cathedral,  which  is  the  finest, 
was  built  in  1400.  It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  the  hospi- 
tals and  different  seminaries  for  the  education  of  youth. 
The  museums  and  scientific  collections  are  worthy  of  its 
importance  ; it  possesses  a valuable  gallery  of  paintings,  and 
not  less  valuable  libraries.  The  principal  buildings  are  the 
palace  of  the  prince  of  Tour  and  Taxis,  and  the  town- 
house  where  the  Germanic  diets  assembled ; there  is  a bridge 
of  fifteen  arches  across  the  Danube,  a thousand  and  ninety- 

b See  Sleidan’s  History  of  the  Reformation. 

<=  “270  feet.” 


BOOK  CXXIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


21 


one  feet  in  length.  A monument  has  been  erected  in  ho- 
nour of  Kepler  rvho  died  in  the  town.  It  seems  as  if  the 
contending  armies  had  spared  this  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
the  man  who  determined  the  revolutions  and  orbits  of  the 
heavenly  bodies ; it  was  finished  in  1 SOS,  and  received  no 
injury  in  the  following  year,  during  the  engagement  by 
which  Ratisbon  so  severely  suffered.  The  streets  are  nar- 
row and  crooked,  but  clean  and  well  paved.  The  houses 
are  very  high',  and  built  in  the  German  style.  The  manu- 
factures are  neither  numerous  nor  important ; vessels  are 
built  for  the  navigation  of  the  l iver,  and  the  principal  trade 
consists  in  the  transportation  of  goods. 

Ratisbon  was  the  birth  place  of  Don  John  of  Austria,  the 
natural  son  of  Charles  the  Fifth,  and  one  of  the  greatest  ge- 
nerals that  flourished  in  the  sixteenth  century  ; he  gained 
the  battle  of  Lepanto,  kept  the  Netherlands  under  the  do- 
minion of  Spain,  and  was  at  last  poisoned  by  his  brother, 
that  suspicious  tyrant  Philip  the  Second,  who  feared  that  he 
might  become  sovereign  of  Flanders. 

Stadt  am  Hof,  or  the  town  of  the  court,  may  be  consi- 
dered a suburb  of  Ratisbon,  as  it  is  only  separated  from  it 
by  a bridge.  It  was  reduced  to  ashes  in  1809,  but  it  has 
since  been  rebuilt  and  improved  ; the  population  amounts  to 
fifteen  hundred  inhabitants. 

Amberg  is  situated  about  twelve  leagues  to  the  north  of 
Ratisbon,  and  is  watered  by  the  Vils,  a river  that  throws  it- 
self into  the  Nab.  It  is  surrounded  with  walls,  which  are 
flanked  by  seventy  turrets ; the  streets  are  straight,  broad 
and  well  built.  The  public  buildings  are  the  royal  castle,  the 
college,  the  arsenal  and  the  town  house,  the  last  a Gothic 
edifice.  It  contains  ten  churches,  six  hospitals,  an  infirma- 
ry, several  seminaries,  a normal  school,  a library,  and 
eight  thousand  inhabitants.  Sixty  workmen  are  employed 
in  making  arms,  and  five  thousand  four  hundred  quintals  of 
iron  are  obtained  every  year  from  the  mines  in  the  vicinity. 
The  Vils  is  navigable  for  the  small  vessels  that  descend  to- 
wards the  Danube.  Thus,  the  facility  of  communication  with 
Ratisbon  and  other  towns,  and  its  manufactures  of  cotton 
stuffs,  tobacco,  earthen  ware  and  playing  cards,  render 
Amberg  a place  of  considerable  trade.  It  was  on  the 
plains  which  surround  the  town,  that  the  arckduke  Charles 
compelled  the  French  army  under  General  Jourdan  to  re- 
treat to  the  Rhine  in  1796. 

Ingolstadt  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Danube,  was  formerly 
one  of  the  most  important  towns  in  Bavaria,  but  its  popula- 
tion at  present  is  not,  according  to  Hassel,  greater  than  that 
of  Amberg  ;a  its  fortifications  were  destroyed  in  1800.  A 
Latin  school  has  been  opened  since  the  university  was 
transferred  to  Landshut. 

Abensberg  on  the  right  bank  of  the  same  river,  was  the 
ancient  Musina,  a city  of  the  Vindelici ; several  Roman 
antiquities  are  still  found  near  its  walls.  Although  a small 
place  of  twelve  hundred  inhabitants,  it  is  encompassed  with 
walls,  which  are  flanked  with  thirty-two  round  and  eight 
square  turrets.  It  was  formerly  the  residence  of  the  counts 
of  Abensberg,  and  a castle  that  belonged  to  them,  may  still 
be  seen  in  the  town. 

Eichstedt,  a walled  town  on  the  banks  of  the  Altmuhl,  is 
situated  in  a narrow  but  agreeable  valley.  There  are  four 
suburbs,  three  public  squares  and  as  many  large  streets  ; it 
was  the  chief  town  in  the  principality,  that  was  ceded  under 
the  sovereignty  of  Bavaria  to  Eugene  Beauharnois.  The 

a “ Its  population,  according  to  Hassel,  is  equal  to  that  of  Amberg.” 

b “ Elevation  608  feet.”  c A.  D.  804.  (Busching.) 


castle  may  be  considered  the  finest  edifice ; next  to  it  are 
the  cathedral,  which  contains  the  tomb  of  the  martyr  Wili- 
bald,  and  the  church  of  Walpurg;  these  two  churches  and 
four  others  of  less  importance  belong  exclusively  to  the  ca- 
tholics. The  town  possesses  a gymnasium,  different  schools, 
a public  library  and  several  collections ; it  is  peopled  by 
more  than  eight  thousand  inhabitants.  The  land  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Eichstedt  is  fruitful,  and  produces  corn, 
hops,  flax  and  fruits ; few  cattle  are  reared,  but  the  country 
abounds  with  game,  and  the  rivers  are  well  stocked  with 
fish.  Iron  mines,  marble,  and  other  quarries,  are  worked 
in  the  mountains. 

Bayreuth,  the  metropolis  of  the  circle  of  the  Upper  Maine, 
is  built  on  the  banks  of  that  river,  in  a pleasant  valley,  formed 
by  branches  of  the  Fichtel-Gebirge.  The  elevation  of  the 
town  may  be  about  six  hundred  and  forty  feetb  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  The  streets  are  broad,  regular  and  well 
built ; it  is  surrounded  with  old  walls  and  three  suburbs,  one 
of  which  is  the  small  town  of  St.  George.  The  finest  build- 
ings are  the  old  castle  of  Sophienburg,  and  the  new  palace. 
Although  the  population  consists  of  fourteen  thousand  inha- 
bitants, there  are  not  more  than  a thousand  catholics  ; the 
latter  have  their  church,  and  the  Jews  their  synagogue. 
Bayreuth  contains  several  hospitals,  a gymnasium,  a theatre 
and  different  manufactories. 

Bamberg,  a town  watered  by  the  Regnitz,  has  been  in- 
correctly considered  the  ancient  Bergium,  a place  mention- 
ed by  Ptolemy  ; it  is  certain  that  Bamberg  was  not  built 
long  before  the  tenth  century  ;c  it  was  the  residence  of  the 
counts  of  the  same  name.  The  population  amounts  to 
nearly  thirty  thousand  souls  ; in  point  of  situation  and  archi- 
tectural beauty,  it  may  vie  with  any  other  town  in  Bavaria. 
The  houses  are  built  of  free  stone  ; it  is  divided  into  three 
parts  by  two  fine  br  idges ; and  the  highest  quarter  rises 
majestically  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre  crowned  by 
several  hills.  The  castle  of  Petersberg  has  been  much  ad- 
mired ; among  the  other  buildings,  may  be  mentioned  a fine 
church,  that  contains  the  tombs  of  the  emperor  Henry  the 
Second  and  Cunigunda  his  wife,  twenty-three  other  chur  ch- 
es, fifteen  chapels,  three  hospitals,  an  infirmary  and  a house 
of  correction — a very  large  edifice.  A public  library,  a 
collection  of  natural  histor  y,  and  the  archieves  of  the  coun- 
try are  deposited  in  the  castle  of  Petersberg.  Bamberg 
offer's  a singular  contrast  with  Bayreuth,  in  as  much  as  it 
does  not  contain  a thousand  protestants.  The  places  of 
education  are  numerous ; the  lyceum  is  attended  by  fifty 
pupils  ; the  gymnasium  by  two  hundred  and  fourteen,  while 
the  number  of  masters  is  not  less  than  six.  There  are  be- 
sides an  ecclesiastical  seminary,  a normal  school  for  thir  ty 
or  forty  pupils,  a school  of  medicine  and  surgery,  and  ano- 
ther of  midwifery.  Bamberg  was  the  birth  place  of  Came- 
raiius  the  philologist.  Although  it  possesses  no  great  com- 
merce, there  are  about  fourteen  hundred  master  workmen  of 
different  kinds,  eleven  hundred  journeymen  and  three  hun- 
dred apprentices,  besides  five  booksellers,  four  apothecaries, 
and  fifty-six  breweries.d 

Hoff,®  at  a short  distance  from  the  eastern  frontier  of  the 
kingdom,  is  watered  by  the  Saale ; it  contains  several 
schools,  a rich  hospital,  a library  and  eight  thousand  inhabi- 
tants. Kulmbach,  a pleasant  town  in  the  same  department, 
is  surrounded  with  walls,  and  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
White  Maine.  The  streets  are  irregular  but  well  paved, 

d Jaeck,  Bamberg  wie  es  einst  war,  wie  es  jetzt  ist. 

e Hof,  Stadt  zum  Hof.  f Culmbach. 


J 


22  ' EUROPE.  [kook  cxaiii 


and  the  market  place  is  remarkable  for  its  size.  Like  every 
other  town  of  any  consequence  in  the  circle,  it  contains  a 
sufficient  number  of  hospitals  and  charitable  institutions. 
The  population  amounts  to  little  more  than  four  thousand 
five  hundred  inhabitants.  Plassenburg  at  no  great  distance 
from  the  last  town,  stands  between  two  lofty  mountains  ; it 
may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  fortress,  now  a state 
prison,  and  the  station  of  a considerable  garrison. 

Some  account  may  be  given  of  Gailenreuth,  a village  in 
the  same  circle,  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  YVeissent, 
in  the  basin  of  the  Regnitz,  and  famous  for  its  natural 
caverns,  tilled  with  fossil  bones,  which  have  recently  excited 
the  attention  of  naturalists.  The  largest  of  these  caverns 
lies  in  a vertical  rock,  and  bears  the  same  name  as  the  vil- 
lage ; the  entrance  is  about  seven  feet  in  height,  and  opens 
into  a'grotto  nearly  eighty  feet  in  length,  which  communi- 
cates by  an  aperture  not  more  than  two  feet  high,  with  a 
second  cavity  nearly  a hundred  and  thirty  feet  long,  and 
forty  broad.  The  height  of  the  second  cavity  near  the 
aperture  is  about  eighteen  feet,  but  it  descends  gradually  un- 
til it  becomes  so  low  as  five.  A narrow  passage  at  the  far- 
ther extremity  communicates  with  several  others  which  lead 
to  a third  grotto  about  thirty  feet  in  diameter,  and  five  or  six 
in  height ; the  earth  on  the  lloor  of  this  grotto  is  filled  with 
the  teeth  and  jaw  bones  of  different  animals.  There  is  a 
cavity  at  its  entrance,  into  which  one  can  descend  by  a lad- 
der, and  pass  from  it  to  a vault  fifteen  feet  in  diameter,  and 
thirty  in  height,  that  communicates  with  a chamber  covered 
with  bones.  A natural  arcade  below  it  leads  to  another1 
cavern  more  than  forty  feet  from  the  ground  to  the  roof.a 
This  chamber  terminates  in  a cavity  or  pit  about  eighteen 
or  twenty  feet  in  depth,  and  a passage  from  it  communi- 
cates with  a cave  about  forty  feet  in  height,  and  almost  filled 
with  bones.  Passages  lead  from  the  last  cave  to  one  about 
twenty-five  feet  long  and  twelve  broad,  to  another  twenty 
feet  high,  and  lastly  to  a third  eighty  feet  in  breadth  and 
twenty-four  in  height,  which  contains  more  bones  than  arty 
of  the  preceding.  But  this  is  not  the  end  of  the  labyrinth  ; 
the  stranger  has  to  advance  to  the  sixth  and  last  cavern. 
All  these  subterranean  chambers  form  a figure  not  unlike  a 
semicircle.  The  fissures  thut’are  perceived  in  the  calcare- 
ous rock,  may  perhaps  be  passages  to  other  caverns  ; thus, 
it  was  found  in  1784,  that  one  of  these  fissures  communica- 
ted with  a chamber,  filled  with  the  bones  of  hyenas  arrd 
lions.  It  has  been  remarked  that  the  cleft  was  much  too 
narrow  for  the  entrance  of  these  animals.  The  chamber 
terminates  in  a sort  of  arcade,  and  I observed  in  it,  says  M. 
Cuvier,  an  incredible  number  of  bones  and  skulls.1*  It  has 
been  ascertained  that  the  animals  of  which  these  are  the 
remains,  were  bears,  hyenas,  tigers,  wolves,  foxes,  gluttons, 
polecats,  and  some  herbivorous  animals,  such  as  different 
kinds  of  deer.  But  the  carnivorous  animals  are  in  so  great 
a proportion,  that  out  of  a hundred  bones,  three  in  general 
will  belong  to  hyenas,  five  to  wolves  or  foxes,  two  to  tigers, 
three  to  gluttons  and  eighty-seven  to  bears.  All  these  ani- 
mals, different  in  their  figure  and  dimensions  from  those  of 
the  present  day,  attest  the  past  existence  of  a former  world. 
If  it  he  wished  to  determine  why  the  bones  of  so  many  ani- 
mals are  collected  in  these  places,  it  may  be  supposed  either 
that  they  were  the  dens  of  wild  animals  that  brought  their 
prey  into  them,  or  rather  that  an  enormous  number  of  car- 


a “ 40  feet  in  length.” 

b Reeherehes  sur  les  ossemens  fossiles,  tome  IV.  p.  295. 
c Erlangen  is  divided  into  the  old  and  new  towns  ; the  latter  was 


nivorous  animals,  with  others  of  a different  class,  were  accu- 
mulated in  the  cavities  by  an  irruption  of  the  wafers. 

More  manufacturing  and  trading  towns  are  situated  in  the 
circle  of  the  Rezat  than  in  any  other  in  Bavaria.  Ansbach, 
the  metropolis,  which  was  formerly  called  Onolzbach,  is 
now  more  generally  known  by  the  name  of  Anspach. 
The  town  is  surrounded  with  walls,  and  watered  by  the 
Rezat.  There  are  eighteen  public  buildings,  of  which  the 
principal  are  the  castle  and  chancery.  The  population 
amounts  to  seventeen  thousand  inhabitants,  and  the  number 
of  catholics  does  not  exceed  three  hundred.  The  places 
of  instruction  are  a gymnasium  and  several  elementary 
schools.  Anspach  is  not  a town  of  much  trade  ; the  manu- 
factures are  leather,  linen  and  woollen  stuffs. 

Erlangen  or  Christian  Erlangen c on  the  Regnitz,  is  enclo- 
sed by  walls,  and  divided  into  the  old  and  new  town  ; the 
streets  are  broad  and  regular.  It  possesses,  besides  the 
only  protestant  university  in  the  kingdom,  many  seminaries 
in  which  different  branches  of  education  are  taught.  The 
imperial  academy  of  natural  history  was  founded  in  the 
year  1G66  ; the  other  institutions  of  the  same  sort  are  a 
physical  society,  another  of  medicine, d and  a third  of  agri- 
culture and  rural  economy.  It  has  excited  surprise  that  so 
many  useful  institutions  are  contained  in  a town  of  twelve 
thousand  inhabitants. 

The  trade  and  manufactures  of  Erlangen  are  of  consider- 
able importance,  but  in  that  respect  it  is  inferior  to  Fiirth, 
a well  built  town  on  the  same  river.  The  Jews  form  about 
the  fourth  part  of  the  population,  which  is  equal  to  sixteen 
thousand  eight  hundred  individuals.  They  maintain  at 
their  own  expense  a separate  tribunal,  an  university,  two 
printing  offices,  three  schools,  an  hospital  and  four  sjma- 
gogues  ; such  facts  form  the  best  answers  that  can  be  made 
to  those  who  maintain  that  the  Jews  can  never  become 
good  or  useful  citizens  ; indeed,  in  many  places  where  the 
Jews  participate  in  the  rights  of  citizens,  they  may  bear  a 
comparison  with  the  Christians  who  despise  them.  Fiirth  is 
one  of  the  most  industrious  towns  in  Bavaria  ; it  carries  on 
a great  trade  in  mirrors. 

Nuremberg  or  Nurnberg  stands  in  the  middle  of  a fruit- 
ful though  sandy  plain,  and  is  divided  into  two  parts  by  the 
Pegnitz.  It  is  surrounded  with  an  outer  and  an  inner  wall, 
both  of  them  flanked  with  towers,  which  renders  it  not  un- 
like two  towns.  The  streets  are  irregular,  but  broad  and 
well  paved  ; although  the  old  castle  cannot  at  present  be 
called  a fortress,  still  it  and  almost  all  the  other  buildings  in 
Nuremberg,  call  to  mind  those  ancient  towns  which  served  as 
a residence  to  the  princes  or  barons  wrho  flourished  in  feu- 
dal times,  and  whose  power  depended  on  the  weakness  of 
their  neighbours.  The  paintings  that  cover  the  outer  walls 
of  many  houses  in  Nuremberg  give  it  a singular  aspect. 
'Phe  townhouse  is  remarkable  for  the  pictures  and  curiosi- 
ties it  contains  ; among  other  articles,  one  may  observe  the 
glass  out  of  which  Luther  used  to  drink.  Some  of  its 
eight  churches  are  adorned  with  fine  paintings ; the  painted 
windows  in  the  cathedral  are  admired,  and  those  in  the 
church  of  St.  Clara  are  remarkable  for  their  antiquity, 
dating  back  to  the  year  1278.  A well  five  hundred  and 
thirty-six  feet  in  depth  is  situated  in  one  of  the  courts  belong-  _ 
ing  to  the  castle,  an  old  building  in  which  may  be  seen  a 
valuable  collection  of  paintings.  The  town  is  adorned 


founded  in  1G86  by  Christian  Ernest,  Margrave  of  E ryreuth,  and  is  from 
that  circumstance  called  Christian  Erlangen. — P. 
d “ A physical  and  medical  society.” 


book  cxxm.]  DESCRIPTION 

with  several  fountains  ; it  possesses  a great  many  schools,  a 
gymnasium,  different  literary  and  scientific  societies  and 
seven  public  libraries.  The  commerce  of  Nuremberg  must 
be  considerable,  since  by  means  of  it  three  hundred  and 
fifty  mercantile  houses  are  supported  ; not  fewer  than  four 
hundred  and  eighty-seven  different  articles  are  made  or 
manufactured  within  its  walls.3  It  has  been  supposed  that 
it  carries  on  a greater  trade  in  cutlery  than  any  other  town 
in  Germany  ; it  contains  two  exchanges,  a bank  and  a 
mount  of  piety.  The  catholics  make  up  a twentieth  part 
of  the  population  ; the  total  number  of  inhabitants  has  been 
estimated  by  Hassel  at  thirty-one»thousand  six  hundred  and 
sixty-five.  Nuremberg  was  the  birth  place  of  Albert  Du- 
rer,  the  celebrated  painter,  and  of  other  distinguished  men  ; 
indeed  if  the  inventions  to  which  it  has  given  origin  be  con- 
sidered, it  is  entitled  to  the  gratitude  of  the  human  race.  Pe- 
ter Hele  invented  watches  there  ; Rudolph,  the  drawing 
dates  for  iron  wire  ; John  Lobsinger,  air  guns ; Christo- 
pher Denner,  the  clarinet ; Erasmus  Ebener,  the  alloy 
known  by  the  name  of  brass  ; Martin  Behaim,  the  terres- 
trial sphere,  which  without  doubt  contributed  to  the  discove- 
ry of  America  ; lastly,  John  Muschel  improved  different  mu- 
sical instruments. 

The  other  towns  in  the  same  circle  might  be  considered 
insignificant  after  Nuremberg.  Schwabach  on  the  river  of 
the  same  name,  is  noted  for  its  needles  and  cotton  cloths  ; it 
contains  nine  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants.  The  small 
town  of  Bayersdorf  on  the  Regnitz,  carries  on  a trade  in 
cutlery  and  hardware  goods.  Rothenburg  is  built  in  the 
Gothic  style  ; it  contains  a fine  townhouse,  a library,  valu- 
able from  its  rare  manuscripts,  and  a population  of  eight 
thousand  persons.  Dinkelsbuhl,  encompassed  with  high 
walls,  flanked  with  towers,  is  built  like  the  last  town,  and 
peopled  by  seven  thousand  inhabitants. 

Noerdlingen  is  well  known  in  Germany  for  its  bacon 
and  geese  ; more  than  thirty  thousand-of  the  latter  are  annu- 
ally exported.  It  is  built  on  the  Egger,  and  surrounded 
with  ditches,  ramparts  and  towers.  St.  Magdalen  is  the 
largest  church  in  the  town,  and  its  steeple  reaches  to  the 
height  of  three  hundred  and  forty-three  feet.  The  number 
of  inhabitants  amount  to  seven  thousand  six  hundred,  and 
their  trade  consists  in  the  produce  of  their  manufactures, 
such  as  linen,  worsted  stockings,  fustians  and  horse  covers. 

The  circle  of  the  Lower  Maine  is  formed  by  the  former 
grand  dutchy  of  Wurtzburg,  the  province  of  Aschaffenburg, 
different  parts  of  the  territory  of  Fulda  , and  several  districts 
ceded  by  Hesse. 

Wurtzburg, b the  capital,  contains  about  twenty  thousand 
inhabitants  ; once  an  imperial  town,  it  was  afterwards  sub- 
ject to  a bishop,  one  of  whose  prerogatives  was  to  have  a 
naked  sword  carried  before  him.  The  fortifications  have 
fallen  into  decay,  but  the  town  is  still  defended  by  a high 
wall  and  a deep  ditch.  The  Maine  divides  it  into  two  parts  ; 
that  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river  is  the  old  town  of  Wurtz- 
burg; the  other  on  the  left  bank  is  called  the  quarter  of  the 
Maine.  A fine  bridge  of  eight  arches,  and  five  hundred 
and  forty  feet  in  length,  forms  a communication  between 
the  old  and  new  towns.  The  fortress  of  Marienberg  in  the 

i OF  GERMANY.  23 

quarter  of  the  Maine,  rises  on  a rock  about  four  hundred 
feet  in  height,  and  on  the  same  hill  are- the  ruins  of  an  an- 
cient building,  which  is  supposed  to  have  been  a temple  con- 
secrated to  Freya,  the  Venus  of  the  Scandinavians.  The 
old  town,  though  irregularly  built,  is  adorned  by  several 
fine  buildings;  such  are  the  royal  castle  and  the  cathedral, 
the  largest  of  its  thirty-three  churches,  which  is  remarkable 
for  many  curious  monuments,  and  also  lor  a pulpit  of  the 
most  finished  workmanship.  The  great  hospital  of  Julius, 
twelve  other  hospitals  and  several  charitable  institutions,  dif 
ferent  libraries  and  scientific  collections,  numerous  schools, 
an  university,  which  was  founded  more  than  four  hundred 
years  ago,0  and  considerable  trade,  particularly  in  wine, 
render  the  town  one  of  the  most  valuable  acquisitions  which 
Bavaria  has  lately  obtained. 

The  vineyards  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Wurtzburg  have 
been  celebrated  since  the  thirteenth  century.  The  Leiste 
is  the  most  esteemed  among  the  wines  of  Franconia  ; the 
Stein  wine  is  produced  on  an  estate  that  belongs  to  the  hos- 
pital of  Julius  ; it  is  sold  in  the  country  for  four  shillings  the 
bottle.d  Another  sort  not  less  prized  is  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; it  is  produced  in  the  vineyards  of 
Harpe,  which  belong  mostly  to  the  chapter  of  Hauch.  The 
wines  of  Schalksberg  and  Calmus  are  little  inferior  to  any 
that  have  been  mentioned. 

Karlstadt®  on  the  Maine,  carries  on  a considerable  trade 
in  wines.  Schweinfurt  on  the  same  river,  a town  of  seven 
thousand  inhabitants,  possesses  an  arsenal,  a gymnasium, 
and  several  elementary  schools.  It  is  abundantly  supplied 
■with  water  from  thirty-seven  public  fountains.  The  excel- 
lent wine  of  Saleck  constitutes  the  trade  of  PJammelburg, 
a small  town  on  the  Saale.  The  five  (*housand  inhabitants 
of  Kitzingen  are  mostly  engaged  in  conveying  goods  to  the 
south  of  Germany.  The  town  is  remarkable  lor  a bridge 
across  the  Maine, which  leads  to  the  suburb  of  Etwashaus- 
en.  The  number  of  arches  amounts  to  fifteen,  and  it  is 
not  less  than  a thousand  l'eet  in  length.  As  it  does  not  ex- 
ceed sixteen  feet  in  breadth,  its  length*  appears  so  much  the 
more  considerable. 

Aschaffenburg  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Maine,  at 
the  foot  of  the  western  declivity  of  the  Spessart.  Its  im- 
portance depends  on  its  schools  and  scientific  collections, 
not  on  the  number  of  its  inhabitants,  which  does  not  ex- 
ceed six  thousand.  A large  castle  in  the  middle  of  a park 
is  its  finest  edifice.  It  was  a place  of  residence  during  the 
summer  for  the  electors  of  Mayence.  It  possesses  at  pre- 
sent a trade  in  leather  and  beet  sugar ; it  is  besides  the  de- 
pot of  the  merchandise  that  descends  the  Maine,  and  of  the 
timber  obtained  from  the  forests  on  the  Spessart. 

The  circle  of  the  Upper  Danube  derives  its  importance 
from  the  number  of  its  towns,  and  the  different  branches  of 
industry  in  which  their  inhabitants  are  engaged.  More 
paper-mills  are  contained  in  it  than  in  any  other  department 
in  Bavaria. 

Augsburg,  the  capital,  although  inferior  to  Munich,  is  the 
second  town  in  the  kingdom.  Having  already  made  some 
mention  of  its  antiquity,  it  may  now  be  more  minutely  des- 
cribed. It  stands  on  a large  and  fertile  plain  between  the 

a “ 487  manufactures  de  differens  products.” 
b Wurzburg,  (Germ.) 

c Instruction  is  there  committed  to  thirty-one  professors  and  four  teach- 
ers. The  number  of  students  in  the  winter  session  of  1825  and  1826, 
amounted  to  six  hundred  and  seventy-six,  viz.  foil*  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven  Bavarians  and  a hundred  and  seventy-nine  foreigners,  distributed 
among  the  different  faculties,  as  follows  • 

Theology  - --  --  --  - 144 

Law  - --  --  --  - 213 

Medicine  -----  ...  158 

Philosophy  -------  161 

d “ When  old,  it  is  sold  for  more  than  five  francs  the  bottle.” 

6 Carlstadt. 

24  EUROPE.  I book  cxxm. 


Lech  f.nd  the  Wertach,  which  join  each  other  below  its 
ramparts,  and  carry  their  united  streams  to  the  Danube. 
The  number  of  inhabitants  is  estimated  at  thirty-three  thou- 
sand ; as  in  other  ancient  towns,  the  streets  are  narrow  and 
irregular  ; a few  only  are  straight,  and  among  these  that  of 
the  May  is  the  finest  in  Augsburg.  The  fountains  which 
embellish  it  contribute  to  render  it  more  salubrious.  The 
principal  squares  arc  those  of  the  May,  Caroline  and  the 
new  market  place.  The  townhouse  is  admitted  to  be  the 
largest  and  most  regularly  built  of  any  in  Germany ; the 
golden  hall,  a chamber  in  the  same  building,  is  a hundred 
feet  in  length,  and  nearly  fifty  in  breadth.* 1  It  was  in  the 
ancient  episcopal  palace,  now  changed  into  government  of- 
fices, that  the  confession  of  Augsburg  was  read  before 
Charles  V.  in  1530.  The  cathedral  is  considered  a finer 
building  than  any  of  the  other  twelve  churches, b six  of  which 
belong  to  the  Catholics  and  six  to  the  Lutherans.  One 
church,  however,  that  of  St.  Ulric,  cannot  be  too  highly 
commended  for  its  bold  and  lofty  arches ; the  Lutherans 
and  Catholics  perform  their  rites  in  it  alternately.  The 
church  of  the  Franciscans  is  remarkable  for  the  size  of  its 
organ  ; the  other  public  buildings  are  the  arsenal,  the  mar- 
ket and  the  theatre.  Augsburg  is  still  the  residence  of  a 
bishop,  but  he  does  not  enjoy  the  same  power  as  formerly  ; 
the  diocese  was  once  richer  than  any  other  in  Christendom, 
and  the  bishops  of  Augsburg  were  entitled  princes  of  the 
empire.  Hartmann®  bequeathed  to  the  bishops,  in  the  thir- 
teenth century,  his  riches  and  the  county  of  Wittislingen.*1 
It  became  afterwards  more  important,  but  was  reduced  at 
last  like  almost  all  the  other  chapters  in  Germany.  Augs-' 
burg  has  its  gymnasium,  different  seminaries,  a polytechnic 
school,  a public  library  and  a fine  collection  of  paintings, 
most  of  them  by  German  masters.  The  capital  belonging 
to  hospitals  and  charitable  institutions,  was  equal  in  1807  to 
6,000,000  florins.  Although  the  manufactures  of  Augs- 
burg were  formerly  in  a. more  flourishing  condition  than  at 
present,  its  trade  is  still  very  considerable  ; indeed  its  manu- 
factories of  every  sort,*  and  its  many  mercantile  houses,  ren- 
der it  a central  point  in  commercial  Europe. 

Neuburg  on  the  Danube,  is  peopled  by  seven  thousand 
inhabitants ; it  is  encompassed  by  walls,  and  commanded 
by  a castle,  built  on  an  eminence.  The  barracks,  three 
churches,  a lyceum  and  several  hospitals  are  the  principal 
public  buildings,  but  the  most  interesting  monument  is  the 
tomb  of  La  Tour  d’ Auvergne,  who  was  killed  in  the  year 
1 800,  on  the  road  between  Neuburg  and  Donauwoerth,  a 
small  town  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants,  where 
Lewis  the  Severe  ordered  his  wife  Mary  of  Brabant  to  be 
beheaded,  and  which  is  famous  for  the  victory  gained  over 
i the  French  and  Bavarians  in  1704  by  the  English  and 
Austrians,  under  the  command  of  Marlborough.  That 
bloody  engagement  took  place  near  the  village  of  Blen- 
heim, and  about  eighty  years  afterwards®  an  immense 
quantity  of  bones  were  dug  up  by  labourers,  while  they 

a “ 92  feet  long,  48  broad.” 

b “ The  cathedral  is  the  finest  of  its  twelve  churches.” 
c Hartmann,  Count  of  Dillingcn. 

<■  The  town  of  Dillingcn,  the  county  of  Wittislingen,  and  other  pos- 
sessions. (Busching.) — P.  e “A. D.  1780.” 

f Kempten,  under  the  empire,  consisted  of  two  contiguous  towns,  viz. 
the  free  imperial  town  of  Kempten  ( Reichs-Stadt ,)  and  the  abbey  town 
( Stifts-Stadt ,)  immediately  dependent  on  the  sovereign  abbey  of  Kemp- 
ten.— P. 

g Lindau  stands  on  an  island  in  the  lake,  and  from  that  circumstance 
] has  been  called  Swabian  Venice.  (Busching.) — P. 

h The  sovereign  abbey  of  Lindau,  consisting  of  an  abbess  and  twelve 
nuns,  all  of  noble  family. — P. 


were  employed  In  making  a road.  Tallard  had  obtained 
the  command  of  the  French  army  by  intrigue,  while  Yillars 
might  have  led  it  to  victory  ; at  all  events,  its  fate  was 
avenged  by  the  French  both  in  1796  and  in  I860. 

Memmingen,  formerly  an  imperial  town,  is  watered  by 
the  Ach  ; it  contains  eight  thousand  inhabitants.  The 
townhouse,  the  arsenal  and  the  chancery  are  the  most  re- 
markable buildings.  It  possesses  a lyceum,  a public  library, 
a musical  school  and  different  seminaries.  Heiss,  Sichel- 
bein  and  other  artists  were  born  in  the  town ; its  trade, 
which  is  at  present  considerable,  consists  in  hops,  linen, 
serge  and  different  kinds  <71  cloth. 

Kempten  rivals  the  last  town  in  industry  and  commerce. 
It  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Iller,  and  surrounded  with 
hills.  It  was  founded  before  the  eighth  century.  Hilde- 
gard,  the  wife  of  Charlemagne,  gave  to  the  chapter  of  the 
town  all  the  wealth  which  was  left  her  by  her  mother.  A 
part  of  the  town  is  dependent  on  the  convent,  which  still 
bears  the  name  of  the  empress/  and  in  that  quarter  many 
hospitals,  charity-schools  and  other  benevolent  institutions 
are  situated. 

Lindau,  formerly  a free  and  imperial  town,  is  situated  on 
the  lake  of  Constance.  Its  population  amounted  at  one 
time  to  six  thousand  inhabitants  ; it  does  not  exceed  at  pre- 
sent three  thousand  five  hundred.  The  harbour,  or  rather 
the  Maximilian  basin,  may  contain  three  hundred  vessels. 
Because  many  of  the  houses  are  built  on  piles,  the  town  has 
been  called  Little  Venice.s  The  castle,  which  commands  it, 
was  for  a long  time  inhabited  by  nuns.h 
1 The  different  circles  that  have  been  described  are  govern- 
ed by  commissioners,  and  the  police  is  subject  to  the  authori- 
ty of  other  commissioners.1  Each  circle  is  also  subdivided 
into  different  courts  or  justices,  as  they  are  called  in  the 
country,  and  all  of  them  have  their  chief  towns.  As  seve- 
ral of  these  courts  are  more  or  less  dependent  on  priv  ileged 
nobles,  they  are  therefore  styled  mediate  or  seigniorial 
courts  ;k  their  decisions  may  be  revoked  by  the  supreme 
tribunal  at  Munich. 

The  Rhenish  possessions  of  Bavaria  constitute  the  circle 
of  the  Rhine;  it  is  mostly  formed  by  the  former  French 
department  of  Mont-Tonnerre,  and  by  some  districts  in 
the  departments  of  the  Sarre  and  the  Lower  Rhine.  It  is 
equal  in  superficial  extent  to  a hundred  and  forty  German, 
or  to  nearly  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty  English 
square  miles.1  The  country  is  bounded  on  the  north  and 
west  by  the  Prussian  province  of  the  Lower  Rhine,  and  by 
some  districts  belonging  to  the  dutchv  of  Saxe  Coburg-Go- 
tha  and  the  landgraviate  of  Hesse  Homburg,  on  the  south 
by  F ranee,  and  on  the  east  by  the  grand  dutchies  of  Ba 
den  and  Hesse  Darmstadt. 

The  northern  extremity  of  the  Vosges  occupies  a great 
part  of  the  surface.  According  to  Hassel,  the  summit  of 
Wandelstein  is  2000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  but  it 
is  much  lower  than  the  Donnersberg  or  Mont-Tonnerre.m 

* Each  circle  is  governed  by  a Commissary-general  ( General '/commissar,') 
assisted  by  a council  ; the  commissioners  of  police  are  subject  to  him. 
(Hassel.)— P. 

k The  circles  are  divided  into  Landgerichte  and  Mediatgerichte  or  ju- 
risdictions  either  independent  of  or  dependent  on  privileged  nobles,  and 
these  arc  subdivided  into  communes  or  districts  (gemeinden)  both  in  towns 
and  in  the  country  ( stadt  and  rural-gemeinden .) — (Hassel.) — P. 

1 “389  sq.  leagues.”  The  English  square  miles  are  obtained  by  multi- 
plying the  German  square  miles  by  12,  which  is  much  too  small  for  the 
German  geographical  square  mile. — P. 

nl  Thunder  Mountain.  Height  2400  Fr.  feet.  (Table  of  European 
Altitudes.) 


jjooiv  txxiii.J  DESCRIPTION 

The  mountainous  districts  are  composed  of  red  sandstone 
and  other  rocks  of  secondary  formation  ; but  between  them 
and  the  Rhine,  which  forms  the  natural  boundary  of  the 
country,  a long  belt  of  limestone*  extends  from  north  to 
south,  on  which  rest  deposits  of  tertiary  formation  through 
which  the  river  flows.  Almost  all  the  mountains  in  the 
circle  are  well  wooded,  but  the  southern  declivities  of  the 
branches  which  project  from  the  principal  chain,  are  co- 
vered with  vineyards.  The  largest  forests  are  that  of  Bien 
which  is  about  fifteen  miles  in  length,  and  nearly  two  in 
breadth, b and  that  of  the  Harth,  which  contains  more  than 
thirty  thousand  acres  ( arpens .)  The  rivers  that  water  the 
country,  flow  either  towards  the  north  and  the  east,  and  enter 
the  Rhine,  or  towards  the  south,  and  unite  with  the  Sarre. 
The  climate  is  wholesome,  but  colder  on  the  mountains  and 
western  declivities,  than  on  the  eastern  declivities  or  in  the 
plains  that  extend  along  the  Rhine. 

The  country  abounds  in  clay,  well  adapted  for  bricks 
and  coarse  earthen  ware,  in  marble,  coal,  rock  salt  and 
different  metals  ; it  yields  annually  thirty-three  thousand 
quintals  of  iron,  eighty-five  thousand  of  coal,  and  six  hun- 
dred and  seventy-two  of  mercury. 

The  eastern  declivity  of  the  mountains  was  inhabited 
during  the  time  of  Caesar  by  the  Nemetes,  and  their  lands 
extended  to  the  Rhine.  The  JWediomatrici,  occupied  the 
western  declivities  ; but  as  they  possessed  besides,  nearly 
all  the  territory  which  now  forms  the  department  of  the 
Moselle,  they  shall  be  mentioned  more  fully  in  the  account 
of  France.  Little  is  known  concerning  the  Nemetes;  it 
is  certain,  however,  that  a little  before  the  war  carried  on 
by  the  Romans  against  Ariovistus,  they  settled  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Rhine,  which  they  had  compelled  the  Medio- 
matrici  to  abandon  ; they  inhabited  before  that  period  the 
right  bank  of  the  same  river.  Tacitus  does  not  consider 
them  as  Gauls  ; without  doubt,  says  the  historian,  the  Van- 
giones,  the  Triboci  and  the  Nemetes  are  of  German  origin.0 
It  appears  from  the  same  author,  that  they  served  as  auxi- 
liaries in  the  Roman  armies. d 

The  circle  of  the  Rhine  is  not  governed  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  other  Bavarian  provinces  ; with  the  exception 
of  some  modifications  that  have  been  made  in  it,  the  system, 
which  was  established  by  France  under  the  imperial  govern- 
ment, has  been  retained.  It  is  divided  into  four  departments, 
which  are  subdivided  into  thirty-two  districts.®  Speyer  or 
Spire,  the  capital,  is  watered  by  a small  river  of  the  same 
name,  at  a short  distance  from  the  Rhine.  It  is  surround- 
ed with  walls,  and  five  gates  form  the  entrances  to  the  town. 
The  principal  edifices  are  the  townhouse  and  the  cathe- 
dral, the  last  of  which  contains  the  ashes  of  eight  emperors 
and  as  many  empresses  ; the  monuments  erected  to  their 
memory,  are  now  in  ruins.  It  possesses  fifteen  catholic 
and  two  protestant  churches  ; yet  out  of  its  six  thousand 
four  hundred  inhabitants,  there  are  not  more  than  sixteen 
hundred  catholics.  Some  authors  believe  it  to  have  been 
founded  before  the  Christian  era/  The  same  writers  pre- 
end that  Spira  and  Nimidoa  were  its  ancient  names,  and 

OF  GERMANY.  2b 

that  it  was  the  chief  city  of  the  Nemetes  ( civitas  Nemelum.)e 
It  cannot  be  denied  that  it  was  one  of  the  cities  of  the  em- 
pire at  the  commencement  of  the  middle  ages,  and  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  it  was  the  metropolis  of  a bishopric  in 
the  year  348.  But  this  bishopric  had  been  suppressed  be- 
fore the  reign  of  Dagobert  the  First,  since  that  prince  re- 
stored it  and  conferred  it  on  his  chaplain  Athanasius.  If 
the  streets  and  buildings  do  not  appear  to  be  so  ancient,  it 
must  be  recollected  that  it  was  destroyed  by  the  French 
during  the  war  in  the  Palatinate. 

The  other  towns  in  the  circle  are  not  very  important. 
F rankenthal,  the  name  of  which  serves  to  recal  the  ancient 
kingdom  of  Franconia,  contains  only  four  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, but  it  possesses  a greater  trade  than  any  other  town 
in  the  province.  Grunstadt,  situated  in  a fruitful  district, 
watered  by  the  Liss,  was  the  birth  place  of  Olbein,  the  cele- 
brated painter/  Kaiserslautern,  which  contains  a gymna- 
sium, a normal  school,  and  four  thousand  six  hundred  in- 
habitants, is  more  memorable  from  the  battles  fought  by 
the  French  and  Prussians  in  the  year  1793  and  1794. 
Pirmassenz,  the  scene  of  a destructive  combat  at  the  same 
period,  is  well  built ; it  possesses  a fine  castle,  and  its  popu- 
lation amounts  to  five  thousand  individuals.  Deux-Ponts 
or  Zwey-Briicken,  which  contains  six  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, is  agreeably  situated  on  the  Erlbach  ; the  streets  are 
clean,  straight  and  well  paved.  It  is  adorned  by  a fine 
castle,  but  the  one  that  belonged  to  the  ancient  dukes  of 
Deux-Ponts,  is  wholly  destroyed.  Landau  on  the  Queich, 
a town  fortified  by  Yauban,  although  reserved  for  the  con- 
federation, is  at  present  the  station  of  a Bavarian  garrison. 
The  fortifications  form  a regular  octagon  ; two  gates  only 
lead  to  the  town,  and  the  population  is  the  same  as  that  of 
Deux-Ponts.  The  streets  are  regular  ; the  barracks,  pow- 
der magazines  and  storehouses. are  bomb  proof.  Germers- 
heim,  situated  also  on  the  Queich,  and  not  far  from  the  Rhine, 
may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  old  fortress,  where  the 
emperor  Rudolph  of  Hapsburgdied,  and  also  on  account  of  a 
gold  washing  which  has  been  established  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, on  the  banks  of  the  river.  Several  burghs  and  vil- 
lages of  some  importance  from  their  population,  shall  be 
enumerated  in  the  tables  at  the  end  of  the  book.  The 
trade  of  the  circle  is  not  without  activity,  but  it  might  be 
much  improved  if  the  canals  of  Frankenthal  and  Deux- 
Ponts,  which  have  been  neglected  by  government,  were 
finished  and  kept  in  good  repair. 

It  was  thought  unnecessary  to  enter  into  minute  details 
concerning  the  places  of  education  and  the  scientific  insti- 
tutions in  the  different  towns  in  the  circle  ; it  may  be  re- 
marked, however,  that  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  has  been 
more  promoted  by  the  Bavarian  than  by  the  former  French 
government.  The  population  of  all  the  towns  in  the  circle, 
and  in  the  other  Bavarian  provinces,  has  not  been  stated, 
but  the  reader  may  be  referred  to  the  following  tables,  in 
which  will  be  found  the  most  important  facts  relative  to  the 
statistics  of  the  kingdom. 

a “ Calcaire  ancicn.” 

b “ Length  5 leagues,  breadth  l a league.” 
c De  Moribus  Germanovum,  XXVIII. 
d Annals,  Book  XII.  sect.  26. 
e “4  districts,  32  cantons.” 

VOL.  lit NO.  43.  4 

• 

f Corneille,  Dictionnaire  Geographique. — Dumont,  Voyage  sur  les  bords 
du  Rhin. 

g Speyer,  Spira , Civitas  Nemetum,  Ncmidova.  (Busching.) — P. 
h “ Du  peintre  Olbein.” — Hans  Holbein  was  a native  of  Bale. — P. 

26 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXII1. 


STATISTICAL  TABLES 

OF  THE 


Occupations  of  the  Jews. 

Out  of  10,663  Jewish  families,  those  engaged  in  commerce 
amount  to  ...... 

In  different  trades  ...... 

In  agriculture  ...... 


Kingdom  of  Bavaria  Proper  and  of  the  Bavarian  possessions 
on  the  Rhine , according  to  the  latest  authorities. 


Number  of  Towns,  <f-c.  according  to  the  Surface. 

Number  of  towns  in  every  6J  German  square  miles 

burghs  in  every  3j  German  square  miles 

villages  in  every  German  square  mile 

hamlets,  idem  ..... 

houses,  idem  ..... 


10,242 

169 

252 


1 

1 

2 

9 

435 


The  Population  of  Bavaria  Proper  and  the  Rhenish  pro- 
vince amounted  in  1827  to  3,960,000  individuals,  or  on  an 


average  to  2,628  for 

every  German,  or 

220  for  every 

English  square  mile.® 

Number  of  families 

875,560 

Noble  families 

, , 

1,384 

having  seigniorial  estates 

878 

without  landed  property 

506 

Number  of 

Number  of  Families 

Seigniorial 

for  every  German 

Estates,  b 

Square  Mile. 

Circle  of  the  Isar 

227 

377 

the  Lower  Danube 

153 

499 

the  Regen 

179 

444 

the  U pper  Maine 

100 

566 

the  Rezat 

64 

781 

the  Lower  Maine 

77 

622 

the  Upper  Danube 

78 

610 

the  Rhine 

0 

809 

Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Origin. 

Germans 

• 

3,880,000 

Jews 

. 

56,500 

French  . 

. 

. 3,500 

Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 


Catholics  .......  2,710,000 

Lutherans  .......  1,100,000 

Reformed  or  Calvinists  .....  78,000 

Mennonites  and  other  Dissenters  ....  1,000 

Jews  .......  56,000 


Distribution  of  the  Population. 

Inhabitants  in  the  towns  of  the  first  and  second  class  563,000 


in  the  small  towns  and  in  the  country  3,377,000 

Towns,  (pe.  according  to  Hassel. 

Number  of  towns  .....  229 

burghs  .....  399 

parochial  villages  ....  2,920 

small  villages  and  hamlets  . . . 28,449 

taxed  houses,  about  ....  652,000° 

Mortality  in  different  parts  of  the  Kingdom. 

At  Nuremberg  . . . . . . 1 in  40 

At  Augsburg  . . . . . . 1 in  35 

In  the  Circle  of  the  Isar  . . . . . 1 in  29 

In  the  Circle  of  the  Upper  Maine  . . . 1 in  38 


Mean  Number  of  Capital  Punishments. 

The  proportion  in  all  the  Bavarian  possessions,  is  as  one  to  twenty  thou- 
sand individuals. 


Churches. 

Catholic  churches 
Lutheran  churches 
Reformed  churches 


Places  of  Education , in  1822. 
Universities  ..... 

Lyceums  ..... 

Gymnasiums  ..... 

Colleges  ...... 

Preparatory  or  special  schools 

Houses  of  education  .... 

Institutions  for  the  higher  branches  of  education 
Boarding  schools  for  girls  .... 
Normal  schools  ..... 
School  for  foresters  .... 

Schools  of  law  ..... 
Veterinary  schools  .... 

Schools  of  midwifery  .... 

Polytechnic  schools1*  .... 

Military  schools  ..... 
Primary  schools  ..... 

Teachers  and  pupils. 

Inspectors  of  schools  .... 

Teachers  ..... 

Pupils  of  all  classes,  about 

Fiefs  dependent  on  the  Crown. 
Principalities  ..... 

Counties  ...... 


2,773 

1,036 

138 


3 

7 

18 

21 

35 

16 

7 

2 

7 

1 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

5,394 


286 

7,114 

498,000 


11 

13 


Division  of  the  soil  in  1826,  in  hundredth  parts  of  the  surface. 


Cultivated  Lands.  Forests. 

Waste  Lands. 

Circle  of  the  Isar 

35 

31 

34 

Lower  Danube 

50 

29 

21 

Regen 

47 

30 

23 

Upper  Maine 

60 

29 

11 

Rezat 

70 

22 

8 

Lower  Maine 

58 

32 

10 

Upper  Danube 

50 

25 

25 

Rhine 

57 

36 

7 

Division  of 

the  Forests  in  Acres  (Arpens.) 

To  Towns, 

Total 

Forests  be- 

Burghs,  Vil- 

To  Indi- 

number 

longing  to 

lages  and 

viduals. 

of  acres 

the  State. 

Foundations,  e 

(arpens.) 

Circle  of  the  Isar 

521,560 

101,096 

813,553 

1,436,209 

Lower  Danube 

173,533 

783 

481,253 

655,569 

Regen 

258,010 

126,661 

411,733 

796,404 

Upper  Maine 

416,545 

100,342 

197,529 

714,416 

Rezat 

225,386 

151,243 

165,067 

541,696 

Lower  Maine 

233,601 

337,524 

190,576 

761,701 

Upper  Danube 

217,627 

160,699 

374,849 

753,175 

Rhine 

366,067 

268,550 

70,089 

704,706 

2,412,329 

1,246,898  2,704,649 

6,363,876 

* Reckoning  the  German  square  mile  at  only  12  English.  “ 950  per  sq. 
league”  Fr.  The  population  per  Eng.  sq.  mile  should  be  125  nearly. — P. 

b By  a comparison  of  the  number  of  seigniorial  estates  with  the  number 
of  families  in  the  different  circles,  it  will  be  perceived  that  in  those  circles 
where  the  number  of  such  estates  is  the  greatest,  the  population  is  least 
considerable,  unless,  indeed,  the  natural  effect  of  such  estates  be  counter- 
balanced by  particular  circumstances,  as  in  the  Circle  of  the  Isar,  the  only 
exception  to  the  rule.  The  relative  population  in  the  Circle  of  the  Rhine 
is  greater  than  in  any  other,  and  in  that  circle  there  are  no  privileged  pro- 
prietors. 


c 484,000  of  these  houses,  and  447,500  buildings  connected  with  them, 
were  insured  against  fire  in  1824,  for  the  sum  of  385,739,235  florins. 

d Realschulen  (Germ.)  This  term  ( Realschule ) was  first  applied  to  a 
school  established  in  Berlin  in  1747,  by  Hecker,  pastor  of  T rinitv  Church 
in  that  city,  the  object  of  which  was  not  only  to  teach  the  ordinary  branches 
of  literature,  but  to  prepare  youths  for  the  active  pursuits  of  life  and  the 
mechanical  and  liberal  arts. — P. 

e “To  communes  (gemeinden)  and  foundations.”  See  note  (k)  p.  704. 


BOOK  CXXIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


27 


Details  relative  to  each  Circle,  taken  from  HasseVs  Tables 
for  1822. 

A.  CIRCLE  OF  THE  ISAR, 

DIVIDED  INTO  TWENTY-SEVEN  COURTS  OR  JUSTICES. 


Surface  in  German 
Square  Miles. 

310 

Towns. 

15 


Population. 

500,600 

Burghs. 

41 


Families. 

109,046 

Villages. 

3,271 


Population  for  every  Ger- 
man Square  Mile. 

1,611 

Hamlets. 

7,985 


Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 
Catholics  ......  477,300 

Lutherans  ......  20,500 

Jews  .......  2,800 

Places  of  Education. 

University  ......  1 

Lyceum  ......  1 

Normal  school  ...... 

Seminaries  ......  2 

Boarding  schools  for  girls  .....  2 

Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  that  have  not  been  described. 

Trauenstein  ......  3,330 

Landsberg 
Laufen 
Reichenhall 
Rosenheim 


Wasserburg 


2,739 

2,539 

2,395 

2,240 

2,100 


B.  CIRCLE  OF  THE  LOWER  DANUBE, 

DIVIDED  INTO  NINETEEN  COURTS  OR  JUSTICES. 


Surface  in  German 
Square  Miles. 

197 

Towns. 

12 


Population. 

355,200 

Burghs. 

46 


Families. 

77,157 

Villages. 

2,048 


Population  for  every  Ger- 
man Square  Mile. 

1,800 

Hamlets. 

7,028 


Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 
Catholics  .......  349,500 

Lutherans  ......  1,600 

Jews  ......  4,100 


Gymnasiums 
Different  seminaries 


Places  of  Education. 


Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  that  have  not  been  described. 

Deggendorf  ......  2,557 

Burghausen  ......  2,042 

C.  CIRCLE  OF  THE  REGEN, 

DIVIDED  INTO  TWENTY  COURTS  OR  JUSTICES. 

Surface  in  German  Population  for  every 

Square  Miles.  Population.  Families.  German  Sq.  Mile. 

194  364,800  79,422  1,874 

Towns.  Burghs.  Villages  and  Hamlets. 

28  66  3,160 


Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 


Catholics  .... 

Lutherans  .... 

Jews  ..... 

Places  of  Education. 
Lyceums  ... 

Gymnasiums  . . . 

Colleges 

Polytechnic  school  ( Realschule ) 

Preparatory  schools  , . 

Normal  school  . . . 

Different  schools  . . . 


320,600 

37,000 

7,200 


Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  that  have  not  been  described. 
Neumarkt  ......  4,075 


Sulzbach 

Kelheim 


3,690 

2,509 


D.  CIRCLE  OF  THE  UPPER  MAINE, 


DIVIDED  INTO  THIRTY-FOUR  COURTS  OR  JUSTICES. 


Surface  in  German 
Square  Miles. 

186 

Towns. 

37 


Population. 

475,100 


Families. 

103,488 


Population  for  every 
German  Sq.  Mile. 

2,548 


Burghs. 

72 


Villages  and  Hamlets. 

2,271 


Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 

Catholics 228,800 

Lutherans  ......  201,300 


Calvinists 

Jews 


Places  of  Education. 


Lyceum 

Gymnasiums 

Colleges 

Preparatory  Latin  schools 
Normal  school 


200 

8,000 


Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  that  have  not  been  described. 

Kronach 
Wunsiedel 
Forchheim 
Selb 

Munchberg 
Lichtenfels 
Weiden 


3,885 

3,845 

3,535 

2,730 

2,700 

2,620 

2,600 


E.  CIRCLE  OF  THE  REZAT, 

DIVIDED  INTO  TWENTY-NINE  COURTS  OR  JUSTICES. 


Surface  in  German 
Square  Miles. 

143 

Towns. 

42 


Population. 

530,800 


Families. 

115,409 


Population  for  every 
German  Sq.  Mile. 

3,702 


Burghs. 

55 


Villages  and  Hamlets. 
2,004 


Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 


Catholics 

Lutherans 

Calvinists 

Jews 


Places  of  Education. 


University  . . 

Gymnasiums  . . 

Colleges  . . 

Preparatory  Latin  schools 
Different  seminaries 
Normal  school 


109,700 

410,000 

100 

11,000 


1 

2 

2 

2 

12 

1 


Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  that  have  not  been  described. 


Weissenburg 

Windsheim 

Roth 

Lauf 

CEttingen 

Altdoif 

Neustadt  on  the  Aisch 

Feuchtwang 

Gunzenhausen 

Herrsbruck 

Iphofen 

Wemding 

W assertrudingen 

Uffenheim  . 

Herrogenaurach 

Pappenheim 


5,005 

3.565 
3,185 
3,160 
3,065 
3,060 
3,040 
2,855 

2.565 
2,520 
2,482 
2,330 
2,250 
2,100 
2,000 
2,000 


28  EUROF 

F.  CIRCLE  OF  THE  LOWER  MAINE, 

DIVIDED  INTO  FORTY-SEVEN  COURTS  OR  JUSTICES. 

Surface  in  German  Population  for  every 

Square  miles.  Population.  Families.  German  Sq.  Mile. 

155  491,100  105,733  3,154 

Towns  Burghs.  Villages  and  Hamlets. 

44  55  1,188 

Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 

Catholics  . .....  407,300 

Lutherans  . .....  75,000 

Tews  . . ...  . . . 8,800 

Places  of  Education. 

University  ......  1 

Lyceum  ......  1 

Gymnasiums  ......  3 

Colleges  ......  3 

Preparatory  schools  .....  6 

Boarding  schools  .....  3 

School  for  foresters  .....  1 

Normal  school  .....  1 

Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  that  have  not  been  described. 

Lohr  .....  . 3,780 

Orb  3,549 

Amorbach  ......  3,375 

Heidingsfeld  ......  2,995 

Miltenberg  ......  2,880 

Ochsenfurt  ......  2,468 

Hassfurt  ......  2,439 

Gerolzhofen  ......  2,380 

Mellrichstadt 2,290 

Neustadt  on  the  Saale  .....  2,221 

Arnstein  . . . . . . 2,135 

Dettelbach  . . . . . . 2,132 

G.  CIRCLE  OF  THE  DANUBE. 

DIVIDED  INTO  THIRTY-TWO  COURTS  OR  JUSTICES. 

Surface  in  German  Papulation  for  every 

Square  Miles.  Population.  Families.  German  Sq.  Mile. 

171  510,100  111,126  2,970 

Towns.  Burghs.  Villages  and  Hamlets. 

23  . 47  1,778 

Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 
Catholics  ......  483,300 

Lutherans  ......  25,800 

Calvinists  ......  900 

Jews  .......  2,100 

Places  of  Education. 

Lyceum  ......  1 

Gymnasiums  ......  4 

Boarding  schools  .....  2 

Ecclesiastical  seminary  .....  1 

Preparatory  Latin  schools  ....  7 

Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  that  have  not  been  described. 
Neuburg  ......  6,900 

Lauingen  ......  5,460 

Kaufbeuren  ......  4,705 

Gunzburg  ......  3,805 

Gundelfingen  ......  3,675 

Dillingen  ......  3,610 

Hoechstedt  .....  3,150 

Burgau  ......  2,285 

Friedberg  ......  2,144 

Mindelheim  . . . . . . 2,115 

Fussen  ......  2,000 

II.  CIRCLE  OF  THE,  RHINE, 

DIVIDED  INTO  TWELVE  DEPARTMENTS  AND  THIRTY-ONE  DISTRICTS.0- 

Surface  in  German  Population  for  every 

Square  Miles.  Population.  Families.  German  Sq.  Mile. 

140  403,100 b 87,815  2,878 

'E.  [BOOK  CXX11L 

Towns.  Burghs.  Villages  and  Hamlets. 

28  16  665 

Division  of  the  Inhabitants  according  to  their  Religion. 

Catholics  ....  . 120,000 

Lutherans  ......  207,690 

Calvinists  .......  60,000 

Mennonites  ......  710 

Jews  .......  6,700 

Places  of  Education. 

Lyceum  ...  . . 1 

Gymnasiums  ......  2 

Colleges  ......  5 

Preparatory  Latin  schools  ....  5 

Normal  school  ......  1 

Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  that  have  not  been  described,  and  of 
some  large  Burghs  and  Villages. 

TOWNS. 

Neustadt  on  the  Hardt  ....  4,805 

Durkheim  (Id.)  .....  3,790 

Deidesheim  ......  3,015 

Kirchheim-Poland  .....  2,510 

Bergzabern  ......  2,324 

Wachenheim  ......  2,200 

Annweilder  ......  2,196 

He.r.burg  ......  2,157 

Otterberg  ...  . 2,000 

BURGHS. 

Edenkoben  . ....  4,025 

Mutterstadt  ......  2,140 

VILLAGES. 

Hassloch  ......  3,560 

Kandel  ......  3,097 

Herxheim  .....  2,868 

Kalsburg  ......  2,100 

Leiinersheim  ......  2,029 

BUDGET 

OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  BAVARIA  IN  1825,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  ACCOUNTS 
PRESENTED  TO  THE  CHAMBERS. 

Revenue. 

Direct  taxes  .....  8,900,000  florins. 

Indirect  taxes  .....  9,100,000 

Revenue  from  the  royal  fiefs,  &c.  . . 5,160,000 

Royal  duties  .....  3,950,000 

Receipts  in  arrear  ....  1,590,000 

Different  receipts  , . . . . 2,600,000 

31,300,000 

Expenditure. 

Sinking  fund  .....  8,354,000  florins. 

Charges  of  the  household  and  the  court  . . 2,745,000 

chambers  . . . 52,600 

Administration  of  the  household  and  foreign  affairs  570,000 

justice  . . . 1,732,000 

the  interior  . . . 1,300,664 

finances  ...  1,011,600 

Public  instruction  ....  735,148 

Clergy 1,251,172 

Hospitals  .....  118,851 

Roads  and  bridges  ....  1,300,000 

Army  ...  ...  7,880,000 

27,051,535 

Royal  establishments  ....  4,195,936 

31,247,471 

National  debt. 

In  1820  it  amounted  to  . . . . 110,876,084  florins 

In  1824  to 110,781,740 

Reduction  in  four  years  . . . 94,344 

° “ 12  commissariats,  31  cantons.”  See  note  (')  p.  705. 
b According  to  M.  Kolb  : Neu.  Geog.  Ephemer.  Weimar,  1825.  The 
population  of  the  circle  amounts  to  448,917  inhabitants  and  89,000  families. 

In  general,  to  ascertain  the  population  of  Bavaria  in  1827,  it  is  necessary 
to  add  a twelfth  to  the  numbers  given  by  Hassel  for  1822,  a rule,  which 
mav  be  followed  in  the  detailed  account  of  each  circle. 

book  cxxiv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


BOOK  CXXIV. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Germany. — Eighth  Section. — Territories 
and  Free  Towns  of  Bremen,  Hamburg,  Lubeck  and 
Frankfort  on  the  Maine. 

An  account  shall  be  given  in  the  present  book,  of  the 
territories  and  towns  that  have  continued  free,  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  changes  introduced  into  the  political  divisions  of 
Germany,  by  the  ambition  of  conquerors,  and  the  intrigues 
of  cabinets.  Before  we  cross  the  mountains,  which  sepa- 
rate Bavaria  from  Bohemia,  before  we  describe  the  pro- 
vinces of  the  Austrian  empire,  it  is  necessary  to  examine 
the  remains  of  that  federative  power,  which  possessed  for 
several  centuries,  so  much  influence  in  the  affairs  of  Ger- 
many. 

Industry  and  commerce  are  so  favourable  to  civilization 
by  the  wealth  they  diffuse,  and  by  the  spirit  of  independ- 
ence they  produce,  that  wherever  they  exist,  wherever  they 
flourish,  freedom  triumphs  sooner  or  later  over  every  ob- 
stacle. In  the  middle  ages,  the  principal  towns  in  Germany, 
subject  to  the  empire,  were  governed  by  bishops,  dukes  and 
counts,  who  often  endeavoured  to  destroytheir  independence. 
Worms  and  Cologne  proved  their  attachment  to  the  emperor 
Henry  the  Fourth,  by  embracing  his  cause  against  the  au- 
thority of  their  bishops. a Their  conduct  determined  the 
crown  to  increase  the  number  of  freemen  by  granting  to  the 
working  classes  in  those  cities,  the  right,  which  at  the  time 
was  considered  a privilege,  of  being  exempted  from  the 
custom  then  prevailing,  by  which  the  bishops  and  lords, 
who  possessed  the  temporal  authority,  inherited  the  movea- 
ble property  of  the  lower  orders,  or  at  least  as  much  of  it  as 
they  pleased.  Other  towns  obtained  successively  the  same 
advantages ; not  long  afterwards,  they  purchased  the  right 
of  choosing  their  own  magistrates,  and  also  of  sending  depu- 
ties to  support  their  interests  in  the  Germanic  diets.b 

These  immunities  or  privileges,  which  distinguished  the 
imperial  towns  from  the  other  cities,  were  at  first  only  con- 
ferred on  the  persons  who  inhabited  within  their  walls.  But 
the  peasants,  being  naturally  anxious  for  some  security 
against  the  oppression  of  their  lords,  bought  the  right  of 
settling  under  the  walls,  between  the  ditches  and  palisades  ; 
they  were  therefore  called  pfahlbiirger  or  burgesses  of  the 
palisades,  and  their  houses,  crowded  round  the  walls,  were 
in  course  of  time  denominated  suburbs.0  d The  towns  ex- 
tended gradually  the  limits  of  their  jurisdiction  to  a consi- 
derable distance  from  their  ramparts.  As  many  as  settled 
in  their  territory,  enjoyed  the  privileges  of  citizens,  under 
the  name  of  ausburger,  or  outer  burgesses  ; hence  the  ori- 

a Schmidt,  tome  III.  page  239.  b Ibid.,  tome  VI.  p.  31. 

c Pfahlburg  (Germ.,)  whence  the  French  faubourg. 
d Schmidt,  tome  IV.  VI.  Pfeffel,  page  402.  Ducange,  Glossar. 
e Forty  vessels,  on  board  of  which  were  12,000  soldiers.  “Montes  pat- 
12, 000  soldats.”  M.B.  “ Garnis  de  douze  mille  homines  de  guerre.”  Moreri. 


gin  of  free  towns,  possessing  territories  equally  free,  and 
forming  small  independent  states.  So  many  advantages 
made  the  nobles  still  more  jealous  of  the  imperial  cities.  If 
it  be  difficult  to  obtain  freedom,  it  is  still  more  so  to  preserve 
it.  Although  the  towns  rivalled  each  other  in  commerce 
and  industry,  they  found  it  necessary  to  unite  and  to  form 
a sort  of  federative  state,  that  they  might  be  better  able 
to  resist  the  power  of  the  bishops  and  lords,  who  denied 
their  rights  to  be  valid,  because  they  had  been  acquired  by 
purchase.  Compelled  by  the  usurpations  and  oppressive 
authority  of  the  independent  nobles  in  Germany,  more  than 
sixty  towns  formed  a confederation  on  the  Rhine  m the 
year  1255. 

The  origin  of  the  Hanseatic  league,  may  be  attributed  to 
similar  causes,  although  its  object  was  to  promote  the  com- 
merce of  some  imperial  towns.  The  old  German  word 
hanse,  which  signifies  an  alliance,  did  not  merely  indicate 
the  intention  of  facilitating  commercial  transactions  between 
the  different  towns,  but  of  resisting  the  princes  on  the 
coasts  of  the  Baltic,  and  maintaining  a free  navigation  on 
that  sea.  The  league  dates  from  the  year  1164,  and  Bre- 
men was  the  first  town  that  planned  and  executed  the  pro- 
ject. The  wealth  acquired  by  the  alliance  was  so  great, 
that  many  trading  towns  in  different  countries  entered  into 
the  league ; among  the  number,  might  be  mentioned  Ant- 
werp, Amsterdam  and  several  other  ports  in  Holland,  Calais, 
Rouen,  Bordeaux  and  other  towns  in  France,  and  lastly, 
Cadiz,  Lisbon,  Naples  and  London.  But  this  gigantic 
confederation  was  gradually  reduced  to  a few  maritime 
towns  on  the  Baltic.  The  Hanseatic  union,  founded  for 
commercial  purposes,  became  a great  naval  power  ; it  had 
its  fleets  and  armies,  which  were  formidable  to  the  kings  of 
Denmark.  It  blockaded  Copenhagen  in  the  fourteenth 
century,  and  forced  Waldemar  the  Third  to  give  up  the 
province  of  Schonen  to  the  confederation.  Forty  vessels*, 
manned  with  good  seamen  and  twelve  hundred  soldiers,6 
sailed  on  an  expedition  against  Eric,  king  of  Denmark,  in 
1428.  The  league  assisted  Brunswick  in  1 61 5,  at  that  time 
invested  by  its  duke,  who  was  compelled  to  raise  the  siege. f 
The  grand  master  of  the  Teutonic  order,  Sweden  and  Den- 
mark, were  at  different  times,  protectors  of  the  league  ; but 
it  lost  at  last  its  energy  and  its  power  ; the  causes,  which 
had  led  to  its  formation,  ceased  gradually  to  exist ; its  com- 
merce still  remained,  but  its  armies  were  useless.  The 
number  of  Hanseatic  towns  at  the  commencement  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  was  reduced  to  six,  namely,  Bremen, 

The  Hanseatic  fleet  employed  against  Eric,  king  of  Denmark,  in  1428, 
consisted  of  250  ships,  containing  about  12,000  regular  troops,  besides  the 
seamen.  Rees’  Cyc.  art.  Hanse. — P. 

f Heiss,  History  of  the  Empire,  book  VI. 


EUROPE. 


30 

Lubeck,  Hamburg,  Rostock,  Dantzic  and  Cologne.  They 
retained  however  only  an  empty  title  ; they  had  no  alliance 
to  maintain.  At  present,  Bremen,  Hamburg  and  Lubeck 
are  only  considered  as  free  towns,  possessing  separate  go- 
vernments. 

As  the  assemblies  of  the  ancient  Hanseatic  league  were 
held  in  Bremen,  it  ought  perhaps  on  that  account  to  be  first 
described.  It  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Weser  and  the 
Wiimme,  at  thirty  leagues  from  the  sea.  It  must  have  been 
a place  of  some  importance  about  the  end  of  the  eighth 
century,  when  Charlemagne  made  it  the  capital  of  an  archi- 
episcopal  see  ; it  contains  at  present  five  thousand  three 
hundred  and  sixty  houses,  and  thirty-eight  thousand  inha- 
bitants, at  least  two  thirds  of  whom  are  Calvinists.  The 
cathedral  is  reserved  for  those  who  adhere  to  the  Augsburg 
confession,  and  the  Calvinists  have  four  parish  churches. 
The  principal  seminary  is  a gymnasium  for  the  children  of 
Lutherans  and  Calvinists  ; there  are  besides  other  schools,  a 
library  and  a museum  of  natural  history.  The  public  build- 
ings are,  the  observatory  of  Dr.  Olbers,  who  was  born  in 
the  town,  the  exchange,  the  chamber  of  commerce,  and  the 
townhouse,  an  edifice  remarkable  not  only  for  its  curious 
architecture,  but  also  for  its  cellars,  in  which  are  contained 
an  immense  quantity  of  the  finest  Rhenish  wines.  Bremen 
is  divided  into  the  old  and  new  town  ; the  first  is  gloomy  and 
ill  built ; the  second,  which  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of 
ihe  Weser,  contains  some  regular  streets  and  modern 
houses  ; the  old  fortifications  of  the  town  are  now  changed 
into  public  walks. 

The  manufactures  are  linen,  camlet,  cloth,  hats,  worsted 
stockings,  tobacco,  oil  and  glass.  The  art  of  refining  sugar 
is  well  understood,  and  the  beer  is  reckoned  to  be  better 
than  any  other  in  Germany.  But  the  wealth  of  Bremen 
depends  not  so  much  on  its  manufactures  as  on  its  com- 
merce. The  many  advantages  of  its  situation  render  it 
the  mart  of  all  the  merchandise  that  descends  the  Weser ; 
indeed  it  was  considered,  after  Hamburg,  one  of  the  most 
important  acquisitions,  which  the  French  made  under  the 
imperial  government ; it  then  became  the  capital  of  the  de- 
partment of  the  Mouths  of  the  Weser.  It  carries  on  a 
great  trade  in  the  herring,  salmon  and  whale  fisheries  : 
eleven  of  its  vessels  were  sent  to  the  herring  fishery  in 
1817.  The  linens  and  cottons  prepared  in  its  bleachfields, 
are  purchased  in  different  parts  of  Germany,  to  the  amount 
of  five  millions  of  rixdollars  annually.  It  gives  in  exchange 
for  these  and  other  articles,  French  and  Spanish  wines,  and 
different  kinds  of  colonial  produce.  The  number  of  vessels 
that  enter  its  port  every  year  exceeds  a thousand.  Banks 
and  maritime  insurance  offices  have  been  established  to  facili- 
tate and  encourage  its  commerce  ; its  revenues  amount  to 
four  hundred  thousand  florins. 

The  territory  belonging  to  it  contains  ten  thousand  inha- 
bitants, and  the  extent  of  surface  is  little  more  than  fifty 
English  square  miles  ;a  in  that  small  space  are  situated  the 
burgh  of  Vegesack,  and  thirty-five  villages  or  hamlets. 
The  same  burgh  and  Elsfleth  in  the  dutchy  of  Oldenburg 
serve  as  ports  for  Bremen.  But  as  large  vessels  cannot 
even  enter  these  small  ports,  which  are  at  some  leagues 
from  the  sea,  all  the  goods  are  conveyed  to  the  town  in 
boats. 

Bremen  is  governed  by  a council  composed  of  four 
mayors,  two  syndics  and  twenty-four  counsellors,  seven- 

* “ Superficial  extent,  10  leagues”  Fr. — 77  Eng.  sq.  miles.  (Morse.) 

b Stein’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.) 


[BOOK  CXXIV. 

teen  of  whom  are  lawyers,  and  the  remaining  seven,  mer- 
chants. Calvinists  only  are  admitted  into  the  council ; 
indeed  the  exclusive  system  has  been  carried  so  far,  that 
Lutherans  cannot  hold  civil  employments.b  Thus,  al- 
though the  magistrates  may  be  upright  men,  the  laws  are 
oppressive,  and  many  inhabitants  are  deprived  of  what  may 
be  considered  their  just  rights.  The  government  of  the 
town  and  territory  is  vested  in  the  council,  and  the  revenue 
is  committed  to  its  management ; it  presides  over  the  ad- 
ministration of  justice,  and  whenever,  matters  of  importance 
render  it  necessary,  calls  together  the  leading  and  influen- 
tial citizens,  who,  although  they  meet  at  no  stated  periods, 
form  a sort  of  legislative  assembly. 

It  may  be  remarked  in  proof  of  the  patriotism  which 
prevails  in  this  small  republic,  that  all  the  citizens  capable 
of  bearing  arms  are  divided  into  different  classes.  The 
men  from  twenty-six  to  thirty-five  years  of  age  form  three 
battalions.  The  officers  of  government  are  only  exempted, 
if  their  duties  are  incompatible  with  the  military  service. 
The  men  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  years  of  age,  make  up 
another  battalion,  the  only  one  which  is  equipped  at  the 
expense  of  the  state.  The  town  has  no  other  troops  than 
this  sort  of  national  guard  ; it  is,  however,  obliged  to 
furnish  four  hundred  and  eighty-five  men  to  the  Germanic 
confederation. 

Hamburg  was  considered  one  of  the  most  commercial 
towns  of  Europe,  when  it  was  united  to  the  French  em- 
pire in  1810,  and  made  the  capital  of  the  department  of 
the  Mouths  of  the  Elbe.  It  contained  at  that  time  a popu- 
lation of  a hundred  and  seven  thousand  inhabitants.  The 
lands  in  the  neighbourhood,  covered  with  country  houses, 
plantations  and  cultivated  fields,  might  have  been  compar- 
ed to  an  extensive  and  magnificent  garden,  which  the 
course  of  the  Elbe,  and  many  picturesque  views,  served  to 
embellish.  When  France  had  to  resist  a powerful  league 
in  1813,  Hamburg,  which  owed  its  wealth  and  resources 
to  its  commerce,  was  suddenly  changed  into  an  imposing 
fortress.  So  great  was  the  extent  of  the  military  works, 
that  the  lofty  trees  which  shaded  the  public  walks,  the 
country  houses  that  proclaimed  the  wealth  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, as  well  as  the  humble  cottage  of  the  peasant,  and  the 
gardens,  hedges  and  inclosures,  were  all  destroyed  to  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  walls.  A considerable  pail 
of  the  suburbs  was  levelled  with  the  ground,  and  the  losses 
which  the  inhabitants  then  sustained,  were  estimated,  ac- 
cording to  a very  moderate  calculation,  at  £3,000,000. 
But  the  various  articles  which  were  not  taken  into  account, 
the  merchandise  that  was  spoiled,  the  ships  that  were  da- 
maged, the  buildings  that  were  destroyed,  made  the  whole 
equal  to  at  least  £4,000,000.  The  wants  of  the  French 
army  obliged  the  general  who  commanded  it,  to  dispose  of 
more  than  7,500,000  marcs0  taken  from  the  funds  of  the 
Hamburg  bank.  By  a treaty  concluded  in  1 S 1 6,  the 
French  government  agree'd  to  pay  Hamburg  the  sum  of 
£500,000.d  Peace,  by  affording  encouragement  to  com- 
merce, has  restored  the  city  to  its  ancient  prosperity,  and 
now  since  it  has  recovered  its  independence,  vessels  from 
every  nation  may  enter  its  harbour.  It  did  not  contain 
more  than  sixty  thousand  inhabitants  in  1 SI 4 ; their  num- 
ber at  present  is  at  least  a hundred  and  ten  thousand.  Of 
these  the  Catholics  amount  to  two  thousand,  the  Calvinists 
to  four  thousand,  the  Mennonites  to  five  hundred,  and  the 

c The  marc  of  Hamburg  is  Is.  6 d.  sterling. 

d “ 10,000,000  francs.” 


» 

book  cxxiv.]  DESCRIPTIO 

Jews  to  six  thousand  ; the  other  inhabitants  adhere  to  the 
Augsburg  confession. 

Although  the  town,  in  proportion  to  its  size,  may  be 
considered  one  of  the  most  wealthy  in  Europe,  the  public 
buildings  are  very  ordinary;  two,  however,  are  worthy  of 
particular  notice,  namely,  the  exchange  and  the  church  of  St. 
Michael ; the  steeple  of  the  last  of  which  rises  four  hundred 
feet  above  the  ground  ; but  even  these  edifices  are  merely 
remarkable  on  account  of  their  positions  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  narrow  and  dirty  streets,  brick  houses,  and  buildings 
which  recal  the  period  of  Charlemagne,  who  is  believed  to 
have  been  the  founder  of  Hamburg.  The  only  public  walk 
within  the  town,  is  formed  by  a range  of  trees,  planted  near 
a large  basin,  called  the  Binex-Jllster.  Dense  crowds  fre- 
quent the  public  walk  in  the  summer  evenings,  and  the 
number  of  vessels  that  cover  the  basin,  give  it  the  appear- 
ance ot  a floating  city.  After  London  and  Amsterdam, 
Hamburg  is  the  most  commercial  town  in  Europe  ; the  in- 
habitants are  affluent ; numerous  equipages  are  seen  on  its 
streets;  the  utmost  activity  prevails  in  the  harbour  from 
morning  until  two  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  at  that  hour 
merchants  of  every  description  repair  to  the  exchange.  The 
interior  of  the  houses  corresponds  with  the  wealth  of  the 
inhabitants,  which  is  displayed  in  the  ornaments  of  dress, 
and  in  the  luxury  and  magnificence  of  the  table.  In  Ham- 
burg little  deference  is  paid  to  rank  or  antiquity  of  family ; 
a man  is  estimated  by  the  importance  and  extent  of  his  mer- 
cantile transactions.  The  spirit  of  commerce  seems  to 
pervade  every  individual ; in  the  theatre  and  in  the  draw- 
ing-room,  in  balls  and  every  other  place  of  amusement, 
trade,  the  course  of  exchange,  and  mercantile  speculations 
are  the  subject  of  conversation.  Thus,  there  are  few  cities 
where  the  arts  are  so  little  cultivated  or  so  little  appreciated; 
in  the  account  of  the  most  insignificant  towns  in  Germany, 
mention  has  been  made  ot  scientific  collections,  museums, 
and  libraries,  but  if  strangers  look  for  similar  collections  at 
all  worthy  of  such  a place  as  Hamburg,  they  will  be  disap- 
pointed. The  books  in  the  public  library  are  not  valuable 
or  numerous,  the  museum  of  natural  history  belonging  to 
the  patriotic  society  contains  nothing  in  any  way  remark- 
able, and  it  might  be  difficult  to  enumerate  more  than  a very 
few  individuals  who  devote  part  of  their  time  to  literature  or 
science.  These  remarks,  however,  are  less  applicable  to  the 
places  ol  education  ; the  number  is  perhaps  sufficient  for 
the  wants,  certainly  for  the  tastes  and  pursuits  of  the  inha- 
bitants. The  principal  schools  are  a gymnasium,  a com- 
mercial seminary,  a drawing  and  naval  academy ; in  addi- 
tion to  these  might  be  mentioned  a pharmaceutical  seminary 
and  different  gratuitous  schools.11 

Although  no  mendicants  are  seen  in  the  streets,  yet  it  is 
said  that  there  are  no  less  than  twelve  thousand  paupers  in 
the  town  ; so  great  a number  need  hardly  excite  surprise, 
it  it  be  recollected  that  even  the  necessaries  of  life  are  much 
dearer  than  in  other  parts  of  Germany.  The  expenses  of 
the  work-houses  and  hospitals  are  defrayed  by  the  town. 
Asylums  have  been  erected  for  lunatics,  infirmaries  for  the 
sick,  and  establishments  for  the  restoration  of  suspended 
animation  and  tor  the  reception  of  those  who  are  attacked 
with  contagious  fevers.  Vaccination  has  also  met  with 
great  encouragement.  Not  only  merchandise,  houses  and 

>N  OF  GERMANY.  31 

other  kinds  of  property,  but  lives  are  insured.  The  life 
insurance  company  had  in  its  coffers  some  years  ago,  a re- 
serve of  1,200,000  marcs  banco,  or  .£200, 000, b to  enable 
it  to  pay  to  the  heirs  of  the  insured,  the  capitals  or  incomes 
stipulated  in  their  contracts. 

The  people  in  Hamburg  are  divided  into  three  distinct 
classes,  the  real  burgesses,  the  petty  burgesses,  and  the  fo- 
reign inhabitants.0  The  real  burgesses  enjoy  all  the  rights 
of  citizens  ; they  only  are  eligible  to  the  different  offices  in 
the  state,  and  are  permitted  the  free  exercise  of  every  sort 
of  industry,  and  they  are  even  exempt  from  paying  duty  on 
different  goods  that  arrive  in  Hamburg  vessels.  The 
petty  burgesses  can  only  exercise  certain  kinds  of  industry, 
and  they  pay  a yearly  tax  of  one  thaler  for  the  protection 
which  is  granted  to  them.  The  foreign  inhabitants  are  also 
liable  to  an  annual  contribution,  but  as  soon  as  they  are  ad- 
mitted, they  must  pay  fifty  thalers,  if  they  engage  in  com- 
merce, and  forty,  it  they  are  artisans.  Strangers  cannot 
acquire  property  either  within  the  town  or  territory  of  Ham- 
burg, unless  it  be  in  the  name  of  a burgess. 

The  Jews  do  not  enjoy  the  rights  of  citizens,  but  they 
may  possess  houses  in  certain  parts  of  the  town.  Although 
the  right  of  citizenship  is  not  hereditary,  yet  the  sons  of 
burgesses  are  entitled  to  some  privileges,  and  they  do  not 
pay  so  great  a sum  as  others  for  their  admission.  It  was 
not  before  the  year  1814,  that  the  Christians  who  did  not 
embrace  the  Augsburg  confession,  were  allowed  to  become 
burgesses,  or  to  hold  offices  in  the  state  ; they  are  still  ex- 
cluded from  the  council. 

The  form  of  government  is,  as  Stein  calls  it,  aristo-de - 
mocratic , the  sovereignty  is  vested  in  the  council  and  in 
the  burgesses ; the  former  consists  of  thirty-six  members, 
amongst  whom  are  included  three  mayors  and  eleven  ma- 
gistrates.'1 The  burgesses  are  represented  by  deputies,  le- 
gally elected,  and  by  hereditary  burgesses.  The  last  are 
the  most  wealthy  and  influential  of  the  inhabitants. 

Although  Hamburg  is  a fortified  town,  the  military  esta- 
blishment is  not  great ; the  contingent  to  the  confederation 
has  been  limited  to  thirteen  hundred  men,e  and  a numerous 
national  guard  serves  to  defend  the  town  and  territory. 
Magistrates,  clergymen,  schoolmasters,  physicians  and  sur- 
geons are  exempt  from  the  military  service  ; all  the  other 
men  in  Hamburg,  from  the  age  of  twenty  to  forty-six,  must 
enter  the  national  guard,  except  under  peculiar  circum- 
stances. 

The  revenues  collected  in  the  town  and  territory,  vary 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  millions  of  florins.  Of  all  the 
imposts  established  by  the  French  government,  the  stamps 
and  excise  are  only  continued  ; these  indirect  contribu- 
tions, though  very  moderate,  yield  on  an  average  a monthly 
revenue  of  sixty  thousand  marcs ; government  may  thus, 
without  burdening  the  people,  pay  the  interest  of  the 
national  debt,  which  amounted  in  1810,  to  fifty-two  millions 
of  marcs. 

Many  branches  of  industry  are  carried  on  in  Hamburg  ; 
there  were  a few  years  ago  forty  sugar  refineries,  ten  cotton 
printing  establishments,  which  furnished  employment  to 
more  than  fifteen  hundred  workmen,  twenty-five  wire  mills 
many  leather  and  soap  works,  more  than  a hundred  velvet 
and  silk  looms,  and  several  manufactories  of  gold  and  silvei 

a Hamburg  possesses  a gymnasium,  several  gratuitous  schools  of  draw- 
ing, navigation  and  different  trades,  a commercial  academy,  and  a pharma- 
ceutical society.”  M.  B — A gymnasium,  a Latin  school,  a commercial  aca- 
demy, a drawing  school,  and  several  parochial  schools.  (Hassel.V- P 
b “ 1,070,000  marcs  banco,  01  1 900,000  francs.”  ' 

c Stein’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.) 

d The  council  consists  of  4 burgomasters,  24  councillors,  4 syndics  an 
4 secretaries  or  clerks.  Ed.  Encyc. 

e “ Contingent  about  1300  men” — 1298  (Hassel.) 

32 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXIV 


lace,  as  well  as  of  fine  and  coarse  linen.  The  dried  meat, 
known  by  the  name  of  Hamburg  beef,  which  forms  a great 
article  of  exportation,  is  cured  within  its  walls.  More  than 
twenty  copper  and  brass  founderies  are  situated  in  its  ter- 
ritory or  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  But  the  produce  of  its 
manufacturing  industry,  however  great,  becomes  insignifi- 
cant when  compared  with  its  foreign  commerce. 

It  possesses  more  than  two  hundred  ships,  which  carry 
its  merchandise  to  the  ports  of  neighbouring  nations,  and 
even  to  Portugal.  It  often  sends  considerable  fleets  to  the 
whale  fishery,  and  the  number  of  vessels  that  enter  or  leave 
its  port  every  year,  amounts  to  more  than  twelve  hundred. 
It  carries  on  a very  great  trade  in  colonial  produce  ; the 
reader  may  form  some  notion  of  its  importance  from  the 
documents  contained  in  the  tables  at  the  end  of  this  book. 
It  is  one  of  the  greatest  marts  for  sugar  and  coffee  of  any 
town  in  Europe  ; the  inhabitants  themselves  consume  an 
immense  quantity  ; it  has  been  estimated  at  no  less  than 
10,000,000  pounds  annually,  so  that  the  proportion  for 
every  individual,  amounts  to  more  than  ninety  pounds. 

The  town  is  better  fortified  on  the  side  of  the  land  than 
towards  the  sea.  A basin  formed  by  a branch  of  the  Elbe, 
serves  as  a place  of  anchorage  for  fresh  water  boats,  and  a 
road  twenty  feet  in  depth  for  larger  vessels  ; the  goods  and 
merchandise  are  transported  into  the  different  store-houses, 
along  the  canals,  which  traverse  the  old  town.  Although 
a dike  has  been  built  along  the  river,  Hamburg  has  been 
more  than  once  inundated;  in  the  year  1771,  the  waters 
broke  through  their  barrier,  and  covered  a great  part  of  the 
neighbourhood  and  almost  all  the  town  ; in  1790,  the  wa- 
ters of  the  Elbe  rose' more  than  twenty  feet  in  the  course 
of  a single  night.  * 

Hamburg  and  its  territory  form  a surface  of  a hundred 
and  two  square  miles  ;a  in  the  territory  are  situated  a small 
town,  two  burghs,  thirteen  villages  and  fifty  hamlets,  the 
population  of  which  is  equal  to  20,000  souls. 

The  territory  of  Lubeck  is  enclosed  in  the  dutchy  of 
Holstein  ; it  contains  two  towns,  and  seventy-nine  villages 
and  hamlets.  The  extent  of  surface  does  not  exceed 
ninety  square  miles,6  and  the  population  amounts  to  forty- 
three  thousand  individuals. 

Lubeck,  the  capital,  contains  nearly  twenty-six  thousand 
inhabitants.  It  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  three  rivers, 
the  Trave,  the  W ackenitz  and  the  Steckenitz,  which,  at  the 
distance  of  three  leagues,  throw  themselves  into  a gulf,  that 
bears  the  name  of  the  town.  Few  cities  are  more  advan- 
tageously situated  than  Lubeck,  for  the  Baltic  trade.  Built 
in  the  twelfth  century  by  the  emperor  Conrad  the  Third,0 
or  as  others  affirm,  by  Godeschalk,  king  of  the  Heruli  or 
Obotriti,  in  the  year  1066,  it  became  a century  afterwards, 
the  seat  of  a bishopric,  which  before  that  time  had  been  es- 
tablished at  Oldenburg.  It  was  several  times  destroyed  by 
the  Danes,  and  as  often  rebuilt  by  its  inhabitants.  Wearied 
by  the  assaults  to  which  it  was  exposed  from  its  barbarous 
neighbours,  it  put  itself,  at  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  under  the  protection  of  Frederick  the  Second,  who 
declared  it  a free  and  imperial  city.  It  entered  at  a later 
period  into  the  number  of  Hanseatic  towns,  and  maintained 
lor  a long  time  a considerable  influence  in  the  affairs  of  the 

» “ 17  sq.  leagues”  Fr. — 133  Eng.  sq.  miles.  (Morse.) 

*>  “Superficial  extent,  15  sq.  leagues”  Fr. 

c Built  A.  D.  1144,  by  Adolphus  II.  Count  of  Holstein-Schaumburg 
during  the  reign  oFConrad  III.  Conv.  Lex. — P. 

d “ Arrondissement.”  6 Burgomasters. 

1 “ Lubeck  possesses  a gymnasium,  several  boarding  schools,  a commer- 


league.  In  1810,  it  was  united  to  the  French  empire,  and 
became  the  metropolis  of  a district11  in  the  department  of  the 
Mouths  of  the  Elbe  ; its  privileges  as  a free  town  were  re- 
stored three  years  afterwards. 

The  government  is  vested  in  a supreme  council  com- 
posed of  four  mayors®  and  sixteen  counsellors,  who  are 
chosen  from  the  most  influential  inhabitants.  The  spirit 
of  independence,  the  result  of  commerce,  may  have 
prompted  the  people  to  embrace  the  Augsburg  confession 
at  the  commencement  of  the  reformation  ; but  it  is  rather 
commercial  rivalry  than  concern  about  religion,  which  has 
contributed  to  the  persecution  of  the  Jews  in  Lubeck,  and 
the  same  intolerance,  far  from  being  diminished  by  the  ad- 
vances made  in  knowledge,  appears  to  have  gained  ground 
in  later  times.  According  to  a decree  of  the  senate  in  1816, 
all  those  who  professed  Judaism,  were  obliged  to  quit  the 
town  within  a very  short  period  ; they  had  the  choice  of 
settling  in  the  village  of  Moisling  about  two  leagues  distant, 
or  of  leaving  the  territory. 

Lubeck  is  surrounded  with  ramparts  ; the  streets,  though 
steep,  are  broad,  straight,  clean  and  well  built.  The  edi- 
fices most  worthy  of  notice  are  the  cathedral,  which  contains 
several  articles  of  antiquity,  the  church  of  St.  Mary,  noted 
for  its  curious  clock,  and  the  townhouse  in  which  may  be 
seen  the  celebrated  Hanseatic  hall,  the  council  room, 
adorned  with  fine  paintings,  and  the  hall  of  the  treasury ; 
the  arsenal  and  the  exchange  are  nowise  remarkable. 
Many  useful  institutions  have  been  founded  in  the  town  ; 
the  most  important  are  several  elementary  schools,  a gym- 
nasium, different  boarding  schools,  two  commercial  semina- 
ries, a school  of  surgery,  a drawing  academy  for  artisans, 
and  another  for  the  higher  classes/  Establishments  have 
been  founded  for  the  suppression  of  mendicity,  and  the  re- 
lief of  the  indigent ; there  are  besides  a house  of  correction, 
and  an  orphan  hospital. 

The  revenues  of  the  state  were  estimated  a few  years 
ago,  at  nearly  a million  of  florins,  and  more  than  half  that 
sum  at  least,  was  derived  from  the  town.g  A tax  which 
still  subsists,  was  imposed  on  every  citizen  in  1816,  to  form 
a fund  for  the  extinction  of  the  public  debt.  The  military 
force  consists  of  a national  guard  divided  into  fifteen  com- 
panies, and  a contingent  of  six  hundred  men6  to  the  Ger- 
manic confederation. 

The  manufactures  of  Lubeck  consist  of  tobacco,  sugar, 
leather,  soap,  silk  and  cotton  stuffs,  coarse  and  fine  linen, 
sail  cloth,  woollens,  gold  and  silver  lace,  iron  and  brass 
wire,  and  lastly,  ship-building.  The  commerce  consists  c 
principally  in  colonial  produce,  in  the  exportation  of  grain, 
and  in  the  importation  of  different  products  from  Sweden, 
Russia,  France,  Holland,  and  England. 

Large  vessels  arrive  at  Travemunde,  a small  fortified 
town,  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Trave  in  the  Baltic 
Sea.  It  is  chiefly  supported  by  the  trade  of  Lubeck,  and 
many  strangers  frequent  it  for  sea-bathing.  Its  lighthouse 
commands  an  extensive  view,  which  stretches  on  one  side 
to  a great  distance  over  the  sea,  and  on  the  other,  beyond 
the  territory  of  Lubeck. 

The  ancient  Hanseatic  towns  of  Bremen,  Hamburg 
and  Lubeck,  seemed  to  have  acquired  the  right  of  resuming 

cial  institute,  a drawing  school  for  artisans,  a school,  of  industry,  and  a school 
of  midwifery.”  M.B.— A gymnasiurfi,  a high  school,  a normal  school,  a 
school  of  surgery,  a school  of  industry,  a school  of  navigation,  a commercial 
institute,  and  several  elementary  and  charity  schools.  (HasseL.) — P. 

s “ formed  the  revenues  of  the  town.” 

h 40G  men.  (Hassel.) 


BOOK.  CXXIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


33 


their  independence,  at  the  time  when  the  political  divisions 
of  Germany  were  determined  by  congress.  As  they  had 
lost  their  independence  merely  by  being  incorporated  in  the 
French  empire,  it  was  thought  equitable  by  the  European 
diplomatists,  that  they  should  be  restored  to  their  ancient 
privileges  after  the  fall  of  the  conqueror.  Besides,  their 
situation  at  the  extremity  of  Germany  was  likely  to  remove 
the  fear  of  other  states  imitating  their  example.  But  Frank- 
fort is  dilferent  from  the  rest,  and  more  interesting  than 
any  of  them,  inasmuch  as  it  forms  a small  republic,  almost 
in  the  centre  of  the  Germanic  confederation.  It  became 
independent  at  a time,  too,  when  rulers  sanctioned  reluct- 
antly any  institutions  in  which  liberty  was  admitted  as  a 
right,  and  not  as  a concession,  revocable  according  to  cir- 
cumstances. It  is  true  that  Frankfort  dates  its  freedom 
from  as  remote  a period  as  the  other  towns  that  have  been 
last  described,  but  it  had  not  been  considered  a conquest  by 
Napoleon,  nor  had  it  been  united  to  France  ; on  the  con- 
trary, it  had  continued  since  1806,  the  capital  of  a grand 
dutchy,  governed  by  the  Prince  Primate,  when  it  was  de- 
clared a free  town  in  1815.  It  might  have  become  the 
most  valuable  possession  of  one  of  the  states  of  the  con- 
federation, had  it  not  excited  the  covetousness  of  the 
neighbouring  principalities,  such  as  Nassau,  Hesse  Darm- 
stadt and  electoral  Hesse,  in  the  midst  of  which  its  terri- 
tory is  enclosed.  It  was  for  these  reasons,  not  from  any 
consideration  of  equity  or  justice,  that  it  gained  an  inde- 
pendence, to  which  its  present  commercial  importance 
must  be  principally  ascribed. 

The  extent  of  the  territory  is  equal  to  five  German  or 
sixty  English  square  miles  ;a  it  Contains,  besides  the  capital, 
two  burghs  and  five  villages.  According  to  the  mean  term 
of  the  different  numbers,  assigned  by  German  geographers, 
the  population  cannot  be  estimated  at  less  than  sixty  thou- 
sand.6 The  town  alone  contains  more  than  forty-five 
thousand  inhabitants ; the  Catholics  amount  to  five  or  six 
thousand,  the  Calvinists  to  two  thousand,  and  the  Jews  to 
five  thousand  ; the  rest  adhere  to  the  Augsburg  confession. 

Frankfort,  notwithstanding  its  monuments,  palaces  and 
many  well-built  houses,  is  not  considered  a fine  town.  The 
streets  are  for  the  most  part  gloomy,  narrow  and  crooked. 
The  cathedral,  or  the  church  of  St.  Bartholomew,  a 
curious  and  ancient  edifice,  in  which  several  emperors  have 
been  crowned,  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  by  Pepin  or 
perhaps  by  Lewis  the  Pious,  king  of  Germany,  who  died 
at  Frankfort  in  the  year  876.  The  golden  bull  of  the  em- 
peror Charles  the  Fourth,  is  preserved  in  the  Roemer  or 
townhouse  ; it  is  written  on  forty-three  sheets  of  old  parch- 
ment, and  was  exhibited  for  a long  time  among  the  curiosi- 
ties of  Paris.  Among  the  other  buildings  are  the  Saalhof 
or  palace  of  Lewis  the  Debonnaire,  which  has  been  dis- 
figured by  modern  additions,  the  palace  of  the  Teutonic 
order,  and  the  one  that  belonged  to  the  prince  of  Tour  and 
Taxis ; besides  these,  may  be  mentioned  the  theatre,  and 
the  bridge  over  the  Maine,  the  last  of  which  commands  a 
magnificent  view,  and  is  more  than  four  hundred  feet  in 
length. 

The  name  of  Frankfurt  or  Frankenfurf  appears  to 
strengthen  the  tradition  that  the  Franks  assembled  there  in 
the  fifth  century,  and  passed  from  it  into  Gaul.  It  bore  the 
title  of  a city,  when  Charlemagne  enlarged  it,  after  having 

a “ 14  geographical  sq.  leagues  Fr.” — 110  Eng.  sq.  miles.  (Morse.) 

h Hassel  makes  the  population  amount  to  fifty-twd  thousand,  and  Stein 
to  seventy  thousand  souls. 

VOL.  in.— NO.  43. 


defeated  the  Saxons  under  its  walls.  The  suburb  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Maine,  by  which  it  is  separated  from  Frank- 
fort, is  still  known  by  the  name  of  Sachsenhausen,  whence 
it  may  be  inferred  that  it  was  in  early  times  inhabited  by 
that  people. 

Frankfort  distinguished  itself  by  its  zeal  in  the  cause  of 
the  reformation  ; such  was  the  violence  of  the  different 
parties,  that  religious  opinions  occasioned  insurrections  and 
revolts,  until  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  had  em- 
braced the  doctrines  of  Luther  ;d  it  acted  too  an  important 
part  in  the  league  of  Smalcalden. 

It  is  to  a more  extensive  commerce,  that  the  great  num- 
ber of  modern  buildings  must  be  chiefly  attributed,  which 
if  they  go  on  increasing  in  the  same  proportion,  will  soon 
render  Frankfort  little  inferior  to  the  finest  towns  in  Ger- 
many. The  new  quay  and  the  quarter  of  Wollgraben 
have  been  much  embellished ; they  are  every  day  becoming 
larger,  and  are  likely  ere  long  to  form  the  most  important 
part  of  the  town. 

Frankfort  differs  from  Hamburg,  in  as  much  as  many 
persons  among  the  wealthy  classes  cultivate  the  arts  and 
sciences.  It  would  be  foreign  to  our  purpose  to  enumerate 
the  galleries  of  paintings,  and  the  valuable  collections  of 
engravings,  antiquities,  and  objects  of  natural  history,  be- 
longing to  different  individuals,  but  the  public  institutions 
are  creditable  to  the  republic.  There  are  three  gymnasiums, 
a school  of  medicine,  two  of  drawing,  one  of  architecture, 
one  of  painting  and  engraving,  a mathematical  seminary 
and  several  schools  of  art.  The  mount  of  piety  was  rather 
a calamity  than  a benefit  to  the  people  ; the  town  has 
established  in  its  stead,  a fund  destined  lor  the  assistance  of 
petty  merchants  and  artisans  in  carrying  on  their  commerce 
and  industry.  The  public  library  contains  more  than  a 
hundred  thousand  volumes,  besides  several  rare  books  and 
a parchment  bible  printed  by  Faust  in  the  year  1462.  A 
valuable  collection  of  medals  is  attached  to  the  same  library. 

According  to  the  constitution  of  1816,  the  sovereignty  is 
vested  in  all  the  citizens,  who  are  born  in  Frankfort  or 
within  its  territory.  The  senate  cannot  confer  the  rights 
of  citizens  on  strangers,  until  they  have  resided  ten  years  in 
the  town,  nor  then  only  on  such  as  possess  an  independent 
fortune.  The  three  branches  of  government  are  the  senate, 
the  legislative  body  and  the  deputies  elected  by  the  bur- 
gesses.6 The  legislative  body  consists  of  twenty  senators, 
as  many  members  of  the  permanent  deputation,  and  forty 
five  burgesses,  nominated  by  the  citizens.  No  person  can 
be  elected  before  the  age  of  thirty  years,  and  if  any  refuse 
the  office  of  deputy,  they  may  be  deprived  of  their  rights 
and  privileges  as  citizens. 

The  inhabitants  of  Frankfort  are  divided  into  three  great 
Christian  communities,  which  under  the  superintendance  of 
the  senate,  provide  separately  for  the  maintenance  of  their 
clergy,  churches  and  schools.  But  it  cannot  be  remarked 
without  exciting  surprise,  that  in  the  nineteenth  century 
both  at  Hamburg  and  at  Frankfort,  wise  and  enlightened 
rulers  entertain  such  prejudices  against  the  Jews,  as  serve 
to  recal  the  ignorance  and  superstition  of  the  middle  ages. 
If  it  be  owing  to  commercial  jealousy  that  the  leading  men 
of  Frankfort  have  refused  the  Jews  all  the  rights  and  privi- 
leges of  citizens,  the  measure  is  not  less  impolitic  than  unjust. 
The  Jews  are  the  only  inhabitants  of  a separate  quarter  ; 

c Furt  signifies  a ford  or  passage.  d A.  D.  1530. 

e Standing  committee  of  the  citizens.  (Hassel.) — Permanent  deputa- 
tion. (M.  B.) 


5 


34 


EUROPE. 


they  are  permitted  to  learn  and  to  exercise  certain  trades  ; 
but  the  reader  may  have  some  difficulty  in  believing  that 
according  to  a decision  of  the  legislative  body  in  1817, 
not  more  than  fifteen  Jewish  marriages  are  allowed  to 
take  place  in  the  course  of  a year,  within  the  town  and  ter- 
ritory/ 

The  revenue  of  Frankfort  amounts  to  eighty  thousand 
florins,  and  the  public  debt  to  three  hundred  thousand. 
The  military  force  consists  of  a national  guard  and  a corps 
of  four  hundred  and  seventy-nine  men, — the  contingent  to 
the  confederation. 

Silk,  linen,  cotton  and  woollen  stuffs  may  be  mentioned 
among  the  manufactures  ; the  other  articles  are  tobacco, 
playing  cards,  printing  types,  white  wax,  and  porcelain  which 
is  little  inferior  to  that  of  Dresden.  But  the  principal  sources 
of  its  wealth  are  its  trade  with  Germany,  of  which  it  may 
be  considered  the  emporium  ; the  continual  commercial 
intercourse  which  it  holds  with  the  surrounding  countries ; 
the  advantages  it  derives  from  the  navigation  of  the  Rhine 
and  the  Maine  ; and  its  two  great  fairs,  the  one  at  Easter, 
the  other  in  September,  which  bring  together  more  than  six- 
teen hundred  merchants  from  different  parts  of  Europe. 

The  people  boast  that  Charles  the  Bald  was  born  in  the 
town,  and  that  the  diets  of  the  confederation  are  held  there  ; 
but  in  the  opinion  of  some,b  it  possesses  better  claims  to 


[BOOK  cxxrv. 

celebrity  ; it  gave  birth  to  Goethe,  and  the  first  German 
gazette  was  published  within  its  walls. 


TABLES. 


Commerce  of  Bremen  in  1825. 

Nine  hundred  and  fourteen  merchant  vessels  entered  the  port  ot  Bre- 
men. 


Nations. 

Number  of  Vessels. 

United  States 

_ 

. 

_ 

54 

South  America 

- 

_ 

_ 

11 

West  Indies 

. 

. 

_ 

25 

English 

- 

- 

_ 

94 

French 

- 

- 

_ 

36 

Portuguese 

- 

- 

- 

6 

Spanish 

- 

- 

- 

5 

Russian 

- 

- 

_ 

44 

Swedish  and  Norwegian 

- 

- 

- 

55 

Hamburg 

- 

- 

- 

69 

Lubeck 

- 

- 

_ 

13 

Mecklenburg 

. 

. 

11 

Prussian 

. 

- 

. 

28 

Dutch 

- 

_ 

_  *  * 

10 

Hanoverian 

- 

- 

- 

53 

Oldenburg 

- 

- 

- 

64 

Bremish  vessels  and  others  belonging  to  different  states 

and 

principalities  in  the  confederation 

- 

336 

Five  whale  ships  sailed  from  Bremen  to  Greenland  in  the 

same  year. 

Table  of  the  Grain  Exported  from  Hamburg,  from  the  Year  1815  to  1825,  inclusive. 


By  Sea. 

Into  the  Interior. 

Wheat. 

live. 

Barley. 

Wheat. 

Rye. 

Barley. 

Oats. 

Peas. 

Beans. 

Malt. 

Buckwheat 

Linseed. 

Rape. 

Vetches. 

Years. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

Quarters. 

1816 

30,484 

42,772 

9,392 

11,028 

33,639 

4,659 

20,915 

954 

1,873 

1,455 

195 

552 

12,433 

1817 

46,651 

25,877 

4,962 

12,712 

32,549 

3,852 

30,683 

1,153 

1,630 

1,592 

654 

911 

3,505 

1818 

153,897 

14,954 

48,715 

13,676 

48,864 

8,600 

33,415 

2,858 

3,774 

3,388 

302 

5,752 

110 

1819 

37,794 

2,208 

60,452 

14,384 

35,908 

10,712 

11,613 

1,076 

2,267 

2,235 

98 

5,505 

2G7 

1820 

68,468 

874 

4,634 

17,063 

11,270 

4,641 

28,575 

648 

1,083 

1,748 

844 

115 

3,210 

1,094 

1821 

20,001 

414 

5,485 

17,082 

8,865 

4,269 

13,625 

508 

725 

1,963 

4,991 

6,492 

358 

1822 

8,700 

1,998 

3,074 

12,885 

9,893 

7,123 

26,927 

637 

1,279 

2,274 

378 

5 

15,474 

46 

1833 

36,291 

8,346 

6,080 

15,042 

12,260 

4,248 

25,866 

525 

600 

1,897 

1,969 

221 

19,163 

172 

1824 

15,014 

4,393 

36,315 

15,943 

9,996 

11,678 

37,820 

974 

2,644 

2,339 

2,776 

154 

20,636 

4,963 

1825 

65,329 

2,863 

112,217 

27,403 

18,968 

14,686 

17,348 

4,777 

2,074 

2,480 

1,624 

38 

9,624 

3,564 

Total. 

482,629 

104,499 

291,326 

157,218 

222,212 

74,468 

246,487 

14,110 

17,949 

21,371 

13,831 

1,176 

101,794 

10,514 

Sugars  imported  from  the  year  1821  to  1825,  inclusive ,c 


Years. 

1821, 

1822, 

1823, 

1824, 

1825, 


lbs. 

91,849,490 
64,692,640 
74,887,000 
75  577,080 
79,799,380 


Years. 

1821, 

1822, 

1823, 

1824, 

1825, 


Coffee. 
Imported,  d 
21,591,160 
28,357,940 
26,535,100 
38,536,720 
34,051,240 


Exported  or  consumed. 

22.000. 000  pounds. 

26.000. 000 

25.000. 000 

35.000. 000 

34.000. 000 


Variations  in  the  price  of  Coffee  from  the  year  1821  to  1825,  inclusive. 0 


Years. 

1821, 

1822, 

1823, 

1824, 

1825, 


Schillings  Banco, 
from  13j  to  14  the  pound, 
from  Ilf  to  12 
from  11  to  11| 
from  8|  to  81 
from  61  to  64 


Years. 

1825, 

1825, 

1824, 

1825, 


Indigo  imported ,f 

( Cases,  4,341  or  975,000  pounds. 
( Bags,6  286  or  18,000 
Cotton  imported ,h 

Bales  16,600  or  6,640,000  pounds. 
Ships  of  different  Nations  that  entered  Hamburg. 


Total  1819. 

Vessels  from  North  America  41 

from  South  America  - - - 130 

from  different  parts  of  the  West  Indies  72 

from  England'  ...  645 

-----  Total  1863. 

Vessels  from  North  America  39 

from  South  America  ...  125 

from  the  West  Indies  - - 79 

from  England  ...  757 


Commerce  of  the  Port  of  Lubeck. 

Lubeck  possesses  about  75  trading  vessels. 

Number  that  enter  its  port  annually,  about  - 800 


" Stein’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.)  b “ In  our  opinion.”  M.  B. 

c The  sugar  which  arrives  at  Hamburg  is  chiefly  imported  from  Brazil 
and  Havanna ; the  same  article  is  also  imported  from  the  United  States, 
England,  France  and  Holland. 

The  greater  part  of  the  sugar  that  enters  Hamburg,  is  refined  there,  and 
notwithstanding  the  competition  which  it  has  to  maintain  with  England,  it 
exports  annually  more  than  65,000,000  pounds  of  refined  sugar. 

d The  greater  part  of  the  coffee  imported  into  Hamburg,  comes  directly 
from  Havanna,  Saint  Domingo  and  Brazil ; the  rest  is  brought  from  the 
United  States. 

* It  may  be  seen  from  the  above  table,  that  the  price  of  coffee  decreased 
every  year  from  1821  to  1825. 


f Indigo  is  by  no  means  an  important  article  in  the  trade  of  Hamburg ; 
indeed  Hamburg  and  several  other  states  are  wholly  dependent  for  their 
supply  on  the  discretion  of  England.  Indigo  in  cases  comes  from  the  East 
Indies,  and  indigo  in  bags  from  the  West  Indies. 

6 Ceroons. 

h Although  a great  quantity  of  cotton  is  consumed  in  Germany,  very 
little  is  imported  into  Hamburg ; it  receives  it  from  the  United  States,  Co- 
lombia and  different  ports  in  America,  from  Egypt,  India  and  the  Levant, 
and  also  from  different  mercantile  houses  in  Italy. 

* Most  of  the  English  vessels  carry  ballast  to  Hamburg,  and  return  with 
cargoes  to  England,  a proof  that  many  articles  from  Hamburg,  are  destined 
for  the  English  markets. 


BOOK  CXXIV.  | 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY 


BOOK  CXXV 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued — Germany. — Ninth  Section. — Description 
of  Bohemia. 

To  complete  the  description  of  Germany,  some  account 
may  be  given  of  the  different  possessions  of  the  Austrian 
monarchy,  situated  in  that  country.  As  Hungary  and  its 
dependencies  have  already  been  described,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  mention  them  farther  ; care  must  also  be  taken  not  to 
confound  provinces  which,  from  the  manners,  language  and 
origin  of  the  inhabitants,  should  be  considered  separately, 
for  the  geographer  observes  in  the  Austrian  empire,  within 
a much  smaller  compass,  the  same  confused  assemblage  of 
heterogeneous  parts,  as  in  the  vast  empire  of  Russia. 

Bohemia,  which  is  now  to  be  described,  is  a country, 
both  in  its  physical  and  political  geography,  wholly  distinct 
from  the  territories  that  surround  it.  It  is  equal  in  super- 
ficial extent  to  about  nine  hundred  and  fifty-three  German 
or  eleven  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirty-six  English 
square  miles. a 

Bounded  by  Bavaria,  Saxony  and  Prussian  Silesia, b it  is 
encompassed  by  chains  of  mountains,  that  form  a natural 
basin,  once  filled  by  a Caspian  sea,  in  the  depths  of  which 
were  deposited  the  calcareous  rocks  that  shall  be  afterwards 
mentioned.  The  fact  that  all  the  mountains  which  form 
the  outline  of  the  basin,  have  a gradual  declivity  toward  the 
centre  of  the  country,  serves  at  first  view  to  strengthen'  the 
belief  concerning  the  ancient  existence  of  such  a sea.  The 
greatest  declivities  are  situated  in  the  most  northern  part  of 
the  basin  ; thus  the  Elbe,  which  traverses  that  portion  of 
the  country,  is  enlarged  by  all  the  streams  that  descend 
from  the  mountains,  and  throw  themselves,  either  into  its 
channel,  or  into  that  of  the  Moldau,  which  unites  with  it. 
The  outlet  through  which  the  Elbe  leaves  Bohemia,  in  its 
passage  to  the  North  sea,  appears  to  be  the  same  as  the  one 
by  which  the  ancient  Caspian  discharged  its  waters  into  the 
ocean.  Part  of  the  sands  that  now  cover  the  Prussian  pro- 
vinces of  Magdeburg  and  Brandenburg,  and  the  countries 
of  Mecklenburg  and  Hanover,  may  probably  be  attributed 
to  the  eruption  of  the  same  sea.  These  hypotheses, 
founded  on  facts,  are  intimately  connected  with  the  most 
interesting  department  of  physical  geography. 

Four  principal  chains  enclose  the  basin:  that  of  the 
Bcehmer-Wald  or  Bohemian  forest  stretches  from  south-east 
to  north-west,  and  joins  that  of  the  Erz-Gebirge,  which  ex- 
tends from  south-west  to  north-east,  till  it  meets  that  of  the 
Riesen-Gebirge  ; the  latter  follows  a contrary  direction,® 
and  unites  with  that  of  the  Maehrisches-Gebirge  or  Moravian 
mountains,  which  passing  from  north-east  to  south-west, 
terminates  at  the  extremity  of  the  Boehmer-Wald.  These 


* “ 2,649  geographical  sq.  leagues  Fr.” — 20,922  Eng.  sq.  miles.  (Morse.) 
b Also  by  Moravia  and  Austria  on  the  south-east  and  south. 


chains,  as  some  geographers  have  remarked,  form  an  irre 
gular  four-sided  figure.  Bohemia,  by  being  thus  enclosed, 
is  rendered  an  isolated  country  in  the  middle  of  Europe,  and 
this  circumstance,  it  may  be  readily  inferred,  has  had  not  a 
little  influence  on  the  civilization  and  political  constitution 
of  its  inhabitants.  The  lowest  mountains  are  those  which 
extending  from  north-east  to  south-west  and  south,  separate 
Bohemia  from  Moravia  and  Lower  Austria.  The  name  ot 
a small  chain,  the  Teufel-Gebirge  or  Devil’s  mountains,  at 
the  southern  extremity  of  the  Boehmer-Wald,  near  the 
sources  of  the  Moldau,  seems  to  have  some  connection  with 
an  ancient  idolatrous  worship. 

The  Boehmer-Wald  is  a primitive  chain,  composed  of 
granite,  gneiss,  micaceous  schistus  and  sienite,  and  lastly 
of  argillaceous  schistus  or  slate  and  various  other  rocks  be- 
longing to  the  same  epoch.  The  same  substances  are  ob- 
served in  the  south,  near  the  town  of  Krumau,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Moldau,  and  also  in  the  Erz-Gebirge,  which  has 
been  already  mentioned  in  the  account  of  Saxony.  The 
central  mountains  of  Bohemia,  or  those  which  extend  along 
the  right  bank  of  the  Elbe,  and  join  the  Riesen-Gebirge,  are 
less  remarkable  for  their  height  than  their  rounded  sides  and 
summits,  proofs  that  the  rocks  which  compose  them  are  of 
igneous  origin.  Even  to  the  lowest  declivities  which  termi- 
nate at  some  leagues  to  the  north  of  Bunzlau,  these  moun- 
tains exhibit  sandstone,  basalt  and  other  rocks  that  appear 
to  have  been  modified  by  the  action  of  subterranean  fire. 
They  are  surrounded  by  calcareous  deposits,  abounding  in 
fossil  shells ; thus,  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  which  occupied 
the  basin,  volcanoes  emitted  torrents  of  lava.  The  same 
rocks  which  are  observed  in  the  Boehmer-Wald,  are  also 
exhibited  on  the  side  of  the  Riesen-Gebirge  towards  Bo- 
hemia ; but  the  lowest  declivities  contain  sandstone  and 
limestone  in  parallel  strata.  Sandstone  of  a very  soft  tex- 
ture, and  which  disintegrates  easily,  abounds  in  the  Mora- 
vian mountains,  particularly  towards  the  north  ; it  assumes 
the  most  singular  forms,  and  at  a distance  deceives  the 
stranger,  who  imagines  he  sees  towers  and  villages,  where 
no  habitations  are  to  be  found.  If  the  traveller  descends 
these  mountains,  the  sides  of  which  are  covered  with  forests, 
he  may  observe  throughout  the  whole  basin  of  Bohemia, 
calcareous  rocks,  that  were  deposited  at  the  time  when  it 
was  filled  with  water.  The  limestone  is  in  many  places 
covered  with  other  deposits ; rocks  consisting  chiefly  of 
amphibole,d  and  which  hold  an  intermediate  place  between 
the  primitive  and  secondary  formations,  are  situated  in  the 
western  part  of  the  basin,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Plan. 
Granite  and  argillaceous  schistus  are  not  less  common  near 


c From  north-west  to  south-east. 
a “ Amphibolite,”  primitive  trap. 


36 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXV 


Tern  ; alluvial  deposits  containing  fossil  wood  and  iron  ore, 
which  yields  sixty -two  parts  of  metal  in  a hundred,  may  be 
observed  in  the  vicinity  of  Pograd,  to  the  south  of  Eger. 
These  alluvial  deposits  rest  on  micaceous  schistus,  and 
similar  arrangements  are  remarked  near  Prague,  between 
Marienbaden  and  Ogerlochin.  The  Commerberg,  a vol- 
canic cone,  not  far  from  Eger,  is  covered  with  lava  and 
scoriae,  and  other  heights  of  the  same  kind  extend  at  dif- 
ferent distances  to  Carlsbad.3  Traces  of  volcanoes  are  ob- 
servable near  Tceplitz,  and  also  a sort  of  red  porphyry,  from 
which  the  celebrated  mineral  springs  take  their  rise.  Ho- 
rizontal layers  of  marly  limestone  rest  on  the  porphyry,  but 
in  some  places,  its  displacement  has  given  them  a very  con-  j 
siderable  inclination.  Lastly,  the  Mittel-Gebirge  or  central 
chain  of  the  country,  which  extends  along  the  course  of  the 
Elbe,  appears,  according  to  a German  geologist, b to  have 
been  the  centre  of  the  volcanic  phenomena,  that  have  left  so 
many  traces  on  the  southern  declivities  of  the  Erz-Gehirge  ; 
basalt  and  other  rocks  of  an  igneous  origin  are  seen  there 
in  every  direction. 

Although  the  volcanoes  in  Bohemia  belong  to  that  class 
which  burned  before  the  period,  when  the  earth  was  inha- 
bited by  man,  yet  the  country  is  still  subject  to  shocks,'  oc- 
casioned by  subterranean  fires.  Several  took  place  in  the 
month  of  January,  1824,  in  the  chain  of  the  Erz-Gebirge 
and  in  the  districts  of  Eger  and  Elnbogen.  Their  direction 
was  from  north  to  south,  south-west  and  south-east ; they 
were  accompanied  in  some  places  with  a noise  resembling 
thunder  ; in  others  many  springs  were  dried  up.c 

A country  in  which  the  rocks  are  so  various,  and  the 
volcanic  remains  so  numerous,  abounds  generally  with  mi- 
neral springs  ; at  least  Bohemia  forms  no  exception  to  the 
rule.  Such  as  are  most  resorted  to,  are  situated  in  the 
northern  districts ; it  may  suffice  to  give  the  reader  some 
notion  of  their  number  and  celebrity,  to  mention  the  springs 
of  Sedlitz,  those  of  Satzkamen  in  the  district  of  Kaurzim, 
and  those  of  Strobnitz  in  that  of  Bechin,  the  alkaline  springs 
of  Bilin,  Carlsbad  and  Toeplitz,  the  ferruginous  springs  of 
Bechin  near  Trautnau,  the  baths  of  Kleinkuchel  in  the  dis- 
trict of  Beraun,  and  those  of  Tetschen  in  that  of  Leitmerilz, 
and  lastly,  the  ferruginous  springs  of  Eger. 

The  two  principal  feeders  of  the  Elbe  are  the  Moldau 
and  the  Eger;  the  first  traverses  Bohemia  from  its  southern 
extremity  to  Melnick  ; the  length  of  its  course  is  more  than 
a hundred  and  thirty-five  miles.d  From  the  Teufel-Ge- 
birge  to  Prague,  a distance  of  about  ninety  miles,6  it  has  a 
fall  of  two  hundred  and  sixty-nine  feet.  The  Eger,  which 
rises  in  the  Fichtel-Gebirge  near  its  junction  with  the 
Boehmer-Wald,  and  enters  the  Elbe  at  Theresienstadt,  has 
a less  rapid  course,  for  its  fall  does  not  exceed  a hundred 
and  fifty-eight  feet  in  a distance  of  seventy-nine  miles/ E 

Several  extensive  lakes  are  situated  in  the  country  ; the 
largest  are  that  of  Teschmitz  in  the  district  of  Klattau, 
that  of  Plokenstein  in  the  mountains  of  the  same  name, 
and  that  of  Rummer  in  the  district  of  Saatz.  But  the 
number  of  ponds  is  much  greater;  in  1786,  they  were, 
reckoned  at  more  than  twenty  thousand,  and  according  to 
the  calculations  that  were  then  made  in  order  to  regulate 
the  contributions,  their  surface  was  not  less  than  a hundred 
and  thirty-two  thousand  seven  hundred  acres  ;h  their  num- 

“ Goethe,  Natunvissenschaft. 

b Leonhard,  Zeitschrift  fur  Minoralogie. 

c See  the  observations  published  by  M.  Hallaschka,  Arcliiv.  fur  die  ge- 
sammte  Naturlehre,  v.  I.  p.  320. 

d “ 60  leagues.” 


ber,  however,  has  since  been  reduced  by  draining.  That 
of  Ezeperka  near  Pardubitz  is  one  of  the  most  extensive ; 
it  contains  several  considerable  islands  covered  with  trees. 
Many  marshes,  formed  by  the  annual  inundations  of 
rivers,  or  by  the  waters  which  descend  from  the  mountains 
into  the  low  vallies,  are  situated  in  different  parts  of  the 
kingdom  ; but  as  none  of  them  are  large,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  describe  them. 

The  climate  of  Bohemia  is  modified  by  the  nature  of  the 
country,  its  lofty  mountains,  extensive  plains,  and  deep 
vallies.  It  is  temperate  in  the  central  districts  and  on  the 
south-western  frontiers,  but  the  mountains  covered  with  fo- 
rests have  an  influence  on  the  temperature  to  a considerable 
distance  from  their  base.  The  variation  of  Reaumur’s  ther- 
mometer at  Prague,  gives  the  annual  mean  term  of  +7.  7°. 
It  has  been  proved  by  registers  kept  at  the  observatory  in 
the  same  town,  that  the  greatest  heat  is  from  +23° 
to  +24°  of  Reaumur,  and  the  greatest  cold,  about  — 16°. 
The  thermometrical  variations  at  Eger,  in  the  remotest  part 
of  the  western  frontier,  indicate  a mean  term  of  -f-7.  4°, 
while  at  Krumau  near  the  southern  extremity,  it  is  not 
greater  than  +6.  9°. 

The  most  prevalent  winds  in  Bohemia  blow  from  south- 
east and  south-west.1  The  east  and  north-east  winds  are 
almost  always  accompanied  with  rain,  but  the  north,  north- 
west, and  south-west  winds,  are  sure  signs  of  dry  weather 
The  quantity  of  rain  that  falls  yearly,  amounts  to  eighteen 
or  nineteen  inches  ; the  evaporation  that  takes  place  in  the 
shade,  to  fourteen.  The  average  number  of  rainy  days, 
observed  in  a series  of  eighteen  years,  was  annually  equal 
to  ninety ; the  proportion  that  subsisted  between  days  of 
calm  and  cloudless  weather,  and  those  in  which  the  wea- 
ther was  rainy,  or  the  sky  more  or  less  covered  with 
clouds,  was  as  one  to  five/ 

No  accurate  information  can  be  obtained  concerning  the 
earliest  people  that  inhabited  Bohemia ; it  is  known  how- 
ever that  they  were  subdued,  and  in  a great  measure  de- 
stroyed by  the  Boii,  who  under  the  command  of  Sigovesus, 
settled  in  the  country  about  six  centuries  before  the  Chris- 
tian era.  Strabo,  Pliny,  and  other  writers,  make  mention 
of  the  same  people,  from  whom  the  present  name  of  Bo- 
hemia is  derived. 

The  Boii  experienced  for  a long  period  all  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  war ; their  history  is  confined  to  migrations,  vic- 
tories and  defeats — the  results  of  battles  with  their  neigh- 
bours. Ancient  writers  mention  them  as  possessing  at  one 
time  the  country  beyond  the  Danube,  or  in  other  words, 
the  basin  of  Bohemia,  and  at  another  time,  the  lands  be- 
tween the  Danube  and  the  Drave,  and  ‘ lastly,  as  settled  in 
Thrace  and  Illyria.  Some  degree  of  confusion,  therefore, 
naturally  arises  as  to  the  countries  which  they  occupied  ; 
hence  Pelloutier  supposes  that  they  all  issued  from  Gaul  or 
Italy.  Mentelle  appears  to  be  the  only  author,  who  has 
thrown  any  light  on  the  migrations  of  the  Boii ; according 
to  that  writer,  they  accompanied  Bellovesus,  who  marched 
at  the  head  of  several  barbarous  tribes,  in  his  expedition 
into  Italy.  These  Boii  were  then  settled  on  the  northern 
declivities  of  the  Apennines  in  the  present  territory  of  Bo- 
logna, and  their  name  seems  to  indicate  that  they  were  only 
a colony  belonging  to  tbe  nation  which  occupied  Bohemia. 

f “ 35  leagues.” 

» J.  M.  Lichtenstem,  Uniriss  einer  Gcographisch-statistischen  Schilde- 
rung  des  Kcenigreichs  Bcehmen.  h “ Jochs.” 

‘ The  south-east  is  the  most  prevalent,  and  next  the  south-west.  M.  B. 

k See  Lichtenstem’ s Essay,  cited  above. 


e “ 10  leagues.” 


BOOK  CXXIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMAN!. 


57 


After  the  fruitless  attempt  of  Bellovesus,  the  Boii  were  re- 
pulsed by  the  Romans,  and  forced  to  retreat  to  the  Danube, 
near  the  frontiers  of  Illyria  ; subdued  and  nearly  annihila- 
ted by  the  Getae,  the  country  to  which  they  had  migrated, 
remained  desert,  whence  Strabo  calls  it  the  desert  of  the 
Boii.a  But  the  great  body  of  the  people,  who  inhabited 
the  basin  of  Bohemia,  were  not  long  secure  from  the  at- 
tacks of  their  neighbours.  About  two  hundred  and  eighty 
years  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour,  the  Cimbri  attempted 
to  subdue  them,  but  were  defeated.  It  was  not  until  thirty 
or  forty  years  after  the  vulgar  era,  that  the  Marcomannib 
expelled  them,  and  took  possession  of  their  territory.  The 
Boii  found  a new  country  in  the  plains  watered  by  the 
Danube,  that  form  at  present  a part  of  Bavaria.  It  is  on 
that  account  that  Tacitus  says,  that  although  the  inhabi- 
tants are  changed,  the  name  of  Bohemia  still  remains,  and 
serves  to  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of  its  ancient  occu- 
pants.0 Although  the  Boii  were  driven  from  their  territory 
by  the  Marcomanni,  they  held  no  mean  reputation  in  Ger- 
many ; they  joined  the  Helvetii,  and  invaded  Gaul,  while 
the  iEdui  resisted  Caesar  ;d  after  the  defeat  of  the  Helvetii, 
the  Roman  general  did  not  compel  the  Boii  to  seek  for 
shelter  in  the  Hercynian  forest,  but  in  consideration  of 
their  valour  and  courage,  and  at  the  request  of  the  iEdui, 
he  made  over  to  them  a part  of  the  territory  of  the  latter. 
Thus,  it  appears  from  these  details,  that  the  Boii  have  seve- 
ral times  changed  their  country  ; but  it  must  not  be  inferred 
that  their  different  possessions  were  inhabited  by  five  dis- 
tinct people  of  the  same  name;  on  the  contrary,  it  was  the 
same  people,  who  at  different  epochs  settled  in  five  different 
countries. 

According  to  Tacitus,  the  Marcomanni  were  the  most 
powerful  people  of  any  in  the  territories  between  the 
Danube  and  the  Hercynian  forest ; the  fact  that  they  con- 
quered Bohemia,  may  confirm  the  opinion  of  the  historian. 
They  were  governed  by  kings,  chosen  from  the  most  illus- 
trious families  of  their  nation,  but  after  the  reign  of  Augus- 
tus, the  Romans  placed  foreign  rulers  over  them.  Rome, 
however,  did  not  assist  these  rulers  with  her  arms,  but  sup- 
plied them  with  gold  and  silver.6  Maroboduus  is  of  all  the 
native  princes,  the  one  most  frequently  mentioned  in  the 
annals  of  Tacitus.  Strabo  informs  us  that  after  having- 
passed  his  youth  at  Rome  under  the  protection  of  Augus- 
tus, he  was  called  to  govern  his  countrymen.  The  com- 
mencement of  his  reign  was  prosperous ; he  led  the  Mar- 
comanni to  the  conquest  of  Bohemia,  and  made  himself 
master  of  the  country  inhabited  by  the  Boii.  He  subdued 
several  neighbouring  states,  and  enriched  himself  with  their 
spoils.  He  possessed  great  influence  over  a portion  of 
Germany,  and  formed  a league,  consisting  of  the  Her- 
munduri,  Quadi,  Semnones,  Longobardi  and  other  nations, 
against  Hermann  or  Arminius,  who  had  become  formidable 
after  having  defeated  the  legions  of  Varus.  But  in  this 
contest  Maroboduus  was  unsuccessful ; in  vain  he  implored 
the  assistance  of  the  Romans ; they  saw  with  secret  joy, 
the  enemies  who  had  resisted  their  yoke,  weakened  by 
divisions  amongst  themselves.  Abandoned  by  his  allies, 
without  authority  over  his  people,  Maroboduus  had  no  other 
resource  than  to  implore  the  protection  of  Germanicus, 

11  Strabo,  book  VII.  chap.  II.  section  5.  b Marcomani,  Tacitus. 

c Manet  aiihuc  Boihemi  nomen,  significatque  loci  veterem  memoriam, 
quaimis  mutatis  cultoribus.  Tacitus,  De  Moribus  Germanorum,  sect.  28. 

d The  yEdui  at  that  time  were  the  allies  or  rather  subjects  of  the  Ro- 
mans. An  attempt  was  however  made  by  the  Helvetii  to  attach  them  to 
heir  cause,  through  the  agency  of  Dtunnorix. — P. 


who  granted  him  an  asylum  in  Italy,  where  he  passed  the 
rest  of  his  days. 

The  descendants  of  the  Marcomanni,  at  the  time  when 
the  Roman  power  began  to  decline,  were  compelled  to  give 
up  their  country  to  different  nations,  whose  names  were 
hardly  known  to  the  Romans.  These  nations  migrated  from 
Poland  and  the  north  of  Hungary,  and  were  known  by  the 
general  denomination  of  Slavi.  The  time  when  they  first 
invaded  Bohemia  is  uncertain ; indeed  little  is  known  of 
their  history  before  the  sixth  century.  They  were  called 
Tchekhes{  or  Czechs  by  the  western  Slavi,  a name,  which 
in  their  language  signifies  the  First,  probably  because  the 
country  they  inhabited,  was  nearest  to  Germany.  Their 
government  was  at  first  republican,  but  through  fear  lest 
they  should  be  expelled  from  Bohemia  by  the  Avars  and  the 
Huns,  they  chose  a sovereign,  who,  if  tradition  may  be 
credited,  was  Samo,  a Franconian  merchant,  a man  of 
wisdom  and  courage  ; he  governed  them  for  a number  of 
years,  and  freed  them  from  the  yoke  of  the  Avars.  A re- 
gency was  appointed  at  his  death,  and  it  continued  until 
Krock  was  elected  ; that  prince  was  succeeded  by  his 
daughter  Libussa,  surnamed  the  magician,  who  reigned  with 
Przemysl®  her  husband,  between  the  years  722  and  745. 
The  sovereignty  was  hereditary  for  several  generations,  but 
the  early  part  of  the  Bohemeian  history  is  involved  in  ob- 
scurity. Little  is  known  concerning  it,  before  the  middle 
of  the  ninth  century ; until  that  period  they  continued  in 
idolatry,  and  had  to  oppose  at  the  same  time,  the  attacks 
of  the  Germans,  and  the  sermons  of  the  monks,  who  were 
continually  sent  from  Rome.  Fourteen  princes  and  the 
grand  duke  Borziwoy*1  were  baptized  in  the  year  894,  and 
Prague  was  erected  into  a bishopric  in  972,  during  the  reign 
of  Boleslaus  II. 

The  dignity  of  grand  duke  was  elective  until  the  middle 
of  the  eleventh  century.  Brzetislaw1  was  the  first,  who 
enacted  a law  in  the  year  1053,  making  the  succession 
hereditary,  but  the  law  did  not  continue  in  force  long  after 
the  death  of  the  prince.  Otho  the  First  conquered  Bo- 
hemia, and  added  it  to  the  empire  in  1086.  Henry  the 
Fifth  conferred  on  duke  Brzetislaw  the  Second,  the  title 
of  king,  in  1086,  and  from  that  period  the  monarchy  was 
elective. 

The  country  was  much  improved  by  the  German  colo- 
nists that  settled  there  during  the  ninth  century ; for  Bo- 
hemia, isolated  from  other  nations,  did  not  emerge  from 
barbarism  before  the  introduction  of  Christianity,  which  by 
opening  communications  with  Rome,  prepared  the  way 
for  the  civilization  of  the  Slavi.  About  the  beginning  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  Ottocar  encouraged  German  workmen 
and  artists  of  every  kind ; under  the  same  prince,  industry 
was  diffused  in  the  towns,  and  commerce  freed  from  its 
shackles.  Order  and  tranquillity  were  maintained,  and 
written  laws  were  kept  in  the  principal  cities.  His  succes- 
sor, Ottocar  the  Second,  who  was  called  to  the  throne  of 
Austria,  extended  his  power  not  only  over  Bohemia,  but 
over  a part  of  Silesia,  Poland  and  Prussia.  Possessing  the 
same  views,  he  continued  the  work  of  his  father,  protected 
the  arts  and  sciences,  and  encouraged  the  introduction  of 
the  German  language,  as  the  great  means  of  enlightening 

• Tacitus,  De  Moribus  Germanorum. 

f Germ.  Tschechen.  e Premislaus. 

h Borziwog  (^Busching,)  Borzivoge  or  Borivory  (Moreri,)  Borivonus, 
Borzivori. 

' Wratislaus. 


EUROPE. 


38 

his  subjects.  The  manners  and  language  of  the  people  had 
undergone  great  changes  about  the  commencement  of  the 
fourteenth  century ; at  that  time  the  laws  were  written  in 
German.  Prague,  which  was  one  of  the  most  important 
cities  in  Germany,  became  the  seat  of  the  arts  and  sciences. 

The  emperor  Charles  the  Fourth  had  been  elected  king 
of  Bohemia,  but  the  states  of  the  kingdom  declared  the 
monarchy  hereditary  in  his  family.  It  was  to  the  same 
prince  that  the  capital  was  indebted  for  its  university. 
Wenceslaus,  his  son  and  successor,  reformed  the  laws,  and 
substituted  the  national  language  in  the  different  courts. 
John  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  flourished  in  the  same 
reign ; but  the  inhabitants  were  too  ignorant  to  appreciate 
their  wise  and  enlightened  views  concerning  religious  reform, 
their  virtues,  talents  and  noble  disinterestedness.  These 
apostles  of -the  reformation  appeared  in  the  world  at  too 
early  a period  ; they  were  not  understood,  their  characters 
were  calumniated.  Intriguing  persons  made  use  of  their 
own  expressions  ^ excite  a civil  war,  which  although  it 
may  have  rendered  Ziska,  the  brave  and  disinterested 
chief,  illustrious,  served  only  to  protract  the  existence  of 
abuses,  which  good  men  wished  to  see  abolished.  The  mo- 
narchy became  again  elective  after  the  death  of  Wenceslaus. 

Ferdinand,  archduke  of  Austria,  obtained  the  sove- 
reignty in  1 526  ; his  reign  forms  an  epoch,  not  only  be- 
cause the  hereditary  succession  was  established  in  his  family, 
and  the  prerogatives  of  the  Bohemian  states  were  restricted 
in  the  election  of  their  kings,  but  because  in  his  time,  great 
advances  were  shown  to  have  been  made  in  knowledge. 
The  prince  endeavoured  in  vain  to  check  the  progress  of 
civilization  ; it  was  in  vain  that  he  protected  the  Jesuits,  and 
banished  all  those  who  were  thought  favourable  to  the  re- 
formation ; neither  was  it  attended  with  any  advantage  that 
censors  prohibited  books  from  being  sold  or  published  in  his 
dominions  ; the  impulse  which  had  been  given  to  the  age 
could  not  be  checked.  The  art  of  printing  diffused  among 
the  wealthy  classes,  the  writings  of  the  ancients,  and  the  most 
admired  compositions  in  every  language.  If  many  read  the 
works  of  Erasmus,  it  was  partly  Ferdinand’s  fault,  because 
he  permitted  a translation  of  them  to  be  dedicated  to  him- 
self ; so  far  at  least,  he  weakened  unknowingly  the  effects 
of  his  system. 

Ferdinand’s  successor,  Maximilian  the  Second,  followed 
a different  line  of  policy  : wise  and  tolerant,  he  granted  in 
1567,  the  benefits  of  religious  liberty  to  all  his  subjects;  but 
those  who  opposed  freedom  of  conscience,  failed  not  to  ex- 
cite obstinate  fanatics  to  resist  the  protestants  ; — violent 
controversies,  reiterated  complaints  and  exorbitant  demands 
were  the  fruits  of  his  liberal  system.  Matthias,  who  reigned 
next,  thought  fit  to  impose  new  restrictions  on  the  protes- 
tants ; in  place  of  controversies,  insurrections  and  revolts 
ensued.  The  thirty  years’  war  added  to  the  calamities  of 
Bohemia  ; its  populaton  was  diminished,  its  finances  were 
exhausted.  The  effects  of  such  evils  might  have  continued 
for  a long  period,  had  not  Maria  Theresa  appeared  and 
removed  them.  It  is  to  that  empress  that  Bohemia  owes 
the  abolition  of  slavery,  and  the  freedom  of  industry ; to  the 
same  celebrated  woman  the  country  is  indebted  for  many 
wise  laws,  a better  administration  of  justice,  an  improved 
system  of  education,  and  different  institutions  which,  although 
not  to  be  compared  with  those  that  have  recently  insured 
the  prosperity  of  several  European  states,  are  not  on  that 
account  the  less  beneficial  to  a people,  whose  rulers  adopt 
slowly  the  improvements  of  enlightened  governments. 


[BOOK  CXXV 

According  to  the  federative  act  of  1815,  Bohemia  forms 
a part  of  the  Germanic  confederation.  As  an  integral  por- 
tion of  the  Austrian  monarchy,  the  succession  to  the  throne 
passes  in  a direct  line  to  the  different  members  of  the  reign- 
ing family.  According  to  the  fundamental  law  of  the 
kingdom,  its  political  organization  remains  on  the  same 
footing  as  in  past  ages.  The  king,  at  his  coronation,  takes 
an  oath  not  to  alienate  the  kingdom,  to  respect'  the  consti- 
tution, protect  the  states,  and  preserve  the  privileges 
conferred  on  them  by  the  emperors  Ferdinand  the  Second, 
Ferdinand  the  Third  and  their  successors,  to  maintain  jus- 
tice, and  support  the  catholic  religion  with  all  his  power. 

The  states  are  divided  into  four  classes ; the  clergy,  the 
higher  nobles  or  lords,  the  petty  nobility  or  knights,  and, 
lastly,  the  royal  towns.  Their  deputies  form  a general  as- 
sembly, as  often  as  they  are  called  together  by  the  king,  who 
appoints  a commissioner  to  preside  over  them.  Their  func- 
tions are  very  limited ; they  may  deliberate  on  the  means 
of  executing  what  is  proposed  by  the  crown,  but  they  can- 
not petition,  much  less  can  any  proposition  emanate  from 
them,  without  the  authority  of  the  government  or  of 
the  commissioner  who  represents  the  government ; for,  ac- 
cording to  Lichtenstern,  the  king  of  Bohemia  is,  as  he  has 
always  been,  absolute  sovereign  of  the  country.  In  these 
assemblies,  the  clergy,  who  by  a law  of  Ferdinand,  are  su- 
perior to  the  other  states,  take  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
crown.  They  are  represented  by  the  archbishops  and 
bishops,  the  grand  prior  of  the  order  of  Malta,  and  the  other 
prelates  in  the  kingdom.  The  princes,  dukes,  counts  and 
barons  are  the  members  of  the  higher  nobility,  and  the  eight 
most  important  offices  in  the  state  must  be  filled  by  indivi- 
duals belonging  to  that  body. 

Although  the  number  of  royal  towns  is  not  less  than 
forty-eight,  four  only  are  entitled  to  elect  deputies.  These 
privileged  towns  are  Prague,  Budweis,  Pilsen  and  Kutten- 
berg.  Other  towns  are  directly  subject  to  the  government ; 
three  of  them,  Saatz,  Kommotau  and  Kaaden,  are  repre- 
sented. The  protected  cities,  as  they  are  called,  form  a 
third  class  ; although  they  may  be  situated  in  seigniories, 
they  are  freed  from  seigniorial  burdens  and  imposts.  Most 
of  the  towns  having  mines  in  their  territory,  belong  to  the 
last  class. 

Although  these  distinctions  exist,  and  others  by  which 
the  peasants  are  divided  into  four  classes,  namely,  the  pro- 
prietors of  land,  the  tenants  of  houses,3  farmers  or  tenants 
of  land,  and,  lastly,  the  day  labourers  or  workmen,  still  in 
the  administration  of  justice,  the  law  acknowledges  no 
difference  in  individuals,  and  the  police  watches  with  equal 
vigilance  over  them  all. 

The  unjust  laws  that  have  been  passed  against  the  Jews, 
show  not  only  the  striking  difference  between  the  Austrian 
government  and  the  more  enlightened  governments  of 
Europe,  but  serve  to  keep  up  in  the  minds  of  the  Bohe- 
mians, prejudices  as  inveterate  against  the  same  people  as 
those  that  existed  in  the  dark  ages.  The  hatred  and  con- 
tempt in  which  the  lower  orders  of  Christians  in  different 
nations  hold  the  Jews,  may  be  explained  by  those  who 
know  how#difficult  it  is  to  eradicate  false  opinions,  strength- 
ened by  religious  belief.  But  it  is  not  so  easy  to  explain  why 
those  who  are  called  to  the  government  of  the  state,  par- 
ticipate in  the  same  errors.  The  degraded  state  of  the 
Jews  in  Bohemia  must  be  imputed  to  the  government  undei 


a “ Proprietors  of  houses.” 


BOOK  CXXV.J 

which  they  live ; if  they  are  the  worthless  and  despicable 
set  of  people  they  are  supposed  to  be,  the  necessity  of  re- 
claiming them  seems  to  be  more  urgent.  But  the  Jews 
cannot  be  reformed,  nor  can  they  be  made  useful  members 
of  the  community,  if  they  are  suffered  to  remain  in  igno- 
rance, if  they  are  rendered  indifferent  as  to  character,  and 
if  the  law  is  made  the  echo  of  the  popular  prejudices  against 
them. 

Some  necessary  consequences  of  the  Austrian  policy  in 
this  respect,  may  be  briefly  mentioned.  All  agree  that  the 
Jews  in  Bohemia  have  made  no  advances  in  civilization  for 
more  than  half  a century.  They  observe  strictly  the  fun- 
damental principles  of  a religion  that  separates  them  from 
other  nations.  They  refuse  to  drink  out  of  the  glass  that 
a Christian  has  used  ; they  abstain  from  wine  on  their  jour- 
neys, if  none  can  be  got  which  has  been  put  into  casks  or 
bottles  by  their  brethren  ; the  flesh  of  every  animal  slain 
by  a Christian  is  considered  unclean. 

It  ought,  on  the  other  hand,  to  be  recollected,  that  the 
Christians  in  Bohemia  have  committed  flagrant  acts  of  in- 
justice against  the  Jews  ; it  has  been  determined  more  than 
once  to  banish  them  the  kingdom,  and  the  sentence  has 
been  as  often  averted  only  by  pecuniary  services  or 
presents  to  men  in  power.  A law  was  enacted  in  1817, 
for  the  purpose  of  preventing  their  increase,  by  which  no 
woman  can  many  before  the  age  of  eighteen,  and  no  man 
before  that  of  twenty-two.  If  any  enter  into  wedlock 
at  an  earlier  period,  such  marriages  are  null,  and  the 
rabbis  that  celebrate  them  are  banished.  Can  it  be  sup- 
posed, after  the  statement  of  these  facts,  that  the  Jews  in 
Bohemia  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of  other  citizens,  that  their 
property  and  wealth  are  equally  secure  1 Government  has 
shown  its  regard  for  them  by  putting  them  without  the  pale 
of  ordinary  legislation.  If  two  persons  are  prevented  from 
marrying  because  the  one  is  only  seventeen  and  the  other 
only  twenty-one  years  of  age,  what  else  is  it  than  to  en- 
courage immorality  and  adultery  1 It  is  by  such  means  that 
profligacy  and  seduction  may  perhaps  become  common 
among  a people  who,  whatever  their  faults  may  be,  are  an 
example  to  Christians  for  conjugal  fidelity. 

The  author  from  whom  these  details  have  partly  been 
taken,*  commends  the  oppressive  measures  of  the  Austrian 
government  against  the  Jews,  a proof  that  great  acquire- 
ments are  not  incompatible  with  unfounded  prejudice.  If 
he  may  be  believed,  the  Jews  cannot  be  enlightened  by 
education,  they  are  altogether  destitute  of  generous  senti- 
ments. It  was  rightly  maintained  thirty  years  ago,b  con- 
tinues the  same  author,  that  the  number  of  Jews  in  the 
kingdom  was  a great  evil ; they  have  always  been  the 
objects  of  popular  hatred,  but  their  gradual  increase  may 
render  vain  both  the  vigilance  of  the  police  and  the  wise 
laws  that  have  been  past  against  them.  The  facts  on  which 
M.  Lichtenstern  founds  his  opinion  shall  be  afterwards  exa- 
mined ; certainly  much  weight  cannot  be  attached  to  them, 
if  they  be  confined  to  the  pretended  crime  of  usury,  and 
the  commercial  superiority  which  distinguishes  the  Jews, 
and  excites  the  nation  against  them. 

Before  the  edict  of  Joseph  the  Second  was  passed,0  it 
might  have  been  inferred  from  the  rigour  with  which  as 
many  were  punished  as  were  suspected  of  being  protes- 

a Lichtenstern. 

11  By  the  counsellor  Rieger. 

c Edict  granting  toleration  to  the  Protestants,  Oct.  13,  1781. 

rt  “ 7(1  convents,  chapters  or  fraternities.” 

‘ The  consistory  of  Prague  and  Vienna.”  The  Protestants  in  the 


39 

tants,  that  the  whole  nation  was  devoted  to  the  church  of 
Rome.  But  no  sooner  was  liberty  of  conscience  proclaim- 
ed, than  whole  towns  became  suddenly  Lutheran.  Although 
protestants  of  almost  every  denomination  have  since  that 
time  been  protected  by  government,  still  they  are  not  very 
numerous  ; the  proportion  between  them  and  the  catholics 
is  nearly  as  one  to  thirty-three.  Thus,  notwithstanding  the 
edict  of  Joseph  the  Second,  the  cloisters  are  as  thickly 
peopled  as  formerly ; the  number  of  convents  is  not  less 
than  seventy-six, d but  only  five  of  them  are  inhabited  by 
women. 

The  archbishop  of  Prague  is  styled  a prince  of  the 
kingdom,  and  receives  from  Rome  the  title  of  legate  of  the 
holy  see  ; he  as  well  as  the  other  bishops  are  nominated  by 
the  king  ;the  pope  merely  confirms  their  appointment.  No 
bull  can  be  published  in  the  kingdom  without  the  consent 
of  government.  The  highest  spiritual  courts  which  the 
protestants  acknowledge,  are  the  consistories  of  Prague  and 
Vienna.®  The  Jewish  worship  is  under  the  direction  of  a 
council,  the  members  of  which  are"  the  great  Rabbi  of 
Prague,  and  two  assistants. 

The  present  population  of  Bohemia  is  not  accurately 
known  ; according  to  the  last  census,  that  of  1818,  it 
amounted  to  3,275,866  inhabitants  ; in  that  number  there 
were  1,520,934  males,  and  1,754,932  females.  It  appears 
from  the  most  authentic  accounts,  that  the  country  did  not 
contain  more  than  2,887,769  inhabitants  in  1791,  so  that 
the  increase  in  a period  of  twenty-seven  years,  was  equal 
to  388,097  individuals.  The  population  in  1827  may  thus 
be  nearly  ascertained  by  a very  simple  calculation  ; in  short 
if  the  third  part  of  388,097  be  added  to  the  census  of 
1818,  then  the  result  gives  nearly  the  number  of  inhabi- 
tants in  1827.  The  population  of  1827,  thus  calculated, 
amounts  to  3,405,231  individuals,  but  that  number  is  rathei 
under  than  above  the  truth,  for  the  years  that  have  elapsed 
since  the  peace,  have  been  favourable  to  population/ 

The  inhabitants  consist  chiefly  of  three  distinct  people  : 
the  Tchekhes  or  Slavonians,  the  Germans  and  the  Jews. 
The  first  form  two  thirds  of  the  population  in  the  king- 
dom. The  circle  of  Elnbogen  is  wholly,  and  other  circles 
are  partly  peopled  by  Germans ; their  total  number  does 
not  exceed  eight  hundred  and  fifty  thousand ; as  to  the 
Jews,  they  may  be  equal  to  fifty  thousand. 

Most  of  the  Germans  who  settled  in  the  country  about 
the  ninth  century,  migrated  from  Saxony,  and  were  em- 
ployed in  working  the  mines ; the  rest  were  almost  all 
artisans,  who  came  from  different  countries  on  the  banks 
of  the  Rhine,  at  that  time  too  populous,  and  settled  in  the 
towns.  They  were  so  numerous  in  Prague,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  fourteenth  century,  and  possessed  so  great 
a preponderance  from  their  wealth,  that  the  most  important 
offices  were  committed  to  them.  The  university  of  Prague, 
which  was  founded  in  the  same  century,  tended  to  increase 
their  number  ; for  the  desire  of  knowledge  attracted  many 
students  from  Germany,  and  not  a few  settled  in  the  coun- 
try. Lastly,  when  the  partisans  of  John  Huss,  who  were 
all  of  Slavonic  origin,  were  persecuted  and  obliged  to  quit 
Bohemia,  the  most  of  their  property  was  confiscated  and 
divided  among  German  nobles,  who,  like  the  nobility  under 
Lewis  the  Fourteenth,  enriched  themselves  with  the  spoils 

German  Austrian  states  and  in  Galicia  are  subject  to  the  consistory  of  Vi- 
enna. (Hassei.) — P. 

f The  time  elapsed  from  1818  to  1827  is  equal  to  nine  years ; the  in 
crease  in  twenty-seven  years  is  known  ; if  the  third  part  of  it  therefore  be 
added  to  the  census  for  1818,  it  gives  the  population  in  1827. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


40 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXV 


of  the  protestants,  and  had  no  scruples  about  receiving 
ill-gotten  wealth.  If  to  these  causes,  so  favourable  to  the 
settlement  of  the  Germans  in  Bohemia,  be  added  the  pro- 
tection they  acquired  when  the  country  came  under  the 
government  of  Austria,  for  since  that  period,  Germans 
have  filled  the  highest  offices  in  the  state,  it  may  be  easily 
explained,  why  their  influence  is  so  great,  although  their 
number  is  comparatively  inconsiderable,  and  also  why  their 
language  is  so  generally  diffused.  The  lower  orders  among 
the  Tchekhes  still  retain  their  language,  which  together 
with  the  German  is  spoken  by  the  middling  classes. 

The  Tchekhe  or  Bohemian  language  is  one  of  those 
Slavonic  dialects  which  have  been  styled  Bohemo-Polish, 
by  M.  A.  Balbi.a  It  differs  from  the  other  dialects,  such  as 
the  Polish,  Croatian  and  Ragusan,  not  merely  in  its  gram- 
matical forms,  but  by  its  use  of  the  German  characters,  for 
in  the  others,  the  Roman  letters  are  used.  The  Bohemians 
sprung  from  the  Tchekhes,  may  be  easily  known  by  their 
pronunciation.  The  German  Bohemians  retain  the  Ba- 
varian, Saxon,  Silesian  or  Austrian  pronunciation,  accord- 
ing as  they  are  descended  from  the  one  or  the  other  of 
those  nations,  or  according  as  they  inhabit  the  frontiers  ad- 
jacent to  them. 

The  people  in  Bohemia  are  strong  and  laborious,  active 
and  well  made.  According  to  calculations  published  by 
Rieger  and  Lichtenstern,  three  individuals  die  annually  out 
of  a hundred  ; the  proportion  between  the  deaths  and 
births,  is  as  a thousand  to  a thousand  three  hundred  and 
forty-four ; out  of  ten  thousand  infants,  a hundred  and 
ninety-nine  are  still-born  ; the  number  of  births  is  to  the 
population  as  one  to  twenty-three.  The  total  number  of 
deaths  amount  to  nearly  ninety  thousand,  and  of  these  seven 
hundred  and  seventy  are  violent  or  occasioned  by  accidents. 
But  the  mortality  is  not  so  great  in  some  remote  quarters 
in  the  districts  of  Beraun,  Bitschow,  Bunzlau,  Chrudim, 
Czaslau,  Klattau  and  Prachin ; the  deaths  there  do  not 
make  up  a fortieth  of  a forty-fifth  part  of  the  population. 
Numerous  examples  of  longevity  might  be  mentioned ; 
there  are  many  individuals  between  ninety  and  a hundred 
years  of  age.  It  is  stated  that  in  1801,  out  of  five  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  thirty-five  persons,  seven  hundred 
and  fitly  had  passed  their  hundredth  year,  and  twenty-nine 
were  upwards  of  a hundred  and  ten.  The  proportion 
of  natural  children  at  the  same  period,  was  nearly  eight  to 
a hundred,  or  seventy-six  to  a thousand.  The  mean  dura- 
tion of  marriages  is  about  twenty-two  years  and  two 
months,  and  the  mean  number  of  children  from  every 
marriage,  about  four.  One  marriage  takes  place  yearly 
out  of  every  hundred  and  thirty-four  inhabitants,  and  the 
total  number  of  married  men  in  1817,  amounted  to  569,793. 
It  may  be  worth  while  to  compare  some  of  these  facts, 
which  relate  only  to  the  Christian  population,  with  others 
relative  to  the  Jews  ; among  them  the  number  of  deaths 
is  hardly  one  in  sixty-two,  but  the  number  of  births  does 
not  exceed  one  in  forty-three. 

The  Germans  and  Tchekhes  differ  as  much  in  their 
character  as  in  their  language  ; they  resemble  each  other 
only  in  their  strict  observance  of  religious  ceremonies,  in 
their  devotedness  to  their  sovereign,  and  in  their  hatred 
against  the  seigniorial  nobility.  The  Slavonians  may  be 
distinguished  from  the  Germans  by  the  care  which  they 
take  of  their  property,  and  by  their  constant  desire  of  add- 


ing to  it ; they  are  less  susceptible  of  attachment,  less 
faithful  in  their  affections,  and  more  addicted  to  society, 
dissipation  and  amusement.  They  boast  of  their  prudence, 
but  it  consists  principally  in  not  trusting  their  neighbours, 
particularly  the  Germans,  whom  they  still  consider  enemies. 
In  the  military  service,  the  soldiers  of  both  nations  rival 
each  other  in  zeal  and  courage.  The  mountaineers  are 
distinguished  by  a greater  aptitude  for  the  arts,  and  by  a 
generosity  and  a dignity  of  character,  which  are  rarely 
observed  among  the  people  in  the  plains. 

The  stranger,  who  travels  through  Bohemia,  must  per- 
ceive a great  difference  in  the  dress  of  the  inhabitants ; 
it  does  not,  as  in  other  countries,  depend  merely  on  rank 
or  fortune  ; it  serves  to  distinguish  the  Slavonian  from  the 
German,  and  the  German  from  the  Jew.  The  Slavonic 
dress  may  be  known  on  the  mountains  and  in  the  plains 
by  its  resemblance  to  the  Polish  costume.  Although  some 
Germans  have  adopted  it,  the  observer  does  not  confound 
them  with  the  other  inhabitants,  the  character  of  their 
physiognomy  is  so  widely  different.  These  remarks  are 
only  applicable  to  the  lower  orders ; the  middling  as  well 
as  upper  classes  of  society,  dress  like  the  French,  for  the 
fashions  of  that  country  are  soon  adopted  by  the  gay  and 
the  wealthy.  The  Jews  have  retained  the  costume  which  is 
used  by  the  lower  orders,  but  they  may  be  easily  known,  as 
they  are  the  most  filthy  class  of  people  in  the  country. 

The  food  of  the  inhabitants  is  very  different  in  different 
districts,  and  the  cause  depends  more  on  the  nature  of  the 
soil,  than  on  the  wealth  and  poverty  of  the  people.  Barley 
and  oat  meal,  milk  and  potatoes,  are  generally  used  in  the 
mountains,  particularly  by  the  labourers  ; beer  is  reserved 
for  holy-days.  But  in  the  vallies  and  the  plains,  where  nature 
is  more  profuse,  the  husbandmen  have  better  and  more 
substantial  nourishment.  The  use  of  animal  food  is  not  so 
rare,  and  beer  or  wine  is  the  ordinary  drink.  The  Jews 
are  more  sober  and  abstemious  than  the  other  inhabitants  ; 
their  thin  and  emaciated  forms  seem  almost  to  prove  that 
they  deprive  themselves  of  the  necessary  quantity  of  sub- 
sistence. Although  in  a wretched  and  degraded  state,  they 
never  take  wine,  spirits,  or  any  strong  drink  to  excess  ; it 
is  the  Christian  only  that  gets  drunk  on  festivals  and  holy- 
days. 

It  might  be  concluded  from  the  consideration  in  which 
landed  proprietors  are  held  in  most  parts  of  Bohemia,  that 
agriculture  is  well  understood,  and  that  the  husbandman 
derives  from  his  fields,  whatever  they  are  capable  of  pro- 
ducing. The  truth  is,  however,  that  there  are  few  coun- 
tries where  agriculture  is  not  better  understood.  The  cause 
must  he  principally  attributed  to  the  inveterate  prejudices 
and  slothful  habits  of  the  peasantry ; those  districts  in  which, 
from  the  quality  of  the  soil,  one  might  expect  to  find  the 
most  abundant  harvests,  yield  but  scanty  crops.  But  in 
the  mountains,  on  the  other  hand,  poor  lands  and  inclement 
seasons,  though  great  obstacles  to  fruitful  harvests,  have 
! rendered  the  people  more  active  and  intelligent.  It  results 
from  their  efforts  that  some  of  the  higher  districts  produce 
more  than  is  sufficient  for  the  local  consumption,  and  in- 
deed the  district  of  Leitmeritz  in  the  central  chain,  has 
been  called  the  Paradise  of  Bohemia.  If  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  country,  which  is  naturally  the  most  productive,  a 
better  system  of  agriculture  was  adopted,  if  government 
excited  the  husbandmen  to  labour,  by  encouraging  the  cir- 
culation of  their  products,  by  opening  outlets  for  commerce, 
and  by  improving  the  breed  of  cattle,  which  ire  everv 


Atlas  Ethnographique. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


41 


BOOK  CXXV.] 

where  deficient  both  in  number  and  quality,  the  country 
might  assume  a new  aspect,  acquire  a greater  political  im- 
portance, and  become  one  of  the  brightest  ornaments  in 
the  crown  of  Austria.  The  breeding  of  sheep  is  neg- 
lected not  only  in  the  chain  of  the  Riesen  Gebirge,  which 
contains  good  pasturage,  but  throughout  the  whole  king- 
dom. No  reason  can  be  assigned  why  as  valuable  sheep 
might  not  be  reared  in  Bohemia  as  in  Saxony  or  Silesia. 
Sheep  are  certainly  more  valuable  than  goats  which  are 
every  year  increasing  in  the  country.  All  agree  that  the 
Bohemian  horses  are  of  an  excellent  quality;  many  are 
kept  in  different  places  by  government  for  the  purpose  of 
improving  the  breed,* * 3 *  and  a strong,  active  and  hardy  race 
has  thus  been  naturalized. 

The  climate  of  Bohemia  does  not  appear  favourable  to 
the  culture  of  the  vine  ; the  quantity  of  wine  produced 
annually  is  estimated  at  only  2,600  eimers  or  540,000  gal- 
lons.15 It  is  however  more  than  six  hundred  years  since  the 
vine  was  first  introduced  into  Bohemia.  Plants  were  im- 
ported by  Charles  the  Fourth3  from  Burgundy  and  the 
banks  of  the  Rhine  ; wine,  it  has  been  affirmed,  was  then 
so  abundant  as  to  render  it  unnecessary  to  import  any  from 
foreign  countries.11 

The  culture  of  fruit  trees  is  found  to  be  profitable  ; thffir 
number  has  increased  considerably  within  the  last  twenty 
years,  but  at  that  time,  however,  it  amounted  to  nearly 
eleven  millions,  consisting  principally  of  apple,  pear,  plum, 
and  cherry  trees  ;e  their  annual  produce  forms  an  impor- 
tant branch  of  commerce. 

The  next  most  productive  plants  are  hops  and  flax ; the 
first  is  cultivated  in  all  the  more  fertile  soils ; there  are  two 
kinds  of  it,  the  common  and  the  green  hop,  the  last  of  which 
is  propagated  spontaneously. 

All  the  different  trees  that  are  known  in  Germany,  grow 
in  the  forests  of  Bohemia  ; they  yield  annually  a quantity 
of  timber  much  more  than  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the 
people  ; the  greater  portion  is  therefore  exported. 

The  rearing  of  the  industrious  insects  that  furnish  honey 
and  wax,  is  common  in  most  parts  of  the  country ; the 
number  of  hives  belonging  to  the  peasantry  cannot  be  esti- 
mated at  less  than  sixty  thousand. 

The  mountains  and  the  forests  abound  in  different  sorts 
of  game,  some  of  which  multiply  in  the  plains.  The  rivers, 
lakes  and  ponds  are  stored  with  various  kinds  of  fish  ; more 
than  two  thousand  quintals  are  sold  or  exported  every  year 
from  the  seigniory  of  Pardubitz  in  the  district  of  Chrudim. 
The  country  is  mostly  supplied  with  trouts  from  the  lordship 
of  Bidschow.  In  some  of  the  ponds,  carps  weighing  from 
twenty  to  thirty  pounds  are  not  unfrequently  taken.  Many 
fresh  water  pearls  are  collected  in  the  Moldau,  the  Elster 
md  other  rivers.  Salmon  are  frequently  caught  in  the  Elbe, 
nd  also  the  fish  which  the  Germans  call  the  welsfisch  [Si- 
lurus Glanis,  Linnaeus,)  that  weighs  from  ninety  to  a hun- 
dred pounds.  The  same  fish  attains  a greater  size  in  the 
Danube  ; next  to  the  sturgeon,  it  is  the  largest  of  any  that 
are  found  in  fresh  water. 

The  head  of  the  silurus  is  broad  and  flat ; the  mouth, 
which  is  very  large,  is  furnished  with  a great  number  of 

a The  most  important  establishments  of  this  kind  ( 'haras , studs,)  are 
those  at  Blatto,  Alt-Bunzlau,  Chlumetz,  Josephstadt,  Klattau,  Kcenig- 
graetz,  Nemoschutz,  Nimburg,  Pardubitz,  Pilsen,  Pisek,  Podiebrad,  Prague, 
Tabor,  Theresienstadt  and  Kladrub. 
b “ About  20,000  hectolitres.” 

* In  the  14th  century. 

VOL.  Ill— NO.  43.  6 


small  teeth  ; the  back  is  round  and  of  a greenish  black,  the 
belly  of  a bright  green,  and  black  spots  are  scattered  over 
the  body.  The  fins  are  yellow,  tipt  with  blue,  and  doited 
with  the  same  colour.  The  silurus  has  a voracious  appe- 
tite ; it  seeks  during  the  night,  the  spawn  along  the  banks 
of  the  rivers,  or  the  carcases  of  birds  and  quadrupeds  winch 
the  waters  have  thrown  on  the  shores.  A naturalist  affirms 
that  the  remains  of  children  have  been  found  in  their  sto- 
mach/ As  it  is  slow  in  its  motions,  and  as  its  fins  arc  short, 
it  seldom  overtakes  its  prey  by  swimming ; it  is  probatily  on 
that  account  that  it  remains  always  during  the  day  under 
stones  or  the  roots  of  trees,  or  in  holes.  Concealed  by  the 
ooze,  its  dark  colour  renders  it  invisible  to  the  other  fish  ; 
its  whiskers5 6 *  appear  above  the  mud,  and  in  their  movements 
and  size,  have  some  resemblance  to  worms  ; the  small  fish 
are  attracted  by  the  bait,  but  as  it  keeps  its  mouth  open, 
they  are  not  aware  of  the  danger,  until  it  is  too  kite  to  escape. 
The  silurus  grows  slowly,  and  its  life  is  consequently  of  long 
duration  ; it  is  taken  by  the  hook  and  the  spear ; the  flesh 
of  the  animal  is  white,  soft  and  fat,  but  difficult  of  digestion. 

It  is  difficult  to  examine  any  mineralogical  collections 
without  being  convinced  of  the  fact  that  Bohemia  abounds 
in  minerals.  It  is  in  the  chain  of  the  Erz-Gebirge  that  the 
most  extensive  works  are  carried  on,  while  in  the  south- 
western part  of  the  country,  the  mines  so  celebrated  in 
ancient  times,  are  now  wholly  exhausted.  The  only  tin 
mines  in  Bohemia  and  in  the  whole  Austrian  empire  are 
situated  on  the  declivities  of  the  Erz-Gebirge ; their  pro- 
duce does  not  amount  annually  to  more  than  nine  thousand 
quintals.  Attempts  have  lately  been  made  to  work  some 
gold  mines  at  the  base  of  the  Riesen-Gebirge.  More  than 
eight  centuries  ago,  the  district  of  Kaurzim  was  so  rich  in 
that  metal,  that  about  the  year  998,  the  single  mine  of  To- 
balka,  yielded  ten  thousand11  marks  of  gold.  It  is  admitted 
however,  that  the  experiments,  which  have  been  hitherto 
made,  have  not  corresponded  with  the  expectations  of  the 
miners ; still  the  gold  washings  on  the  banks  of  the  Eule, 
the  Sazawa,  the  Wottawa,  the  Lesnitz  and  other  rivers, 
which  flow  through  alluvial  lands,  are  continued  with  some 
success.  The  silver  mines  in  the  district  of  Tabor,  on  the 
side  of  the  Moravian  mountains,  are  not  productive.  Several 
copper  mines  are  situated  in  other  districts,  but  they  are 
not  so  productive  as  the  lead  mines,  although  the  produce 
of  the  latter  does  not  exceed  seven  or  eight  thousand  quin- 
tals. The  silver  mines  yield  annually  about  two  thousand 
four  hundred  marks.  The  iron  mines  are  without  doubt 
the  most  important  of  any  in  the  kingdom;  they  are  worked 
in  almost  all  the  mountains,  and  the  quantity  of  forged  iron 
thus  obtained,  is  not  less  than  two  hundred  thousand  quin- 
tals. Zinc,  arsenic  and  mercury  are  obtained  in  different 
parts  of  the  country  ; coals  are  abundant,  and  the  salt 
springs  are  sufficiently  productive  to  supply  not  only  Bohe- 
mia but  lower  Austria. 

It  is  sufficient  to  mention  among  the  numerous  mineral 
springs  in  the  country,  those  of  Toeplitz,  Carlsbad  and 
Sedlitz,  which  are  so  celebrated  that  it  may  be  necessary 
to  enter  into  some  details  concerning  them.  The  waters  of 
Toeplitz  are  saline,  ferruginous  and  alkaline ; their  tempera - 

rt  J.  M.  Lichtenstern,  Umriss  einer  Geographisch-statistischen  Schilde- 

rung  des  Koenigreichs  Bcehmen. 

e Principally  in  the  districts  of  Bidschow,  Kceniggrsetz,  Bunzlau,  Saatz, 

Leitmeritz,  Prachin  and  Rakonitz. 

f M.  Bose,  Membre  de  1’Academie  des  Sciences. 

6 The  filaments  of  its  beard. 

h “ About  100,000.” 


42  EUROPE.  [book  cxxv. 


ture  is  117°  of  Fahrenheit.  A German  naturalist1  has  en- 
deavoured to  explain  the  formation  of  the  seven  springs  at 
Carlsbad.  As  their  temperature  is  very  high,  he  supposes 
that  in  the  granite  in  the  vicinity,  chemical  and  galvanic 
effects  are  taking  place,  which  by  the  action  of  non-mineral 
water,  account  for  the  formation  of  these  warm  springs. 
According  to  the  same  author,  the  river  Tepel  supplies  this 
natural  laboratory  ; he  founds  his  opinion  on  a well  known 
fact,  namely,  that  the  springs  are  not  so  abundant  in  dry  as 
in  rainy  weather,  and  also  on  the  fact  that  gas  bubbles  often 
escape  from  the  waters  of  the  river.  Other  naturalists  at- 
tribute the  heat  of  the  springs  to  central  fires  in  the  earth. 
It  seems  to  be  generally  admitted  that  we  are  not  in  posses- 
sion of  sufficient  facts  to  enable  us  to  explain  these  pheno- 
mena. It  may  be  remarked  that  according  to  the  analysis 
of  a distinguished  chemist, b the  waters  of  Carlsbad  contain 
a great  quantity  of  sulphate  and  carbonate  of  soda.  It  has 
been  observed  too  by  an  eminent  physician,®  that  they  may 
be  used  with  success  in  hysterical  and  hypochondriacal 
diseases.  The  purgative  waters  of  Sedlitz  which  are  ex- 
ported to  every  country  in  Europe,  are  used  perhaps  with 
greater  success  than  the  last  in  the  same  complaints.  They 
are  so  well  known  that  it  is  needless  to  describe  their  pro- 
perties, or  to  state  that  they  are  clear  and  limpid,  and  of  a 
salt  and  bitter  taste.  It  appears  from  their  chemical  analy- 
sis that  they  contain  sulphate  and  carbonate  of  lime  and 
magnesia,  as  well  as  carbonic  acid  gas.d 

It  has  been  already  observed  that  various  rare  minerals 
are  met  with  in  Bohemia.  Some  of  the  precious  stones  that 
are  used  in  the  arts,  are  also  found  in  the  country.  Of  these, 
the  garnet,  the  ruby,  the  sapphire,  the  amethyst,  the  hya- 
cinth, and  the  topaz,  are  employed  by  the  lapidary  ; jas- 
pers, carnelians  and  calcedonies  are  used  for  different  pur- 
poses. Different  kinds  of  stone  well  adapted  for  building, 
together  with  marble  and  serpentine,  are  common  in  many 
parts  of  the  country.  Good  millstones  are  obtained  in  other 
places,  and  also  a sort- of  schistus  that  is  converted  into  ex- 
cellent whetstones,  and  kaolin  that  is  used  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  porcelain. 

Industry  has  made  rapid  advances  in  Bohemia  within  the 
last  twenty  years ; more  than  six  hundred  thousand  pieces  of 
linen  are  annually  obtained  from  its  manufactories,  and  they 
are  sold  for  more  than  nine  millions  of  florins.  The  produce 
of  the  tan-works  may  be  estimated  at  nearly  twa  millions 
two  hundred  thousand  florins  ; the  value  of  the  hats  made  in 
the  country,  at  nine  hundred  thousand  ; and  that  of  all  the 
different  manufactured  articles  at  more  than  twenty-three 
millions,  while  the  total  value  of  the  raw  materials  is  not 
equal  to  a fourth  part  of  the  same  sum  ; thus  in  that  single 
class  of  products  there  is  a profit  of  about  sixteen  millions  of 
florins,  which  is  divided  among  the  workmen,  the  manufac- 
turers and  the  merchants.  It  may  be  worth  while  to  men- 
tion an  important  manufactory  of  lace  and  blond,  which 
has  been  established  at  Hirschenstand  in  the  circle  of  Eln- 
bogen  for  more  than  forty  years.  It.  furnishes  employment 
to  about  eight  thousand  individuals,  and  the  annual  produce 
of  their  industry  is  estimated  at  two  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand  florins.  The  greater  part  of  this  manufacture  is 
disposed  of  in  the  Austrian  territories  ; the  rest  of  it  is  ex- 
ported to  Saxony.  From  that  kingdom,  the  fine  thread  is 


1 Goethe,  Naturwissenschaft,  v.  VI.  p.  211. 
b Berzelius. 

c M.  Alibert,  Precis  historique  sur  les  eaux  minerales  les  plus  usitees 
en  medicine. 


obtained,  while  Austria  furnishes  the  common  thread  and 
the  silk. 

It  is  only  necessary  to  make  one  or  two  remarks  on  the 
commerce  of  Bohemia,  to  account  for  the  jealousy  and 
hatred  which  subsist  against  the  Jews.  The  inhabitants  re- 
proach them,  because  they  never  follow  any  trade  or  occu- 
pation in  which  manual  labour  is  required.  But  there  is 
little  doubt,  if  they  were  to  do  so,  that  they  would  be  as 
much  detested  by  the  working  classes,  as  they  are  at  present 
by  the  mercantile  class  of  the  community.  The  Jews  them- 
selves seem  to  be  aware  of  that  circumstance,  and  besides, 
as  most  of  them  have  numerous  families,  how  could  they 
be  able  to  maintain  their  children  during  a long  apprentice- 
ship 1 They  are  all  brokers  or  money  agents,  a profession 
much  more  easy  than  any  other,  and  one  which  does  not 
require  a previous  training  or  apprenticeship ; the  example 
of  the  father  suffices  for  the  son.  It  has  been  said,  that  in 
whatever  part  of  Bohemia  the  Jews  are  numerous,  the 
manufacturers  are  sooner  or  later  ruined.  If  the  statement 
be  correct,  it  proves  merely  the  want  of  foresight,  or  im- 
providence of  the  manufacturers.  It  is  probable,  that  in 
Bohemia,  as  in  every  other  country,  many  manufacturers 
begin  business  without  a sufficient  capital  to  carry  it  on.  If 
the  tradesman  cannot  fulfil  his  engagements  with  the  Jew, 
but  is  obliged  to  give  instead  of  money,  his  manufactures  at 
a loss,  he  is  very  likely  to  be  soon  ruined ; but  ought  his  mis- 
fortunes to  be  attributed  to  the  Jew  1 The  one  sells  his 
money  at  as  dear  a rate  as  he  can,  and  the  other  is  as  eager 
to  sell  his  manufactures  or  merchandise  at  the  highest  price. 
The  great  law  of  commerce  is  equally  applicable  to  them 
both. 

Bohemia  exports  not  only  the  products  of  its  manufac 
turing  industry,  but  those  of  its  agriculture,  such  as  grain 
pulse  and  fruits,  as  well  as  the  surplus  timber  that  its  forests 
yield,  are  exchanged  for  colonial  produce,  sufficient  to  sup- 
ply the  wants  of  the  people.  The  countries  with  which  it 
maintains  direct  commercial  intercourse,  are  Prussia, 
Saxony,  the  grand  dutchy  of  Baden  and  Bavaria.  The 
produce  of  its  fisheries,  after  supplying  the  consumption  of 
the  country,  is  chiefly  exported  to  Austria.  Nothing  per- 
haps tends  more  to  keep  up  the  commerce  of  the  country, 
than  the  annual  fairs  in  different  towns ; the  most  impor- 
tant are  held  at  Prague  and  Pilsen. 

Goods  are  transported  on  the  Elbe,  the  Moldau  and  the 
Eger,  in  boats  that  carry  from  three  hundred  to  twelve 
hundred  quintals.  The  navigation  against  the  current,  is 
often  effected  by  the  assistance  ol  sails,  while  the  north 
and  north-east  winds  prevail  in  the  countries  that  are  water- 
ed by  the  Elbe.  If  a projected  canal  which  is  to  open  a 
communication  between  the  Danube  and  the  Moldau,  weie 
finished,  Bohemia  might  derive  great  advantage  from  it,  and 
as  much  perhaps  if  the  principal  roads  were  completed, 
which  it  is  at  present  proposed  to  extend.  It  is  certain  that 
in  1817  their  total  length  was  not  more  than  eight  hundred 
and  fifty'  English  miles.® 

From  the  details  into  which  we  have  entered,  the  reader 
may  form  a correct  idea  of  Bohemia  ; the  principal  towns 
in  the  same  country  are  yet  to  be  described. 

Prague,  the  capital,  is  situated  almost  in  the  centre  of  the 
kingdom.  Four  quarters  extend  along  the  banks  of  the 


d F.  Hoffmann,  De  acidularum  et  thcrmanini  usu  et  abusu.  Sec  also 
the  analysis  of  them  by  Neumann. 

* “ 350  leagues.” 


BOOK  CXXV.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


43 


Moldau,  which  traverses  the  city  ; on  one  side  are  built  the 
Old  and  the  New  Town,  and  on  the  other,  Kleine-Seite  or 
the  Little  Quarter,3  and  Hradschin  or  the  Upper  Town. 
The  population  amounts  to  eighty-four  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, and  the  number,  of  houses  to  three  thousand  four 
hundred.  The  situation  of  Prague  has  been  much  ad- 
mired, as  well  on  account  of  the  Moldau,  which  is  about 
five  hundred  and  sixty  yards  in  breadth,  as  of  the  beauty 
of  the  neighbouring  country,  and  the  distant  views  of  the 
mountains  of  Schwein  and  Petrin,  that  partly  bound  the 
horizon.  The  town  occupies  a great  extent  of  ground ; it 
cannot  be  less  than  twelve  miles  in  circumference.11  Each 
quarter  has  its  curiosities ; in  the  Old  Town,  the  stranger 
may  observe  a bridge  over  the  Moldau,  about  eighteen  hun- 
dred feet  in  length,  supported  by  sixteen  arches,  adorned 
with  twenty-eight  statues  of  saints,  and  built  by  the  Empe- 
ror Charles  the  Fourth  in  the  year  1338.  The  public  build- 
ings in  the  same  quarter,  are  the  Carolin  or  ancient  univer- 
sity, founded  in  1371,  the  townhouse  remarkable  for  an 
astronomical  clock,  the  work  of  the  celebrated  Tycho- 
Brahe,  the  church  of  Thein,  in  which  is  contained  the 
mausoleum  of  the  same  great  astronomer,  the  fine  church 
of  the  Holy  Cross,  the  museum  of  natural  history,  and  the 
observatory.  The  streets  in  the  New  Town  are  broad  and 
well  built ; on  an  eminence  are  observed  the  ruins  of  the 
Wischerad,  an  ancient  castle  that  belonged  to  the  kings  of 
Bohemia  ; another  townhouse  is  situated  in  the  same  quar- 
ter ; the  Hussites  threw  thirteen  members  of  the  municipal 
council  out  of  its  windows.  The  Kleine-Seite  or  Little 
Quarter  is  still  better  built  than  the  last ; it  may  be  remark- 
ed for  its  fine  houses,  the  church  of  Saint  Nicholas,  and  the 
palace  of  Wallenstein.  But  in  point  of  situation,  the 
Hradschin  or  Upper  Town  is  finer  than  any  other  quarter; 
it  is  adorned  by  the  royal  castle,  the  building  of  which  was 
continued  at  intervals  for  several  centuries,  and  was  at  last 
completed  by  Maria  Theresa ; the  Dome  or  cathedral,  a 
model  of  Gothic  architecture,  rises  near  the  same  edifice. 
Prague  possesses  a great  number  of  public  buildings,  many 
charitable  and  useful  institutions,  and  several  scientific  col- 
lections and  libraries  ; the  library  belonging  to  the  univer- 
sity, contains  a hundred  and  thirty  thousand  volumes,  and  a 
manuscript  of  Pliny. 

It  is  believed  that  Prague  stands  on  the  site  of  Marobu- 
dum,  an  ancient  town  of  the  Marcomanni,  so  called  from 
their  king  Marobod  or  Maroboduus.  Ruined  by  the  inva- 
sion of  the  barbarians,  it  was  rebuilt  by  the  Slavonians  about 
the  year  611  ; it  had  become  an  important  town  in  723 ; 
its  population  was  very  great  during  the  fifteenth  century, 
and  not  less  than  forty-four  thousand  students  are  said  to 
have  attended  its  university.  But  the  persecution  raised 
against  John  Huss,c  who  was  born  in  the  town,  and-  the 
revolt  of  the  Hussites  were  fatal  to  the  university ; it  is  not 
attended  at  present  by  more  than  a few  hundred  students. 
Among  the  different  articles  manufactured  at  Prague,  are 
hats,  linen  and  cotton  goods,  silk  and  woollen  stuffs,  Russia 
leather,  nitric  acid  and  glass. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  describe  minutely  the  other  towns  in 
Bohemia  ; none  of  them  are  sufficiently  important  to  re- 
quire a detailed  account.  Jung-Bunzlau,  a small  town, 
built  in  973,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Iser,  byBoleslausd  the 
Second,  contains  three  thousand  six  hundred  inhabitants, 
wealthy  from  their  industry  and  commerce.  The  small 


manufacturing  town  of  Reichstadt  is  the  appanage  of 'Na- 
poleon’s son.  Leitmeritz,  a well  built  town,  does  not  con- 
tain more  than  three  thousand  five  hundred  individuals,  and 
the  fortress  of  Theresienstadt  in  the  neighbourhood,  com- 
mands a small  place  of  a thousand  inhabitants.  Lippa  is 
noted  for  its  cloth  and  woollen  manufactures,  and  more 
glass  is  made  at  Kamnitz  than  in  any  other  town  in  the 
kingdom.  The  famous  village  of  Warnsdorf,  the  largest 
of  any  in  Bohemia,  and  from  its  industry  more  important 
than  many  towns  in  the  same  country,  contains  eight  hun- 
dred houses  and  some  fine  public  buildings.  The  two  thou- 
sand three  hundred  inhabitants  of  Tceplitz  are  enriched  by 
the  produce  of  its  mineral  springs.  Saatz  (Bohemian,  Za- 
tecz,)  on  the  right  hank  of  the  Eger,  is  peopled  by  three 
thousand  eight  hundred  persons  ; it  was  founded  in  the  year 
718  by  a wealthy  Bohemian  noble,  the  count  of  Schwach. 
Carlsbad,  celebrated  for  its  pins,  needles  and  cutlery,  and 
still  more  so  on  account  of  its  mineral  waters,  contains  two 
thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants.  It  is  surrounded  by 
forests  and  high  mountains  ; according  to  report,  the  springs 
which  now  constitute  its  wealth,  were  discovered  while  the 
emperor  Charles  the  Fourth  was  enjoying  the  chase  ; one 
of  the  dogs  had  fallen  into  a boiling  pool,  and  its  cries 
awakened  the  attention  of  the  royal  party  ; from  that  cir- 
cumstance the  value  of  the  water,  and  its  salutary  effects, 
were  soon  afterwards  made  known.  Eger,  a town  of 
eight  thousand  five  hundred  inhftbitants,  carries  on  a trade 
in  cotton,  linen,  and  hemp.  Pilsen,  which  is  as  populous, 
is  enriched  by  its  cloth  manufactories  and  its  four  annual 
fairs.  Pisek  is  supposed  to  be  the  best  built  town  in  the 
kingdom.  Budweis  contains  a gymnasium,  an  arsenal  and 
six  thousand  inhabitants.  Tabor  stands  on  a height,  and 
was  formerly  fortified  ; it  was  celebrated  during  the  wars  of 
the  Hussites.  KceniggrEetz,  an  agreeable  town  of  six  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  was  at  one  time  more  populous ; it  was 
fortified  by  Maria  Theresa,  and  is  at  present  the  metropo- 
lis of  a bishopric,  and  has  several  schools  and  scientific 
collections.  Such  are  the  principal  towns  in  Bohemia  ; 
the  others  are  too  insignificant  to  require  notice. 

There  are  many  institutions  in  Bohemia,  of  which  the 
object  is  to  diffuse  instruction  and  knowledge.  The  num- 
ber of  elementary,  preparatory  and  scientific  schools  may 
be  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the  inhabitants ; the  Jews  too 
have  as  many  schools  as  they  require ; nothing  more  is 
wanted  than  that  these  institutions  should  be  put  under  a 
better  management,  that  the  methods  of  conveying  instruc- 
tion should  be  facilitated  and  improved.  Several  indivi- 
duals have  shown  their  zeal  for  the  arts,  by  forming  them- 
selves into  a society  at  Prague,  and  by  collecting  at  their 
own  expense  different  object  of  arts  that  are  deemed  useful 
in  improving  the  taste  of  the  young ; an  academy  too  is 
connected  with  the  society,  to  which  students  recommend- 
ed by  the  members  are  admitted.  Another  society  has  been 
founded  in  the  same  town  for  the  purpose  of  encouraging 
and  diffusing  a taste  for  the  study  both  of  vocal  and  instru- 
mental music.  Seven  hundred  and  eighty  poor  students, 
who  desire  to  devote  themselves  to  the  sciences  or  the 
career  of  instruction,  are  gratuitously  educated  at  the  uni- 
versity ; a fund  of  one  million  three  hundred  and  thirty 
thousand  florins  is  reserved  for  that  purpose.  Prague  pos- 
sesses besides  the  only  scientific  society  in  the  ancient  pro- 
vinces of  the  Austrian  empire  ; it  holds  a considerable  rank 


a Lesser  Town.  Ed.  Encyc.  Kleine  Stadt  (Little  Town.)  Busching. 
b “ Circumference  four  hours”  (stunden.) 


r History  of  Bohemia,  by  ./Eneas  Sylvius. 
d “ Boleslaw.” 


44 


EUROPE. 


among  the  different  institutions  of  the  same  kind  iiji 
Europe. 

The  numerous  charitable  institutions  in  almost  all  the 
towns  may  be  mentioned  to  the  honour  both  of  the  Bohe- 
mian government  and  the  wealthy  classes  in  that  country. 
There  are  few  places  of  any  consequence  without  hospitals 
for  orphans,  the  infirm  and  the  poor.  The  expenses  con- 
nected with  these  places  of  charity  have  been  estimated  at 
2,180,000  florins,  and  the  number  of  persons  admitted  into 
them  at  more  than  3,300.  Many  beneficent  societies  have 
been  formed,  which  administer  at  all  times  food  to  the  indi- 
gent, firewood  and  clothing  during  winter,  and  pecuniary 
advances  to  work  people  and  different  individuals  to  whom 
such  advances  may  be  useful.  Other  societies  have  been 
established  in  the  capital  for  the  relief  of  widows,  and  re- 
spectable persons  in  decayed  circumstances,  such  as  mer- 
chants, lawyers  and  physicians.  Different  houses  have  been 
built  in  the  same  place  for  affording  accommodation  to  the 
■ndigent  sick  and  women  in  childbed.  Funds  have  been 
raised  for  the  relief  of  workmen,  who  have  met  with  any 
severe  bodily  injury,  and  whose  families,  but  for  these  funds, 
must  have  been  left  destitute.  The  most  of  these  institu- 
tions are  conducted  on  an  excellent  plan,  and  those  who 
contribute  to  them  are  aware  that  their  money  is  much  bet- 
ter laid  out  than  if  it  were  given  in  private  or  indiscriminate 


[BOOK  CXXV 

charity  ; it  may  be  said  indeed  that  those  whom  fortune  has 
enabled  to  mitigate  the  calamities  of  others,  are  not  less  dis- 
tinguished by  their  judgment  than  by  their  zeal  in  the 
cause  of  philanthropy. 

The  revenues  of  the  kingdom  amount  to  more  than 
twenty-five  millions  of  florins ; the  military  force  to  more 
than  fifty  thousand  men,  exclusively  of  the  landwehr  or  militia. 
The  conscription  has  been  long  established  in  the  country. 
A German  geographer1  remarks  correctly  that  there  are 
few  countries  which  can  be  more  easily  defended  in  the 
event  of  a foreign  invasion.  It  may  be  observed  without 
entering  into  military  details  unconnected  with  our  subject, 
that  it  is  naturally  defended  by  its  mountains,  that  an  hos- 
tile army  could  not  advance  without  great  difficulty,  and 
that  the  more  numerous  the  army,  the  more  easily  could 
it  be  harassed  by  troops  scattered  in  different  parts  of  the 
country.  The  rivers,  forests,  mountains  and  ravines  are 
obstacles  which  diminish  greatly  the  chances  of  a success- 
ful invasion.  But  if  the  advantages  which  Bohemia  derives 
from  its  position,  are  of  importance  to  the  inabitants,  they 
are  less  so  to  the  Austrian  empire.  The  tactics  adopted  by 
the  European  states,  since  Napoleon  taught  them  both  to 
defend  themselves  and  to  attack  others,  might  be  employed 
with  success  in  a war  against  that  monarchy. 

* Liel'tens^rn. 


book  cxxvi.]  • DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY.  45 


BOOR  CXXVI. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Germany. — Tenth  section. — Description 
of  Moravia  and  Austrian  Silesia. 

Moravia,  or  Maehren,  as  it  is  called  in  Germany,  derives 
its  name  from  the  Morawa,  a river  thus  denominated  by 
the  ancient  Slavonians,  but  which  the  Germans  call  the 
March.  This  province  is  entitled  a county  or  margraviate, 
and  is  politically  united  with  Austrian  Silesia.  Both  these 
countries  shall  be  separately  described  in  the  account  of 
their  physical  geography.  The  extent  of  the  first  is  about 
eighty-six  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  a hundred  and 
twenty-eight  from  east  to  west.a  It  is  bounded  on  the  west 
by  Bohemia,  on  the  south  and  the  east  by  the  archdutchy 
of  Austria  and  Hungary,  and  on  the  north  by  Silesia. 
More  than  half  the  country  is  covered  with  mountains, 
which  in  many  places,  particularly  in  the  south,  enclose 
agreeable  and  fruitful  vallies.  The  soil  is  elevated  from  five 
to  nine  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  it  inclines 
principally  towards  the  south.  The  March  is  the  largest 
river  in  the  country ; it  rises  in  the  Sudetes,  flows  from  north 
to  south,  and  receives  most  of  the  streams  that  descend  from 
the  mountains.  It  joins  the  Danube  at  some  leagues  from 
Presburg. 

Strata  of  transition  limestone  are  situated  in  the  central 
districts ; a great  variety  of  rocks,  not  uninteresting  from 
their  position,  are  observed  in  the  mountains  on  the  east,  the 
north,  and  the  west.  Among  these  there  are  several  coal 
deposits,  less  important,  it  is  true,  than  the  coal  mines  in 
Bohemia,  but  which  are  worked  however  with  profit  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Rossitz  and  Blawon,  where  they  occupy 
the  lower  part  of  a basin  formed  by  gneiss.  To  the  south 
of  the  coal,  the  geologist  may  discover  fresh  water  deposits, 
characterised  by  the  frequent  occurrence  of  the  fossil  wood 
called  lignite. b 

The  Alt  Vater  rises  in  the  chain  of  mountains'  that 
separates  Moravia  from  Silesia  ; from  its  height  probably  it 
has  been  called  the  Old  Father d of  the  Gesenke-Gebirge, 
the  summits  of  which  join  those  of  the  Sudetes,  which  ex- 
tend to  a great  distance  towards  the  kingdom  of  Saxony. 
From  the  same  lofty  mountain  m^y  be  seen  the  long  and 
narrow  province  of  Austrian  Silesia,  extending  from  south- 
east to  north-west.  The  length  of  it  in  that  direction  is 
about  an  hundred  miles,  and  the  mean  breadth  not  more 
than  twenty.®  The  Bischofskappe,  one  of  the  mountains 
in  the  above  mentioned  chain,  is  about  three  thousand  feet 
in  height ; from  another,  the  Hungersberg,  a lofty  cataract 
descends. 


a “ 36  leagues  from  north  to  south,  and  54  from  east  to  west.” 
b See  the  Memoir  by  M.  Riepl,  (Annales  de  l’Institut  Polytechnique 
imperial  et  royal  de  Vienne.)  c The  Gesenke-Gebirge. 

d The  signification  of  the  German  name  (Alt  Vater.) 

• “ Length  40  leagues,  mean  breadth  8 or  9 leagues.” 


The  country  on  the  northern  side  of  the  Gesenke-Gebirge 
is  higher  than  any  other  part  of  the  two  Silesias.  Valuable 
mines  of  gold  and  silver  were  at  one  time  worked  there  ; the 
most  productive  were  situated  on  the  Hackelberg.  Ac- 
cording to  a tradition,  the  Mongols  destroyed  in  1421  not 
only  the  men  who  were  employed  in  working  these  mines, 
but  most  of  the  miners  in  Silesia.  Repeated  attempts  have 
since  been  made  to  open  them,  but  they  do  not  appear  to 
have  been  attended  with  much  success. 

The  Austrian  province  of  Silesia  has  been  often  visited 
by  geologists  ; it  contains,  indeed,  sufficient  to  indemnify 
them  for  their  labour.  On  the  sides  of  the  Sudetes,  the 
Gesenke-Gebirge,  and  a part  of  the  Carpathians,  may  be 
observed  several  small  detached  basins,  formed  of  sand- 
stone, slaty  clay,  coal,  argillaceous  iron  and  porphyry  ; 
also  metalliferous  limestone,  containing  lead,  iron  and  zinc, 
the  limestone  called  muschelkalk,  a formation  consisting 
partly  of  clay,  salt  and  gypsum/  argillaceous  strata  in  which 
different  metals  are  found,  and  extensive  alluvial  deposits.5 
The"  coal  formations  occupy  a space  of  about  thirty-two 
leagues.  Granite  appears  on  all  the  higher  points,  but 
gneiss  and  micaceous  schistus  are  more  common  in  the 
lower  parts  of  the  mountains.  Blue  clay  abounds  in  the 
alluvial  lands,  and  it  is  to  that  substance  that  the  smooth 
and  level  appearance  of  the  Silesian  plains  must  be  chiefly 
attributed.'* * 

The  Quadi,  perhaps  the  most  ancient  inhabitants  of 
Moravia,  were  the  neighbours  and  allies  of  the  Marcomanni, 
who,  as  we  have  already  stated,  made  themselves  masters 
of  Bohemia.  The  Quadi  were  the  same  people  that 
Strabo  calls  the  Coldui  ;*  their  history  is  very  obscure  until 
the  time  of  Caracalla,  by  whom  Gaiobomar,  their  king,  was 
put  to  death.  Tacitus  makes  mention  of  them  in  his 
annals ; he  informs  us  that  the  Suevi  were  placed  by  the 
Romans  between  the  March  and  the  Cusus  or  Waag,  and 
that  Vannius  or  Wann,  one  of  the  Quadi  by  origin,  was 
appointed  king  over  them/  The  above  passage  proves  the 
great  antiquity  of  the  name  of  the  river,  which  the  Slavo- 
nians call  at  present  the  Morawa.  The  Quadi  united  with 
the  Marcomanni,  and  were  sometimes  formidable  to  the 
Roman  power.  Domitian  marched  against  them  to  punish 
them  for  having  assisted  the  Daci ; the  Quadi  proposed 
peace,  but  the  emperor  rejected  their  conditions  with  dis- 
dain ; after  having  been  defeated,  however,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  make  it  on  disadvantageous  and  humiliating  terms. 
The  Quadi  endeavoured  several  times  to  extend  their  terri- 


f New  red  sandstone  1 

s See  the  Memoir  by  M.  Manes,  (Annales  des  Mine=.  1825.) 
h Oeynhausen,  Versuch  einer  geognostischen  beschreibung  von  Ober- 
Schlesien.  ' Strabo,  Book  VII.  chap.  2.  § 3. 

k Tacitus,  Book  II.  § 63.  inter  Marum  et  Cusum. 


43  EUR( 

tory  beyond  the  frontiers  of  Pannonia.a  Marcus  Aurelius, 
in  order  to  check  their  invasions,  was  obliged  to  station  an 
army  of  twenty  thousand  men  amongst  them.  Their  his- 
tory exhibits  a series  of  defeats  and  revolts  until  the  time  of 
the  emperor  Nuinerian,  who  gained  a decisive  victory  over 
them.  According  to  Mentelle,  they  possessed  four  impor- 
tant cities  : Eburodunum  (Bria,)  Eborum  (Obruntz,)  C 'de- 
mentia (Kalinins,)  and  JWediostanium  (Znaim.) 

Beyond  the  Marcomanni  and  the  Quadi,  says  Tacitus, b 
were  other  less  powerful  tribes.  In  the  number  of  these 
tribes,  he  includes  the  Burii,  who  inhabited  the  country 
which  forms  at  present  Austrian  Silesia.  They  resembled 
the  Suevi  in  their  manners  and  language.  Ptolemy  calls 
them  the  Luti.c 

The  descendants  of  these  nations  founded  in  the  seventh 
century,  the  kingdom  of  Moravia,  which  extended  to  Bel- 
grade ; the  Slavonians  directed  their  conquests  to  that 
country,  two  hundred  years  afterwards,  and  Moravia  was 
joined  to  the  kingdom  of  Bohemia.  It  then  became  a mar- 
graviate  ; but  since  the  reign  of  Matthias,  king  of  Bohemia 
and  Hungary  in  the  fifteenth  century,  Moravia  has  not  been 
governed  by  separate  margraves. 

The  Slavonians,  three  times  more  numerous  than  the 
Germans,  inhabit  chielly  the  central  districts,  and  the  Ger- 
mans, the  mountains.  The  former  are  divided  into  several 
branches ; the  Ilannacks,  the  Straniacks,  the  Slowacks  or 
Charwats,  the  Iloracks  or  Podhoracks,  the  Podzulacks  and 
the  JVallacks.  The  Hannacks  derive  their  name  from  the 
small  river  Hanna,  and  they  differ  from  the  other  inhabi- 
tants in  their  language,  customs  and  dress  ; their  principal 
wealth  consists  in  their  cattle  and  flocks.  The  Straniacks 
inhabit  the  districts  near  the  confines  of  Hungary.  The  re- 
maining tribes  may  be  easily  distinguished  from  each  other, 
but  the  Wallacks  are  the  most  remarkable  of  any ; they 
were  not  originally  natives  of  Wallachia,  as  one  might  sup- 
pose from  their  name,  which  appears  to  be  derived  from  the 
Waag  or  Waha,  for  they  were  formerly  settled  on  its  banks, 
before  they  migrated  to  the  western  declivities  of  the  Little 
Carpathians.  The  Wallacks  speak  a Bohemian  dialect, 
and  wear  the  Hungarian  costume.  Before  the  eighteenth 
century,  while  immense  forests  of  beech  and  maple  trees 
covered  the  mountains  which  they  inhabit,  they  carried  on 
a lucrative  trade  in  wood  and  tinder. d Now  that  the  woods 
have  been  cleared,  they  are  obliged  to  devote  themselves  to 
agriculture  ; still  however  they  collect  the  last  substance, 
but  in  place  of  exporting  as  formerly  a hundred  wagon  loads 
every  year  to  Leipsick,  not  more  than  five  or  six  are  at  pre- 
sent sent  there.  The  Wallacks  are  distinguished  from  their 
neighbours  by  their  cleanliness.  They  are  brave  in  war, 
tolerant  in  their  religion,  and  strictly  honest  in  the  ordinary 
transactions  in  life.0 

The  Slavonic  language,  spoken  by  these  different  tribes, 
is  a corrupt  branch  of  the  Tchekhe  or  Bohemian.  Although 
it  abounds  in  consonants,  it  is  rich  and  harmonious,  and 
adapts  itself  easily  in  vocal  music,  to  the  different  intonations 
of  the  voice.  The  literature  of  the  same  language  is  more 
ancient  than  the  Polish/  Its  principal  monuments  are  a 
hymn  composed  about  the  year  990  by  bishop  Adalbert, 
the  Bohemo-Latin  psalter  of  Wittemberg,  written  in  the 
twelfth  or  thirteenth  century,  the  poetic  chronicle  of  Dale- 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXXVI. 

mil,  which  dates  from  the  year  1310,  and  the  translation 
of  the  Bible.  It  was  much  cultivated  by  the  scholars  and 
learned  men  in  Bohemia,  but  many  of  their  works  were 
burnt  or  destroyed  during  the  religious  and  political  wars 
in  the  fifteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries.  The  study  of 
the  language  has  been  encouraged  for  the  last  twenty  years 
by  the  Austrian  government,  and  in  the  course  of  the  same 
period  many  original  Slavonic  works  have  been  printed 
Two  Slavonic  newspapers  and  three  or  four  literary  jour- 
nals are  at  present  published.  A work  is  now  appearing 
in  numbers  at  Vienna,  which  is  to  consist  of  three  hundred 
ancient  Slavonic  songs,  which  have  been  collected  in  the 
different  circles  of  the  monarchy. 

The  different  dialects  of  the  Bohemo-Polish,  spoken  by 
the  different  Slavonic  tribes,  may  still  be  distinguished,  not 
only  in  Bohemia,  but  in  Moravia  and  Silesia,  although 
many  German  words  have  been  introduced  into  them. 
The  Hannack  is  harsh  in  its  pronunciation ; the  Slowack 
is  divided  into  two  sub-dialects,  the  Moravian  Slowack, 
which  is  spoken  by  the  Slowacks  and  the  Wallacks,  and 
the  Silesian  Slowack,  differing  principally  from  the  former 
by  a mixture  of  Polish  and  German  vocables  ; both  are 
said  to  excel  the  other  dialects  in  harmony  and  softness.6 

The  German  nation  is  also  subdivided  into  four  branches, 
which  are  distinguished  by  the  following  names  : the  I loch- 
landers  or  Silesians,  who  inhabit  the  Gesenke-Gebirge ; 
the  Kulihandlers,  who  occupy  the  eastern  part  of  the  coun- 
try ; and  the  Paganers  and  the  Schanhcmgstlers  on  the 
eastern  declivity  of  the  Moravian  mountains. 

The  other  people  that  migrated  at  a later  period  to  Mo- 
ravia, are  the  Germans  who  settled  in  it  during  the  thirty 
years’  war,  the  Croatians,  who  are  easily  known  from  the 
other  inhabitants,  in  the  seigniory  of  Diirnholm,  the  French 
in  the  seigniory  of  Goeding,  and  the  Jews  in  the  different 
trading  towns. 

When  Joseph  the  Second  established  liberty  of  con- 
science within  his  dominions,  many  appeared  suddenly 
throughout  Moravia,  who  had  preserved  in  obscurity  the 
doctrines  of  John  IIuss,  or  the  principles  of  Luther  and 
Calvin.  The  Moravian  brethren,  who  had  acted  three 
centuries  before  that  period,  an  important  part  in  Moravia 
and  Bohemia,  but  who  since  the  reign  of  Ferdinand,  had 
continued,  like  the  other  protestants,  under  a system  of 
persecution,  then  appeared  in  great  numbers.  The  Wal- 
lacks exhibited  in  their  mountains,  the  curious  spectacle  of 
a people  declaring  against  Catholicism,  without  being  re- 
solved to  substitute  any  other  worship  in  its  place.  Not 
many  years  after  the  decree  of  Joseph  the  Second,  more 
than  twenty  thousand  individuals  followed  publicly  the  rites 
of  the  different  protestnnt  churches.  Austrian  Silesia  may 
be  considered  in  some  respects  a dependence  on  the  dio- 
cese of  Breslau,  but  it  contains  a great  number  of  Luther- 
ans. The  protestant  worship  is  under  the  direction  of  the 
general  consistory  of  Vienna,  and  the  catholics  acknow- 
ledge as  their  spiritual  chiefs,  the  bishop  of  Briinn,  and  the 
archbishop  of  Olmiitz. 

The  climate  of  Moraviat,  notwithstanding  its  elevation 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  is  milder  than  in  many  other 
countries  under  the  same  parallel.  The  vine  is  cultivated 
with  sufficient  advantage  beyond  the  forty-ninth  degree. 

a “ into  Pannonia.” 

1 De  Moribus  Germanorum,  sec.  43. 
‘ Book  II.  Chapter  XI 
■*  Amadou,  touchwood,  agaric. 

e Fiehtner,  Mittheilungen  der  Michrisch-Schlesisch.  Gescllschaft. 
f What  is  here  said  of  the  literature  of  the  language,  refers  more  parti- 
cularly to  the  language  of  Bohemia  Proper. — P. 

6 M.  A.  Balbi,  Atlas  Ethnographique. 

isook  cxxvi.j  DESCRIPTION 

The  greatest  height  of  Reaumur’s  thermometer  is  about 
28°,  but  in  some  winters  it  has  descended  so  low  as  22° 
below  zero.  The  mean  temperature  of  Olmiitz  is  about 
7.3°.  But  the  mountains  are  exposed  to  a much  more 
rigorous  climate  than  the  central  districts;  thus  the  har- 
vests are  five  or  six  weeks  earlier  in  Moravia  than  in  the 
mountainous  country  of  Silesia.  At  Briinn,  for  instance, 
the  cherries  are  fully  ripe  in  June,  while  they  do  not  begin 
to  redden  in  Silesia  before  the  first  days  of  August.  The 
north-east  wind  is  the  most  prevalent  in  the  two  provinces. 

The  country  abounds  in  game  and  fish  ; bees,  poultry, 
and  the  different  domestic  animals  are  very  common.  Cattle 
form  the  principal  wealth  of  the  Silesians,  who,  although  a 
sober  and  industrious  people,  are  not  affluent.  The  corn 
harvest  in  the  two  provinces  are  more  than  sufficient  for 
the  wants  of  the  population  ; there  is  no  scarcity  of  pota- 
toes, different  kinds  of  vegetables,  anise,  hops,  hemp  and 
flax.  The  vine  and  many  fruit  trees  are  cultivated  with 
success,  but  of  the  latter  the  walnut  is  the  most  common. 

The  mineral  productions  of  the  country  are  very  vari- 
ous ; gold  and  silver,  it  has  been  remarked,  were  formerly 
abundant,  but  iron  and  coal  are  the  most  profitable  at  pre- 
sent. Alum,  marble  and  different  kinds  of  rocks  are  found 
in  many  places,  and  worked  with  advantage.  It  ought  to 
be  observed,  however,  that  the  water  in  most  of  the  springs 
in  the  country  is  neither  wholesome  nor  agreeable  to  the 
taste.  With  regard  to  the  different  branches  of  industry, 
Moravia  is  one  of  the  most  important  provinces  in  the  Aus- 
trian empire.  It  is  unfortunate  for  its  commerce  that  the 
March  is  only  navigable  for  vessels  of  a very  small  tonnage  ; 
the  inhabitants  are  consequently  obliged  to  transport  al- 
most all  their  merchandise  by  land.  If  communications 
were  opened  or  facilitated,  the  greatest  benefit  might  result 
from  them ; in  its  present  state,  however,  the  revenue  of 
the  country  amounts  to  7,200,000  florins. 

The  two  provinces  of  Moravia  and  Silesia  have  been 
considered  as  forming  only  one  since  the  year  1783  ; they 
are  divided  into  eight  circles.  The  rights  and  interests  of 
the  country  are  protected  by  the  states,  the  deputies  of 
which  are  divided  into  four  classes,  the  clergy,  nobility, 
knights  and  deputies  from  seven  royal  towns.  The  empe- 
ror convokes  a general  assembly  of  the  states  every  year, 
under  the  presidency  of  the  governor,  and  after  the  close 
of  the  session,  a permanent  deputation  continues  its  sit- 
tings, until  the  members  are  again  assembled. 

Briinn,  the  capital  of  the  province,  is  situated  at  the 
base  of  a hill,  between  the  rivers  Schwarzawa  and  Zwit- 
tawa.  It  is  worthy  of  its  rank  from  its  population,  which 
exceeds  thirty-eight  thousand  inhabitants.  The  ancient  for- 
tifications have  been  partly  demolished,  and  the  rest  are  in 
ruins  ; the  citadel  only  remains,  and  serves  at  present  as  a 
state  prison.  The  ancient  convent  of  the  Augustines  is 
now  the  place  where  the  states  assemble  ; in  their  hall  may 
be  seen  the  plough,  with  which  Joseph  the  Second,  after 
the  example  of  the  Chinese  monarchs,  turned  up  a field  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Rausnitz.  The  Kraut  Markt  or 
cabbage  market  has  been  considered  the  finest  square  in 
Briinn  ; it  is  adorned  with  a magnificent  fountain.  The 
two  most  remarkable  of  the  nine  churches  are  those  of  St. 
James  and  the  Augustines  in  Mt  Briinn  or  the  old  town.  The 

— s — i 

OF  GERMANY.  47 

first  of  a light  but  bold  Gothic  architecture,  is  covered  with 
copper,  and  contains  a great  many  statues;  in  the  second 
is  observed  a silver  altar,  surmounted  with  a picture  of  the 
virgin,  worthy  of  Cranach’s  best  days.  A manuscript  of 
the  fourteenth  century  is  preserved  in  ihe  church  of  St. 

James  ; it  contains  an  account  of  the  siege  of  Troy,  taken 
from  two  ancient  Greek  manuscripts  at  Athens,  written  by 
eye  witnesses  of  the  siege.a  The  glacis  has  been  transformed 
into  public  walks.  The  Spielberg,  a hill  of  eight  hundred 
feet  in  height,  rises  near  the  town  ; part  of  it,  called  the 
Frandzensberg,  was  formerly  a Calvary.  A marble  obelisk 
sixty  feet  in  height,  consecrated  to  the  glory  of  the  Austrian 
armies,  was  erected  in  1818  in  the  midst  of  a wood  near  the 
arid  rocks,  which  crown  the  Spielberg.  These  walks  com- 
mand an  extensive  view,  and  the  spectator  observes  a t twelve 
miles  distance  to  the  south-east,  the  field  of  battle,  and  the 
village  of  Austerlitz.  Briinn  contains  several  hospitals, 
schools  and  seminaries,  an  agricultural  society,  another  of 
natural  history, b and  a valuable  museum,  which  has  been 
placed  in  the  episcopal  palace.  The  commerce  of  the 
town  consists  principally  in  the  sale  of  its  hats,  silks  and 
woollen  stuffs. 

The  burgh  of  Buchlowitz,  about  four  leagues  to  the  east 
of  Austerlitz,  contains  a population  of  thirteen  hundred 
souls  ; it  is  known  from  its  sulphureous  mineral  waters. 

The  village  of  Luhatschowitz  is  situated  in  the  mountains, 
at  a greater  distance  from  the  capital;  its  baths  are  much 
frequented  ; the  fountains  of  Vincent  and  Armand  are  sur- 
rounded with  handsome  buildings  in  the  form  of  temples ; 
many  afflicted  with  rheumatism  and  cutaneous  diseases  re- 
pair to  them  every  year.  The  burgh  of  T olleschowitz  de- 
rives its  wealth  from  its  vineyards,  which  yield  excellent 
wine.  Some  ruins  that  may  be  observed  in  the  neighbour- 
hood,' are  supposed  to  have  been  once  inhabited  by  saint 
Cyrillus,  the  first  bishop  of  Moravia.  The  ruins  of  the 
first  church  which  was  built  by  the  same  bishop  may  still 
be  seen  at  Hradisch.  That  town  is  the  capital  of  a dis- 
trict, and  is  situated  in  a fruitful  plain,  but  exposed  to  the 
frequent  inundations  of  the  March.  It  stands  on  an  island 
in  the  middle  of  the  river,  and  contains  fifteen  hundred  in- 
habitants. Its  position  has  rendered  it  necessary  to  erect 
and  keep  up  thirty-nine  bridges,  one  of  which  is  more  than 
three  hundred  yards  in  length.  Hradisch  was  an  important 
fortress  in  the  fifteenth  century  ; Matthias,  king  of  Bohe- 
mia and  Hungary,  besieged  it  several  times  without  success. 

Four  sabres  are  deposited  in  the  townhouse,  which  were 
given  to  the  city  by  king  Wladislaw  to  commemorate  the 
bravery  of  the  citizens.  The  market  place  is  adorned  with 
a fine  statue  of  the  virgin. 

The  village  of  Strany  on  the  mountain  of  Jaworzina, 
is  peopled  by  the  Wallacks,  that  have  been  already  men- 
tioned ; they  differ  from  the  other  inhabitants  in  their  man- 
ners, language  and  dress  ; during  festivals  and  holy  days, 
the  people  join  in  a national  or  characteristic  dance,0  in 
which  they  wield  their  sabres  with  great  dexterity.  From 
the  top  of  the  heights  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Strany,  which 
form  the  frontiers  of  Moravia,  a good  eye  can  distinguish 
at  thirty  leagues  distance  the  tower  ol  St.  Stephen. d 

The  commercial  town  of  Nicolsburg  rises  in  the  midst 
of  a plain,  near  the  southern  extremity  of  the  province ; it 

, a The  manuscript  in  the  church  of  St.  James  is  entitled  : Liber  historiae 
1 rojanae,  per  magistrum  Guidonem  de  columnis  de  Nessana,  de  Gneco 
translatus  in  Latinum.  Guido  died  in  1287  ; the  copy  of  his  MS.  was  not 
written  by  himself,  but  by  a German  of  the  name  of  Grunhagen,  as  is 
proved  by  the  las.  sentence  in  the  work : Explicit  historia  seu  chronica 

Trbjanorum,  scripta  per  Johannem  Grunhagen,  Anno  Domini  1348,  &c. 
See  Archiv.  fur  Geschichte,  1825. 

b “ A society  of  agriculture  and  natural  history.” 

c Called  the  robber’s  dance.  d Rudolph  Von  Jenny.  Hand- 

buch  fur  reisende  in  dem  GSsterreichischen  Kaiserstaate. 

48 

contains  seven  thousand  inhabitants,  nearly  half  of  whom 
are  Jews.  Znaim,  a town  of  the  same  population,  in- 
cluding its  three  suburbs,  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Taya,  in  a fruitful  country,  covered  with  rich  vineyards. 
The  principal  edifices  are  the  court  of  justice,  and  the 
church  of  St.  Nicholas,  remarkable  for  its  fine  Gothic  ar- 
chitecture. The  chapter  of  Pceltemberg  is  separated  from 
the  town  by  a deep  valley  ; it  belongs  to  the  knights  of  the 
cross.  Znaim  possesses  two  convents  and  a gymnasium. 
The  burgesses  wear  a blue  dress,  and  their  wives  are  dis- 
tinguished by  their  high  bonnets  trimmed  with  gold  lace. 
The  burgh  of  Eisgrub  is  also  built  on  the  banks  of  the 
Taya;  at  no  great  distance  from  it,  is  a rural  castle,  be- 
longing to  the  prince  of  Lichtenstein  ; the  building  is  not 
very  large,  but  the  park  which  surrounds  it  is  watered  by 
the  river,  and  laid  out  with  much  taste. 

Iglau  on  the  banks  of  the  Igla,  lies  in  the  midst  of  the 
Moravian  mountains ; its  population  amounts  to  thirteen 
thousand  inhabitants , it  has  three  parish  churches,  a con- 
vent of  Minorites,  founded  by  Ottocar  the  Second,  a 
gymnasium  and  an  hospital.  Some  fine  paintings  and  seve- 
ral ancient  tombs  are  contained  in  the  church  of  St.  James. 
The  church  that  belonged  to  the  jesuits,  has  been  admired 
for  its  paintings  in  fresco.  A cemetery  shaded  with  lofty 
trees  is  the  most  frequented  public  walk  in  the  town. 

Trebitsch  is  encompassed  with  walls,  and  situated  in  a 
deep  valley  on  the  banks  of  the  Iglawa  ; most  strangers 
admire  the  picturesque  arrangement  of  its  houses,  the  large 
castle  that  commands  it,  its  ancient  parish  church,  and  the 
convent  of  the  capuchins.  The  view  from  the  summit  of 
the  Mistkogel,  a high  mountain  with  a rounded  summit,  is 
as  fine  as  it  is  extensive  ; one  may  observe  from  it  a succes- 
sion of  rich  and  fruitful  plains,  extending  to  Nicolsburg  ; 
also  the  deep  and  gloomy  valley  of  the  Igla,  the  ruins  of 
Tempelstein,  an  ancient  castle  in  which  the  well  is  said  to 
be  five  hundred  yards*  in  depth,  and  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Rokitna,  the  small  town  of  Kromau,  commanded  by  heights 
covered  with  trees,  so  arranged  as  to  exhibit  the  appearance 
of  a vast  and  verdant  amphitheatre.  Coal  is  not  uncom- 
mon in  these  mountains,  and  the  working  of  it  forms  the 
chief  occupation  of  the  fourteen  hundred  inhabitants  in 
Kromau. 

A rugged  and  hilly  road  leads  across  the  Moravian 
mountains  to  Ingrowitz,  a small  town  on  the  banks  of  the 
Swartza  ; although  it  does  not  contain  more  than  eleven 
hundred  inhabitants,  it  possesses  a considerable  trade  in 
linen,  and  serves  as  a place  of  residence  to  the  superintend- 
ant  of  the  reformed  communities  in  Moravia.  Mount 
Prositschka  rises  at  no  great  distance  from  the  town  ; it 
was  there  that  the  ancient  Slavonians  went  to  worship  their 
gods  ; its  summit  is  often  obscured  with  clouds  before  rain, 
and  on  that  account  it  has  been  called  the  Weather-glass 
by  the  country  people.b  When  the  sky  is  serene,  the  view 
from  it  extends  to  Koeniggraetz  in  Bohemia. 

Olmiitz  was  the  ancient  capital  of  Moravia ; its  fortifi- 
cations, which  are  still  in  good  repair,  and  its  citadel,  which 
was  the  prison-house  of  Lafayette,  render  it  an  important 
place  in  time  of  war.  The  population,  together  with  that 
of  the  five  suburbs,  amounts  to  thirteen  thousand  inhabi- 
tants The  town  is  well  built,  provincial  courts  are  held 


1 “ Aunes,”  ells. 


[BOOK  CXXVt 

in  it,  and  it  is  the  residence  of  the  archbishop.  The  lyceum 
and  the  other  schools  are  numerously  attended,  and  the 
charitable  institutions  are  managed  with  great  care.  The 
public  fountains,  remarkable  for  their  elegance,  reflect 
much  credit  on  Donner,  the  sculptor.  The  townhouse  is 
the  finest  edifice  ; the  lyceum  possesses  a library  of  fifty 
thousand  volumes,  a valuable  collection  of  natural  history, 
a nd  another  of  philosophical  instruments.  The  people  show 
the  place  where  the  emperor  of  Austria  had  an  interview 
with  Napoleon  a short  time  before  the  battle  of  Austerlitz. 
Several  manufactories  have  been  established  in  Olmiitz, 
and  it  carries  on  an  extensive  trade  in  cattle  with  Poland 
and  Russia.  Some  antiquarians  think  it  probable  that  the 
town  is  the  same  as  the  one  which  Ptolemy  designates  by 
the  name  of  Eburum. 

The  March,  which  waters  Olmiitz,  descends  towards  the 
south,  and  traverses  the  plain  in  which  Kremsier,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  archbishop  in  the  summer  season,  and  one  of 
the  finest  towns  in  the  province,  is  situated.  Nothing  can 
exceed  the  magnificence  of  the  castle  appropriated  by  the 
prince  of  the  church ; galleries  of  paintings,  scientific  col- 
lections, libraries,  gardens  embellished  witti  fountains  and 
cascades,  correspond  with  the  architecture  of  the  edifice. 
The  population  of  the  town  is  not  more  than  four  thousand 
souls.  Prerau  on  the  Betschwa,  though  still  less  populous, 
is  one  of  the  most  ancient  towns  in  the  country  ; within  its 
walls  may  be  observed  a very  large  building,  which  belonged 
formerly  to  the  templars.  Weiskirchen,  peopled  by  five 
thousand  inhabitants,  is  situated  at  a short  distance  from 
the  Betschwa ; it  is  visited  by  the  strangers  that  resort  to 
the  baths  at  Toeplitz  about  a mile  and  a half  distant,  a 
place  that  must  not  be  confounded  with  Toeplitz  in  Bohe- 
mia. A precipice  four  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height,  rises 
near  the  thermal  springs,  and  a pool  of  mineral  water  ex- 
tends below  it. 

Such  are  the  principal  towns  in  Moravia ; we  shall  now 
proceed  to  enumerate  the  most  important  places  in  Austrian 
Silesia.  Jaegerndorf  rises  in  a fruitful  valley,  at  the  foot  of 
the  Buzberg,  on  the  northern  side  of  the  mountains  that 
separate  the  two  provinces.  It  is  encompassed  with  walls, 
and  depends  on  a dutchy  belonging  to  the  prince  of  Licht- 
enstein. The  mountain  that  commands  it,  on  the  summit 
of  which,  a large  church  has  been  erected,  is  often  visited 
by  botanists.  The  town  contains  four  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred inhabitants.  Troppau  is  a strong  place  with  a popu- 
lation of  ten  thousand  souls  ; it  is  well  built,  and  the  streets 
are  broad  and  straight  ; the  public  buildings  are  the  ancient 
townhouse,  a theatre,  several  churches,  and  the  ducal  castle 
of  Lichtenstein.  It  contains  different  manufactories,  but 
its  trade  consists  principally  in  soap.  Teschen,  a town  of 
six  thousand  inhabitants,  is  situated  on  the  declivity  of  the 
Carpathians,  in  a country  covered  with  forests  and  pastu- 
rage. Weichsel  or  Vistula,  a village  to  the  south-east  of 
the  last  place,  stands  in  a valley,  remarkable  for  a cataract, 
which  descends  from  the  height  of  two  hundred  feet ; the 
springs  that  supply  it,  are  the  sources  of  the  fine  river  that 
traverses  Poland.  Lastly,  Bilitz  on  the  frontiers  of  Galicia, 
is  noted  for  its  cloth  manufactories;  it  contanis  five  thousand 
inhabitants,  and  not  fewer  than  the  half  of  them'  are  em- 
ployed in  making  cloth. 


b “ it  serves  as  a barometer  to  the  country  people.”  c “ 3300  * 


EUROPE. 


hook  cxxvn.  I 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


BOOK  CXXVIL 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Germany. — Eleventh  Section. — Arcli- 
dutchy  of  Austria. 

The  country  about  to  be  described,  is  mostly  enclosed  by 
the  different  possessions  of  the  Austrian  empire,  an  empire, 
extending  over  a number  of  nations,  foreign  to  each  other, 
governed  by  the  same  sovereign,  but  according  to  different 
laws.  The  inhabitants  in  some  possessions  lately  added  to 
Austria,  attach  no  meaning  to  the  word  patriotism  ; passive 
obedience  is  considered  their  only  duty  ; in  others,  that  obe- 
dience may  be  attributed  to  fear  rather  than  to  ignorance  ; 
the  hope  of  independence  still  cheers  them,  and  their  most 
earnest  desire  is  to  throw  off  the  yoke.  The  former  having 
submitted  to  a despotic  government  for  ages,  know  no  other 
blessing  than  repose,  and  have  no  other  wish  than  to  in- 
crease their  wealth,  and  by  that  means,  their  temporal  en- 
joyments ; the  latter,  jealous  of  their  independence,  are  apt 
to  suppose  they  have  preserved  it,  because  their  countries 
are  entitled  dutchies  or  kingdoms.  All,  in  short,  are  more 
effectually  separated  from  each  other  by  their  manners, 
customs  and  language,  than  by  the  chains  of  mountains 
which  divide  them. 

The  archdutchy  of  Austria  is  bounded  on  the  west  by 
Bavaria,  on  the  north  by  Bohemia  and  Moravia,  on  the 
east  and  the  south-east  by  Hungary,  and  on  the  south  by 
the  dutchy  of  Stiria.  The  superficial  extent  of  the  country 
is  about  seven  hundred  and  eight  German  square  miles.a 
It  is  divided  by  the  Ens  into  two  nearly  equal  parts ; the 
one  situated  on  the  left  of  the  river  is  styled  the  government 
above  the  Ens,  and  the  other  on  the  right,  the  government 
below  the  Ens.h 

The  mountains  in  the  south  of  Bohemia  and  the  Noric 
Alps  form  a large  and  fruitful  valley,  which  the  majestic 
Danube  traverses  from  west  to  east.  Branches  of  these 
mountains  extend  to  the  banks  of  the  river  ; they  enclose 
a great  many  vallies  and  small  plains,  and  render  the  coun- 
try one  of  the  most  agreeable  and  romantic  in  Europe. 
The  heights  of  the  Mannhartsberg,  and  the  chain  of  the  Grei- 
ner-Wald  are  not  very  lofty  ; but  those  which  extend  to  the 
south  of  the  Danube,  rise  to  a great  height,  and  some  are 
covered  with  eternal  snow.0 


a According  to  Max  Fred.  Thielen,  it  is  equal  to  7O8-i6-0-  German,  or 
nearly  8503  English  square  miles.* * 

* “ 1970  geographical  sq.  leagues  Fr.” 
b Germ.  Land,  ob  der  Ens  and  Land  unter  der  Ens. 
c The  height  of  the  principal  summits  in  the  Noric  Alps,  has  been  al- 
ready mentioned,  in  the  general  table  of  European  altitudes  ; but  there  are 
several  lofty  mountains  on  the  frontiers  of  the  archdutchy,  which  may  be 
specified . 

Oil  the  west  or  above  the  Ens. 

The  Hochhorn  ....  10,6fi7  feet.t 

The  Dachstein  ....  9,285 

VOL.  III.— NO.  43. 


It  may  be  remarked,  that  the  mountains  which  extend 
from  Vienna  to  the  calcareous  chain  of  the  Alps,  particu- 
larly those  of  Thomasberg  and  Meyersdorf,  contain  several 
deposits  of  coal,  which  are  accompanied  with  argillaceous, 
calcareous  and  quartzose  sandstones,  and  with  slaty  clay 
and  marl,  containing  marine  shells  and  the  impressions  of 
plants.  Coal  is  likewise  found  at  the  foot  of  the  Alps,  in 
the  valley  of  the  Ens.d  On  the  east  of  the  same  river, 
formations  of  different  characters  and  periods,  contain 
mines  of  iron,  lead,  silver  and  coal.  The  lofty  district  of 
Monasberg  is  covered  in  several  places  with  alluvial  depo- 
sits. The  number  and  height  of  the  mountains  on  the  west 
of  the  Ens,  render  the  neighbourhood  of  Salzburg,  and  the 
country  of  Berchtesgaden,  more  interesting  to  the  geolo- 
gist. They  form  part  of  the  Noric  Alps,  and  are  composed 
of  granite,  sandstone  and  limestone.  Quartz,  garnets  and 
other  precious  stones,  amianthus,  marble,  rock-salt,  feld- 
spar and  serpentine,  as  well  as  most  of  the  metals,  are 
found  at  different  elevations.  The  calcareous  mountains 
seem. to  be  loftier  than  the  granite  mountains,  and  the  illu- 
sion is  partly  occasioned  by  their  steep  and  rapid  declivities. 
But  without  having  recourse  to  the  barometer,  it  is  not  dif- 
ficult to  discover  that  the  granite  mountains  appear  lower, 
merely  because  they  are  seen  from  a greater  distance  ; in- 
deed at  the  approach  of  winter,  they  are  always  first  cover- 
ed with  snow. 

The  calcareous  mountains  are  much  more  interesting  to 
the  botanist,  on  account  of  their  abundant  and  varied  vege- 
tation. The  cause  of  so  many  plants  may  be  attributed 
to  their  geological  structure,  and  particularly  to  the  compa- 
rative lowness  of  their  elevation.  Lichens  and  almost  all 
the  cryptogamic  plants  are  nowhere  observed,  while  the 
schistous  and  granite  mountains  are  covered  with  them  ; in 
the  first,  springs  and  streams  are  very  rare ; in  the  others 
they  are  very  abundant,  and  the  noise  of  the  cataract  is 
often  heard  amidst  precipices,  steep  rocks  and  narrow  val- 
lies. The  land  rises  gradually  from  north  to  south  in  the 
country  of  Salzburg,  and  if  the  level  of  the  lowest  plains  be 
compared  with  that  of  the  highest  summits,  (for  instance, 
the  Wisbachshorn,)  the  difference  will  be  found  to  be  great- 


The  Hoher  Kreuzberg 

8,726 

The  Gradstein  .... 

8,598 

The  Grosser  Priel 

8,580 

The  Kopper  Kehr  Stein 

7,734 

On  the  east  or  below  thv  tens. 

The  ffitscher  .... 

6,062  feet. 

The  Wechselberg 

5,574 

The  Huthwisch 

2,716 

t The  measurements  here  given  are  those  of  the  original. 
d See  the  Memoir  by  M.  Riepl,  (Annales  de  l’Institut  Polytechnique 
de  Vienne,  Tome  II.) 


7 


50 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXVII. 


er  than  ten  thousand  feet.a  A belt  of  land  extends  from 
east  to  west,  to  the  north  of  Salzburg,  through  the  whole 
length  of  the  archdutchy  ; it  is  compos' d of  tertiary  sand- 
stone1’ and  plastic  clay,  and  reposes  on  a belt  of  alpine 
limestone,  to  which  succeed  strata  of  argillaceous  schistus, 
that  are  supported  in  their  turn  by  micaceous  schistus  and 
the  other  rocks  of  the  Alpine  chain. 

Extensive  marshy  lands  and  several  well  known  mineral 
springs  appear  on  the  east  and  the  west  of  the  Ens.  Dif- 
ferent lakes  and  ponds  are  situated  in  the  part  of  the  arch- 
dutchy above  the  same  river.  The  two  most  important 
are  the  Atter,  which  is  7288  jochs  or  Austrian  acres  in  su- 
perficial extent,  and  the  Traun,  which  although  not  more 
than  3,777,  is  better  known  than  the  other,  from  its  pic- 
turesque situation  and  the  beauty  of  the  neighbouring  dis- 
tricts. 

The  greatest  rivers  tributary  to  the  Danube,  are  the 
March  on  the  north,  and  on  the  south  the  Ens  or  the  an- 
cient Anisus,  of  which  the  course  may  he  about  a hundred 
and  twenty-eight  miles,'  and  the  Traun  which  issues  from 
a small  lake  in  the  Noric  Alps  near  Aussee,  traverses  the 
lakes  of  Hallstajdt  and  Traun,  and  falls  near  Lambach  in 
the  form  of  a cascade  over  rocks  sixty  feet  in  height.  The 
latter  river  has  a course  of  about  seventy  miles, d and  a ca- 
nal about  three  hundred  yards6  in  length  is  carried  round 
the  falls,  so  that  its  navigation  is  not  interrupted. 

Having  thus  described  the  position,  and  given  a short 
account  of  the  archdutchy,  it  may  be  proper  to  mention  its 
ancient  inhabitants.  The  lands  between  the  Danube  and 
(he  Alps,  were,  according  to  Ptolemy,  inhabited  by  the 
Ambilid  and  the  Ambiclrani,  who  were  tribes  of  the  Norici. 
The  country  was  known  to  the  Romans  by  the  name  of 
Noricum.  The  districts  round  Vienna  were  included  in 
Upper  Pannonia,  and  the  left  bank  of  the  Danube  was 
peopled  by  the  Norici  and  Quadi.  The  history  of  the  No- 
rici is  very  uncertain,  but  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  they 
were  governed  by  kings,-  before  they  submitted  to  the  Ro- 
mans. Noricum  became  a Roman  province  under  the 
reign  of  Augustus  ; it  was  considered  of  sufficient  import- 
ance to  be  divided  into  two  parts ; the  one  nearest  the  Da- 
nube, was  called  Noricum  Expense,  and  the  other,  near  and 
beyond  the  Alps,  was  styled  Noricum  Meditcrraneimi.  The 
principal  towms  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  were 
Boioduruvn,  (at  present  Ilzstadt,)  Laureacum  (Lorch,)  Pre- 
date and  Claudinium,  the  sites  of  which  are  unknown, 
Ovilubis  (Weis,)  and  Juvavum  (Salzburg.)  While  the 
Romans  were  powerful,  the  Quadi,  Marcomanni  and  other 
neighbouring  nations  respected  the  Norici,  but  they  were 
finally  conquered  by  the  Goths  ; Alaric  devastated  their 
country,  which  was  afterwards  laid  waste  by  the  Suevi  and 
the  Heruli. 

About  the  sixth  century,  the  Avars  or  Avari,  a people 
originally  from  the  vallies  of  the  Ural,  invaded  and  took 
possession  of  a part  of  the  archdutchy  ; it  is  not  improbable 
that  they  founded  there  a kingdom,  towhich  the  more  western 
nations  gave  the  name  of  CEsterreich  or  the  eastern  king- 
dom. Charlemagne  made  himself  master  of  it,  and  divided 
it  into  several  counties.  The  frequent  incursions  of  the 
Midjars  or  Hungarians  induced  Henry  the  Fowler  to  erect 
it  into  a margraviate  in  the  year  928,  of  which  the  investiture 
was  bestowed  on  his  nephew  Leopold.  Frederick  Bar- 
barossa  changed  it  into  a dutchy.  It  was  again  conquered  in 

* F.  Ant.  Von  Braunc,  Salzburg  und  Berchtesgaden. 

b Mollasse.  c “ Course  54  leagues.” 


the  thirteenth  century  by  Ottocar  the  Second,  king  of  Bo- 
hemia ; but  that  prince  having  refused  to  render  homage  to 
Rudolph  of  Hapsburg,  then  elected  emperor,  a war  ensued 
in  which  Ottocar  was  slain.  The  dutchy  thus  passed  to  the 
descendants  of  Rudolph,  who  have  since  acquired  the  rank 
and  importance  that  are  attached  to  the  house  of  Austria. 
Such  was  the  origin  of  the  family  which  courtly  genealogists 
have  traced  to  the  time  of  Noah’s  ark,  or  at  all  events  to  the 
dajrs  of  the  Trojan  horse. 

The  inhabitants  have  been  so  mixed  by  the  invasions  of 
which  Austria  has  been  the  theatre,  that  it  is  difficult  to  dis- 
cover the  shades  by  which  they  were  formerly  distinguished. 
Some  Slavonians,  however,  are  found  on  the  frontiers  of 
Moravia,  in  the  country  below  the  Ens.  The  descendants 
of  the  Norici  exhibit  proofs  of  their  ancient  origin  in  the 
country  above  the  Ens.  Their  language  differs  from  that 
of  the  other  inhabitants.  The  people  in  the  district  of  Salz- 
ach  show  in  their  customs  and  character,  the  remains  of  a 
distinct  race  ; the  most  of  them  are  honest  and  industrious. 

The  Austrian  German,  less  pure  than  that  which  is  spo- 
ken in  the  centre  of  Germany,  forms  one  of  the  Danubian 
dialects.  A Bavarian  dialect  is  spoken  in  the  country  of 
Salzburg,  and  many  different  varieties  may  be  observed  in 
the  rest  of  the  archdutchy.  All  of  them  abound  in  dimi- 
nutives, but  none  of  them  are  so  soft  as  the  Bavarian. 

The  southern  part  of  the  country  above  the  Ens,  is  higher, 
and  therefore  colder  than  any  other  district  in  Austria  ; the 
grape  arrives  seldom  at  maturity.  The  climate  is  milder  in  the 
valley  of  the  Danube,  and  the  air  is  every  where  pure  and 
wholesome.  The  rain  that  falls  annually  varies  from  twen- 
ty-four to  thirty  inches,  and  the  most  frequent  winds  are  the 
west,  the  north-west  and  the  east.  The  climate  below  the 
Ens  is  temperate  but  variable ; Reaumur’s  thermometer 
never  descends  lower  than  — 19°,  and  does  not  ascend 
higher  than  +29°.  There  are  about  twice  as  many  fair  as 
rainy  days  throughout  the  year. 

Although  Austria  is  not  exposed  to  the  ravages  of  epide- 
mic diseases,  the  mortality  is,  however,  more  considerable 
than  in  the  other  possessions  of  the  Austrian  empire.  The 
number  of  deaths  compared  to  the  population  is  in  the  ratio 
of  one  to  thirty-four.  The  cretins,  those  beings  both  moral- 
ly and  physically  degraded,  are  very  numerous  in  the  moun- 
tains near  Salzburg. 

It  has  been  already  said  that  the  Austrians  are  laborious, 
and  that  the  desire  of  increasing  their  wealth  is  observable 
among  all  classes  of  society.  For  these  reasons,  agriculture 
and  industry  are  carried  to  a degree  of  perfection,  which  ap- 
pears to  be  incompatible  with  the  general  but  incorrect  no- 
tions concerning  the  indolence  of  the  people.  The  country, 
it  must  be  admitted,  consumes  more  grain  than  it  produces, 
but  the  insufficiency  of  the  harvests  in  the  governments  , 
above  and  below  the  Ens,  ought  to  be  attributed  rather  to 
the  quality  of  the  soil,  than  to  the  ignorance  of  the  husband- 
men. Fruit  trees  are  common  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Ens, 
and  dried  fruit  forms  a branch  of  exportation;  but  the  or- 
chards on  the  right  bank  of  the  river  are  more  abundant 
and  more  valuable  ; it  is  believed  too  that  the  finest  vegeta- 
bles in  the  empire  are  produced  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Vienna. 

If  the  climate  be  ill  adapted  to  the  growth  of  the  vine  in 
the  districts  above  the  Ens,  the  culture  of  the  same  plant  in 
the  rest  of  the  country  forms  the  most  important  source  of 

d “ 110  leagues.” 

e “ 700  feet.” 


J 


isook  cxxvii.]  DESCRIPTION 

agricultural  wealth.  The  best  wines  are  those  of  Mauer- 
bac'n,  Kloster-Neuburg,  Feklsberg,  Giuzing,  Rcetz  and  Bi- 
samberg.  Hemp,  flax,  and  saffron  are  cultivated  with  ad- 
vantage in  the  country  below  the  Ens,  but  as  the  lands  do 
not  yield  rich  pastures,  many  cattle  are  not  reared,  indeed 
the  number  is  insufficient  for  the  consumption  of  the  inhabi- 
tants. The  forests  have  been  long'  neglected  ; firewood  is 
consequently  found  to  be  too  expensive  for  the  poorer  class- 
es. The  meadows  in  the  country  above  the  Ens  are  so 
abundant  that  more  fodder  is  raised  in  the  government  than 
in  any  other  part  of  the  Austrian  empire  ; and  although  the 
coldness  of  the  climate  compels  the  inhabitants  to  consume 
a great  quantity  of  wood,  a considerable  time  may  elapse 
before  it  be  necessary  to  introduce  coal,  or  before  the 
forests  which  cover  the  mountains  are  exhausted. 

Lower  Austria  is  amply  supplied  with  some  domestic  ani- 
mals,a and  although  there  may  be  a deficiency  in  cattle,  it 
it  is  admitted  that  the  breed  of  sheep  has  been  improved, 
that  the  horses  are  strong  and  well  made.  The  excellence 
of  the  pastures  in  Upper  Austria  has  led  the  inhabitants  to 
imitate  the  Swiss,  in  the  care  they  bestow  on  their  cattle  and 
dairy.  The  forests  in  that  country  afford  shelter  to  wolves, 
bears,  chamois  and  different  sorts  of  game.  But  as  most  of 
the  woods  have  been  cut  in  Lower  Austria,  game  has  become 
less  common  in  that  government. 

The  mines  in  the  archdutchy  are  worked  with  much  in- 
telligence ; an  author  affirms,  that  if  it  were  not  the  interest  of 
government  to  be  sparing  of  fuel,  Upper  Austria  might  sup- 
ply all  the  hereditary  states  in  Germany  with  salt.b  The  salt 
mines  of  Hallein  produce  nine  hundred  thousand  quintals. 
The  district  of  Salzach,  in  mineral  wealth  perhaps  more  im- 
portant than  any  other,  furnishes  every  year  three  hundred 
m irks  of  gold,  seven  hundred  and  twenty  of  silver,  three 
hundred  and  eighty  quintals  of  copper,  four  hundred  and 
ninety  of  lead,  fourteen  thousand  four  hundred  and  sixty  of 
iron,  ten  of  arsenic,  and  fifty-three  of  vitriol.  Lower  Aus- 
tria derives  from  its  mines  thirty-four  thousand  quintals  of 
iron,  and  two  thousand  five  hundred  of  alum  ; the  mines  of 
lead  containing  silver  seem  to  be  nearly  exhausted,  but  the 
coal  mines  are  much  more  profitable  than  ever  they  were  at 
any  former  period  ; their  annual  produce  is  about  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty  thousand  quintals. 

On  the  left  of  the  Ens,  iron  is  more  extensively  manufac- 
tured than  any  of  the  other  metals ; it  furnishes  the  means 
of  subsistence  to  more  than  fifty  thousand  families  in  the  dis- 
trict of  Traun.  There  are  also  numerous  manufactories  of 
woollen  stuffs,  linen  and  muslin.  But  the  people  in  Lower 
Austria  are  still  more  extensively  engaged  in  manufactures  ; 
in  that  respect  it  surpasses  all  the  other  possessions  of  the 
Austrian  empire.  Cotton  mills,®  linen,  cloth,  ribbon  and 
paper  manufactories,  founderies,  iron,  leather  and  glass 
works  are  to  be  seen  in  many  parts  of  the  country.11  A 
geographer  estimates  their  produce  at  eighty-five  millions  of 
Austrian  florins.® 

It  may  be  naturally  inferred  from  so  great  a variety  of 
manufactures,  that  the  commerce  throughout  the  country 
must  be  considerable ; almost  the  whole,  however,  is  con- 
centrated at  Vienna.  The  metropolis,  from  its  being  the 
residence  of  the  court,  from  its  position,  and  from  its  exten- 


» “ Poultry.” 

b Hassel’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.) 

c Lower  Austria  is  the  principal  seat  of  the  cotton  manufacture  in  the 
empire.  (Hassel.) 

a “ Cotton  mills  and  cotton  manufactories,  tanneries,  forges  and 


OF  GERMANY.  51 

sive  credit,  has  long  possessed  the  principal  commerce  of 
Austria.  Lintz,  Salzburg,  Steyer,  Neustadt,  Krems  and 
some  other  towns  serve  as  intermediate  stations  to  Vienna. 
The  value  of  the  goods  exported  cannot  be  valued  at  less 
than  fifteen  millions  of  florins ; the  imports  amount  to  the 
same  sum,  and  the  amount  of  the  transit  trade  may  be  es- 
timated at  five  millions.  It  would  be  needless  to  inquire, 
after  the  example  of  some  authors,  whether  the  commercial 
balance,  as  it  has  been  termed,  is  in  favour  of  Austria  ; be- 
cause it  is  evident  there  must  be  always  a balance  between 
the  exports  and  imports  of  a state,  since  in  every  case  an 
equivalent  value  must  be  given  for  the  articles  imported. 
Goods  are  conveyed  by  water  on  the  Ens,  the  March  and 
the  Traun,  but  most  of  all  by  the  Danube  ; many  vessels 
loaded  with  cargoes  from  a hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred 
tons  may  be  seen  on  the  last  river.  Merchandise  is  trans- 
ported by  land  along  eleven  principal  roads,  three  of  which 
in  Upper  Austria  form  a total  length  of  three  hundred,  and 
eight  in  Lower  Austria  of  more  than  six  hundred  miles/ 

The  archdutchy  exhibits  in  a religious  point  of  view,  as 
well  as  in  many  others,  that  contrast  between  privileges 
and  restrictions  which  characterizes  countries,  where  pre- 
judice and  caprice  are  substituted  for  justice  and  right.  It 
is  not  intended  to  throw  any  censure  on  the  government, 
but  merely  on  the  mass  of  the  inhabitants.  They  showed 
themselves  under  Joseph  the  Second,  incapable  of  deri- 
ving any  advantage  from  the  institutions  and  privileges 
which  that  monarch  was  disposed  to  grant  them.  It  is  not 
however  the  less  singular  to  observe  in  the  same  province, 
religious  liberty  established  on  one  side,  and  intolerance  on 
the  other.  As  in  the  other  states  of  the  empire,  the  catho- 
lic religion  is  the  prevailing  form  of  worship,  and  the  one 
that  has  the  most  partisans  in  Lower  Austria  ; however,  the 
Greeks,  Protestants  and  Jews  enjoy  equal  protection,  and 
have  their  churches  and  synagogues  ; while  in  Upper  Aus- 
tria, which  contains  twenty-four  thousand  Lutherans,  who 
are  allowed  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion,  the  Jews  are 
not  tolerated. 

It  is  known,  however,  that  the  differences  which  exist  be- 
tween the  liberties  and  the  privileges  of  the  provinces,  de- 
pend on  the  conditions  that  were  stipulated  at  the  time  of 
their  union  with  the  crown.  The  country  below  the  Ens, 
was  originally  the  grand  dutchy  of  Austria ; the  country 
situated  on  the  other  bank  of  the  river,  was  annexed  at  a 
later  period.  To  the  grand  dutchy  were  attached  impor- 
tant privileges  during  the  long  continuance  of  the  German 
empire  ; it  is  from  these  privileges,  and  as  king  of  Bo- 
hemia, that  the  Austrian  emperor  possesses  the  right  of 
presiding  over  the  Germanic  confederation.  But  accord- 
ing to  certain  treaties,  that  have  existed  for  nearly  four 
hundred  years,  the  power  of  the  sovereign  is  modified  by 
the  states,  which  the  emperor  by  his  coronation  oath  binds 
himself  to  maintain.  These  states  are  organized  in  the  same 
manner  as  those  of  Bohemia ; they  consist  of  the  high 
clergy,  the  nobility  and  the  deputies  from  some  privileged 
towns  ; they  are  divided  into  a general  assembly  and  a per- 
manent commission,  and  can  only  be  convoked  by  the  sove- 
reign. Assemblies  of  the  same  sort  are  held  in  Upper  Aus- 
tria, and  the  dutchy  of  Salzburg  has  its  separate  states. 


founderies,  glass-works,  paper-mills,  and  manufactories  of  hats,  cloth,  rib- 
bons and  mirrors,  are  the  principal  manufacturing  establishments.’ 
e Lichtenstern’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.) 

f “ Total  length  in  Upper  Austria,  81  Germ,  miles ; in  Lower  Austria, 
twice  that  sum.” 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXVII. 


Upper  Austria  is  divided  into  five  circles,  and  Lower 
Austria  into  four.  In  the  first,  a supreme  court1  sits  at 
Lint/,  and  takes  cognizance  only  of  the  causes  of  the  nobles 
and  privileged  classes  ; three  hundred  and  fifty-five  inferior 
tribunals  decide  the  causes  to  which  plebeians  are  parties. 
Six  hundred  and  twelve  tribunals  have  been  established  for 
the  latter  purpose  in  Lower  Austria,  while  the  nobles  are 
only  amenable  to  the  supreme  court  at  Vienna,  and  the 
common  people  can  appeal  to  it  against  the  decisions  of 
the  other  tribunals.  Two  councils  of  censors  are  held,  the 
one  at  Lint/,  and  the  other  at  Vienna  ; it  is  the  duty  of  the 
members  to  examine  not  only  all  the  works  published  in 
the  country,  hut  such  as  are  imported  from  foreign  states. 

The  revenues  of  Upper  Austria  amount  to  about 
.£750,000,  and  those  of  Lower  Austria  to  nearly 
.£2, 500, 000. b All  classes,  from  the  noble  to  the  peasant, 

are  removed  beyond  the  reach  of  poverty ; they  may  be 
said  to  be  affluent,  when  compared  with  the  people  in  other 
countries.  The  advocates  of  absolute  power  have  attached 
great  weight  to  that  fact,  which  proves  merely  that  under 
one  despotic  government,  the  nobles  do  not  abuse  their 
privileges,  and  the  people  are  protected  by  the  impartial 
administration  of  the  laws  ; in  other  words,  that  frugal  and 
industrious  men  amass  wealth,  wherever  the  right  of  pro- 
perty is  respected.  But  is  man  like  the  lower  animals  ? 
has  he  no  other  enjoyment  than  that  of  satisfying  his  phy- 
sical wants  l has  he  no  other  desire  than  that  of  living  in 
obscurity  or  repose  1 If  the  Austrians  are  now  happy  un- 
der a paternal  sceptre,  the  time  may  perhaps  come,  when 
they  will  envy  the  destinies  of  some  states  in  Germany. 

Vienna  and  that  part  of  the  Danube  which  separates 
the  town  from  the  suburbs,  are  situated  in  the  centre  of  a 
fine  and  fruitful  plain.  Some  travellers  commend  whatever 
they  see  in  foreign  countries ; others,  particularly  the 
French,  blame  whatever  does  not  recal  the  customs  and 
neighbourhood  of  Paris  ; it  is  necessary  to  avoid  both 
errors,  in  endeavouring  to  describe  the  large  basin  round 
Vienna.  Towards  the  north,  the  eye  follows  the  different 
branches  of  the  river,  whose  broad  and  rapid  course,  toge- 
ther with  the  vessels  that  cover  it,  embellishes  and  vivifies 
the  rich  picture.  Islands  covered  with  trees,  add  to  the 
beauty  of  the  landscape  in  the  same  direction.  The  sur- 
face of  the  water  opposite  Vienna  is  about  four  hundred 
and  eighty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  limits  of 
the  basin  on  the  east,  are  formed  by  heights  covered  with 
houses,  which  unite  with  those  that  bound  it  on  the  south. 
The  basin  becomes  broader  on  the  west,  and  extends  to 
the  Mannhartsberg,  the  sides  of  which  are  covered  with 
forests  ; on  the  north  the  eye  wanders  over  a plain,  the  ex- 
tent of  which  it  cannot  measure  ; the  heights  on  the  south 
are  crowned  with  villages  and  country  houses,  surrounded 
by  verdant  woods.  The  lofty  summits  behind  these  heights, 
have  from  their  distance  a bluish  tint,  of  which  the  different 
shades  are  insensibly  lost  in  the  azure  of  the  sky. 

Vienna,  in  German  Wien,  was  founded  in  1142  by 
Henry  the  First,  duke  of  Austria  ; it  is  at  present  the 
largest  city  in  Germany.  It  was  so  called  from  a small 
river  which  traverses  it,  and  throws  itself  into  the  Danube. 

a “ Tribunal  de  premiere  instance.” 

b “Upper  Austria  5, '200, 000  florins — Lower  Austria  19,800,000  flo- 
rins.” (Hassel,  1822.) 

c “ 7 post  leagues  Fr.” — about  17  Eng.  miles,  which  corresponds  with 
its  extent  in  German  geographical  miles. — P. 

d Circumference  of  Paris,  17  miles.  (Morse.)  Circumference  of  the 
wall  of  Paris,  17  miles ; of  the  compact  part  of  the  city,  14  miles.  (Ed. 
Encyc.) — P. 


The  elevation  of  its  surface  is  about  four  hundred  and  sixty 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea  ; its  circumference,  including 
the  different  suburbs,  is  not  less  than  three  and  a half  Ger- 
man, or  twelve  English  miles.®  Thus,  in  superficial  extent, 
it  is  nearly  equal  to  Paris, d although  the  two  towns  are  very 
different  in  point  of  population,  for  Vienna  does  not  contain 
more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants.  The 
town,  properly  so  called,  stands  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the 
ground  which  all  the  buildings  occupy  ; it  is  encompassed 
with  ditches  and  ramparts,  and  communicates  by  twelve 
gates  with  thirty-four  suburbs,  which  are  very  extensive, 
but  are  partly  occupied  by  cultivated  fields  and  gardens. 
Encroachments  however  are  every  day  making  on  the 
fields ; indeed,  more  than  six  hundred  new  houses  have 
been  built  in  the  suburbs  since  the  year  1826.  Vienna  no 
longer  resembles  the  town  which  the  French  have  several 
times  entered  victorious ; were  those  who  had  seen  it  ten 
years  ago  to  return  at  present,  they  might  be  ready  to  sup- 
pose it  a different  place.  It  is  long  since  the  bastions  and 
the  ramparts  have  been  adorned  with  fine  walks,  and  since 
the  Burg-Bastey  and  the  Bastey  of  Rothenthurnf  have 
been  embellished  with  excellent  buildings/  on  the  glacis, 
opposite  the  Burg,  may  be  seen  two  gardens  laid  out  with 
much  taste,  one  of  which  belongs  to  the  court,  and  the 
other  to  the  public  ; in  the  last  is  a temple,  in  which  has 
been  placed  an  admirable  statue  of  Theseus,  the  work  of 
C a nova. 

The  irregularity  of  the  buildings  in  the  interior  of  the 
city  indicates  its  antiquity.  None  of  its  eighteen  squares 
are  very  large  ; its  hundred  and  ten  streets,  though  narrow 
and  crooked,  are  clean  and  well  paved.  The  houses  are 
large,  high  and  substantially  built;  the  mean  number  of 
inhabitants  to  each  house  exceeds  forty  persons,  but  some 
of  them  contain  many  more.  One  house,  for  example,5  is 
inhabited  by  four  hundred  tenants,  and  it  yields  a rent  of 
sixty  thousand  florins,  or  nearly  L‘7000.  The  ancient 
burgess  hospital/  now  private  property,  is  let  to  two  hun- 
dred families  at  a rent  of  a hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
florins.  Most  of  the  squares  are  adorned  with  fountains  or 
other  monuments.  The  Hof  is  the  largest  and  most  regu- 
lar ; it  is  decorated  with  bronze  statues,  cast  by  Fischer. 
A colossal  equestrian  statue  of  the  emperor  Joseph  the  Se- 
cond, also  in  bronze,  decorates  the  square  of  Joseph.  A 
fountain,  adorned  with  leaden  figures  representing  the  four 
principal  rivers  in  the  archdutchy,  has  been  erected  in  the 
Neumarkt.  But  the  Graben  square,  which  is  situated 
near  the  centre  of  the  town,  is  more  frequented  than  any 
other ; in  an  enclosure,  are  observed  two  fountains  and 
marble  figures  representing  the  trinity,  perhaps  the  best 
work  of  Strudel.  The  principal  shops  are  situated  in  that 
square  and  in  the  Kohlmarkt,  a large  and  well  built  street 
that  leads  to  it. 

Among  the  principal  edifices  in  Vienna,  may  be  men- 
tioned the  Burg,  an  imperial  palace,  in  which  are  several 
collections,  consisting  of  minerals,  objects  of  art,  curiosities 
and  medals  ; they  are  considered  more  valuable  than  most 
other  collections  of  the  same  kind  in  Europe.1  The  empe- 
ror inhabits  that  part  of  the  Burg  which  has  been  called 

e The  Bastion  of  the  palace  and  the  Bastion  of  Rosentlnimi. 

r “ Coffee-houses.” — See  Russel’s  Tour  in  Germany,  p.  377. 

s The  Trattner  House. 

h Burger-Spital — converted  into  dwelling  houses  by  Joseph  II. 

> Among  the  antiquities  are  a great  many  bronze  figures,  statues,  ana 
jewels  of  different  kinds,  five  hundred  Etruscan  vases,  four  hundred  an 
eient  lamps,  and  thirty-two  thousand  gold  and  silver  medals. 


KOOK  CXXVII 


■] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. - 


53 


the  Schweitzerhof.  This  palace,  like  the  Tuileries,  un- 
worthy ot  a sovereign,  is  surrounded  with  many  public 
buildings  ; on  one  side  is  situated  the  ancient  imperial  chan- 
cery, adorned  with  many  statues,  forming  four  groups  of  a 
colossal  size  ; on  the  other,  the  imperial  library,  containing 
three  hundred  thousand  volumes,  six  thousand  specimens 
of  early  printing,  and  twelve  thousand  manuscripts’* 1  at  a 
greater  distance  are  the  riding-school,  a very  elegant  build- 
ing, two  assembly  roomsb  and  the  theatre  of  the  palace. 
The  other  buildings  that  may  be  mentioned,  are  the  palace 
of  the  duke  of  Saxe-Teschen,  the  mint,  the  chancery  of 
the  court,  the  war-office,  the  Bohemian  and  Hungarian 
chanceries,  the  townhouse,  the  palace  of  the  archbishop, 
the  bank,  the  custom-house,  the  university,  the  chamber 
of  the  states,  and  the  two  arsenals.  In  the  town’s  arsenal 
in  the  Hof,  is  preserved  the  head  of  the  grand  vizier  Kara 
Mustapha,  who  commanded  the  Turkish  army  at  the 
blockade  of  Vienna  in  1683,  and  was  strangled  at  Belgrade 
in  the  following  year.  In  the  great  arsenal  are  to  be  seen 
part  of  the  dress  worn  by  Gustavus  Adolphus  at  the  battle 
of  Lutzen,  and  the  balloon,  which,  in  consequence  of  the 
observations  made  from  it,  enabled  the  French  to  gain  the 
battle  of  Fleurus. 

The  number  of  houses,  in  the  town  and  suburbs,  is  equal 
to  seven  thousand  and  fifty  ; besides  which  there  are  a 
hundred  and  twenty-three  palaces,  belonging  to  different 
nobles,  twenty-nine  catholic  churches,  one  reformed,  and 
one  Lutheran  church,  two  Greek  churches,  two  syna- 
gogues and  seventeen  convents,  fourteen  of  which  are  for 
men,  and  three  for  women. 

The  three  principal  churches  are  those  of  St.  Peter  and 
fhe  Augustines,  and  the  metropolitan  church  of  St.  Ste- 
phen ; the  first  is  built  after  the  model  of  the  famous  one  at 
R ome,  and  the  cupola  is  covered  with  copper ; the  se- 
cond was  finished  in  the  year  1330,  and  it  contains  the 
mausoleum  of  the  grand  dutchess  Christina,  a monument 
that  cost  20,000  ducats,  and  in  which  it  is  easy  to  discover 
the  genius  and  taste  of  Canova  ; the  hearts  of  the  deceased 
members  of  the  imperial  family  are  preserved  in  a chapel 
adjoining  the  same  building.  The  church  of  St.  Stephen, 
a fine  Gothic  edifice  of  the  fourteenth  century,  is  three  hun- 
dred and  forty  feet  in  length,  two  hundred  and  twenty  in 
breadth,  and  eighty  in  height.  The  tower  rises  about  four 
hundred  and  thirty  feet  above  the  ground ; it  supports  a 
bell,  weighing  more  than  eighteen  tons,c  and  made  of  the 
cannon  taken  from  the  Turks,  after  they  had  raised  the 
siege  of  Vienna.  The  same  building  is  adorned  with 
thirty-eight  marble  altars  ; it  contains  the  tombs  of  the  em- 
peror Frederick  the  Fourth  and  of  several  cardinals,  and 
also  those  of  prince  Eugene  and  the  celebrated  Schpissham- 
mer,  a physician,  poet,  orator,  historian  and  philosopher. 

The  town  communicates  by  thirty-nine  bridges  with  Leo- 
poldstadt  and  the  suburbs  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Danube. 
Leopoldstadt,  situated  on  an  island,  is  exposed  to  the  inun- 
dations of  the  river.  A fine  walk,  in  which  are  planted  dif- 
ferent rows  of  trees,  that  terminate  in  a grove,  serves  as  a 


a In  the  same  library  are  eight  hundred  volumes  of  engravings,  and  two 
hundred  and  seventeen  volumes  of  portraits.  Among  the  manuscripts  are 
several  Mexican  hieroglyphics,  which  some  future  Champollion  may  per- 
haps  decipher  ; a manuscript  of  Dioscorides,  with  plants  on  vellum,  paint- 
ed  in  the  filth  century ; the  original  of  the  senatus  consultum  by  which 
the  Bacchanalia  were  regulated,  A.  R.  567  ; and  lastly,  Tasso’s  manuscript 

ol  Jerusalem  Delivered.  1 

b Ridottos.  . c 11 3(J7  quintals.” 

. 1,1  t!'e  npht  wing  of  the  gallery,  are  three  hundred  and  twenty-five 

pictures  by  the  great  Italian  masters ; in  the  left  wing,  a hundred  and 


place  of  meeting  for  more  than  thirty  thousand  persons  on 
the  anniversary  of  St.  Bridget,  the  tutelar  saint  of  the  pa- 
rish. . The  quarter  of  Jaegerzeile  on  the  same  island,  is 
inhabited  by  the  higher  classes  ; it  is  embellished  by  many 
fine  palaces  and  a theatre,  and  most  of  all  by  the  Prater,  a 
magnificent  walk,  in  which  may  be  observed  coffee-houses, 
various  places  of  amusement,  panoramas,  riding-schools, 
and  schools  ol  natation.  At  no  great  distance  from  it,  is 
situated  the  Belvedere,  built  by  prince  Eugene,  but  now 
the  property  of  the  emperor,  and  remarkable  for  its  gallery 
of  valuable  paintings/  The  large  military  hospital®  and  the 
chapel  belonging  to  it,  are  situated  near  the  entrance  to  the 
suburb  of  Landstrasse.  The  church  of  St.  Charles,  more 
regular  than  any  other  in  Vienna,  adorns  the  suburb  of 
Wieden  ; it  was  built  by  the  emperor  Charles  the  Sixth,  to 
fulfil  a vow  he  had  made,  while  the  plague  desolated  the 
city  in  the  year  1713.  The  suburbs  of  Vienna,  although 
irregular,  are  finer  than  the  town ; they  seem  almost  to  be 
formed  of  palaces  and  gardens,  but  the  streets,  it  must  be 
admitted,  are  ill  paved,  as  the  stones  used  for  the  purpose  are 
too  small,  and  on  that  account  are  disagreeable  to  walkers. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  enumerate  all  the  places  of  public 
or  private  instruction  in  Vienna  ; it  may  be  sufficient  to 
mention  the  most  important.  Whatever  has  any  con- 
nexion with  the  useful  arts,  the  different  kinds  of  industry, 
and  commerce,  is  taught  in  the  polytechnic  school.  The 
medical  and  surgical  academy  is  remarkable  for  its  organi- 
zation and  for  the  beauty  of  its  edifice.  Twelve  hundred 
students  attend  the  university,  and  the  lectures  are  deliver- 
ed by  seventy-nine  professors.  *The  university  library  con- 
sists of  a hundred  thousand  volumes  ; there  are  chairs  of 
anatomy,  chemistry,  physics  and  the  different  branches  of 
natural  history.  The  oriental  school  was  established  in 
orde'r  to  form  interpreters,  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  the 
relations  between  Austria  and  the  Porte.  Besides  these 
schools,  others  have  been  instituted  for  the  children  of  the 
nobility.  The  fine  arts  are  taught  in  the  imperial  academy, 
and  other  seminaries  are  occupied  with  the  application  of 
these  arts  to  different  products  of  industry.  To  these  may 
be  added,  the  academy  of  engineers  and  the  musical 
school/  a normal  school,  a theological  seminary,  five  col- 
leges, and  a protestont  university  that  is  ill  attended,  be- 
cause the  wealthier  protestants  prefer  to  educate  their 
children  at  home  ; lastly,  there  are  sixty  schools  for  the 
lower  orders,  and  most  of  them  are  conducted  on  an  ex- 
cellent plan  ; in  the  school  of  Neubaugasse,  reading,  wri- 
tmg,  arithmetic  and  drawing  are  taught  gratuitously  ; the 
girls  are  instructed  in  needlework,  and  kept  separate  from 
the  boys  ; corporal  punishment  has  been  abolished.  Other 
charity  schools  for  the  children  of  artisans  are  open  on 
Sundays  from  nine  to  eleven  o’clock  in  the  forenoon.  The 
daughters  of  the  wealthier  classes  are  educated  in  convents, 
but  an  imperial  seminary  has  been  founded  for  the  daugh- 
ters of  officers.  The  principal  schools  have  their  collections 
or  museums,  by  which  the  arts  and  sciences  that  are  taught, 
are  illustrated. 


ninety-five  of  the  Flemish  school ; and  in  the  upper  story,  three  hundred 
and  fifty-one  of  the  ancient  and  modern  German  schools.  In  one  of  the 
rooms  is  observed  a fine  Mosaic  painting,  representing  the  last  supper  bv 
Leonardo  da  Vinci. 

e “ H6tel  des  Invalides”-  Invalidenhavs  (Germ.) 

_ f It  is  stated  in  the  Wiener-Zeit  (1825,)  that  a hundred  and  seventy- 
five  pupils  ol  both  sexes  attend  the  musical  school.  It  contains  a library- 
consisting  ot  historical  and  theoretical  works  relative  to  music,  a o-reat 
many  manuscripts  on  the  same  subject,  and  a very  extensive  collection  of 
ancient  and  modem  musical  instruments. 


54 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXV1I. 


The  charitable  institutions  are  not  less  numerous ; the 
most  important  may  be  enumerated.  The  hospital  or 
infirmary3  in  the  suburb  of  Alster,b  is  remarkable  for  its 
large  dimensions  and  the  great  cleanliness  with  which  it  is 
kept.  It  contains  seven  courts  planted  with  trees,  a hun- 
dred and  eleven  wards  furnished  with  two  thousand  beds, 
and  receives  annually  from  fifteen  to  seventeen  hundred 
patients.  The  foundling  hospital,  the  imperial  orphan  hos- 
pital, and  the  deaf  and  dumb  institution,  are  worthy  of  the 
capital. 

Mendicants  dare  not  appear  in  the  streets  of  Vienna;  a 
work-house  has  been  built  for  all  the  beggars  in  the  pro- 
vince, and  another  for  vagrants,  who  are  not  accused  of  any 
'rime  ; but  the  latter  are  not  allowed,  as  in  France,  to  have 
uiy  communication  with  criminals. 

There  are  in  Vienna,  as  in  every  other  great  town,  many 
places  of  amusement,  many  ways  in  which  the  idle  may 
pass  their  time.  Five  theatres  are  open  the  greater  part 
of  the  year,  and  in  the  fine  season,  the  public  walks  and 
gardens  are  crowded.  The  number  of  coffee-houses 
amounts  to  seventy,  and  the  taverns  and  ordinaries  to  three 
hundred. 

The  capital  is  more  important  as  a manufacturing  town 
than  any  other  in  the  Austrian  empire  ; more  than  sixty 
thousand  individuals  find  employment  in  different  branches 
of  industry.  The  manufactures  consist  of  silks  and  other 
stuffs,0  gold  and  silver  lace,  ribbons,  hardware  goods, 
needles,  mathematical  instruments  and  different  kinds  of 
paper.'1  The  carriages  of  Vienna  are  prized  in  most  parts 
of  Germany  ; there  are  besides  several  porcelain  works,  and 
one  of  them  employs  a hundred  and  fifty  painters  and  fifteen 
hundred  workmen.  The  cannon  foundery  and  the  manu- 
factory of  arms  are  supported  by  government.  The  average 
number  of  muskets  that  issue  every  year  from  the  imperial 
manufactory,  is  said  to  be  equal  to  thirty  thousand.  The 
other  articles  made  in  tire  same  town  are  steel  ornaments, 
jewellery,  watches,  excellent  musical  instruments,  and  dif- 
ferent chemical  products. 

The  capital  is  also  the  central  point  of  Austrian  commerce, 
and  of  the  circulation  required  to  maintain  it.  The  produce 
of  its  industry  which  br  ings  annually  a revenue  of  two  mil- 
lions four  hundred  thousand  florins,  gives  rise  to  an  expor- 
tation sufficient  to  furnish  cargoes  to  six  thousand  boats,  and 
merchandise  for  nearly  two  millions  of  wagons.®  The 
canal  of  Neustadt  finished  in  1 803,  serves  as  a means  of 
communication  between  the  Danube  and  the  metropolis; 
boats  ascend  by  means  of  locks  to  the  basin  in  front  of  the 
townhouse.  Three  fairs  are  held  in  the  town,  and  the  num- 
ber of  mercantile  houses  of  every  kind  amounts  to  nearly  a 
thousand 

Fortifications  and  walls  are  still  kept  up  round  the  central 
part  of  the  town,  but  Vienna  is  not  a place  that  can  offer 
much  resistance  in  the  event  of  a -siege  ; the  garrison  does 
not  exceed  ten  or  twelve  thousand  men.  Although  impor- 
tant from  its  population,  it  has  given  birth  to  few  distinguished 
men  ; but  among  them  may  be  mentioned  some  that  have 
acquired  a name  in  German  literature,  such  as  Schroeckh, 
Collin,  Alxinger,  Mastalierand  the  historian  I nchofer,  known 
by  his  ecclesiastical  annals  of  Hungary,  and  by  a Latin  work, 
published  under  a fictitious  name/  entitled  Monarchia  So- 
lipsorum,  a satire  against  the  Jesuits,  the  translation  of  which 
was  for  some  time  popular  in  France. g 

* The  general  hospital.  * 

b Alstergasse.  (Busching.) 

c “ Silks  and  cottons.” 


The  luxuries  and  delicacies  of  the  table  are  carried  to  a 
greater  excess  at  Vienna  than  at  Paris,  but  they  may  be 
had  at  less  expense  in  the  Austrian  than  in  the  French  ca- 
pital. Nobles  from  every  part  of  the  empire  settle  there, 
and  contribute  by  their  wealth  to  increase  its  commerce 
and  industry.  The  indolence  and  ennui  of  the  rich  render 
many  places  of  amusement  necessary,  but  none  are  so 
much  frequented  as  the  theatres.  If  the  pieces  acted  on 
the  stage,  are  not  admired  by  the  other  Germans,  the  fault 
must  be  imputed  to  the  dramatic  censors  appointed  by  go- 
vernment. Much  has  not  been  done  in  literature,  still  less 
in  science  ; music  forms  the  only  exception  : it  has  been 
cultivated  with  great  success.  There  are  few  catholic 
towns,  where  the  people  are  so  punctilious  in  observing  re- 
ligious forms  and  ceremonies  ; no  class  of  the  community, 
no  rank  or  order,  are  free  from  credulity,  superstition  and 
bigotry.  But  although  the  inhabitants  are  ignorant,  they 
are  not  corrupt ; the  men  are  honest,  and  the  domestic  vir- 
tues are  cherished  in  many  families. 

More  liberty,  and  greater  encouragement  given  to  know- 
ledge, by  impressing  a salutary  impulse  on  the  capital, 
might  produce  a great  and  beneficial  change  in  the  whole 
population  of  Austria.  The  vigilance  of  the  police  borders 
on  oppression  ; some  of  them  hold  the  office  of  dramatic 
censors,  and  they  exercise  it  in  a very  captious  manner ; 
indeed  it  seems  to  be  full  time  that  the  office  should  be  abo- 
lished, and  the  police  reformed.  The  emperor  said  a few 
years  ago,  when  returning  from  the  theatre  after  a first  re- 
presentation, that  he  was  well  pleased  at  having  seen  the 
play,  as  he  was  convinced  the  censors  would  condemn  it. 
The  truth  of  the  remark  was  afterwards  confirmed. 

The  stranger  observes,  not  without  interest,  the  bastions 
that  protected  the  town  against  the  attacks  of  the  Turks. 
But  during  the  wars  of  Napoleon,  Vienna  was  twice  taken 
by  the  French.  The  example  of  so  many  other  capitals 
that  yielded  to  a victorious  chief,  may  console  the  Austrians, 
if  any  confound  success  in  battle  with  national  honour.  The 
same  town  was  taken  in  1241  by  Frederick  the  Second, 
duke  of  Austria,  and  by  the  emperor  Rudolph  the  First  in 
1277.  It  was  vainly  besieged  by  the  Hungarians  in  1477, 
but  obliged  to  surrender  eight  years  afterwards  to  Matthias, 
king  of  Hungary  and  Bohemia. 

Vienna  insisted  the  Ottoman  troops  in  1529  and  1683. 
The  recollection  of  the  last  siege  has  been  handed  down  to 
the  present  inhabitants.  No  event  was  ever  more  likely  to 
have  been  fatal  to- Germany,  and  perhaps  to  Europe.  Kara 
Mustapha,  son-in-law  and  grand  vizier  of  Mahomet  the 
Fourth,  excited  by  the  ambition  of  subjecting  the  west  to 
the  humiliating  yoke  of  his  master,  traversed  Hungary  and 
entered  the  plains  of  Austria  with  an  army  of  more  than 
two  hundred  thousand  men,  and  a train  of  artillery  consist- 
ing of  three  hundred  cannon,  a very  formidable  materiel  at 
that  period.  Charles  the  Fifth,  duke  of  Lorraine,  compefie^ 
to  give  way  to  such  an  overwhelming  force,  retreated  in 
haste  to  Vienna.  Fear  pervaded  the  inhabitants,  and  the 
emperor  fled  secretly  and  ingloriously  from  the  capital.  It 
is  in  such  moments  that  kings  feel  the  misfortune  of  not 
being  beloved  by  their  people.  Leopold  having  suddenly 
taken  the  resolution  of  flying  with  his  family,  passed  through 
the  fugitive  crowd  that  encumbered  the  road  to  Lintz.  But 
he  soon  discovered  that  he  was  only  one  among  a multitude 
of  sufferers ; he  and  his  family  were  obliged  to  pass  the 

e This  is  undoubtedly  a mistake. — P. 

f In  Holland,  in  the  year  1618. 

e The  translation  was  published  in  France,  in  the  year  1792. 


d “ Paper  hangings.’ 


EiOOK.  CXXVII.] 


55 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


night  in  a wood,  and  the  darkness  was  dispelled  by  the 
flames  which  preceded  the  Ottoman  hordes,  and  with  which 
Hungary  had  already  been  desolated.  Terror  was  at  its 
height  in  Vienna  ; all  must  have  been  lost  but  for  one  man, 
and  that  man  was  John  Sobieski.  Kara  Mustapha  had 
encompassed  the  town  ; the  count  of  Starenberg  burnt  the 
suburbs,  armed  the  students,  and  resisted  with  a feeble  gar- 
rison of  sixteen  thousand  men  ; but  after  twenty-three  days 
siege,  the  garrison  weakened,  without  provisions,  obliged  to 
fight  and  to  extinguish  the  fires  occasioned  by  bombs,  were 
reduced  to  despair.  The  enemy  had  taken  the  counter- 
scarp, when  Sobieski  appeared  with  seventy-four  thousand 
men  ; he  examined  the  position  of  the  vizier,  gave  the  sig- 
nal of  battle,  and  the  formidable  army  of  Mustapha  was  cut 
to  pieces.  Never  was  so  great  an  alarm  followed  by  so 
brilliant  a triumph  ; the  booty  was  immense,  Vienna  was 
savedj  and  Christendom  freed  from  the  danger  that  menaced 
it,  by  the  coolness  and  intrepidity  of  a hero. 

The  ancient  town,  called  Castro,  Fabiana  or  Faviana, 
and  afterwards  Vindobona,  rose  into  notice  under  the  first 
emperors  ; the  tenth  Germanic  legion  was  stationed  there 
in  the  time  ol  Ptolemy  j Marcus  Aurelius  died  in  the  same 
place  ; Gallienus  gave  it  up  to  the  Marcomanni  after  having 
married  the  daughter  of  their  king  ; Aurelius  united  it  again 
to  the  empire.a  While  some  alterations  were  making  about 
two  years  ago  in  the  botanical  garden,  several  antiquities 
were  discovered,  such  as  coins,  vases,  bricks  and  other 
relics,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  site  of  the  garden  was 
formerly  within  the  enclosure  Vindobona.  When  the  chapel 
of  the  Capuchins  was  enlarged,  a chapel  that  serves  as  a 
place  of  interment  for  the  emperors,  there  were  discovered 
much  about  the  same  time  a Roman  tomb,  fragments  of 
funeral  vases,  and  other  articles,  which  render  it  probable 
that  the  road  from  Vindobona  to  Rome  passed  near  the 
present  convent. 

We  have  already  mentioned  the  beauty  of  the  neigh- 
bouring country ; the  castles  and  country  houses  on  the 
heights  are  so  numerous  that  it  would  be  no  easy  matter  to 
describe  those  only  which  belong  to  the  imperial  family. 
Schoenbrunn  was  built  by  Maria  Theresa.  It  is  remarkable 
lor  the  extent  of  the  buildings,  the  beauty  of  the  gardens, 
and  the.  profusion  of  rare  and  valuable  plants  in  the  con- 
sen  atories.  Laxenburg,  a Gothic  casile  belonging  to  the 
en  peror,  is  encompassed  with  ditches  and  other  works  that 
give  it  the  appearance  of  a small  fortress.  The  interior  is 
decorated,  in  the  same  style  as  the  exterior,  and  contains 
many  curiosities  of  the  middle  ages.  It  forms  a singular 
contrast  with  its  modern  gardens,  and  even  with  the  regu- 
larity of  the  burgh  at  the  base  of  its  walls. 

The  village  of  Maria-Hitzing  near  Schoenbrunn  has 
been  considered  the  finest  and  most  picturesque  in  Austria. 

It  possesses  a theatre,  and  is  visited  on  account  of  its  baths. 
Penzing  is.  known  from  its  ribbon  manufactories,  and  Med- 
lmg  from  its  mineral  waters.  Several  country  houses  are 
situated  near  these  villages. 

We  will  now  quit  that  part  of  the  country  where  the 
houses  of  the  wealthy  rival  each  other  in  elegance,  and 
where  their  grounds,  laid  out  with  great  taste,  give  to  the 
basin  ol  Vienna  the  appearance  of  an  immense  garden. 

1 he  towns  now  to  be  mentioned  are  situated  in  the  plains 
ol  Lower  Austria.  Kloster-Neuburg,  on  the  banks  of  the 


Danube,  deserves  to  be  noticed,  not  on  account  of  its  popu- 
lation, which  does  not  exceed  three  thousand  two  hundred 
inhabitants,  but  on  account  of  a magnificent  convent  be- 
longing to  the  Augustines.  The  town  is  decorated  with  a 
fine  church,  in  which  the  ducal  crown  of  Austria  is  deposi- 
ted ; it  has  besides  a seminary,  a valuable  library  contain- 
ing more  than  four  hundred  manuscripts,  and  a collection 
of  natural  history  and  medals. 

Baden,  at  some  leagues  to  the  south  of  the  capital,  is 
situated  on  the  northern  declivity  of  Mount  Calvary  ;b  it  is 
commanded  on  the  east  by  verdant  hills,  while  a fruitful 
plain  extends  to  the  west.  The  population  does  not  exceed 
three  thousand  persons,  but  its  baths,  the  efficacy  of  which 
in  iheumatic  affections  has  been  acknowledged,  are  so 
much  ii  equented,  that  more  than  five  thousand  strangers  re- 
sort to  them  in  some  seasons.  Walks  have  been  made  in 
the  neighbourhood,  and  the  parks  and  pleasure  grounds  of 
the  different  proprietors  are  open  to  strangers. 

Neustadt  or  AVienerisch-Neustadt  has  been  considered, 
after  the  capital,  the  finest  town  in  the  archdutchy  ; the 
number  ol  its  inhabitants,  according  to  M.  Thielen,  is  equal 
to  eight  thousand  three  hundred.'  " It  is  adorned  with  three 
large  squares ; the  houses  are  well  built,  and  the  streets  are 
straight  and  regular.  It  possesses  several  seminaries,  and 
a military  school  attended  by  five  hundred  pupils.  The 
canal,  which  has  been  already  mentioned,  passes  from  the 
town  to  Vienna,  and  serves  to  supply  the  latter  with  wood, 
coal  and  stones  for  building. 

The  summit  of  the  Schneeberg  is  about  five  leagues  to 
the  west  of  Neustadt.  That  mountain  is  visited  by  a" great- 
er number  of  strangers  than  any  other  in  Lower  Austria. 
It  is  covered  with  mists  nine  months  in  the  year,  and  none 
need  ascend  it,  unless  the  weather  be  serene  and  cloudless. 
After  having  mounted  a short  distance  on  the  most  fre- 
quented road,  the  spectator  observes  below  him,  a narrow 
and  deep  valley,  part  of  which  is  occupied  by  a lake. 
Having  past  the  region  of  trees,  he  arrives  at  a sort  of  plat- 
form, on  which  a house  has  been  built  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  travellers  that  may  wish  to  remain  during  the  night. 
Lichens  are  the  only  plants  that  grow  above  the  inn  ; ^the 
remaining  part  of  the  journey  is  not  without  danger it  is 
necessary  to  climb  |naked  rocks,  and  to  avoid  frightful  pre- 
cipices. The  height  of  the  summit  is  such  as  to^command 
a most  extensive  horizon.  The  eye  wanders  over  as  fine 
a panorama  as  can  well  be  imagined  ; the  wooded  heights 
of  the  AViener-VVald  and  the^Mannhartsberg  appear  on  the 
north  ; Vienna  seems  like  a’village,  and  the  Danube  like  a 
small  stream  in  a verdant  plain.  It  is  not  difficult  to  count 
all  the  towns,  and  although  the  distance  is  so  great  as  to 
make  them  resemble  so  many  points  on  a geographical 
map,  there  is  no  summit  from  which  a stranger  can  at  once 
form  a more  correct  notion  of  the  wealth  and  importance 
of  the  archdutchy.  The  view  towards  the  south  is  bound- 
ed by  the  chain  of  the  Alps,  extending  more  than  a hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles  in  length  ;d  on  the  west  are  seen  the 
mountains  in  Upper  Austria,  the  Salzburg  Alps  and  even 
those  of  Tyrol,  while  the  vast  Hungarian  plain  extends  on 
the  south-east  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Raab  and  Ofen. 
Only  those  towns  have  been  hitherto  mentioned,  which 
may  be  observed  in  ascending  the  canal  of  Neustadt ; the 
description  of  Lower  Austria  may  therefore  be  completed 


a See  the  excellent  work  of  Baron  Hormayer  : 
und  seine  Denkwurdigkeiten. 
b Calvarienberg. 


Wien,  seine 


Geschichte 


M.  P.  Thielen,  Alphabetisch-topographisches  Postreise-Handbuch 
fur  den  CEsterreichischen  Kaiserstadt,  &c.  Vienna  1827 
d “60  leagues.” 


EUROPE. 


56 

by  giving  an  account  of  the  towns  that  are  seen  from  the 
Schneeberg. 

Bruck,  situated  in  a valley  on  the  right  of  the  Danube, 
and  on  the  banks  of  the  Leytha,  may  be  mentioned  on  ac- 
count of  its  custom-house,  and  a large  square  adorned  by 
a fountain.  Haimburg  contains  three  thousand  inhabitants, 
and  carries  on  a greater  trade  in  tobacco  than  any  other 
town  in  Austria.  Krems  and  Stein  are  seen  towards  the 
west,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Danube  ; the  one  is  peopled 
by  three  thousand  six  hundred  inhabitants,  and  the  other 
by  fifteen  hundred.  They  are  separated  from  each  other 
by  an  alley  of  trees,  and  two  rows  of  houses,  which  ac- 
counts for  a popular  saying : Krems  and  Stein  are  three 
towns.  Krems  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  propor- 
tion to  the  number  of  its  inhabitants  ; they  are  employed  in 
different  branches  of  industry.  But  the  commerce  of  Stein 
lasts  only  a part  of  the  year,  or  while  the  river  is  favourable 
for  navigation.  A castle  now  in  ruins  rises  above  Durren- 
stein,  in  which  Richard  Cceur  de  Lion  was  unjustly  con- 
fined. Mcelk,  although  only  a burgh,  is  remarkable  for  a 
large  convent,  belonging  to  the  Benedictines,  and  for  its 
gymnasium,  library  and  collections  of  natural  history  and 
antiquities.  Saint  Pollen,  a place  of  four  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, and  the  chief  town  of  a bishopric,  is  situated  between 
the  Danube  and  the  Wiener- Wald  in  a fruitful  plain  cover- 
ed with  cultivated  fields,  gardens  and  rich  meadows.  Other 
places,  though  less  important,  may  be  briefly  enumerated. 
The  people  of  Awischofen  are  employed  in  making  glass. 
Aloosdorf  carries  on  a trade  in  saffron,  and  Mistelbach  in 
different  kinds  of  grain  ; the  latter  is  peopled  by  three  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  Aleiben  is  noted  for  its  royal  sheep- 
folds,  which  are  said  to  be  the  largest  in  Austria.  Maria- 
Taferl,  a village  built  on  a height,  is  no  less  celebrated  for 
its  religious  processions ; more  than  a hundred  thousand 
pilgrims  visit  it  every  year.  Riesenberg  was  the  birth-place 
of  the  famous  composer  Haydn,  and  Wagram  or  Teusch- 
Wagram  stands  in  the  plain,  where  the  French  were  victo- 
rious in  1809. 

Lintz,  the  capital  of  Upper  Austria,  is  so  called  from 
Lentia,  its  name  in  the  time  of  the  Romans  ; it  con- 
tains a population  of  twenty  thousand  souls.  The  town 
is  neither  so  populous  nor  so  well  built  as  the  suburbs. 
The  ornaments  in  the  great  square  are  not  perhaps  accor- 
dant with  correct  taste ; a pillar  erected  by  Charles  the 
Fourth  to  the  holy  trinity  rises  in  the  centre,  and  on  the 
right  and  left  are  two  fountains,  the  one  dftorated  with  a 
figure  of  Neptune,  and  the  otfier  with  a statue  of  Jupiter. 
The  public  buildings  are  nowise  remarkable,  but  the  town 
possesses  different  places  of  education,  several  charitable 
institutions  and  important  manufactories.  Although  the 
mountains  of  Bohemia  protect  it  from  the  north  winds, 
Reaumur’s  thermometer  descends  frequently  to  fourteen  or 
fifteen  degrees  below  zero.  The  west  winds  which  are  very 
common,  are  disagreeable  and  unwholesome. 

Steyer  on  the  Ens,  a town  of  nine  thousand  inhabitants, 
rises  in  a valley,  watered  by  a small  river  of  the  same  name. 
The  Burg,  an  old  castle  belonging  to  the  prince  of  Lam- 
berg,  is  the  only  edifice  worthy  of  notice,  and  its  fountains 
are  considered  its  greatest  ornaments.  The  utmost  activi- 
ty prevails  in  it ; almost  all  the  inhabitants  are  engaged  in 

» “ Shoemakers’  awls.” 

b “ L’ad  ministration  et  los  magasins  des  salines.” 

° “ Length  more  than  GOOD  toises,  breadth  more  than  1500.” 

d Founded  A.  D.  1082.  (Busching.) 

• “ 10,000,000  hectolitres.” 


[BOOK  C'XXVII. 

trade  or  in  some  department  of  industry.  It  is  there  that 
iron  appears  to  be  of  greater  utility  than  gold  ; many  thou- 
sand hands  convert  the  metal  that  is  brought  from  the 
mines  of  Mount  Erzberg  into  every  variety  of  form.  Nu- 
merous hammers  are  moved  by  the  Ens,  which  serves  like- 
wise to  transport  the  merchandise  of  the  town.  Steyer  ex- 
ports files  to  German)7,  Switzerland,  Italy  and  the  Levant, 
razors  for  less  than  a florin  the  dozen  to  the  East,  penknives 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  florins  the  thousand  to  Moravia,  Sile- 
sia and  Galicia,  and  shoemakers’  instruments1  to  Germany, 
Switzerland  and  France.  A great  many  jewsharps  are 
sent  to  Steyer  from  forty  manufactories  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Mount  Priel ; these  as  well  as  many  other  articles 
are  exported  to  different  countries  in  Europe. 

The  town  of  Ens  is  situated  near  the  confluence  of  that 
river  with  the  Danube  ; it  contains  three  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, and  if  it  be  true  that  it  formed  only  one  town  with 
Lorch,  the  ancient  Laureacnm,  it  must  be  considered  one 
of  the  oldest  towns  in  Austria.  The  principal  ornament 
of  the  town  is  a tower  in  the  great  square,  built  by  the  em- 
peror Maximilian  I. 

Gmunden  on  the  lake  of  Traun,  contains  a population 
of  three  thousand  souls ; the  town  is  pleasantly  situated  and 
neatly  built,  and  the  government  offices  of  the  mines”  are 
its  finest  buildings  The  beauty  of  its  position  depends  prin- 
cipally on  the  lake,  which  is  nearly  eight  miles  in  length  and 
more  than  one  in  breadth  ;c  its  waters  are  of  a dark  green  co- 
lour, but  they  become  nearly  black  during  stormy  weather. 

Garsten,  a Benedictine  chapter  situated  in  the  vicinity, 
was  founded  more  than  eight  hundred  years  ago.d  The 
church  is  not  less  remarkable  for  its  architecture  than  for 
its  fine  paintings  and  numerous  ornaments ; within  its  walls 
may  still  be  seen  the  tomb  of  Ottocar  the  Fourth.  But 
this  chapter  cannot  be  compared  with  that  of  Krems- 
Munster,  founded  in  the  year  777  by  Tassilo,  duke  of  Ba- 
varia. The  great  size  of  the  edifice,  the  fine  observatory, 
the  large  library,  and  the  valuable  collections  of  natural  his- 
tory and  philosophical  instruments,  are  in  unison  with  the 
magnificence  of  the  interior,  and  the  elegance  of  the  gar- 
dens, and  serve  to  render  the  monastery  superior  to  any 
other  in  Germany.  The  neighbourhood  is  remarkable  for 
its  petrifying  springs  ; they  deposit  on  the  plants  around 
them  a sediment  of  calcareous  matter  in  such  abundance 
that  it  is  used  in  building. 

The  commerce  of  Hallstadt  is  confined  to  the  produce 
of  its  salt  mines,  which  yield  every  year  about  fifty  thousand 
hundred  weights.6  A lake,  of  which  the  depth  has  never 
been  measured,  is  situated  near  its  walls  ; it  is  equal  in 
length  to  eight  thousand  four  hundred  yards,  and  in  breadth 
to  eleven  hundred  ;f  its  waters,  which  are  of  a dark  green 
colour,  abound  with  excellent  fish.  It  has  been  supposed 
that  Branau,  which  now  contains  three  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, stands  on  the  site  of  the  Roman  Bundunum.  The 
small  town  of  Montzees  is  built  on  the  banks  of  a lake 
nearly  five  miles  long,  two  and  a half  broad,  and  at  tlTe  cen- 
tre four  hundred  yards  in  depth. h The  cataract  of  Bachs- 
fa.ll,  falls  from  a rock  four  hundred  feet  in  height,  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  village  of  Bischofshofen. 

Salzburg,  one  of  the  finest  towns  in  the  archdutchy,'  is 
the  only  other  place  of  which  it  is  necessary  to  give  some 

f “ Length  4200  toises,  breadth  1100.”  g Monsec. 

h “Length  1 J league,  breadth  1 league,  depth  200- toises.” 

‘ Salzburg  forms  no  part  of  the  archdutchy  of  Austria  as  it  existed  be- 
fore the  French  revolution.  Its  territory  then  formed  a principality,  sub- 
ject to  the  archbishop  of  Salzburg. — “ In  180(1  it  was  added  to  Austria,  in 


BOOK  CXXVI1.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


57 


account.  It  has  been  called  at  different  times,  Juvavium  ,a 
Hadriana  and  Petena.  It  was  mined  by  Attila  in  the  year 
448,  and  afterwards  rebuilt  by  the  Bavarian  dukes,  at  the 
request  of  St.  Rupert.  The  Salzach  separates  two  regular 
and  well  built  quarters,  a rampart  encompasses  the  town, 
and  three  suburbs  extend  beyond  the  entrance.  It  contains 
fourteen  thousand  inhabitants,  but  the  population  corres- 
ponds ill  with  the  size  of  the  town  ; deserted  streets,  and 
uniform  houses,  built  in  the  Italian  style,  give  it  a gloomy 
aspect.  The  principal  entrance,  cut  through  a rock,  is 
about  a hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length,  and  from  twenty  to 
twenty-four  in  breadth.  A marble  statue  of  fifteen  feet  in 
height,  representing  Saint  Sigismund,  is  placed  before  the 
entrance.  A large  fountain  adorns  one  square, b and  ano- 
ther, that  of  the  cathedral,0  is  surrounded  by  arcades.  The 
cathedral  itself  is  built  after  the  model  of  St.  Peter’s  at  Rome, 
and  a much  admired  statue  of  the  virgin  stands  on  the  prin- 
cipal front.  Salzburg  gave  birth  to  the  famous  Paracel- 


1807 transferred  to  Bavaria,  and  again  restored  to  Austria  in  1817.”  (Ed. 
Encyc.) — “ The  archbishopric  was  secularized  in  1802,  and  given,  with 
Eichstedt,  Berchtolsgaden  and  a part  of  Passau,  to  Ferdinand,  archduke  of 
Austria  and  grand  duke  of  Tuscany,  as  an  indemnification  for  the  loss  of 
Tuscany.  At  the  peace  of  Presburg  (1806,)  Salzburg  was  immediately 
annexed  to  Austria.  At  the  peace  of  Vienna  (1809,)  it  was  surrendered 
to  Napoleon,  who  ceded  it  to  Bavaria  (1810.)  After  the  peace  of  Paris 
(1815,)  Salzburg  was  restored  to  Austria,  with  the  exception  of  a part  of  it 
VOL.  III.— NO.  44.  S 


sus,d  and  his  ashes  repose  in  the  cemetery  of  Saint  Sebas- 
tian. The  remains  of  ancient  Roman  baths,  from  which 
many  valuable  antiquities  have  been  collected,  are  situated 
near  the  hospital  of  St.  John.  Salzburg  is  the  only  fortress 
in  Upper  Austria  ; the  climate  is  very  variable,  and  on  that 
account  unwholesome. 

The  Austrians  are  sober,  and  faithful  in  their  engage- 
ments, particularly  in  their  duty  to  their  sovereign.  Like 
plants,  they  may  be  distinguished  by  the  nature  of  the  soil ; 
at  least  the  difference  is  apparent  between  the  inhabitants 
of  the  wine  and  grain  countries.  The  natives  of  the  plains 
are  strong  and  muscular,  those  in  the  mountains  are  light 
and  active. 

The  importance  of  the  revenue  might  be  inferred  from 
what  has  been  said  of  the  industry  that  prevails  in  the 
country.  It  amounts  in  Lower  Austria  to  26,000,000  florins, 
but  in  Upper  Austria  it  does  not  exceed  8,000,000. 


on  the  left  bank  of  the  Salza,  which,  together  with  Berchtolsgaden,  was 
left  to  Bavaria.  (Conv.  Lex.) — P. 
a Juvavum  (p.  730,  M.  B.,  D’Anville,)  Juvavia  (Busching.) 
b “ Place  de  la  Cour” — Germ.  Hofplatz,  Court  Sauar° 
c Germ.  Domplatz. 

d Paracelsus  was  bom  at  Einsidlin,  in  the  canton  of  Schweitz ; he  died 
at  Salzburg.— P. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXVU1. 


BOOK  CXXVIII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Germany. — Twelfth  Section. — County 
of  Tyrol,  and  Dulchy  of  Stiria. 

Snow  covered  mountains  and  arid  rocks  are  the  first  ob- 
jects that  the  traveller  observes  on  entering  Tyrol  and 
Stiria.  The  narrow  and  sinuous  vallies  in  Tyrol  unite  with 
the  wildness  of  a natural,  the  riches  of  a cultivated  coun- 
try ; in  Stiria  the  vallies  are  much  larger,  particularly  in 
the  south  and  the  east ; in  both  the  climate  is  extremely 
variable. 

Tyrol  derives  its  name  from  an  ancient  castle  near  Me- 
ran,  on  a mountain  that  commands  the  Adige.  The  country 
passed  by  inheritance  to  the  dukes  of  Austria  in  the  year 
1363.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Bavaria,  on  the  west 
by  Switzerland,  and  on  the  south  and  the  east  by  the  Lom- 
bardo-Venetian  kingdom,  Illyria  and  Upper  Austria.  Ac- 
cording to  Blumenbach,  its  surface  is  equal  to  five  hundred 
and  twenty  German,  or  six  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty 
English  square  miles. a 

The  two  declivities  of  the  Rhaetian  Alps,  which  form  the 
continuation  of  those  in  Switzerland,  make  up  the  greater 
part  of  Tyrol.  To  have  a notion  of  the  country,  one  must 
imagine  mountains  apparently  almost  as  high  as  Mont  Blanc, 
which  none  have  ever  attempted  to  ascend,  frightful  preci- 
pices, lofty  cataracts,  glaciers  of  several  leagues  in  extent, 
and  torrents  rolling  through  rocky  vallies  ; on  one  side,  the 
icy  winds  of  the  north,  and  on  the  other,  the  sultry  blast  of 
the  sirocco. 

If  the  traveller  be  placed  near  the  sources  of  the  Inn, 
he  may  observe  on  the  right, b a chain  less  extensive  than 
the  others,  which  bears  the  name  of  Arlberg,c  or  the  Eagle 
mountain ; hence  the  north-western  part  of  the  province 
has  been  denominated  the  Vorarlberg,  or  the  country  in 
front  of  the  Eagle  mountain.  Another  and  higher  chain 
extends  from  west  to  east,  and  forms  what  the  ancients 
called,  the  Rhaetian  Alps,d  a name  derived  from  the  Roman 
province  of  Rhaetia.  The  continuation  of  the  chain  in  the 
same  direction  was  styled  the  Noric  Alps,®  because  the 
country  on  both  sides  made  up  the  Roman  Noricum  ; they 
terminate  on  the  confines  of  Stiria  and  Austria.  A chain 
that  extends  from  the  sources  of  the  Mur  to  the  extremi- 
ties of  Stiria,  has  received  the  name  of  the  Stirian  Alps. 

Tschernowand  is  next  to  Orteles,  the  highest  summit  in 
the  Rhaetian  Alps/  The  most  extensive  glaciers  are  the 
Gebatsch  and  the  Rofner.  The  rivers  that  rise  from  the 

a “ 144G  sq.  Fr.  leagues.” — 11,000  Eng.  sq.  miles  (Morse.)  The  latter 
coincides  nearly  with  the  extent  in  the  original,  reckoning  the  German 
miles  and  French  leagues  as  geographical,  on  which  supposition  alone  they 
tan  be  made  to  correspond. — P. 

l>  On  the  north,  between  the  Inn  and  the  lalfe  of  Constance. 

c Contraction  of  Adlerberg.  J Alpes  Rhceticee. 

• Alpes  Noricce.  The  terms  Rhaetian  and  Noric  Alps  are  still  applied 
to  these  mountains.  (M.  B.) — P. 


Arlberg,  are  the  Isar,  the  Lech,  the  Iller  and  the  Inn.  The 
Etsch  or  the  Adige  which  throws  itself  into  the  Adriatic 
Gulf,  and  the  Drave  which  unites  with  the  Danube,  after 
having  traversed  Illyria  and  part  of  Hungary,  take  their 
rise  from  the  glaciers  in  the  great  chain. 

Many  primitive  rocks5  are  situated  both  on  the  southern 
declivity  of  the  Rhaetian  Alps,  and  in  the  valley  of  the  Adige. 
A distinguished  geologist11  has  made  many  important  observa- 
tions on  the  singular  arrangement  of  the  calcareous  rocks, 
which  consist  of  that  variety  of  magnesian  limestone,  called 
dolomite.  Nothing  indeed  can  be  more  surprising  than 
the  inaccessible  heights  and  bold  forms  that  these  rocks  ex- 
hibit near  the  valley  of  Fassa ; they  appear  to  surpass  what 
the  imagination  can  conceive.  Von  Buch  concludes  that 
this  white,  granular  and  almost  friable  limestone  had  been 
compact,  coloured,  stratified  and  filled  with  organic  bodies, 
before  the  augitic  porphyry1  which  supports  it  had  by  pene- 
trating it  with  magnesia,  destroyed  the  organic  remains  and 
changed  its  characters.  The  porphyry  has  been  elevated 
by  such  a force,  and  to  such  an  altitude,  as  to  have  raised 
into  the  air  the  colossal  masses  that  surmount  it.  It  is  un- 
necessary to  enter  farther  into  the  views  of  so  great  a 
geologist  as  Von  Buch,  but  it  may  be  added  that  they  appear 
to  be  very  probable,  for  the  pyroxene  which  characterizes 
the  porphyry,  seems  to  connect  it  with  igneous  products. 
Von  Buch  however  goes  farther,  for  he  supposes  that  all 
chains  of  mountains  whatever  have  been  formed  by  similar 
elevations  from  beneath  ; that  opinion  may  be  afterwards 
confirmed  by  other  phenomena.  Our  limits  prevent  us 
from  examining  more  minutely  the  geological  formation  of 
the  Rhaetian  Alps.  Their  elevation,  and  the  account  al- 
ready given  of  the  country  round  Salzburg  which  forms  a 
part  of  the  chain,  are  sufficient  to  prove  that  all  the  rocks 
which  are  considered  primitive,  are  contained  in  them. 

According  to  a professor,  whom  we  have  had  already 
occasion  to  quote/  coal  is  found  in  the  mountains  of  Stiria, 
but  the  deposits  in  the  valley  of  the  Mur,  which  might  be 
worked  with  profit,  appear  to  consist  of  lignite  rather  than 
coal.  They  lie  in  the  midst  of  sandstone,  argil  and  shell 
marie,  and  these  substances  are  encompassed  and  supported 
by  the  transition  mountains  in  the  country.  This  large 
valley  is  filled  with  deposits  of  tertiary  formation. 

The  vegetable  riches  of  the  Tyrolese  mountains  are  well 
known  to  botanists ; they  find  on  them  many  leguminous, 

f It  is  upwards  of  twelve  thousand  feet  in  height — [11,645.  M.  B.] 

g “ Roches  anciens” — Q.u.  calcaire  ancien. 

h Yon  Buch,  Memoirs  read  before  the  royal  academy  of  Berlin,  Janua- 
ry, 1822,  and  February,  1823. 

* “ Porphyre  pvroxenique.” 

k M.  Riepl,  Professor  of  Natural  History  in  the  Polytechnic  Institute 
of  Vienna. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


BOOK  cxxvm.] 

cruciform,  labiate  and  composite  plants,  as  well  as  Orchidece, 
Cytisi,  GenistcB,  Euphorbia;  and  Loti.  The  air  is  embalmed 
during  the  night,  by  the  fragrance  diffused  by  the  Silene 
nutans.  But  the  most  interesting  plants  are  not  found  on 
the  highest  parts  of  these  Alpine  chains.  The  steep  rocks 
of  the  Lantsch  near  Graetz,  at  the  extremity  of  the  calca- 
reous mountains  in  Stiria,  afford  shelter  to  plants,  which 
appear  to  be  forever  removed  from  the  reach  of  the  bota- 
nist. The  woods  that  cover  its  summits  are  the  only  pla- 
ces where  the  Delphinium  intermedium  grows  ; it  reaches  to 
the  height  of  five  feet,  and  charms  the  eye  with  its  fine  blue 
flowers.  The  only  examples  of  the  Peltaria  alliacea  that 
flourish  in  a wild  state  are  found  on  the  sides  of  the  same 
mountain. 

Ferruginous  waters  have  been  discovered  in  different 
parts  of  Tyrol,  but  no  warm  mineral  springs. 

The  oxen,  cows  and  horses  are  small,  but  of  a good 
kind  ; goats  are  more  numerous  than  sheep,  and  different 
kinds  of  game  are  very  common.  Wolves,  wild  boars  and 
bears  haunt  the  forests,  the  clefts  in  the  rocks  afford  shelter 
to  marmots,  and  the  chamois  finds  refuge  on  the  highest 
summits,  or  in  places  which  the  hunter  cannot  approach. 

The  Rhceti  were  the  earliest  people  thatare  known  to  have 
inhabited  Tyrol.  They  were  composed  of  different  tribes, 
such  as  the  Vennonii  or  Vennones,  whom  Ptolemy  and  Strabo 
mention,1  and  the  Brixantes,  whose  chief  town  was  probably 
built  on  the  site  of  Brixen.  Pliny  informs  us  that  they  emi- 
grated from  Etruria  ; but  it  may  be  concluded  that  they  were 
obliged  to  leave  that  country,  as  it  is  very  improbable  that  a 
nation  would  renounce  voluntarily  so  fine  a climate  as  that  of 
Italy,  to  settle  in  such  a country  as  Tyrol.  The  Rhaeti 
were  subdued  by  the  Romans  in  the  time  of  Augustus,  and 
their  territory  received  the  name  of  Rhcetia  Prima,  while 
that  of  the  Vindelici  was  called  Rhcetia  Secunda. 

Different  metals  are  found  in  Tyrol,  but  not  in  such 
quantities  as  to  be  of  much  value.  Thus  the  gold  collected 
annually  does  not  exceed  a hundred  marks;  silver  is  also 
scarce,  and  what  is  obtained  is  almost  entirely  extracted 
from  lead.  The  copper  is  supposed  to  be  more  malleable, 
and,  consequently,  purer  than  in  most  other  countries  ; but 
iron  is  more  common  than  any  of  the  other  metals.  The 
other  substances  that  may  be  mentioned  are  cobalt,  zinc, 
arsenic,  sulphur  and  salt.  The  salt  mines  are  the  continu- 
ation of  those  in  Salzburg,  and  one  of  them  near  Hall  yields 
every  year  twenty-five  thousand  quintals.  Although  the  re- 
venue which  government  derives  from  the  mines  may  be  incon- 
siderable, the  people  contrive  to  gain  a subsistence  by  them. 

Agriculture  has  been  brought  to  a great  degree  of  per- 
fection ; the  Tyrolese  use  their  lands  to  the  best  advantage. 
Much  labour  and  care  are  bestowed  on  the  soil  ; vegetable 
mould  is  transported  to  high  summits ; the  grass  which 
grows  on  the  sides  of  steep  declivities,  is  collected  for  the 
cattle  ; even  the  atmospheric  action  by  which  rocks  are  de- 
composed, is  rendered  profitable  to  the  husbandmen,  who 
convert  these  remains  into  cultivated  fields.  The  stranger 
observes  not  without  amazement  the  Tyrolese  peasant  with 
a basket  on  his  head,  descending  inaccessible  rocks,  by 
means  of  a rope  and  a stick,  to  the  bottom  of  a precipice, 
in  order  that  he  may  gain  a few  feet  of  land,  and  devote  it 
to  agriculture. 


a Strabo,  Lib.  IV. 

b Such  is  the  number  of  inhabitants  according  to  tne  calculation  of  M. 
Thielen.  See  his  Manual,  Vienna,  1827. 


59 

The  hills  favourable  to  the  vine  are  covered  with  vine- 
yards ; it  is  true  that  the  wine  which  they  produce  does  not 
keep  a long  time,  but  although  it  may  on  that  account  be 
unfit  for  exportation,  it  forms  the  materials  of  an  inland 
commerce.  The  vineyards  are  most  numerous  in  the  val- 
ley of  the  Adige  ; they  cover  the  heights  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Brixen  and  Tramin  ; those  near  the  latter  town  are 
considered  the  most  valuable.  The  Tyrolese  also  cultivate 
fruit  trees,  but  the  forests  are  much  more  important ; they 
export  timber  for  building  to  Venice. 

But  although  the  people  be  as  industrious  as  possible,  the 
country  cannot  furnish  the  means  of  subsistence  to  seven 
hundred  and  sixty- two  thousand  inhabitants.15  The  people 
must  find  employment  elsewhere  ; they  must  have  recourse 
to  other  pursuits  besides  agriculture.  Some  have  no  other 
wealth  than  their  cattle,  but  it  could  hardly  be  imagined 
that  the  birds  which  have  been  transported  from  tbe  Cana- 
ries to  Europe,  where  they  are  prized  both  for  their  notes 
and  their  plumage,  form  by  no  means  an  insignificant  branch 
of  trade  in  Tyrol.  The  people  are  compelled  to  gain  a 
livelihood  in  any  way,  .and  they  do  not  disdain  to  wander  in 
foreign  countries  and  to  earn  a subsistence  by  selling  cana- 
ries. There  are  few  manufactories  in  Tyrol,  but  almost 
every  Tyrolian  is  an  artisan  or  manufacturer.  Many  lor 
want  of  a better  employment  travel  as  pedlars  through  the 
most  distant  countries,  and  return  in  old  age  with  enough  to 
enable  them  to  pass  the  rest  of  their  days  in  their  native 
land.  At  six  years  of  age  the  Tyrolian  quits  his  mountains, 
sets  out  for  the  fair  of  Kempten  in  Bavaria,  and  renders 
himself  useful  by  herding  geese  or  cattle  ; at  a later  period 
he  emigrates  as  a mason,  carpenter,  miner  or  picture-seller  ; 
it  is  reckoned  that  in  this  manner,  more  than  thirty  thousand 
individuals  leave  their  country  every  year.  Some  preferring 
a hunter’s  life,  traverse  their  mountains,  endure  all  sorts  of 
fatigue,  and  expose  themselves  to  the  greatest  dangers  to 
attain  their  prey;  others  wander  in  quest  of  medicinal  plants, 
which  they  learn  from  their  infancy,  and  know  as  correctly 
as  the  ablest  botanists. 

Among  those  who  remain  at  home,  some  execute  diffe- 
rent works  in  wood  with  great  skill ; the  vast  forests  in  the 
Vorarlberg  supply  them  with  the  materials  for  making 
wooden  shops,  and  even  houses,  of  which  the  different 
pieces  are  numbered,  and  transported  to  the  lake  of  Con- 
stance, and  from  thence  to  neighbouring  countries.  It  seems 
as  if  the  Tyrolese  were  naturally  mechanics  ; ingenious 
machinery,  such  as  may  supply  the  want  of  hands,  is  moved 
by  the  streams  that  water  their  vallies  ; wheels  fashioned 
for  that  purpose,  are  set  in  motion  at  different  distances. 
Do  they  require  flour,  or  stand  in  need  of  oil  1 as  every  in- 
dividual provides  in  a manner  for  his  own  wants,  there  are 
neither  millers  nor  oil  mills,  but  at  the  neighbouring  stream, 
the  corn  is  ground,  and  the  oleaginous  plants  are  pressed. 
A German  traveller  declares  that  he  has  seen  a child  rocked 
in  his  cradle  by  means  of  a wheel  made  to  revolve  by  a 
stream.'  While  men  are  engaged  in  different  branches  of 
labour,  the  women  are  not  idle  ; some  knit  stockings,  while 
others  make  goat  skin  gloves,  embroider  muslin,  or  plait 
straw  which  is  manufactured  into  hats.  But  manufacturing 
industry  is  confined  to  the  making  of  only  a few  articles ; 
thus  velvet  is  made  in  some  places,  and  carpets  in  others. 


e M.  Rohrer.  See  also  “Voyage  dans  le  Tyrol,  aux  salines  de  Salz 
bourg,  &c.  par  M.  de  Bray.” 


60 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXVIIl. 


particularly  in  the  valley  of  Lientz.  The  transit  trade  be- 
tween Germany  and  Italy  forms  a more  important  and  ex- 
tensive branch  of  commerce. 

Frankness,  fidelity,  loyalty  and  love  of  country  are  the 
virtues  that  distinguish  the  Tyrolese.  Averse  to  the  con- 
scription, because  friendly  to  independence  and  liberty,  none 
fight  with  greater  bravery  in  defence  of  their  country.  Not 
corrupted  by  the  usages  of  large  towns,  faithful  in  their  do- 
mestic relations,  peace  and  gaiety  reign  in  their  families. 
Devout,  but  also  superstitious,  they  must  have  a religion  that 
attracts  by  its  ceremonies,  that  speaks  to  the  imagination 
\is  well  as  to  the  heart ; they  people  the  summits  of  the 
mountains,  and  the  gloomy  forests  which  encompass  them, 
with  spirits,  demons  and  sorcerers.  Such  being  the  case,  it 
is  not  wonderful  that  there  are  no  protestants  in  Tyrol ; all 
the  inhabitants,  with  the  exception  of  eight  or  ten  Jewish 
families,  are  catholics. 

The  Tyrolese  enjoy  more  political  liberty  than  the  people 
in  any  other  Austrian  province.  Government  ratified  their 
ancient  privileges  in  1816,  and  granted  them  a constitution 
better  adapted  to  their  wants.  While  the  people  in  the  other 
countries,  subject  to  Austria,  are  represented  by  the  clergy, 
nobility  and  deputies  from  a few  towns,  the  Tyrolian  states 
are  not  only  composed  of  members  belonging  to  these 
orders,  but  also  of  others  elected  by  the  peasantry.  The 
people  in  the  Vorarlberg  possess  certain  prerogatives,  in 
which  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  do  not  participate. 

The  conscription  has  been  abolished  in  Tyrol,  but  go- 
vernment has  found  that  measure  an  additional  security 
against  a foreign  invasion,  for  every  Tyrolian  becomes  a 
soldier  in  time  of  war.  The  people  are  hardy,  active  and 
accustomed  to  fatigue  ; few  armies  can  have  much  chance 
of  resisting  them,  when  they  rise  simultaneously  to  defend 
their  country.  They  furnish  to  the  government  that  pro- 
tects them,  only  four  battalions  of  light  armed  troops.a  Al- 
though no  custom-houses  are  erected  on  the  frontiers,  the 
revenue  is  considerable  ; it  amounts  to  more  than  two  mil- 
lions five  hundred  thousand  Austrian  florins. 

There  are  in  the  country  of  Tyrol,  twenty-two  towns, 
thirty-six  burghs,  and  three  thousand  one  hundred  and 
fifty  villages.  Some  of  the  villages  are  as  populous  as  the 
towns,  but  then  the  greater  number  of  the  latter  are  small 
and  insignificant.  Bregenz,  situated  in  the  Vorarlberg,  on 
the  banks  of  the  lake  of  Constance,  contains  three  thousand 
five  hundred  inhabitants.  It  is  a place  of  great  antiquity  ; 
the  remains  of  Roman  buildings  are  still  seen  near  its  an- 
cient castle.  The  village  of  Achenrein  derives  its  wealth 
from  its  founderies  and  iron  works ; the  sheet  copper  and 
tinned  iron  that  are  sent  from  these  works,  yield  a clear 
profit  of  sixty-five  thousand  florins.  Imst,  a burgh  of  three 
thousand  inhabitants,  on  the  banks  of  the  Inn,  exports 
canaries  to  the  remotest  countries  in  Europe  ; the  trade  is 
said  to  produce  annually  more  than  iMS00.b  Scharnitz, 
on  the  frontiers  of  Bavaria,  is  the  ancient  Roman  town  of 
Porta  Claudia ,c 

Innspruck  or  rather  Innsbruck,  which  signifies  the  bridge 
over  the  Inn,  stands  in  the  middle  of  a valley,  formed  by 
mountains  from  six  to  eight  thousand  feet  in  height,  and 
covered  with  snow  even  in  the  months  of  May  and  June. 
It  is  the  capital  of  Tyrol,  and  its  population  consists  of 
10,500  souls.  Although  the  town  be  small  and  ill  built, 

1 “ Chasseurs,”  J tigers. 

*•  “ 90,000  francs  ” 

c The  Roman  Scarantia.  Scharnitz  is  a fortified  place  on  the  frontiers 
of  Bavaria,  the  fortifications  of  which  were  begun  by  the  archdutehess 


the  suburbs  consist  of  modern  houses,  the  residences  of  the 
nobles  and  the  wealthy.  The  palace  situated  in  a square 
adorned  with  a bronze  equestrian  statue  of  Leopold  the 
Fifth,  the  court  church  containing  the  tombs  of  twenty- 
eight  distinguished  personages,  and  a monument  to  the 
memory  of  the  emperor  Maximilian,  and  lastly,  the  large 
and  spacious  town-house,  are  the  only  public  buildings  that 
can  be  mentioned  in  the  capital.  The  celebrated  globe  of 
Peter  Anich,  a Tyrolese  shepherd,  who  became  an  eminent 
geographer,  is  preserved  in  the  hall  of  the  university. 

Hall,  which  lies  below  Innspruck,  is  the  chief  town  in 
the  district  of  the  salt  mines ; it  contains  four  thousand 
two  hundred  inhabitants ; its  extensive  salt  mines  are  five 
thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Schwatz,  one  of 
the  largest  burghs  in  the  province,  is  peopled  by  seven  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants,  two  thousand  of 
whom  find  employment  in  the  mines  within  its  territory, 
which  produce  a great  quantity  of  iron,  two  thousand  five 
hundred  quintals  of  copper,  and  three  thousand  five  hun- 
dred marks  of  silver.  Zierl,  another  village  on  the  Inn,  is 
commanded  by  steep  heights  and  rugged  rocks,  from  which 
the  emperor  Maximilian  the  First  made  a narrow  escape. 
The  prince,  ardent  in  the  chase,  advanced  so  far  that  he 
must  have  perished,  had  it  not  been  for  the  coolness  and 
intrepidity  of  an  attendant.  The  people  tell  the  story,  and 
show  the  place  where  a cross  forty  feet  in  height,  has  been 
erected  to  commemorate  the  event ; but  superstitious,  and 
fond  of  the  miraculous,  they  believe  that  the  emperor  was 
saved  by  an  angel. 

Sterzing,  a town  of  two  thousand  inhabitants,  was  called 
Urbs  Stiraciorum  by  the  Romans  ;d  it  carries  on  a consi- 
derable trade  in  iron  and  wines.  Botzen  on  the  Rienz, 
appears  rather  like  an  Italian  than  a German  town  ; the 
valley  in  which  it  stands,  is  covered  with  vineyards  and 
fruit  trees,  adorned  with  country  houses,  and  bounded  by 
lofty  mountains  that  rise  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre. 
But  the  interior  of  the  town  does  not  correspond  with  its 
appearance  at  a distance,  for  the  streets  are  dirty,  crooked 
and  narrow.  The  population  amounts  to  seven  thousand 
individuals. 

Although  the  inhabitants  give  the  name  of  fortifications 
to  walls  ten  feet  in  height,  Trent,  or  as  it  is  called  in  Ger- 
many, Trient,  could  hardly  resist  an  attack  in  time  of  war. 
Broad  and  regular  streets,  well  built  houses,  fine  paintings 
in  the  churches,  numerous  convents  and  hospitals,  and  a 
celebrated  university,  render  it  like  an  Italian  town  ; indeed 
the  illusion  would  be  complete,  if  its  fifteen  thousand  inha- 
bitants spoke  the  Italian  language.  Trent  is  well  known  on 
account  of  its  council,  which  lasted  from  the  year  1545  to 
1563.  The  niountains  that  rise  on  both  banks  of  the 
Adige,  are  not  the  lowest  in  the  Alps.  The  climate  is  ex- 
cessively warm  in  summer,  and  intensely  cold  in  winter. 

Roveredo,  situated  in  the  pleasant  valley  of  Lagarina, 
carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  fruits  and  silk.  The 
town,  originally  small  and  ill  built,  has  been  improved  as 
the  population  has  increased  ; it  contains  at  present  not 
less  than  twelve  thousand  inhabitants.  Pieve,  Castello  and 
Cinte  are  villages  of  which  the  trade  consists  in  pictures. 
Brentonico  exports  the  greenish  talc  used  by  painters,  and 
known  bv  the  name  of  terra  di  Verona. 

The  dutchy  of  Stiria  is  bounded  by  the  kingdom  of 

Claudia  Mcdicea,  whence  is  derived  its  modern  Latin  name  of  Porta 
Claudia.  (Busching.) — P. 

d R.  Von  Jenny,  Handbuch  fur  reisende  in  dem  CEsterreichischen 
Kaiserstaate. 


hook  cxxviii.]  DESCRIPTION 

Illyria,  the  archdutchy  of  Austria,  and  the  kingdom  of 
Hungary.  It  is  equal  in  superficial  extent  to  three  hundred 
and  ninety-nine  German,  or  four  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  eighty-eight  English  square  miles.a  Several  important 
chains  are  situated  in  that  mountainous  region  ; on  the  north 
are  the  Noric  Alps,  on  the  east  the  Stirian  Alps,  and  on  the 
west  a branch  of  the  Julian  Alps.  The  highest  mountains 
are  those  in  the  north,  and  the  lowest  are  those  in  the  op- 
posite direction  or  the  south  ; so  that  the  country  is  thus 
divided  into  Upper  and  Lower  Stiria.b  The  principal  rivers 
are  the  Ens,  the  Mur  and  the  Drave.  The  basin  of  the 
Mur  is  larger  than  any  other ; that  river  receives  more  than 
a hundred  feeders ; it  turns  ninety-eight  flour  mills,  forty- 
three  saw  mills  and  sixty  fulling  mills.  Its  declivity  is  so 
great  as  to  give  it  almost  the  rapidity  of  a torrent ; for  the 
same  reason  it  is  never  encumbered  with  ice  ; the  oldest  in- 
habitants do  not  recollect  to  have  seen  it  frozen.  Fish 
abound  in  all  the  rivers,  but  particularly  in  the  Mur ; al- 
though carp  are  not  so  common,  trout,  umber,  pike  and 
barbel  are  taken  in  great  numbers.0  The  lakes  are  nume- 
rous, but  none  of  them  are  very  large.  What  has  been 
already  said  concerning  the  geological  structure  of  the  prin- 
cipal chains,  renders  it  unnecessary  to  recur  to  the  subject ; 
but  some  account  may  be  given  of  the  ancient  and  present 
inhabitants  of  the  country. 

The  Romans  comprehended  under  the  name  of  Noricum, 
a great  part  of  Stiria.  The  Norici  were  governed  by  a 
king,  when  their  country  became  a Roman  province  in  the 
time  of  Augustus.  According  to  Ptolemy,  Noricum  was 
inhabited  by  several  tribes.  The  Ambisontii  possessed  the 
country  on  the  west  and  the  north ; the  Ambidrani , the 
Ambilici  and  principally  the  Norici  were  settled  in  the  east 
and  the  south.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  fourth  century, 
the  hordes  of  Alaric  made  themselves  masters  of  the  coun- 
try, and  their  chief  wished  to  erect  there  the  seat  of  his 
empire  ; but  he  pursued  the  course  of  his  conquests,  and 
the  Suevi,  Heruli  and  Huns  succeeded  him  in  Stiria.  It  was 
for  a long  time  subject  to  Bavaria,  but  the  emperor  Conrad 
the  Second  made  it  a margraviate  in  the  year  1030.  Erect- 
ed into  a dutchy  by  Frederick  the  First,  it  passed  in  1186 
by  right  of  succession  to  the  house  of  Austria.  Separated 
from  the  archdutchy  of  Austria,  it  was  again  united  with  it 
m 1 232  ; lastly,  it  was  conquered  by  Ottocar  the  Second, 
king  of  Bohemia,  but  Rudolph  of  Hapsburg  having  been 
raised  to  the  imperial  throne,  took  possession  of  it,  and  it 
has  since  continued  an  Austrian  province.d 

The  country,  it  has  been  seen,  was  the  theatre  of  fre- 
quent wars  during  the  middle  ages ; but  it  is  still  easy  to 
distinguish  two  different  races  of  inhabitants,  the  Germans 
and  the  Wends,  the  last  of  whom  are  sprung  from  the 
Slavonians.  The  Germans  form  a population  of  six  hun- 
dred thousand  individuals,  and  the  Wends  of  about  two  hun- 
dred thousand.  The  latter  reside  chiefly  in  the  circles  of 
Cilly  and  Marburg  ; they  differ  in  their  language  and  cha- 
racter from  the  other  inhabitants.  The  German  Stirians,  or 
the  natives  of  Upper  Stiria,  are  strong  and  well  made, 
honest,  frank  and  industrious.  The  Wendish  Stirians,  or 
the  natives  of  Lower  Stiria,  are  weak  in  body,  frivolous, 

OF  GERMANY.  61 

dissipated  and  superstitious.®  The  greater  part  of  the 
population  adheres  to  the  catholic  religion  ; the  number  of 
protestants  amounts  hardly  to  three  thousand.  As  to  the 
Jews,  they  are  not  permitted  to  reside  in  the  dutchy. 

The  air  is  keen  and  often  very  cold  in  the  mountains  of 
Upper  Stiria  ; but  the  temperature  in  the  vallies  is  warmer 
than  in  most  others  in  the  Alps.  The  mean  temperature 
at  Graetz  is  from  seven  to  eight  degrees  of  Reaumur,  and 
the  height  of  the  barometer  about  twenty-seven  inches. 
The  climate  of  Lower  Stiria  is  so  mild  that  the  grape  arrives 
at  maturity ; the  wines  may  be  drunk  soon  after  they  are 
made  ; most  of  them  are  of  a good  quality,  and  some  not 
inferior  in  strength  to  the  Rhenish  wines. 

The  grain  harvests  are  not  abundant,  but  the  flax  is  re- 
markable for  its  length  and  fineness.  Vegetables,  fruits, 
and  leguminous  plants  flourish,  and  the  forests  are  so  ex- 
tensive that  their  surface  is  supposed  to  be  equal  to  half  of 
the  whole  country.  The  lands  are  fruitful  and  well  culti- 
vated in  the  vallies ; the  cattle  in  the  mountains  are  of  a 
good  kind,  indeed  they  are  considered  the  best  in  the  Aus- 
trian empire  ; in  every  district  the  sheepfolds  are  numerous, 
and  the  country  people  rear  besides  a great  quantity  of  poul- 
try. The  sportsman  finds  the  red  partridge,  the  hazel 
grouse  and  many  other  kinds  of  game  in  abundance,  and 
flocks  of  chamois  are  met  with  on  the  mountains.  If  the 
herds  and  flocks  have  diminished  within  the  last  twenty 
years,  it  must  be  attributed  to  disastrous  wars,  and  additional 
taxes — the  necessary  consequence  of  those  wars. 

The  riches  of  the  country  consist  principally  in  its  mines  , 
the  Romans  were  supplied  from  Stiria  with  excellent  iron, 
and  that  metal  is  still  obtained  in  such  abundance  that  it 
may  be  considered  inexhaustible.  The  Stirian  steel  is  bet- 
ter than  any  other  in  Europe.  Silver,  copper  and  lead, 
coal  and  rock  salt,  are  obtained  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  and  it  is  to  the  metals  obtained  from  the  mines  that 
the  industry  of  the  inhabitants  is  principally  directed.  There 
are  more  than  thirty-six  scythe  manufactories  in  Stiria,  and 
its  exports  are  diffused  over  Austria,  Hungary,  and  even 
the  Ottoman  empire  ; they  may  be  estimated  at  one  million 
eight  hundred  thousand  florins. 

Stiria  is  divided  into  five  circles,  of  which  the  chief  towns 
are  Graetz,  Brack,  Judenburg,  Marburg  and  Cilly.  It  is 
governed  like  most  other  provinces  under  the  Austrian  em- 
pire. The  members  of  the  states  consist  of  three  classes, 
namely,  the  higher  nobles,  among  whom  are  included  the 
bishops,  the  petty  nobles,  and  the  deputies  of  the  towns  and 
burghs  entitled  to  be  represented  in  the  assemblies.  The 
country  furnishes  several  regimentsf  of  infantry  and  a cer- 
tain number  of  men  for  the  cavalry. 

Commencing  with  the  mountainous  region  that  occupies 
the  northern  extremity  of  Stiria,  the  stranger  may  form  some 
idea  of  the  wealth  and  population  of  the  dutchy  by  survey- 
ing the  principal  towns  and  inhabited  places  as  he  proceeds 
towards  the  south.  The  burgh  of  Aussee  is  situated  near 
a lake,  and  at  the  junction  of  three  small  rivers  which  form 
the  Traun.  The  produce  of  several  salt  works  in  its  neigh- 
bourhood, exceeds  a hundred  and  sixty  thousand  quintals. 
Not  far  from  the  village  of  Mirnitz  is  situated  a cave,  wor. 

a “ 1109  sq.  Fr.  leagues.” — Reckoning  the  German  miles  and  French 
leagues  as  geographical,  about  8500  Eng.  sq.  miles. — P. 

b The  following  Stirian  mountains  have  not  been  mentioned  in  the  Ta- 
ble of  European  Altitudes,  Book  XC1V. 

Eisenhut 7,676  feet. 

Hoch  G rimming  ......  7,540 

Stang  Alp  7,140 

Kempel 4,798 

Schoekel  .......  4,778 

Erzberg  .......  4,590 

[The  above  measurements  are  those  of  the  original.] 
c M.  Schmutz,  Steyermark  Zeitschreib.  1821. 
d Merian,  Topographia  Styriae. 

e Hassel’s  Geography,  (in  Germ.)  f 1 Two  regiments  ” 

62 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXVIII. 


fny  of  notice  from  its  extent,  its  sinuosities  and  its  stalactites, 
and  from  its  fossil  bones  formerly  held  in  veneration  By  the 
peasantry.  Eisenerz,  a burgh  of  which  the  church  was 
founded  by  Rudolph  of  Hapsburg,  is  surrounded  hy  mines 
from  which  more  than  two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand 
quintals  of  iron  are  obtained  every  year. 

Zell  or  Maria  Zell  towards  the  north-east,  and  on  the 
frontier  of  Stiria,  has  been  termed  the  Loretto  of  the  coun- 
try ; it  is  certainly  more  frequented  by  pilgrims  than  any 
other  place  in  the  Austrian  empire.  The  church  is  one  of 
the  finest,  and  without  doubt  the  largest  in  Stiria.  The  or- 
gan is  not  considered  inferior  to  any  other  in  Germany,  the 
large  pulpit  is  formed  of  red  marble,  and  the  chapel  has 
been  enriched  by  the  offerings  of  pilgrims ; the  adored  image 
of  the  virgin  is  placed  on  a silver  altar,  and  the  gate  that 
leads  from  the  church  to  the  chapel  is  made  of  the  same 
metal.  The  gold,  silver,  and  other  valuable  articles  depo- 
sited in  the  treasury,  attest  the  pious  offerings  of  the  hundred 
thousand  pilgrims  that  repair  every  year  to  the  shrine  of  the 
virgin. 

Brack  on  the  Mur  is  the  metropolis  of  a circle,  and  the 
inhabitants  are  employed  in  working  slate  quarries  and  pro- 
ductive mines  in  its  neighbourhood.  The  Capuchins  have  a 
convent  in  its  vicinity.  On  the  same  river,  and  above 
Bruck,  is  situated  Leoben,  one  of  the  best  built  towns  in 
Upper  Stiria.  The  preliminaries  of  peace  between  France 
and  Austria  were  signed  within  its  walls  in  1797.  Juden- 
burg  situated  above  Leoben,  although  the  chief  town  of  a 
circle,  contains  only  fifteen  hundred  inhabitants.  It  was  a 
place  of  some  consequence  in  the  time  of  the  Romans ; 
during  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries,  it  was  princi- 
pally inhabited  by  Jews,  whence  the  origin  of  its  present 
name.  As  a great  trade  was  then  in  the  hands  of  these  Jews, 
their  prosperity  drew  upon  them  the  hatred  and  persecution 
of  the  Christians,  who  succeeded  in  expelling  or  extirpating 
them  about  the  year  1312.  The  town  was  almost  wholly 
consumed  by  fire  in  1807,  and  the  inhabitants  had  much 
difficulty  in  repairing  their  losses;  the  Franciscan  convent 
has  been  converted  into  an  inn,  and  the  ducal  castle  into 
barracks.  Rohitsch  appears  to  have  been  once  a Roman 
town  ; at  all  events  many  coins,  vases  and  other  articles  of 
antiquity  have  been  found  in  it.  Strangers  frequent  it  on 
account  of  its  mineral  waters,  and  it  exports  annually  more 
than  eight  hundred  thousand  bottles  to  Poland,  Hungary 
and  Italy. 

Grsetz  or  Gratz,  the  metropolis  of  a circle,  and  the  capi- 
tal of  the  province,  is  situated  in  the  fine  valley  of  the  Mur. 
Its  population  amounts  to  forty  thousand  inhabitants  ; the 
greater  number  of  them  reside  in  the  suburbs.  According 
to  a German  traveller,  Herren  street  is  the  broadest,  Sporr 
street  the  most  inconvenient,  Schmidt  street  the  most  noisy, 
and  Mur  street  the  most  crowded.*  The  public  buildings 
are  the  cathedral,  the  theatre,  the  town-house,  recently 
erected,  and  the  government-house  in  which  the  states  meet. 
Grsetz  contains  ten  parish  churches  and  twelve  chapels  of 
ease,  together  with  five  convents  for  men  and  two  for  wo- 
men. Several  hospitals  may  be  mentioned  among  the 
charitable  institutions,  namely,  the  large  hospital  for  sick, 
another  for  women  in  labour,  a third  for  the  insane,  and  a 
fourth  for  orphans. b An  university,®  a drawing  academy, 


“ Rud.  Von  Jenny.  •>  “ Foundlings.” 

c Gratz  had  formerly  a university  founded  in  1586.  (Busching.)  It  is 
now  suppressed,  or  rather  converted  into  a lyceum.  (Hassel.)  See  Stat. 
Table  of  Austria,  p.  750. — P.  d The'Archduke  John. 


a commercial  seminary,  gymnasiums  for  boys,  and  board- 
ing schools  for  girls,  are  the  principal  places  of  education. 
A library  containing  a hundred  thousand  volumes  and  three 
thousand  five  hundred  manuscripts,  and  the  Johanneum,  an 
institution  so  called  from  the  name  of  the  prince  its  founder, d 
to  which  belong  a botanical  garden,  a museum  of  natural 
history,  and  a cabinet  of  medals  and  antiquities,  are  consi- 
dered the  most  valuable  scientific  collections.  A Calvary, 
a church  and  several  chapels  are  situated  on  a height  in  the 
neighbourhood.  The  town  is  a place  of  considerable  im- 
portance from  its  commerce  and  manufactures. 

Radkersburg,®  which  might  be  surnamed  the  romantic, 
stands  on  an  island  in  the  middle  of  the  Mur.  The  fortifi- 
cations are  in  bad  repair,  and  insufficient  to  protect  it  against 
the  frequent  inundations  of  the  river.  The  village  of  Rieg- 
gersburg  is  built  on  an  eminence  at  no  great  distance  from 
the  last  town.  Its  ancient  castle  is  remarkable  for  its  pic- 
turesque situation,  for  its  fortifications  cut  in  the  rock,  its 
deep  ditches  and  the  relics  of  the  middle  ages  that  are  con- 
tained in  it.  It  has  been  of  late  rendered  illustrious  by  a 
man  of  geniusf  who  has  paid  a tribute  of  affection  to  its  an- 
cient proprietors. 

The  burgh  of  Leibnitz,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Mur,  waa 
perhaps  the  ancient  Mureola , a town  mentioned  by  Ptole- 
my ; at  least  the  opinion  is  rendered  probable  by  the  nume- 
rous antiquities  that  have  been  found  at  different  times,  and 
by  the  sculptures  and  Roman  inscriptions  that  may  still  be 
seen  in  the  tower  of  Schauberg  which  was  built  in  the 
twelfth  century. 

Marburg,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Drave  and  the  Mur, 
contains  five  thousand  inhabitants.  Although  the  metropo- 
lis of  a circle,  it  possesses  no  public  building  of  any  conse- 
quence ; it  carries  on,  however,  a considerable  trade  in  corn 
and  wine.  The  small  town  of  Pettau  is  situated  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Drave  ; the  population  does  not  exceed  seven- 
teen hundred  inhabitants,  but  it  has  its  convents  of  Domini- 
cans, Minorites  and  Capuchins.  It  is  considered  the  most 
ancient  town  in  Stiria  ; many  suppose  it  to  have  been  built 
before  the  country  was  conquered  by  the  Romans ; there 
is,  however,  reason  to  believe  that  it  was  then  situated  on 
the  other  bank  of  the  river. 

Luttenberg  to  the  east  of  Pettau,  is  famous  for  its  wines. 
The  town  of  Cilly  is  adorned  with  a castle  in  which  many 
valuable  antiquities  are  preserved.  It  was  founded  by  the 
emperor  Claudius,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  Claudia ,B  and 
its  present  walls  are  partly  built  with  the  remains  of  ancient 
buildings ; the  barracks  which  have  been  lately  erected, 
form  the  finest  edifice  in  the  place.  According  to  the  le- 
gends, Maximilian,  the  first  bishop  of  Cilly,  was  decapitated 
in  the  town  in  the  year  284.  A third  T oeplitz,  which  is  also 
known  for  its  mineral  waters,  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains  on  the  south  of  Cilly.  Rain,  a small  town  en- 
compassed with  walls  now  in  ruins,  lies  near  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  province,  on  the  banks  of  the  Save.  The 
lands  in  the  neighbourhood  are  fruitful,  and  wine  forms  the 
principal  branch  of  its  commerce.  The  rapid  waters  of  the 
Save  are  covered  with  empty  casks  at  the  approach  of  au- 
tumn ; they  are  bound  together  in  rafts  and  steered  by  ma- 
riners who  descend  to  the  town  and  sell  them  to  the  inhabi- 
tants during  the  vintage.  It  is  supposed  that  Rain  was  the 


* Rakesburg,  Rakelsburg  (Busching.)  f Yon  Hammer,  the  orientalist. 
8 Celeia  is  said  to  have  been  the  Roman  town  that  occupied  the  site  of 
Cilly.  (Busching,  D’Anville.)  Claudia  is  said  by  P.  Hardouin,  to  hav# 
occupied  the  site  of  Clagenfurt  in  Carinthia.  (Encyc.  Method.) — P. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


63 


BOOK  CX  XVIII.] 

Novidunum  of  the  Romans  ; it  was  pillaged  and  de- 
stroyed by  the  Turks'1  after  a sanguinary  battle  in  the  year 
1475. 

The  district  of  Yoitzberg,  situated  to  the  west  of  Graetz 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mur,  is  surrounded  by  mountains 
which  separate  it  from  Upper  Stiria  and  Illyria.  The  high- 
est part  of  the  country  is  exposed  for  seven  months  in  the 
year  to  the  rigours  of  winter,  and  also  to  frequent  and  vio- 
lent storms.  But  the  vallies  in  the  lower  part  of  the  coun- 
try abound  in  fruits  and  wine.  The  inhabitants  export  coal, 
whetstones  that  are  much  prized  in  Stiria,  and  draught 

» “ The  country  in  its  neighbourhood  was  ravaged  by  the  Turks  ” 

b “ Communes.” 

« M.  Kudler,  Steyermark  Zeitschr.  1821. 


horses  of  a good  kind.  The  people  are  industrious  ; the} 
are  employed  in  their  iron  works,  nail  manufactories,  paper 
mills  and  tile  works ; many  of  them,  however,  are  subject 
to  goitres.  The  small  town  of  Yoitzberg,  three  burghs  and 
twenty  villagesb  are  contained  in  the  district. 

The  number  of  women  throughout  Stiria  exceeds  that  of 
the  men  by  nearly  twenty-six  thousand  the  latter  are  sup- 
posed to  be  equal  to  three  hundred  and  seventy-four  thou- 
sand. Five  is  considered  the  average  number  of  members 
in  each  family,  and  all  the  families,  it  has  been  calculated, 
amount  to  160, 500. d 


d The  reader  will  find  some  details  concerning  the  population  and  agri- 
cultural wealth  of  the  country,  in  the  statistical  tables  at  the  end  of  the 
next  bonk 


EUROPE.  [book  cxxix. 

BOOK  CXXIX. 

EUROPE 


Europe  Continued. — German]). — Thirteenth  Sectiyi. — King- 
dom of  Illyria  described. — Austria  and  Germany  con- 
cluded. 

The  name  of  Illyria  is  connected  with  historical  recollec- 
tions ; it  was  one  of  the  most  ancient  kingdoms  in  Europe, 
but  it  lost  that  title  when  it  was  conquered  by  Anicius,  a 
Roman  general,  a hundred  and  sixty-eight  years  before  the 
vulgar  era.  It  retained  however  the  name  of  Illyricum, 
and  under  the  reign  of  Augustus,  Liburnia  and  Dalmatia, 
the  fruits  of  new  conquests,  were  added  to  it.  Pliny  informs 
usa  that  the  Pcucetice  and  the  Japydes  inhabited  the  region 
between  Istria  and  Liburnia  ; we  may  add  that  the  Carni 
possessed  the  country  on  the  south  of  the  Carnic  Alps.  It 
is  supposed  that  these  people  were  of  Celtic  origin.  Men- 
telle  affirms  that  Carnia,  the  present  Carniola,  derives  its 
name  from  the  word  karn,  which  signifies  rye.b  If  however 
the  name  of  the  country  be  derived  from  a Germanic  word, 
it  must  be  from  korn,  which,  as  every  one  knows,  signifies 
wheat,  rye  and  all  kinds  of  grain.  Could  it  be  proved  that 
the  country  owes  its  name  to  the  abundance  of  its  harvests, 
it  must  have  been  originally  called  Kornia ; the  conjecture 
is  indeed  strengthened  by  the  existence  of  a Roman  medal, 
struck  to  commemorate  the  victories  of  Scaurus  over  the 
Carni,  on  the  reverse  of  which  are  seen  a Mercury  and  a 
cornucopia  filled  with  ears  of  corn. 

Illyria  was  so  much  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  different 
provinces,  that  at  the  partition  of  the  Roman  empire,  be- 
tween Honorius  and  Arcadius,  it  was  divided  into  two  parts, 
of  which  one  belonged  to  the  eastern,  and  the  other  to  the 
western  empire.0  But  the  name  of  Illyria  was  no  longer 
used  after  the  northern  hordes  invaded  that  portion  of  Eu- 
rope ; it  was  comparatively  of  late  years  that  the  Austrian 
chancery  restored  the  name  to  distinguish  part  of  the  an- 
cient Illyricum  from  the  Hungarian  provinces  and  those  that 
extend  to  the  south  of  the  Drave.  After  the  peace  of  Pres- 
biirg,  Napoleon,  who  compelled  Austria  to  cede  Krainburg, 
Friuli,  Istria,  Croatia  on  the  south  of  the  Save,  and  a part 
of  Dalmatia  and  Tyrol,  incorporated  them  under  the  name 
of  Illyria  with  his  vast  empire.1*  Austria  having  gained  anew 
her  possessions  in  1814,  united  Carniola  and  Carinthia,  the 
territory  of  Trieste,  and  a part  of  Croatia,  Austrian  Friuli 
and  Venetian  Istria,  and  thus  restored  the  kingdom  of  Illy- 


‘  Liber  ITT.  cap.  XXI. 

b Encyclopedic  M6thodique,  Dictionnaire  de  la  Geographic  Ancienne, 
par  Mentelle.  [“  Karn,  en  langue  gemianique,  signifiant  du  bled,  et  plus 
particuliferement  du  seigle,  on  a cru  que  c'dtoit  de  l’abondance  de  cette  pro- 
duction que  venoit  le  nom  du  pavs.”  Encyc.  Method.  Gfeog.  Anc.  art. 
Carnia.— P.] 

c RufFus,  Notices  de  l’Empire. 

d Austria  lost  by  the  peace  of  Presliurg  (1S05,)  Dalmatia,  Istria,  Friuli 
and  Cattaro  on  the- Adriatic,  together  with  Tyrol  and  the  Swabian  Princi- 
palities. By  the  peace  of  Vienna  (1S09,)  she  lost  Trieste,  Fiume,  the 


ria.  It  was  at  the  same  time  divided  into  two  governments, 
those  of  Laybach  and  Trieste. 

It  is  bounded  on  the  north  and  the  east  by  the  archdutchy 
of  Austria,  the  dutchy  of  Stiria  and  Croatia,  on  the  south 
by  the  generalship  of  Carlstadt®  and  the  Adriatic  Gulf,  and 
on  the  west  by  the  Lombardo-Venetian  kingdom  and  the 
county  of  Tyrol.  According  to  Blumenbach,  it  is  equal  in 
superficial  extent  to  six  hundred  and  eighteen  German,  or 
seven  thousand  four  hundred  and  sixteen  English  miles/ 

Lofty  chains  of  mountains  extend  across  the  country  in 
different  directions ; the  coasts  are  marshy  on  the  east,  in 
other  places  they  are  flat  and  sandy.  The  peninsula  of  Is- 
tria, terminating  on  the  south  in  Cape  Promontory, ? forms 
the  southern  portion  of  the  government  of  Trieste.  The 
vallies  in  the  districts  of  Villach  and  Klagenfurt  are  suffi- 
ciently fertile  ; the  soil  is  covered  with  calcareous  fragments. 
The  lands  in  the  circles  of  Laybach,  Neustadt  and  Adels- 
berg,  in  some  places  abounding  with  rocks,  in  others  co- 
vered with  marshes,  sandstone  and  sand,  are  sterile  and 
unfruitful.  The  western  portion  of  the  kingdom  is  bathed 
by  the  Adriatic ; there  the  dryness  of  the  soil,  which  rests 
on  calcareous  rocks,  and  the  scarcity  of  water,  do  not  ap- 
pear to  be  hurtful  to  vegetation.  It  may  be  remarked  that 
the  plants  in  the  southern  districts  have  a great  resemblance 
to  those  on  the  shores  of  the  Black  Sea. 

The  branchesof  two  lofty  chains  extend  into  Illyria,  namely, 
the  Noric  Alps  on  the  north,  and  the  Julian  Alps  on  the  south. 
They  are  in  a great  measure,  particularly  the  last,  com- 
posed of  calcareous  rocks  which  geologists  call  secondary, 
and  which,  from  their  tendency  to  disaggregation  in  parti- 
cular parts,  so  as  to  form  numerous  cavities,  might  well  be 
termed  cavernous  limestone.  It  seems  indeed  as  if  all  these 
mountains  were  hollow ; at  least  it  cannot  be  denied  that 
almost  as  many  rivers  flow  below  as  above  the  ground. 
The  stranger  who  follows  their  course,  observes  them  en- 
tering the  earth  and  returning  from  it  at  different  distances. 
Others  become  wholly  dry  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year, 
and  afterwards  reappear. 

It  might  be  possible  to  enumerate  more  than  a thousand 
caverns  in  the  chain  that  traverses  Illyria  from  north-west 
to  south-east ; but  none  can  be  compared  in  point  of  extent 
with  the  one  at  Adelsberg,  which  is  situated  in  a small  val- 


greater  part  of  Croatia  and  Carniola,  and  the  circle  of  Villach  in  Carin- 
thia, besides  other  possessions  not  connected  with  the  present  subject.  The 
circle  of  Villach,  Carniola,  Austrian  Istria,  Fiume  and  Trieste,  Croatia 
including  the  LAtorale,  and  Dalmatia,  were  denominated  the  Illyrian  Pro- 
vinces by  a decree  of  Napoleon  (1809.)  Krainburg  is  only  a small  town 
in  Carniola  (Germ.  Krain.)  Ed.  Encyc.  Conv.  Lex. — P. 
e In  the  military  limits  of  Croatia. — P. 

' “ 1718  sq.  Fr.  leagues,” — 13,508  Eng.  sq.  miles.  (Mo  se.) 
e Ital.  Punta  Promontorio. 


BOOK  CXXIX.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GERMANY. 


65 


ley  at  no  great  distance  from  that  burgh.  Some  writers 
consider  it  equal  in  length  to  five  miles.4  It  is  by  no  means 
easy  to  trace  the  rapid  declivities  in  the  labyrinth,  or  the 
narrow  and  tortuous  passages  which  lead  to  immense  halls. 
All  agree  that  it  surpasses  most  places  of  the  kind ; the 
floor  is  covered  with  fossil  bones ; a torrent  rushes  through 
the  cavities  with  a frightful  noise,  which  is  repeated  by  many 
echoes ; stalactites  adorn  the  halls,  and  appear  in  some 
places  like  the  ruins  of  old  palaces,  in  others  like  magnifi- 
cent colonnades. b 

The  cave  of  Magdalena,  although  not  nearly  so  extensive 
as  the  last,  is  fully  as  deep,  and  more  remarkable  on  account 
of  its  stalactites.  The  vault  has  the  appearance  of  being  sup- 
ported by  colossal  cariatides,  and  the  different  calcareous 
concretions  exhibit  the  most  varied  forms.  That  species 
of  water  lizard0  known  by  the  name  of  Proteus  anguinus 
abounds  in  a small  basin  at  the  extremity  of  the  cave. 

Many  lakes,  and  all  of  them  amply  stored  with  fish,  are 
situated  in  the  Illyrian  mountains  ; but  the  lake  of  Cirknitz 
has  been  more  frequently  examined  by  naturalists  than  any 
other ; in  some  years,  the  angler,  the  field  sportsman,  the 
sower  and  the  reaper  may  there  find  employment.  Calca- 
careous  mountains  bound  it  on  every  side ; mount  Jovor- 
nick  commands  it  on  the  south,  and  the  Sliviza  on  the 
north.  It  is  about  four  or  five  leagues  in  circumference  in 
dry  seasons,  and  in  wet  seasons  about  seven  or  eight.  The 
waters  of  eight  streams  flow  into  it,  and  four  or  five  islands 
rise  in  the  middle  of  the  lake ; the  village  of  Yorneck  has 
been  built  on  the  largest  of  these  islands. 

The  lake  disappears  at  irregular  periods,  and  its  waters 
escape  through  about  forty  clefts  or  apertures  in  its  bed. 
The  inhabitants  then  collect  the  fish  that  have  not  been 
carried  away  by  the  waters,  and  shoot  the  aquatic  fowl  that 
seek  in  vain  for  their  haunts.  The  husbandman  deposits  the 
seed  in  the  fertile  ooze,  trusting  that  his  labours  may  be 
crowned  by  an  abundant  harvest ; but  his  labour,  his  ex- 
penses and  his  hopes  are  often  vain.  By  the  same  outlets, 
which  served  to  drain  the  lake,  the  waters  rise  suddenly 
with  a tremendous  noise  resembling  thunder ; the  fish  re- 
appear, the  teal  and  other  water  birds  find  their  wonted  asy- 
lum, and  man  alone  complains  of  his  improvidence. 

Different  mineral  substances  are  found  in  the  kingdom. 
Carinthia  contains  carbonate  of  iron,  lead  and  zinc  mines, 
which  are  situated  in  transition  rocks,  and  also  silver  and 
copper. 

The  metallic  veins  in  Carniola  are  not  less  abundant ; 
but  the  quicksilver  mines  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Idria  are 
the  most  valuable.  These  mines,  together  with  others  in 
Spain  and  at  Deux-Ponts,  supply  the  greater  part  of  Eu- 
rope. The  quicksilver  is  found  there  in  bituminous  schis- 
tus.  The  metallic  wealth  of  the  country  is  transported  by 
the  Drave  and  the  Save,  which  are  the  principal  rivers,  and 
by  the  Lisonzod  and  the  Quieto,  which  throw  themselves 
into  the  Adriatic  Gulf. 

The  keen  and  cold  air  of  the  mountains  near  Villach  and 
Klagenfurt  prevents  the  vine  from  arriving  at  maturity ; but 
the  climate  to  the  south  of  these  mountains  is  wholesome 
and  temperate.  The  stranger  begins  to  feel  the  heat  of  the 
atmosphere  in  the  circles  of  Laybach,  Neustadt  and  Adels- 


“ “ 2 leagues.” 

b See  the  description  of  the.  cavern  in  a work  already  cited : the  Itine- 
rary of  Austria  by  R.  Von  Jenny.  See  also  the  letter  of  M.  Bertrand 
Geslin  to  M.  Brongniart,  Annales  des  Sciences  Naturelles,  Tom.  VII. 
page  258. 

VOL.  Ill— NO.  44. 


berg,  and  it  increases  gradually  as  he  advances  southwards. 
The  chestnut  tree  and  the  vine  flourish  ; the  climate  is  fa* 
vourable  to  them,  and  the  only  obstacle  against  which  they 
have  to  contend,  arises  from  the  bad  quality  of  the  soil.  The 
fig,  the  mulberry,  and  even  the  olive,  thrive  in  the  country 
round  Trieste ; it  is  seldom  that  they  are  exposed  to  any 
danger  from  frost.  The  vines  are  loaded  with  grapes,  but 
their  produce  does  not  keep  any  length  of  time  ; the  wines, 
however,  that  are  produced  in  the  valley  of  Vinodol,  form 
an  exception ; they  are  brisk  and  sparkling,  and  for  that 
reason  might  be  called  the  champagne  of  the  country.  The 
domestic  animals  are  not  of  a good  kind  ; but  the  people  in 
the  vallies  devote  themseb/es  principally  to  the  rearing  of 
silk  worms. 

Although  Illyria  is  not  a manufacturing  country,  the  in- 
habitants are  by  no  means  indolent.  Industry  appears  to 
be  most  diffused  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Trieste  and  Fiume ; 
among  the  produce  of  that  industry,  different  works  in  iron 
and  steel  might  be  mentioned.  The  people  near  the  shores 
of  the  sea  are  occupied  in  fishing  or  in  building  vessels. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  rest  of  the  kingdom  find  employment 
in  the  carrying  trade,  or  in  conveying  different  sorts  of  mer- 
chandise imported  by  way  of  the  Adriatic  Gulf,  and  des- 
tined for  Vienna  and  Hungary. 

The  vapours  that  exhale  from  the  shores  of  the  Adriatic 
are  in  many  places  injurious  to  health.  Few  strong  men 
are  seen  in  those  districts ; still  the  insignificance  of  the  po- 
pulation must  be  attributed,  not  to  the  climate  or  atmos- 
phere, but  to  other  causes  ; it  is  certain  that  the  number  of 
inhabitants  for  every  square  league  does  not  exceed  seven 
hundred.  They  consist  of  Wends,  Slavonians,  Croatians, 
Germans  and  Italians,  who  in  all  make  up  one  million  two 
hundred  thousand  individuals.  The  most  of  them  profess 
the  catholic  religion  ; the  protestants  do  not  amount  to  more 
than  eighteen  thousand  persons.  The  German  is  spoken 
by  the  nobles  in  the  greater  part  of  the  kingdom  ; but  the 
people  in  Trieste  speak  a corrupt  Italian  idiom,  and  some 
Serbes  retain  their  Slavonic  dialect.® 

The  freedom  of  the  peasantry  is  subject  to  certain  re- 
strictions ; the  kingdom  is  said  to  be  independent ; it  must 
be  admitted  that  the  people  are  nominally  represented  by 
the  states.  But  the  states  are  not  a legislative  assembly, 
their  members  have  no  power  to  enact  laws  ; they  are  de- 
puted by  the  clergy,  the  nobles  and  the  towns ; it  is  their 
province  to  regulate  the  amount  and  the  distribution  of  the 
taxes.  It  has  been  calculated  that  the  revenue  of  the  king- 
dom is  equal  to  six  millions  of  florins. 

The  village  of  Ferlach,  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
Drave ; it  contains  three  thousand  inhabitants,  many  of 
whom  are  employed  in  a manufactory  of  arms,  which  fur- 
nishes thirty  thousand  muskets  every  year.  The  small 
town  of  Saint  Veit  serves  as  a depot  for  the  iron  of  Carin- 
thia ; its  market-place  is  adorned  with  a fine  ancient 
fountain. 

Klagenfurt/  the  capital  of  Carinthia,  is  regularly  built  in 
the  form  of  a rectangle  ; it  stands  on  a canal  which  com- 
municates with  the  lake  of  Werth.  Fountains  may  be  seen 
in  all  the  squares  and  principal  streets ; the  palace  of  the 
prince  bishop  of  Gurk  is  remarkable  for  its  numerous  and 


c “ Salamandre.” — The  Proteus  belongs  to  a distinct  genus  from  the 
Salamanders,  but  both  belong  to  the  same  family  of  Batracian  Reptiles. — P. 
d “ Isonzo.” 

' See  p.  751. 
f Clagenfurt. 


9 


66 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXX1X. 


valuable  collections.  The  town  is  peopled  by  nine  thou- 
sand five  hundred  inhabitants  ; it  has  its  public  libraries, 
seminaries,  agricultural  and  literary  societies,1  hospitals  and 
other  charitable  institutions.  The  inhabitants  are  said  to 
speak  the  German  language  more  purely  and  correctly 
than  any  others  in  the  kingdom.  The  ancient  town  of 
Villach,  and  the  village  of  Bleiberg  in  its  vicinity,  are  both 
well  known ; the  former  on  account  of  its  white  marble 
quarries,  and  the  other  for  lead  mines,  which  are  consider- 
ed the  finest  in  Europe,  and  which  yield  annually  more 
than  thirty-five  thousand  quintals  of  pure  metal. 

Krainburg,  a well  built  town  on  the  Drave,  was  inhabit- 
ed by  the  Slavonians  in  the  eighth  century ; many  anti- 
quaries suppose  it  to  be  built  on  the  side  of  the  ancient 
Santicum.  Laybach,  in  Slavonic  Lublana,  stands  on  both 
banks  of  the  Laybach;  its  streets,  though  well  paved,  are 
narrow  and  irregular.  The  cathedral  is  admired  for  its 
paintings,  and  the  townhouse  for  its  Gothic  architecture. 
Laybach  is  the  seat  of  the  government,  and  the  council  of 
censors  meet  in  the  same  place.  It  is  enriched  by  its  car- 
rying trade  with  Italy,  Croatia  and  Bavaria.  Gurkfeld  is 
built  on  a hill  planted  with  vineyards,  at  the  foot  of  which 
flows  the  Save  ; it  contains  two  thousand  two  hundred  in- 
habitants ; the  principal  buildings  are  a castle  and  a church. 
As  several  remains  of  antiquity  have  been  discovered  near 
Gurkfeld,  it  has  been  inferred  that  it  was  the  ancient  JVo- 
vidunum.  The  fact,  however,  may  be  considered  doubtful ; 
indeed  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  ancient  and  cele- 
brated town  of  Novidunum  was  situated  at  no  great  distance 
from  Rain.  Neustadtb  is  frequented  in  the  summer  season 
by  the  strangers  who  repair  to  the  warm  baths  at  Toeplitz. 

The  town  of  Mcettling  rises  at  the  base  of  the  mountains 
inhabited  by  the  Uscoks  (Germ.  Iluskoken ,)  which  are 
about  forty  miles'  in  length.  Many  pilgrims  visit  Mcettling, 
but  neither  their  example  nor  that  of  the  peasants  who  re- 
pair to  it  in  crowds  at  certain  seasons,  have  infected  the 
mountaineers  ; it  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  the  Us- 
coks are  a semi-barbarous  tribe,  depending  chiefly  on  pil- 
lage for  a subsistence. 

Gottschee,  a town  of  sixteen  hundred  souls,  possesses  a 
large  and  well  built  castle.  The  Gottschers,  in  the  neigh- 
bouring country,  amount  in  number  to  forty-four  thousand  ; 
they  may  be  distinguished  from  the  other  inhabitants  by 
their  manners,  their  language  and  their  dress.  They 
weave  linen  and  make  different  articles  of  wood,  which  are 
exported  to  Austria  and  Hungary.  The  men  are  always 
armed  with  small  axes,  weapons  by  which  they  may  be 
easily  known.  Idria  stands  in  a deep  valley  in  the  Julian 
Alps. ; its  Calvary  is  situated  on  a lofty  hill,  its  quicksilver 
mines  are  very  valuable,  the  passage  that  leads  to  them 
communicates  with  the  centre  of  the  town.d 

The  names  of  the  places  in  the  government  of  Laybach 
are  principally  German,  but  in  Trieste  the  most  of  the 
names  are  Italian.  Goerz  or  Gorizia,®  the  chief  town  of  a 
circle,  contains  ten  thousand  inhabitants.  It  stands  in  a 
fruitful  valley  on  the  banks  of  the  Lisonzo  ; it  has  diffe- 
rent societies,  one  of  agriculture,  another  of  arts,  and  a 
third  of  commerce/  Monte  Santo,  a mountain  famous 
for  its  wine,  is  situated  in  the  neighbourhood.  A Roman 
city  rose  formerly  on  the  banks  of  the  Anfora,  which  was 

n “ An  agricultural  and  a literary  society.” 

b “Neustedt.” — Neustsedtel.  (Busching.)  c “ 16  leagues.” 

d “ Idria  is  celebrated  for  its  Calvary and  for  its  quicksilver  mines,  the 

entrance  to  which  is  in  the  centre  of  the  town.”  The  entrance  to  the  mine 
is  a little  southward  of  the  town.  Russel,  p.  444. — P. 


destroyed  by  the  Huns  in  the  year  452  ; the  small  town  or 
rather  the  burgh  of  Aquileia  now  occupies  its  site.  En- 
compassed by  the  lagoons  of  Marano,  it  cannot  prosper 
until  these  pestilential  marshes  are  drained  by  government. 

Trieste,  the  capital  of  the  government,  was  formerly  the 
principal  port  in  Austria ; its  castle  was  ruined  by  the 
French  commandant  in  1813,  and  there  remains  only  a 
battery  for  the  purpose  of  saluting  the  vessels  that  enter  the 
roads.  Trieste  is  divided  into  the  old  and  new  town  ; the 
latter  is  situated  at  the  base  of  the  mountain,  the  summit  of 
which  is  crowned  by  the  castle.  The  only  public  build- 
ings entitled  to  notice  are  the  exchange,  a model  of  archi- 
tecture, and  the  church  of  the  Jesuits,  which  is  remarkable 
for  its  fine  front.  Trieste  is  built  in  the  Italian  style  ; the 
houses  are  regular  and  the  streets  broad,  particularly  in  the 
new  town  and  in  the  suburbs,  but  in  the  old  town  the  build- 
ings are  irregular  and  the  streets  narrow  and  dirty.  It  is 
impossible  to  walk  in  that  part  of  the  town  during  wet  wea- 
ther without  being  exposed  to  the  torrents  which  fall  from 
the  house  tops,  or  being  compelled  to  stem  the  floods  that 
rush  through  the  streets.  The  exterior  of  the  cathedral  is 
only  remarkable  for  the  Roman  remains  with  which  it  was 
built,  and  the  interior,  on  account  of  the  monument  raised 
to  the  memory  of  the  celebrated  Winckelmann.  Some 
remains  of  antiquity  are  worthy  of  fixing  the  attention  ; 
such,  for  instance,  are  the  triumphal  arch  erected  to  Charle- 
magne, the  remains  of  a Roman  amphitheatre,  and  an  an- 
cient Roman  aqueduct  by  which  the  town  is  now  supplied 
with  water.  The  harbour  of  Trieste  has  lately  been  im- 
proved ; large  ships  can  now  enter  it ; it  enjoys  the  pri- 
vilege of  free  trade,  which  ensures  the  prosperity  of  its  com- 
merce. All  the  German  geographers  agree  that  the  .town 
contains  at  least  thirty-six  thousand  inhabitants.6 

Capo  d’Istria,  a maritime  town  of  five  thousand  four  hun- 
dred souls,  is  built  on  a rock  that  communicates  by  a bridge 
with  the  continent ; it  is  the  metropolis  of  a bishopric.  Pi- 
rano,  which  rises  like  a pyramid  at  the  extremity  of  a cape, 
is  peopled  by  six  thousand  two  hundred  individuals,  most  of 
whom  are  engaged  in  fishing  or  in  building  vessels,  and  also 
in  cultivating  the  vine  and  olive.  The  principal  church  is 
situated  on  a height  in  the  centre  of  the  town.  The  in- 
habitants carry  on  a considerable  trade,  particularly  in  salt 
obtained  from  the  adjoining  lagoons.  Parenzo,  a small 
town,  is  remarkable  for  its  cathedral,  in  which  are  seen 
mosaics  of  the  tenth  century,  and  consequently,  at  least 
eighty  years  older  than  those  in  Saint  Mark’s  at  "\  enice. 
Rovigno,  a well  built  town,  stands  on  a headland  encom- 
passed with  rocks  ; its  Gothic  cathedral  is  its  finest  edifice. 
An  active  commerce,  its  fisheries  and  its  coasting  trade, 
serve  to  enrich  its  nine  thousand  six  hundred  inhabitants. 

The  small  town  of  Pola  near  the  cape  called  Punta  Pro- 
montorio,  exhibits  the  remains  of  that  flourishing  city  which 
Caesar  destroyed  on  account  of  its  devotion  to  Pompey. 
It  might  have  been  owing  to  the  beautiful  view  which  it 
commands,  or  to  the  interest  which  its  faithful  and  attach- 
ed inhabitants  inspired,  that  Julia,  the  daughter  of  Augus- 
tus, persuaded  her  father  to  rebuild  it ; at  all  events,  the 
town  obtained  the  name  of  Pietas  Julia.  The  pestilential 
air  that  rises  from  its  lagoons,  has,  without  doubt,  contribu- 
ted to  its  decay  ; it  is  only  inhabited  at  present  by  eight 

e Goritia,  Goritz. — Slav.  Goriza. 

f “It  has  a society  of  agriculture,  arts  and  commerce.” 

g Thielen  makes  its  population  amount  to  forty  thousand  five  hundred 
and  thirty  individuals. 


BOOK  CXXIX.] 


DESCRIPTION  OP  GERMANY. 


67 


hundred  and  fifty  individuals.  It  might  be  difficult  for 
the  stranger  who  first  examines  it,  to  decide  whether  it  be  a 
Roman  or  a modern  town  ; the  streets  and  squares  are 
covered  with  grass,  and  the  soil  in  some  places  with  the 
fragments  . of  ancient  buildings  ; most  of  the  houses  are  un- 
inhabited. The  old  castle,  which  is  not  yet  finished,  ap- 
pears as  deserted  as  the  rest  of  the  town.  The  cathedral 
is  built  on  the  site,  and  with  the  remains  of  a Roman  temple. 
Two  other  temples,  on  one  of  which  is  inscribed  a dedica- 
tion to  Augustus,  a large  triumphal  arch,  the  Porta  Aurea, 
a monument  of  conjugal  affection,8  an  amphitheatre,  which, 
judging  from  its  dimensions,  might  have  contained  fifteen 
thousand  spectators,  and  many  other  ruins,  still  show  how 
much  the  town  was  enlarged  and  adorned  by  Augustus. 

Having  arrived  as  the  southern  extremity  of  Germany,  it 
is  necessary  to  make  some  observations  on  the  state  of  that 
country,  and  in  the  first  place  on  the  German  possessions 
of  the  Austrian  empire.  These  possessions,  including  Bo- 
hemia, Moravia  and  Silesia,  the  archdutchy  of  Austria, 
Stiria,  Tyrol  and  Illyria,  form  a superficial  extent  of  three 
thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy-eight  German,  or  near- 
lyforty-nine  thousand  seven  hundred  English  square  miles  ;b 
they  are  peopled  by  ten  millions  four  hundred  thousand  in- 
habitants. Thus  it  appears  that  in  point  of  surface  and 
population,  they  make  up  a little  more  than  the  third  of  the 
whole  empire.  But  the  Germans  do  not  amount  to  much 
more  than  the  half  of  the  population,  and  their  number  has 
certainly  been  overrated  by  those  who  consider  it  equal  to 
seven  millions.  It  may  therefore  be  easily  imagined  how 
much  the  difference  of  language,  manners  and  customs 
tends  to  weaken  their  national  spirit,  and  consequently  their 
political  force.  Considered  as  a federative  state,  Austria 
possesses  but  few  advantages  ; if  the  German  provinces  are 
attached  to  their  government,  an  assumption  that  may  be 
considered  doubtful,  it  is  not  difficult  to  observe  in  Hungary 
and  its  dependencies,  and  particularly  in  Galicia,  a sort  of 
indifference,  and  in  the  Italian  provinces,  an  avowed  aver- 
sion to  the  power  that  governs  them.  The  Austrian  go- 
vernment may  be  anxious  to  reconcile  discordant  opinions, 
but  it  is  by  no  means  disposed  to  confound  so  many  dif- 
ferent interests  by  institutions  which  it  considers  dangerous, 
perhaps  incompatible  with  the  actual  civilization  of  its  sub- 
jects. It  advances  slowly  on  the  beaten  path,  and  accom- 
modates itself  to  the  prejudices  of  the  people.  Far  from 
imitating  Joseph  the  Second  in  his  projects  of  improvement, 
it  is  rather  the  object  of  its  policy  to  keep  the  people  igno- 
rant. It  has  even  recently  granted  privileges  to  the  Je- 
suits ; Galicia  had  been  already  opened  to  them  ; they  may 
ere  long  become  as  influential  throughout  the  empire  as  in 
the  time  of  their  splendour. 

The  house  of  Austria,  rich  in  its  soil,  its  mines  and  in  the 
industry  of  its  inhabitants,  ruling  a population  of  about  thirty 
two  millions,0  maintaining  an  army  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  men,  and  carrying  on  a trade  producing 
.£3,500, 000, d is  not  so  formidable  as  many  are  apt  to  ima- 
gine. The  revenue  amounts  to  £16,035,000,  and  the 
public  debt  to  more  than  six  times  that  sum.®  The  navy 
consists  only  of  seven  ships  of  the  line,  as  many  frigates  and 


a The  Porta  aurea  (It.  porta  dorata ,)  a triumphal  arch  which  now 
serves  as  a gate  to  the  town,  was  erected  by  his  wife,  in  honour  of  Sergius 
Lepidus.  (Encyc.  Method.) — P. 
b “ 9,947  sq.  leagues,  25  to  a degree.” 

' Thielen,  Alphabetisch-topographisches  Postreise-Handbuch,  1827. 
d “ 80,000.000  francs.” 


ten  or  twelve  brigs  and  sloops/  It  was  determined  by  the 
last  treaties  that  the  course  of  the  Inn  should  form  a west 
ern  boundary  ;e  that  object  of  Austrian  ambition  has  at 
length  been  attained  ; but  Austria  may  wish  to  be  invulnera- 
ble on  other  points  besides  those  towards  Bavaria.  Although 
secure  from  the  chances  of  an  attack  in  that  quarter,  al- 
though now  too  powerful  to  fear  the  crescent  that  twice 
threatened  to  destroy  it,  a more  formidable  enemy  may  ad- 
vance against  it  from  the  north.  Galicia  has  been  consi- 
dered its  bulwark  in  that  direction,  but  that  country,  from 
its  nature  and  position,  could  .afford  but  a feeble  defence  in 
the  event  of  an  invasion.  It  is  unnecessary  to  extend  these 
general  remarks,  or  to  enter  into  details ; the  readers  who 
may  be  desirous  of  obtaining  further  information  concern- 
ing the  resources,  the  means  of  instruction  and  the  position 
of  the  German  provinces  under  the  Austrian  empire,  may 
be  referred  to  the  tables  at  the  end  of  this  book. 

It  may  be  asked  what  are  the  conclusions  connected  with 
the  moral  and  political  state  of  Germany,  to  which  a stranger 
is  likely  to  arrive,  who  traverses  it  in  every  direction,  and 
who  judges  with  impartiality.  Is  that  vast  federative  state 
united  by  common  interests  1 is  it  powerful  from  the  resour- 
ces which  the  different  states  that  compose  it,  afford  to  each 
other ; or  is  it  not  a country  whose  inhabitants  are  only 
united  by  the  same  language  1 Has  the  light  of  knowledge 
which  has  long  been  diffused  over  Germany,  and  the  new 
institutions  which  have  been  thus  rendered  necessary,  tend- 
ed to  improve  the  condition  of  the  people  ? Such  are  the 
questions  which  it  is  now  proposed  to  examine. 

When  more  than  three  hundred  states  represented  in  the 
Germanic  diet,  acknowledged  the  supremacy  of  an  elected 
chief  with  the  title  of  emperor,  Germany  might  have  been 
considered  a vast  country  divided  into  principalities  or  ra- 
ther into  governments/  More  detached  from  the  rest  of 
Europe,  the  Germans  might  then  be  said  to  have  formed  a 
single  nation.  But  at  present  while  Germany  consists  of 
forty-two  independent  sovereignties,  some  of  which  are  suf- 
ficiently important  to  depend  on  their  own  resources,  the 
federative  bonds  have  been  in  a manner  destroyed  by  con- 
flicting interests  ; nothing  of  former  Germany  now  remains  ; 
at  least,  it  differs  wholly  from  what  it  was  during  the  six- 
teenth century.  At  one  time  the  clergy  and  nobles  pos- 
sessed a decided  preponderance  and  many  privileges  bur- 
densome to  the  people.  But  the  reformation  first  weakened 
and  at  last  destroyed  the  temporal  power  of  the  clergy 
The  spirit  of  liberty  has  in  later  times  made  new  conquests, 
and  created  new  institutions. 

No  longer  compelled  to  labour  gratuitously  for  the  no- 
bles, governed  by  a comparatively  small  number  of  princes, 
the  Germans  have  undoubtedly  gained  by  the  recent  changes. 
The  taxes  have  been  distributed  with  greater  impartiality, 
numerous  roads  offer  more  easy  means  of  communication, 
and  additional  wealth  has  been  diffused  throughout  every 
class  of  society.  Some  improvements,  have  even  origina- 
ted amidst  the  evils  of  war ; if  the  houses,  says  a German 
author,  are  now  numbered  in  every  town,  it  must  be  attri- 
buted to  the  necessity  of  finding  quarters  for  the  French  sol- 
diers ; in  the  same  manner,  the  custom  of  lighting  the  streets 


e “ Revenue,  more  than  140,000,000  florins,  or  385,000,000  francs;  (ac- 
cording to  Lichtenstem,  only  130,000,000  florins.) — Public  debt,  800,000,000 
florins.”  f “ Corvettes.” 

s Only  the  lower  part  of  its  course.  In  the  upper  part  of  its  course,  it 
traverses  Tyrol,  and  then  passes  through  a corner  of  Bavaria. — P. 
h “ Prefectures.” 


68 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXIX. 


was  not  introduced  before  the  seven  years’  war.a  Other 
writers  have  observed  that  since  the  residence  of  the  French 
troops  amongst  them,  the  houses  are  better  built  and  better 
decorated,  the  apartments  more  commodious  and  the  fur- 
’niture  more  substantial.  If  the  wars  of  Napoleon  were  for 
a season  disastrous  to  Germany,  that  celebrated  person 
ought  perhaps  to  be  now  as  much  regarded  by  the  Ger- 
mans as  he  was  execrated  by  them  when  he  oppressed  the 
country  with  the  weight  of  his  power ; for  the  continental 
system  tended  to  expand  those  germs  of  industry,  of  which 
the  people  are  beginning  to  reap  the  blessed  lruits. 

The  Thuringer-Wald  divides  Germany  into  two  regions, 
the  northern  and  the  southern.  The  northern  Germans 
living  on  bread,  potatoes,  butter  and  cheese,  and  drinking 
occasionally  beer  and  spirits,  are  stronger,  more  frugal  nnd 
more  enlightened  ; protestantism  has  made  most  proselytes 
amongst  them.  Delicate  in  their  manner  of  life,  accus- 
tomed to  wine,  sometimes  addicted  to  drunkenness,  the 
southern  Germans  may  be  more  lively,  but  they  are  also 
more  superstitious.  In  northern  Germany,  numerous  ha- 
bitations, villages  adorned  with  fountains,  neat  and  clean 
houses,  excellent  roads  lined  with  fruit  trees,  and  well  cul- 
tivated fields  proclaim  the  wealth  and  intelligence  of  the  in- 
habitants. 

Many  castles,  the  remains  of  feudal  times,  begin  to  ap- 
pear in  the  country  near  the  Black  F orest.  These  and  the 
different  monuments  throughout  Germany  are  kept  in  good 
repair ; if  they  fall  to  ruin,  it  cannot  be  imputed  to  negli- 
gence but  to  time,  which  is  often  more  ready  to  destroy  than 
the  hand  of  man  to  preserve. 

A distinguished  writerb  calls  Germany  the  count'i'y  of 
thought.  The  unnumbered  philosophical  and  metaphysical 
systems  from  the  time  of  the  profound  Leibnitz  to  the  days 
of  the  unintelligible  Kant,  might  perhaps  entitle  it  to  such  a 
designation.  It  has  been  said  correctly  that  the  country 
abounds  with  learned  men  ; they  are  not  as  in  other  states 
confined  to  the  capital ; they  may  be  met  with  in  the  small- 
est towns.  As  to  the  physical  sciences,  they  have  been 
cultivated  with  as  much  success  as  in  other  countries ; they 
are  now  more  encouraged  by  the  different  governments  than 
by  the  government  of  that  nation,  which  boasts,  perhaps 
not  without  reason,  of  having  been  pre-eminent  in  Europe, 
in  the  career  of  science.  However  painful  it  may  be  for  a 
Frenchman  to  humble  his  national  pride  before  strangers  so 
long  his  inferiors,  it  must  be  admitted  that  among  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  late  peace,  are  those  which  have  enabled 
different  states  in  Germany  to  compete  with  France  in  the 
most  attractive  and  most  useful  departments  of  knowledge. 
It  is  sufficient  to  visit  the  collections  at  Munich,  Berlin  and 
Frankfort,  and  to  converse  with  the  distinguished  men  in 
those  towns,  to  be  convinced  that  the  Germans  are  not  sur- 
passed by  their  neighbours.  Equal  to  other  nations  in  the- 
ology, jurisprudence,  history,  philology  and  medicine,  they 
are  only  inferior  in  political  knowledge  ; but  the  means  of 
acquiring  it  are  rapidly  increasing  ; more  than  six  hundred 
journals  and  newspapers  are  now  published  in  the  country. 

The  method  of  public  instruction  adopted  in  the  universi- 
ties is  superior  to  that  used  in  the  French  colleges.  It  may 
be  remarked,  that,  although  the  youth  are  taught  to  read 
Greek  and  Latin  in  a shorter  period  than  eight  years,  there 
are  in  no  country  more  celebrated  classical  scholars  and 
archaeologists. 

* Deutschland,  oder  Briefe  eines  in  Deutschland  reisenden  Dcutschen. 

b Mad.  de  Stael,  dc  l’AUeinagne. 


Gymnastics  form  a part  of  the  system  of  education  in  se- 
veral states  of  Germany  ; it  has  been  said  that  such  exer- 
cises, besides  their  advantage  in  rendering  the  body  flexible 
and  robust,  have  a salutary  influence  on  the  moral  charac 
ter,  or  that  young  men  fatigued  by  this  healthful  labour  are 
more  apt  to  avoid  the  dangerous  propensities  which  are  too 
often  the  consequences  of  effeminacy  and  repose. 

As  society  has  few  charms  in  Germany,  the  enjoyments 
of  reading  and  study  are  necessarily  better  appreciated  than 
in  other  countries.  Music  appears  to  be  almost  an  innate 
art  with  the  Germans.  Students  may  be  seen  walking  in 
procession,  and  singing  hymns  of  praise  to  the  divinity ; the 
peasant  during  his  intervals  of  labour  often  composes  an  air 
on  a wretched  harpsichord  ; and  the  shepherd  makes  the 
woods  re-echo  the  harmonious  notes  of  his  flute. 

The  population  of  Germany  amounts  to  thirty  millions 
five  hundred  thousand  inhabitants,  who  are  dispersed  over 
a surface  of  twelve  thousand  German  or  more  than  a hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  English  square  miles,0  so  that  the 
average  number  of  individuals  for  every  German  square 
mile  is  equal  to  two  thousand  five  hundred  and  forty-two. 
According  to  statistical  accounts,  there  are  about  sixteen 
millions  of  catholics,  fourteen  millions  of  protestants,  twen- 
ty-five thousand  Herrnhutters  or  Moravians,  two  thousand 
five  hundred  Mennonites,  fourteen  thousand  of  the  Greek 
or  eastern  church  and  three  hundred  thousand  Jews. 6 
The  revenue  amounts  to  at  least  two  hundred  millions  of 
florins,  and  the  military  force  exceeds  three  hundred  thou- 
sand men. 

Germany  has  not  a single  naval  station,  and  it  is  besides 
deficient  in  canals,  particularly  in  the  southern  parts  of  the 
confederacy ; nor  until  the  debt  shall  be  liquidated,  the  re- 
presentative system  better  established,  a navy  created,  in- 
land commerce  less  shackled  by  custom-houses,  the  coin- 
age as  well  as  the  system  of  weights  and  measures  rendered 
uniform,  and  the  people  more  united,  can  it  become  flou- 
rishing within,  and  respected  without. 


STATISTICAL  TABLES 

OF  THE 

GERMAN  PROVINCES  UNDER  THE  AUSTRIAN  EMPIRE 


A.  KINGDOM  OF  BOHEMIA, 

DIVIDED  INTO  SIXTEEN  CIRCLES. 


Population 


2 Beraun 

3 Haurzim 

163,389 

181,631 

4 Bunzlau 

375,832 

5 Bidschow 

237,738 

6 Koenisgraetz 

309,102 

7 Chrudlm 

285,096 

8 Czaslau 

226,590 

9 Tabor 

185,979 

10  Budweis 

194,502 

11  Prachim 

246,140 

12  Klattau 

163,132 

13  Pilzen 

189,586 

c “ 33,000  sq.  leagues” — more  than  250,000  Eng.  sq.  miles.  220, OOt 
Eng.  sq.  miles.  (Morse.) — P.  d Deutschland,  oder  Briefe,  &c. 


book  cxxix.]  DESCRIPTION 

14  EInbogen 220,103 

15  Saatz  ......  128,655 

16  Leitmeritz  ......  335,112 

Town  of  Prague'  ......  85,710 

Total  amount,  3,698,596a 

Domestic  Animals  in  1822. 

Horses  .......  137,000 

Oxen 894,400 

Sheep  .......  1,091,700 

Swine  .......  223,800 

Goats  .......  61,300 

Mules  .......  100 

Number  of  Religious  Societies b in  1825. 

Capuchins  ......  15 

Augustines  ......  7 

Minorites  ......  3 

Dominicans  ......  3 

Franciscans  . ....  14 

Benedictines  ......  3 

Norbertines  or  Premonstrantes  ....  4 

Charity  Brothers  ......  3 

Knights  of  the  Cross  .....  1 

Piarites  .......  14 

Ursulines  .......  2 

Carmelites  ......  1 

Sisters  of  Saint  Elizabeth  ....  2 

Cistertians,  Servites,  &c.  ....  4 

76 

Places  of  Education  in  1822. 

(J  niversity  ......  1 

Lyceums  ......  6 

Gymnasiums  ......  26 

Catholic  Elementary  Schools  ....  2,512 

Protestant  Elementary  Schools  ....  48 

Mixed  Elementary  Schools  ....  380 

Jewish  Elementary  Schools  ....  21 

Musical  Conservatory  .....  1 

Polytechnic  Institute  .....  1 

2,996 

Number  of  professors  and  teachers  ...  6,709 

Number  of  students  attending  the  University  . . 2,055 

scholars  at  the  Lyceums  ...  656 

at  the  Gymnasiums  . . . 6,497 

at  the  Polytechnic  Institute  . . 791 

at  the  Musical  Conservatory  . . 75 

at  the  Elementary  Schools  . . 400,889 

Total  number  of  students  and  scholars  410,963 

Division  of  the  Land. 

Jochs  or  Acres. 

Fields  .......  3,828,500 

Gardens  .......  86,000 

Vineyards  ....  . 4,400 

Meadows  .....  . 799,000 

Pasture  lands  . . . ...  . 610,000 

Forests  .......  2,310,000 

Ponds  .......  132,700 

7,770,600 

Population  according  to  the  origin  of  the  Inhabitants. 

Tchekhes  2,365,000 

Germans  .......  1,275,000 

Jews  ......  58,000 

Population  according  to  the  different  Religions. 

Catholics 3,587,000 

Calvinists  .......  40,000 

Lutherans  .......  13,000 

Jews 58,000 

OF  GERMANY.  69 

B.  MORAVIA  AND  AUSTRIAN  SILESIA, 

DIVIDED  INTO  EIGHT  CIRCLES. 

Population. 

1 Iglau  .......  170,037 

2 Znaim  ......  157,682 

3 Brunn  .......  352,541 

4 Hradisch  ......  244,791 

5 Olmutz  .......  401,043 

6 Prerau  .......  249,699 

7 Troppau  ......  219,110 

8 Teschen  ......  173,810 

1,968,713 

Domestic  Animals. 

Horses  .......  128,000 

Oxen  .......  56,500 

Cows 301,000 

Sheep 403,000 

Places  of  Education  in  1822. 

Lyceum  .......  1 

Philosophical  institutions  .....  2 

Permanent  academy  .....  1 

Catholic  Gymnasiums  .....  12 

Lutheran  Gymnasium  .....  1 

Normal  Schools  ......  2 

Secondary  Schools  .....  20 

Primary  Schools  . . _ . . . . 1,627 

Public  Boarding  Schools  for  girls  ....  12 

Schools  of  industry  .....  3 

Sunday  Schools  ......  1,548 

3,229 

Number  of  scholars  .....  153,000 

Division  of  the  Land. 

Jochs  or  Acres. 

Fields  .......  2,200,400 

Gardens  .......  58,000 

Vineyards  ......  51,000 

Meadows  . ....  325,000 

Pasture  lands  . ....  429,000 

Forests  . . ....  1,120,000 

JPonds  .......  41,800 

Waste  lands  .....  596,300 

4,821,500 

Population  according  to  the  Origin  of  the  Inhabitants  in  the  year  1825. 

Germans  ......  462,000 

Slavonians  ......  1,473,000 

Jews  . . .....  32,000 

Zigeunes  or  Gypsies  .....  1,000 

Population  according  to  the  different  Religions. 

Catholics  ......  1,860,000 

Calvinists  ......  16,000 

Lutherans  ...  . . 60,000 

Jews  .......  32,000 

C.  ARCHDUTCY  OF  AUSTRIA, 

DIVIDED  INTO  NINE  CIRCLES.11 

Lower  Austria. 

Population. 

. ( Vienna  ...  . . 241,774 

1 { Below  the  Wiener- Wald  ....  229,797 

2 Above  the  Wiener- Wald  ....  222,352 

3 Below  the  Mannhartsberg  ....  262,311 

4 Above  the  Mannhartsberg  ....  226,361 

Upper  Austria. 

5 Circle  of  the  Muhl  ....  195,288 

6 — the  Inn  .....  137,489 

a The  numbers  in  the  above  table  are  taken  from  the  Manual  of  M. 
Thielen,  published  in  1827. 
b “ Congregations.” 

e The  circles  in  the  archdutchy  of  Austria  are  called  quarters  (Germ. 
I viertel.) 

70  EUR< 

7 Circle  of  the  Hausruck  .....  176,511 

8 the  Traun  .....  175,982 

9 Salzburg  .....  141,105 

2,008,970 

Domestic  Animals. 

Horses  ......  100,000 

Oxen  .....  120,000 

Cows  .......  500,000 

Sheep  700,000 

Religious  Societies. 

Convents  for  men  and  women  ....  45 

Places  of  Education. 

University  ......  1 

Philosophical  Institution  .....  1 

Lyceums  ......  3 

Gymnasiums  . .....  11 

Academies  ......  7 

of  Arts  and  Trades  ....  2 

Schools  of  Medicine1  .....  2 

School  of  Engineers"  .....  1 

Oriental  Languages  ....  1 

Military  Schools  .....  2 

Normal  Schools  .....  2 

Elementary  and  higher  Schools  for  Girls  ...  35 

Schools  of  Industry  .....  50 

Principal  German  Schools1'  ....  20 

Protestant  Seminary  .....  1 

Public  Schools'  ......  2,000 

Sunday  Schools  ......  120 

Village  Schools  ......  4,500 

Number  of  Pupils  that  attend  the  Schools  . . 150,000 

Division  of  the  Soil. 

Jochs  or  Acres. 

Fields  .......  2,120,000 

Gardens  .......  81,000 

Vineyards  .......  79,000 

Meadows  .......  753,000 

Pasture  lands  ......  1,064,000 

Forests  . ....  1,830,000 

Waste  lands  ......  883,500 

6,810,500 

Population  according  to  the  Origin  of  the  Inhabitants. 

Germans  .......  2,000,000 

Slavonians  ......  6,750 

Greeks  .......  350 

Armenians  ......  200 

Jews  . .....  1,500 

Different  Religions. 

Catholics  .......  1,975,000 

Lutherans  . . .....  30,600 

Calvinists  .......  1,350 

Greeks  .......  350 

Jews  .......  1,500 

D.  COUNTY  OF  TYROL, 

DIVIDED  INTO  SEVEN  CIRCLES. 

Population. 

1 Lower  Inn  .....  88,869 

2 Upper  Inn  . . . . . 123,722 

3 Pusterthal  ......  97,823 

4 Adige  or  Botzen  .....  104,101 

5 Trent 161,528 

6 Roveredo  . . . . . . 98,156 

7 Vorarlberg  . . . . ...  86,754 

762,053 

Domestic  Animals. 

Horses  .......  7,600 

Mules . 1,100 

Oxen  .......  44,000 

3PE.  [BOOK  CXX1X. 

Cows  .......  131,000 

Sheep  . . ....  37,500 

Goats  . . ....  63,300 

Swine  . . . . . . ‘ . 40,400 

Religious  Societies. 

Convents  for  men  and  women  . 22 

Places  of  Education. 

Lyceums  ......  2 

Gymnasiums  ......  6 

Normal  Schools  ......  2 

Seminaries  endowed  by  Government"1  ...  15 

Elementary  Schools  .....  735 

Schools  for  Girls  ......  59 

Division  of  the  Land,  not  including  the  circle  of  Vorarlberg. 

Jochs  or  Acres. 

Fields  .......  152,000 

Vineyards  ......  17,300 

Meadows  .....  392,600 

Forests  .......  1,508,600 

Waste  lands  ......  2,906,700 

4,978,200 

Population  according  to  the  Origin  of  the  Inhabitants. 

Germans  ......  598,500 

Italians  .......  163,420 

Jews  .......  80 

E.  DUTCHY  OF  STIRIA, 

DIVIDED  INTO  FIVE  CIRCLES. 

Population. 

1 Cilly 181,529 

2 Marburg  ......  185,766 

3 Grtetz  .......  306,321 

4 Bruck  ......  66,235 

5 Judenburg  ......  89,880 

829,731 

Domestic  Animals. 

Horses  .......  44,700 

Oxen  .....••  82,400 

Cows  .......  206,300 

Sheep 126,300 

Religious  Societies. 

Convents  ......  27 

Places  of  Education. 

Lyceum  ......  1 

Philosophical  School  ..... 

Gymnasiums,  including  the  Jolianneum  ...  5 

Normal  School  ...... 

Principal  Schools'  .....  7 

Houses  of  Education  for  Girls  ....  2 

Division  of  the  Land. 

Jochs  or  Acres. 

Fields  . . " . . . • • 610,400 

Gardens  .......  9,000 

Vineyards  ...  . 51,800 

Meadows  .......  437,000 

Pasture  Lands  ......  644,400 

Forests  .......  1,50/, 200 

Ponds  .......  700 

Waste  Lands  . . ...  552,300 

3,812,800 

Population  according  to  the  Origin  of  the  Inhabitants. 

Germans  .......  478,500 

Wends  . . . . . . 299,400 

Hungarians,  Italians,  French,  &c.  . . . 51,800 

Different  Religions. 

Catholics  ......  826,  / 00 

Lutherans  ......  3,0W 

* “ Schools  of  Medicine  Engineers  and  Foresters. 
k German  High  Schools  ( Uauptschulcn , Hassel.) 

' Primary  or  Common  Schools  ( Volkschtden,  Hassel.) 
d “Colleges.”  ' High  Schools.  See  note  (b)  this  page. 

BOOK  CXXIX.] 


EUROPE. 


71 


F.  KINGDOM  OF  ILLYRIA, 

DIVIDED  INTO  TWO  GOVERNMENTS  AND  SEVEN  CIRCLES. 


1 Villach 

2 Klagenfurt 

3 Laybach 

4 Neustadt 

5 Adelsberg 

b Goertz  or  Gorizia 
7 Istria 

Territory  of  Trieste 


Horses 

Oxen 

Cows 

Sheep 

Convents 


Lyceums 
Gymnasiums 
Normal  Schools 
Academies1 
Schools  for  Girls 


Fields 

Gardens 

Vineyards 

Meadows 

Pasture  Lands 

Forests 

Ponds 

Waste  Lands 


Government  of  Laybach. 

Government  of  Trieste. 

Domestic  Animals. 

Religious  Societies. 
Places  of  Education. 

Division  of  the  Land. 


Population. 

122,795 

164,547 

157,100 

183,508 

86,436 

162,928 

192,564 

54,315 

1,124,193 

32,800 

97,100 

167,300 

234,900 

18 


3 

6 

2 

5 

3 

Jochs  or  Acres. 

728.200 
24,200 
34,400 

561,700 

856.200 
1,359,500 

48,500 

2,462,900 


6,075,600 


Population  according  to  the  Origin  of  the  Inhabitants. 

Germans 

Wends,  Slavonians,  &c. 

Serbesb  .... 

Italians  . 

Greeks  .... 

Jews  .... 


Different  Religions. 


Catholics 

Greeks 

Lutherans 

Calvinists 

Jews 


year  1820. 


Kingdom  of  Bohemia 
Moravia  and  Austrian  Silesia 

Archdutchy  of  Austria  j 

County  of  Tyrol 
Dutchy  of  Stiria 
Kingdom  of  Illyria 


• 

220,000 

. 

850,000 

• 

1,000 

• 

50,000 

• 

700 

ons. 

2,500 

• 

1 110,000 

• 

700 

10,800 

200 

• 

2,500 

German  square 

mile  in  the 

Horses. 

Oxen. 

Cows.  Sheep. 

127 

253 

632  954 

232 

102 

347  732 

128 

256 

829  568 

158 

248 

547  969 

14 

85 

253  266 

112 

206 

516  316 

63 

187 

322  452 

German  Austria. 

In  1820. 

In  1823. 

Increase. 

In  1825. 

Increase. 

Bohemia 

3,379,341 

3,539,441 

160,100 

3,698,596 

159,155 

Moravia  and  Silesia 

1,860,000 

1,910,000 

50,000 

1,968,713 

58,713 

Austria  . 

1,897,417 

1,956,334 

158,917 

2,008,970 

52,646 

Tyrol 

. • • 

737,562 

755,401 

17,839 

762,053 

6,652 

Stiria 

777,926 

805,847 

27,921 

829,731 

23,884 

Illyria1 

1,089,175 

1,124,193 

85,018d 

11  “ Colleges.”  b Germ.  Serben,  Servians. 

c The  number  of  inhabitants  in  Illyria  amounted  in  1820  to  1,141,960 
individuals,  but  as  the  territory  of  Carlstadt,  and  part  of  Hungary*  were 
then  included  in  Illyria,  the  population  of  that  year  has  not  been  mentioned 
in  the  table. 

* The  Littoral  of  Hungary— both  that  and  Carlstadt  have  been  since 
annexed  to  Hungary.  See  Stat.  Table  of  Hungary  in  this  work.— P. 


Population  of  German  Austria  for  every  German  square  mile  in  1825. 

Inhabitant 

Bohemia  .......  3,885 


Moravia  and  Silesia 
Austria 
Tyrol 
Stiria 
Illyria 


4,090 

2,837 

1,476 

2,079 

2,166 


Proportion  between  the  numbers  of  the  two  Sexes. 


Austria 


1818.  Bohemia 

Moravia  and  Silesia 
Upper 
Lower 

Tyrol 
Stiria 

C Laybach 
) Trieste 


1820. 


Illyria 


‘S3  of  Women. 

Ratio  between 

the  Sexes. 

233,998 

1,153 

tO/ 

1,000 

125,948 

1,154 

to 

1,000 

40,811 

1,094 

to 

1,000 

65,352 

1,129 

to 

1,000 

12,833 

1,036 

to 

1,000 

25,788 

1,068 

to 

1,000 

27,081 

1,088 

to 

1,000 

1,600 

1,006 

to 

1,000 

Sentences  pronounced  by  the  Supreme  Criminal  Court  at  Vienna  from 
1806  to  1809. — German  Provinces  and  Galicia. 


Attempted 

Crimes. 

751 


Sacrilege. 

14 

Bigamy. 

78 


Child  Murder. 
160 


Exposing 
of  Children. 


274 


Defamation. 

156 


Seductions 
Duels.  and  Rapes. 

3 172 

Conspiracies. 

84 


Amount  of  the  Capital  Crimes  committed  in  the  Austrian  Empire. 
1823. — german  provinces  and  galicia. 


Murders. 

22 


Robberies. 

13 


Abuse  of  Power. 

11 


Fraud  and  Forgery. 

15 


Fire-raising. 

5 


Number  of  Trials. 


Murders. 

Robberies. 

Abuse  of  Power. 

Fraud  and  For- 
gery. 

Fire-Raising. 

Political  insur- 
rections and 
revolts. 

Mortal  Wounds. 

Conspiracies. 

' 1824. 

Bohemia 

54 

1108 

4 

76 

4 

57 

45 

0 

Moravia  and  Silesia 

38 

482 

1 

57 

6 

19 

16 

0 

Austria 

38 

1136 

3 

141 

10 

13 

23 

0 

Stiria  and  Carinthia 

34 

362 

5 

42 

0 

35 

8 

0 

Galicia 

87 

807 

22 

112 

60 

139 

60 

2 

Number  of  Children  who  frequent  the  Schools. e 


Lower  Austria 

1 out  of  every  10  in  1811 

Upper  Austria 

1 out  of  every  13 

Moravia  and  Silesia 

1 out  of  every  11 

Bohemia 

1 out  of  every  18  in  1789 

Id. 

1 out  of  every  9 in  1822 

Stiria  and  Carinthia 

1 out  of  every  10 

Number  of  Journals  and  Newspapers  published  in  Germany 
German  Austria 
Prussia 
Wirtemberg 
Bavaria 
Saxony 
Hanover 

Grand  Dutchy  of  Baden 
Hesse-Darmstadt 
Electoral  Hesse 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin 
Saxe-Weimar 
Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha 
Saxe-Meinungen 
Hamburg 

Frankfort  on  the  Maine 
Other  Petty  States 

Total 


d M.  Kudler  supposes  that  the  population  of  Bohemia  has  doubled  with- 
in the  last  230  years,  and  that  of  Moravia  and  Silesia  within  the  last  296 
years.  According  to  the  same  author,  the  other  provinces  present  as 
striking  variations. 

e These  details  are  taken  from  the  work  entitled : The  World  compared 
with  the  British  Empire,  by  M.  A.  Balbi. 


J 


EUROPE.  jiiooKcxxx. 


BOOK  CXXX. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Switzerland. 

Switzerland  is  considered  in  point  of  romantic  and  pic- 
turesque scenery,  the  finest  country  in  Europe.  To  give 
an  account  of  such  a country,  to  mark  the  contrasts  be- 
tween verdure  and  eternal  snow,  silent  forests  and  roaring 
cataracts,  fruitful  vallies  and  sterile  mountains,  and  to  de- 
lineate all  the  varied  pictures  of  gigantic  nature,  form  a task 
as  difficult  for  the  writer  as  the  painter.  Switzerland  be- 
sides is  so  well  known,  it  is  so  often  the  subject  of  conversa- 
tion, that  even  those  who  have  never  seen  it,  are  enabled 
to  judge  of  it  with  sufficient  accuracy.  To  describe  the 
most  important  features  of  the  country,  and  whatever  it  con- 
tains most  worthy  of  notice,  is  the  object  of  the  present 
book ; itineraries  are  not  wanting  to  guide  the  travellers 
who  wish  to  examine  it  minutely. 

Switzerland  is  bounded  on  the  west  by  France,  on  the 
north  by  the  grand  dutchy  of  Baden  and  the  kingdom  of 
Wirtemberg,  on  the  east  by  the  Austrian  province  of  Tyrol, 
and  on  the  south  by  the  Sardinian  and  the  Lombardo-Ve- 
netian  states.  Its  extent  from  west  to  east  is  equal  to  nearly 
two  hundred  English  miles,  and  from  north  to  south  to  a 
hundred  and  fifty.  The  superficial  extent  of  the  country 
does  not  exceed  twelve  thousand  English  square  miles.a 

Two  distinct  ranges  of  mountains  traverse  Switzerland. 
The  chain  of  the  Jura  stretches  from  south-west  to  north- 
east ; that  of  the  Alps,  which  is  much  more  extensive,  is 
nearly  parallel  to  the  former,  but  numerous  and  important 
branches  extend  from  it  in  every  direction.  The  length  of 
the  first  is  about  two  hundred  and  forty  or  two  hundred  and 
fifty  miles,  while  its  breadth  varies  from  thirty-five  to  forty.b 
Precipitous  and  abrupt  towards  the  Alps,  it  becomes  gra- 
dually lower  on  the  side  of  France.  It  is  principally  formed 
by  calcareous  rocks  of  a greyish  or  bluish  colour,  which  in 
some  places  may  be  wrought  as  marble.  Organic  remains 
ore  by  no  means  uncommon,  such  as  the  bivalvular  shells 
which  geologists  have  termed  gryphites,  the  spiral  and  mul- 
tilocular  shells  which,  from  their  configuration,  have  been 
called  ammonites  or  horns  of  Ammon,0  and  those  singular 
conical  remains  that  have  received  the  name  of  belemnites 
of  thunderbolts.*1  The  calcareous  strata  alternate  with  lay- 
ers of  fine  sand,  to  the  height  of  eighteen  hundred  feet ; but 
in  some  places  they  are  separated  from  each  other  by  lay- 
ers of  angular  or  rolled  pebbles,  that  could  only  have  been 
united  in  the  depths  of  the  ancient  ocean,  by  the  calcareous 
cement  that  envelopes  them.  These  pebbles  are  fragments 


* “ Extent  from  west  to  east  about  80  leagues,  from  north  to  south  50 
leagues;  superficial  extent  2-100  square  leagues.”  [19,000  Eng.  sq.  miles, 
Morse.l 

b “ Length,  from  90  to  100  leagues;  breadth,  from  15  to  18.” 

° CoTnua  ammonis. 


of  the  different  granitic  rocks  that  form  the  nucleus  of  these 
mountains  and  the  summits  of  the  Alps.  The  geologist 
cannot  observe  without  interest,  on  the  declivities  of  Jura 
towards  Switzerland,  the  innumerable  blocks  of  granite  at 
the  height  of  two  thousand  feet  above  the  lake  of  Geneva, 
which  have  been  apparently  conveyed  thither  from  more 
elevated  summits. 

The  Alps  afford  the  materials  of  continual  study  and  re- 
flection to  the  geologist  who  examines  them.  Among  the 
phenomena  thus  presented  to  his  notice,  some  have  not 
been  sufficiently  observed,  although  all  have  been  often  ex- 
plained by  the  aid  of  hypotheses  and  different  theories. 
The  immense  masses  that  constitute  the  Alps,  exhibit  at 
first  sight  the  appearance  of  confusion  and  disorder  ; they 
seem  the  venerable  witnesses  of  the  natural  convulsions 
which  took  place  when  the  earth  assumed  the  form  assigned 
it  by  its  creator.  Inaccessible  peaks  covered  with  snow  ; 
summits  from  their  almost  perpendicular  sides,  not  unlike 
gigantic  obelisks  ; vallies  surrounded  with  immense  precipi- 
ces ; rocks  almost  consumed  by  time  and  ready  to  fall  from 
old  age  ; such  are  the  phenomena  which  the  Alpine  chains 
present.  But  if  the  observer  who  surveys  them  be  familiar 
with  the  study  of  nature,  he  may  see  marks  of  its  slow  and 
gradual  course  amid  the  traces  of  destruction  and  decay. 
Ebel  has  shown  that  the  most  ancient  deposits  in  these 
mountains  are  arranged  in  strata  having  a direction  from 
west-south-west  to  east-north-east.  Granitic  rocks  of  a 
date  posterior  to  the  formation  of  organized  beings,6  make 
up  the  chain  connected  with  Mount  Blanc,  the  highest 
mountain  in  Europe.  Different  calcareous  ramifications 
of  the  same  chain  extend  a long  way  northwards,  and  rise 
to  a great  height,  while  the  granitic  rocks  on  the  south  de- 
scend to  the  confines  of  Italy.  Nothing  can  be  more  impo- 
sing than  the  appearance  of  Mount  Blanc,  towering  high 
above  all  the  surrounding  mountains ; the  other  summits 
which  encompass  and  incline  towards  it,  have  been  com- 
pared by  a geologist  to  humble  subjects,  anxious  to  con- 
template and  pay  homage  to  their  sovereign.  Mount  Cer- 
vin  appears  like  a triangular  pyramid,  and  its  summit,  which 
consists  of  serpentine,  rises  to  the  clouds.  But  the  circular 
arrangement  of  some  of  these  heights  may  be  considered 
the  most  remarkable  phenomenon  which  they  exhibit. 
Mount  Rosa,  for  example,  is  formed  by  an  uninterrupted 
series  of  gigantic  peaks  that  enclose  an  immense  circle, 
nearly  six  thousand  yards5  in  diameter.  Geologists  have 


d The  belemnite,  like  the  ammonite,  is  an  univalvular  and  multiloculai 
shell.— P. 

' The  protogine  of  Jurine,  the  talcose  or  steatitic  granite  of  Daubuisson. 
f Breislak,  Institutions  gfeologiques.  tome  ii.  page  76. 
e “ About  3(X)0  toises.” 


book  cxxx.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  SWITZERLAND.  73 


looked  in  vain  for  the  traces  of  ancient  volcanoes  in  the 
Alpine  chains ; the  ocean  only  has  left  marks  of  its  former 
existence. 

The  sun  melts  superficially  the  masses  of  snow  that  co- 
ver the  highest  regions,  and  the  snow  thus  melted,  is  after- 
wards converted  into  ice.  These  glaciers  are  often  in- 
clined, and  always  divided  by  large  and  deep  fissures, 
whence  their  forms  are  generally  very  varied  and  fantastic. 
According  to  their  greater  or  less  inclination,  the  glaciers 
descend  a short  distance  at  the  approach  of  spring,  but 
their  course  is  soon  interrupted  ; still  the  motion  to  which 
they  are  subjected,  causes  numerous  fractures,  which  are 
accompanied  with  loud  and  tremendous  reports,  re-echoed 
from  mountain  to  mountain.  These  effects  are  the  causes 
of  others  not  less  remarkable  ; the  violent  shock  given  to 
the  air  is  communicated  to  the  snow,  which  is  also  shaken ; 
some  portions  of  it  are  detached,  which  rolling  downwards 
increase  in  bulk,  and  occasionally  overwhelm  habitations, 
villages  and  forests.  Ebel  concludes  from  a series  of  ob- 
servations, that  the  ice  descends  annually  in  the  channels  of 
the  glaciers,  from  twelve  to  twenty-four  feet ; if  the  average 
descent  be  estimated  at  eighteen  feet  in  one  year,  or  about 
three  miles  in  nine  hundred  years,  and  if  it  be  considered 
that  portions  of  rocks  have  been  gradually  dragged  by  the 
ice  in  some  glaciers  over  inclined  plains  more  than  twenty, 
or  even  thirty  miles  in  length,1  some  notion  may  be  formed 
of  the  immense  period  necessary  for  their  formation.  These 
great  natural  movements  have  been  thus  described  by  an 
eye  witness,  the  clergyman  of  Grindelwald,  who  had  gone 
with  some  of  his  friends  to  visit  the  famous  glacier  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  that  village.  “ My  friends  and  I had 
hardly  sat  down  on  the  ice  to  rest  ourselves,”  says  the  cler- 
gyman, “ when  we  witnessed  that  singular  phenomenon, 
the  groivtli  or  swelling  of  the  glacier.15  It  was  accompanied 
with  a tremendous  noise  ; every  object  around  us  seemed 
to  move  of  its  own  accord  ; guns,  sticks  and  game-bags,  all 
were  overturned ; rocks  apparently  fixed  in  the  ice  were 
detached  and  dashed  against  each  other ; crevices  from  ten 
to  twenty  fee’t  wide  were  opened,  while  others  closed  as  sud- 
denly, and  the  water  contained  in  them  was  thrown  to  a 
great  height.  The  whole  glacier,  thus  agitated  with  so 
much  violence,  advanced  a few  paces,  but  tranquillity  was 
soon  restored,  and  the  usual  stillness  was  only  interrupted 
by  the  whistling  of  the  marmot.”0 

The  Rhine  which  pursues  its  sinuous  course  from  Mount 
Saint  Gothard  to  the  lake  of  Constance ; the  Inn  which 
descends  from  Mount  Bernina  ; the  Adda  which  rises  at 
the  foot  of  Mount  Gallo,  and  throws  itself  into  the  lake  of 
Como ; the  Tesino  which  issues  from  Mount  Gries,  and 
traverses  Lake  Maggiore  in  Italy ; the  Rhone  which  is 
formed  by  different  streams  from  Mounts  Grimsel  and  Fur- 
ca,  and  which  conveys  its  waters  to  the  lake  of  Geneva ; 
the  Aar,  a branch  of  the  Rhine,  which  flows  through  the 
lakes  of  Brientz  and  Thun,  after  having  formed  several 
lofty  cataracts ; and  lastly,  the  Limmat  which  descends 
from  the  Limmeren-Alp,  traverses  the  lake  of  Zurich,  and 
unites  with  the  Aar,  water  the  finest  and  largest  vallies  in 
Switzerland. 

Besides  the  different  lakes  which  have  been  enumerated, 
two  important  ones  may  be  added,  those  of  Lugano  and  Lu- 


a  “ 10  or  12  leagues.”  b “ Crue  de  glacier .” 

c The  account  given  by  the  clergyman  of  Grindelwald  was  published  in 
a work  by  Professor  Wiss,  quoted  in  the  first  volume  of  Simond’s  travels 
in  Switzerland  (Fr.  edit.) 

VOL.  III.— NO.  44.  10 


cerne,  and  two  others  less  extensive,  those  of  Morat  and 
Bienne.  The  lake  of  Neuchatel  has  already  been  described 
in  the  account  of  the  principality  and  the  town  from  which 
its  name  has  been  derived.  All  these  lakes  form  a super- 
ficial extent  of  fifty-two  square  leagues,  or  three  hundred 
and  fourteen  square  miles.d  The  fish  that  they  contain, 
are  the  pike,  the  trout,  the  salmon,  the  burbot  and  the  um- 
ber ;e  the  latter  a very  delicate  fish  occasionally  exported 
to  Paris,  where  it  is  sometimes  sold  for  so  high  a price 
as  =£12. 

The  mountains  in  Switzerland  abound  in  useful  sub- 
stances, such  as  porphyry,  marble  and  alabaster.  Iron, 
lead,  copper,  zinc,  cobalt,  bismuth,  arsenic  and  antimony 
are  found  in  veins  and  in  masses ; rock  crystals  are  very 
common,  sulphur  is  collected  in  many  places,  and  some 
rivers,  as  the  Rhine,  the  Aar,  the  Adda  and  the  Reuss, 
carry  down  gold.  Beds  of  lignite  or  bituminous  wood  are 
worked  in  several  vallies,  and  the  inhabitants  use  it  for  fuel. 

More  mineral  springs  are  situated  in  Switzerland  than  in 
most  other  European  countries.  The  acidulous  waters  of 
Saint  Maurice  in  the  canton  of  the  Grisons,  the  baths  of 
Gurnighel  in  Berne,  and  the  warm  springs  at  Baden  are 
well  known ; but  the  most  frequented  of  any  are  those  at 
Pfeffers  and  Leuk.  The  sulphuretted  hydrogen  contained 
in  their  waters  render  them  salutary  in  diseases  of  the  skin. 
The  goitres  to  which  the  inhabitants  are  subject  in  some 
cantons,  particularly  in  Berne,  Lucerne,  Friburg  and  the 
Valais,  may  probably  be  attributed  to  the  carbonate  of  lime 
held  in  solution  in  different  springs. 

Ebel  and  other  botanists  divide  the  Alps  into  seven  re- 
gions. The  lowest,  or  that  of  the  vine,  commences  in  the 
vallies  on  the  banks  of  the  rivers  and  lakes,  and  terminates 
at  the  height  of  seventeen  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea ; the  next,  or  the  region  of  oaks,  rises  to  the  height 
of  two  thousand  eight  hundred  feet ; that  of  the  beech  suc- 
ceeds and  reaches  to  the  height  of  four  thousand  feet ; that 
of  the  firs  is  next  in  order,  and  rises  five  thousand  five  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea ; at  that  height  the  lower 
Alpine  region  commences,  where  the  trees  give  place  to 
fruitful  pastures,  which  rise  a thousand  feet  above  them. 
The  higher  Alpine  region  commences  at  six  thousand  five 
hundred,  and  terminates  at  eight  thousand  two  hundred 
feet ; in  places  sheltered  from  the  sun,  the  snow  remains 
throughout  the  year ; the  region  of  glaciers  and  eternal 
snow  rises  above  it.  The  two  last  regions  are  not  wholly 
destitute  of  vegetation  ; saxifrages,  gentians  and  other  hy- 
perborean plants  flourish  there. 

The  weasel,  the  pole-cat,  the  ferret,  the  lynx  and  the 
squirrel  are  found  in  Switzerland.  Different  kinds  of  game 
are  not  uncommon  ; among  others  the  white  hare,  of  the 
same  species  as  that  found  in  Siberia,  together  with  the 
chamois  and  the  marmot,  both  of  which  are  considered 
great  delicacies.  The  other  animals  are  the  hamster,  a spe- 
cies of  rat  prized  for  its  fur,  different  kinds  of  martens,  the 
wild  boar  and  the  bear ; but  the  last  are  at  present  much 
more  rare  than  formerly  ; they  seem  to  be  almost  confined 
to  the  mountains  of  the  Valais. 

The  antipathy  that  subsists  between  the  bear  and  the  bull 
is  not  less  certain  than  remarkable.  A well  informed  tra- 
veller states  that  as  soon  as  these  animals  perceive  each 


d Reckoning  the  leagues  as  French  post  leagues — if  geographical,  nearly 
400  sq.  miles. — P. 

* “ L’ombre  chevalier,”  Salmo  Umbla,  Linn. 


74 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXX 


other,  the  bull  becomes  unmanageable,  they  fight  furiously, 
and  seldom  separate  before  both  are  exhausted  ; but  what 
is  most  strange,  they  generally  meet,  as  if  by  appointment, 
on  the  same  place  the  next  day,  and  continue  the  combat 
until  one  of  them  falls.1 

The  chamois  are  also  rapidly  decreasing ; man  is  not 
their  only  foe,  they  have  also  to  escape  from  the  great  eagle 
of  the  Alps.  The  king  of  birds  discovers  the  swift  quadru- 
ped, and  forces  it  by  feigned  attacks  to  fly  to  the  highest 
summits.  The  timid  chamois  too  often  makes  for  the  brink 
of  a precipice,  its  place  of  shelter  from  the  hunter.  But 
such  a position  is  most  favourable  for  its  adversary  ; while 
the  chamois  presents  its  horns  in  an  attitude  of  resistance,  the 
eagle  strikes  it  with  its  wings,  and  hurls  it  headlong  from 
the  precipice  into  the  valley,  where  it  feeds  on  its  carcass. 

But  according  to  Mr.  Coxe,  the  eagle  has  to  contend 
against  the  numerous  ravens  in  the  Alps.  The  battles 
in  which  they  engage,  are  interesting  from  the  aeriel 
evolutions  made  on  both  sides.  The  ravens  formed  into 
straight  lines,  and  divided  into  several  battalions,  attack 
the  eagle  on  every  side,  and  are  often  replaced  by  troops 
of  reserve  ; indeed  it  happens  most  frequently  that  the 
eagle  is  obliged  to  seek  safety  in  flight.  The  Alpine  eagle 
measures  sixteen  or  seventeen  feet  between  the  tips  of  the 
wings  ; it  carries  off  lambs,  kids  and  dogs  ; man  never 
spares  it,  but  it  is  seldom  that  it  comes  within  his  reach. 
Ebel  vouches  for  the  truth  of  the  following  anecdote,  which 
evinces  certainly  no  ordinary  coolness  and  address.  A 
hunter  having  discovered  an  eagle’s  nest,  killed  the  male, 
and  then  climbed  the  rocks  to  seize  the  young,  when  at  the 
moment  he  was  putting  his  hand  into  the  nest,  the  mother 
pounced  upon  him,  and  fixed  her  talons  on  his  arm,  and 
her  beak  in  his  side.  The  hunter  had  presence  of  mind  to 
stand  still,  for  had  he  moved,  he  must  have  fallen  to  the 
bottom  of  a precipice  ; holding  his  gun  with  one  hand,  and 
supporting  it  against  the  rock,  he  took  his  aim,  pulled  the 
trigger  with  his  foot,  and  shot  the  eagle.  Ebel  adds  that 
he  was  forced  to  remain  in  bed  for  a month,  from  the 
wounds  he  had  received. . 

The  Swiss  are  descended  from  the  ancient  Helvetii,  and 
from  the  people  that  inhabited  their  country  at  a later  pe- 
riod. History  makes  no  mention  of  the  Helvetii,  until 
about  a hundred  years  before  the  Christian  era.  Although 
it  may  be  difficult  to  trace  their  origin,  it  is  highly  probable 
that  they  are  sprung  from  a very  ancient  branch  of  the 
Celtic  race.  The  lofty  ridges  of  the  Alps  must  have  risen 
first  from  the  depths  of  the  ocean,  and  they  may  also  have 
been  inhabited  before  any  other  country  in  Europe. 

An  author  whose  erudition  cannot  be  too  highly  com- 
mended,11 has  brought  together  several  important  facts  to 
prove  that  Greek  colonies  settled  in  the  country  long  before 
it  was  known  to  the  Romans.  Five  centuries  afterwards, 
when  Julius  Caesar  undertook  the  conquest  of  Gaul,  and 
defeated  the  Helvetii  then  marching  to  invade  it,  a register 
of  their  army  written  in  Greek  characters,  was  found 
among  their  baggage.  In  alliance  with  the  Cimbri  and 
different  German  nations,  they  had  invaded  the  country  as 
far  as  Marseilles  fifty  years  before  that  period,  and  defeated 
the  consul  Silanus.  Cassius  being  sent  to  give  them  battle, 
crossed  the  Alps,  but  they  returned,  and  destroyed  his  le- 
gions not  far  from  the  place  where  the  Rhone  throws  itself 
into  the  lake  of  Geneva. c If  Divico,  their  chief,  had  known 

1 Coxe’s  Travels  in  Switzerland. 

*>  Muller’s  Hist  *ry  of  Switzerland. 


how  to  improve  his  victory,  he  might  have  made  himself 
master  of  Rome ; at  all  events  the  Romans  were  then  trem- 
bling for  their  safety,  and  deploring  the  defeat  of  their  gene- 
ral. But  the  allies  divided  their  forces,  and  Marius  con- 
quered them  in  two  battles,  first  near  Aix  in  Provence,  and 
afterwards  on  the  banks  of  the  Adige  in  Italy. 

These  victories  were,  however,  insignificant,  when  com- 
pared with  the  one  that  Caesar  gained  over  them.  Two 
hundred  and  sixty-three  thousand  Helvetii  and  a hundred 
thousand  allies  from  the  Jura,  the  lake  of  Constance,  Tyrol 
and  the  Grisons,  began  their  march,  after  having  burnt 
twelve  towns  and  four  hundred  villages  in  their  own  country, 
determined  never  to  return  home.  Men,  women,  children, 
carriages  and  cattle  were  accompanied  by  ninety-two  thou- 
sand combatants,  commanded  by  the  same  Divico.  A 
hundred  thousand  Helvetii  were  all  that  escaped  the  arms 
of  the  Romans  ; Caesar  permitted  them  to  rebuild  theix 
habitations.  The  people  were  included  after  this  defeat 
among  the  allies  of  trie  republic,  but  their  independence 
did  not  continue  longer  than  six  years.  They  were  after- 
wards ranked  among  the  people  subject  to  Rome,  and  made 
liable  to  all  the  hardships  which  the  Romans  imposed  on 
conquered  nations. 

The  first  foreign  invasion  of  Switzerland,  happened  about 
a hundred  years  after  the  Christian  era.  Not  more  than 
two  centuries  afterwards,  the  seeds  of  Christianity  were 
sown  in  the  country  ; it  still  continued  subject  to  the  empe- 
x'ors,  but  in  the  fourth  century  it  changed  its  masters.  A 
population  consisting  of  Alemanni,  Longobardi,  Vandali, 
Burgundiones  and  other  nations  that  appeared  for  the 
first  time  in  history,  subdued  the  greater  part  of  the  country. 
The  conquerors  had  already  mixed  with  the  conquered, 
and  formed  a new  nation,  when  Helvetia  was  again  deso- 
lated by  the  hordes  of  Attila.  But  the  Burgundian  race 
continued  in  the  country ; they  had  their  kings,  and  Gene- 
va became  the  place  of  their  residence.  The  Helvetians 
were  less  oppressed  by  the  barbarians,  than  they  had  been 
by  the  Romans. 

The  druidical  woi’ship  of  the  ancient  Helvetii  was  amal- 
gamated with  that  of  their  conquei'ors.  Iiesus  and  * Teu - 
tales,  Bclenus,  the  god  of  light,  Taranis,  armed  with  thunder, 
Siwa,  the  divinity  of  the  Grisons,  and  Penninus,  the  god  of 
the  people  in  the  Valais,  shared  the  homage  of  the  inhabi- 
tants. A few  Christians  inhabited,  however,  some  vallies 
in  the  Jura  from  the  third  to  the  seventh  century,  when 
some  Scottish  monks  came  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  hea- 
thens in  Helvetia,  and  Gall,  one  of  them,  acquired  so  great 
a reputation  for  sanctity,  that  the  celebrated  abbey  of  Saint 
Gall  was  erected  as  a tribute  to  his  memory  about  fifty  years 
after  his  death.  Can  the  resistance  which  the  Helvetians 
opposed  to  new  invaders,  be  attributed  to  the  influence 
of  a religion  that  then  began  to  enlighten  a degraded 
people  1 

The  Huns  invaded  Switzerland  in  the  eighth  century, 
but  their  army  was  wholly  defeated ; two  hundred  years 
afterwards,  hordes  made  up  of  Hungarians,  Moors  and 
Sai'acens,  as  they  are  called  in  history,  appeared  twice  in 
the  Alps ; they  burned  the  villages,  and  plundered  the 
country  during  fifty  years,  but  were  at  last  destroyed  by 
the  brave  mountaineers.  The  names  of  some  places,  such 
as  Jlfaur-JMont,  JMauro-Fonte,  and  the  Wall  of  the  Saracens 
near  Avenches,  serve  still  to  attest  their  residence.*1 

e Csesar — Book  I. 

d Simond’s  Travels  in  Switzerland,  Volume  Second. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SWITZERLAND. 


BOOK  CXXX.] 

Helvetia  was  under  the  protection  of  the  German  em- 
pire ; Rudolph  of  Hapsburg,  in  the  height  of  his  power, 
formed  the  project  of  uniting  the  different  parts  of  Swit- 
zerland into  a single  sovereignty.  Albert,  his  son,  fol- 
lowed the  same  policy,  but  the  inhabitants  were  much  op- 
pressed by  his  officers.  Gessler,  in  particular,  rendered 
their  yoke  very  burdensome,  and  William  Tell,  by  put- 
ting that  tyrant  to  death,  paved  the  way  for  the  deliverance 
of  his  countrymen.  Three  heroes,  whose  names  are  re- 
vered throughout  the  republic,  namely,  Werner  from  the 
canton  of  Schweitz,  Walter  Furst  from  that  of  Uri,  and 
Arnold  from  that  of  Underwalden,  resolved  in  1308  to  take 
possession  of  the  strong-holds  occupied  by  the  Austrian  go- 
vernors. The  secret  of  their  conspiracy  was  so  well  kept, 
the  measures  concerted  with  such  wisdom,  and  executed 
with  so  much  courage  and  intrepidity,  that  the  result  was 
the  independence  of  their  country.  But  the  Waldstetten a 
or  the  three  forest  cantons  of  Schweitz,  Underwalden  and 
Uri,  which  have  been  already  mentioned,  constituted  at 
that  time  the  whole  of  free  Helvetia.  They  formed  the 
confederation  of  Schweitz  in  1315  ; at  a later  period  the 
other  cantons  were  successively  included,  and  in  1513  Ap- 
penzell  completed  the  federative  republic,  of  which  the 
independence  was  confirmed  and  secured  by  the  treaty  of 
W estphalia. 

In  1798,  Switzerland,  like  many  other  countries,  was 
obliged  to  submit  to  the  laws  which  victorious  France  dic- 
tated ; part  of  its  territory  was  taken  away,  and  the  govern- 
ment was  changed.  Geneva,  which  had  been  ceded  to 
France,  was  restored  in  1815,  and  the  country  was  at  the 
same  time  divided  into  twenty-two  cantons. 

The  ancient  gods  of  Helvetia  ceased  to  be  worshipped 
after  the  introduction  of  Christianity,  but  other  beings  of 
the  imagination  have , occupied  their  place.  The  forests 
and  mountains  are  believed  to  be  peopled  with  spirits,  and 
it  is  supposed  the  causeway  of  Pierre  Pertuis,b  as  well  as 
the  natural  bridge  which  rises  above  it,  were  constructed  by 
the  devil ; the  aperture  is  about  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  breadth, 
and  twenty  in  height,  and  the  breadth  of  the  arch  about 
twenty-five  feet.c  The  reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century 
was  not  embraced  by  all  the  inhabitants.  The  cantons  of 
Bale,  Berne,  Yaud,  Schaffhausen,  Zurich,  Geneva  and 
Neuchatel  separated  from  Rome.  Soleure,  Friburg,  Lu- 
cerne, Zug,  Schweitz,  Underwalden,  Uri,  Tesino  and  the 
Yalais  have  continued  catholic.  The  cantons  of  Aaragu, 
Glaris,  Thurgau,  Saint  Gall,  Appenzell,  and  the  Grisons 
are  partly  peopled  by  catholics  and  partly  by  protestants. 

Several  languages  are  used  in  different  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, but  the  German  more  generally  than  any  other ; the 
people  in  the  greater  part  of  Switzerland  speak  it,  but  it  is 
the  harshest  and  most  guttural  of  the  German  dialects. 
The  inhabitants  of  Vaud,  Neuchatel  and  Geneva,  and  a 
part  of  those  in  Berne,  Soleure,  Friburg  and  the  Valais, 
speak  French  ; but  the  lower  orders  in  the  same  cantons'1 
make  use  of  a peculiar  idiom,®  which  has  been  considered  a 
compound  of  Celtic,  Greek  and  Latin ; it  is  divided  into 
several  dialects,  and  is  apparently  the  most  ancient  lan- 

a Germ.  Waldstadte. , b Lat.  Petra  Pertusa,  the  perforated  rock. 

c The  aperture  is  very  irregular  in  its  form,  full  30  feet  in  its  least 
breadth  and  50  in  its  greatest ; the  height  about  20  feet.  The  thickness  of 
the  rock  on  one  side  of  the  opening  is  25  feet,  and  on  the  other  20.  (Simond’s 
Travels  in  Switzerland.) 

<*  Rather  in  the  districts  where  French  is  spoken. — P. 

e “ Un  patois  welche  ou  Roman.” — In  the  table  of  population  p.  760, 
this  is  made  to  include  the  Grisons.  In  the  table  of  European  languages, 


75 

I guage  in  the  country.  The  Italian  is  spoken  in  the  canton 
of  Tesino,  and  in  a part  of  that  of  the  Grisons/ 

The  honesty,  simplicity  and  moral  purity  of  the  Swiss 
have  been  greatly  overrated.  The  wealthy  who  travel 
through  Switzerland,  are  apt  to  be  misled  by  the  impres- 
sions produced  by  a country  abounding  in  romantic  sites, 
and  differing  so  much  from  the  rest  of  Europe,  and  besides 
the  only  country  inhabited  by  shepherds  and  husbandmen 
living  under  a popular  government.  The  peaceful  life  of 
the  mountaineers  makes  the  citizen  envy  their  destiny  ; he 
believes  them  happy,  because  he  is  rendered  so  himself  by 
the  new  sensations  which  the  variety  of  objects  creates  ; he 
forms  a high  idea  of  their  virtue,  because  removed  from  the 
sphere  of  ambition  and  intrigue,  he  supposes  them  to  be 
without  ambition,  care,  or  vice.  Thus,  the  inhabitants  of 
towns  are  apt  to  suppose  that  happiness  can  only  be  found 
in  the  country  ; it  is  however  but  too  well  known  that  ex- 
amples of  virtue  and  good  morals  are  not  always  to  be  met 
with  in  villages.  In  Switzerland,  as  in  every  other  country, 
ignorance  and  poverty  are  rarely  united  with  moral  quali- 
ties ; in  the  cantons  where  education  is  diffused,  where  in- 
dustry and  commerce  are  sources  of  wealth,  the  people 
are  contented  and  happy.  Religion  exerts  a beneficent  in- 
fluence, and  the  spirit  of  union  and  tolerance,  which  per- 
vades every  class  of  the  community,  may  in  part,  at  least, 
be  attributed  to  protestantism. 

If  the  Swiss  have  little  taste  for  the  charms  of  society, 
they  are  perhaps  on  that  account  more  susceptible  of  other 
enjoyments  ; domestic  happiness,  conjugal  and  parental  af- 
fections, as  well  as  the  other  virtues  of  private  life,  are  more 
common  in  Switzerland  than  in  countries  where  social 
pleasures  are  better  understood,  and  where  the  feelings  are 
less  concentrated.  The  men  meet,  but  it  is  to  converse, 
smoke  and  walk  about  a chamber,  where  three  chairs  are 
sufficient  for  twelve  persons.  It  is  not  difficult  to  discover 
the  character  of  an  individual  almost  at  the  first  interview, 
so  great  is  the  simplicity  of  manners,  so  little  effect  has  been 
produced  by  the  usages  of  society.  Thus,  says  a Swiss 
author,®  “ at  the  concert  or  the  church,  at  every  place 
where  a number  of  persons  are  assembled,  but  most  of  all 
at  a play,  which  being  seldom  permitted,  is  on  that  account 
more  frequented,  it  is  impossible  not  to  observe  the  prodi- 
gious diversity  of  physiognomies  in  people  of  every  age,  but 
particularly  in  the  young,  the  extreme  mobility  of  their  fea- 
tures, and  the  ingenuousness  and  vivacity  of  their  expres- 
sions.” 

Bravery,  the  love  of  labour,  attachment  to  their  country, 
and  respect  for  ancient  customs  and  institutions,  form  the 
principal  features  in  the  national  character.  The  mass  ot 
the  people  are  more  enlightened  than  in  other  countries  ; 
in  some  cantons,  not  only  the  wealthy  but  the  peasantry 
cultivate  literature  and  the  arts.  The  human  mind,  how- 
ever, is  made  up  of  so  many  contradictions,  that  in  Swit- 
zerland, where  liberty  has  been  established  for  several  ages, 
some  remains  of  the  worst  of  governments  are  suffered  to 
exist ; justice  is  privately  administered,  and  the  torture  is 
still  in  use. 


Book  XCVI.  the  Rhcetian,  spoken  in  the  Grisons  and  Tyrol,  the  Valai- 
san,  spoken  in  the  Lower  Yalais,  and  the  Helvetic,  spoken  in  the  western 
Swiss  cantons,  are  all  classed  together  under  the  head  of  Romanic  (Ro- 
mansh)  of  the  Alps.  See  Note  (f)  — P. 

f The  inhabitants  of  the  canton  of  the  Grisons  may  be  divided  into 
three  classes  according  to  their  languages,  viz.  Italians,  Proper  Grisons, 
who  speak  the  Romansh  language,  and  Germans. — P. 

6 Meister’s  Travels  from  Zurich  to  Zurich. 


76  EUROPE.  [book  txxx. 


Different  costumes,  of  which  the  origin  is  very  ancient, 
listinguish  the  people  in  most  of  the  cantons  ; in  several, 
mmptuary  laws  have  been  introduced,  a wise  and  salutary 
measure  in  a country  where  independence  and  liberty  are 
fostered  by  the  absence  of  luxury.  Games  of  chance  are 
prohibited,  but  gymnastic  exercises  are  the  daily  amuse- 
ments of  the  young  ; they  engage  in  the  race,  in  wrestling, 
in  throwing  the  dart,  or  in  shooting  at  a target.  Although 
the  Swiss  are  not  a poetical  people,11  it  is-certain  that  of  all 
the  arts,  music  is  the  one  most  generally  cultivated. 

The  different  branches  of  agriculture  are  well  under- 
stood in  Switzerland,  and  if  it  were  not  for  variable  sea- 
sons, it  might  be  unnecessary  to  import  grain  or  other  ar- 
ticles of  primary  necessity.  The  extent  and  fruitfulness 
of  the  pastures  are  favourable  to  the  propagation  of  cattle  ; 
the  oxen  are  remarkable  for  their  size,  and  the  cows,  par- 
ticularly the  short-horned  breed  in  the  valley  of  Gruyeres, 
are  much  prized  in  different  countries.  The  horses,  though 
neither  swift  nor  well  made,  are  strong  and  hardy,  but  as 
the  mule  is  more  sure-tooted,  it  is  the  most  common  beast 
of  burden  in  the  mountains. 

The  commerce  of  the  different  cantons  has  been  much 
diminished  since  the  last  treaties.  The  prohibitory  system 
introduced  by  neighbouring  states,  has  necessarily  confined 
the  outlets  which  the  Helvetic  confederation  found  former- 
ly for  its  cattle,  leather,  cheese,  hemp  and  flax,  and  for  its 
watches  and  muslins,  but  its  pharmaceutical  plants  form 
still  a considerable  branch  of  exportation. 

The  canton  of  Schaff hausen,  one  of  the  smallest  in  Swit- 
zerland, is  situated  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  coun- 
try'. The  capital  of  the  same  name  is  the  only  town  of  any 
consequence,  and  it  must  be  confessed  that  it  contains  little 
or  nothing  remarkable.  Its  port  was  frequented  as  early 
as  the  eighth  century  ; it  was  called  Schiffhausen  or  a 
shelter  for  vessels, b from  its  position  above  the  cataracts  of 
the  Rhine.  The  town  possesses  an  academy,  a gymna- 
sium, several  schools  and  a bible  society.  The  trade, 
which  is  considerable,,  consists  in  cotton  stuffs,  silks  and 
leather.  The  strangers,  who  repair  to  the  celebrated  fall 
of  Lauffen,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  Europe,  gene- 
rally visit  Schaff  hausen. 

Frauenfeld,  the  capital  of  Thurgau,  contains  three  large 
and  fine  streets,  and  several  silk  manufactories.  Bischols- 
zell,  a small  town,  is  peopled  by  husbandmen. 

Saint-Gall  is  distinguished  as  a commercial  and  manu- 
facturing town,  but  the  only  curiosities  are  the  remains  of 
its  ancient  abbey,  and  the  manuscripts  which  are  contained 
in  it.  The  people  in  the  adjacent  territory  are  among  the 
poorest  in  Switzerland ; they  are  degraded  by  ignorance 
and  its  attendant  vices. 

Appenzell,  which  surrounds  the  last  canton,  presents  a 
very  different  spectacle ; the  greatest  industry  prevails 
through  every  part  of  it.  The  capital  of  the  same  name 
is  only  a burgh  ; Herisau  is  a place  of  greater  consequence, 
and  possesses  a more  flourishing  trade. 

Zurich  is  remarkable  for  its  romantic  situation,  and  for 
the  fine  views  that  extend  from  its  ramparts  and  public 
walks.  The  materials  of  its  commerce  are  supplied  by  its 
cotton,  hat  and  soap  manufactories.  It  was  distinguished 
in  the  middle  ages  by  the  reformer  Zuinglius,  and  since 

’ Madame  Dc  Stael’s  Germany. 

* “ Abri  des  bateaux” — Literally,  skiff-house  or  boat-house.  (Si- 
mond.) — P. 

c In  the  public  library  is  a cabinet  of  medals,  the  library  of  the  chapter 


that  period,  by  the  illustrious  men,  who  have  been  born  in 
the  town.  To  be  convinced  of  its  just  claims  to  cele- 
brity, it  is  sufficient  to  mention  the  names  of  Gessner, 
Lavater  and  Pestalozzi.  Its  libraries  are  rich  in  manu- 
scripts, in  medals  and  in  collections  of  natural  history.0 
Its  schools  are  numerous,  its  academy  is  frequented  by 
many  strangers,  and  its  scientific  societies  might  be  credit- 
able to  larger  and  more  populous  cities.  The  small  town 
of  Winterthur  rivals  Zurich  in  the  industry  of  its  inhabi- 
tants ; in  its  library,  there  is  a fine  collection  of  medals  and 
engraved  stones,  found  in  the  village  of  Ober-Winterthur, 
which  stands  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Vitodurum. 

Aarau,  or  Arau,  the  capital  of  Aargau,  although  an  old 
and  dirty  town,  is  a place  of  considerable  trade.  It  pos- 
sesses several  charitable  institutions,  and  schools  to  which 
parents  are  obliged  to  send  their  children.  A numerous 
collection  of  manuscripts  relative  to  the  history  of  Switzer- 
land, forms  the  most  valuable  portion  of  its  library.  Aarau 
is  the  only  town  in  the  confederation  where  meteorological 
observations  are  registered.  Baden  is  known  from  its  baths 
which  the  Romans  called  Aqua,  Varbigence.  Tacitus  in- 
forms us  that  these  baths  were  finely  built,  and  the  same 
writer  commends  their  salubrity.  A great  many  antiqui- 
ties have  been  found  near  the  town,  among  others,  a statue 
of  Isis,  which  was  long  worshipped  under  the  name  of 
Saint  Verena.d  The  small  town  of  Zoffingen  is  well  built ; 
it  possesses  several  fine  edifices,  a library  and  a collection 
of  medals.  The  only  fortress  and  the  only  arsenal  within 
the  limits  of  the  confederation,  are  situated  at  Aarburg  or 
Arburg. 

Bale,  Basil  or  Basle,  which  Ammianus  Marcellinus  calls 
Basilia,  was  the  most  important  town  in  Helvetia  during  the 
eleventh  century  ; it  was  also  during  a long  time  the  only 
one  in  Europe,  where  the  art  of  printing  was  carried  to  a 
great  degree  of  perfection.  Many  illustrious  men  have 
been  born  within  its  walls,  among  others,  the  Bernouillis, 
the  Eulers,  and  the  celebrated  Holbein  ; several  paintings 
by  that  distinguished  artist,  are  carefully  preserved  in  the 
university.  Erasmus  died  at  Bale,  and  left  his  valuable 
library  to  the  same  institution  ; it  possesses  besides,  a col- 
lection of  twelve  thousand  Roman  medals,  and  other  anti- 
quities found  at  Augst,  the  ancient  Augusta  Rauracorum, 
at  some  distance  from  the  town.  The  statue  of  Munatius 
Plancus,  the  founder  of  that  colony,  may  be  seen  in  the 
tower  of  the  townhouse.  The  population  of  the  town  has 
decreased  since  the  sixteenth  century,  but  it  is  still  adorned 
with  several  fine  streets  and  spacious  squares.  The  hos- 
pitals and  charitable  institutions  are  richly  endowed,  and 
the  method  of  instruction  proposed  by  Pestalozzi,  has  been 
adopted  with  great  success  in  the  different  schools. 

The  situation  of  the  town  is  very  romantic.  The  cathe- 
dral stands  on  a lofty  terrace  shaded  by  horse-chestnut 
trees;  it  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  Rhine,  but  the 
river  assumes  the  character  of  an  impetuous  torrent,  more 
likely  to  desolate  than  to  fructify  or  facilitate  communications 
in  the  country  through  which  it  flows.  “ I could  not  per- 
ceive,” says  Simond,  “ a single  boat  in  that  part  of  its 
course  ; its  waters  are  of  a whitish  blue  colour,  not  unlike 
those  of  the  Rhone  ; indeed  it  is  easy  to  discover  a sort  of 
family  resemblance  between  these  two  large  rivers,  which 

( Chorhcrren ) is  rich  in  manuscripts,  and  the  physical  society  possesses  a 
library,  a museum  of  natural  history,  aud  a collection  < f philosophical  in 
struments.  (Conv.  Lex.) — P. 

d Ebel's  Travels  in  Sw  itzerland. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SWITZERLAND. 


77 


BOOK  CXXX.] 

indicates  their  common  origin.”  Little  Bale,  on  the  oppo- 
site bank,  communicates  with  the  town  by  a bridge  built  of 
stone  at  the  two  extremities,  and  of  wood  in  the  middle,  on 
account  of  the  depth  and  rapidity  of  the  current.  The 
mountains  of  the  Black  Forest  bound  the  horizon  towards 
the  north-east. a Bale  has  been  more  than  once  overturned 
by  earthquakes  ; it  was  desolated  by  the  plague  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  and  it  has  been  affirmed  that  with  the 
exception  of  one,  all  the  members  of  its  council  fell  victims 
to  that  disease. 

Soleure  is  a place  of  considerable  trade  ; its  broad  and 
well  paved  streets  are  adorned  with  fountains,  and  a num- 
ber of  baths  have  been  built  on  the  Aar.  The  principal 
churchb  is  considered  one  of  the  finest  in  Switzerland.  The 
late  improvements  in  the  system  of  education  have  not 
yet  been  adopted  in  the  town,  although  their  advantages 
have  been  acknowledged  in  the  rural  districts.  The  pri- 
sons, workhouses  and  hospitals  in  Soleure  are  much  better 
managed  than  others  in  places  of  greater  importance. 

Several  important  towns  are  situated  in  the  canton  of 
Berne.  Porentrui  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  leather. 
Burgdorf,  or,  according  to  its  French  , name,  Berthoud,  is 
well  known  from  the  institution  founded  by  Pestalozzi. 
Many  silk  worms  are  reared  at  Bienne  ; its  celebrated  lake 
is  three  leagues  in  length,  one  in  breadth,0  and  two  hundred 
feet  in  depth.  The  houses  are  curiously  painted  and  built 
upon  arcades,  and  the  squares  are  decorated  with  old  foun- 
tains, the  most  of  which  were  erected  during  the  fifteenth 
and  sixteenth  centuries.  The  long  hair  of  the  women  de- 
scends below  their  petticoats,  but  the  latter  hardly  reach  to 
their  knees. 

Berne  or  Bern,  the  chief  town  in  this  wealthy  canton,  is 
* well  built,  but  the  streets  are  gloomy  and  deserted.  The 
town  is  kept  clean  by  the  numerous  fountains  and  limpid 
streams  which  water  it.  The  magistrates  have  not  sacrificed 
utility  to  appearances  ; hospitals,  and  store  houses  in  which 
grain  is  deposited  and  used  in  seasons  of  scarcity,  are  the 
first  objects  that  the  stranger  remarks  on  entering  Berne. 
The  commerce  of  the  town  is  not  very  great,  but  the  inha- 
bitants are  comparatively  affluent ; no  mendicants  are  seen 
in  the  streets.  The  edifices  and  places  worthy  of  being 
visited,  are  the  arsenal,  the  cathedral  which  was  built  in  the 
sixteenth  century,** 1  the  church  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  finished 
in  1704,  the  library,  different  scientific  collections  and  the 
monument  in  the  botanical  garden,  erected  to  the  memory 
of  the  great  Haller,  who  was  born  in  the  town.  The  situ- 
ation of  Berne  on  a height  renders  it  salubrious,  and  ac- 
counts in  some  measure  for  the  frequent  instances  of  longe- 
vity. Its  name,  which  is  derived  from  the  German  word 
bosr  (bear,)  has  given  rise  to  different  opinions  concerning 
its  origin.  It  has  been  supposed  that  Berthold  the  Fourth, 
duke  of  Zsehringen,  and  the  founder  of  the  town,  called  it 
Bsern,  from  having  killed  a bear  in  the  vicinity.  The 
figure  of  the  same  animal  forms  the  city  arms,6  and  it  is 
perhaps  for  these  reasons  that  several  bears  are  still  kept  in 
the  intrenchments. 

Sursee  and  Sempach  are  two  small  towns  in  the  canton 
of  Lucerne  ; they  are  agreeably  situated  at  the  two  extre- 
mities of  a lake  to  which  the  last  town  has  given  its  name. 
But  Lucerne  is  still  more  remarkable  for  its  fine  lake,  part 


of  which  lies  beyond  its  territory,  and  is  called  the  lake  of 
the  Four  Cantons.  The  mountains  of  Righif  and  Pilate8 
are  reflected  from  the  surface  of  its  waters,  and  the  most 
romantic  views  may  be  seen  from  the  chapel  of  Maria  Zell 
and  other  elevated  situations  in  the  neighbourhood.  The 
broad  and  modern  streets  of  Lucerne  are  surrounded  by 
fortifications  that  were  built  in  the  fourteenth  century. 
Covered  wooden  bridges,  one  of  which  is  thirteen  hundred 
and  eighty  feet  in  length,  are  erected  across  the  Reuss,  and 
unite  the  two  quarters.  The  townhouse  is  richly  adorned  ; 
the  armour  of  duke  Leopold,  and  other  trophies  gained  at 
the  battles  of  Sempach  and  Morat,  are  deposited  in  the 
arsenal.  The  former  of  these  engagements  was  fought  in 
1386,  and  the  latter  in  1476.  Different  antiquities  are 
preserved  in  the  cathedral ; the  libraries,  which  are  rich  in 
manuscripts,  the  celebrated  model  of  Switzerland  con- 
structed in  relievo  by  General  Pfyffer,  the  learned  societies, 
the  colleges  and  the  schools,  give  the  town  an  importance 
that  forms  a striking  contrast  with  its  scanty  population. 

The  canton  of  Zug  is  smaller  than  any  other  in  Switzer- 
land, and  its  capital  of  the  same  name  was  probably  one 
of  the  towns  which  the  Helvetii  burned,  when  they  made 
an  incursion  into  Gaul  in  the  time  of  Julius  Caesar. 

Schweitz,  which  might  be  more  correctly  called  a burgh 
than  a town,  is  situated  at  the  base  of  the  Mythen  moun- 
tains ; almost  all  the  houses  are  ill  built.  The  pilgrims  of 
Switzerland,  and  others  from  many  parts  of  Germany  and 
France,  meet  at  the  village  of  Einsiedeln  in  the  same  can- 
ton. The  convent  of  the  Benedictines  possesses  a sup- 
posed miraculous  image  of  the  Virgin,  and  a piece  of  silver 
impressed  with  the  hand  of  the  Saviour.  Those  who  wish 
to  have  their  sins  forgiven,  must  put  their  fingers  into  the 
five  marks  in  the  silver,  and  drink  out  of  the  fourteen  pipes 
of  the  fountain  in  front  of  the  convent,  because  from  one  of 
them,  at  present  unknown,  Jesus  quenched  his  thirst. 
Rapperschwyl  is  an  old  and  almost  deserted  town  ; but  its 
sombre  aspect  harmonizes  with  the  romantic  country  that 
surrounds  it. 

No  hostile  army  had  invaded  the  canton  of  Glaris  during 
more  than  four  hundred  years;  but  it  was  at  last  devastated 
by  the  French,  the  Austrians  and  the  Russians,  in  1798. 
Whatever  could  serve  for  food  or  clothing,  was  pillaged  by 
the  soldiers.  The  inhabitants  of  this  rich  canton  were  re- 
duced to  poverty ; the  last  bottle  of  wine  in  the  valley  of 
Sernft,  was  offered  to  Suwarrow  and  the  grand  duke  Con- 
stantine, during  their  precipitate  retreat.  Glaris  differs  from 
most  other  towns  ; its  character  is  wholly  Swiss  ; the  anti- 
quated manners  of  its  inhabitants  and  their  still  more  ancient 
habitations  render  it  like  a place  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
The  date  of  their  construction  is  marked  on  almost  all  the 
houses  ; some  of  them  have  stood  for  more  than  five  hun- 
dred years  ; they  are  painted  with  various  colours,  and 
on  many  of  them  historical  events  are  represented.  The 
streets  are  narrow  and  crooked,  and  so  much  is  the  town 
obscured  by  the  lofty  mountains  on  every  side,  that  accor- 
ding to  an  intelligent  traveller,  the  sun  is  visible  in  winter 
for  only  four  hours  in  the  day.h  The  inhabitants  manufac- 
ture cloth,  cotton  stuff's  and  muslin. 

Altorf,  the  chief  town  in  the  canton  of  Uri,  was  rendered 
illustrious  by  the  liberators  of  Helvetia.  A tower  on  which 

great  church  (cathedral)  was  erected  in  the  beginning  of  the  15th  century 
Simond. — P. 

e “ Armes  parlantes,” — a coat  of  arms  in  which  the  charges  refer  to  the 
etymology  of  the  hparcr’s  name. — P. 

I f Righi-berg.  s Mount  Pilatus.  h Simond’s  Travels  in  Switzerland 


“ Simond’s  Travels  in  Switzerland. 

b “ L’eglise  de  Saint  Ours” — the  church  of  St.  Ursa.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 
c Nine  miles  long  and  four  broad.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

d The  cathedral  was  erected  in  1421  by  the  same  architect  who  built  the 
Munster  at  Strasburg  (finished  1439.)  Ed.  Encyc.  Encyc.  Method.  The 


78  EUR 

the  history  of  William  Tell  is  represented,  stands  on  the 
spot  formerly  occupied  by  the  lime  tree,  where  he  aimed  at 
the  apple  on  the  head  of  his  son.  An  old  house,  now 
nearly  in  ruins,  is  visited  by  strangers  ; it  belonged  to  Wal- 
ter Furst,  the  father-in-law  of  William  Tell,  and  one  of  the 
heroes  of  the  time. 

The  simplicity  and  hospitality  of  ancient  times  are  still 
observable  in  the  canton  of  Underwalden.1  It  is  divided 
into  two  small  republics ; Stantz,  the  chief  town  of  the  one, 
is  remarkable  for  a large  church,  adorned  with  marble 
pillars,  and  Sarnen,  the  capital  of  the  other,  is  situated  in 
one  of  the  finest  vallies  in  Switzerland.  A large  fountainb 
formed  from  a single  block  of  granite  has  been  erected  in 
the  market  place.0  The  people  in  the  canton  carry  on  a 
considerable  trade  in  cheese,  which  is  exported  into  Italy 
and  different  parts  of  Germany. 

Fi'iburg  is  one  of  the  most  important  agricultural  cantons 
in  Switzerland  ; it  is  also  highly  interesting  to  the  botanist, 
and  its  women  are  distinguished  by  their  beauty  and  the 
singularity  of  their  dress.  Cheese  forms  the  principal  wealth 
of  Gruyeres,  and  the  small  town  of  Morat  is  celebrated  as 
being  the  place  of  the  battle  in  which  Charles  the  Rashd  was 
defeated.  Friburg,  the  capital,  is  encompassed  with  an- 
cient walls,  but  the  cathedral  is  the  only  remarkable  build- 
ing ; its  tower  is  about  three  hundred  and  ninety  feet  in 
height.*  The  people  appear  to  be  as  favourably  disposed  to 
antiquated  customs  and  institutions  as  they  are  averse  to 
every  sort  of  intellectual  improvement.  The  Jesuits  have 
been  lately  recalled  ; they  have  acquired  their  former  influ- 
ence, and  the  direction  of  the  schools  is  at  present  commit- 
ted to  their  care.  The  trade  of  the  town  consists  in  hats, 
cotton  cloths  and  earthen  ware. 

The  canton  of  Vaud,  one  of  the  largest  and  most  popu- 
lous in  Switzerland,  is  also  the  one  in  which  the  blessings 
of  knowledge  and  education  are  most  diffused.  Crimes  are 
of  very  rare  occurrence  ; not  more  than  seventy  or  eighty 
individuals  are  confined  in  all  the  houses  of  correction,  and 
out  of  three  thousand  processes  instituted  annually,  more 
than  two  thousand  are  settled  by  the  intervention  of  arbiters 
or  justices  of  peace/ 

Aventicum,  the  ancient  capital  of  Roman  Helvetia,  was 
situated  near  the  lake  of  Morat ; it  occupied  an  extent  of 
more  than  six  milesg  in  circumference.  The  remains  of 
streets  and  edifices  may  still  be  observed,  notwithstanding 
the  ravages  of  time,  and  the  depredations  of  ancient  and 
modern  barbarians.  Ruins  which  are  supposed  to  have 
been  once  public  baths,  mosaics,  pilasters,  marble  columns, 
the  remains  of  a vast  amphitheatre,  basso-relievos  and  in- 
scriptions attest  its  former  splendour.  The  walls  of  its  an- 
cient port,  and  the  iron  rings  to  which  boats  were  attached, 
are  still  seen  ; but  it  is  very  remarkable  that  the  lake  has 
now  receded  from  it  more  than  a quarter  of  a league.  Ta- 
citus makes  mention  of  Aventicum,  and  Vespasian  embel- 
lished it,  but  it  is  at  present  an  ill  peopled  burgh,  of  which 
the  Latin  name  has  been  changed  into  Avenches.*  The 
greatest  curiosities  in  the  small  town  of  Payerne,  are  the 
tomb  and  the  saddle  of  queen  Bertha  ; an  opening  appears 
in  the  saddle,  which  was  made  to  hold  the  distaff  of  that 
good  queen,  who  never  travelled  without  it.  Yverdun  is  a 
place  of  trade  and  industry ; its  inhabitants  are  distinguished 

-OPE.  [BOOK  cxxx. 

by  their  urbanity  and  their  taste  for  the  sciences.  It  was 
the  ancient  Ebredunum,  the  residence  of  the  commander 
of  the  barks  ( prccfcctus  barcariorum.)  Orbe,  which  was 
also  a Roman  town,  is  still  commanded  by  the  ancient  cas- 
tle where  Brunehault  was  betrayed  and  delivered  to  Clo- 
taire  the  Second,  by  whom  she  was  axidemned  to  death. 
The  small  town  of  Nyon  on  the  lake  of  Geneva,  possesses 
a considerable  trade  in  porcelain.  Rolle  is  famous  for  its 
wine,  Morges  for  its  paper,  its  foils  and  its  cannon,  but  Ve- 
vay  is  perhaps  better  known  than  either,  from  its  romantic 
situation,  and  from  the  rocks  of  Meillerie/  that  rise  above 
the  lake.  A large  fountain  adorns  the  market  place,  which 
may  bear  a comparison  with  any  other  in  Switzerland. 
The  vineyard  in  the  neighbourhood  are  very  productive  ; 
the  husbandmen  and  vine-dressers  join  in  a festival  every 
four  years,  which  is  preceded  by  a procession,  in  which  dif- 
ferent individuals  represent  heathen  gods  and  personages  in 
sacred  history.  Noah  and  Canaan  are  seen  near  Bacchus 
and  Silenus;  Ceres  is  seated  in  her  car,  followed  by  bac- 
chantes' and  satyrs.  The  origin  of  the  procession,  which 
was  in  all  probability  modified  after  the  establishment  of 
Christianity,  is  lost  in  the  night  of  time.1  Lausanne,  a place 
of  some  celebrity,  is  situated  at  a short  distance  from  the 
site  of  the  ancient  Lausonium ; it  has  several  learned  and 
scientific  societies ; Theodore  Beza  and  Conrad  Gessner 
taught  in  its  academy.  The  buildings  worthy  of  notice  are 
the  castle,  the  cathedral  begun  in  the  year  1000,  and  con- 
secrated by  Gregory  the  Tenth,  in  the  presence  of  Rudolph 
of  Hapsburg,  and  lastly  the  house  inhabited  by  Gibbon  the 
historian. 

The  scenery  round  the  lake  of  Geneva  is  not  perhaps  so 
striking  as  that  near  other  Swiss  lakes  of  a smaller  size. 
Its  surface  is  supposed  to  be  greater  than  a hundred  and 
fifty-six  square  miles  ;k  but  its  extent  renders  it  difficult  in 
many  places,  for  .the  spectator  to  judge  correctly  of  the  dis- 
tance and  height  of  the  summits  that  encompass  it.  The 
mountains  seem  to  be  nearer  and  consequently  less  elevated 
than  they  really  are.  The  upper  extremity  is  without  doubt 
the  finest  part  of  the  lake  ; it  may  there  bear  a comparison 
with  the  most  romantic  sites  in  Germany  or  Switzerland. 
The  surface  of  its  water  is  eleven  hundred  and  twenty-six 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.1  The  mean  depth  has  lieen 
estimated  at  five  hundred  and  sixty  feet,  and  the  tempera- 
ture is  warmer  at  the  surface  than  at  the  bottom.  The  lake 
is  subject  to  a phenomenon  which  has  not  been  hitherto 
satisfactorily  explained  ; in  other  words,  the  water  has  se- 
veral times  been  seen  to  rise  four  or  five  feet  above  its  ordi- 
nary level  in  the  space  of  a few  hours.  To  these  tides  the 
inhabitants  have  given  the  name  of  seiches.  It  is  highly 
probable  that  the  lake  was  larger  at  a former  period  than  at 
present ; indeed  the  supposition  seems  to  be  confirmed  by 
the  fact  that  alluvial  deposits  are  formed  at  the  entrance  of 
the  Rhone,  while  the  same  river  is  limpid  and  transparent 
at  its  efflux.  This  lake,  one  of  the  finest  in  southern  Eu- 
rope, was  well  known  in  ancient  times  by  the  name  of  Le- 
man ( Lacus  Lemanus.) 

Geneva,  the  capital  of  a very  small  Swiss  canton,  is  situ- 
ated at  its  western  extremity.  But  although  the  canton 
may  be  insignificant,  both  in  size  and  population,  it  is  the 
most  civilized,  industrious  and  wealthy  of  any  in  Switzer- 

1 Unterwalden.  b The  basin  of  a fountain. 

c The  public  square.  d Charles  the  Bold. 

e “ 386  feet.” 

f Simond’s  Travels  in  Switzerland. 

1 “ Of  2 leagues 

h The  rocks  of  Meillerie  are  on  the  southern  side  of  the  lake  opposite 
Vevav.  ' Ebcl’s  Description  of  Switzerland. 

k “ Estimated  at  26  sq.  leagues.” 

1 According  to  the  calculations  of  Deluc.  [1134  feet,  according  to  Pic- 
tet, and  1 154,  according  to  Shuckburgh.] 

1 

SWITZERLAND. 


79 


book  cxxx.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

land.  The  houses  and  buildings  in  Geneva  are  little  worthy 
of  notice,  the  streets  are  narrow,  and  the  town  is  divided 
into  two  unequal  parts  by  the  rapid  waters  of  the  Rhone ; 
but  the  natural  beauties  of  the  vicinity  are  varied  and  impo- 
sing. The  superiority  of  Geneva  over  other  places  in  Swit- 
zerland is  .of  an  intellectual  nature  ; literature  and  science 
have  been  cultivated  with  no  ordinary  success  since  the  Re- 
formation. Much  has  been  done  for  whatever  is  connect- 
ed with  education  or  instruction.  Sixty  thousand  volumes 
and  a great  many  manuscripts  are  contained  in  the  library. 
The  college  founded  by  Calvin  consists  of  different  chairs 
in  theology,  law,  medicine  and  other  branches  of  literature 
and  science.  The  observatory  is  provided  with  good  instru- 
ments, and  the  botanical  garden  abounds  with  valuable 
plants  ; lastly,  several  literary  and  scientific  societies  diffuse 
among  every  rank  a taste  for  useful  knowledge  ; to  these 
causes,  and  to  the  influence  of  a rigid  worship,  may  per- 
haps be  attributed  the  virtue  and  morality  by  which  the  in- 
habitants of  both  sexes  are  distinguished  in  Geneva. 

The  valley  of  the  Rhone,  which  forms  the  wealthy  can- 
ton of  the  Valais,  was  called  in  ancient  times  Vallis  Penni- 
na,  either  from  the  god  Penninus,  or  from  the  Celtic  word 
pen,  which  signifies  a point  or  sharp  summit,  a denomination 
strictly  applicable  to  most  of  the  mountains  that  surround  the 
valley.  The  burgh  of  Saint  Maurice,  remarkable  for  its  hand- 
some buildings  and  its  fine  abbey,  is  the  first  place  that  the 
stranger  enters  as  he  ascends  the  Rhone.  Between  it  and 
Martigny,  another  burgh,  part  of  which  has  been  called  the 
town,  is  situated  the  lofty  cascade  that  ought  not  certainly 
to  be  denominated  the  Pisse  Vache.  It  falls  from  a per- 
pendicular height  of  three  hundred  feet,  not  eight  hundred, 
as  some  authors  have  stated.  At  no  great  distance  above 
it,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Rhone,  Sion,  the  capital  of  the 
canton,  and  the  Ectodurum a of  the  Romans,  exhibits  its 
three  castles  built  one  above  another.  The  bishopric  of 
Sion  is  considered  the  most  ancient  in  Switzerland.  The 
principal  buildings  are  several  convents,  an  hospital,  an  epis- 
copal palace  and  ten  churches.  The  village  of  Albinen  is 
situated  near  the  baths  of  Leuk,  between  Sion  and  Brieg ; 
it  is  only  accessible,  says  a traveller,  by  means  of  eight  long 
ladders  supported  on  precipitous  rocks  and  steep  declivities. 
The  inhabitants,  men,  women  and  children,  climb  up  and 
go  down  the  ladders  day  and  night,  many  of  them  with  bur- 
dens on  their  heads,  without  imagining  the  road  to  be  worse 
than  any  other.b  Brieg,  one  of  the  finest  burghs  in  the 
Valais,  may  be  distinguished  at  a distance  by  its  houses  co- 
vered with  micaceous  schistus  of  a brilliant  silver  colour ; its 
baths  were  formerly  as  much  frequented  as  those  at  Leuk. 

The  canton  of  Tesino  is  the  poorest,  and  the  people  are 
the  most  ignorant  of  any  in  Switzerland.  The  finest  silk 
in  the  canton  is  obtained  at  Lugano,  a small  town  situa- 
ted on  the  banks  of  a lake.  Several  buildings  in  the  burgh 
of  Locarno  on  Lake  Maggiore  announces  its  former  pros- 
perity. Bellinzone,  an  insignificant  town,  is  situated  on 
the  banks  of  the  Tesino  ; the  gymnasium  in  the  only  in- 
stitution, from  which  it  might  be  inferred  that  Bellinzone 
was  the  capital  of  the  canton. 

If  Berne  be  excepted,  the  canton  of  the  Grisons  is  the 
most  important  in  Switzerland  ; it  formed  part  of  Rhae- 
tia  in  the  time  of  the  Romans.  Tusis  situated  in  the 
midst  of  mountains,  on  the  branch  of  the  Rhine0  that  de- 
scends from  Mount  Bernardino,  has  been  supposed,  pro- 

11  Sedunum.  (Simond.)  b Simond’s  Travels  in  Switzerland. 

c Hinter  Ithein,  Posterior  Rhine. 

* “ Council  of  State.”  I 


bably  on  account  of  its  name,  to  have  been  built  by  the  an- 
cient Tussi  or  Tuscans,  who  found  shelter  in  the  country 
when  Bellovesus  invaded  Italy.  Although  a very  small 
town,  it  is  one  of  the  best  built  in  the  canton.  Loire  on 
the  Plessur,  a feeder  of  the  Rhine,  is  more  populous  than 
Tusis ; it  is  the  capital  of  the  Grisons,  and  the  ancient 
Curia  Rhcelorum ; its  cathedral  has  stood  during  ten  cen- 
turies, but  the  episcopal  palace  is  a finer  building. 

The  canton  of  Neuchatel  which  has  already  been  de- 
scribed in  the  account  of  Prussia,  forms  also  a part  of  the 
Helvetic  confederation.  It  is  the  only  canton  in  which 
monarchial  forms  of  government  are  modified  by  republi- 
can institutions.  Although  the  rest  are  not  all  governed 
in  the  same  way,  all  of  them  are  independent,  and  united 
to  each  other  by  a conservative  compact.  They  may  be 
divided  into  three  classes ; the  first,  or  those  of  Schaffhau- 
sen,  Zurich,  Bale,  Soleure,  Lucerne  and  Friburg,  are  so 
many  mixed  aristocratic  governments,  in  other  words,  se- 
veral privileged  families  among  the  burgesses  are  called  to 
form  part  of  the  small  council  to  which  the  executive  pow- 
er is  commited  ; the  second,  or  those  of  Thurgau,  Aargau, 
Saint-Gall,  Vaud,  Geneva,  Valais  and  Tesino  are  represen- 
tative republics,  in  which  the  people  elect  the  members  of 
the  great  council,  which  deliberates  with  the  executive  de- 
partment or  the  petty  council  ;d  lastly,  the  people  of  Ap- 
penzell,  Zug,  Schweitz,  Uri,  Glaris  and  Underwalden  live 
under  a democratic  government,  similar  to  those  of  Greece 
and  Rome  ; the  citizens  form  general  assemblies  ( Lands - 
gemeinde,)  in  which  they  nominate  their  magistrates,  and 
deliberate  on  the  interests  of  the  republic.  The  important 
affairs  of  the  confederation  are  laid  before  the  diet,  which 
is  composed  of  deputies  from  the  twenty-two  cantons.  The 
virtue  and  love  of  country,  so  characteristic  of  the  Swiss, 
are  fostered  and  strengthened  by  their  political  institutions  ; 
hence  the  two  principal  literary  and  patriotic  societies  as- 
semble alternately  in  the  different  capitals,  and  bring  to- 
gether the  fruits  of  their  labour  and  research. 

Every  citizen  in  Switzerland  becomes  a soldier  at  the  age 
of  twenty  ; he  must  be  enrolled  in  a company,  and  he  must 
arm  and  clothe  himself  according  to  the  uniform  of  his 
canton.  Each  canton,  in  the  event  of  .a  war,  furnishes  a 
contingent,  and  all  their  contingents  make  up  an  army  of 
thirty-three  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-eight  men. 
But  Switzerland  might  easily  levy  double  the  number  of 
troops.  To  provide  for  the  maintenance  of  the  army  and 
other  expenses,  each  canton  imposes  on  itself  a tax  propor- 
tionate to  its  population  and  resources.  But  the  amount  of 
the  contributions  varies  according  to  the  revisions  which  are 
made  of  them  every  twenty  years.  The  debt  of  the  con- 
federation was  equal  in  1826  to  125,000/.,  and  the  revenue 
to  500,000/. e 

The  allied  powers  have  recognised  by  the  treaty  of  Paris, 
the  perpetual  neutrality  of  Switzerland.  But  fully  sen- 
sible that  the  weak  ought  to  place  little  reliance  on  the 
promises  of  the  strong,  the  Swiss  have  formed  the  project 
of  raising  works  of  defence  at  Saint  Maurice,  and  in  some 
of  the  defiles  in  the  Valais  ; it  is  also  intended  to  fortify  a 
central  place  where  troops  may  be  speedily  collected  in  time 
of  danger/  The  Swiss  may  find  formidable  means  of  resist- 
ance in  the  nature  of  their  territory  and  in  their  enthusi- 
asm for  liberty  ; taught  by  experience,  they  may  avoid  the 
errors  which  led  to  the  invasion  and  conquest  of  their  country. 

e “ Debt  about  3,000,000  francs — revenue  11,500,000  francs. 

f These  means  of  defence  are  recommended  by  Simond.  See  his  Swit- 
zerland, vol.  I.  p.  408. 


80 


EUROPE. 


STATISTICAL*  TABLES 

OF  SWITZERLAND. 


Population  of  the  Principal  Towns,  and  Contingents  of  the 
Twenty-two  Cantons,  classed  according  to  the  order  and 
rank  they  hold  in  the  Confederation. 


Contingents.  Towns  and  Burghs.  Population. 


Cantons. 

12  SchafThausen 


Contingents. 

466 


iq  a ii  $ Ausser-Rhoden  772  ) 

13  Appenzell  | Inner.Rhoden  200 

14  Saint-Gall 

15  Grisons 


16  Aargau 


972 

2,630 

1,600 

2,410 


i Zurich 

. 

3,700  men 

Zurich 

Winterthur 

10,400 

3,300 

2 Berne 

. 

5,824 

Berne 

Thun 

17,600 

3,700 

3 Lucerne 

. 

1,734 

Lucerne 

Sursee 

6,100 

3,700 

4 Uri 

. 

236 

Altorf 

1,700 

5 Schweitz 

, , 

602 

Schweitz 

4,900 

6 Underwalden 

1 Obwalden  221 
( Nidwalden  161 

| 382 

Einsiedeln 

Sarnen 

Stantz 

3.200 
3,500 

2.200 

7 Glaris 

, , 

482 

Glaris 

4,100 

8 Zug 

250 

Zug 

2,900 

9 Friburg 

. 

1,240 

Friburg 

6,500 

10  Soleure 

. 

904 

Soleure 

4,000 

11  Bale 

. 

918 

Bale 

16,300 

17  Thurgau  . 

18  Tesino 

19  Vaud 

20  Valais 

21  Neuchatel 

22  Geneva 


1 520 
1,804 

2,964 

1,280 
960 
• 880 

Total  33,758 


[BOOK  CXXX. 


Towns  and  Burghs.  Population. 

SchafThausen  7,000 


( Appenzell  3,200 

( Herisau  7,000 

Saint-Gall  9,000 

( Coire  3,400 

( Tusis  3,400 

f Aarau  3,500 

j Baden  1,700 

1 Zoffingen  1,700 

I Aarburg  1,100 

5 Frauenfeld  1,800 

f Bischofszell  2,000 

t Bellinzone  1,200 

< Lugano  3,602 

( Locarno  1,500 

f Lausanne  10,200 

| Vevay  3,800 

■i  Yverdun  2,500 

Nyon  2,100 

[Morges  2,000 

Sion  2,400 

Neuchatel  5,000 

Geneva  25,000 


POPULATION,  SURFACE  AND  CONVENTS  OF  SWITZERLAND. 


CANTONS. 

POPULATION  ACCORDING  TO  THE  DIFFER- 
ENT SECTS  IN  1822. 

POPULATION  ACCORDING  TO 

THE  DIFFERENT  LANGUAGES 
OF  THE  INHABITANTS  IN 
1822. 

Total 
population 
in  1822.  a 

Total 
population 
in  1826.  b 

Surface  iu 
geographical 
square 
leagues. 

Population 
for  every 
square 
league. 

Convents. 

Calvinists. 

Catholics. 

Anabaptists. 

Jews. 

German. 

French,  Ro- 
mansh 
( Welche ) and 
Savoyard. 

Italian. 

Zurich  .... 

191,700 

1,350 

193,050 

193,050 

218,000 

124 

1,772 

Berne 

300,500 

41,700 

900 

291,100 

52,000 

343,100 

350,000 

476 

736 

Lucerne  .... 

103,900 

103,900 

103,900 

116,000 

100 

1,171 

10 

Uri  . . . . . . 

12,000 

12,000 

12,000 

13,000 

67 

196 

3 

Schweitz  .... 

34,900 

34,900 

31,900 

32,000 

61 

533 

5 

Underwalden  . . 

21,800 

21,800 

21,800 

24,000 

33 

727 

5 

Glaris 

25,815 

3,285 

29,100 

29,100 

28,000 

58 

482 

Zug 

15,000 

15,000 

15,000 

14,500 

15 

966 

3 

Friburg  .... 

5,100 

67,400 

27,310 

45,190 

72,500 

84,000 

64 

1,333 

19 

Soleure  .... 

4,200 

49,500 

53,700 

53,700 

53,000 

35 

1,514 

9 

Bale 

45,900 

5,900 

51,800 

51,800 

54,000 

34 

1,588 

SchafThausen  . . 

26,900 

200 

27,100 

27,100 

30,000 

22 

1,363 

Appenzell  . . . 

41,200 

13,800 

55,000 

55,000 

52,500 

19 

2,763 

Saint-Gall  . . . 

81,829 

61,371 

143,179 

143,179 

144,000 

111 

1,309 

14 

Grisons  .... 

49,000 

34,500 

30,200 

41,500° 

11,800 

83,500 

88,000 

386 

228 

Aargau  . . 

76,500 

68,800 

1,700 

147,000 

147,000 

150,000 

100 

1,515 

6 

Thurgau  .... 

63,900 

19,000 

82,900 

82,900 

81,000 

46 

1,760 

11 

Tesino  .... 

95,800 

900 

94,900 

95,800 

102,000 

148 

693 

. 22 

Vaud 

155,000 

3,200 

5,200 

53,000 

158,200 

170,000 

198 

862 

Valais 

67,400 

21,080 

41,200 

5,120 

67,400 

70,000 

254 

276 

7 

Neuchatel  . . . 

50,000 

2,200 

52,200 

52,200 

51,500 

37 

1,391 

Geneva  .... 

27,080 

14,400 

270 

42,100 

42,100 

52,500 

12 

4,375 

Luth.  350 

1,144,974 

737,406 

900 

1,970 

1,346,219 

427,190 

111,820 

1,885,229 

1,978,000 

2,400 

114 

SWISS  NEWSPAPERS. 


The  toted  number  of  Newspapers  published  in  Switzerland 
in  1826,  amounted  to  Twenty-eight.  Those  that  have 
most  circulation  are  the  following  : — 

GERMAN  NEWSPAPERS. 

1.  Swiss  Messenger  (Schweizer-Bothe,)  published  once  a week  at  Aarau. 

2.  General  Correspondent  of  Switzerland  (Allgemein.  Schweizerisch. 

Corresp.,)  published  twice  a week  at  . . SchafThausen. 

3.  Friday’s  Gazette  (Zurcher  Frevtags-Zeitung,)  at  . Zurich. 

4.  New  Gazette  (Neue  Zurcher  Zeitung,)  thrice  a week  at  Zurich. 

5.  The  Narrator  (Erznehler,)  once  a week  at  . . Saint-Gall. 

6.  The  Zug  Gazette  (Zuger  Zeitung,)  once  a week  at  . Zug. 

7.  The  Friend  of  the  Swiss  (Schweizer  Freund,)  once  a week  at  Berne. 


FRENCH  NEWSPAPERS. 

8.  Lausanne  Gazette  (Gazette  de  Lausanne,)  twice  a week  at  Lausanne. 

9.  Vaudois  Journal  (Nouvelliste  Vaudois,)  twice  a week  at  Lausanne. 

10.  Journal  of  Geneva  (Journal  de  Geneve,)  at  . . . Geneva 

11.  BibliothequeUniverselle,  (a  Scientific  Journal,)  once  a month  at  Geneva. 

ITALIAN  NEWSPAPERS. 

12.  Swiss  Courier  (Corriere  Suizzero,)  twice  a week  at  . Lugano. 

13  Tesino  Gazette  (Gazetta  Ticinese,)  once  a week  at  . Lugano. 


Number  of  Strangers  whose  Passports  were  examined  at  Geneva  from 
the  1st  of  January  to  the  30 th  of  November,  1825. 

Germans  . . . 1,850 

Swiss  ....  3,559 

French  ....  3,058 

English  . . . 1,539 

Piedmontese  and  Savoyards  3,094 
Italians  . . . 553 


Americans 
Danes  and  Swedes 
Russians 

Total 


88 

45 

116 


13,902 


* According  to  the  statistical  tables  of  Hassel. 

b According  to  documents  in  possession  of  M.  Adrian  Balbi,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1826. 


c The  language  spoken  in  the  Grisons  is  tire  Romansh ; in  the  other 
cantons  in  this  column,  French  or  Savoyard.  See  notes  (e)  and  (f)  p.  755. 


BOOK  CXXXI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


81 


BOOR  CXXXI. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued — Italy — First  Section — Physical  Geogra- 
phy of  Italy. 

Germans  is  not  without  interest,  from  the  great  events 
of  which  it  has  been  the  theatre,  from  the  historical  associa- 
tions connected  with  it,  from  the  advances  which  have  been 
made  in  literature  and  science,  and  from  the  genius  and 
character  of  its  inhabitants.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  visit 
without  emotion  the  picturesque  vallies  and  lofty  mountains 
in  Switzerland,  the  only  country  in  Europe  whose  inhabi- 
tants have  preserved  the  simplicity  of  patriarchal  manners. 
The  azure  sky  of  Italy,  its  enchanting  climate,  and  match- 
less pieces  of  art,  render  it  widely  different  either  from  Ger- 
many or  Switzerland.  The  stranger  hardly  arrives  at  the 
southern  base  of  the  Alps,  before  he  observes  new  vegeta- 
tion, new  manners  and  new  customs.  It  seems  as  if  a 
country  favourable  to  the  laurel,  the  myrtle  and  the  olive, 
excites  man  to  the  love  of  glory,  and  renders  him  better 
adapted  for  the  advantages  of  civilization.  Italy  produced 
the  people  that  conquered  the  world  ; the  poets  and  writers 
who  shed  a lustre  over  it,  and  the  arts  introduced  by  the 
Greeks,  rendered  it  formerly  the  most  civilized  country  in 
Europe ; and  when  barbarism  extended  its  iron  sceptre 
over  the  same  quarter  of  the  earth,  even  during  the  period 
of  the  crusades,  knowledge  found  an  asylum  in  Italy,  from 
which  it  was  afterwards  diffused  over  the  ultramontane 
countries.  Although  superstition,  monkery  and  wretched- 
ness have  now  established  their  degrading  empire  in  Italy, 
still  it  is  the  fairest  portion  of  Europe. 

Considered  according  to  its  natural  limits,  the  northern 
part  of  Italy  comprehends  all  the  southern  declivity  of  the 
Alps,  from  the  branch  called  the  Cottian  to  that  called  the 
Julian  Alps.  But  these  natural  limits  have  been  modified 
by  political  boundaries.  Thus  the  northern  boundary  of 
Italy  is  comprehended  between  the  gulf  of  Trieste  and  the 
Rhone  at  its  efflux  from  the  lake  of  Geneva ; whence  it 
follows  that  the  Rhone,  the  Pennine  Alps,  and  the  extre- 
mity of  the  Adriatic  gulf,  separate  Italy  from  France,  Swit- 
zerland and  Germany.  The  Adriatic  gulf  and  the  Medi- 
terranean extend  along  the  coasts  of  Italy  to  the  declivities 
of  the  Maritime  Alps  near  the  frontiers  of  France.  The 
length  of  the  country  from  north-west  to  south-east  is  about 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  its  breadth  towards  the 


a “ Length  from  north-west  to  south-east,  about  300  leagues ; breadth  in 
the  north  more  than  160  leagues,  in  the  middle  50,  in  the  south  40,  and  at 
the  entrance  into  Calabria  only  10  or  12  Superficial  extent,  including 
Sicily,  Sardinia  and  the  smaller  islands,  16,200  sq.  leagues ; that  of  the 
islands  only,  2800  square  leagues.”  Length  from  Monte  Rosa  to  Capo  di 
Leuca,  about  670  British  miles';  medial  breadth  between  the  Adriatic  and 
Mediterranean,  about  100.  (Pinkerton.) — Superficial  extent,  including  Si- 
cily and  Sardinia,  117,900  Eng.  sq.  miles.  (Morse.) — P. 

b The  Pennine  Alps  extend  eastward  to  the  great  St.  Gothard,  where 
they  join  tire  Helvetian  and  Rhtetian  Alps.  (Ed.  Encyc.)  The  same  extent 
VOL.  III.— NO.  44  II 


north  about  four  hundred,  in  the  centre  a hundred  and 
twenty-five,  in  the  south  a hundred,  and  at  the  entrance 
into  Calabria  from  twenty-five  to  thirty.  The  extent  of  the 
surface,  including  Sicily,  Sardinia  and  all  the  smaller  islands, 
has  been  estimated  at  ninety-seven  thousand  two  hundred 
English  square  miles ; that  of  the  islands  only  at  sixteen 
thousand  eight  hundred.3 

The  principal  mountains  in  Italy  are  the  Pennine  Alps, 
comprehending  the  chain  that  extends  from  Mount  Rosa  to 
Mount  Blanc  ;b  the  Graecian  Alps  between  Mount  Blanc 
and  Mount  Cenis  ; the  Cottian  Alps  between  Mount  Cenis 
and  Mount  Viso  ; and  lastly,  the  Maritime  Alps  which  ex- 
tend from  Mount  Viso  to  beyond  the  Col  de  Tende.* 
These  different  chains  follow  an  irregular  direction  from 
north  to  south.  The  long  chain  of  the  Appennines  stretches 
from  the  Tanaro  to  the  extremity  of  Italy.  All  these 
mountains  belong  to  the  same  system.  The  Alps,  and  the 
Rhsetian  and  Appenmne  chains,  extend  from  Mount  Blanc 
as  from  a central  mass.  The  Appennines,  which  shall  be 
more  particularly  described,  are  equal  in  length  to  six  hun- 
dred and  seventy  miles. d They  are  divided  into  three  parts  : 
the  northern  Appennines  extend  to  the  Adriatic  gulf,  at 
no  great  distance  to  the  south  of  Urbino  ; the  central  Ap- 
pennines terminate  near  the  banks  of  the  Sangro  ; and  the 
southern  Appennines,  situated  at  an  equal  distance  from 
the  two  seas,  form  two  branches  near  Muro  : the  least  im- 
portant of  these  branches  separates  the  territory  of  Bari 
from  that  of  Otranto  ; the  other,  composed  of  lofty  moun- 
tains, traverses  both  the  Calabrias  and  terminates  in  the 
Aspromonte. 

The  chain  of  the  Alps  is  much  more  precipitous  on  the 
side  of  Italy,  than  towards  France,  Switzerland  and  Ger- 
many ; the  Appennines  are  not  so  lofty,  but  several  branches 
issue  from  them,  of  which  the  most  important  form  capes 
on  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Adriatic  gulf.  Piombino 
stands  on  one  of  these  headlands,  but  the  most  remarkable 
is  the  one  that  forms  Cape  Campanella,  at  the  entrance 
into  the  gulf  of  Naples.  The  points  or  extremities  of  chains 
are  not  so  numerous  on  the  Adriatic ; however,  Cape 
Leuca,  at  the  entrance  of  the  gulf  of  Taranto,  is  formed  by 
the  last  declivities  of  one  of  these  branches.  The  principal 
branch  which  reaches  to  the  southern  extremity  of  the  con 


is  given  to  the  chain  in  the  table  of  European  altitudes,  Book  XCIV.  Of 
course  it  includes  the  Simplon,  as  well  as  the  entire  chain  between  Mount 
Rosa  and  Mount  St.  Gothard. — P. 

C The  Maritime  Alps  are  generally  represented  as  extending  to  the  sea 
coast  between  Nice  and  Oneglia.  Saussure  also  applies  the  name  to  the 
mountains  extending  along  the  sea  coast,  on  the  one  side  into  Provence, 
and  on  the  other  between  Nice  and  Genoa,  which  he  considers  as  subdivi- 
sions of  the  principal  chain. — P. 

<*  “ 270  leagues.” 


82 


EUROPE. 


f 


[BOOK  CXXX1. 


tinent,  enters  the  sea  and  appears  again  in  Sicily.  The 
Appennine  chain  passes  throughout  its  whole  extent  nearer 
the  eastern4  than  the  opposite  coast  of  Italy. 

The  plains  in  the  same  country  are  not  less  remarkable 
than  its  mountains  ; that  of  Lombardy  may  be  considered 
the  finest  and  most  fruitful  in  Europe,  perhaps  in  the  world. 
Another  plain,  situated  between  the  gulf  of  Naples,  Vesu- 
vius and  the  Appennines,  is  less  extensive  but  almost  as 
fertile  as  the  last.  The  plains  on  the  other  side  of  the  same 
chain,  although  smaller,  are  equally  productive;  they  ex- 
tend along  the  shores  of  the  Adriatic,  in  the  territory  of 
Bari,  and  near  the  gulf  of  Manfredonia. 

The  rivers  that  water  Italy  differ  from  each  other  in  size, 
according  as  they  descend  from  the  Alps  or  the  Appen- 
nines. The  Po,  the  largest  of  them  all,  has  its  source  in 
Mount  Viso.  Enlarged  by  the  streams  of  the  Tanaro,  the 
Trebia,  the  Taro  and  the  Panaro,  which  unite  with  it  on 
its  right  bank,  and  augmented  on  the  left  by  the  Doria,  the 
Orca,  the  Sesia,  the  Tesino,b  the  Adda  and  the  Oglio,  it 
throws  itself,  after  a course  of  a hundred  and  twenty  leagues, 
into  the  Adriatic  gulf.  The  Tagliamento,  the  Piave,  the 
Brenta  and  the  Adige  rise  from  the  Alps  and  enter  the 
same  gulf.  Those  that  rise  from  the  Appennines,  and  fall 
into  the  Mediterranean,  are  the  Arno,  which  throws  itself 
into  the  gulf  of  Genoa,  and  the  Tiber,  which  enters  the  sea 
near  Ostia. 

The  largest  lakes  are  situated  at  the  base  of  the  Rhaetian 
Alps  ; such  are  Lake  Maggiore  on  the  west,  and  to  the  east 
of  it,  those  of  Lugano,  Como,  Iseo  and  Garda,  the  last  of 
which  is  the  greatest  in  Italy.  When  contrasted  with  these, 
the  lakes  of  Perugia,®  Bolsenad  and  Fucino6  may  appear 
insignificant ; they  succeed  each  other  in  a direction  from 
north-west  to  south-east  on  the  western  declivities  of  the 
Appennines. 

The  fine  climate  of  Italy  may  have  contributed  to  render 
its  mineral  waters  as  much  frequented  as  those  in  Germany. 
The  gaseous  springs  of  Saint  Julian,  the  baths  of  Monteca- 
tini,  the  springs  of  Saint  Cassian,  and  the  celebrated  baths 
of  Lucca,  attract  many  strangers  to  Tuscany.  The  gase- 
ous springs  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples  are  so  numerous,  that 
they  appear  to  be  connected  with  volcanic  phenomena ; it 
may  be  sufficient  to  mention  those  of  Santa  Lucia,  Piscia- 
relli,  Pozzuoli  and  the  four  springs  in  Ischia.  The  baths 
of  Albano  near  Padua,  and  those  of  Rocoaro  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Vicenza,  the  thermal  springs  of  Acqui,  Vinadio 
and  Oleggio  in  the  kingdom  of  Sardinia,  and  lastly  the  mi- 
neral waters  near  Parma,  are  all  frequented  by  invalids.* 

The  country  from  the  north  to  the  south  of  Italy  may  be 
divided  into  four  different  zones,  each  of  them  characterized 
by  a peculiar  climate.  The  northern  zone,  which  extends 
from  the  Alps  to  the  Appennines,  is  often  exposed  to  intense 
cold  ; Reaumur’s  thermometer  descends  sometimes  to  ten 
degrees  below  zero.  The  olive,  the  lemon  and  other  fruits  of 
the  same  kind  never  flourish.  The  second  zone  reaches  to 
the  course  of  the  Sangro  ; the  winter  is  there  mild  ; the  olive 
and  the  wild  orange  resist  it,  but  the  sweet  orange  does  not 
succeed  in  the  open  air.  The  Seville  orange  and  the  lemon 
thrive  almost  without  culture  in  the  next  region,  which  ter- 
minates near  the  banks  of  the  Crati.  Although  frosty 


* The  western,  in  the  original;  but  Ibis  must  be  a mistake.  The  Ap- 
pennine  branches  from  the  southern  extremity  of  the  Alps,  and  then 
stretches  along  the  gulf  of  Genoa,  and  eastward  to  the.  centre  of  Italy, 
whence  it  extends  south-eastward  to  the  southern  extremity  of  the  kingdom 
of  Naples,  approaching  nearer  the  Adriatic  than  the  Mediterranean. — P. 


weather  is  not  unknown,  it  is  of  rare  occurrence  in  the  low 
grounds.  The  last  zone  is  exposed  to  a burning  climate  ; 
the  thermometer  never  descends  below  the  freezing  point ; 
the  palm,  the  aloe  and  the  Indian  fig  grow  on  the  plains  and 
near  the  shores  of  the  sea  ; the  highest  summits,  however, 
are  covered  with  snow  in  winter. 

Few  countries  are  so  fruitful  as  the  first  region  which 
occupies  all  the  valley  of  the  Po  ; it  produces  a great  quan- 
tity of  rice  and  different  sorts  of  grain,  one  of  which  the 
Italians  use  in  making  their  macaroni  and  other  pastry  of 
the  same  sort.  The  finest  meadows  and  the  fattest  cattle 
in  Italy  may  be  seen  in  the  same  valley  or  in  others  that 
communicate  with  it.  Cheese  forms  a considerable  branch 
of  exportation  ; the  wines  are  of  a good  quality,  particular- 
ly those  of  Friuli,  the  Vicentino,  the  Bolognese,  and  Mont- 
ferrat.  The  second  region  does  not  abound  in  pasturage 
or  corn  ; the  cultivated  lands  rise  in  terraces  on  the  decli- 
vities of  the  mountains  ; their  verdure  is  varied  by  the  pale 
olive  and  other  fruit  trees.  As  part  of  the  third  region  is 
unhealthy,  it  has  been  termed  the  country  of  the  malaria ; 
it  is  covered  in  many  places  with  rich  pastures  and  nume- 
rous flocks.  The  fig-tree,  the  almond,  the  cotton  plant, 
the  sugarcane,  and  the  grape  that  produces  the  strong  wines 
of  Calabria,  are  cultivated  in  the  last  region,  and  the  vege- 
tation resembles  that  in  the  finest  countries  of  Africa.  The 
silkworm  produces  a coarser  silk  than  in  the  other  parts  of 
Italy  ; the  cause  has  been  attributed  to  the  nature  of  its 
food,  which  consists  principally  of  the  leaves  of  the  black 
mulberry  tree.  The  luxuriant  branches  of  the  vine  twine 
round  the  lofty  poplar,  but  it  has  been  remarked  that  the 
wines  obtained  from  the  low  vine,  are  superior  to  such  as  are 
produced  from  those  which  hang  in  elegant  wreaths  from 
the  summits  of  the  highest  trees.  The  grapes  of  the  former 
are  often  ripe,  before  those  of  the  latter  have  begun  to 
change  their  colour.  If  the  grapes  of  the  two  sorts  be 
mingled,  the  wine  becomes  acid  and  disagreeable. 

Italy  produces  all  the  fruit  trees  that  flourish  in  the 
temperate  regions  of  Europe,  and  some  plants  which  thrive 
only  in  high  temperatures ; such  are  the  date  plum  ( Dios - 
pyrus  lotus,)  of  which  the  yellow  and  acid  fruits,  in  size  not 
unlike  cherries,  are  only  eaten  by  children  and  the  poor  ; 
the  pride  of  India  (JWelia  azedarach ,)  a tree  adorned  with 
clusters  of  pale  blue  flowers  that  diffuse  a pleasant  fragrance ; 
the  pomegranate  brought  from  Carthage  into  Italy  by  the 
Romans  ; the  azarole  ( Cratagus  azarolus,)  a sort  of  medlar 
tree,  producing  fruit  of  a bright  red  colour,  which  yields  a 
refreshing  juice  that  the  people  often  drink  in  southern 
Italy ; the  carob  tree  ( Ceratonia  siliqua  ;)  the  mastich  tree 
( Pistacia  lentiscus,)  of  which  the  oil  is  used  in  cookery  and 
for  burning  ; lastly,  the  round  leaved  ash  ( Fraxinus  rotun- 
difolia,)  the  precious  tree  of  Calabria,  that  yields  the 
manna  of  commerce. 

Several  animals  in  Italy  are  common  to  different  parts 
of  Europe  ; others  are  peculiar  to  its  climate  and  its  moun- 
tains, the  last  of  which  serve  as  a retreat  for  the  lynx,  the 
chamois,  the  wild  goat,  the  ferret,  the  dormouse,  and  the 
lemming,  a small  Norwegian  rat  well  known  on  account  of 
its  migrations.  The  porcupine  is  found  in  different  parts 
of  the  Appennines  ; there  are  besides  many  oxen  that  the 


b*  Ticino  ( Ticinus.') 
c Thrasymenus. 
d Lacus  Volsiniensis. 

* Lake  Celano,  the  ancient  Fucinus. 


BOOK  CXXX1.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


83 


inhabitants  call  buffaloes,* *  which  are  tamed  in  the  south  of 
Italy.  The  Neapolitan  horses  are  strong  and  well  made, 
the  ass  and  the  mule  are  of  an  excellent  kind,  and  the 
sheep  may  he  compared  to  those  in  Spain.  The  birds  are 
very  numerous  ; in  the  Maritime  Alps  only,  three  hundred 
and  six  different  species  have  been  counted.  Some  rep- 
tiles in  the  south  are  common  to  that  region  with  the  north- 
ern part  of  Africa  ; the  most  noxious  serpents  are  the  asp 
and  the  viper. 

The  Mediterranean  abounds  with  fish  and  mollusca. 
The  depths  of  that  sea  are  inhabited  by  alcpocephali,b  po- 
matomi  and  lepiclolepri.  In  the  next  higher  region  are  found 
molvi,c  whitings  and  castagnolli  ;d  at  a thousand  feet®  below 
the  surface,  the  most  common  fish  are  rays,  anglers  (lo- 
phii,)  flounders  ( pleuronectes ,)  and  others  of  the  same  sort/ 
The  region  of  corals  and  madrepores  lies  at  five  hundred 
feets  below  the  surface  ; the  fish  that  frequent  it  are  the  file- 
fish  ( batistes ,)  the  wrasse  ( labrus ,)  and  the  gurnard  ( trigla .) 
Algae  and  different  sea  weeds'1 * * *  vegetate  at  a less  depth,  and 
that  part  of  the  sea  is  the  region  of  the  muraenae,  the  weevers 
( trachini ,)  and  the  stromatei.  The  rocks  nearer  the  surface 
are  covered  with  different  sorts  of fuci,  and  serve  to  shelter 
blennies,  trumpet-fish,  and  all  the  other  kinds  that  are  ta- 
ken near  the  shore.  Lastly,  along  the  coasts  covered  with 
gravel  and  with  sand,  are  found  giltheads,  anchovies,  mul- 
lets, and  different  mollusca/ 

The  cuttle  fish  is  by  no  means  uncommon  in  the  Medi- 
terranean ; when  in  danger,  it  discharges  a black  liquor, 
which  has  been  called  sepia,  and  thus  conceals  itself  from 
its  enemies.  Another  molluscous  animal  may  be  mention- 
ed, which  has  been  described  by  Aristotle  and  Pliny  ; it  is 
known  by  the  name  of  the  argonaut  or  the  nautilus/ 
That  singular  animal  has  a transparent  and  fragile  shell, 
shaped  like  a skiff,  which  has  been  supposed  to  have  given 
man  the  first  notion  of  vessels,  and  the  earliest  lessons  in 
navigation.  Endowed  with  intelligence  sufficient  for  its 
preservation,  a provision  indispensable  for  the  mariner,  as 
soon  as  the  tempest  begins  to  agitate  the  billows,  it  shuts 
itself  in  its  shell,  and  descends  to  the  bottom  of  the  waters  ; 
but  when  calm  weather  returns,  it  extends  its  arms  out  of 
its  light  bark,  and  rises  to  the  surface.  It  fills  its  vessel 
with  a quantity  of  water  sufficient  for  ballast,  or  empties  it 
at  pleasure  ; it  is  impelled  by  its  arms,  which  act  as  oars, 
and  if  the  breeze  be  not  too  strong,  it  raises  two  of  them, 
extends  the  membrane  that  unites  them,  and  uses  it  as  a 
sail  for  accelerating  its  course,  while  another  arm  descends 
behind  the  shell  into  the  water,  and  acts  as  a rudder. 

The  south  winds  are  very  disagreeable  in  the  kingdom 
of  Naples  and  in  Sicily,  but  the  south-east  wind  or  the  si- 
rocco is  the  most  oppressive  of  any.  When  it  prevails,  the 
light  of  day  is  obscured,  the  leaves  of  plants  are  rolled  up, 
as  if  they  had  been  stung  by  a destructive  insect,  and 
men  are  exposed  to  a languor  and  uneasiness  that  ren- 
der them  incapable  of  exertion.  It  may  be  considered 
fortunate  that  the  sirocco  prevails  more  in  winter  than  in 
summer. 

Italy  affords  ample  scope  for  meditation  to  the  geologist. 

* It.  Bufoli  ( Bos  Bubalus  Linn.)  a peculiar  species,  native  of  the  warm 

climates  of  Africa  and  Asia. — Great  droves  of  them  are  fed  in  the  marshes 
along  the  Mediterranean — P.  b Q,u.  Leptocephali. 

c “ Molves."  Q.u.  moles,  sunfish  ( Tetraodon  mola,  Linn.) — P. 

d “ Castagnolles.”  e “300  metres.” 

f “ and  all  fishes  with  soft  flesh.”  6 “ 150  metres.” 

h Algce  and  Caulinice. 

* Histoire  naturelle  des  principales  productions  de  1’Europe  meridionale, 
par  M.  Risso,  tom.  III. 


The  Alpine  limestone  commences  to  the  north  of  Belluno  ; 
it  is  covered  with  oolitic  limestones  in  horizontal  strata 
from  which  red  sandstone  rises.1  Springs  impregnated 
with  hydrogen  issue  from  the  limestone  in  the  valley  of  Pieva 
di  C adore.  Nineteen  mines  are  situated  in  the  same  val- 

ley ; an  ore  of  lead  containing  silver  is  obtained  from  the 
mountain  of  Jiau,  which  consists  also  of  calcareous  rocks  ; 
oxide  of  iron  and  sulphuret  of  lead  are  found  in  the  moun- 
tain of  Grigni.  The  geologist  observes  in  the  territory  ol 
Vicenza  calcareous  substances  analogous  to  chalk,  tertiary 
deposits  and  ancient  volcanic  rocks  ; in  the  last  are  con- 
tained globules  of  chalcedony,  filled  with  air  and  water. 
The  lava  alternates  in  the  heights  of  Monte-Bolca,  with 
schistous  limestone  abounding  in  fossil  fish.  Green  sand- 
stone forms  the  nucleus  of  all  the  calcareous  heights  that 
extend  through  F riuli,  and  of  the  low  hills  of  Oltre-Piane. 
The  Veronese  exhibits  the  same  arrangements  ; the  lime- 
stone rocks  are  filled  with  organic  remains.  At  the  base 
of  the  Appennines,  in  the  dutchy  of  Parma  and  Piacenza, 
hills  formed  of  shell  limestone  rise  to  the  height  of  sixteen 
hundred  feet ; they  command  the  course  of  the  Po,  and 
their  strata  are  inclined  from  ten  to  twenty  degrees  towards 
the  north. 

The  Po,  which  traverses  a great  extent  of  country  simi- 
lar in  its  formation  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  carries 
along  with  it,  like  every  great  river,  an  abundant  detritus 
from  the  mountains  that  encompass  it,  and  from  the  soil 
through  which  it  flows.  The  continual  action  of  its  waters 
accumulates  deposits  at  its  mouth,  which  are  every  day  en- 
croaching on  the  limits  of  the  sea.  It  may  be  proved  that, 
since  the  year  1604,  when  it  was  attempted  to  confine  its 
banks'  by  dikes,  the  deposits  which  the  river  brings  down, 
have  been  so  much  accumulated  in  the  lower  part  of  its 
course,  that  the  surface  of  its  water  is  now  higher  than  the 
tops  of  the  houses  in  Ferrara."1  The  sea  has  receded  since 
the  same  period,  to  the  distance  of  more  than  three  leagues. 
The  ancient  Hadria  or  the  modern  Adria  was  once  a famous 
port,  since  it  gave  its  name  to  the  Adriatic  Gulf ; it  is  now 
more  than  eight  leagues  from  the  shore.  It  has  been  cal- 
culated that  the  annual  encroachments  made  by  these  de- 
posits amount  to  four  hundred  feet,"  but  that  calculation 
appears  to  be  overrated  ;°  it  is  certain,  however,  that  the  la- 
bours of  men  have  greatly  contributed  to  augment  the  de- 
posits. Their  progress  may  be  ascertained  with  sufficient 
accuracy  ; in  the  twelfth  century,  Adria  was  about  thirty, 
or  according  to  others,  thirty-four  thousand  feet  from  the 
sea  ;p  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century,  when  a new  pas- 
sage was  made  for  the  river,  the  remotest  promontories 
formed  by  the  deposits  were  sixty-one  thousand  six  hundred 
and  sixty-five  feetq  distant  from  Adria.  These  distances 
are  believed  to  be  correct,  and  it  follows  that  the  annual 
extent  of  the  encroachments  was  equal  on  an  average  to 
eighty-four  feet.r  But  the  successive  additions  have  been 
much  greater  since  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  ; if  it 
be  recollected  that  the  furthest  limits  of  these  alluvial  lands 
are  at  present  108,334  feet5  from  the  meridian  of  Adria, 
it  may  he  shown  that  they  are  enlarged  every  year  by 

k Argonauta  argo,  Linn.  “ Argonaute  papiraci ,”  Paper  Nautilus. 

1 Memoir  by  M.  Catullo  : Giornale  di  Fisica  Chimica. 

ra  M.  de  Prony,  Systeme  Hydraulique  de  P Italie. 
n “ 120  metres.”  0 Breislak,  Institutions  geologiques. 

p “ Adria  was  nine  or  ten  thousand  metres  from  the  sea.” 

<i  “ 18,500  metres.” 

r “25  metres.” 

E “32,500  metres.” 


• 

84  EUR 

more  than  two  hundred  and  thirty-three  feet.a  The  Po 
was  formerly  subject  to  inundations,  every  forty  or  fifty 
years  ; they  are  now  more  frequent.  The  deposits  brought 
down  by  the  Brenta  render  it  not  improbable  that  Venice 
may  share  the  fate  of  Adria.  The  Euganean  mountains, 
a group  of  volcanic  heights,  are  situated  in  the  vast  alluvial 
plains  on  the  east  of  the  Adige  and  the  town  of  Este. 

Fossil  shells  are  very  common  in  Lombardy  and  Pied- 
mont, but  the  beds  of  earth  which  cover  the  marine  deposits, 
abound  in  many  places  with  the  bones  of  elks,  mastodons, 
elephants,  rhinoceroses  and  other  large  quadrupeds.  The 
bones  of  cetaceous  animals  have  been  found  in  the  hills  near 
Piacenza.  Animals,  which  are  now  extinct,  must  there- 
fore have  inhabited  the  declivities  of  the  Appennines  and 
Alps  before  man  established  his  dominion  in  those  regions. 

The  chain  of  the  Appennines  may  be  divided  into  two  dis- 
tinct parts;  the  one  is  composed  of  granite,  euphotideb  and 
serpentine,  which  constitute  the  nucleus  of  these  mountains  ; 
the  other  is  formed  of  granular'  and  compact  limestones, 
above  which  are  silicious  strata,  and  the  sandstone  known 
by  the  name  of  macigno.  The  granular  limestone,  which  is 
considered  primitive,  furnishes  very  fine  white  marble  for 
sculpture  ; the  most  valuable  quarries  are  those  near  Car- 
rara on  the  western  declivity  of  the  northern  Appennines. 
But  towards  the  north,  these  primitive  limestones  and  others 
of  the  transition  period  serve  as  a support  for  different  ter- 
tiary formations,  in  which  are  comprehended  beds  of  clay 
mixed  with  shells,  and  other  sedimentary ‘deposits  containing 
fragments  of  wood  and  the  fruits  of  different  coniferous 
trees. d The  same  tertiary  formations  extend  at  the  base  of 
the  central  Appennines  ; they  form  hills  consisting  chiefly 
of  argillaceous  marl  and  calcareous  and  silicious  sand,  in 
which  are  found  sulphur,  mineral  pitch  and  salt.  Organic 
remains  0"e  so  abundant  that  a naturalist  believes  them  to 
he  more  numerous  than  all  the  animals  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean.® The  granitic  rocks  in  the  southern  Appennines, 
from  the  mountains  of  Conegliano  to  the  extremity  of  Italy, 
are  more  extensive  than  in  the  rest  of  the  chain.  They  are 
of  a yellow  colour,  and  of  a granulated  and  imperfectly 
crystallized  texture  ; they  are  apparently  of  transition  for- 
mation. Calcareous  hills  of  tertiary  formation  rise  in  dif- 
ferent directions  near  the  shores  of  the  sea.  Saline  de- 
posits are  situated  at  the  base  of  the  Aspromonte  in  East- 
ern Calabria  ; they  are  wrought  most  extensively  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Lungro. 

The  existence  of  a sea,  afterwards  succeeded  by  fresh 
water  lakes,  along  the  western  declivity  of  the  central  Appen- 
nines, is  attested  by  the  nature  of  the  soil  ; volcanic  pro- 
ducts were  amassed  in  the  same  region  at  a period  anterior 
to  the  commencement  of  history.  In  one  place  are  macig- 
nos ; in  another  travertines,  the  most  modern  of  calcareous 
rocks.  The  formation  of  the  latter  has  been  attributed  to 
mineral  springs  containing  carbonic  acid  ; they  were  used 
in  building  most  of  the  monuments  of  ancient  Rome,  and 
they  are  found  in  extensive  beds  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
that  city.  Other  limestones  that  are  still  forming,  indi- 
cate the  course  which  nature  followed  in  the  remotest  pe- 
riods. The  waters  that  descend  from  the  chain  of  Mount 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXXXI 

] Velino,  hold  in  suspension  carbonate  of  lime  which  is  de- 
posited in  Lake  Velino,  and  also  at  the  falls  of  Terni  and 
Tivoli.  The  reader  may  have  some  notion  of  the  manner 
in  which  this  limestone  is  deposited  from  the  account  of  an 
intelligent  naturalist.  “ The  celebrated  falls  of  Tivoli  are 
not  formed  by  abrupt  declivities  in  the  compact  limestone 
of  which  these  hills,  (those  that  command  Rome,)  consist, 
but  by  deposits  from  the  river  that  issues  from  the  valley, 

; and  which  in  ancient  times  was  more  surcharged  with  cal- 
careous sediment  than  at  present.  The  undulating  forms 
that  these  deposits  assume,  forms  that  are  not  seen  in  the 
plains,  are  owing  to  the  agitation  of  the  waters  ; their  less 
abundant  precipitation  may  perhaps  account  for  their  crys- 
talline texture,  by  which  they  differ  from  travertine,  and 
resemble  alabaster.  The  same  arrangement,  attributa- 
ble to  the  same  causes,  may  be  seen  in  all  its  details  at  the 
lofty  falls  of  Terni.  The  traveller  observes  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  rock,  masses  of 
travertine,  a fresh  water  deposit  of  compact  limestone. 
Near  Rieti,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Velino  and  the  Nera, 
that  small  river  is  precipitated  over  a mass  of  crystalline 
concretionary  limestone  formed  in  the  same  way  and  on 
the  same  base  of  compact  limestone  as  at  Tivoli.”f 

This  limestone  is  in  most  places  of  a brownish  red  colour; 
fresh  water  shells  are  occasionally  found  in  it ; in  some  places, 
however,  it  is  of  a pure  white.  On  a hill,  evidently  of  recent 
formation,  to  the  north-west  of  Radicofani,  and  near  the 
frontiers  of  T uscany,  the  waters  of  San  Filippog  to  which 
invalids  resort,  deposit  a very  fine  white  sediment ; the 
water  is  made  to  fall  into  moulds  in  a very  fine  spray,  and 
by  incrustation  bas-reliefs  are  formed. 

The  lakes  in  which  the  ancient  travertine  was  deposited 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Rome,  have  formed  the  Quirinal, 
the  Aventine,  and  the  Mounts  Marius1*  and  Coelius ; but 
Janiculum  and  the  rock  of  the  Vatican  attest  by  their  mol- 
lusca  the  presence  of  salt  water.  Other  rocks,  and  volcanic 
products  conglomerated  by  calcareous  cement,  form  the 
soil  of  the  ancient  city.  Some  deposits  in  the  vicinity  con- 
tain bones  belonging  to  terrestrial  animals,  of  which  the 
species  are  now  extinct. 

Two  distinct  tracts  of  volcanic  matter  may  be  recognized, 
in  the  country  between  the  banks  of  the  Po  and  the  extre- 
mity of  Italy  ; the  one  extends  along  the  eastern  declivity 
of  the  Appennines  from  the  territory  of  Ferrara  to  Abnizzo 
near  the  banks  of  the  Sangro  ; the  other  stretches  along  the 
opposite  declivity  into  Sicily.  At  the  two  extremities  of  these 
volcanic  tracts,  are  exhibited  the  phenomena  of  mud  vol- 
canoes,1 in  which  hydrogen  gas  is  the  principal  agent. 
The  one  at  Sassuolo,  not  far  from  Modena,  is  visited  by  all 
the  curious  ; a piece  of  wood  plunged  into  that  oozy  volcano 
makes  the  water  rise  in  the  form  of  a jet.  Others  will  be  de- 
scribed in  the  account  of  Sicily.  At  the  foot  of  that  declivity 
of  the  Appennines,  which  extends  towards  the  Gulf  of  Naples, 
craters  of  different  epochs  are  heaped  on  the  soil  now  trod- 
den by  man,  and  the  fields  are  fertilized  by  decomposed 
lava.  All  the  plain  of  Campania  is  covered  with  volcanic 
substances,  and  Naples  is  built  on  former  currents  of  lava. 
According  to  Spallanzani,  the  lakes  of  Averno  and  Agnano 

a “ 70  metres.” 

b Gabbro  of  the  Italians,  Euphotide  of  the  French  mineralogists,  Dial- 
lage rock  of  the  English  mineralogists. — P. 

0 “Calcaire  saccharolile.” 

J M f moire  sur  les  bassins  tertiaires  tie  G6nes  et  de  ses  environs,  par 
M Pareto:  Ann.  ties  sciences  nat.  tome  i.  page  86. 

• Breislak,  Institutions  geologiques,  tome  ii.  page  206. 

f De  quelques  terrains  d'eau  douce  posterieurs  au  calcaire  grossier  hor* 
du  bassin  de  Paris,  par  M.  Brongniart : tome  ii.  seconde  partie,  pag.  552, 
des  Recherches  sur  lesossemens  fossiles,  par  M.  Cuvier. 
g Baths  of  St.  Philip. 

h Monte  Mario,  the  Clivus  Cinnse  of  the  ancients,  on  the  right  hank  of 
the  Tiber. — P. 

* “ Salscs .”  * 

BOOK  CXXXI.] 

were  ancient  craters.  The  Solfatara,  the  remains  of  an 
elliptically  formed  volcano,  at  present  only  emits  sul- 
phureous vapours,*  but  the  cavernous  soil  resounds  under 
the  traveller,  and  the  sulphur  and  alum  which  are  extracted 
from  it  seem  to  form  an  exhaustless  source  of  wealth.  The 
Grotto  del  Cane  has  lost  much  of  its  celebrity,  since  seve- 
ral volcanic  caverns  emitting  carbonic  acid  have  been  dis- 
covered in  other  countries.  The  Lucrine  lake  was  for- 
merly more  extensive,  and  had  a communication  with  the 
sea,  but  the  eruption  in  the  month  of  September,  1538, 
raised  a small  volcano  in  the  midst  of  it,  from  which  burn- 
ing matter  issued  during  seven  days,  and  the  lava  forms  at 
present  a hill,  the  Monte  Nuovo,  four  hundred  feet  in 
height,  and  eight  thousand  in  circumference  at  its  base. 

Vesuvius  rises  above  all  the  modern  volcanoes  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  Naples.  As  active  as  it  was  nearly  eighteen  hun- 
dred years  ago,  it  is  considered  the  only  one  in  Europe, 
from  which  different  kinds  of  rocks  are  thrown  unaltered. 
In  the  last  eruption,  which  happened  in  1822,  its  height  was 
diminished  by  more  than  a hundred  feet.  The  most  north- 
ern point  of  its  summit  is  about  three  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred feet  in  height.  The  walls  of  the  crater  are  formed  by 
successive  strata  of  lava,  from  which  the  number  of  erup- 
tions might  almost  be  calculated.  Prismatic  lava,  almost 
as  regular  as  the  finest  basaltic  prisms,  has  several  times 
been  observed  in  the  conical  cavity.  Monte  Somma,  which 
was  the  summit  of  Vesuvius  in  the  time  of  Strabo,  encom- 
passes part  of  it  at  present,  and  is  only  separated  from  it 
by  the  volcanic  hill  of  Cantaroni.  Near  the  summit,  the 
lava  resounds  beneath  the  feet,  and  seems  about  to  be  swal- 
lowed in  the  gulf  it  encloses.  Hot  vapours  issue  from  a 
great  many  holes  or  crevices  lined  with  beautiful  efflores- 
cences of  sulphur ; and  if  a piece  of  wood  or  paper  be 
placed  near  them,  it  takes  fire  in  a few  seconds.  Vesuvius 
stands  isolated  in  the  middle  of  a plain,  and  as  it  is  formed 
by  matter  thrown  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  its  mass 
gives  the  exact  measure  of  the  cavity  from  which  the  differ- 
ent substances  have  been  ejected.  The  land  round  its  base 
is  divided  into  small  but  very  fruitful  farms  ; the  richness  of 
the  soil  formed  by  the  decomposed  lava  may  be  inferred 
from  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  proportion  to  the  surface. 
Each  square  league  contains  five  thousand  individuals. 
The  stranger  may  wonder  at  the  security  of  the  population, 
for  apparently  men,  women  and  children  are  threatened 
with  destruction  at  every  instant ; but  it  is  well  known  that 
every  eruption  is  predicted  by  certain  signs.  The  earth  is 
shaken,  a hollow  subterranean  noise  is  heard,  the  wells  and 
springs  are  dried  up,  and  the  terrified  animals  wander  about 
the  country.  Warned  of  the  danger,  man  has  time  to  es- 
cape, and  to  secure  whatever  is  most  precious.  Clouds  of 
smoke  are  emitted  from  the  volcano  in  the  intervals  between 
the  eruptions. 

The  mineral  riches  of  Italy  consist  rather  in  earthy  than 
in  metallic  substances  ; such  are  the  serpentine  on  the 
southern  side  of  the  Alps,  the  porphyry  of  the  Appennines, 
the  marble  of  Carrara,  the  alabaster  of  Volterra,  the  brec- 
cia marble  of  Stazzema  composed  of  different  coloured  frag- 
ments, the  black  marble  of  Pistoia,  the  green  marble  of 
Prato,  the  brocatello  of  Piombino,  the  limestone  of  FIo- 


* At  night  a blue  lambent  fiame  is  visible. — P. 
b Ruiniform  or  landscape  marble. 

c “ Length  from  south-east  to  north-west  62  leagues,  mean  breadth  25 
leagues,  surface  about  1630  sq.  leagues” — Superficial  extent,  including 
the  small  islands  aloncr  its  coast,  about  12,500  sq.  miles  (Morse,)  nearly 
12,533  (Ed.  Encyc.)  Length  from  east  to  west  180  miles,  greatest  breadth  j 


85 

rence,b  on  which  are  represented  ruins  and  beautiful  den- 
drites formed  by  molecules  of  manganese,  the  sulphated 
barytes  of  Mount  Paderno,  which  is  transformed  by  calci- 
nation into  the  paste  called  Bologna  phosphorus,  the  jas- 
pers of  Barga,  the  chalcedonies  of  Tuscany,  the  lapis  lazuli 
near  Sienna,  the  jargon  of  the  Vicentino,  the  garnet  of  Pied- 
mont, the  hyacinth  of  Vesuvius,  and  the  mines  of  Sicily  and 
Sardinia. 

Numerous  islands  form  a considerable  portion  of  the  Ita- 
lian territory ; the  largest  are  Sicily  and  Sardinia,  we  might 
even  add  Corsica,  for  considered  physically,  it  forms  a de- 
tached portion  of  the  latter.  The  next  in  point  of  extent 
are  Malta,  Gozzo,  and  Pentellaria,  to  the  south  of  Sicily  ; 
then  the  Lipari  or  iEolian  Islands  between  Sicily  and  the 
continent ; Ischia  and  Capri  at  the  entrance  of  the  Gulf  Oi 
Naples ; and  lastly,  the  island  of  Elba  between  Tuscany 
and  Corsica. 

Sicily,  situated  between  Europe  and  Africa,  is  the  largest 
island  in  the  Mediterranean.  Its  length  from  south-east  to 
north-west  is  about  a hundred  and  fifty-five  miles,  its  mean 
breadth  nearly  sixty-two,  and  its  surface  nine  thousand  six 
hundred  and  eighty-three  square  miles.c  A chain  of  moun- 
tains which  forms  a continuation  of  the  Appennines,  divides 
into  three  branches,  and  their  three  extremities  terminate 
in  as  many  capes,  namely,  Rasocolmo  on  the  north-east, 
San  Vito  on  the  north-west,  and  Cape  Palo  on  the  south- 
east. Three  great  declivities  are  thus  formed  in  the  trian- 
gular mass  of  the  island,  namely,  the  northern,  eastern,  and 
south-western  ; many  streams  and  rivers  descend  from 
them  ; the  largest  are  the  Belici,  the  Platani  and  the  Salso 
on  the  south,  and  the  Giaretta  on  the  east ; the  northern 
declivity  is  narrow  and  rapid  ; no  streams  of  any  magnitude 
rise  from  it. 

The  principal  rock  that  forms  the  nucleus  of  the  Sicilian 
mountains,  according  to  Spallanzani/  is  a sort  of  granite 
that  decomposes  readily  ; but  from  the  characters  he  as- 
signs to  it,  one  might  suppose  it  of  a later  formation  than 
that  of  organized  beings,  and  that  it  was  included  in  the  list 
of  sienites,  diorites,  and  protogines.6  It  serves  as  a support 
for  calcareous  rocks  abounding  with  madrepores  and  ma- 
rine mollusca.  Argillaceous  schistus  and  fossil  fish  have  been 
seen  in  different  parts  of  the  island.  The  Italian  naturalist 
observed  on  the  sea  shore,  pudding  stones  and  sandstones 
in  which  the  pebbles  and  the  grains  of  sand  were  united  by 
a calcareous  cement,  still  forming  under  the  water ; they 
are  most  abundant  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Messina.  Wit- 
nesses assured  him  that  they  had  often  found  in  the  sand 
where  these  rocks  are  formed,  the  heads  of  arrows,  medals 
and  human  bones  ; thus  the  process  of  nature  may  still  be 
discerned  in  the  formafion  of  certain  rocks. 

Mount  Gibello  or  iEtna,  a volcano  so  immense,  that  Ve- 
suvius in  comparison  seems  merely  a hill,  rises  on  the  east- 
ern side  of  Sicily.  It  is  divided  into  three  vegetable  zones, 
that  of  the  sugar  cane,  that  of  the  vine  and  olive,  and  that 
of  boreal  plants.  The  greatest  eruption  of  late  years  took 
place  in  1812  ; it  lasted  six  months  : another  that  happened 
in  1819,  has  been  described  by  a traveller  who  witnessed  it, 
and  observed  the  lava  flowing  below  him  ; it  formed  a cur- 
rent of  sixty  feet  in  breadth  on  the  mountain,  and  twelve 

130  (Ed.  Encyc.)  Length  about  170  British  miles,  medial  breadth  70 
(Pinkerton.) — P. 

d Voyage  dans  les  Deux-Siciles,  t.  V. 

c Dictionnaire  dc  Geographie  Physique  de  1’  Encyclopedic  Methodique, 
par  M.  Huet : art.  Roches. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


86 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXX1. 


hundred  at  its  base.  It  desolated  the  country  to  the  dis- 
tance of’  two  leagues,  and  set  fire  to  the  trees  which  it 
touched.  The  stones  discharged  from  a crater  above  the 
opening  by  which  the  lava  issued,  rose  apparently  to  the 
height  of  a thousand  feet.a 

Several  mud  volcanoes  similar  to  those  near  Modena,  are 
situated  in  the  island ; among  others,  there  is  one  at  Valan- 
ghe  della  Lalomba,  another  at  Terra  Pilata,  and  a third  at 
Macaluba.  The  first  is  the  least  important ; its  movements 
are  wholly  checked  during  very  hot  weather.  The  second, 
observed  some  years  ago  for  the  first  time  by  Father  La 
Via,  consists  of  an  eminence  in  which  there  are  several  fis- 
sures ; from  a great  many  small  cones,  gas  and  mud  rise 
to  the  height  of  six  or  seven  feet ; other  cones  about  five 
feet  in  depth  emit  streams  of  hydrogen.  The  volcano  at 
Macaluba  is  somewhat  different ; it  is  situated  on  a little 
hill  about  fifty  feet  in  height ; its  small  craters  discharge 
bubbles  of  gas,  which  breaking  the  clay  that  covers  them, 
produce  a noise  like  that  occasioned  by  a cork  bursting 
from  a bottle.  A salt  spring  issues  from  the  little  hill,  and 
in  the  calcareous  soil  in  the  neighbourhood  are  other  hil- 
locks of  greyish  clay,  which  contain  gypsum.  Terra  Pi- 
lata has  been  so  called  from  its  sterility ; no  vegetable 
grows  on  it. 

The  lands  in  Sicily  are  very  fruitful ; the  olive  is  more 
vigorous  and  grows  to  a greater  size  than  in  the  rest  of 
Italy ; the  pistachio  tree  abounds,  and  the  cotton  plant  is 
cultivated  with  much  care  ; but  the  forests  have  been  long 
since  exhausted,  so  that  all  kinds  of  timber  are  at  present 
very  rare.  Beans  are  cultivated  as  a substitute  for  fallow. 
The  Sicilian  honey  is  of  an  excellent  quality,  and  the  bee 
is  one  of  the  most  valuable  animals  in  the  country.  The 
animals  in  general  do  not  differ  from  those  of  Calabria  ; 
among  the  birds,  the  solitary  thrush  ( Turdus  cyanus)  is  the 
one  most  attached  to  the  soil,  and  the  most  admired  for  its 
harmonious  notes. 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  examine  a question,  concern- 
ing which  distinguished  men  have  entertained  different 
opinions — was  Sicily  ever  a part  of  the  continent  1 Those 
who  deny  the  possibility  of  such  a separation  have  perhaps 
paid  too  little  attention  to  the  traditions  of  the  ancients. 
Pliny* 1’  and  Pomponius  Melac  considered  it  a fact  that 
could  not  be  doubted,  and  the  poets  have  described  the  ca- 
tastrophe.11 The  geologist  does  not  attach  any  weight  to  a 
popular  tradition,  if  it  be  at  variance  with  the  principles  and 
truths  that  form  the  basis  of  his  science  ; but  if  it  can  be 
easily  reconciled  with  these  principles  and  truths,  it  may  be 
considered  an  additional  argument  of  some  importance. 
It  is  true  that  the  authority  of  history  is  entitled  to  more 
credit  than  a mere  tradition,  lost  in  the  night  of  time  ; but 
it  (hies  not  require  much  reflection  to  be  convinced  that  at 
no  very  remote  period  history  is  confounded  with  fable,  j 
'I'he  imagination  may  easily  transport  itself  to  the  age  when 
men  did  not  possess  the  art  of  communicating  their  ideas 
by  writing,  and  when  history  rested  only  on  tradition. 

Cluverius®  argues  against  the  possibility  of  such  a sepa- 
ration, because  the  course  of  the  rivers  along  the  last  decli- 
vities in  Italy,  on  the  side  towards  Messina,  indicate  a gene- 
ral inclination  of  the  land  towards  the  sea.  But  if  it  be 


» Lettres  de  M.  Al.  de  Sehenberg  a M.  le  docteur  Schouw:  Journal 
Encyclopfedique  de  Naples,  No.  8. 
b Book  iii.  chap.  8. 
e Book  ii.  chap.  7. 

A Virgil,  Aim-id,  B aok iii.  verse  li  t.  Silius  Italicus,  Book xiv.  verse  10,  &c. 


assumed  that  the  Appennine  chain,  undermined  by  subter- 
nean  fires,  was  broken  at  the  place  where  two  heights 
were  separated  by  a valley,  and  if,  at  the  time  of  such  a 
rupture,  the  waters  of  the  sea  rushed  violently  into  the 
strait  of  Messina,  they  must  have  had  some  effect  in  ren- 
dering less  precipitous,  the  declivities  of  Italy  on  one  side, 
and  the  capes  of  Messina  and  Rasocolmo  on  the  other. 
This  much  may  be  urged  in  answer  to  the  objections  de- 
duced from  the  actual  configuration  of  the  country.  But 
it  may  be  farther  objected  that  it  has  been  ascertained  by 
geological  observations,  that  the  mountains  in  Sicily  and 
the  Appennines  are  formed  by  the  same  rocks.  If  it  appears 
a chimerical  notion  that  a part  of  the  chain,  less  than  a 
league  in  length,  has  been  broken  by  a violent  earthquake, 
because  it  is  an  improbable  supposition  that  the  southern 
Appennines  are  undermined,  or,  if  it  may  be  so  said,  placed 
above  immense  cavities,  then  it  should  be  recollected  that 
Calabria  has  been  often  shaken  to  its  foundations,  that 
a mountain  as  vast  as  iEtna  has  been  formed  by  sub- 
terranean fires,  and  that  the  volcanic  heights,  now  called 
the  Lipari  Islands,  have  been  raised  from  the  depths  of  the 
waters. 

At  a league  and  a half  from  the  Pharos/  situated  on  a 
point  near  cape  Rasocolmo,  stands  a rock  famous  in  anti- 
quity, as  being  most  dangerous  to  ships.  Rising  perpen- 
dicularly, the  base  of  Scylla  is  pierced  by  many  caverns  ; 
the  billows  enter  them,  mingle  with  each  other,  and  make 
in  breaking  a tremendous  noise,  which  explains  why  Ho- 
mer and  Virgil  have  painted  Scylla  roaring  in  her  cave, 
and  guarded  by  wolves  and  fierce  dogs.  Charybdis,  now 
Calofaro,  is  about  seven  hundred  and  fifty  feet  distant  from 
the  shore  at  Messina.  It  no  longer  resembles  the  descrip- 
tion given  of  it  by  Homer  ; it  is  not  a whirlpool,  but  a small 
space  hardly  a hundred  feet  in  circumference,  subject  to 
those  eddies  which  are  remarked  at  sea  in  all  narrow  pas- 
sages. 

Malta,  Gozzo  and  Comino  are  situated  between  S:cily 
and  Africa  ; they  form  a superficies  of  twenty-two  square 
leagu  s.  Malta  is  a calcareous  rock  about  five  leagues  in 
length  and  three  in  breadth/  covered  with  a light  layer  of 
vegetable  mould,  which  is  rendered  fruitful  by  the  heat  of 
the  climate.  More  than  eighty  springs  water  Malta  ; but  if  a 
proprietor  wishes  to  make  a new  garden,  the  soil  must  be 
transported  from  Sicily,  a fact  that  could  hardly  be  inferred 
from  the  number  and  excellent  flavour  of  the  Maltese 
oranges,  from  its  beautiful  roses  and  exhalations  of  a thou- 
sand flowers.  The  small  island  of  Comino,  a rock  about 
five  hundred  paces  in  circumference/  has  been  so  called 
from  the  great  quantity  of  cumin  which  the  inhabitants  cul- 
tivate. Gozzo,  an  island  on  which  different  heights  are 
situated,  is  about  four  leagues  in  length  and  two  in  breadth 
it  is  fruitful  in  cotton,  grain  and  vegetables. 

Nearer  Africa  than  Sicily,  the  volcanic  island  of  Pentel- 
lariak  presents  on  every  side  steep  declivities  and  caverns. 
A lake  near  the  centre,  about  eight  hundred  paces  in  cir- 
cumference, and  of  an  immense  depth,  fills  the  cavity  of 
an  ancient  crater ; its  waters  are  tepid,  no  fish  are  con- 
tained in  them.  Boiling  springs  issue  from  the  base  of  the 
arid  and  burnt  heights.  The  part  of  the  island  best 

e Sicil.  Antiq.  lib.  i.  f The  light  house  on  Cape  Faro. 

g 20  miles  long,  12  broad  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

h Extent  3 sq.  miles  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

1 Extent  37  sq.  miles  (Morse,)  40  sq.  miles  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

k Pantelaria. 


book  cxxxi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY.  87 


adapted  for  cultivation  produces  grapes,  figs  and  olives. 
Lampedosa,  nearer  Africa  than  Malta,  is  little  more  than 
two  square  leagues  in  extent ; it  is  uninhabited. 

The  jEgades  or  the  three  islands  of  Favignana,  Mare- 
timo  and  Levanzo,  near  the  western  coast  of  Sicily,  are  lit- 
tle worthy  of  notice.  All  the  islands  on  the  north  of  Sicily 
are  ancient  craters.  Ustica,  at  eleven  leagues  from  cape 
Gallo,  is  crowned  by  three  small  volcanic  summits,  which 
had  been  extinguished  long  before  the  Phoenician  conquest. 
The  soil  is  a dark  loam,  yielding  rich  harvests  ; the  in- 
habitants cultivate  cotton,  olives  and  grapes. 

The  Lipari  or  iEolian  Islands  are  situated  to  the  east  of 
Ustica  ; they  are  sixteen  in  number.  Basiluzzo  and  the 
three  Pinarelli  are  only  rocks  composed  of  granitic  and 
porous  lavas  covered  with  sulphate  of  alumine  ;a  yet  three 
inhabited  houses  are  situated  in  Basiluzzo.  It  has  been 
affirmed  that  hydrogen  gas  rises  round  these  islands  above 
the  surface  of  the  water.  The  soil  of  Alicudi  or  Alicuda 
is  covered  with  globular  lava  ; but  Spallanzani  describes  a 
mass  of  porphyry  that  did  not  appear  to  have  been  in  any  way 
modified  by  the  action  of  fire.b  Felicuri  or  Felicudi0  may 
be  remarked  on  account  of  its  alternate  layers  of  lava  and 
and  tufa  ;d  in  the  same  island  is  situated  a large  cavern, 
called  the  Grotto  of  the  Sea  Ox,  not  less  than  two  hun- 
dred feet  in  length,  one  hundred  and  twenty  in  breadth, 
and  sixty-five  in  height.  Spallanzani  observed  there  a mass 
of  granite,  similar  to  the  rocks  near  Melazzo  in  Sicily. 
The  block  which  seems  to  have  been  transported  by  the 
waters  might  tend  to  strengthen  the  opinion  that  a marine 
irruption  has  contributed  with  the  action  of  subterranean 
fire  to  separate  Sicily  from  Italy.  Salina,  which  Spallan- 
zani considers  the  ancient  Didyma,  is  more  probably  the 
island  of  Tliermisia.  It  is  about  four  leagues  in  circum- 
ference ; a crater  is  situated  near  the  centre,  and  the  soil 
is  fruitful  in  grapes  that  yield  an  excellent  wine.  It  has 
been  called  Salina  from  the  abundance  of  salt  obtained 
from  a small  lake,  separated  from  the  sea  by  a lava  dike 
•that  the  waves  have  formed.  The  waters  of  the  lake  are 
diverted  into  ditches  made  for  the  purpose  ; the  heat  of  the 
sun  dries  them  by  evaporation,  and  leaves  behind  thick 
layers  of  salt.  Lipari,  the  largest  of  these  islands,  is  nearly 
six  leagues  in  circumference  ; it  is  covered  with  feldspathic 
lava,  volcanic  glass  or  obsidian,  and  pumice  stone,  with  the 
last  of  which  the  inhabitants  supply  the  whole  of  Europe. 
The  mountain  of  Campo  Bianco  consists  of  conglomerates 
containing  vegetable  remains,  and  forming  strata  that  alter- 
nate with  pumice  stone.6  Two  craters  are  situated  in 
Volcano,  an  island  less  than  six  leagues  in  circumference  ; 
one  of  them  appears  to  be  exhausted ; the  other,  which  is 
of  very  large  dimensions,  emits  clouds  of  smoke.  It  Is  reck- 
oned to  be  four  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  depth, 
and  two  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-six  in  diameter/ 
The  last  eruption  took  place  in  the  year  1775.  The  extin- 
guished crater  is  not  inaccessible  ; the  stranger  may  descend 
to  a grotto  adorned  with  stalactites  of  sulphur.  The  walls 
of  another  grotto  are  covered  with  sulphur,  sulphate  of 

a Spallanzani,  Voyage  en  Sicile,  tom.  ii. 

b Voyage  en  Sicile,  tom.  iii.  p.  103. 

c Felicuda.  d Peperino.  e Dolomieu,  Voyage  aux  lies  Lipari. 

*'  “ Depth  1400  metres,  diameter  770.” 

e Specular  iron  is  found  at  Stromboli  in  the  fissures  of  lava.  (Spallan- 
zani.)—P. 

h The  winter  palace  of  Tiberius  at  La  Marina.  It  was  built  on  terraces 
and  piers  advancing  into  the  sea,  which  has  again  resumed  its  original  do- 
main. It  is  probably  owing  to  the  destruction  or  sinking  of  its  foundations 
rather  than  to  the  rising  of  the  sea,  that  it  is  now  covered  with  the  waves. — P.  I 


alumine  and  muriate  of  ammonia.  Carbonic  acid  is  disen- 
gaged from  the  hot  waters  of  a small  lake  in  the  same 
island.  The  volcanic  products  of  Panaria  are  nowise  re- 
markable ; like  Lipari,  it  produces  corn,  olives,  figs  and  ex- 
cellent grapes.  Stromboli,  the  most  northern  of  these 
islands,  is  a steep  volcano,  in  which  a crater  open  on  one 
side,  is  always  burning.  In  its  ordinary  calm  state,  two 
eruptions  take  place  every  quarter  of  an  hour.  Its  lavas 
contain  beautiful  crystals  of  specular  iron  ( oligiste.)s 

The  entrance  into  the  Gulf  of  Naples  is  defended  by 
three  islands,  Capri  or  the  ancient  Caprece  on  the  right, 
and  Ischia  and  Procida  on  the  left.  No  traces  of  volcanoes 
are  to  be  found  in  the  first,  which  is  about  a league  and  a 
half  long,  and  a league  broad.  A calcareous  cliff  divides 
it  into  two  parts,  and  the  inhabitants  that  go  from  the  one 
to  the  other  must  ascend  a stair  of  five  hundred  steps.  It 
has  been  inferred  from  observations  made  in  different  parts 
of  the  earth,  that  the  waters  of  the  sea  are  lower  than  in 
past  ages  ; Capri,  however,  offers  a proof  to  the  contrary. 
The  floors  of  the  palaceh  built  by  Tiberius  are  at  present 
covered  with  the  waves.  It  is  said  that  in  certain  seasons 
of  the  year,  quails  flock  in  such  numbers  to  the  most  fruit- 
ful parts  of  the  island,  that  the  quantity  caught  in  a day  has 
been  sold  for  more  than  a hundred  ducats.  The  tithe  that 
the  bishop  receives  from  the  quails  taken  in  the  island, 
constitutes  his  principal  revenue.  Ischia  is  eight  leagues  in 
circumference  ; its  soil  is  wholly  volcanic  ; the  last  marine 
deposits  are  at  present  covered  with  lava.  Strabo  informs 
us,* 1  that  its  fruitful  harvests  and  gold  mines  were  the  sources 
of  much  wealth  to  the  inhabitants  ; but  it  is  not  improbable 
that  the  Greek  geographer  has  been  mistaken,  for  no  traces 
of  gold  can  now  be  found  in  its  lava.  Its  ancient  volcanoes, 
Monte  di  Vico  and  Epopeo,  are  not  much  lower  than  Vesu- 
vius. The  eruption  which  happened  in  1302,  lasted  two 
months,  and  compelled  the  inhabitants  to  abandon  the 
island  ; at  present,  however,  it  is  very  populous.  It  pro- 
duces good  wines,  and  many  strangers  repair  to  it  on  ac- 
count of  its  vapour  baths'1  and  mineral  waters.  Procida, 
placed  between  the  continent  and  the  last  island,  is  not 
more  than  three  leagues  in  circumference,  but  it  contains 
a great  many  inhabitants,  more  perhaps  than  any  other 
place  of  the  same  size  their  number  is  not  less  than 
fourteen  thousand.  Its  volcanic  soil,  formed  by  succes- 
sive deposits  of  lava,  yields  plenty  of  oranges,  figs,  and 
grapes. 

The  Pontian  islands,  of  which  the  five  largest  are  San 
Stefano,  Vandotena,  Zannone,  Ponza  and  Palmarola,  ex- 
tend to  the  west  of  Ischia  ; several  others  of  a smaller  size, 
rise  between  them.  Ponza,  the  largest  of  the  group,  is  about 
six  or  seven  miles  long,  and  three  or  three  and  a halfbroad.m 
Like  those  that  surround  it,  it  is  formed  by  trachytic  rocks, 
the  remains  of  burning  streams  that  flowed  in  the  midst  of 
earthy  volcanic  deposits.  The  base  of  La  Guardia,  one  of 
the  highest  summits  in  the  island,  consists  of  a semi-vitreous 
trachyte,  on  which  rests  a bed  of  common  grey  trachyte, 
about  three  feet  thick.  The  trachytic  rocks  in  the  island  of 

> Lib.  v.  cap.  10. 

k It.  strife,  stoves.  Aqueous  vapours  are  constantly  issuing  from  fissures  in 
the  lava ; they  are  collected  and  conveyed  by  tubes  into  apartments, 
whereby  a steam  bath  is  obtained.  (Ed.  Encyc.)— P. 

1 “ It  is  one  of  the  most  populous  places  on  the  globe.” 

m “ leagues  long  and  I league  broad.”  T he  translator  has  probably  mis- 
taken half  a league  (une  demi-lieue)  for  one  league  and  a half.  (Circum- 
ference 5Fr.  leagues.  Vosgien.) — P. 


EUROPE. 


88 


[BOOK  CXXXI. 


Zannone  rest  on  limestone  belonging  to  the  transition 
period. 

Several  other  islands  are  situated  towards  the  north,  be- 
tween Corsica  and  Tuscany ; of  these  the  most  southern 
are  Gianuti,  formerly  Artemisia,  and  Monte  Cristo,  the 
ancient  Oglosa,  both  of  which  are  inhabited  by  fishermen, 
and  Giglio,  which  the  Romans  called  AEgilium.  In  the 
last  are  worked  granite  and  valuable  marble  quarries  ; its 
hills  are  covered  with  trees,  and  the  soil  is  fruitful  in  vines. 
Pianosa,  the  ancient  Planasia,  a well  wooded  but  thinly 
peopled  island,  lies  at  no  great  distance  from  Elba.  Ca- 
praia,  a small  calcareous  island  to  the  north  of  Elba,  contains 
a greater  population.  Gorgona,  opposite  to  Leghorn,  a still 
smaller  island,  is  covered  with  wood  and  serves  as  a station 
for  the  sardel  fishermen. 

The  island  of  Elba,  so  famous  for  its  iron  mines,  which 
were  worked  at  a very  remote  period,  was  called  JEthalia 
by  the  Greeks,  and  lira  by  the  Romans.  It  is  from  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  leagues  in  circumference,  and  about  nineteen 
in  superficies.  Granite,  micaceous  sclustus  and  marble 
are  the  principal  rocks  in  its  mountains,  which  extend  from 
east  to  west.  The  Capanna  is  the  highest  summit  in  the 
island.  Although  some  unwholesome  marshes  might  be 
mentioned,  the  climate  may  be  said  to  be  salubrious.  No 
river  waters  the  island  ; Rio  is  its  only  stream,  but  it  pos- 
sesses abundant  and  never  failing  springs.  Several  mineral 
springs  are  also  situated  in  Elba  ; the  inhabitants  make 
excellent  wine  ; the  pastures,  although  of  small  extent,  are 
very  fertile. 

The  island  of  Sardinia,  about  sixty-one  leagues  in  length 
from  north  to  south,  and  about  thirty-three  at  its  great- 
est breadth,  forms  a superficies  of  eleven  hundred  and 
ninety-four  square  leagues.  A chain  of  mountains  tra- 
verses the  island  from  south  to  north ; two  branches  ex- 
tend from  its  western  side,  the  one  towards  the  north-west 
and  the  other  towards  the  south-west.  The  island  is  formed 
principally  of  granite,  in  which  are  contained  strata  and 
veins  of  quartz,  sienite  and  greenstone  or  diorite,  and  which 
ts  covered  in  many  places,  particularly  at  the  two  extremi- 
ties, with  micaceous  schistus.  Mount  Genargentu,  one  of 
the  loftiest  in  Sardinia,  consists  chiefly  of  these  substances  ; 
•t  is  not  less  than  six  thousand  and  eighty-six  feeta  in  height. 
The  same  rocks  appear  at  the  north-eastern  extremity,  in 
die  mountains  of  Della  Nurra.  The  southern  and  northern 
branches  are  composed  of  transition  rocks  and  secondary 
limestone,  and  are  often  covered  with  trachytes  supporting 
tertiary  deposits,  on  the  last  of  which  basalt  reposes  ; this 
arrangement  has  been  observed  in  the  mountains  of  Del 
Marghine,  near  the  middle  of  the  western  part  of  the  island. 
These  volcanic  masses  seem  to  have  been  partly  overturned 
and  destroyed  by  aqueous  currents  flowing  in  the  direction 
of  north  to  south.  Fresh  water  must  have  had  some  share 
m effecting  these  catastrophes  ; for  in  the  country  near 
Cagliari,  the  remains  of  carnivorous  and  ruminating  ani- 
mals, as  well  as  fresh  water  shells,  are  found  in  great  num- 
bers.1’ No  traces  are  left  of  the  craters  from  which  the 
igneous  products  were  discharged.  A small  modern  volcano 
dear  Giave,  is  characterized  by  puzzolanas  and  scoriae. 


The  existence  of  gold  in  the  Sardinian  mountains  may  be 
considered  very  uncertain,  but  there  are  several  iron  and 
lead  mines.  Silver,  copper  and  mercury  are  found  only  in 
small  quantities.0 

The  principal  rivers  flow  from  the  western  side  of  the 
great  chain,  namely,  the  Ozieri  on  the  north,  the  Oristano 
in  the  centre,  and  the  Mannu  on  the  south.  The  Flumen- 
dozad  rises  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  mountains.  The 
Oristano  is  about  twenty-two  leagues  in  length  ;e  none  of 
the  others  are  more  than  fifteen.  There  are  numerous 
small  lakes  in  Sardinia,  the  waters  of  which  are  more  or 
less  brackish,  a quality  derived  from  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  sea,  or  the  nature  of  the  soil  that  they  water. 

The  climate  is  temperate  but  often  exposed  to  the  fatal 
effects  of  a south-east  wind  called  the  Levante,  the  same  as 
the  Neapolitan  sirocco.  Strabo/  Tacitus, g Cicero/  and 
Cornelius  Nepos1  mention  the  insalubrity  of  Sardinia.  The 
same  effects  are  still  produced  by  the  same  causes ; the 
miasms  that  rise  from  the  marshes,  particularly  after  hot 
and  rainy  weather,  occasion  dangerous  intermittent  fevers. 

A fifth  part  of  the  soil  is  covered  with  forests  of  oak  ; the 
principal  species  are  the  common  oak  ( Qucrcus  robur,)  the 
holm  (Quercus  ilex,)  and  the  cork  tree  ( Quercus  suber.) 
The  island  may  be  divided  into  three  vegetable  zones  ; that 
of  the  mountains  may  be  compared  with  Corsica  ; that  o£ 
the  northern  plains  and  coasts  resembles  Provence  and  a 
part  of  Italy ; and  lastly,  that  of  the  southern  plains  and 
coasts  is  similar  to  Africa.  The  low  state  of  agriculture 
may  be  attributed  rather  to  the  character  of  the  inhabitants 
than  to  the  nature  of  the  soil. 

The  largest  of  the  wild  animals  are  the  stag,  the  fallow 
deer,  the  goat  and  the  wild  boa  r ; but  they  are  all  smaller 
than  others  of  the  same  species  on  the  continent.  The  mu- 
simonk  differs  from  the  same  animal  in  Corsica,  both  in  size 
and  in  the  form  of  the  horns,  which  resemble  those  of  the 
ram.  The  other  quadrupeds  are  the  fox,  the  rabbit,  the  hare 
and  the  weazel.  The  domestic  animals  are  distinguished 
by  peculiar  characters ; the  horses  are  small  but  strong,  * * 
they  are  often  useful  for  twenty  or  thirty  years  ; the  asses 
are  small  and  covered  with  long  hair ; the  oxen,  like  those 
in  Hungary,  have  very  large  horns ; they  are  light,  nimble 
and  impetuous.  The  Sardinian  goats  are  not  inferior  in 
size  to  those  in  Italy  ; all  the  other  animals  are  diminutive 
and  degenerate. 

The  eagle  soars  above  the  mountains,  the  vulture  devours 
the  putrid  carcasses  in  the  plains,  and  the  linnet,  the  black- 
bird and  the  thrush  enliven  the  fields.  The  flamingo  ar- 
rives from  Africa  about  the  middle  of  August ; two  months 
later,  it  is  joined  by  flocks  of  swans,  geese  and  wild  ducks 
that  have  migrated  from  northern  regions,  and  these  are 
followed  by  herons,  coots  and  cormorants. 

The  slow  growth  of  vegetation,  and  the  sudden  arefac- 
tion  of  most  of  the  plants,  render  insects  less  abundant  in 
Sardinia  than  in  the  other  countries  of  southern  Europe. 
The  tarantula  is  not  unknown,  grasshoppers1  are  common, 
and  the  gnats  are  very  troublesome.  The  bees  yield  ex- 
cellent honey  ; in  some  districts,  it  has  a bitter  taste  which 
is  not  disagreeable  ; the  inhabitants  attribute  it  to  the  flowers 


* “ 1826  metres.” 

0 “In  the  neighbourhood  of  Cagliari  there  is  a formation  of  osseous 
breccia,  containing  the  remains  of  small  rodenlia,  the  teeth  ol'  ruminating 
uiimals,  and  terrestrial  shells.” 

e Description  de  Pile  de  Sardaigne,  par  M.  de  la  Marmora,  Mfemoires  du 
Museum  d’histoire  naturelle,  <•  Flumendoso. 


' About  80  miles  in  length.  (Ed.  Encvc.) 
f Lib  V.  « Anna!  Lib.  VII 

h Lib.  II.  cp.  3,  ad  Guintum  fratrem. 

I De  Viris  Illustr. 

k Mouflon,  wild  sheep — mufione  in  Sardinia,  mujfoli  in  Corsica. 

1 “ Sauterelles” locusts '! 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


89 


BOOK  CXX'Vl.J 

of  the  arbute  tree.  The  only  reptiles  found  in  the  island 
are  a small  snake  and  different  species  of  lizards.  Many 
fish  are  taken  in  the  rivers  and  the  sea.  The  most  remark- 
able amphibious  animals  are  two  species  of  seals. 

Sardinia  is  surrounded  by  several  small  islands.  The 
largest  are  San  Antioco  and  San  Pietro  on  the  south-west, 
Asmara  on  the  north-west,  and  Maddalena,  Caprara  and 
Tavolara  on  the  north.  San  Antioco,  the  Enosis  of  the 
Romans,  is  about  nine  leagues  in  circumference.  It  yields 
rich  harvests,  and  its  inhabitants  export  a great  quantity  of 

VOL.  TII.— NO.  45.  12 


salt.  San  Pietro,  divided  into  two  parts  by  a hill,  is  the 
ancient  Hieracum ; it  is  about  eight  or  nine  leagues  in  cir- 
cumference. The  inhabitants  fish  for  coral,  work  their 
salt  mines, a and  cultivate  a fruitful  soil.  Asinara,  the  an- 
cient Insula  Herculis,  about  four  leagues  and  a half  in 
length  and  two  in  breadth,  is  mountainous  and  covered  with 
pastures ; a few  fishermen  and  shepherds  inhabit  it.  Ta- 
volara, a calcareous  rock,  now  the  haunt  of  wild  goats,  was 
frequented  by  the  ancients,  who  fished  on  the  coasts  for  the 
mollusca  that  yielded  the  purple  die. 

9 * Salines.” 


3E 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  cxxxn. 

BOOK  CXXXII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Description  of  Italy. — Second  Sec- 
tion.— Lombardo-  Venetian  kingdom. 

The  most  ancient  people  that  inhabited  the  country  from 
the  sides  of  the  Alps  to  the  banks  of  the  Po,  and  from  the 
course  of  the  Tesino  to  the  Lisonzo,  were  the  Orobii  on 
the  north,  the  Insubres  and  the  Cenomani  below  the  lakes 
of  Como  and  Iseo,  the  Lcevi  on  the  west,  near  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  Tesino  and  the  Po,  and  the  Euganei  on  the 
east.  The  Orobii  were  probably  aborigines  of  the  Alps ; 
their  name  signifies  literally  those  that  live  in  the  moun- 
tains; but  Pliny, a after  Cornelius  Alexander,  makes  them 
the  descendants  of  Greek  mountaineers  ; however,  Bergo- 
mumf  the  name  of  their  capital,  indicates  a Germanic  or 
rather  Germano-Celtic  origin.  The  Insubres  appear  to 
have  also  migrated  from  the  north  ; they  were  a branch  of 
the  Ombri,  whose  name  in  their  language  signified  Valiant. 
JMediolanum,  their  capital,  is  the  modern  Milan.  The  Ce- 
nomani were  a colony  of  Celtic  people  that  originally  inha- 
bited the  territory  of  Mans ; they  settled  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  Alps,  six  centuries  before  the  vulgar  era.  The 
Loen  were  also  considered  Gauls.  The  Euganei  possessed 
for  a long  time  the  territory  that  now  forms  the  government 
of  Venice,  but  they  were  at  last  invaded  by  the  Veneti,  who 
are  supposed  to  have  been  a colony  of  the  Veneti  in  the 
country  round  Vannes  in  Armorica,  a powerful  seafaring 
and  commercial  people. 

The  descendants  of  these  different  nations  possessed  that 
part  of  Italy  until  the  fall  of  the  Roman  empire  in  the  west, 
about  the  end  of  the  fifth  century,  when  the  Heruli,  under 
the  conduct  of  Odoacer,  quitted  the  banks  of  the  Danube, 
settled  on  both  sides  of  the  Po,  and  made  Ravenna  the 
capital  of  their  territory.  Six  years  after  their  conquest, 
they  were  subdued  by  the  Ostrogoths,  whose  power  was 
shaken  by  the  glorious  efforts  of  Belisarius,  and  overthrown 
by  the  eunuch  Narses  in  the  year  553. 

Italy  restored  to  the  emperors  of  the  East,  was  not  long 
secure  against  foreign  invasions.  The  Longobardic  quitted 
the  forests  of  Germany,  and  founded  in  567d  a powerful 
kingdom  in  the  great  valley  of  the  Po,  which  in  time  was 
styled  Lombardy.  But  the  bishops  of  Rome  anticipating 
their  power,  observed,  not  without  fear  and  jealousy,  the  ag- 
grandizement of  these  barbarians  who  threatened  to  destroy 
or  possess  the  ancient  capital  of  the  world.  Stephen  the 
Second  implored  the  assistance  of  France  ; Pepin  took  from 
the  Longobardi  the  exarchate  of  Ravenna,  and  made  the 
pope  sovereign  over  it.  Their  kingdom  was  afterwards  de- 
stroyed by  Charlemagne,  who  confined  Didier,®  their  last 
king,  in  a convent.  Although  Lombardy  continued  witn- 

*■  Lib.  III.  cap.  7.  b The  modern  Bergamo. 

’ Lombards.  d Chronological  tables  by  John  Blair. 


out  a sovereign,  its  laws  were  retained,  and  after  the  death 
of  Charlemagne,  the  country  was  divided  into  several  prin- 
cipalities subject  to  the  western  empire.  But  the  spirit  of 
independence  was  diffused  over  that  portion  of  Italy  ; the 
emperors  of  Germany  granted  to  some  towns,  the  right  of 
choosing  their  magistrates.  The  citizens  had  preserved,  in 
accordance  with  the  genius  of  Christianity,  the  right  of 
electing  their  bishops,  and  this  custom  led  men  to  conclude 
that  all  power  emanated  from  the  people. 

These  and  other  republican  forms  determined  the  inha- 
bitants of  the  larger  towns  to  demand  charters  and  more 
important  privileges.  All  the  cities  in  Lombardy  during 
the  twelfth  century  not  only  elected  their  magistrates,  but 
deliberated  on  their  local  interests,  and  on  questions  of  peace 
and  war. f F rederick  Barbarossa  was  the  first  emperor,  who, 
violating  the  charters  and  treaties  of  his  predecessors,  at- 
tempted to  establish  absolute  power  in  Italy.  Milan  was  the 
most  important  town  in  Lombardy  ; besieged  by  that  prince, 
and  reduced  to  extremity  by  famine,  it  consented  at  last  to 
capitulate,  but  on  conditions  which  the  conqueror  disre- 
garded ; within  a few  days  after  its  surrender,  Milan  was 
changed  into  a heap  of  ruins.s  If  the  emperor  protected 
the  rivals  of  that  large  city,  he  entirely  destroyed  their  free- 
dom, and  the  magistrates  elected  by  the  citizens  were  suc- 
ceeded by  the  podestas  whom  Frederick  appointed.  The 
peace  which  succeeded  the  noise  and  confusion  of  war,  was 
only  the  stillness  of  fear.  Liberty,  although  subdued,  was 
not  destroyed ; the  people,  unaccustomed  to  oppression, 
bore  it  reluctantly ; a secret  league  conspired  to  restore 
their  privileges.  The  towns  formed  for  that  purpose  a 
confederation,  while  Frederick,  emboldened  by  success, 
marched  against  Rome,  with  a view  either  to  humble  the 
Pope,  or  to  unite  his  possessions  to  the  empire.  But  on 
that  occasion  at  least,  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican  were  fa- 
vourable to  the  independence  of  nations.  The  Romans, 
animated  by  the  just  resentment  of  their  bishop,  resisted 
with  courage ; heaven  seemed  to  favour  their  efforts,  for 
the  plague  cut  off  great  numbers  in  the  imperial  army.  The 
emperor  made  new  attempts  against  Lombardy,  but  de- 
nounced and  excommunicated,  he  became  the  object  of 
hatred  and  contempt.  The  confederate  towns  gave  him 
battle,  when  his  troops  were  routed  and  cut  to  pieces,  and 
Frederick  himself  saved  his  life  by  means  of  a disguise  ; at 
last,  abandoned  by  fortune,  he  acknowledged  the  indepen- 
dence of  the  Lombard  republics. 

Divisions  in  opinion  are  not  the  least  evils  in  political  re- 
volutions ; by  such  causes  the  inhabitants  of  the  same  na- 
tion, nay,  the  citizens  of  the  same  town,  are  often  changed 


e Desiderius.  f Muratori,  Annals  of  Italv. 

s In  six  days,  tne  city  of  Milan  was  completely  demolished.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 


BOOK  CXXXII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


91 


into  irreconcileable  enemies.  While  Barbarossa  continued 
fortunate  and  victorious,  he  was  surrounded  by  ambitious 
tlatterers,  ever  ready  to  pay  their  court  to  the  powerful. 
The  same  persons  adhered  to  his  successor,  after  the  death 
of  Frederick,  and,  as  in  the  former  struggle,  the  court  of 
Rome  had  powerfully  contgbuted  by  its  excommunications 
to  the  success  of  the  people  against  the  empire,  Lombardy 
was  then  divided  into  two  dominant  factions.  The  parti- 
sans of  the  Pope  took  the  name  of  Guelphs,  while  those  of 
the  emperor  were  called  Ghibelines .a  In  their  contests, 
both  parties  were  at  different  times  victorious,  but  the 
Guelphs  more  frequently  than  the  Ghibelines. 

The  freedom  and  independence  gained  by  the  Lombard 
towns,  tended  to  promote  civilization  and  the  arts,  and  the 
diffusion  of  wealth  and  commerce.  Some  notion  may 
be  formed  of  their  resources,  from  the  account  given  of 
Milan  by  a cotemporary  writer1  in  the  thirteenth  century. 
It  contained  among  its  two  hundred  thousand  inhabitants, 
six  hundred  lawyers,0  two  hundred  physicians,  eighty  teach- 
ers and  fifty  copyists  of  manuscripts.  Its  well  paved  streets 
and  well  built  houses,  its  stone  bridges,  its  public  monu- 
ments, and  its  palaces,  gave  it  an  appearance  wholly  differ- 
ent from  that  of  the  towns  in  the  north  and  west  of  Europe. 
Its  territory,  which  included  Lodi,  Pavia,  Bergamo  and 
Como,  besides  a hundred  and  fifty  villages  and  as  many 
castles,  maintained  a body  of  eight  thousand  knights  or 
gentlemen,  and  could  put  two  hundred  and  forty  thousand 
men* *  under  arms. 

But  civil  dissensions,  the  sources  of  ambition  and  corrup- 
tion, proved  fatal  to  the  patriotism  of  the  inhabitants,  and  to 
their  independence.  These  towns,  so  determined  in  de- 
fending their  privileges  against  the  emperors,  chose  magis- 
trates whose  power  became  hereditary,  and  soon  degenera- 
ted into  tyranny.  In  the  fourteenth  century,  Central  Lom- 
bardy was  the  inheritance  of  the  Visconti,  while  Verona 
was  governed  by  the  family  of  La  Scala,  Padua  by  that  of 
Carrara,  and  Mantua  by  that  of  Gonzaga.  Milan  and  its 
territory  were  erected  into  a dutchy,  and  conferred  on  one 
of  the  Visconti,  by  the  emperor  Wenceslaus,  in  the  year 
1395.  The  same  principality  passed,  by  right  of  marriage, 
to  the  natural  sond  of  the  celebrated  James  Sforza,  who, 
from  the  condition  of  a labourer,  rose  by  his  talents  and 
courage  to  the  dignity  of  constable.  When  that  family  be- 
came extinct,  Charles  the  Fifth  made  himself  master  of  the 
Milanese,  which  continued  in  the  possession  of  Spain  until 
the  year  1700,  when  on  the  death  of  the  last  duke,  the 
house  of  Austria  succeeded  to  his  territory,  and  ceded  some 
portion  of  it  to  Savoy. 

The  descendants  of  the  Veneti,  in  order  to  escape  from 
the  barbarous  hordes  of  Alaric,  who  invaded  Italy  in  the 
beginning  of  the  fifth  century,  sought  shelter  in  the  small 
islands  at  the  mouth  of  the  Brenta.  They  founded  there 
two  small  towns,  Rivoalto®  and  Malamocco.  So  early  as 
the  year  697,  the  magistrates  of  these  populous  islands, 
anxious  to  secure  their  independence,  and  to  form  a distinct 
people,  obtained  from  the  emperor  Leontius,  the  privilege  of 
electing  a chief,  on  whom  they  conferred  the  title  of  Doge 
or  Duke.  Pepin,  king  of  Italy,  granted  to  the  rising  state 

1 The  Guelphs  derived  their  name  from  an  illustrious  Bavarian  family, 
allied  by  marriage  with  the  house  of  Este.  The  Ghibelines  were  so  called 
from  a village  in  F ranconia,  the  birthplace  of  Conrad  the  Salic,  from 
whom  the  house  of  Suabia  was  descended.  See  Hallam’s  Middle  A<res ; 
Gibbon’s  Antiquities  of  the  house  of  Brunswick. 

b Galvaneus  Flamma. 

• “ Notaries  ” 


certain  lands  along  the  coast  on  both  sides  of  the  Adige. 
Rivoalto  was  united  to  tke  neighbouring  islands,  and  be- 
came a new  town  to  which  the  inhabitants  gave  tbe  name 
of  Venetian.  In  the  ninth  century,  the  republic  became  im 
portant  from  its  commerce  and  maritime  power ; in  the 
twelfth  it  equipped  fleets  for  the  crusades.  It  was  princi- 
pally owing  to  the  efforts  of  the  Venetians  that  Constanti- 
nople was  taken  in  1202  ; a part  of  that  city  and  its  terri- 
toryf  was  in  consequence  added  to  their  dominions;  the  doges, 
who  had  already  assumed  the'  title  of  dukes  of  Dalmatia, 
were  then  styled  dukes  of  three  eighths  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire.5 Candia,  the  Ionian  islands,  the  most  of  those  in  the 
Archipelago,  and  other  important  stations,  besides  factories 
at  Acre  and  Alexandria,  served  to  extend  tbe  power  and 
the  commerce  of  Venice. 

The  Venetian  government  consisted  at  first  of  councillors 
named  by  the  people,  who  shared  with  the  doge  the  legis- 
lative authority.  The  latter  magistrate  possessed  originally 
great  prerogatives,  but  they  were  gradually  restricted  lest 
the  dignity  should  become  hereditary.  A numerous  repre- 
sentative council  was  instituted ; it  was  chosen  by  twelve 
electors  whom  the  people  appointed  ; but  in  time  the  mem- 
bers that  formed  it,  arrogated  the  right  of  naming  the  twelve 
electors,  and  of  approving  or  rejecting  their  successors  be- 
fore they  resigned  their  functions.  The  frequent  election 
of  the  same  members  resulted  as  a necessary  consequence 
from  this  confusion  of  powers,  and  a dignity  which  was  in- 
tended to  be  the  reward  of  virtuous  citizens,  became  the 
exclusive  portion  of  certain  families.  When  these  innova- 
tions on  the  primitive  form  of  government  were  established, 
a senate  was  instituted,  on  which  was  conferred  the  right 
of  making  peace  or  war  ; but  the  senators,  as  well  as  the 
councillors  of  the  doge,  were  elected  every  year  by  the 
grand  council.  The  discontent  and  revolts  in  the  fourteenth 
century,  occasioned  by  a system  that  annihilated  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  a republican  government,  led  to  the 
formation  of  the  celebrated  Covncil  of  Ten,  and  in  their  in- 
fernal police  were  organized  the  insidious  spy,  the  hired 
informer  and  the  base  assassin. 

- Such  was  the  state  of  the  dutchy  of  Milan,  and  the  Ve- 
netian republic,  when  in  1796,  and  again  after  the  victory 
of  Marengo,  their  territories  united  with  that  of  Modena 
and  a portion  of  the  States  of  the  Church,  formed  the  Cis- 
alpine republic,  afterwards  denominated  the  Italian  republic 
until  the  year  1805,  when  it  was  changed  into  the  kingdom 
of  Italy.  The  ancient  name  of  Lombardy  had  been  long 
forgotten,  when,  by  the  negotiations  at  Vienna,  Austria  hav- 
ing obtained  possession  of  Milan,  Mantua,  Venice  and  the 
Valteline,  united  their  territories,  and  formed  the  Lombardo- 
Venetian  kingdom. 

This  kingdom  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Switzerland 
and  Tyrol,  on  the  west  and  the  south  by  the  Sardinian  pos- 
sessions, the  dutchies  of  Parma  and  Modena,  and  the  States 
of  the  Church,  and  on  the  east  by  the  Adriatic  Gulf  and 
the  kingdom  of  Illyria.  It  is  equal  in  superficial  extent  to 
about  two  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty-eight  square 
leagues.*1  Lake  Maggiore,  the  Tesino  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  Po  are  its  natural  limits. 


d Francis  Sforza,  who  had  mifcried  the  daughter  of  Philip  Visconti, 
duke  of  Milan.  e Rialto.  f Three  eighths.  Hallam,  1 c.  infra. 

e Hallam’s  Middle  Ages,  vol.  i.  p.  472.  [The  doge  took  the  singular 
but  accurate  title,  Duke  of  three  eighths  of  the  Roman  empire.  Hallam, 
vol.  II.  p.  153,  Philad.  1821. J 

h M.  Thielen  considers  it  equal  to  851.94  German  square  miles.  [18,290 
Eng.  sq.  miles.  Morse.] 


92 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXII. 


Winter  lasts  generally  about  two  months ; the  fields  are 
clothed  with  verdure  in  February,  and  the  heat  of  summer 
is  felt  in  May.  The  grain  and  the  ordinary  kinds  of  fruit 
are  ripe  in  June  or  July,  and  the  vintage  takes  place  in 
October.  The  air  is  salubrious  in  most  parts  of  the  king- 
dom, hut  the  rice  fields  occasion  in  some  places  putrid 
miasms ; the  environs  of  Mantua  and  Rovigo  are  exposed 
to  unwholesome  exhalations,  and  the  lagoons  are  dangerous 
to  strangers. 

The  valley  of  the  Po,  which  in  the  time  of  Polybius  was 
a marshy  country  shaded  by  forests,  the  haunt  of  wild 
boars,  does  not  at  present  furnish  a sufficient  quantity  of 
wood  for  its  inhabitants.  The  treasures  of  Ceres  and  Po- 
mona have  succeeded  to  the  peaceful  retreats  of  the  hama- 
dryads. Extensive  meadows  watered  by  the  streams  that 
descend  from  the  Alps,  yield  six  crops  of  hay  in  the  same 
year.  The  horned  cattle  are  not  inferior  to  any  in  Eu- 
rope ; the  peasants  devote  much  attention  to  them  ; cheese 
and  the  produce  of  the  dairy  are  their  principal  wealth. 

Some  customs  of  past  times  still  exist  in  the  Milanese  ; 
heavy  wagons  with  low  and  massive  wheels,  drawn  by 
several  pairs  of  oxen,  the  tips  of  their  long  horns  covered 
with  iron  balls,  and  their  heads  adorned  with  ribbons  and 
garlands,  the  country  women  with  their  hair  folded  in 
tresses  and  fastened  together  by  a silver  bodkin,  the  shep- 
herds carrying  instead  of  a crook,  a staff  in  the  form  of  a 
crosier,  and  with  a mantle  hanging  from  their  left  shoulder, 
and  the  arched  heads  of  the  sheep,  their  pendant  ears  and 
light  forms,  similar  to  many  ancient  basso-relievos,  an- 
nounce Italy  and  its  classic  associations.  These  and  other 
characters  which  the  stranger  observes  on  his  arrival,  form 
a striking  contrast  with  the  wretchedness  of  the  peasantry, 
but  he  becomes  habituated  to  other  contrasts,  still  more 
painful,  for  Italy  is  the  country  of  luxury  and  poverty. 

The  bee  and  the  silk-worm  are  reared  with  great  suc- 
cess in  Lombardy ; an  enormous  quantity  of  wax  is  con- 
sumed in  the  churches,  and  the  manufacturing  of  silk  is 
among  the  few  branches  of  industry,  in  which  the  people 
are  not  inferior  to  their  neighbours.  However,  cotton 
spinning,  and  cloth  and  linen  manufactures,  are  not  with- 
out activity,  and  it  has  been  estimated  that  the  mean  pro- 
duct of  the  exports  amounts  to  about  £ 3,542,000.  Com- 
mercial communications  are  facilitated  by  excellent  roads, 
rivers  and  canals. 

The  Lombardo-Venetian  kingdom  has  been  declared  an 
integral  part  of  the  Austrian  empire.  As  the' country  was 
long  governed  by  French  laws,  absolute  power  has  been 
mitigated  by  the  constitution  of  1815.  The  forms  of  na- 
tional representation  have  been  established,  but  the  mem- 
bers that  compose  it,  have  only  the  right  of  deliberating  on 
certain  questions,  which  the  government  proposes.  The 
emperor  is  represented  by  a viceroy,  and  the  kingdom  is 
divided  into  two  governments,  those  of  Milan  and  Venice. 
The  first  is  subdivided  into  nine  districts  or  delegations,  and 
the  second  into  eight. 

Milan,  the  capital  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  residence  of 
the  viceroy,  is  situated  in  a vast  plain  on  the  banks  of  the 
Olona.  If  its  old  ramparts  and  new  walks  be  included,  it 
will  be  equal  in  circumference  to  ten  thousand  yards,  but 

^ 

* “ 5000  and  3000  tenses.” — Milan  is  about  eight  iniles  in  circuit.  (Ed. 
Encyc.)  b “ 1500  toises.” 

e “ La  voute,”  the  vault  of  the  dome. 

d These  are  the  measures  of  the  original.  Length  400  feet,  breadth 
80S;  height  within  under  the  principal  dome,  258  feet.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 


the  part  which  is  inhabited  does  not  exceed  six  thousand.1 
Eleven  gates  lead  to  different  parts  of  the  country,  and  the 
greatest  length  of  Milan,  or  the  space  between  the  eastern 
and  Tesino  gates,  is  about  three  thousand  yards. b The 
number  of  houses  is  not  less  than  four  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred, and  the  population  amounts  to  a hundred  and  forty 
thousand  inhabitants.  If  the  streets  in  Milan  were  more 
generally  broad  and  straight,  it  would  merit  the  title  of  the 
Magnificent.  It  has  been  justly  remarked,  that  mean  look- 
ing houses  are  as  rare  as  palaces  in  other  towns.  The  most 
spacious  streets  are  called  corsi,  both  because  they  serve  the 
purpose  of  public  walks,  and  because  they  are  the  places 
where  race  horses  run.  The  squares  or  courts  are  almost 
all  irregular  and  without  ornament ; that  of  the  Duomo  or 
cathedral  is  long  and  narrow. 

The  cathedral  itself,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  Eu- 
rope, was  begun  in  the  year  13S6,  by  duke  John  Galeazzo 
Visconti ; but  a long  time  may  elapse  before  it  be  finished. 
If  little  was  done  towards  completing  the  cathedral,  with 
the  two  millions  of  francs  which  Napoleon  granted  for 
that  purpose,  it  is  not  likely  that  much  can  be  effected  in 
a short  period  with  the  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand 
francs  paid  annually  by  Austria.  The  building  is  about 
four  hundred  and  fifty-four  feet  in  length  and  two  hundred 
and  seventy  in  breadth,  and  the  arched  roof0  is  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  feet  in  height.6  The  top  of  the  high- 
est turret  is  not  less  than  three  hundred  and  thirty-five  feet 
above  the  ground.®  Few  Gothic  buildings  are  so  much 
loaded  with  ornaments  ; white  marble  statues  appear  in 
every  niche,  at  every  angle,  on  every  turret,  and  round 
every  spire  ; their  total  number  has  been  estimated  at  more 
than  four  thousand,  but  many  of  them  are  so  concealed  as 
to  be  only  seen  by  the  birds  which  perch  on  them.  Fifty- 
two  marble  pillars,  each  eighty-four  feet  in  height  and 
twenty-four  in  circumference,  support  the  vast  edifice.  In 
a subterranean  chapel,  below  the  cathedral,  are  deposited, 
in  a silver  shrine,  the  remains  of  St.  Charles  Borromeo. 

The  church  of  St.  Ambrosef  contains  the  tombs  of  seve- 
ral saints,5  and  also  of  Bernard,  king  of  Italy,  and  his  wife 
Bertha.  It  was  in  the  same  church  that  the  emperors  of 
Germany  received  the  iron  crown.  The  ancient  convent 
of  the  Dominicans  is  celebrated  for  the  famous  painting  of 
Leonardo  da  Vinci,  representing  the  Last  Supper,  not  a 
fresco  but  an  oil  painting  on  the  wall  of  the  refectory,  and 
occupying  a whole  side  of  that  low  hall,  in  other  words, 
about  thirty  feet  in  length  by  fifteen  in  height.  ' But  it  has 
been  so  much  disfigured  by  time,  smoke,  and  damp,  that  it 
is  to  be  feared  no  trace  of  it  will  be  discernible  in  a short 
period.  It  could  hardly  be  believed  that  the  municipal  au- 
thorities at  Milan,  had  changed  the  refectory  into  a watch- 
house,  nay,  even  into  a prison,  where  French  soldiers 
guarded  their  prisoners  of  war.  If  the  authorities  were  so 
regardless  of  a painting  which  had  been  the  greatest  orna- 
ment in  their  city  for  more  than  three  hundred  years,1’  it  is 
not  wonderful  that  French  soldiers  used  it  as  a target.  “ As 
to  those  by  whom  the  mischief  was  done,”  says  Simond, 
“ an  old  woman  who  had  lived  near  the  refectory  for  the 
last  seventeen  years  informed  me,  that  she  had  heard  of 
soldiers  firing  at  the  picture  before  she  resided  there,  that  a 


e The  principal  tower  is  400  feet  high. 
f Erected  in  the  9th  century. 
s “ The  tomb  of  St.  Benedict.” 
h Painted  in  1497. 


book  cxxxii.]  DESCRIPTI01 

soldier  of  the  sixth  French  hussars  told  her,  he  himself  with 
others  had  done  so,  not  knowing  what  it  was,  when  guard- 
ing prisoners  confined  in  the  hall,  and  that  these  prisoners, 
men  of  all  nations,  threw  stones  and  brickbats  against  it  by 
way  of  amusement.  When  Buonaparte  came  to  Milan 
he  went  to  see  the  picture,  and  finding  the  hall  still  used 
as  a place  of  confinement,  he  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
stamped  with  his  foot,  said  the  woman,  and  ordering  the 
prisoners  away,  a door  was  walled  up,  and  a ballustrade  or 
wooden  partition  was  drawn  across  the  room  before  it.”a 
The  church  of  St.  Alexander  is  remarkable  for  its  fine 
portal ; that  of  San  Vittore  is  so  much  overloaded  with  gilt 
ornaments  that  it  resembles  rather  a gaudy  play-house  than 
a temple  intended  for  devotion. 

Several  authorsb  have  exhausted  their  etymological  inge- 
nuity in  discovering  the  origin  of  JWediolanum , the  ancient 
name  of  the  town.  It  was  not  so  called  from  two  Tuscan 
warriors,  nor  from  its  position  between  two  livers,  nor  from 
a pigc  half  covered  with  wool  ( medio  lana ,)  which  was  seen 
by  Bellovesus  at  the  place  where  he  founded  the  city,  for  it 
is  certain  that  other  towns  inhabited  by  the  Gauls,  bore  the 
sa  me  name.  Several  antiquities  prove  that  Milan  was  in  its 
splendour  while  the  Roman  empire  flourished.  Sixteen 
marble  columns  may  still  be  seen  near  the  church  of  San 
Lorenzo  ; they  are  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of  the  baths 
built  by  Maximian  Hercules,  the  associate  of  Diocletian  in 
the  empire. 

The  principal  public  buildings  in  Milan  are  the  archiepis- 
copal  palace,  adorned  with  fine  paintings,  the  royal  palace, 
that  of  the  regency,  the  Marini  palace,  now  occupied  by  the 
minister  of  finance,  the  palace  or  court  of  justice,  and  the 
mint,  a building  in  point  of  architecture  unworthy  of  Mi- 
lan, but  remarkable  for  its  fine  collection  of  medals  and 
Italian  coins.  The  barracks  which  were  built  at  Milan  by 
Eugene  Beauharnois,  when  viceroy  of  Italy,  are  admit- 
ted to  be  the  finest  in  Europe.  Twelve  or  fourteen  pa- 
laces of  elegant  architecture,  and  richly  decorated,  belong 
to  different  individuals,  and  evince  the  opulence  of  some 
Milanese  families. 

The  two  most  frequented  of  the  four  or  five  theatres  in 
Milan,  are  the  opera,  and  the  theatre  of  Girolamo.  The 
first  or  the  Scala,  so  called  because  it  occupies  the  site  of 
an  ancient  church  of  the  same  name,  is  a very  large  build- 
ing. The  six  rows  of  boxes  give  it  an  imposing  appear- 
ance ; but  small  rooms  are  attached  to  them  ; the  specta- 
tors seldom  listen  to  the  music ; conversation  and  gam- 
bling are  considered  more  attractive  ; indeed  it  is  often  im- 
possible to  hear  the  performance  from  the  noise  that  prevails 
in  every  part  of  the  house.  A reading  room  is  open  in  the 
Scala  from  mid-day  to  the  evening,  and  in  the  evening, 
numbers  repair  to  different  gaming  tables.  Thus,  the  pur- 
pose of  the  Scala  has  been  perverted,  and  it  might  be  bet- 
ter that  it  were  closed,  than  that  the  young  should  come  in 
contact  with  gamesters  and  the  profligate  persons  who  fre- 
quent it. 

The  Girolamo  is  considered  the  best  theatre  of  puppets 
or  marionets  in  Italy.  The  precision  and  vivacity  in  the 

V OF  ITALY.  93 

motions  of  the  actors  produce  a complete  illusion.  The 
origin  of  these  small  wooden  figures  can  only  be  discovered 
in  vague  traditions  of  a very  ancient  period.  An  intrepid 
French  traveller11  has  recently  brought  from  Egypt  small 
wooden  figures,  moveable  by  springs,  and  not  inferior  to 
those  of  Nuremberg.  It  appears  that  the  Egyptians  in- 
terred these  playthings  with  their  children,  a custom  which 
existed  at  Rome  after  the  introduction  of  Christianity.  In 
ancient  times,  a young  woman  before  her  marriage,  sacri- 
ficed to  Venus  the  doll  that  had  been  given  to  her  in  child- 
hood.6 Ancient  authors  make  mention  of  small  moveable 
figures,  that  attracted  crowds  in  the  streets  ;f  but  as  Millin 
observes,  the  moderns  were  the  first  who  substituted  puppets 
for  actors  in  their  theatres.  The  person  that  contributed 
most  to  improve  and  perfect  these  exhibitions  was  Philip 
Acciajuoli,  a knight  of  Malta.  Tragedies,  operas,  comedies 
and  ballets  are  represented  in  the  Girolamo.  Crowds  of 
all  classes  resort  to  them  ; the  humble  shop-keeper,  the 
wealthy  banker  and  the  haughty  noble  are  equally  delight- 
ed with  the  humourous  tricks  ( lazzi ) of  Girolamo,  a burlesque 
personage  corresponding  to  the  Polichinello  of  Naples,  the 
Jlrlequino  of  Venice,  and  the  Gianduja  of  Turin. 

The  immense  esplanade  that  encompasses  the  remains 
of  the  ancient  castle  of  Milan,  was  little  better  than  an 
unwholesome  marsh  which  the  French  transformed  into  an 
agreeable  walk,  shaded  by  more  than  ten  thousand  trees  ; 
it  was  then  known  by  the  name  of  Foro  Buonaparte ,g  A 
triumphal  arch  adorned  with  basso-relievos  in  white  marble, 
was  erected  during  the  French  government11  at  the  end  of 
the  road  that  leads  across  the  Simplon.  At  no  great  dis- 
tance from  the  triumphal  arch,  stands  the  circus,  also  a 
monument  of  the  reign  of  Napoleon,  and  one  from  its  size 
not  unlike  the  monuments  of  the  Romans.  The  seats 
which  are  raised  above  each  other  might  contain  thirty 
thousand  spectators,  and  the  arena  is  set  apart  for  races 
and  public  games.  The  Corso  near  the  eastern  gate  is 
lined  with  fine  houses,1  and  the  rows  of  trees  that  extend 
between  the  same  gate  and  the  Roman  gate,  are  often 
crowded  with  fashionable  equipages ; it  is  here  that  the 
Milanese  display  their  address  in  driving  their  light  phae- 
tons. 

Our  limits  prevent  us  from  describing  the  Ambrosian 
library,  founded  by  a cardinal  Borromeo,11  and  that  of 
Brera  in  the  royal  palace  of  the  sciences  and  aits,1  an  ele- 
gant building  to  which  are  attached  a fine  observatory  and 
a botanical  garden  containing  many  exotic  plants.  The 
same  reason  prevents  us  from  mentioning  the  numerous 
hospitals  and  charitable  institutions ; but  it  may  be  re- 
marked that  the  application  of  Jenner’s  happy  discovery,  to 
whom  the  ancients  would  have  erected  temples,  is  more 
diffused  in  the  Lombardo-Venetian  kingdom  than  in  the 
rest  of  Italy.  If  few  ravages  are  now  made  by  the  small- 
pox in  Milan,  it  is  owing  to  the  vigilance  of  government, 
and  to  the  enlightened  zeal  of  the  clergy.  Sworn  vaccina- 
tors are  always  ready  to  impede  its  effects  ; the  managers 
of  hospitals  and  other  charities  grant  no  assistance  to  chil- 
dren unless  their  parents  be  furnished  with  certificates  of 

1 Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy,  p.  12. 

b Alciati,  Hist.  Mediolan. — Isidore,  Origines. — Sidonius  Apollinaris, 
1.  vii.  c.  17,  &c.  c “ Truie.” 

* M.  Cailliaud,  who  visited  Meroe  and  the  White  River. 
e Persius,  Satire  ii. 

f Horace,  Lib.  i.  sat.  2.  Lib.  ii.  sat.  7.  Aulus  Gellius,  Lib.  xiv.  cap.  1. 
6 The  Forum  of  Napoleon  ( Foro  Buonaparte ) forms  part  of  the  Cam- 
pus Marti  us,  an  extensive  open  plain  on  the  north  side  of  the  city,  three  or 

• 

four  miles  in  circumference.  On  the  north  side  of  the  Campus  Martius, 
stands  the  arch  of  the  Simplon,  and  on  the  eastern  side  the  great  Amphi- 
theatre or  Circus. — P. 

h Commenced  during  the  French  government — not  completed  at  least 
in  1826. — P.  1 Palaces. 

k Nephew  of  Cardinal  Charles  Borromeo. 

1 The  college  of  Brera,  formerly  belonging  to  the  Jesuits ; called  by  tho 
French  the  Palace  of  the  Sciences.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

94  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxn. 


vaccination.  Every  three  months,  the  country  curates 
read  from  the  pulpit,  the  names  of  the  individuals,  if  there 
be  any,  who  have  died  of  the  small-pox.  They  remind 
their  parishioners  of  the  duty  they  owe  to  their  country, 
which  commands  them  not  to  neglect  the  means  of  securi- 
ty.* * If  an  individual  be  seized  with  the  small-pox,  and  if 
his  physician  or  one  of  his  relations  does  not  declare  it,  they 
are  liable  to  a penalty  of  a hundred  francs.  The  authori- 
ties fix  an  inscription  in  large  characters  on  his  house,  and 
contagion  is  thus  prevented.  The  members  of  the  family 
who  may  have  approached  the  invalid  are  not  permitted  to 
communicate  with  others,  before  he  be  cured ; and  if  he 
dies,  the  body  is  interred  without  the  usual  ceremonies. 

Milan  has  always  held  a distinguished  rank  in  literature 
and  in  the  arts.  Virgil  studied,  and  Valerius  Maximus  was 
born  in  the  town.  It  has  produced  in  modern  times,  Oc- 
tavio Ferrari,  the  antiquary,  Cardan,  the  mathematician, 
and  Beccaria,  the  celebrated  jurist.  The  same  town  car- 
ries on  a considerable  trade,  and  possesses  many  manufac- 
tories. 

Monza,  at  some  leagues  to  the  north  of  Milan,  is  adorned 
with  a fine  palace  and  a cathedral,  the  last  of  which  possesses 
a richer  treasury  than  any  other  in  the  kingdom.  One  may 
see  there  the  famous  iron  crown  of  which  the  date  and  ori- 
gin are  unknown.  The  population  of  the  same  town 
amounts  hardly  to  six  thousand  persons.  It  existed  in  the 
time  of  the  Romans,  and  was  then  called  JModilia  or  Mo- 
dowtia.  Its  agreeable  position  on  the  banks  of  the  Lam- 
bro,  made  Theodoric,  king  of  the  Goths,  choose  it  for  a 
residence. 

Pavia  rises  on  the  banks  of  the  Tesino,  on  the  south- 
ern frontier  of  the  kingdom  ; it  was  formerly  called  77’- 
cinum  from  the  name  of  the  river. b It  was  a place  of  some 
importance  under  the  emperors,  and  according  to  Plinyr,c 
it  was  more  ancient  than  Milan.  Tacitus  also  mentions  it  ;d 
indeed  few  towns  in  Italy  are  so  pleasantly  situated.  The 
Lombards  chose  it  for  their  capital,  but  antiquaries  are  una- 
ble to  explain  the  origin  of  its  name.  It  was  laid  waste  by 
Marshal  Lautrec,  who,  by  a new  species  of  barbarism, 
sought  to  avenge  the  defeat  of  Francis  the  First.  Pa- 
via is  surrounded  with  massive  walls,  half  ruined  towers, 
bastions  and  ditches  ; the  number  of  inhabitants  exceeds 
twenty-two  thousand.0  The  streets  are  broad,  and  the 
great  square  is  encompassed  with  porticos.  The  finely 
built  cathedral  indicates  the  period  of  the  regeneration 
of  art.  A long  piece  of  wood,  not  unlike  the  old  mast  of  a 
boat,  is  preserved  with  great  care  in  the  cathedral,  and 
shown  to  strangers,  as  the  lance  of  Orlando.  Of  the 
other  eighteen  churches,  St.  Peter’s  is  most  worthy  of 
notice  for  its  Lomb  ird  architecture ; the  people  pretend 
that  the  ashes  of  St.  Augustin  rest  in  its  vaults.  The 
town  possesses  a theatre  and  several  fine  buildings;  its 
university  dates  from  the  time  of  Charlemagne. 

Lodi  possesses  a fine  square  encompassed  with  arcades, 
eight  suburbs,  eighteen  thousand  inhabitants,  an  old  citadel, 
now  useless,  lofty  walls,  twenty  churches,  a large  hospital, 
a theatre,  several  palaces  belonging  to  different  individuals, 
porcelain  works,  silk  manufactories,  and,  lastly,  a conside- 
rable trade  in  cheese,  which  is  called  Parmesan.  It  is 
situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Adda,  and  is  celebrated  on 


11  Voyage  n Italie  en  1320,  par  Ip  doeteur  Valpntin. 

6 Name  of  the  river,  'Picinus  ; of  the  town,  'Picinum  or  Papia. 
' L.  XVII.  c.  4. 

* 4nnal.  L.  111.  Hist.  L.  II. 


account  of  the  victory  gained  by  the  French  on  the  10th 
of  May  1796. 

Como  is  about  eight  leagues  to  the  north  of  Milan ; it 
rises  on  the  southern  extremity  of  a lake  to  which  it  gives 
its  name.  It  could  hardly  be  inferred  from  its  narrow  and 
tortuous  streets  that  it  was  a royal  town  ; it  claims,  how- 
ever, a greater  honour,  that  of  having  been  the  birthplace 
of  Pliny  the  younger.  Although  the  architecture  of  the 
marble  cathedral  is  partly  Gothic  and  partly  modern,  it  is 
the  only  building  worthy  of  notice  in  the  town.  The  lake 
of  Como  is  the  Larius  of  the  ancients.  Beyond  the  roman- 
tic banks  of  the  lake,  the  picturesque  valley  of  the  Adda, 
or  the  Valteline,  extends  along  the  base  of  the  Alps.  That 
valley,  once  a part  of  Switzerland,  and  afterwards  of 
France,  has  been  united  under  the  Austrian  empire  to  the 
Lombardo-Venetian  kingdom.  Sondrio,  the  chief  town, 
does  not  contain  more  than  three  thousand  five  hundred 
inhabitants. 

Beyond  the  chain  which  bounds  the  valley  on  the  south, 
and  between  two  small  rivers,  the  Brembo  and  the  Serio, 
is  situated  Bergamo,  a royal  town,  the  Bergomum  of  the 
Romans.  It  was  pillaged  and  destroyed  by  A ttila,  rebuilt 
by  the  Lombards,  and  made  a free  town  by  the  successors 
of  Charlemagne.  While  Venice  was  in  its  splendour,  Ber- 
gamo was  added  to  the  territory  of  the  republic.  It  carries 
on  a considerable  trade  in  iron  and  in  silk  ; the  inhabitants 
are  industrious  and  comparatively  affluent. 

The  ancient  town  of  Cremona  is  situated  in  a beautiful 
plain,  and  is  encompassed  with  ditches,  walls  and  bastions, 
and  commanded  by  the  citadel  of  Santa  Croce ; it  is  wa- 
tered by  the  Po,  and  by  a canal  which  extends  from  that 
river,  and  communicates  with  the  Oglio.  It  was  founded 
by  the  Cenomani  a Celtic  people  who  called  it  Cremon, 
from  which  its  present  name  has  been  derived.  Faithful  to 
the  cause  of  Brutus,  its  territory  was  divided  among  the 
soldiers  of  Augustus.  It  was  sacked  by  the  troops  of  Ves- 
pasian, and  afterwards  pillaged  by  the  Goths  in  the  year 
630.  It  experienced  the  same  treatment  from  the  emperor 
Barbarossa.  Marshal  Villeroy  was  taken  prisoner  at  Cre- 
mona by  the  Austrians  in  1702  ; and  in  1799  the  latter 
gained  some  advantage  over  the  French,  under  its  walls. 
The  town  holds  a great  reputation  in  Italy  and  in  most 
parts  of  Europe  for  its  musical  instruments,  particularly  its 
violins.  It  occupies  a considerable  extent  of  ground,  not 
less  than  two  leagues  in  circumference  ;f  its  population 
amounts  to  twenty-three  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants. 
The  streets  are  broad,  straight  and  well  built ; the  palaces 
are  large,  but  they  are  all  Gothic  buildings.  The  Duomo 
or  cathedral,  the  most  remarkable  of  its  forty-five  churches, 
is  surmounted  by  a tower  which  rises  to  the  height  of  three 
hundred  and  seventy-two  feet,  and  is  supposed  to  be  higher 
than  any  other  in  Italy.  As  Cremona  is  long  and  narrow, 
it  has  been  compared  to  a vessel,  of  which  the  tower  is  the 
mast.g 

Brescia,  at  ten  leagues  to  the  north  of  Cremona,  is  also 
surrounded  with  ramparts  and  ditches  ; most  of  its  streets 
are  broad  and  regular,  and  it  contains  thirty-two  thousand 
inhabitants.  The  palace  of  justice  is  worthy  of  notice  for 
its  mixture  of  Gothic  and  modern  architecture ; the  interior 
is  adorned  with  fresco  paintings.  The  episcopal  palace  is 

* Population,  22,000,  M.  B.  23,237,  Morse.  25,000,  Ed.  Encyc 

f Circumference  about  five  miles.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

s Millin,  Voyage  dans  le  Milanais,  tome  ii. 


BOOK  CXXXII.j 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


95 


a magnificent  building ; the  theatre,  which  has  been  lately 
finished,  is  remarkable  for  its  elegant  peristyle,  and  the  ca- 
thedral lor  its  bold  arches,  and  its  paintings,  statues  and 
rich  altars.  The  town  possesses  an  extensive  commerce, 
and  its  fire  arms  are  considered  the  best  in  Italy. 

Mantua,  says  Millin,  recals  many  associations ; it  was  the 
birthplace  of  Virgil,  and  it  is  connected  with  the  glory  and 
liberality  of  the  Gonzagas.  Enclosed  by  immense  marshes, 
formed  by  the  inundations  of  the  Mincio,  it  has  the  appear- 
ance of  an  impregnable  town  ; but  these  marshes  are  un- 
wholesome, and  occasion  dangerous  diseases,  neither  do 
they  form  an  impassable  barrier,  for  Mantua  has  been  more 
than  once  taken ; many  consider  it,  however,  one  of  the 
strongest  towns  in  Italy, a and  it  is  believed  to  have  been 
built  by  the  Etruscans  three  centuries  before  the  foundation 
of  Rome.b  It  contained  fifty  thousand  inhabitants  at  the 
close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  but  its  present  population 
amounts  hardly  to  half  the  number.0  The  streets  are  broad, 
and  most  of  them  straight ; the  squares  are  large  and  regu- 
lar ; the  fortifications  are  kept  in  good  repair.  The  town 
boasts  of  having  given  birth  to  Virgil,  and  the  inhabitants 
take  care  to  remind  strangers  of  that  circumstance ; his 
oust  is  seen  on  one  of  the  eight  gates,  and  a monument  in 
honour  of  the  poet  rises  in  the  principal  square — the  Piazza 
di  Virgilio.* 4 * * * 8 *  The  cathedral  was  built  after  the  designs  of 
Julio  Romano,  but  asglpiece  of  architecture,  it  cannot  be 
compared  with  the  palace  of  Te,  a very  fine  building,  so 
called  from  its  resemblance  to  the  letter  T.  The  ashes  of 
Tasso,  the  modern  Virgil,  rest  in  the  church  of  St.  Egida. 
The  Austrian  government  has  been  at  considerable  expense 
in  rendering  Mantua  more  salubrious,  by  draining  part  of 
its  marshes,  and  by  constructing  new  fortifications  and  de- 
molishing the  old,  by  which  a passage  has  been  opened  for 
the  stagnant  waters.  Although  silk,  cloth  and  leather  are 
made  in  the  town,  its  commerce  is  only  carried  on  through 
the  medium  of  the  Jews. 

All  the  towns  that  have  been  as  yet  described,  belong  to 
the  government  of  Milan  ; before  we  give  any  account  of 
those  under  the  government  of  Venice,  some  remarks  may 
be  made  on  the  insalubrity  of  certain  districts  in  Upper 
Italy.  We  have  already  had  occasion  to  allude  to  the 
poverty  and  wretchedness  of  the  inhabitants  in  some  of  the 
Milanese  villages.  At  the  base  of  the  mountains,  which 
form  the  northern  limits  of  the  country,  the  villagers  are 
exposed  to  a disease  which  has  been  termed  pellagra , and 
which,  according  to  physicians,  was  unknown  a century 
ago.  It  is  a cutaneous  affection,  and  the  external  charac- 
ters are.  brown  or  blackish  spots,  that  appear  on  every  part 
of  the  body  except  the  face.  Those  that  are  afflicted  with 
it,  says  Dr.  Valentin,®  are  emaciated,  weak  and  melancholy, 
oppressed  by  hypochondria,  and  tormented  with  pains  that 
extend  along  the  vertebral  column.  In  some  cases  the 
same  disease  is  accompanied  with  alarming  symptoms  of 
delirium.  The  pellagra  is  often  fatal,  and  in  many  instan- 
ces it  has  excited  its  victims  to  commit  suicide ; it  breaks 
out  in  the  spring,  increases  with  the  heat  of  summer,  and 
terminates  at  the  approach  of  winter.  The  cause  of  the 
disease  has  not  yet  been  ascertained,  but  it  may  probably 
be  attributed  to  a scanty  and  unwholesome  diet ; at  all 

a “ This  city  is  the  strongest  place  in  Italy.” — M.  B. 

b Rudolph  Von  Jenny.  c 23,310.  Stat.  Tab.  p.  816. 

d Piazza  Virgiliana. 

• Voyage  en  Italic,  par  le  docteur  Valentin. 

{ Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 

8 Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 


events  it  is  very  uncommon  in  the  government  of  Venice,  a 
country,  in  point  of  climate,  much  more  unhealthy  than  the 
Milanese.  The  effects  of  the  climate  begin  to  be  apparent 
near  the  banks  of  the  Adige,  and  according  to  some  state- 
ments, the  neighbourhood  of  Peschiera,  near  the  lake  of 
Garda,  is  so  dangerous  to  strangers,  that  French  regiments 
used  to  decide  by  lot,  which  of  them  should  form  the  garri- 
son of  the  town/  The  story,  it  may  be  admitted,  does  not 
appear  very  probable,  as  it  is  not  customary  for  soldiers  to 
choose  the  place  of  their  garrison.  Travellers  affirm  that 
the  territory  of  Verona  is  equally  unhealthy ; it  is  certain 
that  the  ravages  of  poverty  and  disease  are  but  too  appa- 
rent in  the  town  of  Rovigo. 

The  old  walls  of  Verona  are  commanded  on  the  north 
by  hills  covered  with  vineyards  and  country  houses.  The 
Adige  divides  it  into  two  equal  parts  ; it  is  about  four  leagues 
in  circumference,  and  the  population  is  equal  to  sixty  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  Different  opinions  are  entertained  con- 
cerning its  origin,  but  it  is  known  that  it  was  an  important 
place  in  the  time  of  Strabo.  The  fine  gates  that  adorn  it, 
are  worthy  of  a great  city,  but  the  interior  corresponds  ill 
with  the  entrance ; for  although  some  of  the  streets  are 
spacious  and  well  paved,  the  greater  number  are  small  and 
narrow.  The  townhouse  contains  several  good  paintings 
of  the  Venetian  school,  and  the  museum  a valuable  collec- 
tion of  antiquities.  The  venerable  remains  of  its  ancient 
splendour  may  be  still  seen  near  these  modern  collections ; 
the  amphitheatre,  the  most  remarkable  of  any,  and  still  in 
a good  state  of  preservation,  rises  at  no  great  distance  from 
them.  It  is  difficult  to  observe  its  ancient  monuments  with 
out  recollecting  that  Verona  was  the  birthplace  of  the  elder 
Plinyand  Cornelius  Nepos.  Those  who  admire  the  paint- 
ings in  its  churches,  will  soon  be  reminded  that  the  modern 
Verona  was  the  native  town  of  Paul  Veronese. 

The  fruitfulness  of  the  soil  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Pa- 
dua, Vicenza,  Treviso,  and  Beluno,  forms  a remarkable  con- 
trast with  the  poverty  of  the  inhabitants.  Indolence  and 
want  of  education  are  the  principal  causes  ; immorality  and 
every  sort  of  vice,  the  fatal  effects  : it  is  not  safe  to  travel 
at  night  in  Upper  Italy  ; although  the  robbers  in  that  part 
of  the  country  are  less  formidable  than  at  Tarracina  or 
Fondi,  strangers  are  as  liable  to  have  iheir  luggage  and  ef- 
fects stolen.  The  remote  villages  are  so  many  dens  of 
thieves  ; those  who  travel  from  Verona  to  Venice,  never 
think  of  passing  the  night  at  any  other  place  than  Vicenza 
or  Padua. g The  last  mentioned  town  is  of  a triangular 
form  ; it  occupies  a space  of  more  than  three  leagues  in  cir- 
cumference,11 and  contains  a population  of  forty-seven  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  The  antiquity  of  Padua  is  not  doubtful ; 
what  is  said  concerning  it  by  Livy,1  who  was  born  within  its 
walls,  and  the  beautiful  verses  of  Virgil, k who  attributes  its 
foundation  to  Antenor,  prove  that  it  existed  twelve  centuries 
before  the  Christian  era.  It  was  called  Patavimn  by  the 
ancients,  and  according  to  Strabo,1  who  extols  its  commerce 
and  its  wealth,  it  could  raise  long  before  his  time  an  army  of 
a hundred  and  twenty  thousand  men.  The  Greek  geogra- 
pher may  be  supposed  to  have  exaggerated,  or  more  proba- 
bly, some  error  may  have  crept  into  his  text,  but  different 
Roman  poets  attest  the  prosperity  and  the  wealth  of  Padua.m“ 


h It  is  surrounded  with  a mound  and  ditch,  which  are  between  seven 
and  eight  miles  in  circumference.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

1 Lib.  X.  c.  ii.  k iEneid,  Lib.  I.  v.  242. 

1 Lib.  V.  c.  2. 

m “ The  prosperous  state  of  its  manufactures,  particularly  of  woollens.*' 
n Martial.  Epig.  Lib.  siv. — Juvenal.  Sat.  viii. 


96  EUROPE.  [book  txxxu. 


It  is  at  present  adorned  with  several  spacious  squares  and 
many  fine  buildings,  but  most  of  the  streets  are  narrow,  dirty 
and  ill  paved,  and  bordered  with  low  and  gloomy  arcades. 
At  Padua,  as  in  every  other  Italian  town,  there  are  many 
paintings  in  the  churches,  and  the  paintings  as  well  as  the 
churches  are  the  works  of  great  masters.  The  number  of 
the  churches  is  not  less  than  ninety-six,  and  it  is  said  that  the 
church  of  St.  Anthony  contains  the  remains  of  its  patron. 
The  ‘village  of  Arqua,  at  some  leagues  to  the  south-west  of 
Padua, a is  not  only  remarkable  for  its  picturesque  site,  but  it 
also  contains  the  tomb  of  Petrarch,  and  the  house  inhabited 
by  the  poet,  in  which  part  of  his  furniture  has  been  pre- 
served. 

Vicenza,  the  ancient  Vkentia,  is  peopled  by  thirty  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  and  encompassed  with  a double  wall. 
The  streets  are  irregular,  but  in  point  of  architecture  and 
fine  buildings,  it  may  be  compared  with  any  town  in  Upper 
Italy.  Few  antiquities  are  contained  within  its  walls  ; some 
ruins  of  a theatre,  which  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  by 
Augustus,  the  remains  of  an  imperial  palace,  and  a statue 
of  Iphigenia,  preserved  by  the  Dominicans,  are  all  that  have 
escaped  the  ravages  of  time,  and  the  devastations  of  barba- 
rians. Vicenza  was  the  birthplace  of  the  celebrated  archi- 
tect Palladio,  who  embellished  his  native  city. 

The  streets  of  Treviso  are  not  more  regular  than  those 
of  Vicenza  ; most  of  the  squares  are  large  and  surrounded 
with  arcades ; the  townhouse  is  a fine  building,  and  the 
cathedral  possesses  several  valuable  ornaments.  The  po- 
pulation is  equal  to  fifteen  thousand  souls.  Although  Bel- 
limo  is  a royal  town,6  it  contains  only  eight  thousand  inha- 
bitants. Udina,  another  royal  town,  and  the  metropolis  of 
Friuli,  is  built  on  the  canal  of  Roya.  A large  guardhouse, 
one  of  the  principal  edifices,  is  adorned  with  marble  statues 
and  columns.  The  Giardino , a fine  public  walk,  shaded 
with  trees  that  were  planted  by  the  French,  is  situated  in 
front  of  the  castle. 

The  lagoons  (It.  lagune ) extend  along  the  coasts  of  the 
Adriatic  Gulf,  and  their  stagnant  waters  diffuse  an  unwhole- 
some atmosphere  over  the  scattered  habitations  that  sur- 
sound  them.  The  sickly  and  pallid  faces  of  the  inhabitants 
are  remarked  by  the  strangers  that  visit  the  country.  The 
lagoons  are  soon  confounded  with  the  sea,  and  Venice  is 
seen  rising  from  the  ocean,  the  element  of  its  former  wealth 
and  power.  Venice,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  singular 
towns  in  Europe,  stands  on  a hundred  and  fifty  islands  in 
the  midst  of  a vast  marsh  ; they  are  united  by  more  than 
three  hundred  bridges,  and  appear  to  form  only  a single 
island.  It  is  equal  to  nearly  three  leagues  in  circumference  ; 
a large  canal  divides  it  into  two  equal  parts,  and  other  ca- 
nals lined  with  houses,  form  the  streets,  in  which  the  mono- 
tonous sound  of  oars  may  be  heard  instead  of  the  noise  of 
carriages.  The  groups  of  houses  that  rise  between  the  ca- 
nals, are  divided  by  narrow  streets  or  lanes  for  foot  passen- 
gers. Venice,  notwithstanding  its  position,  is  not  subject 
to  the  unwholesome  influence  of  the  marshes  ; the  continual 
motion  of  the  waves  agitates  and  purifies  the  air.  No  springs 
rise  from  the  sandy  soil  ; some  cisterns  belonging  to  private 
individuals,  and  a hundred  and  sixty  public  cisterns,  furnish 
water  to  its  hundred  and  ten  thousand  inhabitants.  The 
lagoons  and  canals  of  Venice  are  its  chief  security  ; ships 
of  war  cannot  attack  it,  and  before  the  French  expedition 
which  took  place  in  1797,  it  had  never  been  entered  by  a 
hostile  army. 

* 4 leagues  S.  W.  of  Padua,  Yosgien. 


The  church  of  St.  Mark,  one  of  its  principal  edifices,  is 
by  no  means  the.  finest  or  largest  in  Venice,  but  it  is  the  most 
remarkable  for  its  rich  and  costly  ornaments ; it  has  been 
said,  and  not  without  reason,  that  it  resembles  nothing  else 
in  the  world.  The  broad  and  low  front  is  divided  into  five 
arcades,  not  unlike  the  arches  of  a bridge,  and  the  entrances 
are  formed  by  five  gates  of  bronze.  Above  these  arcades, 
a gallery  or  balcony  with  a marble  balustrade,  stretches 
across  the  whole  front,  and  in  the  same  gallery  are  placed 
the  four  bronze  horses,  supposed  to  have  been  cast  at  Co- 
rinth. They  were  removed  to  Athens;  they  served  to  adorn 
the  triumphal  arches  raised  to  Nero  and  Trajan  at  Rome  ; 
they  accompanied  Constantine  to  Byzantium,  and  were 
transported  from  Constantinople  to  Venice  in  the  thirteenth 
century  ; lastly,  under  the  imperial  government,  they  were 
placed  in  the  Carrousel  at  Paris,  from  whence  they  were 
returned  to  their  present  position  in  1815.  The  Parisians 
deplored  their  loss,  but  the  day  of  their  arrival  was  a day  of 
joy  to  the  Venetians ; one  might  almost  have  imagined  that 
they  had  recovered  their  independence  with  these  monu- 
ments of  their  ancient  greatness ; yet  a few  days  after- 
wards, when  the  statue  of  Napoleon  was  overthrown,  the 
same  people  expressed  their  dissatisfaction.  The  church 
of  St.  Mark  is  one  of  the  earliest  monuments  of  the  middle 
ages  ; its  foundation  dates  from  the  commencement  of  the 
tenth  century.  The  upper  part  oflSfhe  building  is  covered 
with  pyramids,  statues,  spires  and  crosses ; the  interior  is 
gloomy  and  loaded  with  columns,  statues  and  gildings  ; the 
great  altar,  or  that  of  St.  Sophia,  was  brought  from  Con- 
stantinople with  the  bronze  horses. 

The  square  of  St.  Mark,  the  finest  in  Venice,  may  bear 
a comparison  with  any  other  in  Europe.  It  is  about  eight 
hundred  feet  long  by  three  hundred  and  fifty  broad  ; but  it 
ought  not  to  be  judged  by  its  dimensions  ; when  seen  from 
the  sea,  it  has  a magnificent  appearance.  Two  columns 
formed  by  two  single  blocks  of  granite,  rise  near  the  quay ; 
they  were  brought  from  Constantinople,  but  they  appear  to 
be  of  Egyptian  workmanship  ; one  of  them  supports  the 
statue  of  St.  Theodore,  and  the  other,  the  winged  lion  of 
St.  Mark,  which,  during  several  years,  was  the  ornament  of 
the  Invalids  at  Paris.  The  massive  architecture  of  the  du- 
cal palace  on  the  right,  has  something  of  the  Moorish  style. 
The  royal  palace,  a modern  edifice  on  the  left,  is  adorned 
with  arcades  and  columns.  These,  together  with  the  church 
of  St.  Mark,  the  mint,  the  library  and  several  fine  buildings, 
the  works  of  the  architect  Sansovino,  form  the  enclosure  of 
St.  Mark’s,  the  scene  of  the  Venetian  festivals,  and  the  place 
where  strangers  and  the  idle  citizens  assemble.  The  finest 
shops  and  the  most  frequented  coffee-houses  in  Venice  are 
situated  under  the  arcades  of  the  same  square. 

The  part  nearest  the  quay  is  called  the  Piazzetla  or  little 
square,  and  at  no  great  distance,  is  the  palace  once  des- 
tined for  the  sovereign  ; but  little  attention  is  paid  to  deco- 
rum, for  from  its  windows  may  be  seen  the  place  where 
criminals  are  executed ; the  instruments  of  death  are 
erected  between  two  pillars  near  the  street  where  buffoons 
and  puppets  amuse  the  Venetians.  The  ancient  residence 
of  the  doge,  or  the  ducal  palace,  where  the  state  inquisitors 
used  to  sit,  and  which,  like  the  seraglio  at  Constantinople, 
has  been  more  than  once  stained  with  the  heads  of  the  vic- 
tims, that  were  exposed  on  the  outer  balustrade,  may  prove 
that  an  aristocracy  armed  with  republican  laws,  can  be  as 
sanguinary  as  a despotism  armed  with  the  Ottoman  scimitar 

b Chief  town  of  a delegation. 


'/»'  iff 


book  cxxxii.]  DESCRIPTIO 

It  requires  a day  to  examine  the  interior  of  the  edifice  : 
colossal  statues  are  placed  on  the  staircase  ; the  galleries 
are  adorned  with  the  masterpieces  of  Titian,  Tintoretto, 
Paul  Veronese,  Corregio  and  Alberti ; and  the  library  con- 
sists of  a hundred  and  fifty  thousand  volumes  and  a thou- 
sand manuscripts.  Not  the  least  valuable  ornaments  are 
several  ancient  statues  of  admirable  workmanship. 

Strangers  admire  the  fine  portal  of  St.  Mary  of  Na- 
zareth, the  front  of  St.  Jeremiah,  which  resembles  a palace 
rather  than  a church,  the  peristyle  of  St.  Simon,  and  the 
noble  archithecture  of  St.  Roche.  Almost  all  the  theatres 
are  called  after  some  saint ; St.  Luke’s  is  one  of  the  largest ; 
operas  are  acted  in  St.  Benedict’s  ; tragedies,  comedies, 
and  other  dramatic  compositions  in  St.  Angelo ; but  the 
finest  theatre  in  Venice,  or  that  of  St.  Felix,  was  finished  in 
1793.  Protected  by  these  venerable  names,  the  actors 
are  not  exposed  to  the  same  unjust  prejudices  which  exist 
in  other  catholic  countries. 

The  arsenal,  including  the  dock-yards  of  Venice,  for- 
merly the  most  celebrated  and  the  largest  in  Europe,  was 
once  filled  with  ships,  materials  for  building,  and  all  kinds 
of  arms  ; the  outer  wall  measures  between  two  and  three 
miles*  in  circumference,  and  within  these  walls,  during  the 
republic,  two  thousand  five  hundred  workmen  were  con- 
stantly employed  ; stillness  and  repose  have  now  succeeded 
the  noise  and  activity  of  commerce.  Two  white  marble 
lions  placed  at  the  entrance  of  the  arsenal  towards  the 
town,  were  also  a conquest  of  the  Venetians ; they  were 
transported  from  Athens.  The  port  of  Venice,  although 
at  present  the  most  considerable  in  the  Austrian  empire, 
may  in  time  be  blocked  up  with  the  deposits  of  sand  that 
are  every  day  accumulating. 

One  may  judge  of  what  Venice  has  been  by  the  number 
of  its  edifices  and  charitable  institutions  ; thirty-six  Catho- 
lic churches,  two  Greek  churches,  an  Armenian  church 
and  a Lutheran  chapel,  seven  synagogues,  a foundling  hos- 
pital, two  lazarettos,  and  twenty-three  hospitals,  serve 
to  recal  its  past  splendour,  and  render  its  decay  more  ap- 
parent. 

The  artisans  form  at  Venice  several  corporations,  and 
each  corporation  maintains  a school ; the  number  of 
corporations  amounts  to  sixteen  or  eighteen,  and  some  of 
them  meet  in  sumptuous  buildings  adorned  with  paintings 
and  statues.  It  might  be  inferred  from  such  institutions 
that  the  Venetians  were  better  informed  and  more  enlight- 
ened than  any  other  people.  Such,  however,  is  by  no 
means  the  case  ; they  can  only  be  said  to  be  less  ignorant 
than  the  other  Italians. 

The  gondolier i are  different  from  the  other  inhabitants  ; 

N OF  ITALY.  97 

they  form  a distinct  population,  and  the  cause  may  be  at- 
tributed to  the  fraternity  or  union  which  subsists  amongst 
them  ; but  they  are  no  longer  gay  sailors  singing  Venetian 
airs,  or  reciting  the  verses  of  T asso  ; they  have  discovered 
in  their  simplicity  that  they  are  without  a country.  All  these 
men  can  read  and  write,  and  the  other  workmen  in  the  town 
can  do  the  same  ; but  the  knowledge  of  the  wealthier  classes 
is  not  much  more  extensive. 

The  public  libraries  are  ill  attended,  and  the  othersb  are 
made  up  of  novels  and  romances,  so  that  with  the  exception 
of  a few  gifted  persons,  the  rest  are  not  better  educated 
than  the  lower  orders  in  the  town  that  gave  birth  to  Alga- 
rotti,  Gasparo  Gozzi,  Goldoni,  Fra  Paolo,  Bembo,  and  other 
great  men.  The  Venetians  have  no  taste  for  literature  ; 
music,  however,  appears  to  be  a favourite  amusement.  Ac- 
cording to  their  own  confession,  the  wealthy  classes  pass 
their  time  in  the  following  manner.  “ People  of  fashion  rise 
at  eleven  or  twelve  o’clock,  pay  a few  visits,  and  idle  away 
their  time  till  three,  when  they  dine  ; they  lie  down  in  sum- 
mer during  one  hour,  at  least,  after  dinner  ; they  dress  and 
go  to  the  coffee-house  or  casino  till  nine,  then  to  the  opera, 
which  is  another  casino,  then  to  the  coffee-house  for  an  hour 
or  two.  They  do  not  go  to  bed  in  summer  before  sun-rise. 
Many  of  the  most  saving  dine  at  the  restaurateurs,  and  the 
price  of  their  dinner  varies  from  sixteen  sous  to  two  francs, 
or  from  eightpence  to  twentypence  English  money.”0  Al- 
though there  is  a wide  difference  between  the  past  and  pre- 
sent state  of  Venice,  it  is  still  one  of  the  greatest  marts  in 
Italy.  It  has  its  fabrics  and  manufactures,  a chamber  and 
a tribunal  of  commerce,  an  exchange  and  an  insurance 
company.  The  last  doges  celebrated  in  the  island  of  Mala- 
mocco,  their  marriage  with  the  Adriatic,  but  Venice  could 
hardly  then  be  called  a maritime  power. 

A town  was  built  near  the  ancient  queen  of  the  Adriatic, 
on  the  island  of  Torcello,  and  its  ruins  announce  that  it 
was  once  an  important  city.  The  remains  of  a church  en- 
riched with  mosaics  and  paintings,  the  ruins  of  a palace, 
once  the  residence  of  a barbarian  conqueror,  a market- 
place and  a throne  raised  above  it,  where  Attila,  king  of 
the  Huns,  administered  justice,  still  attract  the  curious  to 
the  island  ; the  town  itself  has  disappeared. 

Reduced  to  the  state  of  a chief  town  in  an  Austrian  pro- 
vince, what  power  can  prevent  the  ruin  of  Venice  ? Those 
who  saw  it  forty  years  ago,  can  no  longer  recognise  it ; such 
changes  have  taken  place  in  the  capital,  which  had  its  navy 
in  the  sixth  century,  which  protected  Petrarch  and  encou- 
raged the  arts,  when  Europe  was  in  the  darkness  of  barba- 
rism, and  which  during  nine  hundred  years,  was  treated  on 
equal  terms  with  the  greatest  sovereigns. 

a “More  than  a league.” — 21  miles  (Carter’s  Letters.) 

VOL.  in.— NO.  r 13 

3 

*>  “ Cabinets  de  lecture.”  • Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 

98 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXX11I. 


BOOK  CXXXIII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued — Description  of  Italy — Third  Section — 
Sardinian  Monarchy — Principality  of  Monaco. 

The  kingdom  of  Sardinia  consists  of  the  island  of  the 
same  name,  divided  into  two  provinces,  and  of  eight  divi- 
sions or  intendancies,  made  up  of  forty  small  provinces, 
on  the  continent.  The  extent  of  the  latter,  from  north  to 
south,  is  about  eighty-eight  leagues,  and  the  breadth  about 
forty-six,  forming  a superficies  of  nearly  two  thousand  three 
hundred  square  leagues.1  They  are  bounded  on  the  north 
by  the  lake  of  Geneva  and  Switzerland,  on  the  east  by  the 
Lombardo- Venetian  kingdom,  and  the  dutchies  of  Parma 
and  Massa,  on  the  south  by  the  Mediterranean,  and  on  the 
west  by  France. 

The  southern  shores  of  Lake  Leman  were  inhabited  by 
the  JSTantuates,  a long  time  before  the  Christian  era.  The 
banks  of  the  Doria  were  peopled  by  the  Salassi,  concern- 
ing whom  Strabo  has  left  us  some  particulars. b According 
to  that  geographer,  the  greater  part  of  their  territory  was 
situated  in  a deep  valley — the  valley  of  Aosta ; he  adds, 
that  they  were  in  possession  of  gold  mines,  but  it  appears 
more  probable  that  they  obtained  the  metal  from  washings 
in  the  alluvial  lands,  for  he  affirms  that  the  Duria,  the  pre- 
sent Doria,  supplied  them  with  water  for  carrying  on  their 
works,  but  as  by  this  means  the  river  was  often  dried,  it  gave 
rise  to  violent  contentions  between  them  and  their  neigh- 
bours, who  used  the  water  for  agricultural  purposes.  They 
made  war  and  peace  more  than  once  with  the  Romans,  but 
in  their  combats,  their  defiles  and  mountains  were  more  ser- 
viceable to  them  than  their  armies.  They  were  bold  enough 
to  impose  a tax  of  a drachma  on  every  soldier  in  the  army 
of  Decius  Brutus,  whilst  he  fled  from  Modena ; and  they 
made  Messala  pay  for  the  firewood  and  trees  necessary  for 
bis  troops  encamped  in  the  neighbourhood.  They  pillaged 
on  one  occasion  the  imperial  treasury,  and  under  the  pre- 
text of  working  at  the  roads  and  bridges,  they  rolled  large 
stones  and  rocks  on  the  Roman  legions.  The  revolts  of  the 
Salassi  exasperated  the  Romans,  and  they  were  destroyed 
by  Augustus ; forty  thousand  were  sold  as  slaves,  and  four 
thousand  were  incorporated  in  the  praetorian  guard.  Three 
thousand  Romans  sent  by  Augustus,  founded  the  town  of 
Augusta, c in  the  very  place  where  Varro  their  conqueror 
had  encamped  with  his  army.  The  same  town  has  given 
its  name  to  the  valley  of  Aosta.1’ 

The  Taurini  inhabited  the  country  between  the  Alps,  the 
Bo,  and  the  Doria;  like  the  Salassi  they  were  of  Celtic 


“ Fr.  measure. — Superficial  extent  of  the  continental  Sardinian  terri- 
tories, 18,250  Kng.  sq.  miles.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 
b Strabo,  Lib.  iv.  c.  (1,  sect.  5. 
c Augusta  Salassorum,  or  A ugusta  Pretoria. 
d Avosta  (Fr.  Aoustc  or  Aoste.)  • Silius  Italicus,  1.  viii. 


origin.  The  Statielli,  concerning  whom  little  is  known, 
inhabited  the  right  bank  of  the  Tanaro ; but  the  country  on 
the  west,  at  the  foot  of  the  Alps,  belonged  to  a people  that 
were  called  by  the  ancients,  the  Vagienni,  V ageni  or  Bage- 
ni.e  The  territory  of  the  Intemelii , an  inconsiderable  tribe, 
extended  from  the  southern  side  of  the  Alps  to  the  sea. 
Lastly,  the  Apuani  who  derived  their  name  from  the  town 
of  Apua,  the  present  Pontremoli,  were  settled  on  the  south- 
ern side  of  the  Appennines,  in  the  country  between  Genoa 
and  Spezia.  The  territories  of  the  four  last  people  made 
up  the  Roman  province  of  Liguria;  the  others  were  in- 
cluded in  the  two  Gauls/ 

The  country  near  Lake  Leman  was  called  Savoy  (Sa- 
paudia,s)  about  the  fifth  century:  It  was  governed  at  dif- 

ferent times  by  Burgundian,  French  and  Provencal  princes  ;h 
the  emperor  Conrad  the  Salic,  erected  it  into  a county,  and 
made  it  over  to  Count  Humbert.  Different  domains  were 
successively  added  to  it,  and  in  the  fifteenth  century,  it  re- 
ceived the  title  of  dutchy  from  the  emperor  Sigismund. 

The  house  of  Savoy  ranks  among  the  oldest  in  Europe. 
But  as  its  origin  is  involved  in  darkness,  it  is  not  surprising 
that  genealogists  have  traced  it  to  Witikind.  That  Saxon 
chief  may  be  considered  the  Japhet  of  the  princes  in  modern 
Europe ; all  claim  him  for  their  founder.  The  house  of 
Savoy,  sprung  only  from  Humbert,  who  reigned  in  the  ele- 
venth century,  might  prove  an  antiquity  of  eight  hundred 
years.  \ ictor  Amadeus  the  Second  was  the  founder  of  the 
Sardinian  kingdom  ; wearied  with  the  cares  of  a throne, 
he  abdicated  in  1730  in  favour  of  his  son  Charles  Emma- 
nuel, whose  ingratitude  brought  his  father  to  the  grave. 
I'he  reign  of  Charles  Emmanuel  was  glorious,  but  in  con- 
sequence of  the  influence  which  the  French  acquired  from 
their  conquests,  his  successors  lost  all  their  continental  pos- 
sessions, and  the  kingdom  of  Sardinia,  confined  within  the 
limits  of  the  island,  did  not  recover  its  former  rank,  before 
the  last  treaties  by  which  its  continental  possessions  were 
restored. 

The  Sardinian  language  is  not  pure  Italian ; many  La- 
tin, Castilian,  Greek:,  French  and  even  German  words  are 
contained  in  it ; that  mixed  language  is  most  diffused  in  the 
^land  of  Sardinia.  Two  very  different  dialects  are  spoken 
on  the  continent ; the  Savoyard,  which  according  to  M. 
Balbi,1  offers  many  varieties,  and  the  Vaudois  which  is 
spoken  in  Piedmont,  particularly  in  the  province  of  Pig- 
nerol. 


f Transalpine  and  Cisalpine  Gaul,  “ Gallia  Viennensis  and  Gallia 
Cisalpina.”  s Modern  Latin,  Sabaudia. 

h “ It  belonged  successively  to  the  Burgundian,  French  and  Provencal 
sovereigns.” 

* Atlas  ethnographique  du  globe. 


BOOK  CXXXIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


‘JO 


The  country  is  divided  into  twenty  bishoprics  and  six 
archbishoprics  ; the  Catholic  is  the  established  religion  ; all 
the  rest  are  merely  tolerated.  Twenty-two  thousand  Vau- 
dois,a  residing  in  the  vallies  of  the  Alps,  who  for  at  least 
twelve  centuries  have  professed  a worship  analogous  to  the 
reformed  religion,  bear  in  silence  the  privation  of  their  pri- 
vileges as  citizens.  They  are  excluded  from  the  learned 
professions ; all  the  scientific  or  literary  situations  in  the  dif- 
ferent colleges  are  shut  against  them ; although  a brave 
and  a warlike  people,  they  can  never  rise  in  the  army. 
The  Jews,  still  more  unfortunate,  cannot  hold  landed  pro- 
perty, and  have  been  obliged  to  give  up  the  possessions 
which  they  had  acquired  under  the  French  government. 
Confined  in  the  towns,  they  are  only  permitted  to  exercise 
their  industry  in  particular  quarters,  and  are  besides  com- 
pelled to  wear  a badge  by  which  they  may  be  known. 
From  these  facts  relative  to  the  Protestants  and  the  Jews, 
it  may  be  easy  to  judge  of  the  spirit  that  animates  the  Sar- 
dinian government,  and  the  discontent  that  prevails  among 
the  different  classes  of  a people,  who  were  dissatisfied,  and 
not  without  some  cause,  under  the  French  government,  but 
who  have  since  been  deprived  of  the  advantages  which  they 
then  enjoyed,  without  obtaining  any  redress  for  their  grie- 
vances. 

When  the  king  of  Sardinia  was  restored  to  his  dominions, 
the  congress  at  Vienna  recommended,  relatively  to  Genoa, 
something  like  a liberal  government,  or  at  all  events  the  ex- 
clusion of  an  oppressive  one.  The  French  civil  and  com- 
mercial codes  were  retained,  but  they  have  been  since  so 
far  changed  that  the  records  of  births  and  marriages  are 
restored  t<  > the  clergy,  and  the  ancient  mode  of  hereditary 
succession  is  at  present  in  full  force. b The  penal  code  and 
the  codes  of  civil  and  criminal  procedure  were  set  aside,  and 
the  old  barbarous  jurisprudence  of  Piedmont,  (the  torture 
excepted,)  is  at  present  the  law  of  the  land. 

When  the  united  sovereigns  of  Europe  gave  new  territo- 
ries to  his  Sardinian  majesty,  they  stipulated  that  no  new 
taxes  should  be  raised  without  the  consent  of  the  people, 
made  known  by  the  assemblies  in  each  district  ;c  yet  new 
taxes  have  been  levied,  and  these  assemblies  have  never 
met.  In  short,  the  will  of  the  king  is  the  only  law  on 
which  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  people  depend.  He 
disposes  of  their  effects  by  taxes,  and  of  their  persons  by  ar- 
bitrary imprisonment.  The  very  attempt  to  emigrate  with- 
out leave,  is  an  offence  corrigible  by  fine,  confiscation,  and  | 
even  ignominious  punishment.  The  judges  appointed  and 
revocable  at  pleasure,  determine  the  costs  of  a suit,  and  as 
their  salaries  are  very  moderate,  they  do  not  administer, 
but  sell  justice.  The  prerogative  of  mercy,  the  brightest 
jewel  in  the  crown,  is  subject  to  a tax,  which  has  been  de- 
nominated the  royal  emolument.  As  the  sentence  of  a judge, 
says  M.  Simond,  in  civil  as  well  as  in  criminal  cases  is  some- 
times set  aside  arbitrarily,  so  are  private  contracts  between 
individuals,  however  legal,  and  testaments  made  in  due  form. 
An  individual  secretly  accused  may  be  taken  up  and  kept 
in  a dungeon  for  years,  even  for  his  whole  life,  without  trial. 
When  tried,  it  is  in  secret ; he  is  not  present  at  the  exami- 
nation of  witnesses,  he  does  not  even  know  who  they  are  ; 
and,  finally,  the  judges  decide  from  the  report  made  by  one 
of  them,  (the  juge  d? instruction,)  assisted  by  the  recorder’s 
clerk.  There  are  no  instances  of  an  acquitted  prisoner 


being  liberated  without  paying  costs/  As  if  it  were  not 
enough  that  the  nobles  in  the  county  of  Nice,  in  Piedmont 
and  in  Savoy,  had  recovered  with  other  feudal  rights,  that 
of  administering  justice,  the  governors  of  provinces,  in  the 
plenitude  of  their  authority,  inflict  corporal  punishment  on 
those  under  their  jurisdiction,  and  sentence  the  people  to 
remain  hours,  nay  days,  in  the  stocks.  What  more  could 
be  done  at  Constantinople  1 

The  towns  in  the  dutchy  of  Savoy  are  not  important. 
Chamberry  is  more  agreeable  from  its  position,  than  re- 
markable for  its  buildings.  Saint  Jean  de  Maurienne,  a 
small  place,  although  the  chief  town  in  the  province  of  Ma- 
riana or  Maurienne,  consists  of  ill  built  houses  and  dirty 
streets.  The  country  in  the  neighbourhood  of  these  two 
towns  is  picturesque,  fruitful,  and  well  cultivated  ; lofty 
mulberry  trees,  scattered  in  every  direction,  indicate  that 
the  inhabitants  derive  a great  profit  from  their  silk  worms. 

The  stranger  has  hardly  crossed  the  Arc,  which  de- 
scends from  the  Graecian  Alps,  before  he  observes  the  ex- 
cellent road  over  Mount  Cenis,  by  which  he  can  now  travel 
in  a carriage  across  mountains,  that  at  no  very  remote  pe- 
riod were  ascended  by  means  of  chairmen  and  mules.  The 
ramasse  is  no  longer  used  in  descending  from  the  highest 
point  on  the  road  to  Lanslebourg ; a journey  of  five  miles 
can  no  longer  be  made  in  seven  minutes  ; the  traveller 
need  not  commit  himself  to  the  skill  of  a guide,  whose  feet 
acted  as  a helm  in  directing  the  light  ramasse  along  the 
snow,  and  which  by  one  false  movement  might  be  precipi- 
tated into  an  abyss.  Another  and  less  rapid  declivity  has 
been  cut,  and  that  part  of  the  journey  may  be  performed 
without  danger.  But  the  road  over  Mount  Cenis  cannot 
be  compared  with  that  across  the  Simplon. 

In  ascending  the  Doria,  the  traveller  perceives  a passage 
cut  through  the  rocks,  between  Bard  and  Aosta,  the  mag- 
nificent work  of  the  dukes  of  Savoy  ; farther  to  the  north, 
at  Aosta,  may  be  seen  the  remains  of  Roman  buildings, 
and  a triumphal  arch  erected  to  Augustus.  Beyond  Mount 
Rosa,  the  admiration  which  was  before  attracted  by  the 
beauties  of  nature,  is  concentrated  on  one  of  the  noblest 
monuments  of  human  patience  and  industry.  The  road 
across  the  Simplon  surpasses  the  greatest  works  of  the  Ro- 
mans ; it  was  not  only  necessary  to  blow  up  the  rocks  with 
gunpowder,  but  to  excavate  numerous  galleries,  in  order  to 
open  a road  through  the  mountains  practicable  for  every 
sort  of  carriage.  Hannibal  and  Bernard,  the  uncle  of 
Charlemagne,  had  crossed  the  Alps  before  Napoleon,  but  a 
long  period  may  elapse  before  any  conqueror  shall  imitate 
him  in  the  great  undertaking  by  which  Switzerland  is  for- 
ever united  to  Italy. 

Lake  Maggiore  forms  the  limit  of  the  Sardinian  posses- 
sions ; the  road  which  descends  from  the  Simplon,  winds 
along  it,  and  traverses  the  old  and  pleasant  town  of  Novara, 
situated  to  the  south  of  Oleggio,  a place  frequented  by 
strangers  for  its  mineral  waters.  Vercelli  is  interesting 
from  its  antiquities  ; a manuscript  gospel  of  Saint  Mark, 
written  in  the  fourth  century,  is  preserved  in  the  cathedral. 
The  Cimbri  were  cut  to  pieces  by  Marius  in  the  plains  near 
Vercelli. 

Turin  (It.  Torino)  is  situated  at  the  extremity  of  the 
plains  of  Lombardy,  not  far  from  the  junction  of  the  Po 
and  the  Doria,  the  latter  a small  river  that  has  been  some- 


* Waldenses. 

k “ The  sons  inherit  to  the  exclusion  of  the  daughters.’ 


0 “ Provincial  councils.” 
d Simond’ s Travels  in  Italy. 


100 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXIII. 


times  confounded  with  the  one  that  waters  the  valley  of 
Aosta.a  Turin  is  a very  ancient  capital  ; it  was  the  prin- 
cipal city  of  the  Taurini,  as  its  name  indicates.  It  consists 
01  two  parts,  the  old  and  the  new  ; the  one  resembles  any 
other  ancient  and  Gothic  town  ; the  other  has  all  the  ele- 
gance of  modern  cities.  But  its  broad  and  straight  streets 
are  dismal  and  deserted  ; they  are  only  animated  during 
festivals.  Two  large  squares  separate  the  old  from  the 
new  town  ; the  latter  is  perhaps  cleaner  than  any  other  in 
Italy,  an  advantage  which  is  secured  by  a great  number  of 
fountains  that  water  and  purify  the  streets  in  summer,  and 
clear  them  of  snow  in  winter.  In  order  to  effect  the  latter 
operation,  the  reservoir  at  the  gate  of  Susa  is  opened  for 
two  hours,  and  a torrent  rushes  from  it  that  carries  away 
the  snow  and  every  sort  of  filth  from  the  town. 

A street,  a mileb  in  length,  formed,  like  all  the  others  in 
the  new  town,  by  houses  built  after  the  same  model,  and 
adorned  with  porticos,  that  afford  shelter  from  the  rain  and 
the  heat  of  the  sun,  leads  to  the  royal  castle.  The  palace 
is  situated  in  the  centre  of  a square,  and  surrounded  by  a 
moat  ; it  is  a sort  of  Hermes  in  architecture,  exhibiting  on 
one  side  a Gothic  front,  and  on  the  other,  the  elegance  of 
Grecian  architecture.0  The  staircase  that  leads  to  the  in- 
terior of  the  building  is  finer  than  any  in  Italy,  surpassing 
those  at  Caserta  and  in  the  Palazzo  Reale  at  Naples.  The 
number  of  churches  and  chapels  at  Turin  amounts  to. a 
hundred  and  ten  ; the  most  admired  of  any  is  the  church 
of  San  Lorenzo  ; the  interior  is  covered  with  black  marble, 
and  several  chains  hanging  down  from  the  ceiling,  formerly 
sustained  lamps  and  candelabras  of  massive  silver,  which 
were  taken  away  by  the  French ; but  the  same  people  re- 
spected the  santo  sudurio  or  winding  sheet  of  our  Saviour, 
an  object  of  popular  veneration.  It  is  supposed  to  be  a true 
relic,  although  Genoa  possesses  another,  which  is  considered 
equally  genuine.  The  great  theatred  at  Turin  was  for  a 
tong  time  the  finest  in  Italy ; it  served  as  a model  for  the 
one  at  Naples.  The  university  is  another  building,  not  in- 
ferior in  its  kind  to  any  in  Turin;  the  entrance  to  it  is 
formed  by  a large  square  court  encompassed  with  arcades, 
and  the  walls  are  adorned  with  basso-relievos  and  ancient 
inscriptions. 

Coni,  although  peopled  by  seventeen  thousand  inhabit- 
ants, contains  little  worthy  of  notice  ; it  is  situated  on  the 
banks  ot  the  Stura,  to  the  south  of  Turin.  It  was  for- 
merly a place  of  great  strength,  but  was  dismantled  by  the 
French  after  the  battle  of  Marengo.  Casal,  situated  on 
the  Po  to  the  east  of  Turin,  is  not  more  interesting  than 
the  preceding  ; it  contains  an  equal  number  of  inhabitants, 
but  its  public  buildings  are  more  numerous.  The  fine  road 
which  leads  to  Genoa,  passes  through  Asti,  formerly  cele- 
brated in  the  country  for  its  hundred  towers,  as  Thebes  was 
in  ancient  times  for  its  hundred  gates.  But  its  old  walls 
are  now  falling  in  ruins,  and  its  population  is  rapidly  de- 
creasing ; although  in  superficial  extent,  nearly  equal  to 
Turin,  it  does  not  contain  more  than  twenty-two  thousand 
souls.  The  inconsiderable  trade  of  Asti  is  confined  to  white 
and  red  wines,  which  are  said  to  be  better  than  any  others 


a These  two  rivers  ar 1 the  Doria  Riparia  or  Greater  Doria  ( Daria  ma- 
jor,) which  flows  by  Tu  'in,  and  the  Doria  Baltea  or  Lesser  Doria  ( Daria 
minor,)  which  waters  th  i valley  of  Aosta. — P. 
b “ Half  a league.” 

c The  palace  consuls  of  two  parts,  the  old  ducal  palace  or  royal  castle 
( Castcllo  Neale,  ''  anil  'tv  royal  palace  (Palazzo  Reale.) — P. 
d The  Grant  Op-era. 

• Ancient  nai.ie,  At V\  °ompcia;  modern  name,  Alba. 


in  Piedmont.  Alba  Pompeia,®  at  some  leagues  to  the  south- 
west of  Asti,  was  embellished  by  the  father  of  the  great 
Pompey ; it  is  known  too  as  the  birthplace  of  the  emperor 
Pertinax.  The  road  from  Asti  follows  the  windings  of  the 
Tanaro,  and  leads  to  Alexandria.  When  seen  at  a dis- 
tance, Alexandria  (It.  Alessandria ) resembles  a village  in 
the  midst  of  a plain.  Although  a gloomy  town,  consisting 
of  brick  houses,  it  is  one  of  the  strongest  places  in  Italy.  It 
owes  its  origin  to  the  quarrels  between  the  popes  and  the 
emperors  in  the  twelfth  century  ; it  was  founded  in  honour 
of  Alexander  the  Third,  and  bore  for  a long  time  the  name 
of  Alessandria  della  paglia,  because  its  houses  were  at  first 
covered  with  straw.  A road  extends  to  the  north-east  from 
Alexandria,  and  leads  to  Tortona  and  Voghera.  The  first, 
formerly  a large  and  populous  town,  has  now  only  eight 
thousand  inhabitants ; the  second  contains  ten  thousand, 
and  is  adorned  with  a fine  cathedral  of  Grecian  architec- 
ture. 

The  country  assumes  a new  aspect  at  the  division  of  the 
roads  to  Tortona  and  Genoa,  or  at  the  entrance  into  the 
Appennines  ; the  road  to  the  latter  winds  through  a narrow 
passage,  at  one  place  shaded  with  forests,  at  another  lined 
with  solitary  meadows ; the  habitations  of  men  become 
gradually  m<5re  rare,  and  at  last  disappear  before  the  stran- 
ger reaches  the  defile  of  the  Bocchetta.  On  passing  the 
defile,  Genoa  appears  at  the  base  of  the  mountains,  and  the 
Mediterranean  is  lost  in  the  horizon.  It  often  happens 
that  the  Mediterranean  is  confounded  with  the  mists  which 
cover  the  country ; but  in  fine  weather,  its  surface,  as  bril- 
liant as  crystal,  assumes  the  azure  tint  of  the  sky. 

Genoa  may  be  seen  to  the  greatest  advantage  from  the 
sea ; it  rises  in  the  form  of  a semicircle  more  than  three 
thousand  six  hundred  yards  in  length  ;f  two  gigantic  moles 
defend  the  entrance  of  the  port ; at  one  extremity,  on  the 
point  of  a rock,  rises  a lighthouse  of  stupendous  propor  tions. 
The  town  is  encompassed  in  a circuit  of  eight  miles,5  with 
a double  range  of  fortifications,  that  are  celebrated  from  the 
siege  that  Massena  sustained  against  the  Austrians  in  1800, 
arrd  from  the  courageous  resistance  of  the  inhabitants,  who 
endured  for  a per  iod  of  fifty-nine  days  all  the  privations  of 
famine.  The  inter  ior  of  the  town  consists  of  very  steep  and 
narrow  streets  between  lofty  palaces  : many  of  them  are  co- 
vered in  the  middle  with  a brick  causeway  two  or  three  feet 
wide,  for  the  convenience  of  mules  and  porters,  for  carts  can- 
not ascend  them.  Two  streets,  Balbi  and  the  New  Street,11 
are  accessible  to  carriages  ; on  both  sides  of  the  former  are 
the  most  magnificent  palaces  in  Genoa.  The  flat  roofs  are 
adorned  with  shrubs  and  trees,  among  which  are  orange 
trees  twenty-five  feet  high,  rising  from  a bed  of  earth  several 
feet  deep,  conveyed  to  the  roofs,  and  supported  on  arches  ; 
fountains  play  among  these  artificial  groves,  and  keep  up 
their  verdure  and  shade  during  the  heat  of  summer.  The 
finest  edifices  are  the  palaces  belonging  to  the  families  of 
Durazzo,  Spinola,  Doria,  Brignole  and  Serra,  the  ancient 
ducal  palace  and  some  churches  and  convents.  Among 
the  latter,  the  church  of  Santa  Maria  di  Carignano  is  a 
building  of  elegant  architecture,  and  although  the  inside  of 


f “ 1800  toises.” 

g “ 4 leagues.” — Genoa  is  surrounded  by  two  ramparts,  one  of  which 
incloses  the  town,  and  is  about  six  miles  in  circuit,  and  the  otheT,  which 
forms  a circumference  of  thirteen  miles,  is  carried  round  the  lulls  which 
command  the  city.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

h Strada  Balbi  and  Strada  Nuova.  The  Strada  Ballii,  Strada  Nuova 
and  StrauWNuovissima  form  one  connected  street,  leading  through  nearly 
the  whole  extent  of  the  city. — P. 


BOOK  CXXXIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


101 


the  Annunziata  is  loaded  with  gilt  ornaments,  the  stranger 
may  regret  that  its  front  is  still  unfinished.  The  church  of 
San  Cyro  is  adorned  with  fresco  paintings,  and  the  Gothic 
cathedral  is  covered  on  the  inside  and  outside  with  marble 
of  different  colours.  There  are  besides  three  well  built 
hospitals  ; one  of  them,  the  Mbergo  dei  Poveri  is  a model  in 
its  kind  ; it  affords  the  means  of  subsistence  to  fifteen  hun- 
dred individuals  of  every  age,  and  the  young  are  instruct- 
ed in  different  trades.  The  theatres  in  Genoa  cannot  be 
compared  with  others  in  many  parts  of  Italy.  The  only 
public  walks  are  the  walls  of  the  port,  the  alleys  of  Acqua 
Verde,  and  the  fine  bridge  of  Carignano,  which  is  not  less 
than  a hundred  feet  in  freight ; it  rises  above  houses  of  six 
stories,  and  unites  two  elevated  parts  of  the  town. 

The  exchange  where  the  noble  merchants  of  Genoa 
formerly  assemble’d  to  carry  on  their  mighty  trade,  has  lost 
much  of  its  activity,  although  Genoa  has  been  declared  a 
free  port ; still  the  appearance  of  decay  is  less  obvious 
than  at  Venice.  Genoa  was  so  powerful  from  its  com- 
merce in  the  time  of  the  Carthaginians,  that  it  excited  the 
jealousy  of  that  people,  by  whom  it  was  reduced  to  ashes. 
Rebuilt  by  the  Romans,  it  repaired  the  losses  which  it  sus- 
tained at  a later  period  by  the  invasions  of  the  Huns,  the 
Goths  and  the  Heruli,  and  afterwards  by  the  conquests  of 
the  Lombards  and  of  Charlemagne.  The  famous  bank  of 
St.  George,  the  earliest  in  any  commercial  town,  was  esta- 
blished at  Genoa  in  the  twelfth  century. a The  rival  of 
Venice  in  the  thirteenth  century,  it  possessed  Pera,  a su- 
burb of  Constantinople.  Having  become  the  capital  of  a 
powerful  republic,  it  preserved  longer  than  Venice  the  pri- 
mitive form  of  its  government,  and  although  repeatedly  for- 
ced to  implore  foreign  protection  against  civil  commotions, 
the  love  of  independence  was  always  the  cause  of  its  glory 
and  success.  It  was  from  convenience,  not  from  compul- 
sion, that  it  ceded  Corsica  to  Lewis  the  Fifteenth.  It  re- 
tained its  independence  till  1798,  when,  under  the  name  of 
the  Ligurian  republic,  it  received  a constitution  from  repub- 
lican F ranee  ; but  under  the  empire,  Genoa  and  its  territo- 
ry were  changed  into  a department.  It  is  difficult  to  recal 
these  recollections,  and  not  to  regret  that  at  the  time  when 
so  many  states  claimed  and  obtained  their  independence, 
Genoa  was  not  restored  to  its  ancient  freedom. 

The  lower  oi'ders  in  Genoa  are  civil  and  obliging ; the 
nobles,  unlike  those  of  T urin,  are  neither  distinguished  by 
powdered  wigs,  gold-headed  canes,  and  a proportionable 
degree  of  pomp  and  solemnity,  nor  by  that  sort  of  etiquette 
which  prevailed  in  France  before  the  revolution  ; on  the 
contrary,  they  are  remarkable  for  the  frankness  and  sim- 
plicity of  their  manners,  advantages  which  must,  without 
doubt,  be  attributed  to  their  commercial  pursuits.  The 
women  wear  the  mezzaro,  a long  white  veil,  half  covering 
the  face,  and  gracefully  thrown  round  the  person ; it  de- 
scends nearly  to  the  feet,  but  does  not  conceal  light  shoes 
and  white  silk  stockings.  All  the  women  in  the  upper  clas- 
ses have  their  cavalieri  serventi,  a custom  considered  scan- 
dalous in  other  countries,  but  so  common  in  Genoa,  that  it 
is  adopted  by  many  persons  who  are  irreproachable  on  the 
score  of  morals.  The  love  of  the  arts,  the  culture  of  the 


a The  Bank  of  St.  George  was  first  regularly  incorporated  in  1407. 
Previous  to  that  time,  the  republic  borrowed  large  sums  of  money  from  the 
citizens,  assigning  certain  branches  of  the  revenue  for  the  payment  of  in- 
terest ; and  a Board  of  Management  was  appointed  to  cond  net  the  loans, 
pay  the  interest  and  account  to  government  for  the  funds  entrusted  to  their 
care.  From  this  circumstance,  the  Genoese  claim  the  merit  of  establish- 
ing a bank  as  early  as  the  Venetians.  The  Bank  of  Venice,  the  first  re- 


mind, and  a certain  freedom  of  opinion,  distinguish  the  Ge- 
noese from  the  southern  Italians.  The  inhabitants  long 
accustomed  to  commerce,  still  excel  in  some  departments 
of  industry.  Genoa  has  its  silk,  velvet,  and  gold  lact 
manufactories  ; its  jewels,  perfumes  and  artificial  flowers 
are  so  many  articles  of  exportation.  As  to  the  products  of 
the  soil,  the  oils  of  Genoa  are  more  valuable  than  its  wines. 

The  eastern  coast  of  the  gulf  of  Genoa  has  been  long 
called  the  Riviera  del  Levante .b  Spezia,  the  principal  port 
on  that  coast,  contains  six  thousand  inhabitants.  Savona 
on  the  opposite  coast  or  the  Riviera  del  Ponente,c  is  twice  as 
populous  ; it  possesses  a considerable  trade  in  potash  and 
in  the  produce  of  its  earthen  and  porcelain  works,  but  its 
commerce  might  be  much  increased,  if  the  harbour,  which 
is  now  useless,  was  rebuilt.*1  The  town  of  Nice,  situated 
on  the  same  coast,  the  capital  of  a province  and  a bishop- 
ric, possesses  a finer  climate  than  any  other  in  Italy  ; the 
winters  are  not  accompanied  with  frost,  and  many  stran- 
gers, particularly  English,  are  attracted  to  it  by  the  mild- 
ness of  its  temperature. 

The  small  town  of  Monaco,  at  two  leagues  to  the  east 
of  Nice,  is  peopled  by  eleven  hundred  inhabitants.  It 
stands  on  a rock  which  braves  the  fury  of  the  billows,  and 
on  the  site  of  an  ancient  temple  erected  to  Hercules  Mo- 
ncecus  ;e  its  territory,  which  has  been  styled  a principality 
since  the  tenth  century,  is  governed  by  the  family  of  Gri- 
maldi, under  the  protection  of  his  Sardinian  majesty. 

The  island  of  Sardinia,  or  according  to  its  Greek  name, 
Sardon,  belonged  to  the  Carthaginians  at  the  period  of 
their  first  war  with  the  Romans,  by  whom  they  were  ex- 
pelled from  the  island,  which  became  one  of  the  Roman 
granaries ; not  long  afterwards  Corsica  and  Sardinia  form- 
ed a single  province.  While  governed  by  the  masters  ol 
the  world,  its  population  was  greater  than  at  present ; it 
then  contained  forty-two  towns,  but  not  more  than  ten 
which  merit  the  name,  can  now  be  enumerated.  The 
Vandals  having  made  themselves  masters  of  Spain  and  the 
coasts  of  Africa,  took  possession  of  Sardinia  in  the  seventh 
century.  The  Pisans  and  the  Genoese  succeeded  them  in 
the  eleventh ; two  hnndred  years  afterwards,  the  popes, 
who  seldom  neglected  an  opportunity  of  adding  to  theii 
temporal  dominions,  endeavoured  to  unite  the  island  to  the 
territories  of  the  church,  and  the  Pisans  were  twice  con- 
strained to  submit.  James  the  Second,  king  of  Arragon, 
made  himself  master  of  Sardinia  in  the  fourteenth  century, 
and  it  continued  under  the  government  of  Spain  until  the 
year  1708,  when  the  English  took  possession  of  it  in  the 
name  of  the  emperor  of  Germany,  who  gave  it  up  to  the 
duke  of  Savoy,  in  exchange  for  Sicily. 

The  Sardinians  remained  in  a state  of  barbarism  after 
the  middle  ages,  but  comparatively  at  a late  period,  and 
under  the  paternal  government  of  Savoy,  they  have  been 
made  to  participate  in  the  light  of  knowledge,  and  in  the 
benefits  of  civi’ization.  The  arts  and  sciences  are  now 
flourishing,  and  the  house  of  Savoy  cannot  be  ignorant  that 
the  present  prosperity  and  improved  condition  of  the  inha- 
bitants, are  the  result  of  their  wise  and  enlightened  mea- 
sures. The  misfortunes  of  the  reigning  family  have  per- 


gularly  incorporated  bank,  was  established  about  the  middle  of  the  twelfth 
century.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P.  0 Eastern  Shore. 

c Western  Shore. 

d 11  If  the  harbour,  which  has  long  been  filled  up,  was  cleared.”  It  was 
partly  filled  up  by  the  Genoese,  in  order  to  transfer  its  commerce  to  Ge- 
noa.— P. 

s Virgil.  jEneid.  Lib.  vi.  v.  830. 


102 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXIII. 


haps  contributed  to  produce  these  good  effects ; the  con- 
quests of  the  French  deprived  them  of  their  other  posses- 
sions, and  the  progress  of  improvement  was  most  rapid 
when  ihe  princes  resided  in  the  island. 

The  inhabitants  had  for  a long  time  little  intercourse  with 
the  other  Italians;  they  may  still  be  distinguished  from 
them.  The  Sardinian  is  strong,  lively,  and  courageous 
even  to  rashness  ; of  quick  passions,  he  is  ardent  in  his  af- 
fections, and  violent  in  his  hatred.  Fond  of  the  marvellous 
from  his  habits  or  state  of  civilization,  endowed  with  a vivid 
imagination,  and  prone  to  enthusiasm,  these  qualities  ac- 
count for  his  devoiion  to  poetry  and  the  fine  arts. 

Cagliari,  the  capital,  stands  on  the  declivity  of  a steep  hill, 
at  the  bottom  of  a gulf  on  the  southern  side  of  the  island ; 
a strong  castle  built  by  the  Pisans  rises  above  it.  The  po- 
pulation amounts  to  twenty-eight  thousand  inhabitants ; it 
is  the  residence  of  the  viceroy  and  the  principal  authorities. 
The  houses  are  ill  built  and  the  streets  are  narrow  and 
crooked.  The  palace  of  the  viceroy  is  the  only  building 
worthy  of  notice  ; among  the  others  are  a cathedral,  thirty- 
eight  churches,  twenty-one  convents,  a university,  a col- 
lege for  nobles,  a mint  and  a theatre.  Among  the  useful 


institutions  may  be  mentioned  schools  of  medicine  and  ma- 
thematics, a library,  museums  of  antiquities  and  natural  his- 
tory, and  different  hospitals.  The  town  was  founded  by 
the  Carthaginians,  and  still  carries  on  a considerable  com- 
merce ; the  products  of  its  territory  are  corn,  oil,  wine,  cot- 
ton, and  indigo.  Sassari,  the  town  next  to  it  in  importance, 
is  situated  in  a fine  valley  on  the  northwest  of  the  island, 
and  contains  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants.  Oristano,  a town 
near  the  gulf  of  the  same  name  on  the  western  coast,  con- 
tains six  thousand  inhabitants ; it  carries  on  a great  trade  in 
tunny,  a fish  which  abounds  in  that  part  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean. Bosa,  a small  port  at  the  mouth  of  the  Terno,  on 
the  same  side  of  the  island,  possesses  an  ancient  cathedral 
and  several  convents ; the  walls  which  encompassed  the 
town,  are  now  in  ruins  ; it  is  peopled  by  five  thousand  souls. 
Alghero,3  on  the  same  coast,  carries  on  a greater  trade  in 
corn  than  any  other  place  in  Sardinia.  The  population 
amounts  to  seven  thousand  inhabitants ; its  port  cannot 
admit  large  vessels,  but  the  spacious  and  fortified  harbour 
of  Porto-Conte,  at  two  milesb  to  the  east,  might  contain  se- 
veral fleets. 


Algheri. 


b “ A league.’ 


book  cxxxiv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 

BOOR  CXXXIV. 

EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Description  of  Italy. — Fourth  Section. 

— Dutcliies  of  Parma,  JModena,  Alassa  and  Lucca. — 

Grand  Dutchy  of  Tuscany. — Republic  of  San  JMarino. 

The  country  which  forms  the  subject  of  the  present  and 
of  the  following  book,  is  divided  into  a greater  number  of 
small  states  than  any  other  part  of  Italy.  Seven  indepen- 
dent states  occupy  a surface  of  three  thousand  nine  hun- 
dred and  seventy  square  leagues,  and,  without  including  the 
Roman  territory,  they  are  the  most  important  from  the 
wealth  and  industry  of  their  inhabitants. 

In  ancient  times  these  states  comprehended  Southern 
Cisalpine  Gaul,  Etruria,  Umbria,  Picenum,  and  Latium. 
The  Anamani , a people  of  uncertain  origin,  but  who  were 
probably  Celtic,  inhabited  almost  all  the  territory  in  the 
dutchy  of  Parma ; their  limits  were  the  Po  on  the  north, 
the  Trebia  on  the  west,  and  the  Parma  on  the  east.  The 
Lingones  to  the  south  of  the  Po,  and  the  Boii  on  the  north- 
ern declivities  of  the  Appennines,  the  latter  a tribe  of  the 
same  origin  as  the  people  that  have  been  mentioned  in  the 
account  of  Bohemia,  were  settled  in  the  territories  of  Mo- 
dena, Bologna,  and  Ferrara.  The  western  declivities  of 
the  Appennines  in  Etruria,  were  peopled  by  the  Magelli 
and  the  Ligures,  tribes  that  in  their  customs  resembled  the 
Gauls.  On  the  shores  of  the  Adriatic,  the  Senones,  a tribe 
of  the  Gauls,  settled  in  the  country  near  the  present  repub- 
lic of  San  Marino,  about  four  centuries  before  the  Christian 
era.  They  were  celebrated  for  the  part  they  took  in  the 
expedition  of  the  Gauls  against  Rome,  in  which  they  were 
defeated  by  Camillus.  The  Piceni a inhabited  the  declivities 
of  the  Appennines,  which  form  the  present  territories  of 
Ancona,  Macerata  and  Ascoli ; they  were  Sabines  by  ori- 
gin. Their  country  was  called  Picenum  from  the  great 
quantity  of  mineral  pitch  which  it  contained.  Umbria,  si- 
tuated on  the  western  side  of  the  Appennines,  between  the 
Tiber  and  the  Nera,  a feeder  of  the  same  river,  was  inha- 
bited by  a people  sprung  from  the  Gauls.  According  to 
Count  de  Gebelin,  the  Sabines, b their  neighbours,  derived 
their  name  from  the  Celtic  word  sab,  which  signifies  high 
or  elevated  ; they  occupied  indeed  the  declivities  and  sum- 
mits of  the  Appennines.  Ancient  writers  mention  the  Sa- 
bines in  the  most  favourable  terms ; they  were  frank,  ge- 
nerous and  valiant ; their  women  were  modest  and  vir- 
tuous ; their  marriages,  says  Mentelle,  were  civil  obliga- 
tions, entered  into  in  the  name  of  the  state  ; a very  extraor- 
dinary fact,  as  in  ancient  times,  religious  ceremonies  were 
the  bases  of  social  contracts.  The  power  of  the  Sabines  is 


* “ Picentes .” 
b Sabini. 

c The  modern  Garigliano  is  generally  supposed  to  be  the  ancient 
Idris. — P. 


proved  by  the  early  history  of  Rome  ; the  Hernici,  the  Lu- 
cani,  the  Samnites  and  the  Brntii  were  colonies  of  the  same 
people.  Before  their  country  was  conquered  by  the  Ro- 
mans, their  simple  and  metaphysical  worship  was  exempt 
from  the  corruption  which  characterized  polytheism.  The 
territory  between  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber  and  that  of  the  To- 
lero  or  the  ancient  Liris,c  was  called  Latium;  it  extended 
eastward  to  the  lake  Lucrino ,d  The  inhabitants,  or  the  La- 
tini,  were  the  descendants  of  Pelasgians  that  migrated  from 
Thessaly,  and  of  another  people  concerning  whose  origin 
so  little  was  known,  that  they  were  termed  Aborigines .e 

When  Charlemagne  carried  his  victorious  arms  into  Italy, 
he  made  himself  master  of  Parma  and  Placentia  ; but  it  is 
not  proved  that  he  gave  them  to  the  Holy  See,  and  it  is 
equally  uncertain  that  Parma  derives  its  name  from  the  par- 
ma  or  round  buckler  worn  by  the  Anamani.  But  whether 
it  was  the  effect  of  policy  or  of  the  influence  which  know- 
ledge and  religion  gave  the  popes  over  ignorant  and  super- 
stitious princes,  Rome  continued  long  in  possession  of  these 
two  towns.  They  became  republics  at  a later  period  ; but 
civil  divisions  and  the  quarrels  between  the  Guelphs  and 
Ghibelines  were  the  means  of  transferring  them  successively 
to  the  Corregios,  the  Scaligers,  the  Viscontis,  the  Sforzas 
and  the  popes.  When  Julius  the  Second,  one  of  the  most 
intriguing  pontiffs,  had  formed  the  great  league  of  kings 
against  France  in  1512,  he  made  himself  be  invested  in  the 
possession  of  Parma  and  Placentia  by  the  emperor  Maximi- 
lian. Paul  the  Third  made  them  over  in  1 547  to  his  son 
Lewis  Farnese,  who  was  assassinated  two  years  afterwards, 
but  his  descendants  enjoyed  them  until  Elizabeth  Farnese, 
the  heiress  of  the  family,  married  Philip  the  Fifth,  king  of 
Spain,  and  brought  these  two  dutchies  as  her  dowry  to  the 
house  of  Bourbon.  The  Infants  Don  Carlos  and  Don  Phi- 
lip, and  the  son  of  the  latter,  governed  them  in  succession, 
but  in  1805  the  two  dutchies  were  united  to  the  French 
empire,  and  formed  the  department  of  the  Taro.  They 
were  made  over  in  1814  by  the  Congress  at  Vienna,  to  the 
Archduchess  Maria  Louisa  during  her  life  ; the  inheritance 
is  vested  after  her  death,  in  the  Lucchese  princes  of  the 
house  of  Bourbon  Anjou,  and  their  successors. 

The  states  of  Parma  consist  of  the  dutchy  of  the  same 
name,  and  two  others,  Placentia  and  Guastalla  ; they  are 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Po,  on  the  east  by  the  dutchy 
of  Modena,  and  on  the  south  and  the  west  by  the  dutchy  of 
Massa  and  the  Sardinian  possessions.  Parma,  the  capital 
the  largest  town  in  the  dutchy,  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 

d Lucrino,  in  the  original.  Q.u.  Fucino,  (see  note  e,  p.  762.")*  The  Lu- 
crine  lake  was  in  Campania  on  the  bay  of  Naples. — P. 

c “ Its  inhabitants,  the  Latini,  were  a mixed  people,  descended  from  a 
colony  of  Pelasgians  from  Thessaly,  blended  with  a people  whose  origin 
was  so  uncertain  that  they  were  called  Aborigines .” 


EUROPE. 


104 


[BOOK  CS.XXIV. 


Parma,  a torrent  that  is  dry  in  summer.  The  old  walls 
and  bastions  form  a circuit  of  four  miles  ; the  streets  and 
squares  are  spacious,  but  neither  the  houses  nor  public 
buildings  are  remarkable  for  their  architecture.  The  ca- 
thedral is  a Gothic  and  imposing  edifice ; the  palaces  and 
other  churches  are  simple  and  destitute  of  ornaments,  but 
worthy  of  being  visited  from  the  valuable  paintings  contain- 
ed in  them.  The  old  Farnese  palace,  built  of  brick,  re- 
sembles a convent  rather  than  the  residence  of  a prince. 
In  the  same  edifice  are  the  academy  of  fine  arts,  the  library, 
and  the  largest  theatre  in  Italy,  the  masterpiece  of  Vignola, 
admirable  on  account  of  its  architecture,  and  the  fine  pro- 
portion of  its  parts.  It  is  capable  of  containing  9000  spec- 
tators," and  the  interior  is  so  well  arranged  that  the  stage  is 
equally  visible  from  every  point  in  the  theatre,  and  an  actor 
speaking  in  a low  tone  of  voice  is  heard  at  the  remotest 
corner  of  the  house.  It  may  be  regretted  that  so  fine  an 
edifice  has  not  been  used  for  more  than  a century  ; an- 
other theatre  of  smaller  dimensions  is  situated  in  a different 
part  of  the  town.  A plain  building  behind  the  Farnese 
palace,  is  the  residence  of  Maria  Louisa  ; in  one  of  the 
rooms  may  be  seen  the  cradle  of  her  son,  and  the  toilet  and 
costly  furniture,  which  the  city  of  Paris  gave  to  the  wife  of 
Napoleon.  Parma  has  been  improved  by  the  same  person. 
Before  the  year  1822,  there  was  no  cemetery  belonging  to 
the  town  ; the  dead  were  interred  in  the  churches,  and  the 
church  of  San  Giovanni  Decollato  was  reserved  for  criminals. 
Physicians  were  aware  that  the  custom  had  been  injurious 
to  the  health  of  the  inhabitants,  and  it  was  abolished  by 
the  reigning  princes  ; a large  piece  of  ground  without  the 
walls  of  the  town  has  been  converted  into  a cemetery. 
Parma  possesses  five  charitable  institutions  and  a foundling- 
hospital  established  in  1 S 1 8 by  the  archduchess  ; the  man- 
agement of  the  latter  is  committed  to  a director  and  to  five 
ladies,  one  of  whom  must  visit  it  every  day. 

Guastalla,  the  metropolis  of  an  ancient  dutchy,  contains 
little  worthy  of  notice.  Placentia,1’  like  Parma,  is  encom- 
passed with  walls  and  ditches,  but  it  is  a better  built  town, 
and  possesses  numerous  palaces.  The  ducal  palace,  al- 
though a brick  building,  still  serves  to  proclaim  the  wealth 
of  the  Farnese,  and  the  talents  of  Vignola,  who  planned  it. 
Other  edifices  may  attract  the  notice  of  strangers  ; but, 
like  Versailles,  Placentia  consists  of  broad,  straight  and  de- 
serted  streets,  m many  places  not  unlike  roads.0  The 
square  of  the  palace  is  decorated  with  two  bronze  eques- 
trian statues,  representing  princes  of  the  Farnese  family. 
It  has  been  supposed  that  the  town  owes  its  name  to  its  fine 
situation  and  salubrious  air.  Two  centuries  before  the 
Christian  era,  it  was  one  of  the  principal  cities  of  the  Ro- 
man republic  ; but  no  traces  of  its  antiquity  remain  ; it  was 
devastated  during  the  war  between  Otho  and  Vitellius.  It 
sustained  a memorable  siege  against  Totila  in  the  year  545  ; 
the  inhabitants  suffered  so  much  from  famine,  that  they 
appeased  their  hunger  with  human  flesh.  The  same  town 
has  given  birth  to  several  distinguished  men  ; among  others, 
to  Ferrante  Pallavicini,  an  ecclesiastic  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  not  less  celebrated  for  his  writings  than  his  tragi- 
cal death,  in  which  Rome  ftad  some  share  ;J  to  Lorenzo 
Valla,  who  contributed  in  tbe  fifteenth  century  to  restore  the 
Latin  language  to  its  ancient  purity  in  Italy  ; to  Gregory 


the  Tenth,  who  ordained  that  on  the  death  of  a pope,  the 
cardinals  should  be  confined  in  conclave  until  the  election 
of  his  successor ; and  lastly,  to  cardinal  Alberoni,  who  has 
been  termed  the  Richelieu  of  Spain. 

The  burgh  of  Campre-Mpldo  is  the  Campo  Morto,  near 
which  Hannibal  defeated  the  Romans  at  the  battle  of  the 
Trebia.  The  remains  of  Velcia,  a town  that  appears  to 
have  been  destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  were  discovered  in 
the  year  1760;  they  are  covered  with  stones  and  earth  to 
the  depth  of  more  than  twenty  feet.  The  great  quantity 
of  bones,  medals,  and  other  valuable  articles  which  have 
been  from  time  to  time  discovered,  indicate  that  the  inhabi- 
tants, like  those  of  Herculaneum,  had  not  time  to  escape, 
but  were  ingulfed  with  their  riches.  Veleia  was  the  me- 
tropolis of  more  than  thirty  towns  and  burghs,  of  which  the 
names  inscribed  on  a bronze  table,  still  preserved  in  Parma, 
resemble  the  names  of  many  villages  in  the  neighbour- 
hood. 

The  commerce  of  Parma  is  inconsiderable  ; its  manu- 
factures consist  of  silk,  lace,  and  different  liqueurs.  Rice 
and  silk  are  the  principal  products  of  the  dutchy.  Work- 
men collect  annually  near  Salzo  Maggiore,  at  ten  leagues 
to  the  south  of  the  capital,  three  hundred  thousand  hundred 
weights"  of  salt,  which  form  nearly  two  thuds  of  the  con- 
sumption. The  petroleum  oil,  used  by  the  inhabitants,  is 
obtained  in  great  quantities  from  the  same  salt  springs. 

The  dutchy  of  Modena,  situated  between  the  Lombardo- 
Venetian  kingdom,  the  dutchies  of  Parma  and  Lucca,  and 
the  States  of  the  Church,  is  about  thirty  leagues  in  length 
and  fourteen  in  breadth.  This  state,  after  having  belonged 
to  the  emperors,  the  popes,  the  Venetians,  the  dukes  of 
Milan,  Mantua  and  Ferrara,  and  other  princes,  was  added 
in  the  thirteenth  century  to  the  possessions  of  the  house  of 
Este,  that  reigned  at  Ferrara.  It  was  united  to  the  Cisal- 
pine republic  in  1796,  and  formed  afterwards  a part  of  the 
kingdom  of  Italy.  But  the  archduke  Francis,  who  succeed- 
ed by  right  of  his  mother  to  the  ancient  dutchy,  took  pos- 
session of  it  in  1814. 

Modena,  an  agreeable  and  well  built  town,  of  which  the 
streets  are  adorned  with  arcades,  contains  no  remarkable 
edifice  except  the  vast  ducal  palace,  which  stands  isolated 
in  a large  square.  It  gave  birth  to  Gabriel  Fallopius,  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  anatomists  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  it  has  contributed  to  the  advancement  of  science  by  the 
labors  of  its  scientific  society.' 

Reggio,  the  ancient  Regium,  which  was  ruined  by  the 
Goths,  and  rebuilt  by  Charlemagne,  was  joined  to  the  do- 
minions of  the  house  of  Este,  after  having  been  long  gov- 
erned by  its  own  magistrates.  It  was  formerly  the  chief 
town  in  a dutchy,  of  which  the  title  was  restored  by  Napo- 
leon, and  conferred  on  one  of  his  bravest  generals.  The 
fortifications  are  not  more  important  than  those  of  Modena, 
but  the  town  is  well  built,  and  contains  a great  number  of 
convents  ; it  carries  on  a trade  in  silk.  Reggio  was  the 
birthplace  of  Ariosto.  The  country  between  Modena  and 
Reggio,  is  pleasant  and  fruitful  ; the  hills  in  the  neighbour- 
hood are  covered  with  country  houses,  and  vines  entwined 
round  fruit  trees.  The  small  town  of  Mirandola,  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  dutchy,  was  governed  by  a prince, 
who  at  an  early  age  was  a prodigy  of  erudition,  and  who 


a 10,000,  (Ed.  Encyc.)  b It.  Piacenza. 

c “ The  principal  street  rather  resembles  a road  than  a street.” 

11  i.  e.  The  Papal  government.  He  was  beheaded  at  Avignon,  1643, 
by  sentence  of  the  inquisition. — P. 


e “ 30,000  quintals.” 

f The  Italian  Society  of  Sciences,  instituted  by  Chevalier  Lorgna 
of  Verona. — P. 


L 


BOOK  CXXXIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


105 


afterwards  renounced  his  principality  to  devote  himself  to 
the  sciences. 

The  dutchy  of  Massa  does  not  exceed  fifteen  square 
leagues  in  superficial  extent ; it  is  bounded  by  the  Medi- 
terranean, the  Sardinian  states,  and  the  dutchies  of  Modena 
and  Lucca  ; although  a very  small  district,  it  is  perhaps  the 
finest  part  of  Italy.  No  valley  can  be  more  romantic  than 
that  of  the  Flume  Frigido,  a stream  descending  from  the 
mountains,  and  enlarged  by  melted  snow,  forming  several 
water-falls  in  the  higher  or  narrow  part  of  the  valley,  shaded 
by  lofty  trees,  that  add  to  the  coolness  and  freshness  of  the 
air  even  in  the  midst  of  summer.  But  towards  its  other 
extremity,  the  valley  becomes  broader,  and  the  view  from 
it  more  extensive  ; in  spring,  when  the  heat  of  the  sun  be- 
gins to  dry  the  plains,  the  snow  and  the  verdure  of  the 
meadows,  when  seen  from  a distance,  form  long  streaks  on 
the  sides  of  the  mountains. 

This  dutchy  depended  formerly  on  that  of  Modena,  but 
its  territory  was  added  to  the  principality  of  Lucca  and 
Piombino,  which  Eliza  Bacciochi,  the  sister  of  Napoleon, 
governed  in  the  time  of  the  empire.  It  was  anew  made  a 
dutchy  in  1814,  and  restored  to  the  archduchess  Maria 
Beatrice,  after  whose  death  it  reverts  to  her  son,  the  Duke 
of  Modena. 

The  small  town  of  Massa  is  finely  situated  in  a plain  at 
no  great  distance  from  the  Mediterranean.  The  ruins  of 
the  cathedral  serve  to  recal  an  unjust  act  of  power,  com- 
mitted by  the  last  princess,  whose  government  has  rendered 
her  dear  to  the  people,  but  who  was  not  free  from  the  faults 
to  which  persons  are  liable,  that  rise  suddenly  from  low  to 
high  stations.  Eliza  Bacciochi  thought  the  cathedral  too 
near  the  palace  ; chanting  was  apt  to  make  her  melancholy, 
and  the  smell  of  frankincense  made  her  cough  ; for  these 
reasons  the  venerable  building  was  demolished,  although 
the  inhabitants  were  clamorous,  and  the  magistrates  remon- 
strated. 

The  small  town  of  Carrara  derives  its  importance  from 
inexhaustible  marble  quarries,  that  have  been  worked  for  a 
period  of  more  than  two  thousand  years.  The  neighbour- 
ing mountains  are  almost  wholly  composed  of  marble,  to 
the  height  of  about  twelve  hundred  feet,a  and  over  an  extent 
of  not  less  than  two  leagues.  The  marble  does  not  form 
beds  ; the  finest  and  the  whitest  sort  is  united  with  the  kind 
that  the  inhabitants  use  in  building  their  houses.  More 
than  twelve  hundred  men  are  employed  in  working  the 
quarries,  and  the  duty  levied  on  the  exports  from  them, 
makes  up  a tenth  part  of  the  public  revenue. 

The  dutchy  of  Lucca,  situated  between  the  dutchy  of 
Massa  and  the  grand  dutchy  of  Tuscany,  was  changed  into 
a republic  after  the  death  of  the  countess  Matilda  in  1115; 
it  continued  however  more  or  less  subject  to  the  emperors, 
and  Lewis  of  Bavaria  erected  it  anew  into  a dutchy  about 
the  year  1316.  Its  government  was  often  changed  ; but  it 
preserved  its  freedom  from  the  fifteenth  century  to  the  pe- 
riod when  it  was  united  to  the  states  of  Eliza  Bacciochi.  It 
was  granted  as  an  indemnity  to  the  ducal  family  of  Parma 
in  1815,  to  be  afterwards  annexed  to  the  grand  dutchy  of 
Tuscany. 

The  Lucchese  are  one  of  the  most  industrious  people  in 
. Italy,  as  the  state  of  their  agriculture,  their  trade  in  olive 
oil,  and  their  velvet  and  silk  manufactures,  sufficiently 


1 “ 200  toises.” 

b Memoire  de  M.  Thaon,  sur  les  moyens  propres  a encouragcr  la  cul- 
ture dans  la  Maremma.  (Florence,  1826.) 

VOL.  III. — NO.  45. 


evince.  Probity  is  always  the  companion  of  industry,  and 
the  honesty  of  the  Lucchese  peasants  has  been  commended 
by  many  travellers. 

The  town  of  Lucca  is  watered  by  the  Serchio ; it  has  its 
ramparts  and  palaces,  but  the  ramparts  are  slight  fortifica- 
tions, and  the  strong  walled  palaces  with  their  grated  win- 
dows might  be  mistaken  for  prisons.  The  ramparts  are 
adorned  with  lofty  trees,  and  form  agreeable  walks ; the 
pointed  roofs  of  the  houses,  and  the  irregular  and  tortuous 
but  well  paved  streets,  render  Lucca  more  like  a northern 
than  an  Italian  city.  All  the  churches  are  too  profusely 
streaked  or  adorned  with  different  coloured  marble.  The 
celebrated  baths  in  the  neighbourhood  are  much  frequent- 
ed ; their  temperature  is  about  45°  of  Reaumur. 

The  grand  dutchy  of  Tuscany  forms  the  most  important 
principality  in  Italy  ; it  is  bounded  by  the  dutchies  of  Lucca 
and  Modena,  the  States  of  the  Church,  and  the  Mediterra- 
nean. Although  the  climate  is  unwholesome,  particularly 
in  the  part  near  the  sea,  Tuscany  is  noted  for  its  fruitful 
soil  and  romantic  scenery.  The  wines  of  the  same  country 
are  valuable ; the  red  resembles  Claret,  and  the  white  is 
more  delicate  than  Sauterne.  But  the  labours  of  the  hus- 
bandman are  sometimes  destroyed  by  winds  and  inunda- 
tions, and  the  burning  Sirocco  exerts  too  often  its  fatal  in- 
fluence. 

The  Maremma,  a territory  so  called  from  its  vicinity  to 
the  sea,  is  the  most  unhealthy  region  in  Tuscany,  and  one 
not  less  remarkable  for  its  pestilential  humidity,  than  the 
other  districts  for  their  fertility  and  for  their  fine  and  diver- 
sified scenery,  of  which  the  description  has  been  given  by 
Addison.  The  Maremma  extends  over  a space  of  forty- 
three  leagues  in  length,  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Sienna, 
Pisa  and  Leghorn.  It  is  equal  in  superficial  extent  to  six- 
teen or  seventeen  hundred  English  square  miles ; the  pre- 
sent population  does  not  exceed  forty  persons  for  every 
square  mile  ; but  before  the  country  was  conquered  by  the 
Romans,  it  was  the  most  populous  region  in  Italy,  for  in  the 
Maremma  were  situated  the  Etruscan  towns  of  Rosetta, 
Satumia,  Populonia,  Cossa,  and  Jlncedonla,  of  which  walls, 
baths,  amphitheatres  and  other  ancient  monuments  still  re- 
main.b But  the  country  and  the  towns  have  been  desola- 
ted by  the  depredations  of  the  Romans,  and  the  successive 
invasions  of  barbarians.  Destitute  of  inhabitants,  the  Ma- 
remma is  covered  with  wood,  and  the  waters  which  an  in- 
dustrious population  confined  in  canals,  have  formed  nume- 
rous marshes,  and  their  exhalations  occasion  dangerous  dis- 
eases. Before  the  Etrusci  or  Rhasenae  were  settled  in  the 
Maremma,  the  land  was  probably  in  the  same  state  as  at 
present,  but  they  surmounted  the  obstacles  arising  from  the 
insalubrity  of  the  soil,  and  the  country  became  flourishing. 
Colonies  of  Greeks,  perhaps  Egyptians,  were  settled  in  the 
Maremma  ; the  emperor  Claudius  had  his  country  houses 
and  gardens  in  the  same  region,  which  was  well  adapted  for 
the  vine  and  different  fruit  trees.  Every  thing  like  agricul- 
tural wealth  has  now  disappeared,  and  the  stranger  observes 
only  the  wretched  cottages  of  a few  peasants0  in  the  places 
where  a numerous  and  industrious  population  devoted 
themselves  to  agriculture.  The  dukes  of  Tuscany  made 
several  vain  attempts  to  repeople  these  marshy  districts. 
Cosmo  the  Third  introduced  a colony  of  Mainotesd  from  the 
Peloponnesus,  but  in  a short  time  they  were  destroyed  by 


e “ Shepherds.” 
d “ Maniottes  ” 


14 


* , ■ 

106  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxiv. 


the  effects  of  the  climate  ; colonists  from  Lorraine  were  af- 1] 
terwards  invited,  and  they  shared  the  same  fate.  Much 
remains  to  be  done  before  the  soil  can  be  rendered  useful 
for  agriculture  ; skilful  men  must  be  consulted  on  the  best 
method  of  checking  the  fatal  effects  of  pestilential  exhala- 
tions ; the  soil  must  be  drained  by  government,  and  expe- 
rienced agriculturists  must  determine  the  plants  best  adapt- 
ed for  the  climate,  or  the  most  likely  to  repay  the  husband-  i 
man  for  his  expenses  and  labour. 

Tuscany  was  conquered  by  the  Goths  in  the  sixth  cen- 
tury, and  they  kept  possession  of  it  during  sixty  years.  Al- 
boin,  king  of  the  Lombards,  having  defeated  them,  erected 
the  country  into  a dutchy,  and  made  it  a fief  dependent  on 
his  crown.  Charlemagne  having  conquered  Lombardy, 
appointed  counts,  who  were  afterwards  entitled  marquises, 
over  the  dutchy ; they  were  vassals  of  the  empire.  The 
cities  in  Tuscany  retained  their  prosperity  for  a long  time  ; 
they  were  governed  by  magistrates  appointed  by  the  citi- 
zens. Rome,  in  order  to  weaken  the  imperial  power,  in- 
duced these  towns  to  enter  into  a league  similar  to  the  one 
formed  by  the  towns  of  Lombardy.  The  execution  of  the 
plan  was  reserved  for  Innocent  the  Third,  and  the  honour 
und  aggrandisement  of  the  apostolic  see,  became  the  watch- 
word of  citizens,  who  were  long  faithful  to  their  engage- 
ments.11 Pisa,  Sienna  and  Florence  were  the  most  impor- 
tant of  these  republics,  and  their  chiefs  were  styled  Gonfa- 
lonieri.  They  had  amassed  considerable  wealth  by  com- 
merce in  the  fourteenth  century,  but  as  if  states  that  acquire 
power  by  usurpation,  were  destined  to  submit  to  usurpers  in 
their  turn,  Florence,  having  taken  possession  of  Pisa  un- 
justly, was  punished  by  becoming  the  domain  of  the  Medici, 
a family  that  by  fortunate  speculations  had  become  the 
most  wealthy  in  the  town.  Alexander  di  Medici  was  made 
duke  of  Florence  in  1531  by  the  interest  of  Charles  the 
Fifth,  and  his  son  obtained  from  the  pope  and  the  emperor, 
the  title  of  grand  duke.  After  the  extinction  of  the  Medici 
in  1737,  the  grand  dutchy  passed  to  the  duke  of  Lorraine, 
who  ceded  that  province  to  France.  The  same  duke  was 
raised  to  the  imperial  throne,  and  his  son  was  appointed  his 
successor  in  Italy.  But  the  house  of  Lorraine  was  deprived 
of  the  dutchy  by  Napoleon,  who  gave  it  to  his  sister  Eliza. b 
Latly,  the  archduke  was  restored  to  his  dominions  in  1814, 
and  Elba  was  added  to  his  states  in  the  following  year. 

The  two  principal  streams  in  Tuscany  are  the  Ombrone 
and  the  Arno,  both  of  which  throw  themselves  into  the  sea. 
The  Arno,  enlarged  by  several  smaller  streams,  may  be  con- 
sidered a river ; it  made  formerly  a long  circuit,  but  its 
course  has  been  shortened  and  confined  by  dikes,  and  the 
lands  which  it  inundated  are  now  cultivated.  The  valley 
of  the  Arno,c  in  the  Appennines,  from  which  the  river  takes 
its  rise,  was  in  the  time  of  the  Florentine  and  Pisan  repub- 
lics, embellished  with  the  country  houses  of  wealthy  mer- 
chants ; in  the  same  valley,  at  present  peopled  by  work- 
men, are  manufactured  the  lined  stuffs  that  form  an  impor- 
tant article  in  the  commerce  of  Tuscany,  and  also  the  straw 
hats  well  known  as  Leghorn  hats,  from  the  name  of  the 
port  whence  they  are  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the  world. 

The  Arno  traverses  Pisa  at  the  distance  of  about  a league 
from  its  mouth.d  The  town  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  in 
Italy  ; the  streets  are  broad  and  well  paved.  The  cathe- 


a  Muratori,  Dissertatio  48,  tom.  iv.  p.  320. 
b Deerets  des  2 et  6 Mars,  1800. 
c Val  d’Arno. 

d About  five  miles  from  the  sea.  Ed.  Encyc. 


dral,  a Gothic  edifice,  is  built  of  marble  ; three  bronze  gates 
adorn  the  portal,  and  seventy-four  columns,  sixty-two  of 
which  are  of  oriental  granite,  support  the  roof.  The  inte- 
rior, it  must  be  admitted,  is  rather  gloomy ; an  old  chan- 
1 delier  of  rusty  metal  hangs  from  the  vault.  Galileo  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  church,  when  a workman  carrying  a 
ladder,  struck  the  chandelier  by  accident,  and  its  swinging 
motion  suggested  to  the  philosopher  the  first  notion  of  the 
pendulum.  The  first  pendulum  clock  constructed  by  Ga- 
lileo, is  still  preserved  at  Pisa.  The  Baptistery  is  a church 
reserved  for  baptisms ; its  Gothic  vault  is  so  sonorous  as  to 
produce  several  effects  which  guides  never  fail  to  indicate 
to  strangers  ; if  the  floor  or  pavement  be  struck,  it  resounds 
for  a long  time  ; if  a person  speaks  in  a loud  voice,  an  echo 
repeats  several  syllables,  or  if  he  speaks  in  a whisper  in  any 
corner  of  the  church,  he  is  distinctly  heard  at  the  opposite 
extremity.  The  Campanile  Torto,  or  leaning  tower,  has 
been  considered  the  most  singular  edifice  in  Pisa.  Beauti- 
ful columns  of  white  marble  rise  from  its  base,  and  support 
six  tiers  of  arcades,  surmounted  by  a tower  of  smaller  dia- 
meter than  the  base.6  The  height  of  the  tower  is  not  less 
than  a hundred  and  ninety  feet,  and  the  inclination  from 
the  ground  to  the  summit,  about  fifteen  feet  from  the  per- 
pendicular. At  the  sight  of  so  singular  a monument,  it  is 
difficult  to  decide  whether  it  was  the  original  intention  of 
the  architect  to  construct  it  with  so  great  an  inclination,  or 
whether,  as  many  professional  persons  suppose,  it  may  be 
attributed  to  the  sinking  of  the  ground.  Not  far  from  the 
leaning  tower,  the  cicerones  show  with  veneration  the  Cam- 
po  Santo,  a rectangular  court  of  vast  size,  surrounded  with 
a sort  of  Gothic  arcade,  the  walls  of  which  are  painted  in 
fresco.  It  was  constructed  in  the  thirteenth  century  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  an  enormous  heap  of  earth,  brought 
from  the  Holy  Land  by  the  Pisans  after  the  third  crusade  ; 
it  is  said  to  be  nine  feet  deep,  and  as  the  extent  of  Campo 
Santo  is  rather  more  than  two  English  acres/  it  must  have 
required  fifty  ships  of  three  hundred  tons  burthen,  and  per- 
haps three  times  that  number  of  such  vessels  as  were  then 
in  use,  to  transport  so  great  a mass  of  sanctified  mould.® 

It  is  believed  that  the  bodies  which  are  buried  in  it,  are  very 
speedily  consumed  ; the  time  formerly  required,  was  said 
to  be  less  than  twenty-four  hours  ; the  Pisans  themselves 
admit  that  it  takes  at  present  more  than  two  days ; their 
calculations  are  in  all  probability  incorrect ; such  miracles 
must  be  confirmed  by  undoubted  experiments. 

Florence  (It.  Firenze)  rises  on  the  banks  of  the  Arno,  at 
a greater  distance  from  its  mouth  than  Pisa.  Four  bridges 
are  built  across  the  river,  and  these  communicate  with  four 
quarters,  two  leagues  in  circumference,  and  three  thousand 
yards'*  in  length.  Florence,  if  it  may  be  so  said,  was  the 
cradle  of  the  arts  at  the  time  of  their  regeneration,  and  the 
numerous  objects  of  art  still  contained  in  the  same  place 
render  it  one  of  the  most  remarkable  cities  in  Europe. 
Michael  Angelo  thought  it  impossible  for  an  architect  to 
raise  a finer  building  than  the  cathedral ; an  isolated  tower 
at  no  great  distance  serves  as  its  belfry,  and  Charles  the 
Fifth  was  so  much  pleased  with  its  finished  elegance,  that 
he  said  it  ought  to  be  kept  in  a glass-case,1  in  order  to  de- 
fend it  from  the  wind  and  the  atmosphere.  The  three 
bronze  gates  of  the  Baptistery  are  wrought  with  so  much  art,  j 


e It  consists  of  eight  stories,  all  of  which,  except  the  uppermost,  are  sur- 
rounded with  open  galleries,  composed  of  pillars  and  arches. — P. 
f “ 10,000  square  feet.”  g Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 

b “ 1500  toises.”  * “ Etui.” 


BOOK  CXXXIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


107 


that  Michael  Angelo  thought  them  worthy  of  being  placed 
at  the  entrance  into  paradise.  The  royal  chapel  or  the 
tomb  of  the  Medici,  begun  about  three  centuries  ago,  and 
not  likely  to  be  ever  finished,  is  one  of  the  most  curious 
works  in  Italy ; jasper,  lapis  lazuli,  granite,  porphyry,  ala- 
'baster,  and  the  rarest  marbles,  are  collected  in  such  profu- 
sion, that  it  resembles  not  so  much  a sepulchral  monument 
St  as  a magnificent  mosaic.  The  church  of  Santa  Croce,  a 
■T . brick  building  originally  intended  to  be  covered  with  marble, 
contains  the  ashes  of  many  illustrious  men.  The  tomb  of 
Michael  Angelo  supports  his  own  bust  by  himself;  that  of 
Vittorio  Alfieri  was  sculptured  by  Canova ; there  too  are 
the  remains  of  Galileo,  Aretino  and  Macchiavelli,  the  last 
of  whom  is  represented  weighing  a sword  and  a roll  of  pa- 
per in  a balance. 

The  Poggio  Imperiale,  and  the  Ricardi,  Strozzi,  Cursini 
and  Gerini  palaces,  are  worthy  of  being  described,  but  it 
would  be  necessary  to  enter  into  details  incompatible  with 
our  limits.  The  ducal  palace,  called  Palazzo  Pitli  from 
the  name  of  the  person  who  built  it  in  the  year  1460,  exhi- 
bits a character  of  solidity  which  promises  ages  of  duration. 
It  consists  of  three  lofty  stories  divided  into  nine  hundred 
apartments.  Many  of  them,  carved  and  gilt  all  over,  are 
furnished  in  the  most  costly  manner.  In  one  suite  are  con- 
tained a valuable  collection  of  paintings  and  a number  of 
Florentine  mosaic  tables,  dithering  from  the  other  mosaics 
in  Italy,  by  the  large  pieces  of  which  they  are  formed.  The 
labour  required  in  these  works  is  hardly  credible ; fifteen, 
twenty,  and  twenty-five  years  have  been  spent  by  a set  of 
artists  working  together  to  finish  a single  table.a  The  fa- 
mous Venus  of  Canova  decorates  one  of  the  halls,  and  the 
palace  communicates  with  the  Florentine  gallery  by  a pas- 
sage six  hundred  paces  in  length.  A stranger  may  there 
judge  of  the  former  magnificence  of  the  Medici  ; he  may 
admire  the  Venus  that  bears  their  name,  other  ancient 
statues  which  were  long  the  principal  ornaments  of  the 
Louvre,  and  several  chefs  d'ceuvre  by  the  greatest  Italian 
painters.  The  Boboli  gardens  adjoining  the  palace  are  in 
the  taste  transmitted  to  us  by  the  ancients  ; they  are  praised 
by  the  Italians,  who  admire  rectangular  walks  flanked  with 
cut  trees,  fashioned  into  a wall,  or  arched  overhead.  The 
squares  in  Florence  are  adorned  with  more  than  a hun- 
dred and  fifty  statues.  Two  obelisks  rise  on  the  piazza  of 
Santa  .Maria  Novella,  which  serves  as  a course  for  chariot 
races,  similar  to  those  of  the  ancients.  Horse  races  are 
also  an  amusement ; the  race  ground  is  more  than  two 
miles  in  length.  The  quays  in  Florence  are  much  finer 
than  any  in  Paris. 

Prato  rises  on  the  north  of  Florence  towards  the  Appen- 
nines,  on  the  banks  of  the  Bisenzio  ; it  is  a place  of  some 
trade  ; the  inhabitants  manufacture  copper  utensils,  and  its 
tairs  are  more  frequented  than  any  in  Tuscany.  Pistoia  is 
situated  at  the  base  of  the  Appennines  ; there  are  few  towns 
in  Italy  in  which  the  streets  are  so  broad  or  so  straight ; it 
formed  at  one  time  a republic  ; it  carries  on  a trade  at  pre- 
sent in  fowling-pieces,  silk  and  straw  hats. 

At  a league  to  the  east  of  the  canal  that  unites  the  Arno 
and  the  Chiana,  is  situated  Arezzo,  an  ancient  town  of 
.vhtch  the  Latin  name  Aretium,  was  derived,  according  to 
some,  from  Aretia,  a surname  of  Vesta,  and  according  to 
others,  from  the  eastern  word  Aretz,  which  corresponds 
with  its  situation,  and  signifies  an  agreeable  place  on  the 


* Simond’s  Travels.  b iEneid.  L.  III.  v.  170.  [ Coritus .] 


icalers.  In  the  time  of  the  Etruscans  it  was  celebrated  for 
its  pottery,  its  wine,  and  a fountain  from  which  oracles 
were  delivered.  It  was  the  birthplace  of  many  great  men, 
of  Maecenas,  of  the  martyr  Saint  Lawrence,  of  Petrarch, 
of  Guido  Aretino,  who  invented  or  discovered  anew  the 
notes  of  music,  of  Pope  Julius  the  Second,  of  Pietro  Areti- 
no, and  of  Concini,  marshal  d’Ancre.  On  the  Appennines, 
and  at  eight  leagues  to  the  north  of  the  town,  stands  the 
famous  convent  of  the  Camaldolites,  founded  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  eleventh  century. 

Cortona  to  the  south-east  of  Arezzo,  rises  on  the  de- 
clivity of  a hill,  which  overlooks  a fine  plain,  watered  by 
the  Perugian  lake.  It  is  supposed  to  occupy  the  site  of 
Corythus,  a town  mentioned  by  Virgil,  but  which  did  not 
exist  in  his  time.b  Walls  constructed  of  very  large  stones 
that  are  not  united  by  any  cement,  may  still  be  seen  at 
Cortona  ; they  were  raised  by  the  most  ancient  inhabitants 
of  Etruria.  Although  a very  small  place,  it  has  possessed 
since  the  year  1726,  an  Etruscan  academy,  which  has  been 
of  much  use  by  its  researches. 

“ Fallen  from  its  former  rank,  as  a republican  city  con- 
taining a hundred  and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  to  that  of 
a provincial  town  having  only  fifteen  or  twenty  thousand, 
and  with  the  melancholy  title  of  capital  of  the  JMaremma, 
Sienna  exhibits  no  signs  of  decay,  but  on  the  contrary  every 
appearance  of  active  industry.  Scarcely  any  beggars  ; 
the  streets  well  paved  and  very  clean  ; the  shops  numerous 
and  well  supplied  ; the  people  well  dressed  and  the  women 
remarkably  good  looking  and  graceful  even  in  the  ludicrous 
attitude  of  riding  astride  on  donkeys,  which  seems  the  cus- 
tom both  with  ladies  and  market  women,  all  showing  their 
garters  at  the  top  of  a well  formed  leg,  and  snow  white 
stockings.  The  cathedral  is  a nondescript  edifice,  built  in 
the  thirteenth  century,  when  the  Gothic  style  of  architec- 
ture prevailing  beyond  the  Alps,  was  with  difficulty  making 
its  way  in  Italy.  It  is  therefore  half  Gothic,  half  Grecian  ; 
slender  shafts  with  Corinthian  capitals,  and  round  arches. 
The  most  remarkable  feature  of  this  singular  edifice,  is  the 
party  coloured  marble  on  the  outside  ; broad  stripes  of 
dingy  brown  and  dirty  white  alternately,  like  the  zebra’s 
skin.  Nothing  can  possibly  be  in  worse  taste  ; but  the  in- 
laid pavement  done  in  1460,  is  on  the  contrary  very  beau 
tiful.”c 

There  is  only  one  square  at  Sienna,  the  Piazza  del  Catn- 
po ; it  is  hollowed  in  the  form  of  a basin,  adorned  with  a 
fine  fountain,  and  lined  with  palaces  in  the  Gothic  style. 
Saint  Catherine,  the  tutelar  saint  of  the  town,  is  as  cele- 
brated in  the  country,  as  Saint  Genevieve  in  Paris.  Born 
in  the  fourteenth  century,  the  daughter  of  a poor  dyer,  she 
acted  an  important  part  in  the  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  Italy. 
She  was  sent  to  Gregory  the  Eleventh,  to  persuade  him  to 
quit  Avignon,  and  to  restore  the  papal  throne  to  Rome. 
It  is  said  that  a society  established  in  1464  in  the  house  in- 
habited by  the  saint,  continues  to  endow  every  year  the 
daughters  of  poor  artisans,  who  walk  in  procession  on  her 
anniversary,  and  on  these  occasions  make  choice  of  their 
husbands.  A number  of  young  men  stand  near  the  pro- 
cession, and  each  gives  a handkerchief  to  her  whom  he 
loves ; if  she  refuses,  she  kisses  the  handkerchief,  and  re- 
turns it ; if  she  consents,  she  ties  a knot  in  it,  and  then 
presents  it  to  her  bridegroom. 

A Roman  colony  was  sent  to  Sienna  by  Augustus,  and 


c Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy  and  Sicily,  page  570. 


J 


108  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxiv. 


it  was  then  called  Colonia  Senensis.  The  Italian  language 
is  spoken  in  greater  purity  in  the  same  place,  than  in  any 
other  town  in  Tuscany  ; the  pronunciation  of  the  Siennese 
is  also  the  most  agreeable.  It  possesses  several  academies 
and  a university  ; the  inhabitants  are  gay,  lively  and  well 
informed  ; it  has  produced  several  celebrated  men,  among 
others,  seven  popes,  and  Socinus,  the  chief  of  the  Unitari- 
ans, who  reject  the  mystery  of  the  trinity,  and  believe  Christ, 
although  participating  in  the  divine  nature,  to  be  inferior  to 
God. 

The  road  from  Sienna  to  Leghorn  traverses  the  Etrus- 
can town  of  Volterra,  the  name  of  which  remains  the  same, 
but  the  population,  which  amounted  formerly  to  a hundred 
thousand,  is  now  reduced  to  four  thousand  inhabitants  ; 
it  was  once  one  of  the  twelve  principal  cities  in  Etruria, 
but  is  now  almost  deserted.  The  populous  and  commer- 
cial town  of  Leghorn,  a small  burgh  in  1 120,  is  at  present 
peopled  by  seventy-five  thousand . individuals,  including  the 
inhabitants  of  its  three  suburbs,  which  contain  more  than 
thirty  thousand.  The  streets  are  straight  and  well  built, 
the  port  is  frequented  by  merchant  ships,  and  the  town  is  a 
place  of  extensive  trade.  The  principal  edifices  are  the 
magazines,  the  arsenal  and  three  lazarettos.  The  only 
monument  worthy  of  notice,  is  the  marble  statue  of  Duke 
Ferdinand  the  First,  in  the  attitude  of  a conqueror  with 
four  bronze  slaves  at  his  feet.  The  harbour  is  six  hundred 
yards  in  length,  and  seventy-two  in  breadth  ; hulksa  are 
kept  for  the  purpose  of  taking  away  the  pebbles  and  allu- 
vial deposits,  which  are  brought  by  the  sea.  A great 
many  Jewish  and  Greek  merchants  are  settled  in  the 
town  ; among  the  exports  are  soap,  alabaster  and  coral. 
Ophthalmia  is  a disease  peculiar  to  its  soil ; it  has  been 
erroneously  attributed  to  the  sandy  dust  driven  by  the  winds, 
and  to  the  humidity  of  the  quarter  called  New  Venice  on 
account  of  its  numerous  canals  ; it  appears  on  the  contrary 
to  arise  from  the  comparative  coldness  of  the  night  air  dur- 
ing the  summer  season. 

Piombino,  a sea  port  to  the  south  of  Leghorn,  is  situated 
at  a short  distance  from  the  ancient  Etruscan  town  of  Po- 
pulonia,  which  was  destroyed  in  the  ninth  century  by  the 
patrician  Niceas,  but  of  which  some  remains  of  walls  with- 
out cement  are  still  extant.  Not  far  from  these  walls  are 
extensive  ruins,  which,  according  to  some,  were  originally 
an  amphitheatre,  while  others  suppose  them  to  have  been 
part  of  the  ancient  Vetulonia.b  Piombino  stands  on  a rock, 
and  gives  its  name  to  the  neighbouring  gulf.  The  air  and 
climate  are  unwholesome,  and  the  population,  which  peace 
and  commerce  have  not  augmented,  does  not  exceed  two 
thousand  inhabitants. 

The  island  of  Elba,  not  more  than  three  leagues  from 
the  continent,  may  be  distinctly  seen  from  Piombino.  It 
was  subject  in  the  thirteenth  century  to  the  Pisans  ; it  was 
afterwards  taken  by  tbe  Genoese,  and  remained  at  differ- 
ent times  in  the  possession  of  the  dukes  of  Milan,  and  the 
king  of  the  Two  Sicilies,  who  ceded  it  to  France  in  1801. 
The  island  contains  fourteen  thousand  inhabitants ; it  was 

* “ Pontoiis.” 


the  residence  of  Napoleon,  to  whom  it  was  given  in  sove- 
reignty by  the  treaty  of  1814,  and  who  by  quitting  it  on 
the  25th  of  February,  1815,  in  order  to  return  to  France, 
brought  on  that  kingdom  a second  foreign  invasion  more 
disastrous  than  the  first.  Porto  Ferrajo,  a fortified  town 
with  a harbour  on  the  northern  coast,  and  containing  five 
thousand  inhabitants,  is  the  capital  of  the  island.  Porto 
Longone,  a small  town  of  1,500  inhabitants,  is  defended  by ' '• 
a fortress  built  on  a rock  ; its  harbour  is  called  the  Marina.  \ 

Tuscany  owes  to  Duke  Leopold  the  prosperity  which  it 
still  enjoys  ; that  prince  had  corrected  many  abuses  before 
the  year  1772  ; the  convents  were  not  nearly  so  numerous 
as  in  other  Italian  states  ; indeed  the  most  useless  orders 
were  abolished  ; the  Inquisition  was  rendered  merely  no- 
minal ; the  punishment  of  death  was  almost  unknown,  Tor 
it  was  only  once  inflicted  during  his  reign  ; the  system  of 
taxes  was  improved,  and  they  were  regularly  paid  ; indus- 
try and  commerce  were  freed  from  their  shackles,  and 
education  was  encouraged  among  the  lower  orders,  a class 
of  people  that  are  kept  in  Italy  in  the  most  abject  ignorance. 
These  improvements,  which  are  honourable  to  the  greatest 
prince  that  ever  governed  T uscancy,  prepared  the  people 
to  adopt  without  reluctance  the  French  laws  ; but  during 
the  late  changes,  part  of  the  old  system  has  been  amalga- 
mated with  the  Napoleon  code,  the  lands  of  religious  com- 
munities have  been  restored,  new  abuses  have  been  intro- 
duced, and  the  Tuscans,  whose  mildness  is  proverbial, 
and  who  as  a people  are  very  easily  satisfied,  have  ventur- 
ed to  complain. 

During  the  fifth  century,  a Dalmatian  stone-cutter,  by 
the  name  of  Marino,  whose  piety  induced  him  to  preach 
Christianity,  built  a hermitage  on  the  coast  of  the  Adriatic, 
near  the  summit  of  Mount  Titan.0  His  religious  zeal  pro- 
cured for  him  the  title  of  saint,  and  after  his  death,  he  re- 
ceived the  honours  of  canonization.  A town  rose  in  the 
year  600,  near  the  hermitage  of  San  Marino,  from  which 
it  took  its  name.  It  was  formed  into  a republic,  fortifica- 
tions were  erected,  and  two  or  three  small  fortresses  in  the 
neighbourhood,  were  in  course  of  time  acquired.  The 
popes  took  possession  of  the  republic  in  1739,  a very  in- 
significant conquest,  but  the  emperor  of  Germany  restored 
it  to  freedom.  Enclosed  by  the  states  of  the  Holy  See,  it 
is  at  present  under  the  protection  of  the  pope.  This  little 
republic,  which  adopted  the  following  protocol  in  writing 
to  that  of  Venice,  Alla  nostra  carissima  sorella,  la  Serenis- 
sima  republica  di  Venetia,  occupies  a surface  of  five  square 
leagues  ; the  town  of  San  Marino,  and  two  villages,  are 
contained  in  it.  The  wines,  which  are  the  principal  pro- 
ducts of  its  territory,  supply  its  commerce.  The  sovereign- 
ty is  vested  in  a council  of  three  hundred  ancients,  and  the 
executive  power  in  a senate  composed  of  twenty  patricians, 
twenty  burgesses,  and  twenty  peasants,  whose  presidents 
are  two  gonfalonieri,  elected  every  three  months.  These 
two  magistrates  have  a guard  of  thirty  men,  but  if  the  free- 
dom of  the  republic  is  endangered,  every  citizen  becomes  a 
soldier. 


b “ which  are  believed  to  be  the  remains  of  a temple,  or  the  ruii  s 

of  the  ancient  Vetulonia.”  c It.  Monte  THtaiw. 


-j 


BOOK  CXXXV.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


BOOK  ( WAV. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Description  of  Italy. — Fifth  Section. — 
Description  of  the  States  of  the  Church. 

Although  the  subjects  of  the  different  princes  in  Italy, 
resemble  each  other  in  several  particulars,  we  think  it  pro- 
per to  describe  in  a separate  book,  a state  which,  in  a po- 
litical point  of  view,  differs  from  every  other  in  Europe. 
It  is  not  uninteresting  to  contemplate  an  elective  monarchy 
having  for  its  domain  the  earth,  on  which  it  only  occupies 
a point,  and  for  its  empire  the  heavens,  from  which  it  looks 
on  kings  as  its  inferiors.  It  is  not  easy  to  define  or  even  to 
characterize  such  a power  as  that  of  Rome,  which  passes 
for  the  most  ancient  in  Europe.  The  papal  tiara  is  adorn- 
ed with  a triple  crown  ; he  who  fills  the  throne,  and  wears 
the  diadem,  is  called  the  successor  of  St.  Peter  ; in  general, 
he  may  be  as  much  entitled  from  his  advanced  age  as  from 
his  rank  as  prince  of  the  church,  to  the  homage  and  vene- 
ration of  his  people,  but  he  also  claims  the  homage  of  kings 
and  all  the  powers  on  the  earth.  Is  it  as  the  successor  of 
St.  Peter  that  he  is  clothed  in  purple,  that  he  wears  the 
emblems  of  royalty,  that  he  has  his  soldiers,  that  justice  is 
administered  in  his  name,  and  that  he  prevents  crimes  by 
punishing  the  guilty  1 Are  not  the  two  powers  with  which 
he  is  vested,  incompatible  with  each  other  1 Can  the  servant 
of  the  servants  of  God  appear  without  inconsistency  in  royal 
pomp  1 Is  it  necessary  that  he  should  be  one  of  the  weak- 
est princes  in  Christendom,  in  order,  as  the  vicar  of  our 
Saviour,  to  be  greater  than  the  kings  of  the  earth  1 Such 
are  the  reflections  which  naturally  occur  in  considering  the 
pope  as  uniting  the  sovereign  power  with  his  dignity  as 
chief  of  the  church.  But  what  appears  an  anomaly  at  a 
time  when  governments  and  powers  are  defined,  might,  in 
the  early  ages  of  Christianity,  have  resulted  from  the  course 
of  events,  and  from  the  force  of  circumstances. 

The  supremacy  of  the  apostolic  see  of  Rome  over  the 
other  churches,  dates  from  a very  remote  period.  Irenaeus, 
bishop  of  Lyons,  in  the  second  century,  and  Cyprian,  bishop 
of  Carthage  in  the  following  century,  admitted  it  as  an  in- 
contestable point,  without,  however,  deducing  all  the  conse- 
quences which  were  afterwards  derived.  Before  the  period 
that  Italy  was  invaded  by  Pepin,  the  popes  had  no  political 
power,  no  temporal  possessions.  The  pretended  donation 
made  by  Constantine  to  Silvester  the  First,  has  been  con- 
sidered fabulous  by  the  most  able  critics  and  by  the  Ultra- 
montanes  themselves.®  Pepin,  mayor  of  the  palace  of  Chil- 
deric  the  Third,  wishing  to  maintain  his  usurpation  by  the 
consent  of  the  nation,  and  the  authority  of  the  church,  con- 
sulted solemnly  pope  Zachary,  who  answered,  like  the  ora- 
cles of  old,  that  the  sovereignty  belonged  to  him  who  exer- 


cised the  royal  power.  Such  an  answer  satisfied  the  scru- 
ples of  the  minister;  his  master  was  confined  in  a convent, 
and  he  himself  was  proclaimed  king  by  the  French.  But 
when  Pepin  had  expelled  the  Lombards  from  the  exarchate 
of  Ravenna,  he  gave  it  from  a motive  of  gratitude  or  policy 
to  pope  Stephen  the  Second.  The  donation  was  afterwards 
ratified  by  Charlemagne,  who  added  to  it  the  Perugino  and 
the  dutchy  of  Spoleto.  The  bishops  of  Rome  being  raised 
to  the  rank  of  temporal  princes,  were  no  longer  destitute  of 
ambition  ; it  was  not,  however,  before  their  spiritual  power 
reached  its  height,  that  they  extended  their  dominions. 
The  emperor  Henry  the  Third  gave  them  the  dutchy  of 
Benevento  in  the  eleventh  century  ; Matilda,  countess  of 
Tuscan)',  bequeathed  to  the  Holy  See,  in  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury, the  territories  of  Bolsena,  Bagnarea,  Monte-Fiascone, 
Viterbo,  Civita  Castellana,  Corneto,  Civita  Vecchia  and 
Bracciano,  possessions  which  form  what  is  called  the  Pa- 
trimony of  St.  Peter.  Rome,  then  merely  the  residence  of 
the  popes,  belonged  to  the  empire  ; it  was  divided  by  repub- 
lican factions.  Men  possessing  qualities  that  were  ill  adapt- 
ed to  the  spirit  of  the  age,  attempted  vainly  to  establish  a 
free  government.  Rome  and  the  contiguous  province  of 
Sabina  were  not  included  in  the  domains  of  the  Holy  See, 
until  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century.  Lewis  Gonzaga, 
general  of  Clement  the  Seventh,  united  the  March  of  An- 
cona to  the  States  of  the  Church  in  1532.  The  dutchy 
of  Urbino,  which  belonged  to  the  family  of  Julius  the  Se- 
cond, became  the  possession  of  the  popes  in  1626.  The 
latest  conquests  the  popes  made,  were  the  Orvietano,  the 
dutchy  of  Castro,  and  the  county  of  Ronciglione.  The 
two  last  principalities  were  the  inheritance  of  pope  Paul 
the  Third,  and  he  left  them  to  his  son  Farnese,  who  be- 
came duke  of  Parma  and  Placentia ; but  one  of  his  de- 
scendants mortgaged  them  at  the  Mount  of  Piety  in  Rome, 
•for  a sum  which  he  was  unable  to  pay,  and  Innocent  the 
Eleventh  took  possession  of  them. 

The  part  which  the  pope  took,  as  temporal  prince  of 
the  church,  in  the  European  coalitions  against  France, 
was  attended  with  disastrous  consequences  ; it  is  by  no 
means  improbable,  that  if  Napoleon  had  retained  his  power, 
the  popes  might  have  been  reduced  to  their  ancient  con- 
dition under  the  eastern  empire.  The  invasion  of  Lom- 
bardy and  the  States  of  the  Church  by  the  French,  forced 
Pius  the  Sixth  to  conclude  a treaty  on  the  nineteenth  of 
June,  1796.  It  was  stipulated  that  he  should  cede  to  France 
a certain  number  of  statues,  vases  and  pictures,  and  five 
hundred  manuscripts  to  he  selected  by  the  commissaries  of 
there  public,  that  he  should  pay  a contribution  of  800,000Z,b 


» J.  Lesueur,  Histoirede  l’Eglise  et  de  1’ Empire,  tom.  ii.— Histoire  de  la 


d^livrance  de  l’Eglise,  par  le  P.  Morin. — Dictionnaire  de  Moreri,  art.  Syl 
I vestre.  b “ 21  millions  francs.” 


110 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  cxxxv 


that  he  should  grant  a free  passage  to  the  French  troops, 
and  that  he  should  open  his  ports  to  French  vessels,  and 
shut  them  against  the  ships  of  every  state  at  war  with  the 
French  republic.  The  treaty  was  soon  broken  by  the 
pope  himself;  fortune  seemed  to  declare  against  France, 
and  Pius  the  Sixth  took  possession  of  F errara  on  the  thirty 
first  of  January,  in  the  following  year.  A letter  intercept- 
ed by  Buonaparte  proved  that  his  holiness  was  treating  with 
the  emperor  of  Germany  ; but  at  the  approach  of  the  con- 
queror, new  conditions  were  proposed  by  the  Holy  See. 
The  sum  of  thirty-six  millions  of  francs  or  1,500,000/.  was 
exacted  by  the  French  generalissimo,  and  the  other  terms 
of  the  former  treaty  were  anew  concluded.  But  the  as- 
sassination of  the  French  general  Duphot,  at  Rome,  at  the 
close  of  the  same  year,  furnished  the  Directory  with  a pre- 
text for  overturning  the  Papal  government.  General  Ber- 
thier  received  orders  to  march  against  Rome,  and  the  states 
of  the  Holy  See  were  transformed  into  a republic.  When 
the  French  left  Italy,  the  ephemeral  republic  fell  of  its  own 
accord.  The  Roman  states,  in  consequence  of  new  politi- 
cal combinations,  were  united  to  the  crown  of  Italy  in 
1808.  By  a decree  of  Feb.  17,  1810,  they  were  included 
within  the  limits  of  the  French  Empire,  and  Rome  and 
Pai'is  were  then  fixed  as  places  of  residence  lor  the  pope.  A 
new  revolution  was  the  result  of  the  events  in  1814,  and 
Pius  the  Seventh  recovered  all  the  former  possessions  of  the 
church. 

The  Roman  states  are  bounded  by  the  Adriatic  Sea  on 
the  east,  by  the  Lombardo-Venetian  kingdom  on  the  north, 
by  the  dutchies  of  Tuscany  and  Modena  on  the  west,  by 
the  Mediterranean  on  the  south-west,  and  by  the  kingdom 
of  Naples  on  the  south.  Their  extent  is  equal  to  ninety- 
live  leagues  in  one  direction,  and  to  twenty-five  in  the  other  ; 
the  ir  surface  is  equal  to  about  two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
forty  square  leagues.  The  ancient  denominations,  such  as 
dutchies,  counties  and  others  already  mentioned,  by  which 
the  different  provinces  were  distinguished,  have  been  abolish- 
ed ; the  country  is  now  divided  into  three  districts  and 
seventeen  legations.®  The  example  of  the  French  adminis- 
tration has  been  the  means  of  occasioning  reforms  in  the 
laws,  in  the  administration  of  justice,  and  in  the  distribution 
of  taxes;  much,  however,  still  remains  to  be  done,  and  it 
is  to  be  feared  that  the  popes  will  never  be  able  to  establish 
within  their  dominions,  the  moral  improvement,  the  love  of 
industry,  and  other  good  qualities  of  which  the  Roman 
people  might  perhaps  be  susceptible  under  a different* go- 
vernment. To  form  an  idea  of  the  manners  and  govern- 
ment of  the  people  in  the  Roman  states,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  visit  the  capital. 

The  ordinary  method  of  life  at  Rome,  may  be  termed  a 
long  lent,  so  much  attention  do  all  the  inhabitants  pay  to 
the  exterior  duties  of  religion.  That  large  city,  which 
might  contain  three  times  more  than  its  present  population, 
has  a sombre  appearance,  rendered  still  more  striking  by 
large  squares,  spacious  and  deserted  streets,  numerous 
monks  and  priests,  and  the  majestic  ruins  which  are  seen 
at  every  step.  The  very  market  places  are  almost  as  much 
deserted  on  market  days  as  the  rest  of  the  town.  But  the 

* 13  delegations — Statist.  T able,  p.  819. 

b Confetti  di  gesso,  plaster  comfits — pieces  of  pozzolana  covered  with 
plaster  of  Paris. — P. 

c “ Horses  without  riders,  goaded  by  plates  of  metal  covered  with 

points  and  by  a lighted  match  inserted  between  the  skin  and  the  flesh,  start 
from  the  Piazza  del  Popolo  and  traverse  the  Corso  ” The  goads  arc  balls 
covered  with  sharp  spikes  of  metal  (Rome  in  the  19th  century.) — P. 


stillness  is  changed  into  noisy  mirth  at  the  time  of  the  car- 
nival ; Rome  is  no  longer  the  same  city,  all  ranks  are  then 
confounded,  the  churches  are  deserted,  and  the  streets  can 
hardly  contain  the  inhabitants,  all  of  whom  leave  their 
houses,  and  join  in  the  joyous  throng.  . On  these  days  of 
folly  are  seen  young  abbes,  grave  magistrates,  and  even 
prelates,  covered  with  masks,  and  in  quest  of  pleasures, 
which  may  be  easily  found,  for  both  sexes  are  persuaded 
that  a few  moments  of  error  are  fully  expiated  by  the  peni- 
tence and  holy  privations  of  lent.  Tumultuous  crowds  as- 
semble in  the  Corso,  which  is  on  these  occasions  lined  with 
two  files  of  carriages  ; pieces  of  tapestry  and  other  orna- 
ments are  suspended  from  every  window  ; confetti  or  small 
fragments  of  puzzolana,  dipt  in  lime  water  to  imitate  sugar 
plums, b are  thrown  against  the  foot  passengers  and  the  equi- 
pages, followed  by  the  shouts  and  applause  of  a multitude  in 
masks  of  every  colour.  At  a given  signal, — the  report  of  a 
cannon,  the  middle  and  the  greater  part  of  the  Corso  are 
cleared  : horses  without  riders  are  seen  in  full  gallop  ; tin- 
sel glittering  about  their  manes  and  tails  ; ribbons  with 
burning  matches,  streaming  in  the  wind  ; sparks  flying  from 
their  back,  sides  and  every  part  of  their  body  ; thus  galled 
and  tormented,  the  frightened  animals  run  at  full  speed.0 
The  follies  of  the  carnival,  which  may  be  compared  to  the 
lupercalia  of  the  ancient  Romans,  are  accompanied  with 
other  diversions  on  the  night  of  Shrove  Tuesday  ; men, 

I women  and  children  run  about  the  streets  with  lighted 
tapersd  in  their  hands,  and  pursue  each  other  in  order  to 
extinguish  them.  Every  equipage  must  also  be  illuminated, 
otherwise  it  might  be  broken  by  the  populace.  The  same 
customs  were  observed  in  ancient  Rome  during  the  festival 
of  Ceres  seeking  for  her  daughter  Proserpine. 

It  might  be  naturally  imagined  that  the  police  are  care- 
less or  useless  in  a capital,  where  government,  instead  of 
punishing,  negociates  with  bandits ; it  must  be  admitted, 
however,  that  there  are  few  towns  where  the  police  are 
more  efficient  or  better  regulated  than  at  Rome  ; no  dis- 
turbances in  the  streets,  no  robberies,  none  of  the  petty 
larcenies  so  common  in  great  towns  ; it  seldom  or  never 
happens  that  handkerchiefs  and  watches  are  stolen.  It 
cannot  be  denied  that  stilettos  are  sometimes  used,  but  it  is 
from  jealousy,  not  from  avarice  or  desire  of  gain.  The 
streets  of  Rome  are  not  sullied  by  the  degraded  beings,  to- 
lerated in  other  towns  as  a necessary  evil,  and  the  sight  of 
whom  serves  to  tempt  the  wicked,  and  to  offend  the  virtuous. 
Public  women  are  banished  without  any  scruple,  or  at  all 
events  they  can  never  be  distinguished  by  indecent  effrontery. 
It  may  be  mentioned  to  the  honour  of  the  papal  govern- 
ment, that  it  has  done  much  to  suppress  licentiousness  and 
immorality  by  encouraging  marriages.  Marriage  licences, 
says  an  author,  are  granted  with  as  much  facility  as  pass- 
ports, and  as  soon  as  these  licences  are  presented,  the  curates 
must  read  the  marriage  ceremony,  and  pronounce  the  nup- 
tial benediction.  He  who  seduces  a young  woman,  is  obliged 
to  marry  her,  or  to  pass  five  years  of  his  life  in  the  gallies. 

The  church  condemns  usury,  but  it  permits  the  cardinals 
to  enjoy  the  most  unjust  monopolies.  They  only  are  per- 
mitted to  sell  the  necessaries  of  life,6  such  as  oil,  groce- 


•*  Moccoletti. 

e This  is  not  stated  in  the  original,  but  merely  that  cardinals  are  per- 
mitted to  exercise  monopolies  in  the  sale  of  these  articles.  Others  are  noi 
prevented  from  selling  by  legal  prohibitions,  but  by  the  vexatious  interfe- 
rence of  the  cardinals  or  their  agents. — P. 


bookcxxxv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY.  Ill 


ries,  corn,  flour  and  bread.  The  grocers  and  bakers  are 
merely  their  agents,  or  if  any  wish  to  exercise  their  in- 
dustry on  their  own  account,  they  are  exposed  to  vexatious 
oppression.  Besides,  government  regulates  the  price  of 
bread  for  the  nominal  and  ostensible  reason  that  the  people 
may  not  pay  too  dear  for  it,  but  if  any  baker  attempts  to 
sell  it  under  the  regulated  price,  he  may  be  liable  to  a se- 
vere penalty.  Most  governments  are  now  aware  of  the 
bad  effects  of  lotteries ; at  Rome,  however,  that  iniquitous 
tax  is  not  only  levied  on  an  ignorant  and  wretched  people, 
but  sanctioned  by  the  ministers  of  religion,  for  tire  tickets 
are  drawn  in  the  presence  of  clergymen,  bishops  and  car- 
dinals ;a  children  turn  the  wheel,  but  before  they  do  so,  they 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross.  Although  lotteries  are  permit- 
ted by  the  church,  the  same  church  prohibits  games  of 
chance. 

At  Paris,  gensdarmes  guard  the  theatres,  and  are  station- 
ed in  the  public  places  during  festivals  ; at  Rome,  govern- 
ment goes  further  : while  the  follies  of  the  carnival  last, 
and  while  the  theatres  are  opened,  an  executioner  walks 
gravely  near  his  cavalletto,  an  instrument  of  punishment, 
destined  for  those  whose  turbulent  mirth  passes  the  pre- 
scribed rules  on  festive  days,  or  for  the  critics  who  venture 
to  condemn  or  interrupt  a theatrical  representation.  The 
cavalletto  consists  of  two  boards  joined  to  each  other,  and 
forming  two  inclined  planes  ; it  is  supported  on  four  wood- 
en feet,  and  the  two  in  front  are  lower  than  the  others^ 
Delinquents  are  placed  horizontally,  and  bound  to  it,  so  as 
to  prevent  their  escape,  while  the  executioner  inflicts  a cer- 
tain number  of  lashes.  Vintnersb  must  submit  to  the  same 
punishment,  if  animal  food,  or  any  dishes  that  are  not  per- 
mitted, appear  on  their  tables  during  lent.  The  strappado 
is  an  instrument  of  punishment  for  greater  offences ; the 
hands  of  the  criminal  are  tied  behind  his  back,  he  is  raised 
into  the  air  by  means  of  a rope,  and  allowed  to  fall  sudden- 
ly to  the  ground.  The  assassin  is  punished  by  death,  but 
not  until  he  has  remained  several  days  in  a dungeon,  the 
victim  of  suspense,  and  ignorant  of  his  sentence  ; he  is  then 
compelled  to  listen  to  the  exhortations  of  a priest,  to  con- 
fess and  to  communicate.  Three  days  after  these  cere- 
monies have  taken  place,  the  criminal  is  executed ; but  if 
he  refuses  the  consolations  of  religion,  he  is  beset  by  all  the 
monks  and  priests  belonging  to  the  different  congregations,0 
until  he  confess,  and  if  he  persists  in  his  refusal,  he  cannot 
be  punished  without  an  order  from  the  pope.  The  torture 
has  been  abolished,  and  the  Italian  or  national  language 
has  been  substituted  for  the  Latin  in  the  civil  and  ecclesi- 
astical courts,  since  the  accession  of  Leo  the  Twelfth. 

The  government  of  the  Roman  States,  consists  of  cardi- 
nals who  fill  certain  offices,  and  laymen  to  whom  different 
places  in  the  magistracy  and  army  are  committed,  all  of 
them  subject  to  the  absolute  authority  of  the  pope.  The 
principal  offices  filled  by  cardinals,  are  that  of  the  Camer- 
lingo,  or  minister  of  finance,  who  presides  in  the  Apostolic 
chamber,  or  council  entrusted  with  the  revenue  of  the  state  ; 
that  of  the  secretary  of  state,  who  corresponds  with  the 
nuncios  and  legates,  and  whose  office  is  similar  to  that  of 
minister  for  foreign  affairs  in  other  governments  ; that 
of  the  Datario,  who  is  entrusted  with  the  nomination  to  va- 

a “ Cardinals  and  heads  of  congregations.”  >>  Restaurateurs. 

c “ He  is  charged  with  all  that  relates  to  the  public  morals,  and  the  Jews.” 

d “ by  all  the  religious  congregations.” 

e “ Who  is  intrusted  with  the  department  of  justice,  and  with  the  ex- 
amination of  candidates  for  the  episcopate.” 

f Those  who  have  committed  unpremeditated  murder  are  entitled  to 


cant  benefices,  with  dispensations  and  with  anrmts.;  that  of 
the  vicar,  who  besides  the  episcopal  functions  which  he  ex- 
ercises in  Rome,  performs  the  duties  of  minister  of  the  police, 
watches  over  the  inhabitants,  punishes  transgressors,  and 
enforces  the  laws  against  the  Jews  ;d  that  of  the  chancellor, 
whose  office  is  sufficiently  indicated  by  its  title  ; that  of  the 
auditor,  who  administers  justice,  decides  intricate  law- 
suits, and  examines  those  that  are  appointed  to  dioceses 
and  lastly,  that  of  the  secretary  of  briefs,  who  is  charged 
with  issuing  all  the  papal  dispensations.  Different  assem- 
blies of  cardinals  are  called  consistories  or  congregations. 
The  members  of  the  consistories  deliberate  concerning  the 
nomination  of  nuncios,  legates  and  bishops.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  congregations  pass  sentence  on  murderers,  who 
claim  the  right  of  asylum  or  impunity  after  having  taken 
refuge  in  a church  ;f  they  examine  the  complaints  of  the 
people  against  their  governors,  the  claims  of  those  who  so- 
licit titles  of  nobility,  and  other  questions  of  a like  nature. 
The  congregation  of  rites  regulates  the  ceremonies  of  the 
church,  and  confers  after  the  usual  forms  the  honours  of 
canonization.  The  chief  of  these  congregations  is  the  In- 
quisition or  Santo  Uffizio,  which  is  assisted  by  the  Index  or 
council  of  censors.  An  assembly  of  cardinals  forms  the 
tribunal  called  Segnatura  di  Giustizia,  a court  that  reviews 
the  decisions  of  inferior  judges.®  The  pope  presides  in  the 
Segnatura  di  Grazia,  a tribunal  composed  of  prelates  and 
cardinals,  which  examines  the  petitions  of  supplicants,  and 
the  cases  in  which  the  royal  prerogative  of  mercy  may  be 
extended  with  advantage.  The  Rota , a tribunal  compo- 
sed of  lay  judges, h takes  cognisance  of  civil  cases  in  the 
first  instance  ; the  administration  of  justice  in  criminal  ca- 
ses falls  within  the  department  of  the  governor  of  Rome. 
Two  Considta  or  courts  of  appeal  are  established  in  the 
Roman  states,  the  one  in  the  capital,  the  other  at  Bologna. 
The  senator  and  his  four  lieutenants  form  another  lay  tri- 
bunal, and  the  conservatori  are  magistrates  entrusted  with 
whatever  concerns  the  interests  of  the  city ; they  regulate 
the  distribution  of  the  taxes1  in  the  chief  town  of  every  dis- 
trict. 

Superstition  prevails  not  only  at  Rome  but  in  all  the 
States  of  the  Church.  The  inhabitants  observe  scrupu- 
lously all  the  ceremonies  of  religion*  omitting  nothing  con- 
nected with  form  or  etiquette,  although  apparently  destitute 
of  true  devotion.  Confession  is  a practice  which  all  follow, 
more  from  custom  than  Christian  humility,  and  rather  to 
lull  the  conscience  than  to  correct  vice.  A lady  meets  her 
lover  in  a church  ; they  may  be  alone,  and  it  often  happens 
that  the  churches  are  deserted  ; but  she  never  speaks  or 
even  looks  at  him,  until  she  has  counted  all  the  beads  in  her 
chaplet.  The  people  kneel  and  receive  the  benedictions 
of  the  pope  ; it  is  not  at  Rome,  however,  that  the  chief  ot 
the  church  is  thought  to  participate  in  the  divine  power  ; 
what  he  gains  in  temporal,  he  loses  in  spiritual  authority. 
As  soon  as  Easter  is  over,  the  curates  demand  from  their 
parishioners  certificates  of  communion,  and  if  any  do  not 
present  them,  their  names  are  added  to  the  lists  of  the  ex- 
communicated. Although  the  subjects  of  the  papal  go- 
vernment must  rigorously  observe  the  ceremonies  of  devo- 
tion, strangers  enjoy  the  utmost  freedom  : no  processes  are 

the  privilege  of  immunity  if  they  have  taken  refuge  in  a church.  The  con- 
gregation of  ecclesiastical  immunity  investigates  the  claims  of  such  persons 
to  immunity. — P. 

g II  performs  the  functions  of  a Supreme  Court  of  Appeal. — P. 

h The  civil  tribunal  called  the  Rota.” The  members  of  the  Rota, 

called  auditors,  are  prelates  ex  officio. — P.  » “ Les  dhpcnscs  du  budjet.” 


112  EUI 

raised  against  foreigners,  who  do  not  deck  their  houses  with 
tapestry  on  Corpus  Chrisli  day,  and  it  is  not  necessary  that 
fhey  should  take  off  their  hats,  if  they  see  a cross  or  the 
viaticum  in  the  streets.  Lastly,  whatever  a man’s  religious 
belief  may  be,  he  may  be  assured  of  having  his  body  trans- 
ported to  the  church  after  death,  provided  payment  be 
made,  and  of  being  interred  with  all  the  honours  and  pomp 
used  by  the  Romish  communion. 

It  is  needless  to  make  any  remarks  on  the  cicisbei  or  ca- 
vnlieri  serventi ; they  are  as  common  in  Rome  as  in  the 
other  large  towns  of  Italy ; during  the  residence  of  the 
French,  these  lovers  were  rendered  ridiculous,  and  intrigues 
were  substituted  for  the  contracts  which  good  natured  hus- 
bands made  with  the  gentlemen  that  their  ladies  loved. 
Foreigners  who  have  lately  returned  from  Rome,  admit 
that  the  old  custom  is  again  becoming  fashionable,  a natu- 
ral consequence  in  a country  where  the  beneficial  effects  of 
education  are  unknown,  and  where  it  does  not  tend  to  im- 
prove the  morals. 

A government  wholly  pacific  like  that  of  Rome,  might 
console  itself  for  its  political  nullity,  by  encouraging  and 
protecting  letters,  sciences  and  arts,  but  an  intellectual  dead- 
ness seems  to  pervade  the  Roman  states.  The  sciences 
are  less  cultivated  than  in  the  rest  of  Italy,  and  the  town 
which  contains  inexhaustible  treasures  for  the  archaeologist, 
possesses  no  antiquarian  worthy  of  being  compared  with 
many  in  Germany  and  France.  The  literary  academies 
in  Rome  are  more  obscure  than  other  societies  of  the  same 
sort  in  the  French  provinces.  The  stage  cannot  flourish 
in  a town  where  the  tragedies  of  Alfieri  are  not  permitted 
to  be  acted,  and  where  the  theatres  are  only  open  a few  days 
before  and  after  the  carnival ; and  although  prelates  appear 
at  theatrical  representations,  it  would  be  much  better  to 
prohibit  such  amusements,  than  to  sanction  a criminal 
mutilation  in  the  holy  city,  by  substituting  castrati  for  singing 
women.  No  name  worthy  the  best  days  of  Italian  paint- 
ing exists  at  present  in  the  Roman  school,  and  were  it  not 
for  the  ancient  chefs-d'oeuvre  in  which  Rome  abounds,  the 
French  academy  of  the  fine  arts  might  as  well  be  establish- 
ed in  any  other  town.  Mosaic  painting  is  the  only  art  in 
which  the  Romans  excel.  The  people  in  the  upper  classes 
are  as  indolent  and  ill  informed  as  the  present  Venetian  no- 
bles ; the  reading  of  the  young  people  is  mostly  confined 
to  the  romances  of  Voltaire,  and  the  girls,  in  order  to  make 
up  for  the  time  lost  in  a convent,  read  frivolous  and  danger- 
ous works.  The  lower  orders  in  the  town  can  read  and 
write,  but  such  knowledge  is  by  no  means  common  in  the 
rural  districts. 

Enough  has  been  already  said  concerning  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  inhabitants  in  the  capital  of  the  Roman 
states  ; some  remarks  may  now  be  made  on  the  most  re- 
markable ancient  and  modern  monuments  that  are  con- 
tained in  the  same  place.  Rome  stands  in  the  middle  of  a 
large  plain,  which  extends  from  the  Appennines  to  the  sea  ; 
that  plain  was  formerly  fertile,  but  it  is  now  comparatively 
sterile.  On  first  entering  the  town,  one  can  hardly  believe 
himself  in  the  former  capital  of  the  Roman  empire,  so  dif- 
ferent is  papal  from  imperial  Rome.  The  ancient  city  is 
partly  concealed  by  the  modern,  but  some  scattered  mo- 
numents of  the  former  still  remaining,  notwithstanding  the 
ravages  of  time,  barbarians  and  Christians,  attest  its  past 

a The  cella  of  the  temple  is  now  half  buried,  and  therefore  the  upper 
part  of  the  ancient  walls  forms  the  lower  part  of  the  walls  of  the  church. 
(Rome  in  the  19th  cent.) 


U"E.  [BOOK  CXXXV. 

existence.  The  modern  soil  is  so  much  higher  than  the 
ancient,  that  the  Tarpeian  rock  does  not  exceed  at  present 
twenty-five  or  thirty  feet  in  height,  and  the  pavement  of  a 
small  church,  built  at  the  foot  of  the  Palatine  hill,  is  exactly 
on  a level  with  the  roof  of  an  ancient  temple3  erected  on 
the  spot  where  Romulus  and  Remus  were  supposed  to  have 
been  suckled  by  a wolf.  It  was  necessary  to  remove  the 
soil  to  the  depth  of  twenty-feet,  in  order  to  uncover  the  base 
of  Tra  jan’s  pillar.  More  than  half  the  pedestal  of  the  tri- 
umphal arch  of  Constantine  was  covered  with  earth,  which 
had  also  to  be  removed  before  a correct  judgment  could 
be  formed  of  a monument  that  has  suffered  little  from  the 
effects  of  time,  and  which  although  raised  in  a period  when 
art  was  on  the  decline,  is  nevertheless  highly  interesting  to 
the  antiquary.  The  fine  Egyptian  obelisk  loaded  with  hie- 
roglyphics,  and  cut  by  order  of  Raineses,  thirteen  centu- 
ries before  the  Christian  era,  was  covered  with  sixteen  feet 
of  earth  amidst  the  ruins  of  the  great  circus,  before  it  was 
disinterred  in  the  time  of  Sixtus  the  Fifth,  and  transported 
to  the  square  of  St.  John  Lateran.  The  soil  reached  to 
more  than  half  the  height  of  the  principal  gate  in  the  arch 
of  Septimius  Severus.  Many  monuments  that  still  remain 
of  ancient  Rome,  were  cleared  by  the  F rench  government, 
which  did  more  in  a few  years  than  most  of  the  popes,  to 
restore  them  to  the  admiration  of  modern  artists. 

The  Pantheon,  a temple  erected  by  Agrippa  to  all  the 
£ods,  is  perhaps  the  finest  monument  of  ancient  Rome,  and 
certainly  the  one  in  the  best  state  of  preservation.  The 
hemispherical  dome,  is  equal  in  height  to  its  diameter,  as  if 
the  architect  had  wished  to  imitate  the  rottmdity  of  the 
celestial  sphere.  The  interior  of  the  edifice  is  a hundred 
and  thirty-seven  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  light  enters  it  by 
a circular  opening  eighty  feet  in  circumference.  Adorned 
with  a magnificent  portico,  composed  of  sixteen  granite 
columns,  and  crowned  with  a pediment  supported  on  eight 
columns,  it  was  easily  changed  into  a church.  The  tombs 
of  Raphael  and  Annibal  Caracci,  the  busts  of  Palladio, 
Winckelmann  and  Nicholas  Poussin,  are  now  seen  instead 
of  the  heathen  gods  that  were  formerly  stationed  in  the 
Pantheon.  The  Rotonda  is  the  modern  name  of  the  edi- 
fice, and  the  stranger  ascends  by  steps  to  the  circular  open- 
ing in  the  roof.  The  dome  was  covered  with  bronze  in 
the  time  of  the  Roman  power ; Constantius  the  Second 
was  the  first  who  took  part  of  it  away,  and  sent  it  to  Syra- 
cuse ; the  rest  was  employed  in  constructing  the  famous 
Baldacchino  of  St.  Peter’s,  and  in  making  the  cannon  which 
defend  at  present  the  castle  of  St.  Angelo. 

The  Flavian  amphitheatre  which  has  been  called  the 
Colosseum  or  Coliseum,  from  its  gigantic  proportions,  is 
not  in  so  good  a state  of  preservation  as  the  Pantheon,  be- 
cause it  was  impossible  to  change  it  into  a church  ; but  the 
people  have  had  some  respect  for  the  edifice,  since  Pius  the 
Sixth  erected  a large  cross  in  the  middle  of  the  arena,  and 
fifteen  altars  to  the  memory  of  the  martyrs,  who  are  be- 
lieved to  have  perished  within  the  enclosure.  Twelve  thou- 
sand Jews,  whom  Vespasian  made  captives,  and  brought 
to  Rome  after  the  taking  of  Jerusalem,  commenced  the 
edifice,  which  cost  at  first  a sum  equal  to  2,083,500/. h and 
which  was  finished  by  Titus.  The  outer  part  of  the  build- 
ing exceeds  fourteen  hundred  feet  in  circumference  ;c  the 
interior  is  five  hundred  and  eighty  in  length,  and  four  hun- 

t>  “50,000,000  francs.” 

c “ Exterior  circumference  1000  feet.”  (?)  The  amphitheatre  is  above 
1000  feet  in  circumference.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


113 


BOOK  CXXXV.] 

dred  and  eighty  in  breadth.  It  is  said  that  it  could  contain 
80,000  spectators,  but  from  calculations  which  appear  to 
be  more  accurate,  the  number  has  been  reduced  to  forty- 
four  thousands  When  Titus  opened  the  amphitheatre  for 
the  first  time,  the  arena  was  crowded  with  an  incredible 
number  of  wild  animals  of  every  sort, — foxes,  lions,  tigers, 
elephants,  stags  and  gazelles ; more  than  five  thousand 
were  destroyed  in  a single  day.  The  arena  was  sometimes 
changed  into  a lake  twenty  feet  deep  ; the  water  flowed 
through  eighty  openings,  and  the  people  were  thus  present- 
ed with  the  spectacle  of  a naval  combat.  It  is  customa- 
ry to  visit  the  Vatican,  when  illumined  with  torches,  arid 
the  Coliseum  by  moon  light ; and  certainly,  the  pale  light 
of  the  moon  heightens  greatly  the  effect  of  the  vast  amphi- 
theatre ; the  imagination  may  conceive  the  ghosts  of  gla- 
diators issuing  from  the  vomitories,  or  the  shades  of  captives 
that  perished  before  a people  accustomed  to  barbarous 
spectacles. 

The  Vatican,  which  is  contiguous  to  the  church  of  St. 
Peter,  is  said  to  be  built  on  the  site  of  Nero’s  palace.  It 
consists  of  several  edifices  that  occupy  a much  greater  sur- 
face than  both  the  Tuileries  and  the  Louvre.  The  interior 
is  divided  into  twenty  courts,  and  as  many  porticos,  eight 
large,  and  two  hundred  smaller  stair-cases,  and  twelve  hun- 
dred apartments.b  The  great  stair-case,  which  leads  to 
the  gallery  of  antiques,  served  as  a model  for  the  one  in  the 
Louvre,  to  which  most  judges  give  the  preference.  The 
chapel  of  the  Vatican,  or  the  famous  Sistine  chapel,  is  rich- 
ly decorated,  and  its  finest  ornament  is  the  celebrated  paint- 
ing in  fresco  of  the  last  judgment,  by  Michael  Angelo.  The 
library  contains  seventy  thousand  volumes,  and  forty  thou- 
sand manuscripts.  In  the  same  palace  are  seen  the  school 
of  Athens,  and  the  other  fresco  paintings  of  Raphael.  A 
small  building  which  communicates  with  the  Vatican,  by 
two  long  galleries,  and  which  commands  a fine  view  of  Rome, 
and  the  neighbouring  country  as  far  as  the  Appennines,  has 
on  that  account  been  called  Belvedere.  In  the  same  build- 
ing, and  in  a much  better  situation  than  in  the  Louvre,  is 
placed  the  statue  of  the  Apollo, — the  chef-d’oeuvre  of  an- 
cient sculpture  ; the  Laocoon,  the  Torso  and  the  Antinous 
are  seen  in  adjoining  apartments. 

The  Vatican  is  the  residence  of  the  Pope  in  winter,  and 
the  Quirinal  palace  in  summer.  Although  the  form  of  the 
latter  edifice  may  be  irregular,  it  has  been  much  admired 
for  the  magnificence  of  the  interior,  the  fine  view  from  it, 
and  the  beauty  of  the  gardens.  It  was  reserved,  under  the 
French  imperial  government,  for  the  young  prince  who  re- 
ceived the  title  of  king  of  Rome.  The  palace  derives  its 
name  from  the  Quirinal  hill,  on  the  summit  of  which  it 
stands.  It  has  also  been  called  the  palace  of  Monte- 
Cavalluf  because  in  front  of  it  are  two  groups  of  marble 
statues,  each  representing  a horse  of  colossal  proportions, 
and  a youth  seventeen  feet  in  height,  who  appears  to  sub- 
due it.  The  two  groups  are  ancient,  but  it  is  not  probable 
that  they  are  the  works  of  Phidias  and  Praxiteles,  as  might 
be  inferred  from  the  names  on  the  pedestals.  An  Egyptian 
obelisk  of  red  porphyry  rises  between  them,  and  a fountain, 
which  discharges  its  waters  into  a basin  of  oriental  granite, 
seventy-six  feet  in  circumference,  adorns  the  centre  of  the 
square. 

a Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 

b Number  of  apartments  10,000  (Ed.  Encyc.) — 13, 000 (Carter’s  Letters.) 

c Monte  Cavallo  is  the  modern  name  for  the  GLuirinal  hill. — P. 

J The  column  on  the  left  was  the  first  mile  stone  on  the  Appian  way  ; 
the  other  is  a modern  one  made  in  imitation  of  it. — P. 

VOL.  Ill— NO.  45.  15 


Modern  Rome  has  also  its  Capitol,  but  it  is  no  longer 
the  Capitol  which  the  masters  of  the  world  ascended  to  re- 
turn thanks  to  Jupiter  the  Thunderer,  whose  temple  com- 
manded the  city ; near  it  rose  the  Tabularium,  a sacred 
edifice  in  which  were  deposited  the  decrees  of  the  senate 
engraved  on  tables  of  bronze.  The  modern  Capitol  is  an 
insignificant  hill,  styled  by  corruption  the  Campidoglio,  and 
the  buildings  on  it  are  the  residences  of  the  municipal  ma- 
gistrates. A flight  of  steps,  planned  by  Michael  Angelo, 
leads  to  the  top  of  the  hill.  Two  antique  lions  of  basalt 
guard  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and  two  naked  colossi  the  top  ; 
the  latter  were  dug  out  of  the  banks  of  the  Tiber,  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  ago.  Each  holds  a prancmg  horse, 
colossal  too,  and  yet  scarcely  reaching  to  the  waist  of  its 
gigantic  master.  These  figures,  which  are  but  of  indiffe- 
rent workmanship,  have  been  styled  Castor  and  Pollux. 
On  a line  with  them  are  two  mutilated  trophies,  two  sta- 
tues of  the  sons  of  Constantine,  and  lastly,  at  the  extremi- 
ties of  the  balustrade  two  milliary  boundaries  ;d  the  stone, 
No.  I.  on  the  Appian  way,  was  formerly  placed  at  the  end 
of  the  first  mile,  but  it  stands  now  at  the  beginning.6  The 
square  or  piazza , to  which  the  stair  leads,  is  regularly  built 
on  three  sides  ; the  palace  of  the  senator  occupies  the  front, 
that  of  the  Conservatori  the  right  side,  and  the  museum  of 
antiquities  the  left.  These  buildings  are  also  the  work  of 
Michael  Angelo,  and  by  his  direction  the  bronze  statue  of 
Marcus  Aurelius,  the  finest  ancient  equestrian  statue  in  ex- 
istence, and  the  only  one  that  has  been  found  at  Rome,  was 
placed  in  the  middle  of  the  square. 

The  tower  of  the  senator’s  palace  commands  a vast  space 
covered  with  ruins,  now  the  Campo  Vaccino  or  cow-mar- 
ket, formerly  the  Forum  Romanum.  “ From  this  elevated 
station,  about  two  hundred  feet  above  the  Forum,”  says 
Simond,  “ the  eloquent  voice  of  Cicero  might  have  been 
heard,  revealing  to  his  assembled  countrymen  the  conspira- 
cies of  a Cataline.  He  might  even  have  been  heard  in  the 
tribune  of  Harangues,  situated  on  the  other  side  of  the  Fo- 
rum, and  next  to  the  Temple  of  Jupiter  Stator, — taking  the 
oath  that  had  saved  the  country,  and  all  the  people  repeat- 
ing the  same  oath  after  him.  But  the  gory  head  and  hand 
of  this  saviour  of  his  country,  might  have  been  seen  from 
the  same  station,  soon  after  nailed  to  the  side  of  the  same 
tribune,  and  the  same  people  tamely  looking  on  ! Instead 
of  contending  crowds  of  patriots,  conspirators,  orators,  he- 
roes and  fools,  each  acting  his  part,  I only  saw  a few  cows 
quietly  picking  up  blades  of  grass  among  the  ruins  ; beg- 
gars and  monks,  and  asses  loaded  with  bags  of  puzzolana, 
and  a gang  of  galley  slaves,  lazily  digging  for  antiquities 
under  the  lash  of  a task  master.”f  The  gulf  of  Curtius 
may  recal  the  patriotic  devotion  of  a generous  Roman,  but 
it  does  not  deserve  at  present  the  name  of  a pond.g 

The  Antonine  column,11  surmounted  with  a statue  of  St. 
Paul,  rises  near  Monte  Citorio.  The  tomb  of  Adrian  on 
the  banks  of  the  Tiber,  has  become  the  castle  of  St.  Ange- 
lo. The  bridge  which  leads  to  it,  and  which  bears  the 
same  name,  was  the  ancient  yElian  bridge,1  built  bv  Adrian  ; 
the  two  statues  at  the  entrance  are  those  of  St.  Peter  and 
St.  Paul,  the  others  represent  angels. 

We  may  leave  these  ancient  monuments,  disfigured  by 
bad  taste  and  religious  zeal,  and  direct  our  steps  to  the 

e Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 

( Ibid. 

g The  Lake  of  Curtius,  not  the  gulf — P. 

h The  Triumphal  Column  of  Marcus  Aurelius — P. 

' Pons  Aolius. 


114  EUR( 

master  work  of  modern  Rome,  the  largest  Christian  temple 
in  the  world.  One  fault  in  the  church  of  St.  Peter  may  be 
mentioned  ; the  principal  front  instead  of  resembling  that 
of  a temple,  looks  more  like  the  front  of  a showy  palace. 
The  dimensions  of  the  building  are  so  great  that  the  mag- 
nificent cupola  does  not  seem  to  form  any  part  of  it,  but 
appears  like  the  dome  of  another  edifice.  The  area  in  front 
of  St.  Peter’s, “ is  not  less  remarkable  than  the  church  ; it 
is  surrounded  by  two  semicircular  porticos,  and  terminates 
in  an  avenue  that  extends  to  the  front  of  the  building,  thus 
forming  two  piazzas,  of  which  the  total  length  is  not  less 
than  a thousand  feet.  The  portico  is  surmounted  by  ninety- 
two  statues  of  saints,  about  nine  or  ten  feet  in  height ; the  pro- 
portions of  the  portal  accord  so  well  with  the  objects  which 
surround  it,  that  its  great  size  is  not  at  first  obvious,  neither 
do  the  pillars  appear  very  large,  although  they  are  not  less 
than  eight  feet  three  inches  in  diameter.  The  dimensions 
of  the  front6  are  equal  to  three  hundred  and  sixty -six  feet ; 
the  entrances  to  the  church  are  five  doors,  under  a portico 
four  hundred  and  forty-eight  feet  long,  and  thirty-nine 
broad.  The  extremities  of  the  portico  form  two  vestibules, 
in  one  of  which  may  be  seen  the  equestrian  statue  of  Con- 
stantine, and  in  the  other  that  of  Charlemagne,  both  of 
whom  Rome  considers  its  benefactors. 

The  form  of  St.  Peter’s  is  that  of  a Latin  cross  ; those 
who  enter  it  for  the  first  time,  are  less  struck  with  the  size 
of  the  building  than  the  profusion  of  mosaics  and  marbles  ; 
the  length,  however,  is  equal  to  five  hundred  and  sixty-five 
feet,  and  the  height  to  a hundred  and  thirty-six.  The  or- 
naments are  so  splendid  as  to  be  dazzling,  and  they  are 
arranged  with  more  ostentation  than  taste.  It  might  also 
be  urged  that  the  light  is  too  great ; were  it  less  vivid  it 
would  be  more  in  unison  with  the  purpose  of  the  building, 
and  more  inviting  to  retirement  and  devotion  ; it  would  also 
harmonize  better  with  a finely  painted  window0  at  the  up- 
per end  of  the  nave.  The  principal  chapels  are  adorned 
with  mosaics  after  the  models  of  the  great  masters.  An 
antique  Giove  Capitolino  in  bronze,  was  melted  to  supply 
materials  for  a colossal  figure  of  St.  Peter, d a figure  of  bar- 
barous workmanship,  which  has  been  placed  in  a recess. 
The  statue  is  always  surrounded  by  devout  persons,  who 
kiss  with  great  fervour  a projecting  toe  of  the  apostle,  and 
the  metal  has  been  actually  worn  off  a full  inch,  by  the 
kisses  of  three  hundred  years. 

The  Baldacchino  or  famous  canopy  of  bronze  which 
surmounts  the  high  altar  may  give  the  stranger  an  idea  of 
the  dimensions  of  the  building.  It  is  nearly  ninety  feet  high,0 
exceeding  the  height  of  all  the  palaces  in  Rome  except  one  ; 
indeed  the  colonnade  of  the  Louvre  at  Paris  is  somewhat 
lower  than  the  canopy,  which  in  apoearance  seems  a mere 
piece  of  furniture  that  might  be  pushed  into  a corner  with- 
out being  missed/  The  bronze  used  in  constructing  it, 
weighed  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty-six  hundred- 
weights/ and  the  gilding  cost  more  than  10,000//  It 
stands  below  the  cupola,  the  most  remarkable  part  of  the 
building.  The  height  of  the  cupola  amounts  to  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet,  and  the  inner  diameter  to  a hundred  and 
thirty.  The  twelve  apostles  are  represented  on  the  vault 
in  mosaics,  and  separated  by  groups  of  angels  bearing  the 
instruments  of  the  passion.  Care  has  been  taken  in  the 

)PE  lbook  cxxxv. 

two  most  apparent  parts  of  the  church,  to  connect  it  with 
the  memory  of  the  saint,  to  whom  it  is  consecrated.  Thus, 
it  is  affirmed  that  the  gilded  balustrade  placed  before  the 
high  altar,  covers  the  tomb  and  the  body  of  St.  Peter,  si- 
tuated beneath  it,  in  a subterranean  church  more  ancient 
than  the  Basilica.  The  upper  end  of  the  nave  is  decorated 
with  a splendid  monument, — the  pulpit  of  St.  Peter,  sup- 
ported by  four  colossal  figures  of  St.  Ambrose,  St.  Augus- 
tin, St.  Athanasius  and  St.  Chrysostom.  According  to 
tradition,  St.  Peter  used  to  sit  in  the  arm  chair  now  placed 
in  the  pulpit ; it  is  made  of  wood,  and  inlaid  with  gold  and 
silver.  The  building  was  commenced  in  the  year  1450, 
and  finished  in  1 606.  The  sum  expended  on  it,  was  equi- 
valent to  10,291,700/.' 

No  other  church  in  Rome  can  be  compared  with  St. 
Peter’s  ; many,  however,  are  remarkable  for  their  orna- 
ments or  antiquity.  The  Romans  consider  San  Giovanni 
in  Fontef  not  only  the  most  ancient  in  Rome,  but  in  Chris- 
tendom ; it  has  also  been  designated  the  Baptistery  of  Con- 
stantine, but  the  emperor  was  not  baptized  there,  although 
it  is  not  improbable  that  he  enriched  it.  To  give  a detail- 
ed account  of  the  other  churches  in  the  capital  of  the  Chris- 
tian world,  would  be  a tedious  and  unnecessary  task  ; suf- 
fice it  to  say  that  their  number  exceeds  three  hundred. 

But  the  number  of  palaces  is  still  greater ; their  archi- 
tecture has  for  the  most  part  the  character  of  solidity  rather 
than  of  elegance  ; Vasi  enumerates  more  than  sixty-five 
that  are  worthy  of  being  visited.  There  are  few  of  them 
in  which  the  emblems  of  poverty  are  not  contrasted  with 
the  trappings  of  pride.  Strangers  may  admire  fine  paint- 
ings of  the  Italian  school,  in  a sumptuous  hall  with  broken 
windows.  “ A massy  gate,”  says  Simond,  “ opens  into  the 
body  of  a palace,  which  is  not  situated  in  a court ; the  court, 
on  the  contrary,  being  placed  within  the  palace,  enclosing  it 
on  all  sides.  The  stairs  generally  are  near  the  gate,  or  under 
an  open  portico  in  the  court,  so  that  visiters  may  always 
alight  under  cover.  The  entrance  being  generally  left  open, 
it  becomes  in  consequence  a common  receptacle  for  filth. 
I have  heard  it  suggested,”  he  continues,  “ that  there  may 
be  something  of  the  Grandioso  in  the  squalid  court  of  a Ro- 
man palace  ; an  odd  idea,  but  not  perhaps  wholly  ground- 
less. The  noble  proprietor  occupies  but  a small  part  of  the 
edifice,  the  rest  being  intended  not  for  private  comfort,  but 
for  the  display  of  wealth  and  grandeur,  to  be  enjoyed  by 
an  admiring  multitude  at  all  hours,  and  in  their  own  way, 
which  is  neither  very  refined,  nor  very  cleanly.” 

The  country  near  Rome  abounds  with  the  remains  of 
antiquity.  Near  the  gate  of  St.  Paul,  the  pyramid  or 
tomb  of  Caius  Cestius,  announces  the  wealth  of  that  ancient 
Roman  by  its  size,  and  by  the  paintings  and  ornaments  in 
the  interior.  At  no  great  distance  from  it  are  the  cata- 
combs,— the  burying  place  of  unnumbered  bodies,  and  the 
grotto  and  the  fountain  where  Numa  used  to  meet  the 
nymph  Egeria.  It  was  to  Tuscvlum  that  Cicero,  Caesar 
and  Crassus  fled  from  the  noise  and  political  intrigues  of 
ancient  Rome ; Frascati  rises  near  its  ruins.  Another 
Horace  might  write  a satire  on  Tivoli  and  its  dirty  streets, 
rather  than  compose  songs  in  their  praise.  The  Roman 
poet  could  no  longer  recognise  that  Tibur  which  afforded 
him  such  delight,  but  he  might  still  discover  the  remains  of 

s Piazza  of  St.  Peter’s.  i>  “ Facade.” 

c A circular  window  stained  yellow,  on  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is  repre 
sentcd  in  the  form  of  a dove. — P. 

d It  is  said  to  be  a real  antique,  not  made  from  the  materials  of  one. — P. 

e “ 86  feet  in  height ; exactly  the  height  of  the  colonnade  of  the  Louvre.” 
f Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 

s “ 186,392  lbs.”  Fr.  h “ The  gilding  cost  210,000  francs.’ 

' “ 247  millions  francs.”  '■  k St.  John  Lateran. 

. . 

DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


115 


BOOK  CXXXV.] 

two  temples,  the  one  dedicated  to  Vesta,  the  other  to  the 
Sibyl ; he  might  also  admire  the  situation  of  the  town,  and 
its  celebrated  cascades,  still  worthy  of  his  verses.  A house 
near  Veletri,  the  ancient  Velitrce,  a town  founded  by  the 
Volsci,  was  sometimes  the  country  residence  of  Augustus. 

The  Pontine  marshes  (Pomptince  Paludes ) are  now 
more  dangerous  by  their  exhalations  than  in  ancient  times. 
They  were  traversed  by  the  Appian  Way,  the  work  of  Ap- 
pius  Claudius,  and  the  first  undertaking  by  which  that  part 
of  the  country  was  improved.  They  were  partly  drained 
by  Augustus,  Trajan  erected  bridges  and  houses,  and  many 
country  seats  were  built  there  by  the  wealthy  Romans. 
The  causes  which  rendered  the  Maremma  unhealthy,  pro- 
duced the  same  effects  on  the  Pontine  marshes.  The 
country  having  been  depopulated  by  the  northern  barbari- 
ans, the  waters  remained  without  an  outlet,  and  unwhole- 
some miasms  were  diffused  in  the  atmosphere.  Those  who 
sleep  in  the  open  air,  on  the  borders  of  the  marshes,  during 
the  heat  of  summer,  seldom  or  never  awake.  Several 
popes  have  attempted  to  drain  them,  and  the  last  attempts 
have  not  been  wholly  useless  ; but  to  arrive  at  satisfactory 
results,  requires  a government  possessing  more  resources 
and  energy  than  that  of  Rome.  The  yellow  complexions 
and  swollen  legs  of  the  inhabitants  proclaim  the  nature  of 
the  country  ; it  has  been  said  that  the  people  are  never  free 
from  fever,  but  it  may  be  affirmed,  without  exaggeration, 
that  they  are  subject  to  it  several  months  in  the  year.  The 
lower  animals  do  not  seem  to  suffer  from  the  insalubrity  of 
the  air  ; the  stags,  wild  boars,  and  buffaloes,  are  strong  and 
numerous. 

Ostia,  a town  founded  by  Ancus  Martius,  the  fourth 
king  of  Rome,  became  an  important  place  during  the  em- 
pire, from  its  port  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber  ; its  trade, 
now  insignificant,  consists  in  salt.  The  insalubrity  of  the 
Pontine  marshes  extends  to  Ostia,  and  the  cardinal,  who 
is  bishop  of  it,  takes  care  to  reside  at  Rome.  Civita  Vec- 
chia,  a well  built  town,  and  the  only  commercial  port  which 
the  pope  possesses  on  the  Mediterranean,  is  not  so  unwhole- 
some as  Ostia.  The  pleasant  town  of  Viterbo  is  situated 
to  the  east  of  Civita  Vecchia  ; several  popes  are  interred  in 
its  cathedral.  Orvieto,  on  the  banks  of  the  Paglia,  stands 
on  a steep  rock  ; there  is  a pit  near  it,  to  which  mules  de- 
scend and  return  by  inclined  planes  ; it  is  lighted  by  a hun- 
dred small  windows.  A number  of  fine  basaltic  columns 
are  situated  in  the  neighbourhood. 

Spoleto,  on  the  road  that  leads  to  Foligno,  contains  seve- 
ral remains  of  antiquity,  among  others,  the  ruins  of  a thea- 
tre, and  different  ancient  temples  ; its  old  walls  and  towers 
were  perhaps  erected  by  Narses,  who  drove  the  Goths  from 
the  town.  A fine  aqueduct,  five  hundred  feet  in  height, 
and  of  Gothic  architecture,  was  probably  the  work  of  The- 
odoric.  The  industrious  inhabitants  in  the  small  town  of 
Foligno,  carry  on  a’  trade  in  paper,  waxlights,  and  comfits. 

Perugia,  near  the  Tiber,  was  an  ancient  Etruscan  city,a 
and  an  important  place  long  before  Rome  ; it  resisted  all 
the  power  of  Hannibal.  Placed  on  the  summit  of  a hill, 
water  is  conveyed  into  it  from  Monte  Pacciano,  by  pipes 
which  descend  into  a valley,  and  then  ascend  to  the  height 


1 Perusia. 

b The  concordate  between  Francis  I.  and  Leo  X.  was  concluded  Aug. 
16,  1516.  The  king  and  the  pope  had  their  interview  on  the  subject,  Dec. 
11  1515.  (Moreri.) — P. 

They  are  said  to  amount  to  200.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 


of  four  hundred  feet.  Perugia  was  the  birthplace  of  Pietro 
Perugino,  a distinguished  painter,  who  claims  the  honour  of 
being  the  master  of  Raphael.  The  view  from  its  ramparts 
extends  over  a rich  and  varied  surface.  At  the  distance  of 
three  leagues,  on  the  side  of  a mountain,  are  seen  aque- 
ducts, temples  and  walls  ; they  are  the  walls  of  Assisi,  the 
native  town  of  St.  Francis,  whose  remains  are  still  visited 
by  numerous  pilgrims. 

We  may  arrive  at  Bologna  by  following  the  windings  of 
the  Appennines  ; it  is  the  second  city  in  the  States  of  the 
Church,  and  the  one,  after  Rome,  that  possesses  the  most 
valuable  collections.  The  concordate  of  1515b  was  signed 
within  its  walls,  by  which  Francis  the  First  reserved  to 
himself  the  nomination  to  the  principal  benefices,  and 
granted  to  the  pope  the  first  year  of  their  revenue.  A great 
many  churches  are  contained  in  the  town  ;c  there  are  be- 
sides two  old  towers,  more  inclined  than  the  one  at  Pisa, 
which  threaten  destruction  to  the  neighbouring  houses. 
The  university,  the  museum  of  natural  history  and  anti- 
quities, which  occupies  twenty-six  apartments,  the  library, 
consisting  of  two  hundred  thousand  volumes  and  many 
manuscripts,  the  observatory  worthy  of  being  visited  on  ac- 
count of  its  meridian  line,d  the  botanical  garden  in  which 
numerous  exotic  plants  have  been  collected,  and  two  sci- 
entific academies,  render  Bologna  little  inferior  to  the  most 
celebrated  towns  in  Italy. 

Ferrara,  a place  of  less  importance  than  Bologna,  is  the 
most  northern  town  in  the  States  of  the  Church.  The 
streets  are  broad  and  straight,  and  one  of  them  is  equal  to 
two  thousand  yards  in  length.6  The  most  remarkable  edi- 
fice is  the  Gothic  palace,  once  the  residence  of  the  dukes 
of  Ferrara.  Other  monuments  are  connected  with  She 
illustrious  house  of  Este.  The  ashes  of  Ariosto  rest  in  the 
Lyceum,  and  in  the  hospital  of  St.  Anne,  may  be  seen  the 
place  where,  (under  the  pretext  of  madness,)  Tasso  was 
seven  years  confined  by  Alphonso  duke  of  F errara. 

Marine  deposits  have  gradually  filled  up  the  harbour, 
which  Augustus  constructed  at  Ravenna  ; the  town  is  at 
present  two  leagues  distant  from  the  sea.f  The  Rotonda, 
a curious  church,  was  constructed  in  order  that  the  sarco- 
phagus of  Theodoric  might  be  placed  in  it ; that  monument 
was  destroyed  in  1512  by  the  French;  but  the  tomb  of 
Dante,  near  the  cloister  of  the  Franciscans,  was  decorated 
about  forty  years  ago  by  Cardinal  Gonznga.  Faenza  has 
given  its  name  to  the  glazed  earthen  ware,  which  the  French 
call  faience ; it  was  the  birthplace  of  the  celebrated  Torri- 
celli. Forli  need  only  be  mentioned  for  its  cathedral  and 
regular  streets.  The  town  of  Rimini,  built  on  the  shores 
of  the  sea,  was  the  place  where  the  Flaminian  and  iEmili- 
an  roads  terminated  ; it  contains  several  ancient  remains, 
among  others  a fine  triumphal  arch  erected  to  Augustus,  and 
the  bridge  commenced  by  the  same  emperor,  and  finish- 
ed by  Tiberius.  The  church  of  San  Francesco,  finished 
in  1450,  was  one  of  the  first  buildings  in  which  the  Roman 
was  substituted  for  the  Gothic  architecture.  The  small 
town  of  Urbino  boasts  of  having  given  birth  to  Raphael. 
Ancona  is  seen  to  - st  advantage  from  the  sea  ; it  stands 
on  the  side  of  a !*ui  ; the  citadel  rises  at  one  extremity,  and 


d The  celebrated  meridian  line  in  Bologna  is  traced  on  the  pavement  of 
the  church  of  St.  Petronius. — P. 

« “ That  of  St.  Benedict  is  one  thousand  toises  in  length.” 
f The  port  is  now  filled  up  with  the  mud  and  sand  thrown  up  by  the 
tide,  which  has  formed  a tract  of  land  of  three  miles  in  extent,  which  sepa- 
rates the  town  from  the  sea.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 


EUROPE. 


116 

the  cathedra]  at  the  other.  The  harbour  extends  in  the 
form  of  a semicircle  ; the  mole,  which  projects  into  the 
sea,  is  sixty-eight  feet  in  height  and  two  thousand  in  length  ; 
the  streets  are  for  the  most  part  narrow  and  crooked.  A 
triumphal  arch  was  erected  to  Trajan,  and  at  a later 
period,  another  to  Benedict  the  Fourteenth,  by  whom  the 
mole  and  the  lazaretto  were  constructed. 

Many,  who  visit  Ancona,  are  induced  to  extend  their 
journey  to  Loretto,  a small  town  on  a hill  that  commands 
the  sea.  It  rose  into  celebrity  from  its  statue  of  the  vir- 
gin, formerly  an  object  of  so  great  veneration  that  before 
the  Reformation,  more  than  two  hundred  thousand  pilgrims 
came  to  it  every  year,  and  deposited  their  offerings  at  the 
feet  of  the  image.  Loretto  deserves  a place  in  the  history 
of  superstition.  According  to  tradition,  angels  carried  away 
the  house  of  the  holy  virgin  at  Nazareth,  in  the  year  1291, 
and  placed  it  near  Tersato  in  Dalmatia  ; three  years  after- 
wards, the  same  angels  transported  the  same  house  to  the 
coast  of  Italy,  and  deposited  it  a thousand  paces  from  the 
sea,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Recanati.  Eight  months  after- 
wards, the  house,  which  was  solid,  stationed  itself  a thou- 
sand paces  nearer  the  town  ; it  removed  next  to  the  lands 
of  a noble  lady,  called  Lauretta,  and  fixed  itself  on  the  very 
spot  where  Loretto  has  been  since  built.  The  house,  still 
adored  by  the  people,  is  thirty-two  feet  in  length,  thirteen 
in  breadth,  and  eighteen  in  height ; many  imagine  it  to  be 
without  any  foundation,  and  that  it  rests  on  the  ground. 
It  was  formerly  a mere  brick  building  ; it  is  now  decorated 


a Wardrobe  ( armario  sacro .) 

*>  Cupboard  niched  in  the  wall  near  the  Virgin. 


[BOOK  CXXXX 

and  incrusted  with  Carrara  marble.  The  cedar-wood 
statue  of  the  virgin  stands  above  the  fire-place  in  the  east- 
ern walls ; the  garments  with  which  the  priests  clothe  the 
statue,  are  kept  in  a chest  ;a  one  of  them,  a red  camlet 
gown,  is  said  to  have  been  worn  by  Mary  herself.  The 
earthen  vessels  which  the  holy  family  used,  are  deposited 
in  another  chest  ;b  the  window  opposite  the  fire-place  was 
the  one  by  which  the  angel  Gabriel  entered.  The  house, 
which  the  inhabitants  call  the  Casa  Santa,  stands  in  the 
middle  of  a church,  enriched  with  more  costly  treasures 
than  any  other  in  the  world. 

Only  four  towns  of  any  importance  are  situated  between 
Loretto  and  the  Neapolitan  frontiers,  namely,  Macerata 
rising  on  a hill  above  a fruitful  plain  ; Fermo  with  a har- 
bour much  frequented  by  small  vessels  ; Camerino  with  an 
archiepiscopal  palace,  a university,  and  silk  manufacto- 
ries ; lastly,  Ascoli,  the  ancient  Asculum,  and  the  metro- 
polis of  a bishopric. 

The  popes  possess  besides  two  small  territories  in  the 
kingdom  of  Naples.  Ponte  Corvo  on  the  banks  of  the 
Carigliano,  peopled  by  five  thousand  inhabitants,  is  the 
chief  town  of  the  one,  and  the  seat  of  a bishopric.  Bene- 
vento,  the  metropolis  of  an  archbishopric,  contains  several 
fine  buildings,  and  the  Porta  Aurea,  a marble  triumphal 
arch  raised  in  honour  of  Trajan. c The  first  of  these  terri- 
tories is  enclosed  by  the  Terra  di  Lavoro,  and  the  last  by 
the  Principato  Ultra. 


c The  Porta  aurea  forms  one  of  the  entrances  of  the  town.  (Ed. 
Encyc.'l 


book  cxxxvi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY.  117 

BOOK  CXXXVI. 

EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Description  of  Italy. — Sixth  Section. 

Kingdom  of  the  Two  Sicilies. 

The  Liburni,  a nation  that  emigrated  from  the  Illyri- 
an mountains,  settled  in  the  country  between  the  Alps  and 
the  Adige, about  sixteen  centuries  before  the  vulgar  era;  but 
abandoning  that  marshy  soil,  fatal  to  man,  and  difficult  of 
culture,  they  advanced  southward  along  the  shores  of  the 
Adriatic,  and  established  themselves  in  the  region  between 
the  mouth  of  the  Chiento  and  the  extremity  of  Calabria.1 
The  principal  branches  of  the  Liburni  were  the  Pcedicu- 
li,  the  Apuli,  and  the  Calabri.  The  names  of  some  of  their 
tribes  have  given  rise  to  considerable  etymological  research. 
Court  de  Gebelin  supposes  that  the  Marrucini  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Pescara,  were  so  called  from  the  words  mar 
and  ru,  the  former  signifying  high  or  lofty,  and  the  latter,  a 
stream  or  rivulet.  The  Peligni  dwelt  in  the  Appennines, 
and  the  word  pal  signifies  an  elevated  place.  The  Fren- 
tani,  he  affirms,  derived  their  name  from  the  word  ren  to 
flow,  because  their  country  was  watered  by  several  rivers, 
which  descend  to  the  Adriatic,  but  they  might  perhaps 
have  been  so  denominated  from  one  of  those  rivers,  the  an- 
cient Fronto,  or  the  modern  Termoli,b  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  names  of  different  tribes  in  North  America  were  found 
to  be  the  same  as  those  of  rivers  or  mountains.  Accord- 
ing to  some  writers,  the  name  of  the  Calabri  was  derived 
from  the  eastern  word  calab,  which  signifies  resin,  because 
their  country  was  covered  with  pines.  The  territory  to 
the  west  of  the  Liburni,  towards  the  gulf  of  Tarentum,  was 
called  Messapia  or  Japygia.  Mazzocchi  makes  a curious 
remark  on  the  subject,  namely,  that  the  oriental  word  mas- 
sap  signifies  wind,  and  the  Hebrew  word  japah,  it  blew  ; 
thus  the  roots  from  which  the  two  ancient  names  have  been 
derived,  are  applicable  even  at  the  present  day  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  country.  The  lands  in  the  Appennines  round 
the  lake  Fudnus,c  which  occupies  part  of  a i elevated  basin, 
were  inhabited  by  the  Marsi ; their  name,  says  Court  de 
Gebelin,  comes  from  mar,  a height,  and  ci,  water.  They 
were  the  neighbours  of  the  Peligni.  The  Marsi,  the  Pelig- 
ni, the  Marrucini,  and  the  Frentani,  were  not  numerous, 
but  brave  and  warlike  ; they  resisted  for  a long  time  the 
power  of  Rome.d 

Samnium,  the  country  of  the  Samnites,  lay  on  the  heights 
and  sides  of  the  Appennines  to  the  south  of  the  territory 
inhabited  by  the  Marsi.  The  Greek  geographer  considers 
the  Samnites  the  descendants  of  the  Sabini ; Court  de  Ge- 
belin and  La  Martiniere  arrive  at  the  same  conclusion  from 
the  etymology  of  their  name  ; they  might  have  been  first 
called  Sabinites,  then  Sannites,  and  lastly,  Samnites.  The 

a T lie  extremity  of  Japygia  ( Japygium  Promontorium,  Capo  di  Leu- 
ca.)  Encyc.  Method.  Geog.  Anc.  In  ancient  geography,  Calabria  was 
synonymous  with  Japygia.  It  has  now  a very  different  application. — P. 


cause  of  their  separation  from  the  Sabini  does  not  appear 
improbable  ; Strabo  mentions  the  tradition.  According  to 
the  custom  of  the  most  remote  antiquity,  the  Sabini,  (being 
engaged  in  a war  with  the  Ombri,  their  neighbours,)  vowed 
to  consecrate  to  the  gods  whatever  was  produced  within 
their  territory  in  the  course  of  the  year.  Their  efforts  were 
crowned  with  success,  the  animals  and  the  crops  were  of- 
fered a sacrifice  to  the  gods,  and  a famine  was  the  natural 
consequence.  One  of  the  people  remarked,  that  in  order  to 
fulfil  their  vow,  the  children  born  during  the  year  should  also 
be  included  in  the  offering  ; these  were  accordingly  devoted 
to  the  god  Mars.  When  arrived  at  the  age  of  manhood,  being- 
compelled  to  expatriate  themselves,  they  followed  the  chain  of 
the  Appennines,  and  settled  at  twenty  leagues  distance  from 
their  native  land.  They  became  a warlike  and  numerous 
people,  being  able  to  put  eighty  thousand  foot  soldiers  and 
eight  thousand  horsemen  under  arms.  Long  the  rivals  of 
the  Romans,  they  were  not  wholly  subdued,  until  the  dicta- 
tor Sylla,  having  vanquished  them,  was  inhuman  enough 
to  massacre  in  the  field  of  Mars,  the  prisoners  who  had 
been  induced  to  surrender  themselves  by  the  conditions 
which  he  himself  had  proposed. 

“ I may  mention,”  says  Strabo,  “ an  excellent  law  of  the 
Samnites,  one  well  adapted  to  excite  men  to  virtue.  Fa- 
thers have  not  the  right  of  choosing  husbands  for  their 
daughters,  but  judges  name  twenty  young  persons,  ten  of 
each  sex,  whom  they  consider  more  meritorious  than  the 
rest ; the  most  deserving  virgin  becomes  the  wife  of  the 
most  deserving  young  man,  the  next  is  given  to  the  next, 
and  so  on  until  they  are  all  married.  But  if  a husband 
who  has  received  a prize,  changes  his  mode  of  life,  or  from 
being  virtuous,  becomes  wicked,  he  is  rendered  infamous 
and  his  wife  is  taken  from  him.”6 

Campania,  a country  to  the  east  of  Samnium,  was  cele- 
brated in  ancient  times  for  its  fertility  and  diversified  sce- 
nery ; in  the  same  region  was  situated  Capua,  of  which  the 
luxury  was  as  fatal  to  the  troops  of  Hannibal,  as  the  plains 
of  Cannae  had  been  to  the  Roman  legions.  The  hills  ol 
Falernus  beyond  it,  were  covered  with  vineyards,  while 
the  neighbourhood  of  Baia  and  Pozzuoli  was  adorned  with 
country  houses,  in  which  the  degenerate  Romans  indulged 
in  effeminacy  and  luxury. 

“ Vesuvius,”  says  Strabo,  “ rises  above  these  places,  and 
with  the  exception  of  its  summit,  the  soil  is  very  fruitful. 
The  summit,  however,  is  sterile,  and  in  appearance  not 
unlike  a heap  of  ashes.  It  may  be  inferred  from  the  cavi- 
ties in  iron  coloured  rocks,  which  appear  to  have  been  cal- 
cined by  fire,  that  the  mountain  was  formerly  a volcano, 

b The  modern  Fortore.  De  Anville.  c The  modern  Celano. 

d Strabo,  Book  V.  chapter  9.  * Strabo,  Book  Y,  chap.  10,  sect.  2. 


113  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxvi. 


containing  fiery  furnaces,  which  were  extinguished,  when 
the  materials  that  supplied  them,  were  exhausted.”1 11  It  is 
not  a little  remarkable  to  hear  the  Greek  geographer  speak 
of  Vesuvius,  nearly  in  the  same  terms  that  a person  of  the 
present  day  would  apply  to  the  extinguished  volcanoes  in 
Auvergne.  The  fertility  of  Campania  induced  different 
people  to  settle  in  it  at  ditferent  periods  ; it  was  inhabited 
by  the  Opici  and  the  Jlusones,  before  it  was  conquered  by 
the  Osci,  who  were  in  their  turn  expelled  by  the  Cymaeif 
a Greek  tribe  that  emigrated  from  vEolia,  twelve  centuries 
before  the  vulgar  era.  After  having  built  twelve  towns,  of 
ivhich  Capua  was  the  capital,  the  Cymaei  were  vanquished  by 
the  Samnites,  who  were  themselves  subdued  by  the  Romans. 

Lucania  extended  to  the  south-east  of  Campania  from 
the  gulf  of  Salernum  to  that  of  Tarentum.  The  Lu- 
cani,  who  inhabited  the  country,  were  a colony  of  the  Sam- 
nites. Justin,  after  Trogus  Pompeius,  gives  the  following 
account  of  them.  “ As  soon  as  the  young  men  among  the 
Lucani,  arrive  at  the  age  of  puberty,  they  are  put  out  of  the 
towns,  and  sent  to  the  woods  among  the  shepherds  ; there, 
without  assistance,  without  clothing,  and  without  beds,  they 
are  early  accustomed  to  a laborious  and  frugal  life  ; they 
have  no  other  food  than  what  they  kill  in  the  chase,  no 
other  drink  than  the  water  from  the  stream.0  Thus,  they 
are  inured  in  youth  to  whatever  is  most  irksome  and  pain- 
ful in  the  life  of  a soldier.”  At  the  time  of  their  settling  in 
the  country,  the  coasts  of  eastern  Italy,  as  well  as  Sicily, 
were  peopled  with  Greek  colonies,  and  their  territory  re- 
ceived the  name  of  Great  Greece ,d  The  neighbours  of  the 
Lucani  made  war  against  those  new  settlers  ; it  was  always 
their  policy  to  oppose  their  invasions  on  the  maritime  dis- 
tricts. It  was  probably  that  policy  which  led  to  the  de- 
struction of  Sybaris,  a town  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Sybaris,  now  the  Cosale.6  It  appears  to  have  been  of 
eastern  origin,  at  least  Mentelle  derives  its  name  from  the 
word  sheber,  which  in  Hebrew  signifies  plenty.  It  is  re- 
markable that  when  the  Sybarites  had  rebuilt  the  same 
place,  its  Greek  name,  at  first  Thourion,  then  changed  by 
the  Latins  into  Tkurium,  and  afterwards  into  Copia  by  the 
Romans,  retained  always  the  same  signification.  Thor  in 
Chaldean  signifies  an  ox,  the  emblem  of  agriculture  ; and 
Copia  conveys  the  same  idea  of  abundance.  The  country 
of  the  Sybarites  was  rich  and  populous  ; it  contained  no 
fewer  than  twenty-five  towns,  and  an  army  of  thirty  thou- 
sand men  could  be  raised  in  the  event  of  a war.  But  the 
wealth  and  effeminacy  of  the  inhabitants  were  the  causes 
of  their  ruin. 

The  territory  of  Calabria  was  called  Bretium  or  Brutium 
by  the  ancients.  According  to  Strabo,  the  Brelii  or  Brutii 
who  inhabited  it,  migrated  from  Lucania,  but  Court  de 
Gebelin  considers  the  tradition  doubtful,  because  the  name 
of  Bretium  appears  to  come  from  the  Celtic  word  bret,  a 
forest.  The  Syrian  word  brula  signifies  a resinous  tree  ; 
Brutium  might  therefore  denote  a country  abounding  with 
pines.  It  has  been  already  shown  that  the  root  of  the  word 
Calabria  signifies  resin.  Some  degree  of  probability  may 
be  attached  to  these  etymologies,  from  the  fact  that  they 
correspond  very  exactly  with  the  productions  of  the  soil  in 
different  parts  of  southern  Italy. 

1 Strabo,  Book  V.  chap.  10.  sect.  1.  b Cumcci,  the  founders  of  Cumce. 

c “ Potus,  aut  lactis,  aut  fontium  liquor  crat.”  Justin.  Lib.  xxiii.  c.  1. 

d Magna  Grcecia  — In  the  original,  the  terra  is  applied  to  the  coasts 
of  Eastern  Italy  ; but  the  whole  southern  part  of  Italy,  comprising  Apulia, 
Calabria  ( antiqua ,)  Lucania,  and  the  country  of  the  Bruttii,  was  called 
Magna  Grajcia. — P. 


Sicily  was  first  inhabited  by  the  Sicani,  a people  of  Basque 
or  Iberian  origin,  by  whom  the  country  was  called  Sicania. 
Conquered  by  the  Siculi  or  Skill,  a Dalmatian  people,  that 
had  settled  in  Latium,  the  island  received  the  name  of  Si- 
cilia from  its  new  masters.  The  ancient  kings  of  Sicily 
were  denominated  tyrants  ;f  they  are  celebrated  in  history 
by  their  despotism  and  their  invasions  of  the  coasts  of  Italy. 
After  the  death  of  Dionysius,  one  of  these  princes,  the 
island  was  at  different  times  subdued  by  the  Greeks,  the 
Carthaginians,  the  Mamerlini,  who  were  a tribe  of  the 
Brutii,  and,  lastly,  by  the  Romans. 

The  four  provinces  which  composed  what  is  now  called 
the  kingdom  of  the  Two  Sicilies,  were  devastated  by  the 
Ostrogoths  after  the  fall  of  the  empire.  Narses  subdued 
them  in  the  year  553,  and  compelled  the  inhabitants  to 
submit  to  the  emperor  at  Constantinople.  Thirty  years 
afterwards,  Autharis,  king  of  Lombardy,  took  possession  of 
those  provinces,  and  founded  the  dutchy  of  Benevento ; 
Naples,  Salerno,  Capua  and  Taranto  were  within  the  do- 
minions of  its  dukes. 

Apulia  and  Calabria  continued  subject  to  the  Greek  em- 
perors. In  the  eleventh  century,  some  Norman  gentlemen, 
returning  from  a pilgrimage  to  the  holy  land,  (at  that  time 
pilgrims  carried  arms  along  with  them,)  remained  some  time 
at  Salerno.  While  they  resided  at  the  court  of  the  Lombard 
prince  Guimar,  the  Saracens,  then  masters  of  Sicily,  invaded 
the  port,  and  exacted  contribution  from  the  prince  and  the 
inhabitants.  The  Normans,  although  much  inferior  in  num- 
ber, would  not  suffer  infidels  to  plunder  the  town  without  re- 
sistance ; their  courage  supplied  them  with  strength,  and  but 
few  of  the  Saracens  returned  to  Sicily.  The  people,- grate- 
ful to  their  liberators,  loaded  them  with  presents  ; and,  after 
their  return  to  Normandy,  their  success  prompted  many  of 
their  countrymen  to  seek  wealth  and  fortune  in  Italy.  An 
expedition  was  accordingly  fitted  out  under  the  command 
of  Ranulph.  That  chief  after  having  rendered  important 
services  to  the  Greek  and  Lombard  princes,  obtained  permis- 
sion from  them  to  fortify  and  settle  in  Aversa,  between 
Naples  and  Capua.  Ranulph’s  successors  were  surpassed 
in  their  exploits  by  the  achievements  of  the  sons  of  Tancred. 
Their  alliance  was  courted  by  the  princes  of  Great  Greece, 
but  the  covetousness  of  the  latter  occasioned  dissentions 
between  them  and  the  Ultramontanes.  Manasses,  general 
of  the  Greek  troops,  led  an  army  into  Sicily,  but  that  army 
could  not  vanquish  without  the  French,  who  gave  signal 
proofs  of  their  valour  ; whilst  they  were  pursuing  the  Sara- 
cens in  their  mountains,  the  Greeks  shared  the  booty  taken 
from  the  enemy.  The  Normans  deputed  Ardoin,  one  of 
their  chiefs,  to  remonstrate  with  their  allies  against  so  flagrant 
an  act  of  injustice.  The  Norman  was  scourged,  conducted 
round  the  camp,  and  returned  covered  with  blood  to  his 
friends.  It  was  difficult  to  restrain  the  impetuosity  of  the 
soldiers  burning  to  avenge  their  general,  or  to  prevent  them 
from  marching  against  the  Greeks,  but  Ardoin  conceived 
the  bold  project  of  making  himself  master  of  Apulia,  and  his 
companions  seconded  him  with  so  much  ardour,  that  the 
conquest  was  an  easy  one.  William,  surnamed  the  Iron 
Arm,s  eldest  son  of  Tancred,  and  after  him  Dreux  and  On- 
froy,  his  two  brothers,  founded  several  principalities  ; lastly, 

e Coscile. 

f The  word  tyrant  (: mpawos ,)  in  its  original  acceptation,  signified  mere- 
ly a prince  or  sovereign. — P. 

e William,  surnamed  Bracchio  di  Ferro  ( Bras  de  Per.  M.B.  Fiera- 
bras,  Moreri,)  or  William  with  the  Iron  Arm.  Guthrie  & Gray’s  Univ 
Hist.  v.  X.  p.  45. — P 


book  cxxxvi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY.  119 


Robert,  the  fourth  of  Tancred’s  twelve  sons,  and  who  from 
his  great  cunning  was  surnamed  Guiscarcl,  extended  these 
conquests.  Master  of  Apulia,  Calabria,  and  the  principali- 
ties of  Salerno  and  Benevento,  he  obtained  from  the  pope 
the  title  of  duke.  Roger,  his  brother,  conqueied  Sicily  with 
a handful  of  Normans,  and  took  the  title  of  count.  His  son 
Roger,  heir  of  Robert  Guiscard’s  dominions,  forced  the  em- 
peror Lothaire  and  Pope  Innocent  the  Second  to  acknow- 
ledge him  as  king ; his  possessions  comprehended  almost 
all  the  territory,  which  forms  at  present  the  kingdom  of  the 
Two  Sicilies.® 

It  was  thus  that  the  Normans  established  themselves  in 
southern  Italy  ; William  the  Third,  the  last  of  their  princes, 
succeeded  to  the  throne  ; when  too  young  to  reign,  his  mo- 
ther Sibylla  was  appointed  regent.  The  emperor  Henry 
the  Sixth,  who  was  related  to  the  same  family,  had  been 
nominated  protector  ; by  his  instructions  Sibylla  was  confined 
in  prison,  and  he  condemned  her  son  to  perpetual  bondage 
after  having  deprived  him  of  his  sight  and  virility.  Master 
of  the  throne  of  Naples,  his  ambition  might  have  been  satis- 
fied, but  his  cruelty  excited  him  to  new  crimes,  and  all  the 
partisans  of  the  Norman  princes  were  destroyed.  His  ava- 
rice prompted  him  to  other  acts  of  injustice  ; while  Richard 
Cceur  de  Lion  was  passing  through  his  dominions,  Henry 
confined  him  in  prison,  in  order  to  obtain  a ransom.  The 
same  emperor  seized  the  possessions  of  the  church,  and  dis- 
tributed them  among  his  favourites.  The  last  usurpation 
brought  upon  him  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican ; but  ha  ving 
been  reconciled  with  the  church,  he  commenced  anew  his 
cruelties  in  Italy  with  so  much  atrocity  that  his  wife  put  her- 
self at  the  head  of  the  insurgents  and  confined  him  in  a 
castle.  Not  long  afterwards  the  empress  believing  her  hus- 
band penitent  restored  him  to  liberty,  and  he  was  preparing 
to  atone  for  his  crimes  by  a pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  Land, 
when  he  was  poisoned  in  1 197,  bearing  the  surname  of 
Cruel,  which  he  had  too  well  deserved.  The  descendants 
of  Henry  reigned  at  Naples  until  the  year  1265,  when  the 
investiture  was  bestowed  by  the  pope  on  the  conqueror,  who 
had  defeated  the  usurper  Manfred. b 

Charles  of  Anjou,  brother  of  St.  Louis,  promised  to  ful- 
fil the  intentions  of  Rome  ; although  it  was  well  known  that 
the  nearest  heir  was  alive,  reports  were  circulated  concern- 
ing his  death  ; the  accession  of  Charles  was  therefore  a new 
usurpation  ; indeed  he  himself  used  to  affirm  that  his  go- 
vernment could  only  be  maintained  by  an  iron  sceptre. 
Conradin,  the  grandson  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  laid  claim  to 
the  throne,  but  he  was  defeated  and  decapitated  by  Charles, 
an  event  that  tended  to  increase  the  hatred  of  the  Sicilians 
towards  their  new  master.  The  severity  of  his  government, 
and  the  F rench  garrisons  in  all  the  towns,  reminded  the  peo- 
ple of  his  conquest  over  them.  The  F rench,  besides,  were 
dangerous  rivals  near  their  wives  ; these  and  other  causes 
led  to  important  results.  Procida,  a proscribed  person,  con- 
ceived the  bold  design  of  liberating  his  country  ; he  was  sup- 
ported by  the  pope,  the  Greek  emperor,  and  the  king  of 
Arragon.  Having  disguised  himself,  he  travelled  through 
Sicily,  and  excited  the  inhabitants  to  revolt ; the  king  of 
Arragon,  not  unprepared  for  action,  had  a fleet  on  the  coast 
of  Africa,  under  pretext  of  watching  the  Moors.  In  the 
year  1282,  on  the  day  before  Easter,  a lady  of  Palermo 

1 Sismondi,Histoire  des  Republiques  Italiennes.  A.  de  la  Salle,  His- 
toire  des  Princes  de  Normandie  en  Sicile. 

b Urban  IY.  published  a Crusade  against  Manfred  ( Mainfroy ,)  and  of- 
fered the  investiture  of  the  Sicilian  crown  as  a reward  for  his  expulsion. 
This  offer  wa?  iccepted  by  Charles  of  Anjou,  who  arrived  at  Rome  in  May 


was  insulted  by  a Frenchman  during  a procession,  an  insult 
that  gave  rise  to  the  revolt,  which  has  been  styled  the  Sici- 
lian vespers.  The  tumult  might  have  been  soon  quelled, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  conspiracy  of  Procida  ; the  people 
rushed  to  arms,  and  massacred  the  French.  The  conspi- 
rators invited  the  king  of  Arragon  and  his  fleet  to  their  as- 
sistance, and  proclaimed  him  sovereign.  The  consequence 
of  that  event  was  the  separation  of  Naples  and  Sicily  ; the 
former  continued  under  the  house  of  Anjou  until  the  year 
1382,  but  in  the  following  century,  the  two  crowns  were 
again  united.  The  possession  of  Naples  and  Sicily  was  the 
occasion  of  many  wars  between  France,  Spain  and  the 
Empire.  The  Spanish  branch  of  the  house  of  Bourbon 
ruled  over  the  two  countries,  until  the  last  king  fled  for  re- 
luge  to  Sicily  in  1805.  Naples  was  first  given  to  Joseph 
Buonaparte  by  his  brother,  and  afterwards  to  Joachim  Mu- 
rat in  1808.  The  old  government  was  restored  in  1815. 

San  Germano,  on  the  side  of  the  Appennines,  near  the 
site  of  two  ancient  cities — Casinum  and  Jlquinum,  of  which 
some  ruins  still  remain,  is  the  first  town  of  any  importance, 
on  the  frontiers  of  the  Terra  di  Lavoro.  Murat  was  defeat- 
ed  in  1815,  near  the  fortress  that  commands  San  Germano. 
The  abbot  of  Monte  Cassino  resides  in  the  town.  The  abbey 
or  convent,  presenting  a front  of  more  than  five  hundred 
feet,  stands  on  the  summit  of  a steep  mountain.  A fine  li- 
brary and  a collection  of  antiquities,  are  contained  in  the 
building.  The  ashes  of  St.  Benedict,  its  founder,  and  St. 
Scholastica  are  deposited  in  the  church.  The  Benedictines 
of  Monte  Cassino  were  formerly  the  proprietors  and  the 
lords  of  all  the  neighbouring  iShds,  which  now  belong  to  Ihe 
crown.  Banditti  inlest  the  country  round  the  abbey  ; the 
dead  bodies  suspended  at  different  distances  on  the  branches 
of  trees,  announce  the  punishment  that  awaits  them,  but 
do  not  intimidate  or  deter  them  from  the  commission  of 
crimes.  The  Appennines  in  the  same  part  of  the  country 
exhibit  a peculiar  aspect ; snow  still  lingers  on  many 
heights  in  the  month  of  June,  exhibiting  streaks  of  silvery 
whiteness,  which  together  with  the  fine  walnut  trees,  render 
them  not  unlike  the  Alps  in  Switzerland.  The  peasants  do 
not  inhabit  the  vallies,  because  they  are  unhealthy  ; but  in 
summer  they  collect  the  cherries,  and  employ  themselves 
in  other  rural  labours.  The  reapers  amuse  themselves  by 
dancing  to  the  accompaniment  of  the  zampogna  or  rustic 
flute.  Eight  men  form  a circle  by  taking  hold  of  each 
other’s  hands ; as  many  girls  leap  on  their  shoulders,  and 
remain  while  the  men  dance,  pass  alternately  under  one 
another’s  arms  and  make  a thousand  evolutions ; the  girls 
then  descend,  and  dance  or  sing  in  the  middle  of  the  circle  ; 
lastly,  at  a given  signal,  every  man  receives  in  his  arms  her 
whom  he  carried  on  his  back.  The  robust  appearance  of  the 
men,  and  the  slender  figures  of  their  partners,  together  with 
the  motley  costume  of  the  latter,  have  rather  a ludicrous 
effect ; two  pieces  of  cloth,  the  one  red,  and  the  other  green, 
encompass  their  waists  ; a silver  pin  binds  their  long  black 
hair,  which  sets  off  their  fine  complexion. 

It  has  more  than  once  been  remarked,  that  in  propor- 
tion as  nature  is  prodigal  of  her  treasures,  in  the  same  ratio 
does  man  become  careless  and  slothful.  The  truth  of  the 
observation  may  be  confirmed  by  visiting  Italy,  and  by  com- 
paring it  with  other  countries.  It  ought  not,  however,  to 

1265,  and  after  having  been  solemnly  crowned,  invaded  the  kingdom  of 
Naples.  A decisive  battle  was  fought  at  Benevento ; the  Neapolitans  de- 
serted Manfred,  who  was  entirely  defeated  and  killed  on  the  field,  Feb.  26, 

1266. — P. 


120  EURC 

De  concluded  that  the  far  niente,3  which  distinguishes  the 
Italian,  is  the  elfect  of  climate.  The  people  have  retained 
nothing  of  the  activity  and  energy  of  their  ancestors  ; it 
would  be  more  correct  to  attribute  the  change  to  moral 
rather  than  to  physical  causes.  Charity,  so  wisely  enjoined 
by  the  founder  of  Christianity,  but  which  when  applied, 
must  be  directed  with  judgment  by  legislators  and  the  in- 
terpreters of  divine  truths,  has  contributed  not  a little  in 
countries  where  industry  has  not  received  the  necessary 
impulse  from  government,  to  encourage  indolence  and  ser- 
vility, and  to  produce  corruption  and  all  the  vices  and 
crimes  which  the  lower  orders  of  society  are  tempted  to 
commit.  What  man  has  visited  Italy  without  remarking 
the  arrogance  with  which  the  mendicant  exacts  the  wages 
of  his  importunity  1 He  supposes  that  his  wretchedness 
gives  him  a right  to  what  he  implores;  that  notion  leads  to 
another  ; he  considers  mendicity  as  a trade, — a sort  of 
industry ; shame  is  then  banished  from  the  mind,  and  if 
the  means  of  subsistence  can  be  procured  by  alms,  the 
Deople  choose  to  beg  rather  than  to  work.  A person 
vithout  education  and  virtue,  can  perceive  little  difference 
between  demanding  as  a supplicant,  and  exacting  as  a 
robber.  It  is  not  therefore  wonderful  that  highway  rob- 
bery should  be  a profession  in  countries  where  mendicity 
is  a trade. 

Beggars  and  bandits,  the  scourges  of  Italy,  are  as  com- 
mon in  the  kingdom  of  Naples  as  in  the  States  of  the 
Church.  Between  Terracina,  on  the  frontiers  of  the 
Roman  states,  and  Fondi,  a miserable  Neapolitan  town 
inhabited  by  mendicants,  theflbanditti  have  established  their 
head  quarters.  Although  military  posts  are  stationed  at 
every  quarter  of  a league,  a stranger  may  consider  himself 
fortunate  if  he  escape  an  attack.  Scouts  stationed  on  the 
rocks  that  command  the  road,  apprize  their  chief  of  a 
traveller’s  approach  ; in  a moment,  these  men,  accustomed 
to  descend  the  steepest  heights,  intercept  the  road  almost 
within  sight  of  the  soldiers  stationed  to  repel  them.  Wo  to 
the  brave  traveller  who  offers  to  resist  them  ; he  may  atone 
for  his  temerity  with  his  life.  To  carry  nothing  which  may 
excite  their  avarice  is  not  always  a security.  The  inspec- 
tion of  a passport  or  other  papers  suffices  to  indicate  the 
profession  or  rank  of  the  person  to  whom  they  belong,  and 
he  remains  a hostage  until  the  sum  fixed  for  his  ransom  has 
been  paid  by  a friend  or  correspondent.  They  seldom 
wait  longer  than  the  stipulated  time  for  the  ransom  ; if  it 
does  not  arrive  within  the  limited  period,  the  prisoners  are 
put  to  death.  These  men,  inured  to  every  sort  of  crime, 
are  in  many  instances  the  fathers  of  families  ; they  cultivate 
their  fields,  and  obey  implicitly  him  whom  they  have  .chosen 
for  their  chief.  They  wear  a particular  dress, — -buskins  or 
sandals  attached  by  cords  that  reach  to  the  middle  of  the 
leg,  a broad  girdle  bound  by  a silver  clasp,  pantaloons  and 
waistcoat  of  blue  cloth,  with  buttons  of  the  same  metal,  an 
open  shirt,  a conical  hat  encircled  with  different  coloured 
ribbons,  a short  but  loose  mantle  of  a brown  colour,  and  a 
belt,  to  which  are  suspended  a sabre,  a dagger,  a spoon  and 
a fork.  All  of  them  carry  fire  armsjb  and  wear  on  their 
oreast  an  image  of  the  Virgin  or  the  infant  Jesus.  Saint 
, Anthony  is  their  favourite  patron  ; why  they  have  chosen  that 

peaceful  hermit  cannot  be  easily  determined.  «. 

■ | 

)PE.  [BOOK  CXXXVI. 

The  dangers  one  encounters  in  the  six  leagues’  stage 
between  Terracina  and  Fondi,  and  the  wretched  aspect  of 
the  inhabitants,  may  heighten,  by  contrast,  the  beauty  of 
the  valley  in  which  the  last  town  is  situated.  The  principal 
street  stands  on  the  Appian  way.  Bean  fields  diffuse  their 
fragrance  round  the  neighbouring  country ; the  roads  are 
lined  with  hedges  of  aloe,  or  with  orange,  lemon  and  cy- 
press trees.  At  the  sight  of  such  profusion,  a traveller  may 
be  tempted  to  ask,  why  nature  has  lavished  these  treasures 
on  a sensual  and  indolent  people.  Historical  associations 
give  new  charms  to  the  varied  and  picturesque  scenery,  and 
to  the  fine  views  that,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mola,c  are 
bounded  by  the  Mediterranean.  Near  that  town,  Cicero 
had  his  country  house,  and  on  the  very  road  by  which 
strangers  travel  at  present,  the  assassins  suborned  by 
Anthony,  seized  the  Roman  orator. 

Gaeta,  which  rises  like  an  amphitheatre  on  the  shores  of 
the  sea,  was  the  ancient  Caieta ; its  harbour  was  repaired 
by  Antoninus  Pius,  and  its  present  walls  were  built  by  Charles 
the  Fifth ; within  these  walls  may  be  seen  the  tomb  of  the 
Constable  Bourbon,  whose  body  was  deprived  of  the  rites 
of  sepulture  from  the  year  1528  to  1757,  because  he  had 
been  excommunicated. 

Capua  has  nothing  in  common  with  the  luxurious  Capua 
of  the  ancients,  but  the  name.  It  is  situated  half  a league 
from  the  ancient  town.d  It  was  founded  by  the  Lombards 
in  the  year  856  ; and  the  streets  are  as  dirty  at  present, 
as  they  were  in  the  time  of  those  barbarians.  Caserta, 
which  owes  its  origin  to  the  same  people,  contains  only  one 
remarkable  edifice, — the  magnificent  palace  built  in  1752 
by  Charles  the  Third  of  Spain.  These  places  lead  to  Na- 
ples, the  Neapolis  of  the  Romans,  and  the  Parthenope  of  the 
Greeks  ; the  last  of  whom,  in  their  brilliant  fictions,  attributed 
its  foundation  to  the  siren  Parthenope,  to  indicate  the  safety 
of  its  harbour,  and  its  maritime  importance. 

Naples  stands  on  a gulf,  of  which  the  outline  is  equal  to 
fifty  miles  in  extent ; the  town  and  the  suburbs  are  not  less 
than  eight  miles  in  circumference.  The  broad  quays  ; the 
castle  of  the  Egg  ( Castel  dell ’ Uovo)  on  an  insulated  rock  ; 
that  of  Saint  Elmo  which  protrudes  into  the  sea ;®  the  island 
of  Capri,  rising  like  a sterile  rock  from  the  water  ; the 
blackish  colour  of  Vesuvius,  which  menaces  the  town  with 
its  destructive  fires,  its  sides  covered  with  the  richest  ver- 
dure, and  dotted  with  white  points  or  so  many  country 
houses  ; the  blue  mountains  that  terminate  in  the  promon- 
tory of  Massa ; the  town  of  Castel  a Mare , built  on  the 
ruins  of  the  ancient  Stabm,  near  which  the  elder  Pliny 
perished,  while  contemplating  the  eruption  by  which  Pom- 
peii was  destroyed  ; lastly,  Sorrento  on  the  sea  shore,  the 
birth  place  of  Tasso,  form  together  a landscape,  of  which 
the  magnificence  surpasses  the  most  gorgeous  description. 

He  who  sees,  for  the  first  time,  the  splendid  panorama  un- 
folding itself  before  him,  may  be  ready  to  exclaim  with  the 
Neapolitan,  Vedi  Napoli  e poi  muori.( 

The  crowded  quays  announce  a populous  city7,  but  to 
judge  of  Naples,  one  must  repair  to  the  street  of  Toledo.6 
No  street  in  Paris  is  so  noisy,  none  exhibits  so  much  confu- 
sion ; the  crowds  on  a Sunday  are  so  great  as  to  render  it 
almost  impossible  for  foot  passengers  to  proceed,  and  yet 
three  hundred  carnages  pass  along  it  with  great  velocity, 

**  “ Tlie  propensity  to  idleness” — (Jar  niente , to  do  nothing.) 
b “ Muskets.”  ' Mola  di  Gaeta. 

d The  ancient  city  of  Capua  stood  about  two  miles  S.  E.  of  the  present 
town. — P. 

9 

• 

pp. . — 

'The  castle  of  St.  Elmo  stands  on  the  highest  point  of  the  mountain 
overlooking  the  whole  city — the  Castel  dell’  Uovo  projectsinto  the  sea. — P. 
f See  Naples  and  then  die,  or  in  plain  English,  there  is  nothing  worth 
1 seeing  after  Naples. — P.  s Strada  di  Toledo. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


121 


BOOK  CXXXVI.] 

and  cross  each  other  in  every  direction.  The  Toledo  may 
be  called  a perpetual  fair ; the  Aquaiolo  distributes  his  re- 
freshing beverage,  the  lazzarone  sells  his  figs,  the  mounte- 
bank exhibits  his  wonders,  and  mixing  the  sacred  with  the 
profane,  gives  his  hearers  some  notion  of  future  bliss  from 
the  pleasure  they  experience  in  eating  his  macaroni. 
Sometimes,  a funeral  procession  advances  in  the  midst  of 
the  throng,  with  all  the  pomp  of  a triumph.  The  coffin  is 
deposited  in  a sort  of  ark  or  chest,  resplendent  with  gold 
and  silver,  and  resting  on  a bier  covered  with  crimson 
velvet. 

The  motion  and  the  bustle  which  distinguish  Naples,  are 
no  proofs  of  industry  or  labour.  The  Neapolitans  agitate 
and  torment  themselves  without  doing  any  thing,  as  they 
quarrel  and  menace  each  other  without  ever  coming  to 
blows.  It  may  be  readily  conceived  that  these  remarks  are 
only  applicable  to  the  lower  orders,  but  in  such  classes  the 
national  character  is  most  easily  observed.  The  general 
hatred  against  those  who  hold  the  balance  of  Themis,  may 
proceed  from  the  conviction  that  the  laws  are  unjustly  ad- 
ministered. If  a person,  caught  in  the  act  of  picking 
another’s  pocket,  be  beaten  or  scourged,  the  people  approve 
of  the  correction,  but  if  he  be  conducted  to  the  tribunal, 
they  murmur, — they  are  dissatisfied.  If  a crime  has  been 
committed,  the  people  pity  the  man  who  has  suffered  from 
it ; but  if  the  criminal  be  apprehended,  he  then  becomes 
an  object  of  sympathy.  Let  not  the  reader  confound  in 
these  characteristic  traits,  pity  for  the  man  who  is  justly 
punished,  with  the  jealous  hatred  that  the  people  bear 
towards  the  wealthy  or  privileged  classes,  who  are  too  often 
suffered  to  commit  offences  with  impunity.  There  is  no 
town  where  the  inhabitants  make  such  use  of  their  canes 
as  at  Naples ; if  an  individual  were  to  strike  a hackney- 
coachman  in  London  or  Paris,  he  might  be  repaid  with 
interest,  but  the  hackney-coachmen  of  Naples  submit  to 
castigation  with  the  greatest  patience. 

The  Lazzaroni  lead  a very  monotonous  life.  Idle  from 
choice,  and  servile  from  indolence  or  want  of  energy,  they 
rarely  disturb  the  tranquillity  of  the  town  where  the  police 
does  little  or  nothing  for  the  public  safety.  They  have  only 
evinced  their  hostile  intentions  on  a few  great  occasions,  and 
under  a government  odious  to  every  class  of  the  community. 
These  men  who  obtain  as  much  macaroni  as  they  can  eat 
for  three  halfpence,  and  quench  their  thirst  with  iced  water 
for  a farthing,  may  easily  satisfy  their  most  urgent  wants. 
Ice  is  as  much  an  article  of  necessity  at  Naples,  as  bread  is 
in  temperate  regions,  and  government  takes  care  that  the 
people  have  it  at  a cheap  rate.  It  has  been  said  that  a day 
without  ice  might  make  the  Neapolitans  revolt,  and  there  is 
more  truth  in  the  saying  than  many  are  apt  to  suppose. 
Mendicity  assumes  all  its  varied  forms  to  deceive  the  stran- 
ger, or  move  the  pity  of  the  passenger  ; theft,  too,  is  very 
common;  if  a person  does  not  use  great  precautions,  he  is 
in  continual  danger  of  losing  his  watch  or  his  handkerchief. 
So  great  is  the  dexterity  of  the  pickpockets,  that  one  might 
oelieve  the  ancient  Parthenope  had  been  founded  by  a colo- 
ny of  Spartans. 

The  revolution  by  which  Joseph  Buonaparte,  and  after- 
wards Joachim  Murat,  were  raised  to  the  throne  of  Naples, 
was  attended  with  the  inconvenience  of  removing  some  fa- 
vourites, and  of  giving  a new  direction  to  royal  favour.  But 
it  had  the  advantage  of  bringing  forward  superior  men,  and 
such  as  were  animated  with  good  intentions,  and  even  the 
present  government  has  profited  by  the  useful  lesson,  which 

VOL.  III.— NO.  46.  16 


the  usurpation  afforded.  Good  roads  were  made  into  remote 
provinces,  and  industry  was  encouraged ; order  was  intro- 
duced into  the  administration,  and  a regular  code  of  laws 
was  substituted  for  the  inextricable  conliision  of  ill-digested 
and  contradictory  precedents  ; assassins  were  disarmed  ; 
and  the  revenue,  although  almost  doubled  by  oppressive 
taxes  on  the  rich,  was  at  least  expended  among  the  poor 
and  stimulated  their  industry.  Public  schools  for  the  lower 
orders  were  established  at  the  expense  of  government,  and 
the  teachers  received  a fixed  salary  of  fifteen  ducats  a month. 
Although  these  schools  were  ill  attended  at  first,  the  number 
of  scholars  increased  gradually,  and  they  are  still  increasing, 
for  they  have  not  yet  been  abolished.  The  rising  genera- 
tion among  the  lower  orders  in  the  town  can  now  read  and 
write,  a degree  of  knowledge  which  is  by  no  means  common 
in  the  country.  Murat,  in  the  year  1807,  established  four- 
teen royal  colleges,  and  appointed  able  professors  ; they 
were  attended  by  six  thousand  students,  but  the  numbei 
has  decreased.  Boys  of  noble  or  rich  families  are  rarely 
sent  to  college  ; some  have  private  tutors,  or  receive  lessons 
at  home  from  the  professors  of  colleges  ; but  a great  many, 
brought  up  among  servants,  receive  no  education,  and  few 
instances  are  to  be  found  of  young  men,  who  are  devoted  to 
literary  or  scientific  pursuits.  Of  the  women,  comparatively 
few  are  now  sent  to  a convent  to  be  educated.  Queen 
Caroline,  the  wife  of  Murat,  established,  at  the  expense  of 
government,  a seminary  for  young  ladies  of  noble  families, 
something  like  the  one  at  St.  Denis  in  France,  and  the 
present  authorities  keep  up  the  institution. 

Among  the  rich,  pride  and  vanity  are  the  motives  of 
every  action.  Women  above  the  lower  ranks,  seldom  or 
never  walk  in  the  streets  ; those  who  cannot  afford  a car- 
riage, doom  themselves  to  perpetual  imprisonment  in  their 
own  houses,  or  only  go  to  church  with  one  or  two  poor 
lazzaroni,  hired  for  the  occasion,  who  put  on  an  antiquated 
livery,  and  carry  a book  and  a cushion.  Good  natured 
husbands  sometimes  perform  the  office,  thinking,  probably, 
that  they  cannot  be  recognized  in  the  disguise  of  a footman, 
and  choosing  to  gratify  vanity  at  the  expense  of  pride. a The 
luxury  of  the  rich  is  displayed  in  their  horses  and  carriages  ; 
as  to  their  morals,  they  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  sacrifice 
realities  to  appearances ; a lady  talks  of  her  intrigues  as 
she  would  of  her  domestic  duties,  and  of  her  lovers  as  of 
her  husband. 

The  largest  and  most  commodious  houses  are  situated  m 
the  Chiaja,  the  finest  of  the  five  suburbs  that  communicate 
with  Naples.  It  extends  westwards,  and  is  terminated  by 
a long  quay  or  rather  a public  walk  planted  with  orange 
and  lemon  trees,  and  adorned  with  lawns  and  fountains. 
It  is  there  that  the  Farnese  bull,  a chef-d’oeuvre  of  anti- 
quity, has  been  placed  ; near  it  may  be  seen  the  bust  of 
Tasso,  for  which  the  French  erected  a rotundo  supported 
by  white  marble  columns.  The  finest  coffee-houses  in 
Naples  are  situated  in  the  same  walk,  which  is  crowded 
every  evening  with  carriages.  The  different  quarters  of 
the  town  are  embellished  with  fountains,  and  the  water  is 
supplied  by  an  aqueduct,  that  extends  from  the  base  of 
Mount  Vesuvius.  All  the  squares  in  Naples,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  that  in  front  of  the  royal  palace,  are  small  and 
irregular ; the  dark  and  narrow  streets  near  the  centre  of 
the  town  are  lined  with  lofty  houses  ; the  smooth  black 
pavement  is  formed  by  large  blocks  of  lava  from  Vesuvius. 


‘Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 


122  EUROPE.  [hook  cxxxvi. 


The  theatre  of  San  Carlos,  which  communicates  with 
the  royal  palace,  is  more  remarkable  than  any  other  from 
iis  dimensions  and  elegant  structure.  None  of  the  palaces 
can  be  compared  with  the  one  inhabited  by  the  sovereign. 
The  architecture  is  modern  ; the  front  extends  to  the  dis- 
tance of  six  hundred  feet,  and  contains  twenty-two  win- 
dows and  three  doors  adorned  with  granite  columns,  which 
support  balconies. 

The  cathedral  is  also  called  the  Vescovado  and  the  church 
of  San  Gennaro  or  St.  Januarius,  a personage  held  in 
veneration  by  the  people,  and  whose  blood,  preserved  in  two 
small  vials,  excites  the  joy  or  despair  of  the  populace  ac- 
cording as  it  dissolves  or  remains  coagulated  on  the  nine- 
teenth of  September,  the  birthday  of  the  patron  saint. 
The  church  is  of  Gothic  architecture,  and  it  stands  on  the 
ruins  of  a temple  consecrated  to  Apollo.  Of  the  other 
two  hundred  churches  in  the  town,  there  are  hardly  any 
worthy  of  Italy.1 

Naples,  says  Doctor  Valentin, b had  not  before  the  last 
century,  a number  of  charitable  institutions,  proportionate 
to  its  population.  There  are  at  present  twelve  hospitals, 
including  the  hospital  of  Invalids,  the  Foundling  Hospital, 
and  the  Rcclusorio.  The  hospital  of  Incurables  is  the 
largest  and  best  kept  in  the  town  ; nearly  a thousand 
patients  are  confined  in  it,  but  it  might  contain  double  the 
number.  Four  clinical  chairs  dependant  on  the  university 
are  attached  to  the  institution  ; the  first  relates  to  medicine, 
the  second  to  surgery,  the  third  to  midwifery,  and  the 
fourth  to  diseases  of  the  eye. 

The  industry  of  the  Neapolitans  is  confined  to  a few 
manufactures,  such  as  silk  stuffs,  ribbons  and  silk  stockings  ; 
many  are  also  employed  in  making  macaroni  and  different 
kinds  of  pastry.  The  perfumed  soaps  and  the  musical 
strings  of  Naples  are  exported  to  different  countries.  The 
comfits  of  the  same  town,  particularly  the  diavolini,  are  said 
to  be  the  best  in  Italy. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  catacombs  at  Rome ; 
those  near  Naples  are  more  extensive.  They  occupy  the 
cavities  in  a height  situated  to  the  north  of  the  town.  The 
galleries,  cut  in  a sandy  volcanic  rock,  which  was  worked 
at  a very  remote  period,  are  in  several  places  eighteen  or 
twenty  feet  broad  by  fourteen  high.  These  galleries  were 
used  as  cemeteries  during  the  first  centuries  of  the  Chris- 
tian era. 

Pompeii'  is  the  most  interesting  object  of  antiquity  in  the 
vicinity  of  Naples  ; it  was  buried  by  an  eruption  of  Mount 
Vesuvius,  the  fires  of  which  have  hitherto  spared  Naples, 
although  both  places  are  situated  nearly  at  equal  distances 
from  the  mountain,  the  first  in  a westerly  direction,  the  other 
towards  the  north. d When  the  volcano  which  had  ceased 
to  burn,  at  a date  anterior  to  the  historical  period,  com- 
menced anew  in  the  year  seventy-nine  of  the  Christian  era, 
Pompeii  was  overwhelmed  by  a deluge  of  ashes,  water  and 
mud.  The  greater  number  of  the  inhabitants  had  in  all 
probability  full  time  to  escape  with  their  most  valuable 
effects, — a fact  that  may  be  inferred  from  the  inconsiderable 
number  of  skeletons  which  have  been  nitherto  discovered, — 
not  one  hundred  in  all, — and  from  the  small  quantity  either 
of  jewels  or  money.  They  might  ha  e returned  after  the 
catastrophe  to  collect  whatever  was  ol  talue,  for  it  is  very 


* “ Of  the  was  hundred  churches  in  Naples,  there  is  none  whose  portal  is 
worthy  of  Italy.” 

b Voyage  en  Italie.  * “ Pompeia.” 


remarkable  that  the  lowest  stratum  appears  to  have  been 
pierced  or  broken,  while  the  upper  do  not.  Eight  strata  of 
volcanic  deposits  succeed  each  other ; from  which  it  may 
be  concluded  that  eruptions  have  taken  place  at  different 
times  in  the  same  direction.  Scoriae  and  pumice,  but  no 
lava,  are  found  among  the  igneous  products.  A modern 
may  walk  in  the  streets,  and  enter  the  houses  of  Pompeii. 
The  high  road  that  leads  to  it,  is  paved  with  huge  pieces  of 
lava,  irregularly  shaped,  but  arranged  so  as  to  fit  each 
other,  and  presenting  a tolerably  fiat  surface  ; from  the 
narrowness  of  the  road,  however,  the  wheels  run  constantly 
in  the  same  track,  which  is  deeply  marked  on  the  stones. 
The  walls  of  the  town  were  first  cleared,  and  the  whole 
circumference  is  now  exposed  to  view.  These  walls  which 
from  certain  ancient  characters  on  many  parts  of  them,  ap- 
pear to  have  been  founded  by  the  Osci,  long  before  the 
foundation  of  Rome,  are  about  twenty  feet  in  perpendicular 
height  on  the  outside,  but  they  form  inside  an  inclined 
plane  with  narrow  steps  for  the  soldiers  to  ascend  to  the 
top.  The  barracks  are  in  a good  state  of  preservation  ; 
they  resemble  a cloister  for  monks,  being  a quadrangular 
court  with  high  walls  and  small  rooms  without  windows, 
under  a projecting  roof  supported  by  pillars.  The  indecent 
sketches  and  writings  on  the  walls  by  the  Roman  soldiers, — 
the  fruits  of  their  idleness, — have  excited  great  curiosity. 
The  rubbish  has  been  taken  away  from  two  theatres,  an 
amphitheatre,  and  most  of  the  houses  in  the  town.  It  may 
be  thus  seen  that  it  was  customary  for  the  ancients  to  write 
the  names  of  the  proprietors6  above  the  doors  of  the  houses. 

Herculaneum,  buried  under  torrents  of  lava,  above 
which  a town  is  built/  has  only  been  explored  in  order  to 
collect  the  treasures,  which  give  so  much  interest  to  the 
museum  in  the  royal  palace  at  Portici.  The  excavations 
which  were  made  have  been  since  filled  up,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  theatre.  The  town  was  larger  and  more  im- 
portant than  Pompeii ; it  may  be  regretted  that  it  cannot 
be  seen. 

The  finest  views  of  Naples  are  from  the  palace  of 
Portici,  and  from  the  Capo  di  Monte,  where  one  may 
count  its  palaces  and  churches,  and  observe  the  islands 
which  rise  at  the  entrance  of  its  gulf,  and  the  sea  lost  in 
the  horizon.  But  the  garden  of  Camaldoli  is  not  less  cele- 
brated ; situated  on  the  summit  of  a volcanic  hill  twelve 
hundred  feet  in  height,  near  a convent  in  which  the  monks 
are  so  insensible  to  the  magic  of  a natural  landscape,  that 
they  wonder  why  so  many  strangers  visit  them.  The  view 
extends  towards  the  north,  over  the  vast  plains  of  Cam- 
pania, bounded  by  the  mountains  of  the  Abruzzi,  and 
Naples  appears  on  one  side  between  Pozzuoli  and  Vesuvius. 
From  the  same  gardens  are  seen  the  lake  of  Avernus,  no 
longer  exhaling  the  noxious  vapours  mentioned  by  Virgil, 
and  no  longer  suffocating  the  birds  that  fly  above  its  sur- 
face ; the  Solfatara,  anciently  called  the  valley  of  Pldegra,  or 
the  Forum  Vidcani ; the  lake  of  Agnano,  from  whose  bub- 
bling waters  streams  of  hydrogen  escape  ; the  Fusaro,  the 
Acheron  of  the  poets  ; and  lastly,  Baia,  the  ancient  Baice, 
of  which  the  soil  is  now  arid  and  sterile,  but  its  enchanting 
sites  induced  Caesar  and  Nero  to  build  palaces  near  the 
temples  of  Diana,  Venus  and  Hercules. 

We  may  now  descend  from  Camaldoli,  and  direct  our 


<i  Pompeii  is  situated  on  the  south-western  slope  of  Vesuvius ; Naples  to 
the  north-west. — P. 

« “ Locataires,”  tenants.  f Portici. 


J 


BOOK  CXXXVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


123 


steps  to  the  hill  called  Monte  Pausilippo ,®  a promontory 
that  separates  Naples  from  the  Phlegraean  fields.  A sub- 
terranean road,  supposed  to  be  the  most  ancient  work  of 
the  kind,  passes  through  the  hill.  “ The  road,”  says  Strabo, 
“ extends  through  the  mountain  situated  between  Neapolis 
(Naples)  and  JJiccearchia  (pozzuoli.)  The  breadth  is  so 
great,  that  carriages  pasS^each  other  without  inconvenience, 
ani  l the  light  of  day  is  admitted  in  many  places  by  aper- 
tures, dug  to  a great  depth  from  the  surface  of  the  moun- 
tain.”11 The  account  given  by  the  Greek  geographer,  is  a 
very  correct  one,  of  the  grotto  of  Pozzuoli,0  which  is 
equal  to  eighty  or  ninety  feet  in  height,  to  twenty-four  or 
thirty  in  breadth,  and  to  two  thousand  one  hundred  and 
eighty  in  length.  The  excavations  were  not  attended  with 
much  difficulty,  as  the  mountain  is  wholly  composed  of 
volcanic  tufa,  or  peperino.  Although  paved,  it  is  always 
covered  with  dust ; the  light  enters  at  the  two  extremities, 
and  by  two  apertures  near  the  middle.  The  servants  of 
the  wealthy  carry  torches  before  them  ; but  foot  passen- 
gers are  contented  with  lanterns,  and  the  feeble  glimmer- 
ings that  pass  through  the  openings.  Twice  a year,  in  Oc- 
tober and  February,  the  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun  pene- 
trate through  the  long  vista. 

Temples,  amphitheatres,  and  other  ancient  ruins,  are 
scattered  along  the  coast,  between  the  subterranean  pas- 
sage and  Cape  Miseno.  The  small  town  of  Pozzuoli, 
after  having  been  exposed  to  the  devastations  of  barbari- 
ans, was  overturned  in  1538  by  an  earthquake.  The  ca- 
thedral stands  near  the  ruins  of  a temple  dedicated  to  Au- 
gustus. Some  parts  of  its  ancient  amphitheatre  remain  ; 
but  at  no  great  distance  from  the  town  is  seen  the  temple 
of  Serapis,  a monument  worthy  to  fix  the  attention  of  the 
antiquarian  and  geologist.  It  stands  on  the  shore,  at  fif- 
teen feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea  ; it  was,  at  a period 
beyond  the  reach  of  tradition,  buried  under  volcanic  ashes. 
About  seventy  years  ago  these  deposits  were  removed  ; the 
pavement  of  the  temple  was  uncovered,  and  there  were 
found  marble  vessels  to  receive  the  blood  of  the  victims, 
brass  rings  to  fasten  them,  broken  statues  and  columns. 
Rut  what  is  very  extraordinary,  pholades  had  pierced  those 
parts  of  the  marble  columns  still  standing,  with  innumera- 
ble holes,  that  reach  to  the  height  of  five  or  six  feet. 
These  marine  mollusca  are  very  common  in  the  Euro- 
pean seas  ; they  are  bivalvular,  and  armed  with  teeth  and 
several  accessary  parts,  which,  by  a rotatory  movement, 
penetrate  the  hardest  calcareous  rocks. d But  the  marble 
of  which  the  columns  are  formed,  exhibits  no  other  traces 
of  these  animals  ; it  must  be  supposed,  therefore,  that  the 
holes  have  been  made  since  the  catastrophe  by  which  the 
temple  was  covered  with  volcanic  ashes.  To  explain  the 
phenomenon,  it  has  been  supposed  that  the  sea  had  risen 
at  least  to  the  height  of  the  marks  left  by  the  pholades.  But 
the  fallacy  of  such  an  opinion  may  be  easily  shown  ; in 
the  first  place,  the  event  must  have  happened  since  the 
commencement  of  our  era  ; secondly,  several  ancient 
towns,  situated  on  the  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean,  and 
Naples  itself,  must  have  been  destroyed  by  such  a cala- 


a  Posilipo,  Posilippo,  Pausilypo. 

b Strabo,  Book  V.  chap.  10.  sect.  1.  c Grotto  of  Pausilippo. 

d Simond  is  mistaken  in  supposing  that  the  pholades  exude  a chemical 
acid,  and  thus  perforate  the  rocks  in  which  they  are  found.  It  is  known, 
besides,  that  they  make  holes  in  wood  ; and  if  their  physical  structure  ena- 
bled them  to  secrete  a solvent  as  powerful  as  nitric  acid,  it  is  certain  that 
epicures  would  not  consider  them  a great  delicacy,  or  give  so  much  for  them 
as  they  do  at  present. 


mity.  It  is  true,  that  during  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth 
centuries,  as  Simond  remarks,  the  coast  of  Baiae  was  ex- 
posed to  several  volcanic  shocks,  and  the  ruins  now  sub- 
merged prove  that  the  ground  has  sunk  in  many  places. 
But  if  it  be  attempted  to  explain  the  phenomena  connected 
with  the  temple  of  Serapis  by  such  facts,  it  must  be  sup- 
posed, what  is  inadmissible,®  that  the  land  has  risen  after 
having  been  once  submerged,  for  the  pavement  of  the  tem- 
ple is  still  higher  than  the  level  of  the  sea.  Thus,  it  hap- 
pens, that  vague- conjectures  are  the  consequence  of  care- 
less observation.  When  the  volcanic  deposits  were  re- 
moved, and  the  edifice  was  uncovered,  a small  lake, 
formed  after  the  outlet  of  a stream  had  been  closed  by 
the  deposits,  watered  its  base.  The  lake  might  have  be- 
come salt  by  the  hydrochlorate  of  soda/  contained  in  cer- 
tain products  of  Vesuvius  ; and  if  it  be  supposed,  what  is 
not  improbable,  that  the  waters  of  the  lake  communicated, 
for  some  time,  at  least,  by  a subterranean  passage  with  the 
sea,  the  presence  of  these  pholades,  and  their  long  con- 
tinuance in  the  lake,  may  be  classed  among  the  number  of 
those  physical  facts,  which,  however  extraordinary,  are 
by  no  means  irreconcilable  with  the  laws  of  nature. 

A monument,  on  the  opposite  side  of  Mount  Posilippo, 
formed  by  a large  square  base,  constructed  of  stones  and 
bricks,  on  which  a circular  tower  rises,  commands  the  re- 
spect and  admiration  of  travellers  ; it  is  the  tomb  of  Virgil. 
The  interior  consists  of  a square  and  vaulted  chamber,  and 
the  tomb  is  covered  with  earth,  on  which  many  shrubs 
grow  : it  is  shaded  by  evergreen  oaks,  but  the  laurel  plant- 
ed by  Petrarch  exists  no  longer.  The  people  say  that  the 
roots  are  still  to  be  found — that  they  are  immortal  like  the 
ashes  of  the  divine  poet,  and  that  they  bud,  if  the  soil  be 
moistened  with  rain,  but  that  travellers  pull  the  leaves  as 
soon  as  they  appear. 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  small  province  of  Naples  con- 
tains many  places  of  great  celebrity.  We  shall  now  pro- 
ceed to  the  other  provinces  of  the  kingdom.  Salerno,  the 
ancient  Salernum,  is  situated  in  the  Citerior  Principality  ;s 
it  was  fortified  by  the  Romans,  that  they  might  be  better 
able  to  control  the  Picentini,  who  had  embraced  the  party 
of  Hannibal.h  One  part  of  the  town  extends  along  the 
sea  shore,  and  the  other  rises  in  the  form  of  an  amphithea- 
tre to  the  castle  that  commands  it.  The  cathedral,  sur- 
rounded by  a portico  supported  by  ancient  pillars  of  por- 
phyry, contains  the  tomb  of  Pope  Gregory  the  Seventh, 
and,  according  to  tradition,  the  ashes  of  St.  Matthew  the 
evangelist.  The  port,  situated  at  the  bottom  of  a gulf,  was 
the  most  frequented  on  the  co^st  before  Naples  rose  into 
importance.  But  the  celebrity  of  Salerno,  in  the  eleventh 
century,  depended  principally  on  its  school  of  philosophy 
and  .medicine  ; several  precepts,  which  emanated  from  the 
school,  were  long  obeyed  as  oracular.1  The  ruins  of  Po- 
licastro,  formerly  Paloeocastrum,  rise  at  the  extremity  of  a 
gulf ; near  it  may  be  seen  the  remains  of  the  three  tem- 
ples of  Pcestum,  now  Pesto  ; they  were  built  by  the  Syba- 
rites. 

Part  of  the  Appennines  are  situated  in  the  Ulterior  Prin- 


' How  inadmissible  ? Might  it  not  have  been  submerged  by  one  con- 
vulsion, and  elevated  by  another? — P. 

f Muriate  of  soda,  common  salt.  s II  Principato  Citra. 

h Strabo,  Book  V.  chap.  10.  sect.  3 

* The  Schola  Salernitana  de  conservanda  valetudine , or  a collection  of 
precepts  on  the  preservation  of  health,  in  Latin  verse. — P. 


EUROPE. 


124 


[BOOK  CXXXV1. 


cipality .a  Avellino,  its  capital,  was  the  ancient  Jlbellinum 
Hirpinorum.  The  streets,  though  broad,  are  irregular ; 
the  public  walks  are  shaded  with  fine  trees.  The  produce 
of  its  territory  consists  in  chestnuts,  and  in  the  large  filbert 
called  avellana,  from  the  name  of  the  town.  The  Val  di 
Gargano  occupies  the  site  of  the  Caudine  Forks  ( Caudi - 
nee  Furculce,)  where  the  Romans  passed  under  the  yoke  of 
the  Samnites.  Ariano,  a place  of  more  importance  than 
Avellino,  is  built  at  a greater  height  on  the  Appennines. 

Near  the  summits  of  the  same  mountains,  and  at  some 
distance  from  the  last  town,  is  situated  Aquila,  the  metropo- 
lis of  the  Second  Ulterior  Jlbruzzo  ;b  it  carries  on  a consi- 
derable trade  in  saffron,  and  four  great  fairs  are  held  in  it 
every  year.  The  town  has  been  more  than  once  injured 
by  earthquakes,  and  a small  fort  is  the  only  part  of  its  old 
fortifications  that  now  remains.  The  antiquities  which  are 
contained  in  it,  were  discovered  in  the  neighbourhood,  on 
the  site  of  Jlmilernum,  the  birthplace  of  the  historian  Sal- 
lust. To  the  northeast,  in  the  First  Ulterior  Jlbruzzo ,c 
Teramo  rises  in  the  middle  of  a plain,  between  the  Ap- 
pennines and  the  Adriatic  Sea  ; it  possesses  some  woollen 
manufactories,  and,  in  proportion  to  its  size,  an  extensive 
trade  in  grain.  Proceeding  towards  the  southeast,  the  tra- 
veller reaches  the  banks  of  the  Pescara,  a river  which  de- 
scends from  the  Appennines  to  the  Adriatic,  and  waters 
near  its  mouth  a small  town,  to  which  it  has  given  its  name. 
Chieti,  the  chief  town  of  the  Citerior  Jlbruzzo/  stands  on 
its  right  bank  ; it  is  pleasantly  situated,  well  built,  and  con- 
tains several  fine  edifices,  among  others  a cathedral,  and  a 
very  large  seminary.  It  was  the  chief  town  of  the  JWar- 
rucini,  and  the  Teate  of  the  Romans,  from  which  the  Thea- 
tines,  a celebrated  religious  order,  have  derived  their  name. 
The  order  of  the  Theatines  was  founded  in  1 524,  by  Ca- 
raffa,  the  archbishop  of  the  town,  who  was  afterwards  Pope 
Paul  the  Fourth.  Lanciano  carries  on  a considerable 
trade  in  muscadine  wine. 

Campobasso,  once  famous  for  its  cutlery,  is  situated  in 
the  province  of  MoliseJ  The  adjoining  province  of  Ca- 
pitanata  forms  the  greater  part  of  Apulia/  It  is  divided 
in  the  direction  of  southwest  to  northeast,  by  a chain  of 
calcareous  heights,  that  terminates  at  Mount  Gargano 
(Garganus  JWons ;)  their  declivities  and  the  surrounding 
hills  form  a large  promontory  on  the  Adriatic.  The  sum- 
mits are  covered  with  forests,  in  which  are  collected,  as  in 
ancient  times,  manna,  turpentine  and  pitch.  A large  sandy 
ulain  extends  on  the  south  of  the  chain  to  the  sea.  The 
port  of  Manfredonia  is  the  most  important  harbour  in  the 
province,  although  large  vessels  cannot  enter  it.  The  town 
was  built  in  1256  by  Manfred,  who  gave  it  his  name. 
Foggia,  the  chief  town  of  the  Capitanata,  was  destroyed 
by  an  earthquake  in  1732,  but  it  has  been  rebuilt  with  ele- 
gance and  regularity.  The  Candelaro,  which  flows  be- 
neath its  walls,  facilitates  its  trade  in  grain.  The  people 
have  long  been  in  the  habit  of  preserving  their  corn  in 
vaulted  and  subterranean  magazines,  buildings  not  unlike 
the  ancient  silos. 

Near  the  limits  of  the  Terra  di  Bari,  not  far  from  the 
banks  of  the  Ofanto,s  is  situated  the  Campo  di  Sangue,  or 
field  of  blood  ; it  is  there  that  the  famous  battle  of  Gannas 


was  fought.  The  village  of  Canna,  on  the  right  of  the 
river,  stands  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Cannae.  The  town 
of  Canosa,  the  ancient  Canusium,  founded  by  Diomedes, 
was  destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  in  1 694.  The  pope  had 
a palace  there,  and  the  emperor  Henry  the  Fourth  stood 
at  its  gate  during  three  days,  jp  the  winter  of  1077,  implo- 
ring pardon  from  Gregory  the  Seventh,  by  whom  he  had 
been  excommunicated. 

The  Terra  di  Bari,  a province  destitute  of  wood,  but 
abounding  in  salt,  forms  part  of  the  ancient  Apulia.  Alta- 
mura,  the  largest  town  beyond  the  Appennine  chain,  which 
traverses  the  province,  contains  sixteen  thousand  inhabi- 
tants. If  Bitonto  be  excepted,  a place  that  carries  on  a 
great  trade  in  an  excellent  wine,  called  zagarello,  the  prin- 
cipal towns  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  mountains  are  situated 
on  the  sea  coast..  Trani,  one  of  them,  forms  an  enclo- 
sure round  its  harbour,  which  scarcely  contains  sufficient 
water  for  ordinary  boats.  It  is  related,  that  in  1502,  a 
time  when  people  talked  more  of  national  glory  than  at 
present,  eleven  Frenchmen,  and  as  many  Spaniards,  fought 
under  the  walls  of  Trani,  to  support  the  respective  honour 
of  the  two  countries.  The  combat  continued  until  six  of 
the  Spaniards  remained  against  four  of  the  Frenchmen, 
when  the  latter  dismounted  and  defended  themselves  behind 
their  horses,  until  night  put  an  end  to  the  contest,  and  left 
the  victory  undecided.  Barletta,  another  sea  port,  about 
two  leagues  to  the  northwest  of  Trani,  was  founded  by  one 
of  the  Norman  chiefs  who  conquered  Apulia.  Several 
moles  serve  to  protect  the  harbour  against  the  billows,  and 
an  ancient  citadel  may  defend  the  town  in  the  event  of  a 
foreign  attack.  Bari,  the  chief  town  of  the  province,  was 
thrice  destroyed,  and  as  often  rebuilt ; but  its  narrow  and 
crooked  streets,  and  the  absence  of  any  thing  like  a fine 
building  hardly  entitle  it  to  its  rank  as  capital.  It  pos- 
sesses a harbour  which,  although  small,  offers  a safe  asy 
lum  for  ships. 

The  Terra  di  Otranto,  a continuation  of  the  Terra  di 
Bari,  forms  what  the  ancient  geographers  called  the  heel 
of  the  Italian  boot.  Brundusium,  now  Brindisi,  was  the 
port  in  which  Julius  Ca;sar  blockaded  his  antagonist  Pom- 
pey,  who  made  a passage  for  himself  through  the  midst  of 
the  besiegers,  and  tied  for  safety  to  Greece.  The  town 
has  been  much  injured  by  earthquakes,  and  the  harbour 
was  destroyed  in  the  fifteenth  century,  by  a method  which 
the  prince  of  Taranto  adopted,  in  order  to  close  the  en- 
trance against  the  Venetian  fleet.  Several  vessels  were 
sunk  at  its  mouth  ;h  the  sands  and  other  deposits  being 
thus  arrested,  were  consequently  accumulated,  and  the 
port,  thus  changed  into  an  unwholesome  marsh,  engenders 
every  summer  pestilential  diseases,  by  which  the  population 
has  been  reduced  to  a third  of  what  it  was  formerly.  The 
town  does  not  contain  at  present  more  than  six  thousand 
inhabitants.  Lecce,  between  Brindisi  and  Otranto,  at  three 
leagues  distance  from  the  sea,  is  not  only  the  capital,  but 
the  finest  and  largest  town  in  the  province  ; its  inhabitants 
are  held  in  the  same  repute  at  Naples,  that  the  Boeotians 
were  at  Athens.  The  valley  that  separates  Lecce  from 
Otranto,  has  been  called  the  paradise  of  the  country.  The 
small  sea-port  town  that  has  given  its  name  to  the  province, 


a II  Principato  Ultra. 
c Abruzzo  Ultra  Priino. 


b Abruzzo  Ultra  Secondo 
d Abruzzo  Citra. 


e II  Contado  di  Molise.  f It.  Pvglia,  Fr.  Pouillc. 

s The  ancient  Aufidus.  b £[  In  the  middi ' of  the  entrance.” 


book  cxxxvi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY.  125 


stands  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Ilydruntum,  which  re- 
ceived, with  the  benefits  of  civilization,  the  first  lessons  in 
philosophy  from  Pythagoras. a 

Gallipoli,  the  first  port  in  the  gulf  of  Taranto,  after  pass- 
ing Cape  Leuca,  owes  its  activity  to  its  tunny  fisheries 
and  its  manufactures,  the  last  of  which  consist  principally 
in  cotton  stockings  and  muslin.  Taranto,  the  ancient  Ta- 
renlum,  situated  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  gulf,  was 
in  ancient  times  a place  of  great  importance  ; Strabo  com- 
mends its  fine  and  spacious  harbour,  but  at  present  the 
town  only  occupies  the  site  of  the-  ancient  citadel,  in  which 
the  Romans  resisted  Hannibal.  It  was  principally  from 
the  gulf  of  Taranto  that  the  ancients  obtained  the  mol- 
lusca  that  supplied  them  with  their  purple.  A cavity  below 
the  neck  of  the  animal  is  filled  with  the  liquid  that  yields 
the  colour;  but  the  quantity  contained  in  each  cavity  is  so 
small,  as  to  account  for  the  excessive  price  which  the  an- 
cients gave  for  the  dye.  Taranto  has  given  its  name  to 
the  tarantula  ( Lycosa  tarentula,)  an  insect  well  known  from 
the  fables  concerning  the  effects  of  its  sting.  It  was  long 
believed  that  those  who  were  stung  by  it  exhibited  very  dif- 
ferent symptoms  ; some  laughed,  others  wept;  one  person 
was  mournful  and  silent,  another  continued  singing  from 
morning  till  evening  ; many  were  seized  with  drowsiness, 
others  could  not  be  prevented  from  dancing : music  was 
found  to  be  the  most  effectual  remedy  for  all.  The  sting 
of  the  tarantula,  although  not  without  danger,  yields  rea- 
dily to  different  remedies.  The  animal,  a species  of  spider, 
is  of  a black  colour,  with  red  and  black  streaks  on  the  ab- 
domen ;b  it  is  about  an  inch  in  length.  The  web  of  the 
tarantula  serves  only  to  envelope  its  eggs,  and  to  line  the 
cell  which  it  digs  in  the  earth.  It  feeds  on  different  in- 
sects, and  lies  frequently,  in  ambush  for  them  near  the 
entrance  of  its  den.  It  often  makes  excursions  into  the 
fields,  and  sometimes  into  the  houses,  but  it  always  carries 
its  prey  home.  “ The  eggs  of  the  same  animal,”  says  an 
able  naturalist,'  “ are  like  the  seeds  of  the  white  poppy ; 
when  they  are  hatched,  the  mother  tears  open  the  cover- 
ing which  incloses  them,  and  carries  her  young  on  her 
back,  until  they  are  able  to  provide  for  themselves.  The 
male  and  female  are  only  seen  together  at  the  season  of 
coition  ; at  other  times  they  kill  each  other.  It  is  not  easy 
to  make  it  leave  its  cell ; but  if  it  be  once  dislodged,  and 
return  afterwards,  it  allows  itself  to  be  destroyed,  rather 
than  be  removed  a second  time.” 

Potenza,  the  capita]  of  the  Basilicata,  is  situated  at  the 
foot  of  the  Appennines.  The  same  town,  and  Matera,  at 
twelve  leagues  from  it  towards  the  southeast,  although  ill 
peopled,  are  the  most  important  in  the  province,  which  de- 
rived its  name  in  the  tenth  century  from  Basil  the  Second, 
emperor  of  the  east,  who  conferred,  probably,  some  privi- 
leges on  the  inhabitants.  It  is  at  present  one  of  the  poor- 
est provinces  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples. 

Mount  Pollino  separates  Basilicata  from  the  two  pro- 
vinces of  Calabria — provinces  destitute  of  important  towns, 
and  inhabited  by  a poor  and  wretched  people.  Bathed  on 
i!he  east,  the  west,  and  the  south  by  the  sea,  and  traversed 
by  a branch  of  the  Appennines,  the  two  Calabrias  are  in- 
dented with  large  gulfs,  cooled  by  the  sea  breeze,  and  wa- 

a “ The  first  lessons  in  philosophy  given  by  Pythagoras”— but  Pytha- 
goras is  said  to  have  taught  philosophy  in  Greece  before  he  retired  to  Ita- 
ly.— P. 

b “ lower  part  of  the  abdomexyred  (crocus  yellow,  Ed.  Encyc.)  with 

a transverse  black  band.”  J 1 

M.  Latreille,  Member  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences. 


tered  by  heavy  dews,  and  by  springs  and  rivers,  which  in- 
crease the  fertility  of  a black  and  rich  soil.  Citerior  Ca- 
labria6 terminates  at  Mount  Calistro,  and  at  the  banks  of 
the  Neto.e  Cosenza,  the  capital,  is  situated  at  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  Crati  and  the  Bussento  ;f  the  streets  are  nar- 
row and  crooked,  with  the  exception  of  one  large  street, 
which  traverses  the  town  ; it  possesses,  however,  several 
useful  establishments,  such  as  hospitals,  a college  and  two 
academies,  besides  a fine  cathedral  and  a palace  of  jus- 
tice, edifices  which  strangers  are  surprised  to  see  in  so 
small  a town.  The  only  other  important  towns  in  the  pro- 
vince are  Cassano,  Rossano,  Bisignano  and  Cariati,  none 
of  which  possesses  any  remarkable  edifice,  and  the  most 
populous  of  which  contains  hardly  nine  thousand  inhabi- 
tants. The  making  of  olive  oil  is  almost  the  only  kind  of 
industry  in  which  the  inhabitants  of  Rossano  are  engaged, 
and  the  sale  of  it  constitutes  the  principal  branch  of  com- 
merce. Bisignano  is  noted  for  its  silk  worms,  and  the  best 
manna  in  Calabria  is  produced  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Cariati. 

More  important  towns  are  situated  in  Ulterior  Calabria, e 
some  of  which  were  celebrated  in  ancient  times.  The 
walls  of  the  famous  Crotona  are  seen  on  the  eastern  coast, 
and  its  ruins  encompass  the  modern  town  of  Cotrone. 
Crotona,  rich  and  populous,  could  recruit  an  army  of  a 
hundred  thousand  combatants  within  its  walls  and  its  terri- 
tory ; Cotrone  contains  hardly  six  thousand  souls.  Not  to 
mention  the  robust  Milo,  it  is  known  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Crotona  were  renowned,  the  men  for  their  symmetry  and 
strength,  the  women  for  their  beauty  ; but  their  descend- 
ants have  greatly  degenerated.  Crotona  contained  many 
fine  edifices  ; its  gymnastic  games,  and  the  schools  of  phi 
losophy  founded  by  Pythagoras,  rendered  it  the  first  of 
the  Greek  colonies;  Cotrone  contains  at  present  six 
churches,  two  hospitals,  two  convents,  and  a seminary, 
but  no  buildings  worthy  of  notice.  Catanzaro,  although 
possessing  little  or  no  trade,*1  contains  a greater  population 
than  Cotrone. 

Pizzo  is  situated  on  the  western  side  of  the  Appennines, 
on  the  gulf  of  Saint  Eufemia.  Joachim  Murat  landed  at 
its  little  harbour  on  the  eighth  of  October,  1815,  and  at- 
tempted to  regain  his  throne.  Taken  prisoner  and  ill  treated 
by  those  who  had  long  acknowledged  him  as  their  king, 
condemned  as  a common  malefactor,  and  interred  in  the 
very  church  which  he  had  rebuilt,  his  death  may  be  con- 
sidered not  only  as  one  of  the  catastrophes  which  result 
from  political  revolutions,  but  as  a characteristic  trait  of  a 
people,  who  afterwards  showed  themselves  incapable  of 
enjoying  the  institutions  which  they  apparently  desired. 

The  wretched  town  of  Gierace,  built  on  the  ruins  of  the 
second  Locri,  and  at  some  distance  from  the  ancient  city 
of  the  Locri,  does  not  contain  four  thousand  inhabitants. 
Bova,  a still  smaller  town,  was  destroyed  by  the  earthquake 
in  1783,  and  afterwards  rebuilt  and  improved  by  Ferdinand 
the  F ourth. 

The  country  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Reggio  abounds 
with  figs  and  ananas,  and  the  town  is  the  capital  of  Ulterior 
Calabria  ; the  inhabitants  carry  on  a considerable  trade 
in  the  essence  of  citron,  orange  and  bergamot.  As  a town, 

<*  Calabria  Citra.  ' Nieto.  (E<1.  Encyc.) 

f Busiento.  e Calabria  Ultra. 

h Catanzaro  possesses  the  most  important  silk  manufactories  in  Cala 
bria.— (Ed.  Encyc.)  It  has  a considerable  trade  in  corn,  silk  and  oil. — 
(Vosgien.) 


126  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxvl 


Reggio  is  nowise  remarkable  ; its  name  indicates  its  position 
on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Rhegium,  once,  according  to 
Strabo,  a powerful  city,  but  afterwards  wholly  destroyed  by 
Dionysius  the  elder.  The  tyrants  of  Syracuse  were  dreaded 
on  the  coasts  of  Italy.  The  inhabitants  of  Rhegium  formed 
a league  against  Dionysius  ; but  when  hostilities  had  ceased, 
and  a peace  had  been  concluded,  the  tyrant  declared  to  the 
magistrates  that  he  intended  to  choose  a wife  among  the 
daughters  of  the  most  distinguished  families  in  Rhegium ; 
the  latter  not  wishing  an  alliance  with  their  enemy,  an- 
swered that  they  could  only  give  him  the  daughter  of  the 
executioner ,a  Indignant  at  such  an  answer,  Dionysius  laid 
siege  to  the  town,  and  after  a series  of  cruelties,  the  details 
of  which  are  mentioned  by  Diodorus  Siculus,  his  vengeance 
was  so  complete  that,  notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  of  Dio- 
nysius the  younger,  the  place  could  never  be  restored  to  its 
ancient  splendour.  The  city  which  was  built  on  its  ruins 
fell  at  a later  period  under  the  power  of  the  Romans.  It 
was  destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  and  rebuilt  by  Caisar, 
whence  it  was  called  Rhegium  Julii.  Barbarossa  reduced 
it  to  ashes  in  1543  ; between  that  period  and  the  year  1593, 
it  was  twice  pillaged  by  the  Turks,  and  injured  by  earth- 
quakes ; but  the  one  which  happened  in  1783  was  attended 
with  more  disastrous  consequent*^  than  any  other.  That 
formidable  earthquake,  by  which  all  Calabria  was  devasted, 
was  so  extraordinary  both  from  its  duration  and  effects, 
that  it  may  be  proper  to  give  some  account  of  it. 

The  first  shocks  were  felt  about  noon  on  the  fifth  of 
February,  and  were  renewed  at  short  intervals  during 
several  months.  They  were  not  preceded  by  any  of  the 
ordinary  indications,  and  in  a few  minutes  all  the  plains  in 
Ulterior  Calabria  were  laid  waste.  Those  who  witnessed 
the  frightful  calamity,  declared  that  the  oscillations  were  so 
frequent  and  so  violent  that  nothing  could  resist  them, — 
neither  the  works  of  nature,  nor  the  most  solid  works  of 
man.  Edifices  were  overturned,  and  their  fragments  thrown 
to  a distance.  The  materials  of  the  small  town  of  Sciglio, 
built  on  the  promontory  of  Scylla,  overwhelmed  two  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  persons  that  had  fled  to  the  coast  for 
refuge.  The  ruins  of  villages  rolled  from  the  hills.  Some 
of  the  mountains  opened,  others  sunk,  and  the  upheaved 
earth  formed  new  heights.  In  one  part,  the  plains  were 
changed  into  lakes,  and  their  waters  covered  the  harvests  ; 
in  another,  rivers  issued  from  their  beds,  and  changed  the 
direction  of  their  course.  Movements  similar  to  the  un- 
dulations of  waves  were  seen  on  the  land.  Masses  of  earth 
in  different  places  were  raised  into  the  air  and  fell,  as  if  they 
had  been  blown  up  by  gunpowder.  On  some  parts  of  the 
coast,  the  sea  rose  above  its  ordinary  limits,  and  man}'  who 
ran  for  safety  to  the  shore  or  to  their  vessels  were  destroyed. 
Some  pressed  the  expiring  bodies  of  their  friends,  and  in  a 
few  seconds  shared  their  fate.  Lovers  rushed  into  the  gulf 
that  had  swallowed  up  the  object  of  their  affections ; 
mothers,  recalled  to  life  by  the  care  and  good  offices  of  rela- 
tives, sought  their  children  amidst  the  ruins  of  their  houses, 
and  were  buried  with  them  in  the  same  grave.  More  than 
three  hundred  towns  or  villages  were  destroyed  in  the  two 
Calabrias,  and  most  of  the  places  that  have  been  already 
mentioned,  were  much  injured  ; forty  thousand  individuals 
perished,  and  twenty-thousand  were  the  victims  of  conta- 
gious diseases,  occasioned  perhaps  by  putrid  carcasses  in 

a Strabo,  Book  6.  chap.  11. 

b “ which  is  used  for  the  same  purposes  a the  officinal  liquorice 

( Glycyrrhiza  glab-a.)” 


stagnant  water,  or  under  the  ruins  and  rubbish  of  buildings. 
To  add  to  the  misfortunes  of  the  people,  the  fires,  left  in 
the  houses,  communicated  with  the  combustible  materials, 
and  the  flames  destroyed  what  the  earthquake  had  spared. 
Lastly,  the  little  that  remained  was  seized  by  banditti,  who, 
in  the  general  consternation,  massacred  the  inhabitants, 
and  carried  off  whatever  was  of  value.  The  inhumanity 
and  intrepidity  of  these  men,  who  rushed  from  several  parts 
of  Italy  into  Calabria,  cannot  be  considered  extraordinary 
by  persons  acquainted  with  the  character  of  the  Neapolitan 
bandits.  But  several  examples  of  courage  and  disinterested 
ness  might  be  mentioned  to  the  honour  of  the  Calabrians 
and  the  rest  of  the  nation.  The  inhabitants  of  districts  far 
removed  from  the  scene  of  these  calamities,  rivalled  each 
other  in  mitigating  the  misfortunes  of  an  impoverished  peo- 
ple ; the  custom-house  officers  of  Naples  and  the  Laz- 
zaroni  employed  in  loading  the  vessels  which  conveyed  the 
supplies  sent  by  government  to  Calabria,  refused  to  receive 
any  reward  for  their  services. 

Earthquakes  are  not  the  only  evils  to  which  the  two  Ca- 
labrias  are  exposed  ; there  are  others  which  are  periodical, 
such  as  the  blast  of  the  sirocco,  which  prevailing  four 
months  in  the  .year,  produces  diseases  and  destroys  vegeta- 
tion, and  the  miasms  rising  from  the  stagnant  waters  in 
summer,  which  compel  the  inhabitants  to  leave  the  low  plains 
and  to  reside  on  the  mountains. 

The  vegetation  of  the  two  Calabrian  provinces  varies 
according  to  the  exposure  of  the  soil.  The  grape  might 
yield  excellent  wine,  if  the  inhabitants  bestowed  any  care 
on  its  culture.  The  echinated  liquorice  ( Glycyrrhiza  echi- 
nata ,)  a variety  not  inferior  to  the  Spanish  kind,b  grows 
naturally  ; and  the  leaves  of  the  mulberry  nourish  an  im- 
mense number  of  silk  worms.  The  olive,  a tree  that  may 
be  seen  almost  in  every  part  of  Calabria,  produces  so  much 
oil  that  the  inhabitants  keep  it  in  large  cisterns  ; the  man- 
niferous  ash  ( Fraxinus  rotundifolia,)  indigenous  to  these 
provinces,  grows  without  culture  in  the  plains  and  on  all 
the  hills  ;c  it  is  during  the  greatest  heat  of  summer  that  it 
yields  the  concrete  juice  so  useful  in  medicine  ; the  palm, 
the  cotton  plant,  and  the  sugar-cane  flourish.  The  fruits 
of  the  orange  and  the  lemon  tree  add  to  the  amount  of  the 
exports,  and  the  different  kinds  of  grain  are  sufficient  for  the 
wants  of  the  inhabitants.  Larches  and  other  resinous  trees 
afford  great  quantities  of  pitch  ; the  Bretian  pitch,  which 
was  considered  very  valuable  by  the  ancients,  was  obtained 
from  the  forest  of  Sila,  on  the  summits  of  the  Appennines, 
which,  according  to  Strabo,  was  seven  hundred  stadia  or 
twenty-three  leagues  in  length.  The  thick  leaved  aloe 
crowns  the  arid  rocks  ; the  rose  laurel  shades  the  banks  of 
the  rivers,  and  mingles  its  flowers  and  its  foliage  with  the 
leaves  of  the -arrundinaria,  a sort  of  grass  that  is  converted 
into  cordage,  mats,  nets  and  baskets. 

Spirited  horses,  large  and  hardy  mules,  numerous  herds 
and  flocks,  and  woods  abounding  with  game  and  wild  buf- 
faloes, may  be  enumerated  among  the  natural  advantages 
of  the  two  Calabrias.  The  ancients  said  that  the  dews  ol 
the  evening  renewed  the  grass  which  the  cattle  had  brows- 
ed during  the  day, — a metaphor  not  so  improbable,  as  those 
who  live  in  northern  latitudes  might  be  apt  to  suppose. 

The  natural  riches  of  the  country  are  increased  by  the 
fish  that  are  taken  on  the  coast ; the  tunny  fisheries  are  the 

c “Dans  tous  les  bois  et  sur  le  penchant  ties  collines.” — The  manna 
ash  grows  spontaneously  on  the  lower  parts  of  the  mountains.  (E~.  Encyc.) 

ll 


book  cxxxvi.]  DESCRIPTIO 

most  profitable  ; the  sword-fish  ( Xipluas  gladius ) serves  as 
food  to  the  Calabrians.  The  last  animal  has  derived  its 
name  from  a hard  or  bony  substance  that  extends  from  its 
muzzle,  and  with  which  it  defends  itself  against  its  enemies. 
The  sword-fish  grows  to  the  length  of  eighteen  or  twenty 
feet,  and  weighs  sometimes  four  hundred  pounds.  It  is 
difficult,  and  even  dangerous  to  take  it,  on  account  of  its 
great  activity,  and  the  weapon  with  which  it  is  armed  ; it 
often  breaks  the  nets  of  the  fishermen,  who  are  obliged  to 
harpoon  it.  The  corals  that  line  the  bays  are  valuable 
from  their  fine  colour  ; and  the  fishermen  take  the  Pinna 
nobilis,  the  largest  of  the  bivalvular  mollusca,  furnished  with 
the  long  red  silk,  that  the  people  at  Reggio  weave  into  dif- 
ferent stuffs  of  admirable  delicacy. 

The  Calabrians  delight  in  idleness  ; the  far  niente  has 
more  charms  to  them  than  to  the  other  Italians  ; wearing 
loose  mantles  like  the  Spaniards,  they  resemble  the  same 
people  in  their  black  eyes  and  dark  complexion.  Suspi- 
cious and  vindictive,  a Calabrian  seldom  leaves  his  house 
without  being  armed.  Tall  or  strong  men  and  handsome 
women  are  equally  rare  in  the  province  ; the  latter  marry 
at  an  early  age,  and  soon  lose  their  looks.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  great  number  of  marriages,  and  the  fruitfulness  of 
the  women,  the  country  is  ill-peopled,  and  the  cause  may 
partly  be  attributed  to  the  custom  of  relatives  marrying  with 
each  other  ; the  inhabitants  of  almost  every  village  and  of 
many  small  towns  in  Calabria  are  so  many  kinsmen  and 
kinswomen.  The  children,  it  is  known,  are  unhealthy,  and 
the  consanguinity  of  the  parents  may  tend  to  perpetuate 
diseases.  The  dowry  of  a peasant  girl  consists  in  a small 
piece  of  ground,  in  a part  of  a vineyard,  or  even  sometimes 
in  a single  mulberry  tree.  Little  has  been  done  to  improve 
the  condition  of  the  peasantry  ; most  of  them  are  small 
fanners  or  day  labourers ; the  land  is  divided  among  the 
nobles,  the  clergy,  and  some  burgesses,  who  let  it  on  short 
leases.  Thus,  it  happens  that  agriculture  is  still  in  a very 
imperfect  state,  and  that  a fruitful  soil  nourishes  a poor  and 
sickly  population,  scattered  in  wretched  hovels,  in  dirty  vil- 
lages, or  deserted  towns. 

We  had  occasion,  in  treating  of  Hungary,  to  make  some 
remarks  on  a people  of  uncertain  origin,  who  in  that  coun- 
try are  called  Zigeunes ; the  same  people  are  found  in  Ca- 
labria, where  they  are  styled  Zingari.  They  are  distin- 
guished from  a poor  population  by  their  greater  poverty, 
and  by  their  squallid  appearance  and  dress.  The  men 
shave  their  beards,  but  suffer  their  hair  to  grow  ; they  gain 
a subsistence  by  buying  and  selling  horses,  and  by  working 
iron  ; many  of  them  are  conjurors  ; they  collect  crowds  in 
the  public  places,  and  perform  their  different  feats  with  great 
skill  and  address.  The  women  wander  about  the  country, 
and  live  by  pilfering,  or  telling  fortunes.  Without  any  fix- 
ed habitation,  living  under  tents,  where  men,  women,  chil- 
dren, and  animals  are  crowded  together,  they  form  a dis- 
tinct people  from  the  other  inhabitants  ; they  marry  only 
among  themselves.  According  to  travellers,  the  Zingari 
are  more  ignorant  and  dissolute  than  the  Calabrians ; all 
of  them  can  speak  Italian,  but  many  words  in  their  own 
dialect  indicate  its  eastern  origin.  Their  religion  is  a com- 
pound of  Christianity  and  different  superstitions  ; they  ad- 
mit the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  they  have  no  venera- 

N OF  ITALY.  127 

tion  for  the  Virgin.  As  to  marriages,  funerals,  and  bap- 
tisms, they  conform  readily  to  Catholic  ceremonies,  but  if 
the  clergymen  refuse  to  celebrate  them,  the  Zingari  have 
no  scruples  in  substituting  other  rites  which  were  probably 
derived  from  paganism.*1 

A distance  of  a hundred  and  ten  leagues  forms  the  great- 
est length  of  the  continental  provinces  in  the  kingdom  of 
Naples  ; their  mean  breadth  varies  from  twenty  to  thirty, 
but  they  are  upwards  of  seventy  in  some  parts. b 

A phenomenon  similar  to  the  mirage  in  the  deserts  of 
Africa,  and  one  that  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the  re- 
fraction of  light,  has  sometimes  been  observed  on  the  coasts 
of  the  strait,  which  separates  Reggio  from  Messina?  A few 
minutes  before  the  sun  issues  from  the  waves  in  summer,  a 
spectator  on  the  shores  of  Sicily,  looking  in  the  direction  of 
Reggio,  may  see  forests,  towers  and  palaces  in  the  air,  the 
whole  forming  a panorama  of  Messina,  its  hills,  woods  and 
houses.  If  a spectator  on  the  Italian  coast,  looks  towards 
Messina,  he  sees'also  in  the  clouds  the  image  of  a city  simi 
lar  to  Reggio.  The  illusion  has  hitherto  been  imperfectly 
explained  ; it  would  be  less  extraordinary,  if  a person  saw 
the  town  that  bounded  the  horizon,  instead  of  the  one  near 
which  he  was  placed.  The  phenomenon  has  given  rise  to 
the  following  fable  in  Calabria  and  Sicily,  for  the  people 
have  inherited  from  the  Greeks,  the  love  of  marvellous  and 
brilliant  fictions.  The  Fata  JMorgana,  a powerful  fairy, 
rules  over  the  Strait  of  Messina  ; she  displays  her  aerial 
palaces  to  mariners,  that  they  may  be  shipwrecked  on  the 
rocks  where  the  modern  Circe  waits  to  destroy  them. 

Sicily  possesses  more  than  two  hundred  and  thirty  leagues 
of  coast,  and  several  important  harbours,  such  as  Messina, 
Palermo,  Syracuse  and  Catania.  It  is  divided  into  seven 
intendancies,  and  twenty-three  districts.  It  was  once  the 
country  of  the  arts  ; such  was  its  prosperity  in  ancient  times, 
that  the  inhabitants  in  the  single  town  of  Syracuse  were 
almost  as  numerous  as  the  whole  present  population.  The 
same  island,  during  the  zenith  of  Napoleon’s  power,  was 
the  only  state  in  Europe  governed  by  a prince  of  the  house 
of  Bourbon.  It  retained  its  feudal  customs  with  the  parlia- 
ment of  the  Three  Arms  ( Tre  Braeci ,)c  until  Lord  William 
Bentinck,  the  English  ambassador,  induced  his  Sicilian 
majesty  to  grant  his  subjects  a representative  government 
framed  after  the  model  of  the  British  constitution.  “ The 
advantages  of  the  new  system,”  says  the  Count  Fedor  de 
Karaczay,d  “ must  ere  long  have  been  felt  by  every  class 
of  the  community.  The  privileged  classes  were  to  be  put 
on  an  equality  with  the  others,  in  order  that  they  might 
contribute  to  the  prosperity  of  the  country.  The  epoch  of 
the  hundred  days,  the  treaty  of  Paris,  and  the  defeat  of 
Murat  by  the  Austrians,  enabled  Ferdinand  to  regain  the 
throne  of  Naples.  The  selfish  and  limited  notions  of  the 
Sicilian  barons, — the  ancient  feudal  proprietors,  were  car- 
ried into  effect.  It  was  thought  that  the  times  of  the  three 
braeci  were  to  return,  and  with  the  parliament,  the  feudal 
rights.  All  the  nobles  united  to  overturn  the  constitution, 
but  they  little  imagined  that  they  were  to  gain  nothing  by 
the  change.  The  constitution  was  indeed  abolished  by  a 
decree  published  at  Messina,  but  the  privileges  of  the  nobles 
have  not  been  restored.  Ferdinand  the  First  took  the  title 
ofkingof  the  Two  Sicilies  on  the  eighth  of  December,  1816, 

* There  are  several  colonies  of  Albanians  in  Calabria,  who  still  retain 
their  language,  and  some  few  of  whom  adhere  to  the  Greek  church. — P. 

•>  “ Their  greatest  breadth  is  70  leagues.” 

* The  Parliament  before  its  reformation  in  1810,  was  composed  of  three 

branches,  viz.  229  nobles,  66  prelates,  and  43  deputies  from  cities,  univer- 
sities and  crown  estates.  (Ed.  Encye.) — P. 

d Manuel  du  Voyageur  en  Sicile,  published  in  French  at  Gotha  1826 

128  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxvi 


ana  Sicily  was  declared  a province  of  the  kingdom.4  The 
nobles  acknowledge  their  errors  while  it  is  too  late  to  cor- 
rect them  ; taught  by  the  past,  they  may  not  perhaps  be 
again  so  easily  deceived.” 

While  a Frenchman  reigned  over  Naples,  the  Sicilians 
possessed  a considerable  inland  trade,  and  Palermo  was 
the  residence  of  a king  and  a numerous  court ; but  the 
Sicilians  are  now  governed  by  the  lieutenant  of  a viceroy, 
and  the  circulating  medium,  attracted  to  Naples,  is  daily 
becoming  more  scarce  in  the  island.  No  manufacturing 
industry  tends  to  bring  back  the  money,  which  the  Sicilian 
courtiers  spend  at  Naples.  Different  objects  of  luxury, 
muslins,  linens  and  other  articles,  are  imported  from  England 
or  France,  and  in  order  to  satisfy  factitious  but  urgent 
wants,  the  island  furnishes  only  raw  materials,  of  which  the 
production  affords  employment  to  but  a small  number  of 
hands.  The  most  important  of  these  materials  are  raw  silk, 
averaging  one  year  with  another,  not  less  than  <£180,000  ;b 
different  sorts  of  wines,  among  others  those  of  Syracuse 
and  Marsala, c of  which  the  quantity  exported  to  Boston  ex- 
ceeds two  thousand  pipes,  and  the  value  £39,000  ;d  grain 
to  the  amount  of  £372,000,®  a quantity  much  less  con- 
siderable than  in  ancient  times,  when  Sicily  and  Sardinia 
were  called  the  granaries  of  the  Roman  people  ; fruits  that 
are  sold  for  £80,000;f  olive  oil,  equal  in  value  to  £84,000 ;g 
soda,  of  which  great  quantities  are  exported  to  Marseilles  ; 
and  the  produce  of  the  tunny  fisheries,  yielding  £15,000.h 
Sicily  carries  on,  besides,  a trade  in  mercury,  sulphur,  alum, 
nitre  and  rock  salt.  Such  are  the  only  sources  of  wealth, 
and  they  may  be  mentioned  to  the  disgrace  rather  than  to 
the  credit  of  the  Sicilian  government.  Although  there  is 
not  a more  fertile  soil  in  Europe,  not  a fourth  part  of  the 
surface  is  cultivated  ; treasures  are  contained  in  the  depths 
of  the  earth,  but  its  gold,  silver,  copper,  iron  and  lead  mines 
have  been  long  neglected.  The.  gypsum,  with  which  Sicily 
abounds,  might  be  used  in  building,  or  as  a manure,  and 
it  might  even  form  an  article  of  exportation,  but  the  inhabi- 
tants derive  no  advantage  from  it. 

If  agriculture,  industry  and  commerce  were  encouraged, 
Sicily  might  contain,  as  in  the  time  of  the  Romans,  three 
times  the  number  of  its  present  population.  But  many 
obstacles  must  be  removed  before  it  can  attain  such  a de- 
gree of  prosperity  ; the  nobility  must  show  an  example  of 
disinterestedness,  that  can  hardly  be  expected  from  their 
character  and  habits.  The  indolent  and  slothful  would 
suffer  from  the  change,  and  the  number  of  monks  would  be 
diminished.  There  are  no  manufactories  in  the  island,  but 
it  would  be  of  advantage  to  establish  some  in  the  different 
convents,  as  their  number  is  out  of  all  proportion  with  that 
of  the  inhabitants.  Twenty-eight  thousand  monks  and 
eighteen  thousand  nuns,  in  all  forty-six  thousand,  are  con- 
tained in  a population  of  one  million  six  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  individuals,  which  gives  one  recluse  for  every  thirty- 
five  inhabitants.  The  secular  clergy  might  not  perhaps  be 
averse  to  such  a reform,  for  they  are  said  to  be  tolerant, 
from  which  it  may  be  inferred  that  they  are  enlightened  and 
well  informed.  They  possess  a third  part  of  the  land,  but 
their  influence  depends  as  much  on  their  knowledge  as  on 
their  wealth.  The  nobles,  still  more  wealthy,  possess  almost 


* According  to  a decree  of  the  month  of  J uly,  1824,  Sicily  is  governed  by 
the  same  laws  as  the  other  Neapolitan  states. 
b “ Annual  value  4 millions  francs.” 

e “ The  most  esteemed  are  those  of  Syracuse  and  Marsala.” 
d “ Total  value  about  900,000  francs.  6 “ 9 millions  francs.” 


all  the  rest  of  the  country  ; they  are  composed  of  a hundred 
and  twenty  princes,  eighty  dukes,  a hundred  and  forty 
marquises,  thirty  counts,  three  hundred  and  sixty  barons, 
and  a great  many  knights,  who  are  also  included  in  the 
aristocracy.  The  abolition  of  their  privileges  has  tended 
to  diminish  their  revenue,  but  they  may  imitate  the  Russian 
nobles,  and  add  to  their  riches  by  building  manufactories, 
and  encouraging  agriculture,  which  might  be  done  without 
difficulty  in  a country  where  nature  invites  man  to  labour  by 
repaying  him  a hundredfold. 

Sicily,  from  its  situation  between  Europe  and  Africa, 
might  easily  be  rendered  the  most  commercial  island  in  the 
Mediterranean  ; but  before  such  a change  can  take  plaee, 
good  roads  must  be  substituted  for  rugged  and  incon- 
venient paths : so  long  as  there  is  no  other  road'  in  the 
island  than  the  one  between  Montreale  and  Alcamo,  the 
difficulties  of  communication  are  likely  to  prevent  every 
improvement  in  agriculture.  Lands  yield  less  than  four  per 
cent,  to  the  proprietor ; he  advances  the  seed  to  the 
farmer,  who  returns  it  after  harvest,  and  pays  his  rent  in 
produce,  according  to  the  rates  that  are  determined  in 
every  parish. 

While  an  eternal  winter  reigns  on  the  summit  of  Etna, 
the  rest  of  Sicily  enjoys  a perpetual  spring.  In  April, 
Reaumur’s  thermometer  stands  at  about  seventeen  degrees 
in  the  shade  at  noon,  but  when  the  sirocco  blows,  the  same 
thermometer  rises  to  thirty-five-  or  thirty-six  degrees.  The 
other  southern  winds,  or  the  Libecchio'*  from  the  southwest, 
and  the  Austral'  from  the  south,  are  more  or  less  accom- 
panied with  the  unwholesome  effects  of  the  sirocco.  The 
months  of  November  and  December  are  mild  ; people  seek 
the  shade  in  January  ; but  the  cold  winds  of  March  compel 
the  Sicilians  to  have  recourse  to  their  portable  fires. m 

The  Sicilian  wheat  grows  to  an  extraordinary  height  ; 
the  ears  seldom  contain  less  than  sixty  grains  ; both  the 
grains  and  the  straw  are  of  a golden  or  bright  yellow  colour, 
by  which  it  may  be  distinguished  from  the  wheat  of  northern 
countries.  The  finest  crops  in  France  or  England  present 
to  the  Sicilian  the  image  of  sterility,  so.much  do  his  own 
exhibit  that  of  abundance.  The  aloe  rises  to  the  height 
of  thirty  feet ; most  of  the  roads  are  lined  with  the  Cactus 
opunliaf  and  its  purple  fruit,  in  shape  not  unlike  a fig, 
serves  as  food  for  the  poor.  The  water  melons  are  perhaps 
finer  than  in  any  other  country  in  Europe.  The  fruits  of 
the  date  tree  arrive  at  maturity  ; their  sweet  juice  forms  a 
seasoning  for  certain  dishes,  or  they  are  dried,  and  served 
on  the  tables  of  the  wealthy  and  the  burgesses.  The  pome- 
granate, brought  from  Carthage  into  Italy  by  the  Romans, 
who  gave  it  the  name  of  punica,  yields  a vinous  and  acid 
juice,  very  agreeable  to  the  people  in  the  south  of  Europe. 
The  sugar  cane  is  indigenous  to  the  coast  opposite  Africa, 
and  the  coffee  shrub  has  been  discovered  in  a wild  state  in 
the  same  part  of  the  island.  So  great  a variety  of  plants  in 
addition  to  those  of  northern  climates,  might  tempt  the  in- 
dolent Sicilian  to  bestow  more  attention  on  agriculture. 

Messina  is  situated  nearer  the  Calabrian  coast  than  any 
other  town  in  Sicily.  It  was  founded,  according  to  the 
common  opinion,  ten  centuries  before  the  vulgar  era.  The 
Siculi,  says  Thucydides,  called  it  Zancle,  from  a word  in 


f “ Lemons  and  orangps  for  1,800,000  francs.” 
s “ 2 millions  francs.” 

h “ More  than  250,000  francs.”  1 “ Chaussee.” 

K It.  LAbeccio.  1 It.  Austro. 

m Brasiers.  “ Nopal,  Indian  fig. 


HOOK  CXXXVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


129 


their  language  which  signified  a scythe  or  pruning  hook, 
probably  on  account  of  the  crooked  form  of  its  harbour.” 
Three  or  four  centuries  after  its  foundation,  Anaxilas,  the 
chief  of  the  Messenian  colony  at  Reggio,  defeated  the 
Zanclod,  took  possession  of  their  town,  and  gave  it  the  name 
of  JMessana  or  Messene.  It  was  taken  at  a later  period  by 
the  JWamertini,  a people  of  Campania.  The  town  was 
wholly  destroyed  by  the  earthquake  that  happened  in 
1783  ; it  has  since  been  rebuilt  according  to  a regular  plan, 
but  although  it  has  been  declared  a free  port,  it  is  not  so 
important  as  it  once  was  : it  contained  before  the  last  catas- 
trophe, more  than  a hundred  thousand  inhabitants  ; the 
present  population  is  about  seventy  thousand. b It  rises  in 
the  form  of  an  amphitheatre  at  the  base  of  the  mountains, 
the  branches  of  which  extend  throughout  the  island,  forming 
in  our  opinion  the  continuation  of  the  Appennines.  The 
sides  of  these  heights  are  intersected  by  ravines  ; they  are 
covered  with  a thousand  varied  plants,  that  rise  above  the 
palaces  of  Messina.  The  agitated  waters  of  the  strait, 
where  Scylla  and  Charybdis  were  the  terror  of  ancient 
navigators,  are  seen  under  the  walls  of  the  city.  Built  on 
uneven  ground,  Messina  is  about  six  thousand  yards  in 
extent  ;c  a promontory  of  rocks  and  sand  protrudes  in  the 
form  of  a semicircle  on  the  right,  and  forms  a safe  and 
spacious  anchorage  for  ships.  A large  citadel,  together  with 
several  forts  and  batteries,  defends  the  entrance  into  its  har- 
bour, which  may  be  considered  one  of  the  finest  in  the 
Mediterranean.  The  streets  are  broad  and  regular,  and 
paved  with  large  pieces  of  lava.  The  well  built  quays  are 
lined  with  low  houses,  probably  that  less  danger  may  accrue 
in  the  event  of  earthquakes.  Four  or  five  large  but  irregu- 
lar squares  or  piazzas  may  be  remarked  rather  for  the  pro- 
fusion than  the  taste  or  selection  of  their  ornaments  ; they 
are  all  decorated  with  marble  fountains  and  bronze  statues 
of  ordinary  workmanship.  The  royal  palace,  in  point  of 
architecture,  the  finest  building  in  the  town,  is  not  yet  finish- 
ed. The  churches  may  vie  with  others  in  Italy,  in  the 
number  of  their  paintings  and  images,  which  are  placed  to- 
gether without  much  judgment.  The  cathedral  built  by 
Count  Roger,  is  decorated  with  twenty-six  columns  of 
Egyptian  granite,  and  they  have  a very  singular  elfect  near 
Gothic  ornaments  of  the  twelfth  century.  The  people  are 
ill  educated  in  Messina  ; few  among  the  lower  orders  can 
read,  and  still  fewer  among  the  nobles  are  well  informed. 
The  different  places  of  education  are  a royal  college  and 
six  gratuitous  schools,  two  of  which  are  reserved  for  young 
nobles  ; there  are  besides  a seminary  for  four  hundred  pupils, 
and  forty-six  convents  for  men  or  women.  Among  other 
institutions,  may  be  mentioned  a bank,  several  mounts  of 
piety, d a lazaretto  and  a large  hospital.6 

Taormina  stands  on  a hill  near  the  shore,  about  twelve 


a Strabo  adopts  the  opinion  of  Thucydides : see  book  vi.  chap.  3.  § 5. 
Thus,  it  might  be  easy  to  prove  the  Greek  origin  of  the  Siculi,  for  the 
Greek  word  $ayK\n,  which  is  pronounced  zancle,  signifies  also  a scythe  or 
pruning  hook. 

b Between  eighty  and  ninety  thousand.  Ed.  Encyc.  c “ 3000  toises.” 
d “ Three  mounts  of  piety.”  e The  public  hospital. 

f “ L’avant-scene.”  E It.  Monte  Gibello,  Mongibello. 

h The  silence  of  Homer  concerning  the  fires  of  Etna,  render  it  probable 
that  it  was  in  the  same  inactive  state  in  his  time,  as  Vesuvius  was  in  the 
time  of  Strabo.  The  number  of  its  eruptions  from  the  earliest  period  of 
history  to  the  present  day  amounts  to  eighty-one ; namely, 

Recorded  by  Thucydides*  ....  3 

In  the  year  132  before  Christ  . . .1 

* The  three  eruptions  recorded  by  Thucydides,  happened  A.  C.  565, 
A.  C.  476  and  A.  C.  425.— P. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  4fi. 


leagues  to  the  south-west  of  Messina.  Although  not  peo- 
pled by  more  than  three  thousand  inhabitants,  it  contains  e 
great  many  churches  and  convents.  The  Roman  way  that 
leads  to  it,  and  the  vast  remains  of  a theatre,  prove  it  to  be 
the  Taurominium  of  the  Romans,  formerly  a considerable 
town,  which  Arabs  and  earthquakes  have  destroyed.  The 
edifice  already  mentioned,  the  most  remarkable  of  any  in 
Taormina,  is  more  than  two  hundred  feet  in  diameter,  and 
it  serves  to  give  the  moderns  a correct  idea  of  ancient  thea- 
tres ; although  of  so  great  dimensions,  the  space  allotted  to 
the  actors  was  only  a few  feet  in  depth,  not  more  than  the 
space  in  modern  theatres  between  the  curtain  and  the  or 
chestra/  The  sculptures  that  adorned  the  theatre,  rjow 
decorate  the  monasteries  in  Taormina  ; their  profane  ori 
gin  was  no  protection  against  the  pious  zeal  of  the  Norman 
princes. 

The  river  Cantara,  which  still  retains  the  name  of  Al- 
cantara, given  it  by  the  Arabs,  separates  the  plain  below 
Taormina  from  the  last  declivities  of  Etna  or  Gibello ,s  the 
latter  a name  also  of  Arabic  origin,  and  one  that  signifies  a 
mountain.  A pyramidical  rock  forms  the  summit  of  the 
great  volcano,  of  which  the  crater  is  more  than  a league  in 
circumference,  and  seven-  hundred  feet  in  depth.  Many 
strangers  visit  the  mountain,  but  few  ever  reach  its  frozen 
summit,  so  much  do  the  difficulties  and  dangers  increase 
after  having  passed  the  first  region  of  snow.h  Not  many 
years  ago  an  English  traveller,  who  reached  the  crater,  was 
rash  enough  to  descend  it  by  means  of  ropes  attached  to 
his  waist ; he  was  drawn  up  suffocated,  after  having  given 
the  signal  to  his  guides,  but  they  were  unable  to  restore  him 
to  life.1  The  lava  and  scorise  of  Etna  are  as  useful  in  fer- 
tilizing the  ground  as  the  same  substances  on  Vesuvius  ; 
thus,  the  base  of  Etna,  which  some  writers  consider  equal 
to  a hundred  leagues  in  circumference,  affords  the  means 
of  subsistence  to  a hundred  and  eighty  thousand  inhabitants. 
The  plants  in  the  same  part  of  Sicily  reach  to  an  extraor- 
dinary size  ; near  the  volcanic  promontory  of  Aci,  a place 
connected  with  the  fable  of  Acis  and  Galataea,  old  chestnut 
trees,  the  silent  witnesses  of  political  revolutions  and  natu- 
ral convulsions,  extend  to  a great  distance  their  wide  spread- 
ing branches.  One  of  them  is  twenty-four  feet  in  diameter,11 
another  is  fifteen,  but  the  most  remarkable  of  any,  and  one 
that  many  consider  a sufficient  inducement  for  strangers 
to  go  out  of  their  way  to  examine,  is  the  Castagno  dei  cento 
cavalli,  not  an  inaccurate  designation,  for  according  to  Si- 
mond,  a hundred  horses  may  find  shelter  under  its  shade  j1 
the  circumference  is  not  less  than  a hundred  and  twelve 
feet.™ 

Catania,  the  ancient  Catana,  is  situated  at  the  foot  of 
Etna,  on  the  sea-shore  ; it  was  founded  seven  centuries  be- 
fore the  vulgar  era,  but  it  has  been  often  destroyed  by  lava 


In  the  year  44  of  the  vulgar  era  . . 1 

252 ....  1 

During  the  twelfth  century  ...  2 

During  the  thirteenth  . . . .1 

During  the  fourteenth  ....  2 

During  the  fifteenth  . . . . .4 

During  the  sixteenth  ....  4 

During  the  seventeenth  . . . .22 

During  the  eighteenth  ....  32 

Since  the  commencement  of  the  nineteenth  . . 8 


* Manuel  du  voyageur  en  Sicile,  par  M.  le  comte  Karaczay. 
k “24  feet  in  one  direction,  and  12  in  another.” 

i “ and  in  its  interior.”(?)  The  trunk,  near  the  ground,  separate* 

into  five  great  divisions,  fonning  a large  cavity,  and  appearing  as  if  fiv* 
trees  had  grown  into  one. — P.  “ Simond’s  Travels  in  Italy. 


17 


130 

and  earthquakes,  and  it  does  not  cover  at  present  more  than 
a fourth  part  of  the  surface  which  it  occupied  when  Hiero, 
tyrant  of  Syracuse,  changed  its  name  into  Etna,  and  peo- 
pled it  with  new  inhabitants.  The  town  is  large  and  well 
built : its  fine  edifices,  which  render  it  not  unlike  Turin,  are 
so  many  proofs,  not  of  its  prosperity,  but  rather  of  its  mis- 
fortunes ; for  in  Catania,  houses  never  become  old,  they 
give  way  either  to  lava  or  volcanic  shocks.  It  is  to  the 
earthquakes  of  1693  and  1783,  that  it  owes  its  magnifi- 
cence ; almost  wholly  destroyed,  it  was  rebuilt  with  greater 
regularity.  Most  of  its  edifices  have  been  since  injured  by 
the  shocks  in  1819.  The  cathedral  is  one  of  the  finest ; 
the  walls  of  the  sacristy  are  covered  with  fresco  paintings, 
which  represent  the  ravages  of  the  eruption  in  1669  ; dur- 
ing that  period,  a torrent  of  lava,  a league  in  breadth,  was 
accumulated  behind  the  walls  of  the  town,  which  were  more 
than  sixty  feet  high,  but  the  burning  stream  flowed  over 
them  into  Catania,  traversed  the  city,  and  formed  a lofty 
mole  in  the  sea,  which  adds  at  present  to  the  safety  of  the 
harbour.  The  people,  however,  are  persuaded  that  the 
town  owes  its  preservation  to  St.  Agatha,  the  tutelar  saint 
of  Catania,  who  suffered  martyrdom  in  the  same  place  un- 
der the  reign  of  Decius.  It  is  true  that  they  attribute  to 
their  own  sins,  the  misfortunes  which  the  protection  of  the 
saint  cannot  avert.  The  convent  or  rather  palace  of  the 
Benedictines,  forms  a striking  contrast,  by  its  magnificent 
architecture,  with  the  simplicity  that  is  so  well  adapted  to 
a house  of  devotion.  The  monastery  may  be  considered  a 
museum  of  the  antiquities  that  have  been  discovered  in  the 
neighbourhood  ; it  possesses,  besides  several  valuable  paint- 
ings, a collection  of  natural  history,  a large  library,  and 
gardens  made  at  much  expense  on  a bed  of  lava.  A great 
many  antiquities  are  contained  in  the  Biscari  museum, 
which  was  founded  by  an  opulent  nobleman  of  the  same 
name,  who  employed  his  wealth  in  exploring  or  digging 
for  antiquities  in  the  territory  of  Catania.  The  ancient 
theatre  and  amphitheatre,  the  old  walls,  baths  and  temples 
were  buried  under  several  layers  of  lava  and  alluvial  deposits, 
that  were  removed  by  the  same  individual  ; lastly,  the  town 
is  indebted  to  him  for  several  ancient  statues,  and  a basaltic 
elephant  carrying  an  Egyptian  obelisk  on  its  back.  Al- 
though the  religious  houses  in  Catania  are  richly  endowed, 
sufficient  funds  are  not  wanting  for  the  university.  The 
professors  are  distinguished  by  their  attainments,  and  their 
classes  are  attended  by  five  hundred  students  ; those  among 
the  nobles,  who  are  educated  in  the  same  institution,  are  in 
general  well  informed,  A convent  in  the  town,  serves  as 
a residence  for  the  knights  of  Malta,  whose  predecessors 
were  for  a long  time  the  terror  of  the  Crescent.  £ 

The  territory  of  Catania  produces  plenty  of  corn,  wine, 
flax,  olives  and  silk.  Much  amber,  and  some  pieces  of  a 
bright  red  colour,  are  collected  on  the  coast  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Giaretta,  formerly  the  Simajthus, — a river  celebrated 
by  the  ancient  poets.  These  products  maintain  the  indus- 
try and  commerce  of  the  town  ; the  inhabitants  carry  on  a 
trade  in  olive  oil ; some  manufacture  linen  and  silk  stuffs, 


* Strain  refutes  triumphantly  the  common  opinion  that  existed  in  his 
time,  concerning  the  junction  of  the  Alpheus  and  Arethusa.  Book  VI. 
Chap.  iii.  sect.  5, 

b Incredibili  magnitudine  et  plenisefmus  piecium. 
c “ The  piece  of  money,  intended  as  the  fare  &c.,  was  observed  in  the 
mouth  of  several  skeletons.”  A small  coin  ( triens  vel  obolus)  was  put  in 
the  mouth  of  the  deceased,  that  he  might  give  it  to  Charon  for  his  freight. 
(Adam’s  Antiq.  p.  515.) 

— pec  habet,  quern  porrigat,  oretricn  tem. — Juvenal.  Sat.  iii.  v.  267. — P. 


[BOOK  CXXXVI. 

while  others  are  employed  in  making  amber  crosses  and 
chaplets. 

The  road  from  Catania  to  Syracuse  is  not  nearly  so 
pleasant  as  the  one  from  Messina  to  Catania  ; indeed  the 
former  extends  along  the  sands  on  the  sea-shore.  But  the 
Phrygian  bonnet,  still  worn  by  the  inhabitants,  recals  some 
associations  not  without  interest,  and  the  traveller  passes 
through  a country  embellished  by  the  brilliant  fictions  of  the 
G reeks.  The  banks  of  the  Simaethus  are  still  covered  with 
the  fragrant  flowers,  which  Proserpine  was  gathering,  when 
she  was  carried  away  by  Pluto, — the  god  of  hell  and  of 
Etna,  who  shared  with  her  his  empire. 

The  fountain  of  Arethusa  issues  from  a rock  near  the 
ancient  Syracuse,  which  the  Greeks  called  Pentapolis  from 
its  five  quarters  ; the  fountain  serves  to  recal  the  story  of 
the  nymph  Arethusa,  flying  from  Alpheus,  but  her  meta- 
morphosis availed  her  little,  for  the  ancients  pretended  that 
the  Alpheus  passed  under  the  sea,  and  united  his  streams 
with  the  fountain — a notion  sufficiently  poetical,  but  con- 
trary to  physical  geography,  by  which  the  impossibility  of 
such  a communication  may  be  easily  demonstrated.1  The 
fountain,  which  Cicero  describes  as  of  very  great  magni- 
tude, and  abounding  in  fish,b  can  no  longer  be  recognised  ; 
it  is,  at  present,  only  a small  and  narrow  stream,  where  the 
women  of  modern  Syracuse  are  employed  in  washing 
clothes.  The  modern  town  scarcely  occupies  one  of  the 
suburbs  of  the  ancient  city  ; the  latter  did  not  long  survive 
the  decline  of  Athens.  Modern  Syracuse  is  built  on  the 
island  that  the  ancients  called  Nasos ; the  circumference 
of  the  town,  including  the  large  and  small  harbour,  is 
hardly  equal  to  a league,  while  that  of  the  ancient  city 
amounted  to  nearly  eight.  Some  idea  may  be  formed  of 
its  great  population  in  past  times,  from  the  extent  of  its  ca- 
tacombs ; they  are  situated  in  the  plain  where  the  old 
church  of  St.  John  stands  at  present,  and  they  are  cut  in 
a sort  of  sandy  limestone.  Long  and  regular  galleries, 
extending  in  every  direction,  are  interrupted  at  different 
distances  by  large  circular  halls,  covered  with  stucco,  and 
open  at  the  roof  so  as  to  admit  the  light  and  air.  Niches 
and  tombs  are  hollowed  in  the  sides,  and  in  some  of  them 
twenty  coffins,  placed  one  above  another,  were  found,  and 
pieces  of  money,  the  fare  for  the  ferryman  of  Acheron, 
have  been  observed  near  several  skeletons.®  It  was  in  the 
same  place  that  Cicero  discovered  the  tomb  of  Archi- 
medes.'1 One  may  still  trace  the  enclosure  or  outer  wall 
which  Dionysius  built  round  the  town,  and  examine  the  re- 
mains of  a large  theatre  and  amphitheatre,  cut  in  the  rock. 
The  celebrated  prison,  called  the  Ear  of  Dionysius,  is  not 
a building,  but  a cavern,  perhaps  the  quarry  out  of  which 
old  Syracuse  was  built  ;e  its  form  is  most  favourable  to  the 
repercussion  of  sound,  high,  narrow,  pointed  above,  and 
presenting  a singular  curve  in  its  horizontal  depth.  It  is 
so  sonorous  that  Dionysius  might  have  placed  himself  near 
the  opening  above  it,  and  heard  whatever  the  prisoners  said 
in  a whisper.  The  tearing  of  a piece  of  paper  makes  a 
noise  not  unlike  that  occasioned  by  knocking  a heavy  stick 


d This  is  not  in  the  original.  The  tomb  of  Archimedes  was  found  by 
Cicero  near  one  of  the  gates  of  Syracuse,  ( cst  enim  ad  portas  Agragia- 
nas  magna  frequentia  sepulchrorum,)  overgrown  with  thorns  and  bram- 
bles. It  could  not,  therefore,  have  been  in  the  catacombs. — P. 

e This  is  not  in  the  original.  The  perpendicular  height  of  the  Ear  of 
Dionysius  is  about  90  feet  (58  feet  M.  B.)  and  its  length  250  feet  (Bry- 
done) — scarcely  large  enough  to  supply  materials  for  such  a city  as  ancient 
Syracuse.  The  La  t omits,  an  extensive  quarry,  now  converted  into  a gar 
den,  is  better  entitled  to  that  distinction. — P. 


EUROPE. 


BOOK  CXXXVI-] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


131 


against  a stone  , some  notion  may  thus  be  formed  of  the 
effect  produced  by  the  discharge  of  a pistol,  an  experiment 
with  which  the  ciceroni  are  not  unwilling  to  gratiiy  stran- 
gers. 

Modern  Syracuse  has  been  much  injured  by  earth- 
quakes ; the  one  that  happened  in  1693,  did  not  last  more 
than  four  minutes,  but  it  destroyed  almost  all  the  houses, 
and  a fourth  part  of  the  inhabitants.  Although  now  an 
insignificant  town,  it  possesses  a theatre  and  a very  valua- 
ble museum,  in  which  may  be  seen  a statue  of  Venus  Cal- 
lipygia,  supposed  to  be  the  one  described  by  Athenseus, 
and  given  to  the  Syracusans  by  the  emperor  Ileliogabalus. 
The  cathedral  is  the  ancient  temple  of  Minerva  ; it  was 
transformed  into  a church  towards  the  end  of  the  second 
century  ; its  most  precious  ornament  is  a Madonna  of  solid 
silver,  as  large  as  life  ; the  lady  appears  in  a robe,  covered 
with  diamonds  and  other  precious  stones,  on  certain  solemn 
occasions,  such  as  the  day  of  an  annual  visit  which  she 
m ikes,  in  procession  and  with  much  ceremony,  to  another 
Madonna  in  the  neighbourhood. 

Mount  Laura,  which  rises  to  the  west  of  Syracuse,  is 
one  of  the  highest  points  in  the  three  chains  that  traverse 
Sicily.  Calatagirone,  an  industrious  and  commercial  town, 
is  situated  on  the  southern  side  of  the  mountains,  at  a con- 
siderable elevation  ; the  inhabitants  are  engaged  in  com- 
merce, agriculture  and  the  useful  arts.  It  contains  many 
churches  and  priests,  convents  and»monks,  besides  a royal 
college  and  several  hospitals.  Two  or  three  fairs  are  held 
every  year  in  the  town  ; and  according  to  different  authors, 
the  population  amounts  to  nineteen  thousand  six  hundred 
inhabitants,  but  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  number  has 
been  overrated.  It  stands  on  the  site  of  Hybla  Minima  or 
Hercea,  as  it  is  called  in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine.  A bad 
road  passes  through  Calatagirone  from  Catania  to  Castro- 
Giovanni,  a town  of  eleven  thousand  souls,  which  from  its 
position  on  a hill,  and  from  some  remains  of  antiquity,  was 
probably  the  ancient  Enna,  a place  mentioned  by  Strabo ; 
within  its  walls,  about  a hundred  and  fifty  years  before  the 
Christian  era,  a number  of  revolted  slaves  maintained  a long 
and  obstinate  siege  against  the  Romans.  The  neighbour- 
ing country  was  and  is  still  very  fruitful  in  corn.  Ceres  had 
a magnificent  temple  in  the  town,  which  is  said  to  have 
been  the  capital  of  her  dominions  ; at  no  great  distance 
from  it  may  be  seen  the  grotto,  by  which  Pluto  returned  to 
the  infernal  regions,  when  he  carried  away  Proserpine. 

A road  from  Castro-Giovanni  leads  to  Girgenti,  but  by 
following  the  course  of  the  Salso,  one  may  reach  Alicata, 
a town  of  twelve  thousand  inhabitants,  situated  on  the  sea 
coast ; it  is  protected  by  two  forts,  and  well  known  in  Sicily 
for  its  pastry  and  macaroni.  The  harbour,  although  small, 
is  much  frequented,  and  the  ruins  on  Mount  Serrato  in  the 
neighbourhood,  are,  according  to  some  antiquaries,  the  re- 
mains of  Gela,  the  birthplace  of  the  poet  Apollodorus,  of 
the  philosopher  Timagoras  and  the  tyrant  Gelon.  At  a 
short  distance  from  the  same  place  stood  the  tomb  of  Aes- 
chylus. 

Girgenti,  of  which  the  streets  rise  like  steps  one  above 
another,  on  one  of  the  highest  mountains  near  the  coast, 
is  a dirty,  ill-built  and  by  no  means  commercial  town. 


» In  the  original, — “beyond  the  Platani  and  the  Calatabellota.”  The 
translator  appears  to  have  considered  the  two  names  as  belonging  to  the 
same  river,  but  they  are  in  fact  two  distinct  rivers  entering  the  sea  on  the 
western  coast  between  Girgenti  and  Sciacca,  the  Platani  on  the  south, 


It  possesses  an  orphan  hospital,  a lyceum  with  a library  and 
a collection  of  medals,  an  episcopal  palace,  and  a seminary  ; 
it  contains  also  forty-six  churches  and  fifteen  monasteries, 
although  its  population  does  not  exceed  fifteen  thousand 
souls.  It  rises  on  the  site  of  the  citadel,  that  Daedalus  built 
at  the  request  of  king  Cocalus,  to  defend  Agrigentum.  The 
ruins  of  the  ancient  city  are  situated  about  a mile  and  a 
half  to  the  south-east,  at  a place  called  Girgenti  Vecchio. 
Several  convents  rise  within  its  enclosure,  which  consisted 
of  rocks  cut  in  the  form  of  walls.  Agrigentum,  which 
Strabo  calls  Acragas,  from  the  name  of  the  stream  that 
watered  it,  was  founded  six  hundred  years  before  the  vul- 
gar era ; Amilcar  destroyed  it  two  hundred  years  after- 
wards ; having  been  rebuilt,  it  was  taken  by  the  Romans. 
The  population  amounted  to  two  hundred  thousand  souls, 
and  it  was  a considerable  town,  at  comparatively  so  late  a 
period  as  the  year  941,  when  the  Arabs  or  Saracens  laid 
it  in  ruins.  If  the  inhabitants  were  unable  to  resist  their 
enemies,  it  was  owing  to  their  luxury  and  effeminacy.  The 
long  tyranny  of  Phalaris,  and  his  cruel  and  dreadful  tor- 
tures, compelled  them  at  last  to  shake  off  the  yoke.  While 
Carthage  was  in  its  splendour,  the  people  of  Agrigentum 
were  menaced  with  an  attack  from  that  naval  power.  The 
magistrates  decreed  that  the  citizens  in  rotation  should 
watch  the  ramparts  during  the  night,  and  in  order  that  the 
service  might  not  be  attended  with  too  much  inconvenience, 
every  man  on  duty  was  permitted  to  have  a tent,  a woollen 
coverlet  and  two  pillows.  But  even  this  indulgence  was 
not  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  citizens,  and  the  decree  occa- 
sioned much  discontent.  The  philosopher  Empedocles, 
who  perished  in  the  crater  of  Etna,  was  born  at  Agrigen- 
tum ; he  said  that  his  countrymen  indulged  in  luxury  as  if 
they  were  to  die  the  next  day,  and  erected  temples  and  edi- 
fices as  if  they  -were  to  live  for  ever.  The  public  buildings 
were  magnificent ; strangers  admire  the  temple  of  Concord, 
which,  with  the  exception  of  the  roof,  is  still  entire  ; among 
the  other  ruins  that  exist  at  present,  are  the  temples  of 
Castor  and  Pollux,  Juno  Lucina,  the  Olympian  Jupiter, 
Ceres  and  Proserpine,  Hercules,  Apollo,  Diana,  and  Aes- 
culapius. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  the  towns  in  the  interior  of 
Sicily  ; all  the  industry  of  the  country  is  concentrated  in 
the  different  places  on  the  coast,  and  it  is  there  too  that  the 
stranger  finds  subjects  for  meditation,  in  the  historical  re- 
collections connected  with  them.  Timoleon,  at  the  head 
of  six  thousand  Syracusans,  defeated  an  army  of  seventy 
thousand  Carthaginians,  near  the  Calatabellota,  a rivei 
twelve  leagues  in  length,  to  which  the  ancients  gave  the 
name  of  Crimisus.  An  arid  plain  beyond  it,a  extends  to 
the  sea-shore,  where  the  town  of  Sciacca  rises  ; its  wretch- 
ed appearance  is  so  much  the  more  remarkable  as  it  con- 
tains twelve  thousand  inhabitants,  and  because  great  quan- 
tities of  grain  are  exported  to  foreign  countries  from  its  har- 
bour. Few  vestiges  of  the  town  called  the  Baths  of  Seli- 
nus  ( Thermae.  Selinuntice,)  now  remain  ;b  a town  celebrated 
in  ancient  times  for  its  warm  springs,  for  its  fine  earthen 
ware,  incorrectly  denominated  Etruscan,  and  also  as  being 
the  birth-place  of  Agathocles,  who  from  a potter,  rose  by 
his  talents  to  the  throne  of  Syracuse.  Selinusc  was  situa- 


nearest  Girgenti,  and  the  Calatabellota  on  the  north,  near  Sciacca.  The 
mistake  of  the  translator  is  corrected  in  this  edition. — P. 
b It  occupied  the  site  of  Sciacca. 

0 Selinuns. 


J 


132  EUR 

fed  in  the  territory  of  Castel  Vetrano  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  Belici,  but  the  ruins  of  ancient  temples  and  other  edifi- 
ces, that  the  inhabitants  call  the  Giants'  Pillars  ( Pilieri  dei 
Giganti,)  are  all  that  remain  of  the  ancient  town.  The 
tempest,  says  a traveller,3  sometimes  sweeps  away  the  de- 
posits that  now  cover  the  port  of  Selinus,  and  reveals  for  a 
few  moments,  quays,  columns  and  rings,  which  the  billows 
conceal  anew  under  heaps  of  moveable  sand.  Innumera- 
ble lizards  sport  about  the  ruins,  the  aloe  sends  up  its  taper- 
ing shoot,  and  the  wide  spreading  opuntia  covers  them  with 
its  shade.  A deserted  but  fruitful  plain  extends  beyond 
them  to  Mazzara,  a town  peopled  by  eight  thousand  in- 
habitants. Marsala  is  situated  on  the  other  side  of  a hill, 
near  the  sea-shore  ; the  neighbouring  country  is  famous 
for  its  wines  ;b  the  plants  were  originally  imported  from 
Madeira.  The  town  stands  near  the  ruins  of  Lilybicum,  a 
Carthaginian  city  that  maintained  a five  years  seige  against 
the  Romans,  and  in  which  the  latter,  according  to  Livy, 
kept  a garrison  of  ten  thousand  men  after  the  ruin  of  Car- 
thage. Trapani,  an  agreeable  town  to  the  north  of  Marsala, 
stands  on  a peninsula  at  no  great  distance  from  the  site  of 
the  ancient  Drepanum.  The  islands  of  Favignana,  Levanzo 
and  Maretimo  may  be  seen  from  its  ramparts.  It  was  near 
these  islands  that  the  consul  Claudius  Pulcher  was  defeat- 
ed in  a naval  engagement  by  the  Carthaginians  ; before  the 
engagement,  the  consul  ordered  the  sacred  chickens  to  be 
thrown  into  the  sea,  exclaiming — let  them  drink,  if  they  will 
not  eat ; on  the  same  coast,  Caius  Lutatius  gained  a vic- 
tory over  the  same  people,  which  enabled  the  Romans  to 
make  themselves  masters  of  Sicily. 

The  sterile  country  between  Trapani  and  Alcamo  may 
render  the  stranger  better  prepared  to  contemplate  one  of 
the  finest  monuments  of  antiquity — the  only  remains  of 
JEgesta  or  Segesta.  It  stands  on  a height  at  the  base  of 
Mount  Eryx,  celebrated  in  ancient  times  for  the  temple  of 
Venus  Erycina,  which  was  deserted  and  almost  in  ruins  at 
so  early  a period  as  the  time  of  Strabo.3  All  the  travellers 
who  have  examined  the  temple  are  unanimous  in  its  com- 
mendation. The  effect  it  produced  at  a distance,  says 
Simond,  increased  as  I approached.  Such  is  the  magic  of 
its  proportions,  and  the  beauty  of  its  form,  that  whatever 
side  it  may  be  viewed,  it  is  equally  admirable.  It  has 
braved  the  influence  of  time, — the  edifice  stands  entire, 
columns,  entablature,  pediment,  all  except  the  cella  and 
roof,  which  have  disappeared.  The  columns  of  the  Ionic 
order  are  about  seven  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  tapering 
towards  the  top,  and  only  four  diameters  in  height,  but  they 
form  with  the  front*1  a total  height  of  fifty-eight  feet.  The 
dimensions  of  the  interior  are  about  a hundred  and  seventy- 
four  feet  by  seventy-two  ;e  six  pillars  support  the  front,  and 
fourteen  each  of  the  sides/ 

The  country  round  Alcamo  is  fruitful  and  romantic  ; the 
name  of  the  town  indicates  its  Arabian  origin  ; it  was  found- 
ed in  the  year  828,  by  Alkamah,  a Saracen  prince.  When 
seen  from  the  heights  that  rise  above  it,g  its  towers  and  its 
walls  give  it  the  appearance  of  a Moorish  town.  The  wo- 
men have  preserved  the  eastern  costume  ; they  never  walk 
the  streets  without  being  covered  with  a large  black  mantle, 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXXXVI 

I that  conceals  part  of  the  face.  The  town  contains  thirteen 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  most  of  them  adore  their  Madonna, 
which  has  already  performed  unnumbered  miracles ; indeed 
the  people  maintain  that  there  is  not  a better  Madonna  in 
all  Sicily. 

•Montreale  or  Morreale,  a town  of  eight  thousand  inha- 
bitants, is  also  situated  on  a hill.  The  church  and  the  con- 
vent of  the  Benedictines,  which  were  founded  in  the  twelfth 
century  by  the  Norman  prince  William  the  Good,  have 
served  as  a nucleus  for  the  town  ; houses  have  at  different 
periods  been  grouped  around  them.  The  abbot  of  the 
monastery  has  the  title  and  the  rank  of  an  archbishop  ; the 
monks  of  Mount  Cassino  form  his  chapter.  The  church 
was  much  injured  by  a fire  in  181 1 ; its  principal  entrance 
is  formed  by  a bronze  portal  covered  with  reliefs  ; the 
columns  are  of  granite,  the  walls  are  incrusted  with  mosaics, 
and  the  pavement  consists  of  porphyry  and  different  colour- 
ed marbles  ; within  the  same  building  are  contained  the 
mausoleums  of  William  the  Good,  and  of  his  father  William 
the  Bad.  The  convent  is  adorned  with  an  admirable  paint- 
ing by  Pietro  Novelli,  the  Sicilian  Raphael. 

An  excellent  road  leads  from  Montreale  to  Palermo ; 
country  houses  are  scattered  in  the  neighbourhood,  and 
arid  rocks,  rising  apparently  from  the  sea,  are  heaped  above 
each  other  in  a fruitful  valley,  covered  in  some  places  with 
the  spiry  aloe  and  the  cactus.  Palm  trees  and  tall  bam- 
boos wave  their  verdanj  tops  in  the  air,  and  the  light  breeze 
that  sweeps  over  the  corn  fields,  agitates  the  undulating  sur- 
face. The  bright  foliage  of  the  orange  and  lemon  trees, 
the  smooth  branches  of  the  olive,  the  large-leaved  vine  and 
the  graceful  rose  laurel,  form  a varied  landscape  of  the 
richest  verdure. 

Palermo,  the  capital  of  Sicily,  and  the  ancient  Panormus, 
town  founded  by  the  Phoenicians,  is  encompassed  with  walls, 
and  rises  in  the  form  of  a circle  on  a gulf.  It  appears 
smaller  than  it  really  is  ; two  streets  which  intersect  each 
other  transversely,  divide  it  into  four  nearly  equal  parts.1' 
The  breadth  of  these  streets  is  about  forty  or  forty -five  feet, 
and  the  length  from  twelve  hundred  to  fourteen  hundred 
paces.  One  of  these  streets,  the  Cassaro,  derives  its  name 
from  the  Arabic  word  Cassar,  which  signifies  a palace ; 
the  other  is  called  the  Macqueda  or  Strada  Nuova.  The 
place  where  the  two  streets  cross  each  other,  forms  an 
octagonal  square  ; at  no  great  distance  from  it,  is  situated 
the  Pretorian  square,  which  is  much  larger.  A fountain 
loaded  with  ornaments,  and  of  such  dimensions  that  the 
eye  cannot  embrace  the  whole,*  rises  in  the  centre  of  the 
last  mentioned  square  ; it  consists  of  several  basins  placed 
above  each  other,  and  separated  by  galleries  covered  with 
statues  and  animals,  that  throw  out  the  water  in  different 
directions.  The  piazza  of  Bologni  is  adorned  with  an 
equestrian  statue  of  Charles  the  Fifth,  king  of  Sicily, — the 
best  work  of  Volsi,  a Sicilian  sculptor.  The  gates  of  the 
town  are  shut  at  night ; the  two  finest  are  the  Porta  Felice, 
a triumphal  arch  that  forms  the  entrance  from  the  harbour 
into  Palermo,  and  the  Porta  Nuova  at  the  extremity  of  the 
Cassaro,  and  contiguous  to  the  royal  palace.  The  archi 
tecture  of  the  latter  building  is  by  no  means  creditable  to 

“ M.  le  comte  Fedor  de  Karaczay.  b Sicily  Madeira. 

c Rook  VI.  chap.  iii.  § 8.  d “Fronton,”  pediment. 

* “ Length  30  toises,  breadth  12.” 

f See  Simond’s  Travels,  and  also  the  Manuel  du  Voyageur  en  Sicile, 
by  Count  Fedor  de  Karaczay. 

s “ When  seen  from  below  the  height  on  which  it  rises.” — The  Sara- 
eens  erected  a fortress  on  Mount  Bonifati.  Frederick  of  Swabia  having 

driven  out  the  Saracens,  destroyed  the  fortress,  and  built  Alcamo  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountain.  (Ed.  Encyc.j  It  is  situated  on  high  ground.  (Cyc.) — P. 

h The  two  principal  streets,  the  Cassaro  and  the  Strada  Nuova,  traverse 
the  citv,  and  intersect  each  other  at  right  angles  in  the  centre.  (Ed.  En- 
cyc.) — P. 

> “ et  d’une  dimension  qui  ne  permet  point  d’ea  saisir  l’ensemhle  de 

l’extr6mite  de  la  place,  qu’elle  obstrue.” 

- 

BOOK  CXXXVJ.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


133 


the  good  taste  of  the  Palermitans  ; constructed  at  different 
periods,  the  different  parts  are  not  in  harmony  with  each 
other.  The  most  remarkable  part  of  the  edifice  is  the 
chapel  built  by  king  Roger  in  1129;  and  it  too  is  only  re- 
markable for  its  grotesque  paintings,®  its  coarse  mosaics, 
and  an  architecture  in  which  the  Gothic  and  the  Grecian 
style  of  the  middle  ages  are  united.  The  highest  part  of 
the  palace,  or  the  observatory,  was  finished  in  1791  ; it 
was  there  that  the  celebrated  Abbe  Piazzi  discovered  in 
1801,  the  planet  which  he  called  Ceres.  The  oldest  fres- 
co painting  in  Europe  may  be  seen  on  the  walls  of  the  great 
hospital  ; it  was  painted  in  the  fourth  century  ;b  the  triumph 
of  Death  forms  the  subject,  one  that  cannot  be  very  conso- 
latory to  the  patients  who  are  confined  in  the  hospital. 

The  Vicaria  or  palace  of  justice,  is  at  once  the  tribunal 
and  the  prison  ; the  guilty  and  innocent,  criminals  and  ac- 
cused, are  confined  together,  and  remain  sometimes  ten  or 
fifteen  years  before  the  court  condemns  or  acquits  them. 
“ I shall  give  an  example,”  says  Simond,  “ of  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  prisons  are  filled,  as  I am  sure  of  the  fact. 
A few  months  ago,  two  men  were  quarrelling  in  the  street 
with  knives  in  their  hands,  when  a third  person  interfering, 
was  stabbed,  and  the  murderers  fled.  The  sbirri,  who 
happened  to  be  at  hand,  seized  three  of  the  bystanders,  and 
conducted  them  to  prison,  where  they  are  now  detained, 
without  any  evidence  whatsoever  against  them  ; and  unless 
they  have  powerful  friends  or  money,  they  may  remain 
there  half  their  lives.  In  the  meantime,  no  measures  have 
been  taken  to  bring  the  real  murderers  to  justice.”  An 
epidemy  lately  carried  off  eighty  individuals  in  confinement. 
The  original  cause  of  detention,  often  trifling,  is  forgotten, 
witnesses  are  gone  away,  nobody  thinks  of  prosecuting  ; it 
is  hopeless  for  a prisoner  to  expect  a trial ; he  may  look 
forward  to  a gaol  delivery,  to  which  an  arbitrary  govern- 
ment has  sometimes  recourse,  when  the  prisons  are  too  full. 
The  indifference  as  to  the  fate  of  prisoners,  encourages  the 
powerful  to  persecute  and  oppress  the  poor.  The  number 
of  prisoners0  amounted  to  about  seventeen  hundred  in  the 
year  1818.  The  prisons  in  a district  nine  times  more  popu- 
lous than  the  province  of  Palermo,  namely,  those  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  royal  court  at  Paris,  did  not  contain  at 
the  same  period  more  than  thirteen  or  fourteen  hundred 
persons. 

Several  articles  of  considerable  value  have  lately  been 
added  to  the  museums  of  antiquities  and  medals  ; and  the 
paintings,  which  are  now  collecting  in  the  galleries  of  the 
university,  are  likely  to  be  of  use  to  those  who  devote  them- 
selves to  the  fine  arts.  Two  edifices  of  Moorish  architecture 
are  situated  in  the  suburbs  of  Palermo ; the  one  is  the 
palace  of  Ziza,  the  property  of  an  individual,  and  the  other, 
the  palace  of  Cuba,  which  has  been  changed  into  barracks 
for  cavalry  ; they  were  built  by  an  emir,  who  called  them 
after  the  names  of  his  two  daughters.  The  town  contains, 
besides  the  buildings  already  mentioned,  twenty-seven  prin- 
cipal churches  and  several  others  of  a smaller  size,  sixty- 
seven,  convents,  five  hospitals,  eight  charity  schools,  a semi- 
nary, three  public  libraries,  four  barracks,  two  theatres, 
and  two  mounts  of  piety.  The  Duomo  or  cathedral,  one 
of  the  finest  Gothic  monuments  in  Sicily,  was  founded  in 
the  year  1166  ; it  may  bear  a comparison  with  the  most 
magnificent  buildings  in  Cordova  and  Granada,  but  the  in- 
terior, although  profusely  adorned,  does  not  correspond  with 


the  exterior;  marble,  granite,  jasper,  porphyry,  alabaster  and 
lapis  lazuli  are  lavished  in  the  same  way  as  in  other  Italian 
churches.  Next  to  the  cathedral,  the  church  of  Jesus  is 
the  most  remarkable,  not  only  for  its  architecture,  but  for 
its  precious  ornaments,  its  paintings  and  its  basso  relievos. 

The  catacombs  cut  in  the  rock  below  the  church  of  the 
Capuchins,  possess  the  singular  property  of  converting  into 
mummies  the  bodies  that  are  deposited  in  them.  The  dead, 
placed  upright  in  niches,  are  sumptuously  attired ; their 
arms  hang  downwards,  or  are  crossed  on  the  breast.  The 
nobles  attach  much  importance  to  this  method  of  sepulture, 
and  purchase  very  dearly  the  right  of  obtaining  it  ; indeed, 
the  revenue  that  the  Capuchins  thus  derive,  forms  the  prin- 
cipal source  of  their  wealth.  On  certain  festivals,  these 
bodies  are  clothed  in  gorgeous  apparel ; relatives,  friends, 
perhaps  lovers,  are  then  admitted  to  see  those  who  were 
dear  to  them.  But  the  magnificent  dresses  of  the  dead 
form  surely  a painful  contrast  with  their  shrivelled  skin, — 
the  contracted  lip  no  longer  concealing  the  teeth, — the  dis- 
agreeable grimace  on  some  countenances, — the  smile  on 
others,  as  if  they  looked  in  pity  or  contempt  on  the  vain 
grandeur  and  fleeting  pleasures  of  the  world. 

Palermo  boasts  of  having  been  the  birthplace  of  St.  Aga- 
tha, who  received  the  palm  of  martyrdom  in  the  third  cen- 
tury ; the  same  town  claims  the  honour  of  having  given 
birth  to  another  personage  in  the  legend,  to  another  object 
of  veneration  to  a credulous  people.  A Sicilian  poet  places 
St.  Rosalia  above  all  the  saints  in  paradise,  nay  more,  above 
the  Virgin  herself.  According  to  tradition,  she  was  the 
niece  of  William  the  Good  ; at  fifteen  years  of  age,  she  re- 
nounced the  world,  and  lived  in  complete  solitude  ; she  with- 
drew to  the  mountains  on  the  west  of  Palermo,  where  she 
died  unknown.  While  the  plague  depopulated  the  town  in 
1 624,  a hermit  declared  that  he  had  seen  a vision,  in  which 
God  revealed  to  him  a cavern  on  Mount  Pelegrino,  where 
the  bones  of  St.  Rosalia  were  to  be  found  ; these  bones  it 
was  necessary  to  carry  in  procession -round  the  walls  of 
Palermo,  in  order  that  their  sacred  virtue  might  drive  away 
the  plague.  No  one,  until  that  period,  ever  heard  of  St. 
Rosalia  ; no  one  knew  that  such  a person  ever  existed.  It 
was  rather  too  much  to  expect  that  her  remains  could  be 
found  five  centuries  after  her  death.  The  magistrates  paid 
little  attention  to  the  story  of  the  visionary,  but  the  people 
believed  it,  and  to  satisfy  them,  a deputation  of  monks,  with 
the  hermit  at  their  head,  was  sent  to  the  cavern.  The  bones 
were  found,  and  the  plague  in  the  course  of  time  disappear- 
ed. The  remains  of  St.  Rosalia  are  now  enclosed  in  a 
magnificent  shrine  on  the  very  spot  from  which  they  were 
first  removed,  and  to  which  pilgrims  from  Italy  and  every 
part  of  Sicily  resort. 

A festival  that  commences  on  the  fifteenth  of  July,  lasts 
several  days,  and  those  who  have  seen  it,  affirm  that  there 
is  a greater  display  of  pomp  and  pageantry  on  these  occa- 
sions, than  during  the  holy  week  at  Rome.  The  shrine  of 
St.  Rosalia  is  then  carried  in  procession  through  the  streets 
of  Palermo.  Fifty-six  mules  richly  caparisoned  are  at- 
tached to  an  immense  vehicle  seventy  feet  long,  thirty  broad, 
and  eighty  high,  containing  a numerous  orchestra,  and 
adorned  with  orange  trees,  shrubs  and  flowers.  The  holy 
chariot, d if  it  may  be  so  called,  terminates  in  a dome,  sup- 
ported by  six  Corinthian  pillars,  and  beneath  it  is  placed 
the  gigantic  statue  of  St.  Rosalia,  which  consists  of  massive 


Arabesques.’ 


Manuel  du  Yoyageur  en  Sicile. 


) c In  the  prisons  of  the  Vicaria. 


Triumphal  car. 


134  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxvi 


silver.  The  saint  with  her  numerous  suite  and  her  guard 
of  cavalry,  return  home  in  the  evening,  when  every  house 
is  illuminated,  and  when  every  priest  or  monk  that  accom- 
panies her,  holds  a lighted  torch  in  his  hand.  Fire  works 
are  then  discharged  from  every  part  of  the  town,  and  the 
corsoa  is  crowded  with  carriages  from  midnight  until  two 
o’clock.  Horse  races  commence  on  the  morning  of  the 
second  day  ; in  the  forenoon,  the  saint  and  her  retinue  pass 
through  different  parts  of  the  town,  and  in  the  evening  the 
same  illuminations  are  renewed,  and  the  fire  works  are 
more  brilliant ; the  same  amusements  are  continued  during 
the  third  day.  There  are  three  races  on  the  fourth,  and 
the  cathedral  is  lighted  in  the  evening  with  thirty  thousand 
wax  tapers.  Lastly,  the  saint  is  accompanied  with  a very 
numerous  procession  on  the  fifth  day,  for  all  the  priests  and 
monks  in  the  town  must  attend  ; they  pass  round  the  Pre- 
torian  square,  and  the  fountain  is  changed  in  an  instant  in- 
to a fountain  of  fire.  The  festival  attracts  to  Palermo  near- 
ly a fourth  part  of  the  population  of  the  island,  and  costs 
the  municipality  about  sixty  thousand  ducats.  The  interest 
that  the  Palermitans  of  all  ranks  and  all  ages  take  in  the 
vain  show,  the  luxury  that  prevails,  and  the  importance  at- 
tached to  trifles,  seem  to  indicate  that  the  blood  of  the  an- 
cient Greeks,  who  were  so  devoted  to  ceremonies  and  re- 
ligious festivals,  flows  still  in  the  veins  of  the  Sicilian 
people.1* 

The  Marina  is  the  finest  public  walk  in  Palermo  ; it  ex- 
tends along  the  sea-shore,  and  leads  to  the  Flora,  a large 
garden  tastefully  planted,  which  communicates  in  its  turn 
wi  h a botanical  garden,  containing  upwards  of  four  thou- 
sand exotic  plants.  The  fine  edifice  in  the  centre  of  the 
last  garden,  the  work  of  a French  architect,1'  is  now  set 
apart  for  lectures  on  botany  and  natural  history. 

The  Gulf  of  Palermo  cannot  be  compared  with  the  Gulf 
of  Naples  ; mountains  scorched  by  a burning  sun,  proclaim 
the  vicinity  of  Africa.  Mount  Pelegrino,  the  Eveta  of  the 
Romans,  is  the  highest  of  the  different  mountains  that  rise 
like  an  amphitheatre  round  the  town  ; their  sides  are  adorn- 
ed with  gardens  and  country  houses,  in  the  midst  of  which 
may  he  remarked  the  Favorita,  a royal  park,  stocked  with 
an  innumerable  quantity  of  hares  and  pheasants.  The  po- 
sition assigned  in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine,  to  Hyccara,  a 
small  town  mentioned  by  Thucydides  and  Plutarch,  and 
the  birth-place  of  Lais,  the  celebrated  courtezan,  is  suffic  ient 
to  prove  that  the  present  village  of  Carini  stands  on  its 
site.  The  wretched  town  of  Termini,  well  known  in 
Sicily  for  a wealthy  convent  of  Benedictines,  built  by  pope 
St.  Gregory,  is  situated  on  the  coast  near  the  site  of  Hime- 
ra,  a town  founded  six  hundred  and  fifty  years  before  the 
Christian  era,  by  a colony  sent  from  Messina  or  Zancle. 
Gelon  defeated  Amilcar  under  its  walls,  but  his  defeat  was 
avenged  by  Hannibal,  who  razed  the  town,  and  put  its  in- 
habitants to  the  sword.  The  other  towns  and  villages  on 
the  coast,  are  too  insignificant  to  require  notice.  Melazzo,d 
built  on  a promontory  at  eight  leagues  from  Messina,  is  the 
ancient  JWylot,  where  the  Romans  gained  the  first  naval 
victory  over  the  Carthaginians. 

The  islands  round  Sicily  may  now  be  mentioned  in  or- 
der to  complete  the  account  of  the  Neapolitan  states.  Op- 
pidolo,  the  chief  town  in  Pentellaria,  an  island  on  the  south- 

" The  corso  is  the  procession  of  carriages  in  the  Cassaro. 

b The  description  in  the  text  differs  in  many  particulars  from  the  origi- 
nal, which  corresponds  very  nearly  with  the  description  in  Brydone’s  Tour. 
In  the  original  it  is  stated  "that  the  great  car  enters  the  city  in  the  evening  of 
the  1st  day,  and  that  the  procession  is  renewed  in  the  evening  of  the  '2d, 


west,  contains  three  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants. 
The  town  of  Santa  Maria,*  a place  defended  by  a fortress, 
contains  the  greater  part  of  the  population  in  Ustica,  which 
lies  to  the  north  of  the  Gulf  of  Palermo.  Felicudi  contains 
eight  hundred  individuals.  Alicudi  or  Alicuri,  an  island 
somewhat  smaller  than  the  last,  does  not  contain  more  than 
two  hundred  and  fifty.  Salina,  which  has  been  already 
mentioned,  is  peopled  by  four  thousand  inhabitants.  The 
population  of  Lipari  amounts  to  eighteen  thousand  ; the 
town  of  the  same  name  is  fortified,  and  the  island  produces 
excellent  malmsey  wine.  Two  hundred  inhabitants  reside 
in  Panaria,  the  ancient  Didyme.  Stromboli  is  the  ancient 
Strongyle ; its  fruitful  and  volcanic  soil  did  not  contain 
more  than  two  hundred  inhabitants  about  twenty-five  years 
ago,  but  at  present,  more  than  two  thousand  are  collected 
in  a single  town.  The  other  islands  dependent  on  Sicily, 
are  not  inhabited. 

The  climate  of  Sicily  exerts  its  influence,  not  only  on 
the  physical,  but  moral  character  of  its  inhabitants.  The 
Sicilians  are  gay,  lively  and  intellectual,  of  ardent  imagina- 
tions and  impetuous  passions  ; the  same  people  are  gene- 
rous, hospitable  and  faithful  observers  of  their  word.  But 
neither  are  their  good  qualities  improved,  nor  their  bad  pas- 
sions subdued  by  education.  A man  commits  murder,  not 
from  covetousness,  but  from  vengeance.  To  avenge  one’s 
self  is  by  all  considered  a right,  by  many  a duty.  The 
lower  orders  in  Sicily  do  not  submit  to  injuries  so  tamely  as 
the  people  of  Naples ; the  higher  classes  never  venture  to 
strike  their  inferiors  ; a blow,  says  Simond,  might  be  repaid 
with  a stab.  Although  they  pass  their  time  in  indolence, 
their  mental  activity  puts  them  in  possession  of  many  re- 
sources ; indeed  if  they  were  well  educated,  they  might 
perhaps  he  superior  to  the  people  of  any  other  country. 
But  they  are  kept  in  ignorance  ; influential  men  consider 
knowledge  a fatal  or  dangerous  present ; it  is  supposed  to 
make  the  people  discontented  ; they  have  not  yet  learnt  that 
the  object  of  general  education  is  not  so  much  to  teach  the 
sciences,  as  to  inculcate  the  moral  truths,  that  are  so  close- 
ly connected  with  those  of  religion.  Elementary  educa- 
tion, by  diffusing  the  use  of  writing,  might  introduce  a love 
of  order  and  economy  among  the  lower  ranks,  enable  them 
to  profit  by  the  perusal  of  the  books  within  their  reach, 
dispose  them  to  consider  their  engagements  to  the  state, 
and  their  other  duties,  more  obligatory,  and  render  the  hus- 
bandman and  the  artisan  better  able  to  inform  themselves 
in  their  respective  departments  of  industry.  What  danger 
can  result  from  such  changes  in  the  manners  and  habits  of 
the  people  1 The  bulwarks  that  defend  the  palace  against 
popular  tumults,  are  not  impregnable  ; a well  informed  per- 
son capable  of  respecting  the  laws,  may  be  more  easily 
kept  within  the  limits  of  a reasonable  obedience,  than  ano- 
ther who  knows  only  the  sovereignty  of  force,  and  the  sub- 
mission that  results  from  fear. 

We  have  attempted  to  describe  the  fondness  of  the  peo- 
ple for  religious  festivals.  The  Sicilians  require  a worship 
that  addresses  itself  to  the  senses  ; they  must  have  flowers, 
perfumes,  noisy  music  and  images ; incapable  of  receiving 
Christianity  in  its  native  purity,  they  introduced  the  ma- 
chinery of  polytheism  into  the  religion  of  Jesus.  The  na- 
tional vanity,  which  is  common  to  the  Sicilians  with  their 

not  ill  the  forenoon  as  in  the  translation.  No  tire  works  are  mentioned  on 
the  2d  day,  hut  in  the  evening  of  the  3d.  In  these  points  the  original 
agrees  with  Brvdone. — P. 

c M.  Dufourny. 

A Milazzo. 


book  ( xxxvi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY.  135 


ancestors,  makes  them  suppose  themselves  superior  to  other 
people,  and  the  same  sentiment  produces  some  degree  of 
jealousy  between  the  different  towns.  Athens  and  Lace- 
demon  claimed  political  supremacy,  and  Messina  does  not 
yield  to  Palermo  the  title  of  capital. 

The  Sicilians  are  exemplary  for  their  sobriety  ; in  that 
virtue,  at  least,  they  are  not  inferior  to  the  ancient  Spartans. 
Some  customs  of  the  Greeks  are  still  preserved  among  the 
peasantry  ; thus,  the  shepherds  choose  a judge  to  hear 
their  songs,  and  to  award  the  prize  to  him  who  deserves  it. 
The  country  women  retain  a part  of  the  Greek  costume, 
such  as  the  long  veil  and  the  wide  cincture. 

Conversazioni  are  as  general  in  Sicily  as  in  Italy  ; peo- 
ple meet  in  each  others  houses,  or  in  public  places  to  which 
they  subscribe  ; in  the  latter,  rooms  are  set  apart  for  the 
purpose  of  conversation,  and  other  apartments  for  those 
who  consider  gambling  more  attractive.  But  what  appears 
very  strange,  a lady  in  confinement  never  fails  to  hold  a 
conversazione,  and,  the  day  after  delivery,  all  her  friends  re- 
pair to  her  chamber.  The  pains  by  which  women  pur- 
chase the  pleasure  of  being  mothers,  are  not  felt  in  Sicily, 
an  advantage  that  nature  has  bestowed  on  warm  climates. 

Sicily  has  given  birth  to  several  distinguished  writers  ; 
and  their  works  form  frequently  a subject  for  criticism  or 
conversation  to  the  present  Sicilians.  Poetry  is  the  lan- 
guage of  love  and  gallantry  ; there  is  not  a tender  swain 
that  does  not  express  the  cruelty  of  his  mistress  in  rhyme. 
Amorous  intrigues  are  the  pastimes  of  all  the  ladies ; they 
never  walk  the  streets  ; they  are  only  seen  in  the  theatre, 
at  mass,  or  in  their  houses.  They  adopt,  and  often  im- 
prove the  French  fashions,  and  they  are  perhaps  as  adroit 
as  the  Parisian  ladies  in  heightening  the  effect  of  fine  fea- 
tures and  arch  eyes.  The  women  of  Messina  are  pleasant 
and  agreeable  in  their  manners,  at  Palermo  they  are  hand- 
some, at  Syracuse  they  are  distinguished  by  the  freshness 
of  their  complexion,  and  at  Trapani,  one  may  discover  the 
regularity  of  the  Greek  profile.  In  Naples  the  men  are 
handsomer  than  the  women  ; in  Sicily  the  women  are  bet- 
ter looking  than  the  men. 

The  principal  sources  of  public  corruption  are  an  inex- 
tricable labyrinth  of  laws,  and  a host  of  advocates  and  at- 
torneys, encouraging,  more  than  anywhere  else,  the  mania 
for  lawsuits.  Justice  is  venal,  and  the  judges  do  not  blush 
to  acknowledge  it  ; the  agents  of  government  are  the  great- 
est smugglers  ; monks  educate  youth  and  govern  families, 
» while  their  own  conduct  is  not  more  exemplary  than  that 
of  their  predecessors  in  the  sixteenth  century. 

Sicily  was  formerly  as  much  infested  with  robbers  as  the 
Neapolitan  territory  is  at  present,  and  some  parts  in  the 
island  were  emphatically  styled  dens  of  thieves.  Such, 
however,  is  no  longer  the  case,  for  strangers  may  travel 
without  danger,  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other, 
Resolute  Capitanos,  appointed  in  each  district,  are  chosen 
from  the  most  influential  proprietors.  Each  Capitano  has 
a guard  of  fourteen  horsemen,  well  mounted,  well  armed, 
and  well  paid,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  their  chief  to  enforce 
the  law  in  his  district,  preserve  the  peace,  and  ensure  the 
safety  of  the  inhabitants,  for  which  he  is  made  responsible. 
The  horsemen  were  originally  selected  from  the  most  in- 
trepid banditti,  and  they  have  performed  their  duty  so  well 
that  travelling  is  as  safe  in  Sicily  as  in  England. 

Strangers  have  some  difficulty  in  understanding  the  man- 


* The  Ave  Maria  is  twenty-four  o’clock. 


ner  of  computing  time  in  Sicily  and  in  every  part  of  Italy, 
except  Turin,  Parma  and  Florence.  The  first  hour  of  the 
twenty-four,  or  the  Jive  Maria?  begins  half  an  hour  after 
sunset ; therefore,  at  the  equinox,  what  is  twelve  o’clock  at 
noon  in  the  rest  of  Europe,  is  thirty  minutes  after  seventeen 
in  Italy,  and  it  is  one  o’clock  on  the  same  day  and  in  the 
same  country  at  half  past  seven  in  the  evening.  One  in- 
convenience attending  the  Italian  method,  is  that  the  clocks 
must  be  regulated  every  day  at  noon,  and  advanced  or  re- 
tarded according  as  the  days  are  becoming  longer  or  short- 
er. The  watches  of  the  Italians  are  made  in  foreign  coun- 
tries, and  the  dials  do  not  correspond  with  their  mode  ot 
counting  the  hours,  which  they  however  maintain,  has 
many  advantages  over  the  ordinary  method. 

Italy,  once  the  country  of  flourishing  colonies,  ihe  centre 
of  the  most  formidable  empire  in  ancient  times,  the  theatre 
of  the  most  powerful  republics  during  the  middle  ages,  has 
remained  without  influence  and  without  glory,  during  the 
political  changes  to  which  Europe  has  in  modern  times 
been  exposed.  Divided  into  kingdoms  and  principalities  of 
the  second  and  third  order,  it  is  without  any  central  point , 
every  part  is  consequently  vulnerable.  During  the  last 
fourteen  centuries,  Italy  has  been  an  object  of  ambition  to 
the  princes  beyond  the  Alps,  and  late  events  have  too  clear- 
ly proved  that  its  different  states  may  easily  become  the 
prey  of  an  ambitious  monarch.  One  or  two  victories  ena- 
bled Napoleon  to  make  himself  master  of  the  country. 
Had  he  secured  its  independence  by  giving  it  a chief,  in 
place  of  dividing  it  into  prefectures,  governed  under  his  in- 
fluence by  princes  of  his  family,  France  and  Italy  might 
have  resisted  the  coalition  of  Europe.  Napoleon  acknow- 
ledged his  error,  when  it  could  not  be  repaired  ; what  that 
emperor  did  not  attempt,  time  and  the  interests  of  Europe 
may  perhaps  accomplish.  The  influence  of  manners,  re- 
ligion and  language,  tends  to  unite  all  the  people  in  Italy  ; 
the  intrigues  of  some  princes,  and  the  ambition  of  different 
powers,  have  hitherto  prevented  the  union.  The  succes- 
sive conquests  of  the  greatest  empire  in  Europe,  may  at  no 
distant  period  occasion  reasonable  alarm  for  the  safety  ot 
the  western  nations  ; in  the  event  of  any  such  calamity,  it 
might  be  well  to  secure  the  independence  of  Italy.  Addi- 
tional resources  might  be  obtained  in  the  alliance  of  a coun- 
try possessing  on  a surface  of  97,200  square  miles, b a popu- 
lation of  1 6,560,000  individuals.  But  if  commerce  and  in- 
dustry were  encouraged,  Italy  might  easily  contain  twenty- 
four  millions,  so  great  are  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the 
advantages  of  its  climate.  The  Italian  nation  is  defended 
by  the  Alps  on  the  north,  by  the  Appennines  in  the  centre, 
and  in  other  directions  by  the  sea  ; it  might  add  to  the  na- 
tural strength  of  its  position  by  fortresses,  strongholds  and 
arsenals  ; it  might  maintain  an  imposing  army,  enlarge  its 
ports,  create  a navy,  avail  itself  of  its  islands  to  acquire  a 
maritime  superiority,  and  thus  be  raised  to  an  equality  with 
the  greatest  nations  in  Europe.  One  of  the  present  thrones 
in  Italy  may  probably  govern  the  whole  country  ; but  if  the 
different  states  be  excited  to  revolt  by  local  interests  or  un- 
foreseen causes,  Italy  may  become  a federative  republic  ; 
Milan,  Venice,  Florence,  Rome,  Naples,  Cagliari  and  Pa- 
lermo might  then  be  the  six  principal  towns  in  the  New 
United  States, — participating  perhaps  at  the  extremity  of 
the  European  continent,  in  the  wealth  and  prosperity  that 
distinguish  the  American  federation. 


b “ 16,200  sq.  leagues.”  117,090  Eng.  sq.  miles.  (Morse.) 


I o J 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXVI. 


STATISTICAL  TABLES 

OF  ITALY. 


Lombardo-Venetian  Kingdom,  divided  into  two  govern- 
ments and  seventeen  delegations,  including  forty-one  Towns, 
a hundred  and  seventy-six  Burghs,  and  five  thousand  four 
hundred  and  eighty -one  Villages  and  Hamlets* 


GOVERNMENT  OF  MILAN. 


CHIEF  TOWNS. 

Population 
of  the  chief 
towns. 

Surface  in 
German 
square  miles. 

Population  of 
the 

Delegations. 

Population 
for  every 
Ger.sq.mile. 

1.  Sondrio 

3,374 

62.05 

83,451 

1,346 

2.  Como 

7,669 

60.61 

335,060 

5,761 

3.  Milan 

124,647 

47.90 

463,477 

9,861 

4.  Pavia 

21,351 

24.40 

146,368 

6,098 

5.  Lodi  * 

14,882 

34.10 

197,532 

5,809 

6.  Bergamo 

29,469 

66.10 

315,186 

4,775 

7.  Brescia  

32,911 

57.80 

323,738 

5,679 

8.  Cremona 

26,876 

22.60 

175,815 

7,991 

9.  Mantua 

23,340 

27.30 

239,436 

8,868 

GOVERNMENT  OF  VENICE. 


10.  Verona  

60,000 

68.40 

277,849 

4,086 

11.  Rovigob 

7,000 

20.72 

135,625 

6,781 

12.  Padua  

47,000 

39.80 

290,514 

7,474 

13.  Vicenza 

30,000 

41.20 

297,547 

7,257 

14.  Belluno 

8,000 

61.90 

122,840 

2,013 

15.  Treviso 

15,000 

35.60 

232,732 

6,649 

16.  Venice  

109,927 

51.26 

249,157 

4,885 

17.  Udina0  

18,000 

130.20 

350,974 

2,699 

Total  superficies  in  German  square  miles,  total 

population,  and  average  population  for  every 
German  square  mile 

851.94 

4,237,301 

4,979 

Surface  in  square  geographical  French  leagues, 
and  average  population  for  each  league 

2,368.39 

1,789 

Population  according  to  the  origin  of  the 

Italians  ..... 
Germans  ..... 

Jews  . • . . . 

Greeks  ..... 
Armenians  .... 


Inhabitants. 

4,163,700 

66,500 

5,600 

700 

. 500 


4,237,000 


Statistics  of  the  Press,  1824.d 

Number  of  volumes  printed  ....  1,040,500 

Engravings  and  music — Number  of  copies  . . 143,600 


Periodical  Works. 

The  Milan  Gazette — Number  of  copies 

Ladies’  Courier  ...... 

Royal  Almanack  ...... 

Law  Bulletin  ...... 

Besides  these  works,  each  delegation  has  its  separate  journal. 

Scientific  and  Literary  Journals. 

At  Milan  ....... 

At  Padua  ...... 

At  Treviso  ...... 

At  Pavia  ...... 


1,900 

700 

690 

1,750 


8 

1 

1 

1 


11 


Libraries. 

At  Belluno,  the  advocates’  library  contains 
At  Bergamo,  the  largest  contains 
At  Brescia  Id. 

At  Mantua  Id. 


Volumes 

45.000 

30.000 

60.000 
50,000 


'*  The  above  table  indicates  the  population  according  to  the  census  of 
1825,  contained  in  the  Alphabetisch-topographisches  Postreise-Handbuch, 
published  by  Max.  Fried.  Thielen,  Vienna  1827. 

b Chief  town  of  Polesino,  an  ancient  province,  now  a delegation. 
c Chief  town  of  Friuli. 

d Taken  from  the  Biblioteca  Italiana,  February,  1825,  January  and 
February,  1826. 


At  Milan,  the  Ambrosian  library 
Id.  the  Brera  library 
At  Padua,  the  university  library 
Id.  the  Benedictine  library 
At  Pavia,  the  university  library  . 

At  Venice,  library  of  St.  Mark  . 

Id.  the  Narri  library  . 

At  Vicenza 


Universities  and  Colleges,  in  1822. 

Government  of  Milan  .... 

Id.  Venice  .... 


90.000 
140,000 

70.000 

52.000 
. ■ 33,000 

. 150,000 

40.000 

20.000 


11 

7 


University  of  Padua  founded  in  1221,  attended  in  1822  by  300  students. 
University  of  Pavia  Id.  1361,  . . 750 


Number  of  pupils  who  attend  the  colleges  and  schools  . 132,000 e 

In  1815,  the  pupils  attending  the  different  schools  in 
the  delegations  of  Brescia  and  Bergamo,  were  as  one 
in  .......  14 

In  the  delegation  of  Venice,  in  the  year  1823,  they  were 
as  one  in  ......  27 

Idem,  1826,  one  in  .....  23  f 

Number  of  convents  in  1822  ....  19 


KINGDOM  OF  PIEDMONT  AND  SARDINIA. 

Divided  into  eight  Intendancies,  and  into  forty  continental  and  ten  in- 
sular Provinces  ; containing  in  all  ninety-four  Towns,  two  hundred 
and  sixty-nine  Burghs , and  three  thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
six  Villages  and  Hamlets. 

DIVISION  OF  SAVOY.6 


Provinces. 
Savoy  Proper 

Population. 

119,910 

Chief  Towns. 
Chamberryt 

Population. 

12,000 

Upper  Savoy 

35,140 

L’Hopital 

1,500 

Carouge 

37,960 

Saint  Julien 

1,000 

Chablais 

45,030 

Thonon  . 

3,000 

Faucigny 

68,100 

Bonneville 

1,200 

Genevois 

71,850 

Annecy 

5,500 

Maurierine 

49,770 

Saint  Jean  de  Maurienne 

2,500 

Tarentaise 

39,320 

Moutiers 

• 

2,500 

Turin 

DIVISION 

315,480 

OF  TURIN. 

Turin+t 

114,000 

Biella 

91,700 

Biellat 

7,700 

Ivrea 

136,200 

Ivreat 

7,000 

Pignerol1* 

106,990 

Pignerolt 

4,000 

Susa' 

65,470 

Susat 

2,000 

Coni 

DIVISION  OF  CONI. 

143,780  Conit 

16,500 

Alba 

99,380 

Albat 

7,000 

Mondovi 

118,370 

Mondovit 

17,000 

Saluzzo 

• 

127,600 

Saluzzot 

• 

10,000 

Alessandria 

DIVISION  OF 

90,530 

ALESSANDRIA. 

Alessandriat 

30,000 

Acqui 

76,940 

Acquit 

6,500 

Asti 

107,670 

Astit 

21,000 

CasaP 

102,820 

Casalt 

16,000 

Tortona 

47,580 

T ortonat 

8,000 

Voghera 

84,770 

Vogherat 

10.000 

Novara 

DIVISION  OF  NOVARA. 

115,780  Novarat  1 . 

13,000 

Lumellina  . 

101,330 

Vigevanot  . 

15,000 

Ossola 

30,420 

Domo  d’  Ossola 

1,500 

Pallanza  . 

60,040 

Pallanza 

1.500 

Val-Sesia 

31,320 

Varallo 

3,300 

Vercelli 

101,130 

V ercellitt 

16,000 

Aosta 

DIVISION 

61,640 

OF  AOSTA. 

Aostat 

. 

5,500 

e According  to  Hassel. 

f According  to  M.  Balbi.  See  Iris  work  entitled,  The  World  compared 
with  the  British  Empire. 

e The  population  of  the  provinces  is  taken  from  the  census  of  1826 
The  signs  t and  tf  indicate  bishoprics  and  archbishoprics. 
b Pinerolo.  ‘ Suza. 

k Casale. 


BOOK  CXXXVI.j 

DIVISION 

OF  NICE. 

Nice 
Oneglia 
San  Remo 

* 

85,220 

51,360 

36,650 

Nicet 

Oneglia 

Ventimigliat 

DIVISION 

OF  GENOA. 

Genoa 

Albenga 

Bobbio 

Chiavari 

Levante 

Novi 

Savona 

* * 

208,290 

50,860 

31,490 

91,380 

64,450 

56,540 

36,340 

Genoatf 
Albengat 
Bobbiot 
Chiavari 
( Spezia 
\ Sarzanat 
Novi 
Savonaf 

DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


15,000 

4,000 

5,500 


80,000 

4.000 
3,500 

8.000 

4.000 

3.000 

8.000 

10,000 


Total  3,399,600,  on  a surface  of  2,635  square  leagues, 
giving  on  an  average  1290  for  every  square  league. 

Population  of  Turin  at  the  end  of  1825.a 


Different  classes 
Working  classes 
Ecclesiastics 
Servants 
Jews 

Individuals  in  the  congregations 

Id.  in  the  monasteries 

Id.  in  religious  houses'1 

Id.  in  the  seminaries,  colleges  ) 

and  military  academy  $ 
Id.  in  the  hospitals 


Men. 

Women. 

Total. 

39,514 

43,094 

82,608 

7,744 

4,405 

12,149 

663 

— 

663 

2,659 

4,874 

7,533 

777 

776 

1,553 

275 

— 

275 

7 

215 

222 

15 

848 

863 

< 995 

— 

995 

' 1,098 

1,556 

2,654 

53,747 

55,768 

109,515° 

ISLAND  OF  SARDINIA. 

Population  of  the  Provinces  in  1821. 


Cagliari 
Busachi 
lglesias 
Isili 

Lanusei 
Nuoro 
Sassari 

8 Alghero 

9 Cuglieri 
10  Ozieri 


Names 
of  the 
Dioceses. 


Cagliari 


Ogliastra 


95,780 

63,270 

36,680 

44,170 

24,540 

47,900 

54,710 

26,660 

30,110 

38,130 


461,950 


Population  of  the  Dioceses  in  1823. d 


( Cagliaritt 


Sassaritf 


Sassari 


lglesias 

Gastella  and 
Nuoro 


| Iglesiast 


1 


Villages 

or 

Burghs. 

Guarto 

Sanluri 

Sinnai 

Gergei 

Villaputzu 

Seni 

Lanuseit 

Sorso 

Bonorvo 

Ittiri 

Osilo 

Ploaghe 

Carloforte 

Nuorot 

Dorgali 

Fonni 

Oliena 


Population. 


2,150 
1,814 
1,379 
19,3681 
3,285 
4,253  I 

4.000  f 
4,988 

3.000  j 
4,591  l 
2,486  ( 
3,3491 
3,049  1 
3,000  f 
2,500J 


Number 

of 

Parishes. 

1 

Population 
of  the 
Dioceses. 

79 

J 

109.888 

> 28 

25,982 

32 


23 


25 


77,467 

22,803 

33,570 


“ See  Annal.  Univers.  di  Statistica,  February,  1826. 
b “ Lieux  de  retraite,”  houses  of  refuge. 

° The  population  of  1824  amounted  to  107,388 

Increase  at  the  end  of  1825  ....  2, 127 

109,515 

The  increase  from  the  end  of  1825  to  the  end  of  1826  was  more  than 
douole  that  of  the  preceding  year. 


Alghero 


Bosa 


Bisarcio 


Ales 


Oristano 


Algherot 


Bosat 


Villanova 

Bolotona 


Ampurias  and 
Civita 


Santo  Lussurgiu 
Cuglieri 
Ozierit 
Pattada 
Budduso 
Guspini 
Villacidrot 
Gonnos  Fanadigo 

Oristanott 

Cabras 
T onnara 
Isili 

( Castelsardo 

T empiot 
Nulvi 
Sedini 

La  Maddalena 


6,924  : 
3,176 
2,180  1 
5,553' 
4,022 
3,405  1 
7,766 ' 
3,019 
2, 100 
3,307' 
5,571 
3,125  1 
5,3561 

2,600  I 

2,136  f 

2,062  J 

1,964" 

7,057 

3,009 

1,343 

1.758. 


26 


20 


24 


41 


73 


21 


137 

32,965 

23,017 

29,760 

42,093 

65,894 

26,648 


Total 


392  490,087° 


Population  of  the  Sardinian  states. 


Piedmontese 

Savoyards 

Sardinians 

Jews 


According  to 
their  origin. 

3,010,000 

386.000 

490.000 
3,700 

3,889,700 


Catholics 

Vaudoisf 

Jews 


According  to 
their  religion. 

3,864,000 

22,000 

3,700 


3,889,700 


Population  of  Sardinia  according  to  their  Classes f 
Families.  Individuals. 

1,600  Noble  families  .....  6,200 

16,500  Husbandmen11  .....  85,000 

16,300  Citizens  ......  65,200 

66,161  Workmen  and  Peasants  ....  330,805  1 

Ecclesiastics  ......  1,757 

Monks  ...  ...  1,125 


490,087 


Congregations  and  Convents  in  the  Island  of  Sardinia. 


Occupations. 

Teachers 

Id.  ... 

Superintendents  of  Hospitals 
Proprietors 

Mendicants  . . 


Orders. 

Jesuits 

T eachers  of  Reli 
gious  Schools1* 
St.  John1 
Different  Orders 
Id. 


Congregations 

and  Convents.  Individuals. 


2 

6 

5 

30 

47 

90 


11 

74 

28 

317 

695 

1,125 


Number  of  Murders  in  the  Island  of  Sardinia. 

The  proportion  is  as  one  to  every  490  inhabitants. 

Total  number  about  ..... 


1,000” 


Table  of  Cattle  existing  in  the  Island  of  Sardinia  in  1824. 


Oxen 

Cows 

Swine 

Horses 

Goats 

Ewes 

Rams 


In  a domestic  state. 

On  the  mountains 

91,800 

28,500 

17,900 

106,000 

30,000 

156,000 

29,300 

17,800 

314,800 

669,600 

61,400 

1,523,100 

VOL.  III.— NO.  40. 


18 


d The  above  table  has  been  derived  from  details  furnished  by  M.  Cibra- 
rio.  See  Bulletin  des  Sciences,  section  de  Geographic,  tom.  ii. 

° The  above  population,  on  a surface  of  1,100  square  leagues,  together 
with  the  adjacent  islands,  gives  the  small  proportion  of  445  individuals  for 
every  square  league. 

f Waldenses.  s According  to  La  Marmara.  h “ Shepherds.” 

1 According  to  an  approximation.  k “ Peres  des  ecoles  pies.” 

1 “ St.  Jean  de  Dieu ” Fratres  Joannis  a Deo. 

m J.  Manno,  Storia  di  Sardegna,  1825. 


138 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXV1 


Places  of  Education  in  the  Sardinian  States. 

Principal  places  of  Education. 

Number  of 

Number  of 

Number  of 

Number  of 

Towns. 

Universities. 

Students. 

Libraries. 

Volumes. 

Towns. 

Universities.  Students.  Libraries. 

Volumes. 

Turin 

1* 

1,200 

University 

110,000 

Parma 

1“  250  1 

1 10,000 

1 S.  Carlo 

30,000 

Placentia 

1 

20,000 

Genoa 

d 

420 

< Beria 

20,000 

( Franzoniana 

30,000 

Revenue. 

Public  Debt. 

Army. 

Cagliari 

i« 

350 

University 

70,000 

191,6671. 1 

187, 5001. k 

1,320  men. 

Sassari 

id 

120 

Id. 

15,000 

Dilferent 

Gymnasiums 

41 

Towns 

Seminaries 

37 

DUTCHY  OF  MODENA. 

BUDGET  OF  THE 

SARDINIAN 

STATES  IN  1825  AND  1826. 

Containing  eight  Towns,  sixty  Burghs,  and  four  hundred  Villages  and 

Hamlets . 

Revenues  of  the  Island  of  Sardinia. 


Pounds. 

Francs.  Cent. 

Cense 

200 

4,800 

Domains  of  the  Crown 

3,504 

84,082  73 

Direct  taxes 

38,194 

916,647  08 

Indirect  taxes 

71,830 

1,723,901  56 

Contingencies 

857 

20,568  63 

114,585 

2,750,000 

Revenues  of  the  continental  provinces 

259,400 

62,250,000 

T otal 

373,985 

65,000,000 

Public  debt 

• 

4,200,000= 

100,000,000 

Infantry 

Cavalry 


Infantry  and  Cavalry 


Ships  of  the  line 
Frigates 


ARMY. 

Sardinia. 


Continental  Provinces. 


NAVY. 

Sardinia. 


Continental  Provinces. 


Smaller  vessels 


PRINCIPALITY  OF  MONACO. 


Population. 

6.500 


Revenue 

16,700Z.  (400,000  francs.)' 


DUTCHY  OF  PARMA. 

Containing  six  Towns , thirty-one  Burghs , and  eight  hundred  and  fif- 
teen Villages  or  Hamlets. 


Population  in 
1826. 


Surface  in  geographical 
square  leagues,  g 

288  440,000 

The  population  in  1823  amounted  to  437,400 


Average  Population  to 
every  sq.  league. 

1,180 


Increase 

2,600 

Population  of  the  Towns. 

1 Parma 

2 Placentia 

3 Guastalla 

4 Borgo  San  Donnino 

5 Fiorenauola 

6 Nibbiano 

• • • • 

• • • • 

• • • • 

30.000 

28.000 
5,000 

5.000 

3.000 
2,300 

a Founded  in  1406. 

b Founded  in  1803. 

c Founded  in  1704.* 

* 1764.  M.  B.  1606.  Ed.  Encyc. 

•*  Founded  in  1765. 

' The  Sardinian  debt  amounted  in  1816  to  £3,600,000  (86,400,000 
francs.)  M.  Adrian  Balbi  ( Balance  politique  du  Globe ) makes  it  equal 
in  18-26,  to  £4,200,000  (100,000,000  francs ;)  he  admits  that  his  calculation 
may  he  inaccurate,  but  it  is  certain  that  the  public  debt  in  1826,  was  consi- 
derably greater  than  in  1816. 

f M.  Ad.  Balbi — (considered  doubtful.) 

s Twenty  geographical  leagues  are  equal  to  a degree,  consequently  a 
geographical  square  league  is  equal  to  nine  geographical  square  miles.  Tr. 
[This  is  a mistake  on  the  part  of  the  translator.  Twenty  five  geographi- 


Surface  in  geographical 
square  leagues. 

260 


Population  in 
1826. 


350,000 

Population  of  the  Towns. 


Proportion  of  the  popu- 
lation to  the  sq-  league. 

1,346 


10,000 

6,000 


10,000 


Modena 
Mirandola  . 

Reggio 

Castel  Nuovo  di  Garfagnana 

• 

• 

27.000 
6,000 

18.000 
3,000 

Principal  places  of 

Education. 

Towns. 

Modena 

Reggio 

Universities. 

l 

Number  of 
Students. 

200 

Libraries. 

1 

1 

Number  of 
Volumes 

60,000 

30,000 

Revenue. 

150,0001.' 

Public  Debt. 

50,0001.™ 

Army. 

1,680  men, 

DUTCHY  OF  MASSA. 

Including  two  Towns,  three  Burghs,  and  thirty-seven  Villages  and 
Hamlets. 


Surface  in  geographical 
leagues. 

12 


Massa 

Carrara 

Revenue. 

21,0001." 


Population  in 
1826. 


29,000 

Population  of  the  Towns. 


Public  Debt. 

12,0001.° 

DUTCHY  OF  LUCCA. 


Ratio  of  the  population 
to  the  square  league. 

2,416 


7.000 

6.000 

Army. 
100  men. 


Containing  two  Towns,  twenty  Burghs,  and  two  hundred  and  seventy 
Villages  and  Hamlets. 


Surface  in  geographical 
leagues. 

54 


Lucca 

Viareggio 


Towns. 

Lucca 

Revenue. 

82,0001.5 


Population  in 
1826. 

143,000 

Population  of  the  Towns. 

Principal  places  of  Education. 
Universities. 

IP 

Public  Debt 

35,0002. r 


Ratio  of  the  population 
to  the  square  league. 

2,648 


22,000 

2,000 


Number  of  Students 

120 

Army. 

800  men. 


cal  leagues  and  twenty  marine  leagues  are  equal  to  a degree,  consequently 
a geographical  square  league  is  equal  to  5.76  geographical  square  miles,  and 
a marine  square  league  to  nine  geographical  square  miles.  See  Table  X. 
Tab.  Math.  Geog. — P.] 
h Founded  in  1606. 

i “4,600,000  francs.”  k “4,500,000  francs. 

1 “3,500,000  francs.” 

™ “ 1,200,000  francs.” 

" “500,000  francs.” 
o “ 300,000  francs.” 
p Founded  in  1802. 
q “ 1,900,000  francs.” 
r “ 800,000  francs — considered  doubtful.” 


BOOK  CXXXVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


139 


GRAND  DUTCHY  OF  TUSCANY. 


Including  thirty-six  Towns,  one  hundred  and  thirty-jive  Burghs,  and 
six  thousand  and  seventeen  Villages  and  Hamlets. 


Surface  in  geographical 
square  leagues. 


Population  in 
1826. 


Ratio  of  the  population 
to  the  square  league. 


1,098 


1,275,000 


1,161 


Population  of  the  principal  Towns. 
Florence  ...... 

Prato  ...... 

Pistoia  ....  . . 

Arezzo  ...... 

Cortona  ...... 

Pisa  ...... 

Leghorn  ...... 

Piombino  ...... 

Pontremoli  ...... 

Sienna  ...... 

Grossetto  ...... 

Volterra  ...... 


80,000 

10,000 

9.000 

7.000 

5.000 
20,000 
66,000 

1,500 

3.000 
18,000 

2.000 

4,000 


Compartimento  of  Florence 

Id.  of  Pisa 

Id.  of  Sienna 

Id.  of  Arezzo 

Id.  of  Grossetto 


Provi 


596,250 

295,640 

128,060 

201,290 

53,730 


2 

Ferrara 

24,000 

3 

Ravenna 

24,000 

4 

F orli 

16,000 

f Pcsaro  . . 

14,000 

5 

< and 

f Urbino  . 

11,000 

1 Macerata  . 

12,000 

6 

< and 

f Camerino  . 

7,000 

1 Fermo  . . 

7,000 

7 

< and 

f Ascoli 

12,000 

l Spoleto 

7,000 

8 

< and 

f Rieti  . 

7,000 

( Viterbo 

13,000 

9 

< and 

( Civita  Vecchia* 1 

7,000 

10 

Ancona 

30,000 

11 

Perugia 

30,000 

f Frosinone 

6,000 

12 

< and 

f Ponte  Corvo 

6,000 

13 

Benevento 

14,000 

250.000 

150.000 

170.000 

200.000 

230.000 

160.000 
180,000 

415.000 

160.000 

190.000 

170.000 

20,000 

2,590,000 


Principal  places  of  Education,  Religious  Houses  and  Hospitals. 


1,275,000 


Principal  places  of  Education. 


Towns 

Universities. 

Number  of 
Students. 

Libraries. 

Number  of 
Volumes. 

Florence 

i» 

300 

Ducal 

80,000 

Laurenziana 

20,000 

.. 

Maglia  Becchiana 

130,000» 

Marucelliana 

50,000 

„ 

Ricordiana 

20,000 

Pisa 

i« 

660 

University 

40,000 

Sienna 

id 

280 

University 

25,000 

Elementary  Schools. 

Towns.  Lancasterian  Schools  Public  Schools,  e 

Florence  4 8 


Revenue.  Public  Debt. 

708, 500Z. f 


Army. 

4,000  men. 


REPUBLIC  OF  SAN  MARINO. 


Containing  one  Town  and  four  Villages . 


Surface  in  geographical 
leagues. 

3 


Population  in 
1826. 


7,000 


Ratio  of  the  population 
to  the  square  league. 


2,233 


Revenue. 

2, 9207.  e 


Military  force. 

40  men. 


STATES  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


Containing  ninety  Towns,  two  hundred  and  six  Burghs,  and  three 
thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty-seven  Villages. 


Surface  in  geographical 
square  Teagues. 

Population  Ratio  of  the  population 

in  1826.  to  the  square  league. 

Number  of 
Jews. 

2,257 

2,590,000  1,147 

New  division  into  thirteen  Delegations A 

15,000 

Names  of  the 

Population  of 

Population  of  the 

delegations. 

the  towns. 

delegations. 

1 Bologna 

. 

65,000 

295,000 

i 

=i 

O 

> 

TOWNS. 

1 

► 

CO 

»f 

v1 

* 

1 

°I 

A 

c 

> 

o 

1*3 

|! 

D 

J5 

O 

z 

o 

Ancona  . . 

0 

0 

l 

0 

16 

2 

Albano  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

5 

0 

Ascoli  . . 

0 

0 

l 

0 

8 

1 

Benevento 

0 

0 

l 

1 

147 

4 

Bologna  . . 

lk 

550 

0 

( University 
) Magnani 

200,000 

30,000 

67 

4 

Camerino 

1> 

200 

0 

i 

19 

0 

Civita  Vecchia 

0 

0 

1 

0 

67 

17 

Civita  Castellana 

0 

0 

1 

0 

3 

0 

F ermo  . . 

Ira 

200 

0 

1 

15,000 

3 

0 

Ferrara  . . 

i" 

300 

1 

1 

80,000 

227 

1» 

Forli  . . . 

0 

0 

1 

1 

107 

0 

Frosinone 

0 

0 

1 

0 

37 

0 

Frascati  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

4 

0 

Fondi  . . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

4 

1 

Macerata  . . 

IP 

200 

1 

1 

20,000 

3 

0 

Perugia  . . 

11 

200 

0 

1 

30,000 

20 

1 

Pesaro  . . 

0 

0 

1 

0 

10 

1 

Ponte  Corvo  . 

0 

0 

1 

0 

37 

0 

Ravenna  . . 

0 

0 

1 

1 

30,000 

47 

17 

Rieti  . . . 

0 

0 

1 

0 

37 

0 

Rimini  . . 

0 

0 

1 

1 

25,000 

7 

0 

Spoleto  . . 

0 

0 

1 

0 

6? 

1 

Tivoli  . . . 

0 

0 

1 

0 

14 

1 

Urbino  . . 

0 

0 

1 

1 

10,000 

10 

1 

Viterbo  . . 

0 

0 

1 

1 

107 

1 

Rome  . . . 

D 

600 

4 

Albam 

40,000 

3007 

9 

Angelica 

100.000 

Barberini 

6' ‘.000 

Corsini 

4<  100 

Ghigi 

25.  00 

Of  Minerva 

80,000 

Of  Science 

35,000 

Of  the  Vatican 

70,000 

7 

2250 

22 

21 

O' 

f— • 

CO 

30 

1 Founded  in  1443. 
b It  contains  11,000  manuscripts. 
c Founded  in  1339. 
d Founded  in  1330. 
e “ Ecoles  communales.” 
f “ 17,000,000  francs.” 
e “70,000  francs.” 

h The  States  of  the  Church  were  divided  intoeighteen  provinces  in  1824 ; 
Dut  the  divisions  were  afterwards  changed.  We  are  indebted  to  M.  A. 
Balbi  for  the  above  table. 

1 The  ninth  delegation  comprehends  the  town  and  territory  of  Rome. 


k Founded  in  1119. 

1 Founded  in  1824. 
m Founded  in  1824. 
n Founded  by  Leo  the  Twelfth. 

o The  MSS.  of  Orlando  and  Jerusalem  Delivered,  in  the  handwriting  of 
Ariosto  and  Tasso,  are  preserved  m the  library, 
p Founded  by  Leo  the  Twelfth  in  1824. 

<i  Founded  in  1307. 
r Founded  in  1248. 

s We  have  not  enumerated  all  the  convents  in  the  Roman  6tates;  there 
are  few  towns  or  villages  without  them. 


J 


Hospitals. 


EUROPE. 


140 


[BOOK  CXXXVI. 


Statistics  of  the  Population  of  Rome  from  1816  to  1825,  inclusive: 


1816. 

1817. 

1818. 

1819. 

1820. 

1821. 

1822. 

1823. 

1824. 

1825. 

Families 

32,587 

31,705 

32,572 

33,510 

34,601 

34,650 

34,585 

34,357 

33,774 

33,271 

Cardinals  ...... 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19 

19 

Bishops  

32 

31 

28 

26 

28 

29 

27 

27 

32 

32 

Priests  

1,303 

1,434 

1,429 

1,399 

1,455 

1,397 

1,450 

1,395 

1,570 

1,456 

Monks 

1,286 

1,370 

1,450 

1,487 

1,519 

1,532 

1,532 

1,565 

1,613 

1,662 

Nuns  ...... 

1,172 

1,303 

1,325 

1,348 

1,382 

1,468 

1,464 

1,370 

1,318 

1,502 

Pupils  in  the  seminaries 

Poor  in  the  hospitals  .... 

241 

423 

359 

252 

424 

332 

409 

460 

469 

468 

2,757 

2,992 

3,044 

2,289 

2,826 

1,963 

1,942 

1,438 

1,290 

2,002 

Prisoners  ...... 

778 

996 

1,667 

1,728 

1,033 

968 

1,112 

1,218 

1,080 

1,020 

Heretics,  Turks  and  Infidels,  exclusively  of  Jews 

62 

108 

172 

246 

244 

215 

275 

234 

195 

217 

Persons  arrived  at  the  age  of  Communion 

93,669 

95,662 

.... 

97,199 

97,249 

Id.  before  the  age  of  Communion 

35,301 

36,241 

39,070 

40,696 

Marriages 

1,303 

1,031 

1,183 

1,440 

1,395 

1,265 

1,157 

1,269 

1,369 

1,158 

Baptisms  ...... 

4,256 

3,836 

3,944 

4,299 

4,215 

4,756 

4,309 

4,365 

4,628 

4,243 

Deaths,  Males  ..... 

2,750 

3,997 

4,145 

3,741 

2,785 

3,128 

3,320 

3,129 

2,997 

2,460 

Females  .... 

2,191 

2,440 

2,723 

2,573 

2,053 

2,288 

2,937 

2,351 

2,252 

1,986 

Total  number  of  Deaths 

4,941 

6,437 

6,868 

6,314 

4,838 

5,416 

6,257 

5,480 

5,249 

4,446 

Males  ... 

67,226 

69,544 

72,355 

72,273 

73,397 

Females 

61,771 

61,812 

63,914 

66,237 

65,333 

Total  population  .... 

128,997 

131,356 

133,812 

134,161 

135,046 

135,171 

136,085 

136,269 

138,510 

138,730 

The  mean  number  of  marriages  is  . 

Their  ratio  to  the  population  is  one  to  . 

The  mean  number  of  children  for  every  marriage  is 
The  number  of  births  is  to  the  population  as  one  to 
The  number  of  deaths  is  to  the  population  as  one  to 
Revenue.  Public  Debt- 

£1,250,000  £25,000,000" 


1,299 

106.60 

3.30 

32.23 

24.76 


Army. 
6000  men 


Marine. 

2 Frigates. 

8 vessels  of  smaller  size." 


KINGDOM  OF  THE  TWO  SICILIES. 

Including  six  hundred  and  seventy-six  Towns , three  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight  Burghs , and  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  forty-two  Villages 
and  Hamlets. 


Continental  i 
provinces 
Sicily  and 
the  islands 


Surface  in  Population  in 
geographical  1826. 
square  leagues. 


Population 
according  to 
the  sexes. 


3,910  5,090,000  {$£».  ggSgj 

1,610  1,780,000 


Ratio  of  the 
population  to  the 
square  league. 


5,520  7,420,000 


1,455 

1,074 

1,344 


Division  of  the  Kingdom  of  Naples  into  fifteen  Provinces. 


Provinces.  Population. 

Chief  Towns. 

Other  Towns. 

Pqpulation. 

Napoli  819,000 

Naples 

354,000 

Castel  a Mare 

15,000 

* 

Portici 

5,000 

Pozzuoli 

5,000 

Sorrento 

4,000 

Torre  dell’  Annunziata  5,000 

Torre  del  Greco 

15,000 

Terra  di  Lavoro  663,000 

Capua 

. 

8,000 

Acerra  . 

6,000 

Arpino  . 

9,000 

Aversa  . 

13,000 

Caserta  . 

4,000 

Fondi 

5,000 

Gaeta 

15,000 

Nola  . 

9,000 

Principato  Citra  503,000 

Salerno 

11,000 

Amalfi 

3,000 

Nocera 

9,000 

Principato  U ltra  405,000 

Avellino 

• 

13,000 

Ariano  . 

10,000 

Atripalda 

4,000 

Abruzzo  1°  Ult.  178,000 

Teramo 

9,000 

Civita  di  Pcnna 

8,000 

Abruzzo  2°  U It.  253  000 

Aquila 

. . • • 

13,000 

Avezzano 

3,000 

Civita  Ducale 

2,000 

a The  population  for  the  years  1816  and  1817,  is  taken  from  Simond’s 
Travels  in  Italy. 

* M.  Ad.  Balbi,  Balance  Politique  du  Globe.  The  above  estimate  of 


Abruzzo  Citra  285,000  Chieta 
Capitanata  289,000  Foggia 

Sannio  or  Molise  234,000  Campobasso 

Terra  di  Bari  375,000  Bari 

Terra  di  Otranto  324,000  Taranto 

Basilicata  429,000  Potenza 

Calabria  Citra  387,000  Cosenza 

Calabria  Ult.  Pr.  225,000  Reggio 
Calabria  Ult.Sec.321, 000  Catanzaro 


Sulmona 

Lanciano 

Vasto 

Bovino  . 
Luzera  . 
Manfredonia 
Santo  Severo 

Colie  ! 
Morcone 
Sepino  . 
Trivento 

Altamura 
B arietta 
Molfetta 
Monopoli 
T rani 
T erlizzi 

Brindisi 

Gallipoli 

Lecce 

Otranto 

Lago  Negro 
Matera  . 

Meffi  . 

Cassano  . 
Castro  Villari 
Paola 
Rossano  . 

Gierace  . 
Sciglio  . 

Cotrone 
Monte  Leone 
Nicastro 
Pizzo 

Santa  Severina 
Squilaee 
Tropea 


4,000 

13.000 

12.000 

4,000 

21,000 

4.000 

8.000 

5.000 

4.000 

8.000 

4.000 

5.000 

3.000 

4.000 
15,000 

15.000 

17.000 

11.000 

15.000 

14.000 

8.000 

18.000 
6,000 
8,000 

14.000 

3.000 

8.000 

5.000 

12.000 

7.000 

10,000 

6.000 

5.000 

3.000 

6.000 

16,000 

5.000 

4.000 

11,000 

5.000 

15.000 

10.000 

5.000 

6.000 
2,000 
4,000 


Total  5,690,000 

Division  of  the  Island  of  Sicily  into  seven  Intendancies. 


Intendancies. 

Palermo 


Population. 

409,000 


Chief  Towns- 

Palermo 


Population 

168,000 


the  revenue  and  public  debt  is  considered  doubtful  by  M.  Balbi.  Part  of  the 
revenues  of  the  papal  government,  being  derived  from  foreign  sources,  are 
altogether  contingent.  c According  to  Hassel. 


BOOK  CXXXVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ITALY. 


141 


Trapani 

Girgenti 

Caltanisetta 

Syracuse 

Catania 

Messina 


147.000 

291.000 

156.000 

194.500 

292.500 

240.000 

1,730,000 


Trapani 

Girgenti 

Caltanisetta 

Syracuse 

Catania 

Messina 


Population  of  the  islands  near  Sicily,  in  1826.® 


Alicudi 

Basiluzzo 

Felicudi 

Lampedosa 

Lipari 

Panaria 

Pentellaria 

Salina 

Stromboli 

Ustica 


24.000 

15.000 

17.000 

15.000 

45.000 

60.000 


260 

20 

820 

150 

18,200 

200 

5,000 

4,200 

2,100 

700 


31,650 

Principal  places  of  Education  in  the  Kingdom  of  the  two  Sicilies. 
University  Towns.  Number  of  Students.  Libraries. 

Naples'1  . . . 800  . . . .3 


Salerno 

Palermo' 

Cataniad 


300 

600 

500 


Marriages,  Births  and  Deaths  in  the  Kingdom  of  Naples  during 
the  year  1824.® 

Provinces.  Marriages.  Births.  Deaths. 

5,588  29,258  20,722 

4,432  23,168  18,570 

2,860  16,917  9,776 

2,587  13,572  9,558 

1,507  . 10,038  6,012 

1,533  9,667  6,578 

2,177  10,908  8,836 

2,289  13,554  9,457 

2,630  14,187  12,636 

3,144  18,936  11,320 

2,824  15,763  10,414 

3,816  20,978  13,166 

2,513  15,717  9,750 

1,936  9,381  6,353 

2,969  12,966  10,284 

42,805  235,010  163,432 

® The  inhabitants  of  the  islands  are  included  in  the  population  of  the 
Intendancies. 

b The  university  of  Naples  was  founded  in  1224. 
e University  founded  in  1447. 
d University  founded  in  1445. 

® Giorn.  del  regno  delle  due  Sicilie,  July,  1825. 
c Exclusively  of  strangers. 


Naples 

Terra  di  Lavoro 
Principato  Citra 
Principato  Ultra 
Abruzzo  Ultra  1° 
Abruzzo  Ultra  2° 
Abruzzo  Citra 
Capitanata 
Sannio  or  Molise 
Terra  di  Bari 
Terra  di  Otranto 
Basilicata 
Calabria  Citra 
Calabria  Ultra  1° 
Calabria  Ultra  2° 


Population,  tf-c.  of  Naples  in  1824. 


Males 

Females 


Population,  f 

165,015 

184,175 


Marriages. 

2,970 


349,190 


Births. 

7,584 

7,407 

14,991 


Deaths. 

6,455 

6,021 


Longevity  in  1824. 


From  ninety  to  a 
hundred  years  of  age. 


Both  sexes 


In  1823 


132 


13 


S Males 
F emales 


Above  a hundred 
years  of  age. 


12,476 

Total. 

142 


Suicides. 


In  1824 


Popula- 

tion. 


Population , <$*c.  of  Palermo  in  1824.® 

Deaths  Deaths 
in  pri-  in  the 

In  the  Marria-  Natural  vate  Hospi- 

Convents.  ges.  Births.  Children.  Houses.  tals. 


164,793  ^ Females  8/170  $ 378  ( 

Total  number  of  births  and  deaths 


Males  8,361  < 
Females  3,197  1 


6,558 


597 


,964 

Excess  of  births 


. ) Males  2,627 

1,uo/  ) Females  2,404 


6,031 

1,527 


Population  <frc.  of  Palermo  during  the  tenyears from  1816  to  1825, h in- 
clusive. 

Population.  Marriages.  Births.  Natural  Children.  Deaths. 

167,505  10,882  65,766  6,922  48,893 

Excess  of  births  16,873 

Longevity  during  the  ten  years  from  1806  to  1815,  inclusive. 

Out  of  47,914  deaths,  seventy-nine  individuals  were  above  ninety-seven 
years  of  age. 

From  97  years  to  101  ....  49 


From  102  to  105 
At  106  years 
At  107  years 
From  109  to  110 


22 

3 

2 

3 

79 


Budget  of  Sicily  in  1823. 


Revenue. 

£1,730,350' 


Expenditure. 

£2,264,555" 


Budget  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Two  Sicilies  in  1826. 

Revenue.  Debt. 

£3,500,000  ....  £21,000, 0001 


ROYAL  NAVY. 


TRADING  VESSELS. 
a 


Ships  of  Smaller  Brigan-  Xebecks,  Fe- 

the  Line.  Frigates,  vessels.  Polacres.  tines  & Pinks.  Schooners,  luccas,  &c 


30,000  men.  2 


18 


20 


220 


15 


3,480 


s Bullettino  universale  di  scienze,  letter e,  artie  polit.  July  4,  1825. 
h Tavole  sinottiche  sulla  populazione  di  Palermo,  by  M.  Calcagni,  ho- 
norary physician  of  the  great  hospital  of  Palermo. 

1 “41,328,270  francs.” 

k “ Expenditure,  52,349,310  francs. — Excess  of  expenditure  above  the 
revenue,  11,021,040  francs.” 

1 “ Revenue  84  millions  francs — Debt  500  millions  francs  1” 


EUROPE. 


142 


[BOOK  CXXXVH 


BOOK  CXXXVII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued — Physical  Geography  of  the  Spanish 

Penh.sida — History  of  the  ancient  People  that  inhabited. 

Spain  and  Portugal — Mussulman  Conquest. 

No  part  of  Europe  is  more  favoured  by  nature  than  the 
Spanish  Peninsula ; its  mountains,  by  the  facilities  they  afford 
to  partisan  warfare,  contribute  to  defend  it  against  hostile  in- 
vasions, and  so  great  is  the  variety  of  its  climate,  that  the 
productions  of  the  tropics  are  blended  with  those  of  the  tem- 
perate zone.  Lofty  plains,  fruitful  in  useful  plants,  hills 
covered  with  vineyards,  rich  vallies,  watered  by  fertilizing 
streams,  and  rivers  so  situated  as  to  afford  easy  communica- 
tions by  means  of  canals,  are  the  elements  of  an  agricultural 
wealth,  which  might  be  rendered,  by  industry,  more  valuable 
than  the  possession  of  tire  largest  colonies.  A vast  extent 
of  coast,  furnished  with  spacious  and  safe  harbours,  open  to 
the  navigation  of  two  seas,  is  not  less  favourable  to  com- 
merce. By  what  causes  have  the  sources  of  so  gre^t 
prosperity  been  rendered  unavailing?  The  population  of 
France  exceeds  that  of  Spain  by  more  than  fourteen  mil- 
lions, but  the  superficial  extent  of  Spain  is  greater  than  that 
of  France  by  two  thousand  and  sixty-five  square  leagues. 

This  extensive  region  has  been  called  a peninsula,  per- 
haps incorrectly ; for  the  space  included  between  the  gulfs 
of  Lyons  and  Gascony  can  hardly  be  considered  an  isthmus, 
since  it  is  not  less  than  ninety  leagues  in  breadth,  while  the 
Peninsula  itself  is  hardly  three  times  as  broad.  The  Pyre- 
nees separate  it  from  France.  One  half  of  the  country  is 
watered  by  the  ocean,  and  the  other  by  the  Mediterranean. 
The  greatest  length  from  east  to  west  is  equal  to  220 
leagues,  and  the  greatest  breadth  from  north  to  south,  to 
190.  The  surface  of  the  Peninsula  is  equal  to  28,804 
square  leagues  : of  these,  4,922  belong  to  Portugal,  23,867 
to  Spain,  and  1 5 to  the  republic  of  Andorra.a 

It  is  only  of  late  years  that  the  physical  geography  of  the 
country  has  been  accurately  described.  The  mountains  by 
which  it  is  divided,  it  was  formerly  supposed,  extended  from 
a common  centre,  and  their  ramifications  were  compared  to 
the  veins  of  a vine  leaf.  A writer  of  very  varied  acquire- 
ments has  detected  the  errors  of  former  geographers.  If 
the  Spaniards  are  now  less  ignorant  of  the  mountains,  rivers 
and  basins  in  their  peninsula,  they  are  indebted  to  the  labours 
of  a foreigner.11 

a These  leagues  are  each  equal  to  two  English  miles  and  a half ; if 
then  they  be  multiplied  by  6^* *,  the  result  will  be  equal  to  the  super- 
ficial extent  of  the  Peninsula  in  English  square  miles. — Tr.  [The 
French  geographical  league,  or  25  to  a degree,  is  equal  to  2.77  Eng. 
miles;  tlie  French  post  league,  to  2.42  Eng.  miles. — P.] 

* The  writer  of  the  note  should  have  said,  these  sq.  leagues  are  equal  to  (ij 
Eng.  sq.  miles,  (the  linear  leagues  being  equal  to  2J  Eng.  miles.)  But  the 
French  leagues  here  employed  are  undoubtedly  the  geographical  of  2.77  Eng. 
miles  (linear  meas.,)  as  will  appear  by  comparison  with  the  extent  of  the  Pe-  I 
ninsula  in  Eng.  sq.  miles,  (217,502  Eng.  sq.  miles,  Morse;)  consequently  the 
.eagues  in  the  text  should  be  multiplied  by  7.67,  to  give  the  Eng.  sq.  miles.— P.  | 


The  mountains  in  the  Peninsula,  according  to  M.  Bory  de 
St.  Vincent,  form  seven  different  divisions. 

The  ‘Pyrentean  range,  which  comprehends  the  whole 
chain  of  the  Pyrenees,  may  be  divided  into  five  principal 
masses.  First,  the  Mediterranean  or  eastern,  in  which  the 
highest  summit  is  the  peak  of  Canigou,  and  from  the  declivi- 
ties of  which  rise  the  Segre,  a feeder  of  the  Ebro,  and  the 
Ter  and  the  Llobrega,  that  throw  themselves  into  the  Med- 
iterranean ; secondly,  the  Aquitanian,  the  glaciers  of  which 
are  the  sources  of  the  Garonne  and  the  Adour,  but  from 
which  no  large  river  flows  into  Spain ; thirdly,  the  Canta- 
brian or  central,  separated  from  the  Asturian  by  the  sources 
of  the  Ebro ; fourthly,  the  Asturian , almost  as  high  as  the 
Aquitanian,  and  rising  abruptly  on  the  south ; fifthly,  the 
Portuguese  or  western,  of  which  the  ramifications  extend  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Duero. 

A geologist  has  observed  that,  although  the  Pyrenaean 
chain  belongs  to  the  granite  formation,  the  same  substance  is 
not  so  ancient  as  in  several  other  parts  of  Europe.0  Gran- 
ite rocks  are  seen  throughout  the  whole  range,  and  dtey  still 
bear  the  marks  of  a former  revolution.d  Micaceous  schistus 
rests  on  the  sides  of  the  granite  mountains,  and  supports, 
in  its  turn,  rocks  containing  organic  remains  of  the  most 
ancient  date ; the  latter  are  overlaid  with  red  sandstone ; 
and  lastly,  calcareous  rocks,  similar  to  those  on  the  Alps 
and  Jura,  extend  to  the  lowest  declivities.  White  marble 
or  primitive  limestone  appears  in  different  directions  above 
the  granite,  and  the  Alpine  limestone  is,  in  many  places, 
covered  with  rocks  containing  amphibole.e 

The  Iberian  range  consists  of  different  chains,  which  unite 
on  the  north-west  with  the  Pyrenees,  and  terminate  on  the 
south-east,  near  the  banks  of  the  Guadalaviar.  These  dif- 
ferent chains,  united  to  each  other,  are  called  the  Sierra{  de 
Oca,  the  Sierra  de  Moncayo,  the  Sierra  de  Gudar,  and  the 
Sierra  de  Espadan.  The  Sierra  de  JUolina,  which  joins 
the  Sierra  de  Albaracin  and  the  mountains  of  Cuenca,  be- 
longs to  the  same  range. 

The  chain,  consisting  of  the  latter  mountains,  forms  a 
subdivision  that  has  been  called  the  Hesperian  range.  Cal- 
careous rocks?  abound,  and  the  low  plains  are  covered  with 
alluvial  deposits,  mixed  with  so  many  fossil  bones,  that  the 
localities  where  they  are  found  are  known  to  the  inhabitants 

b M.  Bory  de  St.  Vincent,  Guide  du  Voyageur  en  Espagne,  1 vol. 
8vo.  1823.  Diccionario  de  EspaiTa  y Portugal,  por  el  Doctor  Sebastian 
de  Minano,  10  vol.  4to.  1826.  The  arrangement  of  the  mountains,  in 
the  article  Spain,  in  the  Dictionary,  is  almost  literally  a translation 
from  M.  Bory  de  St.  Vincent’s  work. 

c M.  de  Charpentier,  Essai  sur  la  Constitution  G6ognostique  des 
6n6es. 

Souldvement’' — elevation  from  beneath.  e Trap  rocks 

f Sp.  Sierra,  Port  Serra,  a chain  of  mountains. — P. 
s “ Calcaire  ancien.” 


t 


BOOK  CXXXVII.] 


SPAIN  AND  PORTUGAL. 


riy  the  name  of  Las  Calaveras.®  Many  of  the  remains  be- 
long to  animals  now  extinct.  The  vallies  from  the  sources 
of  the  Guadalaviar  to  its  mouth,  are  watered  by  rapid 
streams,  and  surrounded  by  steep  heights.  The  Sierra  de 
Espadan  has  been  compared  to  a long  wall ; lofty  peaks  are 
seen  from  sombre  vallies,  and  tortuous  ravines,  intersected 
by  many  rivulets,  form  an  inextricable  and  gigantic  laby- 
rinth, Calcareous  rocks, b abounding  in  different  metals, 
rise  towards  the  east,  but  on  the  west,  the  country  assumes 
a different  aspect ; the  mountains  are  less  precipitous,  and 
their  black  and  porous  rocks  indicate  a volcanic  origin. 

The  Carpetano-Vettonic  range,  so  called,  because,  in  an- 
cient times,  its  sides  were  inhabited  by  the  Carpetani  and 
the  Vetiones,  joins  the  Iberian  mountains  on  the  east,  and 
terminates  on  the  west  at  Mount  Junto,  which  commands 
the  Tagus  at  no  great  distance  from  its  mouth.  The  prin- 
cipal chain  is  steep  and  narrow ; it  forms  the  boundary  be- 
tween Old  and  New  Castile,  and  separates  the  province  of 
Salamanca  from  Estremadura.  From  the  same  chain, 
during  the  winter  season,  proceed  the  storms  and  tempests 
that  are  not  uncommon  at  Madrid,  and  in  summer,  it  in- 
creases the  heat  of  the  atmosphere,  by  reflecting  the  burning 
winds,  which  blow  from  Africa,  and  traverse  the  arid  plains 
of  La  Mancha.  Some  summits  are  so  lofty,  that  the  snow 
has  been  known  to  remain  on  them  throughout  the  year. 
The  range  may  be  divided  into  three  groups ; the  eastern, 
formed  by  the  Somo-Sierra  and  the  Guaclarrama ; the  cen- 
tral, or  the  Sierra  de  Gredos,  the  most  elevated  of  them  all, 
in  which  there  is  a small  g.aciei,  near  the  place  called  Palacio 
del  Moro  Almanzor,  and  several  lakes,  the  outlets  of  which 
unite  with  the  Tormes,  a feeder  of  the  Duero ; lastly,  the 
western,  which  comprehends  the  Penac  de  Francia,  the 
Sierra  de  Gata,  the  Sierra  de  Estrella , and  the  heights 
that  reach  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Lisbon.  In  no  part  of 
the  Peninsula  are  the  woods  and  forests  so  extensive  as  in 
the  last  group.  Granite  appears  to  be  the  most  common 
rock ; it  is  of  a coarse  texture  and  a grayish  colour,  and  it 
may  be  concluded  to  be  of  a comparatively  recent  forma- 
tion, both  from  its  liability  to  decomposition,  and  from  the 
masses  of  a harder  granite  contained  in  it.  Calcareous  rocks 
abound  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Madrid,  where  chalk,  con- 
taining dark-coloured  flints,  serves  as  a support  for  recent 
deposits.4 

The  Lusitanian  range  is  lower  than  any  that  have  been 
already  mentioned,  and  the  snow  never  remains  on  any  part 
of  it  during  the  summer.  It  occupies  the  country  between 
the  Tagus  and  Guadiana,  and  is  formed  by  the  mountains 
of  Toledo  on  the  east,  the  Sierra  de  Guadalupe  in  the  cen- 
tre, and  the  Sierra  de  San  Mames  on  the  west ; from  the 
latter  the  Sierra  de  Estremos  projects  to  the  south. 

The  Marianic  range,  or  the  chain  formed  by  the  ancient 
Marianus,  is  higher  than  the  last;  the  greatest  elevation 
may  be  about  4600  feet,®  and  the  snow  remains  in  some 
places  during  nine  months  in  tire  year.  The  greatest  part 
of  the  chain  separates  the  course  of  the  Guadiana  from  that 
of  the  Guadalquivir.  The  eastern  extremity  consists  of  two 
branches,  the  Sierra  Alcaraz  and  the  Sierra  de  Segura; 
the  centre  has  been  called  the  Sierra  Morena,  which  signi- 
fies the  black  mountains,  and  recals  the  ancient  name  of 

a Calavera  signifies  a skeleton. — Tn.  f Las  Calaveras,  the  skulls. — 

PI 

b “ Calcaire  ancien.”  c Sp  .Pena,  Port.  Penha,  a rock. — P. 

d Of  tertiary  formation. — P. 

e “ Some  of  the  summits  are  800  or  900  toises  in  height.” 

f Bowles,  Introduction  a la  Historia  Natural  y a la  Geografia  fisica 
de  Espana,  4to.  1782. 


113 

Mons  Marianus;  the  Sierra  Albaleyra,  which  terminates 
near  the  Guadiana,  forms  the  western  extremity.  The 
heights  diat  surround  Alcaraz  are  composed  of  argillaceous 
sandstone ; and  a chain  consisting  of  volcanoes,  now  extin- 
guished, but  still  easily  discernible,*  stretches  along  the  base 
of  the  summits  situated  near  the  sources  of  the  river/ 

The  Cuneic  range  consists  of  the  small  chain  which  the 
ancients  called  Mons  Cuneus.  It  extends  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Guadiana  to  Cape  St.  Vincent,  and  separates  the 
kingdom  of  Algarva  from  the  province  of  Alentejo,  which 
forms  the  southern  part  of  Portugal.  It  consists  of  two 
chains,  the  eastern  or  the  Sierra  Calderona,  and  the  western 
or  the  Sierra  de  Monchique.  The  heights  are  not  lofty, 
and  the  range  differs  from  the  others  in  its  constituent  parts : 
sandstone  is  very  common,  but  lava  and  other  substances  of 
the  same  kind  appear  in  the  eastern  part ; the  name  of 
Sierra  Calderona,  or  the  Caldron  Mountains,  is  not  inap- 
plicable to  that  part  of  the  range,  since  it  consists  of  a series 
of  volcanic  cones,  the  craters  of  which  still  retain  their  forms 
and  the  characters  diat  mark  their  origin. 

The  Bsetic  range,  of  which  the  northern  sides  formed  the 
Roman  province  of  Bcetica,  extends  from  the  Rio  Almanzor 
to  the  heights  that  terminate  near  the  mouth  of  the  Guadal- 
quivir. The  central  part  is  made  up  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
and  the  Sierra  de  Loja.  Although  not  the  largest,  it  is  cer- 
tainly the  loftiest  range  in  the  Peninsula.  Many  summits, 
higher  than  the  Pyrenees,  are  covered  with  eternal  snow. 
The  steep  sides  of  the  mountains  of  Ubrique,  Algodonales 
and  Gastor,  are  commanded  by  the  peak  of  San  Cristoval. 
The  snow  always  appears  on  the  top  of  the  Serrania s de 
Ronda,  where  a small  hermitage  has  been  erected,  and  dedi- 
cated to  Nuestra  Senora  de  las  Nieves)'  Li  the  eastern  part 
of  the  same  range  are  different  groups,  that  rival  each  other 
in  height ; the  most  remarkable  are  the  Sierra  Prieta,  the 
Sierra  de  Alhama  and  the  Sierra  Tejada,  but  in  point  of 
picturesque  scenery,  they  cannot  be  compared  with  the 
Sierra  de  Torqual,  in  which  rocks  of  various  forms  and 
dimensions  are  so  singularly  arranged,  that  they  might  be 
compared  to  the  ruins  of  a town  built  by  the  Titans.  But 
these  mountains  are  neither  so  imposing  nor  so  lofty  as  the 
summits  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  which,  commanding  the  ho- 
rizon on  every  side,  bear  the  marks  of  perpetual  winter. 
The  snow  line  commences  at  the  height  of  about  9500  feet* 1 
above  die  level  of  the  Mediterranean,  which  bathes  the 
southern  base.  From  these  summits,  says  M.  Bory  de  St. 
Vincent,  may  be  seen  at  the  same  time  the  Sierra  Morena, 
more  than  thirty  leagues  distant  towards  the  north,  and  the 
coasts  of  Africa,  which  are  at  least  forty-five  leagues  distant 
to  the  south.  The  Mulahacen  is  the  most  elevated  point  in 
that  range  of  snow'-covered  peaks ; it  reaches  nearly  to  the 
same  height  as  die  famous  peak  of  Teneriffe,  or,  in  other 
words,  to  more  than  12,700  feet.k  The  vallies  in  the  Bsetic 
range  are  deep,  and  cross  each  other  in  every  direction  ; 
most  of  diem  are  watered  and  rendered  fruitful  by  limpid 
streams. 

The  whole  chain  is  of  primitive  formation.  The  Sierra 
Nevada  is  schistous ; primitive  limestone  and  marble  of  dif- 
ferent colours1  rest  upon  the  gneiss,  together  with  calcare- 
ous breccias,  which  are  employed  as  ornaments  in  building. 

s Sp.  Port.  Serrania,  a chain  of  mountains. — P. 

h Our  Lady  of  the  Snow. 

' “ Rather  more  than  3050  metres” — about  10,000  feet. 

k “ At  least  3600  or  3700  metres” — about  11,800  or  12,100  feet.  Alti- 
tude of  the  Peak  of  Teneriffe,  12,175  feet. — (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

1 “ Veined  marble.” 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXVII. 


144 


The  fine  kind  of  onyx,  called  niccolo  by  the  lapidaries,  is  not 
uncommon  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cape  Gata.  The  rock 
of  Gibraltar,  at  the  other  extremity  of  the  chain,  rises  to  the 
height  of  1470  feeta  above  the  Mediterranean.  It  has  ex- 
cited for  a long  time  the  attention  of  geologists.  It  con- 
sists of  gray  limestone,  divided  by  perpendicular  fissures, 
and  these  are  filled  with  calcareous  concretions,  containing 
an  immense  quantity  of  bones  and  shells ; many  of  the  for- 
mer belong  to  different  sorts  of  deer,  none  of  which  are  at 
present  found  in  Europe.b  Such  phenomena  may  be  con- 
sidered the  proofs  of  a partial  cataclysm,  fatal  to  the  animals 
which  formerly  inhabited  our  continent.0 

As  connected  with  the  heights  in  the  Peninsula,  it  may  be 
worth  while  to  mention  the  Parameras,  or  interior  table-lands, 
all  of  which  are  very  lofty,  and  many  of  a great  size.  They 
either  extend  between  different  parts  of  the  ranges  that  have 
been  already  mentioned,  or  are  situated  near  then-  summits, 
so  that  they  appear  less  elevated  than  they  really  are.  The 
most  remarkable  of  these  bare  and  solitary  table-lands  are 
situated  in  the  provinces  of  Avila  and  Soria.  In  the  Pyre- 
nees, in  the  mountains  of  Molina,  Albaracin  and  Cuenca, 
mid  also  in  those  of  Toledo  and  Gredos,  may  be  seen  other 
parameras,  which,  independently  of  their  extent,  might  be 
compared  with  the  arid  summits  in  Tartary. 

Considered  physically,  the  Peninsula  may  be  divided  into 
five  large  basins,  and  into  as  many  others  of  a smaller  size. 
To  the  first  class  belong  the  basins  of  the  Ebro,  the  Duero, 
the  Tagus,  the  Guadiana,  and  the  Guadalquivir;  to  the  sec- 
ond, the  basins  of  the  Guadalaviar,  the  Jucar,d  the  Segura, 
the  Mondego,  and  the  Minho.  The  basin  of  the  Ebro, 
although  the  smallest  in  the  first  class,  is  larger  than  any 
other  that  communicates  with  the  Mediterranean.  Three 
of  the  second  class  are  also  inclined  in  the  same  direction ; 
while,  from  four  large  basins  and  two  of  a smaller  size,  the 
waters  of  the  Peninsula  are  borne  to  the  ocean.  Thus, 
before  the  straits  of  Gibraltar  wrere  formed,  all  the  eastern 
and  southern  declivities  in  the  country  must  have  been  sub- 
merged, while  the  others,  on  the  side  of  the  ocean,  were  no 
longer  inundated. 

The  Tagus  flows  through  the  longest  basin  in  the  Penin- 
sula ; it  was  famed  in  ancient  times ; its  name  has  not  been 
changed. e Poets  have  celebrated  the  happy  banks  and 
flowery  meads  of  the  Tagus ; but  whoever  surveys  its  nu- 
merous windings,  discovers  little  that  can  justify  the  praises 
of  Silius  Italicus  and  other  ancient  writers.  The  arid  banks 
are,  in  most  places,  very  steep ; for  more  than  three  fourths 
of  its  course,  it  flows  with  the  rapidity  of  a torrent.  The 
ancients  styled  it  Auratus , but  no  particles  of  gold  are  now 
found  in  the  red  ooze  carried  down  by  the  waters.  The 
river  has  its  source  in  the  Albaracin  mountains,  and  the 
length  of  its  course  is  not  less  than  a hundred  and  seventy 
leagues.  The  principal  feeders  on  the  right  bank  are  the 
Jaramaf  which  is  enlarged  by  the  Tajuna,  the  Guadarra- 
ma,  that  descends  from  the  mountains  of  the  same  name,  the 
Alberche,  that  rises  between  the  mountains  of  Gredos  and 
Avila,  the  Tietar,  that  has  its  source  in  one  of  the  branches 
of  the  Sierra  de  Gredos,  and  lastly,  the  A/agon  and  the 
Zezere,  the  former  rising  from  the  Sierra  de  Franeia,  and 

s “ 450  metres.”  The  Sugar  Loaf,  the  most  elevated  point,  is  1439 
feet  in  height.  Ed.  Encyc. 

b “ It  consists  of  gray  limestone,  divided  by  perpendicular  fissures, 
filled  by  calcareous  and  ferruginous  concretions  of  a fine  red  colour, 
in  which  are  contained  an  immense  quantity  of  bones  and  terrestrial 
shells.  The  remains  of  quadrupeds  belong  partly  to  small  rodcntia, 
and  partly  to  deer,  all  of  which  are  of  different  species  from  any  now 
found  in  Europe.” 


the  latter  at  the  base  of  the  Sierra  de  Estrella.  The  largest 
streams  that  enter  the  Tagus  on  the  left  bank,  are  the  Rio 
del  Monte  and  the  Salor,  of  which  the  one  descends  from 
the  Sierra  de  Guadalupe,  and  the  other  from  the  Sierra  de 
Montanches. 

The  ancient  name  of  the  Anas  is  still  retained  in  the  Gua- 
diana, an  Arabic  periphrase  which  signifies  the  water  of 
the  Ana.  The  length  of  the  river  is  about  1 50  leagues ; it 
descends  from  the  mountains  of  Cuenca,  where  it  is  called 
the  Rio  Gijuela ; but  as  it  is  formed  by  several  streams 
that  unite  with  each  other,  its  real  source  has  not  yet  been 
determined.  It  is  supposed  that  it  issues  from  the  marshes 
of  Riduera,  whence  indeed  a rivulet  escapes  and  disappears 
after  a course  of  twenty-five  miles, e but  it  is  seen  anew  near 
a place  called  the  Ojos  de  Guadiana .h  The  Ojos  or  Eyes 
are  several  large  fountains  which  issue  from  the  earth,  and 
form  by  their  junction  a stream  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country  call  the  Guadiana.  Several  rivers  are  known  which 
appear  and  disappear,  but  if  the  marshes  of  Riduera  be 
really  the  sources  of  the  Guadiana,  it  disappears  twice  be- 
fore it  has  traversed  its  extensive  basin.  The  size  of  the 
river,  still  insignificant  below  the  Gijuela,  is  not  much 
increased  until  it  receives  the  Jabalon  on  the  left  bank,  and 
the  Bullague  on  the  right,  the  latter  of  which  descends  from 
the  mountains  of  Toledo.  It  receives,  at  a greater  distance 
from  its  source,  the  Guadalema  and  the  Zuja,  which  rise  in 
the  mountains  connected  with  the  Sierra  Morena ; the  other 
feeders  are  the  Matachel,  which  issues  from  the  Sierra 
Constantina,  and  the  Ardila  and  the  Chanza , that  descend 
from  the  Sierra  de  Aracena.  All  these  enlarge  the  Guadi- 
ana, and  give  it  such  a degree  of  velocity  below  Martola, 
as  to  form  a cataract,  called  the  Wolfs  Leap,  or  Salto  del 
Lobo. 

The  Duero,  or  the  Douro,* 1  the  ancient  Durius,  flows 
through  a broader  basin  than  the  Tagus  or  the  Guadiana ; 
it  has  its  source  in  the  peak  of  Urbion,  and  separates  it 
from  the  Sierra  de  Oca.  The  length  of  its  course  is  about 
a hundred  and  forty  leagues,  and,  as  its  basin  is  very  broad, 
most  of  its  feeders  are  important.  The  Pisuerga,  one  of 
the  largest  on  the  right  bank,  is  formed  by  the  junction  of 
several  rivers  that  rise  in  the  Pyrenees'1  and  the  Sierra  de 
Oca;  the  Esla,  which  descends  from  the  Pyrenees,1' and 
receives  itself  several  large  feeders,  falls  into  the  Duero, 
below  its  junction  with  the  Pisuerga  ; the  Tainega  enters  the 
same  river  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  leagues  from  the  ocean. 
The  feeders  on  the  left  bank  are  the  Eresma,  from  die  pa- 
rameras of  Avila,  the  Tonnes,  from  the  lofty  summits  of 
Gredos,  and  the  Rio  Coa,  from  the  Sierra  de  Gata.  The 
soil  in  different  parts  of  the  basin  is  not  unfruitful,  but,  in 
some  places,  the  land  is  so  heavy,  that  the  rain  changes  it 
into  a thick  and  tenacious  clay,  while,  in  others,  it  consists 
of  moving  sand,  on  which  the  only  plants  are  resinous  trees. 
The  river,  after  it  leaves  the  mountains,  waters  dismal  and 
extensive  parameras,  of  which  the  elevation  above  the  sea 
is  not  less  than  2400  leet.m  A wretched  vegetation  height- 
ens the  monotonous  appearance  of  these  immense  plains. 

When  the  Arabs  made  themselves  masters  of  the  Penin- 
sula, they  were  struck  with  die  great  size  of  the  Baetis,  and 

c Rccherches  sur  les  Ossemens  Fossiles,  par  M.  G.  Cuvier.  4to.  1821. 

A Xucar.  e Fr.  Tage,  Sp.  Tajo,  Port.  Tijo. 

1 Xarama.  s “ 10  leagues.”  h The  eyes  of  Guadiana. 

‘ Span.  Duero,  Port.  Douro. 

k Properly,  the  range  continued  westward  from  the  Pyrenees,  called 
the  Pyrencean  range  by  M.  Bory  de  St.  Vincent. — P. 

1 See  note  k m *•  700  or  800  nieCes.” 


BOOK  CXXXVII.J 


SPAIN  AND  PORTUGAL. 


145 


gave  it  the  name  of  Guacl-al-Keber ,a  or  great  river,  which 
has  been  changed  by  the  Spaniards  into  Guadalquivir. 
According  to  the  common  opinion,  it  rises  on  thej/west- 
ern  declivity  of  the  Sierra  Sagra ; but  since,  according  to 
the  rule  generally  adopted  by  geographers,  the  source  of  a 
river  must  be  sought  in  the  stream  most  distant  from  its 
mouth,  die  Guadermena,  which  descends  from  the  Sierra 
Alearaz,  has  been  incorrectly  denominated,  and  should  have 
been  called  the  Guadalquivir ; thus  die  river  rises  in  the 
basin  of  the  Guadiana,  and  traverses  die  Baetic  range.  Two 
other  large  rivers,  issuing  from  the  same  basin,  enter  die 
Guadalquivir  on  the  right  side,  one  of  which,  or  the  Ajan- 
dula,  flows  across  die  Sierra  Morena,  and  the  other,  or  the 
Biar,  opens  a passage  for  itself  in  the  middle  of  the  Sierra 
Constantina.  The  Genii, b or  the  ancient  Singilis,  the 
largest  feeder  diat  flows  from  the  Sierra  Nevada,  enters  the 
same  river  on  the-  left  bank.  The  lands  near  the  Geriil  are 
in  many  places  deeply  impregnated  with  salt ; efflorescences 
hurtful  to  vegetation  are  formed  in  the  summer  season.  The 
Guadalquivir,  after  its  junction  widi  the  Genii,  waters  a low 
and  fruitful  country,  but  beyond  the  neighbourhood  of  Se- 
ville, a belt  of  land,  about  two  leagues  in  breadth,  which  the 
inhabitants  call  the  Marisma , as  insalubrious  as  the  Italian 
Maremmas,  extends  from  die  Tablado  to  the  salt  marshes 
of  San  Lucar.  That  small  uninhabited  region  is  intersected 
by  several  brackish  streams,  which,  descending  from  the 
declivities  of  Moron  and  Montelliano,  change  the  country 
into  a sort  of  marsh ; a few  slender  plants,  useful  only  in 
furnishing  soda,  are  all  the  vegetation  on  die  light  ooze  thus 
formed.  But  the  river,  divided  into  several  branches,  en- 
closes different  islands,  such  as  the  Manor  and  the  Major ,c 
as  well  as  others  of  great  fertility,  and  numerous  herds  of 
cattle  are  reared  on  their  rich  meadows.  The  same  river  is 
not  navigable  above  Cordova. 

It  is  at  Font-Ibre,  (Lat.  Fons  lberaA)  in  die  valley  of 
Reynosa,  that  the  Ebro  takes  its  source.  It  was  called  the 
lberus  by  the  Romans.  During  the  greater  part  of  its  course, 
it  is  confined  by  mountains,  and  the  vallies  diey  enclose 
afford  passages  to  its  numerous  feeders.  On  die  left  side, 
the  Agrae  and  the  Arragon  unite,  and,  at  no  great  distance 
beyond  their  junction,  enter  the  river ; farther  down,  it  re- 
ceives the  Gallego,  near  Saragossa,  and  the  Cinca  and  die 
Segrej  below  Mequinenza  ; all  of  these  rivers  flow  from  the 
Pyrenees.  Other  feeders  descend  from  the  Sierra  de  Oca, 
the  Sierra  de  Moncayo,  and  the  Pena  de  Goloca.  The  prin- 
cipal are  die  Xalon,  which  has  been  compared  to  the  Marne, 
and  the  Guadalupe,  which  the  Arabs  rendered  useful  by 
their  canals  in  the  basin  of  the  Ebro.  The  length  of  the 
Ebro,  including  its  windings,  amounts  to  about  120  leagues ; 
although  less  sinuous  and  more  rapid  than  the  Seine,  it  may 
be  compared  to  it  from  the  extent  of  its  course  and  the  body 
of  its  water.  Its  navigation  is  often  impeded  by  rocks  that 
have  fallen  from  die  mountains ; consequently  the  Spanish 
government  has  been  at  considerable  expense  in  construct- 
ing a canal  parallel  to  the  river,  from  Tudela  to  Sastaga.  It 
might  be  equally  useful  to  complete  a canal,  which  was  be- 
gun many  years  ago,  between  the  Ebro  and  the  Duero. 
The  country  between  the  two  rivers  is  not  of  such  a nature 
as  to  oppose  any  great  obstacles,  but  the  funds  are  wanting 
for  the  completion  of  such  a work.  A canal  stretches  along 
the  Segre,  between  Mequinenza  and  Lerida.  These  canals 

1 Wadi-al-Kibir.  b Xenil. 

c I si  a Mayor  and  Isla  Menor,  the  greater  and  lesser  islands. — P. 

J The  Ebro  rises  from  a spring  at  the  foot  of  the  castle  of  Font- 
bre. — P. 

VOL.  III. — NO.  40. 


in  the  basin  of  the  Ebro  have  diffused  abundance  in  that 
part  of  Spain;  still  their  number  is  not  sufficient.  The  de- 
posits which  the  river  carries  to  the  Mediterranean  have  form- 
ed a considerable  delta  at  its  mouth,  and  it  has  been  neces- 
sary to  cut  a canal,  in  order  diat  vessels  may  ascend  to  the 
small  town  of  Amposta  below  Tortosa. 

The  other  basins  in  the  Peninsula,  although  of  less  conse- 
quence, may  be  briefly  mentioned.  On  the  south  of  the 
Ebro  extends  the  basin  of  the  Guadalaviar,  a small  river 
rising  between  the  Sierra  Molina  and  the  Sierra  de  Albara- 
cin,  and  fed  by  several  streams,  of  which  the  Alhambra  is 
the  most  considerable.  The  length  of  its  course  is  more 
than  fifty  leagues : the  basin  which  it  waters  is  bounded  on 
the  north  by  the  Pena  Goloca,  and  other  heights  that  extend 
towards  the  Ebro,  and  on  the  west  by  the  chain  that  stretches 
to  the  Sierra  de  Albaracin.  On  the  south  of  the  last  is 
situated  the  basin  of  the  Jucar,  another  small  river,  fed  by 
the  Gabriel  and  die  Lambay,  and  forming  many  windings 
between  mountains  and  hills.  The  Jucar  rises  on  the  west- 
ern declivities  of  the  Sierra  de  Albaracin,  and  runs  to  the 
distance  of  more  than  eighty  leagues.  The  basin  of  the 
Segura  is  broader  than  the  two  last ; on  the  north  and  on 
the  east  it  is  bounded  by  hills,  and  a group  of  mountains, 
called  the  Penas  de  San  Pedro,  extends  on  the  north-west ; 
on  the  west  are  situated  the  Sierra  Alearaz  and  the  Sierra 
Sagra.  The  Segura,  including  its  windings,  is  equal  in 
length  to  fifty-five  leagues ; it  receives  the  waters  of  the 
Rio  Mundo,  die  Quipar  and  the  Sangonera.  In  the  first 
part  of  its  course,  the  country  which  it  waters  is  wild  and 
desert,  but  from  the  valley  of  Ricote  to  the  Mediterranean, 
the  soil  is  covered  with  die  richest  vegetation. 

Two  small  rivers  discharge  their  waters  into  the  ocean; 
the  largest  of  these,  or  the  Minho/  descends  from  the  Sierra 
de  Mondonedo  : although  of  considerable  breadth,  the  length 
of  its  course  does  not  exceed  sixty  leagues.  It  flows  south- 
wards  until  it  joins  the  Sil,  then  turns  to  the  west,  where  it 
is  bounded  on  one  side  by  the  Sierra  de  Penagache  and  the 
Sierra  de  Estrica,  and  on  the  other  by  the  Sierra  de  Barcia. 
The  mountains  adjoining  the  same  basin,  exclusively  of 
those  connected  with  the  Pyrenees,  belong  to  the  Sierra  de 
Segondina,  from  which  the  Bibey,  a feeder  of  the  Sil,  takes 
its  course.  The  Mondego,  a river  to  the  south  of  the  Due- 
ro, flows  in  the  direction  of  east  to  west ; the  basin  through 
which  it  passes  is  enclosed  by  the  Sierra  de  Alcoba  and  the 
Sierra  de  Estrella ; the  distance  from  its  source  to  its  mouth 
is  not  less  than  fifty  leagues ; it  is  fed  by  the  Alva,  the  Seire 
and  the  Soire. 

The  division  of  any  country  according  to  the  basins  that 
may  be  contained  in  it,  cannot  satisfy  the  geographer,  who 
seeks  other  limits  than  those  which  are  obvious  to  the  eye, 
other  boundaries  than  the  courses  of  rivers.  A writer,’* 1  who 
has  thrown  additional  light  on  many  subjects,  has  divided  the 
Peninsula  into  four  parts,  according  to  the  inclination  of  the 
surface.  The  first  or  the  Cantabrian  division  is  formed  by 
the  northern  declivities  of  the  Pyrenees,  from  the  sources  of 
the  Adour  to  Cape  Ortegal.  The  second  or  the  Lusitanian 
division  consists  of  the  southern  declivities  of  the  Pyrenees 
and  of  those  which  are  watered  by  the  Duero,  the  Tagus 
and  the  Guadiana ; it  forms  a vast  semicircle,  of  which  the 
two  extremities  are  Cape  Ortegal  and  the  mouths  of  the 
last  mentioned  river.  The  southern  declivities  of  the  Sierra 


e Arga. 
f Segra. 
s Sp.  Mino. 

I b M.  Bory  de  St.  Vincent. 


19 


146 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXVI1. 


Morena,  and  all  the  mountains  connected  with  the  same 
chain,  that  terminate  at  Cape  Gata,  including  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  make  up  the  third  or  Baetic  division,  which  embraces 
within  its  circuit  the  Guadalquivir  and  its  branches.  The 
last  or  the  Iberian  division  comprehends  the  eastern  decliv- 
ities of  all  the  mountains,  which,  extending  from  Cape  Gata 
to  the  Pyrenees,  form  the  Sierra  de  Algamilla,  the  Sierra  de 
Segura,  the  Sierra  de  Albaracin,  the  Sierra  de  Molina,  the 
Sierra  de  Moncayo,  and  the  Sierra  de  Oca.  The  southern 
declivities  of  the  Pyrenees,  from  their  connexion  with  these 
Sierras,  form  part  of  the  same  division.  This  arrangement, 
intended  to  explain  the  passage  taken  by  the  sea,  when  it 
left  the  Peninsula,  does  not  appear  to  correspond  strictly 
with  the  phenomena  which  the  vegetation  of  the  country 
presents.  To  elucidate  that  subject,  another  plan  must  be 
adopted  ; this  fair  portion  of  Europe  may  therefore  be  divi- 
ded into  six  regions,  by  which  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  clas- 
sify the  principal  facts  relative  to  the  temperature. 

The  central  or  Celtiberian  region  comprehends  the  two 
great  table-lands  of  Old  and  New  Castile,  or,  in  other  words, 
the  Sierra  de  Gata,  the  Sierra  de  Gredos,  the  Sierra  de 
Avila,  and  the  mountains  of  Somo-Sierra , on  the  north  of  the 
Tagus,  and  on  the  south  of  the  same  river,  the  Sierra  de 
Maines  and  the  mountains  of  Toledo  to  the  defiles  of  the 
Sierra  de  Molina,  and  also  all  the  western  declivities  of  the 
Sierra  Morena  and  the  Sierra  de  Albaracin,  as  far  as  the 
Sierra  Martes.  Although  forests  and  isolated  summits  occa- 
sionally appear  in  this  part  of  the  Peninsula,  it  consists  chiefly 
of  sterile  and  immense  plains  ; it  is  formed  by  an  assemblage 
of  table-lands,  not  unlike  the  central  one  in  Asia  Minor. 
The  apple-tree  is  nowhere  seen ; the  olive  begins  to  show 
itself  in  the  south,  and  the  vine  succeeds  almost  throughout 
the  whole  extent.  The  oak  that  yields  the  sweet  acorn 
flourishes  in  the  same  part  of  the  country ; its  fruit, a in 
taste  not  unlike  the  almond,  may  be  conceived  to  have  been 
food  for  the  earliest  inhabitants  of  Spain. 

The  southern  or  Baetic  region  extends  from  east  to  west, 
from  Cape  Palos  to  Cape  St.  Vincent,  and  from  north  to 
south,  from  the  southern  declivities  of  the  Sierra  Morena, 
including  the  mountains  of  Algarva,  to  the  Mediterranean 
and  the  ocean.  The  climate  is  hotter  than  in  Sicily.  The 
country  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  sea  might  almost  be 
considered  an  African  zone ; it  is  marked  by  the  presence 
ol  the  banana,  the  dwarf-palm  and  the  cactus.b  The  stony 
places  are  covered  with  the  caper-bush ; its  numerous  and 
long  stems,  and  its  large  flowers  with  purple  stamens,  adorn 
with  their  elegant  tufts  the  rocks  and  uncultivated  lands.  A 
second  zone,  always  verdant,  and  covered  with  the  plants  of 
Sicily  and  Italy,  rises  above  the  last.  The  myrtle,  the 
orange  and  lemon  tree,  the  rose  laurel,  the  agnus  castus, 
the  tamarisk  and  the  oleander  are  most  common  in  this  part 
of  the  Peninsula.  Another  and  a higher  zone  is  adapted 
for  the  vine  and  different  kinds  of  grain : forests  of  pine  ex- 
tend above  it,  and  to  these  succeed  Alpine  plants  and  heights 
covered  with  eternal  snow. 

The  eastern  or  Iberian  region  comprehends,  from  north 
to  south,  all  the  space  between  Cape  Palos  and  Cape  Creux, 
and  from  east  to  west  the  basin  of  the  Ebro,  and  the  lands  sit- 
uated between  the  Sierra  de  Molina,  the  Sierra  de  Albaracin, 
the  Sierra  Martes,  the  mountains  of  Palomera  and  Orihuela, 
and  the  Mediterranean.  This  magnificent  portion  of  the  Pe- 
ninsula, which  may  be  compared  to  the  shores  of  Ionia  and 


Doris,  possesses  all  the  plants  of  Sicily,  the  Archipelago  and 
the  Levant.  The  olive  flourishes  every  where,  the  carob 
tree  grows  near  the  lentisk,  while  the  myrtle,  the  laurel,  the 
fig  and  the  mulberry  display  their  var  ied  foliage ; the  grape 
yields  a strong  wine,  but  within  the  same  division,  as  in  the 
last,  are  situated  several  zones,  which  exhibit  different  kinds 
of  vegetation,  from  the  low  vallies  to  the  summits  of  the 
Pyrenees. 

The  Lusitanian  region,  or  that  of  the  lower  Tagus,  ex- 
tends from  south  to  north,  from  Cape  St.  Vincent  to  Cape 
Roca ; its  breadth  is  determined  by  the  southern  branch  of 
the  Sierra  de  Estremos,  and  farther  north  by  the  Sierra  de 
Mames.  It  is  sheltered  against  cold  winds  by  the  moun- 
tains on  the  north  of  the  Tagus.  The  lower  parts  are  cov- 
ered with  sandy  heaths,  but  one  zone  may  be  distinguished 
by  its  groves  of  orange  and  olive  trees.  M.  Boiy  de  St 
Vincent  observed  on  the  coasts,  particularly  to  the  south,  a 
vegetation  similar  in  some  respects  to  that  of  the  Atlantic 
islands.  “ From  the  mountains  of  Cintra  and  the  Sernas  de 
Ourem  to  Cape  St.  Vincent,”  says  the  same  writerv  “ bota- 
nists may  discover  a great  many  plants,  which,  it  was  sup- 
posed, wTere  confined  to  the  Azores,  Madeira  and  the  Cana- 
ries. American  plants  thrive  and  multiply  easily ; some  of 
them  might  even  be  considered  indigenous ; at  all  events, 
they  have  banished  such  as  are  so  in  many  large  districts, 
where  they  flourish  as  well  as  in  their  native  land.” 

The  Galician  region,  or  that  of  the  Duero,  which  occu- 
pies, from  north  to  south,  the  space  between  Cape  Roca  and 
Cape  Finisterre,  is  different  from  the  preceding ; the  oak 
and  the  chestnut  abound,  and  the  vine  prospers,  but  the 
olive  and  the  orange  appear  only  in  the  low  vallies  to  the 
south  of  the  Dueio. 

The  northern  or  Cantabrian  region  comprehends  all  the 
country  from  the  sources  of  the  Adour  to  Cape  Finisterre  ; 
it  is  intersected  by  vallies,  which  incline  either  from  east  to 
west,  or  from  south  to  north.  The  plains  are  not  extensive, 
and  all  of  them  are  situated  near  the  coasts.  The  constant 
and  uniform  character  of  the  region  consists  in  the  absence 
of  the  cistus  and  rose  laurel.  The  orange  and  the  olive  are 
reared  with  difficulty,  and  the  same  remark  is  applicable  to 
the  vine  ; but  the  hills  and  vallies  in  this  fruitful  region  are 
covered  with  lofty  forests,  rich  crops  and  verdant  meadows. 
The  constant  verdure  may  be  attributed  to  a fertile  soil  and 
a humid  atmosphere.  The  apple  flourishes  in  every  dis- 
trict ; cider  is  substituted  for  light  wine,  so  that  the  country 
may  be  considered  the  Normandy  of  the  Peninsula. 

If,  as  every  appearance  leads  us  to  believe,  Africa  and 
Spain  were  once  united,  the  Balearic  islands  must  have  been 
part  of  the  Peninsula.  They  seem  to  be  a continuation  of 
the  chain  which  terminates  at  Cape  St.  Martin ; their  gen- 
eral direction  is  from  south-west  to  north-east ; they  consist 
of  four  principal  islands,  Ivica  and  Fromentera,  Majorca  and 
Minorca,  but  several  odters  of  a smaller  size  are  situated 
near  their  coasts.  Thus,  around  Ivica,  may  be  seen  Co- 
nejera  Grande  or  Great  Rabbits’  island,  as  well  as  Esparto, 
Bebra,  Espalmador,c  Espardellad  and  Tagam.  Near  the 
coasts  of  Majorca,  are  situated  Dragonera  or  Dragons’  island, 
Conejera  or  Rabbits’  island,  and  Cabrera  or  Goats’  island. 
The  island  of  Ayre  lies  near  the  southern  shores  of  Minorca  : 
the  others  may  be  passed  over  in  silence ; they  are  of  little 
or  no  importance. 

The  island  of  Fromentera®  is  equal  to  four  leagues  at  its 


* Span.  Bel  lata. 

b Schow's  Botanical  Geography.  Copenhagen,  1822. 


c Espalmadora. 
e Formentera. 


d “ Espardell”—  Espartil? 


book  cxxxvn.  SPAIN  AND 

greatest  breadth,  while  its  utmost  length  does  not  exceed  five. 
It  is  believed  that  it  has  been  so  called  in  modern  times, 
from  the  great  quantity  of  grain  which  it  produces  in  propor- 
tion to  its  surface.  It  was  the  lesser  Pityusa  or  Pityusa 
Minor  of  the  ancients.®  Ivica  or  Ivisa,b  to  the  north  of  the 
last,  is  about  twenty-two  leagues  in  circumference  ; the  Ro- 
mans called  it  Ebusus.  It  might  be  inferred  from  their  an- 
cient names,0  that  these  islands  were  once  covered  with 
forests. 

Majorca,  or  Mallorcad  is  the  Balearis  Major  of  the  an- 
cients : it  is  about  fifty  leagues  in  circumference.  Strabo 
informs  us  that  the  rabbits,  which  the  early  inhabitants 
brought  to  it,  multiplied  so  rapidly,  that  the  people  were  at 
last  obliged  to  implore  the  assistance  of  the  Romans  to  de- 
stroy these  animals.® 

Minorca  or  Menorca/  the  ancient  Balearis  Minor , is  not 
less  than  thirty-eight  leagues  in  circumference  ; it  lies  to  the 
east  of  the  last. 

The  land  in  these  islands  is  mountainous  ; their  geological 
formation  is  everywhere  the  same.  Calcareous  rocks  are 
the  most  common,  a fact  that  may  serve  to  corroborate  the 
opinion  concerning  their  submarine  junction  with  Cape  St. 
Martin.  The  heights  of  the  mountains,  the  rocks  and  the 
vegetables  of  the  Baleares,  have  been  accurately  known 
since  1825,  the  year  that  a French  naturalists  visited  these 
islands.  The  island  of  Majorca  is,  in  these  respects,  the 
most  interesting ; its  two  principal  mountains  are  the  Puig 
de  Torcella  and  the  Puig  Major}'  The  two  groups  of 
mountains,  which  divide  the  island,  are  formed  by  calcare- 
ous rocks,  belonging  to  the  rock  called  lias  by  the  English, 
and  to  the  oolitic  limestones.1  Dolomite,  porphyry,  and 
other  rocks,  which  appear  to  be  of  igneous  origin,  are  also 
to  be  met  with.  Medicinal  springs  and  different  specimens 
of  copper  ore  indicate  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  island,  from 
which  the  inhabitants  have  hitherto  derived  no  advantage. 
Majorca,  like  the  other  Baleares,  may  be  distinguished  by 
its  arid  summits  and  verdant  vallies.  The  carob  and  the 
olive  tree  appear  in  all  their  vigour.  The  first  occupies  the 
lowest  level,  and  ascends  to  the  height  of  1500  feet.k  The 
second  thrives  on  the  mountains ; it  unites  with  the  box  and 
the  Aleppo  pine,  in  covering  the  declivities,  but  the  last, 
extending  to  the  height  of  six  hundred  feet1  above  the  olive, 
mingles  with  the  evergreen  oak,  which  reaches  300  feetm 
above  it.  The  highest  summits  are  covered  with  the  Ses- 
leria  ccerulea.n  The  dwarf  palms,  on  the  stony  heights  near 
the  coast,  protect  with  their  broad  foliage  different  species 
of  Cyclamen,  Ononis  and  Anthyllis.  The  peasants  often 
set  fire  to  the  forests  of  oaks  and  pines  on  the  mountains,  in 
order  to  promote  the  vegetation  of  a plant  which  they  call 
carregt  ( Donax  tenax.)  It  diffuses  itself  over  all  the  vacant 
space  thus  produced,  and  affords,  in  the  following  year,  an 
abundant  nourishment  for  mules  and  cattle.  In  vain  do  the 

PORTUGAL.  147 

pines  and  oaks  push  forth  their  shoots ; the  carregts  keep 
their  ground,  and  it  is  not  until  after  many  years  that  they 
yield  to  the  efforts  of  their  gigantic  neighbours.  The  myr- 
tle, the  pistachio,®  the  thorny  caper  bush,  the  cistus,  and  the 
rosemary,  on  the  stony  heights  near  the  mountains  of  Major- 
ca, indicate  the  Mediterranean  region.  The  ligneous  sali 
cornia  and  the  tamarisk  grow  in  the  salt  marshes  near  the 
shore,  the  vine  flourishes  on  the  hills,  and  the  cotton  plant  is 
cultivated  in  low  and  humid  places.11  It  is  unnecessary  to 
give  an  account  of  the  vegetable  productions  in  the  neigh- 
bouring islands,  as  they  differ  but  little  from  those  that  are 
found  in  Majorca. 

The  Baleares,  or  Balearides,  were  so  called  by  the 
Greeks,  from  the  great  skill  with  which  the  inhabitants  used 
the  sling.1*  According  to  Pliny,  these  islands  were  also 
called  Gymnasia ,r  because  the  inhabitants  went  naked  to 
battle.3  Their  arms  were  a small  buckler,  a javelin,  and 
three  slings  of  different  sizes,  one  or  other  of  which  was  used 
according  to  the  distance  of  the  enemy.  Their  children 
were  early  accustomed  to  handle  the  same  instrument;  it 
is  said  that  their  parents  refused  to  give  them  food,  until 
they  hit  a mark  at  a certain  distance.  It  has  been  inferred 
from  the  surname  of  Gymnasii,  or  naked,  that  the  Greeks 
and  Romans  had  not  often  friendly  intercourse  with  these 
islanders,  for  it  is  certain  that  in  private  life,  they  wore 
dresses  long  before  the  inhabitants  of  Italy.  The  Romans 
conquered  the  Baleares,  not  so  much  to  put  a stop  to  the 
piracies  of  the  islanders,  as  to  deprive  the  Carthaginians  of 
important  stations  for  the  commerce  of  the  Mediterranean. 
The  same  people  founded  Palma  and  Pollentia  in  Majorca, 
two  places  which  shall  be  afterwards  mentioned ; these  isl- 
ands formed  part  of  the  Tarragonian  province  ( Provincia 
Tarraconensis .) 

Many  conjectures  have  been  formed  concerning  the  origin 
of  the  words  Hispania  and  Hesperia,  the  ancient  names  of 
the  Peninsula.  It  is  probable  that  Hispania  comes  from  the 
Phoenician  word  span,  wirich  signifies  concealed — not  an 
inapplicable  name,  for  at  an  early  period,  the  country  was 
little  known  to  the  Phoenicians.  It  has  been  also  said  that 
they  called  it  Spania,  from  the  number  of  rabbits  they  ob- 
served in  it.1  The  Greeks  called  it  Hesperia,  from  its 
western  situation,  relatively  to  their  own  country."  The 
name  of  Iberia,  which  it  also  bore,  seems  to  have  been  de- 
rived from  the  name  of  its  early  inhabitants.  M.  Bory  de  St. 
Vincent  supposes  them  a colony  from  the  island  or  continent 
of  Atlantis.  Such  an  assumption,  however,  is  liable  to  many 
objections,  but  it  appears  to  be  as  probable  as  the  opinion 
supported  by  several  Spanish  authors,  who  affirm  that  the 
first  inhabitants  of  their  country  were  descended  from  Tubal, 
a son  of  Noah,x  who  landed  in  Spain  twenty-two  centuries 
before  the  Christian  era. 

The  Iberians,  according  to  Herodotus,  were  divided  into 

1 The  ancients  also  called  it  Ophiusa. — P. 

b Ibica,  Ibiza,  Iviza,  Yviqa.  ( Pityusa  Major  of  the  ancients.) — P. 
c PityuscB,  Pine  islands — (irtTvc,  a pine.) — P. 

d Majorca,  Majorica,  Mallorca,  Mayorca,  (the  Greater.) — Ed.  Encyc. 
e Book  III.  ch.  2.  sect.  2. 

f Minorca,  Menorica,  (the  Smaller.) — Ed.  Encyc. 
e M.  Cainbessede,  member  of  the  Society  of  Natural  History  and  of 
the  Philomat.hic  Society  of  Paris. 

h M.  Cambessede  took  a barometrical  measurement  of  the  two  moun- 
tains ; according  to  him,  the  first  is  equal  to  4,778  feet  in  height,  and 
the  second  to  3,670.  [“  1463.6  and  1115.4  metres.”] 

1 “ Secondary  calcareous  rocks  ( calcaires  de  sidimens  inf&riturs,')  i.  e. 
the  lias  of  the  English,  and  the  oolitic  limestones.” 
k “ 500  metres.”  1 “ 200  metres.”  m “ 100  metres.” 

n Blue  Moor  grass — found  in  mountain  pastures,  throughout  the 
greater  part  of  Europe. — P.  0 Pistacia  lentiscus. 

p Cambasse.de,  Enumeratio  plantarum  qu®  reperiuntur  in  insulis  Ba- 
learibus,  4to.  Paris,  1827.  From  the  Greek  word  hallo,  I throw. 

r The  original  states  that  the  inhabitants  were  called  Baleares  or 
Balearides  by  the  Greeks,  and  Gymnasii  by  Pliny.  The  two  Greek 
terms  were  applied  to  the  islands  ( Baleares  Insulce.)  Pliny’s  name 
is  also  applied  solely  to  the  islands — “Graci  Gymnasias  dixere .”  They 
were  called  Gymnesice  (Bvinriaiai)  by  Strabo. — P. 

9 Plin.  Hist.  Nat.  Lib.  III.  cap.  5. 

1 The  double  signification  of  the  word  span  (concealed,  rabbit,)  leads 
to  this  double  interpretation.  The  Romans  adopted  the  last,  as  ap- 
pears from  a medal  of  Adrian,  on  which  Spain  is  represented  by  the 
figure  of  a woman  with  a rabbit  at  her  side.  See  Florez,  Medallas  de 
Espana,  tom.  i.  p.  109. 

u Hespera  (soneQa)  signifies  the  west,  or  the  evening,  in  Greek.  [Hes- 
peria (scmtQia,)  western  or  evening  (adj.) — P.] 

1 Son  of  Japhet. 

— 

EUROPE. 


148 

six  tribes  ; the  Cynetce,  Gletce,  Tartesii  or  Turdctani , Eleu- 
sinii,  Mnrtinii , and  Ccleinni.  Strabo  informs  us  that  the 
Turdctani  had  made  great  advances  in  civilization,  that  they 
applied  themselves  to  literature,  and  that  they  possessed 
books  of  poetry  and  history  of  a very  ancient  date,  and  laws 
which,  they  affirmed,  were  written  six  thousand  years  before 
bis  tirae.a 

Diodorus  Siculus  mentions  the  passage  of  the  Celts  into 
Spain.  The  Iberi  made  war  against  them  for  a long  time, 
but,  after  an  obstinate  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  natives, 
the  two  people  entered  into  an  agreement’,  according  to 
which,  they  were  to  possess  the  country  in  common,  bear 
the  same  name,  and  remain  for  ever  united ; such,  says  the 
same  historian,  was  the  origin  of  the  Celtiberi  in  Spain. 
These  warlike  people,  continues  Diodorus,  were  equally 
formidable  as  cavalry  and  infantry,  for  when  the  horse  had 
broken  the  enemy’s  ranks,  the  men  dismounted  and  fought 
on  foot.  Their  dress  consisted  of  a sagum  or  coarse  wool- 
len mantle ; they  wore  greaves  made  of  hair,  an  iron  helmet 
adorned  with  a red  plume,  a round  buckler  and  a broad 
two-edged  sword  of  so  fine  a temper  as  to  pierce  through 
the  enemy’s  armour.  Although  they  boasted  of  cleanliness 
both  in  their  food  and  in  their  dress,  it  was  not  unusual  for 
them  to  wash  their  teeth  and  bodies  with  urine,  a custom 
which  they  considered  favourable  to  health.  Their  habitual 
drink  was  a sort  of  hydromel ; wine  was  brought  into  the 
country  by  foreign  merchants.  The  land  was  equally  dis- 
tributed, and  the  harvests  were  divided  among  all  the  citi- 
zens ; the  law  punished  with  death  the  person  who  appro- 
priated more  than  his  just  share.  They  carried  so  far  the 
duty  of  hospitality,  that  they  considered  it  a special  favour 
to  entertain  a stranger,  being  convinced  that  the  presence  of 
a foreigner  called  do\Vn  the  protection  of  the  gods  on  the 
family  that  received  him.  They  sacrificed  human  victims 
to  their  divinities,  and  the  priests  pretended  to  read  future 
events  in  the  palpitating  entrails.1* *  At  every  full  moon,  says 
Strabo,  diey  celebrated  the  festival  of  a god  without  a name  ; 
from  this  circumstance,  their  religion  has  been  considered  a 
corrupt  deism. 

The  Phoenicians  were  the  first  people  who  established 
colonies  on  the  coasts  of  Spain ; Tartessus  was  one  of  the 
most  ancient ; at  a later  period,  they  founded  Gades,  now 
Cadiz,  on  an  island  of  the  same  name.  They  carried  on 
there  a very  lucrative  trade,  inasmuch  as  it  was  unknown  to 
other  nations ; but  in  time,  the  Rhodians,  the  Samians,  the 
Phocaeans  and  other  Greeks  established  factories  on  different 
parts  of  the  coast. 

Carthage  had  been  founded  by  the  Phoenicians ; but  the 
inhabitants,  regardless  of  their  connexion  with  that  people, 
took  possession  of  the  Phoenician  stations,  and  conquered 
the  whole  of  maritime  Spain.  The  government  of  these 
republicans  was  less  supportable  than  that  of  their  predeces- 
sors ; the  Carthaginians  were  unable  to  form  any  friendly 
intercourse  with  die  Spaniards0  in  the  interior ; their  rapine 
and  cruelty  excited  the  indignation  of  die  natives. 

The  ruin  of  Carthage  paved  the  way  to  new  invaders, 
and  Spain  was  considered  a Roman  province  two  centuries 
before  the  Christian  era.  Those  who  had  been  the  allies, 
became  the  masters  of  the  Spaniards,  and  die  manners,  cus- 
toms and  even  language  of  the  conquerors  were  introduced 

a Strabo,  Book  III.  ch.  2.  b Diodorus,  Book  V.  ch.  31. 

c “ The  Celtiberians.” 

d Libora  was  situated  in  Tarraconensis,  but  very  near  the  limits  of 
Lusitania.  (D'Anville.  Encyc.  Method.) — P. 

e The  inhabitants  wen  called  Callaici  or  Callaci. — P. 


[BOOK  CXXXVII. 

into  the  Peninsula.  But  Rome  paid  dear  for  her  conquest ; 
the  north,  or  the  present  Old  Castile,  Arragon  and  Catalo- 
nia, was  constantly  in  a state  of  revolt ; the  mountaineers 
shook  off  the  yoke,  and  it  was  not  before  the  reign  of  Au- 
gustus that  the  country  was  wholly  subdued.  The  Penin- 
sula wras  then  divided  into  three  provinces,  Lusitania , Bce- 
tica  and  Tarraconensis. 

The  Lusitanian  province  or  the  western  region  was  sepa- 
rated on  the  north  from  Tarraconensis  by  the  Duero,  as  far 
as  its  confluence  with  the  Tonnes ; the  two  most  eastern 
points  within  its  limits  were  Libora  on  the  Tagus, d and 
Augustobriga.  The  course  of  the  Guadiana  served  as  a 
boundary  from  the  mountains  of  Toledo  to  the  Atlantic. 
Thus,  it  comprehended  the  greater  part  of  Portugal,  and  all 
Estremadura.  Emerita  Augusta , the  present  Merida,  was 
the  capital  of  the  province. 

Bastiga  was  separated  from  Lusitania  by  the  Guadiana, 
and  from  Tarraconensis  by  a line  extending  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Ciudad-Real  to  the  Rio-Almanzor  ; it  formed 
the  most  southern  portion  of  the  Peninsula;  Corduba  was 
its  capital. 

All  the  rest  of  Spain  was  included  in  the  province  of 
Tarraconensis ; Gallceciae  on  the  north-west,  now  Galicia, 
Carthag incus  is,  now  the  kingdom  of  Murcia,  and  the  Bale- 
aric islands  wrere  contained  in  it. 

The  same  province  was  also  called  Hispania  Citerior, 
while  the  two  others  formed  Hispania  Ulterior. 

The  southern  part  of  the  province  of  Lusitania  was  peo- 
pled by  the  Cynetce  or  Cynesii,  the  earliest  inhabitants  of 
Algarva,  and  by  the  Celtici  or  Celtcc-Gletce  between  the 
Guadiana  and  the  Tagus.  The  country  round  the  moun- 
tains of  Gredos  belonged  to  the  Vettones,  a people  that 
passed  alternately  from  a state  of  inactivity  and  repose  to  the 
vicissitudes  and  hardships  of  war.  The  Lusitani,  a nation 
of  freebooters,  were  settled  in  the  middle  of  Estremadura ; 
they  were  distinguished  by  their  activity  and  patience  of 
fatigue ; their  food  was  flour  and  sweet  acorns  ;f  beer  was 
their  common  beverage.  They  wrere  swift  in  the  race ; 
they  had  a martial  dance,  which  the  men  danced,  while  they 
advanced  to  battle  .s 

The  part  of  Baetica  near  the  Mediterranean,  was  peopled 
by  the  Bastuli  or,  as  they  were  also  called,  the  Pceni.  The 
Turduli  inhabited  the  shores  of  the  ocean,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Bretis.  The  Bceturi  dwelt  on  the  Marianic  moun- 
tains,’1 and  the  Turdetani  inhabited  the  southern  declivities 
of  the  Sierra  de  Aracena.  The  last  people,  more  enlight- 
ened than  any  other  in  Baetica,  were  skilled  in  different 
kinds  of  industry  long  before  then-  neighbours.  When  the 
Phoenicians  arrived  on  their  coast,  silver  wTas  so  common 
amongst  them,  that  then-  ordinary  utensils  were  made  of  it. 
What  was  afterwards  done  by  the  Spaniards  in  America,  was 
then  done  by  the  Phoenicians  in  Spain  ; they  exchanged  iron 
and  other  articles  of  little  value  for  silver ; nay,  if  ancient 
authors  can  be  credited,  they  not  only  loaded  then-  ships 
with  the  same  metal,  but  if  their  anchors  at  any  time  gave 
way,  others  of  silver  were  used  in  their  place. 

The  people  in  Gallcccia,  a subdivision  of  Tarraconensis, 
were  the  Artabri,  who  derived  then-  name  from  Cape  Arta- 
brum,  now  Cape  Finisterre  ; the  Bracari,  w’hose  chief  town 
was  Bracara,  the  present  Braga ; and  lastly  the  Luce  uses, 

1 Strabo  says  that  the  Lusitani  dried  their  acorns,  and  then  ground 
them,  and  made  bread  of  the  flour — “ ^qaianii — fira  aXtaairtg  xut 
aQTo.TOiyaaueroi.” — P. 

* Strabo,  Book  III.  ch.  3. 

b Mons  Marianas,  the  Sierra  Morena. 


book  cxxxvn.]  SPAIN  AND 

of  which  Lucus  Augusti,  now  Lugo,  was  the  capital. 
These  tribes  and  some  others  formed  the  nation  of  the  Cal- 
aici  or  Gallceci ,a  who,  according  to  the  ancients,  had  no 
religious  notions.  The  Asturif  now  the  Asturians,  inhabited 
the  banks  of  the  Asturis  or  the  country  on  the  east  of  the 
Gallaecian  mountains ; Asturica  Augusta f was  then-  capital. 
The  Vacccd,  the  least  barbarous  of  the  Celtiberians,  pos- 
sessed the  country  on  the  east  of  the  Asturi.  The  fierce 
Cantabri  occupied  the  coasts  of  Old  Castile;  it  was  custom- 
ary for  two  to  mount  on  the  same  horse,  when  they  went  to 
battle.  The  C antes'1 II  or  Caristi  inhabited  part  of  Biscay 
on  the  same  declivities  of  the  Pyrenees ; on  the  southern  side 
of  those  mountains,  the  Turmodigese  and  the  Murbogiis 
were  settled  in  the  province  of  Burgos.  Their  neighbours 
on  the  east,  were  the  Autrigones  in  Alava,  the  Berones  in 
Rioja,  and  the  Varduli  in  Guipuscoa.  The  Vascones  or 
the  Navarrese,  the  ancestors  of  the  present  Gascons,  were 
settled  on  the  north  of  the  Ebro.  The  Jaccetani  were  scat- 
tered on  the  Pyrensean  declivities  of  Arragon.  The  brave 
llergetes  resided  in  the  country  round  Lerida,  and  the  Ves- 
citani,  between  the  Vascones  and  the  llergetes.  As  to  the 
country  on  the  east  of  these  tribes,  the  whole  of  Catalonia 
was  peopled  by  the  Cerretani,  the  Indigetes,  the  Castellani, 
the  Ausetani,  the  Saletanis  and  the  Cosetani.h  ' As  to  the 
country  on  the  south  of  the  Ebro,  the  Arevaci,  who  were  so 
called  from  the  river  Arena,  were  settled  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Arevalo,  and  in  the  province  of  Segovia ; the  Pelendones 
possessed  the  high  plains  of  Soria  and  Moncayo.  The 
space  comprehended  between  the  mountains  of  Albaracin 
and  the  river,  was  peopled  by  the  Edctani,  one  of  the  most 
powerful  tribes  in  Spain.  The  llercavones ,’  who  were  not 
less  formidable,  inhabited  an  extensive  district  between  the 
Upper  Jucar  and  the  Lower  Ebro.  The  territory  of  the 
Suessetani , between  the  Ebro  and  the  Guadalaviar,  extended 
to  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean.  The  country  of  the 
Carpetani , including  the  space  from  the  Guadiana  to  the 
Somo-Sierra,  forms  at  present  the  archiepiscopal  see  of  To- 
ledo. The  people  on  the  south  of  the  last,  were  the  Oreta- 
ni,  between  the  Guadiana  and  the  Marianic  mountains,  and 
the  O/cadcs,  a small  tribe,  near  the  confluence  of  the  Ga- 
briel and  the  Jucar.  Carthaginensis,  a subdivision  of  Tar- 
raconensis,  was  inhabited  by  two  tribes  ; — the  Bastitani  in  the 
centre  of  Murcia,  who  often  made  incursions  into  Baetica, 
and  the  Contestant,  who  possessed  the  two  banks  of  the 
Segura,  near  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  from  Cape 
Palos  to  the  Jucar. 

In  time  of  peace,  says  Diodorus  Siculus,  the  lberi  and 
Lusitani  amused  themselves  with  a lively  and  light  dance, 
which  requires  much  activity.  That  ancient  writer  alludes 
perhaps  to  the  fandango,  a dance  of  which  the  origin  is 
unknown.  An  assembly,  composed  of  old  men,  among  the 
Celtiberians,  was  held  every  year ; it  was  part  of  their  duty 
to  examine  what  the  women  had  made  with  their  own 
hands  within  the  twelve-month,  and  to  her,  whose  work  the 
assembly  thought  the  best,  a reward  was  given.  An  ancient 
author, k who  mentions  that  singular  custom,  adds  that  cor- 
pulency was  considered  a reproach  by  the  same  people  ; for  in 

a See  note  e,  p.  828.  b Astures,  D’Anv. 

* The  modern  Astorga.  <* *  Carietes,  Pliny,  B.  III.  ch.  3. 

c Turmodigi,  Pliny.  f Murbogi,  Ptolemy. 

e Laletani  ? — P. 

b As  the  llergetes  inhabited  the  country  around  Lerida,  they  must 
Have  occupied  a part  of  Catalonia. — P. 

■ fleraion.es,  D’Anv. 

k Nicholas  of  Damascus.  See  his  fragments  collected  by  Constan- 
tine Porphyrogenitus. 


PORTUGAL.  149 

order  to  preserve  their  bodies  light  and  active,  the  men  were 
measured  every  year  by  a girdle  of  a certain  length,  and  some 
sort  of  punishment  was  inflicted  on  those  who  had  become 
too  large.  The  age  of  marriage  was  fixed  by  law ; the  girls 
chose  their  husbands  among  the  young  warriors,  and  the 
best  means  of  obtaining  the  preference,  was  to  present  the 
fair  one  with  the  hand  of  an  enemy  slain  in  battle. 

Strabo  enters  into  some  details  concerning  the  dress  of 
the  ancient  Spaniards.  The  Lusitani  covered  themselves 
with  black  mantles,  because  their  sheep  were  mostly  of  that 
colour.  The  Celtiberian  women  wore  iron  collars  with 
rods1  of  the  same  metal  rising  behind,  and  bent  in  front ; to 
these  rods  was  attached  the  veil,  their  usual  ornament. 
Others  wore  a sort  of  broad  turban,  and  some  twisted  their 
hair  round  a small  rodm  rising  about  a foot  above  the  head, 
and  from  the  rod  was  appended  a black  veil.  Lastly,  a 
shining  forehead  was  considered  a great  beauty ; on  that 
account,  they  pulled  out  their  hair,  and  rubbed  their  brows 
with  oil.D  0 

The  different  tribes  were  confounded  while  the  Romans 
oppressed  the  country,  but  in  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, the  Suevi,  the  Vandals  and  the  Visigoths  invaded  the 
Peninsula,  and  mixing  with  the  Celts  and  Iberians,  produced 
the  different  races,  which  the  physiologist  still  observes  in 
Spain.  The  first  people  or  the  Suevi  descended  the  Duero 
under  the  conduct  of  Ermeric,  and  chose  Braga  for  the 
capital  of  their  kingdom.  Genseric  led  his  Vandals  to  the 
centre  of  the  Peninsula,  and  fixed  his  residence  at  Toledo  ; 
but  fifteen  years  had  not  elapsed  after  the  settlement  of  that 
barbarous  horde,  when  Theodoric,  conquered  by  Clovis, 
abandoned  Toulouse,  penetrated  into  Spain,  and  having 
taken  Toledo,  compelled  the  Vandals  to  fly  into  Africa. 
During  the  short  period  that  the  Vandals  remained  in  the 
country,  the  ancient  province  of  Baetica  was  called  Vanda- 
lusia,  and  it  bears  the  name  of  Andalusia  to  this  day.  But 
the  Visigoths  soon  extended  their  conquests,  and  all  the 
country  from  the  Ebro  to  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  submitted 
to  them.  The  ancient  Celtiberians,  who  had  so  long  resist- 
ed the  Romans,  made  then  no  struggle  for  liberty  or  inde- 
pendence ; they  yielded  without  resistance  to  their  new 
masters.  Powers  and  privileges  were  the  portion  of  the 
Gothic  race,  and  the  title  of  hijo  del  Godo,  or  the  son  of  the 
Goth,  which  the  Spaniards  changed  into  hidalgo ,p  became 
the  distinctive  appellation  of  a noble  or  a free  and  powerful 
man  among  a people  of  slaves.  A number  of  petty  and 
almost  independent  states  were  formed  by  the  chiefs  of  the 
conquering  tribes ; but  these  barons  or  free  men  acknowl- 
edged a liege  lord.  Spain  and  Portugal  were  thus  divided, 
and  the  feudal  system  was  thus  established.  Among  the 
Visigoths,  however,  the  crown  was  not  hereditary,  or  at  least 
the  law  of  regular  succession  was  often  set  at  defiance  by 
usurpers.  The  sovereign  authority  was  limited  by  the 
assemblies  of  the  great  vassals,  some  of  whom  were  very 
powerful ; indeed  the  Count  Julian  to  avenge  himself  on 
King  Roderic  for  an  outrage  committed  on  his  daughter, 
delivered  Spain  to  the  Mahometan  yoke. 

After  the  country  had  submitted  for  three  centuries  to  the 

I xoqglx eg,  beaks,  processes.  mc vXtoxog,  a little  column. 

II  “ Some  removed  the  hair  from  the  front  part  of  the  head,  in  such 
a manner  as  to  render  it  more  shining  than  the  forehead.” — aXXac  Si 
roc  nqo'y.oii  la  xptXtjv  em  tooutot , t og’  anogiXfhiv  rs  perumu  fiaXXov.  Stra- 
bo, 1.  c. — P. 

0 Strabo,  Book  III.  cb.  2 and  3. 

p Hidalgo  has  been  derived  from  hijo  de  algo,  the  son  of  somebody— 
a much  less  probable  etymology  than  the  one  given  in  the  text. — P 


150  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxvii. 


Visigoths,  it  was  subdued  by  the  Arabs  in  the  year  712.  A 
single  battle,  fought  at  Xeres  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Guada- 
lete,  was  sufficient  to  secure  the  conquest.  The  settlement 
of  the  Moors  in  the  Peninsula  may  be  considered  one  of  the 
events  which  illustrate  the  superiority  of  a well  informed  and 
polished  people  over  a nation  divided  by  factions,  and  de- 
graded by  the  feudal  system.  Cordova  was  chosen  as  the 
capital  of  their  empire  ; rendered  confident  by  success,  they 
devoted  themselves  to  the  sciences,  cultivated  letters  and  the 
fine  arts,  embellished  Cordova,  Granada  and  other  towns 
with  their  elegant  mosques,  governed  the  vanquished  with 
mildness  and  justice,  and  nowhere  violated  the  laws  of  a 
wise  toleration.  By  such  means,  they  thought  to  strengthen 
their  empire,  while  a poor  but  intrepid  people  in  the  moun- 
tains of  Asturia,  were  silently  preparing  a way  for  the  inde- 
pendence of  their  country.  Pelagius  or  Pelctyo,  a simple 
shepherd,  whom  some  writers  call  a prince  or  a king,  be- 
cause he  showed  himself  worthy  of  being  one,  founded  the 
kingdom  of  Oviedo,  which  was  extended  by  conquest  to  the 
Duero,  and  even  to  llie  chain  of  Guadarrama ; the  same 
kingdom  was  afterwards  divided  into  two,  those  of  Leon  and 
the  Asturias.1  The  Christians  were  encouraged  by  his  ex- 
ample ; whilst  they,  to  preserve  fl  emselves,  concentrated 
their  forces,  the  lieutenants  of  the  caliphs  were  divided  by 
ambition,  and  weakened  by  civil  discord.  They  were  styled 
kings  of  Cordova,  Seville,  Valencia  and  Granada,  but  they 
were  not  united,  and  separately  they  were  unable  to  resist 
the  torrent  that  threatened  to  destroy  them.  From  the  year 
1 085,  the  Moors  began  to  lose  their  provinces  in  Spain,  and 
on  the  second  of  January,  1492,b  Ferdinand  of  Arragon  and 
Isabella  of  Castile  made  their  triumphant  entry  into  Granada, 
the  last  bulwark  of  the  Mussulmans. 

The  kingdom  of  Granada  lost  with  its  ancient  masters,  its 
wealth  and  power.  It  was  the  finest  conquest  of  the  Span- 
iards, but  fanaticism  transformed  it  into  a desolate  and 
wretched  province.  The  Mahometan  population,  the  most 
enlightened,  industrious  and  wealthy  in  the  Peninsula,  were 
reduced  to  slavery.  It  was  forgotten  that  the  Moors  had 

1 The  kingdom  was  at  first  called  the  kingdom  of  Asturias,  and  after- 
wards the  kingdom  of  Leon  and  Asturias  It  continued  united  as  one 
kingdom  till  its  union  with  Castile,  A.  L».  1037. — P. 

b The  standard  of  the  cross  and  the  royal  standard  were  hoisted  on 
the  walls  of  Granada,  Jan.  2,  1492.  The  triumphal  entry  took  place 
Jan  6.— P. 


respected  in  the  time  of  their  prosperity,  the  laws  and  the 
religion  of  the  vanquished.  The  fires  of  the  Inquisition  were 
kindled  by  the  same  men  who  preached  union  and  brotherly 
love.  According  to  the  terms  of  the  capitulation,  concluded 
with  the  last  king  of  Granada,  no  one  was  to  be  punished  for 
his  religious  belief  ; but  the  violation  of  treaties  made  with 
infidels,  was  considered  an  act  of  piety  by  the  Holy  Office. 
The  conquered,  almost  reduced  to  despair,  were  easily 
excited  to  revolt.  Unable  to  resist,  great  numbers  received 
baptism,  and  the  wealthiest  on  paying  a stipulated  sum, 
obtained  permission  to  pass  into  Africa.  By  this  measure, 
considerable  sums  flowed  into  the  royal  treasury,  but 
immense  capitals  were  for  ever  taken  away  from  Spain. 
Not  satisfied  with  its  triumph,  the  Inquisition  pretended  that 
the  conversion  of  the  Mussulmans  was  not  real,  and  the  lat- 
ter could  only  escape  from  death  by  a new  and  successful 
revolt.  Having  fled  for  shelter  to  the  mountains,  they  called 
to  their  assistance  their  brethren  in  Africa,  but  before  any 
aid  could  be  had  from  that  quarter,  a Moorish  sovereign  was 
proclaimed,  conquered  and  beheaded.  The  Spanish  gov- 
ernment, emboldened  by  the  weakness  of  the  rebels,  refused 
their  submission,  and  they  were  banished  from  the  kingdom, 
conformably  to  a decree  of  Philip  the  Third. 

Their  expulsion  was  an  act  of  state  policy,  of  which  the 
consequences  were  long  fatal  to  the  arts,  agriculture  and 
commerce  of  Spain.  A Spanish  writer  thus  describes  the 
kingdom  of  Granada  about  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  “A  short  time  after  the  conquest  of  Ferdinand, 
that  rich  province  contained  seventy  fortified  towns,  and 
Granada  alone  was  peopled  by  two  hundred  thousand  inhab- 
itants.”1 The  imposts  and  produce  of  the  mines  in  the 
same  part  of  the  Peninsula,  were  enormous  comparatively 
with  what  they  are  at  present.  The  single  tax  on  silk  pro- 
duced a revenue  of  181,500  gold  ducats.d  It  is  humiliating 
to  the  Spaniards,  says  an  English  writer,  that  the  noblest 
monuments  in  then-  country,  are  those  which  a hateful  race 
of  conquerors  left  behind  them.e 


c Zurita,  Annals  of  Arragon. 

d Al.  de  Laborde,  Voyage  pV^esoue  et  historique  de  l’Espagne 
folio,  tom.  ii. 

e Hallam’s  Middle  Ages 


BOOK  CXXXVIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PORTUGAL. 


151 


BOOK  CXXXVIII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Spanish  Peninsula.  Kingdom  of  Por- 
v tugal  and  Algarva. 

It  may  not  perhaps  be  deemed  according  to  rule,  to  com- 
mence the  political  account  of  the  Peninsula,  with  that  of  a 
kingdom  so  insignificant  as  Portugal ; but  it  should  be  recol- 
lected that  the  same  method  has  been  already  followed,3 
and  in  a historical  point  of  view,  the  kingdom  of  Portugal 
merits  the  priority,  for  it  was  freed  from  the  Saracens,  and 
in  possession  of  its  present  limits,  long  before  Spain  had 
shaken  off  the  Mahometan  yoke.  Henry  of  Burgundy  was 
created  count  of  Portocale , because  he  assisted  the  king  of 
Castile  in  his  expeditions  against  the  Moors.  About  the 
commencement  of  the  twelfth  century,  Alphonso  Henriquez, 
the  son  of  the  same  Henry,  received  from  his  soldiers  tire 
title  of  king,  after  having  killed  with  his  own  hand  five  Mus- 
sulman princes,  whose  heads  occupy  a prominent  place  in 
the  armorial  bearings  of  Portugal.b  It  was  about  the  middle 
of  the  following  century,  that  Alphonso  the  Third  took  Al- 
garva from  the  Saracens.  Free  in  a land  which  their  cour- 
age had  delivered  from  foreign  oppression,  it  was  during  the 
same  heroic  age  that  the  Portuguese  emerged  from  the 
darkness  of  barbarism,  and  betook  themselves  to  tire  sciences, 
to  navigation,  agriculture  and  trade ; they  led  the  way  in  the 
career  of  those  memorable  discoveries  that  extended  the 
circle  of  European  communication  with  Asia  and  Africa, 
and  afterwards  with  a vast  continent,  of  which  the  genius  of 
Columbus  had  conjectured  the  existence.  In  the  annals  of 
the  middle  ages,  no  nation  holds  a greater  rank  than  the  one 
that  during  two  centuries,  conquered  many  islands,  gave 
laws  on  the  banks  of  the  Ganges,  founded  numerous  towns 
and  factories  in  India,  covered  every  sea  with  its  ships,  and 
shared  with  Spain  vast  territories,  bounded  according  to  the 
decrees  or  caprice  of  a Roman  pontiff.  If  Portugal  was 
invaded  by  Philip  the  Second,  when  the  dynasty  of  Avis 
became  extinct,  if  it  remained  sixty  years  subject  to  Spain, 
the  colonies  it  lost  during  the  same  period,  roused  the  spirit 
of  the  nation,  and  gave  rise  in  1640  to  a conspiracy,  by 
which  the  independence  of  the  country  was  secured,  and 
the  crown  conferred  on  a duke  of  Braganza,  the  founder 
ot  die  reigning  family.  Although  comparatively  insignificant 
in  point  of  population,  it  has  shown  more  than  once  how 

a M.  Bory  de  St.  Vincent,  Guide  du  Voyageur  en  Espagne. 

b Some  authors  have  derived  the  name  of  Portugal  from  Porto-Gallo 
(the  French  port.)  a town  in  which  Henry  of  Burgundy  and  his  com- 
panions resided,  and  which  is  now  called  Oporto  or  Porto.  Other 
writers  affirm  that  there  was  an  ancient  town  named  Cale*  now  Gaya, 
at  the  mouth  ot  the  Douro  ; in  course  of  time,  a harbour  was  construct- 
ed opposite  to  Cale,  which  received  the  name  of  Portucalet  (the  port 
of  Caie,)  and  became  the  town  of  Porto,  of  which  (Mle  or  Gaya  now 
forms  the  suburb.  It  is  from  the  word  Portucale  that  the  name  of 
Portucalia  was  first  applied  to  the  present  provinces  of  Minho  and 

* Calle,  D’Anv.  f Portus  Callis  or  Porto  Guile.  (Ed.  Encyc  ) 


much  the  strength  of  a country  may  be  increased  by  the 
public  spirit  of  the  inhabitants.  Recollecting  its  past  glory, 
it  may  be  expected  that,  under  an  enlightened  government 
and  a wise  policy,  it  may  again  occupy  no  mean  station 
among  the  kingdoms  of  Europe. 

The  kingdom  of  Portugal  extends  from  north  to  south, 
between  the  forty-second  and  thirty-seventh  parallels,  and 
from  east  to  west,  between  the  ninth  and  eleventh  degrees 
of  longitude.  Its  political  limits  on  the  north  are  Galicia 
and  part  of  the  province  of  Zamora ; the  boundaries  on  the 
east  are  the  provinces  of  Salamanca  and  Estremadura  and 
the  kingdom  of  Seville. 

The  natural  limits  of  the  same  country  are  a part  of 
the  course  of  the  Minho,  and  the  mountains  of  Penagache 
and  Segondera,  on  the  north ; on  the  east,  a part  of  the 
Douro,  the  Turon,  the  Heijas,  a part  of  the  Tagus,  the  Se- 
ver, a portion  of  the  Guadiana,  the  Chandza,  and  the  lower 
Guadiana  from  its  junction  with  the  Chandza  to  its  mouth ; 
the  ocean  forms  the  southern  and  western  confines  of  the 
kingdom.  Its  greatest  length  from  north  to  south  is  equal 
to  a hundred  and  twenty-five  leagues,0  and  its  greatest 
breadth  from  east  to  west  is  about  fifty.  The  superficies 
amounts  to  four  thousand  nine  hundred  and  twenty-two 
square  leagues,11  and  the  population  to  three  million,  three 
hundred  and  forty  thousand  inhabitants. 

As  Portugal  is  very  narrow  from  north  to  south,  it  might 
be  thought  that  the  climate  throughout  the  kingdom  was 
almost  uniform  ; but  the  inequalities  in  the  soil,  the  direction 
of  the  vallies,  and  the  greater  or  less  proximity  of  the  ocean, 
have  a considerable  influence  on  the  temperature.  It  is 
sufficient  to  travel  a few  leagues  to  transport  oneself  from  the 
excessive  heat  of  Lisbon  to  the  cold  of  Germany.  Although 
the  temperature  diminishes  gradually  from  the  coast  to  the 
highest  summits,  still  the  laws  of  increase  or  diminution  are 
modified  by  several  local  causes.  Thus,  in  the  high  coun- 
try, in  the  province  of  Tras-os-Montes,  the  heat  is  excessive 
during  summer,  and  more  particularly  so  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Lamego,  for  the  hills  of  slate  near  the  town,  incline 
to  the  south,  and  the  Marao  forms  a barrier  against  the  north 
wind.  Besides,  the  distance  from  the  sea  is  so  great  that 
the  wind  from  that  direction  passes  with  difficulty  into  the 

Tras-os-Montes,  and  afterwards  to  the  whole  kingdom.  The  most  an- 
cient document  in  which  the  name  of  Portugal  occurs,  bears  the  date 
of  the  year  1069 ; it  is  carefully  preserved  in  the  monastery  of  Aroun. 
See  Gaetano  de  Lima,  Geographie  Historique,  tom.  i.  p.  86. 

c The  league  mentioned  in  this  work,  is  equal  to  the  twenty-fifth 
part  of  a degree. 

d Geographers  differ  as  to  the  extent  of  surface  ; M.  Bory  de  St. 
Vincent  makes  it  equal  to  3,437£  square  leagues — Cheling  to  1,642.37 
German  square  miles,  or  4,566  square  leagues — Franzini  to  28,350 
miles  of  sixty  to  the  degree. 

The  last  measurement,  which  has  been  adopted  by  Balbi,  seems  to 
be  the  most  correct. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXVIU. 


152 


country,  whilst  the  confined  situation  of  the  valley,  and  the 
arid  slate-hills  exposed  to  the  sun’s  rays,  render  it  one  of  the 
warmest  parts  of  Portugal  in  the  summer  season.3 

The  lower  districts  in  the  same  kingdom,  possessing  the 
advantages  of  a very  short  winter,  may  be  said  to  have  a 
double  spring.  The  first  begins  in  February;  the  succeed- 
ing months  are  sometimes  cold  and  rainy,  at  other  times 
warm  and  dry.  The  crops  are  reaped  in  June,  and  by  the 
end  of  July  the  plains  are  scorched,  the  grass  becomes  yel- 
low, the  trees  wither,  and  it  requires  much  labour  and  care 
to  preserve  esculent  vegetables.  While  the  heat  along  the 
coast  is  often  more  excessive  than  in  the  torrid  zone,  the 
temperature  of  the  higher  regions  is  cool  and  mild.b  The 
low  country  is  adorned  with  a second  vegetation  about  the 
end  of  September  or  beginning  of  October.  The  plants  of 
spring  succeed  suddenly  those  of  autumn,  the  meadows  are 
covered  with  new  grass,  the  trees  seem  to  have  resumed 
their  foliage,  and  the  orange  groves,  then  in  flower,  give  to 
the  month  of  October,  all  the  charms  of  the  finest  spring. 
Winter  commences  at  the  end  of  November,  and  continues 
until  the  month  of  F ebruary  ; it  is  the  season  of  much  rain 
and  violent  hurricanes ; the  torrents  then  make  a passage 
for  themselves  to  the  rivers,  while  the  latter  overflow  their 
banks,  and  the  ordinary  communications  between  different 
parts  of  the  kingdom  are  interrupted.  But  the  cold  is  never 
rigorous,  and  it  rarely  freezes,  in  the  low  country.  Still  the 
frost  is  sufficiently  keen  in  the  mountains  of  Tras-os-Montes 
beyond  the  Douro,  and  also  on  the  summits  of  the  Serra  de 
Estrella,  the  Serra  de  Mames  and  the  Serra  de  Estremos ; 
although  the  snow  accumulates,  the  rivers  are  seldom  lfozen. 
The  Portuguese  affirm  that  snow  lies  during  the  greatest 
heat  of  summer  on  the  summit  of  the  Gaviarra  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Minho,  in  some  cavities  of  the  Marao,  and  on  the 
tops  of  the  Estrella.  But  snow  does  not  remain  more  than 
a month  on  the  other  mountains,  and  it  is  altogether  unknown 
in  the  kingdom  of  Algarva.  The  north  wind  prevails  in 
winter  in  the  provinces  of  Tras-os-Montes  and  Entre  Douro 
e Minho,  and  the  south-west  wind  in  those  of  Beira,  Estre- 
madura  and  Alentejo  during  the  same  season.  The  greatest 
cold  is  generally  accompanied  with  the  east  wind,  which 
passes  over  the  snowy  summits  of  Castile.  In  the  other 
seasons,  and  particularly  in  summer,  the  north-west  wind 
blows  in  the  morning,  and  the  south-west  in  the  afternoon. 

According  to  a well  informed  observer,0  the  winter  at 
Lisbon  and  in  the  basin  near  the  mouth  of  the  Tagus,  con- 
tinues during  December,  January,  February  and  March; 
April  and  May  are  die  two  months  of  spring  ; the  summer 
lasts  from  the  beginning  of  June  to  the  end  of  September,  and 
the  autumn  from  the  first  of  October  to  the  end  of  November. 
Th''.  basin  of  the  Mondego  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Coimbra, 
is  more  temperate  than  Lisbon,  but  it  is  also  more  humid  and 
less  salubrious.  The  climate  of  Oporto  and  Penafiel  is  equally 
humid,  but  the  winters  are  colder  and  more  cloudy,  while 
the  summers  on  the  contrary  are  very  warm.  The  winters 
are  very  mild  in  the  kingdom  of  Algarva ; the  meadows  are 
always  enamelled  with  flowers.  Rain  is  unfrequent  during 
the  months  of  July,  August  and  September.  If  October  be 
a rainy  month,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  the  fruit  trees 
blossom  anew  in  November.  December  and  January  are 
the  wettest  months,  and  abundant  rains  in  April  are  the  signs 

* Ad.  Balbi,  Essai  Statistique  sur  le  Royoume  de  Portugal  et  d’Al- 
garve,  tom.  i. 

b The  difference  of  temperature  between  the  coasts  and  the  high 
country  is  about  ten  degrees  of  Fahrenheit,  or  four  and  a half  of  Reau- 
mur. 


of  a plentiful  harvest.  A remarkable  fact  in  the  history  of 
atmospheric  phenomena  may  be  mentioned ; in  the  month 
of  May  the  wind  follows  generally  the  direction  of  the  sun, 
or  in  other  words,  it  blows  from  the  east  at  sunrise,  from  the 
south  at  mid-day,  from  the  north-west  in  the  evening,  and 
from  the  north  during  the  night/ 

Although  Portugal  be  a mountainous  country,  it  is  seldom 
exposed  to  violent  storms ; thunder  is  only  heard  during  the 
autumn  and  winter. 

Having  entered  into  sufficient  details  concerning  the  tem- 
perature, a few  remarks  may  be  offered  on  the  salubrity  of 
the  climate.  Portugal  is  justly  celebrated  on  this  account 
in  England,  and  many  examples  of  longevity  prove  that  the 
opinion,  unlike  many  of  the  same  nature,  is  not  founded  on 
prejudice.  Among  the  places  noted  for  their  salubrity  are 
Braga,  Ponte  de  Lima,  and  almost  all  the  othoRs  in  the 
province  of  Minho.  Mirandella,  Villa  Pouca,  Montalegre, 
and  several  other  towns  in  Tras-os-Montes  are  equally 
healthy.  The  same  remark  is  applicable  to  the  upper  valley 
of  the  Mondego  in  the  centre  of  the  kingdom,  or  to  the 
country  between  Guarda  and  Ponte  de  Marcella.  Ourem, 
Loures  and  Lisbon  in  Estremadura,  Beja,  Evora  and  Ou- 
rique  in  Alentejo,  and  Monchique,  Faro  and  Tavira  in  Al- 
garva, have  been  commended  for  the  same  reason  by  the 
Portuguese.  But  many  parts  of  the  country,  particularly 
such  as  are  humid  and  marshy,  are  considered  unwholesome. 
The  inhabitants  of  Quarteira,  Lagos,  Silves  and  San  Marcos 
de  Asserra  in  Algarva,  as  well  as  those  of  Silveiras  and 
Monte-Mor-o-Novo  in  Alentejo,  are  subject  to  different  mal- 
adies, attributable  to  local  causes.  Pezo  de  Regoa,  Chaves, 
Braganza  and  Miranda  in  Tras-os-Montes  possess  a sad 
celebrity.  The  same  may  be  said  of  Almeirim  in  Estrema- 
dura, and  almost  all  the  southern  bank  of  the  Tagus  between 
the  Rio-Almanzor  and  the  counUy  near  Lisbon,  and  of  the 
southern  declivities  of  the  Estrella,  and  the  lands  watered 
by  the  Mondego  from  Coimbra  to  Figueira  in  the  province 
of  Beira. 

Some  diseases  are  most  prevalent  in  particular  situations ; 
thus  at  Lisbon,  apoplexy,  paralysis,  and  complaints  of  the 
liver  and  breast,  are  more  common  than  in  other  parts  of  the 
country,  and  the  variations  of  temperature  occasion  different 
sorts  of  fevers,  and  other  diseases  produced  by  suppressed 
perspiration.  The  people  in  the  northern  provinces  are 
subject  to  rheumatism  and  pleurisy,  and  the  salt  marshes  on 
the  coast  produce  obstructions  and  dropsy.  A sort  of  lep- 
rosy attacks  the  working  classes  in  Beira,  and  intermittent 
fevers,  dropsy  and  anthrax6  are  not  unfrequent  in  Alentejo ; 
lastly,  the  inhabitants  of  Algarva  are  exposed  to  gastric 
fevers,  and  to  a certain  inflammation  known  by  the  name  of 
mal  de  Bciriga , which  medical  men  attribute  to  the  great 
quantity  of  unripe  figs  that  constitute  the  principal  food  of 
die  lower  orders  during  three  or  four  months  in  the  year/ 

The  frequency  of  earthquakes  may  be  considered  the 
greatest  calamity  to  which  the  southern  part  of  Portugal  is 
exposed  ; a year  seldom  passes  away  without  the  recurrence 
of  several  shocks,  and  since  the  eleventh  century  Lisbon  has 
been  fifteen  times  more  or  less  injured.  It  has  been  observed 
that  they  happen  between  the  months  of  October  and  April, 
and  particularly  after  the  first  rains  that  succeed  the  heat 
and  droughts.  These  facts  are  important,  inasmuch  as  they 

c Colonel  Fransini,  cited  by  Balbi. 

d This  wind  is  called  Vento  Rodeiro  (turning  wind  ) by  the  natives. 

e Carbuncle. 

1 Ad.  Balbi,  Essai  Statistique. 


L 


cooil  cxxxvm.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PORTUGAL. 


153 


prove  an  invisible  relation  between  the  atmospheric  phenom- 
ena and  those  taking  place  in  the  depths  of  the  earth.  The 
data  hitherto  collected  concerning  volcanoes  and  the  shocks 
which  they  produce,  are  extremely  vague ; but  enough  is 
known  to  prove  that  the  subterranean  communications  in 
which  they  are  developed,  extend  to  a great  distance,  since 
the  famous  earthquake  that  overturned  Lisbon  in  1755,  was 
felt  almost  at  the  same  instant  in  Africa,  Ireland  and 
America. 

It  would  be  incorrect  to  estimate  the  mineral  wealth  of 
Portugal  from  the  inconsiderable  profits  gained  by  the  inhab- 
itants ; a more  accurate  notion  of  its  value  and  importance 
may  be  inferred  from  the  facts  recently  published  by  M. 
Balbi.  F ew  countries  in  Europe  have  a greater  number  of 
mineral  springs  : there  are  ten  in  the  province  of  Minho,  six 
in  Tras-os-Montes,  seventeen  in  Beira,  twelve  in  Estrema- 
dura,  nine  in  Alentejo,  and  two  in  Algarva.  These  are  either 
gaseous,  saline,  sulphureous,  ferruginous  or  merely  warm  ; 
all  of  them  are  of  a temperature  more  or  less  elevated. 
The  Carthaginians  obtained  their  metals  from  the  same 
country ; it  still  possesses  mines  of  gold,  silver,  iron,  lead 
and  tin  ; but  it  is  now  dependent  on  foreigners  for  these 
substances,  which,  if  well  worked,  might  form  a lucrative 
branch  of  exportation.  The  coal  mines  are  for  the  most 
part  neglected ; the  salt  marshes  are  alone  worked  with 
profit ; the  number  of  workmen  employed  in  them,  thirty 
years  ago,  was  equal  to  five  thousand  four  hundred,  and  the 
annual  quantity  of  salt  to  384,000  casks ; but  much  less  of, 
the  same  article  is  now  exported ; the  annual  produce  does 
not  exceed  140,000  casks,  of  which  the  value  in  English 
money  may  be  estimated  at  L.  100, 000. a 

Agriculture  is  in  a less  advanced  state  than  in  most  of  the 
corn  countries  in  Europe ; a quantity  sufficient  for  the  con- 
sumption of  die  inhabitants  is  not  produced  in  the  kingdom  ; 
on  an  average,  150,000  measures'1  of  grain  are  imported 
every  year1,  and  it  costs  more  than  L.  1,500, 000.®  It  may  be 
added  too,  that  only  a sixth  part  of  the  imported  grain  is 
brought  from  the  Portuguese  colonies.  M.  Balbi,  however, 
believes  that  enough  is  produced  in  ordinary  years  to  main- 
tain the  inhabitants ; he  attributes  the  necessity  of  importa- 
tion to  the  consumption  at  Lisbon,  into  which  place,  from 
the  want  of  roads,  supplies  cannot  be  brought  from  the 
interior.  The  same  cause  is  not  without  its  influence  on  the 
agriculture  of  die  country ; the  freedom  of  the  port  at  Lis- 
bon serves  only  to  aggravate  the  evil,  inasmuch  as  foreign 
corn  is  thus  attracted  into  the  kingdom.  Other  causes 
retard  the  developement  of  agricultural  industry  ; it  may  be 
sufficient  to  mention  the  heavy  imposts  to  which  the  peas- 
antry are  subject,  the  great  number  of  privileged  estates  be- 
longing to  the  crown,  the  nobility,  the  church  and  different 
towns,  the  want  of  hands  occasioned  by  the  military  service, 
which  falls  principally  on  the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  and 
also  a common  custom  among  the  nobility,  that  of  not  living 
on  their  estates,  but  of  letting  them  on  long  leases  to  farmers, 
who  subset  them  to  labourers ; lastly,  the  want  of  communi- 
cations, occasioned  by  the  bad  state  of  the  roads.  Govern- 
ment has  endeavoured  to  put  an  end  to  all  these  abuses 

a “ The  number  of  workmen,  thirty  years  ago,  amounted  to  more  than 
5400,  and  the  annual  produce  to  384,000  muids,  [a  measure  equivalent 
to  68.725  Eng.  bushels  nearly. — Encyc.  Method.  Commerce,  art.  Me- 
sures.~\  The  exportation  of  salt  has  since  undergone  a sensible  dimi- 
nution ; it  amounts  at  present  only  to  140,000  muids  annually,  of 
which  the  value  in  French  money  is  estimated  at  3,200,000  francs.” — P. 

b “ Muids.”  c “ 36,000,000  francs.” 

J “280,000  quintals  of  codfish  ( morue .)” 

VOL.  III.— NO.  47  20 


but,  civil  dissensions  and  an  impoverished  treasury  have 
hitherto  prevented  the  proposed  improvements. 

The  wretched  state  of  agriculture  must  have  necessarily 
some  effect  both  on  the  number  and  quality  of  the  cattle, 
and  the  same  effect  operates  in  its  turn  on  the  culture  of  the 
soil.  The  days  on  which  the  people  abstain  irom  butcher’s 
meat,  make  up  nearly  a third  part  of  the  year ; hence  they 
are  obliged  to  receive  annually  from  foreigners  280,000 
hundred  weights  of  dried  or  salted  fish,d  an  article  which 
costs  them  every  year  about  L. 41 5,000.®  The  bad  quality 
of  the  pasturage,  which  the  husbandman  is  not  anxious  to 
improve,  and  the  little  profit  he  derives  from  his  milk,  being 
unable  to  convert  it  into  butter  or  cheese,  account  sufficiently 
for  the  dependence  of  Portugal  on  its  neighbours/  The  oil 
obtained  from  its  neglected  olives  is  so  ill  made  that  it  cannot 
be  a source  of  profit ; indeed,  if  the  quantity  of  the  same 
article  which  is  imported,  be  compared  with  the  quantity 
exported,  it  may  be  found  that  the  former  exceeds  the  latter 
in  value  by  L.5000.  Under  better  management,  Portugal 
could  not  only  supply  her  colonies  but  several  foreign  coun- 
tries with  oil. 

The  provinces  of  Minho,  Tras-os-Montes  and  Beira  are 
fruitful,  but  chiefly  in  grain.  The  greater  part  of  Estrema- 
dura  and  Algarva  remains  uncultivated  ; the  principal  prod- 
ucts of  the  last  province  consist  in  figs  and  almonds.  Pears 
and  apples  are  cultivated  in  the  other  parts  of  the  country ; 
chestnuts  abound  everywhere,  and  those  of  Colares  and 
Portalegre  are  as  much  extolled  as  the  figs  of  Almada. 
Estremadura  is  enriched  by  the  sale  of  oranges  and  lemons, 
which  are  prized  in  every  country.  The  wines  of  Portugal 
are  not  less  celebrated ; that  of  the  upper  Douro  is  well 
known  in  England  by  the  name  of  port ; the  others  are  the 
muscadine  wines  of  Carcavelos  and  Setubal,  and  the  white 
wines  of  Algarva.  Portugal  exports  annually  almonds  and 
dried  figs,  of  which  the  ordinary  value  may  be  about 
L.2 1,000,  oranges  to  the  amount  of  L.84,000,  and  47,000 
pipes  of  wine,  worth  more  than  L.  1,830, 000. s 

It  has  excited  surprise  that  the  country  people  understand 
so  little  about  rearing  silk  worms  and  bees  ; if  these  branches 
of  rural  economy  were  better  known,  the  inhabitants  might 
add  considerably  to  their  wealth.  The  other  products  of 
the  animal  kingdom  are  equally  .neglected.  The  sheep 
might  be  much  improved  ; the  flocks  are  numerous,  partic- 
ularly in  the  province  of  Beira,  from  which  they  are  driven 
in  the  winter  season  into  Alentejo.  The  wool,  indeed,  is 
less  valuable  than  that  of  Spain ; still  it  is  purchased  by 
strangers,  but  the  quantity  exported  does  not  yield  more 
than  L.  17,000/  The  horses  are  inferior  to  those  of  Cas- 
tile and  Andalusia ; although  small,  they  are  light  and  well 
made  ; it  requires  only  a moderate  degree  of  care  to  improve 
the  breed,  and  to  increase  the  number,  which  at  present  is 
very  inconsiderable.  The  mules  are  not  numerous,  but  of 
a good  kind,  large,  strong  and  docile. 

Wolves  haunt  the  forests  and  the  mountains,  and  the  wild 
cat  frequents  the  desert  lands.  Wild  goats,  although  less 
common  than  formerly,  are  not  unfrequently  seen  in  the 
Serra  de  Gerez.  The  stag,  the  roe1  and  the  wild  boar 

6 “ Valued  at  10,000,000  francs.” 

f Salt  butter  and  cheese  are  imported  from  Holland  and  England. 
e “ Portugal  exports  annually  almonds  and  dried  figs  to  the  amount 
of  500,000  francs,  oranges  to  the  amount  of  2,000,000  francs,  and  47,000 
pipes  of  wine,  valued  at  44,000,000  francs.” 
h “ 400,000  francs.” 

■ « Daim”  ( Cervus  Dama,)  the  fallow  deer. 


154 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXVIII. 


appear  sometimes  in  the  woods ; hares  are  rare,  and  rabbits 
less  numerous  than  in  Spain.  According  to  an  author,  on 
whose  accuracy  we  rely,3  the  insects  of  northern  Africa  are 
found  on  the  heaths,  the  butterflies,  common  to  the  south  of 
Fiance,  on  the  sides  of  the  Estrella,  and  the  beetles  of 
(he  north  on  the  heights  of  Tras-os-Montes.  Vipers  and 
other  venomous  reptiles  are  concealed  in  the  mountains ; it 
is  not  uncommon  to  observe  in  the  fields,  and  even  in  the 
houses,  the  Mauritanian  cordylus,b  an  animal  which  the  Por- 
tuguese abhor,  attributing  to  it  qualities  that  it  does  not  pos- 
sess, and  not  appreciating  the  services  it  renders  by  destroy- 
ing many  hurtful  insects. 

The  rivers  and  coasts  abound  in  fish  of  every  sort ; shad, 
eels,  sardel,  soles  and  flounders  are  taken  in  great  plenty ; 
some  of  the  other  kinds  are  the  JMura.nct  oph is,  the  Scomber 
pelamis c and  the  Xiphias  gladtusJ  From  such  abundance 
Portugal  might  derive  its  principal  wealth,  but  government 
has  neglected  these  important  fishings.  Three  centuries  ago 
Portuguese  fishermen  competed  with  the  Dutch  on  the 
shores  of  Newfoundland,  but  at  present  they  can  hardly  ex- 
plore their  own  coasts.  Although  their  trade  requires  a 
considerable  outlay,  although  the  taxes  on  the  produce  of 
their  industry  are  excessive,  and  in  short,  although  poor  and 
wretched,  their  number  amounted  some  years  ago  to  more 
than  1 8,000  : hut  many,  it  is  said,  unable  to  live  in  their 
own  land,  seek  the  means  of  subsistence  in  the  American  or 
English  navy. 

Different  writers  have  affirmed  that  the  Portuguese  are 
degraded  by  ignorance  and  superstition.  A few  remarks 
on  the  religion,  manners  and  literature  of  the  people,  may 
serve  perhaps  to  dissipate  errors  which  have  been  often 
repeated.  Of  late  years  greater  toleration  has  been  shown 
in  Portugal,  as  well  as  in  most  states  under  the  influence  of 
European  civilization.  The  Catholic  is  the  established  reli- 
gion, but  others  are  tolerated.  The  principles  published  by 
the  Cortes  in  1821,  have  effected  this  happy  change ; the 
tribunal  of  the  inquisition  was  then  abolished,  which  indeed 
had  long  derived  no  support  from  public  opinion.  The 
number  of  ecclesiastics  was  greatly  exaggerated  by  the  geog- 
raphers of  the  last  century,  and  writers  of  the  first  merit  have 
believed  and  repeated  their  blunders.6  It  might  be  proved, 
however,  by  correct  data,  published  many  years  ago,  and 
since  confirmed  by  more  recent  details,  that  the  total  number 
of  those  in  holy  orders,  including  the  members  of  the  secular 
clergy,  as  well  as  the  persons  of  both  sexes  in  the  monaste- 
ries, cannot  he  more  than  29,000  individuals/  The  higher 

1 Ad.  Balbi,  Essai  Statistique. 

b “ Gecko  tie  Mriuritanie,  a Saurian  reptile  of  the  family  of  lizards.” 
Lacerta Maurita nica,  Gmel.  Moorish  lizard,  Shaw.  Gecko  fascicv laris, 
Daudin.  Gecko  ties  murailles,  Cuvier  ; (a  Saurian  of  the  family  of 
Geckotiens,  and  of  the  genus  of  Geckos— the  lizards  properly  so  called, 
constitute  a genus  of  the  family  of  Laccrtiens.  Cuvier,  Regne  Ani- 
mal.) The  Cordyli,  to  which  the  translator  has  erroneously  referred 
this  animal,  constitute  a division  of  the  genus  Stellio,  in  the  family  of 
Iguumens.  Cuvier. — P. 

c Bonito.  d Sword  fish. 

e In  the  article  Portugal,  in  the  Dh-tionnuire  d' Economic,  Politique,  de 

V Encyclopedic  Mithodique,  the  number  of  ecclesiastics  is  said  to  exceed 
300,01)0  individuals. 

Bourgoing.  in  his  Nouveau  Voyage  cn  Espagne,  (Paris,  1797,  3 vols. 
8vo.)  and  Dumouriez,  in  his  Etat  prisent  du  Portugal,  (1  vol.  4to. 
1797.)  estimate  the  number  in  holy  orders  at  200,000. 

M.  de  Laborde  made  the  number  amount  in  1808,  to  280,000. 

M.  Bory  de  St.  Vincent,  in  his  Guide  du  Voyagcur  en  Espagne, 
(1823,)  supposes  them  equal  to  more  than  200,000. 

r The  above  number,  the  result  of  M.  Balbi’s  calculation  in  his  Sta- 
tistique  du  Portugal,  is  not  below  the  truth,  and  we  believe  indeed  that 
its  tendency  is  to  diminish  rather  than  to  remain  stationary.  It  is  re- 
markable, that  the  same  mistake  has  been  so  often  committed,  more 


clergy  consist  of  three  archbishops  and  thirteen  bishops. 
The  archbishop  of  Braga  possesses  the  highest  dignity  ; he 
is  styled  patriarch  and  primate,  titles  which  were  created  in 
171G.S  If  some  writers -are  to  be  believed,11 * * V  the  clergy  are 
not  irreproachable,  but  on  the  contrary,  shamefully  corrupt. 
It  appears,  however,  that  within  a period  of  twenty  years, 
the  manners  of  the  people  have  been  improved,  and  the  na- 
tional character  of  the  Portuguese  has  in  some  respects  been 
changed  by  frequent  communications  with  foreigners.  They 
are  no  longer  the  same  people  that  violated  the  most  sacred 
moral  obligations,  and  observed  punctiliously  the  ceremonies 
of  religion.  The  soldiers  are  no  longer  like  those,  who  in 
the  war  of  the  Succession,  refused  to  march  until  St.  Antho- 
ny, the  patron  of  Lisbon,  was  appointed  their  general  by 
Don  Pedro,  the  king.  The  Portuguese  are  still  supersti- 
tious, but  not  fanatical.  Docile  to  the  voice  of  their  priests, 
they  tolerated  the  inquisition,  but  condemned  the  excesses 
of  that  revolting  tribunal.  The  mildness  or  apathy  of  the 
people  is  apparent  even  in  political  commotions ; their  polite- 
ness extends  from  re  highest  to  the  lowest  orders  of  society  ; 
unlike  the  Spaniards,  they  are  kindly  disposed  towards 
strangers,  nor  is  it  in  that  respect  only  they  resemble  the 
French,  for  their  vivacity  is  almost  as  great.  The  Portu- 
guese have  been  accused  of  indolence  and  vain-glory ; the 
peasants  in  Estremadura  and  Alentejo,  are  indeed  slothful 
and  lazy,  but  if  the  people  in  all  the  provinces  boast  of  their 
nation,  it  may  be  attributed  to  their  own  ignorance  and  to 
the  important  part  which  their  ancestors  acted  on  the  theatre 
of  the  world.  It  has  been  frequently  asserted  since  the 
time  of  Link,  that  the  Portuguese  are  perfidious  and  vindic- 
tive. There  is  either  something  worse  than  exaggeration  in 
the  assertion,  or  the  people  are  much  changed.  Although 
it  may  be  just  to  condemn  them  for  their  faults,  it  is  not 
right  to  conceal  their  good  qualities ; they  are  for  the  most 
part  much  attached  to  their  native  land,  disinterested  in  then- 
friendships,  and  faithful  in  their  attachments  According  to 
M.  Balbi,  an  impartial  and  judicious  observei,  the  people  in 
the  province  of  Minho  are  shrewd  and  industrious,  but  im- 
petuous and  easily  excited  ; the  inhabitants  of  Tras-os- 
Montes  are  simple,  brave  and  active ; those  in  Beira  are 
more  laborious,  but  less  polished  than  the  natives  of  Estre- 
madura ; while  the  Algarvians  on  the  other  hand  are  the 
most  lively  people  in  Portugal. 

The  portrait  of  the  Portuguese  drawn  by  Du  Chatelet,1 
and  copied  by  modern  geographers,  is  any  thing  but  flatter- 
ing. The  people,  says  that  writer,  are  of  a swarthy  com- 

particularly  as  from  the  number  of  convents,  the  number  of  their 
inmates  might  have  been  easily  calculated.  In  the  year  1790,  accord- 
ing to  Stein’s  Geography,  there  were  418  convents  for  men,  and  108 
for  women.  It  is  known  that  the  mean  number  of  persons  for  each 
convent  is  sixteen ; therefore  it  may  be  easily  shown  that  in  the  same 
year  the  total  number  of  individuals  in  all  the  convents  did  not  exceed 
8416.  But  the  convents  have  been  since  reduced  to  363 ; thus  there 
are  now  in  Portugal  only  5808  monks  and  nuns.  If  the  number  of 
those  employed  in  the  hospitals  be  estimated  at  100,  and  it  is  not  more, 
the  result  will  be  5908.  Portugal  contains  about  4054  parishes  ; sup- 
posing five  priests  for  each  parish,  the  number  throughout  the  kingdom 
will  amount  to  20,270,  and  together  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  con- 
vents, to  26,178.  Thus  it  appears  we  have  rather  exceeded  than  un- 
derrated the  total  number  in  assuming  it  equal  to  29,000. 

• s “ The  archbishop  of  Braga  bears  the  title  of  patriarch-primate,  a 
dignity  created  in  1716.”  The  other  archbishops  are  those  of  Lis- 
bon (styled  patriarch)  and  Evora. — P. 

h Travels  in  Portugal,  by  J.  Murphy,  London,  1798.  Link,  Bemerk 
ungen  auf  einer  Reise  durch  Frankreich,  Spanien  und  vorztlglich 
Portugal,  1800. 

‘ The  work  entitled  Voyage  du  due  Du  Chatelet  en  Portugal,  with 
notes  by  Bourvoing,  (1798,  2 vols.  8vo.)  was  written  by  M.  Cormartin, 
a zealous  rovalist  of  La  Vendfee. 


book  cxxxviii.]  DESCRIPTION 

plexion,  while  their  noses  are  short,  and  their  lips  thick ; 
now  certainly  they  are  not  of  a swarthy  complexion,  neither 
are  short  noses  nor  thick  lips  characteristic  features.  They 
have  the  complexion  of  the  people  in  southern  Europe ; 
although  not  of  a tall  stature,  they  are  in  general  well  made  ; 
deformed  persons  are  rarely  seen  amongst  them.  The 
finest  and  strongest  men  in  the  kingdom  are  those  in  the 
provinces  of  Minho  and  Tras-os-Montes,  and  on  the  moun- 
tains of  Estrella  ; they  have  generally  fair  complexions  and 
light  or  chestnut  hair ; in  the  other  provinces  black  is  the 
prevailing  colour  of  the  hair.  Long  black  hair,  a fine  com- 
plexion, large  black  eyes,  and  white  and  regular  teeth,  might 
render  the  Portuguese  women  the  most  attractive  in  Europe, 
if  with  the  gayety  of  the  French,  they  united  the  dignity  of 
the  Spaniards. 

The  vivacity  and  warm  imagination  which  distinguish  the 
Portuguese,  are  probably  the  causes  of  their  eagerness  after 
pleasure.  The  theatre,  music,  dancing,  processions,  bull 
fights,  in  short,  whatever  can  gratify  the  senses,  have  to  them 
irresistible  charms.  Their  lively  music  is  not  unpleasing  to 
strangers  ; the  popular  songs,  accompanied  with  the  guitar, 
are  light  and  graceful,  but  in  most  of  them  the  words  are  too 
licentious.  The  national  dance  or  the  Foffa  is  so  lascivious 
that  every  si  ranger  who  sees  it,  must  deplore  the  corruption 
of  the  people,  and  regret  to  find  such  exhibitions  permitted 
not  only  in  the  country,  but  in  the  heart  of  towns,  and  even 
on  the  stage. 

The  Portuguese  language,  formed  from  that  of  the  ancient 
Turdetani  and  the  Latin, a was  once,  like  the  other  Italic 
tongues,  a barbarous  dialect;  Arabic  words  were  introduced 
into  it  under  the  domination  of  the  Moors,  and  afterwards 
French  vocables,  when  Count  Henry  of  Burgundy  settled 
in  Portugal  with  his  comrades.  It  acquired  greater  regular- 
ity during  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries,  and  in  the 
sixteenth,  that  softness  and  energy  were  united,  which  have 
been  so  justly  admired  in  the  verses  of  Camoens.  Since 
the  same  period  the  Portuguese  language  has  degenerated  ; 
the  usurpation  of  the  throne  by  Philip  the  Second  hastened 
its  decline.  Despotism  checked  the  flight  of  genius,  and 
repressed  the  utterance  of  generous  thoughts  ; servility  sub- 
stituted the  language  of  flattery  for  that  of  truth,  and  thus 
the  sentiments  as  well  as  the  language  of  the  people  were 
degraded.  The  Portuguese  has  not  the  guttural  sounds  of 
the  Spanish ; it  is  rich  and  sonorous,  but  the  frequency  of 
nasal  terminations,  and  the  facility  with  which  the  words  of 
other  languages  may  be  adopted,  weaken  its  harmony ; had 
not  several  modern  writers  proved  the  contrary,  it  might  be 
supposed  from  the  last  defect,  that  it  was  not  rich  in  voca- 
bles.11 c 

It  is  a common  error  to  condemn  Portuguese  literature, 
because  it  happens  to  be  little  known  in  Europe.  The 
country  has  produced  distinguished  men  in  many  depart- 
ments of  knowledge.  Some  of  the  poets  who  have  flourish- 
ed since  the  time  of  Camoens,  have  acquired  no  ordinary 
celebrity  among  their  countrymen ; if  those  who  have  de- 
voted themselves  to  the  dramatic  muse,  have  been  unable  to 
raise  the  Portuguese  theatre  from  the  obscurity  in  which  it 
languishes,  it  must  be  admitted  on  the  other  hand,  that  sev- 

JF  PORTUGAL.  IM 

eral  lyric  poets  are  not  unworthy  of  the  fame  which  has  been 
conferred  on  them.  Citizens  became  legislators  during  the 
last  political  struggles,  and  although  the  mass  of  the  people 
were  incapable  of  enjoying  the  wise  institutions  of  Don  Pe- 
dro, still  the  knowledge  diffused  among  the  higher  classes 
must  have  one  day  a salutary  influence  on  the  destinies  of 
the  kingdom.  From  data,  which  we  believe  correct,  it  ap 
pears  that  more  than  a hundred  works  in  the  various  depart 
ments  of  literature  and  science  are  published  every  year  in 
Portugal/  The  number  is  certainly  greater  than  might 
have  been  inferred  from  the  intellectual  state  of  the  people. 
There  was  a time  when  the  liberty  of  the  press,  and  the 
interest  excited  by  political  questions,  increased  the  number 
of  newspapers  and  journals  to  more  than  thirty. 

The  low  state  of  the  fine  arts  may  be  attributed  to  the 
little  encouragement  afforded  either  by  the  wealthy  or  by 
government.  Music  is  almost  the  only  one  in  which  any  of 
the  Portuguese  have  hitherto  become  eminent.  Many  facts 
are  not  wanting  to  prove  the  low  state  of  education  among 
the  lower  orders ; in  Spain,  indeed,  the  system  of  education 
is  much  worse  ; with  that  exception,  however,  there  is  per- 
haps no  other  country  in  Europe  where  the  number  of  schol- 
ars relatively  to  the  population  is  so  inconsiderable.  But 
the  places  of  education  for  the  children  of  the  rich  or  privi* 
leged  classes  may  bear  a comparison  with  any  other  in  Eu- 
rope. Scientific  instruction  is  committed  to  able  professors, 
and  die  labour  of  the  students  is  facilitated  by  good  elenv™ 
ary  works,  written  in  the  Portuguese  language. 

Since  the  year  1821,  the  time  in  which  the  form  of  gov- 
ernment was  changed,  Portugal  has  more  than  once  excited 
the  attention  of  Europe.  The  constitution  by  which  die 
legislative  power  was  committed  to  the  king  and  the  cortes, 
must  form  for  a long  time  an  epoch  in  the  histoiy  of  die 
country.  But  a real  national  representation  was  no  innova- 
tion in  the  state,  for  the  establishment  of  the  cortes  dates 
from  the  eighth  century,  or  from  the  foundation  of  the  king- 
doms of  Leon  and  Castile,  and  they  are  repeatedly  mentioned 
in  the  earliest  times  of  the  Portuguese  monarchy.  These 
assemblies,  which  German  or  Gothic  princes  formed  round 
their  elective  dirones,  were  composed  of  the  great  proprie- 
tors or  barons,  to  whom  the  right  of  conquest  gave  that  of 
alone  constituting  themselves  into  a national  body,  and  who 
assumed  the  prerogative  of  restraining  the  power  of  their 
kings,  and  confining  it  within  due  limits  by  the  refusal  of 
subsidies.  With  the  military  nobility,  the  clergy  after- 
wards united,  an  order  by  so  much  the  more  powerful, 
as  during  die  wars  against  the  Moors,  the  standard  of  the 
cross  became  the  banner  of  independence.  The  invasion 
of  the  Suevi  and  Visigoths  did  not  destroy  in  the  Spanish 
Peninsula  the  duties  of  those  agents  whom  die  Romans 
appointed  in  the  great  towns,  and  who  still  exist  under  the 
name  of  procuradores  ; they  formed  the  third  class  of  mem- 
bers that  composed  die  Spanish  and  Portuguese  cortes. 
These  assemblies  deliberated  .on  the  laws,  and  regulated  the 
imposts.  It  was  not  unusual  for  them  to  encroach  on  the 
prerogatives  of  the  crown  ; while  the  cortes  sat  at  Coimbra 
in  1387,  during  the  reign  of  John  the  First,  the  deputies  of 
the  towns  being  averse  to  war  with  Castile,  the  king  informed 

a The  Portuguese  and  the  Galician  ( Gallego ) were  originally  the 
same  language,  and  are  supposed  by  Sismondi,  to  have  been  formed 
by  the  mixture  of  the  vulgar  Latin  or  Romana  Rustica  with  the  lan- 
guages of  the  Vandals  and  Suevi  who  conquered  that  part  of  the  Penin- 
sula, while  the  Spanish  or  Castilian  was  formed  by  the  mixture  of  the 
Latin  with  the  language  of  the  Visigoths. — P. 
b — “ but  the  frequency  of  hiatuses  and  nasal  terminations,  the  pro- 

pensity  to  neologism,  and  the  facility  with  which  the  words  of  other 
languages  are  adopted,  weaken  its  harmony,  and  if  many  modern 
writers  had  not  proved  the  contrary,  would  lead  one  to  suppose,  that 
it  was  poor  in  its  vocabulary.” 

c Ad.  Balbi,  Atlas  ethnographique  du  Globe. 
d Essai  Statistique  du  Portugal. 



, j 

156  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxvm. 


them  that  he  would  conclude  a peace,  or  continue  the  war, 
according  to  the  advice  of  the  people.  Lastly,  they  exer- 
cised an  authority  which  at  the  present  day  might  he  consid- 
ered revolutionary  in  some  countries,  for  in  a period  of  525 
years,  the  Portuguese  cortes  elected  five  kings ; namely, 
Alpbonso  the  First,  count  of  Portugal,  Alphonso  the  Third 
after  the  deposition  of  his  brother  Sancho  the  Second  by  the 
pope,  John  the  First  after  the  extinction  of  the  legitimate 
branch  of  die  Burgundian  dynasty,  John  the  Fourth  of  Bra- 
ganza  after  the  expulsion  of  the  Spaniards,  and  Peter  the 
Second,  in  1G67,  after  Alphonso  the  Sixth  was  declared 
incapable  of  reigning.  Had  every  class  of  the  community 
been  represented  in  the  cortes,  and  had  it  been  made  imper- 
ative on  the  sovereign  to  convoke  such  assemblies,  the  people 
need  not  have  envied  the  English  constitution  ; but  the  kings 
of  Portugal  have  dispensed  with  them  since  the  year  1697. 
Such  was  the  state  of  the  kingdom  in  1821,  when  a new 
constitution,  the  work  of  a new  cortes,  nominated  by  electors 
chosen  by  all  the  citizens,  established  a representative  gov- 
ernment, equal  and  even  superior  in  some  respects  to  any  of 
the  same  kind  in  Europe.3  The  constitution  was  abolished 
in  1823 ; three  years  afterwards,  Don  Pedro,  the  emperor 
of  Brazil,  ascended  the  throne  of  Portugal,  and  granted  his 
subjects  a representative  government,  more  monarchical  in 
its  tendency  than  the  former,  but  of  such  a nature  as  to  sat- 
isfy the  enlightened  part  of  the  nation.b 

Having  endeavoured  to  describe  the  moral  and  political 
state  of  the  Portuguese  people,  it  remains  for  us  to  mention 
the  principal  towns  and  others  which,  although  inferior  in  the 
number  of  their  inhabitants,  merit  the  notice  of  the  traveller 
or  historian.  The  statistical  tables  at  the  end  of  the  present 
book,  may  enable  the  reader  to  estimate  the  force  and  re- 
sources of  the  kingdom. 

The  port  of  Lisbon,0  from  the  magnificent  spectacle  which 
it  affords,  may  be  compared  to  any  in  Europe ; mariners 
consider  it  one  of  the  best  anchoring  places  in  the  world. 
It  is  defended  by  fort  Bugio,  situated  on  an  island  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Tagus,  and  by  fort  San  Juliao  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  same  river.  The  town  rises  like  an  amphithe- 
atre on  the  right  bank,  and  occupies  a space  about  three 
leagues  in  length,  and  more  than  one  in  breadth.  The 
large  bay  formed  by  the  Tagus,  affords  only  a narrow  and 
dangerous  passage  for  ships  ; indeed,  vessels  seldom  approach 
it  without  being  provided  with  experienced  pilots,  a precau- 
tion rendered  necessary  by  the  bar  which  its  waters  form 
against  the  ocean. 

It  might  be  supposed  from  the  sight  of  this  large  capital, 
that  it  contained  many  more  inhabitants  than  it  really  does, 
but  it  is  well  known  that  the  population  does  not  exceed 
260,000  souls.  It  is  divided  into  two  towns : the  old  town 
is  formed  by  many  tortuous,  narrow  and  dirty  streets,  which 
were  not  destroyed  during  the  great  calamity  in  the  year 
1755  ; the  streets  in  the  new  town  are  broad  and  straight,  and 
their  number  is  daily  increasing.  The  number  of  streets  in 
both  the  towns  amounts  to  566  ; there  are  besides  60 
squares,  only  twelve  of  which  merit  the  name.  The  two 

a The  cortes  alone  had  the  power  of  originating  laws. 

^ On  the  death  of  John  VI..  March  182(5,  the  crown  devolved  by 
hereditary  descent,  on  Don  Pedro,  his  eldest  son,  emperor  of  Brazil, 
although  it  has  since  been  contended  by  the  Apostolical  party,  that  by 
the  constitution  of  Lamego,  he  had  forfeited  his  right  to  the  crown,  as 
a foreign  sovereign.  On  the  29th  April  182C,  he  granted  to  Portugal 
a constitutional  charter,  and  on  the  2d  May,  abdicated  the  crown  in 
favour  of  his  daughter  Donna  Maria.  Although  the  charter  was  sup- 
ported during  the  year  1827.  by  the  British  troops  sent  by  Mr.  Can- 
ning, and  although  it  was  solemnly  sworn  to  by  Don  Miguel  on  his 


most  remarkable  are  the  Prapa  do  Commerciod  and  the 
Prapa  do  Rocio ; the  first  is  bounded  on  one  side  by  the 
Tagus,  and  adorned  with  fine  edifices,  such  as  the  exchange, 
the  custom-house,  the  India-house,  the  admiralty,  the  royal 
library  and  other  buildings,  some  of  which  are  not  yet  fin- 
ished. The  second  or  the  Prapa  do  Rocio , is  smaller  than 
the  preceding ; it  is  adjoining  the  great  palace  of  the  Inqui- 
sition, in  which  are  now  contained  the  offices  of  the  different 
ministers,  and  the  prisons  of  the  holy  office.  If  tire  royal 
palace  in  the  suburb  of  Ajuda  was  completed  according  to 
its  original  plan,  it  might  be  doubtful  if  there  would  be  an- 
other in  Europe  of  so  large  a size.  The  king  of  Portugal 
possesses  two  other  residences  in  Lisbon,  the  palace  of  Bem- 
posta , in  which  he  gives  audience,  and  that  of  JVecessidades, 
now  set  apart  for  foreign  princes.  Among  the  other  build- 
ings are  the  naval  arsenal,  the  college  of  nobles,  the  palace 
of  Calhariz,  now  the  place  in  which  the  academy  of  sciences 
hold  their  meetings,  and  the  theatre  of  San  Carlos,  which  in 
point  of  size  at  least,  may  be  compared  with  the  secondary 
theatres  in  the  Italian  towns.  The  principal  churches  are 
the  cathedral  or  Basilica  de  Santa  Maria , an  old  edifice 
that  was  repaired  after  the  last  earthquake,  the  church  be- 
longing to  the  convent  of  Jesus,  remarkable  for  the  boldness 
of  its  dome,  and  perhaps  the  finest  modern  building  in  Lis- 
bon, and  lastly,  the  church  of  the  martyrs,  a monument  to 
the  glory  of  the  Portuguese,  erected  at  the  place  where 
Alphonso  the  First  defeated  the  Moors. 

Lisbon  possesses  several  useful  institutions,  but  the  first  in 
point  of  importance  is  the  naval  observatory,  an  establish- 
ment which  has  contributeo  to  the  advancement  of  astronom- 
ical science.  Some  of  the  others  are  the  royal  naval  acad- 
emy,6 the  royal  school  of  naval  architecture,  the  royal  acad- 
emy of  fortification,  artillery  and  drawing,  the  royal  school 
of  surgery,  and  that  of  sculpture.  We  may  also  mention  the 
commercial  school,  the  royal  military  college,  the  college  of 
nobles,  and  the  royal  schools  in  the  monastery  of  St.  Vin- 
cent de  Fora,  where  the  ancient  and  modern  languages, 
geometry,  physics  and  philosophy  are  taught.  There  are, 
besides  these,  a royal  school  of  drawing  and  civil  architect- 
ure, in  which  the  course  of  instruction  lasts  five  years,  and  a 
musical  seminary  (Seminar io  Musical ,)  for  the  purpose  of 
promoting  composition  and  also  vocal  and  instrumental  mu- 
sic. The  seminaries  connected  with  religion  are  the  royal 
college  of  St.  Patrick,  established  in  1590  for  the  edu- 
cation of  Irish  missionaries,  the  royal  college  of  catechumens, 
founded  in  1579  for  the  instruction  of  converted  infidels  in 
the  principles  and  doctrines  of  Christianity,  the  college  of 
St.  Anthony  and  St.  Peter  for  orphans  and  poor  children, 
and  other  institutions  of  the  same  nature  under  the  direction 
of  the  clergy  or  the  different  monasteries/ 

The  royal  academy  of  sciences  at  Lisbon,  holds  the  first 
rank  among  the  scientific  institutions  in  the  kingdom.  A 
society  for  the  encouragement  of  national  industry  has  lately 
been  established  in  the  city.  It  possesses  also  public  libra- 
ries, a botanical  garden,  a museum  of  natural  history,  and 
different  scientific  collections,  which  are  much  inferior  to 

return  in  1828,  it  was  almost  immediately  after  abolished,  and  the  old 
government  restored  with  an  accumulated  despotism.  Such  is  the 
present  state  of  Portugal. — P. 

c Port.  Lisboa.  d Commercial  square. 

c Jleademia  real  da  Marinha. 

f The  royal  schools  of  the  congregation  of  the  Oratory,  principally 
for  instruction  in  Latin,  and  the  schools  of  grammar,  rhetoric  and  phi- 
losophy at  the  royal  hospital  of  A 'ossa  Sevhora  de.  JVecessidades.  To 
these  different  public  institutions,  may  be  added  several  private  estab- 
lishments. 


— — — — — — - — — — “ - ■ “ 

book  cxxxviii.]  DESCRIPTION  ( 

others  of  the  same  kind  in  the  principal  capitals  of 
Europe. 

It  is  not  more  than  twenty  or  thirty  years  that  persons 
were  not  safe  in  tire  streets  of  Lisbon ; murders  were  com- 
mitted in  open  day,  and  murderers  found  protection  by  flying 
to  the  sanctuary ; at  night  passengers  were  stopped  by  sol- 
diers who  demanded  charity,  and  took  by  force  the  money 
which  any  ventured  to  refuse.  There  were  then  no  patroles 
nor  police  to  check  these  disorders ; now  that  the  best 
means  are  employed  to  ensure  the  public  safety,  murders 
and  even  thefts  have  become  very  rare. 

No  edifice  in  Lisbon  can  be  compared  with  the  aqueduct 
of  Bemfica  ( agoas  livres),  by  which  tire  water  that  the 
inhabitants  consume,  is  principally  conveyed  into  the  city. 
It  has  been  considered  one  of  the  most  magnificent  works 
that  has  been  executed  in  modern  times,  and  it  is  certainly 
not  inferior  to  any  ancient  work  of  tire  same  kind.  The 
length  of  the  aqueduct  is  not  less  than  56,380  feet;  the 
largest  arch  is  equal  to  206  feet  in  height,  and  the  opening 
or  breadth  to  100.a  The  country  around  Lisbon  is  not  only 
agreeable  from  the  fine  sites  in  different  directions,  but  inte- 
resting historical  recollecions  are  connected  with  it.  Oeiras, 
the  country  seat  given  by  King  Joseph  to  the  Marquis  of 
Pombal,  was  inhabited  by  the  same  monarch  in  1775,  and 
the  minister  availed  himself  of  his  temporary  residence  to 
change  a village  fair  into  one  of  a different  kind,  where 
the  products  of  Portuguese  industry  were  exhibited, — an 
ingenious  idea,  that  has  been  imitated  elsewhere,  and  has 
excited  a salutary  emulation  in  other  countries,  particularly 
in  France.  Cintra  is  celebrated  for  the  capitulation,  in  vir- 
tue of  which  the  French  army  left  Portugal  in  1808.  Ma- 
fra  on  the  western  side  of  the  chain  connected  with  Monte 
Junto,  is  remarkable  for  the  convent,  church  and  palace, 
built  by  John  the  Fifth,  in  order  to  fulfil  the  vow  which  he  had 
taken  before  the  birth  of  his  son.  These  three  buildings, 
the  work  of  a foreign  architect,  and  embellished  by  painters 
and  sculptors  of  different  nations,  form,  perhaps,  the  finest 
edifice  in  the  kingdom.  Loires  at  three  leagues  from  Lis- 
bon, is  well  known  for  its  plantations  of  orange  trees,  which 
yield  the  best  oranges  in  Portugal.  Campo  Grande  is  a 
place  of  resort  for  the  Portuguese  nobility ; it  stands  in  a 
plain  surrounded  with  trees  and  gardens,  where  in  the  sum- 
mer season,  the  court  and  the* nobles  display  their-  equipages. 
The  different  places  that  have  just  been  mentioned,  are  not 
privileged  towns  ( cidades ),  but  burghs  or  small  towns  with- 
out municipalities  {villas). 

Few  other  towns  of  any  importance  are  situated  in  the 
rest  of  Estremadura.  Leiria,  however,  may  be  mentioned  ; 
it  is  not  far  from  the  palace  of  King  Denis, b on  whom  the 
Portuguese  conferred  the  title  of  Great.  The  convent  built 
by  John  the  First,  a noble  monument  of  Normano-Gothic 
architecture,  serves  to  adorn  the  burgh  of  Batalha ; within 
the  same  building  may  be  seen  the  mausoleum  of  its  founder, 
and  several  dirty  chapels  destined  for  the  sepulchres  of  the 
kings.  The  large  burgh  of  -Santarem  built  on  a hill,  and 
defended  by  an  old  fortress,  was  long  the  residence  of  the 
Portuguese  sovereigns.  Lastly,  Setubal,  although  it  does 
not  possess  the  rank  of  a city,  may  be  considered  an  impor- 
tant town.  Some  antiquaries  suppose  that  Troja,  a head- 
land at  a short  distance  from  tire  mouth  of  the  Sado,  where 

)F  PORTUGAL.  157 

several  remains  of  antiquity  have  been  discovered,  was  the 
site  of  a Phoenician  colony. 

Coimbra  is  situated  in  the  province  of  Beira,  on  the  de- 
clivity of  a hill  which  commands  the  Mondego.  The  inte- 
rior of  the  town  may  be  said  to  be  as  dismal  as  the  neigh- 
bouring country  is  agreeable.  It  was  a place  of  considerable 
importance  under  the  Romans,  the  Alans  and  the  Moors ; it 
is  die  capital  of  the  province,  and  its  public  buildings,  the 
number  of  its  useful  institutions,  together  with  the  celebrity 
of  its  university,  render  it  not  unworthy  of  its  title.  The 
small  town  of  Aveiro  at  die  mouth  of  the  Vouga,  is  begin- 
ning to  recover  the  maritime  importance  which  it  seemed  to 
have  for  ever  lost.  The  ancient  city  of  Viseu,c  situated  in 
the  mountains  from  which  die  Mondego  takes  its  source,  is 
the  residence  of  a bishop,  and  carries  on  a considerable 
trade  in  cloth  and  jewellery.  Lamego  lies  at  the  nordiern 
extremity  of  the  province,  in  a fruitful  district  between 
Mount  Penude  and  the  river  Douro.  It  was  there  that  the 
cortes  met  in  1144,  and  the  same  assembly  established  a 
constitution  by  which  the  royal  authority  was  confined  within 
due  limits, — a constitution  diat  Alphonso  the  First  swore  to 
maintain  in  the  name  of  his  successors. 

The  province  of  Entre  Douro  e Minho  is  smaller  than 
either  of  the  two  last ; Braga,  the  metropolis,  stands  on  a 
height  between  the  Cavado  and  the  Deste.  The  principal 
buildings  are  the  archbishop’s  palace,  the  seminary  and  the 
cathedral;  diere  are  besides  several  imposing  remains  of 
Roman  grandeur.  Porto  or  Oporto, d the  second  town  in 
the  kingdom,  rises  on  a magnificent  site  at  die  moudi  of  the 
Douro,  on  two  hills  called  the  Se  and  the  Victoria .e  It 
consists  of  the  low  and  the  high  town  ; it  is  divided  into  five 
quarters,  two  of  which  are  encompassed  with  a wall  thirty 
feet  in  height,  while  the  three  others  are  open.  Twelve 
large  squares,  several  fine  churches,  and  different  public  build- 
ings, such  as  the  court  of  appeal,  the  town-house,  the  dioce- 
san palace,  the  royal  hospital  and  extensive  store-houses  for 
its  wines,  are  among  the  ornaments  of  this  commercial  city. 
Guimaraens,  an  industrious  town,  was  in  ancient  times  the 
capital  of  die  kingdom. 

Miranda,  formerly  Cambetum  Lubicanarum / a small 
episcopal  city,  is  the  chief  town  in  Tras-os-Montes.  Mon- 
corvo,  the  ancient  Forum  JVarbasorum,  is  ill  built,  but  con- 
tains twice  as  many  inhabitants  as  the  last  town.  Braganza 
or  Braganqa,  the  ancient  Brigantium,  rises  in  die  midst  of 
a fruitful  plain.  It  was  within  its  walls  that  Don  Pedro,  the 
Justiciary,  married  secretly  the  unfortunate  Inez  de  Castro.s 
Chaves  is  built  on  a height  near  the  Tamega,  which  flows 
under  a bridge  of  eighteen  arches,  built  by  Trajan ; the 
place  was  celebrated  in  the  time  of  the  Romans  for  its  min- 
eral w-aters,  which  they  called  Aqua,  Flavice  Turodorum. 

. Alentejoh  is  not  less  mountainous  than  Beira ; aldiough 
more  extensive,  it  is  diree  times  less  populous,  and  being  the 
poorest  province  in  die  kingdom,  it  may  be  readily  supposed 
that  it  does  not  contain  many  important  towns.  Evora,  the 
capital  and  the  chief  town  in  die  diocese  of  an  archbishop, 
is  styled  the  second  city  in  Portugal.  The  population,  it  is 
true,  does  not  exceed  ten  thousand  souls,  but  the  vain  dtle 
has  been  conferred  on  it,  because  several  kings  made  it  the 
place  of  their  residence.  It  is  situated  on  a height  in  the 
chain  which  forms  the  continuation  of  the  Serra  de  Estre- 

* These  are  the  measures  of  the  original.  The  length  differs  very 
greatly  from  that  given  by  other  authorities,  (2400  feet,  Ed.  Encyc. 
Rees’  Cyc. — less  than  half  a mile,  Morse.) — P. 
b Port.  Diniz.  c Viseo. 

d O Porto,  the  port  or  harbour.  ' A Se  and  A Victoria. 

1 Cambetum  Lubanorum.  Ptolemy, 
e Port.  Igncz  de  Castro. 

h Port.  Alcm-Tejo,  beyond  the  Tagus,  from  its  situation  on  the  south 
of  the  Tagus,  opposite  Lisbon. — P. 

158 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXVIII. 


mos.  The  ancient  name  of  Ebora,  and  that  of  Cerealis,  as 
Pliny  calls  it,  announced  its  prosperity.  Flattery  induced 
me  municipal  magistrates  to  give  it  the  name  of  Liberali- 
tas  Julia.  The  imperial  liberality  consisted  in  building 
monuments  with  part  of  the  gold  that  was  exacted  from  the 
conquered  countries ; the  remains  of  some  are  still  to  be 
seen  at  Evora.  The  aqueduct  attributed  to  Quintus  Serto- 
rius  is  remarkable  for  its  fine  state  of  preservation.  A cir- 
cular monument  at  its  extremity  resembles  in  the  elegance 
of  its  proportions,  the  Lantern  of  Demosthenes  at  Athens. 
The  remains  of  the  temple  of  Diana,  distinguished  by  its 
fine  Corinthian  columns,  have  been  converted  into  the  public 
shambles.  Most  of  the  antiquities  discovered  at  Beja,  have 
been  collected  in  a museum.  Estremos®  carries  on  a trade 
in  pottery  and  earthen  vases  of  a particular  kind,  so  porous 
that  they  are  used  for  lowering  the  temperature  of  water  by 
promoting  evaporation.  The  ancient  town  of  Elvas,  the 
strongest  place  in  Portugal,  rises  on  a steep  hill  at  two 
leagues  from  the  right  bank  of  the  Guadiana.  Some  re- 
mains of  antiquity  are  still  to  be  observed  in  Beja,  the  an- 
cient Pax  Julia , a town  built  by  the  Romans. 

Algarva,b  a small  province  which  the  Portuguese  sove- 
reigns have  denominated  a kingdom,  contains  only  four 
towns  worthy  of  notice.  Faro,  the  capital,  a well  built 
town,  with  a harbour  at  the  mouth  of  the  Vaformoso , ex- 
ports a great  quantity  of  oranges  and  other  fruits.  Tavira 
is  situated  on  the  coast  at  eight  leagues  eastwards  from  F aro  ; 
it  is  almost  wholly  peopled  by  fishermen.  Villa  Nova  de 
Portimao  is  a small  but  well-frequented  sea-port  at  the  dis- 
tance of  ten  leagues  to  the  west  of  Faro.  Lagos0  in  the 
middle  of  a fruitful  district,  possesses  a harbour  which  ac- 
cording to  tradition  was  dug  by  the  Carthaginians.  Sagres 
owes  its  name  to  the  Sacrum  Promontorium,  now  Cape  St. 
Vincent.  Lastly,  we  may  mention  the  small  town  of  Mon- 
chique  on  the  Serra  of  the  same  name  ; its  romantic  situa- 
tion and  medicinal  springs  have  of  late  years  rendered  it  a 
place  of  resort. 

The  Portuguese  foreign  possessions  are  the  Archipelago 

1 Estremoz,  Extremos.  b Algarve,  Algarves. 

e The  ancient  Lacobriga.  d St.  Jago,  Santiago. 

e Fuego. 

f St.  Nicholas,  St.  Anthony,  Bonavista. 
s St.  Vincent.  h Salt  Island. 

St.  Lucia.  k Cacheo. 


of  the  Azores ; the  province  of  Madeira,  including  Madeira, 
Porto  Santo  and  other  neighbouring  islands;  the  prov- 
ince of  Cape  Verd,  comprehending  the  islands  of  Sant-Iago,d 
Fogo,®  Brava,  San  Nicolao,  Santo  Antao,  Boavista/  Mayo, 
San  Vicente, & Salh  and  Santa  Luzia* 1 ; the  Portuguese  col- 
ony of  Senegambia,  in  which  the  principal  places  are  Ca- 
cheu,k  Bissao,  Geba,  Farim  and  Zeguichor;  the  kingdom 
of  Angola  and  Congo,  comprehending  Angola  and  several 
other  stations ; a small  province  consisting  of  Prince’s  island 
and  the  island  of  St.  Thomas ; the  province  of  Mosambique, 
containing  several  important  factories  ; and  in  Asia,  the  vice- 
royalty of  India,  of  which  Goa  is  the  capital,  including  the 
provinces  of  Salsete  and  Bardez,1  the  governments  of  Da- 
maom  and  Diu,  die  factories  of  Surat  and  Macao,  and  the 
islands  of  Timor,  Adomera  and  Oende  Menor"  in  Oceanica. 

These  insignificant  remains  of  the  Portuguese  power,  and 
the  rising  empire  of  Brazil,  of  which  the  independence  was 
radier  an  advantage  than  a calamity  to  the  mother  country, 
serve  to  maintain  the  commerce  of  Portugal.  The  exports 
which  it  sends  to  die  same  countries,  amount  in  value  to 
L.3,625,000,°  and  the  articles  it  derives  from  them  exceed 
L.3,000,000.p  The  imports  from  other  countries  may  be 
estimated  at  L. 3, 875, 000,1  and  the  exports  to  them  at 
L.3, 000,000/  As  it  possesses  comparatively  few  commer- 
cial resources  in  its  agriculture,  it  may  be  inferred  that  the 
products  of  its  manufacturing  industry  form  a considerable 
item  in  the  sums  now  specified.  It  is  in  reality  not  so  poor 
in  such  products  as  some  political  economists  have  supposed. 
No  comparison  can  be  made  between  its  manufactures  and 
those  of  more  industrious  states ; but  if,  notwithstanding  the 
privileges  England  enjoys,  the  Portuguese  have  been  able 
to  compete  with  die  English  in  different  manufactures,  it 
may  be  concluded  that  industry  cannot  be  at  a very  low 
ebb  ; on  the  contrary,  judicious  encouragement  and  a better 
system  of  policy  are  only  wanting  to  bring  it  to  a high  degree 
of  perfection.  The  reader  may  form  a tolerably  correct 
opinion  of  the  sources  of  Portuguese  wealth  from  die  follow- 
ing tables. 

1 Salsette  and  Bardes.  m Damaun,  Daman. 

“ The  Lesser  Ende  (O  Ende  Menor). 

0 “ More  than  87,000,000  francs.” 

p “ 82,000,000  francs.”  « “ 93,000,000  francs.” 

1 “ 70,000,000  francs.” 

’ A 


BOOK  CXXXVIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PORTUGAL. 


159 


STATISTICAL  TABLES  OF  PORTUGAL. 


Population  of  the  principal  Cities  and  Towns 

PROVINCE  OF  ESTREMADURA. 

Divided  into  eleven  Comarcas  or  Districts. 

* 

Lisbon,  the  capital,  . 

. 260,000 

Sardoal,  V 

. 3,300 

Torres  Vedras,  V.  . 

. . 3,400 

Abrantes,  V 

. 4,900 

Castanheira,  V.  . . 

. . .700 

Ourem,  V 

. 3,100 

Villa  Franca,  V.  . . 

. . 4,600 

Chao  de  Couce,  V.  . . 

. 1,300 

Alemquer,  V.  . . 

. . 2,600 

Santarem,  V.  ... 

. 7,800 

Chamusca,  V.  . . 

. . 3,000 

Torres  Novas,  V.  . . 

. 4,200 

Cintra,  V 

Setubal,  V 

. 14,800 

Leiria,  C 

. . 2,000 

Cezimbra,  V.  ... 

. 4,200 

Pombal,  V.  ... 

. . 4,800 

Almada,  V 

. 4,200 

Alcobai;a,  V.  . . . 

Thomar,  V.  . . . 

. . 1,300 

Aldea  Gallega,  V.  . . 

. 3,500 

PROVINCE  OF  BEIRA. 
Divided  into  eleven  Comarcas. 


Coimbra,  chief  town, 

. . 15,200 

Miranda  de  Corvo,  V. 

. . 3,900 

Figueira  or  Figueira 

da 

Foz,  V 

. . 6,400 

Louzaa,  V.  ... 

. . 3.100 

Penella,  V.  ... 

. . 3,500 

Arganil,  V.  ... 

. . 1,700 

Aveiro,  C 

Mira,  V 

Ilhavo,  V 

. . 7,300 

Sousa,  V 

. . 3,700 

Feira,  V 

Ovar,  V 10,400 

Viseu,  C 9,200 

Lamego,  C 8,1)00 

Arouca,  V 5,500 

San  Martinhodos  Mouros,  V.  4,800 

Paiva,  V 6,600 

Pinhel,  C 1,700 

Trancoso,  V 1,200 

Guarda,  C 2,400 

Covilhao,  V 6,400 

Linhares,  V 800 

Castello  Branco,  . . . 5,700 


PROVINCE  OF  MINHO  OR  ENTRE  DOURO  E MINHO. 


Divided  into  seven  Comarcas. 


Braga,  chief  town,  . 

Prado,  V 

Porto,  or  Oporto,  C. 
San  Joao  da  Foz, 

Pavoa  de  Varzim,  V. 
Pedrozo,  .... 
Penafiel  de  Sousa  or  P 
Arrifana,  C.  . . 


de 


14,400 

6.500 
70,000 

3.300 
5,700 

3.500 

2.300 


Guimaraens,  V.  . . . 

. . 6,100 

Viana,  V 

Barcellos,  V 

Villa  do  Conde,  V.  . , 

. . 3,100 

Eixo,  V 

Valencia,  V.  . . . . 

. . 1,600 

PROVINCE  OF  TRAS-OS-MONTES. 
Divided  into  four  Comarcas. 


Miranda,  chief  town,  . . . 500 

Moncorvo,  V 1,600 

Villa  Real,  V 4,000 


Braganza,  C 3,700 

Chaves,  V 5,200 


Evora,  chief  town,  . . 10,000 

Estremoz,  V 5,300 

Beja,  C 5,400 

Moura,  V 3,800 

Serpa,  V 4,600 

Ourique,  V 2,400 

Villa  Viqosa, 3,500 

Borba,  V 3,400 


PROVINCE  OF  ALENTEJO. 

Divided  into  eight  Comarcas. 

Elvas,  C 10,000 

Campo  Maior,  V.  . . . 4,500 

Portalegre,  C 6,100 

Castello  de  Vide,  V.  . . 5,700 

Crato,  V 1,200 

Sertao,  V 3,300 

Aviz,t  V 1,400 


* The  cities  or  cidades  are  denoted  by  the  letter  C,  the  burghs  or 
villas  by  V. 

t Avis — seat  of  the  military  order  of  Avis,  the  grand  master  of  which, 
John  I.,  was  the  founder  of  the  dynasty  of  Avis,  1383.  See  p.  831. 

t Twenty-five  of  these  leagues  are  equal  to  a degree,  consequently 
each  of  them  is  equal  to  2+  geographical  miles. — Tr. 


Convents. 

Monks. 

Revenue. 

Pounds.  St.  Francs. 

Military  orders,  monks,  regular  and 

secular  canons 

Mendicant  orders 

Endowed  mendicants 

Missionaries 

29 

167 

155 

9 

1,160 

2,350 

2,070 

180 

87,600 

4,500 

65,000 

3,000 

2,102,370 

103,870 

1,523,000 

69,630 

360 

5,760 

160,100 

3,798,870 

KINGDOM  OF  ALGARVA. 
Divided  into  three  Comarcas. 


Faro,  chief  town, 
Lagoa  or  Alagoa,  V. 
Tavira,  C. 


8,400 

3,000 

8,600 


Louie,  V 8,200 

Lagos,  C 6,800 

Villa  Nova  de  Portimao,  . 3,200 


Population  of  the  Portuguese  Provinces  in  1826,  according 
to  their  surface. 


Provinces. 

Surface  iD 
square 

leagues.! 

Population. 

Inhabitants 
for  every 
sq.  league. 

Minho 

375 

810,000 

2,160 

Tras-os-Montes 

531 

285,000 

536 

Beira 

1,125 

940,000 

836 

Estremadura 

1,297 

745,000 

574 

Alentejo 

1,344 

330,000 

245 

Algarva 

250 

104,000 

416 

4,922 

3,214,000 

653 § 

CONVENTS  FOR  MEN. 


Produce  of  the  Land  belonging  to  the  above  Convents. 


Alqueires. 

Quarters. 

Litres. 

Value  in 
fraacs. 

Wheat 

Idem,  second  crop 

Barley 

Pulse 

92,600 

43,800 

23,900 

1,100 

4,410 

2,086 

1,138 

50 

1,234,635.8 

583,985.4 

318,658.7 

14,666.3 

291,690 

137,970 

27,150 

4,720 

Almudes. 

Hogsheads. 

Wine 

Oil 

16,000 

2,062 

1,412 

495,000 

99,000|| 

192,300 

77,300 

Estimated  value  of  these  products,  L.30,000,  or  731,130  francs. 
Total  revenue  in  francs 4,530,000 


CONVENTS  FOR  WOMEN. 


Convents. 

Inmates. 

Convents  of  different  orders 

126 

Convents  de  Commendas  e Recolhimentos  (hospitals!!)  . 

12 

Professed  nuns 

2,725 

Retired  sisters  ( Commendadeiras  retiradas)  .... 

162 

Novices 

55 

Lay  sisters  ( Leigas ) 

151 

Secular  ladies  ( Senhoras  seculares ) 

164 

Pupils  ( Educandas ) 

739 

Domestics  ( Creadas ) 

1,907 

Total 

138 

5,903 

Revenue,  L.188,750.**  2,268,750  francs. 


§ If  the  rest  of  Portugal  were  as  populous  as  the  province  of  Minho 
it  would  contain  10,591,520  inhabitants. 

||  99,000  litres  would  correspond  to  6,000  almudes.  Qu. — P. 

V “ Hospices .”  Places  of  retreat. 

**  This  calculation  must  be  erroneous.  The  amount  corresponding 
to  the  revenue  in  francs,  is  L.94,530  nearly. — P. 


EUROPE. 


160 


Produce  of  the  Lands  belonging  to  the  above  Orders. 


Alqueires. 

Quarters. 

Litres. 

Value  in 
francs. 

Wheat 

Barley . . 

49,500 

33,000 

2,360 

1,590 

649,983.5 

43,998.9 

156,250 

37,500 

Aliuudes. 

Hogsheads. 

Wine . . . 

Oil  . 

Estimated  value  of  other  prod- 
ucts, L.2,605  

3,900 

6,300 

246 

433 

64,350 

103,950 

25,000 

81,250 

62,500 

Estimated  value  of  all  the  land  produce,  L.15,105,  or  302,500  francs. 
Total  revenue  in  francs 2,631,250 


IBOOK  CXXXYIII 


Value  of  the  articles  manufactured  in  Portugal,  and  export- 
ed to  Brazil  and  the  colonies  in  1819. 


Value  in  reis. 

Value  in  L.  s. 

Cotton  stuffs 

Woollen 

Silk 

Gold  and  silver  

Linens  

Different  articles 

456,269,660 

40,615,660 

250,443,415 

72,218,860 

9,813,680 

413,401,141 

118,818  2 
10,577 
65,440 
18,807 
2,555  3 
107,656  11 

Sum  total 

1,242,762,416 

423,853  16 

(7,767,205.10  francs.) 


Table  of  the  Male  Population  of  Portugal  in  1 826,  accord- 
ing to  their  conditions  and  employments. 


Secular  clergy, 30,000  ) 

Regular  , 17,500  ) 

Persons  employed  by  government, 10,250 

Magistrates,  advocates,  notaries,  bailiffs,  &c.  . . 9,500  > 

Persons  employed  in  the  hospitals, 850} 

Teachers  of  different  sciences  and  arts, 350 'j 

Schoolmasters, 1,850  I 

Students  of  divinity  under  sixteen  years  of  age,*  . 3,100  )■ 

Physicians,  surgeons,  and  apothecaries,  ....  5,750  I 

Artists, 1,000  J 


47,500 

20,600 


12,050 


Proprietors  and  rentholders, 75,000 

Merchants  and  retailers, 8,500 

Muleteers,  wagoners,  couriers,  &c 3,100  > 30,300 

Sailors  and  fishermen, 18,700  } 

Peasants  and  proprietors  cultivating  their  own  lands,  120 ,000 'j 
Farmers  and  peasants  cultivating  lands  on  lease,  169,000  I gQj 

Day  labourers, 268,750  | ’ 

Shepherds  and  other  farm  servants, 43,750  J 

Masters  and  workmen  in  vegetable  substances,  . 57.850') 

Idem  Idem  animal  substances,  . . 80,600  I 904  oaa> 

Idem  Idem  mineral  substances,  . . 18,000  f ’ 

Idem  Idem  different  substances,  . . 7,750  J 


House  servants,  valets,  &c 58,750 

Individuals  not  classed 56,200 

Prisoners  and  persons  condemned  to  labour, 1,850 

Military  and  naval  force, 35,000 


Total  number, ...  1,142,950 


Ship6of  the  line. 

4 


Portuguese  JVavy  in  1821. 

Frigates.  Sloops.  Brigs.  Charruas  or  Transports. 

11  7 6 4 


Number  of  Students  and  Pupils  in  the  different  Schools  and 
Colleges  in  1820. 


University  and  Royal  College  at  Coimbra, 1,C04 

All  the  schools  under  the  general  directory  of  studies,  . . . 29,684 

Naval  and  commercial  academy  at  Oporto, 315 

Commercial  school  at  Lisbon, 151 

Marine  academy, 300 

observatory, 60 

Royal  school  of  naval  architecture 15 

academy  of  fortification,  artillery  and  drawing,  . . . .100 

military  college, 200 

school  of  surgery, 360  ? 

schools  in  the  monastery  of  St.  Vincent  de  Fora,  . . . 242 

of  the  congregation  of  the  Oratory,  . ...  200  ? 

Schools  of  grammar,  rhetoric,  and  philosophy,’. 155 

Royal  school  of  the  Arabic  language, 2 

college  of  St.  Anthony  and  St.  Peter, 50 

school  of  drawing  and  civil  architecture, 20 

of  sculpture, 6 

Musical  seminary, 15 

Gratuitous  school  for  the  deaf  and  dumb, 21  ? 

Military  schools  for  mutual  instruction,  into  which  private  sol- 
diers): are  admitted, 4,000  ? 


37,500  § 

PUBLIC  LIBRARIES. 

Volumes. 

Lisbon  Royal  library, 85,000 

Library  of  Jesus, 32,000 

of  St.  Francisco, 20,000 

of  St.  Vincent  de  Fora,  22,000 

of  Necessidades, 28,000 

Coimbra of  the  University, ^38,000 

of  Santa  Cruz, 36,000 

Porto  of  the  Diocese, . . 32,000 

Tibaens, ...  25,000 

Evora, 20,000 

FINANCES. 

Revrenoe.  National  Debt. 

L.2,250,000  L.6,670,000 


* “ Etudians  au-dessous  de  seize  ans.” 

1 This  sum  does  not  agree  with  the  amount  of  the  different  classes 
included  in  it,  viz.  164,200. 


t “ Peasants." 

§ This  number  does  not  include  the  students  in  the  seminaries  and 
private  boarding-schools. 


L 


book  cxxxix.  DESCRIPTION  OF  SPAIN.  IGj 


BOOK  CXXXIX. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Spanish  Peninsula. — Kingdom  of 
Spain. 

Pelagius  raised  the  standard  of  the  cross,  and  passed  the 
mountains  in  Asturia  to  rescue  some  portion  of  Spain  from 
the  Moorish  yoke.  That  example  of  patriotic  devotedness 
was  imitated  by  other  chiefs,  and  the  districts  restored  to 
Christianity  and  independence,  were  erected  into  several 
petty  kingdoms.  Although  all  of  them  were  united  under 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  the  different  crowns  retained  then- 
titles  and  geographical  limits,  as  well  as  certain  privileges 
which  serve  to  recal  the  glorious  epoch  of  their  origin,  and 
to  account  for  the  ancient  division  of  Spain  into  fourteen 
principal  provinces,  which  are  still  denominated  kingdoms 
and  principalities,  and  nearly  all  of  which  are  subdivided  into 
smaller  provinces. 

The  superficial  extent  of  Spain,  and  the  limits  by  which 
it  is  separated  from  Portugal  have  been  already  mentioned ; 
we  shall  now  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  its  population 
and  government,  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, of  their  resources  and  commerce,  and  in  short,  of  what- 
ever constitutes  the  strength  or  weakness  of  the  nation. 

According  to  the  latest  work  published  in  Spain,  on  the 
geography  of  that  country,®  its  population,  together  with  that 
of  the  Baleares,  amounted  in  1826  to  13,902,234  individu- 
als, including  the  clergy,  the  naval  and  military  forces,  men- 
dicants, prisoners  and  the  people  in  the  work-houses  or  hos- 
pitals. But  it  is  a hopeless  task  to  ascertain  the  number  of 
inhabitants  in  Spain ; the  elements  on  which  the  calculation 
depends,  are  wanting,  for  the  registers,  it  is  well  known,  are 
very  inaccurately  kept  by  the  curates.  The  number  of 
ecclesiastics,  although  many  convents  were  destroyed  when 
the  country  was  in  the  hands  of  the  French,  from  the  year 
1808  to  1814,  is  nearly  equal  to  150,000  individuals. 

The  Catholic  religion  is  the  only  one  acknowledged  in 
the  country ; the  dignitaries  are  the  archbishop  of  Toledo, 
also  entitled  primate  of  Spain,  eight  archbishops  and  fifty- 
one  bishops.  There  are  besides  sixty-one  cathedral  and  a 
hundred  and  fourteen  collegiate  churches,  of  which  the  can- 
ons and  abbots  are  vested  with  almost  episcopal  authority. 

To  judge  correctly  of  the  physical  and  moral  character 
of  the  Spaniards,  it  is  necessary  to  examine  the  different 
provinces.  If  it  may  be  so  said,  the  shades  are  better  de- 
fined in  each  Spanish  province  than  in  other  European  king- 
doms, because  the  low  state  of  industry,  the  want  of  roads, 
and  the  natural  bafriers  that  separate  the  different  districts 
are  so  many  obstacles  to  that  frequent  intercourse  and  com- 

1  Don  Sebastian  de  Minano,  Diccionario  Geografico-est-adistico  de 
Espana  y Portugal. 

b Laborde,  Itineraire  de  l’Espagne,  tom.  v. 

c See  Antillon  and  Minano. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  47  21 


munication  which  diffuse  a uniform  character  over  a whole 
population.  Thus  he  who  traverses  Spain  in  different  direc- 
tions, cannot  fail  to  observe  the  light  and  graceful  forms  of 
the  Biscayans,  the  lofty  stature  of  the  Galicians  and  Catalo- 
nians, the  strength  of  the  Castilians,  the  dark  complexions 
of  the  Estremadurans,  and  the  paleness  of  the  Murcians. 
The  women  are,  in  general,  graceful  and  well  made ; if 
their  beauty  has  been  much  commended,  it  may  perhaps  be 
attributed  to  their  animated  and  expressive  features.  Dif- 
ferences not  less  obvious  are  observable  in  the  moral  charac- 
ter of  the  people  in  the  different  provinces.  The  Biscayans 
are  haughty,  irascible  and  passionate;13  the  Galicians  are 
melancholy  and  unsocial,  but  laborious  and  brave ; the  Cat- 
alonians are  impetuous  and  indocile,  but  indefatigable ; the 
inhabitants  of  Arragon  are  devoted  to  their  country,  and 
attached  to  its  ancient  customs ; the  Castilians  are  grave  and 
proud,  the  Estremadurans  indolent  and  vain  ; the  Andalu- 
sians may  be  remarked  for  their  arrogance,  they  have  been 
called  the  Gascons  of  Spain ; the  Murcians  are  slow  and 
dull,  and  the  most  ignorant  and  at  the  same  time  tire  most 
suspicious  people  in  the  Peninsula;  the  Valencians,  on  the 
other  hand,  are  gay  and  inconstant,  affable  and  industrious. 
As  to  the  people  generally,®  the  most  marked  traits  in  the 
Spanish  character  are  circumspection,  pride,  honesty,  great 
patience  and  resolution  in  their  undertakings,  and  an  aver- 
sion to  every  improvement  unless  its  utility  be  very  apparent. 

It  may  be  inferred  from  the  penetration  and  perseverance 
of  the  Spaniards  that  they  would  have  excelled  in  the  cul- 
ture of  the  exact  sciences,  but  the  impulse  given  to  natural 
philosophy  was  checked  by  the  inquisition.  Thus,  the  road 
was  shut  to  the  most  attractive  departments  of  knowledge, 
and  the  brilliant  imagination  of  the  people  exhausted  itself 
in  the  culture  of  letters.  The  most  ancient  romances  form 
a part  of  Spanish  literature  ; at  an  early  period  it  consisted 
principally  of  such  works  and  the  national  songs  recording 
the  great  achievements  of  the  Cid.  The  Spanish  language 
is  expressive  and  harmonious,  although  several  guttural 
sounds  have  been  introduced  from  the  Arabic.  It  may  be 
divided  into  five  dialects,  of  which  the  most  ancient  is  still 
spoken  in  the  kingdom  of  Leon  and  the  Asturias,  but  the 
dialect  of  Toledo"1  is  the  purest  and  the  one  most  generally 
used  since  the  time  of  Charles  the  Fifth.  The  same  dialect 
has  been  immortalized  by  the  inimitable  Cervantes,  by  Que- 
vedo,  who  to  the  graces  of  art  unites  the  sublimity  of  genius, 
by  Guevara,  from  whom  Le  Sage  has  borrowed  one  of  his 
tales, e by  Lope  de  Vega,  the  author  of  1800  plays  and  nu- 

d The  Castilian  or  cultivated  Spanish. — P. 

e Le  Diable  Boiteux  [ — The  Devil  on  Two  Sticks.  The  original 
by  Guevara  is  entitled  : El  Diablo  Cojaelo,  6 memorial  de  la  otra 
vida. — P.] 


EUROPE. 


1G2 

merous  fugitive  poems,  and  by  the  celebrated  Calderon, 
whose  comedies  have  formed  the  groundwork  of  a thousand 
others. 

Little  attention  has  been  paid  to  science  in  Spain ; indeed 
it  is  only  possible  to  mention  a few  learned  lawyers,  well 
informed  physicians,  laborious  botanists  and  uselessly  pro- 
found theologians.  Spain  has  however  made  greater  ad- 
vances in  the  fine  arts ; it  has  produced  engravers  little  infe- 
rior to  any  of  Italy  or  the  Netherlands.  In  painting,  Murillo 
almost  rivals  Van-Dyck  ; Coello  has  been  compared  to  Paul 
Veronese,  and  the  graceful  Coreno  enjoys  the  title  of  the 
Spanish  Titian.*  Herrera,  Arnal  and  Juan  Bautista  de  To- 
ledo hold  the  first  rank  among  Spanish  architects ; Mena, 
Alvares  and  Toledo  among  sculptors. 

Before  Charles  the  Fifth  succeeded  to  the  throne  of 
Spain,  the  government  was  a limited  monarchy ; the  powers 
of  the  crown  were  restrained  by  the  cortes,  those  provincial 
assemblies  of  which  the  origin  has  been  already  explained, b 
and  in  which  the  privileged  classes  were  only  represented. 
The  privileges  of  these  assemblies  were  gradually  destroyed 
by  the  princes  of  the  houses  of  Austria  and  Bourbon. 
Their  power  and  influence  had  been  wholly  abolished  long 
before  1808,  when  Napoleon  compelled  Charles  the  Fourth 
and  his  son  Ferdinand  the  Seventh  to  renounce  all  the 
claims  which  they  or  their  successors  might  have  to  the 
crown,  and  proclaimed  his  brother  Joseph,  king  of  Spain 
and  the  Indies.  The  obstinate  and  brave  resistance  of  the 
Spanish  people  against  a foreign  usurper,  gave  additional 
courage  to  the  members  of  the  provincial  juntas,  to  whom 
the  direction  of  the  war  was  committed.  The  most  important 
of  these  assemblies  was  held  at  Cadiz,  where  the  members 
established  a council  of  regency,  to  which  they  resigned 
their  authority ; an  extraordinary  cortes  was  soon  afterwards 
convoked,  and  that  constitution  framed,  which  although  very 
defective  was  acknowledged  in  1812  by  the  powers  ieagued 
against  Fi  ■ance.  To  reward  the  heroic  efforts  of  the  Span- 
iards in  the  cause  of  independence,  Ferdinand  swore  to 
maintain  the  constitution ; being  at  liberty  to  modify  or  im- 
prove it,  he  disregarded  his  oaih,  and  the  constitution  wTas 
abolished.  The  inquisition  had  been  suppressed,  that  odious 
tribunal  was  called  anew  into  existence ; the  members  of 
the  cortes  had  been  declared  inviolable,  the  king  sent  them 
into  exile.  Discontent  succeeded  the  enthusiasm  that  had 
accompanied  the  return  of  the  sovereign ; fnsurrections  ex- 
tended through  the  country,  and  on  the  first  of  January 
1820,  the  constitution  of  the  cortes  was  proclaimed  by  the 
army  in  the  island  of  Leon.  Such  were  the  conditions 
offered  to  Ferdinand,  and  he  was  obliged  to  accept  them; 
he  requested  the  right  of  modifying  the  constitution,  but  the 
eagerness  with  which  he  had  formerly  abolished  it,  occa- 
sioned distrust,  and  the  constitution  was  declared  unalterable. 
At  the  same  time,  die  partisans  of  absolute  power  busied 
themselves  in  exciting  the  people,  and  in  creating  disturb- 
ances in  which  ecclesiastics  and  monks  were  not  ashamed 
to  take  a part  inconsistent  with  their  duty,  and  disgraceful  to 
their  sacred  character.  The  French  cabinet,  on  die  suppo- 
sition that  the  Spaniards  were  not  sufficiently  enlightened  to 

* “ Morales.,  who  painted  only  religious  subjects,  has  been  called 
the  divine” — El  Divino. 

b See  the  preceding  book. 

c Spain  produces  a great  quantity  of  wheat,  of  an  excellent  quality, 
much  superior  to  that  in  the  more  northern  countries  of  Europe.  The 
principal  wheat  districts  are  Andalusia,  Old  Castile,  Arragon  and 
Murcia,  which  produce  a sufficient  surplus  to  supply  the  demands  of 
the  other  parts  of  the  kingdom.  Considerable  quantities  of  wheat  are 


[BOOK  CXXX1X. 

enjoy  the  blessings  of  a representative  government,  thought 
fit  to  interfere  and  to  restore  the  ancient  system.  The 
Duke  of  Angouleme  having  entered  Spain  at  the  head  of  an 
army  which  was  nowhere  opposed  by  the  intrepid  bands,  so 
formidable  in  the  time  of  Napoleon,  dissolved  the  cortes,  and 
liberated  the  king.  The  memorable  ordinance  of  Andujar 
was  passed  by  the  same  general ; thus  giving  an  example  of 
great  moderation,  in  wishing  no  other  recompense  for  the 
treasures  that  France  had  spent,  than  the  safety  and  pro- 
tection of  those  who  had  supported  the  constitutional  govern- 
ment. It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  add  that  his  intentions 
were  never  carried  into  effect. 

The  king  possesses  at  present  an  unlimited  authority ; 
different  councils  have  been  created,  but  the  most  important 
is  the  council  of  state,  formed  in  the  year  1 825.  Justice  is 
administered  throughout  the  kingdom  by  supreme  courts  that 
are  held  in  the  metropolis  of  each  province.  The  courts  of 
Valladolid  and  Granada  are  entitled  chanceries,  that  of  Na- 
varre is  called  a council , and  the  rest  tribunals  ( audiencias .) 
The  captain-generals  of  the  provinces  are  ex  officio  the  pres- 
idents of  the  courts.  ' Whatever  may  tend  to  recal  the  time 
of  the  cortes  has  been  abolished  ; that  the  people  may 
believe  all  authority  to  be  centred  in  the  king,  the  towns 
are  no  longer  suffered  to  elect  their  mayors  or  magis- 
trates ; diis  privilege,  the  last  of  ah  those  which  served  to 
remind  the  Spaniards  of  a better  system,  was  taken  away 
in  1823. 

Industry  and  agriculture,  long  neglected  in  Spain,  cannot 
be  .supposed  to  have  made  much  progress  during  the  last 
twenty  year's  of  wars  and  revolutions  to  which  that  unhappy 
country  has  been  exposed.  The  swarms  of  locusts  that 
ravage  the  fields,  are  a minor  evil,  if  compared  with  the 
obstinacy  and  prejudices  of  the  husbandmen.  Foreigners 
attribute  incorrectly  the  low  state  of  agriculture  to  the  indo- 
lence of  the  people ; such  an  opinion,  says  Minano,  has 
never  been  entertained  by  those  who  have  seen  the  Span- 
iards toiling  and  labouring  in  the  almost  inaccessible  moun- 
tains of  the  Asturias,  Galicia  and  Catalonia,  or  in  the  arid 
ravines  of  Guipuscoa,  Biscay  and  Navarre,  in  the  marshes  of 
Valencia,  or  in  the  burning  plains  of  Andalusia  and  Estre- 
madura.  The  men,  who  endure  so  much  fatigue  for  so 
small  wages,  cannot  be  thought  either  indolent  or  indifferent. 

Spain,  one  of  the  most  fruitful  countries  in  Europe,  might 
also  from  the  variety  of  its  products  be  considered  one  of 
the  most  wealthy  ; wheat,  rye,  barley,  maize  and  hemp  are 
cultivated  in  almost  all  the  provinces,  but  although  the  absti- 
nence and  frugality  of  the  people  are  proverbial,  the  crops 
are  hardly  sufficient  for  the  consumption.0  Wheat  is  most 
common  in  Leon,  Estremadura,  the  two  Castries,  Arragon, 
Andalusia  and  Murcia.  Rye  is  more  generally  cultivated 
in  Biscay,  Navarre  and  Catalonia.  Oats  are  neglected  or 
despised  ; instead  of  that  grain,  the  Spaniards,  .particularly 
in  the  kingdoms  of  Granada  and  Seville,  give  barley  to  their 
cattle.  The  inhabitants  of  Galicia  cultivate  flax,  a plant  that 
does  not  appear  to  be  very  common  in  the  other  provinces. 
Oil  and  sodad  are  the  principal  products  of  the  southern 
provinces,  particularly  along  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean  ; 

also  exported  from  Spain,  especially  from  Leon  and  Old  Castile,  by 
the  ports  of  Galicia  and  Biscay.  This  export  might  he  greatly  increas- 
ed, were  it  not  for  the  imperfect  state  of  the  roads  leading  to  the  sea- 
ports, which  are  hardly  passable  for  carriages,  so  that  the  grain  is 
chiefly  conveyed  on  the  backs  of  mules.  Large  quantities  of  bpanish 
wheat  are  sent  to  the  Havanna,  its  importation  being  favoured  there 
by  discriminating  duties. — P. 
d Barilla. 


L 


book  cxxxix.j  DESCRIPT10 

the  other  products  are  broom,  sumach  and  different  esculent 
plants  of  an  admirable  quality.  In  the  same  part  of  the 
country  are  seen  whole  fields  of  saffron,  the  rice  plantations 
appear  like  so  many  waving  plains,  and  the  cotton  shrub 
thrives  as  well  as  on  its  aboriginal  soil.  The  mulberry  trees 
are  very  luxuriant,  and  their  leaves  afford  rich  nourishment 
to  the  bombyx ; it  is  thus  easy  to  explain  why  the  silk  it 
secretes  is  so  valuable.  Rice  is  most  abundant  in  Catalonia 
and  in  the  kingdom  of  Valencia.  The  latter  province  and 
Andalusia  are  the  finest  in  Spain ; trees  of  different  sorts  are 
covered  with  delicious  fruit,  the  sugar-cane  grows  beside  the 
cotton  plant,  and  numerous  olive-trees  furnish  the  oil  that 
forms  at  present  an  important  branch  of  commerce.  Honey 
and  different  vegetables  useful  in  dyeing  also  add  to  the  re- 
sources of  that  part  of  Spain.  The  honey  in  the  province  of 
Cuenca  was  celebrated  in  the  time  of  the  Romans  for  its 
whiteness  and  agreeable  flavour,  on  account  of  which  it 
was  called  mcl  rosmarinum.  Anise,  maize,  salt  and  the 
esparto  grass*  from  which  mats  and  cordage  are  manu- 
factured, form  the  principal  riches  of  Murcia ; barilla, b the 
plant  from  which  the  inhabitants  extract  soda,  is  almost 
confined  to  Valencia,  a province  that  has  been  styled  from 
its  culture,  the  garden  of  Spain.  The  lands  in  Arragon 
near  the  Ebro  abound  in  grain,  saffron,  hemp,  olives  and 
different  fruits ; the  forests  too  are  well  kept ; but  at  a dis- 
tance from  the  river,  the  soil  is  arid,  and  the  greater  part  of 
it  uncultivated.  Navarre  may  be  distinguished  by  its  exten- 
sive vallies  covered  with  rich  pastures.  The  Vasconian  prov- 
inces0 and  particularly  Biscay  are  remarkable  for  then1  fer- 
tility and  the  industry  of  their  inhabitants.  The  food  of  the 
peasantry  in  Galicia  consists  principally  of  maize,  chestnuts 
and  potatoes ; the  last  plant  was  first  imported  into  the  same 
province,  from  which  it  has  been  diffused  throughout  Europe. 
Naval  timber  is  obtained  from  the  forests  in  the  Asturias, 
and  numerous  herds  are  fattened  in  the  pastures.  As  to  the 
two  Castiles,  the  old  province  is  arid  and  sterile,  the  new  is 
warmer  and  not  so  unfruitful. 

The  lands  in  almost  every  part  of  Spain  are  favourable  to 
the  culture  of  the  vine.  The  excess  of  the  vintage  above 
the  quantity  consumed  in  the  country,  forms  a considerable 
branch  of  the  export  trade,  and  it  might  be  still  much  more 
important,  if  in  making  the  wine  and  cultivating  the  grape, 
the  people  availed  themselves  of  the  improvements  that  have 
been  known  to  chemists  and  agriculturists  during  more 
than  twenty  years. J The  best  wines  are  those  of  Peralta  in 
Navarre,  Ribadavia  and  Betanzos  in  Galicia,  Manzanares 
and  Bal  de  Penas  in  La  Mancha,  Xeres,  San  Lucar  and 
Rota  in  the  kingdom  of  Seville,  Cabra,  Lucena  and  almost 
all  the  district  of  Campine  in  Cordova,  Malaga  in  Granada, 
Carthagena  in  Murcia,  and  lastly  Alicante  in  Valencia. 
Although  some  of  these  wines  are  held  in  great  estimation, 
the  quantity  exported  bears  no  proportion  to  the  brandy  that 
is  sent  from  the  same  parts  of  the  country  to  the  different 
ports  in  Spain. 

N OF  SPAIN.  163 

The  little  profit  that  Spain  now  receives  from  its  wool, 
affords  a sad  contrast  to  the  treasures  it  derived  from  die 
same  article  at  a very  early  period.  It  would  not  be  easy 
to  enumerate  the  fatal  effects  of  the  war  which  France 
maintained  against  the  Spaniards  during  the  imperial  gov- 
ernment, and  if  it  were  at  all  necessary  to  account  for  the 
decay  in  the  wool  trade,  other  causes  that  have  contributed 
in  a greater  or  less  degree,  might  also  be  mentioned.  Now 
that  Spanish  sheep  are  imported  into  F ranee  and  other  conn 
tries  where  the  breed  is  perpetuated,  it  is  difficult  to  con 
ceive  that  Spain  can  ever  again  arrive  at  the  same  pre-emi- 
nence in  the  same  trade.  But  as  it  has  been  proved  that 
the  merinos  are  fraudulently  exported,  it  cannot  be  doubted 
that  such  an  evil  might  be  checked  by  a wise  administration ; 
if  it  were  prevented  and  greater  encouragement  afforded 
to  the  woollen  manufactures,  Spain  might  at  least  afford  to 
produce  articles  equally  good  and  at  as  moderate  prices  as 
any  of  her  rivals.  The  breed  of  sheep,  it  is  not  less  certain, 
might  be  still  more  improved  in  the  same  country,  and  die 
privileges  of  the  Mestae  need  not  interfere  with  the  interests 
of  the  landed  proprietor.  The  merinos  are  divided  into  two 
classes,  those  that  are  stationary,  and  those  that  migrate ; 
the  former  amount  in  all  to  at  least  8,000,000 ; the  number 
of  the  latter,  including  the  flocks  that  belong  to  the  clergy 
as  well  as  to  the  laymen,  is  still  greater/  Two  shepherds 
drive  a flock  of  a thousand  or  twelve  hundred  merinos  ; they 
leave  the  heights  of  Old  Castile  in  the  month  of  October, 
and  lay  waste  the  plains  of  Estremadura  and  Andalusia  until 
the  month  of  May,  when  the  sheep  are  driven  back  to  the 
mountains.  There  are  not  less  than  sixteen  thousand  shep 
herds, s almost  as  ignorant  as  their  flocks ; they  exercise  a 
despotic  authority,  and  commit  many  abuses  in  the  districts 
through  which  they  pass.  The  length  of  their  stay  in  any 
part  of  the  country  depends  on  the  quantity  of  food  they  find 
for  then-  sheep.  During  their  progress,  a space  equal  to 
240  feet  in  breadth  is  allotted  to  each  flock  by  the  ordinances 
of  the  Mesta  ;h  once  arrived  at  the  end  of  their  journey,  the 
sheep  are  put  into  the  pastures,  and  the  Mesta  regulates  in  a 
very  arbitrary  manner  the  rate  of  rent  payable  to  the  propri- 
etors. The  depopulation  of  certain  provinces,  and  the  decay 
of  agriculture  have  been  attributed  not  without  reason  to 
these  annual  migrations ; indeed  Biscay,  the  Asturias,  Gali- 
cia and  Burgos,  not  being  exposed  to  the  same  calamity,  are 
better  peopled  and  better  cultivated  than  the  provinces  to 
which  the  shepherds  and  then-  flocks  resort. 

The  sheep  are  shorn  after  the  shepherds  have  returned  to 
their  summer  quarters.  It  is  a very  busy  time,  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  are  employed.  The  work  is 
done  in  large  sheds  that  may  hold  a flock  of  forty  or  sixty 
thousand  sheep.  One  may  judge  of  the  number  of  hands 
employed,  since  it  requires  a hundred  and  twenty-five 
persons  to  shear  a thousand  sheep  ; some  are  occupied  in 
cutting  the  wool,  and  others  in  dividing  it  into  four  sorts  ac- 
cording to  the  different  degrees  of  fineness.  The  sheep- 

a “ Stipe” — Stipa  tenacissima,L inn.;  esparto  rush,  (Townsend.) — P. 
b Salsola  Soda,  Linn. — The  Salsola  saliva  is  also  cultivated  for  the 
same  purpose. — P. 

c “ Les  provinces  Vascongades” — (Span.  Las  provincias  Vascon- 
mdas  or  Bascnngadas  ;)  the  Biscayan  provinces. — P. 

d See  Mihano’s  Geographical  and  Statistical  Dictionary,  article 
Spain. 

e The  Mcsta  is  a society  that  meets  every  year,  the  president  of 
vhich  is  a counsellor  of  state,  and  the  members  are  the  owners  of 
[he  numerous  flocks  that  are  conducted  for  the  sake  of  pasturage 
nto  different  provinces.  [“  The  Mesta  is  an  incorporated  company 
af  proprietors  of  migratory  sheep,  who  are  endowed  with  particular 
privileges  highly  prejudicial  to  the  interests  of  agriculture.  This  as- 

sociation  is  formed  chiefly  of  the  nobles,  persons  in  power,  members 
of  rich  monasteries,  and  ecclesiastical  chapters.”  Ed.  Encyc. — P.] 
f See  the  statistical  tables  at  the  end  of  the  book, 
e M.  Al.  de  Laborde  (Itincr.  d’Espagne)  estimates  their  number  at 
forty  thousand,  but  he  includes  those  that  remain  at  home  as  well  as 
the  others  who  travel. 

h “ The  sheep  pass  unmolested  over  the  pastures,  belonging  to  the 
villages,  and  the  commons  which  lie  in  their  road,  and  have  a right 
to  feed  upon  them.  They  are  not,  however,  allowed  to  pass  over  cul- 
tivated land,  but  the  proprietors  of  such  lands  are  obliged  to  leave  for 
them  a path  of  ninety  varas,  or  about  eighty-four  yards  in  breadth.’ 
Ed.  Encyc.— P. 

164  EUR 

shearing  season  is  not  less  joyous  than  the  vintage  in  the 
most  fruitful  districts  of  Spain. 

Several  parts  of  the  country  are  ill  provided  with  horned 
cattle,  particularly  Catalonia,  Arragon,  Navarre  and  Biscay, 
which  depend  principally  for  their  supplies  on  France. 
Many  oxen  are  fattened  in  the  rich  pastures  in  the  central 
districts  of  Galicia.  Fine  cattle  are  reared  in  the  Asturias, 
and  the  cow  is  there  a most  useful  animal  to  the  peasantry ; 
the  milk  is  converted  into  butter  and  cheese  ; indeed  a suffi- 
cient quantity  of  the  former  might  be  produced  for  the  con- 
sumption of  Spain,  if  the  inhabitants  knew  how  to  salt  or 
preserve  it.  The  symmetry  of  the  oxen  in  Andalusia  was 
admired  by  the  ancients ; innumerable  herds  of  the  same 
kind  may  still  be  seen  in  its  fertile  pastures.  Pigs  are  very 
common  on  the  mountains  of  Aracena  and  Constantina,  as 
well  as  others  in  the  same  province,  and  the  bacon  of 
Leon  as  well  as  Galicia  is  much  prized  throughout  Spain ; 
its  delicate  taste  has  been  attributed  to  the  sweet  acorns  on 
which  the  pigs  are  fed.  Although  the  mules  and  horses  of 
the  same  country  are  not  in  so  great  repute  as  they  once 
were,  the  Asturias  may  still  boast  of  their  light  and  spirited 
ponies,  while  the  horses  of  Andalusia  retain  the  strength  that 
distinguishes  the  Arab  breed.  The  mules  in  these  provinces 
are  hardy  and  robust,  qualities  which  they  derive  from  the 
ass,  which  has  degenerated  less  in  Spain  than  in  France. 

Almost  all  the  wild  animals  in  southern  France  are  com- 
mon to  Spain.  The  mountains  and  plains  abound  in  game ; 
the  wild  boar,  the  bear  and  different  kinds  of  deer  are  found 
in  the  Galician  mountains  and  Asturian  forests.  Hares,  rab- 
bits, red  partridges  and  bustards  are  common  in  Andalusia ; 
the  wolf  still  frequents  nearly  all  the  wooded  and  mountain- 
ous districts  in  the  country.  The  chamois  and  the  lynx 
find  shelter  in  the  Pyrenees  and  the  mountains  of  Cuenca. 
The  musmon®  is  found  in  the  kingdom  of  Murcia,  and 
among  the  animals  in  the  more  southern  parts  of  Spain,  the 
genette,  the  porcupine,  the  scorpion,  the  truxalis  nasutush 
and  the  chameleon  mav  be  enumerated.  A naturalist0  having 
observed  the  striking  similarity  between  the  zoology  of 
southern  Spain  and  northern  Africa,  has  been  led  by  the 
analogy  to  conclude  that  the  continents  now  separated  by  the 
Straits  at  Gibraltar  were  once  united. 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXXXIX. 

Estremadura  and  Andalusia  are  sometimes  desolated  by 
swarms  of  locusts  ; but  it  would  not  be  difficult  to  desu-oy 
them,  for  they  are  never  seen  in  great  numbers  until  some 
time  after  their  first  appearance ; still  the  opportunity  has 
been  usually  neglected,  and  these  insects  from  the  plains  of 
Arabia  lay  waste  the  country  when  it  is  impossible  to  check 
the  devastation.11 

The  rivers  as  well  as  the  coasts  of  Spain  abound  in  fish, 
and  it  is  from  this  source  that  Galicia  derives  the  principal 
part  of  its  wealth.  The  sardel  fisheries  are  perhaps  as  val- 
uable as  any  others  in  that  province.  The  sardel  are  salted 
so  as  to  render  them  fit  for  exportation,  and  very  many  of 
them  are  consumed  in  Spain,  France  and  the  Levant.  The 
tunny  fisheries  in  the  same  province  are  also  very  profitable  ; 
indeed  the  importance  of  the  fisheries  on  the  southern  and 
eastern  coasts  of  Spain,  depends  on  the  high  prices  given  for 
tunnies  and  anchovies. 

Spain  admits  less  of  a vague  or  general  description  than 
any  other  country  in  Europe.  The  people  in  France,  Eng- 
land and  Italy  are  distinguished  by  national  characters,  of 
which  the  colours  are  too  well  defined  to  be  ever  confound- 
ed ; but  shades  more  or  less  obscure  mark  the  Spaniards  of 
the  different  provinces,  and  contrasts  more  or  less  striking 
separate  them  from  each  other.  To  mark  these  shades  and 
contrasts,  and  to  ascertain  their  influence  on  the  moral  and 
intellectual  character  of  the  Spanish  people,  has  hitherto 
proved  a stumbling-block  to  many  who  have  attempted  to 
describe  Spain,  or  to  compare  the  Spaniards  with  the  inhab- 
itants of  other  countries  in  Europe.  To  give  an  accurate 
description  therefore,  or  at  least  one  free  from  incorrect  gen- 
eralities, it  is  necessary  that  each  division  or  province  in 
Spain  should  be  separately  examined. 

The  kingdom  is  divided  into  fourteen  principal  parts,  each 
of  which  has  its  authorities  or  separate  administration,  and 
several  are  subdivided  into  smaller  provinces.®  The  disad- 
vantages of  what  has  been  termed  centralization 1 are  not 
felt  in  Spain,  an  evil  that  exists  in  France,  and  which  most 
Frenchmen  would  wish  to  see  abolished. 

The  kingdom  of  Navarre  is  separated  from  France  by 
the  Pyrenees ; it  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Arragon,  on  the 
south  by  Old  Castile,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Biscayan 

a “ Le  Moufflon,”  the  wild  sheep — found  also  in  the  mountains  of 
Sardinia  and  Corsica,  where  it  is  called  mvffuli — (the  musimon  of 
Pliny.)— P. 

b Gryllus  nasutus.  Linn. — a species  of  locust  or  grasshopper. — P. 
c M.  Bory  de  St.  Vincent,  Guide  do  Voyageur  en  Espagne. 
a According  to  Bowles,  these  provinces  were  exposed  to  their  rava- 
ges from  1754  to  1757.  See  Introduction  it  l’histoire  naturelle  et  a la 
g'ographie  physique  de  l’Espagne.  (Traduction  de  Flavigny,  Paris, 
1776.) 

e The  following  are  the  general  divisions  : 

In  the  north. 

1st.  The  kingdom  of  Navarre,  a province. 

2d.  The  three  Vasconian  or  Biscayan  provinces. 

3d.  The  principality  of  the  Asturias,  a province. 

4th.  The  kingdom  of  Galicia,  divided  into  seven  provinces. 

5th.  The  kingdom  of  Arragon,  a province. 

6th.  The  principality  of  Catalonia,  a province. 

In  the  centre. 

7th.  The  kingdom  of  Leon,  divided  into  six  provinces. 

8th.  Old  Castile,  divided  into  five. 

9th.  Estremadura,  a province. 

10th.  New  Castile,  divided  into  five  provinces. 

11th.  The  kingdom  of  Valencia,  a province. 

In  the  south. 

12th.  Andalusia,  including  the  kingdoms  of  Cordova,  Jaen,  Seville, 
Granada,  and  the  JVeio  Pu/nJations*  forming  seven  provinces. 

13th.  The  kingdom  of  Murcia,  a province. 

In  the  Mediterranean 
14th.  The  Balearic  islands. 

In  all  forty-one  provinces. 

* See  page  857. 

Spain  was  divided  in  1822,  conformably  to  a decree  of  the  Cortes, 
into  fifty-one  provinces. 

Navarre  was  at  the  same  time  called  the  province  of  Pampehina. 

The  three  provinces  of  Vittoria,  San  Sebastian  and  Billioa,  were  in- 
cluded in  the  Biscays. 

One  province,  or  that  of  Oviedo,  in  the  Asturias. 

Those  of  Corunna,  Lugo,  Vigo  and  Orense,  in  Galicia. 

Those  of  Villafranca,  Leon,  Zamora,  Salamanca  and  Valencia,  in  the 
kingdom  of  Leon. 

Those  of  Santander,  Burgos,  Logrono,  Soria,  Valladolid,  Segovia  and 
Avila,  in  Old  Castile. 

Those  of  Ilatsca,  Teruel,  Calatayud  and  Saragossa,  in  Arragon. 

Those  of  Gerona,  Barcelona,  Tarragona  and  Lerida,  in  Catalonia. 

Those  of  Caceres  and  Budajos,  in  Estremadura. 

Those  of  Madrid,  Guadalaxara,  Cuenca  and  Toledo,  in  New  Castile. 

That  of  Ciudad-Real,  in  La  Mancha. 

Those  of  Alicante,  San  Felipe,  Valencia  and  Castellon  de  la  Plana,  in 
the  kingdom  of  Valencia. 

Those  of  Huelva,  Seville,  Cadiz,  Jaen,  Cordova,  Granada,  Malaga  and 
Almeria,  in  Andalusia. 

Those  of  Murcia  and  Chinchilla,  in  the  kingdom  of  Murcia. 

That  of  Palma,  in  the  Baleares. 

These  divisions  were  abolished  when  the  king  obtained  despotic 
power. 

f The  concentration  of  authority  and  influence  in  the  capital.  It  is 
well  known,  from  repeated  experience,  that  a revolution  in  Paris  is 
decisive  as  to  the  whole  kingdom. — P. 

book  cxxxix.]  DESCRIPTIQ 

provinces.  The  country  is  mountainous,  but  intersected 
with  rich  and  fruitful  vallies,  and  crossed  in  different  direc- 
tions with  excellent  roads,  an  advantage  which  few  Spanish 
provinces  possess.  The  climate  although  cold  and  variable, 
is  by  no  means  unwholesome ; the  inhabitants  are  laborious 
and  poor.  That  petty  kingdom,  of  which  an  ancestor  of 
Henry  the  Fourth*  had  been  deprived  by  pope  Julius  the 
Second,  was  united  to  the  crown  of  Arragon  and  Castile  in 
the  year  1 5 1 8.b  The  traveller  who  enters  the  country  from 
France,  observes  as  soon  as  he  has  crossed  the  Pyrenees, 
the  small  plain  of  Roncevallos,c  and  in  the  convent  of  the 
same  town,  are  still  seen  several  relics,  that  may  remind 
him  of  the  brave  Roland  and  archbishop  Turpin. 

Painpeluna  ( Pamplona ) rises  on  Mount  St.  Christopher, 
above  the  banks  of  the  Arga,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
last  mentioned  place.  It  has  been  affirmed  that  the  town 
was  built  by  Pompey,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  Pompeiopo- 
lis ; at  all  events,  it  is  the  capital  of  the  province,  and  the 
seat  of  a bishopric.  The  walls,  bastions  and  ancient  castle 
are  imposing,  but  the  interior  of  the  town  is  by  no  means 
cheerful ; the  streets  are  straight,  spacious  and  deserted,  the 
houses  are  lofty  and  built  of  stone  ; the  trade  of  the  inhabit- 
ants11 consists  chiefly  in  coarse  cloths  and  different  sorts  of 
earthen  ware.  Tudela,  a handsome  episcopal  town,  possess- 
ing manufactories  of  cloth,  soap  and  pottery,  and  carrying  on 
a considerable  trade  in  cattle,  stands  at  the  confluence  of  die 
Queila  and  the  Ebro. 

The  three  Vasconian  provinces,6  which  derive  their  name 
from  their  ancient  Basque  population/  form  a triangle  of 
which  the  northern  side  is  watered  by  the  gulf  of  Gascony ,s 
and  the  two  others  bounded  by  Navarre  and  Old  Castile. 
Distinguished  by  that  great  activity  and  love  of  independence 
common  to  the  people  in  other  mountainous  countries,  these 
industrious  Basques  have  found  in  an  unfruitful  soil,  the  pal- 
ladium of  their  freedom.  Although  subject  to  the  Spanish 
domination  in  virtue  of  ancient  treaties,  the  kings  of  Spain  may 
rather  be  considered  their  protectors  than  their  sovereigns. 
The  three  provinces  have  a separate  government  and  gen- 
eral assemblies  in  which  their  mutual  interests  are  not  only 
discussed,  but  the  orders  of  the  king  examined,  for  they 
cannot  be  executed  without  that  formality.  They  tax  thein- 
selves  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  local  administration ; the 
contributions,  which  they  pay  to  the  crown,  are  considered 
gifts  that  are  rarely  sought,  and  never  granted,  unless  they 
be  very  moderate. 

The  Bidassoa,  a small  river,  which  discharges  itself  into 
the  bay  of  Biscay,  separates  France  from  the  province  of 
Guipuscoa.h  Fontarabia  or  Fuenterabia,  according  to  its 
Latin  name,  Fons  rapidus,  is  a strong  place  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Bidassoa.  Tolosa,  the  ancient  Iturissa , is  a small  but 
pleasant  town  on  the  banks  of  the  Orio.  Saint  Sebastian  is 
the  capital  of  the  province ; situated  on  a peninsula  watered 
by  the  bay  of  Biscay,  with  a small  harbour  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Urumea,  the  town  itself  Gannot  be  considered  very  large, 

N OF  SPAIN.  165 

but  the  inhabitants  are  industrious ; they  carry  on  a consid- 
erable trade,  and  have  manufactories  of  leather,  arms  and 
iron.  A large  bay  apparently  closed  on  all  sides  by  moun- 
tains runs  into  the  land  between  Fontarabia  and  Saint  Se- 
bastian ; it  forms  the  harbour  of  Los  Passages,'  one  of  the 
finest  and  safest  in  Europe.  The  town  is  built  on  a narrow 
piece  of  ground  between  the  mountains  and  the  bay.  Ber- 
garak  possesses  a patriotic  school,  in  which  the  physical  sci- 
ences are  taught,  and  where  the  young  nobles  ol  the  country 
are  educated  at  the  expense  of  the  state.  All  the  coasts 
are  peopled  by  fishermen  or  mariners,  and  the  rural  districts 
by  laborious  and  peaceful  husbandmen. 

No  country  can  be  more  agreeable  than  the  hills  in  Bis- 
cay, none  more  fruitful  than  the  cultivated  vallies.  Bilboa,1 
the  capital,  has  long  been  the  mart  for  all  the  wool  that 
Spain  exports,  and  for  all  the  merchandise  sent  from  differ- 
ent countries  into  the  northern  provinces  of  the  kingdom. 
Crowds  frequent  the  harbour,  and  many  ships  repair  to  it, 
although  the  town  is  about  two  leagues  from  the  sea  ; it  is  sit- 
uated on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ansa,  a small  river  sufficiently 
deep  to  receive  large  merchant  vessels ; the  same  river  abounds 
in  angulas,™  a very  delicate  fish,  highly  valued  in  Spain. 

The  road  that  leads  from  Biscay  into  the  province  of 
Alava,  traverses  the  great  defile  and  the  mountain  of  Salinas. 
Beyond  the  town  of  the  same  name,  the  heights  become 
gradually  lower  until  they  terminate  in  the  fruitful  plain  of 
Vittoria,  in  which  many  hamlets  and  villages  vary  the  ro- 
mantic scenery.  Vittoria,  the  capital,  according  to  its  Latin 
name,  Victoria , serves  still  to  mark  the  place  where  the 
Cantabri  were  defeated  in  the  reign  of  Augustus.  It  was 
rebuilt  by  Sancho  the  Great,  who  gained  under  its  walls  a 
decisive  victory  over  the  Saracens.  The  old  town  consists 
of  irregular  and  clumsy  houses,  but  the  new  has  been  built 
with  much  elegance  ; it  contains  a spacious  square  at  pres- 
ent set  apart  for  bull  fights.  Several  festivals  are  held  in 
Vittoria,  some  in  honour  of  the  young,  others  of  married 
persons ; these  ceremonies  tend  to  preserve  the  purity  of 
the  people. 

The  principality  of  the  Asturias  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  the  ocean,  on  the  east  by  Biscay,  on  the  south  by  the 
ridge  of  the  Asturian  Pyrenees,  and  on  the  west  by  Galicia. 
It  is  intersected  by  many  narrow  and  sinuous  vallies,  which 
are  watered  by  torrents  and  rivers  well  supplied  with  fish. 
The  people  in  the  province  boast  that  they  have  never  mixed 
with  foreigners  ; they  are  brave,  patient  and  laborious. 
Oviedo,  the  capital,  the  ancient  Ovetum,  is  situated  in  about 
the  centre  of  the  province,  on  a hill  that  rises  in  the  midst  of 
an  undulating  plain  between  the  Nora  and  the  Nalon.  The 
cathedral,  a Gothic  edifice  and  the  finest  in  the  town,  was 
built  in  the  eleventh  century  ;n  some  ancient  relics  have 
been  deposited  in  it,  and  the  people  hold  them  in  great  ven- 
eration. Cangas  de  Onis,  a small  town  on  the  banks  of  the 
Celia,  stands  at  a short  distance  from  the  abbey  of  Our  Lady 
of  Cavadonga,  which,  it  is  said,  occupies  the  site  where  Pe- 

1 Jean  d’ Jllbret  (John  III.  of  Navarre,)  great  grandfather  of  Henry 
IV.  by  the  mother’s  side. — P. 

b In  1510,  Pope  Julius  II.  excommunicated  Jean  d’Albret,  and  au- 
thorized Ferdinand  to  take  possession  of  his  territories.  The  latter 
invaded  Navarre  in  1511,  and  July  25th  1512,  that  petty  kingdom 
was  united  to  the  crown  of  Castile.  (Abrege  Chronol.  de  l’Hist.  d’Es- 
pagne  et  de  Portugal,  T.  II.  p.  60 — 65.) — P. 
c Fr.  Ronccvaux. — Roncesvalles. 

J Its  manufactures.  e Guipuscoa,  Biscay  and  Alava. 

f M.  William  Von  Humboldt  has  proved  by  his  learned  researches, 
that  the  Basque  bears  more  characters  of  a primitive  language  than 
any  other  known  tongue  in  Europe.  The  name  of  the  people  who 
speak  it,  appears  to  be  derived  from  the  Basque  word  vaso , which  sig- 

nifies  a mountain.  If  the  same  word  be  used  adjectively,  the  termi- 
nation co  must  be  added  ; thus  the  people  have  been  denominated 
Vasoco,  and  by  contraction  Vasco,  a term  analogous  to  mountaineers. 

The  Romans  called  the  Basques,  Vascones,  and  their  country  Vasco- 
nia,  of  which  the  etymology  is  still  preserved  in  the  Spanish  word 
Vascongadas. 

% Bay  of  Biscay.  h Guipuzcoa. 

■ “ Port  du  Passage.”  k Vergara.  1 Bilbao. 

m Qu.  anguilas,  eels. — Bilboa  is  supplied  with  fish  of  various  kinds, 
particularly  with  a sort  of  eels  in  winter,  which  are  caught  m prodi- 
gious  quantities  at  low  tides.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

□ “ — built  nearly  eleven  centuries  ago,”  i.  e.  in  the  eighth  century 
— said  to  have  been  built  in  760.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

— . 

166  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxix 


lagius-  first  planted  the  standard  of  independence.  The 
same  distinguished  person  resided  long  at  Gijon,  a well- 
built  town  at  the  base  of  a mountain  that  terminates  in  Cape 
Penas ; its  port  was  formerly  much  frequented.  Aviles 
stands  at  the  bottom  of  a gulf,  on  the  other  side  of  the  cape ; 
it  carries  on  a trade  in  coal,  and  in  copper  utensils  manufac- 
tured in  the  neighbourhood. 

The  kingdom  of  Galicia,  contiguous  to  the  Asturias  and 
to  Leon,  is  bounded  on  the  north  and  the  west  by  the  ocean, 
and  on  the  south  by  Portugal.  The  large  vallies  in  the 
province  are  formed  by  different  high  chains  connected  with 
the  Pyrenaean  range.  Some  important  towns  and  more 
than  forty  harbours*  are  situated  in  Galicia.  Santiago  or 
St.  Jago  de  Compostella,  although  it  may  not  perhaps  be 
the  ancient  Gall(ccia,h  is  considered  the  capital  of  the  king- 
dom. The  streets  are  crooked  and  ill  paved  ; the  principal 
ornament  of  the  town  is  the  large  Gothic  cathedral,  which 
was  built  more  than  a thousand  years  ago.  It  is  a double 
edifice,  the  lower  part  of  which  forms  a subterranean  church 
consecrated  to  San  Jago  Manor  or  St.  James  the  Less, 
while  in  the  upper  church  the  pious  catholics  adore  the 
body  of  San  Jago  Mayor  or  St.  James  the  Elder,  which 
was  discovered  at  the  time  the  workmen  were  building  the 
cathedral.  The  riches  of  the  same  church  or  the  treasures 
supplied  by  credulous  piety  have  been  greatly  exaggerated, 
probably  because  they  were  never  generally  known  until  an 
equal  division  was  made  between  the  chapter  and  Marshal 
Ney  in  1809;  the  sum  allotted  to  him  for  the  pay  of  his 
troops  amounted  only  to  a hundred  thousand  crowns.®  The 
gold  statue  of  St.  James  turned  out  to  be  only  gilt,  and  his 
diamond  eyes,  it  was  discovered,  were  imitation  diamonds. 
The  magnificence  of  the  church  consists  principally  in  the 
extravagance  of  the  sculpture,  and  in  the  beauty  of  the 
painted  windows.  The  trade  in  images,  chaplets  and  other 
objects  of  superstition  is  not  without  importance  at  Santiago, 
but  the  real  industry  of  the  place  is  centred  in  the  cloth  and 
silkd  manufactories.  Orense,  situated  in  a fine  country  near 
the  southern  extremity  of  the  province,  and  watered  by  the 
Minho,  was  formerly  more  flourishing ; a fine  bridge  of  ten 
arches  so  lofty  that  a ship  of  war  with  all  its  masts  may  sail 
under  them,  has  been  built  over  die  river ; one  edifice,  the 
Gothic  cathedral,  may  be  also  remarked  for  the  elegance 
and  regularity  of  its  proportions.  Many  still  resort  to  the 
three  warm  springs,  on  account  of  which  the  town  was  called 
Aquae  Calidat  by  the  ancients.  Lugo,  founded  by  the  Ro- 
mans seventy-six  years  before  the  vulgar  era,  was  named 
Lmcus  Augusti  in  honor  of  Augustus.  The  Tamboga  wa- 
ters the  town ; the  thermal  springs  and  a sacred  wood  in- 
duced the  Romans  to  build  it  on  its  present  site,  where  sev- 
eral ruins  not  uninteresting  to  antiquaries  are  still  to  be  seen 
within  the  walls  and  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  townhouse 
and  its  majestic  front  were  built  by  the  ancients.  The  cir- 
cular walls  that  encompass  Lugo,  might  contain  ten  times 
the  number  of  inhabitants  ; they  are  nearly  a league6  in  cir- 
cumference. Mondonedo/  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Sierra 
de  lulestia  of  which  the  declivities  descend  to  the  ocean,  is 
the  ancient  Britonia  ; it  was  long  well  known  for  its  cattle- 
fairs,  but  at  present  they  are  not  much  frequented. 

1 “ On  the  coast  are  forty  sea-ports,  but  the  greater  part  are  very 
small.” — Ed.  Encyc. 

b “ Perhaps  the  ancient  GaUacia ” ( Callcecia .)  The  Brigantium.  of 
the  ancients  (Ed.  Encyc.)  Betanzos,  near  the  bay  of  Corunna,  is  the 
Brigantium  ( Flavium  Brigantum,  Encyc.  Method.)  of  the  ancients. 

c Bory  de  St  Vincent,  Guide  du  Voyageur  en  Espagne. 


The  principal  ports  in  Galicia  may  now  be  mentioned. 
Ferrol,  the  chief  town  of  one  of  the  three  maritime  depart- 
ments in  Spain,  possesses  a naval  academy  and  school ; its 
spacious  harbour  forms  a bay,  on  which  formidable  batteries 
have  been  erected  to  guard  the  narrow  entrance.  The 
inhabitants  are  industrious  and  consequently  wealthy.  Be- 
tanzos, the  ancient  Brigantium,  situated  at  some  distance  to 
the  south  of  Ferrol,  unites  a trade  in  light  wines  with  the 
commerce  of  its  port.  Corunna,?  the  Caronium  of  the 
Gallaeci,  situated  about  five  leagues  from  Betanzos,  is  divided 
into  two  towns ; the  old  town  stands  at  the  extremity  of  a 
small  peninsula,  and  is  surrounded  with  fortifications ; the 
new  town,  or  the  Pescadaria,  as  it  has  been  called  from  its 
fish  market,  is  only  fortified  on  the  side  of  the  land.  The  bay 
of  Corunna  is  about  a league  in  breadth  ; the  harbour,  which 
is  large  and  commodious,  is  in  the  form  of  a crescent ; it  is 
defended  by  the  fort  St.  Anthony,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
frequented  of  any  in  Galicia.  The  town  is  enriched  by  its 
commerce  and  its  sardel  fisheries,  by  its  cloth,  hats  and  cor- 
dage, and  lastly  by  its  cigar  manufactories  in  which  more 
than  five  hundred  women  are  employed.  It  is  not  improb- 
able that  the  word  Corunna  has  been  derived  from  Colum- 
na ; such  at  least  was  the  name  that  the  ancients  gave  to  a 
tower  that  was  used  as  a pharos,  in  height  and  appearance 
not  unlike  a column.  The  same  tower  still  remains ; ac- 
cording to  tradition  it  was  built  and  consecrated  to  Hercules 
by  the  Phoenicians,  and  at  a later  period  repaired  by  the 
Romans  who  dedicated  it  to  Mars.  A Latin  inscription 
serves  to  confirm  the  tradition,  but  a learned  Spaniard11  con- 
siders it  the  work  of  Trajan. 

The  kingdom  of  Leon,  an  imnortapt  Spanish  province, 
still  retains  its  ancient  title ; contiguous  In  Portugal  and  Ga- 
licia on  the  west,  it  is  bounded  by  Estremadura  on  til** 
south,  by  Old  Castile  on  the  east,  and  by  the  mountains 
which  separate  it  from  the  Asturias  on  the  north.  The 
Duero  crosses  it  from  east  to  west. 

The  province  derives  its  name  from  the  town  of  Leon, 
the  capita],  which  was  founded  by  the  emperor  Galba,  on 
the  place  where  a Roman  legion  (Jegio  septima  gemina) 
was  stationed.  The  cathedral  church,  the  principal  orna- 
ment of  die  place,  was  commenced  about  the  end  of  die 
twelfth  century,  and  completed  in  the  fourteenth ; remark- 
able for  its  elegance  and  lightness,  it  has  been  considered 
the  finest  in  Spain.  The  streets  are  crooked  and  for  the 
most  part  very  dirty ; they  are  chiefly  composed  of  Gothic 
and  irregular  houses  : the  market-place,1  however,  may  be 
considered  an  exception  ; it  forms  a perfect  square,  and 
strangers  admire  it  for  the  regularity  of  the  buildings.  The 
antiquary  may  still  discover  inscriptions  and  other  Roman 
monuments  in  Astorga,  the  ancient  Asturica  Augusta ; the 
thick  walls  of  the  town,  flanked  with  turrets  and  bastions, 
were  repaired  and  extended  by  the  French.  Ponferrada  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  Pons  Ferratus  of  the  Romans  ; 
it  possesses  an  ancient  castle  now  in  ruins,  which  belonged 
to  the  Templars.  It  stands  at  the  confluence  of  the  Sil  and 
the  Baeza,  in  the  middle  of  a large  and  fruitful  valley  en- 
closed by  steep  mountains.  Zamora  was  destroyed  by  the 
Moors  in  the  eleventh  century,  and  rebuilt  by  Ferdinand  the 

d “ Silk  stockings.” — It  has  a manufactory  of  silk  stockings.  (Ed. 
Encyc.) 

e “ Three  fourths  of  a league”  Fr. 

f Mondonedo.  f Fr.  Corogne,  Span.  Coruna. 

h Don  Jose  Cornide,  the  academician.  See  his  Dissertation  on  that 
Monument. 

‘ “ The  great  square  (place.)"  Span.  Plaza  Mayor. 


book  exxxix.i  DESCRIPTION  Cl1  SPAIN.  167 


Second  and  Alphonso  the  Eighth.  It  rises  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Duero ; the  bridge  across  the  river  may  be  said 
to  be  the  greatest  ornament  to  the  town ; the  military  school 
has  not  wholly  lost  its  ancient  reputation.3 * * 6  The  pleasant 
town  of  Toro,  although  very  insignificant  in  point  of  size, 
contains  not  less  than  eighteen  parishes  and  an  infirmary/ 
The  cortes  met  within  its  walls  in  the  year  1 505,  and  to 
that  assembly  the  Spaniards  were  indebted  for  the  wise  and 
equitable  laws  that  are  still  called  the  laws  of  Toro.  Tor- 
desillas,  the  ancient  Turns  Syllce , is  still  commanded  by  the 
old  castle,  where  the  mother  of  Charles  the  Fifth  died  in 
the  year  1555,  but  long  before  that  period,  she  wa*  afflicted 
with  the  loss  of  reason.  Carrion  de  los  Condes  is  celebrat- 
ed in  the  Spanish  chronicles  for  the  exploits  of  the  Cid,  and 
also  for  a memorable  victory  over  the  Moors.  An  annual 
tribute  of  a hundred  virgins,  which  the  Moorish  princes  ex- 
acted from  the  Spaniards,  was  abolished  after  the  battle,  and 
a festival  still  held  in  the  town,  serves  to  commemorate  the 
event.  The  town  contains  eight  parishes  ;c  it  must  be  a 
place  of  considerable  industry,  for  there  are  not  fewer  than 
six  linen  manufactories, d eight  leather  works,  five  oil,  and  as 
many  flour  mills.  Palencia  may  be  considered  an  agree- 
able town,  although  the  houses  are  of  Gothic  architecture. 
In  one  large  and  well  built  square,  two  of  the  sides  are 
adorned  with  piazzas,  and  the  cathedral  erected  by  King 
Sancho,  is  not  inferior  in  size  to  any  in  Spain.  Valladolid 
possesses  an  university  and  an  academy  of  painting  ;e  the 
royal  castle  was  the  birth-place  of  Philip  the  Second  and 
of  several  other  kings  ; the  cathedral  and  fifteen  parish 
churches  are  richly  endowed ; many  broad  and  straight 
streets,  adorned  with  porticos  supported  by  granite  pillars, 
terminate  in  a spacious  square ; but  with  all  these  advan- 
tages, it  has  the  appearance  of  a deserted  town.  The  pop- 
ulation was  formerly  equal  to  a hundred  thousand  persons ; 
it  does  not  amount  at  present  to  twenty-five  thousand.  The 
inquisition  was  long  held  within  the  walls  of  Valladolid,  and 
the  proceedings  were  marked  with  the  cruelty  and  ferocity, 
which  distinguish  it  from  every  other  tribunal.  The  same 
town  stands  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Pintia,  a place  men- 
tioned by  Ptolemy,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Esqueva  and 
the  Pisuerga.  The  trade  of  Valladolid  is  not  great;  it  con- 
sists in  ribbons,  pottery,  perfumery  and  liqueurs.  Salaman- 
ca, formerly  Salmantica , celebrated  for  an  university  founded 
in  the  year  1239,  possesses  also  twenty-five  churches,  a 
cathedral,  (a  fine  monument  of  the  sixteenth  century,)  and 
many  edifices  of  every  period  and  every  style,  on  account 
of  which  it  has  been  styled  the  Rome  of  Spain/  The  prin- 
cipal court/  as  the  inhabitants  call  it,  forms  a regular  square  ; 
it  is  encompassed  with  a portico  consisting  of  ninety  arcades ; 
the  houses  are  constructed  on  a uniform  plan,  and  surmount- 
ed with  stone  balustrades.  The  one  half  of  the  bridge 
across  the  Tonnes  was  built  by  the  Romans,  the  other  in 
the  time  of  Philip  the  Fourth.  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  an  impor- 
tant fortress  in  the  twelfth  century,  was  more  than  once  be- 
sieged in  the  last  war.  It  appears  from  inscriptions  and 
different  remains  of  antiquity,  that  it  was  the  Lancia 
Trcmscudana  of  the  Romans,  so  called  from  its  position  on 

3 “ The  most  remarkable  objects  it  contains,  are  a fine  bridge  over 
the  Duero,  and  a military  school.” — P. 

b “ Hotel  des  Invalides” — military  hospital. 

c “ Seven  parishes”— ten  parish  churches.  (Crutwell.) 

11  “23  metiers  de  toiles.” 

e “ A school  of  fine  arts.” — An  academy  of  the  belles  lettres  was  es- 
tablished in  1752.  (Rees’  Cyc.) 

1 “ Little  Rome.” 

6 “ La  grande  place  " — Piuza  Mayor.  The  great  square.  (Townsend.) 


the  right  bank  of  the  Agueda  or,  according  to  its  ancient 
name,  the  Cuda 

Old  Castile  is  divided  into  five  provinces ; it  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  the  Gulf  of  Gascony,  on  the  west  by  the 
Asturias  and  the  kingdom  of  Leon,  on  the  south  by  New 
Castile,  on  the  east  by  Arragon,  and  on  the  north-east  by 
Navarre  and  the  Biscayan  provinces.  The  Duero  waters 
the  country,  and  flows  in  the  direction  from  east  to  west 
Castile,  it  has  been  affirmed,  was  so  called  from  the  great 
number  of  castles  ( Castillos ),  formerly  its  means  of  defence 
against  the  Moors,  and  the  residences  of  petty  princes  whom 
ambition  armed  against  each  other. 

Santander,  supposed  to  be  the  Menosca  of  the  Par  dull, 
is  the  largest  town  in  the  north  of  Old  Castile ; many  ves- 
sels frequent  the  harbour,  and  it  carries  on  a considerable 
trade  in  wine.  Burgos,  the  Bravura  of  Ptolemy,  and  an 
ancient  capital,  abounds  with  convents  and  churches/  The 
cathedral,  a highly  finished  Gothic  edifice,  remarkable  for 
its  elegance  and  the  numerous  small  spires  that  rise  above 
each  other  on  every  side,  the  remains  of  the  house  inhabited 
by  the  Cid,  the  arch  of  Fernando  Gonzalez,  the  episcopal 
palace,  and  St.  Mary’s  arch,  which  might  be  more  correctly 
denominated  the  triumphal  gate  that  leads  to  the  Rio  Arlan- 
zon,1  are  the  principal  ornaments  or  curiosities  in  Burgos. 
Beyond  the  walls  are  the  tomb  of  the  Cid,  and  the  ruins  of 
the  palace  formerly  belonging  to  King  Alphonso  the  Wise,  a 
legislator  and  an  astronomer,  and  the  author  of  the  Alphon- 
sine  Tables.  Soria,  a small  town  watered  by  the  Duero, 
stands  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  JYumantia  ; it  possesses  a 
considerable  trade  in  wool. 

Segovia  requires  a more  minute  description  ; it  is  the  an- 
cient Segovia,  a Celtiberian  city  embellished  by  Trajan;  its 
name  has  not  been  changed.  It  stands  on  a hill  of  which 
the  Eresma  waters  the  base.  The  Arabic  gate  and  the 
Alcazar,  an  old  castlb  flanked  with  turrets,  and  built  on  a 
precipitous  rock,  may  still  give  the  stranger  some  notion  of 
the  flourishing  state  of  Segovia  under  the  Moorish  domina- 
tion. But  these  sink  into  insignificance  when  compared  or 
rather  contrasted  with  the  work  of  Trajan,  the  aqueduct 
with  a double  row  of  arches,  by  which  water  has  been  con- 
veyed into  the  town  for  seventeen  hundred  years.  It  con- 
sists of  a hundred  and  nine  arches,*1  the  largest  of  which  are 
nearly  ninety  feet  in  height  from  the  ground  to  the  conduit, 
and  the  length  of  the  space  which  diey  cover,  exceeds  2530 
feet.  If  Trajan  raised  a structure  so  costly,  solid  and  gigan- 
tic, it  may  be  readily  admitted  that  Segovia,  in  ancient 
times,  was  a much  more  important  place  than  it  is  at  pres- 
ent. Other  works  of  past  days  still  serve  to  recal  the  an- 
cient splendour  of  the  town ; but  sumptuous  temples  have 
given  way  to  time  or  the  more  destructive  efforts  of  ignor- 
ance and  barbarism.  The  cathedral  is  the  finest  modern 
edifice  in  the  city  ; it  was  built  in  the  sixteenth  century,  and 
its  demi-gothic  style  announces  the  period  of  the  regenera- 
tion of  art.  The  styles  of  different  periods  are  united  in  the 
Alcazar,  and  the  interior  is  not  the  least  curious  part  of  the 
building.  The  principal  stair-case  is  constructed  in  the  best 
taste,  most  of  the  apartments  are  adorned  with  carved  and 

h It  is  situated  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Rio  Arlanzon. 

‘ “ The  principal  approach  to  the  city  is  by  the  gate  of  Santa  Maria, 
which  opens  on  one  of  the  bridges  over  the  Arlanzon.” — Ed.  Encyc. 

k It  contains  159  arches.  (Townsend.) — P. 

1 A double  row  of  arches,  one  above  another,  crosses  the  valley  and 
the  plain  of  Azoquejo.  The  greatest  height  of  this  part  of  the  aque 
duct  is  eighty  feet  ten  inches.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 


1G8 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXIX. 


gilt  wood-work,  and  in  the  largest  hall  is  contained  a col- 
lection of  wooden  statues  representing  the  kings  of  Oviedo, 
Leon  and  Castile,  from  Favila  the  First  who  reigned  in  the 
eighth  century,  to  queen  Joan,  surnamed  the  Foolish,®  the 
mother  of  Charles  the  Fifth.  The  Cid  and  his  famous 
horse  Babicio  are  also  represented  ; one  may  see  too  the 
real  or  supposed  saddle  of  the  same  courser,  which  contrib- 
uted more  than  once  to  the  victories  of  its  master.  The 
pupils  in  the  royal  school  of  artillery  founded  by  Charles  the 
Third,  now  meet  in  this  ancient  edifice.  Segovia  was  for- 
merly well  known  for  its  cloth  ; it  possesses  still  a great 
many  looms,  four  fulling  mills,  and  three  large  washing 
places  for  wool. 

St.  Ildefonso  lies  at  two  leagues  from  Segovia.  Once  a 
manor  belonging  to  a society  of  monks,  it  was  purchased  by 
Philip  the  Fifth,  who  built  a palace  on  the  grounds,  to  which 
the  king  and  his  successors  repaired  in  summer.  The 
houses  near  it  form  a small  town  of  four  thousand  inhabit- 
ants. The  palace  is  of  simple  architecture,  and  within  it 
are  contained  the  best  paintings  which  Christina  of  Sweden 
collected  at  Rome.  It  may  be  said  of  the  gardens,  as  it  has 
been  said  of  those  at  Versailles,  that  art  has  conquered  na- 
ture ; the  water  which  descends  from  the  neighbouring 
heights  has  been  collected  at  a great  expense ; a thousand 
channels  supply  lakes,  cascades,  fountains  and  jets  that  rise 
above  the  trees,  and  surpass  every  thing  of  the  kind  in  Eu- 
rope ; in  short,  Philip  the  Fifth  imitating  the  prodigality  of 
his  ancestor,11  expended  45,000,000  piastres  on  his  country 
seat,  an  enormous  sum,  by  which  the  treasury  was  almost 
exhausted. 

Avila  is  the  most  southern  province  in  Old  Castile  ; the 
name  of  the  chief  town  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  province, 
and  is  derived  from  an  Arabic  word.  Avila  has  a fine  ca- 
thedral and  a college,  but  on  the  whole  it  may  be  considered 
a dismal  and  gloomy  city  encompassed  with  thick  walls. 
It  was  the  native  town  of  St.  Theresa  and  of  the  historian 
Gilles  Gonzalez  Davila. 

The  ancient  kingdom  of  Arragon  forms  a single  province, 
bounded  on  the  north  by  France,  on  the  east  by  Catalonia 
and  the  kingdom  of  Valencia,  and  on  the  west  by  Old  Cas- 
tile. Tarazona,  supposed  to  be  the  ancient  Augustobriga , 
stands  at  the  foot  of  the  Sierra  de  Moncayo,  and  is  divided 
into  the  high  and  low  town.  It  may  be  doubted  if  the  con- 
vent belonging  to  lire  Fathers  of  Mercy  is  entitled  to  the 
encomiums  that  have  been  lavished  on  its  architecture,  but 
.he  faithful  repair  to  it  that  they  may  adore  the  bodies  of  St. 
Boniface  and  St.  Eusebius.  Borja,  a small  place  at  no 
great  distance  from  Tarazona,  carries  on  a trade  in  flints, 
which  abound  in  its  neighbourhood.  Calatayud,  on  the 
oanks  of  the  Xalon,  was  built  on  the  ruins  of  Bilbilis,  the 
birth-place  of  the  poet  Martial.  Daroca  appears  to  be  the 
ancient  Agiria,  a city  of  the  Celtiberi ; a vast  cavern  in  the 
vicinity,  at  the  foot  of  the  chain  of  Moncayo,  receives  the 
torrents  that  descend  in  rainy  seasons,  and  thus  secures  the 
town  against  inundation.  Albaracin,0  of  which  the  name  is 
evidently  Arabic,  is  watered  by  the  Guadalaviar  ; it  rises  in 
a fruitful  and  romantic  valley  enclosed  by  the  mountains  of 
fdubeda  and  the  Sierra  de  Albaracin.  Teruel  near  the 
confluence  of  the  Guadalaviar  and  the  Rio  Alhambra,  an 

A *•  Jeanne  la  Folle” — so  called  from  her  insanity;  Jane  of  Castile. 

b His  grandfather,  Louis  XIV.  c Albarazin,  Albarracin,  Albarrazin. 

d Alcaniz.  e Balbastro. 

f '•  The  Mandragora  rises  near  the  little  town  of  Benavarre.” 

B Jacca.  h In  1808. 

1 Calle  Santa.  k Nucstra  Dona  del  Pilar. 


ancient  town  without  any  remarkable  buildings,  is  distin- 
guished by  the  industiy  of  its  inhabitants.  Alcaniz11  was 
built  by  the  Moors;  its  name  signifies  a treasury  in  the 
Arabic  language ; it  is  commanded  by  an  old  fortress  near 
the  Guadalupe,  and  adorned  with  a very  fine  square,  that 
leads  to  the  principal  church.  Barbastro,e  an  old  town 
encompassed  with  walls,  stands  on  the  banks  of  the  Vero,  a 
small  river  that  divides  it  into  two  parts,  which  communicate 
with  each  other  by  a stone  bridge.  The  Madragora  flows 
near  the  little  town  of  Benavarre  ;r  the  same  stream  issues 
with  a loud  noise  at  irregular  intervals  from  the  depths  of  the 
earth,  and  rushing  suddenly  into  the  neighbouring  vallies, 
destroys  the  harvest  and  the  labours  of  the  husbandman. 
Jaca,s  a strong  hold  at  the  base  of  the  Pyrenees,  is  not  more 
than  six  leagues  from  the  frontiers  of  France;  it  lies  in  a 
beautiful  valley  that  communicates  with  several  others  of 
a smaller  size.  Sos  is  only  remarkable  for  an  old  castle  in 
which  Ferdinand  the  Catholic  was  born.  Huesca,  the  an- 
cient Osca,  which  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  an  episcopal 
town  in  the  sixth  century,  is  pleasantly  situated  in  the  midst 
of  a plain,  that  extends  on  the  north  to  the  Sierra  Guara. 
The  streets  are  well  built ; the  longest  or  the  Calle  del  Co- 
so  consists  of  uniform  houses  and  different  public  buildings, 
such  as  the  cathedral,  the  consistorial  chamber,  the  univer- 
sity founded  in  the  year  1354,  the  palace  of  Count  Huaza, 
and  the  convents  of  St.  Francis  and  St.  Domingo. 

Saragossa,  the  ancient  Salduba,  was  erected  into  a mili- 
tary colony  by  Augustus  under  the  name  of  Caesar  Augusta. 
The  Spaniards  call  it  Zaragoza ; situated  almost  in  the  cen- 
tre of  Arragon,  near  the  junction  of  the  Ebro  with  the 
Huerva,  it  is  the  capital  of  the  province,  and  likely  to  be 
for  ever  memorable  in  the  annals  of  Spain  from  the  resist- 
ance it  made  against  the  French  troops, h who  took  it  by 
assault,  and  when  masters  of  the  walls,  were  obliged  to  be- 
siege the  houses.  The  bridge  of  Saragossa  consists  of  seven 
arches,  one  of  which  is  180  feet  wide.  The  Holy  street 1 is 
not  only  longer  but  broader  than  any  other  in  the  town. 
The  church  of  Our  Ladyk  is  superior  in  architectural  beauty 
to  the  cathedral,  and  also  more  celebrated  on  account  of  its 
miracles.  The  adjoining  country  has  a monotonous  appear- 
ance in  spite  of  the  most  varied  culture.  An  edifice  in  the 
neighbourhood,  the  convent  of  the  Hieronymites,  erected  in 
the  middle  ages,  exhibits  a fine  mixture  of  the  Moorish  and 
Italian  styles. 

Catalonia,  contiguous  to  France,  Arragon  and  the  king- 
dom of  Valencia,  is  bathed  on  the  east  by  die  Mediterranean. 
A mountainous  country  and  a great  extent  of  coast  appear 
to  have  had  some  influence  on  die  character  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, or  in  other  words  to  have  rendered  diem  more  indus- 
trious, more  attached  to  their  native  land,  and  consequently 
more  watchful  of  its  independence.  The  people  of  . Marca 
Hispanica,  as  the  province  w7as  then  called,  shook  off  die 
Moorish  yoke  in  the  tenth  century.  Gotholaunia , from 

which  the  word  Catalonia  has  been  derived,  was  at  the  same 
time  substituted  for  its  ancient  name.* 1  The  counts  of  Cata- 
lonia, originally  vassals  of  France,  at  length  made  themselves 
independent,  and  the  people  excited  by  their  warlike  spirit, 
carried  dieir  arms  or  their  commerce  into  most  countries  then 
known.  Lastly,  the  house  of  Catalonia  having  become 

“ In  the  tenth  century,  the  province  of  Catalonia,  which  had  been 
already  freed  from  the  Moors,  changed  its  name  of  Marca  Hispanica 
for  that  of  Gotholaunia,  from  which  the  present  name  is  derived.” 
Catalonia  was  conquered  by  the  Saracens  in  712,  but  before  the  con- 
clusion of  the  same  century  (the  eighth,)  they  were  completely  expel 
led  from  the  province  by  Lewis  the  Debonnaire. — Ed.  Encyc. — P 


book  cxxxix.j  DESCRIPT 

powerful  from  alliances,  was  able  to  unite  on  a single  head 
all  the  crowns  of  Spain.  The  activity  which  distinguishes 
the  Catalonian,  his  patience  of  labour,  his  pride  that  makes 
him  submit  to  many  privations  rather  than  become  a ser- 
vant, or  engage  in  servil » employments  in  his  native  coun- 
try, and  his  language,  a Provencal  dialect  unintelligible  to 
other  Spaniards,®  render  Catalonia  different  in  many  respects 
from  every  other  province  in  the  kingdom.  Agriculture  has 
made  greater  progress  ; trees  are  not  proscribed  as  in  some 
other  provinces ; the  woods  and  groves  near  the  towns 
heighten  the  effect  of  the  scenery,  and  afford  a grateful 
shade  against  the  heat  of  the  sun,  an  advantage  of  which 
Arragon  has  been  deprived. 

Junquera  at  the  base  of  the  Pyrenees,  the  last  Spanish 
town  towards  the  eastern  extremity  of  those  mountains,  was 
called  Juncaria  by  the  Romans  from  the  great  number  of 
rushesb  ( stipa  tenacissima),  that  grow  in  the  neighbourhood. 
The  industry  of  the  inhabitants  is  mostly  confined  to  their 
cork  manufactories,  from  which  they  derive  a considerable 
profit.  Figueras,  supposed  to  possess  the  strongest  citadel 
in  Europe,  is  regularly  built  and  situated  in  a fruitful  coun- 
try at  the  extremity  of  a range  of  hills  which  separates  the 
course  of  the  Muga  from  that  of  the  Marol.  Two  roads 
meet  in  Figueras,  one  of  which  leads  to  Rosas,  a strong 
place  on  the  coast  with  a large  but  not  very  safe  anchorage, 
and  the  other  to  Gerona,  which  the  poet  Prudentius,  a 
writer  of  the  fourth  century,  calls  the  small  and  wealthy 
town  of  Gerunda.  Little  of  its  wealth  now  remains  ; it 
stands  at  the  foot  of  a hill,  and  is  commanded  by  the 
small  fort  of  Montjoui ; ail  the  other  fortifications  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  French  in  1S08.  The  only  remarkable 
monuments  are  the  Arabic  baths  within  the  convent  of  the 
Capuchins,  and  the  cathedral  of  which  the  front  cannot  be 
too  much  commended.  There  are  soap  works  and  one  or 
two  cotton  manufactories  in  the  town. 

Urgel,  or  as  it  is  called  in  Spain,  Sco  dc  Urged,  an  epis- 
copal city,  well  known  during  the  last  Spanish  revolution  as 
the  place  where  the  apostolic  junta  assembled,  rises  in  a 
valley  near  the  Pyrenees,  on  the  banks  of  the  Segre.  Ba- 
laguer  and  its  strong'castle  are  situated  below  it  on  the  same 
river  ; it  is  the  ancient  town  of  Bergusia,  to  which  place, 
according  to  Livy,  the  Romans  sent  ambassadors  two  cen- 
turies before  the  vulgar  era,  to  persuade  the  inhabitants  to 
break  off  their  alliance  with  the  Carthaginians.  The  Se- 
gre also  waters  Lerida,  or  as  Lucan  calls  it  “ Ihrda  on  the 
peaceful  streams  of  the  Sicoris .”  Livy  calls  it  by  the  an- 
cient Greek  name  of  Athanagiu,  which  signifies  immortal. 
Lerida  rises  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  and  is  surrounded  by 
a very  fruitful  country  ; the  banks  of  the  river  are  shaded 
by  poplars  and  other  trees.  The  town  still  possesses  some 
remains  of  ancient  splendour,  among  others  the  gate  of  Los 
Botes,  a Roman  building.  Cervera,  although  the  largest  of 
the  four  towns  of  the  same  name,  is  a small  place  sur- 
rounded with  walls  and  defended  by  an  ancient  castle. 
The  university  may  be  considered  the  finest  edifice ; it  was 
founded  in  the  year  1717.  Igualada  on  the  banks  of  the 

ION  OF  SPAIN.  169 

Rio  Noya,  is  well  built ; the  inhabitants  are  frugal  and  in- 
dustrious.0 

Montserrat  rises  at  the  distance  of  five  leagues  from  the 
last  mentioned  place  ; its  numerous  peaks  tower  into  the  air, 
and  from  their  appearance  its  name  has  been  derived,  which 
signifies  the  serrated  mountain.  The  caverns  in  its  schist- 
ous and  calcareous  mass  are  remarkable  for  the  yellow  ala- 
baster deposited  within  them  in  the  form  of  stalactites.  The 
mountain  is  about  eight  leagues  in  circumference,  and  its 
summit  is  almost  always  concealed  by  clouds.  Fourteen 
hermitages  are  situated  between  the  base  and  the  top ; the 
magnificent  convent  of  the  Benedictines  is  about  half  way 
from  the  summit.  It  was  there  that  Ignatius  Loyala,  an- 
ticipating the  great  events  to  which  he  believed  himself 
called,  consecrated  his  sword  to  the  virgin.  The  Carde- 
netd  which  throws  itself  into  the  Llobregat,  flows  at  no  great 
distance  from  Montserrat ; a canal  serves  as  a communica- 
tion between  the  two  rivers,  and  runs  through  the  town  of 
Manresa,  the  inhabitants  of  which  carry  on  a trade  in  silks 
and  gun-powder.  A very  magnificent  church  may  be  seen 
on  tire  left  bank  of  the  Cardenet  ; it  was  built  by  the  Jesuits 
above  a grotto,  to  which  the  founder  of  their  order  retired, 
when  he  composed  his  Spiritual  Exercises. 

The  small  town  of  Cardona,  at  some  leagues  to  the  north 
of  Manresa,  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  ancient  Udura; 
at  present  it  is  only  remarkable  for  the  rock-salt  mines  in 
the  vicinity,  but  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  a more  splendid 
spectacle  than  these  large  open  quarries  exhibiting  saline 
deposits  nearly  four  hundred  feet  in  height,6  and  which 
when  illumined  with  the  sun’s  rays,  display  the  brilliant 
colours  of  the  rainbow.  The  strata  of  rock  salt  are  in 
some  places  as  transparent  as  crystal ; in  others  they  are 
blue  or  bright  red  or  mixed  with  greyish  clay.  The  varietv 
of  vivid  colours  gives  to  the  abrupt  sides,  the  prominences 
and  the  summits  of  this  imposing  mass,  the  only  one  of  the 
kind  in  Europe,  the  appearance  of  a mountain  of  precious 
stones,  surpassing  in  magnificence  whatever  has  been  imag- 
ined by  the  natives  of  the  east  concerning  the  abodes  of 
fairies  and  genii.  The  geological  position  of  these  salt  mines 
was  long  unknown  to  naturalists  ; but  it  has  now  been  ascer- 
tained that  the  vast  prominence  which  they  form,  in  the 
midst  of  a space  nearly  twelve  thousand  feet  in  length,  and 
fgur  thousand  in  breadth/  contains  deposits  of  gypsum  and 
clay  arranged  in  vertical  strata,  and  separating  in  some 
places  the  layers  of  salt.  These  substances,  together  with 
the  sandstone,  the  quartz  and  the  limestone  of  the  surround- 
ing mountains,  may  be  considered  as  belonging  to  the  inter- 
mediate formation. s h 

A road  from  Cardona  passes  between  frightful  precipices 
and  through  a thick  wood  at  the  end  of  which  may  be  seen 
the  romantic  town  of  Solsona/  the  Setelsis  of  Ptolemy.  1/ 
rises  near  the  extremity  of  a group  of  mountains,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rio  Negro.  The  neighbouring  districts  are  well 
cultivated,  and  the  inhabitants  of  tire  town  manufacture  cut- 
lery and  hardware.  A chain  of  mountains  connected  with 
the  Pyrenaean  range,  and  separating  the  course  of  the  Llo- 

1 A smoother  dialect  of  the  same  language  is  spoken  in  the  kingdom 
of  Valencia,  particularly  by  the  country  people. — P. 

B “ Sparte” — esparto  grass.  See  note  a p.  843. 
c Botli  of  the  two  last  towns  are  on  the  road  from  Lerida  to  Barce- 
lona. M.  B. 
d Cardonero. 

e “ 100  metres  in  height.” 
f “ 3000  metres  in  length  and  1000  in  breadth.” 
s “ — to  the  formation  of  middle  sediment  (sedimens  moyens)” — sec- 
ondary formation.  M.  Cordier  considers  the  salt  and  gypsum  as  tran- 
VOL.  TTI.— NO.  47  22 

sition,  and  the  rocks  in  the  surrounding  mountains  as  secondary 
The  salt  hill  occupies  the  centre  of  a circus  having  the  shape  of  a 
horse  shoe,  and  surrounded  by  mountains  on  every  side,  except  to 
wards  the  east,  where  it  opens  on  the  valley  of  the  Cardonero.  See  at 
abstract  of  M.  Cordier’s  memoir  in  De  la  Beche’s  Selections  of  Ge- 
ological Memoirs,  p.  52. — P. 

h See  the  memoir  on  the  rock  salt  of  Cardona,  by  M.  Cordier. 
(Journal  de  Physique,  tome  82.) 

■ Salsona. 

170 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXIX. 


bregat  from  that  of  the  Ter,  extends  between  Solsona  and 
Vich,a*  the  latter  an  ancient  town  built  on  the  ruins  of  Awsa, 
the  inhabitants  of  which  resisted  the  Romans  a hundred  and 
eighty-five  years  before  the  vulgar  era.  The  streets  are 
broad,  some  however  are  not  paved,  and  most  of  them  are 
very  steep.  The  principal  square  is  surrounded  with  ar- 
cades, and  the  shops,  coffee-houses,  and  other  places  of 
amusement  render  it  a place  of  resort  for  the  town’s  people. 
The  fertility  of  its  environs,  the  copper  and  coal  mines  in 
the  neighbouring  mountains,  and  the  linen  and  cotton  manu- 
factures within  die  walls,  maintain  the  commerce  of  the 
inhabitants. 

As  to  the  towns  on  the  coast  of  Catalonia,  Mataro,  or  as 
Pliny  calls  it  llluro,  is  the  capital  of  a maritime  department. 
It  carries  on  a considerable  coasting  trade,  and  many  ves- 
sels repair  to  the  harbour ; the  inhabitants  manufacture  a 
great  quantity  of  lace,  and  the  products  of  the  distilleries 
are  held  in  some  repute.  The  old  town  stands  on  an  emi- 
nence ; ancient  walls,  gates  and  other  remains  of  antiquity 
still  remain  ; the  streets  are  narrow,  but  not  so  crooked  as 
diose  in  many  other  Spanish  cities.  The  new  town,  formerly 
a suburb,  is  now  much  larger  than  the  old ; it  is  better 
planned  and  better  built ; the  houses  are  not  inelegant,  and 
many  of  them  are  adorned  with  fresco  paintings. 

Whether  the  stranger  travels  along  the  road  that  leads 
from  Mataro  to  Barcelona,  or  proceeds  to  the  same  capital 
by  sea,  he  is  struck  with  the  beauty  of  its  position,  die  regu- 
larity of  the  buildings,  and  the  impulse  given  to  commerce 
by  the  activity  of  the  population.  There  are  not  fewer 
than  seven  hospitals,  four  public  libraries,  eight  public  schools, b 
a seminary,  an  institution  for  the  deaf  and  dumb,  an  academy 
of  painting,  schools  of  pharmacy,  surgery  and  medicine,  and 
lastly,  a society  for  the  encouragement  of  arts  and  sciences.® 
The  buildings  set  apart  for  these  different  institutions  are 
not  unworthy  the  large  city  of  Barcelona  ; but  the  finest 
edifices  are  those  reserved  for  public  or  religious  purposes  : 
among  the  former  are  the  palace  of  audience,*1  in  which  the 
celebrated  archives  of  Arragon,  and  other  documents  con- 
nected with  that  kingdom,  as  old  as  the  eighth  century,  are 
deposited  ; the  town-house,  an  elegant  building ; the  palace 
of  the  captain-general  of  the  customs,  the  front  of  which  is 
adorned  with  two  rows  of  columns ; the  lonjn  or  exchange, 
admirable  for  the  simplicity  of  its  architecture  ; and  lastly, 
the  theatre,  perhaps  the  finest  of  the  kind  in  Spain.  The 
convent  of  Santa  Clara  is  all  that  remains  of  the  ancient 
palace  that  belonged  to  the  counts  of  Barcelona,  and  the 
kings  of  Arragon.®  The  cloister  in  the  convent  of  Mercy 
is  very  large  and  of  finished  workmanship.  The  church 
ol  St.  Michael,  once  the  temple  of  Neptune,  is  still  adorned 
with  an  ancient  Mosaic  pavement.  The  cathedral  is  a 
Gothic  building,  but  bold,  simple  and  majestic  ; an  alabas- 
ter mausoleum,  containing  the  remains  of  St.  Eulalia,  the 
tutelar  saint  of  the  city,  may  be  seen  in  a chapel  under  the 
church.  The  church  of  ‘St.  Mary  of  the  Sea  is  after  the 
cathedral,  the  finest  in  Barcelona.  It  is  not  difficult  to 
trace  the  successive  additions  made  to  the  town ; the  old 
streets  are  narrow  and  crooked,  but  the  new  are  straight ; 

1 Vicq,  Vique — Vic  (Vosgien) — Vic  de  Osona  (D’Anvillc.) — P. 

*■  “ Colleges.” 

c “ A school  of  painting,  and  another  of  belles  lettres,  a college  of 
pharmacy,  a school  of  surgery,  an  academy  of  practical  medicine,  and 
a society  of  arts  and  sciences.” 

J The  hotel  of  the  Deputation,  (La  Casa  de  la  Deputation.)  “ The 
jalaee  of  the  audience  or  deputation.” 

e The  palace  of  the  Counts  of  Barcelona  and  the  Kings  of  Arragon 


the  modern  houses  consist  of  four  or  five  stories ; they  are 
adorned  with  balconies,  and  are  mostly  constructed  with 
considerable  taste.  Many  Roman  monuments  are  still  to 
be  found  in  Barcelona ; the  ancient  city  was  called  Barcino, 
and  it  has  been  supposed,  was  founded  by  Hamilcar,  the 
ancestor^  of  Hannibal.  The  fort  of  Monjuich  or  Montjoui, 
which  guards  the  town  on  the  south,  while  the  citadel  de- 
fends it  on  the  north,  stands  on  the  site  of  a temple  dedi- 
cated to  Jupiter.  The  new  town  of  Barcelonetta  has  been 
built  near  the  mole  that  extends  into  the  sea ; it  forms 
merely  a suburb  of  Barcelona.  The  port,  although  regularly 
cleaned,  is  much  encumbered  with  ooze  and  pebbles ; it 
has  been  for  a long  time  inaccessible  to  large  ships,  an  in- 
convenience which  has  hitherto  had  little  effect  on  the  com- 
merce of  the  place  ; the  products  of  its  industry  consist  in 
cloths,  velvets,  silks,  lace  and  excellent  armour.®  The 
consequences  of  the  epidemical  disease  by  which  the  pop- 
ulation was  more  than  decimated  in  1 82 1 , are  now  almost 
forgotten. 

It  would  be  an  omission  to  say  nothing  of  the  situation 
of  Barcelona,  or  the  varied  scenery  in  the  neighbourhood, 
forming  a landscape  of  lofty  hills,  thick  woods,  precipices, 
torrents  and  foaming  cataracts,  worthy  to  be  appreciated  by 
those  who  can  find  subjects  of  study  in  the  beauties  of  na- 
ture. 

Many  monuments  of  Roman  power  are  seen  in  the 
country  betwen  the  capital  of  Catalonia  and  Tarragona  ; 
the  remains  of  an  aqueduct  near  Villa  Franca  form  a com- 
munication between  two  steep  mountains  ; the  ruins  of  an 
ancient  fortress  are  situated  near  Villa  Nova,h  and  numer- 
ous sepulchres  dug  in  rocks,  exhibiting,  if  it  may  be  so 
said,  the  impressions  of  so  many  human  bodies,  indicate 
the  site  of  Carthago  Vetus,  a town  mentioned  by  Ptolemy  ; 
a triumphal  arch  rises  beyond  the  burgh  of  Vendrell,  and 
near  Torre-dam-Barra,  a majestic  tomb,  which  according  to 
popular  tradition  contains  the  ashes  of  the  Scipios.  From 
the  last  mentioned  place  may  be  seen  Tarragona  apparently 
extending  into  the  sea,  and  which  different  antiquarians  con- 
sider Tarraco,  a place  that  in  the  time  of  the  Romans  gave 
its  name  to  the  largest  province  in  ancient  Hispania.  The 
town  stands  on  an  eminence  six  hundred  feet1  above  the 
level  of  the  sea  ; it  is  defended  by  walls  flanked  with  bastions, 
and  within  their  enclosure  are  many  ancient  monuments 
together  with  some  fine  modern  buildings.  The  Roman 
aqueduct  is  still  kept  in  good  repair ; uniting  utility  with  its 
historical  recollections,  it  furnishes  wholesome  and  limpid 
water  to  the  whole  population.  The  cathedral,  of  which 
the  architecture  appears  to  have  been  borrowed  from  the 
Moors,  is  certainly  the  largest  building  in  the  town.  Tar- 
ragona was  exposed  to  many  disasters  in  consequence  of  its 
resistance  to  the  French  armies,  but  it  has  now  become 
more  industrious  and  more  flourishing  than  formerly.  The 
harbour  begun  in  1800,  affords  at  present  an  easy  entrance 
to  ships,  and  a safe  retreat  against  every  storm.  The  wool, 
the  fisheries,  and  the  coasting  trade  of  Tarragona,  together 
with  the  commercial  relations  between  the  same  place  and 
distant  countries  are  the  guarantees  of  its  prosperity.  The 

servos  for  the  prisons  of  the  inquisition,  and  the  academy  of  medicine. 
Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

f “ A'feul,”  grandfather.  Barcelona  was  originally  founded  by  Ha- 
milcar Barcas,  the  father  of  Hannibal,  and  from  him  called  Barcino. 
(Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

s “ Armes  blanches,”  swords,  sabres,  and  other  small  arms. — Bar- 
celona has  a large  cannon  foundery,  besides  manufactories  of  muskets, 
pistols,  swords,  and  other  small  arms. — P. 

h Villa  Nueva.  ‘ “ 760  feet.” 


BOOK  CXXXIX.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SPAIN. 


171 


town  was  the  birth-place  of  Paul  Orosius,  a disciple  of  St. 
Augustine. 

Reuss,a  a place  founded  by  the  clergy  of  Tarragona, b 
was  only  a burgh  at  the  end  of  the  last  century,  but  its 
commerce  and  industry  now  place  it  among  the  number  of 
important  towns.  It  carries  on  a trade  in  glass,  and  it  pos- 
sesses a hundred  and  fifty  tan-pits,  a hundred  and  twenty 
machines  for  carding  cotton,  eighty-four  for  spinning  silk,c 
six  bleach-fields,  as  many  hat  manufactories,  fifteen  soap 
works,  and  twenty  for  different  sorts  of  dying. 

Tortosa,  the  ancient  Dertosa,  formerly  one  of  the  largest 
cities  in  Tarraconensis,  stands  near  the  southern  extremity 
of  the  province,  between  two  chains  of  mountains  on  the 
banks  of  the  Ebro.  The  Spaniards  having  taken  it  from 
the  Moors  in  the  year  1149,  the  latter  collected  a great 
force,  and  laid  siege  to  the  town  ; the  besieged  exhausted 
by  a long  resistance,  were  about  to  give  up  the  place  for 
want  of  hands  to  defend  it,  when  the  women  took  up  arms, 
and  drove  away  the  Mussulmans.  A military  ceremony  in 
which  the  women  took  precedence  of  the  men,  served  until 
lately  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  event.  Tortosa  is  at 
present  reckoned  one  of  the  strong  places  in  Spain,  and  it 
is  also  the  capital  of  a maritime  department.  The  finest  edi- 
fices in  the  town  are  the  cathedral  and  the  episcopal  palace. 

The  kingdom  of  Valencia  forms  a province  bounded  by 
Catalonia,  Arragon,  New  Castile  and  Murcia.  The  coasts 
are  more  extensive  than  those  of  Catalonia  ; the  land  yields 
rich  harvests,  and  abounds  in  mines  and  different  sorts  of 
marble. 

The  Valencian  is  not  only  laborious  and  industrious,  but 
he  possesses  a lively  imagination,  and  his  uniform  gayety  or 
cheerfulness  cannot  be  wholly  subdued  by  misfortunes. 
They  unite,  says  Fischer,** 1  the  opposite  qualities  that  are  re- 
marked in  the  inhabitants  of  the  north  and'  in  those  of  the 
south,  the  bodily  strength  of  the  Norwegian  with  the  im- 
petuosity of  the  Provenqal.  They  are  fond  of  religious 
ceremonies,  festivals,  amusements  and  every  sort  of  bodily 
exercise.  It  is  inspiring  to  see  the  ardour  with  which  they 
dance  to  the  accompaniment  of  the  tambourine  and  the 
dulzayna,  an  Arabic  instrument,  not  unlike  the  clarionet, 
used  at  present  in  no  other  Spanish  province.  Their  dia- 
lect, derived  from  the  Provencal,  although  soft  and  agreea- 
ble, particularly  in  the  mouths  of  the  women,  is  not  desti- 
tute of  energy.  The  Fiera,  a very  ancient  ballad,  which 
the  peasant  sings  to  the  sound  of  his  guitar,  expresses  the 
woes  of  love  in  harmonious  modulations  and  in  the  con- 
tinued accord  of  the  accompaniment.  A fondness  for  finery 
or  display  in  dress  is  common  to  every  class  of  people  in 
V alencia.  The  bonnets  of  the  peasantry  are  like  those  used 
by  the  ancient  Phrygians ; their  shirts  are  bound  by  a girdle, 
and  descend  in  the  form  of  a tunic  ;e  sandals  attached  with 
cords  are  worn  instead  of  shoes;  lastly,  a large  piece  of 
cloth  falls  over  tire  shoulders,  and  completes  the  costume. 
On  festival  and  gala  days  they  appear  in  velvet,  a broad  hat 
encircled  with  ribbons  protects  them  from  the  sun,  while 
their  mantles  and  buskins  are  adorned  with  strings1"  of  gold 
or  silk.  The  country  women  are  distinguished  by  their 

1 Reus.  b A.  D.  1151. 

c “ It  possesses  a glass  house,  150  tanneries,  120  machines  for  card- 
ing cotton,  84  for  spinning  ( filatures ) — ” 

d Gemrelde  von  Valencia,  herausgegeben  von  Ch.  Aug.  Fischer. 

e “ Their  shirts  are  bound  by  a girdle,  and  descend  over  their  naked 
limbs  in  the  form  of  a tunic,  or  are  confined  at  the  waist  by  loose 
drawers”  ( calzones .) 

f “ Ganses,”  loops.  g Pedro  de  Luna. 

A grotto  into  which  the  waves  are  precipitated,  and  from  which 


grace  and  gayety  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  provinces ; 
they  never  appear  without  their  veils,  and  wear  even  during 
festivals  the  same  sort  of  bodice  that  was  worn  by  their  an- 
cestors. 

The  road  from  Tortosa  leads  to  Pehiscola,  a frontier 
town  in  Valencia ; it  stands  on  a rock  that  rises  from  the 
sea  to  the  height  of  240  feet,  and  a belt  of  sand,  only  thirty 
feet  wide  in  its  narrowest  part,  unites  it  with  the  continent ; 
but  the  same  belt  was  sometimes  covered  with  water  in 
tempestuous  weather,  before  a dike  was  raised  by  the  in- 
habitants. The  town  thus  fortified  by  its  position  was  con- 
sidered impregnable  until  Marshal  Suchet  took  possession 
of  it  in  November  1811.  The  ruins  of  a church  belong- 
ing to  the  Templars  may  still  be  seen;  it  was  to  it  that  the 
antipope  Peter  Luna,s  who  had  taken  the  title  of  Benedict 
the  Thirteenth,  fled  for  safety ; he  died  in  the  same  place 
in  the  year  1423.  A natural  grotto  into  which  the  waves 
are  precipitated  with  a loud  noise,  has  been  called  the  Bu- 
fador  of  pope  Luna  in  honor  of  the  same  celebrated  person.1* 
Castellon,  surnamed  de  la  Plana,  to  distinguish  it  from  two 
other  cities  of  the  same  name,  the  one  in  Valencia,  the  other 
in  Catalonia,  is  a well  built  town  about  a league  from  the  sea, 
and  at  a short  distance  from  the  Rio  Mijares,  over  which  a 
bridge  of  thirteen  arches  has  been  lately  erected.  Francis- 
co Ribalta,  the  celebrated  painter,  was  a native  of  the  town. 
Segorbe1  has  been  considered  the  Segobriga  mentioned  by 
Pliny ; but  the  dolphins  represented  on  the  medals  of  the 
same  place  seem  to  indicate  that  the  ancient  town  of  the 
Suessetani  was  not  far  from  the  sea.k 

Valencia,  which  gives  its  name  to  the  province,  is  one  of 
the  finest  and  largest  cities  in  Spain.  The  Spaniards  still 
call  it  by  the  ancient  name  of  Valeniia ,'  but  the  antiquities 
consist  merely  of  imperfect  inscriptions  and  ijiul ilated  col- 
umns. The  Guadalaviar  passes  through  the  town  ; although 
at  no  great  distance  from  its  mouth,  it  is  very  narrow,  be- 
cause the  streams  are  diverted  and  serve  to  irrigate  the  fer- 
tile districts  watered  by  the  river.  Bridges111  lead  from  the 
town  to  the  different  suburbs.  The  cathedral,  an  ancient 
mosque,  may  be  remarked  on  account  of  a silver  altar,"  and 
the  pictures  that  adorn  the  chapels.  The  Arabic  baths,  al- 
dtough  disfigured  by  modern  additions,  enable  us  to  judge 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  Moors  laid  out  these  edifices. 
The  custom-house,  a fine  building,  forms  nearly  a side  of 
the  square  of  St.  Domingo.  The  lonja  or  exchange,  a 
Gothic  edifice  in  the  market-place,  is  crowned  by  a range  of 
battlements  rising  above  a hall  120  feet  long,  eighty  broad 
and  sixty  in  height.  The  elegance  of  the  private  houses, 
at  the  same  time  that  it  announces  the  wealth,  is  creditable 
to  the  taste  of  the  inhabitants.  The  same  town  was  the  first 
in  Spain,  in  which  serenos  were  established,  or  companies 
of  police  that  walk  the  streets  at  night,  watch  over  the  pub- 
lic safety,  and  warn  the  inhabitants  in  cases  of  fire.  These 
useful  institutions  have  been  adopted  in  all  the  large  Spanish 
towns  since  the  last  century.  Lastly,  it  was  also  the  first 
place  that  participated  in  the  benefits  oi  printing ; so  early 
as  the  year  1474,  the  inhabitants  distinguished  themselves 
in  the  new  art,  and  even  at  present  it  possesses  a decided 

they  spout  in  showers  of  spray  to  a very  great  distance,  is  called  from 
the  latter  circumstance,  El  Bufador  del  Papa  Luna , (the  blower  or 
puffer  of  Pope  Luna.)” 

* Segorba. — Tr. 

k Compare  D’Anville  with  the  work  entitled  Medullas  de  Espana  by 
P.  Florez.  » 

1 The  Spanish  orthography  is  Valencia. — P. 

m “ Five  bridges.” 

0 The  great  altar.” 


J 


172  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxix. 


superiority  in  this  respect  over  all  the  other  towns  in  the 
kingdom.  The  same  cause  may  account  in  some  measure 
for  die  rank  which  it  holds  among  the  cities  that  have  pro- 
duced celebrated  men  in  literature  and  the  arts.  The  insti- 
tutions connected  with  education  or  instruction  are  seven 
seminaries,®  an  university,  two  public  libraries,  a botanical 
garden,  a great  many  elementary  schools,  a military  school 
for  cavalry,  a royal  academy  of  liberal  arts,  and  a society  of 
agriculture  and  rural  economy.11 

Whether  a stranger  leaves  Valencia  by  the  gate  of  Serra- 
nos, of  which  the  semi-gothic  architecture  and  the  two  mas- 
sive octagonal  towers  accord  perfectly  with  the  battiemented 
walls  that  surround  the  town,  or  proceeds  by  the  triumphal 
gate,  called  the  Puerto,  del  Reed,  along  the  line  walk  of  the 
Alameda , he  is  equally  struck  with  the  beauty  of  the  coun- 
try, the  richness  of  the  cultivation,  and  the  luxuriance  of  the 
vegetation  throughout  the  whole  extent  that  the  eye  can 
reach. 

Two  places  may  be  mentioned  between  Valencia  and 
Alicante,  namely,  Gandia,  a small  maritime  town,  situated 
in  the  most  fruitful  and  finest  part  of  the  province,  and  De- 
nia,  a port  now  insignificant,  but  celebrated  in  ancient  times 
under  the  name  of  Dianium,c  from  a temple  consecrated  to 
Diana,  of  which  some  remains  may  be  observed.  Alicanted 
still  retains  an  Arabic  name ; it  is  built  near  the  site  of  the 
ancient  Lucentum,  and  extends  along  a fine  beach  under 
several  hills.  A castle  commands  the  nearest  of  these 
heights,  the  rocks  of  which  threaten  to  give  way  and  to  de- 
stroy the  town.  The  harbour  is  safe  and  commodious,  and 
the  large  and  deep  bay  might  serve  as  an  anchoring  place 
for  several  fleets.  Orilmela  near  the  confines  of  Murcia, 
occupies  the  site  of  the  ancient  Orcelis,  a town  supposed  to 
have  been  founded  by  the  Carthaginians:  it  stands  in  a 
fruitful  plain  watered  by  the  Segura,  and  at  the  base  of  a 
lofty  calcareous  hill.  Xicoua/  a place  of  some  trade/  is 
about  twelve  leagues  to  the  north-east  of  Orihuela.  Lastly, 
San  Felipe,  formerly  Xativa,  which  was  destroyed  because 
the  inhabitants  resisted  Philip  the  Fifth,  and  afterwards 
restored  by  the  same  prince,  who  gave  it  the  name  that  it 
now  bears,  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  a mountain,  on  which 
may  be  seen  an  ancient  casde,  built  first  by  the  Romans, 
and  afterwards  by  the  Goths  and  Moors.  San  Felipe  pos- 
sesses a considerable  trade  in  cotton  and  silk  manufactures, 
and  according  to  tradition,  it  occupies  die  site  of  Scetabis, 
famous  in  ancient  times  for  its  linen. 

New  Castile  forms  a large  division  of  Spain,  bounded  by 
the  kingdom  of  Valencia,  Arragon,  Old  Castile,  Estremadu- 
ra,  Andalusia  and  Murcia ; it  comprehends  the  provinces 
of  Cuenca,  Guadalaxara,  Madrid,  Toledo  and  La  Mancha. 

F ew  towns  of  any  consequence  are  situated  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Cuenca.s  San  Clemente  in  the  south,  is  one  of  the 
largest ; it  possesses  a Latin  seminary.  Huete,'* 1  a small 
and  finely  situated  town  in  the  north,  bears  the  name  of  the 
stream  that  waters  it.  Cuenca  in  the  centre,  die  ancient 
Valeria,  near  the  confluence  of  the  Huecar  and  the  Jucar, 
rises  on  a mountain  of  which  the  sides  form  lofty  precipices 
above  these  rivers.  It  contains  fourteen  churches,  two  hos- 

a “ Colleges.” 

b “ — a society  of  agriculture  and  economy” — not  of  rural  economy 
alone,  but  of  the  useful  arts.  Tho  Economical  Society  of  Valencia 
directed  its  attention  to  improving  the  silk  manufacture.  (Towns- 
end.-'— P. 

c Strabo,  Rook  III.  ch.  4,  § 6.  d Alicant.  . 

c Xixona,  Jijona. 

“ It.  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  a kind  of  sweetmeat  called 
turron” 


pitals  and  three  seminaries,1  but  it  was  formerly  more  popu- 
lous than  at  present.  It  is  the  native  town  of  the  architect 
Herrera/  and  of  the  celebrated  jesuit  Lewis  Molina,  one  of 
die  most  subtle  casuists  of  his  fraternity. 

Siguenza  in  the  province  of  Guadalaxara  contains  nothing 
remarkable  except  a Gothic  cathedral,  three  hundred  and 
thirteen  feet  long,  a hundred  and  twelve  broad,  and  as  many 
in  height.  It  was  in  ancient  times  the  Celtiberian  town  of 
Seguntia.  Guadalaxara  or  Guadalajara,  aldiough  the  capi- 
tal, is  an  old  Moorish  town,  ill  built  and  enclosed  with  walls, 
on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Rio  Henares.  It  still  possesses 
some  of  the  cloth  manufactories  in  which  its  riches  formerly 
consisted  ; the  largest  of  these  manufactories  belongs  to  the 
king,  but  their  products  are  not  in  so  great  repute  as  they 
once  were. 

Madrid,  die  capital  of  the  kingdom,  adds  considerably  to 
the  importance  of  the  province,  in  which  it  is  situated.  The 
town,  it  is  said,  was  built  near  the  site  of  Mantua ,’  a city 
belonging  to  the  Carpetani.  While  the  Goths  were  masters 
of  the  country,  it  was  a mere  village  under  the  archbishops 
of  Toledo.  It  was  included  in  the  number  of  royal  towns 
in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  obtained  the  title  of  capital  by 
a decree  of  Philip  the  Second.  It  is  higher  than  any  other 
metropolis  in  Europe,  being  1800  feetm  above  the  level  of 
the  sea,  a circumstance  that  partly  accounts  for  the  compar- 
ative coldness  of  the  temperature.  The  climate  has  some 
resemblance  to  that  in  the  nordi ; in  summer  the  heat  is 
oppressive,  the  centigrade  thermometer  reaches  often  to 
forty  degrees ; in  winter,  the  cold  is  keen  and  piercing,  and 
the  mercury  in  the  same  thermometer  descends  sometimes 
so  low  as  eight  or  ten  degrees  below  die  freezing  point. 
The  houses  are  ill  adapted  to  shelter  the  inhabitants  against 
the  cold  or  the  humidity  of  the  north  wind,  for  they  consist 
mostly  of  high  apartments,  in  many  places  not  air-tight,  and 
seldom  provided  with  a fire  or  chimney.  The  word  Madrid 
is  of  Arabic  origin,  and  signifies  a tvell-aired  house,"  but  the 
variableness  of  the  climate  gives  rise  to  phthisis,  putrid 
fevers  and  a sort  of  dangerous  colic,  which,  according  to 
many,  can  only  be  successfully  treated  by  the  physicians  of 
the  country.0  It  still  contains  some  old  houses  built  of 
wood,  and  decorated  according  to  the  ancient  custom  with 
paintings  representing  bull-fights  and  persons  in  the  costume 
of  the  sixteenth  century ; but  the  modern  quarters  of  the 
town  are  provided  with  brick  or  stone  houses  and  broad 
streets,  net  inferior  to  any  in  other  European  capitals.  The 
street  of  Alcala  is  the  largest  in  Madrid,  and  die  most  re- 
markable for  the  number  of  public  buildings ; ten  carriages 
may  pass  abreast  in  any  part  of  it.  Of  the  forty-two  squares, 
it  is  only  necessary  to  mention  the  square  of  the  Royal  Pal- 
ace, adorned  by  that  large  and  imposing  edifice  ; the  square 
of  the  sun,P  where  five  of  the  principal  streets  terminate,  and 
a place  of  resort  both  for  the  idle  and  die  busy ; and  lastly, 
the  great  square  ( Plaza  Mayor ) in  the  centre  of  the  town, 
formerly  frequented  on  account  of  the  bull-fights  and  the 
public  festivals  at  which  die  king  assisted  from  the  balcony 
of  a small  palace  that  has  been  since  converted  into  a hall 
for  the  royal  academy  of  history.  The  Cevada  is  the  place 

s Cuenca,  Cuenza.  b Hueta,  Gueta. 

> “.Colleges.”  k Juan  de  Herrera. 

1 Mantua  Carpetanorum. 

1,1 2276  feet.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — 2281  feet  Fr.  (M.  B.  Table  of  Euro 
pean  altitudes.) 

n “ Maison  du  bon  air” — a salubrious  dwelling. 

0 Fischer,  Reise  nach  Spanien. 

p Puerto  del  Sol. 


book  cxxxix.]  DESCRIPTIOl 

to  which  the  people  run  with  the  greatest  pleasure,  because 
it  is  there  that  criminals  are  executed,  but  the  most  delight- 
ful to  a real  Spaniard,  is  the  one  that  serves  as  an  arena  for 
bull-fights. 

Whoever  has  not  been  a witness  of  these  spectacles, 
where  the  blood  of  man  is  mingled  with  the  blood  of  an 
infuriated  beast,  can  form  but  an  imperfect  idea  of  them.  It 
is  still  more  difficult  to  conceive  the  ardour  with  which  the 
people,  as  well  as  men  and  women  of  the  highest  rank,  rush 
into  the  enclosure  prepared  for  these  dangerous  combats. 
The  artisan,  insensible  to  the  wants  of  his  family,  leaves  his 
work,  and  carries  his  furniture  or  best  clodies  to  a mount  of 
piety,  that  he  may  procure  a sufficient  sum  to  pay  for  his 
place  at  the  corrida .a  A surgeon  and  a priest  may  be  seen 
in  attendance  near  the  amphitheatre,  apparently  very  indiffer- 
ent about  the  passing  scene,  until  it  has  been  announced  to 
them  that  the  toreador  is  mortally  wounded,  when  the  one 
administers  the  resources  of  his  art,  and  the  other  the  conso- 
lations of  religion.  A combat  that  is  exhibited  gratuitously 
to  the  people,  serves  as  a prelude  to  the  one  for  which  the 
spectators  pay.  The  first  rays  of  the  sun  have  hardly  illu- 
mined the  horizon,  when  the  people  appear  in  crowds  at  the 
entrance  of  the  circus,  to  see  the  bull  let  loose  into  the  arena, 
where  tormented  by  a multitude  who  have  passed  the  night 
in  taverns,  in  order  to  get  a good  place  at  the  combat,  it 
often  wounds  the  fool-hardy  drunkards  that  venture  to  attack 
it,  until  the  matador  dispatches  it,  and  puts  an  end  to  the 
fight.  In  the  mean  time,  preparations  are  made  for  the 
principal  spectacle ; the  first  places  are  filled  with  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen  of  Madrid,  and  the  others  with  the  lower 
orders,  who  can  afford  to  pay  for  their  amusement.  The 
box  of  the  king  is  situated  opposite  the  gate  by  which  the 
bull  is  driven  into  the  arena,  and  another  in  front  of  the 
king’s  belongs  to  the  municipal  authorities.  Before  the 
combat  commences,  an  officer  bows  to  the  king  or  to  the 
place  reserved  for  him,  and  then  receives  his  instructions 
from  the  master  of  the  ceremonies.  The  latter  gives  the 
signal  by  throwing  up  a number  of  keys.b  The  silent  crowd 
eagerly  await  the  long  wished  moment.  The  picadores 
(prickers),  clad  in  silk  jackets,  bespangled  with  gold,  and 
adorned  with  ribbons  of  every  colour,  and  chamois  panta- 
loons lined  with  iron  from  the  heel  to  the  haunch,  armed 
with  long  and  light  spears,  and  mounted  on  horses  with  fillets 
bound  round  their  eyes,  march  in  file  to  the  accompani- 
ment of  trumpets  before  the  two  principal  boxes,  and  range 
themselves  opposite  the  gates.  The  chulos  or  tormentors  in 
the  costume  of  Figaro,  carrying  long  scarlet  scarfs,  pass 
between  the  posts  of  the  balustrade,  which  separates  the 
arena  from  the  spectators.  The  chulos  are  replaced  by  the 
matadores,  holding  a long  sword  in  one  hand,  and  the  rnule- 
ta  in  the  other,  a sort  of  small  banner  that  they  use  as  a 
buckler.  After  having  been  presented  by  a municipal  offi- 
cer to  the  prince  and  the  master  of  the  ceremonies,  they 
retire  in  the  same  order  that  they  entered. 

A flourish  of  trumpets  precedes  the  commencement  of  the 
combat.  The  gates  open,  and  the  picadores  with  couched 
lances  prepare  for  the  fight.  The  animal  springs  into  the 
enclosure,  runs  round  every  part  of  it,  and  seeks  in  vain  to 
escape.  The  appearance  of  twelve  or  fifteen  thousand  per- 
sons waving  their  handkerchiefs  and  their  hats,  and  the 
shouts  of  joy  that  accompany  its  entrance,  frighten  or  enrage 
it.  It  strikes  the  earth  with  its  horns,  beats  its  tail  against 

V OF  SPAIN.  173 

its  sides,  and  attacks  one  of  the  picadores,  who  receives  it 
with  his  lance,  supporting  it  with  all  his  strength  against  the 
shoulder0  of  the  animal ; but  as  the  iron  point  at  the  end  of 
the  lance  can  only  gall  the  bull,  it  becomes  more  furious, 
and  rushes  successively  against  each  of  the  picadores.  If 
the  men  are  not  very  dexterous,  or  if  their  lances  break, 
they  are  dismounted,  and  their  gored  horses  fall  dead  on  the 
arena.  The  horsemen  themselves,  although  their  limbs  are 
covered  with  plates  of  iron,  might  also  be  destroyed,  if  the 
chulos  did  not  run  forward  and  turn  away  the  animal  by 
waving  their  silken  banners.  When  a sufficient  number  of 
horses  have  been  killed,  the  picadores  retire  and  give  place 
to  the  chulos,  to  whom  the  perilous  task  is  committed  of 
plunging  the  banderilla  into  the  body  of  the  animal,  at  the 
junction  of  the  neck  and  shoulders.  The  banderilla  is  a 
small  staff  about  two  feet  long,  furnished  at  one  extremity 
with  a bent  spike,  and  at  the  other  are  attached  many  squibs 
and  crackers.d  The  light  banderillero  places  himself  in  front 
of  the  animal,  passes  his  arm  between  the  horns,  and  fixes 
the  banderilla,  but  if  he  miss  his  mark,  he  is  infallibly 
wounded  or  tossed  into  the  air  by  his  furious  adversary, 
while  shouts  of  viva  are  a thousand  times  repeated  by  the 
crowd.  Tormented  by  the  iron  and  the  fire,  the  bull  bel- 
lows, bounds,  turns  and  fights  with  desperate  fury,  when 
a flourish  of  trumpets  announces  its  approaching  fate.  As- 
sisted by  four  chulos,  the  matador  holding  in  one  hand  a 
drawn  sword,  and  in  the  other  an  unfurled  mideta,  presents 
himself  with  great  gravity.  The  flag  which  he  displays 
attracts  the  attention  of  the  animal ; the  two  adversaries  look 
at  each  other  an  instant,  the  one  to  satisfy  its  fury,  the  other 
to  ward  off  its  attacks.  The  spectators  are  all  attention ; 
the  bull  springs  forward,  but  only  tearing  the  light  silk,  passes 
under  the  left  arm  of  the  matador,  who  with  his  right  hand 
strikes  the  sword  into  its  withers,  and  separating  two  verte- 
brae, dispatches  his  victim  at  a single  blow.  The  victor  is 
then  hailed  with  the  applauses  of  the  whole  assembly,  and 
if  he  has  the  address  not  to  leave  hold  of  his  sword  until  he 
presents  it  to  the  people,  the  ladies  crown  him  with  flowers, 
and  the  gentlemen  load  him  with  piastres.  But  if  the  ma- 
tador strikes  the  animal  in  any  other  place  than  that  pre- 
scribed by  die  rules  of  art,  so  that  it  does  not  die  instantly 
on  the  spot,  hisses  and  groans  are  bis  only  reward.  If  the 
bull  kills  one  matador,  the  people  continue  shouting  bravo, 
until  it  falls  by  the  hand  of  another.  These  sanguinary 
spectacles,  not  unknown  in  the  most  remote  antiquity,  and 
common  in  the  days  of  chivalry,  have  retained  something  of 
the  barbarous  gallantry  of  the  middle  ages ; the  matador 
presents  with  much  grace  to  his  mistress  or  to  a noble  dame 
in  the  assembly,  the  ribbons  placed  on  the  back  of  the  ani- 
mal to  indicate  the  colour  of  its  breed.  These  representa- 
tions, however  solemnly  conducted,  impress  the  stranger 
with  no  favourable  idea  of  Spanish  civilization  ; for  the  peo- 
ple are  not  satisfied  until  ten  or  twelve  bulls  and  about  twenty 
horses  have  fallen ; indeed,  as  a writer  who  resided  long  in 
Spain,  and  was  frequently  a witness  of  these  spectacles, 
affirms,  the  combat  can  hardly  be  considered  complete  un- 
less a matador  has  lost  his  life.  But  these  accidents  do  not 
happen  so  often  as  might  be  expected,  fortunately  for  those 
not  familiar  with  such  scenes,  or  who  do  not  think  the  death 
of  a man  a very  agreeable  spectacle. 

Madrid  wras  bombarded  in  1808  by  Napoleon,  who 
adopted  that  method  of  compelling  the  people  to  acknowl- 

a Corrida  de  toros , bull-fight. 

b — “ by  throwing  to  the  officer  the  keys  of  the  gates  by  which  the 
bulls  are  let  into  the  arena.”  c “ Oinoplate,”  shoulder-blade. 

d “ A small  flag,  wilh  a staff  about  two  feet  long,  armed  with  a very 
sharp  barb,  and  furnished  with  crackers,  which  are  lighted  by  a piece 
of  tinder  the  moment  it  is  inserted  in  the  animal.” 

EUROPE. 


174 

edge  the  title  of  king  of  Spain  and  the  Indies,  which  he  had 
conferred  on  his  brother.  The  same  brother  of  the  emperor 
adorned  and  improved  the  capital  of  Spain.  It  was  he  who 
levelled  with  the  ground  the  old  houses  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  new  palace,  and  rendered  the  edifice  wor- 
thy of  being  ranked  among  the  finest  royal  residences  in 
Europe.  The  interior  is  decorated  with  valuable  paintings, 
and  the  twelve  mirrors  in  the  king’s  halla  are  said  to  be  the 
largest  on  the  continent.  The  royal  arsenal  rises  near  the 
principal  front  of  the  palace,  and  an  elegant  arcade  extends 
along  its -eastern  extremity.  This  building  contains  a rich 
collection  of  ancient  armour,  among  which  that  of  queen  Isa- 
bella is  still  preserved ; but  M.  Reichard,  who  mentions 
among  its  curiosities  the  sword  of  Francis  the  First, b has 
forgotten  that  it  was  the  only  trophy  retained  by  Napoleon, 
of  all  the  victories  which  he  gained  in  Spain.  The  royal 
library,  valuable  from  its  manuscripts,  medals  and  antiquities, 
contains  150,000  volumes.  The  royal  museum  of  natural 
history,  and  the  royal  academy  of  San  Fernando,  founded 
by  Philip  the  Fifth,  are  situated  in  the  street  of  Alcala.  M. 
Mariano  de  Cabrerizo,  a Spanish  writer,  has  added  the  au- 
thority of  his  name  to  a popular  fiction,  in  affirming  that  the 
French  took  away  whatever  was  most  precious  in  the  muse- 
um of  natural  history  to  enrich  their  own  in  Paris.  The 
Paris  museum  need  not  be  augmented  with  the  fabulous 
spoils  which  the  author  enumerates,  for  if  the  skeleton  of  the 
Mastodon  be  excepted,  it  is  as  much  superior  to  the  other 
in  the  number  and  selection  of  the  different  articles,  and  in 
the  order  in  which  they  are  classed,  as  it  is  to  the  different 
museums  in  the  French  departments.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
mention  the  places  of  education  at  Madrid,  not  because  they 
are  insufficient  in  point  of  number,  but  because  the  sphere 
of  their  utility  is  very  limited.  The  charitable  institutions 
are  more  important ; they  are  richly  endowed,  and  the 
buildings  reserved  for  them  are  spacious  and  cleanly  kept. 
In  the  general  hospital,  the  largest  in  Madrid,  many  unfor- 
tunate persons  receive  every  sort  of  assistance,  and  in  cases 
of  disease,  the  best  medical  treatment  the  capital  can  afford. 
The  churches  are  less  remarkable  for  their  architecture  than 
for  the  number  of  their  paintings. 

Madrid  is  not  more  than  two  leagues  and  a half  in  circum- 
ference ; the  public  walks  are  the  garden  of  the  Retiro,0 
Las  Delicias  and  the  Prado,  the  last  a very  fine  plantation, 
in  which  the  principal  avenue  is  often  crowded  with  equi- 
pages, while  the  odters  serve  as  a place  of  resort  for  the 
burgesses.  Two  monuments,  not  unworthy  of  any  capital, 
may  be  mentioned ; these  are  the  triumphal  arch  of  AlcalaJ 
and  the  gate  of  Toledo  ; the  former,  like  the  gates  of  Ato- 
cha  and  Segovia,  leads  to  pleasant  walks  beyond  the  walls, 
and  the  latter  to  the  majestic  bridge  over  the  Manzanares. 
In  summer  the  river  may  be  easily  forded,  which  accounts 
for  the  advice  of  a jester,  who  counselled  the  king  to  sell  the 
bridge,  and  purchase  water  with  the  money ; but  in  winter 
the  abundant  rains,  and  in  spring  the  sudden  melting  of  the 
snow  accumulated  on  the  mountains,  add  so  much  to  the 
breadth  and  impetuosity  of  its  course,  that  the  bridge  is  nei- 
ther too  long  nor  too  solid. 

The  Spanish  metropolis  is  a place  of  trade  and  industry ; 

1 Salon  de  los  Rcynos,  the  hall  of  kingdoms — the  audience  chamber 
^Townsend.) — P. 

b See  the  Traveller's  Guide  through  Europe  by  Reichard.  (Fr. 
Trans.)  1827. 

c Ruen  Retiro.  <*  The  gate  of  Alcala. 

• “ On  the  left  bank  of  the  Manzanares,  above  Madrid,  is  the  pleas- 
ant country  seat,  called  the  Prado — ” 

f Alcala  de  Henares — “ situated  opposite  the  site  of  Complutum .” 


[BOOK  CXXXIX. 

the  inhabitants  manufacture  woollen  stuffs  of  every  colour, 
carpets,  silks,  printed  linen  and  muslins ; government  keeps 
up  at  a great  expense  very  extensive  porcelain  works ; lastly, 
a fair  is  held  in  the  town,  which  lasts  from  the  21st  of  Sep- 
tember to  the  4th  of  October. 

Madrid  stands  in  the  midst  of  a sandy  and  sterile  plain, 
surrounded  with  mountains ; but  in  the  neighbourhood  some 
places  are  not  destitute  of  beauty.  The  Manzanares  waters 
the  Prado,  the  much  admired  palace,6  where  Philip  the 
Fourth  found  the  duchess  of  Albuquerque,  his  mistress,  in 
the  arms  of  the  duke  of  Medina  de  las  Torres.  Kings,  like 
other  men,  are  liable  to  such  accidents,  but  Philip  bore  it 
not  with  becoming  moderation,  and  the  lovers  might  have 
speedily  atoned  for  their  crime  with  their  lives,  had  not  the 
royal  rage  been  restrained  by  an  attendant. 

F ew  other  towns  of  any  consequence  are  situated  in  the 
same  province.  The  ancient  Complutum  was  ruined  in  the 
tenth  century ; Alcala/  however,  at  no  great  distance  from 
it  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Henares,  is  celebrated  not 
only  for  its  university,  the  next  in  importance  after  the  one 
at  Salamanca,  but  also  on  account  of  several  distinguished 
townsmen,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  the  historian 
Antonio  Solis,  the  naturalist  Bustamente  de  la  Camara  and 
the  immortal  Cervantes.  In  a different  direction  or  at  the 
distance  of  eight  leagues  to  the  north-west  of  Madrid,  is  sit- 
uated the  town  of  Escurial  de  Abajo,  an  ecclesiastical  burgh, 
of  which  the  lands  belong  to  the  Hieronymites,  for  whom 
the  superstitious  Philip  the  Second  built  the  Escurial,?  an  im- 
mense edifice,  at  once  a monastery  and  a palace.  The 
Spanish  word  escorial  signifies  an  exhausted  mine.  It  is  not 
improbable,  therefore,  that  there  was  formerly  some  sort  of 
mine  in  the  place,  or  that  the  name  was  applied  to  indicate  the 
great  size  of  the  building,  and  the  enormous  quantity  of  gran- 
ite used  in  the  construction,  the  working  of  which  has  formed 
not  merely  a quarry,  but  a valley,  that  from  its  extent  might  be 
compared  with  the  works  of  nature.h  The  building  forms  a 
rectangle  seven  hundred  and  forty  feet  in  length,  and  five  hun- 
dred and  eighty  in  breadth ; the  height  from  die  base  to  the 
cornice  is  not  less  than  sixty  feet.  The  superstitious  Philip, 
terrified  after  having  lost  the  battle  at  St.  Quentin,  and  not 
knowing  to  which  of  the  saints  he  should  address  his  vows, 
swrore  if  on  any  future  day,  he  should  retrieve  his  lost  for- 
tunes, to  raise  the  most  magnificent  convent  in  the  world  to 
the  saint  whose  name  then  appeared  in  the  calendar.  Hav- 
ing gained  a victory  with  the  assistance  of  the  English,  he 
hastened  to  perform  his  vows ; the  day  on  which  he  was 
successful,  was  the  anniversary  of  the  saint  and  martyr  Lo- 
renzo / a site  for  die  building  was  therefore  chosen  near  the 
village  of  San  Lorenzo.  The  saint  had  been  burnt  to  death 
on  a gridiron,  and  that  circumstance  determined  the  form 
of  the  edifice  ; gridirons  appear  in  profusion  among  the 
architectural  ornaments,  and  figures  of  the  same  instrument 
are  sewed  or  embroidered  on  the  sacerdotal  habits.  Four 
towers,  each  two  hundred  and  sixty  feet  high,  erected 
at  the  four  angles  of  the  building,  represent  the  feet  of  the 
gridiron,  the  apartments  reserved  for  the  king  form  the  han- 
dle, and  die  eleven  square  courts  into  which  the  interior  is 
divided,  indicate  the  spaces  between  the  iron  bars.  This 

The  Biblia  Complutensia,  a splendid  edition  of  the  Bible,  was  printed 
in  Alcala,  J512 — 1517. — P.  s Span.  Escorial. 

h We  have  adhered  to  the  proper  meaning  of  the  word  Escorial,  but 
M.  Minano  supposes  the  name  of  the  palace  to  be  derived  from  the 
i Latin  word  esciilelnm.  a forest  of  oaks,  in  allusion  to  the  lofty  trees, 
that  formerly  shaded  the  solitude  of  San  Lorenzo.  See  Diccionario 
Geografico-estadistieo  de  EspaiSa  y Portugal,  art.  Escorial. 

I  *  * St.  Lawrence. 


book  cxxxix.,  DESCRIPTION  OF  SPAIN.  175 


wonder  of  Spain,  as  it  has  been  called,  cost  the  founder 
L.2. 500,000,®  but  the  same  wonder  is  one  of  the  most 
gloomy  and  dismal  residences  that  can  well  be  imagined. 
The  pictures  that  decorate  the  apartments,  the  chapeP  that 
serves  as  a place  of  interment  for  the  royal  family,  the  rel- 
ics and  the  gardens,  may  be  passed  over  in  silence.  The 
library  contains  nearly  30,000  volumes,  and  more  than  4000 
Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew  and  Arabic  manuscripts. 

The  indolence  and  apathy  of  the  Castilians  are  more  ap- 
parent in  the  province  of  Madrid  than  in  any  other.  It  may 
be  natural  for  the  inhabitants  themselves  to  be  of  a different 
opinion,  but  how  else  can  they  account  for  the  small  number- 
of  manufactories,  and  particularly  for  the  inferior  quality  of 
their  products  ? The  places  in  the  vicinity  of  the  capital 
do  not  resemble  those  near  the  other  great  cities  in  Europe  ; 
the  same  movement  and  activity  so  apparent  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  London  or  Paris  can  nowhere  be  observed.  It 
is  only  necessary  to  leave  Madrid  to  be  transported  from  the 
opulence  and  luxury  of  the  capital  to  the  wretchedness  and 
misery  that  prevail  in  the  country.  The  character  given 
some  time  ago  of  the  Castilian  peasantry  by  a German  trav- 
eller,® is  equally  applicable  to  them  at  present ; revolutions 
continued  with  little  interruption  for  a period  of  thirty  years 
have  made  no  alteration  in  their  manners  and  habits.  The 
instruments  of  labour,  their  dress,  and  then-  food,  proclaim 
the  poverty  and  ignorance  in  which  they  are  suffered  to  lan- 
guish. Inveterate  prejudice  opposes  itself  to  every  improve- 
ment in  agriculture  and  the  mechanical  arts.  But  this  is  not 
all ; the  disgust,  which  the  sight  of  so  wretched  a population 
produces,  is  heightened  by  their  filth ; for  from  the  dear 
price  of  linen,  the  trouble  of  washing  it,  and  the  notion  that 
it  is  sooner  worn  out  by  being  washed,  the  men  never 
change  their  shirts  more  than  once  a month.  The  neces- 
sary consequences  of  the  custom  are  a degree  of  uncleanli- 
ness that  occasions  cutaneous  diseases  and  the  excessive 
multiplication  of  vermin.  It  is  usual,  not  only  in  villages  but 
in  the  populous  parts  of  great  towns,  to  see  men  and  women 
destroying  the  vermin  which  they  find  on  each  other. 

The  siesta,  a custom  perhaps  necessary  from  the  heat  of 
the  climate,  has  been  adopted  since  time  immemorial  in 
every  part  of  Spain.  At  Madrid,  the  shopkeepers  shut  their 
shops  from  one  to  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon ; die  work- 
men leave  their  work ; all  the  inhabitants  are  asleep.  In 
the  evening,  on  die  contrary,  all  are  eager  to  enjoy  the  cool 
air ; those  who  are  idle,  hasten  to  the  public  walks ; die 
cortejos  or  gallants  accompany  the  fair,  and  are  continually 
engaged  in  performing  those  assiduous  and  minute  attentions, 
which  seldom  fail  to  please  a Spanish  lady.  Such  atten- 
tions the  women  of  Spain  consider  indispensable  ; it  is  cer- 
tain, they  have  the  art  of  captivating  die  men,  and  binding 
them  when  once  subdued  in  chains  that  are  only  broken 
by  length  of  years.  The  bonds  imposed  by  the  women,  and 
the  innumerable  services  they  exact,  not  the  vigilance  of  the 
police,  have  kept  Madrid  comparatively  pure  from  die  scan- 
dal of  prostitution. 

The  towns  in  the  province  of  Toledo  are  none  of  diem 
distant  from  the  banks  of  the  Tagus.  The  small  town  of 
Talavera  de  la  Reyna  is  situated  below  the  confluence  of 
the  Tagus  and  the  Alberche ; the  streets  are  crooked  and 


ill  built ; it  appears  probable  from  many  remains  of  anti- 
quity that  it  was  the  ancient  Libor  a.  It  boasts,  of  having 
given  birth  to  the  jesuit  Mariana,  celebrated  as  an  historian, 
and  to  the  learned  agricultural  writer,  Alonzo  de  Herrera.** 1 
This  town  has  gained  some  celebrity  by  the  battle  fought 
under  its  walls,  between  the  French  and  Anglo-Portuguese 
armies,  on  the  27th  and  28th  of  July  1809. 

Sylva,  a Spanish  historian,  whose  etymological  researches 
are  very  frivolous,  supposes  that  Toledo  was  founded  five 
hundred  and  forty  years  before  the  Christian  era  by  a Jew- 
ish colony,  that  called  the  town  ToJedath  or  the  mother  of 
nations.® f The  Tagus,  which  flows  beneath  the  town  amidst 
arid  and  naked  rocks,  the  Moorish  bridge  over  the  same 
river,  the  elegant  gate  built  by  the  Arabs,  and  the  position 
of  the  town  on  a granite  rock,  form  a sad  contrast  with  the 
interior,  where  the  only  remarkable  edifices  are  the  cathe- 
dral, an  ancient  mosque,  and  the  Alcazar,  built  by  the 
Moors,  repaired  by  Alphonso  the  Tenth,  and  embellished 
by  Charles  the  Fifth,  and  the  Cardinal  Lorenzana.  These 
edifices  rise  majestically  above  old  buildings,  and  tortuous 
and  dirty  streets.  The  royal  residence  of  Aranjuez,  nearly 
seven  leagues  above  Toledo,  is  surrounded  with  extensive 
and  magnificent  gardens;  the  Tagus  washes  the  castle  wall, 
and  forms  a cascade  down  an  artificial  terrace  as  broad  as 
the  space  between  the  banks.  A small  town,  built  with 
scrupulous  exactness  after  a plan  laid  down  by  government, 
rises  near  the  palace. 

The  southern  part  of  New  Castile  forms  the  province  of 
La  Mancha,  in  which  three  cities  are  contained,  namely, 
Alcaraz,  Almagro  and  Ciudad-Real,  the  capital.  In  the 
first,  which  stands  on  an  eminence  near  the  banks  of  the 
Guadarmena,  are  seen  the  remains  of  a Roman  aqueduct 
The  second,  situated  in  a very  fertile  part  of  the  province, 
indicates  by  its  name  an  Arabic  origin  ; many  persons  from 
different  parts  of  the  kingdom,  repair  to  its  fair,  which  is 
held  every  year  on  St.  Bartholomew’s  day.  Ciudad-Real, 
famous  for  the  tribunal  of  the  Santa  Hermandad estab- 
lished by  Ferdinand  the  Third  in  1249,  was  also  important 
for  its  manufactories  and  the  number  of  its  inhabitants.  It 
contains  three  hospitals  and  a fine  church  dedicated  to  the 
virgin  of  Prado, h the  tutelar  saint  of  the  town. 

Leaving  the  fruitful  but  ill-cultivated  territory  of  La  Man- 
cha, its  plains  destitute  of  trees,  its  marshes  and  its  pastures 
covered  with  flocks,  we  now  enter  Estremadura.  The 
name  of  the  province  is  derived  from  the  two  Latin  words, 
Extrema  ora;  indicating  it  to  have  formed  the  boundary  of 
the  conquests  gained  by  Alphonso  the  Tenth  in  the  thirteenth 
century.  The  western  extremity  of  the  province  still-  forms 
the  boundary  between  Portugal  and  Spain.  The  Tagus 
and  the  Guadiana  flowing  parallel  to  each  other  from  east  to 
west,  divide  Estremadura  into  three  portions,  and  the  moun- 
tains of  Mames  and  Montanches  into  two  nearly  equal  parts. 
During  the  Roman  empire  it  was  the  richest  country  in 
Spain,  but  now,  the  poorest  and  the  worst  peopled. 

The  inhabitants  of  Estremadura  are  more  taciturn  and 
grave  than  the  other  Spaniards,  qualities  which  depend  less 
perhaps  on  their  physical  constitution  than  on  the  nature  of 
the  country  they  inhabit ; steep  mountains,  rapid  rivers  and 
the  want  of  roads  are  so  many  barriers  to  communication. 


a “ More  than  60,000,000  francs.” 
b Called  the  Pantheon. 
c Fischer,  Reise  nach  Spanien.  [1797.] 

d Gabriel  Alphonso  Herrera,  born  at  Talavera  in  the  16th  cent.,  au- 
thor of  a work  entitled  : Libro  de  Agric.ultuni , Toledo,  1520,  fol.  (Beau- 
vais, Diet.  Hist.) — P. 


e See  the  Dictionary  of  Minano,  who  gives  it  the  same  origin. 

1 Toledo  was  the  Toletum  of  the  Romans. 

s The  Holy  Brotherhood — a fraternity  instituted  for  the  suporession 
of  robberies. — P. 
h Virgen  del  Prado. 


176  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxix 


Thus,  the  Estremaduran,  completely  isolated,  becomes  re- 
gardless of  his  welfare,  and  careless  about  improving  his 
condition  ; hence  his  habitual  indolence,  the  blame  of  which, 
however,  ought  not  to  be  imputed  to  himself,  but  rather  to 
the  Spanish  government.  If  the  Estremadurans  were  ex- 
cited by  the  hopes  of  wealth,  or  any  stimulus  of  the  same 
sort,  they  might  be  active,  enterprising,  and  indefatigable ; 
for  no  other  people  are  more  patient  of  labour,  none  braver 
in  war ; the  best  horsemen  in  the  Spanish  army  are  natives 
of  Estremadura. 

Plasencia  on  the  banks  of  the  Gertes  is  the  capital  of  a 
district,  and  has  at  a distance  the  appearance  of  a fine  town ; 
the  old  walls  in  a state  of  tolerable  preservation,  six  gates, 
five  hospitals,  an  episcopal  palace,  and  particularly  the  aque- 
duct composed  of  eighty  arches,  are  the  principal  ornaments. 
The  Roman  inscriptions  and  other  ancient  remains  in  the 
same  place  attest  its  antiquity,  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  it 
bore  in  ancient  times  the  name  of  Ambracia  or  Deobriga. 
Coria,  encompassed  with  walls,  in  which  the  architecture  of 
the  Romans  may  be  easily  discovered,  was  without  doubt 
the  ancient  Caurium , a place  mentioned  by  Ptolemy,  al- 
though a Spanish  author  supposes  its  name  to  be  of  Arabic 
origin.3  The  situation  of  Coria  on  a hill,  the  church  and 
the  old  dungeon,  which  are  larger  than  any  other  buildings, 
give  it  an  imposing  appearance. 

Alcantara,  another  chief  town  of  a district,  received  its 
present  name  from  the  Arabians  ; it  signifies  the  bridge,  for 
when  these  foreigners  took  possession  of  the  town,  they  were 
struck  with  the  fineness  of  the  Roman  bridge  over  the  Ta- 
gus ; that  magnificent  monument  of  Trajan’s  reign  has  re- 
sisted the  effects  of  time  and  political  commotions.  It  rises 
to  the  height  of  211  feet  10  inches  above  the  river;  it  is 
equal  in  breadth  to  27  feet  6 inches,  and  in  length  to  568 
feet.1’  Of  the  six  arches  the  two  in  the  centre  are  94  feet 
wide.®  A triumphal  arch  with  an  inscription  in  honour  of 
Trajan  rises  in  the  centre,  and  a mausoleum  constructed  by 
the  Roman  architect  for  his  cemetery  stands  at  the  extremi- 
ty towards  the  town.  The  same  mausoleum  owes  its  pres- 
ervation to  the  enormous  stones  of  which  it  is  built ; having 
been  changed  into  a small  chapel  consecrated  to  St.  Julian, 
it  is  at  present  an  object  of  veneration  both  to  the  towns-peo- 
ple  and  the  peasantry.  The  town  was  well  known  in  the 
thirteenth  century,  when  it  became  the  metropolis  of  the 
military  order  of  Calatrava,  which  then  assumed  the  title  of 
the  order  of  Alcantara.  The  edifice  belonging  to  these 
knights  may  still  be  seen ; it  stands  in  the  highest  part  of 
the  city.  Alcantara,  with  the  exception  of  its  antiquities, 
contains  nothing  remarkable  ; indeed  it  might  be  difficult  to 
explain  the  causes*  of  its  importance  when  subject  to  the 
Romans,  but  it  must  have  been  a place  of  considerable  con- 
sequence, since  the  inhabitants  were  able  to  build  the  bridge 
and  other  monuments  which  are  now  in  ruins.  Different 
opinions  are  entertained  concerning  the  ancient  name  of 
Alcantara,  but  it  was  probably  the  JVorba  Ccesarea,  which 
Pliny  calls  JYnrbonensis  Colonial 

Several  small  towns  are  situated  on  the  sides  or  at  tire 
base  of  a range  of  mountains  that  extends  from  the  Tagus 
to  the  Sierra  de  Montanches.  Of  these  towns  Caceres  is 
the  most  important,  the  capital  of  a district,  and  the  ancient 
Castra  Ccecilia.  A statue  erected  to  the  genius  of  Augus- 

a M.  Minano,  Diccionario  Geografico-estadistico. 

b “ 576  feet  11  inches” — The  other  measurements  in  the  translation, 
are  those  of  the  original. — P. 

c Al.  de  Laborde,  Voyage  pittoresque  et  historique  de  l’Espagne. 


tus,  serves  still  to  adorn  the  market  place.  Trujillo,®  the 
chief  town  of  another  district,  was  the  Roman  city  of  Tur- 
ns Julia , and  the  birth-place  of  the  famous  Pizarro.  Me- 
rida, now  an  insignificant  town,  was  formerly  the  most  flour- 
ishing of  the  Roman  colonies  ; as  the  epoch  of  its  origin  is 
unknown,  the  Spaniards  attribute  its  foundation  to  Tubal, 
and  affirm  that  it  was  first  called  Morat,  a name,  according 
to  their  own  confession,  derived  from  a Greek  word,  which 
may  either  signify  a mulberry  tree  or  a tribe / for  it  admits 
of  a double  etymology.  It  cannot,  however,  be  denied  that 
it  was  called  Emerita  Augusta  by  Augustus,  when  he  gave 
it  to  his  soldiers  as  a recompense  for  their  valour.  At  the 
time  of  its  splendour,  it  was  nearly  six  leagues  in  circum- 
ference ; the  majestic  remains,  which  it  still  possesses,  are 
the  best  proofs  of  its  past  prosperity,  and  form  almost  the 
only  inducement  for  the  stranger  to  visit  it.  Merida  rises 
on  the  declivity  of  a hill  on  the  banks  of  the  Guadiana ; the 
old  bridge  over  the  river  has  been  attributed  to  Trajan ; al- 
though of  very  different  dimensions,  it  is  not  less  remarka- 
ble than  the  one  at  Alcantara  for  its  solidity  and  fine  preser- 
vation. It  consists  of  sixty  arches,  which  extend  to  the 
length  of  two  thousand  eight  hundred  feet  on  a breadth  of 
twenty-three.  Another  Roman  bridge,  in  a very  entire 
state,  bears  the  name  of  Puente  de  Albaregas.  Beyond 
the  walls  are  situated  a theatre,  a naumachia,  a circus,  the 
remains  of  three  aqueducts,  and  four  Roman  ways.  The 
town  itself  is  little  inferior  to  any  in  Italy  in  the  number  of 
its  monuments  ; within  the  walls  may  be  seen  a fine  trium- 
phal arch,  the  ruins  of  several  temples,  columns,  capitals, 
Roman  inscriptions  and  other  remains  now  used  in  building 
houses. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Guadiana,  nearer  its  mouth  and  to- 
wards the  extremity  of  the  province,  is  situated  Badajos,s  the 
capital,  and  the  ancient  Pax  Augusta , of  which  the  Arabic 
name  Beledaix  denotes  a salubrious  country.  Very  differ- 
ent from  Merida,  it  contains  no  monument  of  past  magnifi- 
cence ; a modern  bridge,  however,  the  work  of  Philip  the 
Second,  may  vie  with  the  ancient  bridges  in  Emerita  Augus- 
ta ; it  is  formed  by  twenty-eight  arches,  equal  in  length  to 
1874  feet,  and  in  breadth  to  twenty-three.  The  cathedral 
is  adorned  with  fine  paintings  by  Mateo  Cerezo  and  Mo- 
rales, the  latter  of  whom  was  born  in  the  town.  Olfvenza, 
a fortified  town,  was  ceded  to  Spain  in  1801,  but  in  maps 
published  since  that  period,  it  is  marked  by  mistake  in  the 
kingdom  of  Portugal.  Zafra,  a small  town,  remarkable  for 
the  beauty  of  its  situation,  rises  in  the  valley  of  Telares. 
Lastly,  Llerena,  the  chief  town  of  a district,  appears  to 
have  been  the  ancient  Regiana.  It  stands  in  a plain  cov- 
ered with  olive  trees,  and  commanded  by  the  mountains  of 
San  Miguel  and  San  Bernardo,  continuations  of  the  Sierra 
Morena.  At  a short  distance  from  the  town  are  the 
fruitful  pastures  of  St.  Martin,  on  which  numerous  flocks 
and  several  thousand  oxen  are  fattened. 

The  fruitful  province  of  Andalusia  is  bounded  by  the 
kingdom  of  Algarva,  Estremadura,  New  Castile,  Murcia 
and  the  Mediterranean ; but  before  describing  it  more  mi- 
nutely, it  may  be  as  well  to  examine  the  Sierra  Morena, 
formerly  the  retreat  of  the  most  intrepid  bandits,  and  the 
terror  of  travellers,  until  a French  engineer  traced  the  fa- 
mous road  from  Madrid  to  Cadiz.  A tribute  of  praise  too 

d Norhensis  Colonia.  Plin.  Nat.  Hist.  L.  IV.  c.  22. — P. 

e Truxillo. 

f 6 ftoooc,  a portion  or  division — <5  fio^o c and  to  i<ooov,  a mulberry. — l' 

6 Badajoz. 


BOOK  CXXXIX.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SPAIN. 


177 


may  be  offered  to  the  memory  of  a sage  and  philanthropist ; 
nay  the  traveller  who  crosses  these  mountains,  may  probably 
inquire  by  what  fatality  men  entitled  to  the  gratitude  and 
reward  of  their  country  have  so  often  suffered  persecution 
and  disgrace. 

The  mountains  of  the  Sierra  Morena,  inhabited  and  cul- 
tivated during  the  time  of  the  Moors,  were  after  the  expul- 
sion of  these  foreigners,  covered  with  forests,  which  afford- 
ed shelter  to  robbers  and  wild  beasts.  It  was  proposed 
during  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Third  to  bring  the  waste 
lands  into  cultivation,  and  to  people  the  most  fertile  districts  ; 
Don  Pablo  Olavides,  the  statesman  who  formed  the  project, 
was  entrusted  with  its  execution ; his  plans  were  conducted 
with  so  much  zeal  and  intelligence,  that  their  success  sur- 
passed his  expectation.  Fifty-eight  villages  or  burghs  rose 
on  the  heights  which  command  La  Mancha  and  Andalusia. 
The  country  was  called  JYuevas  Poblaciones  (New  Popula- 
tions,)a  and  formed  a province  of  which  La  Carolina,  the 
capital,  was  soon  peopled  with  three  thousand  inhabitants. 
But  the  virtuous  Olavides  was  hated  or  envied  by  a monk 
belonging  to  the  order  of  the  Capuchins.  Having  been  de- 
nounced for  some  indiscreet  expressions,  which  had  escaped 
him  in  the  heat  of  debate,  and  having  languished  in  the 
prisons  of  the  holy  office,  he  was  condemned  to  eight  years 
confinement  in  a monastery,  declared  incapable  of  holding 
any  place  under  government,  and  deprived  of  all  his  posses- 
sions. Olavides  escaped  from  his  prison,  and  took  refuge 
in  France  ; he  remained  in  that  country  during  the  most 
sanguinary  period  of  the  revolution,  and  was  at  last  permit- 
ted to  return  to  Spain.  The  disgrace  of  the  same  person, 
the  changes  in  the  Spanish  government,  and  its  diminished 
resources,  have  retarded  the  advancement  of  these  settle- 
ments. 

The  Andalusian  character  is  intermediate  between  that  of 
the  Spaniard  and  the  Arab ; with  the  vivacity  natural  to  the 
inhabitants  in  the  southern  climates  of  Europe,  they  unite  the 
imagination  and  carelessness  of  the  people  in  the  east.  So- 
ber and  patient,  they  are  always  gay  and  lively  although  in 
a state  of  the  utmost  wretchedness,  but  necessity  renders 
them  active,  industrious,  and  even  ingenious  in  discovering 
resources.  They  are  considered  a boastful  people,  says  M. 
Mihano,5,  and  this  trait,  together  with  their  Arabic  pronun- 
ciation, accounts  for  the  epithets  bestowed  on  them  both  by 
Spaniards  and  foreigners. 

The  kingdom  of  Jaen,  one  of  the  smallest  of  the  seven 
provinces  in  Andalusia,  is  divided  into  five  districts,  the 
chief  towns  of  which  shall  be  briefly  mentioned.  Ubeda,  a 
pleasant  town  of  Arabic  origin,  stands  on  a declivity  sur- 
rounded by  mountains  and  mountain  passes,  between  tire 
Guadalquivir  and  the  Guadalimar ; it  has  its  woollen  manu- 
factories, and  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  horses, 
which  are  much  valued  throughout  Spain.  Baeza,c  the  an- 
cient Beatia,  rises  on  an  elevated  table-land ; the  adjacent 
country  is  said  to  be  very  healthy.  The  bishop’s  palace, 
and  the  church  of  St.  Mary  del  Alcazar,  are  not  the  only 
edifices  which  adorn  the  town ; the  streets  are  broad  and 
straight,  but  it  may  be  regretted  that  the  population  is  not 
more  numerous.  Andujar, d a well  built  town,  and  impor- 
tant from  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants,  is  built  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Guadalquivir,  over  which  a bridge  of  fifteen 
arches  has  been  erected.  There  are  not  fewer  than  three 
manufactories  of  painted  pottery,  thirty  of  earthen-ware,  and 


five  soap  works ; it  exports  every  year  four  hundred  wag- 
gons of  different  kinds  of  earthen-ware,  consisting  principal- 
ly of  alcarrazas,  which  are  used  in  cooling  water  by  pro- 
moting evaporation.  Some  authors  suppose  that  Jaen,  the 
capital,  was  the  ancient  Flavium  aurgitanum ; a magnifi- 
cent cathedral  built  in  the  form  of  a Latin  cross,  and  on  t^e 
site  of  an  ancient  mosque,  twelve  parish  churches,  fourteen 
convents  and  several  hospitals  render  it  when  seen  at  a dis- 
tance, like  a town  of  forty  thousand  inhabitants,  although 
the  population  amounts  hardly  to  half  the  number.  Mar- 
tos,  supposed  to  be  Tucci  colnnia,  is  commanded  by  a very 
high  rock,  from  which  Ferd  nand  the  Fourth  precipitated 
two  brothers  of  the  name  of  Carvajal,  who  were  suspected 
without  any  foundation  to  have  murdered  a knight  of  the 
family  of  Benavides.  The  two  brothers  protested  their  in- 
nocence in  vain,  and,  according  to  a popular  tradition, 
while  they  rolled  from  rock  to  rock,  a voice  was  heard 
citing  Ferdinand  to  appear  on  a certain  day  before  the 
judgment  seat  of  God;  on  the  day  mentioned,  Ferdinand 
died  at  Jaen. 

Lucena,  a considerable  town  in  the  kingdom  of  Cordova, 
and  the  capital  of  a district,  carries  on  a trade  in  wine. 
Montilla,  also  the  chief  town  in  a district,  is  a place  of  great- 
er industry,  although  less  populous  than  Lucena.  Four 
potteries,  several  linen  manufactories,  fifty  oil  mills  and 
many  other  establishments  tend  to  enrich  its  laborious  in- 
habitants. Bujalance,  which  many  consider  the  Roman 
city  of  Calpurnium,  is  situated  in  a large  and  fruitful  plain 
that  lies  to  the  left  of  the  road  from  Andujar  to  Cordova. 
The  trade  of  the  place  consists  in  cloth  and  woollen  stuffs. 

At  the  distance  of  some  leagues  from  Cordova,  on  the 
road  that  leads  from  Andujar,  one  of  the  finest  bridges  in 
Europe  has  been  erected  over  the  Guadalquivir,  near  the 
Venta  de  Jllcoha.  The  entrance  into  the  celebrated  Cordo- 
va, the  Roman  Corduba , is  not  calculated  to  give  the  stran- 
ger a favourable  opinion  of  the  town.  A mass  of  houses 
built  without  any  regularity  or  elegance  form  many  narrow, 
crooked  and  dirty  streets.  The  space  which  the  town  oc- 
cupies, although  very  great,  consists  for  the  most  part  of 
gardens;  it  is  enclosed  by  old  walls,  flanked  with  large 
towers  of  Roman  or  Moorish  construction.  One  monument, 
the  only  relic  of  Moorish  power,  attracts  notice ; it  is  the 
magnificent  mosque  built  by  Abdalrahman  in  the  year  770, 
long  a principal  temple  of  Islamism,  and  second  only  to  the 
one  at  Mecca ; at  present  the  sacred  images  of  the  catholic 
worship  rise  round  the  verses  of  the  Koran.  The  edifice 
forms  a rectangle  of  620  feet  in  length  by  440  in  breadth, 
including  an  extent  of  210  feet,  which  is  laid  out  as  a gar- 
den, and  enclosed  with  walls  and  arcades.  A great  many 
pillars  arranged  in  quincunx  are  crowded  in  the  interior  of 
the  building ; indeed  it  is  affirmed  that  there  are  not  fewer 
than  850  of  different  materials,  such  as  marble,  granite  and 
porphyry.  These  columns  are  without  bases  or  rest  on 
very  low  pedestals,  but  they  are  adorned  with  elegant  capi- 
tals, and  support  a double  row  of  arches.  Not  far  from  the 
mosque  or  mezquita,  as  the  Spaniards  still  call  it,  is  a fine 
bridge  of  sixteen  arches  built  over  the  Guadalquivir  by  the 
Romans  and  the  Moors.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
town  are  seen  the  ruins  of  a building  which  the  people  call 
the  house  of  Seneca ; it  cannot  perhaps  be  determined 
whether  the  tradition  be  well  or  ill  founded,  but  it  is  certain 
that  Cordova  was  the  birth-place  of  both  the  Senecas,  and 


a New  Settlements. 

b Diccionario  geografico-estadistico  de  Espafta  y Portugal  : art. 
VOL.  III.— NO.  47  23 


Andalusia. 
d Anduxar. 


c Bae^a. 


178  EUROPE.  [book  cxxxix 


of  Lucan,  Avicenna,  Averroes  and  Gonzalvo  Fernandez, 
better  known  by  the  name  of  Gonzalvo  de  Cordova.  In 
the  time  of  the  Moors,  the  population  amounted  to  300,000 
inhabitants ; in  the  seventeenth  century  it  was  reduced  to 
00,000 ; at  present  it  does  not  contain  more  than  40,000. 
While  the  Romans  and  the  Moors  were  masters  of  Spain, 
Cordova  was  a place  of  great  trade  and  industry  ; the  inhab- 
itants are  still  employed  in  dressing  morocco  leather,  an  art 
which  they  learnt  from  the  Saracens ; the  other  manufac- 
tures are  ribbons,  gold  lace  and  hats. 

The  twro  provinces  that  have  been  last  mentioned  are  not 
together  more  important  than  the  province  of  Seville.  Ecija, 
the  Roman  Stigis ,a  one  of  the  largest  towns  in  the  province, 
stands  between  two  high  hills  on  the  banks  of  the  Genii, 
over  which  a stone  bridge  is  erected  ; the  heat  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  year  is  so  excessive  that  the  Spaniards 
call  the  town  la  sarien  de  Andalucia,  or  the  frying-pan  of  An- 
dalusia. Carmona,  an  opulent  and  wrell  built  town,  is  men- 
tioned by  ancient  writers,  and  it  still  retains  its  ancient  name  ; 
two  of  the  gates  that  communicate  with  the  town  were  built 
by  the  Romans.  It  possesses  at  present  a considerable  trade, 
consisting  of  cloth,  soap,  linen,  pottery  and  morocco  leather. 

Seville,  a town  founded  by  the  Phoenicians,  consequently 
one  of  the  oldest  in  Spain,  was  also  one  of  the  most  cele- 
brated both  in  ane'ent  times  and  during  the  middle  ages.  It 
is  still  a place  of  great  importance  both  from  its  size,  the 
number  and  magnificence  of  the  public  buildings,  and  the 
wealth  and  industry  of  the  inhabitants.  It  was  called  His- 
palis  by  the  Phoenicians  on  account  of  the  fruitful  country 
in  the  vicinity.  Julius  Cesar  gave  it  the  name  of  Julia 
Romula  in  vain,  for  the  Arabs  by  changing  it  into  Sevilla, 
indicated  the  fruitfulness  of  its  situation,  and  thus  rendered 
its  present  name  analogous  in  meaning  to  the  one  of  Phoeni- 
cian origin.  Seville  is  admirably  situated  ; the  horizon  is 
bounded  by  mountains,  of  which  the  nearest  belong  to  the 
Serrania  de  Ronda,  and  terminate  towards  the  west  the 
long  chain  which  includes  the  Sierra  Nevada.  It  rises  in 
the  midst  of  a plain  covered  with  olive  plantations,  hamlets, 
villages  and  convents ; the  Guadalquivir,  which  fertilizes  the 
same  plain,  winds  at  the  base  of  the  walls.  The  latter, 
flanked  with  166  towers,  form  a circumference  of  two 
leagues,  exclusively  of  the  suburbs ; if  these  be  taken  into 
account,  the  extent  may  be  nearly  doubled.b  The  popula- 
tion of  Seville  was  probably  exaggerated  at  the  time  that 
Saint  F erdinand  took  it  from  the  Moors ; in  this  way  the 
Spanish  writers  were  perhaps  desirous  to  magnify  the  glory 
of  the  conquest.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  since  the  same 
period  the  population  has  considerably  diminished.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,  it  contained  130,000 
inhabitants,  while  the  cloth  and  silk  manufactories  furnished 
employment  to  16,000  workmen ; at  the  end  of  the  same 
century,  the  population  was  reduced  to  100,000,  and  not 
more  than  a thousand  workmen  were  employed  in  its  man- 
ufactories ; the  number  of  inhabitants  at  present  does  not 
exceed  91,000. 

The  Spaniards,  accustomed  to  extol  tha  .beauty  of  their 
country,  express  their  admiration  of  Seville  hi  the  following 
popular  couplet : 

3 .Qstygis.  D’Anvilte. 

b “ — will  be  more  than  doubled.” 

e “ In  most  of  them,  the  marks  of  the  axle-trees  may  be  seen  on 
either  side” — i.  e.  on  the  walls  of  the  houses. — P. 

d The  interior  of  the  city  is  chiefly  built  in  the  Moorish  style,  the 
streets  being  so  narrow  that  a person  extending  his  arms  can  touch 
the  houses  on  either  side. — Ed.  Encyc. 


Que  non  a visto  Sevilla 
Non  a visto  maravilla. 

But  Seville,  with  all  its  wonders,  is  a very  gloomy  and 
dirty  town ; the  streets  are  so  narrow  that  it  is  not  safe  or 
easy  to  pass  through  them  in  a carriage,  yet  the  marks  of 
wheels  may  be  seen  in  most  of  them  ;c  in  some  even,  a per- 
son with  his  arms  extended  might  touch  the  opposite  houses.1* 
There  are  in  the  town  and  suburbs,  564  streets,  12,055 
houses,  62  squares  and  32  churches.  Of  the  fifteen  gates 
some  are  of  good  architecture,  and  the  one  that  leads  to  the 
Triana,  the  largest  of  the  suburbs,  forms  a triumphal  arch 
adorned  with  Doric  columns.6  The  public  buildings  in  Se- 
ville are  the  greatest  ornaments ; among  those  worthy  of 
notice  are  the  archbishop’s  palace,  a large  and  richly  deco- 
rated edifice ; the  alcazar  or  palace  of  the  Moorish  kings, 
a work  completed  by  Peter  the  Cruel  and  his  successors, 
and  remarkable  both  for  the  elegance  and  singularity  of  its 
form,  and  the  fine  gardens  that  surround  it ; also  the  town- 
house,  the  cannon  foundery,  the  college  of  St.  Elmo,  the 
snuff  manufactory,  and  the  Lonja  or  exchange,  a square 
building  of  Tuscan  architecture,  where  the  archives  relative 
to  the  discoveries  made  by  the  Spanish  navigators  are  pre- 
served. The  cathedral  church,  more  imposing  dian  any 
other  edifice,  and  one  of  the  largest  in  Spain,  was  built  in 
the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century.  It  is  400  feet  in 
length,  300  in  breadth,  and  1 50  in  height ; the  interior  is 
divided  into  nine  naves,  adorned  with  statues,  paintings  and 
tombs.  There  rest  the  ashes  of  St.  Ferdinand,  the  Spanish 
St.  Louis,  of  Alphonso  the  Wise,  both  a king  and  an  astron- 
omer, and  lastly  of  Christopher  Columbus,  on  whose  tomb 
is  engraved  the  following  simple  epitaph  : 

A Castilla  y Aragon 
Otromundo  dio  Colon/ 

The  most  curious  part  of  the  cathedral  is  the  celebrated 
tower  of  the  Giralda,  the  work  of  Geber,  an  Arabian  architect, 
who  raised  it  to  die  height  of  250  feet,  but  in  the  year  1568, 
the  height  was  increased  by  a hundred  feet.  From  this 
square  tower  the  view  extends  to  the  distance  of  more  than 
fifteen  leagues.  No  stair  leads  to  die  summit,  but  an  inclin- 
ed plane  which  is  said  to  be  of  so  gentie  an  acclivity  that 
a horse  might  ascend  it  at  full  trot ; it  is  very  doubtful  if  the 
experiment  has  ever  been  tried.  The  cupola  is  surmounted 
by  a gilt  bronze  figure  representing  Faith,  and  serving  the 
purpose  of  a weathercock  ;£  although  weighing  more  than 
thirty-four  quintals,  it  is  turned  by  die  gentlest  breeze. 

The  amphitheatre  of  Italica  has  been  considered  the  finest 
ancient  monument  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Seville ; it  was 
formerly  the  principal  ornament  of  Santi  Ponce,  now  an 
insignificant  village,  but  once  a flourishing  city,h  the  chief 
town  in  a diocese,  and  die  birth-place  of  three  emperors, 
Trajan,  Hadrian  and  Theodosius. 

The  remaining  towns  in  the  province  may  be  briefly  de- 
scribed. Utrera  was  probably  the  ancient  Orippo ; it  is 
small  but  well  built ; the  w alls  have  been  destroyed  ; the  ad- 
jacent country  is  fruitful  in  olives,  vines  and  pasturage,  on 
which  excellent  horses  are  reared.  Moguer  possesses  an 
ecclesiastical  tribunal,  an  hospital,  two  convents,  two  Latin 
schools,  and  a port  on  the  Tinto,  from  which  wines  and  the 

6 The  following  verses  are  inscribed  on  the  gate  of  Carne  : 

Condidit  Alcides,  renovavit  Julius  urbera  ; 

Restituit  Christo  Fernandus  tertius  heros. 

( Columbus  gave  another  world  to  Castile  and  Arragon. 
s Don  Juan  Agustin  Cean  Bermudez,  Descripcion  artistera  de  la 
Catedral  de  Sevilla. 
h The  city  of  Italica. 


BOOK  CXXXIX.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SPAIN. 


179 


other  products  of  the  province  are  exported  ; but  the  prin- 
cipal trade  consists  in  spirits ; there  are  not  fewer  than  sixty 
brandy  distilleries  in  the  town.  Huelva,  the  chief  town  of  a 
district,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Odiel  and  the  Tinto,  stands 
on  the  site  of  Onuba  ;a  the  port  is  perlfips  as  much  fre- 
quented as  the  one  at  Moguer.  Lastly,  Ayamonte,  a forti- 
fied town  at  the  mouth  of  the  Guadiana,  on  the  confines  of 
Andalusia  and  Portugal,  has  been  enriched  by  commerce 
and  sardel  fisheries. 

A recent  subdivision  of  Seville  forms  at  present  the  prov- 
ince of  Cadiz.  San  Lucar  de  Barrameda,  the  nearest 
place  in  the  province  to  Ayamonte,  lies  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Guadalquivir;  as  it  was  formerly  called  Lucifer ,b  it  has 
been  supposed  that  the  god  of  light  was  worshipped  in  the 
town ; it  carries  on  a trade  in  wines,  the  produce  of  the  ad- 
joining districts,  and  in  different  sorts  of  liqueurs.  The 
neighbouring  country  is  very  fruitful,  but  on  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  river,  sandy  plains  as  sterile  as  the  deserts  of 
Africa  extend  to  a considerable  distance. 

Rota,  a place  celebrated  for  its  wines,  rises  on  the  coast. 
Xeres  or  Jerez  de  la  Frontera,  the  ancient  Asia  Regia,  stands 
at  the  foot  of  a hill  in  a very  fruitful  part  of  the  country.0 
The  produce  of  the  vineyards  amounts  annually  to  7758 
tuns  ;d  it  is  deposited  in  cellars  which  from  their  extent  and 
solidity  may  be  mentioned  among  the  curiosities  of  the  town. 
An  old  wall  in  which  arcades  and  passages  have  been  cut, 
divides  Xeres  into  two  parts.  On  one  side  of  the  wall,  the 
streets  are  narrow,  and  the  houses  are  ill  built ; on  the  other, 
the  streets  are  broad  and  regular,  composed  chiefly  of  neat 
and  well  built  houses.  The  royal  castle,  remarkable  for  its 
large  towers,  appears  to  be  a very  ancient  building.  Arcos 
de  la  Frontera,  a small  town  with  long  streets,  ill  adapted  for 
foot  passengers,  because  they  are  wholly  unpaved,6  rises  at 
the  distance  of  four  leagues  from  Xeres  on  the  steep  banks 
of  the  Guadalete.  It  is  situated  in  the  same  district  as  the 
last  mentioned  town ; antiquaries  consider  it  the  ancient  Ar- 
cobriga. 

It  is  necessary  to  cross  the  Guadalete  to  visit  Cadiz,  that 
important  city,  whose  inhabitants . are  said  to  be  the  most 
civilized  in  Spain,  but  who  imprudently  and  without  any 
chance  of  success  erected  twice  the  standard  of  liberty  in 
the  course  of  fifteen  years.  Gaddir,  which  signifies  a for- 
tified place/  was  the  ancient  name  of  Cadiz ; the  same 
name  was  afterwards  changed  into  Gadts  by  the  Greeks 
and  Romans.  Strabo  attributes  the  foundation  of  Gades  to 
'he  Phoenicians  ;S  he  compares  it  with  the  most  powerful 
cities  in  Italy ; although  the  inhabitants,  says  the  geographer, 
possess  only  a small  island  and  but  little  land  on  the  conti- 
nent, they  arm  the  largest  and  the  greatest  number  of  vessels 
that  are  employed  in  the  commerce  of  the  Mediterranean 
and  the  ocean.  Cadiz,  from  the  advantages  of  its  position, 
may  still  be  ranked  among  the  most  commercial  towns  in 
Europe.  That  part  of  the  Spanish  coast  has  undergone 

1 Onoba,  D’Anville — Martialium  Onoba,  Pliny. 

b <t>uiowoon  icoov,  Luciferi  fanum.  Strab.  L.  III.  p.  140,  Ed.  Par. 
1620. 

c It  is  celebrated  for  its  wines,  corruptly  called  Sherry. 

d “ 72,000  hectolitres.” 

' “ On  account  of  their  steepness.” 

f “ Lieu  entoure,”  an  enclosed  or  fenced  place — a nedge  or  limit,  as 
it  was  thought  that  here  were  the  western  limits  of  the  world.  (Lem- 
priere’s  Classical  Diet.  Anthon’s  Edit.) 

e L.  III.  c.  5.  § 4. 

h This  last  assertion  is  not  in  the  original.  “ The  well  water  in  Ca- 
diz is  hard,  brackish  and  unwholesome  » what  is  generally  used  is 
brought  from  the  port  of  St.  Mary,  in  boats  kept  for  the  purpose  ; 
what  they  use  for  washing  and  other  domestic  purposes,  is  the  rain 


many  changes  since  the  time  of  Strabo ; it  is  probable  that 
the  natural  mole  which  unites  Cadiz  with  the  isle  of  Leon 
did  not  exist  in  his  time,  and  that  Gades  was  situated  on  an 
island,  which  has  since  become  a peninsula.  This  opinion 
appears  to  be  confirmed  by  Pliny,  who  says  that  the  town  is 
situated  on  an  island  near  the  island  of  Juno,  which  can  be 
no  other  than  that  of  Leon. 

Cadiz  is  at  present  the  chief  town  in  one  of  the  three 
maritime  departments  in  Spain.  Defended  on  all  sides  by 
ramparts  and  bastions,  nature  as  well  as  art  have  contributed 
to  its  safety.  It  is  guarded  by  sand  banks  and  rocks  towards 
the  north  and  the  west,  and  on  these  rocks  are  the  two  forts 
of  St.  Catherine  and  St.  Sebastian.  To  add  to  its  security, 
the  Cortadura  or  canal  has  been  cut  across  the  isthmus  that 
unites  it  to  the  isle  of  Leon,  and  by  this  means  all  commu- 
nication with  the  latter  may  be  easily  intercepted.  The 
blockade  made  by  the  French  lasted  from  the  year  1809  to 
1812,  but  the  only  inconvenience  ^vhich  the  inhabitants  sus- 
tained, was  that  of  bringing  water  at  a considerable  expense 
from  the  port  of  St.  Mary,  for  there  are  no  wells  or  springs 
in  the  town.h  The  houses  are  well  built  and  whitened  with 
great  care  ; their  projecting  roofs  may  darken  the  streets, 
but  they  serve  as  a shade  against  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The 
town  as  a whole  may  bear  a comparison  with  any  other  in 
Spain,  but  the  edifices  are  by  no  means  remarkable ; the 
cathedral  is  small  and  shabby the  tewnhouse  is  an  irregu- 
lar edifice  of  very  ordinary  architecture  ; the  prison  is  w ith- 
out doubt  the  finest  building  in  Cadiz.  The  good  order 
that  prevails  in  the  interior  of  the  prison,  and  the  discipline 
to  which  die  prisoners  are  subjected,  are  creditable  to  the  pub- 
lic functionaries.  If  it  be  considered  that  besides  the  foundling 
hospital  there  are  five  others,  one  of  which  contains  more 
than  800  persons,  who  are  cleanly  and  well  kept,  it  may  be 
allowed  that  the  inhabitants  are  neither  deficient  in  charity, 
nor  injudicious  in  the  method  of  administering  it.  The 
people  of  Cadiz  are  said  to  be  better  informed  than  the  other 
Spaniards ; at  all  events,  if  they  are  not  so,  it  is  not  for  want 
of  schools ; the  city  contains,  besides  many  others,  a semi- 
nary and  college,  of  which  the  professors  and  teachers  are 
jesuits,  an  academy  of  fine  arts,  a naval  seminary,  and 
schools  of  mathematics,  surgery  and  medicine.*0 

The  isle  of  Leon*  is  separated  from  the  continent  by  an 
arm  of  the  sea  GOO  feet  in  breadth,  which  the  Spaniards  call 
the  Rio  Santi-Petri  ; a bridge  erected  over  it  communicates 
with  the  road  that  leads  to  Medina  Sidonia,  a small  town 
on  the  summit  of  a conical  rock,  famous  for  its  medicinal 
waters  and  a particular  sort  of  clay,  so  well  adapted  for 
making  bricks  and  earthen  ware,"1  that  tliLse  articles  are  ex- 
ported into  most  parts  of  Andalusia.  The  name  of  the  town 
is  of  Arabic  origin,  but  the  number  of  Roman  inscriptions 
renders  it  probable  that  it  was  the  ancient  Asindo.  The 
town  and  harbour  of  Tarifa"  are  situated  on  the  coast  at 
the  distance  of  five  leagues  from  lake  Janda,  and  at  the 

water  which  falls  in  the  inner.courts  of  the  houses,  and  is  collected  in 
cisterns.”  (Ed.  Encyc.) — The  inhabitants  of  Cadiz  ascertained  during 
the  siege  that  the  water  in  their  cisterns  is  proper  for  all  uses.  (M.  B.) 
— P. 

' The  new  cathedral,  when  finished,  if  executed  according  to  the 
plan  which  it  now  displays,  will  be  one  of  the  most  magnificent  struc- 
tures in  Spain ; it  is,  however,  defective,  both  in  elegance  and  simpli- 
city. The  old  cathedral  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  pictures  and 
treasures.  (Ed.  Encyc.)— P. 

k — “ a seminary,  a college  of  Jesuits,  and  also  schools  of  the  fine 
arts,  navigation,  mathematics,  surgery  and  medicine.” 

1 Isla  de  Leon. 

m “ Fire  bricks  and  pottery.” 

n Tarifla. 


J 


180  EUR< 

southern  extremity  of  Spain.  It  was  the  Roman  Mellaria, 
a place  of  some  repute  for  its  salt  works®  in  the  time  of  Stra- 
bo. As  a fortified  place,  it  may  be  of  considerable  im- 
portance ; but  the  inhabitants  have  attempted  without  suc- 
cess to  unite  it  to  the  small  island  of  the  same  name,  and 
from  which  it  is  only  separated  by  die  distance  of  three  or 
four  hundred  feet.b 

The  road  that  leads  to  the  province  of  Granada,  the  most 
important  in  Andalusia,  is  at  one  part  not  more  than  two 
leagues  removed  from  Gibraltar,  an  almost  impregnable 
rock  that  has  belonged  to  the  English  since  the  war  of  the 
succession ; an  account  of  it  shall  be  given  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  English  possessions. 

In  the  rich  country  now  to  be  described,  where  the  towns 
rival  each  other  in  industry,  one  may  ascend  frond  the  low 
and  burning  plains  on  the  Mediterranean  to  the  cold  regions 
which  have  given  the  name  of  Sierra  Nevada  to  the  prin- 
cipal chain  which  extends  through  the  province.  Cool 
springs  temper  the  heat  of  the  climate,  and  the  meadows 
are  enamelled  with  flowers ; the  same  province  is  intersect- 
ed with  delightful  vallies,  and  better  watered  than  any  other 
in  the  Peninsula ; it  has  been  so  much  favored  by  nature, 
that  it  was  the  last  which  the  persecuted  Moors  determined 
to  abandon.  Granada0  contains  besides  several  important 
towns.  Ronda,  the  first  town  on  the  road  towards  Madrid, d 
is  divided  into  two  parts  by  a frightful  precipice,  which 
reaches  from  the  summit  to  the  base  of  the  height  on  which 
it  is  built.  The  chasm  is  about  five  or  six  hundred  feet  in 
depth,  and  a torrent  flows  through  it.  The  torrent,  which 
is  called  the  Gaudalvin,  an  Arabic  word  that  signifies  literal- 
• ly  a hollow  stream,  lower  down  takes  the  name  of  the  Gua- 
diara,  and  falls  into  the  sea  between  Estepona  and  Gibral- 
tar. Two  bridges  connect  the  two  quarters  of  the  town.; 
the  largest  or  the  new  bridge  is  so  much  elevated  above  the 
torrent  that  the  passengers  can  hardly  hear  the  noise  of  the 
waters.  A stair  consisting  of  400  steps  leads  to  the  cascade 
of  El  Tajo.  Ronda,  as  its  name  indicates,  stands  on  the 
site  of  Arunda,  a place  mentioned  by  Pliny  and  Ptolemy. 
The  ruins  of  the  ancient  Acinipo,  the  present  Ronda  la  Vie- 
ja  or  Old  Ronda,  are  not  more  than  two  leagues  distant. 
The  remains  of  a theatre  may  be  still  seen  ; several  inscrip- 
tions, medals  and  statues  have  of  late  years  been  discovered. 
Estepona,  a maritime  town,  is  situated  at  the  base  of  the 
Sierra  Venneja  or  vermilion  mountains,  well  known  for 
their  mines  of  plumbago.  Marbella,®  the  chief  town  in  a 
district  abounding  with  minerals,  might  become  an  import- 
ant place,  if  the  roads  were  kept  in  such  a state  as  to  afford 
better  means  of  communication  ; it  exports  different  manu- 
factures, and  many  vessels  frequent  the  port  on  account  of 
the  fisheries  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  streets  are  straight ; 
it  is  adorned  with  several  fountains  and  a fine  public  walk, 
from  which  the  view  extends  over  the  Mediterranean.  Ac- 
cording to  a tradition,  the  same  view  was  so  much  admired 
by  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  that  the  queen,  struck  with  the 
beauty  of  the  sea,  exclaimed,  Que  mar  tan  bclla  ! which 
exclamation,  say  the  chroniclers,  accounts  for  the  name  of 
Marbella.  Whatever  the  origin  of  its  present  name  may 
have  been,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  place  is  very  an- 
cient ; it  has  been  supposed  that  it  was  called  Rarbesola, 

DPE.  [BOOK  CXXXIX. 

but  it  may  be  considered  more  probable  that  it  stands  on 
the  site  of  Cilniana,  a town  mentioned  in  the  Itinerary  of 
Antonine. 

It  is  only  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year  that  rains  are  com- 
mon in  the  fine  c&nate  of  Malaga ; in  other  seasons,  the  sky 
is  almost  always  serene  and  cloudless.  The  base  and  sides 
of  the  mountains  that  enclose  the  bay  on  which  Malaga  stands, 
are  covered  with  olive  and  orange  trees,  and  fruitful  vine- 
yards, or  varied  with  cotton  fields  and  plantations  of  sugar 
cane.  Thus  situated,  the  towrn  enjoys  the  advantages  of  a 
fine  climate  and  a convenient  harbour.  The  men  are  affa- 
ble and  polite  ; the  women  are  considered  the  fairest  of  any 
in  Andalusia.  Malaga  is  encompassed  with  a double  wall, 
defended  by  bastions  and  a castle  built  by  the  Moors,  on 
the  summit  of  the  rock  which  commands  the  town.  Two 
extensive  moles  shelter  the  harbour  against  eveiy  storm ; 
on  one  of  them  revolving  lights  have  lately  been  erected. 
The  Alameda,  or  public  walk,  is  surrounded  with  elegant 
houses,  and  adorned  with  several  statues  and  a fountain. 
The  inhabitants  are  supplied  with  water  from  a fine  aque- 
duct, a work  which  Molina,  a wealthy  citizen,  built  at  his 
own  expense.  Most  of  the  old  Moorish  houses  have  been 
replaced  by  modern  buildings ; the  episcopal  palace,  a very 
large  edifice,  is  built  in  the  best  style  of  architecture  ; the 
cathedral  has  been  equally  admired ; its  tower  reaches  to 
'the  height  of  260  feet.  The  present  town  rises  near  the 
site  of  the  ancient  JMalaca , a place  of  great  trade,  which 
Strabo  affirms  was  founded  by  the  Phoenicians. 

The  rich  vineyards  of  Malaga  produce  annually  about 
13,340  tunsf  of  vv me.  There  are  not  fewer  than  thirty  dif- 
ferent sorts  of  grapes ; they  are  classed  according  to  the 
seasons  in  which  they  ripen.  The  early  grapes  are  collected 
in  June ; they  yield  a thick  and  sweet  wine  which  is  prized 
by  many ; they  are  valuable,  too,  in  as  much  as  they  furnish 
the  best  raisins,  a very  lucrative  branch  of  the  Malaga  trade  ; 
but  for  that  purpose  they  must  be  cut  at  the  middle  of  the 
stalk,  and  allowed  to  dry  fifteen  days  in  the  sun,  when  they 
are  afterwards  packed.  The  ordinary  grapes  are  gathered 
in  September,  and  their  produce  furnishes  the  strong  and  dry 
wines,  which  are  exported  into  different  countries.  But  the 
late  grapes  produce  the  best  wines ; one  sort,  called  the 
guindas  wine/  brings  the  highest  price ; it  derives  its  name 
from  the  buds  of  a particular  cherry-tree,  which  jre  put  into 
the  vats.  The  products  of  Malaga  are  exported  by  the  na- 
tions that  consume  them ; out  of  all  the  ships  which  enter 
the  harbour,  certainly  not  more  than  a seventh  part  are 
Spanish  vessels. 

A road  that  winds  along  the  coa-st,  leads  from  Malaga  to 
Velez  Malaga , which  although  insignificant  in  point  of  pop- 
ulation, is  a place  of  considerable  industry  and  trade  ;h  it 
stands  on  the  site  of  Menoba,  and  the  vineyards  in  the 
neighbourhood  are  almost  as  much  famed  as  those  of 
Malaga. 

Antequera,  the  ancient  Antecaria,  situated  between  the 
mountains  of  the  same  name  and  the  Guadiaro,  contains  a 
greater  number  of  inhabitants  than  the  last  mentioned  town. 
The  Lovers’  Mountain  (Pena  de  Jos  Encnnorados ) rises  in 
the  vicinity ; it  has  been  celebrated  by  an  act  ol  heroism 
not  unexampled  in  the  history  of  Spain  during  the  middle 

a Tai)i/nu;  i^sda.  Strab.  Lib.  III.  p.  140,  Ed.  Par.  1020. 
b “ — by  a channel  a few  hundred  feet  in  breadth.” 
c The  kingdom  of  Granada,  divided  into  the  provinces  of  Malaga  and 
Granada.  The  towns  which  follow,  from  Ronda  to  A ntequera  inclu- 
sive, belong  to  the  province  of  Malaga. — P. 

Qu.  Cadiz  Ronda  is  situated  near  the  western  extremity  of  the 

. 

province,  to  the  eastward  of  Cadiz  and  to  the  northward  of  Gibral- 
tar.— P. 

e Marvella.  f “ 160,000  hectolitres.” 

s Vino  de  guindas — from  guinda,  a cherry. — P. 

h — a small  industrious  and  commercial  town  " — Population  in  the 
statistical  table,  14,000. 

— — -/ 

book  cxxxix.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  SPAIN.  181 


ages  and  even  in  modern  times.  A Cliristian  knight  had 
been  taken  prisoner  by  a Moorish  prince ; during  his  cap- 
tivity he  fell  in  love  with  the  daughter  of  the  infidel ; re- 
solved to  celebrate  their  union  in  a Christian  country,  and 
at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  they  had  proceeded  to  the  frontiers, 
when  they  were  overtaken  by  the  prince  and  his  troops ; 
they  sought  a hiding  place  in  the  caves  of  the  mountain,  but 
the  enraged  father  ordered  the  soldiers  to  seize  the  fugitives. 
His  daughter  remonstrated  that  she  was  a Christian,  and 
that  she  had  married,  and  threatened  to  destroy  herself  if  he 
approached ; but  the  father  was  inexorable,  and  the  two 
lovers  rushed  headlong  from  the  summit  of  a precipice.  A 
cross  indicates  the  place,  and  serves  still  to  commemorate 
the  event. 

The  province  of  Granada  is  divided  into  two  nearly  equal 
parts,  the  northern  and  the  southern.  The  towns  in  the 
southern  are  either  ports,  or  situated  at  a short  distance  from 
the  sea.  Almunecar,®  of  which  the  harbour  is  sheltered 
from  the  east  and  west  winds,  stands  at  the  foot  of  a hill, 
where  are  seen  the  remains  of  a citadel,  that  was  used  as  a 
treasury  by  the  Moorish  kings,  and  also  as  a prison  for  their 
ambitious  relatives.  The  country  round  Motril  is  fruit- 
ful in  the  sugar  cane,  and  according  to  the  Spaniards, 
the  rum  extracted  from  it,  is  not  inferior  to  any  from  the 
West  Indies  ;b  the  town  is  about  two  leagues  from  the  shore; 
it  stands  on  a road  that  leads  in  one  direction  to  Malaga, 
in  the  other  to  Almeria,  a city  that  has  been  for  ages  wealthy 
and  industrious,  occupying  the  site  of  JMurgis,  a town  of 
which  the  origin  is  lost  in  the  night  of  time  ; the  harbour, 
which  the  ancients  called  Portus  Magnus , is  still  well  fre- 
quented. 

Lojac  situated  at  the  foot  of  a chain  that  bears  its  name, 
on  the  left,  bank  of  the  Genii,  is  noted  for  its  salt  springs. 
Alhaina,  of  which  the  Arabic  name  signifies  a thermal 
spring,  stands  higher  above  the  level  of  the  sea  than  any 
other  town  in  Europe.  The  Moorish  houses,  the  old  walls 
that  encompass  it,  and  other  peculiarities  render  it  difficult 
of  description.  The  country  above  it  is  covered  with  snow 
during  six  months,  and  scorched  by  the  sun  the  rest  of  the 
year.  The  baths  at  a quarter  of  a league  from  the  walls, 
are  much  frequented.  The  waters  are  sulphureous  and 
slightly  coloured  ; the  place  from  which  the  spring  issues  is 
arid  and  desert.  When  the  ray3  of  the  sun  fall  on  the 
water  in  the  baths,  it  exhibits  a singular  appearance,  in  as 
much  as  it  seems  to  be  covered  with  an  unctuous  film ; in 
cold  weather  vapours  rise  from  it,  and  the  channels  through 
which  it  flows  are  lined  with  a white  and  soft  substance. 
The  road  to  Velez  Malaga  extends  across  the  mountains  of 
Alhama,  and  the  traveller  observes  a curious  passage,  the 
Puerta  de  Zaflaraya,  a natural  gate  in  the  midst  of  high 
rocks  ; no  sooner  has  he  passed  it,  than  very  different  scenery 
appears  before  him ; the  eye  wanders  over  an  immense  ex- 
tent of  country,  embracing  the  southern  declivities  of  tire 
Baetic  range,  the  coasts  of  Granada,  the  Mediterranean,  and 
the  African  shores. 

But  the  same  road  leads  to  the  important  place  which 
proved  fatal  to  the  Moorish  power  in  Spain. J On  the 
left  bank  of  the  Genii,  and  in  a pleasant  country,  is  situ- 
ated the  town  of  Santa  Fe,  which  was  almost  destroyed  by 
an  earthquake  in  1807.  It  was  founded  by  the  Castilian 
heroine,  the  wife  of  Ferdinand  the  Catholic.  During  the 

a Almunecar. 

b “ — is  equal  to  that  of  Jamaica.” 

* Loxa.  d Granada 


siege  of  Granada,  the  queen  made  a vow  not  to  change  her 
shift  until  the  capital  had  opened  its  gates.  To  intimidate 
the  enemy  her  camp  was  changed  into  a fortified  town,  and 
the  town  was  called  Santa  Fe.  The  Moors  fought  long 
and  valiantly,  but  it  appeared  at  last  that  resistance  was  vain 
It  was  observed  that  the  queen’s  shift  had  been  so  long  worn 
that  it  assumed  a yellow  hue ; hence  the  origin  of  what  is 
called  to  this  day  an  Isabella  colour.  It  was  also  within  the 
walls  of  Santa  Fe  that  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  approved  of 
the  first  expedition  undertaken  by  Christopher  Columbus. 

The  walks  on  the  banks  of  the  Genii  indicate  the  approach 
of  Granada,  through  which  the  Daro  flows ; it  is  encom- 
passed by  woods,  and  watered  by  limpid  streams,  while  the 
gardens  and  groves  on  the  neighbouring  heights  diffuse  their 
fragrance  to  a distance.  The  Sierra  Nevada  is  about  half  a 
milee  from  the  town  ; its  summits  are  covered  with  eternal 
snow,  but  the  cold  of  winter  is  never  felt  at  its  base.  Gran- 
ada was  founded  by  the  Moors  ; the  present  state  of  the  town 
may  be  contrasted  with  what  it  was  in  the  time  of  its  splen- 
dour. When  the  crescent  rose  above  the  mosques,  it  con- 
tained 400,000  inhabitants ; it  occupied  a circumference  of 
three  leagues,  which  was  defended  by  more  than  a thou- 
sand towers.  It  is  still  adorned  with  several  fine  buildings ; 
there  are  two  large  squares,  and  sixteen  of  a smaller  size, 
many  public  fountains,  seven  colleges,  eleven  hospitals,  an 
elegant  theatre  built  by  the  French,  and  sixty-three  churches, 
the  most  remarkable  of  which  are  the  churches  of  San  Ge- 
ronimo,  Santa  Cruz,  San  Juan  de  Dios,  and  the  cathedral, 
the  latter  an  imposing  edifice,  in  which  are  contained  the 
tombs  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  of  Philip  the  First,  and  of 
Queen  Joan.  But  these  edifices  appear  insignificant  near 
others  for  which  the  people  of  Granada  are  indebted  to  the 
genius  and  luxury  of  the  Arabs.  Charles  the  Fifth,  during 
the  splendour  of  his  power,  erected  in  vain  a palace  which 
was  to  surpass  in  magnificence  whatever  had  been  construct- 
ed by  the  Moors ; for  in  beholding  this  palace  which  was 
planned  and  executed  while  the  arts  were  reviving  in 
Europe,  one  does  not  so  much  regret  that  it  remains  in 
an  unfinished  state,  as  that  a part  of  the  Alhambra  was  de- 
stroyed in  order  to  obtain  a convenient  site.  This  edifice 
of  Charles  the  Fifth,  although  large,  and  adorned  with  por- 
ticos and  the  most  costly  marble,  is  infinitely  inferior  to  the 
Moorish  palace  and  fortress,  in  which  the  apparent  fresh- 
ness of  the  ornaments,  the  galleries  supported  by  light  col- 
umns, the  elegance  of  the  courts,  and  the  arcades  that  sur- 
round them/  indicate  its  superiority  over  the  modern  build- 
ings in  Granada.  The  same  town  was  the  birthplace  of 
the  poet  Hurtado  de  Mendoza,  and  of  the  jesuit  Suarez, 
who  has  obtained  a sad  celebrity  in  the  provincial  letters  of 
Pascal.  At  a short  distance  from  the  walls  may  be  seen 
the  site  of  Eliberis , a Roman  town,  where  valuable  antiqui- 
ties have  been  discovered. 

Guadix,  situated  in  a valley  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio 
Guadix,  is  the  metropolis  of  a district ; it  was  within  its 
old  walls  that  the  Moors  made  a long  and  obstinate  resist- 
ance after  the  conquest  of  the  capital.  It  stands  probably 
near  the  site  of  Acci,  a Bsetic  city ; that  it  does  so  might  be 
inferred  from  the  ancient  name  without  any  other  proof,  for 
by  prefixing  the  word  guadi,  which  signifies  running  water, 
the  Arabs  changed  it  into  Guadiacci,  which  has  since  been 
corrupted  into  Guadix.  The  country  round  Baza  abounds 

e “ A quarter  of  a league.” 

f “ The  elegance  of  the  court  of  the  baths,  and  the  arcades, 
surround  the  court  of  the  lions — ” 


EUROPE. 


182 

in  hemp  and  flax  ; die  town  rises  in  a fruitful  valley  at  the 
foot  of  a mountain  which  bears  its  name  ; it  was  the  ancient 
town  of  Basti,  the  capital  of  the  Bastilaiii.  Lastly,  Hues- 
car,  situated  in  the  same  district  as  Baza,  and  on  the  banks 
of  the  Barbato,  carries  on  a trade  in  woollen  stuffs  ; the 
village  of  Huescar  la  Vieja  near  its  walls  is  all  that  remains 
of  Osca,  a place  founded  by  the  Carthaginians. 

Another  province  on  the  continent  remains  to  be  described, 
namely,  that  of  Murcia,  formerly  entitled  a kingdom,  and 
contiguous  to  Andalusia,  New  Castile  and  the  province  of 
Valencia.  It  hardly  extends  beyond  the  basin  of  die  Se- 
gura ; it  is  divided  into  nine  districts. 

Lorca,  one  of  the  most  important  towns  in  the  province, 
is  the  ancient  Eliocroca ; its  situation  on  the  northern  de- 
clivity of  the  Sierra  del  Cano,  rendered  die  calamity  that 
befel  it  in  1802,  more  disastrous.  A reservoir  in  which 
the  streams  of  the  neighbouring  torrents  are  collected,  and 
which  serves  to  supply  the  country  people  with  water  for 
the  irrigation  of  their  lands,  burst  suddenly,  inundated  all 
the  lower  part  of  the  town,  and  destroyed  more  than  six 
hundred  persons  together  with  a great  number  of  cattle. 
The  loss  sustained  by  the  inundation  in  the  country  and  in 
the  town  was  calculated  at  50,000,000  reals.*  Murcia,  a 
wealthy  and  populous  city,  is  situated  in  a plain  intersected 
by  the  Segura,  the  waters  of  which  are  confined  by  an  em- 
bankment. The  cathedral  is  the  finest  edifice,  but  both  die 
outside  and  the  interior  are  loaded  with  ornaments  ; the 
other  public  buildings  are  the  townhouse  and  the  royal  silk 
manufactory  ;b  the  raw  material  with  which  the  last  is  sup- 
plied, forms  the  principal  wealth  of  the  district.  It  appears 
from  Roman  inscriptions  and  other  antiquities  that  Murcia 
was  formerly  called  Vergilia.  Carthagena,  the  most  im- 
portant town  in  the  province,  both  from  its  commerce  and 
its  port,  which  may  contain  forty  ships  of  the  line,  and  a 
great  many  smaller  vessels,  was  founded  by  Asdrubal  the 
Carthaginian.  The  territory  in  which  it  is  situated,  sepa- 
rated from  that  of  Murcia  by  lofty  heights,  contained  so 
many  mines  that  it  was  long  to  the  Romans  what  Mexico 
was  afterwards  to  the  Spaniards.  They  worked  silver  and 
different  useful  metals.  A very  large  cavern,  about  three 
miles®  distant  from  the  town,  now  called  the  cave  of  St. 
John,  is  nothing  else  than  an  ancient  mine.  The  thermal 
springs  in  the  neighbouring  mountains  are  still  frequented, 
and  many  labourers  are  employed  in  working  alum.  Car- 
thagena, one  of  the  finest  cities  in  Spain,  is  defended  by 
several  iorts  along  the  coast,  and  also  by  the  fortress  of  At- 
alaya  on  an  eminence  which  commands  the  walls.  The  naval 
arsenal  is  very  large  ; the  yards,  docks  and  rectangular 
basin  occupy  nearly  the  western  half  of  the  town.  The  ca- 
thedral is  the  most  remarkable  edifice  ; it  is  formed  by  three 
naves,  and  within  them  are  contained  several  richly  sculp- 
tured altars.  The  depth  and  size  of  the  harbour  in  this 
chief  town  of  a maritime  department  are  not  the  only  advan- 
tages which  it  furnishes  to  the  Spanish  navy. 

Ivica  or  Ibiza, d one  of  the  Baleares,  at  no  great  distance 


[BOOK  CXXXIX. 

from  Carthagena,  is  still  nearer  the  port  of  Denia  ;e  Iviza, 
the  capital,  stands  on  the  declivity  of  a steep  rock,  which 
rises  near  a bay ; on  the  summit  of  the  same  rock  are  the 
bishop’s  palace,  the  cathedral  and  the  governor’s  castle. 
The  town  is  encompassed  with  walls,  which  although  they 
are  no  security  against  the  attacks  of  pirates,  defend  it  at 
least  against  the  natives  of  the  island ; for  the  latter  are  so 
much  oppressed  by  taxes,  that  finding  it  impossible  to  pay 
them,  they  are  apt  to  revolt.  The  country  round  the  town 
is  marshy  but  fruitful  in  cotton  ; the  rest  of  the  island  abounds 
in  a sort  of  pitch  obtained  from  the  Aleppo  pine  ( Pinus  Ha- 
lepensis),  and  which  along  with  the  produce  of  the  salt  works 
forms  the  two  principal  branches  of  commerce. 

Ivica  contains  besides  some  scattered  groups  of  habita- 
tions that  have  been  dignified  with  the  name  of  villages.  If 
the  inhabitants  are  rude  and  uncultivated,  it  should  be  con- 
sidered that  they  have  been  long  degraded  by  superstition 
and  poverty.  Their  songs  consist  of  one  or  two  modula- 
tions ; the  monotonous  sounds  of  the  flagelet,  accompanied 
with  the  tambourine  and  the  castanet,  make  up  all  the  music 
that  they  use  in  their  wild  and  ungraceful  dances. 

The  costume  of  the  peasants  consists  of  a short  jacket 
and  tight  pantaloons  that  reach  to  the  middle  of  the  leg ; 
they  wear  a red  woollen  cap ; their  spardilles  or  shoes 
resemble  in  form  the  wooden  shoes  worn  by  the  French ; 
they  are  made  of  matweed,^  and  attached  by  cords  of  the 
same  substance.  The  dress  of  the  women  is  more  elegant; 
they  wear  a large  round  hat  a little  inclined  on  one  side,  and 
a handkerchief  that  covers  the  neck  and  descends  to  the 
waist,  but  open  behind  in  order  to  display  their  long  hair ; 
three  necklaces  of  different  sizes  are  placed  above  the  hand- 
kerchief, to  two  of  which  crosses  are  attached  ;h  a narrow 
but  richly  embroidered  apron  contrasts  well  with  a dark  pet- 
ticoat ; the  spardilles  are  of  the  same  shape  as  those  worn 
by  the  men. 

The  singular  manner  by  which  marriages  wrere  celebrated 
in  the  Balearic  islands  in  the  days  of  Diodorus  Siculus,  has 
been  mentioned  in  the  account  of  the  ancient  inhabitants. 
The  present  custom,  which  appears  to  have  originated  from 
the  ancient,  although  less  immoral,  is  not  less  ridiculous.  As 
soon  as  a villager  obtains  the  consent  of  his  future  bride,  he 
is  considered  by  her  parents  as  one  of  the  family ; but  the 
ceremony  does  not  take  place  until  the  end  of  a year* 1  at 
least ; within  that  period,  the  young  lads  in  the  neighbour- 
hood are  permitted  to  visit  the  bride  on  certain  days,  and  to 
remain  alone  with  her ; according  to  a French  traveller,  they 
emulate  each  other  in  dissuading  her  from  her  purpose  by 
enumerating  the  vices  and  bad  qualities  of  her  intended  hus- 
band ; the  bride  is  constrained  to  hear  them  without  a mur- 
mur, and  as  the  lover  must  leave  the  room  when  they  en- 
ter, he  suffers  during  his  absence  the  same  vexation  which, 
in  all  probability,  he  has  before  inflicted  on  others.k 

Fromentera  or,  as  the  Spaniards  call  it,  Formentera,  is 
so  near  to  Ivica,  that  it  might  be  easy  and  without  doubt 
useful  to  unite  them.1  The  inhabitants  are  scattered  in 


a “ The  loss  sustained  by  the  inundation  in  the  neighbouring  coun- 
try was  estimated  at  more  than  50,000,000  reals” — The  loss  was  esti- 
mated at  200  millions  of  reals.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

b “ The  townhouse  and  the  building  in  which  silk  is  prepared” — 
There  is  in  Murcia,  a considerable  establishment  for  spinning  and 
twisting  silk.  (Rees’  Cye.) — P.  c “ Three  leagues.” 

A See  p.  827  The  b and  v in  Spanish,  are  interchangeable,  as  well  as 
the  i and  f.  Many  Spanish  proper  names,  with  z or  f,  are  written 
with  c simply  in  English  authors. — P. 

* In  Valencia.  ' Ivica. 

1 Jonc.”  rushes — properly  of  esparto  grass.  See  page  843,  note  a. 


h “ A large  round  hat,  a little  inclined  on  one  side,  covers  a hand 
kerchief  which  is  tied  under  the  chin  and  descends  to  the  waist,  but  is 
open  behind  to  display  their  long  black  hair:  three  necklaces  of  differ 
ent  sizes  are  arranged  on  their  bosoms,  to  two  of  which  a cross  is  sus- 
pended.” 1 “ Two  years  ” 

k M.  J.  Cambassede,  Excursions  dans  les  iles  Bah'ares. 

1 Qu.-in  description.  It  is  separated  from  Ivica  by  a channel 
above  two  miles  wide  (Ed.  Encyc.) — 4 miles  (Crutwell.)  The  island 
of  Formentera  is  south  of  Yviya  two  miles  and  a half;  the  passage 
between  being  called  the  Channel  of  Yvi^a.  Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog 
vol.  II.  p.  17G  — P 


book,  cxxxix.]  DESCRIPTIO. 

several  villages  ; the  island  has  been  represented  as  infest- 
ed with  serpents,  wolves  and  foxes,  but  the  only  animals  in 
the  woods  and  meadows  are  sheep  and  goats,  which  from 
neglect  have  become  wild  ; the  flamingo  and  other  birds 
of  passage  abound  on  the  shores. 

Cabrera,  at  a short  distance  from  Majorca,  is  inhabited 
by  some  shepherds,  whose  wealth  consists  in  their  goats. 

It  is  well  wooded,  and  three  springs  serve  to  supply  the 
inhabitants  with  wholesome  water.  The  sufferings  which 
the  French  prisoners  experienced  on  the  island  about  the 
end  of  the  last  war,  must  ever  be  remembered  with  regret 
by  the  friends  of  humanity  ; they  were  allowed  to  perish  for 
want  of  food,  and  their  bones  scattered  on  the  island,  attest 
the  cruelty  of  those  to  whose  care  they  were  entrusted.* 

The  island  of  Majorca  contains  sixteen  towns,  and  the 
average  population  of  each  may  amount  to  4500  inhabit- 
ants ;b  but  Palma,  the  capital,  peopled  by  34,000,  is  the 
only  one  worthy  of  being  described.  It  is  encompassed 
with  walls  about  seven  or  eight  feet  thick,  with  thirteen  bas- 
tions fifty  paces  in  breadth,  and  commanded  by  a castle  on 
the  hill  ol  Belver.  The  houses  are  built  of  stone,  but  the 
excessive  breadth  of  the  balconies  darkens  and  confines  the 
streets.  The  Lonja,  which  rises  near  the  port,  is  the  only 
edifice  that  recals  the  former  splendour  of  the  town.  The 
tomb  of  Jayme  II., c king  of  Majorca,  serves  to  adorn  the  ca- 
thedral ; his  father  conquered  the  Moors,  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  island  in  the  year  1229.  The  town,  long  the 
principal  mart  for  the  commerce  between  Europe  and  the 
east,  carries  on  at  present  no  more  trade  than  what  is  neces- 
sary to  supply  the  wants  of  the  islanders.  The  Jews  are 
despised  by  the  other  inhabitants ; many  of  them  are  em- 
ployed in  manufacturing  jewellery  and  trinkets. 

The  Pages  or  rural  inhabitants  of  Majorca  wear  a very 
different  dress  from  that  of  the  people  in  Ivica ; a round 
jacket  without  a collar,  sandals,  bare  legs  and  loose  breeches 
render  their  costume  not  unlike  that  of  the  Greek  peasants, 
but  they  may  be  distinguished  by  a broad  hat,  which  serves 
to  shade  the  visage.  The  women  wear  sandals ; in  other 
respects  their  dress  differs  little  from  that  worn  in  Ivica.d 
The  people  may  be  perhaps  more  superstitious  than  those 
in  Spain,  but  they  are  also  more  hospitable ; as  there  are  no 
inns  in  the  island,  they  never  refuse  to  admit  strangers,  and 
to  share  with  them  whatever  they  possess. 

The  people  in  Minorca  resemble  those  of  Majorca  in  their 
manners  and  in  their  dress,  but  they  are  said  to  be  the  least 
superstitious  of  the  Spaniards.  Five  towns  are  situated  on 
the  island.  Jamna,  now  Ciudadela,e  was  probably  founded 
by  the  Carthaginians;  with  the  exception  of  Mahon,  the 
capital,  it  is  the  largest  town  in  Minorca.  Broad  and  straight 
streets,  and  clean  and  well  built  houses,  render  Mahon  an 
agreeable  residence ; the  cathedral  and  townhousef  corre- 
spond ill  with  the  rest  of  the  city.  The  boldness  of  their 
pirates, e and  the  safe  retreat  afforded  by  their  harbour,  ena- 
bled the  inhabitants  to  amass  considerable  wealth  during  the 
war  against  Napoleon.  The  harbour  indeed  is  one  of  the 

Nf  OF  SPAIN.  183 

finest  in  the  Mediterranean  ; the  celebrated  Andrew  Doria 
is  said  to  have  been  the  author  of  a Spanish  proverb,  accord- 
ing to  which,  the  only  four  good  ports  in  that  sea,  are  June, 
July,  August  and  Port  Mahon.h  It  is  about  a league  in 
length,  and  a thousand  or  twelve  hundred  yards1  in  breadth ; 
the  sides  are  formed  by  two  steep  heights.  The  breadth 
of  the  entrance  is  about  300  yards,1*  and  vessels  can  sail  in 
the  neighbourhood,  without  being  endangered  by  rocks. 

Having  thus  endeavoured  to  describe  the  principal  towns  in 
Spain  and  its  islands,  it  remains  for  us  to  make  one  or  two 
remarks  on  the  commerce  and  industry  of  that  fine  country. 
It  has  been  already  seen  that  it  abounds  in  soda,  salt,  iron 
and  different  metals,  that  it  produces  oil,  fruits  anrl  wine,  the 
best  wool  in  the  world,  and  silk  that  is  only  surpassed  by 
that  of  Italy.  The  value  of  the  wines,  which  the  Spaniards 
consider  the  most  lucrative  of  their  productions,  might  be 
considerably  increased,  if  any  thing  like  an  equable  system 
of  duties  were  introduced.  It  exports  at  present  about 
twenty-five  or  thirty  thousand  casks,  and  the  price  obtained 
for  them  does  not  exceed  L.625,000.  The  silk  in  the 
provinces  of  Arragon,  Valencia,  Granada  and  Murcia,  might 
soon  rival  any  in  Italy,  if  exportation  were  encouraged,  and 
the  mulberfy  cultivated  with  care.  The  mines,  although 
rich  in  different  metals,  do  not  afford  all  the  advantages  that 
might  be  expected  from  them.  Lastly,  could  it  be  believed 
that  the  Spaniards,  with  so  great  an  extent  of  coast,  were 
dependent  on  foreigners  for  all  the  dry  or  salt  fish  which 
they  consume.  A Spanish  author  calculates  that  the  money 
given  every  year  for  imports,  in  that  single  article,  exceeds 
L.  500,000  ; thus  the  consumption  in  the  interior  nearly 
counterbalances  all  the  profits  it  derives  from  the  fecundity 
of  the  soil. 

The  insignificance  of  their  foreign  trade  ought  chiefly  to 
be  attributed  to  the  indifference  of  the  Spaniards.  Although 
from  their  situation,  few  nations  have  such  facilities  in  form- 
ing a mercantile  navy,  still  the  Spanish  flag  is  the  one  which 
mariners  observe  very  rarely  on  tire  sea.  The  Spaniards 
hold  some  intercourse  with  different  ports  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean, but  with  few  in  the  Baltic ; if  they  cross  the  Atlantic, 
it  is  only  on  account  of  their  American  possessions.1 

The  taxes  with  which  the  products  of  agriculture  and 
industry  are  loaded,  the  diversity  of  weights,  measures  and 
money,  the  bad  state  of  the  roads,  and  the  scarcity  of  canals, 
of  which  the  most  useful  remain  unfinished,  may  be  ’consid- 
ered the  principal  causes  which  have  led  to  the  decay  of 
Spanish  commerce.  But  all  those  evils  might  be  easily 
remedied,  and  the  country  contains  within  itself  the  elements 
of  prosperity.  The  time  may  come  when  government, 
aware  of  the  true  interests  of  Spain,  will  pursue  an  opposite 
course  to  that  which  has  been  hitherto  followed.  If  industry 
were  encouraged,  if  salutary  reforms  were  introduced,  and  if 
the  real  advantages  of  the  country  were  no  longer  sacrificed 
to  the  imaginary  advantages  of  American  possessions,  Spain 
might  become  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  flourishing 
regions  in  Europe. 

a For  the  details  of  these  proceedings,  disgraceful  to  a civilized  na- 
tion, the  reader  may  consult  the  work  of  Cambassede. 
b “ — 16  towns  of  from  3000  to  6000  inhabitants.” 
c James,  king  of  Majorca,  Minorca,  and  Ivica,  son  of  James  I.  king 
of  Arragon,  who  conquered  these  islands  from  the  Moors.  James  II. 
king  of  Arragon,  was  the  son  of  his  elder  brother,  Peter  III.  of  Arra- 
gon.—P. 

d “ The  handkerchief  used  as  a headdress  by  the  women,  is  open 
before  and  thrown  back  upon  the  shoulders ; in  other  respects  it  does 
not  differ  from  that  in  Ivica.”  The  headdress,  called  rebozello,  consists 
of  a double  handkerchief,  the  top  of  which  covers  the  head,  and  is  tied 

under  the  chin ; then  extending  over  the  shoulders,  and  falling  half 
way  down  the  back,  the  two  ends  meet,  cross  and  tie  before.  (Ed.  En- 
cyc.) — P. 

6 Ciudadella.  f “ Government  house.”  e Privateers. 

h Junio,  Julio,  Agosto  y Puerto  Mahon, 

Los  mejores  puertos  del  Mediterraneo  son. 

■ “ 500  or  600  toises.”  k “ Breadth,  150  toises.” 

1 These  being  now  lost  to  the  mother  country,  except  the  islands  of 
Cuba  and  Porto  Rico,  its  American  trade  must  of  course  be  greatly 
restricted. — P. 

EUROPE. 


184 

It  may  be  necessary  to  mention  a small  territory  on  the 
confines  of  France  and  Spain,  nominally  neutral  and  pro- 
tected by  these  two  great  states.  Although  the  republic  of 
Andorra  is  twice  as  large  as  that  of  San  Marino  in  Italy,  the 
former  remains  unnoticed,®  while  the  other  is  described  in 
most  geographical  works.  It  occupies  a valley  in  the  Pyr- 
enees, and  is  bounded  on  the  east,  the  south  and  the  west 
by  the  corregidoriesb  of  Puycerda  and  Talarn  in  Catalonia, 
and  on  the  north  by  the  department  of  the  Arriege.  The 
whole  territory  is  about  seven  leagues  in  length  by  six  in 
breadth ; it  contains  thirty-four  villages  or  hamlets,  and  is 
divided  into  six  communities,  namely,  Old  Andorra,  the 
capital,  Canillo,  Encamp,  Massana,  Ordino  and  St.  Julian. 
The  thermal  springs  near  the  hamlet  of  Cables  are  still  fre- 
quented, and  the  iron  in  the  territory  furnishes  employment 
to  many  of  the  inhabitants.®  The  valley,  watered  by  sev- 
eral streams,  of  which  the  three  largest  are  the  Balira,  the 
Ordino  and  the  Os,  is  crowned  by  inaccessible  mountains. 
Rich  in  the  products  of  the  three  natural  kingdoms,  it  con- 
tains quarries  of  fine  marble,  inexhaustible  iron  mines  and 

a It  holds  a place,  however,  in  the  excellent  work  entitled : Ta- 
bleau de  la  Balance  politique  du  Globe,  by  Ad.  Balbi. 

b Corregimientos. 


[BOOK  CXXXIS. 

| valuable  timber,  which  is  transported  by  the  Balira  and  the 
j Segre  to  Tortosa,  and  from  thence  to  the  Mediterranean 
The  forests  and  the  mountains  abound  with  game  and 
i different  animals,  such  as  wild  goats  and  wild  boars, 
bears  and  wolves.  Part  of  the  land  produces  excellent  to- 
bacco. 

Louis  the  Debonnaire  ceded  the  sovereignty  of  Andorra 
to  the  bishops  of  Urgel ; the  latter  possessed  it  jointly  with 
the  counts  of  Foix  from  the  thirteenth  century  until  the  ac- 
cession of  Henry  the  Fourth  to  the  throne,  when  the  county 
of  Foix  was  united  to  France.  From  that  time  the  French 
! kings  retained  feudal  rights  over  it;  but  in  the  year  1790, 
these  rights  were  abolished,  and  the  small  republic  of  An- 
dorra was  rendered  independent  of  France. 

The  government  is  composed  of  two  syndics,  elected  by 
a general  council  of  twenty-four  members,  who  are  chosen 
for  life  by  the  six  communities.  The  people  speak  the 
Catalonian  dialect,  and  are  under  the  spiritual  authority  of 
the  bishop  of  Urgel.  Happy  in  their  seclusion,  the  quarrels 
of  ambitious  men  never  disturb  their  peaceful  labours. 

c “ There  are  thermal  springs  near  the  hamlet  of  Caldes,  and  four 
forges  in  the  territory.” 


Lb 


BOOK  CXXXIX.] 

DESCRIPTION  OF  SPAIN. 

185 

STATISTICAL  TABLES. 

POLITICAL  DIVISION  OF  SPAIN. 

Lieutenancies.*  Corregimientoa.f 

Governments. 

Alcaldias  Mayores.J 

Lieutenancies 

Corregrimientoa. 

Governments.  Alcaldias  Mayores. 

Pampeluna  

Pampeluna 

— 

Ledesma 

Ciudad  Rodrigo  Ciudad  Rodrigo 

Vittoria  Guipuzcoa 

St.  Sebastian 

— 

— 

San  Felices  de  los 

Bilboa 

— 

— 

Gallegos  

Oviedo  Orense 

Corunna 

Corunna. 

Valladolid 

Valladolid 

Valladolid. 

Betanzos 

Ferrol 

Ferrol. 

Medina  del  Campo 



Banos  de  Molyas 

— 

— 

Olmedo 



Baltar 

— 

— 

Puebla  de  Sanabria 

Puebla  de  Sanabria  

Linares 

— 

— 

Tordesillas 



Verin 



— 

Avila 

Madrigal 



Santiago  Cambados 

Salvatierra 

Salvatierra. 

Arevalo 



Ulloa 

— 

— 

Burgos 

Burgos 

Burgos. 

Rairiz  da  Veiga 

— 

— 

Briviesca 



Soto  Mayor  

— 

Soto  Mayor. 

Lerma 



Barcelona  Barcelona 

Barcelona 

Barcelona. 

Santo  Domingo  de 

Albaracin 

Berga 

Berga. 

la  Colzada 



Cervera 

Cervera 

— 

CastroxerizH 



4 Barbastro 

— 

— 

The  Merindas  of  Old 

Benavarre 

— 

— 

Castile** 



Borja 

— 

— 

Segovia 

Segovia 

Aguilar  del  Rio 

Gerona 

Gerona 

Gerona. 

Alhama. 

Calatayud 

Calatayud 

Calatayud. 

Soria 



Figueras 

Figueras 

Figueras. 

Agreda 



Moya 

— 

— 

Alfaro 



Lerida 

Lerida 

Lerida. 

Logrono 



Manresa 

Manresa 

Manresa. 

Arnedo 



Mataro 

Mataro 

Mataro. 

Calahorra 



Puigcerda§ 

Puigcerda 

Puigcerda. 

Riaza 



Talarn 

Talarn 

— 

Santander 

— 

Santander  Santander. 

Tortosa 

Seo  de  Urgel 

— 



Santona 

Valle  de  Aren 

Rosas 

— 

Badajoz 

: 

Badajoz  Badajoz. 

Vich 

— 

— 

Caceres 

Olivenza  Albuquerque. 

Villa  Franca  de  Pen- 

Coria 



ades 

— 

— 

Plasencia 

Alcantara,  O.  M.  

Zaragoza  Zaragoza 

— 

Zaragoza. 

Trujillo 

Gata,  O.  M.  

Cincavillas 

Cincavillas 

Cincavillas. 

Guadalcanal,  O.  M. 

Jeresit  de  los  Cabal- 

Daroca 

Daroca 

Daroca. 

leros,  O.  M.  

— 

Alcaniz,  O.  M .11  

— 

Llerena,  O.  M.  

Fraga 

— 

— 

— 

Merida,  0.  M.  

Huesca 

Huesca 

Huesca. 

— 

Valencia  de  Alcan- 

Jaca 

Jaca 

Jaca. 

tara,  O.  M.  

Tarazona 

Monzon 

— 

— 

Villa  Nueva  de  la 

Torrijas 

— 

— 

Serena,  O.  M.  

Tarragona 

Tarragona 

Tarragona. 

Madrid 

Madrid 



Teruel 

Teruel 

Teruel. 

Alcala  de  Henares 



Leon  Leon 

— 

Leon. 

Chinchon 



Astorga 

— 

— 

Guadalaxara  Guadalaxara 

Guadalaxara 

Ponferrada 

— 

— 

Atienza 



Benavides 

— 

— 

Ita 



Bonar 

— 

— 

Jadraque 



Sahagun 

— 

— 

Medina  Celi 



Palencia  Palencia 

— 

Palencia. 

Molina  de  Aragon 



Carrion 

— 

Aguilar  del 

Toledo 

Toledo 

Ocana,  O.  M.  

Campo. 

Talavera  de  la  Reyna 

Reynosa 

— 

— 

Illescas 



Becerril  de  Campos 

— 

— 

Lillo 



Duenas 

— 

— 

Cuenca 

Cuenca 

Alarcon. 

Herrera  de  Rio  Pisuerga  

— 

Huete 



Toro 

— 

— 

Requena 



Torquemada 

— 

— 

San  Clemente 



Zamora  

Zamora 

Zamora. 

Sisantaand  Vara  del 

— 

— 

Alaejos. 

Rey 



Salamanca  

Salamanca 

Salamanca. 

Utiel 



— 

— 

Albade  Tormes 

Tarazona 



* “ Intendancies.”  The  translator  has  applied  the  same  term  Lieu- 

II  Military  Order. 

tenancy,  to  two  entirely  different  classes  of  divisions,  to  neither  of 

IT  Castro  Geriz. 

which  is  it  applied  in  the  original.  See  note  a 

page  130. — P. 

**  These  merindas*  are  six  in  number,  and  are  situated  in  the  prov- 

t Corregi.miento,  the  district  over  which  the 

jurisdiction  of  a corre- 

ince  of  Burgos  ; Campo,  Horna  and  Valdelugana  form  part  of  them. 

gidor  extends. 

* Merindad , the  jurisdiction  of  a merino  (royal  judge  and  superintendent  or 

t Alccddia  Mayor,  the  district 

subject  to  a higher  alcalde. 

inspector  of  sheep-walks.) — r. 

, § Puycerda. 

ft  Xeres. 

bee  page  bb7. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  48  24 

— — — i 

186 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXIX 


hioutenancie*.  Corrncimlentos. 
Ciudad  Real  Ciudad  Real 

Alcaraz 

Villa  Nueva  de  los 
Infantes 


Valencia 


Nuevas  Po- 
blaciones 
Jaen 


Valencia 

Alcoy 

Castellon  de  la  Pla 
na 

Denia 

Jijona 

Morelia 

Onteniente 

Orihuela 

Peniscola 

San  Felipe 


Governments. 
Penas  de  San  Pe- 
dro 

Almaden,  O.  M. 

Alinagro,  O.  M. 
Infantes,  O.  M. 


Cordova 


Seville 


Cadiz 


Granada 


Malaga 


Murcia 


Alcira* 

Alicante 

• Castellon  de  la  Pla- 
na 

Denia 

Morelia 
Murviedro 
Orihuela 
Peniscola 
San  Felipe 


Alcaldias  Mayores. 


Valencia. 

Alcira. 

Alicante. 

Castellon  de  la  Pla- 
na. 


Jaen 

Andujar 

Ubeda 

Alcala  la  Real 
Alcaudete 
Marc  ha  Real 
Cordova 
Bujalance 

Lucena 

Montilla 

Montoro 

Pedroches 

Seville 

Almonte 


Martos,  O.  M. 


Ayamonte 

San  Lucar 
Guadiana 


Morelia 

Orihuela. 

San  Felipe 
La  Carolina. 

Alcala  la  Real. 


Cordova. 

Aguilar  de  la  Fron- 
tera. 


San  Lucar  la  May- 
or. 


de 


Carmona  

Ecija  

Gibraleon  — — - 

Moguer  

Niebla  

Paradas  

Pruna  

Rota  and  Chipiona  

Cadiz 

Alcala  de  los  Ga-  Puerto  de  Santa 
zules  Maria 

Arcos  de  la  Fron-  San  Lucar  de  Bar- 


tera 

Chiclana 

Conil 

Xeres  de  la  Fron- 
tera 

Trebujena 
Villa  Martin 
Granada 

Ujijar,  in  the  Al- 
puxarras 


rameda 


Tarifa 

Granada 


Ecija. 


Cadiz. 

Puerto  de  Santa 
Maria. 

San  Lucar  de  Bar- 
rameda. 


Carthagena 
Mallorca 
Palma 


Antequera 

Baza 

Coin 

Guadix 


Gibraltar 

Marbella 

Ronda 

Velez  Malaga 

Murcia 

Albacete 

Chinchilla 

Mula 

Mahon 

Palma 


Almeria 

Motril 


Malaga 


Cieza,  O.  M. 


Carthagena 

Mahon 

Palma 

Iviza 


Xeres  de  la  Fron- 
tera 
Tarifa. 

Granada. 


Almeria. 

Alboloduy. 

Motril. 

Antequera. 

Adra,  Berja,  and 
Dalias. 

Calahorra  de  Gra- 
nada. 

Malaga. 


Carthagena. 

Palma. 


* Al/ira,  Algecira. 

t “ Captain-Generalships.”  Spain  is  divided  into  eleven  grand 
military  departments,  (exclusive  of  the  islands),  the  chief  command  of 


Navarre 


The  Biscayan 
Provinces  ^ 


DIVISION  OF  SPAIN  INTO  LIEUTENANCIES,! 

WITH  THE  NAMES  OF  THE  PROVINCES,  THEIR  POPULATION,  AND  THAT  OF 
THE  PRINCIPAL  TOWNS  IN  EACH  PROVINCE,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  LAT- 
EST DOCUMENTS. 

A.  Lieutenancy  of  Navarre. 

General  Divisions.  Provinces.  Population.  Towns.  Population. 

fPampeluna,  . 

Navarre  . 272,000  J Judela,  . . 

^Tafalla,  . . 

B.  Lieutenancy  of  Guipuscoa. 
f St.  Sebastian, 

Guipuscoa,  127,000 1 

l,  Vergara  or  Bergara, 

• i33>oooSSrdbu°5k, : 

. 85,000  Vittoria,  . 

Lieutenancy  of  Galicia. 

C Oviedo,  , 

. 420,000  < Aviles, 

( Gijon, 

{Santiago, 

Pontevedra, 

Padron,  . 

Muros, 

167,000 1 Perrol^08’. 

73,000  Corunna, 

324,000  Lugo,  . . 

382,000  Orense,  . 

wa'«SS’d.vi., 

Lieutenancy  of  Arragon. 

' Saragossa, 


Asturias 


Galicia 


Biscay, 

Alava,  . 
C. 

< Asturias, 


Santiago,  . 

Betanzos,  . 

Corunna,  . 
Lugo,  . . 

Orense,  . . 

Tuy,  . . . 

Mondonedo, 

D. 


Arragon 


Catalonia 


Catalonia, 


Jaca 

Alcaniz,  . 
Barbas  tro, 
Borja, 
Fraga,  . . 

Huesca,  . 
Carinena, 
Calatayud, 
Daroca,  . 
Montalban,! 
Teruel,  . 
^Taragona,§ 
Lieutenancy  of  Catalonia. 

' Barcelona, 
Cervera,  . 
Figueras,  . 
Gerona,|[  . 
Lerida, 

1,125,000^  Manresa,  . 


Arragon,  . 770,000. 


E. 


Population 

15,000 
. 8,000 
. 6,000 
. 5,000 

. 9,000 
. 2,000 
. 5,000 
. 4,000 
. 15,000 
. 3,000 
. 7,000 

. 10,000 
. 6,000 
. 6,000 
. 28,000 
. 4,000 
. 4,000 
. 4,000 
. 5,000 
. 13,000 
. 18,000 
. 7,000 
. 4,000 
. 6,000 
. * 2,000 
. 6,000 
. 3,000 


. 55,000  * 
. 3,000 
. 6,000 
. 7,000 
. 3,000 
. 5000 
. 9,000 
. 3,000 
. 6,000 
. 6,000 
. 3,000 
. 7,000 
10,000 

120,000 
. 5,000 
. 7.000 
. 6,000 
12,000 
13,000 

13.000 

11.000 
16,000 


Old  Castile 


Leon 


Mataro, 

Tarragona, 

Tortosa,  . 

Villa  Franca  de  Penades  4,000 

(_Vich, 12,000 

Lieutenancy  of  Old  Castile. 

107  000  5 AviIa’ 4’000 

. . 107,000  £ Areval0; 2,000 

ora  one  t Burgos, 12,000 

‘ " 1 ( Aranda  de  Duero,  . 4,000 

im  non  $ Segovia, 12.000 

140,0°0  \ St.  Ildefonso,  . . . 4^00? 

f Soria,  5,000 

262.000  < Calahorra,  ....  6,000 

( Agreda, 3,000 

183.000  Santander,  ....  18,000 

200  000  5 keon> 5,000 

2JU,UUU  £ Astorga, 4,000- 

on'  nnn  S Palencia, 10,000 

^u°>uuu  £ Carrion  de  los  Condes,  3,000 
i -o  non  5 Toro 9,000 

152.000 1 Zamora, 7,000? 


F. 

Avila,  . . 

Burgos,  . . 

Segovia, 

Soria,  . . 

Santander,  . 

Leon,  . . 

Palencia, 

Toro,  ) 

Zamora,  ) 

Salamanca,  . 235,000 


( Salamanca, 

( Ciudad  Rodrigo, 
("Valladolid, 


Valladolid, 


195,000  i Medina  del  Campo, 


Medina  del  Rio  Seco, 
t^Tordesillas,  . . . . 


14.000 

4.000 

32.000  ? 

3.000 

4.000 

3.000 


which  resides  in  the  governor,  who  assumes  the  title  of  captain-gen- 
eral, to  which  the  governor  of  Navarre  adds  that  of  viceroy.  Ed.  En- 
cyc. — P.  { Montalvan.  § Tarazona.  ||  “ Girone.” 


BOOK  CXXXIX.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SPAIN. 


167 


G.  Lieutenancy  of  Estrerrmdura. 
Jeneral  Divisions.^  Provinces.  Population.  Towns. 

' Badajoz, 


Population. 


Cstremadara  ■ 


Estremadura,  070,000 


New  Castile  < 


H. 

Madrid, 


Toledo, 


Cuenca,  . 


ipulatio! 

12,000 

Albuquerque,  . . . 0,000 
Alcantara,  ....  3,000 

Caceres, 10,000 

Ceclavin,  ....  5,000 

Llerena, 0,000 

Merida, 5,000 

Olivenza,  ....  10,000 
Plasencia,  ....  0,000 

Truxillo, 4,000 

Xeres  de  los  Caballeros,  9,000 

10,000  ? 


Valencia 


Zafra 

Lieutenancy  of  J\'ew  Castile. 

' Madrid,  . . . , 

Alcala  de  Henares, 
C Guadalaxara, 

Guadalaxara,  217,000  1 Brihuega, 

( Siguenza, 

{Toledo, 

Aranjuez, 
Consuegra, 
Guardia, 

Ocana, 

328,000  $ Cuenca,  . 

’ ‘ Kequena, 

Ciudad  Rea 
Alcaraz,  . 
Manzanares, 

Lieutenancy  of  Valencia  and  Murcia. 

'Valencia, 


La  Mancha,  375,000 . 

I. 


Murcia, 


Valencia,  . 1,048,000- 


Murcia, 


458,000- 


a 


Alcala  de  Chis 
Alcira, 

Alcoy, 
Alicante, . 
Benicarlo, 
Castellon  de 
Carcagente, 
Concentayn 
Callera, 

Denia, 

Elda,  . 

Elche, 

Gandia, 
Murviedro, 
Orihuela, 
Oliva,  . 
Segorbe,  . 

San  Felipe, 
Vinaros,  . 

Villa  Real, 
Xixona,  . 
Murcia,  . 
Albacete, 
Almansa,t 
Callaspara, 
Carthagena, 
Cehegin, 
Chinchilla, 
Jumilla, 

Lorca, 

Totana, 

Villena, 

_ Yecla, 


er 


FI 


201 ,000 
. 4,000 
. 7,000 
. 4,000 
. 5,000 
. 15,000 
. 4,000 
. 6,000 
. 4,000 
. 5,000 
. 7,000 
. 10,000 
. 10,000 
. 10,000 
. 9,000 


J.  Lieutenancy  of  Andalusia 
'New  Popula-  ~ 
tions,t 


Andalusia, 


13,000 


Jaen, 


Cordova, 


267,000. 


La  Carolina, 
'Jaen,  . . 

Andujar, 
Alcala  Real, 
Alcaudete, 
Baeza, 
Baylen,  . 
Martos,  . 
Ubeda, 

* Cordova,  . 
Baena, 

370,000  i Bujalance, 

7 | Lucena,  . 

Montilla, 
(.Priego,  . 


66,000 
6,000 
8,000 
18,000 

23.000 
5,000 

na,  15,000 

5.000 

7.000 

7.000 

3.000 

4.000 

4.000 

6.000 
6,000 

25.000 

5.000 

6.000 

15.000 

9.000  ? 

8.000 

4.000  ? 

35.000 

9.000 

7.000 

3.000 

29.000 

10.000 
10,000 

8.000 

40.000 

8,000 

12.000  ? 
8,000  ? 


3.000 
. 18,000 
, 10,000 

14.000 

6.000 

10.000 

4,000 

10,000 

15.000 

46.000 

14.000 

14.000 

19.000 

13.000 

16.000 


* Gisvert  or  Xibert. 
t Almanza,  Almanza, 
t See  p.  857. 


I Genera.  Divisions.  Provinces.  Population. 


Seville, 


648,000. 


Andalusia 


, Towns.  Population. 

Seville, 91,000 

Aracena,  ....  5,000 
Ayamonte,  ....  6,000 
Carmona,  ....  18*000 
Constantina,  . . . 6,000 

Ecija, 34,000 

Estepa, 10,000 

Fregenal,  ....  5,000 
Huelva,  ....  8,000 
Marchena,  ....  13,000 

Osuna,§ 16,000 

Utrera, 11,000 

'Cadiz, 53,000 

Algesiras,||  ....  13,000 
Arcos  de  la  Frontera,  10,000 
Medina  Sidonia,  . . 9,000 
Puerto  de  Santa  Maria,  17,000 

Rota, 8,000 

San  Fernando  (Isle  of 

Leon), 3,000 

San  Lucar  de  Barra- 
meda,  . 

Tarifa, 

_Xeres  de  la  Frontera, 

K.  Lieutenancy  of  Granada  and  Malaga 


Cadiz, 


245,000 


Andalusia 


Granada" 


► 1,108,000- 


Malaga 


j 


L. 


Balearic  Isl- 
ands 


Granada, 

Adra,  . . 

Alhama,  . 
Almunecar, 
Almeria, 

Baza,  . . 

Guadix,  . 

Loja,  . . 

Motril, 

Torviscon, 
Malaga,  . 
Antequera, 
Estepona, 
Marbella, 

Ronda, 

Velez  Malaga, 
Lieutenancy  of  Majorca. 

f Palma, 


Balearic  ) 
Islands,  5 


250,000 


l^Soller,H  . 
r Mahon,  . 

Minorca  J . • 

) Ciudadela, 

( Mercadal, 
Ivica,  Ivica,  . . 


Total  population,  . 13,560,000 

Table  of  the  Spanish  Colonies. 

f Ceuta, 


16,000 

13.000 

31.000 

80.000 

9.000 

6.000 

5.000 

19.000 

10.000 

9.000 

14.000 

10.000 

15.000 

52.000 

20.000 

9.000 

4.000 
18,000 

14.000 

34.000 

9.000 

7.000 

8.000 

19.000 

5.000 

7.000 

4.000 

5.000 


Africa 


'Presidios,  or  for- ' 
tified  places 
on  the  coast, 


Canary  Islands,  196,000 


An-" 


1000 


Oceanica  ■< 


America 


Island  of 
nobon, 

Island  of  Fer- 
nando Po,  J 
Philippine  "I 

M^nfsi-h2’640-000? 

ands,  J 


9,000 

11,000  7 Alhucemas,)Q 

l Melilla  pUUU 

f Teneriffe  5 Santa  Cruz’  8’000 
ienenne  £ San  Cristoval,9,000 

{Palmas,  . 9,000 

Aguimez,  5,000 

Arucas,  . 4,000 

Guia,  . . 3,000 

Tirajana,  . 3,000 

Palma,  Santa  Cruz,  5,000 

Lancerota,  Teguisa,  . 2,000 


Grand 

Canary 


Antilles, 


1,240,000 


Manilla,  140,000  ? 
Cavite,  . 6,000 
Tayabes  . 13,000 

'Havanna,  130,000 
Bayamo,  12,000 
Matanzas,  7,000 
Puerto  Principe, 

30,000.’’ 

_ Santiago,  20,000 
Porto  Rico,  San  Juan,  30,000 


Luconia 


Cuba 


§ Ossuna. 

II  Algeziras. 
IT  Soler. 


j 


188 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXXXIX 


Total  population  of  the  colonies, 4,088,000 

Total  population  of  Spain, 13,560,000* * 

Total  population  of  the  Spanish  monarchy,  . . 17,648,000 


Number  of  Hospitals  and  other  Institutions. 


Hospitals, 2,231 

Houses  of  entertainment  for  monks  and  ecclesiastics, t 106 

Foundling  hospitals, 67 

Places  of  retreat, 32 

Prisons, 5,898 

Colleges,  383 

Houses  of  education, 168 


Number  of  Clergy  in  \ 826.  J 


Archbishops  and  bishops, 61 

Canons 2,363 

Prebends, 1,869 

Curates 16,481 

Vicars, 4,929 

Incumbents  having  great  benefices, 17,411 

Do.  small  benefices, 9,088 

Expectants  (demandantes) , 3,467 

Hermits  and  pilgrims, 1,300 

Number  of  men  in  the  convents, 61,327 

Do.  women  do.  31,400 


Total  number, 149,696 


Cattle , Sfc.  in  the  kingdoms  of  Leon  and  Castile,  according 
to  the  documents  published  by  M.  Mxnano  in  1826. 


Belonging  to 
Laymen. 

Belonging  to 
Ecclesiastics. 

Total 

Number. 

Horned  cattle  

2,729,551 

215,334 

2,944,885 

Horses 

361,523 

38,972 

400,495 

Mules . . 

206,967 

16,679 

223,646 

Sheep 

16,792,788 

1,894,371 

18,687,159 

Goats 

4,828,068 

359,600 

5,187,668 

Asses 

618,342 

23,446 

641,788 

Swine 

2,551,152 

177,131 

2,728,283 

Hives 

1 ,467,773 

229,820 

1 ,697,593 

* The  number  of  people  in  the  hospitals,  prisons,  colleges,  and  ec- 
clesiastical seminaries  has  not  been  determined.  The  same  remark  is 
applicable  to  the  number  of  criminals,*  smugglers,  gypsies  and  per- 
sons without  any  means  of  subsistence.  Their  number  has  been 

vaguely  estimated  by  M.  Minano  at 127,345 

The  ecclesiastics  amount  to 149,696 

The  army  and  navy, . 64,000 

Inhabitants  of  Spain, 13,560,000 

Thus  the  total  population  is  equal  to  . . 13,901,041 

* “ Criminals  condemned  to  the  galleys.” 
t “ Hospices”— Hospicios,  almshouses,  especially  for  decayed  eccle- 
siastics.— P. 

I The  following  is  the  table  in  the  original : 

Archeveques  et  feveques, 61 

Chanoines, 2,363 

Ecclesiastiques  prebendes, 1,869 

Cures  de  paroisses, 16,481 

Vicaires, 4,929 

Beneficiers  ordonn6s  majeurs, 17,411 

Id.  ordonnes  mineurs, 9,088 

Postulans  ( demandantes ), 3,467 

Ermitcs  et  pelerins, 1,300 

Dans  les  couvens,  hommes, 61,327 

Id.  femmes, 31,400 


Spanish  Revenue. 


Pounds  St. 

Francs. 

Customs 

939,170 

22,540,000 

Tobacco 

625,000 

15,000,000 

Salt 

410,917 

9,860,000 

Stamps 

137,900 

3,310,000 

Lottery 

90,000 

2,150,000 

Tax  on  the  population  of  Granada  . . 

8,750 

210,000 

Lanzas  (contributions  exacted  from  the 
grandees  as  an  equivalent  for  the  lances 
or  horsemen  which  they  furnished  for- 

merly  to  the  crown) 

19,170 

460,000 

Cruzada  (ancient  tax  levied  for  the  cru- 

sades)  

197,087 

4,730,000 

Excusado  (subsidy  granted  by  the  pope 
for  the  revenue  of  the  clergy)  . . . 

% 

215,000 

5,160,000 

JVoveno  (ninth  part  of  the  tithes  granted 

by  the  pope) 

242,917 

5,830,000 

Tcrcius  (two  ninths  of  the  tithes)  . . . 

125,000 

3,000,000 

Diczmo  (tax  on  the  river  fishings  in  Se- 

ville) 

417 

10,000 

Half  of  the  annats  belonging  to  the  secu- 

lar  clergy 

9,325 

225,000 

Casa  de  Aposento  (ancient  tax  claimed  by 
the  king’s  purveyors) 

7,292 

175,000 

Penas  de  Camera  (fines  incurred  after 

three  appeals  to  the  supreme  council)  . 

12,500 

300,000 

Mesadas,  &c.  (ecclesiastical  dues  and  an- 

nats) 

15,422 

370,000 

Posts,  gunpowder,  saltpetre  and  other 

products 

1,320,000 

31,670,000 

Total 

4,376,776 

105,000,000 

Amount  of  the  national  debt 

150,000,000 

4 ,000^000^000 

Army. 


Effective  men, 50,000  § 

Navy. 

Ships  of  the  line, 10 

Frigates, 16 

Other  vessels, 30 

Men  in  the  naval  service, 14,000 


The  following  table  for  1787,  is  taken  from  Townsend’s  Travels  in 
Spain,  vol.  2.  p.  213  : 

Parochial  clergy,  called  curas, 16,689 

Assistants,  called  tenientes  curas, 5,771 

Sacristans,  or  sextons, 10,873 

Acolitos,  to  assist  at  the  altar, 5,503 

Ordenados  de  patrimonio,  having  a patrimony  of  three 

reals  a day, 13,244 

Ordenados  de  menores,  with  inferior  ecclesiastical  or- 
ders,   10,774 

Beneficiados,  or  canons  of  cathedrals,  and  other  bene- 
ficiaries,   23,692 

Monks, 61,617 

Nuns, 32,500 

Beatas ,* 1,130 

Syndics,  to  collect  for  the  mendicants, t 4,127 

Inquisitors, 2,705 


188,625— P 

* Women  who  wear  a religious  habit,  and  are  engaged  in  works  of  charity, 
t Sindicos,  depositaries  of  the  alms  of  some  religious  houses. 

§ The  army  is  organized  for  a force  of  120,000  men,  exclusive  of  the 
militia,  which  consists  of  40,000.1 

1 The  army  consists  of  65,530  men,  including  4,200  guards,  and  is  to  be 
doubled  in  time  of  war.  Hassel,  Statistik,  1822. — P. 


149.696 


book.  cxl.  i DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  189 


BOOR  CXL. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — France. — Historical  notice. 

The  influence  of  France  may  be  compared  to  that  which 
ancient  Greece  possessed  over  the  civilized  world  ; ' the 
French  language  has  become  the  language  of  courts  and 
ambassadors ; the  literature  of  the  same  people  has  been 
admired  by  the  enlightened  of  every  nation  ; since  the  rev- 
olution, French  philosophers  have  contributed,  perhaps 
more  than  those  of  any  other  country,  to  extend  the  limits 
of  science,  and  French  armies  crowned  with  laurels,  have 
dictated  their  laws  to  Europe.  Those,  who  consider  philo- 
sophically certain  questions  by  which  geography  may  be 
changed  into  a new  science,  must  examine  the  causes  on 
which  the  characters  that  distinguish  a people  from  neigh- 
bouring nations,  depend.  They  cannot,  in  the  present 
instance,  be  attributed  to  climate,  for  the  extreme  de- 
grees of  cold  or  heat,  that  modify  the  physical  and  moral 
powers  of  the  inhabitants,  are  not  felt  in  France;  neither 
can  the  causes  be  discovered  in  the  inequalities  of  the  soil, 
for  there  are  no  extensive  plains  or  lofty  chains  of  mountains, 
which  by  determining  men  to  become  husbandmen  or  shep- 
herds, accelerate  or  retard  the  progress  of  civilization.  The 
question,  therefore,  depends  on  other  causes,  and  its  solution 
is  not  without  interest  in  the  description  of  a country,  whose 
inhabitants  have  enlightened  Europe,  planted  the  seeds  of 
freedom  in  America,  and  overturned  empires  in  their  polit- 
ical commotions. 

The  population  of  France  belongs  to  three  different  races : 
viz.  the  Celtic , which  forms  nearly  four  fifths  of  the  inhab- 
itants, the  Germanic  or  the  people  in  the  ancient  provinces 
of  Flanders  and  Alsace,  and  in  part  of  Lorraine,  and  lastly, 
the  Pelasgian,  diffused  over  the  country  near  the  Mediterra- 
nean, and  in  Corsica.®  The  changes  occasioned  by  civili- 
zation may  modify,  but  cannot  wholly  destroy  the  character 
of  a people.  It  is  easy  to  discover  the  French  of  the  pres- 
ent day  in  the  description  of  the  Celts,  given  by  Caesar, 
Strabo  and  gther  writers.  Although  they  mixed  with  the 
Franks,  their  conquerors,  the  traits  by  which  they  were  dis- 
tinguished, have  not  been  effaced.  The  Celtce-Galli  or 
Gauls  were  gay,  frivolous,  quick  of  apprehension,  easily 
excited,  prompt  in  forming  their  resolutions,  brave  in  battle, 
attached  to  then-  country,  and  jealous  of  their  freedom. 
Their  frankness  and  impetuosity  are  so  great,  adds  the  Greek 
geographer,  that  each  man  thinks  it  incumbent  on  him  to 
resent  an  injury  offered  to  his  neighbour.* 1*  They  speak 
often  of  their  glorious  deeds,  says  Caesar,0  but  from  their 
natural  inconstancy,  they  are  presumptuous  after  success, 

a This  division  seems  to  have  been  derived  not  so  much  from  eth- 
nographical principles  as  from  the  physical  character  of  the  inhabit- 
ants. 

b Strabo,  Book  IV.  ch.  4. 

" De  Bello  Gallico,  Liber  III. 


and  dejected  after  defeat.  The  ancients  describe  them  as 
ostentatious  and  fond  of  ornaments, d affable  to  strangers,  and 
practising  hospitality ; according  to  their  laws,  the  man  who 
murdered  a stranger,  was  punished  with  death,  while  he 
who  murdered  a native,  was  only  sent  into  exile.  At  a very 
remote  period,  they  elected  their  own  magistrates,  limited 
the  authority  of  their  princes,  and  never  granted  subsidies 
until  they  had  deliberated  in  their  popular  assemblies.  Their 
politeness  distinguished  them  from  all  the  people,  whom  the 
Greeks  and  Romans  comprehended  under  the  name  of  bar- 
barians. Such  are  the  accounts  left  by  the  ancients  of  the 
Celts,  and  they  are  in  some  respects  still  applicable  to  the 
French.  Thus,  too,  the  difference  which  has  been  observed 
between  the  same  people  and  the  other  inhabitants  of  Eu- 
rope, may  be  perhaps  explained.  The  Celts  were  indebted 
to  their  physical  constitution  for  the  qualities  which  rendered 
them  to  a certain  degree  susceptible  of  perfectibility;  these 
qualities  have  been  transmitted  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion ; the  soil  which  they  occupied,  and  which  they  still 
possess,  has  been  rendered  more  productive  by  their  labour, 
and  so  long  as  the  progress  of  improvement  continues, 
France  is  likely  to  be  the  most  flourishing  country  in  Eu- 
rope. 

The  people  of  the  Celtic  race  whom  the  ancients  called 
Galli  or  V alii,  were  renowned  for  their  conquests  more 
than  seven  centuries  before  the  epoch  which  has  been  as- 
signed to  the  foundation  of  Rome.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
indicate  the  period  of  dieir  first  migrations  ; history  has  pre- 
served but  a confused  remembrance  of  them.  It  is  known 
that  they  made  several  invasions  into  Italy,  and  that  the  Ro- 
mans, while  in  the  height  of  their  power,  employed  vast 
armies  to  subdue  them.  Sixty  years  of  war  and  carnage 
were  hardly  sufficient  to  reduce  their  country  into  Roman 
provinces,  which  occupied  nearly  the  same  space  that  the 
kingdom  of  France  does  at  present.  The  glory  of  termi- 
nating these  expeditions  was  reserved  for  Cffisar,  and  it  is 
from  the  writings  of  the  same  person  that  the  Romans  de- 
rived their  knowledge  concerning  the  different  nations  in 
that  part  of  Gaul  which  they  called  Transalpine  ( Gallia 
Transalpina) . When  that  general  entered  the  country,  it 
was  inhabited  by  three  principal  tribes  or  nations : viz.  the 
Celtce  and  A quitani,  who,  although  they  spoke  distinct  dia- 
lects, belonged  evidently  to  the  Celtic  race,  and  the  Belgce  of 
Germanic  extraction,  who  inhabited  the  northern  part  of  the 
country.  Gaul  was  divided  into  four  provinces  by  Augus- 
tus ;e  Probus  subdivided  it  into  seven/  Diocletian  into 

d Ammianus  Marcellinus,  Book  LXV.  chap.  13. 

e Belgium  ( Gallia  Belgica),  Celtic  Gaul  ( Gallia  Celtica ),  Aquitaine 
(Aquitania) , and  the  Narbonnaise  ( Gallia  Narbonensis). 

1 Belgium,  the  first  and  second  Germany,  the  Lyonnaise,  the  Vien- 
noise,  the  Narbonnaise  and  Aquitaine 


EUROPE. 


190 

twelve,3  Valentinian  into  fourteen, b and  during  the  reign  of 
Gratian,  the  number  amounted  to  seventeen.0  We  shall 
enumerate  the  inhabitants  of  the  fifteen  provinces  which 
made  up  the  present  territory  of  France.d 

The  First  Narbonnaise  ( Narboncnsis  Prima),  formed  by 
Roussillon,  die  greater  part  of  the  county  of  Foix  and  Con- 
serans,  was  inhabited  by  the  Sardones,  a people  probably 
sprung  from  an  Illyrian  colony,  and  by  the  Eolcce,  divided  into 
the  eastern  and  western  ; the  former  were  surnamed  the  Ar- 
ecomici,  their  lands  extended  to  the  banks  of  the  Rhone  ; the 
latter  or  the  Tectosctges,  a warlike  people,  carried  their  arms 
into  Germany,  and  founded  Ancyra  in  that  district  of  Asia 
Minor,  which  was  called  Galatia  from  its  Gallic  inhabitants. 

The  Second  Narbonnaise  ( JVarbonensis  Secimda),  which 
comprehended  the  greater  part  of  Provence,  was  inhabited 
by  the  Tricorii,  a people  mentioned  by  Livy  in  his  account 
of  Hannibal’s  expedition,  by  the  Saluvii  or  Salyes,  a tribe 
formidable  to  their  neighbours,  and  also  by  the  Oxybii,  who 
distinguished  themselves  in  the  wars  against  the  Romans. 

The  Maritime  Alps  ( Alpes  Maritime ) contained  part  of 
Dauphiny,  Provence  and  Piedmont.  The  Caturiges,  who 
inhabited  that  part  of  the  province  included  in  France,  dis- 
puted with  Caesar  the  passage  of  their  mountains. 

JYovcmpopulania  comprehended  the  territory  of  Gascony, 
Armagnac,  Bearn  and  Lower  Navarre.  It  was  peopled  by 
the  Boil , whom  Ausonius  calls  Picci,  because  their  country 
abounded  with  pitch  or  resin,  by  the  Ausci  who  inhabited 
Auch,  by  the  Bigerrones  in  Bigorre  and  Bearn,  who  cov- 
ered themselves  in  winter  with  the  skins  of  animals,  and 
lastly,  by  the  Tarbdli  and  the  Tarusates , who  resisted  Cae- 
sar and  Crassus. 

The  First  Aquitaine  ( Aquitania  Prima)  was  the  most 
important  province  of  Gaul ; in  it  were  comprehended 
Quercy,  Rouergue,  Auvergne,  Bourbonnais,  Marche,  Li- 
mousin, Velai  with  Gevaudan  and  another  portion  of  Lan- 
guedoc, Berry,  and  a part  of  Poitou.  It  was  peopled  by  the 
Cadurci,  whose  principal  city  was  Caliors,  by  the  Arverni 
or  inhabitants  of  Auvergne,  one  of  the  most  warlike  nations 
of  the  Celtic  race,  by  the  Lemovices  or  Limousins,  who 
raised  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men,  and  by  the  Bituriges 
Cubi,  who  possessed  an  extensive  territory  long  before  the 
invasion  of  Caesar. 

The  Second  Aquitaine  ( Aquitania  Secunda ) compre- 
hended a part  of  Poitou,  Saintonge,  Angoumois,  Perigord, 
Agenois  and  the  rest  of  Guienne.  The  inhabitants  were  the 
Pictones  or  Pictavi,  the  Santones  in  the  territories  of  Saintes, 
Coignac  and  Angouleme,  the  Petrocorii  or  ancestors  of  the 
Perigourdins,  the  Meduli  in  the  country  of  Medoc,  and  the 
Bituriges  Eivisci  or  people  of  Bordelais. 

The  Viennoise  ( Eiennensis)  included  part  of  Provence  to- 
gether with  the  county  of  Venaissin,®  part  of  Dauphiny  to- 
gether with  the  principality  of  Orange,  part  of  Languedoc, 
and  part  of  Savoy  together  with  the  territory  of  Geneva.  The 
inhabitants  were  the  Anatilii  on  both  banks  of  the  Rhone,  the 
Cavares  and  the  Allobroges  on  the  right  bank  of  the  same 
river,  the  Eocontii,  a warlike  people,  included  by  Rome  in 
the  number  of  her  allies,  and  lastly,  the  Helvii. 

The  Great  Sequanaise  ( Maxima  Sequanorum)  was  formed 

* The  first  and  second  Belgium,  the  first  and  second  Germany,  the 
Great  Sequanaise,  the  first  and  second  Lyonnaise,  the  Narbonnaise, 
the  Viennoise  and  Aquitaine,  to  which  were  added,  the  Greek  Alps, 
comprehending  part  of  Switzerland  and  Savoy,  and  the  Maritime  Alps, 
including  part  of  Provence  and  the  county  of  Nice. 

*>  By  the  subdivision  of  Aquitaine  into  three  parts,  namely,  the  first 
and  second  Aquitaine  and  Novemoopulania. 


[BOOK  CXL. 

by  part  of  Burgundy,  Franche-Comte  and  Bassigny,  togeth- 
er with  Bresse  and  a portion  of  Switzerland.  All  the  French 
part  of  the  same  province  was  included  in  the  territory  of  the 
I Sequani,  from  which  the  Romans  imported  their  best  bacon/ 

The  First  Lyonnaise  ( Lugdunensis  Prima)  was  made  up 
of  Lyonnais,  Beaujolais,  F orez,  and  a part  of  Burgundy, 
Nivernais,  F ranche-Comte  and  Champagne.  It  was  inhab- 
ited by  two  powerful  nations,  namely,  the  Ambarri,  who, 
during  the  reign  of  the  Elder  Tarquin* *  sent  colonies  into 
Italy,  and  the  JEdui,  the  allies  of  the  Romans  before  the 
invasion  of  Gaul  by  Caesar ; the  latter  were  governed  by  a 
president  or  elective  chief,  who  was  not  permitted  to  leave 
the  territory  of  the  republic. 

The  Second  Lyonnaise  ( Lmgdunensis  Secunda)  compre- 
hended Normandy,  French  Vexin  and  the  greater  part  of 
Perche.  It  contained  nine  different  tribes,  and  a resem- 
blance still  subsists  between  their  names  and  the  names  of 
different  parts  of  the  country.  The  Caleti  inhabited  the 
country  of  Caux  ; the  Eburovices,  the  territory  of  Evreux ; 
the  Lexovii,  that  of  Lizieux ; the  Saii,  that  of  Seez ; the 
Bajocasses,  that  of  Bayeux;  the  Eenellip  that  of  Valogne  ; 
the  AvrincatcEp  that  of  Avranches  ; the  Eiducasses,  the  city 
of  Vieux,  now  a small  village  near  Caen ; and  the  Eeliocas- 
ses,  Vexin. 

The  people  of  the  Third  Lyonnaise  ( Lugdunensis  Ter- 
tia),  were  the  Redones  in  the  territory  of  Rennes,  the  Ee- 
neti  in  that  of  Vannes,  a wealthy  and  commercial  people, 
the  JVamnetes  in  that  of  Nantes,  the  Arvii  on  the  banks  of 
the  Arve,  a feeder  of  the  Sarthe,  the  Cenomani  in  the  coun- 
try round  Mans,  the  Andecavi  in  the  territory  of  Angers,  and 
the  Turones  in  that  of  Tours.  Thus  it  appears  that  the  prov- 
ince was  made  up  of  Brittany,  Maine,  Anjou  and  Touraine. 

As  to  the  Fourth  Lyonnaise  ( Lugdunensis  Quarta),  six 
different  tribes  were  settled  in  Beauce,  the  Isle  of  France, 
Brie,  a part  of  Champagne,  Burgundy  and  Nivernais,  and 
in  Gatinais  and  Orleanais ; these  tribes  were  the  Carnutes 
in  Chartrain,1  the  Parisii  round  Paris,  the  Meldi  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  Meaux,  the  Tricasses  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Troyes,  the  Senones  who  inhabited  Sens  and  Auxerre,  and 
sent  armed  colonies  into  Italy,  and  lastly,  the  Aureliani  in 
the  territory  of  Orleans. 

The  First  Belgium  ( Bclgica  Prima)  was  formed  by  the 
dutchy  of  Luxemburg,  and  by  part  of  the  territory  of 
Treves  and  the  province  of  Gelders.  It  was  partly  inhabit- 
ed by  tire  Trevtri , a people  that  have  been  already  men- 
tioned, and  by  the  Cceresi,  of  whom  some  account  shall  be 
given  in  the  description  of  the  Netherlands.  The  people  in 
the  French  part  of  the  province  were  the  Mediomatrici 
who  inhabited  Messin,k  the  Eerodunenses  in  the  country 
round  Verdun,  and  the  Leuci  who  possessed  a. considerable 
territory,  including  Bar,  Toul  and  part  of  Lorraine. 

The  different  tribes  that  occupied  the  Second  Belgium 
( Bclgica  Secunda,)  were  the  brave  and  proud  JSrervii,  who 
inhabited  Hainault,  Cambresis,  and  part  of  tire  Netherlands; 
the  Morini,  an  industrious  people,  who  carried  on  a trade  in 
linen,  and  who  occupied  part  of  Picardy  and  F rench  Flan- 
ders ; the  Atrebates,  whose  name  has  some  analogy  with 
that  of  Artois ; the  Ambiani  in  the  territory  of  Amiens,  who 

c By  the  division  of  the  two  Lyonnaise  into  four,  and  of  the  Nar- 
bonnaise into  two. 

d The  Greek  Alps  formed  a part  of  Savoy ; the  second  Germany 
will  be  described  in  the  account  of  the  Netherlands. 

• “ Le  Comtat  Venaissin.”  f Strabo,  Book  IV.  chap.  3.  5 2 

s Unelli,  D’Anv.  h Abrincatui,  D’Anv. 

■ “ Le  Pays  Chartrain,”  the  country  of  Chartres. 

k “ Le  Pays  Messin,”  the  country  of  Metz. 


L 


BOOK  CXL.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


191 


were  renowned  for  their  cavalry ; tire  Bellovaci,  who  were 
settled  in  Beauvaisis ; the  Silvanectes,  who  possessed  V alois 
or  the  country  round  Senlis ; the  Suessiones,  a powerful 
people  in  Soissonnais  and  part  of  Champagne ; the  Remi, 
who  inhabited  die  territory  of  Reims  and  Laon ; and  the 
Catalauni,  who  occupied  the  country  round  Chalons. 

The  First  Germany  ( Germania  Prima ) extended  along 
both  banks  of  the  Rhine;  beyond  the  limits  of  the  French 
part  of  the  province,  it  was  peopled  by  the  Treveri,  the  Ne- 
metes,  the  Pangiones  and  die  Tribocci,  which  have  been 
already  mentioned  in  the  account  of  the  Bavarian  circle  of 
the  Rhine  ; but  part  of  the  Tribocci  were  settled  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Strasburg  and  Saverne,  while  the  Rauraci,  the  al- 
lies of  the  Helvetii,  inhabited  the  districts  round  Neuf-Brisach. 

Different  dialects  were  spoken  by  the  tribes  or  nations 
that  made  up  the  Celtic  race.  Some  persons  amongst  them, 
more  learned  than  the  rest,  appear  to  have  been  acquainted 
with  the  Greek  characters ; it  is  probable,  however,  that  the 
Veneti  and  other  tribes  called  Armorican,  because  they  lived 
near  the  sea,a  adopted  the  written  characters  of  the  Phoeni- 
cians in  consequence  of  their  commercial  intercourse  with 
that  people.  As  to  the  Irish  Celts,  it  is  supposed  that  they 
made  use  of  distinct  characters.  The  only  Celtic  languages 
yet  remaining,  are  the  Gaelic  still  spoken  in  several  parts  of 
the  British  islands, b and  which  is  divided  into  several 
branches  or  dialects  ;c  the  Cambrian3  or  Celto-Belgic,  traces 
of  which  may  be  discovered  in  Flanders  and  the  kingdom 
of  the  Netherlands ; and  lastly,  the  Rreyzad  or  Low  Bre- 
ton, spoken  by  the  peasants  in  Brittany,  of  which  there  are 
not  fewer  than  four  dialects,  namely,  the  Leonard , used  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  St.  Pol  de  Leon,  the  Trecoriane 
spoken  by  the  people  of  Treguier,  the  Cornish f in  the  terri- 
tory of  Quimper  Corentin,  and  the  Pennetan%  in  the  terri- 
tory of  Vannes.h 

Celtic  Gaul  formed  a vast  federative  state,  consisting  of 
petty  republics,  in  which  the  governments  were  of  two  dif- 
ferent classes ; in  some  the  chiefs  wrere  elected  for  a limited 
period  ; in  others  the  office  was  held  during  life,  and  these 
magistrates  assumed  the  name  of  kings.  Matters  of  the 
greatest  importance,  and  questions  concerning  peace  or  wTar, 
were  agitated  in  the  general  assemblies  formed  by  the  depu- 
ties from  these  republics.  The  time  in  which  they  were 
held,* was  the  beginning  of  spring,  and  every  free  man  was 
obliged  to  repair  to  them,  for  it  was  the  season  not  only  of 
the  most  important  civil,  but  of  the  most  solemn  religious 
festival.  “ In  their  assemblies,”  says  Strabo,'  “ the  Gauls 
observe  a custom  which  is  peculiar  to  them ; if  any  one 
interrupts  the  person  who  is  speaking,  the  usher  of  the  as- 
sembly, holding  a naked  sword  in  his  hand,  orders  him  to  be 
silent ; if  he  continues,  the  orders  are  repeated  a second  and 
a third  time,  but  if  he  still  persists,  his  mantle  is  rent  in  sev- 
eral places.’”1  According  to  a Greek  poet  and  geographer,1 
a band  of  musicians  assisted  in  their  councils,  and  when  the 
tumult  of  the  speakers  interrupted  the  deliberations,  it  was 
the  business  of  the  band  to  play  such  music  as  was  likely  to 
have  some  effect  in  allaying  the  passions. 

a From  the  Breton  word  Armorik,  compounded  of  the  preposition  nr, 
on  or  above,  and  viori.k,  a diminutive  of  mor,  which  signifies  the  sea. 

b See  the  account  of  England. 

c The  Irish,  the  Highland  Scotch,  and  the  Manks. — P. 

d “ Kumbre.” — The  Welsh  call  themselves  Cymri  (pron.  Kymri),  and 
their  language  Cyinreg.  Adelung. — Cynmro,  Cymro,  plur.  Cynm- 
ry,  Cymry,  a Welshman.  Cynmraeg , Cymraeg,  the  Welsh  language. 
Owen’s  Welsh  Diet. — P. 

e The  Treconian  (Treconnicn).  Adelung. — P. 

Cnrnouaillier."  e “ Vanneteux." 


In  the  earliest  ages,  the  people  of  the  Celtic  race  were 
divided  into  many  wandering  tribes ; at  a later  period  they 
became  stationary,  but  the  desire  of  liberty  made  diem  avoid 
the  enclosure  of  cities ; dieir  towns  always  open,  consisted 
of  cottages  separated  by  gardens,  and  situated  on  the  skirts 
of  a wood,  or  the  banks  of  a river.  Agriculture  was  reserv- 
ed for  the  slaves  of  both  sexes ; freemen  devoted  themselves 
exclusively  to  the  profession  of  arms,  and  like  the  present 
Swiss,  when  they  could  not  find  employment  in  their  own  coun- 
try, they  enlisted  in  the  service  of  a foreigner.  They  reared  a 
great  number  of  oxen,  horses  and  sheep,  and  they  lived  on 
the  milk  and  flesh  of  their  cattle,  and  the  produce  of  the 
chase.  If  Pliny  may  be  believed,  the  same  people,  who 
adopted  so  readily  the  usages  of  civilized  life,  were  anthro- 
pophagi before  the  arrival  of  the  Romans  in  Gaul.  The 
skulls  of  their  enemies  slain  in  battle,  were  girt  with  gold  or 
silver,  and  served  as  drinking  cups  in  their  banquets  ; wine, 
hydromel,  and  beer  sparkled  on  the  board  ; they  passed 
from  one  person  to  another,  but  they  were  never  offered  to 
the  ignoble,  or  in  other  words,  to  those  who  had  not  distin- 
guished themselves  in  an  engagement,  for  in  early  times, 
among  the  Celts,  as  well  as  among  every  other  barbarous 
people,  titles  of  nobility  were  only  granted  to  such  as  had 
shed  the  blood  of  their  fellow-creatures.  It  has  been  said 
that  the  custom  of  duels  was  introduced  into  the  country  by 
the  Franks;  but  the  honour  which  the  Celts  attached  to  the 
profession  of  arms  in  the  remotest  ages,  established  amongst 
them  the  right  of  appeal  to  the  sword,  and  a Celt  was  dis- 
graced by  refusing  a challenge.  A freeman  was  never  seen 
in  public  without  his  arms,  hence,  without  doubt,  the  custom, 
which  the  revolution  has  modified,  of  wearing  a sword  at  the 
court  and  on  occasions  of  ceremony.  Long  hair  was  con- 
sidered a great  ornament  by  both  sexes ; they  stained  their 
fair  hair  of  a red  colour  by  means  of  a particular  unguent,  in 
the  same  manner  as  their  descendants  render  the  hair  white 
by  the  use  of  powder.  The  men  wore  long  chains  of  gold 
round  their  necks,  and  loaded  their  arms  and  wrists  with 
bracelets  of  the  same  metal.  They  rubbed  their  face  with 
butter  to  make  it  shining,  and  the  women  used  the  foam  of 
beer  for  the  same  purpose. 

Polygamy  was  not  permitted  by  the  Celts.  When  a girl 
was  marriageable,  her  parents  invited  all  her  suitors  to  a 
feast,  and  the  first  to  whom  she  presented  the  washing  ves- 
sel, was  the  person  of  her  choice.  In  the  marriage  ceremo- 
ny it  was  customary  for  the  bride  to  address  her  husband  in 
the  following  manner — You  are  my  master  and  my  husband ; 
I am  your  servant.  The  husband  had  the  power  of  life  and 
death  over  her,  and  if  a wife  was  convicted  of  having  killed 
her  husband,  she  was  burned  alive.™  Adultery  was  severe- 
ly punished,  and  divorce  was  sanctioned  by  law.  Public 
assemblies,  marriages  and  funerals  were  so  many  occasions 
for  sumptuous  repasts,  which  usually  terminated  in  dancing. 

The  Celts  had  no  temples ; they  thought  the  greatness 
of  die  divine  power,  accorded  id  with  the  smallness  of  hu- 
man buildings ; it  was  in  the  forests  that  they  offered  up 
their  prayers  to  heaven ; they  there  placed  shapeless  stones 

h There  are  only  twenty-two  letters  in  the  Breyzad  ; among  them 
may  be  remarked  the  nasal  n,  they,  the  ch  and  the  liquid  I of  the  1 rench, 
and  the  German  ch  See  the  Atlas  Ethnograpliique  by  Adrian  Balbi. 

■ Book  IV.  ch.  4.  § 1. 

k “ — a piece  is  cut  from  his  mantle  large  enough  to  render  it  of 
no  further  service.”  M.  B.  A correct  translation  of  the  Greek  origi- 
nal. TcXevTaio v aipaiQu  th  (Toys  to aavror  oaor  a/qrjgov  noiyoai 

Tor  Xonrov . Strabo,  Lib.  IV . — P. 

1 Scymnus  of  Chios ; the  period  in  which  he  lived,  has  not  been 
ascertained.  m Ceesar,  de  Bello  Gallico,  Book  VI.  chap.  19 


192  EURC 

near  each  other,  so  as  to  enclose  a sort  of  sanctuary,  or  they 
erected  a huge  and  isolated  stone,  around  which  their  reli- 
gious meetings  were  held.  Although,  according  to  Caesar, 
they  worshipped  the  same  gods  as  the  Romans,  it  is  certain 
they  considered  it  impious  to  represent  the  divinity  under 
the  form  of  a man.  The  isolated  stones,  called  menhirs 
and  peulvans,  or  a lofty  and  venerable  oak,  were  the  sym- 
Dols  which  they  adored.  They  admitted  an  infinite  intelli- 
gence, the  first  cause  of  the  harmony  that  prevails  in  the 
universe.  Teut  or  Teutates,  the  Celtic  Mercury,  and  the 
creator  of  the  world ; Esus,  or  their  Mars ; Kernunos,  or 
their  Bacchus ; Ogmios,  or  their  Hercules  ; and  Belen, 
Woden  and  their  other  gods,  were  only  secondary  divini- 
ties. They  rendered  besides  a sort  of  religious  homage  to 
the  four  elements,  to  springs,  fountains  and  rivers,  and  to 
the  sun  and  the  moon.  It  was  by  the  light  of  the  moon  that 
the  priests  made  the  multitude  assemble  in  their  ancient  for- 
ests or  in  other  places  that  excited  the  mind  to  superstition. 
Their  priests  were  divided  into  different  classes.  The  Eu- 
bnges  studied  and  interpreted  nature  ;a  the  bards  or  Saroni- 
dee  cultivated  poetry,  that  their  laws  might  be  more  readily 
committed  to  memory  by  the  people  ; they  also  sung  the 
exploits  of  heroes,  and  transmitted  the  history  of  great  events 
to  posterity  ; the  Vates  sacrificed  the  victims,  and  the  druids 
were  the  sages  who  predicted  futurity  after  examining  the 
entrails.b  The  latter,  skilled  in  casuistry,  directed  the  peo- 
ple in  matters  of  conscience ; versed  in  all  the  sciences,  it 
was  supposed  they  could  cure  all  diseases.  They  adminis- 
tered justice,  and  they  presided  in  the  assemblies  of  the  na- 
tion, and  at  the  judicial  trials  called  the  judgments  of  God, 
in  which  the  proofs  by  fire,  iron  and  water,  determined  the 
guilt  or  innocence  of  the  accused.  In  short,  they  possessed 
so  much  credit  that  no  affair  of  any  consequence,  relative  to 
public  or  domestic  policy,  could  be  undertaken  without  their 
advice.  They  led  the  people  into  the  belief  that  guilty  ac- 
tions and  sins  offended  the  divinity,  and  that  expiatory  sacri- 
fices were  necessary  to  deliver  the  soul  from  impending 
wrath ; hence  the  great  number  of  animals,  which  were 
slain ; but  as  man  is  the  noblest  of  animals,  they  thought 
human  blood  most  acceptable  to  the  gods.  The  victims 
were  generally  chosen  among  the  prisoners  of  war ; but  on 
occasions  of  public  calamity,  fanatics  offered  themselves  vol- 
untarily to  be  sacrificed,  and  died  contented  in  leaving  be- 
hind them  an  example  of  devotedness,  and  a great  reputa- 
tion for  piety.  The  Celtic  clergy  made  use  of  their  religion 
to  inculcate  the  practice  of  moral  duties ; they  affirmed  that 
the  gates  of  paradise  were  closed  against  those  who  died  by 
their  own  hands ; thus  suicides  were  numbered  among  the  acts 
of  the  wicked.  He  who  outraged  public  morals,  was  liable 
to  be  excommunicated,  by  which  he  was  prevented  from 
mixing  in  civil  or  religious  assemblies,  and  was  regarded  as 
an  object  of  abhorrence  by  his  fellow  citizens.  The  druids 
established  fasts  for  political  purposes ; they  enjoined  their 
disciples  to  abstain  from  animal  food  in  the  middle  of  sum- 
mer, because  in  that  season  of  the  year,  vegetables  were 
considered  more  wholesome. 

The  oak  was  held  in  veneration  by  die  Celts,  and  the 
mistletoe,  which  is  so  seldom  seen  on  the  same  tree,  was 
probably  for  that  very  reason  consecrated  to  the  divinity.  It 
was  a sovereign  remedy  for  every  evil,  and  the  water  in 
which  it  was  infused,  rendered  sterile  animals  fruitful.0  The 

)PE.  [BOOK  C XL, 

year  was  divided  into  lunar  months,  and  on  the  first  day  of 
every  year,  the  druids  forming  an  imposing  band,  marched 
through  the  forests,  cut  the  parasitical  plant  with  a golden 
knife,  collected  it  in  a white  sagum  or  tunic,  and  distributed  / 
afterwards  to  the  eager  multitude.  The  ceremony  was  an 
nounced  by  the  priests,  who  travelled  through  the  country 
and  summoned  the  inhabitants  by  repeating  with  a loud 
voice, — aguillaneuff  an  exclamation  which  is  still  known  4: 
some  of  the  provinces. 

The  druids  acknowledged  a chief  to  whom  they  submitted 
in  all  things,  and  who  resided  in  Chartrain.  None  were 
admitted  to  the  sacerdotal  office  until  after  a noviciate  of 
twenty  years.  Their  wives  shared  the  veneration  in  which 
their  husbands  were  held  by  the  people;  they  were  the 
judges  of  family  quarrels,  and  their  decisions  could  not  be 
revoked ; in  the  art  of  predicting  futurity,  they  acquired  a 
greater  celebrity  than  the  men  ; hence  perhaps  the  origin  of 
the  popular  superstitions  concerning  fairies,  so  long  believed 
in  different  countries  in  Europe. 

The  Romans,  aware  of  the  advantages  they  might  derive 
from  the  courage  of  the  Celts,  respected  their  municipal 
privileges ; they  were  anxious,  however,  to  civilize  them, 
which  was  easily  done  by  making  them  adopt  their  arts  and 
laws.  Provincial  governments  and  the  title  of  Roman  citi- 
zen were  conferred  on  the  chiefs.  The  Celtic  language 
was  mixed  with  the  Latin,  particularly  in  central  Gaul, 
which  served  as  a communication  with  Germany  ; but  it  was 
necessary  to  deliver  the  people  from  the  yoke  of  the  druids. 
Caesar,®  Tiberiusf  and  Claudius^  employed  alternately  per- 
suasion and  force  to  abolish  the  horrid  practice  of  immo- 
lating human  victims.  The  forests  were  destroyed  ; the 
people  in  time  repaired  to  temples,  and  altars  were  erected 
to  the  gods  of  the  Capitol.  The  religion  of  the  conquerors 
was  mingled  with  the  ancient  worship  of  the  druids ; and 
druidesses  resided  in  the  temples,  where  they  officiated  as 
priestesses,  but  they  were  permitted  to  remain  one  day  in 
the  year  with  their  husbands, — a privilege  they  enjoyed 
while  their  ancient  faith  was  in  its  purity  ; other  persons  who 
had  taken  vows  of  celibacy,  performed  in  Gaul  the  offices 
of  vestal  virgins. 

But  druidism  was  not  wholly  abolished  when  the  con- 
querors and  the  conquered  embraced  Christianity.  It  is 
probable  that  the  first  Christians  who  converted  the  welts, 
sanctioned  certain  practices  which  might  contribute  to  the 
benign  influence  of  Cliristianity  on  a superstitious  people ; 
the  same  practices  were  approved  by  Rome,  and  adopted 
afterwards  in  different  countries.  The  Christians  had  no 
difficulty  in  considering  the  druids  magicians  or  men  under 
the  power  of  the  devil ; the  persecuted  priests  and  their  per- 
secuted partisans  were  unable  to  resist  the  zeal  and  know! 
edge  of  the  new  proselytes. 

Half  a century  had  hardly  elapsed,  after  the  Roman  pow- 
er had  been  divided  into  the  western  and  eastern  empires, 
when  the  Roman  provinces  were  dismembered  by  the  bar- 
barous nations,  that  had  been  too  long  oppressed  by  the  rulers 
of  the  world.  The  Burgundians  and  other  people  of  the 
same  origin,  known  by  the  name  of  Visigoths,  founded  about 
the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century  two  contiguous  kingdoms 
in  the  heart  of  Gaul.  The  former  besides  a part  of  Switzer- 
land and  Savoy,  possessed  Franche-Comte,  Bresse,  Dau- 
phiny,  Lyonnais,  the  greater  portion  of  Nivernais,  and  the 

* Ammianus  Marcellinus.  b Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  V. 

Pliny,  Boak  XVI.  chap.  44. 

•*  Perhaps  .hi  gni  Van  ncuf,  to  the  mistletoe,  it  is  the  new  year.  Tr. 

.z  , . : , ... z.—i — . — - 

' Lucan.  Book  II. 

' Pliny.  Book  XXXI.  ch.  1. 
s Suetonius,  ch.  20. 

cxi..]  DESCRIPTION 

adjoining  country,  which  from  these  inhabitants  has  been 
called  Burgundy.  The  banks  of  the  Loire  were  the  north- 
ern limits  of  the  Visigoths ; they  ruled  over  the  centre  and 
the  south  of  France,  including  Provence,  the  county  of  Nice, 
and  even  a part  of  Spain.®  Numerous  hordes  that  issued 
from  Germany,  settled  in  the  Netherlands ; they  founded 
some  years  afterwards,  under  the  command  of  Pharamond, 
a petty  kingdom,  of  which  the  southern  limit  may  be  repre- 
sented by  a line  drawn  from  the  mouth  of  the  Somme 
through  Amiens  and  Rethel,  including  Treves  with  part  of 
its  territory,  and  terminating  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine, 
a short  way  below  Mayence/  Sixty  years  afterwards,  the 
same  Franks,  under  the  conduct  of  king  Clodovech  or  Clo- 
vis, destroyed  the  remains  of  the  Roman  power  in  Gaul,  and 
made  themselves  masters  of  all  the  country  between  the  last 
mentioned  boundary  and  the  limits  of  the  Visigothic  and 
Burgundian  kingdoms.  At  a later  period,  they  crossed  the 
Rhine,  extended  their  conquests  into  Germany,  and  left  col- 
onies in  that  part  of  the  country  which  has  been  since  called 
Franconia. 

Gaul  was  thus  divided  during  twenty  years  ; a third  part 
of  the  surface  was  occupied  by  the  Franks,  rather  the  pro- 
tectors than  the  oppressors  of  the  Gauls,  who  were  confound- 
ed with  the  Romans,  because  they  had  adopted  their  man- 
ners and  laws.  The  victors  were  distinguished  by  their  ap- 
pearance, their  language  and  their  dress.  The  Franks  wore 
short  boots ; the  arms  and  the  rest  of  the  leg  were  bare  ; 
the  body  was  covered  with  a narrow  and  short  tunic,  bound 
by  a girdle  ; their  long  and  fair  hair  descended  below  then- 
shoulders.0  Their  weapons  were  a long  sword,  a francisca 
or  two-edged  hatchet, d several  javelins  divided  near  the  ex- 
tremity into  three  branches,  representing  what  the  French 
have  since  termed  a fieur  de  hjs , and  lastly,  a small  buckler 
which  they  used  with  great  address.  The  chiefs  abolished 
most  of  the  imposts  ; they  allowed  the  ancient  inhabitants  to 
retain  their  customs  and  magistrates,  reserving  to  themselves 
the  right  of  appointing  dukes  over  the  provinces,  counts  over 
the  towns,  and  viscounts  over  the  burghs  and  villages ; but, 
in  the  councils  of  the  prince,  the  Gauls  preserved  that  cred- 
it and  ascendancy,  which  are  the  consequences  of  superior 
knowledge.®  The  proprietors  were  compelled  to  share 
their  land  with  the  invaders,  but  the  peasants  and  the  work- 
ing classes  remained  in  a state  of  slavery.  The  slaves  of 
the  king  were  distinguished  from  the  slaves  of  the  Franks 
and  the  Gauls ; among  the  latter,  many  possessed  slaves,  be- 
cause the  Gallic  nobility  had  been  preserved.  The  Bur- 
gundians and  the  Goths,  more  barbarous  than  the  Franks, 
clothed  themselves  with  the  skins  of  wild  beasts.  The  first 
might  be  discovered  by  a round  visage,  small  and  sunk  eyes, 
broad  shoulders  and  a deep  chest.  The  second  were  dis- 
tinguished by  a darker  complexion,  aquiline  nose,  lively 
eyes,  full  black  beard,  and  long  plaited  hair/  Their  bar- 
barity or  rudeness  rendered  the  Gauls  impatient  of  their 
yoke,  and  the  same  cause  contributed,  in  a great  degree,  to 
the  destruction  of  their  monarchies.  The  ambition  of  Clo- 
vis soon  reduced  the  Visigoths  to  the  necessity  of  migrating 
into  Spain.  After  the  death  of  that  prince,  his  sons  divided 
France  into  four  kingdoms,  of  which  Paris,  Orleans,  Soissons 

OF  FRANCE.  193 

and  Metz,  were  the  capitals.  Additional  territory  was  after- 
wards acquired,  and  by  succession,  conquest,  usurpation,  or 
in  consequence  of  murders  and  other  crimes,  the  different 
parts  of  France  and  the  kingdom  of  Burgundy  were  united 
in  the  seventh  century  under  a single  head.  A century  af- 
terwards, France  was  governed  during  some  years  by  Char- 
lemagne and  his  brother  Carloman,  but  the  first  became  sole 
master,  and  rendered  it  powerful  by  his  conquests. 

France  has  never  been  so  extensive  and  powerful  as  it 
was  under  Charlemagne ; it  was  then  divided  into  two  pans, 
the  western  and  the  eastern.  The  first  comprehended 
Provence,  Gothia  or  Septimania,  now  Languedoc,  Vasconia 
or  Gascony,  Aquitaine,  Burgundia  or  Burgundy,  JYeuslria, 
including  Brittany,  Normandy  and  Flanders,  and  lastly 
Austrasia,  formed  by  all  the  country  situated  between  the 
mouth  of  the  Rhine  and  Jura.  The  countries  on  the  south 
and  on  the  north  of  the  Alps,  and  the  territory  extend- 
ing from  the  right  bank  of  the  Rhine  to  the  mountains  of 
Bohemia,  and  the  banks  of  the  Elbe,  made  up  eastern 
France.  In  other  words,  Charlemagne  reigned  over  the 
greater  part  of  Italy,  and  over  Switzerland,  Bavaria,  Hesse, 
Saxony  and  Friesland.  In  the  countries  extending  between 
the  banks  of  the  Drave  and  the  Danube,  and  those  of  the 
Elbe,  several  nations  wrere  also  tributary  to  the  same  mon- 
arch. 

The  weight  of  such  an  empire  was  too  great  for  his  suc- 
cessor. Louis  the  Debonnaire,  a weak  father  and  a feeble 
prince,  spent  his  time  in  contending  against  his  revolted  chil- 
dren, and  died  after  having  divided  amongst  them  a crown 
which  he  was  unworthy  to  wear.  France  was  governed 
during  a century  by  the  princes  of  the  same  race,  but  the 
kingly  power  was  weakened  by  the  abuses  of  the  feudal  sys- 
tem ; and  when  Hugh  Capet  took  possession  of  the  throne 
in  the  year  987,  he  was  merely  the  first  baron  in  the  king- 
dom, and  reigned  only  over  Picardy,  the  Isle  of  France 
and  Orleanais.  The  policy  of  that  prince  and  his  succes- 
sors was  to  increase  the  power  of  the  crown  by  humbling 
and  degrading  the  nobility.  Berry  was  purchased  in  1100 
by  Philip  the  First  from  the  viscount  Eudes  Arpin ; and 
king  John  erected  it  into  a dutchy,  which  became  the  ap- 
panage of  one  of  the  sons  of  F ranee.  Louis  the  Gross  made 
no  acquisitions  or  conquests,  but  by  liberating  the  towns, e he 
raised  a barrier  against  the  encroachments  of  the  feudal 
lords.  In  1202,  Philip  Augustus  wrested  Touraine  from 
John,  king  of  England,’1  who  had  succeeded  to  it  as  the  de 
scendant  of  its  counts  ; and  in  the  following  year,  the  same 
Philip  made  himself  master  of  Normandy,  which,  from  the 
time  of  Charles  the  Simple,  had  been  ceded  in  perpetuity 
to  Rollo  and  his  Norwegians.  Amaury  de  Montfort  gave 
up  Languedoc  to  Louis  the  Eighth,  and  the  cession  was  rat- 
ified by  a treaty  made  with  St.  Louis  in  1228.  Jane  of 
Navarre,  by  her  marriage  with  Philip  the  Fair  in  1284, 
united  the  county  of  Champagne,  which  she  had  received  as 
her  dowry,  to  the  dominions  of  her  husband.  In  1307,  the 
inhabitants  of  Lyonnais  having  gained  their  freedom,  com- 
pelled their  archbishop  to  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the 
same  king. 

Dauphiny,  which  derived  its  name  from  Guy  the  Eighth, 

a The  kingdom  of  the  Visigoths  was  founded  by  Ataulphus  in  411, 
and  that  of  the  Burgundians  by  Gundicar  in  413. 

b It  is  generally  admitted  that  the  kingdom  of  the  Franks  was  found- 
ed in  the  year  423. 

c Sidonius  Apollinaris,  Book  IV.  epistle  20 
d “A  francisque,  or  two-edged  battle-axe.” 

' e Gregory  of  Tours,  Books  III.  VI.  VII.  VIII.  and  1\. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  48  25 

f Sidonius  Apollinaris,  Panegyrics  of  Avitus  and  Anthemius. 
e “Communes” — municipalities.  Charters  granting  municipal  right* 
may  be  found  in  France  A.  D.  974,  long  before  the  twelfth  century 
and  the  reign  of  Louis  VI.  or  the  Gross,  the  period  usually  understooa 
as  the  era  of  the  rise  of  cities.  Rankin's  Hist,  of  France,  Vol.  III.  p. 
; 255.— P. 

j b “Jean  Sans-Terre” — John  Lackland. 

134 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK.  CXL. 


the  bravest  is  princes,  surnamed  the  Dauphin,  because 
he  wore  o " ;is  helmet, the  figure  of  a dolphin,  was  ceded  to 
Philip  of  A aiois  in  1349,  on  condition  that  the  eldest  sons  of 
the  French  kings  should  assume  the  title  of  Dauphins,  and 
also  that  the  country  should  form  a separate  sovereignty,  and 
never  be  incorporated  with  the  kingdom.  Charles  the  Fifth 
took  Poitou,  Aunis,  Saintonge  and  Limousin  from  the  Eng- 
lish. Charles  the  Seventh,  in  consequence  of  his  victories 
over  the  English,  added  to  his  dominions,  in  1453,  the 
greater  part  of  Guienne  and  Gascony.  Louis  the  Eleventh 
humbled  the  power  of  the  great,  and  had  the  good  fortune 
to  acquire  Maine  and  Anjou  by  inheritance,  conquests  made 
by  Philip  Augustus,  but  more  than  once  detached  from  the 
crown,  and  conferred  on  princes  of  the  blood.  The  same 
monarch  seized  the  dutchy  of  Burgundy,  declaring  himself 
the  lawful  heir,  although  there  existed  at  the  time  a duke  of 
Burgundy,  Nevers  and  Retliel.  It  was  stated  however  in 
letters  patent,  that  the  dutchy  had  been  united  to  France 
with  the  free  will  of  the  states  on  the  following  conditions, 
namely,  that  the  people  were  not  to  be  deprived  of  their 
natural  judges,  that  no  subsidy  was  to  be  imposed  without 
the  consent  of  the  three  orders,  and  that  the  taxes,  which 
the  people  had  hitherto  paid  on  wine  and  the  other  products 
of  the  province,  were  to  he  al.  lished.  The  same  king  took 
possession  of  Provence,  having  aroved  by  several  witnesses 
that  Charles  of  Anjou  had  made  him  his  heir.  The  inhab- 
itants received  the  same  privileges  as  those  which  had  been 
granted  to  Burgundy.  Since  that  period,  the  French  kings 
have  on  several  occasions*  styled  themselves  counts  of 
Provence.  Francis  the  First  availed  himself  of  the  rights 
which  he  had  acquired  by  the  revolt  of  the  Constable  Bour- 
uon,  and  in  1527  obtained  Auvergne,  Bourbonnais  and 
Marche,  which  belonged  to  the  prince.  Some  years  after- 
wards, Brittany,  of  which  the  inheritance  had  devolved  on 
his  son  Francis,  was  united  to  the  kingdom.  In  consequence 
of  this  junction,  Brittany  was  exempt  under  his  successors 
from  most  taxes,  being  merely  subject  to  a voluntary  impost 
voted  by  its  states.  The  same  gallant  and  chivalrous  king 
was  a poet  and  friend  of  the  fine  arts ; flattery  has  designat- 
ed him  as  the  protector  of  letters,  although  he  established 
the  censorship ; he  was  not  considered  cruel,  although  by 
his  presence  he  added  the  weight  of  his  authority  to  the  pun- 
ishments of  the  inquisition.  In  the  same  reign  the  assem- 
blies of  the  notables  were  substituted  for  the  states-general,b 
but  the  crown  derived  little  advantage  from  the  change,  for 
notions  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  were  then  gaining  force  ; 
they  proved  the  harbingers  of  political  commotions,  and  serv- 
ed as  instruments  for  the  ambitious  and  discontented  to  ex- 
cite the  people. 

The  corruption  of  the  court  and  nobility  under  Henry  the 
Second,  Francis  the  Second  and  Charles  the  Ninth,  were 
favourable  to  the  reformation.  The  principles  of  the  new 
religion  accorded  well  with  the  growing  desire  for  knowl- 
edge, but  the  question  became  a political  one,  and  the  royal 
party  confounded  the  reformers  and  their  partisans  with  the 
opponents  of  absolute  power.  The  massacre  of  St.  Bar- 
tholomew, considered  an  act  of  political  wisdom  by  Catha- 
rine de  Medicis  and  her  son,  was  devised  and  executed  to 
rid  royalty  of  its  enemies.  But  the  designs  of  the  League 

* “In  their  letters  addressed  to  the  province.” 

b The  Slates-sjeneral  consisted  of  deputies  chosen  by  the  three  es- 
tates, namely,  the  nobility,  the  clergy,  and  the  people.  The  assem- 
blies of  the  Notables  were  formed  by  a number  of  persons  from  all 
parts  of  the  kingdom,  chiefly  selected  from  the  higher  orders  of  the 
state  by  the,  king  himself.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 


assumed  a very  different  appearance  during  the  reign  of 
Henry  the  Third,  for  it  appeared  to  be  the  chief  object  of 
the  party  to  put  the  crown  of  F ranee  on  the  head  of  a Span- 
ish prince.  Henry  the  Fourth,  whom  the  catholic  chiefs 
held  in  execration,  ascended  the  throne,  and  added  to  the 
kingdom  all  that  then  remained  of  the  dominions  of  his  fathers, 
or  Bearn,  the  county  of  Foix  and  part  of  Gascony.  France 
during  the  reign  of  Louis  the  Thirteenth  was  twice  agitated 
by  civil  wars ; but  the  policy  of  Richelieu  saved  the  king- 
dom, and  his  master  gained  new  laurels  by  the  conquest  of 
Artois  in  1640,  and  of  Roussillon  in  1642. 

The  reign  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth  contributed  to  the  ag- 
grandisement of  France ; that  monarch  obtained  Nivernais 
by  the  total  extinction  of  the  feudal  system ; he  took  Flan- 
ders by  conquest  in  1667,  and  some  years  afterwards  made 
himself  master  of  F ranche-Comte  ; lastly,  by  a treaty  with 
the  emperor  of  Germany  in  1697,  the  cession  of  Alsace  was 
ratified.  Under  Louis  the  Fifteenth,  Lorraine,  formerly  a 
portion  of  the  states  belonging  to  Lothaire,c  of  whom  it  bears 
the  name,  was  added  to  the  kingdom ; it  was  shortly  after 
ceded  to  Stanislaus,  king  of  Poland, d on  condition  that  it 
should  be  restored  to  the  crown  after  his  death,  an  event 
which  happened  in  1766.  The  republic  of  Genoa  gave  up 
Corsica  for  a sum  of  money  two  years  afterwards. 

Such  were  the  extent  and  importance  of  the  French  ter- 
ritory, during  the  latter  part  of  the  long  and  peaceful  reign 
of  Louis  the  Fifteenth ; and  the  king,  whose  death  was  not 
regretted  by  the  nation,  left  to  his  successor  the  difficult  task 
of  realizing  the  expectations  which  his  virtues  seemed  to 
promise.  The  well  informed  classes  were  able  to  appreci- 
ate the  institutions  which  they  desired,  and  the  king  consent- 
ed to  adopt  them.  But  it  was  necessary  to  introduce  re- 
forms into  the  finances,  and  the  middling  classes  were  more 
jealous  than  ever  of  the  privileges  of  the  nobility.  The 
states-general  were  no  sooner  convoked  dian  their  respective 
interests  gave  rise  to  two  parties ; the  deputies  of  the  third 
estate,  full  of  confidence  in  public  opinion,  swore  never  to 
separate  until  they  had  framed  a constitution.  It  was  ac- 
cepted by  Louis  the  Sixteenth,  and  the  pope  ceded  Avignon 
and  the  county  of  Venaissin  to  France.  The  kingdom  hav- 
ing been  divided  into  eighty-three  departments,  the  assem- 
bly was  dissolved. 

It  was  succeeded  by  the  legislative  assembly,  composed 
of  men  who  did  not  understand  the  advantages  of  a repre- 
sentative system,  and  who  allowed  themselves  to  be  ruled  by 
a party.  The  acts  of  the  sovereign  were  purposely  misrep- 
resented, and  die  people  dreamed  of  a republic.  A new 
era  soon  commenced,  marked  by  a political  fanaticism,  of 
which  history  affords  no  other  example,  and  by  crimes,  of 
which  die  recital  fills  the  mind  with  horror.  Louis  the  Six- 
teenth yielded  to  die  storm,  and  died  with  die  resignation 
and  tranquillity  of  a virtuous  man.  France  was  shortly  af- 
terwards governed  by  a handful  of  persons,  who,  under  the 
name  of  equality,  divided  the  inhabitants  into  classes,  under 
the  name  of  liberty,  established  die  most  sanguinary  despot- 
ism, under  die  name  of  fraternity,  sought  associates  among 
die  dregs  of  the  people,  and  under  die  name  of  reason,  abol- 
ished Christianity,  and  substituted  the  ceremonies  of  pagan 
mythology.  Anarchy  reigned  within,  but  France  repelled 

c Grandson  of  Louis  the  Debonnaire.  The  country  was  first  called 
Rcgnum  Lotharii,  then  Lotlun  ingia,  afterwards  Loherrene,  Lorrene,  and 
lastly  Lorraine. 

d Lorraine,  which  had  been  previously  considered  as  a dutchy  be- 
j longing  to  the  empire  of  Germany,  was  conquered  by  the  French  in 
| 17113.  and  in  173(3  ceded  to  Stanislaus,  king  of  Poland. — P. 


book  cxl.]  DESCRIPTION 

foreign  armies,  while  the  different  parties  in  the  national  con- 
vention, proscribed,  banished  and  massacred  each  oilier. 
The  government  was  overturned,  and  the  management  of 
affairs  committed  to  two  councils  and  five  directors ; if  they 
possessed  great  influence,  both  abroad  and  at  home,  it  was 
owing  to  the  victories  of  the  French.  The  principality  of 
Montbelliard  was  united  to  the  republic  in  1796,  and  the 
free  territory  of  Mulhausen  in  1798.  But  after  the  direc- 
tory had  existed  five  years,  it  was  destroyed  by  the  efforts 
of  a few,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  the  young  general,  who 
had  distinguished  himself  in  Italy  and  on  the  plains  of  Egypt. 
Bonaparte  was  named  first  consul ; he  put  an  end  to  fac- 
tions, acquired  new  glory  in  Italy,  and  dictated  conditions 
of  peace  to  the  emperor  of  Germany. 

The  treaty  signed  at  Luneville  on  the  ninth  of  February 
1801,  confirmed  France  in  the  possession  of  additional  con- 
quests. The  course  of  the  Rhine  from  Wissemburg  to  the 
place  where  it  is  called  the  Waal,  served  as  a limit  to  the 
republic,  and  beyond  the  same  point,  Belgium,  Antwerp 
and  Flushing  were  included  within  the  northern  frontiers. 
The  same  rich  territory  formed  the  twelve  departments  of 
Mont-Tonnerre,  the  Sarre,  Forets, a the  Rhine  and  Moselle, 
the  Sambre  and  Meuse,  the  Ourthe,  the  Roer,  the  Lbwer 
Meuse,  Jemappes,  the  Dyle,  Deux-Nethesb  and  the  Scheldt. 
Porentruy  on  the  east  of  the  ancient  boundaries  was  united 
to  the  department  of  the  Upper  Rhine.  The  country  round 
Geneva  and  Chambery  formed  the  departments  of  Leman 
and  Mont-Blanc,  and  the  county  of  Nice  was  changed  into 
the  department  of  the  Maritime  Alps.  By  the  treaty  of 
Amiens,  peace  was  restored  to  Europe  on  the  twenty-seventh 
of  March  in  the  following  year,  and  England  gave  up  the 
French  colonies  which  she  had  seized  during  the  preceding 
wars. 

In  the  year  1804,  Napoleon  converted  the  laurels  of 
Montenotte,  Arcole,  Rivoli  and  Marengo,  into  an  imperial 
diadem,  and  received  in  Paris,  from  the  hand  of  the  sove- 
reign pontiff,  the  unction  with  which  kings  are  consecrated, 
and,  as  if  to  heighten  the  splendour  of  a title,  which  added 
nothing  to  his  glory  or  his  power,  the  anniversary  of  his  cor- 
onation, in  the  following  year,  was  the  day  in  which  he  gain- 
ed a very  memorable  victory,  by  defeating  the  Austrian  and 
Russian  armies  on  the  plains  of  Austerlitz ; the  treaty  of 
Presburg  was  the  result  of  the  campaign,  and  by  that  treaty 
Prussia  ceded  to  Napoleon  all  its  rights  to  the  dutchy  of 
Cleves,  together  with  the  country  of  Neufchatel  and  Vallen- 
gin  and  the  territory  of  Anspach,  the  last  of  which  was  ex- 
changed for  the  dutchy  of  Berg  with  Bavaria,  which  was  at 
the  same  time  erected  into  a kingdom.  The  emperor  of 
Austria  gave  up  Dalmatia  and  the  Venetian  states,  and  re- 
linquished to  him  the  title  of  king  of  Italy.  Piedmont  and 
Liguria  were  added  to  France,  and  changed  into  the  de- 
partments of  the  Doria,  the  Sesia,  Marengo,  the  Po,  the 
Stura  and  Montenotte. 

The  importance  of  the  empire  was  still  farther  increased, 
when  its  chief  became  the  protector  of  the  German  and 

OF  FRANCE.  195 

Swiss  confederations.  A new  rupture,  followed  by  new  vic- 
tories, changed  again  the  state  of  Europe  ; the  battles  of  Je- 
na and  Friedland  brought  about  the  treaty  of  Tilsit,0  in  con- 
sequence of  which  the  confederation  of  the  Rhine  was  more 
than  doubled  in  importance,  and  France  obtained  possession 
of  the  Ionian  islands.  In  the  following  years,  Kehl,  Gasset 
and  Wesel  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Rhine  were  added  to 
the  departments  on  the  left,  and  the  grand  dutchy  of  Tus- 
cany, the  dutchies  of  Parma  and  Placentia,  the  territories 
of  Spoleto  and  Rome,  the  Valais,  Holland,  Friesland,  Han- 
over, the  bishoprick  of  Munster,  the  county  of  Oldenburg, 
and  the  possessions  attached  to  the  free  towns  of  Bremen, 
Hamburg  and  Lubeck,  were  transformed  into  French  de- 
partments. 

Napoleon  ruled  over  the  greater  part  of  Europe ; when 
consul,  he  changed  kingdoms  into  republics,  and  when  em- 
peror, republics  were  changed  into  kingdoms ; he  founded 
monarchies  in  Germany ; twice  he  spared  the  crown  of 
Prussia,  but  lavished  the  best  blood  and  the  treasures  of  the 
empire  to  place  his  brother  on  the  throne  of  Spain.  Having 
lost  the  best  army  in  the  world  on  the  frozen  plains  of  Rus- 
sia, and  been  abandoned  by  his  allies  on  the  field  of  battle, 
he  made  a glorious  resistance  in  France  against  the  combin- 
ed efforts  of  Europe.  On  the  31st  of  March  1814,  his 
capital  was  occupied  by  the  foreigners  whom  he  had  often 
vanquished.  Compelled  to  abdicate,  he  retired  to  the  island 
of  Elba,  leaving  to  the  ancient  family  of  the  Bourbons  a 
kingdom  which  had  been  confined  by  treaties  within  its  for- 
mer limits.  The  territories  of  Montbelliard  and  Mulhausen 
were  all  that  France  retained  of  her  republican  conquests. 

The  institutions,  for  which  the  French  were  indebted  to 
the  wisdom  of  Louis  the  Eighteenth,  made  them  forget  the 
disgrace  of  a foreign  occupation,  but  the  reports  of  the  dis- 
affected were  believed  and  circulated  through  every  part  of 
the  kingdom  ; Napoleon,  availing  himself  of  the  general  dis- 
content, landed  at  Frejus  on  the  1st  of  March  1815,  and 
entered  Paris  along  with  the  troops  that  were  sent  to  take 
him  prisoner.  He  immediately  levied  an  army  to  oppose 
the  attempts  of  foreign  princes,  gained  the  victory  of  Ligny, 
and  was  defeated  the  next  day  on  the  plains  of  Waterloo/ 
Having  abdicated  in  favour  of  his  son,  he  entrusted  himself 
to  the  generosity  of  the  English  government ; and  the  man 
who  at  one  time  thought  the  world  too  small  for  his  ambi- 
tion, was  banished  to  an  arid  and  volcanic  rock  in  the  midst 
of  the  ocean. 

France  lost  a territory  of  twenty  square  leagues  in  extent, 
which  had  been  fortified  by  Louis  the  Fourteenth;6  it  paid 
to  the  foreigners  whom  it  maintained  during  five  years,  an 
indemnity  of  700,000,000  francs,  or  nearly  L.29,200,000 ; 
yet  by  means  of  a good  government  and  wise  institutions,  it 
has  recovered  from  its  calamities,  and  resumed  the  rank  which 
it  held  among  the  kingdoms  of  Europe/ 

According  to  its  present  limits,  France  extends  from  sev- 
en degrees  nine  minutes,  to  the  west  of  the  meridian  of  Par- 
is, to  five  degrees  fifty-six  minutes,  to  the  east  of  the  same 

1 “ Les  Forets” — The  department  of  the  Forests,  including  the  great- 
er part  of  the  grand  dutchy  of  Luxemburg. — P. 

b The  Two  Nethes — so  called  from  two  small  rivers  of  that  name 
(the  Great  and  the  Little  Nethe)  in  the  territory  of  Antwerp. 

c It  was  signed  on  the  7th  of  July  1807. 

d The  battle  of  Ligny  was  fought  on  the  16th  of  June,  and  that  of 
Waterloo  on  the  18th. — P. 

e The  territory  of  Saar  Fouis,  annexed  to  the  Rhenish  possessions 
of  Prussia. — P. 

1 The  recent  revolution  (July  27-29,  1830)  has  given  a new  turn 
to  affairs  in  France.  The  immediate  effects  of  the  revolution  have 
been  the  change  of  dynasty  from  the  elder  branch  of  the  Bourbons  to 
the  branch  of  Orleans,  the  establishment  of  the  charter  on  a new  and 

popular  basis,  and  its  nearer  adaptation  to  the  principles  of  liberty. 

The  form  of  monarchy  is  retained,  but  its  principle  may  be  considered 
as  essentially  abandoned.  The  king  no  longer  rules  by  his  own  right, 
but  by  the  will  of  the  people ; he  is  no  longer  a sovereign  jure  divino, 
but  a citizen  king,  holding  his  power  from  a grant  of  the  national  rep- 
resentatives. So  the  charter  is  no  longer  a gift  of  the  king  to  the 
people,  but  a constitution  established  by  the  latter,  and  simply  sworn 
to  by  the  king.  These  are  great  points  gained;  and  if  France  con- 
fines herself  "to  her  own  internal  consolidation  and  improvement,  and 
can  avoid  the  encroachments  of  administrative  power  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  tumults  of  popular  anarchy  on  the  other,  she  may  become 
what  England  has  been,  in  theory,  since  the  revolution  of  1688, — a 
monarchical  republic. — P.  (Dec.  1830.) 

_ 

196  EUROPE.  book  cxjl. 


meridian,  and  from  forty-two  degrees  twenty  minutes  to  fifty- 
one  degrees  five  minutes  of  north  latitude.  It  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  a part  of  the  Channel  and  the  Straits  of 
Calais,  the  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  the  grand  dutchy 
of  Luxemburg,  the  Prussian  provinces  on  the  Lower  Rhine, 
and  the  Bavarian  circle  of  the  Rhine ; on  the  east  by  the 
grand  dutchy  of  Baden,  Switzerland  and  the  Sardinian 
States  ; on  the  south  by  the  Mediterranean  and  Spain  ; and 
on  the  west  by  the  Atlantic  ocean  and  a different  part  of  the 
Channel. 

The  greatest  dimensions  of  its  frontiers  may  be  determined 
by  two  lines,  the  one  drawn  in  the  direction  of  north-west  to 
south-east  from  the  most  western  point  on  the  coast  of  Brest 
to  Antibes,  forming  an  extent  of  239|  leagues,®  and  the  other 
drawn  from  Givet  in  the  Ardennes  to  Mount  Huromba  in 
the  Pyrenees,  to  the  south-east  of  St.  Jean  Pied  de  Port, 
being  about  208  leagues  in  length.  The  greatest  breadth 
of  the  kingdom  is  about  20G  leagues  from  Kersaint  in  the 
department  of  Finisterre  to  the  confluence  of  the  Lauter  and 
the  Rhine  in  the  department  of  the  Lower  Rhine.  The 
extent  of  the  coasts,  including  their  sinuosities,  has  been  cal- 
culated at  490  leagues.b  The  total  superficies,  including 
that  of  Corsica,  amounts  to  26,739  square  leagues.  The 
population  about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1827,  was  equal 
to  31,820,000  souls,  or  on  an  average  to  more  than  1191 
individuals  for  every  square  league.  Although  the  popula- 
tion has  considerably  increased  since  the  revolution,  for  in 
the  year  1790,  the  same  surface  contained  only  about 

25.000. 000  inhabitants,  and,  in  1814,  the  period  of  the  res- 
toration, 28,500,000,  it  is  not  less  certain  that  France  might 
be  much  more  populous.  Thus  if  two  departments  be  taken, 
forming  nearly  the  two  extremes,  namely,  that  of  the  North 
which  contains  3,403  inhabitants  for  every  square  league, 
and  that  of  the  Lower  Alps,  which  contains  only  415,  the 
mean  term  would  be  1714  individuals,  and  if  such  were  the 
average  number  of  inhabitants  for  every  square  league  in  the 
kingdom,  the  total  population  of  France  would  amount  to 

45.000. 000.  The  fruitfulness  of  the  soil  cannot  be  denied,  but 
before  so  great  a number  of  inhabitants  can  be  maintained,  ag- 
riculture must  be  much  improved,  the  different  branches  of 
industry  must  be  extended,  and  new  sources  of  wealth  created. 

Corsica,  the  third  largest  island  in  the  Mediterranean, 
possesses  within  itself  the  elements  of  prosperity  which  may 
one  day  render  it  the  finest  of  the  French  colonies.  Jt  is 
equal  in  surface  to  495  geographical  square  leagues.0 

The  history  of  the  island  from  die  remotest  ages  to  the 
period  when  it  was  united  to  France,  forms  only  a distress- 
ing picture  of  war,  bloodshed  and  revolt.  Herodotus  affirms 
that  it  was  first  inhabited  by  the  Phoenicians,  who  gave  it 
the  name  of  Collista;  before  that  period  it  was  called  The- 


rapnc.  It  was  afterwards  peopled  by  a colony  of  Lacede- 
monians or,  according  to  Seneca,  of  Phocaeans,  who  called 
it  Thera  from  Theras,  the  name  of  their  chief.d  e Owing 
to  the  frequent  communications  between  the  islanders  and 
the  Greeks,  it  received  from  the  latter  the  names  of  Cyrnos, 
Cerneatis  and  Cor  sis  ;f  but  the  Romans  having  taken  it 
from  the  Carthaginians,  styled  it  Corsica,  a name  of  which 
the  origin  is  uncertain. 

The  characters  which  the  ancients  have  left  us  of  the 
inhabitants  are  apparently  contradictory.  Strabo  describes 
them  as  living  by  plunder,  and  as  more  savage  than  wild 
beasts.  “ If  a Roman  general,”  he  adds,  “ advances  into 
the  interior,  takes  some  forts,  and  brings  a certain  number 
of  slaves  to  Rome,  their  ferocity  and  stupidity  afford  a sin- 
gular spectacle.  They  consider  it  either  not  worth  their 
while  to  live,  or  they  remain  in  a state  of  complete  apathy 
and  indifference.  However  small  the  price  may  be  for 
which  they  are  sold,  their  masters  soon  discover  that  they 
have  paid  too  much  for  them.”  But,  as  the  annotator  on 
Strabos  remarks,  Diodorus  Siculus  bears  witness  to  the  con- 
trary. According  to  that  writer,  the  Corsican  slaves  are  the 
best  servants  of  any ; they  are  from  habit  singularly  clean.h  ‘ 
Theft  aversion  to  their  conquerors  has  tended  to  preserve 
the  manners  of  their  ancestors.  They  are  still  sober,  brave, 
hospitable  and  enthusiastic  in  then-  love  of  freedom.  They 
may  be  distinguished  by  lively  eyes,  a stature  about  the 
middle  size,  and  a dark  complexion. 

Corsica  was  added  to  the  dominions  of  the  Goths  after  the 
fall  of  the  Roman  empire  ; but  the  inhabitants  neither  lapsed 
into  the  barbarism  of  their  masters,  nor  submitted  to  the  feu- 
dal system  which  they  established.  The  effects  of  the  con- 
quest were  battles,  murders  and  crimes  of  which  history  has 
preserved  a confused  remembrance.  The  Goths  were  suc- 
ceeded in  the  eighth  century  by  the  Arabs  and  Saracens, 
who  remained  but  a short  time  in  the  island.  It  was  reserv- 
ed for  the  rising  republic  of  Genoa  to  impose  a cruel  and 
tyrannical  yoke  on  the  people,  which  lasted,  with  many 
interruptions,  during  a period  of  nine  centuries.  In  the  same 
period  the  people  experienced  all  the  vicissitudes  that  result 
from  resistance  and  submission ; at  one  time  asserting  their 
independence,  at  another  yielding  to  their  oppressors.  Rome 
attempted  the  conquest  of  the  island  ; the  Pisans  took  it  from 
their  rivals  during  the  eleventh  century,  but  in  the  twelfth, 
the  latter  gained  it  anew.  In  the  course  of  the  thirteenth 
century  it  was  nearly  taken  by  the  Pisans,  and  during  the 
fifteenth  hy  Alphonso  the  Fifth,  king  of  Arragon.  Genoa 
ceded  it  in  1465,  and  took  it  back  shortly  afterwards  from 
the  duke  of  Milan.  In  1553,  Henry  the  Second  assisted 
the  Corsicans,  and  freed  them  from  the  Genoese ; but  six 
years  after  their  deliverance,  the  island  was  restored  to  the 

left  by  Cadmus,  before  it  was  settled  by  the  Lacedemonians  under 
Theras.  These  statements  of  Herodotus  are  partly  confirmed  by  Stra- 
bo. On  the  contrary,  Seneca  simply  states,  in  which  he  is  confirmed 
by  Diodorus  (Lib.  V.),  that  Corsica  was  settled  by  a colony  of  Pho- 
caeans (Epigramm.  super  exilio,  Ep.  I.  v.  1,)  and  that  the  Greeks  from 
Phoctea  who  founded  Marseilles  first  settled  in  the  island  (De  Conso- 
lat.  cap.  8.)  He  farther  states  in  the  same  place,  that  the  earlier  his- 
tory of  the  island  was  involved  in  the  darkness  of  antiquity.  Therapru 
was  the  name  of  a town  in  ancient  Crete.  (Pliny.) — P. 

1 Strabo,  Book  V.  ch.  4.  § 5. 

s M.  Gosselin. 

h “ The  Corsican  slaves,  says  Diodorus,  are  better  than  all  others  for 
useful  service,  for  which  they  are  by  nature  peculiarly  adapted.”  This 
conveys  the  correct  sense  of  the  Greek  original,  in  which  not  a word 
is  said  of  their  cleanliness.  “ TaSt  aiSgoTioSa  xvgrta  Siaiftqnv  doxti 
Tuiv  ai-Auir  iuXmr  tig  rag  xaTa  tov  |Siov  j«)tiag,  tpva txrjg  Tou  rijf  tijj  nhorij- 
rog  iiaqaxo>.u-9naijg.'’ — P. 

* Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  V.  § 13. 


1 Twenty-five  of  these  leagues  are  equal  to  a degree. 
b Their  extent,  exclusively  and  inclusively  of  their  sinuosities,  may 
be  seen  by  the  following  table  : 

Straight  line.  Sinuosities. 

Coasts  of  the  Mediterranean,  85  leagues.  120  leagues. 

Atlantic,  . . 145  “ 195  “ 

Channel,  . . 135  “ 175  “ 

365"  “ 490  “ 

c It  is  situated  between  41°  17'  and  43°  N.  lat.  and  between  6°  12' 
and  7°  12'  E.  long,  from  Paris. 
d Herodotus,  Book  IV.  ch.  147. 

0 There  appears  to  be  a great  degree  of  confusion  in  the  above  pas- 
sage. The  passage  quoted  from  Herodotus  refers  only  to  the  island 
of  Thera  in  the  Archipelago.  He  simply  states  that  the  island  took  its 
name  of  Thera  from  Theras  , that  it  was  previously  called  Callista* 
(not  Collista ;)  and  that  it  had  been  occupied  by  a colony  of  Phoenicians 

* KaXhgt], 


book  cxl.]  DESCRIPTION 

republic  by  the  treaty  of  Chateau-Cambresis.  Promises 
of  assistance  were  offered,  but  never  fulfilled,  and  the  inhab- 
itants, almost  reduced  to  despair,  had  recourse  to  revolt  in 
1564.  Men  were  not  wanting,  who  could  organise  and 
direct  insurgents,  but  none  were  found  capable  of  liberating 
their  country.  Tranquillity  was  restored  each  time  Genoa 
promised  to  abolish  their  grievances,  but  when  she  resumed 
her  authority,  her  promises  were  broken.  While  the  differ- 
ent parties  against  the  Genoese  were  divided  on  the  choice 
of  their  leader,  a German  baron,  Theodore  Von  Neuhof, 
landed  in  the  island,  offered  his  services  to  the  insurgents, 
and  gained  so  great  an  ascendancy  over  them,  that  he  was 
proclaimed  king.  Without  talent  as  a general,  without  en- 
ergy as  a monarch,  he  was  unable  to  disperse  the  Genoese, 
or  to  unite  the  factions  which  enfeebled  his  ephemeral  king- 
dom. Twice  he  sought  in  foreign  countries  resources  and 
supplies,  which  he  could  not  find  at  home,  and  during  his 
absence,  an  auxiliary  army  furnished  to  Genoa  by  France, 
put  an  end  to  the  revolt.  The  French  had  hardly  left  the 
island  before  a new  insurrection  broke  out,  and  king  Theo- 
dore returned  in  1741.  Eight  years  afterwards  the  French 


OF  FRANCE.  197 

conquered  Corsica,  and  restored  it  to  the  Genoese,  but  the 
latter  found  a formidable  enemy  in  Pascal  Paoli.  It  was  not 
enough  that  he  repelled  the  oppressors ; he  became  the  lib- 
erator and  lawgiver  of  his  country.  Deputies  were  sent  by 
him  to  the  principal  courts  of  Europe,  announcing  that  the 
Corsicans,  no  longer  submitting  to  the  treachery  of  Genoa, 
had  proclaimed  their  independence.  The  republic  of  Genoa 
ceded  in  1768,  the  sovereignty  of  the  island  to  France. 
The  people  did  not  confound  in  their  hatred  the  Genoese 
and  the  F rench ; many  submitted  voluntarily,  and  the  inde- 
pendent party  was  annihilated  after  a single  campaign.  The 
efforts  and  genius  of  Paoli  were  employed  in  vain ; he  left 
his  country,  and  found  an  asylum  in  England.  An  unfore- 
seen event  called  him  from  his  retirement ; the  French  rev- 
olution having  commenced,  he  repaired  again  to  the  island, 
and  with  the  assistance  of  the  English  repelled  the  French. 
Paoli  intended  to  found  a republic,  when  the  king  of  Great 
Britain  was  proclaimed  sovereign  of  Corsica ; but  the  inhab- 
itants were  mistrustful  of  the  English,  and  an  easy  victory 
freed  them  from  British  supremacy. 


198  EUROPE.  [BOOK  CXLL 


BOOR  CXLI. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Physical  Geography  of  France. 

The  different  sciences  of  which  the  object  is  to  extend 
our  knowledge  of  nature,  have  thrown  additional  light  on 
geography.  Physical  geography,  a new  department  of  sci- 
ence, possessing  many  attractions,  has  thus  been  created. 
In  its  application  to  France,  it  indicates  the  connexion  of  the 
different  chains  of  mountains,  the  rivers  that  rise  from  them, 
the  fertility  or  barrenness  of  the  soil,  the  different  windings 
of  the  coasts,  the  fish  that  are  found  in  the  seas  and  rivers, 
and  the  animals  indigenous  to  the  mountains  and  plains. 
The  science  of  geology  tends  to  illustrate  physical  geogra- 
phy ; descending  into  the  depths  of  the  earth,  it  reveals  the 
nature  of  the  strata  beneath  the  surface,  and  the  mineral 
riches  contained  in  them.  It  may  be  necessary,  therefore, 
to  advert  to  some  elementary  principles  of  geology,  which 
are  no  longer  contested,  and  to  describe  in  a few  words  the 
formation  of  the  different  deposits  comprehended  within  the 
limits  of  France,  and  the  volcanic  convulsions  of  which  it 
has  been  the  theatre. 

The  northern  declivities  of  a part  of  the  Pyrenees,  and 
the  western  of  the  Alps,  form  a portion  of  the  southern  and 
eastern  boundaries  of  the  kingdom.  It  is  obvious  that  the 
other  mountains  in  France  form,  together  with  those  last 
mentioned,  part  of  the  summit  line,  which  divides  Europe 
into  two  great  declivities.  The  Pyrenees  unite  with  the 
Cevennes,  and  the  Cevennes  with  the  Vosges,  while  the  lat- 
ter meet  Jura  on  the  south,  and  form  the  Ardennes  on 
the  north.  In  the  present  state  of  geographical  science,  in 
order  to  determine  the  points  of  junction  or  separation 
between  different  mountains,  it  is  necessary  to  determine 
the  nature  and  formation  of  the  rocks  which  compose  them ; 
and  as  the  same  remark  is  equally  applicable  to  their  boun- 
daries and  ramifications,  the  study  of  mineralogy  becomes 
indispensably  necessary  to  all  those  who  do  not  confine 
their  inquiries  to  the  systems  of  ancient  geographers,  or  to 
political  and  arbitrary  divisions  ever  liable  to  change. 

According  to  this  method,  the  mountains  in  the  interior 
of  France  may  be  designated  the  Franco- Celtic  group.  It 
belongs  to  the  vast  Alpine  range,  and  consists  of  two  princi- 
pal chains,  namely,  the  Ceveno-Vosginn  and  the  Armorican. 
The  first,  separated  from  the  Pyrenees  by  the  valley  in 
which  is  situated  the  canal  of  Languedoc,  is  formed  on  the 
south  by  the  Black  Mountains,  the  Espinouse,  the  Garri- 
guen  and  the  Cevennes  proper.  A branch  called  the  Le- 
vezon  stretches  towards  the  south-west  from  Mount  Lozere 
in  the  Cevennes,  while  the  mountains  of  Aubrac  extend  to- 

a Mont-Dor,  which  Sidonius  Apollinaris  calls  Mons  Duranius,  is 
generally  written  Mont-d’Or,  as  if  its  Latin  name  had  been  Mons  Au- 
reus. ftamond  proposed  to  call  it  Mont-Dore,  after  the  name  of  the 
river  whicli  rises  from  it ; hut  as  the  same  river  is  called  the  Dor- 
dogne after  its  junction  with  the  Dogne,  we  have  adopted  the  name 


wards  the  north-west.  In  the  same  direction,  the  mountains  of 
Margeride  connect  the  Cevennes  with  the  Cantal  and  Mont- 
Dor,3  the  last  of  which  includes  the  Puy  de  Saucy,  the  high- 
est summit  in  central  France.  A long  but  not  a very  high 
chain  passes  from  these  two  branches  to  the  Loire,  in  which 
the  loftiest  points  are  Mount  Olouze,  Mount  Jurgeanb  and 
the  heights  of  Gatine.  A much  shorter  chain,  situated  be- 
tween Mount  Lozere  and  the  Mezen, c formed  by  the  moun- 
tains of  Forez  and  those  of  La  Made,  stretches  northwards 
to  the  banks  of  the  Loire.  The  Mezen,  the  Pilat,d  the 
mountains  of  Charolais,  and  the  Cote  d’Or,  together  with 
Mounts  Moresot  and  Tasselot,  the  plateau  of  Langres,  and 
the  Faucilles,  form  the  connecting  link  between  the  Ceven- 
nes and  the  Vosges.  The  heights  of  Morvan  extend  to- 
wards the  north-west  near  the  banks  of  the  Ouche,  and  ter- 
minate in  low  hills  at  the  sources  of  the  Vernisson.  The 
Vosges,  which  are  separated  on  the  south-east  from  the 
chain  of  Jura  only  by  a valley  now  traversed  by  the  canal 
of  Monsieur,  extend  on  the  north  to  the  banks  of  the  Rhine. 
Branches  of  the  same  range  extend  towards  the  north-west 
near  the  sources  of  the  Moselle,  and  form  different  ridges, 
covered  with  the  thick  woods  of  the  Ardennes.  They  are 
divided  anew  into  two  other  branches  near  the  sources  of 
the  Oise,  one  of  which  terminates  at  the  Straits  of  Calais, 
and  the  other  near  the  coasts  of  the  Channel.  It  appears 
from  their  geological  composition  and  other  circumstances 
which  shall  be  afterwards  mentioned,  that  the  various  divis- 
ions of  the  Cevennes  and  the  Vosges  are  only  different 
parts  of  a single  chain. 

The  Armorican  chain  consists  of  four  divisions,  which 
extend  in  different  directions.  It  commences  on  the  west- 
ern coasts  of  ancient  Brittany,  where  it  divides  itself  into 
two  branches  knowrt  by  the  names  of  the  mountains  of  Ar- 
ree  and  the  Black  Mountains ; the  former  are  situated  on 
the  north  of  the  Aulne,  and  the  latter  on  the  south  of  the 
same  river.  The  Menez  mountains  extend  eastwards,  and 
a series  of  hills  beginning  near  the  sources  of  the  \ ilaine, 
runs  towards  the  south,  and,  but  for  the  course  of  the  Loire, 
would  join  a part  of  the  preceding  chain.  The  northern 
extremity  of  one  branch  forms  Cape  La  Hague  ; another  on 
the  east  stretches  to  the  heights  of  Beauce,  which  are  sepa- 
rated by  the  valley  of  the  Vernisson  from  die  mountains  of 
Morvan.  It  is  dius  that  the  two  chains  may  be  considered 
as  forming  but  a single  group. 

France  may  be  divided  into  fifteen  basins,  Hz.  four  prin- 
cipal basins,  one  German,  two  Belgian,  and  eight  connected 

in  the  text,  which  may  be  considered  a translation  of  Mons  Dura- 
nius . 

b Odouze  and  Jargean,  p.  879.  c Mezin,  p.  898,900. 

<*  So  called  from  the  Latin  word  Pilctilus.  because  its  summit  is  often 
covered  with  a cap  of  clouds. 


book  cxLi.1  DESCRIPTION 

with  the  coasts.  The  basin  of  the  Garonne  is  formed  by 
the  Pyrenees  on  the  south,  the  Cevennes  on  the  east,  and 
the  Cantal,  together  with  Mounts  Odouze,  Jargean  and  Be- 
ron,  on  the  north.  The  Gironde  discharges  all  its  waters 
into  the  ocean.  The  Garonne,  of  which  the  name  is  a 
translation  of  the  Lathi  word  Garumna  or  Varumna,  has  its 
source  in  the  valley  of  Aran  in  the  Pyrenees.  The 
Gers  and  the  Save,  which  descend  from  the  same  moun- 
tains, are  the  only  feeders  of  any  consequence  on  its  left 
bank  ; but  on  the  right,  it  receives  the  Arriege,a  the  Auri- 
gera  of  the  ancients,  and  the  Pactolus  of  Gaul,b  the  Tarn, 
enlarged  by  the  Aveyron,  the  Lot  by  the  Truyere  and  the 
Celle,  and  lastly,  the  Dordogne,  which  rising  from  Mont- 
Dor,  is  fed  by  the  waters  of  the  Cere,  the  Vezere  and  the 
Isle.  The  Garonne  receives  the  name  of  the  Gironde  after 
its  junction  with  the  Dordogne.  The  tide  is  perceptible  in 
the  river  at  thirty  leagues  from  its  mouth ; the  length  of  its 
course  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles.0  Rafts  and 
timber  are  floated  down  the  stream  from  a place  about  two 
leagues  above  the  small  town  of  St.  Beat,  and  it  becomes 
navigable  at  Cazeres  in  the  department  of  the  Upper  Ga- 
ronne. A number  of  islands  and  sandbanks  below  Ambes,d 
where  it  joins  the  Dordogne,  render  the  navigation  danger- 
ous. The  banks  are  bordered  by  heaths  or  downs  at  no 
great  distance  from  its  mouth,  and  the  breadth  of  the  river 
exceeds  seven  miles,®  but  it  Decomes  gradually  narrower,  and 
enters  the  ocean  by  a passage  little  more  than  two  milesf  in 
width. 

The  basin  of  the  Rhone,  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Jura,  on  the  west  by  the  chain  formed  by  Mount  Pilat, 
Mount  Mezeq,  the  mountains  of  Saones  and  the  Cevennes, 
and  on  the  east  by  several  mountains  which  may  be  consid- 
ered the  counterforts'1  of  the  Alps,  extends  on  the  north  to 
the  Vosges,  while  its  waters  are  discharged  on  the  south  into 
the  Mediterranean.  The  Rhone,  the  Rhodanus  of  the  an- 
cients, rises  from  beneath  the  glaciers  of  Mount  Furca,  and 
enters  France  at  some  leagues  to  the  east  of  St.  Dizier.  It 
is  one  of  the  most  rapid  rivers  in  Europe  ; the  declivity  has 
been  estimated  at  thirty-three  feet  in  each  league.'  The 
principal  feeders  on  the  right  bank  are  the  Ain,  the  Saone, 
the  Ardeche  and  the  Gard  ; it  receives  on  the  left,  the  Isere, 
the  Drome,  the  Aigues  and  the  Durance,  the  last  of  which 
rises  at  the  base  of  Mount  Genevre.  The  Rhone  begins  to 
be  navigable  at  Seyssel  on  the  boundaries  between  Savoy 
and  the  department  of  the  Ain.  The  length  of  its  course  is 
equal  to  a hundred  and  eighty  leagues,  and  of  these  a hun- 
dred and  twenty  are  included  between  the  frontiers  of  France 
and  the  Mediterranean.  After  it  passes  Beaucaire,  it  be- 
comes less  rapid ; it  flows  slowly  into  the  sea,  and  divides 
itself  into  four  branches,  in  which  several  banks  render  the 
passage  difficult. 

The  length  of  the  basin  watered  by  the  Loire  is  still 
greater ; it  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  mountains  of 
Charolais,  and  part  of  the  Cevennes,  on  the  south  by  the 
mountains  of  Margeride,  the  Cantal  and  Mont-Dor,  on  the 
south-west  by  the  heights  of  Gatine,  and  on  the  north  by  the 
hills,  which  form  the  plateau  of  Beauce,  and  which  unite 
with  the  Armorican  chain.  The  Loire  rises  from  Mount 
Gerbier  le  Joux,  at  some  leagues  from  the  Mezen.  It  runs 

OF  FRANCE  199 

first  northwards,  being  separated  from  the  Allier  by  the 
mountains  of  Forez  and  those  of  La  Made;  it  then  bends 
to  the  north-west,  and  continues  in  that  direction  until  it 
reaches  the  neighbourhood  of  Orleans  ; beyond  the  last 
mentioned  place,  it  flows  westwards,  and  enters  the  ocean 
after  a course  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  leagues.  The 
mean  depth  of  its  waters  is  more  than  seven,  but  less  than 
ten  feet,*1  and  the  declivity  of  its  course,  about  twenty-three 
feet  on  each  league.1  Rafts  and  timber  are  floated  on  its 
stream  from  the  village  of  Retournac,  at  five  leagues  above 
Beauzac  in  the  department  of  the  Upper  Loire  ; it  becomes 
navigable  a short  way  above  Roanne  in  the  department  of 
the  Loire.  The  Mayenne,  swollen  by  the  streams  of  the 
Sarthe  and  Loir,  enters  it  on  the  right,  but  it  receives  no 
other  important  river  from  the  same  side,  as  it  is  not  confin- 
ed in  that  direction  by  lofty  hills.  Several  large  rivers  which 
fall  into  the  Loire,  rise  on  the  left  from  the  chain  of  moun- 
tains, in  which  are  situated  the  highest  summits  in  central 
France;  the  principal  of  these  rivers  are  the  Allier,  the 
Cher  and  the  Vienne.  The  alluvial  deposits  conveyed  by  it, 
obstruct  its  mouth,  and  form  sand  banks  which  are  daily 
increasing ; thus  in  some  places,  the  depth  which  was  for- 
merly twenty  feet  at  low  tide,  does  not  at  present  exceed 
seven  or  eight. 

The  sinuous  course  of  the  Seine  or  the  ancient  Sequana 
traverses  a basin  formed  on  the  south  by  the  extension  of  the 
Armorican  chain,  which  separates  it  in  that  direction  from 
the  Loire,  and  joins  the  mountains  of  Morvan  ; it  is  enclosed 
on  the  east  by  Mounts  Moresot  and  Tasselot,  the  plateau  of 
Langres,  and  the  heights  that  separate  the  Meuse  from  the 
Aisne  ; while  it  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Faucilles 
and  the  Ardennes,  which  unite  with  the  chalky  hills  that  fol- 
low the  course  of  the  river  to  its  mouth.  The  Seine  rises 
between  Chanceaux  and  Saint  Seine,  at  the  foot  of  a hill 
connected  with  the  plateau  of  Langres.  Timber  is  floated 
on  it  from  the  village  of  Oigni,  in  the  department  of  Cote 
d’Or,  but  it  does  not  become  navigable  until  it  reaches  the 
village  of  Marcilly  at  its  junction  with  the  Aube.  On  the 
right  bank,  it  receives  the  Marne  at  Charenton  near  Paris, 
and  the  Oise  near  Conflans  St.  Honorine  above  Poissy. 
The  feeders  that  enter  it  from  the  left,  are  the  Yonne  at 
Montereau  and  the  Eure  near  Pont  de  l’Arche.  The 
length  of  its  course  is  about  a hundred  and  sixty  leagues. 
When  the  tide  is  full,  the  breadth  of  its  mouth  gives  it  a very 
majestic  appearance,  but  at  low  tide,  it  looks  like  a number 
of  canals  flowing  in  the  middle  of  an  oozy  bed.  It  is  not 
easy  to  imagine  the  changes  which  take  place  during  the 
equinox,  and  more  particularly  at  the  time  of  the  syzygies ; 
the  billows  enter  the  mouth  of  the  Seine  by  narrow  passages, 
rise  to  a considerable  height,  are  precipitated  into  the  bed 
of  the  river,  and  impede  the  course  of  its  waters.  The  cry 
of  the  Bnrre  then  becomes  a signal  of  alarm,  and  the  houses 
on  the  banks  have  been  more  than  once  destroyed.  The 
same  sort  of  phenomenon  has  been  observed  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Loire,  and  also  at  that  of  the  Garonne,  where  it  is 
called  the  Mascaret. 

Having  thus  briefly  described  the  four  principal  rivers  in 
France,  it  remains  for  us  to  cross  the  Vosges  and  to  exam- 
ine the  Germanic  basin  or  the  basin  of  the  Rhine.  Formed 

a “ Ariege.” 

b The  gold  borne  down  by  the  waters  of  the  Arriege,  is  at  present 
found  in  too  inconsiderable  quantities  to  be  worked  with  profit. 
e “ 150  leagues.” 

d “ Bee  d’Ambes” — the  point  of  land  at  the  confluence  of  the  two 
rivers.  The  town  of  Ambes  or  Ambez  is  in  the  immediate  vicinity. — P. 

e “ 14,000  metres” — more  than  eight  miles. — P. 
f “ 4000  metres” — nearly  two  and  a half  miles. — P. 
e Sone,  p.  898.  h Buttresses  or  outworks. 

■ “ 30  feet  per  league”  Fr.  meas. 
k “ Mean  depth  from  2 to  3 metres.” 

1 “ 22  feet  per  league”  Fr.  meas. 

...  -■  J 

EUROPE. 


200 

by  the  declivities  of  the  Black  Forest  and  the  Vosges,  it 
extends  from  Huningen,  at  the  foot  of  the  lowest  declivities 
of  Jura,  to  those  of  Mount  Tonnerre.  The  course  of 
the  111,  the  largest  feeder  it  receives,  is  equal  to  about  thirty- 
six  leagues ; it  rises  near  the  burgh  of  Winckell  in  the  de- 
partment of  the  Upper  Rhine,  and  throws  itself  into  the  river 
at  the  distance  of  two  leagues  above  Strasburg.  The  Mo- 
selle is  a feeder  of  the  Rhine,  and  for  that  reason  its  basin, 
although  a separate  one,  may  be  considered  as  forming  a 
part  of  the  other. 

On  the  west  of  the  Germanic  basin,  are  the  two  Belgian 
basins,  the  first  of  which  is  watered  by  the  Meuse,  a consid- 
erable river  that  traverses  only  a small  part  of  France.  It 
rises  from  the  heights  which  form  the  plateau  of  Langres,  a 
short  way  above  the  village  of  Meuse.  The  long  and  nar- 
row basin  of  the  river  is  bounded  by  the  Ardennes,  and  the 
heights  of  the  Moselle.  It  begins  to  be  navigable  at  Verdun, 
and  continues  so  to  the  frontiers  of  the  kingdom. 

The  second  Belgian  basil?,  or  that  of  the  Scheldt,  is 
formed  by  two  ranges  of  hills,  one  of  which  on  the  north- 
east commands  the  course  of  the  Meuse,  while  the  other 
extends  towards  Calais.  The  country  is  watered  by  the 
Scheldt,  which  holds  no  inconsiderable  rank  among  rivers, 
both  because  it  receives  several  navigable  feeders,  and  be- 
cause it  discharges  itself  into  the  North  Sea.a  It  takes  its 
rise  near  Castelet  in  the  department  of  the  Aisne,  and  be- 
comes navigable  below  Conde,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
confines  of  France. 

Of  the  remaining  eight  basins,  five  discharge  their  waters 
either  into  the  Channel  or  the  Ocean.  The  basin  of  the 
Somme  is  enclosed  by  the  chain  of  hills  that  was  last  men- 
tioned, and  by  another  which  extends  towards  Cape  La 
Heve  ; its  principal  stream  takes  its  rise  at  Font-Somme  in 
the  department  of  the  Aisne,  and  may  be  considered  a 
river, b to  which  the  Miramont,  the  Avre  and  the  Celle  are 
tributary.  It  is  navigable  from  Amiens  to  St.  Valery, 
where  it  throws  itself  into  the  Channel  after  a course  of  about 
forty  leagues. 

The  Orne  receives  the  Noireau,  the  Ajze,  the  Odon  and 
other  small  rivers  ; it  rises  near  Seez,  in  the  granite  heights 
on  the  north  of  Alenqon  ; its  basin  is  bounded  by  a northern 
branch  of  the  same  heights,  and  by  another  that  stretches 
towards  Cape  La  Hague.  The  course  of  the  Orne  is 
about  thirty  leagues,  and  it  discharges  itself  into  the  Chan- 
nel. 

The  basin  contiguous  to  that  of  the  Orne,  may  be  called 
the  basin  of  the  Ranee,  from  the  name  of  the  principal  river, 
which,  however,  is  not  more  than  eighteen  leagues  in  length. 
It  is  formed  by  tbe  chain  which  serves  as  a limit  to  the  pre- 
ceding basin, c and  which  proceeds  westwards,  under  the 
names  of  the  mountains  of  Menez  and  Arree,  till  it  termi- 
nates to  the  northwards  of  Brest. 

The  mountains  of  Menez,  and  a chain  of  hills,  extending 

a See,  on  the  relative  importance  of  rivers,  the  article  Rivieres,  in 
the  fifth  volume  of  Physical  Geography  in  the  Enryrlopidic  Mitho- 
dique,  by  M.  Huot.  [The  sentence  in  the  text  to  which  the  note  refers, 
is  scarcely  adapted  to  any  other  language  than  the  French,  and  owes 
its  propriety  to  the  peculiar  meanings  attached  to  the  words  Jlcuve  and 
riviiire ; the  first  implying  a navigable  stream  which  empties  directly 
into  the  sea  or  other  reservoir,  and  which  receives  other  navigable 
streams  or  branches,  and  the  second  a stream  which  falls  into  another 
larger  stream,  or  which  does  not  receive  navigable  branches.  The 
writer  in  the  original,  says  that  “ the  Scheldt  deserves  to  be  ranked 
among  Jieuves,  because  it  receives  several  navigable  rivieres,  and  be- 
cause it  empties  into  the  North  Sea.” — P.]  b “ Fleuve.” 

c The  granite  heights  to  the  north  of  Alen(;on,  the  southern  limit 
of  the  preceding  basin. — P. 

J “ It  is  navigable  for  boats  only  for  the  space  of 580  metres,  where  it 


[BOOK  CXL.I. 

from  the  north  to  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Loire,  bound 
the  basin  of  the  Vilaine,  a small  river  which  rises  near  Ju- 
vigne,  and  is  rendered  navigable  by  sluices  at  the  village 
of  Cessan ; it  is  enlarged  by  the  Meu,  the  Seiche  and  the 
Don,  and  reaches  the  ocean  after  a course  of  forty-five 
leagues.- 

The  Charente,  a sinuous  river,  about  eighty-five  leagues 
long,  rises  near  the  village  of  Cheronnac  in  the  department 
of  the  Upper  Vienne.  The  Ne,  the  Seugne  and  the  Bou- 
tonne  are  the  principal  feeders ; it  begins  to  be  navigable  at 
Monlignac,  a few  leagues  above  Angouleme,^  and  throws 
itself  into  the  ocean,  opposite  the  isle  of  Oleron.  Its  basin 
is  bounded  by  a chain  that  descends  from  the  heights  of 
Gatine,  and  by  a range  of  hills,  which  separate  it  from  the 
basin  of  the  Garonne. 

The  basin  of  the  Adour  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the 
Pyrenees,  and  by  a chain  of  hills  that  extend  from  those 
mountains  to  the  sandy  plains  of  the  Gironde.  The  river 
flows  from  the  declivities  of  the  Pic  du  Midi,  and  forms  a 
cataract  of  a hundred  feet  in  height,  a short  way  above  Bag- 
neres.  The  length  of  its  course  is  about  seventy  leagues ; 
it  quits  the  vallies  of  the  Pyrenees,  and  receives  the  Midouze, 
the  Luy,  the  Gave  de  Pau,  the  Gave  d’Oleron,  the  Bidouze 
and  several  other  streams.  The  Adour  cannot  be  consid- 
ered either  a useful  or  important  river ; its  course  is  veiy 
rapid,  and  the  inundations  occasioned  by  the  melting  of  the 
snows,  desolate  the  fields  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  banks. 
It  begins  to  be  navigable  at  St.  Sever,  and  throw's  itself 
into  the  Gulf  of  Gascony  at  Bayonne. 

The  Aude  rises  from  a lake  or  pond  of  the  same  name 
in  the  Eastern  Pyrenees,  about  a league  from  Mount  Louis ; 
the  Orbieux,  its  principal  feeder,  is  not  navigable.  The 
length  of  its  course  is  about  fifty  leagues ; boats,  however, 
are  seldom  seen  on  it,  until  it  joins  the  canal  at  Narbonne.d 
The  basin  of  the  river  is  enclosed  by  Mount  Espinouse, 
the  Black  Mountains  and  the  extreme  branches  of  the  Pyr- 
enees. 

The  basin  bounded  by  the  Moorish  mountains,  die  moun- 
tains of  Esterel,  and  their  ramifications,  is  watered  by  sev- 
eral rivers,  of  which  the  Argens  is  the  most  important ; it  is 
formed  by  several  streams  that  unite  at  Chateau  Vert.  The 
waters  of  the  Artuby  fall  into  the  Argens,  which  enters  the 
Mediterranean,  after  a course  of  twenty-four  leagues.  It  is 
not  navigable,  and  although  it  flows  between  high  and  rocky 
banks,  it  often  inundates  the  adjoining  fields,  and  forms  pes- 
tilential marshes.  The  Herault  traverses  the  eastern  part 
of  the  same  basin  from  the  Cevennes  to  the  sea,  a distance 
of  twenty-eight  leagues. e 

France  is  watered  by  ten  great  rivers,  by  a hundred  and 
eight  diat  are  navigable,  and  by  more  than  five  thousand 
smaller  streams  and  rivulets/  But  in  order  to  complete  the 
hydrographical  account  of  the  same  country,  it  is  necessary 
to  notice  the  lakes  and  lagoons.®  Of  the  former,  one  only 

joins  the  canal  of  Narbonne;  the  branch  which  falls  into  the  Mediter- 
ranean, is  only  proper  for  floating  timber.” 

e There  must  be  a mistake  in  this  passage.  The  Herault  traverses 
the  eastern  part  of  the  basin  watered  by  the  Aude.  The  basin  water- 
ed by  the  Argens  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  Provence,  that  river  entering 
the  Mediterranean  at  Frejus. — P. 

f “ 10  Jieuves,  108  navigable  rivitres,  and  more  than  5000  smaller 
rivieres  and  rivulets.” 

s “ Etangs.” — On  the  coast  of  Provence  and  Languedoc  are  a erreat 
number  of  inlets  of  the  sea,  which  the  French  call  clangs.  They  have 
a communication  with  the  sea  through  a narrow  channel,  bv  which 
they  are  supplied  with  their  waters,  which  are  consequently  salt.  Ed 
Encyc. — They  resemble  the  Venetian  lagoons,  and  the  sounds,  bays 
and  other  inland  waters  between  the  sea  islands  and  the  main  lar.n, 
along  the  south  shore  of  Long  Island,  and  the  coast  of  the  S.  Slates. — P 


book  cxli.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  201 


need  be  mentioned  ; it  is  the  lake  of  Grand-Lieu  in  the  dis- 
trict3 of  Nantes  ; it  is  formed  by  the  waters  of  the  Boulogne, 
the  Ognon,  and  other  small  rivers,  and  it  discharges  itself  by 
the  Achenau  into  the  Loire.  It  is  about  two  leagues  and  a 
half  in  length,  and  nearly  two  in  breadth.  The  only  large 
lagoons  in  France  are  situated  in  the  maritime  departments 
in  the  south-west  and  south-east.  That  ol  Carcans  in  the 
department  of  the  Gironde  is  about  two  leagues  long  by  one 
and  a half  broad ; it  communicates  with  that  of  Canau, 
which  is  not  much  smaller.  That  of  Biscarosse  in  the 
Landes  is  nearly  of  the  same  dimensions  as  the  first ; these, 
as  well  as  others  of  a smaller  size,  are  separated  from  the 
sea  by  downs.  The  boundary  on  the  coast  ol  the  Mediter- 
ranean, between  the  departments  of  the  Eastern  Pyrenees 
and  the  Aude,  divides  that  of  Leucate,  which  is  about  three 
leagues  long,  into  two  almost  equal  parts.  That  ol  Sigean, 
nearly  four  leagues  in  length,  is  situated  in  the  department 
of  die  Aude.  That  of  Thau,  in  the  department  of  die  He- 
rault,  is  nearly  as  long  as  the  last ; it  exhibits  two  phenome- 
na not  unworthy  of  notice ; in  the  first  place,  it  is  salt, 
although  fed  by  many  fresh  water  springs ; secondly,  a sort 
of  subterranean  water-spout  rises  several  feet  above  the  sur- 
face near  the  northern  extremity,  and  forms  by  its  fall  a cir- 
cular pool.b  It  communicates  on  the  north-east  by  means 
of  a natural  channel  with  the  lagoons  of  Maguelonne,  Perols 
and  Mauguio,  thus  forming  a length  of  more  than  thirty 
miles.®  The  lagoon  of  Bered  in  the  department  of  the 
Mouths  of  the  Rhone,  may  be  almost  considered  a gulf;  it 
enters  the  sea  by  the  canals  of  Martigues  and  the  Tour  de 
Bouc.  It  is  about  fifteen  leagues  in  circumference,  and  a 
£reat  quantity  of  salt  is  deposited  in  its  calm  and  still  waters. 
Several  artificial  ponds,  not  inferior  in  size  to  natural  lakes, 
are  situated  in  the  interior  of  F ranee  ; among  others,  that  of 
Viilers  in  the  department  of  the  Cher,  and  that  of  Indre® 
in  the  department  of  the  Meurthe ; the  first  is  about  six 
leagues  in  circumference,  and  the  second,  four.  The  Seille, 
a feeder  of  the  Moselle,  issues  from  the  last. 

Two  large  promontories  are  situated  on  the  French  coasts; 
that  of  La  Hague  or  La  Hogue  protrudes  into  the  Channel, 
at  the  extremity  of  a department  of  the  same  name,* 1 *  while 
that  of  Raz  forms  the  most  western  point  in  the  department 
of  Finisterre.  The  waves  are  broken  into  foam  at  the  base 
of  the  last  cape,  and  the  view  from  its  summit  extends  to  a 
great  distance  along  the  ocean. 

The  same  coasts  are  indented  by  large  and  deep  gulfs ; 
that  of  St.  Malo  in  the  Channel,  includes  the  bay  of  St. 
BrieuxS  on  the  left,  and  forms  at  its  extremity  the  bay  of 
Cancale,  famous  for  its  oysters.  The  road  of  Bresth  on  the 
western  coast  of  Finisterre  might  be  more  correctly  called 
a bay,  of  which  the  depth  at  low  tide  is  not  less  than  from 
ten  to  fifteen  fathoms,  and  the  circumference  about  eight 
leagues  ; it  communicates  with  the  ocean  by  the  strait  called 
Le  Goulet  or  the  Gullet.  The  bay  of  Douarnenez  to  the 
south  is  still  larger ; its  entrance  is  formed  by  Cape  Chevre 
and  Cape  Raz.  The  bay  of  Morbihan,  which  gives  its 

1 “ Arrondissement.” 

b In  it  is  a deep  spot  called  Avysse,  from  which  rushes  up  a column 
of  fresh  water  with  such  force  as  (in  conjunction  with  strong  winds) 
to  produce  at  times  waves  dangerous  to  boats.  The  waters  of  this  spot 
being  much  warmer  than  the  surrounding  ones,  a circular  space  re- 
mains unfrozen  in  the  hardest  winters,  when  the  rest  of  the  lake  is  a 
sheet  of  ice.  Tuckey’s  Maritime  Geography,  vol.  II.  p.  178. — P. 

c “28,000  toises.’’  d “ Etang  de  Bere.” 

“ l’lndre” — Lindre  (Vosgien) — P. 

f La  Manche — the  department  of  the  Channel. 

s'“  St.  Brieuc.” 

b Brest  Water.  ' Bay  of  Biscay 

VOL.  III.— NO.  48  26 


name  to  a department,  is  about  eight  leagues  in  circumfer- 
ence. The  bay  of  Bourgneuf,  which  is  broader,  but  not 
so  deep  as  the  last,  extends  almost  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Loire.  The  gulf  of  Gascony1  which  forms  part  of  the  ocean 
is  bounded  by  the  coasts  of  France  and  Spain;  it  receives 
at  its  extremity  the  small  river  Nivelle.  The  most  impor- 
tant gulf  in  the  Mediterranean,  is  the  gulf  of  Lions,  incor- 
rectly written  Lyons  ;k  an  error  which  has  led  some  geogra- 
phers to  suppose  that  it  was  called  after  the  town  of  the 
same  name,  from  which,  however,  it  is  more  than  fifty-five 
leagues  distant  in  a direct  line.  During  the  middle  ages,  it 
was  styled  the  sea  or  gulf  of  the  Lion,  because,  from  the 
frequency  of  tempests,  it  was  formidable  to  mariners.  It  is 
known  that  St.  Louis,  after  having  embarked  at  Aigues 
Mortes,  in  1269,  was  detained  in  the  gulf  by  a storm  which 
lasted  three  days.1  It  is  bounded  by  the  coasts  of  five  de- 
partments, namely,  the  Eastern  Pyrenees,  the  Aude,  the 
Herault,  the  Gard  and  the  Mouths  of  the  Rhone.  Four 
bays  are  formed  by  the  coasts  in  the  department  of  the  Var ; 
namely,  the  bays'"  of  Cavaleire,  Grimaud,  Napoule  and  Juan. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  all  the  islands  near  the-  coasts 
of  France;  Jersey  and  Guernsey  are  more  important  than 
any  others  in  the  Channel,  but  as  they  are  under  the  gov- 
ernment of  England,  they  shall  be  described  in  the  account 
of  that  country.  The  isle  of  Ushant  (Fr.  Ouessant ) on  the 
coasts  of  the  ocean  is  surrounded  by  other  smaller  islands 
of  the  same  name,  and  lined  with  rocks,  which  render  the 
approai  h to  it  dangerous.  It  is  equal  to  two  square  leagues 
in  supei  ficial  extent,  and  its  soil  is  by  no  means  unfruitful. 
Groaix,  a more  productive  island,  is  chiefly  inhabited  by 
fishermen.  Belle-Isle,  about  four  leagues  in  length,  and  two 
in  breadth,  yields  rich  pasturage.  Noirmoutiers,  equal  to 
four  square  leagues  in  extent,  is  peopled  by  industrious 
inhabitants.  Yeu  is  formed  by  a granite  rock,  covered  with 
a light  stratum  of  vegetable  earth ; the  surface  occupies  a 
space  of  nearly  six  square  leagues.  The  isle  of  Re,  about 
five  leagues  long,  and  fifteen  in  circumference,  is  bounded 
by  rocks  on  the  north  and  the  west.  The  land  is  ill 
provided  w ith  wood_,  and  unfruitful  in  corn ; the  wealth  of 
the  inhabitants  consists  chiefly  in  the  produce  of  their  vine- 
yards. Oleron,  an  island  of  considerable  importance,  is 
about  six  leagues  long,  and  two  broad ; its  salt  marshes  are 
very  valuable.  Camargue,  an  island  in  the  Mediterranean, 
is  formed  by  the  alluvial  deposits  brought  down  by  the 
Rhone  ; with  the  exception  of  a large  marsh,  the  soil  affords 
excellent  pasturage.  The  isles  of  Hyeres,"  of  which  the 
principal  are  Porquerolles,  Port-Croz,  Bagneaux  and  the 
isle  of  Titan  or  Levant,0  stretch  to  the  distance  of  seven 
leagues  from  east  to  west ; they  are  fruitful  in  oranges, 
strawberries  and  different  aromatic  plants.  The  islands  of 
Lerins  or  those  of  St.  Marguerite  and  St.  Honorat  are  en- 
compassed with  reefs  and  almost  uninhabited.  Corsica  is 
situated  to  the  south-east  of  the  latter  islands ; from  its  im- 
portance it  is  necessaiy  to  enter  into  some  details  concern- 
ing it. 

k “ — the  gulf  of  the  Lion  ( du  Lion,)  incorrectly  called  the  gulf  of 
Lyons  (de  Lyon.)” 

1 We  may  mention  the  testimony  of  William  of  Nangis,  a monk  of 
the  thirteenth  century,  and  a biographer  of  St.  Louis.  “ Mare  Leonis 
nuncupatur,  quod  semper  est  asperum,  fluctuosum  et  crudele.”  See 
also  Memoires  de  l'Academie  des  Inscriptions  et  Belles-Lettres,  tom 
xii.  p.  210. 

rn  “ Gulfs.’’ — The  coast  from  Marseilles  to  the  limits  of  Italy,  has  a 
great  number  of  small  indentations,  improperly  named  gulfs,  between 
the  rocky  headlands.  Tuckey’s  Maritime  Geography,  vol.  II.  p.  179. 
— P.  0 Hieres. 

° The  easternmost  island,  whence  the  latter  name. — P. 


- 


202  EUROPE.  [BOOK.  CXLI. 


The  island  is  partly  covered  with  mountains,  forming  a 
group  belonging  to  a range  which  a French  geographer3 *  has 
denominated  the  Sardo-Corsican,  because  it  is  a continua- 
tion of  the  mountains  in  Sardinia.  This  group  consists  of 
the  chain  of  Mount  Caona  on  the  south,  the  mountains  of 
Cagnone  in  the  centre,  those  of  Frontogna  ®n  the  north- 
west, and  the  chain  of  Titime  on  the  north.  Different  coun- 
terforts or  branches  project  laterally  from  these  chains,  and 
enclose  numerous  vallies  or  small  basins.  The  seven  of 
most  consequence  are  those  watered  by  the  Tavignano  and  the 
Golo  on  the  east,  and  the  vallies  of  the  Valinco,  the  Taravo, 
the  Gravone,  the  Liamone  and  the  F ango,  which  descend  to- 
wards the  western  declivities  of  the  island.  None  of  these 
rivers  are  navigable.  Several  lagoons  are  situated  on  the 
eastern  coast,  the  largest  of  which  or  that  of  Biguglia  is  near- 
ly eight  miles  in  length.5  The  chain  of  Titime  terminates 
at  Cape  Corsica0  on  the  north,  the  most  important  of  any  in 
the  island.  The  numerous  mountains  that  descend  on  the 
western  side,  enclose  many  bays  and  gulfs,  among  others, 
the  gulfs  of  Valinco,  Ajaccio,  Porto  and  St.  Florent.  Sev- 
eral small  islands  are  situated  near  Corsica,  but  none  of  them 
are  of  much  importance. 

Before  we  proceed  to  examine  the  soil  in  the  different 
parts  of  Fiance,  it  maybe  proper  to  make  some  remarks 
relative  to  the  geology  of  the  country.  Granitic  rocks  or 
such  as  are  anterior  to  the  appearance  of  organized  beings, 
are  seen  on  the  summits  and  declivities  of  the  Pyrenees  and 
the  Alps,  but  the  granite  in  the  former  is  less  ancient  than 
the  granite  in  the  second.  The  granitic  masses  support  vol- 
canic summits  in  the  Cevennes  proper,  and  particularly  in 
the  Cantal  and  Mont-Dor.  The  granite  in  the  Ceveno- 
Vosgian  group  disappears  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Avalon, 
and  is  seen  anew  at  the  two  extremities  of  the  Vosges,  or  in 
other  words,  at  the  sources  of  the  Moselle,  and  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  Ardennes.  Granitic  rocks  also  prevail  in  the  Ar- 
morican  chain,  forming  the  crests  of  the  small  basins,  water- 
ed by  the  feeders  of  the  Lower  Loire,  and  of  that  of  the  Vi- 
laine,  and  covering  almost  all  the  surface  in  the  departments 
of  the  Lower  Loire,  Morbihan,  Finisterre,  the  North  Coast, 
the  Ille  and  Vilaine  and  the  Channel. 

From  the  remains  of  the  granitic  rocks,  triturated  and 
united  by  the  action  of  water,  are  formed  the  masses  of  old 
sandstone  which  extend  near  the  limits  of  the  former.  But 
at  the  time  that  their  molecules  were  cemented,  continents 
existed,  for  in  their  inclined  strata  are  found  vegetable  re- 
mains. Extensive  deposits  of  the  same  rocks  are  situated 
at  the  base  of  the  Cevennes,  on  the  banks  of  the  Tai  n,  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  St.  Etienne,  near  Brives,  in  the  territo- 
ry of  Bourbon  l’Archambault,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Cher 
and  the  Auron.  The  same  rocks  bound  the  Vosges  on  the 
west  and  the  south  ; they  form  their  summits  from  the  sources 
of  the  Sarre  to  the  base  of  Mount  Tonnerre,  and  appear 
again  on  the  banks  of  the  Moselle  in  the  vicinity  of  Sierck. 

The  ancient  ocean  has  left  traces  of  its  existence  in  every 
country  on  the  earth  ; as  its  waters  became  gradually  lower, 
calcareous  strata  and  beds  of  sea  salt  were  deposited  on  the 
declivities  of  the  rocks  which  have  been  already  indicated, 

1 M.  Brouguiere,  Tableau  des  Montngnes. 

b “Length  13,000  metres.”  c “ Cap  Corse" — Cape  Corso. 

d Roofing  slate,  a variety  of  argillite,  the  chain  of  hills  in  which  it 
is  found,  being  a branch  of  the  primitive  mountains  in  Brittany. — P. 

e The  remarks  in  the  above  sentence  refer  to  the  Ichthyosauri,  in 
the  original  ; but  the  Ichthyosauri  were  characterized  by  a short  neck, 
and  a very  long  tail,  whereas  it  was  the  Plesiosaurus  dolichodeirus 
which  was  distinguished  by  a very  long  slender  nock,  consisting  of 
thirty  vertebrae.  The  other  characters  belong  to  the  Ichthyosauri. — P. 

1 M.  Geoffrey  de  St.  Hilaire. 


and  in  basins  of  which  the  limits  are  still  apparent.  The 
whole  chain  of  Jura  may  be  considered  the  highest  re- 
gion of  these  deposits,  which  are  supported  on  the  south  by 
the  base  of  the  Lower  Alps,  the  Cevennes  and  the  Pyre- 
nees, and  on  the  east  by  the  base  of  the  Higher  Alps,  and 
which  form  on  the  right  of  the  Saone,  the  mountains  of 
Charolais,  the  Cote  d’Or  and  the  plateau  of  Langres.  The 
same  deposits  become  lower  towards  the  Mediterranean,  and 
their  declivities  also  extend  in  the  direction  of  the  Channel, 
occupying  a zone,  which  may  be  traced  from  the  banks  of 
the  Tarn  to  Valogne  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cherbourg; 
they  form  the  ridge  of  the  Ardennes,  terminate  at  the  sources 
of  the  Serre,  and  re-appear  in  the  vicinity  of  Boulogne 
sur  Mer. 

But  a second  series  of  sediments  is  deposited  on  the  lat- 
ter formations,  exhibiting  to  the  south  of  Angouleme  and 
Perigueux,  and  at  the  distance  of  some  leagues  to  the  north 
of  the  Garonne,  the  arenaceous  and  calcareous  substances 
which  belong  to  the  chalk  formation.  It  might  be  said  that 
they  have  been  accumulated  in  the  depths  of  vast  Caspian 
seas,  of  which  the  remains  on  the  banks  of  the  Dordogne, 
the  Ille,  and  the  Charente,  extend  to  and  are  lost  in  the  ocean, 
where  they  form  the  island  of  Oleron.  Another  deposit, 
much  greater  than  the  last,  occupies  an  immense  basin 
which,  in  its  irregular  windings,  stretches  into  England,  and 
which  terminates  on  the  west  towards  the  range  of  hills,  that 
diverges  from  the  Annorican  chain  to  the  Loire,  and  that 
forms  in  the  neighbourhood  of  that  river  the  tegular  schistusd  of 
Angers,  while  it  extends  on  the  south  to  the  heights  of  Gatine, 
the  ridge  of  Issoudun,  and  the  hills  near  Bourges,  on  the  east 
to  those  of  Auxerre,  and  the  declivities  of  the  plateau  of  Latf 
gres  and  the  Ardennes,  and  on  the  north  beyond  the  Baltic. 

The  animals  that  existed  in  these  Caspian  seas  differed 
wholly  from  any  that  now  frequent  the  ocean.  Among 
those  that  the  naturalist  considers  the  most  remarkable,  are 
large  reptiles,  which  may  be  compared  to  monsters  engen- 
dered in  the  imagination,  exhibiting  the  singular  spectacle 
of  a head  like  a dolphin’s,  with  the  teeth  of  a crocodile, 
placed  at  the  extremity  of  a long  neck,  consisting  of  eighty 
vertebrae,  and  attached  to  the  body  of  a lizard.®  The  re- 
mains of  the  marine  reptiles,  called  Ichthyosauri , have  been 
found  in  the  blue  marl  near  Honfleur,  while  those  of  the 
Plesiosaurus,  an  animal  resembling  a lizard,  and  about  nine 
feet  in  length,  have  been  collected  near  Boulogne  and  Aux- 
onne.  A third  animal,  to  which  a French  naturalist  has 
given  the  name  of  Teleosaurus  Cadomensis,  resembled  in 
some  respects  the  crocodile  it  is  found  in  the  quarries  near 
Caen. 

At  a period  subsequent  to  the  formation  of  the  chalk  ba- 
sins, which  cover  a great  part  of  Champagne,  Normandy, 
Touraine,  Picardy  and  Artois,  the  traces  of  smaller  seas 
have  been  left  in  France.  These  traces  may  be  discovered 
wherever  there  are  beds  of  coarse  limestone,1 **  similar  to  the 
kind  used  for  building  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  or 
wherever  there  are  arenaceous  deposits  resembling  the  strata 
beneath  the  same  rocks.*  The  smallest  of  these  Caspian 
seas,  if  they  may  be  so  called,  covered  a portion  of  the  coun- 

e “ Gavial” — Gangetic  crocodile.  “ It  is  considered  by  Geoffrey 
as  intermediate  between  the  mammalia  and  the  crocodiles.”  M.  B. — P. 

h “ Calcaire  n-rossier" — lower  marine  limestone  in  the  Paris  ba- 
sin.— P. 

' “ Resembling  the  lower  strata  of  the  coarse  limestone.”  The 
lower  beds  are  very  sandy,  so  as  sometimes  to  form  a calcareous  sand- 
stone. The  coarse  limestone  is  succeeded  below  by  the  Plastic  clay 
and  sand  formation,  which  rests  immediately  on  the  chalk. — P 


book  cxli.]  DESCRIPTION 

try  now  watered  by  the  Rhone,  in  the  lower  part  of  its 
course ; the  limits  of  it  may  be  traced  in  the  departments 
of  the  Herault,  the  Gard,  Vaucluse  and  the  Mouths  oi  die 
Rhone.  Another,  and  a somewhat  larger  sea,  was  situated 
to  the  north  of  the  former,  and  was  bounded  by  the  declivi- 
ties of  Jura,  and  by  those  of  the  Cote  d’Or,  and  the 
mountains  of  Charolais.  The  basin  which  it  formed  reach- 
es from  the  north  of  Dijon  to  the  south  of  Valence.  A 
third,  of  still  greater  dimensions,  covered  almost  all  the  sur- 
face in  the  departments  of  the  Tam,  the  Upper  Garonne, 
the  Gers,  the  Landes,  the  Gironde,  and  lastly,  the  Lot  and 
Garonne.  But  the  largest  of  them  all  extended  over  the 
departments  of  the  Loiret,  the  Seine  and  Oise,  and  the 
Oise,  and  partly  over  the  departments  of  the  Aisne,  the 
Seine  and  Marne,  the  Eure  and  Loir,  the  Loir  and  Cher, 
the  Indre  and  Loire,  and  the  Indre.  The  basins  of  these 
Caspians  were  not  drained  at  the  same  epoch.  While  the 
one  on  the  north,  the  last  that  has  been  mentioned,  is  form- 
ed by  marine  calcareous  strata,  in  which  the  organic  remains 
belong  to  animals  wholly  different  from  any  that  now  frequent 
our  seas,  in  the  basin  through  which  the  Garonne  flows,  are 
found  many  shells  similar  to  those  of  animals  still  existing. 
Deposits  of  gypsum,  which  repose  on  the  calcareous  strata, 
and  which  appear  to  have  been  formed  in  the  depths  of  fresh 
water,  seem  to  indicate  that  lakes  succeeded  the  seas  in  the 
two  basins  of  Paris  and  Avignon.  Graminivorous  quad- 
rupeds frequented  the  banks  of  these  lakes  ; but  they  were 
part  of  a creation  very  different  from  the  one  which  now  in- 
habits the  surface  of  the  earth.  Their  bones  have  been  col- 
lected, examined  and  compared  by  a celebrated  naturalist,® 
and  with  the  aid  of  a science,  which  has  been  brought  bv 
the  same  person  to  a high  degree  of  perfection,  their  forms 
have  been  discovered,  and  even  their  habits  conjectured. 
It  is  in  the  strata  of  Montmartre,  Belleville  and  Montmoren- 
cy, in  the  quarries  of  Aix,  and  in  the  calcareous  marl  near 
Orleans  and  on  the  Rhenish  limits  of  France,  that  the  bones 
of  these  ancient  animals  have  been  found.  From  their  pe- 
culiar conformation,  and  the  marked  characters  which  dis- 
tinguish them  from  every  living  being,  names  have  been  as- 
signed them,  which  either  indicate  their  antiquity,  or  the 
forms  of  their  jaw-bones  and  teeth.  Thus  the  Pakeotheri- 
ums  (ancient  animals)  have  been  divided  into  seven  species, 
of  which  the  largest  is  almost  equal  in  size  to  a horse,  and 
the  smallest  not  larger  than  a hare.  The  only  animals  to 
which  they  bear  any  resemblance  in  shape,  are  the  tapirs 
that  exist  at  present  in  the  new  world.  The  Anoplotheri- 
ums  (defenceless  animals)  are  divided  into  six  species,  the 
largest  of  which  is  three  feet  high  by  five  long,  and  the 
smallest  not  larger  than  a rat.  The  remains  of  the  Lophio- 
donsb  are  chiefly  found  in  calcareous  marl ; they  resemble 
the  tapirs  in  many  respects,  the  difference  consisting  princi- 
pally in  their  greater  or  smaller  size. 

At  the  period  when  the  marine  calcareous  masses  in  the  de- 
partments round  Paris  were  covered  with  fresh  water,  there 
must  have  been  large  lakes  in  the  highest  part  of  France, 
among  the  mountains  in  the  departments  of  Puy  de  Dome, 
Cantal,  the  Lozere  and  the  Ardeche,  which  deposited  their 
sediment  immediately  on  the  granite ; for  no  marine  calcareous 
rocks  have  been  observed  in  that  lofty  country.  These  basins 
appear  to  have  discharged  their  waters  in  a northern  direction, 
and  to  have  augmented  by  their  rupture  the  analogous  de- 

a M.  Cuvier.  See  Recherches  sur  les  Ossemens  Fossiles,  5 vols. 
i to . 1823. 

b From  lo(/>oc,  a crest  or  hill,  and  o Sag,  a tooth. 

See  the  introduction  to  the  work  entitled,  Recherches  sur  les  Os- 


203 

posits,  which  were  forming  in  the  great  northern  basin.0  In 
the  deposits  of  these  lakes  are  contained  a great  many  or- 
ganic remains,  some  of  which  are  of  the  same  kindd  as  those 
of  Montmartre,  while  others  belong  to  hippopotami  and  to 
the  anilLracotherium,  an  animal  in  some  respects  similar  to 
the  hippopotamus.  In  addition  to  these  might  be  mentioned 
the  remains  of  reptiles  and  birds,  different  from  any  that 
now  exist ; and  what  is  a new  fact  in  the  science,  the  eggs 
of  gallinaceous  birds  perfectly  entire.  Lava  and  basalt  rest 
above  these  fresh  water  basins  ; although  the  volcanoes  from 
which  they  were  vomited  are  now  extinguished,  their  height 
and  their  craters  still  excite  admiration.  While  they  were 
emitting  flames*  animals  existed  in  that  part  of  France, 
which  at  present  are  only  found  in  the  warmest  climates. 
Among  these  were  elephants,  rhinoceroses,  hyenas,  lions, 
stags  of  an  immense  size,  and  those  large  quadrupeds  called 
mastodons,  that  have  disappeared  from  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  but  of  which  the  remains  are  still  collected  in  the  new 
world.  The  most  of  these  animals  succeeded  those  which 
have  been  already  described,  and  of  which  the  remains  are 
found  in  marl  and  gypsum  ; in  Auvergne,  however,  their  re- 
mains are  contained  in  alluvial  soils  which  are  covered  by 
ancient  streams  of  lava  and  basalt,  and  from  which  it  may 
be  easy  to  prove  the  existence  of  volcanoes  at  different  pe- 
riods in  that  part  cl  the  country.  It  must  not,  however,  be 
imagined  that  those  large  animals,  which  now  inhabit  Africa 
and  Asia,  wrere  confined  to  the  banks  of  the  Allier.  In  the 
alluvial  deposits  that  cover  the  floors  in  the  caverns  of  Mont- 
pellier, are  found  tigers,  lions,  hyenas,  panthers  and  hippo- 
potami. Similar  alluvial  deposits0  in  the  vallies  throughout 
France  contain  the  remains  of  the  same  quadrupeds,  and 
very  many  have  been  collected  in  the  country  round  Paris. 
It  is  certain,  therefore,  that  the  climate  of  France,  and,  in 
general,  of  all  the  temperate  regions,  was  at  the  period  in 
which  these  animals  existed,  much  warmer  than  at  the  pres- 
ent day. 

The  greatest  part  of  Corsica  belongs  to  the  granitic  form- 
ation. Calcareous  rocks  similar  to  those  in  the  Alps  and 
Jura  are  observed  in  two  different  parts  of  the  island, 
namely,  on  the  eastern  coast  a little  to  the  north  of  Porto 
Vecchio,  and  on  the  northern  coast  near  the  gulf  of  St.  Flo- 
rent.  More  recent  calcareous  rocks  and  calcareous  sand- 
stones, which  were  left  by  the  ocean,  the  last  time  it  cover- 
ed the  present  continents,  are  only  observed  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  island,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bonifacio. 

The  account  that  has  been  given  of  the  different  geologi- 
cal deposits  in  France,  in  the  order  of  their  formation,  may 
prepare  the  reader  to  judge  more  readily  of  the  mineral 
riches  in  the  same  country.  From  the  variety  of  these  de- 
posits, some  notion  may  be  inferred  of  the  substances  which 
are  contained  in  them. 

We  may  commence  with  the  rocks  that  are  used  in  the 
arts,  and  which  serve  to  decorate  edifices  and  monuments. 
In  the  department  of  the  Higher  Alps  are  found  grey,  green, 
and  rose  coloured  granite,  and  sienites  of  various  colours, 
long  confounded  with  granite,  but  more  valuable  from  the 
fine  polish  of  which  they  are  susceptible.  Besides  these 
substances,  there  are  brown  and  fine  green  porphyry,  vario- 
lites  with  white,  brown  or  black  spots  on  a green  or  violet 
ground,  and  serpentine  of  a grey,  green  or  brown  colour,  or 
veined  with  different  shades.  The  same  rocks  are  found  in 

semens  Fossiles  du  departement  du  Puy-de-Dome,  by  MM.  Croizet 
and  Jobert,  4to.  1828. 

d “ Belong  to  the  same  genera.” 

e “ Terrains  de  transport” — diluvium. — P. 


OF  FRANCE. 


204  EUR( 

Corsica,  but  with  more  numerous  varieties.  Porphyry 
abounds  in  die  Vosges,  and  granite  is  by  no  means  uncom- 
mon in  other  departments,  such  as  those  of  die  Lower 
Loire,  the  Channel  and  the  Sarthe.  It  was  employed  in 
paving  the  streets  of  different  towns,  but  for  some  years  past, 
the  lava  of  Auvergne  has  been  substituted  in  Paris  for  the 
same  purpose. 

Frenchmen  long  envied  the  marble  quarries  of  the  Ital- 
ians, ignorant  that  others  in  their  own  country,  might  rival 
the  most  renowned  in  Italy.  At  present,  different  sorts  of 
marble  are  worked  in  no  less  than  forty  departments ; the 
best  kinds  are  situated  in  the  departments  of  the  Upper  and 
Lower  Pyrenees,  the  Upper  Garonne  and  the  Eastern  Pyr- 
enees, particularly  the  schistous  marble  of  Campan,  which 
is  of  a red,  green  or  delicate  rose  colour,  and  was  first 
brought  into  repute  by  Louis  the  Fourteenth,  who  used  it  in 
decorating  the  palaces  of  Trianon  and  Versailles.  Among 
others,  in  those  departments,  we  might  enumerate  the  marble 
of  Sarancolin,  which  resembles  a breccia,  several  kinds  of  stat- 
uary marble,  and  at  least  twenty  other  varieties,  which  it  is  un- 
necessary to  particularize.  Those  who  have  seen  the  eight  pil- 
lars that  support  the  triumphal  arch  in  the  Place  du  Carrousel, 
may  form  a correct  notion  of  the  red  and  white  marbles  in  the 
department  of  the  Aude.  The  marbles  in  the  department 
of  the  Arriege  are  of  a dark  blue  or  violet  colour ; the  two 
sorts  in  the  department  of  the  Mouths  of  the  Rhone,  have 
been  incorrectly  called  Aleppo  and  Memphis  marbles.* 
Two  different  kinds  in  the  department  of  the  Herauit,  the 
one  of  a white,  and  the  other  of  a redb  colour,  have  served 
to  adorn  several  edifices  in  the  capital.  Statuary,  cipolin 
and  other  kinds  of  marble  are  obtained  in  Corsica,  and  the 
varieties  in  the  departments  of  the  Isere  and  the  Ardeche 
are  not  less  numerous.  The  marbles  of  Jura  and  the 
Lot  are  employed  in  those  two  departments ; quarries  of  a 
finely  grained  and  white  coloured  marble  are  situated  in  the 
department  of  the  Vienne.  It  would  be  superfluous  to  men- 
tion all  the  departments  in  which  the  same  substance  is 
found  ; suffice  it  to  say  that  it  is  obtained  in  those  of  Puy  de 
Dome,  the  Lower  Charente,  the  Saone  and  Loire,  the  Var, 
die  Higher  Alps,  the  Cote  d’Or,  the  Aube,  the  Maine 
and  Loire,  the  Sarthe  and  the  Straits  of  Calais. 

Other  rocks,  less  ornamental  but  more  useful  than  mar- 
ble, are  worked  in  different  parts  of  France.  Many  work- 
men are  employed  in  the  extensive  slate  quarries  at  the  base 
of  the  Pyrenees,  and  in  the  departments  of  the  Maine  and 
Loire,  the  Meuse  and  the  Ardennes.  Limestone,  admira- 
bly adapted  for  building,  is  worked  in  the  departments  of 
the  Dordogne,  the  Herauit,  the  Loire,  the  Cote  d’Or,  the 
Yonne,  the  Meuse,  the  Moselle,  the  Oise  and  the  Seine. 
Other  kinds,  not  inferior  to  the  last,  are  common  in  the  de- 
partments of  the  Seine  and  Marne,  the  Seine  and  Oise,  Cal- 
vados and  the  Channel.  Excellent  lithographic  stones  are  pro- 
cured from  the  neighbourhood  of  Mulhausen,  Belleyq  Dijon 
and  Chateauroux. 

The  ancient  provinces  of  Burgundy,  Champagne,  Flan- 
ders and  the  Isle  of  France  abound  in  clay,  which  the  in- 
habitants convert  into  bricks  and  tiles.  The  decomposed 
feldspar  contained  in  the  granite  rocks  near  Limoges  and 

JPE.  [BOOK  CXLI. 

St.  Yrieix,  furnishes  kaolin,  a very  useful  substance  in  the 
manufactory  of  porcelain.  Pipe  clay,  not  inferior  to  any 
other  on  the  continent,  has  been  long  worked  near  Forge 
les  Eaux  in  the  department  of  the  Lower  Seine ; another 
sort  near  Elbceuf  in  the  same  department,  is  much  used  in 
claying  sugar.  The  clay  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Beauvais 
and  Montereau  is  employed  in  manufacturing  the  finest  pot- 
tery. The  departments  of  the  Yonne,  the  Cher  and  the 
Lower  Charente  abound  in  flint  f and  the  small  town  of 
La  Ferle  sous  Jouarre  exports  millstones  of  the  same  sub- 
stance11 to  different  countries  of  Europe,  and  even  to  Amer- 
ica. The  soft  chalk  in  the  departments  of  the  Marne,  the 
Seine,  and  the  Seine  and  Oise,  is  fashioned  into  different 
shapes,  and  sold  as  an  article  of  commerce  f lastly,  the  gyp- 
sum obtained  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  furnishes  the 
plaster  so  much  used  in  the  capital. 

An  increase  lias  of  late  years  been  very  perceptible  in  the 
products  that  form  the  mineral  riches  of  France,  and  they 
may  still  be  greatly  augmented.  The  following  is  a list  of 
the  different  metals  obtained  from  the  French  mines  in  the 
year  1826/ 

Lead,  reduced  to  the  metallic  state  . . 6,453  quintals. 

Sulphuret  of  lead 1,642  “ 

Copper,  in  the  metallic  state 1,394  “ 

Native  arsenic 50  “ 

Antimony,  reduced  to  the  metallic  state  . 412  “ 

Oxide  of  Manganese 7,550  “ 

Cast  iron  (first  fusion,)  bars,  and  steel  . 1 ,587,350  “ 

Silver,  in  ingots 3,286  lbs.  avoirdupois.s 

Lead  ore  is  more  common  in  France  than  in  many  other 
countries ; it  was  from  the  mines  of  argentiferous  lead  in 
the  departments  of  Finisterre,  the  Lozere  and  the  Vosges, 
that  die  above  quantity  of  silver  was  obtained.  Mines  of 
the  same  sort,  at  present  unworked,  are  situated  in  the  de- 
partments of  the  Arriege,  Puy  de  Dome,  the  Upper  Vienne, 
the  Two  Sevres,  die  Channel,  and  the  Lower  Rhine.  The 
mountaineers  in  the  department  of  the  Isere  sell  frequently 
pieces  of  silver  ore  to  the  jewellers  in  Grenoble,  from  which 
it  might  be  inferred  that  the  mine  of  Chalanche,  and  per- 
haps others  at  no  great  distance,  are  very  valuable.  Man- 
ganese abounds  so  much  in  France,  that  it  contains  more 
than  sufficient  to  supply  the  whole  of  Europe.  Gold  has 
been  found  in  the  alluvial  soils  deposited  by  several  rivers. 
Many  individuals  formerly  employed  themselves  in  collect- 
ing particles  of  gold  on  the  Salat,  which  issues  from  the 
Pyrenees,  on  the  Sexe  and  the  Gardon  that  rise  in  the  Ce- 
vennes,  on  the  Arriege  and  the  Garonne  near  Toulouse,  on 
the  Rhone  near  the  frontiers  of  the  department  of  the  Ain, 
and  on  the  Rhine  below  Strasburg.  At  present,  however, 
the  trade  of  a gold-searcher  is  not  very  profitable,  for  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rhine,  which  are  supposed  to  contain  the  great- 
est quantity,  the  value  of  the  gold  collected  from  Bale  to 
the  neighbourhood  of  Mayence,  does  not  exceed  in  ordi- 
nary years  L.625. 

The  other  mineral  substances,  worked  in  France,  make 
up  a considerable  part  of  its  territorial  wealth.  Coal  is  found 
in  thirty-two  departments ; others  possess  lignite,  a different 
combustible, sulphate  of  iron,  alum,  mineral  pitch  and  pe- 
troleum. Salt  springs,  and  a mine  of  rock  salt,  discovered 
in  1819,  are  situated  in  the  department  of  the  Meurthe ; the 

* “ Rriche  d’Alep — brioche  de  Memphis.” 

“ Griotte” — spotted  with  red  and  brown. 

c “ Gun-dint” — found  in  chalk  and  limestone. — P. 

11  Buhrstone — found  in  beds  in  the  fresh-water  limestone  of  the  Par- 
s basin. — P. 

• “ It  is  used  in  the  arts  by  the  name  of  Spanish  white.” 

See  the  Report  on  the  products  of  French  industry  in  the  year 

1827,  by  M.  A.  Hernn  do  Villefosse,  Inspector  of  Mines,  and  Member 
of  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  in  the  Annalesdes  Mines,  t.  II.  1627. 
s “ 1,162  kilogrammes.” 

h A fossil  vegetable  that  retains  its  ligneous  texture,  and  of  a later 
formation  than  coal — [including  jet,  moor  coal,  bituminous  wood, 
brown  coal,  and  earth  coal. — P ] 

book  cxli.]  DESCRIPTION 

mine,  it  has  been  calculated,  extends  over  a surface  of  30 
square  leagues,  while  its  thickness  exceeds  520  feet  ;a  it  ap- 
pears from  the  same  calculation  that  it  might  yield  annually 
1,000,000  quintals,  during  a period  of  96,000  years;  but 
the  annual  quantity  has  been  limited  to  1 50,000  quintals. 
The  products  of  these  different  minerals  are  stated  in  the 
report,  published  at  the  beginning  of  1827. 


Coal, 12,758,906  quintals. 

Lignite, 98,414  “ 

Sulphate  of  iron, 25,941  “ 

Alum  or  sulphate  of  alumine, 21,118  “ 

Magma  or  mixture  of  sulphate  of  iron  and  alum,  3,747  “ 

Asphaltum,b 260  “ 

Bitumen, 4,000  “ 

Petroleum, 851  “ 

Rock  salt, 110,000  “ 


The  value  of  the  metallic  and  other  mineral  substances  in 
France,  estimated  according  to  their  average  price,  amounts 
to  more  than  L.4, 029,200.® 

There  are  not  fewer  than  two  hundred  and  forty  mineral 
springs  in  different  parts  of  the  country ; accommodations 
for  the  sick  have  been  provided  at  a hundred  and  fifty-one, 
sevdftty-nine  are  visited  by  persons  from  a distance  for  the 
purpose  of  drinking  the  waters,  and  ten  are  frequented  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  neighbouring  districts.11  According  to 
approximate  calculations,  the  money  brought  from  different 
parts  of  the  kingdom  and  circulated  in  these  places,  cannot 
be  less  than  L. 300, 000.® f 

Having  thus  given  a short  account  of  the  mineral  sub- 
stances in  France,  it  remains  for  us  to  examine  certain  at- 
mospheric phenomena,  not  uncommon  in  the  country,  a de- 
partment of  physics  by  no  means  uninteresting,  and  one 
leading  to  important  results,  connected  with  vegetation. 
France  may  be  considered  as  placed  in  the  temperate  zone, 
not  merely  from  its  latitude,  but  also  from  the  moderate  ele- 
vation of  the  soil ; still,  however,  different  parts  of  it  exhibit 
peculiarities  of  temperature,  sufficiently  important  to  have  a 
marked  influence  on  vegetation.  The  humid  vapours  that 
rise  from  the  seas,  which  bound  France  on  the  west,  and 
the  chains  of  mountains  that  limit  it  on  the  east  and  the 
south,  often  occasion  sudden  modifications  in  the  atmosphere. 

The  winds,  according  to  the  different  directions  from 
which  they  proceed,  are  accompanied  with  hail,  rain  or 
drought  in  the  different  basins.  As  the  north  wind  in  the 
valley  of  the  Durance,  does  not  pass  over  any  great  heights, 
it  tempers  the  heat  of  the  climate,  and  is  favourable  to  the 
growth  of  plants ; but  the  same  wind  is  often  attended  with 
destructive  effects  in  the  basins  of  the  Seine  and  the  Loire. 
While  the  valley  of  the  Durance  is  desolated  by  the  east 
wind,  that  traverses  the  frozen  summits  of  the  Alps,  it  is  the 
sign  and  harbinger  of  fair  weather  in  the  country  watered  by 
the  Seine.  The  south  winds  that  issue  from  the  burning 
deserts  of  Africa  spread  desolation  on  the  coasts  of  the  Med- 
iterranean ; cooled  in  their  passage  over  the  snowy  summits 
of  the  Pyrenees,  they  are  frequently  accompanied  with  hail 
in  the  basin  of  the  Garonne.  The  crops  in  the  departments 
of  the  V ar  and  the  Mouths  of  the  Rhone  are  often  laid  waste 
by  the  mistral, % a north-west  wind  known  by  the  name  of 
the  galerne  near  the  mouth  of  the  Loire  ; in  Brittany,  on 
the  contrary,  it,  as  well  as  the  west  and  the  south-west  winds, 
is  often  a forerunner  of  rain.  Lastly,  the  north-east  wind  is 

a “ About  160  metres.” 

b A mineral  substance,  which  differs  little  from  bitumen  and  petro- 
eum. 

c “ More  than  96.700,000  francs.” 

d See  the  Statistical  Tables  at  the  end  of  the  account  of  France. 

“7,400,000  francs.” 


OF  FRANCE.  205 

accompanied  with  cold  and  humid  weather  in  the  depart- 
ments of  the  Vosges  and  die  Ardennes. 

F ranee  is  divided  into  two  great  regions  by  the  forty-sixth 
parallel,  and  there  is  a sensible  difference  in  the  mean  num- 
ber of  rainy  days  on  die  north  and  south  of  the  same  line, 
which  passes  along  the  northern  declivities  of  the  group  of 
Mont-Dor.  On  the  south  the  mean  number  of  rainy  days 
is  equal  to  134,  and  in  the  latitude  of  Paris,  to  105.  From 
the  observations  made  in  order  to  ascertain  the  mean  quan 
tity  of  rain  that  falls  annually  in  different  parts  of  Franc- 
the  following  results  have  been  derived. 


Departments.  Inches.  Lines 

Herault — Montpellier, 28  6 

Isere, 32  0 

Rhone — Lyons, 29  2 .20 

Upper  Vienne, 25  0 

Ille  and  Vilaine, 21  0 

Orne, 20  4 « 

Eure, 20  4 

Seine — Paris, 19  6 .94 

North — Lille, 27  0 

Moselle — Metz, 24  8 .76 

Upper  Rhine  (plains,) 28  1 

(mountains,) 30  0 


It  is  in  vain  in  the  present  imperfect  state  of  meteorology 
to  attempt  an  explanation  of  the  atmospheric  phenomena, 
connected  with  climate  ; it  may  be  sufficient  to  quote  the  re- 
sults of  observations  concerning  the  mean  temperature  of 


different  places  in 

France. 

During  summer. 

During  winter. 

Clermont,  . 

. -f-  18.0  degrees. 

-f-  1.4  degrees 

Dunkirk,  . 

. + 17.8 

ii 

+ 3.7 

(C 

Paris,  . . 

. +18.1 

it 

+ 3.7 

u 

St.  Malo,  . 

. + 18.9 

a 

+ 5.6 

a 

Nantes,  . 

. + 20.3 

“ 

+ 4.7 

ti 

Bordeaux,  . 

. +21.6 

u 

+ 5.6 

a 

Marseilles, 

. + 22.5 

a 

+ 7.5 

“ 

Montpellier, 

. + 24.3 

u 

+ 6.7 

u 

Toulon,  . . 

. + 23.9 

a 

+ 9.1 

u 

Nimes,  . . 

. + 23.0 

u 

+ 9.0 

a 

Agen,  . . 

. + 28.7 

a 

+ 2.5 

a 

Colmar,  . . 

. +21.0 

a 

— 8.7b 

u 

These  different  results  prove  that  several  local  causes, 
such  as  the  elevation  of  the  soil,  and  its  exposure,  together 
with  the  vicinity  of  seas  and  chains  of  mountains,  have  a very 
considerable  influence  on  the  temperature  and  humidity  of 
the  atmosphere.  The  indications  offered  by  different  plants 
are  less  liable  to  error,  and  the  climate  of  France  may  thus 
be  better  determined.  The  olive,  the  maize  and  the  vine 
mark  the  limits  of  four  natural  regions  into  which  the  coun- 
try is  divided ; these  limits  have  been  drawn  on  different 
maps  by  straight  and  parallel  lines,  but  in  reality  they  are  al- 
ways curved  or  sinuous , they  tollow  the  declivities  and 
windings  occasioned  by  the  inequalities  in  the  soil,  and  cut 
obliquely  the  degrees  of  latitude.  The  region  of  olives  ex- 
tends from  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  to  the  eastern 
declivities  of  the  Pyrenees,  the  southern  ol  the  Cevennes, 
and  the  western  of  the  Lower  Alps.  It  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  a line  which,  commencing  at  Bagneres  de  Luchon, 
extends  in  a north-easterly  direction  to  Die  in  the  depart- 
ment of  the  Drome,  and  thence  south-easterly  to  Embrun 
in  the  department  of  the  Higher  Alps.  The  region  of  maize 
does  not  extend  far  beyond  a second  line,  which  begins  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Gironde,  and  passing  to  the  north  ol  Nev- 
ers,  stretches  to  the  northern  extremity  of  Alsace.  The 

f See  the  article  Sources  Minerales,  Encyclopedie  Methodiaue. 

s Fr.  Maestral,  It.  Maestrate. 

b Several  of  the  above  results  are  still  considered  doubtful.  The 
decrees  are  those  of  the  centigrade  thermometer ; to  convert  them  in- 
to degrees  of  Fahrenheit,  it  is  necessary  to  multiply  them  by  and 
[J  then  to  add  the  number  32 


EUROPE. 


206 

vine  occupies  both  these  regions,  and  another  still  farther  to 
the  north,  but  does  not  succeed  beyond  a line  which  com- 
mences at  a ’point  some  leagues  northwards  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Loire,  and  thence  extending  towards  the  north-east, 
passes  to  the  south  of  the  sources  of  the  Eure,  follows  the 
contours  of  the  heights  which  bound  the  right  bank  of  the 
Oise,  and  stretching  to  the  north  of  the  Aisne  and  of  Verdun, 
terminates  on  the  north-east  at  the  Rhine.  Beyond  this 
boundary  the  vine  gives  place  to  the  apple.  These  limits, 
however,  must  not  be  considered  as  rigorously  exact.  Thus, 
maize  might  be  cultivated  in  the  country  round  Metz,  for  it 
thrives  in  the  gardens ; a considerable  quantity  is  indeed 
cultivated  in  Brittany  on  the  southern  declivities  of  the 
mountains  of  Arree,  and  also  in  some  parts  of  French 
Flanders. 

Tli£  neighbourhood  of  the  sea,  by  rendering  the  climate 
milder,  extends  its  influence  to  vegetation ; the  fig  and  the 
myrtle,  which  seem  to  require  a warm  climate,  flourish  in 
very  different  latitudes.  The  first  yields  excellent  fruit 
without  shelter,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Havre  and  Cher- 
bourg, while  the  same  plant  not  only  requires  a favourable 
exposure  in  the  vicinity  of  Paris,  but  the  fruits  are  later  and 
never  so  good.  The  myrtle  grows  in  the  open  air  in  Coten- 
tin,  at  Brest,  and  in  Belle-Isle  en  Mer.  At  a hundred 
leagues  farther  south,  but  at  a greater  distance  from  the  sea, 
it  does  not  resist  the  severity  of  the  climate  without  much 
care.  The  melon  grows  almost  without  culture  on  the  coasts 
of  Lower  Normandy,  but  it  is  well  known  how  much  labour 
s bestowed  on  it  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  where, 
However,  some  sorts  are  produced,  that  surpass  the  best  in 
Italy. 

Lastly,  the  elevation  of  the  soil  has  a great  influence  on 
different  plants ; thus  the  chestnut  tree  flourishes  from  the 
mountains  of  Forez  and  Auvergne  to  the  southern  extremi- 
ties of  France,  and  grows  naturally  in  several  woods  round 
Paris.3 

The  only  useful  plants  really  natural  to  France,  are  the 
fig,  the  apple,  the  pear  and  the  plum ; it  ought  not,  however, 
to  be  forgotten  that  among  the  acotyledonous  plants,  the 
truffles  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Angouleme  and  Perigueux, 
so  much  prized  by  gourmands,  are  indigenous  to  the  coun- 
try. Many  useful  and  ornamental  plants  have  been  natural- 
ized by  culture ; the  cherry  tree  brought  from  Asia  by  Lu- 
cullus,  was,  as  well  as  the  vine,  first  planted  in  France  by  the 
Romans.  The  Greek  colonies  on  the  coasts  of  the  Medi- 
terranean transported  thither  the  olive,  a plant  indigenous  to 
Mount  Taurus,  and  the  raspberry-bush  from  Mount  Ida. 
Since  the  discovery  of  the  New  World,  France  has  obtained 
the  acriviolab  of  Peru,  the  lycopersicon0  of  Mexico,  the 
potato  of  Virginia,  and  the  maize  which  has  been  incorrectly 
called  Turkey  corn.d  The  humble  parsley  was  brought 
from  Sardinia,  and  the  cardoon  from  Barbary.  The  pome- 
granate was  also  conveyed  from  Africa,  and  planted  in  the 
southern  regions  of  France. 

The  gardens,  the  orchards  and  the  fields  in  the  same 
country,  are  now  adorned  with  the  productions  of  Asia ; the 
orange,  the  lemon  and  the  white  mulberry  are  indigenous  to 
China,  the  black  mulberry  to  Asia  Minor,  the  apricot  to 

1 M.  De  Candolle,  Flore  Franchise,  tom.  ii. 
b Tropaohnn,  Indian  cress  or  Nasturtium. 
c Solanum  Lycopersicon,  Tomato  or  Love  Apple. 
i M.  Moreau  de  Jonmbs,  corresponding  member  of  the  Academy  of 
Sciences,  read  a paper  in  1828  to  the  Academy,  in  which  he  proved 
the  American  origin  of  maize. 

* “Tournesol” — Heliotropium  peruvianum,  Peruvian  Turnsole  or 


[BOOK  CXLI. 

Armenia,  and  the  pedcli  to  Persia.  Other  plants  first 
imported  from  Asia  are  now  common,  such  as  the  almond, 
the  walnut  and  the  finest  kinds  of  melons.  Lastly,  the  kid- 
ney bean,  the  white  endive  and  the  pumpkin  have  passed 
from  the  burning  climate  of  India  to  the  temperate  countries 
of  western  Europe.  The  gardener  has  been  enabled  by  his 
art,  to  preserve  in  France,  the  lily  of  Palestine,  the  sunflow- 
er® of  Peru,  the  dahlia  of  Mexico,  the  balsamine  of  India, 
the  reseda  of  Egypt,  the  angelica  of  Lapland,  the  tuberose 
of  Ceylon,  the  tulip  of  T urkey,  and  the  inodorous  ranuncu- 
lus, the  only  monument  of  St.  Louis’  pious  expedition  into 
Syria.  The  weeping  willow,  now  common  on  the  banks 
of  rivers,  was  obtained  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Babylon. 

Near  the  most  common  forest  trees  in  France,  such  as 
the  oak,  the  birch,  the  elm,  the  ash  and  the  beech,  may  now 
be  seen  the  false  acacia/  which  Robin  brought  from  Vir- 
ginia, different  American  oaks,  and  the  horse  chestnut  tree, 
indigenous  to  Turkey  in  Asia.  The  Norwegian  and  Cana- 
dian firs  now  grow  in  the  highest  regions  of  the  kingdom. 
To  the  aspen  tree,  and  the  black  and  white  poplars,  origi- 
nally natives  of  the  country,  are  added  other  species  frbm 
Italy  and  America.  But  all  the  woods  and  plantations  in 
France  do  not  occupy  a greater  surface  than  17,500,000 
English  acres® — an  extent  too  small  not  to  render  it  pecu- 
liarly desirable  to  employ  all  the  means  necessary  for  the 
preservation  of  the  forests. 

Local  industry,  climate,  and  a favourable  exposure,  add 
in  several  departments  to  the  value  of  certain  plants.  For- 
ests of  resinous  trees  extend  along  the  sea  coast  in  the  de- 
partment of  the  Landes,  throughout  an  extent  of  thirty  or 
forty  leagues ; in  the  same  country  and  in  the  department 
of  the  Lot  and  Garonne,  the  Quercus  suber  or  cork  tree  is 
cultivated.  The  firs  of  the  Vosges  and  Jura  are  used 
by  the  house  carpenter;  indeed  in  that  part  of  France,  few 
or  no  firs  are  imported  from  northern  countries.  The  pine 
furnisnes  the  peasant  of  Brittany  with  a substitute  for  oil  and 
candles.  The  fruit  of  a particular  kind  of  cherry  tree,  that 
abounds  in  the  Vosges,  yields  by  distillation  a kirschenwasser , 
not  inferior  to  any  that  can  be  had  in  the  Black  Forest. 
The  mulberry,  the  olive  and  the  orange  are  cultivated  in  the 
southern  departments.  The  fruit  of  the  plum  tree  forms  a 
considerable  branch  of  commerce  in  the  departments  of  the 
Var,  the  Lot  and  Garonne,  and  the  Indre  and  Loire. 
The  finest  fruits  in  the  country  round  Paris  are  the  chasse- 
lash  of  Fontainebleau,  the  peach  of  Montreuil  and  the  cherry 
of  Montmorency. 

Different  garden  vegetables  have  acquired,  on  certain 
soils,  a superior  quality  ; one  or  two  instances  may  be  men- 
tioned, among  others,  the  kidney  beans  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Soissons,  the  carrots  of  Amiens,  and  the  artichokes 
in  the  country  round  Laon.* 1 *  The  vineyards  in  France 
yield  two  hundred  and  fifty  different  sorts  of  wine ; they 
extend  over  a surface  of  5,000,000  acres/  and  their  mean 
produce  is  estimated  at  SS0,000,000  gallons.1  The  best 
sorts  of  wine  are  obtained  from  the  ancient  provinces  of 
Champagne,  Burgundy,  Lyonnais,  Dauphiny  and  Bordelais. 

To  divide  the  soils  of  France  into  seven  different  classes, 
after  the  example  of  Arthur  Young,  might  lead  to  errors 

Heliotrope ; a shrub  generally  cultivated  for  the  almond  scent  of  its 
flowers. — P. 

1 Robinia  Pseuducacia,  the  common  locust  tree  of  N.  America. 

s “ 7,000,000  hectares.”  h A variety  of  grape. 

' See  in  the  Statistical  Tables,  the  quantity  of  land  employed  in  the 
culture  of  different  vegetables. 

k “ 2,000,000  hectares.”  1 “ 35, 000, COO  hectolitres.” 


BOOK  CXLl.j 


DESCRIPTION 

which  have  been  too  often  repeated.®  As  there  is  not  a sin- 
gle department  in  which  the  surface  does  not  consist  of 
lands,  more  or  less  rich,  light,  stony  or  sandy,  how  can 
twenty-one  departments  be  arbitrarily  classed  under  rich  or 
heavy  soils,  nineteen  under  heath  lands,  eight  under  chalky 
soils,  two  under  gravelly  soils,  fifteen  under  stony  soils,  as 
many  under  mountainous  lands,  and  six  under  sandy  soils  ? 
The  study  of  geology  tends  to  correct  such  mistakes  ; thus, 
what  has  been  called  vegetable  earth,  is  merely  an  alluvial 
stratum,  formed  while  the  surface  of  the  different  formations 
was  covered  with  fresh  water ; the  same  stratum  is  more  or 
less  fruitful  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  decomposed 
vegetables  contained  in  it ; if  thin,  it  mixes  with  the  rocks 
that  support  it ; if  imperceptible,  sand,  clay  or  calcareous 
substances,  exposed  to  view,  form  a soil  in  which  the  perfec- 
tion of  agriculture  consists  in  supplying  the  defects  of  nature. 
Lastly,  the  inequalities  in  the  surface  have  a great  influence  on 
the  fertility  of  different  soils,  because  in  low  vallies  the  allu- 
vial deposits  are  greater  than  in  plains,  and  the  latter  for  the 
same  reason  are  more  fruitful  than  hills  or  lofty  ridges.  It 
would  not,  however,  be  difficult  to  point  out  a great  extent 
of  surface,  where  the  soil,  naturally  sterile,  might  be  fructi- 
fied by  the  efforts  of  industry,  and  a judicious  system  of 
agriculture.  A great  part  of  the  Vosges  and  the  Pyrenees 
and  almost  the  whole  of  the  Dauphinese  Alps  are  very  un- 
fruitful, although  the  Cevennes,  in  which  the  rocks  are  of 
the  same  kind,  prove  what  may  be  done  by  the  persevering 
labour  and  industry  of  man.  In  that  part  of  the  country, 
as  well  as  in  some  parts  of  Auvergne,  walls  are  raised  at  dif- 
ferent distances,  along  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  in  order 
to  retain  the  alluvial  deposits,  which  otherwise  would  be  car- 
ried by  the  waters  to  the  lowest  vallies.  The  southern  por- 
tion of  the  department  of  the  Gironde,  and  almost  the  whole 
of  that  of  the  Landes,  are  covered  with  sands,  which  might 
become  wholly  unproductive,  if  the  inhabitants  did  not  avail 
themselves  of  the  plant  best  adapted  to  the  nature  of  the 
soil,  namely,  the  maritime  pine,  which  yields  a great  quan- 
tity of  resin,  and  thus  enables  them  to  carry  on  no  inconsid- 
erable trade.  If  the  same  sands  are  mixed  with  any  calca- 
reous substance,  such  as  the  fossil  shells  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Bordeaux,  they  form  a soil  favourable  to  the  culture 
of  the  vine  ; they  may  be  even  rendered  productive  by  force 
of  manure,  as  for  example,  the  plain  of  Boulogne  near  Paris. 
By,  the  same  means,  the  present  sterile  sands  of  Sologne  in 
the  department  of  the  Cher,  and  others  in  Brittany  might  be 
cultivated.  The  chalky  plains  of  Champagne  are  fruitful 
wherever  their  surface  is  covered  with  an  alluvial  deposit  of 
argil ; but  in  the  more  arid  parts  of  the  same  province,13  dif- 
ferent evergreen  trees  might  be  planted.  The  importance 
of  encouraging  agriculture  in  France,  may  be  admitted  from 
the  fact,  that  the  surface  of  unproductive  or  waste  lands, 
cannot  be  estimated  at  less  than  10,000,000  acres,0  or  in 
other  words,  at  a twelfth  part  of  the  whole  kingdom.  If  so 
great  .a  surface  were  rendered  productive,  a considerable 
increase  must  necessarily  follow  in  the  number  of  inhabitants, 
since  more  than  a sixth  part  would  be  added  to  the  amount 
of  arable  land  in  France,  which  is  considered  equal  to 
57,000,000  acres.d  The  average  produce  of  the  same  land, 

1 The  above  mentioned  division  is  still  adopted  in  the  last  edition 
of  Guthrie’s  Geography-  Tr.  [“  In  the  last  edition  of  the  French 
work  entitled  : L'Abr6g6  de  la  nouvelle  Geographie  universelle, 
d’aprcs  Guthrie,  par  Hyacinthe  Langlois,  1828.”] 

b Champagne  Pouilleuse— so  called  from  its  sterility. 

c “ 4,000,000  hectares.” 

d “ 23,000,000  hectares.” 

• The  hectolitre  contains  nearly  three  English  bushels.  Tr.  [The 


OF  FRANCE.  207 

according  to  the  most  correct  calculations,  is  equivalent  to 

51.500.000  hectolitres®  of  wheat,  30,300,000  of  meslin 

6.300.000  of  maize,  8,400,000  of  buckwheat,  32,000,006 
of  oats,  and  20,000,000  of  potatoes.  It  follows  from  the 
nature  and  position  of  the  soil  in  different  parts  of  France, 
that  eleven  departments,  namely,  those  of  the  Lozere,  the 
Creuse,  Finisterre,  the  North  Coast,  the  Channel,  Calvados, 
the  Orne,  the  Lower  Seine,  the  Somme,  the  Straits  of  Cal- 
ais and  the  North,  are  wholly  destitute  of  vineyards,  that 
about  forty  produce  flax,  and  that  hemp  is  extensively  cul- 
tivated in  filty-seven. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  enumerate  the  plants  that  compose 
the  French  Flora;  it  may  be  observed,  however,  that  they 
are  divided  into  more  than  830  genera  and  6000  species,  a 
number  greater  than  that  in  Germany,  although  the  latter 
country  is  larger  than  France. 

The  wild  animals  that  frequent  the  mountains,  woods  and 
fields,  are  not  so  numerous  as  in  Germany,  because  the  for- 
ests are  not  so  large,  and  the  mountains  not  so  extensive. 
The  black  bear  ( Ursus  Pyrenaicus ) and  the  brown  bear  are 
found  in  the  French  part  of  the  Pyrenees;  the  lynx,  of 
which  the  piercing  eyes  are  proverbial,  frequents  the  High 
Alps ; it  is  now,  however,  more  rarely  observed  than  for- 
merly ; the  chamois  and  the  wild  goat  never  leave  the  sum- 
mits that  form  the  eastern  and  southern  limits  of  the  kingdom. 
The  forests  of  the  Vosges,  and  the  woods  on  the  Moselle, 
afford  shelter  to  the  common  squirrel  ( Sciurus  vulgaris ) ; 
another  species  of  a dark  brown  colour  varied  with  yellow- 
ish white  [Sciurus  alpinus),  and  the  Siberian  flying  squirrel/ 
which  issues  from  its  retreat  in  the  night,  and  by  means  of 
its  dilated  sides,  springs  from  one  branch  to  another,  are  not 
uncommon  in  many  parts  of  the  High  Alps.  The  yellow 
marten  [Mustela  alpina ) is  found  in  the  same  mountains ; 
the  marmot  [Arctomys  marmotta),  a social  animal,  frequents 
the  cavities  near  the  summits  of  the  French  Alps  and  Pyre- 
nees.? In  the  departments  contiguous  to  the  Vosges,  may 
be  seen  the  ermine  [Mustela  erminea),  of  which  the  fur  is 
imported  from  the  frozen  plains  of  Siberia,  and  the  hamster 
[Mus  cricetus ),  famous  for  its  migrations,  and  found  in  the 
north  and  south  of  Russia,  and  in  Poland,  the  Ukraine,  Hun- 
gary, Germany  and  Alsace,  where  it  is  called  the  marmot 
of  Strasburg.  The  hamster  lays  waste  the  crops  ; each  of 
them,  it  is  said,  amasses  in  its  burrow  from  twelve  to  a hun- 
dred pounds  of  grain  ; as  intrepid  as  it  is  fierce,  it  never 
retreats  before  its  enemies,  not  even  before  man,  who  has  so 
much  interest  in  destroying  it.  All  the  more  extensive  for- 
ests serve  as  places  of  refuge  for  the  wolf,  the  most  destruc- 
tive of  the  carnivorous  animals  in  France.  In  some  prov- 
inces, the  polecat,  the  weasel  and  the  fox  are  the  terror  of 
the  poultry  yards.  The  solitary  and  distrustful  badger  digs 
its  den  in  the  remotest  woods,  and  the  mole  raises  its  hills 
in  the  most  fruitful  fields.  The  hedge-hog  lurks  in  the 
bushes,  and  the  rat,  the  field  mouse,  the  common  mouse 
and  the  dormouse  frequent  the  fields  and  the  gardens.  The 
water  rat  [Arvicola  amphibius)  and  the  otter  seek  holes 
in  the  banks  of  such  marshes  and  rivers  as  are  little  fre- 
quented. 

Almost  every  species  of  bird,  common  to  Europe,  is  found 

hectolitre  contains  G102.8  cubic  inches,  and  the  English  bushel  2510.42 
cubic  inches  ; consequently  the  hectolitre  is  equal  to  2 bushels,  1 peck 
5 quarts,  and  2.5  pints,  nearly.— P.] 

r “ Polatouche” — common  European  flying  squirrel  ( Sciurus  volans 
Linn.  Pteromys  volans,  Cuv.) 

s “ The  marmot,  a hybernating  animal,  lives  in  society  in  large  bur- 
rows, near  the  summits  of  the  Alps  and  the  Pyrenees.”  Its  burrows 
are  excavated  by  its  own  labour. — P. 


208 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXL1. 


in  France.  The  flamingos  that  migrate  from  the  shores  of 
Africa,  appear  in  flocks  on  the  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean. 
The  witwall  ( Galgulus  garrulus)  3 of  which  the  plumage  is 
varied  with  tints  of  blue,  green  and  violet,  is  by  no  means 
rare  in  the  southern  departments ; among  others  in  the  same 
part  of  the  country,  are  the  midwall  ( Mcrops  apiaster),b 
probably  indigenous  to  the  island  of  Candia,  the  beccafico 
or  fig-pecker,  which  is  sold  for  high  prices  in  Paris,  and  the 
piannet  or  creeper  that  frequents  steep  rocks  or  the  walls  of 
ancient  castles.  Numerous  species  visit  France  every  year 
at  the  approach  of  spring,  and  remain  until  the  end  of  au- 
tumn, passing  the  winter  in  a warmer  climate.  Among 
these  are  different  species  of  the  lark  and  the  thrush,  the 
quail,  the  ortolan,  and  the  red-breast,  all  of  which  are  sought 
for  the  table  ; the  hoopoe,  the  oriole,  the  titmouse  and  the  king- 
fisher, all  of  which  have  their  plumage  adorned  with  the 
most  vivid  colours ; the  turtle  dove,  which  appears  to  exist 
only  for  the  indulgence  of  the  tender  passion,  but  which 
may  be  considered  rather  an  emblem  of  inconstancy,  than 
of  fidelity ; the  swallow,  which  builds  its  nest  on  the  houses ; 
and  the  nightingale,  which  sings  in  the  groves,  when  fresh 
with  the  first  colours  of  spring.  Among  the  other  singing 
birds  are  the  goldfinch,  the  linnet  and  the  bulfinch ; the  jay 
and  the  starling  are  noted  for  the  facility  with  which  they 
learn  to  imitate  the  human  voice. 

Several  species  of  gallinaceous  birds  abound  in  different 
parts  of  France;  the  red  partridge  is  often  observed  in  the 
central  and  western  departments,  but  in  the  southern,  the 
grey  partridge  is  more  common  than  any  other  species. 
Woodcocks  and  snipes  frequent  the  woods  and  marshes ; 
the  first  are  very  numerous  in  Picardy,  and  the  second  in 
Auvergne.  Lastly,  the  coasts  of  the  Channel  and  the 
Ocean  are  frequented  by  different  kinds  of  wild  fowl,  such 
as  the  plover,  the  lapwing,  the  widgeon,0  the  sea  lark  and 
the  wild  duck,  of  which  a great  many  are  sent  to  Paris  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Lower  Charente. 

The  common  viper  and  the  asp  are  often  seen  in  moun- 
tainous, stony  and  wooded  districts,  such  as  tire  country 
round  Lyons,  Grenoble  and  Poitiers ; it  has  been  remarked 
that  these  venomous  reptiles  appear  most  commonly  in  the 
morning,  and  in  places  with  an  eastern  exposure ; they  live 
on  insects,  mice  and  other  small  animals.  The  reptiles 
common  to  the  central  departments  of  France,  are  the  viper- 
ous adder/  and  the  green  and  yellow  adder/  which  may  be 
easily  tamed.  A peculiar  species  called  the  Bordelaise / as 
well  as  the  masked  adder,  is  found  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Bordeaux  ; another  species/  which  grows  to  the  length  of  six 
feet,  is  confined  to  the  southern  provinces  ; the  Provengale, 
which  is  never  longer  than  seven  or  eight  inches,  indicates 
by  its  name  the  country  it  inhabits.  Many  of  the  snakes  are 
not  dangerous  ;h  some  indeed,  known  by  the  name  of  hedge 

a The  common  roller  (Coracias  garrula,  Linn.)  The  witwall  is  the 
common  European  oriole  (Oriolus  galbula,  Linn.) — P. 
b The  common  bee-eater. — P. 

c “ Macreuse” — ( Anas  nigra,  Linn.)  Black  duck  or  Scoter. — P. 
d “ Couleuvre  viperine”  ( Coluber  viperinus,  Latreille.) 
e “ Couleuvre  verte  et  jaune”  ( Coluber  atro-virens.) 
f Couleuvre  Bordelaise,  Cuv.  ( Coluber  Girondicus,  Daudin.) 
s “ Couleuvre  k quatre  raies”  ( Coluber  Etaphis , Shaw.)  Body  fawn- 
coloured,  with  four  brown  or  black  lines  on  the  back.  Cuvier. — P. 

h “ The  adders  or  ra'lier  snakes  ( couleuvrcs ,)  above  mentioned,  are 
not  dangerous.”  The  term  adder  is  usually  applied  to  the  poisonous 
species. — The  genus  Coluber , Linn,  comprehended  all  serpents, 
whether  venomous  or  not,  with  scuta  under  the  belly  and  scutella  under 
the  tail.  The  genus  is  now  confined  to  the  species  not  venomous. — P. 

‘ The  word  Saurian  has  been  lately  introduced  into  the  nomencla- 
ture of  natural  history  ; it  is  derived  from  the  Greek  word  Zavqa,  a 
lizard.  k From  Butqu/ o?,  a frog. 


cels  in  the  rural  districts,  are  not  considi  ted  unwholesome 
food.  The  animals  belonging  to  the  Saurian  order,*  are 
sufficiently  numerous,  but  the  most  remarkable  is  the  gecko 
of  Mauritania,  which  frequents  the  Mediterranean  coasts. 
A crocodile  still  preserved  at  Lyons,  was  taken  from  the 
Rhone  about  two  centuries  ago.  Could  it  have  been  the  last 
descendant  of  the  reptiles,  of  which  the  fossil  remains  are 
found  among  the  calcareous  strata  in  F ranee,  or  was  it  car 
ried  by  currents  from  Africa  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rhone  r 
Among  the  animals  of  the  Batracian  order,1 *'  different  spe- 
cies of  frogs  and  toads  may  be  mentioned.  The  Rana 
bombina  abounds  in  the  central  districts,  and  during  rainy 
nights  annoys  the  inhabitants  with  a continued  and  disagree- 
able croaking.  The  Bvfo  obstetricans,  which  conceals 
itself  under  stones,  and  frees  the  female  of  its  eggs  in  order 
to  carry  them  to  some  pool,  is  found  in  every  department. 
The  green  toad,  which,  when  struck,  diffuses  an  odour 
resembling  that  of  ambergris,  and  the  thorny  toad,1  a hideous 
animal,  some  of  them  of  a monstrous  size,  are  confined  to  the 
mountainous  districts.  The  turtle,  which  the  ancients  used 
in  making  their  lyres, m is  sometimes  taken  on  the  coasts  of 
the  Mediterranean  and  the  Ocean  ; the  fresh  water  tortoise,” 
not  uncommon  in  the  southern  marshes,  is  frequently  kept 
in  gardens,  because  it  destroys  insects  and  noxious  animals. 
The  water  eft  is  most  common  in  the  southern  departments ; 
the  ordinary  lizard  frequents  them  all.0 

Many -individuals  are  employed  in  fishing  on  the  extensive 
coasts  of  France,  and  the  products  of  their  labour  are  dis- 
tributed in  the  remotest  districts.  The  Channel  and  the 
Ocean  supply  the  inhabitants  with  turbot,  ray,  soles,  cod, 
salmon,  whitings,  mackerel,  mullet  and  sardel.  The  last 
kind  is  so  abundant  that  the  sardel  fisheries  on  the  coast  of 
Brittany,  yield  an  annual  profit  of  L. 83, 000.  Other  kinds 
are  taken  by  the  fishermen  in  the  Mediterranean ; the  most 
valuable  are  the  tunny  and  the  anchovy. 

Cetaceous  animals  sometimes  appear  on  the  French 
coasts ; a cachalot  or  trumpo p was  taken  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Bayonne  in  1741  ; thirty-one  large  cachalots  belong- 
ing to  a distinct  species'*  ( Physeter  macrocephalus),  were 
stranded  by  a tempest  on  the  western  coast  of  Audierne  in 
Lower  Brittany,  in  1784.  The  whale,  the  giant  of  the 
northern  seas,  frequented  the  gulfs  of  Gascony  and  Lions  in 
the  time  of  Strabo  and  Pliny. r The  Basques  derived  con- 
siderable profit  from  their  u'hale  fisheries  about  the  beginning 
of  the  twelfth  century  ; since  that  time  the  whale  has  fled 
for  refuge  from  man  into  the  frozen  seas,  and  its  appear- 
ance on  the  French  coast  is  cited  as  a rare  phenomenon. 
In  1620,  a wrhale  more  than  a hundred  feet  in  length,  was 
stranded  on  the  island  of  Corsica;  in  1726,  another  at  least 
seventy-two  feet  long  was  taken  in  the  bay  of  the  Somme ; 
one  about  fifty-two  feet  in  length,  was  thrown  on  the  island 

1 Bufo  spinosus,  Daudin. 

m Testudo  coriacea,  Linn. — called  the  Lvtli  (lute)  by  the  French.- — P. 

“ “ La  tortue  bourbeuse” — mud  tortoise.  # 

0 “The  terrestrial  salamanders  inhabit  the  south  of  France;  the 
aquatic  salamanders  are  found  in  all  the  departments.”  The  terres- 
trial salamander  ( Sulamandra  terrestris)  is  the  Luccrtu  Salomon  dr  a , 
Linn.  There  are  several  species  of  aquatic  salamanders,  found  in 
France,  viz.  the  marbled  salamander  (S.  inamorata,)  the  crested  sala- 
mander (S.  crislata,)  the  dotted  salamander  (S.  punctata)  and  the  web- 
footed salamander  or  water  newt  (S.  palmata,  Latreille.  Lacerta  aquati- 
ca,  Linn.) — P. 

p “ Cachalot  trumpo,”  ( Physeter  Trumpo,  Ed.  Encye.)  Blunt- 
headed cachalot — considered  by  Cuvier,  as  a variety  of  the  great 
spermaceti  whale  (P.  macroccphulus.) — P. 

1 “ Grand  Cachalot” — Great  Spermaceti  whale. 

r Pliny's  Natural  History,  Book  IX,  ch.  li.  Strabo,  Book  III,  ch.  2 
§2- 


book  cxli.]  DESCRIPTION 

of  Oleron  in  1826;  lastly,  the  inhabitants  of  St.  Cyprian 
near  Perpignan,  found  a whale  on  the  shores  ok  the  Medi- 
terranean in  1828,  which,  according  to  their  measurement, 
was  sixty-three  feet  in  length. 

The  terrestrial  mollusca  might  be  passed  over  in  silence, 
if  several  species,  valuable  as  delicacies,  or  useful  as  reme- 
dies in  pectoral  affections,  were  not  included  among  the 
helices a or  snails.  Three  different  species, b common  in  the 
fields  of  southern  France,  together  with  the  Helix  pomatia,c 
the  most  common  of  them  all,  since  it  is  found  in  every 
vineyard,  the  shagreen  snail  that  frequents  the  gardens,  and 
the  nemoral  snaild  of  the  meadows  and  fields,  are  those  that 
are  eaten,  or  which  furnish  the  materials  for  broths  and  cos- 
metics. Immense  numbers  of  them  are  consumed  in  Alsace 
and  Saintonge ; from  the  last  province  alone,  snails  are  in 
some  years  exported  to  the  amount  of  L.  1000  ;e  they  are 
even  sent  to  the  Antilles. 

The  fishing  of  marine  mollusca  forms  a much  more 
important  branch  of  industry  ; the  horse-foot  oyster  ( Ostrea 
hippopus),  common  on  the  coast  near  Boulogne  sur  Mer,  is 
by  no  means  considered  the  best  sort  of  oyster.  The  com- 
mon oyster  ( Ostrea  edulis ) is  so  much  prized,  that  the 
quantity  consumed  every  year  in  Paris,  is  equal  in  value  to 
L.42,000.f  The  departments  of  the  Lower  Charente,  the 
Channel  and  Calvados,  are  those  in  which  the  best  kinds  are 
taken.  The  common  muscle  ( Mytilus  edulis ) is  a valuable 
food  to  the  lower  orders  on  some  of  the  French  coasts. 
The  Crustacea,  too,  are  very  useful  for  the  same  purpose. 
The  Portunus  velutinus  and  the  Cancer  pagurus,%  form 
partly  the  nourishment  of  die  people  in  the  seaports  and  on 
the  coasts.  The  lobster  ( Astacus  marinus ),  and  another 
species  ( Palinurus  vulgaris),  remarkable  for  its  great  size 
and  its  brown  and  yellow  colour,  appear  on  the  tables  of  the 
wealthy  Parisians. 

Several  noxious  insects  are  found  in  France,  some  of 
which  are  indigenous  to  the  country.  Among  these  are  a 
particular  species  of  weevil, h very  destructive  to  grain ; the 
European  and  red  scorpions,1  which  are  not  unknown  in  the 
departments  on  the  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean  ; and  the 
black  bellied  lycosa,  a sort  of  tarantula  spider,  which  is  ob- 
served in  die  same  part  of  the  kingdom,  and  which  is  very 
similar  to  the  one  concerning  which  so  many  fables  have 
been  related  in  Italy.  The  commercial  relations  between 
France  and  India  have  been  the  means  of  transporting  oth- 
ers from  the  latter  country  ; among  these  are  the  aphis,  which 
destroys  the  apple  tree,  and  two  species  of  termites  or  white 
ants,  the  Termcs  lucifugum  and  T.  flavicolle,  which  are 
mostly  confined  to  Provence  and  the  neighbourhood  of 
Bordeaux,  where  they  devour  the  timber  in  the  houses  and 
naval  arsenals.  Although  not  numerous,  other  insects  are 
very  useful ; the  bee  enables  the  inhabitants  of  the  southern 
provinces  to  export  a great  quantity  of  honey  ; the  silk-worm, 
habituated  to  the  climate,  since  the  time  that  Louis  the 
Eleventh  planted  the  mulberry  tree  in  France,  forms  by  its 
products  part  of  the  riches  of  Dauphiny.  The  weight  of 
the  raw  silk  thus  obtained  by  the  French  manufactories,  is 
estimated  at  5,200,000  kilogrammes.’1  The  winged  insect 

OF  FRANCE.  . 209 

that  forms  the  gall  nut,  adds  very  considerably  to  the  value 
of  the  oaks  in  the  southern  departments,  and  the  cantharides 
furnish  one  of  the  most  powerful  agents  that  are  used  in 
medicine. 

It  now  remains  for  us  to  give  a short  account  of  the  most 
useful  domestic  animals  in  France,  and  thus  terminate  the 
few  remarks  that  have  been  made  concerning  the  animal 
kingdom  in  that  country.  The  breeds  of  horses,  to  which 
little  attention  has  hitherto  been  paid,  might  be  greatly 
improved,  so  as  to  rival  the  finest  that  are  known  in  Europe. 
Government  has  proposed  to  encourage  the  crossing  of 
different  breeds,  and  if  the  judicious  plans  which  it  has  form- 
ed, be  carried  into  effect,  the  results  that  may  be  reasona- 
bly expected,  must  be  attended  with  great  advantage.  Good 
cavalry  and  post  horses  are  bred  in  the  departments  of  the 
Somme,  the  Straits  of  Calais,  the  Ardennes,  and  the  Upper 
and  Lower  Rhine ; but  the  horses  in  the  departments  of 
the  Seine  and  Oise,  the  Aisne,  and  the  Seine  and  Marne, 
are  better  fitted  for  artillery.  The  best  carriage  and  saddle 
horses  are  from  the  departments  of  the  Orne  and  Calvados; 
they  belong  to  the  breed  which  is  said  to  have  been  intro- 
duced into  France  by  the  Danes,  who  under  the  name  of 
Normans,  settled  in  the  country.  The  horses  in  the  depart- 
ments of  the  Maine  and  Loire,  the  Sarthe,  the  Eure  and 
Loir,  the  Drome,  the  Isere,  the  Higher  Alps,  the  Upper 
Saone,  the  Doubs,  and  Jura,  are  better  adapted  for  light 
cavalry.  The  horses  of  Morbihan  and  Corsica  are  by  no 
means  remarkable  for  their  symmetry,  but  they  are  said  to 
be  almost  indefatigable.  Other  breeds  in  the  departments 
of  the  Ain,  the  Cote  d’Or,  the  Saone  and  Loire,  the  Allier 
and  the  Nievre,  are  equally  reputed  for  the  same  quali- 
ties ; but  the  best  horses  both  for  strength  and  swiftness  are 
bred  in  some  parts  of  southern  France.  The  Limousin 
breed  is  confined  to  the  departments  of  the  Correze,  the 
Upper  Vienne,  Cantal,  Puy  de  Dome,  and  the  Dordogne. 
The  horses,  known  by  the  name  of  JYavarrins,  are  most 
common  in  the  Eastern  and  Lower  Pyrenees,  but  they  are 
also  bred  in  the  departments  of  the  Aveyron,  the  Lot,  the 
Gers  and  the  Arriege. 

The  French  ass  must  be  considered  a degenerate  animal, 
if  compared  with  the  asses  of  Spain  and  Italy  ; one  breed 
however,  in  tire  department  of  the  Vienne,  forms  an  excep- 
tion ; it  is  remarkable  for  its  long  hair  and  great  size,  almost 
equal  to  that  of  a mule. 

It  is  believed  that  there  are  not  fewer  than  twelve  or  fif- 
teen kinds  of  oxen  in  France.  Those  in  the  departments 
of  the  Upper  Vienne,  the  Charente  and  the  Lower  Charente, 
are  most  probably  of  the  same  breed ; they  are  of  a pale 
reddish1  colour ; their  horns  are  long,  large  and  tapering , 
their  weight  varies  from  six  hundred  to  eight  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds.111  The  oxen  in  die  departments  of  tire  Creuse, 
the  Indre  and  the  Cher,  are  for  the  most  part  of  a light  col- 
our ;n  they  weigh  from  five  hundred  to  seven  hundred 
pounds.  In  the  department  of  the  Gironde,  the  oxen  are 
of  a dirty  white  colour ; they  are  heavier  than  the  two  last 
kinds.  In  the  departments  of  Cantal  and  Puy  de  Dome, 
they  are  mostly  of  a red  colour  with  short  and  white  horns ; 

a G..  Helix,  Linn.  The  translator  calls  them  helecites,  a name 
which  has  no  exislence  in  the  nomenclature  of  natural  history,  nor  in 
any  other  language.  Fossil  snails  are  called  helieites. — P. 
b H.  variabi/is , H.  rhodostoma,  and  H.  vermiculata. 

' Common  edible  snail,  the  cochlea  of  the  ancients. — P. 
d Ii.  nemoralis — Girdled  snail,  Donovan. 
e “ More  than  20,000  francs.” 
j f “ Nearly  1,000,000  francs.” 

| s “ Tourteau” — common  crab.  h Curcul.io  granarius. 

VUI,.  Ill —NO.  48  27 

* Scorpio  Europceus  and  S.  Occitanus. 

k The  kilogramme  is  equal  to  a thousand  grammes ; the  gramme  is 
nearly  equal  to  19  grains.  Tr.  [The  gramme  is  equal  to  18.827  French 
grains,  or  15.4441  grains  Troy. — P ] 

1 “blond  roux,”  light  red. — The  prevalent  colour  of  the  cattle  in 
France  is  a pale  reddish,  or  rather  a cream  colour.  Ed.  Encyc. 

m Ninety -one  and  a half  of  these  pounds  are  equal  to  100  lbs.  Avoir- 
dupois. Tr. 

» “ blond  pale,”  light  yellow. 

210 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLI. 


they  weigh  from  five  hundred  and  fifty  to  eight  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds.  The  oxen  in  the  department  of  the  Saone 
and  Loire,  are  as  heavy  as  those  in  the  Upper  Vienne.  The 
oxen  in  the  departments  of  the  Lower  Loire  and  the  Maine 
and  Loire  are  grey,  black,  dark  brown  and  chestnut-col- 
oured ; many  of  them  are  equal  in  weight  to  nine  hundred 
pounds.  In  Morbihan,  they  are  small  and  spotted  ; they 
weigh  rarely  above  five  hundred  pounds.  A breed  of  low 
oxen,  not  uncommon  in  the  department  of  the  Sarthe,  has 
the  advantage  of  being  easily  fattened.  The  other  kinds 
differ  so  little  from  those  which  have  been  already  mention- 
ed, that  it  requires  a good  judge  to  distinguish  them.  They 
are  not  all  reared  in  the  countries  in  which  they  are  pro- 
duced ; thus  few  are  bred  in  Lower  Normandy,  but  very 
many  are  fattened  in  its  rich  pastures. 

Sufficient  attention  has  not  been  paid  in  France  to  the 
breeding  of  sheep  ; at  all  events,  the  wool  in  the  country  is 
still  inferior  to  that  of  Saxony.  Sheep  are  more  numerous 
in  the  ancient  province  of  Berry  than  in  any  other  part  of 
the  kingdom.  Those  bred  in  the  country  round  Beauvais 
are  very  large,  but  the  sheep  in  Burgundy  and  the  Ardennes 
are  better  for  the  table.  The  best  kinds  are  those  on  the  sandy 
coasts  of  the  maritime  provinces.  The  sheep  of  Roussillon 
are  very  like  the  merinos  in  the  fineness  of  their  wool. 
The  advantages  that  result  from  crossing  the  different  Span- 
ish and  French  breeds  have  been  already  sufficiently  proved ; 
still,  however,  that  branch  of  rural  economy  is  neglected, 
such  are  the  effects  of  ignorance  and  prejudice. 

Three  different  breeds  of  pigs  are  common  in  different  parts 
of  France.  The  pure  breed,  as  it  is  called,  existed  in  the 
country  in  the  time  of  the  Celts,  and  is  still  preserved  in 
Normandy;  it  may  be  fattened  until  it  attains  to  a great 
weight ; some  of  them  weigh  from  three  hundred  to  four 
hundred  pounds ; it  is  distinguished  by  its  small  head,  nar- 
row ears  and  white  colour.  The  pigs  of  the  Poitou  breed 
are  not  so  arge,  neither  are  they  so  well  made ; they  are 
remarkable  for  large  heads,  broad  pendent  ears  and  long 

* The  common  domestic  goose  is  derived  from  a wild  species  of  a 
grey  colour,  with  the  back  brown  shaded  with  grey,  ( Anser  cinereus, 
Mayer.)  Cuvier. — P. 

b “ — at  least  45,000  000  francs.” 


white  hair.  A third  breed  in  Perigord  differs  from  the 
others  in  ihe  roughness  of  its  coat,  and  in  its  black  colour. 
The  other  kinds  are  sprung  from  these  three  breeds ; they 
resemble  more  or  less  one  or  other  of  them,  and  differ  prin- 
cipally in  their  colour,  black  being  prevalent  in  the  south, 
white  in  the  north,  and  black  and  white  in  Central  France. 
A great  many  pigs  are  bred  in  the  departments  of  the  Up- 
per Rhine,  the  Moselle,  the  Meuse,  the  Aube,  the  Marne 
and  the  Lower  Pyrenees. 

The  poultry  in  some  of  the  departments  are  not  the 
least  valuable  of  their  products ; the  cock  and  hen  of  Caux 
form  a distinct  variety ; to  ascertain  its  superiority,  it  is 
necessary  to  partake  of  the  excellent  fowls  that  are  fattened 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Barbezieux,  La  Fleche  and  Mans. 
The  ash-coloured  goose  ( Anser  cinereus ),a  the  type  of  the 
domestic  goose,  attains  a great  size  in  Lower  Languedoc ; 
there  are  many  of  them  also  in  the  departments  of  the 
Lower  Rhine  and  the  Upper  Garonne  and  in  others  in 
Western  France.  The  best  ducks,  it  is  said,  are  those  in 
Lower  Normandy  and  Languedoc.  The  manner  in  which 
the  goose  and  duck  are  fed  in  some  departments,  renders 
their  livers  excessively  large,  and  gives  them  a delicacy  that 
gourmands  are  able  to  appreciate.  The  geese  round  Stras- 
burg,  and  the  ducks  round  Toulouse,  are  thus  tortured  to 
gratify  the  corrupt  tastes  of  the  Parisians. 

That  different  branches  of  rural  economy  require  to  be 
improved,  must  be  admitted  from  the  fact  that  the  number 
of  domestic  animals  is  not  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the 
inhabitants.  France  imports  every  year  on  an  average 
about  23,000  horses,  900  asses,  800  mules,  40,000  oxen, 
167,500  sheep,  4700  goats,  148,800  pigs,  5,800,000  raw 
hides,  5,900,000  kilogrammes  of  fine  and  coarse  wool,  and 
a great  quantity  of  feathers.  Such  imports,  amounting  in 
value  to  nearly  L.2,000,000,b  c say  very  little  for  rural 
industry,  which  instead  of  being  dependent  in  any  way  on 
foreign  countries,  ought  to  swell  the  tide  of  exportation 
from  France. 

c See  the  memoir  by  M.  Senac,  entitled  : Projet  de  Sociiti  d’ Amelio- 
ration des  animaux  domesliques,  inserted  in  the  Bulletin  Universel  de* 
Sciences  et  de  l'lndustrie  : section  des  Sciences  Agricoles,  1826. 


HOOK  CXliII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


211 


BOOK  CXLII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Kingdom  of  France. — First  Section. — 
Southern  region. 

Some  account  has  been  given  in  a preceding  book  of  the 
people  from  whom  the  French  are  descended  ; it  has  been 
seen  that  their  chiefs  have  added  to  their  power  by  con- 
quests, and  that  in  some  instances  they  have  wielded  the 
destinies  of  Europe.  The  resources  which  France  derives 
from  its  climate,  soil  and  natural  wealth,  were  enumerated 
in  the  last  book.  Such  at  least  was  the  end  proposed  in 
describing  the  country  in  its  connexion  with  historical  and 
physical  geography.  It  now  remains  for  us  to  examine 
France  in  detail, — a task  not  without  difficulty.  It  would 
be  desirable  to  adhere  to  the  accuracy  and  precision  which 
ought  to  be  the  basis  of  topography,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  avoid  unnecessary  repetition  in  naming  the  departments, 
districts1  and  chief  towns,  which,  unlike  the  old  govern- 
ments and  provinces,  have  not  the  advantage  of  being  con- 
nected with  historical  associations,  but  which  have  contrib- 
uted to  render  the  population  more  homogeneous.  The 
artificial  division  by  which  France  is  made  to  consist  of  five 
regions,  those  of  the  south,  the  east,  the  centre,  the  west  and 
the  north,  appears  on  the  whole  to  be  the  best,  or  at  least 
the  one  by  which  its  chorography  may  be  the  most  conven- 
iently explained.  Besides,  the  same  method  has  been 
established  by  custom,  it  is  familiar  to  a great  many  persons, 
and  it  is  also  useful  in  another  point  of  view,  for  the  old  and 
new  divisions  may  thus  be  made  to  coincide  with  tolerable 
accuracy.  The  same  route  that  has  been  followed  in  the 
last  book,  namely,  the  one  from  the  south  to  the  east  and 
north,  may  be  continued  in  the  present. 

Corsica  is  the  largest  French  department  in  point  of 
extent,  but  one  of  the  least  in  point  of  population  .b  Placed 
between  Italy,  Spain  and  France,  civilization  and  industry 
may  one  day  render  it  a very  advantageous  commercial  and 
maritime  station ; indeed  when  European  states  acknowl- 
edge the  folly  of  maintaining  colonies,  long  since  proved  to 
be  more  onerous  than  profitable,  France  may  find  in  the 

a “ Arrondissements.” — The  kingdom  of  France  is  divided  into 
eighty-six  departments,  and  these  again  are  subdivided  into  districts, 
called  arrondissements  ( arrondissemens  communaux.)  For  the  purposes 
of  civil  administration,  each  department  constitutes  a prefecture,  and 
each  arrondissemcnt  a subprefecture,  (with  the  exception  of  the  arron- 
dissements of  Paris ;)  but  the  prefect  of  the  department  performs  the 
duties  of  subprefect  in  the  arrondissement  in  which  he  resides,  (viz. 
that  including  the  chief  town  of  the  department.)  The  arrondisse- 
ments consist  of  a greater  or  less  number  of  communes,  each  of  which 
has  a mayor  and  communal  municipality.  A commune  is  sometimes  a 
single  town,  and  sometimes  a union  of  several  small  towns  or  villages. 
The  city  of  Paris  constitutes  only  a single  commune,  but  it  is  divided 
into  twelve  arrondissements,  each  of  which  has  its  mayor.  It  also 
forms  only  a single  subprefecture,  under  the  immediate  control  of  the 
prefect  of  the  department.  For  judicial  purposes,  the  arrondisse- 
ments are  divided  into  districts  ( cantons  or  justices  depaix,)  each  of 


fruitful  soil  of  Corsica,  and  in  its  climate,  well  adapted  for 
colonial  produce,  a source  of  wealth  that  requires  apparently 
only  an  enlightened  government  to  he  realized. 

When  the  uaveller,  who  quits  the  coasts  of  France  for 
the  port  of  Ajaccio,  first  observes  the  island,  it  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  an  enormous  pyramid  formed  by  mountains, 
which,  from  the  effect  of  distance,  seem  to  be  grouped  round 
each  other.  Ajaccio,0  the  chief  town  or  the  residence  of  the 
prefect,  is  not  the  largest  of  the  Corsican  cities.  Bastia, 
which  was  formerly  styled  the  capital  of  the  island,  is  the 
most  populous ; but  Ajaccio  is  considered  the  most  ancient, 
for  it  was  the  seat  of  a bishopric  at  so  early  a period  as  the 
sixth  century.  It  is  true  that  the  miasms  from  a neighbour- 
ing marsh,  made  the  inhabitants  determine  to  abandon  the 
place  in  the  year  1435,  so  that  the  present  Ajaccio  is  dis- 
tant about  a miled  from  the  site  of  the  ancient  town.  The 
streets  are  broad  and  straight,  the  houses  are  not  without  ele 
gance,  the  palace  of  the  prefecte  is  at  once  a simple  anu 
imposing  edifice,  the  barracks  are  large,  the  harbour  is  spa- 
cious and  convenient,  and  the  entrance  into  it  is  guarded  by 
a citadel.  The  places  connected  with  education,  by  so 
much  the  more  necessary  as  the  inhabitants  are  still  bigoted 
to  their  prejudices  and  ancient  customs,  are  a college,  a 
library  of  1 3,000  volumes,  a botanical  garden,  and  an  agricul- 
tural society.  A large  edifice  is  at  present  building  to  serve 
as  an  hospital/  an  asylum  for  foundlings,  and  a school  for 
young  girls.  The  commerce  of  the  town  consists  in  the 
sale  of  the  oil  and  wine  produced  in  the  neighbouring  coun- 
try, and  in  the  coral  which  is  obtained  on  the  southern 
coasts.  Ajaccio  is  likely  to  be  for  ever  memorable,  for  Na- 
poleon Bonaparte  was  born  within  its  walls  in  1769.  Ur- 
cino,  a small  anchorage  in  the  gulf  of  Sagona,  at  some 
leagues  to  the  north  of  Ajaccio,  indicates  the  site  of  Urci- 
nium , a Roman  town,  once  well  known  on  account  of  its 
earthen  vases,  in  which  the  ancients  kept  their  Falernian. 
Ajaccio  is  the  residence  of  the  bishop  and  the  prefect ; but 
Bastia,  situated  at  the  opposite  extremity  on  the  coast  front- 

which  has  a justice  of  peace  ( juge  de  paix.)  These  districts  are  in 
general  composed  of  a greater  or  less  number  of  communes,  but  in  the 
commune  of  Paris,  each  arrondissement  constitutes  a judicial  dis 
trict. — P. 

b Corsica  was  at  first  divided  into  two  departments,  that  of  the  Go- 
lo,  comprehending  the  north,  (Bastia,  the  capital,)  and  that  of  the 
Liamone,  comprehending  the  south  part  of  the  island,  tAjaccio,  the 
capital.)  (See  Peuchet,  Statistique  de  la  France,  1805.)  It  now  forms 
only  one  department,  that  of  Corsica.  This  union  took  place  un- 
der the  imperial  government.  (Almanach  Imperial,  1813,  p.  388.) 
— P. 

c Ajazzo. 

d “ One  third  of  a league” — nearly  a league  (Ed.  Encyc. — Encyc. 
Method.) 

e “ Hotel  de  la  prefecture” — government  house. 

f “ Hospice  civil” — alms-house. 


J 


212 


EUROPE. 


lbook  cxjlii. 


ing  Italy,  is  the  residence  of  the  commander  in  chief.®  As  | 
a fortified  town,  it  is  considered  as  belonging  to  the  first 
class ; it  has  a college  and  a theatre.  A society  for  the 
purpose  of  diffusing  instruction11  has  of  late  years  been  insti- 
tuted. It  is  not  so  well  built  as  Ajaccio,  but  as  it  is  con- 
structed in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre,  it  has  a better 
appearance  at  a distance ; its  harbour  can  only  receive 
small  vessels,  but  commerce  and  industry  place  it  above  its 
rival ; it  carries  on  a trade  in  soap,  paste,  wax,  liqueurs®  and 
other  articles.  The  burgh  of  Mariana  at  four  leagues  to  the 
south,  near  the  banks  of  the  Golo,  stands  on  the  site  of  an 
ancient  town,  which  bore  the  same  name,  and  which  accord- 
ing to  tradition  was  founded  by  Marius. 

The  other  towns  in  the  island  are  of  less  consequence. 
Calvi  on  the  western  coast  is  defended  by  a fortress,  and  its 
anchorage  might  contain  a large  fleet.  St.  Florentd  is  situ- 
ated at  three  leagues  to  the  west  of  Bastia,  and  Porto  Vec- 
cliio  on  the  eastern  coast  is  noted  for  its  good  wine  and 
granite  quarries.  These  places,  as  well  as  Bonifacio,  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  island,  which  carries  on  a trade 
in  wine,  oil  and  coral,  are  provided  with  convenient  and  safe 
harbours.  Sartene,  situated  at  the  base  of  the  heights, 
which  command  the  left  bank  of  the  Valinco,  has  been  en- 
titled a subprefecture.  Corte,  almost  in  the  centre  of  the 
island,  near  the  confluence  of  the  Orta  and  the  Tavignano, 
is  a poor  and  ill  built  town  ; its  isolated  situation  in  a 
mountainous  district  at  a comparatively  great  distance  from 
the  sea,  prevents  the  increase  of  its  commerce,  which  consists 
merely  in  agricultural  products. 

The  passage  boats  between  the  island  of  Corsica  and 
France  were  by  no  means  remarkable  for  their  celerity,  but 
since  the  commencement  of  the  year  1830,  steam  vessels 
have  sailed  regularly,  and  the  communication  between  the 
two  countries,  has  in  consequence  been  much  facilitated.® 
The  mouth  of  the  Var  may  be  seen  from  the  vessels  as  they 
approach  the  port  of  Antibes ; the  lower  part  of  the  same 
river  serves  as  a boundary  between  the  kingdom  of  France 
and  the  county  of  Nice,  now  dependent  on  the  Sardinian 
crown.  The  department  of  the  Var  forms  part  of  Prov- 
ence, the  earliest  conquest  of  the  Romans  in  Gaul,  and  by 
the  same  people  called  Provincia,  an  appellation  from  which 
the  modern  name  has  been  derived.  Antibes,  a place  of 
great  antiquity,  the  Antipolis  of  the  ancients,  was  founded 
340  years  before  the  vulgar  era  by  the  Greek  colonists  that 
built  Marseilles.  Augustus  made  it  a municipal  town,  but 
before  his  time  it  must  have  been  a place  of  some  conse- 
quence, since  it  had  its  theatre  and  other  public  buildings, 
of  which  the  ruins  still  remain.  Trade  animated  its  harbour, 
and  the  tunny  fisheries  furnished  employment  to  many  indi- 
viduals. Although  it  has  now  lost  its  commerce/  it  is  still 
important  as  a military  station.  As  a strong  town  it  belongs 
to  the  third  class  ; such  as  it  is,  however,  it  may  oppose  a bar- 
rier to  the  invasions  which  threaten  France  from  the  Sardin- 
ian frontier.  The  island  of  St.  Marguerite  rises  between  the 
gulfs  of  Juan  and  Napoule ; its  strong  castle,  once  a state 
prison,  served  as  a place  of  confinement  for  the  mysterious 

1 “ General  commanding  the  division” — Governor  of  the  military 
division  consisting  of  the  island  of  Corsica,  (tli6  seventeenth,  1822.) — P. 

b “ Societe  d’instruction  publique.” 

c These  articles  are  enumerated  in  the  original,  among  the  manu- 
factures of  Bastia.  The  translator  has  here  adopted  the  same  indef 
mite  language,  as  in  a former  part  of  the  Geography. — P. 

d San  Fiorenzo. 

0 The  original  (Tom.  VIII)  published  in  1829,  states  that  the  estab- 
lishment of  steam  packets  was  contemplated  in  1830. — P. 

“ At  present,  only  small  vessels  can  enter  its  harbour.” 


prisoner  with  the  iron  mask.  Cannes,  where  Napoleon 
landed  in  1815,  may  be  mentioned  among  the  maritime 
towns  in  the  department  of  the  V ar ; sixteen  years  before 
that  period,  he  disembarked  at  Frejus  on  his  return  from 
Egypt. s The  last  town,  although  small,  is  larger  than 
Cannes  ;h  it  was  the  ancient  Forum  Julii,  a place  embel- 
lished by  Julius  Caesar  and  Augustus,  but  probably  founded, 
like  Antibes,  by  a Greek  colony.  The  name  by  which  it 
was  known  before  it  became  the  station  of  the  eighth  Roman 
legion,  has  long  been  forgotten ; still,  however,  monuments 
and  ruins  are  not  wanting  to  attest  its  ancient  splendour. 
The  harbour,  twice  as  large  as  the  harbour  of  Marseilles, 
was  the  largest  in  Gaul.  Agricola,  the  father-in-law  of 
Tacitus,  was  born  in  the  same  place,  now  an  inconsiderable 
town,  whose  inhabitants  have  to  contend  against  an  unwhole- 
some atmosphere  and  a marshy  situation.  St.  Tropez,  on 
the  gulf  of  Grimaud,  at  the  distance  of  five  leagues  from 
Frejus,  is  remarkable  on  the  other  hand  for  its  salubrious 
climate.  Its  harbour  is  defended  by  a citadel,  and  in  its 
dockyards  are  built  the  fishing-boats  that  are  used  on  the 
coast ; it  stands  on  the  site  of  Heraclea  Caccabaria,  well 
known  for  its  temple  of  Hercules.  Hieres,1  like  the  last 
place,  is  famed  for  a mild  and  salubrious  climate/  and  also 
for  the  excellent  oranges  produced  in  the  vicinity. 

Toulon,  it  has  been  said,  was  founded  by  the  Roman 
general  Telo  Martius,1  about  the  middle  of  the  fourth  cen- 
tury ; it  was  famous  during  the  reign  of  Arcadius  for  differ- 
ent dies,  particularly  purple.  The  harbour,  one  of  the 
largest  in  Europe,  is  divided  into  two  parts,  namely,  the  old, 
finished  by  Henry  the  Fourth,  and  the  new,  constructed  by 
Louis  the  Fourteenth;  they  communicate  with  each  other 
by  means  of  a canal.  The  careening  wharf, m three  hundred 
feet  long  and  one  hundred  broad,  the  rope  walk,  an  arched 
building  1572  feet  in  length,  the  arsenal,  the  ship  yards,  the 
foundery  and  the  sail  manufactory  are  the  most  important 
places  in  the  town.  Toulon  stands  near  the  base  of  a hill, 
which  commands  it  on  the  north.  The  streets  are  narrow 
and  the  squares  irregular ; one  of  the  last,  however,  called  the 
Field  of  Battle,  forms  an  exception ; it  is  spacious  and  elegant, 
and  adorned  with  a double  range  of  trees.  The  principal  bal- 
cony in  the  town-house  is  supported  by  two  grotesque  figures 
of  colossal  size,  the  work  of  the  celebrated  Puget ; it  is  said 
that  the  artist  wished  to  represent  two  consuls11  by  whom  he 
was  disappointed  in  a favourite  project.  The  town  was  partly 
destroyed  by  the  Arabs  about  the  end  of  the  tenth  century ; 
having  been  rebuilt  by  the  counts  of  Marseilles,  it  was  twice 
ruined  in  the  twelfth  century  by  the  Mahometans.  The 
duke  of  Savoy,  aided  by  the  English  and  the  Dutch,  be- 
sieged it  in  vain  about  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. The  Spaniards  and  the  English,  availing  themselves 
of  the  civil  dissensions  in  France,  found  bribery  and  intrigue 
more  successful  weapons  in  1793;  but  they  did  not  keep  it 
long ; at  the  end  of  a few  months,  they  were  driven  to  their 
ships  by  the  young  soldier,  who  afterwards  filled  Europe 
with  his  fame.  The  chevalier  Paul,  who  was  born  in  the 
town,  rose  in  the  course  of  the  last  century  from  a very 

s He  landed  at  Frejus,  Oct.  9,  1799 — at  Cannes,  March  1, 1815. — P. 

h This  is  not  stated  in  the  original.  Population  of  Cannes  (1622) 
2804 — of  Frejus,  1943.  (Almanach  Royal,  1822.) — P. 

1 “ Hyeres,”  Hieres. 

k “ Hieres  is  noted  for  the  mildness  of  its  climate.”  Hieres  is  cele- 
brated for  the  mild  temperature  of  its  winters,  but  is  reckoned  un 
healthy  from  May  to  October.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

1 Telo  Martius  was  the  ancient  name  of  Toulon. — P. 

m“Bassin  de  carenage” — dry  dock. 

" See  note  k p.  905. 


book  cxi.il.]  DESCRIPTION 

humble  station,  that  of  a common  sailor,  to  be  vice-admiral 
of  France. 

The  country  round  Toulon  is  adorned  with  groves  of 
lemon,  olive  and  date  trees,  and  villas  are  scattered  in  differ- 
ent directions.  Beyond  them  on  the  road  to  Marseilles,  is 
situated  the  pass  of  Ollioules ,a  a wild  valley  enclosed  by  arid 
heights ; in  some  places,  their  precipitous  and  abrupt  sides 
appear  as  if  they  were  about  to  fall ; in  others  they  are  like 
the  ruins  of  ancient  ramparts.  The  road  across  the  Moor- 
ish mountains,  so  called  from  the  devastations  committed  by 
African  pirates,  as  late  as  the  reign  of  Louis  the  Twelfth, 
leads  to  Brignolles,  a small  town,  situated  in  a pleasant 
country.  The  purity  of  the  air,  its  position  on  the  side  of 
a hill  near  the  fruitful  valley  of  Calami,  abounding  in  grain 
and  wine,  render  it  perhaps  the  most  agreeable  residence  in 
the  department.  Although  it  contains  several  manufacto- 
ries, the  principal  trade  consists  in  dried  plums,  which  are 
transported  into  different  countries.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
founded  before  the  Christian  era ; it  was  the  birth-place  of 
St.  Louis,  bishop  of  Toulon, b and  grand  nephew  to  St. 
Louis  the  Ninth.  A rich  plain  extends  between  Brignolles 
and  Draguignan,  the  capital  of  the  department ; in  the  same 
plain  are  produced  the  large  chestnuts  that  are  sold  in  Paris.c 
Draguignan  is  watered  by  several  fountains,  and  traversed  by 
the  Pis,  a small  river ; the  principal  curiosities  are  a botan- 
ical garden,  a good  library  and  a museum  of  natural  history. 
At  two  leagues  from  it,  is  situated  Grasse,  a much  more 
important  place  both  in  point  of  population  and  industry ; it 
stands  on  the  side  of  a hill,  commanding  a view  of  fields 
and  gardens,  where  the  orange,  the  jessamine  and  the  rose 
mingle  their  perfume.  Swarms  of  bees,  a source  of  wealth 
in  that  part  of  the  country,  find  in  these  and  other  flowers 
abundant  nourishment,  while  the  inhabitant  extracts  from 
them  the  juices  that  are  converted  into  liqueurs  or  essences, 
and  sold  in  every  quarter  of  the  world. 

Castellane,  now  well  known  for  its  dried  fruits  and  prunes, 
is  the  first  town  in  the  department  of  the  Lower  Alps  on  the 
road  from  Grasse  to  Digne.  On  account  of  its  salt  .springs, 
one  of  which  is  large  enough  to  turn  a mill,  it  obtained  in 
ancient  times  the  name  of  Salince.  Digne, d an  ancient  city 
that  Caesar  calls  Digna,e  f is  situated  in  the  midst  of  moun- 
tains, that  might  afford  an  ample  harvest  to  the  mineralogist 
and  the  botanist.  It  consists  of  steep  and  narrow  streets, 
enclosed  by  old  walls,  and  flanked  with  square  turrets.  The 
palaces  belonging  to  the  prefect  and  the  bishop,  together 
with  the  cathedral,  are  the  only  public  buildings,  and  they 
are  nowise  remarkable.  The  thermal  springs  in  the  vicinity, 
to  which  the  ancients  repaired/  are  visited  during  the  sum- 
mer and  autumn1*  by  people  from  different  parts  of  Italy  and 
France.1  The  small  village  of  Champtercier  near  the  town, 
has  been  rendered  famous  as  the  birthplace  of  the  celebrated 
Gassendi,  a philosopher,  an  astronomer  and  the  rival  of 
Descartes.  Colmars  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  a 
fountain,  the  water  of  which  flows  and  intermits  alternately 
every  seven  minutes.  The  rich  valley  of  Barcelonette 
affords  pasturage  to  numerous  flocks  of  sheep,  and  to  many 
herds  of  oxen  ; it  derives  its  name  from  a small  town  built  in 
1230,  on  the  site  of  a Roman  city,  by  count  Raymond  Be- 
rengqr,  and  as  his  ancestors  had  migrated  from  Barcelona, 

OF  FRANCE.  213 

the  place  was  called  Barcelonette.  Segustero,  a Latin 
name  of  Celtic  origin,  announces  the  antiquity  of  Sisteron  at 
the  confluence  of  the  Buech  and  the  Durance.  The  rive*, 
confined  in  the  town  between  the  two  rocks  on  which  the 
fortress  of  La  Beaume  rises,  flows  rapidly  below  a lofty 
arch,  to  which  the  same  rocks  serve  as  hutments.  The 
principal  altar  in  the  cathedral  is  adorned  with  a fine  paint- 
ing by  Vanloo,  and  at  no  great  distance  from  the  building,  a 
walk  laid  out  with  much  taste,  leads  to  one  of  the  gates  on 
the  road  to  Aix.k  Albertet,  a Provencal  poet  who  flourished 
in  the  thirteenth  century,  was  born  in  Sisteron ; he  was  still 
more  unfortunate  than  Petrarch,  for  he  actually  died  of  love  ; 
the  object  of  his  passion  was  Laura,  the  beautiful  marchio- 
ness of  Malespina.  It  might  be  difficult  to  account  for  the 
origin  of  a singular  custom  that  exists  in  the  country  between 
Sisteron  and  Digne ; the  peasants  wrap  their  dead  in  a 
winding  sheet,  place  them  on  the  roofs  of  their  huts,  and 
cover  them  with  snow,  during  winter.  Claudius  Tiberius 
Nero,  sent  by  Caesar  into  Narbonensis,  founded  there  a 
small  town,  called  Forum  JYeronis,  on  the  site  of  which 
stands  Forcalquier,  the  capital  of  a subprefecture,  a dirty  and 
ill  built  town  on  a rock,  commanded  by  the  ruins  of  an  an- 
cient castle. 

Several  ancient  monuments  have  been  observed  in  the 
same  department ; an  inscription  on  a rock  near  Sisteron, 
informs  the  antiquary  that  Dardanus  and  Neva  Gallia,  his 
wife,  introduced  the  custom  of  interring  the  dead  in  vaults 
at  Tkeopolis , the  present  village  of  Theoux.  A bridge 
attributed  to  Caesar,  and  a building  called  the  tower  of 
jEnobarbus,  are  still  seen  near  the  village  of  Cereste,  five 
leagues  distant  from  Forcalquier.  The  ruins  of  several 
ancient  temples  are  situated  near  the  small  town  of  Riez. 

The  department  of  the  Mouths  of  the  R1k®^'  contains 
too  a thousand  objects,  which  recal  ancient  recollections. 
In  the  neighbourhood  of  St.  Remy,  are  observed  a triumphal 
arch  erected  to  Marius,  and  a mausoleum  fifty  feet  in  height. 
Aix,  formerly  the  capital  of  Provence,  was  founded  a hun- 
dred and  twenty  years  before  the  vulgar  era  hy  the  consul 
Caius  Sextius  Calvinus,  near  the  mineral  springs  which  he 
himself  had  discovered,  and  on  account  of  which  he  gave 
the  name  of  J^quce  Sextice  to  tire  town.  It  became  soon 
afterwards  a place  of  importance ; the  emperor  Tiberius 
raised  a temple  there  to  the  memory  of  Augustus ; it  had  its 
senate  and  a body  of  decurions.™  Many  objects  of  antiquity 
have  been  discovered  in  the  same  place,  the  most  of  which 
are  collected  in  the  town-house.  Several  edifices  are  re- 
markable for  their  sculptures  and  architecture,  which  are 
connected  with  the  rise  of  art  in  modern  times.  Such  is 
the  cathedral,  of  which  the  baptistery,  constructed  with  the 
remains  of  a Roman  temple,  forms  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
ornaments.  The  town-clock  near  the  fountain  in  the  mar- 
ket-place, was  erected  during  the  middle  ages  ; it  is  curious 
on  account  of  its  mechanism  ; springs  put  in  motion  differ- 
ent figures,  every  time  the  hammer  strikes  the  bell.  The 
streets  are  paved,  and  many  of  the  houses  are  well  built. 
The  Orbitelle,  a public  walk,  is  formed  by  four  rows  of 
trees,  and  adorned  with  several  fountains.  The  counts  of 
Provence  resided  at  Aix,  and  made  it  the  seat  of  a court, 
where  gallantry  and  politeness  reigned,  where  poetry  was 

a “ Gorges  d' Ollioules.”  b Born  A.  D.  1274. 

c “ — by  the  name  of  Lyons  chestnuts  ( marrons  de  Lyon.)" 
“ “ Dignes.” 

e Digna  inter  Montes  posita.  Caesar,  De  Bello  Gallico 
f Dinia,  D'Anv.  Encyc.  Method, 
e They  are  mentioned  by  Ptolemy  and  Pliny. 

h “ From  the  first  of  May  to  the  first  of  September.” 

■ For  the  quality  and  properties  of  these  waters,  the  reader  may  con- 
sult the  statistical  tables. 

k “ La  porte  d’Aix”— the  gate  of  Aix.  1 “ Bouohes  du  Rhone.” 

m The  senators  of  the  Roman  colonies  were  called  decurions  ( decu - 
rioncs.)  Adam’s  Rom.  Ant.  p.  79. — P. 

214  EUROPE.  LBOOk  cxl.ii. 


admired  and  cultivated,  and  where  the  troubadours  were 
respected.  It  is  still  a university  town,  where  students 
ntay  find  ample  means  of  instruction  ; it  possesses  an  acad- 
emy, schools  of  law  and  theology,  several  scientific  collec- 
tions, and  a library  of  80,000  volumes.  In  1819,  the 
mayor  laid  the  foundation  of  a monument  in  honour  of 
king  Rene,  whose  memory  must  be  forever  dear  to  the 
people  of  Provence ; but  if  the  inhabitants  were  to 
raise  monuments  to  each  of  their  celebrated  townsmen, 
the  walks  and  public  places  might  acquire  additional  in- 
terest from  the  statues  of  Tournefort,  Vanloo,  Adanson, 
Vauvenargues  and  Entrecasteaux.  The  glory  which  these 
distinguished  men  shed  over  the  town,  may  console  it  for 
having  given  birth  to  the  president  D’Oppede,  whose  sad 
celebrity  is  still  preserved  in  the  annals  of  fanaticism. 
The  procession  on  Corpus-Christi  day  attracts  many  idle 
persons  to  Aix  ; it  is  a strange  medley  of  sacred  and  pro- 
fane ceremonies,  of  saints  and  devils  with  long  horns  ; in 
fine,  a ridiculous  masquerade,  in  which  the  principal  char- 
acters are  sustained  by  the  clergy  and  municipal  authorities. 
The  procession  was  abolished  during  the  revolution,  and 
afterwards  renewed  ; but  it  would  have  been  well  to  have 
discontinued  part  of  the  ceremonies,  inconsistent  with  the 
ideas  of  the  age,  and  the  respect  due  to  religion. 

The  country  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Marseilles  an- 
nounces a populous  and  commercial  town  ; it  consists  of 
cultivated  fields,  gardens,  vineyards,  and  country  houses 
or  villas,  of  which  the  number  is  not  less  than  5000.  Sur- 
rounded with  manufactories,  and  built  on  the  declivity  of 
a hill,  and  in  a plain  that  extends  to  the  sea,  its  situation 
cannot  be  compared  with  that  of  any  other  town  in  France. 
The  old  town  on  the  declivity,  may  give  the  stranger  an 
unfavour^mfer  idea  of  the  place  ; the  finest  part  of  Mar- 
seilles is  that  nearest  the  sea.  Sailors  of  every  nation  are 
seen  on  the  quay ; the  streets  in  the  same  quarter  are 
broad,  straight  and  well  paved  ; a public  walk  extends 
round  one  of  the  best  harbours  in  the  kingdom,  sufficiently 
large  to  contain  twelve  hundred  vessels,  and  the  noisy  centre 
ol  the  trade  which  France  carries  on  with  the  east.  The  cas- 
tle of  If,  an  ancient  state  prison,  is  the  most  striking  object  in 
view  from  the  summit  of  Notre  Dame  de  la'Garde,  but  the 
spectator  may  also  observe  institutions  and  edifices,  of 
which  the  inhabitants  are  justly  proud,  such  as  the  schools 
of  hydrography,  medicine,  drawing  and  music,  the  semi- 
naries where  chemistry,  geometry,  and  the  mechanical 
sciences  in  their  application  to  the  arts,  are  gratuitously 
taught,  the  college,  the  observatory,  the  mint,  the  exchange, 
and  the  lazaretto,  the  largest  and  the  best  regulated  in  the 
kingdom.  At  the  sight  of  such  institutions,  one  naturally 
remembers  the  celebrated  JMassilia,  which  Cicero  called 
the  Athens  of  Gaul,  and  Pliny,  the  mistress  of  the  sciences 
( JMngistra  studiorum.)  It  was  the  native  town  of  Petro- 
nius.  the  satirist,  Puget,  the  sculptor,  Dumarsais,  the  gram- 
marian, and  Barbaroux,  the  conventionalist.  The  climate 
of  Marseilles  would  be  delightful,  if  the  calmness  of  the 
atmosphere  were  not  disturbed  by  the  impetuous  mistral. 
To  the  influence  of  the  same  wind  have  been  attributed, 
probably  by  a stretch  of  the  imagination,  the  violent  char- 
acter of  the  people,  and  their  ferocity  and  cruelty  in  the 
time  of  the  revolution. 

* A relate , D’Anville,  (Ccesar,  De  Bell.  Civ.  Lib.  I.  § 34.) 

b “ Arrcvidissernent.” 

- See  the  Memoir  on  the  ancient  republic  of  Arles  by  Anibert. 

d The  papal  palace,  situated  near  the  summit  of  the  Rock  of  Dons 


The  island  of  Ca.mague  may  be  seen  from  the  road 
that  leads  to  Arles ; it  is  surrounded  by  the  sea  and  by 
two  branches  of  the  Rhone ; it  contains  nine  villages,  a 
great  many  country  houses  and  nearly  three  hundred  and 
fifty  farms,  on  which  the  proprietors  or  tenants  rear  annu- 
ally 40,000  sheep,  3,000  oxen,  and  as  many  horses. 
Tbe  royal  sheepfold  of  Armilliere  is  situated  in  the  island. 
Arles,  the  ancient  Arelasf  one  of  the  capitals  of  Gaul,  is 
now  the  chief  town  of  a district11  in  the  department  of  the 
Mouths  of  the  Rhone.  Although  thinly  peopled  and  ill- 
built,  it  may  be  considered  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
cities  in  France,  both  on  account  of  the  historical  associa- 
tions connected  with  it,  and  the  remains  of  ancient  splen- 
dour. It  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  by  the  Celts,  fif- 
teen hundred  years  before  the  Christian  era  ;c  its  name 
has  been  derived  from  two  Celtic  words,  ar  and  lait,  which 
signify  near  the  waters.  The  antiquary  may  still  perceive 
several  arches  and  two  columns  of  a theatre,  the  remains 
of  an  amphitheatre  in  a good  state  of  preservation,  the  tow- 
er of  Constantine’s  palace,  a granite  obelisk,  the  only  one 
of  the  kind  in  France,  besides  tombs,  altars,  statues  and 
other  remains  which  are  almost  daily  excavated.  The  on- 
ly modern  edifice,  worthy  of  being  cited,  is  the  fine  town- 
house  erected  by  Mansard.  The  trade  of  Arles  consists 
in  the  sale  of  the  wines,  corn,  fruits  and  oil,  produced  in 
the  surrounding  country.  The  small  town  of  Tarascon 
stands  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhone,  by  which  it  is  sep- 
arated from  Beaucaire.  It  is  commanded  by  an  ancient 
castle,  formerly  a country  seat  belonging  to  the  counts  of 
Provence,  and  afterwards  changed  into  a prison. 

The  course  of  the  Durance  from  the  place  where  it 
joins  the  Verdon  to  its  confluence  with  the  Rhone,  sepa- 
rates the  last  department  from  that  of  Vaucluse.  Broad 
and  majestic,  and  rapid  as  a torrent,  the  river  covers  the 
country  with  its  inundations,  but  the  fertile  ooze  it  depos- 
its, and  the  canals  it  supplies,  compensate  in  some  meas- 
ure the  waste  it  occasions.  At  a short  distance  from  the 
Durance,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhone,  Avignon  rises  L 
a fruitful  plain,  embellished  with  mulberry  trees,  orchards 
and  meadows.  The  streets  of  the  city  are  narrow  and 
crooked  ; the  palace  of  Crillon,  and  the  ancient  apostolic 
palaced  are  two  fine  Gothic  buildings ; the  cathedral  may 
be  remarked  for  its  portal,  which  is  said  to  have  belonged 
to  an  ancient  temple  of  Hercules.  The  useful  and  char- 
itable institutions  are  more  numerous  than  might  have  been 
expected  from  the  number  of  inhabitants.  Among  others 
there  are  an  hospital,  an  infirmary,®  a collection  of  paint- 
ings, a museum  of  natural  history,  a botanical  garden,  dif- 
ferent schools,  a library  of  27,000  volumes,  and  a literary 
society,  called  the  academy  of  Vaucluse.  It  is  unneces- 
sary to  mention  the  gaiety  of  the  inhabitants,  or  the  grace 
and  beauty  of  the  women,  rivalling  or  surpassing  the  fair 
in  most  towns  of  the  south  ; it  may  be  remarked,  howev- 
er, that  the  low  and  ignorant  part  of  the  community,  the 
same  persons  that  committed  in  1815,  crimes  only  equal- 
I led  by  those  of  the  revolution,  are  now  making  advances 
in  different  branches  of  industry.  Avignon  was  the  native 
place  of  the  brave  Crillon,  Vernet,  the  Abbe  Poulle  and 
several  men  who  have  shed  a lustre  on  the  society  of  the 
Jesuits.  The  town  is  the  mart  of  the  grain  produced  in 

an  eminence  rising  to  the  height  of  several  hundred  feet  in  the  midst 
of  the  city. — P. 

' “ Succursnle  des  lnvalides” — military  hospital  subordinate  to  the 
Hdtel  des  Incalides  at  Paris. — P. 


book  cxl.ii.]  DESCRIPTION 

several  of  the  southern  departments  ; it  has  also  manufac- 
tories of  silks,  cottons,  leather  and  paper.  Avenio,  the  an- 
cient name,  is  of  Celtic  origin.  Pomponius  Mela  says 
that  in  his  time  the  inhabitants  were  very  wealthy. 

Apt,  a place  not  less  ancient  than  the  last  town,  was 
embellished  by  Caesar,  and  bore  the  name  of  Apta  Julia  ; 
the  present  walls  are  said  to  have  been  founded  by  the 
Romans.  Many  ancient  remains  are  contained  in  the  sub- 
terranean chapels  of  the  old  cathedral ; it  is  watered  by 
the  Calavon. 

Carpentras,  another  ancient  city,  surrounded  with  old 
walls,  was  the  Carpentoracte  of  the  Memini,  a tribe  of  the 
Cavares  ; it  would  be  much  improved  if  the  streets  were 
straight.  It  was  the  metropolis  of  a bishopric,  which  con- 
tinued from  the  third  to  the  nineteenth  century  ; the  col- 
umns of  the  principal  church,  formerly  the  cathedral,  sup- 
ported the  temple  of  Diana  in  the  burgh  of  Venasque. 
The  remains  of  a triumphal  arch  are  situated  in  the 
courts  ot  the  episcopal  palace  ; it  was  erected  to  com- 
memorate the  victory  which  Domitius  iEnobarbus  gained 
over  the  Allobroges  and  the  Arverni.  The  hospital,  the 
different  markets,  the  public  laver,  the  gate  in  the  direction 
of  Orange,3  surmounted  by  a lofty  tower,  and  the  modern 
aqueduct,  consisting  of  forty-eight  arches,  thirty-six  feet  in 
width,  and  forty-five  in  height,  are  ornamental  to  the  town. 

It  possesses  different  manufactories,  and  carries  on  a trade 
in  wines  and  other  products  of  the  department. 

The  celebrated  fountain  of  Vaucluse,  one  of  the  finest 
springs  in  Europe,  is  situated  at  an  equal  distance  from 
Avignon,  Apt  and  Carpentras.  It  issues  from  a large  and 
deep  cave  at  the  base  of  a high  bill,  that  bounds  on  the 
south  the  narrow  and  winding  valley  of  Vaucluse  (Pallis 
Clausa.)  An  old  fig  tree  below  the  roof  or  arch  of  the  cave, 
serves  to  indicate  the  height  of  the  water  in  the  fountain. 
When  it  is  at  the  greatest  elevation,  occasioned  by  the 
melted  snows  about  the  vernal  equinox,  it  bathes  the  roots 
ol  the  tree  ; the  vault  or  arch  of  the  cavern  is  then  no 
longer  visible,  and  the  calm  waters  occupy  a large  basin, 
almost  circular,  about  sixty  feet  in  diameter.  The  waters 
are  lowest  in  the  month  of  October,  when  they  descend 
to  the  depth  of  forty  feet  below  the  edge  of  the  basin. 
The  vault  of  the  cave  then  appears  in  all  its  majesty,  and 
the  spectator  may  observe  a lake  of  which  the  extent  is 
lost  in  total  darkness.  Many  have  descended  the  sides  of 
the  basin  to  the  surface  of  the  limpid  water,  that  fills  an 
abyss,  of  which  the  depth  has  never  been  measured.  Ex- 
tensive subterranean  canals  placed  above  each  other,  are 
the  passages  for  the  waters  formed  by  the  melted  snows. 
Twenty  torrents  are  precipitated  with  a tremendous  noise 
below  the  basin ; their  united  streams  are  the  sources  of 
the  Sorgues,b  which  becomes  suddenly  navigable  for  boats, 
and  turns  several  mills.  A majestic  column  was  erected 
on  the  edge  of  the  fountain  in  1809,  by  the  academy  of 
Vaucluse  ; it  bears  the  following  simple  inscription  in  gold- 
en letters — A Pctrarque.c  The  naked  rocks  that  encom- 
pass the  cascade,  the  pyramidical  masses  on  the  right  and 
left,  the  green  sward  that  covers  the  neighbouring  heights, 
the  old  turreted  castle  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Sorgues,  ac- 
cording to  tradition,  the  residence  of  Petrarch,  the  verdant 
trees  that  shade  the  river,  and  the  village  of  Vaucluse,  ate 

a “ La  porte  d’Orange” — Orange  gate. 

b Sorgue.  c To  Petrarch. 

d “ It  possesses  manufactories  of  printed  cloths,  and  also  silk  mills 
and  madder  mills  ” 


OF  FRANCE.  215 

some  parts  of  a landscape  not  inferior  to  any  other  in  the 
kingdom.  A thousand  echos  respond  to  the  names  of  Pe- 
trarch and  Laura  ; the  sympathy  of  the  young  and  the  fair 
may  console  the  shade  of  the  poet  for  the  cruelty  of  his 
mistress. 

Mount  Ventoux,  near  the  northern  extremity  of  the  de- 
partment, remains  covered  with  snow  eight  months  in  the 
year.  The  small  town  of  Vaison  at  some  leagues  west- 
ward, stands  on  the  ruins  of  Pasio,  the  principal  city  of 
the  Pocontii.  Orange,  seven  leagues  south-west  of  the  last 
place,  contains  several  manufactories,  spinning  looms,  print 
fields  and  madder  mills  it  also  carries  on  a trade  in  wine, 
oil,  honey  and  saffron.  Before  it  was  taken  by  Louis  the 
Fourteenth,  it  was  the  capital  of  a principality  belonging  to 
the  house  of  Nassau.  Before  Caesar’s  expedition  into 
Gaul,  it  was  one  of  the  four  principal  towns  in  the  territo- 
ry of  the  Cavares.  Ptolemy  designates  it  by  the  name  of 
Aurosioe  Cavarum.  A triumphal  arch  at  the  distance  of 
four  hundred  paces  from  the  walls,  on  the  road  to  Mar- 
seilles, may  bear  a comparison  with  any  in  Rome.  It  was 
erected  to  commemorate  the  victory  gained  by  Marius 
over  the  Cimbri. 

The  Rhone  forms  a western  limit  throughout  the  whole 
length  of  the  department  of  the  Drome  ; the  road  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  first  traverses  Pierre-Latte,  a small  town 
of  which  the  name  signifying  a large  stone,* 1 *  may  recal  the 
ancient  worship  of  the  Druids,  or  it  may  be  attributed  to 
the  large  rock  at  the  foot  of  which  it  is  built.  The  agree- 
able town  of  Montelimart  at  five  leagues  northwards,  is  en- 
compassed with  walls  and  ramparts,  watered  by  several 
canals,  which  supply  different  manufactories,  and  com- 
manded by  an  ancient  citadel.  It  is  surrounded  with  fine 
meadows,  fruitful  plains  and  hills  covered  with  excellent 
vineyards.  The  four  gates  that  lead  to  the  town  corre- 
spond with  the  four  cardinal  points.  Faujas  de  St.  Fond, 
a learned  professor,  who  promoted  the  study  of  geology, 
was  a native  of  Montelimart.  Valence  is  situated  on  the 
other  side  of  the  rapid  Drome.  It  is  the  chief  town  of  the 
department,  and  the  residence  of  the  prefect,  and  although 
built  without  regularity,  contains  some  monuments  not  un- 
worthy of  notice  ; among  others,  a fine  mausoleum  in  the 
cathedral,  erected  by  Canova  to  the  memory  of  Pius  the 
Sixth,  who  terminated  his  days  at  Valence  in  1798.  The 
building  called  the  Government  Housed  is  not  inelegant  in 
point  of  architecture.  It  might  be  worth  while  to  visit  the 
citadel,  were  it  for  nothing  else  than  to  enjoy  the  view 
along  the  Rhone,  or  on  the  west,  towards  the  mountains  of 
Vivarais.  The  same  city  is  mentioned  in  the  writings  of 
Ptolemy  : it  was  the  Valentia  of  the  Segalauni.  Cham- 
pionnet,  a general,  who  distinguished  himself  by  his  victo- 
ries during  the  revolutionary  period,  was  born  in  the  town. 
Die,  the  ancient  Dea  Pocontiorum,  according  to  the  Table 
of  Peutinger,  and  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine,  and  a place  fa- 
mous for  muscadine  wine,  stands  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Drome,  in  an  agreeable  valley  enclosed  by  two  chains  of 
mountains,  of  which  the  northern  is  connected  with  Mount 
Embel,  and  the  southern  with  Mount  Volvent.  Nyons  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  department,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Aigues,  carries  on  a trade  in  soap,  woollen  stuffs  and  silk. 
The  bridge  over  the  river  was  built  by  the  Romans. 

e Arausio. — P. 

1 “ Pierre  large.” 

e “Gouvernement." 


216 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CX  LI  I 


A road  across  the  mountains  leads  to  the  small  town  of 
Serres,  on  the  banks  of  the  Bueeh,  the  first  in  the  depart- 
ment of  the  Higher  Alps.  The  place  called  La  Batie 
Mont-St.-Leon,  within  a league  from  its  walls  in  the  di- 
rection of  Gap,  is  the  ancient  Mount  Seleucus,  where  in 
the  year  353  of  the  vulgar  era,  Constantius  gained  a com- 
plete victory  over  Magnentius.  At  a league  from  Gap, 
the  capital  of  the  department,  the  peasants  show  strangers 
the  Trembling  Meadow ,a  a small  floating  island  in  the  lake 
of  Pelhotiers,  formed  like  every  other  of  the  sat’he  descrip- 
tion by  a congeries  of  vegetables,  the  surface  of  which  has 
been  changed  into  a sort  of  soil,  and  covered  with  grass. 
Gap  stands  on  the  site  of  Vappicum  or  Vapincum.  Its 
name  announces  its  early  origin  ; but  laid  waste  by  the 
Lombards  and  the  Arabians,  and  overthrown  by  earth- 
quakes, it  rises  on  the  ruins  of  its  ancient  buildings.  The 
remains,  which  indicate  how  much  it  has  fallen,  can  only 
be  discovered  by  digging  to  a great  depth.  The  plague 
by  which  many  were  destroyed  in  1630,  the  revocation  of 
the  edict  of  Nantes  which  annihilated  its  industry,  and  the 
almost  general  conflagration  in  1692,  when  it  was  taken 
by  the  duke  of  Savoy,  have  reduced  the  population  to  less 
than  half  the  number  it  possessed  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
when  it  contained  16,000  inhabitants.  It  is  ill-paved,  ill- 
built,  and  without  any  remarkable  edifice ; indeed,  it  can 
only  be  commended  on  account  of  its  agreeable  position 
on  the  banks  of  two  rivulets,  the  Ronneb  and  the  Luye, 
in  a small  plain  bounded  by  mountains  that  form  a natural 
amphitheatre.  Embrun,0  called  Eborudono  in  the  Itinera- 
ry of  Antonine,4  was  the  seat  of  a bishopric.®  The  episco- 
pal palace  is  a fine  building,  but  inferior  to  the  cathedral, 
which,  it  is  said,  was  erected  by  Charlemagne.  Eboru- 

ono  was  the  principal  city  of  the  Caturiges ; Nero  and 
Galba  conferred  on  it  important  privileges,  and  Valens  ren- 
dered it  a military  station/ 

Passing  through  Montdauphin,  a small  strongholds  of 
five  hundred  inhabitants,  we  may  follow  the  road  on  the 
banks  of  the  Durance,  leave  Mount  Genevre  on  the  right, 
and  arrive  at  Brianqon,  the  highest  city  in  France.  It 
was  the  Brigantio  of  the  Romans,  under  whom  it  rose  to 
some  importance  jh  at  present  however  it  is  so  thinly  peo- 
pled, and  so  ill  built,  that  it  need  only  be  mentioned  on  ac- 
count of  its  impregnable  position.  It  is  defended  by  sev- 
en forts  that  command  all  the  approaches  to  the  town. 
The  Durance,  an  impetuous  torrent,  flows  at  the  foot  of  a 
precipice  170  feet  in  height,  and  separates  the  town  from 
the  principal  fortifications  which  are  partly  excavated  in 
the  rock  above  the  river  ; a bridge  consisting  of  a single 
arch  120  feet  in  width,  thrown  over  the  abyss,  forms  a 
communication  between  the  fortress  and  the  town.  The 
trade  of  Brianqon  consists  in  woollen  and  cotton  goods, 
and  also  in  different  articles  of  cutlery.1 

It  has  been  said  that  there  are  four  climates  in  the  moun- 

I  Pri  qui  tremble. 

b Benne  (Vosgien) — Beny  (Encyc.  Method.) 

' It  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Durance. 

II  Elirodunum.  (D’Anv.) 

® Archbishopric.  (Encyc.  Method.) 

f “•  Nero  granted  it  the  right  of  the  Latins  ( Jus  Latii  vel  Latinitas.) 
Galba  that  of  alliance,  and  Valens  rendered  it  an  important  military 
station." 

s “ Place  forte” — fortified  town. 

h “ It  was  ranked  among  cities  of  the  second  order.” 

' “ It  has  manufactories  of  hosiery,  cotton  goods  and  hardware.” 

k “ The  mountainous  department  of  the  Iserc  presents  several  re- 
markable peculiarities.  Four  different  climates  may  be  distinguished, 


tainous  department  of  the  Isere,  and  certainly  there  is 
some  difference  in  the  temperature  of  the  arid  plains,  the 
marshes,  the  vallies  and  the  mountains.11  The  first  are 
subject  in  summer  to  excessive  heat  and  violent  winds  • 
the  second  are  exposed  to  a humid  but  less  elevated  tem- 
perature. In  the  deep  vallies  the  variations  of  the  atmos- 
phere are  very  rapid,  still  rains  and  droughts  are  often  of 
long  continuance ; during  summer,  the  heat  is  extreme, 
while  in  winter,  the  cold  is  very  rigorous.  Only  two  sea- 
sons, those  of  summer  and  winter,  are  known  on  the  moun- 
tains ; the  latter  lasts  longer  than  the  former.  Among  their 
inhabitants,  are  observed  the  same  activity  and  the  same 
industry  for  which  the  mountaineers  in  other  European 
countries  are  remarkable.  The  high  part  of  the  country 
is  ill  provided  with  wood,  but  the  abundant  pastures  com- 
pensate in  some  measure  for  the  want  of  forests ; the  peas- 
ants are  thus  enabled  to  rear  numerous  flocks.  The  lofty 
woods  in  the  eastern  districts  of  the  department,  furnish 
fuel,  timber  for  building,  and  masts  for  ships. 

The  road  which  leads  from  Briancon  to  Grenoble,  ex- 
tends across  a mountainous  country,  and  follows  the  wind- 
ings of  the  Romanche  from  La  Grave,  the  last  village  in 
the  Higher  Alps,  to  Vizille,  a burgh  of  no  great  size,  but 
important  on  account  of  its  manufactures.1  The  forges 
and  iron  works  that  are  scattered  on  the  same  road,  indi- 
cate the  metallic  wealth  of  the  mountains.  Leaving  the 
wild  and  romantic  banks  of  the  Drac  on  the  left,  we  ob- 
serve the  Isere  pursuing  its  sinuous  and  rapid  course  at  the 
foot  of  a chain  of  heights,  covered  with  vineyards  and  mul- 
berry trees  at  their  base,  and  with  forests  and  pastures  to- 
wards their  summits.  The  same  river  waters  the  valley 
of  Gresivaudan,  and  passes  through  Grenoble.  The  lofty 
ramparts  of  the  town  command  a fruitful  plain,  varied  with 
orchards  and  meadows.  The  principal  public  buildings 
are  situated  in  the  part  of  the  town  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Isere.m  Among  these  are  the  palace  of  the  prefect,  and 
the  court  of  justice.  The  library  belonging  to  the  univer- 
sity" contains  sixty  thousand  volumes,  besides  many  valu- 
able manuscripts,  among  others,  the  poems  of  the  duke  of 
Orleans,  the  father  of  Louis  the  Twelfth.  The  statues  of 
Bayard,  Vaucanson,  Condillac  and  Mably,  all  natives  of 
Grenoble,  are  erected  in  the  college.  In  the  schools  of 
law,  medicine  and  surgery,  other  men,  still  living,  have 
been  educated,  who  have  given  proofs  of  talent  sufficient- 
ly great  to  merit  one  day  a place  near  the  distinguished 
persons  already  mentioned.  The  town  carries  on  a trade 
in  different  articles,  particularly  ifi  gloves,  which  are  said 
to  be  the  best  in  France.®  History  attests  its  antiquity  ; it 
was  the  Cularo  of  the  ancients  ;p  ruined  in  the  wars  of  the 
Romans,  it  was  rebuilt  by  the  emperor  Gratian,  who  gave 
it  the  name  of  Gratianopolis,  which  has  been  corrupted 
into  Grenoble. 

The  burgh  of  Sassenage,  well  known  for  excellent 

namely,  those  of  the  arid  and  the  marshy  plains,  and  those  of  the  val- 
lies and  the  mountains.” 

1 “ Print  fields  and  spinning  mills.” 

m Nine  tenths  ofthe  city  are  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Isere. — Ed.  Encyc 

“ “ College” — Grenoble  possesses  a university  and  a royal  col 
lege. — P. 

o “ Its  commerce  and  manufactures  are  important  ; among  the  lat- 
ter, that  of  gloves  has  few  rivals  in  Europe.”  The  principal  manu- 
factures of  Grenoble  are  woollen  cloths,  muslins,  hats,  and  particular- 
ly gloves,  the  principal  towns  of  France,  Spain,  Italy,  and  Britain, 
being  supplied  with  them.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

p “ It  was  one  of  the  cities  of  the  Allobroges,  who  gave  it  the  name 
of  Cularo.” 


L 


BOOK  CXLII.] 


DESCRIPTION 

cheese,  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  that  rises  on 
the  west  of  Grenoble.  Strangers  visit  there  two  grottos, 
rendered  famous  in  past  times  by  popular  superstition  ; with- 
in them  are  two  cylindrical  excavations,  called  the  Vats 
of  Sassenage,a  in  both  of  which  the  water  rises  spontane- 
ously, and  according  to  the  height  it  reaches,  the  peasants 
used  to  presage  the  scarcity  or  abundance  of  the  harvest. 
These  grottos,  well  worthy  of  being  seen,  are  not  so  fre- 
quently visited  at  present,  probably  because  imposture 
works  no  longer  on  ignorance  and  credulity.  A rugged 
and  difficult  path  leads  to  them  ; the  entrance  is  about 
twenty-five  feet  broad,  and  as  many  in  height;  beyond  it, 
a sort  of  porch  forty  feet  wide  and  seventy  long,b  termi- 
nates in  several  caverns  ; the  torrent  of  Germe  issues  from 
the  largest,  and  forms  a cascade,  of  which  the  noise  is 
heard  in  the  subterranean  cavities. 

Although  the  direct  distance  to  the  frozen  summits  of 
Mont  Blanc  exceeds  twenty-five  leagues,  they  may  be  dis- 
tinctly seen  from  the  heights  above  Grenoble.  The  Great 
Chartreuse0  lies  in  the  same  direction,  a monastery  for- 
merly considered  the  capital  of  the  rich  and  rigid  order 
founded  by  St.  Bruno  in  the  year  1084.  It  has  taken  its 
name  not  from  the  founder,  but  from  the  village  of  Char- 
trouse,  situated  near  the  valley,  where  the  pious  anchorite 
chos^e  his  retreat,  and  where  his  disciples  built  their  con- 
vent. It  is  enclosed  at  the  two  extremities  by  mountain- 
passes  extending  between  rugged  and  almost  vertical  cliffs 
covered  with  fir  trees  and  brambles ; in  certain  seasons  of 
the  year,  particularly  in  spring,  those  who  visit  it  must  be 
prepared  to  brave  dangers  at  every  step  ; enormous  rocks 
rising  on  the  right  and  on  the  left  afford  but  an  insecure 
support  to  other  rocks  that  are  lost  in  the  clouds.  The 
precipices  are  in  some  places,  more  than  four  hundred  feet 
in  perpendicular  height  ; the  voice  of  the  guides  and  the 
cries  of  animals  are  drowned  in  the  noise  of  torrents.  The 
stranger  must  traverse  a narrow  pass  below  the  cataract 
of  Guiers-Vif,  on  the  slippery  declivity  of  an  immense  rock, 
that  separates  the  mass  of  w_ater  from  the  abyss  into  which 
it  descends.  These  difficulties,  almost  insurmountable 
while  the  snow  melts,  cease  generally  about  the  middle  of 
summer.  But  the  journey  in  every  season  is  very  fatiguing ; 
a winding  road  encumbered  with  large  stones  or  broken 
rocks  terminates  in  the  obscurity  of  a forest,  in  which  the 
traveller  ascends  constantly  until  he  observes  the  convent ; 
the  road  then  begins  to  descend,  and  the  valley  becomes 
broader,  and  at  the  same  time  the  forest  opens,  and  the 
fir  gives  place  to  the  beech.  An  edifice  of  a simple  and 
noble  architecture  in  such  a situation,  is  not  likely  to  be 
seen  for  the  first  time  without  feelings  of  devotion.  These 
walls  were  respected  at  the  revolution,  when  religious 
houses  were  destroyed.  The  people  in  these  mountains 
have  not  forgotten  the  blessings  which  the  successors  of 
St.  Bruno  diffused  among  the  poor ; they  furnished  em- 
ployment to  every  inhabitant,  they  encouraged  agriculture, 
and  they  changed  part  of  a desert  into  meadows  and  fruit- 
ful fields  ; under  their  superintendance,  the  forests  were 
preserved,  the  flocks  multiplied  in  the  vallies.  Now  set- 

1 “ Cuves  de  Sassenage.” 

b “ More  than  40  feet  in  height  and  depth,  and  70  feet  in  width.” 

c La  Grande  Chartreuse.  d “The  venerable." 

e See  “ Les  Merveilies  et  les  Beautes  de  la  Nature  en  France,”  by 
M Depping,  who  relates  the  above  anecdote  on  the  authority  of  M. 
Ladoucette,  formerly  prefect  of  the  Isere. 

( In  the  year  L>70. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  49  28 


OF  FRANCE.  217 

tied  again  in  their  ancient  residence,  if  they  no  longer  pos- 
sess the  influence  which  was  acquired  partly  by  their  wealth, 
they  still  retain  an  ascendency  that  must  be  attributed  to 
exemplary  virtue,  benevolence  and  charity. 

It  may  not  perhaps  be  worth  while  to  describe  all  the 
remarkable  places  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Grenoble  ; a 
few  detached  features  may  suffice  to  give  the  stranger 
some  idea  of  the  country.  The  hamlet  of  Andrieux  in  the 
valley  of  Godmard  is  so  much  concealed  by  steep  rocks, 
that  the  inhabitants  never  see  the  sun  during  three  months  of 
winter.  When  the  luminary  appears  for  the  first  time  after 
so  long  an  absence,  all  the  people,  according  to  an  ancient 
custom,  follow  the  oldest  person* 1 * **  to  a bridge  in  the  vicini- 
ty ; every  person  carries  an  omelet,  and  the  return  of  the 
sun  is  celebrated  by  dances.  As  soon  as  it  appears,  the 
omelets  are  presented  as  an  offering ; the  band  then  re- 
turns to  the  village,  and  the  festival  terminates  in  mirth 
and  drinking.6  The  burgh  of  Echelles  to  the  north  of  the 
Great  Chartreuse,  stands  near  the  limits  between  France 
and  Savoy,  and  not  far  from  the  excellent  road  cut  through 
the  rocks  by  Charles  Emmanuel/  and  improved  by  Napo- 
leon. At  a greater  distance,  Pont  de  Beauvoisin  on  the 
banks  of  the  Guiers,  is  the  last  town  in  France.  La  Tour 
du  Pin  is  situated  on  the  same  road,  in  a fertile  valley. 
Near  the  village  of  Notre  Dame  de  la  Balme,  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Rhone,  the  entrance  to  a cave  has  been  chang- 
ed into  a chapel,  and  dedicated  to  the  Virgin.  The  inte- 
rior consists  of  several  halls  adorned  with  beautiful  stalac- 
tites, and  with  cascades,  canals  and  a small  lake,  where 
strangers  may  sail  in  a boat  by  the  light  of  torches ; and 
if  it  were  not  that  the  place  was  sanctified,  for  it  belongs 
to  the  chapel,  the  boat  might  be  compared  to  the  one  in 
which  the  shades  of  heathens  are  transported  to  the  infer- 
nal regions. 

Confined  between  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhone  and  a se- 
ries of  heights  arranged  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre, 
and  watered  by  the  Gere,  which  gives  motion  to  machine- 
ry, Vienne,  consisting  formerly  of  dirty  and  winding  streets, 
has  been  lately  embellished  with  many  new  buildings. 
The  modern  front  of  the  town-house  adorns  the  principal 
square  ; the  portal  and  nave  of  the  ancient  cathedral  are 
works  of  considerable  merit.  The  town  possesses  a libra- 
ry of  12,000  volumes,  a theatre,  a college,  a museum  of 
natural  history,  and  a collection  of  valuable  antiquities,  dis- 
covered within  the  walls.  It  was  the  Vienna  and  Vindo- 
bonaz  of  the  ancients,  and  had  risen  into  importance  in 
the  time  of  Caesar  ;h  Strabo  styles  it  the  capital  of  the  Al- 
lobroges  Ptolemy  considers  it  their  only  city/  and  Pliny 
calls  it  a colony.1  According  to  Pornponius  Mela,  it  was 
one  of  the  most  opulent  cities  in  Gaul.  Literature  was 
cultivated,  and  the  poet  Martial  congratulates  himself  on 
the  success  which  his  writings  met  with  in  the  town.™  Un- 
der the  reign  of  Claudius,  the  prefect  of  Gaul,  and  the 
commander  of  the  fleet,  which  the  Romans  kept  on  the 
Rhone,  resided  at  Vienne.  The  emperors  built  a palace 
in  the  town,  and  it  was  there  that  Valentinian  was  strangled 
in  the  year  392.  It  became  the  capital  of  the  Burgundian 

8 Vienna  was  the  ancient  name  of  Vienne  in  France,  and  Vindohona 
of  Vienna  in  Austria. — P. 

h De  Bello  Gallico,  lib.  vii.  § 9. 

' Lib.  iv.  cap.  i.  § 9.  k Lib.  ii.  cap.  10. 

1 Lib.  iii.  cap.  4. 

m Fertur  habere  meos,  si  vera  est  fama,  libellos 

Inter  delicias  pulchra  Vienna  suas. — Lib.  VII.  Epigr.  83. 


218  EUR* 

kingdom  in  432;  but  the  Franks  made  themselves  masters 
of  it  in  534.  It  was  taken  in  the  year  871  by  Charles  the 
Bald,  after  a siege  that  lasted  several  months.  Pope  Clem- 
ent the  Fifth,  in  presence  of  Philip  the  Fair,  assembled 
within  the  walls  a council,  memorable  in  the  history  of  fa- 
naticism, for  the  unjust  condemnation  of  the  Templars. 
In  the  time  of  Eusebius,  Lyons  and  Vienne  were  the  two 
most  important  metropolitan  cities  in  France;  the  arch- 
bishop of  the  latter  town  was  long  entitled  first  primate  of 
Gaul.  If  the  edifices  for  which  the  place  was  remarka- 
ble, have  been  destroyed,  it  may  be  attributed  to  the  blind 
zeal  of  the  early  Christians,  and  the  devastations  occasion- 
ed by  war : still,  however,  there  are  the  remains  of  a the- 
atre, the  ruins  of  an  aqueduct  and  an  amphitheatre,  a tem- 
ple dedicated  to  Augustus,  and  a triumphal  arch.  The 
church  of  Notre-Dame  de  la  Vie  is  an  ancient  edifice,  sup- 
posed to  have  been  the  Prcetorium.  According  to  several 
antiquaries,  the  bridge  which  serves  as  a communication 
between  the  town  and  the  suburb  was  built  by  the  Romans, 
as  well  as  fort  Pipet ; but  some  parts  of  the  latter  are  evi- 
dently of  Gothic  archtiecture.  The  most  celebrated  per- 
sons born  in  Vienne  are  the  poet  Claudian  and  pope  Guy,a 
surnamed  Clement  the  Fourth.  Now  the  capital  of  a pre- 
fecture, it  holds  some  rank  among  the  manufacturing  towns 
in  France  ; it  has  cloth  manufactories  and  iron  works,  and 
carries  on  besides  a considerable  trade  in  leather.b  La 
Cote  de  St.  Andre,  a populous  burgh,  near  the  banks  of 
the  Frette,  derives  great  profit  from  the  sale  of  liqueurs 
and  light  sparkling  white  wines.  St.  Marcellin,  well  built 
and  agreeably  situated,  is  enriched  by  the  produce  of  the 
neighbouring  vineyards. 

The  Ardeche  has  given  its  name  to  the  department 
which  it  traverses  in  an  easterly  direction,  and  which  it  al- 
so bounds  on  the  south  near  its  confluence  with  the  Rhone  ; 
the  same  department  is  limited  on  the  east,  in  the  direction 
of  its  length,  by  the  Rhone,  while  on  the  west,  the  chain 
of  Mezin,c  and  the  mountains  of  Sone  and  Tanargue,  form 
part  of  the  frontiers.  Thus  within  the  same  limits  was  al- 
most wholly  contained  the  ancient  province  of  Vivarais, 
which  long  before  the  invasion  of  the  Romans,  was  called 
Ilelvia.  In  conformity  to  an  etymology,  that  may  be  ad- 
mitted, because  it  accords  with  the  nature  of  the  country, 
the  ancient  name  of  the  province  might  signify  a road  in 
the  mountains .d  But  etymologists  have  certainly  gone  too 
far  in  deriving  the  name  of  the  Ardeche  from  the  same  root 
as  the  Latin  word  ardere  (to  burn).  To  suppose  that  the 
mountains  of  Auvergne  and  Vivarais,  almost  all  of  which 
bear  the  marks  of  igneous  origin,  emitted  flames  when  man 
inhabited  those  regions  or  other  neighbouring  countries,  is 
to  indulge  in  conjectures  wholly  at  variance  with  facts. 
Not  the  least  important  of  these  facts  may  be  considered 
the  discovery  of  the  fossil  bones  belonging  to  different  ani- 
mals under  the  basaltic  currents  near  Issoire  in  Auvergne,6 
— bones  in  which  nothing  has  been  found  to  announce  the 
existence  of  man  at  the  period  when  the  basalt  covered 
the  place  where  these  remains  were  deposited.  If  the  an- 
cient names  of  certain  mountains  accord  with  the  notion  of 
their  ignition,  it  is  because  they  preserved  their  heat, 

3PE.  [BOOK  CXLU 

smoke  or  other  signs  of  incandescence,  long  after  the 
flames  had  disappeared,  or  because  the  dark  colour  of  vol- 
canic products  leads  the  most  ignorant  persons  to  compare 
them  with  objects  which  have  undergone  the  action  of  fire. 
Thus  basalt/  an  eastern  word,  signifies  burnt  stone,  from 
its  dark  color,  although  the  ancients  applied  that  name  to 
a rock,  which  they  did  not  consider  a lava,  and  which  in 
reality  differs  from  the  basalt  of  geologists. 

The  physical  geography  of  the  same  department  is  less 
understood  than  that  of  almost  any  other  in  France.  It 
owes  its  peculiar  character  to  the  volcanic  conflagrations, 
of  which  it  was  once  the  theatre,  and  to  the  decomposition 
of  the  rocks  in  many  parts  of  its  granitic  and  calcareous 
mountains.  The  crater  of  St.  Leger,  not  far  from  the 
banks  of  the  Ardeche,  exhales  like  the  Grotto  del  Cane 
near  Pozzuoli,  a great  quantity  of  carbonic  acid.  The 
Pont  de  la  Beaume/  a volcanic  current,  exhibits  a mass 
of  basalt,  arranged  in  the  form  of  prisms,  inclining  in  dif- 
ferent directions,  and  resting  on  a range  of  larger  prisms, 
placed  vertically  the  one  beside  the  other.  But  the  most 
curious  part  of  the  hill  is  a natural  grotto,  formed  and  sur- 
mounted by  prisms  regularly  fashioned  into  an  arch,  as  if 
by  the  hand  of  man.  The  mountain  ofChenavari  rests  on 
a calcareous  base,  supporting  a stratum  of  rolled  pebbles, 
and  is  crowned  by  a volcanic  summit,  which  forms  a bar- 
rier of  grey  and  reddish  lava  towards  the  south,  and  pre- 
sents in  the  opposite  direction  the  singular  spectacle  of  a 
basaltic  colonnade  more  than  six  hundred  feet  in  length. 
At  a greater  distance  northwards,  a rock  surmounted  by 
prisms  heaped  horizontally,  or  grouped  in  an  inclined  po- 
sition, supports  the  ancient  castle  of  Rochemaure,  now  in 
ruins,  so  called  from  the  black  colour  of  the  stone.  The 
burgh  of  Vais  is  celebrated  for  its  mineral  waters;  near  it 
may  be  seen  the  famous  Giants’  causeway  ( Chaussee  des 
Gcans ) formed  by  many  basaltic  prisms  that  rise  above 
both  banks  of  the  Volant.  A cataract  near  the  bridge  of 
Bridon  falls  in  foam  from  similar  rocks.  It  is  impossible 
to  behold  these  objects  with  indifference ; but  others  not 
less  remarkable,  are  situated  in  the  same  department ; such 
are  the  majestic  collection  of  prisms  near  the  bridge  of 
Rigodel,  the  stupendous  causeway  formed  by  colossal  pil- 
lars near  the  village  of  Colombier,  and  lastly,  the  Gueule 
d'Enfer , a waterfall  that  rushes  from  a granite  rock  more 
than  five  hundred  feet  in  height,  covered  with  prismatic 
lava.  These  volcanic  mountains  have  been  frequently  de- 
scribed with  more  or  less  exactness  and  particularity  ;h  it 
is,  however,  unnecessary  to  enumerate  all  the  objects  in  the 
same  part  of  the  country,  which  have  been  mentioned  by 
different  authors,  under  the  enticing  head  of  natural  curi- 
osities or  wonders  of  nature.  Among  those  not  of  volcan- 
ic origin,  the  natural  bridge  of  Arc  above  the  Ardeche  has 
given  rise  to  much  speculation.  It  is  formed  by  a semi- 
circular arch  a hundred  and  ninety-five  feet  wide,  and 
ninety  or  ninety-five  in  height/  opening  a passage  through 
a calcareous  rock,  that  extends  across  a fruitful  and  ro- 
mantic valley.  The  geographers  who  mention  it,  suppose 
it  to  have  been  formed  by  a rupture  made  in  the  rock  by 
the  waters  of  the  river,  and  finished  by  the  hand  of  man, 

1 Guy  Foulquois,  Foulquezor  Fouquet — elected  pope  A.  D.  1265. — P. 
b “ It  has  cloth  manufactories,  tanneries,  and  establishments  for 
working  the  metals  obtained  in  the  department.” — It  has  manufacto- 
ries of  cloth,  steel,  copper,  paper,  glass,  salt  and  nitre.  (Vosgien.) — P. 
c From  mezing,  a word  in  the  old  patois,  which  signifies  middle. 
d In  the  ancient  Celtic  languages,  hel  and  bel  signify  elevation,  height, 
and  via,  like  wcg,  a way  or  road. 

e See  p.  883.  1 In  Arabic  bashalt. 

e Bridge  of  Beaume. 

h Histoire  naturelle  des  provinces  m^ridionales  de  France,  par  l’abb6 
Girault-Soulavie.  Recherches  sur  les  volcans  feteints  du  Vivarais,  par 
Faujas  de  Saint-Fond.  Institutions  geologiques,  par  Breislak. 

• “ 60  metres  in  width,  and  25  or  30  in  height.” 

J 

BOOK  CXL1I.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  219 


because  since  the  time  of  the  Roman  conquest,  it  has  been 
used  as  a passage  from  the  Cevennes  to  Vivarais.1  Rut  so 
large  a rock,  instead  of  having  been  perforated  by  the  river, 
must  have  determined  its  course  in  a different  direction.  It 
is  evident  also  that  it  never  has  been  perfected  by  manual 
labour ; for  owing  to  the  inequalities  of  its  upper  surface,  no 
one  can  cross  it  without  the  greatest  difficulty.  It  is  also 
certain  that  the  Ardeche  has  not  enlarged  it,  for  the  arch 
exhibits  no  marks  of  aqueous  abrasion  ; the  bridge  must 
therefore  be  considered  a real  cavern,  like  other  caverns 
formed  in  the  same  rock  on  the  banks  of  the  river  by  natural 
disintegration ; indeed  its  tendency  to  disintegration  serves 
as  a character  for  that  sort  of  limestone,  whence  in  the  lan- 
guage of  geology,  it  is  termed  cavernous.h  The  grottos  near 
the  burgh  of  Vallon,  may  be  attributed  to  the  same  cause; 
they  are  remarkable  for  the  singular  and  varied  forms  which 
their  stalactites  present ; the  rocks  near  Ruoms,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  not  less  remarkable  for  then-  regular  shapes, 
either  cubical  or  pyramidical. 

The  geologist  and  the  painter  may  find  ample  scope  for 
their  respective  pursuits  in  the  same  department,  but  several 
places  well  worthy  of  being  visited,  are  almost  unknown. 
Such  is  the  domain  of  Ubas,  occupying  a circumference  of 
nearly  seven  leagues.  It  lies  in  the  western  extremity  of  the 
department,  in  the  district  of  St.  Etienne  de  Lugdares,  at 
eight  leagues  north-west  of  L’Argentiere,  and  surrounded 
on  the  north,  the  east  and  the  south  by  hills,  which  rise 
gradually,  and  form  the  volcanic  mountain  of  Prasoncoupe, 
about  3250  feetc  above  the  level  of  the  Mediterranean ; the 
name  of  the  mountain  signifies  the  cup  or  crater  of  the  mead- 
ows,d so  called  most  probably  on  account  of  the  fruitful 
meadows  below  it.  The  same  volcano,  from  the  abundance 
of  its  lava,  may  be  considered  the  most  important  in  Viva- 
rais.  If  the  geologists,  who  have  examined  the  neighbour- 
ing country,  had  observed  it,  the  first  rank  would  not  have 
been  assigned  to  the  volcano  of  Loubaresse.  The  thermal 
springs  that  rise  in  the  neighbourhood,  account  for  the 
wealth  in  the  village  of  St.  Laurent  les  Bains ; if  it  were 
not  for  the  reputation  in  which  the  waters  are  held,  it  might 
remain  deserted  in  its  narrow  and  sterile  valley.  The 
scene  changes  at  the  summit  of  Prasoncoupe,  and  lands 
covered  with  woods,  meadows,  abundant  streams  and  culti- 
vated fields,  form  a contrast  to  the  arid  and  dismal  valley. 
The  worthy  descendant  of  the  ancient  family,  to  whom  the 
domain  belongs,®  has  set  an  example  that  the  landlords  in 
the  department  would  do  well  to  imitate ; he  has  improved 
agriculture  by  introducing  the  methods  adopted  in  different 
districts  in  Switzerland  and  Alsace,  and  by  crossing  the  oxen 
with  the  best  herds  of  Berne.  It  were  to  be  wished  that 
such  improvements  were  generally  adopted  in  a country, 
that  appears  to  have  made  little  or  no  progress  in  agricultural 
knowledge  since  the  thirteenth  century.  The  domain,  like 
all  the  western  and  northern  part  of  the  department,  abounds 
in  granite  and  sandstone ; it  contains  besides  rich  iron  ore, 
coal,  clay  well  adapted  for  earthen  ware,  and  the  finest  kao- 
lin for  porcelain. 

The  summit  of  the  volcano  of  Loubaresse  commands  the 
valley  of  Valgorge;  its  numerous  peaks  and  fruitful  fields, 

1 Itineraire  complet  du  royaume  de  France,  5e  Edition,  1828.  Dic- 
tionnaire  de  gcographie  physique  de  la  France,  par  Girault  de  Saint- 
Fargeau,  1827.  Les  Merveilles  et  les  Beautes  de  la  Nature  en  France, 
par  Depping,  1822. 

b For  further  particulars  in  relation  to  the  bridge  of  Arc,  the  reader 
may  consult  the  memoir  by  M.  Rozet,  inserted  in  “ Memoires  de  la 
Societe  d’histoire  naturelle  de  Paris,  tom  ii.”  entitled : Notice  geog- 


and  the  frequent  contrasts  between  cultivated  nature  and 
romantic  scenery,  render  it  the  most  picturesque  in  Vivarais. 
It  was  in  the  castle  of  Valgorge,  near  a small  town  of  the  same 
name,  in  the  most  fertile  part  of  the  valley,  that  the  Marquis  de 
La  F are  composed  the  poems  on  which  his  celebrity  depends. 
Although  the  mines  of  argentiferous  lead  are  now  exhausted  at 
L’Argentiere,  it  finds  in  its  silk  manufactures  more  resources 
than  ever  it  obtained  from  the  works  from  which  the  name  of 
the  town  has  been  derived.  The  town  of  Bourg  St.  Andeol 
to  the  south-east,  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhone,  contains  twice 
as  many  inhabitants  as  L’Argentiere,  although  the  latter  is  the 
chief  town  of  a subprefecture. f It  has  been  affirmed  that 
the  town  was  called  after  St.  Andeol,  who  suffered  mar- 
tyrdom in  the  third  century.  On  a rock  in  the  neighbour- 
hood from  which  the  Tourne,  a fountain  of  cold  mineral 
water,  escapes,  is  situated  a religious  monument  of  the  Gauls, 
namely,  the  ruins  of  a temple,  which  appears  to  have  been 
consecrated  to  the  god  Mithra.  Most  of  the  basso-relievos 
are  nearly  effaced,  but  one  of  them,  perhaps  the  most  impor- 
tant, remains  in  a good  state  of  preservation. e It  is  not  dif- 
ficult to  distinguish  a bull  with  a dog  biting  it  on  the  neck, 
and  a man  holding  it  by  a rope ; a radiated  figure  above  the 
same  group  represents  the  sun.  Two  monuments  of  a sim- 
ilar kind  may  be  seen  in  the  royal  museum  of  antiquities  at 
Paris;  they  have  been  illustrated  by  French  antiquaries. 
Aps,  the  Alba  Helviorum  of  the  Romans,  and  the  ancient 
capital  of  Helvia,  was  ruined  by  the  Goths ; it  is  now  a 
mere  village.  The  inhabitants  of  Villeneuve  de  Berg  in  the 
vicinity,  rear  an  immense  number  of  silk  worms.  The 
same  town  was  the  birthplace  of  Court  de  Gebelin,  one  of 
the  greatest  philologists  of  the  last  century,  and  whose 
researches  on  the  languages  and  monuments  of  antiquity 
are  among  the  most  valuable.  Viviers  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rhone  contains  two  thousand  souls ; it  was  formerly  the 
capital  of  Vivarais. 

The  granite  and  gneiss  that  bound  the  department  on  the 
north-west,  the  sandstone  and  schistus  that  rest  on  these  rocks, 
the  limestone  that  reposes  upon  the  two  latter,  and  the  vol- 
canic belt  that  terminates  suddenly  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rhone  in  the  basalt  of  Rochemaure,  as  if  the  river  had  been 
a barrier  to  the  torrents  of  lava,  meet  near  Aubenas,  where 
alluvial  deposits  occasioned  by  the  erosion  of  the  vallies 
which  intersect  the  other  formations,  form  a very  fruitful 
soil.  It  might  be  said,  judging  not  only  from  the  walnut, 
chestnut  and  mulberry  trees,  but  also  from  the  vineyards 
and  crops,  that  few  parts  of  F ranee  are  so  productive ; thus 
Aubenas,  a town  of  3500  inhabitants,  is  the  mart  for  the 
chestnuts  and  wines  of  the  Ardeche,  and  a fair  to  which 
many  persons  resort,  is  held  twice  a year  in  the  same  place 
for  the  sale  of  silk.  Privas,  the  capital  of  the  department, 
is  not  remarkable  for  its  edifices ; indeed,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a prison,  it  possesses  none  of  any  consequence ; the 
importance  of  the  town  depends  on  die  commerce  and 
industry  of  the  inhabitants.  The  village  of  Cornas  and  the 
burgh  of  St.  Peray,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  Rhone, 
are  encompassed  with  fruitful  and  valuable  vineyards.  The 
course  of  the  river  leads  to  Tournon,  which  communicates 
with  Tain  on  the  opposite  bank  by  means  of  a suspension 

nostique  sur  la  langue  de  terre  comprise  entre  le  Rhone,  l’Arde 
che,  &c. 

c “ 1000  metres.”  d “ Coupe  ou  cr attire  des  pris." 

e The  family  of  Agrain  des  Ubas  has  possessed  it  since  the  eleventh 
century.  f Bourg  St.  Andeol  is  in  the  sub-prefecture  of  Privas. — P. 

s “ Among  several  bas-reliefs,  nearly  effaced,  the  most  important  is 
that  which  indicates  the  purpose  for  which  the  temple  was  erected.” 


[BOOK  CX1.II 


220  EUROPE. 


bridge,  that  is  neither  so  light  nor  so  elegant  as  others  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Vienne.  An  old  castle  that  rises  above 
the  town,  was  built  in  the  time  of  Charles  Martel ; it  is  at 
present  only  remarkable  for  the  extensive  view  it  commands 
along  both  banks  of  the  Rhone ; on  the  right  and  in  the  de- 
partment of  the  Drome  are  seen  the  famous  hill  of  Hermitage, 
and  the  vineyards  of  Cote-rotie  brune  and  Cote-rutic  blonde; 
the  trade  in  these  wines  is  principally  carried  on  at  Tour- 
non.  The  ruins  of  an  old  bridge  are  situated  on  the  Doubs 
in  the  neighbourhood  ; according  to  different  writers,  it  was 
built  in  the  time  of  Caesar.  The  first  iron  wire  bridge  made 
in  France,  was  erected  at  the  small  town  of  Andance.  An- 
nonay,  well  known  for  its  fine  paper,  is  the  most  industrious 
town  in  the  Ardeche,  a pre-eminence,  owing  partly  to  its 
position  at  the  confluence  of  the  Cance  and  the  Deume.  It 
possesses  in  addition  to  the  paper  mills,  cloth,  silk  and  cotton 
manufactories,  bleach-fields,  wax  and  leather  works.®  The 
population  amounts  to  8000  individuals.  It  was  the  birth- 
place of  the  virtuous  Boissy  d’Anglas  and  of  Mongolfier,  the 
inventor  of  the  balloon  and  the  hydraulic  ram.  Two  mon- 
uments raised  to  the  memory  of  these  distinguished  men, 
attest  the  gratitude  of  their  fellow  citizens,  but  reflect  little 
honour  on  the  artists  by  whom  they  were  executed. 

The  department  has  produced  several  great  men,  but  it 
cannot  be  remarked  without  pain  that  the  mass  of  the  people 
both  in  the  country  and  in  the  towns  are  as  uncultivated  as 
their  mountains,  and  as  superstitious  as  the  ancient  Helvians 
from  whom  they  are  sprung.  The  climate  of  the  same  de- 
partment is  very  different  in  different  places.  A fructifying 
heat  is  felt  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhone ; the  vallies  round 
St.  Julien  and  Annonay  are  temperate,  but  in  the  Cevennes 
on  the  west,  winter  lasts  nearly  eight  months,  and  the  ground 
is  often  covered  with  deep  snow. 

Conterminous  to  the  department  of  the  Ardeche,  and 
traversed  by  the  same  chains  of  mountains,  the  department 
of  the  Upper  Loire  exhibits  the  same  volcanic  phenomena, 
as  wild  scenery,  and  as  romantic  beauties.  The  Mezin,b  a 
mountain  of  igneous  origin,  is  adorned  with  majestic  columns 
of  basalt ; it  rises  to  the  height  of  2600  feetc  above  its  gran- 
ite base.  The  volcanoes  called  the  Tartas,d  the  Infernels 
and  the  Mouns  Caou  or  Mont  Chaude  are  the  most  remark- 
able among  those  which  are  situated  on  the  same  line  as  the 
Mezin/  Basaltic  currents  appear  to  have  obstructed  the 
course  of  the  Loire  at  Goudet  and  at  Solignac,  and  of  the 
Allier  at  Monistrol,  Prades  and  Chasez.  The  volcanic 
rocks  take  at  Pradelles  a north-west  direction,  and  they  may 
be  discovered  near  Lonjac,  Poulaquet,  La  Voute,  Brioude 
and  Blesle ; the  currents  of  lava  that  flowed  from  them, 
appear  to  have  been  broken  or  cut  by  rivers.  Conical  masses 
of  scoria  rise  in  several  places  above  the  basalt ; the  Bards 
near  Allegre,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these  masses, 

a “ It  also  possesses  manufactories  of  cloth,  establishments  for  spin- 
ning silk  and  cotton,  and  for  bleaching  wax,  and  tanneries.” 

b “ Mont  Mezin.”  c “ 800  metres.” 

d This  name  has  some  analogy  to  the  Tartarus  of  the  ancients.  M.  B. 

e The  Hot  Mountain. 

f A very  apposite  remark,  which  has  been  already  made  by  different 
writers,  may  be  here  repeated ; it  is  that  the  names  of  the  volcanoes 
in  Vivarais  and  Velay  are  not  of  Roman  origin.  Cajsar  observed  that 
there  was  a great  analogy  between  the  dialect  spoken  in  these  coun- 
tries and  the  Latin,  as  if  the  latter  was  derived  from  it.  In  this  man- 
ner it  is  easy  to  account  for  the  resemblance  which  the  names  men- 
tioned in  the  text,  bear  to  words  of  the  purest  Latinity.  Thus  Tartas 
or  Tartarou,  and  Infernels  or  Infemhs,  may  serve  to  recal  the  Latin 
words  Tartarus  and  Infernus,  whilst  Coueron  is  not  unlike  coquere  (to 
boil,)  and  Tanargue  resembles  Tonitru  ager  [the  field  of  thunder). 

s “ Le  Bois  de  Bard” — tho  wood  of  Bard 

h “ 1150  metres.” 


reaches  to  the  height  of  3737  feet  the  traces  of  a lake 
long  since  dried  up,  are  still  apparent  on  its  truncated  sum- 
mit.* 1 The  site  which  the  lake  of  Bouchet  occupies,  is  con- 
sidered an  extinct  crater ; it  is  about  ninety  feet  in  depth, 
and  nine  hundred  in  diameter, k and  is  surrounded  by  four 
hills  of  scorias.  But  the  most  singular  volcanic  rocks  in  the 
department,  are  the  rock  of  Corneille,  rising  like  an  enormous 
cube  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Puy,  that  of  Polignac  covered 
with  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  castle,  that  of  St.  Michael,  ex- 
hibiting the  appearance  of  a round  tower,  and  the  Roche 
Rouge 1 at  a league  and  a half  from  Brives,  a volcanic  pyr- 
amid more  than  a hundred  feet  high,  encompassed  with  a 
belt  of  reddish  granite  seven  feet  in  breadth,  and  mixed 
with  granite  blocks  which  stud  its  surface  from  the  base  to 
the  summit — a curious  example  of  the  action  of  subterranean 
fire  by  which  its  products  have  been  forced  upward  through 
the  superincumbent  rocks.  If  it  were  certain  that  the  hand 
of  man  had  not  contributed  to  its  regularity,  the  natural 
temple,  as  it  is  called,  might  merit  a particular  notice ; a 
current  of  lava  near  the  village  of  Goudet  on  the  banks  of 
the  Loire,  has  assumed  the  most  capricious  forms,  such  as 
a round  tower  terminated  by  a conical  roof,  and  the  peri- 
style of  an  edifice  supported  by  columns,  thirty  feet  in 
breadth  and  a hundred  and  eighty  in  height. 

Different  mineral  substances  are  found  in  the  primitive 
and  secondary  districts ; granite,  serpentine  and  marble  are 
rendered  useful,  and  excellent  mill-stones  are  extracted  from 
the  beds  of  sandstone  near  Marsanges,  Navogne  and  Re- 
tournac;  coals  of  the  best  quality  are  worked  at  Frugeres, 
but  the  department  possesses  enough  of  that  mineral  to  fur- 
nish an  annual  supply  of  11000  chaldrons  for  a period  of 
600  years.™  Sulphuret  of  antimony  is  found  in  beds  or  in 
veins  in  the  district"  of  Brioude,  and  several  places  abound 
apparently  in  sulphuret  of  lead.0  One  or  two  remarks  on 
the  principal  towns  may  enable  the  reader  to  estimate  the 
commerce  and  industry  of  a department  from  which  more 
than  three  thousand  individuals  emigrate  every  year,  and 
find  employment  as  tradespeople  or  workmen  in  the  differ- 
ent French  towns. 

Puy,P  the  ancient  capital  of  Velay,  is  finely  situated  in  a 
picturesque  valley,  watered  by  the  Loire  and  by  two  small 
rivers,  the  Borne  and  the  Dolaison ; it  stands  at  the  base  of 
Mount  Anis,  which  terminates  in  the  volcanic  rock  of  Cor- 
neille. The  streets  are  so  steep  that  the  noise  of  carriages  or 
waggons  is  never  heard  ; the  lava  with  which  they  are  paved, 
and  with  which  the  houses  are  built,  gives  it  a gloomy  and 
dismal  appearance.  There  is  no  town  in  France  where 
religious  ceremonies  are  more  strictly  observed,  or  where 
more  time  is  lost  in  unnecessary  and  tiresome  forms.1*  The 
rock  of  St.  Michael,  in  the  lower  part  of  Puy,  is  commanded 
by  a church  to  which  the  people  ascend  by  a stair  of  260 

* On  its  summit  is  situated  the  Crater  of  Bar,  which  is  almost  per- 
fect, 1660  feet  in  diameter,  and  130  feet  in  depth.  It  appears  that  a 
lake  once  existed  there,  but  it  is  now  nearly  dried  up.  Daubeny’s 
Descript,  of  Volcanoes,  p.  40. — P. 

k “ 30  metres  in  depth,  and  900  in  diameter” — 98.5  and  2953  feet 
nearly. — P. 

1 Red  Rock. 

m “ 3000  hectolitres  for  more  than  600  years.” 

B “ Arrondissement.” 

e Description  statistique  du  departement  de  la  Haute-Loire,  par  M. 
Deribier  de  Cheissac.  Description  geognostique  des  environs  du  Puy- 
en- Velay,  par  M.  Bertrand  Roux. 

P Le  Puy. 

s “ There  is  no  town  in  France  where  religious  ceremonies  are  more 
fatio-uing  to  those  who  diligently  observe  them” — i.  e.  the  processions 
of  The  Romish  church  are  more  fatiguing  than  in  any  other  town, 
from  the  steepness  of  the  streets. — P. 


*• 


book  cxLii.i  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  221 


steps  cut  in  die  solid  rock.  The  cathedral  stands  in  the 
highest  part  of  the  town,  and  a lofty  flight  of  118  steps  leads 
to  its  portico.  The  situation  of  the  building,  its  architecture 
and  the  height  of  its  pyramid ie.al  steeple,  render  it  one  ol  the 
most  majestic  Gothic  monuments  in  Europe.  The  front  is 
adorned  with  a sort  of  mosaic,  and  the  interior  appears  like 
a large  chapel,  in  which  the  vault  is  formed  by  the  junction 
of  several  cupolas.  The  most  valuable  relic  is  a miracu- 
lous image  of  the  Virgin — a small  cedar  wood  statue,  ac- 
cording to  tradition,  carved  by  the  Christians  of  Mount 
Lebanon,  and  brought  to  France  in  the  eighth  century,  but 
more  probably  a figure  of  Isis,  which  the  pious  crusaders 
mistook  for  the  mother  of  Christ;  at  all  events,  it  is  begirt 
with  fillets  after  the  manner  of  Egyptian  statues.  But  as  it 
has  long  been  an  object  of  veneration,  it  may  be  considered 
a Christian  relic  ; several  popes  and  eight  or  ten  kings  of 
France  have  prostrated  themselves  before  it.  The  tomb  of 
Duguesclin,  which  adorns  the  former  church  of  the  Domin- 
icans, the  theatre,  supposed  to  have  been  an  ancient  temple 
of  Diana,  and  the  museum  of  natural  history  are  not  unwor- 
thy of  notice.  Cardinal  Polignac,  the  author  of  the  poem 
of  Anti-Lucretius,  and  Julien  the  sculptor  were  born  in  the 
town  ; it  is  now  the  capital  of  the  department,  and  it  pos- 
sesses several  manufactures,  particularly  different  sorts  of 
lace,  and  for  more  than  a century  has  furnished  horse-bells 
to  the  waggoners  and  muleteers  in  the  south  of  France. 
The  neighbouring  village  of  Expailly  is  known  to  mineral- 
ogists from  a stream,  in  which  sapphires,  garnets  and  hya- 
cinths are  found.  Among  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  castle  at 
Polignac  raised  on  the  site  of  a temple,  consecrated  to  the 
Celtic  Apollo,  may  be  seen  the  head  of  the  god,  carved  on 
a disc  of  white  marble  that  serves  as  a cover  to  the  aperture 
of  the  cave  from  which  the  Gallic  divinity  used  to  deliver 
his  prophecies.  The  small  town  of  Craponne  in  the  same 
district*  carries  on  a trade  in  cloth  and  lace.  Yssengeaux  is 
the  seat  of  an  agricultural  society  ; it  has  also  a valuable  lead 
mine  in  its  vicinity.  Brioude,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
Allier,  is  situated  in  a fruitful  district.1’ 

A chain  of  mountains  extends  from  east  to  west,  and 
the  highest  part  of  it,  or  the  Lozere,c  gives  its  name  to  a 
department.  The  mountains  of  Margeride  traverse  it  from 
south-east  to  north-west,  and  the  heights  of  Aubrac  are 
divided  into  two  principal  branches.  Three  rivers,  the 
Allier,  the  Lot  and  the  Tarn  rise  in  the  same  country;  they 
are  embellished  with  waterfalls,  whilst  rugged  rocks  and 
wild  scenery  attest  the  desolation  occasioned  by  subterranean 
fires.  The  Pas  de  Souci  on  the  Tarn,  is  formed  by  two 
hills  almost  touching  each  other  at  their  summits ; it  would 
seem  as  if  they  waited  for  the  hand  of  man  to  unite  them, 
and  thus  erect  a bridge  1800  feet  in  height : in  one  place  the 
waters  are  ingulfed  between  two  immense  rocks,  the  Aiguille 
and  the  Roc-Sourde ; repelled  by  these  barriers,  they  resume 
their  course,  and  make  the  air  re-echo  with  their  noise. 
The  abundance  of  water  renders  the  department  humid,  and 
the  mountains  lengthen  the  duration  of  winter.  Spring  and 
autumn  are  generally  rainy  seasons ; storms  are  not  uncom- 
mon in  summer,  but  the  heat  is  rarely  oppressive.  The 
soil  does  not  produce  enough  of  corn  or  wine  for  the  con- 

a “ Arrondissement.” 

b It  has  an  elegant  church.  M.  13.  There  are  two  towns  of  this 
name,  about  half  a league  distant  from  each  other,  viz.  Vicille-Brioude 
or  Brioude  la  Vieille  (Old  Brioude,)  on  the  Allier,  with  a lofty  bridge 
of  a single  arch,  and  Brioudc-V Eglise,  so  called  from  a chapter  of  can- 
ons, all  of  whom  are  of  noble  descent.  Encyc.  Method.  The  latter  is 
the  one  mentioned  in  the  text. — P.  c Mount  Lozere,  p.  878. 

d “ The  town  is  surrounded  with  a boulevard.” 


sumption  of  the  inhabitants.  The  wealth  of  the  country 
consists  in  its  mines,  which  yield  silver,  antimony  and  lead. 
Cattle  and  woollen  stuffs  form  the  two  principal  branches  of 
its  commerce. 

Mende,  the  capital,  is  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  depart- 
ment ; the  valley  in  which  it  stands,  is  intersected  by  a great 
many  streams  that  water  the  villas  and  country  seats  in  the 
vicinity.  The  town  is  encompassed  with  ramparts  ;J  the 
streets  are  crooked,  but  adorned  with  several  fountains ; the 
cathedral  is  remarkable  for  the  boldness  of  its  steeples.  The 
serge  manufactured  at  Mende  is  exported  to  the  north  and 
south  of  Europe.  Pope  Urban  the  Filth  was  born  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  town,  which,  it  has  been  affirmed,  was 
the  Anderitum  of  the  Romans.**  Chateauneuf  de  Randon, 
a burgh  in  the  mountains  to  the  north-east  of  Mende,  con- 
tains hardly  2500  inhabitants ; it  was  formerly  a strong 
place,  and  a town  of  some  celebrity  from  the  siege  which 
the  English  maintained  against  Duguesclin  in  1380.  The 
Frenchman  died  beneath  its  walls,  and  the  English  general, 
who  promised  to  surrender  if  he  did  not  receive  assistance 
within  a certain  time,  laid  his  sword  and  the  keys  of  the 
town  on  the  coffin  of  his  adversary.  The  same  year  in 
which  that  event  took  place,  an  act  of  heroism  was  achieved 
near  the  village  of  Luc  on  the  eastern  frontier  of  the  de- 
partment, by  the  ancestors  of  some  families  now  existing. 
The  English  had  invaded  Gevaudan  and  Vivarais  with  a 
considerable  force ; murder  and  desolation  indicated  their 
march,  until  it  was  suddenly  impeded  at  the  fort  of  Luc, 
which  commanded  the  road  into  Upper  Auvergne.  Two 
thousand  men  attempted  to  besiege  it,  hut  three  brave 
knights/  to  whom  the  fief  belonged  in  common,  defended 
themselves  so  valiantly  that  they  at  last  repelled  the  enemy. 
The  English,  however,  wTere  ashamed  of  their  defeat,  and 
returned  to  the  contest,  when  the  three  knights  must 
have  perished,  had  they  not  been  unexpectedly  reinforced 
by  ten  of  the  most  intrepid  proprietors  in  the  neighbourhood/ 
by  whose  assistance  they  gained  a decisive  victory.  The 
castle  of  Luc  is  still  remarkable  for  its  antiquity;  according 
to  ancient  chronicles  and  popular  traditions,  it  was  founded 
before  the  country  was  conquered  by  the  Romans.  Lan- 
gogne,  a small  place  of  2500  souls,  possesses  different  cloth 
manufactories.  The  village  of  Bagnols  les  Bains  is  much 
frequented  on  account  of  its  mineral  waters.1*  Marvejols, 
destroyed  by  the  duke  De  Joyeuse,  and  rebuilt  by  Henry 
the  Fourth,  is  a neat  town  with  broad  and  straight  streets. 
Florae  in  a narrow  valley  on  the  left  of  the  Tarnon,  is  sur- 
rounded with  meadows  and  fruitful  fields,  but  derives  little 
advantage  from  its  situation. 

Three  streams,  known  by  the  name  of  Gardon,  rise  on  the 
eastern  declivity  of  the  Cevennes,  namely,  the  Gardon 
d’Anduse,  the  Gardon  de  Mialet  and  the  Gardon  d’Alais,  so 
named  from  the  principal  places  they  water.  Their  junc- 
tion forms  the  Gard,  also  called  the  Gardon,  which  gives 
name  to  a department  ;*  its  waters  sometimes  disappear 
under  beds  of  gravel,  but  its  destructive  inundations  make 
the  labourer  pay  very  dear  for  the  pieces  of  gold  it  brings 
along  with  it.  Alais,  watered  by  one  of  the  branches 
already  mentioned,  is  considered  a very  ancient  town ; it 

e Anderitum  occupied  the  site  of  Javols  or  Javaulx,  an  inconsidera- 
ble town,  five  leagues  N.  W.  of  Mende.  D’Anv.  Vosgien. — P. 

f M.  M.  De  Polignac,  Bourbal  de  Choisinet,  and  D’Agrain  des 
Ubas. 

s Malet  de  Borne,  D’Apcier,  Morangies,  Malmont  de  Soulage,  Mo- 
dene,  Durour,  Balazuc,  Vernon  de  Joyeuse,  Longueville  and  Regletton. 

h The  waters  are  sulphureous.  See  statistical  tables. 

* The  department  of  the  Gard 


EUROPE. 


222 

suffered  much  during  the  persecutions*  in  the  reign  of  Louis 
the  Fourteenth,  but  these  injuries  have  been  repaired  ; it  is 
well  built,  lias  several  manufactories,  and  carries  on  a consid- 
erable trade  in  raw  silk  and  ribbons.  Near  the  burgh  of  Re- 
moulins,  the  impetuous  waves  of  the  Card  rush  through  a nar- 
row pass,  traversed  by  the  Pont  du  Gard,b  a majestic  Roman 
aqueduct,  which  conducted  the  waters  from  the  fountain  of 
Aure  to  the  naumachia c in  the  ancient  JYemausus .d  Formed 
by  three  rows  of  arches,  it  extends  to  the  distance  of  GOO  feet, 
and  rises  to  the  height  of  1G0.  The  same  monument  is  in  ex- 
cellent preservation ; it  is  difficult  to  observe  it  without  admir- 
ing the  ancient  Romans,  who,  wiser  than  the  moderns,  employ- 
ed their  soldiers  during  peace  in  useful  labours.  Uzes,  the 
ancient  Ucetia,  is  surrounded  with  high  hills ; it  was  for- 
merly the  seat  of  a bishopric,  but  that  did  not  prevent  the 
inhabitants  from  embracing  the  reformation  in  the  sixteenth 
century.  At  present  it  is  a place  of  some  trade  ; its  manu- 
factures consist  of  hosiery,  silks,  pasteboard  and  paper.® 
It  was  the  native  town  of  the  learned  Abauzit.  Bagnols 
lies  in  a fruitful  country  on  the  banks  of  the  Ceze ; it  may 
be  considered  on  the  whole  an  ill-built  town,  although  a 
square  encompassed  with  arcades  forms  an  exception;  it 
was  the  birthplace  of  Rivarol.  A citadel  built  by  Louis  the 
Thirteenth  may  still  be  seen  at  Pont  St.  Esprit,  a town 
which  is  also  remarkable  for  a fine  bridge,  almost  half  a mile 
in  length/  begun  by  St.  Louis,  and  finished  in  the  reign  of 
Philip  the  Fair.  It  may  be  also  observed  that  the  same 
bridge  rises  at  a place  where  the  course  of  the  Rhone  is  so 
rapid,  that  a spectator  in  a boat  below  it,®  has  hardly  time 
to  observe  the  arches,  before  they  recede  from  the  view. 
Roquemaure  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  although  small, 
is  an  industrious  town  ; the  inhabitants  possess  silk  manufac- 
tories, brandy  distilleries  and  hydraulic  saws;* 1 II'  they  make 
more  than  20,000  casks  every  year  for  the  produce  of  the 
vineyards  in  the  vicinity. 

Nunes,1  situated  in  a fruitful  plain,  encompassed  with 
hills,  is  important  as  the  capital  of  a prefecture/  and  as  the 
seat  ol  a bishopric  and  a court  of  justice.1  Learned  socie- 
ties and  numerous  schools  have  been  established  in  the  town. 
The  few  streets  that  are  straight  or  well  built,  are  confined 
to  the  suburbs.  Confined  within  a narrow  enclosure,  the 
air  is  only  pure  on  the  ramparts  and  glacis  ;m  these  fine 
public  walks  are  shaded  with  trees ; the  court  of  justice/  a 
very  elegant  building,  is  the  greatest  ornament  of  the  one ; 
the  other  is  embellished  with  modern  houses,  the  hospital 
and  the  theatre.0  The  cathedral  contains  the  tombs  of 
Cardinal  Bernis  and  the  celebrated  Flechier.  But  these 
edifices,  creditable  to  any  modern  town,  shrink  into  insignif- 

a “ Dragonnades” — After  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes  in  1685, 
Louis  XIV.  attempted  to  compel  the  Protestants  by  force  to  renounce 
their  faith  and  embrace  the  Catholic  religion.  For  that  purpose  he 
built  a citadel  at  Alais  in  1669,  and  that  he  might  combine  spiritual 
persuasion  with  temporal  power,  founded  there  a bishopric  in  1692. — P. 

b Bridge  of  the  Card. 

c Place  where  mock  sea  fights  were  exhibited. 

d Nimes. 

e “ Silk  stockings,  twisted  silk,  and  pasteboard.” 

I “ 2520  feet  in  length.” 

* “ Bateau  de  poste” — passage  boat  on  the  Rhone. 

II  “ Silk  mills,  brandy  distilleries  and  saw  mills  (scierics  hydrau- 

liqu.es.)”  * “ Nimes,”  Nismes. 

k It  is  the  capital  of  the  department,  and  consequently  of  the  pre- 
fecture.— P. 

1 “ Cour  royale,”  Royal  Court — corresponding  to  our  Circuit  Courts. 
There  are  twenty-seven  Royal  Courts  in  France,  including  that  of 
Paris.  (Almanach  Royal,  1822.) — P. 

“ “The  boulevards  and  the  esplanade.” — The  town  is  surrounded 
by  a circle  of  Boulevards,  scarcely  inferior  to  those  of  Paris.  (Carter’s 
Letters  1 — P 


[BOOK  CXL1I. 

icance  when  compared  with  the  monuments  of  the  Romans. 
The  Maison  Carree p,  a rectangular  building,  as  high  as  it  is 
broad,  stands  near  the  theatre ; the  front  is  equal  to  thirty- 
six  feet,  and  the  length  to  seventy.  It  is  an  ancient  tem- 
ple with  Corinthian  pillars,  built  by  Adrian,  and  since 
repaired  by  two  kings  of  France,  namely,  Louis  the 
Fourteenth  and  Louis  the  Eighteenth.**  The  amphitheatre, 
which  has  been  recently  cleared  from  the  buildings  and 
rubbish  that  encumbered  it,  forms  an  elliptical  enclosure  of 
1 080  feet ; it  is  surrounded  with  a hundred  and  twenty 
arcades,  divided  into  two  rows,  the  one  above  the  other.  It 
holds  about  17,000  persons;  bull-fights  are  sometimes  ex- 
hibited in  the  arena.  A triumphal  arch,  called  the  gate  of 
Caesar,  is  one  of  the  ancient  monuments  most  recently  dis- 
covered ;r  the  northern  gate  is  also  of  Roman  construction. 
Many  sculptures,  basso-relievos  and  ancient  tombs  are  seen 
in  the  town.  The  Tour  J\Iagne,s  a seven-sided  pyramid/ 
rises  beyond  the  walls ; the  base  is  about  245  feet  in  cir- 
cumference." The  fountain  of  Diana  and  its  Roman  baths 
retain  only  their  names  to  verify  their  antiquity.  The  re- 
mains of  the  temple  consecrated  to  the  same  divinity/  con- 
sists of  several  capitals,  cornices  and  inscriptions.  The 
foundation  of  the  town  is  attributed  to  the  Phocseans  of  Ionia. 
From  the  time  when  it  bore  the  name  of  JVcmausus  to  the 
present  day,  Nimes  has  produced  many  distinguished  men ; 
among  others,  the  emperor  Antonine,  Domitius  Afer,  the 
master  of  Quintilian,  John  Nicot,  who  first  introduced  to- 
bacco into  France,  Bourguet  the  naturalist,  Samuel  Petit,  the 
erudite  Seguier/  Saurin,  Villars,  John  Fabre  the  protestant, 
who  suffered  punishment  in  place  of  his  father,  who  had  been 
condemned  to  the  galleys  on  account  of  his  religion,  and 
lastly,  the  learned  but  unfortunate  Rabaud-Saint-Etienne.1 
Nimes  contains  at  present  a great  number  of  manufactories, 
and  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  the  products  of  the 
department.  The  medicinal  plants  and  others  used  in  dying, 
collected  by  the  peasants,  form  a lucrative  branch  of  ex- 
portation ; they  may  be  seen  in  the  markets  of  Amsterdam, 
Hamburg  and  Lubeck. 

Beaucaire,  probably  the  ancient  Ugernum,  is  situated  at 
the  distance  of  five  leagues  to  the  east  of  Nimes,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rhone,  which  separates  it  from  Tarascon. 
The  streets  are  narrow,  but  in  other  respects  it  is  a well- 
built  town.  The  commercial  importance  of  Beaucaire  de- 
pends principally  on  a fair,  which  lasts  from  the  22d  to  the 
28th  of  July  at  midnight ; during  these  six  days,  there  is  as 
much  activity  and  confusion  as  at  Leipsic,  when  merchants 
repair  to  it  from  every  part  of  the  world.  As  the  season  of 
the  fair  approaches,  the  Rhone  is  covered  with  boats  con- 

“ “ Palais  de  justice” — hall  of  justice. 

° “ The  air  is  pure  only  in  the  shade  of  the  trees  that  adorn  the 
boulevards  and  the  esplanade ; the  palace  of  justice  is  the  principal 
ornament  of  this  fine  promenade,  whilst  another  boulevard  is  embel- 
lished by  many  elegant  modern  buildings,  the  most  important  of  which 
are  the  hospital  and  the  theatre.” 

p The  Square  House.  ( Maison  Quarrie,  in  older  authors.) — P. 

In  1689  and  in  1820. 

r It  was  first  discovered  in  the  year  1791. 

* The  Great  Tower. 

* “ A pyramid  with  seven  sides  at  the  base  and  eight  at  the  sum- 
mit.” 

u It  is  about  120  feet  high,  and  was  formerly  surrounded  with  a cir- 
cle of  open  columns.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

1 Called  also  the  Temple  of  the  Fountain. 

y J.  F.  Seguier  (born  1703,)  distinguished  as  an  antiquary  and  bota- 
nist.— P. 

1 J.  P.  Rabaut  de  St.  Etienne,  a distinguished  member  of  the  Con- 
stituent Assembly  and  the  National  Convention — opposed  the  condem- 
nation of  the  king,  and  was  consequently  denounced  by  the  revolu- 
tionary tribunal,  and  executed  Dec.  5,  1793.  Beauvais. — P. 


book  cxlii.]  DESCRIPTION 

veying  the  manufactures  of  Lyons,  Germany  and  Switzer- 
land ; at  the  same  period,  vessels  arrive  at  Toulon  and 
Marseilles,  laden  with  the  merchandize  of  Italy,  Spain  and 
the  Levant.  A hundred  thousand  merchants  repair  from 
different  points  of  Europe  and  the  East  to  the  fair,  where 
they  are  crowded  in  a town  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants. 
The  houses  can  contain  only  a small  part  of  the  extra  popu- 
lation, but  the  extensive  meadows  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rhone  are  covered  with  tents. 

Aigues-Mortes,  a small  town  of  3000  inhabitants,  situated 
in  a marshy  country,  is  no  longer  a port,  although  St.  Louis 
embarked  there  on  his  unfortunate  expedition  to  Palestine. 

It  derives  its  wealth  from  the  immense  salt  works  of  Peccais, 
situated  in  an  arid  and  sandy  district.  Vigan,a  a small 
place  at  the  western  extremity  of  the  department,  is  the 
capital  of  a subprefecture ; it  is  watered  by  the  Arre,  and 
only  worthy  of  notice  as  the  birthplace  of  the  chevalier 
D’Assas.b  The  bronze  statue  that  serves  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  the  same  person,  was  exhibited  in  the  Louvre  in 
1828;  it  now  adorns  his  native  town. 

The  department  of  the  Card  does  not  abound  in  metals 
or  minerals ; it  contains,  however,  antimony,  coal  and  lignite, 
the  last  ol  which  yields  sulphate  of  iron  and  alum.  The 
grain  harvests  are  insufficient  to  supply  the  consumption,  but 
the  vineyards  yield  three  times  the  quantity  of  wine  that  is 
used  in  the  country.  The  excess,  either  in  the  form  of 
wine  or  distilled  into  brandy,  together  with  silk,  olive  oil, 
wool,  and  other  articles  already  mentioned,  make  up  the 
exports  of  die  department. 

The  department  of  the  Herault  is  still  poorer  than  the 
last  in  mineral  substances.  The  people  work  coal,  marble, 
salt  and  lignite,  the  last  of  which,  under  the  name  of  fossil 
ashes,  is  used  as  a manure.  It  produces  more  grain  than  it 
consumes,  and  the  great  excess  of  wine,  dried  fruits,  liqueurs, 
perfumes  and  oil,  form  exports  of  considerable  value.  The 
river  which  gives  its  name  to  the  department,  rises  in  the 
Cevennes,  at  the  foot  of  the  high  mountains  of  Egoual  and 
Esperon  ; it  is  only  navigable  for  the  distance  of  three 
leagues,  from  the  burgh  of  Bessan  to  its  mouth.  The 
course  of  the  same  river,  from  its  origin  to  its  junction  with 
the  Ergue,  may  guide  us  in  the  description  of  the  country. 

Ganges,  on  the  left  bank,  a town  of  four  thousand  inhab- 
itants, is  surrounded  with  country  houses,  and  commanded  by 
an  ancient  castle.  The  grotto  of  the  fairies  (la  Baouma  de  las 
Doumaiselas ),  in  which  the  sombre  windings  are  covered 
with  magnificent  stalactites,  is  situated  in  the  neighbourhood. 
At  Aniane,c  a place  of  less  importance  than  the  last,  may  be 
seen  the  ruins  of  the  first  convent,  built  by  St.  Benedict. 
Ascending  the  Ergue,  and  leaving  on  the  left  Clermont  de 
Lodeved  or  Clermont  l’Herault,  peopled  by  six  thousand 
inhabitants,  who  export  cloth  to  the  Levant,  and  carry  on  a 

a Le  Vigan. 

b Distinguished  for  the  heroic  devotion  with  which  he  sacrificed  his 
life  to  his  country,  at  Clostercamp  near  Gelders,  17C0. — P. 

c Seven  leagues  below  Ganges,  and  on  the  same  bank  of  the  river. 
M.  B.  d Clermont-Lodeve. 

e “ It  possesses  important  tanneries,  and  manufactories  of  verdi- 
grise.” 

1 Lodeve  furnishes  cloths  for  military  clothing.  Ed.  Encyc. 

s Montpelier — Lat.  Mims  Pessulanus. 

h “ Esplanade.”  The  Esplanade  occupies  the  ground  between  the 
citadel  and  the  ancient  city.  Ed.  Encyc. 

‘ Porte  Peyrou,  Place  du  Peyrou. 

k “ Hotel  de  la  prefecture” — the  Palace  of  the  Prefecture,  formerly 
the  bishop’s  palace.  Ed.  Encyc. 

1 “ A school  of  music  and  one  of  design” — An  academy  of  arts  was 
founded  in  1781.  Ed.  Encyc. 

n'  ‘ Amphitheatre” — built  during  the  administration  of  M.  Chaptal, 


OF  FRANCE.  223 

trade  in  leather  and  verdigrise,®  we  arrive  at  Lodeve,  the 
ancient  Lutcva,  and  the  metropolis  of  a subprefecture,  an 
ill-built  town,  encompassed  with  walls,  and  situated  in  a fruit- 
ful valley.  The  manufacture  of  coarse  cloths  is  the  princi- 
pal employment  of  the  inhabitants/ 

A very  bad  road  through  a wild  country  leads  from  Lo- 
deve to  Montpellier/  The  last  town  stands  on  a hill  from 
which  a magnificent  view  stretches  to  the  Mediterranean 
and  the  Pyrenees.  Squares  adorned  with  fountains,  no 
broad  streets,  but  well-built  houses,  a spacious  glacis,* 1 *'  the 
Peyrou,1  a fine  walk  which  terminates  at  an  aqueduct, 
formed  by  two  rows  of  arches,  placed  one  above  the  other, 
the  church  of  St.  Peter,  the  residence  of  the  prefect, k and 
the  exchange,  a very  elegant  edifice,  render  it  one  of  the 
finest  towns  in  the  south  of  France.  In  the  same  town, 
the  sciences  are  taught  with  zeal,  and  cultivated  with  suc- 
cess ; it  possesses  an  university,  a library  containing  many 
valuable  manuscripts,  an  excellent  botanical  garden,  an  ob- 
servatory, several  scientific  societies,  schools  of  music  and 
painting,1  an  anatomical  theatre,™  and  a celebrated  school 
of  medicine,  founded  in  the  twelfth  century  by  Arabian 
physicians  expelled  from  Spain,  but  received  and  protected 
by  the  counts  of  Montpellier.  It  is  indebted  to  M.  Fabre, 
the  worthy  pupil  of  David,  for  a very  valuable  collection  of 
paintings,  both  as  to  their  number  and  selection.  It  has  pro- 
duced many  celebrated  men  in  different  branches  of  knowl- 
edge, such  as  Barthez,  Broussonet,"  Fizes,  Fouquet  and 
Baumes0  in  medicine,  Peyronie  the  founder  of  the  academy 
of  surgery  at  Paris,  Rondelet  the  naturalist,  Magnol,  who 
may  be  considered  the  inventor  of  natural  methods  in  botany, 
Cambon,  who  distinguished  himself  in  the  troublous  times  of 
the  revolution  by  restoring  order  to  the  finances/  Cambaeeres, 
whose  talents  have  never  been  disputed,  and  who  rose  to  the 
first  offices  of  the  empire,  Roucher,  the  author  of  the  poem 
of  the  Months/  the  celebrated  painter  Bourdon,  and  Vien  the 
master  of  David/  It  is  unnecessary  to  describe  in  detail 
the  curiosities  of  Montpellier  ; one  or  two  remarks  may 
suffice.  The  marble  chair  on  which  the  professor3  sits  in 
the  amphitheatre  of  the  medical  school,  is  an  ancient  monu- 
ment, that  was  found  in  the  amphitheatre,  at  Nimes.  Al- 
though the  names  of  the  ancient  and  modern  buildings  are 
the  same,  it  might  have  been  as  well  that  the  chair  had 
remained  in  the  ancient  ;l  but  the  same  remark  is  not  appli- 
cable to  an  old  bronze  bust  of  Hippocrates,  now  placed  in 
the  hall  of  the  celebrated  school.  The  walk  of  Peyrou  ter- 
minates in  a six-sided  pavilion ; within  it  is  a basin  supplied 
by  the  aqueduct  already  mentioned,  and  from  which  the  water 
falls  in  cascades  over  artificial  rocks,  till  it  terminates  in  a 
lower  basin.u  The  botanical  garden,  at  no  great  distance 
from  these  places,  cannot  be  observed  without  interest ; it 
was  the  first  of  the  kind  in  France,  that  was  formed  for  the 

on  the  model  of  that  at  the  Museum  of  Natural  History  at  Paris.  Ed. 
Encyc.  ” Broussonct  is  best  known  as  a natural  historian. — P. 

0 J.  B.  T.  Beaumes,  author  of  a system  of  chemistry,  and  several 
medical  works,  died  1815.  Beauvais. — P. 

p He  organized  and  directed  the  confiscation  of  the  estates  of  the 
emigrants,  and  may  be  considered  as  minister  of  finance  to  the  national 
convention.  Beauvais. — P. 

a Les  Mois — a descriptive  poem,  in  the  manner  of  Thomson’s  Sea- 
sons, each  month  forming  the  subject  of  a separate  canto — P. 

r He  is  considered  by  the  French  as  the  restorer  of  painting  in 
France.  M.  B.  Beauvais. — P. 

« The  professor  of  anatomy.  Ed.  Encyc. 

1 “ It  had  better  have  been  deposited  in  the  Maisun  Carrie ” — now 
converted  into  a museum  of  antiquities. — P. 

u This  lower  basin  is  much  larger  than  the  one  in  the  pavilion,  and 

forms  a small  lake  overshadowed  by  the  trees  in  front  of  the  espla- 
nade.— P. 


224  EUR 

purpose  of  naturalizing  plants  remarkable  for  their  rarity, 
beauty  or  utility.  It  contains  not  less  than  eight  thousand 
plants,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  laid  out,  renders  it  an 
agreeable  walk.  The  admirers  of  Young’s  Night  Thoughts 
may  repair  to  a thick  shade,  below  which  is  an  obscure 
vault,  that  contains  the  tomb  of  his  daughter  Narcissa. 
Commerce  and  the  useful  arts  are  cultivated  in  Montpellier 
as  successfully  as  the  sciences ; the  manufactures  of  the 
town  consist  in  cottons,  muslins  and  cloths,  and  also  in  ver- 
digrise  and  other  chemical  products.  The  hospitals  and 
other  charitable  establishments  are  well  regulated  ; the 
mount  of  piety  cannot  be  too  much  commended  ; such 
institutions,  notwithstanding  their  name,  are  in  most  places 
usurious  and  fatal  to  the  poorer  classes,  but  in  this  town  at 
least,  their  philanthropic  purpose  has  been  preserved,  and 
money  is  advanced  on  pledges  to  the  poor  without  in- 
terest. 

Lunel,  a town  of  5,500  inhabitants,  near  the  eastern  lim- 
its of  the  department,  is  situated  in  a country  famous  for 
muscadine  wines.  A cavern  in  the  neighbourhood  has  been 
frequently  visited  by  geologists  / in  an  alluvial  deposit,  the 
fossil  bones  of  different  graminivorous  animals,  such  as  wild 
boars,  stags,  horses,  oxen,  and  others  no  longer  found  in  our 
climates,  as  hippopotami  and  camels,  are  mingled  with  the 
remains  of  lions,  tigers,  bears  and  hyenas ; it  is  proved  too 
by  the  marks  of  teeth  on  the  bones  of  the  former,  that  they 
have  been  devoured  by  the  latter.  The  wines  in  the  dis- 
trict of  Frontignan,b  about  six  leagues  to  the  west  of  Mont- 
pellier, rival  those  of  Lunel.  Cette,  which  ought  to  be 
written  Sette,  because  it  stands  upon  Mount  Setius/  a height 
mentioned  by  Pomponius  Mela,d  guards  with  its  fortifications 
the  entrance  into  the  canal  of  Languedoc.e  Built  in  the 
form  of  an  amphitheatre  between  the  sea  and  the  lagoon  of 
Thau,  the  last  of  which  yields  a great  quantity  of  salt,  and 
possessing  a fine  harbour,  accessible  to  large  ships,  it  con- 
tains ten  thousand  inhabitants,  and  carries  on  an  extensive 
trade.  Invalids  repair  to  it  every  year  on  account  of  the 
sea  and  sand  baths.  The  vertical  fissures  in  the  heights 
near  it,  are  filled  with  alluvial  deposits/  in  which  are  con- 
tained the  fossil  bones  of  birds,  quadrupeds  and  reptiles.? 

Beziers  rises  on  a hill  that  commands  a view  of  a rich 
valley,  where  the  sad  foliage  of  the  olive  is  united  with  the 
verdant  leaves  of  the  mulberry,  and  where  gardens,  orchards, 
vineyards  and  country  houses  extend  along  both  banks  of 
the  Orb.1*  In  a different  direction,  may  be  seen  the  country 
watered  by  the  canal  of  Languedoc.1  The  town  was  the 
birthplace  of  Mairan  the  astronomer.  It  is  a place  of  great 
antiquity ; it  was  the  Bcctcrrce  of  the  Romans ; although  it 
had  been  repeatedly  ruined  by  the  Visigoths,  the  Saracens 
and  Charlemagne,  it  had  reached  the  height  of  its  splendour 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLII. 

when  it  was  sacked  in  the  thirteenth  century  by  Arnold, 
abbot  of  Citeaux/  during  the  crusade  against  the  Albigen- 
ses.  When  the  monk  was  about  to  storm  the  town,  his 
followers  asked  him  by  what  signs  they  might  know  the 
catholics, — Kill  all,  said  the  bigot,  let  God  discover  his  own} 
Agde,  formerly  Agatha,  stands  near  the  sea  at  the  base  of 
a volcanic  height ; it  was  founded  by  a Greek  colony ; the 
harbour  is  advantageously  situated  for  the  coasting  trade ; it 
possesses  a hundred  and  twenty  small  vessels,  and  it  is  peo- 
pled by  eight  thousand  inhabitants.  Pezenas,  which  Pliny 
calls  Pisccncc,  rises  to  the  north-east  of  Beziers,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Herault ; the  inhabitants  carry  on  a trade  in 
woollen  stuffs  and  in  the  excellent  wines  for  which  the  dis- 
trict is  celebrated. 

The  Tarn  waters  on  the  western  side  of  the  Espinouse 
and  the  Black  Mountains,  a poorer  department111  than  the 
one  that  has  been  described.  The  people  employed  them- 
selves formerly  in  cultivating  woad,  but  now  that  the  superi- 
ority of  indigo  is  acknowledged,  the  profits  arising  from  the 
culture  of  the  plant  are  much  reduced.  The  country  is  in 
many  places  covered  with  forests,  and  the  timber  is  exported 
and  used  in  building ; the  pastures  are  abundant,  and  the 
produce  in  grain  and  wine  is  more  than  sufficient  for  the 
wants  of  the  people.  Coal  is  the  only  mineral  substance 
of  any  importance,  and  the  manufacturing  industry  is  prin- 
cipally confined  to  cotton  and  woollen  stuffs.11 

Alby°  on  the  banks  of  the  Tarn,  perhaps  the  worst  built 
archiepiscopal  city  in  France/  is  the  native  town  of  the 
unfortunate  Lapeyrouseq  and  the  brave  general  D’Haupoult/ 
The  walls  in  the  inside  of  the  cathedral  are  adorned  with 
old  paintings.  The  building  itself  is  remarkable  for  boldness 
and  elegance.  The  Lice,  a public  walk,  is  formed  by  a 
fine  terrace  commanding  a view  of  an  extensive  and  fruitful 
plain.  Albiga,  the  Latin  name  of  die  town,  proves  it  to 
have  been  the  principal  city  of  the  Albigi;  it  was  after- 
wards the  capital  of  Albigeois,  a province  devastated  in  the 
twelfth  century  by  the  fanatical  Simon  de  Montfort,  and  at 
a latter  period,  during  the  persecutions  in  the  reign  of  Louis 
the  Fourteenth.  Castres,  founded  in  647  on  the  site  of  a 
Roman  camp,  may  be  considered  the  most  important  town 
in  the  department,  both  on  account  of  its  manufactures  and 
the  number  of  inhabitants.  The  residence  of  the  subprefect 
is  the  ancient  episcopal  palace,  a very  elegant  edifice  built 
after  the  plans  of  Mansard.  The  Agout  divides  the  town 
into  two  parts,  which  communicate  with  each  other  by  means 
of  two  stone  bridges.  It  has  produced  several  distinguished 
men,  among  others,  Rapin  Thoyras  the  author  of  a history 
of  England,  Andrew  Dacier  the  academician,  and  the 
learned  Sabatier.5  La  Roquette,  a place  in  the  vicinity, 
so  called  from  the  broken  masses  of  rock  which  cover 

1 See  the  Memoirs  by  M.  Marcel  de  Serres. 
b The  wine  is  called  Frontignac. — P. 
c Mons  Setius.  d Lib.  II.  cap.  5. 

e “ Canal  da  Midi” — Canal  of  the  South. 

f “ Depot  de  transport  agglutine — ” properly,  a diluvial  conglomer- 
ate.— P. 

s “ — birds,  small  rodentia,  ruminant  quadrupeds,  and  reptiles.” — P. 
h Orbe. 

' “In  another  direction,  the  canal  of  Languedoc  may  be  seen  de- 
scending by  nine  locks,  placed  one  above  the  other.”  The  canal  of 
Languedoc  descends  from  the  long  level  of  17  miles,  by  a chain  of  8 
locks  at  Fonserannc,  within  sight  of  Beziers,  and  then  by  a single  one, 
after  which  it  passes  the  river  Orb,  on  the  south  side  of  the  town  last 
mentioned.  Ed.  Encyc.  art.  Inland  Navigation. — P. 

k Abbot  of  the  Cistercians.  (Roscoe.)  The  Cistercians  were  so 
called  from  the  abbey  of  Citeaux  in  Burgundy. — P. 

1 “ Tueztous ; Dieu  sciura  bicn  reeonnaitre  les  siens.'’  Kill  them  all; 
God  will  know  who  belongs  to  him.  (Roscoe.) 

m The  department  of  the  Tarn. 

n “ The  manufactures  consist  of  cotton  and  woollen  stuffs  and  many 
articles  of  hardware.” 

0 Albi. 

p Alby  was  the  seat  of  an  archbishopric  before  the  revolution,  but 
it  has  now  neither  archbishop  nor  bisiiop. — P. 

1 La  Peyrouse,  La  Peirouse,and  La  Perouse,  are  different  orthogra- 
phies of  the  name. — P. 

r J.  J.  D'llautpoul-Salette,  (born  1754.)  general  of  cavalry  under 
Napoleon,  distinguished  himself  in  the  battles  of  Austerlitz  and  Eylau. 
He  died  of  the  wounds  he  received  in  the  last  engagement,  five  days 
after  the  battle.  Beauvais. — P. 

5 “ Le  litterateur  Sabatier” — the  professional  author.  Anthony  Saba- 
tier, the  critic  and  controversialist,  born  at  Castres,  1742.  His  prin- 
cipal work  is  a literary  history  of  France  from  the  time  of  Francis  I 
to  1772  ( Les  trois  sidcles  de  la  Utliralure  francaise.  ou  Tableau  de  T esprit 
de  nos  icrirains,  depuis  Francois  Icr  jusqu'en  1772,  3 v.  Svo.)  Beau- 
vais.— P 

BOOK  CXLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


225 


it,  is  visited  by  strangers  on  account  of  the  Trembling  Stone* 
and  the  grotto  of  St.  Dominic.  The  trembling  stone,  a 
mass  consisting  of  3G0  cubic  feet,  has  been  supposed  to  weigh 
not  less  than  thirty  tons  ;b  it  resembles  an  egg  flattened  ax  one 
end,  and  placed  on  its  smaller  extremity ; it  rests  near  die 
edge  of  a large  rock  on  the  declivity  of  a hill ; any  one  may 
easily  make  it  vibrate,  and  when  once  put  in  motion,  the 
vibrations  are  distinctly  repealed  seven  or  eight  times.  The 
grotto  that  has  been  called  after  the  founder  of  the  Domini- 
cans, to  whom  it  served  as  a retreat,  is  situated  at  the  base 
of  the  hill,  below  the  trembling  stone  ; it  consists  of  subter- 
ranean galleries  about  4200  feet  in  length,  by  sixty  or  seventy 
in  breadth.6  The  walls  of  the  cavern  are  formed  by  round- 
ed rocks,  heaped  upon  each  other  in  many  places  with  so 
much  regularity  that  they  might  be  supposed  to  have  been 
the  work  of  art,  not  of  nature.** 1  Alby  and  Castres  are  the 
two  most  important  towns  in  the  department ; the  others  are 
comparatively  insignificant.  Gaillac  rises  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Tarn,  at  the  place  where  it  begins  to  be  navigable; 
the  inhabitants  find  employment  in  building  boats  or  in 
making  casks,  and  they  carry  on  a considerable  trade  in  the 
brandy  and  wines  of  the  neighbourhood.  The  village  of 
Lombers  is  mentioned  in  history,  as  the  place  where  a 
council  assembled  in  1 176,  whose  decision  was  tire  signal 
for  the  crusade  against  the  Albigenses,  and  for  the  murders 
committed  in  Languedoc.  The  small  town  of  Lavaur  pos- 
sesses cotton  and  silk  manufactories.  Bruguiere,®  the  capi- 
tal of  a district,  contains  four  thousand  inhabitants  ; it  is  sit- 
uated near  the  Thaure,  a small  river  which  loses  itself  in 
subterranean  cavities,  and  leaves  a part  of  its  bed,  equal  in 
length  to  more  than  eight  hundred  yards,  always  dry.1  The 
small  town  of  Soreze,  peopled  by  2500  souls,  enjoyed  some 
celebrity  in  past  times  on  account  of  a college.^ 

The  canal  of  Languedoc  passes  through  the  department 
of  the  Upper  Garonne,  a department  bounded  on  the  south 
by  the  lofty  summits  of  the  Pyrenees,  and  watered  by  the 
Tarn,  the  Arriege  and  the  Garonne,  and  by  not  less  than 
fourteen  smaller  streams.  The  soil  is  rich  and  fruitful;  the 
forests  supply  the  inhabitants  with  timber  proper  for  ship -build- 
ing, and  the  abundant  pastures  account  for  the  number  of  the 
herds.  From  the  mildness  of  the  climate,  and  the  favour- 
able exposure  of  many  hills,  the  vine  has  been  planted  in  a 
great  part  of  the  country.  The  wines,  it  is  true,  are  not  of  the 
best  quality,  but  the  quantity  is  so  great  that  two-thirds  of  it 
are  exported  from  the  department.  The  mineral  products 
are  various,  but  not  very  useful ; two  salt  springs,  and  the 
mineral  and  thermal  waters  of  Encausse,  Barthe,  and  Bag- 

* Rocker  tremblant — a rocking  stone. 
b “COO  quintals”  Fr. 

c “ 800  toises  in  length  by  10  or  12  in  breadth.” 
d Encyclopedic  Methodique,  Tom.  III. 
e La  Bruguiere. 

f “ — and  leaves  its  bed  dry,  to  the  distance  of  800  metres.” 
s Founded  in  1706.  Encyc.  Method. 

h J.  A.  M.  de  Cazales,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  speakers  in  the 
Constituent  Assembly  ; born  at  Grenade  sur  la  Garonne,  1752. — P. 

■ “ Although  this  large  and  celebrated  city  contains  many  fine  resi- 
dences of  the  old  nobility  (hotels,)  and  many  modern  houses  of  elegant 
architecture,  it  exhibits  no  traces  of  its  ancient  splendour.” 

k The  Capitol. — The  consuls  of  Toulouse  were  from  this  circum- 
stance called  capitouls.  (Vosgien.) — Consuls  were  certain  municipal 
magistrates  in  some  of  the  French  cities  and  towns  (see  Toulon  note  n 
p.  892),  corresponding  to  the  jurats  and  echcvins  in  others,  and  to  the 
sheriffs  and  aldermen  in  England. — P. 

1 “ Gay  Savoir ” — El  Gai  Saber,  the  Provencal  term  for  poetry. — P. 
m This  college  was  erected  into  the  Academy  of  Floral  Games  in 
1G94  ; the  society  assembled  in  one  of  the  halls  of  the  Capitol.  M.  B. 
— Clemence  Isaure,  a lady  of  Toulouse,  who  founded  the  Floral  Games 
in  the  15th  century.  The  precise  period  of  her  birth  and  death  are 
VOL.  III.— NO.  49  29 


neres  de  Luclion  form  an  exception.  It  possesses  manufac- 
tories of  iron,  steel  and  different  kinds  of  stuffs. 

The  Tarn  which  traverses  the  northern  part  of  the  de- 
partment, leads  to  Villemur,  the  capital  of  a district,-  a small, 
ill-built  town  peopled  by  6000  individuals,  and  situated  near 
the  confluence  of  the  Save  and  the  Garonne.  Grenade,  a 
neat  and  clean  town,  although  consisting  of  brick  houses, 
was  the  birthplace  of  Cazales.1' 

Toulouse,  five  leagues  above  the  last  place,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Garonne,  was  the  ancient  city  of  the  Tolosates,  the 
dominant  tribe  of  the  Tectosages,  a nation  that  had  no  incon- 
siderable share  in  the  distant  expeditions  conducted  by  Bel- 
lovesus,  Sigovesus  and  Brennus.  The  capital  of  the  king- 
dom of  the  Visigoths  during  several  centuries,  it  became 
afterwards  the  capital  of  the  country  governed  by  the  counts 
of  Toulouse,  and  continued  so  until  Languedoc  was  united 
to  France.  The  numerous  monuments  that  adorned  it, 
when  it  was  classed  among  the  most  important  Roman  colo- 
nies, are  now  almost  wholly  destroyed ; none  can  be  men- 
tioned except  the  remains  of  a small  amphitheatre,  and  a 
single  ancient  tomb  in  the  cloister  of  the  old  church  of  the 
Augustines.  Some  of  the  edifices  are  admired,  several 
modern  houses  are  not  inelegantly  built;  but  although  a 
large  town,  it  contains  nothing  which  indicates  its  ancient 
splendour.1  Brick  buildings  are  too  numerous,  and  the 
squares,  with  the  exception  of  St.  Cyprian’s,  are  deficient  in 
regularity.  The  broad  quays  give  the  town  an  imposing 
aspect ; the  Garonne  divides  it  into  two  equal  parts,  and  is 
crossed  by  a magnificent  bridge  terminating  in  a triumphal 
arch,  constructed  after  the  plans  of  Mansard.  It  is  encom- 
passed with  walls  flanked  by  two  round  towers,  and  nine 
gates  lead  to  different  parts  of  the  city.  The  townhouse, 
called  the  Ccipitolef  is  an  old  building  with  a fine  modern 
front ; the  busts  of  different  persons  born  in  Toulouse  are 
placed  in  the  interior.  We  may  mention  those  of  Cujas  the 
lawyer,  Fermat  tire  mathematician,  Campistron  the  tragic 
poet,  Duranti  the  magistrate,  and  Clemence  Isaure,  who 
founded  in  1323  the  college  of  the  Gay  Science.1  m A 
fountain  adorned  with  basso-relievos  rises  in  front  of  the 
cathedral,  of  which  the  choir  is  the  only  part  finished.  The 
principal  institutions  in  the  town  are  an  university,  a school 
of  medicine  and  surgery,  a royal  college,  a botanical  garden, 
a school  of  artillery  and  one  of  horsemanship,  an  academy 
of  the  fine  arts  with  a collection  of  paintings,  a mint,  and  a 
royal  cannon  foundery.  Most  of  the  buildings  were  more 
or  less  injured  on  the  sixteenth  of  April  1816,  by  the  explo- 
sion of  a powder  magazine." 

not  known;  it  is  only  ascertained  that  she  was  living'  in  1478,  and  that 
she  died  not  long  before  1513.  The  academy  of  Floral  Games  was 
dissolved  in  1790,  but  restored  in  1806.  A history  of  the  academy  has 
been  recently  published  by  the  perpetual  secretary,  M.  Poitevin-Pei- 
tavi,  entitled  : Mimoire  pour  servir  a VHistoire  des  Jcux  Floraur,  Tou- 
louse, 1815,  2 v.  8vo.  (Beauvais,  Diet.  Hist.)  The  academy  of  the  Gay 
Science  (del  Gai  Saber)  was  founded  in  1323,  by  a number  of  versifiers 
who  had  assumed  the  name  of  Troubadours,  and  who  associated  them- 
selves under  the  title  of  La  Sobregaya  Companhia  dels  sept  Trobadors  de 
Tolosa,  “ the  very  gay  society  of  the  seven  Troubadours  of  Toulouse.” 
In  1324,  the  capitouls  or  magistrates  of  Toulouse,  and  the  company  of 
Troubadours,  addressed  a circular  to  all  the  cities  of  Languedoc,  offer- 
ing a prize  of  a golden  violet  to  the  author  of  the  best  poem  in  the 
Provencal  language.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  Floral  Games.  The 
existence  of  Clemence  Isaure  is  considered  doubtful.  She  is  not  men- 
tioned in  the  circulars  of  the  academy,  nor  in  the  registers  of  the  magis- 
trates. Sismondi’s  Literature  of  the  South  of  Europe,  vol.  I.  p.  126, 
Roscoe’s  Trans. — P. 

D The  country  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Toulouse,  is  very  agreeable  ; 
the  Canal  of  Languedoc  passes  at  the  foot  of  the  ramparts,  and  not 
far  from  the  town  is  the  plain  where  Marshal  Soult  signalized  himself 
in  1814,  by  defeating  the  Anglo-Spanish  army,  although  three  times 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLI1 


226 


The  road  to  Carcassonne  crosses  a fruitful  plain,  and  passes 
through  the  small  town  of  Ville  Franche,®  the  capital  of  a dis- 
trict.b  Muret  in  a valley  at  the  confluence  of  the  Louge  and  the 
Garonne,  is  a place  of  considerable  industry ; the  people  are 
employed  in  making  fine  pottery,  or  in  manufacturing  coarse 
cloth.  It  is  celebrated  in  French  history  on  account  of  the 
siege,  which  Simon  de  Montfort  maintained  against  the  king 
of  Arragon,  who  was  killed  in  a sally.  St.  Martory,  the 
capital  of  a district,0  is  situated  in  a pleasant  valley  on  the 
Garonne,  which  is  traversed  by  a bridge  terminated  by  two 
triumphal  arches.  The  same  town  was  the  birthplace  of  the 
priest  Vigilantius,d  who  flourished  during  the  fourth  century, 
and  attempted  in  vain  to  reform  the  abuses  that  had  crept 
into  the  church.  St.  Gaudens  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river, 
is  the  mart  for  an  extensive  trade  with  Spain.  St.  Bertrand 
de  Comminges  stands  on  the  ruins  of  Ijugdunum  Convena- 
rum  ;e  it  was  formerly  an  important  town,  but  contains  at 
present  hardly  800  inhabitants ; they  export  marble  vases, 
statues  and  bas-reliefs  to  different  parts  of  Europe.  The 
mausoleum  of  the  holy  bishop  whose  name  it  bears,  serves 
as  an  ornament  to  tbe  church.  At  the  distance  of  a league 
beyond  St.  Beat,  which  a strong  dike  protects  against  the 
inundations  of  the  Garonne,  the  traveller  leaves  the  valley 
watered  by  the  river,  and  enters  another  in  which  Bagneres 
de  Luchon  is  situated  ; at  present  indeed  Bagneres  hardly 
deserves  the  name  of  a town,  but  it  may  soon  do  so,  if  the 
population  continue  to  increase  as  it  has  done  of  late  years. 
It  resembles  a triangle,  and  from  the  three  angles  extend  as 
many  public  walks  ; one  is  planted  with  planes,  another  with 
sycamores,  and  a third  with  lime  trees ; the  last  or  the  most 
northern  leads  to  the  baths,  and  is  consequently  the  most 
frequented.  The  public  baths  may  be  compared  to  the 
finest  of  the  kind  in  Europe ; the  structure  itself  has  the 
appearance  of  a castle.  The  establishment  does  not  appear 
to  be  of  very  ancient  origin,  although  it  is  certain  that  the 
baths  were  known  to  the  Romans  ;f  altars  and  votive  inscrip- 
tions have  been  discovered  at  different  periods.  The  valley 
of  Luchon  is  broad  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bagneres,  and 
laid  out  in  rich  meadows  and  cultivated  fields,  which  yield 
often  two  harvests  in  the  same  year ; numerous  herds 
and  flocks?  are  reared  in  the  same  part  of  the  country. 
Mountain  passes,  fragrant  with  aromatic  flowers,  torrents 
broken  by  cataracts,  and  the  peak  of  Maladetta,  covered 
with  eternal  snow,  and  situated  on  the  crest  of  the  Spanish 
Pyrenees,  give  a lively  interest  to  the  excursions  round  Bag- 
neres. But  the  stranger  is  often  saddened  in  the  midst  of 
such  magnificent  scenery  by  the  sight  of  beings  as  hideous 
from  the  goitres  with  which  they  are  affected,  as  from  their 
invariable  attendant,  moral  degradation ; they  are  the  true 
Parias  of  the  French  Pyrenees ; whether  men,  women  or 
children,  all  the  other  inhabitants  look  on  diem  with  disgust, 
and  condemn  them  to  the  lowest  occupations.  Wealth  and 
cleanliness,  the  companions  of  industry,  tend  happily  by  their 
progress  to  diminish  the  number  of  these  unfortunate  persons. 

Although  die  mountains  are  arid,  that  extend  from  the 


summits  of  the  Pyrenees  to  the  canal  of  Languedoc,  and 
although  the  Black  Mountains,  which  rise  on  the  north,  and 
which  belong  to  the  chain  of  the  Cevennes,  are  unfruitful, 
the  agricultural  products  in  the  department  of  the  Aude,  are 
more  than  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the  people.  The  prin- 
cipal river  which  w'aters  it,  the  canal  which  crosses  it  from 
west  to  east,  and  the  Mediterranean  which  washes  the  coast, 
have  contributed  to  its  commerce,  or  at  least  to  the  activity 
and  industry  of  the  inhabitants.  The  mines  yield  compara- 
tively little,  but  the  iron  works  in  the  department  are  not 
without  importance  ; the  people  are  economical  and  frugal, 
and  consequently  rich ; indeed  it  has  been  ascertained  that 
die  average  quantity  of  wealth  belonging  to  each  individual, 
is  greater  than  in  most  other  departments ; die  country, 
however,  might  be  still  much  improved. 

Sostomagus,  one  of  the  most  ancient  towns  in  southern 
Gaul,  was  ruined  at  the  time  the  Goths  invaded  France;  at 
a later  period  it  was  rebuilt  and  fortified  by  the  same  people, 
and  as  they  were  Arians,  it  took  the  name  of  Castrvm  JVo- 
vum  Arianorum,  which  has  been  since  changed  into  Castel- 
Naudary.h  Traversed  by  the  canal  of  Languedoc,  a fine 
basin  enclosed  with  broad  embankments,  and  shaded  with 
trees,  serves  as  a harbour,  and  forms  a public  walk.  Char- 
itable institutions  and  places  of  industry  are  not  wanting  in 
the  town,  and  the  historical  recollections  connected  with  it 
are  not  without  interest.  It  is  known  that  the  count  of  Tou- 
louse was  obliged  to  demolish  the  fortifications,  when  he  made 
peace  with  St.  Louis  in  the  year  1229.  The  English  burnt 
it  in  1 355  ; it  was  rebuilt  and  enlarged  about  ten  years  after 
wards,  and  it  was  below  the  ramparts  that  Marshal  Sehom- 
berg  at  the  head  of  the  troops  of  Louis  the  Thirteenth,  de 
feated  the  forces  of  Gaston  d’Orleans,  commanded  by  the 
duke  of  Montmorency,  who  was  decapitated  at  Toulouse. 
Among  the  great  men  to  whom  it  has  given  birth,  we  need 
only  mention  the  learned  and  brave  general  Andreossy.  It 
carries  on  at  present  no  inconsiderable  trade  in  woollen  stuffs ; 
the  use  of  modern  machinery  has  been  introduced  into  the 
manufactories.* 1  The  Aude  divides  Carcassonne  into  two 
parts ; the  upper  town  is  a wretched  and  almost  deserted 
place,  encompassed  with  walls,  and  built  on  a rock,  but  the 
lower  town  consists  of  broad  and  straight  streets,  and  is 
adorned  with  several  public  walks ; it  possesses  a fine  har- 
bour on  the  canal,  and  among  the  public  buildings  may  be 
mentioned  the  cathedral,  the  town-house,  the  palace  of  the 
prefect  and  the  barracks.  It  has  been  long  famous  for  its 
cloths  ;k  it  still  possesses  about  forty  manufactories,  and  the 
cloths  are  mostly  destined  for  die  Levant.  Caesar  mentions 
the  town,  and  calls  it  Carcaso;1  it  was  the  birthplace  of  Fabre 
d’Eglantine.  On  the  banks  of  the  Fresquel  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, may  be  seen  a triumphal  arch,  erected  to  Numerian. 

Limoux  on  the  Aude  contains  within  its  walls  about 
twenty  cloth  and  ratteen  manufactories.  The  same  river 
waters  the  small  town  of  Alet,m  peopled  with  1100  souls,  and 
visited  by  strangers  on  account  of  the  thermal  springs.  Nar- 
bonne,  celebrated  under  the  name  of  Ararbo,  300  years 


stronger  than  his  own,  and  commanded  by  the  Duke  of  Wellington. 
M.  15.  This  pleasant  specimen  of  French  national  vanity  has  been 
omitted  by  the  English  translator  for  very  obvious  reasons.  English 
writers  inform  us  that  the  Duke  of  Wellington  was  completely  suc- 
ressful.  The  battle  was  fought  April  10th,  and  at  the  close  of  the  day 
the  French  were  hemmed  in  on  three  sides,  the  road  to  Carcassonne  be- 
ing the  only  one  left  open.  Marshal  Soult  however  succeeded  in  effect- 
ing his  retreat  by  that  road  on  the  night  of  the  11th. — P. 

* Villefranche.  b “ Arrondissement.” 

c “ Canton” — jurisdiction  of  a justice  of  peace. — P. 
d Vigilantius  was  born  at  Calaguri,  a small  town  in  the  country  of 
Comminges.  Beauvais.  Morcri. — P. 


c It  is  situated  on  the  Garonne,  above  St.  Gaudens,  and  was  for- 
merly capital  of  the  country  of  Comminges,  originally  an  independent 
county,  but  surrendered  to  the  king  of  France  by  tbe  countess  Marga- 
ret, who  died  in  1443,  when  it  became  a province  of  the  kingdom. — P. 

f They  were  first  called  Aqua  Convcnurvm,  and  afterwards  Aqua 
Balnearia  Luxonienses. 
e “ Cattle  and  goats.” 
h Castelnaudary. 

1 “Its  hydraulic  machinery  for  spinning  wool  is  remarkable  for  its 
importance.” 

k Since  the  twefth  century.  M.  B. 

1 De  Bello  Gallico  Liber  III.  m Aleth. 


book  cxlii.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  227 


before  the  vulgar  era,  and  surnamed  Martins*  * by  the  Ro- 
man consul,  who  founded  a colony  there  a hundred  and 
fifty  years  afterwards,  is  situated  on  the  canal  of  Robine, 
which  communicates  with  the  Mediterranean  by  the  lagoon 
of  Sigean.  The  Gothic  cathedral  is  a very  fine  edifice, 
and  the  stranger  may  observe  within  its  walls,  and  within 
the  court  of  the  former  archiepiscopal  palace, b several  Ro- 
man monuments  in  a good  state  of  preservation.  It  was 
the  native  town  of  Varro,  a poet  and  a warrior ,c  of  the  em- 
peror Marcus  Aurelius, d of  Fronto  the  orator,  and  of  Mont- 
faucon  the  antiquary.  The  honey  in  the  district®  forms  a 
branch  of  exportation. 

The  eastern  extremity  of  the  Pyrenees  gives  its  name  to 
a department/  watered  by  the  Agly,  the  Tet  and  the  Tech, 
which  flow  for  the  most  part  in  an  eastern  direction.  The 
climate  is  warm ; indeed  the  temperature  of  winter  might 
be  mistaken  for  that  of  spring.  A favourable  exposure  un- 
folds the  vegetation  of  eastern  countries ; pomegranate  trees 
grow  in  the  hedges,  and  the  fields  are  shaded  with  mulber- 
ry, olive  and  orange  trees ; juniper  bushes,  thyme,  rosemary 
and  lavender  grow  in  the  open  fields  or  on  the  sides  of  the 
mountains,  and  gentle  breezes  diffuse  their  fragrance.  The 
vines  warmed  by  tire  summer’s  heat  yield  a great  quantity 
of  grapes,  and  two-fifths  of  the  wine  are  exported  from  the 
department ; the  best  kinds  are  raised  on  the  hills  of  Col- 
lioure,  Salces  and  Rivesaltes.  But  the  department  is  not 
exempt  from  disadvantages ; during  the  summer  season, 
droughts  are  not  unfrequent,  and  the  rivers,  from  the  inclina- 
tion of  their  channels,  are  left  diy ; on  the  contrary,  during 
the  rainy  season,  and  the  melting  of  the  snows,  they  inundate 
their  banks,  and  deluge  the  plains.  It  may  be  also  mention- 
ed that  the  lands  near  the  sea,  formed  by  alluvial  deposits, 
are  little  better  than  marshes;  the  exhalations  that  rise  from 
them,  render  several  districts  very  unhealthy,  and  their 
effect  might  be  still  more  deleterious,  if  the  air  was  not  oc- 
casionally purified  by  a north-west  wind,  which  the  people 
call  the  Tramontane,  because  it  crosses  the  mountains  of 
Corbieres,  which  extend  into  the  department  of  the  Aude. 

Perpignan,  the  seat  of  a prefecture  and  a bishopric/  rises 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Tet,  and  on  the  small  river  Basse. 
It  is  situated  about  two  leagues  from  the  sea,  at  the  foot  of 
a hill,  and  on  the  site  of  Flavium  Ebusum,  an  ancient  mu- 
nicipal city.  The  old  fortifications  and  the  works  construct- 
ed according  to  the  principles  of  Vauban  were  almost  en- 
tirely rebuilt  in  the  year  1823.  The  view  from  the  ram- 
parts extends  over  a magnificent  plain,  bounded  by  moun- 
tains, and  commanded  on  the  west  by  the  snow  covered 
peak  of  Canigou ; in  a different  direction,  several  openings 
in  the  midst  of  fruitful  hills  unfold  the  expanse  of  the  Medi- 

a Narbo  Martins,  D’Anv.  Founded  by  the  consul  Marcius,  A.  U. 
C.  63G.  Lempriere. — P. 

b “ On  its  walls,  in  its  churches,  and  within  the  court  &c.” — A 
great  number  of  inscriptions  and  other  remains  of  antiquity  are  in- 
serted in  the  walls  of  the  court  of  the  archiepiscopal  palace.  There 
s also  a very  fine  ancient  tomb  in  the  gardens  of  the  same  palace. 
Varbonne  formerly  contained  a great  many  ancient  buildings,  such  as 
a capitol,  a circus,  and  an  amphitheatre  ; but  these  have  been  entirely 
destroyed,  and  their  materials  employed  in  erecting  the  fortifications 
of  the  city.  It  however  contains  a greater  number  of  inscriptions 
than  any  other  town  of  ancient  Gaul.  Encyc.  Method. — P. 

c P.  Terentius  Varro  Attacinus,  author  of  a translation  into  Latin 
verse  of  the  Argonautics  of  Apollonius  Rhodius,  of  an  epic  poem  de 
Bello  Sequanico,  and  of  various  other  poems,  of  all  which  only  a few 
fragments  are  extant.  Born  B.  C.  82.  Beauvais,  Diet.  Hist. — P. 

i M.  Aurelius  Carus ; not  M.  Aurelius  Antoninus,  who  was  born  at 
Rome . — P. 

° “ Arrondissement.” 

1 The  department  of  the  Eastern  Pyrenees. 


terranean.  An  inexhaustible  spring  flows  at  the  base  of  a 
lofty  citadel.  The  buildings  worthy  of  notice  are  the  bar- 
racks erected  by  Louis  the  Fourteenth,  which  may  contain 
about  five  thousand  men,  the  church  of  St.  John,  the  town- 
house,  the  court  of  justice  and  the  exchange.  The  college, 
the  library,  the  museum  of  natural  history,  and  different 
seminaries  are  certainly  creditable  to  the  town.  The  royal 
sheep-folds  in  the  neighbourhood  are  perhaps  the  finest  in 
France ; it  may  be  regretted  that  the  improvements  intro- 
duced into  so  important  a branch  of  rural  economy,  have 
not  been  imitated  in  other  parts  of  the  country.11 

Elne  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Tech,  a small  town  of  1200 
inhabitants,  stands  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Helena,  or  the 
still  more  ancient  llliberis,  a place  of  some  celebrity,  for 
Hannibal  encamped  under  its  walls.  Ceret,  thinly  peopled 
and  encompassed  with  lofty  walls,  may  be  mentioned  on  ac- 
count of  a bridge  more  remarkable  for  boldness  than  any 
other  in  F ranee ; it  rises  to  an  extraordinary  height,  and 
consists  of  a single  arch,  of  w'hich  the  abutments  are  built 
on  two  rocks;  the  opening  exceeds  150  feet.1  Port  Ven- 
dre  near  the  frontier,  a short  distance  to  the  south-east  of 
Collioure,  was  a small  seaport  about  the  end  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century,  hardly  equal  in  point  of  population  to  Col- 
lioure ; it  owes  its  present  importance  to  Marshal  De  Mailly, 
who  was  then  governor  of  Roussillon.k  He  foresaw  the  ad- 
vantages it  might  derive  from  its  position  ; tire  harbour  wa3 
cleared  and  reconstructed,  a basin  was  dug,  which  may  con- 
tain five  hundred  vessels,  and  at  present  Port  Vendre  is  a 
flourishing  and  well-built  town,  in  which  the  market  place1 
is  adorned  with  fountains  and  a marble  obelisk  a hundred 
feet  in  height. 

It  is  only  necessary  to  traverse  some  ravines  near  the  sources 
of  the  Tet,  to  arrive  at  the  vallies  where  the  Arriege™  rises. 
The  department  watered  by  the  last  river/  is  covered  with 
mountains,  forests  and  pastures  ; two  distinct  climates  are 
perceptible  within  its  limits.  The  southern  part,  from  the 
elevation  of  the  soil,  is  exposed  to  great  cold  and  excessive 
heat,  while  the  vallies  on  the  north  are  mild  and  temperate. 
Numerous  herds  are  reared  in  the  same  vallies,  and  the  soil, 
although  ill  adapted  for  the  vine,  is  very  fruitful  in  corn. 
The  number  of  iron  works,  and  the  quality  of  the  steel 
made  in  the  department,  prove  that  the  industrious  inhabit- 
ants have  availed  themselves  of  the  mineral  riches  in  their 
territory. 

The  small  town  of  Foix  rises  in  the  valley  watered  by 
the  Arriege,  near  an  ancient  castle  surmounted  by  three 
Gothic  towers.  The  counts  that  bore  the  name  of  the 
town,  appear  in  the  brightest  pages  of  French  history,  but 
the  monuments  of  those  times  are  passing  away.  The 

s Suppressed  and  united  with  that  of  Carcassonne.  (1822). — P. 

h “ The  citadel,  which  contains  a never  failing  well  within  its  in 
closure,  stands  on  an  eminence  that  commands  the  town.  The  latter 
is  divided  into  two  parts,  called  the  old  and  the  new  town.  A range  of 
barracks  built  by  Louis  XIV.,  to  contain  5000  men,  occupies  one  side 
of  a large  square,  called  the  parade  ( place  d'armes').  Among  the 
other  public  buildings,  are  the  church  of  St.  John,  the  finest  edifice, 
the  town-house,  the  hall  of  justice  and  the  mint.  The  college,  the 
library,  the  collection  of  philosophical  apparatus,  the  museum  of  natu- 
ral history,  and  the  public  nursery  of  the  department,  are  very  useful 
establishments  ; but  they  are  not  to  be  compared  with  the  royal  sheep- 
folds*  in  the  vicinity,  which  are  remarkable  for  the  care  with  which 
they  are  superintended.” — M.  B. 

* An  establishment  founded  before  the  revolution,  for  introducing  merinos 
into  France. — P. 

‘ “ — is  equal  to  140  feet”  Fr. 

k 1780—1788. 

1 “Public  square”  (place  publique). 

m “ Ariege.”  “ The  department  of  the  Arriege. 


228  EUR< 

streets  are  narrow,  and  the  ancient  castle  is  wholly  deserted 
and  falling  into  ruins  ;a  trade  and  industry  correspond  with 
the  insignificance  of  the  population.  Tarascon  stands  in  a 
very  picturesque  situation  at  the  confluence  of  the  Arriege 
and  a torrent  which  descends  from  the  valley  of  Vic  d’Es- 
sos.  Ax  is  famous  for  fifty-three  mineral  and  thermal 
springs,  of  which  the  temperature  varies  from  72°  to  1G7° 
of  Fahrenheit.1*  Pamiers  in  the  north  of  the  department  is 
surrounded  with  canals  fed  by  the  Arriege,  which  serve  to 
move  many  machines ; the  streets  are  broad  and  straight, 
and  the  houses  well  built.  Foix  is  the  capital  of  the  de- 
partment, but  Pamiers  surpasses  it  in  every  respect ; it  has 
lately  been  made  the  seat  of  a bishopric.0  The  mountain 
called  the  Puy  du  Till  stands  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
small  and  neat  town  of  Mirepoix ; the  mountain  is  remark- 
able for  the  cavities  contained  in  it,  from  which  cold  and 
sometimes  very  violent  currents  of  air  escape  in  every  sea- 
son of  the  year  ; the  people  call  the  phenomenon,  the  Vent 
de  Pas.  St.  Girons  is  the  only  other  town  worthy  of  notice 
in  the  department ; it  stands  on  the  Salat,  a small  but  rapid 
river,  which  sets  in  motion  paper  mills  and  different  manu- 
factories.*1 St.  Lizier  in  the  vicinity,  formerly  the  seat  of  a 
bishopric,  claims  vainly  the  rank  of  a town ; it  does  not 
contain  1100  inhabitants,  and,  as  if  to  afford  an  example  of 
the  vicissitudes  in  this  lower  world,  the  episcopal  palace  has 
been  changed  into  an  asylum  for  mendicants. 

The  ancient  county  of  Bigorre  forms  almost  the  whole 
of  the  department,  which  derives  its  name  from  the  highest 
part  of  the  Pyrenees.0  The  plains  are  confined  to  the 
northern  districts ; the  others  are  made  up  of  thick  forests 
and  verdant  vallies,  mountains  difficult  of  access,  naked 
peaks,  summits  covered  with  glaciers,  and  lakes  fed  by 
melted  snows.  The  torrents  or  gaves,{  which  fall  in  cata- 
racts from  the  mountains,  are  the  sources  of  the  Adour,  the 
Garonne  and  other  rivers  which  water  the  department.  He 
who  travels  from  the  confines  of  the  department  of  the 
Gers  to  Mont  Perdu,  the  Mont  Blanc  of  the  Pyrenees, 
passes  through  almost  every  climate  in  Europe ; he  may 
observe  the  vegetation  changing  gradually  from  the  plants 
of  temperate  countries  to  those  of  hyperborean  regions. 
No  great  quantity  of  corn  is  raised  on  the  most  fruitful  soils, 
but  they  yield  plenty  of  wine.  An  active  race  of  men  in- 
habit the  mountains ; their  manner  of  life  may  recal  the 
customs  of  pastoral  tribes.  The  shepherds  have  their  win- 
ter and  summer  residence;  they  choose  the  first  in  the 
lower,  and  the  other  in  the  higher  vallies.  Skilful  in  di- 
recting the  course  of  the  waters,  they  are  thus  enabled 
to  enrich  the  meadows,  which  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
year,  afford  nourishment  to  their  cattle.  “ The  same  small 
stream,”  says  Ramond,s  “ waters  contiguous  possessions, 
the  one  above  the  other.  A few  slates  are  the  simple 
sluices  by  which  the  course  of  the  water  may  be  changed, 
and  made  to  communicate  with  neighbouring  canals,  where, 
by  the  same  means,  it  is  directed  from  meadow  to  meadow, 
until  it  reaches  the  lowest  declivities  which  it  is  intended  to 
fructify.”  While  the  different  members  of  the  family  are 

3PE.  [BOOK  CX1.II. 

engaged  in  cultivating  the  ground,  one  man  conducts  the 
flocks  to  the  highest  mountains,  where  natural  pastures  await 
them  ; if  he  cannot  find  any  cave  or  shelter,  he  raises  a 
rude  cottage  with  stones  and  the  branches  of  trees;  in 
autumn,  the  sheep  and  cattle  are  brought  down  to  the  sum- 
mer residence,  which  the  family  has  left  for  the  village. 
The  shepherd  passes  the  winter  in  solitude,  and  his  flocks 
consume  the  food  that  has  been  prepared  for  them.  He 
braves  the  rigours  of  the  season,  the  snows,  the  hurricanes 
and  the  overwhelming  avalanche.  His  food  consists  princi- 
pally of  milk,  but  the  cows  are  much  inferior  both  in  form 
and  in  size  to  those  on  the  Alps. 

We  shall  commence  with  the  towns  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  country.  Vic  en  Bigorre,1*  a small  town  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Lechez,  is  peopled  by  3500  inhabitants ; it  car- 
ries on  a trade  in  brandy  and  leather.  Rabastens  near  the 
banks  of  a canal,1  is  the  small  town  whose  inhabitants  were 
massacred  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex  by  the  troops  of 
Charles  the  Ninth,  after  the  battle  of  Montcontour. 

Tarbes  is  situated  above  these  places,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Adour;  the  streets  are  broad  and  regular,  and  the  houses 
are  built  of  brick  and  marble.  A pure  air  and  a cloudless 
sky,  together  with  fresh  and  limpid  streams,  contribute  to 
the  salubrity  for  which  it  is  famed.  It  is  the  chief  town 
and  the  mart  of  all  the  commerce  in  the  department ; many 
Spaniards  repair  to  it  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  cattle. 
The  prefect  resides  in  the  ancient  episcopal  palace  ; the 
cathedral  rises  on  the  ruins  of  the  castle  of  Bigorra ; the 
square  of  Maubourguet,  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  town, 
is  adorned  with  trees,  and  encircled  with  coffee-houses  and 
places  of  amusement,  but  it  cannot  be  compared  w ith  the 
Prado  beyond  the  walls.  Tarbes  stands  probably  on  the 
site  of  the  ancient  city  of  the  Tarbelli.k 

Bagneres  de  Bigorre  is  situated  five  leagues  to  the  south, 
and  on  the  banks  of  die  same  river ; it  is  the  capital  of  a 
district,1  and  many  strangers  visit  it  every  year  on  account  of 
its  mineral  waters.  It  stands  at  the  foot  of  a hill  covered 
with  trees  and  verdure ; pleasant  walks  extend  from  it 
through  the  fine  valley  of  Campan  and  along  the  banks  of 
the  Adour.  Campan,  a flourishing  burgh,  contains  about 
4500  inhabitants  ; it  is  a place  of  trade ; the  manufactures 
are  paper  and  wToollen  stuffs.  Extensive  marble  quarries 
and  a grotto  four  hundred  feet  in  depth,  adorned  with  beau- 
tiful stalactites,  are  situated  in  the  vicinity .“  Argeles,”  the 
chief  town  of  a district,1  is  only  remarkable  for  its  romantic 
position  in  a valley,  watered  by  the  Gave  d’Azun,  which 
unites  with  the  Gave  de  Pau.  On  the  banks  of  the  last 
river,  and  at  the  distance  of  five  leagues  below  Argeles, 
Lourdes  rises  on  a rock,  commanded  by  a fortress,  which 
wras  ceded  to  the  English  by  the  treaty  of  Bretigny,  and 
afterwards  changed  into  a state  prison.  It  is  a small  town, 
with  manufactories  of  linen  and  woollen  stuffs,  and  appears 
to  be  of  very  ancient  origin,  from  the  remains  of  walls  and 
towrers  of  Roman  construction.  Cauterets,  towards  the 
summits  of  the  Pyrenees,  is  situated  near  roaring  cataracts 
and  foaming  streams ; it  is  mentioned  in  history  as  the  resi- 

a “ The  castle  now  serves  as  a prison,  which,  like  most  of  those  in 
Prance,  stands  in  great  need  of  improvement.” 
b “ 18°  to  60°.” 

c Founded  1296.  Suppressed  and  united  with  the  see  of  Toulouse. 
(1822).— P. 

d “ iron  works,  paper  mills  and  woollen  manufactories.” 

‘ Department  of  the  Upper  Pyrenees. 

1 The  name  iriven  by  the  Basques  and  the  Bearnese  to  streams  and 
rivers,  as  the  Gave  de  Pau,  the  Gave  d'Oloron. — P. 
e Voyages  et  observations  faites  dans  les  Pyrenees. 

h Vic  Bigorre. 

■ Dug  by  Alaric. — M.  B. 

k Tarbes  was  the  ancient  Tnrba,  the  capital  of  the  Bigerrones. 
The  capital  of  the  TarbcUi  was  Aqua  Augusta  Tarbellira:,  now  Dai. 
D’Anv.  Encyc.  Method. — P. 

1 Arrondissement.  Alman.  Royal. 

m “ Campan,  a pleasant  town  ( bourg ) of  4500  inhabitants,  derives  its 
importance  from  its  manufactories  of  woollen  stuffs,  its  paper  mill,  its 
marble,  and  the  stalactites  in  a grotto  four  hundred  feet  in  depth.” 

" Argellez.  (Vosgien.) 

book  cxlii.]  DESCRIPTION 

dence  of  Margaret  of  Valois,  but  its  celebrity  depends 
chiefly  at  present  on  its  mineral  waters.  The  village  of  St. 
Sauveur  is  visited  on  account  of  the  sulphureous  springs  in 
the  neighbourhood.  The  church  in  the  small  town  of  Luz, 
was  originally  a convent  of  the  Templars.  The  thermal 
springs  of  Bareges,  to  which  more  than  GOO  strangers  re- 
pair, vary  in  temperature  from  106°  to  122°  of  Fahrenheit.® 
The  village  is  formed  by  a single  street,  consisting  of  eighty 
houses,  and  has  a chapel,  an  hospital  built  by  Louis  the 
Fifteenth  for  disabled  soldiers,  and  extensive  baths.  Al- 
though a pleasant  summer  residence,  it  is  hardly  habitable 
in  winter ; most  of  the  inhabitants  then  repair  to  Luz,  where 
they  remain  until  the  beginning  of  spring.  The  famous 
cataract  of  Gavarnie,  more  remarkable  than  any  other  in 
Europe,  may  he  observed  in  the  neighbourhood ; it  falls 
from  the  height  of  1270  feet. 

The  ancient  principality  of  Bearn, b and  Lower  Navarre, c 
the  only  remains  of  the  kingdom,  which  Rome  took  from 
the  grandfather11  of  Henry  the  Fourth,  and  granted  to  Fer- 
dinand king  of  Arragon,  are  included  in  the  department  of 
the  Lower  Pyrenees.  A new  title,  that  of  king  of  Navarre, 
was  assumed  by  the  French  sovereigns,  when  a descendant 
of  the  house  of  Bearn  mounted  the  throne  of  France. 
The  territories  of  Soule  and  Labourde  f are  also  situated  in 
the  same  department. s The  Pyrenees  do  not  occupy  one 
half  of  the  country  ; they  have  no  longer  the  appearance 
of  lofty  mountains  covered  with  eternal  glaciers,  hut  of 
heights  crowned  with  forests,  and  intersected  with  fruitful 
and  well  peopled  vallies.  Hills  planted  with  vineyards  ex- 
tend at  their  base,  plains  rich  in  corn  line  both  the  banks  of 
the  Gave  de  Pau,  and  the  sandy  lands  on  the  north,  partly 
uncultivated,  but  susceptible  of  much  improvement,  add  to  the 
varied  products  of  the  department.  The  Bidassoa  bounds 
it  on  the  west,  and  determines  the  line  which  separates  the 
kingdoms  of  France  and  Spain.  In  the  same  river  is  situ- 
ated the  isle  of  Pheasants,  called  also  the  isle  of  Conference, 
from  the  interview  between  Mazarin  and  Lewis  de  Haro,h 
an  interview  that  brought  about  the  treaty  by  which  Artois 
and  Roussillon  were  ceded  to  France.1  Although  the 
coasts  bathed  by  the  Gulf  of  Gascony  are  not  extensive, 
the  harbours  situated  on  them,  afford  great  advantages  to  the 
commerce  of  the  department ; the  inhabitants  are  not  solely 
occupied  with  agricultural  labours ; many  of  them  are  em- 
ployed in  different  manufactories,  and  in  working  iron  and 
other  mines. 

At  the  period  when  the  Arabs,  then  masters  of  the  greater 
a “32°  to  40°.  ” 

b A territory  extending  along  the  foot  of  the  Pyrenees,  between 
Lower  Navarre  and  Soule  on  the  west,  and  Bigorre  on  the  east.  Pau 
the  capital. — P. 

c A small  territory,  8 leagues  long  and  5 broad,  separated  from 
Spanish  Navarre  by  the  Pyrenees.  It  occupies  the  S.  W.  extremity 
of  France.  St.  Jean  Pied  de  Port  the  capital. — P. 
d Jean  d’Albret,  great  grandfather  of  Henry  IV. — P. 
e Lriliourd  signifies  coast,  in  the  Gascon  dialect. 
f “ Pays  de  Soule”  (the  country  of  Soule,  situated  between  Bearn 
and  Navarre.  Mauleon  the  capital.) — “ Terre  de  Labourd”  (coun- 
try of  Labour,  situated  on  the  sea  coast.  Bayonne,  the  capital.) — P. 

g Soule,  Labour  and  Lower  Navarre  are  called  the  Basque  prov- 
inces. The  Basques  form  the  principal  part  of  the  population,  both  in 
the  towns  and  the  country,  and  they  still  retain  their  very  peculiar 
language  and  costume. — P. 

h Don  Luis  de  Haro,  prime  minister  ofPhilip  IV.  of  Spain. — P. 

1 In  the  river  Bidassoa  nearly  at  the  crossing  place  from  Fontara- 
bia  to  Andaya  on  the  French  side,  is  a small  barren  and  uninhabited 
island,  formerly  named  the  Isle  of  Pheasants,  but  being  the  place 
where  the  conference  was  held  between  France  and  Spain,  which 
produced  the  peace  of  the  Pyrenees,  it  thence  received  the  name  of 
Isle  de  la  Conference.  Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog.  II.  p.  74. — P. 


OF  FRANCE.  229 

part  of  Spain,  extended  their  devastations  beyond  the  Pyre- 
nees, a prince  of  Bearn  marked  with  three  staxes,  the  site 
of  a castle,  which  was  afterwards  raised  to  impede  their 
progress.  The  same  edifice,  built  in  the  ninth  century,  was 
occupied  both  as  a palace  and  a fortress.  The  people  of 
Bearn  called  it  Paou,  which  signifies  a stake,  and  from  the 
protection  it  afforded,  houses  were  grouped  round  it,  and  a 
town  was  thus  formed  in  the  tenth  century,  which  continued 
to  increase  and  prosper  under  the  government  of  good  and 
enlightened  princes.  Such  was  the  origin  of  Pau,  a city 
built  with  some  sort  of  elegance,  near  the  extremity  of  a 
table-land  that  commands  the  fruitful  valley  watered  by  the 
Gave,k  which  derives  its  name  from  the  ancient  capital  of 
Bearn.  The  principal  ornaments  of  the  town  are  a lofty 
bridge  that  rises  above  the  river  with  the  majesty  of  an  aque- 
duct, together  with  the  castle,  the  court  of  justice,  and  a 
public  walk  adorned  with  a fine  fountain.  Pau  is  renowned 
as  the  birthplace  of  Henry  the  Fourth,  but  it  has  also  pro- 
duced Gaston  de  Foix,  the  celebrated  duke  of  Nemours, 
Jane  d’Albret,  who,  although  queen  of  a petty  state,  acted  an 
important  part  in  French  history,  and  the  viscount  D’Orthes, 
who  in  Bayonne,  on  St.  Bartholomew’s  day,  spared  the 
victims  devoted  by  Charles  the  Ninth it  was  also  the  na- 
tive town  of  Peter  Marca,m  one  of  the  most  learned  prelates 
in  the  Gallican  church,  of  Pardies  the  astronomer,  and  last- 
ly, of  the  general,"  who  accepted  the  Swedish  throne,  and 
renounced  his  country.  It  may  be  repeated  that  Henry 
the  Fourth  was  born  in  the  castle  of  Pau,  which,  during 
the  revolution,  was  changed  into  a barrack,  and  after  the 
restoration,  into  a royal  palace.  A large  tortoise-shell,  once 
the  cradle  of  the  monarch,  is  preserved  with  almost  reli- 
gious veneration ; other  relics  of  the  great  and  good  king 
are  kept  with  the  same  care.  But  Pau  has  more  titles  to 
celebrity  than  those  arising  from  historical  associations  ; it 
holds  no  mean  place  among  the  industrious  towns  in  France; 
the  manufactures  consist  of  cloth,  carpets  and  woollen  stuffs.0 
Nay,  situated  above  it,  on  the  left  hank  of  the  Gave  de  Pau, 
is  a place  of  some  trade  ;p  it  was  the  native  town  of  Abba- 
die,  a famous  protestant  theologian. 

Oloron  or  Oleron  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Gave  d’Ossau,* 1 *! 
carries  on  a trade  with  Spain ; it  sends  among  other  articles 
into  that  country,  a great  many  boxwood  combs  made  by 
machinery ; it  exports  timber  for  the  royal  navy,  and  the 
wool  it  receives  from  Spanish  Navarre  into  different  parts  of 
France."  Mauleon  stands  in  a fruitful  valley;  it  is  the 
smallest  capital  of  a district3 *  in  the  department.  Orthez,1 

k Gave  de  Pau. 

1 This  act  is  attributed  to  the  viscount  La  Braue,  a native  of  Or- 
thez. Encyc.  Method. — P. 

m Pierre  de  Marca,  president  of  parliament,  and  afterwards  arch- 
bishop of  Toulouse,  under  Louis  XIII. — P. 

n Bernadotte. 

0 “ Pau  holds  an  important  rank  among  the  manufacturing  towns 
of  France,  from  its  manufactories  of  linens  and  carpets  ; it  is  also 
noted  for  the  excellence  of  its  dried  geese  and  hams,  the  last  of  which 
take  their  name  from  Bayonne.”  M.  B.  It  has  manufactories  of 
cloth,  linen,  handkerchiefs  and  hats  ; also  paper  mills,  tanneries,  and 
dying  houses,  and  a trade  in  hams,  geese,  chestnuts  and  lime.  (Vos- 
gien.j  The  principal  manufactures  are  linens,  table  linen  and  tow- 
els ; its  hams,  which  are  celebrated,  are  shipped  at  Bayonne.  Ed 
Encyc. — P. 

p “ It  has  manufactories  of  woollen  stuffs.” 

*i  Gave  d’Oloron.  (Vosgien.) 

r “ It  carries  on  with  Spain,  a considerable  trade  in  hams,  and  in 
boxwood  combs  made  by  machinery.  It  sends  to  other  parts  of 
France,  the  wool  received  from  Spanish  Navarre  and  collected  in  the 
department,  and  also  timber  for  the  royal  navy.” 

3 “ Subprefecture”  or  arrondissement. — P 

1 Ortez,  Ourtes  (Vosgien). 


EUROPE. 


230 

another  chief  town  of  a district,®  and  a place  of  greater  im- 
portance, is  well  built  and  commanded  by  the  ruins  of  an 
old  castle.  Jane  d’Albret  granted  it  an  university, b and 
founded  a school,  in  which  a trial  was  made  of  what  has 
been  since  called  the  system  of  mutual  instruction,  a system 
-enewed  at  the  present  day,  and  generally  believed  to  be  of 
English  invention.®  A destructive  battle  was  fought  at  the 
gates  of  the  town  in  1814  ; Marshal  Soult,  at  the  head  of 
20,000  men,  sustained  the  shock  of  70,000  English,  Span- 
iards and  Portuguese  under  the  command  of  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  who  purchased  a victory  with  the  loss  of  10,000 
men.  The  salt  springs  near  Salies,  a small  town  in  the 
same  district/  abound  in  salt  of  a pure  whiteness,  to  which 
has  been  attributed  the  superiority  of  the  hams  cured  at 
Pau  and  Bayonne.®  It  was  in  the  last  town  that  the  bayo- 
net was  invented  in  the  eighteenth  century/ — a formidable 
weapon  by  which  many  victories  have  been  since  decided. 

Bayonne  is  the  only  trading  town  in  France,  that  pos- 
sesses the  advantage  of  two  rivers,  in  which  the  tide  rises. 
The  Nive  and  the  Adour  divide  it  into  three  nearly  equal 
parts,  called  Great  Bayonne,  Little  Bayonne  and  the  suburb 
of  St.  Esprit.  The  streets  are  broad  and  straight ; the  squares 
and  market  places  are  adorned  with  different  edifices,  the 
finest  of  which  are  the  cathedral  and  the  exchange.®  As  a 
strong  place,  it  may  be  ranked  in  the  first  class  ; it  is  the 
seat  of  a bishopric,  and  the  capital  of  a district.4  Great 
Bayonne  is  commanded  by  an  old  castle,  Little  Bayonne 
by  a modern  castle,  and  the  suburb  of  St.  Esprit  by  a cita- 
del, the  work  of  Vauban,  which  has  been  since  enlarged 
and  improved.  The  harbour,  although  difficult  of  access 
for  large  ships,  is  safe  and  much  frequented  by  small  ves- 
sels. Many  persons  are  engaged  in  the  coasting  trade  and 
in  the  cod  fisheries.  Bayonne  rivals  Andaye  in  preparing 
the  liqueur  that  bears  the  name  of  that  village it  sends 
chocolate  into  most  parts  of  France/  and  wines  of  the  first 
quality  are  produced  in  the  neighbourhood. 

The  people  in  the  department  of  the  Landes  see  the 
summits  of  the  Pyrenees  only  at  a distance ; the  Adour  and 
the  Lay  which  descend  from  those  mountains,  water  fields 
fruitful  in  maize  and  wheat,  and  the  hills  on  the  left  are  cov- 
ered with  vineyards.  But  on  leaving  the  Adour,  vast  plains 
of  sand  fatigue  the  eye  by  an  uniformity  which  is  only  broken 
by  ponds,  marshes  or  heaths,  and  at  distant  intervals,  by 
meadows  and  cultivated  fields.  A long  green  belt  near  the 
sea  shore  is  formed  by  a forest  of  maritime  pines ; the  same 
part  of  the  country  is  thinly  peopled.  These  monotonous 
and  dismal  plains  (landes ) give  their  name  to  the  depart- 
ment. The  peasants  live  in  isolated  cottages  ; the  father  of 
the  family  employs  himself  in  cultivating  the  ground,  or  in 
other  rural  labours,  while  the  young  people  often  travel  ten 
leagues  round  the  country  for  the  purpose  of  making  char- 

1 “ Subprefecture”  or  arrondissement. — P. 

b Established  for  the  protestants  ; suppressed  by  Louis  XIV. — P. 

c Histoire  de  Jeanne  d'Albret,  par  Mile.  Vauvilliers. 

d “ Arrondissement.” 

6 “ The  hams  of  Pau  or  Bayonne” — cured  at  Pau,  and  shipped  at 
Bayonne. — P. 

‘ The  bayonet  appears  to  have  been  first  manufactured  in  the  town 
>f  Bayonne,  from  which  it  derives  its  name.  It  was  first  introduced 
jy  the  French  about  the  end  of  the  17th  century,  and  was  employed 
irith  great  success  in  the  war  of  1G89.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

e “Mint.” 

h Andaye,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Bidassoa,  is  the  last  town  in 
France.  Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog.  V.  II.  p.  24.  Andaye  is  noted  for  its 
Brandy.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

• “ It  is  noted  for  its  chocolate” — Its  wines,  raisins  and  chocolate 
ire  exported  in  considerable  quantities  to  the  north  of  Europe.  Ed. 
Encvc. — P. 


[BOOK  CXLII. 

coal  in  the  forests,  or  of  leading  their  flocks  to  pastures.  It 
might  be  supposed  that  the  people  were  wanderers,  and  not 
unwilling  to  quit  an  ungrateful  soil ; certainly  their  great  so- 
briety, their  comparatively  few  wants,  and  the  velocity  with 
which  they  move  along  their  deserts  by  means  of  long  stilts, 
might  afford  them  great  facility  in  removing  ; but  the  love 
of  country  prevails.  The  land,  however,  is  not  wholly  un- 
productive ; the  peasant  cultivates  hemp,  makes  sail  cloth, 
and  derives  considerable  profit  from  the  resin  of  his  pine 
trees.  The  soil  abounds  in  iron  ore,  and  there  are  not 
fewer  than  seventeen  places  in  the  department  in  which  it 
may  be  smelted.* 1' 

Dax,1  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Adour,  above  its 
junction  with  the  Lay,  may  be  considered  an  important 
town,  not  from  its  population,  but  as  being  the  capital  of  a 
district.™  It  is  well  built  and  encompassed  by  old  walls 
flanked  with  towers.  The  hospital  may  be  mentioned  for 
the  excellent  way  in  which  it  is  managed,  and  on  account 
of  the  attention  bestowed  on  the  inmates.®  It  possesses  a 
museum  of  natural  history,  containing  a fine  collection  of 
fossil  shells  mostly  found  in  the  vicinity ; some  species 
which  are  still  inhabitants  of  the  neighbouring  sea,  prove 
that  the  sandy  plains  in  the  department  were  covered 
by  the  ocean  at  a later  period  than  the  marine  de- 
posits round  Paris.  The  thermal  springs  are  much  fre- 
quented ; their  mean  temperature  is  about  165°  of  Fahren- 
heit.® The  waters  are  collected  in  a pentagonal  reservoir 
nearly  25  feet  in  depth,  surrounded  with  porticos  and 
iron  rails.  The  vapours  that  rise  form  them  in  the  morn- 
ing when  the  air  is  cold,  form  a dense  fog,  which  cov- 
ers sometimes  the  whole  town.  The  Romans  were  not 
ignorant  of  the  thermal  springs  in  this  ancient  city  of  the 
Tarbelli ; it  was  styled  by  them  Aqua:  Tarbellicce  ;P  it  is 
still  not  unfrequently  called  Aqs,  which,  as  well  as  its  more 
common  appellation,  is  evidently  derived  from  the  same 
name.  It  passed  from  the  Roman  domination  under  that 
of  the  Goths ; the  latter  were  succeeded  by  the  Franks, 
who  were  in  their  turn  expelled  by  the  Vascones  or  Gas- 
cons. The  Arabs  took  it  in  the  year  910,  and  the  Eng 
lish  in  the  twelfth  century ; it  was  freed  from  the  yoke  of 
the  latter  about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  by  Charles  the 
Seventh  ; it  carries  on  at  present  a considerable  trade  in 
the  products  of  the  department.  It  was  the  native  town  of 
Borda,  the  inventor  of  the  reflecting  circle.  The  small 
village  of  Poy  in  the  vicinity  claims  the  honour  of  having 
given  birth  to  Vincent  de  Paul,*!  whom  the  church  adores 
as  a saint,  and  humanity  reveres  as  a benefactor. 

St.  Sever  rises  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Adour,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  ten  leagues  above  Dax.  It  owes  its  origin  to 
William  Sancho,r  duke  of  Gascony,  who,  in  the  year  982, 
founded  there  a celebrated  abbey  of  Benedictines.  Aire, 

k “ 17  furnaces.” 

1 Dacqs,  Acqs.  Encyc.  Method. 

m“  Subprefecture”  or  arrondissement. — P. 

n “ On  y voit  un  hospice  civil  fort  bien  tenu” — There  is  in  Dax  a 
well  managed  alms-house.  M.  B. — The  establishments  in  France  for  the 
reception  of  those  who  are  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  public  charity 
are  of  two  kinds,  viz.  hospitals  ( hopitaux ,)  for  the  sick,  and  hospices, 
for  the  infirm  and  indigent.  Pcuchet,  Statistique  de  la  France,  p. 
261.  In  the  large  towns  in  France  there  arc  generally  two  hospi- 
tals, one  for  the  indigent  sick,  the  other  for  the  aged  poor.  Ed.  En- 
cyc.— P. 

0 “ 60°  of  Reaumur.” 

P Aqua  Augusta  TarhcUictc,  D’Anv. 

q Born  1576  at  Ranquines,  a small  hamlet  in  the  parish  of  Pouy, 
diocese  of  Acqs ; died  1660 — canonized  by  Benedict  XIII,  1729 
Beauvais. — P. 

1 “ Guillaume  Sanche.” 


book  cxm.j  DESCRIPTION 

at  the  foot  of  a hill,  is  the  ancient  Vicus  Julii,  which  was 
called  Jltures  before  the  reign  of  Augustus,  from  the  Atur ,a 
the  name  given  by  the  Tarusates  to  the  Adour,  that  flows 
below  the  town.  Tartas  rises  like  an  amphitheatre  on  the 
declivity  of  a hill ; it  is  watered  by  the  Midouze,  a feeder 
of  the  Adour ; the  country  in  the  neighbourhood  abounds 
in  tortoises,  red  partridges  and  different  sorts  of  game.  Last- 
ly, Mont  de  Marsan,  situated  near  the  confluence  of  the 
Douze  and  the  Midou,  formerly  a very  insignificant  town, 
has  increased  in  population,  since  it  became  the  capital  of 
the  department.  It  bears  the  name  of  its  founder,  Peter, 
viscount  of  Marsan,  by  whom  it  was  built  in  the  year  1140. 
Although  not  a manufacturing  town,  its  position  at  the  en- 
trance into  a vast  plain,  renders  it  the  principal  mart  for  the 
trade  of  the  department. 

The  Leyre,  a small  river,  which  rises  on  the  north  of 
Mont  de  Marsan,  and  throws  itself  into  the  bay  of  Arca- 
chon,b  serves  as  a boundary  to  the  department  of  the  Gi- 
ronde. The  sandy  plains  or  landcs  extend  nearly  to  the 
hanks  of  the  Garonne,  from  which  they  are  separated  by  the 
rich  vineyards  of  Medoc,  Haut  Brion,  St.  Emilion  and 
Grave ; they  terminate  on  the  west  in  sandy  downs  that 
stretch  along  the  sea-shore  ; the  particles  of  sand  carried  by 
the  wind,  covered  formerly  every  year  a space  seventy-two 
feet  in  breadth  by  fifty  leagues  in  length.  The  steeple  of 
a church  was  long  seen  near  the  canal  of  F urnes,  while  the 
other  parts  of  the  building  were  buried  in  the  sand.  Sev- 
eral houses  on  the  coast  of  Medoc,  have  been  destroyed  in 
the  same  manner,  and  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees  are  only 
observed  in  an  ancient  forest  near  the  bay  of  Arcachon.  It 
was  the  opinion  of  Bremontier  the  engineer,  that  plants  well 
adapted  for  such  kinds  of  soil,  might  be  raised  on  these 
downs  ; his  advice  was  followed,  and  they  have  since  be- 
come fruitful.0  The  marble  monument,  which  records  the 
memory  of  the  event,  and  the  gratitude  of  the  inhabitants, 
is  now  surrounded  by  cultivated  fields.  In  the  country  be- 
tween the  Garonne  and  the  Dordogne,  the  most  varied  and 
picturesque  sites  succeed  the  uniformity  of  the  heaths.  The 
soil  between  the  last  river  and  the  Dronne,  which  forms  the 
northern  limit  of  the  department,  consists  of  calcareous 
heights,  covered  with  coppice  or  vineyards,  and  separated 
from  each  other  by  fruitful  vallies.  Enriched  by  agricul- 
ture and  trade,  the  people  are  industrious  and  enlightened ; 
iron  and  other  mineral  substances  are  worked  with  profit; 
flocks  of  merinos  are  by  no  means  uncommon  on  the  estates 
of  the  wealthy  proprietors,  and  of  late  years,  the  best  breeds 
from  England  have  been  introduced  into  the  country .d 

The  towns  situated  in  the  landes  are  poor  and  thinly 
peopled  ; such  is  Bazas,  the  capital  of  a district.®  Although 
it  possesses  no  other  antiquities  than  medals  and  mosaics,  it 

OF  FRANCE.  231 

is  known  to  have  been  an  important  place  in  the  time  of  the 
Romans,  who  called  it  Cossium  Vasatumf  because  it  was 
situated  in  the  territory  of  the  Vasatcs.  The  diocese,  of 
which  it  was  formerly  the  seat,  must  have  been  very  ancient, 
since  one  of  the  bishops  was  present  at  the  council  of  Agde 
in  the  year  506.  The  cathedral  is  a fine  Gothic  edifice  of 
the  fourteenth  century.  The  ruins  of  the  church  of  Ozeste, 
another  Gothic  building,  erected  by  pope  Clement  the  Fifth, 
may  be  seen  at  a short  distance  from  the  walls. s Langon, 
surrounded  by  the  vineyards  of  Gravg,  is  better  built;  it 
rises  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Garonne,  where  the  tide,  still 
perceptible,  favours  the  trade  of  the  town,  and  the  convey- 
ance of  its  wines.  Of  late  years,  steam  boats  have  sailed 
regularly  to  Bordeaux,  and  the  communication  between  the 
two  towns,  has  in  consequence  been  much  increased. 

Many  islands  are  scattered  in  different  parts  of  the  river, 
and  the  banks  are  bordered  by  fruitful  hills.  On  the  right 
bank  are  situated  the  old  towers  and  embattled  walls  of 
Cadillac,  as  well  as  the  fine  castle  of  Epernon.  Rions  at  a 
greater  distance  to  the  north,  on  the  same  bank  of  the  river, 
contains  1500  inhabitants.  Castres,  on  the  left  bank,  near 
the  confluence  of  the  Gue-Mort,  is  not  so  important  a place 
as  the  last,  but  better  built,  and  is  agreeably  situated  on  the 
road  from  Toulouse  to  Bordeaux.  The  last  city  rises  ma- 
jestically on  the  banks  of  the  Garonne,  at  the  place  where 
the  river  forms  a large  curve,  and  renders  the  harbour  very 
imposing.  It  describes  an  arc,  of  which  the  two  extremi- 
ties are  not  less  than  a league  distant  from  each  other,  and 
the  space  it  encloses  may  contain  a thousand  ships.  Bor- 
deaux'1 may  be  ranked  from  its  commerce  and  importance 
among  the  first  towns  in  the  kingdom.  A line  of  fine 
buildings  extends  along  the  whole  length  of  the  city,1  and 
vessels  of  every  size  and  from  every  nation  repair  to  the 
harbour.  The  mean  breadth  of  the  river  may  be  more 
than  a mile  ;k  it  flows  with  rapidity,  and  a magnificent 
bridge,  consisting  of  seventeen  arches,  erected  over  the  nar- 
rowest part  of  the  Garonne,  occupies  a space  equal  to  648 
yards'  in  length.  The  difficulties  against  which  the  archi- 
tect had  to  contend  in  building  such  a bridge  in  such  a 
situation,  were  apparently  insurmountable.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  overcome  the  obstacles  arising  from  the  sandy  and 
shifting  bed  of  the  river,  from  the  depth  of  twenty-five  to 
forty  feet,™  from  the  force  of  the  tide,  which  twice  a-day 
rises  to  the  height  of  four  or  five  yards,"  and  from  the  cur- 
rents occasioned  by  the  same  cause,  the  velocity  of  which 
someiimes  exceeds  three  yards  in  a second.  Old  Bor- 
deaux extends  on  the  right  of  the  bridge  ; the  streets 
are  narrow  and  crooked,  and  the  squares  and  market 
places  are  irregular.  The  quarter  of  Chartrons  is  the 
most  commercial  part  of  the  town,0  but  the  finest  and  best 

1 Jllvrus,  D’Anv.  b Arcayon. 

c “ Since  the  engineer  Bremontier  suggested  the  idea  that  these 
downs  might  be  fixed  by  sowing  them  with  plants  suited  to  the  soil, 
they  have  been  rendered  productive.”  France  is  indebted  to  Bre- 
montier for  fixing  the  sands  and  planting  the  downs  along  the  Gulf 
of  Gascony,  and  for  restoring  those  sandy  soils  to  cultivation.  (Beau- 
vais.) Since  1788,  the  government  has  attempted  checking  the  prog- 
ress of  the  downs,  by  raising  pines  from  seeds  on  their  internal  de- 
clivities, and  as  far  as  the  experiment  has  been  tried,  it  is  said  to 
have  succeeded.  Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog.  V.  11.  p.  5. — P. 

d “ Enriched  by  its  agriculture  and  a very  extensive  commerce,  the 
department  of  the  Gironde  also  contains  many  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments. Iron  is  extensively  manufactured  ; there  are  four  high 
furnaces*  and  seven  fineries!  in  the  department.  Many  of  the 
wealthy  proprietors  keep  flocks  of  merinos,  and  are  also  engaged  in 
introducing  the  English  long  wooled  sheep.” — P. 

* Smelting  furnaces.  t Refining  furnaces — used  in  making  bar  iron. 

• “ Arrondissement.”  1 Cossio,  D’Anv. 

« “ The  cathedral  is  one  of  the  finest  monuments  of  the  fourteenth 

century.  The  Gothic  church  of  Ozeste, + founded  by  Pope  Clement 
V.  is  situated  at  a short  distance  from  the  walls  now  in  ruins  ( scs  mu- 
\ rmUes  ere  mines.)" 

| Oreste  1 Orestes  was  bishop  of  Bazas  in  585.  Moreri. — P. 
h Bourdeaux. 

* The  river  forms  a semicircular  basin,  700  fathoms  broad,  and  is 
lined  by  a superb  quay,  with  magnificent  buildings.  Tuckey’s  Mar. 
Geog.  V.  II.  p.  23.— P. 

k “ The  breadth  of  the  river  is  equal  to  three  fourths  of  a league” — 
The  river  opposite  Bordeaux  is  between  300  and  400  toises  in  breadth. 
Ed.  Encyc. 

1 “ 486  metres.” 
m “ 7 to  10  metres.” 

" “ 4 to  6 metres.” — The  tide  rises  to  the  height  of  12  feet.  Ed. 
Encyc. 

° The  suburb  of  Chartrons,  in  which  the  principal  merchants  re- 
side. (Ed.  Encyc.) — Bordeaux  consists  of  the  city  (old  town.)  and 
the  three  suburbs  of  the  Chapeau  Rouge,  St.  Surin  and  the  Chartrons. 
CEncyc.  Method.) — P. 

[BOOK  CXIiII. 


232  EUROPE. 


built  is  the  quarter  of  the  Chnpeau  Rouge.  Louis  the 
Fourteenth  destroyed  the  remains  of  an  ancient  temple  ded- 
icated to  the  tutelary  gods,  in  order  to  enlarge  the  esplanade 
of  the  Chateau  Trompette  ; but  the  castle  itself  has  been 
destroyed  since  the  revolution,  and  modern  buildings  not 
unworthy  of  so  wealthy  a city  are  now  raised  on  the  site 
All  that  remains  of  the  old  fortifications,  now  useless,  are 
the  ruins  of  the  fort  of  St.  Croix  at  the  extremity  of  the 
quarter  of  Chartrons  ; the  dockyards  extend  at  their  base. 

The  old  dungeons1'  in  the  castle  of  Ha  are  still  entire ; 
they  are  used  as  a prison.  The  Burgundian  gate,c  a fine 
triumphal  arch,  rises  on  the  quay,  opposite  the  bridge  ; it 
was  built  to  commemorate  the  birth  of  the  grandson  of 
Louis  the  Fourteenth.11  Another  gate  near  the  old  trench- 
es of  Salinieres,  may  be  remarked  on  account  of  the  Goth- 
ic edifice  which  rises  above  it;  it  is  the  ancient  town- 
house.  The  Royal  square®  is  more  worthy  of  the  name  from 
the  buildings  which  adorn  it,  than  from  its  size.  The  Place 
Dauphine , more  regular  than  the  last,  is  situated  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  a much  frequented  walk,  called  the  alleys  of 
Touruy  ; the  other  squares  worthy  of  notice,  are  the 
Place  d'Armes , and  those  of  St.  Germain  and  Grands- 
hommes.  The  cathedral,  the  largest  church  in  the  town, 
is  a Gothic  edifice;  the  interior,  imposing  from  its  size,  is 
adorned  with  a magnificent  altar.  The  large  theatre,  a 
circular  building/  surpasses  most  places  of  the  same  kind 
in  elegance  of  architecture,  and  in  the  commodious  ar- 
rangement of  the  boxes.  A light  and  graceful  dome  tow- 
ers above  the  exchange,  the  rendezvous  for  merchants 
from  every  part  of  the  world.  The  ancient  archiepiscopal 
palace,  an  edifice  remarkable  for  its  regularity,  was  chang- 
ed into  a royal  palace  at  the  restoration.  Bordeaux,  like 
Paris,  has  a pompous  cemetery,  where  the  wealthy  accu- 
mulate marbles  and  inscriptions;  it  is  situated  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  town,  in  the  enclosure  of  the  new  Chartreuse, 
near  a handsome  modern  church  embellished  with  fresco 
paintings.  Within  the  same  rich  city  are  situated  several 
hospitals,  an  asylum  for  the  deaf  and  dumb,  different 
academical  societies,  and  a public  library,  consisting  ol 
1 10,000  volumes,  among  which  is  a copy  of  Montaigne’s 
Essays  with  marginal  corrections  written  by  the  author  ; it 
possesses  besides,  a botanical  garden,  one  of  the  four  es- 
tablished by  government  for  the  purpose  of  naturalizing  ex- 
otic plants,  a collection  of  natural  history,  schools  of  theol- 
ogy, medicine,  surgery,  drawing  and  painting,  and  lastly  a 

'* * *  The  Chateau  Trompette  was  purchased  from  the  late  king  (Louis 
XVI.)  by  a company  of  speculators,  for  the  purpose  of  being  taken 
down,  in  order  to  build  with  the  materials  a fine  square,  and  several 
splendid  streets,  to  the  number  of  1800  houses.  (Ed.  Encyc.  1813.) — P. 

b “The  Donj  >n” — principal  tower  or  keep. 

c “ Porte  do  Bourgogne” — Gate  of  Burgundy. 

d Louis,  duke  of  Burgundy,  father  of  Louis  XV. — P. 

e “ Place  Royale.” 

f In  the  shape  of  the  segment  of  an  oval,  occupying  a space  of  306 
by  165  feet,  with  the  principal  front  at  one  end,  where  there  is  a por- 
tico of  twelve  very  large  Corinthian  columns.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

s “ a cabinet  of  natural  history,  a university,*  a faculty  of  theolo- 

gy, schools  of  medicine,  drawing  and  painting,  a gallery  of  pictures,  and 
a museum  of  antiquities,  in  the  last  of  which  are  collected  the  different 
tombs  and  basso-relievos,  that  have  been  found  within  the  town  or  in 
its  neighbourhood.” 

* “Academie  Universitaire.” — The  general  superintendence  of  education  in 
France  is  intrusted  to  the  Council  of  Public  Instruction,  subordinate  to  which 
are  the  Academies,  equal  to  the  royal  courts  in  number.  The  Academies 
have  the  immediate  superintendence  of  all  the  schools  within  their  jurisdiction. 
The  schools  are  arranged  in  the  following  order  : viz.  1st,  Faculties ; 2d,  Royal 
and  Communal  Colleges;  3d,  Seminaries  ( Institutions , ) and  Boarding  Schools 
( Pensions)-,  4th,  Primary  Schools.  The  academies  with  their  faculties  corre- 
spond to  the  former  universities,  whence  the  term  “ academie  universitaire,”  in 
the  original.— P. 


museum  of  antiquities,  in  which  are  tombs  and  basso-re- 
lievos collected  in  the  town  or  neighbourhood. ? We  have 
had  occasion  to  mention  an  ancient  temple,  now  wholly  de- 
stroyed ; some  arcades  of  an  amphitheatre,  called  the  pal- 
ace of  Gallienus/  are  the  only  remains  that  serve  to  recal 
the  Roman  domination.  It  is  supposed  that  Bordeaux 
was  a town  before  the  conquest  of  Caesar,  and  that  its  an- 
cient name  came  from  two  words  of  Celtic  origin,  Bur  and 
Wal,  signifying  a Gallic  fortress,  which  the  Romans  cor- 
rupted into  Burdigala.  It  is  by  that  name  that  Ausonius 
mentions  it  in  his  verses;  it  became  the  capital  of  the  sec- 
ond Aquitania  during  the  reign  of  Hadrian.  It  was  ravag- 
ed by  the  Visigoths  about  the  end  of  the  fourth  century, 
and  four  hundred  years  afterwards,  by  the  Saracens  and 
the  Normans ; it  passed  with  the  whole  of  Aquitaine  into 
the  power  of  the  English  in  the  year  1152.’  It  was  en- 
larged under  Henry  the  Second  and  Edward  the  Third, 
but  it  did  not  become  very  flourishing  until  Charles  the 
Seventh  freed  it  from  a foreign  yoke.  Although  it  may 
be  doubted  that  it  was  the  native  town  of  Ausonius  and 
Sidonius  Apollinaris,  it  claims  at  least  the  merit  of  having 
given  birth  to  Montesquieu,  to  Berquin,  to  Ducos  and  Gen- 
sonne,  two  distinguished  members  of  the  national  conven- 
tion, and  lastly  to  the  celebrated  defender  of  Louis  the 
Sixteenth/  whose  devotedness  was  rewarded  with  the  most 
honourable  dignities. 

Bordeaux  has  its  distilleries,  vinegar,  nitric  acid  and  su- 
gar works  ; it  possesses  paper,  cotton,  silk  and  woollen 
manufactories  : the  porcelain,  glass,  hats,  carpets  and  stock- 
ings made  in  the  same  place  are  sold  in  different  parts  of 
France.1  It  equips  every  year  nearly  two  hundred  ves- 
sels, and  of  these  several  are  sent  to  the  cod  and  whale 
fisheries. 

The  small  town  of  Blaye,  supposed  to  have  been  the 
ancient  Blavia,  is  situated  below  the  narrow  tongue  of 
land,  called  the  Bee  d'Ambes ,m  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Gironde,  opposite  Medoc.  It  is  divided  into  two  parts, 
one  of  which  rises  on  the  acclivity  of  a hill,  and  the  other 
on  the  summit,  where  four  large  bastions  serve  with  the 
fort  of  Medoc  to  guard  the  entrance  into  the  river.  Ac- 
cording to  tradition,  Caribert,  who  died  in  the  year  574, 
and  the  brave  Roland,  who  fell  at  Roncevaux  in  778,  were 
buried  within  the  walls  of  the  town.  Libourne,  the  capi- 
tal of  a district,”  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Dor- 
dogne and  the  Dronne  ;°  it  is  encompassed  with  walls  and 

h The  amphitheatre  and  the  palace  of  Gallienus  were  two  distinct 
edifices.  The  former  was  of  an  oval  figure,  227  feet  in  length  and  140 
in  breadth.  A few  walls  and  two  of  the  gates  are  the  only  remains  of 
the  latter.  Encyc.  Method. — P. 

‘ By  the  marriage  of  Eleanor,  only  daughter  of  William  the  tenth 
and  last  duke  of  Guienne,  who  had  been  divorced  from  Louis  VII.  of 
France  in  1152,  with  Henry  of  Normandy,  afterwards  Henry  II.  of 
England,  Bordeaux  became  subject  to  the  princes  of  that  country,  by 
whom  it  was  greatly  enlarged  and  beautified.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

k Count  Deseze,  the  youngest  of  the  council  of  Louis  XVI.,  selected 
as  their  associate  by  the  two  elder  council,  Malesherbes  and  Tronchet, 
after  the  refusal  of  Target  to  officiate.  He  lived  in  retirement  till  the 
restoration,  when  he  was  made  president,  of  the  Court  of  Cassation, 
and  afterwards  ennobled,  by  Louis  XVIII. — P. 

1 “ Bordeaux  possesses  manufactories  of  vinegar  and  nitric  acid, 
distilleries  and  sugar  refineries  ; it  also  manufactures  paper,  cottons, 
hats,  stockings,  pottery  ( delft-ware ,)  glass,  carpets  and  oil  cloth.” 

w The  point  between  the  two  rivers,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Ga- 
ronne and  the  Dordogne. — P. 

“ “ Subprefecture”  or  arrondissement. 

0 Libourne  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Dordogne  and  the 
Hie.  (Vosgicn.  Encyc.  Method.  Rees’ Cyc.)  The  Dronne  is  a branch 
of  the  Ille. — P. 


L 


BOOK  CXL.I1.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


233 


agreeable  walks,  and  was  founded  by  Edward  the  First, 
king  of  England.  La  Reole,  the  last  town  worthy  of  no- 
tice, rises  near  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  department, 
on  a hill  which  commands  the  right  bank  of  the  Garonne. 
It  was  the  birthplace  of  the  two  Fauchers,  both  victims  of 
the  same  political  revolution.  Twin  brothers,  and  united 
to  each  other  by  the  most  devoted  attachment,  their  patri- 
otism called  them  both  to  the  field  of  battle,  where  they 
served  in  the  same  ranks,  distinguished  themselves  in  the 
same  engagements,  and  were  made  generals  at  the  same 
time.  Enthusiastically  attached  to  liberty,  they  disdained 
to  promote  the  ambition  of  a single  man  ; as  soon,  there- 
fore, as  Bonaparte  assumed  the  title  of  consul,  and  there- 
by announced  his  ambitious  designs,  they  resigned  their 
commissions.  Their  retirement  was  ennobled  with  the 
laurels  of  twenty  campaigns.  But  the  presence  of  foreign 
troops  on  the  French  territory  after  the  battle  of  Waterloo, 
and  the  continuance  of  hostilities  after  the  departure  of  Na- 


f Brandy,  cordage  and  pins.  (Vosgicn.) 
s Clerac. 

h “ The  tobacco  manufactory  ( manufacture  dc  tabac,)  which  formerly 
enjoyed  a high  reputation,  is  situated  at  a short  distance  from  its  walls. 
Clairac  on  the  Lot  formerly  rivalled  it  in  that  article  ; its  tobacco  ( la - 
VOL.  III.— NO.  49  30 


and  it  is  considered  of  a better  quality  than  any  other  sort 
in  France.  Iron,  the  most  abundant  mineral  substance  in 
the  department,  adds  considerably  to  the  wealth  of  the  in- 
habitants.0 The  climate  is  temperate,  the  sky  is  seldom 
clouded,  and  the  air  is  salubrious  ; an  exception,  however, 
must  be  made  of  the  country  near  the  marshes,  which  cov- 
er part  of  the  landes.  Long  alternations  of  rains  and 
droughts  often  interrupt  the  course  of  the  seasons ; some- 
times an  atmospheric  phenomenon,  called  the  brouillardi 
in  the  country,  changes  the  joyful  days  of  spring  into  days 
of  mourning.  If  the  burning  rays  of  the  sun  are  sudden- 
ly felt  after  the  light  mist  which  accompanies  the  same 
phenomenon,  the  hopes  of  the  husbandman  are  blasted. 

Marmande  was  almost  destroyed  by  the  Arabs  in  the 
eighth  century  ; although  many  of  the  buildings  are  anti- 
quated, it  is  on  the  whole,  a well  built  town  ; it  is  the  chief 
place  in  a district0  of  the  same  name  ; it  rises  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Garonne,  and  carries  on  a considerable  trade 
with  Bordeaux.  Tonneins  consists  mostly  of  a long  and 
broad  street,  embellished  with  several  fine  houses  ; the  in- 
habitants are  industrious,  and  the  town  is  a place  of  trade 
both  in  the  products  of  the  department,  and  in  different 
manufactures/  The  tobacco  works,  which  were  at  one 
time  in  greater  repute  than  any  others  in  France,  are  situ- 
ated at  a short  distance  from  the  walls.  Although  its  snuff 
is  still  much  prized,  connoisseurs  of  the  present  day  seem 
to  give  the  preference  to  that  of  Clairac, sh  a town  situated 
on  the  Lot,  peopled  by  about  5000  inhabitants,  and  one 
of  the  first  places  in  the  south  that  embraced  the  reforma- 
tion/ Villeneuve  d’Agen,  which  was  built  in  the  thirteenth 
century  according  to  a regular  plan,  is  traversed  by  the 
Lot;  the  principal  arch  of  a bridge  erected  at  the  same 
period  over  the  river,  is  108  feet  in  width  and  55  in  height. 
The  old  fortifications  are  now  changed  into  agreeable 
walks,  but  some  remains  of  the  former  may  be  seen  near 
the  castle  of  Duke  Alphonso,  the  brother  of  St.  Louis,  and 
the  founder  of  the  town.  No  other  place  of  any  conse- 
quence can  be  mentioned  in  the  same  district/  Agen,  al- 
though thinly  peopled,  is  the  largest  town  in  the  depart- 
ment its  antiquity  is  attested  by  the  name  of  Aginum,m 
given  it  by  Ptolemy,  who  informs  us  that  it  was  the  capi- 
tal of  the  JVitiobriges.  It  obtained  the  rank  and  privileges 
of  a city  under  Theodosius ; it  is  at  present  the  seat  of  a 
bishopric  and  a court  of  justice."  The  streets  are  narrow 
and  crooked,  and  the  houses  clumsy  and  inconvenient,  but 
the  bridge  over  the  Garonne  is  a fine  structure.  The 
walks  are  laid  out  with  much  taste,  and  the  neighbouring 
country  cannot  be  too  much  commended.  Agen  was  the 
native  town  of  Joseph  Scaliger  and  Lacepede.  The  in- 
habitants manufacture  hard-ware,  sail-cloth  and  printed 
cottons.  The  small  but  neat  town  of  Nerac  on  the  Bayse,0 

hue)  was  esteemed  the  best  in  France.” — For  a memoir  on  the  cultiva- 
tion and  preparation  of  tobacco  in  the  district  of  Tonneins,  see  Sava- 
ry,  Diet.  Comm.  1741,  Vol.  III.  p.  272,  or  Encyc.  Meth.  Commerce, 
art.  Tabac.  The  inodes  of  preparing  it  were  spinning  and  rolling.  The 
manufacture  of  snuff  is  not  mentioned. — P. 

‘ “The  first  place  in  the  south  which  embraced  the  reformation.” 
Gerard  Le  Roux,  abbot  of  Clerac,  about  the  year  1530,  having  embrac- 
ed the  doctrines  of  the  reformation,  not  only  brought  over  the  town  to 
his  persuasion,  but  also  Margaret,  queen  of  Navarre,  who  declared 
herself  his  protectress.  Moreri. — P. 

k Arrondissement  of  Villeneuve  d’Agen. 

1 It  is  the  capital  of  the  department  and  the  residence  of  the  pre- 
fect.— P. 

m Aginnum,  Ptolern.  ed.  Mercator.  1584. — P. 

n “ Cour  royale.” 

° Baise. 


poleon,  and  the  return  of  the  King,  announcing  the  dangers 
which  threatened  France,  the  two  brothers  accepted  from 
general  Clausel,  the  honourable  office  of  defending  then- 
native  town,  an  office  which  they  fulfilled  with  much  zeal 
and  ability  until,  informed  of  the  state  of  events,  they  laid 
down  their  arms.  Their  patriotism  was  imputed  to  them 
as  a crime  ; summoned  before  a special  commission,  no 
advocate  was  bold  enough  to  defend  them.  The  two 
brothers  were  in  consequence  doomed  to  death,  and  as 
they  had  been  inseparable  during  life,  so  they  died  in  em- 
bracing each  other. 

If  a traveller  were  to  form  an  opinion  of  the  soil  in  the 
department  of  the  Lot  and  Garonne  from  the  wide  and  fer- 
tile vallies  that  these  two  rivers  water,  he  might  suppose  it 
one  of  the  most  fruitful  in  France.  But  the  dismal  landes 
that  have  been  already  mentioned,  extend  on  the  west,  and 
cover  an  eighth  part  of  the  surface.  The  hills  situated  on 
the  east  between  the  Garonne  and  the  Lot,  particular- 
ly near  the  banks  of  the  Lot,  are  by  no  means  fruitful. 
On  the  north,  the  labourer  attempts  to  derive  some  profit 
from  a ferruginous  clay,  which  covers  several  districts  ; it 
may  be  truly  said,  however,  that  the  soil  is  ungrateful." 
But  in  the  more  fertile  parts  of  the  country,  the  corn  crops 
suffice  amply  for  the  wants  of  the  inhabitants.  Trees  of 
different  kinds  are  loaded  with  fruit,  and  it  is  believed  that 
the  best  prunes  in  France  are  exported  from  the  depart- 
ment/ The  vines,  often  cultivated  with  the  plough, 
and  suffered  to  grow  without  props,  yield  double  the  quan- 
tity of  wine  that  the  inhabitants  consume.  Most  of  the 
wines  are  red,  thick  and  strong ; they  may  be  kept  a long 
time,  and  are  not  impaired  by  distant  voyages.  Hemp 
grows  to  a great  height,  and  judges  consider  it  superior  to 
any  in  the  north  ; tobacco  is  cultivated  on  a great  scale, 

a “ It  may  be  truly  said  that  in  one  half  of  the  department,  the  soil  is 
unproductive.” 

b “ Plum  trees  are  the  most  common,  particularly  those  that  furnish 
the  excellent  prunes  called  cutes* * *  which  form  an  extensive  article  of 
exportation.” 

* Fr.  cute,  a graft. 

c “ Iron  is  the  most  important  of  its  mineral  productions  ; it  supplies 
three  high  furnaces,  three  Catalan  forges, t and  five  fineries.” 
t Furnaces  in  which  tough  or  bar  iron  is  made  directly  from  the  ore. — P. 
d Fr.  brouillard , fog  mist.  e “Arrondissement.” 


234  EUR< 

is  situated  in  a picturesque  country,  and  commanded  by  an 
ancient  Gothic  castle,  the  residence  of  the  kings  of  Na- 
varre.® 

The  department  of  the  Gers,  bounded  on  the  north  by  the 
one  that  has  been  last  mentioned,  may  be  considered  an  ag- 
ricultural country;  although  mountainous  on  the  south,  large 
plains  extend  towards  the  north ; the  air  is  pure  and  the  cli- 
mate temperate.  A seventh  part  of  the  surface  is  covered 
with  vineyards ; the  rest  is  laid  out  in  meadows  and  corn 
fields.  The  greater  part  of  the  soil  yields  moderate  har- 
vests, and  the  department  furnishes  very  little  good  wine, 
but  a great  quantity  of  bad,  which  the  inhabitants  convert 
into  brandy,  better  than  any  other  sort  in  France,  with  the 
exception  of  that  of  Cognac.  The  brandy  still  bears  the 
name  of  Armagnac,  an  ancient  province,  of  which  the 
greater  part  forms  the  present  departinent.b 

Condom  stands  on  the  Bayse,  a river  which  serves  to 
turn  many  flour  mills  in  the  vicinity  ;c  it  carries  on  a con- 
siderable trade  in  leather  and  quills ; it  was  formerly  the 
seat  of  a bishopric.  Several  distilleries  have  been  built  in 
the  small  towns  of  Cazaubon  and  Eauze;  the  name  of  the 
last  was  probably  derived  from  Elusa , a city  belonging  to 
the  Elusates,  and  the  metropolis  of  Novempopulania,  of 
which  some  vestiges  are  to  be  found  in  Ciutat,  an  adjoin- 
ing hamlet.  The  village  of  Castera-Vivent,  situated  on  the 
road  to  Auch,  is  much  frequented  on  account  of  the  sul- 
phureous springs  near  it.  Auch,  the  ancient  Climberris, 
the  capital  of  the  Ausci,  a people  who  were  subdued  by 
Crassus,  is  at  present  the  chief  town  of  the  department, 
and  the  residence  of  an  archbishop,  who  was  formerly  en- 
titled primate  of  Aquitaine.*1  Rising  like  an  amphitheatre 
on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  and  divided  by  the  Gers  into  the 
upper  and  lower  town,  Auch  consists  of  narrow  and  wind- 
ing streets,  but  the  squares  and  public  places  are  built  with 
greater  regularity.  The  foundation  of  the  cathedral  has 
been  attributed  to  Clovis ; it  may  be  admired  for  the  ele- 
vation of  the  vaulted  roof,  the  beauty  of  the  painted  win- 
dows, which  Mary  de  Medicis  wished  to  remove  to  Paris, 
and  the  elegance  of  the  modern  portal,  in  which  the  Co- 
rinthian order  is  united  with  the  Composite.  A well  built 
square  in  the  upper  part  of  the  town,  leads  to  a pleasant 
walk,  from  which  the  view  extends  to  the  Pyrenees  ; for 
these  as  well  as  many  other  embellishments,  the  inhabitants 
are  indebted  to  M.  Detigny/  an  individual  to  whom  they 
have  shown  their  gratitude  by  erecting  a statue.  Auch  is 
the  native  town  of  the  witty  Roquelaure,  of  admiral  Villa- 
ret  de  Joyeuse  and  of  general  Dessolles.  Mirande,  the 
small  capital  of  a poor  and  sterile  district/  is  well  built  and 
encompassed  with  walls.  Lombcs/  still  more  insignificant, 
but  situated  in  a very  fruitful  part  of  the  country,  has  been 
often  injured  by  the  inundations  of  the  Save,  which  waters 
it.  Fleurance,  although  it  contains  only  3000  inhabitants, 
is  adorned  with  a fine  public  square. 

We  traverse  a fruitful  country,  and  follow  the  windings 
of  the  Gers,  before  we  arrive  at  the  height  which  crowns 
Lectoure,  the  birthplace  of  Marshal  Lannes.  It  is  not  far 
removed  from  the  site  which  has  been  attributed  to  Lac- 
tora,  a city  of  the  Lactorates.  It  is  chiefly  worthy  of  no- 

DPE.  lbook  cxlij. 

tice  on  account  of  the  magnificent  view  from  the  public 
walk  called  the  Bastion.  The  walls  that  surround  it,  are 
erected  on  the  space  occupied  by  the  triple  enclosure, 
which  defended  it  in  the  time  of  the  counts  of  Armagnac, 
but  which  proved  no  security  to  the  last  descendant  of  that 
illustrious  family,  against  the  vengeance  of  Louis  the  Elev- 
enth. John  the  Fifth,  count  of  Armagnac,  was  one  of 
those  persons  who  seem  to  be  impelled  in  the  career  of 
wickedness  by  an  irresistible  power,  and  whom  impetuous 
passions  render  as  culpable  as  unfortunate.  The  crimes 
of  his  father,  who  revolted  against  his  liege  lord,  might 
have  deprived  him  of  his  dominions,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  clemency  of  Charles  the  Seventh,  but  the  misfortunes 
of  his  family,  and  the  proscription  denounced  against  him 
in  early  life,  were  all  unavailing  lessons.  A passion  at 
which  nature  shudders,  was  the  origin  of  his  misfortunes. 
Madly  attached  to  his  sister  Isabella,  a lady  renowned  for 
her  beauty,  the  publicity  of  their  guilt  brought  upon  him 
the  wrath  of  the  church;  but  the  indignation  of  Rome  wras 
appeased  by  his  feigned  repentance.  He  had  hardly  been 
absolved  from  excommunication  and  restored  to  Christian 
privileges,  when  he  ventured  to  solicit  from  the  pope,  dis- 
pensations for  marrying  his  sister,  which  were  perempto- 
rily refused,  but  two  persons  suborned  by  the  count,  forged 
them,  and  the  monstrous  marriage  was  celebrated  with 
pomp  and  solemnity.  The  chief  of  the  church  published 
a second  and  a terrible  anathema  against  the  incestuous 
pair.  Charles  employed  persuasion  and  counsel  to  restore 
the  count  to  reason,  who  repaid  his  kindness  by  joining  the 
enemies  of  France.  Lectoure  was  shortly  afterwards  be- 
sieged by  a formidable  army;  Isabella  fled,  John  could 
not  remain  without  her,  and  both  hastened  for  protection 
to  the  King  of  Arragon,  their  relative.  Love,  not  fear, 
had  induced  the  count  to  fly,  but  singularly  inconsistent  in 
his  character,  he  returned  and  appeared  before  the  parlia- 
ment that  summoned  him.  Thrown  into  prison,  he  made 
his  escape  ; proscribed,  deprived  of  his  dominions,  and 
unable  to  see  her,  whom  a late  but  not  insincere  repent- 
ance rendered  the  most  wretched  of  mothers,  he  travelled 
on  foot  as  a mendicant  to  Rome,  and  implored  lor  him- 
self, now  that  his  power  had  vanished  as  a dream,  and  for 
her  who  was  bewailing  her  crimes  in  a cloister,  the  mercy 
of  the  holy  father  ; an  absolution  was  granted,  but  not 
without  the  most  rigid  conditions.  Louis  the  Eleventh  put 
him  again  in  possession  of  his  estates,  and  he  married  the 
daughter  of  the  count  of  Foix  ; but  equally  ungrateful  to 
his  new  benefactor,  as  he  had  formerly  been  to  Charles 
the  Seventh,  he  conspired  against  the  throne  of  France. 
Punished  a second  time,  and  driven  from  his  dominions, 
he  was  enabled  to  return  in  consequence  of  new  political 
intrigues,  which  he  had  formed  with  the  duke  ot  Guienne. 
He  became  a third  time  an  exile  after  the  tragical  death 
of  the  duke,  but  by  new  intrigues  he  made  himself  a third 
time  master  of  his  capital,  and  cast  Peter  of  Bourbon  into 
prison,  who  commanded  the  town  in  the  name  of  the  king. 
Louis  the  Eleventh  had  now  determined  to  reduce  the 
power  of  the  great  vassals  of  the  crown,  and  the  treason  of 
John  was  not  to  be  passed  over  with  impunity.  Tristan 

I It  has  manufactories  of  sea  biscuit,  and  is  noted  for  its  pastry. — 
M.  U. 

II  Rather  is  situated  in  or  forms  part  of . The  department  of  the 

Gers  is  formed  by  the  old  province  of  Condomois,  and  part  of  those  of 
Comminges  and  Armagnac.  Armagnac  is  included  in  the  departments 
of  the  Gers  and  the  Upper  Pyrenees,  the  greater  part  in  the  for- 
mer.— P. 

c “ Condom  is  traversed  by  the  Bayse,  which  turns  a great  number 
of  flour  mills.” 

d The  archbishopric  of  Auch  was  suppressed  during  the  revolu- 
tion.— P. 

e Intendant  of  Auch.  M.  B. 
f “Arrondissemcnt.” 

« Lombez. 

‘ ' - — 

book  cxlh.j  DESCRIPTION 

the  hermit,  and  Cardinal  D’Alby,  marched  with  their 
sanguinary  troops  against  Lectoure  ; the  count  defended 
himself  bravely,  and  his  son,  the  fruit  of  incestuous  love, 
was  slain  in  a sally.  Despairing  of  success,  and  no  match 
against  the  king  in  the  number  of  his  men,  he  offered  to 
surrender  orf  certain  conditions.  The  conditions  were  ac- 
cepted ; the  cardinal  and  the  count  partook  the  sacrament 
together,  and  both  parties  swore  on  the  altar  to  observe 
them.  However,  the  troops  of  the  king  had  hardly  enter- 
ed the  town  before  all  tire  inhabitants  were  put  to  the 
sword  ; the  count  fell  in  the  midst  of  the  slaughter,1  and  the 
countess,  far  advanced  in  pregnancy,  was  compelled  to 
swallow  poison  ;b  Charles  his  only  brother,  and  James  d’Ar- 
magnac  his  cousin  expiated  on  the  scaffold  the  crimes  of 
their  relative.0 

A new  department,  that  of  the  Tarn  and  Garonne,  was 
added  to  the  others,  conformably  to  a decree  passed  on 
the  second  of  November  1808  ; it  consists  of  different  dis- 
tricts, which  were  taken  from  the  adjoining  departments.11 
It  is  watered  by  the  Aveyron,  which  throws  itself  into  the 
Tarn  below  Montauban,  and  by  the  Tarn  which  joins  the 
Garonne  below  Moissac.  The  Gimonne,  the  Rats  and 
other  streams  of  less  consequence,  which  traverse  it  in  dif- 
ferent directions,  serve  to  enlarge  a river  often  liable  to  in- 
undations. Fruitful  and  well  cultivated  fields  are  enclosed 
with  hedges,  or  varied  with  groves  of  quince  trees.0  The 
land  produces  much  more  wheat  than  the  inhabitants  can 
consume;  more  than  half  the  wine  is  converted  into  bran- 
dy, and  sent  out  of  the  department ; the  white  mulberry 
tree  affords  plentiful  nourishment  to  the  silk  worm  ; differ- 
ent sorts  of  poultry  are  reared  in  great  numbers ; and  mules 
prized  by  the  Spaniards,  are  exported  to  their  country.  It 
is  pleasing  to  observe  the  reciprocal  influence  of  agricultu- 
ral and  manufacturing  industry ; thus  the  consequences  of 
the  one  are  numerous  distilleries,  silk  manufactories  and 
other  works  of  different  kinds/ 

Moissac,  founded  about  the  end  of  the  fourth  century, 
rises  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Tarn,  and  the  navigation  of 
the  river  facilitates  the  trade  with  Bordeaux.  Lauzerte,  a 
small  town  of  5000  inhabitants,  stands  on  a rock  in  a pic- 
turesque situation,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Landou  and  the 
Barguelonne.  The  ancient  walls  and  ramparts  that  en- 
compassed Castel-Sarrazins  are  now  changed  into  agreea- 
ble walks. 

Montauban,  the  most  central  town  in  the  department, 
was  founded  in  the  twelfth  century.  It  has  been  affirmed 
that  it  received  the  name  of  JWons  Albanus  from  the  great 
quantity  of  willows  in  the  vicinity,  which  the  country  peo- 
ple call  albas.  It  is  a large  and  well  built  town  ; the  Tarn, 
which  divides  it  into  three  quarters,  affords  an  easy  com- 
munication with  Bordeaux,  and  adds  to  the  importance 
of  its  trade/  The  gates,  the  town-house  and  most  of  the 
public  buildings  are  not  inelegant ; the  cathedral  is  much 

OF  FRANCE.  235 

older  than  the  town  ; indeed  it  is  well  known  that  long  be- 
fore the  foundation  of  the  latter,  the  convent  of  Mons  Au- 
reolas stood  in  the  highest  part  of  the  present  Montauban. 
It  is  the  native  town  of  Lefranc  de  Pompignan1  and  other 
distinguished  men. 

It  is  said  that  queen  Brunehault  had  a castle  at  Bruni- 
quel  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Verre,  where  the  lower  orders 
find  at  present  employment  in  working  iron/  Negrepe- 
lisse  was  a flourishing  town,  before  it  was  burnt  by  the 
troops  of  Louis  the  Thirteenth.1  Cossade,'"  St.  Antonin  and 
Caylus  are  small  towns  of  four  or  five  thousand  inhabitants, 
who  manufacture  serge  and  coarse  cloth,  dress  leather/ 
and  carry  on  a considerable  trade  in  the  corn  and  wines 
of  the  department. 

Mounts  Espinouse,  Garriguen  and  Aubrac,  and  some 
branches  of  the  Cantal  extend  over  almost  all  the  surface 
in  the  department  of  the  Aveyron  / vast  forests  cover  their 
declivities,  and  the  snow  remains  on  their  summits  six 
months  in  the  year.  Thus,  although  a southern  depart- 
ment, the  climate  is  cold  in  some  places,  particularly  in 
the  northern  districts;  in  others  where  the  tempera- 
ture is  milder,  wheat  is  in  general  not  the  most  common 
sort  of  grain.  Not  less  than  a third  part  of  the  land  re- 
mains uncultivated,  but  the  harvests  are  sufficient  for  the 
wants  of  the  inhabitants.  The  vineyards,  confined  to  the 
eastern  part  of  the  country,  produce  as  much  wine  as  the 
people  can  consume ; if,  however,  the  wines  of  Agnac, 
Laucedat  and  Marcillac  be  excepted,  all  the  others  are  of 
an  ordinary  quality.  But  the  wealth  of  the  department 
consists  in  fruitful  meadows  and  pastures,  which  afford  the 
means  of  rearing  horses,  mules,  oxen,  goats,  and  nearly 
600,000  sheep.  The  cheese  of  Roquefort,  which  the  in- 
habitants export  to  most  countries  in  Europe,  is  made  of 
the  milk  of  the  ewes,  mixed  with  a small  proportion  of  the 
milk  of  the  she-goats.  The  different  metals  in  the  same 
department  are  still  unworked,  but  it  contains  besides  ex- 
tensive coal  mines  and  quarries  of  aluminous  schistus  ; the 
produce  of  the  last  in  sulphate  of  alumine,  which  now  forms 
a considerable  article  of  commerce,  might  be  easily  in- 
creased in  a tenfold  ratio.  The  mineral  riches  of  the  de- 
partment, the  existence  of  which  was  hardly  imagined  thir- 
ty years  ago,  are  found  in  the  chain  that  separates  the  Lot 
from  the  Aveyron.  The  mountains  containing  coal  were 
known  only  by  their  spontaneous  combustion,  the  true 
source  of  which  was  not  even  suspected  ; the  cause  of 
their  ignition  is  probably  attributable  to  the  decomposi- 
tion of  sulphuret  of  iron,  although  similar  fires  are  often  oc- 
casioned by  accidental  causes.  A remarkable  example 
of  this  kind  may  be  seen  on  the  heights  of  Fontagne,  at 
the  distance  of  four  hundred  feet  above  the  Aveyron.  One 
may  there  observe  a crevice  of  an  elliptical  form,  surround- 
ed with  plants,  of  which  the  pale  verdure  indicates  their 
languid  and  unhealthy  state.  The  combustion  is  not  visi- 

1 A.  D.  1473— P. 

b “ — to  procure  abortion.”  She  afterwards  married  John  count  of 
Astier.  Moreri. — P. 

c Charles  was  confined  14  years  in  the  Bastile  by  Louis  XIII. ; he 
was  finally  liberated  by  Charles  VIII.  He  succeeded  his  brother  as 
count  of  Armagnac,  and  died  1496.  James  d’Armagnac,  duke  of  Ne- 
mours, was  beheaded  at  Paris  Aug.  4,  1477.  Moreri.  Beauvais. — P. 

d From  the  departments  of  the  Aveyron,  the  Upper  Garonne,  the 
Gers,  the  Lot,  and  the  Lot  and  Garonne.. — P. 

e “ — enclosed  with  hedges  and  wild  quince  trees  ( engnassiers .)” 
f “ The  influence  of  manufactures  in  encouraging  agriculture  is  not 
less  remarkable  in  this  department  than  in  other  countries  ; examples 
of  this  may  be  observed  in  the  favorable  effects  of  the  distilleries,  and 
of  the  manufactories  of  silk  stockings  and  quills  ” 

8 Castel-Sarrasin. 

h “ — of  its  manufactures.” — The  principal  manufactures  of  the 
place  are  silk  stuffs  and  stockings,  linens,  serge,  and  other  wooller 
stuffs.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

* J.  J.  Le  Franc,  marquis  de  Pompignan,  a lyric  and  dramatic  poet 
of  the  last  century. — P. 

k “ Bruniquel  possesses  fineries  ( affineries ) and  high  furnaces” 

The  translator,  by  a characteristic  blunder,  mistook  fineries  (furnaces 
for  making  bar  iron)  for  sugar  refineries,  and  consequently  found  em- 
ployment for  his  lower  orders  in  refining  sugar,  as  well  as  in  working 
iron ! ! — P. 

1 A.  D.  1622.  “Caussade. 

n “ They  possess  tanneries  and  manufactories  of  linens  and  serges.  ' 

8 Aveiron. 

236 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXL1I 


ble  daring  the  day,  but  favored  by  the  obscurity  of  the 
night,  flames  are  seen  to  rise  from  the  cavity,  which  resem- 
bles a small  crater ; to  the  persons  who  venture  to  ap- 
proach, notwithstanding  the  heat  and  smoke  exhaled  from 
it,  it  appears  filled  with  a mass  of  burning  coals.  The 
combustion  has  continued  for  several  centuries,  but  it  is 
believed  that  a perceptible  diminution  has  taken  place  in 
its  intensity.  The  mountains  in  the  department  form  the 
boundaries  of  six  long  vallies,  watered  by  the  Trueyre, 
the  Lot,  the  Aveyron,  the  Viaur,  the  Tarn  and  the  Sor- 
gues,  almost  all  of  which  flow  in  the  direction  from  east  to 
west.  The  same  vallies  are  filled  with  fruitful  alluvial  de- 
posits ; the  rivers,  particularly  the  Lot  and  the  Tarn,  serve 
to  move  different  works,  such  as  silk,  woollen  and  paper 
manufactories,®  and  facilitate  commercial  intercourse  with 
the  neighbouring  departments. 

The  towns  are  mostly  insignificant,  and  they  may  there- 
fore be  briefly  described.  Ville  Franche,  the  chief  town 
in  the  westernmost  district, b is  agreeably  situated  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Alzon  and  the  Aveyron  ; it  was  the  birth- 
place of  Marshal  Belle-Isle  ; the  neighbouring  country 
abounds  in  rich  pastures. 

Rhodez  or  Rodez,c  the  capital  of  the  department,  the 
smallest  and  also  the  ugliest  provincial  capital4  in  France, 
is  built  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  at  the  base  of  which  the 
Aveyron  flows  with  great  rapidity.  It  must  not  be  infer- 
red that  the  neighbouring  country  is  destitute  of  beauty  ; 
on  the  contrary,  the  views  from  many  places  are  roman- 
tic f but  the  dark,  dirty,  narrow  and  crooked  streets,  all 
built  on  an  inclined  plane,  are  steep  and  difficult  of  access. 
A great  many  wooden  houses,  and  others  of  stone,  but  ill 
built,  project  on  the  streets/  and  the  numerous  inequalities 
in  the  pavement  are  filled  with  rough  and  sharp  stones;  on 
the  whole,  in  point  of  convenience  and  comfort,  it  may  be 
said  to  be  several  centuries  behind  the  other  towns  in 
France.  The  inhabitants  are  indebted  to  the  liberality  of 
Francis  d’Estaing,  one  of  their  bishops,  for  their  cathedral, 
the  only  edifice  of  consequence  in  Rhodez.  The  extent 
of  the  nave,  the  boldness  of  the  vaulted  roof,  the  finely 
formed  windows,  the  steeple  not  less  than  250  feet  in 
height,  and  the  principal  tower  terminating  in  a cupola,  and 
crowned  by  a colossal  statue  of  the  Virgin,  render  it  one 
of  the  finest  monuments  of  Gothic  architecture  in  southern 
France.  It  has  long  been  considered  one  of  the  wonders 
in  the  department,  and  according  to  a ridiculous  Latin  in- 
scription on  one  of  the  walls,  it  is  said  to  be  equal  in  height 
to  the  pyramids  of  Egypt.  It  is  affirmed  that  the  Vandals 
of  the  revolution  would  have  destroyed  the  building,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  address  of  a single  citizen,  who  preserved 
it  by  proposing  in  an  assembly  that  it  should  be  dedicated 
to  Marat,  a motion  which  was  carried  by  acclamation .e 
Rhodez  has  given  birth  to  some  distinguished  men,  among 
qffiers  to  Hugh  Brunet,  a troubadour  of  the  twelfth  centu- 
ry, and  to  John  de  Serres,  a protestant  theologian.  The 
same  town  bore  before  the  Roman  conquest,  the  Celtic 

1 “ The  rivers supply  iron  and  copper  works,  tanneries, 

silk  and  paper  mills,  and  manufactories  of  different  stuffs.” 
b “Arrondissement.”  c Rhodes,  Rodes. 

d “ Capital  of  prefecture”  or  department. 

e “ From  its  peculiar  position,  it  is  surrounded  by  walks  which  rise 
in  terraces  and  furnish  magnificent  views.” 

1 “ The  lower  story  projects  into  the  street.” 

s Promenade  de  Paris  ii  Bagn^res  de  Luchon,  par  le  comte  P.  de  V. 
h Rutcni,  D’Anv.  Urbs  Rutcna,  Enc.  Meth. 

* Irish,  rmidh. — P. 
k Milhaud,  Millau. 


name  of  Segodumim,  which  the  Romans  changed  into 
Rutcna, h because  it  was  the  capital  of  the  Rutcni.  If  any 
opinion  may  be  formed  from  the  resemblance  between  dif- 
ferent words  which  appear  to  have  passed  from  the  Celtic 
into  the  Latin,  and  other  known  words  of  the  former  lan- 
guage, the  people  who  at  a remote  period  inhabited  the 
province  of  Rouergue,  might  with  greater  accuracy  have 
been  called  the  Rutheni,  from  the  Celtic  word  Ruth,'  the 
same  as  the  German  Roth,  both  of  which  signify  red ; the 
origin  of  the  name  is  still  indicated  by  the  red  colour  of 
the  soil  and  the  sandstone  near  Rhodez. 

St.  Afrique,  almost  encompassed  with  fine  walks,  is  wa- 
tered by  the  Sorgues,  which  flow's  in  the  middle  of  a val- 
ley intersected  with  orchards,  meadows  and  vineyards.  Its 
crooked  streets  are  lined  with  Gothic  houses ; an  hospital 
and  the  reformed  church  are  the  only  buildings  worthy  of 
notice.  The  village  of  Roquefort  at  two  leagues  from  the 
town,  was  famous  for  its  cheese  more  than  eight  hundred 
years  ago. 

Milhau/  the  Roman  JEmiliamim,  is  built  on  the  Tarn, 
in  an  advantageous  situation  for  trade  and  manufacturing 
industry.  Severac  le  Chateau,  a town  of  two  thousand  in- 
habitants, rises  on  a conical  hill,  commanded  by  an  old 
Gothic  fortress,  in  which  a drawbridge  leads  to  the  massive 
ramparts.  St.  Geniez  d’Olt* 1  stands  on  the  Lot ; Oltis 
was  the  ancient  name  of  the  same  river,  a name  which 
was  probably  corrupted  into  Olt.m  It  is  a neat  and  small 
town  of  4000  inhabitants,  and  has  given  birth  to  Raynal. 
Espalion,  although  not  so  large,  is  the  capital  of  a district  ;n 
it  is  traversed  throughout  its  whole  length  by  a broad  and 
well-built  street. 

The  department  which  bears  the  name  of  the  Lot,0  is 
crossed  from  east  to  west  by  the  same  river  ; the  Dordogne 
and  the  Cere  water  its  northern  extremity,  and  the  Selle, 
less  important  than  the  rest,  winds  from  north-east  to  south- 
west, and  falls  into  the  Lot.  Although  the  mountains  are 
not  lofty,  they  cover  a great  extent  of  surface  ; different 
metals  are  contained  in  them,  and  iron  is  found  in  sufficient 
abundance  to  supply  several  large  founderies.p  The  val- 
lies are  fruitful  in  grain,  hemp  and  tobacco  ; the  low  hills 
are  covered  with  vineyards.  The  excess  of  the  grain  har- 
vest above  the  consumption  is  considerable  ; that  of  the 
wines  amounts  to  three-fifths. 

The  inhabitants  of  Figeac,  a town  situated  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Selle,  are  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cot- 
ton stuffs,  and  carry  on  a great  trade  in  wines  and  cattle. 
It  owes  its  origin  to  a Benedictine  abbey  founded  by  Pe- 
pin in  the  year  755.  When  the  abbot  made  his  first  en- 
trance into  the  town,  a baron,  the  lord  of  Montbrun,  ap- 
peared in  the  costume  of  a harlequin,  with  one  leg  bare 
and  the  other  covered  with  an  embroidered  stocking ; he 
led  a horse  from  the  stable,  on  which  the  pious  man  mount- 
ed, and,  holding  the  bridle,  conducted  him  to  the  church 
gate,  where  he  waited  until  the  abbot  had  gone  through 
his  devotions,  held  the  stirrup  for  him  on  his  return,  and 

1 St.  Geniez  de  Rivedolt.  (Vosgien.)  [St.  Geniez  on  the  banks  of 
the  Olt. — P.] 

m “ St.  Geniez  d’Olt,  on  the  Lot,  proves  that  the  name  of  the  river, 
the  ancient  Oltis,  ought  rather  to  be  written  L’Olt  (the  Olt.)” — It 
needs  but  little  acquaintance  with  the  progress  of  the  French  lan- 
guage to  know  that  Lot  is  formed  from  L’Olt  by  changes  of  the  most 
common  occurrence,  viz.  blending  the  article  with  the  proper  name, 
and  suppressing  the  l before  t. — r. 

“ “Arrondissement.” 

0 Department  of  the  Lot. 

p “ Two  Catalan  forges,  two  high  furnaces,  and  one  finery.” 


BOOK  CXJjII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  237 


ied  him  back  to  his  house.  The  ceremony  was  perform- 
ed for  the  last  time  in  the  year  1766.ab 

Cahors  was  a town  before  Caesar  invade’d  Gaul ; it  was 
then  called  Divona,  and  according  to  tradition  it  excited 
the  admiration  of  the  Roman  general.  It  is  certain  that  it 
was  embellished  by  the  Romans,  who  gave  it  the  name  of 
Cadurci  from  the  people  who  inhabited  the  country.  Some 
vestiges  of  those  ancient  times  still  exist,  among  others,  the 
remains  of  a theatre  and  an  aqueduct,  and  of  a monument 
near  the  prefect’s  palace,  erected  during  the  reign  of  Au- 
gustus, by  the  Cadurci,  to  commemorate  the  courageous 
resistance  which  their  countrymen  made  against  Caesar  at 
Uxellodunum,  the  present  Capdenac.  The  cathedral,  it 
has  been  thought,  is  partly  formed  by  the  remains  of  an 
ancient  temple,  but  the  portal  is  of  modern  construction. 
The  ramparts  are  used  as  a public  walk;  they  rise  above 
the  Lot,  which  encompasses  nearly  the  whole  town,  and 
the  rock  on  which  it  stands.  The  streets  are  steep  and 
crooked  ; the  royal  college,  the  seminary,  the  library,  the 
museum  of  natural  history,0  the  theatre  and  the  episcopal 
palace,  are  nowise  remarkable.  But  the  bishopric  was 
one  of  some  importance  before  the  revolution;  the  prelate, 
who  possessed  it,  was  entitled  the  count  of  Cahors,  and 
he  had  the  privilege  of  having  his  gloves  and  sword  placed 
beside  the  altar  whenever  he  officiated.  His  installation 
was  accompanied  with  a ceremony  similar  in  some  respects 
to  the  one  that  was  performed  at  Figeac.  The  viscount 
of  Cessac,  the  vassal  of  the  bishop,  waited  for  him  at  the 
city  gate,  having  his  head  uncovered,  without  a mantle,  the 
right  leg  bare,  and  a slipper  on  the  right  foot.  In  this 
dress,  he  held  the  bridle  of  the  bishop’s  mule,  and  led  it  to 
the  episcopal  palace,  where  he  appeared  in  the  capacity  of 
an  attendant,  and  served  his  liege  lord  during  dinner.  As 
a recompense  for  his  trouble,  he  received  the  mule  and  the 
buffet,  which  had  been  used  at  the  repast ; the  value  of  the 
latte i was  fixed  at  L.130.d  Cahors  was  the  birthplace  of 
pope  John  XXII,  who  in  the  year  1321,  founded  an  uni- 
versity in  his  native  town,  of  the  poet  Clement  Marot,  of 
La  Calprenede  the  writer  of  romances,  of  Joachim  Murat, 
king  of  Naples,  and  of  general  Ramel,  who  was  assassi- 
nated at  Toulouse  in  1815.  The  manufactures  of  the 
town  are  paper,  cloth,  and  leather. 

Gourdon,®  the  capital  of  a subprefecture, f rises  on  the 
small  river  Bloue ; it  carries  on  some  trade  in  sail  cloth 
and  woollen  stuffs.  Souillac  is  about  seven  leagues  from 
Gourdon  ; it  contains  a royal  manufactory  of  fire  arms  ; it 
is  watered  by  the  Dordogne,  over  which  a fine  bridge  con- 

a “ When  the  abbot  made  his  first  entrance  into  the  town,  a baron, 
the  lord  of  Montbrun,  was  obliged  to  receive  him  in  the  costume  of  a 
harlequin,  with  one  leg  bare,  to  lead  to  him  a horse,  on  which  he 
mounted,  and  to  hold  his  bridle  to  the  gate  of  the  church  ; then  to  wait 
for  his  return,  when  he  held  his  stirrup,  and  conducted  him  to  the  ab- 
bey. The  ceremony  was  performed  as  late  as  1766.” — This  is  appa- 
rently taken  from  the  Encydopidie  Methodique  (Part.  Geog.  Mod.  art. 
Figeac,)  where  the  same  authority  is  quoted,  and  almost  the  same 
words  are  employed.  The  Encydopidie  does  not  say  the  ceremony  was 
performed  in  1766,  but  quotes  the  Journal  Encyc.  of  that  year  (March,) 
and  uses  the  present  time  in  the  relation.  The  latter  circumstance 
might  induce  one  to  believe  that  the  ceremony  existed  at  a later  peri- 
od— that  part  of  the  Encyc.  was  published  in  1782.  There  is  one 
point  in  the  relation  in  which  the  Encyc.  and  the  original  M.  B.  dif- 
fer— the  former  does  not  say  the  baron  was  obliged  to  lead  him  a horse, 
much  less  to  lead  one  from  the  stable,  as  the  translator  hath  it,  but 
simply  that  he  was  obliged  to  go  and  receive  the  abbot,  and  then  lead 
his  horse  to  the  church.  It  however  states  in  the  words  of  the  writer 
quoted,  that  the  baron,  like  the  viscount  of  Cessac  at  Cahors,  received 
th'e  abbot’s  horse  for  his  pains.  The  changes  the  story  has  undergone 
.n  passing  from  the  Encyclopedia  into  the  original,  and  from  the  orig- 


sisting  of  seven  arches  has  been  erected.  Two  intermitting 
fountains,  called  the  Gourg  and  the  Boulcy , are  situated  in 
the  neighbourhood  ; the  first  rises  in  the  valley  of  Blagour, 
and  the  other  issues  from  the  heights  of  Puy  Martin.  They 
never  flow  at  the  same  time ; as  soon  as  the  one  ceases 
the  other  begins,  and  changes  in  a few  minutes  the  valley 
which  serves  as  its  basin  into  a sheet  of  water.  The  eruj> 
tion  of  the  Bouley  is  almost  always  accompanied  with  a 
slight  shock  and  a tremendous  noise. 

We  may  pass  from  the  department  of  the  Lot  into  that  of 
the  Dordogne  by  descending  the  last  river,  which  traverses 
it  on  the  south  from  east  to  west.  It  is  also  watered  by 
the  I lie,  the  Dronne,  the  Vezere,  and  by  more  than 
fourteen  hundred  smaller  streams.  Chains  of  hills  ex- 
tend through  the  country  in  every  direction,  but  with 
the  exception  of  the  two  vallies  watered  by  the  Hie  and 
the  Dordogne,  they  bound  only  narrow  ravines,  almost  all 
of  which  are  desolated  by  torrents.  The  soil  is  by  no 
means  productive  ; the  calcareous  rocks  are  in  many  places 
bare,  and  vast  districts  are  covered  with  heath,  broom  and 
chestnut  trees ; the  uniformity  thus  occasioned  is  in  a few 
places  broken  by  marshes.  Some  parts  are  rich  and  fruit- 
ful, but  they  are  so  insignificant  in  point  of  extent,  that 
they  may  be  said  to  form  an  exception  to  the  general  char- 
acter of  the  department.  The  grain  harvests  are  not  suf- 
ficient for  the  maintenance  of  the  inhabitants,  but  the  defi- 
ciency is  supplied  by  using  chestnuts  as  a substitute.  As 
to  the  vintage,  more  than  half  the  wines  are  either  consum- 
ed in  different  parts  of  France,  or  they  are  converted  into 
brandy  for  exportation.®  Mineral  substances  abound  in 
the  country ; the  most  valuable  are  coal,  manganese  and 
iron.  The  working  of  the  last  metal,  and  the  art  of  con- 
verting it  into  steel,  furnish  employment  to  many  of  the  in- 
habitants.11 The  same  country  supplies  the  gourmands  in 
Paris  with  different  delicacies,  among  which  the  white  wine 
of  Bergerac  is  not  the  least  important ; pork,  red  partridges, 
pike,  truffles,  liqueurs  and  sweetmeats  are  also  sent  to  the 
capital.* * 

Sarlat  exports  a great  quantity  of  paper  ;k  it  is  the  chief 
town  in  a district1  that  abounds  in  iron  and  copper  ore, 
mill-stones  and  coal.  The  people  in  Belves™  and  Le 
Bugue11  find  employment  in  making  walnut  oil.  The  Doux 
has  its  source  in  the  same  district ;'  it  rises  in  a narrow 
valley,  and  fills  a circular  basin,  of  which  the  circumference 
exceeds  176  yards,”  but  the  depth  has  not  been  ascertain- 
ed. The  labyrinths  in  a cave  about  three  leagues  distant 
from  Sarlat,  are  more  than  4200  yards  in  length  ; they  ex- 

inal  into  the  translation,  form  an  amusing  illustration  of  the  progress  of 
historical  truth. — P. 

b Journal  Encyclopedique.  March,  1766. 
c “ Physical  cabinet  ( cabinet  dc  physique.)” 
d “ 3000  livres.”  e Gordon.  (Vosgien.) 

f Arrondissement. 

s “ More  than  half  the  vintage  is  exported  from  the  department, 
either  in  the  form  of  wine  or  distilled  into  brandy.” 

*>  “ It  contains  37  high  furnaces,  86  fineries,  2 Catalan  forges,  and 
several  establishments  for  manufacturing  steel.” 

* “ The  department  is  noted  among  gourmands  for  the  white  wine 
of  Bergerac,  the  delicacy  of  its  pork,*  the  abundance  of  its  red  par- 
tridges, the  excellent  pike  taken  in  its  ponds,  the  fine  sugar  plums 
( dragies ) of  Perigueux,  its  liqueurs,  and  particularly  its  truffles.” 

* The  pork  in  Limousin  is  fed  on  chestnuts.  Ed.  Encyc. 
k “ — contains  a great  number  of  paper  mills. 

1 “ Arrondissement.” 
m Belvez. 

" Bugo  de  St.  Cirq.  (Vosgien.) 

0 “ 88  toises  in  circumference.” 


238 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXI.II 


tend  between  the  burgh  of  Miremont  and  the  village  of 
Privaset.a  The  small  and  neat  town  of  Bergerac  rises  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Dordogne  ; its  position  enables  the 
inhabitants  to  carry  on  an  advantageous  trade  with  Libourne 
tnd  Bordeaux.  Many  persons  are  employed  in  the  founde- 
ries,  forges  and  paper  mills  in  the  vicinity.  Michel  de  Mon- 
taigne, a village  about  eight  leagues  to  the  west  of  Bergerac, 
is  situated  near  the  castle  which  belonged  to  the  celebrated 
philosopher  of  that  name  ; the  chamber  in  which  most  of  his 
essays  were  composed,  may  still  be  seen  in  one  of  the  turrets. 

A road  crossing  an  arid  ridge  leads  to  the  fruitful  valley 
watered  by  the  Ille,  and  to  Perigueux,  the  capital  of  the 
oepartment,  and  the  seat  of  a bishopric.  It  stands  on  the 
site  of  the  ancient  Vesunna.h  The  streets  are  dark,  nar- 
row and  crooked;  the  old  quarter  or  the  city0  is  almost 
deserted.  Were  it  necessary  to  indicate  its  importance  in 
the  time  of  the  Romans,  it  might  be  sufficient  to  mention 
the  public  baths  and  aqueducts  now  in  ruins,  the  remains 
of  the  amphitheatre,  the  tower  of  J^esunne,d  as  the  inhabit- 
ants call  it,  a circular  edifice6  without  doors  or  windows, 
but  communicating  with  the  town  by  subterranean  pas- 

a “ At  the  distance  of  three  leagues  from  Sarlat,  between  the  small 
town  ( liourg ) of  Miremont  and  the  village  of  Privaset,  there  is  a cav- 
ern, the  ramifications  of  which  form  a total  length  of  more  than  2000 
toises.”  The  cavern  is  called  the  Cluseau.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

b Vcsuna;  afterwards  Petrocorii,  whence  the  modern  name. 
D’Anv. — P.  c “ The  old  quarter,  called  the  city  (Citi.)” 

d Vesune  or  Visone.  (Encyc.  Method.) — The  primitive  name  of 
the  ancient  city  (Vc&una)  is  still  retained  in  the  quarter  called  La  Vi- 
Bone.  D’Anv. — P.  e 100  feet  in  height.  M.  B. 

1 By  two  subterranean  passages.  Enc.  Meth. 

e Nine  ancient  inscriptions  are  inserted  in  the  walls  of  the  barracks, 
the  most  remarkable  of  which  is  that  of  a milliary  column,  the  only 
one  containing  the  name  of  the  emperor  Florian.  Encyc.  Meth. — P. 

h “ Its  turkies,  its  truffle  pies,*  its  liqueurs,  its  paper,  and  different 
manufactures,!  render  the  trade  of  Perigueux  of  some  importance.” 
* Pates  de  Perigord,  Perigord  pies,  (made  of  partridges  and  truffles.  Vosgien.) 
t It  has  manufactories  of  arms,  handkerchiefs,  &. c.  (Vosgien.)  The  prin- 
cipal manufact  ires  of  the  department  are  iron,  hosiery,  paDer  and  earthen 
ware-  Ed.  Ec-  yc. 


sages/  different  inscriptions/  and  many  other  objects  col- 
lected in  a museum  of  antiquities.  Several  monuments  of 
the  middle  ages,  such  as  tne  cathedral,  and  the  church  of  St. 
F ront,  in  the  last  of  which  the  Gothic  architecture  recals 
the  period  of  the  lower  empire,  prove  how  much  it  has 
fallen  since  the  time  that  Pepin  defeated  the  duke  of  Aqui- 
taine under  its  walls.  The  inhabitants  of  the  present  day 
carry  on  a trade  with  the  capital  in  turkeys,  truffles,  pas- 
try, liqueurs  and  other  articles.* 1* 

Brantome,  a small  town  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Dronne, 
peopled  by  2700  inhabitants,  was  formerly  the  seat  of  a 
Benedictine  convent,  which  might  have  been  long  since 
forgotten,  had  it  not  been  for  Peter  de  Bourdeilles,  better 
known  by  the  name  of  Brantome,  a writer  of  some  celeb- 
rity,1 and  although  a layman,  abbot  of  the  convent.  Non- 
tronk  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Bandiat  carries  on  a trade 
in  leather,  hardware  goods  and  iron  obtained  from  the 
mines  in  the  neighbourhood.1  Riberac,  the  chief  town  of 
a contiguous  district, m rises  in  a fruitful  plain  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  Dronne,  but  still  nearer  an  old  castle 
that  belonged  to  the  viscounts  of  Turenne.” 

• “Author  of  memoirs  of  a licentious  character.” — The  memoirs  of 
Brantome  were  printed  in  10  vols.  12mo.,  and  a supplement  in  five 
volumes  afterwards  published.  Of  the  former,  four  contained  accounts 
of  French  captains,  two  of  foreign  captains,  two  of  gallant  women,  one 
of  illustrious  women,  and  one  of  duels.  The  writings  of  Brantome 
are  not  always  perfectly  decent,  a circumstance  attributable  to  the  na- 
ture of  his  undertaking,  as  historian  of  a very  licentious  age.  Born 
1527 ; died  1014.  Gorton’s  Biog.  Diet. — P 
k Capital  of  an  arrondissement.  M.  B. 

1 “ — manufactures  leather,  and  common  knives  with  boxwood  han- 
dles, and  carries  on  a trade  in  the  iron  furnished  by  the  mines  and 
forges  in  its  neighbourhood.” 

m “Arrondissement” — contiguous  to  that  of  Nontron 
n “ Riberac — is  situated  in  a fruitful  plain  watered  by  the  Dronne 
It  still  preserves  the  remains  of  an  old  castle  that  belonged  to  tbe  vis- 
counts of  Turenne.” 


BOOK  CXL.III.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  239 


BOOK  CXLIII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — France. — Second  Section. — Western 
Region. 

We  have  had  occasion  to  observe  the  mild  climate,  the 
romantic  sites  and  the  remains  of  Roman  power  in  the 
twenty-eight  departments*  that  form  the  Southern  region  of 
France.  The  inhabitants,  it.  has  been  seen,  are  favoured 
by  nature ; different  productions  are  admirably  adapted  for 
their  country,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  mountains,  the 
soil  is  almost  everywhere  fruitful.  But  if  the  population  be 
compared  with  the  surface,  it  will  be  found  that  the  result 
accords  ill  with  the  natural  advantages  of  the  same  vast 
region,  which  makes  up  more  than  a third  part  of  the  king- 
dom. The  extent  is  equal  to  9,000  square  leagues,  and 
the  population  to  8,404,000  individuals ; thus  the  number 
of  inhabitants  to  every  square  league  does  not  amount  to 
nine  hundred  and  thirty-four,  a result  below  the  mean  num- 
ber in  the  other  divisions  of  the  same  country.  Such  facts 
are  not  without  their  value  ; if  the  best  and  most  fruitful 
part  of  France  is  comparatively  poor  and  ill-peopled,  it 
proves  how  much  the  munificence  of  nature  may  be  surpass- 
ed by  the  industry  and  resources  of  man.  Government  too 
may  derive  an  important  lesson  from  the  same  fact ; it  may 
thus  be  taught  to  appreciate  the  elements  of  its  wealth  and 
power.  Thirteen  departments  make  up  the  Western  region  ; 
the  population  relatively  to  the  surface  is  greater  than  in  the 
last,  for  5,438,000  inhabitants  occupy  a surface  of  4200 
square  leagues,  and  consequently  the  average  number  to 
every  square  league  exceeds  1294;  still  the  advantages  of 
education  are  little  known  in  the  Western  region  ; in  that 
point  of  view  it  is  almost  on  a level  with  the  preceding. 
How  much  then  might  the  population  and  wealth  be  increas- 
ed, if  ignorance  no  longer  formed  a barrier  to  the  expansion 
of  industry  ? 

Continuing  in  the  direction  from  south  to  north,  the  de- 
partment of  the  Charente  may  be  first  described.  Contig- 
uous, but  much  inferior  in  size  to  the  department  of  the 
Dordogne,  it  is  intersected  on  the  north  by  high  hills,  and 
on  the  south  by  low  ridges  and  heights.  Nine  rivers,  ex- 
clusively of  the  one  from  which  the  department  takes  its 
name,  water  it  in  different  directions.  The  waters  of  the 
Tardouere  are  absorbed  by  numerous  subterranean  cavities, 
and  they  never  reach  the  Bandiat  until  they  have  been  swol- 
len by  rains.  The  last  river  exhibits  the  same  phenomenon ; 

a Including  Corsica. 

b It  is  navigable  for  boats  to  its  source.  M.  B. 

c “ Plateaus” — table-lands. 

d “ Barriques.” — The  barrique  of  Bordeaux  is  nearly  equal  to  the 
English  wine  hogshead,  or  in  the  proportion  of  12000  to  12034.  Encyc. 
Method.— P. 

e “ The  iron  ore  worked  in  the  department,  is  converted  into  cast 
iron  in  six  high  furnaces,  and  into  bar  iron  in  fifteen  fineries.” 


the  hills  which  border  it  are  undermined  by  immense  cavi- 
ties, adorned  with  the  finest  stalactites.  The  Taponnat  after 
a course  of  some  leagues,  is  lost  in  similar  cavities,  and  never 
afterwards  appears.  The  Touvre,  almost  as  large  as  the 
Sorgues  at  Vaucluse,  issues  from  the  cavities  of  a steep 
rock ; although  its  channel  is  obstructed  by  several  islands, 
it  might  be  rendered  navigable  without  much  difficulty.1 
These  rivers,  as  well  as  the  Peruse,  the  Ne,  the  Tude,  the 
Nizonne  and  the  Vienne  water  vallies  abounding  in  rich 
pastures.  The  calcareous  ridges0  and  sandy  plains  that 
cover  several  districts,  account  for  the  aridity  of  the  soil  in 
the  greater  portion  of  the  department.  The  arable  land  is 
equal  to  a third  part  of  the  whole  surface,  and  the  grain 
harvests  are  sufficient  for  the  maintenance  of  the  inhabitants ; 
another  third  is  laid  out  in  vineyards,  yielding  wines  of  an 
ordinary  quality,  but  for  tire  most  part  converted  into  brandy, 
of  which  the  quantity  exported  to  other  parts  of  France  and 
to  different  foreign  countries  amounts  to  more  than  thirty- 
five  thousand  barrels.11  The  rest  of  the  department  is  cov- 
ered with  woods  of  chestnut  trees,  uncultivated  plains,  and 
natural  and  artificial  meadows,  the  last  of  which  afford  pas- 
ture to  more  than  thirty  thousand  oxen,  which  the  inhabit- 
ants import  every  year,  and  export  again  after  they  are  fat- 
tened. Mines  are  worked  in  the  department,  and  iron  ore 
is  converted  into  cast  iron  and  bars.® 

Angouleme  rises  on  a hill,  which  may  be  seen  from  a 
great  distance ; the  air  is  pure  and  salubrious ; many  of  the 
inhabitants  attain  to  a great  age,  and  the  women  are  distin- 
guished by  their  beauty.  The  Quartier-JVeuf f is  the  only 
part  of  the  town  worthy  of  notice ; ill-built  houses,  and 
crooked  and  narrow  streets,  make  up  the  remainder.  The 
suburb  of  Ousmeau  stands  on  a declivity  above  the  Cha- 
rente ; the  inhabitants  have  erected  several  paper  mills,  dis- 
tilleries and  sugar  works  ; they  manufacture  woollen  stuff’s, 
porcelain  and  earthen  ware.s  It  is  the  capital  of  the  depart- 
ment, and  also  the  seat  of  a bishopric.  It  was  once  fortified, 
but  the  ramparts  have  been  changed  into  public  walks,  that 
rise  in  the  form  of  terraces,  and  command  an  extensive  hori- 
zon bounded  by  heights;  the  most  remarkable  objects  in 
view  are  the  small  river  of  Anguienne,  that  winds  among 
rich  meadows  and  fruitful  hills,  the  fine  bridge  over  the 
Charente,  and  the  obelisk  raised  by  government  to  the  pres- 
ent duchess  of  Angouleme.1'  Within  the  same  town  are 

f New  Quarter. 

s “ The  suburb  of  Ousmeau — contains  several  large  paper  mills, 
which  with  the  distilleries,  sugar  refineries,  and  manufactories  of 
woollen  stuffs  and  pottery  (delft  ware,)  render  the  commerce  of  the 
town  very  active.” — The  trade  of  the  town  is  chiefly  carried  on  by  the 
Charente. — P. 

h “ The  obelisk  raised,  in  the  middle  of  the  new  road  ( chtmin  nevf,)  m 
honour  of  the  duchess  of  Angouleme.” 


EUROPE. 


240 

contained  a royal  naval  school,  a college,  a library  and  a 
museum  of  natural  history ; it  was  the  birthplace  of  Balzac, 
of  Montaleinbert  the  engineer,  and  of  the  assassin  of  Henry 
the  Fourth.®  It  is  a place  of  great  antiquity;  the  Romans 
called  it  Iculisma  ;b  it  is  more  than  once  mentioned  by  Au- 
sonius,  but  it  did  not  rise  into  importance  before  the  period 
of  the  middle  ages.  La  Rochefoucault,  a small  town  on  the 
Tardouere,  consists  of  a single  street ; it  contains  3000 
inhabitants.  The  old  Gothic  castle  which  commands  it,  was 
the  birthplace  of  the  duke,  whose  fame  has  been  perpetuated 
by  his  book  of  maxims. 

Confolans,c  surrounded  by  a comparatively  sterile  country, 
and  the  capital  of  a subprefecture,  derives  its  name  from  the 
confluence  of  the  Goire  and  the  Vienne ; it  is  not,  however, 
unpleasantly  situated,  and  the  banks  of  both  the  rivers  are 
fruitful  in  pastures.  A single  square  tower  is  all  that  remains 
of  its  ancient  strong  castle.  It  is  necessary  to  cross  the 
Charente  at  two  places  on  the  road  that  leads  from  Confo- 
lans  to  the  small  and  neat  town  of  Ruffec,  that  rises  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  same  river.  Beyond  a small  chain  of  hills, 
terminating  on  the  south  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Cha- 
rente, which  describes  many  windings  through  large  mead- 
ows, the  town  of  Jarnac  rises  on  both  banks  of  the  same 
river,  on  which  it  possesses  a port  of  some  importance.  A 
modern  monument  erected  in  the  neighbouring  plain,  serves 
to  mark  the  field  of  battle,  where  the  duke  of  Anjou  defeated 
the  prince  of  Conde  in  the  year  1569.  As  it  has  been 
thought  consistent  with  good  taste  to  commemorate  the  fatal 
engagement  in  which  Frenchmen  fought  against  each  other, 
the  place  near  the  walls  of  the  town,  where  the  unfortunate 
prince  was  assassinated  by  the  marquis  of  Montesquioud  after 
the  victory,  ought  also  to  have  been  indicated.  Cognac,  the 
capital  of  the  same  district,6  rises  on  an  eminence,  of  which 
die  base  is  watered  by  the  Charente.  Francis  the  First 
was  born  in  the  old  castle  that  defended  formerly  this  small 
commercial  city,  the  mart  of  the  excellent  brandy  and 
liqueurs  that  are  distilled  in  the  adjoining  districts/ 

Barbezieux  in  the  midst  of  the  fruitful  country  through 
which  the  Ne  flows,  is  neither  so  populous  nor  so  well  built 
as  Cognac  ;6  it  rises  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  on  the  high 
road  from  Paris  to  Bordeaux ; the  ancient  fortress  has 
been  changed  into  a prison.  The  trade  it  carries  on  with 
die  metropolis,  consists  chiefly  in  capons  and  truffles/ 
Aubeterre  on  the  Dronne,  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
department,  is  finely  situated  at  the  base  of  a hill,  command- 
ed by  an  ancient  casde.  The  church  is  cut  in  the  rock 
which  supports  part  of  the  town. 

The  lower  part  of  the  Charente  waters  a country1 II *  fruit- 
ful in  corn  and  pasturage,  and  abounding  in  vineyards  of 
which  the  produce  is  converted  into  brandy.  The  great 
extent  of  coast  washed  by  the  mouth  of  the  Gironde  and  the 
ocean  tends  to  enrich  a laborious  population.  There  are 
not  many  inequalities  in  the  department ; the  surface  is 

I Francis  Ravaillac.  b Iculisna,  D’Anv. 

c Confolens,  Confoulens ; Lat.  Confluentes. 

d Baron  of  Montesquiou.  Moreri,  Beauvais. 

e “ Arrondissement” — the  same  in  which  Jarnac  is  situated. — P. 

f “ Communes.”  s “ Less  wealthy,  but  better  built  than  Cognac.” 

h “ Elle  fait  des  grandes  expeditions  de  chapons  truffes” — It  ex- 
port* great  quantities  of  capons  with  truffles. 

* The  department  of  the  Lower  Charente. 

II  “ Which  is  largely  exported  to  England.” — The  original  does  not 
say  that  it  is  called  Rochelle  salt  by  the  English.  Rochelle  salt  is  the 
tartrate  of  potash  and  soda  or  salt  of  seignette.  The  sea  salt  prepared 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Rochelle,  and  on  other  parts  of  the  south- 
western coasts  of  France,  is  called  Bay  salt  by  the  English. — P. 

Jonsac. 


[BOOK  CXLIIL 

chiefly  occupied  by  low  hills  and  extensive  plains,  and 
the  climate  is  generally  salubrious.  But  the  salt  marshes 
near  the  sea,  which  furnish  the  salt  known  in  England  by 
the  name  of  Rochelle  salt/  diffuse  pestilential  exhalations, 
and  occasion  different  diseases  in  their  neighbourhood. 
Many  anchorages  and  ports  facilitate  navigation,  promote  the 
coasting  trade,  and  induce  companies  or  individuals  to  equip 
vessels  for  the  cod  fisheries  and  the  French  colonies.  Lastly, 
the  islands  of  Re,  Oleron  and  Aix  add  to  the  maritime 
importance  of  the  department. 

Jonzac1  is  situated  in  a part  of  the  country  contiguous  to 
the  last  department ; it  is  the  chief  town  in  an  ill-peopled  dis- 
trict,m but  is  inferior  in  population  to  the  burgh  of  Mirambeau, 
which  contains  3200  inhabitants.  Saintes"  the  capital  of 
Saintonge,  is  an  old  and  probably  on  that  account,  a dirty 
town.  Amrnianus  Marcellinus  considered  it  one  of  the  most 
flourishing  cities  in  Aquitaine.  It  was  originally  called  Me- 
diolanum, which  the  Romans  changed  afterwards  into  San- 
tones,  after  the  name  of  the  people  in  that  part  of  Gaul.  It 
possesses  still  the  remains  of  a triumphal  arch,  and  the  ruins 
of  an  amphitheatre.  It  was  the  seat  of  a bishopric,  and  sev- 
eral councils  have  been  held  in  the  town.  The  last  met  in 
the  year  1096,  and  enjoined  the  faithful  to  fast  during  the 
vigils  of  the  apostles.  The  residence  of  the  subprefect,  the 
theatre,  the  college  and  the  ancient  cathedral  cannot  be 
commended  on  account  of  their  architecture;  the  public 
library  contains  24,000  volumes.  Bernard  de  Palissy  was 
born  at  Saintes,0  a man  of  genius,  who  from  the  condition 
of  a potter  became  one  of  the  most  eminent  natural  philoso- 
phers of  the  sixteenth  century.  The  Boutonne,  a small 
river,  begins  to  be  navigable  at  St.  Jean  d’Angely/  and  ena- 
bles the  industrious  inhabitants  to  carry  on  a trade  in  brandy 
and  timber.  Religious  wars  were  long  fatal  to  the  town ; 
indeed  they  may  be  said  to  have  been  so  from  the  period  of 
the  memorable  siege  by  which  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  Henry 
the  Third,  to  the  time  it  supported  another  siege  against 
Louis  the  Thirteenth,  who  razed  the  fortifications.  Henry 
the  Second  of  Bourbon  Conde,  and  Regnaud/  a statesman 
under  the  imperial  government,  were  born  in  St.  Jean 
d’Angely.  It  possesses  a royal  powder  manufactory.  The 
horses  in  the  neighbourhood  are  much  valued  in  different 
parts  of  France/  Marennes,  about  half  a league  distant 
from  the  sea,  is  exposed  to  the  pernicious  exhalations  from 
the  salt  marshes.  Although  a well  built  and  a commercial 
town,  it  might  have  been  much  more  flourishing  than  at 
present,  had  it  not  been  for  its  unhealthy  situation.  Ton- 
nay-Charente8  possesses  a safe  and  commodious  harbour  for 
vessels  of  a hundred  tons. 

Rochefort  rises  on  the  Charente,  about  a league’s  distance 
from  the  last  place  ; the  harbour,  one  of  the  three  largest  in 
France,  is  about  2500  yards  in  length  / it  has  a sufficient 
depth  of  water  to  float  ships  of  the  line"  at  low  tide/  Ships 
of  600  tons  with  their  cargoes,  enter  a smaller  harbour 

m “ It  is  the  smallest  capital  of  subprefecture  in  the  department.” 

n Formerly  written  Xaintes. — P. 

0 He  was  born  at  Agen,  but  carried  on  the  potter’s  trade  at  Saintes 
Nouv.  Diet.  Hist.  Caen,  1804.  Beauvais. — P. 

p St.  Jean  d’Angeli.  q Count  Regnaud  de  St.  Jean  d’Angely. 

r “ It  possesses  an  important  powder  manufactory,*  and  a royal  stud 
for  stallions  and  one  for  cavalry  horses  ( depdts  d'e talons  ct  de  remonte.)' 

* It  contains  two  of  the  best  powder  mills  in  France.  (Vosgien.) 

s Situated  in  the  arrondissement  of  Rochefort.  Tonnay-Boutonne 
a smaller  town,  is  in  the  arrondissement  of  St.  Jean  d'Angely. — P. 

1 “ 2200  metres  in  length.” 

u “ Large  vessels  (vaisseaux  de  haut-bords.)” 

* Line  of  battle  ships  are  obliged  to  take  out  their  lower  deck  guns 
to  enter  the  river.  Tuckey.  vol.  II.  p.  22. — P. 


L 


BOOK  CXLIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


241 


adapted  for  merchant  vessels.  Rochefort  is  about  four 
leagues  distant  from  the  ocean,  but  the  advantages  of  an 
admirable  position  are  increased  by  large  dockyards,  ca- 
reening wharfs,  naval  storehouses,  cordage  and  sail  manufac- 
tories.® The  town  is  regularly  built,  the  streets  are  straigiit, 
many  of  them  terminate  in  a large  piece  of  ground  planted 
with  trees. b The  hospital,  the  prison®  in  which  2400  galley- 
slaves  may  be  confined,  the  cannon  foundery  and  the  arsenal 
are  the  finest  buildings.  A reservoir  enables  the  inhabitants 
to  water  the  streets  daily,  a precaution  by  so  much  the  more 
necessary  as  from  the  month  of  August  to  that  of  October, 
the  air  of  Rochefort  is  any  thing  but  salubrious.  The  works 
that  defend  it  are  the  ramparts  by  which  it  is  surrounded, 
and  the  forts  constructed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Charente. 
An  excellent  road  leads  to  Rochelle,** 1 *  the  capital  of  the  de- 
partment. 

The  latter  town  was  founded  in  the  tenth  century.  Philip 
Augustus  conferred  several  privileges  on  the  inhabitants ; it 
was  ceded  to  the  English  by  the  treaty  of  Bretigny.  Charles 
the  Filth  contrived  to  add  it  to  his  dominions ; the  political 
divisions  to  which  the  reformation  gave  so  much  importance, 
rendered  it  the  centre  of  protestant  opposition  ; it  was  finally 
besieged  by  Louis  the  Thirteenth,  and  taken  after  a resistance 
of  thirteen  months,  a resistance  which  cost  the  king  more 
than  L.2, 000,000.®  Situated  at  the  bottom  of  a small  gulf, 
the  harbour  is  safe  and  commodious ; whatever  be  the  height 
of  the  waters  in  the  ocean,  vessels  may  be  careened  in  the 
basin,  in  which  they  receive  their  cargoes.  The  fortifica- 
tions were  constructed  by  Vauban.  Straight  streets,  many 
houses  adorned  with  porticos  that  form  arcades,  the  elegant 
court  of  the  castle/  the  exchange  and  the  townhouse  give 
the  place  an  imposing  aspect.  It  was  the  native  town  of  Reau- 
mur, of  Seignette  the  druggist,  who  discovered  the  purgative 
salt  that  bears  his  name,  and  of  several  other  distinguished 
men.  It  is  not  remarkable,  therefore,  to  find  it  the  seat  of 
learned  and  scientific  societies ; it  also  possesses  a valuable 
library,  a museum  of  natural  history,  a botanical  garden,  a 
college,  and  a school  of  navigation.  The  Mail, s a public 
walk,  commands  a view  of  the  ocean ; from  it  may  be  seen 
the  isle  of  Re,h  on  the  right,  peopled  by  fishermen,  and  en- 
compassed with  breakers,  the  isle  of  Aix  in  front,  where 
vessels  wait  for  favourable  winds,  and  the  important  Oleron 
on  tlie  left,  an  island  abounding  in  wine  and  salt.  Marans, 
a small  but  neat  town  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  de- 
partment, carries  on  a trade  in  salt,  and  contains  four  thou- 
sand inhabitants  ; it  has  a safe  harbour  on  the  Sevre  Nior- 
taise  at  the  distance  of  four  miles1  from  the  sea,  to  which 
vessels  of  a hundred  tons  are  borne  by  the  tides. 

The  Vendee,  the  largest  feeder  of  the  Sevre  Niortaise,  is 
only  navigable  in  a small  part  of  its  course,  not  more  than 
six  leagues  in  length.  At  the  time  France  was  divided  ac- 
cording to  the  new  divisions,  the  same  river  was  chosen 
rather  than  the  Lay,  although  the  last  is  somewhat  larger, 
and  the  name  of  La  Vendee  was  given  to  one  of  the  most 
fruitful  maritime  departments1* — a department  which  by  its 

a “ Large  shipyards,  magazines  for  naval  stores,  docks  for  careen- 
ing vessels  ( bassins  de  carcnagc ,)  and  a fine  rope  walk.” 

b “ The  streets  are  straight,  and  terminate  in  a fine  public  square 
planted  with  trees.” — The  streets  are  straight  across  each  other  at 
right  angles.  (Encyc.  Meth.) — The  streets,  which  are  built  after  a 
regular  plan,  are  broad  and  straight.  The  Place  d’Armes  is  a spacious 
square,  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  town.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

c “ The  Baarne  (Bagnio.)  d La  Rochelle. 

« “ 40,000,000”  Fr. 

f “ Place  du  Chateau” — Castle  Square. 

6 The  Mall.  h Isle  of  Rhe.  Tuckey. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  49  31  6 A 


devotedness  to  the  royal  cause,  became  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  revolution,  the  focus  of  a civil  war,  that  lasted 
not  less  than  seven  years,  and  desolated  almost  all  die 
western  part  of  France.  Its  surface  may  be  divided  into 
three  parts.  The  Marais 1 comprehends  all  the  country  on 
the  coast ; it  is  covered  with  sands  which  have  been  rendered 
productive  by  canals  and  the  labour  of  man,  and  it  abounds 
also  in  marshes,  which  from  their  extent  and  the  quantity  of 
salt  collected  from  them,  seem  to  indicate  that  the  ocean 
covered  these  coasts  at  a comparatively  recent  period.  The 
Bocage,m  consisting  in  some  places  of  sterile  heaths,  and  in 
others  of  woods,  is  intersected  by  numerous  streams  that 
serve  to  water  and  fructify  it.  The  Plain  formed  by  all  the 
country  between  the  Bocage  and  the  southern  limit  of  die 
department,  may  be  considered  the  most  fertile  division,  and 
the  best  adapted  for  every  sort  of  cultivation.  The  me- 
phitic vapours  that  rise  from  the  Marais,  are  fatal  to  the 
health  of  the  inhabitants  ; drained  by  many  canals,  which 
intersect  it  in  different  directions,  destitute  of  springs,  and 
only  affording  water  more  or  less  brackish  to  quench  the 
thirst,  it  is  with  all  these  disadvantages  one  of  the  best  culti- 
vated countries  in  France.  It  produces  excellent  hemp, 
abundant  grain  harvests,  leguminous  plants"  remarkable  for 
their  size,  and  pastures  in  which  large  breeds  of  horses,  oxen 
and  sheep  are  reared.  The  Bocage  yields  good  tvine,  and 
the  fields  are  intersected  by  hedges  and  orchards.  The 
Plain  is  fruitful  in  every  sort  of  grain,  but  white  wines  of  an 
ordinary  quality  are  only  produced  in  the  vineyards.  The 
manufacture  of  earthen-ware,  cordage,  linens  and  coarse 
woollens,  the  extracting  of  soda  from  sea-weed,  the  fisheries, 
and  the  preparation  of  salt  in  the  marshes  on  the  coast,  form 
the  principal  branches  of  industry. 

The  name  of  Fontenay  le  Comte  excited  the  indignation 
of  the  republican  government ; ridiculously  jealous  of  what- 
ever might  be  associated  with  the  ancient  system,  it  did 
not  suffer  the  town  to  be  called  by  its  usual  name,  but 
changed  it  by  a decree  into  that  of  Fontenay  le  People.  It 
stands  in  a fruitful  valley  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Vendee- 
The  sombre  remains  of  a strong  castle,  a church  of  which 
the  steeple  is  about  300  feet  in  height,  and  suburbs  larger 
than  the  town  itself,  give  it  the  appearance  of  an  important 
city  ; it  is  the  capital  of  a district.0  Luqon,  the  second  town 
in  the  same  district,0  has  been  made  the  seat  of  a bishopric  / 
it  contains  about  3600  inhabitants.  The  houses  are  well 
built,  but  the  streets  are  ill  paved  ; it  is  situated  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  a canal,  which  throws  itself  into  the  sea  at  the 
Anse  d’Aiguillon.*!  A road  through  a dull  and  monotonous 
country  leads  to  Sables  d’Olonne/  a town  consisting  of  four 
long  straight  and  parallel  streets,  built  on  a narrow  stripe  of 
sandy  land  that  protrudes  into  the  sea,  and  defended  by  sev- 
eral batteries.  The  harbour  which  can  only  receive  vessels 
of  a hundred  and  fifty  tons,  separates  the  town  from  the 
suburb  of  Chaume,3 * * * * 8  which  rises  on  a rock.  St.  Gilles,  an- 
other seaport  on  the  same  coast,  lies  opposite  the  isle  of  Yeu/ 
which  is  only  inhabited  by  fishermen  ; but  Noirmoutier,  a 

' “ 2 short  leagues” — 1 league  (Encyc.  Method.  Vosgien.  Tuckey.) 

k Department  of  the  Vendee,  or  of  La  Vendee. 

1 The  Marsh.  m The  Wood  or  Thicket. 

" “ Legumes” — not  leguminous  plants  merely,  but  cultivated  vege- 

tables in  general,  (except  corn  and  fruits,)  including  potatoes,  turnips, 

&c.  See  note  * p.  933. 

0 “ Arrondissement.” 

p “ Is  the  seat  of  a bishopric” — The  bishopric  of  Lu<;on  was  founded 
in  1317.  Encyc.  Meth. — P. 

s Creek  or  cove  of  Aiguillon.  r Les  Sables  d’Olonne. 

8 La  Chaume.  1 Isle  Dieu  or  Isle  d’Yeu. 


242  EUR< 

larger  island  at  some  distance  from  it  to  the  north,  contains 
two  villages  and  a town  of  the  same  name,  and  is  peopled 
by  7500  individuals.  Both  these  islands  form  part  of  the 
district*  of  Sables  d’Olonne,  which  extends  on  the  north  to 
the  isle  of  Bouin,  formerly  a calcareous  rock,  but  at  present 
more  than  seven  leagues  in  circumference,  and  united  to  the 
continent  by  a causeway  thrown  across  the  canal,  by  which 
it  was  formerly  separated  from  the  main  land.b  The  island 
gives  its  name  to  a village  of  2500  inhabitants. 

Bourbon  Vendee,  a tbinly  peopled  town,c  but  the  only  one 
of  any  consequence  that  has  not  been  mentioned,  was  for- 
merly the  burgh  of  La  Roche  sur  Yon  in  the  principality 
that  belonged  to  the  house  of  Bourbon-Conti.  It  contained 
hardly  800  inhabitants  in  1807,  when  its  name  was  changed 
into  that  of  the  emperor, d who  laid  out  L.  126,000°  in  erect- 
ing the  necessary  buildings  for  the  chief  town  of  a prefecture  ;f 
in  1814,  its  name  was  again  changed  into  that  of  Bourbon 
Vendee.  It  is  built  after  the  plan  of  a large  city,  but  most  of 
the  edifices  remain  unfinished,  owing  to  the  want  of  funds; 
the  streets  are  broad  and  straight,  but  deserted.  From  its  posi- 
tion on  the  small  river  Yon,  at  a distance  from  all  navigable 
rivers,  and  from  any  populous  town,  it  can  never  become 
a place  of  commerce  or  industry  until  the  projected  canal 
of  Bret  has  been  completed. 

The  department  of  the  Two  Sevres^  is  bounded  on  the 
west  by  that  of  La  Vendee,  and  is  crossed  in  a diagonal 
direction  by  the  heights  of  Gatine,  a chain  of  lofty  hills 
shaded  by  forests,  from  which  the  inhabitants  export  differ- 
ent sorts  of  timber.  Intersected  by  many  small  streams,  it 
takes  its  name  from  the  two  Sevres,  the  one  flowing  from 
south  to  north,  and  the  other  from  east  to  west ; the  former 
is  called  the  Sevre  Nantaise,  because  it  enters  the  Loire 
opposite  Nantes,  and  the  latter  the  Sevre  Niortaise,  because 
it  passes  by  Niort.  Many  fine  vallies  and  plains,  fruitful  in 
vineyards  and  pastures,  extend  in  different  directions,  but  it 
contains  also  much  uncultivated  land,  and  numerous  ponds 
ar  d marshes.  The  produce  in  grain  and  wine  exceeds  the 
consumption ; herds  and  flocks  are  reared  in  the  meadows. 
It  furnishes  the  mules  that  are  so  much  prized  by  the  wealthy 
Spaniards,11  others  that  travel  with  heavy  burdens  across  the 
steep  Alps  and  Pyrenees,  and  others  too,  that  drag  the  enor- 
mous waggons,  which  are  seen  on  all  the  roads  in  the  south 
of  France.  The  sale  of  these  animals  in  foreign  countries 
and  in  other  parts  of  France,  yields  several  millions  of  francs 
to  the  department.  The  oxen  form  also  a lucrative  branch 
of  commerce  ; the  fattest  are  sent  to  Paris,  but  the  greater 
number  are  sold  and  fattened  in  Normandy.  The  people 
work  iron,1  and  manufacture  cotton  and  coarse  woollen 
stuffs. 

Niort,  the  capital  of  the  department,  and  a place  of  some 
antiquity,  has  been  much  improved  ; modern  buildings  now 
occupy  the  site  of  the  rubbish  and  old  houses,  that  rendered 
it  formerly  one  of  the  dirtiest  towns  in  Poitou.  The  most 
remarkable  edifices  are  an  old  Gothic  church  built  by  the 
English,  the  townhouse,  the  ancient  palace  that  belonged  to 

DPE.  [BOOK  CXLII1. 

Eleanor  of  Aquitaine,  and  the  fine  fountain  of  Vivier.k  Ma- 
dame de  Maintenon  was  bom  in  one  of  the  prisons  in  the 
same  town  ; among  the  celebrated  men  that  it  has  produced, 
Isaac  de  Beausobre  and  Louis  de  Fontanes  may  be  men- 
tioned. The  picturesque  banks  of  the  Sevre  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood add  to  the  beauty  of  the  public  walks  and  gardens. 
The  small  town  of  Mauze  is  the  capital  of  a district1  from 
which  fifteen  or  twenty  thousand  asses  are  annually  exported. 
St.  Maixent,  a town  of  five  thousand  souls,  may  be  mention- 
ed on  account  of  the  fruitful  country  in  the  neighbourhood. 
The  finest  mules  in  Europe  are  reared  in  the  district,111  of 
which  Melle  is  the  chief  town. 

After  having  crossed  the  heights  of  Gatine,  the  traveller 
enters  a plain  watered  by  the  Thouet.  Parthenay"  rises 
near  its  banks,  on  a hill  formerly  commanded  by  an  ancient 
castle  now  in  ruins.  The  village  of  La  Foret,  at  no  grea* 
distance  from  the  sources  of  the  Sevre  Nantaise,  contains 
the  tomb  of  the  celebrated  Duplessis  Mornay,  whom  the 
catholics  called  the  pope  of  the  Huguenots ; the  river  flows 
in  the  neighbourhood,  and  serves  to  move  different  mills.0 
Bressuire  is  situated  on  a hill,  which  borders  the  course  of 
the  Argenton ; it  was  so  much  injured  during  the  wars  of 
La  Vendee,  that  at  one  time  the  only  buildings  left  entire 
were  a solitary  house  and  the  granite  church.  It  has  since 
become  the  capital  of  a subprefecture,  and  the  inhabitants 
manufacture  linen  and  woollen  stuffs.  In  a north-east  direc- 
tion, and  about  five  leagues  distant  from  the  last  place,  the 
Thouet  flows  round  the  base  of  a hill,  on  the  summit  of 
which  rises  the  town  of  Thouars.  It  was  probably  founded 
before  the  sixth  century ; its  name  signifies  the  citadel  of 
the  Thouet.p  Pepin  took  it  in  the  year  758,  and  the  Eng- 
lish rendered  it  in  the  middle  ages  one  of  the  strongest 
places  in  Poitou.  As  the  town  was  more  than  once  deso- 
lated during  the  late  civil  wars,q  it  may  excite  surprise  that 
the  magnificent  castle  built  in  the  time  of  Louis  the  Thir- 
teenth by  the  duchess  of  La  Tremouille,r  remains  entire. 

The  Vienne  gives  its  name  to  a department9  through 
which  it  passes  from  south  to  north.  Some  of  the  hills  on 
the  south  are  lofty,  but  those  on  the  north  are  insignificant ; 
the  centre  of  the  department  is  occupied  by  an  extensive 
table-land,  partly  encompassed  by  the  Vienne,  and  partly  by 
the  Clain,  one  of  its  feeders ; the  eastern  districts  consist  of 
low  plains  and  vallies.  The  soil  cannot  be  said  to  be  fruit- 
ful ; the  surface  is  covered  in  many  places  with  landes  and 
heaths ; still  as  much  grain  is  produced  as  the  inhabitants 
consume,  and  a surplus  quantity  of  wine,  by  no  means  incon- 
siderable, is  either  exported  or  converted  into  brandy.‘ 
Different  mineral  springs  and  iron  mines  are  situated  in  the 
department  ; it  is  unnecessary  to  mention  the  hardware 
goods,  the  cutlery,  the  coarse  woollen  stuffs  and  the  ordina- 
ry lace  that  the  inhabitants  manufacture it  may  be  suffi- 
cient to  remark  that  the  greatest  hindrance  to  their  commerce 
is  the  want  of  roads  and  other  outlets. 

Civray,  a small  town  and  the  capital  of  the  most  southern 
district,1  possesses  a church,  which  was  probably  built  before 

* “ Arrondissement.” 

b It  was  a few  years  since  separated  from  the  main,  by  a channel 
practicable  by  vessels  of  200  to  300  tons,  but  which  by  the  accumula- 
tion of  sand  is  now  reduced  to  a boat  passage.  The  island  has  three 
leagues  of  surface  almost  entirely  consisting  of  salt  marshes.  Tuck- 
ey,  vol.  II.  p.  28. — P.  c “ One  of  the  least  in  population.” 

d Napoleon.  e “ 3,000,000”  francs. 

f It  is  now  the  capital  of  the  department. 
t Deux  Stvres.  h For  riding.  M.  B. 

* “ Iron  ore  is  found  in  the  department,  but  it  supplies  only  one  high 

furnace  and  two  fineries.”  11  Fed  by  an  Artesian  well.  M.  B. 

* “Canton.”  m “ ArrondissemeiU.” 

n Partenay.  0 “ A mill  for  dressing  flax  and  hemp.’ 

p Thoaci  arx,  in  Latin.  M.  B. — Thoarcis  Arx  (Vosgien.) — P. 
a The  wars  of  La  Vendee. 

r La  Tremoille  or  La  Triinouille.  Moreri.  Beauvais. 

» Department  of  the  Vienne. 

t “ — is  exported,  either  in  its  natural  state,  or  when  converted  into 
brandy.” 

0 “It  has  two  high  furnaces  and  five  fineries,  and  among  its  manu 
factures,  are  coarse  woollens,  common  lace,  swords  and  cutlery.” 
x “ Arrondissement.” 

book  cxLiin.]  DESCRIPTION 

the  establishment  of  Christianity  in  Gaul.  Montmorillon, 
situated  on  the  Gartempe,  is  the  capital  of  another  district  ;a 
it  is  noted  for  its  biscuits  and  macaroons,  which  are  exported 
to  different  parts  of  F ranee.  An  ancient  and  very  curious 
monument,  supposed  by  many  to  be  of  Druidical  origin, 
stands  in  the  court  of  the  old  convent  that  belonged  to  the 
Augustines. 

Poitiers, b the  former  capital  of  Poitou,  rises  on  a hill  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Boivre  and  the  Clain.  It  was  the  Limo- 
num  of  the  Pictavi,  an  important  place  in  the  time  of  Ptole- 
my; it  is  now  the  capital  of  the  department,  and  it  still 
retains  its  old  walls  flanked  with  towers,  the  venerable  wit- 
nesses of  the  invasion  of  the  country  by  the  Visigoths,  and 
of  their  defeat  by  Clovis.  King  John  of  France,  after  hav- 
ing refused  the  advantageous  terms  offered  by  prince  Ed- 
ward,0 lost  the  memorable  battle  of  Poitiers,  in  which  a 
French  army  of  eighty  thousand  men  was  defeated  by  eight 
thousand  English  ; the  king  was  taken  prisoner  and  conveyed 
to  England.  Charles  the  Seventh  removed  the  parliament 
of  Paris  to  Poitiers  during  the  wars  he  maintained  against 
the  English.  The  streets  are  narrow  and  crooked,  but  some 
traces  of  ancient  splendour  may  be  discovered  in  the  remains 
of  the  palace  erected  by  the  emperor  Gallienus,  in  the  ruins 
of  an  amphitheatre,  and  in  the  name  of  the  street  that  is  still 
called  the  Arena .d  The  Guillon,6  a picturesque  walk  in  the 
neighbourhood,  terminates  near  the  imposing  ruins  of  a 
Gothic  castle.  The  cathedral,  which  in  point  of  size  is  equal 
to  any  other  in  France,  was  built  in  the  eleventh  century, 
but  the  bishopric  of  Poitiers  dates  from  a much  earlier 
epoch ; not  less  than  twenty-three  councils  were  held  in  the 
town  during  the  period  from  the  middle  of  the  fourth  to  the 
beginning  of  tire  fifteenth  century/  The  ashes  of  Madame 
de  Montespan  rest  in  the  Grey  Friars’  church  ;£  St.  Hilary 
and  St.  Maximin,  two  bishops  of  the  fourth  century,  were 
born  in  Poitiers ; it  contains  a curious  collection  of  antiqui- 
ties,11 and  a library  of  22,000  volumes. 

The  Vienne  begins  to  be  navigable  at  seven  leagues  to  the 
north-east  of  Poitiers.  Chatellerault1  rises  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  river,  over  which  a modern  bridge  has  been  erected, 
lhat  leads  to  an  old  castle  flanked  with  four  large  towers ; it 
may  be  doubted  that  the  building  adds  much  to  the  strength 
of  the  place,  but  it  serves  at  least  as  a gate  to  the  town.k 
Loudun  is  about  nine  leagues  distant  in  a north-west  direc- 
tion from  Chatellerault;  it  is  situated  on  a hill,  and  sur- 
rounded by  vineyards  that  yield  good  wine.  Although  an 

1 “ Arrondissement.” 

b Poictiers.  c Edward  the  Black  Prince. 

d “ Rue  des  Arhn.es" — the  street  of  the  amphitheatre.  The  amphithe- 
atre at  Nimes  is  still  called : Les  At  tries  de  Nimes.  (Diet,  de 
1’Acad.) — P. 

e “ Promenade  du  pont  Guillon.” 

f Namely,  in  the  years  355,  389,  592,  937,  1000,  1010,  1023,  1030, 
1032,  1030,  1073,  1078,  1094,  1100,  1105,  1109,  1280,  1284,  1304,  1307, 
1387,  1390  and  1405. 

s “ Church  of  the  Cordeliers.” 

h “ Cabinet  of  antiquities  and  natural  history.” 

‘ Chatelleraut,  Chatelleraud,  Chatelherault. 

k “ The  river  is  crossed  by  a fine  bridge,  one  extremity  of  which  ter- 
minates at  an  old  castle  flanked  with  four  large  towers,  that  serves  as 
a gate  to  the  town.” 

One  of  the  best  Latin  poets  of  the  10th  century. — P. 

m Gazette  de  France. — P. 

n Curate  (curt)  of  St.  Peter’s  at  Loudun. — P. 

* The  convent  of  Ursulines  at  Loudun. — P. 

p “ The  town  was  rendered  famous  during  the  reign  of  Louis  XIII. 
by  the  trial  of  the  curate  Urban  Grandier,  who  for  having  ventured  to 
write  a song  against  Cardinal  Richelieu,  was  accused  of  bewitching 
the  nuns  in  the  Ursuline  convent.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  at  a 
period  so  recent  and  when  France  could  boast  of  many  individuals  of 
great  intelligence,  any  nuns  could  be  found  so  fanatical  as  to  declare 


OF  FRANCE.  243 

insignificant  town,  it  has  given  birth  to  several  distinguished 
men ; among  others,  to  John  Maigret,1  better  known  by  the 
name  of  Macrin,  from  the  assumed  Latin  one  of  Macrinus, 
and  to  Renaudot  the  physician,  who  published  the  first 
French  newspaper1”  in  the  year  1631.  Urban  Grandier,  a 
curate,”  was  accused  and  condemned  in  the  same  town 
during  the  reign  of  Louis  the  Thirteenth.  A song  that  he 
had  written  against  Cardinal  Richelieu  was  the  cause  of  his 
death  ; a pretext,  however,  was  necessary,  and  it  was  alleged 
that  he  had  bewitched  a convent  of  Ursuline  nuns.”  Igno- 
rant and  superstitious  women  may  be  excited  or  bribed  to 
swear  on  the  altar  that  they  are  possessed  by  demons ; if  the 
experiment  were  renewed  at  present,  it  might  be  followed 
with  the  same  success  ; it  is  much  more  wonderful  that  they 
were  believed  at  so  recent  a period,  at  a time  when  many 
great  and  good  men  were  living  in  France.  Although  a 
matter  of  deep  regret,  it  ought  not  to  be  concealed  that  cler- 
gymen perhaps  suborned,  certainly  encouraged  and  confirm- 
ed such  witnesses  in  their  delusion ; the  same  men  put  an 
innocent  brother  to  the  torture,  and  afterwards  burnt  him 
alive  to  gratify  the  vengeance  of  a minister,  whose  great 
actions  were  sullied  by  greater  crimes.? 

The  department  of  the  Maine  and  Loire  derives  its  name 
from  its  two  principal  rivers,  the  Loire  and  the  Maine.  The 
former  flows  through  it  from  east  to  west,  and  receives  the 
latter,  which  is  formed  by  the  union  of  the  Mayenne  and 
the  Sarthe.  Manufacturing  industry,  the  culture  of  corn 
and  the  vine,  and  the  working  of  mines,  and  of  granite, 
marble  and  slate  quarries,  are  the  principal  sources  of  its 
wealth.  The  coal  pits  in  the  same  department  yield  every 
year  more  than  10,000  chaldrons.’ 

Saumur  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Loire  ; a suburb 
rises  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  which  is  crossed  by  a 
well  built  bridge  of  twelve  arches.  The  quay  is  the  most 
frequented  walk,  and  the  principal  buildings  in  that  part  of 
the  town  are  a royal  riding  school,  spacious  barracks1-  and  a 
theatre.  A broad  street  leads  to  the  declivity  of  a steep 
hill  on  which  part  of  the  town  has  been  built.3  A strong 
castle  rises  on  the  summit  of  the  same  height,  and  it  serves 
at  present  as  a depot  for  arms  and  ammunition.  The  portal 
of  St.  Peter’s  church  is  modern,  but  the  rest  of  the  build- 
ing is  very  ancient.  The  town-house  is  a Gothic  edifice. 
The  quay,  which  extends  beyond  the  public  walk,  terminates 
at  a fine  hospital1  built  near  the  chalky  height  that  commands 
the  town ; the  neighbouring  excavations  in  the  same  hill 

at  the  altar  that  they  were  possessed  with  demons,  or  any  priests  so 
weak  and  cruel  as  to  pretend  to  be  convinced  of  the  guilt  of  Grandier, 
and  even  to  put  him  to  the  torture  before  condemning  him  to  the 
flames.  These  shameful  intrigues  were  only  meant  to  satisfy  the  resent- 
ment of  a minister  whose  great  talents  were  sullied  with  great  crimes.” 
It  is  said  that  the  persecution  of  Grandier  arose  from  the  hostility  of 
the  monks  of  Loudun.  and  that  in  order  to  gratify  their  hatred,  they 
persuaded  Cardinal  Richelieu  that  Grandier  was  the  author  of  “ La 
Cordonniere  de  Loudun,”  a severe  satire  on  his  person  and  family,  and 
by  this  means  succeeded  in  effecting  their  malevolent  purpose 
Moreri.  Beauvais. — P. 

“ 110,000  quintals.” 

r “ The  royal  riding  school  ( dcole  d' equitation)  and  its  barracks”- 
School  for  cavalry  instruction  ( icole  d’ instruction  des  troupes  a cheval,) 
founded  by  a royal  ordonnance,  Dec.  23,  1814 — destined  to  form 
instructors  for  all  the  regiments  of  cavalry.  For  this  purpose,  each 
corps  sends  a detachment  of  officers  and  sub-officers,  who  after  com- 
pleting their  course  at  the  school,  return  to  instruct  their  regiments. 
(Alman.  Royal,  1822).  The  barracks  were  erected  before  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  school.  (Vosgien) — P. 

• “ A broad  street  extends  in  front  of  the  bridge,  and  on  tho  left  is  a 
quarter  of  the  town,  rising  on  the  declivity  of  a hill  crowned  by  a steep 
summit.”  The  principal  street  follows  the  fine  of  the  bridge.  Ed. 
Encyc. — P. 

1 “Hospice.”  See  note  » p.  910. 


EUROPE. 


244 

have  been  converted  into  a lunatic  asylum.*  Saumur  is 
watered  on  the  west  by  the  Thoue,  a small  river  over  which 
the  inhabitants  erected  of  late  years  a bridge,  where  general 
Berton  halted  very  unexpectedly  at  a time  when  he  might 
have  easily  taken  the  town.  Three  druidical  monuments 
are  situated  in  the  neighbourhood  : one  of  them  is  a natural 
obelisk  that  rises  vertically  to  a considerable  height  ;b  the 
two  others,  which  consist  of  several  stones  laid  flat  upon 
other  stones,*  are  two  cromlechs J in  a good  state  of  preser- 
vation ; the  smallest  stands  on  a sloping  hill ; the  other,  re- 
markable for  its  great  size,  rises  in  the  middle  of  a plain. 
Saumur  is  a place  of  considerable  trade ; it  employs  GOO 
individuals  of  both  sexes  and  different  ages  in  a particular 
department  of  industry ; they  manufacture  beads  and  enam- 
els, of  which  the  quantity  exported  may  amount  in  value  to 
L.20,000.e  f Done,  about  four  leagues  distant  from  Sau- 
mur, is  peopled  by  two  thousand  inhabitants.  It  contains 
the  ruins  of  a Roman  amphitheatre  formed  by  excava- 
tions in  a calcareous  rock,  the  remains  of  an  old  palace, 
which  is  said  to  have  belonged  to  king  Dagobert,  and  one 
of  the  finest  fountains  in  France.  Extensive  grottos  are  situ- 
ated in  the  neighbourhood. 

The  road  from  Saumur  to  Bauge  is  nowise  remarkable, 
and  the  latter  town,  although  the  capital  of  a subprefecture,® 
might  be  passed  over  in  silence,  if  it  were  not  for  the  fine 
bridge  that  has  been  lately  erected  over  the  Couesnon.'* 1  An 
English  army  was  defeated  at  no  great  distance  from  Bauge 
in  the  year  1421. 1 The  same  district15  carries  on  a great 
trade  in  paper ; thus  although  Durtal1  is  a small  town  of 
3000  inhabitants,  it  possesses  several  paper  mills,  and  the 
inhabitants  also  manufacture  linen,  tiles  and  earthen  ware. 
Durtal  has  been  admired  for  its  situation  on  the  banks  of  the 
Loir,  and  at  the  base  of  a hill  commanded  by  two  colossal 
towers,  the  only  remains  of  an  old  castle,  that  was  founded 
in  the  eleventh  century.  The  Oudon  waters  Segre,  which 
although  the  chief  town  in  a subprefecture,®  is  inferior  in 
population  and  industry  to  the  burgh  of  Chateau-Neuf  on 
the  Sarthe,  to  Pouance,  which  is  enriched  by  iron  works, 
to  Lion  d’Angers,  worthy  of  notice  for  its  picturesque  situa- 
tion, and  to  other  burghs  and  towns  in  the  same  district.15 

Angers  rises  on  the  declivity  of  a hill  at  no  great  distance 
below  the  confluence  of  the  Mayenne  and  the  Sarthe.”1  The 
ramparts,”  the  public  walks,  particularly  the  Turcie  and  the 
Champ  de  Mars,  the  cathedral  with  its  two  steeples  rising 
into  the  air,  and  a Gothic  castle,  the  ancient  residence  of  the 
dukes  of  Anjou,  in  which  eighteen  large  towers  form  an 
imposing  mass,  give  the  town  an  appearance  of  splendour 
that  it  does  not  possess.  The  streets  are  narrow  ; some  of 
the  houses  are  built  of  wood,  while  others  are  constructed 

a “ Excavations  made  in  the  same  hill  serve  as  cells  for  lunatics.” 
b It  is  one  of  those  stones  which  antiquaries  term  peulvcns,  from  a 
Breton  word,  that  signifies  a pillar  of  stone. 

c Cromlechs  generally  consist  of  a single  large  flat  stone,  laid  usually 
in  an  inclined  position  on  other  stones  which  serve  as  pillars  to  sup- 
port it. — P. 

d Cromlech  signifies  literally  a vaulted  place  {lieu  routi.) — [Crom- 
lech signifies  the  bowing  stone  (place  of  worship)  from  the  Celtic 
crom  or  crum,  bent  or  bowed,  and  lech  or  leac,  a broad  stone.  (Tindal.) 
— Cromlee,  compounded  of  crom,  bent,  concave,  and  lice,  a flat  stone. 
(Owen’s  Welsh  Diet.) — P.] 

8 — “ the  annual  exportation  amounts  to  more  than  400,000  francs.” 
f Saumur  formerly  possessed  a flourishing  Calvinistic  school,  found- 
ed by  Duplessis  Mornav,  but  suppressed  in  1084. — P. 
e “ Arrondissement.’’ 

h “ — for  the  fine  bridge  of  hewn  stone  erected  over  the  Couesnon” 
(CoCsnon,  Encyc.  Meth.) 

* “ The  English  commanded  by  the  Duke  of  Clarence,  were  defeated 
Dy  Marshal  La  Fayette,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Baug6,  in  1421.” 
k “ Arrondissement.”  Duretal.  CVosgien.) 


[BOOK  CXLII1 

with  blocks  of  the  slate,  with  which  the  roofs  are  generally 
covered.0  It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  the  modern 
additions  made  to  the  town,  the  quarter  near  the  ramparts, 
and  others  are  regularly  and  well  built.p  Angers  possesses 
a library  consisting  of  20,000  volumes,  a valuable  collection 
of  French  paintings,  a museum  of  natural  history,  a botanical 
garden,  and  two  theatres.  It  was  a place  of  some  impor- 
tance before  the  Roman  conquest ; it  was  then  called  Julio- 
rnagus  ; the  Romans  changed  its  name  afterwards  into 
Andecavum .4  It  has  given  birth  to  Bernier,  the  celebrated 
traveller,  and  to  Menage,  a poet  and  a man  of  letters,  whom 
Moliere  has  represented  in  the  character  of  Vadius.1-  In 
the  neighbourhood  are  situated  extensive  slate  quarries, 
which  afford  employment  to  about  three  thousand  workmen, 
and  from  which  nearly  eighty  millions  of  slates  are  obtained 
every  year. 

Pont  de  Ces  on  the  banks  of  the  Loire,  about  a league 
distant  from  Angers,  contains  only  3000  inhabitants ; it  may 
be  remarked  however  for  its  series  of  bridges  and  embank- 
ments, forming  a line  more  than  3000  yards  in  length,  and 
extending  across  the  different  islands  and  branches  of  the 
river.  The  remains  of  a Roman  camp,  occupying  a great 
space,  are  situated  near  the  confluence  of  the  Mayenne. 
Ingrande  near  the  road  to  Nantes  possesses  glass  works  in 
which  five  hundred  workmen  are  employed.  Chalonne  a 
town  of  5000  inhabitants,  in  a district  famous  for  its  vine- 
yards, is  built  near  the  confluence  of  the  Layon  and  the 
Loire ; it  fronts  the  Lombardiere  islands,  whose  verdant 
groves  and  delightful  scenery  form  one  of  the  finest  land- 
scapes on  the  banks  of  the  Loire.  Coal  and  other  mineral 
substances  are  worked  in  the  neighbourhood.1 

Beaupreau  between  the  same  river  and  the  southern  limits 
of  the  department,  is  the  chief  town  in  a fruitful  and  indus- 
trious district."  The  inhabitants  manufacture  linen  and 
woollen  stuffs,  and  many  of  them  are  employed  in  dying 
cloth  ; they  carry  on  besides  a considerable  trade  in  leather.1 
The  village  of  Mont-Jean  is  almost  surrounded  by  coal 
mines ; the  prosperity  of  Tessouale,  another  village,  depends 
on  its  bleach-fields. y Chemille,  a small  place  of  4000 

inhabitants,  has  been  enriched  by  the  same  manufactures 
which  have  rendered  Cholet1  a flourishing  town.  The  lat- 
ter was  adorned  with  a fine  castle,  which  was  destroyed  in 
common  with  almost  all  the  other  buildings  during  the  wars 
of  La  Vendee  ; but  it  has  risen  from  its  ruins  and  increased 
in  industry,  and  its  population  has  been  doubled  ; it  contains 
at  present  more  than  7000  inhabitants.  The  improvements 
introduced  into  the  manufactories,  and  the  greater  demand 
for  their  products,  are  the  cause  of  so  much  prosperity.** 

The  romantic  sites  and  varied  landscapes  watered  by  the 

m It  is  situated  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
Maine,  which  divides  it  into  two  parts.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

“ “ Boulevards.” 

0 Almost  all  the  houses  are  covered  with  slate,  of  which  there  are 
abundant  quarries  in  the  neighbourhood.  Encyc.  Method. — The  town 
is  famous  for  its  quarries  of  black  slate,  which  in  1772  amounted  to 
seven.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

p “ Some  new  quarters  which  border  the  boulevards,  are  built  with 
elegance.”  q Jlndegavum.  Moreri.  Encyc.  Meth. 

r See  the  comedy  of  the  Femmes  Savantes. 

• Les  Fonts  de  Ce.  (Alinan.  Royal.) 

' “ There  is  a coal  mine  in  its  neighbourhood.” 

" “ Subprefecture” — arrondissement. — P. 

1 “ It  possesses  several  manufactories  of  linen  and  woollen  stuffs,  and 
also  dye-houses  and  tanneries.” 

r “ Near  the  village  of  Mont-Jean,  are  extensive  coal  mines,  and  at 
that  of  Tessouale,  a fine  bleach-field.”  1 Chollet. 

““The  improvements  it  has  introduced  into  its  manufactures  of 
linens,  cotton  handkerchiefs,  coarse  cottons  and  flannels,  have  given 
I them  no  small  degree  of  reputation.” 


BOOK  CXL.III.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  245 


Loire,  have  given  the  liver  a celebrity  which  it  might  not 
have  otherwise  possessed.  And  certainly  the  lower  part  of 
its  course  serves  to  confirm  the  general  opinion,  and  ac- 
counts for  the  songs  that  have  been  made  in  its  praise.3 
Neat  villages,  picturesque  vallies,  hills  covered  with  vine- 
yards, and  rich  meadows,  may  be  seen  on  that  part  of  the 
road  to  Nantes,  extending  from  Montrelais,  a village  enrich- 
ed by  its  coals  and  excellent  wines,  to  the  burgh  ol  Oudon, 
where  two  chains  of  hills  line  the  opposite  banks  of  the 
Loire.  The  appearance  of  the  country  changes  beyond  the 
last  place  ; the  fields  are  no  longer  covered  with  luxuriant 
harvests,  and  the  traveller  might  suppose  himself  in  Brittany 
from  the  ferns,  buckwheat  and  heath.  Lastly,  the  cathe- 
dral of  Nantes  is  seen,  as  the  traveller  reaches  a well-culti- 
vated plain,  about  two  leagues  in  length. 

Many  rivers  water  the  department  of  the  Lower  Loire  ; 
it  is  also  bathed  by  the  Ocean,  the  coasts  of  which  are  near- 
ly twenty-five  leagues  long  and  are  continually  enlarged  by 
alluvial  deposits.  It  may  be  remarked  too  that  the  salt 
marshes  on  the  same  coasts  are  very  valuable.  Different 
districts  in  the  department  are  covered  with  rich  pastures 
and  thick  forests ; it  is  fruitful  in  grain,  and  still  more  so  in 
wine  ; it  abounds  in  coal  and  iron  ; the  inhabitants  smelt  the 
©re,  and  convert  the  metal  into  different  articles  which  are 
sold  in  many  parts  of  France.* 1 **  The  other  products  of 
industry  in  the  same  department  are  porcelain,  china  and 
different  manufactures  ;c  it  carries  on  a trade  with  the  prin- 
cipal European  states/  and  it  equips  vessels  for  the  herring, 
sardel  and  cod  fisheries.  The  capital,  not  unworthy  of  the 
country,  may  be  ranked  among  the  largest  towns  in  France. 

Nantes,  after  Bordeaux,  the  most  commercial  town  which 
communicates  with  the  ocean,  rises  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Loire,  at  the  place  where  the  Erdre  and  the  Sevre  fall  into 
the  river.e  It  occupies  the  site  of  Condivicnum,  the  prin* 
cipal  city  inhabited  by  the  JYamnetes ; the  ancient  Celtic 
name  indicates  its  position,  for  it  signifies  a town  at  the  con- 
fluence of  several  streams.  It  may  be  admired  for  the 
regularity  of  the  streets,  the  elegance  of  the  public  buildings, 
and  the  magnificence  of  the  quays.  Some  parts  of  the 
town,  such  as  the  quarter  of  Graslin,  the  isle  of  Feydeau 
and  the  suburb  of  La  Fosse,  may  bear  a comparison  with 
the  finest  quarters  in  Paris.  The  verdant  banks  of  the 
river,  the  islands  in  different  directions,  and  the  natural  am- 
phitheatre that  rises  beyond  them,  render  Nantes  in  point 
of  situation,  at  least  equal  if  not  superior  to  any  other  town. 
The  port  of  La  Fosse  is  shaded  with  lofty  trees,  and  lined 
with  large  buildings  that  extend  to  the  distance  of  half  a 
league.  The  same  port  is  about  twelve  leagues  from  the 
ocean,  and  although  one  of  the  most  frequented  in  France, 
it  has  the  disadvantage  of  being  inaccessible  to  vessels  above 
three  hundred  tons/  because  the  tide  does  not  rise  higher 

5 “ The  Loire,  in  the  lower  part  of  its  course,  does  not  belie  the 
reputaiion  it  has  acquired  from  the  beautiful  scenery  on  its  banks.” 

b “ The  produce  of  its  iron  mines  supplies  four  high  furnaces  and 
twelve  fineries.” 

c “ It  possesses  manufactories  of  delft  ware,  porcelain  and  different 
stuffs.” 

J “ It  carries  on  an  important  commerce  with  different  parts  of  the 
globe.” 

e Ardre  and  Sevre  Nantaise.  The  Sevre  enters  the  Loire  on  the 
south,  opposite  Nantes,  and  the  Ardre  on  the  north.  The  latter  flows 
through  the  town.  Moreri.  Vosgien. — P. 

f “ 200  tons.”  s “ 5 feet.” 

11  “ Palais  de  la  cour  des  comptes” — Hall  of  the  chamber  of  accounts 
or  board  of  finances.  Rees’  Cyc. — P. 

‘ “ At  the  extremity  of  St.  Peter’s  Course  ( Cours  de  St.  Pierre ,)  an 
agreeable  and  spacious  promenade,  the  old  castle  of  the  dukes  of  Brit- 
tany rises  on  the  banks  of  the  Loire.” 


than  six  feet.s  The  exchange,  which  appears  like  a monu- 
ment erected  to  the  commerce  and  shipping  of  France,  ex- 
hibits a fine  front  adorned  with  an  Ionic  peristyle,  and  a 
portico  on  the  opposite  side,  crowned  with  the  statues  of 
Duguay-Trouin,  Duquesne,  John  Bart  and  Cassart.  The 
residence  of  the  prefect  was  the  ancient  court  of  exchequer  ;h 
the  front  of  the  theatre  presents  a range  of  eight  large  Co- 
rinthian columns.  St.  Peter’s  course,  a spacious  and  pleas- 
ant walk  on  the  banks  of  the  Loire,  leads  to  the  old  castle  that 
belonged  to  the  dukes  of  Brittany  ;l  it  was  built  by  one  of 
them  in  the  year  930,  and  has  acquired  celebrity  from  the 
edict  issued  by  Henry  the  Fourth,  the  revocation  of  which 
by  his  grandson  was  the  cause  of  innumerable  calamities  tc 
F ranee.  Among  the  useful  institutions,  it  may  be  worth 
while  to  mention  a fine  collection  of  paintings,  a valuable 
public  library,  a museum  of  natural  history,  better  than  any 
other  in  any  provincial  town,  a large  botanical  garden,  a 
royal  college,  and  lastly  schools  of  medicine  and  hydrogra- 
phy. The  charitable  institutions  are  creditable  to  the  be- 
nevolence of  the  inhabitants ; the  manner  in  which  they  are 
managed,  is  not  less  creditable  to  the  civic  rulers.*1  Nantes 
is  the  seat  of  a bishopric  which  was  erected  in  the  third 
century.1  It  was  fortified  in  the  time  of  Ca?sar ; it  main- 
tained a terrible  siege  against  the  Huns  in  the  year  445 ; 
the  Normans  ravaged  it  in  843,  and  put  all  the  inhabitants 
to  the  sword.  The  English  besieged  it  in  vain  in  1343. 
A Vendean  army  consisting  of  80,000  men  attempted  to 
take  it  by  assault  in  1793,  but  they  were  defeated  and  re- 
pulsed by  the  citizens.  It  became  at  a later  period  the 
theatre  of  the  horrible  executions  which  were  sanctioned 
by  Carrier.  Nantes  bas  given  birth  to  the  learned  Mathu- 
rin  Veyssiere,m  to  Rene  Le  Pays,  a poet  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  to  Boffrand  the  architect,  to  Cassart  the  navigator," 
to  Cacault  the  diplomatist,  to  Bouguer  the  mathematician, 
and  to  Fouche,  duke  of  Otranto,  and  minister  of  police.  It 
possesses  a cannon  foundery,  and  dockyards  in  which  mer- 
chant vessels  and  sloops  of  war  are  built ; it  also  supplies 
part  of  the  navy  with  cordage,  sail-cloth  and  iron  cables ; 
there  are  besides  several  sugar  works,  cotton  and  cloth 
manufactories,  tan-pits  and  different  works  of  less  conse- 
quence.0 

From  the  extremity  of  the  department  to  Nantes,  the 
Sevre  waters  a country  not  less  romantic  than  Switzerland, 
and  more  interesting  from  the  associations  connected  with  it. 
The  village  of  Palet  was  the  birthplace  of  Abeilard  / in  the 
woods  and  rocks  in  the  neighbourhood,  Heloise  and  her 
lover  bewailed  their  misfortunes  after  the  base  Fulbert  had 
satisfied  his  monkish  vengeance.  The  small  town  of  Clis- 
son  contains  only  1200  inhabitants,  but  it  recals  the  title 
of  a family  that  rendered  itself  illustrious  in  the  annals  of 
France;  their  castle,  formerly  remarkable  for  its  arcbitect- 

k “ The  town  house,  in  which  there  is  a fine  collection  of  paintings, 
the  public  library,  the  museum  of  natural  history,  next  in  importance 
to  that  of  Paris,  the  botanical  garden,  remarkable  for  its  situation  and 
extent,  the  royal  college,  the  schools  of  medicine  and  hydrography, 
and  several  establishments  for  the  support  and  education  of  poor  chil- 
dren, are  creditable  to  the  municipal  authorities.” 

1 St.  Clair  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  bishop  of  Nantes,  about  the 
year  277.  Encye.  JVIeth. — P. 

Mathurin  Veyssieres  de  Lacroze,  a distinguished  orientalist. — P. 

n Jacques  Cassard,  a distinguished  officer  in  the  French  navy, 
during  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.  Beauvais.— P. 

0 “ It  possesses  sugar  refineries,  cotton  mills  (filatures),  cloth  manu- 
factories, tanneries,  and  other  manufacturing  establishments  of  less 
importance.” 

p The  name  is  written  variously  in  different  authors : Abailard, 
Abaillard,  Abaelard  and  Abelard.  The  last  is  generally  used  in  Eng- 
lish authors.  The  name  of  the  village  is  generally  written  Palais. — P 


246  EUR 

ure,  now  majestic  in  its  ruins,  stands  on  a height  near  the 
town.  Paimboeuf,*  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Loire,  about  ten 
leagues  below  Nantes,  was  a hundred  years  ago  a mere 
hamlet  peopled  by  a few  fishermen ; but  commerce  has 
since  changed  it  into  a flourishing  and  well  built  city,  at 
present  the  capital  of  a district. b 

The  most  remarkable  places  on  the  south  of  the  Loire 
have  now  been  mentioned  ; towards  the  north  and  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  river  is  situated  Ancenis,  a pleasant  town, 
commanded  by  the  old  castle  which  was  long  inhabited  by 
the  dukes  of  Bethune.  Chateaubriant,  on  tbe  other  side 
of  the  small  river  Don,  is  well  known  for  its  preserves.' 
Savenay  on  the  south-west  of  the  last  place,  is  the  chief 
town  in  a district4  that  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in 
cattle  and  salt.  Guerande,  a more  industrious  and  more 
populous  town,  and  Pouliguen  possessing  a convenient  har- 
bour,' are  situated  in  the  midst  of  salt  marshes  which  yield 
every  year  nearly  eighteen  thousand  tonsf  of  grey  and  white 
salt. 

The  word  Morbihan,  it  has  been  said,  signifies  a small 
sea  in  Low  Breton  or  perhaps  in  some  Celtic  dialect.  The 
gulf  of  the  same  name  is  larger  than  any  other  on  the  coasts 
of  the  department,  which  the  lower  course  of  the  Vilaines 
separates  from  the  one  that  has  been  last  examined.'1  The 
same  gulf  encloses  a great  many  small  islands,  the  two 
largest  of  which,  or  the  Isle  aux  Moines  and  that  of  Arz,  are 
well  peopled  and  cultivated.1  Vannes  is  about  a league 
from  the  most  northern  bay  in  the  same  gulf;  two  small 
rivers  water  and  surround  it ; they  add  to  the  convenience 
of  its  harbour,  and  the  advantages  of  its  position.  Accord- 
ing to  ancient  authors,  the  walls  of  the  town  must  have  been 
bathed  by  the  sea  at  the  time  when  it  was  not  only  the  prin- 
cipal city  of  the  Veneti , but  the  most  powerful,  wealthy  and 
populous  of  any  in  Armorica.k  An  old  wall  flanked  with 
towers  separates  the  town  from  a suburb  which  exceeds 
it  in  size.  The  heavy  and  massive  cathedral  rises  in  the 
midst  of  dismal  houses  and  dark  streets.  The  freestone 
quays  along  the  narrow  harbour  may  be  admired  for  then- 
solidity,  but  the  finest  buildings  are  erected  on  the  mole 
which  extends  near  a small  salt  marsh.  Three  public  walks 
are  frequented  in  the  vicinity,  and  within  the  walls  are  situ- 
ated a college,  an  hospital  and  a theatre  the  industry  of  the 
inhabitants  is  confined  to  sardel  fisheries  and  to  the  manu- 
facture of  coarse  cloth.  Such  is  the  capital  of  a depart- 
ment which,  although  poor  in  vineyards,  is  fruitful  in  corn, 
pastures,  timber,  flax  and  hemp.  The  marshes  and  landes 
are  without  doubt  extensive  ;•  still  the  inhabitants  rear  many 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLI11. 

horses,  oxen  and  sheep.m  Iron  mines  are  wrought  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country ; the  inhabitants  export  the  leather, 
linen  and  woollen  stuffs  manufactured  in  the  department." 

Sarzeau,  on  the  peninsula  of  Rhuys,  is  a small  town 
peopled  by  G000  inhabitants,  who  are  mostly  fishermen. 
The  castle  of  Suscinion  was  erected  on  the  coast  by  Anne, 
duchess  of  Brittany,  and  the  monastery  of  St.  Gildas0 
may  still  be  seen  on  another  part  of  the  coast  of  the  same 
peninsula ; according  to  tradition,  the  monks  possess  the 
chair  of  Abeilard  ; it  is  certain  that  he  was  the  abbot  of  the 
convent.? 

The  islands  which  Pliny  calls  Insulce  Veneticcc,  rise  op- 
posite the  coast  between  Vannes  and  Lorient  ;q  all  of  them 
belong  to  the  department.  The  inhabitants  of  Belle-Isle 
en  Mer,  the  largest  as  well  as  the  richest  of  these  islands, 
rear  cattle,  and  export  every  year  nearly  eight  hundred 
draught  horses  of  the  best  kind  in  France.  It  contains 
8000  souls,  three  small  harbours  and  the  burgh  of  St.  Palais1 
defended  by  a castle.  A small  fortress  guards  Hoedic, 
of  which  the  inhabitants,  like  those  of  Houat,  earn  their 
livelihood  by  fishing.  Groix  or  Groaix,  the  most  northern 
of  these  islands,  is  peopled  by  2000  individuals  scattered  in 
different  villages ; they  are  at  once  husbandmen  and  fishers. 
Quiberon,  or  as  old  writers  call  it,8  Keberoen,  a peninsula 
about  two  leagues  in  length,  and  a quarter  of  a league  in 
breadth,  is  changed  into  an  island  during  the  full  tide.  It  is 
celebrated  for  the  descent  made  in  1795  by  10,000  emi- 
grants under  the  protection  of  the  English  fleet;  abandoned 
by  allies  who  might  have  saved  them,  they  were  completely 
defeated  by  general  Hoche.  A monument  perpetuates  the 
memory  of  the  event. 

The  burgh  of  Carnac,  situated  on  a height  near  the  coast, 
at  some  distance  to  the  north  of  Quiberon,  has  been  often 
^mentioned  by  antiquaries  on  account  of  a druidical  monu- 
ment ; the  size  and  the  arrangement  of  the  parts  have  been 
much  admired,  but  its  true  purpose  has  never  been  explain- 
ed. It  is  formed  by  more  than  five  thousand  granite  stones, 
rudely  cut  and  arranged  in  eleven  straight  and  parallel  rows.1 
As  it  has  been  proved  that  they  were  not  erected  by  the 
Romans  to  commemorate  the  victory  gained  by  Caesar  over 
the  Veneti,"  it  may  with  probability  be  inferred  that  they 
w7ere  raised  for  the  same  superstitious  purposes  as  other 
Celtic  relics  of  a like  kind.  The  port  of  Lorient,  the  chief 
town  in  a district*  of  the  same  name,  was  built  in  1719  by 
the  India  company*  at  the  mouth  of  the  Scorff,  and  on  the 
bay  of  Port  Louis.  The  town  is  large  and  well  built,  but 
it  is  no  longer  enriched  by  the  commerce,  which  excited 

1 Painbffiuf,  PimbcEuf. 
b “ Subprefecture” — arrondissement. — P. 
c “ Conserves  of  angelica.” 

<*  “ Arrondissement.” 

e “ The  small  port  of  Pouliguen.” — Poulquain,  a small  dry  tide 
haven,  with  ten  feet  high  water.  Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog.  Vol.  II.  p. 
21.— P. 

f “ More  than  seventeen  millions  of  kilogrammes.” 
s Villaine. 

h “ The  gulf  of  Morbihan,  the  name  of  which  signifies  a small  sea,  in 
the  Low  Breton  or  rather  in  the  Celtic  language,*  is  the  largest  on 
the  coast  of  the  department,!  which  the  traveller  enters  after  crossing 
the  lower  part  of  the  Vilaine  ( [basse  Vilaine) .” 

* Welch  mur,  Gaelic  muir,  a sea,  and  Welch  bychan,  Gaelic  brag,  beg,  di- 
min.  beagan,  began,  little. — Welch,  Auf,  by<;an,  little.  (Oweu). — P. 
t The  department  of  Morbihan. 

‘ According  to  the  construction  of  the  original,  these  two  islands  are 
not  the  only  ones  inhabited  and  cultivated. — The  gulf  of  Morbihan  is 
filled  with  inhabited  islands.  (Vosgien.) — The  gulf — is  a kind  of 
small  sea  lagoon  with  many  inhabited  islands.  Tuckey,  Vol.  II.  p. 
3.— P. 

k Cesar,  de  Bello  Gallico,  Lib.  III. 

1 “ The  town  possesses  a college,  a hospital,  a theatre,  and  three 
public  walks  (promenades.)” 

m “ Notwithstanding  the  marshes  and  heaths  (landes.)  the  inhabit- 
ants rear  many  horses,  sheep  and  bees.  The  honey  of  the  last  is  much 
valued.” 

n “ The  department  contains  iron  mines,  important  iron  works  and 
valuable  salt  marshes.  The  principal  manufactures  are  sail  cloth, 
linens,  woollen  stuffs  and  leather.’” 

° St.  Gildas  de  Ruys. 

p “ The  chair  of  Abeilard,  who  was  at  one  time  its  abbot,  is  still 
preserved  in  the  convent.” 

i L Orient.  r Palais,  Le  Palais.  (Vosgien.) 

• “ As  it  is  written  in  old  documents.” 

1 The  stones  are  rudely  cut  into  the  shape  of  obelisks,  resting  on 
their  points,  and  are  arranged  in  eleven  rows,  each  in  a direction 
perpendicular  to  the  coast.  M.  B. 

“ See  the  dissertation  by  M.  Ollier  de  Grandpre  : Mcmoires  de  la 
Societb  Royale  des  Antiquites  de  France,  Tom.  II.  p.  32a 

x “ ArrondissementT 

j “ Compagnie  des^.des” — formed  in  1719  by  the  union  of  severa 
companies,  the  most  important  of  which  were  the  East  India  and  the 
West  India  companies.  Savary,  Diet.  Comm. — P. 

' 

book  cxliii.]  DESCRIPTION 

the  jealousy  of  the  English,  who  attempted  to  destroy  it  in 
1746,  when  a nobleman  of  Brittany, a having  arrived  with 
some  assistance,  displayed  so  much  energy  that  the  besiegers 
fled  and  left  several  cannon  behind  them,  which  the  king 
presented  to  the  town.  If  the  harbour  now  appears  more 
deserted  than  it  really  is,  it  should  be  recollected  that  its 
extent  was  made  to  correspond  with  the  importance  of  its 
commercial  transactions,  at  the  time  when  the  affairs  of  the 
India  company  in  France  were  in  a flourishing  condition. 
Port  Louis,  about  a league’s  distance  to  the  south  of  Lori- 
ent,  rises  at  the  mouth  of  the  Blavet  in  a situation  well 
adapted  for  trade.  The  harbour  is  convenient, b and  the 
citadel  which  guards  the  entrance  into  the  bay,  was  built  by 
Louis  the  Thirteenth.  The  population  does  not  exceed 
3000  inhabitants.  The  old  castle  of  Trafaven  stands  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Scorff,  a castle  which  the  imagination 
of  the  peasantry  has  peopled  with  sprites  and  fairies. 

Ploermel  is  situated  near  the  confluence  of  the  Oust  and 
the  Malestroit,  beyond  a chain  of  high  hills,  which  crosses 
the  department  from  north-west  to  south-east.  It  was  an 
important  town  about  tire  tenth  century,  but  the  old  edifices 
were  mostly  destroyed  when  it  was  besieged  by  Henry  the 
Fourth ; there  may  still  be  seen,  however,  a Gothic  church, 
adorned  with  painted  windows  and  with  the  tombs  of  two 
dukes  of  Brittany,  John  the  Second  and  John  the  Third. 
The  waters  which  flow  from  a lake  nearly  three  leagues  in 
circumference,  at  a short  distance  from  the  town,  form  a 
fine  cascade.  The  Blavet  waters  the  western  declivities  of 
the  same  heights  ; it  is  navigable  to  Pontivy,  a town  situated 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  river,  in  a fruitful  country.  Now 
the  capital  of  a district,*  it  bore  under  the  imperial  govern- 
ment the  name  of  Napoleonville.  It  owes  its  origin  to  the 
monastery  in  which  St.  Josse,  the  brother  of  Judicael  king 
of  Brittany,  died  in  the  year  660.  The  ruins  of  the  ancient 
walls,  with  which  it  was  surrounded,  still  remain,  and  also 
an  old  castle  flanked  with  turrets,  concerning  the  origin  of 
which  antiquaries  disagree.  The  barracks  are  the  finest 
buildings  in  Pontivy. 

When  the  National  Assembly  decreed  that  the  old  divis- 
ions of  France  should  be  abolished,  and  others  substituted 
in  their  place,  it  gave  the  name  of  the  department  of  Finis- 
terre'1  to  that  part  of  Brittany  which  juts  into  the  Ocean,  like 
the  promontory  on  the  north-west  of  Spain,  to  which  the 
ancients  gave  the  same  name  ( Promontorium  finis  terra), 
because  early  navigators  supposed  it  the  limits  of  die  earth. 
The  department  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  those  of  Morbi- 
han  and  the  North  Coast,  on  the  south  and  the  west  by  the 
Ocean,  on  the  north  by  the  Channel.  Twenty  islands  are 
situated  on  the  coasts,  and  the  indentations  in  the  latter  form 
more  than  fifteen  capes.  Shipwrecks  are  not  uncommon ; 
these  bold  coasts  are  every  where  composed  of  granitic  rocks, 
against  which  impetuous  billows  are  dashed.  The  soil, 
although  moderately  fruitful,  produces  plenty  of  grain,  hemp 
and  flax.  The  country  is  well  supplied  with  wood  ; thick 
forests  grow  on  the  hills,  and  the  vallies  are  covered  with 
rich  pastures.  It  possesses  more  valuable  silver  and  lead 

OF  FRANCE.  247 

mines  than  any  other  department  in  F ranee ; it  is  also  per- 
haps the  most  humid,  or  the  one  in  which  rains  and  mists 
are  most  common. 

The  Isole  which  flows  with  the  rapidity  of  a torrent,  and 
joins  the  Elle,  a small  and  tranquil  river,  is  known  in  the 
lower  part  of  its  course  by  the  name  of  the  Laita  ; it  falls 
into  the  Ocean.  Quimperle®  situated  at  the  place  where  the 
two  rivers  meet,  possesses  a small  but  well  frequented  harbour 
inaccessible  to  vessels  above  fifty  tons.  The  prosperity  of 
the  place  may  be  attributed  to  its  position.  The  streets  are 
neat  and  clean  ; two  in  particular  may  be  remarked  for  their 
elegance ; the  finest  public  buildings  are  a church,  the  ancient 
convent  of  the  Benedictines,  now  changed  into  the  resi- 
dence of  the  subprefect,  and  a four-sided  tower  on  the  high 
road.  It  was  the  birthplace  of  Morellet,  nephew  to  the 
celebrated  Abbe  of  the  same  name/  and  a writer  of  consid- 
erable talent  and  erudition.  Quimper,  surnamed  Quimper- 
Corentin  after  St.  Corentin,  its  first  bishop  at  an  uncertain 
period,  perhaps  about  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century,  was 
formerly  called  Cornouailles ; it  was  the  capital  of  a coun- 
try of  the  last  name,  that  comprehended  the  whole  of  its 
diocese.®  The  Romans  called  it  Corisopitum,  but  before 
their  conquest,  it  bore  the  Celtic  name  of  Kimpcr,  which 
signifies  a small  walled  town  ; it  appears,  therefore,  that  its 
antiquity  cannot  be  disputed.  It  is  situated  on  the  declivity 
of  a hill  at  the  confluence  of  the  Odet  and  the  Steire.  The 
most  ancient  quarter,  encompassed  with  walls  and  turrets, 
rises  like  an  amphitheatre,  and  commands  a view  of  a ro- 
mantic country  covered  with  rocks,  woods  and  heaths.  In 
the  more  modern  quarter  of  St.  Mathieu,  the  streets  are  not 
so  narrow,  and  the  houses  are  better  built.h  The  finest 
public  walk  extends  along  the  canal  of  the  Odet,1  which  the 
tide  renders  navigable  to  vessels  of  300  tons.  The  cathe- 
dral was  rebuilt  at  the  commencement  of  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury, and  is  one  of  the  finest  churches  in  France.  The 
town  has  given  birth  to  several  distinguished  men,  among 
others  to  Bougeant  and  Hardouin,  two  jesuits  ; the  first  com- 
posed the  admirable  Histoire  du  Traite  de  Westphalie,  and 
also  the  Jhnusemens  philosophiques  sur  le  langage  des  hides, 
on  account  of  which  his  brethren  banished  him  to  La  Fleche  ; 
the  second  author,  more  to  be  pitied  for  his  singularity,  than 
dreaded  for  any  real  or  imaginary  danger  arising  from  his 
writings,  attributed  Virgil’s  iEneid  to  a monk  of  the  thir- 
teenth century,  and  considered  the  poem  an  allegorical  de- 
scription of  St.  Peter’s  journey  to  Rome.  The  same 
writer  maintained  that  the  acts  of  all  the  councils  anterior  to 
the  council  of  Trent,  were  false;  he  was  charitable  enough 
to  include  Malebranche,  Nicole  and  Pascal  in  the  list  of 
atheists.  The  jesuits  allowed  him  to  repeat  these  absurdi- 
ties without  molestation/  Freron  the  ex-jesuit,  and  Valen- 
tin the  painter,  were  likewise  natives  of  the  town  ; the  latter 
during  the  civil  dissensions  in  France,  handled  the  pencil, 
the  pen  and  the  sword.  Concarneau,  situated  on  a small 
island,  which  communicates  with  the  continent  by  means  of 
a convenient  ferry,  is  enclosed  with  walls,  and  guarded  by 
a castle.  It  was  taken  by  Duguesclin  in  1373.  It  sends 

a Count  de  Tinteniac. 

b “ Avec  un  bon  port” — It  has  a good  port,  but  of  difficult  access. 
Tuckey,  Vol.  II.  p.  20. — P. 

« “ Arrondissement.”  i “ Finistere.” 

e Quimperlay,  Quimperley. 

f Abbe  Morellet,  distinguished  as  a writer  before  and  during  the 
revolution. — P. 

e Cornouailles  is  the  name  of  a country  in  Brittany,  comprehending 
all  the  former  diocese  of  Quimper.  (Encyc.  Meth.  Vosgien.) — P.  ° 
k ‘ In  the  old  quarter,  the  upper  stories  of  the  houses  project  in 

such  a manner  as  to  facilitate  communication  between  the  inhabitants 
on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  streets.” 

* “ The  fine  quays  and  the  promenade  which  border  the  channel  of 
the  Odet,  contribute  to  the  commerce  of  the  place  and  the  recreation 
of  its  inhabitants.” 

k “ He  published  and  repeated  these  absurdities  without  molesta- 
tion”— This  statement  is  not  strictly  true.  Not  only  were  the  works 
in  which  he  had  denied  the  authenticity  of  the  ancients  and  the  conn 
cils,  suppressed  by  authority,  but  he  was  compelled  by  his  religious 
superiors  to  retract  his  opinions. — P. 

248  EURC 

every  year  about  four  hundred  boats  and  small  vessels  to  j 
the  sardel  fisheries,  of  which  the  mean  annual  produce 
amounts  to  a thousand  tons.  Douarnenez  rivals  the  last 
town  in  the  same  sort  of  industry  ; it  is  partly  peopled  by 
two  thousand  fishermen  and  sailors.* 

There  are  no  towns  of  any  consequence  in  the  districtb 
of  Chateaulin.  The  capital  of  the  same  name,  divided  in- 
to two  nearly  equal  parts  by  the  river  Aulne,c  is  pleasantly 
situated  ; it  was  the  birthplace  of  father  AndreJ  and  rear- 
admiral  Cosmao ; the  former  obtained  some  celebrity  as 
the  author  of  a treatise  on  Man,  and  an  essay  on  the  Beau- 
tiful ;e  the  latter  died  a few  years  ago,  after  having  distin- 
guished himself  in  several  engagements.  The  burgh  of 
Huelgoet  and  the  village  of  Poullaouen  are  two  other  places 
in  the  same  district  ;b  the  former  is  enriched  by  a mine  of 
argentiferous  lead  ; the  other  contains  3,600  inhabitants, 
almost  all  of  whom  are  employed  in  working  a similar 
mine,  the  largest  in  France,  and  one  of  the  finest  in  Eu- 
rope. It  yields  annually  about  150  tons  of  lead,  and  more 
than  000  pounds  of  silver/  The  machinery  used  in  the 
works,  the  founderies  and  the  houses  of  the  miners/  are 
not  unworthy  of  being  visited.  The  small  and  dirty  town 
of  Carhaix  rises  on  the  left  hank  of  the  Hiere  at  the  dis- 
tance of  eleven  leagues  to  the  east  of  Chateaulin.  It  has 
produced  one  of  the  greatest  men  of  the  last  century,  the 
brave  La  Tour  d’Auvergne,  distinguished  for  his  learning'1 
and  as  a soldier,  and  a worthy  descendant  of  Turenne, 
who  was  proclaimed  first  grenadier  of  France,  and  who 
fell  in  1799  at  the  battle  of  Neuburg. 

Every  stranger  who  has  visited  Brest,  must  have  observ- 
ed the  fatiguing  and  uninterrupted  motion  which  prevails  in 
the  port,  the  vessels  that  frequent  it,  displaying  the  colours 
of  every  nation,  the  imposing  aspect  of  the  batteries,  which 
defend  the  towfi,  the  old  fortress,  according  to  popular  tra- 
dition, erected  by  Caesar,  which  guards  the  entrance,  and 
the  extensive  road,  communicating  with  the  ocean  by  the 
strait  called  the  Goulet,  and  capable  of  holding  five  hun- 
dred ships  of  war ;'  he  may  also  have  remarked  the  naval 
storehouses,  the  large  arsenal,  the  barracks  on  the  long 
esplanade,  the  cordage  and  sail  manufactories,  the  large 
dockyards,  and  lastly  the  work-houses  which  may  contain 
four  thousand  prisoners  or  galley-slaves.k  Brest  is  built 
on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  and  is  divided  into  the  high  and  low 

}PE  [BOOK  CXLJII. 

town ; the  latter  has  been  embellished  with  many  modern 
houses;  indeed  the  quarter  of  Recouvrance  may  ere  long 
he  compared  with  the  one  round  the  harbour,  for  it  has 
been  found  necessary  to  pull  down  the  ancient  Gothic  hab- 
itations in  order  that  sufficient  space  may  be  obtained  foi 
new  buildings.1  The  steep  and  crooked  streets  in  the  up- 
per town  are  very  disagreeable  and  difficult  of  access. 
The  fifth  stories  of  several  houses  are  on  a level  with  the 
gardens  belonging  to  others,  and  as  the  only  communica- 
tions between  the  old  and  new  quarters  are  by  means  of 
long  and  open  stairs,  accidents  are  not  uncommon  during 
frosty  weather.  A fine  machine  for  masting  vessels  may 
be  observed  at  no  great  distance  from  the  entrance  into 
the  harbour.  One  can  hardly  behold  the  solid  and  exten- 
sive quays,  and  the  magazines  or  storehouses  built  of  free- 
stone, which  line  them,  without  rendering  homage  to  the 
genius  of  Richelieu,  by  whom  they  were  planned,  and  who 
foresaw  the  advantages  that  might  be  derived  from  the  sit- 
uation of  a burgh,  which  he  raised  to  the  rank  of  a mari- 
time town.  Il  has  been  supposed,  and  in  all  probability 
correctly,  that  Brest  is  not  so  ancient  a place  as  many  be- 
lieve ; it  cannot  he  inferred  from  the  Roman  fortress  which 
still  remains,  that  the  town  existed  in  the  time  of  Caesar  ; 
besides  it  may  be  shown  that  it  was  only  a village  in  the 
ninth  century,  when  king  Coron  Meriadec  erected  a castle 
near  it.m  Louis  Choquet,  a poet  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
Rochon,  a dramatic  writer,  and  Lamothe-Piquet  and  Ker- 
saint,  two  distinguished  naval  officers,  were  born  in  the 
capital  of  Finisterre." 

The  isle  of  Ouessant0  may  be  seen  from  the  coast  of 
Brest;  it  contains  about  1800  inhabitants,  who  are  scat- 
tered in  several  hamlets.  The  road  to  the  heights  in  the 
district15  of  Morlaix,  leads  to  Landernau  which,  although  it 
has  been  extolled  by  an  academician,  must  be  considered 
an  ill-built  and  disagreeable  town.  Morlaix  is  not  so  dirty 
as  many  other  small  towns  in  Brittany  ; it  stands  between 
two  hills,  about  two  leagues  from  the  sea,  and  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Jarleau  and  the  Kerlent,  which  enter  its 
harbour ; the  latter  is  defended  by  a castle. i Possessing 
a considerable  trade,  adorned  with  several  fine  edifices, 
and  encompassed  with  agreeable  walks,  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  Morlaix  is  a pleasant  and  wealthy  city.  It  was  the 
birthplace  of  general  Moreau,  a Frenchman  who  betrayed 

1 “ Its  population  comprehends  about  2000  mariners  ( marins .)” 
Douarnenez  has  a population  of  2000.  Tuckey,  Vol.  II.  p.  20. — P. 
b “ Arrondissement.” 

c Chateaulin  is  situated  on  the  Auzon.  (Vosgien.) — P. 
d Yves  Marie  Andre,  jesuit,  professor  of  mathematics  at  Caen — died 
1764,  aged  89.— P. 

' Traiti  dc  l' Homme — Essai  sur  h beau. 

1 “ 3000  quintals  of  lead  and  400  kilogrammes  of  silver.” 
s “ The  machinery  employed  in  extracting  the  ore,  and  the  build- 

ings  destined  for  founderies” 

>'  In  various  languages,  particularly  the  ancient  Celtic.  He  pub- 
lished a Glossary  of  45  languages,  a French  and  Celtic  Dictionary, 
and  a work  on  Celtic  etymology  ( Traiti  des  Origincs  Gauloises.) — P. 

' Brest  has  two  roads,  the  outer  called  Bertheaume  Road,  and  the 
inner,  Brest  Water,  the  communication  between  them  being  by  a nar- 
row channel,  called  Le  Goulet  (the  Gullet,)  which  is  defended  by  a 
castle  on  a steep  rock  on  the  south  side,  and  by  a semicircular  battery 
on  the  other.*  Brest  Water  is  capable  of  holding  500  sail  of  large 
ships.  Tuckey.  Vol.  II.  p.  19. — P. 

* Guarded  by  a castle  on  the  side  next  the  sea,  and  on  the  land  side  by  a 
large  ditch  and  other  strong  fortifications.  Ed.  Eneyc. 

k “ The  magazines  for  naval  stores,  the  arsenal,  the  barracks  front- 
ing on  a long  esplanade,  the  two  rope  walks  in  a line  parallel  with  the 
dock  yards,  and  the  prison  for  the  galley  slaves  ( bagne ,)  built  near  the 
summit  of  a hill,  and  large  enough  to  contain  nearly  4000  prisoners.” 

1 “ Improvements  are  making  more  rapid  progress  in  the  latter,  par- 

i-'  — 

ticularly  in  the  quarter  of  Recouvrance, t in  which  the  old  Gothic 
houses  are  replaced  by  modern  buildings,  and  which  promises  soon  to 
rival  the  quarter  near  the  harbour.” 

t “ Quartier  de  Recouvrance” — Brest  is  divided  into  two  parts,  one  of  which 
is  called  the  Cote  du  llrest  and  the  other  the  Cote  de  Recouvrance , between 
which  there  is  no  communication  but  by  boats.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — The  town  ( vil/e ) 
properly  so  called,  consists  of  a small  number  of  narrow  and  crooked  streets 
built  on  the  declivity  of  a hill.  The  suburb,  called  the  suburb  of  Recouvrance 
( fauxbourg  de  la  Eecouvrance.)  consists  of  straight  and  well  built  streets.  It 
is  separated  from  the  town  by  an  arm  of  the  sea  w hich  forms  the  harbour.  (En- 
cyc. Meth.) — P. 

“ Conan  Meriadoc  died  A.  D.  393.  (Moreri.) — Conan  Meriadec,  a 
native  of  Great  Britain,  was  created  duke  (dux)  of  the  Armorican 
frontiers  by  the  emperor  Maximus  about  the  year  383,  and  26  years 
afterwards  invested  with  the  sovereign  authority  by  the  Bretons.  He 
died  about  the  year  421.  (Beauvais.) — Conan  1.  who  took  the  title  of 
king  of  Brittany,  was  killed  in  battle  A.  D.  992.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

n Rochon  de  Chabannes,  the  dramatic  writer,  was  born  at  Paris  1730. 
La  Mothe  (Motte-)  Piquet  was  born  at  Rennes  1720.  Kersaint  was 
born  at  Paris  1741.  (Beauvais.) — La  Mothe-Piquet  died  at  Brest  1791 . 
(Diet.  Hist.  Caen,  1804.) — Quimperis  the  capital  of  the  department  and 
the  residence  of  the  prefect.  Brest  is  only  capital  of  an  arrondisse- 
ment or  subprefecture.  (Alman.  Royal,  1822.) — P. 

0 Ushant.  p “Arrondissement.” 

1 Its  port  is  defended  by  the  castle  of  Taureau  on  an  island.  Tuck- 
ey. Vol.  II.  p.  19. — P. 

book  cxLin.i  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  249 


his  country,  and  was  mortally  wounded  when  commanding 
the  enemies  of  France.  St.  Pol  de  Leon,a  the  metropolis 
of  a district, b and  formerly  the  seat  of  a bishopric,  rises  on  a 
hill  near  the  sea.  The  only  buildings  worthy  of  notice 
are  the  town-house,  the  ancient  granite  cathedral  and  the 
steeple  of  Creesker.  The  district  of  which  it  is  the  capi- 
tal, has  been  long  famous  for  its  horses. 

Several  deep  bays  and  important  capes  that  jut  into  the 
Channel,  are  situated  in  the  department  of  the  North 
Coast.0  The  arid,  rocky  and  wild  heights  of  Menez,  Ar- 
ree  and  Menebrat  cover  a large  part  of  its  surface,  and  are 
the  sources  of  three  navigable  rivers,  namely,  the  Guer, 
the  Trieux  and  the  Gouet.  The  gentle  declivities  of  the 
same  heights  terminate  both  on  the  north  and  the  south  in 
sterile  sands,  which  extend  to  a considerable  distance,  but 
plains  of  great  fertility  may  be  seen  beyond  them,  particu- 
larly near  the  coasts.  Their  products  are  flax,  hemp,  and 
different  kinds  of  grain  and  fruits  ; in  some  places  the 
country  is  covered  with  vineyards.d  The  mineral  riches 
of  the  department  consist  in  iron  and  lead  mines,  in  gran- 
ite and  slate  quarries,  and  lastly  in  several  medicinal  springs 
of  greater  or  less  celebrity.  The  culture  of  the  ground 
and  the  produce  of  the  fisheries  enable  many  to  gain  the 
means  of  subsistence  ; but  other  sorts  of  industry,  the  prod- 
ucts of  manual  labor,  the  Brittany  linens  as  they  are  call- 
ed, have  almost  changed  the  department  into  a vast  manu- 
factory.6 

Although  the  district  of  which  Laudeacf  is  the  chief 
town,  and  which  extends  below  the  southern  declivities  of 
the  Armorican  chain,  may  be  considered  the  smallest  in 
die  department,  no  less  than  four  thousand  linen  manufac- 
tories are  contained  in  it.  Uzel,  near  the  banks  of  the 
Oust,  is  the  principal  mart  for  the  different  manufactures. 
The  small  town  of  Lannion  stands  on  the  banks  of  the 
Guer,  near  the  shores  of  the  sea,  in  a favourable  situation 
for  trade.  The  river  Tre°;uier  serves  as  a communication 
between  the  port  of  the  same  name  and  the  Channel. 
Guingamp  on  the  Trieux  may  be  remarked  on  account  of 
the  fruitful  and  romantic  country  in  which  it  is  situated.® 

St.  Brieuc  or  St.  Brieux  contains  hardly  ten  thousand 
inhabitants ; one  cannot  see  therefore  without  surprise,  a 
public  library  of  24,000  volumes,  a collection  of  paintings, 
a theatre,  an  hospital  and  a fine  granite  bridge  over  the 
Gouet.1'  It  may  be  added  too  that  there  are  horse  races 
every  year  in  the  beginning  of  July ; the  horses  that  run, 
must  be  bred  either  in  the  department  of  the  North  Coast, 
or  in  the  neighbouring  departments  of  Finisterre,  Mor- 
bilian,  the  Lower  Loire,  and  the  Ille  and  Vilaine.1  The  town 
also  contains  a school  of  hydrography,  and  an  agricultural 
society.  The  harbour  is  at  the  village  of  Le  Gue  St. 
Brieuc.  St.  Brieuc  was  built  at  irregular  intervals  round 

1 St.  Paul  de  Leon  (Encyc.  Metli.) 

b “ Subprefecture” The  capital  of  a district  ( canton ) in  the  sub- 

pi  efecture  or  arrondissement  of  Morlaix  (Vosgien.  Alman.  Royal, 
1822). — P.  c Cotes  du  Nord. 

d “ They  produce  flax,  hemp  and  cider,  and  also  a little  wine.” 

e “The  inhabitants  are  employed  in  agriculture,  fisheries,  and  dif- 
ferent manufactures,  particularly  in  the  manufacture  of  what  are  call- 
ed Brittany  linens  ( toiles  de  Bretagne,* * *)  in  which  so  many  are  employed 
as  almost  to  convert  the  department  into  a vast  manufactory.” 

* Also  called  Bretagnes  or  Brittanies.  Encyc.  Meth.  Part.  Commerce. — P. 

* Loudeac. 

e “ Guingamp may  be  remarked  for  its  fine  cathedral,  and  for 

the  pleasant  walks  in  its  neighbourhood.” 

* Goy.  (Tuckey.) 

‘ -Horse  races,  in  which  these  departments  are  competitors 
(concourent.)” 

VOL.  III.— NO.  50  32 


a monastery  which  dates  from  the  fifth  century  ; the  streets 
are  clean  and  straight,  and,  according  to  antiquaries,  one 
of  the  parish  churches  now  repaired,  was  originally  a dru- 
idical  temple. k Paimpol  on  the  coast,  towards  the  north- 
west, contains  2000  inhabitants ; the  harbour  is  safe  and 
convenient,  and  the  mineral  waters  are  held  in  some  re- 
pute. Quintin,1  at  the  distance  of  four  leagues  to  the  south- 
west of  St.  Brieuc,  has  been  long  known  for  its  fine  lin- 
ens ; on  the  neighbouring  hill  are  situated  a castle  of  sin- 
gular architecture,  and  two  peulvens  or  druidical  stones 
twenty-five  feet  in  height,  one  of  which  is  still  erect.  The 
small  town  of  Lamballe  to  the  east  of  the  capital,  was 
probably  the  ancient  city  of  the  Ambiliates ,m  a people  men- 
tioned by  Ccesar. 

The  district"  of  Dinan  is  the  only  other  in  the  department; 
the  town  rises  on  a height  near  the  left  bank  of  the  Ranee ; it 
has  a harbour,  from  which  there  is  a communication  during 
high  tides  with  that  of  St.  Malo.  It  is  noted  for  a strong  cas- 
tle, an  ancient  residence  of  the  dukes  of  Brittany,  the  walls 
of  which  are  remarkable  both  for  their  height  and  thick- 
ness. The  public  walks  are  extensive  and  laid  out  with 
much  taste  ; but  most  of  the  public  buildings  are  not  very 
creditable  to  the  town."  Dinan  has  produced  several  dis- 
tinguished men  ; it  may  be  sufficient  to  mention  Duclos, 
the  secretary  of  the  French  academy,  and  Mahe  de  La 
Bourdonnaye,  who  was  thrown  by  an  ungrateful  country 
into  a dungeon  in  the  Bastille,  after  having  added  to  the 
glory  of  the  French  arms  in  India.  Although  the  time  in 
which  Dinan  was  founded,  has  not  been  determined,  it  is 
certain  that  it  was  originally  a Celtic  city,  probably  the 
same  which  Ptolemy  designates  by  the  name  of  Dianlitce. 
Mineral  springs, p which  have  been  of  late  years  much  fre- 
quented, rise  in  a valley  at  a short  distance  from  the  walls. 
The  old  road  to  them  was  almost  impracticable  ; a new 
and  an  excellent  one  was  made  by  the  states  of  Brittany. 

The  Ille  and  the  Vilaine  water  a department,11  the  last 
of  those  that  are  included  in  the  ancient  province  of  Brit- 
tany. The  first  river  flows  from  north  to  south,  and  unites 
with  the  second,  which  takes  first  a western  direction, 
and  turns  afterwards  to  the  south.  It  serves,  as  well  as 
the  Cher  and  the  Coesnon,  to  facilitate  the  conveyance 
of  goods.  Hills  extend  in  different  directions,  and  forests, 
landes  and  heaths  make  up  nearly  half  of  the  country. 
The  banks  of  the  rivers  are  covered  with  rich  pastures, 
and  the  fruitful  marsh  of  Dol,  the  Delta  of  the  department, 
yields  abundant  harvests,  but  even  these  are  hardly  ade- 
quate to  the  consumption.  The  working  and  smelting  of 
iron,  and  different  manufactures,  particularly  linen, r have 
diffused  wealth  among  the  inhabitants. 

As  the  people  in  the  ancient  city  of  Meth,  the  modern 
St.  Servant,3  were  continually  exposed  to  the  attacks  of 

k “ The  antiquaries  of  the  country  consider  its  parochial  church  as 
an  ancient  druidical  temple.”  St.  Brieux  contains  a cathedral  and  the 
parish  church  of  St.  Michael.  Moreri. — P. 

I Population,  3976  (Alman.  Royal,  1822) — not  stated  in  the  origi- 
nal.— P. 

m Ambiatites,  Caesar.  J.  Scaliger.  edit.  Elzevir.  1635 — Ambiliates, 
Caesar,  ed.  Vicentii,  1558. — P. 

II  “ Arrondissement.” 

0 “ With  the  exception  of  its  public  walks,  which  are  agreeable  and 
extensive,  and  a concert  hall,  an  evidence  that  it  reckons  a number 
of  connoisseurs  ( dilletanti ) among  its  inhabitants,  the  town  contains 
nothing  remarkable.” 

p “ A ferruginous  spring.” 

q The  department  of  the  Ille  and  Vilaine. 

r “ Agriculture,  the  working  and  refining  of  iron,  and  the  manufac- 
ture of  different  kinds  of  linen.” 

» St.  Servan. 


EUROPE. 


250 


[BOOK  CXL.III 


pirates,  most  of  them  removed,  during  the  eleventh  century, 
to  the  rock  of  Aaron,  where  they  founded  a small  town, 
which  was  called  St.  Malo  after  the  name  of  their  bishop. 
The  rock  on  which  it  stands  communicates  with  the  land 
by  means  of  an  embankment ; the  rough  breakers  on  the 
north,  and  many  batteries,  render  the  access  difficult  to  the 
enemy.  The  entrance  to  the  narrow  gulf  which  forms  the 
harbour,  is  very  inconvenient ; on  both  sides  are  situated 
numerous  shoals,  and  the  waters  are  suddenly  depressed 
or  swollen  by  the  tides ; indeed,  they  have  risen  more 
than  once  to  the  height  of  forty-five  feet  above  their  ordi- 
nary level.11  The  town  rises  like  an  amphitheatre ; many 
of  the  streets  are  regularly  built,  and  public  walks  extend 
round  the  ramparts.  St.  Malo  has  produced  several  re- 
markable men  ; among  others,  Duguay-Trouin,  James 
Cartier, b who  discovered  Canada,  Maupertuis,  a geometer 
and  natural  philosopher,  La  Mettrie,  a physician,  who  was 
banished  and  died  in  exile,  because  he  doubted  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul,  and  lastly,  the  Abbe  Trublet,  an  in- 
defatigable compiler.  St.  Servant,  not  more  than  half  a 
league  from  St.  Malo,  is  a neat  modern  town  with  two 
harbours,  one  of  them  set  apart  for  merchant  vessels,  and 
the  other  for  those  in  the  service  of  government.  Cancale 
on  the  coast,  at  the  distance  of  three  leagues  from  St.  Ser- 
vant,'* 1 supplies  different  places  with  oysters.d  Although 
the  church  of  Dol  may  be  compared  with  any  other  in  the 
department,  the  town  itself  does  not  contain  more  than  four 
thousand  inhabitants.® 

The  road  from  St.  Malo  to  Paris  passes  through  Fou- 
geres,  which  was  almost  destroyed  by  fires  during  the  last 
century,  calamities  which  account  for  its  being  at  present 
one  of  the  best  built  towns  in  the  department.  The  pub- 
lic walks  command  a view  of  the  neighbouring  country,  the 
fruitful  valley  watered  by  the  Nancon,  and  meadows  va- 
ried by  groves;  a fine  forest  in  which  are  contained  seve- 
ral druidical  monuments,  extended  formerly  beyond  the 
village  of  Landean/  where  the  cellars  may  be  still  seen 
that  were  dug  in  the  twelfth  century  by  Raoul,  lord  of 
Fougeres,  in  order  that  his  treasures  might  be  hid  from 
Henry  the  Second  of  England,  but  the  monarch  was  more 
active  than  his  enemy,  for  he  seized  the  booty  before  it 
was  concealed.  Fougeres  has  been  long  famous  for  dif- 
ferent dyes,  particularly  for  its  scarlet,  of  which  the  brillian- 
cy has  been  attributed  to  the  quality  of  the  waters  of  the 
Nanqon.  The  sinuous  course  of  the  Vilaine  leads  to  Re- 
don, an  agreeable  and  well  built  town,  that  carries  on  a 


considerable  trade  with  Rennes ; it  possesses  a harbour 
for  vessels  under  two  hundred  and  fifty  tons.®  Two  small 
towns,  Renac  and  Bain,  are  situated  in  the  district,1’  of 
which  Redon  is  the  capital;  cheeses  little  inferior  to  those 
of  Gruyeres  are  exported  from  the  one,  and  the  department 
is  supplied  with  serge  from  the  manufactories  in  the  other.1 
Three  other  districts'1  remain  to  be  described  ; their  chief 
towns  are  Montfort  sur  Meu,  Rennes  and  Vitre  ; it  may  per- 
haps be  worth  while  to  add  that  they  are  all  situated  under 
the  same  parallel ; the  old  fortifications  in  the  first  of  these 
places  are  not  wholly  destroyed.  The  most  important  iron 
works  in  Brittany  are  those  of  Paimpont,  a village  about 
five  leagues  distant  from  Montfort  sur  Meu.  The  inhabit- 
ants of  Plelan  le  Grand,  another  flourishing  village,  manu- 
facture linens,  thread,  and  other  articles.1  These  two  vil- 
lages are  three  times  more  populous  than  the  chief  town  in 
the  district.*1 

Public  walks  on  the  banks  of  the  Vilaine,  communicate 
with  Rennes,  the  capital  of  the  department.  The  upper 
town,  the  finest  part  of  the  city,  has  been  so  called  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  lower,  which  is  situated  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  river,  and  is  not  unfrequently  liable  to  inundations. 
The  philosophical  author  of  the  treatise  on  Compensations, 
has  omitted  to  state  that  many  towns  might  not  have  been 
improved  or  embellished,  had  it  not  been  for  the  devasta- 
tions occasioned  by  fire.  Thus,  in  the  month  of  December 
1720,  all  the  upper  part  of  Rennes  was  laid  in  ashes  by  a 
conflagration,  which  lasted  several  days  ;m  but  the  finest 
quarter  of  the  city  was  built"  in  consequence  of  that  calam- 
ity. The  court  of  justice0  stands  in  a square,  which  may 
be  compared  with  any  other  in  France  the  houses  that 
surround  it,  are  adorned  with  Corinthian  pillars, q which  ac- 
cord well  with  the  architecture  of  the  principal  building. 
The  different  halls  in  the  court  are  ornamented  with  paint- 
ings by  Jouvenet  and  other  French  artists/  The  town- 
house,  a larger  and  finer  edifice  than  the  last,  forms  near- 
ly one  of  the  sides  in  another  square  shaded  by  lofty  lime 
trees/  One  of  the  wings  has  been  set  apart  for  the  civil 
and  commercial  tribunals,  and  also  for  a public  library, 
containing  seventeen  thousand  volumes.  Some  of  the 
works  in  the  gallery  of  paintings  are  attributed  to  the  great 
Italian  masters;  it  is  situated  near  the  botanical  garden, 
which  contains  many  rare  plants,  and  forms  one  of  the 
most  agreeable  walks  in  the  town/  The  establishments 
connected  with  instruction  are  an  academy,  a royal  college, 
a scientific  society,  and  lastly,  schools  of  medicine,  law, 


a “ The  harbour  is  surrounded  with  rocks  ( ecueils ,)  and  situated  at  the 
bottom  of  a narrow  gulf,  in  which  tlxe  sea  rises  at  spring  tides,  45  feet 
above  its  ordinary  level ; the  access  to  it  is  consequently  difficult.” — 
The  harbour  is  spacious,  but  of  difficult  access  from  rocks.  It  is  near- 
ly dry  at  low  water,  but  the  tide  rises  48  feet.  Tuckey,  Vol.  II.  p. 
18.— P. 

b Jacques  Cartier. 

c “ Cancale,  at  the  distance  of  three  leagues  along  the  coast — ” 
Cancale  is  three  leagues  E.  of  St.  Malo.  (Vosgien.) 

d — “is  noted  for  its  oysters.”  On  the  coast  of  Brittany  there  are 
very  large  oysters,  particularly  at  Cancale,  where  a great  many  are 
preserved  in  places  inclosed  for  that  purpose.  Ed.  Encyc. 

0 “ Dol,  a town  of  4000  inhabitants,  contains  a fine  church.” 

f “ It  has  a public  walk  ( promenade ,)  arranged  in  terraces,  from  which 
the  view  extends  over  the  pleasant  valley  watered  by  the  Nancon, 
over  meadows  interspersed  with  clumps  of  trees,  and  over  a fine  forest 
which  contains  many  druidical  monuments,  and  which  formerly  ex- 
tended beyond  the  village  of  Landean ” 

s “ Its  port  receives  vessels  of  200  tons” Its  port  which  serves 

as  the  entrepot  for  the  commerce  of  Rennes,  is  accessible  to  vessels 
of  200  tons  with  full  cargoes.  (Vosgien.) — P. 
h “ Arrondissement” 

1 “ Redon  is  the  capital  of  an  arrondissement,  in  which  aro  situated 
tho  small  towns  of  Renac  and  Bain,  in  the  former  of  which  a kind  of 


cheese  is  made  that  is  sold  for  that  of  Gruyeres,  and  the  latter  of  which 
contains  several  manufactories  of  serges.” 
k “ Arrondissements.” 

1 “ Plelan  le  Grand  a de  belles  fabriques  dc  fil” manufactures 

fine  thread. — The  thread,  called  Brittany  thread  (fils  de  Bretagne,) 
comes  from  Rennes,  either  white  or  coloured.  It  may  be  had  of  all 
colours  and  of  every  degree  of  fineness ; it  is  used  only  for  sewing. 
Savary,  Diet.  Comm.  art.  Fil. — P. 

m“  Seven  days” six  or  seven  days  (Encyc.  Meth.) eight  days 

(Vosgien.)  It  consumed  more  than  850  houses.  (Moreri.) — P. 

n — “ Built  on  a regular  plan.”  The  streets  in  the  Upper  Town 
are,  with  few  exceptions,  straight,  broad  and  regular,  and  the  houses, 
which  are  six  or  seven  stories  high,  are  well  built,  upon  a uniform 
plan.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

0 Palais  dc  Justice — Parliament  House. 

P “ The  Palace  square  {Place  du  Palais)  is  one  of  the  finest  in  France.” 
s “ Pilasters.” 

r “ Some  of  the  halls  in  the  building  are  adorned  with  paintings  by 
Jouvenet  and  with  elegant  arabesques.” 

s “ The  town-house,  a more  elegant  edifice  than  the  last,  termi- 
nates a square  planted  with  lime  trees” — the  Place  d'Brmes. — P. 

1 “ The  picture  gallery  contains  several  paintings  attributed  to  cele- 
brated artists  ( peintres  cclebres).  The  botanical  garden  torms  a de- 
lightful promenade.” 


book  cxiiiii.]  DESCRIPTION 

and  the  fine  arts.a  Rennes  is  not  only  the  seat  of  a court, 
but  also  the  chief  town  in  a diocese  ;b  it  has  produced  sev- 
eral great  men,  among  others,  Rene  de  La  Bletterie,  the 
historian  of  Julian  the  apostate,  Tournemine  the  jesuit,  a 
person  of  great  erudition,  Caradeuc  de  La  Chalotais,  whose 
name  is  generally  associated  with  the  expulsion  of  the 
jesuits,  and  the  principal  events  that  preceded  the  revolu- 
tion, St.  Foix,  the  author  of  the  essays  on  Paris,0  and 
Lanjuinais,  a member  of  the  convention,  and  afterwards 
raised  to  the  peerage  ; the  latter  was  distinguished  for  his 
eloquent  speeches  in  the  revolutionary  assembly ; in  his 
various  public  employments  he  conducted  himself  as  an 
enlightened  philosopher  and  a virtuous  citizen.  The  large 
prison'1  in  the  ancient  capital  of  Brittany,  serves  as  a place 
of  confinement  to  the  culprits  in  the  four  departments  sub- 
ject to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  royal  court.  If  the  canal  be- 
tween Rennes  and  St.  Malo  were  finished,  the  trade  of 
the  town  might  be  much  improved.  It  may  be  almost  un- 
necessary to  mention  that  the  capital  of  Brittany  was  con- 
nected with  many  important  events  in  the  history  of  France. 
The  parliament  of  Rennes  was  instrumental  in  bringing 
about  the  convocation  of  the  states-general  in  1789.  The 
inhabitants  took  arms  for  and  against  the  king  at  different 
periods  during  the  League.-  In  the  fourteenth  century, 
it  was  invested  by  the  English  under  the  command  of 
Lancaster,  who  were  forced  by  Duguesclin  to  abandon  the 
siege  ; but  at  a period  anterior  to  the  French  monarchy, 
and  even  in  the  time  of  the  Romans,  several  antiquities 
still  preserved  within  the  walls,  prove  that  the  town  must 
have  been  an  important  place.  The  masters  of  the  world 
called  it  Rhedones,e  because  it  was  the  chief  town  in  the 
country  inhabited  by  the  people  of  the  same  name.  It 
was  called  Condate  by  the  Celts  before  the  Roman  con- 
quest, probably  on  account  of  its  position  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Ille  and  the  Vilaine.  The  hamlet  of  La  Prevalaye 
is  not  more  than  half  a league  from  Rennes  ;f  the  neigh- 
bouring country  has  been  long  famous  for  its  butter,  which 
is  said  to  be  better  than  any  other  in  France ; it  is  mostly 
consumed  in  Paris. s 

"V  itre,h  the  only  other  place  in  the  department  that  re- 
mains to  be  described,  cannot  be  said  to  be  either  a clean 
or  well-built  town.  It  might  almost  be  supposed  that  it 
had  been  made  the  capital  of  a district,1  merely  because 
the  states  of  Brittany  assembled  there  before  the  revolu- 
tion. The  house  in  which  Madame  de  Sevigne  used  to 
reside  while  the  states  sat,  perhaps  the  finest  in  the  town, 
would  be  considered  a very  ordinary  building  elsewhere. 
From  its  appearance,  one  would  be  led  to  consider  it  as 

OF  FRANCE.  251 

one  of  the  oldest  Armorican  towns  ; some  antiquaries  even 
pretend  to  have  discovered  within  its  walls  the  remains  of 
Roman  edifices.  It  was  the  birthplace  of  Savary,  the  au- 
thor of  letters  on  Egypt.  The  neighbouring  country  has 
been  much  admired,  and  of  late  years  much  frequented  on 
account  of  medicinal  springs.  Strangers  visit  the  barony 
ol  Rochers,  and  the  old  castle  flanked  with  towers,  in 
which,  it  is  said,  several  articles  are  carefully  preserved, 
that  belonged  to  the  celebrated  person,  whose  correspon- 
dence has  become  classical  in  French  literature.11 

The  Mayenne  waters  the  department  of  the  same  name1 
in  all  its  extent  from  north  to  south ; the  soil  and  the  veg- 
etable productions  are  nearly  the  same  as  in  the  last ; the 
vallies  are  fruitful  in  grain,  but  the  vine  gives  place  to  the 
apple  tree.  Herds  of  oxen,  and  flocks  of  sheep  may  be 
seen  in  all  the  rural  districts,  and  the  peasants  find  the 
rearing  of  bees  a profitable  employment.1"  The  industrious 
classes  manufacture  flax,  hemp  and  cotton. 

The  stranger  looks  in  vain  at  Laval  for  straight  or  broad 
streets  and  houses  at  all  worthy  of  an  industrious  and 
wealthy  city.  Situated  between  two  hills,  which  enclose 
a fine  valley,  the  Mayenne  divides  it  into  two  parts,  and 
waters  a country  as  agreeable  as  the  town  is  the  reverse. 
The  old  and  clumsy  walls  were  built  about  the  tenth  cen- 
tury, when  the  town  and  the  territory  attached  to  it,  were 
erected  into  a barony,  which  was  made  over  in  1218  to  a 
branch  of  the  house  of  Montmorency;  it  became  after- 
wards a county  during  the  reign  of  Charles  tlje  Seventh." 
The  old  castle  that  belonged  to  the  dukes  of  Laval,0  rises 
in  the  middle  of  the  town,  on  the  banks  of  the  river ; it 
has  been  long  used  as  a prison.  The  linen  mart,p  a large 
and  lofty  edifice,  was  built  by  the  dukes  of  La  Trimouille, 
who  succeeded  those  of  Montmorency  .9  The  linens  of 
Laval  have  been  held  in  great  repute  for  more  than  five 
hundred  years  ; that  branch  of  industry  was  first  introduced 
by  Guy  the  Eighth,  lord  of  Laval, r after  his  marriage  with 
Beatrice  of  Flanders,  from  which  country  many  weavers 
migrated  and  settled  in  the  town.  The  fact,  however,  is 
little  known  by  the  townspeople,  who  in  gratitude  ought  to 
have  erected  a monument  to  the  great  promoter  of  their 
prosperity.  The  public  library  consists  of  25,000  volumes; 
the  town  has  produced  several  distinguished  men,  but  none 
perhaps  more  eminent  titan  Ambrose  Pare,  the  father  of 
surgery  in  France. 

The  Mayenne  waters  the  three  principal  towns  in  the 
department,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  remark  that  two 
of  them,  Chateau  Gonthier  and  Mayenne,  are  six  leagues 
distant  from  Laval,  the  one  on  the  north,  and  the  other  on 

a “ An  academy,  a royal  college,  a society  of  arts  and  sciences,  a 
faculty  of  law,  a secondary  school  of  medicine,*  and  a school  of  fine 
arts.” 

*The  schools  of  medicine  in  France  are  of  two  orders,  viz:  faculties  and 
secondary  schools,  the  latter  subordinate  to  the  former.  In  1822,  there  were 
three  faculties  of  medicine  in  France,  those  of  Paris,  Strasburg  and  Montpel- 
lier  P. 

b “ Rennes  is  the  seat  of  a royal  court  and  a bishopric.” 

e Essais  sur  Paris. 

d “ Central  prison  ( maison  centrale  de  detention)" — prison  for  crim- 
inals, corresponding  to  our  penitentiaries. — P. 

e Redones , D’Anv. 

f On  the  left  bank  of  the  Vilaine.  M.  B. 

s The  original  merely  states  that  its  butter  is  highly  esteemed  in 
Paris. — P. 

h Vitray,  Vitry. 

* “ Subprefecture” — arrondissement. 

k Madame  de  Sevigne.  1 Department  of  the  Mayenne. 

m “The  cattle,  sheep  and  swine  are  numerous  and  valuable;  bees 
are  reared  on  a large  scale.” 

n “ This  ancient  barony,  the  walls  of  which  do  not  indicate  an  ori- 
gin anterior  to  the  tenth  century,  was  acquired  by  a branch  of  the 
house  of  Montmorency  in  1218,*  and  erected  into  a county  by  Charles 

Vll.t” 

* By  the  marriage  of  Mathieu  de  Montmorency  (II.)  with  Emma,  only  daugh- 
ter of  Guy  V.  last  of  the  barons  of  Laval  of  the  first  branch.  The  barony  de- 
scended to  the  children  of  this,  his  second  marriage.  Moreri. — P. 
tA.  D.  1429. 

° — “to  its  dukes” not  dukes  of  Laval,  but  of  La  Tremoille. 

Francis,  lord  of  La  Tremoille,  married  Anne  de  Laval,  second  daugh- 
ter of  Guy  XV.  count  of  Laval ; the  house  of  La  Tremoille  thus  be- 
came lords  of  Laval,  by  the  extinction  of  the  elder  heirs  of  the  house 
of  Montmorency-Laval,  and  assumed,  as  one  of  their  titles,  that  of 
count  of  Laval.  Moreri. — P. 

p “Halle  aux  toiles” linen  hall. 

q “ — who  succeeded  the  Montmorencies” not  the  dukes  of  Mont- 

morency, but  the  Montmorencies,  counts  of  Laval.  See  note  0 — P. 
r Guy  VIII.  died  in  1323. 



252 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLIII. 


the  south.  Thus,  their  relative  situation  tends  to  facilitate 
their  commerce  with  each  other.  If  the  streets  in  Chateau 
Gonthier  were  straight,  it  might  be  an  agreeable  residence  ; 
it  is  separated  from  its  principal  suburb  by  the  river ; the 
great  charm  of  the  public  walks  consists  in  the  view  along 
the  basin  of  the  Mayenne  ; the  banks  of  the  river  are  shad- 
ed with  walnut  trees  and  orchards,  or  bordered  with 
meadows,  and  are  commanded  by  heights  that  contribute 
much  to  the  beauty  of  the  scenery.  Craon,  a small  town 
of  3000  inhabitants,  about  four  leagues  to  the  west  of  Cha- 
teau Gonthier,  was  the  birthplace  of  the  celebrated  Volney. 
Although  the  streets  of  Mayenne  are  narrow  and  crooked, 
the  cleanliness  of  the  houses  may  convince  the  stranger 
that  he  is  no  longer  in  the  ancient  province  of  Brittany. 
It  was  erected  into  a dutchya  by  Charles  the  Ninth  in  fa- 
vour of  Charles  of  Lorraine,  wfto  in  consequence  assumed 
the  title  of  duke  of  Mayenne.  The  ancient  castle  inhabited 
by  the  same  duke  and  his  successors,  may  still  be  consid- 
ered one  of  the  greatest  ornaments  to  the  town. 

The  Sarthe,  which  gives  its  name  to  a department15  con- 
tiguous on  the  east  to  that  of  the  Mayenne,  traverses  it 
from  north  to  south,  and  waters  a very  fruitful  country,  un- 
til it  joins  the  Huysne  ;c  there  the  soil  changes,  and  all  the 
space  between  the  latter  river  and  the  Loir  is  covered  with 
sandy  and  sterile  heaths.  Wines  of  an  ordinary  quality, 
grain  in  sufficient  abundance  for  the  wants  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, rich  pastures,11 * 1 *  numerous  flocks,  and  iron  and  coal 
mines,6  make  up  the  territorial  wealth  of  the  department. 

The  small  town  of  Mamers  may  be  first  mentioned,  be- 
cause it  is  situated  in  the  most  northern  district* 1  in  the  de- 
partment. It  was  probably  founded  a short  time  after  the 
arrival  of  the  Franks  in  Gaul;  the  Normans  fortified  it  at 
a later  period,  and  it  has  since  been  embellished  with  pub- 
lic walks,  fountains  and  different  buildings.  Although  La 
Ferte  Bernard  contains  hardly  2500  inhabitants,  it  possess- 
es linen  and  woollen  manufactories,  together  with  several 
corn  and  fulling  mills,  which  are  moved  by  the  Huysne 
and  the  Mene.  The  inhabitants  have  formed  by  subscrip- 
tion a public  library,®  a proof  that  industry  is  accompanied 
with  the  desire  of  knowledge. 

Mans,  the  capital  and  the  residence  of  the  prefect,  is 
advantageously  situated  near  the  centre  of  the  department ; 
seven  high  roads  terminate  in  the  town,  and  the  lofty  trees15 
which  shade  them,  add  to  the  beauty  of  the  neighbourhood. 
Narrow  and  crooked  streets  paved  with  pebbles,  and  almost 
inaccessible  to  carriages,  indicate  the  antiquity  of  the  quar- 
ter on  the  right  bank  of  the  Sarthe.  The  upper  town  is 
more  modern;  the  houses  are  built  of  freestone,  and  cov- 
ered with  slate  ; but  most  of  the  public  buildings  are  situ- 

1  “ Duche-pairie” — a title  peculiar  to  the  old  government  of 
France.  The  Peers  of  France  were  the  princes  and  nobles,  secular 
and  ecclesiastical,  who  assisted  at  the  coronation,  and  had  a seat  in 
the  parliament.  All  the  nobles,  however,  were  not  peers.  Hence 
the  title  in  the  original  signifies  a dutchy  with  the  privilege  of  the 
peerage  annexed. — P. 

b Department  of  the  Sarthe.  c Huisne. 

d “ Abundant  crops  of  trefoil”  (yellow  clover.  Ed.  Encyc.) 
e Poultry  and  bees  are  also  enumerated  in  the  original.  “ Poultry 
forms  an  important  article  of  commerce  in  the  department.”  Peuchet. 
p.  155.— P. 

1 “ Arrondissement.” 
s “ The  town  supports  a public  library.” 
h “ The  poplars.” 

' “ The  New  Quartor  ( Quartier  Neuf)  is  the  finest  part  of  the  town, 
and  the  residence  of  the  principal  inhabitants.  In  the  same  quarter 
are  situated  the  palace  of  the  prefect  and  the  public  library,  the  last 
of  which  contains  not  less  than  45,000  volumes  and  700  manuscripts.” 


ated  in  the  New  Quarter,  the  finest  part  of  the  city.5 * * 8  The 
cathedral  was  built  at  irregular  intervals,  during  a period 
of  not  less  than  six  hundred  years  ; it  forms  a combination 
of  Roman  and  Gothic  architecture,  very  interesting  to 
those  who  study  the  history  of  the  art.  Rows  of  stone  al- 
ternate with  rows  of  brick  ; the  circular  arches  in  the  inte- 
rior, and  the  ogives  in  the  exterior  produce  a singular  ef- 
fect, which  accords  very  well  with  the  dazzling  colours  of 
the  Gothic  windows.  The  mausoleum  of  William  de  Bel- 
lay,11  viceroy  of  Piedmont  during  the  reign  of  Francis  the 
First,  a good  general  and  an  able  diplomatist,  may  be  con- 
sidered the  principal  ornament  in  the  interior.  The  house 
in  which  Scarron  resided,  whilst  he  was  canon  atMans,  is  sit- 
uated at  no  great  distance  from  the  cathedral.  The  prom- 
enade of  the  Jacobins,1  a walk  shaded  with  lime  trees  and  bor- 
dered by  terraces,  occupies  the  site  of  a Roman  amphithe- 
atre. The  same  town  was  the  ancient  Suindinum , the  capi- 
tal of  the  country  of  the  Cenomani;  under  the  Roman  gov- 
ernment, it  was  the  second  city  in  the  third  Lyonnaise.  It  was 
one  of  the  principal  towns  in  France  in  the  time  of  Charle- 
magne ; the  Normans  by  whom  it  was  almost  ruined,  made 
themselves  twice  masters  of  it.555  It  was  several  times 
taken  and  retaken  by  the  Yendean  and  Republican  armies; 
the  market  place55  was  changed  into  a field  of  battle  on  the 
13th  of  December  1793,  when  the  soldiers  of  La  Vendee, 
commanded  by  the  prince  of  Talmont0  and  La  Roche- 
jaquelein,  yielded  in  the  darkness  of  the  night  and  after 
much  slaughter  to  the  troops  commanded  by  Westermann 
and  Marceau,  against  whom  they  had  defended  themselves 
during  the  whole  of  the  day.?  The  wax  candles  made  at 
Mans  are  said  to  be  the  best  in  the  kingdom,  but  that 
branch  of  industry  is  not  confined  to  the  capital  of  the  de- 
partment ; the  same  articles  are  sent  to  Paris  from  some 
districts  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  from  Suze,’1  a small 
town  of  1800  inhabitants,  situated  near  the  extremity  of 
the  landes,r  on  the  banks  of  the  Sarthe. 

Encompassed  with  forests  and  sandy  plains,  the  Anille 
waters  a town3 *  which  bore  the  same  name  as  the  river  un- 
til about  the  sixth  century,  when  a St.  Calais  founded  there 
a monastery,  and  gave  his  own  name  to  the  towTn.  An  old 
church,  a large  square  and  two  public  walks  are  the  great- 
est ornaments  to  the  place.  Besides  the  commerce  aris- 
ing from  the  linen  manufactures,  it  carries  on  a considera- 
ble trade  in  grain.1  The  inhabitants'  in  the  industrious 
burgh  of  Besse,  about  three  leagues  towards  the  south,  find 
employment  in  different  manufactories,  in  dying  cloth,  and 
in  making  paper  and  wax  candles.51  In  the  same  district,1 
beyond  the  southern  extremity  of  the  landes,  nature, 
abounding  in  contrasts,  has  embellished  the  rich  valley  of 

k Guillaume  du  Bellay.  (Beauvais.) 

1 “ Promenade  des  Jacobins”  (Dominicans.) 

m “ It  was  twice  ravaged  by  the  Normans.” 

n “ The  great  square  (la  grande  place.)” 

0 A.  Ph.  de  La  Tremoille,  lord  of  Laval. 
p See  the  Memoirs  of  La  Rochejaquelein. 

q “ There  are  many  manufactories  of  the  same  article  at  Suze,*  and 
in  the  other  arrondissements.”  [Suze  is  in  the  arrondissement  of 
Mans. — P.] 

* La  Suze,  La  Suse. 

r Heaths.  See  general  account  of  the  department. 

8 The  capital  of  an  arrondissement. 

* “ Besides  its  linen  and  woollen  manufactures,  it  carries  on  a con- 
siderable trade  in  clover  seed  (graines  de  trejle.)” 

“ “ — in  manufacturing  coarse  cottons  (siameises,)  wax  candles  and 
paper,  and  in  dying.” 
x “ Arrondissement.” 


BOOK.  CXLIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  253 


the  Loir ; fields  covered  with  grain,  leguminous  plants* 
and  fruits,  hills  adorned  with  vineyards  that  yield  the  only 
good  wine  in  the  department,  fruitful  orchards  and  rich 
meadows  are  united  with  romantic  scenery.  The  chalky 
hills,  cut  into  terraces,  on  the  banks  of  the  Loir,  form  a 
very  singular  appearance  ; houses  of  two  stories  are  exca- 
vated in  the  declivities ; the  chimneys  pass  upwards  to  the 
fields,  and  clouds  of  smoke  are  exhaled  from  them.  Cha- 
teau du  Loir  rises  on  one  of  these  heights ; industry  and 
commerce  have  enabled  the  inhabitants  to  substitute  new 
and  commodious  houses  for  old  and  inconvenient  habita- 
tions ; the  town  has  been  gradually  renewed,  and  although 
it  contains  at  present  only  about  3000  souls,  it  possesses  a 
good  classical  seminary,  an  hospital,15  a theatre  and  public 
baths. 

Passing  through  the  same  sort  of  country,  the  Loir  flows 
below  the  small  but  neat  town  of  Lude  f at  a greater  dis- 

a “ Legumes”— — This  term  not  only  includes  leguminous  plants, 
but  all  other  edible  plants,  except  grain  and  fruits,  such  as  cabbages, 
turnips,  potatoes,  &c.  Peuchet.  p.  333. — P. 
b “ — a college,  a hospital  ( hospice ) — ” 
c Le  Lude. 

d Called  under  the  imperial  government,  the  Military  Prytancuin 


tance,  La  Fleche,  a comparatively  wealthy  city,  rises  on 
the  right  bank  ; it  is  not  however  remarkable  for  its  indus- 
try, for  its  only  manufactories  are  one  of  black  veils  for 
nuns,  two  of  glue,  and  some  leather  works.  It  is  however 
a well  built  town,  and  the  public  library  contains  22,000 
volumes ; but  this  capital  of  a sub-prefecture  has  acquired 
additional  importance  from  the  college  founded  by  Henry 
the  Fourth,  and  changed  many  years  ago  into  a military 
school'1  for  six  hundred  pupils,  four  hundred  of  whom  re- 
ceive their  education  at  the  expense  of  government.  Prince 
Eugene,  the  celebrated  Descartes  and  Picard  the  astron- 
omer were  educated  at  the  college  of  La  Fleche.  Sable 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Erve  and  the  Sarthe,  is  the  last 
place  of  any  consequence  in  the  western  region  of  France  ; 
a fine  bridge  of  black  marble  obtained  from  the  quarries 
in  the  vicinity,  is  without  doubt  the  greatest  ornament  to 
the  town. 

(Prytance  Milituire,)  and  under  the  late  government  (1822,)  the  Royal 
preparatory  military  school  of  La  Fleche  ( Ecole  royale  militaire  pri- 
par'itoire  de  La  FLlche.)  The  pupils  who  have  completed  their  course 
at  this  school,  are  admitted  at  the  special  military  school  of  St.  Cyr. 
The  college  which  had  belonged  to  the  Jesuits,  was  converted  into  a 
military  school  on  the  suppression  of  that  order. — P. 


25^  EUROPE.  [BOOK  CXLTV. 


BOOK  CXLIY 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Kingdom  of  France. — Third  Section. 

— Central  Region. 

The  thirteen  departments  which  make  up  the  central 
region  ot  France,  formed  eight  provinces  in  the  ancient 
monarchy  : Orleanais,  fruitful  in  corn  and  in  vines,  Touraine, 
called  the  garden  of  France,  Berri,  abounding  in  cattle, 
Nivernais,  Bourbonnais  and  Marche,  each  of  them  enriched 
by  commerce,  Limousin,  whose  inhabitants  supply  by  their 
industry  the  disadvantages  of  an  ungrateful  soil,  and  lastly, 
Auvergne,  where  the  low  lands  are  productive,  and  the 
higher  districts,  although  not  fruitful  in  grain,  afford  good 
pasturage.  The  same  region  does  not  differ  widely  from 
the  last  in  extent  of  surface,  and  in  the  means  of  education 
provided  for  the  people,  but  it  is  far  inferior  to  it  in  the  num- 
ber of  inhabitants,  for  the  4,165  square  leagues  that  compose 
it,  are  only  peopled  by  3,789,000  individuals,  which  on  an 
average  does  not  amount  to  910  persons  to  every  square 
league.®  Thus  it  appears  to  be  even  more  thinly  peopled 
than  the  southern  region ; although  no  very  favourable  opin- 
ion can  be  inferred  from  such  results,  still  this  portion  of 
France  contains  within  itself  so  many  resources,  so  much 
that  may  contribute  to  the  expansion  of  industry,  that  its 
present  depressed  state  cannot  render  an  account  of  it  unin- 
teresting. 

Almost  the  whole  of  Touraine,  one  of  the  smallest  of  the 
ancient  provinces,  is  at  present  included  in  the  department 
of  the  Indre  and  Loire,  which  these  two  rivers,  together 
with  the  Cher,  the  Claise  and  the  Vienne,  traverse  from 
east  to  west.  The  mildness  of  the  climate,  the  fruitful  val- 
lies,  the  romantic  banks  of  the  Loire,  on  which  the  scenery 
has  not  been  too  much  extolled  by  poets,  and  the  varied 
productions  inadequately  described  by  geographers, b render 
the  country  one  of  the  most  delightful  in  France.  But  the 
celebrity  that  has  been  conferred  on  the  whole  department, 
strengthened  by  the  repetition  of  the  same  praises,  may  be 
reduced  or  more  correctly  estimated  after  a minute  exami- 
nation. The  traveller,  after  leaving  the  banks  of  the  Loire, 
whose  majestic  course  is  bordered  by  heights,  covered  with 
vineyards,  orchards,  castles  and  villages,  and  after  passing 
through  the  vallies  watered  by  the  other  streams  that  have 
been  mentioned,  will  observe  in  other  parts  of  the  country, 
large  tracts  of  uncultivated  heaths,  and  will  not  therefore  be 
surprised  to  learn  that  a region  apparently  so  rich,  which 

J It  amounts  to  009.7  nearly. — P. 

b “ — the  beautiful  country  on  the  banks  of  the  Loire,  whose  scenery 
has  been  perhaps  too  highly  celebrated,  but  whose  fertility  almost  sur- 
passes description.” 

c “ — with  its  prunes.” — Prunes,  or  St.  Catharine’s  plumbs,  consti- 
tute a lucrative  branch  of  traffic,  almost  exclusively  carried  on  at 
Tours  and  Chatelherault.  Ed.  Eneyc. — P. 

J Encyclopedic  Methodique  : Dictionnaire  geographique,  art.  Tou- 
raine. 


has  been  almost  compared  to  the  promised  land,  and  whic.1 
supplies  France  and  other  countries  with  different  fruits, 
does  not  furnish  a sufficient  quantity  of  grain  for  the  con- 
sumption of  the  inhabitants.  Thus  the  rich  banks  of  the 
Loire  may  be  said  to  resemble  one  of  those  magnificent 
frames  which  deceive  the  ignorant,  and  enhance  in  their 
opinion  the  value  of  a picture. 

The  following  passage  concerning  Touraine,  appears  in 
a work  that  was  published  about  forty  years  ago.d 

“ The  province  was  formerly  enriched  by  different  man- 
ufactures, such  as  leather,  cloth,  silk  and  ribbons ; but  all 
of  them  have  fallen  into  decay ; those  of  cloth  and  leather 
are  no  longer  carried  on.  The  silk  looms  amounted  in  the 
sixteenth  century  to  eight  thousand,  the  number  of  mills  to 
seven  hundred,  and  the  individuals  who  found  employment 
in  manufacturing  silk,  to  more  than  forty  thousand,  but  the 
latter  do  not  at  present  exceed  two  thousand.  Of  three 
thousand  ribbon  looms,  there  do  not  now  remain  more  than 
fifty.”  The  impolitic  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes,  and 
duties  equivalent  to  prohibitions  on  foreign  trade,  have  been 
so  fatal  to  the  department,  that  it  has  not  participated  in  the 
immense  progress  that  French  industry  has  made  during  the 
last  twenty  years.  The  cloth,  carpet  and  cotton  manufac- 
tories, the  paper  mills  and  leather  works®  are  without  doubt 
both  more  numerous  and  important  than  they  were  forty 
years  ago,  but  they  are  not  nearly  so  productive  as  might 
have  been  reasonably  anticipated. 

The  state  of  the  department  justifies  these  reflections, 
although  few  towns  in  the  kingdom  can  be  compared  with 
Tours  on  the  banks  of  the  Loire.  The  entrance  into  it  is 
very  imposing.  A circusf  leads  to  one  of  the  best  built 
bridges  in  Europe,  terminating  in  a spacious  courts  that 
communicates  with  the  Royal  street, h die  finest  in  the  town, 
and  inferior  to  none  in  any  other.  Broad,  straight,  furnished 
with  side  walks,  and  lined  with  large  houses,  public  buildings 
or  well  furnished  shops,1  it  terminates  in  the  road  to  Poitiers, 
along  which  an  extensive  range  of  lofty  trees  stretches  to  a 
green  hill,  surmounted  with  ruins,  forming  an  admirable  per- 
spective. The  Trancheef  an  excellent  road,  cut  dirough 
another  hill,  and  bordered  by  a verdant  slope  (talus)  and 
different  buildings,  extends  from  the  same  bridge,  in  an 
opposite  direction ; it  leads  to  the  telegraph,  not  an  uninter- 
esting object,  but  very  different  from  die  ancient  ruins  diat 

e “ Manufactories  of  coarse  cloths,  carpets,  silks  and  cottons,  cotton 
mills  ( filatures ,)  paper  mills  and  tanneries.” 
f “ Place  circulaire.” 

s “ — terminating  in  another  square  (place.)” 
h “ Rue  Royale. 

■ “ — with  fine  houses  (hdtds.)  and  elegant  shops.” 
k The  Cut. 


BOOK  CXLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION 

crown  the  other  hill.  The  Royal  street  extends  through 
the  whole  breadth  of  the  town  ; several  straight  and  modern 
streets  cross  it ; but  tbe  old  quarters  consist  of  narrow  and 
crooked  lanes.  The  cathedral  is  an  admirable  Gothic  edi- 
fice ; the  nave  is  of  vast  dimensions  ; the  organ  is  remarkable 
for  its  size  and  ornaments,  and  tbe  windows  in  the  choir 
display  the  most  dazzling  colours.  A very  precious  monu- 
ment, illustrating  the  revival  of  the  arts,  may  be  seen  within 
the  same  building ; it  is  the  tomb  of  Charles  the  Eighth  and 
Anne  of  Brittany,  his  wife.  The  public  library  is  one  of 
the  richest  and  most  valuable  in  France;  it  contains  more 
than  30,000  volumes,  a great  many  copies  of  rare  editions, 
and  numerous  manuscripts ; among  the  latter,  are  the  Hours* 
of  Charles  the  Fifth,  those  of  Queen  Anne  of  Brittany,  and 
a book  of  the  gospels,  written  in  gold  letters,  on  which  the 
kings  of  France  used  to  swear  in  the  capacity  of  abbots  and 
canonsb  of  St.  Martin’s  church,  where  it  was  formerly  pre- 
served. The  collection  of  paintings  was  removed  a short 
time  ago  to  a more  commodious  gallery ; they  are  suffi- 
ciently numerous  and  of  various  styles,  and  some  of  them 
are  by  the  greatest  masters.  Tours  possesses  a medical 
society,  another  of  agriculture,  and  a third  of  arts  and  sci- 
ences ; the  last  boasts  of  some  distinguished  members. 
Several  celebrated  men  have  been  born  in  the  town  ; among 
others,  we  may  mention  Destouches,  a dramatic  writer, 
Dutens,  the  author  of  different  valuable  works  on  numismat- 
ics,0 and  the  canon  Grecourt,  whose  licentious  poems  find 
but  few  admirers  at  the  present  day.  The  period  in  which 
Tours  was  founded,  has  not  been  ascertained  ; Ptolemy 
mentions  it  by  the  name  of  Ccesarodunum , a name  that  was 
probably  derived  from  the  conqueror  of  Gaul ; but  it  is  not 
less  probable  that  it  was  the  capital  of  the  Turones,  at  the 
time  Caesar  entered  their  country.  Can  the  Roman  general 
be  considered  the  founder  of  a town,  which  a short  time 
after  the  conquest  was  a place  of  considerable  importance 
in  Celtic  Gaul,  which  afterwards  became  the  capital  of  the 
third  Lyonnaise,  and  the  name  of  which  was  distinguished 
by  a Celtic  termination  ? It  is  well  known  that  the  termi- 
nation dunum  indicates  invariably  a position  on  a height.*1 
Tours  then,  although  at  present  on  the  left  bank, .was  origi- 
nally on  the  right  bank  of  the  Loire,  perhaps  on  the  very 
eminence  where  the  telegraph  has  been  erected. 

Amboise,  the  ancient  Ambacia,  at  the  distance  of  five 
.eagues  to  the  east  of  Tours,  has  been  considered  by  its 
townsmen,  a place  of  greater  antiquity,  but  the  honours 
which  they  claim,  are  at  best  doubtful.®  Peopled  by  five 
thousand  five  hundred  souls,  and  memorable  from  events 
connected  with  the  troublous  times  of  French  history,  it  is  as 
ill  built  as  at  the  period  when  Louis  the  Eleventh  instituted 
in  its  old  castle  the  order  of  St.  Michael.  Charles  the 
Eighth  was  born  and  died  in  the  same  edifice  ; there  too 

1 Breviary. 

b “ First  canons.” — The  church  of  St.  Martin  was  abbatial  and  col- 
legiate. The  dignity  of  abbot  was  united  to  the  crown  of  France  by 
Hugh  Capet.  The  dauphin  was  first  honorary  lay  canon  of  the  chap- 
ter. (Moreri.) — P. 

c Better  known  by  his  work,  entitled  : Rechcrch.es  svr  V originc 
dcs  dicouvertes  attrihuies  aux  modernes,  in  "which  he  attempts  to 
trace  the  principal  modern  discoveries  and  inventions  to  the  an- 
cients.— P. 

d The  Gaelic  dun  is  generally  interpreted  a fortress  or  fortified 
town,  erected  on  a hill.  In  a note  to  the  Death  of  the  Sons  of  Usnach 
(Oid lie  Chloinne  Uisneac,)  a Gaelic  tale  published  in  the  Transactions 
of  the  Gaelic  Society  of  Dublin,  vol.  i.,  it  is  asserted  that  dun  signifies 
a fort,  fastness,  mansion  or  tower,  or  simply  any  place  shut  in  or  en- 
closed. But  as  the  forts  of  the  Celts,  as  well  as  other  ancient  nations, 
were  very  uniformly  erected  on  hills,  particularly  such  as  were  insu- 
lated and  abrupt,  (witness  the  Acropolis  of  the  Greeks  and  the  Capitol  R 


OF  FRANCE.  255 

the  conspiracy  against  the  Guises  proved  abortive,  a family 
that  contributed  by  their  intrigues  to  make  the  catholics  and 
protestants  of  the  same  country,  two  hostile  people,  and  that 
first  rendered  popular  the  reproachful  epithet  of  Huguenots, 
by  which  reformed  Christians  have  been  since  designated/ 
One  of  the  towers  in  the  castle  rises  to  the  height  of  eighty- 
four  feet ; a spiral  stair  leads  to  the  summit,  which  com- 
mands a view  of  the  rich  landscapes  that  border  the  Loire 
and  the  Cher.  A well  built  bridge,  finished  in  1 822,  crosses 
the  river  and  communicates  with  the  road  to  Paris.  Cha- 
teau-Renault,  situated  to  the  north  of  Amboise,  is  divided 
by  the  Brenne  into  the  upper  and  lower  town ; the  burgh  of 
St.  Paternes  at  no  great  distance  eastwards,  contains  2000 
inhabitants  and  more  than  twenty  manufactories  of  woollen 
and  linen  stuffs.  One  of  the  streams  that  fall  into  the  Loire, 
waters  the  small  town  or  rather  burgh  of  Luynes, h which 
was  erected  into  a dutchy1  by  Louis  the  Thirteenth,  in  favour 
of  the  constable  D’Albert.  It  possesses  a large  hospital11 
and  several  lace  manufactories.  Habitations  similar  to  those 
that  have  been  remarked  in  a neighbouring  department,  are 
dug  in  the  depths  of  chalky  rocks,  and  the  ground  above 
them  is  covered  with  rich  vineyards.  Paul  Louis  Courier, 
one  of  the  most  learned  hellenists  in  France,  and  not  less 
distinguished  as  a political  writer,  was  born  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

The  small  town  of  Langeais1  at  the  distance  of  some 
leagues  from  Luynes,  carries  on  a trade  in  linen  stuffs  and 
earthen  ware;m  it  consists  of  a single  street,  and  contains 
2500  inhabitants.  The  old  Gothic  castle  is  still  in  a good 
state  of  preservation ; it  was  built  in  the  eleventh  century ; 
the  articles  according  to  which  Brittany  was  united  to 
France,  and  the 'marriage  contract  between  the  duchess 
Anne  and  Charles  the  Eighth,  were  signed  in  one  of  the 
halls  on  the  ground  flour,  now  converted  into  a stable. 
The  other  parts  of  the  building  have  been  changed  into  a 
prison.  Although  the  town  is  included  in  the  district*  of 
Chinon,  it  is  separated  from  it  by  the  Loire,  the  Cher  and 
the  Indre.  Chinon,  situated  on  the  Vienne,  carries  on  a 
considerable  trade  in  wines  and  also  in  the  excellent  prunes 
produced  in  the  district.  The  walls  which  encompass  it, 
are  all  that  remains  of  the  old  fortifications.  The  venerable 
ruins  of  an  ancient  castle  adorn  the  town  ; it  was  there  that 
Henry  the  Second  of  England  died  in  1189;  Joan  of  Arc 
presented  herself  in  the  same  place  before  Charles  the  Sev- 
enth, and  offered  to  deliver  France  from  a foreign  yoke. 
Chinon  was  the  birthplace  of  the  celebrated  curate  of  Meu- 
don.°  The  minister  of  Louis  the  Thirteenth?  changed 
Richelieu,  then  a mere  village,  into  a town ; he  embellished 
it  with  a castle,  which  has  been  since  destroyed.  The 
houses  and  streets  are  built  with  great  regularity. 

La  Have*1  on  the  banks  of  the  Creuse,  has  been  surnamed 

of  the  Romans,)  the  meaning  usually  attached  tp  the  word  dun,  includ- 
ing the  idea  of  a height,  rnay  be  considered  legitimate. — P. 

e “Amboise — disputes  with  Tours  the  piecedencc  in  point  of  anti 
quity.” 

f “ — and  there  too  the  reproachful  epithet  of  Huguenots,  by  which 
the  Calvinists  (chreticns  reformes)  were  designated,  first  became  pop 
ular.”  The  original  does  not  say  that  the  Guises  rendered  the  epithet 
popular,  but  that  it  became  so  at  Amboise.  Moreri  mentions  among 
his  etymologies  of  the  name,  that  it  was  first  applied  by  the  couitD.x,, 
while  the  court  was  resident  at  the  castle  of  Amboise. — P. 
s St.  Pater.  (Savary.  Vosgien.)- — P. 
h Called  also  Mailli:  and  Maille-Luynes. 

' “ Duch6-pairie.”  k “ Un  bel  hospice.”  1 Langets,  Langey 
ra  “ It  is  noted  for  its  melons,  and  possesses  manufactories  of  linen 
and  tiles.” 

" “ Arrondipeeroent.”  * Rabelais. 

p Cardinal  Richohen.  ’<  La  Haye-Descartes 


25G 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXL.JV 


Descartes  after  the  celebrated  philosopher  who  was  bom 
within  its  walls,  and  whose  house  and  modest  furniture  are 
still  preserved  with  scrupulous  care.  Loches,  the  chief 
town  in  a district,®  that  produces  in  abundance  the  excellent 
plums,  which  the  French  call  the  plums  of  Tours, b rises 
like  an  amphitheatre  on  the  left  of  the  Indre.  The 
square  tower  which  commands  it,  was  built  by  the  Romans ; 
it  formed  part  of  the  castle  in  which  Agnes  Sorel  used  the 
empire  of  her  charms  to  inspire  her  royal  loverc  with  the 
desire  of  glory.  The  building  was  converted  into  a state 
prison  by  Louis  the  Eleventh,  and  the  Cardinal  Balue,  one 
of  his  ungrateful  favourites,  was  confined  there  during  eleven 
years,  in  an  iron  cage.  The  tomb  of  Agnes  Sorel,  which 
Louis  the  Sixteenth  removed  from  the  choir  in  the  church 
of  Loches  to  another  part  of  the  building,  may  now  be  seen 
at  the  residence  of  the  subprefect ; the  epitaph  attests  that 
she  was  charitable  to  all , giving  largely  of  her  wealth  to  the 
church  and  the  poor. 

Blois,  Vendome  and  Romorantin  are  the  three  principal 
towns  in  the  department  of  the  Loir  and  Cher,  a fiat  and 
uniform  country,  but  in  some  places  varied  by  hills  covered 
with  vineyards,  on  which  the  eye  rests  with  pleasure.  The 
soil  is  much  more  fruitful  in  some  parts  than  in  others ; the 
lands  on  the  north  of  the  Loire  are  very  fertile,  but  on  the 
south  of  the  river,  marshes,  heaths  and  forests  cover  a third 
part  of  the  soil.d  The  country  yields  more  corn  than  the 
inhabitants  require,  fruits  and  leguminous  plantse  of  every 
sort,  a great  quantity  of  hemp,  different  kinds  of  timber,  and 
some  good  wines,  particularly  those  of  the  Cote  du  Cher. 
Many  sheep  and  oxen  are  reared  ;f  the  turf  pits?  are  by  no 
means  unprofitable;  iron  mines  are  worked,  and  the  flints 
in  the  chalky  hills  form  an  important  branch  of  commerce. 
As  a manufacturing  department,  it  is  not  inferior  to  the 
last. 

Different  remains  of  antiquity  render  it  probable  that 
Blois  was  founded  before  the  Roman  conquest ; in  it,  as  in 
all  the  ancient  French  towns,  the  oldest  buildings  are  situated 
on  a height,  and  form  a quarter  consisting  of  steep  and  nar- 
row streets ; modern  houses  are  erected  below  them  ; they 
extend  to  the  quay  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Loire,  and  to 
the  bridge  of  eleven  arches,  the  latter  adorned  with  a lofty 
pyramid,  and  communicating  with  a suburb  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river.  The  lower  part  of  the  city  is  well  built, 
and  the  views  which  it  presents  in  different  directions,  are 
likely  to  impress  strangers  with  a favourable  idea  of  the 
place.  The  former  church  of  the  jesuits,  built  after  the 
plans  of  Mansard,  the  Roman  aqueduct  dug  in  the  rock,  the 
public  library,  the  prefect’s  palace  in  the  highest  part  of  the 
town,  and  the  long  walk  which  terminates  in  a large  forest, 

a “ Arrondissement.” 

11  “ Lcs  excellens  pruneaux  da  Tours” — the  excellent  prunes  of 
Tours 

' Charles  VII. 

^ “ The  country  on  th6  north  oftho  Loire  is  more  fertile  than  that 
on  the  south  of  the  river ; marshes,  heaths  and  forosts  cover  three 
fourths  of  the  latter.” 

e “ Legumes.” — See  note  3 p.  933. 

f “ The  department  abounds  in  sheep  and  poultry.” 

s “ Tourbieres” — peat  bogs. 

h Henry  de  Lorraine,  third  duke  of  Guise,  and  Louis  de  Lorraine, 
cardinal  of  Guise. — P. 

1 Dec.  23,  1588.— P. 

k Aug.  1,  1589,  by  James  Clement,  a Dominican. — P. 

1 Chambor. 

m Primaticcio  (Le  Primatice,)  a nativo  of  Bologna. 

" “ — the  castle  of  Chambord,  constructed  after  the  designs  of  Le 

Primatice  during  the  reign  of  Francis  I ; 1800  workmen  were  employed 

during  twelvo  vears  in  building  it,  but  it  was  continued  under  his 


are  well  worthy  of  notice,  but  all  of  them  are  less  imposing 
than  the  old  castle,  where  the  good  Louis  the  Twelfth  was 
born,  which  was  inhabited  by  Francis  the  First  and 
Charles  the  Ninth,  and  where  too,  during  the  last  meet- 
ing of  the  states  under  Henry  the  Third,  the  Duke 
of  Guise,  and  his  brother,  the  cardinal,* 1*  were  assassinated 
by  order  of  the  king,1  who  was  himself  afterwards  murdered 
by  a bigot.k  The  curious  repair  to  the  village  of  Cham- 
bord,1 about  four  leagues  to  the  east  of  Blois,  in  order  to 
see  a castle  which  was  built  in  the  reign  of  Francis  the 
First  after  the  plans  of  Primatice  ;m  the  monarch  employed 
1800  workmen  during  twelve  years,  his  successors  followed 
his  example,  and  the  edifice  was  completed  by  Louis  the 
Fourteenth.11  Although  an  irregular  assemblage  of  tower* 
and  turrets,  it  is  one  of  the  most  imposing  Gothic  buildings 
in  France.  A double  spiral  stair  in  the  interior  has  been 
often  admired ; one  person  may  mount  and  another  descend 
it  without  seeing  each  other.  The  park  round  the  castle  is 
enclosed  by  a wall  seven  leagues  in  circumference.  This 
fine  domain  was  the  residence  of  king  Stanislaus;  Louis 
the  Fifteenth  ceded  it  afterwards  to  Marshal  Saxe,  who  died 
there  in  the  year  1750.  Napoleon  presented  it  to  the 
prince  of  Wagram  ;°  lastly,  having  been  purchased  by  means 
of  a national  subscription,  it  became  the  appanage  of  the 
duke  of  Bordeaux.  St.  Aignan  on  the  banks  of  the  Cher, 
carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  cloth  and  in  flints,  which 
are  cut  in  the  neighbourhood. p 

Tenq  manufactories  render  the  small  towrn  of  Romorantin 
a place  of  some  importance ; and  it  may  be  mentioned  as  a 
proof  of  its  prosperity,  that  it  has  lately  been  embellished 
with  several  new  streets.""  It  is  celebrated  in  history  on 
account  of  the  edict  that  was  issued  by  the  chancellor  De 
l’Hopital,  an  edict  that  saved  France  from  the  horrors  of 
the  inquisition.  The  Loir  divides  itself  into  several  branches 
near  Vendome,  which  stands  at  the  foot  of  a hill  covered  with 
fruitful  vineyards.  The  towm  is  well  built,  and  the  college 
is  not  inferior  in  point  of  architecture  to  any  in  France;5 * 
the  finest  buildings  are  those  in  the  vicinity  of  the  horse- 
barracks,  and  no  view  near  the  town  can  be  compared  with 
the  one,  which  may  be  seen  from  the  ruins  of  the  ancient 
castled  Vendome  was  the  birthplace  of  the  poet  Ronsard. 

A flat  country,  consisting  of  extensive  and  fruitful  plains, 
with  some  narrow  vallies  of  little  depth,  watered  by  different 
rivers,  the  largest  of  which  are  the  Eure  and  the  Loir, 
makes  up  the  department  of  the  same  name,u  in  an  agricul- 
tural point  of  view,  one  of  the  most  productive  in  France. 
It  comprehends  the  greater  part  of  the  ancient  Beauce  and 
Perche.  It  furnishes  corn  in  sufficient  abundance  for  the 
consumption  of  the  inhabitants,  and  exports  besides  a great 

successors,  and  was  not  completed  till  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.” — 
Chambor,  a royal  house  of  France,  begun  by  Francis  I.  a short  time 
before  his  death,  and  finished  by  Henry  II.  JVIoreri. — P. 

0 Marshal  Berthier. 

p “ St.  Aignan,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Cher,  is  a place  of  some  im- 
portance from  its  cloth  manufactories,  and  also  from  the  sale  of  flints, 
which  are  prepared  on  a large  scale  in  its  neighbourhood.”  Gun 
flints  are  manufactured  by  breaking  the  nodules  of  flint  into  fragments 
by  the  stroke  of  a hammer,  and  then  reducing  these  fragments  to  a 
proper  form  and  size  on  the  edge  of  a chisel  by  repeated  small  blows 
(Cleaveland.) — P. 

s “ Une  dizaine” — about  ten. 

r “ Constructions  nouvelles” — new  buildings. 

• “ The  college  is  one  of  the  finest  in  France.” 

* “ The  cavalry  barracks  ( quartier  de  cavaterie)  axe  of  elegant  archl 
tecture,  and  from  the  summit  of  the  castle,  now  in  ruins,  there  is  a 
magnificent  prospect.” — The  castle  is  situated  within  the  town.  (Mo- 
reri.) — P. 

“ Department  of  the  Eure  and  Loir. 


L 


BOOK  CXLiIV .] 


DESCRIPTION 

quantity1  to  Paris  and  the  neighbouring  departments.  It  has 
been  proved  by  official  returns,  that  the  quantity  of  grain 
raised  in  the  department  of  the  Eure  and  Loir,  is  nearly 
three  times  greater  than  the  average  produce  of  the  French 
departments.  The  inhabitants  rear  numerous  flocks  and 
herds ; the  quantity  of  wool  exceeds  twice  the  mean  quan- 
tity in  the  other  departments,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of 
the  number  of  horses  that  are  bred  in  the  country .b  c As 
the  agricultural  products  are  so  abundant,  it  might  be  sup- 
posed that  the  inhabitants  are  not  engaged  in  other  occupa- 
tions, but  all  the  branches  of  industry  are  mutually  connected 
with  each  other  ; thus,  the  mines  furnish  materials  to  several 
important  iron  works,  and  the  wool,  to  cloth  and  different 
manufactories.11  It  may  be  unnecessary  to  mention  the 
vineyards,  as  all  the  wines  are  of  ordinary  quality  ; the 
quantity  produced  may  be  equal  to  20,000  tuns ; cider, 
however,  is  a very  common  beverage  in  different  parts  of 
the  country.e 

The  department  of  the  Eure  and  Loir  contains  four  dis- 
tricts/ Nogent  le  Rotrou  is  the  chief  tow  n in  one  of  them ; the 
houses  are  mostly  well  built ; it  stands  in  a fruitful  valley 
watered  by  the  Huysne  and  the  Arcise ; the  latter  turns 
several  mills,  and  forms  a cascade  near  the  town.  The 
Gothic  castle,  which  commands  Nogent  le  Rotrou,  need  not 
be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  architecture,  but  it  may  be 
remarked  that  it  was  the  residence  of  Sully.  There  are  no 
other  towns  of  any  importance  in  the  same  district.^ 
The  burgh  of  Senonches  is  situated  in  the  district^  of  which 
Dreux  is  the  capital ; the  inhabitants  carry  on  a trade  in 
machinery  and  agricultural  implements/  Maillebois  has 
several  cloth  manufactories. 

It  would  be  a waste  of  time  to  inquire  whether  Dreux1 
derives  its  name  from  the  Druids  or  from  Dryus,  the  fourth 
king  of  the  Gauls  ; the  antiquity  of  the  town  cannot,  how- 
ever,  be  disputed  ; it  is  well  known  that  it  was  called  Duro- 
casses  before  the  Roman  conquest,  a name  which  was  after- 
wards changed  into  Droca,  and  lastly  into  Dreux.  The 
inhabitants  carry  on  a trade  in  leather,  printed  cottons, 
woollen  stuffs,  stockings  and  hats,  all  of  which  they  them- 
selves manufacture/  Rotrou  the  poet,  and  Philidor  the 
musician  and  celebrated  chess  player,  were  born  in  the 
town.  The  battle  in  which  the  troops  of  Charles  the  Ninth 
took  the  prince  of  Conde1  prisoner,  was  fought  under  the 
walls  in  1562.  The  ruins  of  the  ancient  castle  that  was 
inhabited  by  the  counts  of  Dreux  are  still  seen  on  a neigh- 
bouring height.  The  burgh  of  Anet  is  about  three  leagues 
to  the  north  of  Dreux ; it  was  near  it  that  Henry  the  Sec- 
ond built  a noble  residence  for  Diana  of  Poitiers,  his  mis- 
tress ; what  remains  of  it  enables  us  to  form  some  notion  of 
what  it  must  have  been,  in  its  original  magnificence ; it  may 
be  considered  a monument  of  the  foolish  passion  that  the 

1 “ More  than  800,000  quintals.” 

b Tlie  number  of  horses  exceeds  the  average  number,  and  the  quan- 
tity of  wool  is  more  than  double  the  average  quantity,  in  the  depart- 
ments.” 

c M.  Ch.  Dupin,  Forces  productives  et  commerciales  de  la  France, 
tom.  i. 

d “ The  iron  mines  supply  several  fineries  ( affinerics ,)  and  the  de- 
partment also  contains  numerous  manufactories  of  cloth  and  hosiery.” 
e “ The  quantity  produced  is  estimated  at  200,000  hectolitres,  nearly 
equal  to  that  of  the  cider  made  in  the  department.” 

f “ Arrondissements.”  e “ Arrondissement.” 

h “ It  contains  an  establishment  in  which  hydraulic  machinery  is 
manufactured.” 

■ Situated  on  the  Blaise  M.  B. 

k “ It  carries  on  a trade  in  dying  ( tcinturcs ,)  and  in  the  leather, 
woollen  stockings  and  hats,  which  it  manufactures.” 

1 Louis  de  Bourbon,  first  prince  of  Conde. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  50  33 


OF  FRANCE.  257 

king  had  for  a woman  who  was  not  always  faithful  V)  him, 
and  wrho  was  the  cause  of  many  disasters  to  France. 

Epernon  in  the  districts  of  Chartres,  contains  about  four- 
teen hundred  inhabitants ; it  rises  in  a pleasant  valley. 
Maintenon,  somewhat  more  populous  and  still  more  agreea- 
bly situated  than  Epernon,  was  the  native  town  of  Colin 
d’Harleville.  The  castle,  its  finest  edifice,  was  built  in  the 
sixteenth  century  ; limpid  streams  water  the  park  that  sur- 
rounds it;  there  Louis  the  Fourteenth  raised  an  aqueduct, m 
now  in  ruins,  in  order  to  transport  the  waters  of  the  Eure  to 
Versailles;  for  that  purpose  he  employed  during  several 
years  more  than  sixty  thousand  soldiers,  and  a great  many 
workmen.  Several  Druid ical  monuments  are  situated  in  a 
plain  beyond  the  park ; the  country  people  call  them  the 
stones  of  Gargantua.  Dirty  and  mean  villages  extend  in 
different  directions  in  the  country  between  Maintenon  and 
the  capital  of  the  department ; they  are  built  in  the  same 
manner  as  were  those  belonging  to  the  Carnutes  in  the 
time  of  Caesar ; they  consist  of  wretched  hovels  without 
windows,  and  made  of  clay  mixed  with  cut  straw,  but  what  • 
is  very  remarkable,  the  peasants  who  inhabit  them,  are  not 
indigent. 

The  two  towers’1  of  the  cathedral  of  Chartres  may  be 
seen  from  the  heights  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Maintenon ; 
they  might  be  mistaken  for  two  lofty  obelisks.  A small 
wood,  the  only  remains  of  the  ancient  forest  inhabited  by 
the  chief  of  the  Druids,  is  in  the  vicinity  of  Chartres.  The 
Eure,  which  flows  below  it,  was  the  Celtic  Autur,  and  the 
Latin  Autura,  whence  the  town  was  called  Autricum , but  the 
ancients  also  designated  the  latter  by  the  name  of  Carnutvm.0 
An  elegant  square  adorns  the  lower  town,  which  is  mostly 
well-built,  but  the  upper  town  is  formed  by  steep  and  irreg- 
ular streets  ; in  one  of  the  narrow  courts?  mav  be  observed 
a monumentq  erected  to  the  memory  of  general  Marceau,  in 
every  way  unworthy  of  the  young  hero,  whose  ashes  repose 
in  a foreign  land,  and  whose  tomb  was  respected  by  the 
enemies  he  had  defeated.  The  cathedral  is  the  most  re- 
markable edifice  in  Chartres ; it  stands  in  the  highest  part 
of  the  town,  and  the  towers’1  rise  to  a great  height.  It  was 
founded  in  the  eleventh  century,  and  it  was  there  that  St. 
Bernard  excited  his  hearers  to  engage  in  the  second  crusade ; 
at  a later  period  Henry  the  Fourth  was  crowned  in  the  same 
place.  Among  the  ornaments  may  be  mentioned  a white 
marble  figure  of  the  Virginr  by  Coustou,  and  in  one  of  the 
small  chapels,  another  Virgin  with  the  infant  Jesus.  The 
last  group  and  the  relics  of  St.  Vast  are  held  in  great  ven- 
eration by  the  people. 

The  most  valuable  collections  in  the  town,  are  a museum 
of  natural  history,  and  a public  library,  the  latter  consisting 
of  about  30,000  volumes  and  700  manuscripts.  Chartres 
has  produced  several  distinguished  men ; we  may  mention 

m “ Behind  the  castle  is  a park  watered  by  limpid  streams,  and 
traversed  by  the  remains  of  the  aqueduct” — undertaken  by  Louis  XIV, 
A.  D.  1684.— P. 

" “ Clochers.”  The  principal  curiosity  of  the  town  is  the  church  of 
Notre  Dame,  with  its  two  spires,  one  of  which  is  the  admiration  of 
strangers,  from  its  enormous  mass,  and  from  its  pyramidal  and  finely 
tapering  form,  while  the  other  is  admired  for  the  strength  of  its  arch- 
itecture and  the  richness  and  delicacy  of  its  ornaments.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 
— There  is  a proverb  in  France  : the  steeples  of  Chartres,  the  nave  of 
Amiens,  the  choir  of  Beauvais,  and  the  portal  of  Rheims.  (Encyc. 
Meth.)— P. 

0 Carnutes{  D’Anv.)  fromthename  ofthe  people  who  inhabited  it.— P. 

p “ — in  a small  square  ( place  itroitc ) in  the  upper  town.” 

a “ Obelisk.” 

r “ An  assumption  of  the  Virgin.” — A magnificent  group  in  white 
marble,  representing  the  assumption  of  the  Virgin — the  virgin  as  the 
principal  figure,  surrounded  by  angels.  Encyc.  Method. — P 


258  EUR 

Philip  Desportes  and  Regnier*  his  nephew,  two  poets  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  Andrew  Felibien,  an  author  of  consid- 
erable erudition, b Thiers,  better  known  as  a critic  than  a theo- 
logian,0 Peter  Nicole,  an  eminent  writer  of  Port-Royal,  Bris- 
sot  de  Warville  and  Petion  de  Villeneuve,  two  members  of 
the  Convention,  and  the  virtuous  defender  of  the  unfortunate 
queen.  The  old  ramparts  of  Chartres  have  been  changed 
into  public  walks,  which  communicate  with  the  lower  part 
of  the  town ; the  gates  are  adorned  with  triumphal  arches, 
and  one  of  them  flanked  with  turrets  was  connected  with 
the  drawbridge  that  was  lowered  before  Henry  the  Fourth. 
The  road  to  Brittany  passes  through  Courville,  a small  city 
about  four  leagues  to  the  west  of  Chartres.  Sully  died  in 
the  neighbouring  castle  of  Villebon,  an  elegant  and  well 
preserved  Gothic  edifice  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

The  banks  of  the  Loir  lead  to  Bonneval,  a burgh  of  sev- 
enteen hundred  inhabitants,  who  carry  on  a trade  in  cotton, 
woollen  studs  and  leather  ;d  broad,  clean  and  well  built 
streets  indicate  the  wealth  of  the  people.  Chateaudun  on 
the  banks  of  the  same  river,  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1723, 
a calamity  which  has  contributed  much  to  its  improvement ; 
it  is  at  present  one  of  the  finest  towns  in  France.  It  has 
been  made  the  capital  of  a district  ;e  it  contains  a townhouse, 
a public  library  and  a college.  The  market-place  must  be 
considered  the  greatest  ornament  to  the  town  both  on  ac- 
count of  its  size,  and  the  number  of  public  buildings ; a 
pleasant  walk  extends  along  the  peaceful  hanks  of  the  Loir, 
bounded  by  natural  grottos,  which  have  been  converted  into 
habitations  for  the  peasantry/  A castle  rises  on  a rock  that 
commands  the  river ; it  belonged  to  the  counts  of  Dunois, 
and  was  built  in  the  tenth  century ; there  is  not  perhaps 
another  edifice  of  the’  same  date  in  France  that  can  be  com- 
pared with  it.s 

A well-made  road  through  no  very  picturesque  country, 
leads  from  Chateaudun  to  Orleans,  the  chief  town  of  a de- 
partment,h the  name  of  which  has  been  derived  from  the 
Loiret,  a small  river  hardly  three  leagues  in  length  from  its 
source  to  its  junction  with  the  Loire,  but  which  is  navigable 
the  distance  of  a league  ;*  it  has  never  been  known  to  freeze, 
an  advantage  which  renders  it  useful  in  more  than  one 
branch  of  industry.  According  to  Lancelot  and  D’Anville, 
the  ancient  capital  of  Orleanais  was  originally  called  Gena- 
bum.  Strabo  informs  us  that  the  Carnutes  held  their  prin- 
cipal markets  there ; it  was  embellished  by  the  emperor 
Aurelian,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  Aurelianum.  It  might 
have  been  destroyed  in  the  year  450  by  Attila,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  courage  of  the  Roman  general  Aetius,  who 
drove  the  Huns  to  the  plains  of  Champagne,  where  he 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLIV 

gained  a complete  victory  over  them.  It  fell  under  the 
power  of  Clovis  after  the  destruction  of  the  Roman  empire, 
and  it  became  after  the  death  of  Clovis,  the  capital  of  one 
of  the  kingdoms  into  which  France  was  divided.  Philip  of 
Valois  erected  it  into  a dutchy  in  favour  of  his  son;  having 
been  united  to  the  domains  of  the  crown  at  the  accession  of 
Louis  the  Twelfth,  this  dutchy  became  under  Louis  the  Tliir 
teenth,  the  appanage  of  his  brother  Gaston,  and  afterwards 
of  Philip,  the  brother  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth  ; but  the  rev- 
enues were  abolished  during  the  regency,  the  title  only  has 
been  retained/  Orleans  was  the  birthplace  of  king  Robert, 
a distinguished  scholar,  and  the  author  of  several  hymns, 
some  of  which  are  still  sung  in  the  churches  ; it  was  also  the 
native  town  of  the  jesuit  Pelau,  one  of  the  most  learned 
critics  of  his  age,  of  Amelot  de  La  Houssaye,  an  able  com- 
mentator, and  lastly  of  Pothier,  the  celebrated  jurist.  It  stands 
at  the  extremity  of  an  elevated  plain,  which  terminates  near  the 
banks  of  the  Loire  ; a bridge  crosses  the  river  opposite  the 
town,  and  communicates  with  the  road  to  Bourges.  The  ex- 
tent of  the  suburb,  which  the  stranger  enters  on  the  road  from 
Paris,  and  the  number  of  well-built  houses  contained  in  it, 
indicate  the  opulence  of  a large  city.  The  monument  in 
the  square  of  Martroy  was  completed  in  1803,  and  dedicated 
to  Joan  of  Arc  the  town  has  thus  paid  a tribute  of  grati- 
tude to  the  heroine,  who  compelled  the  English  to  raise  the 
siege  in  1426.  The  finest  street  in  Orleans  is  the  one  which 
leads  from  the  same  square  to  the  bridge  over  the  Loire. 
The  cathedral  was  commenced  by  Henry  the  Fourth,  and 
not  continued  until  the  reign  of  Louis  the  Sixteenth ; 
although  still  in  an  unfinished  state,  it  may  be  considered  a 
model  of  architecture.1"  The  old  ramparts  have  been  con- 
verted into  broad  streets." 

As  the  seat  of  an  university,"  Orleans  is  a place  of  some 
importance ; the  transactions  published  every  year  by  the 
society  of  arts  and  sciences  are  not  without  merit ; the  bo- 
tanical garden  contains  many  valuable  plants ; the  collection 
of  paintings  is  superior  to  most  of  the  same  kind  in  the  pro- 
vincial towns.!'  Although  there  are  several  rare  works  in  the 
library,  the  total  number  of  volumes  does  not  exceed  twenty- 
six  thousand.  The  commerce  of  Orleans  was  formerly 
more  flourishing  than  at  present ; the  sugar  works  yielded 
greater  profits,  and  a greater  number  of  hands  were  em- 
ployed in  the  shawl  manufactories,  but  the  difference  in  the 
other  products  of  industry  is  less  perceptible ; the  demand 
for  cottons,  woollen  stuffs,  flannels  and  fine  cloths  is  at  pres- 
ent almost  as  great  as  at  any  former  period. q Orleans  was 
one  of  the  first  towns  in  F ranee,  in  which  steam  engines  were 
substituted  for  human  labour  in  the  spinning  manufactories.r 

a Mathurin  Regnier,  the  satirist. 

b He  wrote  chiefly  on  the  fine  arts. — P. 

c “ A theologian  and  learned  critic.”  His  principal  works  are  on 
different  subjects  of  catholic  theology,  chiefly  polemical. — P. 

<*  “ It  has  woollen  manufactories,  cotton  mills  (filatures ) and  tan- 
neries.” 

* Arrondissement. 

f “ It  contains  a large  and  elegant  public  square,  a town  house  and 
a college,  both  of  them  well  built,  a valuable  public  library,  and  a 
pleasant  walk  ( promenade ,)  commanding  a fine  view  along  the  Loir, 
which  there  flows  with  a gentle  current,  and  is  bordered  with  grottos, 
now  converted  into  habitations.” 

e “ On  the  rock  which  commands  the  town,  rises  the  old  castle 
of  the  counts  of  Dunois,  one  of  the  finest  edifices  of  the  tenth  cen- 
tury.” 

h Department  of  the  Loiret. 

* “ More  than  a league.” — It  has  a course  of  two  leagues,  and  is 
navigable  nearly  to  its  source.  Vosgien. — P. 

k “ Since  the  time  of  the  regent,*  it  has  been  merely  a title,  with- 
out any  hereditary  privileges.” 

* Philip,  duke  of  Orleans,  only  brother  of  Lonis  XIV,  regent  during  the 
minority  of  Louis  XV . — P. 

1 “ The  monument  of  Joan  of  Arc,  in  the  great  square  of  Martroy, 
was  restored  in  1803.” 

m “ If  the  cathedral,  the  building  of  which  was  begun  under  Henry 
IV,  but  has  been  discontinued  since  the  reign  of  Louis  XVI.,  were 
completed,  it  might  be  considered  a model  of  architecture.” 

“ “ Boulevards.” 

° Orleans  was  the  seat  of  a university  before  the  revolution.  It 
has  now  an  academy  and  a royal  college,  but  no  faculties.  Alman 
Royal.  1822.— P. 

p “ The  collection  of  paintings  is  not  without  value.” 

i The  refining  of  sugar  was  carried  on  more  extensively,!  and  a 
greater  number  of  hands  were  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  ho- 
siery., The  manufacture  of  blankets  and  cotton  coverlets,  as  well  as 
that  of  fine  cloths  and  flannels,  is  still  of  considerable  importance.” 

t The  sugar  refined  at  Orleans  was  formerly  esteemed  superior  to  any  other 
in  France. — P. 

1 It  was  estimated  on  an  average,  that  about  60,000  dozen  pairs  of  stock- 
ings were  made  annually  at  Orleans.  Savary,  Diet.  Comm.  Elat  Gen.  tom.  i., 
p.  37.  1741. — P. 

r “ Filatures” — cotton  mills. 

. 

BOOK  CXLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  2.59 


A part  of  the  produce  of  the  neighbouring  vineyards 
is  converted  into  excellent  vinegar,  which  forms  no  incon- 
siderable part  of  the  trade  of  Orleans.  The  situation 
of  the  town  on  the  banks  of  a large  river  may  contribute  to 
restore  it  to  its  ancient  prosperity.  The  present  commercial 
decline,  whatever  it  may  be,  can  only  be  imputed  to  the 
rivalry  of  other  places  in  the  same  branches  of  industry. 

The  other  towns  or  burghs  in  the  same  district3  may  be 
briefly  enumerated.  Olivet  on  the  Loiret  was  well  known 
on  account  of  an  abbey,  supposed  to  have  been  founded  by 
Clovis.  Francis,  duke  of  Guise,  was  assassinated  there, 
while  he  was  making  preparations  for  the  siege  of  Orleans. 
The  population  of  the  burgh  amounts  at  present  to  about 
three  thousand  souls.  Meunb  was  the  birthplace  of  John,0 
surnamed  Clopinel,  on  account  of  his  lameness  ; he  enjoyed 
some  reputation  as  a poet  at  the  court  of  Philip  the  Fair. 
The  town  contains  about  five  thousand  inhabitants  ; it  carries 
on  a trade  in  leather  and  in  different  manufactures.  Beau- 
gency,d  perhaps  more  populous  than  the  last  place,  is  cer- 
tainly more  industrious  ; the  vineyards  belonging  to  the  town 
yield  generous  wine ; it  possesses  besides,  cloth  and  serge 
manufactories,  leather  works  and  distilleries.®  The  town 
must  have  been  more  important  in  tbe  twelfth  century  than 
at  present,  for  two  councils  were  then  held  at  Beaugency. 
It  rises  on  a hill  near  the  Loire,  which  is  crossed  by  an  old 
Dridge  of  thirty-nine  arches. 

It  might  be  almost  unnecessary  to  mention  Pithiviers/ 
were  it  not  the  chief  town  in  the  district* * *  watered  by  the 
(Euf,  and  the  mart  of  the  saffron  collected  in  the  neighbour- 
ing country,  believed  by  many  to  be  the  best  in  Europe.11 
Malesherbes,  a burgh  at  no  great  distance  from  it,  was 
adorned  and  improved  by  the  lord  of  Malesherbes,  the  virtu- 
ous minister  of  Louis  the  Sixteenth.1  Montargis  is  finely 
situated  near  a forest,  and  at  the  junction  of  three  canals, 
namely,  those  of  Briare,  Orleans  and  the  Loing  / the  only 
buildings  worthy  of  notice  are  the  theatre  and  a church  that 
may  be  remarked  for  the  boldness  of  its  architecture.  Cha- 
tillon  sur  Loing  has  a population  of  2000  inhabitants  ; it  was 
the  birthplace  of  admiral  Coligny.  Gien,  the  capital  of  the 
smallest  district*  in  the  department,  has  been  embellished 
with  a modern  bridge  over  the  Loire ; the  trade  of  the 
inhabitants  is  confined  to  porcelain.1  Briare  is  about  three 
leagues  to  the  south-east  of  Gien ; it  rises  in  a valley  near 
the  junction  of  the  canal  that  bears  its  name,  with  the  Loire. 

The  country  from  the  last  town  to  Orleans,  on  the  right 
and  on  the  left  of  the  Loire,  is  by  no  means  fruitful  ;m  but  on 
the  north  of  this  portion  of  the  sterile  Sologne,"  the  hills  are 

1 “ Arrondissement.”  b Meung-  or  Mehun-sur-Loire. 

c John  de  Mehun.  d Beaugenci,  Baugenci. 

e “ Beaugency,  containing  nearly  the  same  population,*  possesses 
valuable  vineyards,  and  also  several  manufactories  of  hats  and  serge, 
besides  tanneries  and  distilleries.” 

* Population  of  Meun,  4584  ; of  Beaugency,  4520.  Alman.  Royal.  1822. — P. 
f Petiviers,  Puviers,  Pluviers. — The  last  name  is  said  to  have  been 
derived  from  the  great  numbers  of  plovers  ( pluviers ) in  its  neighbour- 
hood. (Encvc.  Meth.) — P.  e “ Arrondissement.” 

h “ Pithiviers,  the  capital  of  an  arrondissement,  is  situated  on  the 
CEuf,  a small  rivulet;  it  need  only  be  mentioned  as  the  mart  of  the 
saffron  collected  in  its  neighbourhood,  considered  the  best  in  Europe, 
and  for  its  pastry.” 

1 “ — had  for  its  lord  ( seigneur ) and  benefactor,  the  virtuous  minis- 
ter who  defended  Louis  XVI.”  (Lamoignon  de  Malesherbes.) 

k The  canals  of  Briare,  Orleans  and  the  Loing  form  three  branches 
of  a navigable  communication  between  the  Loire  and  the  Seine.  That 
of  Briare,  (begun  in  1605  under  Henry  IV.  and  completed  in  1642,) 
commences  in  the  Loire,  a mile  below  Briare,  and  extends  to  the  Loing 
below  Montargis;  that  of  Orleans,  (begun  in  1682,  and  completed 
by  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  during  the  minority  of  Louis  XV  ,)  com- 
mences in  the  Loire,  at  the  small  town  of  Combleux,  about  a league 


covered  with  vineyards,  numerous  herds  are  fattened  in  the 
meadows,  and  tbe  fields  at  tbe  approach  of  autumn  display 
their  waving  harvests,  and  yield  more  than  sufficient  for  the 
consumption  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  department  of  the  Loiret  is  contiguous  to  that  of 
the  Nievre,  for  the  distance  of  about  two  leagues.  The 
latter  department,  situated  to  the  south-east  of  the  former, 
and  formed  by  the  ancient  province  of  Nivernais,  compre- 
hends on  the  east  the  granite  heights  of  Morvan,  in  some 
places  covered  with  lofty  forests  which  supply  the  Parisians 
with  wood  and  charcoal,  and  in  others  with  rich  pastures  on 
which  the  oxen  are  reared  that  are  sent  to  the  capital.  The 
Yonne,  the  Aron,  the  Nievre  and  the  Loire  compensate  in 
some  measure  for  the  few  and  bad  roads  that  traverse  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country,  most  of  which  are  impassable  during 
part  of  the  year.  Many  planks,  united  by  flexible  branches, 
and  forming  long  lines,®  descend  every  year  on  the  first  of 
these  rivers  to  Paris.  Sandy  but  fruitful  plains  extend  on  the 
right  of  the  Loire,  which  in  a tract  equal  to  sixteen  leagues 
in  length,  bounds  the  department  on  the  west.  They  pro- 
duce enough  of  wheat,  oats  and  wine  for  the  wants  of  the 
people.  The  department  abounds  in  coal  and  iron ; wealth 
is  thus  diffused  among  the  inhabitants  ; commerce  and  manu- 
facturing industry  are  facilitated.  Not  less  than  fourteen 
hundred  persons  are  employed  in  working  metals,  and  the 
products  of  their  labour  represent  a value  almost  equivalent 
to  L.400,000.p 

Many  of  the  iron  works  are  situated  in  the  district  of 
Cosne  the  town  of  the  same  name  is  the  mart  of  the  iron 
that  is  forged  in  the  neighbourhood  ; it  stands  on  the  decliv- 
ity of  a hill,  and  the  streets  are  clean  and  well  paved ; the 
inhabitants  manufacture  cutlery,  and  carry  on  a considerable 
trade  in  wine  and  grain.  Although  no  remains  of  antiquity 
are  left,  it  is  certain  that  it  was  one  of  the  seven  or  eight 
cities  in  Gaul,  which  were  called  Condate,  a name  probably 
signifying  the  junction  of  two  or  more  streams ; we  have 
already  had  occasion  to  make  the  same  remark  in  describing 
Rennes ; it  is  alike  applicable  to  other  places  that  have  not 
been  mentioned.  The  Nohain  throws  itself  at  Cosne  into 
the  Loire ; public  walks  have  been  cut  on  the  banks  of  the 
river ; the  view  from  them  extends  over  a fruitful  country 
to  the  distant  hills  in  the  department  of  the  Cher.r  A road 
from  Cosne  traverses  the  heights,  which  command  the 
course  of  the  Loire,  the  islands  which  it  waters,  and  the  ro- 
mantic scenery  near  its  banks ; but  the  landscape  becomes 
still  finer  above  the  descent  that  leads  to  Pouilly,  or  at  all 
events,  the  gifts  of  nature  appear  in  greater  luxuriance ; the 

above  Orleans,  and  also  extends  to  the  Loing  below  Montargis ; that 
of  the  Loing,  (begun  in  1720  and  completed  in  1724,)  is  a prolongation 
of  those  of  Orleans  and  Briare  to  the  Seine,  in  which  it  terminates  at 
the  village  of  Mamort  near  Moret.  The  canal  of  Briare  is  34^  miles 
long ; that  of  Orleans,  45  miles  ; and  that  of  the  Loing,  33  miles , 
making  a total  of  112^  miles.  Ed.  Encyc.  Savary. — P. 

1 “ ft  has  no  other  ornament  than  a fine  bridge  over  the  Loire,  and 
no  other  manufacture  than  that  of  fine  pottery  (faience,  delft.)” — It 
manufactures  serges  and  stockings.  (Vosgien,  1813) — P. 

m“  Sandy  and  barren.” 

n Sologne,  a district  of  country,  comprehended  in  the  old  government 
of  Orleans,  extending  on  the  south  of  the  Loire,  to  the  confines  of 
Berri.  Romorantin  was  the  capital.  Now  comprehended  in  the  de- 
partments of  the  Loiret  and  the  Loir  and  Cher. — P. 

0 “ Rafts  ( trains  de  hois,  floats,)  the  parts  of  which  are  ingeniously 
bound  together  by  flexible  branches — ” 

p “ 9,000,000  francs.” 

1 “ The  arrondissement  of  Cosne  is  one  of  those  in  which  there  is 
the  greatest  number  of  forges.” 

r “ The  public  walk  (promenade)  along  the  Loire  ( fieuve ) [the  No- 
hain is  only  a rivitre,~\  commands  a fine  view  of  the  country  on  its 
banks,  terminated  by  the  distant  hills  in  the  department  of  the  Cher.” 


260 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLI\. 


hills  are  covered  with  rich  vineyards,  that  yield  the  excellent 
white  wines  to  which  the  last  place  has  given  its  name.3 
Pouilly  does  not  contain  more  than  two  thousand  six  hun- 
dred inhabitants ; it  is  about  four  leagues  from  Cosne,  and 
at  an  equal  distance  from  La  Charite.  In  the  latter  town, 
which  is  finely  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Loire,  the  two 
most  remarkable  objects  are  the  magnificent  ruins  of  a 
Gothic  church,  and  a well  built  bridge  that  joins  the  road  to 
Bourges. 

Clamecy,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Beuvron  and  the 
Yonne,  is  the  metropolis  of  a district, b and  the  place  where 
the  authorities  regulate  the  cuttings  in  the  forests  of  Morvan/ 
It  carries  on  a considerable  trade,  and  possesses  several 
cloth  manufactories  and  porcelain  works  ;d  thus,  although 
the  town  is  small,  the  inhabitants  are  comparatively  wealthy. 
The  suburb  of  Bethlehem  has  derived  its  name  from  its 
having  served  as  an  asylum  to  the  bishop  of  Bethlehem,  after 
the  expulsion  of  the  Christians  from  Palestine.  It  was  the 
native  town  of  Marchangy,  a magistrate  and  a man  of  letters. 
Corbigny  on  the  small  river  Anguison,  which  throws  itself 
into  the  Yonne,  has  been  long  famous  for  its  horses.e 

The  district  of  Chateau-Chinon  owes  its  wealth  to  its 
forests  and  meadows.  The  capital  of  the  same  name,  a 
small  town  situated  at  no  great  distance  from  the  sources  of 
the  Yonne,  stands  on  a hill  commanded  by  well  wooded 
heights.  The  inhabitants  carry  on  a trade  in  wood,  char- 
coal and  cattle,  a trade  which  the  supply  of  Paris  renders 
very  lucrative.  A bad  road  leads  from  the  town  to  Nevers, 
the  birthplace  of  Adam  Billaut,  a carpenter,  whose  poetry 
hears  the  stamp  of  genius;  he  is  known  in  France  by  the 
name  of  the  rustic  Virgil. £ The  town  was  called  JVoviodu- 
num  in  the  time  of  Cassar,  who  places  it  in  the  country  of 
the  JEdui,h  but  its  name  was  afterwards  changed  into  JYo- 
virum,  and  lastly  into  JYevirnum.  It  did  not  become  a place 
of  any  importance  before  the  reign  of  Clovis.  About  the 
tenth  century,  William,  one  of  its  governors,  rendered  him- 
self independent,  and  took  the  title  of  count  of  Nevers.  It 
contained  only  seven  thousand  inhabitants  about  forty  years 
ago,  but  since  that  period  the  population  has  been  more  than 
doubled ; the  increase  must  be  attributed  to  the  effects  of 
commerce  and  industry,  both  of  which  might  be  still  much 

a “ The  road  from  Cosne  crosses  an  extensive  plateau,  from  which 
the  Loire  and  the  islands  it  encircles,  are  continually  in  view;  a finer 
landscape  presents  itself  on  reaching  the  descent  that  leads  to  Pouilly, 
the  environs  of  which  are  covered  with  vineyards  that  yield  the  excel- 
lent white  wines  that  bear  its  name.” 

b “ Subprefecture” — arrondissement. 

• “ Where  are  held  the  public  sales  of  wood,  for  the  forests  of  Mor- 
van (le  point  dc  reunion  des adjudicataircs  des  coupes  dc  boisdu  Morvan.)" 
Adjudicataire,  the  buyer  at  a public  sale.  Coupe  de  hois,  standing  wood, 
the  cutting  of  which  has  been  determined  by  the  proper  authorities — 
a term  in  the  French  forest  laws.  Encyc.  Meth.  Jurisprud. — P. 

d “ It  manufactures  delft-ware  and  cloth.” 

' “ At  Corbigny — there  is  a royal  stud  for  stallions  ( dipdt  d'i- 
talons)." 

1 “ Arrondissement.” 

g “ — Adam  Billaut,  a poet  and  a joiner  (menuisier ,)  called  by  his 
contemporaries,  the  Virgil  of  the  plane  ( Virgile  aurabot.)"  Better 
known  by  the  name  of  Maitre  Adam — died  at  Nevers  1662.  He  pub- 
lished most  of  his  poems  in  three  collections,  which  he  named  from 
the  tools  of  his  trade,  viz.  Chevilles  (pegs,)  Vilebrequin  (gimblet,)  and 
Robot  (plane.) — P. 

h Ca’sar.  de  Bello  Gallico,  Lib.  VII. 

■ Forces  productives  et  commerciales  de  la  France,  tome  i.  page  296. 

k “ Its  porcelain  ( porcelainc ) and  enamel  are  celebrated.  It  manufac- 
tures with  small  glass  pearls,  different  articles  of  jewellery,* *  in  which 
an  extensive  trade  is  carried  on  both  in  France  and  in  foreign  coun- 
tries. Its  pottery  ( faiences , delft!)  is  considered  the  best  in  France, 
and  the  manufacture,  as  M.  Dupin  remarks,  has  been  in  a flourishing 
condition  for  eight  centuries.  There  are  not  less  than  ten  establish- 
ments, engaged  in  this  manufacture ; they  furnish  employment  to  700 


improved.  Nevers  has  been  Iona;  celebrated  for  enamel  and 
different  articles  of  jewellery ; they  are  sold  in  most  parts 
of  France,  and  exported  into  different  countries.  The  por- 
celain works  in  the  same  place  are  supposed  to  be  the  best 
in  France ; the  most  ancient  of  these  works,  as  M.  Dupin 
remarks,*  was  established  eight  centuries  ago ; they  furnish 
employment  to  seven  hundred  workmen  ; the  quantity  of  tin 
consumed  annually,  amounts  to  72,000  pounds,  and  the 
quantity  of  lead  to  337,500.'*  It  is  sufficient  to  pass  through 
the  town  to  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of  an  observation  made 
by  a distinguished  writer.1  “ At  Nevers,”  says  he,  “ there 
are  lamps  which  are  never  lighted,  a bridge  over  the  Loire, 
which  is  never  repaired, m and  an  enormous  calvary  raised  in 
the  worst  taste  in  the  market  place."  The  people  in  the 
town  have  given  or  allowed  the  magistrates  to  take  L.15000 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  this  calvary ; it  might  have  been 
better  had  they  laid  out  the  money  in  purchasing  oil,  and  in 
lighting  their  crooked  and  ill  paved  streets.” 

The  Allier,  the  Elaver  of  the  ancients,  throws  itself  into 
the  Loire  at  the  distance  of  a league  to  the  west  of  Nevers; 
it  crosses  from  south  to  north,  the  department  to  which  it 
gives  its  name/  and  which  is  contiguous  on  the  south  to  that 
of  the  Nievre.  It  makes  up  almost  the  whole  of  Bourbon- 
nais,  a country  well  known  on  account  of  its  mineral 
springs,  coal-pits  and  iron  mines.  Many  oxen  are  fattened 
in  the  pastures,  and  the  horses  are  remarkable  for  their 
strength.  The  oaks  are  used  in  building  ships,  arid  the 
rivers  and  ponds  supply  Paris  with  excellent  fresh  water 
fish.  The  inhabitants  are  employed  in  different  branches  of 
industry ; iron  is  converted  into  steel,  raw  silk  into  different 
manufactures,  rocks  into  mill-stones,  and  clay  into  porce- 
lain.(i  But  agriculture  has  long  remained  stationary  ; it 

may  be  regretted  that  the  system  of  husbandry  has  not  been 
improved,  that  the  rich  lands  in  the  vallies,  and  the  sandy 
but  fruitful  soil  which  covers  the  granite  rocks,  yield  so 
scanty  harvests/ 

Moulins  was  founded  in  the  fourteeenth  century ; it  de- 
rives its  name  from  the  great  number  of  mills  ( moulins ) 
round  the  place  where  it  was  built.  Robert,  the  son  of  St. 
Louis,  founded  there  an  hospital,  and  the  princes  of  the 
house  of  Bourbon,  long  lords  of  the  province  in  which  it 

workmen,  and  consume  annually  32,000  kilogrammes  of  tin,  and 
135,000  of  lead.” 

* The  boasted  manufactory  of  enamel  is  nothing  more  than  the  blowing  of 
glass  toys  with  the  blow  pipe.  Ed.  Eneye. — P. 

+ Faience  (delft  ware,)  a kind  of  varnished  or  enamelled  pottery,  originally 
made  at  Faenza  in  Italy,  and  since  at  Delft  in  Holland,  the  last  in  imitation  of 
the  Chinese  porcelain  ; whence  its  French  and  English  names.  There  may  be 
manufactories  of  genuine  porcelain  at  Nevers,  but  they  must  be  of  recent  es- 
tablishment, for  in  the  authorities  1 have  consulted,  (Peuchet  180?,  Vosgien 
1813,  and  the  older  ones,  Encyc.  Meth.  1784-  and  Savary  1741,)  omy  faience 
is  mentioned. — The  manufacture  of  delft  in  Nevers  is  the  oldest  in  the  kingdom. 
It  was  originally  brought  from  Italy  by  the  dukes  of  Nevers,  who  were  natives 
of  that  country.  Encyc.  Meth. — The  original  manufacture  certainly  was  not 
porcelain,  for  the  first  European  porcelain  w as  made  in  Saxony,  where  the 
process  of  making  it  was  first  discovered  by  Boetticher,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
last  century. — P. 

1 M.  Ad.  Blanqui,  Relation  d’un  voyage  au  midi  de  la  France  pen 
dant  les  mois  d’Aoilt  et  de  Septembre  1828. 

m “ — which  is  not  repaired." — One  half  of  the  stone  bridge  over  the 
Loire  was  carried  away  many  years  ago,  and  is  replaced  by  one  of 
wood.  The  part  of  the  stone  bridge  remaining  consists  of  six  arches, 
and  the  wooden  half  of  ten  arches.  Ed.  Encyc. — P 
0 “ — in  the  public  square  (place).” 

° “ 30,000  francs.” 
p Department  of  the  Allier. 

<i  “ Its  steel  is  converted  into  cutlery,  its  silk  into  ribbons,  its  sand- 
stone into  millstones,  and  its  clay  into  pottery  (delft).” 

r “ Stationary  in  its  agriculture,  it  does  not  derive  all  the  advantage 
it  might,  from  the  fertile  soil  of  its  vallies,  and  the  sandy  soil  which 
covers  its  granite  rocks  ; still  its  produce  in  grain  and  wine  is  more 
than  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  its  inhabitants.” 


BOOK  CXLiIV.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


2G1 


was  the  capital,  at  different  periods  embellished  it.  The 
streets  are  well  paved ; although  the  houses  are  built  of 
brick,  and  the  outer  walls  fantastically  divided  into  red  and 
black  compartments,  they  are  better  than  many  in  other 
provincial  towns.  Several  of  its  finest  edifices  are  built  of 
stone  ; among  others  that  may  be  mentioned,  is  the  former 
convent  of  the  Visitation,I * * * * 6 1  now  changed  into  a college  ;b  the 
church  attached  to  it  is  adorned  with  different  ornaments, 
particularly  with  die  fine  mausoleum  of  the  last  constable 
Montmorency,  who  was  beheaded  at  Toulouse  during  the 
administration  of  Richelieu.  The  townhouse,  another  stone 
building,  has  been  lately  erected  in  the  principal  square.0 
The  town  is  the  seat  of  a bishopric ; it  possesses  a museum, 
a collection  of  natural  history,  a library  of  twenty  thousand 
volumes  and  a theatre.  It  was  the  native  town  of  John 
Lingendes,  a poet  of  the  seventeenth  century ; his  verses 
are  seldom  read,  but  they  evince  no  ordinary  talent  ;d  it  was 
also  the  birthplace  of  Marshals  Villars  and  Berwick.  A 
four-sided  tower,  now  changed  into  a prison,  is  all  that 
remains  of  the  ancient  castle  which  the  princes  of  Bourbon 
inhabited.  The  bridge  over  the  Allier  is  little  inferior  to 
any  in  France;  it  is  about  257  yards  in  length,  and  nine- 
teen in  breadth  ;e  it  consists  of  ten  arches,  and  the  opening 
in  each  exceeds  twenty  yards/ 

Two  excellent  roads  bordered  by  lofty  poplar  trees  ter- 
minate at  the  bridge ; the  one  on  the  left  leads  to  Clermont, 
and  that  on  the  right  to  Limoges.  The  latter  first  traverses 
Sou vigny,  a town  of  2700  inhabitants,  where  the  Gothic 
church  served  formerly  as  a place  of  interment  to  the  princes 
of  the  house  of  Bourbon.  The  town  is  situated  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  capital  of  the  department,  and  the  inhab- 
itants carry  on  a considerable  trade  in  soda  and  glass.s 
Bourbon  l’Archamhault  in  a fruitful  valley  about  three 
leagues  from  Souvigny,  is  visited  during  the  summer  and 
autumnh  by  invalids,  particularly  by  diose  afflicted  with 
rheumatism  and  palsy  ; it  is  supposed  that  the  thermal 
springs  may  mitigate,  if  they  do  not  remove  these  diseases. 
The  church  is  adorned  with  finely  painted  windows,  but  the 
clumsy  and  ill  built  houses  appear  as  old  as  the  town,  which 
was  founded  about  five  hundred  years  ago.  The  castle 
that  belonged  to  the  princes  of  Bourbon  is  no  longer  habita- 
ble, although  three  of  the  towers  are  in  a good  state  of  pres- 
ervation.1 The  population  amounts  to  three  thousand  indi- 
viduals. The  poor  but  laborious  inhabitants  in  the  burgh 
of  Lurcy-Levy  find  the  means  of  subsistence  in  making  por- 
celain and  earthen  ware  ; some  of  them  are  employed  in  the 
coal  mines  in  the  vicinity/ 

La  Palisse,1  a small  town  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  depart- 
ment, is  the  capital  of  a subprefecture  ; it  is  watered  by  the 
Besbre,  and  commanded  by  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  castle. 
Cusset,  on  the  banks  of  (he  Allier,  has  from  its  walls  and 

I Convent  of  St.  Mary,  for  nuns  of  the  Visitation. 

b The  royal  college  ofMoulins. 

' “ — in  one  of  the  squares.” 

II  “ — whose  verses  are  less  known  than  they  deserve  to  be.” — Jean  de 
Lingendes,  born  1580,  died  1010 — remarkable  for  the  period  in  which 
he  lived,  for  sweetness  of  versification  and  delicacy  of  sentiment. — P. 

e “ 239  metres  in  length  ; 14  in  breadth.” 

' “ Span  of  the  arches,  20  metres.” 

6 “ It  manufactures  soda,  and  has  two  works  for  making  glass 
bottles.” 

h “ From  the  middle  of  May  to  the  end  of  September.” 

' “ The  houses  are  inelegant,  and  appear  to  have  been  built  at  least 
five  hundred  years  ago,  at  the  same  time  with  the  castle  that  belonged 
to  the  princes  of  Bourbon,  of  which  there  remains  only  three  towers, 
still  in  a good  state  of  preservation.” 

k “ — find  employment  in  a manufactory  of  white  porcelain,  in 
twelve  manufactories  of  common  pottery,  and  in  the  coal  mines  in  the 
vicinitv 


ancient  fortifications,  the  appearance  of  a strong  town ; it 
contains  about  four  thousand  inhabitants.  Many  persons 
resort  every  summer  to  Vichy,  a fashionable  watering  place 
at  no  great  distance  from  Cusset ; it  is  situated  in  a roman- 
tic country,  where  the  painter,  the  botanist  and  the  geologist 
may  find  subjects  of  study  in  their  respective  pursuits. 

Gannat  might  be  passed  over  in  silence,  if  it  were  not  the 
residence  of  a subprefect.  St.  Pourqain,  in  an  agreeable 
valley,  is  famous  for  its  cattle  fair,  held  during  the  last 
days  of  August.  Crowds  of  well-dressed  peasantry  repair 
to  the  market  place,  while  the  idle  are  attracted  by  strolling 
players  or  mountebanks ; tables  and  tents  are  set  in  the 
plain,  where  the  excellent  white  wines  of  Lachaise  form  the 
ordinary  beverage ; in  one  place  the  noise  of  music  and 
dancing  is  heard  ; in  another  the  galloping  of  horses,  which 
those  who  mean  to  purchase,  try  beforehand  ; the  oxen  are 
prized  for  their  strength,  not  for  their  fatness  ; indeed  they 
are  never  bought  by  the  butcher ; the  peasantry  use  them 
in  the  plough.  The  singular  costume  of  the  men,  the  fresh 
and  fair  complexion  of  the  women,  the  cries  of  different 
animals,  and  the  confused  voices  of  the  multitude,  bear  no 
resembance  to  the  village  festivals  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Paris."1 

Mont-Luqon,  the  capital  of  a district,"  is  surrounded  by 
walls  flanked  with  towers.  In  its  vicinity0  is  situated 
the  burgh  of  Neris  les  Bains,  the  name  of  which  has  not 
been  changed?  since  the  time  that  Julian  rebuilt  it  after  it  had 
been  sacked  under  Constantine  the  Second.  It  is  at  present 
peopled,  as  in  the  time  of  the  Romans,  by  invalids  subject  to 
rheumatism  and  cutaneous  diseases.  Several  remains  of  an- 
tiquity, such  as  an  amphitheatre,  and  the  traces  of  a Roman 
camp  [cast rum,,)  prove  that  Neris  must  have  been  a considera- 
ble town,  before  it  was  laid  waste  by  Clovis,  and  at  a later  peri- 
od by  the  Normans.  Although  there  are  no  public  baths,  each 
inn  is  provided  with  a large  apartment  for  eight  or  ten  bathers. 
Piscines, i similar  to  those  that  existed  in  ancient  times,  are 
reserved  for  the  use  of  the  hospital,  into  which  more  than  a 
hundred  and  thirty  patients  are  gratuitously  admitted. 

Unproductive  in  corn,  and  destitute  of  wine,  for  which 
other  fermented  liquors  afford  but  a poor  substitute,  the  de- 
partment watered  by  the  Creuse/  must  be  considered  a 
sterile  country ; it  is  certain  too  that  a tenth  part  of  the 
labouring  population  migrate  every  year  into  other  parts  of 
France,  but  they  seldom  fail  to  settle  afterwards  in  their 
native  land,  where  they  improve  by  judicious  investments 
the  fruits  of  their  economy  and  industry.  The  soil  may  be 
arid  and  mountainous,  but  the  love  of  country  makes  it 
appear  less  ungrateful  than  it  really  is  ; on  that  account 
numbers  return  to  their  hills  and  vallies,  and  cultivate  joyfully 
the  field  which  their  labour  has  enabled  them  to  purchase. 
The  working  of  metals  is  not  attended  with  profit  in  the 

1 La  Palice. 

m “ The  crowds  of  peasants  that  flock  to  the  market  place,  the  idlers 
attracted  by  the  shows  of  mountebanks,  the  tents  erected  in  the  plain, 
the  tables  loaded  with  the  excellent  white  wines  of  Lachaise,  here 
noisy  dances,  there  the  trial  of  horses  and  oxen,  the  latter  only  in  the 
plough,  the  large  hats  of  the  peasants,  the  fresh  complexions  and  cheer- 
ful looks  of  the  village  girls  with  straw  hats  turned  up  in  the  figure  of 
a boat,  suspended  from  their  arms,  the  cries  of  different  animals,  and 
the  confused  voices  of  the  multitude,  altogether  present  a spectacle 
that  bears  no  resemblance  to  the  village  festivals  near  Paris.” 

D Arrondissement. 

0 Neris  les  Bains  is  one  league  S.  E.  of  Montlu^cn. — P. 

p Atpia.  JYerte  of  the  ancients. 

a “ Piscines” — basins  or  tanks  for  bathing.  The  basin  where  the/ 
(the  Romans)  bathed  was  called  Baptisterium,  , or  Piscine 

Adam’s  Antiq.  p.  480. — P. 

T Department  of  the  Creuse. 


EUROPE. 


262 


[BOOK  CXLIV 


department,  but  from  the  low  rate  of  wages,  it  is  well  adapt- 
ed for  other  branches  of  industry  ; the  art  of  making  carpets 
has  been  brought  to  great  perfection ; the  same  may  be 
said  of  paper  and  different  manufactures.3 

The  four  principal  towns’* * *  are  of  little  importance,  and  the 
country  is  of  such  a character  as  to  present  few  objects  for 
description.  Aubusson,  watered  by  the  Creuse,  and  situated 
in  an  arid  and  unfruitful  district,  rises  in  a defile  formed  by 
naked  granite  rocks ; it  consists  merely  of  a single  street, 
which,  it  must  be  admitted,  is  broad  and  well  built.  Louis 
the  Fourteenth  gave  it  in  exchange  for  St.  Cyr  to  the  Mar- 
shal de  Lafeuillade,  the  last  descendant'  of  its  ancient  vis- 
counts. The  carpets  made  in  the  royal  manufactory  are 
equal  to  any  in  France  ;d  fifteen  other  manufactories  of  the 
same  kind  diffuse  the  means  of  subsistence  among  the  inhab- 
itants. The  places  of  amusement  are  three  coffee-houses, 
a theatre  and  a literary  club.  Felletin,  a small  place  of 
three  thousand  inhabitants,  not  more  than  two  leagues  from 
Aubusson,  rivals  it  in  the  same  sort  of  industry.  Bourga- 
neuf  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  two  porcelain  works 
and  a paper  manufactory ; it  is  remarkable  too  for  a tower 
of  very  large  dimensions,  which  according  to  tradition  was 
built  by  Zizim,  the  son  of  Mahomet  the  Second,6  who  found 
refuge  in  France  during  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Eighth. 
Gueret  is  the  capital  of  the  department;  the  streets  are  well 
built  and  watered  by  fountains ; it  is  a place  of  little  or  no 
trade  ; although  fuel  is  very  cheap  in  the  neighbourhood, 
no  manufactory  or  work  of  any  kind  has  been  erected  near 
the  town.  Boussac  contains  fewer  inhabitants  than  the 
capital  of  any  other  districtf  in  France ; it  stands  on  a rock 
and  is  almost  inaccessible  to  carriages ; surrounded  with 
walls,  flanked  with  towers,  and  commanded  by  an  old  em- 
battled castle  from  which  the  view  extends  along  a defile 
formed  by  arid  and  wild  mountains,  die  town  is  as  gloomy 
a residence  as  can  be  well  imagined. 

There  are  few  departments  so  well  wooded  as  that  which 
derives  its  name  from  the  Cher it  has  the  advantage  too  of 
abounding  in  iron  and  other  minerals.11  The  uniformity  of  the 
country  is  in  some  places  broken  by  hills ; the  lands  on  the  east 
near  the  banks  of  the  Loire,  which  forms  the  eastern  boundary, 
produce  the  richest  harvests  ; on  the  south  and  the  south-west 
are  situated  a great  many  ponds,  and  the  soil  is  of  an  ordinary 
quality  ; on  die  north  and  the  north-west  are  numerous 
marshes  encompassed  with  sterile  landes  and  heaths ; a 
fruitful  country  in  the  centre  extends  along  the  banks  of  the 
Auron  and  Cher.  On  the  whole,  an  ungrateful  soil  in  many 
places,  but  in  others  sufficiently  productive,1  covers  two- 


thirds  of  the  surface  ; the  remaining  portion  is  abundantly 
fruitful.  The  inhabitants  derive  their  wealth  or  means  of 
subsistence  from  the  products  of  their  iron  works,  from  their 
wool  and  from  the  culture  of  the  ground,  but  bigoted  to  old 
prejudices  and  to  routine,  they  do  not  derive  all  the  profits 
which  might  be  obtained  from  a better  system  of  husbandry. 

St.  Amand,  one  of  the  most  commercial  towns  in  the  de- 
partment, rises  in  an  agreeable  valley  at  the  confluence  of 
the  Marmande  and  the  Cher.  It  is  the  mart  of  the  grain, 
wine,  chestnuts,  timber  and  cattle  in  the  surrounding  district  ;k 
most  of  the  inhabitants  are  consequently  engaged  in  trade. 
It  was  built  in  the  year  1410  on  the  ruins  of  the  burgh  of 
Orval,  which  the  English  had  destroyed  by  fire.  Dun  le 
Roi,1  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Auron,  was  in  ancient  times 
one  of  the  most  celebrated  cities  in  Aquitaine.  The  pros- 
perity of  Sancerre  depends  on  its  trade  in  wine  ;m  it  is  built 
on  the  highest  hill  in  the  department,  at  the  distance  of  a 
league  from  the  left  bank  of  the  Loire.  Ivoy  le  Pre  is  a 
populous  and  flourishing  burgh ; the  inhabitants  find  occu- 
pation in  making  glass ; others  are  employed  in  iron  works, 
where  the  different  pieces  that  form  the  parts  of  the  steam 
engine,  are  forged.11 

The  interest  excited  by  an  industrious  population,  and 
that  attached  to  historical  recollections,  are  not  often  united 
in  the  same  place ; other  manufacturing  towns,0  therefore, 
such  as  Aubigny,  Henricbemont  and  Precy,  may  be  passed 
over  in  silence,  for  several  places  in  the  neighbouring  dis- 
trict!1 of  Bourges,  possess  the  double  interest  which  has  just 
been  mentioned.  Bourges,  it  may  be  remarked,  is  situated 
in  an  agreeable  position  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  watered 
by  the  Auron,  at  the  very  place  where  the  river  receives 
several  other  streams.  It  is  surrounded  with  a thick  vail 
flanked  at  regular  distances  with  eighty  lofty  towers,  all  of 
which  are  in  a good  state  of  preservation.  Divided  into 
the  old  and  the  new  town,  it  might  be  inferred  from  their 
superficial  extent,  that  they  could  contain  a greater  popula- 
tion than  that  which  has  been  assigned  to  them,  but  they 
exhibit  nothing  which  renders  it  at  all  doubtful  that  Bourges 
is  one  of  the  dirtiest  towns  in  France. *!  It  is  the  seat  of  a 
royal  court,  an  archbishopric,  an  university ,r  a royal  college, 
and  a scientific  and  agricultural  society  ;s  it  possesses  besides 
a valuable  library,  a collection  of  natural  history,1  a theatre 
and  a large  hospital,0  all  of  which  are  situated  in  the  midst 
of  low  houses  and  narrow  streets.  Two  edifices  only  are 
worthy  of  fixing  the  attention  ; the  one  is  the  cathedral,  and 
the  other  the  town-house.  The  first  may  be  ranked  among 
the  finest  Gothic  monuments  in  Europe ; it  is  surmounted 


a “ The  manufacturing  industry  does  not  consist  in  the  working  of 
metals,  as  in  the  neighbouring  departments,  but  the  low  price  of 
labour  has  made  it  the  seat  of  important  manufactories  of  carpets*  and 
paper,  both  of  which  are  in  high  reputation,  and  of  different  establish- 
ments for  spinning  wool  and  cotton.” 

* “ Tapisseries” — carpets,  hangings,  &c.  The  department  was  formerly  noted 
for  its  raised  tapestry-hangings,  called  Aubusson  tapestry  (tapisseries d’ Aubus- 
son;)  but  the  manufacture  is  now  almost  entirely  confined  to  carpets  and  fur- 
niture tapestry  Peuchet,  p.  1G8. — P. 

b Aubusson,  Bourganeuf,  Gueret  and  Boussac,  capitals  of  subprefec- 
tures or  arrondissements. — P. 

c “ Only  descendant.” — Louis  XIV  ceded  Aubusson  in  exchange  for 
St.  Cyr  to  the  Marshal  La  Fcuillade,  who  assisted  in  forming  the  Pluce 
(Us  Victoires  in  Paris.  This  marshal  was  Francis,  viscount  d' Aubusson 
and  duke  de  L a Fcuillade,  who  had  three  sons,  the  second  of  whom 
succeeded  him  in  his  titles.  The  latter  was  born  in  1C70.  Louis  XIV 
founded  a nunnery  at  St.  Cyr,  for  the  education  of  the  daughters  of 
military  officers,  the  buildings  of  which  were  completed  in  1C86.  En- 
cyc.  Mctnod  Morori. — P. 

d “ -—have  keen  long  celebrated  in  France.”  See  note  *.  * 
e Brother  of  Bajazet  II.  by  whom  lie  was  forced  to  take  refuge  in 
Italy,  where  he  died,  it  is  said,  of  poison.  Beauvais. — P. 


f Arrondissement.  e Department  of  the  Cher. 

h “ It  has  numerous  forges  and  iron  works.” — It  contains  mines  of 
iron  and  ochre,  and  abounds  in  wood  which  supplies  fuel  for  its  numer- 
ous iron  works.  Peuchet,  p.  169. — P. 

* “ A soil  not  very  fruitful,  and  yet  tolerably  productive — ( des  terres 
ingrates  et  pourtant  assrz  productires.)” 

k Arrondissement  of  St.  Amand. 

1 Dun  sur  Auron. 

m “ Sancerre  carries  on  a large  trade  in  wine.” 

» The  small  town  (bovrg)  of  Yvoy  le  Pre  is  very  flourishing,  owing 
to  an  establishment  for  the  manufacture  of  window  glass  and  bottles, 
and  to  another  for  casting  the  iron  work  of  steam  engines.” 

0 In  the  arrondissement  of  Sancerre.  M.  B. 

p Arrondissement. 

a “ Its  two  quarters  united  occupy  a space  capable  of  containing  a 
greater  population  than  has  been  assigned  to  it ; but  in  its  general 
appearance  ( dans  son  ensemble,)  it  is  obviously  one  of  the  dirtiest  towns 
in  France.” 

r “ Acadcmie  universitaire” — academy  of  Bourges. 

* “ A scientific  or  rather  agricultural  society.” 

’ “ Physical  cabinet  ( cabinet  de  physique.)" 

» « — and  several  charitable  establishments.” 


book  cxliv.]  DESCRIPTION 

by  two  high  towers ; the  front  cannot  be  considered  free 
from  the  irregularity,  which  disfigures  almost  all  the  churches 
of  die  same  period,  but  it  is  remarkable  for  the  delicacy  and 
finished  workmanship  of  the  ornaments ; one  of  the  sculp- 
tures on  the  portal  represents  the  last  judgment.  The  town- 
house  was  the  residence  of  the  celebrated  James  Cceur,  one 
of  the  wealthiest  merchants  in  France  during  the  reign  of 
Charles  the  Seventh ; he  managed  the  king’s  finances,  and 
was  treated  as  a court  favourite,  until  he  granted  a loan  of 
200,000  gold  crowns  to  his  sovereign.  As  a recompense 
for  this  service  he  was  accused  of  several  imaginary  crimes, 
deprived  of  his  wealth,  and  confined  in  the  Franciscan  mon- 
astery at  Beaucaire ; many  however  sympathized  with  him 
in  his  sufferings ; indeed  he  was  so  much  esteemed  that  the 
merchants  of  Beaucaire  enabled  him  to  escape  from  con- 
finement,1 * 3 * * * 7 •and  furnished  him  with  money,  as  a means  of 
settling  in  a foreign  land,  where  he  might  forget  the  country 
which  he  had  loved,  and  the  base  ingratitude  of  a prince, 
whom  he  had  had  the  misfortune  to  oblige.  The  house  was 
purchased  by  Colbert,  who  made  it  over  in  1679  to  the 
mayor  and  aldermen  of  Bourges.  Every  part  of  the  build- 
ing is  richly  decorated  ; the  walls  are  covered  with  a profu- 
sion of  ornaments,  among  which,  hearts  are  not  the  least 
conspicuous,  probably  because  the  original  proprietor’s  name 
was  Cceur.  The  chimneys  represent  towers  and  the  gates 
of  cities  guarded  by  soldiers.1*  A bad  portrait  of  Bourda- 
loue,  painted  by  himself,  has  been  placed  in  the  interior. 
The  same  celebrated  jesuit,  the  fathers  Deschamps,3  Souciet 
and  D’Orleans,  the  treasurer  of  Charles  the  Seventh, d and 
Louis  the  Eleventh,®  who  founded  the  university  of  Bourges 
in  1466,  are  the  most  distinguished  persons  that  the  town 
has  produced. 

According  to  Livy,  Bourges  must  be  one  of  the  oldest 
cities  in  Gaul ; at  the  time  of  the  Roman  conquest,  it  was 
called  Avaricum,  and  was  the  principal  city  of  the  Bituriges 
Cubi;  the  Romans  gave  it  the  name  of  Bituriges  ; Augus- 
tus made  it  the  capital  of  Aquitania,  and  the  roads  to  Bor- 
deaux and  Autun  passed  through  the  town.  It  was  embel- 
lished with  an  amphitheatre,  for  which  a castle  was 
substituted  in  the  eighth  century ; it  is  not  more  than  forty 
years  ago  since  the  same  castle  was  destroyed/  The  cap- 
itol  built  by  the  Romans  stood  on  the  site  of  the  town-house.® 
It  became  at  a very  early  period  the  chief  town  in  a dio- 
cese which  was  founded  by  St.  Ursin  in  the  year  252. 
Chilperic  having  taken  possession  of  it,  plundered  the 
inhabitants,  and  burnt  the  houses,  but  they  were  rebuilt  and 
improved  under  Charlemagne  and  Philip  Augustus.  The 
public  walks  of  Villeneuve,1*  so  called  from  the  name  of  the 
prefect,  by  whose  directions  they  were  made,  are  very  orna- 
mental to  the  town. 

Mehun1  is  situated  below  Bourges,  at  the  place  where  the 
Auron  joins  the  Yevre,  and  forms  a large  basink  well  adapted 

a Jacques  Cceur  is  said  to  have  effected  his  escape  by  the  aid  of 
Jean  de  Village,  one  of  his  factors. — P. 

b “ The  building  is  constructed  in  a style  of  great  magnificence ; 
even  the  chimneys  are  of  the  richest  architecture  ; they  represent 
towers  and  the  gates  of  cities  guarded  by  warriors ; shells  and  hearts 
are  sculptured  on  the  walls  of  the  edifice.’’ 

c Et.  Agard  Des  Champs. 

d Jacques  Cceur,  born  near  the  end  of  the  14th  cent.,  son  of  a gold- 
smith at  Bourges. — P. 

e Louis  XI.  was  born  at  Bourges,  1423. — P. 

f “ — destroyed  more  than  forty  years  ago.”  The  Great  Tower, 
which  commands  the  easiest  approach  to  the  town,  is  a castle  partly 
in  ruins  since  1651.  Moreri. — P. 

s “ The  house  of  Jacques  Cceur.” 

h “The  public  walks  ( promenades ) which  surround  it,  called  the 
Boulevards  ViU-aeuve — ” 


OF  FRANCE.  265 

for  the  purposes  of  commerce ; the  inhabitants  carry  on  a 
trade  in  hemp,  wool,  timber,  and  the  products  of  their  man- 
ufactories.1 The  site  and  some  vestiges  of  the  castle  may 
still  be  seen  where  Charles  the  Seventh,  fearing  that  his  son 
Louis  the  Eleventh  intended  to  poison  him,  starved  himself 
to  death  in  the  year  1461.  The  population  of  the  town 
does  not  exceed  three  thousand  individuals.  Vierzon  stands 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Yevre  and  the  Cher,  the  last  of 
which  waters  the  most  fruitful  and  agreeable  district  in  the 
department;  although  it  contains  only  four  thousand  five 
hundred  inhabitants,  it  has  cloth  and  serge  manufactories, 
others  of  porcelain  and  earthen  ware,  iron  works,  paper 
mills  and  tan-pits.m 

Woods  and  forests  occupy  more  than  a seventh  part  of 
the  surface  in  the  department  of  the  Indre  : the  country  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  liver11  is  covered  with  ponds  and 
marshes,  which  diffuse  dangerous  and  pestilential  vapours  in 
the  atmosphere  ; but  it  is  chiefly  in  the  territory  of  Brenne, 
between  the  Indre  and  the  road  to  Limoges,  that  these  large 
sheets  of  shallow  water  occasion  in  the  summer  season  nox- 
ious exhalations,  of  which  the  effects  are  often  fatal  to  man 
and  the  lower  animals.  Government  has  not  hitherto 
attempted  to  drain  these  marshes,  a work  which  might  be 
accomplished  without  much  difficulty ; and  if  the  health  of 
the  inhabitants  is  not  a matter  of  concern  to  the  state,  the 
hope  of  profit  may  perhaps  excite  it  to  undertake  the  task, 
for  more  than  thirty  thousand  acres'*  of  land  might  thus  be 
restored  to  agriculture.  The  lands  in  the  other  parts  of  the 
department  are  chiefly  sandy ; they  yield  more  grain  than 
the  inhabitants  consume ; the  wines  are  of  an  ordinary  qual- 
ity, but  the  excess  of  the  vintage  above  the  consumption  is 
equal  to  at  least  one  half.  Sheep  and  oxen  are  reared  in 
great  numbers  in  the  rural  districts.? 

Issoudun,  as  the  chief  town  of  a district, q cannot  be  passed 
over  in  silence ; it  wras  destroyed  by  fires  in  the  years  1 1 35, 
1504  and  1651  ; it  possesses  at  present  four  cloth  and  three 
linen  manufactories,  one  porcelain  and  seven  leadier 
works. r 

Some  antiquaries  affirm  that  the  name  of  Levroux  has 
been  derived  from  the  great  number  of  lepers,  who,  it  is 
supposed,  inhabited  the  town  about  the  twelfth  century ; but 
according  to  others  the  place  was  so  called  from  an  hospital 
for  lepers,  which  was  built  there  about  the  same  period  ; it 
is  certain  that  the  town  bears  the  name  of  Ltprosum  in 
some  old  charters,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  same 
circumstance  may  have  attracted  the  attention  of  anti- 
quaries to  a subject  of  little  or  no  importance  ; it  would  have 
been  a more  interesting  object  of  inquiry  to  have  ascertained 
what  was  the  name  of  Levroux  in  the  time  of  the  Romans. 
The  present  population  does  not  amount  to  more  than  three 
thousand  inhabitants,  but  the  ruins  of  an  amphitheatre,  and 
other  remains  of  antiquity  prove  that  it  must  have  been  an 

1 Mehun-  or  Meun-sur-Yevre. 

k “ Below  Bourges,  at  the  place  where  the  Auron  joins  the  Yevre, 
the  latter  river  washes  the  town  of  Mehun,  and  forms  between  its 
bridges  a larce  basin — ” Mehun  is  situated  on  the  Yevre  (Evre.) 
Vosgien.  Encyc.  Meth. — P. 

1 “ — manufactories  of  different  stuffs.” 

m“ — it  has  manufactories  of  porcelain,  delfl  (faience,)  cloths  and 
serges,  besides  tanneries,  paper  mills,  and  iron  works  (forges.)" 

" The  Indre. 

0 “ 10,000  hectares.” 

p “ Sheep,  as  well  as  geese  and  turkeys,  are  sources  of  great  profit.” 
— The  fine  wool  of  Berry  ( laines  du  Berri)  is  procured  from  the  de 
partinents  of  the  Indre  and  the  Cher.  Peuchet.  p.  160. — P. 

a “ Arrondissement.” 

r “4  manufactories  of  cloth,  3 of  linen,  1 of  delft  (ftiicnre)  ani 

7 tanneries.” 


264  EUR 

important  city  under  the  Caesars.1  It  is  surrounded  by 
walls  flanked  with  towers,  and  encompassed  with  ditches. 
A road  that  passes  through  vineyards  and  woods  leads  to 
Valenqay,b  in  which  the  castle  built  by  the  house  of  Etampesc 
and  since  embellished  by  Talleyrand,  served  as  a residence 
to  king  Ferdinand  the  Seventh  of  Spain  from  the  year  1808 
to  1814.  The  number  of  inhabitants  is  nearly  equal  to 
three  thousand  ;d  many  of  them  are  employed  in  manufac- 
turing cloth. e The  most  extensive  iron  works  in  the  de- 
partment, are  those  in  the  neighbouring  village  of  Luqay  le 
Male/  The  chief  town  in  the  districts  of  Buzanqois  con- 
tains four  thousand  inhabitants ; the  trade  of  the  place  consists 
in  wool,  iron  and  flour.1' 

The  town  of  Chateauroux  in  the  district'  of  the  same 
name  is  situated  on  the  left  of  the  Indre,  which  flows  through 
the  middle  of  a low  plain  covered  with  rich  meadows.  It 
derives  its  name  from  Raoul  de  Deols,  by  whom  it  was  found- 
ed in  the  tenth  century.  A castle  which  he  erected  on  a 
neighbouring  hill,  is  now  occupied  as  the  prefect’s  residence/ 
Cloth  is  the  principal  article  of  trade,  and  there  are  not 
fewer  than  thirty-five  manufactories.  The  Creuse  waters 
Argenton,  a small  town  of  four  thousand  inhabitants,  at  the 
distance  of  six  leagues  to  the  south-west  of  Chateauroux. 
It  may  be  inferred  from  several  medals  and  sculptures  that 
have  been  discovered  at  different  times,  and  also  from  the 
ancient  fortress  which  was  demolished  by  Louis  the  Four- 
teenth, but  of  which  some  ruins  still  remain,  that  the  town 
was  more  important  in  the  time  of  the  Romans.  It  was 
then  called  Argentomagus,  and  it  lay  between  the  territories 
of  the  Bituriges  and  the  Pictavi. 

Two  districts1  remain  to  be  described.  La  Chatre,  the 
capital  of  the  one,  is  a small  but  neat  town  on  a gentle  de- 
clivity near  the  left  bank  of  the  Indre  ; it  was  formerly  de- 
fended by  a strong  castle,  but  the  only  part  of  it  which  now 
remains,  has  been  for  many  years  used  as  a prison.11*  Aigu- 
rande,  an  insignificant  town  near  the  southern  extremity  of 
the  department,  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  an  ancient 
octagonal  monument,  concerning  which  no  tradition  has  been 
preserved  by  the  inhabitants,  but  which  was  probably  set 
apart  for  sacrifices  or  other  religious  purposes.  The  Creuse 
divides  Leblanc,"  the  capital  of  the  other  district,*  into  the 
upper  and  the  lower  town.  St.  Benoit  du  Sault,0  between 
the  last  river  and  the  Anglin,  is  considered  a town  by  the 
inhabitants,  although  it  does  not  contain  more  than  twelve 
hundred  individuals ; it  is  situated  in  the  most  picturesque 
part  of  the  department ; indeed  nothing  can  be  more  roman- 
tic than  the  scenery  near  the  rocks  and  the  cascade  of 
Montgerno. 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLIV 

The  department  of  the  Upper  Vienne,  a mountainous 
country,  abounds  in  metals,  in  rocks  useful  for  building  or 
other  purposes,  and  in  kaolin  which  is  used  in  many  porce- 
lain works ; but  the  land  is  ill  adapted  for  grain  or  the  cul- 
ture of  the  vine,  and  the  produce  does  not  supply  the  con- 
sumption of  the  inhabitants ; chestnut  trees,  however,  occupy 
a surface  of  more  than  120,000  acres/  and  yield  annually 
about  25,000  tons'*  of  chestnuts,  which  make  up  for  the 
deficiency  in  grain ; fruitful  meadows  also  enable  the  pro- 
prietors to  rear  many  horses,  most  of  which  are  much  valued 
on  account  of  their  strength/  The  people  are  frugal  and 
laborious;  many  masons,  carpenters  and  other  artisans  an- 
nually leave  the  country,  and  obtain  employment  in  most 
parts  of  France.  Such  are  some  of  the  characters  by 
which  the  department  of  the  Upper  Vienne  may  be  distin- 
guished. 

The  district3  of  Bellac  may  be  first  described,  because  it 
is  contiguous  on  the  north  to  the  department  of  the  Indre. 
The  town  stands  on  the  declivity  of  a steep  hill  above  the 
Vinqon,  a small  river  or  rather  a rivulet ; it  possesses  several 
leather  works,  some  paper  mills,  linen  and  woollen  manu- 
factories/ The  vineyards  in  the  neighbourhood  yield  wines 
of  a good  quality.  A fine  monument  of  the  druidical  wor- 
ship may  be  observed  at  no  great  distance  from  Bellac,  near 
the  village  of  La  Borderie.  Dorat  is  a small  town  of  three 
thousand  inhabitants  ; the  people  manufacture  cloth  and 
cotton  stuffs ; they  also  carry  on  a trade  in  weights,  meas- 
ures and  barometers."  The  village  of  Darnac  contains 
more  than  two  thousand  inhabitants ; it  has  risen  into  impor- 
tance from  its  glass  and  porcelain  works/  It  may  not  be 
difficult  to  infer  from  this  account  of  the  principal  places, 
some  notion  of  the  commerce  and  industry  in  the  district.* 

A short  distance  above  Limoges,  the  capital  of  the  depart- 
ment, the  Vienne  waters  an  agreeable  valley  covered  with 
artificial  meadow’s  and  bordered  by  low  hills.  The  town 
rises  like  an  amphitheatre  on  one  of  the  sides  of  the  same 
valley,  and  the  streets  are  consequently  steep  and  crooked ; 
if  they  are  clean,  it  may  be  attributed  to  the  streams  that 
water  the  town  ; its  situation  on  a height  renders  the  air  keen 
and  pure,  the  chief  cause  perhaps  of  the  health  of  the  inhab- 
itants, and  of  the  beauty  for  which  the  women  are  famed. 
Several  different  squares  and  public  walks  are  situated  in 
the  highest  part  of  the  town  ; one  of  the  former*  occupies 
the  site  of  a Roman  amphitheatre.  The  church  of  St. 
Martial  may  be  admired  for  its  lofty  spires ; it  belonged  for- 
merly to  an  abbey  of  which  the  ruins  still  remain ; the  ca- 
thedral is  an  imposing  Gothic  edifice,  but  the  church  of 
St.  Martin  is  perhaps  the  finest  and  certainly  the  oldest 

a A plate  of  copper  bearing  the  following  inscription,  was  discovered 
there  at  the  commencement  of  the  seventeenth  century  ; Flavia  Cuba, 
Firmiani  JUia , Colozza  Deo  Marti  suo,  hoc  signum  fecit  Augusto. 
b Valant;ay. 

c The  fistampes  of  Valen^ay  were  a younger  branch  of  the  family, 
the  first  of  whom,  Louis  d’Estampes,  was  lord  (seigneur)  of  Valen<;ay, 
the  fourth,  James  d’Estampes,  marquis,  and  the  seventh,  Henry  d’Es- 
tampes, who  continued  the  line  after  the  death  of  his  nephews  without 
issue  in  1700,  count  of  Valent;ay. — P.  d “ Population  2700.” 

' “ It  possesses  a cloth  manufactory  ( unefahrique  des  drops.)" 

1 “ The  village  of  Lutjay  le  M&le*  contains  the  finest  iron  works 
(forges)  in  its  neighbourhood.” 

* Two  leagues  S.  \V.  of  Valei^ay. — P. 
e “ Canton” — subdivision  of  an  arrondissement,  under  the  juris- 
diction of  a justice  of  the  peace  (jugc  de  paix.) — P. 

h “ Buzancois  contains  4000  inhabitants,  and  carries  on  an  extensive 
traje  in  wool  ; in  the  district  attached  to  it,  are  some  important  iron 
works,  and  a great  number  of  flour  mills.”  * “ Arrondissement.” 

* The  castle — was  erected  by  one  Raoul  (Radulpkus),  whenco  the 
town  took  the  name  of  Chateau-Ilaoul  (Castrum  Radulphium,  Ru- 
dolph’s castle,)  sinco  corrupted  into  Chateau-Roux.  Moreri. — P. 

1 “ Arrondissements.” 

m “ The  only  tower  that  remains  is  now  used  as  a prison.’ 

“ Le  Blanc,  Le  Blanc  en  Berry. 

0 St.  Benoit  du  Saut  (St.  Benedict  of  the  falls.) 

p “ 40,000  hectares” — 98,850  acres. — P 

s “ Nearly  500,000  metrical  quintals.” 

r “ Many  fine  horses  are  bred  in  its  fruitful  pastures.” — The  best 
saddle  horses  in  France  are  those  of  Limousin.*  They  are  seldom  fit 
for  riding  till  they  are  six  or  seven  years  old  ; but  then  they  are  very 
useful  and  last  a long  time.  Ed.  Encyc. 

* Included  in  the  departments  of  the  Creuse,  the  Correze  and  the  Upper 
Vienne. — P. 

• “ Arrondissement.” 

1 “ It  possesses  several  tanneries,  a foundery,  and  some  manufacto- 
ries of  paper,  and  of  linen  and  woollen  stuffs.” 

“ “ They  manufacture  cloths,  cottons  (colonnades,)  weights  and 
measures,  and  barometers.” 

1 “ Darnac,  a village  of  2000  inhabitants,  contains  an  important  es 
tablishment  for  the  manufacture  of  glass  bottles,  and  another  for  that 
of  pottery.” 

> The  Place  d'  Or  say. 

BOOK  CXL.IY.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


2G5 


of  the  three.  It  might  be  difficult  to  discover  a fourth  pub- 
lic building  at  all  worthy  of  notice.®  Limoges  possesses, 
however,  other  titles  to  celebrity ; it  may  be  sufficient  to 
mention  the  academy ,b  the  royal  college,  the  museum  of  an- 
tiquities and  natural  history,  the  public  library,  the  royal  nur- 
sery, the  gratuitous  schools  of  drawing  and  of  geometry  in  its 
application  to  the  arts,  the  anatomical  school,  the  dispensary, 
the.  lunatic  asylum,  the  society  of  agriculture  and  the  sciences, 
and  what  is  not  perhaps  the  least  useful,  the  society  for  the  relief 
of  prisoners.  At  certain  seasons,  the  town  is  crowded  with 
strangers  and  country  people  who  attend  the  races,  in  which 
the  only  horses  that  are  allowed  to  run,  are  those  bred  in 
the  department  and  nine  others  in  the  neighbourhood  ;c 
much  about  the  same  time,  a cattle  show  takes  place,  and 
prizes  are  awarded  to  those  who  exhibit  the  best  oxen.d 
The  number  of  woollen  manufactories  amounts  to  thirty-two, 
and  there  are  not  fewer  than  eleven  porcelain  works.  The 
distinguished  men  that  the  town  has  produced,  are  the 
carmelite  Honore  de  Sainte  Marie,®  the  author  of  three 
quarto  volumes  on  different  military  orders,  Dorat  the  poet/ 
the  chancellor  D’Aguesseau,  and  Marshal  Jourdan. 

Rntiatum,  a town  which  Ptolemy  mentions,  appears  to 
have  been  built  on  the  site  of  Limoges  ;s  the  Romans  gave 
it  the  name  of  Lemovices , by  which  they  also  designated  the 
ancestors  of  the  present  Limousins.  It  must  have  been  a 
flourishing  city  in  Cassar’s  time,  for  he  says  that  the  territory 
furnished  ten  thousand  men  to  the  confederation  of  the 
Gauls.h  It  was  laid  waste  in  the  fifth  century  by  the  Visi- 
goths; the  English  obtained  possession  of  it  in  1360  by 
virtue  of  the  treaty  of  Bretigny,  but  it  was  restored  nine 
years  afterwards  to  the  kings  of  France.  St.  Leonard,  the 
second  town  in  point  of  importance  in  the  district,1  is  about 
seven  leagues  above  Limoges,  on  the  Vienne;  it  is  encom- 
passed with  agreeable  walks,  and  contains  several  manufac- 
tories, and  at  least  six  thousand  inhabitants. 

Rochechouardk  lies  to  the  west  of  Limoges,  near  the 
frontier  of  the  department ; it  is  built  on  the  declivity  of  a 
hill,  and  commanded  by  an  old  castle,  which  the  English 
besieged  in  vain  during  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Fifth.  The 
present  name  of  the  town  is  derived  from  Rvpcs  Cavardi, 
the  ancient  name  of  the  castle.1  Twelve  burghs  are  situated 
in  the  district  of  which  Rochechouard  is  the  capital;  the 
country  abounds  in  iron  ore  ; several  iron  works  and  manu- 

*  “ Besides  the  church  of  St.  Martial,  remarkable  for  its  lofty  steeple, 
and  which  belonged  to  an  abbey  formerly  venerated  in  the  country,  the 
cathedral,  an  imposing  Gothic  edifice,  and  the  church  of  St.  Martin,  the 
oldest  of  the  three,  Limoges  possesses  no  other  edifice  of  any  impor- 
tance.” 

b “ Academie  universitaire” — academy  of  Limoges. 
c The  departments  of  the  Allier,  the  Cher,  the  Creuse,the  Correze, 
the  Indre,  the  Indre  and  Loire,  the  Nievre,  the  Saone  and  Loire,  and 
the  Vienne. 

d “ Races  are  held  every  year,  in  which  the  horses  of  the  depart- 
ment and  of  nine  neighbouring  departments,  are  competitors;  premi- 
ums are  also  annually  distributed  for  improving  the  breed  of  oxen.” 
e Honore  de  Ste.  Marie,  a barefooted  carmelite,  born  1651.  His 
work  on  military  orders  ( Dissertations  histor.  et  crit.  dcs  Ordres  Mili- 
tai.res,  ou  sur  la  Chevalerie)  was  published  in  1 vol.  4to. ; lie  however 
published  a work  on  ecclesiastical  criticism  ( Reflexions  sur  les  regies 
et  sur  V usage  dela  Critique,  touchant  V Histoire  de  I’Eglise,  les  Ouvrages 
des  Peres,  <fec.)  in  3 vols.  4to.  Beauvais.  Diet.  Histor.  Caen,  1304. — 
The  error  in  the  text  has  probably  arisen  from  falsely  quoting  the 
Encyc.  Method,  art.  Limoges.  “ Honore  de  Ste.  Marie — known  by  his 
historical  dissertations  on  military  orders,  and  by  his  reflections  on  the 
rules  and  uses  of  criticism,  in  three  volumes  4to. — ” — P. 

f John  Dorat,  died  1588,  celebrated  in  his  day  as  a Greek,  Latin 
and  French  poet.  There  have  been  other  poets  of  the  same  name  in 
France.  Claude  Joseph  Dorat,  born  in  Paris  1734,  enjoyed  at  one  time 
no  little  reputation. — P. 

s Limoges  was  originally  called  Augustoritum , and  afterwards  he- 
movices,  from  the  name  of  the  people  that  inhabited  it.  Ratiatum  was 
VOL.  III.— NO.  50  34 


factories  account  for  the  industry  and  comparative  wealth 
of  the  inhabitants.11* *  St.  Junien,  a small  city,  but  more  pop- 
ulous than  the  last,  is  encompassed  with  ramparts ;"  it  rises 
like  an  amphitheatre  on  a hill  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Vienne  and  the  Glanne ; it  has  twelve  cloth  and  two  flannel 
manufactories,  five  paper  mills  and  two  porcelain  works.® 
It  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  horses  and  mules.  The 
district?  of  St.  Yriex/  not  less  industrious  than  that  of 
Rochechouard,  abounds  in  kaolin,  of  which  the  discovery 
made  in  1770  by  Villars,  a druggist  at  Bordeaux,  has 
greatly  increased  the  number  of  porcelain  works  in  France; 
almost  all  of  them  are  supplied  with  that  substance,  as  well 
as  with  petuntse,  from  the  district?  of  St.  Yriex.  The 
town,  although  wealthy,  is  ill  built ; it  owes  its  origin  to  a 
monastery  founded  in  the  sixth  century  in  honour  of  the 
saint  whose  name  it  bears. 

The  Correze  has  its  source,  and  also  its  termination  in 
the  Vezere,  in  a mountainous  department, r ill  provided  with 
good  roads  or  navigable  rivers.  The  inhabitants  fatten  sev- 
eral thousand  oxen  in  winter,  and  send  them  to  Paris  in  the 
spring  of  the  year ; they  supply  besides  the  maritime  towns 
of  Bayonne  and  Bordeaux  with  salt  meat,3  and  furnish  wal- 
nut oil  to  different  departments.  These  products  indicate 
at  least  the  abundance  of  walnut  trees  and  the  richness  of 
the  pastures.  The  country  may  be  divided  into  two  distinct 
regions,  the  one  on  the  south-west,  and  the  other  on  the 
north-east  of  the  road  to  Limoges.1  If  a traveller  ascend 
the  Correze,  he  may  observe  on  the  right  of  the  same  road, 
mountainous  and  sterile  districts  which  occupy  nearly  two 
thirds  of  the  department,  and  which  the  peasantry  call  the 
Montagne ; the  second  or  the  low  country,  as  it  has  been 
termed,  consists  of  cultivated  lands  and  fruitful  vineyards, 
but  it  does  not  produce  enough  of  grain  to  supply  the  con- 
sumption.11 In  the  former,  the  scenery  is  wild  and  romantic, 
and  the  inhabitants  are  thinly  scattered ; in  the  latter  the 
population  is  more  concentrated,  almost  all  the  ground  is 
cultivated,  and  mills’1  are  erected  on  the  different  streams. 

The  road  from  Limoges  traverses  the  small  but  neat 
town  of  Uzercbe,  which  does  not  contain  more  than  two 
thousand  inhabitants ; it  stands  on  the  declivity  of  a hill 
above  the  Vezere ; ail  the  houses  are  covered  with  slates ; 
the  most  of  them  are  flanked  with  turrets/  which  gives  the 
town  a singular  appearance,  and  attests  its  antiquity.  Be- 

a town  of  the  Pictavi,  the  name  of  which  remains  in  that  of  the  coun- 
try of  Retz.  D'Anv.  Encyc.  Method.  Geog.  Anc.  art.  Gallia. — P. 

h Caesar,  de  Bello  Gallieo,  Lib.  VII.  VIII. 

‘ Arrondissement.  k Rochechouart. 

1 Rochechouart  was  called  Rupes  Cavardi,  in  the  Latin  of  the  middle 
ages.  Encyc.  Meth. — P. 

m “ The  arrondissement  of  Rochechouard,  contains  more  than  twelve 
communes,  in  which  there  are  several  important  iron  works  ( usines  et 
forges.)"  “ “ Boulevards.” 

0 “ It  has  12  cloth  and  3 hat  manufactories,  5 paper  mills,  and  also 
manufactories  of  blankets  ( couverturcs ,)  porcelain  and  common  pottery.” 

P “Arrondissement.”  9 St.  Yrieix. 

r Department  of  the  Correze.  s “ Salt  pork.” 

• “ Divided  on  a line  drawn  from  south-east  to  north-west,  by  the 
road  to  Limoges.” 

“ “ The  district  on  the  right,  in  ascending  the  Correze,*  is  the  most 
mountainous,  and  occupies  nearly  two  thirds  of  the  department ; the 
people  of  the  country  call  it  the  Mountain  {Montague ;)  sterile  heaths 
cover  the  greater  part  of  the  surface.  The  second,  called  the  Low 
Country  {pays  has,)  consists  of  cultivated  fields  and  fruitful  vineyards, 
but  without  the  aid  of  the  chestnut  tree,  would  not  furnish  sufficient 
food  to  supply  the  consumption  of  its  inhabitants.” 

* The  north-eastern  district. 

* “ usines” — iron  works.  The  iron  manufacture  is  the  most  impor- 
tant in  the  department.  Peuchet,  p.  130. — P. 

y “ Almost  all  the  houses  are  flanked  with  turrets  and  covered 
with  slates — ” 


266  EUR 

yond  Uzerche,  the  same  road  passes  through  a picturesque 
country,  intersected  with  the  ravines  and  precipices  that  are 
formed  by  the  last  heights  in  the  mountainous  region.  The 
cathedral  of  Tulle  was  built  in  the  ninth  century  ; it  is  chiefly 
remarkable  for  the  height  of  its  tower,  which  can,  however,  be 
seen  from  the  road  only  at  the  distance  of  three  miles.* 
The  town  owes  its  origin  to  a monastery,  that  dates  from 
the  seventh  century,  and  to  the  destruction  of  another  and 
more  ancient  city,  of  which  all  that  now  remains,  are  the 
ruins  of  an  amphitheatre  and  other  buildings  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  walls.b  The  present  city  is  dirty  and  ill 
built ; the  streets  are  crooked  and  narrow,  and  in  many 
places  very  steep.c  There  are  several  paper  mills,  woollen 
manufactories,  distilleries  and  leather  works ; the  inhabitants 
also  carry  on  a trade  in  walnut  oil  and  horses.  Tulle  has 
produced  few  distinguished  men,  and  certainly  none  during 
ihe  last  or  present  century,  but  it  may  perhaps  be  worth 
while  to  mention  Stephen  Baluze,d  who  was  sent  into  exile 
for  having  written  a genealogical  history  of  the  house  of 
Auvergne,  in  which  he  supported  the  claims  of  Cardinal 
Bouillon,  who,  it  was  asserted,  could  not  he  subject  to  the 
king,  because  his  father  was  prince  of  Sedan  before  Tulle 
was  united  to  France.e 

The  Correze,  below  Tulle,  waters  the  neat  town  of 
Brives  la  Gaillarde/  the  birthplace  of  Cardinal  Dubois,  Gen- 
eral Treilhard  and  the  unfortunate  Marshal  Brune.  Luber- 
sac,  about  eight  leagues  north  of  Brives,  contains  three 
thousand  inhabitants ; general  Souham  may  be  mentioned 
among  its  distinguished  townsmen.  Turenne,  at  the  distance 
of  three  leagues  from  the  chief  town  in  the  department, s has 
given  its  name  to  one  of  the  greatest  generals  that  France 
has  produced.11  The  population  does  not  exceed  sixteen 
hundred  individuals  ; the  ruins  of  a castle,  probably  one  of 
the  most  ancient  fortresses  in  France,  are  situated  on  a steep 
rock  that  commands  the  town ; the  largest  tower  in  the 
same  castle  is  about  a hundred  feet  in  height,  and  is  called 
the  Tower  of  Ccesar. 

Few  places  of  any  consequence  can  be  mentioned  in  the 
mountainous  region  ; Ussel,  the  capital  of  a district,'  is  sur- 
rounded by  arid  summits,  and  watered  by  the  Sarsonne, 
over  which  a bold  and  elegant  bridge  has  been  erected 
since  the  revolution.11  Bort1  is  about  five  leagues  to  the 
south-east  of  the  last  town ; it  stands  in  a fine  position  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Dordogne,  and  it  boasts  of  being  the 
birthplace  of  Marmontel.  About  a mile  and  a half  below 
Bort,  the  Rue,  a small  river,  forms  a fine  cascade,  called 
the  Sant  cle  la  Saule.m 

The  different  ramifications  of  the  Cantal11  extend  over  the 
department,  which  bears  the  name  of  the  mountain0 — a noble 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLIV. 

monument  of  the  volcanic  convulsions,  to  which  the  centre 
and  the  south  of  France  were  exposed  at  a period,  when 
the  soil  was  covered  with  the  sea.P  The  sides  of  these 
heights,  formed  by  porphyry,  basalt,  lava,  scoriae  and  pumice, 
are  frequently  beaten  by  violent  winds,  and  the  snow  on 
their  summits  remains  nearly  eight  months  in  the  year. 
Limpid  springs  issuing  from  the  depths  of  the  earth,  give 
birth  to  numerous  rivulets,  which  by  the  cascades  they  form 
in  different  directions,  add  to  the  beauty  of  varied  landscapes. 
The  same  streams,  precipitated  into  the  vallies,  fertilize  the 
pastures  which  they  water,  and  give  rise  to  several  rivers. 
The  northern  declivities  furnish  the  principal  streams 
of  the  Rue,  a feeder  of  the  Dordogne ; the  latter  river 
receives  also  the  Maronne  and  the  Cere,  which  descend 
from  the  western  vallies.  The  eastern  vallies  supply  the 
sources  of  the  Truyere,  which  throws  itself  into  the  Lot, 
and  of  the  Alagnon,  which  runs  in  an  opposite  direction,  and 
is  joined  by  the  Arc.ueil,  before  it  falls  into  the  Allier.  The 
vallies  on  the  south  are  watered  by  different  small  streams 
that  enlarge  the  Truyere.  The  thermal  and  medicinal 
springs  that  issue  from  the  sides  of  the  same  mountains, 
are  considered  salutary  in  different  diseases.  The  vallies 
watered  by  the  streams  and  rivers  which  have  been 
just  enumerated,  are  in  general  fruitful,  but  most  of  the 
grain  that  the  inhabitants  consume,  is  produced  in  the 
Planeze,  a small  plain  watered  by  the  Alagnon  and  the 
Arcueil. 

The  higher  vallies,  the  different  heights,  and  even  the 
summit  of  the  Plomb,‘>  the  latter  the  loftiest  and  the  most 
central  mountain  in  the  group  of  the  Cantal,  abound  in  rich 
pastures  and  meadows  that  are  covered  with  numerous 
herds,  even  with  those  from  the  neighbouring  departments. 
The  oxen  fattened  in  these  pastures  are  sold  in  every  part 
of  F ranee,  while  the  sheep  are  sent  to  the  southern  parts  of 
the  kingdom ; kid  and  goat  skins,  articles  of  commerce  in 
the  country,  are  converted  into  parchment  at  Milhau.r  The 
horses,  although  of  a small  size,  are  strong  and  well  adapted 
for  light  cavalry.  The  people  in  the  Burons  or  cottages 
that  are  scattered  in  different  parts  of  the  pastures,  convert 
their  milk  into  butter  and  into  cheese  of  three  different  qual- 
ities. The  husbandman  cultivates  rye  and  buck-wheat, 
which  constitute  the  principal  food  of  the  peasantry,  flax 
which  rivals  in  fineness  that  of  Flanders,  hemp  which  is 
woven  into  coarse  cloth,  either  employed  in  the  navy,  or 
sold  to  the  Spaniards,  potatoes,  fruits  of  different  kinds, 
particularly  chestnuts,  the  last  of  which  make  up  no  small 
part  of  the  consumption,  and  lastly  some  vineyards,  that 
yield  only  wines  of  inferior  quality.  Copper  kettles  and 
different  culinary  utensils  of  the  same  metal,  together  with 

a “ Half  a league.”  b “ — at  some  distance  from  the  walls.” 

c “ The  town  has  a mean  appearance,  and  consists  of  steep  streets, 
on  the  declivity  of  a hill” — at  the  confluence  of  the  Correze  and  the 
Solanes. — P.  d Etienne  Baluze,  born  1630,  died  1718. 

« Literally — “ who  considered  himself  independent  of  the  king,  be- 
cause he  was  born  of  a prince  of  Sedan  before  that  town  [Sedan]  be- 
longed to  France.” — Emm.  Theod.  de  La  Tour,  Cardinal  of  Bouillon, 
third  son  of  Fred.  Maurice  de  La  Tour,  duke  of  Bouillon  and  prince 
of  Sedan,  was  born  1643.  His  father,  who  had  been  arrested  for  en- 
gaging in  a plot  against  Cardinal  Richelieu,  gained  his  liberty  only  by 
ceding  the  principality  of  Sedan,  of  which  he  was  independent  sove- 
reign, to  Louis  XIII.  in  1642,  consequently  the  year  before  the  birth 
of  Cardinal  Bouillon.  He  however  made  the  cession  on  condition  of 
retaining  the  dignity  of  Prince  of  Sedan.  Having  again  joined  the 
enemies  of  the  king,  he  finally  made  peace  with  him  in  1651,  by  re- 
ceiving in  exchange  for  Sedan,  several  large  estates  in  France,  among 
others,  the  barony  of  La  Tour  and  the  county  of  Auvergne.  This  final 
cession  by  treaty,  in  which  he  resigned  the  dignity  of  prince,  as  well 
as  the  sovereignty  of  the  principality,  explains  the  last  clause  of  the 
original,  which  would  be  obviously  in  contradiction  with  the  first  ces- 

sion  by  compulsion  in  1642.  The  first  clause  of  the  original  is  explain- 
ed by  the  following  circumstance.  The  cardinal,  having  fallen  into 
disgrace  with  Louis  XIV.,  resigned  his  offices  and  quitted  the  kingdom, 
in  doing  which  he  wrote  to  the  king  that  he  resumed  the  liberty  which 
his  birth  and  his  quality  of  foreign  prince  gave  him.  I have  allowed 
the  translation,  altogether  inaccurate  as  it  is,  to  remain  unaltered. — P. 
1 Brive,  Brive  la  Gaillarde. 

s “ Three  leagues  south  of  the  chief  place” — Brives,  the  chief  place 
of  the  arrondissement,  not  Tulle,  the  chief  place  of  the  department. 
Turenne  is  9 miles  S.  of  Brives  and  15  S.  W.  of  Tulle.  Rees'  Cyc. — P. 
b Marshal  Turenne  (Henry  de  La  Tour,  Viscount  of  Turenne.) 

' “ Arrondissement.” 

k “ — over  which  there  is  a bridge,  remarkable  for  the  elegance  and 
boldness  of  its  architecture.” 

1 Bord.  m Willow  Falls. 

n “ The  group  of  the  Cantal.”  0 Department  of  Cantal. 

p “ — when  the  greater  part  of  the  surface  was  covered  by  the  sea 
or  by  lakes  ( d'eaux  marines  on  Jluviatiles) See  the  remarks  on  the 
salt  and  fresh  water  basins  under  the  head  of  the  geology  of  France. — P. 
i Le  Plomb  du  Cantal.  r In  the  department  of  the  Aveyron 

" 

book  cxliy.]  DESCRIPTION 

lace  and  paper,  are  almost  the  only  articles  that  are  made  in 
the  department ; the  coal  pits  are  not  of  much  importance, 
no  other  mines  are  worked  ; thus  for  want  of  employment, 
many  individuals  leave  their  country;  the  most  of  them  fol- 
low the  trade  of  copper-smiths  or  braziers  in  different  parts 
of  France,  in  Spain,  and  even  in  Holland.® 

The  fifteen  hundred  inhabitants  of  Maurs  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  department,11  rear  a great  many  pigs,  and  carry 
on  a considerable  trade  in  bacon.  From  Maurs,  which  is 
situated  at  the  base  of  the  mountains,  the  traveller  can  as- 
cend into  the  high  country,  where  he  may  pass  through 
towns  little  worthy  of  being  examined  in  detail,  and  where 
the  majestic  spectacle  afforded  by  the  remains  of  ancient 
volcanic  eruptions  is  likely  to  reward  him  for  his  labour. 

At  the  extremity  of  the  picturesque  valley  watered  by  the 
Jordanne,  he  may  traverse  the  broad  but  irregular  streets 
of  Aurillac.  The  theatre  has  been  considered  too  large  and 
too  much  ornamented  for  the  capital  of  so  poor  a depart- 
ment ;c  the  town  rests  on  lava,  which  large  lakes  have  cov- 
ered with  thick  strata  of  calcareous  sediment.  The  hippo- 
drome beyond  the  walls  has  been  set  apart  for  horse  races, 
which  take  place  every  year,  from  the  first  to  the  fifteenth 
of  May  inclusive.  It  appears  very  improbable  that  Aurillac 
was  founded  before  the  eighth  century.d  Pope  Gerbert  who 
took  the  title  of  Silvester  the  Second,  Marshal  Noailles,  Pi- 
ganiol  de  la  Force, e and  the  infamous  Carrier  were  born 
within  its  walls.  Basaltic  lava  arranged  in  colonnades  may 
be  observed  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  the  town  ; 
two  mineral  springs  rise  in  the  suburbs,  the  use  of  which  is 
recommended  in  different  diseases. 

It  is  almost  impossible  for  a stranger  to  travel  the  winding 
and  narrow  roads  in  the  department  of  Cantal  without  a 
guide.  Vic  en  Carladez,  a small  town  of  two  thousand 
five  hundred  inhabitants,  called  also  Vic  sur  Cere,  because 
the  Cere  passes  through  it,  is  much  frequented  on  account 
of  its  mineral  waters.  It  is  about  nine  miles  from  Aurillac  ; 
the  women  in  the  intermediate  villages  are  celebrated  not 
only  for  their  beauty  and  fresh  complexions,  but  also  for 
their  graceful  demeanour. 

The  elevation  of  the  Plomb  du  Cantal  is  about  6,036f 
feet ; any  one  who  ascends  it,  may  discover  the  ruins  of  a 
colossal  volcano,  overlaying  a granitic  mass.  St.  Flour  is 
situated  above  the  valley  watered  by  the  Dauzan,  on  the 
summit  of  a basaltic  hill  nearly  three  hundred  feet  in  height. 
The  number  of  inhabitants  does  not  amount  to  more  than 
seven  thousand  ;s  it  is  the  chief  town  in  a district  consisting 
of  eighty-two  burghs  and  villages.1* *  All  the  houses  are 
built  of  lava ; but,  although  the  seat  of  a bishopric,  it  pos- 
sesses no  edifice  of  any  consequence.  It  has,  however,  pro- 
duced two  celebrated  men,  namely,  the  dramatic  poet  Du 
Belloy,  and  the  brave  Desaix  who  fell  at  Marengo.  The 

1 “ The  only  mines  worked  in  the  department,  are  those  of  coal  ;* 
but  many  individuals  annually  leave  the  country,  and  follow  the  trade 
of  braziers  in  other  parts  of  France,  and  also  in  Spain,  and  in  Hol- 
land.” 

* There  are  mines  of  coal,  antimony  and  copper  in  the  department,  and  also 
quarries  of  marble  and  slate.  Peuchet,  p.  131. — P. 

b On  the  right  bank  of  the  Ranee.  M.  B. 

c “ The  theatre  is  very  handsome  (assez  jolie,)  for  so  small  a capital 
of  department.” 

d “ Aurillac  is  supposed  to  have  been  founded  about  the  end  of  the 
eighth  century.” 

e “ Author  of  a description  of  France”  ( Description  histor.  et  geo- 
grapli.  de  la  France , 1715,  5 vols.)  also  of  a description  of  Paris  ( De- 
scription de  la  ville  de  Paris  et  de  ses  environs,  10  vols.) — P. 

1 “ Height  1857  metres.” 

i Population  6,640  (Stat.  Table) — 5687  (Alman.  Royal,  1822.) 


OF  FRANCE.  267 

inhabitants  manufacture  copper  utensils  and  coarse  cloths ; 
they  also  prepare  glue,  and  archil*  for  dying. 

Chaudes-Aigues  rises  in  a deep  defile,  watered  by  a feeder 
of  the  Truyere ; it  was  known  to  the  Romans,  who  gave  it 
the  name  of  Calentes  Aqucc.k  It  does  not  contain  more  than 
two  thousand  individuals,  but  the  thermal  springs,  which  are 
held  in  great  repute,  attract  during  the  summer  season,  a 
number  of  invalids  at  least  equal  to  the  number  of  inhabitants. 
These  springs  issue  from  volcanic  rocks,  and  their  tempera- 
ture varies  from  twenty  to  sixty-five  degrees  of  Reaumur. 
Their  sanative  qualities  are  not  their  only  virtues they  are 
used  in  cooking,  in  washing,  and  in  eveiy  domestic  purpose 
for  which  warm  water  is  required  ; lastly,  they  are  intro- 
duced into  each  house  by  subterranean  pipes,  and  thus  serve 
to  warm  the  lower  rooms  during  winter. 

The  Alagnon  waters  a pleasant  valley  at  the  base  of  the 
Plomb  du  Cantal,  and  near  the  Puy  du  Peroux.  Murat, 
the  chief  town  in  a subprefecture,  stands  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  same  river ; the  men  are  employed  in  making  copper 
utensils,  and  the  women  in  working  lace ; the  latter  occupa- 
tion serves  to  recal  that  sort  of  industry  which  was  first 
introduced  by  Colbert  into  Upper  Auvergne.*** *  The  Puy- 
Mary,  a volcanic  peak,  rises  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Col 
de  Cabre  in  the  district**  of  Mauriac.  The  small  town  of 
Salers  in  the  same  district1*  is  built  on  a current  of  lava  ;°  it 
gives  its  name  to  the  mountains  in  the  neighbourhood,  where 
the  finest  cattle  in  Auvergne  are  reared.  The  mountaineers 
are  said  to  be  quarrelsome  and  prone  to  revolt,  defects 
which  may  be  attributed  to  an  insulated  situation  and  the 
want  of  education. p Mauriac,  a small  town,  is  situated  on 
the  side  of  a basaltic  hill,*i  which  commands  an  extensive 
and  magnificent  view.  In  the  vicinity  are  the  romantic  val- 
ley of  Fontanges,  and  the  water-falls  of  Salins  ; a labyrinth 
of  deep  glens  and  precipitous  rocks  stretches  to  the  banks  of 
the  Rue,  and  exhibits  all  the  variety  of  forms  that  are  to  be 
found  in  volcanic  countries. 

Vallies  watered  by  small  streams  separate  the  group  of 
the  Cantal  from  that  of  Mont-Dor ; the  immense  labyrinth, 
which  they  form,  leads  from  the  department  of  Cantal  tG 
that  of  Puy  de  Dome. 

Having  arrived  above  the  region  of  the  fir,  pastures  cover 
the  sides  of  all  the  mountainsr  which  are  grouped  round  the 
Puy  de  Sancy ; their  bases  form  a plateau  with  a southern 
inclination.  Herds  of  cattle  are  seen  at  distant  intervals, 
and  a few  scattered  cottages  serve  to  vary  a dreary  country, 
in  which  the  traveller  cannot  find  a single  tree  to  shelter 
himself  against  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The  peasantry  who 
inhabit  the  mountains,  repair  to  a Gothic  chapel,  built  in  the 
sixteenth  century  ; great  numbers  perform  a pilgrimage  to  it 
every  year  ;3  on  Sundays  and  other  days,  consecrated  to 
divine  service,  many  mountaineers  meet  at  the  same  place. 

h “ It  is  the  chief  town  of  an  arrondissement  composed  of  82  com- 
munes.” 

■ A dying  material  prepared  from  lichens. — P. 

k The  ancient  and  modern  names  both  signify  thermal  waters. — P. 

1 “ Their  sanative  qualities  are  less  important  than  their  other 
uses.” 

m Murat  is  noted  for  the  manufacture  of  point  lace. — The  manufac- 
ture of  point  lace  was  introduced  into  France  by  Colbert  in  1665.  Sa- 
vary,  Diet.  Comm.  Tom.  i.  p.  101.  Tom.  iii.  art.  Point. — P. 

“ “ Arrondissement.” 

o On  the  right  bank  of  the  Maronne.  M.  B. 

p “ The  inhabitants  of  these  mountains  are  said  to  be  obstinate  and 
quarrelsome  ( mutins  et  querelleurs.)” 

a Between  the  Ouze  and  the  Dordogne.  M.  B. 

r “ Puys” — peaks. 

* “ It  is  celebrated  in  the  country  for  an  annual  pilgrimage.” 


2G8  EUR 

A cottage,  which  has  been  dignified  with  the  name  of  an 
inn,  may  be  seen  near  the  chapel ; it  is  frequented  by  pe- 
destrians in  their  excursions  to  Mont-Dor,  and  by  all  those, 
whether  natives  or  strangers,  who  require  something  strong- 
er than  the  limpid  water  which  flows  from  a neighbouring 
spring.  On  the  approach  of  winter,  the  peasantry  aban- 
don their  mountain  cottages,  the  chapel  is  closed  until 
spring,  and  the  deep  snows  render  the  roads  impassable. 
At  some  distance  from  the  chapel,  is  situated  the  Trou  de 
Soucy,  a natural  excavation  in  the  form  of  a funnel,  about  a 
hundred  feet  in  diameter,  and  terminating  in  a gulf  or  pit  not 
less  than  eighty  feet  in  depth.  The  extent  of  the  cavity 
cannot  be  ascertained,  but  to  judge  from  the  prolonged 
noise  occasioned  by  the  discharge  of  a gun,  it  must  be  con- 
siderable. It  would  be  wrong  to  consider  this  excavation 
as  an  ancient  crater  ; it  may  be  also  remarked  as  the  most 
curious  circumstance  respecting  it,  that  it  is  filled  to  the 
depth  of  at  least  six  feet,  with  limpid  water,  the  tempera- 
ture of  which  too  is  always  much  lower  than  that  of  most 
of  the  springs  in  the  country  ; but  the  phenomenon  may 
be  easily  explained,  from  the  fact  that  the  porous  lava 
which  lines  the  cavity,  promotes  evaporation.  The  coun- 
try people  affirm  that  the  gulf  communicates  with  the  wa- 
ters of  Lake  Pavin,  a lake  which  in  appearance  at  least, 
resembles  a crater.  It  is  situated  at  the  bottom  of  a cir- 
cular cavity,  not  less  than  a hundred  and  twenty  feet  in 
depth.  The  sides  of  the  cavity  are  well  wooded,  and  the 
luxuriance  of  the  vegetation  which  covers  them  may  be 
attributed  to  the  moisture  exhaled  from  the  waters  ; the 
banks  of  the  lake  are  formed  by  the  lava,  which  flowed 
from  the  sides  of  the  Puy  de  Mondial,  a neighbouring 
volcano.  The  black  waters  of  the  lake,  fed  by  no  visible 
spring,  and  continually  discharged  by  an  adjoining  outlet, 
*orm  the  Couse,  a small  river,  which  fertilizes  the  neigh- 
bouring meadows.  A limpid  stream  feeds  the  lake  of 
Mount  Sineyre,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  last,  but 
there  does  not  appear  to  be  any  outlet  to  the  waters  which 
it  continually  receives. 

Few  travellers  visit  the  volcanic  heights*  that  encompass 
Mont-Dor  without  ascending  the  Puy  de  Sancy,  of  which 
the  pyramidal  summit  is  apparent  from  every  part  of  the 
surrounding  country.  The  rocks  that  compose  it,  are  im- 
pressed with  all  the  characters  of  an  igneous  origin  ; the 
groups  of  Mont-Dor  and  the  Cantal  may  be  said  to  attest 
those  great  convulsions  of  nature,  of  which  the  volcanos 
now  in  action  can  furnish  but  an  imperfect  idea.  No  cra- 
ters can  be  seen  ; the  fused  substances,  raised  from  an  im- 
mense depth,  and  forced  through  the  superincumbent 
granite,  exhibited  probably  after  their  consolidation  enor- 
mous and  rugged  masses,  which  the  action  of  the  atmos- 
phere and  of  ages  has  scattered  in  every  direction.  These 
masses,  once  so  awful  from  their  height,  and  imposing 
from  their  extent,  now  present  only  broken  skeletons,  whose 
pointed  peaks  threaten  to  overwhelm  the  vallies  below  them. 
The  eastern  declivities  of  the  Puy  de  Sancy  are  not  very 
precipitous,  and  the  chairmen  in  the  valley  to  which  visit- 
ors resort  on  account  of  the  thermal  baths,  have  frequent- 
ly carried  ladies  to  the  summit.  The  verdant  slopes  are 
covered  with  thick  and  tufted  grass ; a sheet  of  water 
formed  by  all  the  springs  which  descend  from  the  higher 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLIV. 

declivities,  occupies  a small  part  of  a lofty  plain,  where  the 
traveller  rests  before  climbing  the  peak.  It  often  happens 
that  those  who  commence  their  journey  at  day -break,  when 
no  clouds  appear  on  the  mountain,  and  when  they  expect 
to  be  rewarded  for  their  labour  by  a magnificent  and 
extensive  view,  find  themselves  on  reaching  the  summit  of 
the  volcanic  pyramid,  where  a cross  formed  of  the  same 
substance  has  been  erected,  suddenly  involved  in  a dense 
fog  which  prevents  them  from  discovering  even  the  narrow 
path  by  which  they  have  ascended.  The  inscriptions  on 
the  four  sides  of  the  cross  are  then  only  visible  ; from  them 
they  may  learn  that  they  have  ascended  2720  feet,  that 
the  rock  on  which  they  stand,  is  109  feet  higher  than  the 
Plomb  du  Cantal,  1368  higher  than  the  Puy  de  Dome, 
and  6136  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  lastly,  that  they 
have  reached  the  highest  point  in  central  France.  If  the 
sun’s  rays  dissipate  the  clouds  collected  around  them,  they 
may  see  on  one  side  the  romantic  valley  of  Mont-Dor,  and 
beyond  it  an  almost  boundless  horizon,  and  on  the  left,  the 
valley  of  Enfer,  frightful  from  its  depth  and  from  the  rug- 
ged rocks  that  surround  it.  Having  left  the  Pic  de  la 
Croix, b the  traveller  may  wander  through  meadows,  where 
golden  ranunculus  and  potentilla  contrast  with  the  ver- 
dure of  the  other  plants.  Only  a few  scanty  tufts  of  veg- 
etation issue  from  the  crevices  in  the  valley  of  Enfer,0 
and  from  the  steep  rocks'which  border  that  of  La  Cour, 
whilst  in  the  ravines  above  their  frightful  precipices,  the 
snow  remains  even  in  the  month  of  August.  The  view 
from  the  slippery  declivities  on  the  western  side  of  the  val- 
ley/ extends  over  deep  and  sequestered  vallies,  while  the 
cattle  on  the  heights  seem  almost  suspended  from  pastures, 
on  which  man  cannot  walk  without  fear.  The  shepherds 
frequently  drive  a stake  into  the  ground  above  these  preci- 
pices, and  attach  themselves  to  it  by  means  of  a cord  ; 
they  are  thus  enabled  to  mow  the  grass  which  grows  in  al- 
most inaccessible  situations,  but  which  the  wind  too  often 
scatters  before  they  have  time  to  collect  it. 

The  highest  part  of  the  valley  of  Mont-Dor  is  watered 
by  the  small  river  Dor ; it  is  formed  by  a number  of 
streams  collected  on  the  Puy  de  Sancy,  from  which  it  de- 
scends in  cascades  through  a vertical  fissure  in  the  midst 
of  rugged  rocks.  Fir  trees  cover  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tain ; a rapid  stream,  which  the  inhabitants  call  the  Cas- 
cade of  the  Serpent,6  winds  in  the  shade  of  their  dismal 
foliage  on  the  right  of  the  Dor ; it  is  almost  concealed  in 
many  places  by  tufts  of  the  broad-leaved  cacalia  and  the 
blue  flowering  sonchus.  Below  it  and  on  the  same  side  of 
the  valley,  the  waters  of  the  Dogne  fall  from  a height  of 
not  less  than  a hundred  and  sixty  feet ; they  mingle  near 
the  fall  with  the  waters  of  the  Dor,  and  form  the  Dor- 
dogne. The  Capuchin,  a rock  composed  of  porphyritic 
lava,  so  called  because  one  of  its  fragments/  when  seen 
from  a distance,  has  some  resemblance  to  a monk  in  the 
dress  of  that  order,  rises  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river. 
The  village  of  Bains  fronts  the  same  rock ; a walk  lately 
planted  with  trees  leads  from  it  to  the  banks  of  the  Dor- 
dogne, across  which  an  iron  bridge  has  been  erected. 
Since  the  new  baths  were  constructed  on  the  site  of  those 
that  were  built  by  the  Romans,  the  village  has  been  en- 
larged and  embellished,  and  has  now  become  a place  of 

* “ Puys.” 

b The  Peak  of  the  Cross. 

“ Gorge  de  l’Enfer” — ravine  of  Enfer  (Hell.) 

d Valley  of  Mont-Dor. 

• Cascade  du  Serpent. 

1 “ A prism  detached  from  the  mass.” 

book  cxliv.1  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  2C9 


resort  for  strangers  from  the  beginning  of  June  to  the  mid- 
dle of  September.  The  baths  form  a simple  and  at  the 
same  time  a solid  and  elegant  edifice ; they  are  built  of  a 
dark  coloured  lava,  and  covered  with  large  and  thin  stones* 
of  the  same  substance  ; on  the  whole,  they  are  not  unlike 
the  buildings  of  the  Romans.  The  pilasters  and  arcades 
in  front  correspond  well  with  the  columns  and  other  re- 
mains of  an  ancient  monument,  which  probably  formed 
part  of  a temple  that  some  wealthy  Roman  erected  on  the 
square  before  the  new  edifice,  to  commemorate  a cure 
which,  it  was  supposed,  the  waters  had  effected.  The  va- 
ried and  picturesque  sites  in  the  valley  and  neighbourhood 
of  Mont-Dor  are  visited  by  the  strangers  who  frequent  the 
baths ; the  exercise  which  they  take  contributes  perhaps 
as  much  as  the  thermal  springs  to  the  improvement  of  their 
health.  Few  persons  leave  the  country  before  they  have 
seen  Lake  Chambon  in  which  the  river  Couse  has  its 
source.  The  romantic  scenery  near  the  lake,  accords  so 
well  with  the  views  which  Sidonius  Apollinaris  describes 
round  his  house,  that  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that 
its  banks  were  inhabited  by  that  celebrated  prelate  of  Gaul,b 
who  flourished  about  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century.0 

We  may  pass  from  the  valley  of  Mont-Dor  to  different 
places  not  unworthy  of  notice  in  the  district  of  Issoire.** 1 
St.  Nectaire,  a small  burgh  famous  for  its  cheese,  contains 
the  remains  of  several  Roman  baths,  which  serve  to  prove 
its  antiquity.  One  of  the  five  or  six  rivers  in  the  depart- 
ment, called  the  Couse, e traverses  Issoire,  a town  that  was 
founded  before  the  conquest  of  Gaul,  and  to  which  the 
Romans  gave  the  name  of  Issiodurum .f  The  church  ap- 
pears to  be  of  an  architecture  anterior  to  the  Gothic  ; mo- 
saic ornaments  are  observed  on  the  outside,  and  the  twelve 
signs  of  the  Zodiac  are  represented  on  the  walls  ; Virgo 
and  Libra  adorn  the  principal  front.  The  Latin  names  of 
these  signs,  sculptured  in  Roman  characters,  are  proofs 
that  the  church  was  built  at  a very  remote  period  ; the 
choir  rests  on  a subterranean  chapel.  The  town  is  embel- 
lished with  several  broad  and  well  built  streets,  besides 
fountains,  squares,  a fine  public  walk  and  a covered  mar- 
ket place,  built  of  granite.  Issoire  was  the  birthplace  of 
Anthony  Duprat,  chancellor  of  France,  who  after  the  death 
of  his  wife,  entered  into  holy  orders,  and  became  a cardi- 
nal ; he  abolished  the  pragmatic  sanction,  rendered  offices’ 
venal,  increased  the  imposts,  and  lived  long  enough  to  he 
execrated  by  his  countrymen.  Iron  and  coal  mines  are 
worked  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Auzat  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Allier.  More  than  a million  of  bottles  are  made 
every  year  at  the  glass  works  of  La  Combelle  in  the  same 
district.11  Sauxillanges'  contains  about  two  thousand  inhab- 
itants ; they  carry  on  a trade  in  earthen  ware,  saws,  scythes 
and  woollen  stuffs  of  their  own  manufacture. k 

The  Allier,  a broad  but  shallow  river,  winds  through  Li- 

1 “ With  slabs  (dalles.)” 

b Sidonius  Apollinaris  wasbishop  of  Jhigustnnemetum  (Clermont.)— P. 

c See  the  note  at  the  end  of  the  work  by  Doctor  Bertrand,  entitled  : 
Recherches  sur  les  propri&tcs  physiques , chimiques  et  midiciiialcs  des  eaux 
du  Mont-Dor. 

d “ The  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Mont-Dor  comprehends  the  most 
interesting  part  of  the  arrondissement  of  Issoire,  but  the  principal 
towns  in  the  same  arrondissement  are  situated  in  an  eastern  direction 
from  the  mountain.’ 

e Couze. 

1 “ Its  Latin  name  is  Issiodurum”  ( Ixiodurum , Encyc.  Meth.  Geog. 
Mod.  art.  Issoire.) — P. 

e Judicial  offices  (charges  de  judicature.)  Moreri. — Diet.  Hist.  Caen, 
1804.— P. 


magne ; it  is  bordered  on  the  left  by  granite  rocks  which  rise 
perpendicularly  near  the  village  of  St.  Yvoine,  and  threat- 
en to  overwhelm  both  the  boatman  who  steers  his  bark,  and 
the  traveller  who  pursues  his  journey  along  the  road1  on  the 
banks  of  the  river.  The  burgh  of  Vic  le  Comte  is  built  on 
the  right  bank  beyond  the  village  ; it  may  be  mentioned  as 
the  birthplace  of  the  immortal  Lesage.  Billom,"1  a town 
of  five  thousand  inhabitants,  and  supposed  to  be  the  most 
ancient  in  Auvergne,  is  situated  on  an  eminence,  about 
two  leagues  distant  from  the  Allier.  It  may  be  seen  from 
the  summit  of  the  Puy  de  Corent,  a mountain  of  the  abso- 
lute height  of  about  nineteen  hundred  feet,  composed  of 
lime  and  sandstone,  which  were  originally  deposited  by 
the  fresh  waters  that  covered  the  whole  of  Limagne,  and 
crowned  with  lava  and  basalt.  Billom  was  formerly  cel- 
ebrated, and  it  has  again  become  so  of  late  years,  on  ac- 
count of  a college  under  the  direction  of  the  jesuits.  At 
the  time  of  their  expulsion,  a picture  was  found  in  the 
college  church,  of  which  many  engravings  were  afterwards 
sold  in  France;  it  represented  religion  under  the  emblem 
of  a ship  glided  by  the  jesuits.  The  principal  articles 
made  in  the  towTn  are  silks  and  porcelain  of  admirable 
fineness." 

The  road  to  Clermont  passes  along  the  base  of  Gergo- 
via,°  a calcareous  and  volcanic  mountain  ; the  name  serves 
still  to  indicate  the  site  of  the  principal  city  in  the  country 
of  the  Arverni , a city  that  Caesar  besieged  without  success. 
It  was  built  in  a plain  on  the  mountain,?  of  which  the  ab- 
solute height  is  not  less  than  two  thousand  three  hundred 
feet.  The  site  is  accurately  described  in  the  Commenta- 
ries ; the  country  people  have  often  found  there  broken 
amphora,  Roman  medals  and  Gallic  axes.11  The  traveller 
may  form  from  the  same  place  some  notion  of  the  wealth 
and  industry  of  Limagne  ; he  may  see  villages  crowded 
on  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  hills  covered  with  vineyards, 
vallies  shaded  by  fruit  trees,  and  in  the  distance,  the  fer- 
tile plain  that  extends  from  the  banks  of  the  Allier  to  the 
volcanic  summits  that  command  Clermont,  Volvic  and 
Riom.  The  heights  above  the  plain  are  crowned  in  dif- 
ferent directions  with  old  and  dark  castles,  while  the  plain 
itself  is  watered  by  numerous  streams  or  by  canals  cut  by 
the  husbandmen,  and  is  agreeably  diversified  with  mead- 
ows, corn  fields,  orchards  and  plantations  of  poplar  trees. 
Pont  du  Chateau1-  contains  about  three  thousand  inhabit- 
ants ; it  is  situated  near  the  extremity  of  the  plain  on  the 
banks  of  the  Allier,  which  flows  beneath  a modern  bridge, 
and  falls  the  height  of  several  feet  from  an  artificial  em- 
bankment.3 

Clermont  is  built  on  a height  which  cannot  be  said  to 
be  very  lofty,  if  compared  with  the  mountains  that  sur- 
round it.  Ramparts  adorned  with  fine  trees  form  an  en- 
closure round  narrow  and  dismal  streets.4  It  may  be 

b “ Commune.”  ' Sauxilanges. 

k “ They  manufacture  scythes,  saws,  pottery,  and  woollen  stuffs. 

1 “ The  road  cut  in  the  rock.” 
m Billon. 

“ “ Poteries  fines — etoffes  de  nouveautes.” 

° Modern  name,  Gergoviat  (Encyc.  Meth.) 
p “ It  occupied  the  plateau  of  the  mountain” — its  flat  summit. 

<i  The  ancient  Gauls  used  two-edged  battle-axes  (lipennes.) — P. 
r Pont  du  Chatel. 

s “ — which  flows  beneath  a bridge  lately  erected,  and  then  falls 
over  a dam  (digue)  in  a sheet  of  foam  (en  nappe  blanchatre.)” 

* “ Boulevards  planted  with  fine  trees  form  a regular  enclosure 
round  the  town,  which  consists  for  the  most  part  of  narrow  and  gloomy 
streets.” 


270 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLIV. 


urged,  however,  that  the  gloomy  appearance  of  the  town  is 
owing,  in  part  at  least,  to  the  lava  with  which  the  houses 
are  built ; the  inhabitants  cover  them  with  a coat  of  plas- 
ter, but  the  lava  always  resumes  its  sombre  colour.  The 
cathedral  was  commenced  in  the  twelfth  century,  but  it  re- 
mains still  in  an  unfinished  slate  ; the  architecture  is  bold 
and  elegant ; the  greatest  ornaments  in  the  interior  are  the 
finely  painted  windows ; the  white  marble  figures  on  the 
outside  contrast  well  with  the  dark  lava  of  which  it  is  con- 
structed. The  church  of  Notre-Dame  du  Port  is  without 
doubt  a much  more  ancient  building ; lighted  by  arcades 
and  not  by  ogives,  and  loaded  with  inscriptions  in  Roman 
characters,  it  was  in  all  probability  founded  shortly  after 
the  introduction  of  Christianity  in  Gaul. 

The  principal  squares  ( places ) are  very  large,  and  some 
of  them  worthy  of  particular  notice.  That  of  Jaude  forms 
a rectangle,  not  a square  ; a covered  market  is  erected  in 
the  middle  of  it.  A Gothic  fountain  ornamented  with  ara- 
besques rises  in  the  square  of  Champeix,  a large  but  irreg- 
ular quadrangle.  That  of  the  Poternea  is  bordered  by  an 
agreeable  walk,  from  which  the  plains  of  Limagne,  and  the 
summit  of  the  Puy  de  Dome  may  be  distinctly  seen.  A 
fountain  in  the  form  of  an  obelisk  has  been  erected  to  the 
memory  of  Desaix,  at  the  extremity  of  that  of  Taureau. 
The  ancient  college,  a very  elegant  building,  is  situated  at 
no  great  distance  from  the  last  monument ; large  halls  are 
set  apart  for  public  schools  of  drawing,  mineralogy  and 
natural  history  ; it  contains  besides  a valuable  collection 
of  casts  from  the  finest  ancient  statues,  and  of  different  ar- 
ticles in  the  three  natural  kingdoms,  among  others,  the  best 
mineralogical  specimens  of  the  department.  Other  apart- 
ments are  reserved  for  the  academical  society  and  for  a 
library  of  twenty  thousand  volumes.b  A white  marble 
statue  of  Pascal,  certainly  the  most  illustrious  man  that 
Clermont  has  produced,  has  been  placed  in  the  library. 
A large  and  valuable  botanical  garden  is  connected  with 
the  college.' 

The  fountain  of  St.  Allyre,  in  one  of  the  suburbs  of  Cler- 
mont, is  considered  by  the  inhabitants  the  greatest  wonder 
in  the  place,  and  guides  are  ever  ready  to  show  it  to  stran- 
gers. It  is  a ferruginous  spring,  abundantly  impregnated 
with  carbonate  of  lime  ; it  supplies  baths,  the  use  of  which 
medical  men  consider  beneficial  in  some  complaints.  The 
transparency  of  the  water  does  not  indicate  the  ingredients 
that  compose  it,  for  in  that  respect  it  may  vie  with  the  pur- 
est crystal.  Diverted  into  small  buildings,  where  it  is  made 
to  fall  in  minute  particles'* 1  on  different  objects,  such  as  flow- 
ers, fruits,  branches  of  trees,  and  stuffed  animals  of  the 
largest  or  smallest  size,  it  covers  them  with  so  fine  a cal- 

a Square  of  t he  Postern  gate. 

b “ 15,000  volumes.” 

c Clermont  has  a fine  college,  and  a literary  society  founded  in  1741. 
(Encyc.  Meth.) — In  the  organization  of  public  instruction  in  France, 
Clermont  has  an  academy,  and  a royal  college.  (Alman.  Royal,  1822.) 

d “ In  a fine  spray.” 

e In  one  of  the  halls  of  the  bathing  establishment.  M.  B. 

( The  waters  of  the  spring  have  formed  a wall  more  than  140  paces 
long,  and  in  some  places  15  or  20  feet  high,  with  a small  bridge,  under 
which  flows  the  Tiretaine.  Encyc.  Meth. — P. 

s — “ a bridge,  similar  to  the  preceding,  over  the  rivulet  into  which 
it  falls.” 

h “ Its  manufactories  and  its  tanneries  are  of  little  importance  ; it 
is  however  noted  for  its  preserves  ( pdtes  de  fruits.)” — The  principal 
manufactures  of  Clermont  are  fine  ratcens,  coarse  serges,  druggets,  lin- 
en cloth,  ribbands,  silk  stockings,  candles  and  paper.  Its  preserved 
apricots  have  long  been  celebrated.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — It  carries  on  a 


careous  sediment  as  to  give  them  the  appearance  of  petri- 
factions without  changing  their  forms.  These  articles  are 
collected"  and  sold  to  strangers,  many  of  whom,  while  ob- 
serving the  manner  in  which  the  calcareous  molecules  are 
disengaged  from  the  waters,  erroneously  believe  that  they 
can  discover  in  this  mechanical  operation,  the  phenomena 
of  petrifaction.  The  spring  of  St.  Allyre  has  made  for  it- 
self a calcareous  embankment  that  terminates  in  an  irregu- 
lar arch,  under  which  flows  a small  rivulet/  The  natural 
bridge  and  embankment  are  formed  by  the  sediment  which 
the  waters  deposited  around  the  plants  that  grew  in  their 
course.  The  calcareous  sediment  thus  deposited  extends 
over  a space  about  two  hundred  and  thirty  feet  in  length , 
a branch  of  the  same  spring  forms  at  present  other  works 
of  the  same  kind,®  and  as  the  length  gained  every  year 
does  not  exceed  four  inches,  it  follows  that  a period  of  sev- 
en hundred  years  must  have  elapsed  before  the  bridge  and 
embankment  which  are  now  seen,  were  completed. 

Clermont  is  not  a manufacturing  town ; it  possesses  but 
few  manufactories  or  works  of  any  kind.1*  It  may  be  con- 
sidered however  an  important  depot  for  the  neighbouring 
departments,  and  even  for  Bordeaux,  Lyons  and  Paris. 
The  people  in  Auvergne  believe  it  to  be  a town  of  great 
antiquity ; the  ancient  name  of  Nemetum  renders  their 
opinion  not  improbable,  but  if  it  existed  at  the  time  that 
Cresar  laid  siege  to  Gergovia,  it  must  have  been  a place 
of  little  importance,  for  it  is  not  mentioned  by  the  Roman 
general.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  it  was  enlarged  and  em- 
bellished by  Augustus ; indeed  to  perpetuate  the  recollec- 
tion of  the  emperor’s  munificence,  it  was  called  Augusto- 
JVemetum / It  retained  its  senate  and  magistrates  until 
the  seventh  century  ; the  present  name  of  the  town  appears 
to  have  been  derived  from  that  of  an  ancient  castle  on  a 
neighbouring  height ; it  is  certain  at  least  that  both  the 
one  and  the  other  were  called  Clarus  J\lons.k 

The  Puy  de  Crouelle,  Mount  Rognon  and  various  oth- 
er mountains,  the  product  of  volcanic  fires,  seem  like  so 
many  low  hills  from  the  lofty  ramparts’  of  Clermont,  but 
they  appear  very  different  from  the  plain  below  the  town ; 
the  first  rises  to  the  height  of  more  than  three  hundred 
feet  above  the  highest  part  of  the  town  ; the  inclination  of 
the  alternate  calcareous  and  basaltic  strata  towards  its  cen- 
tre, may  be  considered  the  traces  of  the  subterranean 
shocks  by  which  it  was  raised."1  The  basaltic  cone  on  the 
second  has  been  ascertained  to  be  at  least  eight  hundred 
feet  above  its  base,  and,  like  many  other  heights  in  the 
same  country,  it  is  crowned  with  the  ruins  of  an  ancient 
building."  Mont-Ferrand  has  been  called  a suburb  of 
Clermont,  although  it  is  about  a mile  and  a half  distant 

great  trade  in  preserved  apricots  and  apples  ( pates  d'abricots  et  de 
pommes.)  Savary. — P. 

‘ Augustonemetum,  D’Anv. 

k “ The  ancient  city  was  embellished  by  Augustus,  in  gratitude  for 
which  it  took  the  name  of  Augusto-JVemetum.  It  retained  its  senate 
until  the  7th  century,  and  finally  took  its  present  name  from  a castle 
which  commanded  it,  and  which  gave  to  its  mountain  the  name  of 
Clarus  Mons.” — Clermont  is  situated  on  a small  eminence  at  the  foot 
of  a lofly  mountain.  Ed.  Encyc. — The  modern  Latin  names  of  Cler- 
mont are  Claromons  and  Claromontum.  Encyc.  Meth. — P. 

1 “ Boulevards.” 

m “ The  first  exhibits  on  a height  of  nearly  300  feet  above  the  plain, 
traces  of  its  elevation  from  beneath  ( soulerement ) in  the  inclination  of 
its  alternately  calcareous  and  volcanic  strata  towards  its  centre.” 

“ “ The  second,  which  rises  to  the  height  of  more  than  800  feet 
above  its  base,  presents  a basaltic  cone,  crowned  like  many  others  in 
the  country,  with  the  ruins  of  a castle  constructed  of  its  prisms.” 


book  cxliv.]  DESCRIPTION 

from  the  walls  f it  consists  of  dark  Gothic  houses,  that  are 
crowded  on  an  inclined  plain.  A country  different  from 
that  which  has  been  last  described,  extends  in  an  opposite 
direction. 

The  oldest  building  in  the  burgh  of  Chamaillereb  is  a 
church  that  was  built  in  the  fourth  century  ;c  there  are  be- 
sides six  paper  mills  that  are  put  in  motion  by  the  Fonta- 
nat,  which  waters  a romantic  valley.  Old  walnut  trees 
display  their  thick  foliage,  while  the  broad-leaved  ivy 
clings  round  their  trunks ; vines  appear  suspended  above 
a road  that  follows  the  windings  of  a limpid  stream  ; gran- 
ite mountains  support  two  immense  currents  of  lava  and 
masses  of  scoria; ; and  excavations  similar  to  those  at  Poz- 
zuoli  exhale  carbonic  acid.  A thermal  spring  whose  wa- 
ters are  acidulated  and  ferruginous,  was  perhaps  not  un- 
known to  Caesar,  at  all  events  it  hears  his  name  ;d  in  the 
grotto  of  Royat,  another  spring  issues  from  volcanic  rocks 
by  seven  outlets,  and  forms  as  many  cascades ; in  short 
the  whole  valley  may  remind  an  Italian  of  the  finest  sites 
in  his  country.  The  Puy-Chateix,  so  called  from  a cas- 
tle which  was  built  by  the  dauphins  of  Auvergne,  rises 
above  the  village  and  grotto  of  Royat.  The  mineralogist 
may  find  near  its  summit,  in  the  veins  that  run  through  the 
granite,  beautiful  specimens  of  sulphate  of  barytes ; the 
botanist  may  discover  several  rare  plants  and  lichens  of 
the  finest  colours.  Those  who  have  neglected  the  previous 
study  requisite  for  the  enjoyment  of  scientific  researches, 
may  accept  the  invitation  of  the  villagers,  who  are  ready  to 
show  strangers  the  Granaries  of  Ccesar.  It  is  thus  that 
they  call  a ruin  on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  where  travellers 
have  seen  rye,  wheat  and  other  grain  slightly  carbonized,® 
in  all  probability  the  effect  of  a fire  by  which  the  granaries 
of  the  ancient  castle  were  destroyed. 

An  author  of  some  celebrityf  affirms  that  the  Puy  de 
Dome  is  not  a mountain ; but  what  other  name  can  be 
given  to  an  eminence  which  commands  all  the  volcanic 
summits  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Clermont,  and  of  which 
the  absolute  elevation  is  not  less  than  4500  feet,  and  the 
height  above  the  base  2200.  It  is  by  no  means  unlikely 
that  the  writers  who  describe  the  crater  of  the  Puy  de 
Dome,  have  never  ascended  it.®  This  mountain,  which 
may  be  regarded  as  an  ancient  monument  of  subterranean 
convulsions,  was  probably  raised  from  the  depths  of  the 
earth  through  a crater,  the  orifice  of  which  it  has  covered 
with  its  own  mass.  The  ancients  called  it  Podium  Du- 
mense;  it  is  composed  of  a spungy  rock  through  which 
are  disseminated  ferruginous  laminae  of  dazzling  lustre.'1 
The  same  rock  is  of  igneous  origin,  and  known  by  the 
name  of  domite,  the  type  of  other  analogous  substances. 

OF  FRANCE.  271 

Long  and  thick  grass  extends  from  the  base  to  the  summit, 
where  a small  excavation,  the  only  remains  of  an  ancient 
hermitage  and  chapel,  has  been  dignified  with  the  name 
of  a crater,  although  it  is  deemed  inaccurate  to  call  the 
Puy  de  Dome  a mountain.  The  view  from  the  summit 
loses  in  richness  what  it  gains  in  extent ; no  near  oi  well- 
defined  objects  form  a shade  to  a succession  of  airy  dis- 
tances ; the  sixty  volcanos  that  form  a long  line  from  its 
base,  might  almost  be  compared  to  so  many  mole-hills  in 
a field.  The  Puy  de  Nadailhat,  which  rises  to  the  height 
of  two  thousand  feet  above  the  plain,  has  vomited  from  its 
sides  an  immense  mass  of  lava,  called  the  Serre,  occupy- 
ing on  a considerable  breadth,  an  extent  of  nearly  three 
leagues.  The  Puy  de  Pariou,  which  rises  near  the  base 
of  the  Puy  de  Dome,  is  remarkable  for  a regular  and  well 
preserved  crater,  about  960  feet  in  diameter  and  280  in 
depth  ; the  mountain  itself  is  not  less  than  five  hundred 
feet  higher  than  the  last ; still  both  of  them  appear  very 
insignificant  from  the  Puy  de  Dome. 

The  white  summits  of  the  Great  Sarcouy  and  the  Puy 
Chopine  on  the  north  of  the  mountains  last  mentioned,  indi- 
cate a different  origin  from  that  of  the  neighbouring  heights. 
In  the  first,  the  same  porous  substance  may  be  discovered,  as 
that  which  composes  the  Puy  de  Dome,  and  the  name  of 
the  mountain  still  serves  to  indicate  the  use  to  which  the 
rock  was  applied  by  the  ancients ; several  unfinished  sar- 
cophagi have  been  found  in  the  caverns  dug  by  the  Ro- 
mans ; it  is  certain  they  were  considered  valuable  by  the 
same  people  from  the  property  they  possessed  of  drying 
speedily  dead  bodies  by  absorbing  the  humid  particles. 
The  second  attests  the  convulsions  by  which  the  neighbour- 
ing conical  masses  were  raised,  masses  composed  of  dif- 
ferent sorts  of  domites,  granite  and  basaltic  rocks.1  The 
district11  of  Riom  extends  to  the  north  of  these  mountains ; 
Pont-Gibaud,1  one  of  the  places  in  the  district,14  has  been 
called  a town,  although  the  population  does  not  exceed 
eight  hundred  individuals  ; it  possesses  a fine  fountain,  min- 
eral springs,  several  corn  mills  and  hydraulic  saws  ; the  in- 
habitants have  lately  begun  to  work  argentiferous  lead 
mines  in  the  neighbourhood.111 

Low  woods  cover  the  base  of  the  Puy  de  Nugere,  and 
in  many  places  thorns  and  nut  trees  conceal  the  vegetable 
mould  formed  by  the  decomposition  of  scoria;  the  same 
Puy  has  vomited11  from  its  inclined  crater  two  currents  of 
lava,  which  extend  in  different  directions  to  the  distance 
of  3600  yards,  and  meet  below  Volvic.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  burgh  had  long  used  these  volcanic  materials  for 
building  and  other  purposes ; but  the  same  sort  of  indus- 
try was  not  long  since  much  extended  by  the  ingenious  M. 

a Montferrand,  at  the  distance  of  a quarter  of  a league  from  Cler- 
mont (half  a league,  M.  B.,)  forms  with  it  a single  municipality,  by  the 
name  of  Clermont-Ferrand.  Encyc.  Meth.  1784. — P. 
b Chamalieres.  (Vosgien.) 

c “ Tlie  small  town  ( bourg ) of  Chamaillere  contains  a church  built 
in  the  fourth  century.” 

d — “ known  to  Caesar,  whose  name  it  still  bears.” 
e “ It  is  thus  that  they  call  an  cboulemcnt  (mass  of  debris  or  shingle) 
which  covers  the  side  of  the  mountain,  and  in  which  may  be  found 
grains  of  rye  and  wheat,  slightly  carbonized.” 

f M.  Blanqui,  in  his  Account  of  a Journey  to  the  South  of  France 
( Relation  d'un  voyage  au  midi  de  la  France.)  He  makes  the  absolute 
elevation  equal  to  5000  feet. 

s Besides  the  work  last  mentioned,  see  also  that  entitled  : L'Ermite 
in  province,  tome  viii.  p.  328. 

h Laminae  of  specular  iron  (Daubeny.) — Domite  is  a trachytic  rock 
consisting  of  an  aggregation  of  imperfect  microscopic  crystals  of  glassy 
felspar,  with  several  other  minerals  imbedded,  among  which  are  spec- 
ular and  titaniferous  iron  in  dispersed  grains,  blade-shaped  laminae  or 

regular  octohedrons.  Scrope  on  the  Geology  of  Central  France,  p. 
51.— P. 

1 “ The  second,  attesting  the  elevation  ( soulevcment ) of  those  conic 
masses  without  craters  of  which  it  is  an  example,  exhibits  a mixture 
of  different  varieties  of  domite,  granite  and  basalt.” — The  Puy  Cho- 
pine consists  of  a mass  of  primitive  rocks  showing  signs  of  great  dis- 
turbance, included  between  a bed  of  domite  on  one  side  and  basalt  on 
the  other.  Scrope’s  Geol.  of  Cent.  France,  p.  70. — P. 
k “ Arrondissement.” 

1 Pont-Gibaut. 

m “ It  possesses  a fine  mineral  spring  ( fontaine  d’eauz  minerales,)  an 
excellent  flour  mill,  and  several  saw  mills  (scicries  hydrauliqitcs ;)  it 
has  the  prospect  of  deriving  great  advantage  from  a mine  of  argen- 
tiferous lead  in  the  neighbourhood.” 

n “The  Puy  de  Nugere,  the  base  of  which  ie  covered  by  a small 
wood,  in  which  oaks  and  brambles  contend  with  the  hazelnut  tree  for 
the  layer  of  vegetable  earth  formed  by  the  decomposition  of  its  scorite 
has  vomited” — 

EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLIV 


272 


Chabrol.  A school  of  drawing  and  sculpture  was  found- 
ed, casts  of  ancient  figures  were  collected,  the  method  of 
mutual  instruction  was  introduced,  and  village  lads  soon 
became  draughtsmen  and  sculptors.  Different  machines' 
moved  by  water  were  also  erected,  and  three  times  the 
number  of  hands  were  employed  in  extracting  the  lava.  A 
ready  market  was  found  for  the  different  products  in  Par- 
is, and  the  lava,  which  had  been  before  only  used  in  build- 
ing houses  or  in  paving  streets,  is  now  changed  by  means 
of  the  lathe  into  columns,  and  by  the  chisel  into  elegant 
capitals  ; it  serves  also  to  multiply  the  master-works  of  an- 
tiquity, and  is  converted  into  cippi  and  funeral  monuments  ; 
its  sombre  colour,  its  solidity,  and  its  texture  not  affected 
by  the  atmosphere,  render  it  more  valuable  for  the  last 
purpose  than  marble  or  even  granite.  It  would  not  be 
easy  to  calculate  the  advantages  that  might  accrue  to  the 
department,  from  the  trade  in  these  articles  of  luxury  and 
utility,  if  canals  made  to  communicate  with  the  rivers  that 
descend  towards  the  capital,  gave  greater  facility  to  their 
conveyance,  for  in  the  present  state  of  communication, 
they  are  quadrupled  in  price  by  the  mere  expense  of 
transport. 

The  importance  of  Riom  may  be  attributed  to  its  courts 
of  law,  and  to  the  litigious  propensities  of  the  people  in 
Auvergne  ; at  all  events,  industry  is  at  a low  ebb,  and  the 
trade  of  the  place  is  almost  confined  to  articles  of  primary 
necessity.  The  town,  which  is  well  enough  built,  and  wa- 
tered by  several  fountains,  stands  on  a hill  above  the  Am- 
bene  ; it  is  separated  from  its  suburbs  by  ramparts  and  for- 
tifications.* 1' It  might  be  attended  with  advantage  to  the 
department  if  the  courts  of  justice  were  transferred  to 
Clermont.0  The  tribunal,  the  holy  chapel  and  the  prison, d 
the  latter  a large  and  well-aired  edifice,  are  the  finest 
buildings.  Riom  has  produced  several  distinguished  men, 
Out  none  more  so  than  Gregory  of  Tours.  Although  there 
is  only  one  long  and  broad  street  in  Aigue-Perse,6  the 
population  amounts  to  five  thousand  inhabitants  ; the  neigh- 
bouring country  abounds  in  picturesque  scenery,  and  that 
circumstance  together  with  its  mineral  springs  may  account 
for  it  being  a place  of  resort  in  the  fine  season.  Two  cel- 
ebrated men,  the  chancellor  De  L’Hopital  and  the  poet 
Delille,  were  born  in  the  town. 

The  impulse  that  a canal  and  good  roads  might  give  to 
the  commerce  and  consequently  to  the  wealth  of  the  de- 
partment, may  be  estimated,  in  some  degree  at  least,  by 
the  industry  observable  along  the  course  of  the  Dore  and 
the  Allier,  and  on  the  road  lately  opened  to  Lyons,  in  the 
district1  of  Thiers.  The  town  of  the  same  name,  enclosed 
on  all  sides  by  a wild  and  romantic  country,  consists  of 

s A turning-mill  {tour.) 

b — “ by  well  planted  boulevards.” 

c “ It  is  the  seat  of  a royal  court,  which  ought  rather  to  be  located 
at  Clermont.” 

d “ The  hall  of  justice,*  the  holy  chapel,  t and  the  central  prison!” — 

* Palais,  so  called,  either  in  imitation  of  that  at  Paris,  which  was  originally 
a royal  palace,  and  was  ceded  to  the  parliament  and  different  tribunals  by 
Louis  X.,  or  because  it  was  itself  originally  cither  a house  of  the  king  or  of 
some  noble,  or  simply  because  justice  was  there  rendered  in  the  name  of  the 
king. — P. 

t La  Sainte  Chapelle,  a church  so  called,  founded  by  John,  duke  of  Berry, 
in  the  15th  cent. — P. 

1 Maison  centrale  de  detention — See  note  d p.  931. 

• Lat.  Aqua  Sparsa. — P. 

f “ Arrondissement.” 

s “ It  has  carried  on  the  manufacture  of  coarse  cutlery  for  three 

hundred  years.” 

h “ The  manufacture  of  paper  dates  from  a period  almost  equally  re- 


singularly  painted  but  not  inelegant  houses.  The  inhabit- 
ants have  carried  on  a trade  in  hardware  and  coarse  cut- 
lery during  three  hundred  years, s and  the  same  sort  of  in- 
dustry furnishes  employment  at  present  to  more  than  twen- 
ty thousand  persons  in  the  town  and  neighbouring  hamlets. 
The  paper  made  in  the  same  place  dates  from  a period 
almost  as  remote,  but  in  consequence  of  the  improvements 
that  have  been  successively  introduced,  the  quantity  now 
manufactured  is  much  greater,  and  the  quality  much  finer.h 
Ten  or  twelve  other  works  are  in  an  equally  prosperous 
state,'  and  it  may  be  added  that  the  Durolle,  the  great 
mover  of  all  its  manufacturing  establishments,  is  only  a 
small  stream  that  rushes  through  a narrow  ravine.  The 
villagek  of  St.  Remy  participates  with  Thiers  in  the  same 
kind  of  industry  ; it  carries  on  a trade  in  cutlery  and  hard- 
ware goods,1  and  contains  nearly  four  thousand  inhabitants. 
The  fir  trees  cut  on  the  neighbouring  heights, m are  divided 
into  planks  by  means  of  hydraulic  saws,  at  the  burgh  of 
Puy-Guillaume  on  the  banks  of  the  Dore.  Maringues  rises 
on  the  Morge,  not  far  from  the  Allier ; many  of  the  in- 
habitants are  employed  in  dressing  chamois  and  kid  skins.” 
Courpierre,0  the  chief  town  in  an  agricultural  district,11  con- 
tains about  three  thousand  individuals  ; one  or  two  mills 
have  been  built  in  it  for  the  purpose  ot  grinding  bones,1 1 
which  are  afterwards  used  as  a manure. 

The  district'  of  Ambert,  although  not  so  favourably  situ- 
ated as  the  last,  is  still  very  important  on  account  of  its  in- 
dustry. The  best  cheeses  in  Auvergne  are  exported  from 
the  town,  which  gives  name  to  the  district  ;r  the  stream 
which  traverses  it,  and  which  throws  itself  into  the  Dore, 
puts  in  motion  more  than  sixty  paper  mills  and  different 
works.3 * *  Arlant1  is  situated  above  Ambert  in  a pleasant 
valley  on  the  banks  of  the  Dolore  ; the  principal  manufac- 
tures are  lace  and  ribbons ; Marsac  and  Viverols  carry  on 
a trade  in  articles  of  the  same  sort."  Mines  of  argentifer- 
ous lead  are  worked  with  profit  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
St.  Amans-Roche-Savine  :x  lastly,  the  burghs  of  Oliergues 
and  CunlhaO  export  the  same  products2  as  Ambert. 

All  those  who  have  visited  the  department,  agree  that  its 
commerce  and  resources  might  be  greatly  increased  ; to 
judge  from  the  antimony,  lead  and  coal  mines,  considera- 
ble wealth  might  be  extracted  from  the  depths  of  the  earth. 
The  fruitful  soil  of  Limagne  might  be  covered  with  the 
richest  harvests,  if  the  prejudices  of  the  peasantry  were 
not  opposed  to  every  improvement.  The  rich  meadows 
of  Mont-Dor,  and  the  fine  pastures  that  cover  all  the  sides 
of  the  volcanic  Puys,  are  admirably  adapted  for  rearing 
cattle  ; but  at  present  the  breeds  are  of  an  inferior  kind, 
and  require  to  be  improved  by  introducing  oxen  from 

mote,  and  the  numerous  improvements  which  have  been  introduced, 
have  served  to  maintain  its  reputation.” 

* “ Ten  or  twelve  tanneries  are  equally  prosperous.” 
k Small  town  ( bourg ) and  capital  of  a canton.  (Vosgien.) 

1 “ It  also  manufactures  cutlery.” 

m“  On  the  mountains  to  the  N.  W.  of  Thiers.” 

n “ In  preparing  shammy  (chamoiscrie .)” 

0 Courpiere,  Courpieres.  p “Canton. 

<i  “ It  contains  a mill  for  grinding  bones.” 

r “ Arrondissement.”  _ . . 

» “ — more  than  60  paper  mills,  besides  manufactories  of  tammies, 
cords  and  woollen  garters  ( d'itamines , de  lacets  et  de  ■‘arretiires  de 
laine.)” 

1 Arlanc.  _ . 

u “ — are  engaged  in  the  same  kind  of  industry.” 

1 St.  Ainand-Roche-Savine. 
y Cunlhac. 

z “ are  engaged  in  the  same  manufactures.” 


L 


BOOK  CXLIV.] 

Switzerland,  and  sheep  from  Spain.  The  wretched  con- 
dition of  the  people  in  the  rural  districts  may  be  readily 
inferred  from  the  following  remarks.  A peasant,  encum- 
bered with  unwieldy  wooden  shoes,  may  be  seen  holding  a 
long  goad  in  his  right  hand,  and  driving  oxen  attached  to  a 
wooden  cart,  of  which  the  wheels  without  iron  make  the 
air  resound  with  the  shrill  and  disagreeable  noise  produced 
by  the  friction  on  the  axle-tree.  The  ancient  araire , a 
very  clumsy  plough, a is  still  used  in  the  fields  ; the  plough- 
man stops  his  oxen  by  repeating  the  Latin  words,  sta  bos, 
words  introduced  by  Roman  masters,  from  whom  they 
have  been  handed  down  to  men  ignorant  of  their  meaning. 
The  cottages  of  the  peasantry  proclaim  their  poverty  ; the 
windows  do  not  admit  sufficient  light,  and  the  doors,  and 
even  the  walls,  hardly  afford  shelter  against  the  blast.  The 
labourer  is  seen  in  his  wretched  dwelling,  borne  down  by 
want  and  toil  ; his  principal  food  is  cheese  or  milk,  which 

a “ A nlnuirh  without  wheels.” 

VOL.  III.— NO.  50  85 


273 

cannot  be  of  a very  good  quality,  for  the  cows  are  ill-fed, 
and  they  are  used  in  common  with  oxen  in  the  plough. 
But  the  people  are  laborious  and  worthy  of  a better  fate  ; 
the  country-women,  who  carry  on  their  heads  the  provisions 
which  they  sell  in  the  towns,  are  generally  employed  in 
knitting  stockings,  or  in  turning  the  spindle,  as  tiiey  go  to 
market.  It  is  not  uncommon  for  the  peasants  in  their 
leisure  hours  to  carry  sackfuls  of  earth  to  places  difficult 
of  access,  and  which  the  kindness  of  the  proprietor  allows 
them  to  cultivate.1*  They  are  degraded  by  the  prejudices 
which  prevailed  throughout  France  about  three  centuries 
ago,  and  by  ignorance,  not  of  their  duties,  for  they  are 
honest  and  upright,  but  of  whatever  regards  their  comfort 
and  welfare  ; it  may  be  truly  said  that  more  knowledge 
and  less  superstition  might  enable  them  to  enjoy  the  bless- 
ings, of  which  their  laborious  perseverance  renders  them 
not  unworthy. 

b “ The  peasants  carry  earth  in  baskets  to  almost  inaccessible 
places,  and  thus  render  them  proper  for  cultivation.” 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


- 


[BOOK  CXI/V 


274  EUROPE. 


BOOK  CXLV. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — France. — Fourth  Section. — Eastern 
Region. 

Lyonnais,  Burgundy,  Franche-Comte  and  Alsace  make 
up  the  eastern  region.  The  inhabitants  are  more  enlight- 
ened and  more  wealthy  than  those  in  the  central  depart- 
ments ; the  relative  population  is  also  greater.  The  su- 
perficial extent  is  equal  to  2960  square  leagues,  and  the 
number  of  individuals  to  4,192,000;  consequently  the 
mean  number  in  every  square  league  is  equal  to  141 6.a 
The  mountains  of  Forez  separate  the  two  regions;  in  the 
one  the  people  are  comparatively  ignorant,  poor  and 
wretched  ; in  the  other  they  are  well  informed,  industrious 
and  happy  : how  happens  it  that  such  differences  exist  in 
a country,  of  which  all  the  inhabitants  enjoy  the  same  rights 
and  privileges,  and  are  governed  by  the  same  laws  ? They 
may  be  accounted  for  by  many  concurring  causes,  but  the 
facility  of  communications  is  perhaps  the  most  effectual  of 
any.  The  region  we  are  about  to  enter  is  better  provided 
with  roads,  navigable  rivers  and  canals* 1 * * * *’  than  any  other  that 
has  been  yet  described,  and  it  possesses  no  other  advan- 
tage which  exerts  a greater  influence  on  the  industry  of 
the  inhabitants,  or  contributes  more  to  improvements  of 
every  kind. 

The  department  of  the  Loire  is  traversed  from  the 
southern  to  the  northern  extremity  by  the  river  of  the  same 
name,  which  flows  between  two  chains  of  mountains,  con- 
sisting partly  of  granite  and  partly  of  sandstone  and  lime- 
stone,0 and  which  waters  a country  of  little  fertility,  as  the 
insufficiency  of  its  harvests  attests ; the  department  how- 
ever contains  valuable  mines  of  iron  and  lead,  and  the  rich- 

a 1416.216  nearly. — P. 

b “ Roads  ( routes ) of  different  classes,  common  highways  ( chemins 
communaux,  roads  passing  from  one  commune  to  another  or  for  the  use 
of  a particular  commune,)*  several  considerable  secondary  rivers 
(rivibres — navigable  branches,)  two  large  primary  rivers  (fleuves — the 
Rhone  and  the  Rhine,)  and  many  canalst” 

* In  1809,  the  roads  of  France  were  classed  as  follows  : viz.  1.  great  roads 
( grandes  routes)  passing  from  one  frontier  of  the  empire  to  another  through 
Paris;  2.  roads  I routes ) passing  from  one  frontier  to  another,  but  not  through 
Paris;  3.  roads  (routes)  connecting  the  different  towns  (villes)  of  the  same 

province  »r  of  neighbouring  provinces  ( the  regulation  was  founded  on  an 

edict  of  Feb.  6,  1776,  whence  the  term  province  is  ncre  used  ;)  and  4.  private 
roads  ( chemins  particuliers,  corresponding  to  chemins  communaux  in  the  orig- 
inal text,  and  to  our  cross  roads  or  common  highways,)  connecting  small  towns 
or  villages  ( petites  villes — bourgs.)  Code  Administratif.  Part.  Police.  Tom. 
II.  p.  432.— P. 

I The  principal  canals  in  eastern  France  are,  1.  the  Canal  of  Forez,  intend- 
ed to  open  a communication  between  the  Rhone  and  the  Loire  ( — completed 
8 miles  from  Givors  on  the  Rhone  below  Lyons  to  Rive  de  Gier.  Ed.  En- 
cye.) ; 2.  the  Canal  of  the  Centre,  from  Digoin  on  the  Loire  to  Chalons  on 
the  Saone  ( — completed,  length  71  miles.  Ed.  Encyc.) ; 3.  the  Canal  of  Burgun- 
dy, intended  to  connect  the  Seine  and  the  Saone  ( — the  line  extends  148  miles 
from  Brinon  on  the  Armanfon,  a branch  of  the  Yonne,  by  Dijon  to  St.  Jean 
de  Losne  on  the  Saone — navigable  (1814)  from  the  Saone  13  leagues  to  Pont 
de  PaiTy  5 leagues  west  of  Dijon,  and  from  Brinon  to  the  vicinity  of  Ancy  le 
Franc — the  summit  not  completed.  Ed.  Encyc.);  4.  the  Canal  of  Monsieur, 
intended  to  connect  the  Doubs  and  the  Rhine  (Aim an.  Royal,  1822.) — P. 


est  coal  mines  in  Fiance.  Metals  rendered  subservient  to 
many  domestic  purposes,  flax  and  hemp  woven  to  satisfy 
the  luxury  of  the  rich,  or  the  wants  of  the  poor,  silk  made 
to  assume  a thousand  different  tints,  and  converted  into  ar- 
ticles'1 which  the  caprice  of  fashion  multiplies  almost  to  in- 
finity, yield  greater  profits  to  the  inhabitants  than  any  that 
could  be  derived  from  the  culture  of  the  richest  soil. 

Of  the  three  districts6  into  which  the  department  of  the 
Loire  is  divided,  that  of  St.  Etienne  is  the  most  industrious 
and  the  most  populous.  The  people  in  the  small  town  of 
Bourg-Argental  rear  many  silk  worms ; they  are  also  em- 
ployed in  manufacturing  crapes  and  different  stuffs/  The 
inhabitants  of  Chambons  work  their  coal  mines,  manufac- 
ture ribbons,  and  export  a great  many  nails,  knives,  and 
files  ;h  Firmini  carries  on  a trade  in  the  same  articles.1  A 
fine  walk  leads  to  St.  diamond, k a town  of  six  thousand 
inhabitants,  where  public  baths  have  been  lately  erected.1 
The  waters  of  the  Ban  and  the  Gierm  serve  to  move  differ- 
ent works  and  not  fewer  than  thirty  ribbon  manufactories.0  0 
Rive  de  Gierm  contains  not  less  than  eight  thousand  inhab- 
itants ; the  wealth  of  the  town  may  be  attributed  to  its 
glass  and  iron  works,  and  to  its  mines  of  excellent  coal, 
worked  by  means  of  forty  steam  engines ; it  is  situated 
near  the  junction  of  three  vallies  on  the  small  river 
Gier,  and  at  the  commencement  of  the  canal  of  Givors. 
The  village  of  Berardiere  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
chief  town,  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  steel  foun- 
deries. 

The  immense  progress  that  industry  has  already  made 
in  France,  renders  it  difficult  to  assign  any  limits  to  future 

c “ Calcaire  ancien.” 

d “ Ribbons.” The  principal  manufactures  are  hardware,  silk 

ribbons,  hempen  cloth,  glass  and  leather.  Peuchet,  p.  113. — P. 

e “ Arrondissements.’ 

1 “ Crapes  and  cords  ( lacets .)  6 “ Le  Chambon.” 

b “ — manufacture  ribbons,  nails,  files  and  knives.” 

' Firminy  possesses  coal  mines,  iron  founderies  and  nail  manufac- 
tories (Vosgien.) — P. 

k St.  Chaumont. 

1 “At  St.  diamond there  is  a fine  promenade  and  public 

baths.” 

m Giez — Rive  de  Giez,  Rive  de  Gie. 

n « are  employed  in  carrying  on  the  same  manufactures  as  those 

last  mentioned.  The  town  contains  more  than  thirty  manufactories 
of  ribbons  and  cords  (lacets.)’’ 

o An  iron  work  constructed  after  the  English  method  (forge  a VAn- 
o-laise,*)  in  the  suburb  of  St.  Julien,  furnishes  annually  more  than  six 
million  lbs.  of  iron.  M.  B. — St.  Julien  en  Jarrets,  a small  town  ( bourg ) 
one  league  N.  of  St.  diamond.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

* The  English  generally  use  coke  in  reducing  iron,  instead  of  charcoal  which 
is  more  conimonly  used  on  the  continent.  Consequently,  their  furnaces  are 
constructed  so  as  to  furnish  a more  powerful  blast  and  to  sustain  a more  intense 
heat.  As  the  iron  work  above  mentioned  is  situated  in  the  heart  of  one  of  the 
greatest  coal  districts  in  France,  it  was  undoubtedly  constructed  for  using 
coke. — P. 


book  cxlv.j  DESCRIPTION 

improvements,  but  from  what  has  been  already  done,  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  much  more  may  be  accomplish- 
ed. A rail-way,  now  almost  finished,  extends  from  St. 
Etienne  to  Lyons,  so  that  goods  may  soon  be  conveyed 
from  the  one  place  to  the  other  in  half  the  time  that  is  at 
present  necessary.  The  distance  may  be  equal  to  twenty-five 
or  twenty-six  miles  ;a  the  work  was  commenced  near  the  close 
of  the  year  1827,  and  what  has  been  already  accomplished, 
has  entirely  changed  the  appearance  of  the  country.  Hills 
and  vallies  have  been  levelled,  620,000  cubic  yards'5  of  the 
hardest  rock  have  been  torn  from  the  soil,  120,000  cubic 
yardsc  of  earth  have  been  taken  away,  and  in  order  to  fill 
up  the  inequalities  in  the  ground,  110,000  have  been  re- 
moved from  one  place  to  another  ;d  on  the  whole  line,  not 
fewer  than  a hundred  and  twelve  arches,  each  of  them 
forming  a bridge,  have  been  raised,  and  it  has  been  neces- 
sary to  cut  through  a high  hill  in  the  neighbourhood  of  St. 
Etienne.®  It  is  calculated  that  at  no  distant  period  steam- 
engines  travelling  at  the  rate  of  five  miles  an  hour,  and 
dragging  each  fifteen  loaded  waggons/  may  be  substituted 
for  the  eighteen  hundred  vehicles  that  pass  daily  between 
the  two  towns. 

St.  Etienne,  says  a good  judge  of  such  places, s is  built 
without  regularity  ; there  as  well  as  in  many  commercial 
towns,  order  and  beauty  are  of  secondary  importance. 
Workshops  covered  with  tiles,  darkened  with  smoke  and 
without  windows,  resembling  the  abodes  of  the  Cyclops, 
surround  the  elegant  and  modern  town-house,  which  the 
inhabitants  have  erected  on  the  Place  Neuve.'1  The  streets 
are  filled  with  a dark  and  light  dust,  which  covers  clothes, 
houses  and  even  furniture.  It  is,  however,  in  these  very 
streets  that  the  people  manufacture  the  light  gauze,  the 
lace*  and  the  dazzling  ribbons,  for  which  the  whole  of  Eu- 
rope is  tributary  to  France.  Contiguous  houses  are  inhab- 
ited by  armourers  and  embroiderers  ; the  movement  of  the 
loom  is  heard  in  the  streets,  and  the  noise  of  the  anvil  re- 
sounds in  the  fields.  “ I have  seen,”  continues  M.  Blan- 
qui,  “men  on  horseback,  who  to  judge  from  their  squalid 
dress,  might  be  thought  unable  to  afford  linen,  but  I after- 
wards discovered  that  they  were  the  proprietors  of  produc- 
tive iron  works.  Miners  without  shirts  refuse  to  take  char- 
ity, while  beggars  with  shirt-ruffles  walk  the  streets  of  Paris. 
The  houses,  which  not  long  since  formed  part  of  the  sub- 
urbs, are  now  in  the  heart  of  the  town,  and  the  number  of 
inhabitants  bas  increased  within  a period  of  less  than  ten 
years  from  twenty  to  forty  thousand.  What  a contrast  to 
Montbrison,  the  capital  of  the  department,  which  is  inhab- 
ited principally  by  the  wealthy  and  the  idle  ; there  the 
population  decreases  incessantly,  and  all  the  mendicants  in 
Forez  resort  to  it !” 

St.  Etienne  contains  a royal  armoury,  forty  in  which 
arms  of  every  sort  are  made,  fifty-five  places  in  which 

OF  FRANCE.  275 

hard-wares  and  cutlery  are  wrought,  a hundred  and  fifty 
ribbon  and  velvet  manufactories.15  Montbrison  might  rival 
it  both  in  trade  and  in  manufactures,  for  the  Vizezy1  which 
flows  through  the  town,  furnishes  enough  of  water  to  move 
the  most  important  works.  But  the  inhabitants  do  not  de- 
vote themselves  to  any  branch  of  industry,  and  the  town  is 
ill-peopled  and  ill-built.  The  only  edifice  to  which  any 
additions  have  lately  been  made,  is  the  royal  college ; it  is 
unnecessary  to  add  that  these  additions  were  made  by 
government."1  Many  suppose  that  the  present  town  was 
founded  in  the  twelfth  century  by  Brison,  whence  it  re- 
ceived the  Latin  name  of  J\lons  Brisonis.  The  mineral 
waters  are  held  in  great  reputation,  and  several  remains  of 
antiquity  prove  that  they  were  not  unknown  to  the  Romans. 
It  was  from  the  summit  of  the  volcanic  rock  which  com- 
mands Montbrison,  that  the  sanguinary  baron  of  Adrets" 
precipitated  the  catholics  whom  he  had  taken  prisoners 
during  the  civil  wars.  The  small  town  of  St.  Galmier  car- 
ries on  a trade  in  wax-lights  for  the  use  of  churches  it 
stands  on  an  eminence  not  far  from  the  Croize.  A min- 
eral spring  rises  from  a rock  near  the  town,  and  the  waters 
that  issue  from  it,  have  a strong  vinous  flavour.  Feurs  is 
situated  on  the  road  between  Thiers  and  Lyons ; it  is  the 
Forum  Segusianorum,  the  ancient  capital  of  the  Segusiani, 
of  which  the  name  was  afterwards  extended  to  the  prov- 
ince of  Forez. 

The  Gand  flows  below  the  small  town  of  St.  Sympho- 
rien  de  Lay,  a place  of  some  importance  from  its  trade 
and  manufactures.  It  is  situated  in  the  district15  of  which 
Roanne  is  the  capital ; the  latter,  occupying  the  site  of  an 
ancient  town  which  Ptolemy  calls  Rodumna,  was  consid- 
ered a mere  village  about  the  commencement  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century,  but  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants  has 
since  restored  it  to  something  like  its  former  rank ; it  is  at 
present  well  built,  and  the  population  amounts  to  more 
than  eight  thousand  individuals.  Some  remains  of  Roman 
monuments  have  resisted  the  vicissitudes  of  time  and  bar- 
barism. 

If  there  is  any  department  in  France,  which  may  be  said 
to  prove  the  superiority  of  manufacturing  over  agricultural 
industry,  it  is  certainly  the  department  of  the  Rhone.  The 
soil,  intersected  by  hills  and  vallies,  is  not  very  fruitful ; it 
does  not  yield  one  half  of  the  grain  or  timber  necessary 
for  the  consumption.  But  if  the  harvests  are  scanty,  the 
vineyards  are  productive,  and  the  wines  of  an  excellent 
quality ; the  best  are  those  of  Cote  Rotie  and  Condrieux. 
Artificial  meadows  afford  pasture  to  many  herds  of  oxen, 
and  to  numerous  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats.  It  would  be 
incorrect  therefore  to  ascribe  the  deficiency  in  corn  to  the 
negligence  of  the  husbandman  ; on  the  contrary,  he  ap- 
pears to  derive  from  the  fields  all  the  profit  that  can  be 
obtained  from  them.  The  flourishing  state  of  the  country 

1 “Length  of  the  route  55.000  metres” — 34.18  miles  nearly. — St. 
Etienne  is  12  leagues  from  Lyons.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

b “ 500,000  cubic  metres.” 

c “ 100,000  cubic  metres.” 

d “ 900,000  cubic  metres  have  been  employed  in  filling  up  tne  ine- 
qualities in  the  surface.” 

' “ On  the  whole  line,  112  bridges  (ponceavx)  have  been  construct- 
ed, and  a tunnel  has  been  opened  through  a hill  ( montagne ) near  St. 
Etienne.” 

f “ Steam-carriages,  each  consuming  70  kilogrammes  of  coal  and 
350  kilogrammes  of  water  per  hour,  travelling  two  leagues  in  60  min- 
utes, and  drawing  fifteen  waggons  carrying  altogether  a weight  of 
1,200,000  lbs. ” 

6 M.  Ad.  Blanqui,  Relation  d’un  voyage  au  midi  de  la  France,  pen- 
dant les  mois  d’Aodt  et  de  Septembre,  1828. 

h New  Square. 

1 “ Tulle” — a kind  of  thin  silk  lace. 

k “ — a royal  manufactory  of  fire-arms,  40  manufactories  of  arms  of 
every  kind,  10  of  cutlery,  45  of  hardware  ( quincaillcrie ,)  and  150  of 
ribbons  and  velvet.”  1 Vezize,  Vecize. 

m<<  The  only  edifice  to  which  any  recent  additions  have  been  made, 
is  that  of  the  college.”  The  original  does  not  call  it  a royal  college, 
nor  does  it  say  that  the  additions  were  made  by  government.  No 
royal  college  at  Montbrison  is  mentioned  in  the  Alman.  Royal,  1822. 
Montbrison  had  before  the  revolution,  a college  belonging  to  the  priests 
of  the  Oratory.— P. 

" Francis  de  Beaumont,  baron  des  Adrets — lived  in  the  16tk  cen' 
— P. 

0 “ — manufactures  wax  tapers  ( cierges .)” 
p “ Arrondissement.” 

276  EUR 

must  be  attributed  to  its  manufactories;  if  tbe  department 
of  North  be  excepted,  there  is  no  other  in  France,  which 
contains  so  great  a population  relatively  to  the  surface,  for 
tbe  mean  number  of  inhabitants  on  every  square  league  is 
equal  to  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifty-four.  Cop- 
per and  coal,  the  most  valuable  of  its  productions,  furnish 
the  materials  with  which  the  numerous  founderies  are  sup- 
plied. 

The  population  of  Tarare  does  not  exceed  seven  thou- 
sand inhabitants  ; it  contains,  however,  not  fewer  than  six- 
ty-five muslin  manufactories,  and  twenty-five  of  embroider- 
ed work  ; the  latter  are  the  first  of  the  kind  that  were 
established  in  France;  they  afford  employment  at  present 
to  more  than  fifty  thousand  workmen,  who  are  scattered  in 
different  districts.  The  town  stands  at  the  foot  of  a bill 
which  bears  its  name,  and  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Tardine, 
a small  river  that  sometimes  inundates  the  neighbouring 
fields,  but  the  devastations  thus  occasioned,  are  amply  re- 
deemed by  the  advantages  tbe  manufacturer  derives  from 
it.  Thizy  and  Amplepuis  rival  each  other  in  their  cotton 
manufactures.  The  village  of  Tours  carries  on  a trade  in 
the  mixed  stuffs,  with  which  it  supplies  different  depart- 
ments ; they  are  made  of  linen  and  cotton,  and  known  in 
France  by  the  name  of  beaujolaises .a  Beaujeu,  a small 
but  well-built  town,  is  finely  situated  on  the  Ardiere  ; it 
stands  at  the  base  of  a bill,  on  which  rise  the  ruins  of  the 
strong  castle  that  belonged  to  the  lords  of  Beaujeu.  Jt  pos- 
sesses several  paper  mills,  and  carries  on  no  inconsiderable 
trade  in  wine.  The  same  trade  and  the  sale  of  embroidered 
works  tend  to  enrich  Belleville  sur  Saone.  The  two  last 
towns  contain  nearly  an  equal  number  of  inhabitants  ; the 
population  of  each  amounts  at  least  to  three  thousand  indi- 
viduals. Ville-Franche,b  the  capital  of  the  wealthy  district 
in  which  they  are  situated,'  consists  of  a broad  street  about 
a mile  and  a half  in  length,  and  of  houses  grouped  round 
it,  which  form  the  suburbs.  The  lands  watered  by  the 
Saone  and  the  Morgon  are  very  fruitful ; the  neighbouring 
bills  are  covered  with  vineyards.  It  must  be  admitted, 
however,  that  the  picturesque  scenery  round  Ville-Franche 
has  not  been  much  improved  by  cultivation  f as  a manufac- 
turing town,  it  is  a place  of  considerable  importance.  The 
village  of  Chessy  near  the  left  bank  of  the  Arbresle,  is  about 
three  leagues  on  the  south  of  it ; it  contains  six  hundred 
inhabitants,  and  is  well  known  on  account  of  its  copper 
mines,  tbe  most  productive  in  France. 

Lyons  is  remarkable  for  the  beauty  of  its  situation,  and 
for  the  magnificent  view  presented  by  the  country  houses  in 
its  neighbourhood,  by  its  four  suburbs,6  and  by  the  twenty 
quays  on  the  Saone  and  the  Rhone.  The  gentle  current 
of  the  first  river  and  the  rapidity  of  the  second  form  a strik- 
ing contrast.  The  Saone  offers  an  emblem  of  peace — 
favourable  to  tbe  arts,  to  commerce  and  to  industry ; boats 

^PE.  [BOOK  CXLV. 

are  continually  passing  up  and  down  its  stream,  and  seven- 
teen harbours'-  are  situated  on  its  banks.  The  Rhone,  em- 
blematic of  war  and  civil  discord,  is  an  impetuous  torrent 
which  tbe  temerity  of  man  does  not  always  brave  with  im- 
punity ; tbe  loud  noise  of  its  waters  is  tbe  only  sound  that 
can  be  beard  on  its  dismal  and  deserted  banks/  Other  and 
less  pleasing  contrasts  may  be  observed  in  tbe  same  town ; 
in  its  fifty-six  squares,  mean  and  sorry  buildings  rise  by  tbe 
side  of  the  most  sumptuous  edifices ; its  two  hundred  and 
forty-five  streets  are  ill-paved,  narrow  and  dirty,  and  as  rain 
is  of  frequent  occurrence,  they  are  very  often  wet.  All  the 
inhabitants  must  be  equally  indifferent  about  tbe  cleanliness 
of  their  town,  otherwise  the  same  filth  could  not  be  seen 
near  mean  shops  and  costly  warehouses,  tbe  humble  abode 
of  the  artisan,  and  tbe  habitation  of  the  wealthy  merchant. 
The  canuts  or  silk  weavers  prepare  in  their  smoky  gar- 
rets light  crapes,  brilliant  satins  and  pliable  taffetas  of  the 
richest  colours ; no  sooner  have  they  been  taken  from  their 
dirty  hands,  than  they  are  sent  to  Paris,  where  they  assume 
tbe  various  shapes  that  fashion  renders  indispensable. 

Lyons  or  the  ancient  Lugdunum  was  one  of  the  principal 
cities  in  the  dominions  of  the  Segusiani  at  the  time  that 
Caesar  took  it  from  tbe  Gauls.  About  forty  years  before 
the  vulgar  era  Munatius  Plancus  received  instructions  from 
the  Roman  senate  to  allow  the  people  of  Vienne,  who  had 
been  driven  from  their  town  by  the  Jillobroges,  to  settle  in 
Lugdunum.  It  became  not  long  afterwards  one  of  the  most 
flourishing  Roman  colonies  in  France ; Strabo  says  that  it  was 
only  inferior  in  population  to  Narbonne.  The  importance  and 
the  admirable  position  of  the  town  rendered  it  frequently  the 
residence  of  the  governors  of  Gaul.e  It  was  first  built  on  the 
declivity  of  a hill,  which  rises  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Saone ; 
it  was  embellished  by  many  noble  monuments,  but  they 
were  all  destroyed  by  fire  in  a single  night.1*  This  disas- 
trous event,  of  which  history  affords  fortunately  but  few  ex- 
amples, happened  in  the  year  59  of  the  Christian  era,  during 
the  reign  of  Nero,  by  whom  it  was  rebuilt.  It  does  not 
require  a minute  examination  of  ancient  edifices  to  be  con- 
vinced that  the  Romans  knew  well  how  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  inequalities  in  the  surface,  and  thus  to  give  their 
towns  an  air  of  majesty,  which  we  look  for  in  vain  in  mod- 
ern cities.  The  palace  of  the  emperors  rose  on  the  bill  of 
St.  Just,  where  the  monastery  of  Antiquaille,*  now  changed 
into  an  hospital  for  Incurables,  was  afterwards  built.  The 
name  of  the  convent  appears  to  have  been  derived  from  the 
number  of  medals  and  oilier  antiquities,  which  were  discov- 
ered in  digging  the  foundation.  An  amphitheatre  was 
erected  on  the  same  height,  and  some  remains  of  it  are  still 
seen  in  the  gardens  round  the  convent  of  the  Minims.  The 
w'aters  of  die  Rhone  and  the  small  river  F uraut  were  con- 
veyed by  means  of  an  aqueduct  at  least  two  leagues  in 
length,  to  different  pails  of  the  town.k  Sixty  Gallic  nations 

I “ Thizy  and  D’Atnplepuis  are  employed  in  the  manufacture  of 
calicoes,  and  of  the  cotton  stuffs  ( cotonnades ) called  gai'cts,  as  well 
as  in  the  spinning  of  cotton  ; the  mixed  cloths  of  linen  and  cotton  call- 
ed beaujolaises,  are  made  in  the  village  of  Cours.” 

b Villefranche. 

c “ — arrondissement” — in  which  all  the  preceding  towns  in  the  de- 
partment arc  situated. — P. 

II  “ Picturesque  scenery,  embellished  by  cultivation,  surrounds  it 
on  every  side.” 

c The  suburb  of  St.  Ircnce  on  the  right  of  the  Saone,  including  the 
hill  of  Fourviere  ; that  of  Vaize  on  the  same  bank  of  the  Saone,  higher 
up  the  river;  that  of  La  Croix  Rousse  (the  Red  Cross)  on  the  heights 
overlooking  the  north  part  of  the  city,  between  the  two  rivers;  and 
that  of  La  Guillotiere  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhone. — P. 

1 “ Ports” — landing  places. 

_- 

s “ — rendered  it  the  residence  of  the  governor  of  Gaul.” — Forty-six 
years  after  its  foundation,  Lyons  was  considered  the  metropolis  of 
Gaul.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

h “ The  city  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  a single  night.” — Inter  mag- 
nam  urbem  et  nullam,  nox  una  interfuit.  Seneca,  Epist. — P. 

■ “ L’Antiquaille.” — The  hospital,  called  the  Antiquaille,  is  situated 
on  the  declivity  of  Fourviere.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

k Ancient  Lyons  was  supplied  with  water  by  four  aqueducts,  two 
of  which  are  confounded  in  the  text.  The  great  aqueduct,  some  re- 
mains of  which  may  be  seen  near  the  gate  of  St.  Irenee  and  in  other 
parts  of  its  course,  extended  for  seven  leagues,  from  the  stream  called 
Furens,  near  the  town  of  St.  Etienne,  to  the  gates  of  Lyons.  A second 
.aqueduct,  some  remains  of  which  appear  in  the  valley  of  Ecully, 
conducted  the  waters  of  Mont  D Or  to  the  hill  of  Lyons  (Fourviere). 
A subterranean  aqueduct  conveyed  the  waters  of  the  Coise  and  the 

book  cxlv.1  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  277 


raised  at  the  confluence  of  the  Saone  and  the  Rhone  an 
altar  to  Augustus,  of  which  the  four  principal  columns  have 
been  removed  to  the  altar  in  the  church  ol  St.  Martin  d’Ai- 
nay.  But  the  two  rivers  meet  no  longer  at  the  same  place ; 
more  than  fifty  years  have  elapsed  since  Perrache  the 
sculptor  thought  it  practicable  to  divert  the  course  of  the 
Saone,* 1  which  now  falls  into  the  Rhone  below  its  former 
confluence ; the  ancient  channel  was  thus  drained,  and  it 
now  forms  a public  walk.b  The  four  Roman  roads  traced 
by  Agrippa  passed  through  Lyons,  one  of  which  extended 
through  Auvergne  and  Aquitaine  to  the  Pyrenees,  another 
to  the  Rhine,  a third  through  Picardy  to  the  Ocean,  and  a 
fourth  through  Narbonnese  Gaul  to  the  Mediterranean.  A 
rock  that  was  cut  by  order  of  Agrippa,  still  bears  the  name 
of  Pierre-Scise  ; Buchard  of  Burgundy  built  on  it  in  the  elev- 
enth century,  a formidable  castle,  which  was  in  later  times 
changed  into  a state  prison.  The  names  of  many  other 
places  in  the  towrn  and  neighbourhood  of  Lyons  are  con- 
nected with  ancient  associations.  In  the  time  of  the  Romans, 
Bella  Curia  was  the  name  of  the  place,  from  which  the 
praetor  pronounced  his  decrees ; it  is  at  present  the  square 
of  Bellecour.0  The  elegant  buildings  which  adorned  it, 
were  demolished  by  a furious  conventionalist,  but  they  were 
raised  anew  by  Napoleon.  It  forms  a regular  oblong  square, 
and  the  fronts  of  two  very  large  edifices  adorned  with  pilas- 
ters and  surmounted  by  ballustrades,  terminate  the  two  opposite 
extremities ; it  is  bordered  by  rows  of  lime  trees.  The  hill 
of  Fourviered  formed  part  of  the  original  enclosure  of  the 
city  ; on  it  was  situated  the  Forum  Fetus,  or  according  to 
some  antiquaries,  the  Forum  Veneris,  that  Trajan  erected. 
The  hill  was  called  after  the  forum,  and  an  ancient  chapel 
on  it  was  restored  to  the  catholic  worship  by  Pius  the  Sev- 
enth during  his  short  residence  in  the  town  in  1805.  The 
square  of  Terreaux®  may  recal  events  of  a different  nature, 
events  that  have  left  an  indelible  stain  on  the  page  of  his- 
tory ; there  Cinq-Mars  suffered  death  for  having  attempted 
a change  in  the  administration  of  his  country,  or  rather  for 
having  conspired  with  some  others  against  the  proud  and 
vindictive  minister  of  Louis  the  Thirteenth ; there  too  the 
virtuous  president  De  Thou  was  beheaded,  because  he 
chose  to  die  rather  than  betray  his  friend/ 

Lyons  is  connected  with  many  historical  events.  When 
after  the  death  of  Pertinax,  Albinus  and  Severus  contended 
for  the  empire,  the  town  declared  for  the  former,  and  opened 
its  gates  to  him  after  his  defeat ; it  was  consequently  levelled 

Brevenne  to  St..  Irenee  ; and  a fourth  aqueduct  extended  from  Mont- 
luel  along  the  Rhone  and  terminated  in  the  hill  of  St.  Sebastian.  Ed. 
Encyc. — P. 

1 “ Conceived  the  project  of  turning  the  course  of  the  principal  river” 
(lejlcuve,  the  Rhone — the  Saone  being  only  a tributary  ( riviire .) — P.) 

b “ A public  walk  (promenade)  extends  along  the  former  channel.” 
Before  1772.  the  Rhone  and  the  Saone  joined  their  waters  near  Ainay. 
The  sculptor  M.  Perrache  conceived  the  idea  of  removing  their  con- 
fluence to  the  village  of  Mulatiere,  and  in  1770,  he  obtained  letters 
patent  for  the  purpose.  A company  was  formed,  and  a new  bed  was 
excavated  for  the  Rhone,  which  was  compelled  to  take  another  direc- 
tion, by  a magnificent  causeway  nearly  a mile  and  three  quarters  long, 
planted  with  Italian  poplars  and  forming  a continuation  of  the  quays 
of  Lyons.  Ed.  Encyc. — The  Rhone  formed  a kind  of  delta  at  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Saone.  A canal  formerly  connected  the  two  rivers  at 
the  Place  Terreaux,  now  in  the  heart  of  the  town,  below  which  point 
there  was  formerly  a group  of  islands,  which  have  been  artificially 
united  by  made  ground,  and  are  now  covered  with  houses. — P. 

c Place  Belle  Cour.  d Fourvieres. 

e Place  Acs  Terreaux — so  called  from  its  occupying  the  site 
of  the  canal  which  connected  the  two  rivers  ( terre , land — eau, 
water.) — P. 

f Not  the  president  De  Thou,  but  his  eldest  son  Francis  Aug.  De 
Thou.— P. 

s It  was  pillaged  and  partly  burnt  by  Severus  in  198,  in  order  to 


with  the  ground  by  the  victor  ;*  a hundred  and  fifty  years 
elapsed  before  it  rose  from  its  ruins.  It  formed  a part  of 
the  Burgundian  kingdom  during  the  fifth  century.  It  was  at 
one  time  subject  to  the  kings  of  France,  at  another  under 
the  power  of  its  archbishops,  but  it  was  taken  from  the  latter 
by  Guy,  count  of  Forez/1  After  many  wars  between  the 
descendants  of  die  count  and  the  clergy,  the  latter  recovered 
their  authority ; but  the  town  was  not  therefore  more  fortu- 
nate, for  the  canons  of  Lyons  assumed  the  title  of  counts, 
and  the  people  had  to  submit  to  a double  tyranny — the  arro- 
gance of  the  nobility,  and  the  rapacity  of  the  church.  Louis 
the  Gross  by  introducing  the  municipal  system  into  his  do- 
minions, rendered  the  sword  and  mitre  less  oppressive.  It 
might  be  shown  indeed  that  the  effects  of  the  change  were 
felt  at  Lyons  before  the  town  was  added  to  the  monarchy. 
But  during  a hundred  years  after  the  same  period,  the  arch- 
bishops continued  their  depredations,  and  the  people  were 
frequently  excited  to  revolt  ; at  last  St.  Louis  declared 
himself  the  arbiter  of  the  scandalous  exactions  on  the  part 
of  the  church,  and  of  the  resistance  which  such  proceedings 
rendered  lawful  on  the  part  of  the  people ; by  the  decision 
of  the  same  prince,  Lyons  was  included  within  the  domin- 
ions of  the  crowm.  From  that  epoch  the  citizens  had  the 
right  of  electing  their  own  magistrates,  of  controlling  their 
receipts  and  expenses,  and  of  providing  for  their  own  de- 
fence ; personal  liberty  was  also  secured  to  them  ; no  citi- 
zen could  be  cited  in  judgment  beyond  the  walls  of  the 
town.  It  was  at  the  general  council  held  at  Lyons  in  1245, 
that  the  cardinals  by  an  order  of  pope  Innocent  the  Fourth, 
clothed  themselves  for  the  first  time  in  scarlet/  This 
wealthy  city  was  destroyed  in  1793  by  the  revolutionary 
army  after  a siege  of  sixty-five  days,  because  the  inhab- 
itants attempted  to  free  themselves  from  popular  tyranny. 
Two  deputies  of  the  convention  at  the  head  of  sixty 
thousand  men  could  not  effect  a capitulation  until  the 
town  had  been  bombarded,  and  until  the  besieged  had  suf- 
fered all  the  horrors  of  famine.  The  principal  edifices  were 
demolished,  and  in  conformity  to  a decree,  the  town  was 
called  Fille  Jlffrancliie.  Cruel  mockery,  worthy  of  the 
period  ; the  anarchists  confounded  freedom  with  the  work  of 
destruction ! 

The  commercial  prosperity  of  Lyons  dates  from  the  reign 
of  Francis  the  First;  the  inhabitants  learnt  from  the  Geno- 
ese the  art  of  manufacturing  silk.  The  town  contained 
about  forty  years  ago  180,000  individuals,  and  there  were 

revenge  himself  on  the  inhabitants  for  having  given  shelter  to  Albinus, 
his  enemy.  In  202,  he  persecuted  the  Christians  in  Lyons  with  the 
greatest  severity.  Irenaeus  suffered  in  the  persecution  with  19,000  of 
his  fellow  Christians,  the  bones  of  which  are  said  to  be  preserved  in  a 
vault  in  the  church  of  St.  Irenee. — P. 

h “ By  turns  subject  to  the  kings  of  France  and  its  archbishops,  it 
was  taken  from  the  latter  by  Guy,  count  of  Forez.”  During  the  reign 
of  Honorius,  it  was  ceded  by  Stilicho  to  the  Burgundians,  who  made  it 
the  capital  of  their  kingdom.  About  the  year  532  it  came  into  the 
possession  of  the  kings  of  France,  who  in  955  ceded  it  to  Conrad,  king 
of  Burgundy  beyond  Jura  ( Burgundia  Transjurana.)  On  the  divis- 
ion of  the  kingdom  of  Burgundy  after  the  death  of  Rodolph  III.,  the 
archbishop  of  Lyons  and  the  counts  of  Forez  long  disputed  the  posses- 
sion of  the  city.  The  latter  finally  prevailed  and  retained  it  until 
1173,  when  Guy  II.  and  Guy  III.  ceded  it  to  the  archbishop  Guichard 
and  the  chapter.  Finally,  the  temporalities  of  the  city  were  surren- 
dered to  Philip  the  Fair,  who  already  possessed  the  sovereignty,  by 
the  archbishop  Philip  of  Savoy,  (A.  D.  1307.)  Moreri. — P. 

' “ It  was  at  the  general  council  held  at  Lyons  in  1245,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  renewing  the  crusades,*  that  pope  Innocent  IV.  for  the  first 
time  invested  the  cardinals  with  the  purple.”  Innocent  IV.  conferred 
the  red  hat  on  the  cardinals,  at  the  council  of  Lyons  1245,  and  Paul 
II.  the  red  garment  in  1464.  Moreri. — P. 

* The  eighth  crusade,  conducted  by  St.  Louis. 


278  EUR< 

not  fewer  than  18,000  looms,  which  were  annually  supplied 
with  12,000  quintals  of  raw  materials.  In  consequence  of 
the  acts  of  the  convention,  the  population  was  greatly  di- 
minished, and  in  1802  the  number  of  looms  was  reduced  to 
seven  hundred.  When  France  by  colossal  strides  extended 
her  frontiers  from  the  Tiber  to  the  Elbe,  Lyons  became 
again  an  important  manufacturing  town  ; still,  however,  the 
population  is  not  so  great  as  it  once  was,  for  with  the  sub- 
urbs of  Vaise,  La  Croix  Rousse  and  La  Guillotiere,  it 
amounts  only  to  172,000  persons;  but  it  may  be  observed 
that  the  manufactures  have  become  more  extensive  than 
they  were  even  during  the  period  when  silks  were  generally 
worn.  The  number  of  looms  at  present  is  equal  to  nearly 
twenty  thousand  ; manual  labour  has  been  abridged  by  im- 
proved machinery,  and  the  products  of  each  workman  are 
greater.  Thus,  with  a diminished  population  it  manufac- 
tures more  than  it  did  forty  years  ago,  and  as  the  inhabitants 
consume  much  more,  the  revenue  has  increased  in  propor- 
tion ; according  to  the  last  accounts,  it  is  not  less  than 
3,120,000  francs,  or  about  L.  130,000. 

The  Lyonese  allow  that  their  town  is  very  dirty,  but  they 
insist  that  some  of  the  edifices  are  very  magnificent ; as  if 
fine  buildings  were  in  good  keeping  with  filthy  streets.  The 
time  in  which  the  cathedral*  was  founded,  has  not  been  as- 
certained ; it  may  be  admired  for  the  imposing  simplicity  of 
the  interior,  and  the  richness  of  the  portal.  The  palace  of 
the  archbishop  was  built  in  the  reign  of  Louis  the  Thir- 
teenth ; in  point  of  size  it  might  serve  as  a residence  for 
kings.  Two  fine  edifices,  namely,  the  Great  Theatre, 
which  reflects  the  highest  credit  on  the  architectural  talent  of 
the  celebrated  Soufflot,  and  the  towTn-house,  which,  with  a 
single  exception,  may  be  allowed  to  be  the  finest  in  Europe, 
are  situated  at  no  great  distance  from  each  other,  in  the 
quarter  of  St.  Clair,  the  most  fashionable  part  of  Lyons. 
Within  the  chamber  of  commerce  and  the  arts  are  the  ex- 
change together  with  the  collections  of  paintings  and  anti- 
quities,1’ an  union  descriptive  of  the  character  of  the  people, 
who  estimate  the  arts  and  sciences  only  inasmuch  as  they 
may  be  made  subservient  to  trade  and  industry.  The  ancient 
convent  of  the  Trinity  has  been  changed  into  a royal  college  ; 
it  contains  the  most  valuable  provincial  library  in  France,  a 
library  consisting  of  a hundred  and  six  thousand  volumes 
and  eight  hundred  manuscripts  in  different  languages. 

In  Lyons,  as  well  as  in  other  places,  the  desire  of  knowl- 
edge has  increased  of  late  years ; it  is  to  be  hoped  that  it 
may  become  still  more  general,  and  that  it  may  extend  to 
every  class  of  the  community.  The  wealthy  by  diffusing 
the  blessings  of  education,  have  it  in  their  power  to  confer 
the  greatest  benefits  on  the  poorer  citizens,  and  to  secure 
the  prosperity  of  their  town,  for  the  concomitants  of  diffused 
knowledge  are  additional  industry,  improvements  of  every 
sort,  public  tranquillity  and  public  happiness.  There  are  at 
present  five  scientific  societies  in  Lyons,  namely,  the  royal 
academy  of  sciences,  arts  and  belles  lettres,  the  LinnBean 

DPE.  [BOOK  CXIiV 

society,  the  society  of  agriculture  and  natural  history,  and 
those  of  medicine  and  pharmacy.  Among  the  places  of 
education,  we  may  mention  the  school  of  rural  economy  and 
the  veterinary  art,  that  of  arts  and  trades,  and  that  of  draw- 
ing ;c  public  lectures  are  besides  delivered  on  natural  history, 
chemistry,  geometry  and  physics.  A botanical  garden  and 
a royal  nursery  may  be  also  enumerated  among  its  useful 
establishments. 

The  beneficent  institutions  attest  that  in  Lyons  at  least, 
philanthropy  is  not  an  empty  sound,  a word  void  of  mean- 
ing. The  infirmaryd  is  the  best  institution  of  the  kind  in 
France.  Fourteen  hundred  children  are  admitted  every 
year  into  an  hospital,  in  which  four  times  that  number  are 
educated  and  maintained.®  A religious  house  has  been  set 
apart  for  such  as  are  afflicted  with  the  loss  of  reason,  and  in 
another  building  the  best  means  are  provided  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  deaf  and  dumb  ;f  in  addition  to  these  places  may 
be  mentioned  a savings-bank  for  the  whole  department,  to- 
gether with  different  friendly  and  benevolent  societies. 

The  names  of  tire  distinguished  men  that  have  been  born 
at  Lyons  from  the  earliest  times  to  the  present  period,  might 
form  a long  list.  Germanicus,  Claudius,  Marcus  Aurelius, 
Caracalla,  Geta,  the  bishop  Sidonius  Apollinaris,  Peter 
Valdo  the  reformer^  Philibert  Delorme  the  architect  of  the 
Tuilleries,  Coustou  and  Coysevox  the  celebrated  statuaries, 
Anthony  de  Jussieu  the  botanist,  Morellet  the  political  econ- 
omist, Rozier,  a writer  on  agriculture,  Patrin  the  mineralo- 
gist, and  Marshal  Suchet,  are  the  most  remarkable  persons 
whose  names  occur  at  present  to  our  recollection. 

The  minute  description  which  such  a city  as  Lyons  re- 
quires, may  be  apt  to  make  us  forget  that  there  are  other 
places  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  people  of  St.  Genis- 
Laval  manufacture  oil,  different  colours  and  banners ; the 
pictures  with  which  they  supply  several  churches,  may  with 
equal  accuracy  be  denominated  manufactures .h  Arbresle1 
is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Brevannek  and  the  Tar- 
dine ; the  town  was  completely  destroyed  by  inundations  in 
1715,  but  it  was  soon  afterwards  rebuilt;  the  inhabitants 
carry  on  a considerable  trade  in  hemp. 

The  course  of  the  Rhone  on  the  east  and  the  south,  and 
that  of  the  Saone  on  the  west,  form  the  limits  of  the  depart- 
ment1 which  the  Ain  traverses  from  north  to  south.  The 
last  river  divides  it  into  twro  regions  : the  western  on  the 
right  consists  of  an  undulating  plain,™  in  which  the  lands  are 
argillaceous  and  in  many  places  humid  and  marshy ; the 
eastern  on  the  left  is  covered  with  heights  about  2,600  or 
3000  feet  in  elevation,"  which  are  attached  to  the  Alps  by 
the  chain  of  Jura.  The  same  country  is  watered  by  impet- 
uous torrents,  and  intersected  by  deep  rallies,  almost  all  of 
which  extend  from  north  to  south.  In  the  first  region,  agri- 
culture forms  the  principal  occupation  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
the  harvests  are  sufficient  for  the  consumption ; the  only 
mineral  productions  are  peat  and  coal.  The  people  in  the 
second  cultivate  fruitful  vallies,  rear  a great  number  of  sheep 

a The  church  of  St.  John.  M.  B. 

b “ The  palace  of  commerce  and  the  arts,  which  contains  the  ex- 
change and  the  museum  of  paintings  and  antiquities — ” The  building 
of  St.  Pierre,  (formerly  the  monastery  of  St.  Pierre,)  forming  the  prin- 
cipal facade  of  the  Place  des  Terreaux.  It  contains  a school  of  de- 
sign, a chemical  laboratory,  a physical  cabinet,  the  collection  of  pic- 
tures, and  the  museum  of  antiquities.  The  various  societies  also  hold 
their  meetings  in  the  same  place.  Ed.  Encyc. — The  Academy  of  Fine 
Arts  — P. 

c The  school  of  design. — P. 

d “ IIotel-Dieu — founded  in  the  reign  of  Childebert  I.” — The  present 
building  was  erected  from  the  designs  of  M.  Soufflot. — P. 

e “ The  hospital  of  La  Charite  receives  annually  1400  children,  and 
provides  for  the  support  and  education  of  four  times  that  number.” 
f “ An  institution  for  the  deaf  and  dumb,  and  a religious  house  for 
the  reception  of  lunatics.” 

s The  leader  of  the  Waldenses — born  at  the  village  of  Vaux 
(Vaud)  in  Dauphiny,  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhone  near  Lyons;  became 
a wealthy  merchant  in  that  city. — P. 

h “ St.  Genis-Laval,  where  they  manufacture  oil,  colours,  pictures 
for  churches,  and  standards  ( banniercs .)” 

* L’Arbresle.  k Brevenne. 

1 Department  of  the  Ain. 

m “ Plateau” — elevated  plain  or  table-land. 

o “ — mountains,  from  700  to  900  toises  in  elevation.” 

book  cxlv.]  DESCRIPTION 

and  horses,*  and  work  iron  mines  and  different  quarries,  the 
last  of  which  afford  excellent  materials  for  building,  and  the 
best  lithographic  stones  in  France. 

Few  towns  of  any  importance  are  situated  in  the  depart- 
ment. Trevoux,  built  like  an  amphitheatre  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Saone,  is  the  capital  of  a district,1*  in  which  the  prin- 
cipal places  are  Montluel,  a town  of  three  thousand  eight 
hundred  inhabitants,  many  of  whom  are  employed  in  manu- 
facturing cloth,  and  Thoissy,®  the  birthplace  of  die  celebrated 
anatomist  Bichat.  The  small  but  neat  town  of  Pont  de 
Vaux  on  the  banks  of  the  Ressouse,  communicates  with  the 
Saone  by  means  of  a canal ; the  inhabitants  have  erected  a 
fountain  in  the  form  of  a pyramid  to  the  memory  of  General 
Joubert,  dieir  townsman.  Bourg  en  Bresse,  so  called  from 
the  name  of  the  ancient  province  of  which  it  was  the  capital, 
is  at  present  the  chief  town  in  the  department.  It  rises  on 
the  site  of  Tanus,  which  was  founded  about  die  end  ol  the 
fourth  century  ;d  it  is  well  built,  watered  by  fountains,  and 
embellished  with  agreeable  walks  on  the  Ressouse  and  the 
Veyle  f its  commerce  might  be  greatly  improved  if  it  were 
within  reach  of  navigable  rivers.  It  has  given  birth  to  two 
distinguished  men,  namely,  Vaugelas  the  grammarian,  and 
the  astronomer  Lalande. 

The  territory  between  die  Rhone  and  the  Ain,  constituting 
the  districts1-  of  Belley  and  Nantua,  was  formerly  called 
Bugey,  a country  connected  with  ancient  recollections,  and 
abounding  in  picturesque  sites.  Polybius  was  of  opinion 
that  this  small  region  might  be  termed  the  Celtic  Delta,  a 
name  to  which  it  is  still  entitled  from  its  triangular  form. 
Belley, s die  capital,  existed  at  the  time  that  Brennus  under- 
took his  expedition  against  Rome,  and  was  destroyed  by  the 
people,  who  fled  at  the  approach  of  the  fierce  Gaul ; it  did 
not  become  again  a place  of  importance  until  after  the  coun- 
try was  conquered  by  the  Romans.  The  ancient  names  of 
Belley  were  Bellitium,  Bellicum  and  Bellica .h  Alaric  burnt 
it  in  the  year  390 ; twenty  years  afterwards  it  was  rebuilt 
and  enlarged  by  his  nephew  Wibert.1  It  was  destroyed  a 
second  time  by  fire  in  1385;  but  Amadeus  the  Seventh, 
count  of  Savoy,  again  rebuilt  it  and  encompassed  it  with 
walls.  The  small  village  of  Frebuge  near  Nantua,  is  the 
Forum  Sebusianum , once  the  principal  city  of  the  Sebusiani, 
which  has  been  erroneously  confounded  by  some  authors 
with  Bourg  en  Bresse.  Nantua  derives  its  name  from  the 
JVantuates ; it  is  situated  in  a narrow  valley  bounded  by 
steep  rocks,  near  a small  lake  shaded  with  trees ; the  banks 
of  the  latter  form  an  agreeable  walk,  and  the  waters  abound 
in  excellent  trout ; the  inhabitants  manufacture  linen  and 
paper.k  Oyonnax,1  a burgh  at  no  great  distance  from  Nan- 
tua, contains  fifteen  hundred  inhabitants ; they  carry  on  a 

OF  FRANCE.  279 

trade  in  the  same  kind  of  goods."1  An  author  who  has 
favoured  the  world  with  his  etymological  researches  on 
Bugey,"  maintains  that  Oyonnax  was  founded  by  the  Rho- 
dians three  centuries  before  the  vulgar  era.  The  people 
who  inhabited  the  country  of  Gex,  having  encouraged  the 
invasion  of  Gaul  by  their  neighbours  the  Helvetii,  Caesar, 
after  he  had  subdued  the  invaders,  united  the  territory 
of  Gex  to  that  of  the  Sebusiani.  The  town  of  Gex  is 
ill  built  and  difficult  of  access ; a terrace  that  rises  above  the 
principal  street  commands  an  admirable  view  of  the  lake  of 
Geneva,  and  of  the  mountains  of  Savoy  grouped  round  the 
majestic  Mont-Blanc.  From  the  same  terrace  may  be  seen 
F ernex  or  F emey  in  an  agreeable  valley ; it  was  only  a 
hamlet  of  fifty  inhabitants  when  Voltaire  made  it  the  place 
of  his  residence,  but  that  great  man  introduced  there  a 
new  branch  of  industry,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  Fer- 
ney  contained  more  than  eight  hundred  watchmakers ; their 
number  at  present  does  not  exceed  a thousand.0 

The  department  of  the  Saone  and  Loire  is  separated 
from  the  last  department  by  the  Saone.  Fruitful  in  corn 
and  wine,  and  in  other  agricultural  products,  abounding  in 
coal,  lead,  iron  and  manganese,  intersected  by  roads,  canals 
and  navigable  rivers,  and  peopled  by  industrious  inhabitants, 
it  may  be  reckoned  among  the  wealthiest  departments  in 
France.  Macon, p the  capital,  is  situated  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Saone,  and  on  the  frontier  of  the  department.  The 
position  may  be  favourable  for  the  trade  in  wine,  but  a 
worse  one  could  not  be  selected  for  the  seat  of  the  principal 
authorities.  The  town  was  called  Matisco  by  Caesar,  who 
strengthened  it  with  fortifications,  and  rendered  it  a depot 
for  military  supplies.’  Several  ancient  ruins  are  contained 
in  it,  and  an  old  bridge  which  still  remains,  is  supposed  to 
have  been  erected  by  the  Roman  general.  The  houses  are 
by  no  means  elegant,  and  the  streets  are  narrow  and  ill 
paved,  but  the  quays  are  broad  and  well  built.  The  san- 
guinary St.  Point,  who  flourished  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  rendered  himself  infamous  during  the  religious  wars  by 
the  atrocities  that  were  then  termed  the  Sauteries  of  Macon, 
wyas  a native  of  the  town.1-  The  fine  cathedral  wras  destroy- 
ed by  the  revolutionists,  but  they  spared  the  former  episco- 
pal palace.3  The  village  of  Romaneche  contains  two  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  and  the  country  in  the  neighbourhood  is 
famous  for  its  wines.1  Cluny,"  a town  of  four  thousand 
souls,  and  a place  of  considerable  trade,1  was  formerly  cele- 
brated on  account  of  a magnificent  abbey  belonging  to  the 
Benedictines.  The  convent  has  been  changed  into  a college, 
and  it  contains  besides  other  useful  institutions. y The  town 
was  the  birthplace  of  Prudhon  the  painter.  Greuze,  not 
less  celebrated  as  a painter,  was  born  at  Tournus  ; the  mon- 

1 “ —rear  oxen,  sheep  and  horses.” 

b “ Arrondissement.”  c Thoissey. 

d “ It  is  known  to  have  existed  about  the  end  of  the  fourth  century, 
when  it  was  called  Tanus”  ( Tanum , Moreri — Tumnum,  Vosgien.) 
Bourg  is  mentioned  in  the  legend  of  St.  Gerard,  bishop  of  Macon, 
who  lived  in  900.  Moreri. — P. 

e “ — embellished  with  promenades,  and  agreeably  situated  on  the 
Ressouse  and  near  the  Veyle.” 

f “ Arrondissements.”  s Beley,  Bellay. 

b Bclica,  Rees’  Cyc. 

' “ Wibert,  his  nephew,  rebuilt  it  in  412.” 

k “ It  contains  spinning  mills  (filatures*),  and  manufactories  of  horn 
combs  and  paper.”  It  is  the  principal  manufacturing  town  in  the  de- 
partment. (Peuchet.) — P. 

* Filatures  for  cotton  and  silk  (Vosgien.) 

1 Oyonnaz — three  leagues  N.  W.  of  Nantua  (Vosgien.) — P. 

m “ It  is  equally  noted  for  its  combs.” 

n M.  P-  Bacon,  Recherches  sur  les  origines  Celtiques  du  Bugey, 
tome  i. 

■>  “ It  contains  at  present  200  at  the  farthest  (deux  cents  au  plus.)” 

The  translator  probably  supposed  that  the  last  phrase  meant  two  hun 
dred  more  ! — Population  ofFerney  720  (Alman.  Royal.  1822.) — P. 

p French  orthography,  Macon  ; formerly.  Mascon.  The  name  of  the 
town  exhibits  a fair  example  of  the  transition  from  ancient  to  modern 
names.  Lat.  Matisco,  by  inversion  Mastico,  abl.  Masticone,  whence 
Masticon,  Mastcon,  Mascon,  Macon. — P. 

a “ — qu’il  rendit  importante  par  ses  approvisionnemens  militaires” 
— rendered  it  important  for  victualling  his  army. — Q.  Tullium  Cice- 
ronem,  et  P.  Sulpicium,  Cabiloni  et  Matiscone  in  iEduis  ad  Ararim, 
rei  frumentariae  causa,  collocat.  Csesar.  Commentar.  Lib.  VII.  § 83. 
This  is  all  the  mention  made  of  it  by  Ca?sar. — P. 

r “ In  the  10th  century,  it  had  its  Carrier  in  St.  Point,  who  rendered 
himself  infamous  during  the  religious  wars,  by  the  atrocities  called 
Sauteries  de  Mticon  (Macon  leaps.)” 

3 The  bishopric  of  Macon  has  been  suppressed. — P. 

1 “ The  wines  of  Moulin  b.  Vent  and  of  Torrins  are  produced  in  its 
neighbourhood.” 
u Cluni. 

x “ — a wealthy  manufacturing  town.” 

y “ The  convent  contains  a college  and  other  useful  establishments.  ’ 

EUROPE. 


280 

ument  which  has  been  raised  to  his  memory,  is  certainly 
the  greatest,  perhaps  the  only  ornament  that  can  be  found 
in  the  town.a  The  population  amounts  to  five  thousand 
individuals ; the  principal  manufactures  are  hats  and  cov- 
erlets. 

Charolles  was  formerly  the  chief  town  in  the  small  prov- 
ince of  Charollais  ;b  it  is  at  present  the  capital  of  a district0 
which  possesses  several  manufactories  and  five  or  six  iron 
works.  Bourbon-Lancy  contains  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred individuals ; it  is  still  frequented  on  account  of  its  min- 
eral waters ; the  baths  were  constructed  by  the  Romans  :d 
the  town  hears  the  name  of  Aqucc,  JMisinei*  in  the  Theodo- 
sian  table.  It  is  unnecessary  to  go  out  of  the  road  to  ex- 
amine Louhansf  on  the  left  hank  of  the  Seille,  for  it  consists 
only  of  some  old  houses  that  project  into  the  streets.?  Cha- 
lons sur  Saoneh  rivals  Macon  in  commerce  and  industry.* 
An  old  bridge  that  leads  to  the  suburbs'* 1  may  recal  an  act 
of  cruelty  committed  by  Lothaire ; that  prince  in  order  to 
satisfy  the  hatred  he  bore  the  sons  of  the  count  of  Toulouse, 
ordered  their  sister,  the  fair  and  virtuous  Gerberge,  to  be 
dragged  at  a horse’s  tail1  along  the  bridge,  and  afterwards  to 
be  put  into  a cask,  and  thrown  into  the  Saone.  The  town 
is  well  built,  a fine  quay  has  been  constructed  along  the 
river,  and  a lofty  obelisk  serves  to  adorn  a public  walk. 
Chalons  was  an  important  military  station  in  the  time  of 
Caesar,  by  whom  it  is  called  Cabinolum ,m  but  as  Danville 
remarks,  there  are  few  places  in  France,  of  which  the  an- 
cient name  has  been  written  in  so  many  different  ways." 
Denon  was  a native  of  Chalons. 

The  small  town  of  Montcenis  rises  on  a hill  between  two 
mountains  at  some  distance  to  the  west  of  the  Central  Ca- 
nal ;°  coal  and  iron  mines  are  worked  in  the  neighbourhood. 
The  burgh  of  Creusot  is  a place  of  considerable  trade ; it 
exports  glass  and  crystal  to  most  parts  of  F ranee ; it  has  its 
cannon  founderies  and  iron  works.P  Autun  rises  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Arroux  and  the  Creusevaux ; it  was  the  Bi- 
bracte  of  the  JEdui , but  it  received  the  name  of  Augusto- 
dunum  during  the  empire.  Triumphal  arches,  the  ruins  of 
temples  and  amphitheatres,  and  the  extent  of  the  old  walls, 
attest  that  it  was  much  larger  and  without  doubt  much  more 
populous  in  ancient  times  than  at  present.  It  stands  on  an 

a “ The  only  remarkable  construction  in  his  native  town  ” 

b Charolais,  Charolois.  c “ Arrondissement.” 

d The  great  bath,  surrounded  with  circular  walls,  and  paved  with 
marble,  is  a work  of  the  Romans.  (Encyc.  Meth.) — It  contains  a large 
edifice  paved  with  marble,  called  the  Great  Bath — a work  of  the  Ro- 
mans. (Vosgien.) — P. 

e Aquce  JYisineii,  D’Anv. — Aqua  JVisinca,  Encyc.  Meth.  Geog. 
Anc. — P. 

r Louans,  Loans. 

e “ — which  still  contains  some  old  houses  (de  meilles  maisons)  that 
project  into  the  streets.” — One  may  pass  under  cover  through  the 
whole  town,  owing  to  the  projection  of  the  second  story  in  all  the 
houses.  Encyc.  Meth. — P. 

b Chalon  sur  Saone. 

> “ — and  population.” — Population  of  Chalons  10,609 — of  Macon 
10,965.  (Statistical  Tables.) 

k “ The  bridge  that  crosses  the  river.” — St.  Laurent  les  Chalons,  a 
suburb  of  Chalons,  is  situated  on  an  island  in  the  Saone,  opposite  the 
town,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  a bridge  that  crosses  the  two  arms 
of  the  river.  Before  the  revolution,  it  was  considered  a separate  mu- 
nicipality. (Encyc.  Meth.  Vosgien.) — P. 

1 “ — by  the  hair  ( per  les  cheveux.)" 

m This  is  probably  a mistake.  The  word  is  twice  used  in  Ceesar’s 
Commentaries  (Lib.  VII.  § 40,  cx  oppido  Cabillono ; § 83,  Cabiloni  ct 
Matisconc,)  in  which  it  is  written  Cabillonum  and  Cabilonum  in  several 
different  copies  referred  to,  including  the  Elzevir  edition  1635,  ex 
emendations  Jos.  Scaligeri.  It  is  written  Cabillonum  in  D’Anville, 
Moreri,  Encyc.  Meth.  (Geog.  Anc.)  and  Vosgien.  The  translator  has 
altered  the  original  to  Cabinolinum. — P. 

" Ptolemy  calls  it  Cabidlinum ; Strabo,  Cabyllinum ; and  Ammianus 
Marcellinus,  Cubillo  in  the  Itinerary  of  Autonine,  it  is  called  Cabel- 


| BOOK  CXLV. 

eminence  above  an  ancient  Campus  Martius,  which  has 
been  transformed  into  a fine  walk  shaded  with  trees.'! 

The  nature  of  the  country  has  pointed  out  two  different 
occupations  to  the  people  in  the  department  of  the  Cote 
d’Or  ;r  the  one  consists  in  cultivating  the  ground,  and  the 
other  in  working  metals.9  With  more  roads  than  the  average 
number  in  other  departments,  it  is  comparatively  thinly  peo- 
pled ; but  it  may  be  urged  that  the  occupations  in  which  the 
inhabitants  are  engaged  do  not  require  so  many  bands  as 
other  branches  of  industry.  If  the  vineyards  be  excepted, 
the  country  is  not  well  cultivated ; under  better  manage- 
ment, a number  of  oxen  and  sheep  sufficient  for  the  con- 
sumption might  easily  be  reared.1  The  course  of  the  Ouche 
divides  the  department  into  two  distinct  regions ; the  one  on 
the  south,  through  which  the  small  chain  of  the  Cote  d’Or 
extends,  is  admirably  adapted  for  the  culture  of  the  vine, 
while  the  one  on  the  north,  which  includes  part  of  the  pla- 
teau of  Langres,  may  be  styled  the  region  of  iron,  where 
Vulcan  seems  to  reign. 

To  judge  of  the  richness  of  the  southern  region,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  travel  the  road  which  leads  from  Chalons  sur 
Saone  to  Beaune  and  Dijon.  The  burgh  of  Nolay,  situated 
not  far  from  Beaune,  and  the  birthplace  of  the  celebrated 
Carnot,  is  encompassed  with  the  vineyards  of  Mont-Rachet.u 
The  different  growths  of  Meursault  rival  each  other,  while 
Pornard  and  Yolnay*  are  equally  famous  for  their  light 
wines.  The  vineyards  of  Richebourg,  Romanee  and  Clos- 
Vougeot>'  encircle  the  small  but  picturesque  town  of  Nuits. 
Beaune  is  situated  in  the  middle  of  the  same  rich  country, 
and  its  successive  embellishments  may  be  attributed  to  an 
improving  trade.  The  most  remarkable  edifice  in  the  town, 
is  the  hospital  founded  in  1443  by  Rollin,  chancellor  to 
Philip,  duke  of  Burgundy.2 * * * * * *  It  is  well  known  that  the  same 
chancellor  imposed  very  heavy  taxes  on  the  people ; “ as 
he  has  reduced  many  to  poverty,”  said  Louis  the  Eleventh, 
“ he  is  right  to  build  a house  for  them.”*®  Monge,  the  phi- 
losopher, and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Polytechnic  school, 
is  one  of  the  few  great  men  that  Beaune  has  produced. 
The  vineyards  in  the  adjoining  territory  extend  on  die  right 
of  the  Saone  to  the  small  town  of  Jean  de  Losne,bb  a place 
of  sixteen  hundred  inhabitants,  and  one  diat  holds  no  mean 

lio  ; in  the  Imperial  Tables,*  Caballodunum  ; and  in  the  Table  of  Peu- 
tinger,  Cabilio. 

* “ Notice  de  l’Empire”  ( Notitia  Imperii.)  ' 

0 Canal  of  the  Centre  ( canal  du  Centre.) 

p “ Creusot  contains  forges  and  iron  works  ( usines ,)  founderies  for 
cannon  and  bullets,  and  the  celebrated  royal  manufactory  of  crystals” 
(crystal  glass.) 

"t  “ It  is  situated  on  an  eminence,  and  its  Champ  de  Mars,  which  is 
planted  with  several  rows  of  trees,  commands  a magnificent  prospect.” 
— The  Champ  St.  Lazare  is  the  largest  square  in  Autun.  (Moreri.) — P. 

r So  called  from  the  Cote  d’Or,  a chain  of  lotv  mountains  or  hills, 
extending  from  Dijon,  by  Nuits,  Beaune  and  Chalons,  to  Macon, 
which  derives  its  name  from  the  excellence  of  the  wines  it  pro- 
duces.— P. 

s “ — travaux  des  usines”  (iron  works.)  There  are  iron  mines  and 
numerous  forges  in  the  department  (Peuchet.  Vosgien.) — P. 

1 “ It  does  not  rear  a sufficient  number  of  oxen  and  particularly  of 
sheep  for  the  consumption  of  the  inhabitants.” 

“ Montrachct.  1 Vollenay. 

y La  Romande — Le  Clos  de  Vougeot  (the  enclosure  of  Vougeot — 
Voujault  or  Vougeot,  a village  near  the  source  of  the  Vouge,one  league 
from  Nuits.  Vosgien.) — P. 

1 Nicholas  Rolin,  born  1419,  died  1461.  Beauvais. — P. 

“ “ Louis  XI.  said  of  him,  that  he  had  made  so  many  poor  by  his 

exactions,  that  it  was  just  he  should  build  them  a house.”  A similar 

repartee  is  related  of  Francis  I.  Cardinal  Duprat  had  ordered  an 

addition  to  the  Hotel  Dieu  at  Paris,  called  the  Legate’s  Hall,  to  bo 

erected  at  his  own  expense.  “ It  will  be  large  enough,”  said  the  king, 

“ if  it  wall  hold  all  the  poor  he  has  made.” — P. 

bb  St.  Jean  de  Losne — Lone — Laune.  (Lat.  Fanum  Sancti  Johannis 

de  LotlonA.) — P. 


book  cxlv .]  DESCRIPTION 

celebrity  in  the  militnVy  annals  of  France.  It  was  besieged 
in  the  year  1630  by  the  grand  duke  Galeas* * *  at  the  head 
of  sixty  thousand  men  ; it  was  defended  by  eight  pieces  of 
cannon,  fifty  soldiers1*  and  four  hundred  inhabitants,  de- 
termiued  to  die  rather  than  to  surrender;  among  the  latter 
were  Peter  Desgranges  and  Peter  Lapre,  two  magistrates 
whose  admirable  example  was  imitated  by  the  citizens. 
The  town  supported  two  assaults,  during  which  the  women 
fought  at  the  side  of  their  brothers  and  husbands.  A fall  of 
rain  that  lasted  twelve  hours,  afforded  die  besieged  some 
respite  from  continued  labour ; in  that  interval  they  resolved 
to  spring  their  houses  and  to  perish  in  the  ruins ; but  on  the 
ninth  day  the  imperial  army,  daunted  by  their  heroic  efforts, 
raised  the  siege.0  A few  hours  afterwards,  a body  of 
French  troops  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  town.  Louis 
the  Thirteenth  offered  titles  of  nobility  as  a reward  for  so 
great  heroism,  but  the  inhabitants  had  the  spirit  and  good 
sense  to  refuse  them. 

The  vineyards  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Beaune  meet 
others  near  Dijon ; the  different  growths  of  Brochon,  Che- 
nove,  Beze  and  Chamberlin  near  Gevrav,d  are  so  well 
known  that  the  reader  may  form  somo  notion  of  these  vil- 
lages from  the  commercial  importance  of  their  products. 
Dijon  stands  in  the  middle  of  a pleasant  and  fruitful  plain, 
terminated  by  verdant  hills.  The  streets  are  broad  and 
straight,  and  the  houses  are  large  and  well  built ; the  Ouche 
and  the  Suzon  meet  in  the  town,®  and  the  ramparts  that  sur- 
round it,  are  shaded  by  lofty  trees.  A Gothic  castle  built 
by  Louis  the  Eleventh,  and  flanked  with  massive  towers,  is 
all  that  remains  of  the  ancient  fortifications.  The  front  of 
the  ancient  palace  that  belonged  to  the  dukes  of  Burgundy, 
adorns  the  Royal  square/  the  finest  of  the  fifteen  squares  in 
Dijon.  In  the  same  edifice  are  contained  a library  of  forty 
thousand  volumes,  together  with  valuable  collections  of  paint- 
ings, statues,  antiquities  and  natural  history  ;s  the  old  tower  that 
surmounts  it,  serves  as  an  observatory.  The  cathedral  is  a 
Gothic  building,  of  which  the  boldness  cannot  be  too  much 
admired  ; the  portal  of  St.  Michael  may  be  mentioned  as  a 
specimen  of  finished  workmanship  ; while  the  church  of  St. 
Benigne  is  surmounted ' by  a steeple/  three  hundred  and 
seventy-five  feet  in  height.  The  park,  a public  walk,  com- 
municates with  the  town  by  a road  or  avenue  formed  by 
four  rows  of  trees.  Science  and  literature  have  been  long- 
cultivated  and  honoured  at  Dijon  : in  proof  of  this  assertion, 
it  is  hardly  necessary  to  mention  the  college,  the  schools  of 
philosophy,  law  and  medicine,1  or  the  names  of  Bossuet, 
Crebillon,  Piron,  Freret,  Rameau,  Saumaise,  Daubenton 

a Matthias  Gallas  (Galas  or  Galasso,)  field-marshal  in  the  imperial 
service. — P. 

k 150  soldiers  (Encyc.  Meth.) — 100  soldiers  (Vosgien.) — P. 
c “ A rain  of  twelve  hours’  duration,  which  discouraged  the  besieg- 
ers, and  the  determined  resolution  of  the  inhabitants  to  blow  up  their 
houses  and  perish  in  their  ruins,  at  last  induced  the  imperial  army, 
after  nine  days  of  unheard  of  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  besieged,  to 
abandon  their  enterprise  and  retire.” 

11  “ The  different  vineyards  ( clos , enclosures)  of  Brochon,  that  of  the 
king  ( du.  Roi)  at  Chenove,  and  those  of  Beze*  and  Chainbertin,  near 
Gevrayt  — ” 

* Baise.  t Gevrey. 

' It  is  situated  between  the  rivers  Ouche  and  Suzon,  the  first  of 
which  rises  to  the  south  of  the  town,  while  the  latter  flows  past  it  on 
the  north.  Ed.  Encyc. — P.  f Place  Royale. 

s “ — a museum  of  paintings,  sculpture,  antiquities  and  natural  his- 
tory”— The  Museum  of  Dijon. — P. 

i>  “ — by  a pyramidal  spire” — The  spire — has  only  a small  diameter, 
but  it  rises  to  the  height  of  375  feet.  Ed.  Encyc. — P. 

i “The  college,  the  faculty  of  sciences,  the  schools  of  law,  medi- 
cine and  the  fine  arts,  the  agricultural  society,  and  the  academy  of 
sciences  and  letters.” — In  the  organization  of  public  instruction,  Di- 
YOL.  III.— NO.  51  36 


GF  FRANCE.  281 

and  Gnyton-Morvean.k  Dijon  was  founded  before  the  Ro- 
man conquest;  it  was  then  called  Dibio ; Marcus  Aurelius 
was  the  first  wdio  encompassed  it  with  walls  and  thirty-three 
towers.  Gregory  of  Tours  informs  us  that  the  emperor 
Aurelian  adorned  it  with  temples,  and  rendered  it  an  impor- 
tant fortress ; much  about  the  same  period,  it  was  known  by 
the  name  of  Divio. 

If  there  are  other  important  places  in  the  same  depart- 
ment, it  may  be  attributed  not  to  vineyards  and  wine  presses, 
but  to  forests,  forges  and  iron  works.  The  town  of  Aux- 
onne  consists  of  well  built  streets,  and  is  surrounded  by 
ramparts  forming  pleasant  walks ; it  has  a fine  bridge  across 
the  Saone,  bounded  on  one  side  by  a stone  embankment 
two  thousand  four  hundred  yards  in  length,  a work  which 
was  completed  in  the  year  1505  to  defend  the  town  against 
the  inundations  of  the  river  ;l  m it  contains  besides  an  arsenal 
and  a royal  foundery.  F ontaine-F ranqaise,  a populous  and 
wealthy  burgh,  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  a monu- 
ment which  was  erected  to  commemorate  the  victory  that 
Henry  the  Fourth  gained  over  the  duke  of  Mayenne  and 
the  Spanish  troops ; it  possesses  several  furnaces,  and  ex- 
ports wheels  for  machinery.11 

Saulieu,  a town  of  three  thousand  inhabitants,  and  the 
birthplace  of  the  celebrated  Vauban,  is  situated  on  the  west 
of  the  canal  of  Burgundy  ; it  carries  on  a considerable  trade 
in  fire-wood  and  in  timber.  The  Armancon  flows  below  the 
neat  and  small  town  of  Semur  en  Auxois,  which  is  built  on 
the  summit  of  a granite  rock.  Montbard,0  a town  of  2000 
inhabitants,  rises  like  an  amphitheatre  above  the  canal  of 
Burgundy  ; it  is  commanded  by  the  castle  where  Buffon 
was  born  ; the  forges  and  furnaces  that  were  erected  by  the 
great  naturalist  may  be  seen  in  the  neighbourhood.  There 
are  not  many  iron  works  in  the  district11  of  Semur,  but  there 
are  more  than  thirty  in  that  of  Chatillon  sur  Seine.  The 
town  from  which  the  last  district?  takes  its  name,  was  an 
important  stronghold  during  the  twelfth  century  ; it  was  the 
scene  in  1814  of  (he  fruitless  negociations  between  Napoleon  y 
and  the  allied  powers.  Different  articles  are  now  manufac- 
tured within  its  ancient  castle. i 

The  department  watered  by  the  Yonner  is  less  populous 
than  the  last,  but  it  produces  more  grain3  than  the  inhabit- 
ants consume.  The  woods  and  forests  cover  a great  ex- 
tent of  surface  ; the  vineyards  are  not  only  valuable  from 
the  quality  of  their  produce,  but  they  yield  nearly  twice  as 
much  wine  as  those  of  the  Cote  d’Or.  Agriculture,  how- 
ever, has  not  attained  the  requisite  degree  of  perfection,  for 
in  proportion  to  the  surface,  fewer  oxen  and  sheep  are  reared 

jon  has  an  academy,  faculties  of  law,  sciences  and  letters,  and  a royal 
college.  (Alrnan.  Royal.  1822.) — P. 

k Freret  was  born  in  Paris,  Daubenton  at  Montbard,  and  the  cele- 
brated Claude  de  Saumaise  ( Salmasius ) at  Semur  en  Auxois.  Pure 
Sauinaise,  a relation  of  the  preceding,  and  one  of  the  fathers  of  the 
Oratory,  was  born  in  Dijon. — P. 

1 It  was  built  by  order  of  Margaret  of  Bavaria,  duchess  of  Bur 
gundy. 

m “ — a fine  bridge  over  the  Saone,  terminated  by  a levee  in  masonry, 
2400  paces  long,  constructed  in  1505  against  the  inundations  of  the 
river.” — The  stone  causeway  ( levie  de  pierre ),  at  the  end  of  the  bridge, 
is  2350  paces  long,  and  was  constructed  in  1505,  by  order  of 
Margaret  of  Bavaria,  duchess  of  Burgundy.  It  has  twenty-three 
arched  openings  ( arcades ) to  allow  free  passage  to  the  watcis  of  the 
river  during  inundations.  Encyc.  Method.— It  is  in  fact  a raised  road 
leading  from  the  bridge  across  the  low  lands  bordering  the  Saone. — P 
n “ It  possesses  a furnace,  which  is  employed  in  casting  wheels  for 
machinery.” 

0 Montbar.  p “ Arrondissement.” 

q “ Its  castle  contains  several  manufacturing  establishments  (itu, 
blissemens  d'industrie.)" 

r Department  of  the  Yonne.  * “ Wheat  and  oats  ” 


282 


EUROPE. 


[EOOK  CXLY. 


than  in  the  rest  of  France;  indeed  if  it  were  not  for  the 
number  of  roads  and  navigable  rivers,  which  enable  the 
inhabitants  to  carry  on  their  commerce,  it  would  be  one  of 
the  poorest  departments  in  the  kingdom,  notwithstanding  its 

In  a district*  situated  on  the  right  of  the  road  that  passes 
through  the  principal  towns  in  the  department,  are  united  the 
romantic  beauties  of  Switzerland,  and  the  fertility  which 
characterizes  the  vineyards  of  Burgundy.  Avallon,b  the 
chief  town  in  the  district,*  is  mentioned  by  the  name  of 
Aballo,  in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine,  and  as  an  important 
fortress,  in  the  capitularies  of  the  French  kings.  It  is  known, 
however,  that  it  was  besieged  and  taken  in  the  year  931  by 
Emma,  the  wife  of  king  Raoul.  Seventy-four  years  after- 
wards, king  Robert,  coveting  the  fair  country  of  Burgundy, 
made  himself  master  of  the  town ; but  no  sooner  had  his 
son  Henry  the  First  ascended  the  throne,  than  it  was  taken 
from  him  by  his  brother  Robert  who  retained  it  with  the 
title  of  duke.c  The  houses  are  well  built,  and  the  situation 
is  very  romantic ; the  walk  called  the  Petit  Coursf  owes 
its  chief  charm  to  its  position  above  the  steep  banks  of  the 
Cousin,  a small  river  that  winds  through  a deep  and  seques- 
tered valley,  partly  enclosed  by  precipitous  rocks,  towering 
above  verdant  woods  or  gardens  that  seem  to  hang  in  the 
air ; in  another  direction  the  same  valley  leads  to  fruitful 
fields  and  extensive  forests.e 

The  town  of  Vermanton  contains  about  three  thousand 
inhabitants ; it  carries  on  a trade  in  wine  and  timber ; on  the 
road  that  leads  to  it,  and  at  no  great  distance  above  the  vil- 
lage of  Arcy  sur  Cure,  are  situated  the  extensive  grottos 
which  were  formerly  considered  the  greatest  natural  curios- 
ities in  the  province.  They  consist  of  a great  many  halls 
that  communicate  with  each  other  by  narrow  passages,  so 
low  in  some  places  that  it  is  necessary  to  stoopf  in  order  to 
pass  through  them  ; one  of  them  encloses  a small  lake  of 
which  the  depth  has  never  been  measured.  All  of  them 
^ are  lined  with  stalactites,  which  have  the  appearance  of  fes- 
toons, immovable  cascades,  organs  or  colonnades,  and  which 


when  lightly  struck  emit  sounds  that  are  several  times  re- 
echoed with  different  modulations.  Beyond  the  confluence 
of  the  Cure  and  the  Yonne,  and  on  the  left  of  the  last  river, 
may  be  seen  the  hills,  which  have  given  to  Coulanges  the 
surname  of  la  VineuscA  Chablis,  a town  of  two  thousand 
five  hundred  inhabitants,  and  famous  for  its  white  wines,  is 
situated  on  the  right,  near  the  Seray  : in  the  vicinity  are 
the  remains  of  a Roman  way  which  led  from  Langres  to 
Auxerre. 

The  vineyards  of  Ligny  le  Chatel,  Seignelay,  Toucy,  and 
other  places  equally  celebrated  in  the  country,  surround  the 
former  capital  of  Auxerrois  ;h  it  might  be  difficult  to  deter- 
mine its  ancient  name  with  scrupulous  accuracy,  but  anti- 
quaries may  choose  between  Altissiodornm,  Autissiodorum 
and  Autissiodorum.1  It  is  certain,  however,  that  the  Ro- 
mans made  it  the  chief  town  of  a Pagus  by  rendering  it 
independent  of  Senones.k  Some  wealthy  wine  merchants 
who  have  become  collectors  of  antiquities,  possess  medals 
and  coins  which  were  found  in  the  town,  and  which  prove 
that  money  was  once  struck  there.  It  was  desolated  at  dif- 
ferent times  by  the  Huns,  the  Normans,  the  Saracens  and 
the  English,  and  it  was  more  than  once  pillaged  during  the 
religious  wars  in  the  sixteenth  century but  the  courageous 
resistance  of  one  man  preserved  it  from  the  crimes  and  hor- 
rors of  St.  Bartholomew.  The  inhabitants  of  Auxerre  had 
been  included  in  the  proscribed  lists  which  preceded  the 
massacre  ; a magistrate,  afterwards  president  Jeannin,  whom 
historians  call  the  most  virtuous  minister  of  Henry  the  Fourth, 
had  the  glory  of  saving  his  native  city.  Amyot  holds  the 
first  rank  among  the  learned  men  that  were  born  in  Auxerre  ;m 
it  has  also  given  birth  to  John  Duval,  an  able  antiquary,  to 
Royer  de  Pilles,  the  author  of  the  lives  of  the  painters,”  to 
the  Abbe  Leboeuf,  who  has  left  many  valuable  writings 
concerning  the  history  of  Paris,0  to  St.  Palaye,  known  by 
bis  memoirs  of  chivalry ,p  to  Retif  de  la  Bretonne,  whose 
familiar  style  is  well  adapted  for  the  task  he  undertook — a 
faithful  picture  of  the  burgesses  and  manners  of  his  day,'! 
and  lastly,  to  Sedaine,  a dramatic  writer  of  an  inferior 


1 Arrondissement.  b Avalon. 

c Robert,  king  of  France,  nephew  of  Eudes  the  last  duke  of  Bur- 
gundy of  the  first  race,  who  died  without  children  in  1001,  took  pos- 
session of  the  dutchy  as  his  heir,  and  gave  it  as  an  appanage  to  Robert 
his  third  son,  first  of  the  dukes  of  Burgundy  of  the  second  race.  Rob- 
ert, king  of  France,  died  in  1031,  and  was  succeeded  by  Henry  I.  his 
second  son.  (Moreri.)— King  Robert  made  himself  master  of  Avallon, 
after  three  months’siegc,  in  1005  ; his  son  Robert,  afterwards  duke  of 
Burgundy,  took  it  in  1031,  and  kept  it  with  the  dutchy.  (Encyc. 
Meth.)— P. 

<t  Little  Corso. 

e “ — a small  river  that  winds  through  a valley  a hundred  feet  in 
depth,  bordered  by  precipitous  declivities,  along  which  pointed  rocks 
rise  amidst  verdant  thickets,  and  above  which  gardens  seem  suspended 
in  the  air.  The  view  along  this  narrow  valley  is  at  last  terminated  by 
fertile  fields  and  extensive  forests.” 

f “ To  crawl  on  the  hands  and  knees  (d  plat  ventre.)” 
s Colanges  or  Coulanges  les  Vineuses  ( Colonies  Vinosee,)  so  called 
from  the  excellent  wine  produced  on  the  adjoining  hills.  Encyc. 
Meth. — P. 
b Auxerre. 

‘ Ancient  names  of  the  town,  according  to  different  antiquaries  and 
the  Itinerary  of  Antonine.  M.  B. — Autissiodureim,  D'Anv. — Altissiodo- 
rum,  Autissiodorum  ; according  to  the  Table  of  Peutinger,  Antessiodo- 
rum  ; and  according  to  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine,  Antisiodorvm. 
Encyc.  Meth.  art.  Auxerre. — No  less  than  thirteen  Latin  names  of 
the  town  are  enumerated  by  Moreri. — P. 

k “ — by  detaching  it  from  the  territory  of  the  Senones  (cite  des  Se- 
nones ” — riritas  Senonnm .)  The  Roman  provinces  consisted  of  states 
(ciritates,)  which  were  subdivided  into  pagi.  (Omnis  civitas  Helvetia 
in  quatuor  pagos  divisa  est.  Caesar.  Comment.  Lib.  I.  § 10.) — P. 

1 “ It  was  disturbed  (trouble)  during  the  religious  wars  of  the  16th 
century.”  The  Huguenots  pillaged  it  in  15C7.  (Moreri.) — P. 


m “ It  owed  to  the  courageous  resistance  of  president  Jeannin  its 
deliverance  from  the  horrible  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew  : that 
magistrate,  who  became  one  of  the  worthiest  ministers  of  Henry  IV., 
could  not  forget  during  that  horrible  proscription,  his  own  native 
place,  and  the  town  that  gave  birth  to  Amyot.”  This  sentence,  pretty 
closely  rendered  from  the  original,  is  not  very  definite,  but  appears  to 
contain  some  historical  inaccuracies.  The  president  Jeannin,  then  a 
simple  advocate  in  the  parliament  of  Dijon,  but  chosen  by  the  states 
of  Burgundy  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  province,  resisted  the  execu- 
tion of  the  orders  for  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  at  Dijon,  not  at 
Auxerre.  He  was  a native  of  Autun,  where  he  was  born  in  1540 
Amyot  was  a native  of  Melun,  but  was  appointed  bishop  of  Auxerre, 
where  he  died  in  1593.  Moreri.  Beauvais.  Diet.  Hist.  Caen,  1804. 
Encyc.  Meth.  Geog.  Mod.— P. 

" “ — auteur  dc  In  Vie  des  peintres ” — Roger  de  Piles,  born  at  Clam- 
eci,  1035  ; author  of  several  works  on  painting,  among  others,  of 
a compendium  of  the  lives  of  the  painters  (Abrigi  de  la  Vie  des  Pein- 
tres.) Beauvais.  Diet.  Hist — P. 

° “ — author  of  many  writings  on  the  history  of  the  environs  of  Par- 
is.”— Jean  Le  Beuf,  born  at  Auxerre,  1687.  The  listof  his  writings,  all 
on  different  subjects  of  French  history,  amounts  to  not  less  than  173. 
Among  them  are,  Dissertations  on  the  ecclesiastical  and  civil  history 
of  Paris,  3 vols.  12mo.,  and  a History  of  the  city  and  diocese  of  Paris, 
15  vols.  12mo. — P. 

p J.  B.  de  la  Curne  de  Sainte  Palaye,  author  of  a work  on  the  in- 
stitution and  early  state  of  chivalry  (Memoires  sur  l’Ancienne  Che- 
valerie.) — P. 

a “ Retif  de  la  Bretonne,  an  author  whose  trivial  style  paints  with 
much  fidelity  the  manners  of  the  lower  class  of  citizens  (la  petite  bour- 
geoisie) during  the  period  in  which  he  wrote — ” Restif  de  la  Bre- 
tonne, born  at  the  village  of  Sacy  in  Burgundy,  1734 — died  at  Paris, 
1806 — author  of  numerous  works  of  a light  and  indelicate  character, 
and  at  one  time  the  would-be  rival  of  Rousseau.  Beauvais. — P. 


book  cslv.]  DESCRIPT10 

order,  but  one  who  understood  at  least  what  has  been  since 
termed  stage-effect.**  There  are  many  well-built  houses  in 
Auxerre,  but  the  cathedral  is  the  only  edifice  which  attracts 
attention  ; it  is  adorned  with  a magnificent  portal  and  finely 
painted  windows.  The  marshal  of  Chastelux,b  after  having 
taken  Cravant  from  the  English,  restored  it  in  1423  to  the 
chapter  of  Auxerre ; for  this  service  the  chapter  granted  a 
canonry  in  perpetuity  to  the  eldest  sons  of  the  Chastelux 
family.  They  took  possession  of  it  in  boots  and  spurs,  armed 
with  a sword,  and  covered  with  a surplice,  bearing  the 
canonical  amice  on  the  left  arm,  with  a hawk  perched  on 
the  fist,  and  holding  a hat  with  feathers  in  the  right  hand. 
It  happened  in  the  year  1683  that  one  of  the  descendants  of 
the  family  appeared  in  this  singular  costume  in  the  cathedral 
before  Louis  the  Fourteenth  and  his  court,  when  some  of 
the  young  nobles  could  not  refrain  from  smiling ; the  king 
reproved  them  by  asking  if  they  would  not  wish  to  have 
such  a proof  of  an  ancestor’s  valour.0 

Joigny  was  founded  about  the  year  1000;  it  must  have 
been  a wealthy  and  commercial  town  less  than  three  hun- 
dred years  afterwards,  for  the  inhabitants  paid  a very  large 
sum  of  money  during  the  thirteenth  century  to  free  them- 
selves from  the  authority  of  their  counts ; it  rises  like  an 
amphitheatre  above  the  banks  of  the  Yonne,  and  is  com- 
manded by  an  old  castle. 

Sens  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Yonne  ; the 
ramparts  may  be  seen  from  a great  distance  ; there  is  rea- 
son to  believe  that  they  were  founded  before  the  time'1  that 
Julian  maintained  in  Agedincum  or  Senones,  a successful 
siege  against  the  Germans.  The  same  town  became  the 
capital  of  the  Fourth  Lyonnaise  during  the  reign  ofValens; 
it  rose  afterwards  to  greater  importance,  for  Theodosius 
the  Great  made  it  the  seat  of  an  archiepiscopal  see,  of 
which  the  prelates  styled  themselves  primates  of  Gaul  and 
Germany  ; but  the  archbishop  of  Lyons  claimed  the  first 
part  of  their  pompous  title.  As  the  population  of  Sens 
has  been  long  almost  stationary,  it  may  be  inferred  that 
industry  has  made  little  progress.  In  the  year  1788,  the 
number  of  inhabitants  amounted  to  7000;  at  present  it 
does  not  exceed  9000.®  Several  councils  have  met  at 
Sens,  of  which  the  most  celebrated  is  the  one  which  was 
held  about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1140;  it  was  there 
that  St.  Bernard,  influenced  by  personal  hatred,  brought 
about  the  condemnation  of  Abeilard,  but  that  celebrated 
theologian,  not  supposing  his  tenets  damnable,  appealed  to 
the  pope.  The  cathedral  has  an  imposing  effect;  it  occu- 
pies the  centre  of  the  finest  square  in  the  town.  The  mau- 
soleum of  the  Dauphiness  and  of  the  Dauphin,  father  of 
Louis  the  Sixteenth,  Louis  the  Eighteenth,  and  Charles 
the  Tenth,  has  been  restored  since  the  return  of  the 

►N  OF  FRANCE.  283 

Bourbon  family  ; it  consists  of  many  allegorical  figures, 
the  work  of  Coustou  the  sculptor.  A basso-relievo  behind 
the  choir,  represents  the  martyrdom  of  St.  Savinian,  the 
first  bishop  of  Sens.  The  painted  windows  attest  the  ge- 
nius of  John  Cousin,  one  of  the  earliest  French  painters 
and  a native  of  Soucy,  a village  in  the  neighbourhood. 
There  are  not  more  than  six  thousand  volumes  in  the  pub- 
lic library  ; one  of  the  manuscripts,  which  has  been  remov- 
ed to  the  town-house,  is  a folio  containing  the  Officio,  Stid- 
torum,  as  they  were  formerly  celebrated  in  the  cathedral 
of  Sens/  and  also  a poetical  panegyric  of  the  Ass,®  which 
used  to  be  repeated  or  chaunted  in  some  of  the  churches. 
The  binding  of  the  manuscript  is  studded  with  ivory  figures 
representing  different  subjects  connected  with  the  sacred 
bacchanals  of  an  ignorant  and  corrupt  age,  which  some 
have  been  pleased  to  style  the  good  old  time. 

The  festival  of  fools  held  the  first  rank  among  those  in 
which  sacred,  profane  and  obscene  exhibitions  were  united. 
It  was  celebrated  about  the  beginning  of  the  year,  in  some 
places  on  the  day  of  the  Circumcision/  and  in  others  on  the 
day  of  the  Innocents.*  Priests,  deacons  and  choristers  elect- 
ed a bishop  or  pope  for  the  occasion,  who  appeared  with  the 
pontifical  robes  and  the  mitre,  followed  by  a number  of  ec- 
clesiastics, clad  as  kings,  princes  and  dukes  ; there  were  be- 
sides many  individuals  in  various  disguises,  some  as  women, 
and  others  as  different  animals,  or  representing  Bacchus,  sa- 
tyrs and  heathen  divinities.  To  this  motley  group  his  holiness 
pronounced  the  benediction  ; the  priests  then  danced  round 
the  choir,  assisted  in  leading  an  ass  covered  with  a mag- 
nificent cope,  sung  the  eulogy  of  the  same  animal,  and  ob- 
scene songs,  to  which  all  the  people  brayed  by  way  of  re- 
sponse. While  the  pope  or  bishop  was  offering  prayers  at 
the  altar,  the  other  persons  in  the  church  sat  down  to  a 
feast,  got  drunk,  played  at  dice,  burnt  old  leather  in  the 
censers,  and  committed  every  sort  of  impiety.  The  songs 
which  were  sung  on  these  occasions,  have  been  attributed 
to  Peter  De  Corbeil,  an  archbishop  of  Sens,  who  died 
about  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century.  The  cathe- 
dral has  not  been  stained  wdth  these  pollutions  since  the 
year  1530.k  The  festival  of  fools,  however,  was  not  the 
only  one  of  the  kind  ; others  of  a similar  nature  were  cel- 
ebrated on  the  anniversaries  of  St.  Stephen  and  St.  John 
the  Evangelist.1 

Tonnerre  is  situated  on  the  left  of  the  canal  of  Burgun- 
dy and  of  the  Armancon,  a feeder  of  the  Yonne  ; antiqua- 
ries consider  it  a very  ancient  town,  indeed  it  is  not  im- 
probable that  it  was  inhabited  long  before  the  Roman  in- 
vasion.11* The  houses  are  well  built,  and  the  neighbouring 
country  is  famous  for  vineyards,  of  which  the  wines  are 
exported  to  most  parts  of  Europe.  A spring  issues  from 

1 “ Sedaine,  a dramatic  writer,  who  had  no  other  merit  than  his 

knowledge  of  stage  effect” M.  J.  Sedaine,  born  in  Paris  1719,  son 

of  an  architect,  and  himself  originally  a stone  cutter.  He  first  wrote 
for  the  Comic  Opera,  to  which  he  gave  a great  vogue,  and  then  for 
the  Italian  Opera  and  the  Theatre  Franqaise.  His  dramatic  pieces 
amount  to  32  in  number,  some  of  which  had  a very  great  currency 
(—one  of  them  (the  Deserter)  was  repeated  a hundred  times ;)  they 
show  a perfect  knowledge  of  stage  effect,  but  the  language,  although 
easy  and  natural,  is  full  of  inaccuracies.  Diet.  Hist.  Caen.  1804. — P. 

b Claude  de  Beauvoir,  marshal  of  Chastellux  (Chastelus.  Moreri.) 
— P. 

c “ There  is  not  one  of  you,  said  the  king,  who  would  not,  for  the 
same  price,  be  ambitious  of  such  a privilege” — i.  e.  who  would  not 
consider  the  canonry  worth  the  oddity  of  the  installation. — P. 

d “ — they  were  probably  founded  about  the  time  (dont  les  fonda- 

tions  dat.ent  probablement  de  Vtpoque )” 

e “ — does  not  contain  9000.” — Population  in  the  Statistical  Table, 
6,685. — P. 

f “ The  fools’  service  (“  office  des  foas,”  Officium  Stultorum,)  such 
as  it  was  formerly  celebrated  in  the  cathedral  of  Sens — ” 

s “ It  (the  service)  contains,  besides  a collection  of  prayers  and 
chants  suited  to  the  occasion,  a rhymed  prose*  in  praise  of  the  ass — ’ 
The  manuscript  contains  at  the  beginning  a rhymed  prose  on  the  ass, 
while  the  remainder  consists  of  the  prayers  of  the  church  mixed  to- 
gether in  confusion.  Encyc.  Meth. 

* Prose , a Latin  composition  in  rhyme,  in  which  only  the  number  of  the  sylla- 
bles is  observed,  without  any  regard  to  quantity — sung  at  the  mass,  on  certain 
occasions,  immediately  before  the  gospel. — P. 
h January  1st. 

> « — on  the  day  of  the  Kings” — Epiphany,  the  adoration  of  the 
three  kings  (magi,)  Jan.  6. — The  day  ol  the  Innocents  is  Dec.  28.  P 
k “ This  festival  was  celebrated  in  Sens  as  late  as  1530.” 

1 See  the  Glossary  of  Ducange,  and  the  Traite  des  Jeux  by  Thiers 
m“  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  founded  in  the  time  of  the  Romans.’ 

284 


EUROPE. 


[BOOZT.  CXLV. 


a rock  in  one  of  its  suburbs,  tbe  waters  of  wbicb  are  so 
copious  as  to  turn  several  mills  a short  distance  from  their 
source.  Tonnerre  possesses  a college  and  a school  of 
some  celebrity,  in  which  lectures  are  delivered  on  the  ap- 
plication of  geometry  to  the  arts.a  It  was  the  birthplace 
of  Chevalier  D’Eon  de  Beaumont,  a person  who  rendered 
important  services  to  his  country,  both  as  a diplomatist  and 
a general. 

It  is  necessary  to  pass  through  part  of  the  country  which 
has  been  described,  and  to  cross  the  Upper  Saone,  in  or- 
der to  examine  the  frontier  departments  in  Franche-Comte 
and  Alsace.  Before  proceeding  to  the  latter,  the  depart- 
ment of  the  Upper  Saone  requires  a brief  description. 
The  heights  and  vallies  between  the  Saone  and  Oignon 
extend  in  the  direction  of  those  two  rivers.  Vineyards 
which  produce  only  weak  and  ordinary  wines,  are  situated 
nearer  the  hanks  of  the  second  than  the  first ; they  cover 
a fortieth  part  of  the  whole  surface  : the  woods  and  forests 
in  different  parts  of  the  country  occupy  about  a third  part, 
arable  lands  rather  less  than  a half,  meadows  not  more 
than  a tenth,  and  waste  lands  nearly  a fifteenth  part  of  the 
whole.  Although  agriculture  has  made  great  progress 
within  the  last  twenty-five  years,  it  is  not  unreasonable  to 
expect  from  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  from  the  number 
and  extent  of  tbe  roads  in  the  department,  that  additional 
and  important  improvements  in  the  same  branch  of  indus- 
try may  ere  long  be  carried  into  effect.  A great  quantity 
of  grain,  however,  is  at  present  exported  to  the  south,  and 
tbe  culture  of  the  potato  has  become  general ; many  oxen 
are  reared,  but  sheep  have  been  so  much  neglected,  that 
the  total  number  does  not  exceed  forty-five  thousand,  or 
in  other  words,  there  is  not  more  than  one  sheep  for  six- 
teen inhabitants. b Coal  and  iron  mines,  iron-works,  forges 

and  furnaces  furnish  employment  to  3500  individuals.  The 
wages  of  labourers,  overseers,  and  other  expenses  connected 
with  these  works,  give  rise  to  a circulation  of  L. 400, 000  ;c 
the  neat  profit  derived  from  the  same  source  exceeds 
L.33,000.d  The  wealth  of  the  department  may  therefore 
be  said  to  consist  in  its  agriculture,  in  the  works  already 
mentioned,  in  the  products  of  distilleries  and  different  man- 
ufactories.* * * * * 6 

The  district4-  of  Lure,  the  most  industrious  of  the  three 
into  which  the  department  has  been  divided,  is  situated  at 
the  western  extremity.  The  burgh  of  Hericourt  exports 
cotton  stuffs,®  and  Vyles-Lure  possesses  a muslin  manu- 
factory, in  which  nearly  five  hundred  workmen  are  em- 
ployed. St.  Bresson  has  been  noted  for  its  paper  since 
the  year  1GG0;  it  supplies  the  Parisians  with  the  finest 
vellum  paper  that  is  sold  in  the  capital.1'  The  value  of 

a “ — a college  and  a course  of  geometry  applied  to  the  arts” 

b This  assertion  does  not  agree  with  the  population  in  the  Statistical 

Tables,  326,041.— P. 

c “ Nearly  10  millions  francs.” 

d “ About  800,000  francs.” 

6 “ Agriculture  and  the  works  just  mentioned,  together  with  distil- 
leries, cotton  mills  ( filatures ,)  and  manufactories  of  hardware,  form  the 
principal  sources  of  wealth  to  the  department.” 
f “ Arrondissement.” 

e “ — contains  several  manufactories  of  cotton  stuffs  (colonnades.)" 
h “ St.  Bresson  contains  one  of  the  finest  paper  mills  in  France, 
founded  in  1660 ; the  greatest  part  of  its  fine  vellum  paper  is  sent  to 
Paris.” 

‘ — “ amounts  in  some  years  to  400,000  francs.” Faucogney  and 

I.uxeuil  are  also  noted  for  their  kirschwasser.  (Vosgien.) — P. 
k “ Hardware  (quincaillerie.)" 

1 “ A manufactory  of  tinned  iron  at  the  village  of  Magnoncourt” — 
m Tjuxovium,  D’Anv.  Encyc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc. — P. 

" The  inscription  was  discovered  on  the  23d  of  July  1755,  among 


the  kirscliwasser,  which  the  people  of  Fougerolles  send  to 
the  same  place,  varies  from  fifteen  to  twenty  thousand 
pounds.'  St.  Loup,  a town  of  two  thousand  inhabitants, 
is  situated  on  tbe  right  bank  of  the  Angrone ; it  carries  on 
a trade  in  straw  hats,  woollen  stuff’s,  horse-combs  and  bird- 
lime. Different  articles  of  cutleryk  are  manufactured  in 
Plancher  les  Mines,  which  derives  its  name  from  a mine 
of  argentiferous  lead  that  is  still  worked.  The  white  iron 
works  near  the  village  of  Magnoncourt1  afford  constant 
employment  to  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  workmen. 
Few  other  places  of  any  consequence  can  be  mentioned 
in  the  same  part  of  the  country;  it  maybe  remarked,* 
however,  that  good  hones  are  exported  from  Faucogney 
and  Champagney,  and  that  granite  quarries  might  be 
worked  with  profit  near  Melisey  and  Chateau-Lambert, 
the  latter  a village  well  known  for  its  excellent  cheese. 

The  ancient  town  of  Luxeuil  or  Luxeu  stands  in  a fine 
situation  on  the  confines  of  a large  and  fruitful  plain,  wa- 
tered by  the  Brouchin  and  the  Lanterne,  two  rapid  rivers 
abounding  in  fish ; hills  covered  with  lofty  woods  rise  at 
no  great  distance  from  the  town.  The  present  name  ap- 
pears to  have  been  derived  from  Lug  and  Swi,  two  Cel- 
tic words  which  signify  warm  water;  it  is  certain,  howev- 
er, that  the  place  was  called  Lixovium m by  the  Romans. 
It  appears  from  an  inscription,  that  the  baths  were  repair- 
ed by  Labienus  in  conformity  to  the  orders  of  Caesar ;"  the 
most  of  them  are  now  in  ruins,  but  the  ruins  are  not  un- 
worthy of  the  ancients ; so  long  as  the  waters  were  held 
in  repute,  the  inhabitants  spared  no  expense  to  render  the 
town  agreeable  to  strangers.0  Lure,  which  is  also  consid- 
ered a place  of  great  antiquity,  was  formerly  celebrated 
for  an  abbey,  founded  by  St.  Deicole  in  tbe  reign  of  Clo- 
taire  the  Second.  The  chief  of  the  monastery,  which  after- 
wards adopted  the  rule  of  St.  Benedict,  took  the  title  of 
prince  of  the  Holy  Empire  ;p  the  building  which  he  occu- 
pied serves  at  present  as  a residence  to  the  subprefect. 

According  to  the  learned  dissertations  of  certain  anti- 
quaries whose  labour  in  illustrating  the  language  and  man- 
ners of  the  Celts,  merited  better  success,  the  name  of  Ve- 
soul  comes  from  two  Celtic  words,  ves,  tomb,  and  houl, 
sun ; by  a process  of  reasoning  as  ingenious  as  it  is  hypo- 
thetical, it  has  been  discovered  that  the  tomb  of  the  sun 
was  connected  with  an  important  part  of  the  druidical  wor- 
ship. If  the  etymology  be  correct,  the  town  must  have 
existed  at  a very  remote  period  ; it  happens  unfortunately, 
however,  that  it  was  unknown  to  the  ancients. q No  notice 
of  it  can  be  found  in  the  history  of  France  before  the  tenth 
century,  and  it  is  only  mentioned  as  the  theatre  of  two  im- 
portant events  in  the  annals  of  Franche  Comte.  About 

the  ruins  of  the  ancient  tliermce,  and  is  now  preserved  in  the  town- 
house.  Lixovu  Therm.  Repar.  Labienus  Juss.  C.  Jul.  Coes.  Imp. 

0 “ Those  which  exist  are  worthy  the  magnificence  of  the  ancients. 
In  the  watering  season,  the  inhabitants  spare  no  pains  to  render  their 
town  agreeable  to  strangers.”  Luxeuil  is,  in  fact,  and  long  has  been, 
a noted  watering  place — It  has  five  baths,  viz.  the  Benedictines’ 
bath,  the  Ladies’  bath,  the  Great  bath,  the  Little  bath  or  Poor’s  bath, 
and  the  Capuchins’  bath.  Encyc.  Meth.  1784. — P. 

p The  abbot  of  Lure  (Lat.  Luthra,  Lvdcra  ; Germ.  Ludders)  has  the 
title  of  prince  of  the  empire.  Encyc.  Meth.  1784. — P. 

"i  “ According  to  the  learned  dissertations  of  the  antiquaries  who  in- 
vestigate the  language  and  antiquities  of  the  Celts,  in  order  to  discov- 
er the  etymologies  of  the  names  of  our  ancient  towns,  that  of  Vesoul 
comes  from  two  Celtic  words,  namely,  vez,  tomb,  and  hoill,  sun  ; this 
appellation  ( tomb  of  the  sun)  is  also  considered  by  them  a precious 
relic  of  the  druidical  worship.  According  to  the  above  etymology, 
the  town  must  have  existed  at  the  remotest  period  of  antiquity  ; it 
does  not  appear,  however,  to  have  been  known  to  the  ancients.” 


BOOK  CXLY .] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


285 


the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  a German  army  re- 
turning destitute  of  provisions  and  money  from  an  expedi- 
tion against  Bresse,  resolved  to  plunder  Vesoul.  The 
general  had  called  a council  of  war,  in  which  it  was  agreed 
that  an  attempt  should  be  made  to  scale  the  walls,  but 
after  a fall  of  rain  that  lasted  twenty-four  hours,  the  plain 
was  covered  with  water,  and  the  terrified  Germans  attribut- 
ing the  phenomenon  to  an  interposition  of  providence,  fled 
from  Vesoul,  leaving  behind  them  their  baggage  and  artil- 
lery."* 1 The  flight  of  the  Germans  was  occasioned  by  a 
natural  cause,  and  the  waters  of  Frais-Puitsb  had  the  merit 
of  saving  the  town.  The  bed  of  a torrent  may  be  observ- 
ed about  the  distance  of  a league  from  Vesoul;  the  same 
bed  remains  dry  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  the  ra- 
vine through  which  it  extends,  terminates  in  a gulf  not  less 
than  fifty  feet  in  depth  by  sixty  in  diameter ; it  too  in  or- 
dinary seasons  is  almost  dry,  but  after  heavy  rains  a great 
quantity  of  water  is  suddenly  discharged  from  it,  which  in- 
undates the  neighbouring  meadows,  reaching  even  to  the 
lower  part  of  the  town,  and  changes  into  a sort  of  lake  the 
country  inclined  tcnvards  the  Saone.  This  phenomenon 
continues  sometimes  for  three  days,  after  which  the  waters 
retire,  the  gulf  empties  itself,  and  the  torrent  ceases  to 
flow.'  The  siege,  that  has  been  mentioned,  was  by  no 
means  creditable  to  the  baron  of  Polwillers,  who  ought  to 
have  respected  a neutral  territory,  but  in  the  same  annals 
the  name  of  Turenne  is  associated  with  an  act  of  bad  faith. 
No  sooner  had  that  hero  presented  himself  in  1644  before 
the  gates  of  the  town  than  it  surrendered  ; the  conditions 
of  the  capitulation  were  hardly  signed,  before  it  was  given 
up  to  pillage ; the  convent  of  the  Annunciates/  where  the 
inhabitants  believed  their  wives,  children  and  most  precious 
effects  to  be  safe,  was  not  considered  inviolable  ; the  town- 
house  was  demolished  and  the  archives  were  destroyed. 
It  is  added  that  it  was  necessary  to  pledge  the  sacred  ves- 
sels and  to  sell  many  valuable  articles/  in  order  to  pay 
.lie  contributions,  and  redeem  the  hostages. 

Industry  and  wealth  have  been  diffused  over  Franche- 
Comte  since  it  was  united  to  France  in  the  year  1678. 
Vesoul  since  the  same  period  has  been  enlarged  and  em- 
bellished ; the  principal  church,  which  may  be  remarked 
for  the  beauty  of  its  altar,  and  also  on  account  of  an  an- 
cient sepulchre,  was  finished  in  1745,  the  present  town- 
house  in  1766,  the  courts  of  justicer  in  1770,  the  market 
in  1772,  the  new  walk  in  1774,  the  barracks  in  1777, 
and  the  prefect’s  palace  in  1822.  The  public  library 
has  been  placed  in  one  of  the  halls  of  the  college,  it  con- 
sists of  more  than  twenty-one  thousand  volumes ; in  an 
adjoining  apartment  is  a collection  of  natural  history,  to 
which  valuable  additions  have  lately  been  made.® 

a Preparations  were  made  to  scale  the  walls,  when  a rain  of  twenty- 
four  hours’  duration  having  covered  the  plain  with  water,  the  terrified 
Germans,  attributing  this  sudden  inundation  to  the  sluices  which  the 
inhabitants  had  opened  for  their  defence,  fled  from  the  town,  leaving 
behind  them  their  artillery  and  baggage.” 

b “ The  spring  called  Frais-Puits” 

c Annuaire  du  departement  de  la  Haute-Saone  pour  P annee  1825, 
par  MM.  Baulmont  et  Suchaux. 

d “ Annonciades” — Nuns  of  the  Annunciation  of  the  Virgin  ( Annum - 
data:). — P. 

e 11  To  sell  the  bells  (cloches.)” 

f “ Palacg  of  Justice.” 

s “ The  public  library,  placed  in  one  of  the  buildings  of  the  college, 
contains  21,000  volumes;  the  physical  cabinet  and  the  collection  of 
natural  history  are  annually  increasing.” 

b “ It  employs  annually  in  transporting  its  merchandise  by  land  and 
by  water,  86,500  horses.” 


Several  places  not  unworthy  of  notice  are  situated  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Vesoul.  The  grottos  of  Echenos 
les  Molines,  at  a short  distance  from  the  walls,  are  remark- 
able lor  their  extent ; they  also  contain  many  bones  of  an- 
imals now  extinct.  The  foundations  of  vast  edifices,  traces 
of  ancient  ditches,  and  the  remains  of  the  Roman  ways, 
that  have  been  discovered  near  Jussey,  a town  of  two 
thousand  six  hundred  inhabitants,  serve  to  strengthen  the 
tradition  that  it  was  built  by  a Roman  colony  in  the 
third  century.  Corre  is  probably  situated  on  the  ruins 
of  Didatium,  a Gallic  city ; statues,  basso-relievos  and 
medals  are  found  in  this  humble  village,  the  only  remains 
of  an  important  town. 

Gray  rises  like  an  amphitheatre  above  the  banks  of  the 
Saone  ; it  contained  before  the  revolution,  not  fewer  than 
eight  convents ; it  carries  on  at  present  a great  trade  in 
grain,  flour  and  iron.  The  number  of  horses  employed 
in  conveying  the  goods  by  land,  and  in  dragging  them  along 
rivers,  amounts  nearly  to  80,000.''  In  one  work,  equal 
perhaps  to  any  other  of  the  same  sort  in  Europe,  are  saw 
and  oil  mills,  mills  for  tanning  leather,  and  felting  cloth, 
and  also  a mill  in  which  twenty-four  thousand  and  sixty- 
six  quarters  of  corn  are  annually  ground.1  The  streets 
are  steep  and  crooked  ; the  town  is  commanded  by  an  old 
castle,  which  was  inhabited  by  Philip  the  Bold,  John  the 
Fearless/  Philip  the  Good,  and  Catharine  of  Burgundy, 
the  widow  of  Leopold  of  Austria. 

The  lofty  summits  of  Jura  form  part  of  the  French  ter- 
ritory ; the  chain  has  given  its  name  to  a very  industrious 
department,1 *  richer  perhaps  in  cattle  than  any  other, 
abounding  in  woods,  but  ill  provided  with  navigable  rivers."1 * * * 
The  eastern  part  is  the  most  mountainous ; it  may  be  said 
to  consist  of  three  ridges  :n  the  highest,  contiguous  to  Swit- 
zerland, is  covered  with  snow  six  months  in  the  year ; the 
soil  is  comparatively  sterile,  but  the  inhabitants  are  labori- 
ous : in  the  second,  fir  trees,  box  and  juniper  bushes  pre- 
dominate, but  there  are  besides  some  rich  pastures  and 
fertile  valleys  ;°  the  third,  less  elevated  than  the  two  others, 
is  also  less  unfruitful.  At  the  foot  of  these  ridges,  in  which 
mines  of  iron,  quarries  of  marble  and  saline  deposits?  are 
worked,  low  hills  covered  with  vineyards  that  yield  good 
wine,  occupy  a surface  twenty  leagues  in  length  ; lasdy, 
plains  consisting  chiefly  of  arable  land  form  the  base  or  arena 
of  this  natural  amphitheatre. 

The  northern  part  of  the  plain  is  traversed  by  the  Doubs, 
and  extends  below  the  forest  of  Chaux,  a forest  that  covers 
several  hills  and  a surface  of  50,000  acres.^  Doler  is  situ- 
ated on  the  banks  of  the  river,  at  the  foot  of  a hill8  planted 
with  vineyards.  The  vast  forest  near  the  town,  the  Doubs 
and  the  canal  of  Monsieur,  which  bathe  the  walls  and  fertil- 

* “ Gray  contains  one  of  the  finest  works  ( usines ) in  Europe ; it 
moves  a saw  mill,  an  oil  mill,  mills  for  tanning  leather  and  fulling 
cloth,  and  also  a flour  mill  which  grinds  70,000  hectolitres  of  wheat 
per  annum." 

k “ Jean  Sans-peur.” 

1 Department  of  Jura. 

m « — to  one  of  the  most  industrious  and  best  wooded  departments, 
as  well  as  one  of  the  richest  in  cattle  and  one  of  the  poorest  in  naviga- 
ble streams.” 

" “ Plateaus” — table-lands. 

0 “ The  second,  covered  like  the  preceding  with  the  fir,  the  box  and 
the  juniper,  contains  also  many  pastures  and  some  fertile  valleys.” 

p “ Salines.” — See  the  account  of  Salins,  p.  967. 

q “ 20,000  hectares.” 

r Dole  (Enc.  Meth.  art.  Fr  Comte.  Aim.  Royal.)  Dole  (Lat.  Dole i) 
(Moreri.  Enc.  Meth.  in  loco.) — P. 

! “ On  the  declivity  of  a hill  (sur  un  coteau.)” 


286  EUROPE.  [book  cxlv. 


ize  the  fields,  the  Loue,a  the  Cuisance  and  tlie  Glantine, 
that  wind  at  a distance,  the  curtain  formed  by  the  mountains 
from  which  the  three  latter  rivers  take  llrcir  source,  and  the 
double  summit  of  Mont-Blanc,  the  most  distant  object  in  the 
picture,  are  all  seen  from  the  Cours  or  highest  part  of  Dole.1, 
The  town  might  be  much  improved  if  the  streets  were  belter 
paved,  if  the  houses  were  more  regular ; according  to  the  ex- 
pression of  a flowery  writer, c “ it  might  then  look  like  a 
nymph  in  the  middle  of  a grove  at  present,  however,  it  has 
certainly  the  appearance  of  a faded  belle.  It  is  very  doubt- 
fid  that  Dole  was  ever  a place  of  much  importance ; anti- 
quaries may  affirm  the  contrary,  but  it  does  not  follow  from 
a few  medals,  some  remains  of  pilasters,  some  traces  of  Ro- 
man ways,  or  even  from  the  ruins  of  an  amphitheatre,  that 
the  town  stands  on  the  site  of  Didatium , besides  it  might 
be  shown  that  Didatium  was  an  inconsiderable  city,  although 
mention  is  made  of  it  in  the  geography  of  Ptolemy. J The 
antiquity  of  Dole  may  be  very  probable,  but  it  ought  not 
to  be  forgotten  that  no  traces  of  its  ancient  name  have  hith- 
erto been  discovered,  and  also  that  the  surrounding  coun- 
try is  well  adapted  for  antiquarian  research,  since  there  is 
hardly  a village  that  does  not  possess  a monument  of  the 
Celts  or  Romans.®  Several  charitable  institutions,  a prison 
that  is  said  to  he  too  elegant  and  too  commodious/  two 
or  three  manufactories, s public  walks  and  romantic  views 
may  enable  the  reader  to  form  some  notion  of  its  edifices, 
position  and  industry. 

To  prove  the  antiquity  of  Poligny/  it  has  been  said  that 
it  derives  its  name  from  Polls  Solis,  the  city  of  the  sun 
This  important  discovery  and  many  others  of  the  like  kind, 
made  by  the  antiquaries  of  Franche-Comte,  may  be  the 
results  of  a creative  imagination,  certainly  not  of  patient  re- 
search.11 The  position  of  Castrum-  Olinum,  as  it  is  indi- 
cated in  different  itineraries,  accords  with  that  of  Poligny.* 1 
Although  at  present  merely  the  residence  of  a subprefect, 
it  was  inhabited  in  the  time  of  the  Romans  by  the  lieutenant 
of  the  Great  Sequanaise,  and  it  became  under  the  dukes  of 
Burgundy,  the  summer  residence  of  those  princes ; it  rose 
then  on  the  height  which  now  commands  it.  The  houses 

a Louve.  (Enc.  Moth.  Vosgien.) — P. 

>>  “ — form  a rich  landscape,  when  seen  from  the  highest  point  of  the 
promenade  called  the  Coins " (Corso.) 

I M.  Dusillet,  mayor  of  the  town. 

d “ If  the  streets  were  better  paved  ( moins  inegales.)  and  the  houses 
more  elegant  and  regular,  it  might,  according  to  the  poetical  expres- 
sion of  an  elegant  writer,  be  said  to  resemble  a nymph  in  the  midst  of 
a grove ; but  it  is  not  even  a superannuated  beauty.  Dole  has  never 
been  beautiful ; it  has  never  even  been  a place  of  importance,  and 
notwithstanding  the  dissertations  of  antiquaries,  a few  medals,  a few 
remains  of  pilasters,  some  traces  of  Roman  roads,  and  some  vestiges  of 
an  amphitheatre,  formerly  discovered  in  its  neighbourhood,  do  not  prove 
that  it  has  ever  occupied  the  site  of  Didatium,  a city  besides  of  little 
importance,  although  mentioned  by  Ptolemy.” 

e “ Its  territory  is  one  of  those  on  which  the  sagacity  of  the  learned 
may  be  very  easily  employed ; there  are  few  villages,  where  in  exca- 
vating the  soil,  some  ancient  remains  may  not  be  discovered.” 
f '•  A prison  whose  only  defect  is  its  elegance.” 
s “ An  important  manufactory  of  chemical  products.” 

II  Poligni. 

‘ See  the  Annuaire  du  Jura”  by  M.  Bruand. 

k “ In  order  to  prove  the  antiquity  of  Poligny,  the  antiquaries  of 
Franche  Comte  have  affirmed  that  it  was  formerly  called  Polls  Solis, 
the  city  of  the  sun,  an  opinion  which  we  are  far  from  adopting.” 

1 “ The  JVotitia  Imperii  makes  mention  of  a residence  called  Castrum 
Olinum,  the  position  of  which  agrees  very  well  with  that  of  Poligny.” — 
The  ancient  Castrum  Olinum  of  the  JVotitia  Imperii,  in  which  the 
lieutenant  of  the  Sequanaise  ( Provincia . Maxima  Scquanorum)  resided. 
(Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Mod.  art.  Poligny.) — P. 

ln  “ The  canon  Jean  Molinet,  who  made  a prose  translation  of  the 
poem  of  the  Rose.”  J.  Molinet,  a French  poet  of  the  fifteenth  century, 
born  at  Desurennes,  a village  in  the  diocese  of  Boulogne  in  Picardy, 
was  almoner  and  librarian  to  Margaret  of  Austria  and  canon  of  the 


are  well  built,  and  the  streets  are  kept  clean  by  the  waters 
that  flow  from  several  fountains.  It  has  given  birth  to 
some  celebrated  men  in  their  time ; we  may  mention  the 
prebend  John  Molinet,  who  translated  the  poem  of  the 
Rose,'"  James  Coitier,"  physician  to  Louis  the  Eleventh,  and 
president  of  the  court  of  exchequer,  and  lastly,  Nicholas 
Rollin,  chancellor  to  Philip  the  Good,  duke  of  Burgundy. 
Many  ancient  monuments  are  situated  in  the  neighbour- 
hood ; two  druidical  stones  are  still  held  in  great  venera- 
tion hy  the  peasantry,  who  believe  that  they  turn  round  of 
their  own  accord  every  year,  precisely  at  the  time  of  the 
midnight  mass.0  The  ruins  of  Roman  edifices  are  situated 
in  different  directions,  but  the  purpose  for  which  they  were 
built,  has  not  been  determined.  The  people  call  them  the 
Chambretlcs,  the  traces  of  many  halls  or  chambers  are  still 
apparent ; little  attention  has  hitherto  been  bestowed  on 
them,  it  might  be  worth  while,  however,  to  make  excava- 
tions in  the  vicinity ; at  least  if  we  may  judge  from  a large 
piece  of  mosaic,  which  the  count  de  Caylus  considered  the 
finest  specimen  of  the  kind,  and  which  lies  at  present  some 
feet  below  the  surface  of  a cultivated  field. p 

The  products  of  the  vineyards  form  the  principal  wealdi 
of  the  country  round  Poligny,  but  the  best  sorts  are  those 
near  Arbois, q a neat  and  well-built  town,  the  birthplace  of 
general  Pichegru,  and  a place  of  some  celebrity  from  the 
remains  of  Celtic  monuments  and  Roman  edifices.  The 
ruins  of  the  ancient  castle  are  imposing ; the  people  relate 
the  nocturnal  visits  of  the  evil  spirits  that  haunt  them ; it  is 
believed  by  them  that  the  fairy  JUelusina  resides  often  in 
the  highest  and  largest  of  its  black  towers.  If  these  old 
traditions  have  not  originated  from  an  act  of  cruelty  com- 
mitted by  Mahaut  of  Arbois,  countess  of  Burgundy,  they 
were  at  all  events  strengthened  by  them  ; during  a severe 
famine,  a great  many  poor  people  fled  to  the  countess  for 
refuge  and  subsistence,  finding  it  impossible  to  provide  for 
them  all,  she  confined  them  in  a large  building  which,  to- 
gether with  the  inmates,  was  burnt  by  her  orders.r 

Situated  at  the  entrance  of  a narrow  mountain  pass, 
watered  by  the  F urieuse,  a small  river,  and  commanded  by 

cathedral  of  Valenciennes,  where  he  died,  3507.  He  made  a prose 
translation  of  the  Romance  of  the  Rose  by  Jean  de  Meung,  and  was 
the  author  of  many  other  works,  both  in  prose  and  verse,  among  others 
of  a chronicle  of  the  Low  Countries.  (Beauvais.  Nouv.  Diet.  Hist. 
Caen.  1804.) — P. 

11  “ First  president  of  the  court  of  exchequer  (cour  des  comptcs.)” — 
Jacques  Coytier  or  Coctier  (chancellor  of  Louis  XI.)  Diet.  Hist.  Caen, 
1804. — J.  Coythier.  Beauvais. — J.  Coytier  or  Cottier.  Moreri. — In  allu- 
sion to  the  last  orthography,  after  he  was  driven  from  the  court,  he 
placed  over  the  gate  of  his  residence  in  Paris,  an  apricot  tree  ( abri - 
cotier,)  with  the  motto  11  a Vabri  Cottier ,”  Cottier  in  security. — P. 

c 12  o'clock  P.  M.  Christmas  Eve. — P. 

p “The  neighbourhood  of  Poligny  is  rich  in  ancient  monuments: 
two  druidical  stones  are  still  held  in  veneration  by  the  peasantry,  who 
believe  that  they  turn  round  on  themselves,  every  year,  at  the  moment 
of  the  midnight  mass ; vast  Roman  constructions,  the  design  of  which 
is  unknown,  and  which  the  people  call  the  Chambrettes  (little  cham- 
bers.) because  the  traces  of  a great  number  of  apartments  may  be  still 
distinguished,  promise  to  repay  the  trouble  of  excavation,  if  we  may 
judge  from  a specimen  of  mosaic,  which  the  Count  de  Caylus  regarded 
as  one  of  the  finest  of  the  kind,  but  which  is  now  concealed  under 
several  feet  of  earth,  in  the  midst  of  a cultivated  field.” 

a “ The  territory  of  Poligny  derives  its  principal  wealth  from  its 
wines;  it  is  needless  to  boast  of  the  vineyards  of  Arbois” — Wine  is 
made  in  considerable  quantities  in  the  department  of  Jura;  and  the 
wines  of  Arbois  and  Poligni,  particularly  the  former,  are  much  es 
teemed.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — Arbois  is  situated  two  leagues  from  Poligny 
and  in  the  same  arrondissement. — P. 

r “ Do  not  these  old  traditions  derive  their  origin  from  a cruel  act  of 
charity  committed  by  Mahaut  d'Arbois,  countess  of  Burgundy,  who 
during  a dreadful  famine,  finding  it  impossible  to  feed  the  multitude  of 
poor  people  who  had  taken  refuge  with  her,  ordered  them  to  be  burnt 
in  a barn  {grange ) in  which  she  had  collected  them.’ 


rook  gxlt.j  DESCRIPTION 

the  ruins  of  several  old  castles,  Salins  derives  its  name  and 
wealth  from  its  salt  springs,  which  were  found  to  be  very 
profitable  at  so  early  a period  as  the  sixth  century,  when 
St.  Sigismond,  king  of  Burgundy,  ceded  them  to  the  monks 
i f the  abbey  of  St.  Maurice  d’Agaune.  These  monks 

worked  the  springs  with  so  much  zeal  and  intelligence,  that 
in  a few  years  a large  burgh  rose  in  the  neighbourhood  ol 
their  abbey.  Such  was  the  origin  of  a town  which  has  pro- 
duced several  distinguished  men,  among  others,  Fenouillot 
dc  Falbaire,  the  celebrated  dramatist.®  b A destructive  fire 
that  lasted  three  days,  laid  Salins  in  ashes  in  the  month  of 
Julv,  IS25.  The  hospital  and  the  salt  works  were  the  only 
buildings  that  remained  : the  first  was  too  small  to  afford  shel- 
ter to  the  numerous  victims  of  the  calamitous  event ; the 
second,  although  important,  employed  only  a small  number 
of  bands ; still  these  must  have  been  the  only  resources  of 
the  ruined  inhabitants,  had  they  not  appealed  to  the  gene- 
rosity of  their  countrymen.  Subscriptions  were  opened  in 
every  town,  and  the  money  given  by  the  benevolent  and 
the  charitable,  amounted  to  £.100,000,  it  was  laid  out  in 
rebuilding  the  city.c  A spectacle  was  then  exhibited,  that 
afforded  a signal  proof  of  the  eagerness  with  which  even  the 
lowest  classes  of  the  French  receive  instruction  whenever  it 
is  offered  to  them  : the  workmen  flocked  every  evening 
round  a former  pupil  of  the  Polytechnic  school,  who  applied 
his  knowledge  of  geometry  and  mechanics  to  teach  them 
the  best  and  most  economical  method  of  rebuilding  their 
houses.d 

The  territory  of  Lons  le  Saulnier  formed  in  the  middle 
ages  the  greater  part  of  Scpding  or  Sco-d’In,  literally  the 
country  on  the  Ain^e  the  inhabitants  of  which  were  distin- 
guished then,  as  they  are  now,  by  their  courage.  The 
people  in  the  high  country  that  extends  to  the  east  of  the 
town,  are  said  to  be  more  active  anti  intelligent  than  their 
neighbours  in  the  west,  who  prefer  agricultural  labour  to 
manufacturing  industry.  Lons  le  Saulnier  was  founded  in 
the  fourth  century  ;f  the  name  of  the  town  signifies  a meas- 
ure of  salt,s  and  it  is  to  the  salt,  springs  in  its  vicinity,  that  its 
origin  may  be  attributed.  It  is  traversed  by  two  small 
rivers,  theVaiiere  and  the  Soivan,  which  flow  through  an 
agreeable  valley,  surrounded  wish  vineyards  that  yield  ex- 
cellent wine.  The  ruins  of  two  strong  castles,  those  of 
Montmorot  and  Pvrnc.nt,  crown  the  two  hills  that  command 
the  town.  The  Franciscan  church,  which  was  built  in  the 
year  1200,  that  ol  St.  Desire,  still  more  ancient,  a large 
hospital,  in  which  mo#}  than  a hundred  and  fifty  p.-aienis 

OF  FRANCE.  287 

may  be  accommodated,  and  lastly,  the  salt  works,  of  which 
the  annual  produce  is  not  less  than  twenty  thousand  quintals, 
are  the  most  remarkable  buildings  in  Lons  le  Saulnier,  ihe 
birthplace  of  general  Lecourbe,  of  the  lyric  poet  Rouget  de 
Lisle,  and  of  Roux  de  Rochelle,  the  author  of  the  Three 
Ages.1’  About  two  leagues  northwards,  and  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  village  of  Beaume,  the  sources  of  the 
Scille  issue  in  large  volumes  from  the  crevices  in  a calcare- 
ous rock,  which  forms  a frightful  prec  ipice  not  less  than  four 
hundred  feet  in  height,  and  on  which  pieces  of  ice  may  be 
seen  even  in  the  fine  days  of  spring. 

St.  Amour,  a town  of  three  thousand  inhabitants,  is  situ- 
ated near  the  western  frontier  of  the  department ; several 
customs  and  ceremonies  are  preserved  by  the  inhabitants, 
which  appear  to  have  been  handed  down  from  a very  remote 
period.  The  evening  of  the  first  Sunday  in  Lent,  or  as  the 
people  call  it,  the  evening  of  ihe  Brandons ,*  is  observed 
with  the  greatest  solemnity  ; all  the  callage  girls  leave  their 
cottages,  and  illumine  the  neighbouring  hills  with  a thousand 
torches. k It  is  net  unlikely  that  the  custom  originated  from 
a festival  to  commemorate  the  story  of  Ceres  seeking  her 
daughter  Proserpine.1  If  children  lose  their  father,  if  a wife 
becomes  a widow,  the  relatives  meet  in  the  house  of  the 
deceased,  and  partake  of  a repast  ; the  women  may  minister 
consolation,  but  the  men  are  only  admitted  to  the  feast,  and 
one  of  them  with  a glass  in  his  hand  pronounces  a sort  of 
funeral  oration."1  The  burgh  of  Arinthod11  rises  on  the  ruins 
of  a Celtic  temple  dedicated  to  JSIars  Segomon,  as  is  proved 
by  an  ancient  inscription  discovered  there  in  honour  of  that 
divinity,  to  whom  the  Segoves,  a powerful  tribe  in  Brcsse,0 
consecrated  part  of  the  spoils  which  they  took  from  their 
enemies.  The  ruins  of  the  ancient  castle  of  Oliferne,  near 
Condes  on  the  Ain,  crown  an  almost  inaccessible  mountain, 
the  only  one  in  Jura  which  affords  shelter  to  bears.  The 
castle  was  destroyed  by  the  French  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  on  account  of  its  obstinate  resistance,  all  those  who  had 
fled  to  it,  were  killed  by  the  assailants.  According  to  tradi- 
tion, three  noble  ladies  were  pm  into  a eask,p  and  precipitated 
from  the  summit  of  the  mountain  into  the  river.  There  are 
few  peasants  in  that  part  of  the  country  who  have  not  met 
these  noble  dames  during  the  night,  or  who  have  not  seen 
the  lord  of  Oliferne  and  his  attendants  hunting  in  the  neigh- 
bouring woods. 

Several  industrious  towns  and  villages  are  situated  in  the 
district*!  of  St.  Claude.  Septmoncel  is  equally  noted  for  its 
toys  and  "cheese,  neither  ought  it  to  be  forgotten  that  more 

,i  it  Fenouillot  de  Falbaire,  author  of  the  Ho  untie  Criininel  and  the 
Deux  Amre$'' — He  wrote  a great  nu  nber  of  dramatic  pieces,  published 
collectively  under  the  title  : (Euvrcs  de  FaUmire. ,2  vols.  1767.  The  most 
remarkable  are  : L' Honni'tc  Criininel,  Its  Dens,  Acares, V Cro'.e  lies. 'fours 
and  les  Miffnes  Japtmaises.  (Beauvais.)  — I’. 

b The  best  pieces  of  Falbaire  are  L’llonnete  criminel  and  the  Deux 
Avares. — Tr. 

c “ Subscriptions  were  opened  even  in  file  smallest  villages,  and  the 
money  thus  collected,  amounting  to  more  than  2,000,000  francs,  fur- 
nished the  means  of  rebuilding  the  town.” 

11  M.  Charles  Dupin.  Forces  productives  et  commerciales  de  la. 
France:  in  which  the  author  has  inserted  the  discourse  pronounced 
on  that  occasion,  in  the  introductory  lecture  to  his  course  at  the  Con- 
servatoire Royal  des  Arts  et  M •tiers. 

e M.  Chevalier,  Hist,  de  Poligni.  (Enc.  Moth.  art.  Seeding.) — Le 
Sending,  Pagus  Scodi.ngorum.  (Erie.  Meth.)—  If  the  etymology  of  M. 
Chevalier  be  received,  may  not  Sen  bn  equivalent  to  the'  German  Gnu, 
a territorial  division  of  Swabia  in  the  middle  ages,  correspond' np-  to 
the  Latin  Pugns.  (BJsching,  Erdbeschr.  Schwab.  Kreis,  Einleit. 
§1X.)— P. 

f “ — d lies  from  the  fourth  century." — According  to  Gollutand  Chif- 
flet,  it  was  already  very  papulous  in  332.  It  was  then  more  than  two 
leagues  in  circuit,  and  extended  to  the  east  over  the  heights  of 

Richebourg,  where  the  vestiges  of  ancient  buildings  may  be  still  discov- 
ered. ( F. neve . Meth.) — P. 

« According  to  Go! lot.  an  author  who  has  written  more  than  one 
valuable  work  on  the  early  history  and  antiquities  of  Franclie  Comte, 
the  long  is  a measure  of  salt,  equivalent  t,o  24  bushels.  [“  According  to 
Golliit,  *a.n  authw  who  g ive  much  attention  to  the  history  of  Franchc- 
Comto.  the  long  is  a measure  of  salt  water,  containing  24  muids."] 
*.Vuli>rof  U’uioircs  hi  itorijn.es  deli  repab  iijtis  Sejuanaise  et  des  princes  dc  la 
Franrdte-Comte  dr  Fourgogne,  5ii2. — P. 

b “ Author  of  a poem,  the  Three  Ages.’’ 

1 Torches. — Brandon,  a wisp  of  Straw  lighted. — P. 
k The  hills  shine  with  the  light  of  a thousand  torches,  borne  by  the 
young  villagers  (rillogeo’s,  mnsc.)  as  they  traverse  the  fields.” 

1 This  custom  is  a relic  of  the  ancient  festivals  celebrated  in  honour 

of  Ceres,  in  search  of  her  daughter." 

m “ At  the  death  of  the  master  of  a family,  all  the  relations  ef  the 
deceased  assemble  in  the  principal  apartrScnl  of  the  mansion,  where  a 
repast  is  provided  ; the  women  console  the  widow,  the  men  alone  partake 
of  the  banquet,  and  it  is  wit  h glass  in  hand  that  the  funeral  oration  is 
pronounced.”  11  Arinthoz.  Vosgien. 

" “ The  Segoves.  one  of  the  tribes  in  Bresse.” 

p “ The  three  principal  ladies  of  the  castle  were  put  into  a cask 
pierced  with  nails — ’ <i  11  Arroudissement.” 

288  EUR 

than  twelve  hundred  persons  find  employment  in  making  and 
cutting  imitation  gems.  This  village,  which  contains  not 
less  than  three  thousand  souls,  was  wholly  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1826  ; but  in  places  remarkable  for  the  industry  of  their 
inhabitants,  such  calamities  are  soon  forgotten.  Chateau  des 
Pres  supplies  the  neighbouring  country  with  chairs,  tables 
and  different  articles  of  household  furniture.3  The  burgh  of 
Morez  b exports  every  year  many  clocks,  watches,  pendu- 
lums and  spits.0  The  people  in  Bois  d’Amont,  a small 
village  in  the  neighbourhood,  make  wooden  cases  for  clocks, 
and  an  immense  number  of  props  for  the  vine  dressers  in 
the  department.d  St.  Claude,  a place  of  greater  importance 
than  any  that  has  been  mentioned,  is  the  only  one  that  re- 
mains to  be  described. 

Two  brothers,  Romain  and  Lupicin,  who  are  mentioned 
in  different  legends,  founded  an  abbey  within  the  territory 
of  St.  Claude  about  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century. 
The  wealth  and  revenues  of  the  abbey  were  augmented  by 
the  profuse  donations  of  French  kings  and  pious  princes  in 
different  parts  of  Christendom  ; indeed  in  a short  time  the 
abbots  of  the  monastery  became  lords  of  all  the  country, 
proprietors  of  all  the  lands,  and  sovereigns  over  all  the  in- 
habitants. The  people  allowed  themselves  to  be  divested 
of  their  privileges  one  after  another  ; every  individual  who 
had  resided  in  the  country  during  a year,  was  enrolled 
among  the  vassals  of  the  monks,  by  whose  influence  and 
example  the  inhabitants  became  inhospitable,  indolent,  cruel 
and  superstitious.  A law  was  passed  that  completed  their 
degradation,  the  wife  or  children  of  a vassal  could  not  suc- 
ceed to  his  house,  household  furniture  or  moveable  goods, 
they  were  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  abbey  ; that  iniquitous 
custom,  against  which  Voltaire  employed  all  his  eloquence 
in  vain,  was  not  abolished  before  the  reign  of  Louis  the 
Sixteenth.®  St.  Claude  was  originally  known  by  the  name 
of  Condat ; f extensive  ruins  in  the  vicinity  induce  us  to  be- 
lieve that  it  was  a place  of  some  celebrity  in  the  time  of  the 
Romans  ; it  was  afterwards  called  St.  Oyant  from  one  of 
its  abbots  ; at  a later  period  it  took  the  name  which  it  bears 
at  present,  but  which  was  changed  during  the  revolution  for 
that  of  Condat-Montagne.  It  was  completely  destroyed  by 
fire  in  the  year  1799,  but  the  sum  of  750,000  francs,  granted 
by  the  consular  government,  and  subscriptions  collected  in 
every  part  of  F ranee,  enabled  the  inhabitants  to  rebuild  it 
according  to  an  improved  and  more  regular  plan.  It  is 
situated  in  a low  sequestered  valley,  bounded  on  one  side  by 
mountains  covered  with  forests,  and  on  the  other  by  arid 
heights.  There  are'  twelve  works,  in  which  five  hundred 
persons  are  employed  ; it  exports  clocks  and  watches,  musi- 

OPE.  [HOOK  CXLV. 

cal  instruments,  nails,  pins,  snuff-boxes,  chaplets  and  toys.s 
It  possesses  an  hospital,  a large  college  and  several  other 
useful  institutions. 

The  mountains  that  cover  a portion  of  the  department  of  Ju- 
ra, extend  into  that  of  the  Doubs,  which,  like  the  former,  mav 
be  divided  into  three  regions,  namely,  the  higher,  the  middle 
and  the  lower.  The  first  is  overspread  with  lofty  calcareou- 
rocks,  the  summits  of  which  are  covered  with  snow  during 
seven  or  eight  months  in  the  year,  and  are  for  the  most  par- 
destitute  of  vegetation  ; but  on  the  southern  declivities,  there 
are  excellent  pastures  and  fine  valleys  shaded  with  forests  of 
fir.  The  houses  are  scattered  at  great  distances  from  each 
other  ; the  inhabitants  are  hospitable,  and  they  have  pre- 
served that  simplicity  of  manners  which  distinguishes  the 
people  in  mountainous  countries.  The  second  or  middle 
region  is  under  the  influence  of  a milder  temperature  than 
the  preceding ; wheat  is  cultivated,  and  the  vine  grows  on 
some  of  the  heights.  But  the  highest  hills  are  covered  with 
forests  of  oak  or  beech,  which  are  in  some  places  mixed 
with  fir,  a tree  that  disappears  in  the  lower  part  of  the  coun- 
try. The  lower  region,  or  the  plain,  stretches  along  the 
base  of  the  mountains,  and  commences  at  the  altitude  of  a 
thousand  feet h below  their  summits.  No  other  region  in  the 
department  is  so  populous,  none  so  fertile,  and  none  so  abun- 
dant in  com  and  wine.  Most  of  the  high  plains  ( plateaus ) 
in  the  two  other  regions  are  covered  with  marshes  which 
seem  to  be  the  natural  reservoirs  of  the  principal  rivers  that 
rise  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains.  Among  these  rivers  are 
the  Doubs,  which  bounds  F ranee  and  Switzerland,  but  falls 
first  from  a precipice  eighty  feet  in  height,  into  an  abyss 
that  has  never  been  fathomed  ; the  Loue,1  which  puts  in  mo- 
tion several  mills  at  no  great  distance  from  its  source  ; the 
Dessoubre,  noted  for  its  trouts  ; and  the  Lison,  which  forms 
a cascade  near  a fruitful  valley,  and  escapes  through  crevices 
in  the  rocks  into  a different  part  of  the  country. k Lakes 
and  large  marshes,  subterranean  labyrinths,  grottos  in  the 
form  of  glaciers,1  coal  mines  m and  mineral  springs  are  situ- 
ated at  the  base  of  the  mountains. 

Pontarlier  rises  on  the  Doubs  at  a short  distance  from  a 
pass  across  Jura,  between  France  and  Switzerland  ; as  the 
same  pass  was  known  to  the  ancients,  and  is  still  defended 
by  a fort  on  Mount  Joux,  a name  probably  derived  from 
Mons  Jovis,  it  may  be  readily  believed  that  the  town  is  a 
place  of  great  antiquity.  D’Anville  supposes  it  the  ancient 
Ariolica,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine  ; 
but  Drotz,  the  erudite  historian  of“Franche-Comte,n  has 
shown  that  the  opinion  of  the  celebrated  geographer  is  at  least 
doubtful.  In  the  most  ancient  documents,  it  bears  the  names 

a “ Chateau  des  Pr6s  is  noted  for  manufacturing  chairs,  buffets 
and  different  articles  of  furniture  from  fir.”  b Morey.  Yosgien. 

c “ — many  clocks  ( horloges , pendules)  and  jacks  ( tourne  broches.)” 
d “ Bois  d’Amont  manufactures  in  wood,  clock-cases,  pails,  boxes, 
and  vine  props.” 

e “ The  domains  of  the  abbey,  enlarged  by  the  immense  donations 
of  the  kings  of  France,  of  different  princes,  and  of  all  the  faithful, 
became  so  important  that  the  abbots  of  the  monastery  finally  became 
lords  of  the  whole  country,  proprietors  of  all  the  lands,  and  possessed 
of  the  power  of  life  and  death  over  all  the  inhabitants.  Whoever 
had  resided  a year  in  the  country  was  inscribed  in  the  list  of  their 
vassals  (slaves,)  and  in  whatever  place  his  property  was  found,  it  was 
torn  from  his  wife  and  children,  and  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  abbey. 
This  monstrous  custom,  which  was  strenuously  opposed  by  Voltaire, 
was  not  entirely  abolished  till  the  reign  of  Louis  XVI.” — The  exer- 
tions of  Voltaire  were  not  in  vain.  The  affair  was  brought  by  him 
before  the  King’s  Council,  who  referred  the  decision  to  the  parliament 
of  Burgundy,  by  whom  the  authority  of  the  monks  was  greatly 
abridged,  and  ultimately  in  consequence  of  his  representations,  it  was 
entirely  abolished.  So  far  had  the  privileges  of  the  abbey  been 
abused,  that  the  property  of  French  merchants,  who  had  only  rented 

a house  for  a year  within  their  territories,  and  who  had  afterwards 
lived  and  died  in  other  parts  of  the  kingdom,  was  after  their  death 
taken  from  their  families,  and  sold  in  the  name  of  the  abbey.  (Enc. 
Meth.) — P. 

1 Latin,  Condate,  Condatisfum.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 
e “ It  contains  12  establishments  for  turnery,  which  employ  more 
than  500  workmen ; also  manufactories  of  clocks  and  watches  ( horlo - 
gerie,)  musical  instruments,  cords,  nails,  pins,  snuff-boxes,  beads,  and 
toys  for  children.”  h “ 300  metres.” 

* Louve.  See  note  ",  page  966. 

k “ — the  Lison,  which  just  before  it  enters  ( prbs  cT arroser ) a 
pleasant  valley,  issues  in  a fine  cascade,  from  a cave  in  the  rock.” 

1 “ Grottos  that  form  natural  ice-houses  ( glacibres  :)”  i.  e.  in  which 
ice  is  preserved  throughout  the  year. — The  chain  of  Jura  contains 
no  glaciers  ; but  blocks  of  ice,  and  columns  of  .snow,  are  found  in 
some  deep  caverns.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 
m “ — a coal  mine  ( une  houillbre.)” 

n “ Drotz,  a learned  writer,  to  whom  we  owe  a history  of  Franche- 
Comte,  his  native  country” — Fr.  N.  E.  Droz,  born  at  Pontarlier, 
1735,  author  of  a history  of  Pontarlier  ( Mi  moire  pour  servir  cl  I'his- 
toire  dc  Pontarlier,  1760.  (Beauvais. 1 — P. 

book  cxlv.j  DESCRIPTION 

of  Pontalia  and  Pons  Aelii.  The  streets  are  regular,  and 
the  houses  are  well  built ; the  industry  of  the  inhabitants  and 
the  trade  they  carry  on  with  Switzerland  has  doubled  the 
population  within  the  last  forty  years.  It  exports  annually 
a great  quantity  of  wormwood  wine ; it  possesses  steel  and 
copper  founderies,  iron  works  and  five  tanyards.®  General 
D’Arson,  the  person  by  whose  advice  floating  batteries 
were  employed  at  the  siege  of  Gibraltar,  was  a native  of 
Pontarlier.b  There  are  nineteen  works  or  manufactories  in 
the  district  of  which  it  is  the  capital ; the  most  important  are 
three  of  cotton,  two  of  paper,  and  one  of  glass.' 

The  district  of  Besan^on  is  twice  as  populous  as  the  pre- 
ceding, and,  in  proportion  to  its  size,  still  more  industrious. 
This  city  is  the  ancient  Vesuntiof  which  Caesar  chose  as  a 
place  of  arms  during  his  expedition  against  Ariovistus ; it 
may  therefore  be  reasonably  inferred  that  it  was  no  incon- 
siderable town  at  the  time  the  conqueror  of  Gaul  entered 
the  country.  Although  devastated  by  the  Burgundians  in 
the  fifth  century,  and  by  the  Hungarians  in  the  tenth,®  it  re- 
tained its  importance ; Charlemagne  ranked  it  among  his 
principal  strong  holds;  it  became  under  the  dukes  of  Bur- 
gundy, the  seat  of  their  courts  of  justice,  and  it  was  raised 
in  the  twelfth  century,  by  the  emperor  Frederick,  to  the 
rank  of  an  imperial  city/  a dignity  which  it  preserved  until 
Franche -Comte  was  united  to  France.  The  Doubs  divides 
it  into  two  unequal  parts,  and  almost  encompasses  the  larger 
or  the  upper  town,  winding  at  the  base  of  the  walls,  accord- 
ing to  the  expression  of  Caesar,  in  the  form  of  a curve  not 
unlike  a horseshoe/  A citadel  erected  on  a steep  rock 
commands  the  town  and  the  neighbourhood.  This  rock  is 
the  ancient  Mons  Ccelius ; the  two  quarters  of  the  town 
communicate  by  means  of  a stone  bridge,  of  which  the  foun- 
dations were  laid  by  the  Romans.  The  promenade  of 
Chamars,  the  most  agreeable  walk  in  the  town,  occupies 
the  site  of  the  Campus  Martins.  The  Black  Gate ,h  a 
triumphal  arch  that  was  raised  in  honour  of  Crispus  Caesar, 
the  son  of  Constantine,  is  perhaps  the  finest  ancient  monu- 
ment in  Besan^on.  Within  the  walls  are  the  remains  of  an 
aqueduct,  and  beyond  them  the  ruins  of  an  amphitheatre ; 
in  short,  eighteen  centuries  have  elapsed,  but  Besan^on  re- 
tains its  primitive  form  ; it  may  be  compared  to  an  antique 
statue  in  a modern  dress ; it  is,  however,  one  of  the  best 
built  towns  in  France.  The  public  library  and  scientific 

“ “ It  manufactures  annually  about  90,000  litres  of  extract  of 
wormwood ; it  also  contains  an  extensive  forge  for  iron  and  steel,  a 
copper  foundery,  and  five  tanneries.” 

b J.  C.  E.  L.  D'Arcjon,  born  at  Pontarlier  1733,  general  of  division 
and  member  of  the  National  Institute,  inventor  of  the  celebrated  float- 
ing batteries  at  Gibraltar.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

c “ In  the  arrondissement  of  Pontarlier,  there  are  nineteen  iron 
works  ( usines ,)  three  cotton  manufactories  ( falriqucs  des  cotonnadcs,) 
two  paper-mills,  and  one  glass  work.” 

d Vesontio.  (Caesar.  D’Anv.  Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

e It  was  taken  and  destroyed  by  the  Alemanni  and  the  Marco- 
manni,  near  the  close  of  the  third  century;  about  the  year  413,  it 
submitted  to  the  Burgundians,  and  was  destroyed  a second  trine  by 
Attila  (leader  of  the  Huns,)  in  451  or  452.  (Moreri.) — P. 

f It  was  made  a free  and  imperial  city  by  the  emperor  Henry  I. 
in  the  tenth  century.  (Moreri.) — P. 

e Flumen  Dubis,  ut  circino  circumductum,  pene  totum  oppidum 
cingit.  Caes.  de  Bell.  Gall.  I.  29. — The  river  Doubs,  as  if  drawn 
round  by  a pair  of  compasses,  almost  entirely  surrounds  the  town. — P. 
h Porte  Noire. 

‘ “ Musees” — Museums,  antiquarian  and  scientific. — P. 
k “ It  has  numerous  manufactories  actively  employed,  and  is  the 
centre  of  an  extensive  manufacture  of  clocks  ( horlogerie ,)  in  which 
more  than  1800  workmen  are  engaged  ; its  commerce  will  increase 
rapidly,  as  soon  as  the  Canal  of  Monsieur  shall  pass  through  the  town.” — 
Besan<;on  possesses  a manufactory  for  swords  and  fire-arms,  and  a 
large  establishment  for  the  manufacture  of  clocks.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  51  37 


OF  FRANCE.  289 

collections1  are  very  valuable  ; the  former  contains  more  than 
fifty  thousand  volumes.  The  products  of  the  manufactories 
are  sent  into  most  parts  of  the  kingdom,  one  branch  of 
industry,  the  making  of  clocks  and  watches,  affords  employ- 
ment to  eighteen  hundred  workmen ; and  the  number  is 
likely  to  be  much  increased  as  soon  as  the  town  communi- 
cates with  the  canal  of  Monsieur/  It  is  sufficient  to  men- 
tion the  names  of  Suard  and  Moncey,  among  the  natives  of 
Besan^on,  to  show  that  it  has  contributed  not  a little  to  the 
literary  and  military  glory  of  France.  Ornans,  a small 
place  in  the  neighbourhood,  is  peopled  by  three  thousand 
inhabitants ; it  contains  extensive  tan  works,  two  paper  mills 
and  other  manufactories it  was  the  birthplace  of  the  Abbe 
Millot. 

Five  hills  forming  a group,  rise  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Doubs,  about  seven  leagues  distant  from  BesarKjon ; the 
nearest  is  crowned  by  the  ruins  of  what  was  formerly  the 
most  important  fortress  in  Franche-Comte,  and  the  small 
town  of  Beaume  les  Damesm  stands  at  its  base.  The  town 
is  supposed  to  be  very  ancient it  derives  its  surname  from 
an  abbey  of  canonesses,  in  which  there  were  not  fewer  than 
five  nobles  among  the  principal  officers  or  attendants  of  the 
abbess.®  The  columns  that  formerly  supported  the  high  al- 
tar in  the  church,  have  been  removed  to  that  of  St.  Genevieve 
in  Paris.  Beaume  les  Dames  is  at  present  the  capital 
of  a subprefecture ; Leclerc/  the  author  of  a history  of 
Russia,  was  a native  of  the  town.  The  small  town  of  St. 
Hippolyte  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Doubs  and 
the  Dessoubre,  near  the  extremity  of  a valley  enclosed  by 
hills  planted  with  vineyards,  and  overtopped  by  mountains 
covered  with  forests.  The  holy  swaddling  clothes,  which  the 
faithful  in  Turin  kiss  and  adore,  were  formerly  preserved 
with  superstitious  care  in  an  old  chapel  at  St.  Hippolyte/ 
The  neighbouring  valley  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of 
numerous  iron  works,  from  which  clouds  of  smoke  rise  day 
and  night/ 

Before  leaving  the  country  watered  by  the  Doubs,  we 
may  cross  the  river  to  Montbelliard,3  the  former  capital  of  a 
principality/  and  at  present  the  chief  town  of  a district." 
The  houses  are  well-built,  and  the  streets  are  adorned  with 
fountains ; it  is  commanded  by  a castle,  that  was  formerly 
the  residence  of  its  princes,  but  which  now  serves  the  double 
purpose  of  a barrack* *  and  prison.  The  market,  and  the 

1 “ It  contains  seven  valuable  tanneries,  a paper  mill,  a manufactory 
of  wormwood  [See  note11,]  and  a public  library.” 

ln  Bauine  (Aim.  Royal.)  Baulme  (Moreri.)  Baume  les  Nones  (Vos- 
gien.)  Baume  les  Dames,  les  Nones,  or  les  Nonains  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

n “ — to  have  been  an  ancient  fortress.” 

0 M.  Laurens,  Annuaire  statistique  et  historique  du  departement  du 
Doubs. 

p Nich.  Gab.  Clerc  or  Leclerc,  born  1726,  died  1798.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

q “ The  chapel  still  exists  in  which  they  formerly  preserved  the  holy 
shroud  ( saint-suaire ,*)  which  receives  at  Turin  the  kisses  of  the  faith- 
ful.” 

*The  shroud  in  which  the  Saviour  is  supposed  to  have  been  buried,  and  which 
is  said  to  retain  the  impression  of  his  face  and  part  of  his  body.  Before  the  revo- 
lution, there  was  one  at  Besancon,  which  attracted  a crowd  of  pilgrims  twice 
every  year.  At  that  time,  not  less  than  seven  of  these  relics  were  objects  of 
superstitious  devotion  in  the  different  Catholic  countries  of  Europe.  (Enc.  Meth.)— P. 

r “ Cheese  is  made  at  St.  Hippolyte,  and  the  numerous  iron  works, 
situated  in  the  valley,  attest  by  the  clouds  of  smoke  that  rise  from 
them  day  and  night,  their  activity  and  importance.” 

> Montbeliard,  Monbelliard ; in  German,  Mumpelgard.— Situated  at 
the  foot  of  a rock,  near  the  junction  of  the  Allaine  (Halle)  with  the 
Doubs,  and  to  the  north  of  the  latter. — P. 

1 The  principality  of  Montbelliard,  previous  to  the  revolution, 
belonged  to  the  house  of  Wirtemberg,  (into  whose  possession  it  came 
by  marriage  with  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  last  count  of  Montbelliard,) 
and  was  considered  one  of  the  immediate  states  of  the  German  Em- 
pire. (Enc.  Meth.) — P . 

u “ Arrondissement.”  1 “ Barrack  for  gendarmes.” 


290  EUR 

church  of  St.  Martin,  in  which  a roof*  eighty  feet  long  by 
fifty  broad,  is  supported  without  pillars,  are  the  only  public 
buildings  of  any  consequence.  The  inhabitants  carry  on  a 
considerable  trade,  which  consists  in  watches,  fine  cottons 
and  leather ; these  products  of  industry  represent  an  annual 
value  of  £.50, 000. b 

Some  branches  of  Jura  and  the  Vosges  constitute  on 
the  south  and  the  west,  the  mountainous  region  in  the  de- 
partment of  the  Upper  Rhine  ; the  eastern  part,  bounded  by 
the  Rhine,  and  watered  by  the  111,  the  Birse,  and  other  small 
rivers,  and  by  the  canal  of  Monsieur,  forms  a long  plain ; 
in  both  regions  there  are  forests,  vineyards  and  fruitful 
fields.  The  number  of  horses  and  horned  cattle  corresponds 
with  the  richness  of  the  country ; but  in  some  places  more 
sheep  might  be  reared,  in  others  the  quantity  of  oats  and 
wheat  is  insufficient  for  the  local  consumption.0  The  wealth 
of  the  department  may  therefore  be  chiefly  attributed  to  the 
works  of  which  the  materials  are  supplied  by  its  copper,  iron 
and  lead  mines,  to  its  forests  and  coal  mines,  and  lastly  to 
its  manufactories  of  woollen  and  cotton  stuffs. 

A.  rock  near  the  base  of  the  Vosges  is  crowned  by  an 
old  castle  that  has  been  called  Bel-F ort  on  account  of  its 
position ; a small  town  of  the  same  name,  which  from  usage 
is  also  pronounced  and  written  Befort,  rises  at  the  foot  of 
the  rock  ; it  was  fortified  by  Vauban.  Some  of  the  streets 
are  broad  and  straight ; the  barracks  are  large  and  well  built ; 
the  Savoureuse,  which  washes  the  w'alls,  turns  a great  many 
mills.d  A large  cotton  manufactory0  has  been  erected  at 
Massevaux  or  Mamunster,  a town  of  three  thousand  in- 
habitants. Cernay  contains  a population  of  five  thousand 
individuals,  who  are  employed  in  cotton  works/  print-fields 
and  founderies. 

The  population  and  industry  of  Altkirch  are  of  little  im- 
portance ; it  need  only  to  be  mentioned  as  the  chief  town  in 
a district. s Huningenh,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine,  was  a 
well  built  town,  fortified  by  Vauban,  in  the  year  1814,  when 
it  contained  seven  thousand  seven  hundred  inhabitants  ; the 
number  at  present  does  not  amount  to  nine  hundred.  It 
was  ruined  by  the  invasion  in  1815,  a disastrous  period  in 
the  history  of  France,  but  one  that  has  been  signalized  by 
heroic  and  glorious  achievements.  Blockaded  by  twenty- 
five  thousand  Austrians,  and  defended  by  a hundred  and 
forty  men  under  the  command  of  general  Barbanegre,  it 
was  not  until  the  defenders  had  lost  nearly  half  their  number, 
that  the  town  capitulated  with  all  the  honours  of  war.  The 
small  number  of  the  defenders  excited  the  surprise  of  the 

OPE.  (BOOK  CXLV. 

victor;  not  more  than  eighty  soldiers  passed  before  him, 
and  of  these  thirty  were  wounded ; no  time,  however,  was 
lost  in  demolishing  the  fortifications,  and  as  the  tomb  erected 
by  Moreau,  in  1803,  to  general  Abbatucci,  was  not  even 
spared,  it  seemed  as  if  the  Austrian  wished  to  punish  the 
dead  for  the  noble  resistance  of  the  living. 

Mulhausen1  is  one  of  the  most  commercial  townsk  in  the 
department  of  the  Upper  Rhine  ; it  possessed  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  year  1828,  thirteen  woollen  and  cotton  manu- 
factories, eleven  of  cloth,  seventeen  of  muslin,  seventeen  of 
printed  calico,  several  leather  works  and  founderies.1  It 
contains  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants,  exclusively  of  six  or 
seven  thousand  workmen  who  are  employed  in  the  town,” 
but  who  reside  beyond  the  walls.  It  is  situated  on  an 
island  formed  by  the  111  and  the  canal  of  New  Brisach. 
The  streets  are  for  the  most  part  regular,  and  it  is  adorned 
with  several  public  buildings,  the  finest  of  which  are  the  town- 
house  and  the  reformed  church." 

Seven  or  eight  small  towns,  worthy  of  notice  from  the 
industry  of  their  inhabitants,0  are  situated  in  the  district?  of 
Colmar.  Kaisersbergq  is  well  built,  and  encompassed  with 
walls ; it  was  formerly  an  imperial  city.  Ribauvillerr  is 
adorned  with  an  old  castle.  Munster  carries  on  a con- 
siderable trade  in  printed  cottons  and  in  kirschenwasser. 
Ruffach*  and  Sultz1  may  each  of  them  contain  four  or  five 
thousand  inhabitants.  Guebwiller"  may  be  mentioned  on 
account  of  its  sugar-works  and  cotton  manufactory  ; it  sup- 
plies different  places  with  nails  and  hardwares.1  New 
Brisach*  forms  a regular  octagon ; it  was  built  by  Louis  the 
Fourteenth,  and  fortified  by  Vauban.  St.  Marie  aux  Mines 
is  encompassed  by  metallic  deposits,  one  of  which  only  is 
worked.  Some  writers  affirm  that  Argentuaria z,  a Celtic 
city  mentioned  by  Ptolemy,  was  situated  near  Colmar,**  but 
no  traces  of  itbb  can  be  found  either  in  the  town  or  in  the 
neighbourhood.  Colmar,  it  is  well  known,  was  a mere  ham- 
let during  the  reign  of  Charlemagne;  the  emperor  Frede- 
rick the  Second  surrounded  it  with  walls  in  1220,  but  it  was 
not  raised  to  the  rank  of  an  imperial  city  before  the  year 
1552.  The  population  was  never  greater  than  at  present, 
but  the  town  has  long  been  considered  one  of  the  wealthiest 
places  in  Alsace  ; the  revenue  amounted  forty  years  ago  to 
100,000  francs/"  it  is  now  more  than  double.  The  court 
of  justice  may  be  the  finest  modern  edifice,  but  it  is  inferior 
to  an  old  building — the  church  of  the  Dominicans.  Few 
provincial  towns  in  France  possess  so  valuable  a library,  it 
consists  of  more  than  sixty  thousand  volumes.dd  Martin 

1 “ Le  plafond” — the  ceiling. 

b “ The  town  is  enriched  by  its  commerce  with  Switzerland,  and  by 
the  manufacture  of  watches  ( [horloge.rie  fine  ,)  cotton  spinning,  and 
numerous  tanneries,  the  products  of  all  which  represent  an  annual 
value  of  1,200,000  francs.” 

c “ The  territory,  however,  does  not  feed  a sufficient  number  of 
sheep,  nor  does  it  produce  a supply  of  corn  and  oats  adequate  to  the 
local  consumption.” 

d “ Usines.” — Befort  possesses  forges  and  powder  mills.  (Vos- 
gien.) — P.  e “ Filature  de  coton” — cotton  mill.  f “ Filatures.” 

s Subprefecture” — arrondissement. 

h “Huningue,”  Fr. — The  population  and  also  the  names  of  the  towns, 
rivers,  &c.,  in  the  eastern  division  of  the  department,  including  the  ar- 
rondissements  of  Altkirch  and  Colmar,  as  well  as  in  the  department  of 
the  Lower  Rhine,  are  German.  1 have  in  most  instances  preferred  the 
original  German  orthography  of  the  names,  giving  the  French  in  a 
note. — P.  ‘ “ Mulhouse,”  Fr. — Muhlhausen,  Germ. — P. 

k “ — is  the  centre  of  manufacturing  industry.” 

1 “ Thirteen  establishments  for  spinning  wool  and  cotton  ( filatures ,) 
eleven  manufactories  of  cloths,  seventeen  of  muslins  and  cottons 
( cotonnades ,)  and  fifteen  of  printed  goods  ( toiles  peintes,)  besides 
morocco  works,  tanneries  and  founderies.” 

m “ — in  its  different  manufacturing  establishments  (ateliers.)" 
n Previous  to  the  French  revolution,  Mulhausen  constituted  a 

small  republic,  allied  with  Switzerland.  It  was  originally  a free  town 
of  the  German  empire,  but  being  threatened  in  its  liberties  by  the 
landgraves  of  Alsace,  it  formed  an  alliance  of  protection  with  the  Swiss 
cantons,  in  the  fifteenth  century. — P. 

0 “ — from  their  manufactures  ( fabriques .)”  P “ Arrondissement." 

“ Kayserberg” — Kaysersberg  (Enc.  Meth.  Vosgien.) — Kaiser- 

berg. — P. 

r Ribeauviller,  Ribeauville  (Aim.  Royal.) — Ribauvilliers  (Enc.  Meth. 
Vosgien.) — Rappolzweiler  (Germ.  > — P. 

5 “ Rouffach” — Ruffac  (Enc.  Meth.) — Rufach  (Vosgien.) — P. 

1 “ Soultz” — Sulz  (Germ.) — P.  “ Gebweiler  (Germ.) — P. 

* “ Guebwiller,  besides  its  cotton  mills  ( filatures ) and  manufactories 
of  cotton  stuffs  (fabriques  ties  cotonnades,)  possesses  a sugar  refinery, 
and  also  manufactures  nails  and  curry-combs.” 
y “ Neuf-Brisach” — Neu  Brisach  (Germ.) — P 
z Aroentovaria,  Artzenheim.  (D'Anv.  Enc.  Meth.) — P. 
u “ Half  a league  from  Colmar.” 
i>b  u No  traces  of  the  Roman  period.” 
cc  “ More  than  100,000  livres.” 

dd  “ it  is  the  seat  of  a royal  court ; its  construction  [that  of  the 
edifice  (palais)]  is  as  beautiful,  as  its  situation  is  commanding  and 
picturesque.  The  church  of  the  Dominicans  is  the  finest  of  its  older 
edifices,  and  its  public  library  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  king- 
dom; it  contains  more  than  00,000  volumes.” 

hook  cxlv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  291 


Schoen,"  the  earliest  engraver  on  metal,  and  Rewbell,  one  of 
the  members  of  the  Directory,  were  hoin  in  Colmar. 

Bounded,  like  the  preceding,  by  the  Rhine  on  the  east, 
and  by  a part  of  the  chain  of  the  Vosges  on  the  west,  the 
department  of  the  Lower  Rhine  is  covered  with  hills,  forests, 
meadows,  and  fields  of  the  greatest  fertility.  It  joins  to  its 
agricultural  and  mineral  treasures,  the  wealth  it  derives  from 
different  kinds  of  manufacturing  industry,  while  its  trade  is 
greatly  promoted,  by  its  numerous  roads  and  navigable 
water-courses. 

Schelestat,b  the  first  town  beyond  the  territory  of  Colmar, 
is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  111.®  The  Vosges  which 
rise  on  the  left,  the  ruins  of  ancient  castles  on  different 
heights,  the  vineyards  that  command  many  rich  villages,  the 
forests  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  the  fruitful  mead- 
ows on  the  left,  form  a romantic  landscape.  The  town,  at 
present  the  metropolis  of  a subprefecture,  was  formerly  one 
of  the  ten  imperial  cities  in  Alsace,  and  the  third  in  point  of 
importance.  The  antiquity  of  Schelestat  cannot  be  denied  ; 
long  the  principal  city  of  the  Tribocci,  it  bore  in  ancient 
times  the  name  of  E/cebus,  but  although  antiquaries  assert 
the  contrary,  it  may  be  doubted  that  the  neighbouring  village 
of  Ell  was  so  called  from  the  ancient  name  of  the  tovvn.d 
It  was  no  mean  place  under  the  Carlovingians  ; Charlemagne 
and  his  court  celebrated  the  festival  of  Christmas  at  Sche- 
lestat in  the  year  776,  and  Charles  the  Fat  chose  it  frequent- 
ly for  his  residence.  The  decline  of  the  town  dates  from 
the  tenth  century ; it  rose  again  into  importance  in  the 
course  of  the  thirteenth,  but  it  suffered  much  during  the 
thirty  years’  war,  and  from  that  period  until  Alsace  was 
united  to  F ranee ; since  the  union  it  has  continued  to  flour- 
ish ; in  1802,  the  population  amounted  only  to  5000;  it  is 
now  nearly  double  that  number.  Martin  Bucer,  one  of  the 
ablest  theologians  in  the  cause  of  the  reformation,  was  born 
in  Schelestat ; it  was  at  the  same  place  that  the  present 
method  of  varnishing  porcelain  was  invented.®  The  other 
towns  in  the  district1"  of  which  it  is  the  capital,  may  be  brief- 
ly mentioned.  Barr,  containing  four  thousand  five  hundred 
persons,  stands  in  a pleasant  valley  surrounded  by  vineyards. 
Obernay,^  equal  to  it  in  the  number  of  its  inhabitants,  is 
situated  at  the  base  of  Mount  Holenburg,  of  which  the  sum- 
mit is  surmounted  by  the  majestic  ruins  of  the  famous 
monastery  of  St.  Odile.  Rosheim,h  a town  of  three  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  persons,  consists  of  a single  street ; it 
was  formerly  a free  and  imperial  city.  The  village  of 
Klingenthal  may  be  mentioned  w'ith  these  towns  on  account 
of  the  industry  of  its  inhabitants,  and  also  on  account  of  a 
royal  armory,  in  which  swords  are  made  that  rival  any  in 
Syria.1 

a Martin  Schoen,  the  earliest  engraver  on  metal  whose  name  we 
are  acquainted  with,  was  born  at  Culmbach  in  Franconia,  1420,  and 
died  at  Colmar,  14S6.  (Ed.  Enc.  art.  Engraving.  Beauvais.) — P. 

b Schelestadt  (Vosgien.) — Selestat,  Scelestat  and  Schlestat  (Enc. 
Meth.) — The  proper  German  orthography  is  Schlettstadt. — P. 

c “ Schelestat  is  the  first  town  that  we  pass  through,  after  leaving 
the  territory  of  Colmar,  in  following  the  course  of  the  111.” — It  is 
situated  on  a canal  that  communicates  with  the  111. — P. 

d “ In  the  time  of  the  Romans,  it  was  one  of  the  principal  cities  of 
the  Tribocci,  and  bore  the  name  of  Elccbus*  of  which  we  find  the 
traces  in  the  small  village  of  Ell,  situated  at  a short  distance  from  its 
walls.” 

* Helcebus  (Fill.)  D’Anv. 

c “ — that  the  method  of  glazing  ( vernisser ) delft  ( faience ) was  in- 
vented.” f “ Arrondissement.” 

e Obernai  (Aim.  Royal.) — Oberehnheim  or  Obernay,  situated  near 
the  Ehn  (Vosgien.) — Oberehenheim  or  Obernheim  (Germ.) — P. 
b “ Roshein.” 

1 “ After  these  towns,  all  of  which  are  engaged  in  manufacturing 
industry,  the  village  of  Klingenthal  may  be  mentioned  for  its  royal 


Mutzig  and  Molsheim,  two  small  towns,  each  contain 
about  three  thousand  individuals ; the  first  is  known  for  its 
fire-arms,  and  the  second  for  its  excellent  blades  and  steel ; 
but  we  may  leave  these  places  on  the  left,  and  proceed  to- 
wards Strasburg.’1  The  lofty  hut  light  steeple  of  the 
cathedral  is  seen  from  a great  distance  ; it  rises  to  the  height 
of  four  hundred  and  thirty-six  feet,  and  consequently  is 
higher  than  any  other  edifice  in  Europe ; indeed  it  is  only 
thirteen  feet  lower  than  the  great  pyramid  in  Egypt.  The 
cathedral  may  be  considered  a model  of  Gothic  architecture  ; 
the  clock  that  decorates  the  interior,  is  perhaps  the  most 
complicated  piece  of  machinery  in  France  ;* * *  it  represents 
the  motions  ol  the  constellations,  and  the  planetary  system. 
Seven  gates  lead  into  Strasburg ; it  is  surrounded  with 
fortifications,  and  defended  by  a citadel,  which  was  built 
according  to  the  plans  of  Vauban.  It  is  traversed  by  the 
111,  over  which  there  are  several  bridges  built  of  wood.1" 
The  royal  castle,  at  present  the  residence  of  the  bishop,"  is 
the  finest  edifice  after  the  cathedral.  The  court  of  justice,0 
the  town  house,  the  prefect’s  palace?  and  the  new  theatre  are 
not  unworthy  of  so  important  a town.  The  church  of  St. 
Thomas  was  built  in  the  seventh  century ; several  elegant 
mausoleums  adorn  the  interior,  of  which  the  most  remarkable 
is  that  of  Marshal  Saxe,  the  work  of  Pigal.q  The  arsenal,  a 
large  building,  the  barracks  and  the  cannon  foundery  are 
such  as  correspond  with  a fortified  town  of  the  first  class. 
The  protestant  academy"  is  one  of  the  best  in  France,  and 
as  a place  of  instruction  it  may  rival  the  most  celebrated  in 
Germany ; it  possesses  a good  collection  of  philosophical 
instruments,  a museum  of  comparative  anatomy,  in  which 
all  the  articles  are  arranged  according  to  the  most  approved 
methods,  a chemical  laboratory  and  a valuable  collection  of 
natural  history.  Each  faculty  has  a separate  library,  but 
there  are  besides  two  others  in  the  city,  one  belonging  to 
the  observatory,  which  contains  a collection  of  antiquities, 
and  another  open  to  the  public,  consisting  of  55,000  vol- 
umes ; in  the  last  are  preserved  the  sword  of  Kleber,  and 
the  poniard  of  his  assassin. 

If  it  be  recollected  that  the  arts,  sciences  and  letters  have 
been  long  cultivated  at  Strasburg,  it  need  not  excite  surprise 
that  it  has  produced  many  eminent  men.  Kleber  and 
Kellermann  have  distinguished  themselves  in  the  military  art, 
Ramond  in  the  physical  sciences,  Weyler  and  Manlich  in 
painting,  and  the  virtuous  pastor  Oberlin,sby  his  enlightened 
humanity.  If  we  do  not  enter  into  any  details  concerning 
the  scientific  and  literary  societies  at  Strasburg,  it  must  not 
be  imagined  that  they  are  unworthy  of  notice,  or  that  the 
members  who  compose  them  are  at  all  deficient  in  zeal  and 
knowdedge.  The  manner  in  which  the  charitable  institutions 

sword  manufactory  ( manufacture  royale  d’armes  blanches,)  in  wliicu 
damask  blades  ( dainas ) are  wrought,  that  rival  those  of  Syria.” 
k “ Strasbourg.” 

1 “ — is  a work  of  surprising  complexity.” 

m There  are  eight  bridges  over  the  111,  two  of  which  are  of  stone, 
and  also  a large  wooden  bridge  over  the  Rhine.  (Bilsching.) — P. 

» The  episcopal  palace,  built  in  1741  by  Cardinal  Rohan,  is  a mag- 
nificent edifice.  (BUsching.) — There  is  a royal  palace  ( maison  royale) 
at  Strasburg.  (Aim.  Royal,  1822.) — P. 

“ “ Palace  (Palais)  of  Justice.”  p “ Hotel  de  la  prefecture.” 
q J.  B.  Pigalle.  (Beauvais.  Diet.  Hist.  Caen,  1804.) — P. 
r The  Academy  of  Strasburg — formerly  the  University  of  Stras 
burg,  under  the  direction  of  the  Lutherans.  It  at  present  consists  of 
five  faculties,  viz. : one  of  theology  for  the  Confession  of  Augsburg 
(Lutherans,)  to  which  is  attached  a professorship  of  dogmatic  theology 
for  the  Calvinistic  Confession ; one  of  law ; one  of  medicine,  with 
which  is  connected  a special  school  of  pharmacy ; one  of  the  sciences 
and  one  of  letters. — P. 

« Pastor  of  Waldbach,  in  the  Ban  de  la  Roche  ( Steinthal , Stone  Val 
ley.)— P. 


L 


EUROPE. 


fliOOK  CXLV 


292 


are  managed,  is  most  creditable  to  their  directors  ; the  prison 
discipline  that  was  adopted  eight  years  ago,  ought  to  have 
been  imitated  throughout  France;  if  to  effect  the  moral 
improvement  of  the  prisoners  be  the  great  object  of  prison 
discipline,  that  object  has  been  attained  at  Strasburg.a 

The  island  of  Robertsaub  is  the  place  of  greatest  resort  in 
the  neighbourhood,  it  rises  on  the  south-east  of  the  town, 
it  is  encompassed  by  the  111  and  the  Rhine.0  A neat 
village,  several  country  houses  and  different  works** 1 *  are  situ- 
ated on  the  island ; but  the  agreeable  is  also  united  with  the 
profitable,  there  are  many  fine  gardens  and  walks  shaded 
with  trees.®  An  obelisk  to  the  memory  of  Kleber  has  been 
erected  on  a piece  of  ground  near  the  town,  at  present  a 
place  for  the  exercise  of  artillery/  Another  obelisk  in  hon- 
our of  Desaix  rises  behind  the  citadel,  in  the  island  opposite 
the  village  of  Kehl.s 

Although  the  origin  of  Strasburg  may  be  very  un- 
certain, still  the  name  of  Argentoratum , by  which  Ptole- 
my designates  it,h  and  which  is  derived  from  a Celtic 
root,  proves  that  it  was  anterior  to  the  Roman  conquest. 
Drusus  enlarged  it  and  made  it  an  important  fortress ; much 
about  the  same  time,  the  arms  and  armour  made  at  Stras- 
burg were  highly  valued.1  In  the  time  of  Julian,  who  de- 
feated the  Germans  under  its  walls,  and  took  their  king 
Chrodomaire  prisoner,  it  was  much  frequented  as  furnishing 
a convenient  passage  from  Gaul  into  Germany ; from  this 
circumstance,  it  was  called  Strata-Burgusk  in  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, whence  the  origin  of  its  present  name. 

The  inhabitants  of  provincial  towns  follow  the  fashions 
of  the  capital ; it  is  not  therefore  in  such  places  that  one  can 
judge  of  a national  costume.  The  peasants  in  the  villages 
between  Strasburg  and  Haguenau  go  to  mass  or  to  the  re- 
formed church1  in  their  best  dresses.  A square  black  coat 
is  purposely  left  open  to  show  a red  waistcoat  with  gilt  but- 
tons ; loose  boots  made  of  soft  leather,  or  long  gaiters  are 
attached  to  black  rateen  breeches ; a broad  hat  completes 
the  costume.1"  The  dress  of  the  women  has  been  thought 
more  graceful ; it  is  certainly  more  showy ; the  hat  does 
not  conceal  floating  ringlets  or  ribbons  of  various  colours, 

a “ The  prison  ( prison  civile ,)  in  particular,  has  for  the  last  eight  years, 
furnished  a model  which  ought  to  be  imitated  throughout  France, 
above  all  for  its  complete  success  in  the  moral  amelioration  of  the 
prisoners.”  b Ruprechtsau  (Germ.) — Robert’s  meadow  (Eng.) — P. 

c “ The  first  object  which  attracts  attention,  in  a north-eastern* 
direction  from  Strasburg,  is  the  island  of  Robertsau,  surrounded  by  the 
111  and  the  Rhine.” 

*This  is  the  true  direction.  See  Map  accompanying  Philippart’s  Memoirs  of 
Moreau. — P. 

d “ Usines.” 

c “ Manufacturing  establishments  may  be  seen  in  every  direction  in 
the  vicinity  of  Strasburg,  but  in  the  island  of  Robertsau,  the  agreeable 
is  united  with  the  useful ; the  whole  landscape  has  the  appearance  of 
a beautiful  English  garden.” 

i “ Near  the  town,  and  in  the  opposite  direction  [from  that  of  Rob- 
ertsau,] an  obelisk  in  honour  of  Kleber  rises  in  the  midst  of  an  open 
space  reserved  for  the  exercise  of  artillery.” 

e The  promenades  in  this  island  are  preferred  to  all  others  in  the 
vicinity  of  Strasburg.  M.  B. — P. 

h — “ by  which  it  was  first  designated  by  Ptolemy.” — Ptolemy  is  the 
first  author  who  makes  mention  of  Strasburg.  (Enc.  Moth.) — P. 

* “ The  JVotitia  Imperii  informs  us  that  it  was  celebrated  for  its 
manufacture  of  arms.” 

k Strateburgus  (Bdsching.) — Lat.  stratum,  pin.  strata,  a paved  street, 
and  burgus.  German,  strassc,  a street,  and  burg,  a castle  or  fortified 
town. — P. 

1 “ Preche” — meeting,  either  of  the  Lutherans  or  Calvinists,  both  of 
whom  prevail  in  Alsace.  The  term  reformed  church  is  applied  to  the 
Calvinists  in  M.  B. — P. 

m “ The  square  open  black  coat  of  the  men  shows  beneath  it  a red 
vest  with  gilt  buttons ; large  soft  boots  or  long  gaiters  fastened  to  black 
rateen  breeches,  and  a broad  hat,  complete  the  costume.” 


but  the  latter  are  only  worn  by  the  young,  never  by  married 
women.  Long  gilt  pins  serve  to  fasten  the  hair,  they  rise 
in  the  form  of  a coronet ; a black  silk  handkerchief  covers 
the  breast ; the  bodice  is  adorned  with  many  ornaments, 
broad  sleeves  of  white  linen  descend  to  the  wrist,  the  petti- 
coat is  made  of  green  serge,  and  bordered  with  red  ribbons." 

Haguenau"  contains  several  manufactories,  and  a popula- 
tion of  seven  thousand  five  hundred  individuals ; it  was 
founded  by  Frederick  Barbarossa,  and  was  included  in  the 
number  of  the  imperial  cities  in  Alsace.  The  sandy  lands 
in  the  neighbourhood  are  very  fruitful  in  madder,  of  which 
more  than  2,000,000  kilogrammes  are  annually  sent  to 
different  parts  of  France  and  England. 

The  small  town  of  SaverneP  is  situated  near  the  base  and  on 
the  lowest  declivities  of  the  Vosges;  it  is  well  built,  and  the 
heights  round  it  are  planted  with  vineyards.  The  hillq  that 
bears  its  name,  rises  on  the  west,  while  on  the  southwest 
are  seen  the  ruins  of  Haut-Barr,  a castle  founded  in  the 
twelfth  century.  Bouxvillerr  is  commanded  by  a fine  Gothic 
castle,  surrounded  with  agreeable  walks ; it  contains  about 
three  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants,  and  is  situated, 
like  the  last,  at  the  base  of  the  mountains. 

Two  or  three  places  may  be  mentioned  in  the  most 
northern  district3  of  the  Lower  Rhine,  which  borders  with 
Rhenish  Bavaria.  Soultz  sous  Forets,1 * *  a town  of  two  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  carries  on  a trade  in  the  best  wines  that  are 
produced  in  the  department ; coal  mines  and  a saline  spring, 
that  yields  a great  quantity  of  salt,  are  worked  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood." Seitz  does  not  contain  a greater  population 
than  Soultz  sous  F orets,  if  it  be  better  known,  it  may  be 
attributed  to  the  gaseous  and  mineral  water,  of  which  more 
than  thirty  thousand  casks  are  annually  consumed  in  Paris.* 
Weissemburg  or  WissemburgJ  a town  on  the  Lauter,  derives 
the  importance  wThich  it  possesses,  from  its  position  on  the 
northern  frontier.  Its  fortifications  have  been  celebrated  in 
the  annals  of  war  from  the  reign  of  Louis  the  F ourteenth  to 
the  year  1815.  The  inhabitants  carry  on  a trade  in  linen, 
porcelain  and  leather ; the  population  has  quadrupled  since 
the  time  that  Alsace  wTas  united  to  France.7 * 

" “ The  dress  of  the  women  is  richer  and  more  graceful.  Their 
headdress  consists  of  a large  straw  hat,  with  a low  crown,  while  float- 
ing tresses,  terminated  by  knots  of  ribbons,  are  worn  only  by  the  un- 
married. I nstead  of  a hat,  they  often  turn  up  their  hair  in  the  form  of 
a crown,  and  fasten  it  with  long  gilt  pins  ( fibches  d'or.)  A black  silk 
cravat  falls  over  the  breast.  Their  bodice  ( corset ) is  adorned  in  front 
with  golden  ornaments  and  ribbons ; wide  sleeves  of  fine  white  linen 
are  fastened  at  the  wrist,  where  they  terminate  in  plaited  cuffs,  and  a 
petticoat  of  green  serge,  bordered  with  a broad  red  ribbon,  reaches  only 
to  the  middle  of  the  leg,  and  shows  a tight  white  stocking  and  a high 
heeled  shoe,  fastened  with  a silver  buckle.” 

0 Hagenau  (Germ.) — P. 

p Zabern  (Germ.)— called  also  Elsass-Zabern  (Alsace  Saverne,)  to 
distinguish  it  from  Rhein-Zabern  (Rhine-Saverne)  in  the  former  bish- 
opric of  Spire. — I*. 

'i  “ Cote” — ridge  or  long  declivity. 

r Bouxwiller  (Aim.  Royal.) — Bouxveiller  (Vosgien.) — Bousseviller 
(Enc.  Meth.) — Bischweiler,  Bilschweiler  (Germ.) — P. 

8 “ Arrondissement” — that  of  Weissemburg. 

* Sulz-Unterwalden  (Germ.) — P. 

“ “ Soultz  sous  Forets  is  noted  for  its  wines,  which  are  esteemed  the 
best  in  the  department,  for  its  coal  and  bitumen,  and  particularly  for 
the  salt  spring  worked  in  its  .vicinity.” 

* “ Seitz,  a town  equal  in  population  to  the  preceding,  possesses  a 
well  known  carbonated  mineral  spring  ( source  gazeuse,)  from  which 
every  year  more  than  30,000  bottles*  of  water  are  sent  to  Paris.” 

* “ Cruchons  de  gres” — stone  bottles  or  flasks. 

y “ Weissembourg  or  Wissembourg,”  Fr. — Weissenburg  (Germ.) — P. 

1 “ Its  only  manufactures  are  those  of  leather,  linen  ( toiles ) and 
delft  (faience,)  but  its  commerce  has  always  been  flourishing  since  Al- 
sace was  united  to  France,  and  its  population  has  nearly  quadrupled  ” 


hook  cxLVi.i  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  293 


BOOK  CXLYI. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Kingdom  of  France. — Fifth  Section. — 
Northern  Region. 

The  twenty-one  departments  in  the  northern  region  are 
formed  by  the  ancient  provinces  of  Lorraine,  Champagne, 
the  Isle  of  France, a Normandy,  Picardy,  Flanders  and 
Artois.  Education  is  more  general,  and  wealth  is  more  dif- 
fused than  in  the  rest  of  the  kingdom ; the  population  rela- 
tively to  the  surface  is  also  greater,  for  the  mean  number  of 
inhabitants  to  every  square  league  is  nearly  equal  to  one 
thousand  six  hundred  and  forty.  It  surpasses  the  other 
regions  in  the  extent  of  the  forests,  in  the  number  of  horses 
and  oxen,  in  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants,  and  in  tbe 
amount  of  tbe  revenue. 

The  department  of  the  Moselle  is  contiguous  on  the  north 
to  the  possessions  of  Bavaria,  Prussia  and  the  Netherlands. 
Its  length  from  east  to  west  is  equal  to  thirty-nine  leagues, 
or  to  three  times  its  greatest  breadth  from  north  to  south. 
Its  territory,  although  uneven  and  woody,  yields  twice  as 
much  corn  as  the  inhabitants  consume.  It  is  well  sup- 
plied with  horses,  and  if  more  attention  were  paid  to  the 
breed,  they  might  furnish  a very  valuable  resource  for  the 
light  cavalry.  Although  many  oxen  are  reared,  they  are 
not  sufficiently  numerous ; it  is  however  in  the  supply 
of  sheep,  that  the  department  is  particularly  defective. 
The  abundance  of  timber  enables  the  inhabitants  to  carry 
on  many  works  or  manufactories  in  which  fuel  is  required, 
and  to  derive  a considerable  profit  from  their  iron  mines. 
The  prosperity  of  the  country  may  be  attributed  to  the 
extent  of  the  roads  and  navigable  rivers,  and  to  the  aptitude 
for  labour  by  which  the  lower  orders  (manufacturers -as  well 
as  husbandmen)  are  distinguished.b  Agriculture  is  general- 
ly in  a more  advanced  state  than  in  the  rest  of  France ; the 
peasant,0  as  indefatigable  in  labour  as  he  is  brave  in  war, 
adopts  willingly  every  improvement,  converts  his  old  fallows 
into  artificial  meadows,  raises  a great  variety  of  products, 
multiplies  nurseries,  and  manages  his  fruit  trees  with  much 
intelligence ; the  vineyards  which  he  cultivates,  particularly 
those  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Moselle,  do  not  yield  much 
wine  of  a good  quality,  but  it  should  be  recollected  that  the 
exportation  of  wine  is  not  encouraged,  and  the  petty  propri- 

a “ L’lle-de-France.” 

b “ The  abundance  of  wood,  which  furnishes  the  means  of  carrying 
on  a great  many  iron  works  ( usines ,)  and  of  deriving  a very  considerable 
profit  from  its  iron  mines ; the  extent  of  its  roads,  the  importance  of 
its  navigable  rivers,  and  the  aptitude  for  labour,  which  may  be  re- 
marked in  all  classes  of  its  inhabitants,  agricultural,  manufacturing 
and  commercial,  are  the  principal  causes  of  its  prosperity.” 

0 “ Paysan  messin.” — The  country  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Metz 
was  formerly  called  the  Messin  or  the  Pays  Messin. — P. 

d Bitche  or  Biche  (Vosgien.  Enc.  Meth.) — Bitsch  (Germ.) — P. 

‘ Saralbe  (Vosgien.) 

r “ 20,000  quintals.” 

6 Sarguemines,  Sarguemine  (Vosgien.) — Saar-Gemtlnd  (Germ.)-P. 


etors  do  not  think  it  worth  while  to  substitute  the  best  vines 
of  Burgundy  for  the  inferior  kinds  of  Lorraine. 

Bitche, d situated  at  the  foot  of  the  western  declivity  of 
the  Vosges,  contains  twTo  thousand  seven  hundred  inhabi- 
tants ; it  is  considered  a strong  hold  of  the  fourth  class,  and 
is  defended  by  an  impregnable  fortress  on  the  summit  of  a 
steep  rock  of  red  sandstone;  the  Prussians  attempted  in 
vain  to  take  it  in  the  year  1792.  Sarralbee  derives  its  name 
from  its  situation  at  the  confluence  of  the  Albe  and  the 
Sarre  ; the  number  of  inhabitants  amounts  to  three  thousand 
three  hundred  ; the  salt  works  in  the  neighbourhood  yield 
annually  a thousand  tonsf  of  salt.  Sarreguemines,?  of  which 
the  ancient  German  name,  Gemunde,b  signifies  a river’s 
mouth  ( embouchure ,)  is  situated  above  the  last  mentioned 
place,  at  the  junction  of  the  Sarre  and  the  Blise.  The  popu- 
lation has  increased  two-thirds  since  the  year  1790.* *  The 
red  porcelain  made  in  the  town,  and  generally  used  in  the 
department,  and  the  snuff-boxes  made  in  tbe  neighbour- 
hood are  the  principal  articles  of  trade ; the  yearly  sale  of 
the  latter  is  supposed  to  produce  a sum  almost  equal  to 
£42,000.k  The  houses  are  well  built;  a broad  street  ex- 
tends through  the  whole  length  of  the  town,  and  terminates 
at  the  bridge  over  the  Sarre.  The  road  that  communicates 
with  the  same  bridge,  leads  to  Forbach,  a small  town  of 
three  thousand  inhabitants ; it  was  there  that  Charles  the 
Fifth  encamped  in  1552,  when  he  determined  to  risk  his 
military  glory  before  the  ramparts  of  Metz.  In  this  town, 
which  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  a hill,  in  an  agreeable  plain, 
a custom-house  is  established. 

Bouzonville  is  the  most  important  place  in  the  country 
between  Forbach  and  Thionville;  the  latter  town  was 
founded  in  the  eighth  century as  a strong  hold,  it  belongs 
to  the  third  class  ; part  of  the  ramparts  were  constructed  by 
the  Spaniards,  from  whom  it  was  taken  by  Condc  after  the 
battle  of  Rocroy.  The  riding-school  is  perhaps  the  finest 
building,  but  there  are  few  edifices  of  any  consequence  ; the 
wooden  br  idge,  more  remarkable  for  its  clumsy  shape  than 
any  thing  else,  is  mentioned  as  a wonder  both  by  ancient  and 
modern  geographers, — it  can  certainly  be  quickly  taken  to 
pieces  in  a case  of  emergency.'"  The  population  of  the 

11  Gcmund  (Enc.  Meth.) — Gcmilnd  (Germ.) — P. 

* “ In  1790,  its  population  was  only  two-thirds  (dcs  deux  tiers ) of 
irhat  it  is  at  present.” 

k “ Its  red  pottery  (faience,)  which  is  widely  circulated,  and  the  paper 
snuff-boxes  (de  ■pdtc  de  carton)  manufactured  in  its  neighbourhood, 
are  its  principal  articles  of  commerce ; the  sale  of  the  latter  forms 
an  annual  amount  of  nearly  800,000  francs.” 

1 “ Its  origin  does  not  date  from  an  earlier  period  than  the  eighth 
century.” 

m “ The  riding-school  is  the  only  remarkable  edifice ; the  wooden 
bridge,  mentioned  as  a wonder  in  all  the  older  and  more  recent  geogra- 
phies, has  nothing  to  compensate  for  its  ugliness,  but  the  facility  with 
i which  it  may  be  taken  to  pieces  in  case  of  emergency.” 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVI. 


294 


town,  now  the  capital  of  a district,®  is  ten  times  greater  than 
when  it  was  united  to  France  by  the  treaty  of  1G59.  The 
village  of  Cattenom  is  situated  about  two  leagues  below 
Thionville,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Moselle ; it  is  the  place 
where  the  greatest  cattle  fair  in  the  department  is  annually 
held.b  Sierck®  on  the  banks  of  the  same  river,  may  be 
about  two  leagues  and  a half  distant  from  the  village  ;d  it 
stands  at  the  foot  of  a rock,  on  the  summit  of  which  rises 
a strong  castle.  It  carries  on  a trade  in  different  manufac- 
tures ; the  stones  which  are  obtained  from  a neighbouring 
quarry,  are  used  in  paving  the  streets  of  Metz  and  Nancy.6 

Longwy/  situated  to  the  west  of  Sierck,  and  like  the 
latter,  not  more  than  half  a league  from  the  frontier,  contains 
hardly  three  thousand  inhabitants,  but  is  divided  into  an 
upper  and  lower  town.?  The  first  stands  on  a rock,  and 
was  fortified  by  Vauban  ; the  second  occupies  the  site  of  an 
ancient  fortress,  where  many  Roman  medals  have  been  at 
different  times  discovered.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that 
the  same  place  was  the  station  of  a Roman  camp,  it  bore 
the  name  of  Longus  Vicus  during  the  middle  ages.h  Brie, 
the  capital  of  the  district,  is  a very  insignificant  town,  con- 
sisting of  steep  streets  on  the  declivity  of  a hill  which  rises 
above  a fruitful  and  well  wooded  valley,  watered  by  the 
Voigot,  a small  river.1 * 

The  most  frequented  road  to  the  ancient  capital  of 
Lorraine, k is  not  considered  the  best  approach  ; to  judge 
favourably  of  it,  one  must  descend  from  the  neighbour- 
ing heights  to  the  village  of  Rozerieulles,  which  is  con- 
cealed in  a narrow  valley,  and  surrounded  by  orchards 
and  vineyards.1  The  Moselle  winds  below  the  village, 
waters  fruitful  meadows,  and  divides  itself  into  several 
branches  which  give  perhaps  a more  imposing  appearance 
to  the  formidable  fortifications  of  Metz.m  The  court  of 
justice,"  a white  building,  seen  to  most  advantage  from  a dis- 
tance, forms  a quadrangular  mass  near  the  lofty  trees  on  the 
glacis,0  the  finest  walk  in  the  town.  The  blackness  of  the 
cathedral  contrasts  well  with  the  general  colour  of  the 
houses ; it  may  be  admired  also  on  account  of  a light  and 
bold  steeple,  not  less  than  a hundred  and  forty-five  feet  above 
the  ground,  and  surrounded  with  others  of  a smaller  size.? 

a “ Arrondissement.” 

b “ Its  cattle  fair  is  the  most  important  in  the  country.” 
c Sirck,  Sirque,  Sierck  or  Sierques.  (Enc.  Meth.) 
d “ Two  leagues  beyond  the  village,  the  small  town  of  Sierck  rises 
on  the  banks  of  the  Moselle.” — Sierck  is  4 leagues  N.  E.  of  Thionville, 
on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Moselle.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

e “ It  has  several  manufactories,  and  supplies  Metz  and  Nancy  with 
excellent  paving  stones  from  a rock  of  ferruginous  quartz  ( quarzite 
ferrugineuz)  in  the  neighbourhood.” 

f Longui  (Vosgien.) — Lonwic;  in  modern  Latin,  Longus  Vicus. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

% Old  and  new  town — the  latter  was  built  by  Louis  XIV.  after  the 
peace  of  Nimeguen,  and  strongly  fortified  in  the  style  of  Vauban. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

h “ In  the  second,  there  was  formerly  a fortress,  on  the  site  of  which 
Roman  medals  have  been  often  discovered.  The  public  square  is  large 
and  regular.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  Longwy,  which  in  the 
middle  ages  bore  the  name  of  Longus  Vicus,  occupies  at  present  the  site 
of  a Roman  camp.” 

• “ Although  a small  town,  and  noted  only  for  its  bacon  and  hams, 
it  [Longwy]  is  much  more  important  than  Briey,  its  capital  ;* * *  the  latter 
consists  of  narrow  streets,  situated  on  the  declivity  of  a steep  hill,  which 
commands  a pleasant  valley  bordered  with  woods  and  watered  by  the 
small  river  Voigot.” 

♦Capital  of  tile  arrondissement,  in  which  Longwy  is  situated. — P. 

k “ Pays  Messin.” — Nancy  was  considered  the  capital  of  Lorraine. — P. 
i u We  shall  not  follow  the  most  frequented  road  that  leads  from  Briey 
to  Metz,  formerly  the  capital  of  the  Pays  Messin.  In  order  to  judge  fa- 
vourably of  the  latter  town,  it  is  necessary  to  descend  into  its  beautiful 
valley  ( bassin ) by  the  zig-zag  road  that  leads  from  the  highest  plateau 


The  heavy  modern  portal  is  not  in  harmony  with  the  grace- 
ful Gothic  architecture  of  the  building;  the  nave  is  not  less 
than  363  feet  in  length  and  73  in  breadth.  When  the 
great  bell,  called  the  Mutte,  is  rung,  all  the  steeples  are  per- 
ceptibly shaken. 

Near  the  village  of  Longeville,  where  the  waters  of  the 
Moselle  are  confined  by  a dike,  and  form  a cascade,  that  of 
Ars  sur  Moselle  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  heights  last 
mentioned ; it  contains  two  paper  mills,  a velvet  and  cloth 
manufactory N Its  name,  derived  from  the  Latin  word  Arx, 
indicates  the  site  of  a Roman  fortress.  The  remains  of  an 
ancient  aqueduct  may  be  observed  in  the  neighbourhood ; 
pillars  are  seen  in  the  vineyards  and  on  the  river,  they  extend 
along  the  right  bank  to  the  village  of  Jouy,  and  support 
the  majestic  arcades  that  the  country  people  call  the  Devil’s 
Bridge, J This  aqueduct,  it  is  supposed,  was  the  work  of 
Drusus ; it  supplied  the  baths  and  the  naumachia  of  Divo- 
durum,  a city  of  the  Mediomatrici , which  in  the  time  of  the 
Roman  empire  was  called  Metis,  and  afterwards  corrupted 
into  Metz.3  An  ancient  bath  of  red  porphyry,  an  admira- 
ble work  of  art,  and  much  larger  than  any  in  the  Louvre,1 
is  preserved  in  the  cathedral,  where  it  is  used  as  a baptis- 
mal font.  Roman  tombs  have  been  discovered  at  different 
periods  near  the  site  of  the  former  citadel,  particularly  at 
the  time  when  the  building  was  pulled  down  in  order  that  the 
public  walk  might  be  enlarged  and  completed.  Ruins  attest 
the  past  splendour  of  Metz,  but  the  ancient  edifices  have 
been  destroyed  by  time  and  barbarians  ; it  might  be  difficult 
to  recognise  the  place  from  the  pompous  panegyric  of  Auso- 
nius,  which  has  been  engraved  below  the  peristyle  of  the 
townhouse." 

Metz  was  the  capital  of  Austrasia,  a country  of  which 
Thierry  was  the  first  king.  Louis  the  Debonnaire  died 
there  in  the  year  810,  and  the  body  of  that  unfortunate 
prince  was  deposited  within  the  church  of  St.  Arnoult,1  then 
in  the  suburbs,  but  now  in  the  town.  It  became  a free  and 
imperial  city  during  the  reign  of  Otho  the  Second  ; it  reach- 
ed the  height  of  its  prosperity  about  the  end  of  the  fourteenth 
century.  It  maintained  long  and  bloody  wars  against  differ- 
ent sovereigns,  and  even  many  princes  solicited  the  honour 

in  its  neighbourhood,  to  the  pleasant  village  of  Rozerieulles,  which  is 
concealed  in  a narrow  pass,  covered  with  orchards  and  vineyards.” 
m “ At  the  foot  of  this  descent,  we  perceive  the  Moselle  winding  in 
the  midst  of  beautiful  meadows,  and  afterwards  dividing  into  several 
branches,  which  render  the  imposing  fortifications  of  Metz  still  more 
formidable.”  n ‘ Palace  of  justice.”  0 “Esplanade.” 

p “ The  cathedral,  whose  dark  hue  forms  a striking  contrast  with  the 
general  colour  of  the  other  buildings,  rises  on  the  left  of  the  court  of 
justice  ( palais  de  justice,)  and  is  crowned  with  a light  and  lofty  spire, 
not  less  than  345  feet  in  height,  and  surrounded  by  others,  wrought  in 
open  work  in  the  form  of  obelisks.” 

<i  “ — two  paper  mills,  a manufactory  of  velvet,  and  one  of  cloth  for 
the  army.” 

r “ The  pillars  that  rise  in  the  vineyards,  and  which  form  obstructions 
( ccueils ) in  the  midst  of  the  river,  are  continued  on  the  right  bank  in  ma- 
jestic arcades,  as  far  as  the  village  of  Jouy,*  the  inhabitants  of  which 
give  to  these  ruins  the  name  of  the  Devil’s  Bridge  ( Pont-du-Diahlc.)\ ” 
♦Jouy  aux  Arches.  t Pont  Jouy,  an  aqueduct  built  by  the 

Romans,  crossing  I lie  Moselle  between  Metz  and  Pont  & Mousson.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

8 “ — which  the  JVotitia  Imperii  mentions  by  the  name  of  Metis,  the 
origin  of  that  of  Metz.” 

1 It  is  ten  feet  long,  four  broad,  and  three  and  a half  in  depth. 

u “ Many  Roman  tombs  were  discovered  when  the  citadel  was  erected, 
but  they  were  buried  again  in  its  massive  walls ; when  the  remains  of 

this  fortress  were  destroyed,  a few  years  since,  for  the  purpose  of  en- 
larging the  public  walk  (promenade ,)  they  were  again  discovered,  but 
suffered  to  be  buried  anew,  by  the  public  authorities.  The  shafts  of 
many  granite  columns,  now  used  for  guard  posts  (homes,)  are  the  re- 
mains of  sumptuous  edifices  which  have  been  destroyed  by  decay  and 
violence.  Ausonius,  in  some  of  his  verses  which  have  been  engraved 
below  the  peristyle  of  the  townhouse,  gives  a pompous  eulogiuui  of  the 
ancient  city.”  * St.  Arnold. 


book  cxiiVi.]  DESCRIPTION 

of  being  enrolled  among  the  number  of  its  citizens.  It  was 
added  to  the  dominions  of  Henry  the  Second  by  the  in- 
trigues and  address  of  the  constable  Montmorency.  The 
duke  of  Guise  compelled  Charles  the  Fifth  to  retire  from 
its  walls,  after  he  had  attacked  it  with  an  army  of  more  than 
a hundred  thousand  men.  Although  very  populous  in  pro- 
portion to  its  size,  it  is  much  less  so  than  when  it  was  inde- 
pendent.3 

The  improvements  made  in  the  city,  the  number  of  broad 
streets  that  have  been  built  in  modern  times, b the  quarter  of 
St.  Thiebaud,c  the  large  barracks,  the  arsenal,  the  military 
hospital,  the  royal  college,  the  church  of  St.  Vincent,  of 
which  the  portal  is  adorned  with  a triple  row  of  columns,  the 
new  market-house,  the  theatre  and  five  spacious  squares 
render  Metz  worthy  of  being  ranked  among  the  best  built 
towns  in  France.  The  public  library  consists  of  thirty-six 
thousand  volumes ; the  places  connected  with  education  are 
a school  of  artillery  and  fortification,  an  academy  of  com- 
merce and  drawing,  schools  of  arithmetic  and  geometry  in 
its  application  to  the  arts,  and  lastly,  an  institution  where 
lectures  are  delivered  on  natural  philosophy  and  chemistry. 
Much  certainly  has  been  done  for  the  intellectual  improve- 
ment of  the  inhabitants  since  the  time  of  Voltaire but  the 
philosopher  condemned  Metz,  because  when  he  happened 
to  pass  through  it,  he  saw  only  one  bookseller’s  shop,  and 
read  the  signs  of  several  confectioners  and  pastry-cooks. 
Among  the  charitable  institutions  are  an  orphan-hospital  and 
a gratuitous  school  for  the  Jews.  The  citizens  refused  a 
passage  to  the  allied  forces  when  they  left  the  French  ter- 
ritory, and  the  troops  had  to  cross  the  Moselle  on  a bridge 
which  was  built  for  the  purpose  below  the  ramparts.  A for- 
eign flag  had  never  been  seen  within  the  walls  in  time  of  war, 
— such  a spectacle  was  thought  disgraceful  in  time  of  peace.*1 

The  country  through  which  the  Meuse  flows  from  south- 
east to  northwest,®  is  intersected  in  the  same  direction  by 
long  fruitful  valleys,  and  by  lofty  ridges/  where  the  air  is 
cold  but  wholesome.  The  lands  are  well  wooded,  and  yield 
plenty  of  grain,  and  the  neighbourhood  of  Bar  is  noted  for 
its  wine  ; the  inhabitants  rear  many  horses,  but  the  number  of 
other  domestic  animals  might  be  increased  with  advantage. 

Leaving  the  ancient  province  of  Lorraine, s we  may  cross 

OF  FRANCE.  295 

the  heights  that  rise  above  the  right  bank  of  the  Meuse/  and 
arrive  at  Etain,1  the  first  town  in  the  department  ;e  it  contains 
three  thousand  inhabitants ; it  is  well  built,  but  ill  situated  in 
a marshy  plain  on  the  banks  of  the  Qrnes,  a river  abound- 
ing with  fish.k 

The  ramparts  of  Verdun1  are  seen  at  no  great  distance 
from  Etain.  Iron  and  glass-works,  paper-mills  and  manu- 
factories are  situated  in  the  neighbourhood  :m  the  town  rises 
on  both  banks  of  the  Meuse  ; the  houses  are  very  well  built, 
but  the  streets  which  descend  rapidly  towards  the  river,  are 
paved  with  sharp  stones,  as  inconvenient  for  foot  passengers 
as  for  carriages.  The  horse  barracks"  and  the  ancient  epis- 
copal palace  are  the  finest  buildings,  indeed  there  are  no 
others  of  any  consequence  in  the  place.  Verdun  is  men- 
tioned in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine  under  the  name  of  Viro- 
dunum.0  A road  along  the  banks  of  the  Meuse  leads  to 
Stenay,  a pleasantly  situated  town  of  three  thousand  inhab- 
itants, formerly  a stronghold,  and  which  still  possesses  very 
large  barracks.  Montmedy/  although  ill  built  and  inferior 
in  population,  is  more  important  as  a fortified  town  and  as  the 
metropolis  of  a district.*1  If  the  inhabitants  are  poor,  it  may 
be  attributed  to  the  want  of  commerce  and  industry  .r 

Bar,  one  of  the  three  cities  of  the  same  name  in  France, 
and  the  chief  town  in  the  department,  is  watered  by  the  Ornain. 
It  was  formerly  called  Bar  le  Due,3  because  it  was  the  capi- 
tal of  a dutchy  which  made  up  the  small  country  of  Bar- 
rois.  The  town  was  founded  in  the  tenth  century  by  Fred- 
erick, duke  of  Mosellabe/the  brother-in-law  of  Hugh  Capet. 
It  is  supposed  that  on  an  average  fifty  thousand  kilogrammes" 
of  cotton  are  annually  manufactured  at  Bar ; that  branch  of 
industry,  the  numerous  iron  works,  the  conveyance  of  the 
timber  which  is  obtained  from  the  neighbouring  forests,  and 
the  transport  of  wines,  account  for  the  activity  that  prevails 
in  the  harbour. x Four  leagues  above  Bar,  the  Ornain 

flows  below  the  small  but  neat  town  of  Ligny. 

The  other  places  that  remain  to  be  described  in  the  de- 
partment, are  situated  in  the  fruitful  valley  of  the  Meuse. 
St.  Millie]/  a town  of  five  thousand  inhabitants,  was  formerly 
fortified,  but  the  danger  to  which  Louis  the  Thirteenth  was 
exposed  when  he  besieged  it,  induced  him  to  raze  the  forti- 
fications. It  is  pleasantly  situated,  the  river  passes  below 

Inhabitants. 

a It  contained  in  the  year  71  of  the  vulgar  era  . . 8,000 

“ about  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century  . 60,000 

“ in  the  year  1698  . . . 22,000 

“ “ “ “ 1741  . . . 30,000 

“ “ “ “ 1789  . . . 36,000 

“ “ “ “ 1600  . . . 32,000 

“ “ “ “ 1802  . . . 34,000 

“ “ “ “ 1814  . . . 41,000 

“ “ “ “ 1827  . . . 45,000 

b “ The  number  of  broad  streets  that  have  been  substituted  for  those 
which  were  narrow  and  crooked.”  c St.  Theobald. 

d “ Its  library  which  consists  of  36,000  volumes,  its  important  spe- 
cial school  of  artillery  and  engineering,  its  schools  of  commerce  and 
design,  its  courses  of  instruction  in  arithmetic,  geometry  applied  to  the 
arts,  mechanics,  physics,  chemistry  and  midwifery,  its  society  of  medi- 
cine, and  that  of  sciences,  arts  and  letters,  together  with  its  benevo- 
lent associations,  such  as  that  of  maternal  charity,  that  of  arts  and 
trades  for  the  Jews,  and  that  of  mutual  relief  for  the  working  classes, 
all  combine  to  prove  that  this  city  has  made  great  progress  in  intelli- 
gence, since  the  period  when  Voltaire,  in  passing  through  it,  was 
astonished  to  find  only  a single  bookseller’s  shop  in  the  midst  of  a crowd 
of  pastry-cooks  and  confectioners.  Metz  has  shown  its  patriotism  in 
refusing  a passage  to  the  allied  armies,  when  they  retired  from  the  ter- 
ritory of  France.  A bridge  was  ordered  to  be  erected  beneath  its  ram- 
parts, by  which  they  crossed  the  Moselle,  and  thus  the  city,  which  had 
never  seen  a foreign  plume  within  its  walls,  was  preserved  from  the 
disgrace  of  such  a spectacle  even  in  time  of  peace.  Nothing  less  could 
have  been  expected  from  the  birthplace  of  Fabert,Custineand  Lassalle.”* 
•Distinguished  French  generals;  the  first  under  Louis  XIV;  the  two  latter  during 
the  wars  of  the  revolution. — P. 

• The  department  of  the  Meuse  f “Elevated  plateaus.” 

s “The  Pays  Messin.”— The  former  province  of  Lorraine  included 
the  present  departments  of  the  Moselle,  the  Meuse,  the  Meurthe,  and 
the  Vosges. — P. 

h “ The  plateau  that  extends  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Meuse.” 

> Estain  ; Lat.  Stagnum.  (Vosgien.) — P. 
k “ Noted  for  the  fine  quality  of  its  fish  and  craw-fish.” 

1 The  birthplace  of  the  illustrious  Chevert.*  M.  B. 

•A  general  distinguished  for  his  bravery,  during  the  reign  of  Louis  XV  - P 
m “ Numerous  forges,  glass  works  and  paper-mills  are  situated  in 
its  neighbourhood,  and  in  its  interior  are  a great  number  of  confection- 
ers and  distillers.”  n “ The  new  barracks  for  cavalry.” 

0 Vcrodunum.  (D’Anv.  Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

p Mont-Medi ; Lat.  Mons  Mcdius.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 
a “ Arrondissement.” 

r “ It  is  situated  a league  from  the  frontier,  has  little  commerce,  and 
is  without  manufactures.” 

s It  is  now  called  Bar  sur  Ornain,  from  its  position  on  the  river 
Ornain,  in  order  to  distinguish  it  from  the  two  other  towns  of  the  same 
name,  viz  : Bar  sur  Seine  and  Bar  sur  Aube. — P. 

1 Mosellane  (Lorraine.)  Moreri.  Enc.  Meth. — P. 

u The  kilogramme  is  equal  to  21b.  5oz.  3dr.  Avoirdupois.  Tr. 
[The  kilogramme  is  equal  to  21b.  3oz.  4.8dr.  avoirdupois.  (Rees’ 
Cyc.)— P.] 

* “ Its  sweetmeats  (confitures)  are  celebrated  for  their  delicacy ; its 
numerous  spinning  mills  (filatures)  prepare  annually  about  500,1*00 
kilogrammes  of  cotton ; that  branch  of  industry,  together  with  the  ex- 
portation of  its  wines,  of  the  iron  from  the  forges  in  its  vicinity,  and  of 
the  timber  ( planches , boards  and  planks)  from  the  neighbouring  forests, 
render  the  trade  of  its  small  port  very  active.” 

y St.  Miel,  St.  Mihel,  St.  Michel.  (Enc.  Meth.) — St.  Mihuel 
(Hubner.) — Sancti  Michaelis  Fanum  (Lat.) — P. 

296  EUROPE.  [book  cxlvi. 


well  wooded  banks,  cultivated  fields  and  hills  covered  with 
vineyards.  A monument,  that  judges  are  likely  to  appre- 
ciate, may  be  seen  within  the  modest  cemetery  of  the  parish 
church ; it  is  a sepulchre  made  from  a single  block  of  gran- 
ulated limestone,  white  as  marble ; thirteen  figures  indicate 
the  hand  of  a master  from  the  simple  way  in  which  they  are 
grouped,  as  well  as  by  their  finished  workmanship  ; they  are 
attributed  to  Legier-Michier,  a pupil  of  Michael  Angelo.® 
Commercy,  a neat  town  on  the  same  river,  encompassed 
by  a forest  through  which  a road  has  been  made,  is  situated 
at  the  distance  of  four  leagues  above  St.  Mihiel.b  The 
Meuse  leads  also  to  Vaucouleurs,  which  derives  its  name 
from  the  verdant  meadows  enamelled  with  flowers,  that  adorn 
the  valley  in  which  it  is  situated.  The  town  contains  two 
thousand  souls,  and  is  built-in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre; 
a small  canal  supplied  by  the  Meuse  and  the  fountain  of 
Vaise,  serves  to  augment  the  trade  of  the  inhabitants,  which 
consists  chiefly  in  leather  and  cotton  stuffs.0  It  was  the  birth- 
place of  the  Abbe  L’Advocat,  who  published  a geographi- 
cal dictionary  under  the  feigned  name  of  Vosgien.d 

It  is  necessary  to  ascend  the  Meuse  the  distance  of  four 
leagues,  to  visit  the  village  where  the  heroine  of  the  fifteenth 
century  was  born.  Domremy  la  Pucelle* * *  rises  in  a valley 
embellished  by  the  windings  of  the  river.  These  verdant 
meadows,  these  hills  covered  with  pastures,  were  the  places 
where  the  young  Joan  of  Arcf  tended  her  flocks;  her  days 
were  spent  in  solitude  and  in  peace  until  she  left  her  rural 
labours,  and  led  the  French  to  victory  after  they  had  been 
disheartened  by  defeat.  The  house  in  which  she  was  born, 
stands  near  the  church ; it  may  be  easily  discovered  by  a 
Gothic  door  that  supports  three  scutcheons,  adorned  with  the 
fleur-de-lyss,  and  a statue,  in  which  she  is  represented  in  full 
armour.  In  the  year  1818,  a Prussian  count  wished  to 
purchase  the  statue  from  the  proprietor  of  this  ancient  abode  ; 
on  his  refusal  to  part  with  it,  he  was  offered  six  thousand 
francs  for  the  house ; but  the  Frenchman  unwilling  to  sell  it 
to  a foreigner,  ceded  it  to  the  department  for  a third  part  of 
the  sum.  The  house  of  Joan  of  Arc  thus  became  national 
property,  and  the  former  owner  was  decorated  with  the  cross 
of  the  Legion  of  Honour,  as  a reward  for  his  patriotism. 
Louis  the  Eighteenth  granted  the  village'1  twelve  thousand 

a “ Its  picturesque  situation  is  not  the  only  motive  which  induces  the 
stranger  to  visit  it.  It  contains  within  the  humble  walls  of  its  parish 
church,  a specimen  of  sculpture  worthy  the  admiration  of  connoisseurs. 
It  is  a holy  sepulchre,*  formed  of  a single  block  of  stone  of  the  grain 
and  whiteness  of  marble,  and  adorned  with  thirteen  figures,  which  by 
the  simplicity  of  their  arrangement  and  the  finish  of  their  execution, 
announce  the  hand  of  a master.  It  is  the  work  of  Ligier-Michier,  a 
pupil  of  Michael  Angelo.” 

* “ Saint-sepulchre” — a sepulchre  of  the  Saviour. 

b “ Commercy,  a pleasant  town  on  the  Mouse,  is  situated  at  the  dis- 
tance of  four  leagues  above  St.  Mihiel.  Its  streets  are  perfectly  straight, 
and  one  of  them  leads  to  the  forest  which  surrounds  the  town.  It  con- 
tains a fine  castle  built  by  Cardinal  de  Retz,  and  since  converted  into 
barracks  for  cavalry.” 

c “A  small  canal,  fed  by  the  Meuse  and  the  fountain  of  Vaise,  serves  to 
supply  its  tanneries  and  its  manufactories  of  cotton  stuffs  (colonnades.)" 

d J.  B.  Ladvocat,  professor  at  the  Sorbonne.  The  best  edition  of 
his  geographical  dictionary  is  that  of  Letronne,  Paris,  1813.  (Beauvais.)- 
The  edition  referred  to  by  me,  is  that  of  Morel,  Paris,  1813. — P. 

c Domremi.  (Beauvais.)— This  and  the  following  towns  are  situated 
m the  department  of  the  Vosges. — P.  f Jeanne  d’Arc. 

s The  Maid  of  Orleans,  when  she  took  arms  against  the  English, 
carried  on  her  banner  a sword  surmounted  by  a crown.  This,  with  the 
addition  of  a fleur-de-lys,  the  king  of  France  afterwards  assigned  as 
arms  to  her  brothers,  who  were  ennobled,  by  letters  patent,  in  the  year 
1421),  and  took  the  name  of  Du  Lys.  (Ed.  Encyc.  art.  Heraldry.) — P. 
h “ Commune.”  “ “ Communes.” 

k “ The  house  was  rebuilt  according  to  the  original  plan ; a fine  pic- 
ture, the  gift  of  the  king,  decorates  the  interior;  the  public  square  was 
embellished  with  a regular  plantation  of  poplars,  in  the  midst  of  which 
a fountain  was  erected,  consisting  of  four  pilasters  supported  by  a quad- 


francs  to  erect  a monument  to  the  memory  of  Joan,  eight 
thousand  to  found  a school  of  mutual  instruction,  for  tlx1 
education  of  young  girls  in  Domremy  and  the  neighbouring 
hamlets,1  and  eight  thousand  besides  as  a fund  for  the  support 
of  a sister  of  charity  to  teach  the  school.  The  house,  which 
had  almost  fallen  into  decay,  was  lately  rebuilt,  but  the  origi- 
nal plan  has  not  been  altered ; a fine  painting,  the  gift  of  the 
king,  decorates  the  principal  room.  The  market-place  is 
surrounded  with  poplar  trees,  and  watered  by  a fountain, 
of  which  the  quadrangular  base  supports  four  pilasters 
crowned  with  an  entablature  and  a double  pediment,  beneath 
them  is  placed  a statue  of  the  Maid,  which  was  also  the  gift 
of  royalty.10  The  inscription  on  this  monument:  To  the 
memory  of  Joan  of  Arc,1  may  recall  the  simple  habits  of  the 
person  it  is  intended  to  commemorate.111 

The  burgh  of  Grand,  about  three  leagues  on  the  west  of 
Domremy,  stands  on  the  site  of  an  ancient  city,  and  at  no 
great  distance  from  it  are  the  remains  of  a large  amphithea- 
tre ; the  inhabitants  carry  on  a trade  in  hard-wares.n  The 
neat  town  of  Neuf-Chateau,0  the  capital  of  a subprefecture, p 
is  situated  in  the  midst  of  high  hills  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Mouzon  and  the  Meuse.  Mirecourt,  also  a chief  town,1*  is 
watered  by  the  Modon  ; it  bore  the  name  of  Mercurii  Curtis 
in  the  Latin  of  the  middle  ages  ; it  does  not  exhibit,  however, 
any  traces  of  antiquity.  It  is  for  the  most  part  ill-built,  but 
the  neighbouring  country  is  fruitful  and  well  cultivated  ; the 
trade  of  the  inhabitants  consists  chiefly  in  lace/  Contrexe- 
ville,  a small  village  encompassed  by  the  waters  of  the  Vair, 
which  divides  itself  into  two  branches,  is  noted  on  account 
of  a medicinal  spring  to  which  many  persons  afflicted  with 
obstructions  resort ; more  than  four  thousand  bottles  of  the 
water  are  annually  sent  to  Paris. 

Ramberviller  or  Rambervillers5  carries  on  a great  trade  in 
hops  ;l  the  inhabitants  are  wealthy  and  industrious ; their 
number  amounts  to  not  less  than  five  thousand ; there  is  a 
public  library  in  the  town,  consisting  of  ten  thousand  volumes. 
It  is  the  last  place  of  any  consequence  in  the  lower  region 
of  the  department  of  the  Vosges.  The  lofty  region  is  form- 
ed by  a series  of  rounded  summits  with  gentle  declivities, 
very  different  in  appearance  from  the  heights  that  extend 
on  the  side  of  Alsace."  There  are  no  old  castles  associated 

rangular  base,  and  crowned  with  an  entablature  and  a double  pediment, 
beneath  the  last  of  which  is  a bust  of  the  heroine,  also  granted  by  the 
royal  munificence.”  “A  la.  memmre  dc  Jeanne  d’Arc." 

m M.  le  Baron  Charles  Dupin,  Forces  productives  et  commerciales  de 
la  France,  tome  i.  page  202. 

n “ The  small  town  (bourg)  of  Grand,  three  leagues  to  the  west  of 
Domremy,  contains  five  large  nail  manufactories;  it  stands  on  the  site 
of  an  ancient  city,  where  the  remains  of  an  amphitheatre  may  still 
be  distinguished.”  0 Neufchateau,  Neuchateau. 

p — and  the  birthplace  of  one  *who  holds  a distinguished  rank  among 
the  authors  and  statesmen  of  his  country.  M.  B. 

* Count  Francois  de  Neufchateau,  member  of  the  Academie  Francoise. — P 

<1  The  capital  of  a subprefecture  or  arrondissement. 

r “ It  contains  several  lace  manufactories,  and  fabricates  an  immense 
quantity  of  hand-organs  (orgues.)  serinettes,  and  stringed  instru- 
ments.”— It  is  noted  for  its  wine  and  brandy,  and  for  its  manufactures  of 
lace,  serinettes  and  musical  instruments.  (Vosgien.) — It  manufactures 
lace,  turlutaines  and  excellent  violins.  (Enc.  Meth.) — Scrinette,  a bird 
organ,  from  serin,  a canary-bird. — Turlutaine,  also  a bird  organ,  from 
turlutte,  a lark  (Diet,  de  Trevoux.) — P.  s Rambervilliers.  (Vosgien.) 

1 “ Centre  d une  grande  culture  de  houblon” — hops  are  extensively 
cultivated  in  its  neighbourhood. — P. 

u “ The  mountainous  region  exhibits  in  its  whole  extent  that  series 
of  summits,  which  from  their  rounded  forms  and  gentle  declivities,  have 
been  called  the  Ballons  (balls  or  balloons ;)  but  its  appearance  is  en- 

tirely different  from  that  presented  by  the  same  chain*  on  the  side  of 

Alsace.” — The  broken  summits  along  the  eastern  line  of  the  Vosges 
are  primitive,  containing  remarkable  deposits  of  specular  iron  at  Fra- 
mont,  of  fiuor  spar  at  Giromagny,  and  of  galena  in  granite  at  La  Croix. 
The  rounded  summits  on  the  west  are  secondary. — V. 

* The  chain  of  the  Vosges. 


BOOK  CXLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


297 


with  different  periods  of  the  middle  ages,  but  scenery  con- 
stantly varied,  and  landscapes  not  unlike  those  in  Switzerland, 
although  on  a much  smaller  scale.  The  mountains  abound 
in  iron,  copper  and  lead  ;a  these  metals  are  a source  of 
wealth  to  the  inhabitants,  and  numerous  works  are  set  in 
motion  by  the  streams  which  descend  from  almost  all  the 
heights. b Thus,  although  the  products  are  different,  the 
two  regions  are  equally  favoured  by  nature ; the  plains  and 
low  valleys  yield  as  much  corn  as  the  inhabitants  require, 
and  a surplus  quantity  of  oats  equal  to  1,800,000  bushels;' 
it  might  be  inferred  from  so  great  an  excess  that  there  were 
not  many  horses  in  the  country ; the  contrary,  however,  is 
the  fact,  for  in  proportion  to  the  surface,  it  contains  twice  as 
many  as  the  mean  number  in  other  departments.  The  same 
remark  may  be  applied  to  the  number  of  oxen,  but  little 
attention  is  bestowed  on  the  breeding  of  sheep ; it  appears, 
indeed,  that  there  is  not  a tenth  part  of  the  average  quantity 
in  the  country.11 * 1 * * * * * * 8 

Epinal0  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Vosges,  and  is  water- 
ed by  the  Moselle,  which  divides  it  into  two  equal  parts ; 
walks  shaded  by  trees  extend  on  both  banks  of  the  river ; 
the  town  was  formerly  fortified,  but  the  ruins  of  an  old  castle 
are  all  that  remain  of  the  ramparts/  Although  ill  peopled, 
it  contains  different  places  of  education,  a collection  of 
antiquities,  and  a library  of  more  than  seventeen  thousand 
volumes.® 

The  small  town  of  Remiremont11  rises  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Moselle,  above  Epinal ; it  stood  on  the  opposite  bank 
about  the  beginning  of  the  tenth  century,  but  its  position  was 
changed  on  account  of  the  devastations  that  were  committed 
by  the  Hungarian  invaders.* 1  The  name  of  Remiremont  is 
derived  from  a mountain  that  commanded  the  ancient  site, 
and  on  which  count  Romaric  built  the  castle  of  Romari- 
mont.k  The  same  powerful  and  rich  lord,  despising  the 
vanities  of  this  world,  founded  there  two  convents  in  the 

“■  “ These  mountains  contain  iron,  copper,  and  particularly  lead,  all 
of  them  more  or  less  abundantly  disseminated.” 

b “ — which  issue  from  the  base  of  nearly  all  these  mountains” — a 
trait  peculiar  to  limestone  formations. — P. 

c “ — to  more  than  600,000  hectolitres” — 1,458,600  bushels  nearly. 
The  hectolitre  is  equal  to  2.431  standard  English  bushels  nearly. — P. 

d “ Notwithstanding  the  great  surplus  of  oats  produced  in  the  de- 
partment, it  rears  twice  the  mean  number  of  horses  in  the  other  depart- 
ments, and  a still  greater  number  of  other  domestic  animals  ( bestiaux , 
cattle,)  with  the  exception,  however,  of  sheep,  which  are  ten  times  less 
numerous  than  on  an  average  in  the  rest  of  France.” 

Espinal  (Enc.  Meth.) 

f “ Pleasant  walks  ( promenades ) surround  it  and  border  the  banks 
of  the  Moselle,  by  which  it  is  divided  into  two  unequal  parts,  both  of 
them  containing  several  straight  and  well  built  streets.  It  was  former- 
ly fortified,  but  its  ramparts  have  been  demolished,  and  there  only 
remains  at  present  the  ruins  of  its  ancient  castle.” 

s “ — several  establishments  for  public  instruction,  a museum,  and  a 
library  of  17,000  volumes.” 

h Romarici  Mons,  in  the  Latin  of  the  middle  ages.  Rumelsberg  or 
Romberg,  in  German.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

1 Remiremont  was  formerly  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  Moselle, 
on  a mountain  where  Count  Romaric  had  a castle.  But  this  place  was 
entirely  ruined  at  the  commencement  of  the  tenth  century,  by  the 
Hungarians  or  new  Huns,  who  having  passed  the  Rhine  during  the 
reign  of  Lewis  the  son  of  Arnold  ( Jirnou ,)  laid  waste  the  country.*  It 
was  then  transferred  to  its  present  site  in  the  plain  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  river.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

* The  kingdom  of  Germany,  under  Lewis  the  son  of  Arnulf,f  was  invaded  by  the 
Huns,  who  seized  and  settled  on  those  extensive  provinces  on  the  Danube  to  which 
they  gave  the  name  of  Hungary.  (Rankin’s  Hist,  of  France,  vol.  II.  p.  1 17.) — About 
the  year  9!)0  the  Hungarians,  who  were  in  possession  of  Transylvania,  by  the  res 
sion  of  the  late  emperor  (Arnold,)  invaded  Bavaria  with  great  cruelty.  The  duke 
of  Bavaria  raised  an  army  to  oppose  them,  and,  indeed,  defeated  them  ; but  five 
years  afterwards,  they  renewed  their  invasions  with  the  same  barbarity  as  before. 
The  emperor  (Lewis  IV.)  then  took  arms,  but  was  defeated  at  Augsbulg  by  the 
barbarians.  (Guthrie  and  Gray’s  Hist,  of  the  World,  vol.  viii.  pace  3t>7.) — These  in- 
vaders were  the  present  Hungarians  ( Magyars ,)  who  invaded  the  country  on  the 
Upper  Theiss,  in  Eastern  Hungary,  about  the  year  8S4.  (Malte-Brun,  tome  VI.  p. 
385.)  They  even  penetrated,  during  their  incursions,  into  the  mountains  of  Swit- 
zerland, where  they  are  still  called  Saracens  in  the  traditions  of  the  country. 

Sitnond’s  Travels  in  Switzerland.)  The  proper  Huns  under  Attila  entered  France, 
VOL.  Ill— NO.  51  38 


year  620,  the  one  for  men  and  the  other  for  women,  to 
which  he  bequeathed  all  his  wealth ; his  liberality  was  re- 
warded with  the  title  of  saint.  One  of  these  convents,  the 
abbey  of  lady  canonesses,  as  it  was  afterwards  called,  be- 
came in  time  very  celebrated.1  The  inmates  were  not 
required  to  take  an  oath,  they  enjoyed  many  privileges  ;m 
the  abbess  was  entitled  a princess  of  the  Holy  Empire ; on 
occasions  of  ceremony  she  was  preceded  by  a seneschal, 
who  held  her  crosier,  and  followed  by  a lady  of  honour, 
who  carried  her  mantle.  It  was  customary  for  the  same 
person  to  review  the  burgesses,  and  to  present  them  with 
colours ; other  prerogatives  which  are  only  conferred  on 
sovereigns,  were  attached  to  the  office."  Plombieres,  a 
small  place  in  the  neighbourhood,  noted  for  its  mineral 
waters,"  is  indebted  to  king  Stanislaus  for  an  hospital  and  a 
large  church.  The  village  of  Bussang  near  the  sources  of 
the  Moselle,  is  also  well  known  for  its  cold  mineral  waters, 
of  which  more  than  two  hundred  thousand  bottlesf  are 
annually  sent  into  different  parts  of  France.  The  finest  cas- 
cade in  the  Vosges  is  situated  at  an  equal  distance  from 
Epinal  and  Remiremont,  near  the  village  of  Tendon ; it 
falls  from  the  height  of  a hundred  and  twenty-five  feet. 

The  small  town  of  St.  Die  or  St.  Diey/  the  capital  of  a 
subprefecture,  and  the  seat  of  a bishopric  that  was  erected 
about  fifty  years  ago/  possesses  little  or  nothing  of  any  con- 
sequence ; it  is  regularly  built  and  encompassed  with  walls/ 
and  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Meurthe.  The  best 
cheeses  in  the  Vosges  are  made  in  the  neighbourhood,  but 
the  greatest  number  are  exported  from  Gerardmer  or  Ge- 
rome,  a burgh  of  five  thousand  inhabitants,  situated  in  a very 
romantic  part  of  the  country ; Lac-Blanc  and  Lac-Noir, 
the  lakes  of  Longemer  and  Retournemer  may  be  seen  in 
the  vicinity,  but  the  Gerardmer,  the  largest  of  any,  covers 
a surface  of  nearly  a hundred  acres,  and  gives  birth  to  the 
Valogne,  a feeder  of  the  Moselle/ 

A.  D.  450,  and  even  laid  siege  to  Orleans,  hut  were  entirely  defeated  in  a sanguina- 
ry battle,  near  Chalons  in  Champagne— P. 

) Died  Jan.  21,  912.  (Guthrie  and  Gray.  vol.  viii.  p.  388.) — P. 

k “ On  which  a certain  count  Romaric  possessed  a castle  called 
Romarimont.” 

1 “ The  most  celebrated  of  these  two  abbeys  was  that  of  the  lady 
canonesses.” 

m “ They  did  not  take  any  vows,  but  were  obliged  to  exhibit  proofs 
of  the  highest  nobility.” 

n “ The  citizens  when  under  arms  were  reviewed  by  her,  and  in  fine, 
she  possessed  all  the  prerogatives  of  sovereignty.” 

0 Warm  springs — The  hospital  was  established  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  frequent  the  waters.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

P “ More  than  20,000  bottles.” 

a St.  Diez,  St.  Diei,  or  St.  Die — Sancti  Dcodati  oppidum.  (Enc. 
Meth.)— P. 

r Suppressed  during  the  revolution. — P. 

8 “ — surrounded  with  old  walls.” — Its  walls  were  begun  by  Matthew, 
duke  of  Lorraine,  and  completed  in  1282,  under  Frederick  ( Fcrri ) II. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

1 “ Of  all  the  small  towns  ( hovrgs ) and  villages,  which  are  engaged 
in  that  kind  of  industry  [cheese-making,]  Gerardmer  or  Gerome  is  the 
most  considerable  ; it  contains  more  than  5000  inhabitants,  and  is  situ- 
ated in  the  most  picturesque  part  of  the  Vosges.  Several  lakes  may  be 
seen  in  the  vicinity,  such  as  the  White  Lake  ( Lac-Blanc ,)  the  Black 
Lake  (Lac-Noir,)  and  those  of  Longemer  and  Retournemer ; but  that 
of  Gerardmer*  is  the  most  important : it  covers  a surface  of  36  hectares, t 
and  gives  birth  to  the  small  river  Valogne,  a branch  of  the  Moselle.” 

•The  termination  mer,  in  these  names,  undoubtedly  signifies  lake  or  pond,  from 
tile  German  mcer  (Fr.  mare , a pond  or  pool  ; Eng.  mere,  (in  Cumberland  and  West- 
moreland,) a large  lake,  in  distinction  from  tarn,  as  in  Winandermere — nicer  (in 
Huntingdonshire  and  Cheshire,)  a small  lake  or  pond,  as  in  Whittlesey-meer,  Com- 
hermeer.)  Gerardmer,  then,  is  Gerard’s  lake,  and  Longemer,  probably  long  lake  ; 
Retournemer,  if  not  of  French  derivation,  may  be  a corruption  of  Rietlienmecr 
(Germ.,)  reed  lake.  The  German  mcer  has  indeed  changed  its  meaning  as  a common 
name,  and  now  signifies  the  sea  or  ocean,  although  in  the  Netherlands  it  still  signi- 
fies a pond  or  lake.  On  the  contrary,  the  German  see  signifies  a lake,  a singular 
instance  of  transposition  of  meaning  in  cognate  dialects.  This  distinction  has  not 
been  observed  by  some  of  the  English  (not  American)  translators  of  German  poetry, 
and  their  inadvertence  has  led  them  into  rather  singular  absurdities.  Thus,  the 
murmur  of  the  lake  or  pond  in  the  meadow,  in  the  last  canto  of  Schulze’s  Enchant- 
ed Rose  ( Beiauberte  Rose  .-) 


298  EUR< 

The  department  of  Meurthe  resembles  that  of  Vosges ; 
mountains  not  different  in  their  component  parts,  although 
less  elevated,  extend  from  south  to  north  on  the  western 
and  eastern  frontiers.*  As  to  their  products,  the  two  de- 
partments differ  essentially  from  each  other ; like  that  of 
the  Vosges,  the  department  of  the  Meurthe  produces  much 
more  grain  than  it  consumes ; the  vineyards  are  more 
abundant,  and  the  forests  more  extensive ; there  are  fewer 
oxen,  but  a comparatively  greater  number  of  horses  and 
sheep.b 

Three  places  of  some  importance  from  their  industry, 
situated  in  the  chain  of  the  Vosges,  may  be  briefly  mention- 
ed. Cirey  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Vezouse  ; it 
carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  glass  and  crystal,  which 
the  inhabitants  manufacture ; the  second  or  Saint-Quirin 
possesses  works  of  the  same  sort,  and  under  the  manage- 
ment of  the  same  company  ; the  third  or  Phalsburg,  a strong 
town,  rises  on  a height,  contains  about  three  thousand  inhab- 
itants, and  exports  a great  quantity  of  liqueurs  and  essences.0 
All  the  three  are  situated  in  the  district11  of  Sarrebourg,®  an 
ancient  city  of  Gaul,  the  Pons  Saravi  of  the  Romans,  so 
called  from  its  position  on  the  banks  of  the  Sarre.  The 
inhabitants  carry  on  a trade  in  plaster  ornaments  and  in 
cases  for  small  clocks,  which,  although  made  of  the  same 
substance,  might  be  readily  mistaken  for  gilt  bronze. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  the  Seille  derives  its  name  from 
the  saline  lands  it  waters;  leaving  the  marsh  of  Indre,  it 
passes  through  Dieuze,  a town  of  four  thousand  souls,  im- 
portant chiefly  on  account  of  springs  from  which  salt  has 
been  extracted  during  eight  hundred  years.  It  must  have 
been  more  considerable  in  ancient  times,  for  it  was  the 
Decem-Pagi  of  the  Romans.  Some  remains  of  antiquity 
have  been  discovered  at  Marsal,  a stronghold  in  an  un- 
healthy and  marshy  situation.  Salt  springs  are  worked  near 
Moyenvic,  which  was  dismantled  by  Lewis  the  Fourteenth. 
Vic  contains  twice  as  many  inhabitants,  and  possesses  a very 

3PE.  [BOOK  CXLVI. 

valuable  mine  of  rock  salt.  Chateau  Salins,  at  some  leagues 
on  the  north  of  Vic,  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  banks  of 
the  Little-Seille ; a small  spring  rises  in  the  vicinity/ 

Invalids  repair  to  the  mineral  fountain  of  Lombrigny, 
near  the  small  town  of  Blamonts  on  the  Vezouze,  where  the 
former  princes  of  Salm-Salm  used  to  reside.*1  Badonvillers1 
is  watered  by  the  Blette;  it  supplies  different  parts  of 
France  with  awls  and  puncheons  that  are  little  inferior  to 
the  best  in  Germany.*1  Baccarat  stands  on  the  banks  of 
the  Meurthe,  at  the  base  of  a lofty  and  steep  hill,  near  a 
large  forest ; it  may  be  mentioned  among  the  industrious 
towns  of  F ranee,  for  it  possesses  glass  and  crystal  works,  in 
which  more  than  three  thousand  persons  are  employed.1 

The  Vezouze  traverses  a fruitful  plain,  and  waters  Lu- 
neville,1" a place  of  some  celebrity  from  the  treaty  conclud- 
ed between  France  and  Austria  in  1801.  It  was  a small 
stronghold  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century; 
it  was  afterwards  improved  and  embellished  by  duke  Leo- 
pold. The  castle,  which  served  as  a residence  to  the  dukes 
of  Lorraine  and  to  king  Stanislaus,  has  been  converted  into 
barracks  for  cavalry.  The  new  infantry  barracks”  may 
serve  as  a model  for  other  buildings  of  the  same  kind ; the 
architecture  is  simple,  and  the  interior  commodious  and  well 
aired  ; indeed  nothing  has  been  omitted  which  can  contri- 
bute to  the  health  of  the  inmates.  The  riding  school,  one 
of  the  largest  in  France,  is  three  hundred  feet  long  by 
eighty  broad.0  A fountain,  in  which  the  water  issues  from 
eight  different  outlets,  adorned  the  principal  square  ;P  as  it  is 
still  mentioned  in  the  most  recent  geographical  dictionaries, 
itineraries  and  descriptions  of  France,  it  does  not  appear  to 
be  generally  known  that  it  was  destroyed  in  the  year  1796. 
Luneville  was  die  birthplace  of  Boufflers,'*  Monvelr  and  the 
eloquent  Girardin.3 

The  road  from  Luneville  to  Nancy  extends  along  the 
forest  of  Vitrimont,  which  borders  the  right  bank  of  the 
Meurthe  ; Rosiere  aux  Salines  rises  on  the  opposite  bank  ; 

Nur  feme  rausclit  der  See  ni it  leisem  Laut — 

Only  the  distant  murmur  of  the  lake — 
is  translated  : 

Alone  is  heard  the  far  off  ocean’s  roar  ! — 

and  in  the  fisher-boy’s  song  on  the  Lake  of  Lucerne,  in  the  first  scene  of  Schil- 
ler’s Wilhelm  Tell  : 

Der  Knabe  schlief  ein  am  griinen  Gestade  (soil,  des  Seen) — 

The  boy  falls  asleep  on  the  lake’s  green  shore — 
is  rendered  : 

The  boy  sleeps  on  the  ocean’s  brink 

I may  here  add,  in  conclusion,  that  a great  number  of  small  round  lakes  in  the 
chain  of  the  Eyfel,  supposed  to  occupy  the  craters  of  extinct  volcanoes,  are  called 
maars,  in  the  dialect  of  the  inhabitants.  (Daubeny  on  Volcanoes.) — 1’. 

acres  nearly. — V. 

a “ The  department  of  the  Meurthe  resembles  in  its  general  surface 
that  of  the  Vosges;  its  eastern  and  western  extremities  are  traversed 
from  south  to  north  by  the  same  chains  of  mountains,  although  less 
elevated.” 

b “It  abounds  more  in  wine,  horses  and  sheep;  but  it  possesses 
fewer  oxen,  and  its  forests  are  less  extensive.” 

c “ The  first  of  them  is  the  small  town  (ville)  of  Cirey,  which  stands 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Vezouze,  and  possesses  a manufactory  of  plate, 
common  and  crystal  glass  ( dc  glares,  de  vc.rreries  ct  de  cristaux ;)  the 
second  is  St.  Quirin,  which  contains  a similar  establishment,  belonging 
to  the  same  company  ; the  third  is  Phalsbourg,*  a small  fortified  town 
(villc  forte)  of  3000  inhabitants,  built  upon  a height  and  noted  for  its 
liqueurs.” 

* 1 haltzbourg  (Enc.  Meth.) — Pfalzburg  (Germ.) — P. 

d “ Arrondissement.” 

c Sarbourg  or  Saarbourg  (Vosgien.)  Sarbourg,  or  Sarbruck.  (Enc. 
Meth.) — The  latter  name,  Sarbruck,  in  German,  SaarbrUcke,  signifies 
the  same  as  Pons  Saravi,  viz.  the  bridge  over  the  Sarre. — P. 

f “ Tl>e  Seille  probably  derives  its  name  from  the  saline  lands 
which  it  waters ; after  issuing  from  the  lake  of  Indre,*  it  flows  by 
Dieuze, t a town  of  4000  souls,  important  from  its  saline  springs, 
which  have  been  worked  for  at  least  S00  years,  and  a place  of  conside- 
rable note  under  the  Romans,  from  whom  it  received  the  name  of 
Dcccm  Pagi  ; then  by  Marsal,  a small  fortified  town  {place  forte)  in  a 

marshy  situation,  near  which  several  remains  of  antiquity  have  been 
discovered;  by  Moyenvic,  which  was  dismantled  by  Louis  XIV.,  and 
which  derives  its  support  from  its  valuable  saline  springs;  and  lastly 
by  Vic,  which  contains  twice  as  many  inhabitants  as  the  latter,  and 
which  its  mine  of  rock  salt  will  undoubtedly  render  still  more  important. 
Chateau-Salins,  at  the  distance  of  some  leagues  to  the  north  of  Vic,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Little  Seille,  also  possesses  saline  springs.” 

*“Etang  de  1’  Indre.” — Etang  de  Lindre,  a lake  in  Lorraine,  four  leagues  in 
circumference,  the  source  of  the  Seille.  (Vosgien.  Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

f Dieuso  (Vosgien.) 

6 Germ.  Blankenburg  (Hubner.) — P. 

h “ Formerly  the  residence  of  the  princes  of  Salm-Salm.” — The  house 
of  Salm-Salm  is  now  mediatized. — P. 

‘ Badonvilliers  (Vosgien.) — Badenweiler  (Germ.) — P. 

k “ It  manufactures  awls  and  punches,  which  rival  those  of  Ger- 
many.” 

1 “ It  occupies  an  important  place  in  the  annals  of  French  industry, 
from  its  manufactory  of  crystal  glass  (cristaux,)  in  which  more  than 
3000  workmen  are  employed.” 

m “ Luneville* — rises  in  the  midst  of  a fruitful  plain,  and  is  traversed 
by  the  Vezouze.” — Luneville  stands  in  an  agreeable  plain  between 
the  Vezouze  and  the  Meurthe,  which  unite  below  the  town.  (Enc 
Meth.)— P. 

* Fr.  Luneviile. 

n “ La  caserne  de  l’orangerie”  (the  orangery  barracks.) — The  castle 
of  the  duke  of  Lorraine  was  surrounded  with  groves  and  gardens. 

(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

° “ The  great  riding  school  is  one  of  the  largest  in  existence  : it  is 
three  hundred  feet  long,  by  eighty  broad,  without  any  support  in  the 
interior.” 

p “ A superb  fountain  with  eight  jets  adorned  the  new  square  ( Place 
Neure.y' 

k Stanislaus,  marquis  de  Bouflers.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

r J.  M.  Boutet  de  Monvel.  a celebrated  actor  and  dramatist. — P. 

s C.  S.  X.  count  de  Girardin,  the  pupil  of  Rousseau,  while  the  lat 
ter  resided  at  Ermenonville  under  the  protection  of  his  father,  R.  L 
marquis  de  Girardin. — P. 

— 

BOOK  CXLYI.l 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  299 


the  inhabitants  employed  themselves  formerly  in  extracting 
salt  from  neighbouring  springs ; at  present,  however,  they 
are  no  longer  worked.®  The  river  begins  to  be  navigable 
at  St.  Nicolas  du  Port,b  a small  town  of  three  thousand 
inhabitants,  in  which  the  only  remarkable  building  is  a fine 
Gothic  church. 

Nancy  consists  of  broad,  straight,  and  almost  deserted 
streets;  in  the  number  of  public  buildings  it  surpasses  most 
towns  of  the  same  size ; the  Royal  Place  forms  the  princi- 
pal square,  the  others  are  large  and  regular,  many  of  them 
are  adorned  with  fountains.  The  prefect’s  palace,  the  the- 
atre and  the  townhouse,  little  inferior  to  any  other  in  France, 
are  the  most  remarkable  edifices  within  the  walls.  Four 
bronze  fountains  rise  in  the  centre  of  the  Royal  Place,  and 
several  long  streets  reach  from  it  to  the  extremities  of  the 
town,  two  of  them  extend  in  different  directions,  and  meet 
at  a triumphal  arch.  The  hospital  and  the  barracks  are 
decorated  with  many  ornaments,  the  churches  are  more 
modest  or  at  all  events  not  so  gawdy  in  point  of  architec- 
ture.' The  church  of  Bon-Secours  in  the  suburb  of  St. 
Nicholas,  contains  a master-piece  by  Girardon ; it  is  the 
mausoleum  erected  to  the  memory  of  Stanislaus,  king  of 
Poland, d the  person  to  whom  the  city  is  indebted  for  its 
principal  embellishments.  The  tombs  of  the  dukes  of 
Lorraine  are  much  inferior  as  specimens  of  art ; they  are 
placed  within  the  cathedral. e The  old  town  resembles 

what  Nancy  was  before  the  virtuous  Stanislaus,  whose  in- 
come did  not  certainly  exceed  £.100,000,  undertook  to 
build  a new  city/  which  together  with  the  improvements 
made  by  him  at  Luneville,  and  the  sums  laid  out  in  found- 
ing a great  number  of  schools  and  other  useful  institutions, 
proves  what  may  be  done  by  economical  and  judicious 
management.  It  is  to  the  same  prince  that  Nancy  owes  an 
academy  of  sciences  and  letters,  a valuable  museum,  a pub- 
lic library  of  26,000  volumes,  and  a botanical  garden,  in 
which  there  are  more  than  four  thousand  plants.  Com- 
merce and  the  various  branches  of  industry  connected  with 

1 “ Its  salt  springs  have  been  long  since  abandoned.  The  govern- 
ment, however,  maintains  there  one  of  the  finest  studs  (haras)  in 
France.” 

b St.  Nicolas,  or  Nicolasbourg,  a town  in  Lorraine,  with  a very 
fine  church  dedicated  to  St.  Nicholas,  a place  of  pilgrimage.  (Enc. 
Meth.) — P. 

c “ Nancy  consists  of  broad,  straight  and  almost  deserted  streets. 
Its  edifices  are  of  the  greatest  beauty ; its  public  squares  are  very  large 
and  adorned  with  elegant  fountains ; the  Royal  Square  (Place  Royalc) 
is  the  most  remarkable  : the  prefect’s  palace  (la  prefecture,)  the  theatre 
and  the  townhouse,  the  latter  one  of  the  finest  in  France,  are  the  prin- 
cipal edifices  that  surround  it ; it  is  watered  by  four  bronze  fountains, 
and  from  its  centre  the  eye  measures  the  whole  extent  of  several  long 
straight  streets  which  reach  to  the  extremities  of  the  city  ; two  of  them, 
opposite  one  another,  are  each  terminated  by  a beautiful  gate  in  the  form 
of  a triumphal  arch.* *  The  barracks  and  the  hospital  are  magnifi- 
cent, but  the  churches  are  less  splendid  in  their  architecture.” 

* The  eastern  and  western  gates,  which  are  similar,  terminate  two  fine  streets, 
which  unite  in  the  square  built  by  Stanislaus.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

d The  ci-devant  cloister  of  the  Franciscans,  at  the  end  of  the  Faux- 
bourg  of  St.  Pierre,  contains  the  mausoleum  of  king  Stanislaus,  which 
is  the  chef-d’oeuvre  of  Girardin.  (Ed.  Encyc.)— The  mausoleum  of 
king  Stanislaus,  erected  by  order  of  the  municipality  in  the  church  of 
St.  Roch,  was  sculptured  by  Sentksen.  The  monument  of  Catharine 
Opalinski  his  wife,  is  contained  in  the  church  of  Notre-Dame  de  Bon- 
Secours.  (Enc.  Meth.) — Girardon,  the  celebrated  sculptor,  died  in  1715. 
Stanislaus  died  in  1766.  (Beauvais.) — Girardet  (J.)  painter  to  king 
Stanislaus,  was  born  at  Luneville  (1709,)  and  died  at  Nancy  (1778.) 
The  Descent  from  the  Cross,  in  one  of  the  churches  at  Nancy,  is  con- 
sidered his  master-piece.  (Beauvais.  Diet.  Hist.  Caen.) — P. 

‘ “ The  tombs  of  the  dukes  of  Lorraine  are  contained  in  the  cathe- 
dral.* The  finest  promenade  is  that  of  the  nursery  ( pipinilre .)” 

* In  tile  Franciscan  church.  (Vosgien.) 

f “ The  quarter  called  the  old  town,  is  still  such  as  it  was  at  the 


it  were  not  held  in  great  estimation  ; the  town  might  have 
been  compared  to  a French  noble  of  past  days,  who  thought 
himself  degraded  if  he  engaged  in  trade  But  these  preju- 
dices and  other  effects  of  ignorance  have  within  the  last  ten 
years  been  gradually  removed ; the  inhabitants  are  now 
aware  that  their  town  possesses  nothing  royal  but  deserted 
palaces  and  melancholy  associations.  It  carries  on  a trade 
in  vulnerary  drugs,  embroidered  stuffs,  cloth  and  cotton,  lor 
which  there  are  two  large  manufactories.^  The  impulse 
has  been  given,  and  the  canal  from  Paris  to  the  Rhine  may 
render  Nancy  one  of  the  most  industrious  cities  in  France. 
The  inhabitants  may  then  distinguish  themselves  in  litera- 
ture and  in  the  arts,  for  they  have  not  forgotton  that  Callot/ 
whose  patriotism  was  only  equalled  by  his  talents,  that 
Madame  de  Graffigny,1  Palissot/  St.  Lambert,1  and  other 
celebrated  persons  still  living,  were  born  in  the  town. 

The  Meurthe  joins  the  Moselle  at  the  distance  of  two 
leagues  below  Nancy.  Pont  a Mousson  is  situated  on  the 
last  river,  at  the  foot  of  a high  hill,  in  a valley  surrounded  by 
fruitful  declivities.  The  town  is  divided  into  two  parts, 
which  communicate  with  each  other  by  means  of  a bridge  ; 
it  contains  seven  thousand  inhabitants,  the  houses  are  well 
built,  one  of  the  squares  is  encompassed  with  arcades.m  It 
was  the  birthplace  of  the  brave  Duroc,  who  fell  in  battle  on 
the  twenty-third  of  May  1813.  Remains  of  ancient  times 
have  been  discovered  on  the  height  from  which  it  derives 
its  name,  and  which,  it  has  been  proved,  was  crowned  with 
a temple  dedicated  to  Jupiter. n 

The  name  of  Toul  has  undergone  during  a period  of 
eighteen  hundred  years  fewer  changes  than  that  of  most 
towns  ; it  was  called  Tullum  when  it  was  the  capital  of  the 
Lend  in  the  time  of  Caesar.  The  Moselle  flows  beneath  its 
walls  ; its  public  buildings  are  hardly  worthy  of  notice  ; the 
ancient  diocesan  church  is  of  Gothic  architecture,  but  with- 
out ornaments  and  without  majesty.0  The  towTn  is  not  very 
populous,  the  trade  is  insignificant,  it  consists  chiefly  in 
earthen  ware  and  leather.? 

period  when  the  virtuous  Stanislaus,  with  a revenue  of  less  than  two 
millions  [francs,]  undertook  to  build  a new  city — ” 

“ Proud  of  its  beauty.  Nancy  still  bears  some  resemblance  to  the 
old  nobility,  who  thought  themselves  degraded  by  engaging  in  useful 
occupations ; but  this  prejudice,  which  ill  becomes  a town  that  has  no 
longer  any  thing  royal  but  its  melancholy  magnificence  and  its  old 
recollections,  has,  for  the  last  ten  years,  been  gradually  disappearing. 
It  now  joins  to  the  preparation  of  vulnerary  balls  (boules  vulncraires,*) 
for  which  it  has  always  been  celebrated,  embroidery  on  the  lightest 
stuffs,  the  manufacture  of  cloth,  and  cotton  spinning,  for  the  last  of 
which  it  possesses  two  large  establishments.” 

* Globuli  Martiales  (Fr.  boules  de  Mars,)  prepared  by  mixing  two  parts  of  cream 
of  tartar  and  one  of  iron  filings  ; employed  externally  in  contusions,  luxations  and 
gunshot  wounds.  The  balls  are  soluble  in  water,  and  are  thus  used  externally  as  a 
bath  or  lotion,  or  taken  internally.  (Parr’s  Med.  Diet.  Blancardi  Lex.  Med.  Diet, 
de  Trevoux.) — P. 

h J.  Callot,  distinguished  as  an  artist,  particularly  as  an  engraver— • 
born  1593.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

‘ Author  of  the  Peruvian  Letters  (Lettres  Pcruvicnnes.) — P. 

k Ch.  Palissot  de  Montenoy,  born  1730,  distinguished  as  a poet  and 
historian. — P. 

1 St.  Lambert,  the  author  of  the  Seasons,  was  born  at  Veselise,  in 
Lorraine,  a small  town  five  leagues  S.  W.  of  Luneville.  (Beauvais. 
Vosgien.) — P. 

m “ It  has  a population  of  7000  inhabitants  ; it  is  well-built,  and  con- 
tains a square  surrounded  with  arcades.” 

" “ On  the  height  from  which  it  derives  its  name,*  several  remains 
of  antiquity  were  formerly  discovered,  which  prove  that  in  the  time  of 
the  Romans  it  was  crowned  with  a temple  dedicated  to  Jupiter.” 

* La  montagne  de  Jtfousson,  Mount  Mousson. 

0 “ Its  principal  church,  formerly  the  see  of  a bishopric,  is  built  in 
the  Gothic  style,  but  without  ornament  or  majesty ; the  portal  is  the 
only  part  held  in  estimation.” 

p “ Its  population  is  not  large,  and  its  manufactures  are  unimportant ; 
it  has  only  a manufactory  of  pottery  ( une  faienccrie ,)  two  of  embroide- 
ry, and  a few  tanneries.  There  is  no  other  town  of  any  importance  in 
the  arrondissement,  of  which  it  is  the  capital.” 


L 


300 


EUROPE. 


The  inhabitants  of  Upper  Marne  are  industrious;  the 
fields,  the  vineyards  and  the  woods  are  productive.  The 
soil,  unequal  and  mountainous,  is  richer  in  iron  than  any 
other  department;  it  is  very  fruitful  in  different  kinds  of 
grain,  and  it  is  doubtful,  if  relatively  to  the  superficial  extent, 
more  horses  and  oxen  are  reared  in  any  other  part  of  the 
kingdom ; in  short,  if  the  means  of  communication  cor- 
responded with  the  fruitfulness  of  the  soil,  or  with  the  in- 
dustry and  activity  of  the  inhabitants,  it  might  be  classed 
with  the  most  wealthy  and  most  populous  departments  in 
France.® 

Bourbonne  les  Bains  rises  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
plateau  of  Langres ; it  is  built  on  a declivity  at  the  conflu- 
ence of  two  small  rivers,  the  Borne  and  the  Apance. 
Many  of  the  houses  are  old,  most  of  the  streets  are  crook- 
ed, and  the  town  does  not  contain  more  than  three  thousand 
inhabitants ; but  it  derives  some  importance  from  the  ce- 
lebrity of  the  baths,  and  also  perhaps  from  a large  military 
hospital  in  which  there  are  more  than  five  hundred  beds.b 
The  temperature  of  the  springs  varies  from  thirty  to  forty- 
eight  degrees  of  Reaumur  ;c  a person,  it  is  said,  cannot  hold 
his  hand  in  the  water,  but  he  may  drink  it  without  any  pain- 
ful sensation.  The  use  of  them  is  recommended  in  nervous 
complaints,  in  paralysis  and  other  diseases ; the  first  baths 
were  erected  by  the  Romans,  and  the  place  was  called  Aqua, 
Borvonis.d  The  Meuse  takes  its  rise  in  a valley  about  four 
leagues  eastward  of  the  town.  Two  small  valleys  on  the 
south  of  it  are  watered  by  two  streams ; their  junction 
forms  the  Marne,  which  traverses  the  department  from 
south  to  north. 

Langres  is  situated  near  the  sources  of  the  same  river, 
on  the  summit  of  a steep  height  ;e  it  exports  a great  quan- 
tity of  cutlery  into  different  countries,  and  carries  on  a 
considerable  trade  in  fur  with  Switzerland.  It  seems  as  if 
the  prosperity  of  the  town  depended  on  these  branches  of 
industry,  and  as  the  population  was  much  diminished  about 
ten  years  ago,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  without  them 
it  might  fall  into  decay.  There  are  different  useful  and 
charitable  institutions,  the  most  celebrated  perhaps  are  the 
schools  in  which  geometry  and  mechanics  in  their  appli- 
cation to  the  arts,  are  gratuitously  taught.  The  cathedral 
is  considered  a fine  monument  of  the  middle  ages,  but  the 

a “ The  department  of  the  Upper  Marne  is  important  from  its  manu- 
facturing industry,  its  agriculture,  its  vineyards  and  its  forests.  Its 
surface  is  hilly  and  uneven,  but  it  is  richer  in  iron  mines,  than  any 
other  department  in  the  kingdom ; it  is  also  one  of  the  most  fruitful  in 
corn  and  oats,  and  one  of  those  that  rears  the  greatest  number  of  horses 
and  cattle  ; and  in  fine,  if  the  means  of  communication  were  more  ex- 
tended, the  activity  of  its  inhabitants  would  soon  place  it  among  the 
most  productive  and  the  most  populous.” 

b “ Th?  town  is  ill-built,  and  contains  only  3000  inhabitants;  but  it 
is  important  from  its  magnificent  bathing  establishment,  and  from  its 
large  military  hospital  in  which  there  are  more  than  500  beds.” 
c 99£°  to  140 1 Fahrenheit. — P. 

d “ These  waters  are  considered  efficacious  in  nervous  diseases,  and  are 
accounted  a sovereign  specific  for  the  cure  of  paralysis  and  gunshot 
wounds  ; they  were  held  in  much  estimation  by  the  Romans,  who 
formed  there  an  establishment  that  bore  the  name  of  Aquev  Burvonis." 

e Langres  is  situated  at  a greater  height  than  any  town  in  France. 
(Ed.  Encyc.) — It  is  the  most  elevated  point  in  France;  several  rivers 
rise  in  its  neighbourhood,  which  fall  into  three  different  seas,  viz.  the 
Meuse,  into  the  German  Sea;  the  Marne  (a  branch  of  t lie  Seine,)  into 
the  English  channel ; and  the  Vingeanne  (a  branch  of  the  Saone.)  into 
the  Mediterranean.  (Enc.  Meth.) — It  stands  on  the  summit  of  an  ele- 
vated table-land,  called  the  Plateau  of  Langres,  which  forms  the  prin- 
cipal water-shed  in  the  N.  E.  of  France. — 1\ 

f “ The  fine  quality  of  its  cutlery,  of  which  it  exports  considerable 
quantities  to  every  part  of  Europe,  and  the  importance  of  its  fur  trade 
with  Switzerland,  render  it  probable  that  it  would  find  it  difficult  to 
subsist  without  these  two  branches  of  industry,  since  for  the  last  ten 
vears  its  population  has  sensibly  diminished.  Its  cathedral  is  a fine 
monument  of  the  middle  ages  ; its  public  library  consists  of  30,000 


[BOOK  CXliYl 

public  buildings  form  a sad  contrast  with  narrow  and  de- 
serted streets ; on  the  whole,  it  is  a very  different  place 
from  what  it  was  under  the  Roman  emperors.  It  bore  the 
name  of  Andematunum,  but  the  Romans  called  it  Lingones, 
for  thus  the  inhabitants  and  the  people  in  the  neighbouring 
country  were  designated  ;f  it  had  its  senators,  its  capitol,  its 
temples  and  its  theatres ; the  people  raised  statues  and  tri- 
umphal arches  to  their  Roman  masters,  and  it  is  certain  that 
inscriptions  found  within  its  walls,  have  served  to  illustrate 
some  difficult  points  connected  with  history  and  antiquarian 
research.  The  town  is  mentioned  in  the  writings  of  Tacitus 
and  Plutarch  ; they  have  related  the  history  of  Sabinus,  a 
citizen  of  the  place,  who  revolted  against  Vespasian,  and 
who  after  the  defeat  of  his  party,  set  fire  to  his  habitation, 
by  which  stratagem  he  was  believed  to  have  perished  in  the 
flames.  Sabinus  concealed  himself  in  a sepulchral  vault,® 
and  confided  only  in  the  discretion  of  a faithful  slave,  and  in 
the  affection  of  his  wife  Eponina  ;h  but  the  frequent  absence 
of  the  latter,  and  the  birth  of  two  children,  revealed  a secret 
which  had  been  kept  nine  years.  They  were  conducted  to 
Rome,  and  brought  before  the  emperor ; the  sufferings  of 
Sabinus,  the  heroic  devotedness  of  his  wife,  the  sight  of  the 
two  children,  their  prayers,  and  the  tears  of  their  mother, 
were  all  unavailing.  Eponina  was  permitted  to  share  the 
fate  of  a husband  with  whom  she  had  lived  so  long  in  a 
tomb.  Sabinus  and  Eponina,  from  their  adventures  and 
the  celebrity  of  their  historians,  may  be  mentioned  among 
the  most  remarkable  natives  of  Langres,  but  it  should  not  be 
forgotten  that  Diderot  was  also  born  in  the  same  place. 

Nogent  le  Roi,  a small  town  of  two  thousand  inhabitants, 
shares  with  Bourmont  a trade  in  cutlery  and  hardwares ;' 
the  latter  does  not  contain  more  than  twelve  hundred  indi- 
viduals ; it  possesses,  however,  a public  library ; both  of 
them  are  situated  in  the  district11  of  Chaumont,1  a well  built 
city  on  the  declivity  of  a hill  above  the  banks  of  the  Marne. 
It  was  fortified  by  Louis  the  Twelfth,  and  was  formerly  the 
capital  of  Bassigny  ;m  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia  conclud- 
ed there  an  alliance  against  Napoleon.  As  the  capital  of 
the  department,  it  possesses  such  useful  and  benevolent 
institutions'1  as  in  the  present  state  of  society  may  be  con- 
sidered indispensable ; the  old  walls  have  been  repaired 
since  the  year  1821,  and  it  is  now  ranked  among  the  strong 

volumes.  It  possesses  a theatre  and  a fine  promenade,  but  its  public 
edifices,  its  assemblies,  its  courses  of  instruction  in  geometry  and  me- 
chanics in  their  application  to  the  arts,  and  its  other  establishments, 
form  a striking  contrast  with  its  deserted  streets  and  ill-built  houses. 
It  is  far  from  retaining  the  importance  it  enjoyed  under  the  Roman 
emperors  : it  was  an  ancient  city  of  the  Gauls,  and  bore  at  first  the 
name  of  Andematunum  ;* *  but  the  Romans  gave  it  that  of  Lingones,  by 
which  the  people  in  the  surrounding  territory  were  designated — ” 

* Andomadunum.  (Moreri.) — P. 

k “ Souterrain  ’ — any  subterranean  place;  not  necessarily,  a sepul- 
chral vault.  Plutarch  {Eqvmxog — Opera,  t.  ii.  (Moralia,)  p.  770-1,  edit. 
Xylandri,  Francof.  1620,  fol.)  says  he  hid  himself  in  certain  subterra- 
nean excavations  for  storing  commodities  (subterranean  granaries) — 
aTTodtjxae  /murmur  onvxTac  r.Toyem; — which  he  afterwards  calls  sim- 
ply subterranean  places  (ru  rruytiu — latcbrcv,  Tacit.)  The  original 
says  below  that  he  lived  in  a tomb  ( tombeau ,)  but  it  might  have  there 
only  intended  to  say  that  he  had  lived  as  if  buried  in  a tomb ; at  any 
rate,  since  its  only  authorities  are  Tacitus  and  Plutarch,  in  the  first  of 
whom  there  is  no  detail  of  particulars  (Histor.  L.  IV.  § 67,)  we  may  con- 
sider the  statements  of  the  latter  as  best  entitled  to  credit,  and  conclude 
that  he  lay  concealed,  not  in  a sepulchral  vault,  but  in  one  of  those 
subterranean  granaries,  so  common  among  the  ancients,  and  still  in 
frequent  use  in  the  countries  around  the  Mediterranean. — P. 

h Epponina  (Tacitus) — Empona  [Funon,]  (Plutarch.) — P. 

‘ “ Nogent  le  Roi — shares  with  Langres  in  the  manufacture^  of 
cutlery  ; Bourmont  is  also  engaged  in  the  same  kind  of  industry — 

k “ Arrondissement.”  1 Chaumont  en  Bassigny. 

m “ Bassigni.” 

n “ Establishments  for  public  charity  and  education.” 


BOOK  CXLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


SOI 


towns  in  France.*  The  celebrated  men  of  Chaumont  are 
Bouchardon  the  sculptor,  and  Lemoine  the  jesuit.b 

The  windings  of  the  Marne  lead  to  Joinville,  a small 
town  of  four  thousand  inhabitants,  still  commanded  by  the 
castle  in  which  the  companion  of  St.  Louis0  and  the  cele- 
brated Cardinal  Lorraine  were  born.  It  was  at  Vassy  or 
Wassy,  situated  at  the  distance  of  some  leagues  from  the 
Marne, d that  the  followers  of  the  duke  of  Guise  massacred 
in  1561  a number  of  Protestants,  while  they  were  assem- 
bled in  their  church,  an  event  that  proved  the  harbinger  of 
the  civil  wars.  St.  Dizier,e  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
department,  is  well-built,  and  encompassed  with  pleasant 
walks  ;f  it  contains  six  thousand  inhabitants,  and  is  a town 
of  some  consequence  from  its  commerce  and  industry  : twice 
in  the  space  of  six  months/  the  allied  armies  were  defeated 
under  its  walls  by  the  French. 

The  extent  of  the  roads  and  navigable  rivers  in  the  de- 
partment of  the  Aube,  counteract  the  disadvantages  ol  an 
unfruitful  soil.  The  Seine  and  the  Aube  water  it  from 
south-east  to  north-west ; the  roads  to  Dijon,  Befort,  Sens, 
Chalons  sur  Marne,  and  Paris,  cross  it  in  different  direc- 
tions. Undulated  ridges  form  the  sur 'ace,  which  may  be 
divided  into  two  regions.11  That  on  the  north-west,  consisting 
of  plains  and  hills,  covered  with  a thin  stratum  ol  alluvial 
soil,  is  by  no  means  productive  ; oats,  rye  and  buckwheat 
are  the  only  kinds  of  grain  that  succeed,  but  they  yield  so 
scanty  crops  that  a great  part  of  the  land  is  suffered  to  lie 
was:e.  The  same  region,  wholly  destitute  of  trees,  has 
been  called  Champagne  Pouilleuse,  a name  that  may  be 
considered  very  descriptive  of  it;1  the  inhabi  ants  are  as 
poor  as  the  soil.  The  region  in  the  south-east  differs 
little  from  the  last  in  its  geological  structure,  but  the  chalk 
is  everywhere  covered  with  thick  and  ve.y  fertile  alluvial 
deposits ; in  some  districts,  however,  they  are  so  heavy  and 
tenacious  that  it  requires  twelve  horses  to  draw  the  plough. 
The  fruitfulness  of  the  country  forms  a happy  cont.ast 
with  the  sterility  in  Champagne  Pouilleuse,  which  might 
indeed  be  rendered  less  unproductive  by  planting  resinous 
trees  and  others  that  thrive  on  light  lands.  Cattle,  poultry 
and  bees  are  reared  in  the  more  fertile  districts.  The 
population  in  the  department  falls  below  the  mean  term  in 
the  rest  of  France,  but  the  grain  harvests  are  three  times 
more  abundant,  and  the  quantity  of  potatoes  is  still  greater 

a Its  townhouse  ( hdtel-de-ville ) is  remarkable  for  its  elegance.  M.  B. 

b Pierre  Lemoyne,  author  of  the  epic  poem  of  St.  Louis.  (Beau- 
vais.)— P. 

c “ The  historian  and  companion  of  St.  Louis.”— John,  sire  de  Join- 
ville, author  of  Memoirs,  containing  a history  of  St.  Louis,  written 
about  1305.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

d Vassi,  situated  on  the  Blaise,  four  leagues  N.  W.  of  Joinville. 
(Vosgien.) — P. 

e Sancti  Desiderii.  Fanum. 

f “ It  is  well  built,  pleasantly  situated,  and  surrounded  with  public 
walks  (promenades .)” 

e “ — in  the  space  of  two  months,  in  1814.” 

h “ The  surface,  which  is  formed  by  extensive  plateaus  of  chalk, 
slightly  undulated,  is  divided  into  two  regions.” 

‘ Pouilleux  signifies  poor  and  wretched.  Tr. — The  southern  part  of 
Champagne,  from  Chalons  to  Troyes,  has  from  its  poverty  acquired  the 
name  of  pouilleux  or  lousy  [the  literal  meaning  of  the  word.]  (Ed. 
Encyc.) — P. 

k “The  commerce  and  manufactures  of  the  department  are  not  with- 
out importance  ; the  working  of  chalk,  which  is  prepared  and  sold  under 
the  name  of  Spanish  white,  and  the  manufacture  of  cloths  and  cotton 
stuffs,  are  the  branches  of  industry  in  which  the  inhabitants  are  most 
successfully  employed.  The  department  is  also  noted  for  its  different 
kinds  of  sausages  ( charcutcries .)” 

1 Clervaux  (Vosgien.) 

m Founded  by  Thibaud  IV.  count  of  Champagne.  (Moreri.)  See 
note  a>  page  982. — P. 


in  proportion.  It  produces  excellent  wines,  ol  which  two- 
thiids  are  expoited  ; it  is  well  supplied  with  horses,  bill  not 
so  with  oxen  and  sheep.  The  industry  and  trade  ol  the 
department  are  rising  into  importance ; the  chalk  so  com- 
mon in  the  country  is  fashioned  into  different  shapes,  and 
sold  as  an  article  of  commerce ; colton  and  cloth  are  the 
principal  manufactures/ 

The  burgh  of  Clairvaux,1  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Aube, 
was  once  famed  for  a very  wealthy  abbey,  founded  in  the 
year  1115,  by  Hugh  count  of  Troyes, ,n  and  Stephen  abbot 
of  Citeaux.  St.  Bernard  was  the  first  abbot,  and  a vat 
may  be  seen,  that  is  still  called  by  his  name,  it  can  contain 
eight  thousand  tuns.11  The  building  has  been  partly  con- 
verted into  manufactories,  in  which  the  workmen  make 
cloths,  bed-covers  and  cotton  stuffs.0  The  almost  ruined 
walls  in  the  small  town  of  Bar  sur  Aube  bear  testimony 
to  the  devastations  committed  by  the  hordes  of  Attila  / the 
neighbourhood  was  the  scene  of  a destructive  combat  be- 
tween the  allies  and  the  French  in  the  year  1814. 

Brienne,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  right  bank  of  the 
Aube,  is  divided  into  two  parts,  which  are  separated  from 
each  other  by  a space  not  less  than  a thousand  paces  in 
extent;  the  one  is  called  Brienne  la  Vil!e,q  and  the  other 
Brienne  le  Chateau.  The  first  rises  near  the  river,  and 
the  second  on  the  declivity  of  an  artificial  height,  crowned 
by  a castle  that  w;as  built  lor  a military  school  by  Lomenil 
de  Brienne  ;r  the  same  school  counts  Napoleon  Bonaparte 
in  the  list  of  its  pupils.  The  town  was  taken  and  retaken 
in  January  1814  by  the  French  and  allies;  many  of  the 
buildings  were  much  injured,  the  population  has  been 
greatly  reduced,  it  does  not  exceed  at  present  two  thou- 
sand inhabitants.3 

Bar  sur  Seine,  although  less  populous,  is  better  built 
than  Bar  sur  Aube  ; a stone  bridge  of  elegant  architecture 
communicates  with  both  banks  oi  the  river,  and  public 
walks  shaded  wi  h lofty  trees  extend  in  the  neighbourhood.1 
The  town  of  Les  Riceys,  containing  4000  inhabitants,  is 
formed  by  the  union  of  Ricey-Haut,  Ricey-Bas  and  Ricey- 
Haute-Rive,u  three  burghs  that  were  founded  by  an  an- 
cient Helvetic  tribe.  Ten  thousand  casks  of  excellent  wine 
are  eveiy  year  expo,  ted  from  the  district  into  Belgium  and 
other  countries  in  the  north. * 

Troyes/  the  ancient  capital  of  Champagne,  stands  in  the 


“ “ The  vat  (cute)  of  St.  Bernard— might  formerly  be  seen  there  ; its 
contents  were  81)00  tuns  (tonneaux)" — 800  tuns.  (Enc.  Meth.) — The  En- 
cyclopedia uses  the  present  tense  ; the  original  M.B.  the  past — the  con- 
tents are  expressed  in  words,  in  the  former  ; in  figures,  in  the  latter. — P. 

° “ The  buildings  of  the  convent  have  been  converted  into  a peniten- 
tiary (maison  centrale  de  detention.)  in  which  cloths  (drops)  coverlets 
( couvertures ,)  cotton  stuffs  (percales)  and  cotton  thread  (cotons  files)  are 
manufactured.” 

p “ The  small  town  of  Bar  sur  Aube  bears  testimony  in  the  ruins  of 
its  thick  walls  to  the  ravages  committed  by  the  hordes  of  Attila.’ 
The  ancient  town*  was  ruined  by  Attila.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

* Segcssera.  D’Anv. 

m “ Brienne  la  Ville,  or  Brienne  la  Vieille  (Old  Brienne.)” 

r “ — by  the  minister  Lomenil  de  Brienne.” — Et.  Ch.  Lomenie  de 
Brienne,  cardinal,  archbishop  of  Toulouse,  and  minister  of  Louis  XVI. 
in  1787-8.  (Beauvais  ) — P. 

s “ The  town,  which  was  taken  and  re-taken  in  Jan.  1814,  by  the 
allies  and  the  French,  has  suffered  much  in  consequence ; its  diminish 
ed  population  scarcely  amounts  to  2000  souls.” 

1 “ It  possesses  fine  promenades  and  a stone  bridge  of  elegant 
architecture.” 

u Ricey  le  Bas  (Lower  Ricey)  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Laigne,  and 
Ricey  le  llaut  (Upper  Ricey)  and  Ricey-Haute-Rive  on  the  eastern 
bank.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

* “ Its  territory  annually  supplies  10,000  casks  (pieces)  of  excellent 
wine,  much  esteemed  in  Belgium  and  other  countries  in  the  north  of 
Europe.”  * Troye.  (Moreri.) 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVI. 


302 

middle  of  a large  and  fruitful  plain  which  the  Seine  waters  ; 
the  river  encompasses  part  of  the  town,  and  divides  itself 
into  several  artificial  branches  by  means  of  canals  that 
were  constructed  in  the  twelfth  century  by  Theobald  the 
Fourth,* *  to  whom  the  inhabitants  are  indebted  for  the 
institutions  that  ensure  the  prosperity  of  their  town.  It  is 
long  since  the  pa'aces  inhabited  by  that  prince  and  some  of 
his  successors  have  disappeared,  but  the  remembrance  of 
their  wise  administration  is  still  preserved  in  the  country. 
The  m image  between  Henry  the  Fifth,  king  of  England, 
and  Catharine  of  France,  the  daughter  of  Charles  the  Sixth, 
was  celebrated  at  Troyes  on  the  21st  of  May  1420.  The 
same  Charles  was  not  ashamed  to  sign  a treaty,  by  which 
his  son-in-law  became  master  of  his  dominions  ;b  but  nine 
years  afterwards  the  English  were  expelled  by  Charles  the 
Seventh,  assisted  by  Joan  of  Arc.  The  town  was  encom- 
passed with  feeble  ramparts  anterior  to  the  middle  ages,  at 
which  period  it  bore  the  name  of  Trecce.  At  the  time 
when  the  Huns  desolated  Gaul,  St.  Loup,  the  bishop,  sent 
a deputation  consisting  of  seven  clerks  and  a dean0  to 
Attil  i ; the  barbarian  conqueror  was  about  to  receive  them, 
when  the  luminous  rays  reflected  from  the  sacred  ornaments 
that  were  carried  with  great  solemnity,  terrified  the  horse 
of  one  of  his  genera's,  who  was  in  consequence  thrown 
from  his  seat,  and  killed  on  the  spot.  Magic,  Magic ! 
cried  the  furious  chief,  and  the  poor  clerks  with  their  deand 
were  put  to  death.  Troyes,  however,  was  spared ; but 
Attila,  compelled  by  the  Roman  general  Aetius  to  retire 
from  Gaul,  passed  again  through  the  town,  and,  in  order  to 
protect  his  retreat,  made  St.  Loup  accompany  him  to  the 
Rhine.  Troyes  was  a place  of  some  importance  when 
Julian  defeated  the  Germans,  who  threatened  to  besiege  it. 
Augustus  conferred  on  it  the  privileges  of  a city,  and  gave 
it  the  name  of  August  olona.e  It  may  be  ranked  from  the 
great  number  of  wooden  houses  among  the  ill-built  towns  in 
France  ; still  some  of  the  sheets  are  broad  and  straight, 
and  some  of  the  edifices  are  remarkable.  The  cathedral 
may  be  mentioned  for  the  elegance  of  its  Gothic  architec- 
ture, the  magnificence  of  its  portal,  and  the  boldness  of  its 
arches.  It  was  founded  in  the  year  872,  and  demolished 
by  the  Normans  in  898;  having  been  rebuilt  in  the  foliow- 

a “Count  Thibaud  IV.” — Count  of  Champagne,  1102 — 1152.  (Mo- 
reri.) — P. 

b Charles  VI.  at  the  time  of  the  treaty,  was  in  a state  of  imbecility, 
and  in  the  hands  of  the  Queen  and  the  Duke  of  Burgundy,  who 
were  inveterately  hostile  to  the  Dauphin,  (afterwards  Charles  VII.) 
The  design  of  the  treaty,  on  the  part  of  those  who  directed  the  king, 
was  to  crush  the  Dauphin.  For  this  purpose  it  was  stipulated  that 
Henry  should  espouse  the  princess  Catharine,  that  he  should  not  invade 
or  disturb  the  kingdom  during  the  life  of  Charles  VI.,  but  that  immedi- 
ately on  his  death,  the  crown  of  France  should  descend  to  Henry  and 
his  heirs  forever,  and  that  in  the  meantime  he  should  preside  as  regent 
in  the  government  of  France.  The  disgrace  of  the  treaty  does  not 
therefore  attach  to  Charles  VI.,  but  to  the  active  agents,  the  Queen  and 
the  Duke  of  Burgundy. — P. 
c “ Diacre” — deacon. 

d “ Les  pauvres  envoyes” — literally,  the  poor  envoys — the  depu- 
tation.— P. 

e It  was  afterwards  called  Tricasses,  from  the  name  of  the  tribe  of 
which  it  was  the  capital.  (D’Anv.) — P. 

f “ The  front  ( facade ) of  the  town-house  does  honour  to  Mansard.” 
s J.  Jouvenel  des  Ursins  (called  also  Juvenal  des  Ursins,)  son  of  an 
advocate  of  Paris,  who  became  provost  of  the  city,  1388.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

h “The  small  town  ( bourg ) of  Piney.” — Piney-Luxembourg  ; popu- 
lation 1400.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

1 “ Well-ropes  of  linden  bark  ( corrlcs  en  tilleul  pour  lespuits .)” — The 
bark  of  the  linden  tree  is  much  used  in  making  ropes  for  wells,  and  for 
drawing  in  hay  and  straw  from  the  fields  [for  country  harness  or 
traces.]  Most  of  the  well-ropes  of  linden  bark,  sold  in  Paris,  are  brought 
from  Normandy.  (Savary,  Diet.  Comm.  t.  III.  p.  31)1.) — P. 
k Sellieres,  Scellieres.  (Enc.  Meth.) 


ing  century,  it  was  destroyed  in  1188  by  a fire  which  con- 
sumed the  whole  town  ; the  inhabitants  began  to  build  it  for 
the  third  time  about  the  commencement  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  but  it  was  not  finished  before  the  sixteenth.  The 
church  of  St.  Urban  is  considered  a model  of  elegance 
and  lightness ; the  townhouse  was  built  according  to  the 
plans  of  Mansard,  the  front  of  it  is  in  every  way  worthy 
of  that  great  architect/  The  public  library,  which  con- 
tains 55,000  volumes  and  5000  manuscripts,  may  be  classed 
with  the  most  valuable  in  France.  We  may  mention 
among  the  great  men  who  were  born  at  Troyes,  pope  Urban 
the  Fourth,  the  son  of  a cobbler,  and  who  instituted  the  festi- 
val of  the  Holy  Sacrament,  Passerat,  one  of  the  authors  of 
the  Satire  Menippee,  Juvenal  des  Ursins,1 & the  historian  of 
Charles  the  Sixth,  Girardon  the  sculptor,  and  Mignard  the 
painter.  Piney,  a flouiishing  burgh, h in  which  more  than  a 
hundred  and  twenty  workmen  are  employed  in  making 
cordage,'  is  situated  in  the  neighbourhood. 

Arcis  sur  Aube  was  much  injured  by  the  allied  army  in 
1814,  but  it  has  since  been  enlarged  and  improved  by  the 
industrious  inhabitants.  The  burgh  of  Romilly,  about  two 
leagues  above  the  confluence  of  the  Aube  and  the  Seine, 
carries  on  a trade  in  hosiery  and  cottons.  The  body  of 
Voltaire  was  interred  in  the  neighbouring  abbey  of  Selliere,k 
in  the  year  1778,  but  the  building  has  been  since  destroyed. 
The  river  waters  Nogent  sur  Seine,  a neat  town  and  the 
capital  of  the  district,  in  which  are  situated  the  ruins  of 
Paraclet,  a monastery  founded  by  Abeilard.1 

The  department  of  Marne  extends  on  the  north  of  the 
last;  the  soil,  although  of  the  same  sort,  may  be  considered 
more  fruitful ; long  ridges  of  chalk  are  covered  with  allu- 
vial lands,  that  yield  very  valuable  wines  and  a great  quan- 
tity of  corn.  The  wines  are  divided  into  two  classes,  those 
of  the  river  and  the  heights ; the  vineyards  near  the  Marne 
belong  to  the  first,  the  others  at  a distance  from  it  to  the 
second.  The  people  in  the  rural  districts  rear  a greater 
number  of  sheep  than  the  inhabitants  of  most  agricultural 
departments,  the  lower  orders  in  the  towns  find  employ- 
ment in  manufactories  and  in  different  branches  of  industry.™ 
The  ancient  town  of  Vitry"  on  the  river  Orne,0  now  the 
village  of  Vitry  le  Brule , derives  its  surname  from  an  act 

1 “ Arcis  sur  Aube,  by  means  of  its  cotton  mills  (filatures,)  has  been 
able  to  repair  the  losses  which  it  sustained  in  1814  from  foreign  invasion. 
At  the  distance  of  two  leagues  above  the  confluence  of  the  Aube  and 
the  Seine,  the  small  town  (bourg)  of  Romilly,  in  which  they  manufac- 
ture needles  and  hosiery,  extends  for  a league  along  the  left  bank  of 
the  Seine  (ftcurr,  the  main  river ;)  the  abbey  of  Selliere,  in  which  the 
body  of  Voltaire  was  interred  in  1778,  stood  formerly  in  its  neigh- 
bourhood. The  Seine  then  flows  by  Nogent  sur  Seine,  a small  but  neat 
town,  and  the  capital  of  an  arrondissenient,  which  still  retains  some 
traces  of  the  invasion  of  1814.  Some  remains  of  the  convent  of  the 
Paraclete  ( Paraclet ) — may  be  seen  in  its  vicinity.” 
m “ The  department  of  the  Marne,  on  the  north  of  that  of  the  Aube, 
resembles  it  in  its  surface,  but  is  more  fertile  : it  every  where  presents 
extensive  plateaus  of  chalk  covered  by  an  earthy  and  sometimes  sandy 
stratum,  which  produces  considerable  harvests  of  grain,  and  a great 
quantity  of  excellent  wine.  Its  wines  are  distinguished  into  two  great 
classes,  viz.  the  river  and  the  mountain  wines  ( rins  de  ririirc  et  de 
montagne,)  according  as  the  vineyards  that  produce  them  are  situated 
on  the  banks  of  the  Marne,  or  at  some  distance  in  the  interior.*  It 
rears  a greater  number  of  sheep  than  most  of  the  other  agricultural 
departments,  and  is  thus  enabled  to  carry  on  several  important  manu- 
factures of  woollen  stuffs.” 

* In  the  province  of  Champagne  there  are  two  kinds  of  wine  ; the  white  wines, 
called  Riviere  de  Manic  wines  •,  and  the  red  wines,  called  Montagne  de  Rheims 
wines.  The  white  wines  are  produced  fionr  tire  vineyards  situated  in  the  valleys, 
and  upon  the  sides  of  the  hills.  (Ed.  Encyc.  art.  France.) — P. 

n Vitri.  (Enc.  Meth.  Vosgien.) 

0 Orney.  (Enc.  Meth.) — It  stands  on  the  river  Saulx.  (Vosgien.) — 
The  Sault  and  the  Orney  both  pass  by  Vitri  le  Brule,  and  soon  after- 
wards enter  the  Marne.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 


cook  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 

of  cruelty  committed  by  Louis  the  Foung.  While  that 
prince  was  engaged  in  war  against  Theobald,  count  of 
Champagne,* 1 * 3 *  he  made  himself  master  of  Vitry,  and  put  all 
the  inhabitants  to  death.b  Actuated  by  scruples  that  cannot 
he  easily  defined,  he  refused  to  pollute  a church  with  blood, 
to  which  1300  persons  had  fled  for  refuge ; but  he  set  it  on 
fire,  assisted  in  destroying  the  victims,  heard  their  cries,  and 
saw  the  flames  extending  their  ravages  without  emotion,  and 
did  not  leave  the  place  until  the  silent  smoke  rising  from  the 
ruins  announced  that  his  vengeance  was  complete.  The  sad  ■ 
surname  which  the  town  had  thus  acquired,  was  confirmed 
by  new  disasters  in  the  sixteenth  century ; it  was  burnt  by 
the  troops  of  John  of  Luxemburg,  and  afterwards  wholly 
destroyed  by  Charles  the  Fifth.0  Francis  the  First  then 
determined  to  rebuild  it,  but  he  chose  a more  advantageous 
site  on  the  banks  of  the  Marne,  and  gave  it  his  name,  which 
proves  that  it  ought  to  be  called  Vitry  le  Francois,  and  not 
le  Frangais  ;d  at  present,  however,  it  is  generally  styled 
Vitry  sur  Marne.®  The  founder  intended  to  make  it  a 
strong  place,  but  it  is  merely  encompassed  by  a ditch  and 
earthen  ramparts ; the  houses  are  well  built,  the  streets  are 
broad  and  straight/ 

The  road  from  Vitry  to  Sezanne  crosses  large  and  monot- 
onous plains,  the  scene  of  unequal  struggles  between  the 
French  and  allied  armies,  in  1814;  the  small  town  of  Fere- 
Champenoises  was  one  of  those  which  suffered  the  most. 
Sezanne,  formerly  a strong  place,  and  more  populous  than 
at  present,  contains  about  four  thousand  inhabitants.  It  has 
experienced  many  calamities ; the  earl  of  Salisbury  took  it 
by  assault ; the  protestants  levelled  it  with  the  ground  in  the 
reign  of  Charles  the  Ninth ; it  was  entirely  destroyed  in 
1 G32  by  a fire  that  lasted  several  days,  and  which  occa- 
sioned a loss  of  property,  that  was  then  thought  equivalent 
to  £.250,000 ; it  carries  on  at  present  a trade  in  different 
articles,  but  principally  in  agricultural  produce.h  Montmi- 
rail  or  Montmirel  stands  on  a small  eminence,  on  one  of  the 
two  roads  that  lead  from  Paris  to  Chalons ; it  contains  about 
two  thousand  inhabitants,  and  is  celebrated  on  account  of  a 

° Thibaud  IV.  See  note  a>  page  982. 

» A.  D.  1143.  (Moreri.)  ° A.  D.  1544. 

Victoriacum  Francisci,  in  Latin. 

e “ — unless  a preference  is  given  to  the  name  of  Vitry  sur  Marne.” — 
Vitry  le  Francois  (Alin.  Royal.  Vosgien.)— P. 

f “ It  is  a neat  town,  built  of  wood  ; the  houses  are  elegant,  and  the 
streets  broad  and  straight.” 

e La  Fere  Champenoise.  (Vosgien.) — It  was  the  scene  of  an  action 
between  the  French  and  the  allies,  March  25,  1814. — P. 

h “ — it  was  destroyed  by  the  Protestants  during  the  reign  of  Charles 
IX.  ; in  1632  it  was  consumed  by  a fire,  of  which  the  ravages  were  es- 
timated at  more  than  6,000,000  livres ; at  present,  its  commerce  consists 
principally  in  agricultural  produce.” 

1 Bonaparte  attacked  Blucher  at  Montmirail  on  the  14th  of  Feb.,  and 
compelled  him  to  retreat,  to  Chalons.  He  had  previously  defeated  the 
corps  of  Alsufief  at  Champaubert,  and  that  of  Sacken  at  Chateau-Thier- 
ry,  both  on  the  12th.  He  defeated  Prince  Schwartzenberg  on  the 
17th,  at  Nangis,  nearly  annihilating  the  corps  of  Count  Pahlen,  and  on 
the  18th,  carried  the  bridge  and  town  of  Montereau. — P 

k Espernay.  (Moreri.  Enc.  Meth.) — Epernai.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

1 “ A gate,  near  the  promenade,  formed  by  two  turrets  ( tourellcs ,)  is 
all  that  remains  of  the  fortifications — ” 
m A.  D.  1592. 

n Arinand  de  Gontault,  baron  de  Biron,  and  marshal  of  France,  killed 
by  a cannon  ball,  at  the  siege  of  Espernay,  while  reconnoitering,  July 
26,  1592.  His  eldest  son,  Charles  de  Gontault,  first  duke  of  Biron,  for 
whom  the  barony  of  Biron  was  erected  into  a dutchy  ( duch.i-pu.iric ) 
in  1598,  was  executed  for  high  treason  at  the  Bastile,  July  31,  1602. 
(Moreri.  Beauvais.! — P. 

0 “ The  suburb  through  which  we  pass  in  ascending  the  Marne,  is 
celebrated  for  its  very  large  and  deep  cellars,  dug  in  labyrinths  in  the 
chalk.” — These  ceilars  are  used  for  storing  wine. — The  wines  of  Cham- 
pagne, after  being  put  into  circulation,  preserve  their  good  qualities  for 
ten  years  ; but  when  they  are  kept  in  the  cellars  of  their  native  prov- 
ince, which  are  superior  from  the  nature  of  the  soil,  (being  dug  out 


OF  FRANCE.  303 

victory  which  the  French  gained  on  the  seventeeth  of  Feb 
ruary  1814.1 II 

Epernay1'  is  situated  in  a small  valley  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Marne  : a gate  formed  by  two  towers  leads  to  the  pub- 
lic walk,  and  is  all  that  remains  of  the  fortifications1  which 
defended  Epernay  in  the  time  of  Henry  the  Fourth,  who 
made  himself  master  of  the  town,m  but  not  before  the  duke 
of  Biron,"  on  whom  lie  leant,  was  killed  at  his  side.  The 
principal  suburb  is  built  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  very 
extensive  cellars  have  been  cut  in  the  chalky  heights  that 
command  it.0  The  inhabitants  have  a theatre  and  a public 
library  ;f  their  trade  consists  in  fire  proof  or  Champagne 
earthen  ware,  of  which  the  average  quantity  that  is  annually 
exported  into  other  departments  does  not  weigh  less  than 
five  hundred  tons.'1  The  wealth  of  Epernay  is  principally 
derived  from  the  sale  of  its  white  and  red  wines  ; the  latter 
are  chiefly  produced  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Marne,  near  the 
small  but  ancient  town  of  Vertus;  the  sparkling  white 
wines  are  partly  obtained  from  the  village  of  Pierry,  and 
the  burgh  of  Avize,  but  the  best  sorts  are  those  on  the  op- 
posite bank,  where  Ai,  a burgh  of  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred inhabitants,  rises  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre,  where 
the  vineyards  on  the  heights  round  Mareuil  are  not  less 
famous;  Cumieres  and  Hautvillers  on  the  left,  are  not  per- 
haps so  well  known,  still  they  produce  excellent  wines. 
The  finest  part  of  the  country  is  formed  by  the  line  of  popu- 
lous villages  and  fruitful  heights  that  are  crowned  by  the 
forest  of  Reims/ 

The  road  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Marne  commands  a 
view  of  the  varied  and  romantic  sites,  that  extend  on  the 
opposite  bank  from  Epernay  to  Chalons  sur  Marne.  It 
might  be  shown  that  Chalons, s or  Chaalons,  as  it  was  for- 
merly written,  is  derived  from  Catalaunum,  the  name  it  bore 
in  the  time  of  Ammianus  Marcellinus  ;l  it  was  a city  of  the 
Catalauni ,u  and  it  is  called  Duro- Catalauni  in  the  Itinerary 
of  Antonine.  It  stands  between  two  plains  in  the  midst  of 
meadows  ; the  larger  plain  was  the  place  where  the  emperor 
Aurelian  defeated  Tetricus,  who  had  been  proclaimed  em- 

of  beds  of  chalk,)  they  will  continue  good  for  20  or  30  years.  (Ed. 
Encyc.) — P. 

i>  “ It  is  a well  built  town,  with  a small  theatre  and  a library.” 

s “ Epernay  carries  on  a great  trade  in  a kind  of  fire-proof  pottery, 
known  by  the  name  of  Champagne  earthen  (terre  de  Champagne,)  and 
manufactured  in  its  neighbourhood;  the  quantity  exported  amounts  to 
500,000  kilogrammes  per  annum." 

r “ The  latter  (red  wines)  are  produced  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Marne,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  small  but  ancient  town  of  Vertus; 
the  village  of  Pierry  and  the  lourg  of  Avize  * furnish  sparkling  I white 
wines : the  best  localities,;  however,  are  found  on  the  opposite 
bank;  it  is  there  that  Ai,||  a boarg  of  2,500  inhabitants,  and  very 
celebrated  for  its  vineyards, § Mareuil,  whose  white  wines  rival  those 
of  the  preceding,  and  on  the  left, IT  Cumieres  and  Hautvillers/*  whose 
names  are  less  classic  among  connoisseurs,  but  whose  wines  are  not 
without  reputation,  rise  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre.  One  can 
never  be  weary  of  admiring  this  series  of  populous  villages,  and  these 
fertile  hills  ( cutcaux ,)  crowned  in  their  whole  extent  by  the  forest  of 
Reims.” 

* Avize  or  A vise.  (Vosgien.) 

Monsseux” — frothy,  effervescent. 

I “ Coteaux” — declivities  or  hill  sides,  on  which  the  vines  are  chiefly  culti- 
vated.— 1’.  ||  Ay  or  AY.  (Vosgien.) 

$The  white  wines  of  Ay  are  the  most  esteemed  in  Champagne.  (Vosgien.) — The 
white  wines  of  Ay  rank  at  the  head  of  the  first  class  of  the  white  wines  of  Cham 
pagne.  Ay  also  produces  red  wines,  ranked  the  last  but  one  in  the  second  class  of 
the  red  wines  of  Champagne.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

H On  the  left  of  Epernay. — Ay  is  one  league  N.  E.,  and  Cumieres,  one  league  N. 
W.  of  Epernay.  (Vosgien). — P.  **  Hautvilliers.  (Vosgien.) 

a “ Chalons.” — Chaalons  or  Chalons  sur  Marne.  (Vosgien.) — Cha- 
lon  sur  Marne,  or  Chalon  en  Champagne.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

I “ The  name  of  the  latter  [Chalons,]  formerly  written  Chaalons,  is 
derived  from  that  of  Catalaunum , which  it  bore  in  the  time  of  Ammii- 
nus  Marcellinus.” — The  name  is  written  Catelauni  and  Cathclauni,  in 
Amm.  Marcell.  (L.  xv.  xxvii,)  edit.  Valesii,  Paris,  1636. — P. 

II  “The  city  (capital)  of  the  Catalauni." 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLV1. 


peror  in  Gaul.  The  position  of  Chalons  is  not  unfavorable  j| 
for  trade,  an  advantage  it  derives  from  its  situation  on  the 
Marne,  and  from  the  six  important  roads  that  traverse  it. 

It  is  encompassed  with  walls  and  ditches;  most  of  the 
houses  are  built  of  wood,  but  the  streets  are  broad  and 
straight.11  The  townhouse  is  adorned  with  a fine  front ; the 
prefect’s  palace,  and  the  school  of  arts  and  trades,  are  re- 
markable for  the  simplicity  and  elegance  of  their  architecture  ; 
the  cathedral  might  be  admired,  if  it  were  not  for  two  clumsy 
pyramidical  towers  and  a Greek  portal,  that  accords  ill  with 
the  rest  of  the  building.®  The  botanical  garden  contains 
fifteen  thousand  plants ; there  are  also  a collection  of  natural 
history,  and  a good  library.  Lacaille,  the  celebrated 
astronomer,11  David  Blondel  the  architect,®  and  Perrot 
d’Ablancourt/  were  born  in  the  town.  The  gate  on  the 
road  to  Strasburg  leads  also  to  the  Jard,  perhaps  the  finest 
public  walk  in  the  department.^ 

We  may  observe  at  the  distance  of  two  leagues  on  the 
same  road,  an  elegant  Gothic  building,  the  church  of 
Epine  ;h  it  was  erected  by  Louis  the  Twelfth  for  the  pur- 
pose of  fulfilling  a vow ; it  is  to  be  regretted  that  it  was 
thought  necessary  to  pull  down  one  of  its  towers  in  order  to 
raise  a telegraph.  The  long  village  of  Courtisols  or  Cour- 
tisou  is  situated  on  the  right,  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
church  ; it  occupies  an  extent  of  nearly  two  leagues  from 
one  extremity  to  the  other ; it  is  formed  by  two  parallel 
streets,  consisting  of  houses  that  are  separated  from  each 
other  by  plantations ; it  is  divided  into  three  parishes, 
namely,  those  of  St.  Julian,  St.  Mammie,  and  St.  Mar- 
tin. The  population  is  not  less  than  two  thousand  individ- 
uals. The  language  which  the  inhabitants  speak  amongst 
themselves,  is  not  known  in  the  neighbouring  villages ; they 
observe  certain  ceremonies  of  an  ancient  character,  that  are 
not  practised  in  other  parts  of  the  country  ; they  are  excellent 
husbandmen,  indeed  their  lands  are  the  best  cultivated  and 
the  most  productive  in  the  department.1  From  these  facts, 
it  has  been  inferred  that  the  Courtisians  are  descended  from 


a Tetricus  was  proclaimed  emperor  at  Bordeaux  (A.  D.  2G8,)  during 
the  reign  of  Claudius  II.  He  continued  to  govern  Gaul.  Britain  and  a 
part  of  Spain,  until  after  the  conquest  of  Zenobia,  when  wearied  with 
the  insolence  of  his  soldiers,  he  voluntarily  surrendered  his  authority 
into  the  hands  of  Aurelian,  at  Chalons,  A.  D.  274.  He  was  afterwards 
appointed  by  Aurelian,  governor  of  Lucania. — P. 

b *- — but  as  the  principal  streets  are  clean  and  straight,  its  appearance 
on  the  whole  is  very  agreeable.’1 

c “ The  cathedral,  whose  two  pyramidal  towers,  wrought  in  open 
work,  are  in  rather  a rustic  style,  is  not  without  merit ; it  is  disfigured, 
however,  by  a portal  of  Greek  architecture.” 

d N.  L.  De  la  Caille,  the  celebrated  astronomer,  was  born  at  Rumig- 
ny  in  the  department  of  the  Ardennes.  (Beauvais.  Vosgien.  Diet.  Hist. 
Caen,  1804.)— P. 

e David  Blondel,  a celebrated  protestant  minister,  and  professor  of 
nistory  at  Amsterdam,  was  a native  of  Chalons. — Francis  Blondel,  a 
celebrated  architect  during  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.,  was  the  son  of 
Francis  Blondel.  lord  of  Croisettes,  who  dwelt  at  Ribemont  in  the  dio- 
cese of  Laon. — j.  Fr.  Blondel,  a native  of  Rouen,  was  also  distinguished 
as  an  architect.  (Born  1705;  died  1774.)  (Beauvais.  Moreri.  Diet.  Hist. 
Caen.) — P. 

f Nic.  Perrot  d’Ablancourt,  born  at  Chalons,  1G0C;  celebrated  for  his 
numerous  translations  from  the  ancients. — P. 

s “ On  issuing  from  the  town  by  the  road  to  Strasburg,  the  justly 
celebrated  promenade  of  the  Jard  presents  itself  in  all  its  beauty;  its 
alleys  are  magnificent.” — The  promenade  called  Le  Jard,  is  reckoned 
the  finest  in  France.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

h L'Epine,  a village  of  Champagne,  two  leagues  from  Chalons. — 
Courtisols,  a bourg  of  Champagne,  two  leagues  N.  E.  of  Chalons. 
(Vosgien.) — P. 

' “ They  are  so  far  advanced  in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  agri- 
culture, that  their  lands  are  the  best  cultivated  and  the  most  productive 
in  the  whole  country.” 

k “ — that  were  established  in  Gaul  by  the  successors  of  Constantine.” 
1 Memoires  de  la  Socict6  royale  des  antiquaires  de  France,  tome  V. 


some  one  of  the  barbarous  tribes  that  settled  in  Gaul  after  the 
reign  of  Constantine  ;k  others  have  considered  them  a coiony 
of  Helvetians.1  Their  language,  however,  is  merely  a French 
patois,  and  the  name  of  their  village  signifies  detached 
houses.  As  to  their  origin,  it  is  very  doubtful  that  they 
migrated  from  Valais,  they  are  probably  descended  from 
some  of  the  ancient  tribes  in  Gaul,  they  have  preserved  the 
manners  and  customs  of  their  ancestors. m The  remains  of 
a Roman  road,  and  the  traces  of  the  enclosure  where  Altila 
and  bis  army  encamped,"  may  be  seen  in  the  neighbour- 
hood.0 The  famous  camp  of  Lune,  and  the  village  of  Val- 
my,  where  the  king  of  Prussia  was  defeated  in  1792  by  an 
army  of  volunteers  under  the  command  of  Kellermann,  are 
situated  on  the  road  between  Courtisou  and  St.  Menehould, 
the  latter  a town  watered  by  the  Aisne,  and  remarkable  for 
the  regularity  of  the  streets  and  buildings.  Although  the 
works  which  defended  it  are  now  in  ruins,  it  may  be  ob- 
served that  it  was  the  first  place  which  Louis  the  Fourteenth 
besieged. p 

The  population  and  industry  of  Reims  or  Rheims  render 
it  an  important  town  ; as  a place  of  antiquity  it  is  not  without 
interest,  but  its  celebrity  depends  principally  on  the  histori- 
cal associations  connected  with  it.  In  ancient  times  it  was 
the  chief  town  in  the  country  of  the  Jiemi,  who  gave  it  the 
name  of  Durocortum , but  ancient  geographers  call  it  indif- 
ferently Durocortorum  and  Durocortora.  Jt  was  famed  for 
different  schools  in  the  time  of  Hadrian,  and  it  then  possess- 
ed monuments,  of  which  ruins  or  traditions  are  all  that 
remain.  The  gates  of  Phebus,  Ceres  and  Bacchus  indicate 
so  many  temples  beyond  the  walls;  die  gate  of  Mars  forms 
a triumphal  arch  which,  it  is  believed,  was  erected  by  Julian  ; 
part  of  it  was  repaired  by  Napoleon,  but  an  old  wall  that 
conceals  it,  lias  not  been  removed.  The  gate  of  Mars  stands 
near  the  Arena,  where  traces  of  an  amphitheatre  may  be 
easily  discovered.1!  The  tomb  of  Jovinus,  a citizen  of 
Reims,  who  rose  at  Rome  to  the  consular  dignity  in  the 
year  366,  is  preserved  in  the  cathedral.  It  is  a monument 

a “ As  for  their  origin,  it  does  not  seem  necessary  to  search  for  it 
in  the  Valais ; it  may  have  been  Celtic : is  it  not  indeed  probable 
that  the  Courtisians  are  descendants  of  the  ancient  Gauls,  who  have 
preserved  the  language  and  manners  of  their  ancestors  ?” 

n Previous  to  the  battle  fought  in  the  plains  near  Chalons,  in  which 
he  was  totally  defeated  by  Aetius,  the  Roman  general,  in  alliance  with 
Merovaeus,  king  of  the  Franks,  and  Theodoric,  king  of  the  Visigoths.-P. 

0 “ — may  be  seen  on  the  left  of  the  village.” 

p “ The  town  (title)  of  Sainte-Mcnehould  is  built  of  stone  and  brick  with 
much  regularity  ; its  town-house  is  an  elegant  edifice.  It  is  surround- 
ed by  the  Aisne,  and  was  formerly  fortified  ; it  was  the  first  place 
besieged  by  Louis  XIV.” — It  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  rocks,  in  a 
marsh  on  the  Aisne.  (Vosgien.) — It  has  a castle  on  a rock.  (Enc. 
Meth.)— P. 

9 “ Reims,  or  as  it  was  formerly  written,  Rheims,  is  important  from 
its  population  and  its  industry,  and  interesting  from  its  antiquity, 
its  historical  associations  and  its  monuments.  The  Rtmi,  of  whom 
it  was  the  capital,  called  it  Durocortum,  and  the  ancient  geographers, 
Durocortorum  and  Durocortora  .*  until  after  it  had  taken  the  name 
of  RemiA  In  the  lime  of  Adrian,  it  was  celebrated  for  its  schools; 
it  also  contained  several  monuments,  of  which  ruins  or  traditions  still 
remain.  The  gate  of  Apollo  ( Dint  tinnier e .)  and  those  of  Ceres  and 
Bacchus,  indicate  so  many  temples  beyond  the  walls ; that  of  Mars 
is  a triumphal  arch  attributed  to  Julian:  Napoleon  partly  restored  it, 
but.  it  is  not  yet  entirely  disengaged  from  the  wall  in  which  it  was 
formerly  concealed.  Not  far  from  this  gate,  without  the  city,  is  a 
place  called  the  Ar6n.es, } where  the  vestiges  of  an  amphitheatre  may 
be  distinguished.” 

* It  was  called  Duroncourt  in  the  language  of  the  Gauls,  Durocortum  by  Casar,* 
/fovoixuoTooa  by  Strabo,  Ant  noy.onToour  by  Ptolemy,  and  Durocortorum  in  the 
Itinerary  of  Antnnine  and  the  'l’able of  Pentinper.  (Knc.  Meth.) — P. 

* This  is  probably  a mistake,  it  is  Durocortorum  in  the  edition  of  Scaliger,  Elzev. 
163o,  and  in  that  of  Maittaire,  Lond.  1790. — P. 

f Whence  the  origin  of  the  present  name. — P. 

%Arcnes,  plnr  , from  the  I.atin  arena,  is  used  by  the  French  for  amphitheatre 
Thus  the  amphitheatre  of  Niines  is  called  Lcs  Jlrcnca. — P. 


book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 

in  white  marble,  representing  a lion-hunt.  Most  of  the 
streets  are  broad  and  straight ; the  Royal  Square3  is  adorned 
with  a bronze  statue  of  Louis  the  Fifteenth,  which  was  re- 
moved at  the  time  of  the  revolution,  and  replaced  in  1819. 
The  hospital  is  a large  and  elegant  building ; the  cathedral 
is  one  of  the  few  Gothic  edifices  of  the  kind  which  have 
been  finished  ; the  portal  is  loaded  with  figures,  in  form  it 
resembles  a pyramid  ;b  within  the  building  the  kings  ol 
France  are  consecrated.  The  ashes  of  St.  Remi,  the 
benefactor  and  tutelar  saint  of  the  town,  repose  in  the  church 
of  the  same  name,  a church  much  more  ancient  than  the 
cathedral,  and  the  one  where  the  holy  ampulla  is  kept  with 
superstitious  care ; but  the  famous  phial  was  publicly  de- 
stroyed in  1793,  a new  one,  however,  has  been  obtained, 
and  according  to  report,  it  contains  some  drops  of  the  oil 
with  which  Clovis  was  anointed  by  St.  Renti.c  By  an 
anachronism  not  unfrequent  in  the  monuments  of  the  middle 
ages,  the  king  and  the  twelve  peers  of  France  are  represent- 
ed together  on  the  tomb  of  the  saint. d The  statue  of  Hen- 
ry the  Fourth  has  been  restored  to  its  ancient  place  above 
the  portico  of  the  townhouse,  a large  building,  which  con- 
tains a valuable  library.  Old  writers  mention  the  church 
of  St.  Nicaise  on  account  of  a shaking  pillar  that  excited  in 
past  times  much  curiosity,  but  many  years  have  elapsed 
since  the  pillar  was  destroyed.6  The  town  is  surrounded 
with  a wall  flanked  by  old  towers,  and  shaded  by  an  inner 
range  of  trees ; it  is  also  encompassed  by  ditches,  and  a 
public  walk  extends  round  them  to  the  place  where  the 
marshy  banks  of  the  small  river  Vesle  bathe  it  on  the  south/ 
It  was  destitute  of  good  water  from  the  nature  of  its  soil, 
until  the  prebend  Gaudinot  had  a machine  constructed  at 
his  own  expense,  by  which  the  streams  of  the  river  are  now 
distributed  to  every  part  of  the  town.s  The  same  excellent 

a Place  Roijale. 

b “ Near  the  square  ( Place  Roi/alc,)  we  may  observe  a fine  hospital 
( Hdtel-Dieu ) and  the  cathedral ; the  latter  one  of  the  few  Gothic  edi- 
fices which  have  been  finished.  Its  portal,  although  overloaded  with 
ornaments,  is  remarkable  for  its  pyramidical  figure,  and  its  majestic  in- 
terior is  adorned  with  magnificent  painted  windows  ( vitraux .)” 

c “ The  church  of  St.  Remi,  much  more  ancient  than  the  cathedral, 
is  celebrated  for  the  tomb  of  that  bishop,  one  of  the  benefactors  of 
Reims ; in  it  is  preserved  the  holy  ampulla  ( saintc  ampoule,)  or  at  least 
the  phial  which  has  supplied  its  place  since  its  public  destruction  in 
1793,  and  which  still  contains,  it  is  said,  some  drops  of  the  oil  with 
which  St.  Remi  anointed  Clovis.” 

d The  institution  of  the  twelve  peers  of  France  is  of  much  more 
recent  date  than  the  time  of  Clovis.  It  is  generally  referred  to  the 
reign  of  Louis  VII.,  who  assembled  the  twelve  first  nobles  of  the  realm, 
six  ecclesiastical  and  six  laic,  at  the  consecration  of  his  son  Philip  Au- 
gustus, A.  D.  1179.  (Enc.  Meth.) — St.  Remi,  archbishop  of  Reims 
from  471  till  after  523,  was  the  contemporary  of  Clovis.  (Morcri.) — P. 

e “ The  famous  shaking  pillar  in  the  church  of  St.  Nicaise  has  been 
long  since  removed.”  The  church  of  St.  Nicaise  is  frequented  by  stran- 
gers on  account  of  a pillar  which  shakes  perceptibly  when  either  of  the 
four  bells  in  one  of  its  towers  is  rung.  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Mod.  I784.)-P. 

f t:  The  town  is  surrounded  by  ditches,  and  by  a wall  flanked  with  old 
towers  ; the  latter  is  shaded  by  an  alley  of  trees  on  the  inside,  while  a fine 
promenade  borders  the  ditches  on  the  outside,  except  near  the  marshy 
banks  of  Vesle  which  bathes  it  on  the  south.”— The  city  is  surrounded 
with  a ditch  and  earthen  mound,  planted  with  a double  row  of  trees  on 
both  sides.  (Ed.  Encyc.)— The  other  fortifications  were  removed  in 
1812.— P. 

e The  well  water  in  Reims  is  very  unwholesome,  but  the  Abbe  Godi- 
not,  a canon  of  the  cathedral,  having  amassed,  during  many  years, 
from  the  sale  of  his  wines,  a very  considerable  sum,  left  it  by  his  will 
to  his  native  city,  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  into  every  part  of  it 
the  waters  of  the  Vesle,  which  now  flow  from  a great  number  of  foun- 
tains. (Vosgien.) — N.  Godinot,  born  at  Reims  1GG1,  expended  more 
than  500,000  livres  (400,000.  Enc.  Meth.)  in  establishing  public  foun- 
tains, constructing  sewers,  founding  hospitals  and  schools,  and  embel- 
lishing the  choir  of  the  cathedral.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

h J.  B.  Colbert,  minister  of  Louis  XIV. ; born  1619  at  Reims. — P. 

' “ The  department  of  the  Ardennes  consists  chiefly  of  a region  entire- 
ly covered  with  forests  before  it  had  been  invaded  by  the  wants  of 

VOL.  III.— NO.  51  39 


OF  FRANCE.  305 

person  may  be  mentioned  among  the  distinguished  towns- 
men of  Reims  ; it  was  also  the  birthplace  of  Colbert, h Lin- 
guet,  and  the  Abbe  Pliiche. 

Before  the  region  of  Ardennes  was  peopled  by  civilized 
inhabitants,  it  formed  in  all  probability  a vast  forest ; the 
Celts  called  it  Ard  from  a mountainous  chain,  which  steep 
declivities  and  rugged  summits  render  apparently  more  lofty 
than  it  really  is.  But  according  to  a different  account,  the 
name  of  the  country  may  be  derived  from  the  goddess 
Ardeiana,  the  Diana  of  the  ancient  Belgians.  The  Romans 
called  it  Arduena  Sijlva ; at  present,  however,  the  forest  of 
Ardennes  does  not  occupy  a greater  extent  than  250,000 
acres.  The  department  may  still  be  considered  one  of  the 
best  wooded  in  France;  timber  forms  the  principal  article 
of  commerce  ; as  the  grain  harvests  are  inadequate  to  the 
consumption,  and  as  comparatively  few  vineyards  are  situ- 
ated in  the  country,  the  wood  is  exchanged  for  corn  and 
wine  ; the  remainder  is  used  as  fuel,  and  serves  to  supply 
dilferent  works  and  manufactories.  The  rocks  on  the  moun- 
tains are  chiefly  calcareous  and  schistous ; the  people  work 
a great  quantity  of  iron,  some  veins  of  lead,  and  extensive 
slate  quarries.  The  geological  products  are  various,  most 
kinds  of  rocks  from  granite  to  chalk  may  be  observed  in  the 
department.  The  Meuse  and  the  Aisne  are  the  two  most 
important  rivers,  the  extent  of  roads  is  not  so  great  as  in 
other  parts  of  the  kingdom  ; the  population  might  be  increas- 
ed, if  the  means  of  communication  were  improved.1 

Vouziers  is  the  capital  of  a poor  and  small  district,  that 
contains  little  likely  to  attract  attention  ;k  the  town  is  situated 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Aisne,  which  afterwards  waters  At- 
tigny,  a place  of  some  celebrity  at  an  early  period,  because 
the  French  kings  of  the  first  and  second  race  chose  it  as 
their  summer  residence  ; at  present,  however,  it  can  hardly 

civilized  society,  and  to  which  the  Celts  gave  the  name  of  Ard *  * because  it 
was  traversed  by  a chain  of  mountains  that  from  their  broken  summits 
and  steep  declivities  are  apparently  more  elevated  than  they  really  are. 
The  name  of  this  region  has,  however,  been  derived  from  a goddess 
Ardeiana,  the  Diana  of  the  ancient  Belgians.  Either  or  both  of  these 
etymologies  may  be  adopted. t The  Romans  called  it  Arduena  Silva, \ 
but  at  present  the  ancient  forest  of  the  Ardennes  occupies  in  France 
only  an  extent  of  about  150,000  hectares. § The  department  to  which 
it  belongs  is,  however,  one  of  the  best  wooded  in  France  ; the  exportation 
of  wood  is  one  of  the  principal  means  it  employs  in  supplying  itself 
with  oats,  of  which  it  produces  but  a very  small  quantity,  and  also  with 
wine,  of  which  it  is  almost  entirely  destitute;  the  remainder  of  its 
wood  is  used  in  carrying  on  its  iron  works  (wsmcs.)||  The  rocks  of 
which  its  mountains  and  plains  are  composed,  are  chiefly  calcareous 
and  schistous ; they  are,  however,  so  diversified  in  their  geological 
character,  as  to  exhibit  specimens  of  almost  every  formation  from 
granite  to  chalk.  Much  iron,  a few  veins  of  lead,  and  very  extensive 
slate  quarries,  are  wrought  in  the  department.  The  Meuse  and  the 
Aisne  are  its  principal  rivers ; the  extent  of  its  roads  is  less  than  in 
any  other  region  in  France,  and  it  is  undoubtedly  owing  to  this  want  of 
communications,  that  its  population  has  made  no  greater  advances  in 
industry.” 

* Ard,  high,  lofty,  (whence  the  Latin  arduus) — a word  common  in  many  names 
of  Celtic  origin,  particularly  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  ; as  A i dross,  the  headland  or 
height  of  the  peninsula  ; Ardglass,  the  green  headland  or  promontory. — P. 

t The  author  may  here  mean  that  both  are  derivable  from  the  same  Celtic  root — 
Ardeiana , the  goddess  of  the  heights  or  mountains.  So  in  the  Latin  poets — Diana 
montivaa-a — montium  domina — lubet  kortari  celeres  per  juaa  summa  canes,  tfc. — P. 

X Arduenna  Silva.  (I).  Anv.  Enc.  Meth.  Caesar.  De  Bell.  Gall.  V.  VI.) — The  forest 
is  still  called  by  the  French,  either  Ardenne  in  the  singular,  or  les  Ardennes  in  the 
plural,  (the  forest  of  Ardenne,  or  of  the  Ardennes.)  (Morel i.)— There  is  a large  for- 
est between  Sedan  and  Rheims  called  the  wood  of  the  Ardennes  { bois  des  Arden- 
nes-,) a part  of  the  same  forest  between  Ste.  Menehnuld  and  Verdun  is  culled  the 
fore-t  of  Ardenne  ( foret  d' Ardenne.)  (Enc.  Meth.)— 'Pile  present  forest  of  the  Ar 
dennes  is  in  the  north  of  the  department.  (Peuchet.) — P. 

$The  ancient  forest  of  the  Ardennes  ( Arduenna  Silva)  extended  from  the  Rhine 
through  the  territory  of  the  Treviri , to  the  borders  of  the  Remi , and  to  the  Nervii,* 
and  was  consequently  far  more  extensive  than  that  part  of  it  now  in  France.  A 
part  of  the  same  forest  still  occupies  a considerable  extent  of  Luxemburg,  from  which 
circumstance  that  province  was  called  the  department  of  the  Forests  (des  Forets,) 
when  it  was  annexed  to  France. — P. 

* Ctesar.  De  Bell.  Gall.  V.  $3.  VI.  $97. 

||The  department  contains  a very  great  number  of  forges  and  steel  founderies. 
(Peuchet.) — P. 

k “ Vouziers,  a small  town  and  the  capital  of  a sub-prefecture  (petit 
chef-lieu  de  sous -prefecture,)  contains  nothing  worthy  of  notice.' 


EUROPE. 


306 

De  called  a town;  the  population  is  not  equal  to  fifteen  hun- 
dred individuals.3  The  same  river  flows  at  the  foot  of 
Rethel,  which  stands  on  a height  near  the  site  of  an  old 
fortress1* *  that  the  Romans  called  Cnstrum  Rctcctum;  the 
inhabitants  manufacture  cloth,  (lannels  and  woollen  stuffs.0 
The  Aisne  begins  to  be  navigable  at  Chateau-Portien.d 

Many  populous  villages  are  scattered  in  the  territory  of 
Sedan ; the  inhabitants  export  different  manufactures,  and 
are  engaged  in  different  sorts  of  industry  ; if  little  attention 
is  bestowed  on  agriculture,  it  must  be  imputed  to  the  ster- 
ility of  the  soil.  The  capital  or  Sedan  was,  like  Rethel, 
originally  a fortress.  Charles  the  Bald  took  possession  of  it 
in  the  year  880.  It  became  an  important  place,  after  it  was 
made  the  chief  town  in  a principality  subject  first  to  the 
archbishops  of  Reims,  then  to  the  family  of  La  Marck, 
and  at  a later  period  to  the  house  of  La  Tour  d’Auvergne ; 
it  was  ceded  in  1642  to  Lewis  the  Thirteenth  in  exchange 
for  the  dutchies  of  Albert,  Chateau-Thierry  and  the  county 
of  Evreux.  The  woollen  stuffs  of  Sedan  were  exported 
into  different  countries,  but  when  it  was  added  to  F ranee, 
it  lost  with  its  freedom  part  of  its  trade.  Colbert,  however, 
encouraged  the  manufacturers,  and  they  derived  considerable 
profits  by  supplying  the  Parisians  with  a light-coloured  cloth, 
which  Lewis  the  Fourteenth  affected  to  admire,  and  which 
on  that  account,  became  very  fashionable  ; it  is  in  making 
black  cloth,  however,  that  the  present  manufacturers  of  Se- 
dan are  said  to  excel.  The  town  is  well  built,  the  streets 
are  broad  and  straight,  the  houses  are  large,  and  a fine 
bridge  rises  on  the  Meuse.  The  arms  of  many  famous 
knights  are  preserved  in  the  arsenal ; and  an  old  castle  in 
the  vicinity  was  the  birthplace  of  Turenne.®  Sedan  is  at 

Kesent  included  among  the  strong  places  of  the  third  class. 

onchery,  situated  on  the  right  of  the  Meuse,  and  a flour- 
ishing town  before  the  principality  was  united  to  France, 

a “ At  present,  however,  it  contains  only  1500  inhabitants.” 
b — which  stands  on  a height  ( montagne ) and  occupies  the  site  of 
a fortress — ” c “ — flannels,  cloths  and  cashmeres.” 

d Chateau-Porcien — Lat.  Castrum  Portianum. — P. 
e “ Covered  with  industrious  villages,  the  territory  of  Sedan  com- 
pensates for  its  want  of  fertility  by  its  numerous  manufactures.  The 
town  of  Sedan,  like  that  of  Rethel,  appears  to  have  derived  its  origin 
from  a strong  castle.  Charles  the  Bald  made  himself  master  of  it  in 
880.  It  was  already  a place  of  some  importance,  when  it  was  erected 
into  a principality,  at  which  time  it  belonged  to  the  archbishops  of 
Reims.  It  afterwards  passed  into  the  house  of  La  Marck,  and  then 
into  that  of  La  Tour  d’Auvergne,  by  which  it  was  finally  ceded,  in 
1042,  to  Louis  XIII.,  in  exchange  for  the  dutchies  of  Albret  and  Cha- 
teau-Thierry, and  the  county  of  Evreux.*  It  was  even  then  noted 
for  its  manufacture  of  woollen  stuff’s;  but  on  its  union  with  France, 
it  lost  with  its  municipal  franchises  ( franchise  de  sa  commune ) a part 
of  its  industry  : Colbert,  however,  succeeded  in  restoring  it  to  its  for- 
mer prosperity,  by  encouraging  the  manufacture  of  large  quantities  of 
a fine  light  cloth, t which  Louis  XIV.  affected  to  admire,  and  which  on 
that  account  became  very  fashionable,  and  a source  of  great  profit  -to 
the  manufacturers.  At  present,  it  excels  principally  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  black  cloths. t It  is  a well  built  town,  with  several  broad  and 
straight  streets,  and  many  elegant  houses,  and  also  with  a fine  bridge 
over  the  Meuse,  and  an  arsenal,  in  which  the  armour  of  many  celebrat- 
ed knights  is  preserved.  The  old  castle  of  Sedan  was  the  birthplace 
of  Marshal  Turenne.” 

* Sedan  belonged  formerly  to  the  archbishops  of  Reims,  with  the  title  of  sovereign 
principality  : it  passed  from  them  into  the  house  of  La  Marck  ; then  by  marriage 
into  that  of  I.a  Tour  d’  Auvergne,  holding  neither  of  the  emperor  nor  of  the  king 
of  Fiance.  lint  Frederick  Maurice  de  la  Tour  d’Auvergne,  d ike  of  Pouillnn,  and 
father  of  Turenne*,  ceded  this  sovereignly  to  Louis  XI 11.  in  1642,  in  exchange  lor  the 
dutchies  of  Albret  and  Chateau-Tluerry  and  the  county  of  Evreux,  reserving,  how- 
ever, the  title  of  Prince  of  Sedan. t (Etic.  Meth.) — P. 

* This  is  a mistake.  He  was  the  elder  brother  of  Marshal  Turenne.  P. 
t In  1642;  he  was  compelled  to  surrender  Sedan  to  the  crown  ; reserving,  however, 
the  title  of  prince.  In  1651,  both  the  sovereignty  and  title  were  surrendered  by 
treaty,  in  exchange  for  the  county  of  Auvergne  and  the  b irony  of  La  Tour,  which 
had  been  united  to  the  crown  by  the  marriage  of  Catharine  de  Medicis,  daughter 
of  Magdalen  de  la  Tour  d’  Auvergne,  and  also  f»r  the  dutchies  of  Albret  and  Cha 
teaii-Thieirv,  the  county  of  Evreux,  & c.  (Moreri.) — See  note  under  the  head  of 
Tulle  (department  of  the  Correze.) — P.  f “ Rrap  I tiger.” 

1 The  department  of  the  Ardennes  is  particularly  noted  for  its  superfine  cloths, 
called  draps  de  Sedan,  of  which  the  black  are  remarkable  for  their  beauty.  (Peu- 
chet.) — The  cloths  of  Julienne,  and  the  superfine  fabrics  of  Sedan,  as  well  in  scar  let 


IBOOK  CXLVI. 

docs  not  now  contain  more  than  eighteen  hundred  inhabitants. 

The  Meuse  forms  many  windings,  and  returns  twice 
nearly  to  the  same  place,  it  waters  Mezieres,  a town  of 
which  the  importance  depends  more  on  fortifications  than 
on  the  number  of  inhabitants/  It  was  made  the  capita, 
of  the  department  on  account  of  its  military  position ; the 
houses  and  streets  are  ill  built,  the  walls  are  old  and  clumsy, 
but  it  was  there  Bayard  compelled  Charles  the  Fifth  and 
his  numerous  army  to  retreat.^  It  is  only  separated  from 
Charleville  by  the  Meuse  which  in  one  of  its  windings  forms 
a small  peninsula the  latter  town  is  much  larger  than 
Mezieres  ; it  contains  nearly  eight  thousand  inhabitants,  and 
it  also  differs  from  it  in  other  respects ; its  streets  are  broad 
and  straight,  and  the  regularity  with  which  it  is  built,  renders 
the  defects  of  the  neighbouring  city  more  apparent.  The 
four  principal  streets  terminate  in  a large  square,  encompass- 
ed by  arcades,  and  decorated  w ith  a marble  fountain.  The 
theatre  is  a large  building,  several  valuable  manuscripts  are 
contained  in  the  public  library,  and  some  curious  articles 
may  be  observed  in  the  collection  of  antiquities.  More 
industrious  than  Mezieres,  it  supplies  the  department  with  a 
great  quantity  of  cutlery,  hardwares,  nails  and  other  goods 
of  the  same  kind ; there  are  different  workshops  in  which 
fire-arms  are  made,  one  of  them  was  established  by  govern- 
ment. A favourable  position  and  a convenient  harbour 
account  in  some  measure  for  its  trade.1  It  was  founded  in 
the  seventeenth  century  by  Charles  de  Gonzague,k  duke  of 
Nevers  and  Mantua;  but  it  was  taken  in  the  year  1686  by 
the  French,  by  whom  its  fortifications  were  destroyed.  A 
height  in  the  neighbourhood,  formerly  commanded  by  a 
strong  castle,  has  been  dignified  with  the  classical  name  of 
Olympus.  The  duke  of  Nevers  and  Mantua  retired  to  the 
castle  after  the  loss  of  the  town,  he  was  at  last  compelled  to 
yield  to  his  more  powerful  adversary.1 

as  in  other  bright  colours,  and  in  black,  are  fit  only  for  the  rich.  (Ed.  Encyc.  art. 
France.) — The  manufacture  of  fine  cloth  at  Sedan,  owes  its  oiigin  to  Nicholas  Ca- 
deau,  a native  of  France,  who  had  learned  the  mode  of  manufacturing  fine  cloths  in 
Holl  md.  He  obtained  letters  p itent  for  twenty  years  in  1646,  in  conjunction  with 
J.  Itinet  and  Vves  de  Marseilles,  merchants  of  l’nris.  That  privilege  having  ex- 
pired in  1666,  new  letters  patent  were  granted  by  Louis  XIV.  during  the  adminis- 
tration of  Colbert,  by  which  all  the  master  manufacturers  then  in  Sedan,  and  those 
who  should  afterwards  settle  there,  were  erected  into  a community,  to  he  governed 
by  a body  of  statutes  u h.ch  had  been  previously  prepared  by  an  assembly  of  the 
magistrates  and  manufacturers.  (Ed.  Encyc.  vol.  IX.  p.  426.  travary,  Diet.  Comm, 
t.  III.  p.  253,  1690.) — P. 

f “ The  Meuse,  which  in  its  course  forms  two  large  curves  (sc  re- 
pliant  deux  fois  sur  cllc-memc ) and  many  windings,  waters  Mezieres, 
a town  of  more  importance  from  its  fortifications  than  from  the  num- 
ber of  its  inhabitants.” 

s “ It  has  never  been  taken  by  an  enemy,  and  although  ill  built,  is 
a place  of  much  interest  to  a stranger,  from  the  circumstance  that 
Charles  V.  with  a numerous  army,  was  obliged  to  retreat  from  before 
its  walls,  in  consequence  of  its  vigorous  defence  by  the  Chevalier 
Bayard.” 

h “ Charleville  is  only’  separated  from  it  by  the  Meuse,  which  again 
bends  on  itself  so  as  to  form  a small  peninsula.” — Charleville  is  situat- 
ed on  the  Meuse  near  Mezieres,  with  which  it  is  connected  by’  abridge 
and  a causeway.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

‘ “ It  possesses  a handsome  theatre,  a large  public  library,  and  a 
cabinet  of  natural  history  and  antiquities,  in  which  there  are  many  re- 
markable curiosities.  More  industrious  than  Mezieres,  it  manufactures 
annually  about  4,000,000  kilogrammes  of  nails,  besides  arms*  and  hard- 
ware ;t  the  government  also  carries  on  there  a manufacture  of  fire- 
arms.! Its  port  is  convenient  and  its  commerce  very  active.” 

* “ Amies  de  luxe” — arms  of  elegant  and  costly  workmanship. — P. 

t “ Ferronerie” — certain  small  articles  ofh  irdware,  wrought  with  the  hammer 
only,  particularly  such  as  are  used  by  coach,  harness  and  trunk  makers,  and  by 
saddlers.  (Savnry.) — P. 

J It  conta  ns  one  of  the  five  great  manufactories  of  arms  in  the  kingdom. 
(Morse.) — P. 

k Charles  Gonzaga. 

1 “ On  a rock  near  the  town,  to  which  the  name  of  Mount  Olympus 
( Mont  Ohjmpe ) has  been  given,  a castle  was  formerly’  situated.  After 
the  duke  of  Nevers  and  Mantua  had  lost  the  town,  he  remained  pro- 
prietor of  Mount  Olympus  ; but  the  king  of  France  was  master  of  the 
gates  and  walls  of  the  castle,  which  made  the  sovereignty  of  the  duke 
a source  of  much  pleasantry.” 


book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  307 


Before  the  Meuse  leaves  France,  it  waters  a longue  of 
land  below  Charleville,  which  comprehends  the  greater  part 
of  the  forest  of  the  Ardennes.  It  passes  by  Fumay,  a town 
of  1600  inhabitants,  of  which  the  schistus  quarries  yield 
annually  forty  millions  of  slates.  The  same  river,  near  the 
frontier,  separates  Givet-Notre-Dame  from  Givet-St.  Hilaire 
and  Charlemont ; the  two  latter  are  situated  on  the  left  bank, 
but  all  the  three  are  united  by  their  fortifications,  and  form  in 
reality  only  a single  town,  that  is  ranked  among  the  strong 
places  of  the  first  class.  Charlemont,  as  its  name  signifies, 
stands  on  a height ; the  two  Givets  are  situated  below  it, 
the  one  on  the  declivity  and  the  other  near  the  base  of  a 
hill  in  an  opposite  direction  ; they  are  regularly  built,  adorn- 
ed with  large  squares,  and  enriched  by  trade.  The  harbour 
is  convenient ; the  duties  were  lately  diminished,  and  the 
commerce  between  it  and  the  Netherlands  has  consequently 
been  increased.* 1 * * 4 *  Givet  was  the  birthplace  of  Mehul,  one 
of  the  best  French  composers.  The  origin  of  this  double 
town  has  been  attributed  to  two  villages,  which  according 
to  tradition  were  built  before  Caesar’s  time  the  fortifications 
were  planned  by  Vauban.  Charlemont  was  founded  by 
Charles  the  Fifth,  but  it  has  belonged  to  France  since  the 
treaty  of  Nimeguen,  which  was  concluded  in  1678.  Ro- 
croy,  a strong  place,  is  situated  in  a fruitful  plain,  encom- 
passed by  the  forest  of  the  Ardennes ; it  is  celebrated  on 
account  of  a victory  that  the  great  Conde,  then  hardly 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  gained  over  the  Spaniards. 

The  Oise  traverses  the  department  of  the  Aisne  from 
north-east  to  south-west,  whilst  the  river  from  which  it  has 
taken  its  name,  flows  across  it  from  east  to  west.  The  two 
rivers  first  water  a chalk  region,  but  as  they  proceed,  they 
pass  between  calcareous  rocks,  to  which  the  chalk  serves  as 
a support.  The  heights  are  mostly  confined  to  the  south, 
low  plains  extend  on  the  north. c The  Somme,  the  Scheldt 
and  the  Sambre  rise  in  the  department.*1  The  temperature 
is  very  variable,  and  the  frosts  in  spring  are  often  hurtful  to 
vegetation.6 * 8  The  forests  are  large  and  extensive  ; indeed 
the  mast  or  fruit  of  the  beech  produces,  in  some  years,  a 
quantity  of  oil,  equal  in  value  to  £.20,000  ;f  it  is  sold  and 
consumed  in  the  country. s Agriculture  has  arrived  at  a 
high  degree  of  perfection  ; more  than  two-thirds  of  the  har- 
vest are  exported  ; the  number  of  horses,  oxen  and  sheep, 
relatively  to  the  extent  of  surface,  is  much  greater  than  in 
most  other  parts  of  the  kingdom.  The  department  is  well 

' “ Charlemont,  as  its  name  indicates,  is  situated  on  a height  ( mon - 
tagnc.)  The  two  Givets,  one  of  which  is  placed  on  the  declivity  of 
the  same  height,  and  the  other  on  a corresponding  declivity  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  river,  are  regularly  built  and  adorned  with  fine  public 
squares ; they  possess  a convenient  port  on  the  river,  from  which  they 
carry  on  a flourishing  commerce  : it  would,  however,  be  much  increas- 
ed by  a diminution  of  the  duties  that  now  (1829)  obstruct  communica- 
tion with  the  Netherlands.” 

b “—which  existed,  it  is  said,  in  the  time  of  Ccesar.” 
c “ The  surface  of  the  territory  is  characterized  by  heights  on  the 
south,  and  by  low  plains  on  the  north.” 

,l  On  its  northern  frontier. — P. 

e During  the  last  thirty  years,  the  temperature  of  the  climate  appears 
to  have  diminished ; this  may  perhaps  be  attributed  to  the  increase  of 
the  forests,  since  within  that  period  the  number  of  trees  has  been  con- 
siderably augmented.  M.  B. 

f “ — to  more  than  200,000  francs” — about  £.8,500. — P. 
e M.  Brayer,  Statistique  du  departement  de  l’Aisne. 
h “ It  exports  about  one-third  of  the  grain  it  produces,  rears  many 
more  sheep  than  most  of  the  other  departments,  and  possesses  a much 
greater  number  of  horses.  The  extent  of  its  roads  and  navigable  waters 
is  greater  than  the  medium  extent  in  France,  and  its  population,  indus- 
try and  intelligence  are  in  proportion  to  these  advantages.”* 

* M.  le  baron  Ch.  Dupin,  Forces  productives  et  cornmerciales  de  la  France,  t. 
II.  p.  87. 

‘ “-which  carries  on  several  kinds  of  manufacture  ; it  furnishes  thread 
for  lace  (fd  a dentelles ,)  chafing-dishes  ( rechauils ,)  nails  and  bar-iron.” 


provided  with  roads  and  navigable  rivers,  and  it  seems  as  if 
the  knowledge  and  industry  of  the  inhabitants  were  propor 
tionate  to  their  means  of  communication.1' 

The  Oise  is  not  larger  than  a rivulet  at  the  burgh  of 
Hirson,  which  carries  on  a trade  in  lace,  cutlery,  nails  and 
iron  bars.1  Nouvion  en  Tierarche1'  contains  three  thousand 
individuals ; glass  forms  the  principal  article  of  commerce, 
and  the  glass-works  are  the  most  remarkable  buildings  in 
the  place.  The  rich  pastures  in  the  district  enable  the  in- 
habitants to  supply  different  parts  of  France  with  excellent 
cheese.1  The  small  town  of  Guise,  formerly  a stronghold, 
was  erected  into  a dutchy™  by  Francis  the  First  in  favour 
of  Claude  of  Lorraine  ;n  it  is  at  present  peopled  by  three 
thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants,  and  the  lower  orders  are 
mostly  employed  in  manufacturing  cotton.0  Vervins,  still 
less  populous,  rises  like  an  amphitheatre  on  the  banks  of  the 
Velpion  ; it  is  mentioned  in  history  on  account  of  the  treaty 
concluded  in  1598,  between  Henry  the  Fourth  and  Philip 
the  Second  of  Spain. 

Many  villages,  burghs  and  small  towns  are  scattered  in 
the  district  of  St.  Quentin ; the  inhabitants  manufacture 
fine  linen,  gauze  and  shawls  of  different  sorts.?  All  these 
branches  of  industry  are  united  in  St.  Quentin, *>  the  chief 
town,  of  which  the  population  has  doubled  within  the  last 
forty  years.  It  is  well  built,  and  a subterranean  canal, 
almost  two  leagues  in  length, r facilitates  the  conveyance  of 
goods.  Its  situation  on  the  banks  of  the  Somme,  at  the 
distance  of  some  leagues  from  its  source,  corresponds  very 
well  with  the  position  of  Augusta  Veromanduorum  on  the 
Samara ,s  in  ancient  times,  the  chief  city  of  the  V eromandui. 
It  was  sacked  by  the  barbarians  at  the  commencement  of 
the  sixth  century,  and  afterwards  rebuilt,  when  it  took  the 
name  which  it  now  bears,  in  honour  of  St.  Quentin,  because 
St.  Eloi  pretended  to  have  found  his  bones  in  the  ruins  of 
the  ancient  city,  three  hundred  and  sixty  years  after  his 
martyrdom. 

The  Oise,  at  no  great  distance  below  its  confluence  with 
the  Serre,  waters  a large  island,  at  the  southern  extremity 
of  which  is  situated  the  small  fortified  town  of  La  Fere  ; it 
contains  two  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants,  and  has  a 
school  of  artillery,  and  an  arsenal.  A subterranean  passage, 
two  hundred  feet  in  length,  supported  by  arcades  sixty  feet 
in  height,  is  said  to  be  the  work  of  Goujon,  it  is  certainly 
constructed  with  great  elegance  and  skill.1  A detachment 

k Thierache  (Vosgien,)  Tierache  (Encyc.  Meth.) — a district  of  Pi- 
cardy, in  which  Nouvion  is  situated.  See  page  1018.  Tierarche  must 
be  a typographical  error  - — P. 

I “ Nouvion  en  Tierarche,  a lourg  of  3000  inhabitants,  possesses  a 
large  glass  manufactory  ( verrerie .)  Its  fertile  pastures  enable  it  to  fur- 
nish a great  quantity  of  cheese  similar  to  that  of  Marolles.*” 

* A village  iu  the  department  of  the  North,  one  league  E.  of  Landrecy.  (Vosgien.) 
— See  note  1 page  1014.— P. 

m “ Duche-pairie.” 

II  Younger  son  of  Rene  II.  duke  of  Lorraine. — P. 

0 “ It  possesses  several  cotton  mills  ( filatures  de  coton.)” 

p “ The  arrondissement  of  St.  Quentin  is  full  of  villages,  boi/rgs  and 
small  towns  ( villcs ,)  in  which  lawn,  gauze  and  cashmere  shawls  are 
manufactured.” 

4 St.  Quintin. 

r “ — and  its  canal,  which  is  carried  under  ground  for  an  extent  of 

nearly  two  leagues” — St.  Quentin  communicates  with  the  Oise  by  the 

canal  of  La  Fere,  11  leagues  in  length,  and  with  the  Scheldt  by  another 
canal,  more  than  32  miles  in  length,  in  which  there  are  two  tunnels, 
one  of  1 191  yards,  and  another  of  3 miles  1026  yards  ; there  is  also  a 
third  canal  along  the  Somme  below  St.  Quentin.  These  three  canals 
are  called  the  canals  of  Picardy.  (Ed.  Encyc.  art.  Navig.  Inland.) — P. 

8 The  ancient  name  of  the  Somme. — P. 

1 “ It  possesses  a subterranean  gallery  160  feet  in  length,  of  which 
the  arcades  are  60  feet  in  height,  and  which  from  its  elegant  construe 
tion  has  been  attributed  to  Jean  Goujon,”  (a  celebrated  sculptor  in  the 
16th  century.) — P, 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVI 


308 


of  the  Prussian  army  appeared  before  La  Fere  on  the  2Gth 
of  February  1814,  and  as  it  was  then  only  defended  by  four 
hundred  men,  it  was  compelled  to  surrender ; the  enemy 
took  possession  of  whatever  there  was  in  the  arsenal  and  in 
the  library.* *  The  Prussians  having  been  informed  that  it 
was  well  supplied  with  provisions, b attempted  to  take  it  a 
second  time  in  1815.  The  garrison  was  by  no  means 
strong,  but  the  troops,  the  national  guard  and  even  the 
women  displayed  great  bravery  and  determination ; they 
suffered  the  severest  privations  during  a blockade  that  lasted 
nearly  five  months,  when  at  last  the  enemy  thought  it  pru- 
dent to  retire.  The  Prussians  asked  permission  to  pass 
through  the  town,  a condition  which  the  citizens  refused ; 
the  general  then  raised  the  blockade,  and  sent  a letter  to  the 
authorities,  congratulating  them  on  the  courage  of  the  inhab- 
itants and  the  garrison.  The  burgh  of  St.  Gobainc  in  the 
same  district/  is  known  in  France  for  its  mirrors  and  look- 
ing glasses,  some  of  the  former  are  ten  feet  in  height  by  five 
in  breadth  ;e  three  millions  of  boitles  are  made  every  year 
in  the  neighbouring  burgh  of  Folembray/ 

Laon,  a strong  and  well  built  town  about  five  leagues  to 
the  south-east  of  La  Fere,  crowns  a detached  hill  in  the 
middle  of  a large  plain.  It  owes  its  origin  to  a Gallic  for- 
tress, which  in  the  filth  century  bore  the  name  of  Laudu- 
num ;K  it  was  enlarged  by  Clovis,'1  and  it  became  a royal 
residence  under  the  kings  of  the  second  race ; indeed 
Lothaire  and  Louis  the  Fifth  were  born  in  the  town.  The 
most  remarkable  buildings  are  the  old  cathedral,1  a fine 
Gothic  edifice,  built  in  the  year  1115,  and  the  tower  of 
Lewis  d'Outre-Mer,  which  the  Vandals  of  the  revolution 
attempted  in  vain  to  destroy  in  the  year  1794.k  The  burgh 
of  Notre-Dame  de  Liesse,1  about  three  leagues  to  the  north- 
east of  Laon,  was  built  in  the  time  of  the  crusades  ; it  was 
formerly  celebrated  for  a miraculous  image  of  the  Virgin, 
which,  according  to  the  legends,  was  brought  from  Cairo  in 
a single  night  by  the  daughter  of  an  Egyptian  sultan. 

Soissons,  the  capital  of  a district, m and  the  see  of  a bish- 

a “ Library  of  the  school  of  artillery.” 

b “ — that  its  military  establishments  had  been  repaired  and  provi- 
sioned— ” c St.  Gobin. 

A ‘‘—in  the  vicinity  of  the  town”  (La  Fere) — 1 miles  S.  of  La 
Fere.— P. 

e “ — is  noted  for  its  glass  works,  in  which  mirrors  are  cast,  ten  feet 
in  height  and  five  in  breadth.” — The  glass  manufactory  at  St.  Gobin 
was  originally  established  in  Paris,  under  the  direction  of  a company 
patented  by  Colbert  1C65.  It  was  the  first  establishment  in  France  in 
which  mirrors  were  manufactured.  It  was  afterwards  removed  for  the 
advantage  of  fuel  to  the  old  castle  of  St.  Gobin,  situated  near  the  Oise, 
and  in  the  vicinity  of  a large  forest. — P. 

f “ In  the  neighbouring  village  of  Folembray,  there  is  an  establish- 
ment ( verrerie ,)  in  which  150,000  bell-glasses  and  3,000,000  bottles  are 
annually  manufactured.” 

e Laudunum,  Lugdunum  Clavatum.  (Moreri.) — Laodunum,  Lodunum. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

h “ Clovis  built  there  a few  houses  ( quelqucs  maisons.)” — Laon  was 
at  first  only  a castle  built  on  the  summit  of  a hill,  from  which  circum- 
stance its  original  name  (Laudunum.*)  was  derived.  It  is  said  to  have 
been  made  a town  by  Clovis,  in  whose  reign  an  episcopal  church  (bish- 
opric) was  founded  there  by  St.  Remi.  (Moreri.) — P. 

* Dun  (Celtic,)  a hill  or  mountain,  or  a fortress  on  a height. — P. 

* “ The  former  cathedral  (/’ anciennc  eathidrale.)" — The  bishopric  of 
Laon  was  suppressed  during  the  revolution. — P. 

k “ — and  the  tower  of  Louis  the  Stranger,’1  in  the  square  of  La 
Hure  ( Place  de  la  llure,)  which  they  attempted  in  vain  to  demolish 
in  1794.” 

* Louis  IV.  (d’Outre-Mer  orihe  Transmarine,  so  called  from  his  exile  in  England 
before  his  accession  to  the  throne.) — 1‘. 

1 “ The  bourg  of  Notre-Dame  de  Liens,  which  has  long  bore  the 
name  of  Notre-Dame  de  Liesse” — Liesse  or  Notre-Dame  de  Liesse 
(Nostra  DomilUl  de  Leetitia.)  The  name  was  written  Liens  in  the 
time  of  Charles  VI.,  and  Liance  or  Lienee  in  the  old  French 
geographers.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P m “ Arrondissement.” 


opric,  is  a neat  and  well  built  town,  and  claims  a very 
ancient  origin ; it  was  called  Noviodumm " before  the  mu- 
nificence of  Augustus  induced  the  inhabitants  to  change  the 
name  to  that  of  Augus-ta  Suessionum.  It  is  situated  in  a fruit- 
ful valley  watered  by  the  Aisne  ; it  had  its  kings  before  the 
conquest  of  Gaul,  and  even  after  the  invasion  of  the  Franks.0 
It  was  in  its  neighbourhood  that  the  feeble  remains  of  the 
Roman  power  were  destroyed  by  Clovis.  The  present 
fortifications  were  erected  by  the  duke  of  Mayenne,  who 
made  it  his  principal  depot  of  arms  and  ammunition.!1  The 
temporary  works  of  defence  that  were  raised  in  1815, 
enabled  it  to  offer  a long  resistance  to  the  allied  armies. 

The  small  town  of  La  Ferte-Milon'i  near  the  forest  of 
Villers-Cotterets,  is  built  like  an  amphitheatre  on  the  de- 
clivity of  a hill ; it  is  watered  by  the  Ourcq,  encompassed 
with  walls,  and  commanded  by  die  ruins  of  a strong  castle/ 
It  claims  the  honour  of  having  given  birth  to  Racine  ;s  the 
bust  of  the  poet  decorates  the  public  library,  which  contains 
seventeen  thousand  volumes,  but  his  statue  ought  to  be 
erected  in  the  court  of  the  town-house/  As  there  are  three 
churches,  an  hospital  and  different  public  institutions,  it 
might  be  supposed  that  the  town  was  a place  of  some  impor- 
tance, the  population,  however,  does  not  exceed  two  thou- 
sand three  hundred,  individuals.11  Chateau-Thierry*  is 
situated  on  the  Marne ; a public  walk  extends  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river,  and  the  town  is  separated  by  a modern 
bridge  from  one  of  the  suburbs.  The  new  buildings  con- 
trast well  with  the  ruins  of  the  castle,  from  which  the  town 
derives  its  name/  The  castle  itself  was  built  by  Charles 
Martel  in  the  year  720,  as  a residence  for  the  young  king 
Thierry  the  Fourth/  It  was  inhabited  by  that  prince,  by 
the  counts  of  Vermandois,  and  by  those  of  Champagne,  by 
Henry  the  Second,  by  the  duke  of  Alen^on,  who  died  in  it, 
by  Louis  the  Thirteenth,  and  by  the  dukes  of  Bouillon; 
houses  were  gradually  built  round  it,  and  in  one  of  them 
still  inhabited,  the  celebrated  Lafontaine  was  born.** 

The  department  of  the  Seine  and  Marne  is  traversed  on 


n It  was  the  Noriodunum  of  Ciesar  (De  Bell.  Gall.  11.  §13.) — P. 

0 Soissons  was  the  capital  of  some  of  the  French  kings  of  the  first 
race,  who  were  on  that  account  called  kings  of  Soissons.  (EnC 
Meth.)— P. 

p “ It  owes  its  present  walls  (enceinte)  to  the  duke  of  Mayenne,* 
who  made  it  one  of  his  principal  strong  holds  (places  tl’urmes.)” 

* Chief  of  the  League,  after  the  death  of  Henry  III. — P. 

<1  Lat.  Firmitas  Milonis. — There  are  fifteen  French  towns,  mention- 
ed in  Vosgien,  that  bear  the  name  of  Ferte,  with  a surname  attached. — 
Ferte  (Lat.  Firmitas)  signifies  a strong  place,  generally  built  on  a rock, 
and  intended  as  a place  of  refuge  from  the  incursions  of  enemies.  (Enc. 
Meth.)— P. 

r “ — it  contains  the  ruins  of  a strong  castle.” — It  possesses  a very 
fine  castle  (chdtcau,)  called  the  great  house  (la  grande  maison,)  which 
belongs  to  the  bishops  of  Soissons.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

s Racine  was  born  at  La  Ferte-Milon,  Dec.  21,  1C39. — P. 

* “ — in  the  public  square  fronting  the  town-house  (place  de  Vhdtcl- 
de-rille .)” 

u “ Its  three  churches  and  its  hospital  are  well  kept  and  of  elegant 
architecture.  From  this  circumstance  it  might  be  concluded  that  the 
town  was  a place  of  some  importance  ; its  population,  however,  scarcely 
exceeds  2000  souls  : we  can  hardly  need  therefore  a more  striking  proof 
of  the  spirit  and  intelligence  of  its  inhabitants.” 

x Lat.  Castrum  Theodorici. 

y “ Its  promenade  borders  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  an  elegant 
bridge  separates  it  from  one  of  its  suburbs.  It  is  a well  built  town,  and 
rises  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre.  It  presents  a fine  appearance 
when  seen  from  the  left  bank  of  the  Marne,  and  contrasts  strongly  with 
the  ruins  of  the  castle  from  which  it  derives  its  name.” 

2 Thierry  II.  of  the  kings  of  Neustria  (Soissons  or  Paris,)  and  IV'. 
of  the  Merovingian  dynasty. — There  were  several  branches  of  the  Me 
rovingian  family  ; the  three  principal  were  those  of  Neustria,  Orleans 
and  Austrasia. — P. 

aa  <-In  consequence  of  this  residence,  the  town  of  Chateau-Thierry  rose 
at  the  foot  of  the  castle.  It  was  the  birthplace  of  Lafontaine,  the  cel 
ebrated  fabulist,  and  the  house  in  which  he  was  born  still  remains.” 


book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 

the  south  by  the  first  of  those  rivers,  and  on  the  north  by 
the  second.  La  Ferte  sous  Jouare,®  a small  town  on  the 
Marne,  is  situated  in  a pleasant  and  fruitful  valley  ; the 
cleanliness  which  prevails,  the  elegant  simplicity  of  the 
houses,  and  the  activity  of  the  port  on  the  Marne,  indicate 
an  industrious  city.  The  population  amounts  to  about  four 
thousand  souls ; there  are  two  manufactories  of  carding 
combs,  in  which  forty  thousand  kilogrammes  of  leather  and 
iron  are  used  every  year ; it  exports  a great  quantity  of 
mill-stones  into  different  countries,  and  carries  on  a consid- 
erable trade  in  wood  and  charcoal  for  the  supply  of  the 
capital. b The  neat  burgh  of  Dammartin  to  the  north  of  the 
Marne,  rises  on  a detached  hill,  in  the  form  of  an  amphithe- 
atre, and  commands  a view  which  extends  to  a distance  of 
more  than  fifteen  leagues  ; a cattle  fair  of  some  consequence 
is  held  every  year  in  the  month  of  December.0  Juilly,  a 
place  of  some  celebrity  on  account  of  a college, d is  situated 
near  the  burgh  of  Chelles/  where  Chilperic  was  assassinat- 
ed in  584  ; part  of  a rich  abbey  still  remains,  it  was  founded 
in  the  seventh  century  by  Batilda,  the  wife  of  Clovis  the 
Second/ 

Meaux  on  the  banks  of  the  Marnes  is  the  chief  town  in  a 
subprefecture,  and  the  see  of  a bishopric.  It  was  the  an- 
cient city  of  Jatinum,  the  capital  of  the  Meldi ; hence  it 
was  called  Meldce  after  the  Roman  conquest/  It  was  a 
place  of  some  importance  under  the  kings  of  the  first  race ; 
at  a later  period  the  inhabitants  were  among  the  first  in 
France,  who  embraced  the  principles  of  the  reformation, 
and  no  other  town  suffered  more  during  the  religious  wars 
in  the  sixteenth  century/  The  Marne  divides  it  into  two 
unequal  parts,  and  the  Ourcq  canal  (lows  below  the  remains 
of  walls  that  were  destroyed  in  the  time  of  the  League/ 
The  streets  are  regular,  the  houses  are  well  built,  and  within 
the  cathedral  are  deposited  the  ashes  of  the  celebrated 
Bossuet.  The  town  carries  on  a great  trade  with  Paris  in 
oats  and  corn  ; it  sends  besides  into  different  parts  of  France, 
more  than  3.200,000  kilogrammes'  of  cheese,  which  still 
bears  the  name  of  the  ancient  province.1" 

Many  places  are  supplied  with  quills  from  Brie-Comte- 

OF  FRANCE.  309 

Robert;  the  church  is  elegantly  built,  the  Gothic  arches  in 
the  interior  are  remarkable  lor  their  lightness,  and  the  tower 
rises  to  a considerable  height;  ruins  covered  with  ivy  indi- 
cate the  site  of  an  ancient  castle,  that  belonged  to  the  counts 
ol  Brie."  Melun,  the  birthplace  of  James  Amyot,°  and  the 
ancient  city  of  Mclodunum,  is  divided  into  three  parts!1  by  the 
Seine ; it  stands  at  the  base  of  a hill,  and  neat  houses  and 
clean  streets  add  perhaps  to  the  effect  of  a picturesque  situa- 
tion ; the  ruins  of  an  old  castle  rise  on  the  adjoining  hill,  it 
was  inhabited  by  queen  Blanche  and  several  kings  of 
France.'!  Melun  is  the  capital  of  the  department,  and  a 
road  leads  to  Fontainebleau,  from  which  it  is  distant  about 
four  leagues  ; the  latter  town  is  regularly  built  and  surround- 
ed by  a large  forest.  The  neighbouring  country  is  covered 
with  the  richest  verdure,  lofty  oaks  shade  the  walks  and 
alleys,  inequalities  in  the  soil,  and  masses  of  sandstone  vary 
the  scenery.  The  plan  of  the  royal  castle  was  committed  to 
Primatice  by  Francis  the  First,  it  was  afterwards  embellish- 
ed by  five  kings.  Henry  the  Third  was  born  in  the  same 
edifice,  and  Pius  the  Seventh  resided  in  it  eighteen  months; 
it  was  there  that  the  crime  which  has  been  attributed  to 
Christina  of  Sweden  was  committed,  it  was  there  that  Na- 
poleon abdicated.  The  town  consisted  originally  of  the 
houses  which  were  grouped  round  a castle  built  by  Lewis 
the  Young  in  11G9.  It  has  been  affirmed  that  it  was  first 
called  Fontaine-Belle-Eau , but  the  name  of  Foils  Bliaudi 
which  occurs  in  several  deeds,  serves  to  confirm  the  com- 
mon opinion  concerning  the  discovery  of  a spring.  A dog 
named  Bliaud,  belonging  to  Lewis  the  Seventh,  was  missed 
in  the  chase,  and  after  a long  search  the  king  found  it 
quenching  his  thirst  at  a stream  until  then  unknown;  the 
place  was  afterwards  chosen  as  the  site  of  a hunting  resi- 
dence. Dancourt  and  Poinsinet  are  perhaps  the  most  dis- 
tinguished literary  men  that  the  town  has  produced/ 

Nemours  is  situated  at  the  extremity  of  the  same  forest 
below  the  old  castle  of  Nemus ; the  groves,  by  which  they 
were  formerly  surrounded,  account  for  the  names  of  the  cas- 
tle and  the  town.  Nemours  was  erected  into  a titular  dutchy 
in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  the  duke  who  fell  at  the  hat- 

a La  Ferte-Aucol  ( Firmitas  Auculplii)  [-Aucout,  Enc.  Meth.]  or  La 
Ferte  sous  Jouarre.  (Vosgien.) — The  latter  name  is  derived  from  its 
situation  below  the  bourg  of  Jouare,  formerly  noted  for  its  magnificent 
abbey  of  Benedictines. — P. 

b “ It  derives  its  prosperity  from  two  card*  manufactories,  in  which 
40,000  kilogrammes  of  leather  and  iron  are  consumed  annually ; from 
its  large  buhrstonet  quarries,  in  which  mill-stones  are  made  to  such  an 
extent  that  50,000  kilogrammes  of  iron  arc  employed  in  hooping  them, 
and  from  which  they  are  exported  in  great  quantities  to  foreign  coun- 
tries ; and  also  from  a considerable  trade  in  wood  and  charcoal  for  the 
supply  of  Paris.” 

*“  Cardes” — cards  for  wool,  cotton,  Sec. 
f“  Pierres  meulieres.” 

c “ It  manufactures  lace,  and  a cattle  fair  of  considerable  importance 
is  held  there  every  year  in  the  beginning  of  December.” 

d Originally  an  abbey,  but  erected  into  a college  by  the  Congrega- 
tion of  the  Oratory,  1630. — P. 

e “After  passing  through  Juilly  * — we  arrive  at  the  bourg  of  Chelles” 
— Dammartin  is  on  the  northern  frontier  of  the  department,  5 leagues 
N.  W.  of  Meaux,  and  Chelles  near  the  Marne,  4 leagues  E.  of  Paris, 
and  consequently  S.  W.  of  Meaux.  Juilly  is  3 leagues  N.  W.  of 
Meaux,  and  of  course  on  the  route  from  Dammartin  to  Chelles. — P. 

* Jnilli,  or  Jully.  (Enc.  Meth.) — Jully.  (Moreri.) 

f “ The  building  is  all  that  remains  of  the  rich  abbey,  founded  in 
the  seventh  century  by  Batilda,  wife  of  Clovis  II.” — An  abbey  of  Ben- 
edictine nuns,  founded  662 — suppressed  during  the  revolution.  The 
original  does  not  say  that  a part  of  the  abbey  remains,  but  that  nothing 
is  left  of  the  institution  but  its  buildings. — P. 

s “Ascending  the  Marne  [from  Chelles]  we  arrive  at  Meaux  — Meaux 
is  12  leagues  N.  E.  and  Chelles  4 leagues  E.  of  Paris.  (Vosgien) — P. 

11  “ — whence  it  afterwards  took  the  name  of  Mel  dec.” 

1 “ It  was  one  of  those  towns  which  most  readily  embraced  the 
reformation,*  and  also  one  of  those  which  suffered  most  from  the  re- 

ligious  wars  in  the  sixteenth  century.” 

* It  was  the  first  town  in  France,  in  which  the  Protestants  began  to  preach  their 
doctrines.  (Moreri.) — P. 

k “ The  canal  of  the  Ourcq*  flows  at  the  foot  of  its  ruined  walls, 
which  date  Ironi  the  period  of  those  religious  troubles.” 

* A canal  drawn  from  the.  river  Ourcq,  fur  the  purpose  of  supplying  Paris  with 
water. — P. 

1 The  kilogramme  is  equal  to  2 lbs.  3 oz.  5 dr.  Avoirdupois.  Tr. 

m “ It  is  a well  built  town,  and  within  its  cathedral,  a building  of 
elegant  architecture,*  the  ashes  of  Bossuet  are  deposited.  It  is  the 
centre  of  an  extensive  trade  in  oats  and  corn,  for  the  supply  of  Paris  ; it 
maufactures  cotton  stuff’s,  and  exports  annually  3,200,001)  kilogrammes 
of  cheese,  which  still  retains  the  name  of  its  ancient  province. ”t 

*The  choir  of  the  cathedral  is  considered  a master-piece.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

f Meaux  was  the  capital  of  Upper  Biie  ( Haute  Brie.)  (Vosgien.)  See  Note  1 p. 
974  — The  cheese  made  in  Brie  [fromages  de  Brie , Savary]  is  esteemed  the  best  in 
France.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

u “ Brie-Comte-Robert,*  a small  town  of  3000  souls,  in  which  writ- 
ing quills  are  prepared,  contains  an  elegantly  built  church — and  some 
remains  of  the  ancient  castle  of  the  counts  of  Brie.” 

*Now  called  Brie  sur  Yeres.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

0 The  translator  of  Plutarch. — P. 

p « — into  several  parts” — Melun,  like  Paris,  is  divided  into  three 
parts  by  the  Seine — one  part  on  the  north  in  Brie,  another  on  an  island 
in  the  river,  and  a third  on  the  south  in  Gatinois.  (Moreri.) — P. 

4 “ Its  position  at  the  foot  of  a hill,  its  neat  houses,  and  its  straight 
and  regular  streets,  give  it  an  agreeable  aspect.  It  still  preserves  the 
ruins  of  a castle,  which  Queen  Blanche  and  several  of  the  kings  of 
France  inhabited.” 

r “At  the  distance  of  four  leagues  to  the  south  of  Melun,  the  capital 
of  the  department,  Fontainebleau,  regularly  built  in  the  midst  of  an  ex- 
tensive forest,  which  has  become  celebrated  from  the  richness  of  its 
vegetation,  its  old  oaks,  its  broad  and  beautiful  alleys,  its  uneven  sur 

[BOOK  CXLVI. 


310 


EUROPE. 


tie  of  Cerignole,  was  the  last  descendant  of  the  family  of  I 
\nnagnac.a  The  dutchy  has  been  perpetuated  in  the  house  j 
of  Orleans  since  the  time  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth.  The 
population  amounts  to  three  thousand  seven  hundred  inhabi- 
tants. An  old  castle  rises  above  a modern  bridge  on  the 
Loing,  hut  the  town  is  also  watered  by  a canal,  and  it  car- 
ries on  a considerable  trade  in  proportion  to  its  size.b  The 
same  feeder  of  the  Seine,  and  the  same  canal  water  the 
ancient  and  pleasant  town  of  Moret ; but  the  Yonne  enters 
the  Seine  about  two  leagues  above  it  at  Montereau-Font- 
Yonnc, — the  Condate  of  the  Gauls,  so  called  from  its 
situation  at  the  confluence  of  two  rivers ; the  name  of 
Monasteriolum,  which  it  obtained  after  the  introduction  of 
Christianity  into  the  country,  lias  been  gradually  corrupted 
into  Montereau.®  The  bridge  in  the  town  serves  to  recall 
two  important  events : Charles  the  Seventh,  then  dauphin, 
and  John  Sans  Peur,  duke  of  Burgundy,  having  agreed  to 
meet  there  in  the  year  1419,  the  duke  was  murdered  by 
assassins,  who  were  suborned  by  Charles : it  was  near  the 
same  bridge  that  the  allied  armies  were  defeated  by  the 
French  in  I814.d  The  town  possesses  a considerable  trade 
in  porcelain ; the  population  does  not  exceed  four  thousand 
inhabitants.® 

A road  from  the  small  town  of  Bray  sur  Seine  extends 

along  the  valley  watered  by  the  Vouzie,  and  leads  to  Pro- 

vins,  which  is  called  Castrum  Provinurrd  in  the  chronicles 

of  the  eighth  century ; it  is  not,  however,  improbable  that  it 

_ — — — ; 

face,  covered  by  a sandy  soil,  here  and  there  interspersed  with  hillocks 

formed  by  broken  blocks  of  sandstone,  and  in  short  from  the  beauty 
of  its  scenery,  is  remarkable  for  its  royal  palace  ( chateau  royal,)  built 
under  the  direction  of  Primaticcio  by  Francis  I.,  and  which  live  kings 
have  since  embellished.  This  edifice  has  been  the  scene  of  many  in- 
teresting events,  from  the  birth  of  Henry  III.  to  the  eighteen  months’ 
residence  of  Pius  VII.,  and  from  the  act  of  cruelty  committed  there  by 
Christina  of  Sweden,* *  to  the  abdication  of  Napoleon.  The  town  owes 
its  origin  to  the  houses  that  were  grouped  round  a castle  built  by  Louis 
the  Young  in  11(59.  Its  original  name  is  said  to  have  been  Fontaine- 
Belle-Eau  ;t  but  that  of  Funs  Bliuudi,  which  it  bears  in  the  documents 
of  the  period,  serves  to  justify  the  opinion,  that  the  discovery  of  a 
spring  by  one  of  the  dogs  of  Louis  VII.,  called  Bliaud,  who  was  found 
quenching  his  thirst  in  it,  led  that  prince  to  select  the  place  as  the  site 
of  a hunting  residence.  Before  this  castle  was  erected,  the  surrounding 
forest  bore  the  name  of  the  forest  of  Bievre.  Philip  the  Fair  may  be 
mentioned  among  the  princes,  and  Dancourt  and  Poinsinet  + among 
the  literary  men,  who  were  born  in  Fontainebleau.” 

*The  murder  of  iMonaldeschi,  her  master  of  horse,  by  iier  orders,  and  almost  in 
her  immediate  presence  — V. 

t I.at.  Funs  Bcllaqujus — said  to  be  so  named  from  the  beauty  of  a fountain  in  the 
palace  gardens. — P. 

J F.  C.  Dancourt,  the  dramatist,  born  1661 — A.  A.  II.  Poinsinet,  another  dramatic 
author,  born  1735. — P. 

a “ The  pleasant  town  of  Nemours  rises  on  the  skirts  of  the  forest 
of  Fontainebleau,  at  the  foot  of  a castle  called  JYemus,  from  its  situa- 
tion in  the  midst  of  woods.  The  name  of  the  town  is  derived  from 
that  of  the  castle.*  Its  lords  first  took  the  title  of  chevaliers,  but  in 
the  14th  century  it  was  erected  into  a dutchy  ( duchi-pairie .)  The 
duke  of  Nemours  who  fell  in  the  battle  of  Cerignola,f  was  the  last  de- 
scendant of  the  house  of  Armagnac.t” 

* Its  Latin  name  is  Jfemus.  It  was  formerly  called  JYcmox  and  JTemoux , the  last 
of  which  has  been  changed  into  Nemours.  (Enc.  Metli.) — 1‘. 

f A town  in  Apulia,  where  the  French  were  defeated  in  1503. — P. 

J 'l'he  seignory  of  Nemours  was  purchased  of  its  original  feudal  lords,  (who  mere- 
ly Imre  the  title  of  chevaliers,)  by  Ft.  Louis  and  Philip  the  Hardy,  in  the  13th  cen- 
tury. It  was  erected  into  a dutchy  by  Charles  VI.  in  1 104,  in  favour  of  ( harles  HI. 
king  of  Navarre  *,  but  reverted  to  tite  crown  in  1425.  Louis  XI.  ceded  it,  in  1461,  to 
James  d’Armagnac,  who  left  two  sons,  John  and  Louis,  both  of  whom  died  without 
issue  ; the  latter  fell  in  the  battle  of  Cerignola,  15J3.  As  the  dutchy  was  descendi- 
ble only  in  the  male  line,  it  again  reverted  to  the  crown  on  the  death  of  Louis  d’Ar- 
magnac, and  in  1517  was  granted  by  Louis  XII.  [by  a new  erection.  Enc.  Metli  ] 
to  his  nephew,  Gaston  de  Foix,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Ravenna,  1512. 
Francis  1 gave  it  in  1515  to  Julian  de  Medicis,  and  again  in  1524,  to  lus  uncle,  Phil- 
ip of  Savoy,  in  whose  family  it  continued  till  iis  termination  in  1659,  on  the  death 
of  Henry  of  Savoy,  the  last  of  the  in  de  lineage.  The  dun  hy  was  finally  granted 
by  Louis  XIV.,  to  his  brother,  Philip  duke  of  Orleans,  in  whose  family  it  still  con- 
tinues, whence  the  title  of  the  second  son  of  the  present  king  of  the  French.  (AIo- 
reri.  Enc.  Metli  ) — P. 

b “ The  streets  in  Nemours  arc  broad  and  straight ; it  possesses  a 
large  library  in  proportion  to  its  population,  an  old  castle,  and  a fine 
bridge  over  the  Loing ; it  is  also  traversed  by  a canal,*  and  carries  on 
a considerable  commerce.” 


existed  in  the  time  of  the  Romans.^  It  is  encompassed  with 
old  walls,  and  with  ramparts  ;h  the  upper  town  is  built  on  a 
hill,  and  the  remains  of  a fort  that  the  inhabitants  attribute 
to  the  Romans,  rise  on  the  summit  several  monuments  of 
the  middle  ages  may  be  observed  in  different  directions.  It 
has  of  late  years  become  a place  of  resort  on  account  of  a 
ferruginous  spring.1  The  counts  of  Champagne  used  for- 
merly to  reside  at  Provins ; the  number  of  its  inhabitants, 
inconsiderable  in  proportion  to  its  extent,  renders  it  probable 
that  it  w7as  then  more  important  than  at  present.  Rozoyk 
on  the  small  river  Yeres1'  is  surrounded  with  ramparts  shaded 
by  lofty  trees,  and  is  adorned  by  a fine  Gothic  church,  but 
it  is  chiefly  worthy  of  notice  on  account  of  the  famous  paper 
manufactory  at  Courtalin,  an  adjoining  hamlet ; the  waters 
that  supply  the  works  rise  to  the  height  of  a hundred  and 
sixty  feet.1  Corn  and  leather  are  the  principal  articles  of 
trade  at  Coulommiers,  the  small  capital  of  a subprefecture.m 

Before  we  leajve  the  department  of  the  Seine  and  Marne, 
it  may  be  remarked  that  it  abounds  in  com"  and  wine,  that 
more  sheep  are  reared  in  it  than  in  most  other  departments, 
and  that  it  derives  great  advantages  from  numerous  means 
of  communication. 

The  department  of  the  Oise  is  more  populous,  and  almost 
as  productive  in  corn,  but  it  does  not  yield  more  than  a fifth 
part  of  the  wine  produced  by  the  former  department ; the 
inhabitants  rear  a great  many  sheep  ;°  like  all  the  depart- 
ments that  surround  Paris,  it  is  intersected  by  numerous 

*Tlie  canal  of  the  Loing,  communicating  with  the  canals  of  Briare  and  Orleans, 
below  Montargis,  and  extending  to  the  Seine  at  Marnort,  below  Moret. — P. 

c “ The  Loing,  before  it  enters  the  Seine,  waters  the  ancient  and 
agreeable  town  of  Moret,*  which  is  traversed  by  the  canal  that  passes 
through  Nemours.  T wo  leagues  above  it,  the  Yonne  falls  into  the 
Seine,  at  Montereau-Faut-Yonne.t  The  Gauls  gave  the  latter  town 
the  name  of  Condate,  from  its  situation  at  the  confluence  of  those  two 
streams;  but  after  the  establishment  of  Christianity,  it  took  that  of 
Monasteriolum,  whence  the  origin  of  its  present  name.” 

* Moret  or  Muret.  (Moreri.) 

f Montereau-Faut’Yonne.  (Vosgien.)  . 

“ Charles  VII.,  then  dauphin,  had  an  interview  there,  in  1419, 
with  John  the  Fearless  ( Jean-Sans-Peur ,)  duke  of  Burgundy,  when  the 
latter  was  assassinated  by  a blow  from  an  axe  :*  the  same  bridge,  which 
has  been  rebuilt  since  1F14,  was  witness  to  a complete  victory  obtained 
by  the  French  over  the  allies.!” 

*Tlie  duke  was  assassinated  by  the  followers  of  the  dauphin,  but  it  is  uncertain 
whether  his  murder  was  premeditated,  or  whether  it  only  arose  fiom  the  passion  of 
the  moment.  See  Rankin’s  Hist,  of  France,  Vol.  V.  p.  51.— P. 

t Bonaparte  carried  the  bridge  of  Montereau  (Feb.  1814,)  after  four  desperate  at- 
tacks, in  which  he  lost  a great  number  ofsoldieis. — P. 

' “ Montereau  is  favourably  situated  for  commerce,  and  possesses 
important  manufactories  of  pottery  (faience,  delft.)  Its  population 
amounts  to  4000  souls.” — It  manufactures  white  porcelain  and  delft. 
(Vosgien.) — P. 

f Pruvinum,  Provinvm  or  Provignnm  castrum,  in  the  Latin  of  the 
middle  ages.  (Enc.  Metli.) — P. 

g “ It  existed,  however,  in  the  time  of  the  Romans at  least  the 

remains  of  an  ancient  fortress  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  on  which  the 
upper  town  is  built,  have  been  attributed  to  that  people.” 

(■  “ Boulevards.” 

■ “ It  is  much  resorted  to  in  the  summer  season  on  account  of  a 
ferruginous  spring.”  k Rosoy — Hyeres.  (Vosgien.) 

1 “ At  the  hamlet  of  Courtalin,  in  the  neighbourhood,  there  is  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  paper-mills  in  France.  It  is  supplied  with  water 
by  an  artesian  well,*  in  which  the  water  rises  spontaneously  to  the 
height  of  ICO  feet.  ’ 

* A well  formed  by  deep  boring  in  districts  where  surface  strata,  suited  for 
the  retention  and  transmission  of  water,  have  sunk  to  a considerable  depth.  The 
water  is  there  disposed  to  rise  to  the  height  occupied  by  the  same  strata  where  at  the 
surface,  and  consequently  ascends  spontaneously,  when  the  superincumbent  strata 
are  perforated. — P. 

m “ Coulommiers,  a small  town  and  the  capital  of  a subprefecture, 
carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  corn,  and  possesses  important  tan- 
neries.” 

“ “ Wheat  ( froment .)” 

0 “ It  possesses  a greater  number  of  sheep  than  are  necessary  for  it* 
consumption.” 


book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 

roads.  Crepy  or  Crespya  is  finely  situated  in  a valley  wa- 
tered by  two  streams,  which  flow  through  the  town  ;b  it  was 
formerly  more  flourishing  than  at  present,  and  was  defended 
by  a castle  now  in  ruins.  The  old  walls  are  flanked  with 
bastions,  the  number  of  inhabitants  does  not  amount  to  more 
than  two  thousand. c An  excellent  road  communicates  with 
Senlis,  which  the  Romans  called  Augustomagus , and  where 
the  remains  of  the  fortifications  that  they  raised,  are  still  ap- 
parent. It  obtained  afterwards  the  name  of  Silrancctes, 
probably  on  account  of  the  forests  with  which  it  was  sur- 
rounded.'1 It  rises  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  the  base  of 
which  is  watered  by  the  Nonette.e  Most  of  the  streets 
are  narrow  and  crooked  ; the  cathedral  is  remarkable  for  the 
lightness  of  its  Gothic  architecture,  and  the  height  of  its 
steeple.  The  water  in  the  small  river  is  supposed  to  pos- 
sess a peculiar  quality,  which  renders  it  better  adapted  than 
any  other  for  washing  wool ; the  fact  may  be  doubtful,  but 
it  must  be  admitted  that  many  persons  are  employed  in  that 
branch  of  industry.  There  are  not  fewer  than  two  hundred 
and  fifty  workmen  in  the  cotton  manufactories ; the  print- 
fields  furnish  occupation  to  more  than  two  hundred,  and  the 
making  of  flour  and  other  substances  from  potatoes  to  a 
hundred  and  fifty.  The  forests  of  Hallate,  Ermonville, 
Pontarme  and  Chantilly  are  situated  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  the  numerous  streams  in  the  large  park  of  Mortefon- 
taine  add  to  the  beauty  of  the  country.  Ermonville  still 
recalls  the  philosopher  of  Geneva,  and  associations  connected 
with  the  great  Conde  give  additional  interest  to  Chantilly/ 
The  magnificent  castle,  the  residence  of  the  hero,  was  de- 
stroyed during  the  revolution ; while  they  were  engaged  in 
demolishing  the  chapel,  they  found  the  remains  of  Coligny, 
whose  body  had  been  secretly  transported  from  the  gibbet 
of  Montfaucon  to  the  domain  of  Chantilly,  which  then  be- 
longed to  the  house  of  Montmorency.®  The  small  castle 
and  the  principal  stables  remain  entire,  the  latter  are  the 
finest  buildings  of  the  kind  in  France.  The  burgh  might 

OF  FRANCE.  3n 

be  more  correctly  denominated  a town,  it  carries  on  a trade 
in  porcelain,  blond  and  lace.h  Creil  is  situated  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Oise  ; it  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  porce- 
lain works,  in  which  more  than  nine  hundred  persons  are 
employed.1  Montatairek  is  situated  in  a fruitful  valley,  and 
watered  by  the  Therain,  it  supplies  many  places  with  iron 
and  the  machinery  in  the  works  is  moved  by  the  river.  I. 
was  an  ancient  village,  the  church  rises  on  an  eminence, 
Peter  the  Hermit  preached  in  it,  and  maintained  the  ne- 
cessity of  the  first  crusade.1  The  country  round  Creilm  is 
remarkable  for  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants ; in  a space 
not  greater  than  four  leagues  in  length  by  two  in  breadth, 
there  are  not  less  than  a hundred  and  seventy-nine  manu- 
factories and  eight  thousand  workmen  ; the  annual  proceeds 
of  their  labour  represent  a value  equivalent  to  10,000,000 
of  francs.  On  the  supposition  that  industry  was  as  much 
difliised  over  the  rest  of  France,  the  number  of  workmen 
in  the  kingdom  would  amount  to  24,000,000,  while  the 
products  of  their  labour  would  indicate  a value  equal  to  near- 
ly 48,000,000,000  francs,  or  £.2,000,000,000.  Pont  St. 
Maxence’1  on  the  Oise  is  the  only  other  town  of  any  conse- 
quence in  the  district0  of  Senlis ; the  bridge  over  the  river 
was  constructed  by  Peyronnet ; it  is  supported  by  detached 
columns,  and  adorned  on  either  side  of  the  two  extremities 
by  obelisks. 

It  is  affirmed  that  Compiegne  was  a town  in  the  time  of 
the  Romans,  that  they  called  it  Compendium , because  it 
contained  ammunition  or  military  stores.p  A Roman  way, 
incorrectly  denominated  the  Chaussee  de  Brunchault ,q  trav- 
erses the  forest  in  the  neighbourhood, r and  seems  to  attest 
the  ancient  origin  of  the  town.  But  Compiegne  did  not 
become  a place  of  importance  before  the  time  of  Charles 
the  Bald.  Louis  the  Fair3  and  Louis  the  Idler1  were 
buried  in  the  church  of  St.  Corneille  ;u  Pepin  Le  Brefx  placed 
in  the  same  church  the  first  organ  that  was  seen  in  France, 
and  which  he  had  received  from  Constantine  the  Sixth. > 

a Crepi.  (Enc.  Meth.) 

, b “ — which  bathe  its  walls  (enceinte.)” 

c “ It  is  surrounded  by  walls  flanked  with  towers,  and  contains  at 
present  only  2000  inhabitants.” 

. d “ A fine  road  leads  from  Crepy  to  Senlis,  where  the  remains  of 

the  walls  which  the  Romans  constructed,  may  still  be  distinguished. 
Senlis  was  the  Augustomagus  of  the  Romans;  it  afterwards  took  the 
name  of  Silvanectes.  probably  on  account  of  the  forests  with  which  it 
was  surrounded.” — Senlis  was  the  capital  of  the  Silvanectes,  a tribe 
af  the  Gauls,  and  like  most  other  such  towns  in  Gaul,  took  the  name 
pf  the  people  that  inhabited  it.  (D’Anv.) — P. 
c Nonnette  (Enc.  Meth.) — a branch  of  the  Oise. — P. 
f “ The  water  in  the  small  river  that  flows  by  the  town,  is  suppos- 
ed to  be  peculiarly  adapted  for  washing  wool ; consequently,  a great 
number  of  hands  are  employed  in  the  wash-houses  ( lavoirs ) of  Senlis.* 
Its  other  branches  of  industry,  are  the  spinning  and  weaving  of  cotton, 
which  employ  250  workmen  ; the  business  of  cotton  printing  (d'impri- 
meric,)  in  which  more  than  200  are  engaged  ; and  the  preparation  of 
starch  from  potatoes,  which  furnishes  occupation  to  nearly  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Senlis.  are  situated  the  forests 
of  Hallate,  Ermenonville,  Pontarme  and  Chantilly ; the  fine  park  of 
Mortefontaine,!  in  which  abundant  supplies  of  water  add  to  the  beauty 
of  the  scenery ; the  park  of  Ermenonville,  which  still  recalls  the  phi- 
losopher of  Geneva ; and  that  of  Chantilly,  alike  associated  with  the 
memory  of  the  great  Conde.)” 

* A great  quantity  of  wool  is  washed  at  Senlis  for  the  manufactories  of  Beauvais. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 
t Morte-Fontaine.  (Vosgien.) 

j Louis  H.  prince  of  Conde,  son  of  Henry  II.  of  Conde,  and  Charlotte  Margaret, 
heiress  of  the  house  of  Montmorency. — P 

e Chantilly  passed  from  the  house  of  Montmorency  (branch  of  the 
dukes  of  Montmorency)  into  the  house  of  Bourbon-Conde,  by  the  mar- 
riage of  Henry  II,  prince  of  Conde,  with  Charlotte  de  Montmorency, 
daughter  of  Henry  I.  duke  of  Montmorency,  on  the  death  of  her 
brother  Henry  II.,  who  died  without  issue  [executed  for  high  treason,] 
1032— P. 

h “ The  only  remains  of  this  magnificent  residence  are  the  small 
castle  (petit  ch&teau,)  and  the  great  stables,  the  latter  a master-piece 

of  architecture.  The  hourg  [of  Chantilly,]  which  might  rather  be  call- 
ed a town  (ville.)  manufactures  porcelain,  blond  and  lace.” 

‘ “ It  holds  an  important  rank  in  the  annals  of  French  industry, 
from  its  large  manufactory  of  English  pottery  ( faience  anglaise,)  in 
which  900  workmen  are  employed.” — Imitations  of  Staffordshire  ware 
are  made  at  Chantilly.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — Chantilly  is  about  two  leagues 
from  Creil. — P. 

k Montaterre.  (Vosgien.) 

' “ Montataire  is  situated  in  a pleasant  valley  watered  by  the  The- 
rain, which  serves  to  move  the  machinery  of  an  important  manufactory 
of  sheet-iron  ; it  was  formerly  a village,  with  a church  built  on  a height, 
in  which  Peter  the  Hermit  preached,  while  engaged  in  exciting  the 
first  crusade.” 

m “ The  canton  of  Creil — ” 

" “ Pont-Sainte-Maxence”  or  Maixence  (Pons  Sanctie  Maxentice.) — P. 
° “ Arrondissement.” 

p “ It  has  been  pretended  that  Compiegne  existed  in  the  time  of 
the  Romans,  and  that  its  Latin  name,  Compendium,  was  given  it  be- 
cause it  was  an  important  depot  of  military  stores. — ”It  was  called 
Compendium  in  the  Latin  of  the  middle  ages  — P. 

q “ The  highway  of  Brunehault.” — Brunehauld  (Gothic,  Brunch  ild, 
from  brun,  brown,  and  hild,  love,)  was  the  daughter  of  Athanagilde, 
king  of  the  Visigoths  in  Spain,  and  the  wife  of  Sigebert  I.  king  of 
Austrasia  (in  the  6th  century.)  (Dreux  du  Radier,  Mem.  des  Reines 
de  France,  t.  I.  p.  231.) — P. 

r “Its  large  forest”— The  forest  of  Compiegne  contains  about  29,000 

arpents.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

8 “ Louis  le  Bel.” — This  must  be  a mistake — there  is  no  such  Louis 
in  the  line  of  French  kings.  Louis  the  Stammerer  (le  Begue)  died  at 
Compiegne,  A.  D.  879,  and  was  buried  in  the  abbey  of  St.  Corneille. 
(Moreri.) — P. 

i “Louis  le  Faineant” — Juvenis  qui  nihil  fecit,  in  the  language  of 
the  old  chronicles. — P. 
u St  Cornelius. 

1 “ Pepin  le  Bref  ’ (the  Short.)  father  of  Charlemagne. — P. 
y “ Constantine  Copronymus” — Constantine  IV.  (Moreri)  V.  (Beau 
vais.  Platt's  Chronol.  Biography,  vol.  II.  p.  497.) — P 

EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVI. 


r= 

312 


The  royal  castle  is  a large  edifice  f it  was  rebuilt  by  Louis 
the  Fifteenth,  finished  by  Louis  the  Sixteenth,  and  embellish- 
ed1' by  Napoleon.  There  are  several  fine  buildings  in  the  town, 
but  the  streets  are  for  the  most  part  narrow  and  crooked. 
It  was  formerly  surrounded  with  walls ; the  English  besieg- 
ed it  in  1430,  and  in  a sally,  Joan  of  Arc  was  there  taken 
prisoner.  A treaty  of  alliance  between  F ranee  and  Holland 
was  concluded  at  Compiegne  by  Cardinal  Richelieu  in 
1624.  Noyon  is  without  doubt  a place  of  greater  antiquity  ; 
the  Romans  changed  its  Celtic  name  into  that  of  Novioma- 
gus ; it  was  the  seat  of  a bishopric  in  the  time  of  Charle- 
magne,0 who  was  crowned  in  the  town ; the  same  monarch 
finished  the  cathedral,  which  was  begun  by  Pepin  Le  Eref. 
Noyon  was  the  birthplace  of  Calvin  the  reformer,  and  of 
Sarrazin,  a celebrated  sculptor  of  the  sixteenth  century.1 * * ** 
Because  the  castle  of  Clermont-Oise  stands  on  the  summit 
of  a hill,  and  the  town  on  the  base,  it  has  been  concluded 
that  it  was  built  by  the  Romans,  although  the  ancient  castle 
does  not  in  any  way  resemble  a Roman  edifice.  It  is  at 
present  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  beauty  of  the  surround- 
ing country.6  Philip  the  Fair  was  born  in  the  town/  but  it 
is  more  renowned  as  having  been  the  birthplace  of  the  cele- 
brated Cassini. s It  was  in  the  thirteenth  century  the  capital 
of  a county,  which  St.  Louis  gave  to  his  son  Robert,  the 
founder  of  the  house  of  Bourbon.  A religious  ceremony 
was  formerly  observed  on  the  anniversary  of  Saint  Jengou/ 
the  tutelar  saint  of  easy  husbands ; it  has  been  discontinued 
probably  on  account  of  the  additional  number  of  good  wives  ; 
at  all  events  the  moral  improvement  of  the  inhabitants  may 
be  attributed  to  the  progress  of  industry.  The  memory  of 
the  duke  De  Liancourt  is  revered  in  the  country ; the  popu- 
lation in  the  small  village  from  which  he  derived  his  title, 
was  equal  a few  years  ago  to  eight  hundred  inhabitants,  it 
exceeds  at  present  thirteen  hundred.  Liancourt  is  about  a 
league  and  a half  from  Clermont,  and  the  small  manufacto- 
ries in  other  places  in  the  neighbourhood  afford  the  means 
of  subsistence  to  laborious  inhabitants.1 


a “ The  royal  castle  ( chateau ) is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  for  its 
extent,  the  splendour  and  proper  distribution  of  its  apartments,  and  the 
arrangement  of  its  gardens’' — It  is  still  one  of  the  royal  residences  ( mai - 
sons  royalcs.) — P. 

b “ Modernised.” 

c The  ancient  bishopric  of  the  Veromandui  (Vermandois)  was  trans- 
ferred to  it  from  the  ruined  town  of  Augusta  Vcromaiiduorum  in  530. 
(Moreri.) — The  bishopric  has  been  suppressed. — P. 

d J.  Sarazin,  born  1598,  died  1060.  (Diet.  Hist.  Caen,  1804.) — P. 

8 “ The  singular  construction  of  the  castle  of  Clermont-Oise,*  which 
rises  on  the  summit  of  a hill,  at  the  foot  of  which  the  town  is  situated, 
has  led  to  the  belief  that  it  was  built  by  the  Romans,  and  that  the  origin 
of  the  town  itself  t ascends  to  the  remotest  period  : the  castle,  although 
ancient,  does  not  appear  to  exhibit  the  characters  of  a Roman  building  ; 
the  beauty  and  extent  of  the  prospect  it  presents,  form  its  principal  re- 
commendation.” 

* So  called  from  its  situation  in  the  department  of  the  Oise. — Clermont.  (Vosttien. 
Alman.  Koyal.) — Clermont  en  Beuuvoisis.  (Enc.  Meth.  Moieri.) — It  stands  on  the 
small  river  Hreche,  a branch  of  the  Oise. — I’. 

t “ I’etit  chef  lieu” — small  town,  and  capital  of  an  arrondissement. 

1 Philip  the  Fair,  king  of  France,  was  born  at  Fontainebleau.  (Mo- 
reri— Diet.  Hist.  Caen.) — P. 

s “ — boasts  of  being  the  birthplace  of  our  celebrated  Cassini” — 
probably  Count  Cassini,  member  of  the  National  Institute.  His  father, 
grandfather  and  great-grandfather  were  all  eminent  astronomers.  The 
two  former  were  born  in  Paris,  and  the  latter  in  the  county  of  Nice. 
His  father,  C.  Fr.  Cassini  de  Thury,  was  born  in  Paris,  1714.  His 
grandfather,  J.  Cassini,  died  at  Thury,  an  estate  he  possessed  near 
Clermont,  1756.  (Diet.  Hist.  Caen.) — P. 

h “ They  made  formerly,  in  the  month  of  May,  a kind  of  pilgrimage 
to  Clermont,  in  honour  of  St.  Jengou — *” 

*f?t.  Gengoux.  (Enc.  Meth.) 

* “ The  moral  character  of  the  people  has  been  sensibly  ameliorated 
throughout  the  whole  arrondissement,  by  the  progress  they  have  made 
in  industry,  chiefly  in  consequence  of  the  special  encouragement  given 
it  by  the  Duke  of  Liancourt,  (whose  memory  is  justly  venerated,)  on  his 


s I The  same  industry  and  activity  are  observable  in  the 

- | villages  round  Beauvais ; indeed  more  than  three  hundred 
, : workmen  are  employed  in  the  burgh  of  Bresle.k  Beauvais/ 
. the  former  capital  ol  Beauvaisis,* 1  a small  country  ancienl- 

- ly  inhabited  by  the  Bcllovaci,  is  said  to  have  been  called 
i Bellovacum,  before  it  received  the  name  of  Cccsaro-Ma- 
1 gus.m  The  streets  are  sufficiently  broad,  but  many  of  the 
i houses  are  built  of  wood,  which  gives  it  a disagreeable  ap- 
; pearance.  The  choir  of  the  cathedral  is  complete,  the  nave 

■ and  other  parts  of  the  building  are  still  unfinished."  The 

■ old  ramparts  have  been  changed  into  public  walks.  The 
i English  besieged  it  without  success  in  1 443,  and  Charles, 

. duke  of  Burgundy,  was  not  more  fortunate  in  1472.  The 

latter  siege  is  mentioned  in  history  on  account  of  the  noble 
resistance  ol  the  inhabitants ; they  were  not  dismayed  by 

- an  army  ol  eighty  thousand  men,  and  even  the  women 
I sought  the  honour  of  defending  the  breach ; under  the  con- 
' duct  of  Joan  Fouquet  or  Laine,  surnamed  the  Hatchet,  they 

fought  with  as  much  intrepidity  as  the  men.  A Burgundian 
• soldier  had  planted  a standard  on  the  wall,  but  Joan  van- 
quished him,  and  carried  away  the  trophy ;°  this  heroic 
action  is  represented  in  a picture  which  decorates  the  town- 
house.  The  siege  was  raised  in  the  month  of  July ; to 
commemorate  the  event,  a procession  went  forth  every  year 
in  the  same  month,  and  the  women  took  precedence  of  the 
men ; the  ceremony  was  abolished  at  the  revolution.^ 
Beauvais  is  a place  of  considerable  trade ; it  has  cloth,  car- 
pet and  cotton  manufactories.^  It  has  given  birth  to  Philip 
de  Villers,  to  Del’  lle-Adam,  great  master  of  the  order 
of  Malta, r to  Restaut  the  grammarian,  to  the  Abbe  Du- 
bos,  and  to  Herman  and  Vaillant/  two  distinguished  anti- 
quarians. 

The  Oise  enters  the  department  of  the  Seine  and  Oise,  a 
short  way  above  the  village  of  Noisy.  Beaumont,  the  first 
town  through  which  it  flows,  contains  two  thousand  inhabi- 
tants ; it  rises  on  a chalky  height,  and  commands  a view 
of  the  plain  which  extends  on  the  right  bank  of  the  riv- 


estate  situated  a league  and  a half  from  Clermont.  By  his  exertions, 
the  petty  village  of  Liancourt  which  hardly  reckoned  800  inhabitants, 
now  contains  nearly  1300 : while  its  neighbourhood  is  full  of  small 
manufactories  that  offer  the  means  of  subsistence  to  the  labouring 
population.” 

k “ — Great  quantities  of  peat  are  dug  in  the  neighbourhood  of  that 
town  [Beauvais :]  nearly  three  hundred  workmen  are  employed  in  the 
turbary  near  the  bourg  of  Bresle.” 

1 Beauvois — Beauvoisis. 

m Beauvais,  Bellovacum , Cccsaro-magus . (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Mod.) — 
Casaromagus,  the  capital  of  the  Bellovaci,  according  to  Ptolemy  : it 
afterwards  took  the  name  of  the  people,  and  was  called  Bcllovaci.  (Enc. 
Meth.  Geog.  Anc.  D’Anv.) — P. 

" “ The  cathedral,  which  is  still  unfinished,  and  without  a nave,  is 
celebrated  for  the  beauty  of  its  choir.” 

0 Under  the  conduct  of  Jeanne  Fouquet  or  Laine,  surnamed  Ila- 
chettc.  they  fought  with  even  more  intrepidity  than  the  men.  She 
herself  tore  down  a standard,  which  one  of  the  enemy  had  planted,  and 
threw  him  from  the  wall.” — She  is  generally  known  in  history,  by  the 
name  of  Jeanne  Hachette.  She  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  who  met 
the  assailants  in  the  breach,  holding  an  axe  ( hachcttc ) in  her  hand. 
(Beauvais.) — P. 

p “ To  commemorate  the  raising  of  the  siege,  a procession  was  made 
every  year  in  the  month  of  July,  in  which  the  women  took  precedence 
of  the  men  ; it  was,  however,  abolished  during  the  revolution.” 

<i  “ It  possesses  cloth  manufactories,  cotton  mills  (Jilatures  de  coton,) 
and  a royal  manufactory  cf  raised  tapestry  ( tapisserics  de  haute  lice.)’’ 
r “ — to  Philip  de  Villers,  de  lVle-Adam,  grand  master  of  the  order 
of  Malta” — Philip  de  Villiers  de  l’lsle-Adam,  43d  grand  master  of  the 
order  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem  [Malta.]  (Beauvais.) — P.  de  Villiers,  lVsle 
Adam,  4th  son  of  the  lord  of  Isle-Adam.  (Moreri.) — P. 

s Godefroi  Hermant,  doctor  of  the  Sorbonne,  born  at  Beauvais, 
1617 — wrote  lives  of  the  fathers,  translations  of  their  works,  an  index 
of  ecclesiastical  law,  and  several  polemic  treatises.— J.  F.  Vaillant,  a 
distinguished  medallist,  born  at  Beauvais,  1632. — (Diet.  Hist.  Caen. 
Beauvais.) — P. 


book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 

er.a  Tlie  abbey  of  Royaumont,  about  a league  distant  from 
the  small  and  agreeable  town  of  Luzarches,b  was  founded  by 
St.  Louis,  but  has  recently  been  converted  into  a cotton 
manufactory  f a neat  village  was  lately  built  in  the  vicinity.*1 

Pontoise  rises  like  an  amphitheatre  at  the  confluence  of 
the  Oise  and  the  Viorne.®  The  streets  are  narrow  and 
steep,  but  many  of  the  houses  are  handsome  ; the  walls  have 
been  repaired,  but  part  of  those  still  remain,  which  were 
scaled  by  the  army  of  Charles  the  Seventh/  when  the  town 
was  taken  from  the  English  in  1442.  The  states-general 
assembled  at  Pontoise  in  1561  ; the  parliament  ol  Paris 
met  in  the  same  places  in  1652,  1720  and  1753.  The 
Celts  gave  the  name  of  Isar h to  the  river  that  waters  it,1 
whence  the  town  was  called  Brivisara,k  which  signifies  lite- 
rally, the  bridge  over  the  Isar.  The  Oise  was  called  Inisa 
in  the  seventh  century,  and  the  town  Pons  Iniscc : lastly, 
JEsia  having  been  substituted  for  Inisa,  Pontoise  took  the 
name  of  Pons  JEsice , which  was  afterwards  changed  into 
Pontcosia}  It  was  traversed  by  a Roman  road,  which  ex- 
tended from  Paris  to  Rouen ; some  remains  of  it  are  still 
observed  in  the  neighbourhood.  Philip  of  Burgundy,  the 
son  of  John  the  Second  of  France,1"  and  General  Leelerc 
were  born  in  the  town. 

The  small  town  of  Mantes,"  surnamed  La  Jolie,0  because 
it  is  well  built  and  finely  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Seine,  was,  according  to  some  authors,  founded  at  the  time 
when  the  druids  still  retained  their  authority.  The  Latin 
name  of  Petro-Mantalum ,p  and  the  mistletoe  on  its  ancient 
arms,  seem  to  prove  that  the  Celts  venerated  on  the  site 
which  it  occupies,  the  sacred  stones  and  other  emblems  of 
the  druidical  worship.  The  church  of  Notre-Dame  was 
built  by  Blanche  of  Castile  and  Margaret  of  Provence/  the 
one  the  mother,  and  the  other  the  wife  of  Si.  Louis.  Ar- 
ticles of  consumption  are  not  liable  to  any  tax  or  toll  on 
entering  the  gates ; the  economical  way  in  which  the  town’s 

OF  FRANCE.  313 

funds  are  managed,  has  enabled  the  magistrates  to  abolish 
these  oppressive  duties. r Limay,  which  may  be  considered 
as  a suburb  of  Mantes,  is  only  separated  from  it  by  the 
Seine ; it  is  situated  near  the  hermitage  of  St.  Sauveur, 
where  a chapel  and  a house  cut  in  a chalky  rock,  still  attract 
a great  many  pilgrims.3  The  castle  of  Rosnv/  the  birth- 
place of  Sully,  rises  on  the  banks  of  the  Seine  at  the  distance 
of  two  leagues  below  Mantes at  present  the  property  of 
the  dutchess  of  Berri,  the  same  pious  lady  has  built  a church 
and  an  hospital  in  the  neighbourhood  ; they  are  consecrated 
to  the  memory  of  her  unfortunate  husband. v 

Meulan  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Seine,  was  probably 
founded  by  the  Celts,  at  all  events  the  ancient  name  of  Mel- 
lentum  indicates  a Celtic  origin  ;w  it  contains  a population  of 
two  thousand  souls ; some  of  the  old  fortifications  may  still 
be  seen,  which  enabled  the  inhabitants  to  resist  the  forces 
commanded  by  the  duke  of  Mayenne.  Poissy,*  the  birth- 
place of  St.  Louis,  is  peopled  by  two  thousand  six  hundred 
inhabitants ; it  was  formerly  the  capital  of  Pincerais,  the 
ancient  Pagns  Pinciacensis  J It  formed  part  of  the  crown 
lands,  and  Charles  the  Bald  assembled  a parliament  in  the 
town.  It  was  there  Blanche  of  Castile  told  her  son1  to  value 
his  baptismal  purity  more  than  life,  and  to  be  assured  that 
whatever  was  onerous  r.o  the  people  could  never  be  glorious 
to  the  prince.  A cattle  market  is  held  every  week  at 
Poissy,  and  the  town  of  Paris  imposes  an  annual  tax  of 
.£.60  on  the  sale  of  the  cattle.*®  The  ancient  convent  of 
the  Ursuiines  has  been  changed  into  a workhouse, bb  large 
enough  to  contain  seven  hundred  and  fifty  paupers.  The 
famous  colloquy  at  Poissy,  between  the  Catholic  doctors 
and  reformed  ministers,  who  assembled  in  the  convent  during 
the  reign  of  Charles  the  Ninth,  lasted  two  months,  but  it  was 
attended  with  no  other  result  than  that  of  exasperating  the 
two  parties  against  each  other.cc 

The  forest, dd  which  begins  at  a short  distance  from  Poissy, 

a “ Beaumont,  the  first  town  at  the  foot  of  which  it  flows,  contains 
2000  inhabitants;  its  promenade,  situated  on  the  summit  of  a chalky 
plateau,  commands  a view  of  the  plain  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river.” 
— Beaumont  stands  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  sloping  down  to  the  left 
bank  of  the  Oise. — P.  b Luzarche. 

c “ Cotton  mill  ( filature  de  coton.)” 

d “ The  ruins  of  its  church  have  supplied  materials  for  a handsome 
village.” 

e — the  latter  [Vionne.  Vosgien]  a small  stream  which  serves  to  move 
22  mills.  (M.  B.) 

f “ The  old  walls,  which  partly  surround  it,  are  the  same  that  were 
scaled  by  the  army  of  Charles  Vll. — ” 

6 “ — was  transferred  to  the  same  place.” — The  royal  court  ( cour  du 
roi.)  or  parliament  was  at  first  ambulatory,  being  held  wherever  it  suited 
the  king  to  convene  it.  It,  however,  became  sedentary  at  Paris,  at 
least  as  early  as  1291,  in  the  reign  of  Philip  the  Fair,  and  probably  at 
an  earlier  period,  when  it  took  the  name  of  the  parliament  of  Paris.  It 
was  afterwards  occasionally  transferred  to  other  places  ; as  in  1418  to 
Poitiers,  when  Paris  was  occupied  by  the  English  ; in  1589  to  Tours, 
during  the  troubles  of  the  league  ; and  in  1788  to  Troyes,  because  it  re- 
fused to  register  certain  royal  edicts. — P. 

h Isara.  (D’Anv.) — P.  ‘ The  Oise. 

k Briva  Isara.  (D’Anv.) — P. 

1 CEsia — Pons  (Esice — Pontesia.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 
m Philip  II.  duke  of  Burgundy,  fourth  son  of  John  II.  king  of 
France  (the  one  who  was  prisoner  in  England.)  John  I.  of  France, 
was  a posthumous  son  of  Louis  X.,  born  five  months  after  the  death  of 
his  father,  and  who  lived  only  five  days.  Hence  he  is  generally  omit- 
ted in  the  list  of  French  kings,  and  John  II.  simply  known  as  John, 
king  of  France. — P. 

n Mantes  sur  Seine,  capital  of  an  arrondissement.  (Alman.  Roy- 
al.)—P. 

0 The  Pretty. — “ Mante,  dite  la  Jolie.”  (Moreri.) — P. 
p Petromantalum.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

<1  “ — is  a monument  of  their  munificence.” — The  collegiate  church 
of  Mantes  was  founded  by  Jane  of  France  ( Jeanne , fillc  de  France.) 
(Moreri.) — P. 

r “ The  affairs  of  the  town  have  been  administered  with  such  econ- 
omy, that  it  has  hitherto  been  able  to  provide  for  its  municipal  expen- 
VOL.  III.— NO.  52  40 

ses,  without  subjecting  to  any  local  taxation  ( droits  d' octroi*)  the  arti- 
cles consumed  by  the  inhabitants.” 

* Duties  levied  by  a municipality,  on  the  entrance  or  interior  sale  of  commodities 
Articles  in  entrepot  or  in  transitu  are  not  subjected  to  these  duties.  (Code  Admin- 
istratif,  t.  IV.  p.  310  et  seq.) — P 

s “ — which  consists  of  a chapel  and  a dwelling  cut  in  the  chalk. 
Two  pilgrimages,  made  to  it  every  year,  attract  thither  a great  crowd 
of  people.” 

1 Rosny,  a bourg  on  the  Seine,  one  league  west  of  Mantes,  with  a 
castle,  the  birthplace  of  Sully.  (Vosgien.  Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

u The  mulberry  was  naturalized  by  Sully,  in  (he  park  of  the  castle. 
(M.  B.) — Before  the  reign  of  Henry  IV.  the  mulberry  had  been  prop- 
agated for  silk  worms  only  in  the  southern  provinces  of  France ; he 
planted  it,  however,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

v “ It  is  at  present  the  property  of  the  dutchess  of  Berry,  who  has 
erected  a chapel  and  a hospital  ( hospice ) within  the  limits  of  the  park, 
in  memory  of  her  unfortunate  husband.” 

w “ Meulan,  built  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Seine,  seems  from  its  ancient  name  of  Mcllcntum,  to  have  been 
of  Celtic  origin.”  * Poissi. 

y “ It  was  formerly  the  capital  of  a small  country  called  Pincerais, 
from  its  Latin  name  of  Pagus  Pinciacensis.” — Its  Latin  name  is  Pis- 
ciacum,  or  rather  Pinciacum,  since  the  neighbouring  country  is  called 
Pagus  Pinciacensis  (Pincerais.)  (Enc.  Meth.  1784.) — P.  1 St.  Louis. 

aa  “ The  city  of  Paris  derives  from  the  sale  of  the  cattle,  an  annual 
revenue  of  1,400,000  francs”  (nearly  £59,000.) — The  government  in 
1786,  derived  from  farming  the  taxes  on  the  markets  of  Sceaux  and 
Poissy,  a gross  revenue  of  1,100,000  francs  (nett  revenue  800,000  francs.) 
(Enc.  Meth.  Finance.) — P. 

bb  “ Depot  de  mendicite” — House  for  the  confinement  of  vagabonds 
and  beggars. — P. 

cc  “ The  famous  conference  of  Poissy  ( coUoquc  de  Poissy)  between  the 
catholic  doctors  and  reformed  [Calvinistic]  ministers,  was  held  in  the 
convent,  during  the  reign  of  Charles  IX.  [1561  ;]  it  lasted  two  months 
and  a half,  but  had  no  other  result  than  civil  war.” — The  conference 
was  summoned  to  meet  Aug.  10,  but  did  not  commence  till  Sept.  4, 
and  was  finally  broken  off  by  the  quarrels  of  the  parties,  Nov.  25.  (Mo- 
reri.)— It  terminated  in  confirming  each  party  in  his  peculiar  tenets, 
and  in  increasing  the  persecuting  spirit  of  the  Catholics,  and  the  zeai 
of  the  Calvinists.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P.  dd  The  forest  of  St.  Germain. 

EUROPE. 


314 

and  terminates  at  St.  Germain,1  forms  a part  of  that  called 
the  forest  of  Laye  until  the  eleventh  century,  the  time  in 
which  the  town  of  St.  Germain  was  founded.  It  is  encom- 
passed with  walls,  and  covers  a surface  of  more  than  sixteen 
thousand  acres.1  ***  Shaded  by  lofty  and  luxuriant  trees,  inter- 
sected with  broad  avenues,  there  are  few  walks  in  France, 
that  can  be  compared  with  it.  The  castle  rises  on  a terrace, 
which  is  said  to  command  a finer  view  than  any  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Paris;  the  length  of  the  terrace  is  equal 
to  two  thousand  four  hundred  yards,  and  the  height  to  thir- 
ty.0 The  castle  of  St.  Germain*1  was  begun  during  the 
reign  of  Francis  the  First,  and  was  enlarged  by  Henry  the 
Fourth  and  Louis  the  Fourteenth;  it  serves  at  present  as 
barracks  for  a company  of  body  guards.  In  the  same  edi- 
fice were  born  Margaret  of  France,  the  daughter  of  Francis 
the  First,  Henry  the  Second,  Charles  the  Ninth  and  Louis 
the  Fourteenth.  The  town  is  well  built,  and  is  adorned 
with  a large  market-place  and  a fine  church  ;e  while  the 
workmen  were  digging  the  foundation  of  the  latter  in  1826, 
they  discovered  the  remains  of  James  Stuart/ 

The  road  from  St.  Germain  to  Paris  extends  along  the 
Seine,  and  communicates  with  Marly ,s  and  on  the  heights 
above  it  are  the  remains  of  die  machine  that  Lewis  the 
Fourteenth  erected  to  supply  the  aoueduct  that  leads  to 
Versailles.1 *'  Malmaison,  at  a greater  distance  from  St. 
Germain,  was  the  residence  of  Napoleon  when  at  the  height 
of  his  power,  and  also  during  the  disastrous  days  that  suc- 
ceeded his  defeat.1  The  small  burgh  of  Ruel  or  Rueil 
contains  three  thousand  inhabitants ; it  stands  at  the  foot  of 
a hill  planted  with  vineyards.  The  neighbouring  castle  was 
inhabited  by  Cardinal  Richelieu ; it  was  the  scene  of  his 
pleasures,  and  it  was  there  he  gratified  his  vengeance  ; mak- 
ing a confidant  of  none  but  the  executioner,  he  there  pri- 
vately received  those  whom  he  had  determined  in  secret  to 
put  to  death,  with  the  utmost  affability  and  kindness.  The 
tomb  of  the  empress  Josephine  is  situated  within  the  church 
of  Ruel.  Argenteuil  stands  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Seine  ; 
it  contains  four  thousand  six  hundred  inhabitants,  and  the 
neighbouring  country  is  very  fruitful  in  wine.k  The  remains 
of  walls  indicate  the  site  of  a monastery,  which  was  founded 
in  the  seventh  century ; it  is  memorable  as  the  retreat  of 
Heloise,  who  became  the  abbess1  of  it.  A garment  with- 

* St.  Germain  en  Laye. 
b “ 8,500  arpents.” 

c “ The  beauty  of  its  vegetation,  and  the  broad  avenues  with  which 
it  is  intersected,  render  it  a magnificent  promenade  for  the  town,  which 
also  enjoys  from  a terrace  1200  toises  in  length  by  15  in  breadth,  on 
which  the  castle  is  built,  one  of  the  finest  prospects  in  the  neighbour- 
nood  of  Paris.” 

d The  castle  or  palace  (chAtcau)  of  St.  Germain  is  still  one  of  the 
royal  residences  ( muisons  royalest) — P. 

e “ — a handsome  market  (term  marclii ,)  and  a newly  built  church, 
remarkable  for  its  architecture  and  ornaments.” 

f James  II.  of  England,  died  at  St.  Germains  1701. — P. 
e Marly  le  Roi. 

" “ The  road  from  St.  Germain  to  Paris  extends  along  the  Seine, 
and  passes  by  Marly,  where  we  may  still  observe  the  remains  of  the 
machine  erected  by  Louis  XIV.  in  order  to  supply  the  aqueduct  which 
produces  so  magnificent  an  effect  on  the  hill  of  Louveciennes,  whence 
its  waters  are  conveyed  by  canals  to  Versailles.  The  machine  is  now 
disused,  and  its  place  supplied  by  a powerful  steam  engine.”— The  ma- 
chine is  situated  on  the  river,  by  the  current  of  which  its  wheels  (14 
in  number)  were  moved;  these  gave  motion  to  225  pumps,  by  means 
of  which  tlie  water  was  raised  to  the  top  of  a tower  on  a neighbouring 
hill,  whence  it  entered  an  aqueduct  330  toises  in  length.  From  this  it 
was  conveyed  by  iron  pipes  to  the  reservoir  of  Marly,  and  thence  to  the 

fardens  of  Marly  and  Versailles.  (Piganiol  de  la  Force,  Description  de 
aris,  t.  VIII.  p.  10C.)— P. 

‘ Napoleon,  after  his  second  abdication,  was  required  by  the  provis- 
ional government  to  retire  to  Malmaison,  where  he  continued  only  a 
few  days,  previous  to  his  departure  for  Rochefort. — P. 


[BOOK  CXLVI. 

out  any  seams,  according  to  tradition,  worn  by  our  Saviour, 
and  presented  by  the  empress  Irene  to  Charlemagne,  has 
been  removed  from  the  convent  to  the  church,  where  it  is 
now  preserved  in  a shrine  above  the  altar. 

St.  Cloud  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Seine,  was  called  No 
gent  till  after  the  death  of  Clodoald,  the  son  of  Clodomir, 
king  of  Orleans ; aware  that  his  uncle  Clotaire,  the  mur- 
derer of  his  brothers,  had  determined  to  put  him  to  death, 
he  fled  for  refuge,  and  found  safety  in  a cloister.”  James 
Clement  assassinated  Henry  the  Third  in  the  old  castle  of 
St.  Cloud,  then  the  property  of  Jerome  de  Gondy.  The 
heart  of  the  unfortunate  prince  was  deposited  in  the  village 
church,  and  the  place  where  it  rests,  was  marked  with  the 
following  inscription  : Passenger,  pity  the  fate  of  kings. 
Louis  the  Fourteenth  purchased  the  domain,  and  gave  it  to 
his  brother,  the  duke  of  Orleans,  who  built  the  present  cas- 
tle ; since  his  time,  it  has  been  a royal  residence,  it  was 
enlarged  by  Marie  Antoinette.11  Bonaparte,  after  his  return 
from  Egypt,  assembled  there  the  council  of  Five  Hundred 
on  the  ninth  of  November  1799  ; the  assembly  was  dissolv- 
ed by  an  armed  force  on  the  same  day,  the  eighteenth  of 
Brumaire,  as  it  is  called  in  the  annals  of  the  revolution. 
The  castle  was  Bonaparte’s  favourite  residence  ; he  embel- 
lished and  furnished  it  with  royal  luxury ; to  improve  the 
view  from  the  principal  apartment,  an  obelisk  was  raised, 
and  a monument  similar  to  the  one  erected  at  Athens  by 
Lysicrates  the  sculptor0,  which  antiquaries  have  surnamed 
the  Lantern  of  Demosthenes.  Rabelais  rendered  Meudon 
a place  of  celebrity  before  cardinal  Lorraine  built  the  castle 
that  Lewis  the  Fourteenth  purchased  for  the  dauphin.  The 
building  rises  on  a hill,  and  the  famous  glass  works  are 
situated  below  it.  The  long  burgh  of  Sevres  extends  to 
the  village  of  Chaville  ; it  contains  more  than  four  thousand 
inhabitants ; the  royal  porcelain  works  are  certainly  not  in- 
ferior to  the  finest  in  Europe. p 

The  entrance  to  Versailles  by  the  road  from  Paris  might 
give  one  a favourable  idea  of  a court-town, *i  if  the  broad 
avenuer  were  lined  with  regular  buildings ; the  approach 
might  thus  be  made  to  correspond  with  the  magnificence  of 
the  castle.8 * *  Neat  houses  are  situated  at  the  extremity  of 
the  avenue,  and  at  no  great  distance  from  them,  a large 
prison,  of  which  the  grated  windows  and  iron  doors  may  be 

k “ Its  vineyards  produce  annually  on  an  average,  more  than  100,000 
hectolitres  of  wine.” 

1 “ — the  superior” — not  abbess,  but  prioress.  The  establishment 

was  a priory,  dependent  on  the  abbey  of  St.  Denis.  Heloise  resided 

there  before  she  retired  to  the  Paraclete. — P. 

m “ — who  retired  there  to  an  hermitage,  in  order  to  escape  the  death 
with  which  he  was  threatened  by  his  uncle  Clothaire,  the  murderer  of 
his  brothers.” — After  the  violent  death  of  his  father,  and  his  two  broth- 
ers, he  retired  to  a monastery  which  he  had  built  at  Nogent.  (Mo- 
reri.) — P. 

n “ It  became  a royal  residence,  and  was  much  enlarged,  after  its 
purchase  by  Maria  Antoinette.” — It  was  purchased  of  the  duke  of  Or- 
leans for  the  queen,  in  1784. — P. 

0 “ — an  obelisk  was  raised  in  the  park,  crowned  by  a model  in  terra 
cotta  of  the  monument  erected  at  Athens  by  the  sculptor  Lysicrates — ” 

P “ The  road  that  follows  the  river  and  leads  to  Sevres,  passes 
through  the  village  of  Meudon,  which  owed  its  reputation  to  Rabelais.* 
before  Cardinal  Lorraine  had  built  the  castle  ( chAteau ) that  Louis  XIV. 
purchased  for  the  dauphin.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which  the  castle 
is  situated,  are  the  celebrated  glass-works  ( rerrerie ,)  formerly  establish- 
ed at  Sevres.  The  bourn  of  Sevres,!  joined  to  a part  of  the  village  of 
Chaville,  is  of  considerable  length,  and  contains  more  than  4000  inhab- 
itants. It  is  celebrated  for  its  royal  manufactory  of  porcelain,  which 
surpasses  in  its  products  the  finest  in  Europe.” 

* Rabelais  was  pastor  (cure)  of  Meudon. — P. 

j Sevres,  Sevre  or  Seve.  (Vosgien.) 

“ Ville  royale.” 

r “ — the  broad  avenue,  planted  with  four  rows  of  trees,  that  leads 
to  the  parade  ( Place  d'.lrmcs).”  5 Palace  (chAteau.) 


book  cxlyi.]  DESCRIPTI01N 

seen  from  the  triple  entrance.  Barracks  front  the  private 
treasury  of  the  king,  where  the  assemblies  of  the  states- 
general  were  held.  The  civil  and  commercial  tribunals  are 
nearly  opposite  the  mansion  house,  and  the  avenue  termi- 
nates on  the  right  and  on  the  left  at  the  royal  stables.  A 
broad  walk  surrounded  with  lofty  trees  extends  from  the 
stables  to  the  castle,  where  two  Corinthian  porches  protrude 
on  each  side  of  a brick  building  ;a  such  unsuitableness  can 
only  be  excused  by  the  filial  veneration  which  induced  Louis 
the  Fourteenth  to  preserve  the  old  hunting  seat  of  his  father. 
The  front  on  the  side  of  the  garden  is  wholly  the  work  of 
the  great  king;  still  even  there  the  palace  is  not  without 
faults ; the  centre  or  body  of  the  building  is  out  of  propor- 
tion,b and  the  wings  are  too  long.  The  grounds  are  laid 
out  with  admirable  taste,  a broad  canal  reaches  to  the  verge 
of  the  horizon,  groves  are  scattered  in  verdant  lawns,  plants 
more  than  four  hundred  years  old,  are  preserved  in  the 
orangery,  water  issues  from  fountains  in  every  variety  of 
form,  and  jets  rise  above  the  highest  trees.  The  largest 
Trianon  is  covered  with  marble  and  surrounded  by  woods 
that  seem  to  realize  the  brilliant  fictions  of  Tasso  in  the 
description  of  the  palace  of  Armida;  the  other  is  nothing 
more  than  a simple  pavilion.®  These  two  edifices  indicate 
the  character  of  the  two  kings  by  whom  they  were  built ; 
Louis  the  Fourteenth,  when  tired  of  his  magnificent  resi- 
dence at  Versailles,  repaired  to  the  first,  which  still  retains 
an  air  of  pomp  and  grandeur,  while  Louis  the  Fifteenth, 
preferring  the  solitude  of  the  second  to  the  cares  of  a crown 
and  the  tiresome  etiquette  of  a court,  forgot  in  it  the  disas- 
ters which  marked  his  reign. 

The  magnificence  of  the  royal  buildings  at  Versailles 
serves  to  justify  the  common  opinion  that  Louis  the  Four- 
teenth, surprised  at  the  vast  sums  expended  on  them,  deter- 
mined to  conceal  the  amount  from  posterity,  and  committed 
the  papers  of  Mansard*1  to  the  flames.  But  Mirabeau,  Vol- 
ney  and  other  writers  have  thought  themselves  sufficiently 
informed  on  the  subject  to  publish  the  results.6  According 
to  an  abstract  of  the  expenses,  that  has  been  attributed  to 
Mansard,  and  according  to  other  documents  that  are  pre- 

r OF  FRANCE.  315 

i served  in  the  archives  of  the  crown,  we  may  arrive  at  the 
following  conclusion : namely,  that  all  the  sums  expended 
from  1G64  to  1702  in  building  and  furnishing  the  royal 
edifices,  in  laying  out  the  grounds,  in  making  the  gardens, 
and  even  in  erecting  the  two  principal  churches  in  the  town, 
amounted  to  95,800,000  livres  which,  according  to  the 
mean  value  of  silver  during  the  last  thirty-eight  years,  is 
equivalent  at  present  to  172,400,000  francs  or  nearly 
£.7,184,000/ 

After  a revolution  which  has  lasted  almost  forty  years, 
and  which  has  changed  the  customs,  manners  and  institutions 
of  France,  Versailles  is  again  a court  town  ; many  nobless 
reside  in  it,  but  the  people  are  ignorant,  idle  and  poor.  But 
if  there  are  few  works  or  manufactories  in  the  town,  it  may 
be  partly  attributed  to  its  situation  at  a distance  from  every 
natural  current  of  water.1'  The  population  amounts  only  to 
one-third  of  what  it  was  in  1790  ; although  it  has  increased 
i rapidly  since  the  restoration,1  most  of  the  broad  and  regular 
! streets  are  still  gloomy  and  deserted.  Versailles  is  not  with- 
out schools  and  charitable  institutions ; there  are  several 
preparatory  schools  to  a military  education,  a large  college, 
in  which  lectures  are  delivered  on  geometry,  mechanics, 
music  and  drawing,  and  a public  library  containing  50,000 
volumes.  The  royal  hospital  is  the  most  useful  of  the  chari- 
table institutions/  The  town  was  the  birthplace  of  Louis 
the  Sixteenth,  of  the  A.bbe  De  1’Epee,  and  of  Ducis,  gene- 
ral Hoche  and  marshal  Berthier.  The  octroi  or  the  tax 
levied  on  provisions  and  other  articles  imported  into  the 
town,  is  not  much  less  than  £.20,000  ; the  greatness  of  the 
sum  may  be  partly  attributed  to  the  facility  of  communica- 
tion ; more  than  six  hundred  stage  coaches  proceed  from 
the  capital  to  the  department  of  Seine  and  Oise,  and  the 
most  of  them  pass  through  Versailles,  which  is  visited  by 
every  stranger  in  Paris.1  m 

The  country  round  Versailles  is  embellished  with  pleas- 
ant walks,  romantic  sites  and  industrious  villages.  The  in- 
habitants of  Villepreux  manufacture  shawls ; Gregnon  has 
been  often  visited  by  mineralogists  on  account  of  a cal- 
careous stratum  abounding  in  fossil  shells,  the  lands  in  the 

“ “ Neat  houses  first  present  themselves ; then  a large  prison,  whose 
triple  entrance  displays  its  wickets  ( guichets ) and  bolted  doors ; beyond 
it,  extensive  barracks  front  the  former  Hotel  des  Mcnus-Plaisirs,  in 
which  were  held  the  assemblies  of  the  states-general  ;*  farther  on,  the 
civil  and  commercial  tribunals,  and  the  hunting-house  (la  venerie.) t 
rise  opposite  the  mayoralty  (batimcns  dc  la  mairic,)  and  the  avenue  is 
finally  terminated  on  the  right  and  left,  by  the  great  and  little  stables. 
The  fine  fronts  of  these  two  buildings,  the  great  alley  which  separates 
them,  the  two  others  which  border  their  sides,  and  the  woods  that  sur- 
round the  city,  produce  a magnificent  effect  when  seen  from  the  en- 
trance of  the  palace.  But  the  front  of  the  palace  itself,  where  two 
Corinthian  porticoes  protrude  on  either  side  of  a brick  building,  exhib- 
its a striking  want  of  symmetry — ” 

* The  states-general  held  their  first  sitting  in  the  Salle  des  Menus,  May  5.  1789. 
(Le  Maire,  Hist,  de  la  Revul.  Franr;.  t.  I.  p.  55.) — P. 

fThe  Kennel  {Chcnit.)  (La  Force,  t.  VIII.  p.  75.) — P. 

b “ — projects  disproportionately.” 

c “ But  these  defects  are  compensated  by  the  splendour  of  the  gar- 
dens ; by  the  profusion  of  their  statues,  bronzes  and  vases ; by  the 
broad  canal  that  extends  to  the  verge  of  the  horizon ; by  the  beauty  of 
the  groves  and  shrubbery ; by  the  large  basins,  in  the  midst  of  which 
fountains  spout  their  waters  in  every  variety  of  form  and  in  jets  that  rise 
above  the  highest  trees;  by  the  magnificent  orangery,  in  which  plants 
are  preserved  of  the  age  of  four  centuries;  and  lastly,  by  the  great 
and  little  Trianon,  the  former  of  which,  covered  with  marble  and  sur- 
rounded with  elegant  plantations,  realizes  the  brilliant  fictions  of  Tas- 
so in  his  description  of  the  palace  of  Armida,  while  the  latter  presents 
only  the  modest  appearance  of  a simple  pavilion.” 

d J.  H.  Mansard,  the  architect  who  constructed  me  palace  of  Ver- 
sailles.— P. 

e These  results  are  as  erroneous  as  they  are  different;  Mirabeau, 
in  his  nineteenth  letter  to  his  constituents,  estimates  the  expenses  at 
welve  hundred  millions  of  francs  ;*  VolneyT,  in  his  Lemons  sur  l’His- 

toire,  makes  them  amount  to  fourteen  hundred  millions  of  limes  tour 
nois,  which  he  considers  equal  to  4,600,000,000  francs 

*“ — at  1200  millions  ; — ” 

1 M.  Vaysse  de  Villars,  Tableau  descriptif,  historique  et  pittoresque 
de  la  ville,  du  chateau  et  du  pare  de  Versailles,  compris  les  deux  Tri- 
anons.  1827. — Le  Comte  d’Hauterive,  Faits,  calculs  et  observations  sur 
la  depense  d’une  des  grandes  administrations  de  l’Etat  a toutes  les 
epoques.  depuis  le  regne  de  Louis  XIV.  et  inclusivement  jusqu’en 
1825.  1828.  e “Many  of  the  old  noblesse.” 

h “ Consequently  it  contains  few  manufacturing  establishments,  a 
circumstance  that  may,  however,  be  partly  attributed  to  its  distance 
from  natural  streams.” 

‘ “ — although  its  annual  increase  since  the  restoration,  has  been 
very  perceptible—” 

k “ Versailles  possesses  several  establishments  for  the  purposes  of 
education  and  public  charity  ; it  contains  a great  number  of  university 
schools  ( icoles  universitaires,)*  several  preparatory  institutions  for  the 
military  schools,  a magnificent  college, t public  courses  of  instruction 
in  geometry  and  mechanics,  music  and  drawing,  a valuable  library 
of  50,000  volumes,  and  a royal  hospital  (hospice  royal)  of  great  im- 
portance.” 

* See  note  b p.  1030.  fThe  Royal  College  ( Lyceum ) of  Versailles. 

1 “ The  town  carries  on  a trade  in  articles  of  consumption  of  suffi 
cient  importance  to  enable  it  to  realize  a local  revenue*  of  nearly 
600,000  francs,  which  circumstance  may  be  chiefly  attributed  to  the 
great  resort  of  strangers,  owing  to  its  frequent  communications  with  the 
capital : more  than  600  public  conveyances  (voitures)  leave  Paris  for 
the  department  of  the  Seine  and  Oise,  and  the  greater  part  of  them  for 
Versailles.” 

* Arising  from  its  entrance  duties,  &c.  ( droits  d’oetroi .) 

m M.  J.  J . N.  Iluot,  Aper<;u  topographique,  physique,  geologique,  his 
torique  et  statistique  du  departement  (Annuai're  de  Seine-et-(3ise,  1819.) 



316  EUROPE.  [book  cxlvi 


neighbourhood  were  purchased  by  his  majesty,  who  has 
lately  presented  them  to  an  agricultural  institution.3  Tiie 
military  school  at  St.  Cyr  meets  in  the  royal  abbey,  a large 
edifice  founded  by  Madame  de  Maintenon.b  Jouyc  is 
situated  in  a fruitful  valley,  traversed  by  an  aqueduct ; the 
industry  of  the  inhabitants  is  confined  to  their  print-fields ; 
during  the  imperial  government  more  than  sixteen  hundred 
workmen  were  employed,  the  number  at  present  does  not 
exceed  three  hundred.J 

The  neat  town  of  Montfort-PAmaury,®  near  the  forest  of 
St.  Leger,  is  built  on  the  declivity  and  at  the  foot  of  a hill, 
crowned  by  the  ruins  of  an  old  castle  ; one  of  the  towers 
still  remains,  and  is  adorned  with  handsome  Gothic  sculp- 
tures. The  town  was  the  birthplace  of  Simon,  count  of 
Montfort,  who  in  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
rendered  himself  infamous  by  his  cruelties  in  the  crusade 
against  the  Albigenses. 

The  small  town  of  Rambouillet  is  situated  on  the  other 
side  of  the  forest;  during  the  imperial  government  it  be- 
came the  capital  of  a subprefecture,  perhaps  on  account  of 
a castle,  which  has  nothing  royal  bat  Lie  name/  It  is 
flanked  with  towers,  one  of  which  is  lurnished  with  battle- 
ments and  appears  to  be  iess  ancient  than  the  others;  on 
the  whole,  the  style  of  the  building  resembles  that  which 
prevailed  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Francis  the  First  died 
in  the  castle  of  Rambouillet  in  the  year  1 547.  The  park 
is  one  of  the  finest  in  F ranee,  but  there  is  nothing  in  the 
town,  at  all  worthy  of  notice ; the  beauty  of  the  former  de- 
pends on  varied  views,  verdant  groves  and  limpid  streams.^ 
Dourdan,  which  also  gives  its  name  to  a neighbouring  forest, h 
was  formerly  a stronghold  ; the  castle  in  the  middle  of  it 
was  built  by  Gontrand,  king  of  Burgundy,  in  the  sixth  cen- 
tury. It  contains  two  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants, 
and  was  the  birthplace  of  La  Bruyere. 

Etampes1 II  covers  a considerable  space  in  a fruitful  valley  ; 


a “ Grignon,  which  has  been  long  celebrated  among  geologists  for 
a bed  of  limestone,  rich  in  fossil  shells,  has  acquired  additional  interest, 
since  an  estate,  purchased  there  by  the  king,  has  been  gratuitously 
appropriated  to  the  establishment  of  an  agricultural  school.” — The  stra- 
tum at  Grignon,  so  celebrated  for  its  fossil  sea  shells,  of  which  not  less 
than  six  hundred  species  have  been  enumerated  by  Defrance,  consists 
of  a very  tender  and  friable  coarse-grained  limestone  (cutcaire  grassier,) 
which  may  in  fact  be  considered  a bed  of  calcareous  sand,  below  anoth- 
er stratum  of  hard  limestone,  also  abounding  in  shells,  but  of  a different 
kind.  (Cuvier  et  Brongniart,  Geologie  des  Environs  de  Paris.) — P. 

b “ St.  Cyr* * *  contains  a special  military  school,  established  in  the 
extensive  buildings  of  the  royal  abbey  founded  by  Madame  Maintenon.” 
— Tliis  school  is  intended  for  those  only  who  have  received  a prepara- 
tory military  education. — P. 

*St.  Cir.  (Vosgien.) 
c Jouy  en  Josas.  (Vosgien.) 

ll  “ It  owes  its  prosperity  to  a manufacture  of  printed  goods,  in  which 
during  the  imperial  government,  not  less  than  1000  workmen  were 
employed,  but  which  at  present  does  not  occupy  more  than  300.” 
e Montfort-l’Amaulri.  (Enc.  Meth.) — Monfort-PAmauri.  (Moreri.) 
f “ After  having  traversed  the  forest  of  St.  Leger,  which  is  contin- 
uous with  that  of  Rambouillet,  we  arrive  at  the  town  that  bears  the 
same  name  with  the  latter  [Rambouillet.]  During  the  imperial  gov- 
ernment, it  owed  to  its  castle*  the  rank  of  chief  town  of  a subprefec- 
ture.t The  castle  has  nothing  royal  in  its  structure.” 

» One  of  the  royal  residences  ( maisoos  royales.) — P. 

t It  was  the  chief  town  of  an  arrondissement  (subprefecture,)  in  1822.  (Alman. 
Royal.) — P. 

e “ The  park,  which  is  laid  out  in  the  English  fashion,  is  remarkable 
for  the  purity  of  its  water  and  the  beauty  of  its  prospects.  It  contains 
a dairy  ( laiterie ,)  the  interior  of  which,  cased  with  marble  and  watered 
by  fountains,  is  adorned  with  a rock,  representing  a grotto  in  which  a 
nymph  is  bathing.  The  celebrated  royal  farm  ( ferine  royale,)*  estab- 
lished during  the  reign  of  Louis  XVl.t  for  the  naturalization  of  meri- 
nos, is  situated  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  park.” 

* One  of  the  royal  sheep-folds  ( bergeries  royales.)  t A.  D.  1786. 

•>  In  the  same  manner  with  Rambouillet.  See  note  f of  this  page. 

Estampes.  (Enc.  Meth.  Moreri.) 


it  is  watered  by  a small  river  that  serves  to  turn  several 
mills.k  It  follows  from  different  old  deeds  that  the  town 
must  have  been  founded  before  the  sixth  century,  indeed 
the  appearance  of  the  houses  attests  their  antiquity.1  Sa- 
clas,  a village  about  two  leagues  from  Etampes,  is  much 
more  ancient ; it  rises  on  the  site  of  Salioclita,  a city  men- 
tioned in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine.  The  river  Essonnem 
waters  the  small  town  of  the  same  name  ; the  inhabitants 
manufacture  cotton  and  woollen  stuffs ;"  they  possessed  for- 
merly a powder  manufactory,  but  as  many  of  the  houses 
were  demolished  by  an  explosion,  that  branch  of  industry 
has  been  removed  to  Bouchet,0  a place  near  the  confluence 
of  the  Juine  and  the  Essonne.P  Corbeil,  the  capital  of  a dis- 
trict,'i  is  not  more  than  a mile  from  Essonne  ;r  it  possesses 
several  cotton  and  linen  manufactories,  and  carries  on  a trade 
with  Paris  in  grain  and  flour.3 

The  rich  pastures  in  the  department  of  the  Seine  and 
Oise  afford  food  to  numerous  flocks,  and  the  same  country 
abounds  in  corn  and  wine.1  The  mineral  substances,  al- 
though not  highly  valuable,  are  useful ; the  gypsum  furnish- 
es the  immense  quantity  of  plaster  that  is  consumed  in  the 
capital,  and  the  quarries  afford  excellent  stone.3  Several 
mineral  springs  might  be  mentioned,  but  the  only  one  of 
any  note,  is  that  of  Enghien  in  the  valley  of  Montmorency. 

The  department  of  the  Seine  and  Oise  encompasses  the 
department  of  the  Seine,  in  which  Paris  occupies  nearly  the 
centre.  When  the  Romans,  under  the  command  of  Caesar, 

| arrived  about  fifty-five  years  before  the  vulgar  era,  at  the 
mean  and  solitary  city  in  the  territory  of  the  Parisii,  which 
the  barbarians  called  Luthtouezy,  and  their  conquerors  Lu- 
tetian the  houses  or  rather  cottages  were  built  of  clay,  and 
covered  with  straw,  the  country  was  poor,  and  the  position 
was  not  considered  favourable  lor  a town  J But  the  Parisii 
adopted  readily  the  usages  of  civilized  life  ; they  were  good 
mariners,  and  brave  in  war.  Lutelia  was  gradually  enlarg- 

k “ It  is  watered  by  a small  river*  that  never  freezes,  and  which 
serves  to  turn  a great  number  of  mills.” 

* The  I, net  or  Etampes  (Vosgien) — the  Juine  (Enc.  Meth.) — the  Ivette  (Moreri.) 
— The  Juine  rises  at  Neuville,  passes  by  Malesherbes  and  Pithivieis,  and  unit- 
ing with  the  Etampes,  takes  the  name  of  the  Essonne,  and  enters  the  Seine  at  Cor- 
beil. The  Ivette  is  a branch  of  the  Orge,  which  enters  the  Seine  opposite  Ville 
neuve  St.  George.  (Vosgien.) — P 

I “ It  was  the  birthplace  of  Guettard  the  naturalist.  It  is  a place  of 
considerable  antiquity,  since  it  is  mentioned  in  documents  of  as  early 
a period  as  the  sixth  century ; some  old  buildings  serve  to  confirm 
their  testimony.” 

m Essonnes,  Essone. 

II  “ Cotton  stuffs  ( cotonnadcs ) and  ginger-bread  ( pain  d'lpice) — ” 
Essonne  manufactures  paper  and  gunpowder.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

0 “ The  powder-mill  in  its  neighbourhood,  which  several  accidents 
had  rendered  formidable  to  the  place,  has  been  removed  to  Bouchet — ” 

p Properly,  near  the  confluence  of  the  Juine  and  the  Etampes, 
which  unite  to  form  the  Essonne. — P. 

1 “Arrondissement.” 

r “ A quarter  of  a league  from  Essonne.” 

s “ It  possesses  several  flour  mills  (mou/in. s,)  a cotton  mill  {fila- 
ture de  coton,)  and  a manufacture  of  hempen  tubes  ( tuyaux ) without 
seam  ; it  is  one  of  the  principal  marts  ( mogasins ) for  the  supply  of  Paris 
with  grain  and  flour.” 

1 “ The  department  of  the  Seine  and  Oise  is  one  of  the  richest  in 
corn,  wine  and  sheep.” 

u “They  consist  of  chalk,  building-stone*  and  gypsum,  the  last  of 
which  furnishes  the  immense  quantity  of  plaster  that  is  consumed 
in  Paris.” 

* Chiefly  calcareous. — P. 

* Lutetia.  Caesar.  De  Bell.  Gall.  VII.  § 54. — Lutctia  Parisiorum. 
Caesar.  De.  B.  G.  VI.  § 3 

y “ When,  fifty-five  years  before  the  vulgar  era,  the  Romans,  under 
the  conduct  of  Ctesar,  arrived  at  this  city,  then  a mean  place,  and  the 
only  town  belonging  to  the  small  tribe  of  the  Purisii,  by  whom  it  was 
called  Luthtouezy,  a name  which  the  Romans  changed  into  Lutetia,  they 
saw  in  its  few  dwellings,  built  of  earth  and  cut  straw,  and  situated  on 
the  island  which  now  comprehends  that  part  of  Paris  called  the  Citi , 
only  an  advantageous  position  in  a miserable  country.” 


BOOK  CXI/VI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


317 


eel  and  embellished ; it  became  the  seat  of  a prefecture, 
and  the  temporary  residence  of  several  emperors,  particu- 
larly of  Julian,  who  styled  it  his  dear  Lutetia*  The  only 
buildings  connected  with  that  remote  period,  are  the  baths, 
which  were  attached  to  the  imperial  palace. b The  feeble 
Romans  might  have  been  aware  of  their  danger  at  the  ap- 
proach of  the  Franks,  but  it  was  not  foreseen  that  the  city 
was  to  become  the  metropolis  of  those  barbarians,  and  four- 
teen centuries  afterwards,  the  capital  of  an  empire  as  vast 
as  it  was  of  short  duration,  and  in  which  Rome  itself  was 
merely  a provincial  town. 

Paris  was  enlarged  after  Clovis  chose  it  for  his  residence  ; 
pillaged  several  times  by  the  Normans,  it  was  encompassed 
with  fortifications  by  the  weak  successors  of  Charlemagne ; 
but  under  the  third  dynasty,  the  limits  both  on  the  north 
and  south,  having  been  considerably  extended,  it  was  divi- 
ded into  four  parts  or  quarters,0  and  surrounded  by  a wall 
which  on  a surface  of  six  hundred  and  sixteen  English 
acres, d enclosed  several  villages  beyond  the  boundaries  that 
were  first  traced  under  the  Carlovingians.  Different  streets 
may  still  serve  to  recall  the  names  of  these  villages  or  burghs  ; 
the  most  remarkable  were  B our g-V Abbe,  Beau-Bourg 
and  Bourg-Tiboud , the  name  of  the  last  has  been  applied 
to  the  street  of  Bourtibourg.0  Two  forts  which  have  been 
often  rebuilt  since  the  Roman  conquest,  defended  the  ap- 
proaches to  the  city ; the  one  was  the  Great  Chatelet  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Seine,  at  the  entrance  to  the  Pont  an 
Change ; the  other  or  Little  Chatelet  guarded  it  on  the 
left.f  Four  large  towers  bounded  the  enclosure  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  river  that  called  the  Tournelle  rose  on  the  j 
left  bank  of  the  river,  near  a wooden  bridge,  which  although 
since  built  of  stone  retains  its  ancient  name  ;h  another,  erect- 
ed on  the  opposite  bank  at  the  extremity  of  Old  Temple 
Street,1  served  as  a gate  to  the  city  ; it  was  first  called  Porte 
Barbelle,  and  afterwards  Barbette.  The  tower  and  the  | 
gate  of  Nesle  were  built  at  one  extremity  of  the  present 
bridge  of  Arts,  near  the  Mazarine  library  ; a large  tower  on 
the  other  side  defended  the  right  bank  of  the  Seine,  it  rose 
opposite  the  castle  of  the  Louvre,  then  an  old  edifice  beyond 
the  walls,  it  was  repaired  or  rebuilt  by  Philip  Augustus.! 


* Trr  vhvxtTiur — dear  Leucetia. — P. 

b “ The  only  building  belonging  to  that  period,  is  that,  of  the  Ther- 
mo.:,  which  formed  part  of  Julian’s  palace.” — At  the  time  of  h is  resi- 
dence in  Lutetia,  Julian  was  governor  of  Gaul  under  the  emperor 
Constantius. — P. 
c Qttar  tiers. 
d “ 739  arpents.” 

c “ These  villages  or  lourgs,  which  the  names  of  certain  streets  still 
serve  to  recall,  were  Bourg-l’Abbe,  Beau-Bourg  and  Bourg-Tiboud, 
the  last  of  which  gave  its  name  to  the  street  of  Bourtibourg.” 

f “ — the  other,  the  Little  Chatelet,  on  the  left  bank,  at  the  head  of 
the  Little  Bridge  ( Petit  Pont.)" 

g “ Four  large  towers,  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  marked, 
above  and  below,  the  limits  of  the  city.” 

h “ — at  the  head  of  a wooden  bridge,  which  although  since  built 
of  stone,  still  retains  its  original  name” — still  called  the  Wooden 
Bridge  ( Pont,  tie  Bois.) — P. 

‘ “ La  Vieille  rue  du  Temple.” 

i “ At  one  extremity  of  the  present  bridge  of  the  Arts  ( Pont  ties 
Jirts,)  the  tower  and  the  gate  of  Nesle,  then  called  the  gate  of  Philip 
Hamelin,  rose  in  the  place  now  occupied  by  the  pavilion  of  the  Maz- 
arin  library,  while  at  the  opposite  extremity,  fronting  the  old  castle 
(i chateau ) of  the  Louvre,  which  had  been  recently  rebuilt  by  Philip 
Augustus,  and  was  then  situated  without  the  walls,  a large  tower  de- 
fended the  right  bank  of  the  Seine.” 
k “ 1284  arpents.” 

1 “ During  the  reign  of  Francis  I.  the  limits  of  the  capital  were  ex- 
tended only  on  the  north.” 

1,1  “ Place  du  Palais-Royal.” 

“ Rue  des  Fosses-Montmartre — Rue  Neuve-Saint-Eustache.’ 

° “ About  1400  arpents.” 


Charles  the  Sixth  enlarged  the  boundary  on  the  north, 
and  divided  Paris  into  sixteen  quarters,  which  covered  a 
surface  of  1,070  English  acres.11  It  was  also  extended  in 
the  same  direction  by  Francis  the  First;* 1  the  walls  were 
traced  from  the  square  of  the  Palais  Royal"1  along  the  streets 
of  Fosses  Montmartre  and  Neuve-St.  Eustache"  to  the 
gate  of  St.  Denis,  and  from  that  gate  to  the  Bastille;  the 
surface  thus  enclosed  was  little  less  than  1,167  English 
acres."  The  number  was  increased  to  fourteen  hundred 
in  consequence  of  new  additions  made  by  Henry  the  Fourth. p 
Others  were  made  on  the  north  by  Louis  the  Thirteenth  ; 
they  may  be  still  traced  from  the  bridge  of  Louis  the  Six- 
teenth,^ along  the  Royal  Street1-  and  the  Boulevards,  to  the 
bridge  of  Austerlitz ; but  the  former  limit  on  the  south  was 
not  changed.  On  the  right  bank  of  the  Seine  and  within 
the  boundaries,  were  the  Louvre,  the  palace  and  garden  of 
the  Tuileries,s  the  abbey  of  St.  Martin,  the  Temple,  the 
j Royal  Square,1  and  the  house  of  Richelieu,  then  called  the 
j Palais  Cardinal  ;u  the  last  edifice  having  been  left  to  Louis 
| the  Thirteenth  by  his  minister,  became  the  residence  of 
Anne  of  Austria,  when  the  name  was  changed  into  that  of 
Palais  Royal,  which  it  retained  after  Louis  the  Fourteenth 
had  given  it  to  his  brother,  the  duke  of  Orleans.  The 
court  of  justice  and  the  cathedral,  of  which  the  fronts  were 
concealed  by  old  buildings,  the  Sorbonne,  founded  by  Rob- 
ert de  Sorbon,  the  chaplain  of  St.  Louis,  and  rebuilt  by 
Richelieu,  the  college  of  Cluny,  that  was  completed  in  the 
thirteenth  century,  and  the  church  of  St.  Genevieve,  or  the 
burying  place  of  Clovis  and  the  shepherdess  of  Nanterre, 
were  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  Paris. v Several  con- 
vents and  charitable  institutions  rose  beyond  the  northern 
enclosure ; the  most  remarkable  were  the  pest-house  of 
St.  Lazarus, w founded  in  the  eleventh  century,  the  hos- 
pital of  St.  Louis, x built  in  1607,  and  the  abbey  of  St. 
Anthony, 7 which  was  afterwards  changed  into  an  hospital. 
Beyond  the  walls  on  the  south  were  the  abbey  of  St.  Ger- 
main des  Pres,  of  which  the  foundation  dates  from  the  time 
of  Childebert  the  First ; the  church  of  St.  Sulpice,  which  was 
finished  by  Louis  the  Fifteenth  ;z  the  palace  of  the  Luxem- 
bourg, of  which  the  foundations  were  laid  by  Mary  de  Me- 


p ’‘Under  Henry  IV.,  new  additions  increased  it  to  1C60  arpents.” 

‘i  “ Louis  XIII.  extended  the  limits  on  the  north,  and  the  line 
drawn  by  him  may  be  still  traced  from  the  bridge  of  Louis  XVI. 
( Pont-Louis  XVI.) — ” 
r “ Rue  Royale.” 

I e Tuilleries.  (Moreri.  La  Force.) — Thuilleries  (Eng.  authors.) 

1 “ Place  Royale.” 

n “Hotel  Richelieu,  also  called  the  Palais-Cardinal.”. — It  was  first 
called  the  Hotel  de  Richelieu,  then  the  Palais-Cardinal,  and  finally  the 
Palais-Royal.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

v “ The  southern  part  of  Paris  comprehended,  besides  the  island  of 
St.  Louis  and  the  City*  ( Vile  Saint- Louis — la  Cite,)  in  which  were  the 
cathedralt  and  the  palace  of  justice  (palais  de  justice,)  the  fronts  of 
which  were  concealed  by  masses  of  building,  three  other  important 
edifices:  namely,  the  Sorbonne,  founded  by  Robert  de  Sorbon,  chap- 
lain of  St.  Louis,  and  rebuilt  by  Richelieu  ; the  college  of  Cluny, 
erected  in  the  13th  century  ; and  the  church  of  St.  Genevieve,  in 
i which  Clovis  and  the  shepherdess  of  Nanterret  were  interred,  and 
which  was  reconstructed  in  1175.||” 

*The  City  occupies  the  island  of  Notre-Dame,  in  which  the  ancient  Lutetia  was 
situated. — P. 

f The  church  of  Notre-Dame. 

j St.  Genevieve,  born  at  Nanterre  A.  D.  419.  (Moreri.) — P. 

||  The  old  church  of  St.  Genevieve  was  first  erected  by  Clovis,  but  hnvinv  been 
ruined  by  the  Normans,  it  was  rebuilt  at  different  intervals,  and  finally  finished,  in 
1175,  by  Stephen  bishop  of  Tournay.  (Piganiol  de  la  Force,  t.  v.  p 231— 4.)— The 
present  church  of  St.  Genevieve  (the  Pantheon)  was  built  by  Louis  XV.— P. 

w “ Leproserie  de  St.  Lazare” — house  for  the  reception  of  lepers  - 
lazar-house. — P.  x “Hopital  St.  Louis.” 

y “ Abbaye  St.  Antoine” — now  Hopital  St.  Antoine. — P. 
z The  church  of  St.  Sulpice  was  begun  in  1655,  during  the  reign  of 
Louis  XIV.— P 


318  EUR 

dicisin  1 G 1 5 : the  abbey  of  Vul  de  Grace,  which  was  founded 
in  1G45  ; the  Garden  of  Plants,  which  was  begun  in  1635  : 
and  the  house  of  correction,®  which  was  erected  in  1656. 

Paris  was  also  enlarged  by  Louis  the  Fourteenth,  and  the 
hospital  of  Invalids1*  was  comprehended  within  the  enclo- 
sure ; during  the  same  reign  the  old  ditches  were  filled  up, 
the  ramparts  and  gates  demolished,  and  two  triumphal 
arches  substituted  for  the  gates  of  St.  Martin  and  St.  Denis. 
The  boundaries  of  the  city  were  so  much  enlarged  in  con- 
sequence of  these  improvements,  that  at  the  accession  of 
Louis  the  Fifteenth,  it  covered  a surface  equal  to  2,740 
acres.0  The  village  of  Rouled  was  included  some  years 
fterwards  within  the  limits  that  were  fixed  in  1728,  and  the 
extent  was  thus  increased  to  3 244  acres. e Lamps  of  the 
same  sort  as  those  that  are  now  seen  in  the  streets,  were 
erected  in  the  year  1766,  but  a hundred  years  before  that 
period,  Paris  was  lighted  by  means  of  lanterns.  To  obviate 
the  inconvenience  arising  from  crooked  streets,  a law  was 
first  passed  in  1785,  regulating  the  plan  according  to  which 
they  were  to  be  built  in  future  ; five  years  afterwards  a 
new  wall  was  raised,  the  limits  have  not  been  since  much 
extended  ; they  enclose  a space  somewhat  less  than  8,400 
acres/ 

Having  enumerated  the  principal  additions  made  to  Paris 
at  different  periods,  we  may  mention  the  monuments  and 
edifices  by  which  it  has  been  embellished  from  the  acces- 
sion of  Louis  the  Fourteenth  to  the  present  day.  The 
Mazarin  college, s now  the  hall  of  the  Institute,1* 1 the  colon- 
nade of  the  Louvre/  the  Gobelins  manufactory, kl  the  Obser- 
vatory ,m  the  Foundling  hospital,"  the  hospital  of  Invalids,0 
the  gates  of  St.  Denis1*  and  St.  Martin, q the  Royal  Bridge*  % 
and  the  edifices  surrounding  the  Place  Vendome/  were 
raised  during  the  reign  of  Louis  the  Great. 

The  monuments  of  the  following  reign"  are  the  Bourbon 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXliYI. 

palace/  at  present  the  ball  of  the  Chamber  of  deputies,1’'1 
the  portal  of  the  church  of  St.  Roche/ z the  massive  foun- 
tain of  Grenelle/®  the  Military  School/1*  the  new  church  of 
St.  Genevieve,ccthe  corn  market, ddee  the  equestrian  statue  of 
Lewis  the  Fifteenth,  the  public  buildings  in  the  square  that 
bears  the  name  of  the  king,ff  Saint  Martin’s  market/1* 11  and, 
lastly,  the  mint.B  kk 

The  embarrassed  state  of  the  finances  did  not  prevent 
Louis  the  Sixteenth  from  raising  several  useful  and  elegant 
buildings.  The  College  of  France11  was  completed,  and 
the  School  of  Medicine"*1"  was  commenced."”  The  court  of 
justice00  was  embellished  with  a new  front  ;pp  the  Odeon  was 
built  for  the  representation  of  French  comedies, qq  and  the 
present  Italian  theatre  for  the  comic  opera."  The  magnifi- 
cent front  of  the  last  building  might  have  decorated  one  of 
the  most  frequented  streets  in  Paris,  but  it  was  determined 
not  to  place  it  on  a line  with  the  minor  theatres  on  the 
Boulevards.33  Some  years  afterwards,  the  stone  galleries 
ol  the  Palais  Royal  were  constructed  by  the  duke  of  Or- 
leans ;u  the  fine  bridge  of  Louis  the  Sixteenth""  was  erected  ; 
the  elegant  fountain  of  the  Innocents,  a monument  of  the 
revival  ol  the  arts, vv  was  repaired  ;ww  and  the  French  theatre” 
adorned  the  street  of  Richelieu  J?  ” The  limits  of  Paris  were 
also  marked  by  fifty-five  barriers, aaa  raised  at  a great  expense 
and  in  bad  taste/1*1*  and,  lastly,  the  theatre  of  Feydeau 
was  built  during  the  same  reign.cccddd 

It  seemed  as  if  Bonaparte  was  anxious  to  indemnify  the 
Parisians  for  the  loss  of  liberty  by  improving  their  city. 
The  embellishments  which  he  added  to  the  capital  in  the 
short  space  of  twelve  years  surpassed  those  of  the  three 
preceding  reigns.eee  The  works  of  the  period  are  the  fine 
streets  of  La  Paix,  Rivoli,  Mont  Thabor,  Castiglione,  and 
many  others.  The  quays  of  Orsai,  Debilly,  Desaix,  Mor- 
land,  Catinat,  Bignon,  the  Louvre,  the  Invalids,  the  City, 

a “ Hospice  de  la  Salpetriere.” — Properly,  an  alms-house  for  the 
reception  of  sick  and  aged  females  (particularly,  the  insane) — also  used 
as  a house  of  correction  for  disorderly  females. — P. 

b “ Hotel  des  Invalides.”  c “ 3,228  arpents.” 

d “ Le  ltoule.” — Le  Roulle  or  Le  Rolle  (Lat.  Kotulus;)  originally, 
a village;  erected  into  a suburb,  A.  D.  1722.  (La  Force,  t.  II.  p. 
438 — 40.) — P.  e “ 3,919  arpents.” 

f “ Paris  was  lighted  with  lanterns  as  early  as  1660,  but  the  lamps 
now  employed  (rivcrbires,  reflecting  lamps)  were  substituted  for  them 
in  1766.  The  first  law  regulating  the  laying  out  ( alignemcnt ) of  streets, 
was  passed  in  1783 ; five  years  afterwards,  a new  wall  was  erected, 
which  taking  into  account  the  slight  additions  it  has  since  received , 
gives  to  the  capital  an  extent  of  10,060  arpents.*” 

*3,439  hectares  6S  ares. 

e “ College  Mazarin” — called  also  the  College  of  the  Four  Nations 
(College  des  quatre  Nations.)  because  founded  by  Cardinal  Mazarin  for 
the  education  of  60  young  noblemen  from  the  four  provinces  recently 
subjected  to  Louis  XIV..  A.  D.  1661. — After  the  revolution  it  was  ap- 
propriated to  the  National  Institute,  and  to  a school  of  the  fine  arts,  and 
receive.d  the  name  of  Palais  des  Arts,  by  which  name,  and  that  of  Pa- 
lais de  I'lnstitut,  it  is  now  known.  The  Mazarin  library  occupies  part 
of  the  edifice.  It  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  gate  of  Nesle  (Enc. 
Meth.) — P. 

h “Palais  de  I'lnstitut”  (Palace  of  the  Institute) — also  called  the 
Palace  of  the  Fine  Arts  ( Palais  des  Arts.) — P. 

‘ Begun  in  1662.  i Begun  in  1665. 

k The  royal  manufactory  of  the  Gobelins — a manufactory  of  the  rich- 
est tapestry,  so  called  from  G.  Gobelin,  a dyer  of  Reims,  who  estab- 
lished a manufactory  there  in  the  16th  century. — The  present  establish- 
ment was  founded  by  Colbert  in  1667. — P.  1 Begun  in  1666. 

m Begun  in  1667.  n Begun  in  1669. 

° Begun  in  1671,  finished  in  1706.  p Begun  in  1672. 

4 Begun  in  1674.  r “ Pont- Royal.”  ■ Begun  in  1684. 

1 From  1685  to  1701.  u Louis  XV. 

7 “ Palais  Bourbon.” 

w “ Palais  de  la  Chambre  des  deputes” — under  the  imperial  govern- 
ment, the  Palace  of  the  Legislative  Body  ( Palais  du  Corps  Lcgisla- 
tif.) — P.  * Begun  in  1722.  t “ St.  Roch.”  * Begun  in  1736. 

“a  Begun  in  1739.  bb  Begun  in  1752. 

tc  Although  the  foundations  were  begun  in  1757,  the  ceremony  of 
laying  the  corner-stone  did  not  take  place  until  the  year  1764. 
in  « Halle  au  Ble.”  ee  Begun  in  1763,  finished  in  1767. 
n “ The  equestrian  statue  and  the  buildings  of  the  Place  Louis  XV.” 
— The  Place  Louis  XV.  (Square  of  Louis  XV.)  is  bounded  by  the 
Seine  on  the  south,  by  the  gardens  of  the  Tuileries  on  the  east,  by  the 
Chtnnps  Elysies  on  the  west,  and  by  a lofty  range  of  palaces  on  the 
north.  Its  centre  was  occupied  by  an  equestrian  statue  of  Louis  XV., 
demolished  in  1792. — P.  e?  Begun  in  1763. 

hh  “ The  Market  of  St.  Martin  ( Marclii  St.  Martin.)” 

“ Begun  in  1765. 

ii  “ Hotel  des  Monnaies.”  kk  Begun  in  1771. 

11  “ College  de  France” — College  Royal  (Enc.  Meth.) — College 
Royal  de  France  (Ahnan.  Royal)— founded  by  Francis  I.  A.  D.1529 
rebuilt  at  the  period  above  mentioned. — P. 

mm“  Ecole  de  Medecine.”  nn  In  1774. 

00  “ Palace  of  Justice  ( Palais  de  Justice.)” 
pp  In  1776.  44  In  1781.  "■  In  17S2. 

ss  “ The  Odeon  was  built  for  the  Co  mi  die  Franca  isc,  and  the  Italian 
Theatre  ( Theatre  des  Italiens*)  for  the  comic  opera  (optra-comique ;) 
the  latter  with  a large  and  noble  front,  which  would  have  decorated 
the  most  frequented  of  the  Boulevards, t if  from  a very  singular  preju- 
dice, it  had  not  been  feared  that  by  turning  it  in  that  direction,  it  would 
have  been  confounded  with  the  petty  theatres  of  the  Boulevards.” 

* The  present  French  Opera  (Grand  Opera  or  Rnyal  Academy  of  Music)  fronting 
the  Rue  LepeReticr  (Boulevard  Italien.)  (Herve.) — P. 
f Boulevard  des  Italiens  (Italian  Boulevard.) 

u In  1786. 

“u  “ Pont  Louis  XVI.” 

vv  The  present  structure,  said  to  have  been  built  on  the  site  of  an 
older  one,  was  erected  in  1550. — P. 

From  1787  to  1791.  xx“  Theatre  Frantjais.” 

yy  “ Rue  de  Richelieu.”  11  From  1787  to  1790. 

aaa  “ Barrieres” — gates.  bbbFrom  1786  to  1789. 

ccc  “ The  Theatre  of  the  Rue  Feydeau  was  destined  to  receive  the 
company  that  had  been  previously  established  on  the  Boulevard  des 
Italiens.”  In  1790. 

eee“ — equalled  them.” — This  was  published  in  1829,  under  the  gov 
eminent  of  the  Bourbons. — P. 

BOOK  CXLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  319 


the  Conference  and  Tournelle  were  constructed.  The 
bridges  of  Arts,a  the  City,  Austerlitzb  and  Jena,c  were  suc- 
cessively erected  ; the  canal  of  Ourcq  facilitated  the  con- 
veyance of  goods,  and  thus  increased  the  commerce  of  the 
capital. d Twenty-four  new  fountains  served  to  adorn  and 
purify  the  streets ; we  cannot  refrain  from  mentioning  those 
on  Chatelet  place,  Vaugirard  street,  the  market  of  St.  Ger- 
main, the  court  of  the  Medical  School,  the  boulevard  of 
Bondi,  and  the  fountain  of  the  Elephant,  the  largest  of  them 
all,  but  it  remains  still  in  an  unfinished  state.  Eight  covered 
markets  were  begun  and  finished  ; the  old  slaughter  houses 
were  demolished,  and  others  were  raised  beyond  the  barriers, 
that  the  inhabitants  might  not  be  exposed  to  the  disgusting 
spectacles,  which  until  then  were  not  uncommon  in  many 
parts  of  Paris.®  Four  spacious  cemeteries  were  enclosed 
without  the  walls,  and  granaries  of  a great  size  were  built  on 
the  site  of  the  ancient  arsenal/ s The  same  period  of  des- 
potism and  glory  was  marked  by  the  commencement  or 
completion  of  different  monuments.  The  colonnade  of  the 
Louvre  was  embellished  and  perfected,  the  works  by  which 
the  same  palace  was  to  he  united  to  the  Tuileries,  were 
begun.1'  A triumphal  arch  loaded  with  ornaments,  in  di- 
mensions the  same  as  the  one  erected  to  Septimius  Severus 
at  Rome,  rose  on  the  Carrousel  to  commemorate  the  Aus- 
trian campaign  of  1805.1  A similar  monument  of  colossal 
size  crowns  the  entrance  to  the  Elysian  Fields/  The 
church  of  the  Magdalen  was  enlarged,1'  and  the  present 
peristyle  was  built  round  the  chamber  of  deputies.1  A pillar 
after  the  model  of  the  one  raised  to  Antonine  at  Rome,  cov- 
ered with  bronze  basso-relievos,  and  surmounted  by  the  co- 

1  In  1804. 

b In  1806. — Now  called  the  bridge  of  the  King’s  Garden  ( Pont  du 
Jardin  du  Roi)  \ Pont  du  Roi  (Herve’s  Guide  to  Paris,  p.  339.)  It  is 
situated  opposite  the  Garden  of  Plants. — P.] 

c In  1813 — Now  called  the  brido-e  of  the  Invalids  ( Pont  des  Inva- 
lides.)  >1  In  1809. 

f They  were  begun  in  1810,  but  they  were  not  finished  until  after 
the  restoration.  f Begun  in  1807. 

s “ Several  fine  streets  were  opened,  among  which  those  of  La 
Paix,  Rivoli,  Mont-Thabor* *  and  Castiglione  may  be  enumerated ; 
the  quays  of  Orsai,  Debilly,  Desaix,  Morland,  Bignon,  the  Louvre, 
the  Invalids,  the  City  ( Citi ,)  the  Conference,  and  the  Tournelle, 
were  constructed ; the  bridges  of  the  City  ( Pont  de  la  Citi)  and  the 
Fine  Arts  ( Pont  des  Arts.)  and  those  of  Austerlitz  and  Jena,  were 
successively  erected  ; the  canal  of  the  Ourcq  and  the  large  basin  of  La 
Villette  furnished  additional  facilities  to  commerce  ;t  the  streets  were 
adorned  and  purified  by  65  smaller  fountains  (homes  jetant  dc  I’eau) 
and  by  24  new  fountains  of  a larger  size  (nouvclles  fontaitics)  among  the 
last  of  which  the  most  remarkable  were  those  of  the  Place  du  Chatelet, 
the  Rue  de  Vaugirard.  the  Market  of  St.  Germain  ( marche  St.  Ger- 
main) the  School  of  Medicine,  and  the  Boulevard  of  Bondy  (boulevard 
Bondi)  and  also  the  colossal  fountain  of  the  Elephant,  which  still  remains 
unfinished ; eight  covered  markets  supplied  the  place  of  the  wretched 
booths  of  oil  cloth,  by  which  the  hucksters  had  previously  been  pro- 
tected ; several  new  sewers  served  to  drain  the  streets ; five  extensive 
slaughter-houses,  built  in  an  elegant  style  of  rustic  architecture,  were 
erected  on  the  skirts  of  the  city,  in  order  to  put  a stop  to  the  disgust- 
ing practice  of  slaughtering  animals  in  private  establishments,  in  the 
heart  of  the  town  ; four  spacious  cemeteries,  situated  beyond  the  barri- 
ers, were  substituted  for  those  within  the  walls  ;t  immense  granaries 
(greniers  de  reserve)  occupied  the  site  of  the  former  arsenal ; and  the 
building  of  the  wine  market  (Halle  aux  Vins ) was  begun. ||” 

* Mount  Tabor— so  called  from  a victory  gained  by  Bonaparte  over  the  Turks,  at 
Mount  Tabor  in  Palestine,  1799. — P. 
f l'lie  canal  of  the  Ourcq  supplies  several  of  the  fountains  in  Paris. — P. 
j In  virtue  of  a decree  issued  in  1804. 

||  The  corner  stone  was  laid  in  1811. 

h In  1808.  > From  1806  to  1809. 

i From  1806  to  1814;  but  it  is  still  unfinished. 
k From  1807  to  1814.  i In  1807. 

m Finished  in  1810. 

n “ The  magnificent  colonnade  of  the  Louvre  was  embellished  and 
terminated  ; the  gallery  intended  to  complete  the  connexion  between 
the  Louvre  and  the  Tuileries,*  was  begun  ; a triumphal  arch,  loaded 
with  ornaments,  and  built  after  the  model  of  that  of  Septimius  Seve- 
rus at  Rome,  rose  in  the  Place  du  Carrousel  to  commemorate  the  Aus- 


lossal  statue  of  its  founder,  adorned  Vendome  place.”1  " Last- 
ly, the  exchange,”  the  most  sumptuous  edifice  in  Paris,  was 
founded  on  a site,  formerly  encumbered  with  old  houses.p 

Tlie  fall  of  the  extraordinary  man  by  whom  these  works 
were  accomplished,  and  the  exhausted  stale  of  the  finances 
after  two  years  of  invasion  and  defeats,  interrupted,  but 
did  not  prevent,  the  embellishments  of  the  capital.  The 
blessings  ol  a long  desired  peace  gave  such  an  impulse  to 
individual  enterprise,  that  more  workmen  were  employed 
than  in  the  time  of  Napoleon.  Gardens  and  fields  were 
changed  into  streets,'1  and  villages  rose  heyond  the  gates. 
The  mania  ol  building  became  the  disease  of  the  rich  and 
of  speculator  wilhout  capital;  it  was  not  until  many  of 
them  were  ruined,  until  whole  districts  or  quarters  were 
deserted,  that  their  folly  was  discovered.”  Some  works 
that  had  been  long  projected  or  begun,  were  after  many 
interruptions  continued  ; the  granaries,  the  slaughter-houses, 
the  markets  of  Saint  Martin  and  Saint  Germain  were  fin- 
ished; the  statues  of  Henry  the  Fourth  and  Lewis  die 
Fourteenth  were  erected  on  the  Pont-Neuf  and  the  Place- 
V ictoire.  A monument  was  raised  to  Lewis  the  Sixteenth 
by  the  city  of  Paris,  and  it  was  determined  to  place  the 
statue  of  Lewis  the  Thi.teenth  on  the  Royal  Square,  noton 
account  of  any  admiration  for  the  prince,  but  because  his 
statue  had  been  there  beiore.s 

Every  successive  addition  made  to  Paris  was  in  all  pro- 
bability rendered  necessary  by  a corresponding  increase  in 
the  population  ; but  nothing  like  accurate  infoimation  can 
be  obtained  concerning  the  number  of  inhabitants  before  the 
fourteenth  century.  It  cannot  be  doubted  that  both  before 

trian  campaign  of  1805;  a similar  monument,  remarkable  for  its  co- 
lossal dimensions,  crowned  the  terrace  (plate-forme)  which  terminates 
the  avenue  of  the  Champs-Elysees  ;t  the  church  of  La  Madeleine, 
modified  in  its  construction,  received  the  title  of  the  Temple  of  Glory 
(Temple  de  la  Gloire ;)  a peristyle,  serving  as  a back-front  (arriere- 
facade)  to  the  Palace  of  the  Chamber  of  Deputies,  was  made  to  cor- 
respond with  that  of  the  temple  ; a column,  after  the  model  of  that  of 
Antoninet  at  Rome,  covered  with  bass-reliefs  in  bronze,  and  surmoun- 
ted by  a colossal  statue  of  its  founder, ||  decorated  the  Place  Ven- 
dome— ” 

* The  gallery  connecting  the  Louvre  and  the  Tuileries  on  the  south,  was  begun 
by  Henry  IV.  Bonaparte  formed  the  plan  of  connecting  the  two  buildings  on  the 
north  by  a similar  range  of  building,  which  he  begun  and  completed  for  about  one 
third  of  the  distance.  When  entirely  finished,  the  vast  square  of  the  Carrousel  will 
be  completely  enclosed. — P. 

| The  triumphal  arch  of  L’Etoile  (the  Star) — called  also  the  Barriere  de  I’Etoile  ; 
situated  at  the  Barriere  dc  JVcuilly , at  the  extremity  of  the  broad  avenue  which  ex- 
tends from  that  barrier  tu  the  Place  Louis  XV.  through  tile  whole  extent  of  the 
Champs  Elysees. — P.  {Trajan.  (Ed.  Encyc.  Herve.) — P. 

||  Kemoved  at  the  restoration. — It  is  now  to  be  replaced. — P. 

° “ Palais  de  la  Bourse.” 

p From  1808  to  1814. 

q “ New  quarters  were  formed  within  the  walls,  xvhere  there  had 
been  only  fields  and  gardens.” — A considerable  part  of  the  space  in- 
closed within  the  walls  is  still  unoccupied. — P. 

r “ The  ruin  of  many  of  them  served  to  check  this  extravagance, 
and  entire  quarters,  scarcely  finished,  attest  by  their  solitude  the  extent 
of  the  delusion.” 

“ “ Several  works,  long  since  projected  or  begun,  have  been  slowly 
continued  ; at  the  Tuileries,  an  iron  railing,  in  a style  of  elegant  sim- 
plicity, has  been  substituted  for  the  wall  on  the  terrace  of  the  Feuillans ; 
some  of  the  arcades  of  the  Louvre  have  been  built;  the  granaries  (gre- 
niers de  riserve)  the  slaughter-houses,  the  wine  market,  the  markets 
of  St.  Martin  and  St.  Germain,  the  canals  of  St.  Denis  and  St.  Mar- 
tin, and  the  quays  of  Bignon  and  the  Invalids,  have  been  finished ; 
the  statues  of  Henry  IV.  and  Louis  XIV.  have  been  erected,  the  former 
on  the  Pont-Neuf,  and  the  latter  in  the  Place  des  Victoires  ; the  vast 
buildings  of  the  treasury  department  (ministire  des  finances)  have 
added  to  the  beautiful  regularity  of  the  Rue  de  Rivoli ; the  Exchange 
and  the  Temple  of  Glory,  the  last  of  which  has  again  become  the 
church  of  La  Madeleine,  have  been  completed ; a monument  to  the 
memory  of  Louis  XVI.  has  been  raised  in  the  square  of  Louis  XV. 
(Place  Louis  XL.)  which  the  city  of  Paris  has  undertaken  to  embellish 
at  its  own  expense  ; and  lastly,  the  statue  of  Louis  XIII.  is  to  be  rein- 
stated in  the  Place  Royale,  not  from  any  motives  of  admiration,  but 
because  it  formerly  occupied  the  same  locality.” 


320  EUR 

•and  after  that  early  period,  little  or  no  attention  was  bestow- 
ed on  a subject,  to  which  political  writers  of  the  present 
day  attach  so  much  importance.  It  is  difficult,  however, 
to  suppose  with  M.  Dulaure,  that  Paris  contained  only 
forty-nine  thousand  inhabitants  in  the  reign  of  Philip  the 
Fair.®  The  chroniclers  of  the  time  asset  t that  there  were 
fifty  thousand  men  capable  of  bearing  arms,  which  indicates 
a population  of  more  than  a hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
individuals.  It  may  be  allowed  that  chroniclers  are  not  the 
best  authority,  but  it  should  be  recollected  that  the  capital 
consisted  then  of  thirty-four  parishes,  and  it  might  be  shown 
that  the  average  number  of  inhabitants  in  each  parish  was 
at  least  equal  to  three  thousand.15  If  it  were  necessary  to 
bring  forward  other  arguments,  it  might  be  remarked  that 
there  were  sixteen  colleges  in  Paris  in  the  year  1336,°  and 
that  eight  years  afterwards  a pestilential  disease  lasted  sev- 
eral months,  and  while  it  was  at  its  height,  not  less  than  five 
hundred  persons  died  daily.  The  number  of  inhabitants 
must  have  been  much  greater  in  the  following  century,  for 
a plague  that  began  in  1418,  and  lasted  three  months,  car- 
ried off  a hundred  thousand  individuals.*1  In  the  year  1467, 
Louis  the  Eleventh  reviewed  the  men  between  sixteen  and 
sixty,  capable  of  bearing  arms,  and  their  number  amounted 
to  more  than  sixty  and  less  than  eighty  thousand,  so  that 
the  population  may  be  supposed  greater  than  180.000.  If 
25,000  studen's  f.om  foreign  countries  and  different  parts 
of  France,  then  in  Paris,  be  included,  the  total  population 
was  without  doubt  greater  than  200,000  individuals.®  The 
number  of  houses  in  Henry  the  Second’s  time  amounted 
to  12,000,  from  which  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  popula- 
tion was  equal  to  about  240,000.  When  Henry  the 
Fourth  besieged  Paris  in  a season  of  famine  and  devasta- 
tion, there  were  in  the  town,  exclusively  of  the  suburbs, 
more  than  two  hundred  thousand  persons.  The  total  num- 
ber of  inhabitants  amounted  to  492,000  about  the  end  of 
Louis  the  Fourteenth’s  reign ; since  that  period  the  popu- 
lation has  always  been  progressive/ 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLVI. 

Paris  contained  before  the  revolution  a hundred  and 
sixty  catholic  houses  of  worship:  viz.  fifty  parish  churches, 
ten  others  possessing  the  same  privileges,  twenty  collegiate 
churches  and  eighty  chapels  of  ease ; there  were  besides 
eleven  abbeys,  three  of  which  were  inhabited  by  women, 
fifty-three  convents  and  forty-six  nunneiies.s  It  does  not 
contain  at  present  more  than  thirty-eight  catholic  churches, 
namely,  twelve  parish  churches  and  twenty-six  chapels  of 
ease,  besides  thirty-five  monasteries  for  women,  four  for 
men,  and  as  many  monkish  seminaries/  Six  chapels'  be- 
long to  different  sects:  viz.  three  to  the  Calvinists,  one  to 
those  of  the  Augsburg  confession,!  one  to  the  eastern  Chris- 
tians,k and  one  to  the  Jews. 

There  are  nine  public  libraries,  many  scientific  collec- 
tions, others  connected  with  the  arts,  schools  of  law,  medi- 
cine and  theology.  It  is  foreign  to  our  purpose  to  mention 
all  the  schools,  seminaries  or  colleges  in  which  the  various 
departments  of  knowledge  are  taught;  of  these  the  poly- 
technic school  is  not  the  least  important,  and  it  may  be 
remarked  that  the  method  of  instruction  which  was  first 
introduced  there,  has  been  since  adopted  in  different  coun- 
tries. The  number  of  private  institutions  amounts  to  thirty- 
six,  of  public  schools  to  a hundred  and  thirty-five  ; there  are 
twenty-three  learned  societies,  independently  of  the  Royal 
Institute,  the  most  celebrated  of  them  all.  Much  good 
has  been  effected  by  philanthropic  societies,  by  benevolent 
institutions ; knowledge  has  thus  been  communicated  to 
those,  who  otherwise  must  have  remained  ignorant,  the  evils 
of  poverty  have  thus  been  mitigated.  As  ostentation  is  not 
a pretext  for  the  noble  duty  of  relieving  the  poor,  or  mitigat- 
ing human  suffering,  the  neglect  of  it  cannot  be  imputed  to 
carelessness  or  indifference.  The  charitable  institutions  in 
Paris,  the  numbers  that  subscribe  to  them,  the  zeal  and 
judgment  with  which  they  are  managed,  are  the  best  proofs 
of  progressive  improvement,  the  best  answers  that  can  be 
given  to  the  narrow-minded  men,  who  have  vainly  attempted 
to  calumniate  the  present  generation.1 

“ M.  J.  A.  Dulaure,  Histoire  civile,  physique  et  morale  de  Paris, 
tcm.  iii.  p.  281, 3e  edition,  12mo. 

b “ We  cannot,  however,  agree  with  a distinguished  writer  (M.  Du- 
laure,) who  estimates  the  population  of  the  capital,  during  the  reign  of 
Philip  the  Fair,  at  only  about  49,000  souls.  Whatever  be  the  exagge- 
ration of  the  chroniclers  of  the  time,  in  valuing  at  50,000  the  number 
of  individuals  capable  of  bearing  arms,  which  would  indicate  a popula- 
lation  of  more  than  120,000  souls,  it  cannot  but  be  admitted,  m our 
opinion,  that  a city  which  then  comprehended  34  parishes,  must  have 
contained  about  that  number  of  inhabitants,  for  each  parish  must  have 
reckoned  at  least  3000  individuals,  in  order  to  maintain  the  great  num- 
ber of  priests  that  served  them.” 

c The  colleges  of  the  Sorbonne,  Boissy,  Huban,  Mignon,  Chanac, 
Boncourt,  Burgundy,  the  Lombards,  the  Germans,  Tours,  Lisieux, 
Autun,  Cambray,  Aubusson,  Tournay  and  Justin. 

d “ — since  in  1418,  a plague  that  lasted  three  months,  carried  off 
100,000  individuals.” 

e “ In  1407,  Louis  XI.  reviewed  the  men  between  sixteen  and  sixty, 
and  as  their  number  amounted  to  between  sixty  and  eighty  thousand, 
the  whole  population  may  be  reckoned  at  more  than  180,000,  and  if 
the  25,000  students  then  in  Paris,  from  different  parts  of  France,  be 
included,  at  more  than  200,000.” 

f The  registers  afford  better  means  of  determining  the  increase  and 
fluctuations  in  the  population  since  the  accession  of  Louis  the  Fif- 
teenth :*  the  following  are  some  of  the  results. 

In  1719  ....  509,000 

In  17f>2  ...  - 570,000 

In  1770  - - - - 058,000 

In  1785  ...  - 085,000 

In  1791  ....  600,000 

In  1798  ....  040,000 

In  1802  ....  672,000 

In  1815  - - - 7141000 

In  1827  ....  8901000 

The  remarkable  decrease  in  the  above  series  from  the  year  1791  to 
1802,  must  be  attributed  to  revolutionary  troubles. t 

* “Since  the  accession  of  I.ouis  XV.,  the  public  registers  may  be  relied  on  with  » 
good  degree  of  confidence,  and  by  means  of  them  we  may  safely  establish  the  pro 
gressive  increase  and  fluctuations  in  (he  population  of  Paris — ” 

f “ The  population  in  this  series,  is  calculated  accotding  to  the  births,  to  which  has 
been  added  the  number  of  illegitimate  children,  taking  care  to  retrench  one  third  tor 
these  which,  although  horn  in  Paris,  do  not  ac  tually  belong  to  the.  city.  It  will  be 
perceived  that  the  revolutionary  troubles  occasioned  a considerable  diminution  from 
1791  to  1802  ;*  but  since  the  return  of  peace,  the  increase  of  the  population  lias  again 
become  rapidly  progressive.” 

* Rather  from  1785,  or  at  least  1789,  to  1798. — P. 

“ There  were  besides  3 abbeys  for  men  and  8 for  women,  and  also 
53  convents  ( commy.nav.lis ) for  men  and  40  for  women.” 

h “ 35  convents  ( communautis ) for  women,  4 convents  ( congrega- 
tion.s)  for  men,  and  4 seminaries.” 

* “ Temples” — churches.  1 Lutherans. 

k “ — to  the  Greek  Church.’ 

1 “ Among  the  establishments  for  the  purposes  of  education  and 
public  instruction,  Paris  possesses  9 public  libraries,  numerous  collec- 
tions connected  with  the  sciences  and  the  arts,  celebrated  schools  of 
theology,  law  and  medicine,  public  courses  of  instruction  in  all  the 
branches  of  human  knowledge,  7 colleges,  7 special  schools,  namely,  the 
school  of  civil  engineering  ( ponts  et  chaussies.)  that  of  mines,  that  of 
geographical  engineers,  that  of  the  staff  ( itat  mtijur,)  and  those  of  music, 
the  fine  arts,  and  the  oriental  languages,  the  polytechnic  school,  one  of 
the  most  important,  of  which  the  plan  and  mode  of  instruction  have  been 
imitated  in  many  foreign  countries,  37  private  institutions,  50  boarding 
schools  ( pensionnats ,)  135  primary  schools  (icoles  popntaircs,)  the  Royal 
Institute,  and  23  other  learned  societies.  There  are  also  16  philan- 
thropic societies,  besides  a great  number  of  charitable  establishments. 
These  institutions  for  the  diffusion  of  light  and  knowledge,  and  for  the 
relief  of  indigence  and  misfortune,  are  not  founded  through  ostenta- 
tion, nor  neglected  through  indifference  : the  schools,  the  libraries  and 
the  collections,  the  learned  societies  and  the  benevolent  associations,  are 
frequented  with  a zeal  which  places  this  city  in  the  highest  rank  of 
intelligence,  and  notwithstanding  the  vain  calumnies  of  certain  narrow 
and  retrograde  minds,  attests  the  increasing  improvement  of  the  present 
generation.” 

BOOK  CXI/VI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


321 


Paris  is  subdivided  into  twelve  mayoralties,®  and  its  envi- 
rons form  the  two  subprefectures  of  St.  Denis  and  Sceaux. 
The  small  town  of  St.  Denisb  may  be  mentioned  on  account 
of  an  ancient  Benedictine  abbey,  and  also  on  account  of 
a church,  a Gothic  building,  perhaps  more  remarkable  for 
lightness  than  any  other  in  France,  it  was  begun  in  the 
seventh  century,  and  finished  in  1181.  The  orphan  daugh- 
ters of  the  Legion  of  Honour  are  at  present  educated  and 
maintained  in  the  ancient  abbey.  A feeder  of  the  Ourcq 
canal  passes  at  the  extremity  of  the  town,  and  contributes  to 
the  trade  of  the  inhabitants.  Saint  Denis  is  also  a place  of 
some  importance  on  account  of  four  fairs  that  are  held  in 
the  course  of  the  year ; it  is  calculated  that  on  an  average 
£.02,500  worth  of  cloth,  £.25,000  of  linen,  and  £.16,000 
of  woollen  stuffs  are  sold.  More  than  ninety  thousand 
sheep  are  bought  at  the  fair  of  Landit,  a neighbouring 
burgh.® 

Vincennes  is  situated  in  the  district  of  Sceaux ; the  old 
towers  and  the  dungeon  which  were  long  used  as  a state 
prison,  are  built  on  the  royal  manor  of  Philip  Augustus  ;d 
they  were  begun  by  Philip  of  Valois,  and  finished  by  Charles 
the  Fifth.  The  first  of  these  kings®  changed  the  wood  into 
a park  by  enclosing  it  with  a wall,  and  it  was  under  a vene- 
rable oak,  which  is  said  to  have  existed  at  so  late  a period 
as  the  sixteenth  century,  that  St.  Louis  administered  jus- 
tice/ Lewis  the  Tenth,  Charles  the  Fourth,  Charles  the 
Fifth,  Charles  the  Ninths  and  Cardinal  Mazarin* 1’  died  in 
the  castle  of  Vincennes.  The  village  of  Bercy  on  the  banks 
of  the  Seine  is  the  principal  depot  of  the  wines,  brandy  and 
oil  that  are  consumed  in  the  capital.  The  aqueduct  of 
Arcueil  is  built  on  the  site  of  the  one  that  was  raised  by  the 
emperor  Julian,  an  ancient  work  of  which  some  imposing 
ruins  still  remain/  The  neat  village  of  Fontenay  aux  Roses 
possessed  the  privilege  of  supplying  the  court  and  the  par- 

a “ Paris  forms  only  a single  arrondissement,  and  even  a single  com- 
mune subdivided  into  twelve  mayoralties  ( mairics .)” — The  prefect  of 
the  department  of  the  Seine  performs  the  duties  of  subprefect  with- 
in the  limits  of  the  city  or  commune  of  Paris,  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  prefects  of  the  other  departments  officiate  as  subprefects  in  the 
arrondissement  in  which  they  reside  ; in  this  sense,  Paris  may  be  said 
to  form  a single  arrondissement.  The  twelve  divisions  into  which  the 
commune  of  Paris  is  divided  are  called  mayoralties  ( mairies ) and  com- 
munal arrondissements,  and  also  cantons  or  judicial  districts. — P. 

b St.  Denys. 

c “ The  small  town  of  St.  Denis  was  formerly  celebrated  for  its  an- 
cient abbey  of  Benedictines.  The  church,  which  was  begun  in  the 
seventh  century,  and  finished  in  1181,  is  a Gothic  edifice,  remarkable 
for  its  lightness/  The  buildings  of  the  abbey  are  at  present  occupied 
by  the  royal  establishment  for  the  education  of  the  orphan  daughters 
of  the  members  of  the  Legion  of  Honour/  The  commerce  of  St.  Denis 
has  been  rendered  more  active  by  the  canal  which  passes  by  the  skirts 
of  the  town  and  afterwards  unites  with  that  of  the  Ourcq  ;t  it,  however, 
owes  its  importance  to  the  fairs  which  are  held  there  four  times  in  a 
year,  and  in  which,  it  is  calculated,  there  are  annually  sold,  on  an 
average,  1,500,000  francs  worth  of  cloths  (drops,)  300,000  francs  worth 
of  linens  (toilcs,)  200,000  francs  worth  of  woollen  stuff’s  ( lainages ,)  and 
800,000  francs  worth  of  Rouen  goods  (roucnncries.)  At  the  fair  of 
Landit,  more  than  90,000  sheep  arfe  sold  annually.” 

* The  remains  of  the  royal  family  of  France,  since  the  time  of  Daeobert,  have 
been  deposited  in  the  church  of  £t.  Denis,  in  crypts  or  subterranean  chapels  round 
the  choir.  By  a decree  of  the  convention  in  1793,  the  bodies  of  the  princes  of  France, 
buried  at  St.  Denis,  were  ordered  to  be  removed  from  the  vaults,  and  thrown  promis- 
cuously into  two  larpe  pits  without  the  church,  where  they  still  remain.  A chapel 
has  been  erected  by  Louis  XVII I.  in  expiation  of  this  sacrilege,  in  which  are  inscrib- 
ed. on  black  marble  tablets,  the  names  of  the  princes  whose  tombs  were  violated. 
(Herve.) — P. 

t Maison  Roynle  de  St.  Denis.  } Canal  of  St.  Denis. 

d “ Vincennes,  in  the  arrondissement  of  Sceaux,  is  remarkable  for 
its  Donjon.  These  old  towers,  which  were  long  used  as  a state  prison 
( prison  d'Etut,)  occupy  the  site  of  the  royal  mansion-house  ( manoir 
royal)  of  Philip  Augustus.” — The  old  castle  of  Vincennes  consists  of  a 
Donjon  and  nine  other  square  towers.  The  Donjon  has  a separate 
ditch  and  drawbridge.  In  1270,  there  was  a royal  mansion  (maison 
royal e ; Lat.  manerium  regale)  at  Vincennes,  which  appears  to  have 
been  built  by  Philip  Augustus,  who  enclosed  the  wood  with  walls. 

VOL.  in.— NO.  52  il 


liament  vvilli  roses,  a privilege  that  accounts  for  its  name. 
It  was  customary  for  the  peers  and  magistrates  to  hold  an 
assembly  in  the  month  of  May,  and  each  person  received  a 
bunch  of  flowers  in  which  the  number  of  roses  was  arranged 
according  to  the  rank  of  the  individual ; but  the  ceremony 
gave  rise  to  so  many  disputes  about  precedence  that  it  was 
at  last  abolished/  It  is  certain,  however,  that  more  roses 
are  at  present  cultivated  at  Fontenay  than  in  any  other  place 
round  Paris.  The  burgh  of  Sceauxk  on  the  small  river 
Bievre  shares  with  Poissy  the  advantage  of  a cattle  market 
for  the  supply  of  Paris.  The  luxury  of  the  Parisians  exerts 
a great  influence  in  the  surrounding  districts,  and  village 
girls  appear  on  Sundays  in  the  same  dress  as  the  belles  of 
the  capital.1 

The  department  of  the  Eure,  formerly  included  in  the 
ancient  province  of  Normandy,  is  contiguous  on  its  eastern 
boundary  to  that  of  the  Seine  and  Oise.  A great  many 
horses,  and  the  finest  oxen  that  appear  in  the  markets  of 
Sceaux  and  Poissy,  are  reared  in  the  pastures  and  artificial 
meadows  in  the  department ; the  inhabitants  manufacture  a 
considerable  quantity  of  corn,  cloth  and  cotton  stuffs."1  Sev- 
eral places  are  connected  with  historical  events  that  are  not 
uninteresting  even  in  the  present  day  : the  troops  of  Charles 
the  Bad,  king  of  Navarre,  were  defeated  between  Evreux 
and  Vernon"  by  Duguesclin  in  1364;  sixty  years  after- 
wards, the  English  gained  a victory  over  Charles  the  Seventh 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Verneuil ; lastly,  the  army  under  the 
command  of  the  duke  of  Mayenne  was  destroyed  on  the 
plains  of  Ivry  by  Henry  the  Fourth.0 

Vernon  rises  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Seine,  and  abridge 
of  twenty-two  arcbes  serves  as  a communication  between 
the  town  and  one  of  the  suburbs.  The  public  records  are 
preserved  in  an  old  tower,  all  that  remains  of  the  fortifica- 
tions. Evreux,  a town  built  of  wood,  is  situated  in  a fruit- 

(Piganiol  de  la  Force,  t.  VIII,  41,  43.) — The  castle  of  Vincennes  is  still 
used  as  a prison,  not  for  those  confined  by  lettres  de  cachet  or  secret 
imperial  orders  (happily,  such  despotism  is  abolished,)  but  for  such  as 
are  imprisoned  by  due  process  of  law,  as  in  the  case  of  the  ministers  of 
Charles  X. — P.  e Philip  Augustus. 

f The  castle  contains  a neat  Gothic  chapel,  built  by  Henry  II. 
The  Duke  D'Enghien  was  executed  at  Vincennes,  March  21,  1804; 
a granite  column  and  a weeping  willow,  placed  in  one  of  the  ditches, 
serve  as  monuments  of  the  fatal  deed.  (M.B.) — The  Duke  D’Enghien 
was  shot  in  one  of  the  ditches,  by  the  orders  of  Bonaparte,  just  after 
midnight,  March  20,  1804.— P. 

s Charles  V.  was  born  in  the  castle  of  Vincennes,  A.  D.  1338,  and 
died  at  the  castle  of  Beaute  sur  Marne,  A.  D.  1380.  Louis  X.  (A.  D. 
1310,)  Charles  IV.  (A.  D.  1328,)  and  Charles  IX.  (A.  D.  1574,)  died 
in  the  castle  of  Vincennes.  (Moreri.) — P. 

h “ — Cardinal  Mazarin,  who  had  been  appointed  governor  of  the 
castle — ” 

* The  aqueduct  of  Julian  was  intended  to  supply  the  ThcrmcE  in  his 
palace,  (now  Palais  des  Thermes.)  The  modern  aqueduct  was  con- 
structed by  Mary  de  Medicis — finished  1624.  Arcueil  has  become  a 
place  of  interest  to  men  of  science,  from  the  valuable  memoirs  (Mi- 
moires  d .Arcueil)  published  by  a society  for  the  cultivation  of  the 
physical  sciences,  established  at  the  country  residence  of  Berthollet. — P 
i “ The  neat  village  of  Fontenay  aux  Roses  derives  its  name  from 
the  privilege  it  formerly  possessed  of  supplying  the  court  and  the  par- 
liament with  roses.  In  the  month  of  May,  in  a public  assembly,  each 
of  the  peers  and  magistrates  received,  according  to  his  rank,  a bouquet 
of  roses ; but  the  disputes  that  arose  about  precedence  led  to  the  aboli- 
tion of  the  ceremony.”  k Seaux.  (Vosgien.) 

1 “ The  luxury  of  Paris  exercises  such  an  influence  on  the  surround- 
ing country,  that  the  village  girls  in  their  dress  have  preserved  nothing 
of  the  ancient  costume  ; on  the  contrary,  they  have  assumed  that  of 
the  belles  (grisettes)  of  the  capital,  with  whom  they  mix  freely  in  the 
rustic  balls  (bals  champetres,)  which  on  festival  days,  attract  to  Sceaux 
a numerous  crowd  of  visiters.” 

ra  “ It  exports  a considerable  quantity  of  corn,  and  its  numerous  iro 
works  (usincs,)  cloth  manufactories  and  cotton  mills  (filatures  de  coton 
prove  the  activity  of  its  industry.” 

» Near  the  village  of  Cocherel.  M.  B. 

0 “ In  1590,  the  plains  of  Ivry  were  the  scene  of  the  victory  gained 
by  Henry  IV.  over  the  duke  of  Mayenne.” 


322  EUR( 

ful  valley,  watered  by  the  Iton.  It  is  a place  of  great  anti- 
quity ; excavations  have  been  made  at  different  times,  and 
many  ruins  have  been  discovered ; indeed  it  cannot  be 
doubted  that  it  occupies  the  site  of  the  Celtic  city,  original- 
ly called  Mediolanum , and  at  a later  period  Eburoviccs  by 
the  Roman  conquerors.  The  iron  arches  that  support  the 
bridge  of  Arts  and  the  bridge  of  Austerlitz,  were  founded 
at  the  iron  works  near  Conches,  at  no  great  distance  from 
Evreux ; the  industrious  inhabitants  are  casting  at  present 
the  different  parts  of  an  iron  steeple,  which  is  to  weigh  | 
900,000  kilogrammes  or  884  tons,  it  is  intended  to  be  plac- 
ed on  the  cathedral  of  Rouen. a 

Other  towns  are  situated  in  the  country  on  the  north  of 
the  Seine.  Gisors  contains  three  thousand  inhabitants  ; the 
principal  building  is  a church,  of  which  the  ornaments  were 
sculptured  by  John  Goujon. b The  old  tower  that  rises  on 
an  eminence,  is  all  that  remains  of  a castle  once  inhabited  bv 
queen  Blanche.  The  road  from  Gisors  traverses  a long 
ridge  on  the  left  of  the  Great  and  Little  Andely,  two  small 
towns  which  at  present  form  only  one.c  Nicholas  Poussin 
was  born  in  an  adjoining  hamlet  ;d  a monument  has  been 
erected  to  his  memory  at  Little  Andely.  At  no  great  dis- 
tance are  the  ruins  of  a fortress  which  according  to  tradition 
was  built  by  Richard  Coeur  de  Lion. 

The  village  of  Fleury  is  situated  in  the  middle  of  the 
valley  through  which  the  Andelle  flows. e The  sinuous 
course  of  the  small  river,  the  manufactories  at  irregular  dis- 
tances, Charleval  on  one  side,  and  the  hill  of  Deux-Amansr 
on  the  other,  the  declivities  covered  with  pastures,  and  the 
woods  which  crown  their  summits,  render  the  valley  as 
agreeable  as  any  in  Normandy.  Charleval  bore  the  name 
of  Nogeon  sur  Andelle  until  the  time  that  Charles  the  Ninth 
laid  the  foundation  stone  of  a country  seat,  that  was  never 
finished,  but  different  chambers  in  it  were  converted  into 
dwellings  for  the  peasantry. e Romilly  rises  on  the  Andelle 
near  its  confluence  with  the  Seine ; the  river  puts  in  motion 
the  works  on  which  the  importance  of  the  town  depends ; 
more  than  three  hundred  persons  are  employed  in  making 
wire,  kettles  and  different  articles  of  brass  or  copper ; it  is 
believed  that  the  weight  of  the  products  which  issue  every 
year  from  these  works  cannot  be  less  than  900,000  kilo- 
grammes.11 

3PE.  [BOOK  CXLVI. 

Louviers  on  the  light  of  the  Eure  may  be  seen  from  the 
heights  that  command  Romilly  ; it  is  well  known  on  account 
of  its  numerous  cloth  manufactories,  in  which  only  two  thou- 
sand workmen  were  employed  forty  years  ago,  but  which 
furnish  occupation  at  present  to  more  than  six  thousand.1 
The  wealth  and  industry  of  the  inhabitants  have  enabled 
them  to  adorn  their  town  with  several  fine  edifices,  an  ele- 
gant theatre  and  different  public  walks.  Pont  de  1’ Arche, 
a small  place  of  fifteen  hundred  inhabitants,  was  built  by 
Charles  the  Bald  ; it  is  situated  below  Louviers  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Seine,!  at  a point  in  the  river  where  the  tide  is 
already  perceptible. 

The  small  town  of  Quillebeufk  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,1 
was  originally  called  Erricarville ; it  was  a strong  place  of 
some  consequence  before  the  fortifications  were  razed  by 
Louis  the  Thirteenth ; it  does  not  contain  at  present  more 
than  fifteen  hundred  persons.  As  the  moving  sands  that 
are  accumulated  by  the  Seine,  render  it  impracticable  for 
merchant  vessels  to  ascend  to  Rouen,  their  cargoes  are  trans- 
ported in  lighters  from  the  harbour  of  QuiUebeuf.01  Neat 
villages  are  scattered  through  the  country  between  the  river 
and  Pont-Audemer ; they  are  surrounded  by  orchards  and 
meadows.  The  time  in  which  the  last  town  was  founded, 
cannot  be  exactly  determined ; it  is  known,  however,  that  it 
was  called  after  Audemer,  a Frenchman,  who  built  a bridge 
on  the  Rille"  in  the  thirteenth  century.  It  is  encompassed 
with  walls  and  ditches,  the  houses  are  built  of  brick,  lhe_ 
streets  are  straight  and  regular.0  Bernay,  to  the  south  of 
Pont-Audemer,  may  be  mentioned  as  the  capital  of  a sub- 
prefecture ; the  small  river  Charentonnep  flows  below  its 
walls.  It  contains,  at  a certain  season  of  the  year  not  fewer 
than  forty  thousand  persons,  the  most  of  whom  repair  to  it 
on  account  of  a fair,  in  which  more  horses  are  sold  than  in 
any  other  in  France. q 

It  would  be  tedious  to  enumerate  all  the  manufacturing 
establishments  in  the  department ; suffice  it  to  say  that  they 
amount  to  fifteen  hundred,  that  they  furnish  employment  to 
thirty  thousand  persons,  and  that  the  value  of  their  products 
amounts  to  at  least  26,000,000  francs  or  £.1,083,000. 

The  Orne  gives  its  name  to  a department, r in  which  cal- 
careous rocks,  granite  and  others  of  an  ancient  date  form 
high  hills  and  narrow  valleys  covered  with  pastures  or  arable 

“ “ Conches  possesses  important  iron-works,  in  which  were  cast  the 
iron  arches  of  the  bridge  of  the  Fine  Arts  ( Pont  lies  Arts)  and  of  the 
bridge  of  Austerlitz,  and  where  they  are  now  casting  the  spire  of  the 
cathedral  of  Rouen,  the  weight  of  which  is  to  be  900,000  kilogram- 
mes ” more  than  900  tons.  See  note  1 p.  989. — Conches  is  4 

leagues  S.  VV.  of  Evreux.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

b “ The  ornaments  of  its  church  were  sculptured  by  J.  Goujon.” 

There  is  only  one  parish-church  in  Gisors.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

c “ The  road  to  Rouen  traverses  a long  plateau,  beyond  Gisors, 
leaving  on  the  left*  the  Great  and  Little  Andelys, t two  small  towns 
which  are  at  present  considered  as  forming  only  one.” 

* Consequently  the  road  is  on  the  right  of  the  Andelys.  (See  Tableau  des  Postes 
de  France.) — 1*. 

f The  Andelys  ( Les  Andelys  ;)  at  present,  the  chief  town  of  an  arrondissement — 
eonsistinz  of  two  small  towns,  separated  by  a paved  road,  and  only  a quarter  of  a 
league  distant  from  each  other:  namely,  Little  Andely  (Le  Petit  Andely)  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Seine,  and  Great  Andely  (Le  Grand  Andely)  on  a small  stream 
called  the  Gambon.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

d Nicholas  Poussin  was  born  in  Great  Andely.  (Moreri.  Enc. 
Meth.) — P. 

e “ The  road  to  Rouen  [note  c of  this  page]  descends  into  the  pleas- 
ant valley  of  the  Andelle,  in  the  middle  of  which  the  village  of  Fleury 
is  situated.” 

f “ Hill  of  the  Two  Lovers  ( montagne  des  Deux-Amans.)” 
z “ — but  of  which  there  still  remain  a guard  room  and  several  gild- 
ed chambers,  that  serve  as  dwellings  for  the  peasantry.” 

h “ The  foundery  of  Romilly,*  situated  near  the  point  where  the 
Andelle  unites  with  the  Seine,  is  the  principal  manufacturing  estab- 
lishment supplied  by  the  former  of  those  rivers.  Three  hundred  work- 
men are  there  employed  in  making  copper  plates,  brass  and  copper 

kettles  and  brass  wire ; the  annual  amount  of  the  products  is  estimated 
at  900,000  kilogrammes.” 

* Romilly  sous  Andelle,  a village  of  Normandy,  celebrated  for  its  copper  foundery. 
(Vosgien.) — P. 

' “ — but  which  have  latterly  employed  more  than  six  thousand.” — 
The  very  superfine  French  cloths  are  made  at  Louviers  in  Normandy. 
(Ed.  Encyc.)— P. 

i Situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Seine.  (Enc.  Meth.) — It  is  sit- 
uated at  the  confluence  of  the  Andelle  and  the  Eure  with  the  Seine 
It  has  a bridge  over  the  latter  of  22  arches.  (Vosgien.) — P. 
k Quillebceuf — Lat.  Henricopolis. — P.  1 The  Seine. 

m “ Owing  to  the  difficulties  of  the  navigation,  arising  from  the  shift- 
ing sands  accumulated  by  the  Seine, ‘which  prevent  large  vessels  from 
ascending  the  river  to  Rouen,  and  compel  them  to  discharge  their  car 
goes  at  Quillebeuf,  the  harbour  of  the  latter  is  of  considerable  coinmer-  . 
cial  importance.” — There  is  a quay  at  Quillebeuf,  at  which  all  the  ves- 
sels moor,  that  are  destined  for  Rouen,  and  where  the  largest  are  dis- 
charged, on  account  of  the  shifting  sand  banks  in  the  river.  (Vosgien.) — 
Ships  of  150  to  200  tons  can  ascend  to  Rouen  by  the  aid  of  the  tide, 
larger  ones  being  lightened  further  down  the  river.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

11  “ — Audomer,  a French  lord  (seigneur,)  who  built  there  a bridge 
over  the  Rille — ”It  stands  on  the  Rille,  over  which  there  is  a bridge, 
built  by  one  Audomer  or  Audemer,  whence  its  name.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P 
0 “ The  houses  are  built  of  brick  and  with  a certain  degree  of  ele- 
gance, the  streets  are  handsome,  and  tile  public  squares  regular.” 
p Carentone.  (Vosgien.) 

a “ One  of  the  most  considerable  fairs  in  France  is  held  there  annu- 
ally, at  which  the  sale  of  horses  is  so  extensive  as  to  attract  to  it  more 
i than  40,000  persons.” 

1 r Department  of  the  Orne. 

book  cxlvi.i  DESCRIPTION 

land.  Tlie  people  do  not  cultivate  much  corn,  but  they 
rear  a great  many  horses  and  oxen.  Linen,  cotton  and 
different  manufactories  furnish  employment  to  great  num- 
bers ; wealth  is  thus  diffused  among  the  four  thousand  in- 
habitants of  Vimoutiers®  on  the  Vie,  and  among  twenty 
thousand  persons  of  both  sexes  in  the  neighbourhood.15  Ar- 
gentan  rises  on  the  Orne,  and  is  commanded  by  the  ruins 
of  a strong  castle,  the  only  remains  of  its  fortifications ; its 
ramparts  have  been  long  since  changed  into  public  walks ; 
it  carries  on  a trade  in  a particular  kind  of  lace,  which  the 
F rench  call  Point-cV -Alengonf  d The  village  of  Sante- 
Honarine-la-Guillaume  has  become  more  flourishing  since 
granite  quarries  were  worked  in  the  vicinity  ;e  it  contains  at 
present  two  thousand  inhabitants.  The  Rille  flows  near  a 
lofty  forest  that  bounds  the  department  of  Eure,  and  passes 
through  the  neat  town  of  Aigle/  a place  that  carries  on  a 
great  trade  in  pins  and  needles  ;£  one  of  its  manufactories 
is  provided  with  machinery  by  which  two  hundred  thousand15 
needles  can  be  made  in  a day.  The  straight  and  well  built 
streets  of  Mortagne  are  situated  on  the  declivity  of  a bill 
the  town  may  be  considered  the  centre  of  a considerable 
trade  in  the  coarse  and  fine  linens  that  are  exported  to  the 
colonies.-!  Belesmek  stands  on  an  eminence  that  commands 
a plain  and  the  forest  that  bears  its  name ; it  is  regularly 
and  well-built,  and  the  inhabitants  manufacture  coarse  linens 
and  cotton  stuffs.1 

We  have  had  occasion  to  mention  the  Sail  in  the  account 
of  the  Roman  provinces  in  Gaul.  The  Orne  waters  Seez, 
anciently  Saturn, m their  principal  city,  which  was  built  be- 
fore the  conquest  of  Caesar.  The  Normans  destroyed  it  in 
the  ninth  century  Lewis  the  Young  set  fire  to  it  in  the 

OF  FRANCE.  323 

twelfth,  and  it  was  taken  in  the  fourteenth  by  the  English 
who  razed  the  fortifications.0  It  was  a more  important 
place  before  the  Norman  invasion  than  at  present;"  it  does 
not  now  contain  five  thousand  inhabitants. p The  cathedral 
is  a fine  Gothic  edifice : the  diocese  is  very  ancient  ;q  St. 
Latinian,  the  first  bishop,  died  about  the  beginning  of  the 
fifth  century.r 

The  distance  from  Seez  to  Alencon  is  not  more  than 
five  leagues ; few  visit  the  last  place  without  remarking  the 
simple  and  elegant  architecture  of  the  prefect’s  residence,5 
and  the  fine  appearance  of  the  corn  market,  a circular 
building,  and  also  ol  the  townhouse,  in  the  last  of  which  the 
two  towers  are  the  remains  of  the  castle  that  was  inhabited 
by  the  dukes  of  Alenqon.  Marshal  Malignon  who  had  the 
courage  to  disobey  the  commands  of  government  on  St. 
Bartholomew’s  day,  the  historian  Mezeray,  and  the  deputy 
Valaze  were  born  in  the  town.  Although  less  important 
than  it  once  was,  it  carries  on  a greater  trade  in  lace  than 
at  any  former  period ; and  it  appears  that  more  than  two 
thousand  persons  are  employed  in  embroidering  and  manu- 
facturing muslin.1 

Domlront,  an  insignificant  and  ill-built  town  near  the 
western  extremity  of  the  department,  is  only  remarkable  for 
its  position  ; it  rises  on  the  summit  of  a steep  rock,  divided 
by  a vertical  fissure  more  than  two  hundred  feet  in  depth,  at 
the  bottom  of  which  flows  the  small  river  Varennes.  The 
industry  of  the  inhabitants  consists  chiefly  in  making  coarse 
linen  and  different  stuffs ; but  it  is  the  capital  of  a district" 
in  which  the  smallest  villages  are  engaged  in  manufactures. 
Some  of  these  villages  are  called  burghs,  they  contain  about 
three  or  four  thousand  inhabitants ; we  may  mention  four 

a Vimoutier  or  Vimontier.  Lat.  Vimonasterium.  (Vosgien.) — P. 
b “ The  department  of  the  Orne  is  as  varied  in  its  physical  constitu- 
tion as  in  its  industry.  Chalk,*  limestone  of  an  earlier  date,!  and 
granite,  the  last  of  which  forms  lofty  hills  and  narrow  valleys,!  are 
covered  with  soils  suited  for  cultivation  and  pasturage.  But  little  corn 
is  raised  in  the  department,  but  it  rears  many  horses  and  oxen,  and 
possesses  important  iron-works  (vsincs ||)  and  several  cotton  mills  (jila - 
ture.s  de  coton.)  The  linen  manufacturelT  is  also  one  of  its  branches  of 
industry  ; it  is  that  which  diffuses  prosperity  among  the  4000  inhabit- 
ants of  Vimoutiers,  a flourishing  town  situated  on  the  small  river  Vie, 
and  which  employs  more  than  20,000  persons  of  both  sexes  in  the 
neighbourhood.” 

* “ Calcaires  ctayeuses” — chalky  limestone.  Q,u.  hard  chalk  or  lower  chalk— sit- 
uated below  the  soft  white  chalk,  sometimes  resembling  limestone  in  colour,  hard- 
ness and  texture,  hut  distinguished  by  the  chalk  fossils. — P. 

t Secondary  limestones,  situated  below  the  chalk.  Transition  limestones,  near 
the  granite? — P. 

! The  great  Chalk  Basin  of  S.  England  and  N.  France  skirts  the  department  on  the 
north,  while  the  projection  from  the  primitive  region  of  Brittany,  extending  east- 
ward towards  the  plateau  of  Beauce,  skirts  it  on  the  south.  In  the  intermediate 
parts  are  found  the  secondary  limestones  above  indicated. — P. 

||  Iron  is  wrought  in  the  department  to  the  amount  of  501)0  tons  of  cast,  and  3000 
of  wrought  iron  annually.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

If  “ Fabrication  de  toile  de  crotonne”  [cretonne] — manufacture  of  cretonnes.  Cre- 
tonne, a kind  of  mixed  cloth  of  hemp  and  linen,  made  in  Normandy — the  chain  of 
hemp  and  the  woof  of  linen.  (Savary,  Diet.  Comm.  t.  II.  p.  769.  Enc.  Metb.  Diet. 
Comm  t I.  p.  756  ) — P. 

c “ It  manufactures  that  kind  of  lace  formerly  celebrated  under  the 
name  of  Point-d'Alencon.”  The  point  lace  of  Alenqon  has  long  enjoy- 
ed a great  reputation  through  France,  England,  Germany,  &c.  The 
point  lace  of  Argentan  ( point  d'  Argentan ) is  also  celebrated.  (Ed. 
Encyc.) — P. 

d The  royal  stud  (haras)  of  Le  Pin  is  situated  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Argentan.  M.  B. 

e “ The  village  of  St.  Honorine  la  Guillaume  (Sainte- Honor i.nc-la- 
Guillaume,)  a few  leagues  to  the  west  of  Argentan,  has  become  of 
considerable  importance  from  its  granite  quarries — ” 

f L’Aigle  (Vosgien,)  Laigle  (Aim.  Royal,)  Aigle  (Enc.  Meth.  Mo- 
re ri.) — P. 

s “ Near  a large  forest  that  borders  the  department  of  the  Eure,  the 
small  river  Rille  flows  through  the  neat  town  of  L’Aigle,  which  is 
celebrated  for  its  pins  and  needles — ” 

h Two  thousand,  according  to  the  translator  . — P. 

' “ On  the  declivity  of  a hill,  fronting  the  east.” 

) “ It,  is  the  centre  of  a considerable  manufacture  of  strong  and  light 
linens  ( toiles  fortes  et  toiles  ligires)  for  the  supply  of  the  colonies.” — 

The  distinction  in  these  linens  is  not  in  the  degree  of  fineness  of  thread, 
but  in  that  of  thickness  and  closeness  of  texture.— They  manufacture 
at  Mortagne,  great  quantities  of  very  strong  hempen  cloths,  and  also 
moderately  strong  hempen  cloths  for  napkins.  They  also  manufacture 
coarse  hempen  cloths  called  canvas  (canevas.)  (Savary'  t.  III.  p. 
425.)— P. 

k Beleme,  Bellesme  (Enc.  Meth.)  Belleme  (Aim.  Royal.) — Situated 
4 leagues  S.  of  Mortagne.  (Vosgien.) — P.  * ^ 

1 “ Toiles  communes— cotonnades.” 

m Sail.  (D’Anv.  Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.) — Seez,  Sees,  Sez,  Sais  or 
Setz ; Lat.  Sagium,  Saturn , Saiorum  Civitas  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog. 
Mod.)— P. 

n “ About  the  ninth  century,  when  the  Normans  destroyed  it,  it  was 
much  more  considerable  than  at  present.” — The  diocese  of  Seez  is  24 
leagues  in  length,  by  13  in  breadth  ; it  was  much  more  extensive  in 
the  ninth  century,  when  the  Normans  invaded  it.  (Enc.  Meth.) — (?) — P. 

0 15  It  was  burnt  in  the  twelfth  century  by  Louis  the  Young,  and  in 
the  fourteenth,  by  the  English,  who  razed  its  fortifications.” — Louis  the 
Young  besieged  it  in  1174,  but  the  resistance  of  the  inhabitants  com- 
pelled him  to  raise  the  siege ; in  1353,  it  was  burnt  by  the  English. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — (?)• — P. 

p “ It  contains  5000  inhabitants.” — Population  5400  (Vosgien.) — 
5500  (Aim.  Royal,  1822.) — P 

<i  Seez  is  still  the  seat  of  a bishopric. — P. 

r “ St.  Latinian  was  the  first  bishop  of  Seez,  at  the  commencement 
of  the  fifth  century.”  8 “ Hotel  de  la  prefecture.” 

1 “ In  other  respects,  although  some  of  the  streets  are  broad,  clean 
and  well  paved,  the  town  has  a gloomy  aspect ; a defect  that  may  be 
attributed  to  the  grayish  colour  of  the  granite  of  which  its  houses  are 
constructed.  Marshal  Matignon,*  who  refused  to  perpetrate  the  hor- 
rible massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  was  born  at  a little  distance  from 
one  of  its  five  suburbs  ; but  the  historian  Mezeray, t and  the  deputy 
Valaze,!  were  born  within  the  town.  Although  the  manufacture  of 
lace  is  less  important  than  it  was  formerly,  it  is  still  carried  on  to  a 
considerable  extent  at  Alencon  ;||  more  than  2000  persons  are  also 
employed  there  in  manufacturing  and  embroidering  muslin.” 

* J.  de  Matignon,  born  at  Lonray  in  Normandy,  A.  D.  1526.  He  refused  to  mas- 
sacre the  Protestants  on  St.  Bartholomew’s  day,  1572,  at  Alencon  and  St.  Lo,  of 
which  places  he  was  then  governor. — P. 

t Fr.  Eudes  de  Mezeray  [Mezerai,]  the  historian,  was  born  at  the  village  of  Ry 
near  Argentan  [at  the  village  of  Mezeray,  near  Argentan.  Moreri.]  He  took  the 
name  of  de  Mezeray , from  that  of  a hamlet  in  the  parish  of  Ry.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

J:  C.  E.  Dufriche  de  Valaze,  born  at  Alenyon,  1751.  He  was  an  active  member  ol 
the  Gironde  party,  and  was  consequently  condemned  by  Robespierre,  but  he  antici- 
pated his  fate  by  suicide,  Oct  30,  1792. — P.  ||  Spe  note  c of  this  page. 

u “ Arrondissement  ” 

324  EUR 

of  them:  Atliis  is  noted  for  cloth  and  silk,  Ferte  Mace  for 
cottons  and  ribbons,  Flers  for  tools  and  snuff-boxes,  Titi- 
chebrai  for  iron  works  and  paper  mills.® 

The  Channel11  bounds  the  extensive  coasts  of  the  depart- 
ment'1 into  which  we  are  about  to  enter.  Metals,  argil  well 
adapted  for  porcelain,  slate  and  granite  quarries  are  worked 
on  the  hills ; the  plains  are  fruitful  in  corn  and  pastures,  but 
the  whole  country  is  almost  destitute  of  timber.  Such  are 
the  principal  products  in  a department  ill  provided  with 
roads  and  other  means  of  communication ; it  may  excite 
surprise  therefore  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  populous  in 
France,  but  the  inhabitants  are  laborious  and  well  informed, 
they  devote  themselves  to  fishing,  agriculture,  commerce 
and  manufacturing  industry.*1 

Mortain,  the  small  capital  of  the  most  southern  district,6 
is  encompassed  with  granite  rocks  ; the  inhabitants  manufac- 
ture paper  and  earthen  ware/  Avranches,®  one  of  the  most 
ancient  Armorican  cities,  is  situated  on  a hill1*  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  sea ; it  bore  the  Celtic  name  of  Ingena,  it 
was  afterwards  called  AhrincatcE,  and  at  a still  later  period, 
Abrinca  or  Avrinca.  The  early  inhabitants,  the  Abrincatee 
or  Avrincatcc , were  formerly  settled  in  the  country  of 
Avranchin.  The  present  cathedral  dates  from  the  twelfth 
century,  but  before  that  time  Avranches  was  the  capital  of 
a diocese,  and  a place  of  importance,  as  a fortified  town.1 
The  safe  and  convenient  harbour  of  Granville  was  con- 
structed in  1784;  eight  years  afterwards  the  inhabitants 
defended  themselves  successfully  against  an  attack  of  the 
English. J The  town  contains  a population  of  eight  thou- 
sand souls ; it  is  ill-built  and  encompassed  with  walls  ; most 
of  the  people  are  engaged  in  commerce,  they  equip  many 
vessels  for  the  coasting  trade  and  cod  fisheries/  Coutances1 
is  probably  a place  of  as  great  antiquity  as  Avranches ; it 
was  the  Cosedia  of  the  Celts  and  the  Constantia- Castro. 
of  the  Romans;"1  the  country  round  it  was  formerly  called 
Cotentin,"  a name  by  which  it  is  still  designated  in  Norman- 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXL.VI. 

dy.  The  Bulzard  flows  beneath  the  walls,0  and  the  remains 
of  a Roman  aqueduct  may  be  seen  in  the  fruitful  meadows 
near  the  banks  of  the  river.  The  town  is  the  seat  of  a 
bishopric ; the  cathedral  may  be  compared  with  the  finest 
Gothic  edifices  in  France. 

The  works  which  were  begun  during  the  reign  of  Lewis 
the  Sixteenth,  continued  under  the  imperial  government, 
and  almost  neglected  since  1813,  have  rendered  Cherbourg 
an  important  place  both  as  a strong  town  and  a sea-port. 
Eight  formidable  redoubts  guard  the  entrance,  while  three 
forts  and  a large  battery  are  placed  in  such  a manner  as  to 
defend  the  anchorage,  of  which  the  depth  at  low  tide  is  not 
less  than  forty  feet.  It  is  enclosed  by  an  embankment  3866 
yards  in  length,  80  in  breadth  at  the  base,  and  30  at  the 
summit.  Although  the  embankment  was  commenced  in 
the  reign  of  Lewis  the  Sixteenth,  it  is  not  yet  finished,  but 
so  many  difficulties  have  been  already  overcome,  that  it 
may  be  considered  a gigantic  undertaking.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  construct  a great  many  conical  flames  69  feet  in 
height,  60  in  diameter  at  their  summit,  and  140  at  their  base ; 
they  were  afterwards  filled  with  stones,  and  let  down  into 
the  water.  The  spaces  between  them  were  covered  with 
loose  stones,  still  the  barrier  was  insufficient  to  resist  the  im- 
petuosity of  the  waves,  and  the  work  was  only  accomplished 
by  successive  accumulations.  The  whole  mass  is  formed 
by  enormous  blocks  of  granite  and  sand-stone  together  with 
40,000,000  cubic  yards  of  loose  stones.  The  former  har- 
bour of  Cherbourg  was  merely  adapted  for  merchant  ves- 
sels, more  than  50  ships  of  the  line  may  ride  at  anchor  in 
the  present  during  the  lowest  tides.  It  is  encompassed  with 
store-houses  and  dockyards,  in  which  the  largest  ships  may 
be  built ; but  the  town  is  an  assemblage  of  clumsy  houses, 
of  narrow  and  crooked  streets ; the  only  monument  worthy 
of  notice,  is  the  one  that  was  erected  to  commemorate  the 
landing  of  the  Duke  de  Berry  in  1814. p The  temperature 
of  Cherbourg  is  very  mild  relatively  to  the  latitude  ; in 

“ “Some  places,  to  which  they  have  given  the  name  of  bourgs,  ought 
rather^from  their  population  of  three  or  four  thousand  inhabitants,  to 
be  considered  as  towns  (viltes  ;)  four  of  them  only  will  be  mentioned  : 
namely.  Atliis,  noted  for  its  plain  and  ribbed  cassimeres  ( reps  et  casi- 
mirs',)  La  Ferte-Mace,  for  its  plain  cottons  (toiles  de  coton,)  its  tapes 
( Cubans  defil ,)  and  its  box-wood  snuff-boxes  ( tabutibres  debuis  ;)  Flers. 
for  its  tools*  and  twilled  cottons  ( 'colonnades  croisis  ;)  and  lastly,  Tinche- 
brai.t  for  its  forges  and  paper  mills.’’ 

Outils.” — Q.u.  coutil. 9,  tent-cloths,  tickings — a very  strong  and  coarse  kind  of 
cloth,  generally  made  of  hemp,  manufactured  in  the  greatest  quantities  in  Normandy 
and  Brittany.  (Savary,  t.  II.  p.  750.) — P. 
fTinchebray.  (Vosgien.) 
k “ La  Manche” — English  Channel. 

c Department  of  the  Channel  ( Department  de  la  Manche.) 
d “Bounded  by  the  Channel,  as  its  name  indicates,  the  long  and 
narrow  department  we  are  about  to  enter,  comprehends  a great  extent 
of  coast,  some  land  that  is  fertile,  principally  in  corn,  but  little  forest, 
much  pasture,  and  a chain  of  low  hills  (j)ctites  montagnes,)  that  furnish 
slate  and  granite,  besides  metals  and  clay  suitable  for  porcelain.*  From 
this  brief  enumeration  of  its  natural  advantages,  connected  with  the 
fact  that  it  is  not  provided  with  sufficient  means  of  communication,  we 
should  be  surprised  to  learn  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  populous  depart- 
ments in  France,!  did  we  not  know  that  its  inhabitants  are  very  indus- 
trious, and  devote  themselves  successfully  to  agriculture,  fishing, 
commerce  and  manufactures.” 

* These  hills  form  the  eastern  front  of  the  primitive  region  in  N.  W.  France,  and 
are  immediately  connected  with  the  similar  region  in  S.  W.  England  ; a line  drawn 
from  Cape  La  Hogue  N.  W.,  striking  the  granite  of  Daitmoor. — P. 

t Population  of  the  department  (1802,)  1, G63  inhabitants  per  square  league — that 
of  the  whole  of  France,  on  an  average,  being  1,086,  that  of  the  Lower  Seine  1800, 
and  that  of  the  Seine  and  Oise,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Paris,  1502.  (Peuchet, 
Statist,  de  la  France,  p.  153,  230,  97,95.) — P. 

e “ — the  small  capital  of  a subprefecture  (arrondissement,)  that  first 
presents  itself  in  the  most  southern  part  of  the  territory.” — The  arron- 
dissement of  Mortain  occupies  the  south-eastern  extremity  of  the 
department,  and  is  the  only  one  contiguous  to  the  department  of  the 
Orne,  last  mentioned — that  of  Avranches  is  directly  west  of  it,  and 
occupies  the  south-western  extremity  of  the  department. — P. 

1 “ Stone  ware  (]>oteries  de  grbs)"  s Avranche. 

h “ Declivity  ( coteau .)” — Situated  on  a hill,  at  the  foot  of  which  flows 
the  See  [Seez,]  half  a league  from  the  sea.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

' “ Its  Celtic  name  was  Ingena,  afterwards  exchanged  for  that  of 
Abrincatee*  which  finally  became  Abrinca  or  AvrincaA  The  people  to 
whom  it  belonged  were  the  Abrincatee  or  Arrincatce*  and  the  territory 
which  they  inhabited  was  formerly  called  Avranchin  {V Avranchin. )} 
Avranches  was  the  seat  of  a bishopric  [before  the  revolution,]  and  its 
cathedral  dates  from  the  twelfth  century. § At  that  period,  it  was  a 
place  of  importance  as  a fortified  town  {place  d'armes.)\\'' 

* Abrincatui.  (D’Anv.  Enc.  Meth.) — Ingena  (Avranche,)  afterwards  called  Abrin- 
catui..  (Enc.  .Meth.  Geo?.  Anc.) — P. 

1 Abrinca  (Moreri.  Enc.  Meth.) — Abrinca,  Arbinca  (Robert  Cenalis.)  Moreri. — P. 

j Before  the  revolution. — Avranchin,  a small  district  in  Lower  Normandy,  be- 
tween Cotentin  on  the  north,  and  Maine  and  Brittany  on  the  south — so  called,  from 
Avranches,  its  capital.  (Enc.  Meth.  1782.) — P. 

« Built  in  1121. 

[|  In  1203,  the  Bretons  took  it  and  demolished  the  fortifications,  hut  they  were 
afterwards  rebuilt.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

1 Situated  on  a rock  projecting  into  the  sea.  (M.  B.) — Partly  built 
on  a rock  of  difficult  access,  and  partly  in  a plain  around  the  harbour. 
(Moreri.) — P. 

k “ The  coasting-trade,  the  oyster-fishery,  and  particularly  the  cod 
fishery,  enable  it  to  carry  on  an  active  commerce.” 

1 Constance,  Coutance.  (Moreri.) — P. 

m “ Its  original  name  was  Cosedia  ; in  the  JVotitia  Imperii,  it  bears  the 
name  of  Constantia  Castra.*" — Cosedia,  a town  of  Gaul,  in  Lugduncn- 
sis  Secunda.  D’Anville  places  it  on  the  sea  coast  to  the  north  of  Con- 
stantia (near  Montgardon.  Tab.  Geog.  de  la  Gaule.)  (Enc.  Meth.) — 
Constantia . (Coutances.)  (D’Anv.  Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

* Castra  Constantia.  (Ammian.  Marcell.  L.  XV.) 

" “ Le  Cotentin”  (Cotantin,  Constantin.  Moreri) — a maritime  dis- 
trict of  Lower  Normandy,  bounded  by  the  sea  on  the  north  and  west, 
and  partly  on  the  east,  by  Avranchin  on  the  south,  and  by  Bessin  and 
the  Bocage,  (or  the  districts  of  Bayeux  and  Vire,)  on  the  east;  form- 
ing the  promontory  at  the  N.  W.  extremity  of  Normandy. — P. 

0 It  stands  partly  on  a height,  and  partly  in  a plain,  near  the  small 
river  Siole.  (Enc.  Meth.) — Situated  on  the  Burd.  (Moreri.) — P. 

p “ The  immense  works,  that  were  begun  during  the  reign  of  Louis 
XVI.,  and  continued  under  the  imperial  government,  but  which  have 

book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 

winter  the  thermometer  is  always  five  degrees  higher  titan 
at  Paris,  a fact  which  tends  to  confirm  what  has  been  al- 
ready said  concerning  the  influence  of  the  sea  in  modifying 
climate.  TL'e  proximity  of  Cherburg  to  Cape  Hogue  ren- 
ders it  very  probable  that  it  occupies  the  same  position  as 
the  ancient  Corialum.  It  bore  the  name  of  Carasbur  in 
the  tenth  century  ;a  it  was  included  at  a later  period  in  the 
appanage  of  Charles  the  Bad,  who  delivered  it  to  the  En- 
glish, and  it  was  the  last  conquest  made  by  Charles  the 
Seventh. b The  English,  having  made  themselves  masters 
of  the  town  in  1756,  plundered  the  inhabitants,  razed  the 
fortifications,  and  destroyed  the  harbour.  It  was  more  for- 
tunate in  1815,  for  the  Prussians  attacked  it  without  success. 
Cape  Ilogue  or  Hougue,  the  Caput  Oga  of  the  ancients,  is 
about  six  leagues  on  the  south-east  of  Cherbourg ; it  is 
mentioned  in  history  on  account  of  the  naval  engagement 
which  took  place  between  the  French  and  English  in  1692. 
Marshal  Tourville  had  not  more  than  forty-six  ships,  Admi- 
ral Russel  commanded  a fleet  of  more  than  ninety  sail. 
The  Frenchman  fought  gallantly  during  ten  hours,  and  was 
at  last  completely  defeated,  but  his  science  and  courage 
extorted  the  admiration  of  his  enemies.0 

been  almost  interrupted  since  1813,  have  rendered  Cherbourg  a place 
of  great  importance,  not  only  as  a military  and  naval  station  ( place  de 
guerre — port  militaire),  but  as  a commercial  town.  Eight  redoubts  de- 
fend the  town,  while  three  forts  and  a large  battery  are  placed  in  such 
a manner  as  to  guard  the  entrance  of  the  road.  The  depth  of  the  lat- 
ter, at  low  tide,  is  not  less  than  forty  feet.  It  is  closed  by  a dike  1033 
toises  in  length,  of  which  the  breadth  at  the  base  is  forty  toises,  and  at 
the  summit  fifteen.  Although  this  dike  was  began  in  the  reign  of 
Louis  XVI., it  is  not  yet  entirely  completed.  Its  progress  has  been  ob- 
structed by  so  many  difficulties,  that  it  may  be  regarded  as  a gigantic 
enterprise.  They  at  first  employed  conical  frames,  G9  feet  in  height 
by  GO  in  diameter  at  their  summit  and  140  at  their  base ; these  were 
loaded  with  stones  and  sunk  to  the  bottom,  and  the  intervals  between 
them  filled  up  with  loose  stones;  but  the  force  of  the  sea  overturned 
them,  and  it  is  only  by  means  of  accumulated  masses  of  stone,  that 
they  have  been  able  to  resist  the  fury  of  the  waves.  500,000  cubic 
toises  of  materials,  consisting  of  loose  stones  and  enormous  blocks  of 
granite  and  sandstone,  have  been  employed  for  this  purpose.  The 
dike  serves  as  a shelter  to  the  vessels  moored  in  the  road.  There  was 
formerly  at  Cherbourg,  only  a harbour  for  merchant  vessels,  but  a har- 
bour for  ships  of  war  (port  militaire)  has  been  since  excavated,  suffi- 
ciently large  to  contain  50  sail  of  the  line  always  afloat,  even  at  the 
lowest  tides.  It  is  surrounded  with  storehouses  and  dockyards,  in  the 
last  of  which  ships  of  the  first,  class  may  be  constructed.  The  town  is 
irregularly  built ; the  marine  hospital  is  the  only  remarkable  edifice, 
and  the  only  monument  worthy  of  notice  is  that  of  granite,  on  the 
parade  {place  d,' armies,)  erected  to  commemorate  the  landing  of  the  Duke 
of  Berry  in  1814. ” — The  road  is  capable  of  holding  500  ships,  and  en- 
ormous sums  of  money  have  been  expended  in  the  attempt  to  construct 
a mole,  bv  sinking  cones  to  render  it  a secure  station  for  line  of  battle 
ships,  [i.  e.  to  form  what  is  now  called  a Breakwater.]  This  mole  or 
dike  crosses  the  entrance  of  the  road,  leaving  a passage  at  each  end 
1000  feet  wide,  on  which  are  block-houses  and  forts.  In  order  to  form 
a port  for  a fleet,  Buonaparte  had  a basin  cut  in  the  solid  rock,  the  bot- 
tom of  which  was  sunk  thirty  feet  below  the  level  of  the  sea  at  low 
water.  This  work  was  finished  in  1813,  and  opened  in  the  presence  of 
the  Empress  with  an  imposing  ceremony.  (Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog.  v.  ii.  p. 
17,  18.) — The  excavation  for  the  basin  is  1000  feet  long,  770  wide,  and 
50  deep.  A wet  dock  of  the  same  dimensions  was  begun  by  Buona- 
parte in  1813,  and  nearly  completed  in  1822,  at  which  time  it  had  cost, 
with  the  basin,  the  sum  of  nearly  five  millions  sterling.— P. 

a “ The  proximity  of  Cherbourg  to  Cape  La  Hogue  renders  its  posi- 
tion identical  with  that  of  Coriallum.  It  was  called  Carusbur  in  the 
tenth  century,  at  which  period  it  was  fortified  and  commercial.” — 
Coriallum  is  placed  by  D’Anville  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Cape  La 
Hogue  [at  Havre  de  Gouril.]  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.) — Latin  name 
of  Cherbourg,  Ccesaris  Burgus  (Enc.  Meth.)  Ccesarisburgum,  Carobur- 
gum,  or  Caroburgus  (Moreri.) — P. 

b A.  D.  1453.  (Moreri.)— P. 

c “ In  1758,* *  the  English  pillaged  it,  and  destroyed  the  harbour  and 
fortifications  ; but  the  Prussians  tried  in  vain  to  get  possession  of  it,  in 
1815.  Cape  La  Hogue  or  La  Hougue, t called  Caput  Oga  by  the  an- 
cients,! is  about  six  leagues  to  the  north-west  of  Cherbourg ; it  is  cele- 
brated for  a naval  engagement  in  1692,  in  which  Marshal  Tourville, 
after  having  fought  a whole  day  with  46  ships  against  an  English  fleet 
of  90  sail,  was  completely  defeated,  but  not  until  he  had  exhibited  pro- 


OF  FRANCE.  325 

Valognes  is  situated  in  a pleasant  valley  watered  by  the 
Merderet,  at  no  great  distance  from  Alauna,  an  ancient 
city  now  in  ruins. d Carenlan,  a place  of  3000  inhabitants, 
is  defended  by  a strong  castle ; it  was  formerly  surrounded 
with  fortifications  that  have  fallen  into  decay.  Saint  Lo, 
the  capital  of  the  department,  was  the  Celtic  Briovera, 
which  signifies  a bridge  on  the  V ere  or  Vire,  the  river  that 
waters  the  town.  Saint  Laudo  who  was  horn  there,  had 
the  honour  of  giving  his  name  to  his  native  city ; he  lived 
during  the  reign  of  Clovis,  and  became  bishop  of  Coutances. 
The  ancient  cathedral  of  Saint  Lo  is  a light  and  graceful 
building,  and  the  church  of  the  Holy  Cross  is  certainly  the 
finest  monument  of  Saxon  architecture  in  France.  The 
town  was  one  of  the  most  populous  in  Normandy,  before 
the  province  was  conquered  by  Edward  the  Third  ; it  has 
risen  into  importance  of  late  years,  it  carries  on  a trade  in 
cotton  manufactures  and  hardwares.® 

The  ship  Calvados  formed  part  of  the  fleet  which  Philip 
the  Second  sent  against  England  in  1 583 ; it  was  wrecked 
on  the  rocks  that  extend  to  the  distance  of  six  leagues  be- 
tween the  mouths  of  the  Vire  and  the  Orne.  The  same 
rocks  were  afterwards  called  Calvados,  and  they  have  given 

digies  of  science  and  valour  which  even  extorted  the  admiration  of  his 
enemies.  § ” 

* The  translator  is  wrong  in  his  date  of  1756.  See  Hume  and  Smollet,  Jones’  Ed. 
vol.  1 1.  p.  438. — 1*. 

f Called  also  Cape  La  Hague.  (Tuckey.) — P. 

I Lat  n n une  of  Cape  La  Hogue  (pronounced  La  Ilougue , in  the  neighbourhood,) 
Ogas  (Vitalis,  12th  cent.,)  Oggice  (Ce nalis,  16th  cent.,)  Caput  Ogee  (Baudiand,  17th 
cent.,)  Oga  (generally.)  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Mod.) — P. 

v\The  1'iench  fleet  under  Tourville  consisied  of  about  50  sail  of  the  line.  (Ed. Enc.) — 
The  French  rieet  did  not  exceed  03  ships  of  the  line.  (Smollet’s  Hist.  Eng.  vol.  VIII. 
p.  446.  3d  Ed.  1769.  Jones’ Ed.  vol.  II.  p.  36.) — French  fleet  46  ships  (Enc.  Meth.)  44 
ships  (Beauvais.) — Allied  fleet,  consisting  of  the  Englisn  squadron  under  Admiral 
Russel,  and  three  united  Dutch  squadrons,  S9  ships  of  the  line,  besides  frigates  and 
fire  ships.  (Smollet,  ut  supra.) — rl  he  fleets  hove  in  sight  of  each  oilier  at  3 o’clock 
A.  M.  May  19rh,  and  the  battle  began  about  8 o’clock  A.  M.  and  continued  till  3 
P.  M.,  when  the  fleets  were  parted  by  a fog  ; but  this  abating,  a chase  commenced, 
and  at  8 in  the  evening  there  was  another  brief  engagement.  [The  battle  lasted  J2 
hours.  Beauvais.]  May  22d,  about  half  the  French  fieet  were  driven  into  La  Ilogue 
and  destroyed,  and  the  rest  escaped  through  the  Race  of  Alderney. — P. 

d ‘ ■ The  neat  town  of  Valognes,*  five  leagues  to  the  south-east  of 
Cherbourg,  is  situated  in  a pleasant  valley  watered  by  the  Merderet, 
at  a little  distance  from  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  city  of  Alauna; t it 
was  the  birthplace  of  Letourneurf  and  the  celebrated  Physician  Vicq- 
d’Azir.H” 

* Valogne. 

f Alauna,  Moutiers  d’Alaune.  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.) — Crociatonum , Valognes. 
(D’Anv.  Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.  Tab.  de  la  Gaule.) — At  Aleaume,  near  Valognes, 
are  Roman  monuments,  the  remains  of  the  ancient  city  of  Crociatonum , the  capital 

of  the  Unelli.  (Vosgien.) Crociatonum  is  generally  supposed  to  have  occupied 

the  site  of  Carentan.  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.  au  mot.) — P. 

I P.  Le  Tourneur,  born  at  Valognes  1736,  known  by  numerous  translations  from 
the  English  (Young’s  Night  Thoughts,  Ossian,  Shakspeare,  &c.) — P. 

||  F.  Vicq-d’Azyr,  born  1748,  more  particularly  celebrated  as  an  anatomist  and 
physiologist. — P. 

e “ Carentan,  a town  of  three  thousand  inhabitants,  defended  by  a 
strong  castle,  and  surrounded  with  fortifications  now  in  ruins,  is  situat- 
ed in  the  midst  of  unhealthy  marshes.  St.  Lo,*  the  capital  of  the  de- 
partment, is  traversed  by  the  Vire.  It  is  supposed  to  have  borne  origi- 
nally the  name  of  Briovera , which  signifies  in  Celtic,  the  bridge  over 
the  Vere,t  or  rather  the  Vire.  The  name  which  it  bears  at  present  is 
derived  from  St.  Laudo,  who  was  born  during  the  reign  of  Clovis,  and 
was  afterwards  bishop  of  Coutances. + The  ancient  cathedral  of  St.  Lo 
is  remarkable  for  its  elegance  and  lightness,  and  the  church  of  the 
Holy  Cross  ( 6glisc  de  Sainte-  Croix)  is  considered  the  best  preserved  of  all 
the  monuments  of  Saxon  architecture  in  France.  Before  the  conquest 
of  Normandy  by  Edward  III.,  this  town  was  one  of  the  most  important 
in  the  province  for  its  industry,  and  at  present  it  contains  numerous 
manufactories  of  stufFs  (£&ssu£)||  and  is  noted  for  its  cutlery.” 

* “Saint  L6.” — St.  Lo  (Enc.  Meth.  Savary.)  St.  Lo  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 

f “ Pont  sur  la  Verc — The  river  is  now  called  the  Vire.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

j Some  writers  pretend  that  the  town  is  of  ancient  origin,  and  that  its  earliest  name 
was  Briovera , composed  of  two  words,  bria  or  briva , a bridge,  and  Vera , the  rivei 
Vire.  But  it  is  more  probable  that  it  owes  its  origin  and  its  earliest  name  to  a church 
built  under  the  auspices  of  St.  I jo  (Sanctus  Laudus  or  Laudo,)  bishop  of  Coutances^ 
who  was  born  in  a castle  there  situated,  and  who  lived  under  the  successors  of  Clo- 
vis. (Enc.  Meth.) — St.  Lo  was  raised  to  the  see  of  Coutances,  A.  D.  528.  The  reign 
of  Clovis  extended  from  481  to  511.  (Moreri.) — P. 

||  The  term  tissu  is  applied  generally  to  all  kinds  of  cloth  (texture)  woven  by  the 
shuttle  in  a loom,  whatever  he  the  materials.  It  is  also  applied  particularly  to  a 
kind  of  coarse  girth  or  webbins.  (Savary.) — St.  Lo  manufactures  serges  and  shalloons 
(serges,  ras.)  (Enc.  Meth.) — It  has  manufactories  of  cloths  (drops. I stuffs  (icoffes,) 
galoons.  thread  and  serges.  (Vosgien.) — P. 


32G 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLYI. 


their  name  to  a maritime  department ; they  form  during 
high  tides  a flat  surface  several  hundred  yards  in  length, 
and  about  thirty  in  breadth  ; sometimes,  however,  they  arc 
wholly  concealed  by  the  ocean.  Calvados  is  bounded  on 
the  side  of  the  continent  by  the  departments  of  Manche, 
Orne  and  Eure  ; it  yields  rich  harvests,  it  abounds  in  cattle, 
it  is  well  supplied  with  coal." 

Isignyb  rises  on  the  bay  in  which  the  Vire  throws  itself 
into  the  channel ; it  possesses  a small  harbour,  and  carries 
on  a considerable  trade  in  the  produce  of  the  neighbouring 
country.  The  town  contains  only  2000  inhabitants,  and  it 
sends  annually  more  than  3,000,000  pounds  of  butter  into 
different  parts  of  France.0  The  country  between  Isigny 
and  Bayeux,  a distance  of  seven  leagues,  is  covered  with 
orchards,  rich  pastures  and  fruitful  fields.  The  latter  place 
was  the  ancient  Arcegcnus  or  Baiocasses ,d  which  in  the  time 
of  Ctesar,  was  surrounded  with  forests,  and  possessed  a cel- 
ebrated school  under  the  direction  of  the  Druids.  A spa- 
cious and  elegant  street  extends  from  one  extremity  of  the 
town  to  the  other,  forming  an  exception  to  the  rest,  which 
are  for  the  most  part  ill  built.  The  cathedral,  a fine  Gothic 
edifice,  is  adorned  with  a magnificent  portal,  surmounted  by 
three  lofty  towers  : but  the  exterior  is  not  the  only  part  that 
fixes  the  attention ; it  has  a treasury  in  which  there  are  sev- 
eral curiosities,  among  the  most  remarkable  of  which,  is  the 
tapestry  worked  by  queen  Matilda,  representing  the  exploits 
of  William  the  Conqueror.  Lace  and  porcelain  are  the 
principal  articles  manufactured  in  the  town  ; it  has  given 
birth  to  the  eloquent  Alain  Chartier  and  to  Oliver  Basselin, 
a lyric  poet,  celebrated  as  the  inventor  of  the  Vau  de  Vire ; 
his  lively  songs  were  at  first  confined  to  the  banks  of  the 
Vire,  but  having  become  fashionable  at  Paris,  they  were 
styled  vaudevilles.0  Vire,  so  called  from  the  river  that 
waters  it,  was  gradually  built  round  the  castle  which  dates 

a “ A chain  of  rocks  that  extends  from  east  to  west,  to  the  distance 
of  six  leagues,  between  the  mouths  of  the  Vire  and  the  Orne,  derived 
its  name  of  Calvados*  from  the  wreck  of  a ship  of  that  name,  which 
formed  part  of  the  fleet  that  Philip  II.  sent  against  England  in  1588. t 
In  high  tides,  these  rocks  present  above  the  water  only  a flat  surface 
of  a few  hundred  metres  in  length  bv  about  thirty  in  breadth,  and  some- 
times even  entirely  disappear.  They  have  given  their  name  to  a 
maritime  department,}  bounded  on  the  land  side  by  the  departments  of 
the  Channel,  the  Orne  and  the  Eure,  and  important  from  its  corn,  cat- 
tle, coal  mines||  and  manufactures.” 

* Le  Calvados. 

t Not  1533,  as  in  the  translation.  See  Hume’s  Erie.  p.  510 — 13,  Jones’  Erl. — P. 

} Depir!  intuit  of  Calvados  ( dcpartement  du  Calvados.) — P. 

|1  There  are  mines  of  coal  and  iron  in  tire  department.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 
b Isigni.  (Vosgien.) 

c “ At.  the  bottom  of  the  bay,  in  which  the  Vire  enters  the  Channel 
in  the  midst  of  shifting  sands,  Isigny  possesses  a small  port  and  carries 
on  a considerable  commerce  in  the  products  of  its  territory,  noted  for 
the  goodness  of  its  cider  and  the  excellent  quality  of  its  butter,  of  the 
last  of  which  it  exports  annually  more  than  1,600,000  kilogrammes;  it 

has  a population  of  only  2000  inhabitants.” Isigni  is  situated  at  the 

mouth  of  the  Vire  (Vosgien) — at  the  confluence  of  the  Esques  with  the 
Vire,  eight  miles  from  the  sea ; vessels  of  8 or  !)  feet  draft  go  up  to  it 
with  the  tide  (Tuckey.  vol.  II.  p.  16.) — The  Vire  becomes  navigable 
t St.  Lo,  leaves  Isigni  on  the  right,  receives  the  river  Esque  and  then 
jails  into  the  Channel,  where  it  forms  a small  bay  (golfe ,)  fordable  at 
jow  tides.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

d The  name  of  Arccgenus,  which  belonged  to  the  little  river  Aure 
[on  which  Bayeux  is  situated,]  as  well  as  to  the  city  of  the  Bajocasses, 
has  been  replaced  by  that  of  Bayeux.  (D’Anv.) — The  people  who 
anciently  inhabited  the  diocese  of  Bayeux.  are  supposed  to  have  been 
the  Bellocassi,  mentioned  by  Ctesar  (L.  VII.  §6!).)  Bayeux  has  been 
variously  named  by  Latin  authors,  Bajoccc,  Bajocassium  Civ  it  as,  Julio- 
bona  Biducassium,  and  Bajocum.  Gregory  of  Tours  calls  the  people 
who  inhabited  it  the  Bawcassini,  and  Ausonius  (Carm.  4*)  the  Baiocas- 
ses. (Moreri.) — The  Bellocassi,  of  Caesar,  have  been  confounded  by 
some  authors  with  the  Vclocasscs , but  the  latter  inhabited  the  territory 
of  Cassel  in  Flanders.  (Caesar.  Edit.  Scalig.  Elzev.  1635 — Nomenclator 
Geographicus  A.Ortelii  adj.) — P. 

* Tu  Raincassis  stirpe  Druidorurn  satus, 

Si  lama  non  fallit  lideiu, 


from  the  time  of  Philip  Augustus/  Conde  sur  Noireau,® 
situated  in  a deep  valley  at  the  confluence  of  the  Drouance 
and  the  Noireau,  contains  five  thousand  inhabitants,  together 
with  several  cotton  and  linen  manufactories.* *1 

A hill  rises  in  a district  covered  with  woods,  fruit  trees, 
and  pastures;  the  Ante,  a small  river,  flows  below  it,  and 
Falaise,  a Norman  city,  is  built  near  the  base.1  The  town 
is  encompassed  with  three  suburbs  ; Guibray,  one  of  them, 
might  be  sufficient  to  render  it  a place  of  celebrity,  for  two 
very  important  fairs!  are  held  there  every  year,  the  first  of 
which  begins  on  the  tenth,  and  lasts  to  the  twenty-fifth  of 
August,  while  the  other  continues  eight  flays  from  the  eighth 
of  September  ; an  immense  number  of  horses  are  sold  du- 
ring the  first  fair  ;**  the  second  is  set  apart  for  the  sale  of 
cattle  and  different  articles  of  merchandise.  In  the  same 
suburb  are  situated  the  remains  of  a strong  castle  with  a 
tower  in  a good  state  of  preservation  ; it  was  the  birthplace 
of  William  the  Conqueror.1  An  excellent  road  leads  from 
the  town  to  the  capital  of  the  department. 

It  is  vain  to  determine  the  time  in  which  Caen  was  built  • 
it  does  not  appear  to  be  very  ancient,  but  the  date  of  the 
foundation  is  unknown.  It  was  formerly  encompassed  with 
walls,  and  flanked  with  twenty  towers : many  of  the  streets 
are  broad  and  adorned  with  well  built  houses ; the  public 
buildings  are  imposing,  and  such  is  the  excellent  quality  of 
the  stone  in  the  neighbouring  quarries,  that  Caen  may  in  time 
become  one  of  the  finest  towns  in  France.  The  Royal 
Place  forms  a large  square ; the  townhouse,  a simple  and 
elegant  edifice,  rises  at  one  extremity,  and  a public  walk 
extends  round  the  centre,  which  is  adorned  with  a bronze 
statue  of  Lewis  the  Fourteenth.  The  abbey  church  is  finer 
in  point  of  architecture  than  any  in  Caen,  within  it  are  con- 
tained the  tombs  of  William  the  Conqueror  by  whom  it  was 
built,  and  of  his  wife  Matilda."1  The  town  is  chiefly  impor- 

Belani  sacratum  ducis  e templo  genus — 

Ausnnii  Commemoratio  Professorum  Burdigalensium,  IV.  Attius 
Patera. — P. 

e “ It  gave  birth  to  Alain  Chartier,  the  father  of  French  eloquence, 
and  to  Oliver  Basselin,  no  less  celebrated  for  having  invented  the  Vau- 
de-Vire,  a kind  of  satirical  song,  first  confined  to  the  banks  of  the  Vire, 
but  which  having  become  fashionable  in  the  capital,  took  the  name  of 
Vaudeville.” — Alain  Chartier,  born  at  Bayeux  1386,  was  called  in  his 
time,  the  father  of  French  eloquence  ( Pere  de  V eloquence  francaise.) 
(Beauvais.) O.  Basselin,  a fuller  of  Vire  in  the  15th  cent.,  com- 

posed many  convivial  songs  {chansons  a Loire,)  which  he  sung  at  the 
foot  of  a hill,  called  the  Vaux,  on  the  banks  of  the  Vire,  whence  they 
took  the  name  of  Vaux-de-Vire,  afterwards  corrupted  into  I'avdcrille. 
(Diet.  Hist.  Caen.  Beauvais.) — The  Vaudeville  originated  in  the  val- 
leys {vaux)  of  the  Vire.  (Vosgien.) — Vaudevilles  are  short  comic  dra- 
mas, with  a song  (the  Vaudeville)  every  few  minutes — performed  more 
particularly  at  the  Theatre  Vaudeville  in  Paris.— P. 

f “ — is  a neat  town,  which  in  the  time  of  Philip  Augustus  was 
only  a castle.”  s Conde  sur  Nereau.  (Moreri.) 

ii  “ — together  with  a great  number  of  cotton  mills  {filatures  de  cotov) 
and  manufactories  of  different  stuffs  ( tissus .)” — It  has  manufactories  of 
serges,  particularly  the  kind  called  lingettes  (Savary) — cloths  {drops) 
(Enc.  Melli.) — P. 

■ “ Falaise,  a long  and  narrow  town  of  Norman  origin,  is  built  on  a 
hill  near  the  hanks  of  the  small  river  Ante,  in  the  midst  of  a territory 
covered  with  woods,  pastures  and  fruit  trees.” — It  rises  on  an  emi- 
nence in  the  form  of  a ship,  and  its  castle,  which  is  built  on  a rock, 
occupies  the  place  of  the  stern.  (Moreri.) — It  derives  its  name  from  its 
position  on  a rock  [falaise,  a bluff.]  (Enc.  Meth. — Its  situation  resem- 
bles that  of  the  old  town  of  Edinburgh. — P. 

j “ — two  of  the  largest  fairs  in  Europe.” — The  fair  of  Guibray  is 
the  most  celebrated  in  the  kingdom  after  that  of  Beaucaire.  (Enc. 
Meth.)— P. 

* “ The  first  is  noted  for  the  sale  of  fine  horses  ( chevaux  de  luxe.)" 

1 William  the  Conqueror  was  born  in  the  castle  of  Falaise,  A.  D. 
1027.— P. 

® “ The  Place  Boyale*  is  a spacious  and  regular  square ; the  town- 
house,  a simple  and  elegant  edifice,  rises  at  one  extremity,  while  the 
centre,  which  serves  as  a promenade,  is  adorned  with  a bronze  statue 
of  Louis  XIV. t The  churches  are  not  at  all  remarkable,  with  the  sin 


BOOK  CXLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION 

tant  on  account  of  an  university,  a botanical  garden,  a pub- 
lic library  of  forty  thousand  volumes,  and  3 very  valuable 
collection  of  natural  history.  It  possesses  also  an  academy 
of  science  and  belles-lettres,  Linnean,  antiquarian  and  agri- 
cultural societies  ; the  transactions  which  are  published  every 
year,  attest  the  zeal  and  knowledge  of  the  members.3  The 
celebrated  Lamouroux,  by  whose  premature  death  science 
sustained  no  ordinary  loss,  occupied  a few  years  since,  the 
chair  of  natural  history  in  the  university.11  The  town  has 
given  birth  to  Malherbe,  Segrais,  Malfilatrec  and  Huet,  bish- 
op of  Avranches.  It  stands  in  a fruitful  and  pleasant  valley, 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Odon  and  the  Orne  ; activity  reigns 
in  its  small  harbour,  and  a public  walk,  remarkable  for  its 
beauty, d is  hounded  on  one  side  by  verdant  meadows,  and 
on  the  other  by  the  river.  If  it  he  added  that  the  inhabit- 
ants are  alike  distinguished  by  their  knowledge  and  indus- 
try, it  cannot  be  wondered  that  the  good  effects  of  their  ex- 
ample extend  to  most  places  in  Normandy. 

The  remaining  towns  in  the  department  are  comparative- 
ly of  little  importance.  Lisieux0  is  encompassed  with  ditch- 
es and  old  walls  ;r  it  was  formerly  the  capital  of  a diocese, & in 
which  the  first  bishop  was  Litarde,  who  flourished  in  the 
sixth  century.11  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  it  occupies 
the  site  of  Noviomagus,  a Celtic  city,  and  it  is  certain  that  it 

g-le  exception  of  that  of  the  abbey  of  St.  Stephen,* 1  in  which  are  con- 
tained the  tombs  of  William  the  Conqueror,  by  whom  it  was  founded, 
and  of  his  wife  Matilda.  Among  the  other  public  buildings,  the  ancient 
strong  castle,  which  formed  part  of  the  fortifications  built  by  that  prince, 
and  a large  hospital,  are  also  deserving  of  attention.1’ 

* Royal  Square.  f An  equestrian  statue,  in  a Roman  habit.  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

f L’Abbaye  aux  Hommes.”— There  were  two  abbeys  in  Caen,  viz.  that  for  men 
(Abbaye  am:  II ommes , Enc.  Met h. — St.  F.t.cnne  de  Caen , Moreri,)  and  that  for  women 
( Abbaye  aur  Dames,  Enc.  Meth. — Ste.  Trinite , Moreri) — the  former  founded  by  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror,  and  the  latter  by  iiis  wife  Matilda. — P. 

a “ The  town  is  chiefly  important  as  the  seat  of  a university,  in  con- 
nexion with  which  it  possesses  a botanical  garden,  a public  library 
containing  40,000  volumes,  a cabinet  of  natural  history  at  the  town- 
house,  remarkable  for  its  extent  and  arrangement,*  and  also  several 
learned  societies,  viz.  the  academy  of  sciences  and  belles-lettres,  the 
Linnean  society,  the  society  of  antiquaries  and  that  of  agriculture  ; 
the  memoirs  published  annually  by  these  societies,  attest  the  zeal  and 
knowledge  of  their  members.” — The  university  was  first  founded  in 
1431  by  Henry  VI.  of  England,  for  the  study  of  civil  and  canon  law  ; 
the  faculties  of  theology  and  the  arts  were  added  in  1436,  and  that  of 
medicine  in  1437.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — The  academy  [university]  of  Caen 
consists  of  three  faculties,  viz.  those  of  law,  sciences  and  letters.  There 
is  also  a royal  college  [lyceum]  at  Caen.  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 

* The  collections  of  Lamouroux,  which  were  very  complete  and  extensive,  particu- 
larly in  marine  productions  (animal  and  vegetable,)  are  now  deposited  in  the  muse- 
um of  Caen. — P. 

b J.  J.  N.  Huot,  Notice  sur  la  vie  et  les  travaux  de  J.  V.  F. 
Lamouroux  (Annales  des  Sciences  Naturelles,  t.  V.) — [Lamouroux 
died  at  Caen  in  1825. — P.] 

c Three  distinguished  French  poets — Malherbe  b6rn  1555,  Segrais 
1624,  and  Malfilatre  1733.— P. 

d “—a  fine  promenade  called  the  Course  ( Cours .)” 

e “ Lizieux.” 

f The  edifices  most  worthy  of  attention,  are  the  cathedral  and  the 
episcopal  palace,  the  last  of  which  is  noted  for  a fine  staircase.  M.  B 

e Suppressed  during  the  revolution. — P. 

h Present  at  the  first  council  of  Orleans,  A.  D.  511.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

' “ It  bore  among  the  ancients  the  name  of  Noviomagus,  which  was 
afterwards  exchanged  for  that  of  Lixovium.” — Noviomagus,  afterwards 
Lr.xovii,  Lisieux.  (D’Anv.  Enc.  Moth.  Geog.  Anc.) — The  Latin  names 
of  Lisieux  are,  Civitas  Lexoviorum  s.  Lixuviorum , Lexovium  and  Lixo- 
vium. (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Mod.) — Lexobii  (Caesar.  edit.  Maittaire,)  Lcx- 
ovii  (Pliny,)  Lexobii  or  Lexovii  (Strabo,)  Lcxubii  (Ptolemy,)  was  the 
name  of  the  people,  afterwards  that  of  their  capital. — Neomagus,  the 
capital  of  the  Lexubii.  (Ptolemy.) — Lixovium  does  not  occur  in  either 
of  these  ancient  authors.  It  is  the  modern  Latin  name  of  Lisieux. — P. 

i “It  is  the  centre  of  an  extensive  manufacture  of  linens  ( toiles ,) 
blankets  ( couvertures ) and  ribbons  ( rubans ,)  which  furnishes  employ- 
ment to  more  than  3,000  workmen.” — It  has  manufactories  of  linens  and 
flannels  (Vosgien)— linens,  particularly  cretonnes  [see  note  b IT  p.  1003,] 
and  woollen  stuffs  ( serges , frocs.)  (Savary.) — The  term  couvertures, 
without  qualification,  is  used  for  woollen  blankets,  by  Savary.  (It  is 
now  also  used  for  cotton  coverlets.)  He  observes  that  Normandv  is 


OF  FRANCE.  327 

was  one  of  t!ie  places  that  the  Romans  called  Livovium .* 
It  carries  on  at  present  a considerable  trade  in  linen,  cotton 
stuffs  and  ribbons,  a trade  which  furnishes  employment  to 
three  thousand  workmen. i The  inhabitants  of  Font  l’Eve- 
quek  are  engaged  in  the  same  sort  of  industry,  hut  it  is  thin- 
ly peopled  and  ill  built.1 

The  heights  above  Honfleur  are  covered  with  lofty  trees, 
but  a vista  reveals  the  rich  country  in  the  neighbourhood — 
the  embouchure  of  the  Seine,  and  the  sea  that  bounds  the 
horizon.  The  town  itself  is  an  irregular  assemblage  of  dirty 
houses,  and  the  most  frequented  church  is  built  of  wood. 
Two  pharos  direct  vessels  to  the  harbour;  although  it  is 
small,  the  commercial  intercourse  between  Honfleur  and 
Havre,  and  the  equipments  necessary  for  the  herring,  cod 
and  mackerel  fisheries,  render  it  the  scene  of  much  activity 
and  confusion.  But  the  port  was  once  more  flourishing 
than  at  present;  some  distinguished  navigators  were  born 
there ; it  was  from  Honfleur  that  Chinot-Palmier  arid  cap- 
tain Gonneville  departed  in  the  sixteenth  century  on  their 
voyages  of  discovery.  The  town  is  called  Ilonnejleu  in 
several  old  charts,  a name  which,  according  to  an  antiquary 
of  some  celebrity,  signifies  in  northern  languages  a hamlet  on 
a small  gulf;  the  etymology,  it  must  be  admitted,  accords 
with  the  position.111  “ 

one  of  the  provinces  in  which  blankets  are  manufactured  in  greatest 
quantity. — P 

k Pont-l’Evesque.  (Moreri.) 

1 “Pont-l’Eveque,  although  a town  ofless  interest  than  the  preceding, 
carries  on,  however,  a considerable  manufacture  of  linens  (toiles,)  but 
it  is  poorly  peopled  and  ill  built.”— Population  about  2000. — P. 

m From  ham,  hamlet,  and  fluct,  a small  gulf.  See  Notice  des  Gaules 
by  Valois. 

n “ The  traveller  on  the  road  from  Pont-l'Eveque  to  Honfleur,  can- 
not fail  to  admire  the  fine  prospect  that  presents  itself  at  the  extremity 
of  the  high  plateau  which  commands  the  latter : he  finds  himself  sur- 
rounded by  woods,  but  through  a vista  that  serves  to  heighten  the 
beauty  of  the  landscape,  he  perceives  at  a distance  the  mouth  of  the 
Seine,  the  sea  stretching  to  the  horizon,  and  the  houses  of  Honfleur 
rising  along  the  declivity  of  the  Cdlc  de  Gr6.ce,  the  summit  of  which  is 
shaded  with  trees,  and  crowned  by  a chapel  held  in  veneration  by 
mariners.  The  town  is  irregular  and  dirty,  and  the  most  frequented 
church  is  built  of  wood;  but  the  harbour,  which  can  receive  only  30 
ships,  and  the  entrance  to  which  is  pointed  out  by  two  light-houses 
( phares ,)  exhibits  a great  degree  of  activity  from  its  constant  intercourse 
with  Havre,  its  general  commerce,  and  its  herring,  whiting*  and  mack- 
erel fisheries.  The  port  was  formerly  more  flourishing  than  at  pres- 
ent; it  has  supplied  France  with  many  good  seamen  ( marins .)  It  was 
from  Honfleur.  in  the  ICth  century,  that  Chinot-Paulmier,  and  a few 
years  afterwards,  Captain  Gonneville,  departed  for  the  discovery  of  the 
Terra  Australis. \ The  town  is  designated  in  old  charters  (churles)  by 

the  name  of  Honncjleu,  the  root  of  which  signifies  in  the  northern  lan- 
guages, a hamlet  on  a small  gulf — an  etymology  that  appears  to  be  very 
probable.1” 

* “ Merl.in” — Gadus  Merlan^us,  Linn. — P. 

t Chinot-Paulmier,  a gentleman  of  the  vicinity,  who  in  1503  first  discovered  the 
Terra  Australis,  which  lie  called  the  Southern  Indies  (hides  Jllcridionales,)  sailed  on 
his  voyage  from  the  port  of  Honfleur.  (Enc.  Meth.) — N.  Binot  Paulmier  de  Gonne- 
ville, born  at  Honfleur  about  the  middle  of  the  15th  cent.,  was  employed  in  1503  to 
conduct  an  expedition  to  the  East  Indies.  On  his  return  he  pretended  to  have  dis- 
covered a country  (terre  australe)  beyond  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  which  has  never 
yet  been  revisited.  He  brought  with  him  a son  of  the  king  of  the  country,  named 
Essomeric,  whom  h<  constituted  his  heir.  The  Abbe  Paulmier  de  Gonneville,  great 
grandson  of  Essomeric,  published  an  account  of  his  discovery  in  1663.  (Beauvais.) — 
Burney  supposes  the  country  discovered  by  him,  to  have  been  Madagascar — others 
New  Holland,  or  e ;en  New  Zealand-  Essomeric  married  into  the  family  of  the  Sieur 
de  Gonneville,  whence  his  descendant,  the  Abbe,  derived  his  name.  In  1738,  M.  Lo- 
zier Bouvet  sailed  from  L’Orient,  in  search  of  the  land  discovered  by  Gonneville, 
and  Jan.  1,  1739,  discovered  the  island  of  Cap  de,  la  Circovcision , in  54°  2<V  S.,  and  25s 
47'  E.  from  the  meridian  of  Teneriffe  (13°  6'  E.  from  Greenwich.)  (Burney’s  Hist, 
of  Voyages  and  Discov.  in  the  S.  Sea.  Vol.  I.  p.  378 — 9.  Vol.  III.  n.  275—7.  Vol.  V. 
p.  31— 4.)— It  is  obvious  from  this  statement,  that  the  Chinot  Paulmier  of  the  Enc. 
Meth.  is  the  Binot  Paulmier  de  Gonneville  of  Beauvais  (the  Sieur  de  Gonneville  of 
Burney,)  and  that  the  compiler  of  the  original  (M.  B.)  has  bisected  his  long  name, 
and  thus  made  two  separate  navigators  and  two  distinct  voyages,  where  there  should 
he  but  one  only.  A fine  parallel  to  this  mistake  may  be  found  in  the  Diet.  Ihsi  et 
Biooraph.  de  Prudliomme,  in  which  the  Abbe  Paulmier  de  Gonneville  is  called  the  Abbe 
Paul  Myer.  Such  writers  as  these  seem  to  think  that  one  name,  and  even  half  a 
name,  is  enough  for  one  man. — P. 

I “ From  ham , hamlet,  and  fleat , a small  hay  (ffolfe.)  See  Valois,  Notice  des 
Gaules.” — [Honfleur  is  called  in  old  documents  ( litres ,)  Honnefleu  and  Hunneflotum  ; 
this  name,  according  to  M.  de  Valois,  Notit.  Gall.  p.  241,*  is  derived  from  ham  a vil- 
lage or  hamlet,  and  fleot  or  fleat , written  vliet  in  the  Low  Countries,!  which  signifies 
a small  bay  (gotfe  de  mer .)  (Enc.  Meth.) — P.j 


[BOOK  CXLVI. 


328  EUROPE. 


The  distance  by  sea  from  Honfleur  to  Havre* * *  is  not  more 
than  three  leagues,  and  steam  vessels  sail  from  the  one 
place  to  the  other  in  less  than  an  hour.b  The  first  object 
that  a stranger  observes  on  entering  the  port  of  Havre,  is 
the  tower  of  Francis  the  First,  an  old  building  connected 
with  the  fortifications  that  were  erected  by  the  same  prince  ; 
it  serves  at  present  as  a station  to  watch  the  approach  of 
ships.0  Three  basins  communicate  with  the  harbour;  it  is 
defended  by  a citadel,  and  the  whole  town  is  surrounded 
with  bastions.  The  streets  in  the  Old  Quarter  are  suffi- 
ciently regular,  hut  the  houses  are  ill  built;  the  New  Quar- 
ter extends  along  the  basin  of  Ingouville,  and  it  accords 
better  with  the  commerce  of  the  port,  which  has  constantly 
increased  since  the  peace.  But  the  finest  part  of  Havre 
fronts  the  iron  works  and  the  dock  yards ; a large  court 
planted  with  trees  forms  a public  walk,  and  well  built  quays 
or  spacious  streets  traverse  the  town  from  the  gate  of  Ingou- 
villc  to  the  harbour. d It  may  be  remarked,  however,  that 
the  public  buildings  correspond  ill  with  the  wealth  of  the 
inhabitants ; the  customhouse  is  a very  large  edifice,  hut 
the  townhouse,  the  subprefecture,  the  exchange,  the  court- 
house® and  the  two  churches  are  very  ordinary  in  point  of 
architecture.  The  town  has  produced  a few  distinguished 
men,  but  it  was  the  birthplace  ofBernardin  de  St.  Pierre/ 
Many  country  houses  are  situated  near  the  suburb  of  Ingou- 
ville which  contains  five  thousand  inhabitants.  Two  light- 
houses are  erected  on  the  hill  behind  Havre  at  the  extremi- 
ty of  the  ridge  that  forms  Cape  Heve  ; 6 they  were  built  to 
indicate  during  the  night  the  dangers  of  the  coast. 

A fruitful  valley  extends  from  the  northern  extremity  of 
the  same  ridge  to  the  sea,  and  terminates  at  Fecamp, h a 
town  of  eight  thousand  inhabitants ; it  possesses  several  cot- 
ton manufactories,1  and  equips  a number  of  vessels  for  the 
cod  fisheries.  Another  valley  on  the  south  of  it,  perhaps 
the  most  picturesque  of  any  in  the  department,  is  watered 
by  the  Bolbec,  a small  river,  that  has  given  its  name  to  an 
industrious  town  of  seven  thousand  inhabitants,  who  carry  on 
a trade  in  muslin  and  different  manufactures/  Before  the 
river  falls  into  the  Seine,  it  passes  by  Lillebonne,k  a burgh 
that  stands  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  city  of  Julia-Bona ',  the 


importance  of  which  is  attested  by  the  ruins  of  three  Roman 
ways,  and  by  recent  excavations  that  have  led  to  the  dis- 
covery of  a theatre  and  of  several  statues  and  other  objects 
of  antiquity. 

Caudebec  was  formerly  the  capital  of  Caux,m  a small 
country  in  which  agriculture  has  attained  a high  degree  of 
perfection,  and  in  which  every  house,  surrounded  by  trees  of 
different  kinds,  contributes  so  much  to  adorn  the  landscape, 
that  the  country  watered  by  the  Seine  from  Havre  to  Rouen, 
may  vie  with  the  vaunted  banks  of  the  Loire.  Caudebec 
was  a very  flourishing  town  before  the  revocation  of  the 
edict  of  Nantes;  it  was  almost  ruined  in  consequence  of 
that  impolitic  measure,  and  although  it  still  possesses  a con- 
venient harbour,  the  population  does  not  exceed  three  thou- 
sand souls."  It  is  situated  in  the  district0  of  Yvetot,  a small 
town  p of  which  the  lords,  before  the  reign  of  Louis  the 
Eleventh,  were  styled  kings  by  their  vassals. 

Rouen  is  situated  in  a fine  valley  enclosed  by  chalk  hills, 
and  covered  with  verdant  meadows  or  cultivated  fields 
The  Seine  flows  through  the  same  valley,  and  waters,  sev- 
eral islands ; the  ramparts  of  the  town  rise  above  the  river, 
and  the  port  is  crowded  with  vessels  of  every  nation.  A 
modern  bridge  leads  to  the  suburb  of  St.  Severe,  part  of 
which  is  formed  by  large  barracks  and  an  open  space  that 
is  reserved  for  military  exercises.  The  town  may  be 
enriched  by  the  commerce  and  industry  of  the  inhabitants, 
but  many  of  the  streets  are  disfigured  by  wooden  houses, 
and  almost  all  of  them  are  crooked  ; those  of  a very  recent 
date  form  the  only  exception.  Although  Rouen  is  not  re- 
markable for  modern  edifices,  it  possesses  several  monu- 
ments of  the  middle  ages ; St.  Ouen,  an  old  church,  equal- 
ly worthy  of  notice  for  the  architecture  and  the  beauty  of 
the  painted  windows,  the  cathedral  of  which  the  steeple  was 
lately  destroyed  by  fire,  the  linen  market,  an  old  and  large 
building,  and  the  court  of  justice,  an  elegant  Gothic  edifice 
are  those  perhaps  which  have  been  most  admired ; it  may 
be  remarked  too,  that  the  infirmary  is  larger  than  any  other 
in  Fi  ■ance.  The  inhabitants  are  devoted  to  trade,  but  they 
possess  a collection  of  valuable  paintings,  a library  of  forty 
thousand  volumes,  a good  botanical  garden,  schools  of  med- 


* Adrian  de  Valois,  Notitia  Galliaruin,  160G.  fol.  (Beauvais.) 

f Vlict,  a stream,  river.  (Wilcocke.) — Flic,  although  not  found  in  the  common 
Dutch  dictionaries  (Kilianus,  I [alma,  Wilcocke)  is  also  used  by  the  Dutch  for  an  inlet 
(as  in  the  Flit-Stroom ) or  for  a tide  creek,  ns  the  Flic  in  New  Vol  k,  which  gave  name 
to  the  Fly  Market.  Fleet  Street  in  London  is  so  called  from  having  been  built  over 
a fleet  or  creek  which  there  opened  into  the  Thames. — An".  Sax.  fleet,  an  arm  of  the 
sea,  a place  where  the  tide  flows,  a bay  or  road  ; also,  a river,  or  running  stream. 
(Somner’s  Ang.  Sax.  Diet.) — 1’. 

“ “Le  Havre” — Le  Havre  (Aim.  Royal.)  Havre  de  Grace — Le  Havre 
de  Grace  ( Pnrtus  Gratice, )so  named  from  an  ancient  chapel  adjoining.-- P. 

b “ The  time  of  high  water  approaches ; the  vessels  aground  in  the 
harbour,  rise  slowly  with  the  tide  ; the  quicksands  that  render  the  mouth 
of  the  Seine  so  dangerous,  disappear  beneath  the  waves ; the  bell  of 
the  steam-boat  warns  the  traveller  who  wishes  to  cross  to  Havre  that 
the  hour  of  departure  has  arrived  ; and  in  less  than  an  hour,  after  a pas- 
sage of  about  three  leagues,  he  is  landed  at  Havre,  next  to  Rouen,  the 
most  important  town*  in  the  department  of  the  Lower  Seine.”  The 
general  view  of  the  department,  p.  1010,  ought  regularly  to  be  placed 
before  the  description  of  Havre  ; but  it  has  been  displaced  by  the  itine- 
rary form  of  the  original. — P. 

* “ Chef-lieu” — capital  of  an  arrondissement. 

c “ — as  a signal  station.” 

d “ Three  basins  communicate  with  the  harbour,  which  is  defended 
by  the  citadel,  while  the  town  itself  is  surrounded  with  bastions.  The 
town  is  divided  into  two  sections,  namely,  the  Old  Quarter,  in  which 
the  streets  are  quite  regular,  but  ill  built,  and  the  New  Quarter,  that 
borders  the  basin  of  Ingouville,  in  which  the  beauty  and  regularity  of 
the  buildings  correspond  with  the  high  degree  of  commercial  importance 
that  the  port  has  enjoyed  since  the  peace.  It  is  particularly  in  front 
of  the  marine  arstmal  (forges  de  la  marine)  and  the  mast-houses  ( ateliers 
de  la  mdture,)  that  the  interior  of  Havre  presents  the  most  imposing 
aspect : an  elegant  square  planted  with  trees  and  forming  a promenade 
within  the  walls,  a fine  quay,  a spacious  street  that  traverses  the  city 


from  the  gate  of  Ingouville  to  the  harbour,  the  front  of  the  new  theatre, 
the  coffee  houses  and  the  private  mansions  are  there  exhibited  to  the 
best  advantage.” 

e “Tribunal.” — Havre  has  a tribunal  de  premitre  instance  and  a tribu- 
nal de  commerce.  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 

f Havre  was  the  birthplace  of  the  Scuderys  (George  and  Magdalen,) 
the  former  of  some  distinction  in  his  day  as  a poet,  and  the  latter  still 
celebrated  for  her  voluminous  romances;  also  of  the  Countess  La  Fay- 
ette, the  novelist. — P. 

fi  “ After  passing  through  the  suburb  of  Ingouville,  which  contains 
several  fine  country  houses  and  5G00  inhabitants,  and  after  having  climb- 
ed the  declivity  (rote)  on  which  it  is  situated,  the  traveller  perceives  at 
the  extremity  of  the  plateau  that  terminates  in  Cape  La  Heve  ( Cap  dela 
Here.)  two  light-houses  constructed  in  a style  of  elegant  architecture.' 

■*  “ At  the  northern  extremity  of  the  plateau,  a pleasant  valley  de- 
scends to  the  sea  and  terminates  at  the  port  of  Fecamp”  [Fescamp. 
Enc.  Meth.]— P. 

“ “ Manufactories  of  cotonnades .” 

i “ Another  valley  to  the  south  of  the  former,  and  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  imaginable,  is  watered  by  the  small  river  Bolbec,  which 
traverses  a neat  town  of  the  same  name,  enriched  by  its  cotton  mills 
(filatures)  and  its  calicoes  ( indicants ,)  and  with  a population  of  7000 
inhabitants.” 

k lslebonne  (Moreri.)  Juliobona.  (D’Anv.) 

m “ Le  Pays  de  Caux.” — Caux  or  Pays  de  Caux  . (Moreri.) — It  oc- 
cupies the  triangular  point  between  the  Channel  and  the  Seine. — P.  * 

11  “ Caudebec  stands  in  an  agreeable  situation,  at  the  foot  of  a woody 
hill,  on  the  banks  of  the  Seine.  Before  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of 
Nantes,  it  was  very  flourishing  ; at  present,  although  its  population  does 
not  exceed  3000  souls,  it  derives  great  advantages  from  the  convenient 
position  of  its  harbour.”  ° “Arrondissement.” 

p “ — a neat  town  ( jolic  ville.)” — Population  9853. — P. 


book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 

icine  and  pharmacy,  two  theatres,  an  academy  of  sciences  | 
and  belles-lettres,  an  agricultural  and  antiquarian  society,  i 
It  has  produced  some  great  men,  among  others  Fontenelle 
and  the  two  Corneilles ; the  modest  house  that  the  latter 
inhabited  may  still  be  seen  in  the  street  of  La  Pie.  The 
etymology  of  Rouen  has  given  rise  to  different  opinions, 
some  antiquaries  derive  the  name  of  the  ancient  capital  of 
Normandy  from  the  small  river  of  Robec,  the  Latin  liot- 
obecum ; others  believe  it  to  have  been  so  called  from  Rotho, 
an  idol  which  they  affirm,  the  Veliocassi  adored.  It  might 
be  difficult  to  form  a correct  opinion  on  the  subject,  but  it 
is  certain  that  Rothomagus  was  a very  insignificant  place  in 
the  time  of  Caesar,  the  Roman  general  does  not  mention  it, 
and  the  first  notice  of  it  appears  in  the  geography  of  Ptolemy. 

It  fell  into  the  power  of  the  English  in  1419,  they  kept  pos- 
session of  it  during  twenty  years.  It  was  in  1431  that  sev- 
eral prelates,  rebels  to  their  lawful  king,  deaf  to  the  voice  of 
patriotism,  instruments  in  the  hands  of  foreigners,  judged 
and  put  to  death  the  heroine  who  saved  her  country.  A 
statue  of  Joan  d’Arc,  afterwards  erected  on  the  market 

a “ Whether  we  arrive  at  Rouen  by  the  road  from  Yvetot  or  by  that 
from  Paris,  its  position  in  a magnificent  valley,  formed  by  chalk  hills 
covered  with  cultivated  fields  and  pastures  ( pres ) ; the  broad  current  of 
the  Seine,  which  bathes  several  islands  and  Hows  in  the  midst  of  fertile 
meadows  {prairies ) ; the  boulevards  that  border  the  river  as  it  passes 
by  the  city  ;*  the  spacious  quays ; the  port  filled  with  ships  of  all  na- 
tions ; the  fine  bridge  of  stone  that  leads  to  the  suburb  of  St.  Severe  ; 1 
the  extensive  barracks  which  occupy  a wide  space  between  that  suburb 
and  the  left  hank  of  the  Seine;  and  the  activity  that  prevails  in  every 
quarter ; all  combine  to  give  the  most  favourable  idea  of  its  opulence 
and  industry.  Most  of  the  streets,  however,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  that  have  been  recently  built,  are  disfigured  by  wooden  houses, 
and  nearly  all  of  them  are  irregular  and  crooked  ( mal  alignees.)  Al- 
though Rouen  is  not  remarkable  for  its  modern  edifices,  it  possesses 
many  interesting  monuments  of  the  middle  ages.  Passing  by  several 
fountains  of  that  period,  we  may  mention  the  church  of  the  former 
abbey  of  St.  Ouen, I equally  worthy  of  notice  from  its  architecture  and 
its  magnificent  painted  windows  ; the  cathedral,  the  spire  of  which  was 
lately  destroyed  by  fire, ||  but  is  now  rebuilding ;§  the  linen  market 
(hallc  aux  toiles,)  an  old  and  extensive  edifice;  and  the  palace  of  jus- 
tice ( palais  de  justice, )11  a Gothic  building  remarkable  for  its  elegance. 
The  hospital  ( Hdtcl-Dicu ) is  one  of  the  largest  in  the  kingdom.  Al- 
though the  inhabitants  of  Rouen  are  devoted  to  trade  and  manufactures,** 
it  possesses,  however,  a museum  rich  in  excellent  paintings,  a library 
of  40,000  volumes,  a fine  botanical  garden,  two  theatres,  an  academy 
of  sciences,  arts  and  belles  lettres,  a central  society  of  agriculture,  a 
free  society  of  emulation  ( sociiti  librc  d' emulation  j a society  of  medi- 
cine and  one  of  pharmacy,  another  society  destined  to  promote  the 
progress  of  commerce  and  industry,  and  lastly,  a commission  charged 
with  the  investigation  and  description  of  antiquities.  It  was  the  birth- 
place of  Fontenelle  and  the  two  Corneilles,  and  the  modest  dwelling 
inhabited  by  the  latter  may  still  be  seen  in  the  street  of  La  Pie  (Rue  de 
la  Pie.)\ t Various  opinions  have  been  entertained  with  regard  to  the 
etymology  of  the  original  name  of  Rouen  41  some  derive  it  from  the 
small  river  Robec,  called  in  Latin  Rotobccum,  while  others  trace  it  from 
the  idol  Rotho,  said  to  have  been  worshipped  by  the  Veliocasses. ||][  §§ 
However  it  may  be,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  Rothomagus  was  a place 
of  little  importance  in  the  time  of  Csesar,  for  no  mention  of  it  occurs  in 
his  writings,  and  the  first  notice  of  it  appears  in  the  geography  of  Pto- 
lemy. It  is  well  known  that  it  fell  into  the  power  of  the  English  in 
14111,  and  that  they  kept  possession  of  it  during  twenty  years,' IT  IT  and  also 
that  in  1431,  while  acting  under  the  influence  of  foreigners,  several 
prelates,  rebels  to  their  lawful  king,  and  deaf  to  the  voice  of  patriotism, 
tried  and  condemned  to  death  the  heroine  who  had  saved  her  coun- 
try.*** A statue  of  Joan  of  Arc,  erected  in  the  market-place,  is  an 
evidence  of  the  esteem  with  which  her  memory  is  now  regarded.” 

* The  Cours. — The  beautiful  promenade  of  the  Corns  on  the  banks  of  the  river. 
(Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

t The  bridge  of  boats  over  the  Seine,  which  rests  on  nineteen  large  barges,  rising 
and  tailing  with  the  tide,  was  to  be  replaced  by  a handsome  bridge  of  stone,  which 
must  now  be  nearly  finished.  (Ed.  Encyc.  1899.) — The  construction  of  the  new  bridge 
was  in  progress  as  early  as  1890.  (Morse.) — It  was  one  of  the  public  works  (extraordi- 
nary) under  the  direction  of  the  general  commission  of  civil  engineers  ( Direction 
generate  ties  Ponte  et  Chaussees,)  in  1822.  (Aim.  Royal.)— The  old  bridge  of  boats  was 
paved  with  stone,  and  occasionally  opened  for  the  passage  of  vessels.  It  was  also 
removed  almost  every  winter,  to  prevent  injury  from  the  ice  in  the  river.  (Vosgien. 
Enc.  Meth.)— There  was  formerly  a bridge  of  stone  at  Rouen,  but  it  was  destroyed 
in  the  16th  century.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

t“  E’ancienne  eglise  de  St.  Ouen.”— The  finest  churches  in  Rouen,  are  the  ca 
thedral  of  Notre  Dame,  the  abbey-church  of  St.  Ouen,  the  parish  church  of  St.  Maclou, 
and  the  church  belonging  to  the  coliege  of  the  Jesuits.  (Moreri.)— The  abbey, 
which  bears  the  name  of  St.  Ouen,  and  which  belongs  to  the  reformed  Benedictines, 
enjoys  a revenue  of  more  than  80,01)0  livres.  (Enc.  Meth.)— The  church  of  St.  Maclou 
VOL.  III.— NO.  62  42 


OF  FRANCE.  329 


place,  proves  that  her  memory  is  revered  in  the  town  where 
she  was  unjustly  condemned. a 

Elbeufb  is  situated  about  four  leagues  to  the  south  of 
Rouen,  in  a pleasant  valley  watered  by  the  Seine  ;c  it  is  a 
place  of  considerable  importance  from  its  cloth  manufactories, 
which  furnish  employment  to  eight  thousand  workmen.11 
Gournay  carries  on  a great  trade  in  butter ; several  mineral 
springs  rise  in  the  neighbourhood  ; the  houses  round  one  of 
them — the  fountain  of  Jouvence,  form  a small  town  of  three 
thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants.®  Aumale,  tbe  ancient 
Albemarle,  is  an  ill-built  town  on  the  north  of  Jouvence  ; it 
is  enclosed  by  large  meadows,  and  watered  by  tbe  Bresle, 
on  which  a bridge  lias  been  erected ; the  two  columns  at 
one  extremity  indicate  the  place  where  Henry  the  Fourth 
was  wounded  by  a shot  from  an  arquebuse  during  the  battle 
that  was  fought  against  the  troops  of  the  League/  No  town 
of  any  consequence  can  be  mentioned  in  tbe  district  of  Neuf- 
Chatel,  a district  that  supplies  many  parts  of  France  with 
excellent  cheese  leaving  it  on  the  right, h we  may  proceed 
to  Dieppe,  a well-built  city,  in  which  there  are  six  public 

is  much  admired,  and  also  that  of  St.  Ouen,  which  is  a fine  Gothic  structure  near  the 
centre  of  the  city.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

||  Destroyed  by  lightning. 

§ The  spire  is  to  be  formed  of  cast  iron  See  page  1002,  art.  Foundery  at 
Conches. — P. 

IT  Parliament  house.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — Rouen,  before  the  revolution,  had  a parliament 
of  its  own,  one  of  the  first  in  the  kingdom  ; originally,  the  sovereign  court  of  the 
dukes  of  Normandy. — P. 

**  Rouen  has  long  been  one  of  the  principal  manufacturing  cities  in  France. 
Coarse  cottons  are  made  there  to  a great  extent,  and  finer  ones  have  been  making 
great  progress.  Woollen  and  linen  goods  are  also  manufactured,  together  with  wax 
cloth,  paper,  hats,  pottery  and  hardware.  The  dying  of  cotton  and  woollen  has 
been  long  carried  on  to  a great  extent,  and  there  are  several  sugar  refineries.  It  has 
been  estimated  that  50,000  of  its  population*  are  employed  in  manufactures,  and  that 
the  annual  value  of  its  industry  is  about  £.2,000,000  sterling.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — Rouen  is 
the  principal  seat  of  the  cotton  manufacture  in  France — it  has  been  called  not  inaptly 
the  Manchester  of  France.  (Ed.  Encyc.  art.  France.) — P. 

* Population  90,000.  M.  R. 

tt  It  was  also  the  birthplace  of  Bnsnage  (History  of  the  Jews,)  Bochart,  Brumoy 
(Greek  Theatre,)  Father  Daniel  (History  of  France,)  Lemery  (the  chemist,)  St. 
Amand  and  Pradon  (poets  satirized  by  Boileau,)  Sanadon  (the  translator  of  Horace,) 
Madame  Dubocage  (the  poetess,)  and  J.  F.  Blondel  (History  of  French  Architec- 
ture.)— P.  H Rothomagus. — Rotomagus.  (D’Anv.) 

HD  Velocasscs.  (D’Anv.  Ctesar.  De  Bell.  Gall.  II.  §4.  Edit.Scaliger.  1635,  Elzev.)— P. 
cannot  be  doubted  that  the  ancient  name  of  Rouen  ( Rothomagus ) was  of  Cel- 
tic origin  ; but  its  etymology  is  uncertain.  Some  derive  it  from  the  Idol  Rotho,  there 
worshipped,  and  from  magus  or  magum,  which  signifies  a town,  in  Celtic  : others 
adopt  the  same  word  magus,  and  unite  it  with  the  two  first  syllables  of  Ratvbecum, 
the  Latin  name  of  the  small  river  Robec,  which  flows  by  Rouen.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

HIT  The  English  held  possession  of  Rouen  from  1418  to  1449  (Moreri) — consequently 
about  30  years.— Normandy  was  conquered  from  the  English  in  the  space  of  about  a 
year  from  July  1419,  at  which  time  it  was  invaded  by  four  French  armies.  (Rankin’s 
Hist,  of  France.  Vol.  V.  p.  100.)— P. 

***  She  was  burnt  in  the  old  market  place  of  Rouen,  May  30,  1431  (Rankin’s  Hist. 
Vol.  V.  p.  77,  80)— May  30,  1430  (Moreri.)— P. 

b Elboeuf.  (Vosgien.) 

c “ — on  the  left  bank  of  the  Seine.” 

d “ — which  in  a population  of  10,000  souls,  furnish  employment  to 
8000  workmen.” 

e “ Gournay,  a town  on  the  eastern  limits  of  the  department,  which 
carries  on  a great  trade  in  butter,  and  which  also  possesses  several 
mineral  springs,  one  of  them  called  the  fountain  of  Jouvence,  is  sur- 
rounded by  pleasant  boulevards  and  agreeably  situated  on  the  banks 
of  the  Epte ; it  contains  3500  inhabitants  and  possesses  a public 
library.” 

f “Aumale,  formerly  called  Albemarle,*  an  ill  built  town  to  the  north 
of  Gournay,  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  large  meadows  (une  vaste  prairie) 
watered  by  the  Bresle  ;t  two  columns  at  the  extremity  of  the  bridge 
which  crosses  the  river,  indicate  the  place  where  Henry  IV.  was  wound 
ed  by  a shot  from  an  arquebuse  in  the  battle  that  he  fought  before  the 
town  with  the  troops  of  the  League.” 

* Aumale  or  Albemale  (Vosgien.)  Ear.  Jllbamahi  (Moreri.)  Aumale  or  Albemarle, 
Eat.  Aiha-Murla  (Enc.  Meth.) — It  was  called  Albemarle  when  in  possession  of  the 
English,  and  from  it  the  Earls  of  Albemarle  took  their  title.  The  title  was  first 
conferred  by  William  the  Conqueror  on  Stephen  son  of  Odo,  descended  from  the 
counts  of  Champagne.  The  present  title  was  conferred  on  Arnold  Van  Keppel  bv 
William  III. — P 

t It  is  situated  on  the  declivity  of  a hill,  on  the  borders  of  a meadow  ( prairie ) wa- 
tered by  the  Bresle.  (Enc.  Meth.) 

s “ Neuf-Cluitel,  the  capital  of  an  arrondissement,*  is  only  noted  for 
its  excellent  cheese.” — Excellent  cheese  is  made  at  Neufchatel  en 
Bray,  the  capital  of  an  arrondissement  (subprefecture)  in  the  depart- 
ment of  the  Lower  Seine.  (Vosgien.) 

* “ La  sous-prefecture  de  Neuf-Cliltel.” — This  merely  refers  to  the  town  of  Neuf 
Ohatel,  not  to  the  arrondissement.  Gournay  and  Aumale  are  situated  in  the  arron- 
dissement of  Neufchatel  (Aim.  Royal.) — P 

h The  principal  route  from  Aumale  to  Dieppe  passes  through  Neuf 
chatel,  but  the  direct  line  from  Aumale  to  Dieppe  passes  to  the  north 


330  EUR( 

squares  and  not  fewer  than  sixty-eight  fountains,  the  last  of 
which  are  fed  by  a brick  aqueduct  more  than  a league  in 
length.  The  harbour  is  safe  and  commodious,  but  the  en- 
trance is  narrow ; although  the  inhabitants  clean  it  at  regular 
intervals  by  opening  the  sluices  of  a basin  which  was  built 
for  the  purpose,  it  is  often  encumbered  with  the  gravel  that 
the  sea  accumulates.®  b The  battle  of  Arques,  in  which 
Henry  the  Fourth  defeated  the  duke  of  Mayenne,  was  fought 
in  the  neighbourhood.  The  navigators  that  discovered  Ca- 
nada, and  the  first  Frenchmen  that  founded  commercial 
stations  on  the  coasts  of  Africa,  set  sail  from  Dieppe. 

The  department  of  the  Lower  Seine  is  one  of  the  most 
commercial  in  France  ; the  products  of  the  fisheries  are  equiv- 
alent to  five  millions  of  francs  or  to  more  than  £.20S,300; 
the  value  of  the  cotton  manufactures  amounts  to  thirty-five 
millions  or  nearly  £.1,500,000;  all  the  other  manufactures 
have  been  estimated  at  seventy  millions  or  £.3,125,000.c 
As  a proof  that  agriculture  is  in  a very  improved  state,  it 
may  be  mentioned  that  not  more  than  a sixteenth  part  of 
all  the  arable  land  remains  fallow.*1 

The  department  of  the  Somme  consists  of  the  chalky 
plains  watered  by  the  Somme  and  its  feeders.  The  soil  of 
these  plains  is  for  the  most  part  fruitful ; corn,  flax  and 
hemp  are  cultivated,  and  the  inhabitants  rear  a great  many 
cattle  and  sheep,  the  breeding  of  the  last  of  which  is  a branch 
of  industry  too  much  neglected  in  France.  The  country, 
it  must  be  admitted,  is  ill  supplied  with  wood,  but  the  val- 
leys abound  in  peats,  which  make  up  in  some  measure  for 
the  deficiency  of  other  combustibles. 

The  small  port  of  St.  Valerye  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Somme  ; three  or  four  hundred  vessels  enter  it  every 

)PE.  [BOOK  CXLVI 

year,  and  it  was  thence  that  William  departed  to  conquer 
England  with  a fleet  of  eleven  hundred  sail,  and  a hundred 
thousand  men/  Abbeville  rises  on  the  same  rivers  about 
four  leagues  above  St.  Valery;  it  is  a strong  town1"  of  the 
fourth  class,  and  was  fortified  for  the  first  time  by  Charle- 
magne.1 The  houses  are  built  of  brick,  but  there  are  sev- 
eral fine  old  buildings,  among  others  the  church  of  Saint 
Vulfran,J  a Gothic  edifice/  The  inhabitants  boast  of  the 
poet  Millevoie,1  as  their  townsman, m and  some  of  them  too 
have  not  forgotton  that  the  Chevalier  de  la  Barre,  a youth 
not  more  than  fifteen  years  of  age,  was  condemned  at  Abbe- 
ville to  be  beheaded,  to  have  his  right  hand  amputated,  and 
his  tongue  torn  from  his  body,  because  he  sung  licentious 
verses  and  remained  uncovered  during  a religious  procession." 

Amiens  is  situated  at  the  distance  of  nine  leagues  above 
Abbeville  ; it  bore  in  ancient  times  the  name  of  Samaro- 
briva,  which  signifies  a bridge  over  the  Somme.  It  was 
the  capital  of  the  Ambiani , and  one  of  the  places  in  Gaul, 
in  which  good  weapons  were  made.  It  was  the  principal  city 
in  the  kingdom  of  the  Franks,  under  Clodion  ; it  is  at  present 
a strong  town  of  the  third  class ; it  carries  on  a considera- 
ble trade,  the  manufactures  are  linens,  cottons  and  velvet.0 
The  cathedral  is  considered  a model  of  Gothic  architecture/ 
and  the  public  library  is  not  inferior  to  the  one  at  Rouen. 
Amiens  has  produced  many  great  men,  among  the  most 
remarkable  of  whom  are  Peter  the  Hermit,  who  persuaded 
the  faithful  to  undertake  the  first  crusade,  Marshal  D’Es- 
trees,  Voiture,  Ducange,  Cresset  and  the  celebrated  astrono- 
mer Delambre.  It  was  united  to  France  in  the  reign  of 
Louis  the  Eleventh,  but  the  Spaniards  gained  it  by  a sin- 
gular stratagem  in  the  time  of  Henry  the  Fourth.’  Some 

of  Neufchatel,  consequently  leaving  it  on  the  left.  The  route  from 
Gournay  to  Dieppe  passes  to  the  south  of  Neufchfitel,  and  consequently 
leaves  it  on  the  right.  See  Tableau  des  Postes  de  France — also  Atlas 
of  the  Society  of  Useful  Knowledge  : France  in  departments,  No.  I. — P. 

a “ The  harbour  is  safe  ; but  its  narrow  entrance  is  liable  to  be  ob- 
structed by  the  pebbles  which  the  sea  accumulates,  notwithstanding  the 
care  that  is  taken  to  remove  them  by  opening  the  sluices  of  a basin 
reserved  for  the  purpose." — Dieppe  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Bethune,  where  it  receives  the  Arques.  Its  harbour  dries  at  low  wa- 
ter, but  has  three  fathoms  and  a half  at  high  water ; it  is  in  the  form 
of  a semicircle,  and  is  enclosed  by  two  fine  moles  of  strong  brickwork 
about  half  a mile  long.  Dieppe  is  largely  engaged  in  the  home  and 
foreign  fisheries ; a regular  line  of  packet-boats  sails  from  it  to  Brighton, 
a distance  of  66  miles.  (Tuckey,  vol.  II.  p.  14.  Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

b The  celebrity  given  to  it  by  the  Dutchess  of  Berry,  as  a place  of 
resort  for  sea-bathing,  attracts  to  the  town  a great  concourse  of 
strangers.  M.  B.  (1829.) — This  was  written  a year  too  early. — P.  (1831.) 
c “ The  fisheries  produce  about  5,000,000  francs,  cotton  spinning 

35.000. 000,  and  the  manufacture  of  Rouen  goods  ( rouenncries )* 

70.000. 000.” — Reckoning  the  franc  at  10J  d.  sterling,  which  is  not  far 
from  its  real  value,  these  three  sums  will  be  respectively  equal  to 
£.210,937.  10s.,  £.1,470,562.  10s,  and  £.2,953,  125.— P. 

* Rouen  cottons  and  linens. 

<*  Annuaire  Statistique  de  la  Seine  Inferieure. 
c St.  Valeri,  St.  Vallery. 

f The  forces  assembled  by  William  at  the  mouth  of  the  small  river 
Dive  [in  the  department  of  Calvados,]  consisted  of  a fleet  of  3000  ves- 
sels, great  and  small,  and  an  army  of  00,000  men.  Several  of  the  vessels 
were  lost,  however,  in  his  passage  along  the  coast  to  St.  Valori  [St. 
Valeri,]  where  he  was  detained  for  some  time  by  contrary  winds,  before 
his  final  departure  for  England.  (Hume’s  England,  p.43,  Jones’  Ed.) — P. 

e “ Abbeville  is  traversed  by  the  Somme.” — The  Somme,  which  there 
separates  itself  into  several  branches,  divides  the  town  into  two  parts. 
(Ed. Encyc.) — Some  of  the  branches  into  which  the  Somme  divides  itself 
flow  through  the  town,  and  some  without.  (Moreri.) — P. 

11  “ Place  de  guerre." — The  fortified  towns  (jdaccs  de  guerre)  in 
France  are  distributed  into  four  classes  according  to  their  importance, 
and  arranged  under  the  respective  military  divisions.  In  the  first  class 
there  are  only  six,  besides  Paris:  viz,  Metz,  Strasburg,  Toulon,  Brest, 
Gravelines  and  Lille ; in  the  second,  ten  ; in  the  third,  twenty-four ; and 
in  the  fourth,  seventy-three.  In  addition  to  these,  there  are  a great 
number  of  forts  and  military  posts.  (Alman.  Royal,  1822.) — P. 

' It  was  first  fortified  by  Hugh  Capet,  A.  D.  992.  (Enc.  Meth. 
Moreri.) — P.  i St.  Wulphran.  (Enc.  Meth.) 

k “ The  town  is  built  of  brick,  and  contains  several  edifices  of  an 

early  period  ( anciens  edifices) ; one  of  them,  namely,  the  church  of  St. 
Vulfran,  is  a fine  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture." — Abbeville  lias 
been  long  known  for  its  manufacture  of  fine  cloths,  established  in  1065 
by  Van  Robais  of  Holland,  under  the  auspices  of  Colbert.  The  cloths 
made  at  Abbeville,  though  fine,  are  much  inferior  to  the  superfine  cloths 
of  Louviers  in  Normandy.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

I C.  H.  Millevoye,  born  in  1782,  died  1810.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

m It  was  also  the  birthplace  of  Nicholas  Sanson,  the  celebrated  geog- 
rapher.— P. 

II  “ Some  of  them  still  recollect  the  sentence  pronounced  in  1766,  by 
the  tribunal  of  their  town,  by  which  the  Chevalier  de  la  Barre,  then 
only  fifteen  years  of  age,  was  condemned  to  have  his  right  hand  cut 
off,  his  tongue  torn  out,  to  be  beheaded,  and  finally  to  be  delivered  to 
the  flames,  simply  because  he  had  sung  licentious  verses,  and  had  refused 
to  uncover  himself  while  a religious  procession  was  passing.”  It  would 
have  been  a dreadful  crime  indeed  to  have  remained  uncovered  during 
a religious  procession,  as  the  translator  has  it ! — J.  Fr.  Lefevre,  cliev. 
de  la  Barre,  then  a student  at  Abbeville,  was  accused  of  having  muti- 
lated a wooden  crucifix  on  the  bridge  of  the  town,  along  with  another 
youth  of  the  name  of  D’Etallonde,  and  of  having  blasphemed  the  eu- 
charist,  and  sung  impious  songs.  He  was  condemned  to  be  burnt 
alive,  by  the  judges  of  Abbeville,  but  the  parliament  of  Paris,  by  a 
decree  of  June  4,  1706,  so  far  mitigated  the  sentence,  as  to  order 
that  he  should  be  decapitated  before  he  was  thrown  into  the  flames; 
the  sentence  was  executed  at  Abbeville  on  the  first  of  July  following. 

Young  D’Etallonde,  who  was  condemned  to  a still  more  horrible  pun- 
ishment, escaped  to  Prussia,  where  he  was  protected  by  Frederick  the 
Great.  (See  the  Account  of  the  death  of  the  Chev.  de  la  Barre  (Relation 
de  la  mart  da  chev.  de  la  Barre)  by  M.  Casen  (Voltaire,)  1766.)  (Beau- 
vais.)— P. 

° “ It  is  noted  in  commerce  for  its  spinning  mills  (filatures.)  its  quilts 
(piquds.)  its  velvets,  and  its  dying,  and  among  epicures  for  its  duck 
pies  (pdtis  de  canards.)” — Amiens  was  formerly  the  seat  of  an  exten- 
sive manufacture  of  woollen  stuffs  (saletteries),  established  by  Colbert 
in  1665.  Among  the  goods  manufactured  were  serges,  shalloons, 
camblets,  baizes,  plushes,  &c.,  and  also  some  cloths.  (Savary,  Diet. 
Comm.  vol.  I.  p.  14.) — In  the  flourishing  period  of  the  manufactures  of 
Picardy,  there  were  made  in  the  city  of  Amiens  only.  129,800  pieces 
of  woollen  stuffs,  and  the  value  of  the  woollen  manufacture  at  that 
place  was  computed  to  amount  to  nearly  1,600,000  livres  annually. 
Besides  cloths,  properly  so  called,  camblets.  callimancoes,  baizes,  ker- 
seys, and  wool  and  hair  plushes,  are  still  made  at  Amiens.  (Ed 
Encyc.) — P. 

p The  nave  is  366  feet  in  length  and  132  feet  in  height.  M.B. 

i March,  1597.  (Moreri.) 

— — ±1 

BOOK  CXLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION 

soldiers,  clad  as  peasants,  conducted  a cart  loaded  with 
straw  and  nuts,  as  soon  as  they  entered  the  town,  the  cart 
was  purposely  upset ; while  the  burgesses  were  gathering 
the  nuts,  the  disguised  soldiers  put  them  to  death,  and  de- 
livered Amiens  to  their  companions  without  the  gates.  It  is 
not  in  such  a way  that  strong  places  are  now  taken,  but  six 
months  had  hardly  elapsed  before  it  was  again  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  French.®  The  people  of  Peronne  boast  that 
their  town  was  never  conquered  ; they  repelled  in  1563  a nu- 
merous and  warlike  army  under  the  command  of  Henry  of 
Nassau. b The  ramparts  are  now  planted  with  trees,  and  chan- 
ged into  public  walks  which  the  Somme  serves  to  embellish.0 

Montdidierd  is  built  on  the  summit  of  a hill  above  the 
small  river  Don  ; if  need  not  be  mentioned  because  it  was 
the  residence  of  some  of  the  French  kings  during  the  twelfth 
century,  but  because  it  is  the  capital  of  a subprefecture,  and 
the  birthplace  of  Parmentier.®  Doulensf  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Authie,  is  not  a place  of  greater  importance ; it  car- 
ries on,  however,  a considerable  trade  in  the  coarse  linens, 
that  are  manufactured  in  the  district.  A double  citadel  adds 
greatly  to  its  strength  ; it  possesses  a large  cotton  manufac- 
tory and  several  oil  mills,  s 

Boulonnais, h Artois  and  part  of  Picardy  make  up  the 
department1  which  derives  its  name  from  the  narrow  branch 
of  the  sea  that  separates  England  and  France.!  Its  surface 
is  divided  by  a chain  of  hills  into  two  regions,  namely,  the 
northern  and  the  southern.  The  latter  is  intersected  by 
small  valleys,  and  slopes  gently  towards  the  banks  of  the 
Authie,  which  forms  the  boundary  between  the  present 
department  and  that  of  the  Somme,  while  the  former  in- 
clines more  perceptibly  towards  the  north.  In  both  re- 
gions the  soil  is  productive,  and  the  shores  of  the  sea  are 

a “A  number  of  soldiers,  in  the  disguise  of  peasants,  entered  the 
town  with  a cart  loaded  with  straw  and  nuts  ; scarcely  had  they  pass- 
ed through  the  gates,  when  by  a premeditated  accident  the  ground  was 
strowed  with  the  nuts,*  and  while  the  attention  of  the  citizens  ( bour- 
geois,)  who  guarded  the  entrance,!  was  thus  diverted,  the  disguised 
soldiers  slaughtered  them,  and  delivered  the  town  to  a body  of  troops 
that  followed  in  their  rear ; it  is  not  in  such  a manner  that  strong  places 
are  now  taken.  Scarcely  six  months  had  elapsed,  however,  before 
Amiens  was  again  in  possession  of  the  French.*” — P. 

* Some  of  the  sacks  having  been  designedly  opened,  the  pavement  was  covered 
witli  the  nuts.  (Enc.  Meth.) 

f The  soldiers  of  the  garrison.  (Enc.  Meth.) 

j Henry  with  an  army  of  20,000  men,  reinforced  witli  4000  by  Queen  Elizabeth, 
besieged  and  retook  it  the  same  year  (1597.)  (Ed.  Encyc.) 

b “ Peronne  proud  of  its  title  of  Maiden  Town  ( pucelle ),  has  never 
allowed  itself  to  be  taken  ; in  15313,  it  repelled  a numerous  and  warlike 
army  commanded  by  Henry  of  Nassau.” — Peronne  is  called  the  Maiden 
Town  ( La  Pucelle,)  because,  although  several  times  besieged  (in  1530,  by 
Henry  of  Nassau,)  it  has  never  yet  been  taken.  (Enc.  Meth.  1784.) — P. 

c A few  leagues  above  Peronne,  the  Somme  waters  the  small  town 
of  Ham,  commanded  by  an  old  strong  castle,*  in  which  is  a tower  one 
hundred  feet  in  height  and  the  same  in  diameter. t Although  the  town 
is  of  little  importance,  it  boasts  of  having  given  birth  to  one  of  our  most 
intrepid  warriors,  who  was  also  a brilliant  orator,  and  one  of  the  ablest 
defenders  of  our  liberties,  and  whose  children  have  been  adopted  by  his 
sorrowing  country.*  M.  B. 

* The  citadel  of  Ham  is  used  as  a state  prison,  now  occupied  by  the  ministers  of 
Charles  X. 

t The  walls  of  the  tower  are  36  feet  in  thickness,  100  in  height  and  of  equal  diame- 
ter. (Enc.  Meth.) 

1 General  Foy,  born  at  Ham,  1775.  Immediately  after  his  death  (1825,)  a subscrip- 
tion was  opened  throughout  France  in  order  to  provide  for  the  relief  of  his  children, 
and  for  the  erection  of  a monument  to  his  memory. — P. 

d Mont-Didier. 

e Ant.  Galland,  translator  of  the  Arabian  Nights  ( Mille  et  une  JVuits,) 
was  born  at  Rollot,  two  leagues  S.  E.  of  Montdidier.— P. 

f Doulens  or  Dourlens  (Vosgien;)  Dourlans  or  Dourlens  (Moreri;) 
Doullens  (Aim.  Royal.)— P. 

s “ Doulens,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Authie,  is  not  a larger  town  than 
Montdidier  ;*  it  serves,  however,  as  a mart  for  the  manufacture  of  bag- 
ging (toilers  d’emballage\ ) carried  on  in  its  vicinity.  It  is  fortified  by  a 
double  citadel, i and  possesses  a large  cotton  mill  ( filature  de  cotun ) and 
an  oil  mill  ( fabrique  d'huile).” 

* population  of  Doulens  3690  : of  Montdidier  3730. — P. 


OF  FRANCE.  331 

covered  with  sandy  hills  or  downs  on  which  agriculture  is 
continually  making  new  conquests. 

Montreuil  rises  on  a hill  above  the  banks  of  the  Canche ; 
it  was  founded  in  the  ninth  century  by  the  first  count  of 
Ponthieu ; the  houses  are  built  of  brick,  and  the  town  is 
defended  by  a citadel  and  ramparts.  Hesdink  is  situated 
on  the  same  river  above  Montreuil ; it  contains  about  four 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  is  encompassed  with  ditches  and 
ramparts.1  Boulogne1"  must  be  considered  a place  of  greatei 
importance  than  either  of  the  two  last ; it  is  also  more  an- 
cient;" arms  and  other  articles  evidently  of  Roman  origin 
were  discovered  there  at  so  late  a period  as  1823.  It  was 
the  Celtic0  Gcsoriacum ,p  a seaport  of  the  JMorini,  whom 
Virgil  calls  the  remotest  inhabitants  of  Europe. It  was 
from  the  same  port  that  the  Roman  fleets  set  sail  for  Great 
Britain.  Constantine  gave  it  at  a later  period  the  name  of 
Bolonia , but  the  sea  rose  then  to  the  highest  part  of  the 
town,  and  rings  to  which  the  ancients  used  to  attach  their 
vessels,  have  been  at  different  times  discovered  ; the  antiqui- 
ty of  the  same  quarter  is  attested  by  narrow,  crooked  and 
irregular  streets  ; the  low  town,  on  the  contrary,  is  built  with 
great  regularity,  it  was  originally  a small  suburb.  Although 
the  harbour  was  enlarged  by  Napoleon,  it  is  still  difficult  of 
access ; vessels  are  embedded  in  ooze  during  the  reflux  of 
the  tide,  they  are  lifted  by  the  flux  which  raises  the  waters 
to  the  height  of  fourteen  feet.  While  Napoleon  menaced 
England  with  an  invasion,  the  army  assembled  on  the  coast, 
resolved  to  erect  a marble  monument  to  their  chief ; but  it 
was  not  finished  until  the  restoration,  and  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  intended,  was  of  course  changed,  it  now  records 
the  arrival  of  the  Bourbons  in  France." 

Calais  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  department,  pos- 


f Coarse  clotbs  made  of  the  tow  of  hemp,  chiefly  manufactured  in  Picardy 
(Savary.) — P. 

J Doulens  is  a military  post  < paste  militairc.)  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 
h Boulonnois  (Enc.  Meth.)  Boulonois,  Boulenois  (Moreri.)  Boulogn- 
ois  (Hubner.) — P. 

■ Department  of  the  Straits  of  Calais  (Di'partement  du  Pas-de-Calais.) 
i “ Boulonnais.  Artois  and  a portion  of  Picardy  are  comprehended  in 
the  department  which  derives  its  name  from  the  narrowest  part* *  of  the 
Channel!  ( arm  of  the  sea — bras  de  mer)  that  separates  England  from 
France.” 

* Straits  of  Dover — Fr.  Pas-de-Calais. 

t The  Channel  is  said  to  begin  at  the  South  Foreland,  to  the  north  of  Dover 
(Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

k Hesdin  or  Hedin  (Enc.  Meth.)  Hesdin-Fert  (Moreri) — It  took  the 
latter  name  from  the  ancient  device  of  the  house  of  Savoy  (F.  E.  R.  T.) 
It  formerly  stood  a league  above  its  present  site ; but  having  been 
destroyed  in  the  wars  between  Charles  V.  and  Francis  I.,  it  was  rebuilt 
where  it  now  stands,  by  the  orders  of  the  former,  under  the  direction 
of  Philibert  Emmanuel,  duke  of  Savoy,  A.  D.  1554.  (Moreri.  Enc. 
Meth.) — P.  1 It  was  the  birthplace  of  the  Abbe  Prevost.  M.  B 

m Boulogne  sur  Mer.  (Savary.)  " “ Its  antiquity  is  undoubted.” 
0 This  is  added  by  the  translator.  Gcsoriacum  was  a town  of  the 
Belgcc,  who  although  a kindred  nation,  differed  in  language  and  cus- 
toms from  the  true  Celts  (Ccltcc.)  They  were  mixed  with  the  Germans, 
and  are  supposed  by  Adelung  to  have  belonged  to  the  same  race  with 
the  modern  Welsh  and  Bretons  ( Kym-ry ,)  while  the  Celtic  were  of  the 
same  race  with  the  Irish  and  Highland  Scotch  ( Ga£l .) — P. 

p Gcsoriacum,  afterwards  Bononia.  (D’Anv.) — It  took  the  name  of 
Bononia,  about  the  time  of  Constantine.  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.)— It 
is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Partus  Iccius  s.  Itius,  from  which  Caesar 
sailed  on  his  expedition  to  Britain.  It  was  also  called  Portus Morinus  s. 
Morinorum,  Gcsoriacus  Portus , Gesoi iacum  Navale,  Bononia  and  Bolo- 
nia. (Moreri.) — The  Portus  Iccius  s.  Itius  was  more  probably  Witsand 
[Vissent — Wuissan  or  Wuyssen  (Vosgien)]  half  way  between  Boulogne 
and  Calais.  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.) — P . 

■)  Extremique  hominum  Morini,  Rhenusque  bicornis. 

yEneid.  Lib.  VIII.  v.  727.  Tr. 

r “ Durino-  the  reign  of  Constantine,  it  took  the  name  of  Bolonia  ;* 
but  the  sea  then  extended  to  the  foot  of  the  upper  town.t  a fact  that  is 
proved  by  the  discovery  made  about  forty  years  since,  of  a ring  for  fas- 
tening cables,  fixed  in  a rock  which  then  formed  the  bottom  of  a cellar 
(cave?)  The  antiquity  of  the  upper  town  is  indicated  by  its  narrow  and 
irregular  streets.  The  lower  town,  on  the  contrary,  which  was  origi- 


332  EUR 

sesses  several  advantages : it  is  a strong  town  of  the  first 
class  ;a  it  has  a convenient,  although  a small  and  shallow 
port ; it  is  encompassed  with  ramparts  that  form  agreeable 
walks;  and  the  houses  and  streets  are  regular  and  well 
built.b  It  may  be  remarked,  on  the  other  hand,  that  sand 
is  constantly  accumulating  in  the  harbour,0  and  the  inhab- 
itants have  no  other  water  than  what  is  collected  in  cisterns. 
A tower  of  finished  architecture  serves  as  a belfry,  it  rises 
on  the  Place  d’Armes  near  the  large  town-house.  A column 
was  erected  on  the  port  to  commemorate  the  arrival  of  Lewis 
the  Eighteenth  in  1814. d The  coasts  of  England  are  seen 
from  the  pier,  and  it  is  even  said  that  Dover  castle  is  also 
visible  in  clear  weather.  Calais,  now  so  much  frequented 
by  strangers,  and  peopled  by  about  nine  thousand  individ- 
uals, was  only  a village  in  the  thirteenth  century,  but  it  was 
so  well  fortified  by  Philip  of  F ranee,  count  of  Boulogne,  that 
Edward  the  Third  of  England  besieged  it  during  thirteen 
months,  before  he  could  render  himself  master  of  it,  nor  did 
the  inhabitants  finally  capitulate  until  they  were  compelled 
to  do  so  by  famine ; it  was  then  that  the  six  persons  whose 
names  are  so  honourably  recorded  in  history,  generously 
devoted  themselves  to  appease  the  anger  of  an  exasperated 
victor. 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLVI. 

A marshy  country  extends  on  the  south  of  Calais  to 
Guines,  formerly  a fortified  city,  and  to  the  small  town  of 
Ardres,  now  watered  by  a canal  to  which  it  has  given  its 
name.  It  was  in  the  same  country  that  Francis  the  First 
and  Henry  the  Eighth  agreed  to  hold  an  interview  in  the 
year  1 520,  and  the  place  where  they  met  was  decorated 
with  so  much  magnificence  that  it  still  retains  the  name  of 
the  Champ  du  Drop  d'  Or.e  f The  marshes  of  Aa  near  St. 
Omer  enclose  several  small  islands  ;s  the  town  itself  is  forti- 
fied and  well-built,  and  its  origin  dates  from  the  seventh 
century  ; it  was  the  birthplace  of  Suger,  abbot  of  St.  Denis, 
and  minister  of  Louis  the  Young.h  The  neat  and  strong 
town 1 of  Airek  about  four  leagues  from  St.  Omer,  contains 
nine  thousand  inhabitants ; it  counts  Malebranche  in  the 
number  of  its  townsmen.1  Bethune  is  built  on  a rock,  and 
the  fortifications  that  defend  it,‘  were  planned  by  Vauban.m 
The  small  town  of  Lens  may  recall  the  victory  of  Conde, 
by  which  he  put  an  end  in  1648  to  the  war  between  France 
and  Austria.0  St.  Pol  is  visited  for  its  mineral  waters ; it  is 
the  capital  of  a district.0 

Arras, p a strong  town  of  the  third  class,  rises  in  a plain 
surrounded  by  hills,  and  watered  by  the  Scarpeq  and  the 
Crinchon  ;r  it  is  divided  into  four  parts,  the  high  and  low 

nally  only  a small  suburb,  is  built  with  much  regularity,  t Although 
the  harbour  was  enlarged  by  Napoleon,  it  is  still  difficult  of  access ; at 
low  water,  the  vessels  are  aground  in  the  mud,  but  they  float  with  the 
tide,  which  rises  to  the  height  of  fourteen  feet.  While  Napoleon 
threatened  England  with  invasion,  the  army  assembled  on  the  coast 
erected  to  its  chief  a marble  column,  which  was  not  completed,  how- 
ever, until  after  the  restoration,  and  which  is  now  destined  [1829]  to 
commemorate  the  return  of  the  Bourbons.  ||  Boulogne  has  a large 
establishment  for  sea-bathing,  furnished  with  twenty  elegant  bathing 
machines,  and  several  fine  assembly  rooms  ( salons  de  riuniun.)" 

* See  note  p p.  1011. 

f At  the  time  when  Gesoriaeum  took  the  name  of  Bnnania,  it  occupied  only  the 
quarter  called  the  upper  town.  The  whole  space  now  occupied  by  the  lower  town 
has  been  since  recovered  from  the  sea.  (Enc.  Metli.  Geog.  Anc.) — i’. 

■ The  upper  town,  placed  on  the  declivity  of  the  Chalk  mountain,  is  surrounded 
with  a wall,  and  contains  about  400  houses  ; before  the  revolution  it  was  inhabited 
chiefly  by  nobility.  The  lower  town,  though  much  larger,  and  nearer  the  sea,  is 
without  walls,  very  irregularly  built,  with  narrow  winding  streets,  and  is  inhabited 
by  trades-people.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — The  upper  town  is  much  the  most  pleasant,  contain- 
ing a wide  avenue  with  handsome  houses,  and  several  stately  edifices.  (Carter’s 
Letters,  vol.  I.  p.  384,  Second  Ed.) — The  upper  town  is  well  built  and  is  adorned  with 
several  squares  and  fountains ; it  contains  the  palace  of  justice,  the  cathedral  of 
Notre  Dame,  the  abbey  of  St.  Wilmer,  and  many  other  religious  edifices.  (Moreri.) — P. 

||  On  the  summit  of  an  eminence  near  the  entrance  into  the  town,  stands  a lofty 
Corinthian  column,  155  feet  in  height,  and  Id  or  14  in  diameter.  It  was  begun  by 
Napoleon,  as  it  is  said,  to  commemorate  his  meditated  conquest  of  England  ; hut 
the  change  in  his  fortunes  left  the  monument  to  he  finished  by  his  less  ambitious 
successor.  It  is  used  merely  as  an  ornament,  and  an  observatory  for  viewing  the 
harbour  and  surrounding  country.  (Carter’s  Letters,  vol.  I.  page  384.)  It  is  seen 
from  and  commands  a view  of  the  English  coast.  (Herve’s  Guide  to  Paris,  p.  29.) — P. 

a A place  de  guerre  of  the  second  class.  (Aim.  Royal,  1822.) — P. 

b “ It  consists  of  straight  and  regular  streets,  bordered  by  handsome 
brick  buildings.” — The  town  has  the  form  of  a parallellogram,  with  the 
long  side  towards  the  sea.  The  streets  are  straight,  well  paved,  and 
tolerably  clean,  and  the  houses  are  well  built.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — The  town 
of  Calais  is  built  of  stone,  with  confined  dirty  streets.  (Carter’s  Letters, 
vol.  I.  p.  381.)— P. 

0 The  harbour  of  Calais  is  formed  by  a small  rivulet ; but  it  is  now 
in  a great  measure  obstructed  with  sand.  It  commences  at  the  gate 
of  the  town,*  where  a large  solid  quay  terminates  in  two  long  wooden 
piers,  which  stretch  into  the  sea.  It  is  dry  at  ebb  tide,  and  with  a com- 
mon flow  has  three  fathoms  at  high  water.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
18th  century,  this  harbour  admitted  frigates  of  40  guns ; if  it  were 
properly  deepened,  it  would  still  afford  the  same  accommodation.  (Ed. 
Encyc.) — The  harbour  is  formed  by  the  mouth  of  the  small  river  Hames, 
and  is  enclosed  by  two  jetties  of  wood,  on  one  of  which  is  a light-house. 
(Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog.,  vol.  II.  p.  12) — Calais  is  surrounded  by  a marshy 
country  watered  by  the  Hames,  which  by  means  of  sluices  can  be 
overflowed  at  pleasure. — P. 

* A strong  barrier,  with  a handsome  iron  gate,  separates  the  port  from  the  town. 
(Carter’s  Letters,  vol.  I.  p.  378.) — P. 

d “ A tower  of  delicate  architecture,  which  serves  as  a belfry,*  rises 
on  the  Place  d’Armes  near  the  town-house,  and  fronting  the  port  is  a 
column  erected  in  honour  of  the  arrival  of  Louis  XVIII.  in  1814.” — This 
column  stands  on  the  quay  near  the  Custom-House. — P. 

* “ Brffroi,”  a watch  tower,  an  alarm  tower.* — Clorhcr,  the  belfry  of  a church. — P. 

*The  principal  street  in  Calais  extends  from  the  land-gate  to  the  port ; it  passes 

through  the  great  square,  on  which  stands  the  town-house,  and  near  it  the  palace  of 
the  auditory  and  the  watch  tower  ( Tour  de  Guet.)  (Moreri.) — P. 

' The  Field  of  the  Cloth  of  Gold.  Tr. 

f “ It  was  in  the  marshy  country  that  extends  to  the  south  of  Calais, 
that  Francis  I.  and  Ilenry  VIII.  held  an  interview  in  1520,  between 
Guines,  formerly  a fortified  place,  and  the  small  town  of  Ardres,  now 
situated  on  a canal  to  which  it  has  given  its  name,*  on  a spot  decorated 
with  so  much  magnificence  that  it  retained  the  name  of  the -Field  of 
the  Cloth  of  Gold  ( Champ  du  Drap  d’  Or.)”— Guines!  at  that  time  be- 
longed to  the  English,  as  a dependency  of  Calais,  and  Ardres  to  the 
French.  Henry  lodged  in  a temporary  wooden  house  near  the  castle 
of  Guines,  and  Francis  in  another  near  Ardres,  both  on  their  own  ter- 
ritories. The  interview  took  place  near  the  boundary  line  of  their 
respective  possessions  (in  the  valley  of  Arden.  Smollet.) — P. 

* The  canal  of  Ardres  communicates  with  that  of  Calais.  (Enc.  Meth.) 

f Guisnes.  (Hume.  iSmollet.) 

s “ The  marshes  of  the  Aa,  near  St.  Omer,  are  still  covered  with 
small  floating  islands.” — Aa,  a river  of  the  Low  Countries,  which  rises 
in  the  Boulonnais,  passes  by  St.  Omer,  below  which  it  forms  marshes 
in  which  are  several  floating  islands,  and  after  sending  off  lateral  branch- 
es that  communicate  with  different  canals,  (that  on  the  left  with  the 
canal  of  Calais,  and  that  on  the  right  called  the  Colme,  with  those  of 
Dunkirk,  Mardike,  &c.,)  enters  the  sea  a little  below  Gravelines.  (Enc. 
Meth.) — Near  St.  Omer,  in  the  marshes  or  rather  lakes,  formed  by  the 
river  Aa,  there  are  several  floating  islands  (tics  fottantes,)  covered  with 
grass  and  shrubs,  and  moveable  from  place  to  place  at  pleasure.  (Enc. 
Meth.  art.  St.  Omer.) — Near  St.  Omer  there  is  a large  lake,  in  which 
are  small  floating  islands.  (Moreri.) — P. 

h St.  Omer  is  noted  for  its  college  for  the  catholic  clergy  of  England 
and  Ireland  ( — one  of  the  British  Colleges  (Colleges  Britanniqucs ) in 
France.) — P. 

■ A fortified  town  of  the  fourth  class.  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 

k Arien  (Belgic  ;)  Aria  (Lat.)  Hubner,  Kort  Begryp  der  Geographic 
1736.— P. 

1 “ It  was  the  birthplace  of  Malebranche  (a  ru  naitre  Malelranchc.)' 
— Nicholas  Malebranche,  the  celebrated  metaphysician,  and  a father  of 
the  Oratory,  was  born  at  Paris,  1638.  (Moreri.  Beauvais.  Diet.  Hist. 
Caen.) — J.  Malebrancq  [Malebranche  or  Mallebranque.  Diet.  Hist.  Ca- 
en,] a Jesuit  and  the  author  of  a Latin  history  of  the  Marini  (De  Morinis 
&c..)  was  born  at  St.  Omer,  [or  according  to  others,  at  Arras.  Enc.  Meth 
Hist.  Diet.  Hist.  Caen,]  in  the  16th  cent.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

m A tower  ( heffroi ) of  singular  construction  rises  in  the  public 
square.  M.  B. 

n The  victory  gained  by  the  great  Conde  over  the  archduke  Leopold 
at  the  battle  of  Lens,  Aug.  20,  1648,  is  celebrated  by  Boileau  (Lutrin 
Chant  3e.  v.  143 — 150 — 

Lorsqu’  aux  plaines  de  Lens — ) — P. 

0 “ St.  Pol,*  situated  at  the  bottom  of  a valley,  is  noted  only  for  its 
mineral  waters,  and  as  the  capital  of  a subprefecture.'’ — St.  Pol  was 
formerly  the  capital  of  a county  between  Artois  and  Picardy.  (Moreri.' 

*St.  Paul  (Lat.  Fanum  Sancti  Pauli.)  (Hubner.) 

p Atrecht  (Belg.)  (Hubner.) — P. 

4 Scharpe  (Belg.) 

r Crinchant.  (Moreri.) 

book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 

town,  the  city  and  the  citadel.®  Handsome  houses  built  of 
freestone,  extensive  squares  encompassed  with  arcades, b a 
Gothic  cathedral  remarkable  for  the  boldness  ol  its  architec- 
ture, a large  tovvnhouse  in  the  same  style,  and  spacious  bar- 
racks, render  it  one  of  the  finest  towns  in  France.  Although 
not  a place  of  great  trade,  it  possesses  some  cotton  and  lace 
manufactories,  beetroot  sugar  works  and  about  twenty  oil 
mills.  It  contains  also  a public  library  of  thirty-four  thou- 
sand volumes,  a collection  of  paintings  and  antiquities,  a bo- 
tanical garden  and  two  literary  societies.0  It  has  given  birth 
to  several  great  and  infamous  men  ; in  the  one  class  may  be 
mentioned  Baudouin  the  historian,11  Lecluse-  the  physician,0 
and  Palissot  the  botanist/  and  in  the  other,  Damien  the 
fanatic/  the  two  Robespierres  and  Joseph  Lebon.1’  Arras 
stands  on  the  site  of  Nemetacum  or  Nemetocenn,  the  capital 
of  the  Alrebantes ; as  it  was  taken  by  Caesar,  it  must  have 
been  founded  at  least  fifty  years  before  the  Christian  era.1 

If  the  department  in  which  the  capita]  is  situated  be  ex- 
cepted, no  other  is  so  wealthy  or  so  populous  as  the  depart- 
ment of  the  North  / were  the  population  diffused  throughout 
the  whole  kingdom  in  the  same  ratio  as  in  that  department/ 
France  would  contain  more  than  85,000,000  of  inhabitants. 
The  surface  of  the  department  is  covered  with  lielcls,  that 
produce  in  proportion  twice  as  much  as  those  in  the  other 
parts  of  France;  it  is  intersected  by  twice  as  many  roads, 
and  four  times  as  many  canals.  It  possesses  the  most  abun- 

OF  FRANCE.  333 

clant  iron  and  coal  mines ; it  contains  the  greatest  number 
of  populous  towns  and  strong  places  ; and  in  short,  it  is  the 
bne  in  which  the  inhabitants  are  the  most  enlightened  and 
also  the  most  industrious. 

The  Scheldt  is  by  no  means  a large  river  at  Cambray, 
but  the  canal  of  St.  Quentin  that  crosses  it,  contributes 
greatly  to  the  commerce  of  the  town.  The  importance  of 
linen  and  cambric,  as  articles  of  trade,  is  admitted  by  all, 
but  it  is  not  so  generally  known  that  Cambray  claims  the 
honour  of  having  first  manufactured  them.  It  is  at  present 
the  capital  of  a subprefecture  ; as  a place  of  war,  it  belongs 
to  the  second  class.  Antiquaries  have  shown  that  it  is  a 
very  ancient  town,  it  bears  the  name  of  Camaracum  in  the 
Theodosian  table  and  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine.  It  possess- 
es several  fine  buildings,  of  which  the  cathedral  is  not  the 
least  remarkable  ; the  interior  is  adorned  with  the  monu- 
ment that  was  erected  to  Fenelon,  who  was  both  a native 
and  an  archbishop  of  Cambray.  The  streets  are  for  the 
most  part  straight,  but  many  of  them  are  disfigured  by  the 
gables  of  old  houses.1 

Landrecy  m rises  in  the  middle  of  a plain  covered  with  1 

meadows,  and  the  Sambre,  which  is  there  navigable,  divides 
it  into  two  parts.  Although  it  contains  hardly  4000  inhab- 
itants, the  present  fortifications  enabled  it  to  resist  Charles 
the  Fifth,  who  assembled  an  army  of  50,000  men  under 
the  walls,  and  besieged  it  in  vain  during  six  months.11 

a “ It  stands  on  sloping  ground  ( terrain  en  pente ,)  and  is  divided  into 
four  parts  : namely,  the  upper  and  the  lower  town  (haute  ct  basse  ville,) 
the  city  (cite)  and  the  citadel.” — It  is  situated  on  a mountain  [hill]  near 
the  river  Scarpe,  and  is  divided  into  two  parts,  called  the  town  and  the 
city,  by  a ditch,  a rampart,  and  a narrow  valley,  watered  by  the  rivulet 
Crinchon.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — It  is  divided  into  two  towns,  viz.  the  old  town, 
called  the  CM*  and  the  new  town,  called  the  Ville.  The  two  towns 
are  separated  (as  described  in  the  preceding  extract.]  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

* So  called  because  it  was  the  residence  of  the  bishop,  and  under  his  jurisdiction.— 
Arras  is  still  the  seat  of  a bishopric. — P. 

0 It  has  two  fine  public  squares,  each  of  them  surrounded  with  a peris- 
tyle, viz.  the  great  square  in  the  city,  and  the  little  square  in  the  town ; 
the  former  of  which  is  fronted  by  the  cathedral,  and  the  latter  bv  the 
town-house.— P. 

c “Although  it  possesses  some  cotton  mills  (filatures,)*  lace  manu- 
factories and  beet  root  sugar  works,  and  about  twenty  oil  mills, t it  is 
not,  however,  a place  of  much  importance  for  its  manufacturing  indus- 
try ;}  but  a public  library  of  34,000  volumes,  a collection  of  pictures  and 
different  works  of  art,  a botanical  garden,  and  two  literary  societies, 
suffice  to  prove  the  intelligence  of  its  inhabitants.” 

* At  the  period  of  the  revolution  there  were  small  manufactures  of  cotton  goods  in 
French  Flanders.  (Ed.  Encyc.)—  P. 

t Rape  (Brassica  Napus)  and  colza  (B.  arvensis)  are  extensively  cultivated  for  oil  in 
Artois  and  French  Flanders. — P. 

t Arras  was  formerly  celebrated  for  its  tapestry,  called  arras.  [Tapestries,  or  Arras 
hangings,  were  originally  made  in  this  town.  (Ed.  Encyc.)] — P. 

d Fr.  Baudouin,  born  1520 — professor  of  law  at  Bruges  ; he  wrote  in 
Latin,  on  jurisprudence,  history  and  theology.— P. 

e Ch.  de  PEcluse  (Lecluse,)  born  1526,  better  known  by  his  Latin 
name  Clusius ; an  eminent  botanist. — P. 

r Baron  Palisot  de  Beauvois,  born  1752 — known  chiefly  by  his 

Flora  of  Oware  and  Benin  1804 — 21 , 2 vol.  fol. Ch.  Palissot  de  Mon- 

tenoy,  born  at  Nancy  1730,  known  as  a poet  and  historian. — This  dis- 
tinction of  orthography  ( Palisot  and  Palissot)  is  generally  observed. — P. 

/ R.  Fr.  Damiens,  born  in  the  diocese  of  Arras  [in  the  hamlet  of  La 
Tieuloy,  in  the  parish  of  Monchy  le  Breton  in  Artois,  Jan.  9.  1715. 
Diet.  Hist.  Caen] — executed  at  Paris  1757,  for  the  attempted  assassina- 
tion of  Louis  XV.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

h Born  1705 — originally  a priest  of  the  Oratory ; afterwards  a member 
of  the  National  Convention,  and  commissary  at  Arras,  where  he  rivalled 
the  ferocity  of  Carrier— executed  at  Paris,  Oct.  5,  1795,  aged  30  !— P. 

1 “Arras,  under  the  name  of  Nemetacum  or  JVem.etor.ena ,*  was  the 
capital  of  the  Atrebates , taken  by  Caesar  ;t  consequently  its  origin  dates 
from  at  least  50  years  before  the  Christian  era.  In  1492,  it  was  betray- 
ed to  tiie  archduke  Maximilian  of  Austria.  It  bore  then  for  its  arms, 
three  rats  sable,  } which  led  the  Spaniards  to  place  above  one  of  its 
gates,  the  following  inscription  : “ Quand  les  Francjais  prendront  Arras, 
les  rats  mangeront  les  chats”  (when  the  French  shall  take  Arras,  the 
rats  will  eat  the  cats.)  When  the  French  made  themselves  masters 
of  the  town  in  1040,  one  of  them,  as  if  actuated  by  a spirit  of  prophecy, 
erased  the  P from  the  inscription. ||  This  conquest  was  in  fact  secured 

■o  the  French  by  treaty.  §” 

* JYemetacum  or  JVeiuctoceicna , afterwards  Atrebates.  (D’Anv.) — Nemctucenna.  (Cas. 
De  Bell.  Gall.  VIII.  $37,43.)— 1>. 

] C&‘sar  wintered  at  J Yeme.tor.enna.  (De  Bell.  Gall.  VIII.  $37.) — P. 

[The  arms  of  Arras  were : azure,  on  a fess  argent,  three  rats  passant  sable:  in 
chief,  a mitre  ; in  point,  two  crosiers  crossed  saltierwise  ; all  proper.  (Enc.  Meth. 
Blason.) — The  rats  in  the  shield  allude  to  the  name  (Arras ;)  the  mitre  and  crosiers 
to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop  (see  note  a *.) — P. 

II  Substituting  rendrunt  for  prendront ; so  that  the  inscription  would  then  read: 
When  the  French  shall  surrender  Arras,  &c.  Qu.  was  the  inscription  in  French  or 
Spanish,  or  was  it  not  rather  in  Latin,  the  common  language  of  inscriptions  ? — P. 

$By  the  peace  of  the  Pyrenees,  A.  D.  1059. — P. 

3 “ Departement  du  Nord.” 

k Population  in  the  Department  of  the  North,  2786  per  square  league. 
(Peuehet,  Stat.  p.  90.) — P. 

1 “ Cambray*  is  situated  on  the  Scheldt, t which  is  only  a small  stream 
as  it  passes  through  the  town ;}  but  the  canal  of  St.  Quentin, ||  which 
also  traverses  the  town,  contributes  greatly  to  its  commerce,  ft  is  well 
known  that  lawn  ( linon ) and  cambric  (batiste)  are  its  most  important 
branches  of  manufacturing  industry, § and  it  even  claims  the  honour 
of  having  first  manufactured  them.  As  a fortified  town  (place  de 
guerre,)  it  only  belongs  to  the  second  class  ;1f  but  it  is  the  capital  of  a 
subprefecture.  Its  antiquity  is  undoubted ; it  is  mentioned  by  the 
name  of  Camaracum  in  the  Theodosian  Table  and  the  Itinerary  of  An- 
tonine.** It  possesses  several  fine  buildings;  the  cathedral  is  admired 
for  the  delicacy  of  its  steeple  (cl ocher, )\  t and  in  its  interior  is  a fine  mon- 
ument erected  to  the  memory  of  Fenelon,  who  was  at  once  the  child  and 
the  father  of  Cambray;},  the  parade  (place  d'armes)  is  sufficiently 
large  to  contain  the  whole  garrison  in  order  of  battle  ; lastly,  the  streets 
are  spacious  and  regular  (Lien  perries,)  but  there  is  still  a great  number 
of  old  houses,  with  their  gables  towards  the  street,  which  form  a disa- 
greeable contrast  with  the  more  modern  buildings.  ||]j  The  public  libra- 
ry is  very  valuable,  and  the  society  of  emulation  is  zealously  employed 
in  the  cultivation  of  literature  and  the  sciences.” 

* “Cambr'u.” — Cambrai  (generally  by  the  French,)  Cambray  (Moreri.) — Belg. 

Kamcnjk  (Ilubner.) — P.  t Schelde  (Bele.) 

I Cambray  is  divided  by  the  Scheldt  into  two  parts.  (Enc.  Meth. — Ed.  Encyc.)— P. 

||  The  third  part  of  the  canal  of  Picardy  consists  in  joining  the  Somme  to  the  Scheldt 

between  St.  Quentin  and  Cambray.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — See  also  note  r p.  987. — P. 

$ In  the  year  1779,  there  were  manufactured  at  Cambray,  1231  pieces  of  lawn  and 
7578  pieces  of  cambric.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

U To  the  third  class.  (Aim.  Royal,  1822.) 

**  Camaracum  is  first  mentioned  in  the  Theodosian  Table  and  the  Itinerary  of  An 
tonine.  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.) — P. 

ft  The  pyramidal  steeple  has  been  much  admired,  though  inferior  to  the  steep’es 
at  Vienna,  Strasburg  and  Antwerp.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

}}This  can  only  be  considered  a conceit,  without  any  reference  whatever  to  til 
birthplace  of  Fenelon  ; it  refers  merely  to  the  mildness  and  simplicity  of  his  manners 
on  the  one  hand,  and  to  his  paternal  benevolence  on  the  other.  Fenelon  was  born 
at  the  castle  of  Fenelon  in  Perigord  [in  Quercy  (Diet.  Hist.  Caen)]  A.  D.  1651,  and 
was  appointed  archbishop  of  Cambray  A.  D.  1G95.— Cambray  is  now  only  the  seat  of 
a bishopric. — P. 

1111  The  houses  are  all  built  in  the  Spanish  fashion,  with  their  gable  ends  to  the  street 
(Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

m Landrecie  or  Landrecy  (Enc.  Meth.  Vosgien.)  Landrccies  (Moreri.) 
Landreci  (Hubner.) — P. 

II  “ Although  at  present  a place  of  little  importance,  since  it  contains 
hardly  4000  inhabitants,  still  its  fortifications*  serve  to  remind  the 

334  EUR 

Avesnes,*  a small  fortified  town,  watered  by  the  Helpe,b  is 
the  residence  of  a subprefect ; coal  mines,  extensive  marble 
and  slate  quarries  are  worked  in  the  district.0  Maubeuge, 
a strong  town  of  the  third  class,  is  situated  on  the  Sambre 
below  the  last  place  ;d  it  contains  G000  inhabitants.  13a- 
vaye  to  the  west  of  it,  is  only  remarkable  for  the  remains  of 
antiquities  ; it  bore  the  Latin  name  of  Bnyncum it  was  an 
important  town  under  Augustus,  who  embellished  it  with  a 
circus,  an  aqueduct  and  other  edifices.  An  inscription  on 
an  ancient  pyramid  informs  us  that  three  Roman  roads, 
which  were  constructed  by  the  same  emperor,  terminated 
in  the  market-place. s 

It  has  been  said  that  Valenciennes, h formerly  the  capital 
of  Hainault,1  was  founded  by  the  emperor  Valens,  an  error 
that  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the  similitude  of  the  two 
names  ; it  is  certain  that  Valenciennes  was  merely  a village 
in  the  time  of  the  early  French  kings.!  If  it  is  at  present 
one  of  the  most  important  places  in  the  kingdom,  it  may  be 
attributed  to  its  situation  at  the  continence  of  the  Ronelle 
and  the  Scheldt.  Some  of  the  squares  are  very  imposing, 
but  the  rest  of  the  town  is  ill-built. k The  manner  in  which 
it  fell  into  the  power  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth1  affords  an 
instance  that  rash  daring  may  be  sometimes  attended  with 
more  fortunate  results  than  the  wisest  plans  or  the  most  skil- 
ful combinations.  The  enemy’s  patroles  had  advanced  be- 
yond the  gates,  when  some  French  recruits, m impelled  by 
the  impetuosity  of  youth,  pursued  them  and  entered  the 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXIiYI 

town  along  with  the  fugitives ; the  general"  being  informed 
of  this  unexpected  event  marched  to  their  assistance,  and  a 
place  which  might  have  impeded  the  progress  of  the  king 
during  several  months,  was  taken  in  less  than  two  hours. 
Valenciennes  was  the  native  town  of  John  Froissard,0  a 
priest,  an  historian  and  a poet,  and  also  the  birth-place  of 
Anthony  Wateau,f  a painter  whose  works  are  distinguished 
by  the  grace  and  lightness  of  his  touch.  The  cambric  and 
linen  manufactures''  render  it  at  present  one  of  the  most  in- 
dustrious cities  in  France. 

The  wealth  in  the  village  of  Anzin  may  be  attributed  not 
so  much  to  glass  works  and  manufactories  as  to  the  most 
extensive  coal  mines  in  France ; there  are  sixteen  pits,  of 
which  the  depth  varies  from  600  to  900  feet.  The  tota. 
number  of  persons  engaged  in  these  works  is  not  less  than 
16,000,  and  the  annual  products  amount  to  4,000,000  of 
hundred  weights/  The  village  of  Famars,  the  Fanum 
Martis  of  the  Romans,  has  risen  into  celebrity  of  late  years  ; 
dissertations  have  been  written  on  the  ancient  fortress  of 
which  the  remains  are  still  apparent ; excavations  were  at 
different  times  undertaken,  and  many  valuable  objects  of 
antiquity  have  been  found.9  Denain  about  a league  to  the 
west  of  Valenciennes,  was  the  place  where  Marshal  Villars 
gained  a memorable  victory  over  the  Imperialists  and  the 
Dutch  in  1712.  Conde,1  which  during  the  revolution  bore 
the  name  of  Nord-Libre ,u  contains  6000  inhabitants  ; it  pos- 
sesses a frequented  port  on  the  Scheldt,  and  as  a place  of 

stranger  that  Charles  V.  in  vain  assembled  an  army  of  50,000  men 
beneath  its  walls  ;t  after  a siege  of  six  months,  he  was  finally  obliged 
to  retire.” — This  statement,  with  the  omission,  however,  of  the  date, 
is  almost  literally  copied  from  Moreri.  The  Enc.  Meth.  (Geog.  Mod.) 
says  it  was  retaken  by  Charles  V.  in  1543,  having  been  previously 
taken  from  him  by  Francis  1.  This  is,  however,  a mistake.  Landrecy 
was  taken  by  Francis  I.  early  in  1543,  and  fortified  with  great  care. 
Charles  besieged  it  in  Sept.,  assisted  by  0000  English  troops  sent  to 
him  by  Henry  VIII.  The  garrison  having  made  a vigorous  resistance, 
and  Francis  having  approached  with  all  his  forces  and  succeeded  in 
relieving  the  place,  he  was  obliged  to  withdraw  his  army  into  winter- 
quarters.  (Robertson’s  Charles  V.  p.  223,  220,  Jones’  Ed.) — P. 

* Tin-  present  fortifications  were  constructed  by  De  Ville*  and  Vauban.  (Enc. 
Meth.  Vosgien,  181U-) — P. 

* Born  1662,  died  1741 — a pupil  of  Vauban. — P. 

t A.  D.  1543. 

a Avesne. 

b “ — by  the  greater  Helpe  ( Helve  majeure.)” — The  Sambre  receives 
the  Great  and  the  Little  Ilelpe.  (Vosgien.) — Avesnes  is  situated  on  the 
Hespre  (Enc.  Meth.  Vosgien) — the  Hepre  (Hubner) — the  Hepres 
(Morse.) — P. 

0 “ Great  quantities  of  marble,  slate  and  coal  are  dug  in  its  neighbour- 
hood ( terri-toire .)*  A great  trade  is  also  carried  on  in  the  cheese  made 
at  the  village  of  Marolles.t” 

♦L'lndrery,  Maubeuge  and  Bavay  are  situated  in  the  arrondissement  (subprefecture) 
of  Avesnes. — P. 

t Marolles  or  Maroles,  a village,  one  league  E.  of  Landrecy,  noted  for  its  cheese. 
.Vosgien.) — P. 

4 “ Maubeuge — is  situated  on  the  Sambre  to  the  north  of  Avesnes” — 
not  on  the  Sambre  below  Avesnes,  since  Avesnes  is  on  the  Helpe. 
The  Helpe  flows  from  east  to  west  and  enters  the  Sambre  between 
Landrecy  and  Maubeuge. — P. 

1 Bavais,  Bavai,  Bavey. 

f “ Its  Latin  name  is  Bayacum." — It  was  the  Bagacum  of  the  an- 
cients, the  capital  of  the  JYervii  before  the  fourth  century.  (D’Anv.) — 
Baaacum  in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine,  and  Bagacum  Nerviorum  in  the 
Table  of  Peutinger — also  called  Baganum  and  Bavacum  by  Latin 
authors.  (Moreri.) — Lat.  Bavacum,.  (Hubner.) — Baganum,  the  capital 
(i civitas ) of  the  Nervii.  (Ptolem.  edit.  Mercator.  1584.) — P. 

s “He  constructed  three  great  roads,  which  diverged  from  the  centre 
of  the  public  square,  as  is  proved  by  an  ancient  pyramid.” — Among  its 
most  remarkable  antiquities,  is  an  heptangnlar  stone  placed  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  public  square  {place ,)  substituted  in  the  third  century  for  one 
much  more  ancient,  and  of  extraordinary  elevation.  This  stone  is  the 
point  at  which  seven  military  roads,  vulgarly  called  the  highways  of 
Brunehault  ( Chaussics  Brunchaut,)  either  begin  or  terminate.  (Enc. 
Meth.) — P.  h Valencyn  (Belg.) 

‘ “ Hainaut.” — Ilenegouwen  (Belg.) 

1 “It  is  certain  that  m the  time  of  the  earliest  French  kings  ( nos 

premiers  rois.)  who  possessed  there  a palace,  it  was  merely  a village 
(bourgade.*)” 

* Rather  a small  bourn  or  borough. 

k “ Its  position  at  the  confluence  of  the  Ronelle  and  the  Scheldt,  by 
increasing  the  number  of  its  sluices,  has  contributed  to  render  it  one  of 
the  most  important  fortified  towns  (places)*  in  the  kingdom.  It  is  ill 
built,  but  it  has  a very  fine  public  square  (place publique.)” — The  square 
or  grand  place  is  handsome,  but  the  streets  are  in  general  narrow,  dark 
and  crooked.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

* Place  sometimes  signifies  a fortified  town  (place  de  guerre ) or  fortress.  (Diet  de 
l’Acad.) 

1 A.  D.  1677 — after  a siege  of  seven  days. — P. 

m “ Some  musketeers  (m ousquetaircs.)” — Musketeers  ( Mousque - 
taires,)  foot  soldiers  armed  with  a musket. — The  Musketeers  of  the 
Royal  Guard  ( mousquctaircs  de  la  garde  du  roi)  were  two  companies 
of  horse  guards,  armed  with  muskets ; the  first  called  the  Great  Mus- 
keteers (les  grandes  mousquctaircs,)  was  established  by  Louis  XIII.  in 
1622,  and  the  second,  by  Louis  XIV.  after  the  death  of  Cardinal  Maz- 
arin  (1661.) — Louis  XIV.  conducted  the  siege  of  Valenciennes  in  per- 
son.— P.  " “The  army.” — See  note  m. 

0 J.  Froissart,  born  1333.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

p A.  Watteau,  born  1684.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

a “ The  manufacture  of  cambrics  (batistes,)  linens  ( toiles ) and  cottons 
(perkales) — ” Pcrcalles,  a kind  of  white  cottons  brought  from  India. 
(Savary.) — P. 

r “ The  village  of  Anzin,  in  tne  immediate  vicinity  of  Valenciennes 
(a  ses  portes,)  derives  its  extensive  population,  not  only  from  its  glass 
and  iron  works  ( verrerics , usines.)  but  also  from  its  coal  mines,  the  latter 
the  most  important  of  any  in  France.  They  are  wrought  by  the  aid 
of  steam  engines,  and  by  means  of  sixteen  main  pits  (grands  putts,) 
from  two  to  three  hundred  metres  in  depth.  The  working  is  continu- 
ed night  and  day  by  relays  of  workmen,  and  the  whole  number  em- 
ployed is  not  less  than  16,000.  The  annual  produce  amounts  to 
4,000,000  quintals.” 

s “ Famars,  in  Latin  Fanum  Martis  * a village  situated  in  the  vicini- 
ty of  Valenciennes,!  has  of  late  years  become  a place  of  some  celebrity. 
Many  dissertations  have  been  written  on  the  ancient  Roman  fortress, 
traces  of  which  may  be  there  distinguished,  but  different  excavations, 
skilfully  conducted,  have  revealed  so  great  a number  of  antiquities  that 
the  site  which  the  village  occupies  has  become  an  object  of  speculation 
to  the  learned.” 

*It  is  mentioned  as  an  important  place  in  the  JiTotitia  Imperii.  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Ane.) 
t About  a league  S.  of  Valenciennes. — P. 

1 Condat  (Belg.)  Condatum  or  Cordate  (Lat.) — Its  original  name, 
which  signifies  a confluence,  is  derived  from  its  position  near  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Haisne  and  the  Scheldt.  (Vosgien.) — It  has  given  its 
name  to  the  princes  of  Conde. — P. 

u Eng.  Free  North. 

book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTIOI 

war,  it  belongs  to  the  first  class.*  St.  Amand,  a town  of 
9000  inhabitants,  carries  on  a great  trade  in  lint  that  is 
mostly  cultivated  in  the  neighbouring  country  ; it  may  be 
mentioned,  too,  on  account  of  mineral  springs  which,  al- 
though much  frequented  by  the  Romans,  were  seldom  vis- 
ited afterwards  until  the  reign  of  Lewis  the  F ourteenth.b 

According  to  Csesar,  Douay®  was  one  of  the  principal 
cities  of  the  Calmci ; it  stands  in  a situation  favourable  to 
commerce ; the  Scarpe  waters  it,  communicates  with  the 
Scheldt  by  the  canal  of  Sensee,  and  thus  enables  it  to  carry 
on  a trade  with  the  principal  towns  in  the  Netherlands. 
Old  walls  flanked  with  turrets  form  a large  enclosure,  indeed 
there  are  almost  as  many  gardens  as  houses,  and  the  streets 
are  for  the  most  part  straight.  The  principal  buildings  are 
the  townhouse,  the  church  of  Saint  Peter,  and  an  arsenal 
supposed  to  be  the  largest  in  France.  John  de  Bologne, 
the  celebrated  sculptor  to  whom  the  Parisians  are  indebted 
for  the  statue  of  Henry  the  Fourth,  was  a native  of  Douay.d 
Orchies®  about  four  leagues  northwards/  was  the  ancient 
Origiacum,  the  only  city  ot  the  Aircbates,  according  to 
Ptolemy. 

Lillet  is  situated  in  a very  fruitful  and  highly  cultivated 
plain,  and  is  watered  by  the  Deule,  a small  navigable  river, 
and  by  a canal  that  communicates  with  the  sea.h  It  was 
founded  by  Baldwin  the  Fourth,  count  of  Flanders,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  eleventh  century.  Seven  large  gates 
adorned  with  sculptures  lead  into  the  town  ; the  fortifica- 

i OF  FRANCE.  335 

tions  are  formidable,  and  it  is  said  that  the  strong  fortress 
was  one  of  the  first  works  of  Vauban.1  The  streets  are 
broad,  and  the  houses  are  well  built  / the  finest  edifices  are 
the  hospital/  the  townhouse  and  the  corn-market.1  By 
means  of  its  roads  and  canals,  the  inhabitants  of  Lille  are 
enabled  to  carry  on  a great  trade,1"  and  the  activity  that  pre- 
vails within  its  walls,  renders  it  very  different  from  most 
strong  towns,  and  makes  the  stranger  apt  to  forget  the  seven 
sieges  it  has  supported  at  different  periods  and  under  differ- 
ent masters,  as  well  as  the  sad  associations  connected  with 
its  fortresses  and  ramparts,  the  monuments  of  ambition  and 
cruelty.  Loos,  a village  almost  at  the  gates  of  Lille,  con- 
tains several  manufactories  and  a large  house  of  correction," 
in  which  more  than  fifteen  hundred  men  and  women  are 
confined.  A small  port  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Lys,°  tends 
to  facilitate  the  trade  of  Armentieres/  a neat  town  of  seven 
thousand  seven  hundred  inhabitants,  most  of  whom  are  em- 
ployed in  manufacturing  lint,  hemp  and  cotton. t Quesnoy 
sur  Deule  is  a place  of  trade,  and  Commines  is  noted  for  its 
ribbons  ; the  population  in  each  of  them  may  amount  to  four 
or  five  thousand  souls/  Roubaix/  a manufacturing  town, 
and  Turcoing/  a large  burgh  that  supplies  different  parts  of 
France  with  woollen  and  cotton  stuffs,  may  together  contain 
fifteen  or  sixteen  thousand  inhabitants."  All  these  places 
are  situated  to  the  north  of  Lille,  and  the  most  remote  of 
them  is  not  more  than  three  or  four  leagues  distant  from  it. 

Bailleul,  Cassel,  Merville  and  Estairs  are  the  four  princi- 

a To  the  fourth  class.  (Aim.  Royal  1822.) — P. 

b “ Three  leagues  to  the  west  of  Conde,  the  Scarpe  passes  by  St. 
Amand,  a town  of  9000  inhabitants,  important  from  the  great  quantities 
of  flax  cultivated  in  its  neighbourhood,  and  also  from  its  mineral 
springs,  which,  although  much  frequented  under  the  Roman  govern- 
ment, did  not  begin  to  be  celebrated  in  modern  times  until  the  reign  of 
Louis  XIV.”  0 “ Douai.”  Lat.  Daacum. 

A “ The  roads  in  the  department  are  constructed  and  maintained 
with  a degree  of  excellence  corresponding  with  the  industry  of  the  in- 
habitants. Their  breadth,  however,  may  be  considered  excessive,  a 
defect  common  to  them  with  most  of  the  public  roads  (chaussies)  in 
France.  That  which  leads  from  Cambray  to  Douay  is  magnificent. 
The  latter  town,  which  Caesar  mentions  as  one  of  the  principal  cities 
of  the  Caluaci  * is  favourably  situated  for  commerce.  The  Scarpe, 
which  waters  it,  communicates  with  the  Scheldt,  by  the  canal  of  the 
Sensee,!  and  thus  enables  it  to  carry  on  a trade  with  the  principal 
towns  in  the  department,  as  well  as  in  the  Netherlands.!  Its  enclosure, 
formed  by  old  walls  flanked  with  towers,  is  very  extensive,  and  contains 
almost  as  many  gardens  as  houses.  It  has  broad  and  straight  streets 
(rues  bicn  pcrcies,)  and  a fine  public  square,  and  its  principal  edifices 
are  the  town-house,  the  church  of  St.  Peter  and  the  arsenal,  the  latter 
reckoned  one  of  the  most  considerable  in  France.  It  was  the  birthplace 
of  John  of  Bologna, ||  the  celebrated  sculptor,  to  whom  the  Parisians 
were  indebted  for  the  former  statue  of  Henry  IV. §” — Douay  has  long 
been  celebrated  for  its  English  colleges  ( Colleges  Britanniqucs,)  for  the 
education  of  Roman  Catholics  from  England  and  Ireland.  It  also  car- 
ries on  an  extensive  manufacture  of  linens  and  cambric.  (Ed.  En- 

cyc-)— p- 

* Tt  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  capital  of  the  Catuad , of  which  Caesar  makes 
mention  in  his  Commentaries.  ( Moreri.) — Catuaci , the  name  of  a people  in  Gaul,  ac- 
cording to  some  editions  of  Ceesar.  It  is  considered  a corruption  of  Aduatid.  (Enc. 
Meth.  Geog.  Anc.) — Aduatid  and  Atuatid , Edit.  Scaliger. — Atuatici,  Ed.  Maittaire. — 
For  a description  of  the  capital  or  stronghold  of  the  Atuatid,  see  Ctesar.  de  Bell.  Gall, 
II.  §29. — P. 

ttc  La  Sensee.” — La  Censee  (Aim.  Royal.) — The  Sensee  [ Le  Scnset  or  Sanset , or 
La  Sansse , Enc.  Meth.]  is  a small  river  which  rises  in  Artois  and  enters  the  Scheldt 
at  Bouchain,  4 leagues  S.  E.  of  Douay.  The  canal  of  the  Sensee  connects  Douay 
with  the  Scheldt  at  Bouchain,  where  it  communicates  with  the  canal  of  St.  Quentin 
by  the  canal  along  the  Scheldt  from  Cambray.  There  is  also  a canal  along  the  Scarpe 
from  Douay  to  St.  Amand,  thus  opening  another  communication  with  the  Scheldt. 
From  Douay  to  the  sea,  the  communication  is  opened,  first  by  a canal  to  Lille,  the 
latter  part  of  its  course  along  the  Deule  ; then  by  the  channel  of  the  Deule  and  the 
Lys  to  Armentieres,  whence  by  a canal  along  the  Lys,  at  variable  distances  from  its 
banks,  to  Aire  ; then  by  a canal  to  the  Aa  at  St.  Omer,  whence  it  is  continued  along 
that  river  to  the  sea  at  Gravelines,  sending  off  lateral  canals  in  that  pait  of  its  course, 
viz,,  one  on  the  left  to  Calais,  and  on  the  right,  one  by  Berg  to  Fumes,  whence  to 
Ostend,  and  another  to  Dunkirk. — P. 

t Douay  is  situated  on  the  Scarpe,  and  communicates  with  the  Deule  by  a canal. 
(Enc.  Meth.  1784.)— Douay  is  advantageously  situated  on  the  navigable  river  Scarpe 
fa  branch  of  the  Scheldt,]  which  communicates  by  canals  with  Lille,  St.  Omers, 
Dunkirk  and  the  Noith  Sea,  and  by  means  of  the  Scheldt  with  Valenciennes,  Cam- 
bray and  Tournay.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

||  Giovanni  di  Bologna  (in  Italian) — a pupil  of  Michael  Angelo. — P. 

§The  equestrian  siatue  of  Henry  IV.,  formerly  erected  on  the  Pont-Neuf  (A.  D.  1614 

— not  completed  till  1635.)  The  horse  was  cast  at  Florence,  by  John  of  Bologna ; the 
figure  of  the  king  was  executed  hy  Dupre.  (Enc.  Meth.)  This  statue  was  destroyed 
during  the  revolution.  It  has,  however,  been  recently  replaced  (Aug.  25, 1818)  hy 
another  equestrian  statue  of  Henry  IV.  executed  by  Lemot. — P. 

e Orchie.  f Population  3000.  M.  B. 

e Lille  or  Lisle  (Ed.  Encyc.) — LTsle,  L’He,  Lille  (Fr.)  Ryssel  (Belg.) 
Insulm  (Lat.)  (Hubner.) — The  French  call  it  LTsle  or  Lille.  (Enc.  Meth.) 
— It  is  situated  in  a marshy  soil,  and  is  watered  by  the  river  Deule,  from 
which  several  branches  traverse  the  city  in  different  directions.  Its 
Latin  name  was  Insula  or  Insula:,  Isla  or  Castrum  Illensc,  and  its 
Flemish  name  Ryssel,  from  its  having  been  once  surrounded  by  sev- 
eral marshes,  which  were  drained  by  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants. 
(Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

h “ Lille — is  watered  by  the  canal  which  opens  a communication 
from  the  Sensee  to  the  sea,  and  by  the  Deule,  a small  navigable  river.” — 
See  note  d t. 

* “ Its  citadel  (fortcresse,)  a work  of  great  importance,  is  said  to  have 
been  the  first  attempt  (roup  d'essai)  of  Marshal  Vauban.” — Its  citadel, 
the  chef  d. 'oeuvre  of  Vauban,  is  the  first  in  Europe  after  that  of  Turin. 
It  is  a mile  in  circuit,  and  is  situated  to  the  N.  W.  of  the  town,  from 
which  it  is  separated  by  a spacious  esplanade  and  a canal.  (Morse.) — 
Louis  XIV.  took  Lille  in  1607,  and  ordered  a citadel  to  be  constructed, 
the  government  of  which  was  conferred  on  Vauban  in  1668.  (Moreri.) 
— P. 

1 “ Its  streets  are  broad,  its  houses  well  built,  its  squares  large  and 
regular,  and  its  public  buildings  constructed  in  the  best  style  of  archi- 
tecture.”—The  Great  Square  and  the  public  buildings  have  been  much 
admired.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 

k “ The  great  hospital  ( lidpital  giniral.)” 

I “ Halle  aux  Bles.” 

m Many  of  the  merchants  of  Lille  fit  out  vessels  for  foreign  trade  at 
Dunkirk,  Ostend  and  Calais,  with  which  towns  it  has  direct  communi 
cation  by  canals.  Lille  has  important  manufactures  of  woollens,  cot 
tons,  linens,  silks,  lace,  carpets,  &c.  About  200  windmills  are  employ- 
ed in  the  neighbourhood,  in  the  manufacture  of  the  oil  of  colzat  [colza.] 
(Ed.  Encyc.)— P. 

II  “ Maison  centrale  de  detention.”  See  note  0 p.  981. — P. 

° Leye  (Belg.) — The  town  itself  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Lys. — P.  a Armentiers  (Hubner.) 

“ — who  are  employed  in  spinning  and  weaving  flax,  hemp  and 
cotton.” 

r “ Quesnoy  sur  Deule,  which  contains  several  iron  works  ( usines ,) 
and  Commines,*  which  carries  on  a manufacture  of  tape  (rubans  defil,) 
have  each  of  them  a population  of  from  4000  to  5000  inhabitants.” 

* Comines. — It  was  the  birthplace  of  Philip  de  Comines. — P. 

8 Roubais.  1 Turcoin. 

u “ Roubaix,  essentially  a manufacturing  town,*  and  Turcoing,  a large 
bovrer,  enriched  by  its  woollen  and  cotton  stuffs,  contain  together  from 
14,000  to  16,000  inhabitants.” — Population  of  Turcoing,  11,998 — of 
Roubaix,  8,724.  Total  20,722.  (Aim.  Royal,  1822.) — P. 

33G 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVI 


al  towns  in  the  fruitful  district  of  Hazebrouck ; the  first  is 
uilt  on  a height,  the  second  was  once  fortified,  it  rises  on  a 
hill,  and  commands  a view  of  the  ocean  and  thirty-two 
towns ; the  third  is  situated  in  a marshy  country,  and  the  fourth 
contains  six  thousand  inhabitants.®  Although  the  population 
of  Hondtschooteb  does  not  exceed  four  thousand  souls,  it  is 
a place  of  celebrity  from  the  victory  which  the  French 
gained  over  the  English  in  1793.  Bcrgues,  a place  of 
importance  as  a corn  market,  was  formerly  surrounded  by 
marshes,  that  have  been  partly  drained  ; the  canals  of  Dun- 
kerque, of  Upper  and  Lower  Colme  meet  at  the  base  of  the 
hill  on  which  it  stands;  the  houses  are  regular,  but  all  of 
them  are  built  of  brick.  As  a strong  place  it  belongs  to  the 
third  class,  the  possession  of  it,  however,  was  considered  a 
matter  of  so  much  consequence  that  it  has  been  eight  times 
taken  and  retaken,  seven  times  sacked,  and  three  times  be- 
sieged without  success ; it  does  not  contain  more  than  six  thou- 
sand inhabitants.0  Gravelines, d a town  of  three  thousand 

souls,  was  founded  in  1160  by  Henry,  count  of  Flanders:0 
it  is  on  the  whole  well-built,  but  the  marshes  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Aa  render  it  unhealthy/  It  was  first  fortified  by 
Charles  the  Fifth,  hut  the  greater  part  of  the  present  works 
were  erected  by  the  Chevalier  Deville  and  Marshal  Vauban. 

The  road  from  Gravelines  to  Dunkerque  extends  along 
the  sandy  hills  that  rise  on  the  sea  shore.  The  last  town 
was  gradually  built  round  a chapel,  which  was  founded  by 
St.  Eloi  in  the  middle  of  these  sandy  downs. s Large,  well- 

*It  manufactures  fine  woollen  stuffs,  and  also  woollen  thread  for  hosiery.  (Vos- 
gien.)— P. 

a “Quitting  the  territory  of  the  prefecture,*  we  shall  proceed  to 
Hazebrouck, t the  capital  of  one  of  the  two  remaining  arrondissements,, 
situated  in  one  of  the  most  fertile  districts  ( contrces ) in  the  former 
French  Flanders. ||  Around  it  as  a centre,  there  are  three  towns  wor- 
thy of  notice  for  their  manufacturing  industry:  namely,  Baillcul,§  a 
well  built  town  on  a height;  Merville,U  in  a marshy  country;  and  Cas- 
sel,**  formerly  a strong  town,  situated  on  a hill  ( montagne ) which  com- 
mands a view  of  32  towns  and  of  the  ocean;  besides  these,  the  village 
of  Estairstt  may  be  mentioned,  which  from  its  population  of  0000  in- 
habitants and  its  linen  manufactures,  also  deserves  the  name  of  a town.” 

*The  arrondisseinent  of  Lille,  the  capital  of  which  is  also  the  residence  of  the 
prefect. — P. 

fHazehrouk  (Vosgien.)  Iiazehrtick  (Enc.  Metli.) 

[ Those  of  Hazebrouck  and  Dunkirk. 

||  French  Flanders,  in  its  narrowest  meaning,  signified  that  part  of  the  conntyof 
Flanders  (Flem.  Vlaandcrcn)  annexed  to  France,  and  included  all  that  portion  of 
the  department  of  the  North  extending  from  Douay  and  St.  Ainand  on  the  east  to 
Ihe  sea  on  the  west.  The  former  province  or  rather  government  of  French  Flan- 
ders corresponded  very  nearly  with  the  limits  of  the  present  department  of  the 
North,  including  French  Flanders  properly  so  called,  Cambresis,  French  llainault, 
and  certain  districts  in  the  county  of  Namur  and  the  bishopric  of  Liege. — P. 

tj  Belle  (Flemish.)  Moreri. — Large  quantities  of  thread,  lace  and  woollen  stuffs  are 
manufactured  there. — P. 

ir  Situated  on  ihe  Lys — manufactures  table  linen.  (Vosgien.) 

**  Cassel  or  Mont  Cassel.  Lat.  Castellum  Morinorum.  (Hubner.) 
ft  Eslaires,  Estaire. — Flem.  Siegers.  (Moreri.) — P. 

b Hondsclroote,  Hondschote. — Tlris  and  the  following  places  are  in 
the  arrnndissement  of  Dunkirk. — P. 

c “ Bergues,*  a place  of  importance  as  a corn  market,  is  situated  in 
a marshy  country,  that  has  been  recently  drained  ;t  the  canal  of  Dun- 
kirk and  those  of  the  Upper  and  the  Lower  Colrne,  unite  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill  on  which  it  is  built;||  its  houses  are  regular,  but  all  of  brick. 
It  is  a fortified  town  ( place  de  guerre)  of  the  third  class, § and  the  pos- 
session of  it  lias  always  been  regarded  of  such  importance,  that  during 
the  last  ten  centuries,  it  has  been  eight  times  taken  and  retaken,  seven 
times  sacked,  and  three  times  besieged  without  success.U  It  contains 
a population  of  about  G000  souls.” — Bergues  was  taken  by  the  duke  of 
Parma  in  1537,  by  the  duke  of  Orleans  in  1646,  by  the  Spaniards  in 
1651,  and  by  Turenne  in  1658,  when  it  was  finally  ceded  to  France  by 
the  treaty  of  the  Pyrenees.  The  English  invested  it  in  1793,  but  were 
foieed  to  raise  the  siege. — P. 

* Berg  St.  Vino.x.  (Vosgien.) — Bergues  or  Bergue  St.  Vinoc,  Bcrgh  St.  Winoc. 
(Moreri.) — YVynoxbergen  (Flem.)  J\luns  Sancti  Vinoci  (Lat.)  (Hubner.) — P. 
f laterally,  rendered  wholesome  by  hydraulic  works. 

J The  Colme  is  one  of  the  branches  into  which  the  river  Aa  divides  below  St. 
Oiner.  See  note  s p.  1012. — P. 

||  It  is  built  at  the  foot  of  a hill,  on  the  Colme.  (Vosgien.)— P. 

$ Of  the  fourth  class.  (Aim.  Royal,  1822.) — The  fortifications  were  constructed  by 
Vauban. — P. 

IT  Literally,  delivered  from  its  enemies. 

d Graveline  [Moreri.) — Flemish,  Grevelingen  (Hubner,)  Graveling 
Enc.  Metli.) — P. 


peopled  and  well-built,  its  position  between  two  seas,  and 
the  proximity  of  England  and  the  Netherlands,  account  for 
its  past  prosperity.  Baudouin  the  Young,  count  of  Flan- 
ders, conferred  on  it  the  rank  and  privileges  of  a city  in  the 
tenth  century ; since  that  time  it  has  excited  the  jealousy  or 
covetousness  of  several  princes.  It  was  burnt  by  the  Eng- 
lish in  I 38S  ; built  anew,  it  fell  successively  into  the  power 
of  Flanders,  Spain  and  France.  The  Spaniards  took  it 
from  the  English,  and  the  latter  were  expelled  by  the 
French.  The  treaty  of  Ghateau-Cambresis  put  Spain  in 
possession  of  it,  but  it  was  retaken  by  Conde  in  1646.  The 
Spaniards  having  made  themselves  masters  of  it  again,  the 
victory  which  Turenne  gained  at  Dunes  in  1658,  rendered 
it  an  easy  conquest  to  the  French.  It  was  afterwards  ceded 
to  the  English  ; Lewis  the  Fourteenth  purchased  it  from 
Charles  the  Second  for  five  millions  of  francs,  and  rendered 
it  impregnable ; but  by  a shameful  clause  in  the  treaty  of 
Utrecht,  the  same  monarch  was  obliged  to  fill  up  the  har- 
bour and  to  destroy  the  fortifications ; the  works  were  re- 
built by  Lewis  the  Fifteenth.  The  duke  of  York  besieged 
it  in  1 793  without  success,  indeed  he  was  compelled  to 
leave  his  artillery  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The  trade  of 
Dunkerque  has  increased  since  1816;  a large  sluice  was 
lately  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  clearing  the  sand  that 
obstructs  the  entrance  into  the  harbour/ 

Every  place  of  any  importance  in  France  has  now  been 
mentioned  ; we  have  adhered  strictly  to  the  political  divi- 

' It  was  built  by  Theodoric,  count  of  Flanders,  about  the  year  1160. 
(Enc.  Metli.) — It  is  said  that  Thierry  of  Alsace,  count  of  Flanders, 
either  built  or  rebuilt  Gravelines,  where  he  died  1168.  (Moreri.) — Thier- 
ry (Theodoric)  of  Alsace  was  count  of  Flanders  from  1128  to  1168. 
(Moreri.) — There  is  no  one  of  the  name  of  Henry  in  the  list  of  the 
counts  (earls)  of  Flanders  in  Moreri. — P. 

f “ It  consists  of  spacious  and  regular  streets,  and  is  situated  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Aa,  in  the  midst  of  marshes.” 

e Dunkerque  signifies  in  Flemish  a church  on  the  doxvns. 
h “The  road  from  Gravelines  to  Dunkirk*  extends  along  the  downs 
or  sand  hills  ( collinrs  dc  dunes )t  that  rise  on  the  sea  shore.  The  latter 
place,  a town  of  considerable  population,  and  extent  and  of  a regular 
construction,  and  one  that  has  long  been  important  from  its  commerce, 
owes  its  origin  to  a chapel  built  by  St.  Eloi ||  in  the  midst  of  the  downs. § 
It  was  indebted  for  its  former  commercial  consequence  to  its  position 
between  two  seasll  and  its  proximity  to  England  and  the  Netherlands, 
and  it  derives  its  present  prosperity  from  the  cod  fishery.**  Its  seamen 
have  always  been  noted  for  their  intrepidity,  and  many  of  them  have 
acquired  distinction  in  naval  warfare;  of  these  the  most  celebrated  is 
John  Barth, tt  to  whom  a statue  has  been  erected  in  the  Place  Dauphine. 
Since  the  period  when  it  took  the  rank  of  a city,  in  consequence  of  the 
privileges  conferred  upon  it  in  the  tenth  century,  by  Baldwin  the 
Young,  earl  of  Flanders, H it  has  excited  the  covetousness  and  jealousy 
of  several  powers.  In  1388,  it  was  burnt  by  the  English;  built  anew, 
it  fell  successively  into  the  hands  of  Flanders.  Spain  and  France. ||||  It 
was  taken  from  the  Spaniards  by  the  English,  and  from  the  latter  by 
the  French. §§  The  treaty  of  Chateau-CambresislTf  secured  the  pos- 
session of  it  to  Spain;***  it  was,  however,  retaken  by  Condetit  in  1646. 
The  Spaniards  again  made  themselves  masters  of  it;;,,  but  Turenne, 
after  his  victory  at  the  battle  of  the  Downs  ( des  Dunes.)  ||||||  reduced  it 
anew  in  1658.  Having  been  ceded  to  the  English  by  treaty,§§§  Louis 
XIV.  purchased  it  of  Charles  11.111111  for  the  sum  of  five  millions,**** 
and  rendered  it  impregnable;  but  by  a shameful  clause  in  the  treaty  of 
Utrecht, tttt  he  was  obliged  to  fill  up  the  harbour  and  destroy  the  forti- 
fications.tUt  New  works,  however,  were  constructed  by  Louis  XV..  |||||||| 
which  restored  it  to  its  former  importance.  The  Duke  of  York  besieged 
it  in  1793,  but  he  was  forced  to  retire  after  abandoning  his  artillery-  to 
the  French. § § § § The  late  treaties  were  unfavourable  to  it  in  their  stipu- 
lations; but  the  privilege  of  a free  port  granted  to  it  in  1816, H1I1I1T  and 
the  large  sluice  constructed  for  the  removal  of  the  sand  banks  that  ob- 
structed the  entrance  of  its  harbour,  have  nearly  restored  it  to  its  former 
prosperity.” 

*Fr.  “Dunkerque,”  Dunkerke,  Dunquerque.  Flem.  Duinkerken  (rfuin,  a sand- 
hill or  down,  and  kerk,  a church.) — P. 

t The  coast  of  the  Netherlands  from  Calais  northwards  is  faced  by  hillocks  of  sand 
(Fr.  dunes,  Du.  duinen,)  of  the  greatest  importance  for  the  protection  of  Ihe  country 
against  the  sea  — P. 

- Population  24,517.  M.  B. 

||  8t.  Eloy,  bishop  of  Novon  in  the  7th  century  : born  538,  died  653.  (Moreri.)— P 

$ “Kerk,  in  Flemish,  signifies  a church.  Dunkirk  ( Dunkerque ) may  therefore  be 
rendered  the  church  of  the  downs .” — Dunkirk  ( church  of  the  Downs , ) from  a church 
said  to  have  been  built  there  by  tit  Eloi.  (Tuckey,  vol.  II.  p.  11.) — Faid  to  have  been 


book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION 


sions  of  the  country,  and  endeavoured  to  avoid  as  much  as 
possible  the  tediousness  arising  from  a long  and  often  uni- 
lorm  description,  but  to  do  so  wholly  was  incompatible  with 
the  nature  of  the  subject.  We  cannot,  however,  leave  the 
kingdom  without  taking  a rapid  survey  of  the  roads,  canals 
and  finances.  These  causes  and  effects  of  public  prosperi- 
ty are  more  fully  developed  in  the  tables  at  the  end  of  this 
book,  and  from  those  tables  the  reader  will  also  be  enabled 
to  estimate  the  entire  resources  of  France,  as  a commercial, 
agricultural  and  military  nation. 

Every  one  admits  that  numerous  roads  and  canals  have 
a powerful  effect  on  the  agriculture,  commerce  and  general 
industry  of  a country.  While  in  animated  beings  we  ad- 
mire the  order  with  which  the  vital  functions  are  ramified 
by  the  aid  of  vessels  and  organs  constructed  so  as  to  diffuse 
motion  into  every  part  of  the  individual,  we  cannot  fail  to 
perceive  that  in  like  manner  the  welfare  of  a state  depends 
mainly  on  its  means  of  communication,  and  that  it  is  by 
them,  in  fine,  that  life  is  made  to  circulate  in  every  part  of 
it.  A few  of  the  great  roads  in  France  are  kept  with  suf- 
ficient care,  but  they  form  an  exception,  and  it  appears 
from  the  estimates  of  the  ablest  engineers,  that  it  would  re- 
quire sixty-seven  millions  of  francs a or  nearly  £2,800,000 
to  prevent  the  remainder  from  becoming  wholly  useless.bc 
The  entire  extent  of  the  great  roads  in  the  kingdom  is 
equal  to  eight  millions  of  leagues  ;d  but  as  sixteen  thousand 
square  leagues  are  unprovided  with  them,  their  total  length 
must  be  doubled  before  the  advantages  of  commerce  can 
be  extended  throughout  the  kingdom.  To  complete  the 
roads  that  are  still  unfinished,  would  require  at  least  forty- 
four  millions  of  francs  or  £ 1,850, 000. e The  sum  of  111 
millions  of  francs  or  £4,650,000f  is  therefore  necessary  for 
their  improvement  and  completion.  Twenty  millions  of 
francs  or  less  than  £ 850,000  are  annually  expended  on 


so  called  becatise  the  tower  of  its  church  was  the  first  object  seen  by  mariners  above 
the  clowns.  (Moreri.) — P. 

IT  The  North  Sea  and  the  English  Channel. — Situated  at  the  entrance  from  the 
former  into  the  Straits  of  Dover. — P. 

**The  inhabitants  derive  their  principal  support  from  fishing  and  smuggling  in 
peace,  and  from  privateering  in  war.  The  principal  contraband  trade  is  in  gin  and 
tea  to  England.  (Tuckey,  vol.  II.  p.  11.) — It  has,  however,  a regular  foreign  trade  of 
considerable  importance.  It  has  employed  as  many  as  200  merchantmen  in  time  of 
peace. — P. 

ft  “ Jean  (Jart  ” of  Barth,  the  son  of  a fisherman  ; born  1651,  died  1702 — noted  for 
prompt  and  daring  enterprises.  He  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  commodore  ( chef 
d'cscadre)  and  ennobled,  by  Louis  XIV. — P. 

Ji  It  was  built  by  Baldwin  the  Young,  earl  of  Flanders,  about  the  year  960.  (Mo- 
reri.)— In  the  12th  century,  it  equipped  a fleet  against  the  Norman  pirates,  for  which 
service  important  privileges  were  conferred  upon  it  by  Philip,  earl  of  Flanders. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — Philip  of  Alsace,  son  of  Thierry  of  Alsace  (see  note  e p.  1016,)  was 
earl  of  Flanders  from  1168  to  1191.  (Moreri.) — P. 

1111  It  belonged  for  several  centuries  to  the  Earls  of  Flanders,  and  passed  in  the  15th 
century,  to  the  house  of  Austria.  It  remained  under  the  Spanish  branch  of  that 
house  a considerable  time,  but  changed  masters  more  than  once  during  the  wars  in 
the  Low  Countries,  previous  to  its  final  purchase  by  Louis  XIV.  in  1662.  (Ed.  Enc.) 
— Dunkirk  was  held  either  immediately  by  the  earls  of  Flanders,  or  as  a fief  de- 
pendent on  them,  from  its  foundation  in  the  tenth  century  till  the  14th,  when  it 
passed  to  the  house  of  Burgundy,  by  the  marriage  of  Philip  II.  with  Margaret  of 
Flanders  in  1369,  and  in  the  15th  to  the  house  of  Austria,  by  the  marriage  of  the  arch- 
duke Maximilian  (afterwards  the  emperor  Maximilian  I.)  with  Mary  of  Burgundy  in 
1477.  Charles  V.  left  it  with  the  Low  Countries  to  Philip  II.  of  Spain,  and  it  con- 
tinued in  the  possession  of  the  Spaniards  with  some  interruptions,  till  1655,  when 
it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  English,  and  in  1662,  by  purchase  into  those  of 
France. — P. 

§$It  was  taken  from  the  English  in  1558,  and  was  ceded  to  Spain  by  the  treaty  of 
Chateau-Carnbresis  in  1559.  (Enc.  Meth.)— The  French  under  Marshal  De  Tennes 
took  it  in  1558.  (Moreri.) — P. 

1T1T“Cateau-Cambresis,”  Chateau-Carnbresis,  Catteau-Cambresis — a small  town 
five  leagues  S.  E.  of  Cambray. — P. 

***  A.  D.  1559. 

ftfThen  Duke  of  Enghien. 

ill  A.  D.  1652.  (Moreri.) 

Illlll  The  Downs  (Zes  Danes) — the  coasts  of  Flanders  between  Dunkirk  and  Nieu- 
port,  where  Marshal  Turenne  gained  a victory  in  1658.  (Enc.  Meth.)— The  battle 
of  the  Downs  was  fought  between  the  French  commanded  by  Turenne  and  assisted 
by  the  English  auxiliaries  furnished  by  Cromwell,  and  the  Spaniards  commanded 
by  the  Prince  of  Conde  and  Don  John  of  Austria,  also  assisted  by  the  English  Royal- 
ists. (Guthrie  and  Gray’s  Ilist.  of  the  World,  vol.  XII.  p.  25.) — P. 

$$$  Bv  treaty  with  Cromwell,  the  same  year,  1658. 

Wll  A D.  1662. 

****  Li  vres.— Louis  XIV.  purchased  it  in  1662,  for  the  sum  of  five  millions  (Mo- 
reri)—£209,000  (Ed.  Encyc.)— P. 

fttt  March  31,  1713. 

ttti  This  was  effected,  in  a considerable  degree,  in  1713,  but  Louis  XIV.  immedi- 
VOL.  III.— NO.  52  43 


OF  FRANCE.  337 

them  at  present,  it  is  vain  then  to  expect  that  new  roads 
can  be  made,  indeed  a long  period  must  elapse  before  the 
present  are  finished  and  repaired. e Ninety-six  canals  are 

mentioned  in  the  statistics  of  France  ; of  these  sixty-four 
are  completed,  eighteen  are  in  progress,  and  fourteen  are 
projected.  Those  which  are  completed  and  in  progress 
occupy  an  extent  of  six  thousand  and  ninety-three  English 
miles, h an  extent  that  must  be  more  than  doubled,  before 
France  can  derive  from  canals  all  the  advantages  which 
England  does  at  present.  The  sums  necessary  for  the  im- 
provement and  extension  of  the  roads  and  canals  are  im- 
mense, but  the  vast  resources  that  France  possesses,  must 
not  be  overlooked.  The  taxes  may  be  estimated  at  nine 
hundred  and  eighty  millions  of  francs  or  £41,333,340; 
Austria  is  the  only  state  that  has  an  equal  population,  Rus- 
sia contains  nearly  twice  the  number  of  inhabitants,  but  in 
Russia  the  taxes  are  less  than  a half,  and  in  Austria  they  do 
not  amount  to  a third  part  of  the  above-mentioned  sum.1 
The  finances  are  in  a much  more  prosperous  state  than  in 
England  ; for  if  the  products  of  both  kingdoms  were  applied 
to  the  extinction  of  the  national  debt,  it  might  be  liquidated 
in  the  one  in  about  four  years  and  a half,  while  it  could  not 
be  cancelled  in  the  other  in  thirteen. 

The  quantity  of  money  in  a country  is  a sign  of  wealth 
inasmuch  as  it  corresponds  generally  with  the  circulation  o 
commerce  and  industry : the  money  in  flourishing  states 
according  to  political  economists,  ought  to  be  equal  to  a 
fifth  part  of  the  products;  but  in  France  it  exceeds  tha 
amount,  for  the  products  of  agriculture  and  industry  repre- 
sent 8,800,000,000  francs,  while  the  money  in  circulation 
amounts  to  more  than  two  thousand  millions.  The  kingdom, 
it  has  been  shown,  has  abundant  means  of  improvement, 
it  is  highly  favored  by  nature,  the  inhabitants  are  distin- 
guished by  their  genius  and  industry.! 

ately  cut  a canal  from  Mardike  (1  league  S.  of  Dunkirk,)  which  gave  the  port  almost 
all  its  former  advantages.  England,  however,  obliged  him  to  shut  the  canal,  and  to 
abstain  from  any  similar  works  within  two  leagues  of  Dunkirk  ; but  in  1720,  during 
the  reign  of  Louis  XV.,  the  sea  having  broke  through  the  bar  formed  across  the  har- 
bour’s mouth,  it  became  again  accessible  to  ships,  and  England  being  at  war  with 
Spain,  France  took  advantage  of  this  circumstance  to  reconstruct  the  jetties  and 
fortifications  ; and  though  by  the  treaties  of  Aix  la  Chapelle  (1748)  and  Paris  (1763) 
the  destruction  of  these  works  was  stipulated,  the  execution  was  always  eluded. 
(Tuckey,  vol.  II.  p.  11,  12.  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

yilllll  See  note  t|tp 

The  British  under  the  Duke  of  York  opened  the  trenches  before  Dunkirk, 
Aug.  §4,  1793.  The  works  were  carried  on,  though  with  trivial  effect,  till  Sept.  6, 
when  the  covering  army,  commanded  hv  the  Hanoverian  Field  Marshal  Freytag,  was 
unexpectedly  attacked  and  defeated  by  the  French  General  Houchard  ; a successful 
sortie  was  at  the  same  time  made  by  the  garrison,  and  the  besieging  army  was  com- 
pelled to  retreat  with  the  loss  of  all  its  heavy  artillery.  (Ed.  Encyc.  art.  Britain.)—?. 

1T1T1T1T  Dunkirk  was  declared  a free  port  by  Louis  XIV.  after  his  purchase  of  it  in 
1GG2,  and  continued  so  till  1793.  (Tuckey,  veil  11.  p.  11.) — This  privilege  was  restored 
in  1816.— P. 

* “ Nearly  67,000,000  francs”  (£2,826,562.)— P. 

b Literally,  to  preserve  them  from  the  complete  dilapidation  with 
which  they  are  threatened. — P. 

c Essais  sur  la  construction  des  routes  et  des  canaux,  et  la  legisla- 
tion des  travaux  publiques,  par  M.  Cordier,  inspecteur  divisionnaire  des 
ponts-et-chauss6es,  Paris,  1828,  t.  II. 

d Each  of  these  leagues  is  equal  to  four  thousand  metres.  M.  B 
(The  metre  is  equal  to  39,371  English  inches.  Tr.) 

« £1 ,856,250.— P.  f £4,682,812.— P. 

£ “Since  only  twenty  millions  of  francs  (£843,750)  are  employed  for 
that  purpose  at  present,  far  from  being  able  to  add  to  their  number,  it  is 
difficult  to  determine  when  those  that  are  now  laid  out,  can  be  brought 
to  a state  of  entire  completion.” 

h “ — occupy  a surface  of  975  myriametres.” 

' “The  produce  of  the  taxes  in  France  may  be  estimated  at  980,000, 
000  francs  (£41,343,750,)  which  is  more  than  three  times  the  produce 
of  the  taxes  in  the  whole  empire  of  Austria,  the  only  power  that  has 
the  same  population,*  and  more  than  twice  and  a half  that  of  the  taxes 
in  Russia,  which  contains  nearly  double  the  number  of  inhabitants.” 

* Population  of  Austria(1827,)  32,000,000,  in  round  numbers— that  ofFrance  (1827,) 
31,820,000.  (M.  B.)— P. 

1 “ A nation  that  possesses  such  important  resources  and  such  pow- 
erful means  of  developement,  will  easily  resume,  when  it  chooses,  the 
rank  to  which  it  is  by  nature  entitled.” 


338 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLrVI. 


STATISTICAL  TABLES  OF  FRANCE. 


COMPARATIVE  TABLE  OF  FRANCE,  IN  WHICH  IT  IS  DIVIDED  INTO  REGIONS,  GOVERNMENTS  AND  DEPARTMENTS. 


Ancient  Provinces 
or  Military 
Governments,  a 


1 French  Flanders.0  Lille 


Capitals.  Divisions  in  each  Government,  b 


Northern  Region. 

{Maritime  Flanders, 
Walloon  Flanders, d 
Cainbraisis,e  French 
Hainault 


f Ancient  Provinces 
The  Departments  or  Mtlita 
formed  from  them.  Governments. 


2 Artois  Arras 

{Amienais,«  Santerre,h 
Verinandois,"  ThierachcJ 
Calaisis,k  Boulonnais,1 
Ponthieu,™  Vimeux. 11 

'Caux,P  Bray,')  Norman 
Vexin,r  Roumois,8 
Ouche,1  Lieuvin," 

4 Normandy0  Rouen  J Auge,v  Marches," 

Bessin,x  Bocage, r 
| Houlme,0  Cotentin,01 
^Avranchin.bb 


North. 


Straits  of 
► Calais, 
Somme. 


Calvados, 

Eure, 

Channel, 

Orne, 

Lower 

Seine. 


“ Governments.” — France  before  the  revolution  was  divided  into 
32  general  governments  or  provinces.  These  were  properly  military 
governments,  and  were  each  of  them  under  the  immediate  administra- 
tion of  a governor  in  chief,  and  included  one  or  more  lieutenant-gene- 
ralships. (Enc.  Mcth.  1782.) — When  the  king  assembled  the  States- 
General,  the  ancient  order  was  to  assemble  them  according  to  twelve 

Iirincipal  governments  {prefecture  generates,)  viz.  Picardy,  Normandy, 
sle  of  France,  Champagne,  Brittany,  Orleannois,  Burgundy,  Lyonnois 
including  Auvergne,  Provence,  Dauphiny,  Languedoc  and  Guienne. 
Moreri,  1725.  Hubner,  1736.)— P. 
b “ Countries  (pays)*  dependent  on  each  government.” 

► Not  properly  cotemporary  divisions  or  subdivisions  of  the  government,  but  an- 
terior divisions  of  the  kingdom  included  within  its  limits. — P. 

0 “Flanders  (Flandre.)” — The  government,  as  a part  of  France,  was 
known  simply  as  the  province  of  Flanders,  but  the  territory  included 
in  it  was  called  French  Flanders,  in  distinction  from  Austrian  Flanders, 
Flanders  in  this  sense  being  a common  appellation  for  the  Catholic 
Netherlands  (now  Belgium) ; but  Flanders  in  its  strict  historical  sense, 
is  confined  to  the  old  county  of  Flanders,  divided  into  French,  Aus- 
trian and  Dutch  Flanders.  See  note  a ||  p.  1016. — P. 

d Maritime  and  Walloon  Flanders  here  embrace  French  Flan- 
ders properly  so  called,  or  that  portion  of  the  county  of  Flanders  an- 
nexed to  France — Maritime  Flanders  comprehending  the  western  part 
on  the  coast,  and  Walloon  Flanders  the  eastern  part,  including  the 
former  chatellanies  of  Lille,  Douay  and  Orchies.  Walloon  Flanders  also 
extended  into  Belgium  (the  former  Austrian  Flanders,)  including  the 
country  around  Tournay.  Taking  Flanders  in  its  more  enlarged  sense 
for  the  whole  of  the  Catholic  Netherlands,  Walloon  Flanders  included 
Artois,  Hainault,  Walloon  Flanders  proper,  Namur,  Luxemburg,  Cam- 
bresis,  and  according  to  some,  Liege,  or  all  that  part  of  the  country 
occupied  by  the  Walloons,  by  whom  a dialect  of  French  was  spoken, 
while  in  the  rest  of  the  Netherlands,  the  inhabitants  spoke  dialects  of 
the  Low  Dutch. — P.  e Cambresis. 

f Picardy  was  divided  into  Upper,  Middle  and  Lower — the  first  in- 
cluding Vermandois  and  Thierache;  the  second,  Amienois  and  San- 
terre;  and  the  third,  the  Pays  Rcconquis , Boulonnois,  Ponthieu  and 
Vimeux. — P.  s Amienois.  h Peronne  the  capital. 

‘ St.  Quentin  the  capital.  i Including  Guise  and  Vervins. 

k The  district  including  Calais  and  Guines,  (here  styled  Calaisis,) 
was  called  Lc  Pays  Rcconquis  (the  Reconquered  Country,)  from  its  hav- 
ing been  reconquered  in  1558  from  the  English,  who  had  held  it  since 
1347,  when  it  was  reduced  by  Edward  III. — P. 

1 See  note  b p.  1011.  m Abbeville  the  capital. 

” Vimeu. — St.  Valery  the  capital. 

° Normandy  was  divided  into  Upper  and  Lower — the  former  includ- 
ing Caux,  Bray,  Vexin,  Roumois,  Ouche,  Lieuvin  and  Auge;  the  lat- 
ter, the  Marches,  Bessin,  the  Bocage,  Houlme,  Cotentin  and  Avran- 
chin. — P. 

p “ Le  Pays  de  Caux.”  See  p.  1008. 

a “ Le  Pays  de  Bray”  (Brai) — a small  district  east  of  the  Pays  de 
Caux,  including  Neufchatel  and  Gournay. — P. 
r “ Vexin  Normand.” — Gisors  the  capital. — P. 

• Roumois  or  Rommois,  Lat.  Jlgcr  Rothomagensis  (Moreri) — a small 
district  between  the  Rille  and  the  Seine.  Quillebeuf  the  capital. — P. 


5 Isle  of  France00 


6 Champagne00 


Capital*.  Divisionc  in  each  Government. 

Beauvaisis,od  Laonnois,'e 
Soissonnais/t  French 
Vexin, e*  Gouelle,l’-b 
Paris  J,  Parisis,"  Valois,)) 

Mantais,kk  Hurepoix,11 
French  Brie, mm  French 
Gatinais."" 


The  Department* 
formed  from  them. 


f Rethelais,PP  Rhemois/l'l 
Brie,1 n Perthois,88 
Troyes  < Vallage,11  Bassigny,lm 
Senonais.vv  ww 


Aisne, 
Oise, 
Seine, 

► Seine  and 
Oise, 
Seine  and 
Marne. 

"I  Ardennes, 
Aube, 
v Marne, 

I Upper 
J Marne. 


I “ Le  Pays  d’Ouche,”  Ouche  (Vosgien) — including  Conches  and 
Bernay. — P. 

II  Lat.  Jlger  Lexovicnsis  — including  Lisieux,  and  Plonfleur  (Mo- 
reri.)— P. 

v “ Le  Pays  d’Auge,”  La  Vallhc  d’Auge  (Vosgien,)  Auge  (Enc. 
Meth.) — including  Pont-l’Eveque  and  Honfleur  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

w “ Les  Marches”  (the  borders  or  marches) — included  in  the  baili- 
wick ( bailliage ) of  Alemjon  (Hubner.) — P. 

* Bayeux  the  capital. 

r “ Le  Bocage”  (the  wood.)— Vire  the  capital. — P. 
z “ Le  Pays  d’Houlme,”  Houlme  (Vosgien) — a small  district  be- 
tween Domfront  and  Falaise. — P. 
ua  See  note  n p.  1004.  bb  See  note  ‘ t p.  1004. 

00  “Ile-de-France.”  dd  See  note  1 p.  992. 

ee  Laonnais  (Vosgien.) — Laon  the  capital. — P. 

Soissonnois  (Enc.  Meth.) 

gg  “ Vexin  Francais”  (Francois.  Moreri) — Pontoise  the  capital. — P. 
hh  Goele  (Vosgien,)  Goelle  (Hubner.) — Dammartin  the  capital. — P. 

11  Isle  of  France  proper  (Enc.  Meth.) — including  Paris.  A distinc- 
tion is  made  between  the  Isle  of  France  proper,  or  simply  France, 
and  Parisis ; the  former  including  the  country  around  St.  Denis,  to 
the  north  of  Paris,  as  far  as  Montmorency,  and  the  latter,  that  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Paris.  All  the  places  in  the  former  are  surnamed 
cn  France  (in  France,)  as  St.  Denis  en  France.  (Moreri.  Hubner.) — P. 
Si  Formerly  a dutchy. — Crespy  the  capital. — P. 
kk  Mantois. — Mantes  the  capital. 

11  Hurepois  (Vosgien) — including  Corbeil  and  Dourdan,  and  accord- 
ing to  some,  Fontainebleau  and  Melun  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

mm“  Brie  Fran^aise.” — Brie,  a country  in  France,  partly  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  Champagne,  and  partly  in  that  of  the  Isle  of  France;  the 
former  called  Brie  Champenoise,  and  the  latter,  Brie  Parisienne  or  Brie 
Frari<;oise.  It  was  also  divided  into  Upper  Brie  (Haute  Brie) — Meaux 
the  capital;  Lower  Brie  (Basse  Brie) — Provins  the  capital;  and  Brie 
Pouillcuse — Chateau-Thierry  the  capital.  These  three  towns  are  situ- 
ated in  Brie  Champenoise;  Brie-Comte-Robert  and  Melun  (Moreri) 
were  included  in  Brie  Fran<;oise.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

""  “ Gatinais  Francais”  (Gatinois  Francois  Enc.  Meth.) — Gatinois 
(Gastinois,  Lat.  Vastinium.  Moreri)  is  derived  from  gastinc,  an  old 
French  word  signifying  a clearing  in  a forest,  or  waste  land,  from  the 
Latin  rasto,  Fr.  gaster,  gdter.  The  country  of  Gatinois  included  the 
forests  of  Fontainebleau  and  Montargis,  and  was  divided  into  Gatinois 
Francois  and  Gatinois  Orleanois ; the  former  including  Nemours,  Moret 
and  Fontainebleau,  and  the  latter,  Montargis.  (Enc.  Meth.  Moreri.) — P. 

00  Champagne  is  divided  into  Upper  on  the  S.  and  S.  E.  and  Lower 
on  the  N.  and  N.  W. — P. 

w Rethelois,  Retelois — including  Rethel,  Rocroy,  Charleville  and 
Mezieres  (in  the  Ardennes.)  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

'll  Remois  (Enc.  Meth.) — including  Reims  (the  capital,)  Epernay  and 
Ay. — P.  rr  Brie  Champenoise.  See  note  mm. 

68  Pertois  (Enc.  Meth.) — including  Vi  try  le  Francois  (the  capital,)  St. 
Dizier,  Vassy  and  Joinville  (Moreri.) — P. 
u Bar  sur  Aube  the  capital. 

uu  Bassigni  (Enc.  Meth.) — divided  into  Bassigny  proper,  in  Upper 
Champagne,  (Chaumont  the  capital;  including  also  Langres  and  Ande- 
lot,)  and  the  bailiwick  (hailtiage)  of  Bassigny,  inclosed  in  Barrois, 
(Vaucouleurs  the  capital.)  The  bailiwick  included,  however,  in  its 
jurisdiction,  several  towns  properly  belonging  to  Barrois:  viz.  Gondre- 
court.  La  Motte,  Bourmont,  La  Marche,  Chatillon  and  Conflans. — P. 

vv  Senonois  (Enc.  Meth.) — forming  the  northern  half  of  the  depart- 
ment of  the  Yonne  ; Sens  the  capital. — P. 

"'“Champagne  Proper  should  also  be  added  to  this  list.  It  included 
Troyes,  Chalons  and  St  Menehould. — P. 


aooK  cxLiYi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  339 


Ancient  Provinces 
or  Military 
Governments. 

Capitals. 

Divisions  in  each  Government. 

The  Departments 
formed  from  them. 

7 Lorraine 

Nancy  - 

’ Messin,*  1 Toulo's, 
Verdunois,  French 
Luxemburg,11 *  Princi- 
pality of  Bouillon,0 
^Barrois.1111 

Meurthe, 

Meuse, 

' Moselle, 
Vosges. 

Central  Region. 

8 Orleanaisf 

Orleans  < 

Beauce,®  Gatinais,  " 

Orleanais,11  Puyssage,1  : 
Blaisois,)  Sologne.k  1 _ 

Eure  and 
Loir,  Loiret, 
Loir  and  Cher. 

9 Touraine 

Tours 

’ Indre 
and  Loire. 

10  Berry m 

11  Nivernais" 

12  Bourbonnais0 

13  Marched 

Bourges 

Nevers 

Moulins 

Gueret 



Cher,  Indre. 
Nievre. 
Allier. 
Creuse. 

14  Limousin1) 

Limoges 

C Correze, 

1 Upper  Vienne. 

a “ Le  Pays  Messin,”  or  Le  Messin  (Enc.  Meth.)  See  note  kp. 974. — P. 
b “ Luxembourg  Franqais” — a strip  of  land  along  the  southern  fron- 
tiers of  the  dutchy  of  Luxemburg,  ceded  to  France  by  the  treaty  of 
the  Pyrenees  (1659,)  including  Thionville  and  Montmedy. — P. 

c Before  the  revolution,  the  dutchy  of  Bouillon  (Bullion.  Moreri.) — 
This  dutchy,  with  the  principality  of  Sedan,  belonged  to  the  house  of 
La  Tour  d' Auvergne,  previously  to  1G51.  The  dutchy  was,  however, 
at  that  time  in  possession  of  the  bishop  of  Liege,  but  claimed  by  the 
house  of  La  Tour.  In  1G51,  Frederick  Maurice,  duke  of  Bouillon,  ce- 
ded to  France  his  sovereignty  over  Sedan,  reserving  to  himself  ail  his 
rights  to  the  dutchy  of  Bouillon,  and  requiring  that  it  should  be  re- 
stored to  him,  in  case  it  should  be  wrested  by  France  from  the  bishop 
of  Liege.  Louis  XIV.  having  conquered  the  dutchy  in  1G76,  restored 
it  to  Godfrey  Maurice,  then  duke,  in  1678.  It  continued  in  possession 
of  the  family  till  the  revolution.  Prince  Charles  de  Rohan  possessed 
it  (1822)  under  the  sovereignty  of  the  king  of  the  Netherlands. — P. 

d Dutchy  of  Bar,  or  Le  Barrois  (Enc.  Meth.) — situated  on  both  sides 
of  the  Meuse  on  the  confines  of  Champagne,  and  including  Bar  le  Due, 
St.  Mihiel,  Longwy,  Pont  a Mousson  and  Varennes,  in  the  three  juris- 
dictions of  Bar,  St.  Mihiel  and  Clermont,  and  several  towns  in  the 
bailiwick  of  Bassigny.  See  note  uu  p.  1018. — P. 

e Lorraine  Proper,  or  the  dutchy  of  Lorraine,  should  be  added  to  the 
list.  It  included  Nancy,  Luneville  and  Epinal. — P. 
f Orleanois,  Orleannois.  (Enc.  Meth.) 

e Beauce,  Beaulce  or  Beausse  (Moreri) — situated  between  the  Isle 
of  France  and  Orleanois  Proper;  Chartres  the  capital.  (Enc.  Meth.) — 
Under  the  name  of  Great  Beauce,  the  Pays  Chartrain  (Beauce  Proper,) 
Gatinois,  Puissaye,  Orleanois  Proper,  Sologne,  part  of  Blaisois  near  the 
Loire,  and  even  Vendomois  and  Dunois,  were  included  by  some  au- 
thors. (Moreri.) — P. 

h “ Le  Gatinais  Orleanais  ” — Orleanese  Gatinais.  See  note  nn  p.  1018. 
— Orleanais  Proper  is  not  mentioned  in  the  original,  although  a place 
would  seem  to  be  given  it  by  the  mistake  of  the  translator.  It  includ- 
ed the  country  around  Orleans  on  both  banks  of  the  Loire;  that  on  the 
north,  called  Upper,  and  that  on  the  south,  Lower  Orleanais. — P. 

‘ Puisaye  (Enc.  Meth.)  Puysaye  (Moreri) — a small  country  in  Gati- 
nois Orleanois,  on  the  confines  of  Auxerrois  and  Nivernois;  including 
St.  Fargeau,  in  the  department  of  the  Yonne,  and  St.  Amand,  in  that 
of  the  Nievre. — P. 

i Situated  on  both  sides  of  the  Loire,  west  of  Orleanais  Proper — 
Blois  the  capital. — P. 

k Situated  south  of  the  Loire — Romorantin  the  capital. — P. 

1 Dunois  and  Vendomois  should  be  added  to  the  list — Chateaudun, 
the  capital  of  the  former,  and  Vendome,  of  the  latter;  also  Perche- 
Gouet  (see  note  “ .) — P. 

m Berri  (Enc.  Meth.) — divided  into  Upper  and  Lower  by  the  Cher; 
the  former  on  the  east  and  the  latter  on  the  west  of  the  river. — P. 

n Nivernois  (Enc.  Meth.) — Nivernois  was  divided  into  eight  cantons 
or  districts,  two  of  which  are  worthy  of  notice:  viz.  Morvan,  a moun- 
tainous country  on  the  eastern  limits,  partly  in  Burgundy,  including 
Corbigny  and  Chateau-Chinon,  and  Bazois,  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tains of  Morvan  on  the  west,  including  St.  Saulge  and  Decize. — P. 

0 Bourbonnois — divided  into  Upper  and  Lower;  Moulins  in  the 
latter. — The  small  district  of  Combrailles  is  by  some  included  in 
Bourbonnois;  by  others  in  Marche  (Auvergne.  Enc.  Meth.) — Evaux 
Evaon)  the  capital.  It  is  now  included  in  the  department  of  the 
Creuse. — P. 

p La  Marche — divided  into  Upper  and  Lower;  Gueret  in  the  former 


Ancient  Provinces 


or  Military 
Governments. 

Capitals.  Divisions  in  each  Government. 

The  Department* 
formed  from  them. 

15  Auvergner 

Clermont 

Limagne8 * * 

C Cantal, 

( Puy  de  Dome. 

16  Maine1 

Western  Region. 
Le  Mans  Perche" 

C Mayenne, 
, ( Sarthe. 

17  Anjou7 

Angers 

Saumuroisw 

( Maine 
( and  Loire. 

18  Brittany* 

Rennes 

. 

f North  Coast, 

1 Finisterre,Ule 

2 and  Vilaine, 
Lower  Loire, 

l^Morbihan. 

19  Poitou7 

Poitiers  . 

• 

C Two  Sevres 
< Vendee, 

^ Vienne. 

20  Aunis2 

21  Saintonge*1 
and  Angoumoisbb 

La  Rochelle 
| Saintes 

Brouageais00 

} Charente, 
> Lower 
) Charente. 

and  Bellac  in  the  latter.  The  province  of  Marche  is  partly  compre- 
hended in  the  department  of  the  Upper  Vienne  (arrondissement  of  Bel 
lac.) — P. 

fl  Limosin — divided  into  Upper  and  Lower  by  the  Vezere;  the  for 
mer  on  the  north,  the  latter  on  the  south  of  the  river — Limoges,  the 
capital  of  the  former;  Tulle,  of  the  latter. — P. 

r Divided  into  Upper  and  Lower — the  former  on  the  south  (Auril- 
lac  the  capital;)  the  latter  on  the  north  (Clermont  the  capital,)  includ- 
ing Limagne.  Part  of  Auvergne  is  included  in  the  department  of  the 
Upper  Loire  (arrondissement  of  Brioude.) — P. 

8 “ La  Limagne”  (Limane) — a fertile  country  in  Lower  Auvergne, 
extending  along  the  Allier,  including  Clermont,  Riom  and  Issoire. — P. 

1 The  government  of  Maine  was  formed  by  the  old  province  of  Maine 
and  Perche ; the  former  on  the  west,  the  latter  on  the  east.  The  prov- 
ince of  Maine,  or  Maine  Proper,  was  divided  into  Upper  and  Lower; 
the  former  on  the  east,  (Le  Mans  the  capital;)  the  latter  on  the  west, 
(Laval  the  capital.) — P. 

u Perche  was  divided  into  Upper  Perche  or  the  County  of  Perche, 
and  Lower  Perche  or  Perche-Gouet;  the  latter  annexed  to  the  govern- 
ment of  Orleanais.  The  former  occupied  the  contiguous  portions  of  the 
departments  of  the  Orne  and  the  Eure  and  Loir,  including  Nogent  le 
Rotrou,  Mortagne  and  Belesme,  and  also  the  district  of  Thimerais,  on 
the  confines  of  Normandy  and  the  Pays  Chartrain — Chateauneuf  the 
capital.  The  latter,  situated  to  the  south  of  the  former,  occupied  conti- 
guous portions  of  the  departments  of  the  Eure  and  Loir  and  the  Sarthe, 
including  Montmirail,  Bazoche  and  Brou. — P. 

7 Anjou  was  divided  by  the  Loire  into  Upper  and  Lower — the  for 
mer  on  the  south,  (Saumur  the  capital) ; the  latter  on  the  north,  (An- 
gers the  capital.)  (Moreri.) — The  Enc.  Meth.  reverses  the  order,  placing 
Angers  in  Upper  Anjou. — P. 

w Saumurois,  a country  in  France,  including  certain  districts  in  An- 
jou and  Poitou,  formed  into  a separate  military  government  by  Henry 
IV. — Saumur  the  capital. — P. 

* The  province  of  Brittany  ( Bretagne ) included  nine  bishoprics,  be- 
fore the  revolution:  viz.  Rennes,  Nantes,  St.  Malo,  St.  Brieux,  Dol, 
Vannes,  Cornouailles  (Quimper-Coientin,)  St.  Pol  de  Leon  and  Tre- 
guier;  the  five  former  occupied  Upper  Brittany  on  the  east,  (Rennes 
the  capital;)  the  four  latter,  Lower  Brittany  on  the  west,  (Vannes  the 
capital.)  The  military  government  of  Brittany  was  divided  into  two 
lieutenant-generalships;  one  including  the  County  of  Nantes  or  the 
Pays  Nantois  ;*  the  other,  all  the  rest  of  Brittany  (Upper  and  Lower.) — P 

* Situated  on  both  sides  of  the  Loire  ; the  southern  part  ( d’outre-Lnire ) originally  in 
Lower  Poitou  ; tile  northern  (en  deya  la  Loire,)  in  Upper  Brittany.  The  whole  was, 
however,  included  in  the  military  government  of  Brittany. — P. 

y Poictou  (Moreri) — divided  into  Upper  and  Lower ; the  former  on 
the  east,  (Poitiers  the  capital;)  the  latter  on  the  west,  including  La 
Vendee,  (Fontenay  le  Comte  the  capital.) — P. 

2 Le  Pays  d’Aunis — the  smallest  province  in  France,  including  La 

Rochelle,  Rochefort,  and  the  Isles  of  Rhe  and  Oleron;  now  included 

in  the  department  of  the  Lower  Charente. — P. 

ao  Saintonge  or  Xaintonge  (province) — divided  into  Northern  and 

Southern  by  the  Charente;  St.  Jean  d’Angely  capital  of  the  former; 

Saintes,  of  the  latter. — P. 

bb  A small  province,  forming  with  that  of  Saintonge,  the  single  gen- 
eral government  of  Saintonge-Angoumois  (Enc.  Meth.) — Angouleme 

the  capital. — P. 

cc  A small  district  in  Saintonge,  on  the  coast  S.  of  the  Charente,  an 

nexed  to  the  government  of  Aunis.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P 


L 


EUROPE 


[BOOK  CXLV1 


f 


340 


Ancient  Provinces 
or  Military 
Governments. 


22  Alsacea 

23  Franche- 
Comte0 


Capitals.  Divisions  in  each  government. 

Eastern  Region. 
Strasburg  Sundtgaub 


f Bailiwicks  of  Amont, 
Besan<;on  < Aval,  Besamjon,  and 
f Dole.1'  e 


The  Departments 
formed  from  them. 


Upper  Rhine, 
Lower  Rhine. 

Doubs,  Jura, 
Upper  Saone. 


8 The  government  or  province  of  Alsace  was  formerly  a part  of  the 
German  Empire,  and  was  ceded  to  France  by  the  treaty  of  Munster  in 
1048,  with  the  reservation,  however,  of  its  imperial  immunities;  but  by 
the  treaty  of  Ryswick  in  1C97,  a final  cession  was  made  to  France  in 
full  sovereignty.  While  a part  of  the  German  Empire,  it  included  the 
territories  of  Alsace  (Germ.  Elsass,  Lat.  Jllsatia.)  and  Sundgau;  the 
former  divided  into  Upper  and  Lower  (called  the  Upper  and  Lower 
Landgraviates  of  Alsace) — Colmar,  the  capital  of  the  one,  and  Hagen- 
au, of  the  other.  The  greater  part  of  the  Lower  Landgraviate  was 
possessed  by  the  bishop  of  Strasburg,  and  most  of  the  remainder  of 
the  two  Landgraviates,  by  the  house  of  Austria.  Besides  these,  the 
province  included  the  imperial  abbeys  of  Murbach  and  Munster  in 
Gregorienthal,  the  bailiwick  or  prefecture  (landvogtey)  of  Hagenau, 
comprehending  the  ten  united  imperial  cities  of  Hagenau,  Colmar, 
Schlettstadt,  Weissenburg,  Landau  [now  in  Rhenish  Bavaria,]  Obern- 
heim,  Rosheim,  Munster  in  Gregorienthal,  Kaisersberg  and  Turkheim, 
and  also  the  free  imperial  city  of  Strasburg. — P. 

b The  territory  ( landschaft ) of  Sundgau  or  Suntgau  (Suntgaw  or 
Sundgaw  (Enc.  Meth.) — Suntgaw  or  Sundgow  (Moreri) — Suntgow 
(Hubner) — one  of  the  goirs  (Germ,  gauen,  Lat.  pagi)  or  districts,  into 
which  the  country  on  the  Upper  Rhine  was  divided  in  the  middle  ages) 
included  that  part  of  the  province  of  Alsace,  south  of  the  Upper  Land- 
graviate. It  belonged  chiefly  to  the  house  of  Austria,  and  was  origi- 
nally possessed  in  a great  measure  by  the  counts  of  Pfirt  (Fr.  Fcrrette;) 
it  also  included  the  free  imperial  city  of  Mulhausen,  and  the  towns  of 
Altkirch,  Befort  and  Huningen. — P. 

c Formerly  called  the  County  of  Burgundy  (Fr.  Comte  de  Bour- 
gogne) or  Upper  Burgundy.  It  was  originally  governed  by  counts  of 
its  own,  but  in  1309  it  came  into  the  possession  of  Philip  the  Bold, 
duke  of  Burgundy,  by  marriage  with  Margaret  heiress  of  the  county, 
and  again  in  1477,  along  with  the  Netherlands,  into  that  of  Maximilian 
I.  then  archduke  of  Austria,  by  marriage  with  Mary,  daughter  of 
Charles  the  Bold,  duke  of  Burgundy.  In  1512,  Maximilian  I.  erect- 
ed it,  along  with  the  Netherlands,  into  a tenth  circle,  that  of  Burgun- 
dy, under  the  protection  of  the  empire,  but  not  subject  to  its  charges 
nor  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  emperor.  Charles  V.  who  had  annexed 
to  it  the  dutchy  of  Lorraine,  ceded  this  circle  with  Spain  to  his  son 
Philip  II.,  in  whose  family  Franche  Comte  remained  till  1674,  when  it 
was  conquered  by  Louis  XIV.,  and  finally  ceded  to  him  by  the  treaty 
of  Nimeguen  in  167S.  Formerly  Besanqon  (Germ.  Bisanz)  was  reck- 
oned a free  imperial  city,  and  the  archbishop  of  Besan^on  and  the  abbot 
of  Lure  (Germ.  Ludders,)  princes  of  the  empire.  These  were  imme- 
diate states  of  the  empire  of  early  date,  (the  city  of  Besanqon  from  the 
10th  century.)  and  were  included  in  the  circle  of  the  Upper  Rhine. — P. 
d 11  Dole.” — See  note  d p.  96C. 

e Franche-Comte  was  divided  into  three  parts,  called  great  baili- 
wicks (grands  bailliages)  viz.  the  upper  or  that  of  Amont  (a  mont) 
the  middle  or  that  of  Dole,  and  the  lower  or  that  of  Aval  (d  val.)  (Mo- 
reri. Enc.  Meth.) — It  was  divided  into  three  upper-bailiwicks,  viz.  those 
of  Amont,  Dole,  and  Besamjon  or  Salines.  (Hubner.)  This  division 
does  not  correspond  with  the  former,  since  Besan^on  was  not  included 
in  the  great  bailiwick  of  Aval,  but  in  that  of  Dole. — Franche-Comte 
was  also  divided  into  fourteen  bailiwicks  (bailliages)  or  subdelegations, 
viz.  Vesoul,  Gray,  Dole,  Lons  le  Saulnier  and  Poligny,  in  the  Low 
Country  (pays  uni.)  and  Pontarlier,  Orgelet,  Salins,  Ornans,  Beaume, 
St.  Claude,  Quingey,  Arbois  and  Besancjon,  in  the  High  or  Mountain 
Country  (pays  de  montagnes.)  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

f The  term  Burgundy  (Bourgogne)  has  several  significations  in  his- 
tory and  geography.  The  government  of  Burgundy  included  not  only 
the  province  of  Burgundy  (Burgundy  Proper,)  but  also  Bresse,  with 
Bugey  and  Valromey,  and  the  country  of  Gex.  The  province  of  Bur- 
gundy included  the  dutchy  of  Burgundy  proper,  with  its  dependencies, 
the  counties  of  Charolois,  Mliconnois,  Auxerrois  and  Bar  sur  Seine. 
The  dutchy  proper  included  Dijonnois,  Autunois,  Chalonnois,  Auxois, 
and  the  Pays  de  la  Montague.  (Enc.  Meth.  Moreri.) — Burgundy  in  its 
more  enlarged  sense,  included  Franche-Comte,  called  Upper  Burgundy 
or  the  County  of  Burgundy,  as  well  as  the  Province  or  Dutchy  of  Bur- 
gundy, called  also  Lower  Burgundy. — The  first  kingdom  of  Burgundy 
was  formed  by  the  Burgundians  (Burgundioncs)  in  the  5th  century. 
It  included  the  dutchy  of  Burgundy,  Franche-Comte,  Provence,  Dau- 
phiny,  Lyonnois,  Savoy  and  Switzerland.  It  was  annexed  to  France 
in  534  by  the  sons  of  Clovis.  The  kingdom  of  Burgundy  on  this  side 
the  Jura  (Burgundia  Cisjurana ,)  founded  in  855  in  favour  of  Charles, 
third  son  of  the  emperor  Lothaire  I.,  included  Provence  and  the  dutchy 
of  Lyons.  (Enc.  Meth.) — The  kingdom  of  Arles  or  Provence,  which 
was  held  by  Charles,  third  son  of  the  emperor  Lothaire,  consisted  of 
Provence,  Dauphiny,  and  part  of  the  ancient  kingdom  of  Burgundy;  it 
terminated  before  864,  on  the  death  of  Charles.  (Guthrie  and  Gray,  vol. 
X.  p.  406,  408.) — The  kingdom  of  Cisjurane  Burgundy,  or  the  first 
kingdom  of  Arles,  comprehended  the  countries  situated  between  the 


Ancient  Provinces 
or  Military 
Governments. 


24  Burgundyf 


Capitals. 


Dijon 


Divisions  in  each  Government. 

'Auxerrois, s Bailiwick' 
of  La  Montagne,11 
Auxois,"  Dijonnais,' 
Autunais,k  Chalon-  > 
nais,1  Charolais,m 
Maconnais,11  Princi- 
pality of  Dombes,0 
Bresse, p Bugey, *t 
Gexr  and  Valromey.8 


The  Departments 
formed  horn  them. 


Ain,  Cote 
d’Or,  Saone 
and  Loire, 
Yonne. 


Saone,  the  Alps  and  the  Sea;  it  was  usurped  by  Boson,  son  in  law 
of  the  emperor  Louis  II.,  in  879,  and  was  ceded  in  929  to  Rodolph  II. 
king  of  Transjurane  Burgundy.  (Moreri.) — The  kingdom  of  Burgundy 
beyond  the  Jura  (Burgundia  Transjurana ,)  founded  by  Rodolph,  son 
of  Conrad,  count  of  Paris,  in  888,  included  at  first  only  Switzerland, 
and  Chablais  (in  Savoy.)  Rodolph  II.  his  son,  united  the  two  king- 
doms of  Cisjurane  and  Transjurane  Burgundy,  and  formed  the  second 
kingdom  of  Arles  (also  called  Transjurane  Burgundy.)  Rodolph  III. 
his  grandson,  dying  without  issue,  left  it  in  1032,  to  the  emperor  Con- 
rad the  Salic.  (Moreri.  Enc.  Meth.) — The  dutchy  of  Burgundy  never 
formed  part  of  either  of  these  two  kingdoms  of  Cisjurane  and  Transju- 
rane Burgundy,  but  was  governed  by  its  dukes,  who  held  of  the  crown 
of  France.  Philip  the  Bold,  the  first  of  the  last  line  of  dukes,  acquired 
by  marriage,  Franche-Comte  and  part  of  the  Netherlands,  and  after- 
wards the  remainder  of  the  Netherlands  were  annexed  to  the  domains 
of  the  family,  rendering  it  one  of  the  most  powerful  in  Europe;  but  on 
the  death  of  Charles  the  Bold  without  male  issue,  in  1477,  these  estates 
were  dismembered — Louis  XL  seizing  the  dutchy  of  Burgundy  as  a 
male  fief,  since  which  time  it  has  remained  in  the  possession  of  the 
crown  of  France,  and  the  other  possessions  passing  to  Maximilian  I. 
by  marriage.  (See  note  c .) — The  circle  of  Burgundy  is  described  in 
note  c . — P . 

s Comprehending  the  N.  W.  corner  of  Burgundy  Proper;  possessed 
by  its  counts  till  1371,  then  united  to  the  crown,  and  in  1435  transfer- 
red to  Philip  duke  of  Burgundy  by  Charles  Vll. — Auxerre  the  capi- 
tal.—P. 

h “ Le  Bailliage  de  la  Montagne  ” (Le  Pays  de  la  Montagne  or  La 
Montagne — so  called  from  its  hilly  surface) — a small  country  on  the 
northern  frontier  of  Burgundy,  projecting  into  Champagne.  It  extends 
along  the  Seine,  and  includes  Chfitillon  sur  Seine  and  Bar  sur  Seine. — 
Bar  sur  Seine,  originally  a county  in  Champagne,  by  which  it  is  entire- 
ly surrounded,  was  ceded  to  Philip  of  Burgundy  in  1435,  by  Charles 
VII—  P. 

‘ Between  Dijonnois  and  Auxerrois — Semur  en  Auxois  the  capital. 

j Dijonnois — including  Dijon,  Auxonne  and  St.  Jean  de  Losne. 

k Autunois — bordering  on  Nivernois;  including  Autun  the  capital, 
Bourbon-Lancy  and  Semur  en  Briennois. — Briennois  or  Brionnois,  a 
small  district,  extending  along  the  Loire  on  the  confines  of  Bourbon- 
nois. — P. 

1 Chalonnois,  Chalonois — divided  into  two  parts  by  the  Saone  ; that 
on  the  west,  called  Chalonnois  Proper  or  La  Montagne,  situated  in 
Burgundy,  (Chalons  sur  Saone;)  that  on  the  east,  (exclusive  of  the  dis- 
trict between  the  Saone  and  the  Doubs  (Verdun) — in  Burgundy,)  called 
Bresse  Chalonnoise,  situated  in  Bresse,  (Louhans.) — P. 

m Charolois — a hilly  country  west  of  Chalons  and  Macon,  traversed  by 
the  canal  of  the  Centre,  and  including  Charolles  and  Digoin ; at  first  a 
county  held  in  fief  of  the  dukes  of  Burgundy,  but  purchased  by  Philip 
the  Bold  in  1390,  and  annexed  to  the  dutchy  of  Burgundy. — P. 

n Maconnois,  Masconnois — on  the  west  of  the  Saone,  by  which  it  is 
separated  from  Bresse;  including  Macon.  Cluny  and  Tournus — origi- 
nally a county  ; united  to  the  crown  in  1238,  and  ceded  by  Charles  Vll. 
to  Philip  of  Burgundy  in  1435. — P. 

0 Situated  on  the  E.  bank  of  the  Saone  below  Macon — Trevoux  the 
capital:  erected  into  an  independent  sovereignty  about  the  commence- 
ment of  the  11  tli  century,  with  which  title  it  continued  in  the  hands 
of  different  families  till  1762,  when  Louis  XV.  purchased  it  and  annex- 
ed it  to  Bresse. — P, 

p Bresse,  in  its  more  enlarged  sense,  included  Bresse  Proper,  the 
sovereignty  of  Dombes,  and  the  countries  of  Bugey,  Valromey  and 
Gex,  and  was  bounded  by  the  Saone  on  the  west,  the  Rhone  on  the 
south  and  south-east,  Switzerland  on  the  north-east,  and  Franche- 
Comte  and  Burgundy  on  the  north. — Bresse  Proper  included  that  part 
of  Bresse  between  the  Saone,  the  Rhone,  the  Ain  and  the  Seille,  ex- 
clusive of  Dombes — Bourg  the  capital. — Bresse  Chalonnoise,  north  of 
the  Seille,  was  annexed  to  the  dutchy  of  Burgundy  in  1289.  (See  note 
1 .) — Bresse  Proper,  Bugey  (including  Valromey.)  and  Gex,  belonged 
to  the  house  of  Savoy,  previous  to  1601,  at  which  time  they  were 
ceded  to  Henry  IV.  in  exchange  for  the  marquisate  of  Saluzzo  in  Pied- 
j mont. — P. 

<i  A small  country  between  the  Ain  and  the  Rhone,  including  Bel- 
ley,  Seissel  and  Nantua.  (See  note  p .) 

r “ Pays  de  Gex.” — Bailiwick  (Bailliage)  of  Gex.  (Moreri.) — A 
small  district  in  Switzerland  in  the  Pays  de  Vaud,  situated  between 
Mount  Jura  on  the  north  and  the  Rhone  and  the  Lake  of  Geneva  on  the 
south;  ceded  to  France  in  1601  by  the  duke  of  Savoy.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

3 Marquisate  of  Valromey — a very  small  district  in  Bugey  on  the 
Rhone;  Seissel  the  capital. — P. 


ROOK  CXLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


341 


Ancient  Provinces 
or  Military 
Governments. 


Capitals. 

Divisions  in  each  government. 

The  Departments 

Ancient  Provinces 
or  Military 

Capitals. 

Divisions  in  each  Government. 

The  Departments 

formed  from  them. 

Governments. 

formed  from  them. 

25  Lyonnais1 


2G  Languedoc11 
27  Roussillon11 


Lyons 


Forez,b  Beaujolais.0  Loire,  Rhone. 


Southern  Region. 

c 

Gevaudan, e 
ivarais.s 


Velay/ 


G< 

Toulouse  < yj 

l 

C Valespir,  Capsir, 
Perpignan  < T,  : 

1 = ) 1 rencli  Cerdagne.' 


JAvdeche, 

Aude,  (Jard, 
Ilerault, 

Upper  Garonne, 
Upper  Loire, 
Lozere,  Tarn. 

) Eastern 
5 Pyrenees. 


28  County  of 
Foix.) 


29  Guienne1 
and 

Gascony"1 


I 


5 


Foix. 


Bordeaux 

and 

Audi 


Donezank  . 

''Bordelais,"  Bazadois,0 
Agenois/1  Perigord, i 
Q.uercy,r  Rouergue,3 
J Landes,1  Basque 
| Chalosse,"  Condomois, T 
Gabardan,w  Armagnac,* * 
Bigorre/1  Comminge,7- 
^ Couserans.111 


Arriege. 


Aveyron, 
Dordogne,  Gers, 
Gironde,  Lot 
..Lot  and 
''Garonne, 
Landes,  Upper 
Pyrenees,  Tarn 
and  Garonne. 


“ Lyonnois,  Lionnois. — The  government  of  Lyonnois  included  the 
three  provinces  of  Lyonnois  Proper,  Forez  and  Beaujolois — the  former 
containing  Lyons  (the  capital.)  Condrieux  and  St.  Genis-Laval. — P. 

b That  part  of  the  government  extending  along  the  valley  of  the 
Loire,  on  the  west  of  Lyonnois  and  Beaujolois — divided  into  Upper 
and  Lower;  the  former  on  the  south,  including  Feurs,  St.  Etienne  and 
St.  Chaumont;  the  latter  on  the  north,  including  Roanne  and  Mont- 
brison. — Forez  was  united  to  the  crown  by  Francis  I. — P. 

c Beaujolois. — That  part  of  the  government  north  of  Lyonnois  Prop- 
er— situated  between  the  Saone  and  the  Loire,  and  including  Ville- 
franche  (the  capital,)  Beaujeu  and  Belleville  sur  Saone. — P. 

d Languedoc,  considered  as  a government,  included  Languedoc 
Proper,  Gevaudan,  Velay  and  Vivarais,  the  three  last  of  which  were 
comprehended  under  the  general  name  of  the  Cevennes.*  Languedoc 
Proper  was  divided  into  Upper  and  Lower — the  former  on  the  west, 
included  the  country  of  Toulouse  {Le  Toulousain  or  Tolosain ,)  also 
called  Upper  Languedoc  Proper;  Albigeois  on  the  north,  (Alby  the 
capital ;)  Lauraguais  on  the  east,  (Castelnaudary  the  capital ;)  and  the 
county  of  Foix  on  the  south  (see  note  i ) — the  latter  on  the  east, 
along  the  Mediterranean,  included  the  three  quarters  of  Narbonne, 
Beziers  and  Nismes.  (Moreri.) — Languedoc  is  generally  said  to  have 
been  derived  from  langue  d’oc  (the  language  of  oc  (yes) — that  word 
having  been  used  by  those  who  spoke  the  Tolosan  language,  while  in 
the  north  of  France,  oi  was  used  for  the  same  purpose — whence  the  dis- 
tinction between  the  countries  of  the  langue  d'oc  and  the  langue  d'oi.) 
Languedoc  in  this  original  sense,  comprehended  most  of  the  country 
to  the  south  of  the  Loire,  viz.  Languedoc,  Guienne,  Limousin  and 
Auvergne  ; but  it  was  early  restricted  to  the  province  of  Languedoc, 
which  was  annexed  to  the  crown  in  1361. — P. 

* Languedoc  was  divided  into  three  parts,  viz.  the  Upper,  the  Lower,  and  the  Ce- 
vennes. The  Cevennes  ( Severnies ,)  considered  as  a division  of  the  government  of 
Languedoc,  comprehending  only  Gevaudan,  Velay  and  Vivarais,  did  not  include  the 
whole  of  the  mountains  called  by  the  same  name,  which  extended  into  Lower  Lan- 
guedoc, and  occupied  a considerable  part  of  the  dioceses  Of  Alais,  Uzes  and  Lodeve. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

e Givaudan  (Moreri) — formerly  Gabauldan,  from  the  ancient  Gaba- 
li  (Enc  Meth.) — Situated  to  the  west  of  Velay  and  Vivarais;  including 
Mende  (the  capital,)  Chateauneuf  de  P«.andon  and  Florae. — P. 

f A mountainous  country,  bounded  by  Gevaudan,  Vivarais,  Forez 
and  Auvergne,  and  now  included  in  the  department  of  the  Upper 
Loire — Le  Puy  the  capital. — P. 

e Vivarez  (Moreri) — extended  along  the  west  bank  of  the  Rhone 
between  Lyonnois  Proper  and  Lower  Languedoc;  Viviers  the  capital. — 
Divided  into  Upper  and  Lower;  the  former  on  the  north,  (Annonay 
the  capital;)  the  latter  on  the  south,  (Villeneuve  de  Berg  the  capi- 
tal.)— P. 

h The  government  of  Roussillon  comprehended  Roussillon  Proper, 
the  small  countries  of  Valespir,  Conflent  (Conllans)  and  Capsir,  and 
French  Cerdagne,  all  of  which  were  conquered  from  Spain  by  Louis 
XIII.  and  ceded  to  France  by  the  treaty  of  the  Pyrenees  in  1659. — 
Roussillon  Proper,  of  which  the  three  small  countries  above  mentioned 
were  appendages,  extended  along  the  Mediterranean  from  Lower  Lan- 
guedoc to  Catalonia — Perpignan  the  capital.  Its  name  was  derived 
from  the  ancient  city  of  Ruscino,  near  Perpignan,  of  which  only  a 
tower  remains,  called  the  Tower  of  Roussillon  {Tor  Rosscillo,  in  the 
language  of  the  country.)  It  was  originally  a county,  possesseil  by 
the  counts  of  Roussillon  and  Ampurias  (Ampurdan,)  but  in  the  12th 
century  was  united  to  the  crown  of  Arragon.  It  continued  in  the 
possesssion  of  Spain  till  it  was  annexed  to  France  as  above  mentioned. — 
Conflent  (originally  a county)  and  Capsir  were  situated  in  the  north- 
western part  of  Roussillon,  towards  the  Pyrenees;  Villefranche,  the 
capital  of  the  former,  and  Puy-Val  d’Or,of  the  latter. — Valespir  includ- 
ed Collioure  and  Port  Vendre  on  the  southern  frontier  of  Roussillon 
(Hubner.) — P. 

1 “ La  Cerdagne  Fran<;aise.” — Cerdagne  (Sp.  Cerdana — Cerdaigne 
or  La  Cerdagna.  Moreri,)  a small  country  in  the  Pyrenees  to  the  west 
of  Roussillon,  (originally  a county,)  part  of  which  belongs  to  Spain 
(Puycerda  the  capital,)  and  part  to  France  (ceded  in  1659— Mont- 
Louis  the  capital.) — P. 

1 This  government  included  the  county  of  Foix,  properly  so  called, 
(united  to  the  crown  of  France  by  Henry  IV.,)  the  country  of  Donezan* 
{Pays  de  Donezan ,)  and  the  valley  of  Andorre.  (See  for  the  latter,  the 
description  of  Spain,  at  the  end.) — P. 


*Donnezan  or  Dounezan — a small  country  in  the  Pyrenees,  united  to  the  govern- 
ment of  Foix  ; Querigut  the  capital,  it  includes  several  passes  from  Catalonia  to 
Foix.  (Diet.  Trevoux.) — P. 

k See  note  i *.  1 “ Guyenne.” 

m The  government  of  Guienne,  (here  called  that  of  Guienne  and 
Gascony,)  was  divided  into  Upper  and  Lower;  the  former,  on  the  east, 
the  latter,  on  the  west.  Lower  Guienne  included  Bordelais,  Perigord, 
Agenois,  Condomois,  Bazadois,  the  Landes,  Gascony  Proper,  and  the 
countries  of  Soule  and  Labour  ; Upper  Guienne,  Quercy,  Rouergue, 
Armagnac,  Comminges,  Couserans  and  Bigorre.  Guienne  Proper  in- 
cluded Bordelais,  Medoc  (that  part  of  Bordelais  between  the  Gironde 
and  the  sea — Lesparre  the  capital,)  Buch  ( Capitalat  de  Buck — a small 
district  of  Gascony  on  the  bay  of  Arcachon,)  and  the  country  between 
two  seas  ( Pays  d'  entre  deux  mers — see  note  " .)  (Enc.  Meth.)— Gui- 
enne, a province  of  France,  with  the  title  of  dutchy,  [Guienne  Proper,] 
including  Bourdelois,  L’Entre-deux-mers,  Medoc,  Bazadois,  Agenois 
and  Condomois.  Guienne  in  its  more  particular  meaning  {Guienne 
jnirticuliire)  included  only  the  Sencchauss&e  of  Bordeaux.  Guienne  is 
said  to  be  a corruption  of  Aquitaine  (first  contracted  into  Quicnne ,)  and 
not  to  have  been  used  till  the  13th  century.  (Moreri.) — Gascony 
{Gascogne,)  a province  of  France,  forming  part  of  the  government  of 
Guienne.  Gascony  Proper  included  the  Landes,  Chalosse,  Tursan, 
Marsan,  and  the  Pays  d'Albret;  Gascony,  improperly  so  called,  also  in- 
cluded the  Pays  des  Basques,  Bearn,  Bigorre,  Comminges,  Armagnac, 
Condomois,  Bazadois  and  Bourdelois.  (Enc.  Meth.) — The  province  of 
Gascony  included  the  Landes,  Chalosse,  Tursan,  Marsan,  Bigorre, 
Comminges,  Armagnac,  Couserans,  Gabardan,  Lomagne,  Astarac,  Ri- 
viere-Verdun,  Nebouzan,-the  Four  Valleys  {Quatre  Vallies,)  the  Pays 
d'Albret,  Condomois,  and  part  of  Bazadois.  (Vosgien.) — Tursan,  in- 
cluding Aire  (the  capital)  and  Miremont. — Marsan,  originally  a vis- 
county under  the  dukes  of  Gascony— Mont  de  Marsan  the  capital. — 
Pays  d’Albret,  (so  called  from  the  small  town  of  Albret  or  l.abrit,) 
originally  a viscounty,  then  a dutchy  ; Nerac  the  capital.- — Lomagne  or 
Laumagne  (Lectoure  the  capital,)  and  Astarac  or  Estarac  (Mirande  the 
capital,)  were  districts  in  Armagnac. — Riviere- Verdun,  a district  in 
Armagnac  along  the  Garonne,  including  Grenade  (the  capital)  and 
Verdun. — Nebouzan,  a small  country  on  the  Garonne,  adjoining  Com- 
minges; St.  Gaudens  the  capital. — Lcs  Quatre  Tallies,  a district  in 
Armagnac,  now  in  the  department  of  the  Upper  Pyrenees,  consisting 
of  the  four  valleys  of  Magnoac,  Aure,  Neste  and  Barouse. — The  Dutchy 
of  Guienne  and  Gascony  (consisting  of  Guienne  Proper  and  Gascony 
Proper)  was  united  to  the  crown  of  England  in  1152,  by  the  marriage 
of  Henry  II.  with  Eleanor,  heiress  of  the  dutchy;  it  continued  in  the 
possession  of  the  English  till  it  was  annexed  to  France  by  Charles  VII. 
in  1453. — P. 

11  Bourdelois.- — The  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Bordeaux  (the  capital,) 
sometimes  called  Guienne  Proper;  including  also  Blaye,  Libourne, 
Bourg,  Rions  and  Cadillac,  (the  latter  the  capital  of  the  country  be- 
tween two  seas  {Pays  d'  entre  deux  mers) — that  part  of  Bourdelois 
between  the  Garonne  and  the  Dordogne.)  (Moreri.) — P. 

° Bazas  the  capital. 

p Agennois.  (Moreri.) — Originally  a county;  then  united  to  the 
dutchy  of  Guienne. — Agen  the  capital. — P. 

i Province,  with  the  title  of  county;  united  to  the  crown  of  France 
by  Henry  IV.  (Moreri.) — Divided  into  Upper  or  White  Perigord  on  the 
Ille  (Perigueux  the  capital,)  and  Lower  or  Black  Perigord  on  the  Dor- 
dogne (Sarlat  the  capital.)— P. 

r Querci  (Moreri ;)  formerly  Cahourcin,  from  the  ancient  Cadurci 
(Enc.  Meth.)  A province  of  France  in  the  government  of  Guienne; 
ceded  to  England  by  John,  in  full  sovereignty;  restored  to  France  by 
Charles  V. — divided  into  Upper  and  Lower  by  the  Lot;  the  former, 
called  Causse,  on  the  north  (Cahors  the  capital;)  the  latter  on  the 
south  (Montauban  the  capital.) — P. 

s Province  in  the  government  of  Guienne  ; united  to  the  crown  ol 
France  by  St.  Louis  (1258) — divided  into  the  County  (County  of  Ro- 
dez.  Moreri,)  including  Rodez  (the  capital,)  Entraigues  and  St.  Geniez 
de  Rivedolt;  the  Upper  Marche,  including  Milhau  (the  capital,)  St. 
Afrique  and  Severac  le  Chiiteau;  and  the  Lower  Marche,  including 
Villefranche  (the  capital)  and  Sauveterre. — P. 

< “ The  Landes  {Les  Landes,)”  sometimes  called  Landes  de  Bor- 
deaux— a country  of  France  in  Gascony,  extending  along  the  sea  coast 
from  Guienne  Proper  to  Bearn  and  the  Pays  de  Labour;  including 
Dax  (the  capital,)  Tartas  and  Peyrehorade. — The  term  Landes  is  also 

u v w x y z aa  see  next  page  for  these  notes. 


342 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVI. 


Ancient  Provinces 
or  Military 

Capitals. 

Divisions  in  each  Government. 

The  Departments 

Governments 

formed  from  them. 

30  Bearn* 

Pau 

Lower  Navarreb 

( Lower 
( Pyrenees. 

1 

f Baronnies,'1  Gapen^ais,e 

| Embrunais/  Brian^onnais,s 

Upper  Alps, 

31  Dauphiny0 

Grenoble  ( 

! Gresivaudan, h Royanes,1 

> Drome, 

1 

Tricastin,!  Valentinois,11 
^Lhois,1  Viennois."1 

Isere. 

Ancient  Provinces 

or  Military  Capitals. 

Governments. 


32  Provence11  . Aix 
Corsica0 

Comtat  VenaissinP  r ? . . 
Conitat  d’Avignom  r\  Avignon 


Divisions  in  each  Government.  The  Departments 
formed  from  them. 

Lower  Alps, 
■ Mouths  of 
| the  Rhone, 
[Var. 

Corsica. 

Vaucluse. 


applied  to  all  the  country  covered  with  sandy  heaths  ( landes ) and  pine 
forests,  between  the  Garonne  and  the  Adour ; divided  into  the  Greater 
Landes,  between  Bordeaux  and  Bayonne,  and  the  Lesser  Landes,  be- 
tween Bazas  and  Mont  de  Marsan. — P. 

11  11  The  country  of  the  Basques  (Le  Pays  dcs  Basques,)  Chalosse 
(La  Chalosse)" — The  Pays  ties  Basques,  called  also  Les  Basques,  Les 
Pays  Basques  (the  Basque  or  Biscayan  countries,)  and  French  Biscay 
(Biscayc  Pranqaise,)  extended  along  the  sea  coast  from  the  Adour  to 
the  Spanish  frontiers.  It  was  divided  into  Labour  (Lab our d (Moreri,) 
Pays  elc  Labour,)  including  all  the  sea  coast,  with  the  towns  of  Bay- 
onne (the  capital.)  Andaye  and  St.  Jean  de  Luz  ; Lower  Navarre 
(see  note  b p.  1022 ;)  and  Soule  (Pays  de  Soule,)  extending  along  the 
Pyrenees  between  Bearn  and  Lower  Navarre,  (Mauleon  the  capital.) 
See  also  the  account  of  the  department  of  the  Lower  Pyrenees 
(notes.) — Chalosse,  a country  in  Gascony,  east  of  the  Landes  (proper) 
— St.  Sever  the  capital. — P. 

v A country  in  Gascony  (Guienne.  Moreri) — Condom  the  capital. 
(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

w A small  country  in  Condomois — Gabaretthe  capital.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

* A province  of  Franee,  with  the  title  of  county — divided  into  Upper 
(eastern)  and  Lower  (western,)  and  including  Auch  (the  capital,)  Mi- 
rande  and  Lecfoure. — P. 

y A province  of  France,  with  the  title  of  county  (Vosgien;)  united 
to  the  crown  by  Henry  IV.  (Moreri) — situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Pyre- 
nees, between  Bearn  and  Comminges,  and  divided  into  the  Mountains 
(Montagues)  on  the  south,  containing  the  two  principal  valleys  of 
Lavedan  and  Bareges,  the  Plain  (plains  Ae  Bigorre)  north  of  the  former, 
extending  from  Bagneres  and  Lourdes  to  Vic  de  Bigorre,  and  including 
Tarbes  (the  capital,)  and  Rustan  on  the  north-east,  bordering  on  Asta- 
rac  (a  district  in  Armagnac — Mirande  the  capital.) — P. 

z Comminges  (Vosgien.)  Cominge,  Cominges  (Moreri.) — A province 
and  county  of  France,  finally  united  to  the  crown  in  the  16th  century — 
situated  on  the  Garonne  at  the  foot  of  the  Pyrenees,  between  Bigorre 
and  Couserans  ; divided  into  Upper  Comminges  on  the  south  (St.  Ber- 
trand de  Cojmninges  the  capital,)  and  Lower  Comminges  on  the  nortli 
(Lombez  the  capital.) — A small  part  of  the  diocese  of  St.  Bertrand  de 
Comminges,  included  in  Languedoc,  was  called  Little  Comminges. — P. 

aa  Conserans  or  Couserans  (Vosgien.)  Coserans  (Moreri.) — A small 
country  with  the  title  of  viscounty  (ricomti ,)  situated  at  the  foot  of  the 
Pyrenees,  between  Comminges  and  the  County  of  Foix,  (St.  I izier  the 
capital) — united  with  the  county  of  Bigorre  1257,  whence  it  passed  to 
the  house  of  Navarre,  and  was  annexed  by  Henry  IV.  to  the  crown  of 
France. — P. 

* The  government  of  Bearn  included  Bearn  Proper  and  Lower  Na- 
varre, both  of  which  belonged  to  the  house  of  Navarre  and  were  united 
by  Louis  XIII.  to  the  crown  of  France  in  1620. — Bearn  Proper,  or  the 
Principality  of  Bearn,  was  bounded  by  Bigorre  on  the  east,  the  Pyre- 
nees on  the  south,  Soule  and  apart  of  Lower  Navarre  on  the  west,  and 
Gascony1  Proper  and  Lower  Armagnac  on  the  north,  and  included  Pau 
(the  capital,)  Oloron  and  Ortliez. — P. 

b 11  Basse-Navarre.” — The  kingdom  of  Navarre  consisted  originally 
of  the  Spanish  province  of  Navarre  (Upper  Navarre)  and  Lower  Na- 
varre in  France.  It  was  divided  into  six  bailiwicks  (merindades,)  five 
in  Spain,  and  the  sixth  consisting  of  Lower  Navarre  (the  only  part  of 
the  kingdom  that  remained  to  John  D ’Albret,  after  his  possessions  in 
Spain  had  been  usurped  by  Ferdinand  in  1512.)  Lower  Navarre  was 
separated  from  Upper  Navarre  by  the  Pyrenees,  along  which  it  extended 
between  Soule  and  Labour,  and  also  on  the  north  of  the  former  to  the 
Principality  of  Bearn.  It  included  St.  Jean  Pied  de  Port  (the  capital) 
and  St.  Palais. — P. 

c Dauphiny  (Dauphini)  was  divided  into  Upper  and  Lower — the 
former  including  Gresivaudan,  Brian<;onnois,  Embrunois,  Gapenqois, 
Royannez  and  the  Baronies;  the  latter,  Viennois,  Valentinois,  Diois 
and  Tricastin.  It  was  part  of  the  second  kingdom  of  Burgundy  (found- 
ed by  Boson  in  879)  till  its  extinction  in  1032.  The  counts  of  Albon, 
who  in  the  12th  century  took  the  title  of  dauphins,  then  acquired  the 
greater  part  of  it,  viz.  Gresivaudan,  Viennois,  Embrunois,  Gapenqois 
and  Brianqonnois.  Humbert  II.,  the  last  of  these  dauphins,  ceded  his 
territories  in  1349,  to  Charles  V.,  then  grandson  of  Philip  of  Valois,  on 
condition  that  he  and  his  heirs  should  bear  the  arms  and  title  of  dau-  | 


phin,  and  that  the  country  should  be  possessed  as  a particular  sovereign- 
ty and  not  incorporated  with  the  kingdom.  Since  then  the  eldest  sons 
of  the  kings  of  France  have  born  the  title  of  dauphins. — P. 

d “ The  Baronies  (Les  Baronnies)” — a mountainous  country  in  the 
southern  part  of  Dauphiny  (diocese  of  Gap — department  of  the  Drome,) 
consisting  of  the  two  great  baronies  of  Mevillon  (Mevillons.  Moreri) 
and  Montauban. — P. 

e Gapenyois  (Enc.  Meth.)  Gapan^ois  (Moreri) — formerly  a county; 
Gap  the  capital. — P. 

f Embrunois,  Ambrunois  (Moreri) — Embrun  the  capital. — P. 
g Brianyonnois,  or  Bailiwick  of  Briamjon.  (Moreri.) — P. 

11  Gresivaudan  (province  of  Grenoble.)  (Moreri.) — Graisivaudan 
(territory  of  Grenoble.)  (Enc.  Meth.) — A mountainous  country  extend- 
ing along  the  Isere  and  the  Drac  ; Grenoble  the  capital — bounded  W. 
and  N.  W.  by  Viennois,  N.  and  N.  E.  by  Savoy,  E.  by  Briamjonnois, 
S.  E.  by  Embrunois,  S.  by  Gapemjois,  and  W.  by  Valentinois. — P. 

1 “ Royanes.” — Royanez  (Enc.  Meth.) — A small  country  in  Dau- 
phiny, in  the  diocese  of  Die;  Pont  de  Royan  (Pont  en  Royans  (Vos- 
gien)— 7 or  8 leagues  S.  W.  of  Grenoble)  the  capital. — P. 

i A country  in  Dauphiny.  in  the  environs  of  St.  Paul-Trois-Chateaux 
(Augusta  Tricastinorum.) — P. 

k A country  on  the  Rhone  (originally  a county,)  ceded  with  Di- 
ois to  Louis  XI.,  then  dauphin,  in  1446,  and  annexed  to  Dauphiny — 
divided  into  Upper  and  Lower  (the  former  extending  from  the  Isere 
to  the  Drome,  and  the  latter,  from  the  Drome  to  the  county  of  Ve- 
naissin,)  and  including  Valence  (the  capital,)  Romans,  St.  Marcellin 
and  Montelimart. — P. 

1 A country  on  the  Drome,  between  Gresivaudan,  Gapenqois  and 
Valentinois — originally  a county,  annexed  to  Valentinois  in  1189;  Die 
the  capital. — P. 

m Situated  between  the  Rhone  and  the  Isere — Vienne  the  capital. — P. 
n Provence,  which  had  been  governed  by  its  counts,  was  united  to 
the  crown  of  France  by  Charles  VIII.  in  1487.  It  was  divided  into 
Upper  (on  the  north)  and  Lower  (on  the  south,)  and  included  within 
its  limits,  besides  the  county  of  Provence,  properly  so  called,  the  coun- 
ty of  Forcalquier  (annexed  to  the  county  of  Provence  in  1193,  whence 
the  kings  of  France,  as  taking  the  place  of  the  counts  of  Provence, 
were  styled  in  all  provincial  acts,  counts  of  Provence  and  Forcalquier,) 
Avignon  and  the  county  of  Venaissin,  which  belonged  to  the  Holy  See, 
the  county  of  Nice  (detached  from  the  county  of  Provence  in  1388,and 
annexed  to  Savoy,  now  Sardinia,)  and  the  Principality  of  Orange,* 
which  belonged  to  the  princes  of  Nassau,  and  was  finally  ceded  to 
Louis  XIV.  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht  in  1713,  when  it  was  annexed  to 
Dauphiny. — P. 

* The  Principality  of  Orange,  (5  leagues  long  by  3 broad,)  was  enclosed  in  the 
county  of  Venaissin.  It  was  originally  a county,  but  took  the  title  of  principality 
about  the  beginning  of  the  12th  century  ; in  1531,  it  passed  into  the  house  of  Nassau- 
Orange,  which  terminated  in  the  person  of  William  III.  of  England  in  1702.  It  was 
then  claimed  by  Frederick  William  I.  of  Prussia,  who  ceded  his  right  to  Louis  XIV., 
by  whom  it  had  previously  been  occupied,  in  1713. — P. 

» The  island  was  not  included  in  any  of  the  ancient  provinces  [“ — in 
any  of  the  32  great  provincial  governments.”] 

p The  County  of  Venaissin  (Le  Comtat  Venaissin;)  also  called  Ve- 
naisse  (Moreri) — situated  between  Provence,  Dauphiny,  the  Rhone 
and  the  Durance,  and  including  Carpentras  (the  capital,)  Venasque 
(the  former  capital,  from  which  it  derived  its  name,)  Cavaillon  and 
Vaison.  It  belonged  to  the  counts  of  Toulouse  till  1228,  when  it  wTas 
ceded  to  the  Holy  See  by  the  agency  of  St.  Louis;  the  popes,  however, 
yielded  it  again  to  the  counts  of  Toulouse  in  1243,  but  it  w'as  finally 
restored  to  the  Holy  See  by  Philip  the  Hardy  in  1273.— P. 

<i  The  County  of  Avignon  (Le  Comtat  d' Avignon) — consisting  of  the 
city  and  territory  of  Avignon  and  the  hourg  of  Mauriere  (Moreri.)  The 
city  of  Avignon  formed  itself  into  a kind  of  republic  in  the  11th  cen- 
tury, holding  in  common  of  the  counts  of  Provence  and  Toulouse.  In 
1290  the  sovereignty  was  vested  entirely  in  the  counts  of  Provence,  of 
whom  it  wras  purchased  in  1348  by  Clement  VI.  and  thus  came  into  the 
possession  of  the  Holy  See.  The  two  counties  of  Venaissin  and  Avig- 
non formed  the  papal  sovereignty  of  Avignon. — P. 

r These  two  small  countries  were  not  ceded  to  France  by  the  papal 
government,  as  has  been  already  remarked,  till  1791. 


book  cxlyi.j  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  343 

STATISTICAL  TABLE, 

EXHIBITING 

9 

THE  POPULATION,  SURFACE,  EXTENT  OF  ROADS*  AND  INLAND  NAVIGATION,  AND  VALUE  OF  LAND,  IN  EACH  DEPARTMENT. 


Departments. 

i 

Population. 

Surface 
in  geogra- 
phical 
square 
leagues. 

Number 
of  inhabi- 
tants to 
each 
square 
league. 

Capitals  of  departments^  subpre- 
fecturesc  and  dioceses.d 

Relative  extent 
in  metres  e to 
every  square 
league. 

1 

Number  of  hectares.f 

Mean  annual 
value  of  the 
hectare. 

Revenue  of  the 
land.g 

Names. 

Population . 

a 

T3 

C3 

O 

Inland  ; 
Naviga- 
tion. 1 

Woods. 

Vineyards. 

Francs. 

Cen- 

times. 

Francs. 

Ain 

341,628 

295 

1113 

Bourg 
Belley! 
Gex 
Nantua 
Trevoux  - 

- - 8424 

- - 5284 

- - 2647 

- - 3684 

- - 3000 

1408 

779 

65,100 

18,000 

25  75 

16,076,000 

Aisne 

489,560 

375 

1226 

Laon  - - - 7354 

Chateau-Thierry  4345 
St.  Quentin  - 17,661 

Soissonsf  - - 7483 

Vervins  - - - 2687 

1589 

552 

103,700 

9400 

35  65 

23,994,000 

Allier 

285,302 

293 

953 

Moulins^  - 14,525 

Gannat  - - - 5003 
Palisse  - - - 2268 

Mont-Lu^on  - 4567 

1493 

685 

123,000 

12,000 

15  — 

13,130,000 

Alps  (Lower) 

153,063 

368 

405 

DiGNF.f  - - - 3955 

Barcelonette  - 1759 

Castellane  - - 1930 

Forcalquier  - - 2133 

Sisteron  - - - 3920 

365 

56,400 

10,000 

5 99 

7,745,000 

Alps  (Upper) 

125,329 

275 

441 

Gap| 
Brian^on 
Embrun  - 

- - 7015 

- - 2835 

- - 2300 

1213 

72,300 

7000 

6 20 

5,234,000 

Ardeciie 

328,419 

277 

1120 

Privas  - - - 4199 
V ime»\s'fh 

L’Argentiere  - 2797 
Tournon  - - - 3606 

1394 

498 

28,800 

16,000 

19  48 

13,210,000 

Ardennes 

281,624 

256 

1043 

Mezieres 

Rethel 

Rocroy 

Sedan 

Vouziers 

- - 4159 

- - 6147 

- - 3500 

12,608 

- - 1880 

1261 

449 

155,900 

2500 

16  93 

11,234,000 

Arriege 

247,932 

287 

817 

Foix  - - 

Pamiersf 
St.  Girons 

- - 4958 

- - 6246 

- - 4450 

981 

21 

57,500 

16,200 

15  20 

9,841,000 

Aube 

241,762 

306 

752 

Troyes!  " - 25,587 

Arcis  sur  Aube  2656 

Bar  sur  Aube  - 3758 
Bar  sur  Seine  - 2112 

Nogent  sur  Seine  3325 

1223 

224 

84,500 

21,000 

21  05 

27,472,515 

a “Royal  roads” — great  roads  supported  by  the  nation,  in  distinction 
from  those  supported  by  the  communes. — P. 

b “ Prefectures.”  c Arrondissements. 

d The  sign  t denotes  the  capital  of  a bishopric,  and  the  sign  [,  an 
archiepiscopal  town. — [The  whole  number  of  archbishops  and  bishops 
marked  in  this  table,  is  fourteen  of  the  former,  and  sixty-six  of  the  lat- 
ter, corresponding  with  the  numbers  in  the  Table  of  the  Clergy  in  1828 
(p.  1032.) — Before  the  revolution,  there  were  eighteen  archbishops  in 
France,  (exclusive  of  Avignon,)  and  114  bishops.  (Enc.  Meth.  1782.)— By 
a decree  of  the  National  Assembly  in  1790,  the  number  of  archbishops 
was  reduced  to  10,  (called  metropolitan  bishops,)  and  that  of  bishops  to 
83,  one  for  each  department.  By  the  concordat  of  1801,  the  number  of 
archbishops  in  France  proper  was  fixed  at  10,  and  that  of  bishops  at  51. 
(Ed.  Encyc.) — In  the  Almanack  Imperial  of  1813,  the  number  of  arch- 
bishops in  France  proper  is  stated  at  nine:  viz.  Paris,  Besancon,  Lyons, 
Aix,  Toulouse,  Bordeaux,  Bourges,  Tours  and  Rouen;  that  of  bishops, 
at  41.  In  the  Almanack  Royal  of  1822,  the  number  of  archbishops  is 
stated  at  twelve:  viz.  Paris,  Besancon,  Lyons,  Aix,  Toulouse,  Bordeaux, 
Bourges,  Tours,  Rouen,  B-eims,  Sens  and  Avignon  ; that  of  bishops,  at 
44.  Among  the  bishoprics  marked  in  this  table,  the  following  are  not 


contained  in  the  list  of  1822:  viz.  Belley,  Moulins,  Gap,  Viviers,  Pa 
miers,  Rhodez,  Marseilles,  Tulle,  St.  Claude,  Aire,  Blois,  Le  Puy, 
Chalons,  Langres,  Verdun,  Nevers,  Beauvais,  Tarbes,  Perpignan, 
Montauban,  Frejus  and  St.  Die;  and  among  the  archbishoprics,  those 
of  Audi  and  Alby.  These  bishoprics  and  archbishoprics  all  existed, 
however,  before  the  revolution,  except  that  of  Moulins. — P.] 
e The  metre  is  equal  to  39.371  English  inches.  Tr. 
f I The  Hectare  is  nearly  equal  to  two  English  acres.  Tr. — [The  Hec- 
tare is  equal  to  11,960.46  English  square  yards,  or  2 acres,  1 rood,  35.4 
rods,  nearly. — P.] 

s “ Revenu  territorial  ” — returns  from  the  soil.  The  total  of  these 
sums  amounts  to  1,578,288,515  francs,  (the  department  of  the  Doubs 
not  included.) — In  a memoir  on  the  commerce  of  France  and  her  colo- 
nies, published  in  1789,  the  value  of  the  produce  of  agriculture  was  esti- 
mated at  1,826,000,000  livres.  (Ed.  Encyc.)— The  value  of  capital  vested 
in  agricultural  pursuits  is  estimated  at  37,522,061,476  francs;  the  gross 
annual  produce  at  4,678,708,885  francs;  the  expenses  of  cultivation  at 
3,334,005,515  francs;  and  the  nett  profits  at  1,344,703,370  francs.  (Enc 
Amer.) — P. 

h Viviers  is  not  the  capital  of  a subprefecture.  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 


344  EUROPE.  [BOOK  CXLVI. 


Departments. 

Population 

Surface  i 
geograph 
cal  squar 
leagues. 

n Number  ol 
- inhabitant 
e to  each  sq 
league. 

Capitals  of  Departments,  Subpre- 
fectures, and  Dioceses. 

Relative  exten 
in  metres  to  ev 
ery  sq.  league 

Number  of  hectares. 

Mean  annu 
al  value  of 
the  hectare 

Revenue  of  the 
land. 

Names.  j Population 

• 

TS 

6 

C5 

Z > C 
£*  \ 

Woods. 

. 

Vineyards. 

c g Si 

£ SJ 

Francs. 

Aude 

265,991 

319 

794 

Carcassonne’!" 

17,755 

906 

43£ 

56,300 

35,000 

23  07 

17,387,000 

Castelnaudary 

9989 

Narbonne* 

10,097 

Aveyron 

350,014 

445 

762 

Rhodez"!" 

7747 

1058 

IE 

59,600 

20,000 

14  57 

12,943,000 

Espalion 

2350 

Milhau 

8582 

St.  Afrique 

6406 

Villefranche 

9521 

Calvados 

500, 95C 

281 

1749 

Caen 

38,161 

1376 

38C 

32,800 

55  38 

35,503,000 

Bayeuxf 

10,060 

Falaise 

1 0,303 

Lisieux 

10,706 

Pont  l’Eveque 

2092 

Vire 

8116 

Cantal 

262,013 

274 

911 

Aurillac 

9576 

1345 

29,800 

240 

15  38 

10,062,000 

Mauriac 

2455 

Murat 

O4  5O 

St.  Flourf 

6640 

Channel 

611,206 

304 

1951 

St.  JLo 

8,509 

1168 

407 

16,300 

40  59 

31,813,000 

Avranches 

6,966 

Cherbourg 

17,066 

Coutances'f 

9,037 

Mortain 

2,715 

Valognes 

6,955 

Charente 

353,653 

280 

1107 

Angouleme+ 

15,306 

1023 

22,100 

66,500 

26  93 

17,906,000 

Barbezieux 

3092 

Cognac 

3017 

Confolens 

2213 

Ruffec 

2657 

ClIARENTE(LoYVer) 

424,147 

307 

1333 

Saintes5 

10,300 

1306 

896 

38,100 

90,600 

30  37 

22,637,000 

Jonsac 

2501 

Marennes 

4588 

Rochefort 

12,909 

La  Rochelle tb 

1 1,073 

St.  Jean  d’Angcly  5766 

Cher 

248,539 

369 

665 

BourgesJ 

19,500 

848 

389 

15,000 

12,000 

12  74 

9,985,000 

St.  Am  and 

5923 

Sancerre 

3103 

CoRREZE 

284,882 

273 

940 

Tulle| 

8479 

866 



13,400 

20,000 

12  69 

7,715,000 

Drives 

7211 

Ussel 

2551 

Corsica 

185,079 

495 

376 

AjAcciof 

7658 

— 

— 

225,000 

9000 



2,635,000 

Bastia 

9527 

Calvi 

1 175 

Corte 

2841 

■ 

Sartene 

2137 

Cote  d’Or 

370,943 

440 

814 

Dijon"!" 

23,845 

1468 

182 

256,000 

24,000 

24  60 

25,829,000 

Beaune 

9366 

Chatillon  sur  Seine  3986 

Semur 

4220 

Creuse 

252,932 

269 

925 

Gueret 

3448 

953 

— 

39,000 

— 

10  36 

6,812,000 

Aubusson 

4136 

Bourganeuf 

1687 

Boussac 

757 

Dordogne 

464,074 

476 

953 

Perigueux| 

8588 

695 

435 

67,500 

72,000 

20  51 

21,327,000 

Bergerac 

8412 

Yontron 

1902 

^liberac 

3604 

Sarlat 

5573 

“ Limoux  is  also  the  capital  of  a subprefecture  in  the  department  of  ||  b Tlie  capital  of  the  department  is  La  Rochelle,  not  Saintes.  Saintes 
the  Aude.  (Aim.  Royal.) — P.  ||  is,  however,  the  capital  of  a subprefecture.  (M.  B.  Aim.  Royal.) — P. 


book  cxlvi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  345 


Departments. 

Population. 

Surface  in 
geographi- 
cal square 
leagues. 

Number  of 
inhabitants 
to  each  sq. 
league. 

Capitals  of  Departments,  Subpre- 
fectures, and  Dioceses. 

Relative  extent 
in  metres  to  ev- 
ery sq.  league. 

Number  of  hectares. 

Mean  annu- 
al value  of 
the  hectare. 

Revenue  of  the 
land. 

Names. 

Population. 

Roads. 

Inland 

Navi- 

gation.' 

Woods. 

Vineyards. 

tn  . • 

C c « 

S « s 

fa  «-* 

Francs. 

Doubs 

254,312 

276 

878 

Besan^onJ 

28,795 

1038 

362 

1 13,300 

8000 

20  99 

Beaume 

2235 

Pontarlier 

4549 

Montbelliard  4605 

Drome 

285,791 

336 

824 

Valence! 

10,283 

818 

479 

92,500 

19,000 

17  75 

12,813,000 

Die 

3187 

Montelimart  7589 

Nyons 

2744 

Eure 

421,665 

298 

1418 

Evreux| 

9729 

1396 

876 

97,800 

18,000 

40  43 

29,741,000 

Les  Andely 

s 3460 

Bernay 

4738 

Louviers 

9242 

Pont-Audemer  5398 

Eure  and  Loir 

277,782 

304 

868 

Chartres! 

13,703 

1201 

99 

45,000 

7,000 

31  01 

19,419,000 

Chateaudun  6452 

Dreux 

6247 

Nogent  le  Rotrou  6658 

Finisterre 

502,851 

350 

1376 

Quimper! 

10,032 

1142 

143 

12,700 

19  80 

15,328,000 

Brest 

26,655 

Chateaulin 

2426 

Morlaix 

9761 

Quimperle 

4724 

Gard 

347,550 

303 

1103 

Nimes| 

39,068 

1636 

346 

81,300 

100,000 

26  30 

20,656,000 

Alais 

10,252 

ITzes 

5622 

Le  Vigan 

4246 

Garonne  (UpperJ 

407,016 

339 

1153 

Toulouse! 

55,319 

943 

498 

48,300 

57,300 

30  42 

22,448,000 

Muret 

3301 

St.  Gaudens  5629 

Villefranche  2515 

Gers 

307,601 

311 

967 

AuchJ 

10,844 

1336 

— 

11,400 

74,000 

22  09 

16,415,000 

Condom 

4149 

Lectoure 

3104 

Lombez 

2243 

Mirande 

2243 

Gironde 

538,151 

517 

1010 

Bordeaux^ 

93,549 

699 

550 

85,600 

110,000 

31  72 

39,907,000 

Bazas 

1903 

Blaye 

2881 

La  Reole 

2600 

Lesparre 

950 

Libourne 

8943 

Herault 

339,560 

315 

1029 

Montpelier!  35,842 

1176 

70 

70,400 

75,000 

27  17 

21,580,000 

Beziers 

16,515 

Lodeve 

9842 

St.  Pons 

6121 

Ille  and  Vilaine 

553,453 

321 

1661 

Rennes! 

29,377 

1956 

181 

20,000 

306 

26  40 

19,477,000 

Fougeres 

7880 

Montfort  sur  Meu  1316 

Redon 

2998 

St.  Malo 

9838 

Vitre 

9085 

Indre 

237,628 

354 

649 

Ciiateauroux  11,010 

1056 

— 

102,000 

14,000 

12  22 

9,944,000 

Le  Blanc 

4642 

Issoudun 

11,223 

La  Chatre 

4272 

Indre  and  Loire 

290,160 

321 

879 

Tours! 

20,920 

905 

1058 

73,600 

36,000 

21  18 

14,978,000 

Chinon 

4406 

Loches 

3500 

Isere 

525,984 

420 

1204 

Grenoble! 

22,149 

1135 

381 

130,700 

22,000 

24  45 

24,134,000 

La  Tour  du  Pin  1770 

St.  Marcellin  2540 

Vienne 

13,780 

VOL.  III.— NO.  53  44 


346  EUROPE.  [BOOK  CXI/VI 


Surface 

Number 
of  inhabi- 

Capitals  of  Departments,  Subpre- 
fectures and  Dioceses. 

Relative  extent 
in  metres  to 
every  square 

Number  of  hectares. 

Mean  annual 
value  of  the 
hectare. 

Revenue  of  the 
land. 

Departments. 

Population. 

in  geogra- 

league. 

piiical 

square 

each 

square 

Population. 

w 

•s  s>  • 

m . „• 

ieagues. 

league. 

Names. 

o 

« 

= — C 
« > C 

Woods. 

Vineyards. 

c Co 

5 « c 
2 o .5 
fa  w 

Francs. 

Jura 

310,202 

254 

1160 

Lons  le  Saulnier  7864 

1294 

— 

135,000 

16,000 

17  24 

15,351,000 

Dole 

9847 

Poligny 

5555 

St.  Claude! 

5533 

Lanpes 

265,309 

459 

558 

Mont  de  Marsan  3088 

911 

311 

127,400 

19,500 

6 25 

7,537,000 

Dax 

5045 

St.  Sever 
Jlire\x 

2604 

Loir  and  Chf.r 

230,666 

319 

708 

BloisI 

1 1 ,337 

690 

362 

66,000 

28,000 

17  15 

11,721,000 

Romorantin 

6820 

Vendome 

6805 

Loire 

369,298 

234 

1471 

Montrrison  5156 

950 

227 

36,400 

13,000 

24  90 

14,368,000 

Roanne 

8916 

St.  Etienne 

30,615 

Loire  (Lower) 

457,090 

308 

1405 

NANTEsf 

71,739 

1563 

751 

37,400 

45,000 

29  89 

18,904,000 

Ancenis 

3145 

Chateaubriant  2145 

Paimboeuf 

3646 

Save nay 

1845 

Loire  (Upper) 

285,673 

250 

1105 

Le  Puy| 

14,998 

1162 

80 

36,400 

13,000 

18  59 

10,400,000 

Brioude 

5262 

Yssengeaux  6908 

Loiret 

304,228 

356 

818 

Orleans^ 

40,340 

1158 

764 

95,700 

39,000 

24  12 

17,516,000 

Gien 

5149 

Montargis 

6653 

Pithiviers 

4012 

Lot 

280,815 

263 

1046 

Cahors| 

12,413 

839 

623 

23,000 

47,000 

18  57 

11,306,000 

Figeac 

4790 

Gourdon 

5990 

Lot  and  Garonne 

336,886 

242 

1363 

Agen| 

11,971 

1774 

813 

26,000 

60,000 

34  60 

20,943  000 

Marmande 

4160 

Nerac 

3418 

Villeneuve  d’Agen  9495 

Lozere 

138,778 

257 

521 

Mende| 

5445 

1430 

— 

21,600 

10  94 

5,904,000 

Florae 

1962 

Marvejols 

3370 

Maine  and  Loire 

458,674 

365 

1213 

ANGERsf 

29,978 

1086 

764 

43,200 

35,000 

28  61 

23,979,000 

Bauge 

3400 

Beaupreau 

2964 

Saumur 

10,314 

Segre 

909 

Marne 

325,045 

410 

738 

Chalons| 

12,419 

1221 

459 

81,600 

20,600 

20  16 

16,290,000 

Epernay 

5080 

Reims? 

34,862 

St.  Menehould  2933 

Vitry  le  Francois  7194 

Marne  (Upper) 

244,823 

315 

737 

Chaumont 

6027 

1050 

318 

215,900 

17,500 

16  93 

13,652,000 

Langresj 

7180 

Vassy 

2345 

Mayenne 

354,138 

261 

1314 

Laval 

15,850 

981 

172 

25,800 

600 

24  78 

13,093,000 

Chateau-Gonthier  5946 

Mayenne 

9799 

Meurthe 

403,038 

282 

1350 

Nancy! 

29,122 

1521 

270 

218,900 

13,500 

24  12 

17,500,000 

Luneville 

12,378 

Sarrebourg 

1955 

Toul 

7507 

Meuse 

306,339 

305 

958 

Bar  le  Du 

c 12,520 

1679 

164 

180,000 

15,000 

22  — 

14,281,000 

Commercj 

3714 

Montmedy 

2146 

Verdun! 

9882 

» Aire  is  not  the  capital  of  a subprefecture.  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 


book  cxiiVi.j  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  347 


Departments. 

Population. 

Surface  in 
geographi- 
cal square 
leagues. 

Number  of 
inhabitants 
to  each  sq. 

Capitals  of  Departments,  Subpre- 
fectures, and  Dioceses 

Relative  extent 
in  metres  to  ev- 
ery sq.  league. 

Number  of  hectares 

Mean  annu- 
al value  of 
the  hectare. 

Revenue  of  the 
land. 

-o 

o 

03 

Inland 

Navi- 

gation. 

Woods. 

Vineyards. 

Francs. 

Cen- 

times. 

Francs. 

league. 

Names. 

Population. 

Morbihan 

427,453 

360 

1157 

VANNEsf 

11,289 

1605 

489 

18,300 

600 

20  -- 

14,741,000 

Lorient 

15,310 

Ploermel 

5984 

Pontivy 

7770 

Moselle 

409,135 

339 

1110 

Metz| 

45,276 

1222 

280 

132  000 

4,500 

25  63 

16,528,000 

Briey 

1717 

Sarreguemines  3608 

• 

Thionville 

5821 

Mouths  of  the  Rhone 

326,302 

256 

1225 

Marseilles'!  115,943 

953 

625 

41,000 

26,500 

26  77 

23,588,000 

AixJ 

23,132 

Arles 

19,869 

Nievre 

271,777 

334 

772 

N EVERS"! 

15,782 

1122 

— 

188,000 

12,000 

16  85 

12,050,000 

Chateau-Chinon  2214 

Clamecy 

5447 

Cosne 

5973 

North 

962,648 

283 

3188 

Lille 

69,860 

2061 

205 

57,000 

— 

69  56 

44,206,000 

Avesnes 

3311 

Cambrayf 

17,031 

Douay 

19,880 

Dunkirk 

24,517 

Hazebrouck  7644 

Valenciennes*  19,841 

North  Coast 

581,684 

375 

1470 

St.  Brieux!  9963 

1043 

149 

19,000 

— 

22  68 

19,258,000 

Dinan 

7175 

Guingamp 

5919 

Lannion 

5269 

Loudeac 

7033 

Oise 

385,124 

297 

1332 

Beauvais'!" 

12,865 

1787 

374 

83,300 

3,500 

39  80 

25,906,000 

Clermont 

2406 

Compiegne 

7362 

Senlis 

5049 

Orne 

434,379 

283 

1492 

Alen^on 

14,071 

975 

— 

58,900 

29  22 

22,096,000 

Seezf 

Argentan 

6044 

Domfront 

1670 

Mortagne 

5405 

Pur  de  Dome 

566,573 

409 

1353 

3o,mo 

995 

220 

54,200 

22,000 

24  28 

22,428,000 

Issoire 

3649 

Riom 

6095 

• 

Thiers' 

11,613 

Pyrenees  (Lower) 

412,469 

386 

1036 

Pau 

11,761 

1824 

189 

11,200 

16,700 

16  79 

15,392,000 

Bayonnef 

13,498 

Mauleon 

1054 

Oloron 

6423 

Orthez 

6834 

Pyrenees  (Upper) 

222,059 

233 

907 

Tarbes| 

8712 

1216 

— 

67,500 

11,000 

13  85 

7,769,000 

Argeles 

878 

Bagneres 

7037 

Pyrenees  (Eastern) 

151,372 

205 

699 

Perpignan-!  15,357 

1569 

— 

47,200 

53,500 

16  30 

7,351,000 

Ceret 

3078 

Prades 

2795 

Rhine  (Lower") 

535,467 

210 

2384 

Strasburg"!  49,708 

1565 

958 

156,600 

14,400 

42  38 

24,692,000 

Saverne 

4993 

Schelestat 

9600 

Weissemburg  6146 

Rhine  (Upper) 

408,741 

194 

1903 

Colmar 

15,496 

1778 

617 

160,000 

15,000 

37  19 

19,196,000 

Altkirch 

2395 

Befort 

4803 

*■  Valenciennes  was  in  the  subprefecture  of  Douay  in  1822.  (Aim. 
Royal.) — P. 

h Seez  is  not  the  capital  of  a subprefecture.  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 


c Ambert  is  also  the  capital  of  a subprefecture  ip  the  department  of 
Puy  de  Dome.  (M.  B.) — P. 


348 

EUROPE. 

[BOOK  CXLVI. 

r 

| 

Surface 
in  geogra- 
phical 
square 
leagues. 

Number 
of  inhabi- 

Capitals  of  Departments,  Subpre- 
fectures and  Dioceses. 

Relative  extent 
in  metres  to 
every  square 
league. 

Number  of  hectares. 

Mean  annual 
value  of  the 
hectare. 

Revenue  of  the 
land. 

Department*. 

Population. 

square 

league. 

Names. 

Population. 

■o 

rt 

o 

« 

Inland 

Naviga- 

tion. 

Woods. 

Vineyards. 

Francs. 

Cen- 

times. 

Francs. 

Rhone 

416,575 

141 

2954 

Lyons! 

145,675 

1362 

863 

12,000 

13,800 

39  — 

21,353,000 

Villefranche  5275 

Saone  (Upper) 

326,641 

262 

1175 

Vesoul 

5252 

1202 

763 

130,300 

12,000 

31  89 

18,336,000 

Gray 

7203 

Lure 

2808 

Saone  and  Loire 

515,776 

290 

1150 

Macon 

10,965 

1266 

825 

132,000 

12,000 

30  — 

28,480,000 

Autunj- 

9936 

Chalons 

10,609 

Charolles 

3013 

Louhans 

3170 

Sarthe 

446,519 

323 

1326 

Le  Mans! 

19,477 

1105 

415 

58,600 

10,400 

28  16 

19,596,000 

La  Fleche 

5412 

Mainers 

5846 

St.  Calais 

3752 

Seine 

1,013,373 

24 

34,398 

ParisJ 

890,431 

5498 

381 

4,100 

4,800 

216  — 

54,418,000 

St.  Denis 

5731 

Sceaux 

1529 

Seine  (Lower) 

688,295 

300 

2181 

RouenJ 

90,000 

2556 

674 

70,600 

20,000 

51  11 

30,305,000 

. 

Dieppe 

17,077 

Havre 

21,049 

- 

Neufchatel 

3169 

Yvetot 

9853 

Seine  and  Marne 

318,209 

301 

1007 

Melun 

7199 

1898 

499 

84,100 



67  85 

44,523,000 

Coulommiers  3530 

Fontainebleau  7400 

Meauxf 

7836 

Provins 

5076 

Seine  and  Oise 

440,871 

278 

1585 

Versailles!  29,986 

1722 

834 

73,400 

16,900 

40  27 

25,421,000 

Corbeil 

4051 

Etampes 

7867 

Mantes  sur 

Seine  3701 

Pontoise 

5370 

Rambouillet  2958 

Sevres  (Two) 

288,260 

296 

947 

Niort 

15,799 

763 

162 

39,200 

20,000 

23  87 

13,849,000 

Bressuire 

1344 

Melle 

2228 

526,282 

Parthenay 

4184 

Somme 

305 

1667 

Amiens! 

42,032 

1907 

367 

55,000 

— 

45  38 

29,064,000 

• 

Abbeville 

19,520 

Doulens 

3690 

Montdidier 

3730 

Peronne 

3777 

Straits  of  Calais 

648,969 

338 

1852 

Arras! 

22,173 

2006 

479 

46,600 

— 

45  43 

32,305,000 

Bethune 

6830 

Boulogne 

19,314 

Montreuil 

4194 

St.  Omer 

19,019 

St.  Pol 

3556 

Tarn 

327,655 

290 

1083 

AlbyJ 

10,993 

1072 

248 

41,900 

23,000 

24  97 

15,562,000 

Castres 

15,663 

Gaillac 

7476 

Lavaur 

7037 

Tarn  and  Garonne 

241,586 

114 

2083 

Montauban!  25,466 

Castel-Sarrasin  7067 

2296 

1093 

11,300 

30,000 

38  76 

16,453,000 

Moissac 

10,115 

Var 

311,095 

368 

828 

Draguignan  8035 

1102 

— 

111,700 

42,000 

27  17 

22,000,000 

Frejus'l 

Brignolles 

6170 

Grasse 

12,716 

Toulon 

30,171 

BOOK  CXLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


349 


Departments. 

Population . 

Surface  in 
geographi- 
cal square 
leagues. 

Number  of 
inhabitants 
to  each  sq. 
league. 

Capitals  of  Departments,  Subpre 
fectures,  and  Dioceses 

Relative  extent 
in  metres  to  ev- 
ery sq.  league. 

Number  of  hectares. 

Mean  annu- 
al value  of 
the  hectare. 

Revenue  of  the 
land. 

Names. 

Population. 

Roads. 

Inland 

Navi- 

gation. 

Woods. 

Vineyards. 

Francs. 

Cen-  ! 
times. 

Francs. 

Vaucluse 

233,048 

167 

1342 

AvignonI 

Apt 

Carpentras 

Orange 

31,180 

5433 

9756 

8864 

457 

299 

74,100 

45,000 

29  78 

13,614,000 

Vendee 

322,826 

341 

928 

Bourbon- Vendee  3129 
Fontenay  7493 

Lm;on\ 

Les  Sables  d'Olonne  4783 

974 

252 

19,600 

16,000 

19  80 

15,607,000 

Vienne 

267,670 

349 

747 

PoiTiERsf  21,563 

Chatellerault  9241 

Civray  2192 

Loudun  5044 

Montmorillon  3539 

1008 

122 

57,500 

33,000 

15  30 

12,082,000 

Vienne  (Upper) 

276,351 

290 

949 

Limoges]-  25,612 

Bellac  3400 

Rochechouart  1550 

St.  Yrieix  2746 

1062 

21,600 

3000 

12  85 

8,189,000 

Vosges 

379,839 

552 

1420 

Epinal  7951 

Mirccourt  5608 

Neufchuteau  3667 

Remiremont  4148 

St.  Dief  7339 

2051 

216,400 

4000 

18  66 

14,335,000 

Yonne 

342,116 

364 

915 

Auxkrre 

Avallon 

Joigny 

SensJ 

Tonnerre 

12,348 

5261 

5263 

8685 

3650 

1198 

494 

156,900 

36,000 

20  57 

17,520,000 

TABLE, 

EXHIBITING  THE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE  SURFACE  IN  FRANCE,  ACCORDING 
TO  THE  USES  TO  WHICH  EACH  PART  IS  APPLIED. 


Hectares. 

Arable  Land  .....  22,818,000 

Vineyards  ....  . 1,977,000 

Kitchen  Gardens  .....  328,000 

Gardens  and  Orchards  ....  687,000 

Miscellaneous  Culture  - - 780,000 

Olives  ......  43,000 

Hops  ......  60,000 

Chestnuts  ......  406,000 

Parks,  Groves,  Nurseries  ....  39,000 

Woods  and  Forests  ( Bois ) ....  6,521,000 


33,659,000 


Amount  brought  up, 
Willows  and  Alders, 

Pastures  ... 

Meadows  ... 

Waste  Lands  ( Torres  incultes) 
Turbaries  ... 

Mines  and  Quarries  - 
Buildings  ... 

Canals  (navigable  and  for  irrigation) 
Ponds  ... 

Marshes  ... 

Roads,  rivers,  mountains,  rocks 


Hectares. 

33,659,000 

53.000 

3.525.000 

3.488.000 

3.841.000 

7.000 

28.000 
213,000 

9.000 

213.000 

186.000 

6.555.000 


Total 51,777,000 

[The  superficial  extent  of  France  has  been  recently  estimated  by 
Baron  C.  Dupin  at  53,533,426  hectares,  or  132,694,000  English  a^s 
(Enc.  Amer.) — P.l 


[BOOK  CLXVI 


350 


EUROPE. 


STATISTICAL  TABLE 


OF  COURTS1  AND  ACADEMIES,6  EXHIBITING  THE  NUMBER  OF  CRIMINALS,  AND  ALSO  THAT  OF  SCHOLARS  (MALES,)  RELATIVE 
TO  THE  POPULATION. ACCORDING  TO  THE  TABLE  (Carte)  OF  M.  M.  BaLBI  AND  GuERRY. 


Seats  of  the  Royal  Courts 
and  Academies. 

Departments  subject  to  their  jurisdiction. 

Population. 

Those  cond 

the  person, 
one  out  of 
every 

CRIMI  NAL3- 

emned  for 

property, 
one  out  of 
every 

crimes  against 

both  property 
and  person, 
one  out  of 
every 

SCHOLARS 

(Males),  one 
out  of  every 

Agenc 

- 

- 

Lot  and  Garonne,  Lot,  Gers  - 

925,000 

29,839 

17,130 

10,882 

55 

Amiens  - 

- 

Somme,  Oise,  Aisne  - - - - 

1,401,000 

72,466 

10,061 

9596 

12 

Angers 

- 

- 

Mayenne,  Sarthe,  Maine  and  Loire 

1,259,000 

51,740 

11,694 

9536 

58 

Aixd 

- 

Lower  Alps,  Mouths  of  the  Rhone,  Var  - 

790,000 

23,700 

10,727 

7383 

BASTIAd 

- 

- 

Corsica  _______ 

185,000 

2968 

9098 

2237 

> oU 

Besan^on 

- 

Upper  Saone,  Doubs,  Jura  - 

892,000 

39,940 

1 1 ,066 

8663 

12 

Bordeaux 

- 

- 

Charente,  Dordogne,  Gironde  - 

1,356,000 

43,277 

15,048 

11,115 

55 

Bourges 

- 

Indre,  Cher,  Nievre  - 

758,000 

18,488 

14,125 

11,147 

67 

Caen 

- 

- 

Calvados,  Channel,  Orne  - 

1,547,000 

48,858 

9675 

8085 

29 

Colmar8 

- 

Lower  Rhine,  Upper  Rhine  - 

944,000 

21,456 

7613 

5608 

14 

Dijon 

- 

- 

Upper  Marne,  Cote  d’Or,  Saone  and  Loire  - 

1,132,000 

45,892 

12,767 

9988 

13 

Douay 

- 

North,  Straits  of  Calais  - 

1,606,000 

46,327 

7296 

6298 

15 

Grenoble 

- 

- 

Isere,  Drome,  Upper  Alps  - 

937,000 

26,271 

1 1 ,244 

7874 

20 

Limoges 

- 

Upper  Vienne,  Oreuse,  Correze 

814,000 

59,771 

20,183 

15,654 

89 

Lyons 

- 

- 

Loire,  Rhone,  Ain  _____ 

1,114,000 

41,259 

11,367 

8912 

28 

Metz 

- 

Ardennes,  Moselle  - 

691,000 

34,435 

9092 

7148 

13 

Montpelier 

- 

Aude,  Aveyron,  Herault,  Eastern  Pyrenees 

1,107,000 

21,565 

15,514 

9024 

34 

Nancy 

- 

Meurthe,  Meuse,  Vosges  - - - - 

1,089,000 

36,300 

10,404 

8094 

12 

Nimes 

- 

- 

Ardeche,  Gard,  Lozere,  Vaucluse  - 

1,048,000 

18,027 

13,941 

7841 

30 

Orleans 

- 

Indre  and  Loire,  Loiret,  Loir  and  Cher 

825,000 

33,000 

8594 

6818 

36 

Paris 

- 

- 

Aube,  Eure  and  Loir,  Marne,  Seine,  Seine 

and  Marne,  Seine  and  Oise,  Yonne 

2,967,000 

57,057 

4075 

3563 

15 

Pau 

- 

Lower  Pyrenees,  Upper  Pyrenees,  Landes 

900,000 

37,000 

12,736 

9507 

19 

Poitiers 

- 

- 

Lower  Charente,  Two  Sevres,  Vendee,  Vienne 

1,303,000 

44,931 

8966 

7460 

42 

Rennes  - 

- 

North  Coast,  Finisterre,  Ule  and  Vilaine, 

Lower  Loire,  Morbihan  - 

2,523,000 

37,661 

10,906 

8457 

97 

RlOMf 

- 

- 

Allier,  Cantal,  Upper  Loire,  Puy  de  Dome 

1,400,000 

37,500 

38,214 

12,844 

16 

Rouen 

_ 

Eure,  Lower  Seine  - 

1,110,000 

26,016 

5268 

4382 

22 

Toulouse 

- 

- 

Arriege,  Upper  Garonne,  Tarn,  Tarn  &.  Garonne 

1,224,000 

25,151 

11,823 

8070 

46 

Mean  term  for  the  whole  kingdom 

31,847,000 

32,411 

9322 

7285 

23 

a The  Royal  Courts  ( Cours  Royalcs)  have  original  jurisdiction,  both 
civil  and  criminal,  and  are  also  courts  of  appeal  from  the  inferior  tribu- 
nals ( Tribunaux  dc  ■premiere  Instance — Tribunaux  de  Commerce,)  both 
in  civil  and  criminal  cases;  they  correspond  to  the  Circuit  Courts  in  the 

U.  States. — There  are  in  France:  1.  the  Court  of  Cassation, or  Supreme 
Court;  II.  the  Court  of  Exchequer  ( Cour  des  Comptes)  ; III.  the  Royal 
Courts  (27  in  number,  as  in  the  table;)  IV.  the  Inferior  Tribunals 
( Tribunaux  de  premiere  Instance — District  Courts,)  both  civil  and  crimi- 
nal in  their  jurisdiction,  of  which  there  is  one  in  each  arrondissement; 

V.  the  Justice  Courts  ( justices  de  pair,)  of  which  there  are  one  or  more 
in  each  of  the  cantons,  into  which  the  arrondissements  are  subdivided  ; 
and  V I.  the  Commercial  Tribunals  ( Tribunaux  de  Commerce,)  establish- 

d in  different  towns  ( villes ) — 213  in  number  in  1822  (Aim.  Royal.) — P. 
b Education  (Public  Instruction)  in  France  is  under  the  general  di- 
rection of  the  Council  of  Public  Instruction,  acting  under  the  authority 
of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior.  (Under  the  Imperial  government, 
public  education  was  subject  to  the  general  contro  of  the  Grand  Mas- 
ter and  Council  of  the  University.  The  University,  which  included 
all  the  schools  in  the  empire,  was  divided  into  as  many  Academies  as 
there  were  Imperial  Courts.)  The  number  of  the  Academies  now 
corresponds  to  that  of  the  Royal  Courts,  with  one  exception.  These 
Academies  have  a Rector  and  Inspectors,  who  exercise  a supervision 


over  the  schools  of  every  grade  in  their  district.  These  are:  1.  The 
Faculties,  of  which  there  were  in  1822,  six  of  Catholic,  and  two  of 
Protestant  Theology,  eight  of  Law,  three  of  Medicine,  seven  of  the 
Sciences,  and  six  of  Letters:  II.  the  Royal  Colleges  (Lyceums,  under 
the  empire,)  of  which  there  were  38,  including  five  in  Paris;  III.  the 
Secondary  Schools,  auxiliary  to  the  Faculties,  as  the  Secondary  Schools 
of  Law  and  Medicine;  IV.  the  Institutions  (High  Schools)  and  Board- 
ing Schools  (Pensions) ; and  V.  the  Primary  Schools.  To  these  may 
be  added  different  Special  Schools, supported  by  the  government,  such  as 
the  Normal  School,  the  Polytechnic  School,  the  Military  and  Veteri- 
nary Schools,  &c. — P. 

c Agen  is  the  seat  of  the  Royal  Court — Cahors,  that  of  the  Academy, 
in  the  district. — P. 

d The  Royal  Courts  of  Aix  and  Bastia  [Corsica.  Aim.  Royal]  form 
two  districts,  both  under  the  jurisdiction  of  only  one  Academy  [that  of 
Aix.]  M.  B. — There  was  an  Academy  at  Ajaccio,  under  the  Empire. 
(Aim.  Imp.  1813.) — P. 

e Colmar  is  the  seat  of  the  Royal  Court — Strasburg,  that  of  the 
Academy. — P. 

1 Riom  is  the  seat  of  the  Royal  Court — Clermont,  that  of  the 
Academy. — P. 


4 


book  cxjlyi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE.  351 

TABLES, 

EXHIBITING  THE  LAND  AND  NAVAL  FORCES. 


STAFF  OFFICERS,  &c.a 


~ >» 

V & • 

Us  • 

Staff  Officers,  &c.» 

5.3  g 

0) 

0) 

a 

°§ 
3 Z 

O 

H 

rt 

u cn 
-C  o 
e.  3i 
ra  -5 

Is 

O 

Royal 

Line, 

| Div 

< 

a 

W 

0 

0 

a 

CD  tt’ 
O 3 

« a 
0 

fn 

Marshals  of  France  - 

12 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

12 

Lieutenant-Generals 

88 

— 

— 

67 

— 

— 

155 

Major-Generals11 

119 

— 

— 

169 

— 

— 

288 

Colonels 

48 

37 

27 

1 

— 

3 

116 

Lieutenant-Colonels 

32 

36 

28 

5 

— 

3 

104 

Majors0  - 

90 

72 

59 

19 

— 

9 

249 

Captains  - - - 

248 

170 

244 

68 

— 

36 

766 

Lieutenants 

2 

— 

— 

— 

— 

14 

16 

Sub-Lieutenants 

— 

— 

— 

— 

' — 

4 

4 

Pupils  at  the  Royal  Staff) 

40 

40 

School11  5 

Pupils  and  Sub-Lieutenants0 

— 

80 

50 

— 

— 

6 

136 

Governors  and  Lieutenants  ) 
of  the  king  ) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

110 

— 

no 

Majors  and  Adjutants  of  fortsf 

— 

— 

— 

— 

231 

— 

231 

Chaplains  and  Secretaries  of 

409 

409 

the  different  garrisons? 

Guards,  Artillery  and  En-  ) 

gineersh  ) 

Superintendents  overwork-  ) 
men,  &c.h  ) 

— 

560 

516 

— 

— 

— 

1076 

Secretaries  and  Commissary) 

3 

3 

General  (Swiss)  - 5 

Military  Intendants  & Sub-) 
Intendants  - - 5 

196 

— 

— 

34 

— 

— 

230 

Total 

878 

955 

924 

363 

750 

75 

3945 

KING’S  MILITARY  HOUSEHOLD. 


King’s  Military  Household. 

Military 

Intendants. 

Marshals 
and  Avant- 
Courier.k 

Officers  and 
Guards  of  the 
Line.l 

Staff  of  the 
Body  Guard. 

Body  Guard. 

Foot  Guards 
(ordinary 
number.)  n‘ 

"B 

o 

h 

Officers  and  Guards  - 
Chaplains  and  Medical  Offi-) 
cers)  - - - 5 

Total, 

3 

13 

25 

17 

1394 

356 

1808 

56 

1864 

a “ General  Staff  ( Etat-Major  Giniral)  of  the  army.” — The  General 
Staff  under  the  imperial  government  (1813,)  consisted  of  the  following 
grades  of  officers,  viz.  lieutenants  of  the  emperor  (2),  marshals  of  the  em- 
pire (20),  colonels-general  (5),  inspectors-general  (6),  generals  of  divis- 
ion, generals  of  brigade,  and  adjutants-commandant. — Under  the  late 
government  of  the  Bourbons  (1822,)  it  consisted  of  the  following  grades, 
viz.  colonels-general  (4,)  marshals  of  France  (12,)  lieutenant-generals, 
bearing  the  title  of  governors  of  military  divisions  (13,)  lieutenant- 
generals,  and  marshals  de  camp.  Besides  these,  there  was  the  Royal 
Staff  Corps  ( Corps  Royal  de  V Etat-Major,')  created  by  a royal  ordinance 
of  May  (5,  1818,  consisting  of  the  following  grades,  viz.  lieutenant-gen- 
erals (8)  and  marshals  de  camp  (16,)  detached  from  the  general  staff, 
colonels,  lieutenant-colonels,  majors  ( chefs  de  bataillon ,)  captains,  lieu- 
tenants, lieutenants  aides-majors,  sub-lieutenants  aides-majors,  and  sub- 
lieutenants il&ves.  Attached  to  this  corps,  there  was  a school  of  appli- 
cation at  Paris,  under  the  direction  of  a military  staff,  nine  military  pro- 
fessors, including  three  adjuncts,  and  five  civil  professors. — P. 

b “ Marechaux  de  camp” — Marshals  de  camp,  officers  on  whom  the 
inferior  duties  of  the  marshals,  in  arranging  and  marshalling  the  army, 
were  devolved.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

c “Chefs  de  bataillon”  — Commandants  of  battalions,  correspond- 
ing to  majors  in  the  British  service. — P. 

d “ Pupils  ( ildves ) of  the  Royal  Staff  Corps.” 


ARMY. 


Sub-officers, 

Army 

Officers  of 
all  ranks. 

Brigadiers/ 

Corporals, 

Total. 

Total  in 
each  Body  .o 

Soldiers. 

w 

0) 

fl 

Chosen  men” 

16 

301 

3171 

Depart-  ( Foot  ) 

mental  ( Horse  ) 

587$ 

o o 
O Q 

12,687  > 

13,425 

1 

Corsican  light  troops0 

16 

405 

421 J 

"2 

r Infantry  j 

528 

10,200 

10,728) 

3 

182 

4462 

4644 

Cavalry 

520 

5916 

6436  I 

23,641 

Artillery 

102 

1487 

1589 

o 

S ationaiy  companies  p 
ritieers 

8 

236 

244  J 

En; 

234 

4639 

4873 

4873 

(T  r , (French 
Infantry  j gwiss 

6840 

364 

109,104 

7532 

115,944  ) 
7896) 

123,840 

Line 

Cavalry 

2402 

28,679 

31.171 

31,171 

Artillery 

1131 

14,399 

15,530) 

16,255 

Military  Equipage 

49 

676 

7255 

Stationary  companies? 

220 

5480 

5700 

5700 

13,289 

205,616 

218,905 

Brought ) Staff 

3945 

over  <j  Military  household 

1864 

224,714 

' “ Eleves  sous-lieutenans” — Pupils  with  the  rank  of  sub-lieuten- 
ant.— P. 

f “ Places” — Places  de  guerre  (garrisons),  including  fortified  towns, 
forts  and  military  posts. — P. 

s “Almoners  ( aumdniers — chaplains,)  secretaries  and  porters  (portiers 
— gate-keepers)  of  the  garrisons  (places.)” 

h These  two  items  stand  thus  in  the  original : 

“ Gardes  d’artillerie  et  du  genie  professant.  I — I 1 1 — I — I — I ] 

Chefs  d’  ouvriers,  &c.  ...  | — |560|516| — | — ) — ]1076|” 

This  is  doubtless  a mistake,  and  should  read  : 

“ Gardes  d’  artillerie  et  du  genie  professant, 

chefs  d’  ouvriers,  &c.  - | — 1560|516| — | — | — 11076|” 

The  following  are  enumerated,  in  Taylor’s  Statistics,  under  the  head 
of  Military  Employments,  not  connected  with  the  line  of  the  army,  and 
ranking  in  pay  with  company  officers,  viz.  Guards  and  conductors  of 
artillery,  master  artificers,  and  chiefs  of  workmen  at  arsenals.  Guards 
of  artillery  are  attached  to  the  schools  of  engineers. — P. 

■ “ Not  employed  ( disponibles .)” 

1 “ Almoners  and  Health  Officers  ( officiers  de  santi.)” 

k “ Quarter-masters  ( maricliaux  etfourriers  de  logis.)” 

1 “ — of  the  corps  of  engineers  (du  ginie.)” — A detachment  of  the 
corps  of  engineers,  commanded  by  two  lieutenant-colonels  and  a cap- 
tain, was  attached  (1822)  to  the  King’s  Military  Household. — P. 

m “ Ordinary  Foot  Guards  (Gardes  a pied  ordinaires.)” — The  Guards 
of  the  King’s  Household  (1822)  consisted  of  four  companies  of  body 
guards  (gardes  du  corps — cavalry)  and  one  company  of  ordinary  foot 
guards. — P. 

“ “ Gendarmerie  d’  elite” — instituted  for  the  service  of  the  royal 
residences  at  Paris. — P. 

0 “ Voltigeurs.” 

p “ Compagnies  sedentaires” — veteran  companies. — P. 

<i  “ Total  effective  force.” 

r Subalterns  in  the  cavalry,  corresponding  to  corporals  in  the  infan- 
try.—P. 

s “ Corps.” — The  military  force  of  the  kingdom,  exclusive  of  the 
King’s  household,  consisted  (1822)  of  the  following  corps,  viz.  Royal 
Staff,  Royal  Guard,  Gendarmes  (Gendarmerie,)  Artillery,  Engineers 
(Ginie,)  Geographical  Engineers,  Infantry  and  Cavalry. — P. 


352 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVI 


NAVY.» 

Vessels. 

Naval  Staff 

1 Ship  of  the  Line  .... 
14  Frigates  ------ 

6 Sloopsb  of  war  ..... 
18  Brigs  from  sixteen  to  twenty  guns 

5 Sloops  of  eighteen  guns  (Advice-Boats)c 
13  Schooners11  of  sixteen  guns 
1 Small  Brig  ..... 

1 Gun-Brig  ..... 

29  Schooners  ..... 

9 Cutters,  Luggers,  Advice  Boats, e &c. 

1 Flotilla-ship  ..... 

4 Steam  Vessels  .... 

7 Sloops1’  of  Burden  .... 
18  Flat-bottomed  Barges1  ... 

1 Transport  - 

2 Vessels  in  commission  ... 

Slave  Shiph  ... 

128 


Men. 

It) 

500 

4198 

840 

1608 

500 

1040 

63 

48 

1185 

279 

28 

164 

924 

852 

33 

3716 

217 

12,926 


TABLE  OF  THE  FRENCH  COLONIES. 


AMERICA. 


Martinique 
Guadaloupe  - 


92,500 


Dependencies. 

Mariegalante  ... 
The  Saintes1 
Deseada  - 

St.  Martin  (Eastern  part  of) 
Guiana  .... 
St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon 


12  009 
1,200 
1,300 
4,000 


98,000 


► 111,000 


18,400 

600 


228,000 


Bonati  and  La  Cal'e. 


AFRICA. 

Factories  for  the  Coral  Fisheries 


► 20,000 


>101.000' 


SENEGAL. 

Arrondisscment  of  St.  Louis. 

Island  of  St.  Louis;  neighbouring  islands  of  Ba- 
baghe,  Safal  and  Ghibar;  different  settlements  on 
the  river,  the  Escalcs  or  Gum  Markets;11  part  of 
the  coast  from  Cape  Blanco  to  the  Bay  of  Iof 

Arrondissement  of  Goree. 

Island  of  Goree ; the  coast  from  the  Bay  of  Iof  to 
the  factory  of  Albreda  on  the  Gambia  __ 

Island  of  Bourbon  ....  88,400 

Island  of  St.  Mary,  near  the  eastern  coast  of  Mada-  ) qqq 
gascar  .....  ) 


11  “ Navy — Effective  force.”  b “ Corvettes.” 

c “ Corvettes-avisos  of  18  guns.” 

d “ Schooner-brigs  (goi'lettes-bricks .)”  e “Avisos.” 

1 “ 18  Gabares,  of  which  nine  are  fitted  as  merchantmen  ( armis  com- 
mercialcment.)” — Gabarc  is  a French  word  signifying,  indeed,  a flat  bot- 
tomed barge,  with  sails,  employed  as  a lighter,  or  in  navigating  rivers; 
but  in  the  French  navy,  it  signifies  a flute  or  store  ship,  sometimes  of 
400  or  500  tons.  (Enc.  Meth.  Diet.  Mar.) — P. 
s “ School-ship  ( vaisstau-icole ) - - 253 

Vessel  in  commission  - - 118 

h “ Prison-ships  ( bdtimens  de  servitude.)’’ 

1 The  Saintes  are  six  rocky  islets,  three  leagues  S.  E.  of  the  south 
point  of  Basse-Terre  (Guadaloupe.)  Two  of  them  are  large  ; one  four, 
the  other  three  miles  in  circumference  : between  these  two  is  a third, 
a large  rock.  (Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog.  vol.  IV.  p.  271.) — The  Saintes  ( Les 
Saintes)  are  three  small  islands  S.  E.of  Basse-Terre.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

J Bona.  (M.  B.  t.  IV.  p.581.  Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

k Escale  or  Echelle,  originally  a Provencal  term  signifying  a port 
for  shelter ; now  used  chiefly  in  the  Levant,  for  a sea  port  in  which 
there  is  a factory  or  consul.  (Enc.  Meth.  Marine.) — The  great  gum 
market  is  held  on  a desolate  sandy  plain  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Sen- 
egal, between  Podor  and  St.  Louis.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — Ascending  the  Sen- 
egal, twenty-five  leagues  from  St.  Louis,  is  L' Escale  dc  Desert,  on  the 
right  bank,  a considerable  trading  place  for  gum.  Sixty  leagues 
above  St.  Louis  is  the  fort  of  Podor  on  the  left  bank.  (Tuckey,  vol.  II. 
p.  509,  510.)— P. 

1 The  total  of  the  sums,  here  included,  is  109,000.  The  Facto- 
ries on  the  coast  of  Algiers  are  not  here  included,  in  the  original, 


H 


ASIA. 

HINDOSTAN. 

Ccast  of  Coromandel. 

Pondicherry  and  the  districts  of  Villenour  and  Ba- 
hourra  ..... 

Karikal,"  and  the  four  neighbouring  maganons  or 
districts  ..... 

Coast  of  the  Northern  Circars.0 

Yanaon,  and  its  Aldeas?  or  dependencies;  factory  at 
Masulipatam  .... 

Bengal. 

Chandernagore  and  its  territory;  Gorettii  and  dif- 
ferent factories  .... 

Coast  of  Malabar. 

Mahe  and  its  territory;  factory  at  Calicut 
Gulf  of  Cambay. 

Factories  at  Surat  ... 

ARABIA. 

Factories  at  Muscatr  and  Mocha* 


Total  Population 


179,000 


M 79,000 


508,000 


TABLE  OF  THE  CLERGY  IN  1828. 


Cardinals  ..... 

Ecclesiastical  peers  of  France  ... 
Archbishops  ..... 

Bishops  ...... 

Vicars  general  ..... 

Titular  canons  ..... 

Honorary  canons  .... 

Cusates1  ...... 

Officiating  ministers11  .... 

Vicars  .... 

Chaplains  ..... 

Almoners  ...... 

Parish  priests,  who  preach  or  confess* 

Priests  appointed  to  teach  or  direct  different  seminaries'* 
Ecclesiastical  pupils  in  the  seminaries  and  colleges,  and 
curates  ( curis ) - 

Ecclesiastics  employed  in  the  universities,1  exclusively 
in  the  primary  schools  .... 
Number  of  women  and  girls?  in  3024  religious  houses 

Total 


5 
20 
14 
66 
468 
684 

- 1788 
3083 

- 22,475 
5765 

439 
839 

- 1976 
1044 

with  the 

- 44,244 
of  those 

673 

- 19,340 


102,923 


COMMERCIAL  TABLE, 

EXHIBITING  THE  MEAN  QUANTITY  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  IMPORTS  AND  El- 
PORTS  FOR  THE  YEARS  1826,  1827,  AND  1828,  ACCORDING  TO 
OFFICIAL  REPORTS. 

[The  kilogramme  is  equal  to  2 lb.  3 oz.  5 dr.  Avoirdupois.  The  franc  is  equal  to 
tenpence.  The  litre  is  equal  to  61.028  English  cubic  inches.  Tr.] 


Raw  and  carded  silk,7 
Ravv  and  wrought  wax, 
Grease1’1'  and  tallow, 


Kilog. 


Imports. 

1,160,000 

480.000 

940.000 


Exports. 

300.000 
240j000« 

350.000 


or  it  might  be  supposed  that  the  sum  total  was  intended  for  110,000. 
— P.  m Villenoor  and  Bahoor. 

“ Karical.  (Tuckey.)  0 “ Scrkars.” 

p “ Atdi.cs " — Aldea  (Port.)  a village. — P. 
q “ The  residency  (residence)  of  Goretti.” 

1 “Mascate” — Mascat.  * “ Moka” 

1 “Cures” — parish  priests.  u “ Desservans” — officiating  priests. 
* “ Priests  settled  (habituis)  in  parishes,  with  the  privilege  of  preach- 
ing and  hearing  confession.” 

w “ Priests  employed  as  directors  and  teachers  in  seminaries.” 

1 “ — the  university.” — See  note  b p.  1030. 
y “ — of  nuns  ( religienses .)" 

7 “ Raw  silk, in  cocoons,  reeled  (grige)  or  carded.” — Grige  is  silk  sim- 
ply wound  or  reeled  from  the  cocoons,  without  the  ulterior  operations 
of  spinning  and  twisting,  such  as  most  of  that  imported  from  the  Le- 
vant. (Enc.  Meth.  Diet.  Comm.) — The  refuse  of  raw  silk,  after  reel 
ing,  is  carded  and  spun  into  a thread  called  floss  ( fleuret .) — P. 

"a  In  1788,  the  value  of  the  wax  candles  exported  to  the  French 
Colonies,  was  591,000  francs.  (Taylor’s  Stat.) — P. 

bb  “ Graisses.” — This  term  includes  all  animal  oils,  whether  fluid,  as 
whale  and  fish  oil,  or  consistent,  as  tallow.  (Enc.  Meth.  Diet. 
Comm.) — P. 


BOOK.  CXLV1.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


oDO 


Bones  and  horns,  - Kilog. 

Tobacco  (in  leaf)  ... 

manufactured, 

Raw  and  dressed1  hemp, 

Raw  and  dressed1  flax, 

Cotton,  - 


'Lead,  ... 

Copper,  - 

Tin,  - - - 

Metals./  Iron  and  steel,  - 

Gold  in  ingots  and  money ,h 
Silver  in  ingots  and  money, 
Platina,  ... 

Salt  and  rock  salt,1  - 

Sugar,  - 

Coffee,  - 

Wines,  - - Litres. 

Brandy  and  liqueurs  - Idem. 

Flax  and  hemp  (manufactured,)11  Idem.e 
Lace  and  blonds,  (Value  in  Francs,) 

Woollen  stuffs,  - - Kilog. 

Silks  and  gauze,  - Idem. 

Cotton  stuffs,  - - Idem. 

Felt  Hats,  - - Number. 

Cutlery  and  hardware/  - Kilog. 
Articles  of  Fashion,  (Value  in  Francs,) 
Furniture,  - - Idem. 


Approximate  value  of  the 
imports  and  exports, 


Francs. 


Imports. 

1.900.000 

3.830.000 

6,000,000 

1.800.000 

35.000. 000 

10.000. 000 

5.800.000 

1,000,000 

15.000. 000 

25.000 

670.000 
100 

4.500.000 

59.000. 000 
17,200,000 

2.400.000 

1.400.000 

5.180.000 

1.580.000 

50.000 

40.000 

130.000 
600 

1.050.000 
9,000 

180.000 

555,000,000 


60,000 

1.780.000 
180,000 

60,000 

1.750.000 

3.000. 000 

51.000 

18.000 

6,000 

850.000 

30.000 

90.000 
5 

64,000,000 

8.500.000 

8.500.000 
109,500,000 

57,950,000 

1.800.000 

1.750.000 

1.000. 000 

570.000 

2.050.000 

220.000 

2,000,000 

3.200.000 
1/380,000 

610,000,000 


COMPARATIVE  BUDGETS  OF  FRANCE 

IN  1789,  IN  1802  (YEAR  XI.)  AND  IN  1830. 

STATE  OF  THE  FINANCES  OF  THE  KINGDOM  PRESENTED  BY  NECKER  TO 
THE  STATES-GENERAL,  IN  1789. 


RECEIPTS. 

General  revenue,?  ... 

Of  the  Posts,11  - 

Different  Conveyances,11 

Excise  and  customs,1  ... 

Domains  and  forests,! 

Lotteries,!  .... 

Casual  revenues,!  ... 

Marc  d'Or,k  i 
Powder  and  saltpetre,! 

Certain  fixed  revenues,  - 

Ordinary  imposts,1  poll  tax,  and  twentieths,"1 


Francs. 


12,000,000' 

1,100,000 

50.220.000 

50.600.000 
14,000.000 

3,000,000 

1.500.000 
800,000 

1.620.000 


150,107,000 


>134,240,000 


155,655,000 


I “ Heckled  (jpeignis )”  b “ — in  coin  and  bullion  ( brut .)” 

c “ Rock  salt  (sal-gem)  and  that  from  salt  works  (salines.)” 

d “ Linen  and  hempen  stuffs  (tissus  tie  lin  et  tie  clnnivre.)” 
e This  must  be  a mistake — the  litre  being  a measure  for  liquids. 
It  is  probably  intended  for  kilogrammes,  as  under  woollens,  silks  and 
cottons.— P.  f “ Quincaillerie” — hardware  in  general. 

s “ Ferme  gencrale”  (General  farm  or  lease.) — Certain  branches  of 
the  revenue  leased  to  a company  of  farmers-general,  for  a certain  sum, 
durinv  a certain  term  of  years.  This  company  were  bound  to  account 
for  the  sum  engaged,  and  to  bear  all  the  losses  and  expenses  of  collec- 
tion, and  were  entitled  to  all  the  profits  they  could  realize  above  the 
sum  stipulated.  Among  the  branches  of  revenue  annexed  to  th efcrmc 
giniralc,  were  the  monopolies  of  salt  and  tobacco,  duties  on  the  en- 
trance, issue  and  circulation  of  merchandise  ( droits  de  traites,)  stamp- 
ing ( marque ) of  iron,  and  of  gold  and  silver,  &c.  By  a decree  of  Jan. 
9,  1780,  a new  distribution  was  made;  the  revenues  intrusted  to  the 
ferme  ginirale,  being  confined  to  the  duties  on  imports  and  exports, 
and  to  those  arising  from  the  peculiar  privileges  or  monopolies  to  be 
protected  on  the  frontiers  of  the  kingdom,  at  the  barriers  of  the  capital, 
and  on  the  limits  of  the  provinces  reputed  or  treated  as  foreign,  whilst 
those  from  the  excise  were  intrusted  to  the  regie  gin&rale,  and  those 
from  the  domains,  including  stamp  duties,  to  the  general  administra- 
tion of  the  domains.  The  number  of  the  farmers-general,  previous  to 
1756,  was  40 ; it  was  then  increased  to  60.  The  number  in  1789  was 
44.— P. 

II  “ Ferme  des  postes — Ferme  des  messagcries”  (Farms  of  the  Post- 
Office  and  the  public  conveyances.) — The  revenue  of  the  Post-Office, 
and  that  of  the  public  conveyances,  were  each  leased  to  a company  for 
a certain  fixed  sum. — P. 

1 “ Regie  des  aides  et  droits  reunis.” — Certain  branches  of  the 
revenue  intrusted  to  a company,  called  the  Regie  Giniralc  (general  ad- 
ministration or  direction,)  the  members  of  which,  called  regisseurs 
(directors,)  were  bound  to  collect  and  account  for  the  revenue  faithfully, 
for  which  they  received  certain  salaries  and  commissions,  the  govern- 
VOL.  III.— NO.  53  45 


Imposts  on  the  countries  in  which  the  states  are  held," 
Languedoc,  ...  - 9,707,250’’ 

Brittany,  ....  6,611,460 

Burgundy,  ....  4,128.196 

Provence,  ....  2,892,463 

Pau,  Bayonne  and  Foix,  - - 1,156,658^ 

Poll  tax,  twentieths  commuted,  and  deductions 

on  pensions,  ....  6,865,000' 

Imposts  for  the  fortifications  of  towns,  575,000 

Benefice  on  the  coin,0  - - 580,000 

Revenue  from  the  commercial  fund,p  - 636,000 

Different  rents,  - - 180,000 

Interest  on  sums  lent  to  the  United  States,  1,600,000 
Interest  on  six  millions  due  from  a German  prince,  300,000 


FraDca 

24,556,027 


10,736,000 


Nett  amount  of  the  receipts,  ...  . 475,294,027 

Expense  of  collection,  &c.  - - 230,000,000 


Total  amount  of  the  receipts,  - - 705,294,027 

Result. 

Expenses,  ......  531,444,000 

Nett  receipts,  ...  . 475,294,027 


Yearly  deficiency, 


56,149,973 


EXPENSES. 


Francs. 


King’s  household,  Children  of  France,? 

Princes  of  the  blood  ..... 

Foreign  Affairs,  Swiss  Lines"  ... 

War  department  ..... 

Navy  and  Colonies  - ... 

Roads  and  bridges11  ..... 

Royal  studs  - - ... 

Perpetual  and  life-rents1  .... 

Different  interests  ..... 
Salaries  of  the  different  offices  in  the  financial  department 


Aunts  of  the  King  25,000,000 

8.240.000 

7.480.000 

- 99,160,000 

40.500.000 

5.680.000 
814,000 

- 162,486,000 

44.300.000 

14.692.000 


ment  sustaining  all  unavoidable  losses,  and  providing  for  the  expenses 
of  collection.  The  revenues,  so  collected,  were  certain  branches  of  the 
excise  and  internal  duties. — P. 

i “Administration  (Regie)  of  the  domains  and  forests — of  the  lot- 
teries— of  the  casual  revenues  [such  as  arose  from  the  duties  paid  on 
the  transfer  of  property  dependent  on  the  royal  domains] — of  the 
marc  d'or  [tax  on  offices,  grants,  commissions,  &c.] — of  gunpowder  and 
saltpetre.” — Each  of  these  branches  of  the  revenue  formed  the  subject 
of  a particular  administration  (regie.)— P. 

k The  Marc  d’Or  is  a sum  paid  to  the  king  by  a person  appointed  to 
an  office.  Tr.  [Whenever  an  individual  received  any  grant,  permis- 
sion, office  or  commission  from  the  king,  he  was  obliged  to  pay  a 
certain  tax  called  the  marc  d'or,  before  he  could  enjoy  the  privileges  of 
the  one,  or  perform  the  functions  of  the  other.  (Enc.  Meth.  Fi- 
nance.)— P.] 

1 “ Impositions.” — The  taxes  in  France  were  divided  into  two  classes, 
viz.  impositions  (direct  taxes)  and  perceptions  (indirect  taxes ;)  the 
former  including  the  tailles  (taxes  on  real  estate,  and  on  personal  profits 
and  income),  the  poll  tax  (capitation)  and  the  twentieths  (vingtiimcs.) 
— P. 

m Twentieth  (vingtieme) — an  income  tax,  amounting  to  the  twentieth 
of  the  income  (revenu)  of  those  subject  to  it. — There  were  three 
twentieths  in  operation  in  1789;  the  first  imposed  in  1749;  the  second, 
in  1756;  and  the  third,  in  1782. — P. 

n “ Impositions  des  pays  d’etat.” — The  provinces,  called  pays  d'itat, 
retained  their  provincial  estates  (nobility,  clergy  and  towns,)  which, 
however,  had  only  the  privilege  of  distributing  and  providing  for  the 
collection  of  the  taxes  imposed  upon  them.  These  provinces  were 
Artois,  Bearn,  Brittany,  Burgundy,  Walloon  Flanders,  Languedoc, 
Provence,  Bigorre,  Foix,  Labour,  Marsan,  Nebousan,  Soule,  and  the 
Four  Valleys  (Quatre  Vallees.)  They,  however,  enjoyed  different 
degrees  of  exemption  ; as  for  instance,  Burgundy  was  subject  to  the 
monopoly  of  salt  (gabelle,)  and  to  that  of  tobacco  ; Brittany  and  Bearn 
were  subject  to  the  monopoly  of  tobacco,  but  not  to  that  of  salt ; while 
Artois  was  subject  to  neither. — P. 

° “ Profits  on  coinage  and  forges.” — The  profits  on  coinage  amounted 
to  500,000  livres ; those  on  the  royal  forges,  to  80,000  livres.  (Taylor’s 
Statistics  of  France,  p.  255.) — P. 

p “ Caisse  du  commerce” — Commercial  bank. 

? The  king’s  children. 

r “ Lignes  Suisses.” — This  is  doubtless  a typographical  error  for 
ligues  Suisses,  Swiss  leagues.  (See  Enc.  Meth.  Diet.  Fin.  t.  II.  p.  144, 
and  Taylor’s  Statistics,  p.  255.) — Capitulations  or  treaties  were  entered 
into  between  the  king  of  France  and  the  different  Swiss  governments, 
for  the  regular  supply  of  the  Swiss  troops  in  the  service  of  the 
former.  Tlfese  amounted  in  1784  to  15,500  men.  (Enc.  Meth.  Diet. 
Econ.  Pol.  t.  1.  p.  669.)— P. 

B “ Ponts-et-chaussees” 

‘ “ Rentes  perpetuelles  et  viageres” — Perpetual  and  life  annuities. 
— P. 


354 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVI. 


Interest  and  expense  of  anticipations  for  1790  and  1791 
Stipulations  with  the  clergy  ... 

.Indemnities  ------ 

Pensions  ------- 

King’s  counsel,  chancellor,  keeper  of  the  seals,  secretary 
of  State,  &.c."  ..... 

Governors'1  of  Provinces  .... 

Police  and  Guard  of  Paris  .... 

Marshalseac  of  the  Province  of  the  Isle  of  France 
Roads,  streets,  works  and  quarries  near  Paris'1 
Expenses  of  the  poll  tax  and  twentieths  in  the  provinces" 
Sums  allowed  to  collectors  and  farmers  of  the  revenue1 
To  the  officers,  paymasters,  &c.  of  the  treasurys 
Ministerial  offices'1  ..... 

Charitable  fund,  sums  granted  to  foreigners' 

Sums  for  building  churches  and  sacred  edifices 
Gifts,  alms,  works  of  charity,  mendicity 
Commercial  bounties,  &c.)  .... 

Public  Instruction,  King's  Garden  and  Royal  Library 
Public  buildings  ...... 

Expenses  of  criminal  justice  ... 

Variable  expenses  in  the  provinces  - 

Different  expenses,  mines,  &.c.  ... 

Unforeseen  expenses  ..... 


Francs. 

15.800.000 

2.500.000 

3.235.000 

29.500.000 

3.173.000 

1.495.000 

2.708.000 

250.000 

1.027.000 

7.120.000 

20.094.000 
3,753 ,( >00 

2.048.000 

1.002.000 

2,188,000 

6.078.000 

3.804.000 

1.227.000 

1.900.000 

3.180.000 

4.500.000 

990.000 

5.400.000 


Total  amount 


531,444,000 


STATE  OF  THE  FINANCES  OF  FRANCE,  COMPREHENDING  108  DEPART- 
MENTS, IN  1802  (VEAR  XI.) 


RECEIPTS. 


Francs. 


Excess  of  the  receipts  above  the  expenses  in  the  pre- 
ceding year  - - - 

Land  and  heritable  taxes1  - 

Personal  and  moveable  taxes 
Additional  centimes  for  departmental  expenses 
Doors  and  windows  .... 

Patents  and  tolls™  .... 
Registers  and  forests"  .... 
Customs  ..... 

Post  Office  ..... 

Lotteries  ..... 

Salt  works  ..... 

Suretiship  for  justices  of  the  peace,  clerks,  <£x.° 
Accidental  and  miscellaneous  receipts 

Foreign  ReceiptsP  - - 

Total  ..... 


EXPENSES. 

National  Debt. 


2,000,000 

220,200,000 

32.800.000 

15.783.000 

10,000,000 

17.500.000 
190.000,000 

40.000. 000 

11.000. 000 
12,000,000 

3.500.000 
4,000,000 

4.717.000 


509,500,000 

20,000,000 


589,500,000 


To  the  creditors  of  the  state 
To  the  sinking  fund 
Liferent  debt1! 

Perpetual  debti  of  six  new  depart- 
ments ... 

Liferent  debt,  Idem 


39,570,918  J 
1,272,055 

19,980,074  lG4j023  4sa 


2,077,277  ) 
510,558  > 


3,193,835 


“ “ Salaries  of  the  council,  the  chancellor,  the  keeper  of  the  seals, 
and  the  secretary  of  state  of  the  royal  household.” 
b “ Intendants” 

c A company  of  horse  police. — P. 

■'  “ Paving  of  Paris,  and  labour  in  the  quarries  in  its  neighbourhood.” 
e “ Decharges  sur  la  capitation  et  le  vingtieme  de  province.” — This 
item,  in  Taylor’s  Statistics,  is  as  follows:  Remissions  and  discharges, 
and  abatements  on  the  20ths  and  capitations. — P. 

f “ Allowance  ( traitement ) to  receivers,  farmers,  &c.” — including 
charges  of  collection  (expenses  of  recovery.  Taylor's  Stat.) — P. 

“ To  the  administrators  of  the  treasury,  paymasters,  &c.” — To 
the  five  administrators  of  the  royal  treasury,  payers  of  interest,  &c. 
(Taylor’s  Stat.) — P. 

b “ Bureaus  of  the  general  administration.” 

1 “ Refugees.” 

) “ For  the  encouragement  of  commerce.” 
k Garden  of  Plants,  at  Paris. — P. 

1 “ Contribution  fonciere” — taxes  on  real  estate. — P. 
m “ Patents  (patentes )” — tax  on  the  right  of  exercising  any  trade  or 
profession. — P. 

" “ Administration  (rigte)  of  the  registry  (enrcgistremejit)  and  for- 
ests.”— See  notellb. — P. 


GENERAL  EXPENSES. 


Department  of  Justice 
of  Foreign  Affairs 


n ..  jz  o 

& 5 2 6 
c = ^ - 


Ordinary  service 
Extraordinary 


Subsistence  purchased  in  1801 
g ^ ( Ordinary  service 

e £ 2 ) Sureties  partly  reimbursed"- 
c g*  § j Interest  on  sureties’ 
iZ  "3  " ^ Pensions  - - 

Service  of  the  treasury1 
War  department  ... 

Ministry  of  war" 

='  ( Ordinary  service 

( Extraordinary  

Negotiations  ... 

Balance*  - - - - 


17.000. 000 ; 
22,500,000 

7,610,000  \ 
29,047,788  j 

5.000. 000  r 

2.000. 000  I 

20.000. 000  J 

153.000. 000  ; 

90.000. 000  1 

70.000. 000 ; 

56.000. 000  < 


Franca. 

23,318,730 

7,000,000 

47,110,000 


56,047,788 

6,000,000 

> 243,000,000 

1 126,000,000 

9.000. 000 

8.000. 000 


Total 


589,500,000 


The  army  consisted  of  569,000  men,  viz. 

Infantry  ......  441,540 

Cavalry  .......  68,980 

Artillery  ......  46.480 

Engineers  ......  5,800 

Consular  Guard  .....  6200 


The  navy  consisted  of  thirty-four  ships  of  the  line,  thirty  frigates, 
150  sloops"’  and  1000  armed  pinnaces,  besides  six  ships  of  the  line  and 
several  frigates  on  the  stocks. 

Note. — France  was  at  peace  in  1802  with  the  European  powers. 


STATE  OF  THE  FINANCES  OF  FRANCE,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  BUDGET  OF 
1830,  PRESENTED  TO  THE  CHAMBERS  IN  1829. 

RECEIPTS. 

Direct  Taxes 

Land  tax11  .... 

Personal  and  moveable  taxes 
Doors  and  Windows  ... 

Patents,  tollsy  ... 

Charges  and  advertisements* 

Additional  tax  on  timber"" 

Registers  and  domainsbb 
Forests  .... 


0 “ Sureties  ( cautionnemcns ) of  justices’  clerks  (greffiers  de  justice  de 
pair.)"- — Receivers  of  direct  taxes,  paymasters  of  the  departments,  no- 
taries, clerks  ( greffiers ,)  brokers,  &c.  were  obliged  to  deposit  in  the 
sinking  fund  ( caisse  d' umortissement,)  a certain  sum  as  bail  or  surety, 
the  interest  of  which  was  paid  them  at  a certain  rate  fixed  by  law. 
(Peuchet.  p.  545.)— P. 

p “ Recette  exterieure.” — Contributions  levied  in  the  conquered 
countries. — P. 

'i  “Dette  viagere — Dette  perpetuelle.” — See  note  * p.  1033.— P. 

r “ Reimbursement  of  a part  of  the  sureties  deposited  in  the  sinking 
fund.” — See  note  °. — P.  8 See  note  0 . — P. 

1 “Department  of  the  Public  Treasury”  ( — of  the  imperial  treasury, 
1813.)  This  department  was  united  with  that  of  the  Finances,  after  the 
restoration.— P. 

11  “ Department  of  the  Administration  of  War.” — Under  the  imperial 
government  there  was  a department  of  War,  charged  with  the  organiza- 
tion, pay  and  operations  of  the  arm}1,  and  the  general  superintendence 
of  military  affairs,  and  a department  of  the  Administration  of  War,  or 
commissary  department.  Both  were  united  into  one  (the  War  depart- 
ment,) after  the  restoration. — P. 

v “Fund  in  reserve” — contingent  fund. — P. 

w “ Gun-boats  ( chaloupes  canonnibres .)” 

1 “ Contribution  fonciere.” — See  note  1 . — P. 

r “ Patents.” — See  note™  . — P. 

* “ Costs  (fruis)  and  advertisements.” — Advertisement,  in  finance,  is 
an  official  notification  by  a receiver  or  collector  to  such  as  delay  the 
payment  of  their  taxes.  (Enc.  Meth.  Diet.  Jurispr.) — P. 

08  “ Additional  tax  on  the  woods  of  the  communes.” — The  extent  of 
the  national  forests,  as  given  by  Peuchet  (Stat.  de  la  France,  1805,) 
was  2,393,000  hectares  ; that  of  the  woods  belonging  to  the  communes, 
2,000,000  hectares  ; and  that  of  those  belonging  to  individuals,  1,500,000 
hectares. — P. 

bb  “ Registry  and  domains.” — Under  the  empire,  the  administration 
( rigic ) of  the  registry  and  domains  was  charged  with  the  revenue 
arising  from  the  fees  for  the  recording  of  all  legal  instruments  in  the  pub- 
lic registers,  the  stamp  tax,  duties  on  the  manufacture  of  tobacco,  rents 
and  sales  of  the  national  domains,  including  the  sale  of  wood  from  the 
national  forests,  and  other  minor  branches  of  revenue.  (Peuchet.) — P. 


Franca. 

243,793,500'! 

40.988.000 

15,327,500  327,563,000 

26.804.000 
650,000  j 

1,558,000 
- 185,337,000 

27,300,000 


BOOK  CXLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  FRANCE. 


355 


104,165,000  "| 

1.448.000 

54,250,000  )■  103,590,000 

2.972.000 
755,000  J 


100,098,000'! 

33.502.000  I 

07.989.000  f 
4^096,000  J 


Customs. 

Duties  on  imports  ... 

exports  ... 

salt  - 

navigation  ... 

different  articles11 

Indirect  Taxes 

Duties  on  wines,  spirits,  &c.b 
carriages,  &c.c 
tobacco 
gunpowder 

Post  Office  - - ... 

Lottery  ...  ..... 

Gaming  houses'1  - ... 

Miscellaneous  Products. 

Salt  works  and  salt  mines'  - - 

Benefice  of  the  mint  - - 

Produce  of  the  mines  - - 

Receipts  from  different  debtsf  - - 

Products  in  different  departments  of  the  state 

Indemnities  for  military  supplies'!  - 

Restitutions  made  to  the  state  - 

Receipts  from  schools  and  places  of  exercise11 

Services  in  arrear1  - - 

Eventual  receipts  - - - 

Verification  of  weights  and  measures  . - . 

Eventual  receipts  from  the  departments)  - 

Improvements  in  the  customs,  domains,  and  indirect  taxesk 

Interest  on  the  Spanish  debt  of  80,000,000  francs  - 

Total  .... 

Excess  of  the  expenses 


Sums  payable  on  order. 
Royal  council  of  public  instruction 
Tax  on  brevets  of  invention1 
Management  of  powder  and  saltpetre  works™ 
Gold  and  silver,  retained  after  coinage11 


212.285.000 

30.523.000 

12.500.000 

5.500.000 

1.800.000 

140.000 

240.000 

500.000 

1,200,000 

150.000 

70.000 

50.000 
50,000 

1,601,000 

800.000 

746.000 

3.500.000 

2.349.000 

979.352.000 

2.158.000 

981.510.000 

3,992,500 

150.000 
- 3,426,500 

■ 2,067,000 


Civil  List, 
National  debt, 


EXPENSES. 


Registered 

pensions. 


General  ser- 
vice. 


'Legion  of  Honour,  - 3,400,000 

Peers,  retired  senators,  &c.  2.763,000 
Civil,  - - 1 £00 ,000 

•{  Military,  - - 45.600,000  >• 

Ecclesiastical,  - 5,450,000 

Donees,0  - - 1,510,000 

Superannuated  fund,i’  783,000 

f Chamber  of  peers,  - 800,000' 

| deputies,  600,000 

J Mint  - - 1,440,000 

1 Registry  ,s  - - 5,500,000 

I Sums  paid  to  emigrants  ) ^q- 

and  colonists,  5 ’ 


9,636,000 

32,000,000 

269,918,000 


61,006,000 


8,745,000 


11  “ Miscellaneous  duties.”  b “ — on  liquors  in  general” 

c “ — on  carriages,  cards  (cartes),  salt,  navigation,  &c.” 
d “ Ferme  des  jeux  k Paris.” — The  revenue  arising  from  the  gaming 
houses  at  Paris  is  farmed  by  the  government. — P. 

e “ Salt  works  and  salt  mines  in  the  eastern  part  of  France” — 
in  Lorraine  and  Franche-Comte,  particularly  the  extensive  salt  works 
at  Salins  in  the  latter. — P. 

f “ Debets  des  finances” — sums  due  to  the  treasury  from  individuals 
charged  with  the  collection  or  disbursement  of  the  public  monies 
(comptables,)  as  determined  by  the  court  of  exchequer  (cour  des  comptes.) 
(Enc.  Meth.  Diet.  Fin.) — P.  s “ — remplacemens  militaires.” 

11  “ Recettes  sur  les  exercices  clos.” — Exercice,  in  finance,  is  the  pe- 
riod of  service  of  an  officer,  as  of  a collector  or  receiver.  The  accounts 
of  the  period  are  called  comptes  de  V exercice.  Accounts  are  said  to  be 
closed  (clos,)  when  balanced  and  settled.— P. 

1 “ Capital  de  rentes  (service  de  l'arrierc.)” 
i “ Eventual  resources  of  the  departments.” 

k Fines  for  forfeiture  to  the  customs,  &c.  (amendes  sur  les  douanes, 
&c.)”  1 Patent  rights. — P. 

m “ General  direction  ( direction  ginerale)  of  powder  and  saltpetre 
works.” — This  is  the  name  of  an  office  in  the  war  department,  establish- 
ed at  the  arsenal  in  Paris. — P. 

n The  original  properly  signifies  : “ Sums  retained  at  the  mint  for  the 
expenses  of  coinage” — called  also  the  seignorage  of  the  coin,  or  the 
royal  profit  (binifice  du  roi)  on  coinage. — P. 

° 11  Donataires.”  p “ Subvention  aux  fonds  de  retenue.” 

s “ Cadastre” — register  of  real  estate,  grand  list. — P. 
r “ Central  administration” — Office  of  the  minister  of  justice.— P. 

* “ King's  councils.” — Under  the  late  government  of  the  Bourbons, be- 
sides the  council  of  ministers  and  the  cabinet  councils,  which  had  no 
special  members,  there  was  a privy-council  and  a council  of  state. — P. 


Justice. 


Foreign  af- 
fairs. 


Ecclesiastical 

affairs. 


5 


Court  of  Exchequer, 

f Administration  of  justice,1 
| King’s  council,” 

Courts  and  tribunals, 

Criminal  justice,  - 
Supplementary  pension  fund 
Seals  and  titles,1 
' Administration  of  foreign  ) 
affairs,11  ) 

Diplomatic  agents,  &c.T 
Expenses  of  the  foreign 
service, 

Ecclesiastical  department, 

Salaries  and  expenses  of' 

. the  clergy, 

(^Aids  to  the  clergy, 

Public  Instruction, 

f Home  department,1 
Roads,  bridges,  canals,  or- 
dinary expenses, 

Public  works, 

Sciences  and  arts, 

Non-catholic  clergy1 
Studs, 

Useful  institutions, 

Departmental  expenses, 

Special  expenses  (Paris,) 

Departmental  (hail,  fires,  &c.)l ,8] 9,000 
Commercial  department,1111  894,000  > 
Cod  and  whale  fisheries,  2,400,000  ) 

War  department,1111  - 1, 577.000 “j 

Staff,  - - 16,844,000 

King’s  military  household,  3,140,000 
Gendarmes,  - 15,849,000 

Pay  and  maintenance  of)  107 
the  troops,  5 

Artillery  (material,)  7,179,000 

Engineers  (material,)  8,325,000 

Military  schools,  depots'1 , &c  .2,004 ,000 
Quarters,  reforms,  aids,  &c.dd4,486,000 
’ Different  expenses,  34,919,000 

Navy  (material,)  22,267,000 

Colonies,  - - 7,000,000  f 

Hospitals,  - - 1,184, 000  J 

( Expense  of  collecting  the  public  money, 
£ Different  expenses, 


Interior. 


Commerce. 


552,000'! 

686.500 

14.564.000 

3.400.000  f 

371.500  | 
75,000  J 

1.020.000 

4.834.000 

3.146.000 
370,000^ 

33.071.000  V 

2.480.000  J 

1,451,000') 

39.900.000 

3.657.000 

2.491.000 
720,000 

1.840.000 

1.425.000 
47,956,500 

1.040.000 


War. 


Navy 

and 

Colonies. 

Finances. 


Sums  borrowed  for  canals,  roads  and  bridges, 

T otal , 

Expenses  that  may  be  incurred. 
Council  of  public  instruction, 

Tax  on  brevets  of  invention, ee 
Powder  and  saltpetre, 

Money,  (expense  of  coinage,) 


1.255.000 

19.649.000 

9,000,000 

35.921.000 

1.995.000 

105.600.000 

3.294.000 

187.200.000 

65.270.000 

117.473.000 

59.584.000 

977.910.000 

3.600.000 

981.510.000 

3.459.000 
150,000 

3.428.000 

2.067.000 

9.104.000 


39,900” 


1 “ Caisse  du  sceau  des  titres.”  — The  Commission  of  the  Seal  is 
charged,  among  other  duties,  with  the  decision  of  all  claims  relative 
to  titles,  coats  of  arms,  &c. — P. 

“ “ Central  administration,  &c.” — See  note1  . 

" “ Salaries  of  diplomatic  agents.” 

w “ Central  administration” — Office  of  the  minister  of  religion. — P. 
x “ Central  administration” — Office  of  the  minister  of  the  interior. — P. 
y “ Roads  and  bridges  C Ordinary  expenses  31,000 
(Ponts  et  chaussics)  ( Canals  8,900  ; 

1 “ For  the  support  of  public  worship  (eultes,)  not  catholic.” — At 
present  (1817,)  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  is  declared  that  of  the 
majority  of  the  French  people,  and  is  supported  by  the  state;  but  the 
state  provides  equally  for  the  ministers  of  the  protestant  churches, 
either  Lutheran  or  Calvinist,  and  even  superintends  the  synagogues  of 
the  Jews.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1111  “ Central  administration  and  the  different  departmental  administra- 
tions.”— In  1822,  there  was  a general  council  of  commerce,  under  the 
administration  of  the  minister  of  the  interior,  and  thirty-one  chambers  of 
commerce  in  the  departments,  each  of  which  was  represented  by  a 
member  in  the  general  council. — P. 

bb  “ Central  administration” — Office  of  the  minister  of  war. — P. 
cc  “ Depot  de  la  guerre”  (Military  Depot) — an  office  at  the  war  de- 
partment for  the  collection  of  historical  memoirs  relative  to  war, 
geographical  maps  and  plans,  and  topographical  details,  and  also  for 
drawing  and  publishing  maps,  particularly  the  great  map  of  France. 
(Aim.  Royal.) — P. 

dd  “ Traitemens,  reformes,  secours,  &c.” — Should  not  this  read  • 
Traitcmens  de  reforme,  secours,  &c. — half-pay  and  pensions  J — P. 

°-e  See  note  1 . 


[BOOK  CXLiVII. 


• 

356 


EUROPE. 


BOOK  CXLYII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Description  of  the  Scandinavian  Pe- 
ninsula.— First  Section. — Kingdom  of  Norway. 

At  the  northern  extremity  of  Europe,  in  those  regions 
where  winter,  characterised  hy  long  and  severe  frosts,  and 
losing  the  grey  complexion  which  it  presents  in  temperate 
climates,  covers  the  ground  with  a dazzling  carpet  of  snow,  and 
adorns  itself  with  the  brilliant  fires  of  the  Aurora  Borealis  ; 
where  the  long  days  of  summer,  even  hotter  than  under  the 
sky  of  Italy,  are  indebted  to  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun 
for  the  blessings  of  a vegetation  which  unfolds  itself  with  sur- 
prising rapidity,  there  lives  a people,  which,  in  the  bosom  of 
an  advanced  civilization,  has  religiously  preserved  the  laws 
and  manners  of  its  ancestors.  This  people  is  the  Norwegian. 

Descended  probably  from  the  same  source,  the  Norwegian 
speaks  a language,  which  has  the  same  origin  with  that  of 
the  Swedes  and  Danes.3  In  the  eighth  century  one  dialect 
formed  of  them  only  one  great  family,  and  in  this  dialect 
were  composed  the  songs  consecrated  to  the  mysteries  and 
mythological  creed  of  the  Scandinavians.  The  brilliant  fic- 
tions which  still  enliven  our  poetry,  appear  to  have  been,  if 
not  produced,  at  least  tastefully  coloured  under  the  beautiful 
sky  of  Greece;  yet  we  find  a part  of  their  lustre  in  the 
ancient  Edda,b  the  most  valuable  collection  we  possess  of 
Scandinavian  poems.0  Let  us  open  one  of  these  poems,  the 
Voluspa,  or  the  Oracle  of  the  Prophetess  Vola ,d  in  which 
the  creation  of  the  world,  and  its  destruction,  are  described 
in  glowing  language.  We  there  read  that  in  the  beginning 
a vast  chaos  reigned  over  the  universe ; the  gods  themselves 
slumbered  in  the  repose  of  a long  and  dark  night.  At  last 
appeared  the  giant  Ymcr , with  his  brothers,  in  the  midst  of 
that  ocean  of  vapours  which  filled  the  immensity  of  space, 
and  framed  a world,  gigantic  indeed,  but  without  proportion, 
and  as  yet  enveloped  in  darkness.  But  Odin,  the  god  of 

■*  The  Danish,  Swedish  and  Icelandic  are  three  dialects  of  one  great 
division  of  the  Gothic  family  of  languages,  viz.  the  Scandinavian. 
This,  before  the  discovery  of  Iceland  (in  the  ninth  century,)  was  com- 
mon to  all  the  Scandinavians.  The  Icelandic  approaches  nearest  to 
this  old  language,  of  the  three  written  languages;  the  High  Norse,  still 
spoken  by  the  peasants  in  the  remoter  districts  of  Norway,  is  also  near- 
er to  it  than  the  Danish  and  Swedish.  These  languages  are  character- 
ized by  two  remarkable  peculiarities,  by  which  they  differ  essentially 
from  the  Teutonic  languages,  although  very  many  of  their  words  are 
closely  allied  to  the  corresponding  words  in  the  latter.  These  peculiar- 
ities are  : 1.  the  possession  of  two  definite  articles — one  separate  and 
prefixed  (Dan.  and  Sw.  den,  masc.  and  fern,  det,  neut.)  and  the  other  a 
suffixed  syllable  (en  or  n,  masc.  and  fern,  et  or  t,  neut.  in  Dan.  and  Swed. 
— enn  or  nn  and  cd  or  d,  in  Icelandic) ; 2.  the  formation  of  the  passive 
verb  by  simply  suffixing  s to  the  active,  in  Dan.  and  Swed.  (e.  g.  elshe, 
to  love,  clskes , to  be  loved,)  and  si.  in  Icelandic,  (as  gcfti,  to  give,  gefast, 
to  be  given.) — P. 

b The  poetical  or  elder  Edda;  called  also  Stemund’s  Edda  ( Edda 
Stcmundar  kins  Froda , Edda  of  Stemund  the  Wise,)  from  Siemund  Sig- 
fuson,  an  Icelander,  by  whom  it  was  compiled  about  the  beginning  of 
the  twelfth  century. — The  prose  or  younger  Edda  (Snorro’s  Edda)  is 
said  to  have  been  compiled  in  the  13th  century,  by  Snorro  Sturleson, 
also  an  Icelander. — P. 


light, e accompanied  by  his  two  brothers  Ve  and  Vile / ex- 
tended his  reign  over  this  universe,  still  shapeless  and  rude : 
then  the  sun,  hitherto  wandering  in  space,  drew  the  other 
stars  after  him  around  our  planet ; the  seasons  succeeded 
each  other  with  regularity;  Ymer  fell  under  the  blows  of 
Odin,  and  in  his  blood  the  giants  his  brothers  were  drowned, 
one  excepted,  who,  more  fortunate  than  the  rest,  took  refuge 
in  the  mountains,  where  he  propagated  a race  destined  one 
day  to  embrue  the  earth  with  blood. 

Odin,  intent  upon  beautifying  the  universe,  created  man 
and  woman  from  the  trunk  of  a tree  thrown  by  the  waves 
upon  the  shore.  Does  not  this  incident  conceal  a philo- 
sophical idea  ? May  we  not  discover  in  this  wreck,  tossed 
upon  the  ocean,  and  which  becomes  the  origin  of  the  human 
race,  the  cause  of  the  stormy  life  that  attends  man  in  this  world  ? 
Whatever  there  may  be  in  this,  the  deities  hastened  to  adorn 
this  new  race  of  beings  with  the  finest  qualities : the  earth 
presented  the  image  of  happiness  ; innocence  and  knowledge 
reigned  in  it ; the  arts  diffused  themselves  ; and  gold  became 
the  most  common  of  metals.  But  the  daughters  of  the  giants 
descended  from  their  mountains  ; one  of  them,  Gullveiga,% 
or  the  Weigher  of  Gold,  spread  among  men  avarice  and 
the  love  of  gain ; thrice  the  gods  delivered  her  over  to  the 
flames,  and  thrice  she  revived  from  her  ashes.  She  still 
lives : she  it  is  who  first  caused  human  blood  to  flow,  and, 
through  her  influence,  it  will  never  cease  flowing. 

Asagardh  is  the  Scandinavian  Olympus.  There,  amidst 
surrounding  clouds,  rises,  resplendent  with  light,  Valhalla,1 
or  the  palace  of  Odin,  the  abode  of  the  gods,  and  the  asylum 
destined  for  those  mortals,  who  by  their  virtues  have  rendered 
themselves  worthy  of  it.  There  the  hero  slain  in  battle  is 
admitted  to  the  banquet  of  the  gods.  There  Freya,  the 
daughter  of  the  god  of  the  sea,j  as  Venus  is  of  the  foam, 

c “ Scaldic  poems” — poems  of  the  Scalds  (Scandinavian  bards.) — P. 
d Voluspa,  the  prophecy  (spae)  of  the  Vala. — The  Yalas  were  the 
Northern  Sybils,  prophetesses  inspired  by  the  Nornir  or  Destinies. 
(F.  Q.  It.  No.  III.) — They  were  of  the  race  of  giants  ( Jotun .) — P. 

e Odin  was  called  Alfadcr,  the  father  of  all  the  gods  (A sir.)  The 
Aser  (celestial  deities)  were  opposed  to  the  giants  or  evil  genii  (Jotun.) 
Odin,  the  leader  of  the  former,  corresponds  to  the  Persian  Ormuzd,  re- 
presenting light,  and  Loke,  the  leader  of  the  latter,  to  Ahriman,  or 
darkness.  In  this  sense,  Odin  may  be  called  the  god  of  light ; but  he 
was  not  the  Northern  Apollo.  Balder  (the  vernal  sun.)  and  Freyr,  the 
sun-god,  the  brother  of  Freya,  the  moon-goddess,  better  correspond 
with  that  deity.  Odin  is  compared  by  Finn  Magnusen,  to  the  Grecian 
Zeus,  the  father  of  gods  and  men  — P. 

f Odin,  Vile  antf  Ve  constitute  one  of  the  Northern  Trinities  (the 
cosmogonic  trinity  of  the  prose  Edda.)  Odin  is  regarded  by  Magnusen 
as  the  air,  Vile  as  light,  and  Ve  as  fire. — P. 

s Gullveig,  gold  matter.  (For.  Qu.  Rev.  No.  111.) — P. 

11  Asgard — Aser-yard,  the  city  of  the  gods  (Ascr.) — P. 

* “ Valhal.” — Valhall.  (For.  Quart.  Rev.  Nos.  111.  and  VII.) — P. 
i Freya  was  the  daughter  of  Niordr,  a deity  who  presided  over  the 
wind,  to  whom  travellers  and  mariners  addressed  their  prayers.  (For 
Q.  Rev.  No.  VII.) — P. 


book  cxlvii.]  DESCRIPTION 

adorns  herself  with  all  the  charms  of  youth.  She  is  the 
goddess  of  love  and  of  beauty,  and,  under  the  name  of 
Vanadis,  also  the  goddess  of  hope.  She  shares  with  Odin 
the  empire  of  the  dead,a  because  it  is  often  unsuccessful  love 
which  hurries  its  victims  into  the  heat  of  battle.  Frigga, 
the  chaste  spouse  of  Odin,  the  Ceres  and  Juno  of  the  Scand- 
inavians,1’ receives,  after  death,  such  wives  as  have  been 
distinguished  by  a heroic  fidelity  ; while  Thor,  her  eldest 
son,  who,  with  his  club,  terrifies  the  giants,  and  makes  them 
retire  within  the  limits  of  Jotunheim,0  the  prison  reserved  for 
them,  in  like  manner  rewards  after  their  death  faithful  slaves. 
In  the  palace  of  the  immortals,  Bragor , the  god  of  the  arts 
and  of  music, d charms  the  ears  of  the  deities  with  the  notes 
of  his  golden  harp.  Idunna,  his  wife,  distributes  among  the 
inhabitants  of  heaven  the  apples  which  perpetuate  their  im- 
mortality. Forsete,  another  son  of  Odin,®  has  for  his  em- 
ployment the  preserving  peace  among  mankind  ; and  the 
goddess  Vara  presides  over  the  sacredness  of  oaths.  With- 
out this  hallowed  mansion,  the  god  Uller , gliding  on  his  spark- 
ling skates,  cuts  the  air  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  sur- 
passing the  winds  in  swiftness  ; while  the  watchful  Heimdal, 
a sentinel  ever  attentive  to  the  motions  of  the  evil  genii, 
guards  night  and  day  that  aerial  arch,  the  seven  colours  of 
which  are  so  often  seen  by  men.  But  the  object  beloved 
by  all  the  gods  is  Balder / the  son  of  Odin,  the  most  amiable 
and  the  most  brilliant  of  the  immortals,  endowed  by  destiny 
with  every  good  quality  of  the  heart,  with  every  intellectual 
gift,  and  with  every  physical  advantage.  Nothing  equals  his 
beauty  : his  eyes  shine  with  a lustre  more  radiant  than  that 
of  the  morning  star.  To  him  alone  belongs  the  power  of 
appeasing  tempests.  A stranger  to  the  passions  which  agi- 
tate the  other  gods,  to  their  warlike  projects,  and  their  ob- 
streperous mirth,  he  seldom  appears  at  their  assemblies, 
living  peaceably  in  a palace,  whose  site  is  pointed  out  by 
that  white  belt,  which  during  clear  nights  shines  in  the  vault 
of  heaven. 

But  this  world,  organized  by  Odin,  wall  one  day  fall  in 
ruins,  and  again  become  part  of  the  empire  of  chaos : the 
death  of  Balder  has  been  predicted,  and  Odin  has  read  this 
terrible  secret  in  the  Book  of  Fate.s  Siona,  the  goddess  of 
sympathy  and  love  ; Snotra,  who  bestows  prudence  and  mod- 
eration ; Lowna,  who  presides  over  conjugal  fidelity ; the 
three  Nornies,  who  regulate  the  destiny  of  mortals  ;h  the 
twelve  Valkiries,1  nymphs  who  accompany  heroes  to  battle  ; 
in  short,  all  the  gods  tremble  in  the  knowledge  of  the  future 
that  threatens  them.  All  these  deities  have  compelled  the 
parts  of  nature,  which  are  subject  to  them,  by  an  oath  to  fur- 
nish no  arms  fatal  to  the  life  of  Balder.!  Fire,  water,  vege- 
tables and  rocks  are  bound  by  this  oath  ; one  parasitical  plant, 

OF  NORWAY.  357 

the  misletoe,  was  alone  forgotten.  Lolce , the  genius  of  evil, 
has  discovered  the  fatal  omission,  and  he  will  employ  this 
contemptible  vegetable  to  accomplish  the  decree  of  fate. 
Assured  that  all  the  elements  respect  his  life,  Balder,  amidst 
the  warlike  exercises  of  Valhalla,  feels  a pleasure  in  pre- 
senting his  invulnerable  breast  to  the  darts  thrown  at  him  by 
the  gods  ; but  Loke,  at  one  of  these  celestial  assemblies,  will 
engage  Hoder ,k  the  son  of  Odin,  to  take  part,  although  blind, 
in  the  tournaments.  Putting  into  his  hand  a branch  of  the 
misletoe,  and  directing  his  arm,  the  genius  of  evil  will  see  his 
wishes  accomplished  by  an  unintentional  fratricide.  Loke 
will  then  assemble  the  giants  his  sons  ; he  will  open  the  gates 
of  Nastrond,  a frozen  hell,  where  rivers  of  poison  alone  pre- 
serve their  fluidity,  and  he  will  bring  from  thence  perjurers 
and  assassins,  and  the  dreadful  Hela,  the  goddess  of  death. 
Surtur ,’  the  genius  of  fire,  will  at  the  same  time  escape  from 
Muspelheim,  his  abode  of  flames.  Then  all  these  monsters 
and  their  attendants  will  attack  the  gods ; the  serpent  Jor- 
mungandurm  will  crush  the  earth  in  his  immense  folds ; the 
wolf  Fenris  will  devour  the  sun  and  the  valiant  Odin";  the 
stars  will  fall  from  the  azure  vault ; the  two  celestial  armies 
will  perish,  annihilated  by  each  other  ; and  the  universe,  dis- 
organized by  so  many  opposing  struggles,  will  present  only  a 
vast  collection  of  elements  confusedly  mixed. 

The  predictions,  however,  of  the  sybil  Vola,°  do  not  ter- 
minate with  this  frightful  catastrophe.  She  invokes  a deity 
greater  than  all  those  who  are  to  perish  in  the  general  con- 
flagration. This  Being,  superior  to  all  others,  will  appear 
to  establish  eternal  laws ; a new  earth  will  proceed  from 
chaos,  in  the  splendour  of  youth  ; the  climates  of  the  north 
will  no  longer  have  either  ice  or  frost,  but  a perpetual  spring 
will  reign  there,  and  Balder,  the  god  of  peace,  raised  again 
from  the  dead,  will  gather  around  him  all  virtuous  men.? 

In  this  exposition  of  the  Scandinavian  mythology,  we  per- 
ceive resemblances  to  the  writings  of  Plato,  and  many  fic- 
tions similar  to  those  which  distinguish  the  philosophical  sys- 
tems of  the  Slavonians,  Persians,  and  Indians.  Do  these 
different  points  of  analogy  prove,  that  in  every  climate  man 
has  given  the  same  form  to  his  religious  ideas,  as  an  author 
of  merit  supposes  ?q  Or,  do  they  not  rather  point  out  to  us, 
that  the  ancient  dogmas  of  the  north  derive  their  origin  from 
the  sacred  reveries,  which  are  regarded  as  having  had  their 
birth  in  India  ? Or,  lastly,  have  they  not  rather  been  car- 
ried from  the  regions  of  the  north  even  as  far  as  the  east? 
The  study  of  such  monuments  as  have  survived  the  destruc- 
tion of  ages,  the  knowledge  of  the  ancient  languages  of  the 
north,  and  a comparison  of  them  with  those  of  India,  have 
probably  not  yet  thrown  sufficient  light  upon  these  ques- 
tions. It  is  difficult  not  to  recognise  the  striking  resem- 

1 “ She  shares  the  dead  equally  with  Odin.” — When  she  goes  to  the 
battles  of  men,  one  half  of  the  slain  fall  to  her  and  the  other  to  Odin. 
(For.  Q.  Rev.  No.  VII.)— P. 
b Frigga  was  the  goddess  of  the  earth. — P. 
c Jatunheim , the  abode  (home)  of  the  giants  ( Jotun .) — P. 
d Braga,  the  god  of  song  and  poetry  (F.  Q.  R.) — Bragur. — P. 
e Forseti  (prudent)  was  the  son  of  Balder ; it  was  his  office  to  pro- 
nounce true  and  righteous  judgement.  (For.  Quart.  Rev.  No.  VII.) — P. 
f Baldur,  the  good — called  also  the  White  God. — P. 

K “ — in  the  fountain  of  destiny.” — Odin  descends  to  the  realm  of 
death  (Hela’s  abode)  on  his  horse  Sleipner,  and  there  evoking  one  of 
the  Valas  (prophetic  giantesses,)  learns  from  her  the  secret  of  Balder's 
death.*  (For.  Q.  R.  No.  VII.) — The  fount  of  destiny  is  called  Urda’s 
fount,  situated  in  the  south,  and  the  source  of  life,  light  and  warmth. 
(F.  Q.  R.  No.  III.) — On  the  approach  of  the  twilight  of  the  Gods  (de- 
struction of  the  world,)  Odin  in  vain  seeks  advice  at  the  well  of  Mimer, 
in  the  north,  the  source  of  wisdom. — P. 

♦ See  Gray’s  ode : The  descent  of  Odin. 

h Nornir — the  three  maids,  Ur  da,  Verande,  and  Skuld  (Past,  Present 

and  Future,)  who  dwell  by  Urda’s  fount,  and  appoint  the  life-time  of 
mortals — the  Northern  Fates.  (F.  Q.  R.  No.  III.) — P. 

‘ Valkyriur  (choosers  of  the  slain.) — P. 

1 Frigga  compelled  all  beings  animate  and  inanimate  to  take  an  oath 
that  they  would  spare  the  life  of  Balder.  (For.  Rev.  No.  II.) — P. 

k Hodur.  (F.  Q.  R.) 

1 Surtur  (the  black,  swart,)  lord  of  Muspelheim,  destroyer  of  the 
world  by  fire. — P. 

m JOrmungandur  (earthly  monster)  or  Midgardsormr  (earth  s serpent.) 
— He  lay  at  the  bottom  of  the  earth-surrounding  ocean,  completely 
encircling  the  earth,  with  his  tail  in  his  mouth. — The  habitable  earth 
was  called  Midgard  (Middle-yard  or  city,)  also  Mannheim,  or  Man’s 
abode,  and  was  supposed  to  be  surrounded  by  the  sea,  and  that  by  Ut- 
gard  (Outer-yard)  or  Jatunheim. — P. 

n The  wolf  Fenris  will  swallow  Odin,  and  after  him  the  sun  and 
moon,  but  will  fall  by  Vidur,  the  son  of  Odin.  (For.  Rev.  No.  II.) — P. 

0 See  note  d p.  1036. 

p See  the  work  entitled : Edda  Rhythmica  seu  Antiquior,  vulgo  Scb- 
mundina  dicta,  &c.  Copenhagen,  1827. 

1 Ch.  Coquerel,  Resumb  de  l’histoire  de  Suede,  2e  edit.  1825. 

358  EUR 

blance  that  exists  between  the  Normanno-Gothic,*  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Scalds,  and  that  in  which  the  two  poems  of  the 
Edda  and  Voluspab  are  written,  and  the  Sanscrit.  The  Ru- 
nic alphabet,  which  resembles  the  Phoenician  characters,  and 
those  of  the  ancient  inscriptions  at  Persepolis,  had  been  in  use 
in  the  north  from  time  immemorial.®  Shall  we  admit,  with 
certain  modern  authors,  that  the  conqueror,  who,  under  the 
name  of  Odin,  was  deified  in  the  humid  and  icy  regions  of 
Scandinavia,  where  he  founded  a new  creed  and  a new  em- 
pire, proceeded  from  Asiatic  Tartary,  when  a crowd  of  tra- 
ditions and  monuments  prove,  that  the  Scandinavian  worship, 
or  that  of  Odin,  had  been,  when  the  Romans  penetrated  in- 
to Germany,  established  there  from  the  remotest  antiquity  ? 
Does  not  history  present  to  us,  in  every  country  of  the  globe, 
the  people  of  the  north  subduing  the  nations  of  the  south, 
and  the  latter  only  here  and  there,  through  an  instinct  of 
self-preservation,  re-acting  upon  the  north,  in  order  to  keep 
back  the  masses  ready  to  pour  in  upon  them  ? If  the  affin- 
ity11 of  languages  is  not  a chimera  ; if  the  first  language,  if  the 
first  alphabet,  if  the  first  arts  adopted  by  every  people,  are 
not  the  natural  and  universal  results  of  the  physical  and  moral 
organization  of  man  ; if  they  do  not  resemble  each  other  for 
the  same  reason  that  in  every  country  the  drawings  sketch- 
ed by  a child,  or  by  an  uneducated  man,  bear  an  identical 
character : we  would  say,  that  in  order  to  ascend  to  their 
origin,  we  must  advance  towards  the  north  rather  than  the 
south,  because  it  is  not  natural  that  people  should  quit  warm 
or  temperate  regions  for  northern  ones,  which  have  not  even 
sufficient  attractions  to  retain  the  natives,  as  is  proved  by  the 
frequent  migrations  sent  by  the  North  to  more  favoured  cli- 
mates. It  appears  to  us  then  difficult  to  prove  that  the 
Scandinavians  are  not  descended  from  a primitive  race,  indi- 
genous to  the  countries  which  it  still  inhabits.® 

Under  the  name  of  Scandia,  the  ancients  designated  all 
the  countries  which  now  comprise  Norway  and  Sweden. 
Pliny  calls  it  Scandia  insula. 1 The  origin  of  this  appella- 
tion arises  from  this  circumstance,  that  in  the  time  of  the  Ro- 
man naturalist,  they  were  only  acquainted  with  that  part  of 
the  country  called  Skanen  or  Skonenf  and  that  merely 
through  the  report  of  some  Germans.  This  is  the  former 
province  of  Schonen  or  Scania,  the  most  southern  of  Swe- 
den.h  The  name  was  afterwards  changed  to  Scandinavia. 

The  Scandinavian  tribes  were  much  more  addicted  to  the 
chase,  and  to  fishing,  than  to  agriculture.  These  occupa- 
tions formed  the  principal  guarantees  of  their  independence. 
With  them  the  representative  form  of  government  seems  to 
have  originated.  They  obeyed  chiefs  or  kings  who  were  at 
once  judges  and  high-priests,  but  whose  power  was  limited 
by  the  national  assemblies  composed  of  free  men.  The  sov- 

,OPE.  [BOOK  CXLVII. 

ereign  authority  was  partly  hereditary  and  partly  elective, 
and  this  mixed  organization  was  long  preserved  in  Sweden. 
Their  habitations  lay  dispersed,  and  to  them,  like  the  Ger- 
mans, the  confinement  of  a city  would  have  proved  an  in- 
supportable prison.  Their  manners  were  severe.  With 
them,  hospitality  was  the  first  of  duties;  cowardice  and 
adultery  were  the  two  greatest  crimes.  They  interred  their 
warriors  in  such  parts  of  the  sea-beach,  as  were  alternately 
covered  and  abandoned  by  the  waves : “ These  tribes,” 
says  an  author,  whose  testimony  has  already  been  referred 
to,  “ imagined  that  the  shades  of  heroes  preferred  the  ma- 
jestic noise  of  the  billows  to  the  silent  repose  of  a valley  or 
a plain,  and  that  their  ghosts,  rising  amidst  the  obscurity  of 
the  evening,  loved  to  contemplate  the  sons  of  Odin  return- 
ing from  their  foreign  expeditions,  and  repealing  the  war- 
like songs  with  which  they  had  inspired  them.”* 

The  respect  which  they  had  for  their  women  was  carried 
much  farther  than  even  that  of  the  Cells  and  Germans.  At 
their  festivals,  at  their  public  meetings,  and  at  their  feasts, 
the  women  always  occupied  the  place  of  honour.  They,  on 
the  other  hand,  rendered  themselves  worthy  of  the  respect 
of  the  men,  by  their  virtues,  and  by  their  attachment  to  their 
husbands.  Often  they  accompanied  them  to  battle,  perish- 
ed with  them,  or  re-assembled  the  troops  to  avenge  their 
death.  Sometimes,  but  this  was  not  a general  custom,  they 
immolated  themselves  on  their  husbands’  funeral  pile.  The 
deep  regard  which  the  Scandinavians  had  for  chastity,  form- 
ed the  principal  safeguard  of  their  morals ; the  women  did 
not  live  apart  from  the  men ; the  young  women  might  re- 
ceive into  their  apartments  their  relations,  and  even  their  fu- 
ture husbands.  If,  during  a journey,  two  individuals  of  dif- 
ferent sexes,  and  unmarried,  were  obliged  to  sleep  upon  the 
same  bed,  the  man  placed  his  naked  sword  between  the 
woman  and  him,  and  it  formed  a more  secure  barrier  than 
modern  bolts.  The  education  that  women  of  rank  receiv- 
ed, proves  also  the  respect  with  which  they  were  treated. 
They  were  taught  to  read  and  to  engrave  the  Runic  char- 
acters, a knowledge  interdicted  to  slaves ; music  and  poetry 
formed  also  their  employment,  and  the  Sagas,  or  ancient 
historical  relations,  cite  a great  number  of  princesses  who 
aspired  to  the  title  of  poet.  The  women  alone  practised 
medicine  and  surgery ; they  alone  dressed  the  wounded. 
They  excelled  also  in  the  art  of  interpreting  dreams,  of  pre- 
dicting the  future,  and  discovering  the  character  of  individ- 
uals from  their  features  and  physiognomy.  Yet  this  supe- 
rior education  did  not  exclude  domestic  occupations ; even 
their  queens  were  acquainted  with  sewing,  embroidery,  ba- 
king, and  brewing. 

If  the  religion  and  manners  of  the  ancient  Scandinavians 

a See  note  a p.  103C. 

b This  is  a mistake.  The  Edda  (poetical  Edda)  and  Voluspa  are  not 
two  distinct  poems.  The  poetical  Edda  is  a collection  of  mythological 
songs  or  poems,  one  of  which  is  the  Voluspa. — P. 

c The  Runic  characters  are  so  called  from  the  old  Latin  word  rvna 
(a  javelin)*,  because  they  are  of  a sharp  or  pointed  form ; the  Persepo- 
litan  writing  is  formed  of  letters  which  are  called  wedge-shaped  (cunei- 
form), from  their  resemblance  to  a wedge  or  an  arrow-head. 

The  Runic  characters,  which  also  resemble  the  Samaritan,  the  an- 
cient Greek,  and  the  Celtiberian,  are  in  number  sixteen. 

* Runic  is  derived  from  rim,  signifying  in  the  old  Scandinavian  language,  line  or 
stroke,  and  in  the  old  northern  tales  (sagas,)  speech,  song,  and  also  letterand  writing. 
In  Ulphilas  it  signifies  secret,  and  is  thence  used  in  the  northern  tales  for  a mysteri- 
ous spell,  song  or  letter.  (For.  Itev.  No.  II.) — P. 

d “ Filiation  ” — affinity  by  descent  or  derivation. — P. 

' “ God  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.”  Paul, 
in  Acts  XVII.  26. — Translator's  JVotc.  [“  God — hath  made  of  one  blood 
all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth.”  Acts 
XVII.  26. — This  is  not  the  first  time  that  the  local,  or  rather  autochtho-  i 

novs,  creation,  we  might  saj  spontaneous  production,  of  the  different 
tribes  or  races  of  men,  has  been  more  or  less  distinctly  stated  in  the 
original — a doctrine  generally  considered  in  English  science,  as  equally 
opposed  to  religion  and  philosophy.  Aside  from  the  express  declara- 
tions of  scripture  to  the  contrary,  and  the  general  conformity  of  the 
different  races  of  men,  in  their  physical,  intellectual  and  moral  consti- 
tution, there  are  certain  circumstances  connected  with  the  doctrine  of 
animal  species,  which  render  the  opinion  in  the  text,  extremely  im- 
probable, if  not  absolutely  groundless. — P.] 

f Scandia,  insula : in  the  index  ; not  in  the  text. — Sunt  qui  et  alias 
[i/iyu/fl-s]  prodant,  Scandiam,  Dumnam,  Bergos  : maximamque  omnium 
Nerigon — . Plin.  Nat.  Hist.  1.  iv.  c.  16. — The  author  should  have  said, 
Pliny  calls  it  an  island. — P. 

e “ Slcane  or  Skone." — Skanen  or  Skonen  is  merely  the  word  with  the 
definite  article  cn  suffixed.  See  note  * p.  1036. — P. 

h Sweden  was  formerly  divided  into  provinces,  but  at  present  is  di- 
vided into  prefectures.  (See  Statistical  Tables.) — P. 

> Ch.  Coquerel,  Resume  de  l'histoire  de  Suede. 

L — 

book  cxlvii.]  DESCRIPTION 

present  a picture  interesting  from  the  view  it  gives  of  the 
Norwegians  and  Swedes  before  their  acquaintance  with 
Christianity,  that  which  they  now  present  equally  merits  our 
attention.  Let  us  begin  with  Norway.  In  spite  ol  the 
vague  ideas  which  the  ancients  entertained  of  the  northern 
countries  of  Europe,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  country 
which  Pliny  a calls  Nerigon  b is  Norway.  Many  geogra- 
phers0 have  asserted  that  the  name  signifies  the  Way  to  the 
North;  d e but  its  true  etymology  is  Nor-Rige,  Kingdom  of 
the  North/  or  rather,  perhaps,  assuming  the  word  Nor  as 
signifying  Gulf,  Kingdom  of  Gulfs,  because  in  effect  its 
coasts  are  much  more  indented  than  those  ol  Sweden.  We 
thus  see  that  the  name  of  Nerigon  has  much  more  analogy 
with  that  of  Norrige  than  with  that  of  Norweg,  which  at  the 
first  glance  appears  to  be  the  origin  of  the  modern  name. 

The  petty  sovereignties,  into  which  Norway  was  divided, 
were,  from  times  the  most  remote,  independent,  acknow- 
ledging, however,  a kind  of  supremacy  in  the  kings  of  Swe- 
den and  Denmark,  till  about  the  year  940,  when  Harold  Har- 
fagre  (the  Fair-hair ed after  long  fighting,  formed  one  king- 
dom of  all  these  principalities.  Olof  Trygvason,1'  known 
also  by  the  name  of  Olaus,  wltose  bold  adventures  astonished 
the  North,  and  possessor  of  the  Norwegian  throne  in  991, 
endeavoured,  by  violence  and  cruelty,  to  extirpate  the  wor- 
ship of  Odin  in  his  new  states.  But  another  Olof,1  at  the 
commencement  of  the  eleventh  century,  surpassed  his  pre- 
decessor in  tyranny,  and  in  zeal  for  the  church,  or  in  other 
words,  for  the  clergy.  In  return,  the  church  made  a saint 
of  him : even  at  Constantinople  they  erected  temples  to  his 
memory,  and  his  tomb  was  visited  by  pilgrims,  not  only  from 
the  North,  but  from  all  Europe.  Down  to  the  fourteenth 
century,  many  kings,  whose  vices  and  virtues  we  shall  not 
even  sketch,  succeeded  one  another  in  the  midst  of  political 
storms.  Towards  the  close  of  the  fourteenth  century,  the 
three  kingdoms  of  Sweden,  Denmark,  and  Norway  were 
united  under  one  sovereign,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Waldemar 
of  Denmark.  In  the  lifetime  of  Margaret,  she  appointed 
her  grand-nephew,  Eric,  surnamed  of  Pomerania,  her  suc- 
cessor, who,  on  the  death  of  Margaret,  in  1412,  succeeded 
, to  the  three  crowns,  as  Eric  II.  of  Norway,  IX.  or  X.  of 
Denmark,  and  XIII.  of  Sweden. 1 After  various  attempts 
had  been  made  on  the  part  of  the  Swedes,  the  oppression 
and  cruelty  of  Christian  II.  led  to  a final  separation  of  Swe- 

OF  NORWAY.  359 

den  in  1 520/  under  the  renowned  Gustavus  Ericson  (Vasa,) 
but  Norway  and  Denmark  remained  under  one  sceptre  till 
their  separation  in  IS  14,  when  Norway  was  united  to  the 
crown  of  Sweden.1 

It  is  known,  that  the  Norwegians  were  opposed  to  the 
separation  from  Denmark  and  union  to  Sweden  that  took 
place  alter  the  downfall  of  Napoleon’s  empire  in  1815.™ 
To  compensate  Sweden  for  the  loss  of  Finland,  to  reward 
her  for  her  assistance  under  Bernadotte,  then  crown  prince 
of  Sweden,  in  the  important  campaign  of  1813,  and  at  same 
time  to  punish  Denmark  for  her  adherence  to  Napoleon, 
or  rather  her  neutrality  in  what  was  considered  the  common 
cause  of  Europe,  the  allies,  in  the  plenitude  of  their  power, 
determined  upon  the  violent  separation  of  two  states  that 
had  been  united  for  ages,  and  the  junction  of  Norway  with 
a state  that  had  for  ages  been  considered  her  natural  enemy. 
It  was  in  vain  that  the  Norwegians  remonstrated,  and  at- 
tempted resistance  : they  were  threatened  with  starvation 
by  a blockade  of  their  ports;  and  they  at  last  agreed  to  the 
union,  on  condition  of  being  allowed  to  choose  a constitution 
of  their  own.  The  constitution  they  made  choice  of  w as  em- 
inently popular,  indeed  democratic.  All  orders  of  nobility 
were  abolished,  with  this  exception,  that  those  who  possess- 
ed titles  under  the  old  regime,  were  allowed  to  retain  them 
during  their  lives,  and  their  children  who  were  born,  pre- 
vious to  the  new  order  of  things,  are  allowed  to  succeed 
them,  but  with  them  the  title  of  nobility  expires.  The  king 
is  chief  magistrate,  but  no  taxes  can  be  imposed,  or  laws 
passed,  without  the  consent  of  the  Storthing, n or  great  coun- 
cil of  the  nation,  which  meets  every  three  years,  in  the 
month  of  February,  except  in  extraordinary  cases,  when  it 
may  be  assembled,  without  regard  to  the  ordinary  time. 
It  is  composed  of  seventy-seven  deputies,  twenty-six  from 
the  towns,  and  fifty-one  from  the  country.  A spirit  of  in- 
dependence runs  through  all  the  proceedings  of  the  Stor- 
thing, which  has  led  to  continual  differences  between  them 
and  the  Swedish  government,  the  latter  accusing  the  Nor- 
wegians of  an  unreasonable  and  factious  opposition,  while 
they,  on  the  other  hand,  charge  the  government  with  at- 
tempts to  innovate  upon  and  change  the  constitution.  A 
traveller  who  lately  (1827)  visited  Norway,  was  present  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Storthing:  “ There  were,”  he  says,  “ about 
fifty  members  present,  some  of  whom  had  come  from  the 

1 Lib.  IV.  cap.  16. 

b Nerigos,  D’Anv. — Nerigon , in  the  index  to  Pliny.  It  is  also  Neri- 
gon in  the  text  of  Pliny,  but  it  there  occurs  in  the  accusative.  See  the 
passage  quoted  in  note  f p.  1038. — P. 

c See  the  article  Norway  ( Norwdge ) in  the  Geographical  Dictionary 
of  the  Encyclopidie.  [The  name  of  Norway  {Norweg  c)  is  formed  from 
nord  and  weg,  northern  way  ( clicmin  du  nord.)  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog. 
Mod.) — The  natural  signification  of  Norway  is,  the  Northern-way. 
(Guthrie.) — Norway,  anciently  Norrik,  or  the  Northern  kingdom. 
(Pinkerton.) — Its  present  name  is  Norge,  in  Danish. — P.] 

d “ Chemin  du  Nord  ’’—literally,  way  of  the  north ; northern  way. — P. 
t From  nord  and  vug  (way  :)  Norweg.  [IVeg  is  German.  Vei  is  the 
same  word  in  Danish,  and  vtzg,  in  Swedish. — P.] 

1 Nord,  north,  and  rige,  kingdom,  (Danish.) — P. 
e “ Harald  aux  beaux  cheveux  ” — Harald  the  Fair-haired. — The  sov- 
ereignty originally  founded  in  the  south-east  part  of  Norway,  around 
the  modern  city  of  Christiania,  was  extended  by  degrees,  and  Harald 
Harfagre  about  A.  D.  910  became  master  of  all  Norway.  (Pinkerton’s 
Geog.  vol.  I.  4to,  p.  342.) — Norway  was  originally  divided  into  a num- 
ber of  petty  principalities,  which  were  first  united  into  one  monarchy 
by  Harold  Harfager,  A.  D.  875.  (Ed.  Encyc.) — P. 
h Olaf  I.  (Pinkerton.) 

1 Olaf  II.  the  saint,  1014 — 1030.  (Pinkerton.) 

1 It  is  altogether  a mistake  in  the  original  to  say  that  Eric  XII 1. 
reigned  in  Sweden  only.  He  was  the  same  person  who  was  Eric  II.  in 
Norway,  and  Eric  IX.  or  X.  in  Denmark. — Tr. 
k Gustavus  Vasa  excited  the  revolt  in  Dalecarlia  in  1520,  but  did 

not  complete  the  restoration  of  Sweden  till  the  capture  of  Stockholm  in 
1523.  (Pinkerton,  vol.  1.  p.  366.) — P. 

1 “ In  1350,  Norway,  Denmark  and  Sweden  were  united  under  the 
same  sovereign;  Eric  XIII.,  however,  some  years  afterwards,  reigned 
alone  in  Sweden,  and  the  two  other  kingdoms  remained  almost  contin- 
ually under  the  same  sceptre,  until  the  definitive  union  of  Norway  with 
Sweden  in  1814.” — The  marriage  of  Hakon  VI.  king  of  Norway,  with 
Margaret  daughter  of  Waldemar  III.  king  of  Denmark,  A.  D.  1363, 
produced  the  memorable  union  of  the  crowns  of  the  north.  On  the 
death  of  her  young  son  (Olaus,)  Margaret  ascended  the  throne  of  Den- 
mark and  Norway  in  1387,  and  that  of  Sweden  in  1389.  (Pinkerton,  vol 
1.  p.  341.) — The  three  kingdoms  were  not  formally  united,  till  the  union 
of  Calmar  in  1397.  ('Ed.  Encyc.  art.  Denmark.) — The  crowns  of  Den- 
mark and  Norway  \ 2 re  united  by  the  marriage  of  Hakon  and  Marga- 
ret; the  two  countries,  however,  continued  separate  so  far  as  to  have 
distinct  constitutions  and  codes  of  law,  and  were  not  formally  conjoined 
as  one  kingdom  till  the  year  1537.  (Ed.  Encyc.  art.  Norway.) — Eric  of 
Pomerania,  who  succeeded  Margaret  in  1412,  reigned  26  years  after  her 
death,  when  he  was  compelled  to  abdicate,  A.  D.  1448. — P. 

m Qu.  in  1814,  or  rather  after  his  expulsion  from  Germany  in  1813. 
The  king  of  Denmark  was  compelled  to  sign  a treaty  at  Kiel,  Jan.  14, 
1814,  by  which  he  ceded  Norway  to  Sweden  in  exchange  for  Swedish 
Pomerania  and  the  island  of  Rugen.  The  Norwegians,  however,  re- 
sisted the  union  with  Sweden,  but  in  an  assembly  at  Christiania,  Oct. 
1814,  it  was  agreed  that  Norway  should  be  permanently  governed  by  the 
same  king  as  Sweden,  but  as  an  integral  state,  and  with  the  preserva 
tion  of  its  constitution  and  laws. — P. 

“ Star,  great,  and  thing  (Dan.  ting,)  court  or  tribunal. — P 

EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVII. 


3G0 


unfrequented  parts  of  the  country,  and  surprised  us  by  the 
patriarchal  simplicity  of  their  appearance.  They  were  drest 
in  the  coarse  grey  woollen  cloth  of  the  peasants,  with  long 
hair  reaching  to  their  shoulders,  and  their  whole  costume 
reminded  one  of  the  fashions  of  other  centuries  ; they  seem- 
ed beings  of  a different  era  from  ourselves.”  “Were  not,” 
the  writer  adds,  “ the  senators  of  Rome,  when  virtuous  and 
poor,  somewhat  such  men  as  these  ?”  By  an  article  of  the 
constitution,  the  king  must  pass  some  time  every  year  in 
Norway,  unless  prevented  by  urgent  circumstances ; and 
by  another,  public  employments  are  conferred  only  on  Nor- 
wegian citizens,  who  profess  the  established  religion,  which 
is  declared  to  be  the  Lutheran.  Jews,  by  an  express  article, 
are  prohibited  from  entering  Norway.® 

In  a country  where  man  seems  to  have  always  enjoyed 
his  rights,  and  preserved  the  exercise  of  his  dignity  ; where 
the  peasant,  far  from  being  subjected  to  that  kind  of  moral 
and  political  non-existence,  under  which  he  has  been  every- 
where else  oppressed,  lives  a free-man,  and  is  represented 
by  deputies  in  the  national  assemblies ; where  the  rich  pro- 
prietor is,  so  to  speak,  merely  a rich  peasant ; where  the 
order  of  nobility  is  almost  unknown  ; and  where  large  estates 
and  mansion-houses  corresponding,  are  less  frequent  than  in 
any  other  country ; the  epoch  of  the  reformation  would  na- 
turally be  an  era  for  consolidating  the  institutions  dear  to  a 
population  jealous  of  its  liberty,  and  thus  Protestantism  was 
easily  established  in  Norway  in  the  year  1525.  The  Nor- 
wegian clergy,  no  less  charitable  and  virtuous  than  those  of 
other  Christian  countries,  are  superior  to  them  in  informa- 
tion. It  is  amongst  this  respectable  class  that  the  peasantry 
find  well-informed  teachers,  indulgent  reprovers,  assiduous 
comforters,  and  models  of  behaviour.  Every  plan  which  is 
conducive  to  the  general  interest,  public  utility,  and  the 
prosperity  of  the  country,  finds  wise  appreciators  of  its  value 
in  the  simplest  country  curates.  It  is  thus  to  their  advice 
and  to  their  influence  that  government  is  anxious  to  have 
recourse,  when  it  is  intended  to  establish  granaries,  to  re- 
pair bridges  and  roads,  or  to  introduce  some  new  mode  of 
cultivation.  It  is  rare  not  to  find  among  the  clergy  well 
informed  mineralogists,  economists,  botanists,  and  agricul- 
turists. There  have  been  amongst  them  many  sufficiently 
acquainted  with  astronomy  to  find  pleasure  in  diffusing  the 
knowledge  of  this  science,  and  so  zealous,  as  at  their  own 
expense  to  erect  observatories  furnished  with  every  neces- 
sary instrument.  They  have  been  even  known  to  introduce 
among  their  parishioners  the  art  of  making  watches  and 
clocks. 

In  travelling  through  Norway,  we  at  this  day  discover 
the  truth  of  what  has  been  said  above  of  the  taste  of  the 
Scandinavians  for  detached  habitations:  a village  is  often 
composed  of  houses  scattered  here  and  there,  and  forming 
an  entire  parish  extending  over  a space  of  several  leagues. 
On  Sundays  the  roads  are  seen  covered  with  light  car- 
riages,b which  transport  the  peasant,  with  his  whole  family, 
in  their  best  array,  to  church  to  assist  in  divine  service ; the 
churches,  although  large,  can  rarely  contain  the  crowds 
eager  to  listen  to  the  voice  of  their  pastor.  After  sermon 
the  whole  population  give  themselves  up  to  the  amusement 

a The  above  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

b “Carrioles” — a kind  of  small  chaises.  For  an  account  of  them, 
tee  Conway’s  Journey  through  Norway,  Sweden  and  Denmark  (Con- 
stable's Misc.)  p 41. — P. 

c “ While  employed  in  their  household,  they  wear  simply  a petticoat 
with  a chemise,  &c.” — The  women  of  the  lower  order  wear  a jacket, 
with  a shining  black  apron  over  their  petticoat,  and  a turban  handker- 


j of  the  dance,  to  games,  and  to  various  gymnastic  exercises 
The  young  men  often  meet  together  to  go  through  military 
I manoeuvres.  At  a fixed  time  every  year,  the  youth,  who, 
still  inheriting  the  warlike  inclinations  of  their  ancestors,  vol- 
untarily enrol  themselves  in  the  militia,  assemble  together 
under  the  command  of  their  officers,  and  form  disciplinary 
camps,  where  they  are  instructed  in  the  manual  exercise 
and  in  military  evolutions. 

Industry  and  frugality,  the  sources  of  the  civil  virtues, 
form  prominent  features  in  the  Norwegian  population : in- 
telligence and  education  strengthening  these  valuable  qual- 
ities, shelter  it  from  corruption  of  manners,  and  maintain 
in  all  hearts  the  sacred  fire  of  the  love  of  independence. 
Christmas  is  the  only  time  of  the  year,  when  the  assembling 
of  families,  and  the  accompanying  festivities,  make  the 
Norwegians  deviate  from  their  simple  and  frugal  habits.  It 
is  also  about  the  same  time,  and  during  the  month  of  Janu- 
ary, that  the  peasant,  trusting  to  the  swiftness  of  his  sledge, 
travels  to  the  towns,  to  exchange  the  produce  of  his  crops 
for  country  implements  and  for  different  articles  of  manu- 
facture suitable  to  his  wants  and  inclinations.  The  aptitude 
of  the  Norwegians  to  imitate  every  thing  is  such,  that  dur- 
ing the  long  winter-evenings,  they  are  seen  in  every  family, 
assembled  around  the  fire-place,  the  men  employed  in  mak- 
ing knives,  spoons,  shoes,  and  buttons  for  their  clothes,  and 
the  women,  in  preparing  linen  and  woollen  stuffs  for  their 
dress,  and  even  in  dyeing  them  with  the  colouring  lichens 
in  which  the  country  abounds.  The  skill  which  distin- 
guishes the  population  in  some  districts  is  even  such,  that  it 
transforms  every  habitation  into  a little  manufactory,  the 
products  of  which  are  exported  into  the  less  industrious 
districts. 

In  Norway  there  are  few  great  proprietors,  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  extreme  poverty  is  unknown.  Nothing  is  more 
uncommon  than  to  meet  with  a beggar.  If  age  or  infirmities 
disable  some  unfortunate  creature  from  working,  he  finds 
assistance  and  generous  attention  in  the  bosom  of  his  fam- 
ily or  his  parish.  Compassion  towards  indigence  and  mis- 
fortune is  with  the  Norwegian  rather  an  ancient  virtue,  than 
the  effect  of  Christian  charity.  It  is  the  same  as  to  hospi- 
tality, which  with  him  is  a sacred  duty.  To  these  personal 
qualities  there  is  joined  great  quickness  of  apprehension,  a 
character  lively  and  frank,  and  unflinching  fidelity.  He 
loves  with  enthusiasm  his  country  and  his  sovereign,  and 
respects  his  superiors,  but  refuses  them  slavish  homage. 
His  manners  are  gentle,  polite  and  affectionate ; his  mien  is 
noble,  his  gait  easy,  and  his  dress  always  neat.  The  cos- 
tume of  the  females  is  simple  and  graceful ; at  home  they 
wear  a plain  morning  gown,  with  a linen  chemise  of  a daz- 
zling whiteness,  plaited  around  the  neck  and  fastened  by  a 
collar.0  A complexion  of  the  lily  and  the  rose,  beautiful 
flaxen  hair,  and  a person  tall  and  wrell-shaped,  give  them  a 
peculiar  grace,  which  a stranger  would  be  tempted  to  take 
for  coquetry,  if  Scandinavian  modesty  and  pride  did  not 
betray  themselves  in  their  look  and  behaviour.  A few  dis- 
tricts situated  in  the  mountains  have  preserved  some  re- 
mains of  the  old  Scandinavian  costume ; such  as  that  of 
Valvers,d  where  the  inhabitants  are  no  longer  seen,  accord- 

chief  upon  the  head,  beneath  which  appears  a clean  laced  mob  tied 
under  the  chin ; but  while  emploj'ed  in  their  household  affairs,  they 
frequently  wear  nothing  more  than  a petticoat  and  a shift,  with  a collar 
reaching  to  the  throat,  and  a black  sash  tied  round  the  waist.  (Ed 
Enc.) — -P. 

d Qu.  Valders  or  Walders — a district  in  the  diocese  of  Drontheim. 
— P. 


book  cxlvii.]  DESCRIPTION 

ing  to  an  ancient  custom,  fighting  with  the  knife,  after  being 
tied  together  by  their  girdles  f that  of  Tellemark,  where 
mutual  trust  and  good  faith  leave  them  in  ignorance  of  the 
use  of  locks  ; and  the  valleys,  in  fine,  where  some  families 
of  peasants,  that  marry  only  with  one  another,  pretend  to 
be  descended  from  the  ancient  kings  of  the  country. 

Such  are  the  manners  of  the  peasantry ; the  morals  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  towns  are,  it  is  true,  less  irreproach- 
able and  less  pure  ; some  seeds  of  corruption  may  be  al- 
ready remarked  there,  hut  there  is  nothing  at  all  resembling 
the  depravity  which  we  see  in  the  cities  in  other  parts  ol 
Europe. 

Let  us  now  cast  a glance  at  the  physical  state  of  Norway. 
The  mountains  which  traverse  this  kingdom  and  Sweden 
form  of  themselves  a rangeb  which  we  may  call  the  Scan- 
dinavian, and  which  is  divided  into  three  groups.  That 
of  the  Kcelen  mountains,0  the  most  considerable  from  its 
length,  extends  from  the  northern  extremity  of  Lapland,  to 
its  junction  with  the  Dovre  mountains,  near  the  source  of 
the  small  river  Nidelv. d Strictly  speaking  this  forms  but  one 
great  chain,  but  the  branches  it  throws  off  to  the  right  and 
Vo  the  left,  the  mountainous  isles  of  Lofoden,  which  are 
merely  the  summits  of  some  of  its  branches,  and  the  moun- 
tains which  terminate  near  Lake  Enara  in  Russian  Lap- 
land,  merit  for  it  the  name  of  group.  That  of  Dovre  or 
Dovrejield e may  be  considered  as  forming  with  the  moun- 
tain of- $nce-H(£ttanr  to  the  west,  and  with  those  of  Seve- 
bergz  and  Svuku :h  which  terminate  in  plateaus  in  southern 
Sweden,  a second  group.  Lastly,  this  group  is  separated 
by  the  course  of  the  Vog,  from  that  which  is  composed  of 
the  mountains  of  Lnngfiehl Soynefield  J or  Sunnanfidd, 
and  Hardangerjidd,  and  the  branches  which  they  send  out 
to  the  west,  the  east  and  the  south.  This  last  group  oc- 
upies  all  the  southern  part  of  Norway .k  1 

a This  may  be  rendered  : while  holding  each  other  by  the  ends  of 
their  girdles. — P. 

b “ Form  a single  system — ” 

c The  mountains  of  Kolen  (Pinkerton) — of  Kiolen  (Ed.  Enc.) — 
properly,  of  Iuoelcn  (Iciaeb-e.n  (Dan.)  kcel-en  (Swed.)  the  keel.) — From 
Dovrefieldt,  a long  branch,  decreasing  in  elevation  as  it  proceeds, 
stretches  northward  between  Norway  and  Swedish  Lapland,  forming 
at  its  farthest  extremity  the  mountains  of  Kiolen.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The 
chain  of  Kolen  extends  from  the  north  of  lake  Oresund  (where  the 
Dofrafiall  terminates)  and  the  vicinity  of  the  copper  mines  of  Roras, 
between  Norway  and  Swedish  Lapland.  (Pinkerton.) — P. 

d Elv,  in  Danish  and  Norse,  (elf,  in  Swedish,)  signifies  a river. — In 
Norway,  as  in  Sweden,  the  largest  rivers  are  called  Elven  or  Elben. 
(Pinkerton.) — Elven  is  the  word  in  the  singular  with  the  definite  article 
cn  suffixed.  Nidelvcn  consequently  signifies  the  Nidelv,  or  the  river 
Nid.  The  Nid  passes  by  Drontheim. — P. 

■'  Dovrefieldt  (Ed.  Enc.) — Dofrafiall,  Dofrafiell  (Pinkerton.) — Dovre- 
field  (Dan.)  Dofraficell  or  Dofrafiell  (Swed.) — Fiel  [fall  or  fell.  P]  in 
the  Swedish,  and  fieldt,  in  the  Norwegian  language,  [field,  in  Danish. 
P,]  properly  denotes  those  elevated  summits,  where  vegetation  entirely 
ceases  ; but  it  is  a common  denomination  for  all  lofty  mountain  ridges. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — Ejcell,  a ridge  or  chain  of  mountains.  (Widegren’s  Swedish 
Diet.) — The  Dovrefield,  or  Dofrine  chain,  extends  east  and  west  from 
the  province  of  Romsdal,  where  the  Langf eld  terminates,  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  chain  of  Kicelen. — P. 

f Sneehattan,  height  8115  Eng.  feet.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Sneehatta  [with- 
out the  article,]  Lat.  62°  18'  N.  (Morse.) — Sncehcettcn  (Dan.)  Sncchcettan 
(Swed.)  the  snow  cap,  from  snee,  snee,  snow,  liectte,  heetta,  cap,  and  the 
article  era. — P. 

g A branch  from  the  eastern  termination  of  the  Dovrefield,  extends 
to  the  south-east,  forming  the  common  boundary  between  Norway  and 
Sweden,  and  is  sometimes  called  Seveberg.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Pontoppidan 
calls  this  central  chain,  Sevebierg  or  the  seven  mountains.  (Pinkerton.) 
—Syv  (Dan.)  sju  (Swed.)  seven ; bierg  (Dan.)  berg  (Swed.)  moun- 
tain.— Some  writers  regard  the  Sevebierg  os  the  same  with  Pliny’s 
Scvn,  which  was  in  Germany.  (Pinkerton.j — The  Sevo  mons  of  Pliny, 
which  it  is  thought  accords  with  the  Riphaean  mountains,  (said  to  have 
been  near  the  source  of  the  Tanais  or  Don,*)  can  be  no  other  than  the 
great  chain  of  Norway.  (D’Anv.) — P. 

* Perhaps  the  Ural  mountains,  or  the  ridge  of  Waldai  in  central  Russia.— P. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  53  46 


OF  NORWAY.  361 

The  average  distance  of  the  summit  of  the  Kcelen  moun- 
tains from  the  sea-coast  of  Norway  being  only  about  twenty 
leagues,  the  rivers  proceeding  from  them  and  running  into 
the  North  Sea,m  can  be  of  no  great  length.  The  most  im- 
portant is  the  Namsen,  which,  from  its  exit  from  the  lakes 
that  give  rise  to  it,  has  only  a course  of  thirty  leagues. 
Other  more  considerable  streams  descend  from  the  moun- 
tains of  Dovrefield  and  Sunnanfield  : these  are  the  Glom- 
men , the  Drammenselv,"  and  the  Lougenf  which  empty 
themselves  into  the  strait  of  Skagcr  Rackfi  separating  Den- 
mark from  Norway.  The  Glommen't  is  a river  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  leagues  in  length,  the  principal  tributary 
of  which,  the  Vormen-dv,T  has  a course  of  not  less  than 
fifty  leagues.  The  Glommen  has  a great  many  falls,  and 
on  the  melting  of  the  snows,  or  after  great  rains,  it  acquires 
a frightful  rapidity,  and  its  inundations  desolate  the  fields. 
One  of  these  falls  is  at  Hafslun,  about  ten  miles  distant 
from  Fredericstadt.  Here  the  Glommen,  about  the  size 
of  the  Thames  at  Richmond,  “ gradually  contracts  itself 
with  more  hurried  current,  till  it  arrives  at  the  deep  gorge 
formed  by  the  projecting  rocks,  and  then  bursts  headlong 
into  the  abyss  beneath.  The  fall  is  not  quite  perpendicu- 
lar. Some  idea  may  be  given  of  the  body  ol'  water  that 
descends,  from  the  circumstance  that  a three-masted  ship 
was  loading  at  some  distance  below.”* i * 3 4 * * *  The  height  of  tl  e 
fall  is  seventy-two  Norwegian  feet.  A melancholy  catastro- 
phe occurred  here  on  the  5th  February  1702.  The  family 
seat  of  Borge,  situated  over  against  Hafslun,  together  with 
every  thing  in  it,  sunk  down  into  an  abyss  of  a hundred 
fathoms  deep,  the  gap  being  instantaneously  filled  up  by  a 
sheet  of  water  of  between  three  and  four  hundred  ells  long, 
and  half  the  breadth.  The  house  was  doubly  walled  ; but 
of  these,  as  well  as  several  high  towers,  not  the  least  trace 
was  seen  ; fourteen  persons  and  two  hundred  head  of  cattle 

h Swukku,  Swuckustoet  (Pinkerton) — one  of  the  highest  of  the 
Norwegian  mountains,  near  lake  Fsemund. — Svuchu  is  the  name  of  the 
mountain,  and  Svucku-stcct  (Svucku  Peak,)  that  of  its  summit.  (W. 
Hisinger,  Anteckningar  i Physik  och  Geognosi  under  resor  uti  Sverige 
och  Norrige,  Forsta  Ildftet,  p.  51.) — P. 

* Langfieldt.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Langfiall,  the  Long  Mountains.  (Pinker- 
ton.)— Langfiehl  (Dan.)  Langfjall  (Swed.) — Long  Mountain. — P. 

i Sognefield.  (Pinkerton.) — P. 

k It  extends  south  and  south-west  towards  the  Naze,  from  the  west- 
ern termination  of  Dovrefield. — P. 

1 For  the  height  of  these  mountains,  see  Table  of  European  Alti- 
tudes, Book  XCIV.  vol.  II.  p.  366. 

m Properly,  the  Northern  Ocean. — The  term  North  Sea,  is  generally 
limited  to  the  German  Ocean,  south  of  the  latitude  of  the  Shetland  Isl- 
ands.— P. 

“ Drammenelv  (Ed.  Encyc.)  Drammen  (Conway.)  The  Dramme 
(Pinkerton.) — Flows  into  the  west  side  of  the  bay  of  Christiania. — P. 

0 Among  other  rivers  in  the  south  of  Norway  are  the  Loven  ( Louvcn 
[the  Louve.]  Conway.  Pinkerton — Louen.  Tuckey)  and  the  Laugen. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — The  Louven  passes  by  Kongsberg,  and  enters  the  sea  at 
Laurvig,  west  of  the  entrance  of  the  bay  of  Christiania. — It  may  be  here 
remarked,  once  for  all,  that  the  termination  en  or  n,  in  Scandinavian 
names,  does  not,  in  general,  belong  to  the  name  itself,  but  merely  ex- 
presses the  definite  article,  as  Glommen,  Louvcn,  the  Glomme  and  the 
Louve.  It  is  therefore  as  improper  to  say  the  Glommen  as  the  La 
Seine. — P. 

p Scagerack  (Tuckey.)  Scaggerac  (Ed.  Enc.)  Called  also  the  Sleeve. 
— The  Skager  Rack,  which  derives  its  name  from  the  reef  or  sand-bank 
(the  Skagen-rack)  that  surrounds  the  north  point  of  Jutland  (called 
Shagen,  the  Skag,  by  the  Danes,  and  the  Scaw,  by  English  seamen,) 
is  properly  the  strait  extending  north-east,  at  the  entrance  of  the  Baltic, 
and  is  succeeded  by  the  Cattegat  (a  Dutch  word  signifying  Cat-Chan- 
nel,) which  stretches  south  and  terminates  in  the  Sound  and  the  Belts. 
— P. 

4 The  Glom  or  Glomen  [properly,  Glomme  or  Glommen.  P,]  called 

also  the  Stor  Eh,  or  great  river.  (Pinkerton.) — Glommen  Elv  (Conway.) 
—It  rises  in  Lake  Oresund  in  62°  N.,  in  the  angle  formed  by  the  Dovre- 

field and  Seveberg  mountains,  and  enters  the  sea  at  Frederickstadt. — P 

r The  Worm.  (Ed.  Encyc.  Pinkerton.) — Vormcn  Elv,  the  river  Vorm 

(Conway.) — P.  8 Everest’s  Journey  through  Norway,  & c. 


[BOOK  CXliYII. 


362  EUROPE. 


perished.  The  cause  of  this  melancholy  occurrence  is  at- 
tributed to  the  Glommen  having  undermined  the  founda- 
tion.a The  declivity  of  the  surface  does  not  admit  of  the 

lakes  of  Norway  being  equal  in  magnitude  to  those  of  Swe- 
den. The  largest  is  the  Micesen,b  twenty  leagues  long  by 
two  in  breadth,  which  is  traversed  by  the  Vormen-elv.  The 
most  important  waterfalls  are  those  of  Fciumfos  near  Lister, 
six  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  Rcegenfosf  in  the  province 
of  Tellemark,  eight  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height. 

The  geological  constitution  of  Norway  is,  in  general, 
primitive.  In  the  Hardangerfield  mountains,  the  summit  of 
Vetta-Kelden  is  composed  of  red  porphyry,  which,  at  the 
depth  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet,  assumes  all  the  charac- 
ters of  the  rock  called  sienite.  In  the  highest  mountains  of 
the  group,  gneiss  predominates ; from  the  mountain  of  Lie 
to  the  rivulet  called  the  Totak,  we  find  on  the  contrary  mi- 
caceous schistus  ; in  all  that  mountainous  region,  schistus  d 
shows  itself  at  every  step,  and  supplies  slates  which  readily 
split  into  long  and  narrow  plates,  or  else,  as  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Graven,  furnish  quarries  of  whetstones.  On  the 
banks  of  the  Totak  the  surface  is  strewed  with  blocks  of 
stone  from  thirty  to  forty  feet  in  height ; the  position  which 
they  occupy  is  too  far  from  the  mountains  to  explain  their 
origin ; however,  they  can  only  be  the  result  of  alluvions 
formed  at  one  of  the  latest  geological  epochs  by  currents  of 
fresh  water  proceeding  towards  the  sea.e  At  all  times  these 
blocks  have  been  objects  of  wonder  to  the  natives  of  the 
country ; according  to  a mythological  tradition,  it  was  the 
god  Thor  who  broke  them  with  his  hammer,  and  who  after- 
wards having  let  fall  that  instrument,  threw  them  about  on 
all  sides  in  seeking  it.  A geologist  breaking  specimens  from 
these  stray  blocks,  might,  even  at  this  day,  be  taken  by  the 
inhabitants  for  a worshipper  of  Thor.  Near  Bergen,  in  the 
island  of  Hiertoen/ there  appears  above  the  waves,  a mass 
of  black  and  porous  lava,  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  thick- 
ness. Tiie  whole  southern  part  of  Norway  has  frequently 
experienced  earthquakes.  A naturalist®  maintains,  that  die 
mass  of  lava  just  referred  to,  may  have  been  thrown  up  from 
the  bosom  of  the  waves ; it  is  even  said,  that  fifteen  leagues 
to  the  south  of  Bergen,  at  the  bottom  of  the  bay  of  Buk- 
fiord,h  fire  sometimes  issues  from  a crevice,  in  a precipitous 
rocky  shore  formed  of  gneiss. 

All  the  mountains,  and  especially  those  of  the  south,  con- 
tain a great  number  of  minerals,  sought  after  in  collections, 
and  of  metals  in  use  by  man  : the  environs  of  Drontheim, 
at  the  foot  of  the  Kcelen  mountains,  and  of  Raraas,* 1  at  the 
base  of  the  Dovrefield  mountains,  contain  copper  of  the  best 
quality  ; the  best  iron  mines  are  wrought  in  the  district  of 

a The  above  account  of  the  fall  at  Hafslun  [that  of  Sarpen,  above  (10 
feet  perpendicular,]  and  of  the  destruction  of  Borge,  is  added  by  the 
.ranslator. — P. 

b The  lake  of  Mioss.  (Ed.  Enc.  Pinkerton.) — Lake  Miosen.  (Con- 
ivay.) — Properly,  Mitrscn , the  Mices,  or  Micescn  See,  the  IVIiocs  lake. — 
Phis  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  Mios-Vand  (Conway)  or  Mios 
Mices)  Water,  west  of  Kongsberg. — P. 

c Fos  signifies  a waterfall,  in  Danish — Rcrgcvfos,  the  smoke  fall,  from 
erg,  smoke,  in  Danish. — P. 

d “ Schiste” — Argillite. — P. 

e They  belong  undoubtedly  to  that  class  of  loose  rocks,  out  of  place, 
called  bowlder «,  which  by  some  have  been  attributed  to  general  diluvial 
currents,  and  by  others  to  mere  local  alluvion. — P. 

1 Properly,  Hiertceen.  Qu.  the  Heart  island,  from  hierte,  heart,  and 
me,  island,  in  Danish. — P. 

e See  Observations  on  the  Physical  Geography  of  Scandinavia,  by 
Professor  Steffens  : Hertha,  vol.  X.  and  XI. 

h Fiord  (Dan.)  fjmrd  (Swed.)  a bay  or  gulf — generally  applied  in 
Norway  to  narrow  creeks  or  gulfs,  which  run  far  into  the  land,  some- 
times to  the  extent  of  30  or  40  miles. — P. 


Arendal.  The  abundance  of  these  metals  in  part  indemni- 
fies Norway  for  the  diminished  wealth  of  the  silver  mines  of 
Kongsberg,  the  working  of  which  has,  however,  been  reviv- 
ed since  181 5J  In  other  places  there  are  found  lead,  co- 
balt and  plumbago.  Different  kinds  of  marble  are  dug  from 
the  sides  of  several  mountains  ; some  of  them  are  employed 
in  the  arts,  principally  in  the  environs  of  Bergen. 

In  southern  Norway  the  mountains  are,  many  of  them, 
surmounted  with  rounded  summits,  crowned  with  wood  ; in 
the  north,  on  the  contrary,  the  mountains,  although  less  ele- 
vated, are  almost  always  covered  with  snow,  and  conse 
quently  destitute  of  vegetation,  but  the  hills,  most  generally 
composed  of  sand,  give  birth  to  many  cryptogamous  plants. 
Those  whose  surface  is  formed  of  mould  are  covered  with 
different  species  of  saxifrages,  and  other  plants  scattered  here 
and  there : here  the  Diapensia  lapponica  presents  its  ever- 
green tufts ; there  the  elegant  andromeda  ( Andromeda  ccz- 
raha,  Linn.)  rises  in  small  thickets  by  the  side  of  the  trail- 
ing azalea  ( Azalea  procumbcns,)  whose  creeping  branches 
preserve  their  freshness  in  the  midst  of  the  rigours  of  win- 
ter. At  the  foot  of  these  hills,  the  birch,  a tree  whose  sap, 
collected  by  the  Norwegians,  is  used  in  making  a liquor 
which  resembles  sparkling  white  wine,  waves  in  the  breeze 
its  light  and  flexible  branches,  and  often  forms  with  the  ma- 
ple, the  pine,  and  the  fir,  forests  of  an  immense  extent.  The 
pyramidal  form  of  these  resinous  trees  is  in  harmony  with 
the  pointed  rocks  which  serve  them  for  a base,  and  with  the 
icicles,  which,  during  several  months,  load  their  branches 
with  elegant  stalactites.  The  fir  attains  a height  of  a hun- 
dred and  sixty  feet.  It  is  much  in  request  for  masts  and 
carpentry  work.  After  being  cut  down,  it  is  thrown  from 
the  top  of  the  steep  summits  into  the  little  rivers  which  de- 
scend from  the  mountains  to  the  sea.  Hurried  along  by  the 
rapidity  of  these  streams,  it  rushes  over  the  cataracts,  and 
does  not  stop  in  its  progress  till  it  reaches  the  ranges  of  pilesk 
fixed  at  a short  distance  from  the  creek  or  bay,  where  it  be- 
comes an  object  of  commerce.  In  the  low  lands,  the  creep- 
ing strawberry-tree,1  the  scarlet-flowered  camarina  m ( Empe - 
trim  nigrum ),  and  the  dwarf  birch,  whose  seeds,  concealed 
under  the  snow,  are  sought  after  during  the  winter  by  the 
ptarmigan,"  rise  amidst  the  lichens  which  form  the  food  of 
the  rein-deer.  In  the  central  provinces 0 the  aspen  grows 
vigorously  ; in  the  environs  of  Drontheim,  beyond  the  six- 
ty-third degree  of  latitude,  the  oak  begins  to  appear,  and 
near  Christiania,  we  see  it  flourishing,  but  it  is  only  in  die 
southern  provinces  that  there  are  fine  forests  of  this  tree.  In 
the  south  of  Norway,  apples  and  cherries  arrive  at  perfect 
maturity ; near  Drontheim  they  do  not  ripen,  but  the  mild 

‘ Roras,  Roraas. — Rcsras  (Tuckey.)  Rceraas  (Stat.  Tab.) — P. 

) “ The  abundance  of  these  metals  indemnifies  Norway  for  the  pov- 
erty (pen  de  richcsse)  of  the  silver  mines  of  Kongsberg,  the  working 
of  which  has,  however,  been  resumed  ( reprise ) since  1815.” — These 
mines  were  accidentally  discovered  in  1623  by  two  peasants.  They 
used  to  yield  about  £70,000  annually,  but  it  is  supposed  that  the  pro- 
duce now  barely  defrays  the  expense  (Pinkerton,  vol.  I.  p.  358 — 9,  3d 
Ed.  1811.)— P. 

k “ Rows  of  stakes” — placed  across  the  river  to  intercept  the  float- 
ing timber. — P. 

1 “ Arbousier  trainant” — trailing  arbutus,  bear-berry,  (Arbutus  Ur  a- 
ursi.) — P. 

m “ Camarine  a fleur  6carlate” — Camarigne  noire  (Demonst.  de 
Botan.  Lyon,  1796.) — Black  crow-berry  or  crake-berry — flowers  red- 
dish, berries  black. — P. 

" “ White  gelinotte” — White  grous.  The  plumage  of  the  ptarmigan 
turns  white  in  winter. — P. 

0 “ Middle  region” — between  the  northern  and  southern  extremities 
of  Norway. — P 


BOOK  CXLVXI.] 


DESCRIPTION 

influence  of  the  sea,  which  we  have  already  had  occasion  to 
remark,  is  so  sensibly  felt  in  the  island  of  Toutercee,  two  de- 
grees and  a half  from  the  polar  circle,  that  these  fruits  ripen 
there  without  difficulty.  In  some  gardens  in  the  south,  the 
peach,  the  apricot  and  the  melon  are  cultivated,  and  suc- 
ceed perfectly ; and  it  seems  even  probable,  that  when  hor- 
ticulture shall  have  made  some  progress  among  the  peasant- 
ry, they  will  be  able  to  naturalize  many  plants  of  our  tem- 
perate climates.  Even  now  they  cultivate  with  much  care 
and  success  flax,  hemp  and  hops,  and  the  culture  of  the  po- 
tato has  shown,  that  it  would  be  always  easy  for  Norway  to 
avoid  the  scourge  of  famine,  by  multiplying  this  vegetable 
so  as  to  supply  the  place  of  grain.  There  is  little  wheat  rais- 
ed ; barley  is  more  abundant ; but  oats  is  of  all  other  grains 
that  which  succeeds  best  in  this  country ,a  where  agriculture 
has  a thousand  obstacles  to  surmount,  where  the  low  lands 
are  frequently  exposed  to  inundations,  and  where  the  heights 
are  rendered  sterile  at  one  time  by  cold,  and  at  another  by 
heat. 

The  increase  of  population  has  caused  in  Norway  a dim- 
inution in  the  number  of  wild  animals.  The  elk  is  now  very 
rarely  to  be  met  with  ; the  bear,  rearing  upon  his  hind  feet, 
still  attacks  the  hunter  who  awaits  him  armed  with  his  knife  ; 
the  wolf  continues  to  be  the  terror  of  the  herds  and  flocks  ; 
but  whilst  the  bear  takes  refuge  in  the  woody  mountains,  the 
wolf  seems  to  dread  the  woods  and  hedges,  and  establishes 
himself  in  the  open  country,  and  even  sometimes  upon  the 
ice.b  Different  kinds®  of  foxes  inhabit  the  shores  washed 
by  the  Icy  Ocean,  and  the  lemming  descends  in  troops  from 
the  Kcelen  mountains,  and  marching  in  close  columns,  rav- 
ages the  cultivated  fields.  A multitude  of  birds  inhabit  the 
shores  of  the  ocean,  and  Norway  furnishes  the  greater  part 
of  the  eider-down  on  which  our  delicate  dames  rest  during 
their  frequent  headachs.  Nothing  is  more  dangerous  than 
the  manner  in  which  the  Norwegian  goes  to  collect  upon 
the  rocks  which  border  the  sea,  this  down  sought  after  by 
the  effeminate.  Suspended  above  the  waves,  he  hoists  him- 
self up  by  the  aid  of  a rope  in  order  to  reach  the  clefts  and 
cavities  where  the  birds  build  their  nests.d  If  the  cord  should 
give  way,  or  if  the  staff  on  which  he  leans  should  break, 
the  unfortunate  adventurer,  thrown  from  the  top  of  the  pre- 
cipice, finds  a frightful  death  amidst  the  rocks  and  reefs  be- 
low. The  Norwegian  rears  in  his  valleys  numerous  herds 
and  flocks.  His  horses  are  small,  but  lively  and  sure-foot- 
ed, like  all  those  of  mountainous  countries  : his  horned  cat- 
tle feed  at  liberty  in  the  islands  that  border  the  western 
coast ; there  they  often  become  so  wild,  that  they  are  oblig- 
ed to  shoot  them.  His  sheep  are  formed  like  deer,  with 
long  legs  and  small  muzzles.®  Numbers  of  goats  are  also 
kept  on  the  hills.  Fish  abound  in  the  seas,  lakes  and  riv- 


OF  NORWAY.  363 

ers,  and  the  bold  Norwegian  derives  considerable  profit  from 
his  fishing. 

The  climate  of  Norway  presents  more  variety  than  is  gen- 
erally believed : it  is  not  everywhere  equally  cold  and  se- 
vere ; towards  the  east,  and  in  the  interior,  the  winter  is 
longest,  and  the  cold  the  most  intense.  This  season  is  the 
most  favourable  part  of  the  year  for  the  mutual  intercourse  of 
the  people,  and  the  interchange  of  commercial  transactions. 
It  is  also  the  season  for  those  parties  of  pleasure  so  little 
known  in  milder  climates.  At  that  time  there  take  place,  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  towns,  splendid  races  f upon  the 
snow,  where  the  elegance  and  richness  of  the  sledges,  the 
splendour  of  the  harnessing,  and  the  beauty  of  the  horses, 
which,  swift  as  the  wind,  make  the  air  resound  with  the 
clear  sound  of  their  little  bells,  surpass  by  their  lustre  and 
their  speed  the  brilliant  assemblies  of  equipages  at  Paris, 
Vienna,  and  London.  The  spring  announces  itself  by  the 
sudden  and  terrible  ravages  occasioned  by  the  melting  of  the 
snows.s  During  the  month  of  April,  and  the  greater  part  of 
May,  the  country  is  impassable,  and  in  the  mountains,  trav- 
elling is  impracticable  till  about  the  month  of  September, 
when  the  snows  that  cover  them  are  in  a great  measure 
melted,  and  the  heats  of  the  summer  have  lost  their  force. 
At  Bergen  the  length  of  the  longest  days  in  summer  is  about 
nineteen  hours,  whilst  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Drontheim, 
it  is  not  less  than  three  weeks.  The  average  temperature 
of  the  year  is  at  Christiania,  five  degrees  above  zero  of 
Reaumur’s  thermometer,  while  at  Petersburg,  under  the 
same  latitude,  it  is  only  three  degrees.  Near  the  s^nthern 
coast,  the  temperature  in  certain  districts  allows  them  to 
have  two  crops  of  grain,  and  in  warm  summers  they  have 
even  three.  Generally  the  climate  is  healthy.  But  towards 
the  western  coast  the  country  assumes  a different  aspect : 
the  saline  exhalations  from  the  sea  are  injurious  to  vegeta- 
tion ; the  bays  never  freeze ; the  cold  is  not  felt,  except 
when  the  east  wind  prevails,  which  crosses  the  high  moun- 
tains, on  the  north,  which  comes  from  the  Icy  Ocean  ; fogs, 
rains  and  tempests  extend  their  pernicious  influence,  one  of 
the  effects  of  which  is  to  favour  the  ravages  of  the  scurvy. h 

We  see  from  the  preceding  statements,  that,  situated  be- 
tween the  fifty-eighth  and  seventy-first  degrees  of  latitude,* 1 
and  in  length  more  than  four  hundred  leagues  by  a breadth 
of  about  twenty  in  the  northern  and  eighty  in  the  southern 
parts, J Norway  presents  an  aspect,  in  some  parts,  of  the 
most  pleasing,  and  in  others,  of  the  wildest  description 
Here,  dark  forests  of  resinous  trees  rise  on  the  confines  of 
ravines  frightful  from  their  depth  ; perpetual  glaciers  bear 
sway,  and  the  loud  cry  of  the  eagle  alone  interrupts  the  si 
lence  of  the  desert.k  There,  dwellings  covered  with  red 
tiles,1  and  placed  on  the  sides  of  hills,  isolated  spires  reflect- 


a Oats  are  the  most  generally  cultivated  in  Norway  ; barley  and  rye 
hold  the  next  rank  ; but  wheat,  buckwheat,  and  peas,  are  far  from  be- 
ing common.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b In  the  long  twilights  of  the  winter  season,  the  wolves  become  for- 
midable to  travellers,  especially  on  the  extensive  lakes,  where  they  as- 
semble on  the  ice  in  great  numbers.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

“ Species.” — In  Norway,  there  are  white,  red  and  black  foxes. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — The  common  European  red  fox,  and  the  cross  fox,  from 
the  north  of  Europe,  characterized  by  a black  line  along  its  back  and 
across  its  shoulders,  both  belong  to  the  same  species  ( Canis  vulpes.) 
The  white  fox  ( Canis  lagopus — Isatis  or  blue  fox,  its  colour  being  bluish 
grey  and  sometimes  white,)  is  a distinct  species. — P. 

d The  common  mode  of  gathering  the  down  and  eggs  from  the 
nests,  is  as  follows.  An  individual  seated  on  a stick,  attached  to  a rope, 
with  a guiding  staff  in  his  hand,  is  lowered  over  the  edge  of  the  preci- 
pice by  others,  and  in  this  way  is  raised  or  descends,  or  advances  along 
the  shelves,  according  as  is  necessary  in  prosecuting  his  search. — P. 
e This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 


f “ Courses” — drives. 

g “ — by  the  dibdcles ” — breaking  up  of  the  ice  in  the  rivers. 

h See  Excursion  to  the  Fieldstuen  Mountains,  by  W.  M.  Carpelan, 
published  in  Sweden  in  1824. 

“ It  extends  from  the  Naze  in  57°  58'  N.  to  the  North  Cape  in  71“ 
11'  30".— P. 

i “ — by  a breadth  of  about  twenty  leagues  north  of  04°,  and  of  eighty 
south  of  that  latitude.” — It  extends  about  950  miles  from  north  to  south. 
Its  breadth,  in  the  southern  provinces,  is  between  150  and  240  miles, 
but  beyond  the  67th  of  north  latitude,  does  not  exceed  60,  nor  in  some 
places  even  30  miles.  (Ed.  Enc.)— The  breadth  of  Norway  diminish- 
es very  considerably  about  the  latitude  of  Drontheim,  between  63°  and 
64“.— P. 

k “ — perpetual  glaciers  predominate  [i.  e.  the  country  is,  in  general, 
covered  with  perpetual  snow  and  ice,]  and  the  roaring  of  the  north-wind 
( aquilon ) alone  disturbs  the  silence  of  the  desert.” 

1 The  roofs  of  the  houses  are  frequently  covered  with  tiles,  but  more 
commonly  with  planks,  upon  which  is  laid  the  bark  of  the  birch  tree 
with  a coat  of  turf  above  all.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


Li 


1 ■ ■■ ' 

3G4  EUR 

ed  on  the  surface  of  the  lakes,  and  forges  and  mills  hanging 
over  the  torrents,  announce  a country  where  civilization  and 
industry  advance  without  opposition  in  the  march  of  improve- 
ment. On  the  coast,  arms  of  the  sea  surrounded  with  rocks 
succeed  each  other  with  the  most  melancholy  sameness. 
But  on  entering  them  the  scene  all  at  once  changes,  present- 
ing at  the  bottom  of  these  bays  and  creeks,  whose  narrow 
and  gloomy  entrance  is  often  dangerous,  towns  of  a cheer- 
ful appearance.  Let  us  notice  some  of  the  most  important 
of  these,  beginning  at  the  north  and  proceeding  to  the 
south. 

Ilammerfest,  near  the  North  Cape,  is  a thriving  little 
place.  The  Spitzbergen  trade  is  its  principal  support. 
Small  sloops,  from  thirty  to  forty  tons  burden,  are  usually 
fitted  out  for  expeditions  to  that  quarter.  This  trade  has 
given  Hammerfest  a more  enterprising  set  of  seamen  than 
any  port  in  Norway.  Drunkenness  is  very  prevalent  among 
the  Laplanders  here.  Tromso'e ,a  farther  to  the  south,  with 
its  eight  hundred  inhabitants,  is,  says  a traveller  already  quo- 
ted, “ quite  the  pride  of  the  North.”  It  lies  on  an  island 
covered  with  birch  shrubs,  and  carries  on  some  trade  with 
the  Russians  from  Archangel.15 

Drontheim  or  Trondhiem c lies  at  the  bottom  of  an  arm 
of  the  sea  of  great  extent.  It  is  a walled  city,d  but  its  walls 
and  its  two  forts®  are  falling  in  ruins.  It  is  built  of  wood, 
but  the  frequent  fires,  to  which  it  has  been  subject,  have  led 
to  the  erection  of  tastefully  constructed  houses,  in  room  of 
the  old  habitations,  and  to  the  substitution  of  wide  and  straight 
streets,  in  place  of  narrow  and  crooked  lanes.  It  was  found- 
ed in  997  by  Olof  Trygvason  upon  the  site  of  the  old  Scan- 
dinavian city  of  Niderosd  At  the  distance  of  half  a league 
from  its  walls,  the  church  of  Hladc  covers  the  ground  where 
stood  the  temple  of  Thor  and  Odin  destroyed  by  Olof. 
Drontheim  was  long  the  residence  of  the  Norwegian  kings : 
the  ancient  throne  of  these  princes  is  still  to  be  seen  in  the 
palace,  now  used  as  an  arsenal.  Drontheim  formerly  posses- 
sed a magnificent  cathedral,  compared  by  the  Norwegians 
to  St.  Peter’s  at  Rome  ; but  in  1719,  it  was  destroyed  by  a 
frightful  conflagration.  It  has  been  replaced  by  a church,  less 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXL.V1I. 

magnificent  indeed,  but  still  remarkable  for  its  extent,  its  or- 
naments, and  its  marble  columns.^  By  the  treaty  of  union, 
this  church  enjoys,  as  the  former  building  did,  the  privilege 
of  being  the  basilicon, h where  the  kings  of  Norway  are  crown- 
ed.1 The  most  considerable  buildings,  after  the  cathedral, 
are  the  government  housed  and  that  of  the  Society  of  Sci- 
ences,11 the  last  of  which  contains  a good  library,  and  a cabi- 
net of  natural  history.  The  environs  of  Drontheim  have  an 
agreeable  aspect,  being  adorned  with  neat  and  pleasant  vil- 
las that  rise  here  and  there  in  the  country,  and  on  the  bor- 
ders of  the  bay.  They  are,  besides,  embellished  by  two 
beautiful  waterfalls,  called  the  great  and  the  little  Leerfosd 
Bergen,  also  at  the  bottom  of  a long  bay,  bristled  with 
reefs,  and  surrounded  by  rocks,  carries  on  a great  trade  in 
timber,  spars,  hides,  and  especially  dry  and  salted  fish. 
Seven  mountains  rise  in  a semicircle  around  the  town,  which 
is  defended  by  batteries  fronting  the  sea,  but  has  no  regular 
fortifications. m The  old  castle  built  in  1 070,  by  king  Olof 
Kyrre,  served  as  a residence  to  the  sovereigns  of  Norway, 
until  the  celebrated  epoch  of  the  union  of  Calmar,  about  the 
end  of  the  14th  century  ; it  is  now  used  as  a prison,  a store- 
magazine,"  and  a habitation  for  the  governor®  of  the  place. 
Bergen,  as  a town,  cannot  be  compared  with  either  Dront- 
heim or  Christiana.  In  place  of  the  wide  streets  crossing 
each  other  at  right  angles,  which  we  find  in  both  these  towns, 
in  Bergen  you  are  involved  in  a labyrinth  of  narrow  lanes, 
and  a stranger  who  once  quits  sight  of  his  own  door,  is  for- 
tunate if  he  has  not  to  hire  a man  to  show  him  the  way  home 
again. p Amongst  its  3000  houses,  which  are  almost  wholly 
of  one  story  and  painted  on  the  outside,  there  are  to  be  seen 
several  of  stone.  There  are  in  Bergen  four  churches,  ma- 
ny schools,  amongst  others  a Lancasterian  school,  where  350 
boys  and  girls  are  instructed,  and  several  charitable  institu- 
tions. A museum  is  forming  under  the  care  of  some  indi- 
viduals of  the  place,  and  the  collection  has  enlarged  so  as  to 
fill  a handsome  room  : its  principal  riches  are  ancient  re- 
mains of  the  country.1*  It  was  the  native  place  of  Eric  Pont- 
oppidan,"  who  became  its  bishop,  and  founded  its  universi- 
ty.5 It  was  also  the  birthplace  of  Lewis  Holberg,1  an  author 

Properly,  Tromscee  or  Tromsoe. — Tromsce  (Tuckey.) — P. 
b The  above  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 
c Heim  (Germ.  Du.)  Idem  (Dan.)  and  hem  (Swed.)  signify  home, 
and  in  the  names  of  towns  are  the  same  as  hum  (Eng.) — P . 
d “ It  is  the  only  walled  town  (rille  fermie)  in  Norway.” 
e The  town  is  protected  by  the  fort  of  Christianstein,  and  by  the  cas- 
tle of  Munkholm,  situated  on  a rock  in  the  harbour.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f It  was  anciently  called  Nideroos  (mouth  of  the  Nid,)  whence  its 
Latin  name,  Jhidrosia.  (Tuckey’s  Mar.  Geog.  vol.  I.  p.  IDG.) — It  is  situ- 
ated on  a small  gulf  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  Nid,  from  which  it 
received  the  name  of  Nideroos  [Nidaros.  Pinkerton ,J  or  the  outlet  of 
the  Nid.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

e The  cathedral,  dedicated  to  St.  Oluf,  was  formerly  a magnificent 
building  of  marble ; but  it  was  burnt  down  in  1530,  with  the  exception 
of  the  choir,  which  still  forms  part  of  the  present  cathedral.  This  cathe- 
dral is  still  the  finest  and  largest  edifice  in  Norway.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The 
cathedral,  founded  by  St.  Oluff,  was  of  marble,  and  exceeded  in  size, 
as  well  as  in  magnificence,  every  thing  of  the  kind  in  the  north.  It 
was  almost  entirely  burnt  in  1530,  the  choir  alone  remaining,  which 
now  serves  as  the  principal  church  of  the  town.  (Tuckey.  vol.  1.  p. 
107.)— P. 

h “ Basilique” — Basilic  (Lat.  Ital.  Basilica,)  a church  ; properly,  a 
large  church,  or  one  of  royal  foundation.  The  term  Basilica  is  applied 
to  several  of  the  larger  churches  at  Rome,  such  as  St.  Peter's  and  St. 
John  of  Lateran.  Basilicon  is  the  name  of  a well  known  plaster,  but, 
we  believe,  is  not  applied  to  a church. — P. 

‘ Reise  durch  das  westliche  Schweden,  Norwegen  und  Finnland, 
von  Fried.  Wilh.  von  Schubert — [Travels  through  the  western  part 
of  Sweden,  and  through  Norway  and  Finland,  by  Fred.  Wm.  Von  Schu- 
bert.] 

1 “ H6tel  du  gouvernement.” — The  town-house  (Stiflsamthuus)  is 
now  the  residence  of  tlxe  chief  magistrate  and  the  public  bodies  of  the 

district.  It  is  a large  palace,  which  overtops  the  other  buildings,  built 
of  wood,  in  a simple  and  noble  style  of  architecture.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k A Society  of  Sciences  was  established  at  Drontheim  in  17C0,  and 
sanctioned  by  the  king  in  1767.  Its  meetings  are  held  in  a large  and 
beautiful  stone  edifice,  recently  erected,  partly  occupied  by  the  society, 
and  partly  by  the  high  school  and  its  teachers.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 See  note  c p.  1042. 

m “ It  is  defended  by  several  fortifications  and  by  high  walls.” — This 
must  be  a mistake  in  the  original,  and  besides  contradicts  its  own  state- 
ment respecting  Drontheim.  It  has  probably  mistaken  the  mountains, 
with  which  the  town  is  surrounded,  for  walls. — Bergen  is  built  in  the 
form  of  a crescent  round  a gulf  of  the  sea,  and  is  defended  by  seven  lofty 
mountains,  and  by  several  fortifications,  particularly  that  of  Fredericks- 
burg. (Ed.  Enc.) — It  is  situated  in  the  centre  of  a valley,  forming  a 
semicircle  round  a small  gulf,  and  is  defended  on  the  land  side  by  high 
mountains,  and  by  several  fortifications  towards  the  sea.  (Pinkerton. 
Tuckey.) — The  town  is  protected  by  the  castle  of  Fredericksburg,  which 
defends  it  towards  the  sea,  and  by  very  high  mountains  towards  the 
land.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P.  » 

n ‘*  Magasin  d'approvisionnement” store-house  for  public  sup- 
plies.— P.  0 “ Commandant." 

P The  two  last  sentences  are  added  by  the  translator.  In  place  of  it, 
in  the  original,  it  is  only  stated  that  Bergen  is  irregularly  built. — P. 

<i  This  sentence,  and  the  account  of  the  Lancasterian  school,  are  ad- 
ded by  the  translator. — P. 

r Eric  Pontoppidan,  bishop  of  Bergen,  and  author  of  a natural  his- 
tory of  Norway,  was  born  at  Aarhuus  in  Jutland,  1698.  (Gorton's  Biog. 
Diet.) — P. 

s “ College.” — There  was  no  university  in  Norway,  previous  to  the 
establishment  of  that  at  Christiania. — There  is  an  academy  or  high 
school  at  Bergen,  as  well  as  at  Drontheim.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 Ludvig  Holberg.  (Dan.) 

book  cxlyii.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  NORWAY.  365 


distinguished  as  a historian  and  writer  of  comedies.  During 
the  middle  ages,  Bergen  was  a factory  of  the  Hanseatic 
League;  its  harbour  is  large  and  well  fortified.  From  this 
city,  1003  electors  send  four  representatives  to  the  Stor- 
thing* of  Norway.* 1 * ** 

Christiansancl,  on  the  southern  coast,  is  the  fourth  city  in 
the  kingdom.  It  was  founded  in  1 641,  by  Christian  IV. 
king  of  Denmark,  who  wished  to  make  it  the  principal  sta- 
tion for  his  navy.  In  1807  it  was  destroyed  by  the  Eng- 
lish. Its  harbour  has  been  repaired  : it  is  deep,  and  well 
fortified,  and  forms  the  principal  refuge  of  vessels  that  have 
suffered  damage  in  the  dangerous  passage  of  the  Cattegat. 
The  cathedral  is  the  finest  edifice  in  the  city.  Half  a league 
from  the  coast,  a quarantine  establishment  is  erected  on  an 
island.  Jlrendahl0  is  a small  but  neat  town,  built  on  rocks  that 
project  into  a channel  of  the  sea,  and  is  inhabited  by  merchants 
and  fishermen.  Ships  lie  close  to  the  houses.4 * * * * *  Frederik- 
stadt,e  at  the  mouth  of  the  Glommen,  carries  on  a consider- 
able trade  in  timber.  Batteries  erected  on  several  islands, 
and  two  forts  which  communicate  by  a subterranean  passage, 
defend  the  entrance  to  its  harbour.  It  is  the  only  city  in 
Norway  which  is  built  of  stone.  Kongsberg,  celebrated  for 
its  silver  mines  and  its  manufacture  of  children’s  toys,  is 
watered  by  the  Lauven/  which  flows  in  a deep  and  wild 
valley. 

Twelve  leagues  to  the  east  of  Kongsberg,  the  gulf  of 
Christiania  branches  out  into  many  bays.  The  length  of 
this  gulf  is  twenty -two  leagues  from  south  to  north  ; its  great- 
est breadth  is  five  leagues,  but  in  the  narrowest  part  only  a 
league  and  half.®  It  is  surrounded  by  high  mountains,  and 
studded  over  with  islands,  some  of  which  are  pretty  large. 
Several  small  towns  rise  on  its  shores  ; amongst  others  that 
of  Moss,  where  was  concluded,  on  the  14th  of  August  1814, 
the  convention  which  led  the  way  to  the  union  of  Sweden 
and  Norway.  Christiania, h the  capital  of  Norway,1  stands 
at  the  extremity  of  this  gulf,  and  its  houses  and  gardens, 
grouped  in  a circle  around  the  harbour,  seem  to  rest  upon 
an  amphitheatre  of  rocks  and  forests.  The  appearance  of 

a “ Storting" — the  Danish  orthography.  See  note  11  p.  1030. — P. 
b See  Description  of  Bergen  ( Bcrgens  bcshrivetse ,)  by  L.  Sagen,  1 
vol.  8vo.  1824. — (in  Dan.) 
c Usually  written  Arendal. 

d This  account  of  Arendal  is  added  by  the  translator. — P 
e “ Friderihstadt." — Freilerikstad , in  Danish — usually  written  Freder- 
ickstadt,  in  English  authors. — P. 
f The  Louve  ( Louvcn .) — P. 
s “ Not  more  than  half  a league  (une  demie)." 

h Christiania  is  the  proper  orthography.  (M.  B.  Enc.  Meth.  Ed.  Enc. 
(art.  Norway.)  Tuckey.  Conway.) — Christiana.  (Trans.  Pinkerton.  Ed. 
Enc.  sub  nom.) — P. 

' Christiania,  under  the  Danish  government,  was  the  residence  of 
the  viceroy,  and  the  seat  of  the  high  court  of  justice  for  Norway  ; it  is 
at  present  the  place  where  the  Diet  ( Storthing ) holds  its  sittings. — No 
viceroy  had  been  appointed  after  the  reign  of  Christian  VI.  (A.  D. 
1746,)  but  the  governor  of  Christiania  was  invested  with  the  general 
superintendence  of  the  whole  kingdom.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Norway  has  in 
lact  three  capitals,  Christiania,  Bergen  and  Drontheim.  (Conway.) — 
Drontheim  was  the  original  royal  residence,  and  afterwards  the  eccle- 
siastical capital;  Bergen  was  the  residence  of  the  latter  Norwegian 
kings ; Christiania  is  the  more  modern  capital.  Bergen  is  mentioned 
as  the  capital  in  all  the  older  geographies,  and  even  as  late  as  Pinker- 
ton.— P. 

i Harold  the  Fair-haired  ( Harfager ) reigned  about  the  beginning  of 
the  10th  century.  (See  note  s p.  1039)  Harold  III.  (son  of  St.  Olaf,)  who 
was  slain  in  battle  against  Harold  king  of  England,  Sept.  25,  1066, 
has  been  confounded  by  the  English  historians  with  Harold  Harfager. 
(Pinkerton.) — -P. 

k Christiania  is  divided  into  the  city  and  suburbs  of  Waterlandt,  Pe- 
terwigen  and  Fierdingen,  the  fortress  of  Aggerhuus,  and  the  town  of 
Opsloe.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Christiania  is  divided  into  three  parts — 1.  the  city 


this  capital  is  pleasant,  as  well  as  majestic ; its  streets  are 
broad  and  well  paved,  and,  if  it  contained  fewer  houses  of 
wood,  it  would  be  one  of  the  finest  cities  in  the  North.  Its 
suburbs  are  considerable  ; one  of  these,  called  O/d  Opslo, 
is  all  that  remains  of  the  ancient  capital  of  Norway,  founded 
by  Harold  the  Fair-haired,  in  the  eleventh  century ,J  and  de- 
stroyed by  a fire  in  1624. k The  modern  capital  bears  the 
name  of  Christian  IV.  its  founder.  Its  regular  buildings 
increase  from  day  to  day  with  the  population.  The  finest 
edifices  are  the  cathedral,  the  government  palace,1  the  new 
town-house,  the  military  school,  the  new  exchange,  and  the 
university,  the  number  of  students  at  which  is  about  120. 
The  number  of  professors  is  1 5,  whose  salaries  are  paid  in 
corn.  In  the  hall  of  this  establishment  are  annually  held 
the  sittings  of  the  constitutional  assembly,  called  the  Stor- 
thing. Founded  in  1813,  it  was  intended  as  an  university  for 
the  kingdom.  Its  library  already  contains  many  thousand 
volumes  ;m  it  possesses,  besides,  a fine  cabinet  of  natural 
philosophy,  an  observatory,  a botanical  garden,  and  a collec- 
tion of  natural  history.  Christiania  is  an  episcopal  see,  the 
incumbent  of  which  enjoys  a revenue  of  £700  sterling.” 
There  are  in  Christiania  many  benevolent  institutions,  and, 
among  others,  two  orphan  houses  : one  for  those  born  in  the 
city,  and  the  other,  called  the  house  of  Anker,0  for  the  re- 
ception of  orphans  throughout  the  whole  kingdom.  The 
latter,  the  most  important  of  them  all,  gives  assistance  to  the 
modest  poor,  and  to  indigent  families,  and  furnishes  instruc- 
tion, free  of  expense,  to  those  children  whose  parents  have 
not  the  means  of  educating  them.  Christiania  enjoys  a con- 
siderable foreign  trade. 

To  the  east  of  the  mouth  of  the  Glommen,  near  the  fron- 
tiers of  Sweden,  Frederikshall ,p  whose  harbour  can  re- 
ceive large  vessels, q has  joined  to  its  ancient  name  of  Haldcn 
that  of  Frederic,  given  to  it  by  Frederic  III.  in  1665,  on 
account  of  its  courageous  defence  against  the  Swedes.  This 
is  a neat  town,  with  paved  streets : the  houses  are  of  wood, 
and  painted  of  different  colours,  as  in  Sweden.  It  stands 
prettily  in  a valley  surrounded  with  rocks,  on  an  arm  of  the 

proper  [Christiania,]  founded  in  1624  by  Christian  IV.,  when  Apshe  the 
ancient  capital  was  consumed  by  fire  ; it  has  three  suburbs  : 2.  the  for- 
tress of  Aggershuus,  on  an  eminence  to  the  west  of  the  city  : and  3.  the 
ancient  city  of  Apslce  or  Anslce,  in  which  is  the  episcopal  palace.  (Tuck- 
ey’s  Mar.  Geog.  vol  1.  p.  200.) — Anslo  or  Christiania  was  built  by 
Christian  IV.  in  1624,  and  forms  only  a single  town  with  what  re 
mained  of  Obslo,  which  about  that  time  was  almost  entirely  reduced  to 
ashes.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

1 “ Palais  du  gouvernement” — government  house. 

m The  original  has  “80,000  volumes,”  which,  in  so  recent  an  insti- 
tution, is  most  probably  a mistake.  A recent  traveller  says,  “ many 
thousands.” — Translator. 

n “ — and  the  great  college  ( grand  college.)  In  the  refectory  of  this 
establishment,  are  annually  held  the  sittings  of  the  constitutional  assem- 

bly called  the  Storting.  Since  1813  there  has  existed  in  Christiania  a 

university  for  the  kingdom.  Its  library  contains  80,000  volumes ; it 
also  possesses  a fine  collection  of  philosophical  apparatus  ( cabinet  dc 
physique,)  an  observatory,  a botanical  garden,  and  a cabinet  of  natural 
history  ; fifteen  professors  are  attached  to  the  institution.” — The  univer- 
sity, called  Fredericia  [in  honour  of  Frederick  VI.,]  was  founded  in 
1811.’'  (Enc  Araer.) — Previous  to  the  establishment  of  the  university, 
there  was  a gymnasium  or  Latin  school,  in  Christiania,  endowed  by 

Christian  IV.  in  1635.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

* Dec.  11,  1811.  See  a poem  for  the  festival  (Dec.  11,  1811)  on  the  occasion  of  cel- 
ebrating the  establishment  of  a ui  iversity  in  Norway,  by  C.  Pram  (Sang  for  festen, 
den  11  Dec.  1811,  til  at  hbitidcligholde  oprettelsen  af  en  Jtiiiskole  i JTorrig,  af  C. 
Pram.) — P 

0 “ Maison  d’  Anker”  -Dan.  Anker-huus  (Anker-house;)  so  called  in 
honour  of  Baron  Anker. — P- 

p “ Friderikshald" — properly,  Frederikshald  (Dan. ;)  with  the  article, 

Frederikslialden.  Usually  written  Frederickshall,  in  English  authors 
— Frederickshald  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

q .“  Ships  of  the  line  ( vaisseaux  de  haut-bord .)” — P. 


* 


[BOOK  CXLVI1. 


EUROPE. 


366 

sea,  and  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  timber.8  At  the 
foot  of  its  fortress,  called  Frcderiksteen,b  Charles  XII.  of 
Sweden  was  killed  by  a cannon-ball0  on  the  11th  of  De- 
cember 1718.  In  1814  the  Swedes  raised  a pyramid  d on 
the  spot  where  this  great  captain  expired.  Charles  XII. 
has  been  styled  a great  man,0  but  certainly  with  little  pro- 
priety, if  men  understood  their  true  interests  aright.  Has 
the  experience  of  nearly  6000  years  not  yet  convinced  the 
world,  that  men  such  as  Alexander  of  Macedon,  Julius  Cte- 
sar,  Timur,  Charles  XII.,  or  Napoleon,  whose  only  merit 
lies  in  the  satisfying  their  own  ambitious  desires  at  whatever 
expense,  have  no  claim  to  the  name  of  great  ? and  that  it  is 
only  rightly  bestowed  when  conferred  on  an  Alfred,  a Wash- 
ington, a Granville  Sharp,  or  a Howard — on  men  who,  in 
some  shape  or  other,  have  truly  benefited  and  not  destroyed 
their  fellow-creatures  ?f 

The  Norwegian  Isles  may  be  comprised  under  the  de- 
nomination of  the  Norwegian  Archipelago, s and  divided  in- 
to three  groups  : those  of  Bergen  and  Drontheim,  washed 
by  the  North  Sea,  and  that  of  Lofoden, h in  the  ley  Ocean.* 1 11 
The  first  commences  at  the  gulf  of  Bukfiord  J on  the  south  : 
its  principal  islands  are  Carmoe  k and  Fuljc ,'  where,  it  is 
said,  Harold,  the  first  king  of  Norway,  long  had  his  resi- 
dence. On  a small  island,  part  of  this  group,  stands  a stone 
cross  of  silver-white  mica  slate,  about  twelve  feet  high  and 
four  in  breadth.  Nothing  is  known  of  its  history,  but  that  it 
has  stood  there  for  centuries.1"  In  the  group  of  Drontheim, 
three  islands  are  remarkable  for  their  size,  namely,  Smcelen , 
Averoen  or  Frojen ,n  and  Hitteren,  the  latter  the  largest 
of  the  three  ; but  the  most  celebrated  are  the  small  islands 
of  Vigten,0  from  whence  departed,  for  the  conquest  of 
Normandy,  the  Norwegian  or  Norman  chieftain  Rolf,  bet- 
ter known  by  the  name  Raoul  or  Rollo.  The  group  of  the 
Lofoden  Isles  occupies  a length  of  sixty  leagues  ; the  most 
considerable  are  the  long  Andoen,  the  irregular  Langcen, 
Hindcen,  the  most  important  of  them  all,  Mageroe,  in  which 
the  North  Cape  is  situated,  Seyland , where  there  is  to  be 
seen  a peak  of  great  elevation,  Soroe ,p  deeply  indented  by  a 


great  number  of  bays,  and  Ost-Vaagen,  the  central  point 
of  the  important  expedition,  which,  every  year,  during  the 
months  of  February  and  March,  assembles  in  these  lati- 
tudes more  than  20,000  fishermen. *<  Between  Vceroe  and 
Mosken  Moskencesoe  r lies  the  dangerous  whirlpool  of  Mal- 
Strcem ,s  so  dreaded  by  navigators. 

The  principal  branch  of  Norwegian  industry  is  undoubted- 
ly the  fishery  : the  annual  exportations  which  the  kingdom 
makes  in  herrings  and  cod,  are  valued  at  from  six  to  seven 
millions  of  francs.  In  1 827  there  were  sent  to  England  more 
than  1,100,000  lobsters.  A recent  traveller  informs  us 
that  the  trade  with  London  in  these  creatures  is  so  great, 
that,  all  the  way  from  Stadt  Land  1 to  Lindenoes,"  an  Eng- 
lishman and  a devourer  of  lobsters  are  almost  synonymous 
terms.  There  is  an  English  Lobster  Company,  and  theii 
agents  are  busy  all  along  the  coast.  Twice  or  thrice  a-week 
their  packets  sail  from  Christiansand.T  The  merchant  of 
Bergen  supplies  Spain  and  Italy  with  the  immense  quantity 
of  fish  that  is  there  consumed  during  lent.  During  the  win- 
ter the  Norwegian  feeds  even  his  cattle  with  the  entrails  of 
fish.  By  the  sale  of  his  iron,  he  purchases  in  the  ports  of 
the  Baltic,  the  quantity  of  corn  necessary  for  his  consump- 
tion ; the  British  merchant  buys  up  the  masts  and  planks 
of  Christiania  ; the  firs  of  Drontheim,  less  esteemed,  are 
carried  off  by  the  Irish.  With  these  articles,  and  many 
others  of  less  importance,  the  inhabitant  of  Norway  procures 
for  himself  not  only  the  comforts  of  life,  but  also  the  enjoy- 
ments of  luxury : the  women  of  the  most  retired  valleys 
wear  around  their  necks  the  handkerchiefs  of  Masulipatam  ; 
in  the  Dovrefield  mountains,  the  hospitals  are  always  abun- 
dantly supplied  with  tea,  sugar  and  coffee ; while  the  rich 
cover  their  tables  with  the  wines  of  Bordeaux  and  Cyprus, 
with  oranges  from  Malta,  and  with  raisins  from  Corinth.  In 
fine,  in  this  country,  which  is  regarded  as  so  poor,  mahoga- 
ny furniture,  valuable  porcelain,  and  curious  eatables,  are 
not  more  rare  under  tbe  hospitable  roof  of  the  merchant  of 
Bergen  and  Christiania,  than  in  the  house  of  the  rich  mer- 
chant of  London,  or  the  magnificent  banker  of  Paris. 

p A mitten  (the  duck  island,)  Langceen  (the  long  island,)  Hindaen 
(the  hind  island,)  Magcrae  (bare  island,)  Sejland  ( sej , black  cod,  coal 
fish,  Gudus  earbonarius,  Linn.)  Some. — P. 

<i  Vaagce  [properly,  Vatigac ] is  the  central  rendezvous  of  the  fishing 
boats.  (Tuckey,  vol.  I.  p.  194.) — Von  Buch  calculates  that  more  than 
20,000  individuals  are  engaged  in  fishing  at  the  single  station  of  Lo- 
fodden,  during  the  months  of  February  and  March.  He  also  calculates 
that  at  these  islands  of  Vaage  nearly  sixteen  millions  of  large  cod  and 
tusk  are  taken  every  year.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

r The  island  of  Moskoe  [Mosktre]  lies  between  the  mountain  of 
Hesleggen  in  Lofoden  and  the  island  of  Ver  [Vartrel]  The  current  of 
the  Malestrom  flows  on  both  sides  of  the  island  of  Moskoe  ; the  chan 
nel  on  the  Lofoden  side  being  deep,  and  that  on  the  Ver  side  shallow. 
(Guthrie.) — The  Maelstrom  or  Moskoestrom  is  situated  between  the 
island  of  Moskoe  and  that  of  Moskoenaes.  (Blisching.) — Moskoe  is  also 
called  Moskenes.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

5 Malestrom  or  Moskoestrom  (Guthrie.; — Maelstrom  (Rees’  Cyc.) — 
Dan.  Mtelstrcem. — P. 

1 Stadtland — a promontory  north  of  Bergen,  w'here  the  coast  begins 
to  trend  east  towards  Drontheim. — P. 

u Properly,  Lindesntes — the  Naze.  JVees  signifies  a cape  or  promon- 
tory, in  Danish. — P. 

v Rev.  Robert  Eve-est  Journey  through  Norway,  &c.  Lond.  1829. 


“ The  two  last  sentences  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

b “ Friderilcstcen" — properly,  Frcderikstecn  (Dan.)  Fredericksteen 
(in  English  authors.) — P. 

0 In  the  original,  it  is  simply  : fatal  ball.  It  has  been  disputed  whether 
Charles  XII.  was  killed  by  a cannon  or  a musket  or  pistol  ball.  Vol- 
taire says,  a half  pound  shot.  Those  who  assert  he  was  killed  by  a 
musket  or  pistol  ball,  attribute  his  death  to  assassination. — P. 

d An  obelisk — by  command  of  Bernadotte  ; with  only  this  inscrip- 
tion— “ In  the  fight  against  Frederickshall.”  (Conway,  p.  274 — 5.) — P. 

' In  the  original. 

1 These  remarks  on  the  character  of  Charles  XII.  are  added  by  the 
translator. — P. 

e M.  Ad.  Balbi  first  proposed  this  name  and  division. 

11  “ Loffoden  ” (M.  B.  Pinkerton.)  Lofodden  (Ed.  Enc.)  Loffodden 
(Tuckey.) — P. 

1 Frozen  Ocean,  Arctic  or  Northern  Ocean,  or  Icy  Sea. — P. 

I “ Berkeford  ” (-fiord.) 

k Knrm  (Fe  (Karin  Island.) 

1 Fidjtte? 

Rev.  Robert  Everest,  Journey  through  Norway,  &c.  Lond.  1829. 

n Averccen  or  Froijen. — P. 

0 Vikten  or  Viktor  (Pinkerton  — north  of  Drontheim  in  about  G5C 
N P. 


BOOK  CXLVIII.l 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SWEDEN.  3G7 


BOOK  CXLVIII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Description  of  the  Scandinavian  Pen- 
insula.— Second  Section. — Description  of  Sweden. 
The  character  of  the  inhabitants  of  Sweden,  and  in 
some  respects  the  physical  constitution  of  the  country,  pre- 
sent more  than  one  trait  of  resemblance  to  the  people  and 
climate  of  Norway.  The  Laplanders , who  inhabit  the 
northern  parts  of  the  Swedish  monarchy,  have  been  repre- 
sented as  men  of  short  stature,  with  a swarthy  or  yellowish 
complexion,  and  a disagreeable  physiognomy ; but  the 
view  thus  given  of  them  is  far  from  being  correct.  In 
the  northern  parts  of  Norwegian  and  Swedish  Lapland, 
they  are  taller  than  in  the  south,  yet  their  height  does  not 
exceed  five  feet  and  two  or  three  inches:  their  copper 
complexion  is  rather  the  result  of  a habitual  residence  in 
smoky  huts  than  a character  of  the  race.  The  mountain 
Laplanders,  who  live  almost  always  in  the  open  air,  have  a 
skin  slightly  dark  ; the  greater  part  of  the  females  are  even 
tolerably  fair ; and  among  both  sexes  there  are  seen  figures 
as  agreeable  as  among  other  nations.  Their  temper  is  al- 
ways equable  ; never  does  their  cheerfulness  forsake  them. 
Their  honesty  is  proof  against  every  temptation ; robbery 
and  murder  are  crimes  almost  unknown  amongst  them. 
They  are  laborious  and  naturally  temperate,  but  they  can- 
not resist  the  temptation  of  drinking  strong  liquors.®  Trav- 
ellers tell  us,  that  in  Wcstro-Bothnia,b  physical  strength  and 
beauty  distinguish  both  the  sexes,  while  an  unbounded  hos- 
pitality towards  strangers,  a cheerful  temper,  and  an  enter- 
prising disposition,  are  qualities  common  to  the  whole  popu- 
lation, which  extends  to  the  polar  circle.  The  people  of 
Josmtlandc  have  the  light  shape,  the  agility  of  body,  and 
the  fair  hair  of  the  Norwegians.  The  Hdsingian'* 1  is  brave  : 
in  attacking  the  bear,  he  displays  as  much  intrepidity  as  the 
mountaineer  of  Norway  ; even  the  young  shepherdess  has 
been  frequently  known  to  defend  her  flock  with  success 
against  one  of  these  animals  : it  is  true,  however,  that,  ac- 
cording to  an  old  superstition,  the  bear  can  do  nothing 
against  a virgin.  The  people  of  Nericiae  have  a melan- 
choly and  taciturn  air : their  character  is  a mixture  of  hon- 
esty and  pride,  distrust  and  obstinacy.  In  the  provinces  of 

a Reise  durch  das  ncerdliche  Schweden  und  Lappland,  &c.  von 
F.  W.  von  Schubert.  Leipzig,  1823. — [Travels  through  northern  Swe- 
den and  Lapland,  &c.  by  F.  W.  Von  Schubert.  Leipsic,  1823.] 
b West  Bothnia — Wester-Botten  (Swed.  Vestcr-Bottcn.) — P. 
c “ Jemtie.” — Lat.  Jcmptia.  Jempterland  (Enc.  Meth.)  Hiemtland 
(Catteau.) — Also  in  different  authors,  Jemptland  or  Jemtland,  Jampt- 
land  or  Jamtland.  Properly,  Ja.mtla.nd  (Swed.) — P. 
d Native  of  Helsingland  (Lat.  Helsingia.) — P. 
e “ Nericie.” — Lat.  Nericia ; Swed.  Nerilce. — P. 
f u Westmannie .” — Westrnanland ; Lat.  JVcstmania. — P. 
s “ Dalecarlie.” — Lat.  DalccarLia  ; Swed.  Dalland,  or  Dalarne  (the 
Dais,)  so  called  from  the  river  Dal,  formed  by  two  branches,  the 
eastern  and  western  Dal. — P. 


Upland , Wcstmania f and  Dalecarlia,z  the  population,  re- 
nowned for  its  bravery,  still  preserves  the  physical  charac- 
ters of  the  most  northern  tribes : dark  hair,  sunk  eyes,  a 
look  somewhat  fierce,  but  full  of  expression  and  vivacity, 
muscles  strongly  marked,  prominent  bones,  and  a stature 
almost  gigantic.  In  Westro-Gothiab  and  above  all,  in  Go 
thia,1  fair  hair,  blue  eyes,  a middle  stature,  a light  and  slen- 
der figure,  and  a physiognomy  indicating  frankness,  gentle- 
ness, and  a certain  sentimental  elevation  of  mind,  especially 
among  the  fair  sex,  are  predominant.  The  people  in  the 
other  provinces  partake  of  these  different  physical  and 
moral  qualities,  i 

Sweden  is  separated  from  Norway  by  the  mountains  of 
Kcclen,  Svuku  and  Seveberg.v  The  distance  between  these 
mountains  and  the  sea  being  much  greater  than  in  Norway, 
the  surface  has  less  declivity,  the  rivers  are  considerably 
larger,  and  the  lakes  more  numerous  and  of  greater  extent; 
yet  none  of  the  Swedish  rivers  surpass  in  length  the  Nor- 
wegian river  Glommen ; 1 the  largest  scarcely  traverse  a 
course  of  100  leagues.  One  of  the  most  considerable  is 
the  Tornea,  which  issues  from  the  lake  of  that  name,  situ- 
ated at  the  foot  of  the  Kcelen  mountains,  and  which,  among 
the  rivers  received  by  it,  reckons  the  Muonio,  the  natural 
barrier  that  separates  Sweden  from  Russia,  as  far  as  its 
junction  with  the  Tornea,  after  which  the  Tornea  forms 
the  boundary  between  the  two  states.  The  Lulea  and  the 
Umea  do  not  yield  in  length  to  the  preceding.  All  these 
rivers,  and  many  others  that  we  do  not  name,  traverse 
lakes  of  a great  extent  of  surface,  and  throw  themselves  into 
the  gulf  of  Bothnia.  The  most  important  lakes  of  the 
Scandinavian  peninsula  are,  in  the  order  of  their  size,  the 
Wener,m  35  leagues  long  by  20  broad  ; the  JMcelar ,n  25 
leagues  in  length,  and  from  9 to  18  in  breadth  ; the  Wetter ,° 
24  leagues  in  length,  and  from  6 to  7 in  breadth  ; and 
the  Hielmar,  16  leagues  in  length  by  4 in  breadth.  All 
four  are  situated  in  southern  Sweden,  and  the  first  (the 
Wener)  is,  after  lakes  Ladoga  and  Onega  in  the  Russian 
empire,  the  largest  lake  in  Europe.  It  gives  rise  to  the 
Gceta, p a small  river,  which,  after  making  its  way  through 

h “ Westro-Gothie.” — Lat.  Westro-Gothia.  West  Gothland — Wester- 
Gothland  ( Vestcr-Gatliland , Swed.) — P. 

* “ Gothic.” — Lat.  Gothia.  Gothland  (a  term  including  the  whole 
southern  part  of  Sweden,  and  among  other  provinces,  comprising  West 
Gothland.) — P. 

i Melanges  Scientifiques  et  Litteraires,  tome  I. 

k See  p.  1041. 

1 The  Glommen  is  the  greatest  river  in  Scandinavia.  (Conway.) — 
This  arises  from  its  flowing  north  and  south,  between  two  branches  of 
the  great  dividing  chain  of  Scandinavia. — P. 

m Wenner  (Morse.) — Swed.  Venercn  (the  Vener.) — P. 

n Meier  (Pinkerton,)  Malar  or  Maler  (Morse.) — Swed.  Malaren  (the 
Mselar.) — P ° Weter  (Pinkerton.) 

p Gotha  (Pinkerton.) — Gatha  Elf  (Swed.) — P. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLYI11. 


368 

steep  rocks,  forming  frightful  cataracts,  throws  itself  into  the 
Cattegat." 

There  is  no  country  in  which  it  is  more  easy  to  form 
canals  than  in  Sweden,  and,  since  the  reign  of  Charles  XI. ,b 
the  Swedish  government  has  profited  by  the  disposition  of 
the  ground,  to  multiply  the  means  of  water  communication. 
The  canal,  which  hears  the  name  of  the  river  Arboga,  con- 
ducts its  waters  from  lake  Hielmar  to  lake  Moelar ; the 
canal  of  Sccdcrtelge,0  finished  in  1819,  unites  the  waters 
of  the  Moelar  with  those  of  the  Baltic  ; the  canal  of  JVoed- 
dcnd  shortens  the  navigation  from  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia  to  the 
Baltic,  by  avoiding  the  dangerous  arm  of  the  sea  situated 
between  Sweden  and  the  isles  of  Aland  ; and  that  of  Al- 
marc-Stak,  finished  in  1S23,  establishes  a ready  communi- 
cation between  Upsal  and  Stockholm.®  Other  canals  have 
been  begun  or  executed,  with  the  view  of  making  several 
rivers  navigable,  and  of  rendering  more  valuable  the  im- 
mense forests  situated  in  the  northern  provinces  ; but  the 
most  important  of  these  works  is  the  canal  of  Gceta,  now 
almost  completed,  which,  by  the  aid  of  several  small  lakes, 
will  open  an  easy  passage  between  lake  Wetter  and  the 
Baltic  Sea.f  It  may  be  noticed  here,  that  the  roads  in 
Sweden  are  admitted  by  travellers  to  be  excellent,  and  in- 
ferior to  none  in  Europe. s 

In  the  Baltic  Sea  Sweden  possesses  two  important  islands, 
namely,  Oelandh  and  Gothland.  The  first  is  separated 
from  the  main  land  by  the  strait  of  Calmar.  It  is  thirty 
leagues  in  length  by  from  three  to  five  in  breadth.  Its  soil 
is  composed  of  schistous,  siliceous  and  calcareous  rocks. 
Its  valleys  are  pleasant  and  well  watered.  It  is  rich 'in  pas- 
turage and  meadow-ground,  and  supports  much  cattle.  Its 
population  is  numerous.  Gothland,'  much  more  considera- 
ble than  the  former,  being  25  leagues  in  length  and  10  in 
breadth,  is  a calcareous  and  sandy  plateau  from  1 50  to  200 
feet  in  height,  on  which  there  rise  hills,  whose  bare  and  dry 
summits  have  nearly  the  same  elevation;  one  of  these  hills, 
called  HoborgJ  contains  a great  number  of  caverns.  Goth- 
land is  watered  by  several  lakes  and  rivers ; one  of  the  lat- 
ter, called  the  Lummelund,  issues  from  the  small  lake  of 
JVIarteba,  Hows  for  some  time  in  a subterranean  canal,  and 

a The  Gotha,  besides  some  lesser  falls  and  rapids,  is  precipitated 
over  the  great  falls  of  Trolhatta  [Trollhoetta — with  the  article,  Trollhait- 
tan.]  a height  of  about  130  feet.  (Conway.)— The  descent  of  the  Trol- 
hatta falls  is  114  feet.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b Canals  were  constructed  in  Sweden  at  a very  early  period,  particu- 
larly side  cuts  on  the  rivers.  A canal  was  opened  from  Upsal  to  the 
Baltic  in  1030.  The  Arboga  canal  was  constructed  in  1(133,  during  the 
minority  of  Christina.  These,  and  various  other  works,  were  anterior 
to  the  reign  of  Charles  XI.  That  monarch  began  to  reconstruct  the 
Arboga  canal  in  1691,  and  completed  it  in  1701.  He,  however,  fol- 
lowed the  channel  of  the  river,  instead  of  cutting  an  artificial  canal 
along  its  banks. — P. 

c Sodertelje  (Ed.  Enc.)  Sodertelge,  a town  16  miles  W.  S.  W.  of 
Stockholm.  (Morse.) — Swed.  Seeder,  south,  and  Tclge  or  Tcljc. — P. 

d “ The  canal  of  IVicddr.." 

e Consult  the  Summary  of  the  Reports  made  to  the  king  of  Sweden 
and  Norway,  upon  the  public  works  executed  in  1823:  Revue  Encyclo- 
pedique,  1824. 

f The  canal  here  mentioned,  by  the  name  of  the  canal  of  Gieta  (Go- 
tha or  Gnet.ha,)  is  the  line  of  inland  navigation  across  Sweden,  from  the 
Cattegat  to  the  Baltic,  by  the  river  Gotha,  and  the  lakes  Wenern  (the 
Wener.)  Wiken,  Wettern  (the  Wetter,)  Boren  and  Roxen,  to  the 
town  of  Soderkoping  (Said er keeping) . It  is  intended  for  the  passage 
of  smaller  vessels,  and  has  consequently  10  feet  depth  of  water.  The 
navigation  of  the  Gotha  to  the  lake  Wener  is  perfected  by  tbe  lock  at 
Akerstrom  and  that  at  Edit,  the  canal  at  Trolhatta  (with  nine  locks,) 
and  the  locks  at  Karlsgraff.  The  remainder  of  the  route  was  surveyed 
by  Mr.  T.  Telford,  at  the  expense  of  Count  Platen,  in  1808  ; a company 
was  then  formed,  and  a charter  granted  by  Charles  XI 11.  in  1810.  The 
operations  have  been  since  carried  on  with  much  assiduity  and  success, 
and  a considerable  portion  of  the  canal  rendered  navigable.  The 


again  issuing  from  an  opening  12  feet  in  breadth,  throws  it- 
self into  tbe  sea.  The  climate  is  much  milder  than  that  of 
those  parts  of  Sweden  lying  in  the  same  latitude.  The  isl- 
and is  rich  in  forests  and  in  game,  in  arable  land  and  in 
cattle;  merinos  are  there  perfectly  naturalized,  and  goats 
attain  a great  height.  Agriculture  is  susceptible  of  great 
improvements  ; but  as  the  island  possesses  no  noble  fami- 
lies, and  is  divided  into  many  small  properties,  the  inhabi- 
tants live  in  easy  circumstances  and  procure  colonial  mer- 
chandise, wine  and  other  objects  of  primary  necessity,  in 
exchange  for  their  wood,  tar,  marble,  fish  and  cattle,  and  the 
excellent  turnips  which  they  cultivate.  Hucn,k  a small 
island  at  the  entrance  of  the  Sound,  is  chiefly  remarkable 
for  having  been  the  residence  of  the  celebrated  Tycho 
Brahe,  who  there  constructed  the  observatory,  to  which  he 
gave  the  name  of  Uranicnborg. 

The  physical  constitution  of  Sweden  has  been  the  sub- 
ject of  the  observations  of  several  distinguished  naturalists, 
one  of  whom,  in  a work  drawn  up  with  much  precision  and 
distinctness,  gives  so  just  a view  of  it,  that  we  can  in  a few 
words  trace  its  principal  characters.1  W e have  already 
seen  that  gneiss  and  granite  predominate  in  the  mountains, 
which  we  consider  as  forming  the  Scandinavian  range."1 
Wherever  these  two  kinds  of  rock  are  seen,  they  alternate 
with  each  other,  the  one  passing  insensibly  into  the  other, 
as  if  they  had  been  formed  at  the  same  time,  but  the  first 
always  occupies  an  extent  much  more  considerable  than  the 
second.  Granite,  however,  appears  chiefly  by  itself  on  the 
banks  of  the  Muonio,  on  the  coasts  of  the  Baltic  to  the 
north  of  Calmar,  and  in  the  provinces  of  Upland,  of  West- 
mania,  and  of  East  and  West  Gothland.  The  richest  veins 
of  iron,  copper,  and  argentiferous  lead,"  that  are  worked  in 
Sweden,  are  contained  in  the  gneiss ; this  rock  contains  a 
much  greater  number  of  strata  of  other  rocks  than  are  to  be 
found  elsewhere ; in  the  mountains  they  are  generally  in- 
clined from  north-east  to  south-west.  The  oldest  forma- 
tions containing  organic  remains  are,  in  Sweden,  much 
more  extensive  in  proportion  to  their  thickness,  than  in  the 
other  countries  of  Europe  ; we  there  see  succeeding  each 
other,  strata  of  compact  limestone,  enclosing  the  spoils  of 

length  of  the  route  from  the  Wener  to  the  Baltic,  including  lakes,  is 
about  120  miles ; that  of  the  artificial  canals  is  about  55  miles.  The 
ascent  from  the  Wener  to  the  summit,  or  surface  of  lake  Wiken,  is  162 
feet;  the  descent  to  the  Baltic,  307  feet.  The  number  of  locks  is  to  be 
56. — Gustavusl.  projected  in  1526,  a different  line  of  inland  navigation 
across  the  kingdom,  by  the  lakes  Madar,  Hielmar,  Skager  and  "Vv  ener; 
but  the  Arboga  canal,  between  the  Madar  and  the  Hielmar,  was  the 
only  part  executed. — Besides  the  canals  already  mentioned,  there  are 
others  in  Sweden,  particularly  the  Strcemsholm  canal,  between  the 
Madar  and  the  province  of  Dalarne,  (60  miles  in  length,  partly  natural 
water  courses,)  completed  in  1795.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P 

s There  is  nothing  with  which  one  is  more  struck,  in  travelling 
through  Sweden,  than  the  excellence  of  the  roads.  Macadamized  Re- 
gent Street  is  not  smoother,  and  scarcely  even  broader,  than  the  whole 
of  the  road  for  upwards  of  200  miles,  from  Frederickshall  to  the  Sound. 
(Conway,  p.  278 — 9). — P. 

h “ CEland.” — Oland  or  CEland  (Pinkerton,)  CEland  (Tuckey,)  Oe- 
land  (Guthrie,  Morse.) — CEland  is  the  proper  orthography.  The 
island  abounds  in  freestone,  called  CEland  stone  (CEtands  sten,)  by  tbe 
Swedes. — P. 

‘ Gothland  or  Gottland  (Morse.)  Gottland  (Tuckey.) — Those  who 
believe  that  this  island  was  the  cradle  of  the  Goths,  write  Gothland  ; 
but  most  of  the  Swedes  write  Gottland  (good  country.)  (Tuckey,  vol.  I. 
p.  278.) — God  or  godt,  good,  in  Swedish. — P. 

i Hoberg.  (T uckey.) 

k Huen  or  Hwen  (Tuckey.) — Dan.  Ilrcn. — P. 

I See  the  Introduction  to  the  Mineralogical  Geography  of  Sweden, 
by  M.  Hisinger,  translated  into  German  by  Dr.  Wcehler. 

m “ Scandinavian  system.” 

II  Argentiferous  galena — chiefly  at  what  is  called  the  silver  mine  of 
Sala,  west  of  Upsal. — P. 


hook  cx l viii.]  DESCRIPTION 

(hose  marine  animals,  with  multilocular  shells,  called  | 
orthocerntites,  argillaceous  schists  containing  the  small 
organized  bodies  to  which  Linnteus  first  gave  the  name 
of  graptolithi,  and  which  belong  to  the  same  family  as 
the  preceding,  and  lastly,  sandstones  and  different  kinds  of 
rocks  formed  of  various  agglomerated  substances. a Dale- 
carlia,  Jempteland,b  Nericia  and  East  Gothland'  are  cov- 
ered with  these  older  deposits.11  In  Scania  we  begin  to 
perceive  more  recent  formations,  comprehending  the  coal 
formation  and  the  older  shell  limestone,®  called  musch- 
clkalk  by  the  Germans,  to  which  succeed,  in  the  order 
of  their  formation,  sandy  and  calcareous  strata/  as  well 
as  thick  beds  of  chalk.  In  this  province,  rocks  which 
bear  the  marks  of  an  igneous  origin,  traverse  the  different 
formations,  and  appear  on  the  surface.  It  is  in  this  prov- 
ince, that  one  of  our  savans®  has  recognised  in  the  vast 
diluvial  deposits,  ( terrains  de  transport ,)  composed  of 
sand,  rolled  pebbles,  and  enormous  blocks  of  granite,  (the 
accumulation  of  which  forms  here  and  there,  in  the  en- 
virons of  Upsal,  on  the  borders  of  Lake  Wener,  and  as 
far  as  the  Sound,  those  hills  called  ose  in  Swedish/)  the 
origin  of  the  deposits  of  the  same  nature  which  cover  the 
dutchy  of  Mecklenburg,  Pomerania,  and  the  Russian 
Provinces,  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Neva.  Thus,  from 
Norway  and  Sweden  have  been  conveyed  by  immense 
currents  of  water,  those  masses  of  debris  which  one  is 
astonished  to  find  on  both  sides  of  the  Baltic,  and  which 
undoubtedly  were  there  deposited,  when  that  sea  had  as 
yet  no  existence,  or  when  the  country,  more  covered 
with  forests  than  at  present,  and  consequently  colder, 
beheld  the  Sound  and  the  other  straits  covered  with  ice, 
and  presenting  during  the  rigours  of  winter,  a ready  pas- 
sage to  these  eruptions.  In  conclusion,  one  word  will 
suffice  to  give  an  idea  of  the  richness  of  the  Swedish  iron 
mines.  They  are  wrought  in  the  open  air  like  stone 
quarries,  and  it  is  calculated,  that  they  can  scarcely  be 
exhausted  in  fifteen  centuries. 

From  the  similarity  of  climate,  it  is  to  be  expected, 
that  the  animals  which  are  found  in  Norway,  will  also  be 
found  in  Sweden,  and,  accordingly,  this  is  the  case.  The 
bear  and  the  wolf  have  their  abode  in  Sweden,  as  well 
as  in  Norway,  and  the  latter  especially  is  destructive, 

OF  SWEDEN.  309 

attacking  not  only  tbe  feebler  animals,  but  sometimes 
man  himself.  The  elk  has  become  a rare  animal,  but  is 
still  met  with  ; and  the  rein-deer  exists  in  abundance,  in 
the  northern  parts  of  the  country,  especially  among  the 
Laplanders.  The  domestic  animals  are  in  general  small, 
but  strong  and  useful.  Fish  in  great  variety  and  abun- 
dance are  to  be  found  in  all  the  waters.  The  eagle  and 
falcon  are  frequent  in  the  northern  and  more  inaccessible 
parts ; and  domestic  fowls,  and  the  smaller  birds,  are  to 
be  met  with,  as  in  Great  Britain/ 

What  we  have  said  of  the  vegetation  of  Norway,  ap- 
plies to  that  of  Sweden.  We  will  add,  however,  after 
the  researches  of  a learned  botanist/  that  the  primrose 
( Primula  clatior ),'  which  flourishes  in  our  woods  in  the 
early  days  of  spring,  is  common  in  Scania ; that  the 
common  maple  (Acer  campestrc') , the  smallest  of  this 
genus,  grows  by  the  side  of  several  of  our  forest  trees  ; 
that  the  humble  asarabacca  (Asarum  Europeeum)  is  found 
creeping  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  in  sandy  soils  ; that 
the  St.  John’s-wort  ( Hypericum ) shows  itself  with  its 
yellow  flower  in  the  sands  of  Bleking ; and  that  the 
almond-leaved  willow  (Salix  amygdalina) , with  its  flexi- 
ble branches,  abounds  in  moist  grounds,  and  sees  growing 
at  its  feet  the  lively  mouse-ear, m with  flowers  of  the  most 
beautiful  blue.  Towards  the  62d  or  63d  degree  of  lati- 
tude, fruit-trees  cease  to  prosper ; the  cherry-tree  be- 
comes there  a sorry  shrub  ; but  nature  has  multiplied 
from  that  latitude  to  the  northern  extremities  of  Sweden, 
along  with  several  wild  small  fruits"  known  to  the  rest 
of  Europe,  two  species,  wdiose  delicious  fruits  would  be 
tasted  with  pleasure,  even  in  our  ouTn  climates.  The 
one  is  the  Rubus  arcticus its  refreshing  berry,  of  a 
sweet  and  aromatic  flavour,  holds  a place  between  the 
strawberry  and  the  raspberry.  It  has  been  in  vain  at- 
tempted to  cultivate  it  in  the  south  of  Sweden : it  may 
be  said  to  have  been  given  to  northern  Bothnia,  in  order 
to  indemnify  it  for  the  want  of  fruit-trees.  The  other, 
(the  Rubus  chamcemorus ,)p  more  widely  diffused,  de- 
scends to  the  60th  degree.  It  supplies  the  Swedes  with 
a kind  of  lemonade  both  pleasant  and  wholesome.  The 
abundance  of  these  berries,  and  the  benefit  derived  from 
them,  have  prodigiously  increased  their  use.i 

a Puddingstones  or  conglomerates. — P. 
b “ Jemtie.” — See  note  c p.  1047. 

c “ Ostro-Gothie.” — Lat.  Ostro-Gothia.  Oster-Gothland  ( (Ester - 

G<rthland,  Swed.)— P. 

d If  a line  be  drawn  across  Dalecarlia  (Dalarne)  from  south-west  to 
north-east,  through  the  parishes  of  Malung  and  Venjan  to  Siljan,  and 
thence  through  the  parishes  of  Rilttvik  and  Ore  to  the  borders  of  Hel- 
singland,  and  if  the  same  line  be  continued  northward  through  Jemt- 
land,  leaving  Herjedalia  ( Ilerjcdalen ) and  a part  of  Jemtlanh  on  the 
north,  and  southward,  from  Trandstrandsfiaell,  through  Norway,  pass- 
ing by  Tryssild  and  the  Os  and  Mices  lakes  ( Osen-Sce — Miaesen-Scc,) 
and  then  along  the  western  side  of  the  gulf  of  Christiania  to  Skeens- 
fiord  (about  40  miles  S.  W.  of  Christiania,)  it  will  form  a dividing 
line  between  the  primitive  region  on  the  south,  (consisting  chiefly  of 
gneiss,  in  which  are  included,  however,  subordinate  beds  or  strata 
of  hornblende,  compact  felspar,  granite,  limestone,  mica-slate,  and 
hornblende  slate,  and  also  different  metals,  particularly  iron  and 
opper,)  and  the  transition  region  on  the  north,  in  which  the  prevail- 
ing rocks  are  sandstone,  greenstone,  porphyry,  grauwacke  and  lime- 
stone. North-west  of  this  transition  region  is  another  primitive  region, 
(occupying  the  high  ridge  of  mountains  between  Drontheim  and  Jemt- 
land,  and  indeed  the  great  range  of  Norwegian  mountains,  extending 
along  the  western  coast  to  the  south  point  of  Norway,)  in  which  the 
prevailing  rock  is  mica-slate,  including  talcose  and  chlorite  slates,  and 
flanked  on  either  side  by  argillite.  The  transition  region  thus  forms 
a trough  between  two  primitive  regions,  extending  along  the  great 
valley  of  southern  Norway  and  through  the  provinces  of  Dalecarlia 
(north-western  part,)  Herjedalia  and  Jemtland  in  Sweden.  See  Phys- 
ical and  Geognostical  Observations  during  journeys  in  Sweden  and 
VOL.  III.— NO.  53  47 

Norway,  by  W.  Hisinger.  Part  i.  p.  24,  75.  Part  ii.  p.  54.  ( Antcck - 

ningar  i Physik  och  Geognosi  under  resor  uti  Sverige  och  Norrige, 
af  IV.  Hisinger.  FOrsta  Hdftct,  sid.  24,  75.  Jindra  Haftet,  sid.  54 
Upsala,  1819— 20.)— P. 

e “ Shell  limestone  deposited  by  the  former  ocean  ( ancicmic  mer.)” 
1 Strata  of  sandstone  and  limestone. — P. 

s Al.  Brongniart,  Notice  sur  les  blocs  de  roches  des  terrains  de  trans- 
port en  Suede  : Ann.  des  Sciences  Naturelles,  tome  xiv. 

h Swed.  (is  [Dan.  aas,\  a ridge  or  chain  of  hills;  also,  the  ridge 
of  a roof,  or  a ridge  formed  by  the  plough. — P. 

‘ The  above  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 
k M.  Fries,  author  of  a memoir,  entitled  : Botanical  Excursions  in 
some  provinces  of  Sweden. 

1 The  Primula  elatior  is  the  oxlip  or  greater  cowslip — the  common 
primrose  is  the  Primula  vulgaris. — P. 

m “ Myosotide  vivace” — perennial  Myosotis. — This  is  the  Myosotis  pa- 
lustris,  Water  Scorpion-grass,  growing  in  wet  grounds,  and  perennial — 
the  Myosotis  scorpioidcs,  var.  palustris,  Linn.  The  Myosotis  scorpioides 
Mouse-ear  Scorpion-grass,  (Myosotis  scorpioidcs,  var.  arvensis,  Linn.,) 
grows  in  dry  soils,  and  is  annual. — P. 

n “ Several  brambles  ( ronces " — Genus  Rubus.) — P. 

° Dwarf  Crimson  Bramble — flowers  crimson  ; fruit  yellow,  with  a 
purplish  tinge. — A small  plateful  of  the  fruit  fills  an  apartment  with  a 
more  exquisite  scent  than  the  finest  perfumes.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

P Mountain  Bramble,  or  Cloudberry — flowers  white  ; fruit  crimson, 
turning  yellow  when  ripe,  and  of  an  acid  taste,  like  the  cran- 
berry.-— P. 

i “ The  abundance  of  these  berries,  and  the  necessity  of  employing 
them,  have  greatly  multiplied  their  use.” — Does  the  original  mean  by 

370  EUROPE.  [book  cxlviii. 


All  that  part  of  Sweden,  lying  between  the  Sound 
and  the  course  of  the  Dala/  has  made  within  the  last 
twenty  years  great  progress  in  agriculture  ; it  produces 
wheat,  rye,  barley,  oats,  and  farinaceous  vegetables, b in 
considerable  abundance.  In  Dalecarlia,  in  Jemteland,® 
and  in  Angermania,d  they  cultivate  everywhere  flax, 
hemp  and  potatoes  ; but  to  the  north  of  these  provinces, 
the  insufficiency  of  the  crops  compels  the  inhabitants  to 
mix  with  their  grain  the  bark  of  the  Pinus  sylvcstris 
(Scotch  fir),  in  order  to  procure  a greater  supply  of 
food. 

The  climate  of  Sweden,  generally  less  severe  than 
that  of  Norway,  is  always  a subject  of  astonishment  to  a 
stranger.  In  Gothland,  the  mildness  of  the  temperature, 
and  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  have  so  favoured  reproduc- 
tion, that  although  this  province  is  scarcely  equal  to  a 
fourth  of  the  whole  kingdom,  its  population  forms  nearly 
two  thirds  of  it.  At  Stockholm,  the  German  from  the 
diores  of  the  Baltic,  does  not  find  those  fogs,  which  ex- 
tend over  a great  part  of  Germany;  the  Frenchman  does 
not  regret  the  climate  of  the  north  of  France;  he  does 
not  even  feel  those  sudden  and  frequent  changes,  which 
lessen  the  pleasure  of  an  abode  at  Paris.  In  the  capital 
of  the  kingdom,  the  longest  days  and  nights  are  eighteen 
hours  and  a half.  At  Calix,  near  the  northern  frontier, 
the  winter  lasts  nine  months,  and  the  summer  three,  the 
latter  terminating  with  the  month  of  September  ; the  sun 
never  quits  the  horizon  during  the  period  of  the  longest 
days,  and  never  shows  itself  during  that  of  the  longest 
nights.  In  general  the  air  of  Sweden  is  pure,  and  the 
ravages  of  contagious  diseases  are  never  experienced. 
The  beauty  of  a warm  and  dry  summer,  which,  in  its 
short  duration,  sees  the  frost  disappear  all  at  once,  and 
almost  immediately  the  vegetation  adorned  with  leaves 
and  flowers,  makes  it  a matter  of  indifference  that  spring 
is  there  unknown.  Southern  Europe,  it  may  be  said 
with  justice,  knows  nothing  of  the  mild  clearness  of  a 
Northern  morning  or  evening,  the  slow  disappearance  of 
the  rays  of  the  sun  reflected  in  an  ocean  of  purple  clouds, 
and  the  nights  that  are  embellished  by  the  feeble  glim- 
mer of  twilight,  even  till  the  moment  when  the  dawn  of 
morning  shows  itself  in  the  east. 

Let  us  now  survey  Sweden  in  all  its  extent ; let  us 
visit  its  cities,  and  sketch  the  manners  of  its  principal 
provinces  ; and  when,  after  having  arrived  at  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  the  Scandinavian  peninsula,  we  shall 
have  examined  its  institutions,  its  industry  and  its  com- 
merce, the  reader  will  be  prepared  to  appreciate  the 
Swedish  monarchy,  in  all  its  relations. 

The  cities  of  Sweden  are  in  general  thinly  peopled, 
nor  ought  this  to  astonish  us.  That  crowd  of  idle  peo- 
ple, who  spend  in  the  heart  of  towns  their  pensions,  or 
the  revenue  of  their  lands,  is  unknown  in  Sweden.  The 

the  necessity  of  employing  them,  that  arising  from  the  want  of  other 
fruits  merely,  or  does  it  refer  to  their  salubrious  qualities  ? These  fruits 
are  considered  valuable  as  antiscorbutics,  and  are  very  generally  used 
in  tne  north  of  Europe,  as  an  article  of  cookery. — P. 

1 Dal  (Ed.  Enc.)  Dahl  (Pinkerton.) 

b “ Pulse  {legumes  farineux.)" — P.  c See  note  c p.  1047. 

d “ Angermanie” — Lat.  Jlnger mania  ; Angermanland. — P. 

• Luleo — also  Piteo,  Umeo  and  Torneo.  (Tuckey.) — The  termi- 
nation in  o,  or  in  a,  pronounced  as  o,  [the  Swedish  a,]  signifies  river. 
(Tuckey,  vol.  i.  p.  270). — P. 

1 Population  1000  (Stat.  Tab.)  700  to  900  (Tuckey.) — P. 

s “ Proletaires”  (proletarii,)  dependents,  labourers — that  class  who 
live  on  the  frontiers,  in  a state  of  dependence  on  the  Swedes. — In  the 
Ed.  Enc.  art.  Lapland,  the  Laplanders  are  distinguished  into  the 
mountain  Laplanders,  who  live  by  their  herds  of  rein-deer ; the  mari- 


proprietors  of  land,  and  even  the  nobility,  enjoy  in  the 
country,  and  in  the  bosom  of  their  family,  all  the  sweets 
of  domestic  life  and  rural  occupations,  abandoning  the 
towns  and  sea-ports  to  manufacturers  and  merchants. 
Lulea,  or  Luleo, e in  Northern  Bothnia,  is  a small  town 
of  not  more  than  4000  inhabitants/  whose  port,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  of  the  same  name,  carries  on  some 
trade  with  the  Laplanders.  The  alluvions  formed  by 
this  river  have  led  to  the  abandonment  of  the  old  town 
of  Lulea,  now  too  far  distant  from  the  sea.  Piiea  is  of 
still  less  importance  than  Lulea.  Umea,  in  Westro- 
Bothnia,  with  1100  inhabitants,  supports  a society  of 
agriculture  and  a school ; like  the  two  preceding  towns, 
it  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  a river,  whose  name  it  bears. 

Northern  Sweden,  whose  three  principal  towns  we 
have  just  enumerated,  is  peopled  by  Laplanders  and 
Swedes.  Of  the  Laplanders,  four  classes  are  distin- 
guished, namely,  mountaineers,  inhabitants  of  the  forests, 
fishermen,  and  beggars. s The  first  live  by  the  produce 
of  their  herds  of  rein-deer  ; they  spend  the  summer 
upon  the  mountains,  and  the  winter  in  the  plains  ; their 
nomadic  life  obliges  them  to  transport  with  them  their 
families,  their  animals,  and  their  dwellings.11  The  Lap- 
landers of  the  second  class  are  stationary  ;*  their  herds 
of  rein-deer  are  less  numerous  than  those  of  the  former; 
they  lead  them  into  the  forests,  or  rather  suffer  them  to 
feed  at  liberty,  while  they  themselves  are  occupied  with 
the  cultivation  of  their  lands.  The  Lapland  fishermen 
have  still  fewer  animals  than  the  preceding;  they  in- 
trust them  to  their  countrymen  of  the  forests,  or  while 
they  are  themselves  employed  in  fishing  in  the  different 
lakes,  they  send  their  wives  and  children  to  take  care 
of  the  herds  on  the  mountains.  The  begging  Lapland- 
ers live,  as  their  name  indicates,  by  begging,  or  by 
hiring  themselves  out  to  the  Swedish  peasantry.* 1  Some 
of  them,  after  having  witnessed  the  destruction  of  their 
flocks  by  the  attacks  of  wolves,  or  other  untoward  events, 
employ  themselves  in  making  wicker  panniers  and  bas- 
kets. The  rigour  of  the  climate,  the  misery  which  the 
Laplanders  frequently  suffer,  and  the  unfruitfulness  of 
their  women,  prevent  the  increase  of  their  population. 
The  Westro-Bothnians,  and  the  other  Swedish  inhab- 
itants of  the  same  regions,  animated  by  the  love  of  labour, 
and  united  by  the  most  friendly  cordiality,  live  happy 
in  their  families,  where  order  and  neatness  reign.  Their 
women  heighten  their  natural  charms  by  a certain  ele- 
gance in  their  dress.  These  northern  provinces  contain 
few  nobles  and  merchants  ; the  clergy  form  the  most  re- 
spectable, the  most  influential,  and  also  the  happiest 
class  of  society,  because  they  owe  the  consideration  in 
which  they  are  held  to  the  gratitude  which  the  people 
feel  for  the  benefits  conferred  by  them. 

Herncesand / more  considerable  than  the  cities  of  the 


time  Laplanders,  who  live  by  fishing ; and  those  who  inhabit  the 
woody  country  bordering  on  Sweden. — P. 

h The  mountain  Laplanders  have  no  fixed  habitations,  but  live  in 
tents,  which  they  move  from  place  to  place,  in  quest  of  food  for  their 
rein-deer.  These  tents  are  constructed  of  poles  nearly  meeting  at  the 
top,  and  covered  with  the  cloth  called  wadmal.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 The  mountain  Laplanders  are  continually  moving  from  place  to 
place  to  procure  food  for  their  rein-deer.  The  maritime  Laplanders 
change  their  habitations  only  twice  in  the  year,  namely,  in  spring  and 
autumn.  Those  who  inhabit  the  woody  region,  are  more  stationary. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k “ The  Laplanders  of  the  fourth  class  (Lapons  proletaires)  live  by 
begging,  or  hire  themselves  out  to  the  Swedish  peasantry.” — Sea 
note  e. — P. 

1 Hernosand. 


cook  cxLiViii.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  SWEDEN.  371 


north,*  bears  the  name  of  the  small  island  of  Herncenf 
on  which  it  is  situated.  Its  position,  at  the  mouth  of  a 
bay,c  gives  importance  to  its  harbour  ; it  is  the  seat  of 
a bishopric,  is  regularly  built,  contains  several  manufac- 
tures, and  possesses  a university,11 *  a botanic  garden,  and 
a printing  office,  which  publishes  works  in  the  Lapland 
tongue.  Gejic,  at  the  mouth  of  a small  river  called 
Gefie-An,e  has  irregular,  but  broad  and  well  paved 
streets,  a tolerably  good  harbour,  two  docks  for  ship- 
building, sundry  manufactures,  several  schools,  and  a 
celebrated  academy/  At  Falun, e situated  in  a valley, 
and  divided  into  two  parts  by  a small  river,  which  con- 
nects lake  Varpan  with  that  of  Rums,h  they  manufacture 
cloths,  ribbons  and  tobacco-pipes  ; several  manufactories 
of  chemical  products,  and  others  for  the  spinning  of  cotton 
and  wool,  have  been  also  established  there.  Its  school 
for  miners  enjoys  some  reputation.  In  the  environs  of 
this  town  are  situated  the  most  valuable  copper-mines  in 
the  kingdom,  besides  several  mines  of  gold  and  silver. 
About  500  workmen  are  there  employed. 

The  Dalecarlians  carry  on  a great  trade  with  Norway. 
In  the  depth  of  winter  they  cross  the  mountains,  and 
carry  their  productions  to  the  markets  of  Drontheim. 
These  journeys  are  made  by  caravans  of  from  300  to  400 
men,  and  more  than  1000  horses.  It  is  a singular  spec- 
tacle to  witness  these  peasants  making  the  air  resound 
with  their  merry  songs,  mounted  on  light  sledges,  gliding 
with  the  rapidity  of  the  wind  over  the  snow,  or  over  the 
surface  of  lakes  rendered  firm  by  the  frost.  The 
Helsingians,  inhabiting  a maritime  country,  enjoy  a cli- 
mate less  severe  than  the  Dalecarlians  ; their  soil  is  not 
fertile,  but  by  means  of  labour  and  industry,  the  province 
which  they  inhabit  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  flourishing 
in  Europe.  They  cultivate  enough  of  grain  for  their 
subsistence  ; their  herds  and  flocks  yield  them  abun- 
dance of  butter  and  excellent  cheese  ; their  forests  are 
peopled  with  game  of  the  best  quality  ; their  rivers  are 
full  of  fish  and  delicate  salmon  ; and  their  exports  in  iron 
and  hemp  are  considerable.  Their  habitations  are  com- 
modious, substantial,  and  furnished  with  every  thing 
necessary  ; among  the  rich,  one  apartment  is  ordinarily 
full  of  more  linen  and  clothes  than  the  family  could  use 
in  a century.  Order  and  foresight  are  the  leading  vir- 
tues of  this  people. 

In  approaching  Upsal,  we  perceive  on  a rising  ground 
a castle  built  by  Gustavus  (Vasa)  I.  Upsal  or  Upsala, 
formerly  called  (Ester-Aros , is  watered  by  the  small 
river  Fyrisa/  It  is  celebrated  for  its  university,  found- 
ed in  the  fifteenth  century ,k  in  which  there  are  sixty  pro- 
fessors, and  more  than  800  students.1  Its  situation  in  a 
fertile  plain,  fifteen  leagues  from  Stockholm,  is  favourable 

1 “ Cites  du  nord” — properly,  the  towns  situated  farther  north,  in 
Northern  and  Western  Bothnia. — Population  of  Hernoesand  1800  (Stat. 
Tab.)  2500  (Tuckey  ;)  of  the  others,  800  to  1100  (Stat.  Tab.)  700  to 
900  (Tuckey.)— P. 

b The  Hern  island — ae,  island,  in  Swedish. — P. 

c It  is  situated  on  the  island  of  Hernce,  at  the  mouth  of  the  princi- 
pal river  in  Angermanland. — P. 

d “ College.” — The  only  universities  in  Sweden  are  those  of  Upsal 
and  Lund. — The  colleges  {gymnasia ) hold  the  next  rank  after  the  uni- 
versities. (Catteau.)— P. 

e Properly,  Gefle-An  (the  river  Gefle) — a,  river,  in  Swedish. — P. 

f “ Gymnasium.” 

? Fahlun.  (Ed.  Enc.  Pinkerton.) 

•>  Fahlun  is  situated  between  the  two  lakes  of  Run  and  Warpen. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

i I is  divided  into  two  almost  equal  parts  by  the  small  river  Sala. 
(Rees'  Cyc.) — P. 


to  an  establishment  of  this  kind,  which,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, ought  to  be  placed  at  a distance  from  the  objects  of 
temptation  always  to  be  found  in  a capital.  Linnceur, 
Cronstedt,  Bergman,  Wallerius,  and  several  other  great 
men,  have  filled  chairs  in  Upsal.  The  buildings  occu- 
pied by  the  university  are,  without  contradiction,  the 
finest  in  the  city.  The  Gustavian  academy,  erected  by 
Gustavus  Adolphus,  contains  a library  of  80,000  vol- 
umes, besides  a valuable  collection  of  manuscripts.  In 
the  hall  allotted  for  this  purpose,  there  are  to  be  seen 
two  coffers  deposited  there  by  Gustavus  III.,  and 
to  be  opened  fifty  years  after  his  death.  In  1842,™ 
that  time  will  have  arrived.  The  same  building  con- 
tains an  anatomical  amphitheatre  : to  the  observatory, 
which  is  finely  situated,  there  is  annexed  a considerable 
library,  composed  of  astronomical  works  ; the  chemical 
and  physical  laboratory,  the  museum  of  natural  history, 
and  the  new  botanic  garden,  are  very  rich  collections. 
The  university  buildings  also  comprehend  fencing  and 
dancing  halls,  besides  a magnificent  riding-school.  The 
present  crown  prince  of  Sweden,  Oscar,  received  his 
education  at  Upsal,  and  resided  while  there  in  the  pal- 
ace of  the  archbishop."  The  city  likewise  possesses 
other  useful  establishments  : the  society  of  sciences,0 
founded  in  1712  by  Eric  Berzelius, p at  first  librarian 
and  afterwards  archbishop  of  Upsal ; the  cathedral 
school,  a kind  of  secondary  school,  in  which  are  taught 
literature  and  the  sciences  ; Sunday  schools,  which  are 
held  in  one  of  the  halls  belonging  to  the  sacristy  of  the 
cathedral ; a school  for  the  poor  ; a house  of  voluntary 
labour  for  the  indigent  ; a private  institution  for  the  re- 
lief of  persons  of  distinction,  principally  females,  the 
victims  of  the  vicissitudes  of  fortune  ; an  hospital  for  in- 
valids, of  which  one  part  serves  as  a house  of  correction  , 
and  lastly,  a Bible  society.  Upsal  is  the  seat  of  an 
archbishop,  with  a revenue  of  upwards  of  £1000  ster- 
ling. The  house  and  garden  of  Linnseus  are  still  shown 
to  travellers. 

The  houses  of  Upsal  are  built,  some  of  stone*  and 
others  of  wood  ; the  finest  have  gardens,  from  whence 
there  is  an  extensive  view  of  the  neighbouring  country. 
The  streets  are  broad  and  straight,  particularly  those 
which  lead  to  its  large  and  superb  square.  The  cathe- 
dral is  the  largest  and  most  magnificent  church  in  the 
Swedish  monarchy  : its  gothic  architecture  resembles  that 
of  Notre  Dame  at  Paris.  It  was  begun  in  1258,  and 
finished  in  1435.  It  is  covered  with  sheets  of  copper. 
Its  length  is  330  feet,  its  breadth  140,  and  its  height 
105.  At  the  entrance  of  this  church,  we  see  the  figure 
of  St.  Olof,  king  of  Sweden,  trampling  under  foot  a 
monster,  the  symbol  of  idolatry  ; and  in  the  nave,  the 

k In  1476,*  by  Steen  Sture,  regent  of  the  kingdom  after  the  death  of 
Charles  Canutson. — P. 

* 1478  (Coxe.) 

1 Number  of  professors  about  20 ; ordinary  number  of  students, 
about  500.  (Coxe.  1779.) — Number  of  professors  21 ; of  students,  more 
than  1000.  (Morse.) — P. 

m In  the  original,  1830.  But  Gustavus  was  assassinated  March 
1792,  and  fifty  years  from  that  brings  us  to  1842. — Trans. 

n This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

° The  Royal  Society  of  Sciences  and  Literature  at  Upsal  ( Socie - 
tas  Regia  Literaria  et  Scicntiarum  Upsaliensis.) — P. 

p Eric  Benzelius.  (Catteau.  Beauvais.  Gorton.) — The  Royal  Acade- 
my* of  Sciences,  founded  at  Upsal  in  1720,  by  Eric  Benzelius,  then 
librarian  to  the  university,  and  afterwards  archbishop.  (Catteau’s  View 
of  Sweden,  p.  368.  Eng.  Trans.) — P. 

* Society. — See  note  °. 

<1  The  two  last  sentences  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 


Lb 


1 ■ ' '■  

372  EUR< 

Swedish  sovereigns  were  formerly  crowned,  and  assumed 
the  title  of  kings  of  Upsal. a The  interior  of  this  edifice 
is  filled  with  tombs  and  other  objects  of  still  greater  in- 
terest. Near  the  altar,  repose  the  ashes  of  Olaus  Petri, 
the  Swedish  reformer ; a little  farther  off,  a monument 
of  alabaster  incloses  the  remains  of  Gustavus  Vasa  and 
his  three  wives.  Here  we  see  the  silver  coffin  of  Eric 
IX.,  and  the  sarcophagi  of  several  Swedish  kings  ; there, 
the  magnificent  marble  monument  erected  to  the  memo- 
ry of  Baron  Charles  De  Geer,  the  historian  and  natural- 
ist,1’ presents  itself : another  monument,  that  of  Linnaeus, 
erected  in  1798  by  the  friends  of  that  great  man,  is  re- 
markable for  its  simplicity.  In  the  two  sacristies,  other 
objects  strike  the  eye  : one  contains  the  portraits  of  the 
most  celebrated  Swedish  ecclesiastics ; in  the  other  we 
see  the  dress  worn  by  the  unfortunate  Nils  Sture,  so  un- 
justly accused  of  treason  by  Eric  XIV.,  and  poignarded  by 
the  hand  of  that  prince  in  the  castle  of  Upsal ; the 
whetstone,  three  feet  in  length,  sent  in  derision  by  Albert 
of  Mecklenburg,  king  of  Sweden,  to  Margaret,  queen 
of  Denmark, — an  intimation  to  lay  aside  her  sword,  and 
attend  to  sharpening  her  needles  ; and  the  colours  which 
she  sent  him  in  return,  patched  with  bits  of  her  shifts. 
It  is  known  that  Albert  called  Margaret  the  breecliless 
queen,  and  that  this  epigrammatic  war  terminated  in  the 
battle  of  Falkosping,®  in  which  victory  placed  the  crown 
of  Sweden  upon  the  head  of  Margaret.  Another  apart- 
ment contains  several  objects  of  great  value,  such  as  a 
gilded  cross, d containing  a piece  of  the  wood  of  the  true 
cross  sent  by  pope  Alexander  III.  ; a golden  cupe  sev- 
enteen inches  in  height,  enriched  with  diamonds,  which 
was  taken  at  Prague  by  Kcenigsmarck ; and  an  old 
wooden  idol,  representing  the  god  Thor.  Gustavus 
Vasa  erected  a magnificent  palace  at  Upsal,  the  greater 
part  of  which  was  consumed  by  fire  in  1702,  leaving 
only  one  wing  habitable,  where  the  king  resides  when 
he  visits  this  city.f 

Nature,  munificent  in  her  gifts,  has  collected  with  so 
much  prodigality  in  the  environs  of  Stockholm  situations 
the  most  diversified,  that  this  city  appears  as  if  placed 
in  the  midst  of  a large  and  magnificent  garden.  On  one 
side  rise  majestic  mountains  adorned  by  the  dark  foliage 
of  the  pine-tree,  mixed  with  the  leafy  branches  of  the 
elm  and  oak,  while,  on  the  other,  a pleasant  valley 
opens  to  the  view.  Here  the  lake  Madar  spreads  out 
its  surface  irregularly  indented  by  bays  and  promonto- 
ries, and  covered  with  a multitude  of  granite  rocks,  some 
of  them  steep  and  bare,  others  decorated  with  villas  and 
clumps  of  trees  ; there  rises  a forest  on  a declivity 
adorned  with  verdure  ; farther  off  the  eye  rests  on  dis- 
tant hills  or  islands.  Palaces,  the  summer-residences 

3PE.  [BOOK  CXL.V1I1. 

of  the  royal  family,  country-houses  and  gardens,  ani- 
mate the  landscape.  The  capital  of  Sweden  is  in  a 
singular  and  romantic  situation,  which  strikes  all  stran- 
gers with  surprise.  It  occupies  two  peninsulas,  and 
several  islands/  washed  by  the  Madar,  at  the  bottom 
of  the  gulf  where  that  lake  discharges  itself  into  the  Bal- 
tic Sea ; and  hence  Stockholm  has  been  called  the 
Venice  of  the  north.  Canute,  son  of  Eric  the  Holy,1* 
laid  the  foundations  of  Stockholm  towards  the  close  of 
the  twelfth  century,*  in  a spot  which  then  contained  only 
a few  miserable  huts  of  fishermen,  with  the  view  of  mak- 
ing it  a place  of  defence  against  the  attacks  of  pirates. 
Norrmalm  and  Scedermalm ,k  its  two  principal  suburbs, 
occupy  several  islands,  and  are  partly  built  upon  piles. 
Its  ten  divisions1  are  separated  by  different  arms  of  the 
Madar  and  by  the  sea,  but  they  communicate  with  each 
other  by  thirteen  large  stone  bridges,  besides  several 
others  of  wood ; many  houses  are  surrounded  by  gar- 
dens, the  walls  of  which  rise  from  the  water’s  edge  ; 
others,  as  in  Scedermalm,  are  built  against  rocks  which, 
higher  than  the  roofs,  rise  like  walls  in  the  midst  of 
these  islands.  Stockholm  is  irregularly  built ; the  great- 
er part  of  it  is  of  stone  and  brick,  but  many  of  the 
houses  are  of  wood  painted  red.  Its  twenty  public 
squares  are  small  and  inelegant;  Norrmalm  contains  the 
broadest  and  finest  streets,  the  longest  of  which  is  the 
Drottninggata ,m  adorned  by  the  fronts  of  several  palaces. 
The  harbour,  defended  by  two  forts,  is  difficult  of  ac- 
cess, but  within  it  is  spacious  and  safe  ; the  water  is 
clear  as  crystal,  and  so  deep  that  the  largest  ships  can 
go  to  its  very  extremity  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  and 
unlade  their  cargoes  on  the  quay,  which  is  bordered  by 
elegant  mansions  and  vast  warehouses.  Many  streets 
in  the  city  rise  in  a circuit,”  one  above  another,  on  the 
declivity  of  a hill,  and  form  a fine  amphitheatre  crowned 
by  the  king’s  palace.  This  building,  from  its  foundation 
to  the  sixteenth  century,  was  merely  a fortress.  It 
has  been  since  repeatedly  rebuilt,  the  date  of  the  last 
rebuilding  being  1753.  It  is  a square  building,  four 
stories  in  height,  flanked  by  two  wings,  and  built  in  a 
superb  style,  and  is  filled  with  rich  furniture  and  col- 
lections of  so  great  a value,  that  it  may  be  compared  to 
the  finest  regal  abodes  in  Europe.  There  are  many 
curiosities  preserved  in  this  place  : amongst  others,  the 
cradle  and  small  garden-carriage  of  Charles  XII.,  with 
the  clothes,  stained  with  blood,  worn  by  him  when  he 
fell  at  the  siege  of  Fredericstein0  in  Norway,  his  hat 
pierced  with  a musket-shot/  and  his  walking  cane  ; the 
masquerade  costume  worn  by  Gustavus  III.  on  the  night 
of  his  assassination ; the  clothes  of  the  great  Gustavus 
Adolphus,  with  the  swords  of  several  of  the  Swedish 

a The  last  sovereign  who  was  crowned  at  Upsal  was  Ulrica  Eleano- 
ra,  A.  D.  1719— P. 

b Qu.  natural  historian. — De  Geer  is  chiefly  known  by  his  History 
of  Insects  ( Memoires  -pour  servir  a V Histuire  des  Insectcs,  7 vols.  4to.) 
published  at  Stockholm,  in  French. — P. 

c Anno  1396.  Trans. — This  is  an  error.  The  union  of  Calmar  took 
place  in  1397,  previous  to*  which  several  years  had  elapsed  since  the 
battle  of  Falkceping,  during  which  Albert  had  been  long  prisoner  to 
Margaret,  and  afterwards  liberated  on  condition  of  his  abdicating  the 
throne  of  Sweden  and  retiring  to  Mecklenburg. — The  battle  took  place 
in  13H7.  Albert  was  detained  prisoner  seven  years.  (Moreri.) — P. 

1 “ Cross  of  silver  gilt  (vermeil.)'’  c “ Chalice.” 

1 This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

e Stockholm  is  generally  described  as  standing  on  seven  islands. — P. 

“ Eric  le  Saint” — St.  Eric. 

Stockholm  is  said  to  have  been  founded  by  Birger  Jarl,  regent  of 

the  kingdom,  about  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century.  (Catteau. 
Pinkerton.) — P. 

k North  and  south  suburbs. — .Vorr,  north;  seder,  south;  and  malm, 
suburb. — P. 

1 “ Quarters.” — The  different  quarters  into  which  Stockholm  is  di- 
vided are  the  city,  the  Riddarhohn  (Knights’  Island.)  the  Hdjeands- 
holm  (Island  of  the  Holy  Ghost.)  the  Blasieholm  (Island  of  St.  Blaise.) 
the  Skeppsholm  (Ship  or  Admiralty  Island.)  the  Kongsholm  (King’s 
Island,)  the  Ladugordsland  [ladvgiird,  farmyard,)  and  the  northern 
and  southern  suburbs  (A "orrmahn  and  Sedermalm .)  (Catteau.  p.  16.) — P. 

Queen  Street — ilrottning,  queen,  and  guta.  street. — P. 

" “ — h l’entour” — around  the  quay. — At  the  extremity  of  the  har- 
bour several  streets  rise  one  above  another  in  the  form  of  an  amphithea- 
tre, and  the  palace,  a magnificent  building,  crowns  the  summit. 
(Coxe’s  Travels,  vol.  iii.  p.  95.) — P. 

0 Fredericksteen.  p See  note  c p.  1046. 

book  cilviii.j  DESCRIPTION 

monarchs.®  The  chapel  is  a very  splendid  one  : there 
every  year,  on  the  20th  of  December,  they  celebrate  a 
festival  in  honor  of  Gustavus  Adolphus,  in  order  to 
keep  up  the  remembrance  of  the  noble  perseverance, 
with  which  that  monarch  fought  for  the  liberty  of  the 
protestant  communion.  The  royal  library  contains 
40,000  volumes,  besides  numerous  manuscripts,  and  pos- 
sesses the  prayer-book  of  the  emperor  Ferdinand  the 
Second,  one  of  the  trophies  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  dur- 
ing the  thirty  years’  war,  and  the  copy  of  the  Vulgate 
Bible,  which  belonged  to  Luther,  with  notes  in  his  own 
handwriting.  The  collection  of  paintings  is  composed 
of  different  works  of  the  great  masters  of  the  Italian 
school,  and  of  the  best  Swedish  painters.  The  museum 
of  antiquities  is  rich  in  Grecian  statues  and  in  medals. 
At  the  foot  of  the  platform  occupied  by  the  palace, 
stands  the  statue  of  Gustavus  III.  erected  by  the  bur- 
gesses of  Stockholm  ; and  in  the  square  of  Riddarholm- 
en,b  there  is  a bronze  statue  of  Gustavus  Vasa.  The 
square  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  is  decorated  with  a bronze 
statue  of  that  prince  on  horseback  ; and  in  the  Royal 
Garden,  we  see  that  of  Charles  XIII.  cast  at  Paris  in 
1821.  The  beautiful  church  of  St.  Nicholas,  that  of 
Riddarholmen  (the  Knights’  Island,)  decorated  with 
5000  foreign  standards,  and  inclosing  the  ashes  of  seve- 
ral kings,  and  of  the  most  celebrated  Swedish  generals, 
and  the  great  church  or  cathedral,  called  Storlcyrkaf  are 
buildings  of  the  first  order.  The  last  is  the  most  an- 
cient: it  has  been  used  for  the  coronation  of  the  Swedish 
kings,  since  that  ceremony  ceased  to  be  performed  at 
Upsal.d  Its  altar,  incrusted  with  gold,  silver  and  ivory, 
representing  the  birth  of  Christ ; a chandelier  of  silver, 
weighing  78  pounds  ; and  the  plume  and  spur  of  St.  Olof, 
are  only  a few  of  the  curiosities  to  be  seen  there.  Join 
to  these  edifices,  the  magnificent  building  of  the  ex- 
change, the  opera-house,  where  Gustavus  III.  was  as- 
sassinated, the  town-house,  the  mint,  the  immense  build- 
ing where  iron  is  stored,  the  artillery-park,  the  docks 
and  the  admiralty,  the  palace  of  the  princess  Sophia, 
sister  to  Gustavus  III.,  and,  at  the  northern  extremity 
of  the  Drottninggata,  on  an  isolated  rock,  the  beautiful 
building  of  the  observatory  : and  is  it  not  a matter  of 
regret,  that  the  greater  part  of  the  private  buildings  in  the 
city  are  so  little  in  harmony  with  the  beauty  of  these  pub- 
lic monuments?  Our  limits  oblige  us  to  pass  by  the  cen- 
tral veterinary  institution,  and  the  forest  institution,  in- 
tended for  forming  able  scholars,  the  scientific  collections, 
the  learned  societies,  such  as  the  academy  of  sciences6 
and  that  of  belles-lettres/  and  the  schools  of  medicine 
and  of  mineralogy ,s  and  others  no  less  useful.  Among 
the  philanthropic  institutions,  supported  by  the  wisdom 

OF  SWEDEN.  373 

of  government,  and  by  the  zeal  of  individuals,  we  can 
only  mention  the  society  “ Pro  Patria,”  the  object  of 
which  is  to  promote  virtue  amongst  all  classes  ; for  this 
purpose,  distributing  silver  medals,  as  a reward  for  the 
long  and  arduous  labours  of  teachers  of  primary  schools, 
the  services  of  midwives,  the  good  behaviour  of  work- 
men, the  fidelity  of  servants,  and  the  attention  of  the 
farmers  and  peasantry  in  endeavouring  to  improve  and 
bring  agriculture  to  perfection. 

The  commerce  of  Stockholm  is  of  great  importance. 
This  city,  sheltered  from  the  violence  of  winds,  ought  ap- 
parently to  be  healthy,  yet  the  mortality  is  greater,  in  pro- 
portion to  its  population,  than  in  any  other  capital  in  Eu- 
rope ; the  cause  can  only  be  ascribed  to  the  exhalations 
from  the  waters  and  from  the  marshy  grounds  that  sur- 
round it.  We  have  spoken  of  the  royal  palaces  that  are 
seen  in  approaching  its  walls  : that  of  Drottninghohnh  is 
the  finest  ; it  presents  some  resemblance  to  that  of  Ver- 
sailles, but  its  position  on  the  northern  point  of  the  island 
of  Lofoe,  in  Lake  Mselar,  the  beauty  of  its  gardens,  and 
the  abundance  of  its  waters,  render  it  much  more  remark- 
able. Carlsberg,  on  the  borders  of  the  lake,  is  distinguish- 
ed also  as  a royal  dwelling,  but  especially  for  its  military 
school,  which  contains  200  pupils.  Haga,  a small  lodge 
surrounded  by  enchanting  prospects,  is  the  ordinary  resi- 
dence of  the  king  during  the  fine  season.  Lastly,  the  beau- 
tiful residence  of  the  Botanical  Villa  is  that  to  which  he 
prefers  inviting  strangers  who  are  presented  to  him. 

After  quitting  the  borders  of  Lake  Mafiar,  we  see 
(Erebroi  near  the  Ilielmar,  and  Carlstad,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Wener.  These  two,  which  are  places  of  note, 
but  with  a population  of  from  only  2000  to  3000  souls/ 
possess,  like  the  greater  part  of  the  Swedish  cities,  more 
educational  establishments  than  are  to  be  seen  in  larger 
cities  of  France.  Gdrebro  is  occasionally  the  place  of 
meeting  of  the  Swedish  Diet,1  and  contains,  besides 
other  schools,  a normal  school,  and  an  agricultural  so- 
ciety. Carlstad  is  a pretty  town,  and  possesses,  like 
(Erebro,  an  agricultural  society,  besides  an  academy,  an 
observatory,  and  a cabinet  of  natural  history.1"  Weners- 
borg,  at  the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  Wener,  is  one 
of  the  principal  marts  for  iron.  It  is  a small,  but  neat 
town,  with  a spacious  square.  The  houses  are  of  wood, 
and  painted,  as  in  many  Swedish  towns,  of  different 
colours.  The  Lake  Wener  presents  here  the  appear- 
ance of  a sea,  and  like  the  sea  is  ruffled  with  tempests, 
and  the  navigation  often  dangerous."  JV ylcceping ,°  with 
a small  harbour  on  the  Baltic,  exports  cannon  and  bul- 
lets. In  its  old  castle,  a part  of  which  is  used  for  a 
prison,  Birger  king  of  Sweden,  who  showed  himself  an 
able  prince,  but  whose  talents  formed  no  apology  for  his 

a This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

b “ Place  de  l’hdtel  des  chevaliers” — square  of  the  palace  of  the 
nobility  (Swed.  Riddarhus ; literally,  knight’s  house.) — The  Riddar- 
hus  is  a house  belonging  to  the  nobility,  in  which  they  meet  during 
the  diets. — P. 

c Stor,  great;  kyrka , church. — P.  * 

d See  note  a p.  1052. 

e The  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Stockholm,  founded  in  1738. 
(Catteau.) — It  had  its  origin  from  six  persons  of  distinguished  learn- 
ing, one  of  whom  was  Linnreus,  who,  in  1739,  formed  a society  for 
reading  dissertations  on  literary  and  scientific  subjects.  It  was  incor- 
porated, March  31,  1741,  under  the  name  of  the  Royal  Swedish  Acad- 
emy of  Sciences  ( Konglig  Svenska  Vetenslcaps  Academien.)  (Ed. 

f The  Academy  of  Belles  Lettres  at  Stockholm,  founded  in  1753  by 
Louisa  Ulrica,  mother  of  Gustavus  III. — remodelled  in  1786,  by  Gus- 

tavus  III.,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  the  Academy  of  Belles  Lettres, 
History  and  Antiquities.  (Catteau.) — P. 

s “.Ecole  des  mines”  (mining  school) — College  of  Mines  (Cat- 
teau.) — P. 

h Queen’s  Island.  1 Orebro.  (Ed.  Enc.) 

k “ These  two  chief  towns,*  with  a population  of  from  two  to  three 
thousand  souls — ” 

* Capitals  of  provinces.  See  Stat.  Tab. — P. 

1 This  statement  is  made  by  the  translator. — P. 

m “ Carlstad  possesses  a similar  society,  a gymnasium,  an  observato- 
ry, and  a cabinet  of  natural  history.” 

n The  three  last  sentences  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

° Swed.  ny,  new,  and  keeping , a kind  of  market  town,  from  ktrpn,  to 
buy. — The  name  of  this  town  is  also  written,  but  incorrect'y,  Nyko- 
ping,  Nykioping,  and  Nicoping. — P. 

374  EUR* 

crimes,  caused,  in  1318,  two  of  his  brothers  to  be  im- 
prisoned, and  starved  to  death.  Linkaping*  in  the 
midst  of  one  of  the  most  fertile  plains  of  East  Gothland, 
is  regularly  built  ; several  fairs,  well  frequented,  are  held 
there  ; its  academyb  possesses  a fine  library,  besides  a 
museum  of  natural  history  and  antiquities;  its  cathedral 
is,  next  to  that  of  Upsal,  the  largest  and  finest  in  the 
kingdom.  Jankwping f well  built  upon  the  southern 
shore  of  Lake  Wetter,  possesses  several  regular  streets, 
which  have  been  laid  out  since  the  period  when  it  was 
almost  entirely  destroyed  by  fire  in  1790.  Gottenburg, 
or  Gotheborg,d  is  reckoned  the  second  city  in  Sweden, 
but  from  its  situation  and  the  excellence  of  its  harbour, 
with  the  actual  extent  of  business  carried  on,  may 
probably,  in  a commercial  point  of  view,  be  regarded  the 
first.  It  lies  in  the  province  of  West  Gothland,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Goeta  or  Gcetha/  in  the  Cattegat,  and 
was  once  strongly  fortified,  but  its  fortifications  have 
fallen  into  disrepair.  It  is  built,  partly  on  a rocky  emi- 
nence, and  partly  on  a marshy  plain  : the  streets  are  in 
straight  lines,  and  in  the  principal  ones  a canal  general- 
ly runs  through  the  middle,  large  enough  to  admit  ves- 
sels of  considerable  size,  which  can  thus  be  unloaded 
close  to  the  houses  of  their  owners.  Four  bridges  con- 
nect one  part  of  the  town  with  another,  and  in  many  of 
the  streets  trees  are  planted,  creating  altogether  a re- 
semblance between  this  city  and  those  in  Holland.  The 
population  exceeds  20, 000. r Gottenburg  has  at  differ- 
ent times  suffered  severely  from  fire  arising  from  the 
houses  having  been  built  chiefly  of  wood.  Since  1746 
almost  all  the  new  buildings  have  been  of  stone  or  brick, 
but  even  subsequently  to  that  year  destructive  fires 
have  taken  place.  One  fire  in  1804  consumed  two 
hundred  houses,  and  another  in  1813  one  hundred.  In 
general  the  houses  are  two  or  three  stories  in  height. 
The  principal  buildings  are  the  cathedral,  the  town- 
house,  and  the  governor’s  house.  It  is  a bishop’s  see, 
and  the  revenue  is  about  £750  sterling  per  annum. 
The  burial-grounds  here  are  at  some  distance  from  the 
town,  and  tastefully  laid  out  in  walks  planted  with  trees. 
The  foreign  trade  of  Gottenburg  is  considerable  : iron 
and  timber  are  the  principal  articles  of  export,  and  the 
herring  fishery  is  carried  on  to  a considerable  extent. 
Six  newspapers  are  published  here.  Many  English  and 
Scotch  merchants  are  settled  in  Gottenburg.  s Uil  dev  al- 

ia, to  the  north  of  Gottenburg,  is  a neat,  clean  town, 

3PE.  [BOOK  CXLVI1I 

beautifully  situated  on  a bay,  with  an  extensive  amphi 
theatre  of  rocky  hills  in  the  back  ground,  and  carries  on 
some  trade  in  timber.11  Halmstad / situated,  like  Got- 
tenburg, on  the  borders  of  the  Cattegat, k would  be  a 
place  of  importance,  were  not  its  harbour  choked  with 
sand  and  pebbles.  Lund,  near  the  hill  of  Lybers,  on 
which  the  ancient  Goths  elected  their  kings,  possesses  a 
university.  Malma,1  the  principal  town  in  Scania,  is 
peopled  by  Germans  and  Swedes  ; it  possesses  some  fine 
houses  occupied  by  merchants,  and  one  of  its  two 
churches,  dedicated  to  St.  Peter,  is  large  and  magnifi- 
cent. There  is,  in  that  church,  a superb  monument 
erected  to  the  merchant  Tullstrcem,  who  bequeathed 
one  half  of  his  property  for  the  building  of  an  organ, 
and  the  other  for  the  support  of  several  benevolent 
institutions.  Christianstad,  a handsome  town,  and  the 
capital  of  a prefecture,  at  the  bottom  of  a gulf  in  the 
Baltic,™  is  regularly  fortified,  but  its  trade  is  inconsidera- 
ble. It  was  founded  in  1614  by  Christian  IV.  king  of 
Denmark.  Its  church  is  very  neat  : a part  of  it  was 
built  by  the  subscriptions  of  the  inhabitants,  who,  having 
learnt  with  joy,  in  1814,  that  Norway  and  Sweden  were 
united,  caused  to  be  engraved  upon  the  church  the  arms 
and  names  of  the  different  members  of  the  royal  family, 
namely,  Charles  XIII.,  Charles  John,”  Francis  Oscar,0 
and  Eugenia  Bernardine.P  Carlscrona *>  is  the  principal 
station  of  the  Swedish  navy.  Its  harbour  is  capable  of 
holding  more  than  one  hundred  ships  of  war.  For  its 
defence  a strong  fortress  has  been  recently  constructed/ 
and  with  the  view  of  forming  sailors,  a school  for  ship- 
boys  has  been  founded.  The  town  is  well  built,  but, 
with  the  exception  of  those  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
admiralty,*  almost  all  its  streets  are  deserted.  The  old 
basin  or  dock  is  deserving  of  notice,  being  dug  out  of  the 
rock/  it  is  eighty  feet  in  depth,  and  two  hundred  in 
breadth  ;u  it  is  easily  rendered  dry,  when  necessary  to 
repair  vessels.  The  new  dock/  constructed  in  the  same 
way,  is  not  inferior  to  the  preceding  ; it  is  in  part  cov- 
ered with  a roofing  of  copper.  The  arsenal,  no  less  re- 
markable, contains  models  of  ships  of  all  classes  and  of 
all  nations  : in  the  armoury  is  preserved  a variety  of 
armour  used  by  the  ancient  Goths  ; the  sabres  of  these 
ancestors  of  the  Swedes  are  not  less  than  four  inches  in 
breadth.  The  church  of  the  admiralty,  which  is  built  of 
wood,  is  not  the  finest  in  the  city  ; it  is,  however,  very 
large,  being  capable  of  containing  five  thousand  persons. 

1 Linkoping  (Ed.  Enc.)  Linkioping  (Morse.)  Lincoping,  Lind- 
koping  ( Vosgien.)— P. 
b “ Gymnasium.” 

c Jonkioping  (Morse.)  Jonkoping,  Jenkoping  (Vosgien.) — F. 
d Gottenburg  or  Gotheborg  (Ed.  Enc.)  Gotheborg  or  Gothenburg 
(Pinkerton.)  Gothenburg  (Tuckey.) — Swed.  Gcetheborg. — P. 
e See  note  p p.  1047.  ( 24,000.  (Stat.  Tab.) 

s “ Grrtcborg,  situated  on  the  Gacta-Elf,  at  its  entrance  into  the 
Cattegat,  is,  next  to  Stockholm,  the  most  commercial  city  in  Sweden  ; 
it  is  also  one  of  the  most  important  from  its  population.”  This  is  all 
the  account  of  Gottenburg  in  the  original. — P. 

h This  account  of  Uddevalla  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

' Helmstadt  (Trans.)  Halmstadt  (Conway.)  Halmstad  (Tuckey. 
Pinkerton.  Morse.) — Stad,  city  or  town,  in  Swedish. — P. 

k Halmstad  is  situated  on  the  Cattegat,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Nissa. — P. 

1 Malmoe  (Tuckey.)  Malmo  (Pinkerton.  Morse.)  Malmoe  (Trans. 
Vosgien.) — Situated  on  the  Sound,  nearly  opposite  Copenhagen. — P. 

It  is  situated  on  the  Helge,  which  empties  itself  into  a gulf  that 
separates  the  provinces  of  Schonen  and  Blekingen.  (Tuckey.  vol.  i. 
p.  208.) — P. 

u Bernadotte — the  present  king. 

0 Joseph  Francis  Oscar,  prince  royal. 

P “ Eugenie  Bernardine  Desiree”— the  present  queen. 

<i  Swed.  Carlscrona,  or  Karlskrona,  (Charles’  crown.) — Carlscroon, 
Carelscroon  (Vosgien.) — P. 

r The  entrance  to  the  harbour  is  defended  by  two  strong  forts,  on 
islands,  whose  fires  cross.  (Tuckey,  vol.  i.  p.  269.) — Ships  of  war  can 
only  enter  the  harbour  between  the  islands  of  Aspoe  and  Turkoe,  and 
these  are  furnished  with  batteries  which  completely  command  the 
passage.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

5 “ — in  the  quarter  of  the  admiralty.” 

* “ In  the  quarter  of  the  admiralty,  is  the  old  basin  or  dock  ( Docke ,)* 
dug  out  of  the  rock.” 

* Swed.  docka,  a dock  for  ships.  (VVidegren.) — P. 

" On  the  island  of  Lindholm  is  a dock  for  four  sail  of  the  line,  ex- 
cavated in  the  rock  80  feet  deep.  Besides  this  dock,  Gustavus  III. 
commenced  an  immense  basin,  which  is  still  unfinished.  (Tuckey, 
vol.  i.  p.  269.) — The  new  docks  consist  of  a basin  divided  into  four 
divisions  from  the  centre  to  the  circumference,  each  division  having 
separate  receptacles  for  five  vessels.  They  were  begun  in  1757,  dur- 
ing the  reign  of  Adolphus  Frederick,  but  the  work  was  soon  neglected  ; 
it  was  afterwards  warmly  patronised  by  Gustavus  III.  and  again  al- 
lowed to  languish;  so  that  only  one  of  the  four  divisions  has  been 
executed,  and  that  not  fully  completed.  (Ed.  Enc.  1814.) — P. 

1 “Basin.” — See  note  “. 

book  cxiiVHl.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  SWEDEN.  375 


On  the  coast  of  the  strait  formed  by  the  Isle  of  CEland 
and  the  main  land,®  stands  Colmar , regularly  built,  al- 
though the  greater  part  of  its  houses  are  of  wood.  Its 
finest  edifice  is  the  cathedral,  erected  in  the  centre  of 
a large  square,  and  whose  lofty  arched  roof  is  supported 
without  pillars.  Its  old  castle,  situated  in  the  suburbs,1* * 
was  formerly  esteemed  one  of  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  ; 
it  is  celebrated  in  the  history  of  Sweden  for  the  Con- 
gress of  July  20th,  1397,  in  which  the  fatal  act  of  union 
was  agreed  to,  which  placed  Sweden  and  Norway  under 
the  power  of  the  Crown  of  Denmark.  The  hall  where 
this  congress  assembled  serves  as  a reserve  store-house  ; 
and  the  rest  of  the  building  has  been  transformed  into  a 
house  of  correction  and  industry.  Opposite  this  build- 
ing floats  the  flag  of  the  united  kingdom  of  Sweden  and 
Norway,  announcing  the  happiness  of  two  friendly  na- 
tions, and  the  wisdom  of  a prince,  who  has  accomplished 
a union  better  compacted  than  that  of  Calmar.  Calmar 
has  several  tanneries  and  cloth  manufactories,  but  it 
formerly  possessed  a trade  much  more  considerable  than 
at  present : its  harbour,  small  but  secure,  is  sheltered  on 
the  south  by  Cape  Stensce,  where  Gustavus  Vasa  land- 
ed in  1520,  to  deliver  his  country  from  a tyrannical 
yoke.  Louis  XVII I.,  during  his  exile,  fixed  himself 
some  time  at  Calmar,  where  his  misfortunes  and  his 
affability  gained  him  all  hearts.  A worthy  admirer  of 
the  virtues  that  distinguished  the  Swedish  hero,  he 
caused  a stone,  bearing  an  inscription  written  by  him- 
self, to  be  erected  to  the  memory  of  Gustavus  on  Cape 
Stensoe.c 

The  Island  of  Gothland,  which  of  itself  forms  a de- 
partment, has  for  its  capital  Wisby,  the  only  town  in 
the  island,  the  whole  manufacturing  industry  of  which 
consists  in  its  marble-works,  and  the  whole  trade  by  sea 
in  a few  small  vessels.  Many  antiquities  found  in  its 
environs,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  island,  give  room  to 
believe  that  it  was  inhabited  by  those  warlike  Goths, 
who  made  themselves  masters  of  the  finest  provinces  of 
the  Roman  empire,  and  who,  also  inhabiting  Gothland 
proper, d or  Southern  Sweden,  sent  out  those  armed 
colonies,  which  founded  several  kingdoms  in  the  south 
of  Europe.® 

The  philosopher  of  Geneva  has  said,  that  we  ought 
to  visit  the  south  in  summer  and  the  north  in  winter. 
The  capital  of  Sweden  presents,  during  the  latter  season, 
a scene  of  activity  difficult  to  describe  : we  have  already 
seen,  that  the  commencement  of  frost  is  the  signal  for 
the  inhabitants  of  the  interior  of  the  Scandinavian  Pen- 
insula immediately  to  resort  to  the  cities.  The  society 
of  Stockholm,  at  all  times  animated  by  the  most  cordial 
politeness,  and  the  most  unaffected  cheerfulness,  but  in 
general  not  numerous,  becomes  so  when  the  long  frosts 
have  recovered  their  empire.  Entertainments  and 
pleasure-parties  succeed  each  other  day  after  day  ; the 
borders  of  Lake  Maelar  are  covered  with  sledges,  which 
in  circuitous  courses  wander  in  long  files  over  the  frozen 


1 Straits  of  Calmar,  Calmar  Sound. 

b “ — in  the  suburb.” — On  an  eminence  behind  the  old  town,  stands 
the  castle.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c Besides  the  towns  above  mentioned,  those  of  Norrkaping*  and 
Sader leaping, 1 the  former  on  the  river  Motala,  the  outlet  of  Lake 
Wetter,  and  the  latter  on  the  south  shore  of  the  gulf  of  Slretbacken,  at 

* Svved.  Non-keeping  (north  town.) — Norkoeping.  (Catteau.)  Norkoping, 
Nordkoping,  Nordkioping.  (Morse.) — P. 

t Swed.  Sa  derkaeping  (south  town.) — Soderkoping.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


waters,  or  the  snow  that  whitens  the  fields  ; military 
music  attends  these  joyous  companies,  which,  after 
dinner,  return  to  the  city  by  torch  light.  In  the  even- 
ing, crowds  repair  to  the  theatre,  to  witness  the  repre- 
sentation of  some  national  drama.  On  the  first  of  May, 
a stranger  sees  with  astonishment  the  promenades  around 
the  capital  covered  with  a triple  row  of  brilliant  equi- 
pages, which  remind  one  of  the  splendid  retinues  that, 
during  the  three  last  days  of  Passion-week,  frequent 
the  road  from  Longchamp  to  Paris.  During  the  sum- 
mer, a select  society  assembles  at  the  waters  of  Ramlo- 
sa  in  Scania,  and  at  those  of  Meclcri 1 in  East  Gothland, 
or  the  attraction  of  a military  spectacle,  a powerful  one 
to  a people  naturally  warlike,  draws  the  curious  to  the 
camps  where  the  national  troops  are  exercised.  These 
meetings  do  not  resemble  any  of  those  that  take  place 
in  our  climates : an  eye-witness  of  these  festivals  tells 
us,  that  dinners  under  tents  and  balls  in  the  open  air 
succeed  the  military  evolutions  ; the  sound  of  the  violin 
mixes  itself  with  the  rolling  of  the  drum ; valour  and 
beauty  there  divide  empire. 

The  Scandinavian-Pehinsula,  much  more  enlightened 
than  France,  surpasses  in  information  not  only  Prussia 
but  the  British  isles  : in  Norway,  the  system  of  mutual 
instruction  is  spread  over  the  remotest  parts  of  the  coun- 
try ; saving-banks  are  established  in  every  province ; 
granaries  for  the  surplus  grain  are  to  be  found  in  differ- 
ent places;  and  an  improved  prison  discipline  has 
brought  back  to  honourable  sentiments,  those  unfortu- 
nate beings  who  would  otherwise  have  been  hardened 
in  crime.  In  Sweden  every  peasant  can  read,  all  know 
their  rights,  all  join  to  a reasonable  attachment  to  their 
religion,  an  attachment  no  less  ardent  to  a form  of  gov- 
ernment, which  has  for  centuries  protected  their  liberty. 
There  is  thus  little  depravity  of  manners,  especially  out 
of  cities,  and  no  need  for  those  restraining  measures, 
which,  under  the  guise  of  securing  tranquillity,  are  too 
often  made  use  of  to  render  legitimate  the  abuse  of  force, 
when  we  ought  only  to  have  in  view  the  maintenance 
of  order  and  justice.  The  security  of  the  roads  is  not 
intrusted  to  gendarmes : that  military  police  is  in  Swe- 
den unknown,  because  it  is  there  useless  : at  intervals 
we  meet  with  peace-officers,  to  whom  the  inhabitants  lend 
their  aid  when  necessary.  The  recruiting  of  the  army 
is  done  by  publishing  in  the  churches  the  names  of 
those  who  ought  to  make  part  of  the  militia,  and  this 
simple  appeal  is  enough  to  lead  the  youth  to  complete 
the  number  wanted. s The  taxes  are  levied  in  the  same 
way,  by  announcing  from  the  pulpit  the  quota  of  each 
citizen : these  burdens,  which  press  equally  upon  all, 
do  not  amount  to  more  than  five  per  cent,  on  income 
indirect  taxes  are  unknown.  The  Swedish  navy  occu- 
pies the  third  rank  in  Europe  ; it  draws  its  recruits  from 
the  merchant  service,  and,  although  not  considerable, 
because  government  is  not  sufficiently  rich  to  increase 
the  materiel,  yet,  to  give  an  idea  of  its  merit,  it  is  suffi- 


the  point  where  the  canal  across  Sweden  meets  the  Baltic,  are  places 
of  considerable  commerce. — P.  d “ Gothia.” 

e Wisby  is  celebrated  in  the  history  of  commerce,  for  a maritime 
code,  compiled  by  its  merchants  and  burgesses  in  the  12th  century, 
called  the  laws  of  Wisby.  (Azuni’s  Maritime  Law.  vol.  i.  p.  381 — 5. 
Eng.  Trans.) — P. 

f Medewi  [Medevi.]  (Rees’  Cyc.)—  P. 

s Men  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  years  of  age  are  obliged  to  serve. 
They  form  five  classes. 


r " 

376  EUR 

cient  to  say,  that  in  battle  a Swedish  ship  of  equal  force 
has  the  advantage  over  a Russian. 

The  laws  are  wise,  clear,  and  precise.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  some  modifications  adopted  under  Gustavus 
III.  (who  abolished  the  torture)  and  under  the  succes- 
sors of  that  prince,  the  code  in  use  is  that  which  was 
drawn  up  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
during  the  reign  of  Frederic  I.  The  punishment  of 
death  is  not  abolished,  but  the  application  of  it  is  rare, 
because  there  are  fewer  murders  committed  in  Sweden 
than  elsewhere,  and  also  because  this  punishment  is  not 
pronounced  except  when  the  accused  makes  confession 
of  his  crime.  In  civil  cases,  the  two  parties  bear  each 
their  proportion  of  the  expense  : he  who  loses  is  never 
condemned  to  pay  the  costs.  A new  code  of  laws  is 
about  to  he  discussed  by  the  Diet.a 

The  constitution  established  during  the  reign  of  Gus- 
tavus III.,  in  consequence  of  the  revolution  which 
baffled  the  plans  of  the  senate  and  nobility,  serves  as  the 
basis  of  the  Swedish  government.  The  monarchical 
power  is  hereditary,  but  females  are  excluded.  The 
king  of  Sweden  is  perhaps,  of  all  the  constitutional 
monarehs  in  Europe,  the  one  whose  power  is  most  lim- 
ited. He  does  not  attain  majority  till  twenty-one  ; from 
his  eighteenth  year  to  that  age,  he  may  sit  in  the  differ- 
ent councils,  but  he  has  no  deliberative  voice  ; if  he 
place  himself  at  the  head  of  the  armies,  or  if  he  quit  the 
kingdom  from  any  other  motive,  he  must  confide  the 
administration  to  a regency,  composed  of  four  members 
of  the  council  of  state  and  of  the  minister  of  justice. 
If  his  absence  lasts  more  than  a year,  or  if  any  indispo- 
sition prevents  him  during  the  same  space  of  time  from 
attending  to  public  affairs,  the  Council  of  State  convokes 
the  Diet  (JStcenderne)b  or  States  General,  which  must 
adopt  some  measure  for  the  security  of  the  country. 
Until  this  is  done,  the  foreign  ambassadors  cannot  ap- 
proach within  twenty-four  leagues  of  the  place  where 
the  States  are  assembled.  The  Senate  or  Court  of 
Peers  is  composed  of  twenty-two  members.  Twelve 
counsellors  of  the  crown  form  a council  corresponding  to 
the  Council  of  State  in  France  ;c  it  gives  its  advice,  and 
the  king  decides.  The  king  appoints  to  all  offices  and 
employments,  and  has  the  right  of  conferring  pardons, 
but  he  cannot  make  any  new  laws,  or  interpret  old  ones, 
levy  taxes,  or  declare  war,  without  the  consent  of  the 
states,  which  he  alone  has  the  power  of  convoking.  No 
judgment  can  be  given  by  a warrant.  The  law  guaran- 
tees the  rights  and  property  of  the  citizens.  The  liber- 
ty of  the  press  is  among  the  number  of  fundamental 
laws,  which  cannot  be  modified  without  the  participa- 
t'on  of  both  monarch  and  states.  The  States  have  un- 
d<  r their  management  the  public  debt  and  the  national 

— 

OPE.  [BOOR  CXL.VII1. 

bank.  They  are  composed  of  four  orders,  namely,  the 
nobility,  in  which  order  each  family  has  its  representa- 
tive ;d  the  clergy,  represented  by  the  bishops,  as  well 
as  by  pastors  chosen  in  each  chapter  ;e  the  burgesses, 
whose  deputies  are  chosen  by  the  principal  towns  in 
the  kingdom  ;f  and  the  peasantry ,s  who  choose  their 
own  representatives  in  their  assemblies.  Each  deputy 
must  be  25  years  complete,  must  belong  to  one  of  these 
orders,  and  profess  the  protestant  religion.  The  depu- 
ties of  the  nobility  are  the  most  numerous,  an  inconven- 
ience modified  by  an  important  regulation,  which  does 
not  admit  of  voting  individually,  but  by  orders.  The 
States  assemble  usually  every  five  years,  unless  in 
case  of  extraordinary  circumstances.  The  kingdom  of 
Norw'ay  participates  in  the  advantages  presented  by  this 
constitution,  which  in  time  the  progress  of  intelligence 
will  doubtless  improve,  but  it  has  only  one  legislative 
chamber  ( Storthing ,)h  whose  members  enjoy  no  distinc- 
tion one  above  another. 

Industry  is  but  little  developed  in  Sweden,  and  slill 
less  in  Norway.  There  are  reckoned  in  Sweden  only 
7000  manufacturers  of  all  kinds,  and  3000  traders.' 

The  government  has  for  several  years  made  the  greatest 
efforts  to  encourage  the  manufacture  of  steel  and  of 
cloth,  of  glass  and  of  china, k but  the  amount  of  these  is 
far  from  supplying  the  consumption  of  the  country,  an 
unanswerable  argument  against  the  partisans  of  the 
prohibitory  system.  It  would  be  more  advantageous  for 
Sweden  to  abandon  several  branches  of  manufacture, 
which  are  only  supported  by  a system  of  severe  custom- 
house regulations,  and  to  give  fuller  scope  to  the  work- 
ing of  her  mines  of  iron,  copper  and  cobalt;  to  her 
trade  in  timber,  which  may  be  regarded  as  a source  of 
inexhaustible  wealth,  if  the  reproduction  of  the  forests 
is  attended  to  ; to  the  manufacture  of  mathematical  and 
philosophical  instruments,  for  which  Stockholm  enjoys 
some  celebrity  ; to  her  tanneries,  and  the  manufacture 
of  gloves,  a branch  of  industry  in  which  the  Swedes 
have  few  rivals  ; to  her  founderies,  which  procure  for 
her  so  great  advantages ; to  her  cordage  manufacture, 
in  which  the  town  of  Fahlun  excels  ; to  the  making  of 
vases  and  other  ornamental  articles  in  porphyry,  which 
occupies  a part  of  the  population  of  Elfcvedrt] ,'  in  the 
prefecture  of  Stora  Kopparberg  ;m  to  the  productive  fishery 
of  the  cod  and  the  herring  ; and  lastly,  to  the  building 
of  ships,  so  much  in  request  by  foreigners.  The  exten- 
sion of  these  different  branches  of  industry  would  pre- 
sent to  her  the  means  of  augmenting  her  trade,  already 
so  important,  and  would  procure  her  a multitude  of  arti- 
cles which  she  cannot  fabricate  at  the  same  price  with 
other  nations.  By  this  means  she  might  renounce  the 
prohibition  of  wine,  tea,  rum,  and  other  commodities 

1 “ At  the  next  session.”  (M.  B.  1829.) 

•>  Swed.  stand,  rank,  class,  order — plur.  slander,  states,  estates — 
SUendcrnc,  the  States— Rilcscns  Stamdcrnc,  the  States  of  the  King- 
dom.— P. 

c Svcrigcs  och  JYorrigcs  Calender  far  &rct  1829  (Almanack  of  Sweden 
and  Norway  for  1829.) 

d There  are  reckoned  to  be  in  Sweden  1300  noble  families:  the 
eldest  of  eacli  family  sits  in  the  diet,  under  the  name  of  caput  familia 
[Swcd.  familiens  hvftrnd .]  The  nobility  is  divided  into  three  classes, 
viz.  that  of  counts  and  barons,  that  of  knights  [riddarer]  or  ancient 
gentlemen,  without  titles,  and  that  of  esquires  [svenner,]  comprehend- 
ing all  untitled  gentlemen  who  have  obtained  letters  of  nobility  since 
the  reign  of  Charles  XI.  (Catteau.) — The  diet  of  1780  consisted  of 
48  counts,  130  barons,  188  knights,  and  390  gentlemen  [srenner,]  be- 
sides 51  ecclesiastics,  94  burgesses,  and  105  deputies  of  the  order  of 
peasants.  (Pinkerton.) — P. 

e The  fourteen  prelates  of  the  kingdom,  namely,  the  archbishop  of 
Upsal  and  the  thirteen  bishops,  are  ex  officio  members  of  the  diet,  and 
each  archdeaconry  deputes  one  or  two  representatives.  (Catteau.) — P. 

f The  citizens  are  represented  by  the  deputies  of  cities.  Stockholm 
has  ten;  cities  of  the  second  class  have  two  or  three,  and  the  rest  send 
only  one.  Sometimes,  for  the  sake  of  economy,  two  small  cities  are 
represented  by  the  same  person.  (Catteau.) — P. 

B “ The  order  of  peasants.” — Farmers  who  cultivate  lands  belonging 
to  them  and  their  descendants,  as  long  as  they  fulfil  their  engagements 
with  the  crown,  constitute  in  the  diet,  the  order  of  peasants.  Each 
bailiwick  appoints  a deputy,  and  defies  his  expenses.  (Catteau.) — P 
h “ Storting." — .See  note  " p.  1039,  and  note  a p.  1045 — P. 

' “ 7000  manufactories  ( fabriques ) — and  3000  merchants  (nigo 
dans.)” 

k “ Faience.”  1 Elfdal  or  Elfvedal  (Ed.  Enc  1 

*n  The  former  province  of  Dalecarlia. 

BOOK  CXLVI1I.1 

foreign  to  her  climate,  a prohibition  which  has  no  other 
advantage  than  to  keep  up  bands  of  smugglers  ; by  this 
means  she  might  also  find,  in  her  more  extended  rela- 
tions, the  means  of  increasing  the  productions  of  a soil, 
in  which  agriculture  is  perhaps  more  advanced  than  in 
any  other  agricultural  country,  and  which  even  exports 
corn  ; and  by  this  means,  too,  she  might  increase  the 
advantages  which  she  derives  from  transporting  in  her 
vessels,  to  different  ports  of  Europe,  as  well  as  to  her 
own,  the  merchandise  of  foreign  nations.*  But  the 
Swedish  nation  may  expect  every  thing  from  the  future  ; 
the  accomplishment  of  her  wishes  has  nothing  to  fear 
from  Gothic  prejudices ; the  States  are  unanimous  in 
their  desire  to  secure  the  public  prosperity.  The  stub- 
born partisans  of  commercial  restrictions  have  not  been 
able  to  prevent  the  reduction  of  the  duties  on  colonial 
commodities  imported  by  tbe  North  Americans;11  free- 
dom of  trade  is  on  the  eve  of  being  proclaimed  in 
Sweden. 

3 That  is.  from  the  carrying  trade. — P. 

b “ The  United  States.” 

« “ Government  favors  everywhere  the  employment  of  vaccination, 
the  division  of  landed  property,  the  draining  of  marshes,  the  establish- 
ment of  colonies  for  the  improvement  of  lands  recently  brought  under 
cultivation,  and  also  that  of  nurseries  for  the  propagation  of  the  oak, 
and  of  farms  (berberies)  1‘or  ameliorating  the  breed  of  sheep.” 

d “—have  just  been  adopted”  (1829.) 

e In  Norway  the  conscription  has  been  several  years  established; 
the  duration  of  military  service  is  from  five  to  seven  years. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  54  48 


377 

The  government  favours  everywhere  the  use  of  vac- 
cination, the  division  of  lands,  the  draining  of  marshes, 
the  establishment  of  colonies  to  render  useful  the  lands 
newly  brought  under  culture,  the  cultivation  of  the  oak, 
and  the  ameliorating  the  quality  of  wool.0  Canals  and 
roads  are  multiplying  ; measures  are  adopting3 *  to  render 
more  equal,  and  consequently  more  supportable,  tbe 
burden  of  military  service  ;e  tbe  organization  of  the 
communes  and  departments  is  undergoing  the  changes 
desired  by  the  people  ;f  the  lands  are  almost  all  of  them 
registered  ;S  steam-vessels  establish  frequent  communi- 
cations between  the  maritime  towns  ;h  lastly,  the  increase 
of  population  since  1821  has  been  such,  that  in  61 
years  it  will  be  doubled' — an  evident  proof  of  general 
prosperity.  We  may  then  say  with  confidence,  that  the 
people  of  Sweden  and  Norway  enjoy,  under  the  pro- 
tection of  a government  strictly  constitutional,  a hap- 
piness guaranteed  by  the  present  generation  to  pos- 
terity. 

f Statement  of  the  general  administration  of  the  kingdom,  made  at 
the  palace  ofStockholm,  Nov.  15th,  1828.  (Bulletin  des  Sciences  de 
Fevrier  1829.) 

s *•  enrolled  and  valued  in  the  public  land  register  [terrier]  ( cadas - 
tries)" 

h Report  made  by  the  minister  of  the  interior  to  the  last  legislative 
assembly  of  Norway. 

• Report  of  the  Royal  Commission  of  Statistics,  made  to  the  king 
on  population,  &c.  Stockholm,  1828.  (Bulletin  des  Sciences  de  Mars 
1829.) 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SWEDEN. 


878 


EUROPE 


IBOOK  CXLVI1I 


STATISTICAL  TABLES 


THE  SWEDISH  MONARCHY. 


Table  of  the  past  and  present  Divisions,  Geographical  and  Adminis- 
trative, of  the  Scandinavian  Peninsula 

KINGDOM  OF  SWEDEN. 

Surface,  22,051  Square  Leagues. 

Population  per  Square  League,  127  Inhabitants. 

I.  Southern  Region — Gothland11  or  Gothia.c 


Fortner  Provinces. 

CEster-Goethland  or 
Ostrogothiaf 


Srnceland  or  Sma- 
lands 


Blekingm 


Dalsland0  and  West-  ) , 

rgothlandP  \ ElfsborS 


Prefectures.^ 
| Linkoeping 

Calmar 

Joenkoeping 

Kronoberg 

Bleking 


Westergothland  or 
WestrogothiaP 


Skaraborg 


Goeteborg  or  Got 
tcnburg,s  and 
Bohns' 


Towns.® 

{LlNKCEPINGt 
Norrkoeping 
Wadstena 
Soederkueping 

{CALMARt 

Westervvik 
Borgholm1* 
f JcenkcefingI 
Adelfors' 
(_Ekesjcek 
Wexio1 

{Carlscrona 
Ronneby 
Carlshamn" 

f Wenersborg 
J Boeroest 
j Trollhaettan 
Amal 

C Mariestad 
< Lidkeeping 
t^Skara 

f Gottenburg 
J Marstrand 
| Uddevalla 
(_  Stroemstad 


Population. 

3,000 

2,900 

1.400 
900 

4.500 
3,000 

500? 

3.000 
500? 

1,100 

1,300 

11,000 

300 

3.400 

1.500 

2.000 
500 
800 

1,100 

1,500 

1,000 

24,000 

1,200 

4.000 

1.000 


a M.  Ad.  Balbi  calls  it  the  Norwegian- Swedish  monarchy;*  but  he 
proposes  the  name  of  Sicedo-Norwegian,\  as  softer  in  pronunciation. 

* “Monarchic  NorwJgieno-SuMoise.”  f “ Suedo-Norwegienne.” 
b “ Goethland”  (Swed.) — See  note  ' p.  1047. 

c M.  Hagdstam,  a learned  Swedish  geographer,  divides  the  king- 
dom into  three  great  regions ; and  these  again  are  subdivided  into 
twenty- four  laen*  or  prefectures,  which  have  been  substituted  for  the 
former  division  into  provinces. 

* Swed.  Icen,  a government  or  district. 
d Governments.  (Catteau.) 

e The  bishoprics  and  archbishoprics  are  pointed  out  by  the  marks 
( and  L* 

* There  is  only  one  archbishopric  in  Sweden,  that  of  Upsal.  The  number 
of  bishops  in  Sweden,  in  1790,  was  thirteen  (Catteau) — in  1825,  eleven  (Ed. 
Ene.)  Only  seven  are  marked  in  the  Table. — P. 

1 See  note  c p.  1049. 

s “ Smceland.” — Generally  written  Smaland,  in  English  authors — 
Smoland  (Catteau.  Tuckey.) — Swed.  Smaland. — P. 
h In  the  Isle  of  CEland. 

1 .Edelfors  (Catteau.)  k Ekesio  (Vosgien.) 

1 Vexjoe  (Catteau) — the  Swedish  orthography. — P. 
m Blekingen  (Tuckey,  Catteau,  &c.) — with  the  article  ere  suffix- 
ed.—P. 

“ Swed.  hamn,  haven. — P.  0 Lat.  Dalia. 

v See  note  h p.  1047.  a Borohs  (Vosgien.) 

r See  note  c p.  1048. 

• See  note  d p.  1054,  and  note  * p.  1054. 


Former  Provinces  Prefectures. 

Halland  Halmstad 

Christianstad 

Malmoehust 
Gothlandbb  (Island  of ) Gothland1* * 


Towns. 

(Halmstad 
Warberg 
I Laholmu 


Population. 
1,500 
1 ,30C 
900 


Scaane  or  Scania1 


'Christianstad 
Engelholm 
Cimbrishamn 
' Majlmce 
Ystad 
Lund 

Landskrona1 

Helsinborg“ 

Wisby 


3.000 
500 
700 

6.000 
2,600 
3,200 
3,800 
4,000 

3,800 


II.  Central  Region — Svealandcc  or  Sweden. 


Upland 


Upsala 


u£n„1,“ds‘*d"' 


Socdermanland  or 
Sudermaniabh 


Westmanland  or 
Westmania 


Westmanland  and 
Nerike  or  Nericia 

Wertnelandmm 


| Nykceping 

Westeraskk 

CErebro 

Carlstad 


fUPSALAt 
Lcefsladd 
Elskalerbyee 
Soederfors 
Dannemora 

'Stockholm 

Drottningholm 

Norrtelgeff 

Soedertelge 

Vexholmss 

fNYKCEPING 
■(  Strengnoes" 
(_Eskilstuna 

{Wester  Ast 
Sala 
A rboga 
Koeping11 

{Qlrebro 
Nora 

Askersund 
C CarlstadI 
( Christineham',,, 


4.500 

1.500 
600  ? 
500  ? 
400 

79,000 

3.500 
800 
500 
500 

2,300 

1,100 

1.500 

3.000 

2.000 
1,500 
1,200 

3.000 
800 
800 

2,200 

2.000 


1 Balms  (Vosgien.) 

u Laholm  or  Lageholm — on  the  river  Laga. — P. 

x Lat.  Scania  or  Scandia. — Fr.  Scanie. — Germ.  Sclionen. — Du.  Schoon- 
en. — Swed.  Shone  or  Shane  ( Shonrn  or  Shanen,  with  the  article.) — 
Dan.  Shaane  ( Shannon , with  the  article.) — P. 

r Malmohus-Lan  (Swed.  Malmahus-Lan ) or  Government  of  Malmo- 
hus  (Morse.) — P. 

I Landscrona,  Landscroon  or  Landskroon. 

“ Helsingborg,  Helsingburg. 

bb  “ Gottland.” — See  note  ‘ p.  1048. 

cc  Swed.  Svea  or  Sverige,  Sweden  ; Svea  Rihe,  the  kingdom  of  Swe- 
den ; Svear,  the  Swedes. — P. 

dd  Lofsta  or  Hammerwerke  (Morse.)  Lrefstad  (Catteau.) 

ee  Elfkarleby  (Rees’  Cyc.)  Norr-Telje  (Tuckey.) 

ss  Waxholm  (Morse.) — Swed.  Veexholm . — P. 

bb  Sodermanland,  Sudermanland — Swed.  Sadermanland , Lat.  Suder - 
mania. — P. 

" Swed.  Stramgnas. — Strengnes  (Vosgien.)  Strengnas  or  Strenge- 
nas  (Morse.) — P. 

kk“  Vesteras’’ — Swed.  Vcsterds,  Lat.  Arosia. — Westeraas  (Hubner  ) 
Westerns  (Catteau.) — P. 

II  Koping  (Vosgien.) 

mm « Vermeland'' — Wermeland,  Wermland,  Warmeland,  Harm- 
land. — P.  , 

Christinaham  (Morse.) — Swed.  Christinaliamn  (Christina  s ha- 
ven.) — P. 


book  cxLYin.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  SWEDEN  AND  NORWAY. 


370 


Former  Provinces. 

Dalame  or  Dale- 
carlia 

Gestrikland  or  Ges-' 
tricia,c  and 
Helsinaland  or  Hel- 


Prefectures. 


Stora-Kopparberg1 


■Gefleborg 


Towns, 
f Falun 
< Hedemora 
(_  Avestab 

{GefleI 
Soederhammd 
Huddikswall6 * * * * * 


Population. 

4,700 

800 

700 

6,000 

1,400 

1,500 


III.  Northern  Region — Norrlandf  or  the  country  of  the  North. 


Wester-Botten  or  "]  Norr-Botten  or 
Western  Bothnia, s ) Northern  Bothnia 
and 

Lappraark  or 
landh 


■ > 


Medelpad  and 
germanland 
Angermania 
Joemtland  > or 
Jemptia  and 
Herje  G£dalenk 


Lap-  [ Wester-Botten  or 
J Western  Bothnia 
AnO 

or  > Wester-Norrland1 


j Joemtland 


{PlTEA 
Lulea 
Gellivara 

| Umea 

C PlERNCESANrt 
\ Sundswall 

C GilsTERSUND1 
\ Ljusnedal 


800 

1,000 

1,100 

1,100 

1,800 

1,600 

200 

150 


KINGDOM  OF  NORWAY.™ 

Surface,  16,668  Square  Leagues. 

Population  per  Square  League , 63  Inhabitants. 
t Southern  Region — Scendenfield,  or  to  the  south  of  the  mountains.11 


Dioceses. 


Aggershuus® 


Chnstiansand 


Districts. 

Aggershuus® 

Smaalehnenr 

Hedemarken 

Christian" 

Buskerud 

County  of  Jalsberg 
County  of  Laurvig? 

Bradsberg 

Nedences* 1 * 3 * *® 

Mandal 

Stavanger 


Towns. 

C ChristianiaP 
( Droebaks 
C Moss 

J Frideriksliald3 

^Friderikstad1 

fHoff 

Kongsvinger 
^Elverum 
C Lessoe 
£ Bin 

{Kongsbcrg 
Modum 
Drammen 
Eger 

Tonsberg1 
C Laurvigi 
( Frideriksvcernz 
C Skeen 
( Porsgrund 
Arendal 

( CHRISTI  ANSAND 

l Mandal 
Stavanger 


Population. 

20,600 

1,400 

1,400 

4.000 
2,300 

400 

3.000 


7.000 

4.500 

6.000 
2,000 

1.500 
1,800 

600 
1,800 
1,500 
1,700 
4,900 
1 ,600 
2,400 


II.  Central  Region — Nordenfield,  or  to  the  north  of  the  mountains 
Dioceses. 


Bergen 


Drontheim 


Districts. 

f Soendre  Bergen- 
huusbb 


Towns.  Population 

C Bergen  20,800 

( Rosendahl  (barony)  

f Indvig 


Nordre  Bergenhuus"1  < Viig 
(_  (_Leganger 

f Soendre  Drontlieimdd  I Drontheim 
( Koeraas™ 

{Levanger 
Stoerdalenfr 
Skogn 

„ , . ( CHRISTI ANSUND 

Romsdal  J Molde 


3,900 

3,200 

9.000 

3.000 
300 

> 

) 

1,600 

800 


III.  Northern  Region — Nordland  or  the  country  of  the  north. ss 

'Bodcee  300 

Alstahangbh  ? 

Islands  of  West  1 
NordVand  ^ Vaagen  and  East  I 

Vaagen"  >4,00 

Island  of  Langoeen 
Island  of  Hindceen  j 
'Tromscee  800kk 

Altengaard  2,000 

Hammerfest  "1 

Finmark  Wardcechuus11 

Island  of  Senjen  > ? 

Sorcee 

Mageroee  J 


Drontheim 


COLONIES  OF  THE  SWEDO-NORWEGIAN  MONARCHY. 
Archipelago  of  the  Antilles. — Island  of  St.  Bartholomew  16,000 


Stale  of  the  Population  according  to  the  last  Census. 

’Nobles  20,500 

Ecclesiastics  14,000 

Burgesses  (not  including  civil  ^ ^ 


functionaries) 

Sweden  -(  Peasantry 

Civil  Functionaries 
i , f Officers  2,200 

i my  an  J SoltlierS  a.nd 
avy  \ Seamen  40,160 

Total  population  in  1826 

Total  population  in  1815,  accord- 
ing to  M.  Hagelstam"" 

Increase  from  1815  to  1826 


5 


2,636,540 
9,270 

42,360mm 


2,800,000 


2,800,000 
| 2,465,000 
335,000 


1 Great  Copper  Mountain — so  called  from  the  copper  mine  at  Fali- 
lun. — P. 

b Avestad  (Morse.) 

c Gestrikeland  (Swed.  Gcestrikeland.')  Lat.  Gestricia. — P. 

d Soderham  (Morse.)  Soiderhain  or  Suderhafen  (Vosgien.)  Swed. 
Scederltamn  (South-haven.) — P. 

e Hudwiksvvall  (Tuckey.)  Hudwickswall  or  Hudikswall  (Morse.) 
Swed.  Hudviksralt. — P. 

( Dan.  Nordland,  Swed.  Norrland — North-land — Northern  coun- 
try.— P.  6 See  note  b p.  1047. 

b “ Laponie” — Lat.  Lappoma. 

' West  Norrland — called  also  the  government  of  Hernoesand. — P. 

> Swed.  Jeemtland,  or  Jemtland — jcemn,  neut.  jcemt,  even,  level,  and 
land,  country. — P. 

k Lat.  Herjedalia  (Catteau.) — Herjedalen  (Morse) — Herjedal,  with- 
out the  article. — Herjeodal  (Ed.  Enc.) — Herjeadalen  (Pinkerton.) — 
Swed.  Herjeadalen  (the  dale  or  valley  of  the  river  (Swed.  a)  Herje.) — P. 

1 Ostersund  (Morse.) 

m Norway  is  divided  into  three  physical  regions,  and  also  into  four 

dioceses,  composed  of  sixteen  districts  or  bailiwicks  and  two  counties. 

" A third  branch  [of  the  Norwegian  mountains,]  called  Langfieldt 

[Langfield,]  proceeds  westward  and  then  southward  towards  the  Naze, 

dividing  Norway  into  two  principal  regions,  Sondenfieldts  and  Norden- 

fieldts.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Sacndenfields  and  Nordenfields  would  be  literally  in 

Danish,  the  south  and  the  north  of  the  mountain.  The  chain  dividing 

Norway  into  these  two  regions,  includes  the  Dovrefield  and  the  Lang- 

field ; it  first  proceeds  west  between  Aggershuus  and  Drontheim, 
and  then  south  between  the  former  and  Bergen. — P. 

0 Aggerhuus  (Ed.  Enc.) 


P We  do  not  mark  the  capital  of  each  district,  because  neither  the 
travels  of  Von  Schubert,  nor  the  map  of  Mr.  Hagelstam,  nor  the  royal 
almanack  of  Sweden  point  them  out.  s Drobak  (Tuckey.) 

r Dan.  Smaa-lchn-tn  (the  small  fief  or  district.)  See  note  c p.  1058. — P. 
“ See  note  p p.  1045.  1 See  note  e p.  1045. 

u Christianslehn. — P.  1 Tcensberg  (Tuckey.) 

? Laurwig  (Tuckey.)  Larwigen  (Morse.) — Dan.  vig  or  viig,  Swed. 
vik,  a creek  or  small  bay. — P. 

z Staviern  or  Fredericks-viern  (Tuckey.) — Dan.  Frederiksvcern. — P 
“ Neden$s  (Conway.)  See  note  u p.  1046. 

bb  Southern  Bergenhuus. — Bergen  buns  (Lat.  Prcefectura  Bergensiq 
government  of  Bergen) — literally,  Bergen-house. — P. 

“Northern  Bergenhuus. — P. 

dd  Northern  and  Southern  Drontheim. — P. 

ee  See  note  1 p.  1042.  Stordalshalsen  (Tuckey. ) 

66  See  note  f.  bh  “ Alstahaug.” 

ii  <<  West  Vaagen  and  Ost-Vaagen” — Dan  Vest-Vaagceen — Ost-Vaag- 
ceen  (East  and  West  Vaage  Islands.) — P. 

kk“  200.” — Population  150.  (Tuckey.)  See  p.  1044. — P. 

11  Wardhus,  Wardhuys — Dan.  Vardrzekuus. — P. 
mm  The  translator  has  made  this  sum  62,360,  and  that  of  the  soldiers 
and  seamen  60,160.  I have  followed  the  original,  which  is  supported 
by  the  statement  of  the  amount  of  the  army  and  navy  in  1827,  p 1060 
— This  alteration  was  probably  made  by  the  translator,  in  order  to 
make  up  the  full  sum  of  2,800,000;  the  sum  of  the  items  included  be- 
ing only  2,780,000.  There  is  a similar  discrepancy  in  the  total 
amount  of  the  population  of  the  two  kingdoms. — P. 

nD  Ruise  durch  das  westliche  Schweden,  Norwegen  und  Finnland, 
von  F.  W.  von  Schubert. 


380 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXLVIII. 


Brought 

Norway 

forward 

('Inhabitants  of  the  Towns 

k of  the  Frontiers 

(_ of  the  Country 

105,000') 

10,600  y 
934,400  J 

2,800,000 

1,050,000 

Total  population  in  1826 
Total  population  in  18151 

1,050,000 

886,400 

Increase  from  1815  to  1826 

163,600 

Total  population  of  the  two  kingdoms 

3,866,000 

Talle  of  Births  in  Sweden. 


Years. 

• 

Legitimate. 

Illegitimate. 

Sum 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

Males. 

Female*. 

Total. 

total. 

1821 

1822 

1823 

1824 

1825 

43,938 

41,647 

46,639 

44,477 

47,751 

41.863 
42,737 
44,440 
42,606 

45.863 

85,806 

87,334 

91,079 

87,083 

93,614 

3,218 

3,595 

3,518 

3,316 

3,314 

3.018 

3,330 

3,632 

3,173 

3,357 

6,266 

6,925 

7,180 

6,494 

6,701 

92,072 

94,309 

98,259 

93,577 

100,315 

Total 

227,452 

217,514 

444,966 

17,021 

16,515 

33,566 

478,53.2 

Average  lor  these  5 y?rs. 
Average  for  the  5 pre-  'j 

‘15,490 

43,503 

88,993 

3,404 

3,309 

6,713 

95,706 

ceding  years,  viz.  1 
from  1316  to  1820,  f 
inclusive  J 

40,634 

38,724 

79,358 

2,997 

2,898 

5,895 

85,253 

inual  increase  of^ 
jirths  during  the  5 > 
ast  years  } 

4,856 

4,779 

9,635 

407 

411 

818 

10,453b 

Table  of  Mortality 

in  Sweden. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

1821  . . 

32,950 

66,416 

1822 

28,890 

59,390 

1823  . . 

27,265 

56,067 

1824  .*  . 

. . . 29,071 

27,185 

56,256 

1825  . . 

27,285 

56,465 

Total 

. . . . 151,019 

143,575 

294,594 

Children  under  one  year  . 8,316 

6,887 

15,203 

In  the  above  five  years  there  were  reckoned  among  the  deaths — 


1.  Children  still-born 12,623 

2.  Children  stifled  in  bed  by  their  mothers  or  nurses  . . . 388 

3.  Children  murdered 12 

4.  Adults  do 35 

5.  Persons  drowned 1,126 

6.  Suicides 151 

7.  Deaths  from  drunkenness 36 

8.  Killed  by  lightning 6 

9.  Condemned  to  death  and  executed  ....  ...  7 


Tables  of  Marriages  in  Sweden. 


Between  unmarried 
persons. 

Between  widowersc  and 
unmarried  persons. 

Total. 

1821  . 

. . . 17,708 

5,182 

22,890 

1822  . 

. . . 19,026 

5,405 

24,431 

1823  . 

. . . 19,017 

4,976 

23,993 

1824  . 

. . . IS, 971 

4,936 

23,907 

1825  . 

. . . 19,097 

4,543 

23,640 

Total 

. . . 93,819 

25,042 

118,861 

* See  work  last  cited. 

b The  illegitimate  births  during  the  last  five  years  are  to  the  total 
births  as  1 to  13.3  nearly.*  During  the  five  preceding  years  they 
were  as  1 to  14.5. 

* More  exactly,  as  1 to  13.256. — P. 


Classification  of  Families  in  Siveden,  according  to  the  Number  of 
Individuals  composing  them.  End  of  1825. 


Of  2 individuals 77,334 

Of  3 to  5 244,641 

Of  6 to  10 181,361 

Of  10  to  15 16,076 

Above  15 2,643 


Total  of  families 522,055 


Pauperism  in  Sweden.  End  of  1825. 


Poor  residing  in  private  families 9,664 

receiving  aid  at  home 8,991 

in  alms-houses 2,033 

in  hospitals 528 


Total 


21,216 


Prisoners  in  both  Kingdoms  in  1827. 

In  Sweden,  about 1,838  ) „ _nn 

In  Norway 862  > iJ,7UU 


Average  of  Trade  in  Sweden. 


1050  manufactories,  employing  7,200 
workmen,  produce  annually 
The  exports  in  iron  and  other  metals, 
and  also  in  corn,  may  be  estimated 
at  about 

Imports  of  all  kinds 


6,840,000  rixd.  or  15,390,000  fr. 

12.188.000  rixd.  or  27,423,000  fr. 

14.294.000  rixd.  or  32,161,500  fr. 


Statement  of  the  different  Professions  in  1827. 


Clergymen 

Other  individuals  belonging  to  the  church  . . 

Professors  and  teachers 

Public  functionaries 

Physicians  and  surgeons  

Architects 

Persons  holding  offices  connected  with  the 

saltpetre  works 

Do.  domains  of  the  crown 

Do.  customs,  &.c.d 

Do.  mines,  forests,  &c.e 

Do.  police 

Bridges  and  roads 

'Land  and  sea  officers  

Subalterns 

Cadets  (at  the  Academy  of  Carlsberg)  . 

Soldiers  and  seamen 

Musicians  and  drummers 

Pilots  and  lighthouse  keepers  . . . . 


Army 
and  - 
Navy 


In  Sweden. 

In  Norway 

3,193 

415 

. 3,753 

763 

47 

. 4,375 

304 

391 

118 

. . 11 

j 300 

. 1,180 

460 

. 1,326 

313 

474 

37 

103 

. . 483 

15 

. 1,872 

798 

2,511 

1,153 

130 

70 

43,113 

12,533 

711 

417 

779 

1,613 

Navy  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 

VESSELS  OF  WAR. 

Ships  of  the  line.  Frigates.  Inferior  vessels.  Total. 

12  13  60  85 

Finances  of  the  two  Kingdoms. 

Revenue  in  fr.  42,000,000.  Debt  in  fr.  200,000,000. 


c “ Veufs” — married  persons  of  either  sex  ? — P. 

1 “ Customs  and  octrois  (interior  customs  or  tolls.)” 
• Mines,  chases  ( chassis ) and  forests.” 


ROOK  CXLXX.] 


DESCRIPTION  (.T  DENMARK 


381 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — Description  of  Denmark  and  of 
the  Faroe  Isles.* 

What  sublime  recollections  are  connected  with  the 
history  of  the  small  Peninsula,  which,  bathed  on  the  west 
by  the  north  sea,  on  the  east  by  the  strait  of  the  Cattegat, 
and  on  the  north  by  that  of  the  Skager-Rack,  and  flanked 
on  the  east  by  large  islands,  and  on  the  west  by  a small 
archipelago,  is  interposed  between  Sweden  and  Norway  ! 
The  cradle  of  the  formidable  Cimbri,  the  ancients  called 
it  the  Cimbric  Chersonese  ( Chersonesus  Cimbrica.) 
From  this  country  there  issued,  about  100  years  before 
our  era,b  those  tribes  which,  joined  by  several  others 
inhabiting  the  borders  of  the  Baltic,  ravaged  Gaul  and 
Helvetia,  made  Italy  tremble,  several  times  defeated 
the  Romans,  and  were  at  last  themselves  defeated  by 
Marius.  The  same  people,  under  the  name  of  Jutes 
and  Angles,®  some  centuries  afterwards, d invaded  Eng- 
land, and,  being  hardy  navigators,  contributed  to  swell 
that  swarm  of  pirates  from  Norway  and  Sweden,  which, 
confounded  during  the  middle  ages  under  the  name  of 
Normans,  were  the  terror  of  the  rest  of  Europe  for  a 
period  of  several  centuries.® 

Jutland , which  comprehends  the  whole  peninsula,  in- 
habited by  the  Jutes,  whose  name  it  bears;  the  dutchy 
of  Sleswiclc,  an  isthmus,  which,  with  Holstein  and  the 
dutchy  of  Lauenburg,  adjoining  to  it,  was  peopled  by 
the  Angles ; and  the  islands  of  Funen,  Zealand  and 
Laaland,  together  with  several  others  of  less  impor- 
tance, form  the  kingdom  of  Denmark,  and  present  an 
outline  of  more  than  1500  leagues  of  coast. 

At  the  sight  of  these  countries,  which  are  separated 
by  several  straits,  dangerous  from  their  shoals  as  well 
as  from  their  inconsiderable  breadth,  such  as  the  Sound, 
and  the  Great  and  Little  Belt,  one  is  tempted  to  broach 
a question  that  has  been  more  than  once  agitated,  and 
the  solution  of  which  divides  in  opinion  several  literary 
men,  who,  inhabiting  the  borders  of  tbe  Baltic,  are  fa- 
vourably situated  for  verifying  known  facts  and  making 
new  observations. — Is  it  a fact  that  the  level  of  this  sea 
is  subsiding  ? Olof  Dalin  says,  that  on  the  coast  of 
Sweden,  it  annually  loses  half  an  inch;  Andreas  Celsius 

a See  note  k p.  1075. 

b The  Cimbri  left  their  country  A.  C.  115,  and  having  been  joined 
by  the  Teutones,  first  entered  Italy  A.  C.  109.  The  Teutones  were 
defeated  by  Marius  near  Aix  in  Provence,  A.  C.  102,  and  the  Cimbri, 
on  the  river  Adige,  A.  C.  101. — P. 

c Lat.  Jutee  and  Angli. 

d The  Jutes  first  invaded  England  A.  D.  449,  and  the  Angles,  A.  D. 
547.  (Pinkerton.) — P. 

' In  the  9th  century,  these  words  were  added  to  the  Litany:  A fu- 
rore JVormannorum  libera  nos,  O Domine. 

1 In  his  Geography,  entitled  : Danish  Atlas 

s A very  obvious  elevation  of  the  soil  was  observed,  after  an  earth- 


has  calculated  that  its  diminution  is  four  inches  five  lines 
every  hundred  years  ; Pontoppidan  has  made  the  same 
observation  on  the  coast  of  Denmark  ;f  Bergman  re- 
garded this  fact  as  incontestable.  After  a careful  exami- 
nation, we  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion,  that  this 
diminution  is  very  unequal  ; that  in  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia, 
it  may  be  estimated  at  four  feet  in  a century,  while  it  is 
only  two  feet  on  the  coast  of  Calmar,  and  still  less  on 
that  of  Denmark.  The  inhabitants  of  the  islets  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Baltic,  persuaded  of  this  change  of 
level,  attribute  it,  not  to  the  diminution  of  the  waters, 
but  to  the  elevation  of  the  soil.  Many  geological  facts 
prove,  it  is  true,  that  the  older  rocks  have  been  raised 
at  a very  remote  period,  by  a force  acting  from  the 
centre  of  the  earth  towards  its  surface  ; but  it  is  not 
very  probable  that  such  elevations  occur  at  this  day.s 
Besides,  although  it  is  natural  to  think  that  the  accumu- 
lation of  the  remains  of  marine  animals,  and  other  causes 
equally  slow,  ought  to  contribute,  in  the  course  of  ages, 
to  diminish  the  depth  of  seas,  yet  after  all,  the  diminu- 
tion of  the  waters  of  the  Baltic,  a sea  without  either 
flux  or  reflux,  may  be  a mere  illusion.  The  alluvions 
which  the  larger  and  smaller  rivers  bear  thither,  drive 
back,  as  in  other  seas,  its  boundaries  in  some  places  ; 
and  the  retiring  of  its  waters,  after  having  been  raised 
by  the  violence  of  the  winds,  also  favours  the  idea  of  its 
diminution.  In  one  place,  cities,  formerly  on  the  coast, 
are  now  at  a distance  from  it ; elsewhere,  rocks,  covered 
at  one  time  by  the  highest  waters,  are  now  visible : 
these  facts  seem  to  confirm  a diminution  of  the  level, — 
a theory  which,  upon  the  whole,  is  more  probable  than 
the  contrary  hypothesis,  in  spite  of  the  opinion  of  cer- 
tain old  observers,  that  the  waters  of  the  Baltic  are 
higher  than  those  of  the  Ocean. hi 

Denmark  is  only  a prolongation  of  the  vast  plains 
which,  to  the  east  and  south,  border  this  sea.  The 
highest  inequalities  of  the  surface  in  the  dutchies  of 
Holstein  and  Sleswick,  do  not  exceed  1000  feet.  It  is 
the  same  in  the  Danish  islands ; the  mountains  of 
Funen,  and  those  in  the  centre  of  Zealand,  being  only 
hills.  The  soil,  even  to  a very  considerable  depth,  is 

quake  that  occurred  a few  years  since  on  the  coast  of  Chili.  Rocks 
that  had  before  been  submerged,  were  permanently  elevated  above  the 
surface  of  the  sea. — P. 

h “ Here,  towns,  formerly  situated  on  the  coast,  are  now  at  a dis 
tance  from  it;  there,  rocks,  covered  by  the  highest  waters,  and  at 
other  times  visible,  appear  to  establish  a change  of  level,  so  much  the 
less  probable,  however,  as  it  is  false,  notwithstanding  the  opinion  of 
some  of  the  earlier  observers,  that  the  waters  of  the  Baltic  are  more 
elevated  than  those  of  the  Ocean.” 

■ Consult  the  Observations  of  Mr.  N.  Brunrona  on  the  Diminution 
of  the  Baltic  Sea,  accompanied  with  Remarks  by  Mr.  Hccllstrcein 
Memoirs  of  the  Academy  of  Stockholm,  1823,  1824. 


L 


1 

382  EUR< 

composed  of  sand  and  clay,  consisting  merely  of  alluvial 
deposits  which  every  where  cover  a chalky  substratum. 
The  clay  supports  the  sand  : in  the  former,  which  is 
ordinarily  of  a bluish  colour,  are  found  a great  number 
of  marine  shells,  which  have  in  part  preserved  their 
original  colours,  and  many  of  which  are  similar  to  shells 
now  found  in  the  sea,  as  if  to  prove  to  the  observer,  that 
this  clay  is  one  of  the  most  recent  formations  that  has 
been  distinguished  in  geology.  On  some  parts  of  the 
coast,  this  formation  contains  trunks  of  trees  half  decom- 
posed, and  not  only  impressions,  but  entire  strata  of 
plants  of  the  family  of  Aroidece,  several  individuals  of 
which  perfectly  resemble  the  Zostcra  marina .*  The 
upper  sand  is  sometimes  mixed  with  reddish  clay,  and 
remains  of  plants  are  found  there,  which  would  seem  to 
have  been  carbonized.  In  Northern  Jutland,  this  dilu- 
vial sand  does  not  appear  to  contain  any  remains  of  the 
bones  of  those  large  animals,  so  frequent  elsewhere  in 
similar  deposits ; but  in  several  other  parts  of  Denmark, 
these  remains  are  found  in  the  same  sand.  The 
savant  who  has  furnished  us  with  these  remarks, b asserts 
that  he  has  never  found,  but  in  one  place,  those  rolled 
blocks  of  granite,  which  are  supposed  to  have  been  torn 
from  the  Norwegian  mountains.  Another  savant®  is  of 
opinion,  that  these  masses  of  rock  have  been  conveyed 
to  Denmark  by  the  ice,  as  is  still  to  be  seen  in  some 
countries  farther  to  the  north.  What  proves  that  this 
sand  belongs  to  another  period  than  that  of  the  clay 
which  it  covers,  is,  that,  even  when  the  clay  presents 
an  irregular  or  undulated  appearance,  the  sand  is  always 
in  a horizontal  position.  In  the  VindsysscJ ,d  in  place 
of  the  sand  there  are  strata  of  peat  or  turf  of  a great 
extent,  which,  on  the  borders  of  the  sea,  are  covered  by 
the  sand  of  the  downs.  This  peat  forms  a good  article 
of  fuel.  The  island  of  Funen  presents  the  same  geo- 
logical organization  as  continental  Denmark  ; thus,  while 
the  upper  marine  sediments, e represented  by  the  blue 
clay  in  Jutland,  develope  themselves  in  Holstein  in  such 
a manner  as  to  present  in  the  hilly  part  of  that  dutchy, 
beds  of  stone  fit  for  building,  in  the  same  way,  chalk, 
clay,  coarse  limestonef  proper  for  building,  and  peat, 
may  be  found  in  Funen.  In  Zealand,  the  chalk  ap- 
pears to  have  again  undergone  the  action  of  water  since 
its  first  formation.  The  island  of  Bornholm,  which  is 
much  nearer  Sweden  than  Denmark,  differs  from  the 
latter  country  and  its  islands  ; there,  granite  rocks  sup- 

3PF.  [BOOK  OXLIX 

port  deposits  of  different  periods,  even  including  those 
which  belong  to  the  commencement  of  the  chalk  forma- 
tion. s After  the  view  we  have  just  given  of  the 
geological  constitution  of  Denmark,  it  will  excite  no  sur- 
prise to  learn  that  it  does  not  contain  any  metals  in 
sufficient  quantity  to  be  wrought. 

W e have  already  observed  that  the  straits  which  di 
vide  the  Danish  isles,  present  a difficult  navigation  ; we 
may  also  observe  that  shallows,  rapid  currents,  and 
short  and  precipitous  waves,  concur  to  render  the  whole 
coast  very  dangerous,  especially  that  of  Jutland.  The 
rivers  of  Jutland,  and  of  the  riutchies  of  Sleswick  and 
Holstein,  are  inconsiderable,  but  the  country  is  com- 
pensated for  this  loss  by  the  narrow  arms  of  the  seah 
which  penetrate  into  the  country  to  a great  distance, 
and  render  more  commodious  the  sea-ports  established 
there.  The  Danes  call  them  Fiords .*  Some  years 
ago,  the  most  important  was  the  Lym-Fiord, k in  the 
northern  part  of  Jutland:  its  entrance  was  into  the 
Cattegat,  and  it  terminated  at  a neck  of  land  washed 
by  the  North  Sea;  but  this  narrow  isthmus  could  not 
resist  the  violence  of  the  waves;  in  February  1825,  a 
breach  was  made  in  it,  and  the  Lym-Fiord,  which  to- 
wards the  west  takes  the  form  of  a large  lake,  in  the 
midst  of  which  rises  the  island  of  Mors,1  now  open  to 
the  east  and  west,  has  transformed  the  northern  extrem- 
ity of  Jutland  into  a long  and  irregular  island.  The 
opening  which  has  been  thus  made  is  unfortunately  of  no 
commercial  advantage  : it  is  not  navigable,  and  probably 
never  will  be  so,  for  it  would  occasion  an  expense  too 
considerable  to  finish  what  nature  has  begun.  The 
most  important  of  the  other  inlets  of  the  seam  are  the 
It ingle  ue b ing-  F i o rdn  and  the  Nissum-Fiord , on  the 
western  coast  of  the  Peninsula  ; the  Flcnsburg-Fiord0 
and  the  Schley ,p  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Sleswick  ; the 
Odensee-Fiord,1 1 on  the  north  side  of  Funen  ; and  last- 
ly, the  Ise-FiordT  and  the  Rceslcilde-Fiord ,s  on  the 
north  side  of  Zealand.  There  are  a great  number  of 
lakes  in  continental  Denmark,  and  in  its  islands.  Jut- 
land contains  twenty-five,  Sleswick  one,  and  Holstein 
three ; in  the  island  of  Zealand  they  count  at  least 
twelve,  and  several  are  also  to  be  seen  in  Funen.  It 
is  calculated  that  the  lakes  and  marshes  cover  a one 
and  twentieth  part  of  the  surface  of  Denmark,  and  that 
a seventy-eighth  part  is  occupied  by  the  channels  of 
rivers  ; so  that,  without  counting  the  bays,  inlets  of  the 

1 The  genus  Zostera  was  arranged  by  Jussieu,  in  his  Genera  Planta- 
rum,  in  the  family  of  Aroidece  ; it  is  at  present  arranged  in  the  family 
of  Fluviales  ( JYaiadcs , Juss.)  See  Lindley’s  Introd.  Nat.  Syst.  Bot.  p. 
287.  Amer.  Edit.— P. 

b Memoir  by  Dr.  Pingel,  on  the  diluvium  and  alluvium  of  Northern 
Jutland. 

c Geological  and  mineralogical  observations  on  Northern  Jutland, 
by  Dr.  BredsdorfF. 

d Wendsussel  [Dan.  Vendsyssel — syssel,  a district] — including  the 
north-eastern  part  of  the  peninsula  [now  island]  north  of  the  Lym-Fiord, 
and  extending  from  the  Scaw  to  that  gulf — so  called  from  the  ancient 
Wends.  (Hubner.) — P. 

e “ Scdimens  marins  superieurs” — Tertiary  marine  formations.  The 
French  geologists  call  the  tertiary  formations,  upper  sediments  (stdi- 
mens  superieurs,)  or  formations  of  upper  sediment  ( terrains  de  sedi- 
ment sup&ricur ,)  in  distinction  from  the  secondary  formations,  which 
they  call  lower  sediments  ( sidimens  infirieurs,)  or  formations  of  lower 
sediment  ( terrains  de  sidiment  infiricur.)  The  tertiary  deposits  here 
referred  to,  viz.  blue  clay  (London  clay)  and  coarse  limestone  ( calcaire 
yrossicr,)  belong  to  the  lower  tertiary  marine  formation  ; the  upper 
tertiary  marine  formation  consisting  of  marles,  sands,  and  sandstones. 
Of  the  deposits  found  in  Funen,  the  lowest  or  the  chalk,  also  the  sub- 
stratum in  Jutland,  is  the  uppermost  of  the  secondary  formations;  the 
clay  and  coarse  limestone  belong  to  the  lower  tertiary  marine  forma- 

tion,  (the  sand  above  the  clay  in  Jutland,  belonging  probably  to  the 
upper  tertiary  marine  formation  ;)  while  the  peat  is  an  alluvial  or  rather 
lacustrine  formation. — P. 
f “ Calcaire  grossier.” 

5 Geological  Observations  on  Scania  and  the  island  of  Bornholm, 
by  Mr.  Forchhammer. 

h “ Bays.” — Gulfs  (Tuckey.) — P. 

‘ In  Scotland,  Firths,  Freta.  Tr.  [Dan.  fiord;  S\ved.fja:rd;  Iceland- 
ic, fiordr — Lat. frclum,  plu .freta. — P.] 

k Gulf  of  Limfiord.  (Tuckey.  Ed.  Enc.  art.  Denmark.) — Gulf  of 
Lymfiord.  (Ed.  Enc.  art.  Jutland.) — P. 

1 Isle  of  Mor  (Tuckey) — Dan.  Morscec  (Mor’s  island.) — P 
m See  note  h. 

" Gulf  of  Rinkcehing  (Tuckey.) 

0 Gulf  of  Flensborg  (Tuckey  .) 

P The  Sley  (Morse.)  The  Sleye  (Ed.  Enc.)  Gulf  of  Slev  (Enc. 
Meth.)  Gulf  of  Slie  (Tuckey.  Vosgien.)  Du.  Schleistroom  (Hubner.) 
— Schley  is  the  German  orthography. — P. 
a Gulf  of  Odensee  (Ed.  Enc.) 

r The  Gulf  of  Isefiord.  divided  into  two  branches On  the  west 

branch  of  Isefiord  are  Nykoebing  and  Holbek.  and  at  the  head  of  the 
east  branch  is  Roskild,  the  ancient  capital  of  Denmark.  (Tuckey,  vol 
i.  p.  283— 4.)— P. 

* See  note  r and  also  note  01  p.  1070. — P 

book  cxlix.]  DESCRIPTION 

sea* 1 * * * *  and  canals,  the  waters  form  one  sixteenth  of  the 
surface  of  the  kingdom,  computed  at  2865  leagues,  of 
which  2210  belong  to  the  continent,  and  655  to  the 
islands.  The  three  principal  canals  in  Denmark  are, 
that  of  Odensee,  which,  although  of  small  extent,  is  im- 
portant to  the  commerce  of  that  town,  from  its  opening  a 
communication  with  the  Great  Belt  ; that  of  the  Stecke- 
nitz,  which  by  the  junction  of  that  branch  of  the  Trave 
with  the  Delvenau,  a feeder  of  the  Elbe,  connects  the 
latter  river  with  the  Baltic  ;b  and  the  canal  of  Sleswick- 
HoJstein,  the  largest  of  the  three,  which,  conveying  the 
waters  of  the  Eider0  to  the  gulf  of  Kiel,  unites  the  North 
Sea  with  the  Baltic.  Other  canals  are  projected,  with 
the  view  of  forwarding  the  commercial  relations  of  the 
kingdom. 

The  length  of  the  continental  provinces,  from  the 
course  of  the  Elbe,  which  forms  in  part  the  southern  limit 
of  the  dutchies  of  Holstein  and  Lauenburg,  to  Cape  Ska- 
gen  on  the  north,  which  separates  the  Cattegat  from  the 
strait  of  Skager-Rack,d  is  107  geographical  leagues  ; 
their  greatest  breadth  is  38  leagues,  and  their  smallest 
breadth  11.  In  the  widest  part  of  the  Danish  Peninsu- 
la, there  is  no  place  more  than  14  leagues  distant  from 
the  sea ; whence  it  happens,  that,  in  spite  of  its  situa- 
tion, at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  northern  tempe- 
rate zone,  the  climate  of  Denmark  is  warmer  than  its 
latitude  indicates.  The  abundance  of  its  waters,  and 
the  proximity  of  the  sea,  cover  the  country  with  va- 
pours and  humid  fogs ; during  the  winter,  the  thermom- 
eter descends  from  3 to  11  degrees,  and  during  the 
summer  it  rises  from  12  to  18  degrees;8  the  winds, 
whose  force  is  not  arrested  by  any  mountains,  usually 
disperse  the  exhalations  and  mists.  Under  this  foggy 
sky,  spring  does  not  adorn  itself  with  those  charms, 
which,  in  more  temperate  regions,  announce  the  revival 
of  nature  : during  this  season,  the  weather  is  by  turns 
humid,  tempestuous,  or  frosty/  Summer,  almost  always 
very  variable,  lasts  only  from  June  to  the  middle  of 
August : to  the  heat  of  the  day,  the  longest  of  which  is 
1 7 hours,  succeeds  the  coolness  of  the  night.  Autumn 
is  the  finest  of  the  seasons,  but  its  duration  is  short : 
the  cold  weather  returns  in  October,  and  the  month  of 
November  passes  in  cold  rains  and  in  storms.  Winter, 
subject  to  almost  incessant  snow  or  rain,  especially  in 
the  months  of  January  and  February,  rarely  however 
sees  the  coasts  covered  with  ice  : the  shortest  day  lasts 
about  seven  hours. 

The  constant  humidity  of  the  atmosphere  favours  vege- 
tation in  Denmark,  but  the  violence  of  the  tempests 
opposes  the  growth  of  forest-trees  ; a wind  from  the  north- 
west, called  skai,  whose  pernicious  breath  is  especially  felt 
in  May  and  June,  withers  the  tops  of  the  trees,  whilst  the 

1 “ Gulfs.” 

b The  Trave  has  a communication  with  the  Elbe  by  the  canal  of 
Steckenitz,  which  unites  the  little  river  of  that  name,  falling  into  the 
Trave,  with  the  Devenau,  a rivulet  emptying  into  the  Elbe  at  Lauen- 
burg. (Tuckey,  vol.  i.  p.  254.) — P. 

c Eyder  (Ed.  Enc.  Tuckey.) 

d See  note  p p.  1041. 

e “ During  winter,  the  thermometer  descends  to  3°  at  least,  and 
at  most  to  ll°  ; during  summer,  it  attains  an  elevation  of  from  12°  to 
18°” — i.  e.  supposing  the  scale  to  be  Reaumur’s,  it  descends  during 
winter,  at  least  to  25^°  Fahr.  (6^°  below  freezing,)  or  at  most  to  7 
Falir.  (24|°  below  freezing,)  and  ranges  during  summer,  between 
5!i°  Fahr.  (27°  above  freezing)  and  724°  Fahr.  (404°  above  freezing.)—. 
Though  the  thermometer,  in  general,  does  not  fall  beyond  12°  or  13° 
below  freezing,  nor  rise  to  more  than  25°  above  it,  yet  sometimes  the 


OF  DENMARK.  383 

west  wind  is  sufficiently  frequent  to  give  them  a very  mark- 
ed inclination.  Of  the  dark  and  gloomy  forests,  which,  in 
the  tenth  and  eleventh  centuries,  covered  the  peninsula 
of  Jutland,  there  now  only  remain  long  and  narrow  belts 
along  its  whole  eastern  coast  ; Holstein  has  only  pre- 
served a few  fragments  in  the  midst  of  its  heaths ; 
Lauenburg,  to  the  south  of  Holstein,  contains  the  forest 
of  Sachsenwald,  formerly  much  more  extensive.  In 
these  three  provinces,  the  woods  are  composed  of  the  ash, 
the  alder,  the  oak,  and  especially  the  birch  : the  pine  and 
the  fir  are  rare.  The  island  of  Funen  is  interspersed 
with  small  woods;  the  north-east  part  of  Zealand,  next 
the  borders  of  the  Sound,  and  the  island  of  Falster,  still 
contain  several  ; and  in  that  of  Bornholm,  there  are  to 
be  seen  forests  of  birch.  The  whole  of  the  woods  of 
Denmark  form  a surface  of  130  square  leagues.  Their 
improvident  destruction  near  the  sea-coast  has  exposed 
the  soil  to  invasion  from  the  sands. s On  the  coasts  grow 
the  common  glass-wort  ( Salsola  Soda)  ;h  the  juniper, 
the  myrtle,1  the  bramble,  and  several  other  berry-bear- 
ing shrubs,  border  the  high-ways  and  the  skirts  of  the 
woods  ; a plant  which  the  Danes  call  manna  (Festuca 
jluitans,  Linn.)k  throws  out  spontaneously  its  useful 
shoots  in  several  of  the  islands,  and  especially  in  that 
of  Laaland : the  grain  of  it  yields  very  good  meal. 
Several  other  indigenous  vegetables  are  found  useful  in 
medicine,  and  also  in  dyeing.  The  meadows  of  Den- 
mark present  a verdure  as  fresh  as  those  of  England : 
for  a long  time  the  cultivator  of  the  ground  has  been  in 
the  practice  of  increasing  its  value  by  draining  the 
marshes  and  multiplying  artificial  meadows.1 *  There  are, 
however,  on  the  western  coasts  of  South  Jutland  and 
Holstein,  pasturages  naturally  so  rich  and  so  fertile  as  to 
render  all  culture  superfluous.  In  Holstein,  Sleswick, 
and  Jutland,  they  cultivate  flax  and  hemp  ; but  although 
the  soil  there  has  been  found  to  suit  these  plants,  they 
are  yet  much  neglected.  In  Jutland  they  also  raise 
tobacco,  and  sow  a good  deal  of  buck-wheat. m The 
different  kinds  of  grain  succeed  everywhere  ; the  pro- 
duce, estimated  at  seven  millions  of  tons,”  or  at 
1,300,000,000  kilogrammes,  exceeds  the  wants  of  the 
population.  The  oats  of  Bornholm,  the  rye  of  Jutland, 
the  wheat  of  Laaland,  and  the  barley  of  Zealand,  Sles- 
wick and  Holstein,  are  everywhere  esteemed.  Potatoes, 
cumin  and  mustard,  as  well  as  other  useful  plants,8 
are  much  cultivated  ; and  the  kitchen-gardens  abound 
in  artichokes,  cauliflowers,  asparagus,  and  melons,  of  an 
excellent  quality.  These  plants  are  also  cultivated  in 
the  fields,  but  less  extensively  than  in  France  and  Ger- 
many. The  grape  does  not  ripen  except  in  hothouses  ; 
but  in  the  orchards,  if  peaches  and  apricots  are  rarer  than 
in  France,  the  inhabitants  find  an  ample  compensation 

heats  of  summer  are  very  intense,  and  there  are  occasionally  winters 
of  extreme  severity.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 “ Humidity  alternates  with  winds  and  frost.” 

s “ Downs  (dunes)” — sand  hills  on  the  sea  coast. 

h Salsola  Soda,  French  salt- wort  (Rees’  Cyc.) — The  Salsola  Kali 
(prickly  salt-wort)  is  the  more  common  species. — P. 

‘ “ Myrtille” — Vacdnium  Myrtillus,  common  Bilberry  or  Blaeberry 
of  Europe. — P.  k Floating  fescue  grass. 

1 “ Agriculturists  have  been  long  engaged  in  increasing  their  extent, 

by  draining  marshes  and  multiplying  artificial  meadows.” 

m The  sandy  ridge,  which  pervades  the  whole  length  of  Jutland,  is 

fit  only  for  oats  or  buckwheat.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

" Not  tons  Eng.,  but  tcender  or  barrels  Dan. — The  tasnde  of  Copen- 

hagen is  equal  to  about  34  bushels  Eng. — P. 

° “ Plantes  economiques” — plants  u««d  in  domestic  economy.—  P. 


384  EUR 

in  the  culture  of  the  plum,  the  cherry,  the  pear,  and 
especially  the  apple  : the  apples  of  Gravenstein  in  Sles- 
wick  are  much  celebrated  ; fruits  form  an  article  of  con- 
siderable export,  especially  to  Sweden  and  Russia. 

In  losing  their  vast  forests,  the  Danish  territory  and 
its  islands  have  witnessed  the  extinction  of  the  tribes  of 
the  larger  wild  animals  : the  wolf,  which  formerly  rav- 
aged this  country,  has  entirely  disappeared  ;a  the  wild 
boar  has  become  very  rare  ; the  stag  and  the  fallow  deer 
exist  only  in  parks  ; the  fox,  the  martin, b the  polecat,® 
the  rat,  and  several  other  small  quadrupeds,  are  the 
only  ones  that  do  injury  to  property,  from  the  circum- 
stance of  their  existing  in  great  numbers.  Game  is 
everywhere  abundant,  especially  on  the  coasts  of  Jut- 
land ; hares  are  in  demand  as  agreeable  food  ;d  wild 
geese  and  ducks,  partridges,  snipes,  and  thrushes,  peo- 
ple the  marshes  and  the  fields  ; swans  live  at  freedom  in 
the  gulf  of  Lym-Fiord  and  on  the  islands  of  Amak  and 
Bornholm,  which  they  do  not  quit  till  compelled  by  the 
severity  of  the  frost ; the  duck  known  under  the  name 
of  eider-duck,  lines  with  its  soft  down  the  nests  which  it 
makes  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks  and  precipices  ;e  the 
eagle  and  the  other  large  birds  of  prey  are  seldom  seen  ; 
they  seem  to  despise  a country,  which  offers  no  heights 
sufficiently  elevated  for  their  dwelling. 

Domestic  animals  form  the  principal  riches  of  Den- 
mark : geese  and  other  fowl  afford  a considerable  profit 
to  those  who  breed  them/  The  Danish  horses  are  of 
two  kinds  the  one,  small  but  vigorous,  abounds  in  the 
islands ; the  other,  large,  strong,  and  elegantly  shaped, 
is  peculiar  to  Jutland  and  Holstein,  and  sought  after  by 
strangers.  Horned  cattle  are  also  smaller  in  the  islands 
than  on  the  mainland  ; their  great  number,  as  well  as 
that  of  sheep,  whose  breed  has  undergone  the  most  im- 
portant amelioration  during  the  last  twenty  years,  by 
crossing  them  with  the  breeds  of  Spain  and  England, 
attest  the  progress  of  agriculture.  The  swine  of  Jut- 
land, sent  in  considerable  herds  into  Holstein,  form,  in 
that  dutchy,  a double  branch  of  industry,  being  fattened 
and  salted  for  foreign  export.  Lastly,  Denmark  has 
long  supplied  the  Continent  with  that  race  of  dogs  called 
Danish,  renowned  for  their  strength  and  their  fidelity, 
and  also  with  the  small  black-muzzled  dog  called  by  the 
French  Carling  so  much  sought  after  in  France  during 
the  last  twenty-five  years. 

Although  not  so  well  supplied  with  fish  as  those  of 
Norway,  yet  the  seas  that  wash  Denmark  amply  reward 

OPE,  [BOOK  CXLR 

the  active  fisherman.  They  not  only  furnish  a supply 
of  food  to  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants,  but  afford 
a surplus  for  exportation  : the  plaice  ( Pleuronectes  pla- 
tessa ),  which  is  taken  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cape 
Skagen,  is  sold  in  a dried  state  to  the  Lubeckers,  who 
pack  it  up  neatly  and  send  it  as  far  as  Italy  ; the  west- 
ern coast  of  Sleswick  and  Jutland  is  supplied  with  beds 
of  oysters  ; on  the  shores  of  the  Cattegat  they  catch 
abundance  of  lobsters  ; porpoises  and  sea-dogs1  are  fre- 
quently caught  in  the  nets  which  they  at  the  same  time 
injure  by  their  size  ; the  small  river  Slie  in  Sleswick 
furnishes  a species  of  herring  which  is  in  high  estima 
tion,k  and  that  of  Guden-A'a,1  the  most  considerable  in 
Jutland,  excellent  salmon. 

The  Dane  thus  finds  a certain  means  of  subsistence 
in  the  produce  of  the  soil,  in  the  animals  which  he  rears, 
and  in  the  fish  of  his  lakes,  rivers  and  seas.  He  ex- 
ports grain,  cheese,  wool,  salted  provisions,  tallow,  horse 
and  ox  hides,  feathers,  and  fish.  His  manufacturing  in- 
dustry supplies  besides,  as  articles  of  trade,  coarse  pot- 
tery, hosiery,  lace  and  cotton  stuffs  ; but  the  greater  part 
of  these  exports  have  been  diminishing  for  several  years 
back,  owing,  in  part  at  least,  to  the  restrictions  which 
custom-house  duties  impose  upon  commerce,  and  to  the 
obstacles  which  indirect  taxes  present  to  the  develop- 
ment of  industry.  Government  ought  to  encourage  the 
culture  of  hops,  woad  and  oleaginous  plants,  the  rearing 
of  bees,  the  improvement  of  wool,  and  the  making  of 
cheese. m 

With  the  exception  of  a few  thousand  Jews,  the  greater 
part  of  whom  are  established  at  Altona  and  Copenhagen, 
the  inhabitants  of  Denmark  descend,  as  has  been  already 
said,  from  one  of  those  ancient  nations,  whose  assem- 
blage forms  the  Germanic  stock.  The  idiom  which  is 
spoken  in  Jutland,  Sleswick,  and  the  Danish  archipela- 
go,0 is  a dialect  of  the  Scaldic  or  Scandinavian  language  ;° 
that  of  Holstein,  and  that  of  the  small  archipelago  lying 
near  the  western  coast  of  Sleswick, p are  two  dialects  of 
the  old  Saxon.  It  is  in  these  idioms  that  we  find  the 
signification  of  the  names  given  to  the  islands  and  prov- 
inces which  compose  Denmark.  The  name  of  this 
country  signifies  low  lands  ,-<i  Fionia/  a beautiful  coun- 
try; Laaland,  low  country;  and  Zealand,  a country 
surrounded  with  water.3  Belt  means  a girdle  :*  and  in 
point  of  fact,  the  two  Belts  are  long  and  narrow.  The 
name  of  Jutland  appears  to  be  merely  a corruption  of 
the  word  Gothland  :u  it  too  was  a country  of  the  Goths. 

a “ — appears  to  have  entirely  disappeared.”  The  wolves  are  re- 
duced to  a very  small  number.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b “ Martre” — Mustda.  martes,  Linn.  Pine  martin,  Pine  weasel,  or 
Yellow-breasted  martin. — P. 

c “ Fouine” — Mustela  foina,  Linn.  Common  martin,  or  White- 
breasted martin. — P. 

d “ The  hares  are  esteemed  for  their  delicate  flavour.” 

' “ Falaises” — bluffs. 

r Poultry  are  raised  in  great  numbers  in  Denmark,  particularly 
geese  and  ducks,  whose  feathers  form  an  important  article  of  com- 
merce.— P.  6 “ — belong  to  two  races”  (breeds.) 

k “ The  small  black-nosed  pug-dogs  ( carlins ) — ” Qu.  The  small 
Danish  dog,  leopard,  or  spotted  dog. — P.  ' Seals  ( Phoca  ritulina.) — P. 

k In  the  river  or  bay  of  Slie  [the  Sley  or  Schley,  on  which  Sleswick 
is  situated.  See  note  p p.  1062]  and  the  gulf  of  Flensburg,  are  taken 
a small  species  of  herring  of  excellent  quality.  Besides  what  are  con- 
sumed in  the  country,  they  export  annually  of  the  herrings  taken 
here,  nearly  1000  tons  to  Germany  and  Copenhagen.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 “ Guden-Aae” — Guden  river. — dae  (J.  Baden,  Ordbog,)  Aa  (L. 
llasse,  Handlex.,)  signifies  river,  in  Danish. — P. 

m See  the  work  of  J.  Collin,  counsellor  of  state,  entitled  : “ For  his- 
toric, og  statistik  isar  Fwdrdandets  [Contributions  to  History  and  Sta- 
tistics, particularly  to  tliose  of  Denmark,]”  vol.  ii.  Copenhagen,  1825. 

n A German  or  Low  Saxon  dialect  is  spoken  in  a part  of  Sleswick, 
and  a Frisian  dialect  on  the  western  coast  of  that  province,  and  in  the 
adjoining-  islands.  In  the  rest  of  Denmark  Proper,  the  language  is 
Danish. — P.  ° See  note  a p.  1036. 

p The  popular  language  of  Holstein  is  Low  Saxon  (Germ.  Platt 
Deutsch.) — The  language  of  the  islands  here  mentioned,  and  of  parts 
of  the  adjacent  mainland,  is  a dialect  of  the  Frisian  language,  other 
dialects  of  which  are  spoken  in  East  and  West  Friesland.  See  note 
P. 

a From  datm,  low,  and  mark,  fields.  [“From  daun,  below  [Eng. 
down.]  and  mark,  fields.” — Daun  is  not  a modern  Danish  word.  Mark 
signifies  field,  sing.,  in  Danish. — Denmark  is  said  to  be  derived  from 
dan  or  dann,  signifying  lowlands.  (N.  Am.  Rev.  No.  62.) — P.] 

r “ Fionie” — Funen  (Dan.  Fyen.) — Dan. fiin;  Swed .fin;  Icelandic, 

Jien  ; Eng  .fine. — P. 

5 The  ancient  name  of  this  island  was  Sia-Lvnd,  which  signifies  a 
forest  in  the  sea  ; from  sia,  sea,  and  hind,  forest.  [The  present  Danish 
name  is  Sjaland  (See  note  a p.  107?) — The  present  Danish  word  for 
sea,  is  sw  (Swed.  sja.)  Lund  now  signifies  rather  a grove  than  a 
forest. — P.] 

' Dan.  hcltc,  ba:Ite,  a girdle. — P. 

® Rather  a corruption  of  Jutcland,  from  the  Jutes,  its  original  inhab- 
itants. See  p.  10G1. — P. 



rook  cxlix.]  DESCRIPTION 

Holstein,  which  the  Hibernian  chronicles*  call  Ilolsatur- 
(and,  is  Holsatia  or  woody  Saxony .b  The  Danish  language, 
as  spoken  by  persons  of  education,  is  soft  and  harmonious  : 
what  distinguishes  it  chiefly  from  the  Swedish,  is  the  sub- 
stitution of  e in  place  of  a in  the  greater  part  of  words. 

The  climate  of  Denmark  is  not  injurious  to  the  health 
of  the  inhabitants,  as  is  proved  by  the  proportion  which 
the  population  bears  to  the  surface  of  the  country. 
Possibly,  however,  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere,  and 
the  quantity  of  salted  meat  and  fish  used  by  the  Danes, 
may  have  contributed  to  render  their  character  dull, 
patient,  and  difficult  to  move.  “ Formerly  an  insatiable 
conqueror,  now  brave  but  pacific  ; of  little  enterprise, 
but  laborious  and  persevering  ; diffident  but  proud,  hos- 
pitable but  not  officious ; cheerful  and  open  with  his 
countrymen,  but  somewhat  cold  and  ceremonious  to- 
wards strangers  ; loving  his  ease  more  than  show  ; more 
economical  than  industrious,  and  that  too  sometimes 
from  vanity,  and  sometimes  from  laziness ; an  imita- 
tor of  others,  a judicious  observer,  a profound  thinker, 
but  slow  and  minute  ; indued  with  an  imagination  more 
strong  than  rich  ; constant,  romantic  and  jealous  in  his 
affections  ; capable  of  great  enthusiasm,  but  rarely  of 
those  flashes  of  intellect,  or  sallies  of  wit,  which,  by 
their  unexpectedness,  demand  and  obtain  victory  and 
applause  ; strongly  attached  to  his  native  soil,  and  to 
the  interests  of  his  country,  but  caring  little  about  na- 
tional glory  ; accustomed  to  the  calm  of  monarchy,  but 
the  enemy  of  slavery  and  arbitrary  power  ; such  is  the 
portrait  of  the  Dane.”c  The  inhabitant  of  Holstein 
would  not  recognise  himself  in  this  portrait,  because  in 
effect  he  differs  in  many  respects  from  the  inhabitant  of 
Denmark ; he  is  economical  and  industrious  like  the 
Hollander,  and  not  less  bold  in  his  commercial  views. 
The  Dane  is  generally  middle-sized,  well-made,  fair, 
and  of  a mild  and  agreeable  physiognomy  ; the  native  of 
Holstein  rarely  displays  in  his  features  the  nobleness 
and  delicacy  of  northern  countenances.  In  both  na- 
tions, private  virtues,  morals  more  severe  in  reality  than 
in  appearance,  and  manners  polite  rather  than  refined, 
distinguish  the  higher  ranks  ; among  the  lower  ranks, 
the  love  of  order  is  not  a rare  quality,  excepting  with 
the  seaman,  who,  by  his  kind  of  life,  is  led  to  adopt  the 
vices  of  different  nations.  The  peasant  is  laborious  ; he 
dresses  himself  with  neatness,  loves  to  sing  and  to  dance, 

a “ Chroniques  irlandaises” — This  is  doubtless  a typographical  error 
( irlandaises  for  islandaises.)  It  should  be  : Icelandic  chronicles. — P. 
b Holz  signifies  wood  [in  German.] 

c Geogiv.phie  mathematique,  physique  et  politique,  &c.  tom.  ii. 
[This  refers  to  the  Geography  published  by  Malte-Brun  and  Mentelle 
( Gtog . math.  phys.  et  poL.  Paris  1804 — 7,  10  vol.  8vo.) — P.] 

d “ The  servitudes  ( corvies ) to  which  the  peasant  was  subjected — ” 
e “ Hereditary  leases  (bail,  hiriditaire.)” — The  great  proprietors,  in 
order  to  enable  the  peasants  the  better  to  improve  the  soil,  grant  them 
hereditary  leases.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f “ It  comprehends  also  the  study  of  their  national  language  and 
history,  geography,  and  natural  history.” 

s See  Extract  from  the  Report  to  the  king  of  Denmark,  inserted  in 
the  Revue  Encyclopedique  for  April  1828. 

h It  is  entitled  : Peders  Pors.  [ Peder  Paars  (Dan.)  (Enc.  Amer.) — 
Peter  Paars.  (Gorton.) — Pierre  Pors.  (Beauvais.)- — P.] 

■ Holberg  was  a native  of  Bergen  in  Norway. — P. 
k Christian  Pram,  born  in  Norway,  died  at  St.  Thomas,  W.  I.  1821 
— author  of  an  epic  poem  entitled  Stterkodder,  and  three  tragedies,  be- 
sides other  poems. — P. 

1 Thormodus  Torfinus  (Thormod  Torvesen,)  a native  of  Iceland — 
author  of  a history  of  the  Orcades,  and  another  of  Norway,  besides  many 
other  historical  works,  all  in  Latin. — P. 

m J.  Gram,  historiographer  and  royal  librarian,  a native  of  Aalborg 
m Jutland — author  of  several  critical  works  in  Latin. — P. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  54  40 


Ob  DENMARK.  385 

and  appears  to  be  happier  than  in  the  rest  of  Europe, 
and  especially  than  in  France.  He  has  become  a 
proprietor,  as  in  the  latter  country,  by  the  advantage 
which  the  disposal  of  seignorial  lands  in  small  portions 
offers  to  their  proprietors.  The  personal  services  due 
hy  the  peasantry  to  their  landlords11  have  been  long 
since  abolished,  or  an  annual  payment  substituted  in 
their  place  ; and  many  farms  are  let  on  perpetual  leases,® 
a circumstance  which  has  contributed  not  a little  to  the 
advancement  of  agriculture. 

There  is  much  more  education  in  Denmark  than  in 
France.  It  is  rare  to  meet  a peasant,  or  any  other  of 
the  lower  class,  who  cannot  read.  In  1822,  govern- 
ment permitted  the  introduction  of  the  system  of  mutu- 
al instruction  into  the  elementary  public  schools  : the  suc- 
ceeding year,  the  number  of  schools  which  had  adopted 
this  method  amounted  to  244,  and  in  the  beginning  of 
1829,  it  was  about  2500.  At  that  date  there  were 
reckoned  in  all  more  than  4500  primary  schools,  of 
which  400  were  private.  This  rapid  progress  is  due  to 
the  zeal  of  the  Society  for  Elementary  Instruction 
established  at  Copenhagen.  In  Denmark,  this  instruc- 
tion is  not  confined,  as  in  France,  to  reading,  writing,  arith- 
metic, and  religious  instruction  ; it  comprehends  also  his- 
tory, geography,  and  natural  history/ e The  higher  studies 
enjoy  the  same  favour  as  the  earlier  branches  of  education. 

Many  learned  men  and  writers  of  distinction  have 
added  celebrity  to  the  Danish  nation.  Holberg,  a com- 
ic author,  has  enriched  the  national  literature  with  a 
heroi-comic  poem,  regarded  as  classical  by  his  country- 
men ;h  his  comedies  have  procured  for  him  the  surname 
of  the  Plautus  of  the  North.1  Pram  has  made  himself 
known  by  a fine  epic  poem,  and  by  some  good  tragedies/ 
Thormodus-Torfoeus,1  Gram,™  Langebeck,®  Schjonning,0 
and  some  others,  have  employed  the  resources  of  a vast 
erudition  in  the  study  of  the  history  and  antiquities  of  the 
north.  Mailing,  among  the  historians,  has  distinguished 
himself  by  the  elegance  of  his  style.  We  are  indebted 
for  several  philosophical  treatises  to  Boye,  Gamborg  and 
Treschow,  the  last  of  whom  has  refuted  the  opinions  of 
Kant.  Among  the  men  who  have  cultivated  with  suc- 
cess the  physical  and  natural  sciences,  Laurensberg, 
Steno,  and  Gaspard  Thomas,  have  left  valuable  works 
on  mineralogy  ;P  Erasmus  Bartholin^  discovered  the 
double  refraction  of  that  variety  of  carbonate  of  lime,  call- 


n “ Gram-Langebeck” — an  error  faithfully  copied  by  the  translator. 
— James  Langebeck,  a native  of  the  diocese  of  Aalborg  in  Jutland, 
appointed  keeper  of  the  royal  archives — author  of  different  historical 
works  in  Danish,  German  and  Latin,  but  best  known  for  his  historical 
collection  : Scriptores  Rerum  Danicarum  medii  mvi,  7 vols.  fol.,  only 
three  of  which  were  published  before  his  death. — P. 

0 Schjcenning. — Gerard  Schoening  or  Schioening.  (Beauvais.) 

P Qu.  Should  not  this  read  : “ Laurenberg,  Steno,  and  Caspar  (Gas- 
pard) and  Thomas  Bartholine,  have  left  valuable  works  on  medicine.” 
— Steno  and  the  Bartholines  are  well  known  as  medical  writers,  par- 
ticularly as  anatomists.  There  were  three  physicians  of  the  name  of 
Laurenberg  (Peter,  John  and  William,)  of  some  note  for  their  writings, 
particularly  Peter  Laurenberg.  I cannot  find  any  notice  of  any  such 
mineralogical  writers  as  are  mentioned  in  the  text,  in  which  the  trans- 
lator has  faithfully  followed  the  original.  I merely  find  it  stated  that 
William  Laurenberg  wrote  an  historical  description  of  the  eagle-stone 
(cctitcs,)  then  celebrated  for  its  magico-medical  virtues,  (Descriptio  his- 
torica  atitis,)  that  Caspar  Bartholine  wrote  a dissertation  on  the  ne- 
phritic stone  and  the  most  remarkable  amulets  (Dissert,  de  lapide  ne 
phritico  ct  prcecipuis  amuletis,)  that  Thomas  Bartholine,  father  and  son, 
each  wrote  a paper  on  the  Iceland  crystal,  and  that  Steno  wrote  a 
treatise  on  myology  (Myologia  Specimen.) — P. 

4 Lat.  Bartholinus — Bartholine,  in  English  authors. — P. 


386  EUR 

ed  Iceland  spar  ;a  Pontoppidan,  bishop  of  Bergen  in 
Norway,  has  made  us  acquainted  with  the  minerals  of 
Denmark  and  Norway  ; Briinnich  first  composed  in 
Danish  a manual  of  mineralogy  ;b  Abildgaard,  a learned 
physician,  wrote  on  minerals  and  animals;  Winslow 
passes  for  the  founder  of  descriptive  anatomy;  Borch,c 
at  once  a physician,  chemist  and  philologist,  has  left 
numerous  writings;  Thomas  Bartholin, d the  author  of 
a multitude  of  works,  was  considered  the  first  physician 
of  his  age  ; Fabricius,  so  celebrated  as  an  entomologist, 
has  carried  the  torch  of  his  genius  into  many  questions 
of  natural  history  and  political  economy.  If  so  many 
distinguished  names  are  not  enough  for  the  glory  of 
Denmark,  let  us  remember  that  the  name  of  Tycho 
Brahe  alone  throws  a lustre  on  this  country.  It  is  less 
rich  in  celebrated  artists,  a natural  consequence  of  the 
small  number  of  large  fortunes  in  Denmark ; several 
Danes,  however,  more  alive  to  glory  than  to  the  favours 
of  fortune,  have  obtained  a name  in  painting,  engraving 
and  sculpture. 

Previous  to  the  year  1660,  the  constitution  of  Den- 
mark was,  like  that  of  Norway  and  Sweden,  a limited 
and  elective  monarchy.  The  sovereign  was  elected  by 
the  States-General,  consisting  of  the  nobility,  clergy, 
and  commons, — the  last  including  burgesses  and  peas- 
antry. This  has  been  admitted  by  all  historians,  and 
the  memorable  answer  of  Waldemar  III.  in  the  four- 
teenth century  to  the  Pope’s  nuncio,  who  was  attempt- 
ing to  assume  authority  in  the  kingdom,  may  be  here 
quoted  to  show  the  opinion  of  royalty  itself  in  a matter, 
where,  had  not  the  fact  been  indubitable,  silence  would 
have  been  preserved.  “ Our  nature,”  says  the  prince, 

“ we  have  from  God,  our  kingdom  from  our  subjects, 
our  wealth  from  our  parents,  and  our  religion  from  the 
Church  of  Rome,  which  last  we  are  willing  to  renounce, 
if  you  envy  us  the  felicity  it  brings.”  The  king  was  in 
general  chosen  from  the  royal  family,  but  without  re- 
gard to  hereditary  succession  ; and,  if  he  conducted  him- 
self in  opposition  to  the  laws  and  constitution,  the  States 
made  no  difficulty  of  bringing  him  to  trial,  and  deposing, 
banishing,  imprisoning,  and  even  putting  him  to  death, 
if  occasion  required.  The  laws  required  that  frequent 
convocations  of  the  States  should  be  held,  and  by  them 

OPE.  [COOK  CXI.IX 

all  matters  connected  with  government  were  transacted, 
questions  as  to  peace  or  war,  the  imposition  of  taxes, 
the  enactment  of  new  laws,  and  abolition  or  alteration 
of  the  old.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  king  to  see  the  laws 
well  administered,  and  justice  done  impartially  to  all,  to 
command  the  army  in  time  of  war,  and  to  prevent  one 
order  in  the  State  from  usurping  power  over  the  other 
orders.  He  had  no  support  from  the  people,  and  his  rev- 
enue arose  entirely  from  his  own  estate,  from  the  crown 
lands,  as  they  might  be  called.  But  since  1660,  Denmark 
has  been  a hereditary  monarchy,  submissive  to  the  most 
absolute  authority  that  exists  in  Europe,  having  no  other 
limits  than  the  will  of  the  prince.  The  revolution  took  its 
rise  from  the  usurpations  of  the  nobility,  and  the  advan- 
tage taken  by  the  reigning  prince  of  the  discontents  that 
arose  out  of  these  usurpations.  The  States,  which 
ought  to  have  been  frequently  called  together,  were 
seldom  convoked,  and  the  nobility,  who  had  taken  ad- 
vantage of  this  circumstance  to  increase  their  own  privi- 
leges, and  incroach  upon  those  of  others,  were  not  anx- 
ious that  assemblies  should  be  called,  which  might 
reduce,  or  attempt  to  reduce  the  power  they  had  unjustly 
acquired.  The  grand  cause  of  offence  was  their  having 
contrived,  in  the  imposition  of  taxes,  to  lay  the  great 
burden  of  these  taxes  upon  others,  and  to  free  them- 
selves almost  entirely  from  that  burden,  under  the  pre- 
text of  the  peculiar  privileges  of  their  order.  To  per- 
petuate this  state  of  things,  partial  assemblies  of  the 
States  were  convoked,  and  the  clergy  and  commons 
came  to  be  considered  as  mere  cyphers  in  the  govern- 
ment, the  whole  power  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
aristocracy,  and  some  creatures  of  the  court.  The 
Senate,  for  so  it  appears  was  the  States-General  called,® 
which  exercised  without  responsibility,  what,  under  the 
circumstances  mentioned,  became  an  usurped  power, 
lost  with  time  the  imposing  character  which  had  long 
drawn  to  it  the  respect  of  the  nation/  It  is  in  a politi- 
cal crisis,  such  as  this,  that  we  can  judge  of  the  real 
strength  of  a government.  When  it  has  not  for  its 
foundation  the  interests  of  the  whole,  it  resembles  a frail 
scaffolding,  which  a breath  of  wind  can  overturn.  The 
war  declared  against  Sweden  by  Denmark  [in  1657] 
drew  upon  the  latter  kingdom  the  disasters  of  an  inva- 

* “ Spath  d’lrlande" — spath  of  Ireland  (Trans.) — Irlande,  in  the 
original,  is  merely  a typographical  error  for  Islande  (Iceland.) — P. 

b Brunnich  wrote  an  elementary  work  on  zoology  ( Zoologia  Funda- 
mcnta)  in  Latin  and  Danish. — P. 

c Dan.  Olav  Borcli — Lat.  Glaus  Borricliius — died  1090. — P. 
d See  note  i p.  1065. 

e The  Senate  was  a body  entirely  distinct  from  the  States-General, 
as  is  stated  in  the  original.  (See  note  f.)  It  was  in  fact  an  execu- 
tive council,  in  which,  with  the  king,  the  executive  authority  was 
vested.  As  it  had  by  the  constitution,  no  legislative  authority,  which, 
together  with  the  right  of  electing  the  sovereign,  was  vested  in  the 
States,  the  right  which  it  assumed  of  voting  the  laws,  during  the  dis- 
continuance of  the  assemblies  of  the  States  (diets.)  as  stated  in  the 
original  (see  note  f,)  was  obviously  an  usurpation. — Before  the  revo- 
lution in  1000,  the  right  of  electing  the  sovereign,  and  the  supreme 
legislative  authority,  resided  in  the  three  estates  of  the  kingdom,  the  no- 
bles, the  clergy,  and  the  commons,  assembled  in  a diet  by  means  of  rep- 
resentatives. The  executive  power  was  vested  in  the  king  and  sen- 
ate, the  latter  composed  of  the  principal  nobles.  The  king  was  little 
more  than  president  of  the  senate,  and  commander  of  the  army,  the  royal 
prerogative  being  circumscribed  by  the  charter  of  rights,  always  ratified 
by  the  sovereign  at  his  accession.  It  was  the  custom  also  for  the  states 
to  communicate  their  plans  or  wishes  respecting  the  subjects  on  which 
the  diet  was  convoked,  to  the  king  through  the  senate;  but  this  was 
disregarded,  during  the  diet  that  brought  about  the  revolution,  by  the 
clergy  and  commons,  who  then  communicated  directly  with  the  king. 

(Ed.  Enc.) — When  the  Christian  religion  was  established  in  Denmark, 
the  clergy  were  admitted,  not  only  to  be  an  order  of  the  states,  but 
also  to  have  seats  in  the  senate.  (Guthrie.) — After  the  reformation,  the 
estates  of  the  clergy  having  been  annexed  to  the  royal  domains,  they 
of  course  lost  much  of  their  temporal  influence,  and  being  commoners 
by  birth,  were  no  longer  admitted  to  the  senate,  which  at  the  time  of 
the  revolution  was  monopolized  by  the  nobility. — P. 

1 ; ‘ Denmark  had,  for  several  centuries,  like  Sweden  and  Norway, 
been  an  elective  monarchy,  in  which  the  power  of  the  sovereign  was 
restricted  by  a national  assembly;  but  since  1001,  it  has  been  an 
hereditary  monarchy,  subject  to  the  most  absolute  authority  that  ex- 
ists in  Europe,  since  it  has  no  other  limits  than  the  will  of  the  prince. 
Before  the  revolution  by  which  this  change  was  effected,  the  govern- 
ment resided  in  the  States-General,  composed  of  the  nobility,  the 
clergy,  the  citizens  (burgesses,)  and  the  peasantry,  and  in  the  royal 
authority  ; but  the  States  were  rarely  convoked,  and  the  nobility,  care- 
less of  the  public  interests,  did  not  desire  that  an  assembly  should  be 
called  together,  in  which  they  exercised  but  a limited  influence.  The 
senate  became  then,  in  fact,  the  only  depository  of  a part  of  the  au- 
thority. Its  members,  who  wore  nearly  all  dispersed  in  the  provinces 
as  governors,  assembled  once  a year  to  vote  the  laws,  in  concert  with 
certain  court  personages.  This  senate,  which  exercised  without  re- 
sponsibility, and  without  any  legal  right,  an  usurped  authority,  lost  in 
time  the  imposing  character  which  had  long  secured  to  it  the  respect 
of  the  nation.” — This  is  all.  in  the  original,  that  corresponds  to  the  pre- 
ceding part  of  the  paragraph. — P. 

-- --J 

».doic  oxLix.]  DESCRIPTION 

sion,  [in  which  Copenhagen  was  twice  besieged*  by 
Charles  Gustavus,b  king  of  Sweden,  and  only  saved 
from  destruction  by  the  heroism  of  Frederick  III.,  and 
the  sudden  death  of  the  king  of  Sweden.]  Peace  was 
soon  concluded,  but  several  provinces  were  lost,®  the 
public  treasury  was  greatly  in  debt,  the  fields  were  deso- 
lated, industry  and  commerce  had  received  a fatal  blow, 
the  collection  of  the  taxes  was  embarrassed,  the  troops 
demanded  the  arrears  of  their  pay,  and  the  navy  stood  in 
need  of  urgent  repairs  : discontent  was  general.  It  was  in 
this  state  of  matters,  that,  towards  the  end  of  the  year 
1660,d  an  assembly  of  the  States  was  convoked.  That,  at 
this  time,  the  court  meditated  a great  change,  is  proved 
by  the  fact  that  the  order  of  the  peasantry  was  not  repre- 
sented in  this  assembly,  which  was  made  up  of  deputies 
from  the  clergy,  nobility  and  burgesses.  The  nobility 
renewed  their  old  pretensions  to  supremacy  ; the  clergy, 
jealous  of  the  nobility,  vowed  to  see  that  order  humbled  ; 
the  burgesses  of  Copenhagen,  proud  of  the  confidence 
which  had  been  expressed  towards  them  by  the  govern- 
ment,® and  full  of  hope  in  expectation  of  future  favours, 
manifested  their  devotion  to  the  crown.  They  called  to 
mind  the  dangers  which  the  monarch  [Frederick  III.] 
had  encountered  during  the  siegesI * * 4 * * * * * * II * 1"  of  the  capital,  and 
the  traits  of  character  by  which  he  had  acquired  a great 
popularity.  While  his  subjects  were  in  this  state  of 
mind,  the  prince  affected  to  know  nothing  about  what 
was  in  agitation,  but  the  agents  of  the  court  took  their 
measures  in  secret.  Already  some  influential  men  in  the 
three  orders  had  been  gained,  when  the  assembly  un- 
dertook to  examine  the  means  of  remedying  the  calami- 
ties which  overwhelmed  the  country.  The  nobility 
proposed  a tax  upon  articles  of  consumption,  in  which 
they  consented  to  bear  their  part,  but  with  so  many 
restrictions,  that  the  burden  would  have  been  insupport- 
able by  all  classes,  themselves  excepted  this  was  the 
signal  for  dissension.11  While  the  discussion  was  going 
on  between  the  nobles  and  the  clergy,  the  latter,  in  con- 
junction with  the  burgesses,  drew  up  memorials,  in 
which,  for  the  first  time,  transpired  ideas  of  hereditary 


I Copenhagen  was  thrice  besieged  by  Charles  Gustavus.  Although 
the  Danes  defended  themselves  with  great  energy,  the  first  siege  was, 

however,  raised  by  the  mediation  of  Cromwell’s  envoy,  Meadows,  and 

the  two  latter  by  the  Dutch  fleet.  Advantage  was  taken  of  Charles’ 
death,  which  occurred  soon  after  the  last  siege  was  raised,  to  conclude 
a treaty  (March  1GG0.) — P. 

4 Charles  X. 

c The  provinces  of  Scania,  Halland,  and  Bleking,  at  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Scandinavian  Peninsula.  Trans.  [By  this  treaty  (1660), 
the  island  of  Rugen,  and  the  provinces  of  Bleking,  Halland  and  Scho- 
nen,  were  ceded  to  Sweden. — P.] 

d Sept.  8lh,  16G0. — P. 

e Several  of  the  rights  of  nobility  had  been  granted  to  the  citizens 
of  Copenhagen,  as  a reward  for  their  patriotic  and  gallant  behaviour 
during  the  siege.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f “ Siege.” — Here,  as  in  the  passage  quoted  from  the  Ed.  Enc. 

(note  ',)  no  distinction  is  made  between  the  different  sieges  of  the 
capital,  but  the  whole  are  considered  as  one.  In  fact,  the  Swedish 
army  remained,  during  the  whole  time,  on  the  island  of  Zea- 
land, and  the  sieges  were  raised  only  by  foreign  intervention. 
They  may  indeed  be  considered  only  as  three  acts  of  the  same 
drama. — P. 

s They  offered  to  contribute  equally  to  this  tax ; but  when  their 
offer  was  explained,  it  was  found  in  fact  to  amount  to  almost  nothing. 
They  consented  to  pay  this  tax  only  when  they  were  in  town,  and  not 
at  all  while  they  resided  on  their  own  estates ; nor  would  they  subject 
themselves  to  it,  even  with  this  limitation,  for  a longer  period  than 
three  years,  while  they  insisted  that  the  farmers  (peasantry)  should 
pay  it  as  a permanent  tax,  and  to  its  full  amount.  (Ed.  Ejie.) — P. 

II  “ The  senate  made  common  cause  with  the  nobility,  and  thus 
completely  destroyed  the  last  remains  of  its  popularity.” — This  is 


OF  DENMARK.  387 

monarchy,  which  found  partisans  among  the  public,  but 
especially  in  the  court.  The  proposal  of  a stamp-duty' 
increased  the  confusion  ; murmurs  were  heard  from 
amongst  all  the  three  orders  ; one  of  the  influential 
deputies  of  the  burgesses  ventured  to  propose  hereditary 
succession,  “with  a view,”  he  added,  “that  the  king 
might  be  master  the  same  motion  was  made  amongst 
the  clergy,  and  it  was  adopted  by  these  two  orders. 
At  first  the  nobility  refused  their  concurrence,  but 
writings  being  circulated  in  which  their  privileges  were 
vigorously  attacked,  in  the  end  they  gave  their  consent 
to  this  important  change.11  The  making  the  succession 
to  the  crown  hereditary  nullified  the  agreement1  which 
the  king  had  signed  on  his  coming  to  the  throne  ; be- 
sides, great  alterations  became  necessary  in  the  relations 
that  were  to  exist  between  the  Crown  and  the 
States,  and  the  burgesses  were  anxious  to  rise  above 
the  state  of  political  nullity,  in  which,  by  means  of 
the  assemblies  having  been  convened  only  at  remote 
intervals,  they  had  hitherto  been  held.  In  the  mean 
time  their  minds  were  too  much  agitated  to  be  able 
to  examine,  with  the  necessary  prudence,  the  ques- 
tions relative  to  a new  constitution  ; it  was  therefore 
decided  that  this  important  matter  should  be  intrusted 
to  a committee,  and,  in  order  that  the  nomination  of  this 
committee  might  not  be  influenced  by  the  general 
agitation,  the  appointment  of  the  members  was  left 
to  the  king.  This  committee,  unanimous  as  to  the 
nullity  of  the  oath  that  had  been  taken  by  the  king,  could 
not,  whether  under  a pretext,  or  from  a real  difference 
of  opinion,  come  to  any  agreement  as  to  the  terms  of 
the  new  constitution  ;m  the  bishop  of  Zealand,  one  of 
the  members  gained  by  the  court,  then  moved  that  the 
decision  of  a question,  in  which  those  interested  found 
so  much  difficulty  in  coming  to  an  agreement,  should  be 
left  to  the  impartiality  of  the  king.n  The  three  orders 
approved  of  this  motion  ; they  put  a new  oath  into  the 
hands  of  their  now  hereditary  monarch,0  and  in  order  to 
give  more  solemnity  to  this  imposing  ceremony,  the 
order  of  the  peasantry  was  convoked,  but  merely  to  join 


omitted  by  the  translator,  as  not  agreeing  with  his  mistaken  notion  of 
that  body.  See  note  e p.  1066. — P. 

' “ — of  an  edict  for  levying  a stamp  tax.” 

k The  nobility  having  farther  irritated  the  other  orders,  by  materially 
altering  a tax  bill  which  had  been  sent  to  them,  the  bishop  of  Copen- 
hagen immediately  proposed  to  his  order  to  sign  a declaration,  making 
the  crown  hereditary  in  the  royal  family.  This  proposal  was  readily 
accepted  ; the  declaration  was  signed  by  the  clergy,  sent  to  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  people,  who  as  readily  gave  their  sanction  to  it, 
and  on  the  very  same  day  transmitted  to  the  speaker  of  the  nobles,  to 
receive  the  concurrence  of  that  order.  The  nobles,  being  now  alarm- 
ed, proposed  to  Frederick,  that  the  crown  should  be  hereditary  in  the 
male  line  only  ; but  this  proposal  was  rejected  by  the  king.  On  the 
next  day,  this  order  found  itself  under  the  necessity  of  acceding  to  the 
declaration.  (Ed.  Enc.) — After  the  clergy  and  the  citizens  had  formed 
their  resolution,  they  went  in  a body  to  the  hall  of  the  nobles,  where 
John  Nansen,  chief  of  the  order  of  citizens,  after  enumerating  the  evils 
of  the  state,  and  the  important  services  rendered  by  the  king,  proposed 
that  the  crown  should  be  hereditary  in  his  family. — P. 

1 “ Capitulation.” — The  Danish  kings  signed  a capitulation  or  char- 
ter on  their  accession  to  the  throne — a species  of  contract  between  the 
king  and  the  people,  defining  and  limiting  his  power,  and  determining 
the  privileges  of  the  different  orders.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

m “ — as  to  the  form  of  a new  capitulation.” 

" In  the  midst  of  the  clamorous  debates,  arising  from  the  differ- 
ence of  opinion  as  to  the  terms  of  the  capitulation,  the  bishop  of  Zea- 
land (Copenhagen)  suddenly  proposed,  that  the  crown  should  be  made 
hereditary,  without  any  stipulation  or  condition  ; this  was  agreed  to, 
only  with  the  exception,  that  the  right  of  primogeniture,  and  the  in 
divisibility  of  the  monarchy,  should  be  guarded.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

° “ They  took  a new  oath  to  the  new  hereditary  monarch — ” 


EUROPE. 


388 


[BOOK  CXU 


1 


X 


their  oath  to  that  of  the  other  orders.  To  the  pomp  of 
festivals  and  great  entertainments  succeeded  the  delibera- 
tions of  the  Slates  upon  the  privileges  which  they  ought 
to  preserve  ; the  agitation,  the  hesitation  and  the  exas- 
peration of  the  parties  were  greater  than  they  ever  had 
been,  and  at  last,  worn  out  or  corrupted,  the  States  re- 
nounced their  rights.  A solemn  act  of  January  10th, 
1661,  declared  that  the  king  was  invested  for  ever  with 
absolute  power.®  [It  is  remarked  by  an  old  writer, 
“ that  this  is  the  only  legal  absolute  monarchy,  perhaps, 
in  the  world  ; the  king  being  declared  so  by  the  States  of 
the  kingdom,  who  had  that  power  by  the  constitution.” 
Was  this  deed  irrevocable  ?bjc 

Four  years  after  this  extraordinary  event,  the  reign- 
ing sovereign  (Frederic  III.)  issued  a decree,  bearing 
date  14th  Nov.  1665,J  regulating  the  order  of  the  suc- 
cession, and  declaring  what  the  new  constitution  of  the 
kingdom  was.  One  article  of  this  decree  declares,  that 
“ the  hereditary  kings  of  Denmark  and  Norway  shall  be, 
and  indeed  ought  to  he,  looked  upon  by  all  their  subjects 
as  the  only  supreme  chiefs  which  they  have  upon  the  earth. 
They  shall  be  above  all  human  laws  ; and  shall  acknowl- 
edge, in  all  ecclesiastical  and  civil  affairs,  no  other  judge 
or  superior  than  God  alone.”  By  another,  it  is  declared, 
“ the  king  alone  shall  have  the  right  of  imposing  taxes, 
and  of  raising  contributions  of  all  kinds  ; since  it  is  clear 
that  we  can  only  defend  kingdoms  and  provinces  with 
armies,  and  maintain  troops,  by  means  of  supplies  which 
are  levied  upon  the  subjects.”  It  is  also  declared,  that 
“ the  king  shall  not  be  obliged,”  on  coming  to  the 
throne,  “ to  take  any  oath,  or  to  make  any  engagement, 
under  whatever  name  or  title  it  may  be,  since  in  quali- 
ty of  a free  and  absolute  monarch,  his  subjects  cannot 
impose  on  him  the  necessity  of  an  oath,  or  prescribe  any 
conditions  which  limit  his  authority.”®  f 

In  terms  of  the  same  decree,  the  king  is  major  on 
completing  his  13th  year.s  He  presides  in  the  council 
of  state,  which  takes  special  cognizance  of  all  matters 

* On  the  16th  of  October  1660,  the  three  estates  annulled,  in  the 
most  solemn  manner,  the  capitulation  or  charter  signed  by  the  king  at 
his  accession,  absolved  him  from  his  engagements,  cancelled  all  the 
limitations  imposed  on  his  sovereignty,  and  on  the  following  day, 
closed  the  whole  by  the  public  ceremony  of  doing  homage,  and  of 
taking  the  new  oath  of  allegiance ; but  the  three  orders  did  not  sign  a 
separate  act,  consenting  that  the  crown  should  be  hereditary,  invest- 
ing the  sovereign  with  absolute  power,  and  giving  him  the  right  to 
regulate  the  succession  and  the  regency,  till  the  10th  of  January  1661, 
nor  even  after  this,  was  the  new  constitution  explained  or  sanctioned 
by  any  promulgated  law,  till  the  accession  of  Christian  V.  in  1670. 
This  law,  called  the  royal  law,  was  drawn  up  by  the  bishop  of  Zealand 
and  Count  Griffenfeld,  and  received  the  king’s  sanction  on  the  14th 
of  November  1665,  but  was  kept  in  the  royal  archives  till  the  period 
above  mentioned  [1670.]  (Ed.  Enc.) — It  is  well  known  that  this  revo- 
lution was  brought  about  by  the  clergy  and  commons,  for  the  purpose 
of  punishing  the  insolence  and  oppression  of  the  nobility,  and  of  com- 
pelling them  to  bear  an  equal  part  in  the  burdens  of  the  state.  It  was 
the  intention  and  expectation  of  the  lower  orders  that  the  power  de- 
posited with  the  king,  should  have  been  restored,  with  a more  equal 
distribution  of  rights,  to  the  people.  In  this,  however,  the  monarch 
proved  too  crafty  for  his  subjects  ; but  as  if  in  return  for  their  surrender 
of authority,  he  and  his  successors  have  so  administered  affairs,  as  to  have 
rendered  themselves,  perhaps,  the  most  popular  sovereigns  in  Europe. 
The  liberation  of  the  peasants  (1787,)  the  encouragement  of  learning 
and  general  education,  particularly  the  recent  extension  of  the  sys- 
tem of  mutual  instruction,  and  in  general,  the  mild  and  equitable  ad- 
ministration of  the  laws,  are  so  many  proofs  that  the  government  has 
not  forgotten  the  source  from  which  its  absolute  authority  is  de- 
rived.— P. 

b By  one  of  the  articles  of  the  royal  law,  the  king  may  annul  all 
laws,  which  either  he  or  his  predecessors  shall  have  made,  excepting 
this  royal  law,  which  must  remain  irrevocable,  and  be  considered  as 
the  fundamental  law  of  the  state.  (Ed.  Enc.) — It  is  obvious,  however, 


of  consequence.  The  different  ministerial  functions  are 
exercised  by  colleges  or  councils  with  presidents  :h  the 
college  or  council  of  the  chancellorship 1 has  the  admin- 
istration of  justice,  general  police,  the  church,  public 
instruction,  and  all  that  regards  the  interior  of  the  king- 
dom ; that  of  the  finances  lays  on  taxes, k watches  over 
all  the  pecuniary  affairs  of  the  state,  and  has  under  its 
administration  the  exchequer,  the  revenues,  crown  lands, 
&c.  the  college  of  economy  and  trade  has  under  its 
care  manufactures  and  whatever  regards  industry.™  The 
bailiffs  have  nearly  the  same  power  as  the  prefects  in 
France  ;n  a supreme  court,  in  which  the  king  himself 
sometimes  presides,  determines  civil  and  criminal  causes 
in  the  last  resort : the  punishment  of  death  is  very  rare- 
ly pronounced. 

The  clergy  do  not  form  a separate  order  : the  only 
distinct  classes  in  the  state  are  the  nobility,  the  bur- 
gesses, and  the  peasantry.  Every  royal  functionary 
belongs  to  the  class  of  nobles.  The  counts  and  barons 
enjoy  great  privileges  : these  titles,  and  some  others,  are 
subjected  to  a tax,  called  the  tax  upon  rank  ; and  the 
honour  of  being  styled  his  excellency  >s  given  to  those 
who  choose  to  pay  for  it.  The  nobles  have  preserved 
many  peculiar  rights,  which,  however,  vary  in  the 
Danish  and  German  provinces ;°  thus,  in  Holstein  and 
Lauenburg,  where  their  ancient  constitution  has  been 
guaranteed  by  the  Germanic  diet,  the  noblesse  exercise 
supreme  power  in  their  own  domains ; on  the  other 
hand,  the  Frieslanders  of  the  islands  which  border  the 
western  coast  of  Slpswickj* *  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
city  of  Altona  in  Holstein,  enjoy  a very  ample  liberty. 
[Till  1787  the  peasantry  on  the  estates  of  the  nobility 
were  in  a most  degraded  condition.  They  and  their 
posterity  were  unalterably  fixed  to  the  estates  on  which 
they  were  born  ; and,  when  it  was  sold,  the  peasants,  with 
their  wives  and  children,  were  transferred  along  with  it. 
These  abominable  chains  were  broken  in  the  year  above 
mentioned,  through  the  exertions  of  the  present  king  of 

to  present  ideas,  that  this  whole  system  of  absolute  authority  is  easily 
revocable  by  the  will  of  the  people. — P. 

c The  passages  in  the  above  paragraph,  inclosed  in  brackets,  are  in- 
serted by  the  translator. — P.  d See  note  a. 

e See  copy  of  this  decree  in  Travels,  by  William  Rae  Wilson,  Esq. 
in  Norway,  &c.  App.  No.  xvi.  London,  1826. 

1 The  above  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 
s “ By  a royal  decree  [the  Royal  Law  of  Nov.  14,  1665,]  the  king 
is  of  full  age  at  fourteen.” — P. 

h “ — colleges  composed  of  several  members  and  a president.” 

1 “ The  college  of  the  chancery — ” 
k “ — proposes  taxes.”  See  note  m. 

1 “ — the  treasury,  the  public  debt  ( rentes , funds,)  the  domains,  (See.’ 
The  king  is  assisted  in  theexercise  of  his  royal  functions  by  a privy 
council  [council  of  state,]  in  which  the  laws  are  proposed,  discussed,  and 
receive  the  royal  sanction,  and  all  the  important  affairs  of  government 
are  transacted.  The  business  is  prepared  in  the  different  colleges  or 
chambers  to  which  it  more  immediately  belongs,  and  through  which  all 
applications  to  the  council  must  come.  These  different  offices  of  gov 
ernment  are  : 1.  the  Chancery  of  Denmark  and  Norway;  2.  the 
Chancery  of  Germany,  for  Sleswick  and  Holstein  ; 3.  the  Office  of 
Foreign  Affairs ; 4.  the  College  or  Chamber  of  Revenue  ; 5.  the 
Chamber  of  Customs;  6.  the  College  of  Finances;  7.  the  College  of 
General  Economy  and  Commerce  ; 8.  the  War  Office ; and  9.  the 
Admiralty  Office.  (Ed.  Enc.  1817.) — P. 

“ Denmark  is  divided  into  seven  provinces,  or  grand  bailiwicks,  call- 
ed Stifts-ampts  [Dan.  stiftumt,  sing.]  each  of  which  is  governed  by  a 
Stifts-ampts-man  [Dan.  stiflamtmand .]  These  are  subdivided  into 
districts  or  bailiwicks,  called  arnpts  [Dan.  amt,  sing.]  under  the  su- 
perintendence of  inferior  governors,  called  ampts-men  [Dan.  amtmand 
sing.]  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

0 The  nobility  of  Sleswick  and  Holstein  form  a distinct  body,  and 
enjoy  more  extensive  privileges.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
p See  note  p p.  1064. 


book  CKLix.i  DESCRIPTION 

Denmark,* 1  then  crown  prince,  by  the  issuing  an  edict 
which  restored  them  to  their  liberty. ]b  Finally,  the 
Danish  government  manifests  a paternal  spirit  in  the 
exercise  of  its  power,  and  is  very  tolerant  in  regard  to 
religion  : the  confession  of  Augsburg0  is  the  predomi- 
nant religion  ; but  Roman  Catholics,  Calvinists,  Men- 
nonites,d  and  even  Jews,  are  admitted  without  distinc- 
tion to  public  employments  and  dignities.  His  German 
provinces  constitute  his  Danish  majesty  a member  of 
the  Germanic  confederation,  to  which  he  furnishes  a 
corps  of  3000  men ; they  give  him  also  a voice  in  the 
Diet.e 

We  have  neglected  nothing  to  give  a correct  view  of 
this  country  as  a whole  ; an  excursion  through  the  prin- 
cipal cities  and  towns  still  remains  to  be  made:  it  will  be 
short,  because  they  are  not  numerous.  The  coasts  of 
Denmark  are  as  pleasant  and  well  cultivated  as  those  of 
Sweden  are  barren  and  wild  : their  thick  groves,  says  a 
traveller/  the  gentle  declivities  of  their  hills,  the  meadows 
which  descend  softly  to  the  very  border  of  the  sea,  and 
the  emerald  green,  which,  during  the  fine  season,  forms 
the  general  colour  of  this  agreeable  landscape,  produce 
an  enchanting  coup-d’oeil.  We  cannot  see  the  strait  of 
the  Sound, s covered  with  vessels  of  every  nation  sub- 
mitting to  a dutyh  which  brings  in  two  or  three  millions 
of  francs  annually  to  the  crown  of  Denmark,  without 
being  astonished  that  a power  of  the  fifth  order  should 
have  been  able  to  render  tributary  all  the  nations  which 
trade  to  the  Baltic.  The  first  commencement  of  this 
impost  is  unknown  : it  is  certain,  however,  that  in  the 
15th  century  it  rested  upon  a very  ancient  custom.  It 
is  probable  that  it  had  for  its  origin  the  expense  of  the 
building  and  maintaining  several  light-houses  placed  by 
the  Danes  on  the  coast  for  the  benefit  of  navigators,  and 
which,  according  to  stipulations  now  forgotten,  they 
consented  to  defray  the  expense  of,  by  a toll  imposed 
on  every  ship  passing  the  Sound/ 

Copenhagen,  the  capital  of  Denmark,  called  in  the 
language  ol  the  country  Kiocbenhavnk  occupies,  in  the 
Sound,  the  bottom  of  a gulf  in  the  island  of  Zealand, 
besides  a part  of  the  northern  extremity  of  the  small 
island  of  Amalc  or  Amager.  Its  foundation  is  attributed 
to  bishop  Axel,  who,  in  1168,  obtained  from  the  reign- 
ing king  of  Denmark  the  concession  of  a small  piece  of 
ground  occupied  by  a hamlet  of  fishermen,  and  protect- 
ed it  by  raising  fortifications.1  In  less  than  a century  it 
had  become  considerable  enough  to  obtain  the  privileges 
of  a city,  and  in  the  14th  century,  it  became  the  resi- 
dence of  the  court."1  Its  buildings  were  originally  of 

1 Frederick  VI. 

b The  sentences,  inclosed  in  brackets,  are  added  by  the  trans- 
lator.— P. 

c 1 Lutheranism,  the  established  religion  in  Denmark — formally 
established  in  1536.— P. 

d The  Mennonites  deny  the  baptism  of  infants,  and  hold  that  adults 
alone  ought,  according  to  the  New  Testament,  to  be  baptized.  They 
baptize  by  immersion.  Some  of  their  views  correspond  much  with 
those  held  by  the  Society  of  Friends  or  Quakers.  Trans. 

e He  has  three  votes  in  the  general  assembly  of  the  diet. — P. 

1 Coxe,  in  li is  Travels  in  Denmark,  &c. 

e Oresound  (Dan.  and  Swed.  CEresund.) — P. 

h Toll  of  the  Sound.- -Sound  Tolls  (Conway.)— P. 

' May  not  this  toll  have  had  its  origin  in  the  ninth  or  following 
centuries,  when  the  Danes  were  masters  of  these  seas,  and  probably 
chose,  in  this  way,  to  declare  their  pre-eminence?  Trans. 

k Originally,  Kiaebmandshavn  (Merchant’s  Haven.) — Lat.  Jlaf- 
ma. — P. 

1 Copenhagen  owes  its  origin  as  a city,  to  a castle  which  was  built 


OF  DENMARK.  389 

wood,  but  having  been  consumed  by  destructive  fires  in 
1728,  1794  and  1795,  were  replaced  by  elegant  build- 
ings and  regular  streets.  It  was  regarded  as  one  of  the 
finest  cities  in  Europe,  when,  in  1807,  surprised  in  time 
of  peace  by  a British  squadron,  it  endured  a dreadful 
bombardment,  which  destroyed  its  cathedral,  and  a part 
of  its  university,  mutilated  several  of  its  principal  edi- 
fices, and  destroyed  several  hundred  houses.11  Its  fleet, 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  military  stores  of  all  kinds, 
accumulated  in  its  magazines  and  arsenals,  were  carried 
off  to  England.  It  was  thus  that  Great  Britain  repaid 
the  refusal  given  by  Denmark  to  enter  into  the  coali- 
tion against  France.  On  the  18th  of  November  1824, 
a dreadful  hurricane  drove  the  waters  of  the  sea  into  the 
city,  and  caused  great  destruction.  In  spite  of  disasters 
so  recent,  Copenhagen,  defended  by  24  bastions,  by 
fosses  filled  with  water,  and  by  a strong  citadel,  is  still 
one  of  the  finest  capitals  in  Europe.  There  are  in  the 
city  10  public  squares  and  5 markets,  3 royal  palaces, 
9 parish  churches,  a Roman  Catholic  chapel,  3 con- 
vents, 1 Moravian  meeting-house,  5 Jewish  synagogues, 
14  hospitals,  including  one  for  foundlings/  and  30  houses 
for  the  reception  of  the  poor.P  Seen  from  the  narrow 
entrance  of  the  harbour,  which  is  capable  of  containing 
500  merchant  ships,  besides  the  royal  navy,  it  presents 
a magnificent  appearance  ; its  three  quarters,  the  old 
town,  the  new  town,  and  Christiansavn/  which  former- 
ly bore  the  peculiar  characters  of  their  more  or  less  an- 
cient origin,  owe  to  contemporary  repairs  their  modern 
elegance.  The  o'd  town,  or  Copenhagen  properly  so 
called/  separated  from  the  new  town  by  the  new  canal, 
is  not  surpassed  by  it  : it  is  even  larger  and  more  popu- 
lous ; its  houses,  though  built  of  brick  and  wood,  have  a 
fine  appearance : there  is  here  seen  the  large  square  of 
the  new  market/  the  irregularity  of  which  almost  dis- 
appears in  presence  of  the  buildings  which  ornament  it, 
such  as  the  palace  of  Charlottenburg,  formerly  the  resi- 
dence of  the  court,  and  now  occupied  by  the  academy 
of  fine  arts,  and  by  a superb  gallery  of  paintings, — the 
artillery  depot,  the  theatre,  and  the  equestrian  statue  of 
Christian  V/  On  the  side  of  the  harbour  stand  the 
exchange  and  the  bank.  The  old  town  also  contains 
the  palace  of  prince  Frederick;  the  arsenal,  in  which 
may  be  seen  the  royal  library  composed  of  250,000 
volumes,  and  the  Arabic  manuscripts  of  Niebuhr  ; the 
university,  which  possesses  a fine  library  ; several  scien- 
tific collections,  a botanical  garden,  and  an  observatory 
established  in  a tower  of  a singular  construction.11  The 
finest  part  of  the  new  town  is  that  which  is  called  Fred- 


here  in  1160,  by  Archbishop  Wide,  to  defend  the  coasts  against  the 
pirates  which  then  swarmed  in  the  Baltic.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

m It  became  the  seat  of  the  court  in  1443,  during  the  reign  of  Chris 
topher  of  Bavaria.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Christopher  III.  (of  Bavaria)  was 
elected  in  1438,  but  not  crowned  till  1445. — P. 

" The  cathedral  with  305  houses  were  destroyed,  and  about  600 
damaged  by  the  bombardment.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

0 “ One  foundling  hospital  (hospice.)  13  hospitals  ( hdpitaux )— ” 
p There  are  22  hospitals  and  30  poor-houses.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 Christianshafen  (Ed.  Enc.) — Dan.  Christiansham  (Christian’s 
Haven.) — P. 

r “ — or  the  city  properly  so  called.” — Old  Copenhagen  (Ed.  Enc.) — P 
s Dan.  Kongens  nye  Torn , the  king’s  new  market. — P. 

1 In  the  centre  of  the  area,  is  an  equestrian  statue  of  Christian  V 
in  bronze.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

“ It  is  built  in  the  form  of  a cylinder,  about  70  feet  in  diameter,  and 
130  feet  in  height,  and  has  a spiral  carriage  road  of  brick  to  within  20 
or  25  feet  of  the  top.  (Ed.  Enc.l — P. 


390  EUROPE.  i book  cxlix 


er:cstadt.a  The  two  principal  edifices  in  this  quarter 
are,  the  old  royal  castle  of  Rosenburg,  which  contains  a 
fine  collection  of  antiquities,  and  the  magnificent  hall  in 
which  the  king  opens  the  sittings  of  the  high  court  of 
justice,  and  whose  garden  serves  as  a public  walk  ; and 
Amalienburg,  a group  of  buildings  composed  of  four  dis- 
tinct palaces,  namely,  those  of  the  king,  his  son  and  his 
brother,  and  the  navy  school,  ranged  around  an  octago- 
nal square,  the  centre  of  which  is  occupied  by  the 
equestrian  statue  of  Frederick  V.  In  the  isle  of  Amak, 
Christiansavn,b  which  bears  the  name  of  Christian  IV., 
its  founder,  presents  regular  and  well-built  streets  ; its 
squares  are  large  and  elegant ; it  contains  docks  for  ship- 
building, tbe  large  warehouse  of  the  India  Company,0 
the  port  for  ships  of  war,  and  the  church  of  the  Saviour, 
the  finest  in  Copenhagen  : that  of  the  Trinity,  the  dome 
of  which  contains  the  university  library  and  the  large 
globe  of  Tycho  Brahe, d cannot,  notwithstanding  its 
beauty,  be  compared  with  it. 

Copenhagen  possesses  a great  number  of  literary 
establishments  and  academical  societies  ; the  most  im- 
portant of  these  are,  the  royal  society  of  sciences,  and 
those  of  natural  history,  medicine,  oriental  languages, 
and  Scandinavian  literature,  a branch  of  which  last 
mentioned  institution  is  established  at  Reikiavik  in  Ice- 
land.® Till  a very  recent  period,  Copenhagen  might  be 
considered  as  tbe  centre  of  the  industry  and  trade  of 
the  kingdom.  In  1826,  there  were  reckoned  in  Co- 
penhagen about  two  hundred  and  forty  distilleries,  fifty 
breweries,  twenty-nine  tanneries,  thirty  manufactories 
of  tobacco,  twenty  of  woollen  clotbs,  fifteen  of  cotton 
goods,  eighteen  of  hats,  twenty-four  of  gloves,  thirty  of 
linen,  and  various  others,  which  together  employed  more 
than  1 1 ,000  people,  or  nearly  one-tenth  of  the  population. 
It  was  at  that  time  calculated  that  more  than  5000  ves- 
sels entered  the  port  ; but  the  prohibitory  system  has 
since  that  date  brought  upon  this  city  the  results  which, 
sooner  or  later,  are  to  be  expected  from  it  ; strangers  no 
longer  come  to  Copenhagen  to  seek  the  spirits  distilled 
there  ;r  its  other  products  can  no  longer  support  foreign 
competition,  and  the  English  and  Americans  have,  by 
their  rivalship,  given  a mortal  blow  to  its  commercial 
relations  with  the  East  Indies.  Its  commerce  is  now 
reduced  to  the  single  branch  of  home  consumption,  and 
the  whole  business  of  Denmark  is  concentrated  at  Alto- 
na,  which  has  been  long  a free  port.  The  ruin  of  in- 
dustry has  considerably  lowered  the  value  of  houses  at 

1 “ Friedrickstadt” — Dan.  Frederikstad. — P.  b See  note  i p.  10G9. 

c “ Compagnie  des  Indes” — The  East  India  or  Asiatic  Company, 
established  in  1732.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

d The  great  celestial  globe  of  brass,  placed  in  the  hall  of  the  Royal 
Academy  (1033,)  by  Udalric,  son  of  Christian  IV. — P. 

c The  principal  literary  societies  in  Copenhagen  are,  the  Royal 
Academy  of  Sciences,  founded  in  1743  ; the  Royal  Economical  Socie- 
ty, in  1768;  the  Medical  Society,  in  1772;  the  Society  for  Icelandic 
Literature,  in  1779;  and  the  Board  of  Longitude,  in  1784.  (E3.  Enc.) 
—In  1779,  a society  was  instituted  at  Copenhagen  for  aiding  the  lite- 
rature of  Iceland,  and  bettering  the  condition  of  the  inhabitants.  In 
1790,  a project  was  formed  for  transferring  the  society  to  Iceland, 
which  occasioned  such  dissensions  as  suspended  all  the  proceedings, 
and  the  society  now  exists  only  in  name.  A second  Icelandic  socie- 
ty was  established  in  the  island  in  the  year  1794,  by  the  present  chief 
justice  Slephansen  ; but  various  occurrences,  particularly  the  war 
between  Great  Britain  and  Denmark,  occasioned  its  almost  total  ex- 
tinction. A new  society  was  established  in  1816,  by  the  exertions  of 
Mr.  Rask,  the  celebrated  philologist.  (Ed.  Enc.  art.  Iceland. 
1818.)— P. 

f In  1800,  the  distilleries  in  Copenhagen  consumed  287,824  tons  of 
grain,  which  yielded  2,347,850  gallons  of  spirits.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


Copenhagen  : very  recently  indeed,  proprietors  of 

houses  have  been  known  to  sell  them,  from  inability  to 
pay  tbe  taxes. 

The  police  of  this  capital  is  under  the  superintendence 
of  a special  establishment;  the  public  safety  is  intrusted 
to  the  garrison,  and  to  the  national  guard;  companies 
of  fire-men  are  distributed  through  the  different  quarters  ; 
a commission  of  physicians  and  surgeons  has  the  charge 
of  watching  over  the  public  health,  a duty  so  much  the 
more  necessary,  as  the  air  of  Copenhagen  is  moist  and 
unwholesome,  the  water  bad,  and  tbe  mortality  greater 
than  in  the  other  towns  of  the  kingdom. 

The  following  are  among  the  most  remarkable  places 
in  the  environs  of  Copenhagen.  Frederilcsbcrg,  a mag- 
nificent castle,  the  usual  summer-residence  of  the  king,  is 
built  upon  a height  ; the  public  enjoy  the  splendid  sight 
of  its  fine  gardens,  which  are  open  to  them.®  Frecle- 
riksborg,  another  royal  castle,  is  a fine  specimen  of  the 
architecture  of  the  seventeenth  century  ;h  the  hall  of  the 
knights* 1  is  deserving  of  much  attention.  RcvsTdlde*-  a 
small  city  of  2000  souls,  formerly  the  capital  of  Den- 
mark, now  receives  the  mortal  remains  of  her  kings. 
Jmgcrs-Preis1  is  still  a royal  residence,  where  repose 
the  ashes  of  the  ancient  heroes  of  the  North,  and  of 
many  celebrated  men  ;m  we  see  there  the  tomb  of  the 
great  Bernstorf  and  that  of  Tycho  Brahe.  Flsineur,  in 
Danish  Helsingcer ,°  is  situated  on  the  coast,  eight  leagues 
to  the  north  of  Copenhagen.  It  is  a well  built  town, 
but  many  geographers  speak  erroneously  of  its  harbour  ; 
it  has  no  harbour  but  a small  road-stead,  where  the 
ships  that  pass  the  Sound  cast  anchor,  to  take  in  sup- 
plies and  to  pay  the  toll,  to  which  all  vessels  are  sub- 
jected, and  which  amounts  to  one  per  cent,  on  the  value 
of  merchandize  belonging  to  privileged  nations,  and  one 
and  a fourth  in  regard  to  others  and  even  the  Danes 
themselves.  Near  Elsineur  rises  on  the  coast  the  for- 
tress of  Kronborg  or  Kroncnburg,0  where  was  confined,  in 
1771,  the  unfortunate  queen  of  Denmark,  Caroline  Ma- 
tilda of  England,  the  sister  of  George  III.,  the  victim  of 
intrigue  and  calumny.  A royal  mansion,  not  far  from 
Kronenburg,  is  pointed  out  to  strangers  as  the  spot  where, 
in  olden  time,  stood  the  palace  or  castle,  the  scene  of 
Shakspeare’s  play  of  Hamlet. p 

The  island  of  Bornholm,  situated  thirty-two  leagues 
from  that  of  Zealand1!  in  the  Baltic  sea,  is  peopled  by 
20,000  inhabitants  ; it  contains  seven  towns  and  twenty- 
one  parishes  ; the  capital  is  Ba-nne ,T  known  for  its 

s “ Its  fine  gardens,  which  are  open  to  the  public,  command  a mag 
nificent  prospect.” 

h Built  by  Christian  IV.  (died  1648.) — P. 

' Dan.  Riddersal  (knight-hall) — the  hall  of  ceremony. — P. 

k Roschild  (Ed.  Enc.)  Roskild  (Tuckey.) — P. 

1 Dan.  Jagcrspriis,  Germ.  Jagcrspreis. — P. 

mIn  the  gardens  of  the  palace,  monuments  have  been  erected  to 
the  illustrious  men  of  the  country.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

n Fr.  “ Elseneur"  or  Elsenor.  Eng.  Elsineur  or  Elsinore.  Dan. 
Helsingacr. — P. 

0 Cronborg  or  Cronenburg. — Dan.  Kronborg  (Crown  Castle.) — P. 

p This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — Half  a mile  from  the 
castle  of  Cronborg,  on  an  eminence,  commanding  a fine  view  of  the 
Sound,  is  the  new  palace  of  Marienlyst  [Marienborg],  near  which  is  a 
garden,  in  which  the  murder  of  Hamlet’s  father  is  supposed  to  have 
been  committed,  and  which  is  thence  called  Hamlet’s  garden.  (Tuck- 
ey, vol.  i.  p.  285.) — P. 

q “ — to  the  east  of  Zealand.” — Bornholm  is  7 leagues  and  a half 
distant  from  the  coast  of  Sweden,  and  upwards  of  seventeen  from  the 
island  of  Rugen.  (Tuckey.) — Rccnne  is  93  miles  E.  S.  E.  of  Copenha- 
gen. (Morse.) — P. 

r Ronne  (Tuckey.) — Ronne  or  Ronde  (Morse.) — P. 


book  cxLix.i  DESCRIPTION 

potteries  and  clock  and  watch  making  :a  it  annually  ex-  ! 
ports  watches  to  the  value  of  about  13,000  rix-dollars. 
The  little  isle  of  Muscn,b  at  the  southern  extremity  of 
Zealand,  containing  7000  inhabitants,  has  for  its  chief 
town  Sleege ,c  in  which  the  only  manufacturing  estab- 
lishment is  a tannery.  The  island  of  Funen, A in  Danish 
Fyen,  between  Sleswick  and  Zealand,  is  eighteen 
leagues  in  length  by  twelve  of  average  breadth,  and  has 
154  of  surface  and  110,000  inhabitants.  Odcnsee,  its 
capital,  was  first  named  Othins-Ey,e  that  is,  the  domain 
of  Odin.  It  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  island,  in  the  midst 
of  a large  plain.  Gloves,  soap  and  woollen  cloths  are  man- 
ufactured there.  Its  cathedral  is  handsome  ; it  has  a uni- 
versity1"  and  two  libraries,  and  is  one  of  the  neatest  towns 
in  Denmark.  Svendborgs  has  tanneries  and  stocking- 
manufactures,  and  carries  on  a great  trade  in  the  exporta- 
tion of  rye.  The  island  of  Langeland ,h  which  signifies 
long  land,  extends  from  south-east  to  north-west,1  between 
Funen  and  Laaland,  and  contains  11,000  inhabitants; 
Rudkiaibing,k  its  principal  town,  also  exports  rye.  Laa- 
land or  Lolland,1  peopled  by  4000  souls,"1  has  for  its  chief 
town  Mariebcec ,"  which  is  enriched  by  its  trade  in  grain. 
The  small  island  of  Falster,  to  the  east  of  Laaland,  num- 
bers 16,000  inhabitants  : Nikicebing,0  its  chief  town,  is 
magnificently  situated;  the  king  possesses  there  a fine 
castle,  formerly  the  abode  of  the  queens-dowager  of 
Denmark.  Sam-Sxe,v  Fanrxe ,i  Anholt,  where  there 
is  a light-house, r Lyscee,3  and  other  small  islands,  are 
too  unimportant  to  be  particularly  noticed. 

In  the  Danish  peninsula,  Aalborg, 1 in  North  Jutland," 
the  seat  of  a bishopric,  is  a city  surrounded  by  moats, 
and  contains  soap-works,  an  academy,1  schools  and 
libraries,  an  hospital  and  two  alms-houses.  Its  harbour, 
in  the  Lym-Fiord,  receives  annually  500  vessels, ? which 

OF  DENMARK.  391 

export  grain  and  herrings.  Fiborg,z  one  of  the  oldest 
cities  in  Denmark,  was  formerly  of  more  importance 
than  now  ; there  is  still  held  there,  about  the  end  of 
June,  a fair  which  attracts  a great  number  of  strangers 
Aarhus,™  on  a gulf  of  the  eastern  coast, bb  has  manufac- 
tories of  tobacco,  and  of  woollen  and  cotton  cloth,  with 
a small  harbour  from  which  grain  and  cattle  are  export- 
ed. Its  cathedral,  a Gothic  monument,  is  said  to  be 
the  loftiest  in  Denmark.  Handers ,cc  on  the  Guden- 
Aae,dd  possesses  manufactures  similar  to  those  of  Aarhus. 
The  finest  horses  and  the  best  cattle  in  Denmark  come 
from  the  environs  of  this  town.  Ripe  or  Ripen, ee  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Nibes,ff  on  the  western  coast,  carries 
on  a great  trade  in  cloth, ss  and  contains  a cathedral,  in 
which  are  to  be  seen  the  tombs  of  several  Danish  kings. 
Frcdericia,hh  which  wants  a good  harbour  to  render  it 
of  importance,  stands  upon  a promontory  commanding 
the  northern  entrance  into  the  Little  Belt.  There  is 
collected  here  a duty  on  all  the  vessels  which  pass 
through  this  strait.11  In  South  Jutland, kk  Sleswick11  is 
the  capital  of  the  dutchy  to  which  this  city  gives  its 
name,  whose  true  orthography  is  Schlcswig,mm  because  it 
is  situated  at  the  extremity  of  the  arm  of  the  sea  called 
the  Schley, ""  on  the  border  of  which  it  rises  in  the  form 
of  an  amphitheatre.  The  finest  of  its  buildings  is  the 
castle  of  Gottorp,00  the  residence  of  the  Governor-Gen- 
eral of  this  dutchy,  and  of  that  of  Holstein.  FlcnsburgVP 
or  Flensborg , six  leagues  to  the  north  of  Sleswick,  is  a 
neat  and  well  built  town ; its  public  squares  are  adorned 
with  fountains  ; the  town-house,  exchange  and  theatre 
are  handsome  buildings.  It  is  the  most  flourishing  town 
in  Jutland;  it  contains  10  sugar  refineries,  besides  soap- 
works,  oil-mills,  and  tobacco  manufactories.  Without 
its  ill-preserved  walls,  there  is  a brass-foundery'i't  and 

* “ Horlogerie.” — Among  the  manufactures  of  the  island,  are  coarse 
pottery*  and  chimney  clocks  [small  clocks  for  mantle  pieces.]  (Tuck- 
ey.)— P. 

* Ronne  manufactures  porcelain.  (Vosgien.) — Clay  proper  for  potteries,  and 
particularly  useful  in  the  manufacture  of  porcelain,  isiound  in  Bornholm.  (Ed. 

b Moen  (Pinkerton.)  Mona,  Mohn  (Ed.  Enc.)  Mone  (Enc.  Meth.) 
Mone,  Lat.  Mona  (Hubner.) — P.  c Stege  (Tuckey.) 

d “ Fionie.” — Lat . Fionia.  Fr.  Fune,  Fionie  (Vosgien.)  Germ.  Fuhn- 
en  (Enc.  Araer.) — P. 

' Dan.  Eje,  possession  or  property. — Odcnsee  is  said  to  be  a corrup- 
tion of  Ottcnse.  (Conway.) — P. 

1 “ College.” — Odensee  has  a college,  or  gymnasium,  with  four  pro- 
fesors.  (Ed.  Enc.) — There  are  only  two  universities  in  Denmark,  viz. 
those  of  Copenhagen  and  Kiel. — P. 

6 Svenborg  (Morse.) — Schwinburg  (Hubner.) — P. 

h Langland,  or  Long  Island.  (Tuckey.) — Dan.  lang,  long,  and 
land. — P. 

‘ Properly,  from  north-east  to  south-west,  or  nearly  from  north  to 
south. — P. 

k The  correct  Danish  orthography.  It  is  variously  spelt  in  differ- 
ent authors,  not  Danish — Rudkoebing  (Tuckey.)  Rudkioping  (Morse.) 
Rudcoping  (Vosgien.)  The  same  remark  will  apply  to  the  names  of 
other  Danish  towns  with  the  termination  kicebing,  which  corresponds 
with  the  Swedish  keeping.  See  note  ° p.  1053.— 51. 

I Laland. 

m This  is  doubtless  a mistake  for  40,000. — Population  40,000  (Tuck- 
ey,) 34,000  (Morse.) — P. 

II  Mariebo  (Morse.) — Mariebce  (Tuckey.) — Marieboe  (Rees’  Cyc.) — 
Qu.  Dan.  Marie,  Mary,  and  boe,  to  dwell. — P. 

0 Dan.  JVyhiccbing  or  Nyelciaebing  (New  Town.) — P. 

P This  should  be  written  Samsaee  (Sams  Island.) — Samsoe  (Tuckey.) 
Samsoe  or  Sams  (Morse.) — P. 

t Situated  in  the  Little  Belt,  between  Colding  and  Middelfart. — P. 

r There  are  two  lights  on  Anholt.  (Ed.  Enc.). — P. 

5 Doubtless  a mistake  for  Lesscec. — Lessee  (Tuckey.)  Lessoe  (Morse.) 
Lajssoe  (Pinkerton.) — P. 

< Aalburgh,  Alburgh  (Eng.) — Aalbourg,  Albourg  (Fr.) — Dan.  Aal- 
borg (Eel-town.) — P. 

“ Jutland  Proper,  or  the  Province  of  Jutland. — P. 

* “ Seminary  ” — It  has  a college  with  six  professors.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
y “ 130  to  150  vessels  arrive  and  clear  out  annually,  and  it  has  00 
to  70  trading  vessels  belonging  to  it.  (Tuckey,  vol.  i.  p.  298.) — P. 

z Dan.  Viborg. — Wiborg,  Wiburg  (Ed.  Enc.) — Wibourg  (Fr.) — Wi- 
burgh,  Wyburgh  (Eng.) — P. 

“Dan.  Aarhuus. — Aarhuus,  Aarhus,  Aarhusen  (Ed.  Enc.) — Arhus, 
Arhusen  (Vosgien.) — P. 

bl>The  bay  of  Kalce.  (Tuckey.) — Dan.  Kullccc  Viig.  (Pinkerton.) — 
It  is  situated  in  a fine  plain  between  the  sea  and  lake  Gudde,  from 
which  a broad  canal  passes  through  the  town,  dividing  it  into  two  equal 
parts,  and  communicating  with  the  harbour.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
cc  Randersen  [with  the  article]  (Hubner.) — P. 

dd  Guden  Aae  or  Aa,  Guden  river. — It  is  situated  on  the  north  shore 
of  its  gulf  [the  estuary  of  the  Guden-Aae,]  five  leagues  from  its  en- 
trance.— P. 

eeRibe,  Ripen,  Rypen — Lat.  Ripa. — P. 
ffNipsaa  (Tuckey.  Vosgien.) — P. 

ss“  Toiles” — linens. — There  are  two  linen  manufactories  in  Jutland, 
besides  which  a considerable  quantity  of  linen  is  manufactured  in  the 
villages  throughout  the  country.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

bhLat.  Fredcricia  ( Fridericia . Enc.  Meth.) — Dan.  Frcderiksodde 
(Frederick’s  Cape.) — P. 

“ The  merchant  vessels  passing  through  the  Little  Belt  pay  toll  at 
Fredericia. — The  toll  (duty)  on  all  merchant  vessels  passing  through  the 
Great  Belt,  is  paid  at  Nyborg  [Nyeborg]  in  Funen.  (Tuckey,  vol.  i. 
p.  299.— 239.)— P. 
kkThe  Dutchy  of  Sleswick. — P. 

11  “ Sleswig.” — Sleswick,  Sleswich,  Sleswig.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 
mm  Germ.  Schlesicig. — Dan.  Slesvig. — Du.  Sleesicyk  (Hubner.)— 
Eng.  Sleswick. — P.  nn  See  note  p p.  1062. 

00  The  old  palace  of  Gottorp,  which  is  a large  brick  building,  encir- 
cled with  a rampart  and  moat,  stands  close  to  the  town.  (Ed.  Enc.) — 
Gottorp,  a strong  and  handsome  castle,  not  far  from  the  town  of  Sles- 
wick, surrounded  by  the  Schley  ( Schl cistroom .)  (Hubner,  Korte  Be- 
o-ryp  der  Geoo\  p.  386.) — The  castle  of  Gottorp  is  on  an  island  in  the 
river  Sley,  2 miles  N.  W.  [S.  W.  Vosgien]  of  Sleswick.  (Morse.) — P. 

pp  “ Flensbourg,”  Fr. — Dan.  Flensborg. — Germ.  Flensburg. — Eng. 
Flensburgh. — P.  « “ Copper  foundery.” 

r 

392  EUR 

extensive  tile-works.  Its  harbour,  situated  at  the  west- 
ern extremity  of  Flensborg-Fiord ,"  is  frequented  an- 
nually by  more  than  800  vessels,  250  of  which  belong 
to  the  place.  The  territory  lying  between  Flensborg 
and  Sleswick  still  bears  the  name  of  Angeln .b  It  is 
highly  probable  that  this  was  a part  of  the  country  of 
the  Angli,  a people  who  perform  so  important  a part  in 
history,  but  who,  according  to  the  learned  Weddegen, 
were  only  a colony  of  the  Angrivarii,  who  occupied 
Holstein  and  a part  of  Westphalia. 

Husum,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hover  ;c  Tondern ,d  on 
the  Widau  ; Apenrade ,e  whose  small  harbour,  at  the 
bottom  of  a gulf,  carries  on  a considerable  trade  ; and 
Hadersleben / on  the  eastern  coast ; small  towns  which 
we  cannot  entirely  omit,  because  they  are  the  capitals 
of  bailiwicks,  present  nothing  particular.  Nor  ought  we 
to  forget  the  small  islands  which  border  the  western 
coast.  Fan  one,  more  considerable  than  the  island  of  the 
same  name,  which  lies  in  the  Little  Belt,®  is  inhabited 
by  fishermen  and  builders  of  small  merchant  vessels  : 
Rxmcvd'  is  less  industrious : Sylt  rears  cattle,  and  pro- 
duces good  seamen : Fcelir ,*  peopled  by  6000  souls,  is 
frequented  for  the  purpose  of  sea-bathing,  and  possesses 
a bed  of  oysters,  of  which  it  sends  a vast  quantity  to 
Hamburg ; it  is  the  rendezvous  of  so  great  a number 
of  wild  ducks,  that  it  is  estimated  more  than  100,000 
are  taken  annually ,k  Nordstrand  possesses  a valuable 
breed  of  horned  cattle  ; its  cows  give  each  day  22  pints 
of  milk:  Pelworn,1  without  the  strong  dikes  that  protect 
it,  would  be  swallowed  up  by  the  sea;  it  forms,  with 
Nordstrand  and  several  small  islets,  the  remains  of  a 
large  island,  the  greater  part  of  which  disappeared  under 
the  waves  in  1634.m  Near  the  eastern  coast,  Alsen,  7 
leagues  in  length,  and  2 in  breadth,  with  a population 
of  about  16,000  souls,  is,  from  its  woods,  its  small  lakes, 
and  its  high  state  of  cultivation,  one  of  the  most  agreea- 
ble islands  in  the  Baltic.  Sonderborg,  its  chief  town, 
possesses  a royal  castle,"  a good  harbour,  and  an  acade- 

OPE.  [BOOK  CXLIX 

my.°  Avrcee, p consisting  of  lands  fertile  in  grain  and 
kitchen  vegetables,  supports  more  than  8000  inhab- 
itants. i Femern ,r  not  less  rich  than  the  preceding,  is 
better  peopled  ;s  its  inhabitants  have  preserved  their 
ancient  and  simple  manners.  Burg,  an  ancient  town 
which  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  island,  is  the  capital 
of  a bailiwick. 

The  dutchy  of  Holstein  has  several  subdivisions, 
namely,  Holstein  properly  so  called,  Ditliviarschcn ,‘  the 
lordship  of  Pinneberg,  the  county  of  Randza v,u  and 
the  territory  of  the  thirty  parishes  of  the  nobility.* 
The  capital  of  this  feudal  assemblage  is  GluckstadiJ  It 
is  regularly  built  on  the  right  bank  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Elbe  ;z  many  canals  intersect  it,  but  drinkable  water  is  so 
scarce,  that  the  inhabitants  are  obliged  to  collect  rain 
water  in  cisterns.  It  was  founded  in  1617,  by  Christian 
IV.  Kid  is  the  most  ancient  town  in  Holstein,  being  men- 
tioned in  history  as  early  as  the  eleventh  century.  It  is 
distant  about  four  miles  from  the  Baltic,  at  the  inland 
extremity  of  a small  gulf,  called  the  Kider  Fiord,™ 
justly  celebrated  for  its  beauty.  The  harbour  is  secure, 
and  well  situated  for  trade  : more  than  500  vessels  an- 
nually enter  it.  There  is  no  extensive  manufacture  but 
that  of  hats.  Kiel  is  a handsome  town,  and  stands  in 
the  midst  of  delightful  scenery.  The  borders  cf  the 
firth  are  eminently  beautiful,  being  lined  with  gentle 
rising  grounds  clothed  with  woods  sweeping  down  to  the 
edge  of  the  water,  while  the  lands  around  are  in  a high 
state  of  cultivation.  Along  the  shore  are  several  little 
villages,  which  enliven  the  prospect ; and  among  the 
hills  glides  the  river  Swentin,bb  till  it  loses  itself  in  the 
firth.  On  a hill,  in  the  environs  of  the  city,  is  seen  a 
handsome  royal  palace  built  by  the  inhabitants.  The 
church  of  St.  Nicholas  is  a fine  old  building.  The 
university,  which  was  founded  in  1665  by  Christian 
Albert,  duke  of  Holstein,  is  a plain  and  not  very  capa- 
cious building,  affording  no  accommodation  for  the  resi- 
dence of  students,  nor  even  a sufficiency  of  apartments 

* Flensburgh  Wick  (Ed.  Enc.) — Dan.  Flensborg  Viig. — P. 

b Angeln  or  Anglen,  a district  on  the  E.  coast  of  Sleswick,  between 
the  bay  of  Flensburg  and  the  river  Schley.  (Morse.) — P. 

c The  Hever  (fleever.  Tuckey)  is  the  name  given  to  the  gulf  or 
arm  of  the  sea  between  the  island  of  Nordstrand  and  the  mainland,  as 
well  as  to  tlie  river  on  which  Husum  is  situated. — P. 

d Tonder  (Pinkerton.) — Tonderen  or  Tundern  (Vosgien.) — Toen- 
dern  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

e Appenrade,  Abenrade  (Ed.  Enc  ) — Apenrade,  or  Apenrode  (Vos- 
gien.)— Aabenraade  (Pinkerton.) — Situated  on  a bay  of  the  Baltic,  N. 
of  Flensborg. — P. 

1 Haderslev  (Pinkerton.) — Situated  on  a narrow  bay  making  up  from 
the  Little  Belt. — P. 

e See  note  a p.  1071. 

h Rom  (Tuckey.) — Rom  or  Roam  (Vosgien.) — P. 

' Folir  or  Fora  (Morse.)— Fore  or  Fcehr  (Enc.  Meth.) — Fora,  gene- 
rally.— P. 

k Sylt  is  celebrated  for  its  oysters,  and  for  being  visited  in  winter  by 
vast  flocks  of  wild  ducks,  of  which  40,000  are  said  to  be  killed  annual- 
ly. (Turkey,  vol.  i.  p.  420.) — P. 

I Pelworm  (Tuckey.  Pinkerton.)— P. 

m Nordstrand,  after  repeated  attacks  in  1350, 1354,  &c.,  was  at  length 
almost  totally  swallowed  up  in  1034.  Such  an  inundation  arose  at  10 
o'clock  in  the  evening  of  Oct.  11,  that  there  perished  0408  persons 
with  50,000  cattle  ; 1332  houses,  30  windmills  and  6 churches  were 
swept  away  by  the  waves.  There  remained  but  a high  part  of  the 
isle  now  called  Pelworm.  (Pinkerton.) — P. 

II  Near  the  town,  is  the  ancient  castle  of  Sonderborg,  in  which  Chris- 
tian II.  passed  17  years  of  captivity.  (Tuckey.) — P. 

0 “ Gymnasium.” 

P Doubtless  a mistake  for  Arrcee. — Aaroe  or  Arroe  (Morse.) — iEroe 
(Pinkerton.) — zErae  (Tuckey.) — Situated  in  the  Baltic,  to  the  south  of 
Funen. — P. 

i “ Nearly  8000.” — Population  7,573.  (Morse.) — P. 
r Femeren. 

s “ — has  a somewhat  greater  population.” — Population  7,000. 
(Morse.) — P. 

1 Ditinarsh,  Dithmarsh  (Eng.  authors.) — Ditmarsen  (Morse.) — 
Dithmarsen,  Lat.  Dithmarsin  (Hubner.) — P. 

u Rantzow  (Hubner.) — County  of  Barmstadt  or  New  Ranzaw 
(Morse.) — The  county  of  Pinneberg  formerly  belonged  to  the  counts 
of  Schaumburg.  The  line  having  become  extinct,  the  county  of  Pin- 
neberg was  divided  between  the  king  of  Denmark  and  the  duke  of 
Holstein-Gottorp,  the  latter  taking  the  two  parishes  of  Ba  misted 
[Barmstadt]  and  Elmshorn.  This  division  was  acquired  in  1649.  by 
the  counts  of  Rantzow,  in  exchange  for  Rantzow  and  other  possessions, 
[whence  the  county  of  Barmstadt  or  New  Ranzaw.]  (Hubner,  p.  389 — 
90.)— P. 

1 Holstein,  under  the  empire,  was  divided  into  Holstein  Proper 
(Lat.  Holsatia  Propria,)  on  the  north — Rendsburg,  capital  of  the  royal, 
and  Kiel,  of  the  ducal  portion;  Wagerland  (Lat.  Ilagria.)  on  the 
east — Ploen,  in  the  royal,  and  Rantzow  and  Eutin,  in  the  ducal  por- 
tion ; Stormar  (Stormarn,  Lat.  Slormaria,)  on  the  south — Gluekstadt, 
capital  of  the  royal,  and  Trittow,  of  the  ducal  portion  ; and  Ditinarsh 
(Lat.  Dithmarsia,)  on  the  west — Meldorf  (Meldorp,)  capital  of  the 
royal,  and  Lunden,  of  the  ducal  portion.  The  greater  part  of  Holstein 
was  divided  between  the  king  of  Denmark  and  the  duke  of  Holstein- 
Gottorp.  There  were  besides,  the  county  of  Barmsted  (see  note  ",) 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  four  cities  (Kiel,  Rendsburg,  Itzeho  and  Oldeslo.) 
the  two  imperial  cities  of  Hamburg  and  Lubec,  &c.  (Hubner.) — P. 

y Germ.  Gluekstadt  (Fortunate  Town.) — Lat.  Tijchopolis,  or  Fanum 
Fortuna:.  (Hubner.) — P. 

1 On  the  right  bank  of  the  Elbe,  near  its  mouth.— Brunsbuttel,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Elbe,  is  13  miles  N.  W.  of  Gluekstadt. — P. 

aa  Gulf  of  Kiel  (Tuckey.) — Kieler  Wick  [Dan.  Viig,  bay.] — (Enc 
Meth.) P.  bb  Schwentin. — P. 

BOOK  CXL1X.1 


DESCRIPTION  OF  DENMARK. 


393 


for  the  professors’  use,  many  of  whom  (thirty  in  num- 
ber)* give  lectures  in  their  own  houses.  It  is  particu- 
larly distinguished  for  medical  science,  and  the  number 
of  students  is  upon  the  increase.  In  1806,  they 
amounted  to  only  100  : in  1820,  they  had  increased  to 
270,  of  whom  50  were  students  of  medicine.5  The 
opening  of  the  new  year  is  celebrated  by  the  students 
in  the  following  manner.  Before  midnight,  they  assem- 
ble in  the  market-place  within  a circle  formed  of  torches, 
and  when  the  clock  has  struck  twelve,  they  sing  Voss’s 
celebrated  hymn,  beginning,  “The  year’s  last  hour;” 
after  which  a general  huzza  hails  the  entry  of  the  new 
year.  They  then  go  round  the  streets  with  their  torches, 
halting  at  the  professors’  doors  ; while  a deputed  select 
body  enter  and  present  the  students’  congratulations. 
After  receiving  the  professors’  answers,  a bonfire  and 
hymn  to  liberty  close  their  proceedings.  The  library 
of  the  university  contains  60,000  volumes.  The  tone 
of  society  in  Kiel  is  decidedly  literary  ; and  the  univer- 
sity contains  among  its  professors  names  of  distinguished 
literary  eminence.  English  literature  is  held  in  high 
estimation.  Besides  the  university,  it  contains  a cele- 
brated Latin  school ,c  an  orphan-house,  a poor-house, 
two  infirmaries,  and  a botanic  garden  ; besides  valuable 
private  collections  of  pictures  and  antiquities. d 

Rendsburge  is  probably  the  best  built  city  in  Holstein  ; 
it  stands  upon  the  banks  of  a canal  which  unites  with 
the  Eyder.  It  is  important  on  account  of  its  arsenal,  its 
magazines,  its  barracks,  and  above  all,  its  fortifications. 
It  is  the  principal  fortress  of  continental  Denmark,  since 
the  fortifications  of  Gluckstadt  were  razed.  Rendsburg 
is  interesting,  as  being  the  ancient  limit  of  the  Roman 
empire,  notified  by  an  inscription  on  one  of  the  gates. 
Heyder  is  a small  town  only  interesting  from  its  schools. 
Preetz, % upon  the  river  Swentin,  some  miles  to  the 
south-east  of  Kiel,  contains  about  400  houses  and 
3000  inhabitants,  and  carries  on  some  trade  in  the 
making  of  shoes  and  of  soap.  It  contains  what  was 
originally  a convent,  hut  now  converted  into  a sanctuary 
for  the  daughters  of  the  Sleswick  and  Holstein  nobility.* 1' 
It  possesses  also  an  orphan  and  a poor  house  ; and  the 
pastor’s  library,  as  it  is  called,  founded  in  1681  by  a 
Hamburg  clergyman,  a native  of  Preetz,  contains  9000 
volumes.  The  Probsty 1 of  Preetz  is  a district  to  the 
eastward  of  Kiel,  and  on  the  east  side  of  the  Fiord, 
containing  a population  of  6000  souls,  occupying  twen- 
ty-four towns  or  villages.  The  name  is  as  old  as  the 
thirteenth  century  ; and  the  people,  who  have  lived 
during  several  centuries  secluded  from  their  neighbours, 
are  believed  to  be  a colony  of  the  Wendiansk  or  Van- 


1 Number  of  regular  professors  1!),  besides  10  extraordinary.  (Morse.) 
— Number  of  professors,  in  1785,  twenty-four.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b There  were  about  300  students  in  1785,  when  Mr.  Coxe  visited 
Kiel.  (Ed.  Enc.) — In  1818,  the  number  of  students  was  only  107. 
(Morse.) — P.  c College — established  in  1708.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

d “ Kiel,  a handsome  town,  in  the  midst  of  delightful  scenery,  is 
important  from  its  literary  and  charitable  institutions.  The  library  of 
its  university  contains  60,000  volumes.  It  is  built  on  a tongue  of 
land,  at  the  extremity  of  a gulf  of  the  Baltic,  and  has  a secure  harbour 
and  a flourishing  commerce  ;*  more  than  500  vessels  enter  its  port 
annually.  On  a hill  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  town,  is  a handsome 
royal  castle!  built  by  the  inhabitants.” — This  is  all  the  account  of 
Kiel  in  the  original. — P. 

* The  commerce  of  Kiel  has  been  much  facilitated  by  the  canal  of  Kiel, 
which  unites  the  North  Sea  with  the  Baltic.  It  commences  on  the  gulf  of 
Kiel,  three  miles  north  of  the  town,  and  terminates  at  Rendsburg  in  the  Eyder, 
which  is  navigable  to  its  mouth  in  the  North  Sea.  It  admits  vessels  of  120 
tons.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 The  castle,  which  is  finely  situated,  has  an  observatory.  tEd.  Enc.) — P. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  54  50 


dais,  who  inhabited  the  borders  of  the  Baltic  Sea, 
towards  the  months  of  the  Oder  and  the  Vistula.  They 
are  large  in  stature,  with  a physiognomy  essentially  dis- 
tinct from  both  Danes  and  Germans  ; and  their  dress 
and  manners  also  differ  materially  from  the  people 
around  them,  retaining,  at  their  marriages  and  other 
great  occasions,  a variety  of  customs  and  ceremonies 
peculiar  to  themselves.  Till  within  the  last  40  or  50 
years,  the  Probsteiers  had  no  intercourse  with  strangers  : 
it  was  positively  forbidden,  and  the  young  people  that 
married  out  of  their  own  tribe  were  excluded  from  the 
society  ; but  this  state  of  seclusion  is  gradually  wearing 
away,  and  probably,  before  the  lapse  of  another  half 
century,  they  will  be  completely  mingled  with  the  sur- 
rounding population.  They  are  an  agricultural  people, 
and  many  of  them  in  the  harvest  season  go  to  a consid- 
erable distance  for  employment.  They  are  also  skilful 
in  thatching,  in  plaiting  of  straw  and  similar  works,  be- 
sides weaving  and  spinning.  The  coast  of  the  Baltic 
here  is  subject  to  great  changes,  and  severe  injury  has 
been  done  by  tempests  and  inundations,  large  tracts  of 
land  having  been  overflowed,  and  villages  overwhelmed 
or  insulated.  The  town  of  Preetz  is  the  residence  of 
the  probst  or  provost  of  the  Probsty} 

To  the  south  of  Preetz  lies  the  small  town  of  Ploen,m 
romantically  situated  on  a stripe  of  land  between  two 
lakes,  so  narrow  as  scarcely  to  afford  room  for  a single 
street.  The  southernmost  of  these  two  lakes  is  particu- 
larly beautiful,  being  adorned  with  overhanging  woods 
and  highly  cultivated  hills,  with  an  island  finely  wooded. 
The  town  is  crowned  with  a castle  built  on  the  summit 
of  a steep  hill,  rising  from  the  end  of  the  principal 
street.  About  ten  miles  to  the  north  of  Gluckstadt, 
and  on  the  river  Stor  or  Stoer,n  stands  Itzehoe,0  anciently 
Essefeld,  sheltered  on  the  north  by  considerable  woods. 
The  streets  are  handsome,  and  many  of  them  are  plant- 
ed, as  usual,  with  trees.  It  is  a town  of  some  impor- 
tance, and  has  ships  employed  in  the  Greenland  trade. 
It  has  two  churches.  As  early  as  809,  a strong  castle 
was  built  here  by  Charlemagne.  Near  Itzehoe,  on 
a sandy  heath  to  the  south,  are  to  he  seen  a variety 
of  green  hillocks.  These  are  artificial,  are  called  H'u- 
nengraber ,p  and  are  monuments  of  the  old  warriors  of  the 
North.  They  are  not  uncommon  throughout  Holstein. 
Many  of  them  have  been  opened,  and  an  apartment, 
rude  enough,  is  generally  found  within,  containing,  be- 
sides an  urn,  an  old  sword,  axe,  or  other  weapon.  Near 
Albersdorff,  on  the  confines  of  Sleswick  and  Holstein, 
in  what  is  called  De  Brut-Kamp  (the  “ Spouse’s 
Plain”), i an  oblong  field  inclosed  with  hedges  and 

e “ Rendsbourg.” — Rensburg  (Tuekey.) — Rendsborg  (Conway.) — P. 

1 Heide  (Hubner.) — P.  e Preez  (Hubner.j — P. 

h Originally  a priory  for  nuns — since  the  reformation,  appropriated 
by  the  Lutheran  nobility  of  Holstein  as  a place  of  retreat  for  females 
of  their  number.  It  is  governed  by  a prioress,  assisted  by  a provost 
(male)  for  the  management  of  its  affairs  and  the  protection  of  its  rights. 
The  provostship  ( probstcy ) of  Preetz  is  the  domain  attached  to  the  con- 
vent. There  are  two  other  similar  establishments  in  Holstein,  viz.  the 
abbey  of  Itzehoe  and  the  priory  of  Utersen. — P. 

1 Germ,  probstcy,  provostship. — P. 

k Wends  (a  Slavonic  people.) — P. 

1 See  Downes’  Letters  from  Mecklenburg  and  Holstein.  Lond 
1822.  m Plaen  (Vosgien.) — P. 

n Stor,  Stoer. — P. 

0 Itzeho  (Hubner.) — P. 

P Germ.  Hiinengrtlbcr,  Giants’  graves. — P. 

1 Germ. DerBraut-Kamp  (The  Bride’s  Field  or  Enclosure.) — Dc  Brut 
Kavip,  must  be  in  the  Low  Saxon  dialect  of  the  country. — P. 


EUROPE. 


394 

nearly  encompassed  with  trees,  is  to  be  seen  an  im- 
mense mass  of  granite  supported  by  five  much  smaller 
stones,  and  forming  a kind  of  circular  chamber  within. 
All  round  the  bottom  of  the  hillock,  on  which  this  stone 
stands,  grow  oak-trees,  thorns,  sloe-trees,  &lc.  In  ap- 
pearance it  is  similar  to  the  cromlechs  or  Druidical 
altars,  as  they  are  supposed  to  be,  which  abound  in  Ire- 
land, and  their  origin  is  probably  similar.  To  the  south 
of  Itzehoe,  in  the  middle  of  an  elevated  sandy  plain, 
the  famous  obelisk  is  erected,  which,  according  to  popu- 
lar tradition,  was  built  by  Henry,  Count  Ranzau,®  in  the 
16th  century,  in  consequence  of  a wager  he  laid  with 
Frederic  II.  of  Denmark.  “The  conditions  of  this 
wager  were,  that  the  Count  should  build  on  his  estate 
in  one  night  a pyramid  or  obelisk,  the  top  of  which 
should  be  higher  than  that  of  the  steeple  of  Krempe,  a 
neighbouring  village.1* *  He  accordingly  chose  the  loftiest 
situation  he  could  find  ; and,  assembling  a number  of 
workmen,  raised  within  the  limited  time,  and  on  the 
summit  of  the  hill  of  Nordho,  a low  and  rude  obelisk  of 
granite,  supported  by  a square  base,  the  top  of  which 
was  thus  more  elevated  than  that  of  the  steeple.”6  The 
obelisk  still  remains  ; but  the  steeple  and  church  of 
Krempe  were  blown  up  in  January  1814,  when  em- 
ployed by  the  Swedes  as  a powder-magazine.  The 
obelisk  has  several  curious  inscriptions  upon  it.  Henry, 
Count  Ranzau,  was  a man  of  eminence  in  his  age,  at- 
tached to  literature,  and  himself  an  author.  In  his 
castle  of  Wardsbeckd  did  the  celebrated  Tycho  Brahe 
find  an  asylum,  when,  persecuted  by  his  enemies,  he 
withdrew  from  the  island  of  Huen,  and  there  did  he  re- 
main, till  invited  to  Prague  by  the  emperor  Rodolph  II., 
where  he  died. 

Elmshorne  is  an  extensive  and  handsome  town,  lying  on 
the  banks  of  a small  river,  along  which  its  streets  sweep 
in  a direction  nearly  circular.  Some  of  the  houses  are 
very  old,  with  pious  sentences  inscribed  upon  them. 
Pinncberg  is  a pretty  little  town,  situated  on  the  skirt 
of  a forest,  and  watered  by  a small  river.  The  approach 
to  it  is  lined  with  oaks.  OldesJolce / another  handsome 
town,  is  situated  on  the  river  Trave,  and  is  distinguished 
for  its  baths  and  salt-works.  These  last  were  establish- 
ed in  the  twelfth  century  by  Count  Adolphus  II.  of 
Holstein.  Altona.%  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Elbe,  at  a 
short  distance  from  the  great  trading  city  of  Hamburg, 
is  the  second  city  in  the  Danish  dominions.  Its  trade 
is  considerable,  and  it  carries  on  different  manufactures, 
besides  embarking  deeply  in  the  herring  and  whale  fish- 
eries : but  the  contrast  is  striking  between  the  constant 
stir  and  bustle  of  the  one  city,  and  the  comparative 
quiet  and  silence  of  the  other.  Altona  seems  a desert 
when  compared  with  the  never-ending  activity  that  pre- 
vails in  Hamburg.  It  is  built  partly  on  the  declivity  of 
a hill,  and  the  streets  are  for  the  most  part  wide  and 
airy.  The  Palmaille  (Pall  Mall)  is  a fine  street  of 
considerable  length,  with  handsome  houses,  and  along 
the  middle  of  it  runs  a shady  walk,  bordered  on  each 
side  by  a double  row  of  lofty  trees — oaks,  lindens,  and 

a llenry  Rantzau  or  Ranzovius.  (Ed.  Enc.) — See  note  u p.  1072.— P. 

b Krempe,  a town  in  Holstein,  near  Itzehoe — population,  1000. 
(Morse.) — P. 

c Downes’  Letters  from  Mecklenburg  and  Holstein.  Lond.  1822. 

d Wansbeck,  Lat.  if’andeaburgum.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Wandsbeck  (Bilsch- 
mg.y— P. 

• Elmeshorn  (Morse.) — P. 


[BOOK  CXLIX 

acacias.  Altona  was  founded  about  the  time  of  the  Ref- 
ormation by  refugees  of  the  old  religion,  who  did  not  enjoy 
in  Hamburg  all  the  liberty  they  wished  and  were  en- 
titled to.  Its  vicinity  to  that  city  excited  jealousy  in 
the  Hamburghers,  and  when  it  was  burnt  down  in  1547, 
an  ineffectual  exertion  was  made  to  prevent  its  being  re- 
built. Frederick  III.  of  Denmark  took  it  under  his 
especial  protection,  and  conferred  upon  it  many  favours.1' 
Notwithstanding  its  original  inhabitants  were  Roman 
Catholics,  Altona  has  ever  been  noted  for  religious  tole- 
ration ; and  at  this  moment  there  are  to  be  found  in  it 
all  classes  of  religious  parties,  with  perfect  freedom  of 
worship.  There  are  in  it  churches  or  chapels  belonging 
to  the  Lutherans,  German  and  French  Reformed,  Ro- 
man Catholics,  Mennonites,  German  and  Portuguese 
Jews.  The  most  remarkable  event  in  the  history  of 
Altona,  is  its  destruction  by  the  Swedes  on  the  9th  Jan- 
uary 1713,  a blot  in  the  history  of  that  honourable  peo- 
ple. Voltaire  relates  it  in  his  usual  lively  manner.  The 
Danes  had  burnt  Stade,  a city  in  the  dutchy  of  Bremen, 
then  part  of  the  Swedish  dominions.  After  the  victory 
obtained  by  Steinbockj  the  Swedish  general,  at  Gade- 
busch  in  Mecklenburg,  over  the  Saxons  and  Danes,  he 
determined  to  avenge  the  loss  of  Stade  by  the  destruc- 
tion of  Altona,  then  a flourishing  city.  “ Arriving  in 
sight  of  Altona,”  says  the  historian,  “ he  by  a trumpet 
commanded  the  inhabitants  to  withdraw  from  the  place 
with  what  they  could  carry  with  them,  as  he  was  deter- 
mined to  destroy  it  from  the  foundations.  The  magis- 
trates threw  themselves  at  his  feet,  and  offered  one 
hundred  thousand  crowns  in  name  of  ransom.  Stein- 
bock  demanded  two  hundred  thousand.  The  Altonese 
begged  time  to  send  to  their  correspondents  in  Ham- 
burg, and  promised  payment  by  the  day  following.  The 
Swedish  general  replied  that  the  money  must  be  in- 
stantly paid,  otherwise  Altona  would  be  set  on  fire 
The  soldiers  were  already  in  the  suburbs  with  torches 
in  their  hands  ; and  the  city  was  without  defence,  ex- 
cept a wooden  gate  and  a ditch  completely  dry.  On 
the  9th  January  1713,  during  an  exceedingly  cold  season, 
and  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  these  unfortunate  people 
were  compelled  to  fly.  A violent  wind  from  the  north, 
while  it  increased  the  cold,  helped  to  spread  the  flames 
throughout  the  city,  and  to  render  more  insupportable 
the  sufferings  to  which  the  people  were  exposed  in  the 
open  fields.  Men  and  women,  bending  under  the  bur- 
den of  such  moveables  as  they  were  able  to  take  with 
them,  hurried  along,  weeping  and  lamenting,  towards 
the  neighbouring  rising  grounds,  at  the  time  covered 
with  snow.  Some  people  were  to  be  seen  carrying  on 
their  shoulders  the  aged  and  paralytic.  Several  women 
newly  accouchees  escaped  with  their  infants,  only  to 
die  of  cold  on  the  rising  grounds,  from  whence  they  be- 
held their  homes  in  flames.  The  inhabitants  had  not 
all  of  them  left  the  city,  when  the  Swedes  set  fire  to  it. 
The  houses  were  almost  wholly  of  wood,  and  so  quickly 
did  the  flames  perform  their  work,  that  next  day  it 
would  scarcely  have  been  known  that  a flourishing  city 

f Qu.  Oldcslolie. — Oldeslo  (Hubner.) — Oldesloe  (Vosgien.) — P. 

e Altena  or  Altona  (Vosgien.  Morse.) — Altenau,  Lat.  Altcnavia 
(Hubner.) — P. 

h In  1640  it  became  subject  to  Denmark,  and  was  constituted  a city 
in  16(54.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  reign  of  Frederick  III.  extended  from  1648 
to  1670.— P. 

‘ Magnus  Steinbock  (Swed.  btenbock.) — P 


book  cxlix.]  DESCRIPTION 

had  stood  there  ! To  add  to  the  misery  of  these  poor 
people,  thus  ferociously  driven  from  their  homes, — when 
the  aged,  the  sick,  and  the  women  of  feeble  constitutions 
dragged  themselves  to  the  gates  of  Hamburg,  and 
begged  admission,  it  was  refused,  on  the  pretext  that 
there  had  been  in  Altona  contagious  sickness,  and  that 
they  durst  not  expose  their  own  city  to  the  risk  of  in- 
fection !”a  How  true  are  the  words  of  the  English  poet : 

“ There  is  no  flesh  in  man’s  obdurate  heart; 

It  does  not  feel  for  man  !” 

COVVPER. 

The  remains  of  Klopstock  lie  in  a burial-ground  at  Ot- 
tensen,  a village,  which,  from  its  proximity,  may  be  reck- 
oned a suburb  of  Altona. b Between  Altona  and  Ham- 
burg are  the  cemeteries  belonging  to  the  latter  city,  re- 
markable for  their  neatness  and  simplicity,  being  laid  out 
in  compartments,  intersected  by  avenues,  and  planted 
with  the  black  poplar,  weeping  ash,  lindens,  See.  The 
fishing- village  of  Blankanese,"  on  the  banks  of  the  Elbe, 
below  Altona,  is  deserving  the  attention  of  the  traveller 
from  its  cleanness  and  picturesque  situation. d 

The  small  dutchy  of  Lauenburg  formerly  made  part 
of  the  French  department  of  the  Mouths  of  the  Elbe; 
by  the  treaty  of  1815  it  fell  to  Prussia,  and  was  by  that 
power  exchanged  for  Swedish  Pomerania,  which  had 
been  given  to  Denmark  by  Sweden  in  exchange  for 
Norway.  This  dutchy  is  divided  into  two  bailiwicks. 
Ratzeburg  is  its  capital,  picturesquely  situated  in  an 
island  on  a lake  to  which  it  has  given  its  name,  and 
communicating  by  two  bridges  with  the  opposite  shores. 
The  town  itself  is  built  entirely  of  red  bricks,  and  the 
houses  are  roofed  with  red  tiles,  so  that  to  the  eye  it 
presents  a clump  of  red  brick  dust.  It  is  a place  of 
great  antiquity,  the  church  having  been  erected  in  1157. 

OF  DENMARK.  395 

The  small  river  of  Wackenitz  forms  a means  of  active 
communication  between  Ratzeburg  and  the  port  of  Lu 
beck.  But  the  greatest  peculiarity  about  Ratzeburg  is 
that  two  of  its  quarters,  called  Domholt  and  Palmberg, 
belong  to  the  grand-duke  of  Mecklenburg-Strelitz. e 
Lauenburg,  the  capital  of  a bailiwick,  is  the  most  soutn 
ern  city  in  Denmark  ; it  stands  upon  the  right  bank  of 
the  Elbe,  at  the  point  of  junction  of  that  river  and  the 
canal  of  Steckenitz.  It  contains  soap-works,  breweries, 
and  manufactories  of  common  Dutch-ware  :f  the  toll 
established  upon  the  Elbe  brings  in  75,000  florins  per 
annum.  Lauenburg  derives  its  name  from  an  old  castle, 
of  which  the  remains  are  still  seen,  built  by  Henry  the 
Lion,  and  named  in  honour  of  him,  Lcewenburg  (Fort 
of  the  Lion.)s  In  this  castle  was  signed,  in  1803,  the 
treaty  by  which  Hanover  was  given  up  to  France. 

Situated  between  the  Shetland  Islands  and  Iceland, 
the  archipelago  of  Fceroeh  is  attached  to  the  government 
of  Iceland.  However,  this  small  archipelago,  wbLn 
rises  in  the  midst  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  belongs  to  Eu- 
rope ; whilst  Iceland,  considered  in  a physical  relation, 
is  a dependency  of  Greenland,  a country  which  forms 
part  of  America.1  The  Faroe  or  Faraer  Islands’1  were 
discovered  during  the  ninth  century  by  the  Norwegians, 
who  formed  a settlement  there.1  They  gave  them  the 
name  of  Faraer,  from  the  word  faar,  which,  in  the 
Scandinavian  language,  signifies  sheep,  because  that  ani- 
mal was  found  in  sole  possession  of  the  islands.1"  These 
islands  are  thirty-five  in  number,  seventeen  of  which  are 
inhabited."  The  total  population  is  about  6000  souls." 
Strcemcee?  is  the  largest ; it  is  thirteen  leagues  in  length 
by  five  in  breadth;  Astercee,  to  the  west, 4 and  Suderoec, 
to  the  south,"  are  the  next  in  importance  : the  others, 
namely,  Sandcee,  Waargae,  Bordoee,  Winder ae,s  dimin- 

a Voltaire,  Histoire  de  Charles  XII.  liv.  7. 

b Altona  was  originally  a village  in  the  parish  of  Ottensen.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — Ottensen  was  one  of  the  parishes,  constituting  the  old  county 
of  Pinneberg,  that  fell  to  the  share  of  Denmark,  after  the  extinction 
of  the  house  of  Schaumburg  in  1040.  See  note  “ p.  1072. — P. 
c Blankenese  (Morse.) — Blankennie  (Tuckey.) — P. 
d “ Rendsbvrg  may  be  considered  the  best  built  town  in  Holstein;  it 
is  situated  on  the  banks  of  a canal  which  unites  with  the  Eyder.*  It 
is  a place  of  importance  from  its  arsenal,  its  magazines,  its  barracks, 
and  especially  its  fortifications.  It  is  the  principal  fortress  in  continent- 
al Denmark, t now  that  the  fortifications  of  Gluckstadt  have  been  razed. 
Heyde  and  Preetz  are  small  towns,  interesting  only  from  their  schools. 
Pinneberg  is  merely  a village,  but  Altona,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Elbe, 
is,  next  to  Copenhagen,  the  largest  city  in  the  kingdom,  and  the  only 
one  that  carries  on  a flourishing  commerce  ; it  also  possesses  the  most 
important  manufactures.  It  contains  all  the  useful  institutions  and 
places  of  amusement  that  distinguish  opulent  cities,  and  it  is  exten- 
sively engaged  in  the  herring  and  whale  fisheries.” — This  is  all  the 
account,  in  the  original,  of  the  towns  in  Holstein,  from  Rendsburg  to 
Altona,  inclusive. — P. 

* Rendsburg  is  situated  at  the  point  where  the  canal  of  Kiel  joins  the  Eyder. — 
It  is  divided  by  the  Eyder  into  the  old  and  new  town  ; the  former  in  Sleswick  ; 
the  latter  in  Holstein.  (Tuckey.) — P. 

t Its  yarn  son  is  usually  3000,  but  it  has  accommodations  for  15,000.  (Tuck- 
ey.)— P. 

e “ Ratzeburg  is  its  capital , it  is  situated  on  an  island  in  a lake,  to 
the  last  of  which  it  has  given  its  name.  By  means  of  the  small  river 
Wackenitz,  it  carries  on  an  active  communication  with  the  port  of 
Lubeck.  But  what  is  peculiar  to  Ratzeburg,  is  the  circumstance  that 
two  of  its  quarters,  called  Domholt  and  Palmberg,  belong  to  the 
grand  duke  of  Mecklenburg-Strelitz.”  M.  B. — The  town  of  Ratze- 
burg originally  belonged  in  part  to  the  county  of  Ratzeburg,  and  in 
part  to  the  bishopric  of  Ratzeburg  ; the  greater  part  to  the  former,  and 
the  cathedral  ( dnmldrche ,)  with  the  quarter  called  Palmberg,  in  its 
vicinity,  inhabited  by  the  principal  families  dependent  on  the  bishop- 
ric, to  the  latter.  The  bishopric  possessed  only  this  part  of  Ratzeburg, 
and  the  bailiwick  (amt)  of  Schoenberg,  not  far  distant,  in  the  direction 
of  Lubeck.  The  county  of  Ratzeburg  afterwards  fell  to  the  dukes  of 
Lauenburg,  and  the  bishopric  to  the  dukes  of  Mecklenburg,  whence 
the  present  division  of  the  town. — P. 

f “ Faience” — delft.  1 

s Literally,  Lion-Fort  or  Castle. — P. 

h This  is  probably  intended  for  Faroe  [Farae  ?] — at  least,  it  is  so  ar- 
ranged in  the  Index  to  the  original. — See  notes  k and"'. — P. 

' Iceland  is  described,  book  lxxvii. 

k Faro  or  Ferro  Islands  (Guthrie.) — Faroe  (Ed.  Enc.) — Faroe  or 
Faroer  Islands  (Morse.) — Feme  Islands  (Tuckey.) — Fero,  Fare,  Faro, 
or  Faroer  (Enc.  Meth.) — Fero,  Ferro,  or  Farre;  Lat.  Insults  Glessaria. 
(Hubner.) — See  note1”. — P. 

1 The  Faroe  Islands  appear  to  have  been  resorted  to  long  before  Ice- 
land was  discovered  [Iceland  was  discovered  about  the  year  860,  by 
a Norwegian  pirate  named  Naddodr,  who  was  accidentally  driven  on 
the  coast  while  on  a voyage  to  the  Faroe  Islands  ;]  and  the  same 
cause,  the  subjugation  of  the  petty  states  of  Norway  by  Harold  the 
fair  haired,  led  to  the  colonization  of  both  in  the  ninth  century.  [Ice- 
land was  colonized  from  Norway,  in  the  year  874.]  (Ed.  Enc.) — The 
Feroe  (Fcrocr)  Islands  were  discovered  about  the  year  861,  and  be- 
tween 860  and  872,  three  navigators  visited  Iceland.  (Malte-Brun, 
Hist.  Geog.  p.  390.)— P. 

m The  proper  Danish  orthography,  according  to  this  etymology,  is 
Faaraer  (Sheep  Islands,)  from  Dan.  faar,  Swed.  far,  sheep,  and 
Dan.  aer  (pin.  of  a,)  islands. — Their  name  is  thought  to  be  derived 
from  far,  a sheep,  and  a,  an  island,  or  from  fer,  feathers,  or  finally 
from  far,  distant,  as  relative  to  their  position  with  respect  to  Norway. 
(Tuckey,  vol.  iv.  p.  408.) — These  words,  in  Tuckey,  are  not  all  in  the 
Danish.  Far  should  be  faar,  and  far,  fern,  in  that  language. — P. 

D The  group  consists  of  22  islands,*  of  which  seventeen  are  inhab 
ited.  (Ed.  Enc.  Tuckey.) — P. 

*25.  (Morse.) — 24;  12  large,  and  12  small.  (Vosgien.) 

0 5,500,  in  1827.  (Stat.  Tab.  5500.) — 5209,  in  1812,  by  census.  (Ed 
Enc.)— 4409,  in  1782.  (Tuckey.)— P. 

p Dan.  Stramae  (Stream  Island  ;)  the  central  island  of  the  group. 
— Stromce  (Tuckey.) — Stromoe  (Ed.  Enc.) — Stromoe  (Morse.) — P. 

<1  This  should  be  (Estcrcec  (Dan.,)  Eastern  Island. — Osteroe  (Tuckey.) 
— Osteroe  (Ed.  Enc.) — Osteroe  (Morse.)  It  is  situated  to  the  east  of 
Strcemoee,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  a narrow  channel. — P. 

r Suderae  (Southern  Island,)  the  southernmost  of  the  group. — Su- 
deroe  (Tuckey  ) — Suderoe  (Ed.  Enc.) — Suderoe  (Morse.) — P. 

5 Sundae  (Sand  I.) — Vaagate  (Waargoee  is  erroneous) — Vaagoe  (Ed. 
Enc.)  Vaagoe  (Tuckey.) — Bordae  (Table  I.) — Vidercce  (Farther  I.)  is 
the  correct  orthography,  not  Winderose — Videroe  (Tuckey.) — P 

EUROPE. 


396 

ish  gradually  in  size,  and  are  surrounded  by  twenty- 
eiglil  still  smaller  islands,  the  extent  of  some  of  which 
is  less  than  a square  league.  The  greater  part  of  these 
islands  are  covered  with  mountains  of  igneous  origin, 
which  rise  from  1800  to  2000  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea ; the  decomposition  of  the  rocks  of  which  they 
are  formed,  produces  a gravelly  and  blackish  earth, 
which  is  covered  with  pasturage  so  much  the  richer 
from  its  being  watered  by  numerous  rivulets  ; bays 
deeply  indented  surround  these  islands,  and  increase 
the  dangers  presented  by  a navigation  full  of  rocks  and 
rapid  currents.  The  climate  is  not  so  cold  as  the  lati- 
tude would  seem  to  indicate  ;a  the  frosts  last  little  more 
than  a month,  and  the  winter  is  seldom  rigorous  enough 
to  cover  the  bays  with  ice.  Summer,  however,  con- 
tinues only  during  the  two  months  of  July  and  August; 
but  by  one  of  those  compensations  which  the  wisdom  of 
nature  presents,  the  furious  storms  which  desolate  these 

1 They  lie  between  01°  20'  and  02°  30'  of  north  latitude,  and  be- 
tween 7°  55'  and  10°  25'  of  west  longitude  from  Paris.  [They  lie  be- 
tween 01°  20'  and  62°  25'  N.  and  between  6°  15'  and  7°  43'  W.  long, 
from  Greenwich.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P.] 

b “ Legumes.” — This  may  signify  vegetables  cultivated  for  their 
roots  or  leaves,  such  as  turnips,  potatoes,  cabbages,  &c.  as  well  as 
pulse  or  leguminous  plants. — Barley  and  rye  are  the  only  cultivated 
grains,  and  carrots  and  potatoes  the  only  vegetables.  (Tuckey.) — The 
inhabitants  being  regularly  supplied  from  Denmark  with  barley  and 
rj'e,  and  sometimes  with  pease,  the  cultivation  of  grain  is  carried  to 
a very  small  extent.  Barley,  turnips  and  potatoes  are  the  principal 
crops  cultivated.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c This  might  be  translated  very  fine  (asscz  fine.) — In  the  Shetland 
Islands,  is  a breed  of  sheep,  running  wild  among  the  hills,  remarkable 
for  the  fineness  and  softness  of  its  wool,  which  is  chiefly  employed 
for  knitting  gloves  and  stockings.  Some  of  the  stockings  have  been 
knit  so  fine  as  to  sell  at  40  shillings  the  pair.  This  breed  is  also  found 
in  the  mountainous  parts  of  Sweden  and  Norway.  Its  wool  is  short 
and  very  fine,  like  down,  intermixed  with  some  long  hairs.  The  Ar- 
gali or  wild  sheep,  to  which  it  approaches  nearest  of  any  breed  appro- 
priated by  man,  has  the  same  fine  close  down,  particularly  in  winter, 
under  a covering  of  coarse  hair.  Ed.  Enc.  art.  Shetland.  Rees’  Cyc. 


[BOOK  CXLIX. 

islands  purify  the  air,  by  dispersing  the  pestilential  mi- 
asmata which  otherwise  would  threaten  the  inhabitants. 
Wheat  rarely  ripens,  but  barley,  rye  and  leguminous 
plantsb  succeed  well.  However,  the  rearing  of  cattle  is 
much  more  attended  to  than  agriculture.  The  horse, 
the  ox,  and  other  domestic  animals,  are  of  a good 
breed,  but  small  size  ; the  sheep  are  covered  with  a 
tolerably  fine  fleece.®  The  whale  and  herring  fisheries, 
and  the  pursuit  of  aquatic  birds, d bring  great  profits  to 
the  inhabitants.  The  knitting  of  woollen  stockings  is 
also  beneficial  ;e  they  export  about  120,000  pairs  per 
annum.  The  Foeroe  Islands  are  divided  into  six  dis- 
tricts and  seventeen  parishes/  the  government  of  which 
is  confided  to  a bailiffs  who  resides  at  Thorshavn ,h  the 
only  town  in  the  islands.  It  is  situated  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  island  of  Stroemoee  ; a small  fort  defends  it, 
and  a church,  an  academy,'  a Latin  school,  and  an  hos- 
pital, are  its  principal  edifices. 

art.  Sheep.  Sinclair’s  Stat.  Acc.  Scot.  vol.  i.  p.  394  (Delting,)  vol.  v. 
p.  188  (Unst,)  and  vol.  x.  p.  198  (Bressay.) — P. 

d Bird-catching  is  extensively  pursued  on  the  rocky  coasts  of  these 
islands,  in  a manner  similar  to  that  mentioned  in  the  account  of  Nor- 
way, p.  1043. — P. 

e “ The  knitting  of  woollen  stockings  is,  next  to  these,  the  most 
profitable  employment.” — Stockings  and  knit  jackets  are  at  present 
the  chief  articles  of  export.  (Ed.  Enc.  1817.) — P. 

f There  are  seven  parishes,  and  39  places  of  worship,  in  the  islands. 
The  religious  establishment  is  under  the  superintendence  of  a provost. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

s The  civil  establishment  is  under  the  direction  of  a military  officer, 
commanding  30  men.  Under  the  commandant  are,  the  landfoged*  or 
treasurer,  who  also  performs  the  duties  of  high-sheriff,  and  the  syssel- 
ment  or  governors  of  districts.  The  commandant  and  the  landfoged 
both  reside  at  Thorshavn  (Ed.  Enc.) 

* Dan.  land,  and  foged,  badiff  or  judge, 
t Dan.  sijsselmcvnd—syssel,  a district,  and  mand,  man. 
h Dan.  Thorshavn. — Eng.  Thorshaven.  (Tuckey.) — P. 

* “ Gymnasium.” — It  contains  a Latin  school,  and  a wooden  church 
covered  with  slate.  (Tuckey.) — P. 


BOOK  CXLIX.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  DENMARK. 


307 


STATISTICAL  TABLES 


THE  DANISH  MONARCHY. 


Administrative  Divisions  of  the  Danish  Possessions  in  Europe. 

I.  DENMARK  PROPER. 


1.  DANISH  ISLANDS. 


Provinces  and  Dutchies.  Islands. 

Zealand1 


Zealand1 

Funen 

Laaland 

Aalborg 

Viborg 

Ribe' 

Aarhuust 


Sleswick 


Moenc 

Bornholm 

Stromose'1 

{Funen 
Langland1 
C Laaland 
( Falster 


Towns. 

{Copenhagen^1 
Rceskilde 
Frcderihsborg 
Elsineur 
Steege 
Rasnne 
Thorsliavn 
( Odensee 
l Svenborge 
Rudkicebing 
Maribcee 
xVykioebingS 


Holstein 


Lauenburg 


2.  NORTH  JUTLAND. 

C Aalborg 
( Thistcdh 
Viborg 
C Ribe' 

( Fredericia 
C Aarhuus1 
\ Handers 

3.  SOUTH  JUTLAND. 

Sleswick 
Flensborg 
Husum 
Tondern 
Apenrade 
Hadersleben 
Alsen  Sonderborg 

, Femern  Burs 


II.  GERMAN  PROVINCES. 

"Gluckstadt1 
Kiel 

Rendsburg 
Heyde 
Preetz 
Altona 
Ratzeburg 
Lauenburg 


Population. 

104,000 

2,000 

1,200 

7.000 

1.000 

2.500 

1.500 

7.000 

2.000 
1,200 
2,000 
1,000 


6.500 

1,000 

5.000 

2.000 

4.000 

6.000 

4.500 


8,000 

16,000 

4.000 

2.500 

3.000 

3.500 

2.500 

1.500 


5.000 

7.000 

6.000 

2,500 

3.000 
24,000 

2.000 

2,500 


Population  of  the  States  of  Denmark , according  to  the  census 
made  at  the  end  of  1827. 


1,937,150 


EUROPE. 

Danish  provinces,  comprising  the  dutchy  of 

Sleswick 1,521,270' 

Dutchy  of  Holstein 374,740 

Do.  of  Lauenburg 35,640 

Feroe  Isles'"  5,500  J 

1 “ Seeland.” — Selande  or  Seelande  (Enc.  Meth.) — Selande  or  Ze- 
lande  (Vosgien.) — The  above  are  French. — Zealand,  generally  in 
English  authors. — Lat.  Selandia  (Vosgien ;)  Zeelandia  (Hubner.) — Du. 
Zeeland  (Hubner.) — Germ.  Seeland. — Dan.  Sjceland,  or  Siceland. — P. 

b The  names  in  small  capitals  are  those  of  the  chief  towns  of 
provinces;  the  names  in  italics,  those  of  the  chief  towns  of  bailiwicks. 
c Mccen,  p.  1071.  (See  note  b.)  d Stroemoee,  p.  1075 — 6. 

e Svendborg  (M.  B.  (p.  1071.)  Tuckey.  Pinkerton.) — Svenborg 
(Morse.)— Sevenborg  (Ed. Enc.) — Suevenborg,Sevenborg  (Vosgien.) — 
Schwinburg  (Hubner.) — P. 

f Langeland,  p.  1071.  (See  note  h.) 


AMERICA. 

Iceland 49,820 ) KK  Krn 

Greenland 5,740  J 515,560 

f Island  of  St.  Thomas') 

Antilles  2 St.  John  46,290  46,290 

[ St.  Croix  J 

AFRICA. 

Coasts  of  Guinea — Christiansborg,  Frederiks- 
borg,  and  some  forts  25,000  25,000 

ASIA. 

Hindostan — Tranquebar  and  Serampore"  . . . 61,000  61,000 

Total  of  the  Danish  possessions  . . . 2,125,000 

Views  of  the  Danish  Population  in  Europe. 

Surface  in  square  leagues  2,865  Inhabitants  per  square  league  677 

Legitimate.  Illegitimate.  . Total. 

Births  in  1827  . . . 34,315  2639  36,954 

Deaths  in  1827  . . . 26,160 

Excess  of  births  over  deaths 10,794 

Proportion  of  illegitimate  to  legitimate  children  . . . . 1 to  14 

of  deaths  to  births 2 to  3 

of  births  to  the  population 1 to  52 

of  deaths  to  the  population . 1 to  74 

European  Population  according  to  their  Language. 

Speaking  Danish 1,320,000  individuals. 

German 550,000 

Anglo-jutic" 18,000 

FrieslandiCP 49,000 

JVumber  of  Domestic  Animals. 

Horses  500,000.  Horned  cattle  1,100,000.  Sheep  1,500,000 

Average  Exports  of  Domestic  Animals. 

Stallions  3,000.  Mares  12,000.  Cows  4,000.  Swine  18,000. 

Military  and  JYaval  Force. 

Army  38,800  men.i 

f Ships  of  the  line 4 

Navy  < Frigates 7 

(_  Vessels  of  inferior  size 18 


Finances. 


Revenue  in  francs  40,000,000. 


Public  debt  270,000,000. 


s See  note  0 p.  1071. 

h Tysted  (Morse.) — Situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  Lym-Fiord, 
near  its  western  extremity. — P. 

* See  note  ee  p.  1071.  k See  note  11  p.  1071. 

1 “ Gluckstadt.” — See  note  J p.  1072. 
m See  note  k p.  1075. 
n “ Tranquebar  and  Frederiknagor.” 

° “ Anglo-iotic.” 

p “ Frisian  or  Frisic  ( Frison .)” — See  notes  " and  P p.  1064. 
i According  to  M.  Thaarup,  Danish  counsellor  of  state,  the  army 
in  1825,  was  60,000  strong. 


308 


EUROPE. 


IBOOK  C J. 


BOOK  CL. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued — Belgium,  or  the  Netherlands ,a 
The  country  inhabited  by  the  different  tribes  of  the 
Belgce,  from  whom  Belgium  takes  its  name,  was  of 
much  greater  extent  than  the  modern  territory  which 
goes  by  that  name.  From  the  general  description  given 
of  it  by  Caesar,  and  a comparison  of  the  particular 
districts,  (so  far  as  it  can  be  ascertained,)  inhabited  by 
the  tribes  forming  the  nation  of  the  Bclgcc,  its  bounds 
seem  to  have  extended  from  the  mouth  of  the  Seine 
in  the  English  channel  to,  or  nearly  to,  the  banks  of  the 
Rhine,  the  Seine  ( Sequana ) and  the  Marne  ( Matrona ) 
forming  the  southern  boundary,  and  thus  to  have  em- 
braced not  only  the  Netherlands  or  Belgium  properly  so 
called,  but  the  whole  province  of  Picardy,  and  such 
parts  of  Normandy,  the  Isle  of  France,  Champagne  and 
Lorraine,  as  lie  within  the  above  line,  besides  part  of 
the  Prussian  States,  lying  to  the  westward  of  the  Rhine. 
In  this  country  lay  the  immense  forest  of  the  Ardvenna 
( Silva  Ardvenna,  Ctesar,  1.  5.)b  embracing,  it  appears, 
great  part  of  the  country  lying  between  the  Meuse  and 
the  Rhine,  and  the  remains  of  which  are  still  extant  in 
the  Forest  of  the  Ardennes.  The  Belgre  distinguished 
themselves  by  their  bravery  and  their  determined  oppo- 
sition to  Roman  encroachment  and  usurpation.  Caesar 
styles  them  “the  bravest  of  all  the  Gauls,”  and  he  as- 
signs, as  reasons  for  this,  their  distance  from  the  civili- 
zation and  politeness  of  Roman  Gaul,  their  thus  little 
intercourse  with  their  more  civilized  neighbours,  and 
their  frequent  wars  with  the  Germans  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Rhine.'  It  is  obvious  from  his  own  account,  that 
he  had  but  little  to  boast  of  in  his  wars  with  these  high- 
spirited  tribes,  but  ultimately  they  were  borne  down 
under  the  overwhelming  pressure  of  the  gigantic  power 
of  Rome,  and  compelled  to  acknowledge  her  authority. 
Yet  it  would  appear,  that,  all  along,  some  of  the  tribes 
upon  the  coast,  as  well  as  their  maritime  neighbours  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Rhine,  yielded  but  a nominal  sub- 
iection  to  the  supremacy  of  Rome,  and  maintained,  till 
the  fall  of  that  empire,  a considerable  share  of  inde- 

» This  and  the  following  Book  are  greatly  modified  by  the  transla- 
tor, in  order  to  adapt  them  to  the  present  state  of  Holland  and  Belgi- 
um. The  title  of  the  Book,  corresponding  to  this  in  order,  in  the 
original,  is  : Description  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Netherlands. — Section 
First. — Dutch  Provinces  ; — that  of  the  Book,  corresponding  to  the  next, 
is  : Description  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Netherlands. — Seciion  Second. 
— Belgic  Provinces,  and  the  Grand  Dutchy  of  Luxemburg. — The  term 
Netherlands,  here  given  as  synonymous  with  Belgium,  properly  in- 
cludes all  the  Low  Countries,  and  is  so  used  in  the  expression,  King- 
dom of  the  Netherlands.  Indeed,  Low  Countries  (Fr.  Pays-Bas)  is 
only  a translation  of  Netherlands,  the  Teutonic  form  of  the  word  (Du. 
Nederland en ; Germ.  Niedcrlande.)  When  the  people  of  the  Nether- 
lands revolted  against  Spain,  the  seven  Northern  Provinces,  having 
united  under  a confederacy,  and  also  having  embraced  the  Protestant 
religion,  were  called  the  United  Netherlands  (United  Provinces,  or 
United  States,)  and  also  the  Protestant  Netherlands,  while  the  ten 


pendence.  When  Rome,  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  centu- 
ries, fell  by  its  own  weight,  and  through  the  incessant 
attacks  of  the  northern  nations,  the  Belgian  provinces 
became  the  prey  of  these  intruders,  principally  of  the 
Saxons  and  Franks.  Without  attempting,  where  in 
point  of  fact  history  gives  but  little  information,  to  trace 
the  early  history  of  Belgium,  suffice  it  to  say,  that  it 
formed  part  of  the  great  empire  of  Charlemagne,  but 
during  the  feeble  reign  of  his  successors  both  in  France 
and  Germany,  it  fell  under  the  power  of  independent 
chieftains,  with  territories  more  or  less  extensive.  Dur- 
ing the  same  period,  many  of  the  cities  acquired  not 
only  immense  wealth  in  the  pursuit  of  commerce,  but 
privileges  amounting  almost  to  independence  of  their 
local  sovereigns.  In  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centu- 
ries, Belgium  fell  under  the  power  of  the  powerful 
house  of  Burgundy,  from  which  it  passed  by  marriage 
to  the  house  of  Austria  about  the  commencement  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  and  at  the  division  of  the  Austrian 
family  into  two  branches,  the  Spanish  (the  elder  branch) 
and  German,  it  became  part  of  the  immense  possessions 
of  the  Spanish  branch.  From  various  causes,  it  failed 
to  acquire  its  liberty  when  the  seven  more  northerly 
provinces  threw  off  the  Spanish  yoke,  and  remained  part 
of  the  Spanish  monarchy  till  the  war  of  the  succession 
in  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when,  at  the 
peace  of  Utrecht,  Belgium  became  part  of  the  posses- 
sions of  the  German  branch  of  the  house  of  Austria. 
With  that  family  it  continued  till  conquered  by  the 
French  in  1794  and  1795,  and  with  them  it  remained 
as  a part  of  the  French  empire,  till  the  downfall  of  Na 
poleon’s  power  in  1814.  In  opposition  to  the  wishes 
of  the  people,  who  utterly  disliked  an  alliance  or  union 
with  the  Dutch,  Belgium,  by  the  fiat  of  the  allied  pow- 
ers, became  part  of  the  new  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands 
under  the  Orange  family. d 

Let  us  now  cast  a glance  on  the  political  organization 
of  what  was  the  monarchy  of  the  Lhiited  Netherlands.' 
According  to  a constitutional  law  promulgated  on  the 

Southern  Provinces,  remaining  under  the  power  of  Spain,  and  ad 
hering  to  the  Catholic  religion,  were  called  the  Spanish  Netherlands 
(afterwards,  having  passed  under  the  House  of  Austria,  and  partly  into 
the  possession  of  France,  the  Austrian  and  French  Netherlands,)  and 
also  the  Catholic  Netherlands.  The  term  Netherlands  has,  however, 
though  improperly,  been  confined  to  the  Belgic  Provinces,  and  is  so 
employed  by  Pinkerton,  while  the  term  Holland,  properly  the  name  of 
a single  province,  has  in  like  manner  been  extended  to  the  whole  of 
the  Dutch  Provinces. — P. 

b Sylra  Ardvenna.  Ctesar.  Bell.  Gall.  lib.  v.  § 3. — P. 

c Ctesar.  de  Bel.  Gal.  lib.  I.  c.  i. 

d The  above  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

e “ — on  the  political  organization  of  the  Netherlandish  monarchy 
( monarchic  ne.erlandaise)” — kingdom  of  the  Netherlands.  (See  note 
a.) — The  original  was  published  in  1829. — P. 


J 


book  cl.j  DESCRIPTION  OF  BELGIUM.  399 


24th  of  August  1815,  it  was  governed  by  a king,  who, 
sharing  the  legislative  power  with  the  States  General 
divided  into  two  chambers,  alone  had  the  right  of  ma- 
king peace  or  war,  of  concluding  alliances,  and  of  ratify- 
ing treaties.  There  was,  however,  an  obligation  upon 
him  to  advise  with  the  States,1  whenever  the  interest  or 
the  safety  of  the  country  demanded  it.  The  sovereign 
disposed  of  civil  and  military  employments,  conferred 
the  order  of  nobility,  and  governed  at  his  pleasure  the 
colonies.  He  proposed  laws  to  the  Chambers,  but  they, 
on  the  other  hand,  had  also  the  power  of  submitting 
propositions  to  him  which  he  might  adopt  or  reject. 
The  crown  was  declared  hereditary  in  the  male  line, 
following  the  right  of  primogeniture  ; but  females  might 
be  called  to  the  throne,  after  the  complete  extinction  of 
the  male  line.  The  nation  was  divided  into  three 
classes,  viz.,  the  nobility  or  equestrian  order,  the  order 
of  the  citizens  or  mercantile  order,  and  that  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  country  or  landed  and  agricultural  in- 
terest. b The  order  of  the  nobility  was  represented  in 
the  States  General  by  the  Upper  Chamber,  composed 
of  from  forty  to  sixty  members,  whose  prerogatives, 
conferred  by  the  king,  were  not  hereditary,  but  for  life 
merely.  The  Lower  Chamber  comprehended  110 
deputies,  nominated  by  the  provinces,  one  half  by  the 
Belgian,  and  the  other  half  by  the  Dutch  provinces. 
These  two  Chambers,  forming  the  national  representa- 
tion, were  assembled  every  year.  In  each  province, 
questions  of  a more  immediate  or  local  interest  were  sub- 
mitted to  the  deliberation  of  deputies  from  the  three 
orders,  who  formed  the  Provincial  States,  and  whose 
members  enjoyed  equal  rights,  equal  independence,  and 
equal  freedom.  These  States  assembled  as  often  as  the 
king  called  them  together,  but  at  least  once  a-year. 

There  are  perceivable,  in  the  ensemble  and  in  the 
details  of  this  organization,  advantages  not  possessed  by 
either  the  English  constitution  or  French  charter.' 
But  the  parliamentary  debates  of  the  Low  Countries 
revealed  to  Europe  the  vicious  tendency  of  many  law's 
then  in  force,  and  certain  alterations  were  imperiously 
called  for,  such  as  an  alleviation  in  the  burden  of  taxes, 
and  the  introduction  of  various  institutions  indispensable 
to  the  happiness  of  the  nation,  viz.  the  entire  free- 
dom of  the  press,  the  establishment  of  juries,  and  the 
irremovability  of  judges.  The  punishments  attendant 
upon  delinquencies  of  the  press,  were  of  a severity  not 
proportioned  to  the  present  state  of  things.  One  law 
allowed  judges  to  inflict,  for  the  repression  of  certain 
offences,  arbitrary  punishments,  and  those  of  the  most 
degrading  nature,  such  as  branding  and  whipping.  It 
cannot  be  said  that  the  government  of  the  United  Neth- 
erlands'1 was  altogether  opposed  to  the  necessities  of  the 
country  ; several  abuses  were  redressed,  and  the  new 
methods  of  instruction  were  not,  as  in  France,  through 
the  instigation  and  clamours  of  a stationary  but  powerful 
faction ,e  stigmatized  as  both  immoral  and  dangerous. 
Hence  the  number  of  scholars  has  been,  in  Belgium, 

a “ — to  communicate  his  measures  to  the  States.” — The  person  of 
the  king  was  inviolable,  but  his  ministers  were  responsible. — P. 

b “ The  nobility  or  equestrian  order,*  the  order  of  the  towns,  and  the 
order  of  the  country” — the  last  corresponding  to  the  order  of  peasants 
in  the  Swedish  diets. — P. 

*In  all  the  nations  on  the  continent  of  Gothic  origin,  the  nobility  is  called 
the  class  or  order  of  Knights  (Germ.  Ritterstand,  Du.  Dan.  Ridderstand, 
Swed.  Riddarstdnd.) — P. 

* This  has  a reference  to  the  state  of  things  in  France  previous  to 
the  revolution  in  1830. — Trans. 

lL-  ■ l ■ —=: 


nearly  twice  the  number  of  that  in  France,  in  proportion 
to  the  population  of  the  two  countries/ 

It  has  been  already  remarked,  that  the  people  of  Bel- 
gium were  not  consulted,  when  the  Belgian  provinces 
were,  along  with  the  seven  Dutch  provinces,  formed 
into  one  kingdom.  The  object  of  the  great  European 
powers,  who  took  upon  them  to  model  the  smaller  states 
as  they  thought  proper,  in  carrying  through  this  union, 
was  to  form,  in  a quarter  which  had  always  been  open 
to  French  attack,  and  presented  no  proper  barrier  of 
resistance,  a state  sufficiently  powerful,  especially  when 
supported  by  Great  Britain  and  Prussia,  to  repel  ag- 
gression on  the  part  of  its  southern  and  powerful  neigh- 
bour, and  prevent  Belgium  from  becoming  what  had 
been  so  often  the  case,  a mere  arena  of  contention  be- 
tween France  and  Austria.  There  were  many  things, 
however,  that  tended  to  make  this  union  disliked  by  the 
Belgians.  There  existed  strong  feelings  of  aversion  to 
the  Dutch,  arising  from  different  causes,  among  others, 
the  difference  of  their  religion,  the  Dutch  being  of  the 
Reformed  religion,  while  the  Belgians  were  bigoted 
Roman  catholics.  Besides,  having  been  for  twenty 
years  united  to  the  French  empire  as  an  integral  part  of 
it,  and  finding  a ready  market  there  for  their  internal 
productions,  their  interests,  and  their  habits  and  predi- 
lections were  all  French.  This  was  particularly  the 
case  in  the  southern  provinces,  and  in  the  grand  dutchy 
of  Luxemburg.  In  such  a state  of  things,  much  wis- 
dom and  deep  and  continued  attention  to  the  interests 
and  feelings  of  the  different  parties,  was  on  the  part  of 
the  rulers  necessary,  to  reconcile  conflicting  opinions 
and  prejudices  on  one  side  and  another.  To  give  con- 
sistence, and  insure  duration  to  a body  formed  of  such 
heterogeneous  materials,  it  became  necessary  that  a pa- 
ternal government  should  guarantee  to  all,  by  means  of 
the  advantages  of  a representative  system,  liberty  civil 
and  religious,  showing  impartiality  in  the  conferring  the 
rewards  of  the  state,  and  taking  care  not  to  shock  the 
prejudices  of  the  Roman  catholics  in  Belgium,  who  were 
naturally  jealous  of  a protestant  sovereign,  and  of  the 
predilections  which  be  might  be  supposed  to  have 
towards  his  Dutch  and  Protestant  subjects. 

There  is  too  much  ground  to  believe  that  the  Belgi- 
ans had  just  cause  of  complaint  against  the  government 
of  the  King  of  the  Netherlands.  The  severe  measures 
which  were  adopted  to  check,  as  was  said,  the  licentious- 
ness of  the  Brussels  press,  with  the  manifest  partiality  of 
the  government  towards  its  Dutch  subjects,  combining  with 
other  causes  of  complaint,  and  with  the  dislike  that  had 
all  along  been  felt  towards  the  union  with  Holland,  pro- 
duced a spirit  of  almost  universal  dissatisfaction  through- 
out all  the  Belgian  provinces ; and  the  revolution  at 
Paris  in  the  close  of  July  1830  was  the  signal  for 
another  at  Brussels  in  the  month  of  August  following, 
which  has  ended  in  the  separation  of  Belgium  from 
Holland.  It  appears  that  the  allied  powers  have  con- 
sented to  this,  but  difficulties  have  arisen  in  the  final 

d “ Pays-Bas” — Netherlands  or  Low  Countries. — See  note  a p 
1078.— P. 

« “ A powerful  stationary  party” — party  opposed  to  the  progress  of 
improvement. — The  royalists  and  liberals,  in  France,  in  relation  to  this 
circumstance,  are  called  the  stationary  and  moving  parties  (parti  sta- 
tionnaire — purti  du  mouvemcnt.) — P. 

f This  statement,  in  the  original,  refers  to  the  whole  kingdom  of  the 
Netherlands  in  1829. — “ The  number  of  scholars,  in  proportion  to  the 
population,  is  nearly  double  that  in  France.” — P. 


400  EUR 

settlement  of  the  Belgian  affairs  and  the  choice  of  a 
sovereign,  in  consequence  of  the  opposition  expressed 
in  Belgium  to  any  member  of  the  Nassau  family  occupying 
the  throne,  and  the  offence  that  may  be  given  to  the  great 
powers  of  Europe  in  the  object  of  their  choice.  A short 
time  will  decide  a matter,  it  appears,  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  peace  of  the  world.3  Let  us  now  pro- 
ceed with  our  description  of  the  country. b 

In  Belgium  the  asperities  of  the  ground  are  merely 
small  mountains,  so  small  indeed  that  they  may  well  be 
considered  simply  hills  : they  belong  to  a group  of  the 
Alpine  range  which  predominates  in  France,  and  which 
we  have  called  the  Franco-Celtic.®  In  like  manner, 
those  which  extend  into  the  grand  dutchy  of  Luxem- 
burg and  province  of  Liege,  are  merely  a prolongation 
of  the  chain  to  which  we  have  formerly  given  the  name 
of  the  Ceveniio-Vosgian.i 6 The  branch  of  the  Ar- 
dennes, which  belongs  to  the  same  chain,  extends  into 
Hainault,  and  the  provinces  of  Namur  and  Limburg. 

The  Low  Countries  are,  by  the  smallness  of  their 
rise  above  the  level  of  the  ocean  the  rendezvous  of  sev- 
eral rivers  which  flow  majestically  across  the  sandy 
plains  of  this  flat  country.  The  Scheld  (£/ Escaut, )c 
on  quitting  the  French  territory,  traverses  part  of  Hai- 
nault, forms  on  the  east  the  boundary  of  West  Flanders, 
divides  East  Flanders  into  two  parts,  and  forms  the  line 
of  demarcation  between  East  Flanders  and  the  province 
of  Antwerp.  It  then  divides  itself  into  two  principal 
branches,  which,  in  falling  into  the  sea,  form  the  islands 
that  compose  the  province  of  Zealand.  The  Meuse, 
by  the  Belgians  called  Maas,s  takes  its  rise  in  Lorraine,1' 

OPE.  lbook  el- 

and seven  leagues  from  the  frontiers  of  France,  at  the 
city  of  Namur,  is  joined  by  the  Eambre ; it  then,  after 
watering  the  provinces  of  Namur,  Liege  and  Limburg 
separates  Nortli  Brabant  from  Holland,  and,  uniting  it- 
self to  the  Waal1  or  the  Rhine,  takes  its  course  to  the 
German  Ocean.  After  this  junction,  a popular  error 
gives  the  usurped  name  of  the  Maas  or  Meuse  to  the 
united  stream,  proceeding  upon  the  mistaken  notion  that 
the  Waal  or  Rhine,  the  greater  river,  throws  itself  into 
the  lesser  river,  the  Meuse;  whilst  it  is  the  Waal,  the 
principal  arm  of  the  Rhine,  which  conveys  the  united 
waters  to  the  ocean.  Other  arms  less  considerable  pre- 
serve the  name  of  the  Rhine,  and  disappear  amidst  the 
sands  near  Leyden  and  in  the  gulf  of  Zuyderzee.kl 

In  Belgium  there  is  no  lake  of  any  importance  : the 
marsh  called  the  Peel,  in  the  provinces  of  Limburg  and 
North  Brabant,  covers  a great  extent  of  ground. 

A geological  examination  of  the  different  formations 
in  Belgium, m exhibits  in  the  most  elevated  part  of  it, 
namely,  in  the  mountains  of  the  grand  dutchy  of  Lux- 
emburg, deposits  of  argillite"  which  extend  towards  the 
north,  surrounded  by  granitic  rocks,®  and  on  which  there 
repose,  towards  the  east,  reaching  as  far  as  the  Moselle, 
the  older  limestones?  containing  organic  remains ; to  the 
west,  on  the  contrary,  in  descending  towards  Brussels, 
the  argillite  forms  a great  basin,  filled  with  limestones 
containing  anthracite, the  combustible  of  the  older 
formations,  next  with  sandstone,  and  lastly,  with  all  the 
rocks  of  the  coal  formation/  What  is  most  remarkable 
about  these  deposits,  thus  imbedded  in  the  midst  of  the 
schists3  from  whence  the  slate1  is  taken,  is,  that  the  rocks 

3 The  allied  powers  have  agreed  by  protocol  to  acknowledge  the 
independence  of  Belgium,  as  a kingdom,  and  have  guarantied  its 
political  existence  as  such,  and  the  integrity  of  its  territory.  The 
boundaries  between  Belgium  and  Holland  are  to  be  such  as  they  were 
between  the  Seven  United  Provinces  and  the  Austrian  Netherlands, 
previous  to  the  French  revolution.  The  Belgian  Congress  have  elect- 
ed Prince  Leopold  of  Saxe-Coburg  for  their  sovereign,  who  now  (Nov. 
1831)  occupies  the  throne  as  king  of  Belgium.  The  Dutch  have  re- 
cently invaded  the  country,  and  been  driven  back  by  the  troops  of 
France.  The  line  of  boundaries  with  Holland  remains  yet  unsettled, 
and  also  the  position  of  Luxemburg,  the  province  having  sent  depu- 
ties to  the  Belgian  Congress,  and  being  claimed  by  the  Belgians  as  a 
part  of  their  territory,  while  the  fortress  of  Luxemburg  is  held  by  the 
Dutch  troops,  and  the  dutchy  is  claimed  by  the  German  Diet  as  a part 
of  their  confederacy,  vested  under  their  sanction  in  the  king  of  the 
Netherlands,  and  reversible  to  the  duke  of  Nassau,  one  of  their  con- 
federates, consequently  inalienable  without  their  consent.  (See  note 
c p.  1092.) — Since  writing  the  above,  a treaty  for  the  settlement  of 
Belgium  has  been  formed  by  the  Allied  Conference  at  London,  which 
was  immediately  accepted  by  Belgium,  and  soon  ratified  by  Great 
Britain  and  France.  The  other  powers  delayed  their  ratification,  but 
the  most  recent  accounts  have  stated  its  ratification  by  Austria  and 
Prussia;  its  ratification  by  Russia,  and  acceptance  by  Holland,  re- 
maining still  undecided.  (May  1832.) — P. 

b The  two  last  paragraphs  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 
c Description  of  France,  p.  878.  d Ibid. 

e “In  Belo-ium,  the  greatest  inequalities  of  the  surface  ought  rather 
to  be  considered  as  hills  than  as  mountains  : they  belong  to  that  group 
of  the  Alpine  system,  which  extends  through  the  interior  of  France, 
and  to  which  we  have  given  the  name  of  the  Franco-Celtic.  Conse- 
quently, those  which  extend  into  the  grand  dutchy  of  Luxemburg  and 
the  province  of  Liege,  are  merely  a prolongation  of  the  chain  which 
we  have  styled  the  Ceveno-Vosgian .” — It  should  be  recollected  that 
system,  group,  chain,  and  branch,  form  the  series  of  divisions,  accord- 
ing to  which  mountains  are  arranged  in  this  geography.  The  Franco- 
Celtic  is  a group  of  the  Alpine  system;  the  Cevcno-  Fosgian,  a chain 
of  the  Franco-Celtic  group;  and  the  Ardennes,  a branch  of  the  Ceve- 
no  Vosgian  chain. — P. 

< “ The  Escaut,  called  the  Schelde  in  the  dialect  of  Brabant  ( Braban - 
<;on.)" — Scheldt,  in  most  English  authors ; Scheld  (Pinkerton);  Germ. 
Du.  Schelde;  Fr.  Escaut,  Escault ; Lat.  Scaldis. — P. 

s Du.  Germ.  Maas — Maase  (Kilian,  1G42);  Fr.  Meuse;  Eng.  Maes, 
Maese  or  Meuse  ; Lat.  Mosa. — P. 

11  This  statement  is  added  by  the  translator. — The  Meuse  rises  in  the 

department  of  the  Upper  Marne  in  Champagne,  and  then  flows  through 
the  departments  of  the  Vosges  and  the  Meuse  in  Lorraine,  and  that 
of  the  Ardennes  also  in  Champagne,  before  it  enters  Belgium. — P. 

1 “ Wahal.’’— Du.  Waal — Wad  (Kilian)  ; Lat.  Vahalis . — P. 

k Usually  called,  the  Zuyder  Zee  (Southern  Sea.) — P. 

1 See  p.  1093  of  this  vol. 

"■These  remarks  in  the  original  refer  to  the  whole  kingdom  of  the 
Netherlands.  They,  however,  apply  chiefly  to  Belgium,  Holland  con- 
sisting almost  entirely  of  alluvium,  or  at  most  of  tertiary  deposits. — P 

n “ Schistes  ardoisiers” — literally,  roof-slate  schists  (clay  slate,  ar- 
gillaceous schistus,  or  argillite.) — P. 

0 Argillite  sometimes  occurs  in  beds  in  gneiss  and  even  in  granite, 
it  is  then  considered  primitive,  and  furnishes  some  of  the  finest  roof 
slates.  The  most  extensive  deposits  of  argillite,  however,  are  transi 
tion,  surrounding  and  overlaying  the  gneiss  and  granite,  and  associ- 
ated with  graywacke.  Transition  argillite  also  furnishes  roof 
slates. — P. 

p “ Calcaires  anciens" — transition  limestones. — In  the  country  lying 
between  the  Ardennes  on  the  west,  and  the  Moselle  on  the  east,  and 
pervaded  by  the  chain  of  the  Eyfel,  noted  for  its  extinct  volcanoes,  the 
fundamental  rock  is  chiefly  clay  slate,  associated  with  gray-wacke,  and 
saccharoid  magnesian  limestone,  containing  trilobites,  consequently 
transition,  and  covered  in  a few  places  with  horizontal  layers  of  new 
red  sandstone.  (Daubeny  on  Volcanoes.) — In  the  account  of  the  Prus- 
sian province  of  the  Lower  Rhine  in  this  geography  (Book  cxx.,)  the 
limestone  in  the  same  district  is  called  transition  (intermediaire.) — P. 

a Anthracite  is  more  frequently  imbedded  in  clay  slate  or  graywacke  j 
but  some  of  the  black  transition  limestones  contain  imbedded  masses 
of  anthracite,  of  which  there  are  examples  in  the  north  of  France. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

r The  following  is  the  translation  of  the  above  sentence,  copied  lite- 
rally as  it  stands  in  the  English  edition.  The  reader  may  consider  it 
as  a fair  sample  of  the  manner  in  which  the  translator  has  treated 
matters  of  science.  “ A geological  examination  of  the  different  earths 
( terrains ) in  Belgium  shows  us,  in  the  most  elevated  part  of  it,  viz.,  in 
the  mountains  of  the  grand  dutchy  of  Luxemburg,  quarries  of  slate- 
stone  which  stretch  towards  the  north,  surrounded  by  granitic  rocks, 
and  above  which  there  lie  towards  the  east,  as  far  as  the  banks  of  the 
Moselle,  ancient  limestone  strata  with  organic  remains ; towards  the 
west,  on  the  contrary,  descending  towards  Brussels,  the  schisti  form  a 
great  basin  filled  with  limestone  and  containing  anthracites,  the  com- 
bustible of  ancient  earths,  then  sandstone,  and  lastly  all  kinds  of  rocks 
of  carbonized  earth.” 

* Argillite.  * “ Roof-slate  ( ardoise V 

vook  cl. j DESCRIPTION 

v'hicli  compose  them,  in  place  of  presenting  themselves 
in  inclined  beds,  rise  vertically  to  the  surface  of  the  soil, 
and  hence  the  immense  coal-mines  in  the  environs  of 
Namur  and  Mons  must  be  worked  by  means  of  shafts. a 
Wliat  convulsions  must  have  been  necessary  in  order  to 
give  to  these  strata,  originally  horizontal,  the  disposition 
which  they  now  present,  whether  we  seek  the  cause  of 
this  disturbance  in  frightful  sinkings  of  the  ground,  or  in 
elevations  from  beneath  proceeding  from  the  terrible 
action  of  subterraneous  fires  ! Above  the  deposits  thus 
reposing  on  the  argillite,  other  more  recent  deposits, 
covered  by  the  chalk  formation,  and  this  again  by  the 
clay  and  sand  belonging  to  the  tertiary  formations,  ex- 
tend over  the  greater  part  of  the  Low  Countries,  from 
the  frontiers  of  France  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ems,  while 
the  older  formations  occupy,  beyond  a line  which  may 
be  traced  from  Tournay  to  Maestricht,  all  tbe  country 
extending  as  far  as  the  Moselle. 

This  countryb  is  furrowed  by  a great  number  of  val- 
leys and  dales.  This  irregularity  of  surface,”  says  a 
Belgian  savant,0  “ the  existence  of  a multitude  of  small 
streams,  and  the  mixture  of  naked  rocks  with  meadows, 
arable  lands  and  small  forests,  give  it  a very  picturesque 
appearance  ; but,  as  is  the  case  in  almost  every  country 
where  the  primitive  formations  predominate,  the  soil  is 
unfruitful,  with  the  exception,  however,  of  the  parts 
situated  to  the  north  of  the  Sambre  and  the  Meuse, 
over  which  loose  deposits  of  secondary  formation  have 
spread  themselves  ; consequently,  agricultural  and  min- 
eral riches  are  there  found  united,  which  has  led  to  the 
remark,  that  the  miner  and  the  mineralogist,  accustom- 
ed to  inhabit  barren  mountains,  were  astonished  to  find 
themselves,  in  Hainault,  in  the  midst  of  plains  covered 
with  a brilliant  vegetation,  and  where  cultivation  is  car- 
ried to  the  highest  pitch  of  perfection.”  The  same  ob- 
server has  remarked,  that,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Meuse,  the  disposition  of  the  valleys  presents  two  dis- 
tinct modifications.  Some  of  these  valleys  are  straight, 
wide,  and  of  little  depth,  bordered  with  gently  sloping  de- 
clivities, and  extending  from  north-east  to  south-west ; but 
they  are  intersected  by  irregular  valleys  of  greater  depth, 
running  in  every  direction,  and  serving  as  beds  to  rivers  :d 
a disposition  arising  from  the  geological  constitution  of 
the  country.  The  other  valleys  have  no  relation  to  the 
nature  of  the  soil : they  have  not  made  their  way  through 
the  hard  rocks,  and  are  stopped  by  arenaceous  deposits. 
They  appear  to  demonstrate  that  the  excavation  of  val- 
leys cannot  be  attributed  to  the  erosive  action  of  water, 

a “ Pits  (putts)’’ — not  levels. — P. 

b That  occupied  by  the  older  formations  (primitive,  transition,  and 
older  secondary.) — P. 

c M.  J.  J.  d’Omalius  d’Halloy,  Memoires  pour  servir  h la  descrip- 
tion geologique  des  Pays-Bas,  de  la  France. 

d “ — serving  as  outlets  ( ecoulement ) to  rivers.” 

e There  is  to  me  an  obscurity  and  a degree  of  contradiction  in  these 
remarks  on  the  two  classes  of  valleys,  which  I have  not  been  able  to 
remove.  Is  it  not  intended  to  state  that  the  long,  regular  valleys,  ex- 
tending from  north-east  to  south-west,  are  those  which  intervene  be- 
tween the  ridges  formed  by  the  outgoings  of  the  different  formations, 
and  that  the  irregular  and  deeper  valleys,  are  those  which  cross  these 
ridges  ? Such  is  the  arrangement  of  the  valleys  in  England  between 
the  tertiary  basin  of  London,  and  the  slate  mountains  of  Wales;  the 
different  secondary  formations  from  the  chalk  downwards,  particularly 
those  between  the  chalk  and  the  new  red  sandstone,  forming  by  their 
outgoings,  long  parallel  ridges,  from  north-east  to  south-west,  be- 
tween which  intervene  valleys  or  troughs,  of  equal  length  and  par- 
allelism. These  ridges  are  crossed  by  irregular  secondary  valleys,  ev- 
idently of  posterior  formation,  and  apparently,  from  the  rolled  pebbles 
with  which  they  are  strowed,  and  which  abound  at  their  outlets,  of 

VOL.  III.— NO.  54  51 


OF  BELGIUM.  401 

but  to  tbe  disruptions  that  have  taken  place  in  the  hard 
est  rocks,  of  which  the  waters  have  taken  advantage  to 
make  themselves  a passage. e 

The  quartzose  rocks,  and  those  which  contain  am- 
phibole  and  form  strata  in  the  midst  of  the  slate  forma 
tion/  are  quarried  to  a great  extent  for  the  purpose 
of  paving  roads  : in  the  formation  which  contains  anthra- 
cite is  found  that  great  variety  of  marbles,  constituting 
an  important  part  of  the  mineral  riches  of  the  Low 
Countries,  and  especially  that  kind  which  derives  from 
the  numerous  remains  of  marine  organized  bodies  imbed- 
ded in  it,  tbe  name  of  small  granite  ( petit  granite .) 
Tbe  same  formation  also  contains  in  abundance  rich  ores  of 
iron  and  lead,  and  gives  birth  to  the  celebrated  thermal 
waters  of  Chaudfontaines  near  Liege.  In  the  midst  of 
the  schistous  rocks* 1'  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Meuse,  a 
country  either  barren  or  covered  with  forests,  there  are 
quarried  those  whetstones1  which  are  sent  to  every  part 
of  Europe,  and  those  schists  charged  with  alumk  which 
are  sold  under  the  name  of  carpenters’  pencils  lastly, 
from  the  same  slate  formation  proceed  the  mineral 
waters  of  Spa,  which  have  acquired  in  Europe  so  great 
celebrity. 

In  regard  to  climate,  the  provinces  of  Belgium  differ 
from  each  other  chiefly  in  their  being  subject  to  a great- 
er or  lesser  degree  of  humidity.  In  the  dutchy  of  Lux- 
emburg, the  climate  is  healthy  and  temperate,  but 
rather  moist  than  cold.  The  oak,  the  ash  and  the 
beech  predominate  in  the  extensive  forests  of  that 
province  ; horned  cattle  find  abundant  pasturage  ; the 
vine  is  there  cultivated  to  some  extent,  but  produces  an 
indifferent  wine  ; fruit-trees  are  rare  ; wheat  succeeds 
with  difficulty,  but  the  inhabitants  derive  great  advan- 
tage from  the  cultivation  of  rye  and  oats,  and  particu- 
larly the  potato.  In  the  province  of  Liege  the  at- 
mosphere is  often  hazy ; its  valleys,  fertile  and  well 
cultivated,  especially  that  watered  by  the  Ourthe  and 
the  Embleve,  yield,  in  addition  to  the  productions  of 
Luxemburg,  wheat  of  excellent  quality,  and  its  territory 
is  equally  rich  with  the  other  in  forests,  in  game,  in 
swine,  and  in  horned  cattle.  The  air  in  the  province 
of  Namur  is  sharp  and  healthy;  the  soil,  extremely 
various,  readily  admits  of  cultivation  ; the  sheep  have  a 
finer  wool,  and  their  flesh  is  much  more  succulent,  than 
in  the  two  other  provinces.  In  Hainault  an  air  equally 
healthy  is  breathed,  they  enjoy  a climate  equally  tem- 
perate, the  same  fertility  is  observable,  and  the  forests, 
although  more  scattered,  produce  timber  excellent  for 

aqueous  formation,  and  frequently  serving  as  passages  for  rivers, 
which  commencing  in  one  of  the  parallel  valleys,  and  running  for 
some  distance  in  the  line  of  its  course,  turn  abruptly,  without  being 
obstructed  in  their  direct  progress  by  any  solid  impediment,  and  cross 
one  of  the  ridges  by  a secondary  valley  into  the  next  trough,  and  so 
on  to  the  lowest.  The  corresponding  formations  in  Belgium  are  ar- 
ranged in  the  same  way,  the  longitudinal  ridges  and  valleys  are  the 
same,  and  the  course  of  the  rivers  is  similar;  hence,  I infer  that  the 
two  classes  of  valleys  are  such  as  I have  mentioned. — P. 

1 Argillite. 

6 Chaude-fontaine  (For.  Qu.  Rev.) — Chaufontaine — in  a valley,  two 
leagues  from  Liege.  (Vosgien.) — P.  h Argillite. 

‘ “ Hones  (pierres  a.  rasoir)’’ — novaculite.  Generally  found  in 
argillite  ; the  striped  variety  occurs  in  the  vicinity  of  Namur. — P. 

k Aluminous  Slate — a variety  of  argillite  ; employed  in  the  manu- 
facture of  alum. 

1 “ Carpenters’  crayons” — black  chalk,  drawing  or  marking  slate  ; 
a variety  of  argillite.  It  occurs  usually  in  the  vicinity  of  alum  slate, 
and  is  very  nearly  allied  to  it ; but  it  contains  more  carbon,  and  less  iron 
pyrites.  (Ed.  Enc.) — It  is  from  the  decomposition  of  the  pyrites  that 
the  alum  in  these  slates  is  formed. — P. 


EUROPE. 


402 


[BOOK  CJL , 


carpentry-work.* *  West  and  East  Flanders  lie  under 
the  influence  of  a humid  climate  which  frequently  gives 
rise  to  dangerous  fevers  ; the  summer  is  hot  but  rainy, 
and  the  winter  cold  ; the  north-west  winds  often  render 
the  winter  formidable  in  West  Flanders,  by  the  inunda- 
tions which  they  occasion.  Both  these  provinces  rear 
horses,  too  heavy,  indeed,  for  riding,  but  well  adapted 
for  the  draught.  The  other  domestic  animals  are  re- 
markable for  their  fine  condition,  and  for  this  they  are 
indebted  to  the  excellence  of  the  pasturage.  The 
vegetables  which  succeed  best  in  Flanders  are  tobacco, 
hemp,  madder,  and,  above  all,  flax,  the  principal  riches 
of  the  country.  Destitute  of  forests,  but  possessing 
abundance  of  peat,  they  make  great  use  of  this  as  fuel. 
The  provinces  of  South  and  North  Brabant,  and  Ant- 
werp, are  healthy,  although  moist ; the  soil  is  particu- 
larly fertile,  except  in  the  northern  part  of  North  Bra- 
bant, where  heaths  and  forests  of  pine  still  cover  some 
sandy  wastes,  and  where  peat  accumulates  at  the  bottom 
of  extensive  marshes.  Yet,  doubtless,  here,  as  has  been 
done  in  the  territory  of  Antwerp,  assiduous  labour  might 
transform  useless  plains  into  fruitful  meadows.  Lim- 
burg, no  less  marshy,  is  occupied  to  great  advantage 
in  the  rearing  of  cattle  and  bees.  The  province  of  North 
Brabant,  noticed  here  from  its  immediate  proximity  to 
South  Brabant,  belongs  to  the  kingdom  of  Holland. 

In  general,  it  may  be  remarked, b with  regard  to  the 
agriculture  of  the  Netherlands,  that  it  has  long  been 
distinguished  both  for  its  productiveness  and  variety ; 
and  that  the  excellence  of  the  Flemish  system  of  ma- 
nuring, their  disuse  of  fallows,  and  skill  in  the  rearing 
of  cattle,  have  been  noticed  and  recommended  by  the 
most  experienced  British  agriculturists.  The  farms  in 
East  and  West  Flanders  are  in  extent  commonly  aboul 
ten,  and  seldom  exceed  twenty  hectares,0  while,  in  what 
are  called  the  Walloon  Provinces/  they  are  usually 
from  two  to  three  hundred  hectares.  The  industry  of 
the  Flemings,  without  the  use  of  the  wheel  plough  or 
strong  English  harrow,  has  within  two  hundred  years 
converted  a tract  of  land,  originally  a barren  and  sandy 
heath,  into  a rich  and  beautiful  garden  ; and  the  produce 
of  wheat  here  is  often  not  less  than  32  bushels  to  two 
of  seed, — of  oats  60  bushels  to  three, — whilst  scarcely 
in  any  part  of  Great  Britain  does  wheat  yield  more  than 
from  eight  to  10  times.  Considerably  more  grain  is 
produced  than  the  population  requires.  The  total  value 
of  the  capital  employed  in  agriculture,  in  both  the  Bel- 
gian and  Dutch  provinces/  has,  from  apparently  accurate 
tables,  been  estimated  at  £433,153,333  sterling,  and 
the  gross  annual  produce  of  agricultural  industry  at 
£50,095,166  sterling,  and  deducting  two-thirds  of  the 
gross  produce,  to  defray  the  price  of  seed  and  manure, 
of  labour,  of  repairs  of  buildings,  and  farming  utensils, 
loss  arising  from  the  mortality  of  cattle,  and  the  cost  of 
the  food  of  men  and  beasts,  the  net  yearly  produce  is 
£16,698,389  sterling. 


Mines  of  iron,  lead,  copper,  and  coal,  are  worked  v. 
the  provinces  of  Liege,  Namur,  Hainault,  and  Luxem 
burg,  and  in  these  provinces,  there  were  in  1822,  93 
great  furnaces,  206  forges,  68  martinet  houses  (for 
hammering),  19  founderies,  17  laminoirs  or  rolling 
houses,  and  12  tin  factories.  Excellent  bar  and  sheet 
iron,  axletrees  and  nails,  machinery  and  implements  of 
all  kinds,  are  there  manufactured.  Articles  of  steel, 
copper,  and  bronze,  are  made  in  Hainault  and  Namur: 
the  cutlery  of  Namur  is  excellent,  and  the  hardware  of 
Liege  of  the  best  quality.  The  woollen  manufacture  is 
carried  on  briskly  at  different  places,  and  the  Nether- 
lands cloths  are  much  sought  for,  both  from  their  quality 
and  price,  and  are  exported  both  to  the  north  of  Europe 
and  America.  The  manufacture  of  linen,  of  sail-cloth, 
of  ticking,  and  of  thread  both  for  sewing  and  lace,  is 
carried  on  to  some  extent  in  a great  variety  of  towns, 
both  in  Brabant  and  Flanders.  In  East  Flanders  there 
are  31,697  looms  employed  in  weaving  flax,  6124  for 
cotton,  and  639  for  mixed  stuffs.  The  lace  trade 
has  not  much  increased  of  late  years,  but  the  laces 
of  Brussels  and  Mechlin  retain  all  the  delicacy  and 
richness  for  which  they  have  so  long  been  famed.  The 
cotton  trade,  both  in  the  spinning  and  weaving  depart- 
ments, is  carried  on  to  a considerable  extent.  The 
spinning  establishments  are  principally  in  East  Flanders 
and  Brabant ; and  stuffs  of  all  kinds  are  made  in  abun- 
dance at  Ghent,  Brussels,  Antwerp,  Courtray,  Bruges, 
Ypres,  Lokeren,  and  St.  Nicholas.  At  Ghent,  in  par- 
ticular, this  trade  flourishes,  as  may  be  judged  by  the 
fact  of  its  containing  68  steam  engines  for  spinning  and 
weaving,  while  25  years  ago  there  was  not  one  in  all 
Flanders,  the  first  having  been  erected  in  1805.  Ghent 
imports  annually  40,000  bales  of  cotton  wool,  and  the 
new  canal,  intended  to  communicate  with  the  Scheld  at 
Ternengen/  will  give  additional  facilities  for  procuring 
the  raw  material.  There  are  considerable  breweries  at 
Louvain,  at  Brussels,  and  at  Mechlin.  The  breweries 
at  Louvain  brew  about  4000  tuns  monthly.?  There  are 
sugar  refineries  at  Ghent  and  its  neighbourhood  ; but  no 
distilleries  in  Belgium  of  any  importance.  By  a recent 
calculation/  the  annual  amount  of  the  manufacturing 
industry  of  the  Netherlands,  embracing  both  Dutch  and 
Belgian  provinces,  is  675  million  francs,  or  £28,125,000 
sterling,  and  the  profit  to  the  manufacturer  on  this  is  said 
to  be  184  million  francs,  including  the  interest  upon  his 
capital  and  stock. 

The  foreign  trade  of  Belgium  is  carried  on  almost  en- 
tirely from  Antwerp,  and,  it  would  appear,  is  greatly  on 
the  increase.  In  the  year  1822  the  number  of  ships 
that  entered  this  port  was  only  580,  while  in  1829,  they 
amounted  to  1028,  and  its  imports  in  a recent  year 
(1827)  exceeded,  in  all  great  articles  of  consumption, 
excepting  tea  and  tobacco,  the  two  great  sea-ports  of 
Amsterdam  and  Rotterdam. 

In  this  growing  country  new  roads  are  making,  and 


a “ — produce  excellent  timber  ( bois  de  charpente.)” 
b The  Editors  [English]  beg  to  notice  that,  for  most  of  what  follows 
regarding  the  agriculture,  manufactures,  &c.  of  the  Belgian  States,* 
they  are  indebted  to  a very  able  article  in  the  “ Foreign  Quarter- 
ly Review,”  No.  X.  Vol.  v. 

* Included  ill  this,  and  the  five  following  paragraphs. — P. 
c A hectare  is  equal  to  two  and  a-half  English  acres.  Eng.  Ed. 
[2  acres  1 rood  35.4  rods. — P.] 

d The  Walloon  dialect  is  spoken  in  Liege,  Namur,  Hainault  and 
South  Brabant.  (Malte-Brun,  t.  viii.  p.  819.) — P. 


e The  estimates  were  made  before  the  Revolution  in  1830,  which 
has  separated  these  provinces. 

f Terneuzen  (For.  Quart.  Rev.  No.  X.  vol.  v.) — Ter  Neuze  (Hub- 
ner.) — Temeuse  (Vosgien.) — Situated  on  the  West  Scheldt,  12  miles 
S.  E.  of  Flushing. — P. 

e There  are  between  30  and  40  breweries  in  Louvain  which  make 
about  4000  tuns  each  monthly.  (For.  Qu.  Rev.  loc.  «'<•)- -P. 
h See  Table  at  end  of  Book  CLI,  page  11]  I. 


J 


&oo*:cjl.i  DESCRIPTION 

some  of  those  lately  made  are  not  inferior  to  any  in 
Europe.  In  addition  to  the  numerous  old  canals,  which 
tend  so  much  to  facilitate  commerce  and  promote  inter- 
course among  the  people,  two  canals  are  on  the  point 
of  completion,  viz.  one  from  Ghent  to  Ternengen,® 
which  will  connect  that  city  with  the  mouth  of  the 
Scheld ; and  another  from  Charleroib  to  Brussels,  and 
round  its  whole  circuit,  so  that  coals  may  be  brought  by 
water  to  every  part  of  the  city.  A third,  of  far  greater 
magnitude,  is  in  execution,  to  connect  the  Meuse  and 
the  Moselle,  by  a course  of  fifty  leagues,  from  Liege  to 
Wasserbillig,  with  two  subordinate  branches.®  This  is 
expected  to  be  finished  in  1835. 

in  place  of  entering  into  any  details  here  on  the  im- 
portant subjects  of  education,  literature,  &,c.  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  Tables  which  are  placed  at  the  close 
of  Book  cli,  and  which  refer,  it  will  be  seen,  to  both 
divisions  of  the  late  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands. 
These  tables  convey  all  the  information  which  it  would 
be- warrantable  to  introduce  into  a work  necessarily  so 
general  in  its  nature  as  the  present. 

It  has  been  already  observed,  that  the  great  bulk  of 
the  Belgians  are  of  the  Roman  Catholic  persuasion. 
Under  the  recently  dissolved  kingdom  of  the  Nether- 
.ands  this  conferred  no  peculiar  privileges  : no  religion 
was  considered  as  being  that  of  the  state  ; all  enjoying 
the  same  rights,  and  equal  liberty.  The  newly  estab- 
lished state  of  Belgium  has  recognised  the  same  princi- 
ple. It  is  deserving  of  notice  here,  that,  under  the 
United  Kingdom,  the  charges  for  religion,  which  sup- 
plied the  spiritual  wants  of  the  whole  community, 
excepting  the  Jews,  did  not  on  the  whole  exceed 
£252,056  sterling,  for  a population  of  six  millions. 
The  revenues  of  the  church  of  England  are  four  mill- 
ions sterling  ! 

It  may  be  remarked  that  the  Belgic  provinces  assimi- 
late in  some  respects  both  to  Holland  and  France. 
Their  soil,  higher  than  that  of  the  Dutch  provinces,  but 
less  elevated  than  that  of  the  neighbouring  French  de- 
partments, is  not  so  humid  as  the  former,  and  better 
cultivated  than  the  latter.  The  towns  in  Belgium  are 
better  built  than  in  France,  and  equally  neat,  equally 
clean  with  those  in  Holland. d The  inhabitants  present 
several  points  of  resemblance  with  the  two  nations  be- 
tween which  they  are  situated.  The  Belgian  is  as 
honest,  and  as  much  a friend  to  independence  as  the 

OF  BELGIUM.  403 

Hollander  ; but  by  bis  gaiety,  his  politeness,  bis  gen- 
erosity, and  bis  love  of  luxury  and  show,  be  closely 
resembles  the  Frenchman. 

Let  us  commence  our  description  of  the  cities  and 
towns  of  Belgium  with  Antwerp  (Flem.  Antwerpen, 
Fr.  Anvers )e  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Scheld,  which 
deserves  our  attention,  both  from  the  recollections  of  two 
memorable  epochs,  and  from  its  own  actual  importance. 
After  having  been,  as  is  believed,  the  city  of  the  Ambi- 
vareti ,r  a people  of  whom  Ctesar  speaks,  and  after 
having  survived  the  ravages  of  the  Normans  in  the  9rh 
century,  it  went  on,  increasing  in  greatness,  till  the  1 6th 
century,  at  which  time  it  was  regarded  as  one  of  the 
richest  and  most  flourishing  cities  in  Europe,  possessing 
a population  of  more  than  200,000  souls. s The  Dutch, 
after  they  had  thrown  off  the  Spanish  yoke,  ruined  the 
commerce,  and  destroyed  the  prosperity  of  Antwerp, 
by  sinking  vessels  loaded  with  stones  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Scheld,  thus  interrupting  the  navigation  of  the  river, 
excepting  to  vessels  of  small  burden.'1  Become,  after  the 
union  of  Belgium  with  France,  the  capital  of  the  depart- 
ment of  the  Two  Nethes,ik  under  the  fostering  care  of 
Napoleon,  who  saw  its  importance  in  different  respects, 
immense  labours  raised  Antwerp,  almost  immediately, 
to  the  rank  of  one  of  the  principal  maritime  cities  of  the 
French  empire.  Its  cathedral  is  the  wonder  of  the  Low 
Countries,  and  one  of  the  finest  Gothic  buildings  in  Eu- 
rope ; it  is  500  feet  in  length,  230  in  breadth,  and  360 
in  height ; its  arches  are  supported  by  125  pillars,  form- 
ing 230  arcades.1  Several  paintings  of  Rubens  and 
other  great  masters  decorate  the  interior;  marble  pillars 
of  different  colours  ornament  the  choir,  the  chapels,  and 
the  portal ; its  spire  rises  451  feet  above  the  ground, 
and  it  contains  one  of  the  finest  sets  of  bells  in  Belgium.®1 
Let  us  ascend  to  the  highest  gallery  of  this  pyramidal 
tower,  and  throw  a glance  over  the  magnificent  specta- 
cle which  presents  itself  to  view.  We  are  then  placed 
in  the  centre  of  a panorama  with  a radius  of  fifteen 
leagues;  we  see  around  us  in  every  direction  the  212 
streets  of  the  city,  and  its  twenty-two  public  squares  ; 
we  see  the  town-house,  famous  for  its  fine  architecture, 
and  the  houses  which  surround  it,  whose  height  is  so 
great  that  they  much  surpass  the  highest  in  Paris,  and 
whose  triangular  pediments,  with  noble  flights  of  steps,® 
indicate  their  antiquity  ; the  exchange,  one  of  the  finest 
in  Europe,  and  the  church  of  St.  James,  where  is  to  be 

1 See  note  f p.  1082. 

b Charleroy. 

c One  to  the  Meuse  above  Dinant ; the  other  to  Mersch  on  the  small 
river  Else,  which  is  to  be  made  navigable  to  the  town  of  Luxemburg. 
(For.  Qu.  Rev.) — P. 

d “ The  towns  are  as  well  built  as  in  France,  and  as  neat  and  as 
contiguous  as  in  Holland.” 

e Du.  Germ.  Antxoerpen. — Germ.  Antorff  (Hubner.) — Eng.  Antwerp. 
— Fr.  Anvers. — Span.  Amberes. — P. 

f “ Ambivarites" — the  French  orthography  for  Ambivariti,  a people 
in  Brabant.  (C®sar.  Bell.  Gall.  iv.  § 6.) — The  Ambivarcti  were  a peo- 
ple in  the  Vivarais,  dependent  on  the  JEdui.  (C®sar.  Bell.  Gall.  vii. 
§ 69.)—  P. 

? This  statement  of  the  population  is  added  by  the  translator. — In 
1568  the  trade  is  supposed  to  have  been  at  its  greatest  height,  and  the 
number  of  inhabitants  was  computed  at  200,060.  (Pinkerton.) — Ac- 
cording to  Guicciardini,  the  population  of  Antwerp,  when  its  com- 
merce was  most  flourishing,  was  100,000;  but  Busching  makes  the 
number  of  inhabitants  200,000,  about  the  middle  of  the  16th  century. 
(Ed.  Enc.)— ^he  present  population  is  65,000. — P. 

b This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — The  Dutch  fort  ofLillo 
commanded  the  approach  to  the  harbour  ; as  to  the  supposed  impedi- 
ments, they  are  found  to  have  been  fabulous.  (Pinkerton.) — The 
Dutch  had  the  complete  command  of  the  Scheldt  by  means  of  fort 

Lillo  ; it  was  also  agreed  by  Philip  IV.,  by  an  article  in  the  treaty  of 
Munster  (1648,)  that  no  large  merchant  vessel  should  sail  to  this  city, 
but  that  the  cargo  should  first  be  unloaded  in  the  Dutch  ports,  and 
then  carried  in  small  vessels  to  Antwerp.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 “ Deux-N&thes.” 

k So  called  from  two  rivers  of  that  name  ( JYcthcs ) which  join  the 
Scheld  near  Antwerp.  Tr.  [The  Great  and  the  Little  Nethe  (Du. 
JYctte)  water  that  part  of  Brabant  to  the  east  of  Antwerp  ; they  unite 
near  Lier  to  form  the  Nethe  (proper,)  which  itself  unites  with  the 
Dyle  to  form  the  Rupel,  which  finally  enters  the  Scheldt  at  Rupel- 
monde,  8 miles  S.  of  Antwerp.  The  Dyle  receives  the  Demer  from 
the  east,  and  the  Senne  from  the  west,  before  it  meets  the  Nethe. — P ] 

1 It  has  230  vaulted  arcades,  supported  by  125  columns.  (Delices  des 
Pays-Bas.  t.  i.  p.  264.  Liege,  1769.) — P. 

m The  tower  of  the  cathedral  is  466  feet  in  height,  including  the  cross, 
which  is  fifteen  ; its  dial-plate  is  30  feet  in  diameter,  and  90  in  circum- 
ference. It  has  33  large  bells,  and  two  chimes  ( carillons .)  (Delices  des 
Pays-Bas,  t.  i.  p.  264.) — P 

“ “ Etages  en  forme  de  gradins” — rising,  story  above  story,  in  the 
form  of  steps. — These  houses  are  built  in  the  Flemish  style,  with  the 
gable  to  the  street,  and  with  the  stories  successively  diminishing,  till 
the  upper  part  of  the  front,  here  called  fronton  (pediment,)  assumes  a 
triangular  form. — P. 

t _ _ 

1 

404  EUR 

seen  the  tomb  of  Rubens  ; and,  in  the  fine  square  of 
Mccr ,a  the  former  imperial  palace,  built  by  order  of 
Napoleon.  The  six  gates  of  the  city,  its  superb  quays 
and  docks,  the  magnificent  suburb  of  Bergerbout,  the 
port  capable  of  containing  more  than  a thousand  vessels, 
the  extensive  arsenal,  and  the  citadel,  one  of  the  strongest 
in  Belgium,  and  the  Scheld,  whose  breadth  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  port  is  1(500  feet,  all  render  magnificent 
the  appearance  of  this  city,  the  birth-place  of  Teniers, 
of  Rubens, b of  Van  Dyck,  of  Jordaens,  and  of  other 
pelebrated  men.  Looking  towards  the  north-east,  there 
is  seen,  nine  leagues  from  Antwerp,  the  town  of  Turn- 
hout,  where  are  manufactured  laces  and  different  fabrics 
of  linen,  hemp  and  wool;  and  five  leagues  to  the  south, 
Malines  or  Mechlin*  a large  and  well-built  city,  whose 
ancient  cathedral  is  a very  beautiful  edifice. 

These  boundless  plains,  whose  rich  and  fertile  extent 
the  eye  measures  without  obstacle,  do  not  present  one 
single  rising  ground  ; there  is  nothing  but  a succession 
of  meadows,  arable  land,  and  woods.  Towards  the  west 
East  Flanders  is  seen  stretching  out,  with  its  twenty 
towns,  all  of  them  rivalling  each  other  in  importance. 
Four  leagues  from  Antwerp,  we  arrive  by  a magnificent 
load  at  the  elegant  town  of  St.  Nicholas, d rich  from  its 
manufactures ; three  leagues  beyond  that,  Lokeren  is 
watered  by  the  Durme,  which,  rendered  navigable  to 
the  mouths  of  the  Scheld,  favours  the  important  trade 
carried  on  by  this  town  in  grain  and  in  merchandize  of 
every  description.  Still  farther  on,  three  leagues  from 
Lokeren,  shine  the  steeples  of  Gand  or  Ghent,*  the  an- 
cient capital  of  Flanders,  which,  in  the  time  of  Charles 
V.,  surpassed  Paris  in  extent  of  ground.  Its  form  is 
triangular ; the  Scheld,  the  Lys,  and  the  two  small 
rivers  Lieve  and  Moere,  form  more  than  twenty-six 
islands/  united  by  more  than  300  bridges.  Traces  of 
Spanish  domination  are  still  to  be  recognised  in  trav- 
ersing this  city  ; many  of  its  houses  resemble  those  of 
Madrid  in  their  architecture,  which  forms  a singular  con- 
trast with  the  number  of  its  canals,  in  which  Ghent 
resembles  Amsterdam.  Magnificent  quays,  spacious 
public  squares,  and  agreeable  walks,  in  a walled  in- 
closure of  four  leagues  in  circumference,  place  Ghent  in 
the  rank  of  large  and  beautiful  cities  ; but  the  popula- 
tion being  only  about  70,000  souls,  and  therefore  small 
in  proportion  to  the  extent,  the  aspect  of  the  city  is 
after  all  monotonous  and  melancholy.  The  citadel 
built  by  Charles  V.  is  one  of  the  largest  in  Europe  ; it 
is,  however,  of  no  great  strength,  and  only  gives  the 
city  a secondary  rank  among  the  fortified  towns  of  the 
Low  Countries.  The  cathedral,  a monument  of  the 
munificence  of  the  same  Emperor,  is  overloaded  with 

OPE.  [DOCK 

ornaments,  but  the  na\re  is  magnificent.  The  neigh- 
bouring tower,  called  the  belfry,  has  a set  of  bells  cele- 
brated for  their  number  and  variety.  Philanthropy, 
together  with  the  arts  and  sciences,  possesses  rich  and 
valuable  establishments  in  this  birth-place  of  the  hellen 
ist  Daniel  Heinsius,  of  the  sculptor  Delvaux,  and  of 
the  astronomer  Philip  Laensberg,? — in  this  rich  and 
industrious  city,  which  for  thirty  years  was  the  capital 
of  the  French  department  of  the  Scheld.  Charles  V. 
wras  born  in  this  city  ‘24th  February  1500.h  His  being 
a native  of  Ghent  did  not,  however,  prevent  the  cruel 
usage  it  met  with  from  himself  in  person  in  1540.  The 
crime  of  the  citizens  was  the  assertion  of  unquestionable 
rights  secured  to  them  by  their  sovereigns,  the  ancestors 
of  the  emperor,  and  their  inconsiderately  taking  up  arms 
in  support  of  these  rights.  Sensible  of  their  folly  in 
attempting  to  resist  a power  so  overwhelming,  they  sent 
ambassadors  imploring  his  mercy.  His  answer  was  a 
terrible  one.  “ Though  he  chose  to  enter  the  city  on  the 
twenty-fourth  of  February,  his  birth-day,  he  was  touched 
with  nothing  of  that  tenderness  or  indulgence,  which  was 
natural  towards  the  place  of  his  nativity.  Twenty-six 
of  the  principal  citizens  were  put  to  death  ; a greater 
number  were  sent  into  banishment ; the  city  was  de- 
clared to  have  forfeited  all  its  privileges  and  immunities  ; 
the  revenues  belonging  to  it  wrere  confiscated ; its  an- 
cient form  of  government  was  abolished  ; the  nomination 
of  its  magistrates  was  vested  for  the  future  in  the  Em- 
peror and  his  successors ; a new  system  of  laws  and 
political  administration  was  prescribed ; and  in  order  to 
bridle  the  seditious  spirit  of  the  citizens,  orders  were 
given  to  erect  a strong  citadel,  for  defraying  the  ex- 
pense of  which  a fine  of  150,000  florins  was  imposed 
on  the  inhabitants,  together  with  an  annual  tax  of  6000 
florins  for  the  support  of  the  garrison.”1  Ghent  never 
recovered  this  blow.  An  old  traveller1*  says,  “ If  Ghent 
has  had  the  honour  of  giving  birth  to  so  great  a prince, 
it  was  used  so  roughly  afterwards  by  him,  that  we  may 
say  it  had  been  better  for  that  city  he  had  never  been 
born.” 

Alost  (Flem.  Aalst,')  on  the  banks  of  the  Dcnder, 
five  leagues  to  the  south-east  of  Ghent,  contains  a town- 
house  remarkable  for  its  antiquity.  It  had  formerly  the 
title  of  an  imperial  city.  Oudcnarde  (Flem.  Ouden- 
aardeny  is  celebrated  for  the  battle  in  1708,  in  which  the 
French  were  compelled  to  yield  to  the  numerical  force 
of  the  confederated  army  of  Austrians,  Dutch  and  Eng 
lish,  under  the  command  of  Prince  Eugene  and  the 
Duke  of  Marlborough.”  It  was  dismantled  by  the 
French  in  1745. 

Satisfied  with  the  magnificent  spectacle  beheld  from  the 

a The  street  called  the  Mere  is  so  wide  that  six  carriages  can  pass 
abreast.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b This  is  added  by  the  translator. — Rubens  was  born  at  Cologne 
1577.  He  was  son  of  a counsellor  at  Antwerp,  who  had  retired  to 
Cologne,  during  the  troubles  in  the  Low  Countries.  He  however 
returned  at  an  early  age  to  Antwerp,  where  he  was  educated  and 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  and  where  he  died  1640. — P. 

c “Malines  or  Mechelen." — Du.  Mechelen;  Germ.  Mecheln ; Eng. 
Mechlin;  Fr.  Malines. — P. 

d Du.  St.  JViklaas. — P. 

e “Gand  or  Gent." — Du.  Gent — Ghcndt  (Kilian ;)  Eng.  Ghent; 
Fr.  Gand. — P. 

f It  is  advantageously  situated  at  the  conflux  of  the  rivers  Scheldt, 
Lys,  Moere  and  Lieve,  which  intersect  it  in  various  directions,  and 
divide  the  town  into  26  small  islands.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

6 Ph.  Lansberghe  or  Lansbergius  (Gorton) — Lansberghe  or  Lands- 
berghe  (Diet.  Hist.  Caen) — Lansberg  (Beauvais.) — P. 

h This  and  the  remaining  sentences  in  the  paragraph  are  added  by 
the  translator. — P. 

' Robertson’s  History  of  Charles  V.,  B.  VI.  anno  1540. 

k Misson,  Voy.  d’  Italie,  &c.  [Max.  Misson,  born  in  France,  of 
protestant  parents,  about  the  middle  of  the  17th  century  ; a refugee  in 
England  after  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes,  he  accompanied  a 
young  nobleman,  as  his  tutor,  on  a tour  through  Holland,  Germany 
and  Italy  (1687),  and  on  his  return,  published  his  observations  with 
the  title:  JVouveau  Voyage  d'  Italie;  died  at  London,  1721.  (Beau- 
vais.)— P.] 

1 Fr.  “ Andenarde"  (M.  B.,)  Ondenarde  (Vosgien  ;)  Du.  Audenaardt 
or  Ovdenaarde  (Hubner.) — P. 

m The  battle  of  Oudenarde  was  fought  11th  July  (N.  ^)  1708.  Ac- 
cording to  Tindal  (continuation  of  Rapin),  the  French  were  superior 
in  number  to  the  allies ; and  their  own  accounts  admitted  the  loss  of 
10,000  killed  and  taken  prisoners,  besides  cannon,  &c. — Translator' s 
JVote. 

book  cl.]  DESCRIPTION 

top  of  the  cathedral  of  Antwerp,  let  us  now  traverse  the 
province  that  we  have  just  run  over  with  our  eyes  ; let 
us  follow  one  of  the  fine  roads  that  lead  from  Ghent,  its 
central  point,  and  direct  our  course  towards  Bruges,  the 
capital  of  West  Flanders.  Whoever  has  travelled  this 
country,  must  have  remarked  the  freshness  and  beauty 
of  the  higher  class  of  females,  whose  likenesses  we  cannot 
avoid  thinking  we  have  already  seen  in  the  pictures  of 
the  great  Flemish  masters,  and  the  plump  and  cheerful 
countenances  of  the  jolly  village  dames  which  the  pencil 
of  Teniers  has  so  faithfully  represented  in  his  village 
festivals  and  tavern  scenes.  The  cities,  towns  and 
hamlets  stand  so  thick  together  in  this  populous  country, 
that,  astonished  at  the  sight,  one  can  only  exclaim  with 
Philip  11.  of  Spain,  “ It  is  one  great  city.” 

Bruges  or  Bruggen ,a  which,  while  Belgium  remained 
united  with  the  French  empire,  was  the  capital  of  the 
department  of  the  Lys,  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  Flem- 
ish cities.  It  was  a fortified  town  in  867,  and  it  is  even 
possible  that  some  parts  of  its  walls  are  of  as  old  a date 
as  the  above  year.  The  streets  are  wide,  but  the  houses  I 
with  triangular  gables  give  them  a very  disagreeable 
Gothic  aspect.  The  principal  church,  dedicated  to 
Our  Lady,b  is  surmounted  with  a very  tall  spire,  which 
is  seen  without  difficulty  in  coming  out  of  the  river 
Thames.0  This  city  has  given  birth  to  several  great 
men,  amongst  others,  to  Louis  Bergen, d who  invented 
the  art  of  cutting  diamonds.  It  possesses,  besides  an 
academy  of  painting  and  sculpture,  several  libraries  and 
rich  collections.  Its  harboure  may  contain  more  than 
100  ships  ; but  after  having  been,  from  the  thirteenth 
to  the  fifteenth  century,  one  of  the  first  commercial 
cities  in  Europe,  its  prosperity  has  ever  since  been  on 
the  decline.  Still,  however,  it  maintains  frequent  com- 
munications with  Ghent,  by  means  of  a fine  canal  which 
bears  its  name,  and  by  another  canal,  vessels  of  from 
200  to  300  tons,  come  up  from  Ostend.  [Bruges  stands 
in  the  midst  of  a fertile  and  highly  cultivated  country, 
and  living  is  abundantly  cheap;  but  the  population,  al- 
though still  considerable  (upwards  of  30,000)/  is  scanty 
when  compared  with  the  size  of  the  town,  and  the  de- 
serted look  it  has,  reminds  the  traveller  that  it  has  lost 
the  high  rank  it  enjoyed  before  the  evil  days  of  Philip  II. 
of  Spain.  In  the  great  church  of  Our  Lady,  there 
stands  the  monument  of  the  last  Duke  of  Burgundy, 
Charles  the  Rash,s  who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Nan- 

1 “ Bruges  or  Brugge.” — Eng.  Fr.  Bruges ; Du.  Brugge. — P. 
b “ Notre  Dame.” — -The  church  of  Notre  Dame  is  a very  beautiful 
structure,  and  its  lofty  steeples  serve  as  a sea-mark  to  the  ships  that 
visit  the  port  of  Ostend.  (Ed.  Enc.) 

c “ Which  is  seen  soon  after  leaving  the  mouth  of  the  Thames.” — 
The  steeple  of  Notre-Dame  is  very  lofty,  and  is  observed  by  mari- 
ners as  they  approach  the  harbour  of  Ostend.  (Del.  des  Pays-Bas,  t. 
ii.  p.  377.) — P. 

d Louis  Berghen  [Robert  de  Berghen.  Ed.  Enc.]  discovered  the 
method  of  cutting  and  polishing  diamonds  by  means  of  their  own 
powder,  in  1456.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

e “ Basin.” — Its  port  is  at  the  extremity  of  the  canal  which  leads  to 
Ostend,  and  is  capable  of  containing  100  merchant  vessels,  and  from 
the  sluices  which  are  constructed  on  the  Reye  canal  between  Bruges 
and  the  sea,  at  Lecke  and  Plassendal,  vessels  of  400  tons  can  easily 
approach  the  very  centre  of  the  city.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f 36,000.  (Stat.  Tab.)— P.  s Charles  the  Bold. 

h Killed  at  the  siege  of  Nancy,  Jan.  5, 1477.  (Moreri.  Beauvais.) — P. 

' The  sentences  inclosed  in  brackets  are  added  by  the  trans- 
lator.— P. 

k “ Ostende,”  Fr. — Du.  Germ.  Ostende. — Du.  Oost-Ende  (East-End), 
from  its  position  in  relation  to  the  village  of  Wcst-Ende  (West-End.) 
(Hubner.) — Eng.  Ostend. — P. 

1 It  was  lately  stated  in  the  newspapers,  that  since  the  revolution 


OF  BELGIUM.  405 

cy  1476. h His  remains  were  transferred  from  Nancy  to 
Bruges  by  his  great  grandson,  the  Emperor  Charles  \ .]* 

Ostend ,k  with  less  than  a third  of  the  population  of 
Bruges,  since  it  contains  only  10,000  inhabitants,  is  also 
threatened  with  the  destruction  of  its  trade  ; already  its 
harbour,  encumbered  with  sand  and  gravel,  cannot  re- 
ceive large  vessels,  except  at  high  water.1 *  We  ought 
not  to  pass  by  here  the  famous  siege  of  Ostend  in  the 
war  for  Dutch  independence.1"  Indifferently  fortified,  it 
yet  resisted  the  attacks  of  the  Spaniards  for  more  than 
three  years,  (from  5th  July  1601,  to  20th  September 
1604.)”  Above  300,000  cannon  shot  were  fired  by  the 
besiegers,  whose  loss  in  killed  amounted  to  73,000  men, 
while  that  of  the  besieged  is  said  not  to  have  been 
greatly  inferior.0  When  at  last  it  surrendered,  it  was 
“ reduced  to  a mere  mass  of  ruin.  The  victors  marched 
in  over  its  crumbled  walls  and  shattered  batteries. 
Scarcely  a vestige  of  the  place  remained  beyond  these 
terrible  evidences  of  destruction.  Its  ditches  filled  up 
with  the  rubbish  of  ramparts,  bastions,  and  redoubts,  left 
no  distinct  line  of  separation  between  the  operations  of 
its  attack  and  its  defence.  It  resembled  rather  a vast 
sepulchre  than  a ruined  town,  a mountain  of  earth  and 
rubbish,  without  a single  house  in  which  the  wretched 
remnant  of  the  inhabitants  could  hide  their  heads — a 
monument  of  desolation  on  which  victory  might  have  sat 
and  wept.”? 

Nine  leagues  to  the  south  of  Ostend,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Yperlee,  stands  Ypresp  formerly  the  rival  of  Bruges 
in  industry  and  commerce,  but  its  population  was  then 
more  considerable  than  at  present.  It  has  still  manu- 
factures of  woollen  stuffs  and  lace,  but  its  real  impor- 
tance lies  in  the  fortifications  erected  since  the  peace  in 
1815.  If,  however,  we  wish  to  see  an  industrious  city, 
let  us  turn  our  steps  to  Courtray, T divided  by  the  Lys 
into  two  nearly  equal  parts  ; its  trade  is  supported  by  its 
manufactures  of  fine  cloths,  napery,  and  lace,  which 
equal  those  made  at  Valenciennes.3  Two  considerable 
fairs  are  held  there  annually.  Cortryclc,  its  Flemish 
name,  appears  to  come  from  Cortoriacum,  a city  of  the 
Gauls,  whose  site  it  undoubtedly  occupies.  Its  environs 
are  famous  in  history  for  a great  number  of  battles.  In 
1302,  a French  army  was  defeated  by  the  Flemings  in 
the  battle  called  the  battle  of  the  Spurs,  because  the 
victors  found  upon  the  field  more  than  4000  gilded  spurs. 
In  1382,  Charles  VI.  of  France  avenged  this  defeat  in 

in  August  and  September  1830,  the  government  of  Belgium  has  begun 
to  clear  out  the  harbour  of  Ostend,  which  had  been  neglected  by  the 
Dutch  government. — Trans. 

ni  This  account  of  the  siege  is  added  by  the  translator  — P. 

" Taken  by  Spinola,  Sept.  14,  1G04.  (Enc.  Metli.) — P. 

0 The  Spaniards  lost  more  than  80,000  men,  and  the  besieged,  whose 
garrison  was  several  times  renewed,  more  than  50,000.  (Enc 
Meth.) — P. 

P History  of  the  Netherlands  by  T.  C.  Grattan.  Lond.  1830. 

‘i  Fr.  Eng.  Ypres,  Iprcs ; Lat.  Jpra,  Iprcc ; Du.  Yperen — Yper  or 
Ijper  (Kilian  ;)  Germ.  Ypern. — P. 

r Fr.  “ Courtray ” — Covrtrai  (Vosgien  ;)  Eng.  Courtray  ; Du.  Kort- 
ryk  (Hubner) — Cvrtrijck  (Kilian.) — P. 

s “ — fine  linens,  table  linen  and  lace,  the  last  in  imitation  of  that 
made  at  Valenciennes.” — The  flax  which  grows  in  the  neighbour- 
hood has  the  character  of  being  the  strongest  and  the  finest  in 
Europe,  and  the  goods  which  are  manufactured  from  it,  are  particu- 
larly celebrated.  The  manufacture  of  linen  cloth  and  table  linens  is 
carried  on  to  a great  extent.  There  are  in  the  town,  22  bleachfields, 
17  for  linens  and  5 for  thread.  The  lace  which  was  made  here,  in  imi- 
tation of  that  of  Valenciennes,  had  a great  demand  both  in  France  and 
England.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  most  important  manufacture  in  Valen 
ciennes,  is  that  of  lace,  called  Valenciennes.  (Vosgien.) — P. 


EUROPE. 


406 

:t  victory  obtained  at  Rosebecke,  where  the  Flemings 
sustained  a loss  of  40,000  men,  in  which  battle  their 
leader  James  Artavelde,  the  far-famed  brewer  of  Ghent, 
was  killed.®  In  1794,  an  army  of  young  and  newly 
raised  Frenchmen  twice  defeated  at  Courtray  the  old 
troops  of  the  Austrians,  supported  by  the  English  and 
Hanoverians. 

On  the  right  bank  of  the  Scheld,  Hainault  contains 
several  places  memorable  in  the  annals  of  war.  Near 
Tournay,  Fontcnoy  recalls  to  memory  the  victory  ob- 
tained in  1745,  by  the  French  under  the  celebrated  j 
Marechal  Saxe  over  the  allied  army  commanded  by  the  ! 
Duke  of  Cumberland.  Fleurus  is  celebrated  in  the 
Spanish  annals  for  the  victory  gained  by  the  troops  of 
Spain  over  Count  Mansfeldt  in  1622;  for  that  of  Mare-  ' 
sehal  Luxemburg  in  1690  ox  er  the  imperial  army  ; for 
the  battle  of  26th  June  1794.  where  Jourdan  defeated 
the  Austrians  under  the  Prince  of  Saxe-Cobourg,  which 
led  to  the  entire  conquest  of  Belgium  by  the  French; 
and  for  that  of  15th  June  1315  (ihree  days  before  the 
Hattie  of  Waterloo),  where  Napoleon  defeated  the 
Prussians,  and  compelled  them  to  retreat.  In  the  en- 
virons of  Mons,  St.  Denis  and  Steenkerke  witnessed, 
in  1678  and  1692,  the  defeat  by  Luxemburg  of  the 
allied  forces  under  the  command  of  Wiliam  Prince  of 
Orange  (king  William  III.)  ; and  at  Jemaj/pe,  Dumou- 
riez  xvas  covered  with  glory  on  the  6th  November  1792. 
In  this  battle  the  present  king  of  the  French,  Louis 
Philip,  greatly  distinguished  himself.  The  Austrians 
met  with  a total  defeat. b 

Tournay, e two  leagues  from  the  frontiers  of  France, 
is  divided  by  the  Scheld  into  the  old  and  the  new  town. 
In  the  latter,  a superb  quay  planted  with  trees,  forms 
the  finest  and  most  frequented  promenade  in  the  city  ; 
the  houses  are  well  built,  and  the  streets  clean  and 
straight.  The  other  quarter,  much  inferior  in  elegance, 
is  the  city  which  served  as  a residence  to  several  kings  of 
France  of  the  first  race,  and  which  was  erected  into  a 
bishopric  in  the  fifth  century.  The  cathedral,  whose 
four  dark  spires  are  seen  from  a considerable  distance,  is 
admired  for  its  beauty  ; the  interior  is  overloaded  with 
sculpture  and  the  richest  ornaments.  It  is  believed  to 
have  been  founded  by  Childeric  I.,  whose  tomb  was  ac- 
cidentally discovered  in  1655,  in  taking  down  some  old 
bouses  which  surrounded  the  church.  An  excavation 
seven  feet  in  depth,  brought  to  light  a leathern  bag 


1 This  statement  respecting  Artavelde  is  added  by  the  translator. — 
James  Artavelde,  the  far-famed  brewer  of  Ghent,  was  killed  in  a tu- 
mult at  Ghent,  A.  D.  1345.  It  was  his  son  Philip  Artavelde,  who  was 
Killed  in  the  battle  of  Rosebecke. — P. 

b “ Fontenot/,  near  Tournay,  recalls  the  victory  at  which  Louis  XV. 
was  present;*  Fleurus\  is  celebrated  in  the  annals  of  Spain  by  the 
victory  which  its  troops  g%ined  over  Mansfeldf  in  1022,  and  in  the 
lonir  series  of  French  victories,  by  that  in  which  Marshal  Luxemburg 
defeated  the  imperial  army  in  1690,  by  that  in  which  Jourdan  defeated 
tlie  English  and  Austrians,  and  which  delivered  Belgium  into  the 
power  of  the  French,  and  lastly,  by  that  two  days  preceding  the  cele- 
brated defeat  in  1815. § At  St.  Denis  and  Steenkerke, \\  in  the  envi- 
rons of  Mons,  Luxemburg  defeated  the  allied  forces  commanded  by 
William  of  Orange,  in  1078  and  1692,11  and  at  Jemmappes**  in  the 
same  vicinity,  Dumouriez  covered  himself  with  glory  on  the  0th  of 
November,  1792.” 

* Louis  XV.  is  said  by  his  firmness  to  have  turned  the  victory  in  favor  of  the 
French.  (Russell’s  Mod.  Eur.) — P.  t Fleury  (Hubner.) 

t Not  Count  Mansfeld,  but  Ernest,  natural  son  of  Peter  Ernest,  Count  Mans- 
field.—1>. 

§ This  is  doubtless  intended  for  the  battle  of  June  16th,  usually  called  the 
battle  of  Ligny.  The  campaign  commenced  on  the  15th,  during  which  day 
the  French  drove  the  Prussians  from  Thuin  to  Fleurus,  where  the  latter  look  a 
oosition,  but  were  compelled  to  retreat  again  in  the  evening.  On  the  16th,  the 


[KOOK  CL. 

containing  more  than  one  hundred  pieces  of  gold  and  as 
many  of  silver,  the  iron  part  of  an  axe  and  also  that  of  a 
javelin,  a sword-blade,  five  clasps,  a case  containing  a 
steel  pen  or  style,  the  binges  of  two  writing  tablets,* *1  a 
small  head  of  an  ox  in  enamel,®  and  two  rings,  one  of 
which  bore  a seal  with  the  words,  Childerici  regis. 
These  different  ornaments  in  gold  xvere  accompanied 
with  several  figures  of  bees  in  gold  and  silver,  which  ap- 
peared to  have  belonged  to  a royal  mantle  ; the  whole 
was  mingled  with  bones,  among  which  xvere  distinguish- 
able txvo  human  skulls  and  the  skeleton  of  a horse,  afford- 
ing a proof  that  the  Franks  were  accustomed  to  be 
interred  with  their  arms,  their  clothes,  their  battle  horse, 
their  most  precious  jewels,  and  perhaps  with  some  spoils 
of  their  enemies,  for  one  of  the  txvo  skulls  was  most 
probably  that  of  a slave  or  of  a vanquished  warrior. 
Tournay,  which  might  accommodate  more  than  60,000 
souls,  contains  but  little  more  than  half  that  number  :f 
it  is,  however,  an  industrious  and  commercial  town,  and 
its  carpeting,  its  cloths, s its  camlets,  and  its  porcelain 
wares,  are  known  over  all  Europe. 

Quitting  the  fine  road  to  Brussels  at  Ath,h  a small 
city,  known  from  its  college,  and  whose  fortifications 
have  never  been  able  to  resist  the  attacks  of  enemies,1 
we  take  on  the  right  hand  the  road  which  leads  to  Mons.v 
This  city,  which  derives  its  principal  wealth  from  its 
coal  mines,  is  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Hainault. 
It  is  large,  and  strongly  fortified,  and  there  are  few 
places  that  have  suffered  more  from  the  inevitable  ca- 
lamities of  war.  In  1572,  Louis  of  Nassau  employed  a 
singular  stratagem  to  make  himself  master  of  it.  He 
disguised  some  of  his  soldiers  as  wine-sellers,  who  con- 
ducted into  the  city  several  carts  loaded  xvith  casks 
having  a double  covering,  the  outer  containing  xvine, 
and  the  inner  concealing  arms.  After  having  paid  the 
duties,  the  pretended  wine-sellers  slew  the  guard  and 
custom-house  officers,  and  opened  the  gates  to  their 
commander.  At  the  coal-mines  at  Hornues,  near  Mons, 
M.  de  Gorges  employs  2000  workmen,  for  xvhom  he 
has  built  a handsome  town,  consisting  of  260  neat  houses, 
with  a garden  to  each.  The  streets  are  laid  out  with 
uniformity,  and  well  paved  ; and  in  the  centre  of  the 
village  is  a large  square,  planted  xvith  trees,  in  which  is 
the  ball-room  for  Sunday  amusements,  the  town-hall,  and 
the  school  of  mutual  instruction,  xvhere  400  children 
are  gratuitously  educated.  The  workmen  have  the 

French,  with  their  centre  east  of  Fleurus,  attacked  and  defeated  the  Prussians 
at  St.  Amand  and  Ligny. — P. 

||  Steenkerken  (Hubner.) — Steenkerck,  Sleinkerck,  Sleinkerque.  (Enc. 
Meth.) — Steenkirk  (Eng.) — P. 

IT  William  III.  then  prince  of  Orange,  attacked  the  quarters  of  the  duke  of 
Luxemburg  at  St.  Denis  near  Mons,  after  the  treaty  of  Nimeguen  was  signed 
(1673,)  but  gained  no  decided  advantage.  (Russell's  Mod.  Eur.) — William  III. 
attempted  to  surprise  the  French  army,  under  Luxemburg,  at  Steinkirk  in 
1692,  but  in  consequence  of  his  mistakes,  the  battle  was  totally  lost.  (Rus- 
sell.)—P. 

**  Jemappes,  Jemappe,  Gemappe,  Jemmapes. — P. 
c Tournai. — Du.  Doornik  (Hubner) — Domick  (Kilian.) — P. 
d “ — a case  containing  a style  for  writing,  the  hinges  of  two  tab- 
lets— ” 

e In  gold  enamelled.  (Del.  des  Pays-Bas.) — P. 
f Population,  38,000.  (Stat.  Tab.) — P. 
e “Linens  ( toiles .)”  h Du.  Anth.  Aeth. — P. 

* It  xvas  taken  by  the  French  in  1697  and  1701,  by  the  allies  in 
1707,  and  again  by  the  French  in  1745.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

k Fr.  Eng.  Mons  ; Lat.  Mons  or  Montes  Hannon ia ; Du.  Bergen  in 
Heneeromcen  (Hubner) — Berghen  in  Hcnegmnce  (Kilian  ;)  Germ.  Berg- 
en im  Hennegau. — The  Latin,  Dutch  and  German  names  signify,  the 
hill  or  hills  in  Hainault. — Mons  is  situated  partly  on  a hill  and  partly 
in  a plain  on  the  Trouille. — P. 


book  cl.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  BELGIUM.  407 


gratuitous  use  of  store-houses  for  all  purposes,  and  of 
the  luxury  of  baths,  and  appear  happy  and  comfortable. 
The  benefits  which  a great  capitalist  has  it  in  his  power 
to  confer,  were  never  more  strikingly  exemplified  than 
in  this  village  of  Hornues.® 

Five  leagues  beyond  the  Sambre,  which  we  cross 
near  the  townb  of  Merbesle,  we  see  on  a hill  the  small 
but  strongly  fortified  town  of  Philippeville,  originally 
the  village  of  Corbigni,0  but  fortified  in  1555  by  order 
of  Mary,  queen  of  Hungary,  the  sister  of  Charles  V., 
and  to  which  she  gave  the  name  of  her  nephew  Philip 
II.  ; two  leagues  to  the  south-west  lies  the  town  of  Ma- 
rienbourg,A  a fortress  of  still  less  importance,  built  by 
the  same  queen.  Dinant,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Meuse,  is  defended  by  a good  citadel,  and  contains 
several  churches,  one  of  which  appears  to  be  of  great 
antiquity ; we  dare  not,  however,  admit  the  truth  of  the 
tradition,  that  it  occupies  the  site  of  a temple  of  Diana, 
which  gave  its  name  to  the  town. 

A road  alike  beautiful  and  picturesque  borders  the 
left  hank  of  the  Meuse,  and  leads  to  Namur, e built  at 
the  junction  of  the  Sambre  with  that  river.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  this  place,  renowned  in  all  the  wars  of  the 
Low  Countries,  and  become  stronger  than  ever  since 
the  erection  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  has 
succeeded  to  the  Oppidum  Atuaticorum,  mentioned  in 
Ctesar’s  Commentaries/  The  situation  of  Namur,  at  j 
the  confluence  of  two  great  rivers,  favours  its  trade  and  | 
industry.  Its  fine  cutlery,  and  the  manufacture  of  com- 
mon pottery  and  leather,  occupy  a great  number  of 
hands  ; the  sale  of  its  marbles  forms  one  of  the  most 
important  branches  of  its  trade.  Nothing  can  be  more 
enchanting  than  the  environs  of  this  city.  At  first,  you 
see  the  river  confined  betwixt  steep  mountains,  crowned 
with  thick  forests  ; farther  on,  its  bed  widens,  its  descent 
becomes  more  rapid,  the  ground  lowers,  and  its  waves 
press  rapidly  onwards  ; soon  you  see  meadows  extend 
along  its  banks  ; it  then  proceeds  slowly,  taking  large 
windings,  as  if  to  enjoy  longer  the  freshness  of  the  beau- 
tiful verdure  ; its  surface  covered  with  barges,  and  its 
bed  bordered  by  a road  crowded  with  travellers  and 
fields  fertilized  by  labour,  present  a moving  picture, 
which  renders  the  variety  in  the  landscape  more  inter- 
esting ; but  wre  must  quit  this  animating  scene,  rise  from 
hill  to  hill  towards  the  west,  and  descend  again  into  the 
beautiful  plains  of  South  Brabant. 

The  first  town  we  pass  through  is  Nivelles, e once  a 
place  of  much  importance.  At  the  commencement  of 
the  thirteenth  century  it  was  surrounded  by  walls.  It 
has  three  suburbs,  five  churches,  and  an  hospital.  Forty 

a For.  Quart.  Rev.  No.  X.  (Vol.  V.)  art.  “ Netherlands.”  [The 
above  account  of  the  village  of  Ilornues  is  added  by  the  translator. — P.] 
b “ Bourg.”  c The  bourg  of  Corbigni.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

d Du.  Germ.  Marienburg. — P. 
e Du.  Namcn  (Hubner) — N'ame  (Kilian.) — P. 

f Caesar  de  Bel.  Gal.  lib.  ii.  cap.  2!) — 34.  Tr.  [In  the  description 
of  the  town  of  the  Atuatici  [ Aduatici ,]  in  the  passage  here  quoted,  no 
mention  is  made  of  its  position  on  the  Meuse  ( Mosa ) or  Sambre  ( Sabis .) 
It  is  merely  stated  that  it  was  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  steep  rocks 
and  precipices,  except  a single  gentle  acclivity,  not  more  than  200 
feet  in  width,  fortified  by  a double  wall. — D’Anville  places  the  Oppi- 
dum Aduaticorum  at  Falais  on  the  Mehaigne,  a"  small  river  that  enters 
the  Meuse  a little  above  Huy  (10  miles  E.  of  Namur.) — P.] 
e Nivelle  (Enc.  Meth.) — Du.  Nivel,  Nijvel  (Kilian.) — P. 
k “ — to  enjoy  the  diversions  of  society  ( des  distractions  de  la  vie 
mondaine.)” — There  is  no  sign  of  exclamation  in  the  original. — This 
was  an  abbey  of  secular  canonesses,  of  noble  family,  who  had  the 
privilege  of  resigning  their  places  and  marrying.  They  wore  the  re- 
ligious habit  in  the  morning,  and  the  secular  habit  in  the  evening. 
fEnc.  Meth.  Moreri.) — P 


years  ago  it  was  celebrated  for  an  abbey  of  canonesse3, 
who,  in  the  evening,  quitted  the  religious  habit  to  enjoy 
the  distractions  of  a worldly  life  !h  Their  abbess  took 
the  title  of  Princess  of  Nivelles.  The  clock  tower  bears 
on  its  summit  the  figure  of  a man  in  iron  that  strikes  the 
hours  with  a hammer,  called  in  the  country  John  of 
Nivelles.  It  is  not,  however,  to  this  bell-man  that  we 
are  to  attribute  the  well-known  proverb  : “ lie  resem- 
bles the  dog  of  John  of  Nivelles,  who  flics  when  he  is 
called .”  This  proverb  arose  from  the  following  circum- 
stance : — According  to  the  accounts  of  several  historians, 
John  II.  of  Pflontmorencyj  father  of  John,  lord  of  Ni- 
velles, and  of  Louis,  baron  of  Fosseu,k  married  as  his 
second  wife  Margaret  of  Orgemont ; the  two  young 
men,  who  probably  were  not  very  well  pleased  with  their 
stepmother,  withdrew  to  the  court  of  the  count  of  Flan- 
ders, and  became  the  origin  of  the  two  branches  of  the 
house  of  Montmorency.  Their  father  summoned  them 
in  vain  to  return,  and  on  their  refusal,  treated  them  as 
dogs,  and  disinherited  them.  The  summons  had  been 
given  to  the  elder  brother,  John  of  Nivelles,  which  gave 
rise  to  the  popular  saying  above  quoted. 

Quitting  the  small  plateau  of  Nivelles,  let  us  advance 
into  those  plains  where  the  armies  of  France  and  Eng- 
land, under  Napoleon  and  Wellington,  met  to  decide 
the  destiny  of  Europe.* 1  Quatre  Bras,  La  Belle  Alli- 
ance, Mont  St.  Jean  and  Waterloo  are  before  us,  places 
which  recal  to  remembrance  the  bloody  struggle,  which 
the  soldiers  on  both  sides  maintained  with  heroic  courage, 
in  spite  of  the  faults  of  the  two  chiefs,  and  in  which  vic- 
tory, faithless  to  him  who  thought  he  had  gained  it,  turned 
to  the  side  of  him  who  did  not  expect  it.  Brussels  or 
Bruxelles ,m  the  metropolis  of  all  the  Belgian  provinces,” 
and  also  the  capital  of  the  province  of  South  Brabant, 
is  only  four  leagues  from  this  field  of  battle,  which  is  now 
conspicuous  from  a hill  raised  by  the  art  of  man,  and 
surmounted  with  the  Belgic  lion,  a gigantic  figure,  in 
cast  iron.  The  origin  of  this  city  dates  from  the  eighth 
century.  St.  Gerius,°  bishop  of  Arras  and  Cambray, 
founded  a chapel  in  a small  island  formed  by  the  Senne, 
and  this  island  became  the  city  of  Brussels, p chosen, 
from  its  agreeable  situation,  by  Otho  II.  as  his  residence, 
and  which  afterwards  became  that  of  the  dukes  of  Lor- 
raine, the  dukes  of  Brabant,  and  the  Austrian  govern- 
ors. Joseph  II.  transformed  its  ancient  fortifications'' 
into  a fine  promenade  ; it  was  a city  surrounded  merely 
by  a wall,  when,  from  the  rank  of  the  capital  of  the 
Austrian  Netherlands,  it  descended  in  1794  to  that  of 
the  chief  place  of  the  French  department  of  the  Dyle. 
It  is  built  on  uneven  ground,  and  several  of  its  streets 

‘ Baron  of  Montmorency.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

k Fosseux  (Moreri.  Enc.  Meth.) — Fosseux,  a bourg  in  Artois,  3 
leagues  S.  W.  of  Arras.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

1 “ — where  all  the  armies  of  Europe  met  to  overthrow  a famous 
conqueror.” 

m“  Bruxelles  or  Brussel.” — Eng.  Brussels  ; Fr.  Bruxelles  ; Du.  Brus- 
sel— Bruessel  (Kilian;)  Germ.  Brussel. — P. 

“ At  present,  the  capital  of  the  new  kingdom  of  Belgium.— P. 

° “ St.  Geri.” — St.  Gery,  in  the  beginning  of  the  7th  century,  built 
a chapel  in  a small  island,  formed  by  two  branches  of  the  Senne,  and 
preached  the  gospel  to  the  neighbouring  peasants  ; numerous  huts 
were  consequently  erected  along  the  banks  of  the  river  ; in  a short 
time,  they  increased  to  a considerable  village,  to  which  was  given  the 
name  of  Brussel  ( hermitage  bridge,*)  and  as  early  as  the  year  800,  it 
had  both  a market  and  a castle.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

* Du.  brug  [brugge.  Kilian,)  a bridge,  and  celle.  a cell. — P. 

p “ Brussella .” — See  note  °. 

q Its  walls  were  erected  in  1379.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


EUROPE. 


408 

are  very  steep.  The  lower  part  of  the  city,  the  least 
healthy  and  the  least  regular,  contains  many  houses  in 
the  Gothic  style  ; but  the  quarter  adjoining  to  the  Park, 
a magnificent  promenade,  ornamented  with  marble 
statues,  is  composed  of  wide  streets,  regularly  laid  out, 
and  of  houses  elegantly  built  ; some  of  them,  however, 
are  painted  green,  yellow,  or  grey,  according  to  a cus- 
tom prevalent  in  both  Holland  and  Belgium.  There 
are  reckoned  in  the  whole  city  290  streets,  13,000 
houses,  27  bridges,  and  8 public  squares.  The  finest 
square  is  the  Place  Royale,a  the  quadrangular  outline 
of  which  is  formed  by  the  fine  portal  of  the  church  of 
St.  James  of  Condenberg,b  by  many  magnificent  edifices, 
and  by  four  porticoes.  The  great  square0  offers  an  as- 
pect altogether  different ; the  buildings  that  surround  it 
are  of  various  kinds  of  architecture,  Spanish,  Flemish, 
and  Gothic ; the  principal  is  the  Hotel  de  Ville,d  a 
building  flanked  by  five  hexagonal  turrets,  and  sur- 
mounted by  a steeple  366  feet  in  height,  crowned  with 
a statue  of  St.  Michael, e in  gilt  copper,  17  feet  high, 
and  turning  upon  a pivot  by  the  slightest  wind.  The 
building  of  this  tower  took  place  in  1445/  The  interior 
of  the  edifice  is  still  in  the  same  state  of  decoration  as 
when  Charles  V.,  in  1555,  excited  to  it  by  the  embar- 
rassments caused  by  a clergy  who  reproached  him  with 
his  pretended  toleration,  abdicated  the  sovereignty  of 
half  the  world  in  favor  of  the  fanatical  Philip  II.  It  is 
in  front  of  this  Hotel  de  Ville,  as  in  front  of  that  in 
Paris,  that  municipal  ceremonies  and  executions  of 
criminals  take  place,  a monstrous  conjunction,  which  it 
is  painful  to  take  notice  of  as  existing  in  the  nineteenth 
century.  The  great  square  of  Sablon^  is  ornamented 
with  a beautiful  fountain  in  white  marble,  representing  a 
Minerva  seated.  The  square  of  St.  Michael  is  not  of 
great  extent,  but  it  is  planted  with  trees,  and  surround- 
ed with  buildings  of  elegant  architecture.  Among  the 
buildings  that  surround  the  square  of  the  mint,h  most 
of’  which  are  deserving  of  notice,  the  great  theatre-royal 
is  especially  distinguishable.  On  the  small  rising 
ground1 II  called  Molenbcrg,  at  a short  distance  from  the 
great  square,  the  ancient  church  of  St.  Gudulak  displays 
its  imposing  Gothic  front ; the  ascent  to  it  is  by  a long 
flight  of  36  steps;  the  sculpture  of  its  pulpit,  in  wood, 
highly  merits  attention.  In  the  church  of  St.  Nicholas 
there  are  valuable  pictures  and  numerous  relics.  The 
city  is  supplied  with  water  by  several  fountains,  almost 
all  of  them  adorned  with  sculpture,  and  these  fountains 
are  fed  by  the  waters  of  a small  lake,  situated  about  a 
third  of  a league  from  the  walls,  towards  the  east.  That 
of  Stcenporte ,!  and  that  of  the  great  new  street,  are 
among  the  most  beautiful,  but  they  do  not  enjoy  the 

I Royal  Square. 

b “ St.  Jacques  de  Condenberg.” — St.  Jacques  de  Caubergue  (De- 
lices  des  Pays-Bas.  Ed.  Enc.) — It  should  read  in  English,  St.  James  of 
Coudenberg,  from  the  name  of  one  of  the  seven  Patrician  families  in 
Brussels. — P. 

c The  great  market-place.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

J Townhouse — Du.  Stadhuis. — P. 

e St.  Michael  and  the  dragon.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f The  Hotel  de  Ville  was  begun  in  1380,  and  finished  in  1442.  (Ed. 
Eric.) — P. 

e “ Place  du  Sablon” — Du.  Sandsplaats,  Sand  Square. — P. 

h “ Place  de  la  Monnaie” — Du.  Muntsplaats. — P. 

' “ Monticule” — small  hill. — The  church  of  Ste.  Gudule  is  situated 
In  a high  part  of  the  city,  and  approached  by  a flight  of  steps.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — P. 

II  “ Sainte-Gudule.” — Ste.  Gudule  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

’ Du.  Stccnpourt , Stone  Gate. — P. 


[BOOK  CB 

popular  reputation  of  the  Mannekcnpisse,  a child  in 
bronze,  whose  name  expresses  the  indecent  way  in 
which  it  throws  out  a stream  of  water.  This  statue, 
which  is  not  very  ancient,  has  replaced  one  whose  ori- 
gin goes  back,  it  is  said,  to  the  twelfth  century.  It  is 
called  by  the  people  the  oldest  burgess  of  Brussels,  and 
on  festival  days  they  dress  it  in  blue.  Many  other  edi- 
fices, which  we  have  not  yet  named,  adorn  this  city  ; 
such  are  the  palace  of  the  States-General,  the  new 
court-house, m and  the  king’s  palace,  the  last  of  which 
has  been  erected  within  these  few  years. 

The  capital  of  Belgium,  within  a circumference  oi 
two  leagues  and  a half,  is  as  it  were  an  assemblage  of 
several  small  cities,  differing  in  their  language,  their  oc- 
cupations, and  their  manners.  The  quarter  of  the  Park 
is  inhabited  by  the  ministers  of  state,  the  nobility,  and 
the  rich  bankers,  and  it  is  also  preferred  by  the  English. 
In  the  neighbourhood  of  its  handsome  buildings  resides 
a small  colony  of  French,  whilst  towards  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  city,  a Spanish  colony,  escaped  from 
the  revolutionary  horrors  of  the  Peninsula,  has  fixed  its 
abode.  Towards  the  south-east,  a population  active  and 
keen,  but  not  numerous,  is  composed  of  Walloons,  who 
are  easily  distinguishable  by  their  physiognomy  and 
language.  The  lower  town  is  almost  exclusively  peo- 
pled by  Flemings,  who  are  attached  to  their  own  idiom 
and  to  their  ancient  customs.  The  quarter  situated  be 
tween  the  lower  town  and  that  of  the  Park  is  the  centre 
of  trade  and  amusements,  the  abode  of  jewellers,  of 
mercers,  and  of  all  who  support  themselves  by  the 
luxury  of  the  rich,  and  the  point  in  which  are  assem- 
bled the  finest  warehouses.  The  Jews  do  not,  as  at 
Amsterdam,  inhabit  a separate  quarter;  the  poorest 
concentrate  in  the  meanest  streets,  and  the  more  wealthy 
are  scattered  throughout  the  rest  of  the  city.”  The  ad- 
ditions that  are  making  to  different  parts  of  the  city, 
prove  that  industry  and  trade  are  in  a flourishing  state. 
In  effect,  manufactures  of  all  kinds  are  to  be  found  in 
Brussels,  and  charitable  establishments  for  the  aged,  for 
orphans,  for  strangers,0  and  for  the  sick  and  the  blind, 
are  well  endowed  and  carefully  superintended.  The 
academies  of  sciences  and  belles  lettres,  two  royal  socie- 
ties of  literature,  one  of  botany,  an  athensum,  acade- 
mies of  painting  and  drawing,  a museum,  a cabinet  of 
natural  philosophy,?  a fine  public  library  established  in 
the  old  palace  of  the  governors-general  ,4  a botanical 
garden  which  occupies  the  site  of  the  gardens  of  the 
former  court, r and  several  other  establishments  which 
we  pass  without  notice,  might  lead  us  to  form  a pecu- 
liarly favourable  opinion  of  the  philanthropic  virtues  and 
intellectual  faculties  of  the  inhabitants  of  Brussels,  did 


m“  Palace  of  Justice.” 

n See  the  work  entitled  : Quntre  Mois  dans  les  Pays-Bas.  Paris,  1829 

0 “ — for  the  insane  (alicnts.)’’ — There  is  an  hospital  at  Brussels 
where  strangers  are  maintained  free  of  expense  three  days.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — P. 

p “ Cabinet  de  physique” — collection  of  philosophical  appara- 
tus.— P. 

s The  Ducal  Palace,  begun  in  1300,  by  John  II.  duke  of  Brabant, 
and  finished  by  the  successors  of  Philip  the  Good,  duke  of  Burgundy, 
in  1521.  Originally  the  residence  of  the  dukes  of  Brabant,  then  of 
the  dukes  of  Burgundy,  and  finally  of  the  governors-general  of  the 
Austrian  Netherlands — converted,  under  the  empire,  into  a central 
school  for  the  department  of  the  Dyle,  to  which  were  attached  a pub- 
lic library,  a botanical  garden,  and  a collection  of  paintings.  (Ed 
Enc.) — P. 

r That  of  the  governors-general  of  the  Austrian  Netherlands. — P 


book  cl.]  DESCRIPTION 

not  our  excursions  both  in  Holland  and  Belgium  prove 
to  us,  that  the  greater  part  of  the  cities  in  the  Low 
Countries  enjoy  nearly  the  same  advantages,  in  both 
these  points  of  view.  Among  the  distinguished  men,  to 
whom  Brussels  has  given  birth,  the  two  Champagnes, 
painters  of  eminence,  and  Bochius,a  known  by  his  Latin 
verses,  ought  to  be  placed  in  the  first  rank.  Lipsius,  a 
celebrated  critic  of  the  16th  century,  was  born  near 
Brussels,  and  died  in  the  neighbouring  city  of  Louvain 
in  1600.b 

The  inhabitants  of  this  city,  more  active  than  those 
of  Amsterdam,  love  to  enjoy  their  fine  walks.  They 
have  a Tivoli,  which  only  resembles  in  name  that  at 
Paris.  It  is  not  so  large,  but  is  much  more  pleasant, 
and  greatly  more  varied  in  the  amusements  to  be  found 
in  it.  On  the  banks  of  the  canal  which  communicates 
by  the  Rupelc  with  the  Scheld,  the  green  ivalk d is  a 
charming  promenade  composed  of  three  avenues  nearly 
half  a league  in  length,  of  which  the  one  in  the  centre  is 
reserved  for  carriages  and  equestrians.  Frequented 
every  day,  it  assumes  on  Sunday  the  brilliant  appear- 
ance of  that  of  Longchamps  at  Paris.  This  beautiful 
promenade  extends  to  the  bridge  of  Laeken,  not  far 
from  the  village  of  that  name,'  where  the  wealthy  citizens 
of  Brussels  have  their  country  houses,  and  where  the 
king  of  the  Netherlands  possessed  a park  and  magnifi- 
cent palace/  the  place  of  his  residence  during  the 
summer  season. 

We  cross  the  Senne  and  the  canal  of  Brussels  at  Vil- 
vordep  a town  of  3000  souls,  where  Joseph  II.  erected 
a bridewell  ( maison  de  detention )h  remarkable  for  the 
beauty  of  its  work-shops.  Four  leagues  to  the  east,  we 
perceive  on  another  canal,  the  city  of  Louvain  or  Leu- 
ven/ which  possessed  in  the  fourteenth  century  4000 
manufactories  of  cloths,  whose  18,000  workmen,  forced 
to  expatriate  themselves  in  consequence  of  a revolt 
against  the  Duke  of  Brabant,  carried  their  industry  to 

a John  Boch  (Lat.  Bochius,)  called  the  Belgic  Virgil — died  1609. — P. 
b This  account  of  Lipsius  is  added  by  the  translator. — Justus  Lip- 
sius, the  celebrated  critic,  was  born  at  Isch,  a village  between  Brus- 
sels and  Louvain  1547,  and  died  at  Louvain  1606. — r. 
c See  note  ' p.  1083.  d “ Green  Alley  ( allie  verte.)" 

e The  village  of  Laecken.  (Del.  des  Pays-Bas.) — P. 
f The  palace  of  Laeken.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
e Du.  VUvorden  (Hubner) — Vilvorde  (Kilian.) — P. 
h Penitentiary,  or  House  of  Correction. — P. 

' Fr.  Eng.  Louvain;  Du.  Leuven,  Loven,  or  Locven ; Germ.  LOw- 
en. — P. 

k “ 150,000  tuns  ( tonneaux .)” — Compare  statement  of  For.  Qu.  Rev. 
in  note  s p.  1082. — P. 

1 It  is  situated  on  the  Dyle  and  the  canal  of  Louvain,  the  last  of 
which  extends  to  Mechlin.  Vessels  of  150  tons  can  come  up  to  the 
town.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
m “ Hotel  des  invalides.” 

n Re-established  by  a royal  edict  of  Sept.  25,  1816,  which  also  insti- 
tuted the  two  new  universities  of  Ghent  and  Liege.  (Morse.) — P. 

0 Fr  Tirlemont  or  Tillemont.  (Vosgien.)— -P. 

p Du.  Thienen,  or  Tienen — properly,  Tienhoven.  (Hubner.) — P. 

<t  “ Gaette.” — Ghete  (Vosgien.) — Gliete  (Ed.  Enc.) — Du.  Geete — 
Glieete  (Kilian.) — A southern  branch  of  the  Demer. — P. 
r St.  Tron  or  St.  Truyen.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

» “ — in  its  lace,  and  in  the  products  of  its  forges.” 

* Loss,  Lotz,  Lootz  or  Borchloen  (Enc.  Meth.) — Loots  or  Borohloen. 
(Hubner.) — Formerly  capital  of  a county  of  the  same  name,  in  the 
bishopric  of  Liege,  including  Hasselt,  Tongres  and  Maaseyk. — P. 

“ Fr.  Tongres,  Tongre. — Du.  Tongcren. — P. 

1 It  does  not  appear  that  there  is  such  a people  as  the  Tungri  men- 
tioned by  Ccesar.  His  words  are,  speaking  of  Jltuacuata,  Lib.  vi.  c.  30. 

“ Id  castelli  nomen  est.  Hoc  fere  est  in  mediis  Eburonum  finibus.” 
The  Eburones  seem  to  have  possessed  the  country  about  Liege. 
Tongres  is  about  four  leagues  distant  from  that  city. — Transl.  Note, 
fit  does  not  appear  that  there  is  such  a town  as  Atuacuata  mentioned 
bj'  Ctesar.  The  name  of  the  town  or  fortress,  in  the  passage  above 

VOI,.  III.— NO.  55  52 


OF  BELGIUM.  409 

England.  At  present  it  is  only  celebrated  for  the  brew- 
ing of  excellent  beer,  of  which  it  annually  exports  more 
than  15,000  casks. k Its  canal,  which  admits  vessels  of 
a considerable  tonnage,  and  the  river  Dyle,  give  activity 
to  this  branch  of  trade.* 1 * * * * * * *  Two  fine  institutions  still  con- 
fer importance  on  this  city  : the  one  is  a hotel  for  in- 
valids™ which  can  receive  2,500  persons  ; the  other  is 
the  university,  which  was  founded  in  1426,  suppressed 
by  the  French  in  1797,  and  re-established  since  1815." 
The  walled  enclosure  of  Louvain,  too  large  for  a popu- 
lation of  about  16,000  souls,  contains  fields  and  gardens, 
and  streets  tolerably  regular,  but  the  houses  are  ill 
built,  and  there  are  few  fine  edifices.  It  is  the  same 
with  Tirlemont,0  which  the  Brabanters  call  Tlieenen  t 
Watered  by  the  Geete/  its  ramparts  are  more  than  a 
league  and  a half  in  circumference,  and  its  population  is 
scarcely  the  half  of  that  of  Louvain. 

We  enter  the  province  of  Limburg,  by  the  road 
which  passing  through  Tirlemont,  conducts  to  Aix-la- 
Chapelle.  St.  Trond,v  the  first  town  we  arrive  at,  car- 
ries on  a trade  in  lace  and  iron-work.9  Leaving  the 
town  of  Looz 1 on  the  left  hand,  whose  magnificent 
castle  is  seen  in  passing  along,  we  reach  the  banks  of 
the  Jaar,  where  Tongres  (Flem.  Tongeren')a  is  resort- 
ed to  on  account  of  its  ferruginous  mineral  waters.  This 
city  was,  in  the  time  of  Caesar,  a fortress  of  the  Tungri* 
called  Atuatuca;  it  was  destroyed  by  Attila  in  451, 
and  in  881  by  the  Normans  ; at  present,  it  contains 
scarcely  4000  inhabitants. 

A valley  stretching  out  before  us,  brings  to  view  in  the 
distance  Maestricht,?  and  the  mountain  of  St.  Pierre  com- 
manding it,  and  lying  between  the  Jaarz  and  the  left  bank 
of  the  Meuse. aa  This  calcareous  mountain,  from  which, 
for  more  than  fifteen  centuries,  there  has  been  taken  a 
soft  and  chalky  stone, bb  is  traversed  by  so  great  a number 
of  galleries,  that  there  has  been  formed  an  inextricable 
labyrinth  of  about  six  leagues  in  circumference.  In  this 

quoted,  is  Atuatuca. — The  Eburones,  a people  of  German  origin,  occu- 
pied a part  of  the  dutchies  of  Cleves,  Juliers,  and  Gelders,  and  the 
country  of  Tongres  [in  the  bishopric  of  Liege.]  Their  principal  city 
was  Atuatuca.  Caesar  nearly  exterminated  them,  in  revenge  for  the 
defeat  of  one  of  his  legions,  stationed  among  them,  by  Ambiorix,  one 
of  their  chiefs ; at  least,  no  mention  is  made  of  them  by  subsequent 
authors.  The  Tungri,  also  a German  people,  succeeded  them,  and 
gave  their  name  to  Atuatuca,  whence  the  modern  name  of  the  town. 
(Enc.  Meth.  D’Anv.) — Tongres  is  6 [Fr.]  leagues  (Vosgien,)  9 miles 
(Morse,)  N.  W.  of  Liege. — P.] 

y Maastricht." — Mastricht  or  Maestricht  (Vosgien.) — Maastricht 
(Eng.  authors.)— Du.  Maastricht  or  Mastricht  (Hubner) — Macstrich 
(Kilian.)— P. 

z Jeker  (Enc.  Meth.  Ed.  Enc.) — Jaar  (Fr. ;)  Jecker  (Flem.)  (Del. 
des  Pays-Bas.) — P. 

aa  Maestricht  lies  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Meuse,  at  its  confluence 
with  the  Jaar,  and  on  the  north  of  the  latter.  The  Jaar  enters  the 
Meuse  obliquely  from  the  south-west,  and  in  the  angle  between  the 
two  rivers,  rises  the  mountain  of  St.  Pierre  (Du.  Sant-Pietcrsbrrg — St. 
Peter’s  Mount,)  on  the  northern  declivity  of  which,  adjoining  the 
south  side  of  the  town,  stands  the  strong  fort  of  St.  Pierre,  the  citadel 
of  the  place.  The  Meuse  is  crossed  by  a bridge,  and  at  its  extremity 
is  the  small  town  of  Wyck,  a sort  of  suburb  to  Maestricht. — P. 

bbThis  soft  limestone  is  considered  by  geologists  as  analogous  to 
the  chalk  formation,  inasmuch  as  it  contains  not  only  flints,  but  some 
of  the  same  fossil  shells,  that  occur  in  the  chalk  of  Paris.  (Ed.  Enc 
art.  Org.  Remains.) — It  is  probably  a transition  from  the  upper  chalk 
to  the  lowest  tertiary  formation,  few  of  its  fossils  being  identical  with 
those  in  the  chalk,  and  the  most  remarkable  being  of  a peculiar  and 
more  recent  character.  (Lyell’s  Geology,  p.  139 — 140.) — The  upper 
part  of  this  limestone  is  hardest — the  lower  and  softer  part  is  the 
principal  repository  of  the  remarkable  bones,  which  characterize  it.  and 
also  of  the  shells  and  flints  analogous  to  those  in  the  chalk  of  the  Paris 
basin.  The  analogy  of  this  limestone  to  chalk  is  farther  shown  by  its 
gradually  changing  into  true  chalk  a few  leagues  south  of  Maestricht. 
(Ure’s  Geology,  p.  215.) — P. 


410  EUROPE.  [book  cl. 


mass  different  fossil  bones  have  been  discovered  of  great 
interest  to  science  ; among  others,  two  heads  of  gigantic 
lizards  of  a species  which  no  longer  exists  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  globe,  and  which  savans  have  agreed  to 
designate  under  the  name  of  Mosasaurus .ab  One  of 
these  heads  is  to  be  seen  in  the  museum  of  Haarlem, 
and  the  other  in  the  museum  of  Natural  History  at  Paris  ; 
the  length  of  the  last  is  three  feet  nine  inches,  which 
leads  to  the  presumption  that  this  monstrous  lizard  was 
twenty-four  feet  in  length.  The  mountain  of  St.  Pierre, 
was,  during  the  middle  ages,  called  the  Mountain  of  the 
Huns  (Mans  Hunnorum),  apparently  from  some  tra- 
dition connected  with  Attila’s  visit  of  destruction  to  this 
country  in  the  fifth  century,  referred  to  above,  in  speak- 
ing of  Tongres.  It  derives  its  modern  name  from  the 
village  of  St.  Pierre,  adjacent  to,  and  now  considered  a 
suburb  of  the  city  of  Maestricht,  or  more  properly  from 
the  church  of  St.  Pierre,  which  is  of  greater  antiquity 
than  the  village.  An  old  tower  on  the  summit  of  the 
mountain,  has  preserved  the  name  of  the  “ Tower  of 
Ciesar,”  and  a little  farther  off,  it  is  believed  there  ex- 
isted a Roman  camp.  Let  us  add  to  these  traditionary 
names,  that  the  Brabancon  name  of  Maastricht  or 
Maestricht,0  is  simply  the  translation  of  the  Latin  words, 
Trajectum  ad  Dlosam,d  passage  of  the  Meuse.  Ought 
we  not  then  to  conclude,  that  the  Romans  possessed 
nothing  here  but  an  intrenched  camp  ? There  is  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  Maestricht  existed  prior  to  the 
fourth  century.  The  ramparts,  the  ditches  and  the  bas- 
tions which  defend  it,  as  well  as  Fort  St.  Pierre, e render 
Maestricht  one  of  the  strongest  places  in  the  Low  Coun- 
tries. It  is  well  built ; the  beauty  of  its  town-house, 
of  its  public  market,  and  of  the  church  of  St.  Gervais, 
are  especially  deserving  of  notice.  It  possesses  manu- 
factories of  fire-arms,  pins  and  cloths,  and  the  Meuse 
gives  activity  to  its  commerce.  After  Maestricht,  the 
other  towns  in  the  province  possess  very  little  interest. 
Without  quitting  the  banks  of  the  river,  we  can  see 
Maaseyk / containing  a population  of  only  3000  souls, 
and  the  native  place  of  John  Van  Eyck,®  better  known 
by  the  name  of  John  of  Bruges,  who,  in  the  beginning 


1 Faujas  de  St.  Fond,  Histoire  de  la  montagne  de  St.  Pierre  de 
Maestricht. — Bory  de  St.  Vincent,  Memoire  sur  le  plateau  de  St. 
Pierre  : Ann.  Gen.  des  Sciences  Physiques,  tom.  i. 

b Dr.  Buckland  first  conferred  on  the  Maestricht  lizard  the  generic 
name  of  Mosasaurus  (Meuse  lizard.)  Its  lower  jaw  is  4 feet  long,  and 
consequently  its  whole  length  is  about  2li  feet.  It  resembles  the  croco- 
dile in  the  proportionate  length  of  its  head,  and  the  monitor  in  the 
general  structure  of  its  lower  jaw,  but  differs  from  both  in  the  short- 
ness of  its  tail,  and  its  palate  teeth,  in  which  last  circumstance  it  re- 
sembles the  common  lizard  and  iguana.  It  has  the  greatest  resem- 
blance to  the  monitor  in  its  general  structure,  but  on  the  whole  has  a 
peculiar  generic  character.  Its  figure  was  compact  and  robust,  and  it 
was  undoubtedly  a marine  animal,  formed  for  swimming.  (Ure's  Ge- 
ology,  p.  21(5 — 219.) — P. 

c “The  Brabancon  name,  Maastricht" — better:  Maastricht,  the  name 
of  the  town  in  the  dialect  of  Brabant  ( Brabanron .) — P. 

<■  Dictionnaire  abrege  gcographique  et  historique  du  Brabant  hol- 
landais. 

e On  the  south  side  of  the  town,  on  the  declivity  of  a hill  towards 
l.iege,  there  is  a strong  fort,  called  St.  Pierre,  built  in  1703,  and  capa- 
ble of  holding  14,000  men.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f Maseyck  or  Maaseyk  (Morse.) — Maeseck  or  Maeseyck  (Enc. 
Metli.) — Du.  Maaseik  (Hubnor) — Maeseyck  or  Maseyk  (Kilian.) — P. 

s “ Jean  Van-Eyk.” — Van  Eyck  is  said  to  have  invented  oil  paint- 
ing about  the  year  1410.  On  the  contrary,  however,  it  is  asserted  that 
the  art  was  known  in  Germany  as  early  as  the  11th  or  12th  century, 
and  in  England  two  centuries  before  the  birth  of  Van  Eyck.  (Van 
Eyck  was  born  1370.)  Me  at  least  first  brought  it  into  successful 
practice,  and  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  who  made  use  of  drying 
oils.  (Ed.  Enc.  Beauvais.) — P. 


of  the  fifteenth  century,  invented  painting  in  oil.  A 
little  farther  off  is  seen,  on  the  left  hand,  the  small  but 
commercial  town  of  WcrtJ  the  birth-place  of  the  famous 
John  de  Wert,'  who,  from  a shoemaker’s  boy,  became  .i 
soldier,  then  rose  to  be  a general,  and  lastly,  became 
viceroy  of  Bohemia,  and  by  the  capture  of  several 
places  in  Picardy,  during  the  reign  of  Louis  XIII.,  car- 
ried terror  to  the  very  heart  of  Paris,  where  his  name 
served  as  the  burden  of  the  song  to  the  ballad-singers 
of  Ponl-Neuf,  as  in  the  following  reign  was  the  case  with 
that  of  Marlborough.  We  cross  the  Meuse  at  Venloo ,k 
a city  of  6000  souls,  whose  principal  branch  of  industry 
is  the  manufacture  of  pins.  In  ascending  the  river  on 
the  right  bank,  there  is  seen,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Roer,* 1 
Ruremonde  or  • Roermond ,m  the  birth-place  of  the  cele- 
brated geographer  Mercator.11 

In  continuing  our  journey  in  the  same  direction,  we 
arrive  near  Limburg,0  the  former  capital  of  the  dutchy  of 
that  name,  a small  city  of  2000  souls,  now  comprehend- 
ed in  the  province  of  Liege.  Vcrviers,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Limburg,  has  been  enriched  by  the  sale  of  its  woollen 
cloths  which  are  much  esteemed,  and  by  means  of  which 
it  has,  in  a few  years,  risen  to  a population  of  16,000 
souls. p It  lies  in  the  midst  of  a rich  and  fertile  valley, 
presenting  an  animating  picture  of  the  united  results  of 
increasing  wealth  and  industry. 4 We  pass  through 

this  pretty  town  before  arriving  at  Spa,  a town  known 
for  its  elegant  works  in  varnished  wood  and  its  mineral 
waters,  the  last  of  which,  every  year  to  the  end  of  May, 
are  frequented  by  more  than  1000  strangers,  brought 
there  as  much  by  pleasure  as  by  the  care  of  their  health. 
All  the  trade  of  the  country  centres  at  Liege,  called 
Luik  in  the  dialect  of  Brabant/  Liege  lies  on  the 
banks  of  the  Meuse.8  Gloomy  and  dirty,  it  is  yet  the 
mart  for  the  merchandise  of  the  Low  Countries,  France, 
and  Germany.  The  working  of  coal-mines,  forges,  can- 
non founderies,  the  manufacture  of  fire-arms,  and  various 
other  kinds  of  industry,  occupy  the  inhabitants.  Ten 
suburbs,1  seventeen  bridges,  twelve  public  squares,  an 
arsenal,  an  exchange,  a chamber  of  commerce,  a univer- 
sity founded  in  1817, u and  also  several  schools  and  learn- 


h Weert  (Vosgien) — Du.  Weerdt — ll'eert  or  It'iert  (Kilian.) — P. 

' “ Jean  de  Wert" — John  Van  Wert. — P. 

k Du.  Vcvlo. — P. 

1 Du.  Roer ; Germ.  Ruhr. — P. 

m Fr.  Ruremonde  ; Du.  Roermond. — The  Dutch  name  signifies  the 
mouth  of  the  Roer. — P. 

n Gerard  Mercator. 

0 Limburg  is  situated  on  a hill  near  the  Vese  [Weze  or  Veze  (Ed. 
Enc.)  Vesder  (Pinkerton) — a branch  of  the  Ourthe,]  (5  leagues  S.  E. 
of  Liege.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

P This  statement  of  the  population  is  taken  from  the  For.  Quart. 
Rev.  No.  x.  art.  i. — P. 

q This  account  of  the  population  and  situation  of  Venders  is  added 
by  the  translator. — P. 

r Eng.  Liege;  Fr.  Li'ge  or  Liige ; Du.  Luik  (Hubner) — Luyck  or 
Luyk  (Kilian  ;)  Germ.  Litttich  ; Lat.  Leodium  or  Leodirum. — P. 

s Liege  was  formerly  divided  into  the  upper  or  old  town,  and  the 
lower  or  new  town.  The  former  is  built  on  the  declivity  of  a hill, 
and  stretches  south  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Meuse.  The  latter  compre- 
hends the  quarter  called  the  Isle,  situated  on  an  island  in  the  Meuse, 
and  the  quarter  beyond  the  Meuse,  situated  on  a peninsula  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  river. — Liege  was  formerly  the  capital  of  the  bishop- 
ric of  the  same  name,  one  of  the  principalities  of  the  German  Empire. 
The  episcopal  palace  was  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  of  St.  Walburg, 
on  which  the  citadel  was  erected. — P. 

' Liege  has  ten  great  suburbs,  and  two  small  ones.  (Ed  Enc.) — P. 

" The  university  of  Liege  was  created,  along  with  that  of  Ghent,  by 
the  same  edict  (1816,)  which  re-established  that  of  Louvain.  (Ed 
Enc.) — P. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  BELGIUM. 


411 


ROOK  CL.] 

ed  societies,  attest  the  wealth  and  importance  of  Liege. 
Its  fortifications  had  ceaoed  to  be  kept  in  repair  by  the 
French  government ; but  a vast  citadel  has  been  erected, 
within  these  few  years,  on  the  site  of  the  old  one,  and 
Liege  now  ranks  in  the  second  class  of  fortified  towns. 
Its  public  edifices  possess  little  deserving  notice,  if  we 
except  its  massy  cathedral,  and  its  new  theatre  con- 
structed upon  the  model  of  the  Odeon  at  Paris.  Liege 
has  given  birth  to  several  celebrated  men,  whose  memo- 
ry must  be  dear  to  her,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  price 
which  she  appeared  to  put  upon  the  possession  of  the 
heart  of  our  inimitable  Gretry.a 

At  the  time  we  are  writing,  there  seems  a strong 
probability  that  the  province  we  are  next  to  speak  of, 
the  farthest  south  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands, 
will  be  separated  from  the  Belgian  States,  on  the  ground, 
it  appears,  of  its  not  having  formed  part  of  Belgium,  but 
a constituent  part  of  the  Germanic  empire.  Whatever 
there  may  be  in  this,  and  whatever  may  be  the  destina- 
tion of  Luxemburg,  the  province  in  question,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  describe  it  here,  Gerprany  having  been  already 
described,  and  our  continental  labours  closing  with  the 
following  book.b 

The  grand  dutchy  of  Luxemburg,  with  a surface  of 
about  230  square  leagues,  rs  peopled  by  292,000  inhab- 
itants, which  makes  the  population  equal  to  1269  indi- 
viduals for  every  square  league.  If  we  except  the 
capital,®  this  territory  contains  no  city  of  importance. 
At  the  foot  of  the  mountains  which  separate  the  Ourthe 
from  the  Lesse,  we  perceive  the  small  town  of  St.  Hu- 
bert, where  are  preserved  the  remains  of  the  patron  of 
huntsmen,  whose  chapel  is  frequently  visited  by  such 
of  the  peasantry  as  wish  to  place  their  persons  and  their 
flocks  under  his  protection.11  The  position  of  Bouillon ,e 
in  a deep  and  narrow  defile  through  which  the  Semoy 

* Gretry,  the  musician,  was  a native  of  Liege  (born  1741.)  After 
his  death,  his  heart  was  claimed  by  the  city  of  Liege,  through  his 
relatives,  to  whom  it  was  adjudged  by  a judicial  decision.  (Beau- 
vais.)— P. 

b The  above  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator.  ‘ It  is  simply 
stated  in  the  original  (published  1829:)  that  the  possession  of  the 
grand  dutchy  of  Luxemburg,  its  southernmost  province,  gives  the 
kingdom  ol  the  Netherlands  a place  in  the  Germanic  Confederation. 
For  an  account  of  the  relations  of  Luxemburg  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
Netherlands,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Germanic  Confederation,  (not 
the  Germanic  Empire — that  has  ceased  to  exist  since  1806,)  on  the 
other,  the  reader  may  consult  a note  to  the  account  of  the  dutchy  of 
Nassau,  near  the  close  of  Book  CXXI. — Since  the  revolution  in  Belgi- 
um, Luxemburg  has  formed  part  of  the  new  state,  and  sent  deputies  to 
its  congress  Leopold,  the  new  king,  in  his  address  on  assuming  the 
sovereignty,  encouraged  his  people  to  expect  such  an  adjustment  in  re- 
gard to  Luxemburg,  as  would  free  it  from  its  relations  to  the  family  of 
Nassau  and  the  Germanic  body,  and  thus  allow  it  to  remain  a con- 
stituent part  of  Belgium.  More.  -ee» nt  aceounts  have  stated  that  a 


takes  a winding  course,  gives  it  a melancholy  but  yet 
romantic  aspect.  The  old  castle,  which  commands  this 
former  capital  of  a dutchy/  would  prove  no  defence 
against  a powerful  enemy,  because  it  is  itself  command- 
ed by  the  surrounding  mountains.  In  the  midst  of  for- 
ests, upon  one  of  the  hills  where  the  Semoy  has  its 
origin,  we  see  the  small  town  of  Arlon,  which  carries 
on  a trade  in  iron  and  grain  ; it  occupies  the  site  of  an 
ancient  city,  mentioned  under  the  name  of  Orolaunum 
in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine.  Frequently,  when  its  soil 
is  turned  up,  different  objects  of  antiquity  are  found. 
In  1793  and  1794,  the  French,  at  this  place,  twice  put 
the  Austrians  to  flight. 

Advancing  towards  the  east,  we  observe  on  the  hanks 
of  the  small  river  Alzette,®  the  important  fortress  of 
Luxemburg ,h  which,  for  twenty  years,  was  the  capital  of 
the  French  department  of  the  Forests.1  The  river 
waters  the  lower  town,  dividing  it  into  two  quarters,  which 
may  be  considered  as  properly  the  suburbs  of  the  fortress. 
The  latter,  forming  the  upper  town,  stands  on  the  sum- 
mit of  a rock  in  which  is  cut  a winding  road  that  leads 
to  it,  so  steep  that  carriages  cannot  ascend  it  without 
difficulty.  Ditches  of  great  width,  and  not  less  than 
eighty  feet  in  depth,  would  be  enough  for  the  defence 
of  the  place,  and  yet,  besides  these,  a double  row  of 
exterior  works  defends  the  approach  to  it.  It  is  then 
no  exaggeration  to  say  that  Luxemburg  is  one  of  the 
strongest  places  in  Europe  ; in  a military  point  of  view, 
it  has  been  viewed  as  more  than  merely  a part  of  the 
kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  the  nomination  of  the 
governor11  being  subject  to  the  approbation  of  the 
Germanic  Confederation.  The  strength  of  Luxemburg 
alone  constitutes  its  importance  ; it  would  be  a matter 
of  difficulty  to  mention,  among  its  edifices,  one  single 
building1  worthy  of  the  rank  which  this  city  occupies. 

motion  has  been  made  in  the  diet  at  Frankfort,  to  consider  the  pro- 
priety of  immediately  occupying  the  grand  dutchy  of  Luxemburg 
with  the  troops  of  the  Confederation. — P. 

c “ Without  excepting  its  capital.” — The  original  does  not  even 
consider  its  capital  a place  of  importance.  See  the  last  paragraph  in 
this  Book.— P 

d “ — to  secure  their  persons  and  flocks  from  the  hydrophobia  (rage.)” 
— It  is  a famous  place  of  pilgrimage  for  men  and  animals  suspected 
of  having  been  bitten  by  rabid  animals,  the  relics  of  St.  Hubert  being 
supposed  to  possess  a miraculous  efficacy  in  effecting  their  cure.  (Enc. 
Meth.  Vosgien.)— P. 

e Formerly,  Bullion  (Enc.  Meth.) — Du.  Bullon,  Bulion  (Kilian.) — P. 
f The  dutchy  of  Bouillon,  formerly  a sovereignty. — P. 
s Alz  (Enc.  Meth.) — Else  (Vosgien.) — Alsitz  (Morse.) — P. 

11  Germ.  Lntzelburg. — Du.  Lutsenburg. — Luxemburg  is  also  common 
to  the  English,  German  and  Dutch  languages. — Fr.  Luxembourg. — P. 

* “ Departement  des  Forets.” 
k “ Governor  or  commandant  of  the  fortress. 

1 “ Bktiment  civil” — building-  not  mililarv — P. 


EUROPE. 


...  

412 


IBOOK  CLI. 


BOOK  CLI. 


EUROPE. 


Description  of  Europe  continued — Holland , or  the 
Seven  United  Provinces .a 

The  early  history  of  Holland  is  the  same  with  that 
of  Belgium, b down  to  the  war  of  Independence  and 
Existence,  as  it  may  also  he  called,  with  Spain.  In 
Holland,  a spirit  of  inquiry  had  kept  alive  the  ancient 
love  of  independence  and  liberty,  in  preserving  from  the 
attempts  of  Charles  V.  himself,  a system  of  national 
representation  which  placed  the  principal  strength  of 
government  in  the  Assembly  of  the  States;  and  when 
the  tyranny  of  his  son  thought  it  had  found  in  the  doc- 
trines of  a blind  fanaticism,  a solid  support  against  the 
ideas  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  that  were  becoming 
predominant  in  the  age,  his  yoke  only  became  the  more 
insupportable  to  a people  possessing  courage  enough  to 
he  free,  and  sufficiently  enlightened  to  comprehend  the 
advantages  of  religious  toleration.  The  Hollanders,  by 
seventy  years  of  resistance,'  conquered  their  indepen- 
dence, and  founded  a republic  equally  formidable  and  in- 
dustrious. The  treaty  of  Munster  in  1648  drew  from 
the  reluctant  Spaniards  an  entire  recognition  of  the  In- 
dependence of  the  Seven  United  Provinces,  while  the 
Belgic  provinces,  divided  among  themselves,  and  not 
possessed  of  that  love  of  freedom,  which  led  their  more 
northern  neighbours  to  overcome  every  obstacle,  re- 
mained submissive  to  Spain  and  to  the  Roman  Catholic 
church.  Conquered  by  the  French  in  1795, d it  was 
allowed  to  retain  a nominal  independence,  till  Napoleon, 
in  1810,  made  it  an  integral  part  of  his  empire.  The 
losses  of  Napoleon  in  the  campaigns  of  1812  and  1813, 
led  to  the  emancipation  of  Holland  at  the  close  of  the 
last  mentioned  year  ; and  this  was  followed  by  the  ill- 
assorted  union  of  Belgium  and  Holland  in  the  Nassau 
family,  under  the  name  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Nether- 
lands,— a union  which  very  recent  events  in  Belgium 
have  broken  up  and  dissolved. 


a See  note  1 p.  1078. — P.  b See  Book  CL. 

c The  revolt  in  the  Low  Countries  commenced  in  1566,  when  the 
people  rose  in  many  towns  in  Flanders,  and  forced  the  prisons  of  the 
Inquisition.  William,  prince  of  Orange,  commenced  military  opera- 
tions in  1568.  The  Seven  United  Provinces  formed  their  treaty  of 
Union  at  Utrecht,  Jan.  23,  1579.  A truce  of  twelve  years  was  con- 
cluded.^by  the  mediation  of  France  and  England,  at  the  Hague,  in 
1609,  Spain  acknowledging  the  United  Provinces  as  a free  republic. 
Hostilities  were  not  afterwards  renewed,  and  a definitive  treaty  was 
signed  in  1647,  and  ratified  at  the  peace  of  Westphalia  [treaty  of 
Munster]  in  1648,  when  the  seven  provinces  were  acknowledged  by 
all  Europe  as  an  independent  state,  under  the  title  of  the  United 
Provinces  (United  States,  in  old  authors.) — P. 
d The  French  took  possession  of  Amsterdam,  Jan.  18th,  1795. — P. 
e Council  of  State. — P. 

' The  deputies  to  the  States-General  were  chosen  by  the  States  of 
the  provinces,  but  each  province,  whatever  might  be  the  number  of 
its  deputies,  had  only  one  vote  in  the  States-General  The  acts  of  the 


The  government  of  the  Seven  United  Provinces,  pre- 
vious to  their  conquest  by  the  French  in  1795,  is  now 
a matter  of  past  history,  a tale  that  is  told.  Yet  it  may 
be  right  to  refer  to  it,  and  a very  few  words  will  suffice. 
It  was  a confederation  of  seven  independent  republics, 
which  were  united  by  the  bonds  of  similarity  of  manners 
and  pursuits,  and  especially  by  the  remembrance  of  the 
long-protracted  and  bloody  struggle,  which  they  had 
maintained  together  for  liberty  and  life  against  the  whole 
power  of  the  Spanish  monarchy,  and  in  which,  as  al- 
ready noticed,  they  at  last  succeeded.  The  States- 
General  and  Senate'  were  composed  of  deputies  from 
the  Seven  provinces,  whose  business  it  was  to  take 
charge  of  all  matters,  involving  the  interests  of  the 
whole,  such  as  war,  peace,  the  laying  on  of  taxes,  &c., 
but  in  all  matters  of  importance  no  steps  could  be  taken 
by  these  bodies,  without  a reference  to  the  States  of  the 
Provinces,  and  these  again  required  to  consult  their  con- 
stituents in  the  cities  and  country/  The  Stadtholder’s 
office  was  merely  executive,  and  even  that  was  much 
limited,  though  his  rank  and  influence  were  often  pro- 
ductive of  inroads  upon  the  constitution  of  the  States, 
and  induced  jealousies  that  proved  the  means  more  than 
once  of  abolishing  the  office. s 

Of  the  government  established  in  1814,  after  the  ex- 
pulsion of  the  French  and  union  of  the  Dutch  provinces 
with  Belgium,  we  have  already  spoken  in  our  account 
of  the  Belgian  provinces,  and  to  that  we  beg  to  refer  the 
reader.  It  is  presumed,  that  so  far  as  Holland  is  con- 
cerned, the  same  form  of  government  will  subsist,  with- 
out being  at  all  affected  by  the  defection  and  separation 
of  Belgium. 

The  most  ancient  accounts  of  Holland  represent  it  as 
one  extended  swamp,  alternately  covered  and  relin- 
quished by  the  advancing  and  retiring  waters  of  the 
ocean  : and  yet  it  appears  from  the  Roman  natural  liis- 


States-General  were  merely  resolutions,  and  did  not  acquire  the  force 
of  law  till  they  were  sanctioned  by  every  province,  and  by  every  city 
and  community  in  that  province.  The  Council  of  State  consisted  of 
twelve  members,  also  chosen  by  the  provinces.  These  deputies,  how- 
ever, voted  personally,  and  not  provincially . like  the  deputies  to  the 
States-General.  Their  office  was  to  direct  the  armed  forces  and 
finances,  and  to  prepare  business  to  be  laid  before  the  States-Geue- 
ral.— P. 

s The  office  of  Stadtholder  has  always  been  held  by  members  of  the 
Orange  family,  but  it  was  not  declared  hereditary  in  that  family,  till 
that  object  was  effected  in  1672  by  the  influence  of  W illiam  III.  (of 
Orange  and  of  England.)  On  his  death,  however,  the  office  was 
abolished,  nor  was  it  revived  till  1747,  when  it  was  again  declared 
hereditary  in  the  Orange  family,  in  the  person  of  William  II  ■ When 
the  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands  was  constituted  in  1814.  the  sovereign- 
ty was  vested  in  the  same  family  in  the  person  of  William  1 I.  of 
Orange,  the  present  king  of  Holland. — P. 


book  cli.]  DESCRIPTION 

torian,*  that  miserable,  and  to  all  appearance  uninhab- 
itable, as  a country  like  this  was,  it  was  not  destitute  of 
inhabitants,  who,  subsisting  on  the  produce  of  the  sea, 
endeavoured  to  find  habitations  on  every  hit  of  land  not 
taken  possession  of  by  the  waves.  It  has  been  a question 
among  inquirers  into  matters  of  this  kind, — at  what  time 
the  inhabitants  began  the  erection  of  dikes  to  preserve 
themselves  from  the  inundations  of  the  sea  ; and  there  is 
strong  ground  to  believe  that,  so  early  as  the  first  or 
second  century  of  the  Christian  era,  this  great  work  was 
commenced,  and  since  that  time  there  has  been  a con- 
tention between  the  inhabitants  and  the  ocean,  which 
has  ended,  however,  in  the  country  being  brought  to  its 
present  state  of  high  improvement  and  cultivation,  and 
comparative  safety  from  the  attacks  of  its  powerful 
assailer.  A great  part  of  Holland,  it  is  calculated,  is 
between  twenty  and  forty  feet  below  high  watea  mark 
on  the  surrounding  coast ; but  the  inhabitants  seem  to 
have  no  fear  of  their  safety.  At  different  times,  howev- 
er, the  ocean  has  burst  the  barriers  raised  to  control  its 
waters,  and,  on  such  occasions,  the  effects  have  been 
disastrous  in  the  extreme.  As  we  proceed,  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  notice  some  of  the  most  remarkable  of 
these  inundations. 

In  Holland,  it  may  be  said,  there  are  no  mountains  : 
we  see  nothing  but  plains,  interrupted  occasionally  by 
rising  grounds,  not  even  deserving  the  name  of  hills,  and 
much  smaller  than  those  that  are  to  be  found  in  Belgium. 

We  must  refer  to  our  account  of  Belgium  for  an  ac- 
count of  the  principal  rivers  of  Holland,  there  being  few 
that  deserve  the  name  but  those  already  noticed  there, 
viz  : the  Rhine , the  Waal,  the  Meuse,  and  the  Scheldt. 
To  these  may  be  added,  the  Yssel, h which  proceeding, 
by  an  artificial  cut,6  from  the  Rhine  above  Arnheim, 
takes  a north-east  direction  to  Doesberg,d  where  it  is 
joined  by  the  Old  Yssel,  the  proper  channel  of  the 
stream,  flowing  from  Westphalia.  It  then  passes  by 
Zutphen  and  Deventer,  and  after  receiving  a number 
of  smaller  tributary  streams,  falls  into  the  east  side  of 
the  Zuyderzee,  below  Campen.  The  Wecht  or  Vecht e 
is  a river  of  less  importance  than  the  Yssel,  which 
takes  its  rise  in  Westphalia,  and,  after  uniting  with  sev- 
eral other  streams,  falls  into  the  Zuyderzee  not  far  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Yssel.  The  Hunse  is  a small  river 
which,  passing  by  the  fine  city  of  Groningen,  takes  its 
course  to  the  German  Ocean/ 

There  are  many  lakes  in  Holland/  especially  in 

a Plin.  Hist.  Nat.  Lib.  xvi.  § 1. 
b Issel  (Pinkerton.) — Du.  Yssel — Isel  (Kilian.) — P. 
c Canal  of  Drusus— Lat.  Fossa  Drusi  (D’Anv.,)  Fossa  Drusiana 
(Euc.  Meth.) — The  Rhine  divides  itself  into  two  branches,  between 
Huissen  and  Arnhem,  one  of  which  passes  by  the  Canal  of  Drusus  to 
Doesburg,  where  it  unites  with  the  Old  Yssel,  and  finally  falls  into  the 
Zuider-Zee.  (Busching,  Aardryksbeschryving,  vertaald  door  J.  de 
Jongh,  Deel  iv.  Stuk  i.  p.  14.) — The  Canal  of  Drusus  was  dug  by  Cl. 
N.  Drusus,  the  brother  of  Tiberius. — P. 

d The  proper  name  is  Doesburg.  The  diasresis  has  no  place  in  this 
word,  the  oe,  in  Dutch,  being  a diphthong,  pronounced  like  oo 
Eng. — P.  e Du.  Vecht. — P. 

f All  the  above  paragraphs  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 
s “ The  Dutch  provinces.” 

h Du.  Haarlemmer  Meer  or  Meir — properly,  Haarlem  Lake. — P. 

‘ “ Gulf  of  the  Y”— called  also  the  river  Y,  and  more  generally,  the 
Y (Du.  Iiet  Y,  Ye,  or  Ie.) — It  is  properly  an  arm  of  the  Zuyderzee. — P. 
k The  two  last  sentences  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

1 “ Nearly  20,000  arpents.” 

m<1 — into  a fertile  polder." — Polder  is  a Dutch  word,  signifying  a 
tract  of  land  drained  and  embanked,  with  a special  administration  for 
securing  the  embankments  ( waterstaat .) — P. 

" Du.  JVaarder  Meer  (Naarden  Lake) — situated  near  the  town  of 


OF  HOLLAND.  413 

Friesland;  but  the  only  one  deserving  particular  men- 
tion is  that  which  is  called  the  Sea  of  Haarlem ,h  in  the 
province  of  Holland.  It  communicates  by  the  gulf  of 
Y* l  with  the  Zuyderzee,  is  five  leagues  in  length,  by  two 
and  a half  in  breadth,  and  is  everywhere  navigable. 
Its  navigation,  however,  is  impeded  by  the  violent  squalls 
and  storms  it  is  subject  to.  In  one  of  these  did  the  un- 
fortunate Frederic,  Elector  Palatine  and  king  of  Bohe- 
mia, when  an  exile  in  Holland,  lose  his  eldest  son  and 
save  his  own  life  with  difficulty,  by  the  upsetting  the 
boat  in  which  they  were  crossing  the  lake  during  a dark 
night. k A neck  of  land  about  two  leagues  broad,  sepa- 
rates it  from  the  North  Sea.  This  lake  was  formed 
three  centuries  and  a half  ago  by  an  inundation  of  the 
ocean.  The  Jews  of  Amsterdam  have  offered  to  drain 
it,  under  the  condition  that  the  property  of  the  land 
should  be  made  over  to  them,  but  other  interests  have 
stood  in  the  way  of  the  execution  of  this  project,  which 
would  transform  an  extent  of  water  of  more  than  twenty 
thousand  acres1  into  fertile  meadow  ground.”1  Among 
the  lakes  which  have  undergone  this  useful  metamorpho- 
sis, chiefly  in  North  Holland,  the  most  important  is  the 
Sea  of  Naarden ."  The  Bies-Bosch ,°  on  the  frontiers 
of  North  Brabant/  is  a lake  of  about  twelve  square 
leagues  in  extent,  which  originated  in  a calamity  more 
disastrous  than  that  which  formed  the  Sea  of  Haarlem. 
It  was  produced  on  the  nineteenth  of  November,  1421, 
by  the  rupture  of  several  dikes,  in  consequence  of  which 
seventy-two  villages  and  a population  of  about  100,000 
souls  were  submerged.  Into  this  lake,  several  arms  of 
the  Meuse  throw  themselves,  but  on  issuing  from  it, 
they  form  only  one  broad  stream  under  the  name  of 
Hollands-Dicj).^  Among  the  numerous  marshes  of  this 
country,  the  Bourtong,  in  the  provinces  of  Groningen 
and  Drenthe/  covers  a considerable  extent  of  land. 

Of  all  the  gulfs  which  border  the  coast,  and  serve  as 
estuaries  to  the  principal  rivers,  the  two  most  important 
are  the  Hollart / between  the  province  of  Groningen 
and  the  kingdom  of  Hanover/  and  the  Zuyderzee,  be- 
tween Holland  and  Friesland.”  The  first,  which  re- 
ceives the  waters  of  the  Ems,  is  three  leagues  in  breadth, 
and  from  seven  to  eight  in  length.  It  is  the  result  of  a 
dreadful  inundation  of  the  sea,  which,  in  1277,  swallow- 
ed up  several  villages.  The  second,  into  which  the 
Reest,  the  Yssel,  and  several  other  rivers,  throw  them- 
selves, was  formed  in  1225  by  an  irruption  of  the  sea, 
which  covered  thirty  leagues  of  country  ;x  its  name  sig- 

Naarden  (Naerden)  in  South  Holland,  E.  by  S.  of  Amsterdam. — In 
1C28,  an  attempt  was  made  to  drain  and  embank  the  Maarder  Meer ; 
but  owing  to  the  sponginess  of  the  ground,  by  means  of  which  the  in- 
flux of  the  water  was  too  powerful  to  be  resisted,  the  project  was  aban- 
doned ( dock  wegens  de  voosheid  van  den  grond,  die  de  doorzypering 
van  water  te  sterk  maahte,  is  dit  onticerp  bhjvcn  stehen.)  The  lake  has 
been  noted  for  its  fish  and  its  duck  decoys  ( ecndc-koojcn .)  (Busching, 
vertaald  door  De  Jongh.  1773.)  The  most  important  of  the  drained 
lakes  in  North  Holland,  are  the  Zype,  defended  from  the  sea  by  an  im- 
mense dyke,  called  the  Ilondswoud  (Hound's  wood  ;)  the  Beemster 
the  Purmer,  the  Wormer,  and  the  Schermer.  These  lakes  have  been 
drained  by  means  of  wind-mills. — P. 

0 Du.  Biesbosch — literally,  a thicket  of  bulrushes. — P. 

p To  the  south-east  of  Dort,  in  South  Holland,  and  on  the  northern 
frontiers  of  North  Brabant. — P. 

1 Eng.  Holland’s  Deep.  Diep,  as  a substantive,  in  Dutch,  signi 
fies  a channel,  or  gulf. — P. 

r The  Bourtang  lies  on  the  eastern  frontier  of  these  provinces,  and 
partly  in  Westphalia. — P. 

s Dollart  or  Dollert  (Enc.  Meth.) — Du.  Dollaardt  (Hubner.) — P. 

• East  Friesland. — P. 

u Between  the  Dutch  provinces  of  Holland  and  Friesland. — P. 

x The  south  part  of  the  Zuyder-Zee  was  originally  a lake,  of  com- 


EUROPE. 


414 

nifics  the  Southern  Sect,*  because  it  is  to  the  south  of 
the  Ocean. 

The  original  state  of  Holland,  as  almost  one  extend- 
ed swamp,  has  already  been  noticed.  In  connexion 
with  the  building  of  dikes  to  preserve  it  from  the  in- 
roads and  attacks  of  the  Ocean,  the  importance  of  drain- 
ing the  land  by  means  of  canals  and  ditches,  would 
naturally  occur  to  the  inhabitants,  and  to  such  an  extent 
has  this  been  carried,  that  the  whole  country  is  covered 
with  them.  They  are  indeed  innumerable,  and  most 
useful  for  travelling  and  facilitating  internal  trade  ; and 
being  lined  with  rows  of  trees,  tend  to  adorn  the  face  of 
this  Hat  and  naturally  uninteresting  country.  So  flat  is 
it,  that  to  those  approaching  by  sea,  the  spires  and  trees 
appear  to  rise  out  of  the  water.b 

The  Dutch  islands  form  two  distinct  groups.®  The 
southern  group  comprehends  the  largest,  washed  by  the 
different  arms  of  the  Scheld,  the  Meuse  and  the  Rhine; 
these  are  Walcheren,  North  and  South  Bevelnnc/,'1  Tho- 
len,e  Schouwen,Over-Flakee,{  Voorne,%  and  Beyerlandd1 
The  northern  is  composed  of  the  islands  of  Wieringen , 
Texel,1  Vliclnnd ,k  Ter- Schell ling, 1 and  Ameland,  all 
lying  at  the  entrance  of  the  Zuyderzee  and  on  the  coasts 
of  Friesland. m 

For  the  Geology  of  Holland,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  remarks  on  the  geology  of  Belgium,11 111  which,  from 
the  similarity  of  the  two  countries,  are  intended  to  em- 
brace both.0 

The  Dutch  provinces,  conquests  of  Man  over  the 
Ocean,  derive  their  fogs  and  humidity  from  the  mists  of 
the  sea,  and  the  exhalations  of  the  marshes.  During 
the  winter,  however,  which  lasts  four  months  of  the 
year,  and  which  covers  the  ground  with  hoar-frost  and 
ice,  the  east  wind,  which  blows  frequently  in  that  season, 
dissipates  the  miasmata  of  an  insalubrious  atmosphere. 
The  industry  of  the  cultivator  multiplies  cattle  and  pas- 
turage. Although  this  country  does  not  present  the 

paratively  small  extent,  called  the  Flcvo,  which  received  the  Old  Ys- 
sel,  and  discharged  itself  into  the  ocean  by  the  river  Flevo.  When  the 
canal  of  Drusus,  now  the  New  Yssel,  had  become  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal outlets  of  the  Rhine,  the  lake  was  enlarged,  and  by  its  encroach- 
ments, and  by  incursions  of  the  sea,  the  extensive  tract  of  country 
which  separated  it  from  the  ocean,  and  by  which  West  Friesland  in 
North  Holland,  and  the  present  province  of  Friesland,  were  contiguous, 
being  separated  only  by  the  river  Flcvo,  was  submerged.  The  exact 
period  when  this  occurred  is  not  known  ; indeed  it  is  probable  that  it 
took  place  gradually,  and  at  different  periods.  The  breach,  that  form- 
ed the  inlet  to  the  Texel  (Jl lars-Diep,)  is  said  by  an  old  chronicle 
to  have  taken  place  in  1170;  others  say  as  late  as  1400.  (Ed.  Enc.) — 
Busehing  states  that  West  Friesland  and  the  province  of  Friesland 
were  connected  till  the  13th  century,  but  does  not  specify  the  period 
when  they  were  disjoined.  The  river  Flevo  is  supposed  to  have  fol- 
lowed the  course  of  the  present  channel  called  the  Flie  Stroom.  The 
entrance  to  the  sea  is  now  chiefly  occupied  by  shallows,  the  only  im- 
portant channels  beiirg  the  Texel  Stroom,  and  the  Flie  Stroom. — P. 

a Du.  Zuiderzee  or  Zuider- Zee — Suydcr-See  (Kilian;)  from  zuider, 
southern,  and  zee,  sea. — P. 

0 This  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 
c M.  Ad.  Balbi,  Abrege  de  Gbographie. 
d Du.  Noord-  and  Zuid-  Beveland. — P. 
e Du.  Thoolen  (Busehing;)  Tolen  (Hubner.) — P. 
f Overflackee  (Ed.  Enc.) — Overflacque  or  Zuidvoorn  [South  Voorn] 
(Morse.) — Du.  Overflakkee  (Hubner;)  Overvlakkee,  Over-Flakkee,  or 
Over-Flacquee  (Busehing.) — It  lies  on  the  south  side  of  the  island  of 
Voorn. — P. 

K Du.  Foorn — Forn  or  Forne  (Kilian.) — The  island  of  Voorn  is  di- 
vided by  creeks  into  Voorn  (proper,)  Beyerland,  Stryen  and  Putten. 
Voorn  proper,  with  the  islands  of  Overflakkee  and  Goree  (Du.  Goeree ) 
on  the  south,  forms  the  district  called  Voornland,  divided  into  East 
Voorn  (Du.  Oostvoorn)  or  Voorn  proper,  South  Voorn  or  Overflakkee, 
and  West  Voorn  or  Goree. — P. 

h Beierland  ( Busehing.) — P.  * Tessel  or  Teksel  (Hubner.) — P. 

k Flieland  (Busehing) — so  called  from  the  ancient  river  Flcvo , now 
the  channel  called  the  Vliestroom,  or  the  Vlie  Uict  Flic!) — P. 


[BOOK  CLI. 

agreeable  variety  of  an  irregular  surface,  yet  the  fine 
season  adorns  it  with  its  charms  ; vast  meadows,  daz- 
zling witli  the  richest  verdure,  are  during  eight  months 
of  the  year  covered  with  cattle,  whose  plumpness  an- 
nounces an  abundant  and  healthy  nourishment,  and  the 
great  number  of  these  domestic  animals  attests  no  less 
the  ivealth  of  their  owners,  than  in  other  quarters  the 
cultivated  fields  indicate  the  intelligence  and  patient 
attention  of  a laborious  population.  Wheal,  flax,  and 
madder,  in  the  north,  and  in  the  south,  tobacco,  and 
different  kinds  of  fruit-trees,  cover  the  best  lands. p It 
is  among  the  Hollanders  that  horticulture  has  made  the 
greatest  progress,  and  where  the  culture  of  a thousand 
ornamental  plants,  and  especially  hyacinths  and  tulips, 
has  been  carried  to  such  a length,  that  the  price  of  a 
single  flower  often  exceeds  what  would  support  twenty 
families  for  a year. 

The  population  of  Holland,  viewmd  in  a religious 
aspect,  is  divided  into  a great  number  of  religions,  com- 
munions and  sects.  No  religion  is  there  considered  as 
being  that  of  the  state  ; all  enjoy  the  same  rights  and 
equal  liberty.  The  Reformed  communion^  is,  however, 
the  most  numerous  ; the  Christians  of  the  confession  of 
Augsburg1,  occupy  the  next  rank  ; Mennonites,  various 
other  sects,  and  Jews,  much  less  numerous  than  the  two 
first  mentioned,  are  scattered  over  all  the  provinces.3 

In  regard  to  the  language,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Jews,  the  origin  of  the  different  dialects  that  are  spoken 
may  be  traced  to  the  German .*  The  different  dialects 
spoken  in  Friesland  and  the  islands  of  the  Zuyderzee, 
in  the  province  of  Holland,  in  Gueldres,  in  Zeeland, 
and  in  Dutch  Brabant,  are  all  of  this  description.  The 
Jews,  who  came  originally  from  Portugal,  have  pre- 
served the  idiom  which  was  familiar  to  them  when  they 
established  themselves  in  the  Low  Countries.0 

The  most  ancient  inhabitants  of  the  country  were  the 
Frisii,  ancestors  of  the  Frieslanders,  who  occupied  from 

1 Du.  Schelling,  Ter  Schelling,  or  Der  Schelling. — The  hypheD 

should  not  be  used  in  this  word. — P. 

111  The  four  first  of  the  northern  group  belong  to  the  province  of 
Holland  ; the  last,  to  that  of  Friesland. — P. 

“ Book  CL. 

° This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — The  geological  remarks 
in  the  original  refer  to  the  whole  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  but 
they  chiefly  apply  to  Belgium.  All  the  older  formations  there  noticed, 
the  valleys  there  described,  and  the  particular  minerals  enumerated, 
belong  to  Belgium.  The  Dutch  Provinces  consist  almost  entirely  of 
the  alluvium  occupying  the  deltas  of  the  rivers,  and  contain  besides 
only  loose  tertiary  deposits. — P. 

p"  There  is  very  little  land  under  tillage  in  the  province  of  Holland, 
and  what  is  under  tillage  is  almost  exclusively  confined  to  South  Hol- 
land. The  best  wheat  is  produced  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Grave- 
sande,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Meuse.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

a Calvinists.  r Lutherans. 

s These  remarks  on  religion  apply  in  the  original  to  the  whole  king- 
dom of  the  Netherlands  It  is  there  stated  that  the  Roman  Catholics 
hold  the  first  rank  in  point  of  numbers,  but  are  chiefly  confined  to  the 
Belgic  provinces,  in  which  they  predominate,  and  that  on  the  contrary, 
the  reformed  communion  is  the  predominant  sect  in  the  Dutch 
provinces.  The  others  are  ranked  in  the  order  in  which  they  occur 
in  the  text. — P. 

• Not' the  German,  but  the  Germanic  or  Teutonic  «tock. — P. 

“ These  remarks  on  language  also  apply  in  the  original  to  the  whole 
kingdom  of  the  Netherlands.  They  are  so  mutilated  and  falsified  in 
the  translation,  that  I have  thought  it  proper  to  give  a closer  version. — 
“ Ethnographical]}-  considered,  the  population  exhibits  still  more  nu- 
merous diversities.  The  languages  spoken  belong  to  three  great 
classes.  The  most  important  of  these,  is  the  Germanic  : the  people 
of  Friesland  and  of  the  islands  in  the  Zuyder-Zee.  those  who  speak 
the  Dutch  language  ( HoUandais ,)  those  who  retain  the  Netherlandish 
dialects  of  Gelders,  Zealand,  and  the  other  northern  provinces,  the 
Flemings  of  the  northern  Belgic  provinces,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
the  adjoining  districts  in  Germany,  all  belong  to  this  division.  The 


BOOK  CLI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  HOLLAND. 


415 


south  to  north  the  country  comprehended  between  the 
Rhine  and  the  Ocean.  Their  Latin  name  ( Frisii ) 
probably  comes  from  an  old  word  in  the  Germanic  lan- 
guage, frisson ,a  which  signifies  to  grub  up,  to  dig  or 
drain  marshes. b They  were  one  of  the  most  powerful 
nations  of  Western  Germany.  Brave,  and  jealous  of 
their  liberty,  they  were  long  the  devoted  auxiliaries  of 
the  Romans  ; their  independence  was  never  disputed  ; 
we  see  them,  after  the  death  of  Drusus,  choosing  chiefs 
or  dukes  from  amongst  themselves.  The  Batavi  were, 
it  is  believed,  a colony  of  the  Catti,  a German  people  ; 
forced  by  a series  of  intestine  dissensions  to  quit  their 
own  country,  they  planted  themselves  in  the  sandy  and 
marshy  country,  circumscribed  by  the  Rhine  and  the 
Meuse  ; their  neighbours  called  them,  for  this  reason, 
TVaitawerf  an  appellation  which  the  Romans  changed 
into  Batavid  When  Csesar  undertook  the  conquest  of 
Gaul,  they  were  already  powerful,  and  masters  of  part 
of  the  country  to  the  south  of  the  lower  Meuse.  Their 
cavalry  was  formidable  ; their  horses  were  trained  to 
swim  across  rivers  without  breaking  their  ranks.  At  the 
battle  of  Pharsalia,  they  decided  the  victory  in  favour 
of  Ccesar.  Their  bravery  and  loyalty  gave  them  the 
privileged  title  of  friends  and  brothers  of  the  Romans, 
and  the  honour  of  forming  the  praetorian  guard.  In  all 
important  expeditions,  in  every  dangerous  enterprise, 
the  Batavians  were  selected.  They  composed  the  for- 
lorn hope  of  the  Roman  army,  sustained  the  first  shock 
of  the  enemy’s  attack,  and  made  the  first  attack  with 
a boldness  and  impetuosity  peculiar  to  themselves. e 
Tacitus  says,  that  no  tribute  was  imposed  upon  them  ; 
they  remained  faithful  to  the  empire  till  its  fall.  Their 
territory  was  comprehended  in  the  province  of  Germa- 
nia Secunda. 

From  these  generalities,  which  it  would  be  unprofitable 

Gratco- Latin  comprehends  those  who  retain  the  Walloon  and  the 
French  Flemish,  two  dialects  of  the  French,  and  who  inhabit  the  two 
provinces  of  Flanders,  and  those  of  Liege,  Namur,  South  Brabant  and 
Hainault.  The  Jews  belong  to  the  Shemitic  class:  having  come 
originally  from  Portugal,  they  retain  the  language  which  was  familiar 
to  them  when  they  established  themselves  in  the  Low  Countries.” 

a “ Friessen." — Busching  derives  the  name  from  frissen,  to  dig,  to 
turn  up  the  ground. — P. 

b The  name  of  the  Frisii  has  been  derived  from  the  Frisic  word  frie 
(Germ .frey,)  free,  and  it  is  stated  by  Alting  that  they  have  always 
been  styled  free  Frisians  ( frie  Friesen.)  Others  have  derived  it  from 
fris  (Germ . frisch,)  fresh,  new,  because  they  occupied  the  lands  newly 
recovered  from  the  sea,  such  lands  being  still  called  Friesselanden, 
in  distinction  from  the  old  lands  ( Oldelantlcn .)  Others,  finally,  have 
derived  it  from  fris,  cold,  (from  the  root  of  freeze,)  from  the  cold  and 
damp  climate  which  they  inhabited.  (J.  H.  Steffens,  Gesch.  der  alten 
Bewohner  Teutschlandes,  p.  271.  1752.) — P. 

c In  Dutch  and  Low  German,* *  watt  still  signifies  sand  bank  ; awe 
or  ave,  low  land,  meadow.  [In  Dutch,  watte,  or  waade,  signifies  a ford  ; 
w alten,  plu.  flats  or  shoals.  The  word  is  spelt  variously  in  Kilian’s 
Low  Dutch  Dictionary,  1642,  viz.  wat,  wad,  wade,  watte,  waede,  all 
rendered  ford  ( vadum .)  (This  Dictionary  includes  words,  not  only  in 
the  Dutch  proper  (Hollandish,)  but  in  the  Flemish,  the  dialect  of  Bra- 
bant, and  those  of  other  provinces  in  the  Low  Countries,  and  also  in 
those  of  Lower  Germany.)  Wat  still  signifies  a shallow  ( untiefc ) in 
German.  Dan.  vad  or  vod,  a ford.  (Baden).  Swed.  vad,  a ford.  The 
word  is  from  the  root  of  the  English,  wade,  Latin,  vadum. — In  Ger- 
man, au.  or  aue,  signifies  meadow  or  pasture.  The  same  word,  in 
Kilian,  is  written  auwe,  and  ouwe.  The  word  is  not  at  present  re- 
tained in  the  Dutch.  The  corresponding  word,  now  used  in  that  lan- 
guage, is  wei,  or  tceidc,  (Germ,  weide.) — P.] 

* Germ.  Platt  Deutsch , or  Niederdcutsch,  including  all  (he  vulgar  dialects  of 
the  North  of  Germany,  such  as  the  Low  Saxon,  Westphalian,  &c. — P. 

d The  name  Batavi  (Germ.  Batt-Auer)  signifies  the  Batti  (synony- 
mous with  Catti)  of  the  meadows  ( auen ) — so  called  because  they  in- 
habited the  meadows  on  the  Lower  Rhine,  particularly  on  the  island 
included  between  the  Rhine  and  the  Waal  (the  ancient  Insula  Batavo- 
rum.)  still  called  Betuwe.  (Steffens.) — P. 

e These  two  last  sentences  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 


to  extend  farther,  let  us  pass  on  to  the  important  cities 
and  towns  of  the  different  Dutch  provinces.  When 
these  provinces  rose  up  against  the  tyranny  of  Philip  II., 
and  bound  themselves  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht  in  1579, 
they  were  seven  in  number  : the  lordships  of  Groningen, 
Friesland,  Over-Yssel,  and  Utrecht,  the  dutchy  of  Guel- 
dres,  and  the  counties  of  Holland  and  Zeeland,  and  to 
these  may  be  added,  the  territory  of  Drenthe.  Dutch 
Brabant  and  East  Flanders,  having  been  in  their  pos- 
session when  peace  was  made  with  Spain,  were  given 
up  to  them.  Tims  matters  continued  till  the  invasion 
and  conquest  of  Holland  by  the  French  republic  in  1795. 
In  1798,  having  been  called  upon  by  the  republican 
government  of  France  to  adopt  some  new  organization, 
they  took  the  name  of  the  Batavian  republic.  Their 
political  division  changed  ; they  were  divided  into  eight 
departments/ s This  division  lasted  only  eighteen 
months,  when  that  which  recalled  the  good  old  days  of 
Dutch  independence  was  again  resorted  to,  and  contin- 
ued till  the  time  when  Napoleon  imposed  a sovereign  in 
the  person  of  his  brother,  upon  the  descendants  of  those 
republicans  who  had  cemented  their  independence  by 
the  blood  of  the  Spanish  phalanxes.  Their  country 
wras  then  divided  into  eleven  departments. h LTnited,  the 
9th  of  July  1810,  to  the  French  empire,  Holland  form- 
ed seven  departments;'  but  since  its  erection,  after  the 
downfall  of  Napoleon,  into  an  independent  state,  the 
original  division  has  again  prevailed/ 

Groningen ,*  the  capital  of  the  province  of  that  name,™ 
is  the  most  important  city  in  the  north  of  the  kingdom. 
Watered  by  the  small  river  Hunse,  and  situated  at  the 
junction  of  three  great  canals,  which  give  it  a communi- 
cation with  several  commercial  cities  ; possessing  also  a 
port  which,  although  five  leagues  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Ems,  receives  the  largest  merchant  vessels,  it  is  not 

f Known  by  the  names  of  Delft,  Donnnel,  Amstel,  Ems.  Scheld 
and  Meuse,  Rhine,  Texel,  and  Old  Yssel,  from  the  names  of  the  prin- 
cipal rivers  which  traversed  them.  [Those  of  Delft  and  Texel,  the 
former  from  the  city,  the  latter  from  the  island  of  the  same  name,  not 
from  rivers. — P.] 

s “ When  these  provinces,  after  having  risen  against  the  tyranny  of 
Philip  II.,  united  themselves  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht  in  1579,  they 
were  seven  in  number,  namely,  the  lordships  of  Groningen,  Friesland, 
Overyssel  and  Utrecht,  the  dutchy  of  Gelders,  and  the  counties  of 
Holland  and  Zealand.  The  country  of  Drenthe  was  their  ally  * 
Dutch  Brabant  and  East  Flanders  were  their  dependencies.!  In  1793, 
the  republican  government  of  France,  whose  armies  had  invaded  the 
territory  of  the  Seven  United  Provinces,  induced  them  to  modify  their 
organization,  when  they  took  the  name  of  the  Batavian  Republic. 
Their  political  division  was  changed  ; they  were  divided  into  eight 
departments.’^ 

* The  Country  (Landschap)  of  Drenthe  was  under  the  protection  of  the 
Commonwealth,  but  had  no  seat  in  the  States-General.  The  Seven  United 
Provinces  were  alone  considered  as  sovereign  states.  (Busching.)— P. 

t The  Dutch  possessed,  previous  to  the  French  revolution,  that  part  of 
Flanders  lying  along  the  left  bank  of  the  West  Scheldt,  called  Dutch  Han- 
ders, and  including  Axel,  Sluvs  and  Hulst  ; North  Brabant,  then  called  Dutch 
Brabant,  including  Bois-le-Duc,  Breda,  Bergen-op-Zoom,  Fort  Lillo,  and 
Grave  ; Venloo  and  Stevenswaerd,  on  the  Meuse,  in  Upper  Gelderland  ; and  a 
part  of  the  old  province  of  Limburg,  on  the  Meuse,  including  Maestro  ht,  Da- 
lem  and  Valkenburg.  These  districts  are  now  claimed  by  Holland. — P. 

h Amstelland,  Brabant,  Zealand,  Utrecht,  Gelders,  Maasland,  Fries- 
land, East  Friesland,  Overyssel,  Drenthe,  and  Groningen. 

* Eastern  Ems,  Western  Ems,  Friesland.  Mouths  of  the  Yssel,  Up- 
per Yssel,  Zuyderzee,  and  Mouths  of  the  Meuse. 

k “ But  when,  in  connection  with  Belgium,  it  was  erected  into  the 
kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  the  original  division  again  prevailed. 

1 Du.  Groningen — Groeningen  (Kilian.) — Fr  Groningue.  P. 

m The  province  of  Groningen  (Du.  Groningerland)  consisted  of  the 
City  of  Groningen  and  its  territory,  and  the  Ommelanden  (literally, 
surrounding  country  ;)  forming  two  districts,  separately  represented 
in  the  provincial  states.  Hence  the  province  was  styled  officially,  the 
City  of  Groningen  and  the  Ommelanden  (Du.  Stad  Groningen  en  Om 
melanden.) — P. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CJLI. 


41G 

astonishing  that  this  flourishing  city  has  a good  universi- 
ty, besides  several  schools,  fine  collections  and  scien- 
tific societies.  It  has  given  birth  to  several  distinguished 
savans,  among  others,  to  Rudolph  Agricola,  the  first  in- 
troducer of  the  Greek  language  into  Germany,®  to  Al- 
bert Schultens,  the  orientalist,  and  to  Muntinck,  who 
founded  there  the  botanical  garden,  at  present  so  much 
admired.1* *  Its  finest  edifices  are  the  Gothic  church  of 
St.  Martin,  the  spire  of  which  is  330  feet  high,  and  the 
town-house,  built  in  1793,  upon  a spot0  which  passes 
for  one  of  the  finest  in  Holland.  One  of  its  bridges 
called  Botering-lloog,  is  regarded  as  a chef-d’oeuvre. 
These  buildings,  and  many  others  which  might  be  men- 
tioned, together  with  the  cleanliness  and  regularity  of 
its  streets,  rank  Groningen  among  the  finest  cities  in  the 
Low  Countries.  It  was  formerly  a member  of  the  Han- 
seatic league.  It  is  pretended,  upon  some  very  uncer- 
tain evidence,  that  it  was  built  around  the  Roman  fortress 
called  by  Tacitus  Corbulonis  monumentum  ;d  yet  the 
first  time  it  is  mentioned  in  history  is  in  the  ninth  cen- 
tury, and  it  was  not  till  the  fourteenth  that  they  raised 
the  fortifications  which  have  been  kept  up  ever  since 
with  much  care. 

Leeuwarden ,°  in  the  province  of  Friesland,  commu- 
nicates with  Groningen,  and  also  with  Dockumf  Sneek, % 
and  other  towns,  by  means  of  canals,  and  thus  carries  on 
an  active  trade.  This  pretty  town1*  is  surrounded  by  a 
ditch  and  an  earthen  rampart ; one  of  its  twelve  churches 
contains  the  tombs  of  the  princes  of  Orange,  and  their 

a Remark  of  the  translator. — The  same  remark  is  found  in  Lem- 
priere  and  Platt. — Rodolphus  Agricola  was  born  at  Bafflom  [Bafflen] 
near  Groningen,  in  1442;  he  studied  Greek  under  Theodore  Gaza  at 
Ferrara. — P. 

b Henry  Munting,  professor  of  botany  at  Groningen,  formed  a large 
collection  of  plants,  of  which  he  published  a catalogue.  Abraham 
Munting,  his  son  and  successor,  also  published  several  works  on 
botany.  (Beauvais.) — The  genus  Muntmoia  was  named  from  them. 
— P. 

c “ Fronting  a square  (sur  une  place.)” 

d Corbulonis  Munimentum,  a fortress  in  Germany  near  the  country 
of  the  Cauchi  [ Chauci,  Tac.J  Tacitus  relates  that  Corbulo,  after  hav- 
ing defeated  the  Frisii,  compelled  them  to  give  hostages,  and  to  settle 
in  the  territory  he  allotted  to  them.  He  gave  them  magistrates  and 
laws,  and  erected  a fortress  among  them.  The  latter  is  supposed  to 
have  occupied  the  site  of  Groningen.  (Enc.  Meth.  Geog.  Anc.) — His 
name  was  given  to  a place  ( Monumentum. ) in  Germany,  which  some 
suppose  to  be  modern  Groningen.  Tacit.  Ann.  xi.  c.  18.  (Lempriere's 
Class.  Diet.  edit.  Anthon.) — The  following  is  the  passage  referred  to 
in  Tacitus  (Annal.  xi.  c.  19.)  “ Et  natio  Frisiorum  post  rebellionem — 
datis  obsidibus  consedit  apud  agros,  a Corbulone  descriptos.  Idem 
senatum,  magistratus,  leges  imposuit ; ac,  ne  jussa  exuerent,  presidium 
immunivit.” — The  “ Monumentum”  is  not  mentioned  in  Ann.  xi.  c. 
18.— P. 

e Du.  Leeuwarden — Leeuwaarden,  or  Lecwaerde  (Kilian.) — Frisic, 
Licvcrden  (Busching) — Lieuwerd  (Hubner) — Fr.  Lcicardc  (Enc.  Meth.) 
— Leuarden  (Tuckey.)  Leewarden  (Vosgien.)  Leuwarden,  Leewaer- 
den  (Guthrie.) — The  name  is  said  to  be  derived  from  leeuw,  lion,  or 
lieve,  dear,  or  the  small  river  Le  or  Lea,  or  finally,  from  one  Lew,  the 
original  proprietor,  and  werd  or  waard,  an  artificial  mound  for  retreat 
in  case  of  floods.  (Busching.) — P. 

f Du.  Dokkum,  properly  Dokkenheim,  or  Dokko' slicim  (Busching) 
— Dockoin  or  Dockem  (Kilian) — situated  on  the  river  Ee,  N.  E.  of 
Leeuwarden. — P. 

e Du  Sneek — Sneeck  (Enc.  Meth.) — Frisic,  Suits. — S.W.  of  Leeu- 
warden, on  the  west  side  of  the  Sneeker  Mcer  (Sneek  Lake,)  from 
which  a canal  passes  through  the  town. — P. 

h “Capital” — of  the  province. — P. 

1 This  is  stated  in  D 'dices  dcs  Pays-Bas,  vol.  v.  p.  318. — P. 

k Du.  Harlingen. — Fris.  Harlinga ; originally,  Ilarliga,  from  a no- 
ble Frisian  family  of  that  name. — Harlingen  was  at  first  a hamlet 
( buurt ) and  afterwards  a market  town  ( rlek .)  gradually  formed  around 
the  castles  of  the  two  noble  families  of  Harliga  and  Harns.  The  western 
side  of  the  town  was  at  diff 'rent  intervals  submerged  by  the  waves, 
and  in  the  mean  time  a suburb,  called  Ahnenum,  extended  on  the  east, 
and  was  finally  incorporated.  Although  it  had  earlier  acquired  the 
privileges  of  a city  (stud,)  it  was  not  surrounded  with  walls  till  the 


palace  is  one  of  its  principal  edifices.  Upon  the  site  of 
a hamlet  swallowed  up  by  the  sea  in  1134,*  stands  Har- 
lingen.,k  important  on  account  of  its  fortifications,  and 
also  a place  of  very  considerable  trade  ; near  the  har- 
bour may  be  seen  a monument  erected  in  honour  of 
Gaspard  Robles,  who,  by  repairing  at  his  own  expense 
the  dikes  of  the  province,1  merited  the  gratitude  of  his 
fellow-citizens. m 

Assen,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Drenthe,**  is  a 
handsome  small  town,  which,  by  a canal,  communicates 
with  Meppel,  a town  of  4000  souls,  and  with  the  Zuy- 
derzee.  There  have  been  discovered  in  its  environs, 
several  tombs  of  the  ancient  Germans.  Koevorden,0 
built  in  the  form  of  a pentagon,  is  surrounded  by  fortifi- 
cations which  are  by  some  regarded  as  the  chef-d’oeuvre 
of  Coehorn  ;P  it  is  besides  environed  by  a marsh  ,q  which 
renders  it  difficult  of  access 

The  province  of  Overyssel0  contains  several  towns  of 
importance  : in  Zwool ,s  the  capital,  the  church  of  St. 
Michael  is  remarkable  for  its  fine  organ  and  the  sculp- 
ture upon  its  pulpit ; Campen ,*  upon  the  left  bank  of 
the  Yssel,  at  a short  distance  from  its  entrance  into  the 
Zuyderzee,  is  surrounded  by  walls  and  ditches.  Its 
trade,  which  has  been  long  on  the  decline,  is  menaced 
with  total  destruction  by  the  sand-banks  which  obstruct 
its  harbour."  Deventer,  which  boasts  of  its  hard  ware, 
beer  and  gingerbread,  possesses  some  fine  buildings  ; 
it  was  the  native  place  of  the  philosopher  Grono- 
vius.x 

fifteenth  century.  (Busching.) — Harlingen  is  situated  on  the  sea,  west 
of  Leeuwarden,  and  opposite  the  Vliestroorn. — P. 

1 “ — by  improving  the  dikes  of  the  province.” — Nearly  one  half  of 
the  town  on  the  west  side  having  been  formerly  carried  away  by  the 
sea,  it  became  of  great  importance  to  strengthen  its  defences  on  that 
side,  which  consist  not  only  of  dikes,  but  of  wall,  pile  and  coffer  work. 
The  Spanish  governor,  Caspar  Robles,  having  done  much  to  promote 
the  work,  a stone  column,  called  the  Stone  Man  (de  Stcene  Man,)  with 
an  inscription  in  honour  of  him,  was  erected  on  the  dike  to  the  south 
of  Harlingen,  but  afterwards  removed.  (Busching.) — P. 

m Franeker,  formerly  the  seat  of  a university  (now  college  or  athe- 
nffium,)  on  the  canal  between  Leeuwarden  and  Harlingen,  may  also 
be  mentioned  among  the  towns  of  Friesland.  Under  the  old  Dutch 
government,  there  were  eleven  cities  in  the  province,  having  a voice 
in  the  States,  including  besides  those  already  mentioned,  Bolswert  (Du. 
Bolstcerd,  or  Bolsicaanl — Fris.  Bolu-ard,)  Staveren  (Starorcn.)  Slooten 
Sloten,)  Workum  (originally  Woldcrkum,)  Ylst  (Fris.  Ylts.)  and  Hinde- 
lopen  ( Hindlopcn , Hinlopen,  or  Hinloupen).  The  people  in  the  prov- 
ince are  mostly  of  Frisian  origin,  and  still  retain  their  peculiar  lan- 
guage, to  which  they  show  a strong  attachment.  It  possesses  many 
literary  remains  of  different  periods,  and  not  a little  zeal  is  at  present 
exhibited  in  its  cultivation. — P. 

“ Drent  (Kilian.  Pinkerton.) — P. 

0 Du.  Koevorden — Covordcn  (Kilian.) — In  different  English  and 
French  authors,  Coevorden. — “ Koevorden.”  M.  B. — This  is  a mistake, 
the  diphthong  ce  not  occurring  in  the  Dutch  language.  See  note  d p. 
1093. 

p “ It  is  regarded  as  the  chef-d’oeuvre  of  Coehorn.”*— The  same  ex- 
pression is  used  in  the  Enc.  Meth.— Bergen  op  Zoom  was  regarded  by 
Cohorn  as  his  masterpiece.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Koevorden  is  one  of  the 
strongest  fortresses  in  Holland. — P. 

* The  name  of  this  celebrated  engineer  is  generally  written  Cohorn — Coe- 
horn (Enc.  Meth.) — Do.  Koehoorn.  (Busching.) — P. 

a “ By  marshes.” — It  is  surrounded  by  a great  marsh.  (Enc. 
]VIeth.)— P.  r “ Over-Yssel.” 

» Du.  Zwol,  Zwolle — Swol  (Hubner) — Swolle  (Kilian.) — Zwoll  (Tuck- 
ey.)— z is  very  often  used  now  in  Dutch,  where  s was  formerly  used. 
Oo,  in  Dutch,  is  merely  long  o. — P. 

1 Kampen  (Hubner.) — P. 

" Its  harbour  is  now  much  choked  up  with  sand.  (Morse.) — P. 

1 Doubtless,  James  Gronovius,  the  celebrated  critic  and  philologist, 
son  of  John  Frederick  Gronovius.  a native  of  Hamburg,  also  a learned 
critic.  James  Gronovius  is  chiefly  known  by  his  Thesaurus  Antiqui 
tatum  Grtecarum,  in  13  vols.  fol.  He  became  professor  of  Greek  at 
Levden,  where  he  died.  John  Fr.  and  Lawrence  Theod.  Gronovius, 
the  first  his  son,  and  the  second  his  grandson,  were  distinguished  as 
naturalists. — P. 


1 


BOOK  CL.I.1 


DESCRIPTION  OF  HOLLAND. 


417 


Gueldres  or  Guelderland ,*  which  has  preserved  the  | 
name  of  a city  ceded  to  Prussia,  more  than  a century 
ago,b  was  formerly  inhabited  by  the  Sicambri,  a people 
of  ancient  Germany.  The  first  city  we  come  to,  follow- 
ing the  course  of  the  Yssel,  is  Zutphen0  defended  by 
some  fortifications.  English  readers  will  connect  with 
Zutphen,  the  renowned  and  gallant  Sir  Philip  Sydney, 
who  was  killed  at  the  siege  of  this  town,  then  in  the 
hands  of  the  Spaniards,  in  1586.d  Upon  the  right  bank 
of  one  of  the  arms  of  the  Rhine, e stands  Arnheim, { not 
less  strong,  and  the  seat  of  government  of  the  province. 
It  was  fortified  by  the  celebrated  Coehorn.  Its  ram- 
parts are  planted  with  beautiful  elms,  and  form  an 
agreeable  promenade.  It  possesses  a good  harbour,  its 
streets  are  straight,  and  the  principal  church  contains 
the  tombs  of  the  ancient  dukes  and  counts  of  Gueldres. s 
Some  leagues  to  the  south  of  this  capital,  lies  the  much 
more  considerable  city  of  Nimeguen  ;h  it  bore  in  an- 
cient times  the  name  of  Noviomagus,  which,  during  the 
middle  ages,  was  changed  to  that  of  Numaga.1  [Nime- 
guen is  built  on  a steep  rising  ground,  reaching  down 
to  the  edge  of  the  Waal,  and  the  steepness  is  so  great, 
that  some  of  the  streets  are  scarcely  passable  for  wheel 
carriages.  Most  of  the  streets  are  narrow  and  dark  ; but 
some  of  them  are  of  a tolerable  breadth  and  well  formed. 
The  principal  church  is  a handsome  structure,  and  the 
town-house,  a very  old  building,  is  also  worthy  of  notice. 
Fiona  the  top  of  an  ancient  tower,  called  the  Belvidere, 
there  is  a most  extensive  view.”k  “ All  Holland,” 
says  a traveller,  describing  it,  “ seemed  to  lie  like  a map 


1 “ La  Gueldre.” — Du.  Geldertand,  Gelder — in  the  provincial  dia- 
lect, Gelre — Gel derlandt,  Ghelderland  (Kilian.) — Germ.  Gelderland  or 
Geldern  (the  country.)  Gelder  (the  town.) — Fr.  Gueldre,  Gueldres,  or 
Guelderland. — In  English  authors,  generally  written  Gelderland,  or 
Gelders  ; sometimes  Guelderland.  The  u,  in  the  French  orthography, 
is  merely  used  to  give  the  hard  sound  of  the  g,  in  the  Dutch  and  Ger- 
man. The  h,  in  the  old  Dutch  orthography,  answered  the  same  pur- 
pose.— Gelderland  was  originally  adutchy.  North  Gelderland,  united 
ivith  the  county  of  Zutphen,  formed  one  of  the  provinces  of  the  Dutch 
confederacy,  the  states  of  which  bore  the  title  of  States  of  the  Dutchy 
or  Principality  of  Gelre  and  the  County  of  Zutphen.  South  Gelder- 
land remained  to  Spain  after  the  treaty  of  Munster,  and  passed  to  the 
house  of  Austria  on  the  accession  of  the  emperor  Charles  VI.,  who 
ceded  to  Frederick  William  I.  of  Prussia,  in  1713,  the  city  of  Gelders, 
and  its  territory.  Previous  to  the  French  revolution,  South  Gelder- 
land was  divided  between  Prussia,  who  possessed  the  quarter  of  Gel- 
ders, Austria,  who  possessed  that  of  Roermond,  and  the  Dutch,  who 
possessed  that  of  Venloo. — P. 
b A.  D.  1713. 

c Du.  Zutphen  (Busching) — Zutfcn  (Hubner) — Sutfen  (Kilian.) — P. 
d This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 
e The  north  arm,  just  after  it  sends  off  the  Yssel. — P. 
f “ Arnhem.” — Du.  Arnhem  or  Aarnhem  (Hubner)-  -Arnhem,  prop- 
erly Arnheim,  vulgarly  Arem  (Busching.) — P. 
s See  note  a. 

h “ Nimegue,”  Fr. — Eng.  Nimeguen. — Du.  Nymegen,  Nimwegen,  or 
Nimmegen  ; contracted  from  Nieuic-Megen  (Nieumeghen,  Kilian,)  the 
translation  of  its  Latin  name  (See  note  ',)  which  is  said  in  old  Ger- 
man to  signify  new  town  ( magen  or  megen,  Lat.  magum,  a town  or 
city.)  (Busching.) — P. 

‘ Ancient  name,  Noviomagus  Batavorum  (D’Anv.) — in  modern 
Latin,  Nuviomagum  or  Neomagum  (Busching.) — P. 

k The  finest  view  in  Nimeguen  is  from  a projecting  angle  of  the 
city  wall,  at  the  extremity  of  a walk  planted  with  trees,  called  the 
Kalverbosch.  The  Duke  of  Parma,  governor  under  Philip  II.,  gave  to 
this  spot  the  name  of  Belvidere,  and  a lofty  building,  used  as  a place 
of  amusement  ( speelhuis ,)  has  been  erected  there.  (Busching.) — P. 

1 The  sentences  inclosed  in  brackets  are  added  by  the  trans- 
lator.— P. 

n‘  A separate  treaty  of  peace  and  commerce  was  concluded  between 
France  and  Holland,  at  Nimeguen,  Aug.  10,  1678;  a joint  treaty  of 
truce,  between  France,  Spain  and  Holland,  in  the  camp  at  Mons,  Aug. 
10,  1678;  and  a separate  treaty  of  peace,  between  France  and  Spain, 
at  Nimeguen,  Sept.  17,  1678.  A treaty  of  peace,  between  France  and 
the  Emperor  Leopold,  was  concluded  at  Nimeguen,  Feb.  5,  1670; 
VOL.  III. — NO.  55  53 


before  me,  presenting  a flat  of  such  extent,  that  the  eye 
is  almost  wearied  with  wandering  over  the  boundless 
space,  and  which  is  so  intersected  in  every  direction  with 
rivers,  canals,  and  swamps,  that  the  whole  country  looks 
as  if  but  yet  half  recovered  from  the  mighty  universal 
flood.  From  Arnheim  in  the  north,  to  Gueldres  in  the 
south,  and  from  Utrecht  in  the  west,  to  the  forests  of  Guel- 
derland, and  even  of  Westphalia  in  the  east,  the  whole 
country  here  lies  open  to  the  view  ; and  at  a fearful 
depth  below,  is  traced  the  broad  majestic  Rhine  (Waal) 
sweeping  onward  in  its  full  and  steady  course  through 
this  wide  favouring  land,  to  where  the  horizon,  sinking 
into  earth  and  water,  terminates  the  scene.”]1  Nime- 
guen is  celebrated  for  two  treaties  of  peace  ; the  first 
concluded  in  1678,  between  Spain,  France,  and  Holland, 
and  the  second,  the  following  year,  between  the  Ger- 
manic Empire  and  Sweden. m 

One  of  the  arms  of  the  Rhine11  flows  through  Utrecht,0 
a city  of  much  more  importance  than  any  we  have  yet 
mentioned.  The  name  of  Trajectum,  by  which  it  is 
designated  in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine,  announces  it  to 
have  been  one  of  the  fifty  fortresses  which  Drusus  caused 
to  be  erected  amongst  the  B atari,  in  order  to  secure 
the  navigation  of  the  principal  rivers.  This  rising  city 
was  several  times  destroyed  by  the  Barbarians  during 
the  reign  of  Valentinian  ; Ulpius  Trajan  rebuilt  it, 
which  procured  for  it  the  name  of  Trajectum  Ulpii T 
[Utrecht  stands,  what  does  not  often  occur  in  Holland, 
on  a rising  ground,  and  lying  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine, 
and  in  the  midst  of  a country,  every  part  of  it  cultivated 


another,  between  the  Emperor  and  the  King  of  Sweden,  in  which 
France  was  included,  of  the  same  date ; and  a treaty  for  the  execution 
of  peace  (definitive,)  between  the  Emperor  and  France,  July  17,  1679. 
(Fr.  Leonard,  Recueil  des  Traitez,  t.  iii.  iv.  v.  1693.) — P. 

“ The  old  Rhine,  entering  the  sea  near  Leyden. — Utrecht  stands  at 
the  point  of  union  of  four  navigable  waters,  viz.  the  Holland  Vecht 
( Hollandsche  Vecht.)  the  Crooked  and  Old  Rhine  ( Kromme  and  Oudc 
Rlnjn,)  and  the  Rhine  Canal  ( Vaartsche  Rhyn  or  Rhynsche  Vaart.) 
The  Crooked  Rhine  is  that  part  of  the  old  arm  of  the  Rhine,  extend- 
ing from  the  origin  of  the  Leek  to  Utrecht,  whence  it  is  continued  to- 
wards Leyden  in  the  Old  Rhine  ( Oude  Rhyn.)  The  Vecht  separates 
from  it  near  Utrecht,  and  flows  N.  W.  into  the  Zuyderzee,  and  the 
Rhine  Canal  extends  from  the  Leek  opposite  Vyanen  to  the  Old 
Rhine  at  Utrecht  (Busching.) — P. 

0 Uitrecht  (Hubner.) — Uttrecht,  Uttricht  (Kilian.) — Pronounced  by 
the  Hollanders,  Uitert ; by  the  inhabitants,  Oitcrt.  (Busching.) — P. 

P The  original  name  of  Utrecht  is  said  to  have  been  Antonin,  which 
some  have  supposed  was  one  of  the  fifty  fortresses  erected  by  Drusus 
along  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine.  (See  note  c p.  1093  ) It  is  called 
Trajectum  (ferry)  in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine.  It  was  also  called 
Trajectum  ad  Rhenum  (ferry  over  the  Rhine)  to  distinguish  it  from 
Trajectum  ad  Mosam  (ferry  over  the  Meuse,)  now  Maestricht ; Tra- 
jectum Infcrius  (lower  ferry)  ; and  in  the  middle  ages,  Trajectum  Ve- 
tus  (old  ferry.)  It  is  called  Utricesium  and  Utriccsima,  in  Ammianus 
Marcellinus,  which  has  been  supposed  by  Hadrian  Junius,  to  signify 
the  station  of  the  35th  legion  (V.  TR1C.  LEG.  STAT.)  The  modern 
Latin  name,  Ultrajectum,  has  been  derived,  by  contraction,  from  Ulpii 
Trajectum,  or  Ulptrajectum,  a name  supposed  to  have  been  given  it 
from  Ulpianus  Trajanus  (the  emperor  Trajan,)  who  commanded  the 
legions  in  Lower  Germany  during  the  reign  of  Domitian.  Others 
derive  it,  by  translation,  from  Trajectum  Vetus,  which  in  the  Frisian 
language  is  rendered  Old-Trecht,  softened  into  Outrecht,  from  the  first 
of  which  the  Latin  Ultrajectum,  and  from  the  second  the  modern 
name,  Utrecht,  is  derived.  Others  derive  it  from  the  Wiltes  or  Vultee 
(Du.  IVilten  or  Vulten,  whence  Vultrajectum ,)  a Slavonian  people,  who 
destroyed  the  fortress  of  Antonia,  and  erected  another  called  Wiltenlurg, 
in  186.  But  Alting  denies  the  existence  of  such  a people.  (Busch- 
ing.)— There  is  apparently  an  error  in  the  text,  in  stating  that  the 
ancient  city  was  destroyed  by  the  Barbarians  in  the  reign  of  Valen 
tinian.  and  rebuilt  by  Ulpius  Trajan.  The  Alemanni,  a nation  of  an- 
cient Germany,  thrice  invaded  Gaul  (365,  366,  and  368,)  during  the 
reign  of  Valentinian  1.  Ulpius  Trajan  was  undoubtedly  the  emperor 
Trajan,  who  commanded  the  legions  in  Lower  Germany,  A.  D.  91, 
consequently,  nearly  300  years  before  the  reign  of  Valentinian. — P. 


418 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL!. 


like  a garden,  the  situation  is  pleasing,  and  the  appear- 
ance of  the  city  agreeable.  As  usual,  a number  of 
canals  run  through  it,  and  the  public  mall  or  promenade* 
through  numerous  avenues  of  fine  trees  is  highly  orna- 
mental. Its  cathedral  was  destroyed  by  a violent  storm 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  is  now 
in  ruins. b The  tower  of  the  cathedral  is  very  lofty,® 
and  from  the  top,  it  is  said  that  fifty  or  sixty  walled 
cities  and  towns  may  be  seen.]d  There  repose  in  this 
cathedral  the  ashes  of  several  emperors. e The  edifices 
in  Utrecht  possess  a character  of  antiquity,  which  in- 
spires respect : in  examining  them,  the  remembrance  of 
the  act  of  union  of  1579/  which  proclaimed  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  republic  of  the  Seven  United  Provinces/ 
and  that  of  the  peace  which  was  signed  here  in  1713/ 
present  themselves  to  the  mind.  We  are  reminded 
that  in  this  city,  the  cradle  of  pope  Adrian  VI.,  the 
preceptor  of  Charles  V.,  was  formed  that  mighty  mari- 
time power,  which  long  struggled  against  England,  which 
was  humbled  by  Louis  XIV.,  but  which  made  that  great 
king  to  tremble.  Its  university,  its  scientific  collections, 
and  its  societies  of  arts,  of  sciences,  and  for  benevolent 
and  useful  purposes,* 1 * *  are  worthy  of  the  rank  which 
Utrecht  occupies  in  the  annals  of  Holland.  Burman/ 
the  editor  of  the  classics,  was  a native  of  Utrecht. 
The  learned  Graevius,1  who  resided  and  died  here,  was 
a native  of  Saxony.  It  has  given  name  to  a kind  of 
velvet  which  is  still  manufactured  here.  [The  road 
from  LTtrecht  to  Amsterdam  is  considered  as  passing 
through  the  most  beautiful  and  picturesque  part  of  Hol- 
land. The  whole  line  is  over  a fiat  but  fertile  country, 
along  the  banks  of  the  great  canal, m which  is  ornamented 
on  both  sides  with  nearly  one  continued  range  of  coun- 
try seats,  belonging  to  the  wealthy  merchants.  The 
extremely  rich  appearance  of  this  part  of  the  country, 

1 Du.  Mnliebaan. — P. 

b The  nave  of  the  cathedral  (St.  Martin’s)  was  destroyed  by  a 
storm  Aug.  1,  1074  ; the  choir  and  the  transepts,  together  with  the 
tower,  from  which  they  are  separated  by  the  open  place,  formerly  oc- 
cupied by  the  nave,  are  the  only  parts  remaining.  (Busching.) — P. 

c More  than  380  feel  high.  (Busching.) — P. 

d The  sentences  enclosed  in  brackets  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

e On  the  pavement  of  the  church  are  the  following  inscriptions : 
Ext  a,  Cimradi  II.  Impcr.  1039,  and  Exta  Ilenrici  V.  hnper.  1125. 
(Busching.) — P. 

f Called  by  the  Dutch,  the  treaty  of  union  ( Vereenigings  Ver- 
bond,)  or  the  Union  of  Utrecht  ( Unievan  Utrecht.) — P. 

e See  note  c p.  1092. 

h The  peace  of  Utrecht  was  concluded,  by  separate  treaties,  on  the 
evening  of  April  11,  1713,  in  the  council  chamber  ( Raadkavier ) of  the 
town-house  ( Stadhuis ) or  that  city,  between  France  on  the  one  side, 
and  England,  Holland,  Savoy,  Portugal,  and  Prussia,  on  the  other, 
thus  including  all  the  belligerents,  except  the  Emperor,  with  whom  a 
separate  treaty  was  concluded  at  Rastadt,  March  6,  1714,  and  ratified 
by  the  treaty  of  Baden,  Sept.  7,  of  the  same  year.  By  these  treaties, 
the  war  of  the  Spanish  succession  was  concluded,  and  the  crown  of 
Spain  confirmed  to  Philip  V.,  he  renouncing,  for  himself  and  his  succes- 
sors, all  claims  to  the  throne  of  France,  and  on  the  contrary,  all  others 
who  had  then  claims  to  that  throne,  renouncing  all  pretensions  to  that 
of  Spain.  (Leonard,  Recueil.  t.  viii.  Rousset,  Recueil.  t.  i.) — P. 

' “ Its  societies  of  arts,  sciences,  and  the  public  good”  (Du.  tot  nut 
van  't  algrmeen,  for  the  promotion  of  the  public  good.) — There  is  a 
society  of  the  same  name  at  Amsterdam. — P. 

k Peter  Burman,  born  1CC8 — noted  as  an  editor  of  the  Latin  clas- 
sics.— Peter  Burman,  his  nephew,  born  at  Amsterdam  1714,  was  also 
distinguished  as  an  editor  of  the  Latin  poets  — P. 

1 J.  G.  GriEvius  (Grafe,)  a native  of  Naumburg  in  Saxony — died  at 
Utrecht,  where  -he  was  professor  of  history,  in  1703.  He  is  chiefly 
known  by  his  Thesaurus  Antiquitatum  Iiomanarum  (12  vol.)  et  Ilalica- 
rum  (6  vol.,)  an  immense  compilation  in  folio,  continued  by  Burman 
to  45  volumes. — P. 

m This  canal  leads  from  the  Vecht  below  Utrecht  to  the  Amstel,  and 
is  generally  called  the  Vecht,  the  river  of  that  name  being  called  the 
Old  Vecht  ( Oude  Vecht.)  (Busching.) — P. 

“ The  sentences  enclosed  in  brackets  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 


the  noble  breadth  of  the  canal,  ornamented  with  trees, 
and  the  quick  succession  of  villas  passing  before  the  eye, 
render  the  scene  very  interesting,  possessing  indeed 
nothing  of  the  sublime,  but  much  quiet  rural  beauty.]” 
Amersfooril0  is  the  second  city  of  the  province  of 
Utrecht  ; it  is  large  and  well  fortified  ; it  prides  itself 
in  having  given  birth  to  the  celebrated  Olden  Barnevelt/ 
the  victim  of  the  ambition  and  despotism  of  Maurice  of 
Nassau. 

From  the  southern  extremity  of  the  Zuyderzee  to  the 
island  of  Schiermonnik-Oog / the  smallest  and  most 
northerly  of  the  islands  which  border  the  entrance  of 
this  great  gulf,  the  passage  is  forty  leagues,  and  the 
navigation  very  dangerous,  because  it  is  necessary  to 
pass  between  a great  number  of  sand-banks.  The 
island  just  named,  as  well  as  that  of  Amelavd,  which 
contains  3000  inhabitants,  and  that  of  Ter- Schelling, 
much  larger/  but  with  nearly  the  same  population,  are 
dependent  upon  the  province  of  Friesland.8  To  the 
south-west  of  these,  Vlieland,  surrounded  by  sand- 
banks; the  important  island  of  Texel ; and  that  of 
Wieringen,  covered  with  meadows  and  cultivated  fields, 
and  possessing  a population  of  1200  souls,  belong  to 
North  Holland.4 * * *  The  Texel  is  celebrated  for  several 
naval  engagements  which  wrere  fought  near  its  coasts, 
and  especially  for  one  in  1653,  in  which  the  celebrated 
Van  Tromp”  lost  his  life.  [To  the  south  of  the  Texel, 
opposite  the  village  of  Camperdown / in  North  Holland, 
wTas  fought  on  the  lltli  October  1797,  an  engagement 
between  the  British  fleet  under  the  command  of  Admi- 
ral (afterwards  Viscount)  Duncan,  and  the  Dutch  com- 
manded by  De  Winter,  each  fleet  sixteen  sail  of  the 
line  in  number/  besides  frigates.  The  Dutch  were  de- 
feated with  the  loss  of  ten  ships  of  the  line  and  two 
frigates  captured/ with  their  admiral  and  vice-admiral. ]aa 

0 Amersfoort  (M.  B.  Busching — the  proper  Dutch  name.) — Amers- 
fort  (Kilian.) — Amersfoord  (Hubner.) — Amersford  (Vosgien.) — Situ- 
ated on  the  river  Eem,  N.  E.  of  Utrecht. — P. 

P Johan  van  Oldenbarncveld.  (Busching.) — John  Olden  Barneveldt. 
(Gorton.) — In  different  authors  he  is  referred  to  by  the  name  of  Barne- 
veldt simply. — P. 

9 Schiermonnikoog  (Busching.) Schiermonickoog  (Guthrie.) 

This  island  lies  off  the  mouth  of  the  Hunse  or  gulf  of  Groningen 
( Groeninger-dicp .) — Oog,  a Frisian  word,  signifying  island  (Dan.  cee,) 
is  a termination  common  to  several  islands  off  the  coast  of  East  Fries- 
land.— Rottum  and  Bossels  or  Bosch,  E.  of  Schiermonnikoog.  and  in 
the  province  of  Groningen,  belong  to  Holland  — P. 

r Ter  Schelling  is  three  leagues  long,  and  two  broad — Ameland, 
three  leagues  long,  and  one  broad.  (Tuckey.) — P. 

s Ter  Schelling  formerly  belonged  to  the  province  of  Holland. 
(Busching.) — P. 

' Formerly  to  the  province  of  Holland,  of  which  North  Holland  was 
only  a subdivision,  including  that  part  of  it  north  of  the  Y.  At  pres- 
ent, the  old  province  of  Holland  constitutes  the  two  provinces  of 
North  and  South  Holland,  for  the  relative  extent  of  which,  see  Stat. 
Tab.  of  the  Dutch  Provinces. — P. 

u “Admiral  Tromp.” — Du.  Maarten  Herperszen  Tromp  (Busching.) — 
Martin  Herbertson  Tromp  (Gorton.) — Generally  written  Tromp  sim- 
ply, in  English  historians. — P. 

1 The  Dutch  fleet  were  drawn  up  about  9 miles  off  the  coast,  be 

tween  Camperdown  and  Egmont.  (Miller’s  Hist.  Geo.  III.) — Egmont 

op  Zee  (on  the  sea)  lies  on  the  coast  west  of  Alkmaar.  The  village  of 

Camperdown  (Du.  Kamp.  Busching — Camp.  Tuckey)  lies  on  the  coast 

farther  north. — The  downs  or  sand  hills,  along  that  part  of  the  coast, 
are  the  highest  and  broadest  in  North  Holland.  (Busching.) — That 
called  Camperdown  [Du.  Kamper-duin , Camp-down,]  south  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Camp,  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  for  its  elevation.  (Tuck- 
ey.) — P. 

> English  fleet,  Id  sail  of  the  line,  besides  frigates.  (Miller.) — Dutch 
fleet.  15  sail  of  the  line.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

z The  Dutch  lost  nine  ships  of  the  line  and  two  frigates.  (Miller.  Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

“The  sentences  enclosed  in  brackets  are  added  bv  the  trans- 
lator.— P. 


book  cli.]  DESCRIPTION 

The  island  of  Texel  produces  a considerable  quantity  of 
tobacco  ; its  meadows  are  covered  with  cattle  and  sheep, 
principally  the  latter,  whose  milk  is  employed  in  making 
excellent  cheese  of  a greenish  colour,®  for  which  it  is 
indebted,  it  is  said,  to  the  dung  of  the  animals.  The 
population  amounts  to  4,400  : on  its  southern  coast  it 
has  a commodious  road-stead,  where  ships  assemble  to 
wait  for  a north-east  wind,  which  is  necessary  to  take 
them  through  the  dangerous  current  of  Mars-JDiep,  and 
carry  them  to  Amsterdam. b 

The  northern  extremity  of  North  Holland,  which 
stretches  to  a point  opposite  the  island  of  Texel,  is  a 
dry  and  sandy  country,  which  bears  the  marks  of  a re- 
cent recovery  from  the  sea,  and  which  the  Hollanders 
call  their  Siberia.  The  waves,  at  the  entrance  into  the 
Zuyderzee,  wash  the  neat  town  of  Helder,  where  the 
British  forces  under  the  late  Duke  of  York  disembark- 
ed in  1799,  and  where,  after  a fruitless  attempt  to  raise 
the  Dutch,  they  were  compelled  to  re-embark,  after  a 
campaign  of  a few  weeks  duration  ;c  near  to  it  is  Wil- 
liams Ord,d  a maritime  establishment,  founded  by  Na- 
poleon, and  now  under  the  protection  of  the  reigning 
sovereign,  wdiose  name  it  bears.  He  even  possesses 
there  a small  palace,  whose  park,  planted  with  stunt- 
ed trees,  resembles  an  oasis  in  the  midst  of  an  arid 
steppe.  On  the  coast  of  the  Zuyderzee,  Medenblick ,e 
a small  cityf  of  2000  souls,  with  a harbour,  is  during  se- 
vere tempests  threatened  with  complete  submersion  ; 
it  is  looked  upon  as  the  oldest  city  in  North  Holland, 
and  as  having  been  the  residence  of  the  ancient  kings  of 
Friesland.®  IIorn,h  at  the  bottom  of  a bay,  was  the 
birth-place  of  William  Schouten,*  who  discovered,  in 
1616,  the  American  cape,  to  which  he  gave  the  name 
of  his  native  city.  It  is  a well  built  town,  and  possesses 
a good  harbour ; its  environs  are  embellished  with  gar- 

OF  HOLLAND.  419 

dens  and  country  houses.  In  1557  the  waters  of  the 
Zuyderzee  burst  their  dikes,  and  threatened  to  swallow 
it  up.  [Enckhuysenk  is  another  sea-port  in  the  Zuyder- 
zee, surrounded  towards  the  land  by  gardens  it  was 
the  birth-place  of  the  excellent  Witsius,  professor  of 
theology  at  Utrecht  and  afterwards  at  Leyden.1"  Alk- 
maarn  lies  away  from  the  sea,0  and  is  so  environed  by 
gardens,  orchards,  canals,  avenues,  and  meadows,  that  it 
may  be  pronounced  one  of  the  most  highly-cultivated 
spots  to  be  found  anywhere.  Thus  far  did  the  united 
British  and  Russian  army,  under  the  Duke  of  York,  ad- 
vance in  the  ill-advised  invasion  of  Holland  in  1799, 
already  referred  to.P]fi  At  the  point  where  the  Zaan  en- 
ters the  long  gull  of  Y,r  Zaandam  or  Saardam ,8  a con- 
siderable town,  divided  into  two  parts,1  is  celebrated  for 
the  residence  of  Peter  the  Great,  of  Russia,  in  the 
quality  of  a simple  carpenter.  The  wooden  hut  which 
he  inhabited  is  visited  by  travellers  as  a curiosity.  What 
appears,  to  travellers  at  least,  a great  curiosity,  is  the 
vast  number  of  windmills  (said  to  be  from  two  to  three 
thousand)  about  the  place,  used  for  various  purposes, 
but  chiefly  for  the  sawing  of  timber.  Zaandam  has  con- 
siderable timber  yards ; and  carries  on  a great  trade  in 
wood  for  building,  and  in  paper."  There  is  not  in  Eu- 
rope a city  of  10,000  inhabitants,  whose  population  is 
equally  opulent. 

Before  proceeding  to  Amsterdam,  it  would  be  unjusti- 
fiable, in  a work  like  this,  to  pass  without  notice  the 
town  or  village  of  Broek  or  Brock*  in  North  Holland, 
the  admiration  of  all  visitors,  where  Dutch  cleanliness 
and  nicety  seem  to  be  carried  to  the  very  acme  of  per- 
fection, indeed  probably  without  a parallel  all  the  world 
over.  No  carriages  of  any  description  are  allowed  to  pass 
through  the  streets,  one  only  excepted,  which  is  consid- 
ered as  polluted,  and  is  but  thinly  inhabited.  The  streets, 

a Called  Texel  cheese  ( Tcxelsche  Kaas.) — P. 

b This  road-stead  (called  the  Merchantmen’s  Road  (Du . Koopvaard- 
ers-Rccdc),  and  in  the  south  part  of  it,  the  Muscovy  Road)  lies  on  the 
eastern  or  south-eastern  side  of  the  island,  near  the  village  of  Schil, 
and  is  protected  by  a fort  ( schans ,)  south  of  the  village.  It  is  fre- 
quented by  outward  bound  vessels  from  the  Zuyderzee,  who  there 
wait  for  an  east  or  north-east  wind,  necessary  to  take  them  out  to  sea 
through  the  channel  of Marsdiep,  between  the  south  point  of  Texel, 
and  the  Helder  or  north  point  of  North  Holland.  The  main  channel 
from  this  road  towards  Amsterdam,  called  the  Texel- Stroom , runs  first 
north-east  and  then  south-east  and  south,  between  the  great  sand  banks 
at  the  entrance  of  the  Zuyderzee  ; consequently  a north-east  wind 
would  prevent  the  approach  of  vessels  to  Amsterdam.  The  original 
has  here  confounded  the  inward  with  the  outward  passage. — P. 

c “ The  waves  wash  the  neat  town  of  the  Helder.” — It  is  properly 
called  the  Helder  (Du.  JJe  Helder.)  It  is  situated  on  the  south  side 
of  Marsdiep,  and  has  strong  fortifications  which  protect  the  road  off 
the  mouth  of  this  channel  called  the  Landsdiep.  (Tuckey.  Busching.) — 
The  first  column  of  the  Anglo-Russian  expedition,  as  it  is  called,  land- 
ed under  Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  to  the  south-west  of  the  Helder  point, 
Aug.  27.  Oct.  17,  an  armistice  was  concluded,  by  which  it  was  stip- 
ulated that  the  Anglo-Russian  army  should  evacuate  the  territories  of 
the  Batavian  Republic,  Nov.  30. — P. 
d “ IVillerns-Ord.” — Du.  JVillems-oord  (William’s  Place.) — P. 
e Du.  Medenblik. — Fr.  Medcmblik,  Medemblick. — Called  by  seamen, 
Memelik  (Busching.) — The  name  is  said  to  be  derived  from  the  Frisic 
medem,  meadows,  and  leek,  lake.  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

f It  was  formerly  one  of  the  towns  or  cities,  of  which  there  were 
seven  in  North  Holland,  that  had  a voice  in  the  Provincial  States. 
These  towns  were  called  by  the  Dutch,  Stemmende  or  Stem  hebbende 
Steden  (voting  or  voice  having  towns  or  cities.) — P. 

s That  part  of  North  Holland,  in  which  Medenblick  is  situated,  in- 
cluding all  its  northern  extremity,  is  still  called  West  Friesland.  The 
old  Frisian  kings  are  said  to  have  held  their  residence  in  the  castle  (slot) 
of  Medenblick,  situated  at  the  east  end  of  the  town.  (Busching.) — P. 
h Du.  Hoorn — Horne  (Kilian.)— P. 

1 Du.  Willem  Knrnelisze  Schovtr.n  (Wm.  Cornelison — ) — He  discov- 
ered Cape  Horn  [Du.  Kaap  Hoorn. — Cape  Horne  (Burney)]  Jan.  29, 
1610.— P. 

k Du.  Enkliuizen  (Busching) — Enckhuyscn,  Enkbuisen  (Kilian.)— P. 

1 It  stands  on  the  easternmost  point  of  N.  Holland  in  the  Zuyderzee, 
from  which  it  is  protected  by  a strong  dike,  and  on  the  land  side  sur- 
rounded by  an  earthen  wall,  strengthened  with  bastions  (bolwerken.) 
(Busching.) — P. 

m Herman  Witsius,  professor  of  theology  successively  at  Franeker, 
Utrecht  and  Leyden — chiefly  known  by  his  Comparison  of  the  Hebrew 
and  Egyptian  Rituals,  and  his  Economy  of  tin  Covenants. — P 

n Du.  Mkmaar — Alcmaer,  Mckmaar  (Kilian.) — Alkmaer  (Pinker- 
ton.)— Alcmar  (Morse.) — Aa  and  ae  express  the  same  sound,  that  of 
long  a;  the  former  is  now  chiefly  used  ; the  latter  is  the  old  orthogra- 
phy.— The  town  is  said  to  have  been  originally  called  Almeer  (Lat. 
Almeria,)  from  til,  all,  and  meer,  lake,  because  it  was  surrounded  with 
lakes  and  marshes.  (Busching.) — P. 

0 It  is  situated  nearly  in  the  centre  of  North  Holland,  rather  nearer, 
however,  to  the  western  coast,  behind  the  downs  of  Egmont. — P. 

p The  Anglo-Russian  army  after  repeated  actions  drove  the  enemy 
to  their  position  between  Beverwyk  and  Wyk-op-Zee,  at  the  southern 
extremity  of  N.  Holland,  Oct.  6;  but  on  the  night  of  the  7th,  it  re- 
treated to  Alkmaar.  (Miller’s  Geo.  III.) — P. 

a This  account  of  Enckhuysen  and  Alkmaar  [ ] is  added  by  the 
translator. — P. 

r “ Gulf  of  the  Y.”  (See  note  ■ p.  1093.) — It  stands  on  the  north 
shore  of  the  Y,  nearly  opposite  Amsterdam,  and  is  a considerable  town 
with  extensive  ship-building  establishments  belonging  to  Amsterdam. 
(Tuckey.) — P. 

s Du.  Zaandam,  properly  Zaanrcdam  or  Zaanerdam  (so  named  from 
the  dam  or  sluice  by  which  the  Zaan  communicates  with  the  Y ;) 
commonly  called  Saardam.  (Busching.) — Sardam  (Vosgien.) — P. 

1 Called  East  and  West  Zaandam,  from  their  position  on  the  oppo- 
site banks  of  the  Zaan.  The  name  of  Saardam  or  Sardam  was  par- 
ticularly applied  to  the  former.  These  two  parts  were  considered  as 
two  separate  villages  ( dorpen ),  Zaandam  not  ranking  among  the  cities 
represented  in  the  States. — P. 

u “ The  hut  which  he  inhabited  is  the  only  curiosity  in  the  place ; 
all  travellers  inscribe  their  names  in  it.  Zaandam  has  extensive  ship 
yards  ( chantiers ) and  carries  on  a great  trade  in  timber  and  paper.” 

x The  village  of  Broek  in  Waterland,  the  capital  ( hooftltlorp ) of  the 
bailiwick  of  Waterland — situated  about  20  miles  N.  of  Amsterdam. — P. 

420 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLI 


with  the  above  exception,  are  clean  beyond  all  compari- 
son ; not  a dog  or  cat  is  to  be  seen  in  them  at  liberty  ; and 
there  is  a regulation  by  which  no  person  is  allowed  to 
smoke  within  doors  or  without,  without  a guard  over 
the  ball  of  the  pipe  to  prevent  the  ashes  from  falling 
out  ! Notice  to  this  effect  is  posted  up  at  the  entrances 
into  the  village.  The  pavement  of  the  street  is  inlay 
or  mosaic  work,  formed  of  pebbles  of  every  shape  and 
colour,  shells,  pieces  of  glazed  brick,  &s c.  &,c.  The 
houses  are  painted,  every  part  of  them,  within  and  with- 
out, with  the  most  costly  colours,  and  their  whole  ap- 
pearance bespeaks  the  most  minute  attention  to  neatness  ; 
the  windows  are  without  a speck,  every  thing  has  an  air 
of  freshness,  and  a stranger  looks  in  vain  for  a grain  of 
dirt,  or  even  a particle  of  dust.  The  houses  are  roofed 
with  tiles  so  glossy,  that  in  the  sunshine  they  glitter  like 
spar.  Small  gardens  extend  from  one  end  of  a street 
to  the  other,  all  ornamented  in  the  way  most  suitable  to 
the  owner’s  taste,  and  not  a blade  of  grass  or  withered 
leaf  is  allowed  to  rest  on  the  ground.  The  town  is 
built  partly  round  the  banks  of  a small  circular  lake,3 
and  from  this  lake  are  carried  through  most  of  the  streets 
small  streams  in  a channel  lined  with  brick  on  both  sides. 
The  numerous  bridges  required  over  these  small  canals 
afford  opportunity  for  exhibiting  the  taste  of  the  inhabit- 
ants in  fanciful  devices,  and  in  the  intermixture  of  bright 
colours.  The  houses  have  each  two  entrances,  the  one 
of  which,  generally  painted  black,  is  never  opened  but  in 
the  case  of  death  occurring  in  the  family.  The  internal 
cleanliness  of  the  houses  corresponds  in  every  part  with 
the  external,  and  the  people  are  equally  cleanly  in  their 
persons,  dress,  and  habits.  Let  not  strangers  laugh  at 
all  this  particularity.  It  may  be  in  this  instance  carried 
to  a fanciful  excess,  but  how  conducive  would  an  assimi- 
lation to  the  spirit  of  the  people  of  Broek  be  to  the 
health  and  comfort  of  mankind  ?b 

From  the  northern  bank  of  the  gulf  Y,c  the  passage 
is  only  half  a league  to  the  entrance  of  the  port  of  Atn- 
sterdam.A  A vast  extent  of  meadow-ground,  strewed 
with  villages  and  scattered  houses,  surrounds  the  capital  of 

a Near  the  village,  on  the  south-west,  lies  the  Broeker  Meer  (Broek 
Lake,)  which  was  diked  and  drained  in  1028.  It  contains  304  morgen 
[040  acres  nearly.]  (Busching.) — P. 

b The  above  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

c “ Gulf  of  the  Y.”  (See  note  ' p.  1003.) 

^ Originally , Amstel  red  a in  ; then  Amsteldam  and  Amsterdam  : the  last 
has  prevailed.--Properly,  according  to  the  present  form  of  the  Dutch 
language,  Amstelerdam  (the  dam  of  the  Amstel ;)  so  called  from  its  hav- 
ing been  built  round  the  dam  or  sluice  at  the  mouth  of  that  river. — 
Lat.  Amstclodamum.  (Busching.) — P. 

e Tour  in  the  Netherlands,  ike.  by  C.  Tennant,  Esq.  [Trans.] 

f “ Converted  into  boulevards"  (public  walks  or  promenades.) — Boule- 
vard is  a French  corruption  of  bulwark  [Germ,  bollwcrk,  Du.  boheerk,  a 
bastion,]  and  originally  signified  a fortification  or  rampart  (see  Boyer, et  id 
genus,)  but  its  meaning  is  now  entirely  changed.  It  at  present  signifies 
[in  the  plural]  a line  of  streets,  or  a single  circular  street,  surrounding 
a city,  and  occupying  the  site  of  the  demolished  walls,  such  as  the 
Boulevards  at  Paris  and  Nismes,  or  a public  walk  or  promenade,  gen- 
erally planted  with  trees,  along  the  top  of  the  walls,  as  is  the  case  in 
most  of  the  old  walled,  but  now  unfortified  towns  in  France.  The 
meaning  of  the  original  is  therefore  the  reverse  of  that  given  in  the 
translation  ; the  ramparts  which  were  originally  meant  for  defence, 
being  now  converted  into  pleasure  walks  for  the  inhabitants.. — In 
earlier  times,  Amsterdam  was  a strong  fortress  ; but  in  consequence 
of  the  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  the  mode  of  conducting 
sieges,  it  can  now  be  defended  only  by  inundating  the  surrounding 
country.  It  is  said,  however,  that  in  the  last  years  of  the  reign  of  the 
ex-king  Louis,  a plan  was  formed  for  the  regular  fortification  of  Am- 
sterdam. (Enc.  Amer.  1830.) — Amsterdam  is  of  a semicircular  form, 
about  04  miles  in  compass,  surrounded  with  a ditch  80  feet  wide,  full 
of  running  water,  and  with  a rampart  faced  with  brick  [stone.  Busch- 
ing ] having  20  bastions,  on  each  of  which  there  has  been  placed  a 


Holland,  and  when  we  add  to  this  the  tranquil  course  of 
the  Amstel,  a little  river  which  passes  through  the  city, 
and  whose  banks  are  bordered,  during  the  fine  season,  with 
flowery  meadows  and  trees  covered  with  a beautiful  fo- 
liage, the  whole  presents  a rich  and  brilliant  picture  to 
the  eye  of  the  delighted  spectator.  “ I know  no  city,” 
says  a recent  tourist,  “ the  distant  view  of  which  is  so 
striking  as  that  of  Amsterdam.  The  eye  travels  over 
one  vast  flat  meadow  of  the  richest  herbage,  and,  at  the 
extremity  of  this,  the  view  is  bounded  by  a thick  crowd 
of  towers,  cupolas,  and  spires.  On  a nearer  approach, 
so  level  is  the  wide  expanse  around,  that  the  eye  seems 
to  embrace  at  once  the  whole  of  this  magnificent  city, 
and  crowds  of  masts  are  seen  mingling  with  the  houses. 
It  is  a sight  truly  imposing,  and  worthy  of  a great 
commercial  nation. ”e  The  city,  surrounded  by  ditches 
and  ramparts  converted  into  fortifications  (boulevards,)* 1 * 
has  no  occasion  to  dread  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  as 
by  means  of  sluices  the  whole  surrounding  countrv  can 
be  inundated.  A multitude  of  canals,  the  greater  part  of 
them  bordered  by  rows  of  trees,  traverse  the  city,  forming 
ninety  islands,  which  communicate  with  each  other  by 
means  of  280  bridges,  of  which  that  over  the  Amstels  is 
the  finest ; it  is  6G0  feet  in  length,  70  in  breadth,  and  is 
composed  of  35  arches. h The  brackish  and  muddy 
water  of  these  canals,  although  frequently  put  in  motion 
by  the  opening  and  shutting  of  the  sluices,  yet  spreads 
through  this  vast  city  dangerous  miasmata,  which,  joined 
to  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere  and  ground,  render  it 
an  unhealthy  place  of  abode.  One  great  inconvenience 
is  the  want  of  good  water  ; that  of  the  Amstel  is  bad  ; 
they  make  use  of  the  water  of  the  small  river  Veclit,' 
several  leagues  from  the  city,  but  the  best  is  that  which  is 
brought  from  LTtrecht  at  a great  expense.  The  streets, 
almost  all  of  them  in  straight  lines  on  the  banks  of  the 
canals,  are  well  paved,  furnished  with  foot-paths, fc  and 
carefully  lighted  during  the  night  ; the  two  finest  called 
the  Heeren- Gragt  and  the  Keisers-Gragt,  are  mag- 
nificent, and  are  more  than  half  a league  in  length.' 
Nothing  can  equal  their  splendour  ; but  it  is  not,  as  in 

wind-mill.  On  the  side  towards  the  harbour,  which  is  14  miles  in 
length,  and  of  a semicircular  form,  giving  to  the  city  the  shape  of  a 
crescent,  there  is  no  line  of  walls  and  bastions,  the  only  defences  be- 
ing a double  row  of  piles,  connected  by  large  horizontal  beams,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  harbour,  separating  it  from  the  road  in  which  the 
larger  ships  anchor.  (Ed.  Enc.  Busching.) — P. 

s “ Bridge  of  the  Amstel  ( Pont  de  1’ Amstel)” — Amstel  Bridge  (Enc. 
Amer.) — P. 

h This  bridge,  called  the  Pont  Neuf  [Du.  J\’ieutcc  Brugge,  New 
Bridge.]  is  600  feet  long,  and  70  broad,  and  consists  of  30  arches.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — There  is  another  bridge  over  that  part  of  the  Amstel  called 
the  Damrak,  adjoining  the  Corn  Market  ( Koom-beurs ,)  called  the  Old 
Bridge  ( Oude  Brugge.)  (Busching.) — P. 

* An  arm  of  the  Old  Rhine,  parting  from  it  at  Utrecht,  and  running 
N.  W.  to  the  Zuyderzee  at  Muiden. — P. 

k “ Trottoirs" — side-walks. — All  the  streets  are  paved  with  brick, 
and  have  no  raised  side-paths  for  foot  passengers ; but  as  wheel  car- 
riages are  neither  numerous  in  this  city,  nor  allowed  to  be  driven  with 
speed,  a person  may  walk  here  with  as  much  security  as  on  the  flag- 
stone pavements  of  London.  (Ed.  Enc  ) — P. 

1 Kiezer’s  [properly,  Keizers-\  gragt,  or  emperor’s  street,  Heeren 
gragt,  or  lords’  street,  and  Prissen’s  [properly,  Prinsens- ; Prince- 
(Busching)]  gragt.  or  princes’  street,  are  upwards  of  140  feet  wide,  and 
are  lined  with  houses,  whose  princely  splendour  would  do  honour  to 
any  town  in  Europe.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Gragt  [ Grarht . Busching]  properly 
signifies  a ditch  or  canal,  and  as  applied  to  a street,  it  indicates  that  it 

has  a canal  in  the  centre,  or  is  built  along  the  sides  of  a canal.  The 
three  spacious  canals  called  Keizers-gragt,  Heeren-gragt,  and  Prinsens- 
gragt,  run  parallel  to  each  other  and  to  the  city  walls,  in  a semicircu- 

lar form,  thus  constituting  three  concentric  curves  within  the  fourth 
formed  by  the  line  of  fortification,  and  extend  through  the  whole 


BOOK  CLI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  HOLLAND. 


421 


Italy,  palaces  that  are  the  ornament  of  these  streets  ; 
the  houses,  all  built  of  brick  and  painted  with  different 
colours,  are  tastefully  fitted  up  with  the  most  splendid 
furniture,®  and  the  profusion  of  warehouses  and  shops, 
stored  with  all  the  productions  of  the  two  worlds,  an- 
nounce the  wealth  of  a city  which  long  possessed  the 
commerce  of  the  universe.  The  Kalver-Straatb  and 
the  Nievedekc  especially  resemble  exhibition  galleries 
in  the  open  air,  in  which  are  displayed  all  the  treasures 
of  industry. 

Fine  public  edifices  still  farther  display  the  commer- 
cial riches  of  Amsterdam  ; in  the  square  of  Dam,d  the 
most  magnificent  building  is  the  royal  palace,  formerly 
the  Stadtbouse.e  The  only  fault  found  with  this  build- 
ing is  in  its  proportions,  which  are  not  in  harmony  with 
each  other  ; thus,  its  height,  which  is  116  feet,  not  com- 
prehending a tower  of  41  feet,  is  too  much  for  its  length 
which  is  282,  and  for  its  depth  which  is  222  feet/  It 
is  built  upon  13,659  piles.  The  interior  attests  the 
splendour  of  the  capital,  at  the  time  when  a building  so 
sumptuous  was  erected  for  its  magistrates:  no  decora- 
tions have  been  spared  ; marbles,  statues  and  pictures 
abound  even  to  profusion.  The  royal  halls  is  one  of 
the  largest  in  Europe:  it  is  120  feet  in  length,  56  in 
breadth,  and  98  in  height  ;h  it  is  crossed  by  a meridian 
line  traced  by  the  celebrated  Huygens  ;*  the  marbles  with 
which  the  floor,  the  walls,  and  the  ceiling,  are  covered, 
the  pillars  which  support  the  latter, k and  the  standards 
taken  from  the  Spaniards,  decorate  it  with  a magnifi- 
cence which  nothing  could  replace.  The  royal  apart- 
ments are  still  in  the  state  in  which  Louis  Bonaparte 
ornamented  and  furnished  them.  The  Exchange,* 1 2 * * * * * *  built 

length  of  the  city,  bordered  on  each  side  by  lines  of  houses,  forming 
the  streets  above  mentioned. — P. 

» “ — tastefully  garnished  with  the  most  brilliant  stuffs” — i.  e.  as 
we  should  say  in  America,  with  the  goods  displayed  at  the  doors  and 
windows  of  dry-goods  stores  ; in  other  words,  these  are  the  Broadways 
and  Bond  Streets  of  Amsterdam. — P. 

b Kalvcrstraat,  along  the  Rockin  (a  part  of  the  course  of  the  Amstel, 
so  called.)  (Busehing). — P. 

c Qu.  Nieuwe-dek  (New  Bazaar  or  Arcade.) — P. 
d “ Square  of  the  Dam  ( place  du  Dam)" — properly,  the  square  called 
the  Dam  (Du.  de  Dam,)  from  its  occupying  the  place  where  the  old 
dam  or  sluice  was  erected  at  the  mouth  of  the  Amstel. — The  Stadt- 
house  stands  isolated  in  an  open  square  in  the  centre  of  the  city.  (Enc. 
Meth.  Morse.) — P. 

e Du.  Stadhuis — town  house  (Fr.  hotel  de  ville.) — This  word  is  ren- 
dered State  house,  in  Pinkerton;  a translation  by  the  sound,  rather 
than  the  sense.  It  literally  signifies  city  house. — P. 

1 Length,  282  feet ; breadth,  235  feet.  (Busehing.) — P. 
s Burghers’  or  marble  hall  (Ed.  Enc.) — Du.  Burgerzaal,  or  Mar- 
merzaal. — Burgomasters’  Ha'l. — This  hall  was  prepared  for  the  recep- 
tion of  his  throne  by  Louis  Bonaparte. — P. 

h Length,  120  feet;  breadth,  57;  height,  80.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

‘ The  celestial  and  terrestrial  globes  are  delineated  upon  the  floor 
in  three  large  circles,  22  feet  in  diameter,  and  69  in  circumference, 
composed  of  brass  and  various  coloured  marbles;  the  two  lateral  cir- 
cles representing  the  two  hemispheres  of  the  earth,  and  the  central, 
the  planisphere  of  the  heavens.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k This  hall  is  wholly  composed  of  white  marble  ; over  the  entrance 
is  a colonnade  of  Corinthian  pillars  of  red  and  white  marble.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

1 Du.  Rmsterdamschc  Beurs  (Amsterdam  Exchange.) — P. 
m It  rests  upon  five  vaulted  arches,  under  which  the  Amstel  flows 
into  the  Damrack  water.  (Enc.  Amer.) — The  Damrah  is  only  a con- 
tinuation of  the  course  of  the  Amstel.  (Busehing.) — P. 

n Viz.  11  for  the  Reformed  religion,*  2 French,  1 English,  1 Scotch, 

2 for  the  Confession  of  Augsburg, t 1 Armenian,  3 Anabaptist,  24 

Roman  Catholic,  1 Quaker,  and  3 Jewish  Synagogues.  [The  churches 

are  numerous;  among  them,  the  Dutch  Reformed  have  10,  the  French 

1,  the  English  1,  the  Roman  Catholics  18,  and  even  the  Greeks  and 

Armenians  have  a church.  (Enc.  Amer.) — In  1773,  the  Dutch  Re- 

formed ( Hcrvnrmde  Gem.eente)  had  11  churches  ( Irerkcn ) and  30  minis- 

ters ; the  Walloons  ( IVaalsche  Gcmeente — formed  by  the  protestant  re- 

fugees from  the  Walloon  districts  in  the  Spanish  Netherlands,  and  the 


upon  a large  bridge  which  conceals  the  couise  of  the 
Amstel,"1  is  an  edifice  in  the  Gothic  style,  250  feet  in 
length  by  140  in  breadth  ; its  principal  front  is  ornament- 
ed with  a Mercury  of  a colossal  size.  The  churches 
and  other  religious  edifices  in  Amsterdam  are  forty-nine 
in  number."  That  of  St.  Nicholas,  called  also  Ouder- 
Kerlc0  or  the  Old  Church,  is  a fine  building  ; the  roof  is 
supported  by  forty-two  stone  pillars,  and  above  it  rises 
a tower  240  feet  in  height,  in  which  there  is  a chime 
composed  of  thirty-six  bells.  That  of  St.  Catharine, p 
or  the  New  Church,  Nieuwc-Kerk,  is  one  of  the  finest  in 
the  kingdom,  and  also  contains  the  tomb  of  the  cele- 
brated admiral,  De  Ruyter.  In  the  fine  street  called 
Heeren-Gragt,  meets  the  society  Felix  Mentis,  which, 
from  its  embracing  the  sciences,  literature,  and  com- 
merce, is  one  of  the  most  important  and  most  popular 
in  this  capital. 3 [It  was  established  within  the  last  fifty 
years,  and  is  divided  into  five  classes.  The  first  is  di- 
rected to  agriculture,  commerce,  and  manufactures  ; the 
second  to  mathematics  and  natural  philosophy ; the 
third  to  painting,  sculpture,  and  architecture  ; the  fourth 
to  music  ; and  the  fifth  to  general  literature.  Each 
class  has  its  separate  museum,  library,  and  hall  of  assem- 
bly, and  the  rules  of  each  department  are  as  liberal  as 
the  objects  are  enlarged.  The  building  where  this  so- 
ciety holds  its  sittings  is  neat  and  commodious,  and  may 
be  regarded  an  ornament  to  the  city . ]r  The  finest  gate 
of  the  city  is  that  of  Haarlem.  There  are  in  Amster- 
dam three  theatres,  and  a considerable  number  of  hos- 
pitals and  almshouses,  six  of  which  are  for  orphans 
alone,  and  an  equal  number  are  houses  of  correction  and 
hard  labour.9 *  These  establishments,  much  better  at- 

French  refugees  after  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.)  2 churches 
and  6 ministers ; the  English  Episcopalians  and  Presbyterians,  each  one 
church,  and  the  latter  two  ministers  ;t  the  Lutherans,  2 churches  and 
6 ministers;  the  Roman  Catholics  (Roomsgezinden,)  ten  places  of 
worship  ( kerkhuizen ) within,  and  2 without  the  city  ;]  and  the  Jews, 
two  synagogues  (the  Portuguese  and  the  German.)  Besides  these, 
there  was  a church  for  the  Armenians,  and  places  of  worship  for 
the  Remonstrants  [Arminians],  Mennonites,  Quakers,  &e.  (Busch- 
ing.) — P.’] 

* Calvinists — the  established  sect  in  Holland. — P. 

+ Lutherans. 

( Before  the  French  invasion,  the  English  had  three  places  of  worship;  one 
for  the  Presbyterians,  whose  clergymen  were  paid  by  the  magistracy  ; another 
for  the  Church  of  England,  the  expense  of  which  was  defrayed  by  his  Britannic 
majesty;  and  a third  for  the  Brownists,  whose  ministers  were  maintained  by 
their  congregations.  The  Roman  Catholics  had  27  places  of  worship,  and 
were  supposed  to  amount  to  a third  of  the  population.  The  Dutch  Reformed 
(established  church.)  and  the  three  English  churches  comprehended  another 
third.  (Ed.  Enc.)— P. 

0 This  should  read  Oudc-Kerh  (old  church) — dedicated  to  St.  John 
the  Baptist  ( S . Johannes  de  Doper)  and  St.  Nicholas  (Sant  JYiklaas.) — P. 

P This  church,  like  the  former  (see  note  °,)  had  two  patrons,  viz. 
the  Holy  Virgin  Mary  (Heilige  Maagd  Maria)  and  St.  Catharine 
( Sante  Katharina.) — P. 

1 “ — which,  from  its  courses  of  instruction  ( cours ) in  the  sciences, 
literature  and  commerce,  is  one  of  the  most  important  and  most  fre- 
quented in  this  capital.” — The  beautiful  Trippen-house,  where  the 
Academy  of  arts  and  sciences  assembles,  is  now  a temple  of  the  arts 
and  sciences.  The  society  felix  meritis  (established  by  the  merchants  ;) 
the  society  doctrina  et  amicitia  [of  learning  and  friendship  ;]  that  tot  nut 
van 't  algemeen  [for  promoting  the  public  good,]  devoted  to  the  liberal 
arts  and  sciences  ; the  excellent  reading  room  ; several  musical  socie- 
ties ; the  hortus  medievs  [botanical  garden,]  belonging  to  the  jithena- 
um  Illustre,  and  the  famous  Latin  schools,*  prove  the  taste  of  the 
citizens  of  Amsterdam  for  science  and  learning.  (Enc.  Amer.) — P. 

* In  1773,  there  was  in  Amsterdam,  a Latin  School  ( Latynsche  School,) 
and  another  School,  called  the  Gymnasium  R/ustre,  with  seven  professors,  viz. 
1 of  theology,  1 of  law,  3 of  medicine,  1 of  Oriental  languages  and  antiquities, 
and  1 of  Greek,  history,  &,c.  (Busehing.)' — P. 

r “ The  building  in  which  the  society  holds  its  sittings,  may  be 
considered  one  of  the  finest  in  Amsterdam.” — This  is  all  in  the  original 
corresponding  to  the  sentences  enclosed  in  brackets. — P. 

s “ — a considerable  number  of  hospitals  and  almshouses  (hospices  ;) 
six  of  these  are  for  orphans  alone,  and  there  is  an  equal  number  of 


422 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLI 


tended  to  than  in  most  countries  of  Europe,  are  an  in- 
evitable scourge  in  a city,  the  rendezvous  of  a crowd  of 
strangers,  who  spend  their  gold  there,  and  corrupt  the 
lower  classes.  We  must  see  the  vast  East  India  House, 
the  buildings  of  the  Admiralty,®  which,  of  themselves, 
resemble  a city,  the  docks  for  ship-building,  and  the 
majestic  extent  of  the  harbour,  in  order  to  judge  of 
what  was  formerly  the  activity  of  Amsterdam,  by  the 
stir  which  still  prevails.  There  annually  enter  the  har- 
bour 3000  vessels,  but  its  trade  with  the  two  worlds  is 
not  the  only  support  of  its  population.  It  manufactures 
a great  variety  of  stuffs,  besides  chemical  products, 
tobacco,  hard-ware  and  jewelry  ; from  the  juniper  a 
great  quantity  of  Geneva  is  distilled,* 1 **  and  the  art  of  the 
lapidary  is  carried  to  the  highest  degree  of  perfection. 
This  great  capital  was  founded  in  the  twelfth  century  at  the 
foot  of  a castle  on  the  banks  of  the  Amstel,  from  whence 
it  derived  its  name.'  About  the  middle  of  the  four- 
teenth century  it  received  the  title  of  a city  ; in  1482, 
it  was  surrounded  with  walls, d but  it  was  not  till  1578, 
when  it  declared  its  adherence  to  the  pacification  of 
Ghent,6 * * *  that  it  acquired  importance  ; a century  later  it 
had  drawn  within  its  walls  the  whole  trade  of  which 
Antwerp  had  been  so  long  in  possession/  At  the  com- 
mencement of  the  sixteenth  century  it  contained  only 
2500  houses  ; at  present  the  number  exceeds  27,000. 
If  we  are  to  believe  a well  informed  geographer^  the 
expense  of  maintaining  the  bridges,  the  canals,  and 
the  dikes  of  this  city,  and  those  which  are  within  its  bills 
of  mortality,1*  amounts  to  thirty  million  francs  per  day. 
What  treasures  must  not  Holland  be  possessed  of  to 
retain  the  billows  of  the  ocean  within  the  artificial  bar- 
riers opposed  to  them!  We  conclude  our  account  of 
this  great  city,  by  noticing  the  canal  formed  some  years 

penitentiaries  and  work  houses  (maisons  lie  correction  et  de  travail.)" — 
The  most  remarkable  of  the  latter  are  the  Rasphouse  ( Rasphvis ,)  the 
Spinhouse  or  workhouse  ( Spinhuis ,)  and  the  house  of  correction  (Bet- 
tering house — Vcrbeterhuis .) — P. 

1 Admiralty  House  (Admiral iteits  Huis.) — P. 

*>  “ It  distils  a great  quantity  of  brandy  and  gin  ( cau-de-vic — ge- 
nilvre.)'' 

c At  the  beginning  of  the  14th  century  it  was  a fishing  village, 
in  the  possession  of  the  lords  of  Amstel.  (Enc.  Amer.) — It  was  origi- 
nally a fishing  village,  built  around  the  dam  at  the  mouth  of  the  Am- 
stel. and  at  the  place  of  a ferry  over  the  Y to  North  Holland.  It  was 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  lords  ( hceren ) of  Amstel,  who  built  a 
castle  near  the  village,  and  made  it  their  place  of  residence.  It  after- 
wards came  under  the  rule  of  the  counts  ( graven ) of  Holland,  who 
granted  it  extensive  commercial  privileges.  (Busching.) — P. 

d It  was  surrounded  with  a wall  and  ditch  before  the  year  1400.  In 
consequence  of  the  great  increase  of  commerce  under  the  rule  of  the 
Counts  of  Holland,  extensive  suburbs  were  erected  without  the  old 
walls,  which  were  inclosed  by  a new  wall  in  1482,  since  which  the 
city  has  received  four  enlargements  ( vergrootingni ,)  also  surrounded 
by  walls,  viz.  in  1585  and  1503,  in  consequence  of  the  decline  of  Ant- 
werp,* in  1012,  and  lastly,  in  1658.  (Busching.) — P. 

* Following  its  second  capture  by  the  Spaniards  in  1585,  when  its  commerce 
was  in  a great  measure  transferred  to  Amsterdam.  Antwerp  was  first  taken 
in  157(1,  when  it  was  plundered  and  burnt — P. 

e The  Pacification  of  Ghent  was  a convention  or  treaty  (formed 
1576,  after  the  first  capture  of  Antwerp)  between  the  Catholics  and 
Protestants  throughout  the  Low  Countries,  in  which  all  the  provinces 
united  themselves  in  the  same  confederacy  with  Holland  and  Zealand, 
and  a<rreed  in  the  expulsion  of  foreign  troops,  and  in  their  demands  for 
recovering  the  privileges  they  held  under  the  house  of  Burgundy.  Am- 
sterdam was  one  of  the  last  cities  in  the  Low  Countries  that  embraced 
the  reformed  religion,  and  it  was  only  when  it  capitulated,  after  a 
siege  of  10  months  by  the  Hollanders,  that  it  acceded  to  the  Pacifica- 
tion. One  of  the  terms  of  its  capitulation  was  that  the  Roman  Catho- 

lics should  be  allowed  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion. — P. 

( See  note  11  *. 

s M.  Reichart*  counsellor  of  the  Duke  of  Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 

author  of  the  work  entitled  : “ Guide  des  voyageurs  en  Europe.” 

* Reichard. — I’. 


ago  to  the  Texel,1  by  which  the  dangerous  navigation 
ol’  the  Zuyderzee  is  avoided,  and  not  only  merchant 
ships,  but  ships  of  war,  sail  direct  from  the  Texel  to  the 
port  of  Amsterdam/ 

A canal,  four  leagues  in  length,  conducts  from  Am- 
sterdam to  Haarlem ,*  an  important  city,  surrounded  by 
ditches  and  by  ramparts  flanked  with  towers,  which 
recall  to  remembrance  the  horrors  of  the  too  famous 
siege  which  this  city  sustained  in  1573™  against  the 
Spaniards,  commanded  by  the  Duke  of  Alva.n  After  a 
series  of  bloody  conflicts,  in  which  the  besiegers  and 
besieged  suffered  almost  equal  loss,  and  a resistance 
of  six  months,0  the  duke  forced  the  place  to  capitulate, 
on  the  promise  of  an  amnesty,  but  perjured  himself,  by 
putting  to  death,  within  three  days  from  the  surrender, 
in  cold  blood,  and  accompanied  by  the  most  frightful 
punishments,  the  magistrates  of  the  city,  the  reformed 
ministers,  2000  citizens,  and  the  remains  of  the  garrison. p 
The  buildings  of  this  city  are  handsome  ; the  streets  are 
not  broad ,8  but  they  are  furnished  with  foot  paths, r bor- 
dered with  balustrades,  and  are  traversed  by  canals 
planted  with  trees  ; taken  as  a whole,  they  present  an 
aspect  so  much  the  more  agreeable,  as  the  greater  part 
of  the  houses  are  decorated  with  marble,  with  dazzling 
sheets  of  brass,  and  with  paintings.  The  finest  of  its 
buildings  is  the  town-house.3 * *  The  church  of  St.  Bavo 
is  celebrated  for  its  magnificent  organ,  composed  of  8000 
pipes,  the  harmony  of  which  surpasses  the  highest  melo- 
dy we  can  conceive.  In  the  market-place1  a statue, 
erected  to  Laurence  Koster,u  announces  that  the  city 
boasts  of  having  given  birth  to  this  man,  who  passes, 
especially  at  Haarlem,  for  the  true  inventor  of  printing, 
and  from  whom  Faust  and  Guttemberg  stole  his  types, 
his  secret,  and  his  title  to  the  gratitude  of  posterity.* 

h “ Within  its  jurisdiction  ( hanlicue .)” — Banlieue,  a certain  extent 
of  territory  surrounding  a city,  and  dependent  upon  it — its  jurisdic- 
tion, precincts  or  liberties.  (Dict.de  1’  Acad.) — The  citiesin  the  United 
Provinces  possessed  a territory,  without  their  walls,  of  greater  or  less 
extent,  subject  to  their  municipal  government,  and  called  in  Dutch, 
Stads  Rcchtsgcbied  (city’s  jurisdiction.)  They  also  possessed  mano- 
rial rights  over  other  districts,  called  their  lordships  ( A mbu  gts- Heerlyk - 
heden.)  (Busching.) — P. 

* The  Helder  canal — extending  from  the  port  of  Amsterdam  to  the 
extreme  point  of  North  Holland  near  the  Helder,  and  passing  thrqjigh 
the  centre  of  North  Holland  by  the  towns  of  Purmerende  and  Alkmaar. 
Its  length  is50.^  miles,  though  the  direct  distance  is  only  41  miles;  its 
breadth  at  the  surface  is  124£  feet,  and  at  the  bottom,  36  feet;  its 
depth,  20|  feet.  It  has  only  two  tide  locks,  one  at  each  extremity, 
and  two  intermediate  sluices  or  flood-gates.  It  has  been  formed  by 
the  present  government. — P. 

k This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

1 “ Harlem.” — Du.  Haarlem — Harlem  (Kilian.) — Haerlem  (Ed.  Enc. 
Guthrie.)  See  note  11  p.  1099. 

“The  siege  ben-an  in  the  winter  towards  the  close  of  1572,  and  con 
tinued  till  the  beginning  of  July,  1573.  when  the  city  was  compelled 
by  famine  to  surrender.  (Busching.) — P. 

" Frederick  of  Toledo,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Alva,  commanded  the 
Spaniards  at  the  siege  of  Haarlem.  (Busching,  &c.) — P. 

0 Eight  months.  (Ed.  Enc.  Moreri.) — P. 

P Two  thousand  of  the  soldiers  and  inhabitants  were  massacred  in 
cold  blood.  (Ed.  Enc.) — More  than  two  thousand  of  the  garrison  were 
put  to  death,  besides  several  ministers  and  a great  number  of  the  citi- 
zens. (Busching.) — P. 

q The  streets  are  broad  and  regular.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

r “ Side  walks  ( trottoirs .)”  s Stadthouse  ( Stadhuis .) 

1 Du.  Marht — a large  square  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  surrounded, 
amono-  other  buildings,  by  the  Stadthouse  and  the  Great  Church 
( Groote  Kcrli — that  of  St.  Bavo.)  The  statue  of  Koster  is  on  the  front 
of  the  house  which  he  is  said  to  have  inhabited,  which  also  stands  on 
one  side  of  the  market  place,  nearly  opposite  the  Great  Church. 
(Busching.) — P. 

“ Coster,  in  the  original,  and  generally  in  French  and  English  au- 
thors— Du.  Laurens  Koster. 

1 The  types  are  said  to  have  been  stolen  by  one  of  the  servants  of 


book  cli.]  DESCRIPTION 

This  city  was  also  the  birth-place  of  the  learned  hellenist 
Cornelius  Schrevelius,  and  of  Wouvermans,  Van  der 
Heist,  and  several  other  celebrated  painters.  Its  socie- 
ty of  sciences,*  which  ranks  several  distinguished  men 
amongst  its  members,  and  that  called  the  Teylerian,h 
which  every  year  proposes  prizes  for  the  solution  of 
different  scientific  questions,  place  Haarlem  in  the  rank 
of  the  learned  cities  in  Holland.  It  is  also  famed  for  its 
bleacheries,®  its  manufactures  of  silk  and  woollen  stuffs, 
and  of  carpeting  and  velvets,  its  soap-works  and  type- 
founderies,  and  above  all  for  its  gardens,  in  which  the  cul- 
ture of  tulips  has  almost  degenerated  into  a mania.  All 
the  surrounding  grounds'1  are  consecrated  to  this  species 
of  industry,  thus  adding  to  the  beauty  of  its  environs,  in 
which  wre  may  distinguish  a magnificent  promenade 
called  the  Wood ,e  pleasure-houses1  in  the  finest  style, 
and  the  ruins  of  the  old  fortress  of  Brederode,  whose 
red  towers  rise  majestically  in  the  air. 

The  road  from  Haarlem  to  Leyden, s traced  between 
a canal  and  the  calm  sea  of  Haarlem,  is  as  beautiful, 
and  as  well  kept,  as  the  walks  of  an  English  garden  ; it 
is  not  annoyed  by  carts,  every  thing  in  Holland  being 
transported  by  canals.  During  the  whole  distance  to 
that  city,  an  extent  of  six  leagues,  it  is  one  continued 
agreeable  promenade  in  the  midst  of  meadows,  country 
houses,  and  elegant  villages.  Leyden,  the  birth-place 
of  Rembrandt,1'  of  Gerard  Dow,1  of  Muschenbroeck,k  of 
Isaac  Vossius,  and  of  John  of  Leyden,1  the  leader  of  the 
German  fanatical  and  misled  anabaptists  of  the  sixteenth 
century ,m  was  formerly  celebrated  for  its  industry,  and 
for  its  trade  in  books,  which  the  printing-presses  of  the 
Elzevirs  rendered  so  active  ; it  still  contains  a popula- 
tion of  more  than  28,000  souls. n Its  university,  founded 
in  1575,  possessing  fine  collections,  a library  of  60,000 
volumes  and  14,000  manuscripts,  and  enjoying  a high 

OF  HOLLAND.  423 

reputation  in  the  learned  world,  is  at  all  times  much 
resorted  to.  Of  great  extent,  encompassed  with  ditches 
and  with  walls,  and  communicating  with  the  surround- 
ing country  by  eight  gates,  Leyden  is  composed  of  nu- 
merous islands,  intersected  by  canals  bordered  with  trees, 
and  covered  with  wide  and  straight  streets,  which  com- 
municate with  each  other  by  a vast  number  of  bridges, 
principally  of  stone.  The  principal  street,  called  the 
Rupenburg,0  is  a very  fine  one,  and  considered  by  the 
people  of  Leyden  as  unrivalled  in  Europe  : whatever 
may  be  in  this,  the  whole  appearance  of  the  town  is 
pleasing  ; and  the  number  of  handsome  bouses  and  ven- 
erable-looking buildings  give  it  an  air  of  importance.? 
In  its  town-house  may  be  seen  one  of  the  finest  pic- 
tures of  Lucas,  one  of  its  painters,  representing  the 
last  judgment. s The  Gothic  church  of  St.  Peterr  con- 
tains the  tomb  of  the  celebrated  and  excellent  Boer- 
haave.3  The  old  castle,1  a witness  of  the  famous  siege 
which  this  city  sustained  in  1574  against  the  Spaniards," 
during  which  more  than  6000  persons  perished  by  fam- 
ine, presents  a labyrinth  visited  by  strangers.  Several 
parts  of  this  fortress  appear  to  be  of  Roman  construc- 
tion, which  would  seem  to  confirm  the  opinion,  hitherto 
uncertain,  that  Leyden  occupies  the  site  of  Lugdumim 
Batavorum,  mentioned  in  the  Theodosian  Table,*  in  the 
Itinerary  of  Antonine,  and  by  Ptolemy,  as  the  most  im- 
portant city  of  the  Batavi.  This  city,  and  the  Hague, 
which  is  but  three  leagues  from  it,  are  in  South  Holland.!1 
[It  is  deserving  notice  in  a geographical  work,  that  it  is 
at  Leyden  where  the  Rhine,  till  very  lately,  in  the 
words  of  an  old  traveller,  “ faintly  finished  its  course,  by 
losing  the  small  remainder  of  its  w’aters  in  two  or  three 
canals,  w ithout  having  the  honour  to  enter  into  the  sea.” 
The  fate  of  this  mighty  river  is  singular  and  hard. 
After  rolling  its  majestic  stream  from  the  Lake  of  Con- 

Koster,  while  the  family  were  at  mass.  It  is  generally  agreed  that  his 
name  was  John  ; Busching  says  John  Faust,  but  this  must  be  a mis- 
take; Meerman  seems  to  have  ascertained  that  it  was  John  Geins- 
fleisch,  who  became  eminent  as  a printer  at  Mentz,  whither  he  ab- 
sconded. In  1443,  three  years  after  he  left  Haarlem,  he  associated 
himself  with  John  Faust,  a wealthy  citizen  of  Mentz,  and  in  1444, 
with  Guttemberg  of  Strasburg,  in  connection  with  whom  he  first  de- 
vised the  use  of  cut  metal  types,  cut  wooden  types  having  previously 
been  employed.  In  1445,  the  partnership  was  dissolved,  and  Faust 
associated  himself  with  Peter  Schaeffer,  who  completed  the  invention 
by  first  casting  types  in  matrices.  (Ed.  Enc.  art.  Printing.  Thomas’ 
Hist,  of  Printing.) — P. 

a Academy  of  Sciences.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Dutch  Society  of  Sciences 
( Hollandsche  Maatschappy  dcr  IVetenschappen.)  (Busching.) — P. 

b Founded  by  Peter  Teyler  Vander  Hulst,  a rich  merchant  of  Haar- 
lem. (Ed.  Enc.) — P 

c Its  bleacheries  are  famous  for  the  delicate  whiteness  which  they 
give  to  linens,  which  has  been  attributed  to  a peculiar  quality  in  the 
waters  of  the  lake  of  Haerlem.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

d “ All  the  banlieue." — See  note  h p.  1102. — P. 

e Du.  Haarlemmer-Hout  (Haarlem  Wood.) — It  consists  of  two  dis- 
tinct portions  ( bosclien , woods),  one  called  the  New  and  the  other  the 
Old  Wood  (Oude-  en  Nieuwe-  Hout,)  and,  including  the  intervening 
meadows  and  pleasure  gardens,  contains  about  60  -morgen  (125  acres 
nearly.)  It  is  full  of  fine  oaks  and  beeches,  and  is  intersected  with 
long  avenues  (dreeven,  drives,)  crossing  each  other  in  different  direc- 
tions. (Busching.) — P. 

I Du.  iusthuizen. — P. 

* Du.  Leiden;  generally  pronounced  Leyen  (Busching) — Leyden 
(Kilian) — also  Leijden,  the  ij  having  the  sound  of  i or  y. — Fr.  Leyde. — P. 

II  Rembrandt  was  born  at  a mill  on  the  banks  of  the  Old  Rhine  near 
Leyden — not  in  the  city. — P. 

' Generally  written  Gerard  Douw — the  proper  Dutch  orthogra- 
phy.— P. 

£ According  to  some,  born  at  Utrecht. — P. 

1 John  Boccold — Du.  Jan  Beukelze  or  Bockliolt  (Busching.) — P. 

m “ Leader  of  the  Anabaptists.” 

“ 29,000.  (Stat.  Tab.)— P. 

The  Rapenburg,  adjoining  the  university. — The  finest  street  in 

Leyden  is  the  Broad  Street  (Brc(-  or  Breede-Straat,)  which  runs 
through  the  whole  city.  (Busching.) — P. 

p This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

q A very  capital  painting  of  the  last  judgment,  by  Lucas  of  Ley- 
den, is  in  the  burgomasters'  chamber.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Lucas  Damineszen, 
called  Lucas  of  Leyden,  because  a native  of  that  city.  (Beauvais.) — P. 

r Du.  .S'.  Pieters  Kerk — built  in  the  form  of  a cross  (en  Kruisgcbuuw.) 
(Busching.) — P. 

s “ The  tomb  of  Boerhaave” — with  the  simple  inscription  : Saluti- 
fero  Boerliavii  genio  sacrum  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 Du.  Lcidsche  Burgt  (Leyden  castle  or  citadel) — situated  in  the 
middle  of  the  city  ; its  only  remains  are  the  circular  mound  on  which 
it  stood,  and  a wall  surrounding  it.  (Busching.) — P. 

u Leyden  was  first  besieged,  or  rather  blockaded,  by  the  Spanish 
general  Valdez,  Oct.  1573,  three  months  after  the  surrender  of  Haar- 
lem ; but  this  siege  was  raised  March  21,  1574.  The  siege  was  re- 
newed, May  26,  1574,  and  so  closely  pressed  for  five  months,  that  the 
city  was  reduced  to  the  last  extremities  by  famine  and  pestilence.  It 
was  however  relieved  by  cutting  the  dikes  on  the  Meuse,  and  over- 
flowing the  country  between  it  and  Delft,  by  means  of  which  a 
supply  of  provisions  and  ammunition  was  introduced,  and  the  Span- 
iards compelled  to  retire  in  October.  (Busching  ) — P. 

x The  table  of  Peutinger  (Tabula  Peutingeriana,)  so  called  from  its 
having  been  found  in  the  library  of  Conrad  Peutinger  (died  1547,)  and 
published  1598.  It  was  discovered  in  a monastic  library  at  Spires  by 
Conrad  Celtes,  towards  the  close  of  the  15th  century,  and  presented  to 
Peutinger.  It  is  a rude  chart  of  the  military  roads  in  the  greater  part 
of  the  western  Roman  empire,  drawn  in  the  time  of  Theodosius  the 
Great.  (Rees’  Cyc.  Beauvais.) — P. 

y South  Holland  included,  under  the  old  government,  all  that  part 
of  the  province  of  Holland,  situated  south  of  the  Y.  It  contained  at 
that  time,  11  cities  having  a voice  in  the  Provincial  States  (Stemmende 
Stcden,)  viz.  Dordrecht,  Haarlem,  Delft.  Leyden,  Amsterdam,  Gouda, 
Rotterdam,  Gorcum  (Gorinchem,)  Schiedam,  Schoonhoven  and  Brief 
The  Hague,  although  the  seat  of  government  of  the  whole  confede- 
racy, had  not  the  rank  of  a city,  nor  any  representation  in  the  States 
of  the  province. — For  the  present  division  of  the  old  province  of 
Holland,  into  the  two  provinces  of  North  and  South  Holland,  see 
Stat.  Tab.  p.  1109.— P. 

424 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLI 


stance  to  the  frontiers  of  Holland,  it  is  there  robbed  of 
its  name  by  the  Waal,  which  carries  off  the  largest  half 
of  its  waters.  Before  its  arrival  at  Arnheim,  the  canal 
of  the  Yssel,  running  to  the  eastward,  deprives  it  of 
another  part  of  them  ; and  again,  below  Arnheim,  the 
Leek  has  usurped  the  name  of  the  principal  branch  of 
the  stream,  leaving  the  smaller  and  now  much-diminished 
brand),  under  the  splendid  name  of  the  Rhine,  to  pass 
on  to  Utrecht,  where  the  Veclit  carries  off  another  part 
of  its  waters.  What  remains  of  this  mighty  river  was 
formerly  lost  in  a marsh,®  without  reaching  the  sea,  but 
is  by  a canal,  cut  between  the  years  1804  and  1810, 
carried  to  the  sea,  which  it  joins  at  the  village  of  Kat- 
wyk.b\c 

The  number  of  considerable  cities  which  cover  the 
territory  of  the  small  province  of  South  Holland* *1  is  ex- 
traordinary ; we  can  only  notice  the  most  interesting. 
The  Hague  (Dutch,  Haag,  or  S' Growenhgaa  f Fr. 
La  Ha  ye),  as  the  residence  of  the  court,  and  the  place 
where  the  States-General  assemble,  merits  the  first  no- 
tice. Before  the  revolution  of  Brussels  in  1830,  the 
Hague  divided  this  honour  with  that  city.  It  is  not  of 
very  great  importance  from  its  size  and  population,  but 
it  must,  notwithstanding,  be  reckoned  among  the  finest 
cities  in  Europe.  It  is  one  of  the  small  number  of  those 
in  the  Low  Countries,  the  soil  of  which  is  dry,  and  the 
air  pure  and  healthy.  Two  thirds  of  its  streets  are  in- 
tersected by  canals  bordered  with  trees  ; fine  plantations 
cover  also  its  squares,  and  render  the  regularity  of  its 
buildings  more  agreeable  to  the  eye.  An  air  of  ease  is 
observable  in  every  part  of  the  Hague,  which  may  be 
considered  a parliamentary  rather  than  a commercial  city. 
The  mercantile  quarter1"  is  composed  of  streets,  narrow 
indeed,  but  yet  of  great  neatness  ; in  the  quarter  where 
the  burgesses  reside/  the  houses  have  a fine  appearance, 
and  the  streets  are  broad,  straight,  and  paved  with  bricks  ; 
the  finest  is  the  Prinzen-Gracht.%  The  old  Palace- 
Royal/  an  immense  building,  but  an  ungraceful  com- 
bination of  different  orders  of  architecture,  contains  a fine 
library,  a collection  of  medals,  valuable  pictures,  and 
the  archives  of  the  kingdom.  The  new  palace,  built 

* The  Old  Rhine  sends  off  a branch  near  Leyden,  which  conveys 
the  greater  part  of  its  waters  to  the  lake  of  Haarlem.  The  remainder 
is  lost  in  the  sands  or  downs  near  Katwyk.  (Busching.) — The  old 
mouth  of  the  Rhine,  at  Katwyk,  was  obstructed  by  an  incursion  of 
the  Ocean,  A.  D.  860  (Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

b Du.  Katwyk — Catwijh,  Catioijck  (Kilian.) — Catwick  (Tuckey.) — 
So  called  from  the  ancient  Catti,  who  settled  there,  according  to  Taci- 
tus. (Busching.) — P. 

c The  sentences  enclosed  in  brackets  are  added  by  the  transla- 
tor.— P. 

d See  note  r p.  1103,  and  Stat.  Tab.  p.  1100. 

e This  is  doubtless  an  error  of  the  press,  in  the  original,  from  which 
it  is  copied  strictly  by  the  translator;  at  least  the  French  writer  must 
have  intended  it  for  S'  Grnwenhaag.  But  even  that  must  be  an  error, 
or  at  least  not  the  usual  Dutch  orthography. — Du.  's  Graven  Huge, 

den  Haag  or  Hage  (Busching) 's  Graavenhage,  or  den  Haag 

(Hubner) — 's  Graavenhaage,  or  den  Haag  (Wilcocke) — Graven-Haghe, 
or  Hughe  (Kilian.) — Germ.  Haag. — Lat.  Haga  Comitis. — The  ortho- 
graphy of  Wilcocke  is  the  most  recent. — 's  Graavenhaage  signifies  the 
Count's  wood  (des  Graaven  haag.)  from  Graaf,  count,  and  haag,  wood 
or  thicket;  den  Haag,  the  Wood — so  called  from  a wood  or  forest 
there,  frequented  by  the  Counts  of  Holland  for  hunting. — P. 

f “ Quartiers  marchands  (business  or  trading  quarters) — ceux  de 
bourgeoisie  (those  occupied  by  men  of  fortune,  wealthy  citizens.)” — P. 

K Prinsen-Gracht,  or  Prinsensgracht  (Prince  Street.) — Grar.kt  prop- 
erly signifies  a street  with  a canal  in  the  middle  ; or  originally  a canal 
simply.  (See  note  1 p.  1100.) — The  Voorhout,  which  is  accounted 
the  principal  street,  is  about  half  a mile  in  length,  with  a mall  in  the 
middle,  and  contains  a number  of  buildings,  in  the  purest  style  of  ar- 


by  William  III.,  and  those  of  the  Count  of  Benthenn  and 
Prince  Maurice  of  Nassau,  are  each  of  them  splendid  of 
their  kind.  The  palace  last  mentioned  contains  the  Mu- 
seum, which  is  visited  by  all  the  curious  : more  than  400 
pictures  recall  the  ancient  splendour  of  the  Flemish  and 
Dutch  schools.  A museum,  filling  several  apartments, 
contains  a magnificent  collection  of  Chinese  and  Japanese 
curiosities,  besides  objects  of  great  value  in  the  eyes  of 
such  Hollanders,  as  are  acquainted  with  the  history  of 
their  country.  There  are  here  preserved  the  clothes 
worn  by  William  of  Nassau,  the  founder  of  the  Dutch 
republic,  when  struck  by  a ball  from  the  fanatic  Balthasar 
Gerard  / the  dress  of  the  stadtholder  William  III.  ; the 
hair  of  William  IV.  ; the  hat  of  De  Ruyter ; the  silver 
goblets  of  the  Marquis  Spinola  ; and  also  the  silver  trowel 
employed  by  Alexander  of  Russia  in  laying  a stone  in  the 
hut  of  his  great  progenitor  at  Saardam.  The  Stackhouse/ 
the  corn-market,  and  the  new  church,1  are  likewise  fine 
edifices;  the  last  is  especially  remarkable  for  its  frame 
work.  We  should  enter  upon  by  far  too  extensive  a 
field,  were  we  to  enumerate  or  describe  the  hospitals, 
the  almshouses,  the  schools,  the  collections,  and  the 
scientific  societies,  of  the  Hague.  All  the  cities  of  the 
Low  Countries  possess  similar  establishments.  Let  us 
only  notice,  before  proceeding,  that  this  royal  city  was 
the  birth-place  of  the  astronomer  Huygens,  and  of  the 
poet  Johannes  Secundus,  who  imitated  with  so  much 
grace  and  ease  the  language  of  Ovid.  The  environs  of 
the  Hague,  so  agreeable  and  verdant,  are  besides  adorn- 
ed with  charming  houses  and  magnificent  promenades. 
The  beauty  of  the  promenade  called  the  JVood,m  sur- 
passes every  thing  imaginable  ; majestic  trees  intertwine 
their  thick  foliage  in  the  air,  and  at  the  extremities  of 
the  walks,  pavilions,  concealing,  under  elegant  fronts, 
garden  or  coffee-houses,  serve  as  places  of  entertainment 
for  visitors,  for  the  Dutch  prefer  shutting  themselves  up 
in  these  pavilions,  to  which  they  are  attracted  on  Sun- 
days by  excellent  bands  of  music,  to  enjoying  the  pure 
and  open  air  under  the  silent  arches  of  this  magnificent 
wood.  Near  this  promenade  is  situated  the  beautiful 
royal  mansion  of  OrangenzaaL'1  A fine  avenue  con- 

chitecture.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  Voorhout  is  the  most  elegant  street  at 
the  Hague.  (Busching.) — P. 

h The  Palace  of  the  Stadtholder  (consisting  chiefly  of  old  buildings, 
erected  at  different  periods,  without  any  regularity  of  design.)  (Ed. 
Enc.) — The  court  or  palace  (containing  several  chambers  allotted  to 
the  different  branches  of  government,  besides  the  apartments  of  the 
Stadtholder.)  (Pinkerton.)— Du.  Hof  (the  Court;)  divided  into  the 
Outer  and  Inner  Court  ( Buiten - and  Binnen-  Hof,)  which  communi- 
cate with  each  other  by  means  of  the  Stadtholder's  gate  (Stadhovdcr- 
lyice  poort.)  (Busching.) — The  Stadtholder's  gate  had  by  long  custom 
been  opened  only  to  the  Stadtholder's  family  ; but  in  1784,  the  States 
of  Holland  decided  that  it  should  be  opened  every  day.  during  their 
sittings,  to  the  members.  A conspiracy  was  formed  by  the  Orange  party 
to  prevent  the  execution  of  this  act ; only  two  of  the  members,  Messrs. 
Gyselaer  and  Gevaerts  of  Dort,  ventured  through  the  gate,  and  al- 
though arrested  in  their  progress,  safely  cleared  the  passage,  and 
triumphantly  vindicated  the  majesty  of  the  people.  (Mirabeau,  aux 
Bataves  sur  le  Stathouderal,  p.  1D0 — 5.) — P. 

‘ Balthazar  Gerard  assassinated  William  of  Nassau,  the  first  stadt- 
holder, by  shootimr  him  v ith  a pistol  as  he  was  going  out  of  his  palace 
at  Delft,  A.  D.  1584.— P. 

k Du.  Raadhuis , or  Stadhuis  (Council  House,  or  Town  House.; — P. 

1 Du.  JVieuwe  Kerb — built  in  1649 ; it  is  ot  an  oval  figure,  and  cover- 
ed with  a cupola.  (Busching.) — P. 

m I)u.  Haagsche  Bosch  (Hague  Wood.) — On  the  north  side,  about 
a mile  from  the  town,  is  a noble  wood,  about  two  English  miles  in 
length,  and  nearly  one  in  breadth,  and  full  of  the  finest  walks  and 
most  pleasing  views.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

" Du.  Oranjezaal  (Orange  Hall) — also  called,  the  House  in  the  wood 
(Jict  Huis  in  het  Bosch — Fr.  Maison  du  Bois.) — The  palace  called  Maison 


book  ciii.]  DESCRIPTION 

ducts  to  the  village  of  Scheveling  or  Scheveningen ,* 
where  are  to  be  found  different  places  of  amusement. 
[Its  length  is  said  to  be  nearly  two  miles  in  a straight 
line,  having  a spacious  path  in  the  centre  for  carriages, 
with  a separate  path  for  equestrians  and  pedestrians  on 
each  side  of  the  centre  path.  The  spire  of  Scheveling 
church  is  seen  at  the  extremity  of  the  avenue,  and  the 
effect  of  the  whole  is  very  striking.]11  To  the  south- 
east of  the  Hague'  lies  the  castle  of  Ryswick ,d  where  was 
signed  in  1697  the  treaty  of  peace  between  the  Germanic 
Empire,  Spain,  England,  Holland,  and  France.  An  obe- 
lisk has  been  erected  to  record  the  memory  of  this  event. 

The  country  between  the  Hague  and  the  Delft  is  “ a 
piece  of  animated  tranquillity.  All  that  art  has  done  is 
to  give  appropriate  decoration  to  rural  objects,  and  every 
cottage  bears  the  marks  of  comfort  and  prosperity. 
Canals,  raised  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  of  the 
neighbouring  plains  ; windmills,  curiously  and  beautiful- 
ly thatched  ; large  farms,  overspread  with  flourishing 
cattle  ; level  and  excellent  roads  ;”e  villas,  walks,  and 
gardens,  are  some  of  the  features  of  the  agreeable  land- 
scape spread  before  the  traveller/  Delft, % two  leagues 
from  the  Hague,  occupies  a fine  position  on  the  banks 
of  the  Schie.  It  is  a place  of  defence11  of  the  third 
class,  a city  without  stir,  and  almost  without  trade, 
although  possessing  manufactories  of  cloth,  carpeting 
and  soap,  besides  breweries  of  reputation.1  For- 
merly it  was  celebrated  for  its  potteries,  and  hence 
the  name  of  Delft-ware.v  It  is  800  years  old,  but 
the  houses  are  well  built,  and  the  public  build- 
ings are  even  magnificent.  “ The  deserted  streets 
declare  that  the  best  days  of  Delft  are  passed  away. 
Every  thing  about  the  streets  and  houses  shows  remark- 
able attention  to  neatness  ; and  Delft,  although  without 

OF  HOLLAND.  425 

the  interest  attending  the  bustle  of  trade,  remains  a true 
specimen  of  an  old  Dutch  town.”1  We  see  in  the  old 
church  the  tombs  of  Admiral  Heyn  and  the  celebrated 
Tromp  :m  the  new  church  contains  those  of  Grotius”  and 
the  physician0  Leuwenhoeck/  both  natives  of  Delft, 
which  they  have  thus  rendered  illustrious  ; but  the  most 
remarkable  monument  in  this  church,  is  the  mausoleum 
of  William  I.  ;*t  at  the  P rinsen-Hof  ,r  a few  steps  from  it, 
this  prince  was  assassinated  by  Balthasar  Gerard.’ 
From  Delft,  in  less  than  two  hours,  we  arrive  at  Rotter- 
dam,the  most  commercial  and  the  most  populous  city 
in  Holland  next  to  the  capital.  [Rotterdam,  besides 
being  one  of  the  most  beautiful  cities  in  Holland,  is  most 
advantageously  situated  for  trade,  both  foreign  and  in- 
ternal. It  stands  on  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Meuse, a 
about  twenty  miles  from  the  German  Ocean,  and  by 
this  river  vessels  of  a large  size  come  up  to  it,  and,  by 
means  of  canals,  are  carried  to  different  parts  of  the  city, 
and  to  the  very  doors  of  the  houses.  ££  Nothing,”  says 
an  old  traveller  quaintly,  ££  can  be  compared  with  the 
pleasant  mixture  of  chimneys,  tops  of  trees,  and  stream- 
ers of  vessels  ; one  is  astonished  to  behold  so  beautiful  a 
confusion,  and  can  hardly  tell  whether  it  be  a fleet,  a 
city,  or  a forest.”  The  city  is  well  paved  and  clean, 
the  houses  well  built,  and  every  thing  appears  to  indi- 
cate an  active  and  prosperous  commerce.  There  are 
no  remarkable  public  buildings  ; but  the  quay,  called  the 
Boompjes ,*  presents  a long  line  of  handsome  houses,  the 
mansions  of  wealthy  merchants. ]b  It  possesses  schools 
and  learned  societies  ; it  was  the  native  place  of  Eras- 
mus, whose  house  may  still  be  seen,  and  to  whom  they 
have  erected  a statue  in  bronze  / and  yet  it  is  perhaps 
the  only  large  city  in  the  Netherlands  which  does  not 
possess  a public  library.2  With  this  fact  before  us,  shall 

de  Bois,  a house  of  retirement  for  the  Stadtholder,  has  nothing  re- 
markable in  its  appearance  or  situation,  but  resembles  the  residence 
of  a plain  country  gentleman.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  epithet  in  the  original, 
(jolie,)  signifies  rather,  neat,  pretty,  than  beautiful. — P. 

a “ The  village  of  Schweningen.” — Du.  Scheveningen,  or  Schevelingen 
(Busching.) — Scheveling  (Ed.  Enc.) — Schevening  (Rees’  Cyci) — 
Situated  among  the  downs  on  the  coast,  about  two  miles  N.  W.  of  the 
Hague. — P. 

b The  sentences  enclosed  in  brackets  are  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

c About  two  miles  distant. — P. 

d “ Riswick.” — Du.  Rysicyh — Rijswijk  (Kilian.) — Ryswick  is  the 
usual  orthography  in  French  and  English  authors. — Ryswick  is  a vil- 
lage, said  to  be  one  of  the  neatest  in  Holland,  with  a castle,  or  rather 
palace,  built  in  the  modern  style  in  1634,  by  Prince  Frederick  Henry 
of  Orange.  This  palace  is  called  by  the  Dutch,  het  Huis  te  Rysicyk 
(the  House  at  Ryswick — Ryswick  House,)  and  also  Ncuburg  (Germ.) 
or  Kieuwburg  (Du.),  from  the  corner  stone  having  been  laid  by  the 
Duke  of  Pfaltz-Neuburg.  (Busching.) — P. 

e For.  Quart.  Review,  No.  IX.  vol.  v.  p.  227. 

1 The  preceding  part  of  the  paragraph  is  added  by  the  translator. — P. 

s Du.  Delft  or  Del f — so  called,  it  is  said,  from  a canal,  called  the  Oude- 
Delft  (old  digging,)  which  runs  through  the  city.  (Busching.) — P. 

h “ Place  de  guerre” — fortress  or  fortified  town. — P. 

1 Delft  has  been  long  celebrated  for  its  breweries,  formerly  more 
considerable  than  at  present.  It  was  noted  for  a kind  of  strong  beer, 
sent  in  great  quantities  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  the  East  In- 
dies. (Busching,  1773.) — P. 

k This  sentence  is  added  by  the  translator. — Delft  has  been  long 
celebrated  for  its  earthen  ware  [called  Delft  ware,  Fr.  faience,']  manu- 
factured in  imitation  of  the  porcelain  of  China  and  Japan.  It  is  made 
of  baked  earth  covered  with  an  enamel.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  only  manu- 
facture at  present  flourishing,  is  that  of  pottery,  which  far  surpasses 
all  others  in  strength  and  beauty  of  ornament.  (Busching,  1773.) — P. 

1 The  above  quotation  is  inserted  by  the  translator. — P. 

“Peter  Peterson  [Pieterze]  Hein,  and  Martin  Herbertson  Tromp. 
(Busching.)  See  note  u p.  1098. — P. 

“ Du.  Hugo  dc  Groot. — His  tomb  is  in  the  choir  of  the  New  Church. 
(Busching.) — P. 

° “ Physicien” — natural  philosopher.  Leuwenhoek,  a Dutch  philoso- 
pher celebrated  for  his  microscopical  observations  and  discoveries.  He 

VOL.  III.— NO.  55  54 

does  not  appear  to  have  had  a learned  education,  but  was  first  distin- 
guished for  his  skill  in  grinding  optical  glasses,  and  afterwards  for  his 
microscopical  observations  with  instruments  of  his  own  contrivance 
and  manufacture.  (Ed.  Enc.  Beauvais.) — P. 

p Du.  Anton,  van  Leeuwenhoek. — His  monument  is  at  the  entrance 
of  the  Old  Church,  not  in  the  New.  (Busching.) — P. 

4 The  tomb  of  William  I.  was  erected  in  1609,  at  the  expense  of 
the  general  government,  in  the  choir  of  the  New  Church,  above  the 
vault  of  that  prince,  since  the  burial  place  of  the  Orange  family 
(Busching.) — P. 

r Prince  Hof  (Busching.) — The  old  palace  of  the  stadtholder — origi- 
nally, the  nunnery  of  St.  Agatha.  Delft  having  become  the  seat  ot 
government  of  Holland,  after  the  revolt  against  Spain,  William  I. 
converted  the  building  into  his  place  of  residence,  whence  the  name 
signifying  Prince’s  Court.  It  stands  on  the  Oude-Delft,  directly 
opposite  the  Old  Church. — The  New  Church  stands  in  the  great 
market-place  ( Groote  Markt,)  opposite  the  Stadthouse.  (Busching.) — P 
s See  note  ‘ p.  1104. 

1 Du.  Rotterdam — Roterdam  (Kilian.  Vosgien.) — The  name  signifies 
the  dam  or  sluice  of  the  Rotte,  a small  river  that  rises  in  the  marshes 
to  the  north  of  the  town,  and  flowing  through  it,  enters  the  Meuse. 
(Busching.) — P. 

u On  the  north  side  of  the  Meuse  (proper.) — The  Meuse  divides  into 
two  arms  at  Dort,  of  which  the  one  on  the  north,  passing  by  Rotter- 
dam, is  called  the  Meuse  (Maas)  simply;  that  on  the  south,  the  Old 
Meuse  ( Oude  Maas.)  (Busching.) — P. 

x This  quay  or  promenade  (Du.  weg)  extends  along  the  Meuse 
between  the  mouths  of  the  two  havens  or  inlets  from  the.  river, 
by  which  ships  pass  into  the  heart  of  the  city,  called  the  Oude  (Old) 
and  Leuve  Haven.  It  is  very  broad,  and  closely  planted  with  trees, 
and  is  called  from  the  latter  circumstance,  the  Boomtjes  (de  Bonmtjens) 
or  Under  the  Boomtjes  (Ondcr  dc  Boomtjens.) — Du.  boom,  a tree — di 
min.  boomtje  (boompje.  Wilcocke.) — P. 

y In  the  great  square  or  market  place  (Groote  Marltt.) — P. 
z Amono-  the  literary  collections  and  institutions  of  Rotterdam,  are 
a cabinet  of  natural  history  and  antiquities,  a public  library,  and  an 
academy  of  sciences,  instituted  in  1771.*  (Ed.  Enc  ) — P. 

* This  society,  called  the  Batavian  Society  (Bataefsch  Genootschap,)  was 
established  in  1769.  It  is  principally  devoted  to  experimental  philosophy 
Rotterdam  has  also  a Gymnasium  IUustre  (high  school)  with  six  professors 
(Busching,  1773.)— P. 

426 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL1 


we  be  guilty  of  injustice  towards  the  inhabitants  of  Rot- 
terdam, in  pronouncing  them  the  Boeotians  of  the  Low 
Countries.* 1 * 1 * * * * * * 8  Absorbed  by  their  commercial  occupations, 
the  moments  must  be  very  few  which  they  can  devote 
to  the  study  of  letters  and  the  sciences  !b  The  name 
of  this  city  signifies  the  dike  of  Rotter, c because  it  is 
situated  at  the  place  where  the  small  river  of  that  name 
throws  itself  into  the  Lower  Meuse. d Between  an  arm 
of  this  river  and  the  lake  of  Biesbosch,e  stands  Dor- 
drecht or  Dort,{  a city  which  disputes  the  palm  of  an- 
tiquity with  Delft.  It  is  distant  from  Rotterdam  about 
four  leagues,  and  is  fortified  ; but  its  situation  in  the 
midst  of  an  island  would  prove  a much  better  defence 
than  the  old  ramparts  that  surround  it.  [The  trade  of 
Dort  was  once  very  considerable,  and  its  situation  is 
said  to  be  more  favourable  for  foreign  trade  than  Rotter- 
dam, the  harbour  admitting  vessels  of  greater  burden  ; 
but,  whatever  be  the  cause,  the  trade  now  is  very  limit- 
ed, and  confined  very  much  to  timber,  which  is  floated 
down  the  Rhine  in  immense  rafts. e The  buildings  of 
Dort  are  chiefly  old-fashioned.]1'  Within  the  bounds 
of  this  city  was  held,  in  1618  and  1619,  the  famous 
synod  which  condemned  the  doctrines  of  Arminius  ; and 
at  the  same  time  the  States-General,  influenced  by  Prince 
Maurice,  sentenced  and  put  to  death  the  grand  pension- 

*  “ We  shall  not,  however,  draw  from  this  circumstance,  as  some 
have  done,  the  too  rigorous  conclusion,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Rotter- 
dam are  the  Boeotians  of  the  Low  Countries.” 

b “ We  speak  advisedly,”  say  the  Foreign  Quarterly  Reviewers, 
“ in  saying  that  Rotterdam  has  among  its  inhabitants  writers  of  a high 
order,  and  that  a literary  spirit  is  widely  diffused  among  them.” — For- 
eign Quarterly  Review,  jVo.  IX.  Vol.  v.  p.  227.  Trans. 

c Digue  de  Rotter." — Properly,  the  dam  of  the  Rotte.  See  note  1 p. 
1105.— P. 

d “ — into  the  channel  (cours  d'  euu ) called  the  Lower  Meuse.” — See 
note  u p.  1 105. — P. 

e Dort  stands  on  an  island,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Meuse,  which  is 
there  called  the  Merwe  (Du.  Merwee,  or  Merwede,)  a name  which  it 
takes  after  its  junction  with  the  Waal  near  Gorcum,  and  which  it 
continues  to  bear  till  it  divides  into  two  branches,  just  below  Dort, 
called  the  Meuse  and  the  Old  Meuse.  (See  note  u p.  1105.)  Previ- 
ous to  1421,  Dort  was  bounded  on  the  south  by  a large  district  between 
the  Merwe  and  the  Meuse,  the  last  of  which  then  flowed  in  a straight  line 
to  the  sea  by  Heusden  and  Gertruydenberg ; which  district  was  called 
the  Dortscke  IVaard  (Dort  island.)  In  that  year,  however,  a dreadful 
inundation  broke  through  the  Merwe  dike,  and  overflowed  72  parishes, 
forming  in  place  of  them  the  lake  called  the  Biesbosch  (or  Bcrgsveld.) 
The  channel  of  the  Meuse  was  also  altered,  its  old  one  by  Heusden 
being  obstructed.  The  only  remains  of  the  Dortsche  IVaard  was  the 
small  island  on  which  Dort  stands,  called  the  Island  ( eiland ) of  Dort. 
(Busching.) — P. 

1 Du.  Dordrecht,  or  Dort  ( Dordl . Kilian.) — Dortreclit ; by  contrac- 
tion, Dort.  (Busching.) — Durdreckt,  from  the  river  Durd  (Dort,)  and 
dreclit , trecht,  or  tricht  (Lat.  trajectum,)  a ferry.  (Had.  Junius.) — The 
river  Durd  has,  however,  disappeared,  unless  it  be  the  same  with  the 
Merwe.  (Busching.) — Lat.  Dordracum. — P. 

e These  floats  [rafts]  are  sometimes  so  enormous,  that  500  men  are 
necessary  to  conduct  them.  The  timber  is  cut  in  the  saw-mills,  which 
are  numerous  in  the  vicinity  of  Dort,  or  exported  unwrought  to  Britain, 
Spain  and  Portugal.  Dort  is  also  the  magazine  for  the  Rhenish 
wines,  and  the  coal,  lime  and  iron  of  Liege  and  Namur.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b The  sentences  enclosed  in  brackets  are  added  by  the  transla- 
tor.— P. 

‘ “ Within  this  city  was  held,  in  1618  and  1619,  the  synod  which 
condemned  the  doctrines  of  Arminius,  and  which,  devoted  to  Prince 
Maurice,  sentenced  to  death  the  grand  pensionary  Barnevelt.” — The 
synod  was  held  in  a large  hall  in  the  building  called  the  Kloveniers 
Doete.  (Busching.) — It  commenced  its  sittings  in  November,  1618. 
The  Arminians  refused  to  appear  in  the  synod;  and  as  the  popular 
feeling  was  strong  against  them,  Maurice  ventured  to  imprison  Barne- 
veldt,  Grotius,  and  others  of  their  leaders,  in  the  castle  of  Louvestein 
( Loecestecn .)  The  States-General  were  also  compelled  by  him  to  ap- 
point a commission,  all  the  members  of  which  belonged  to  the  Orange 
party,  to  try  Barneveldt,  by  whose  sentence  he  was  beheaded  at  the 
Hague,  May  19,  1618.  (Guthrie  and  Gray.  ix.  p.  352.) — Grotius  was 
imprisoned  in  May  1619,  and  escaped  in  a large  chest  in  which  clothes 
and  books  had  been  transmitted  to  him,  prepared  for  that  purpose  by 


ary  Barnevelt  at  the  advanced  age  of  72,  50  of  which 
he  had  spent  with  integrity  and  ability  in  the  service  of 
his  country.  The  learned  Grotius  was  imprisoned  along 
with  Barnevelt,  and  after  a detention  of  several  years, 
escaped  through  a stratagem  of  his  wife.  The  two 
brothers,  John  and  Cornelius  De  Witt,  who  were  torn 
to  pieces  by  an  insurrection  of  the  populace  in  1672, 
were  natives  of  Dort.1 

The  province  of  Zealand, k formed  by  the  islands 
which  lie  at  the  mouth  of  the  Scheld,  has  for  its  capital 
Middleburg,1  in  the  island  of  Walcheren.  This  is  an 
industrious  commercial  city,  wealthy,  and  even  attached 
to  learning,  or  at  least  possessing  an  academy  of  sci- 
ences,m besides  being  the  birth-place  of  Leydeker,” author 
of  a work  on  the  Hebrew  republic.  A large  canal, 
constructed  in  1817,  supplies  the  place  of  its  former 
harbour.0  Flushing,  or  Vlissingen, p in  the  same  island, 
is  defended  by  important  fortifications,  and  possesses  a 
large  and  secure  harbour,  docks'!  which  can  contain  80 
sail  of  the  line,r  ship-yards  and  immense  store-houses, 
erections  for  which  it  is  indebted  in  a great  measure  to 
the  French,  who,  after  having  expelled  the  English  in 
1809, s kept  possession  of  this  place  till  1814.  It  was 
the  first  city  which,  in  1572J  erected  the  standard 
of  liberty,  and  had  also  the  glory  of  giving  birth  to  the 

his  wife,  in  March  1621  ; consequently  he  was  imprisoned  less  than 
two  years.  (Dumourier,  Mimoires  de  Holtande.in  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k Du.  Zeeland — Zcelandt,  See-land  (Kilian.) — Lat.  Selandia. — Eng. 
Zealand. — Fr.  Ztelande  (M.  B.)  Zilande  (Vosgien.) — Germ.  Seelund.— 
It  literally  signifies,  Sea-land. — P. 

1 Du.  Middelhurg. — Fr.  Middelbourg. — P. 

m In  1773,  Middleburg  possessed  a Gymnasium  Tlhistre,  with  pro- 

fessors in  theology,  law,  medicine,  literature  and  the  sciences.  (Busch- 
ing.)— P. 

“ Melchior  Leydecker  [Lcydeliher  (Busching),]  author  of  many  vo- 
luminous works  ; among  others,  of  a curious  work  : “ On  the  Repub- 
lic of  the  Hebrews  (De  RepublicA  Ilcbreeorum,)"  in  2 vols.  fol — Middle- 
burg is  better  entitled  to  notice  as  the  birth-place  of  Cornelius  Van 
Bynkershoek,  a celebrated  writer  on  international  law. — P. 

0 Middleburg  communicates  with  Flushing  by  a canal  fit  for  large 
vessels.  (Tuckey,  1815.) — Middleburg  has  two  harbours  or  basins, 
called  the  Outer  and  Inner  Harbours  (Buiten-  and  Binnen-Hazen.) 
(Busching,  1773.) — P. 

p Du.  Vlissingen — F7 issinge  (Kilian) — Vlissinghen  (Enc.  Meth.) — 
Originally,  Vtcssingcn,  from  a flask  or  cruise  (Du.  vies,)  said  to  have 
been  bequeathed  to  the  city  by  St.  Willibrord.  The  arms  of  the  city 
are  a silver  flask  (vies)  in  a red  field  (gules,  a flask  argent.)  (Busch- 
ing.)  Fr.  Flessingue. — Eng.  Flushing. — P.  q “ Basins.” 

r Flushing  has  a beautiful  port  within  two  moles,  capable  of  holding 
80  sail  of  the  line,  besides  extensive  docks  and  basins.  (Tuckey.) — The 
port  lies  between  two  moles,  that  break  the  waves  of  the  sea,  which 
enters  the  town  by  means  of  two  canals,  forming  two  basins.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — Inside  of  the  town  are  two  basins,  one  of  such  size  and 
depth  as  to  contain  a fleet  of  men  of  war.  (Morse.) — Previous  to  the 
French  revolution,  Flushing  was  one  of  the  principal  naval  stations  of 
the  Dutch  republic.  It  contained  two  ports  or  harbours,  viz  the  Old 
Harbour  (Oude  Haven)  on  the  west, constructed  in  1315,  and  the  New 
Harbour  (M euwe  Haven)  on  the  east,  constructed  in  1614.  at  the  com- 
mon expense  of  the  republic.  The  latter  communicated  by  three 
sluices  or  locks  (scliutsluizen)  with  a dock  or  basin,  farther  within  the 
city,  called  the  Government  Dock  ('s  Lands  Dole,)  constructed  for 
ships  of  war,  and  capable  of  holding  80  of  the  largest  vessels.  At  the 
end  of  this  dock  was  a fine  promenade,  called  the  Boschaadje  (grove.) 
On  the  south  side  of  the  Government  Dock,  was  the  Dry  Dock 
(Drooge  Dole.)  The  entrance  to  this  latter  dock  was  by  gates  open- 
ing on  the  south  side  from  a basin  called  the  Broadwater  (Brccdewutcr.) 
(Busching.) — P. 

8 The  French  had  taken  possession  of  Flushing  with  the  rest  of  the 
United  Provinces  in  1794—5.  During  the  Walcheren  expedition,  as 
it  is  called,  Flushing  was  taken  by  the  English,  after  a bombardment 
of  two  days,  Aug.  15,  1809.  but  evacuated,  with  the  whole  island, 
Nov.  23,  of  the  same  year. — P. 

• It  was  the  first  city  in  the  Netherlands,  which  voluntarily  (rrmcilhg) 
declared  against  the  Spaniards,  and  in  favour  of  William  I.  of  Orange, 
April  6.  1572.  The  centurial  anniversary  of  that  day  is  celebrated  as 
a festival*  in  Flushing.  (Busching.) — P. 

* Called  the  Centurial  Festival  (Hondertjaarig  Eeuic-Fest 


book  cli.]  DESCRIPTION 

renowned  De  Ruyter.*  The  house  where  he  was  born 
is  still  shown  to  strangers. 

In  North  Brabant,  the  farthest  south  of  the  Dutch 
provinces,  and  the  most  important  from  the  rank  which 
it  occupies  in  the  States -General,  ten  cities  would  merit 
being  mentioned,  if  we  did  not  wish  to  avoid  the  mo- 
notonous repetitions  which  would  follow  the  description 
of  a great  number  of  places  presenting  the  same  appear- 
ance. The  three  principal  places  are  fortified  towns. 
On  the  right  bank  of  the  eastern  Scheld,b  and  in  the 
midst  of  swamps,®  stands  Bergen-ojt-zoom ,d  celebrated 
as  a fortress,  and  regarded  as  a chef-d’oeuvre  of  the 
celebrated  Coehorn.e  It  is  fameu  for  the  anchovies 
which  are  caught  in  its  neighbourhood,  and  for  its  earth- 
en ware/  The  tower  of  its  castle  widens  as  it  rises, 
seems  ready  to  fall,  and  shakes  with  the  least  wind. 
Bois-lc-Duc , in  Dutch  Hertogenbosch, % is  the  capital  of 
the  province.  Watered  by  the  Dommel  and  the  Aa, 
which  unite  lower  down,  and  fall  into  the  Meuse, h it 
can,  by  inundating  the  environs,1  augment  the  means 
of  defence  which  its  citadel  and  two  fortsk  already 
afford.  Its  streets  are  straight  and  well  built  ; its  canals 
branch  into  nine  divisions  ;*  the  town-house  and  cathe- 
dral"1 are  its  finest  edifices,  and  its  trade  is  considerable. 
Among  its  celebrated  men,  are  reckoned  the  painter  Je- 
rome Bos,"  and  the  mathematician  S’Gravesande.0 
Between  these  two  cities,  and  eight  leagues  from  both 
of  them,?  stands  Breda,' ’ defended  by  fortifications 
which  are  nearly  a league  in  circumference,  and  by  vast 
marshes. r It  is  celebrated  in  the  annals  of  war : in 
1590,  Maurice  of  Nassau  made  himself  master  of  it  by 
concealing  in  a boat  loaded  with  turf,s  which  he  caused 
to  enter  the  place  by  night,  eighty  soldiers,1  who  secured 

OF  HOLLAND.  427 

the  governor  and  opened  the  gates.  Spinola,  the  Span- 
ish general,  thirty-five  years  later,"  forced  it  to  surrender, 
and  burned  the  famous  boat.  The  French  seized  it  in 
1794  ;x  but  in  1813,  during  a sortie  which  they  made  to 
attack  the  besieging  Russian  army,  the  inhabitants  rose 
up,  closed  the  gates  and  prevented  the  garrison  from  re- 
entering. One  of  its  finest  buildings  is  the  great  church, 
the  spire  of  which  is  360  feeD  high. 

There  are  few  countries  where  the  physical  constitu- 
tion of  the  soil  appears  to  have  more  influence  upon  the 
character  and  manners  of  the  inhabitants  than  the 
Dutch  provinces.  The  humidity  of  the  climate  renders 
them  dull,  phlegmatic,  and  slow  ; they  are  rarely  affected 
by  violent  passions,  but  their  apathy  ceases  whenever 
their  interest  is  affected.  Selfishness  is  said  to  be  the 
basis  of  their  actions,  love  of  gain  their  chief  stimulant. 
Let  us  acknowledge,  however,  that  these  two  failings 
have  been  the  causes  of  their  past  greatness,  their  riches, 
and  their  patriotism,  and  even  of  the  wisdom  of  their  in- 
stitutions, and  that  economy  has  become  one  of  their  po- 
litical virtues.  If  their  parsimony  led  them  to  throw  off 
the  yoke  of  Spain  which  loaded  them  with  taxes,  and  to 
refuse  to  pay  tithes  to  the  clergy,  and  indulgences  to 
the  Roman  pontiff,  in  the  great  struggle  which  they 
sustained  in  the  sixteenth  century,  their  calculating 
spirit  and  their  perseverance  triumphed  over  every  ob- 
stacle. They  felt  that  religious  liberty  was  the  basis  of 
civil  liberty,  and  that  this  last  secured  freedom  of  trade 
and  industry  ; and,  in  the  knowledge  of  this,  they  pre- 
served as  long  as  they  could,  the  advantages  of  a repre- 
sentative government.  On  this  account,  whatever  may 
have  been  the  moving  spring  of  their  great  actions,  they 
have  at  least  the  merit  of  having  directed  their  interested 

a “Admiral  Ruyter.” — Michael  Ruyter  (Gorton.) — Du.  Michiel  de 
Ruiter  (Busching.) — P. 

b The  Scheldt  divides  into  two  branches,  near  Zandvliet  below  Ant- 
werp, fronting  the  S.  E.  point  of  the  island  of  South  Beveland,  of 
which  the  one  on  the  east,  called  the  East  Scheldt  (Ooster- Schelde,) 
flows  north  between  that  island  and  North  Brabant  to  Bergen  op  Zoom, 
where  it  receives  the  Zoom  from  the  east,  and  then  west  between  the 
islands  of  Zealand,  to  the  North  Sea,  between  those  of  Schouwen  and 
Walcheren,  while  that  on  the  west,  called  the  West  Scheldt  ( Wester - 
Schelde,)  and  also  the  Hondt,  Hond,  or  Honte,  flows  in  a westerly 
direction,  between  Zealand  and  Dutch  Flanders,  and  enters  the  North 
Sea  near  Flushing.  (Busching.) — P. 

c Bergen  op  Zoom  stands  on  a rising  ground  [Du.  berg \ in  the  mid- 
dle of  a morass,  on  the  river  Zoom,  where  it  joins  the  Scheldt.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

d Du.  Bergen  op  Zoom — Bergen  op  den  Zoom  (Busching) — Bergen 
op  Soom,  or  Berglien  op  de  Zoom  (Kilian.) — Berg-op-Zoom  (Enc.  Meth. 
Vosgien.) — The  name  in  Dutch,  signifies  the  Hill  or  Hills  on  Zoom, 
or  on  the  Zoom. — P. 

e It  was  regarded  as  his  master-piece  by  Cohorn.  (Gorton  ) — P. 
f “ Berg-op-Zoom  or  Bergcn-op-Zoom , celebrated  as  a fortress,  and 
noted  for  the  anchovies  caught  in  its  neighbourhood,  and  for  its  man- 
ufacture of  pottery.” 

s Du.  's  Hertogenbosch — Hertoghen-boscli  (Kilian.) — Germ.  Herzog- 
enbusch. — Fr.  Bois-le-Duc — Bos-le-Duc  (Vosgien.) — Lat.  Sylva  Duds. 
— Bois-le-Duc,  or  Bosch  (Morse.) — The  Dutch  name,  's  Hertogenbosch 
( des  Hcrtogen  Bosch,)  of  which  the  French  and  Latin  names  are  trans- 
lations, signifies  the  Duke’s  Wood. — P. 

h “ — which  there  unite,  and  a league  lower  down  fall  into  the 
Meuse.” — It  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Dommel  and  the  Aa, 
in  a low,  sandy,  but  cultivated  tract,  almost  surrounded  by  a morass. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — Situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Dommel  and  the  Aa, 
whose  united  waters  form  the  Dies  [Diese,~]  and  enter  the  Meuse  at 
the  fort  of  Crevecoeur  [a  league  and  a half  from  Bois-le  Due.  Vosgien.] 
(Enc.  Meth.) — P. 

* The  adjacent  country  can  be  easily  laid  under  water,  and  some- 
times in  winter  the  town  can  be  approached  only  by  boats.  The 
approaches  to  it  by  land  are  on  causeways.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k It  is  defended  by  a castle  [citadel,]  called  Papen  Briel  ; by  the 
fort  of  Crevecoeur,  near  the  Meuse;  the  large  fort  of  Isabella;  and  a 
small  fort  towards  Brabant,  called  St.  Antoine.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Under 
the  military  governor  of  Bois-le-Duc  (1773,)  were  the  city  (Du.  Stud 

's  Hertogenbosch,)  and  the  two  dependent  forts,  viz.  Fort  Isabella 
{'t  Fort  Isabelle),  and  Crevecoeur.  (Busching.) — P. 

1 “ Its  canals  divide  it  into  nine  quarters.” 

mThe  cathedral,  built  in  1366,  is  one  of  the  finest  edifices  in  the 
Low  Countries.  Its  wooden  tower,  which  was  so  lofty  as  to  be  seen 
all  the  way  from  Antwerp,  was  supported  by  four  stone  pillars,  but 
was  destroyed  by  lightning  in  1584.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

n One  of  the  first  who  painted  in  oil,  in  which  he  excelled — born 
1450.— P. 

° W.  J.  S’Gravesande  (Gorton.  Beauvais.) — Du.  Willem  Jacob, 
’s  Graavezande. — Chiefly  known  by  his  Elements  of  Natural  Philoso- 
phy, according  to  the  Newtonian  System  (Physices  Elementa  Mathe- 
matica,  experimentis  confirmata,  sive  Introductio  ad  Philosophiam 
Newtonianam,)  translated  into  English  by  Desaguliers. — Du.  V Graave- 
zande (' s Gravcsande,  or  ’s  Graavesande. — Eng.  Gravesand)  is  the 
name  of  a town  or  village,  situated  among  the  downs  on  the  coast, 
south-west  of  the  Hague,  signifying  the  Count’s  Sands,  from  its  hav- 
ing been  a residence  of  the  old  Counts  of  Holland. — P. 

p Nine  leagues  W.  of  Bois-le-Duc  ; 8 leagues  N.  E.  of  Berg-op- 
Zoom.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

<i  The  name  of  this  city  is  the  same  in  the  Dutch,  English,  French 
and  Latin  languages. — P. 

r Breda  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  rivers  Aa  and  Merck,  in  a 
fertile  but  marshy  country,  and  capable  of  being  surrounded  with 
water,  so  as  to  be  altogether  inaccessible  to  an  army.  It  is  regularly 
fortified,  surrounded  with  a wall  three  miles  in  circumference,  pro- 
tected by  bastions  and  a strong  citadel.  The  city  is  of  a triangular 
form,  with  a gate  at  each  angle,  and  the  ramparts  are  adorned  with 
rows  of  elms.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

8 “ Tourbe” — peat. 

1 Sixty  soldiers.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Charles  de  Heraugieres,  captain  of 
infantry,  with  seventy  chosen  men.  (Del.  des  Pays-Bas.) — P. 

“ A.  D.  1625.  (Ed.  Enc.)— P. 

* In  1793,  though  the  fortifications  had  been  greatly  augmented 
by  the  Dutch,  this  important  place  was  surrendered  to  the  French 
after  a siege  of  ten  days;  but,  in  the  same  year,  it  was  again  deliver 
ed  up  by  capitulation  to  the  States.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Breda  was  taken  by 
the  French,  Feb.  24,  1793,  and  again  in  1794,  and  1795.  It  was  taken 
possession  of  by  the  Russian  general  Benkendorf,  Dec.  1813.  (Tegg’s 
Chronology.)— P. 

y 362  feet.  (Ed.  Enc.  Del.  des  Pays-Bas.) — P. 

428 


EUROPE. 


views  towards  what  might  contribute  to  promote  the 
prosperity  of  their  country.  Their  traducers  have 
thought  it  sufficient  to  bring  forward  their  faults,  to  di- 
minish the  favourable  impression  made  upon  the  mind 
by  that  crowd  of  useful  works  and  establishments,  main- 
tained at  so  great  an  expense,  which  give  to  Holland  so 
peculiar  an  aspect.  Those  dikes,  say  these  detractors, 
raised  to  arrest  the  encroachments  of  the  ocean,  are  only 
owing  to  their  care  for  their  own  preservation  ; those 
canals  which  intersect  the  country  in  every  direction, 
have  been  cut  with  no  other  view  than  to  favour  their 
commercial  relations  ; those  hospitals,  and  those  chari- 
table establishments,  so  excellent  and  so  numerous, 
have  only  been  founded  to  shelter  a rich  aristocracy 
from  the  attacks  of  the  indigent ; and  even  their  good 
faith  in  matters  of  business  has  no  other  foundation  but 
the  necessity  of  securing  confidence.®  Man  is  a being 
compounded  of  virtues  and  vices,  and  we  ought  not  to  ex- 
pect from  a people  more  disinterestedness  than  from  an 
individual.  Who  does  not  see  that  in  attributing  to 
their  interest  alone,  the  institutions  and  spirit  of  order 
which  do  honour  to  the  Dutch,  we  render  homage  to 
their  judgment  ? They  are  reproached  with  their  na- 
tional pride.  Where  is  then  the  nation  which  does  not 
love  to  look  back  upon  its  past  splendour?  The  French 
themselves,  the  most  lively  people  in  the  world,  do  they 
not  rather  prefer  to  think  upon  their  military  glory,  than 
upon  that  which  they  have  acquired  in  the  arts,  in  lite- 
rature, and  in  the  sciences? 

The  manners  of  the  Dutch  are  not  dissolute : this  has 

* See  the  work  entitled  : Quatre  mois  dans  les  Pays-Bas,  tom.  ii. 

b “The  only  assemblies  much  frequented,  are  those  of  men,  and 
even  those  are  regulated  by  the  different  classes  and  employments 
into  which  society  is  distributed.  Such  are  those  of  ship-owners 


[BOOK  CLI 

been  attributed  with  some  reason,  to  the  coldness  of 
their  character,  and  to  their  parsimonious  disposition. 
Not  very  delicate  in  their  affections,  those  who  have 
mistresses  choose  them  from  the  class  of  servants,  and 
sometimes  the  women  show  themselves  not  more  diffi- 
cult to  please  in  the  choice  of  the  objects  of  their  fondness. 
There  is  much  less  depravity  found  among  the  lower 
classes  in  Holland  than  in  any  other  part  of  Europe.  It 
is  very  seldom  that  we  hear  thefts  spoken  of,  and  still  more 
rare  to  hear  of  crimes  committed.  To  go  little  abroad, 
to  smoke  much,  and  to  eat  and  drink  often,  almost  con- 
stitute the  principal  amusements  of  the  rich  Hollanders. 
They  do  not  appreciate  the  pleasures  of  society,  but  they 
can  taste  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  domestic  life.  The 
only  intercourse  in  society  that  does  take  place,  is  regu- 
lated by  business  or  profession.  Thus,  there  are  cap- 
tains of  vessels,  rich  merchants  and  bankers,  persons  in 
public  office,  traders,  courtiers,  shopkeepers,  burgesses  ;b 
but  these  classes  never  mix,  and  even  live  in  a sort  of 
jealousy  of  each  other.  Artists  and  men  of  letters  are 
little  thought  of,  and  though  there  is  no  country  in 
which  there  are  found  more  museums,  scientific  collec- 
tions, and  literary  and  learned  societies,  the  brilliant 
days  when  so  many  literary  characters,  savans,  and 
celebrated  painters,  wrere  seen  to  shine  in  Holland,  are 
for  ever  past ; the  sciences  and  the  arts  are  now  only  the 
relaxations  of  the  industrious  rich,  who,  appreciating 
properly  the  noble  efforts  of  the  human  mind,  spare  no 
expense  to  give  to  their  children  an  education  wffiich  will 
dispose  them  to  give  themselves  up  to  similar  enjoyments. 

( armateurs ,)  wealthy  merchants  and  bankers  ( riches  negocians ,)  magis- 
trates, traders  ( commer<;ans ,)  brokers  ( courtiers ,)  shopkeepers  (mar- 
chands,)  and  burgesses  (bourgeois.* *)" 

* Capitalists,  wealthy  citizens  not  in  trade. — P. 


book  cli.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  BELGIUM  AND  HOLLAND. 


STATISTICAL  TABLE 

OF 

THE  BELGIAN  PROVINCES. 


429 


Population 

Superficies 

Towns. 

Population. 

Provinces. 

in  1827. 

in  hectares. 

‘Brussels 

100,000 

South  Brabant 

492,736 

307,733  < 

Louvain 

Tirlemont 

16,000 

8,000 

Nivelles 

7,000 

‘Mons 

20,000 

Hainault 

546,245 

377,390  - 

Tournayt 1 

33,000 

Ath 

8,000 

Namur 

190,482 

345,610  1 

NAMCRt 

Dinant 

17,000 

4,000 

‘LlEGE! 

49,000 

Liege 

337,556 

282,593  < 

Verviers 

Huyc 

‘Maestricht 

16,000b 

5.000 
19,000 

6.000 

Limburg 

324,368 

455,316  - 

Venloo 
Ruremonde 
Hasseltd 
^St.  Trond 

4.000 

6.000 
7,000 

65,000 

Antwerp 

Antwero 

319,285 

282,293  - 

Turnhout 

Malinesf 

10,000 

18,000 

_ Liere0 

11,000 

* The  signs  t and  t in  this  and  the  following  table  indicate  the  bish- 
opricks  and  archbishopricks. 

b “ 10,000.”  The  population  in  the  text  is  taken  from  the  For.  Quart. 
Rev. — P. 

c Hui  or  Hoei  (Hubner.) — Huy  or  Hoye  (Morse.) — Situated  on  the 
Meuse,  about  half  way  between  Liege  and  Namur. — P. 

d Situated  on  the  Demer,  5 leagues  N.  W.  of  Maestricht.  (Vos- 
gien.) — P. 

• “ Liere,”  Fr. — Lire  (Vosgien.) — Lierre  (Morse.) — Du.  Lier  (Hub- 
ner.)— Situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  two  Nethes,  10  miles  S.  E. 
of  Antwerp. — P. 


Provinces 


East  Flanders 


West  Flanders 


Luxemburg 


Population 
in  1827. 


689,158 


671,034 


291,759 


Superficies 

in  hectares.  Towns. 


298,370  - 


317,422  « 


Ghent! 

Oudenarde 

Alost 

Termondef 

Renaixs 

St.  Nicholas 

Lokeren 

Bruges! 

Ostend 

Cour'ray 

Menin1 

Thielt' 


626,343  - 


Ypres 

' Luxemburg 
Arlon 
Bouillon 


Population. 

70.000 

5.000 

12.000 

6.000 
10,000 

14.000 

13.000 

36.000 

10.000 

16,000 

5.000 

10,000 

15.000 

10.000 

3.000 
3,000 


Total  3,862,623  3,293,070 


f Du.  Dendermonde  (Hubner) — Denremonde,  Dermov.de  (Kilian.)— . 

Dendermonde,  Dermonde,  Tenermonde,  or  Tenremonde.  (Enc.  Meth. 
— Dendermonde,  or  Termonde.  (Morse.) — Lat.  Teneramunda. — So  call 
ed  from  its  situation  at  the  mouth  of  the  Dender  ( Denre . Kilian — • 

Fr.  Dendre.) — Du.  mond,  mouth. — P. 

t Fr.  Rcnaix. — Flem.  Rouse — Ronsse  (Kilian.) — Situated  3 leagues 

S.  of  Oudenarde.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

h Flem.  Meenen. — Fr.  Menin. — Situated  on  the  Lys,  4 leagues  N.  of 
Lisle.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

1 Tielt  (Kilian.) — Situated  5 leagues  S.  E.  of  Bruges.  (Vosgien.) — P. 


STATISTICAL  TABLE 

OF 


THE  DUTCH  PROVINCES. 


Provinces. 


North  Holland 


South  Holland 


Population 
in  1827. 

405,929 


440,662 


Superficies 

in  hectares.  Towns. 


229,200  - 


277,830  - 


Amsterdam! 

Haarlem 

Horn 

Alkmaar 

Zaandam 

Rotterdam 

The  Hague 

Delft 

Leyden 

Dordrecht 

Gorcum1 * S. 


Population. 

201,000 

21,000 

10,000 

9.000 
10,000 
66,000 

49.000 

14.000 

29.000 

11.000 

5.000 


Provinces. 

Zealand 

Utrecht 

Gelderlandc 

Overyssel 


Population 
in  1827. 

132,321 

122,395 

284,266 

157,158 


Superficies 

in  hectaies.  Towns. 


158,036  £ 
127,617  £ 


517,098 
329 


,961 1 


Middleburg 

Flushing 

Utrecht 

Amersfort6 

Arnheim 

Nimeguen 

Zutphen 

Harderwykd 

ZwOLLe 

Deventer 

Campenf 


Population 

13.000 

5.000 

36.000 

9.000 

10.000 

13,000 

7.000 
3,800 

13.000 

10.000 

7,000 


* Du.  Gorinchem,  also  Gornichem  and  Gorichem;  usually  abbrevi- 
ated to  Gorkum  (Busching) — Gorcum  or  Gorkom  (Hubner) — Gorck- 
hom  (Kilian.) — One  of  the  former  represented  cities  ( Stemmende  Steden ) 
in  the  province  of  Holland — situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  Merwe,  a 
little  below  the  confluence  of  the  Meuse  and  Waal. — P. 
b See  note  0 p.  1098.  c See  note  1 p.  1097. 


d Du.  Harderwyk — Hardcrwijk,  Harderwijck  (Kilian.) — Harderwick, 
and  Harderwyck,  in  English  authors.— Harderwik  (Tuckey.  Vosgien  1 
Situated  in  the  province  of  Gelderland  (quarter  of  Arnhem  or  Vel- 
uwe,)  on  the  Zuiderzee,  N.  E.  of  Utrecht.  (Busching.) — It  had  for- 
merly a university,  now  suppressed. — P. 
e See  note  ’ p.  1096.  1 “ Kampen.” — See  note  1 p.  1096. 


430 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLI. 


Provinces. 

Drenthe 

Groningen 

Friesland 

North  Brabant 
Dutch  Colonies 


ropulTtion 
in  1627. 

Superficies 
in  hectares. 

56,979 

223,852 

157,973 

205,059 

200,654 

260,732 

327,326 

434,896 

2,285.663 

9,400,000 

2,814,281 

Towns. 

Population. 

Assen 

1 

Meppel 

4,000 

Coeverdenb 

2,000 

Gronimgen 

24,000 

Delfzyl1 

3,000 

Leuwarden1 

17,000 

Harlingen 

7^00 

BolS-LE-DUct 

13,000 

Breda 

11,000 

Bergen-op-Zoom 

e 6,000 

1 1 ,085,663 


1 Population,  768.  (Alin.  Imper.  1813.) — P.  b See  note  c p.  1066. 

c Deltziel  (Hubner.) — Delfsil  (Kilian.) — Delfzil  (Vosgien.) — Delf- 
zyl  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Fivel  or  Damster  Diep  [Dam- 
ster  river*  (Malham’s  Naval  Gazetteer)],  which  joins  the  Dollart 
[rather  the  strait  that  opens  into  the  Dollart]  ; it  is  a strong  fortress. t 
(Tuckey.) — Situated  6 leagues  N.  E.  of  Groningen.  (Vosgien.) — P. 

* So  called  from  the  small  town  of  Dam,  situated  on  it,  one  league  from 
Delfzyl. — P. 

t The  key  to  the  provinces  of  Friesland  and  Groningen.  (Vosgien.) — P. 
d See  note  e p.1006.  e “ Berg-op-Zoom.” — See  note  b p.  1107. 

< “ Saint-George  de  la  Mine,”  Fr.  (so  called,  says  Vosgien,  from 
the  gold  mines  in  its  neighbourhood.) — St.  George  de  la  Mine  (some- 
times called  Delmina,  and  Elmina)  is  the  principal  establishment  of 
the  Dutch  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  It  is  a square  castle,  mounting  100 
pieces  of  cannon,  situated  on  a rocky  coast,  near  the  river  Benja,  and 
at  the  foot  of  it  is  the  large  Negro  town  of  Oddenna.  (Tuckey.) — St. 
George’s  Castle,  or  Del  Minas.  (Malham.) — Elmina,  or  St.  George  del 
Mina.  (Morse.) — The  forts  and  factories  belonging  to  the  Dutch  West 
India  Company  (1773,)  on  the  coasts  of  Guinea,  Benin  and  An- 
gola, were  under  the  superintendence  of  the  head-factory  ( Huofd - 
kantoor)  at  Elmina,  or  the  Castle  of  St.  George  del  Mina  (built  on  a 
rock,  and  near  it,  a small  town  called  Mina  ) (Busching.) — P. 

e The  Dutch  colonies  in  Africa,  are  thirteen  small  forts  on  the  coast 
of  Guinea.  (Ed.  Enc.  art.  Netherlands,  1822.) — The  Dutch  have  fac- 
tories and  settlements  on  the  Slave  Coast,  as  well  as  on  the  Gold  Coast. 


DUTCH  COLONIES. 


9,400,000. 


Elmina,  or  St.  George  of  the  Mine.f  "1 

Various  small  forts  on  the  Gold  Coast  in  ^ 
Guinea.®  J 

Sumatra  (the  greatest  part  of  this  island  with 5 
Bencoolen.1') 

Java,  whose  capital,  Batavia,  is  also  that  of 
all  Dutch  Oceanica. 

Madura,  the  whole. 

Celebes,  in  part. 

Borneo,  do. 

Archipelago  of  Sumbava  and  Timor,  almost  ( 
entirely. 

Archipelago  of  the  Moluccas,  almost  entirely. 

Land  of  Papua'  in  New  Guinea.. 

Islands  of  Papua .* 

Riou,  a small  island,  now  become  of  little  com- 
mercial importance.11 

Islands  of  Bunair,m  Curacao p St.  Eustatius,0' 
part  of  the  island  of  St.  Martin,  Saba,  and  some 
smaller  islands  of  little  importance. 

Colony  of  Surinam  in  Guiana. 


Africa. 


Oceanica.1 


America. 


(Ed.  Enc.  art.  Guinea,  1817.) — In  1773,  the  Dutch  West  India 
Company  possessed  on  the  coasts  of  Guinea,  Benin  and  Angola, 
fifteen  forts  and  factories,  of  which  Elmina  was  the  capital.  (Busch- 
ing.)— P. 

11  Bencoolen  is  the  principal  establishment  of  the  British  East  In- 
dia Company  in  Sumatra,  and  is  incorporated  with  the  presidency  of 
Bengal.  (Enc.  Amer.  Morse.) — P. 

1 “ — of  the  Papous"  (Papuans.) 

k “ Riow,  a small  island,  become  recently  ( depuis  peu)  important 
from  its  commerce.” 

1 The  Dutch  colonies  in  Asia,  are  Java,  with  the  lesser  govern- 
ments of  Amboyna,  Banda,  Ternate,  Malacca  and  Macassar,  and  also 
some  factories  on  the  coasts  of  Coromandel  and  Persia.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

m Bonaire,  or  Buenaire. — P. 

” Curaijoa  (Tuckey.) — Curasao  (Vosgien.) — Curazao  (Pinkerton.) 

0 “ St.  Eustache." — St.  Eustatia  (Tuckey.) — St.  Eustatius  (Busch- 
ing.) — The  last  the  proper  name. — P 


STATISTICAL  TABLES 


CONNECTED  WITII 

THE  LATE  KINGDOM  OF  THE  NETHERLANDS, 

EMBRACING  BOTH  DUTCH  AND  BELGIAN  PROVINCES.1 


I.  Movement  of  the  Population  for  ten  years. 


Provinces. 

Population. 

Births. 

Deaths. 

Marriages. 

Divor- 

ces. 

1815. 

18*25. 

Zealand 

111,108 

129,329 

55,331 

42,43u 

10,645 

27 

Gelderland 

264,097 

284.363 

90,862 

59,818 

19,337 

13 

North  Brabant 

264,087 

326,617 

100,863 

69,507 

20,380 

1 

North  Holland 

375,257 

393,916 

145,744 

121 ,725 

34,789 

209 

South  Holland 

388,505 

438,202 

165,741 

143,850 

34,942 

148 

U trecht 

107,947 

117,405 

41,038 

29,928 

8,982 

30 

Friesland 

176,554 

202,530 

65,565 

38,219 

15.327 

46 

Overyssel 

147,229 

160,937 

51,951 

37,479 

11,629 

13 

Groningen 

135,642 

156,045 

51,673 

30,539 

11,492 

37 

Drenthe 

46,459 

53,368 

16,723 

9,858 

3,954 

3 

Limburg 

287,613 

321,246 

101,781 

70,549 

22.960 

5 

Liege 

58,185 

331,101 

113,623 

82,698 

24,367 

24 

Namur 

364,400 

189.393 

58,690 

34,134 

12,592 

8 

Luxemburg 

113,597 

292,610 

921142 

56,695 

18,740 

1 

llninault 

288,595 

546,190 

183,198 

118,289 

39,591 

27 

South  Brabant 

441,649 

495,455 

169,161 

119.109 

36,423 

5 

East  Flanders 

615,689 

687,267 

218,830 

162,834 

43,120 

0 

West  Flanders 

516,324 

563,826 

191,139 

141,310 

37,882 

6 

Antwerp 

291,565 

323, 678 

101,471 

70,623 

23,075 

2 

The  Kingdom 

5,424,502 

6,013,478 

2,015,646 

1,441,600 

430,247 

605 

1 The  greater  part  of  these  tables  are  added  by  the  English  Editors 
(from  the  For.  Quart.  Rev.  No.  X.)  Those  taken  from  the  original 
are  pointed  out  in  notes. — P. 


II.  Table  showing  the  Ratio  of  Population  to  Deaths,  Births,  fyc. 


Provinces. 

Rate  of  in- 
crease of 
population 
for  5 years 
to  18*25. 

Ratio  ol 
Deaths. 

populat 

Births. 

ion  in  1824  to 
Marriages. 

Ratio  of 
female 
to  male 
births 
in  1824. 

Ratio  of 
births 
to  mar- 
riages in 
1824. 

North  Holland 

0.040 

34.5 

23.2 

104.4 

0.956 

4.50 

East  Flanders 

0.051 

44.8 

28.4 

165.3 

0.946 

5.82 

Limburg 

0.053 

47.5 

29.2 

90.3 

0.956 

3.09 

Antwerp 

0.056 

48.8 

30.7 

142.9 

0.960 

4.65 

Zealand 

0.056 

31.4 

20.7 

113.7 

0.9C0 

5.49 

North  Brabant 

0.059 

51.4 

29.2 

150.0 

0.974 

5.14 

Namur 

0.062 

57.9 

29.8 

150.9 

0.907 

5.06 

Liege 

0.065 

46.2 

28.9 

154.1 

0.942 

5.33 

Utrecht 

0.068 

36.3 

24.3 

118.2 

0.939 

4 86 

South  Brabant 

0.068 

38.2 

261 

142.2 

0.970 

5.45 

Gelderland 

0.069 

53.7 

27.6 

131.1 

0.P52 

4.75 

South  Holland 

0.070 

35.0 

23.9 

113.3 

0.959 

4.74 

Overyssel 

0.071 

43.5 

26.5 

121.9 

0.937 

4.60 

West  Flanders 

0.073 

40.7 

'27. 5 

137.7 

0.930 

501 

Hainault 

0.073 

51.1 

27.4 

136.5 

0.921 

4.98 

Groningen 

0.078 

49.3 

28.9 

149.3 

0.898 

5.17 

Luxemburg 

0.080 

53.8 

27.9 

149.9 

0.967 

5.37 

Friesland 

0.086 

46.1 

27.1 

128.7 

0.944 

5.75 

Drenthe 

0.087 

55.0 

27.8 

130.3 

0.895 

4.69 

Average  for  the 
kingdom 
Do.  for  1825. 

0.062 

43.8 

27.0 

132.4 

0.947 

4.90 

— 

41.0 

27.1 

127.2  j 

0.943 

4.70 

BOOK  Clil.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  HOLLAND. 


431 


III.  Land  in  Cultivation .a 

Hectares  of  land  Hectares  in 
Provinces.  in  the  whole.b  cultivation. 

Zealand 158,410  148,029 

Gelderland 509,195  289,802 

North  Brabant 501,293  277,183 

North  Holland 245,114  203,008 

South  Holland 287,181  244,213 

Utrecht  133,194  110,281 

Friesland 263,018  235,705 

Overyssel  328,712  175,803 

Groningen 204,899  173,063 

Drenthe 229,206  74,229 

Limburg 460,087  310,514 

Lie<re  288,992  237,579 

Namur 347,083  278,397 

Luxemburg 650,210  463,423 

Hainault 372,469  356,258 

South  Brabant 328,426  316,883 

East  Flanders 282,361  264,988 

West  Flanders 316,585  296,915 

Antwerp 283,830  197,303 

Total  . . 6,198,131  4,653,636 

IV.  State  of  the  present  Manufacturing  Interest  in  the  JVetherlands. 

Substances.  Value  in  Fr. 

Iron 46,000,000 

Copper 5,000,000 


Woollens  ....  80,000,000 

Linens 95,000,000 

Cottons 50,000,000 

Suo-ar  (refined)  . . 14,000,000 
Salt  (do.)  ....  10,000,000 

Spirits 40,000,000 

Beer 112,000,000 

Tobacco 28,000,000 

Oil 30,000,000 

Soap 10,000,000 

Lace 25,000,000 

Leather 28,000,000 

Earthen  ware  and  Pottery  4,000,000 
Bricks  and  Tiles  . . 6,000,000 

Printing  and  Books  . 15,000,000 
Bleaching  ....  10,000,000 


Carry  forward  608,000,000 


Substances.  Value  in  Fr. 

Brought  forward  . 608,000,000 

Dyeing 10,000,000 

Paper 8,000,000 

Caps  and  Bonnets  . . 7,000,000 

Cheese 10,000,000 

Jewellery  ....  4,000,000 

Starch 3,500,000 

Acids  and  Salts  . . 1,500,000 

Cordage 3,000,000 

Hats 6,000,000 

Glass 2,000,000 

Clocks 4,000,000 

Cards 1,200,000 

Embroidery  ....  1,200,000 

Turnery 600,000 

Lead  and  Zinc  . . 1,000,000 

Miscellaneous  . . . 4,000,000 

Total  675,000,000 


V.  Principal  Branches  of  the  Expenditure  of  the  JVetherlands. 

IN  FLORINS. 


Finances. 

Revenue  in  Fr.  161,836,000.  Debt  in  Fr.  3,800,000,000. 
VI.  Publications  in  the  JVetherlands. 


Jurisprudence,  Medicine,  Physics,  &c.  . 


1825. 

1826. 

1827. 

Ill 

103 

99 

93 

105 

146 

94 

96 

96 

135 

134 

114 

246 

325 

286 

679 

763 

741' 

a There  are  some  slight  differences  in  the  quantities  of  land  as  exhib- 
ited in  this  table,  and  the  tableson  pages  1109  and  1110.  The  present  ta- 
ble is  taken  from  the  Foreign  Quarterly  Review,  No.  X.  art.  JVetherlands. 

b A hectare  of  land  is  equal  to  2£  English  acres.  [The  hectare  is 
equal  to  2 acres,  1 rood,  35.4  rods. — P.] 

c Expenses  of  dikes,  canals,  and  navigation  in  general.  [ Watcrstaat 
signifies  literally,  water  administration. — P ] 

d The  charges  for  education  are  now  included  under  the  head  of 
Interior.” 

e The  preceding  part  of  this  table  is  taken  from  the  original. — P. 


1826. 

1827. 

Translations  from  German 

. 107 

120 

Do. 

French  . . 

. 57 

58 

Do. 

English 

25 

Do. 

Spanish 

1 

— 

195 

203 

VII.  Students  of  the 

Universities  of  the 

JVetherlands , 1st  Jan. 

1826. 

Philosophy 

Theology. 

Law. 

Medicine. 

Sciences. 

and  Letters. 

Total 

Leyden 

103 

138 

60 

8 

227 

536 

Utrecht 

154 

103 

20 

33 

170 

480 

Groningen 

94 

73 

28 

14 

91 

300 

Louvain 

0 

154 

70 

63 

335 

622 

Liege 

0 

197 

84 

63 

115 

481 

Ghent 

0 

144 

124 

33 

54 

35o 

351 

809 

'386 

214 

992 

2774 

The  Increase,  during  a 

period  of  three  -years, 

in  the  Students 

of  the 

whole  six  establishments,  is  thus  exhibited  : 

1824. 

1825. 

1826. 

Theology 

325 

351 

Law  .... 

807 

809 

Medicine 

374 

386 

Sciences 

233 

226 

214 

Philosophy  and  Letters 

718 

904 

992 

Total  2275 

2636 

2752 

1816. 

1821. 

1826. 

Average  for  the 
eleven  years. 

King’s  household 

2,600,000 

2,600,000 

2,100,000 

2,531 ,636 

Great  offices  of  state 

1,468,635 

1,211,285 

1,065,430 

1,202,811 

Foreign  affairs 

937,838 

705,503 

766,969 

787,638 

Justice 

Interior,  and  Water- 

3,394,511 

3,221,347 

2,191,049 

3,243,567 

staatc 

Religions,  except  the 

7,245,910 

5,019,322 

6,159,249 

5,744,439 

Catholic 

1,264,261 

1,423,449 

1,327,311 

1,351,813 

Catholic  religion 
Education,  arts,  com- 

1,325,176 

2,086,730 

1,631,413 

1,662,863 

merce  and  colonies 

3,894,736 

1,723,882 

73,019J 

2,155,520 

Finances 

23,314,342 

34,309,517 

38,707.562 

31,553,101 

Navy 

6,554,531 

5,037,745 

6,582,842 

5,775,711 

Army 

27,128,574 

17,427,732 

18,444,535 

22,852,651 

EUROPE. 


432 


BOOK  CLI. 


IX.  Commercial  Movement  of  the  principal  Ports  of  the  King- 
dom, during  the  years  1826 — 1828.1 


1826. 

1827. 

1828. 

Vessels  entered  at  Amsterdam 

1,887 

1,982 

2,132 

Do.  at  Rotterdam 

1,587 

1,731 

2,085 

Do.  at  Antwerp 

928 

822 

955 

Do.  at  Ostend 

482 

501 

574 

Do.  employed  in  the  Herring  Fishery 

131 

142 

X.  Army  and  Navy  in  1829. 

Army  43,297  men. 

'Crews  in  actual  service  4,314  men. 


Navy  - 


Ships  of  the  Line 
Frigates 
Corvettes 
Smaller  Vessels 


33  I 
36  f 
50  J 


131  vessels. 


XI.  Charitable  Institutions  of  the  Netherlands. 


Nature  of  Institutions. 

Number  of 

Individuals 

Expenses 

Expense  for 

Institutions. 

relieved. 

of  Relief. 

each  Individual. 

Administrations  for') 

relieving  the  Poor 
at  home 

>■  5,129 

745,652 

5,448,740 

7.31 

Commissions  for  dis-  ) 
tributing  Food,  &c.  j 

| 36 

22,056 

82,424 

3.73 

Societies  of  Maternal  ] 

• 4 

1,448 

13,493 

9.32 

Charity  j 

1 

99.37 

Hospitals 

724 

41,172 

4,091,157 

Funds  for  Military  i 

Service  < 

S 1 

2,277 

110,942 

48.73 

R.oyal  Hospital  of  ] 
Messineb  1 

1 

1,56 

23,290 

149.30 

Poor  Schools 

285 

147,296 

247,176 

1.67 

Workhouses  of  Charity  34 

6,169 

406,704 

65.92 

Depots  of  Mendicity 
Societies  of  Benefi-' 

8 

) 

2,598 

229,587 

88.37 

cence  for  the  Colo- 
nies0 

2 

8,553 

353,529 

41.33 

Establishments  for  the ' 
Deaf  and  Dumb 

L * 

239 

41,994 

175.70 

Total  6,228 

977,616 

11,049,036 

[Average  11.30 

Monts  de  Piet64 

124 

4,208,068 

Savings  Banks 

50 

18,035 

2,771,608  [Average  153.93 

» Tables  IX.  and  X.  taken  from  the  original. — P. 
b In  West  Flanders,  for  the  daughters  of  soldiers  invalided  or  killed 
in  service.  (For.  Qu.  Rev.) — P. 

c Poor  Colonies,  or  Colonies  of  Industry,  under  the  superintend- 
ence of  two  Societies  of  Beneficence,  one  for  the  Northern,  the 
other  for  the  Southern  Provinces;  the  Northern  colonies  are  estab- 


XII. State  of  Crime  in 

the  Netherlands  in  1826. 

Crimes  against  Persons. 

Nature  of  Crimes. 

Accused. 

Acquitted. 

Condemned 

Political  Crimes  

0 

0 

0 

Rebellion 

68 

26 

42 

Breach  of  Sanitary  Laws  . . 

0 

0 

0 

Escapes  from  Detention  . . . 

3 

0 

3 

Perjury  and  Subornation  . . . 

17 

2 

15 

Assassination 

13 

3 

10 

Poisoning 

0 

0 

0 

Parricide 

0 

0 

0 

Murder 

24 

7 

17 

Assaulting  and  Wounding  . . 

123 

26 

97 

Assaults  upon  Authorities  . . 

21 

4 

17 

Arbitrary  Arrests 

0 

0 

0 

Menaces 

5 

2 

3 

Mendicity  with  violence  . . . 

i 

0 

1 

Bigamy 

2 

0 

2 

Abortion 

0 

0 

0 

Infanticide 

2 

0 

2 

Child-stealing 

0 

0 

0 

Rapes  and  Attempts  .... 

16 

2 

14 

Rapes  on  children  under  15  years 

9 

1 

8 

Total 

304 

73 

231 

Crimes  against  Property. 

Nature  of  Crimes. 

Accused. 

Acquitted. 

Condemned. 

Exaction  and  Corruption 

9 

4 

5 

Embezzlement  of  the  public  money 

10 

0 

10 

Burning  of  Buildings  .... 

11 

4 

7 

of  other  objects  . . . 

0 

0 

0 

Destruction  of  Property  . . . 

8 

6 

2 

False  Coining 

11 

2 

9 

Counterfeit  Seals,  &c.  . . . 

2 

1 

1 

Fraud  by  False  Pretences  . . 

5 

1 

4 

in  Commercial  Writings  . 

12 

0 

12 

Other  Frauds 

40 

12 

28 

Fraudulent  Bankruptcy  . . . 

14 

2 

12 

Robbery  in  churches  .... 

5 

1 

4 

on  the  Highways  . . 

9 

2 

7 

in  Dwelling  Houses  . 

198 

24 

174 

Other  Robberies  

744 

91 

653 

Alteration  of  Bills.  Bonds,  &c. 

0 

0 

0 

Embezzlement  of  Titles  and  Deeds 

2 

0 

2 

Breaking  Seals 

0 

0 

0 

Importing  Prohibited  Goods 

5 

0 

5 

Total 

1085 

150 

935 

lished  among  the  heaths  in  Drenthe,  and  the  Southern  among  those 
near  Turnhout  in  Antwerp.  (For.  Qu.  Rev.) — P. 

d Equitable  loan  banks,  which  advance  money  to  the  poor,  either 
without  interest  or  at  an  interest  much  below  what  any  pawnbroker 
would  take.  (For.  Qu.  Rev.) — P. 


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DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


r 


BOOK  CL.II.] 


433 


BOOK  CLII.a 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Great  Britain. — England. — First 
Section. — Civil  Geography. — Early  Inhabitants. — 
Roman  Conquests. — Saxon  Invasion. — Normans. — 
History , progress  and  settlement  of  the  Constitution. 
The  island  of  Great  Britain  was  originally  called  the 
country  of  Green  Hills,  afterwards  the  island  of  Honey, 
and  at  a still  later  period  Bryt  or  Prydain,  from  which 
the  name  of  Britain  appears  to  have  been  derived. 
The  rivers  Forth  and  Clyde  are  the  natural  limits  of 
two  large  but  unequal  portions  of  the  same  country. 
The  northern  portion  was  called  Alben,  or  the  region  of 
mountains  ; the  name  of  Kymru  was  applied  to  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  other,  and  that  of  Lcegr  to  the  southern 
and  eastern.  The  two  latter  names,  unlike  the  former, 
were  not  derived  from  the  nature  of  the  soil  or  the  character 
of  the  country,  but  from  two  distinct  races,  the  Cambrians 
and  the  Laegrians,  the  early  inhabitants  of  Southern  Britain. 

Of  these  two  nations,  the  Cambrians  claim  the  higher 
antiquity  ; according  to  imperfect  traditions,  they  came 
from  the  eastern  extremities  of  Europe,  and  having 
crossed  the  German  Ocean,  many  of  them  settled  in  Gaul, 
while  others  landed  on  the  opposite  shores  of  Britain. 
Before  this  period,  if  credence  can  be  given  to  the  same 
traditions,  Britain  was  destitute  of  inhabitants,  bears 
found  shelter  in  the  forests,  and  wild  cattle  roamed  in  the 
plains.  The  names  of  many  places,  not  derived  from 
the  Cambrian  language,  and  the  monuments  of  an 
unknown  age,  attributed  by  vulgar  superstition,  to  a race 
of  hunters,  who,  instead  of  dogs,  trained  foxes  and  wild 
cats  for  the  chase,  render  it  probable  that  before  the 
arrival  of  the  Cambrians,  Britain  was  inhabited  by  men 
of  a different  origin  and  a different  language.  The  early 
inhabitants  were  gradually  forced  into  the  west  and  north 
by  the  successive  influx  of  strangers  from  the  east. 
Some  passed  the  sea,  and  reached  the  large  island  of 
Erin,  or  settled  in  the  western  isles,  which  were  peopled 
by  men  of  the  same  race  as  the  aboriginal  Britons.  The 
high  mountains,  which  stretch  from  the  banks  of  the 
Clyde  to  the  extremities  of  the  island,  proved  an 
impregnable  barrier  against  new  aggressions  to  as  many 
as  retreated  into  the  north,  where  they  assumed  and  have 
still  preserved  the  name  of  Gaels.  Increased  at  different 
times  by  their  brethren  from  Ireland,  they  formed  the 
population  of  Albania,  or  the  Highlands ; different  from 
the  inhabitants  of  the  plains  in  the  south,  and  mindful 
of  former  injuries,  they  handed  down  to  their  descendants 
the  memory  of  their  conquest  and  their  flight.  It  is 

a This  and  the  following  books  on  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  are 
rewritten  by  the  English  Editor. — P- 

b Coritani.  (D’Anv.) — P. 


impossible  to  determine  the  time  in  which  these  migra- 
tions took  place,  but  according  to  traditional  and  other 
evidence,  they  were  anterior  to  the  landing  of  the  Laegrians 
on  the  southern  shores  of  Britain.  The  Lregrians  inhab- 
ited the  south-western  parts  of  Gaul  ; they  were  of  the 
same  origin,  and  spoke  the  same  language  as  the 
Cambrians,  who,  compelled  to  give  way  to  these  new 
settlers,  retired  to  the  shores  of  the  wmstern  sea,  and 
scattered  themselves  over  a country,  which,  from  that 
period,  has  retained  the  name  of  Camliria.  The  Laegrians 
took  possession  of  the  southern  and  eastern  coasts  ; a 
third  horde  of  the  same  race  migrated  from  the  coun- 
try between  the  Seine  and  the  Loire,  and  obtained  a 
settlement,  it  is  said,  without  war  and  without  contest. 
The  name  of  Britons  is  exclusively  applied  to  these  last 
settlers  in  the  national  poems  and  ancient  annals.  Their 
territory  was  probably  situated  on  the  north  of  Cambria 
and  Laegria,  near  the  frontier  of  the  Gaelic  population, 
between  the  firths  of  Forth  and  Solway.  These  bar- 
barians, sprung  from  a common  origin,  were  some- 
times exposed  to  the  invasions  of  foreign  tribes. 
One  of  these  hordes  inhabited  that  part  of  Gaul  which 
has  since  been  denominated  Flanders  ; many  persons 
amongst  them  were  destroyed  by  an  inundation,  and  as 
many  as  escaped  were  compelled  to  leave  for  ever  their 
native  land  ; they  made  themselves  masters  of  the  Isle 
of  Wight,  and  the  southern  coast  of  England.  The 
territory  of  the  Laegrians  was  afterwards  divided  into  two 
portions  by  the  Caritanians,b  a Teutonic  tribe  that  entered 
by  the  mouth  of  the  Humber,  and  settled  on  its  banks 
and  on  the  neighbouring  shores.® 

The  memory  of  these  remote  events  is  partly  preserved 
in  obscure  traditions,  and  in  the  less  erring  indications, 
which  ancient  languages  afford.  Little,  however,  was 
known  of  Britain  before  the  arrival  of  the  Ro- 
mans.'1 The  Phoenicians,  Carthaginians  and  other 
nations  may  have  repaired  to  the  island,  and  car- 
ried on  a trade  with  the  inhabitants,  but  it  was  not 
their  policy  to  make  known  their  route,  lest  others  might 
participate  in  the  profits  of  their  traffic,  much  less  to 
explore  the  country.  The  pretext  which  Caesar  uses  to 
justify  his  expedition,  was  to  make  the  Romans  familiar 
with  the  coasts,  harbours  and  landing  places,  to  which 
the  Gauls  were  strangers.  None  but  merchants  resorted 
to  the  island,  and  if  the  land  opposite  Gaul  be  excepted, 
foreigners  were  ignorant  of  the  country.®  But  Caesar,  it 
is  well  known,  did  not  penetrate  beyond  the  banks  of  the 

c See  the  Horae  Britannicse,  Archaeology  of  Wales,  and  the  Intro- 
duction to  Thierry’s  History  of  the  Norman  Conquest. 

<i  B.  C.  55. 

e Caesar’s  Commentaries,  Book  iv.  ch.  18. 


VOL  III.— NO.  55  55 


434 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL.II. 


Thames  ; more  important  projects  recalled  him  to  Rome, 
and  according  to  the  observation  of  Lucan,  he  may  be 
said  to  have  lied  from  the  enemy  be  sought. — Territa 
qucesitis  ostendit  terga  Britannis.  During  the  reign  of 
Augustus,  Britain  continued  a terra  incognita  to  the 
Romans  ; it  was  first  subdued  in  the  time  of  Domitian  by 
Agricola,  who  ascertained  it  to  be  an  island.® 

A difference  of  complexion  observed  among  the 
inhabitants,  was  supposed  to  indicate  a different  origin. 
The  red  hair  and  tall  stature  of  the  northern  tribes,  con- 
vinced Tacitus  that  they  had  migrated  from  Germany; 
while  the  swarthy  complexion  and  curled  locks  of  the 
Silures,b  caused  them  to  be  considered  of  Iberian  descent. 

If,  in  the  time  of  Caesar,  the  natives  of  the  south-east- 
ern part  of  the  island  were  more  refined  or  less  barbarous 
than  the  other  inhabitants,  it  was  owing  to  a more  fre- 
quent  intercourse  with  their  Gallic  neighbours.  Their  dis- 
tricts were  better  peopled  ; agriculture  was  not  unknown 
to  them  ; they  used  marie  as  a manure,  and  raised  more 
corn  than  was  necessary  for  their  consumption.  The 
people  may  be  said  to  have  been  husbandmen,  at  a time 
when  the  rest  of  their  countrymen  were  shepherds  ; con- 
sequently to  have  made  the  first  step  towards  civilization. 

But  at  the  early  period  of  which  we  speak,  all  the 
Britons  were  little  removed  from  the  savage  state. 
Their  towns  were  built  in  thick  woods,  fortified  with  a 
ditch  or  rampart  to  serve  as  a place  of  retreat  against 
their  enemies,  and  well  adapted,  from  their  situation,  to 
favour  their  escape  on  any  emergence.  Their  houses 
were  very  rude  ; a stone  foundation  supported  walls  made 
of  timber  or  reeds,  while  the  interior  consisted  of  a small 
chamber  with  a fire  in  the  middle  ; the  floor  was  strew- 
ed with  straw  or  rushes,  on  which  the  inmates  and  visitors 
slept.  Ten  or  twelve  persons  resided  in  a single  house  ; 
they  had  their  wives  in  common,  but  the  offspring  was 
always  attributed  to  him  who  married  the  mother.0  The 
zeal  of  some  historians  in  defending  the  morals  of  their 
ancestors  may  be  commendable,  but  it  cannot  by  any 
means  invalidate  the  statement  of  Caesar,  which  is  con- 
firmed by  Dion  and  other  ancient  writers.  “ It  is  very 
likely,”  says  Dr.  Henry,  “ that  the  Roman  general  was 
deceived  by  appearances,  and  led  to  entertain  this  opinion 
of  the  promiscuous  intercourse  of  the  sexes  by  observing 
the  promiscuous  manner  in  which  they  lived,  particularly 
in  which  they  slept. ”d  It  is  doubtful  that  Caesar  ever 
observed  the  manner  in  which  the  Britons  slept  ; his 
information  was  derived  from  the  natives  themselves,  who 
would  not  have  avowed  the  practice,  had  it  not  been 
general,  or  if  it  had  been  considered  disgraceful.  The 
well  known  story  of  Cartismandua,  the  queen  of  the 
Brigantes,  does  not  prove  that  she  lost  her  dominions 
for  the  reason  that  is  commonly  alleged,  but  because 
she  raised  her  standard-bearer  to  the  throne. e 

1 Tacitus.  Life  of  Agricola. 

b South  Welsh. 

c Caesar’s  Commentaries,  Book  v.  Chap.  10. 

d Henry’s  History  of  Britain,  Book  i.  Chap.  7. 

e The  story  is  thus  related  by  Tacitus.  “ In  the  reign  of  Claudius, 
Cartismandua  had  treacherously  delivered  up  Caractacus  to  swell  the 
pomp  of  that  emperor’s  triumph.  From  that  time  riches  flowed  on  her, 
but  riches  drew  after  them  their  usual  appendages,  luxury  and  dissi- 
pation. She  banished  from  her  presence  Venusius  her  husband, 
and  raised  Vellocatus  her  armour-bearer  to  her  throne  and  bed.  By 
that  criminal  act  she  lost  all  her  authority.  Convulsions  shook  her 
kingdom.  The  discarded  husband  had  the  people  on  his  side,  while 
the  adulterer  had  nothing  to  protect  him  but  the  libidinous  passions  of 
the  queen  and  the  cruelty  oflier  reign.  Venusius  was  in  a short  time 
at  the  head  of  a powerful  army.  The  subjects  of  the  queen  flocked 
to  his  standard,  and  a body  of  auxiliaries  joined  him.  Cartismandua 


The  southern  Britons  stained  their  bodies  with  an 
infusion  of  woad,  which  gave  their  skins  a blue  colour, 
and  made  them  appear  terrible  in  battle  ; they  wore  long 
hair,  and  shaved  all  the  rest  of  the  body  except  the  head 
and  upper  lip.f  The  custom  of  tattooing  themselves  was 
confined  to  the  northern  tribes  ; the  outlines  of  animals 
were  punctured  in  the  skin  during  infancy,  and  a strong 
dye  was  rubbed  on  the  punctures  ; the  figures  expanding 
with  the  growth  of  the  body,  retained  their  appearance 
through  life.s  Strabo  judged  from  the  few  he  saw  at 
Rome,  who  were  of  lofty  stature,  but  ill  made  and  inactive. 
Want  of  activity  was  no  characteristic  of  these  tribes. 
They  delighted  in  war  and  martial  occupations  ; nay, 
their  chieftains  thought  the  time  lost  which  was  spent  in 
peace.  The  first  food  given  to  a male  child  was  put  into 
bis  mouth  on  the  point  of  his  father’s  sword,  who  prayed 
that  he  might  prove  a brave  warrior  and  die  in  battle  ; 
such  they  deemed  the  most  honourable  death.h  The 
children  contended  with  each  other  in  wrestling,  in  swim- 
ming, and  in  the  race  ; to  the  want  of  restraint,  almost 
constant  exercise  and  simple  diet,  their  bodily  strength 
and  daring  spirit  have  with  some  justice  been  attributed. 
Arrived  at  manhood,  the  vicissitudes  and  toils  of  war  were 
familiar  to  them  ; in  bearing  fatigue,  hunger,  thirst  and 
cold,  they  surpassed  their  conquerors. 

“ They  use  chariots  in  war,  they  scour  the  field  on 
every  side,  throw  their  darts,  and  create  disorder  among 
the  ranks  by  the  terror  of  their  horses,  and  the  noise  of 
their  chariot  wheels.  When  they  mingle  with  the 
cavalry,  they  leap  out  and  fight  on  foot ; meanwhile  the 
charioteers  retire  to  a short  distance,  and  place  them- 
selves in  such  a manner  that  if  the  others  are  overpow 
ered,  they  may  be  secure  of  their  retreat.  Thus  they 
act  with  the  agility  of  cavalry  and  the  steadiness  of  infan- 
try ; expert  from  constant  practice,  they  can  stop  their 
horses  at  full  speed,  check  and  turn  them,  run  along 
the  pole,  stand  on  the  harness,  and  dart  into  their  chari- 
ots.”1 The  different  tribes  never  formed  a lasting  union 
with  each  other,  they  fought  separately  against  the  com- 
mon enemy,  and  they  were  therefore  subdued. 

Their  money  consisted  of  brass  or  iron  rings  of  a 
certain  weight ; they  practised  hospitality,  but  it  was 
not  considered  a crime  to  plunder  the  territory,  or  rob  the 
inhabitants  of  a different  tribe.  Their  virtues  were  those 
of  barbarians  ; frank,  generous,  and  free  from  deceit, 
“ they  are  absolute  strangers  to  the  pernicious  cunning 
and  dissimulation  of  the  men  of  our  times. ”k 

The  numerous  clans  were  under  the  government  of 
chieftains,  but  the  latter  seldom  possessed  unlimited 
power.  Much  exactness  was  not  observed  in  the  order 
of  succession,  and,  what  is  a singular  custom  among  a bar- 
barous nation,  females  were  not  excluded  from  the  high- 
est dignities  ; Cartismandua  was  queen  of  the  Brigantes, 

was  reduced  to  the  last  extremity.  She  implored  the  protection  of  the 
Romans,  who  sent  some  cohorts  and  squadrons  of  horse  to  her  relief. 
Several  battles  ensued  with  various  success.  The  queen,  however, 
was  rescued  from  impending  danger,  though  she  lost  her  kingdom. 
Venusius  wrested  the  sceptre  from  her  hands,  and  the  Romans  were 
involved  in  a war.”  Tacitus’  History,  Book  III.  chap.  45.  The  em- 
press Julia  alluded  to  the  prevalence  of  this  vice  in  Britain  be- 
fore a British  princess,  the  wife  of  Argetocoxus ; the  latter  did  not 
deny  the  charge,  but  retorted  it  against  the  Romans. 

f CtEsar’s  Commentaries,  Book  v.  Chap.  11.  [“  Capilloque  sunt 

promisso;  atqueomni  parte  corporis  rasa,  prater  caput,  et  labrum  supe- 
rius.”] 

s Solinus,  xxii.  43. 

h Solinus,  Chap.  53. 

■ Ca'sar,  Book  v. 

k Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  v.  chap.  21. 


BOOK  CUT.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


435 


while  the  famous  Boadicea  reigned  over  the  leeni. 
“ There  is  no  rule  of  distinction  to  exclude  the  female 
line  from  the  throne,  or  the  command  of  armies.”*  It 
was  the  right  of  the  monarch  to  command  the  army,  but 
he  could  not  depend  on  the  obedience  of  his  troops  ; they 
compelled  him  to  make  war  or  peace  against  his  inclina- 
tion. It  appeared  a sufficient  apology  for  the  imprison- 
ment of  Comius,  a deputy  sent  by  Ccesar,  that  it  was  the 
act  of  the  multitude,  not  of  the  chiefs,  who  remonstrated 
in  vain.  In  a barbarous  state,  men  cannot  estimate  the 
benefits  of  government ; they  are  unwilling  to  surrender 
any  portion  of  their  liberty,  that  they  may  enjoy  what 
remains  in  greater  security  ; it  is  by  acting  on  the 
imagination,  and  by  taking  advantage  of  the  passions  and 
fears,  that  barbarians  are  effectually  enslaved. 

Accordingly,  the  authority  of  the  priests  was  much 
greater  than  that  of  the  kings.  The  druids  arrogated  the 
right  of  making  laws,  and  the  power  of  enforcing  them. 
They  declared  their  decisions  the  decrees  of  God, 
and  themselves  the  only  persons  who  coidd  make  them 
known  to  the  people  ; so  gross  an  artifice  was  believed 
in  so  rude  an  age.  Their  excommunications  were  as 
terrible  as  any  that  ever  emanated  from  Rome  ; their 
doctrines  were  concealed  from  the  people  ; sometimes 
several  persons  lived  together  in  the  same  house,  that 
they  might  perform  together  their  services  in  the 
sanctuary  ; at  other  times,  they  retired  to  caves  and 
desert  places,  that  they  might  obtain  a greater  reputation 
for  piety.  They  abstained  from  certain  meats  ; “ it  is 
unlawful  to  eat  hares,  pullets  or  geese,  but  many  individ- 
uals breed  them  for  their  diversion  or  pleasure. ”b 
To  enable  these  men  to  pass  their  time  in  the  contem- 
plation of  divine  truths,  undisturbed  by  worldly  cares, 
they  were  exempt  from  every  contribution.  No  sacred 
rite  was  performed  without  them  ; the  prayers,  thanks- 
givings and  sacrifices  of  the  people  could  only  be  offered 
by  the  druids.  In  times  of  peace,  when  the  royal  authority 
was  much  abridged,  the  whole  frame  of  civil  society,  loose 
and  imperfect  as  it  must  have  been,  was  held  together  by 
the  same  class. 

It  is  natural  to  suppose  that  the  Roman  conquest  had 
the  effect  of  improving  the  inhabitants,  of  creating  com- 
merce, and  of  diffusing  the  comforts  which  accompany 
it.  Before  the  invasion  of  Caesar,  tin  was  the  only  article 
of  trade  ; and  it  is  unnecessary  to  add  that  the  advantage 
derived  from  it  was  confined  to  a very  small  number. 
In  the  list  of  British  exports  in  the  time  of  Agricola, 
Tacitus  specifies  corn,  cattle,  hides,  gold  and  silver,  tin, 
lead  and  iron.  The  British  sagum  or  plaid  was  substi- 
tuted for  the  undressed  skins  with  which  the  natives 
covered  themselves,  and  the  sagum  was  afterwards 
superseded  by  the  Roman  toga.  The  Romans  styled 

a Tacitus,  Life  of  Agricola,  chap.  16. 

b Caesar’s  Commentaries.  Book  v. 

c Tacitus,  Life  of  Agricola,  chap.  21. 

d The  Cantii,  Regni,  Bibroces,  Attrebates,  Segontiaci,  Belgae,  Du- 
robriges,  Hoedui,  Carnabii  and  Damnonii  possessed  the  country  from 
the  shores  of  Kent  to  those  of  Cornwall.  The  Silures,  Ordovices  and 
Dimetoe  inhabited  Wales.  The  country  between  the  Thames,  the 
Severn,  the  Mersey,  the  Humber  and  the  Ocean,  was  peopled  by  the 
Trinabanles,  Iceni,  Coritani,  Cassii,  Dobuni,  Huiccii,  Ancalites  and 
Cornabii.  The  Setantii,  Volantii  and  Brigantes  inhabited  Lancashire, 
Westmoreland,  Cumberland,  Yorkshire,  Durham  and  part  of  North- 
umberland. Valentia  was  peopled  by  the  Ottadini,  Gadeni,  Selgovas, 
Novantes  and  Damnii.  Vespasiana  by  the  Harestii,  Vecturones, 
Taixali,  Vacomagi,  Albani  and  Attacotti.  The  tribes  in  independent 
Scotland  were  the  Caledonii,  Cautae,  Logi,  Carnabii,  Calini,  Mertae, 
Carnonancos,  Cerones,  Creones  and  Epidii. — [The  tribes  in  Britain, 
mentioned  by  Ptolemy,  were  the  following,  viz.  Novantae,  Selgovffi, 


Agricola  the  conqueror  of  the  Britons,  but  he  secured  for 
himself  a more  imperishable  fame  ; he  was  their  bene- 
factor. Promotion  became  the  consequence  of  merit, 
and  the  affections  of  the  people  were  conciliated  by  an 
impartial  administration  of  justice.  It  was  by  no  means 
an  easy  task  to  obtain  corn  and  other  provisions  for  the 
army,  but  the  burden  was  lightened  by  equal  contributions. 
In  former  times,  the  extortions  of  the  tax-gatherer  were 
more  oppressive  than  the  tax  itself,  and  if  the  Romans 
were  long  in  making  themselves  masters  of  the  island, 
it  may  be  imputed  to  the  injustice  and  rapacity  of  their 
governors.  The  natives  were  often  defeated  in  battle, 
but  they  were  not  subdued.  It  was  the  object  of 
Agricola  to  reclaim  them  from  a savage  life.  “ He 
encouraged  by  public  assistance  and  by  his  individual 
efforts,  those  who  built  temples,  courts  of  justice,  and 
commodious  dwelling  houses.  Praises  were  lavished  on 
as  many  as  cheerfully  obeyed  ; the  slow  and  uncomplying 
were  branded  with  reproach,  and  emulation  was  found  to 
be  a more  powerful  motive  for  exertion  than  a sense  of 
duty.  To  establish  a plan  of  education,  and  give  the  sons 
of  the  leading  chiefs  a taste  for  letters,  was  part  of  his 
policy.  By  way  of  encouragement  he  praised  their  tal- 
ents, and  already  saw  them,  by  the  force  of  their  natural 
genius,  rising  superior  in  attainments  to  the  Gauls.”® 
Monkish  historians  affirm  that  the  martial  spirit  of  the 
inhabitants  wras  destroyed  by  a taste  for  the  refinements 
and  arts  of  Rome,  as  if  the  undisciplined  courage  of 
barbarians  were  a virtue,  or  in  any  way  worthy  of 
admiration. 

The  Romans  had  an  imperfect  knowledge  of  the 
northern  tribes  in  Scotland.  Marshes  and  fens,  ravines 
and  mountains,  vying  with  each  other  in  sterility,  were 
the  only  obstacles  to  the  arms  of  Agricola  after  the  battle 
at  Mons  Grampius  ; but  it  was  not  the  policy  of  that 
celebrated  general,  or  of  the  people  whom  he  commanded, 
to  expose  themselves  needlessly  to  danger. 

It  may  be  observed  that  the  name  of  Caledonians  was 
extended  by  the  Greek  and  Roman  writers  of  the  three 
first  centuries,  to  all  the  independent  clans  or  tribes 
between  the  frontier  wall  and  the  northern  extremity  of 
the  island.  The  Caledonii,  however,  were  confined  to 
the  long  and  narrow  belt,  that  stretches  from  the  Firth 
of  Tay  on  the  eastern,  to  Loch  Fine  on  the  western 
coast. 

There  is  reason  to  believe  that  forty-five  distinct  tribes 
or  clans  inhabited  Britain  during!  the  Roman  period.*1 

Conquered  Britain  was  divided  by  the  Romans  into  six 
provinces  of  irregular  boundaries.  The  country  that 
extends  from  the  western  extremity  of  Cornwall  to  the 
south  foreland  of  Kent,  partly  insnlated  by  the  Bristol 
Channel  on  the  west,  and  the  course  of  the  Thames  on 

Damnii  (Damnii,)  Gadeni,  Otadeni  (Otodini,)  Epidii,  Cerones,  Cre- 
ones, CarnonaeEE,  Careni  (Carini,)  Cornabii  (Cornavii,)  Caledonii, 
Cantas,  Logi,  Mertos,  Vacomagi,  Venicontes  (Vennicones,)  Texali 
(Taixali,)  Brigantes,  Parisi,  Ordovices,  Cornavii,  Coritani,  Catyeu- 
chlani  (Cassii,)  Simeni  (Iceni,)  Trinoantes  (Trinobanf.es,)  Deme- 
tas,  Silures,  Dobuni  (Boduni,)  Atrebatii,  Cantii,  Regni,  Belgae, 
Durotriges,  and  Dumnonii  (Damnonii,  Danmonii.)  Besides  these,  the 
following  are  mentioned  by  Caesar,  viz.  the  Bibroci  (supposed  to  have 
inhabited  Berks,)  the  Segontiaci  (in  Hants,)  the  Ancalites  (in  Oxford- 
shire and  Bucks,)  and  the  Cenimagni  (considered  by  Camden,  the 
same  as  the  Iceni.)  The  Huiccii  (Jugantes  of  Tacitus)  were  included 
in  the  Cornavii.  The  Horesti  of  Tacitus  occupied  Angus,  under  the 
Vacomagi.  The  Attacotti  are  supposed  to  have  occupied  some  part  of 
the  north  of  Scotland.  The  Vecturiones  included  all  the  tribes  north 
of  the  Forth,  not  included  in  the  Dicaledones  ; the  latter  occupied 
Argyle,  Perth,  and  the  Highlands  adjoining  those  two  coun- 
ties.— P.] 


436 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLII 


the  east,  made  up  Britannia  Prima,  then  the  most 
wealthy  region  in  Britain.  Wales  and  the  tract  that  is 
bounded  by  the  circuitous  course  of  the  Severn  obtained 
the  name  of  Britannia  Sccunda.  Flavia  Cresariensis 
was  bounded  by  the  two  last  provinces,  and  also  by  the 
Humber,  the  Don  and  the  German  Ocean.  Maxima 
Casariensis  comprehended  all  the  country  between  the 
two  seas,  from  the  Humber  to  the  Eden  and  the  Tyne. 
Valentia  extended  from  the  northern  limits  of  the  last 
province  to  the  Firths  of  Forth  and  Clyde.®  Vespasiana 
was  separated  from  independent  Caledonia  by  the  moun- 
tainous chain  that  stretches  from  Dumbarton  to  the  Firth 
of  Murray.  But  the  Romans  exercised  a doubtful  au- 
thority in  the  last  province,  and  it  may  perhaps  be  more 
correct  to  consider  the  pratentura  of  Agricola,  as  the 
northern  boundary  of  Roman  Britain. 

To  complete  this  part  of  the  subject,  it  is  necessary  to 
take  some  notice  of  the  Roman  monuments  of  the  period. 
Of  these  none  were  more  important  than  their  military 
works,  their  chains  of  forts,  their  ramparts  and  their  walls. 
The  troops  under  the  command  of  Agricola  were  em- 
ployed during  part  of  the  third,  and  the  whole  of  the 
fourth  summer,  in  building  forts  between  the  Firths  of 
Forth  and  Clyde  ;b  in  his  opinion,  the  most  advantageous 
frontier  of  the  Roman  territory  in  Britain.  Such  a choice 
was  not  unworthy  so  great  a general.  “ Men  of  skill 
and  military  science  thought  no  officer  more  able  than 
Agricola  in  choosing  the  most  advantageous  situation, 
and  accordingly  not  one  of  the  stations  fortified  by  his 
direction  was  taken  by  storm.  At  every  post  to  enable 
the  garrison  to  stand  a siege,  a year’s  provision  was  laid 
up;  although  frequent  sallies  were  made,  the  besiegers 
were  always  repulsed,  and  the  Romans  passed  the  winter 
without  danger.”e  It  was  shown,  however,  that  the  pos- 
session of  the  province  depended  more  on  the  character 
of  the  general  than  on  the  works  which  he  had  erected. 
The  forts  were  no  defence  against  the  weakness  of  his 
successors  ; and  during  the  period  that  elapsed  from  the 
departure  of  Agricola  to  the  arrival  of  Hadrian,  the  tribes 
in  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland,  and  in  the  north  of  England, 
had  thrown  off  the  yoke. 

Hadrian,  like  Augustus,  was  more  desirous  of  securing 
his  dominions,  than  enlarging  their  limits  ; for  this  pur- 
pose he  contracted  the  boundaries  of  Roman  Britain,  and 
raised  a new  barrier  against  the  incursions  of  the  northern 
tribes.  The  vallum  of  Hadrian  reached  from  the  Solway 
Firth  on  the  west  to  the  north  of  the  Tyne  on  the  east, 
or  more  definitely,  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Burgh  on 
the  Sands  to  the  present  town  of  Newcastle.  It  was  not 
carried  across  the  heights,  but  in  an  oblique  direction 
along  the  vallies.  The  works  were  a rampart,  a ditch, 
and  two  aggercs  or  mounds.  The  earthen  rampart  or 
vallum  was  probably  twelve  feet  in  height ; some  parts 
of  it  rise,  even  in  the  present  day,  six  feet  above  the  sur- 
face. The  dimensions  of  the  ditch  may  be  more  correctly 
ascertained  ; it  passes  through  a limestone  quarry  near 
I larlow-Hill,  where  it  is  eleven  feet  deep,  and  nine  in  width. 


1 Flavin  CtBsariensis  included  all  that  part  of  the  island  south  of  the 
Bristol  Channel  and  the  Thames ; Britannia  Prima,  that  part  be- 
tween the  Thames,  the  Severn,  the  Humber  and  the  German  Sea; 
Britannia  Secunda,  all  west  of  the  Severn,  or  rather  more  than 
Wales;  Maxima  Ctesariensis,  between  the  Humher  and  the  wall 
of  Severus,  from  sea  to  sea ; and  Valentia,  all  between  the  walls  of 
Severus  and  Antoninus.  (Henry's  Hist.  Great  Britain,  vol.  I.  p. 
847-!).)— P. 

1 Tho  Pratcntura  of  Agricola. 


The  two  mounds  were  parallel  to  the  ditch,  the  one  on 
the  north,  the  other  on  the  south.  The  southern  was  a 
military  road,  and  the  original  work  of  Hadrian;  the 
other,  it  has  been  conjectured,  was  added  as  a military 
way  for  the  wall  of  Severus,  when  the  vallum  was  no 
longer  a wTork  of  defence.  The  fortifications  were  more 
than  sixty  miles  in  length  ; forts  and  stations  at  short  dis- 
tances from  each  other  served  as  quarters  for  the  troops. 

But  the  peace  which  had  been  restored  by  Hadrian, 
was  repeatedly  broken  by  the  different  tribes  of  the 
Mseatffid  on  the  north  of  the  vallum,  and  on  the  south  by 
the  incursions  of  the  Brigantes  into  the  territory  of  the 
Ordovices.  Lollius  Urbicus  was  appointed  proprator  of 
Britain  by  Antoninus,  the  adopted  son  and  immediate  suc- 
cessor of  Trajan.  The  different  tribes  were  not  only 
reduced  to  obedience  during  his  government,  but  a new 
vallum®  was  erected  near  the  site  of  the  prastentura,  proba- 
bly from  Caer  Ridden  on  the  Forth  to  Alchuid  on  the 
Clyde/  According  to  an  inscription  that  is  still  pre- 
served, the  whole  was  finished  in  the  third  consulship  of 
Antoninus,  the  year  140  of  the  vulgar  era;  not  more 
than  twenty  years  after  the  vallum  of  Hadrian  had  been 
completed.  It  appears  from  several  measurements,  that 
the  length  of  this  new  fortification  was  not  less  than  thirty- 
seven  miles.  The  principal  parts  were  a broad  ditch,  the 
rampart,  of  which  the  foundation  was  twelve  feet  wide,  a 
well  paved  military  way  on  the  south  side  of  the  vallum, 
and  eighteen  forts  or  stations  at  convenient  distances  from 
each  other.  Although  almost  seventeen  hundred  years 
have  elapsed  since  this  work  was  finished,  and  although  it 
is  at  present  in  a very  imperfect  state,  yet  the  troops  by 
whom  it  was  raised,  and  the  portions  allotted  to  the  dif- 
ferent divisions,  may  be  determined  by  inscriptions  that 
are  still  extant.  This  monument  of  the  Roman  power 
was  achieved  by  the  soldiers  of  the  second  legion,  together 
with  the  vexillations  of  the  sixth,  the  twentieth  legions, 
and  one  cohort  of  auxiliaries.  If  the  respective  divisions 
were  complete,  which  was  not  always  the  case,  the  total 
number  could  not  have  been  greater  than  seven  thousand 
eight  hundred  men. 

A battle  fought  on  the  plain  of  Trevoux  in  the  year 
197,  made  Severus  master  of  the  empire,  and  his  reign 
forms  an  era  in  the  history  of  Roman  Britain.  To  di- 
minish the  too  great  power  of  the  prefect,  the  island  was 
divided  into  two  governments  ; by  this  means,  it  was  sup- 
posed, acts  of  flagrant  injustice  were  likely  in  future  to 
be  less  frequent,  and  the  knowledge  of  them  more  readily 
communicated  to  the  emperor.  The  northern  govern- 
ment was  conferred  on  Varius  Lupus,  but  he  found  him- 
self unable  to  repel  the  Mteatas  and  Caledonians.  The 
same  person  was  the  first  Roman  governor  in  Britain, 
who  had  recourse  to  the  dangerous  expedient  of  pur- 
chasing with  money  a temporary  peace;  the  conditions, 
it  may  be  readily  supposed,  were  broken  by  the  fierce  and 
independent  Britons,  and  the  measure  led  to  new  and  re- 
peated aggressions.  It  was  then  that  Lupus  made  known 
the  disturbed  state  of  Britain  to  the  emperor,  and  counsel- 


c Tacitus,  Life  of  Agricola. — Chapter  22. 

d The  Maeatse  included  all  the  tribes  between  the  walls  of  Severus 
and  Antoninus,  viz.  the  Novantae,  Selgovte,  Damnii,  Gadeni,  and 
Otadeni.  (Henry’s  Hist.  G.  Britain.  Book  I.  Append.) — P. 

• Vallum  of  Antoninus — Graham’s  Dike. — P. 

r According  to  Bede,  it  terminated  at  Alcluyd.  (Camden's  Britannia, 
p.  1222.) — It  extended  from  Waltown,  in  the  parish  of  Carriden,  oil  the 
Forth,  to  Dunglass,  in  the  parish  of  West  Kilpatrick,  on  the  Clyde. 
(Sinclair’s  Stat.  Account.) — P. 


BOOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


437 


led  him  to  appear  in  the  province,  and  to  bring  along  with 
him  a more  effective  army;  the  advice  was  followed  ; the 
emperor  arrived,  punished  the  insurgents,  and  restored 
peace  to  the  island.  Having  advanced  to  the  Firth  of 
Cromarty,  he  became  acquainted  with  the  habits  of  the 
northern  tribes,  and  no  earthen  rampart  was  thought  suffi- 
cient to  protect  the  southern  provinces  against  their  incur- 
sions. A new  sort  of  defence  was  chosen,  and  a wall  of 
stone®  was  erected  near  the  vallum  of  Hadrian.  It  was 
not  parallel  to  it  in  its  whole  length,  as  it  was  determined 
not  to  follow  the  winding  course  of  the  vallies,  but  to  carry 
it  across  the  loftiest  heights,  and  the  most  abrupt  preci- 
pices. The  work  was  built  of  polished  stone  ; the  height 
was  twelve  feet,  exclusively  of  the  parapet,  and  the 
breadth,  eight ; such  at  least  are  the  dimensions  accord- 
ing to  the  venerable  Bede,  who  lived  at  the  east  end  of 
the  wall,  and  in  whose  time  it  was  in  many  places  entire. 
The  length  of  the  fortifications  from  Segedunum,  Cousins- 
House,  on  the  east,  to  Tunnocelum,  Boulness,  on  the 
west,  is  more  than  sixty-eight  English,  and  less  than 
seventy-four  Roman  miles.  The  wall  was  defended  by 
stations,  castles,  and  turrets  ; the  first  amounted  in  number 
to  eighteen  ; they  wrere  fortified  with  strong  walls  and 
deep  ditches  ; the  smallest  station  could  contain  a cohort 
or  six  hundred  men.  A town,  possessed  by  Roman  and 
British  artisans,  was  built  in  the  neighbourhood  of  each 
station,  and  the  inhabitants  were  protected  by  the  garrison. 
The  castles,  situated  in  the  intervals  between  the  stations, 
were  neither  so  large  nor  so  strongly  fortified,  hut  they 
were  not  fewer  than  eighty-one.  The  turrets  served  the 
purposes  of  watch-towers,  and  places  for  sentinels,  who 
being  within  hearing  of  each  other,  could  convey  any 
intelligence  along  the  line  in  a short  time.b 

Such  was  the  wall  of  Severus,  which  Spartian,  the  his- 
torian of  the  emperor,  calls  the  greatest  glory  of  his  reign  ; 
for  nearly  two  hundred  years,  it  proved  an  impassable 
barrier  to  the  incursions  of  the  fiercest  tribes;  during  the 
greater  part  of  a thousand  years,  it  served  as  a quarry  for 
all  the  towns  and  villages  that  were  built  near  it ; its 
ruins,  imperfect  as  they  are,  cannot  at  present  be  viewed 
without  admiration. 

This  stupendous  work  was  raised  by  the  second  and 
sixth  legions.  The  Roman  soldiers,  not  less  skilled  in 
the  useful  arts  than  in  the  arts  of  war,  were  never  degrad- 
ed, in  time  of  peace,  by  indolence  and  its  consequent 
vices.  The  military  ways  of  the  Romans  were  afterwards 
the  principal  roads  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  and  Roman 
stations  became  the  most  important  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
towns. 

It  has  been  conjectured  that  the  population  of  the 
island  at  the  time  of  the  first  invasion  of  the  Romans,  was 
not  greater  than  three  hundred  thousand  individuals.  The 
conquest  may  have  been  favourable  to  the  progress  of 
civilization,  but  the  sway  of  the  Romans  was  cruel,  and 
their  government  unjust.  The  Britons  could  not  rise  to 


a The  Wall  of  Severus — called  also  the  Piets’  Wall. — P. 
b According  to  the  Notitia  Imperii,  the  wall  was  guarded  by  the 
following  troops. 


Twelve  cohorts  of  infantry,  consisting  of  six  hundred  men  each,  7200 

One  cohort  of  mariners  in  the  station  at  Boulness, GOO 

One  detachment  of  Moors,  equal  probably  to 600 

Four  wings  of  horse,  at  the  lowest  computation,  four  hundred 
eacl» 1G00 


10,000 


the  dignity  of  consulates  or  presides;  they  were  thus 
excluded  from  the  highest  offices,  and  it  was  unlawful 
for  the  strangers,  by  whom  these  offices  were  held,  to 
marry  natives,  or  to  purchase  land  in  the  island.® 

But  the  British  soldiers  in  the  Roman  armies  were 
distinguished  for  their  bravery.  It  might  be  shown  that 
there  were  at  least  fifteen  thousand  six  hundred  men,  or 
twenty-six  cohorts  of  British  infantry,  under  the  emperors. 
The  number  was,  in  all  probability,  much  greater ; and 
some  of  the  cohorts,  it  is  certain,  received  as  the  reward 
of  their  courage,  the  title  of  invincible  ;d  it  was  not,  how- 
ever, the  policy  of  Rome  to  suffer  them  to  serve  in  their 
native  land. 

Corn  was  not  the  least  important  of  the  British  prod 
ucts,  and  merely  on  account  of  that  article,  the  island 
was  of  value  to  the  Romans.  It  is  now  impossible  to  de- 
termine the  quantity  it  afforded,  but  it  was  perhaps  more 
considerable  than  is  commonly  imagined.  While  Julian 
commanded  in  Gaul,  the  Franks,  Saxons  and  Alemanni 
passed  the  Rhine,  devastated  the  country,  laid  forty  towns 
in  ashes,  and  carried  the  inhabitants  into  captivity.  Julian 
compelled  them  to  restore  the  prisoners,  but  they  might 
have  perished  from  hunger,  had  not  the  granaries  of 
Britain  furnished  a plentiful  supply.  Their  wants  were 
thus  relieved,  and  corn  was  afterwards  imported  from 
England  to  sow  their  lands. e 

The  towns  are  enumerated,  but  not  described,  in  the 
different  itineraries.  They  were  of  different  denomina- 
tions, viz.  the  colonial,  the  municipal,  the  Latian,  the 
stipendiary,  and  others  to  which  less  important  privileges 
were  attached.  The  number  of  the  first  sort  was  nine  ; 
there  were  only  two  of  the  second,  and  no  additions  were 
made  to  them,  because  the  inhabitants  were  not  subject 
to  the  imperial  statutes,  because  they  had  the  power  of 
appointing  their  own  magistrates,  and  because  they  pos- 
sessed the  rights  of  Roman  citizens.  Ten  cities  claimed 
the  Latian  right ; they  might  be  governed  by  native  magis- 
trates, who  claimed  the  freedom  of  Rome  at  the  expira- 
tion of  their  office.  The  number  of  stipendiary  towns 
was  equal  to  twelve. 

The  conquered  countries  were  divided  by  the  Romans 
into  districts  or  civitates,  each  of  which  had  its  chief  town, 
the  seat  of  a senate,  whose  jurisdiction  extended  over  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  civitas.  Gaul  was  divided  into  a 
hundred  and  seventeen  districts  ; Britain  probably  into 
thirty-three.  Honorius,  when  he  gave  up  the  island,  ad- 
dressed his  letters  to  the  civitates  or  states  of  Britain,  and 
warned  them  to  provide  for  their  own  safety. 

However  barbarous  Britain  may  have  been  when  it  wTas 
visited  by  Julius  Caesar,  it  could  not  have  continued  a 
Roman  province  during  four  hundred  years  without  par- 
ticipating in  Roman  civilization.  The  beneficent  influence 
of  Christianity  succeeded  the  debasing  superstition  of  the 
Druids  ; the  injustice  of  barbarians  was  exchanged  for  the 
laws  and  civil  institutions  of  the  Romans.  The  legisla- 

d The  British  troops  in  the  Roman  armies  were: — 

Ala  Britannica  Milliaria. 

Ala  Quarta  Britonum  in  Egypto. 

Cohors  Prima  JElia  Britonum. 

Cohors  Vigesima  Sexta  Britonum  in  Armenia. 

Britanniciani  sub  Magistro  Peditum. 

Invicti  Juniores  Britanniciani  ) . , . -t  r>  i ,• 

, , , t,  •.  • • • > inter  Auxiha  Palatina. 

i'.xculcatores  Juniores  Uritanniciani  ) 

Britones  cum  Mao-istro  Equitum  Galliarum. 

Invicti  Juniores  Britones  intra  Hispanos. 

Britones  Seniores  in  Illyrico. 

c Zosimus,  III. 


c Pandects,  xxiii.  tit.  ii.  N.  38,  57,  33. 


438 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLII. 


tive  triumphs  of  that  celebrated  people  were  not  less 
wonderful  than  their  warlike  achievements  ; by  the  latter, 
distant  provinces  were  conquered;  by  the  former,  discord- 
ant tribes  were  blended  into  one  nation.  The  laws  im- 
posed on  conquered  states,  and  the  rights  and  privileges 
conferred  on  the  inhabitants,  produced  an  union  which 
could  not  be  effected  by  military  occupation.  The  towns 
of  the  Britons  were  no  longer  begirt  with  forests  ; their 
houses  consisted  no  longer  of  wood.  The  conquered 
strove  to  imitate  the  conquerors;  cities  were  built  after 
the  model  of  those  in  Italy,  and  were  adorned  with  market- 
places, temples,  mosaic  pavements,  porticos,  and  baths. 
The  emulation  of  the  inhabitants  was  not  confined  to  the 
useful,  it  extended  to  the  liberal  arts.  Juvenal  alludes 
to  the  skill  of  the  Britons  in  one  department  of  letters, 
certainly  not  of  the  highest  order — •“  Gallia  causidicos 
docuit  facunda  Britannos.”  Martial  bears  witness  that 
the  Roman  poets  were  read  in  the  island — “ Dicitur  et 
nostros  cantare  Britannia  versus.”  The  more  respecta- 
ble authority  of  an  historian  indicates  the  similarity  of 
institutions,  customs,  and  manners  in  the  two  countries — 
“ Ita  ut  non  Britannica  sed  Romana  insula  censeretur.”* 

The  names  of  two  peopleb  appear  for  the  first  time  in 
history  during  the  fourth  century  ; it  ought  not,  however, 
to  be  inferred  that  the  older  writers  were  ignorant  of  their 
existence.  The  Scots  inhabited  Ireland,  which,  in  the 
Roman  language,  is  indifferently  called  Hibernia  and 
Scotia.  The  frequent  intercourse  between  the  British 
mountaineers  and  the  Irish,  and  the  numerous  emigrations 
from  the  one  country  to  the  other,  led  in  time  to  a com- 
munity of  names.  The  Scots  possessed  the  north-western 
coasts  and  archipelago,  while  the  Piets  dwelt  in  the  east 
on  the  confines  of  the  German  Ocean  ; their  respective 
territories  were  divided  by  the  chain  of  the  Grampian 
hills.  The  Scots,  living  in  the  mountains,  became  hunt- 
ers or  wandering  shepherds;  the  Piets,  having  a more 
fruitful  soil,  and  a more  level  country,  cultivated  the 
ground,  and  built  solid  habitations,  of  which  the  ruins  still 
remain.  When  united  together  for  an  irruption  into  the 
south,  they  lived  on  friendly  terms,  and  their  two  chiefs, 
one  of  whom  resided  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tay,  and  the 
other  between  the  lakes  of  Argyll,  joined  their  standards  ; 
on  other  occasions,  their  friendship  was  interrupted  by 
mutual  depredations. 

A small  territory  in  the  Cimbric  Chersonesus  was  peo- 
pled in  ancient  times  by  the  ancestors  of  the  English.® 
More  important  tribes  have  been  exterminated  or  sub- 
dued, but  a different  fate  was  reserved  for  a horde  of 
freebooters,  too  insignificant  to  be  mentioned  by  Tacitus 
with  the  other  inhabitants  of  Germany.  The  descendants 
of  the  same  tribe  are  now  the  people  of  England,  the 
citizens  of  the  great  republick  in  the  new  world,  and  the 
settlers  in  the  vast  colonial  possessions  of  Great  Britain. d 

Ptolemy  of  Alexandria  is  the  first  writer  who  mentions 
the  Saxons;  they  inhabited,  before  the  middle  of  the 
second  century,  the  western  side  of  the  Cimbric  Cher- 
sonesus,  between  the  Elbe  and  the  Eyder,  and  three 
small  islands  at  the  mouth  of  the  Elbe.  The  same  peo- 
ple formed  at  a later  period  the  great  Saxon  confedera- 
tion which  extended  from  the  Elbe  to  the  Rhine.  The 
Angles,  supposed  to  have  been  originally  a tribe  of  the 


Suevi,  the  bravest  of  the  German  nations,  settled  in  the 
Cimbric  Chersonesus,  and  inhabited  the  present  dutchy 
of  Sleswick.  Their  name  is  still  preserved  in  the  district 
of  Anglen,  between  Flensburg  and  Sleswick.  The  Jutes, 
a tribe  of  the  Getas,  inhabited  the  extremity  of  the  Cim 
brie  Chersonesus,  which  from  them  is  still  called  Jutland. 
Of  these,  the  Saxons  were  the  dominant  tribe  ; the  two 
others  were  in  a state  of  subjection. 

No  conquest  was  more  complete,  and  none  more  durable 
in  its  effects,  than  that  of  England  by  the  Saxons.  Dis- 
astrous at  first,  as  the  inroads  of  savages  must  ever  be, 
destructive  of  Roman  civilization,  and  bringing  back  the 
country  into  the  barbarism  from  which  it  had  been  saved, 
the  advantages  that  followed  seemed  uncertain  and  re- 
mote. 

The  chiefs  or  powerful  men  among  the  Saxons  erected 
separate  sovereignties  in  the  island  ; new  divisions  were 
thus  formed,  and  the  old  abolished.  This  period  of  Eng- 
lish history  is  generally  styled  the  time  of  the  heptarchy; 
the  name,  although  incorrect,  is  sanctioned  by  usage.  It 
is  necessary,  however,  to  allude  to  the  error,  otherwise 
the  limits  of  the  petty  kingdoms  might  not  be  readily 
understood.  It  may  perhaps  be  better  to  describe  these 
states  according  to  the  dates  of  their  foundation,  than  their 
vicinity  to  each  other. 

Kent,  the  first  Saxon  kingdom  in  Britain,  was  not  more 
extensive  than  the  county  of  the  same  name.  It  was 
founded  about  the  year  455,  and  the  new  settlers  em- 
braced Christianity,  while  the  rest  of  their  countrymen 
in  England  adhered  to  their  pagan  superstitions. 

The  second  state,  or  the  kingdom  of  the  South  Saxons,® 
comprehended  the  two  counties  of  Sussex  and  Surrey. 
Ella  and  his  three  sons,  accompanied  with  a band  of  ad- 
venturers, landed  in  the  year  477,  but  he  did  not  make 
himself  master  of  his  small  sovereignty  until  the  year  490, 
when  he  took  the  town  of  Anderid,  in  the  midst  of  the 
forest  of  Anderida.  Chichester,  the  Rcgnumo{  the  Ro- 
mans, and  the  Caer  Cei  of  the  Britons,  appears  to  have 
been  the  capital  of  his  kingdom.  It  was  converted  to 
Christianity  in  the  year  678,  and  contained  at  that  time 
about  seven  thousand  families. f 

Cerdic  arrived  in  England  five  years  after  the  taking  of 
Anderid,  but  several  years  elapsed  before  Wessex  or  the 
kingdom  of  the  West  Saxons  was  founded.  It  consisted 
of  the  counties  of  Hants,  Berks,  Wilts,  Somerset,  Dorset, 
Devon  and  part  of  Cornwall.  It  was  not  until  the  year 
519,  after  a destructive  battle  had  been  fought  at  Charford 
on  the  Avon,  that  the  Saxons,  under  Cerdic,  established 
themselves  in  the  country.  The  Isle  of  Wight,  one  of 
the  earliest  conquests  of  the  West  Saxons,  was  made  over 
to  the  nephews  of  the  conqueror. 

Erkenwin  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Essex  or  the 
East  Saxons  in  the  year  530  ; he  ruled  over  Essex, 
Middlesex  and  part  of  Hertfordshire.  The  princes  of 
Essex  acted  no  distinguished  part  during  the  heptarchy  ; 
they  appear  to  have  been  dependent  on  the  kings  of  Kent. 

The  Angles,  allured  by  the  success  of  the  Saxons, 
left  their  native  land.  They  settled  in  the  country  on 
the  north-east  of  the  Saxons;  Uffa  was  chosen  their 
leader,  and  from  him,  his  successors  were  styled  Ujjingas. 
Cambridge,  Suffolk,  and  the  Isle  of  Ely,  made  up  the 


d Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  Sharon  Turner. 
e Called  also  the  Kingdom  of  Sussex. 
f Bede’s  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  IV.  Chap.  xiii. 


a Gildas,  chap.  5. 

11  Tlie  Scots  and  Piets. 
c The  Saxons,  Angles,  and  Jutes 


COOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  O*  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


439 


kingdom  of  the  East  Angles  ;a  St.  Edmund’s  Ditch  sep- 
arated it  from  Mercia.  Dunwich,  the  capital,  is  the 
Domnoc  of  the  venerable  Bede  ; although  now  covered 
by  the  sea,  it  was  a place  of  considerable  importance 
during  the  Roman  and  Saxon  periods.b 

But  the  Angles  were  not  confined  to  East  Anglia  ; the 
greater  number  of  them  invaded  the  north  of  England, 
and  founded  the  kingdom  of  Bernicia,  which  extended 
from  the  Tyne  to  the  Forth.  Ida,  their  leader,  built  a 
castle  on  a lofty  promontory,  and  called  it  Bebbanburgh 
in  honour  of  his  wife  Bebba  ; the  same  place  is  now  better 
known  by  the  name  of  Bamburgh.c 

Deira,  the  third  Anglian  kingdom,  was  bounded  on  the 
south  by  the  Humber,  and  on  the  north  by  the  Tyne. 
The  Britons  in  that  part  of  England  were  subdued  in  the 
year  560  by  Sella,  an  Anglian  chief,  but  the  country  re- 
tained the  name  of  its  early  inhabitants.  Thus  the  king- 
doms of  Bernicia  and  Deira  stretched  from  the  Humber 
to  the  Forth,  and  from  the  eastern  to  the  western  sea. 

Cridda  passed  the  Humber  in  the  year  586,  defeated 
the  Britons  on  the  coast,  and  extended  his  conquests  to 
the  heart  of  England.  The  powerful  kingdom  of  Mer- 
cia comprehended  the  counties  of  Huntingdon,  Rutland, 
Lincoln,  Northampton,  Leicester,  Derby,  Nottingham, 
Oxford,  Cheshire,  Salop,  Gloucester,  Worcester,  Stafford, 
Warwick,  Buckingham,  Bedford,  and  part  of  Hertford. 
Sometimes  called  the  kingdom  of  the  Central  Angles,  it 
derived  the  more  common  name  of  Mercia  from  being 
contiguous  to  Wales  and  all  the  other  Saxon  kingdoms. 

Thus  it  has  been  shown  that  eight  separate  states  were 
founded  in  Britain  by  the  Saxons.  Bernicia  and  Deira 
were  often  under  the  same  sceptre,  and  it  has  been  sup- 
posed that  they  formed  one  kingdom,  but  some  of  the 
others  were  at  different  times  united  under  the  same 
monarch.  An  octarchy  denotes  the  total  number  of 
Anglo-Saxon  states  in  Britain  ; a triarchy  the  different 
tribes  that  subdued  the  country^ 

The  present  chorography  of  England  derives  its  origin 
from  the  Saxon  period,  or  to  speak  more  precisely,  from 
the  time  of  Alfred  the  Great.  Certain  districts  were 
governed  by  ealdormen  or  aldermen,  a dignity,  which  in- 
dicated the  age  of  the  individuals  on  whom  it  was  con- 
ferred ; but  when  England  was  afterwards  invaded  by  the 
Northmen,  these  persons  were  styled  juris,  and  the  title 
of  earl  has  been'substituted  for  that  of  ealdorman.  The 
districts  which  were  thus  governed,  corresponded  in  some 
degree  with  the  present  counties,  but  their  limits  were 
not  the  same.  England  in  the  time  of  Alfred  contained 
only  thirty-two  counties  ; Durham  and  Lancashire  formed 
part  of  Yorkshire,  while  Cornwall  was  united  to  Devon- 
shire, and  Rutland  to  Northamptonshire  ; Northumber- 
land, Westmoreland  and  Cumberland  were  subject  to 
Scotland.  The  districts  were  entrusted  by  the  ealdormen 
to  the  care  of  deputies,  who  were  called  shire-reeves, 
shrieves  or  sheriffs,  the  Anglo-Saxon  word  shire  being 
synonymous  with  the  English  word  share,  and  reeve 
signifying  to  manage  or  govern. 

In  the  Norman  period,  England  was  enlarged  by  the 
accession  of  Cumberland  and  Westmoreland;  Northum- 

a East  Anglia. 

b Dunwich  was  formerly  one  of  the  most  flourishing  maritime  towns 
in  England.  It  had  attained  its  highest  prosperity  in  the  reign  of 
Henry  II.  In  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  after  it  had  considerably  de- 
clined, it  had  eleven  ships  of  war,  thirty-six  merchant  ships,  and  twenty- 
four  fishing  vessels.  It  had  eight  parish  churches,  of  which  only  one 
remains  As  it  is  situated  on  a high  loamy  bank,  continually  under- 


berland,  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  the  Scots,  was  little 
more  than  a nominal  part  of  the  kingdom.  Wales  was 
then  independent,  and  it  continued  so  until  the  time  of 
Edward  the  First,  who  defeated  the  Welsh,  abolished  the 
line  of  their  kings,  and  annexed  the  principality  to  the 
English  throne.  It  was,  however,  at  a much  more  recent 
period  that  the  counties  in  England  and  Wales  were  di- 
vided according  to  their  present  limits.  The  improve- 
ment, if  on  the  whole  it  can  be  called  one,  was  not  effected 
before  the  thirty-fourth  year  of  Henry  the  Eighth.  An 
act  was  passed  in  that  year,  by  which  the  marches  or  inter- 
mediate lands  between  England  and  Wales,  were  divided 
anew,  or  annexed  to  old  counties.  The  new  counties  are 
Monmouthshire,  then  declared  an  English  county,  and 
Brecknockshire,  Denbighshire,  Montgomeryshire  and 
Radnorshire  in  Wales.  Additional  land  was  annexed  to 
Gloucestershire,  Herefordshire  and  Shropshire,  and  also 
to  Cardiganshire,  Caermarthenshire,  Glamorganshire, 
Merionethshire  and  Pembrokeshire. 

The  districts6  were  divided  into  trethings,  trithings  or 
tridings,  a division  which  is  still  preserved  in  the  ridings 
of  Yorkshire.  They  were  governed  by  a trithing-reeve, 
an  officer  subordinate  to  the  sheriff.  Lathes  and  rapes 
cannot  be  correctly  defined  ; they  were  probably  less 
than  trithings  ; it  is  certain  they  were  larger  than  hun- 
dreds. Kent  is  still  divided  into  lathes,  and  Sussex  into 
rapes. 

The  divisions  into  hundreds  and  tithings  have  been  at- 
tributed to  Alfred  ; it  is  more  probable  they  were  estab- 
lished by  the  Saxons  at  an  earlier  period,  at  least  they 
corresponded  with  the  pngi  and  vici  into  which  the 
country  of  the  ancient  Germans  was  divided.  The  hun- 
dreds were  so  called  because  they  contained  a hundred 
free  families.  It  has  been  maintained  that  they  depended 
not  on  the  population,  but  on  the  size  of  the  district ; it 
is  difficult,  however,  to  reconcile  this  opinion  with  the 
fact  that  the  most  populous  districts  in  the  Saxon  times 
were  divided  into  a greater  number  of  hundreds  than  more 
extensive  but  less  fruitful  tracts.  The  tithings,  as  their 
name  imports,  were  the  tenth  part  of  a hundred. 

The  northern  counties  were  not  made  up  of  hundreds, 
but  of  wards  and  wapentakes.  They  were  called  wards 
because  the  inhabitants,  in  ancient  times,  were  obliged  to 
watch  and  ward  against  the  incursions  of  their  enemies. 
Wapentake  and  weapon-take  are  evidently  synonymous. 
Cumberland,  Westmoreland,  Northumberland,  Durham 
and  Lanarkshire  are  divided  into  wards  ; Yorkshire  into 
wapentakes. 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  present  divisions  of  England 
may  be  traced  to  Saxon  times  ; the  names  of  ancient 
offices  and  titles  of  honour  are  referable  to  the  same 
period  ; the  greater  number  of  towns,  burghs  and  villages 
retain,  with  little  variation,  the  names  which  were  given 
them  by  the  Saxons.  The  Anglo-Saxon  language  re- 
sembles the  English  in  its  structure,  grammar,  and  idio- 
matic expressions  ; the  genius  of  the  two  languages  is  the 
same,  and  the  one  may  be  considered  the  daughter  of  the 
other.  A knowledge  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  enabled  an 
English  philologist*-  to  analyze  all  the  indeclinable  parts 

mined  by  the  sea,  almost  the  whole  of  the  town  has  been  washed  away 
In  1801,  it  contained  only  forty-two  houses,  and  184  inhabitants 
(Shoberl’s  Suffolk.)— P. 

c Bamborough  Castle — fourteen  miles  S.  E.  of  Berwick. — P 

d Turner’s  History  of  the  Anglo-Saxons.  Yol.  i. 

e Counties. 

1 Horne  Tooke. 


440 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIl 


of  speech  in  Ins  own  language,  and  to  trace  them  to 
their  source.  The  studies  of  Johnson  rendered  him  ill 
fitted  for  his  laborious  task  ; of  the  only  language  that 
could  guide  him  in  his  researches,  the  author  of  the 
dictionary  was  ignorant ; his  etymologies  are  generally 
erroneous ; his  ingenuity  is  exhausted  in  fanciful  and 
unmeaning  analogies.  Few  men  could  have  raised  such 
a monument  from  so  imperfect  materials  ; but  it  may 
be  doubted  if  the  dictionary  has  tended  to  render  Eng- 
lishmen more  familiar  with  the  power  and  copiousness 
of  their  vernacular  tongue.* 

A Saxon  king,  it  might  seem,  had  enough  to  do  to 
conquer  his  enemies,  to  give  laws  to  his  subjects,  and  to 
administer  justice  among  them  in  person  ; but  Alfred 
found  time  to  cultivate  letters,  and  some  of  his  writings 
are  still  extant.  “ In  three  pages  of  Alfred’s  Orosius,” 
says  Sharon  Turner,  “ I found  seventy-eight  words 
which  had  become  obsolete  in  English  out  of  five  hun- 
dred and  forty-eight,  or  about  one-seventh.  In  three 
pages  of  his  Boethius,  I found  a hundred  and  forty-three 
obsolete  out  of  six  hundred  and  sixty-six,  or  about  one- 
fifth.  In  three  pages  of  his  Bede,  I found  two  hundred 
and  thirty  obsolete,  out  of  nine  hundred  and  sixty-nine,  or 
about  one-fifth.  The  difference  in  the  proportion  between 
these  and  the  Orosius  proceeds  from  the  latter  containing 
many  historical  names.”1  Not  more  than  one-fifth  part 
of  the  words  in  the  Saxon  are  now  wholly  obsolete  in 
English ; this  must  not  be  considered  a mere  asser- 
tion ; the  truth  of  it  has  been  proved,  in  some  degree 
at  least,  by  Mr.  Turner.  The  English  language  is 
principally  derived  from  the  Saxon,  and  it  has  been 
remarked  that  the  idiomatic  phrases,  those  on  which 
the  characteristic  differences  of  languages  depend,  are  the 
same  in  the  one  and  in  the  other.  It  need  not,  therefore, 
excite  surprise,  that  the  English  writers,  who  are  the 
most  remarkable  for  the  purity  of  their  style,  abound 
most  in  Saxon  expressions. 

It  could  not  have  been  foreseen,  at  the  time  Britain  was 
inhabited  by  the  civilized  Romans,  that  the  island  was  to 
be  conquered  by  an  obscure,  nay,  almost  an  unknown  tribe, 
much  less  that  works  comparable  to  those  of  the  best  peri- 
ods of  Greece  and  Rome,  were  to  be  written  by  Englishmen 
in  a language  handed  down  to  them  by  northern  barbarians.® 

It  is  of  importance,  in  examining  the  historical  geogra- 
phy of  a country,  to  ascertain  its  population  at  any  re- 
markable epoch,  such  as  that  of  the  Saxons  in  England  ; 
but,  unfortunately,  this  can  seldom  be  done  with  any 
thing  like  precision.  It  is  not  easy  to  find  the  truth  in 
the  conflicting  statements  of  different  writers.  The  low 
state  of  the  arts,  the  wretched  condition  of  the  ancient 
Britons,  the  destructive  wars  with  the  Danes,  and  above 
all,  the  division  of  the  people  into  two  classes,  the  ser- 
vile and  the  free,  must  have  had  a tendency  to  perpet- 

*  Want  of  candour  was  no  part  of  Johnson’s  character;  he  ac- 
knowledged his  errors,  and  declared  that,  if  he  lived  to  give  another 
edition  of  his  dictionary,  he  would  adopt  Mr.  Horne’s  derivations. 
Di  versions  of  Parley,  edited  by  Taylor,  vol.  i.  page  154. 

b History  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  Appendix,  chap.  iii. 

c “ Of  sixty-nine  words  which  make  up  the  Lord’s  prayer,  there  are 
only  five  not  Saxon,  the  best  example  of  the  natural  bent  of  our  lan- 
guage, and  of  the  words  apt  to  be  chosen  by  those  who  speak  and  write 
it  without  design.  Of  eighty-one  words  in  the  soliloquy  of  Hamlet, 
thirteen  only  are  of  Latin  origin.  Even  in  a passage  of  ninety  words 
in  Milton,  whose  diction  is  more  learned  than  that  of  any  other  poet, 
there  are  only  sixteen  Latin  words.  In  four  verses  of  the  authorized 
version  of  Genesis,  which  contain  about  a hundred  and  thirty  words, 
there  are  no  more  than  five  Latin.  In  seventy-nine  words  of  Addi- 
son, whose  perfect  taste  preserved  him  from  a pedantic  or  con- 


uate  barbarism,  and  to  check  the  progress  of  popula- 
tion ; but  the  total  number  of  inhabitants  is  supposed  to 
have  been  less  than,  in  all  probability,  it  really  was.  It 
has  been  affirmed  that  the  population  was  not  much 
greater  in  the  time  of  the  heptarchy  than  before  the 
Roman  invasion,  and  much  less  than  in  the  flourishing 
times  of  the  Roman  government.*1  This  opinion  rests 
chiefly  on  the  evidence  afforded  by  Domesday-book, 
but  according  to  that  register,  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  population  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  counties  amounted 
to  a million  and  a half.e  Those,  however,  who  have 
examined  the  work  most  minutely,  do  not  think  it  con- 
tains the  data  on  which  such  a calculation  can  be  made. 
Some  of  the  northern  counties  are  omitted,  and  many  of 
the  burgesses  are  not  mentioned.  Thus,  there  were  not 
more  than  seventy  in  Yarmouth,  fifty-two  in  Buckingham, 
ten  in  Bristol,  then  an  important  town,  nine  in  Bedford  and 
five  in  Sudbury.  No  notice  is  taken  of  Winchester  ; the 
monks  and  almost  all  the  secular  clergy  are  not  enumerated. 
If  allowances  are  made  for  these  defects,  the  result  can 
only  be  considered  an  approximation.  There  is  besides 
another  source  of  error,  and  one  which  is  not  always  taken 
into  account ; in  other  words,  it  may  easily  be  shown 
that  the  population  was  greater  in  the  time  of  the 
Saxons  than  at  the  time  the  register  of  Domesday  was 
taken.  It  is  necessary  to  calculate  the  effects  of  the  ex- 
terminating wars  waged  by  the  conqueror,  of  whole  dis- 
tricts withdrawn  from  cultivation,  of  the  signal  punish- 
ments inflicted  on  the  northern  rebels,  and  of  the  almost 
total  depopulation  of  their  country. 

The  Saxons  were  a barbarous  people  ; the  superior 
genius  of  a few  was  obscured  in  the  general  darkness. 
The  example  of  the  venerable  Bede  was  not  imitated  ; 
his  moral  worth  and  intellectual  attainments  formed  a 
bright  contrast  to  the  greater  number  of  the  clergy,  and 
to  the  greater  number  of  his  countrymen.  The  thanes 
or  powerful  men  were  more  ignorant  than  the  peasantry 
of  the  present  day;  none  of  them  could  read  or  write, 
and  when  something  like  a better  change  was  effected 
by  the  authority,  encouragement  and  remonstrances  of 
Alfred,  many  regretted  that  they  had  neglected  letters  in 
their  youth,  believing  it  impossible  for  a man  of  mature 
age  to  learn  to  read  or  write.  Kings  put  a cross  to 
charters  as  a substitute  for  their  signature,  and  Alfred’s 
brothers  were  as  ignorant  as  the  rest  of  their  countrymen/ 
“ It  is  known,”  says  Alfred,  “ how  few  of  the  clergy  can 
read  ; still  they  are  the  only  instructors  of  the  people.” 

The  arts  during  the  same  period  indicate  a rude  state 
of  society  ; the  home  trade  was  almost  confined  to  the 
necessaries  of  life,  while  foreign  commerce  was  very  in- 
significant ; some  encouragement,  however,  must  have 
been  given  to  it,  for  a merchant  who  went  three  times 
over  sea  in  his  own  craft,  might  become  a thane. s It 

strained  preference  for  any  portion  of  the  language,  we  find  only  fifteen 
Latin  In  later  times  the  language  has  rebelled  against  the  bad  taste 
of  those  otherwise  vigorous  minds,  who.  instead  of  ennobling  their 
style  like  Milton,  by  the  position  and  combination  of  words,  have  tried 
to  raise  it  by  unusual  and  far-fetched  expressions.  Dr.  Johnson  l ira 
self,  from  whose  corruptions  English  style  is  only  recovering,  in  eighty- 
seven  words  of  his  fine  parallel  between  Dryden  and  Pope,  has  found 
means  to  introduce  no  more  than  twenty-one  of  Latin  derivation.” 
History  of  England,  by  Sir  James  Mackintosh,  page  82. 

Robertson  and  Hume  have  been  submitted  to  a similar  analysis,  and 
the  result  is  equally  satisfactory. 

d Henry’s  History  of  Britain,  vol.  iii.  p.  319. 
e According  to  Sir  James  Mackintosh,  to  1,700,000. 
f Asser’s  Annals  of  Alfred. 
i Wilkins,  Leges  Saxonicae. 


BOOK.  CliII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


441 


sometimes  happened  that  abbots  and  influential  persons 
requested  their  friends  on  the  Continent  to  send  artificers  in 
different  articles,  that  could  not  be  made  in  England.  Goat- 
skin coverlets  and  pillows  stuffed  with  straw  were  the  lux- 
uries of  the  rich,  and  ladies  of  rank  bequeathed  their  bed- 
linen  to  their  daughters.  The  dialogues  of  Elfric  throw 
some  light  on  the  occupations  and  trades  of  the  Saxons. 

It  is  incorrect  to  judge  of  their  private  houses  from 
the  comparative  magnificence  of  their  churches.  The 
former  were  small,  ill  huilt,  and  not  comparable,  in  point 
of  cleanliness  at  least,  to  those  that  are  now  inhabited  by 
the  lower  orders  in  England.  Alcuin,  an  Anglo-Saxon 
ahhot  of  immense  wealth,  but  more  remarkable  as  being 
one  of  the  few  great  men  of  his  day,  lived  in  a mean  and 
dirty  house.  Some  costly  articles,  such  as  gold  cups 
and  silver  gohlets,  adorned  the  rude  halls  in  which  the 
feasts  of  the  nobles  were  held  ; but  the  wealthiest  amongst 
them  never  enjoyed  the  luxuries  which  are  now  com- 
mon to  every  peasant.  The  collective  happiness  or  mis- 
ery of  a people  is  proportionate  to  their  knowledge  or  igno- 
rance ; the  diffusion  of  wealth  or  luxury,  if  a term  can  be 
used,  the  meaning  of  which  varies  in  different  states  of  so- 
ciety, is  one  effect  of  the  progress  of  knowledge,  and  not  the 
least  beneficial,  as  it  extends  to  all  orders  and  ranks  of  men. 

The  nobles  passed  their  time  on  their  estates  ; the 
tedium  of  indolence,  and  the  absence  of  social  or  intel- 
lectual enjoyment,  was  relieved  by  manly  exercises. 
They  shared  with  their  sovereign  in  the  pleasures  of 
the  chase  ; to  excel  in  this  amusement  was  the  boast  of 
princes.  The  imperfect  state  of  cultivation,  the  great 
extent  of  waste  lands,  and  the  number  of  wild  animals, 
some  of  which  are  now  extinct  in  England,  were  favora- 
nle  to  an  occupation  which  accorded  well  with  the  man- 
ners and  habits  of  the  Saxons. 

The  people,  it  has  been  already  observed,  consisted  of 
two  classes,  the  free  and  the  servile  ; among  the  former, 
there  were  distinctions  of  rank  ; among  the  latter, 
different  degrees  of  slavery  ; the  cottars,  bordars,  and 
villeins  were  subject  to  a bondage  more  or  less  oppressive. 
Some  were  liberated  by  the  benevolence  or  generosity  of 
their  masters  ; others  might  amass  property,  and  purchase 
their  freedom  ; still,  it  is  certain,  the  servile  population 
was  much  more  numerous  than  the  free.  The  influence 
of  the  church  and  the  new  religion  might  have  tended 
to  soften  the  rigours  of  slavery ; in  latter  times,  it  was 
unlawful  to  alienate  a Christian  from  the  land.®  Extraor- 
dinary changes  take  place  in  the  affairs  of  nations  ; if  a 
slave  now  lands  on  the  English  shores,  at  that  moment  he 
obtains  his  freedom,  but  formerly  the  English  themselves 
were  sold  as  slaves  in  a barbarous  and  revolting  manner.b 

The  authority  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  princes  wras  limited 
by  the  nobles,  and  in  some  measure  dependent  on  the 
national  councils.  Not  arbitrary,  but  more  of  a mixed 


a An  Anglo-Saxon  noble  gave  his  lands  to  the  church,  and  the  teams 
of  men  are  enumerated  with  the  teams  of  oxen.  Turner,  vol.  iii. 
appendix. 

b The  custom  of  selling  their  nearest  relations  for  their  own  advan- 
tage, is  said  to  be  natural  to  the  people  of  Northumberland.  Malm.  lib. 
i.  chap.  3d.  “ There  is  aseaporttown  called  Bristol,  opposite  to  Ireland, 

into  which  its  inhabitants  make  frequent  voyages  on  account  of  trade. 
Wolfstan  cured  the  people  of  this  town  of  a most  odious  and  inveterate 
custom  which  they  derived  from  their  ancestors,  of  buying  men  and 
women  in  all  parts  of  England,  and  exporting  them  to  Ireland  for  the 
sake  of  gain.  The  young  women  they  commonly  got  with  child,  and 
carried  them  to  market  in  their  pregnancy,  that  they  might  bring  a bet- 
ter price.  You  might  have  seen  with  sorrow,  long  ranks  of  young  per- 
sons of  both  sexes  and  of  the  greatest  beauty,  tied  together  with  ropes, 
VOL.  Ill NO.  56  56 


character,  their  government  resembled  that  of  the  an 
cient  German  kings,  as  it  is  described  by  Tacitus.  Their 
monarchies  were  elective  rather  than  hereditary,  at  least 
the  person  in  the  regular  order  of  succession  was  often 
omitted,  and  another  appointed  by  the  wittenagemot.  If 
the  power  of  the  kings  was  afterwards  increased,  and  if  the 
government  tended  towards  a despotism,  it  may  be  attrib- 
uted to  the  force  of  circumstances,  and  to  the  genius  of 
the  individuals  who  reigned,  not  to  any  change  in  the 
character  of  the  people. 

Antiquarians  have  traced  the  commencement  of  par- 
liaments to  the  time  of  the  wittenagemot.  Although 
the  members  of  the  latter  may  have  been  the  most 
influential  persons  in  the  country,  it  was  widely  different 
from  either  house  of  parliament ; it  resembled  more  the 
assemblies  of  the  ancient  Germans.  The  institution  of 
juries  is  commonly  believed  to  be  of  Saxon  origin,  and  it 
is  not  unlikely  that  the  germs  of  them  existed  in  the  time 
of  Alfred.  He  is  said  to  have  put  a judge  to  death  for 
condemning  a criminal,  when  the  jury  were  in  doubt 
about  their  verdict,  “ for  when  in  doubt,  they  ought 
rather  to  save  than  condemn.”® 

The  virtue  of  chastity  was  common  to  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  women  with  those  of  ancient  Germany.  Bede 
bears  his  testimony  to  the  virtue  of  his  countrywomen, 
and  Tacitus  deplores  that  what  could  not  be  effected  by 
the  refinement  of  Greece  and  Rome,  was  accomplished 
almost  by  the  natural  instinct  of  barbarians. 

The  subjugation  of  England  by  William  the  Bastard, 
Duke  of  Normandy,  is  the  last  territorial  conquest  that 
has  taken  place  in  the  west  of  Europe,  but  it  was  by  no 
means  the  most  complete  of  its  kind  ; it  was  insuffi- 
cient, it  has  been  already  seen,  to  destroy  the  language, 
much  less  the  memory  of  the  Saxons.  The  destinies 
of  the  vanquished  were  changed  ; reduced  to  slavery, 
they  could  not  engage  in  the  military  profession,  or  ex- 
ercise command.  Soldiers  left  their  castles  or  forts, 
and  repaired  to  towns,  where  they  subsisted,  not  by  arms, 
but  by  toil  and  servile  employments.  In  these  towns,  it 
has  been  shown, d the  embers  of  Roman  civilization  were 
preserved,  and  it  is  certain  the  rise  of  the  conquered  class 
corresponded  with  the  decline  of  the  feudal  nobility,  the 
descendants  of  the  conquerors.  Historians  narrate  the 
victories  of  the  Normans,  and  affirm  that  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Saxons  was  the  inevitable  consequence  of  the 
battle  of  Hastings.  A people  are  not  so  easily  destroyed  ; 
their  inveterate  hatred  against  their  oppressors  is  cher- 
ished by  the  memory  of  past  independence  ; the  state 
of  England  under  the  Normans  has  with  more  truth  been 
compared  to  that  of  the  Greeks  under  the  Turks.  In 
both  countries  many  lost  their  lives  in  the  vain  attempt 
to  regain  their  freedom. 

The  history  of  England  from  the  year  1066,  the  epoch 


and  daily  exposed  to  sale  : nor  were  these  men  ashamed.  O horrid 

wickedness  ! to  give  up  their  nearest  relations,  nay  their  own  children 
to  slavery.  Wolfstan  knowing  the  obstinacy  of  these  people,  some- 
times stayed  two  months  amongst  them  preaching  ; by  which  in  process 
of  time,  he  had  made  so  great  an  impression  on  their  minds,  that  they 
abandoned  their  wicked  trade,  and  set  an  example  to  all  the  rest  in  Encr- 
land  to  do  the  same.”  Henry’s  History  of  Great  Britain.  Gregory 
the  Great  pitied  the  fate  of  the  English  (Angles),  who  were  often 
sold  as  slaves  at  Rome,  and  was  thus  led  to  think  of  converting  the 
islanders. 

c Mirroir  des  Justices,  p.  297.  See  also  Turner’s  History,  Book  v 
chap.  6. 

d Savigny’s  History  of  the  Roman  Law,  translated  by  E.  Cathcart 
Esq.  See  Mr.  Cathcart’s  valuable  notes  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 


442 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLir. 


of  the  conquest,  to  1215,  the  date  of  the  great  charter, 
appears  to  confirm  these  remarks.  It  consists  of  changes 
in  the  government,  insurrections  among  the  people, 
domestic  spoliation  and  foreign  warfare  ; many,  who 
escaped  these  calamities,  were  cut  offby  famine  or  pesti- 
lence.3 * * William  made  over  the  land  to  seven  hundred 
of  his  officers,  who  divided  it  among  their  followers  ; from 
this  period,  the  vanquished  classes  are  placed  too  much 
out  of  view  ; it  has  been  ascertained,  however,  that  super- 
stition was  not  the  sole  cause  of  the  long  and  violent  quar- 
rel between  Henry  the  Second  and  Archbishop  Becket, 
and  that  Englishmen  are  indebted  to  others  besides  the 
barons  for  the  charter  of  their  liberties. b 

The  seeds  of  freedom  began  to  spring  during  the  long 
reign  of  Henry  the  Third  ; but,  marked  as  it  was  with 
faction,  the  consequence  of  weakness,  and  with  civil 
war,  the  result  of  turbulence,  the  advantages  were  of  short 
duration.  The  following  reigns  of  the  Edwards  have 
been  considered  “ the  most  glorious  in  the  English  an- 
nals.” It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  remark  that  one  of 
these  kings  was  inhumanly  murdered  by  his  own  subjects, 
and  that  during  a period  of  not  less  than  a century,  the  na- 
tion en  joyed  scarcely  ten  years  of  peace.  The  reigns  of 
the  Edwards  may  be  admitted  to  have  been  remarkable 
for  the  splendour  of  victories,  the  pomp  of  triumphs,  and 
the  acquisition  of  distant  territories,  not  so  on  account 
of  the  happiness  of  the  people.  Military  renown  was  a 
poor  recompense  for  the  waste  of  war,  a decreasing  pop- 
ulation, and  a neglected  husbandry.  The  laws  indicate 
the  Wretched  condition  of  the  inhabitants.  “ Every  able- 
bodied  man  under  sixty  years  of  age,  not  having  suffi- 
cient to  live  on,  being  required,  shall  be  bound  to  serve 
him  that  doth  require  him,  or  else  shall  be  committed  to 
gaol,  till  he  finds  security  to  serve.  If  a servant  or  work- 
man depart  from  service  before  the  time  agreed  on,  he 
shall  be  imprisoned.  If  any  artificer  take  more  usages  than 
were  wont  to  be  paid,  heshall  be  committed  to  gaol.”c 

Thus  superior  and  inferior  skill  were  equally  rewarded, 
but  the  severity  of  these  statutes  was  increased  by  the 
34th  Edward  the  Third.  According  to  that  act,  if  a 
labourer  or  servant  flee  to  a town,  the  chief  officer  shall 
deliver  him  up,  and  if  he  depart  to  another  county,  the 
letter  F shall  be  burnt  on  his  forehead.  Those  who 
affect  to  admire  the  past,  might  do  well  to  examine  it 
more  minutely,  to  convince  themselves  of  the  poverty  and 
ignorance  of  the  people,  and  the  unjust  oppression  to 
which  they  were  subject,  to  estimate  correctly  the  barba- 
rism of  such  enactments  as  have  been  mentioned,  and  the 
collective  misery  co-existent  with  them.  The  tendency 
of  industry  and  civilization  is  to  diffuse  happiness  among 
every  order  of  the  community,  to  increase  the  enjoy- 
ments which  wealth  commands,  and  to  diminish  the  evils 
to  which  poverty  is  exposed.  The  mental  and  moral 
education  of  the  lower  orders,  which  has  lately  been  put 
into  practice,  is  conducive  to  the  same  end;  it  tends,  be- 
sides, to  strengthen  government.  Knowledge  does  not 
breed  discontent ; ignorance,  on  the  contrary,  seems  the 
parent  of  anarchy  : the  whispers  of  faction  have  over- 
thrown despotisms ; the  loudest  clamours  of  sedition 
are  sounded  in  vain  in  a free  country.  If  the  perfec- 

1  Not  fewer  than  twenty-one  dearths  and  famines  are  enumerated  by 

Ilowe  between  the  years  100!)  and  1325. 

b Thierry  's  History  of  the  Norman  Conquest. 

c Anderson’s  Chronological  Account  of  Commerce,  vol.  i.  p.  204. 

The  following  were  the  juices  fixed  by  parliament.  A fat  ox  fed 


tion  of  government  consists  in  giving  the  governed,  with 
the  least  possible  inconvenience,  all  the  advantages  of 
which  it  is  susceptible,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how 
this  can  be  effected  in  any  other  way  than  by  successive 
meliorations.  It  is  thus  that  something  like  a self-cor- 
recting principle  has  been  introduced  into  the  English 
constitution,  preventing  the  permanence  of  abuses  with 
out  endangering  the  government,  and  leading  to  improve- 
ment without  the  bad  effects  of  innovation,  and  to  the  re- 
dress of  wrongs  without  the  calamities  of  revolution.  These 
reflections  arise  naturally  from  considering  what  England 
was  in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  what  it  is  at  present. 

The  subject  may  be  more  minutely  examined.  It  is 
impossible  to  read  the  history  of  the  middle  ages  without 
being  convinced  that  famines,  of  which  happily  but  an 
imperfect  idea  can  be  formed  in  modern  times,  were 
among  the  greatest  evils  to  which  nations  were  liable. 
The  progress  of  commerce,  of  agriculture,  and,  above  all, 
of  knowledge,  have  enabled  men  to  elude  these  wrathful 
dispensations.  Land  is  much  more  productive  than 
formerly,  and  the  excess  of  one  country  is  trans- 
ported with  ease  to  supply  the  deficiencies  of  another. 
The  famines,  so  common  in  past  times,  are  now’  unknown  ; 
but  the  extent  of  country  over  which  they  once  raged, 
their  duration,  and  the  misery  occasioned  by  them,  are 
historical  facts  that  cannot  be  disputed.  No  man  recol- 
lects any  calamity  so  great  as  that  which  befel  England 
in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Second  ; for  three  years  the 
people  groaned  under  the  double  scourge  of  pestilence 
and  famine.  Parliament  fixed  in  vain  the  maximum 
price  of  provisions  in  1315;  the  measure  w7as  of  no 
avail,  every  article  of  consumption  sold  at  a much  higher 
rate,  and  it  was  found  very  difficult  on  some  occasions  to 
obtain  bread  for  the  king’s  table,  a circumstance  from 
which  some  notion  of  the  scarcity  may  be  inferred.*1 * 
The  misery,  however  great  during  1315,  wras  more 
than  doubled  in  the  follou’ing  year  ; the  early  crops  were 
spoiled  by  incessant  rains,  and  the  late  never  arrived  at 
maturity  ; the  want  of  nourishment,  and  unwholesome 
food,  produced  dysenteries  and  epidemic  disorders  among 
the  people.  The  maximum  prices  wTere  repealed,  and 
wheat  rose  until  the  quarter  was  sold  for  ten  times  its 
usual  value.  The  cravings  of  hunger  constrained  the  poor 
to  feed  on  roots,  horses,  dogs  and  the  most  loathsome 
animals  ; instances  more  revolting  to  humanity  are  men- 
tioned by  cotemporary  writers ; many  expelled  from 
their  castles  the  crowds  of  domestics,  with  which  they 
usually  swarmed,  and  these  unfortunate  men,  without 
the  lawful  means  of  support,  were  necessitated  to  live  by 
the  plunder  of  their  former  patrons  or  their  inoffensive 
neighbours.  Every  county  was  infested  with  bands  of 
robbers,  whose  desperate  rapacity  was  not  to  be  checked 
by  the  terrors  or  punishments  of  the  law.  The  inhabitants 
were  forced  to  combine  for  their  own  protection  , asso- 
ciation was  opposed  to  association  ; summary  vengeance 
was  inflicted  by  each  party,  and  the  whole  country  pre- 
sented one  great  theatre  of  rapine,  anarchy  and  bloodshed.® 

Little  more  than  thirty  years  after  these  distressing 
events,  the  inhabitants  were  exposed  to  other  evils  more 
destructive  in  their  effects.  The  great  pestilence  which 

with  corn.  24s. ; not  fed  with  corn.  10s.  ; a fat  cow.  12s.  ; a fat  hog,  two 
years  old.  3s.  4d. ; a fat  sheep,  unshorn,  Is.  8d. ; shorn.  Is.  2d.  ; a fat 
(JOOSP,  2Ad. ; a fat  capon,  2d. ; a fat  hen,  Id. ; two  chickens,  Id. ; four 
pigeons,  Id. ; twenty-four  eggs,  Id. 

<-■  Lingard’s  History  of  England,  volume  iii. 


BOOK  CL.II.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


443 


passed  from  Asia  to  the  banks  and  Delta  of  the  Nile,  and 
onwards  to  the  Greek  Islands,  Italy,  and  other  countries 
in  Europe,  was  as  general  and  fata!  as  any  recorded  in 
history.  Mr.  Hume  supposes  it  to  have  cut  oft'  about  a 
third  part  of  the  people  in  England  ; Dr.  Mead  makes 
the  number  amount  to  more  than  a half,  and  adds,  cor- 
rectly, that  the  time  of  the  pestilence  was  the  period  of 
the  greatest  mortality  which  has  been  recorded  in  Eng- 
lish history.  According  to  Stowe,  those  who  died  in  the 
metropolis  were  not  fewer  than  fifty  thousand.  No  ca- 
lamity of  a similar  nature  has  taken  place  in  England 
since  the  year  1665  ; how  remote  then  are  the  chances  of 
them  in  modern  times  ! The  intercourse  with  the  east, 
nay,  with  every  region  of  the  globe,  has  decupled,  and  the 
seeds  of  disease,  it  might  be  reasonably  inferred,  are  now 
more  easily  transported.  The  contrary,  however,  is  the 
fact,  and  it  is  mainly  owing  to  the  precautions  taken  by 
European  governments,  and  to  the  diffused  comforts  which 
the  people  enjoy. 

The  proportion  between  the  population  and  the  surface 
of  the  country  indicates,  with  some  exactness,  the  intel- 
lectual advancement  of  the  inhabitants.  The  population 
and  the  extent  of  England  are  now  known  ; it  is  inter- 
esting to  determine  what  the  former  was  in  past  times. 
According  to  the  fifty-first  of  Edward  the  Third,  a poll- 
tax  of  four-pence  was  imposed  in  the  year  1377,  on 
lay  persons,  male  and  female,  of  fourteen  years  of  age 
and  upwards;  mendicants  only  were  excepted.  An  offi- 
cial return  of  those  who  paid  the  tax  in  each  county,  city 
and  town,  is  fortunately  preserved.1  The  persons  who 
paid  it  appear  from  the  subsidy  roll  to  have  been  equal 
to  1,367,239.  If  the  number  of  mendicants  and  those 
who  eluded  payment  could  be  discovered,  the  total  pop- 
ulation might  at  once  be  known  ; for  it  may  be  assumed, 
with  sufficient  accuracy,  that  all  the  individuals  under 
fourteen  years  of  age  are  less  numerous  than  a third  part 
of  the  inhabitants.  If  the  poor,  the  young  under  fourteen 
years  of  age,  and  the  omissions  in  collecting  the  tax,  be 
supposed  equal  to  one  half  of  the  original  number,  the 
lay  population  amounted  to  2,050,858.  But  the  bene- 
ficed  clergy,  who  contributed,  were  equal  to  15,229,  and 
the  non-beneficed  clergy  to  13,932.  Wales  is  not  in- 
cluded in  the  roll,  but  it  is  supposed  to  have  contained  as 
many  inhabitants  as  Yorkshire,  or  196,560.  Cheshire 
and  Durham  had  their  separate  receivers  ; the  first  is 
ranked  with  Cornwall,  51,411,  and  the  second  with 
Northumberland,  25,213.  All  the  inhabitants  of  England 
and  Wales  were  thus  equal  to  2, 353, 203. b This  approxi- 
mation is  more  probably  above  than  below  the  truth,  for 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  W ales  was  less  populous 
than  Yorkshire,  Cheshire  than  Cornwall,  and  Durham 
than  Northumberland.  Although  the  data  may  be  defec- 
tive, they  indicate,  with  sufficient  accuracy,  a very  scanty 
population,  the  result  of  an  imperfect  state  of  society, 
foreign  wars,  domestic  dissensions  and  pestilential  diseases. 

A great  council  appears  to  have  shared  the  legislative 
authority  with  their  sovereign,  after  the  Norman  con- 
quest. These  councils  were  founded  on  feudal  princi- 
ples, and  the  royal  revenue  was  derived  from  the  royal 
demesnes,  and  by  dues  from  military  tenants.  The  king 
might  receive  extraordinary  contributions  from  the  great- 


er vassals,  but  the  consent  of  the  latter  was  implied, 
and  it  was  their  duty  to  consult  with  the  inferior  vassals, 
of  whose  rights  and  interests,  as  their  lords,  they  were 
the  natural  protectors.  The  changes  by  which  these 
great  councils  merged  into  parliaments  have  been  ob- 
scurely handed  down  to  posterity. 

The  earliest  records  from  which  the  existence  of  the 
house  of  commons  can  be  regularly  traced,  date  from  the 
twenty-third  year  of  Edward  the  First.  It  then  consisted 
of  seventy-four  knights  from  all  the  counties  in  England, 
except  Chester,  Durham  and  Monmouth,  and  of  a vary- 
ing number  of  members  from  cities,  towns  and  burghs, 
amounting  sometimes  to  two  hundred  and  sixty,  and  at 
other  times  to  not  more  than  a hundred  and  seventy-four.0 
The  variation  may  be  attributed  to  the  negligence,  re- 
missness or  partiality  of  the  sheriffs,  to  whom  the  returns 
were  committed,  and  also,  but  in  a less  degree,  to  the 
little  value  attached  to  a seat  in  parliament  in  early  times, 
for  the  inhabitants  of  different  places  were  allowed,  at 
their  own  request,  to  discontinue  the  exercise  of  the 
elective  franchise.  Not  long  afterwards,  other  places, 
either  because  they  had  risen  into  importance,  or,  in  some 
instances,  for  other  reasons,  obtained  the  right  of  sending 
members  to  parliament.  It  is  proved  by  constitutional 
writers,  that  all  who  possessed  landed  or  moveahle  prop- 
erty, ought  to  be  bound  by  no  laws,  more  particularly, 
ought  to  be  liable  to  no  taxes,  to  which  their  consent 
had  not  been  obtained  by  means  of  their  representatives. 
“This  is  so  much  the  case,”  says  Mr.  Hallam,  “ that  if, 
in  examining  the  map,  we  find  any  sea-port,  as  Sunder- 
land or  Falmouth,  or  any  inland  town,  as  Leeds  or  Bir- 
mingham, which  has  never  enjoyed  the  elective  franchise, 
it  may  at  once  be  concluded  that  it  has  emerged  from 
obscurity  since  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth. ”d 

If  it  were  necessary  to  trace  the  parliamentary  history 
to  an  earlier  period,  it  might  be  shewn  from  the  innova- 
tions attributed  to  Simon  de  Montfort,  Earl  of  Leicester, 
that  the  towns  had  risen  before  the  year  1264,  from  the 
degradation  in  which  they  were  placed  after  the  conquest. 
So  great  a change  was  accomplished  in  two  centuries  ; 
during  that  interval,  the  citizens  and  burgesses  availed 
themselves  of  the  poverty  of  their  lords  to  purchase  im- 
portant privileges.  The  latter  received  a common  rent, 
and  they  exacted  no  longer  individual  services  ; the  guilds 
were  incorporated  by  charters,  and  the  towns  were  en- 
titled to  levy  tolls,  hold  fairs,  enact  laws,  and  elect  their 
own  magistrates.  Much  about  the  same  time,  gifts  were 
substituted  for  tollages,  or  in  other  words,  the  towns  ob- 
tained the  right  of  taxing  themselves. e It  is  of  little  con- 
sequence if,  in  some  corporate  burghs,  the  elective  right 
was  vested  in  freemen,  for  all  those  who  were  assessed 
for  their  landed  or  moveable  property,  were  included  in 
that  class  ; the  great  distinctions  between  freemen  and  the 
other  inhabitants  of  towns,  are  of  later  origin. 

Although  the  government  of  Henry  the  Eighth  was 
practically  despotic,  he  is  entitled  to  the  merit  of  having 
extended  the  elective  franchise.  The  whole  of  Wales, 
the  counties  of  Chester  and  Monmouth,  and  even  the 
towns  of  Berwick  and  Calais,  were  for  the  first  time  rep- 
resented ; thirty-three  new  members  were  thus  added 
to  the  commons.  Edward  the  Sixth  erected  fourteen 


1 This  record  was  laid  before  the  Antiquary  Society  in  1784,  by  the 
late  Mr.  Topham  of  the  Paper  Office. 

b Chalmers’  Domestic  Economy  of  Great  Britain,  page  15. 


c Hallam’s  Constitutional  History  of  England,  chap.  xiii. 
d Hallam,  chap.  xiii. 
e Lingard’s  History,  chap,  v 


444 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLII. 


burghs,  and  restored  ten  that  had  discontinued  their  privi- 
leges. Mary  added  twenty-one,  Elizabeth  sixty,  and 
James  twenty-seven  members.  Five  Cornish  towns  were 
represented  at  the  accession  of  Edward  the  Sixth,  and 
twenty-one  at  the  death  of  Elizabeth.  The  oppressive 
jurisdiction  of  the  stannary  courts,  and  the  burdens  to 
which  some  of  the  inhabitants  in  Cornwall  were  subject, 
were  not  the  real  causes  of  such  innovations.  The  prac- 
tice of  conferring  the  elective  right  on  insignificant  places 
and  small  burghs,  commenced  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the 
Sixth,  a practice  occasioned  by  the  importance  of  the 
popular  part  of  the  government,  and  adopted  by  the 
crown  to  increase  its  influence.  It  is  remarkable  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town  and  county  of  Durham  were  over- 
looked during  this  long  period  ; the  right  was  first  con- 
ferred on  them  in  1673;  the  cause  of  their  exclusion 
cannot  be  easily  explained  ; it  has  been  attributed  to  the 
prevalence  of  popery. a Liability  to  local  and  perhaps 
general  taxes,  was  without  doubt  the  principle  on  ac- 
count of  which  the  elective  franchise  was  first  conferred, 
but  it  has  been  confined  in  later  times  to  particular  classes, 
such  as  burgage  tenants,  the  freemen  of  corporations,  or 
the  magistrates  of  towns. 

The  aristocratical  branch  of  the  government1’  may  be 
traced  to  the  Norman  conquest.  This  assembly  was 
composed  of  the  barons  and  prelates,  who  were  afterwards 
styled  the  greater  barons  in  the  great  charter.  Baronies 
by  tenure  or  in  fee  are  of  a later  date,  but  at  a still  later 
period,  the  introduction  of  barons  by  writ,  produced  an 
important  change  in  the  character  of  the  assembly. 
Notable  persons,  not  possessing  any  previous  title,  were 
summoned  by  John  to  attend  hi^ first  parliament.  Similar 
writs  of  summons  became  more  frequent  in  the  succeed- 
ing reign,  for  the  same  policy  was  adopted  by  Henry  the 
Third  to  strengthen  himself  against  the  more  powerful 
lords.  The  crown  might  withdraw  the  writs  of  summons, 
so  that  the  privileges  of  the  titular  barons  depended  on 
their  subserviency  to  the  court.  If  a person  be  now  sum- 
moned to  parliament,  he  and  his  heirs  are  ennobled,  but 
this  improvement  was  first  introduced  in  the  sixteenth 
century.0 

The  period,  from  the  accession  of  Edward  the  First  to 
the  death  of  Edward  the  Third,  cannot  be  considered  un- 
favourable to  the  development  of  constitutional  princi- 
ples. To  carry  on  the  expensive  wars  in  which  the  last 
of  these  monarchs  was  engaged,  heavy  taxes  were  ne- 
cessary ; these  were  borne  by  the  people,  but  they  do  not 
appear  to  have  been  backward  in  asserting  their  rights — 
their  money  was  not  spent  in  vain.  The  utility  of  fre- 
quent parliaments  was  acknowledged  as  the  only  means 
of  amending  errors,  redressing  grievances,  and  abolishing 
abuses.  It  was  ordained  in  the  preceding  reign  that  a 
parliament  should  be  held  at  least  once  a year,  but  as  the 
power  of  those  who  made  the  law  might  be  called  in 
question,  the  same  statute  was  again  solemnly  passed  and 
faithfully  observed.  Although  Edward  the  Third  may 


a IIallam,chap.  xiii. 

House  of  Lords. 

c History  of  England,  by  Sir  James  Mackintosh,  vol.  i. 

d Idem.  ibid. 

c Grose’s  Antiquities,  Vol.  i.  Preface,  p.  32. 

f “ Italians,  some  Greek  refugees,  Frenchmen,  Germans  and  Flem- 
ings formed  a fraternity  of  architects,  possessing  particular  privi- 
h ge  n and  obtaining  papal  bulls  for  their  protection.  They  styled  them- 
selves freemasons,  and  went  from  one  nation  to  another,  as  they  found 
churches  to  be  built  (for  very  many  in  those  ages  were  everywhere  ; 


have  wished,  he  had  not  the  power  to  break  it ; his  wants 
rendered  him  depen. lent  on  the  aids  of  his  people,  and 
more  than  seventy  writs  were  issued  for  assembling  parlia- 
ment in  his  fifty  years’  reign. 

Purveyance  had  become  an  intolerable  hardship;  the 
right  of  exacting  it  extended  to  the  royal  suite,  which 
amounted  often  to  more  than  a thousand  persons  ; it  was 
much  curtailed  by  parliament.  The  sources  of  justic 
were  corrupt,  and  judges  -were  accessible  to  bribery  ; to 
lessen  the  temptation,  the  salaries  were  increased,  but 
their  integrity  continued  doubtful.  The  F rench  language 
was  the  language  of  the  tribunals,  but  as  it  was  unknown 
to  the  greater  number  of  Englishmen,  the  proceedings  of 
the  different  courts  may  be  said  to  have  been  secret.  It 
was  enacted  that  all  informations  should  be  laidj  and  all 
pleadings  delivered  in  English ; a great  improvement 
was  thus  accomplished. 

The  celebrated  statute  of  treasons  was  the  greatest 
benefit  that  was  conferred  on  Englishmen  in  this  reign. 
An  able  writer  has  shewn  that  the  effect  of  this  law  was 
to  weaken  the  power  of  oppression  in  England  more  than 
in  other  countries.11  The  light  of  knowledge  began  to 
dawn  in  the  same  period.  Wycliffe  has  been  styled  the 
“Morning  Star  of  the  reformation;”  but  he  lived  in  too 
early  an  age  ; the  spirit  of  his  innovations  was  not  com- 
municated to  the  people  ; still  the  zeal  of  his  followers, 
and  the  boldness  of  the  lower  orders,  broke  out  in  rebel- 
lions during  the  succeeding  reign. 

Religious  edifices  are  the  noblest  monuments  of  the 
architecture  of  the  period.  If  it  be  denied  that  this  art 
was  then  carried  to  a degree  of  perfection  in  England, 
which  it  has  not  since  attained,  it  may  be  admitted  that 
some  of  the  finest  structures  in  the  same  country  were 
raised  in  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries.  As  a 
proof  of  this  remark,  it  is  only  necessary  to  mention  the 
cathedrals  of  York,  Winchester,  Salisbury,  Lichfield, 
and  many  others.  It  is  said  that  not  fewer  than  a hun- 
dred and  fifty-seven  abbeys  and  other  religious  houses 
were  founded  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Third.6  Rome 
encouraged  those  who  engaged  in  such  works,  and  for  its 
vain  promises,  men  consented  to  spend  their  time,  their 
labor  and  their  wealth.  The  associations  which  the 
sanctuary  recalled,  accorded  with  the  feelings  of  the  age, 
and  these  it  was  the  policy  of  Rome  to  cherish — the 
hopes  giving  rise  to  enthusiasm,  and  the  fears  terminating 
in  superstition,  both  alike  fatal  to  truth,  but  well  adapted 
to  strengthen  the  power  of  the  church/ 

These  buildings  indicate  the  progress  of  an  important 
art,  and  improvement  cannot  be  made  in  any  art  or 
science  without  communicating  something  of  it  to  others. 
Thus,  to  have  clocks  for  the  cathedrals,  Edward  the  Third 
invited  John  Uniman,  William  Uniman  and  John  Lutuyt 
of  Delft  to  come  into  England,  and  granted  them  the 
royal  protection  to  exercise  their  trade  in  any  part  of  the 
kingdom. e Englishmen  learnt  the  art  from  these  foreign- 
ers, and  a clock  made  by  Richard  de  Wallingford,  abbot 


building  through  piety  or  emulation  :)  their  government  was  regular ; 
and  where  they  fixed  near  a building,  they  made  a camp  of  huts.  A 
surveyor  governed  in  chief;  every  tenth  man  was  called  a warden, 
and  overlooked  each  nine.  The  gentlemen  in  the  neighborhood, 
either  out  of  charity  or  commutation  of  penance,  gave  the  materials 
and  carriages.  Those  who  have  seen  the  accounts  or  records  of  the 
charge  of  the  fabrics  of  some  of  our  cathedrals,  cannot  but  have  a <rreat 
esteem  for  their  economy,  and  admire  how  soon  they  erected  such  lofly 
structures.”  Wren’s  Parentalia,  pages  30G,  307. 
s Henry,  book  iv.  chap.  5. 


JBOOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


445 


of  St.  Albans  in  the  succeeding  reign,  is  described  by  a 
writer  who  appears  to  have  examined  it.a 

The  inhabitants  of  Flanders  and  the  Netherlands  had 
acquired  wealth  from  the  sale  of  their  woollen  stuffs.  The 
importance  of  English  wool  was  well  known  even  at  this 
time,  and  it  was  the  object  of  government  to  encourage 
its  manufacture.  John  Kempe,  a celebrated  woollen 
manufacturer  of  Flanders,  accepted  the  invitation  of  Ed- 
ward the  Third,  and  arrived  in  England  in  1331,  with 
his  apprentices  and  workmen  ; the  royal  protection  was 
promised  at  the  same  time  to  all  weavers  and  fullers  who 
settled  in  the  island  ; in  consequence,  seventy  Walloon 
families  came  in  the  same  year,  and  their  example  was 
followed  by  greater  numbers  in  the  succeeding  years  ol 
the  reign. 

The  most  remarkable  trading  companies  or  rather  cor- 
porations were  the  brotherhood  of  St.  Thomas  a Becket, 
afterwards  the  merchant  adventurers,  the  German  mer- 
chants of  the  Steel  Yard,  and  the  merchants  of  the  Sta- 
ple. It  was  the  object  of  the  last  to  purchase  the  sta- 
ple commodities  of  the  kingdom,  viz.  wool,  wool-fells, 
leather,  lead  and  tin,  and  to  convey  them  to  certain 
towns,  called  staple  towns , that  the  king’s  customs  might 
he  collected  with  ease,  and  that  foreign  merchants  might 
know  where  to  find  the  commodities.  One  of  the  regu- 
lations was  very  impolitic  ; natives  might  be  employed 
in  collecting  and  conveying  the  different  articles,  but  no 
Englishman  was  allowed  to  export  them.  The  people 
complained  that  the  trade  was  in  the  hands  of  foreigners, 
and  it  is  certain  the  greatest  merchants  then  in  England 
were  merchant  strangers.  Those  of  Lombardy  were  per- 
haps more  opulent  than  the  rest,  but  their  usurious  prac- 
tices brought  popular  vengeance  more  than  once  upon 
them.  The  Caurisini  of  Rome,  according  to  Matthew 
Paris,  charged  sometimes  sixty  per  cent,  interest.  Ed- 
ward the  Third  acknowledged  a debt  of  12,000  marks  to 
the  Bardi  of  Florence,  and  granted  them  a present  of 
two  thousand  pounds  for  their  good  services.b  However 
imperfect  or  unjust  the  traffic  of  these  foreigners  may 
have  been,  the  country  was  really  improved  by  them  ; 
they  shewed  others  the  road  to  wealth,  and  they  made 
Englishmen  acquainted  in  some  degree  with  the  civiliza- 
tion of  Italy. 

The  tumults  in  the  next  reign0  indicate  the  rising  im- 
portance of  the  people,  and  the  decline  of  servitude, 
if  not  of  vassalage.  To  enforce  the  arbitrary  laws 
which  had  been  enacted,  required  all  the  energy  of  Ed- 
ward ; the  task  was  too  great  for  his  feeble  successor. 
The  excesses  of  the  people  are  sometimes  the  conse- 
quences of  oppression  and  injustice  on  the  part  of  their 
rulers  ; in  the  reign  of  Richard,  the  brutality  of  a tax- 
gatherer  was  the  signal  of  a revolt,  which  endangered 
the  throne,  and  levelled  with  the  ground  the  finest  build- 
ings in  London.  The  doctrines  of  Wycliffe  were  per- 
haps the  remote  causes  of  the  same  event ; it  was  diffi- 
cult to  restore  Christianity  to  any  thing  like  its  original 

a “ Being  now  nn  abbot,  and  possessed  of  wealth  and  leisure,  he  re- 
solved to  leave  a lasting  monument  of  his  ingenuity , art  and  learning. 
With  this  view  he  fabricated,  at  a great  expense  of  money,  thought 
and  labour,  a most  wonderful  clock,  which  represents  the  revolutions  of 
the  sun  and  moon,  the  fixed  stars,  the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  the  tides, 
and  an  almost  infinite  number  of  other  lines  and  figures.  When  he 
had  finished  this  wonderful  piece  of  mechanism,  to  which,  in  my 
opinion,  there  is  nothing  in  Europe  comparable,  he  composed  a book  of 
directions  for  managing  and  keeping  it  in  order,  that  it  might  not  be 
ruined  by  the  ignorance  of  the  monks.”  Leland  de  Scriptoribus  Bri- 
tannicis. 


purity,  without  exposing  the  corruptions  that  prevailed. 
Preachers  embraced  the  new  opinions,  and  although  they 
could  not  correct  the  abuses  of  the  church,  they  roused 
the  people  to  an  insurrection  pernicious  in  its  immediate 
consequences,  but  productive  afterwards  of  great  good.d 

An  evil  resulting  from  the  feudal  system  called  forth 
the  interference  of  the  legislature  ; although  it  was  not 
abolished  until  a later  period,  it  may  be  mentioned  ns 
descriptive  of  the  state  of  society.  Numerous  depend- 
ents wore  the  badges  or  livery  of  their  respective  chiefs, 
engaged  in  their  quarrels,  and  participated  in  their  crimes. 
The  chieftains  were  often  at  enmity  with  each  other,  and 
the  people  obtained  protection  not  from  the  government, 
but  from  the  lord  whose  cause  they  espoused  ; improve- 
ment was  thus  retarded,  the  useful  arts  were  neglected, 
and  the  indolence  and  predatory  habits  of  the  nobility 
were  imitated  by  their  followers.  It  might  be  urged  that 
the  first  peer,  whose  title  depended  on  letters  patent,  was 
created  by  Richard  the  Second,  but  it  was  merely  by  the 
remote  consequences  of  the  innovation  that  the  feudal 
system  was  weakened. 

The  solemn  deposition  of  Richard  the  Second  by  the 
parliament,  may  indicate  the  dependence  of  kings  on  their 
subjects  ; but  this  violent  proceeding  has  been  quoted  to 
extenuate  other  measures  of  the  same  kind  ; it  is  to  per- 
vert history  to  suppose  it  was  in  any  way  brought  about 
by  the  people.  In  feudal  times  and  in  so  rude  an  age, 
their  influence  is  very  insignificant,  and  it  might  with  equal 
truth  be  imagined  that  the  Russian  people  and  not  the 
Russian  nobles  had  the  guilt  or  merit  of  putting  the  em- 
peror Paul  to  death. 

The  period  from  the  year  1399  to  1455,®  is  eventful  in 
foreign  wars,  brilliant  victories,  civil  discord  and  national 
calamities.  The  doubtful  title  of  Henry  the  Fourth  gave 
rise  to  a civil  war  that  was  not  terminated  before  the  bat- 
tle of  Bosworth.  In  these  contests,  the  wealth  of  Eng- 
land was  wasted,  and  her  nobles  slain.  It  is  uncertain 
whether  the  conquests  by  which  Henry  the  Fifth  extend- 
ed his  dominions,  or  the  defeats  by  which  they  were  lost, 
were  more  fatal  to  the  prosperity  of  the  country.  Men’s 
minds  were  averted  from  the  arts  of  peace  by  wars 
abroad  ; civil  dissensions,  religious  persecution  and  the 
rancour  of  faction  at  home  produced  the  same  effect. 

The  church  had  reached  the  acme  of  its  power  in  the 
same  reign  ;f  persecution  then  began,  and  William  Sau- 
tre  was  the  first  Englishman  whose  life  was  sacrificed  on 
account  of  his  religious  belief;  not  long  afterwards,  many 
others  obtained  the  honour  of  martyrdom.  Henry,  when 
Duke  of  Lancaster,  was  suspected  of  favouring  the  Lol- 
lards, but  no  sooner  had  he  ascended  the  throne,  than  he 
became  their  persecutor;  as  a subject,  he  embraced  the 
popular  opinion  ; as  a king,  be  thought  differently  ; the 
church  might  strengthen  his  authority,  or  sanction  his 
usurpation. 

On  one  occasion,  the  commons  instead  of  granting  sup- 
plies, advised  the  king  to  seize  the  temporalities  of  the 

b Anderson’s  History  of  Commerce. 

c Richard  the  Second. 

d John  Ball,  the  orator  of  the  lawless  multitude,  preached  from  the 
following  text : — 

“ When  Adam  delved  and  Eve  span, 

Who  was  then  the  gentleman  ?” 

e From  the  accession  of  Henry  the  Fourth  to  that  of  Henry  the 
Seventh 

f That  of  Henry  IV. — P. 


443 


EUROPE. 


BOOK  CBII. 


church  ; the  lauds  of  the  clergy,  they  insisted,  amounted 
to  a third  part  of  the  kingdom ; they  contributed  noth- 
ing to  the  exigencies  of  the  state  ; their  great  wealth 
made  them  neglectful  of  their  duties.  The  advice  was 
lollowed  in  a later  reign. 

The  exigencies  of  the  sovereign  were  at  least  attended 
with  one  advantage  ; they  made  him  more  dependent  on 
the  commons.  It  is  impossible  to  read  the  history  of  the 
period,  without  being  convinced  of  the  increasing  impor- 
tance of  the  lower  house,  perhaps  the  only  real  advantage 
that  was  obtained  in  these  troublous  times.  Acts  of  mis- 
governinent,  unjust  exactions  on  the  part  of  the  prince, 
or  prodigality  of  the  public  money,  seldom  escaped  the 
vigilance  of  the  commons,  and  they  were  not  slow  in  re- 
monstrating against  them.  Sir  John  Tibetot,  speaker  of 
the  lower  house,  in  a speech  addressed  to  the  throne, 
told  Henry  the  Fourth,  that  the  country  was  impover- 
ished by  excessive  impositions,  while  nothing  was  done 
for  its  benefit.  Ninety-six  towns  and  castles,  he  added, 
were  taken  in  Guienne  ; Ireland  was  almost  lost,  although 
much  money  had  been  expended  in  its  defence;  the 
Scottish  marches  wrere  in  a had  condition,  the  rebellion 
still  continued  in  Wales,  the  sea  was  ill  guarded,  and 
the  merchants  ruined  ; the  expenses  of  the  household 
were  excessive,  and  the  court  was  filled  with  worthless 
men.* 

Such  remonstrances  were  sometimes  of  little  use  ; in 
the  present  case,  Henry  had  the  address  to  obtain  from 
the  same  parliament  a considerable  sum  ; although  many 
other  instances  might  be  mentioned,  in  which  the  same 
means  were  unavailing,  still  the  effect  of  remonstrances 
continually  urged,  and  of  grievances  always  exposed, 
was  to  obtain  concessions  from  the  sovereign,  and  sup- 
plies from  the  people,  to  raise  and  strengthen  the  fabric 
of  English  liberty. 

It  is  of  consequence  to  mark  the  changes  that  have 
taken  place  in  the  representative  system.  Before  the 
year  1429,  every  man,  who  possessed  a freehold,  how- 
ever small,  had  a vote  in  electing  a knight  of  the  shire  ; 
but  in  the  same  year,  the  law  was  changed,  and  the  small 
freeholders  were  deprived  of  their  rights.  It  is  declared 
in  the  8th  Henry  VI.,  “ that  the  knights  of  the  shire  shall 
be  chosen  in  every  county,  by  people  dwelling  and  resident 
in  the  same  counties,  whereof  every  one  of  them  shall 
have  free  land  or  tenement  to  the  value  o f forty  shil- 
lings the  year , at  least,  above  all  deductions”  He  who 
possessed  a freehold  estate  of  forty  pounds  a year,  was 
qualified  to  become  a knight  of  the  shire,  or  the  mem- 
ber of  parliament  for  a county.  As  to  the  towns  and 
burghs,  the  electors  were  directed  by  the  writs  to  choose 
the  most  fit  and  discreet  freemen,  resident  amongst  them, 
and  none  others  upon  any  pretext. 

The  business  of  parliament  was  not  so  well  understood 
in  those  times  as  at  present,  elections  were  not  conduct- 
ed with  the  same  regularity,  and  the  powers  of  sheriffs 


1 Parliamentary  History,  A.  D.  1406. 
b Henry's  History  of  Great  Britain.  Book  v.  chap.  3. 
c “ Diverse  sheriffs  of  the  counties  of  the  realm  of  England,  for 
their  singular  avail  and  lucre,  have  not  made  due  elections  of  the 
knights,  nor  in  convenient  time,  nor  good  men  and  true,  returned,  and 
sometimes  no  returns  of  the  knights,  citizens,  and  burgesses,  lawfully 
chosen  to  come  to  the  parliament ; but  such  knights, citizens,  and  bur- 
gesses, have  been  returned,  which  were  never  duly  chosen,  and  other 
citizens  and  burgesses  than  those  which,  by  the  mayors  and  bailiffs, 
were,  to  the  said  sheriffs,  returned.  And  sometimes  the  sheriffs  have 
not  returned  the  writs  which  they  had  to  make  of  elections  of  knights 


were  less  accurately  defined.  Thus,  it  is  certain,  the 
number  of  members  in  the  lower  house  was  indetermi- 
nate, while  the  sheriffs  appear  to  have  exercised  a discre- 
tionary power ; they  sent  precepts  sometimes  to  more, 
sometimes  to  fewer  towns  and  burghs  in  the  different 
counties.  It  happened  also  that  precepts  were  sent  to 
some  places,  from  which  no  returns  were  made,  and  that 
others  excused  themselves  on  the  plea  of  poverty. 

To  regulate  the  proceedings  at  elections  many  laws 
were  made,  but  these  wrere  not  always  effectual.  From 
the  year  141 1 to  1447,  the  knights  for  the  large  and 
populous  county  of  York  were  not  returned  by  the  free- 
holders, but  by  the  attornies  of  a few  nobles. b 

The  corruption  of  sheriffs  was  one  of  the  most  com- 
mon abuses  that  prevailed  in  those  times.  By  different 
statutes  it  was  enacted,  that  if  a sheriff  made  a false  re- 
turn, he  was  liable  to  a fine  of  £100  to  the  king,  and 
of  a like  sum  to  the  injured  party,  and  to  a twelvemonth’s 
imprisonment.®  It  has  been  well  observed  that  this  se- 
verity was  necessary,  for  if  a member  was  deprived  of 
his  seat  by  a false  return,  the  sessions  of  parliament  were 
so  short,  that  he  had  little  chance  of  recovering  it. 

It  was  not  imagined,  in  this  period,  that  members  for 
parliamentary  influence,  or  for  the  distinctions  and  emol- 
uments to  which  parliament  leads,  should  devote  their 
time  and  attention  to  the  public  service,  and,  in  particu- 
lar, to  the  interests  of  the  counties  and  towns,  of  which 
they  were  the  representatives.  Coeval  with  the  origin  of 
the  lower  house,  was  the  practice  of  remunerating  its 
members,  a practice  not  sanctioned  by  any  enactment, 
but  founded  rather  on  a principle  of  justice.  These 
wages,  if  they  may  be  so  called,  varied  at  different  times  ; 
they  were  fixed,  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Third,  be- 
sides travelling  expenses,  at  four  shillings  a day  for  a 
knight  of  the  shire,  and  at  two  shillings  for  a citizen  or 
burgess.  It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  add  that  no  mem- 
ber disdained  to  receive  his  hire.  This  custom  enables 
us  to  explain  why  the  inhabitants  of  so  many  places  con- 
sidered the  elective  privilege  a burden,  and  prayed  to 
be  excused  from  exercising  it.d 

It  would  have  been  of  little  avail  to  pay  members  for 
their  services,  if  they  were  prevented  from  performing 
them.  It  was  therefore  declared  unlawful  to  arrest  them 
for  debt,  or  any  civil  obligation,  during  the  sitting  of 
parliament ; but  the  same  rule  was  not  then  applicable 
to  the  intervals  between  the  sessions  ; the  extension  of 
the  privilege  was  of  more  recent  origin. 

The  greatest  improvement  in  the  parliamentary  history 
of  the  period  related  to  the  manner  in  which  laws  were 
framed.  In  early  times  the  commons  presented  petitions 
at  the  end  of  every  session  ; of  these,  some  were  either 
granted  or  refused  by  the  king,  while  the  consideration 
of  others  was  deferred  to  a future  period.  In  the  reign 
of  Henry  the  Fifth,  in  place  of  petitions,  acts  were  drawn 
up  by  the  judges  before  the  close  of  the  session.  Such 


to  come  to  the  parliaments;  but  the  said  writs  have  imbisiled.  and 
moreover,  made  no  precept  to  the  mayor  and  bailiff,  or  to  the  bailiff  or 
bailiffs,  where  no  mayor  is,  of  cities  or  boroughs  for  the  election  of  citi- 
zens, or  burgesses  to  come  to  the  parliament.”  23d  Henry  VI.  chap.  14. 

d In  the  longest  parliament  of  Henry  IV.  the  members  sat  one  bun 
dred  and  fifty-nine  days.  “The  two  knights  of  the  shire  for  Cumber- 
land received  £80,  8s. ; because,  besides  the  one  hundred  and  fiftv-nine 
days  that  the  three  sessions  lasted. they  were  allowed  wages  for  fortv-two 
days  for  (heir  three  journies.”  Henry,  book  v.  chap.  3.  It  is  needless 
to  make  any  comment  on  the  rate  of  travelling;  the  three  journies  may 
now  be  performed  in  less  than  ten  days. 


BOOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


447 


a power,  it  was  evident,  could  not  long  continue  in  such  I 
hands  ; accordingly,  in  the  succeeding  reign,  bills  and  | 
acts  were  framed  by  the  commons,  and  one  enacting 
clause  sufficed  for  as  many  as  were  passed  in  a session, 
or  in  other  words,  for  all  those  to  which  the  lords  agreed, 
and  the  king  gave  his  royal  assent. 

The  rights  of  the  subject  were  held  by  a very  pre- 
carious tenure,  the  people  had  often  no  control  over 
their  king,  and  so  long  as  he  was  independent  of  them, 
the  latter  were  exposed  to  all  the  evils  of  a despotic  gov- 
ernment. There  were  so  many  illegal  methods  of  ob- 
taining money,  and  these  were  so  frequently  resorted  to, 
as  to  preclude  the  necessity  of  having  recourse  to  the 
commons.  Thus,  Edward  the  Fourth  having  expended 
all  the  supplies  that  were  granted  by  parliament,  ob- 
tained a benevolence  or  free  gift  from  his  subjects,  by 
which  the  wealthiest  amongst  them  were  impoverished. 

The  dispensing  power  of  the  king  was  incompatible 
with  the  existence  of  a free  community  ; it  enabled  a 
monarch  to  dispense  with  the  most  solemn  laws,  and  to 
extend  alike  indulgence  to  individuals  and  whole  classes 
of  men.  Wilkins  mentions  an  extraordinary  instance  of 
the  exercise  of  this  power ; to  gain  the  support  of  the 
clergy,  Edward  the  Fourth,  in  the  second  year  of  his 
reign,  allowed  them  to  violate  every  law,  and  the  judges 
were  prohibited  to  try  or  punish  an  archbishop,  bishop 
or  clergyman  for  treason,  ravishing  women,  or  any  other 
crime. a The  same  power,  it  may  be  added,  was  exer- 
cised in  many  other  instances,  although  perhaps  never 
in  so  iniquitous  and  absurd  a manner. 

The  English  government  resembled  a military  des- 
potism during  the  worst  period  of  the  civil  wars.  The 
high  constable  was  vested  with  a commission,  by  which 
he  might  put  any  subject  to  death  secretly,  and  without 
the  salutary  constraint  of  legal  forms,  if  he  wished  to 
discover  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  those  whom  he  con- 
demned, (an  act  of  humanity  by  no  means  necessary), 
recourse  was  bad  to  the  torture.  A monument  of  these 
times  is  still  preserved  in  the  tower  of  London  ; the 
rack,  called  the  Duke  of  Exeter’s  daughter,  was  in- 
vented by  that  nobleman  when  he  filled  the  office  of 
high  constable. 

The  arts  of  peace,  and  the  varied  resources  of  com- 
merce and  industry,  were  almost  destroyed  in  the  con- 
fusion of  wars  and  civil  discord.  The  population,  there 
is  reason  to  believe,  wras  much  reduced  ; many  towns 
were  changed  into  villages,  and  others  wxere  levelled  with 
the  ground.  A great  part  of  the  country  was  laid  waste, 
agriculture  was  neglected,  and  arable  lands  wTere  con- 
verted into  pasturage.  It  wTould  be  incorrect,  however, 
to  imagine  that  nothing  was  gained  from  these  conten- 
tions ; they  were  the  precursors,  perhaps  the  causes  of 
the  rapid  improvements,  that  may  be  dated  from  the 
accession  of  Henry  the  Seventh.  An  important  change 
took  place  in  the  condition  of  the  great  body  of  the 
people  ; if  the  decline  of  slavery  commenced  before  the 
reign  of  Henry  the  Third,  the  period  of  the  civil  wars 
determines  the  decline  of  villeinage. 

The  country  having  been  desolated  with  numerous 
armies  during  the  greater  part  of  a century,  these  armies, 
and  the  others  that  engaged  in  the  expeditions  against 
France,  consisted  of  the  lower  orders  ; but,  according  to 
the  genius  of  feudalism,  the  villein,  who  was  released 


from  the  soil,  and  who  fought  in  the  cause  of  nobles  and 
kings,  could  not  afterwards  he  degraded  by  servitude 
The  church  was  unfavourable  to  bondage  even  in  the 
darkest  times  ; in  England  the  laws  and  the  nature  of 
the  government  were  equally  against  it;  but  the  princi- 
pal cause  of  the  change  must  be  attributed  to  the  pro- 
gress of  knowledge.  While  the  spirit  of  commerce 
created  a greater  demand  for  labour,  which  could  be 
only  supplied  by  a scanty  population,  it  was  discovered 
that  the  hired  labour  of  freemen  was  far  more  pro- 
ductive than  the  forced  toil  and  the  habitual  indifference 
of  slaves. 

The  changes  that  had  been  made  from  time  to  time 
in  the  currency,  tended  to  create  embarrassment  and 
confusion  ; the  higher  orders  suffered  most  from  the  evils 
springing  from  such  causes  ; the  revenue  of  the  king, 
and  the  incomes  of  the  nobles,  remaining  nominally  the 
same,  were  necessarily  diminished.  Commerce  had  to 
contend  not  merely  against  impolitic  decrees  and  unwise 
regulations,  the  arbitrary  power  of  princes  was  destruc- 
tive of  its  true  interests  ; in  those  days  the  king  could 
not  only  press  mariners  and  soldiers,  but  artificers  of 
every  kind,  and  all  the  merchant  vessels  of  his  subjects. 
Thus,  Henry  the  Fifth,  preparatory  to  his  first  expedition 
against  France,  pressed  all  the  ships  of  twenty  tons  and 
upwards,  in  all  the  English  ports.  Letters  of  marque, 
so  common  in  that  pei'iod,  and  frequently  obtained  on 
false  pretences,  by  making  it  unsafe  even  in  time  of 
peace,  to  transport  commodities,  increased  the  risks  to 
which  trade  was  unnecessarily  exposed.  But  in  spite 
of  every  disadvantage,  the  most  absurd  regulations,  an 
arbitrary  government,  and  the  unjust  system  of  reprisals, 
commerce  must  have  been  even  then  a road  to  wealth. 
Norburg  and  Hende  lent  large  sums  of  money  to  their 
sovereign,  and  adorned  the  capital  with  public  buildings. 
Sir  Richard  Whittington  rebuilt  Newgate,  the  library  of 
the  Grey-Friars,  and  part  of  St.  Bartholomew’s  hospital, 
and  also  founded  a college  of  priests  in  the  street  that  is 
still  called  College  Hill.  William  Canning  was  five  times 
mayor  of  the  trading  city  of  Bristol  ; some  notion  of  his 
wealth  may  be  formed  from  the  fact  that  he  paid  Edward 
the  Fourth  a fine  of  2470' tons  of  shipping. 

The  population  of  England  in  1485  may  be  vaguely 
estimated  by  comparing  the  imperfect  census  in  1378, 
with  one  equally  loose  in  1588;  and  although  nothing 
more  than  a rude  approximation  can  be  obtained,  it  is 
certain  the  total  number  of  inhabitants  was  not  more 
than  three  millions  ; it  was  distributed  in  a very  different 
way  from  what  it  is  at  present ; Lancashire  and  Cumber- 
land were  ill  peopled,  while  London  and  Westminster 
did  not  contain  more  than  sixty  or  seventy  thousand 
persons. 

The  germs  of  liberty  are  sometimes  the  consequences 
of  civil  wars  and  revolutions,  but  they  did  not  spring  after 
the  contests  between  the  roses.  Freedom  was  repress 
ed,  if  not  crushed,  by  the  Tudors  ; the  moral  degrada- 
tion of  the  people,  the  result  of  political  servitude,  was 
completed  by  Henry  the  Eighth,  and  faint  indications  of 
a better  spirit  are  all  that  can  he  discovered  in  the  long 
and  glorious  reign  of  Elizabeth.  The  ancestors  of  the 
English  had  left  them  a noble  example  ; on  some  occa- 
sions they  had  maintained  their  rights  by  constitutional 
means  ; at  other  times  by  resisting  despotic  acts.  Their 
children  submitted  to  a new  line  of  kings,  and  instead  of 
extending  the  privileges  which  their  fathers  had  won, 


a Wilkins,  Concil.  torn.  iii.  p.  583. 


448 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLII. 


they  relinquished  them  without  a struggle.  English 
historians  have  endeavoured  to  account  for  this  change 
in  the  character  of  their  countrymen.  “ It  is  now  the 
generally  received  opinion,  that  to  the  provisions  of  that 
reign  (viz.  of  Henry  the  Seventh)  we  are  to  refer  the 
origin,  both  of  the  unlimited  power  of  the  Tudors,  and  of 
the  liberties  wrested  by  our  ancestors  from  the  Stuarts  : 
that  tyranny  was  their  immediate,  and  resistance  their 
remote  consequence;  but  he  must  have  great  confidence 
in  his  own  sagacity,  that  unaided  by  subsequent  events 
could,  from  a consideration  of  the  causes,  have  foreseen 
the  succession  of  events  so  different.”*  It  is  not  per- 
haps inaccurate  to  attribute  immediate  submission  to 
some  of  the  measures  in  that  reign,  and  remote  resist- 
ance to  others  of  a very  different  character.  To  account 
for  the  former,  much  must  he  ascribed  to  the  state  of 
England  at  the  time  ; a reaction  must  have  certainly 
been  produced  by  the  civil  wars  ; the  memory  of  the 
contest  was  fresh  in  the  minds  of  many  ; the  evils  at- 
tending it  were  perhaps  exaggerated  by  their  interests 
or  their  fears;  at  all  events,  repose  seemed  an  invaluable 
blessing. 

The  aristocracy  had  always  resisted  the  power  of  the 
crown,  but  their  order  had  been  much  reduced  in  the 
wars  between  the  rival  houses  of  York  and  Lancaster. 
So  many  peers  had  been  attainted,  so  many  had  fallen 
in  battle  or  perished  on  the  scaffold,  that  thirty  only 
could  be  summoned  to  the  first  parliament  of  Henry  the 
Seventh  ; it  was  not  his  policy  to  increase  them  ; ac- 
cordingly, not  more  than  thirty-eight  temporal  peers 
attended  the  first  parliament  in  the  succeeding  reign. 
It  must  also  be  allowed  that  the  contests  tended  to 
weaken  liberty,  and  to  strengthen  faction.  The  blood 
of  the  nation  had  been  shed,  not  for  their  rights,  but  for 
the  claims  and  pretensions  of  their  rulers.  Henry  the 
Seventh  ascended  the  throne,  and  although  his  real  title 
was  that  of  conquest,  no  attempt  was  made  on  the  part 
of  the  people  to  secure  their  rights,  none  to  redress 
grievances,  or  abolish  abuses.  It  is  well  remarked  by 
Lord  Bolingbroke,  that  all  the  power  with  which  the 
victory  of  Bosworlh  had  invested  the  earl  of  Richmond, 
was  employed  in  having  the  act  of  settlement  so  framed 
that  his  right  to  the  crown  might  appear  inherent  in  him- 
self and  independent  of  parliament.  The  wisdom  of  his 
policy  in  other  respects  may  be  doubted  ; he  ruled  more 
like  the  leader  of  a faction  than  the  king  of  a great  na- 
tion ; every  opportunity  was  taken  to  elevate  the  Lan- 
castrians, and  to  humble  the  Yorkists.  The  reign  was 
by  no  means  a quiet  one,  but  the  people  took  no  part  in 
the  disturbances  ; the  opposition  sprang  from  factions,  of 
which  the  puppets  were  a Simnel  and  a Warbeck.  An 
insurrection  was  no  sooner  repressed,  a rebellion  no 
sooner  subdued,  than  the  king  strengthened  his  authority, 
and  arbitrary  power  wTas  gradually  established  ; the  dan- 
ger to  which  the  kingdom  had  been  exposed,  seemed  to 
justify  every  new  encroachment,  until  the  first  of  the 
Tudors  ruled  by  force,  and  the  nation,  too  desirous  of 
tranquillity,  suffered  its  rights  to  be  taken  away  one  alter 
another. 

The  measures,  of  which  the  remote  result  was  favour- 
able to  freedom,  were  of  a very  different  nature  ; some  of 


them  related  to  the  internal  government  of  the  country  ; 
commerce  was  increased,  agriculture  was  improved,  and 
the  useful  arts  were  encouraged  and  promoted.  The 
taxes  imposed  in  this  reign,  however  oppressive,  were 
borne  by  the  people  ; the  treasures  amassed  by  the  king, 
however  unjustly  acquired,  were  much  greater  than  any 
of  which  mention  is- made  in  a former  age.  Wise  laws 
were  enacted,  and  it  is  comparatively  of  little  conse- 
quence to  whom  the  merit  of  them  maybe  due.  All  the 
effects  of  the  king’s  policy  were  probably  unknown  at 
the  time  ; while  he  humbled  the  peerage,  the  condition 
of  the  middling  and  the  lower  orders  was  improved  ; but 
it  was  not  thought  that  they  could  become  at  a future 
period  a more  formidable  enemy  than  the  aristocracy  to 
arbitrary  power.  The  personal  services  of  the  tenants 
were  now  commuted  into  rents,  and  much  about  the  same 
time  the  nobles  were  allowed  to  alienate  their  lands ; the 
means  were  thus  acquired  by  the  commons  of  increasing 
their  property  and  influence  in  the  state.b 

It  is  impossible,  in  a work  of  this  nature,  to  enter  into 
details  on  any  part  of  English  history  ; still  it  might  be 
considered  an  omission  to  take  no  notice  of  the  Court  ot 
Star  Chamber,  which  is  commonly  supposed  to  have  had 
its  origin  in  this  reign.  It  is  not  indeed  imagined  that  it 
then  existed  in  all  its  iniquity  ; the  jurisdiction  of  the 
tribunal  was  gradually  extended.  Had  the  purposes,  for 
which  it  was  first  instituted,  been  always  adhered  to,  it 
might  have  been  more  deserving  the  praise  which  has 
been  bestowed  on  it  by  Bacon  ; many  deviations  had 
been  made  in  his  time,  and  if  there  were  no  reasons  to 
suspect  his  commendation,  it  was  necessary  at  least  to 
place  its  proceedings  wholly  out  of  view,  to  consider  what 
it  might  have  been,  or  even  what  it  was  in  the  reign  of 
Henry  the  Seventh.  The  inherent  vice  of  the  court,  if 
it  may  be  so  termed,  was  manifest  in  its  construction. 
The  judges  were  the  chancellor,  the  treasurer,  and  the 
lord  privy  seal  ; they  might  claim  the  assistance  of  a 
bishop,  a temporal  lord  of  the  king’s  council,  and  the 
two  chief  justices.  The  judges,  it  might  be  urged,  were 
afterwards  altered,  still  they  were  always  confined  to  the 
members  of  the  council  ; they  became  more  numerous, 
but  not  more  independent.  It  may  be  right  to  observe 
that  the  encroachments  of  the  Star  Chamber  were  for  a 
time  restrained  by  the  bishops  ; they  appear  to  have 
possessed  considerable  influence,  and  they  exerted  it  in 
mitigating  severe  penalties.®  The  power  of  the  court, 
it  is  equally  true,  was  greatly  increased  by  Cardinal 
Wolsey,  then  chancellor  of  England,  and  archbishop  of 
York.  It  assumed  an  almost  indefinite  jurisdiction  in 
cases  of  offences,  and  it  could  inflict  any  punishment 
short  of  death  ; fine  and  imprisonment  were  the  earliest, 
perhaps  the  most  frequent;  the  pillory,  whipping,  brand- 
ing and  cutting  off  ears  became  common  in  later  times  ; 
hands  and  noses  were  cut  off  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 4 
If  subject  to  salutary  and  wise  regulations,  the  method 
of  punishing  by  fines,  may  ribt  be  liable  to  serious  objec- 
tions ; but  it  never  has  been  maintained  that  the  fines 
imposed  by  the  Star  Chamber  were  either  proportionate 
to  the  offences,  or  inflicted  for  the  purpose  of  preventing 
them.  It  became  customary  to  impose  fines  that  were 
wholly  ruinous  to  individuals,  and  the  judges  part ici- 


l 

i 

i 

i 


“ Fox's  History  of  James  the  Second. 

b Letters  on  the  History  of  England  by  Lord  Bolingbroke. 


c Hallam's  Constitutional  History  of  England. 
d Idem,  chap.  8. 


BOOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


449 


patecl  in  the  ill-gotten  wealth,  a temptation  too  great 
perhaps  for  ordinary  virtue  to  resist  in  any  age,  particu- 
larly under  the  dynasty  of  the  Tudors. 

The  influence  of  the  Star  Chamber  may  be  traced  in 
some  parts  of  the  English  law;  the  court  did  not  exist  in 
all  its  rigour  before  the  time  of  the  Stuarts;  to  enumerate 
all  its  proceedings  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  First,  all 
the  unjust  decisions  that  were  pronounced,  and  all  the 
cruel  punishments  that  were  inflicted,  might  fill  a volume. 
Thus  a tribunal,  which  had  been  originally  instituted  to 
restrain  the  lawless  power  of  the  nobles,  and  to  prevent 
the  recurrence  of  crimes  that  had  been  too  often  com- 
mitted with  impunity,  became  gradually  subversive  of 
freedom,  and  extended  its  oppressive  jurisdiction  over 
every  class  of  the  community. 

The  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  inasmuch  as  it  is  con- 
nected with  the  reformation,  forms  an  era  in  English  his- 
tory ; it  may  therefore  be  necessary  to  state  succinctly 
bis  religious  creed  and  that  of  his  subjects  ;_  in  reality,  it 
differed  less  from  Catholicism,  than  is  commonly  imagin- 
ed. The  creed  that  was  finally  imposed  on  Englishmen 
by  the  monarch,  is  contained  in  the  law  of  the  six  articles, 
which  are  confirmatory  of  the  Catholic  faith.  It  was  the 
boast  of  Henry,  that  he  retained  the  religion  of  Rome, 
after  having  shaken  off  the  supremacy  of  the  Pope.  Ac- 
cording to  the  first  article,  there  remains  no  substance 
of  bread  and  wine  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  after 
the  consecration,  but  under  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine, 
the  natural  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  According  to  the 
second,  the  communion  in  both  kinds  is  not  necessary  to 
the  salvation  of  all  persons  by  the  law  of  God.  Thirdly, 
priests  may  not  marry  by  the  law  of  God.  Fourthly, 
vows  of  chastity  ought  to  be  observed  by  the  law  of  God. 
Fifthly,  the  use  of  private  masses  ought  to  be  continued, 
since  they  are  agreeable  to  God’s  law,  and  men  derive 
great  benefit  from  them.  Lastly,  auricular  confession  is 
expedient  and  necessary,  and  ought  to  be  retained  by 
the  church. 

It  was  not  until  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Sixth,  while 
the  Duke  of  Somerset  was  protector,  that  the  actual 
reformation  took  place  in  England.  It  was  then  that 
prayers  to  saints  were  declared  superstitious,  and  that 
masses,  dirges  and  prayers  in  a foreign  tongue,  were  pro- 
hibited. To  write  or  speak  against  the  dispensation  of 
the  sacrament  in  both  kinds  was  made  unlawful  by  act 
of  parliament,  the  liturgy  of  the  church  of  England  was 
introduced,  and  the  statute  of  the  six  articles  was  re- 
pealed. In  this  drama,  the  king  and  the  nobles  were  the 
principal  actors  ; it  may  be  inferred  that  the  people  were 
not  ripe  for  the  change,  because  insurrections  broke  out  in 
many  parts  of  the  country,  and  because  it  was  easy  in  the 
next  reign,  to  bring  back  the  nation  to  its  ancient  faith.3 
The  Pope,  it  is  natural  to  suppose,  might  have  been 
more  compliant;  his  refusal  was  certainly  a deviation 
from  the  usual  policy  of  Rome,  but  one  for  which  the 
state  of  Europe  sufficiently  accounts. b The  power  of 
Charles  the  Fifth  continuing  on  the  ascendant  in  Italy, 
Clement  the  Seventh  concluded  a treaty  with  him  on 
the  most  advantageous  terms  ; the  latter  obtained  the 
great  object  of  his  desire  ; the  Medici  were  restored,  and 
Tuscan  liberty  was  lost.  The  taking  of  Genoa,  and  the 


a Essay  on  the  English  Constitution,  by  Lord  John  Russell. 

*>  This  sentence,  and  the  following,  doubtless  refer  to  the  Pope’s 
refusal  to  annul  the  marriage  of  Henry  with  Catharine  of  Spain.  The 
VOL.  III.— NO.  56  57 


destruction  of  the  French  army  in  Naples,  compelled 
Francis  to  submit  to  the  league  of  Cambray  ; Henry  was 
deserted  by  his  allies,  and  the  Pope  sacrificed  the  in- 
terests of  the  church  to  those  of  his  family.  If  a differ- 
ent policy  had  been  pursued,  the  separation  from  the 
catholic  church  might  have  been  retarded  ; to  prevent  it 
from  ever  taking  place,  was  beyond  the  power  of  any 
English  monarch  or  any  Roman  pontiff. 

Vanity  and  presumption  were  as  conspicuous  in  the 
character  of  Henry,  as  cruelty  and  ungovernable  passion  ; 
these  may  have  been  the  immediate  causes  of  the  rup- 
ture, but  the  wealth  of  the  church  increased  the  resources 
of  the  king,  and  rendered  him  independent  of  his  people. 
Never  had  so  much  been  gained  by  the  crown  from  the 
confiscations  that  followed  subdued  rebellions,  as  from 
the  suppression  of  monasteries.  The  clear  yearly  reve- 
nue was  rated  at  £ 131,607,  but,  according  to  Bishop 
Burnet,  it  amounted  to  ten  times  the  sum;  although  the 
last  sum  may  have  been  overrated,  the  other,  it  is  cer- 
tain, was  much  too  low  ; besides,  it  is  well  known  to 
have  been  the  practice  of  the  courtiers  to  undervalue 
the  estates,  that  they  might  purchase  them  on  easy  terms. 
The  king,  it  is  said,  was  advised  to  divide  the  abbey 
lands,  and  to  make  them  over  on  easy  terms  to  the  nobles 
and  gentry  ; if  they  were  bound,  it  was  argued,  by  the 
ties  of  private  interest,  there  could  never  be  a lasting 
reconciliation  with  the  court  of  Rome.  The  soundness 
of  the  argument  was  made  evident  in  Mary’s  reign,  for 
although  her  parliaments  exhibited  the  most  perfect  obse- 
quiousness in  all  matters  relative  to  religion,  they  could 
never  be  made  to  consent  to  the  alienation  of  the  church 
lands.  The  justice  or  injustice  of  Henry  the  Eighth’s 
conduct  has  been  maintained  by  different  writers  accord- 
ing to  their  protestant  or  catholic  views.  These  lands 
escheated  not  necessarily  to  the  crown  because  the  au- 
thority of  the  pope  was  denied  ; but  the  seizure  of  them, 
it  is  asserted,  was  a violation  of  private  property  ; there 
is  some  difference,  however,  between  the  property  of 
individuals  and  of  corporations  ; the  one  is  considered 
more  sacred  than  the  other.0  The  justice  of  the  meas- 
ure may  be  called  in  question,  but  the  advantages  of  it 
cannot  be  reasonably  doubted.  The  weakness  and 
almost  total  extinction  of  the  nobility  accounts  for  the 
despotic  sway  of  the  Tudors ; to  strengthen  the  aris- 
tocracy, therefore,  was  to  raise  a barrier  against  farther 
encroachments  ; now,  with  a few  exceptions,  all  the  great 
English  families  rose  first  into  notice  in  the  time  of  Henry 
the  Eighth  ; the  weight  of  their  influence  was  thrown 
into  the  opposite  scale  ; it  became  adverse  to  tyranny. 
Independently  of  this  high  consideration,  much  benefit 
resulted  from  the  diffusion  of  property  ; in  those  days 
the  English  nobles  were  given  to  profuse  hospitality  , 
they  now  encourage  the  liberal  and  the  useful  arts.  Many 
of  the  church  lands  had  been  left  by  pious  persons  on 
condition  of  performing  masses  for  their  souls,  or  other 
ceremonies,  which,  although  sanctioned  by  the  church, 
are  deemed  superstitious.  The  necessary  consequence 
of  such  property  remaining  in  such  hands,  was  to  pro- 
mote idleness  and  mendicity,  to  encourage  ignorance, 
and  to  check  improvement  by  an  obstinate  adherence  to 
antiquated  customs  and  erroneous  opinions. 


preceding,  as  it  now  stands,  to  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.;  but  it  might 
equally  apply  to  the  suppression  of  the  monasteries  by  Henry  VIII. — P. 
c The  question  has  been  ably  treated  by  the  learned  Mr.  Hallam. 


450 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLII 


If  Henry  the  Eighth  was  tyrannical,  parliament  put 
the  seal  of  its  authority  to  the  laws  which  confirmed 
arbitrary  power.  The  first  part  of  the  reign  is  distin- 
guished by  the  persecution  of  heretics,  the  last  by  the 
murder  of  catholics  ; in  short,  no  man’s  life  was  safe, 
who  believed  more  or  less  in  matters  of  religion  than  the 
monarch  prescribed.  If  the  king  wished  to  repudiate  his 
queen,  parliament  condemned  her  on  the  most  unjust  and 
frivolous  pretexts.  If  any  man  eminent  for  learning  or  vir- 
tue incurred  the  royal  displeasure,  he  was  put  to  death,  but 
without  any  violation  of  the  forms  and  ceremonial  of  law. 
The  people  could  not  contend  against  the  impetuosity  of  the 
prince,  and  the  abject  complacency  of  parliament.  The 
king  threatened  to  cut  off  the  heads  of  refractory  commons, 
and  the  threat  silenced  the  loudest  murmurers.  To  levy 
an  oppressive  tax,  archbishop  Morton  used  an  unanswera- 
ble argument ; the  merchants  who  lived  sumptuously  were 
informed  that  their  wealth  was  evident  from  their  expen- 
diture ; those  who  lived  frugally,  it  was  urged  by  the  same 
person,  must  have  amassed  great  sums  by  economy  ; both 
were  forced  to  contribute.  On  one  occasion,  an  attempt 
to  raise  a sixth  on  the  goods  of  the  laity,  and  a fourth  on 
those  of  the  clergy,  was  resisted  ; the  commissioners  were 
recalled,  and  the  project  was  abandoned. 

Queen  Elizabeth  had  the  merit  of  having  first  firmly 
established  the  protestant  religion  ; in  the  reign  of  the 
same  princess,  England  rose  to  a state  of  greatness,  of 
which  there  had  been  no  parallel  in  past  times.  It  is 
doubtful  if  there  ever  was  a greater  queen  in  any  other 
country  ; it  is  certain  she  was  superior  to  English  sove- 
reigns in  the  art  of  ruling.  In  her  reign,  England  became 
the  guardian  of  the  protestant  faith,  the  mistress  of  the 
sea,  the  scourge  of  Spain,  and  the  mediatrix  of  the  fac- 
tions in  France.  The  nature  of  the  government,  how- 
ever, was  very  different  from  the  present.  The  vague 
jurisdiction  of  the  Star  Chamber  extended  to  whatever 
was  not  cognizable  at  common  law.  The  established 
church  was  guarded  by  the  high  court  of  commission  for 
ecclesiastical  affairs  ; it  punished  with  equal  severity  the 
catholics  on  the  one  side,  and  the  puritans  on  the  other; 
boundaries  were  assigned  to  faith,  and  men  were  command- 
ed to  believe  particular  tenets  and  speculative  doctrines. 
The  right  of  printing  was  not  only  a monopoly,  but  the  fa- 
vored few  who  enjoyed  it,  were  restrained  by  a most  vigi- 
lant censorship.  The  importation  of  foreign  hooks  was 
prohibited,  and  some  individuals  were  punished  for  hav- 
ing the  works  of  catholics  in  their  possession.  Judges 
allowed  themselves  an  extraordinary  latitude,  and  they 
could  do  so  with  impunity,  while  the  semblance  of  juries 
was  all  that  had  been  preserved,  and  while  fines  and  im- 
prisonment awaited  every  juryman  who  gave  a verdict 
according  to  his  conscience.  The  royal  proclamations 
had  the  force  of  statutes,  and  such  a power  seems  incom- 
patible with  the  existence  of  a mixed  monarchy.  While 
these  acts  of  injustice  were  committed,  many  persons,  it 
is  undeniable,  were  not  forgetful  of  ancient  rights,  and  if 
they  were  unsuccessful  in  maintaining  them,  it  must  be 
attributed  to  the  profound  dissimulation,  the  consummate 
wisdom,  and  the  extreme  popularity  of  the  queen.  It 
required  all  the  address  of  Elizabeth  to  maintain  the  pre- 
rogatives of  which  she  was  so  jealous  ; had  a less  able 
hand  guided  the  government,  the  people  might  have 
vindicated  their  rights.  Knowing  the  danger  of  having 
recourse  to  parliaments,  the  queen  practised  the  utmost 
economy  ; in  truth,  the  new  institutions  were  subversive  ol 


the  old,  both  could  never  be  amalgamated,  and  the  sur- 
est method  of  establishing  the  former,  was  to  destroy  the 
latter  ; this,  however,  no  English  sovereign  was  able  to 
accomplish.  To  grant  subsidies,  which  could  not  be 
raised  by  any  other  method,  to  propose  statutes,  which 
were  not  binding  without  their  consent,  to  examine 
grievances,  and  to  obtain  their  redress  either  by  law  or 
by  petition  to  the  crown,  were  the  acknowledged  privi- 
leges of  the  commons.  The  speaker  claimed  the  free- 
dom of  debate  and  free  access  to  the  royal  person  at  the 
commencement  of  every  session.  The  history  of  the 
house  of  commons  brightens  the  darkest  pages  in  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth.  The  queen,  some  commons  insisted, 
was  amenable  to  the  laws ; others  connected  the  cause  of 
the  puritans  with  that  of  freedom.  Morice  wrote  a let- 
ter from  his  prison  to  Lord  Burleigh,  expressing  his  sor- 
row for  having  offended  the  sovereign,  but  avowing  his 
resolution  to  strive,  while  life  should  last,  for  freedom  of 
conscience,  public  justice,  and  the  liberties  of  his  country.® 
Every  member  in  the  house  of  commons,  it  was  admitted, 
is  deputed  to  serve  not  only  his  constituents,  but  the 
whole  kingdom,  a power  never  possessed  by  the  parlia 
ments  of  Paris,  or  by  the  deputations  of  the  estates  of 
other  countries  ; it  resulted  in  England  from  the  election 
of  non-resident  burgesses.  The  commons  wrested  the 
right  of  monopolies,  which  the  queen  termed  “ the  bright- 
est gem  in  her  crown,  the  fairest  flower  in  her  garden.” 

On  the  whole,  if  the  people  submitted  to  encroach- 
ments on  their  rights,  it  may  be  attributed  to  the  illus- 
trious qualities  of  the  princess,  to  the  wisdom  and  talents 
of  her  advisers,  to  such  men  as  Cecil  and  Bacon;  but 
in  the  latter  years  of  her  reign,  the  nation  became 
weary  of  her  sway,  and  the  spirit  of  freedom  revived  in 
England. 

If  the  affection  of  a people  for  their  rulers  depends  in 
any  degree  on  the  prosperity  of  their  country,  the  na- 
tion had  good  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  their  queen  ; 
never  before  was  the  commerce  of  England  so  important, 
its  shipping  more  numerous,  or  industry  more  flourishing. 
The  trade  to  Russia  and  Persia  was,  perhaps,  the  first 
indication  in  England  of  that  commercial  enterprise, 
which  forms  so  striking  a feature  in  the  history  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  The  earliest  commercial  treaty  be- 
tween the  English  and  the  Ottomans  was  concluded  in 
1575,  and  the  former  derived  many  advantages  in  con- 
sequence of  their  direct  communication  with  Turkey. 
Thus,  the  Venetians  and  Genoese,  who  had  enjoyed  al- 
most exclusively  the  carrying  trade  of  the  Levant,  were 
gradually  supplanted  by  the  English. 

The  establishment  of  an  East  India  company  was  the 
last,  and  in  its  results,  the  most  important  event  during 
the  reign.  The  original  stock  of  a company  destined  to 
govern  territory,  more  extensive  and  more  populous  than 
the  Roman  Empire,  amounted  only  to  £72,000;  their 
first  fleet  consisted  of  four  ships  under  the  conduct  of 
Captain  Lancaster. 

The  bigoted  Philip  and  his  sanguinary  general  contrib- 
uted most  to  increase  the  internal  resources  of  England. 
The  Flemish  manufacturers  who  fled  before  the  Duke 
of  Alva,  were  received  by  Elizabeth  with  kindness  ; they 
peopled  the  deserted  streets  of  Canterbury,  Maidstone, 
Norwich,  Southampton  and  other  towns,  and  they  taught 
the  inhabitants  to  manufacture  important  articles.  It 


* Lodge’s  Illustrations. 


BOOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


451 


was  in  the  same  reign  that  the  ingenious  Mr.  Lee  erect- 
ed a loom  of  his  own  invention  for  weaving  silk  stockings. 
Knives  were  first  made  in  London  about  the  year  1563  ; 
it  is  almost  needless  to  add  that  English  cutlery  is  now 
superior  to  any  other.  The  firs*  pin  manufactory  was 
established  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  but  it  was 
not  until  the  year  1566  that  Elias  Grouse,  a German, 
taught  the  English  the  art  of  making  needles. 

The  activity  which  pervaded  every  branch  of  the  gov- 
ernment under  Elizabeth,  was  communicated  to  indi- 
viduals; navigators  sailed  round  the  globe,  and  voyages 
of  discovery  were  made  with  success.  But  it  cannot  be 
disputed  that  commerce  might  have  been  extended,  and 
the  wealth  of  the  country  increased,  had  the  queen  fol- 
lowed a different  policy  ; her  avarice  and  importunate 
favorites  prompted  her  to  grant  monopolies  and  exclu- 
sive privileges,  injurious  to  an  industrious  community. 

It  would  be  incorrect  to  follow  the  example  of  differ- 
ent writers,  and  to  attribute  the  origin  of  the  poor  laws 
to  a statute  passed  in  this  reign,  it  is  declared  in  the 
forty-third  of  Elizabeth  that  the  aged  and  infirm  should 
be  maintained,  but  that  the  strong  and  healthy  should  be 
made  to  work.  To  provide  for  all  the  old  and  infirm 
poor,  although  practicable,  may  not  be  expedient ; it 
tends  to  weaken  individual  exertion,  and  to  render  men 
indifferent  about  providing  for  the  wants  of  old  age.  It 
is  needless  to  add  that  to  furnish  employment  to  all  the 
healthy  and  robust  is  in  ordinary  cases  beyond  the  power 
of  government.  The  English  system  of  poor  laws,  so 
different  from  that  of  most  countries,  may  be  attributed 
to  two  causes,  the  necessity  of  providing  for  the  poor  at 
the  Reformation,  then  deprived  of  the  charitable  aid  and 
the  means  of  subsistence,  which  they  received  from  the 
monasteries,  and  the  rapid  and  great  increase  in  the  price 
of  provisions,  which  took  place  in  the  sixteenth  century. 
The  act  of  1601  is  framed  with  all  the  deliberation  and 
wisdom  for  which  the  ministers  of  Elizabeth  were  so  re- 
markable, and  if  it  had  been  strictly  enforced,  the  condi- 
tion of  the  poor  in  England  might  have  been  little  differ- 
ent from  that  of  those  in  Scotland.  It  was  thought  after- 
wards obligatory  on  the  government  to  find  work  for  all 
the  unemployed,  and  in  dear  seasons  to  make  up  to 
those  who  had  families,  the  difference  between  the  price 
of  bread  and  the  rate  of  wages.  The  meaning  of  the  act 
was  thus  perverted  by  the  ignorance  or  unfitness  of  over- 
seers, and  by  the  method  in  which  relief  was  afforded. 

It  might  be  important  to  determine  the  gradual  exten- 
sion of  the  poor  laws,  but  unfortunately  little  information 
can  be  obtained  from  the  imperfect  state  of  the  earlier 
records.  The  number  of  persons  receiving  parochial  aid 
is  said  to  have  amounted  about  the  close  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  to  as  large  a portion  as  at  present,  or  to 
one-tenth  of  the  population  of  England  and  Wales.®  The 
money  collected  for  the  purpose  cannot  be  ascertained  ; 
it  is  not  supposed,  however,  to  have  been  much  less  than 
£ 1 ,000,000.  The  long  peace  and  the  reduced  rate  in  the 
price  of  provisions  which  followed  the  treaty  of  Utrecht, 
were  favourable  to  the  diminution  of  poor  rates.  The 
average  amount  of  them  during  the  three  years  ending 
with  1750,  did  not  exceed  £700,000.  Considerable 
additions  were  afterwards  made  ; in  1760  they  amounted 
to  £985,000,  and  in  1770  to  £1,306,000.  The  con- 
test with  the  North  American  colonies,  the  decline  of 


1 Clarkson  on  Pauperism. 


trade,  and  the  suspension  of  undertakings,  in  consequence 
of  the  want  of  capital,  or  the  higher  rates  of  interest, 
which  capital  commanded,  raised  them  in  1780  to 
£1,774,000.  The  increase  in  the  population,  and  the 
war  that  followed  the  French  revolution,  rendered  the 
price  of  bread  so  disproportionate  to  that  of  labour  that 
the  poor  rates  rose  in  1800  to  £3,861,000,  in  1810 
to  £5,407,000,  and  in  1812,  to  £6,680.000.  The 
average  amount  of  them  since  the  year  1812  has  been 
equal  to  more  than  £6,000,000. 

Workhouses  are  in  some  degree  peculiar  to  England, 
for  they  are  not,  as  in  other  countries,  hospitals  or  houses 
of  correction.  The  plan  of  them  was  established  about 
a century  ago,  but  it  was  greatly  extended  by  an  act, 
which  is  commonly  called  Gilbert’s  act,  from  the  name 
of  the  member  by  whom  it  was  proposed.  The  object 
of  the  act  was  to  obtain  from  a number  assembled  in  the 
same  place,  all  the  advantages  resulting  from  a minute 
division  of  labour,  and  a joint  disbursement  ; magistrates 
were  authorized  to  consider  any  large  workhouse  as  a 
common  receptacle  for  the  poor  throughout  an  area 
of  twenty  miles.  However  just  the  theoretical  princi- 
ples on  which  these  institutions  were  founded  may  ap- 
pear, much  practical  advantage  has  not  been  derived  from 
them  : the  inmates  are  not  separated  according  to  their 
ages,  their  habits,  or  their  pursuits,  and  the  division  of 
labour  has  not  been  carried  to  any  degree  of  minuteness. 

It  is  the  effect  of  the  poor  laws  to  lower  the  rate  of 
wages,  and  although  they  were  productive  of  no  other 
evil,  that  alone  renders  them  hurtful  to  the  labouring 
classes.  It  appears  from  the  following  table  that  the 
wages  of  the  country  labourers,  estimated  according  to 
the  quantity  of  provisions  they  may  command,  have 
continually  decreased  from  the  year  1742  to  1808. 


Periods. 

Weekly  Pay. 

Wheat  per 
quarter. 

Wages  in  Pints 
of  Wheat. 

1742  to  1752 

s.  d. 
6 0 

s.  d. 
30  0 

102 

1761  to  1770 

7 

6 

42 

6 

90 

1780  to  1790 

8 

0 

51  2 

80 

1795  to  1799 

9 

0 

70 

8 

65 

1800  to  1808 

11 

0 

86 

8 

60 

Although  other  articles,  particularly  clothing,  have 
fallen  in  price  since  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  the 
condition  of  the  lower  orders,  it  is  certain,  has  not  been 
improved.  The  fluctuations  in  the  price  of  grain,  so 
common  in  England,  are  more  severely  felt  by  the  same 
class  than  by  any  other  of  the  community.  In  dear  sea- 
sons, the  mortality  among  those  whose  means  of  sub- 
sistence are  partly  derived  from  poor  rates,  is  generally 
greatest. 


Years. 

Average  price  of 
Wheat  per  quarter. 

Deaths. 

s. 

d. 

1801 

118 

3 

55,965 

1804 

60 

1 

44,794 

1807 

73 

3 

48,118 

1810 

106 

2 

54,864 

The  great  objection  against  the  poor  laws,  consists  in  the 
inducement  which  they  offer  to  the  lower  orders  to  con- 
tract early  marriages,  and  to  depress  their  circumstances 


452 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  ClilT. 


by  an  undue  increase  of  their  numbers : in  other  respects, 
their  effect  is  very  pernicious  ; the  poor  are  exposed  to 
the  petty  tyranny  and  oppression  of  parish  officers,  and 
gradually  habituated  to  all  the  vices  that  spring  from 
humiliating  dependence.  It  may  be  urged  that  whatever 
tends  to  make  them  less  dependent  on  parochial  relief, 
tends  also  to  improve  their  condition.  This  is  best  done 
by  removing  the  taxes,  which  are  imposed  on  the  neces- 
saries of  life,-  and  which,  from  that  very  circumstance, 
press  most  heavily  on  the  poor.  Such  taxes  may  be 
compared  in  their  effects  to  dear  corn  ; in  other  words, 
the  increased  rate  of  wages  by  no  means  corresponds 
with  them.  Much  good  has  already  been  accomplished 
by  taking  away  the  taxes  on  different  articles  ; those  on 
beer  and  sea-borne  coal,  which  have  been  lately  repeal- 
ed, are  likely  to  be  followed  with  similar  results.  The 
increasing  resources  of  the  country,  and  a judicious  plan 
of  taxation,  may  lead  in  time  to  many  improvements,  if 
not  to  a total  change,  of  the  present  system. 

Adhering  to  the  order  of  time,  it  may  be  necessary  to 
remark  that  the  law  by  which  every  parish  was  obliged 
to  repair  its  own  roads  by  four  days’  labour  of  its  in- 
habitants passed  in  the  reign  of  Philip  and  Mary.  The 
first  act  on  a subject  so  much  connected  with  the  pros- 
perity of  a country,  dates  from  the  reign  of  Edward  the 
First,  but  it  w-as  intended  to  prevent  robbery  rather  than 
to  improve  the  means  of  communication  from  one  place 
to  another.  The  roads  in  several  districts  were  amend- 
ed, in  conformity  to  different  laws  of  Henry  the  Eighth. 
It  was  not,  however,  before  the  reign  of  Charles  the 
Second,  that  turnpikes  were  established,  and  that  those 
who  reap  the  advantages  of  easy  conveyance,  were  made 
to  contribute  the  necessary  expense.  The  rate  of  travel- 
ling in  those  days  was  very  slow  ; Cowley  having  retired 
from  the  hum  of  men,  invited  his  friend  Sprat  to  enjoy 
the  pleasures  of  St.  Ann’s  Hill,  and  informed  him  that 
he  might  sleep  the  first  night  at  Hampton  Town  ; the 
same  journey  may  now  be  performed  before  breakfast. 
When  at  a later  period,  Sir  Francis  Wronghead  was 
chosen  member  of  Parliament,  great  preparations  were 
made  for  his  journey  to  town,  and  many  accidents  hap- 
pened by  the  way,  all  of  which  were  owing  to  the  bad- 
ness of  the  roads.  A member  at  present,  when  there 
is  a call  of  the  house,  orders  post  horses  from  the  next 
stage,  and  calculates  the  hour  of  his  arrival  at  West- 
minster.3 

The  defeat  and  dispersion  of  the  armada,  was  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  events  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 
The  subsequent  war  with  Spain,  and  the  romantic  at- 
tempt of  twenty  thousand  volunteers  under  the  com- 
mand of  Norris  and  Drake,  to  place  Don  Antonio  on  the 
throne  of  Portugal,  shewed  the  enthusiasm  with  which 
the  people  were  animated.  An  alarm  having  been  given 
of  a second  Spanish  invasion  in  the  year  1599,  the  queen 
equipped  a fleet,  and  levied  an  army  in  a fortnight  to 
oppose  it ; from  this  promptness,  foreigners  formed  a 
very  high  notion  of  the  resources  of  England.  But  if  it 
were  necessary  to  enter  into  statistical  details,  it  might 
be  shewn  that  the  single  county  of  Lancashire,  from  the 
resources  of  its  manufactures  and  extensive  commerce, 
can  now  offer  a more  effectual  resistance  to  an  enemy, 


J Chalmers  on  the  Domestic  Economy  of  Britain. 
b Many  instances  in  which  old  laws  were  appealed  to  in  vain,  are 
to  be  found  in  the  works  of  Lingard,  Hallam,  and  other  writers. 


than  the  whole  kingdom  could  have  done  in  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth. 

The  Tudor  line  having  presided  over  the  destinies  of 
England,  during  a period  of  nearly  a hundred  and  twenty 
years,  ended  at  the  death  of  Elizabeth.  It  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Stuarts,  a family  less  skilled  in  the  art  of 
ruling  than  their  predecessors,  less  conspicuous  for  their 
great  qualities,  and  better  adapted  to  adorn  a private 
station,  than  to  govern  a kingdom  in  troublous  times. 
Every  one  acquainted  with  English  history,  must  be  con- 
vinced that  very  valuable  rights  were  obtained  at  an 
early  period  from  different  sovereigns  ; ever  sin  -e  the 
barons  wrested  from  John  the  great  charter  of  their  lib- 
erties, the  government,  unless  that  charter  had  been 
violated,  could  never  have  been  a pure  monarchy.  But 
in  a rude  age,  government  depended  more  on  the  charac- 
ter of  princes,  than  on  the  force  of  laws  ; concessions 
reluctantly  made  by  one  king,  were  little  regarded  by 
his  more  able  or  more  fortunate  successor,  and  the  sway 
of  the  Plantagenets  was  milder  than  that  of  the  Tudors. 
Institutions  subversive  of  freedom  were  first  introduced 
and  gradually  sanctioned,  if  they  were  not  accompanied 
with  the  most  pernicious  consequences ; the  ancient 
laws,  it  may  be  recollected,  were  never  repealed  ; on 
the  contrary,  their  authority  was  often  asserted  in  par- 
liament, at  a time  when  their  power  was  of  no  effect.1* 
It  was  evident,  however,  that  the  people  must  either 
vindicate  their  rights,  which  could  only  be  done  by  pre- 
venting regal  encroachment,  and  by  making  kings  sub- 
ject not  superior  to  the  laws,  or  give  up  for  ever  the 
great  work  which  their  ancestors  had  begun.  A family 
unable  to  maintain,  and  unwilling  to  give  up  what  they 
considered  their  prerogative,  ascended  the  throne,  when 
the  people  were  more  powerful  than  at  a former  period, 
and  when  their  additional  power  was  not  so  much  the 
consequence  of  greater  wealth  as  of  greater  knowledge. 
The  study  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  authors,  which  may 
be  dated  in  England  from  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  had 
enabled  the  higher  orders  to  form  better  and  juster  no- 
tions on  the  subject  of  government.  The  stern  puritans, 
now  acquainted  with  the  abuses  of  the  Romish  church, 
were  naturally  enlisted  in  the  cause  of  freedom  ; their 
inflexible  spirit  might  have  been  prognosticated  from  the 
first  petition  that  was  presented  to  James  on  his  road  to 
London,  and  fortunate  had  it  been  for  his  family  and  the 
happiness  of  the  kingdom,  had  be  acceded  to  its  terms. 
But  such  lessons  left  little  impression  on  the  mind  of  the 
king ; his  learning  betrayed  his  incapacity  to  govern  ; 
his  notions  of  kingly  power  accorded  ill  both  with  public 
opinion  and  English  institutions.  The  puritans  could  by 
no  means  admit  of  a comparison  between  the  regal  and 
the  divine  government,  but  according  to  the  sovereign, 
the  one  was  emblematic  of  the  other,  and  resistance  to 
either  was  impious.  Such  doctrines  were  avowed  by  a 
prince,  who  had  no  legitimate  right  to  the  throne  of 
England,  and  although  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  he 
may  have  possessed  a more  sacred  title,  founded  on  the 
people’s  choice,  still  it  is  certain  he  must  have  despised 
it  for  other  reasons  than  that  it  was  contrary  to  a positive 
enactment.0  The  acknowledgment,  more  than  the  exer- 
cise of  absolute  power,  gratified  the  weakness  of  the 


c “ The  declaration,  which  Mr.  Hume  asserts  Elizabeth  to  have 
made  on  her  death-bed,  intimating  her  wish  that  her  kinsman,  the 
king  of  the  Scots,  should  succeed  her,  is  not  confirmed  by  cotc-m- 


BOOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


453 


prince,  but  his  doctrines  cannot  be  reconciled  with  the 
existence  of  a limited  monarchy.  They  were  put  in 
practice  by  venal  judges  and  an  ambitious  priesthood. 
By  a sort  of  sophistry,  difficult  to  understand,  it  was 
declared  in  England,  for  the  first  time,  that  the  king’s 
power  is  of  two  kinds,  a power  ordinary,  and  a power 
absolute.  “ He  is  above  the  law  by  his  absolute  power, 
and  though  for  the  better  and  equal  course  of  making 
laws,  be  do  admit  the  three  estates  into  council,  yet  this 
in  divers  learned  men’s  opinion  is  not  of  constraint,  but 
of  his  own  benignity,  or  by  reason  of  the  promise  made 
upon  oath  at  the  time  of  his  coronation.  Of  these  two 
one  must  be  true,  either  that  the  king  must  be  above  the 
parliament,  that  is  the  positive  laws  of  the  kingdom,  or 
else  not  an  absolute  king,  and  I hold  it  incontrovertible 
that  the  king  of  England  is  an  absolute  king.”a  The  de- 
cisions of  judges  were  influenced  by  this  strange  doctrine. 

The  clergy  were  well  aware  that  their  authority  wras 
derived  from  the  king,  and  if  they  were  the  most  strenu- 
ous assertors  of  his  power  absolute,  it  was  from  motives 
connected  with  their  own  aggrandizement.  The  convo- 
cation held  in  1606,  drew  up  a set  of  canons,  and  it  may 
be  sufficient  to  mention,  that  the  tenets  to  which  the 
bishops  gave  the  sanction  of  their  name,  might  have 
alarmed  the  most  indifferent.  The  origin  of  government 
is  not  traced  to  popular  election,  but  to  the  authority 
that  a father  has  over  his  family  ; the  power  of  kings  is 
of  God  ; that  of  the  parliament,  only  of  man  ; passive 
obedience  in  every  case  is  inculcated.  Tbe  character  of 
the  king  was  ill  adapted  to  sustain  his  lofty  pretensions  ; 
although  a stranger,  his  conduct  was  generally  at  vari- 
ance with  the  opinions  or  prejudices  of  his  people  ; in- 
deed, one  effect  of  his  learning  was  to  heighten  his 
contempt  of  public  opinion.  The  English  have  been 
considered  a loyal  people,  but  few  amongst  them  either 
loved  or  feared  James,  and  his  government  exhibited  a 
strange  contrast  with  that  of  Elizabeth.  Dignity  was 
incompatible  with  his  easy  but  passionate  temper,  with 
a character  in  which  pusillanimity  was  the  most  con- 
spicuous feature;  accordingly,  his  parliaments  became 
indifferent  to  his  noisy  threats,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to 
assert  that  he  compromised  national  honour,  and  disgust- 
ed his  subjects,  by  his  peaceful  policy  towards  Spain. 

The  commons,  during  the  whole  of  this  reign,  never 
lost  sight  of  one  great  object — their  country’s  freedom. 
The  right  of  impeachment,  which  had  fallen  into  disuse, 
was  restored  by  their  efforts  ; they  asserted  their  privi- 
lege to  debate  on  all  matters  of  public  concern,  and 
resisted  tbe  authority  of  proclamations.  The  king  had 
issued  a proclamation,  according  to  which  certain  build- 
ings should  be  pulled  down,  but  this  was  declared  unlaw- 
ful ; in  other  words,  a sovereign  cannot,  by  a proclama- 
tion, create  an  offence  where  none  had  before  existed. 

The  exclusive  privilege  of  the  commons  to  determine 
contested  elections  was  put  in  this  reign  beyond  the 
reach  ot  controversy.  Much,  however,  was  still  im- 
perfect ; others  had  to  finish  what  was  now  commenced. 

porary  authority.  The  determination  of  the  queen’s  council  to  pro- 
claim his  accession  could  give  him  no  right  to  the  throne.  It  might 
be  shown  that  the  choice  of  the  nation  was  in  his  favour,  although 
their  choice  was  not  expressed  by  suffrages,  or  any  formal  deed.  It 
may  be  doubted,  however,  in  a legal  point  of  view,  if  the  nation  could 
exercise  such  a power  in  the  present  instance,  because  it  was  contrary 
to  a provision  in  the  will  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  which  had  been  ratified 
by  a solemn  act  of  the  legislature.  A king  of  England,  with  the  con- 
sent of  parliament,  can  make  such  statutes  to  limit  the  succession  as 


The  nation  were  animated  with  tbe  hope  of  freedom 
this  sentiment  pervaded,  with  one  exception,  every  order 
of  the  community,  but  the  excepted  order  was  the  priest- 
hood. The  clergy,  in  their  vain  attempt  to  realize  the 
dreams  of  their  monarch,  brought  against  them  the  hatred 
of  the  people  ; popish  ceremonies  wrere  still  retained, 
these  were  offensive  to  the  greater  number,  and  the  law 
of  uniformity,  establishing  one  rule  of  faith  throughout 
the  kingdom,  connected  religious  with  civil  liberty. 

No  concessions  on  the  part  of  the  prince  to  the  great 
change  in  public  opinion,  the  disputes  between  the  crown 
and  the  commons,  and  the  imprisonment  of  Coke,  Sel- 
den,  Pym,  Mallory  and  Phillips,  prepared  the  way  for 
“ the  fatal  contests,  which  marked  with  a line  of  blood 
the  dynasty  of  the  Stuarts.” 

Elizabeth  is  justly  hated  on  account  of  her  conduct  to 
the  unfortunate  Mary,  but  James  was  guilty  of  the  blood 
of  another  victim,  the  no  less  unfortunate  although  less 
celebrated  Arabella  Stuart  ; the  state  policy  that  influ- 
enced the  two  sovereigns  was  in  both  cases  the  same 
A magnanimous  prince  would  never  have  condemned 
the  great  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  ; bis  execution,  and  the 
proceedings  during  his  long  imprisonment,  prove  the 
timidity  and  injustice  of  the  king.  The  best  feelings  of 
the  nation  were  outraged  at  the  murder  of  Sir  Thomas 
Overbury  ; the  weakness  of  the  king  was  made  manifest 
by  the  influence  of  his  favourite,  and  to  pardon  Somerset 
was  to  participate  in  his  crimes.  These  and  other  trans- 
actions shewed  the  necessity  of  limiting  the  power  of  the 
crown,  and  of  hindering  princes  from  perverting  just 
laws.  The  subserviency  and  venality  of  judges  may  be 
ranked  among  the  indirect  sources  of  corruption.  It 
would  be  incorrect  to  infer,  from  tbe  penalty  imposed 
on  the  great  Bacon,  that  bribery  was  of  rare  occurrence  ; 
the  sentence  passed  against  him  has  been  considered  a 
harsh  one,  and  it  is  certain  that  other  judges,  guilty  of 
like  offences,  were  more  fortunate  in  their  obscurity. 

No  period  of  English  history  has  been  more  diligently 
examined  than  the  reign  of  the  first  Charles,  both  on 
account  of  the  great  lessons  it  affords,  and  because  it  is 
intimately  connected  with  the  rise  of  freedom.  But  the 
events  of  this  memorable  reign  are  foreign  to  the  nature 
of  the  present  work  ; even  to  mention  such  only  as  are 
connected  with  the  progress  of  the  constitution,  is  incom- 
patible with  its  limits.  If  liberty  was  the  end  in  view,  it 
may  be  regretted  that  other  means  were  not  employed 
to  obtain  it.  If  the  royal  prerogative  was  stretched  be- 
yond its  just  boundaries,  little  advantage  could  be  gained 
by  transferring  arbitrary  power  from  the  king  to  the 
commons.  Charles  had  recourse  to  the  last  argument  of 
kings,  but  it  was  not  until  the  commons  had  left  him  only 
the  trappings  of  royalty,  nor  before  the  due  influence  of 
the  upper-house  was  destroyed.  It  may  then  be  doubted 
if  any  concessions,  even  a presbyterian  establishment,  or 
the  abolition  of  episcopacy,  could  have  effected  a lasting 
reconciliation  between  the  king  and  his  people,  such  were 
the  fatal  effects  of  his  insincerity  and  too  great  facility 

may  seem  fit.  An  act,  passed  in  the  35th  year  of  Henry  the  Eighth, 
confirmed  his  last  will,  signed  with  his  own  hand.  The  succession 
was  thus  limited  to  the  issue  of  his  own  children,  and  in  default  of 
them,  to  the  descendants  of  his  younger  sister  Mary,  duchess  of  Suf- 
folk, before  those  of  Margaret,  queen  of  the  Scots.  The  descendants 
of  Mary  were  alive  at  the  death  of  Elizabeth.”  Hallam’s  Constitu 
tional  History  of  England,  chapter  vi. 
a Cowell’s  Law  Interpreter,  1607. 


454 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLII 


But  the  triumph  of  the  commons  was  of  short  duration  ; 
independents  succeeded  presbyterians,  and  republicans 
yielded  to  a military  tyranny,  that  was  established  in  the 
government  of  Cromwell.  Many  causes  contributed  to 
these  calamities,  but  the  consideration  of  them  belongs 
not  to  the  present  subject.  While  it  is  admitted  that  the 
people  abused  their  victory,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the 
declamations  of  churchmen,  and  the  intrigues  of  courtiers, 
were  attended  with  the  worst  effects.  The  king  was  thus 
persuaded  of  his  right  to  absolute  dominion,  and  to  an 
uncontrolled  power,  not  only  over  the  temporal,  but  spir- 
itual concerns  of  his  people.  To  obtain  what  he  believed 
his  right,  a policy,  which  has  been  often  imitated  in  later 
times,  was  adopted.  The  offices,  honours  and  emolu- 
ments of  the  crown  were  employed  to  turn  aside  the 
parliamentary  leaders  from  the  cause  of  the  people,  and 
men  not  actuated  hy  more  elevated  views,  whose  chief 
motive  was  selfishness  or  worldly  aggrandizement,  were 
easily  made  to  support  an  authority  in  which  they  par- 
ticipated. An  unjust  sentence  and  an  ignominious  death 
have  been  urged  to  extenuate  the  infamy  of  Strafford. 
The  excesses  of  the  commons  may  be  regretted  ; their 
services  need  not  be  forgotten.  Ship-money  was  declar- 
ed illegal  and  arbitrary,  the  sentence  against  Hampden 
was  cancelled,  the  exclusion  of  the  forest  laws  was 
condemned,  and  patents  for  monopolies  were  annulled. 
Later  proceedings  are  worthy  of  admiration  ; a bill  was 
unanimously  passed  by  both  houses  for  the  suppression 
of  the  Star  Chamber  and  High  Commission  Courts,  and 
hy  the  same  bill  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Privy  Council  was 
regulated,  and  its  authority  abridged.  Other  arbitrary 
courts  were  abolished,  and  the  king,  at  the  request  of  his 
parliament,  instead  of  patents  during  pleasure,  gave  all 
the  judges  patents  during  their  good  behaviour  ; an  im- 
provement of  the  greatest  importance  towards  the  impar- 
tial administration  of  justice,  and  the  exclusion  of  the 
influence  of  the  crown  from  the  ordinary  courts  of  law. 
It  would  have  been  fortunate  had  the  commons  been 
satisfied  with  these  and  other  triumphs  of  a like  nature  ; 
hut  moderation  was  not  the  virtue  of  a period  in  which 
religious  zeal  was  associated  with  extravagant  notions  of 
liberty.  It  was  evidently  the  design  of  the  ruling  party 
to  subvert  the  constitution,  not  to  reform  or  improve  it  by 
enforcing  ancient  and  wise  laws,  and  by  cancelling  others 
of  a different  description  and  a more  recent  origin  ; not 
to  limit,  but  to  abolish  monarchy. 

The  offers  made  by  the  commons  w’ere  such  as  no 
English  king  could  receive  with  honour.  They  are  con- 
tained in  nineteen  propositions  of  which  the  following 
are  the  most  remarkable.  The  privy  council  and  officers 
of  state,  it  wras  proposed,  should  be  approved  by  parlia- 
ment, and  take  such  an  oath  as  the  two  houses  might 
prescribe.  No  vacancy  in  the  council  could  be  supplied 
during  the  intervals  of  parliament  without  the  assent  of 
the  majority,  and  an  election  thus  made,  required  for  its 
ratification  the  subsequent  assent  of  both  houses.  The 
education  and  marriage  of  the  king’s  children  were  to  be 
under  parliamentary  control.  Popish  peers  should  not 
he  permitted  to  vote.  The  church  government  and 
liturgy  should  be  reformed  according  to  the  wisdom  of 
both  houses.  The  regulation  of  the  militia  should  be 
committed  to  parliament ; the  command  of  all  fortified 
places  should  be  intrusted  to  such  persons  as  parliament 


appointed.  All  peers  made  in  future  were  not  to  sit  in 
parliament  unless  with  the  consent  of  both  houses. 

To  these  propositions  it  was  not  doubtful  that  another 
would  be  added  ; according  to  the  right  meaning  of  the 
old  coronation  oath,  the  king,  it  was  maintained,  must 
give  his  consent  to  all  the  bills  which  were  passed  by  the 
two  houses.  It  is  not  wonderful  that  Chailes  refused  to 
divest  himself  of  his  crown,  for  he  must  have  done  so 
had  he  accepted  such  conditions  ; no  prince  of  any  spirit 
could,  in  his  situation,  have  acceded  to  such  terms,  but 
the  commons  thought  what  they  had  already  obtained, 
insecure  without  farther  concessions.  The  high  notions 
Charles  entertained  of  his  prerogative,  notions  inherited 
from  his  father,  prevented  him  from  giving  due  weight 
to  public  opinion  ; he  encroached  continually  on  his  sub- 
jects’ rights,  while  he  may  have  thought  perhaps  that  he 
was  defending  his  own  ; hence  the  belief  in  the  necessity 
of  a republic  or  nominal  monarchy.  But  while  it  was 
determined  to  have  recourse  to  arms,  royalists  ard  re- 
publicans were  little  aware  of  the  calamities  of  a civil 
war.  The  probable  consequences  of  the  contest,  how- 
ever dangerous  to  liberty,  were  not  regarded;  chimerical 
notions  of  freedom  are  akin  to  fanaticism,  and  the  blood 
of  the  nation  was  spilt  to  elevate  a soldier  of  fortune,  and 
to  establish  a military  power,  to  which  unhappily  the 
king  fell  a victim,  and  which,  in  this  as  in  every  other 
instance,  proved  incompatible  with  freedom.  The  long 
struggle  between  the  king  and  his  people  was  not  marked 
by  tire  same  cruelty  or  the  same  treachery,  that  disgraced 
the  annals  of  France  during  the  wars  of  the  League.  As 
to  the  general  calamities  of  the  contest,  it  may  be  suffi- 
cient to  remark  that  from  the  year  1642  to  1649,  com- 
merce was  obstructed,  while  property  and  life  were 
endangered  by  constant  skirmishes  and  frequent  sieges. 
Agriculture  was  interrupted,  for  there  was  hardly  a 
county  in  England  that  was  not  at  one  time  or  other  the 
scene  of  devastations,  and  to  add  to  the  misery,  capitula- 
tions were  violated,  and  mutual  faith  was  disregarded  by 
both  parties.0 

It  would  be  incorrect  to  suppose  the  nation  guilty  of 
the  crimes  that  followed  the  civil  war;  there  was  no 
longer  any  freedom  in  England,  when  the  king  went 
through  the  mockery  of  a trial,  and  perished  on  the 
scaffold.  Occasion  has  been  taken,  in  a former  part  of 
this  work,  to  mention  the  causes  that  led  to  the  death  of 
Louis  the  Sixteenth.  Anarchy  and  misrule  in  France 
were  accompanied  with  the  abolition  of  Christianity,  and, 
according  to  some  writers,  the  prevalence  of  infidelity 
accounts  for  the  worst  crimes  that  were  committed  during 
the  French  Revolution.  Very  different  notions  prevailed 
in  England  ; very  different  were  the  motives  that  induced 
the  regicides  to  condemn  Charles.  It  was  imagined  that 
the  sovereign  ought  to  die  to  expiate  the  sins  of  the  war, 
that  the  sins  of  the  people  should  be  borne  by  him  and 
not  by  them.  Ludlow  quotes  the  following  passage  from 
the  book  of  Numbers;  “Blood  defileth  the  land,  and 
the  land  cannot  be  cleansed  of  the  blood  shed  thereon, 
but  by  the  blood  of  him  that  shed  it.  And,  therefore,  I 
could  not  consent  to  the  counsels  of  those  who  were  con- 
tented to  leave  the  guilt  of  so  much  blood  on  the  nation, 
when  it  was  most  evident  that  the  war  had  been  occa- 
sioned by  the  invasion  of  our  rights,  and  the  open  breach 
of  our  laws  and  constitution  on  the  king’s  part.b  “ As 


a Italian),  volume  2d. 


b Ludlow’s  Memoirs,  vol.  1st,  267. 


r 


book  cLii.i  DESCRIPTION  OI 

for  Mr.  Hutchinson,”  says  one  of  the  best  writers  of  the 
period,  “ although  he  was  very  much  confirmed  in  his 
hidgment  concerning  the  cause,  yet  being  here  called  to 
an  extraordinary  action,  whereof  many  were  of  several 
minds,  he  addressed  himself  to  God  by  prayer,  desiring 
the  Lord,  that  if  through  any  human  frailty,  he  were  led 
into  any  error  or  false  opinion  in  those  great  transactions, 
he  would  open  his  eyes,  and  not  suffer  him  to  proceed, 
put  that  he  would  confirm  his  spirit  in  the  truth,  and 
lead  him  by  a right  enlightened  conscience  ; and  finding 
no  check  but  a confirmation  in  his  conscience  that  it  was 
his  duty  to  act  as  he  did,  he,  upon  serious  debate,  both 
privately  and  in  his  address  to  God,  and  in  conferences 
with  conscientious,  upright,  unbiassed  persons,  proceeded 
to  sign  the  sentence  against  the  king.”1  Such,  in  all 
probability,  were  the  real  sentiments  of  Ludlow  and 
Hutchinson,  the  most  virtuous  among  those  who  decided 
the  fate  of  Charles.  It  was  necessary  for  Cromwell  to 
act  in  the  same  manner  that  he  might  regain  his  influence 
over  the  army,  and  that  he  might  render  it  subservient 
to  his  ambition  ; skilled  in  concealing  his  real  motives, 
those  which  he  alleges,  indicate  the  infatuation,  and  the 
strange  fanaticism,  that  prevailed.  “ Should  any  one 
have  voluntarily  proposed  to  bring  the  king  to  punish- 
ment,! should  have  regarded  him  as  the  greatest  traitor; 
but  since  providence,  and  necessity  have  cast  us  upon  it, 

I will  pray  to  God  for  a blessing  on  your  counsels,  though 
I am  not  prepared  to  give  you  any  advice  on  this  impor- 
tant occasion.  Even  1 myself,  when  I was  lately  offering 
up  petitions  for  his  majesty’s  restoration,  felt  my  tongue 
cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth,  and  considered  this 
supernatural  movement  as  the  answer  which  heaven, 
having  rejected  the  king,  had  sent  to  my  prayers. ”b 
The  judges  of  Louis  were  nowise  actuated  by  religious 
scruples  ; so  far  their  opinion  was  participated  by  the 
people,  who  embraced  a system  of  which  the  ceremonies 
were  borrowed  from  the  Greek  mythology.  A debasing 
superstition,  and  a perverted  religion,  inconsistent  with 
moral  rectitude  or  common  justice,  influenced  the  judges 
of  Charles;  their  notions  were  those  of  the  ruling  party  ; 
those  who  adopted  better  sentiments  or  a milder  creed, 
were  ranked  among  the  vanquished  royalists.  The  dis- 
solution of  the  monarchy  and  the  English  constitution 
succeeded  the  death  of  the  king.  The  commons  voted 
that  kingly  power  should  be  annulled,  because  it  was 
“ unnecessary,  burthensome,  and  dangerous  ;”  the  house 
of  peers  was  considered  “ useless  and  dangerous,”  and 
on  that  account  it  was  abolished.  A new  great  seal  was 
made  with  the  date  on  one  side,  while  on  the  other  the 
assembled  commons  were  represented,  and  the  following 
inscription  was  engraved:  In  the  first  year  of  free- 
dom by  god’s  grace  restored.  The  care  of  the  great 
seal  was  committed  to  certain  persons,  who  were  denomi- 
nated the  conservators  of  the  liberties  of  England.  The 
king’s  statue  in  the  exchange  was  pulled  down,  and  the 
following  words  were  inscribed  on  the  pedestal : Exit 
Tyrannus  Regum  ultimus. 

If  to  gain  freedom  were  the  cause  of  the  civil  wars, 
the  end  was  not  attained  after  their  termination.  The 
English  government,  from  the  death  of  the  king  to  the 
year  1658,  was  first  changed  into  a military  oligarchy, 
and  afterwards  into  a despotism.  Although  disturbed  by 
seditions  and  intrigues  of  which  the  object  was  to  rid  the 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  455 

nation  of  a tyrant,  and  at  other  times  to  restore  the  house 
of  Stuart,  it  has  held  together  after  the  battle  of  Worces- 
ter by  an  army  of  forty-five  thousand  men,  and  many 
were  compelled  to  swear  fidelity  to  the  commonwealth. 
The  government  of  Cromwell,  it  is  undeniable,  could 
not  have  been  secure  a single  day  without  so  great  a 
military  force  ; but  even  the  army  was  not  the  sole  in- 
strument by  which  his  power  was  wielded.  It  enabled 
him  in  1656  to  exclude  many  members  from  the  house 
of  commons,  and  to  mould  it  to  his  will.  A military 
guard  demanded  a certificate  from  the  council  before 
any  member  could  obtain  admission.  So  novel  a pro- 
ceeding excited  unusual  disapprobation,  but  to  the  re- 
monstrances of  the  excluded  members,  it  was  answered 
that  the  qualifications  of  members  were  vested  in  the 
lords  of  the  council,  who  had  exercised  their  right  ac- 
cording to  the  best  of  their  judgment.  The  most  revered 
institutions  were  abolished,  and  to  condemn  men,  who 
would  not  have  been  condemned  by  jurymen,  the  use 
of  juries  was  dispensed  with  in  the  new  high  court  of 
justice.  It  is  needless  to  add  that  such  a tribunal  was 
contrary  to  law,  and  to  the  very  oath  that  Cromwell  had 
taken  ; prisoners  protested  against  the  legality  of  the 
court,  ancient  statutes  were  quoted,  and  the  words  Mag- 
na Charta  were  pronounced  in  vain.  One  individual, 
believing  that  to  defend  himself  was  to  betray  the  liber- 
ties of  his  country,  remained  silent,  but  his  silence  has- 
tened his  fate,  it  was  considered  a confession  of  guilt. 
Not  only  were  juries  abolished,  but  the  accused  were 
not  allowed  the  benefit  of  counsel.  The  court  was  “ of 
sufficient  counsel  to  the  prisoner  and  the  common- 
wealth,” but  men  declared  it  was  of  counsel  for  the 
commonwealth  and  against  the  prisoner.  In  some  in- 
stances, however,  this  was  not  the  case  ; more  than  one 
judge  had  the  boldness  to  decide  justly,  while  others 
chose  rather  to  resign  their  office  than  to  pervert  the 
law's.  Although  it  was  declared  high  treason  by  a new 
act  to  assert  that  the  government  wras  tyrannical,  unlawful 
or  unjust,  many  were  not  deterred  from  expressing  their 
real  sentiments;  Cromwell  was  generally  called  an  artful 
hypocrite,  and  a dissembling  villain,  while  the  republi- 
cans deplored  that  they  had  fought  for  a worse  tyrant 
than  Charles  Stuart. 

The  decimation  of  the  property  of  the  royalists  wyas  an 
act  of  tyranny  without  a parallel  in  the  history  of  the 
Tudors.  England  was  divided  into  eleven  military  gov- 
ernments under  as  many  major-generals.  These  per- 
sons were  authorized  to  raise  forces  within  their  jurisdic- 
tions, to  exact  the  decimation  and  different  taxes,  to  sup- 
press tumults  and  insurrections,  to  disarm  catholics  and 
cavaliers,  to  inquire  into  the  conduct  of  ministers  and 
schoolmasters,  and  to  imprison  all  dangerous  and  suspect 
ed  persons.  The  powers,  such  a commission  conferred, 
great  as  they  w'ere,  appeared  too  limited  to  these  milita- 
ry prefects  ; their  rapacity  more  than  their  hatred  against 
the  royalists  excited  them  to  acts  of  injustice  ; they 
thought  the  number  of  exempted  persons  too  great,  they 
took  care  to  make  it  less,  and  as  many  as  had  remained 
neutral  were  ranked  with  the  proscribed.  The  fruits  of 
the  civil  wars  were  nowr  apparent,  and  bitter  disappoint- 
ment succeeded  the  hopes  of  the  republicans  ; if  the 
Star  Chamber  had  been  abolished,  a more  iniquitous  tri- 
bunal was  established  in  its  place  ; if  illegal  taxes  had 


a Hutchinson,  page  303. 


b Parliamentary  History,  vol.  xviii. 


456 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  Clill 


been  resisted,  others  infinitely  more  onerous  were  im- 
posed. Jt  required  but  little  reflection  to  conclude  that 
the  property  and  the  lives  of  men  were  insecure,  while 
the  Protector  could  erect  a high  court  of  justice,  and  di- 
vide the  country  into  prefectures.  The  “ good  old  cause  ” 
was  thus  connected  with  dismal  associations,  and  the 
friends  of  royalty  were  increased  ; many  remembered 
ancient  and  better  institutions,  and  forgot,  under  the  ac- 
tual despotism,  the  abuses  which  had  led  to  their  subver- 
sion. If  the  sense  of  the  nation  could  have  been  taken, 
it  might  have  been  shown  that  notan  individual  out  of  a 
thousand  was  friendly  to  the  new  government.  Had  the 
moral  qualities  of  Cromwell  at  all  corresponded  with  his 
intellectual  faculties,  he  might  have  been  as  much  loved 
as  he  was  hated  by  his  countrymen.  Extraordinary  pre- 
cautions, movements  concealed  from  the  nearest  attend- 
ants, fears  of  assassination,  and  sleepless  nights,  proved 
him  not  ignorant  of  the  execration  in  which  he  was  held. 
The  history  of  the  commonwealth  and  the  protectorate 
may  be  distinguished  by  national  greatness,  and  by  the 
increased  importance  of  England  among  European  pow- 
ers, but  it  forms  a dark  era  in  the  history  of  the  consti- 
tution. 

It  was  not  before  the  restoration  that  any  advantages 
were  gained  from  the  civil  wars  ; many,  who  had  exposed 
themselves  to  the  dangers,  lived  not  to  enjoy  the  fruits 
of  the  contest.  If  the  individual  who  placed  Charles 
the  Second  on  the  throne,  had  entered  into  conditions  to 
abridge  the  royal  authority,  and  to  extend  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  the  people,  lie  might  have  added  immeas- 
urably to  his  own  fame,  rendered  the  government  more 
secure,  and  prevented  perhaps  the  subsequent  exile  and 
misfortunes  of  the  Stuarts.  The  monarchy,  it  is  admit- 
ted, was  milder  during  the  reign  of  the  second  Charles 
than  in  the  time  of  preceding  kings,  but  it  was  owing  to 
the  efforts  of  upright  men  and  resolute  patriots,  not  cer- 
tainly of  General  Monk,  who  had  it  in  his  power  to  con- 
fer the  greatest  benefits  on  his  country.  The  anomalies 
introduced  after  the  civil  wars  survived  not  the  usurper, 
the  concessions  made  by  Charles  the  First  were  not  ren- 
dered nugatory  by  alarming  innovations,  and  government 
began  to  assume  the  character  which  it  now  bears. 
Royal  proclamations  were  seldom  issued,  the  Star  Cham- 
ber was  anew  abolished,  and  the  right  of  Habeas  Corpus 
was  enforced.  It  must  be  confessed,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  many  acts  of  injustice  were  perpetrated  ; the  condem- 
nation of  Sir  Henry  Vane  was  a violation  of  a solemn 
promise  ; the  sentences  passed  against  Sidney,  Russel 
and  others,  marked  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  with  a 
character  of  despotism  ; the  deaths  more  than  the  lives 
of  these  patriots  strengthened  the  cause  they  maintained. 
It  is  incorrect,  therefore,  to  conclude  with  some  writers 
that  “ the  constitution  had  arrived  at  its  full  vigour,  that 
the  balance  between  prerogative  and  liberty  was  hap- 
pily established.”  The  next  reigna  affords  the  best  ref- 
utation to  such  a remark  ; it  may  be  sufficient  to  observe 
that  attempts  to  exercise  the  dispensing  power,  to  repeal 
the  test  laws,  and  to  establish  Catholicism,  ended  in  the 
final  expulsion  of  the  Stuarts.  William  of  Orange,  the 
son-in-law  of  James,  and  one  of  the  greatest  princes 
that  appears  in  modern  history,  continued  a watchful  ob- 
server of  these  violent  measures.  To  preserve  the  lights 


and  privileges,  which  it  was  the  open  design  of  the  king 
to  destroy,  seven  persons,  eminent  from  their  rank  and  in- 
fluence, invited  William  to  land  in  England. b The  in- 
vitation was  accepted,  and  the  revolution  of  1688  was 
achieved.  No  event  of  a like  nature  has  been  attended 
with  fewer  calamities,  or  followed  with  greater  advan- 
tages ; it  rendered  the  different  kinds  of  government, 
which  are  blended  in  that  of  England,  more  secure,  and 
at  the  same  time,  independent  of  each  other  ; the  con- 
stitution acquired  a degree  of  stability  which  it  had  not 
obtained  since  the  Norman  conquest ; it  took  away  every 
pretext  for  the  destructive  contests  between  kings  and 
their  subjects,  contests  equally  fatal  to  civil  liberty,  wheth- 
er they  terminated  in  the  death  of  the  monarch,  or  in 
the  oppression  of  the  people  ; since  the  same  period  the 
chances  of  faction  have  been  diminished,  it  is  no 
longer  apt  to  be  confounded  with  party.  The  English 
monarchy  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  been  united  with 
free  institutions  before  the  revolution,  otherwise  the  in- 
defeasible right  of  kings,  and  their  absolute  prerogative, 
could  never  have  been  so  boldly  maintained  ; parliament, 
it  was  insisted,  owed  its  existence  to  the  sovereign  ; it 
might  be  destroyed  by  the  same  power  that  called  it  into 
being.  The  great  practical  difficulty  in  the  science  of 
government  was  now  overcome,  and  Parliament  became 
an  inseparable  part  of  the  government ; whatever  may 
have  been  the  right  of  other  kings  to  the  throne,  what- 
ever sophistry  may  have  alleged,  William  the  Third  and 
his  successors  could  claim  only  a parliamentary  title. 
The  influence  of  public  opinion  on  government  is  often 
as  beneficial  as  positive  enactments  ; it  is  now  very  pow- 
erful in  England,  but  it  was  not  so  before  the  same  period. 

The  conditions  by  which  the  throne  is  held,  are  partly 
enumerated  in  the  declaration  of  rights,  which  was  pre- 
sented to  William  before  both  houses  of  parliament  by 
the  Marquis  of  Halifax,  the  speaker  of  the  lords.  To 
suspend  laws  or  the  execution  of  laws  by  regal  authori- 
ty, without  consent  of  parliament,  is  declared  to  be  illegal. 
The  pretended  power  of  dispensing  with  laws,  as  it  hath 
been  exercised,  is  contrary  to  law.  The  commission  for 
erecting  the  court  of  commissioners  for  ecclesiastical 
causes,  and  all  other  commissions  and  courts  of  the  like 
nature,  are  illegal  and  pernicious.  To  levy  money  for 
the  use  of  the  crown  by  pretence  of  prerogative  without 
consent  of  parliament,  is  illegal.  The  right  of  the  sub- 
ject to  petition  the  king  is  confirmed  ; all  commitments 
for,  and  abstractions  against  the  exercise  of  this  right,  are 
illegal.  The  raising  or  keeping  a standing  army  within 
the  kingdom  in  time  of  peace,  unless  it  be  with  con- 
sent of  parliament,  is  illegal.  The  elections  of  members 
of  parliament  ought  to  be  free  ; the  freedom  of  speech 
or  debates  or  proceedings  in  parliament  ought  not  to  be 
impeached  or  questioned  in  any  court  or  in  any  place  out 
of  parliament.  Excessive  bail  ought  not  to  be  imposed, 
nor  cruel  and  unusual  punishments  inflicted.  Juries 
ought  to  be  duly  impannelled  and  returned,  and  jurors 
that  pass  on  men  in  trials  of  high  treason  ought  to  be 
freeholders.  All  grants  and  promises  of  fines  and  for- 
feitures of  particular  persons  before  conviction,  are  ille- 
gal. Lastly,  parliaments  ought  to  be  frequently  held,  in 
order  that  all  grievances  may  be  redressed,  and  that  the 
laws  may  be  amended,  strengthened  and  preserved.  Such 


1 James  II. 

b These  persons  were  the  Earls  of  Danby,  Shrewsbury  and  Devon- 


shire, Lords  Delamere  and  Lunrley,  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  Admi- 
ral Russel 


BOOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


are  some  of  the  conditions  which  were  afterwards  more 
solemnly  confirmed  in  the  bill  of  rights,  and  which  have 
served  as  the  basis  of  the  later  improvements  m the  Eng- 
lish constitution. 

That  the  money  voted  by  parliament  should  be  appro- 
priated to  specified  purposes  had  been  considered  the 
practice  of  government  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Sec- 
ond ; it  was  not,  however,  strictly  followed  ; the  house 
of  commons  that  sat  in  1685,  betrayed  their  trust  to 
gratify  the  king,  and  boasted  of  not  having  appropriated 
their  supplies.  The  same  practice  has  been  invariably 
adhered  to  since  the  revolution  ; it  has  given  the  com- 
mons such  a control  over  the  executive  power  that  no 
administration  can  subsist  without  their  concurrence  ; the 
naval  and  military  forces  are  placed  at  their  disposal,  for 
by  refusing  the  supplies,  neither  the  one  nor  the  other 
can  be  maintained.  It  is  obvious  too,  from  what  has 
been  remarked,  that  no  longer  period  than  a twelvemonth 
can  intervene  between  the  sessions  of  parliament.  In 
war  or  during  any  emergence,  considerable  sums  may  be 
raised  by  a vote  of  credit,  and  the  crown  may  have  per- 
haps applied  them  during  the  intervals  of  parliament  to 
different  purposes  than  those  for  which  they  were  grant- 
ed. It  has  sometimes  happened  that  the  annual  sums 
appropriated  for  the  public  service  are  inadequate  to  the 
charge  of  it.  The  means  thus  obtained  of  corrupting 
the  commons,  and  increasing  the  influence  of  the  crown, 
have  in  some  periods  given  rise  to  abuses  against  which 
no  provision  has  been  devised  ; they  are  not,  however, 
of  a permanent  character,  for  if  sanctioned  by  one  par- 
liament, it  does  not  follow  that  they  must  be  so  in 
another,  and  they  are  not  likely  to  excite  reason- 
able apprehensions  so  long  as  there  is  an  urgent  ne- 
cessity for  public  economy  in  every  department  of  the 
state. 

The  long  duration  of  the  second  house  of  commons  in 
the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second,  was  not  forgotten  after 
the  revolution;  if  the  king  were  enabled  to  lengthen  the 
existence  of  a parliament  to  an  almost  indefinite  period, 
the  connexion  between  the  people  and  their  represen- 
tatives, it  was  feared,  might  be  destroyed.  It  was  not 
likely  that  an  evil  from  which  so  much  inconvenience 
had  been  felt,  could  be  tolerated  in  the  changed  state  of 
public  opinion,  when  liberal  notions  prevailed,  and  when 
the  people  recollected  that  they  had  changed  the  line  of 
succession  on  account  of  the  misgovernment  of  their 
rulers.  The  bill  for  triennial  parliaments  received  the 
royal  assent  in  1694,  six  years  after  the  landing  of  Wil- 
liam. It  declares  that  parliament  shall  cease  and  deter- 
mine three  years  from  its  meeting,  and  provides  against 
the  intermission  of  parliament  for  a longer  period.  The 
last  clause  is  also  mentioned  in  an  act  of  Charles  the 
Second  ; in  practice  it  was  unnecessary,  since  the  appro- 
priation of  the  revenue,  and  the  mutiny  bill,  which  is 
always  passed  for  a limited  time,  and  without  which  a 
standing  army  is  illegal,  render  the  intermission  of  par- 
liament for  a much  shorter  period  than  three  years,  in- 
compatible with  the  government  of  the  state. 

The  law  was  changed  in  1717,  and  the  duration  of 
parliament  was  extended  to  seven  years.  The  new  bill 
was  introduced  for  temporary  purposes  by  the  ministry 
of  the  day  ; it  has  continued  in  force  for  more  than  a 
hundred  years,  and  has  been  attended  with  important  ad- 
vantages. Great  corruption  still  prevails  during  elections  ; 
but  in  consequence  of  this  change  the  people  are  less  habit- 

VOL,  HI— NO.  56  58 


457 

uated  to  them,  and  their  demoralizing  influence  is  necessa- 
rily diminished.  It  is  the  chief  duty  of  a member  of  par- 
liament to  watch  over  the  liberties  of  his  countrymen  ; but 
if  he  were  not  independent  of  the  people,  the  democratic 
part  of  the  constitution  might  be  liable  to  such  defects 
as  those,  which  were  so  conspicuous  in  the  most  celebrat- 
ed republics  of  antiquity. 

It  was  attempted  in  the  same  reign  to  restore  the  early 
laws  relative  to  treason  their  spirit,  although  obvious, 
and  their  meaning,  although  definite,  had  not  defended 
them  against  the  interpretations  of  corrupt  judges.  The 
statute  is  remarkable  in  some  respects,  since  different  of- 
fences which  have  no  connexion  with  treason,  are  includ- 
ed in  it,  and  no  mention  is  made  of  an  intention,  or  even 
actual  preparations  to  make  war  against  the  king.  If 
the  law  of  treason  had  always  remained  so  defective,  it 
might  have  been  as  dangerous  to  the  safety  of  the  gov- 
ernment as  if  it  had  depended  on  the  will  of  the  prince, 
or  the  subserviency  of  the  judge.  The  omissions,  how- 
ever, were  supplied,  and  the  limits  of  the  monarchy,  in  as 
much  as  they  relate  to  this  subject,  were  determined  at 
a comparatively  recent  period.  The  57th  of  George 
the  Third,  now  the  law  of  the  land,  supersedes  the  fa- 
mous statute  of  Edward  the  Third. 

The  liberty  of  the  press,  in  as  much  as  it  consists  in 
the  exemption  from  a censorship  or  a licenser,  was  con- 
firmed in  the  reign  of  William  the  Third.  The  licensing 
act,  it  is  true,  expired  in  1679,  but  it  was  renewed  for 
seven  years  in  1685,  and,  at  the  end  of  that  period,  it 
continued  in  force  during  the  greater  part  of  1693,  when 
it  was  finally  abolished.  It  must  not,  however,  be  inferred, 
that  the  press  was  as  free  as  it  has  since  become  ; some 
time  elapsed  before  men  were  allowed  to  express  their 
opinions  fully  on  public  affairs  ; to  write  against  a minis- 
try of  the  day  was  included  in  the  number  of  libels,  for 
any  attempt,  by  means  of  the  press,  to  bring  the  servants 
of  the  king  into  discredit,  was  thought,  in  some  degree 
at  least,  to  extend  to  the  sovereign.  Ministers  thought 
it  better  to  answer  than  to  prosecute  their  adversaries, 
the  greatest  men  of  the  time  defended  or  opposed 
by  their  writings  the  measures  of  government,  and  the 
public  character  of  statesmen  became  gradually  a fair 
subject  of  discussion. 

Another  important  advantage  connected  with  a free 
press  was  acquired  at  a later  period.  It  is  still  suppos- 
ed that  the  deliberations  of  the  two  houses  are  secret, 
and  it  is  competent  for  any  member  to  insist  on  the  ex- 
clusion of  strangers,  not  for  any  particular  reason,  but 
that  a standing  order  for  the  purpose  may  be  enforced. 
It  has  more  than  once  been  considered  a high  breach  of 
privilege  to  publish  the  speeches  or  proceedings  in  the 
lower  house  of  parliament  ; for  such  offences  different 
persons  have  been  committed,  and  it  is  still  deemed  ir- 
regular in  any  member  of  the  commons  to  allude  to  the 
reports  in  newspapers,  unless  it  be  on  account  of  a 
breach  of  privilege.  While  the  people  were  ignorant  oi 
what  passed  in  parliament,  it  sometimes  happened  that 
abridgments  of  the  debates  were  published,  and  on  some 
occasions,  for  the  sake  of  popularity,  entire  speeches 
were  printed,  and  circulated  by  the  members  who  de- 
livered them.  It  is  undeniable,  however,  that  after  the 
accession  of  George  the  First,  a register  of  the  debates  was 
annually  published,  until  the  year  1737  ; after  that  pe- 
riod, they  appeared  monthly,  in  a less  abridged  form,  in 
the  London  and  Gentleman’s  Magazines.  It  is  almost 


458 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  Clill 


superfluous  to  remark  that  the  presence  of  strangers  must 
have  been  tacitly  sanctioned  before  such  works  were 
published.  It  was  not  then  customary  to  prefix  the 
names  of  members  to  their  speeches,  but  merely  the  in- 
itial letters,  and  in  this  way  it  was  imagined  the  breach 
of  privilege  might  be  evaded.  The  practice,  however 
ridiculous,  was  not  wholly  abolished  during  the  American 
war.  From  that  time  until  the  present,  successive  im- 
provements have  been  made-  in  the  method  of  report- 
ing debates  ; the  art  of  short-hand  writing  has  probably 
attained  the  utmost  degree  of  perfection  of  which  it  is 
susceptible,  and  the  speeches  of  the  different  members 
are  now  regularly  printed  a few  hours  after  they  are 
delivered. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  too  highly  this  great  ad- 
vantage resulting  from  a free  press  ; it  forms  a new  and 
powerful  connexion  between  the  people  and  their  rep- 
resentatives ; to  the  former  the  conduct  of  public  men  is 
thus  made  known,  and  it  is  thus  that  they  judge  if  those 
entrusted  with  their  rights,  are  worthy  of  their  confidence. 
The  same  custom  accounts  in  some  degree  at  least  for 
the  great  influence  of  public  opinion  in  England,  an  in- 
fluence which  it  would  be  vain  to  attribute  wholly  to  the 
diffusion  of  wealth  and  knowledge  among  the  middling 
ranks.  This  important  privilege  has  only  been  establish- 
ed by  usage,  and  that  too  from  no  remote  period,  but  it 
could  not  be  destroyed  without  the  worst  consequences ; 
indeed  if  it  were  possible  to  shut  the  doors  of  parliament 
against  strangers,  no  more  effectual  means  could  he  de- 
vised by  a tyrant  or  an  usurper  to  subvert  the  British 
constitution. 

Such  were  some  of  the  later  benefits  that  sprung  from 
the  revolution  ; the  more  immediate  consequences,  it  has 
been  shewn,  were  equally  salutary  ; the  notions  concern- 
ing the  absolute  right  of  kings  had  led  to  acts  of  tyranny 
on  the  part  of  the  prince,  and  to  resistance  on  the  part  of 
the  people  ; such  notions  it  was  impossible  longer  to  en- 
tertain ; the  crown  had  been  given  by  the  people  to  Wil- 
liam of  Nassau,  and  to  the  gift  conditions  were  annexed. 
The  theory  of  an  original  contract  had  been  adopted  by 
parliament ; it  was  decided  that  it  had  been  violated  by 
James,  and  that  in  consequence  the  throne  had  been  abdi- 
cated. An  approximation  was  thus  made  to  the  truth,  that 
the  power  of  kings  is  committed  to  them  for  the  happiness 
and  welfare  of  their  people.  Although  this  principle  was 
not  expressed  by  parliament,  it  appears  to  have  been  after- 
wards sanctioned  by  their  proceedings,  and  in  particular 
by  the  act  of  settlement.  It  was  considered  unnecessary 
at  the  revolution  to  extend  the  line  of  succession  beyond 
the  descendants  of  Anne  and  William  ; the  former  be- 
came a few  months  afterwards  the  mother  of  a son,  so 
that  the  provisions,  which  had  been  already  made,  were 
not  thought  in  any  way  too  limited.  It  was  manifest, 
however,  in  the  year  1700,  that  the  first  act  of  settlement 
could  not  extend  beyond  the  life  of  the  king  and  the 
princess  of  Denmark  ; under  such  circumstances  the  ne- 
cessity of  a new  one  became  imperative.  The  people 
had  to  exercise  a second  time  a most  important  right,  that 
of  choosing  their  monarch  ; in  the  first  instance  it  had 
been  preceded  with  revolution  and  the  deposition  of  a 
king;  in  the  second,  the  government  was  established, 
and  the  chances  of  civil  war  were  remote.  It  was  sol- 
emnly determined  by  parliament  that  the  princess  So- 
phia, the  wife  of  the  elector  of  Hanover,  and  her  de- 
scendants, should  succeed  to  the  throne  of  England  The 


connexion  between  that  princess  and  the  house  of  Stuart 
was  certainly  the  cause  of  this  resolution,  hut  neither 
herself  nor  her  descendants  could  claim  their  new  dignity 
from  any  hereditary  title.  Had  the  nearest  relatives  of 
the  Stuarts  succeeded  to  the  crown  of  England,  it  must 
have  first  devolved  on  the  duchess  of  Savoy,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Henrietta  of  Orleans,  and  on  several  members  of  the 
Palatine  family  ; but  these  had  abjured  the  reformed  faith. 
The  genius  and  the  research  of  Gibbon  have  been  em- 
ployed in  illustrating  the  house  of  Brunswick,  a house 
which  yields  to  none  in  antiquity  or  in  renown;  although 
connected  with  Cerdic,  the  Conqueror,  the  Edwards  and 
the  Henries,  its  right  to  the  throne  rests  on  the  act  of 
settlement,  a parliamentary  title,  which  necessarily  pre- 
supposes the  supremacy  of  the  legislature.3 

It  is  superfluous  to  enumerate  the  conditions,  which 
were  annexed  to  the  Hanoverian  succession  ; all  of  them 
are  of  a liberal  tendency  ; some  made  for  temporary  pur- 
poses, have  been  since  abolished  ; it  may  be  regretted, 
however,  that  another  was  not  added,  by  which  the 
king  of  England  must  have  renounced  the  electorate  of 
Hanover. 

The  benefits  which  were  derived  from  the  revolution, 
were  confirmed  by  the  act  of  settlement,  and  the  consti- 
tution was  established.  An  end  was  put  to  the  long 
contest  that,  with  some  intervals,  lasted  for  ages  between 
the  sovereign  and  the  people.  Although  the  govern- 
ment, since  the  admission  of  the  commons  into  the  legis- 
lature, may  have  been  nominally  divided  into  three 
kinds,  its  real  character  was  that  of  a monarchy,  and  the 
power  of  the  crown  was  above  the  power  of  the  nobility 
and  the  people.  The  conqueror  and  his  successors,  to 
the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century,  may  bear  a comparison 
in  many  respects  with  the  princes  of  the  Capetian  race. 
The  Stuarts  aimed  at  arbitrary  power,  and  sought  by 
illegal  means  to  rule  without  parliament,  to  elude  the 
restraints  on  their  authority,  and  to  govern  “after  the 
French  method.”  It  would  be  incorrect  to  suppose  that 
all  the  great  advantages  obtained  at  the  revolution  were 
felt  immediately  after  it ; the  divisions  in  England,  and 
the  state  of  Europe  at  the  time,  seemed  to  justify  deci- 
sive, and  to  palliate  arbitrary  measures. 

The  personal  qualities  of  William,  and  his  consum- 
mate skill  in  the  details  of  government,  rendered  many 
of  the  conditions  irksome  ; he  is  said  to  have  been  his 
own  minister,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  he  was  better 
fitted  to  be  so  than  most  men  in  his  dominions.  A great 
prince  is  dangerous  to  a limited  monarchy  ; but  that  the 
constitution  was  not  shaken,  while  so  many  circumstances 
concurred  to  subvert  it,  may  be  considered  a proof  of  the 
spirit  by  which  the  people  were  actuated. 

It  is  undeniable  that  important  changes  have  taken 
place,  some  of  them  greatly  increasing  the  power  of  the 
executive  government,  and  others  of  so  opposite  a ten- 
dency as  to  render  it  difficult  to  estimate  their  counter- 
acting effects.  It  has  been  urged,  not  without  reason, 
that  an  excess  of  power,  similar  in  some  respects  to  that 
wrested  from  the  crown  at  the  expulsion  of  the  Stuarts, 
has  been  gradually  transferred  to  the  aristocracy,  and 
that  it  is  not  sufficiently  restrained  by  the  king  or  the 
people. 

The  great  territorial  proprietors  may  be  classed  with 
the  aristocracy,  and  their  united  influence  has  too  often 


1 Hallam,  Idem, — ibid. 


BOOK  CLII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


459 


prevailed  in  the  lower  house  of  parliament ; but  it  is 
more  reasonable  to  believe  that  the  evil  may  be  reme- 
died, than  that  it  is  of  such  a nature  as  to  endanger  per- 
manently the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  people. 

Although  the  origin  of  parties  may  be  referred  to  an 
earlier  period,  their  increased  importance  forms  a re- 
markable feature  in  the  history  of  England  since  the 
revolution.  The  government  of  the  country  has  been 
committed  nearly  two  centuries  to  whigs  or  tories ; under 
one  or  other  of  these  denominations,  the  members  of 
parliament,  and  almost  all  those  who  set  any  value  on 
their  political  privileges,  may  be  classed.  It  is  of  con- 
sequence, therefore,  to  ascertain  their  distinctive  princi- 
ples; this,  however,  is  not  easily  done,  both  on  account 
of  the  latitude  with  which  the  meaning  of  the  terms  is 
received,  the  variations  they  undergo,  and  the  factions 
that  have  used  them  for  unworthy  purposes.  While  the 
number  on  either  side  is  so  great,  there  must  be  many 
whose  principles  sit  loosely  on  them,  and  it  requires  but 
a superficial  acquaintance  with  history  to  be  convinced 
that  the  attainment  of  power  has  too  often  been  the  lead- 
ing motive  of  political  conduct. 

It  would  be  unfair  to  derive  the  distinctions  between 
the  parties  from  such  examples.  The  tory  and  the  whig 
are  equally  attached  to  the  constitution  ; the  one  is  not 
a friend  to  unlimited  monarchy,  the  other  is  not  a repub- 
lican. The  one  believes  the  constitution  perfect,  and 
wishes  to  pi'eserve  it  unchanged  ; the  other  considers 
the  welfare  of  the  community,  and  the  public  good,  of 
paramount  importance.  The  tory  has  been  naturally 
averse  to  innovation  ; the  whig,  for  such  purposes,  not 
unfriendly  to  it.  The  one  opposes  whatever  may  tend 
to  endanger  the  prerogative ; the  other  resists  every  en- 
croachment on  the  liberties  of  the  people.  The  tory  is 
distinguished  by  his  zeal  for  the  established  church  ; for 
its  sake  in  past  times  catholics  were  persecuted,  and  un- 
just restraints  were  imposed  on  dissenters  ; the  cause  of 
the  church  has  been  sometimes  confounded  with  the 
cause  of  loyalty,  a fact  which  accounts  in  a great  degree 
for  the  slow  progress  of  religious  liberty  in  England. 

It  is  natural  to  infer  that  tory  principles  are  likely  to 
prevail  among  the  hereditary  aristocracy,  an  order  which 
derives  its  brightest  lustre  from  the  crown.  It  is  equally 
certain  that  whig  principles  are  more  comprehensive, 
more  philosophical,  and  more  consonant  with  the  pur- 
poses of  civil  society,  the  progress  of  improvement,  and 
the  temporary  nature  of  human  institutions.  It  is  for- 
tunate that  they  have  been  counteracted  by  each  other : 
from  the  excess  of  the  one,  too  rapid  innovations  might 
ensue,  while  the  tendency  of  the  other  is  to  retard  im- 
provement. 

If  civil  liberty  was  established  at  the  revolution,  the 
commencement  of  religious  liberty  may  be  dated  from 
the  same  epoch.  By  the  toleration  act,  the  first  act  of 
William  and  Mary,  all  their  majesties’  protestant  sub- 
jects, dissenting  from  the  church  of  England,  were  ex- 
empted from  penalties,  and  permitted  the  free  exercise 
of  their  religious  duties,  provided  they  took  the  oath  of 
allegiance.  The  same  indulgence  was  not  conferred  on 
the  catholics  ; the  memory  of  their  past  conduct  was 
fresh  in  the  minds  of  men,  and  the  guilt  of  it  was  exag- 
gerated by  their  fears  or  hatred.  It  must  be  confessed 
that  from  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  to  the  time  of  William, 
the  government  had  been  endangered  by  their  conspira- 
cies or  plots  ; in  some  of  them  the  end  was  to  assassi- 


nate the  monarch,  in  others  to  bring  in  a foreign  army, 
in  all  to  subvert  the  liberties  of  Englishmen.  New  re- 
straints were  imposed  on  the  catholics ; it  was  the  object 
of  the  legislature  to  exclude  them  from  every  dignity,  to 
destroy  their  political  existence,  to  keep  them  poor  and 
ignorant,  in  a word,  to  make  them  helots  in  a free  com- 
munity. The  consequence  of  such  policy,  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  add,  increased  the  chances  of  conspiracies  and 
revolts.  The  effects  of  it  are  still  apparent  in  the  pres- 
ent state  of  Ireland,  and  in  the  degraded  condition  of  its 
inhabitants.  Some  of  the  restrictions  thus  imposed,  were 
taken  away  at  different  times,  but  it  is  not  more  than  a 
year  or  two  since  they  were  all  removed,  and  the  person 
who  has  so  much  extended  the  military  glory  of  Eng- 
land, may  claim  the  merit  of  having  brought  about  an 
act  of  justice,  from  which  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  look 
forward  to  the  most  beneficial  results. 

Thus,  it  appears,  that  the  revolution  is  the  era  of  many 
improvements  in  the  English  constitution;  from  it  the 
doctrine  of  the  responsibility  of  ministers  may  be  derived, 
a doctrine  which  is  now  fully  established,  and  which, 
so  long  as  it  continues  in  force,  may  be  the  best  guaran 
tee  of  the  dignity  of  the  crown,  and  the  liberties  of  the 
people. 

But  increased  resources,  extended  commerce  and 
great  diffusion  of  wealth  form  perhaps  the  most  remark- 
able features  in  the  later  period  of  English  history.  The 
long  and  expensive  wars  of  William  and  Anne  must  have 
contributed  to  diminish  the  resources  of  the  nation,  but  it 
recovered  in  the  prosperous  and  peaceful  reign  of  George 
the  Second  ; during  the  repose  which  was  then  enjoyed, 
the  country  increased  in  strength,  and  was  enabled  to 
undertake  the  gigantic  efforts,  which  have  been  accom- 
plished in  our  own  times.  If  this  be  the  fact,  and  it  is 
not  doubted,  it  follows  as  a necessary  consequence,  that 
additional  influence  must  have  been  acquired  by  the 
middling  ranks.  Other  effects  may  be  attributed  to  the 
same  cause,  and  a very  remarkable  one  has  been  men- 
tioned by  the  ingenious  Mr.  Hallam.  “ The  smaller 
boroughs,  which  had  been  from  the  earliest  time  under 
the  command  of  neighboring  peers  and  gentlemen,  or 
sometimes  of  the  crown,  were  attempted  by  rich  capital- 
ists with  no  other  connexion  or  recommendation  than 
one,  which  is  generally  sufficient.  This  appears  to  have 
been  first  observed  in  the  general  elections  of  1747  and 
1754;  and  although  the  prevalence  of  bribery  is  attested 
in  the  statute-book  since  the  revolution,  it  seems  not  to 
have  broken  down  all  flood-gates  till  near  the  end  of  the 
reign  of  George  the  Second.  The  sale  of  seats  in  par- 
liament, like  other  transferable  property,  is  never  men- 
tioned in  any  book  that  I remember  to  have  seen  of  an 
earlier  date  than  1760. ”a 

The  widely  scattered  provinces  and  colonies  under  the 
British  government  have  been  described  in  a different 
part  of  this  work.  The  dominion  of  England,  it  has 
been  shown,  is  acknowledged  in  every  quarter  of  the 
globe,  while  every  nation  that  has  made  any  advances  in 
civilization  participates  in  its  commerce.  Every  coast  is 
visited  by  English  mariners,  in  every  land  the  influence 
of  England  may  be  traced,  and  the  products  of  its  indus- 
try are  seen  in  the  most  barbarous  countries.  It  might 
be  readily  supposed  that  colonies  so  remote  from  each 
other,  and  above  all  from  the  mother  country,  might 


a Hallam,  Chap,  xiv 


4G0 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLI1 


hasten  its  decline.  These  circumstances,  on  the  con- 
trary, prove  additional  elements  of  strength,  and  the  dis- 
tance between  the  different  stations  renders  any  union 
among  them  impracticable.  Many  ships  are  at  all  times 
necessary  to  keep  up  the  intercourse  with  the  seat  of 
government,  or  rather  to  supply  the  wants  of  trade,  and 
to  carry  the  products  of  British  industry  to  the  points 
from  which  they  are  diffused  over  so  vast  a surface  ; the 
same  ships  serve  on  any  emergence  to  repel  aggression, 
and  to  secure  the  means  of  defence.  The  naval  re- 
sources of  England  are  proportionate  to  her  commercial 
greatness  ; no  nation  can  oppose  the  one ; it  has  no 
rivals  in  the  other.  Secure  from  danger,  and  fearing  no 
competition,  the  restrictions  in  the  navigation  acts,  origi- 
nally introduced  to  protect  the  trade  of  the  country,  have 
been  repealed  ; England  claims  only  from  others  the 
same  liberty  that  they  enjoy.  But  this  commercial 
greatness,  without  example  in  the  history  of  any  other 
country,  may  give  rise  to  higher  considerations.  The  ele- 
ments of  civilization,  if  they  may  be  so  termed,  are  thus 
transported  from  England  to  the  remotest  limits  ; from 
the  same  centre,  knowledge  is  diffused,  and  free  institu- 
tions are  gradually  established.  Already  has  one  colony 
assumed  a high  rank  among  nations ; whatever  may  be 
the  future  greatness  of  the  American  republic,  it  is  rea- 
sonable to  infer  from  its  present  state,  that  it  must  exert 
a beneficent  influence  over  the  destinies  of  the  new  world. 
The  mother  country  too  has  gained  by  the  independence 
of  the  settlers;  the  sphere  of  her  activity  has  been  en- 
larged, and  additional  outlets  have  been  opened  for  her 
products.  England  pursues  the  same  career,  and  is  still 
founding  free  states  for  future  generations.  No  other 
nation  has  given  the  same  encouragement  to  industry, 
and  the  same  extension  to  commerce  ; none  has  so  much 
contributed  to  promote  freedom,  and  to  enlighten  man- 
kind in  every  quarter  of  the  globe.  It  belongs  more 
particularly  to  the  present  subject,  to  describe  the  coun- 
try of  which  the  influence  is  so  widely  diffused,  and  to 
examine  the  physical  and  moral  causes  that  have  con- 
tributed to  its  greatness. 

However  numerous  the  natural  advantages  of  England 
for  commerce  may  be,  it  is  certain  little  was  added  to 
them  by  art  until  a recent  period.  No  canal  was  form- 
ed, no  artificial  channels  were  cut,  before  the  year  1756, 
and  this  fact  appears  the  more  remarkable,  if  the  in- 
creased wealth  of  the  country  be  taken  into  account,  and 
if  it  be  considered  that  the  rivers,  although  in  general 
ill  fitted  for  the  means  of  communication,  are  admirably 
adapted  to  facilitate  such  works. 

It  was  known  that  goods  might  be  conveyed  by  means 
of  canals  for  a fourth  part  of  the  sum  expended  on  them 
by  the  ordinary  method,  and  consequently  that  many 
natural  products  as  well  as  other  articles,  which,  from 
their  remote  situation,  or  different  causes,  were  com- 
paratively of  little  value,  might  be  brought  within  the 
sphere  of  commerce.  The  length  of  Great  Britain  from 
north  to  south,  being  much  greater  than  its  mean  breadth 
from  east  to  west,  the  best  way  of  avoiding  the  long  and, 
in  some  places,  dangerous  circuit  of  the  coasts,  was  to 
connect,  by  means  of  canals  at  the  most  convenient  posi- 
tions, the  eastern  with  the  western  shores.  The  dilatori- 
ness of  the  English  seemed  the  less  excusable,  because 
the  French  preceded  them  in  this  branch  of  industry, 
which  had  proved  a source  of  wealth  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Lombardy,  Belgiuip  and  Holland. 


Although  the  English  were  so  long  in  beginning  such 
undertakings,  Great  Britain  is  now  better  provided  with 
canals  than  any  other  country,  and  in  none  are  they  so 
extensive  in  proportion  to  the  surface.  It  is  unneces- 
sary at  present  to  enumerate  them,  or  to  enter  into  any 
details  concerning  their  history. 

The  most  important  run  from  east  to  west ; they  are 
grouped  round  Manchester,  Liverpool,  London,  Bir- 
mingham, Hull  and  Bristol,  so  that  these  wealthy  and 
industrious  towns  are  thus  connected  with  each  other, 
and  with  the  fruitful  country  that  separates  them.  By 
means  of  these  works,  the  manufactures  and  the  various 
products,  which  emanate  from  the  same  towns,  are 
quickly  and  cheaply  conveyed  to  the  numerous  places 
for  which  they  are  destined.  It  might  be  shown  that 
within  a period  not  much  longer  than  half  a century, 
canals  have  been  made  by  which  opposite  seas  are 
united,  by  which  basins,  separated  by  lofty  heights,  are 
joined  together,  and  by  which  ports  communicate  with 
fruitful  plains  and  rich  mines.51  The  length  of  these 
navigable  ways  is  more  than  2500  miles,  while  the  ter- 
ritory they  traverse  is  less  than  a sixth  part  of  France. 

The  same  remarks  that  have  been  made  on  the  canals, 
are  applicable  to  the  roads  ; the  greater  number  and  the 
improved  method  of  making  them  date  from  the  middle 
of  the  last  century.  It  results  from  the  ingenuity  and 
practical  skill  of  English  engineers  that  travelling  is  easy 
and  rapid,  that  animal  force  is  employed  to  much  ad- 
vantage, and  that  heavy  loads  are  dragged  by  fewer 
horses  than  in  other  countries,  while  light  carriages  are 
impelled  with  greater  velocity.  These  advantages,  how- 
ever great,  are  of  secondary  importance  ; the  roads  in 
England  are  not  only  better,  they  are  more  extensive  in 
proportion  to  the  surface  than  in  any  part  of  Europe. 
Those  who  are  aware  of  all  the  benefits  arising  from  im- 
proved means  of  communication,  can  best  appreciate  how 
much  they  contribute  to  promote  commerce  and  diffuse 
wealth.  England  contains  20,000  leagues  of  roads,  1500 
leagues  of  canals,  and  1200  leagues  of  rail-roads  ; France, 
which  is  so  much  more  extensive,  has  only  3500  leagues 
of  roads,  500  leagues  of  canals,  and  40  leagues  of  rail- 
roads. 

Numerous  works  have  been  raised  within  the  same 
recent  period  along  the  coasts  ; piers,  moles,  breakwaters 
and  lighthouses  have  been  erected  to  afford  an  easy 
access  and  a safe  shelter  to  ships,  and  to  facilitate  the 
means  of  carrying  on  an  immense  trade,  which  consists 
in  the  exportation  of  the  various  products  of  English  in- 
dustry, and  in  the  importation  of  the  products  of  every 
quarter  of  the  globe.  In  this  trade  168,000  seamen  are 
employed,  while  the  number  of  merchant  vessels  amounts 
to  22,500,  and  their  tonnage  exceeds  two  millions.  Some 
notion  of  the  resources  of  Britain  may  be  inferred  from 
the  fact  that,  within  the  last  seventy  years,  more  than 
£30,000,000  have  been  expended  on  roads,  more  than 
twice  that  sum  on  canals  and  rail-roads,  and  as  much  on 
works  along  the  coasts.  The  increase  in  the  value  of 
land  within  the  same  period  is  well  known  ; it  appears 
as  if  the  sums  expended  for  the  purposes  already  men- 
tioned, had  been  laid  out  in  improving  the  soil,  and  it  is 
difficult  to  suppose  that  agriculture  could  have  otherwise 
been  brought  to  such  perfection,  and  that  land  could 
have  been  rendered  so  productive. 

1 Baron  C.  Dupin,  Force  Coinmerciale  de  la  Grande  Bretagne, 
Chap.  C. 


BOOK  CLiII.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


The  inventions  of  great  men,  and  the  application  of 
science  to  the  useful  arts,  have  increased  to  an  almost  in- 
definite extent  the  productive  power  of  industry,  and 
rendered  it  proportionably  independent  of  the  labor  of 
man.  The  machinery  now  used  in  a single  branch  of 
industry,  namely,  in  manufacturing  cotton,  has  enabled 
one  individual  to  perform  the  work  of  a hundred  and  fifty. 
It  appears  from  the  lowest  computation,  that  280,000 
persons  are  employed  in  the  cotton  manufactories,  while 
according  to  the  highest,  the  number  amounts  to  350,000  ; 
but  by  the  aid  of  machinery,  they  are  enabled  to  accom- 
plish what  must  have  required,  less  than  a century  ago, 
the  labor  of  at  least  42,000,000  or  at  most  52,500,000 
persons,  or  in  other  words,  about  three  times  the  present 
population  of  Great  Britain.  The  wages  of  42,000,000 
of  men,  at  the  rate  of  a shilling  a day,  amount  to 
£756,000,000;  but  the  actual  wages  of  all  the  individ- 
uals engaged  in  manufacturing  cotton,  and  the  expenses 
attending  the  various  works,  including  the  interest  of  the 
capital  laid  out  in  erecting  them,  are  much  less  than 
£56,000,000  ; consequently  the  saving  effected  by  means 
of  machinery  in  this  department  of  industry  alcne,  is 
more  than  £700,000,000.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add 
that  the  power  employed  in  the  cotton  manufactories  in 
Britain,  is  greater  than  that  in  all  the  manufactories  of 
Europe.  Occasion  shall  be  taken  in  the  subsequent 
chapters  to  examine  more  fully  the  great  resources  of  the 


461 

island  ; to  enter  into  all  the  minute  details  would  greatly 
exceed  the  limits  of  the  present  article.  To  increase  the 
productive  energy  of  their  country,  the  English  have 
availed  themselves  of  the  ingenuity  of  every  nation.  A 
single  instance  may  be  mentioned  ; the  celebrated  Mr. 
Watt  happened  to  be  in  Paris,  when  Berthollet  discov- 
ered the  singular  property  which  chlorine  possesses,  of 
destroying  vegetable  colours,  and  proposed  it  as  a sub- 
stitute for  exposure  to  the  sun  in  bleaching.  This  great 
discovery  was  applied  to  the  useful  arts  in  Lanarkshire 
and  Lancashire,  before  it  was  introduced  into  many  parts 
of  France,  and  the  same  individual  who  invented  the 
steam-engine,  had  the  good  fortune  to  confer  a second 
obligation  on  his  country. 

Many  other  changes  have  taken  place  within  the  same 
period  ; the  streets  in  almost  all  the  towns  are  now 
illumined  with  a brilliant  light,®  and  the  inhabitants  are 
no  longer  dependent  on  the  produce  of  the  Greenland 
fisheries  ; an  immense  improvement  has  been  effected  by 
the  use  of  steam-boats,  and  another,  which  may  be  at- 
tended with  still  greater  advantage,  is  now  in  progress  ; 
rail-roads  and  steam-carriages  are  likely  ere  long  to  be 
common,  and  thus  the  rapid  and  cheap  conveyance  of 
goods  may  ensure  the  success  of  British  industry  over  all 
its  rivals. 


r fJ op  light. 


462 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIII 


BOOK  CLIII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — England  and  Wales. — Scco7id  Sec- 
tion.— Physical  Geography. — Extent. Climate. — 

Coasts. — Rivers. — Mountains. — Productions. 

The  southern  and  larger  portion  of  Great  Britain, 
comprehending  England  and  Wales,  is  situated  be- 
tween 50°  and  55°  45'  north  latitude,  and  1°  50'  east, 
and  5°  40'  west  longitude.  Bounded  on  three  sides 
by  the  sea,  it  is  contiguous  on  the  north  to  Scotland. 
St.  George’s  Channel  washes  it  on  the  west,  the  Ger- 
man Ocean  on  the  east,  and  the  English  Channel  on  the 
south.  The  figure  of  the  same  country  bears  some  re- 
semblance to  a triangle  ; a line  drawn  from  Berwick  to 
the  South  Foreland  represents  the  eastern  side,  the  west- 
ern is  formed  by  another  line  commencing  at  Berwick, 
and  terminating  at  the  Land’s  End  in  Cornwall,  while 
the  base  extends  from  the  South  Foreland  to  the  Land’s 
End. 

Early  geographers  differ  widely  concerning  the  super- 
ficial extent  of  England,  some  believing  it  not  to  be  more 
than  twenty-eight  millions  of  acres,  and  others  making  it 
amount  to  forty-six  millions  nine  hundred  and  sixteen 
thousand.  According  to  a traditional  opinion,  perhaps 
more  ancient  than  any  other,  the  extent  of  South  Britain 
was  supposed  equal  to  twenty-nine  millions  of  acres. 
The  data  from  which  this  opinion  was  derived,  are  not 
known  ; even  the  period  in  which  it  was  formed  cannot 
be  ascertained.  Because  it  accords  nearly  with  the  ex- 
tent of  the  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms,  it  has  been  inferred 
that  it  dates  from  so  remote  an  epoch.  Although  the 
branch  of  science  on  which  mensuration  depends,  was 
not  then  known  to  the  rude  inhabitants  of  Britain,  other 
means  might  have  enabled  them  to  arrive  at  tolerably 
correct  results.  The  mode  in  which  the  revenues  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  kings  were  collected,  might  afford  sufficient 
materials  for  the  calculation,  in  as  much  as  it  is  better 
adapted  for  such  a purpose  than  any  other  method  that 
has  been  since  employed  ; besides  in  Domesday-book, 
remarkable  for  great  minuteness  and  accuracy,  continual 
reference  is  made  to  a more  ancient  register  of  the  same  kind. 
The  correctness  of  the  measurement  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  doubted  before  the  seventeenth  century  ; since 
that  period  the  subject  has  attracted  the  attention  of  nu- 
merous writers,  such  as  Gerard  Malines,  Sir  William  Petty, 
Gregory  King,  the  celebrated  Halley,  Grew,  Temple- 
man,  Mr.  Arthur  Young  and  many  others.  The  data 
necessary  for  such  a task  were  wanting,  and  the  calcula- 
tions differing  widely  from  each  other,  afforded  a con- 
vincing proof  of  their  inaccuracy. 

Other  errors  of  the  same  sort  might  be  still  believed, 
had  not  the  trigonometrical  survey  been  undertaken  by 
direction  of  government ; in  the  course  of  it  the  maps, 


not  only  of  the  whole  country,  but  of  the  different  coun- 
ties, were  discovered  to  be  incorrect,  and  the  distance 
between  the  South  Foreland  and  the  Land’s  End  was 
found  to  be  less  by  about  half  a degree  than  the  distance 
formerly  laid  down.  The  difference  between  the  paral- 
lels of  latitude  of  Greenwich  and  Paris,  it  was  ascertain- 
ed, is  equal  to  963,954  feet,  or  182.567  miles,  which 
corresponds  with  2°  38'  26".  Thus,  the  length  of  a 
degree  of  the  meridian,  in  latitude  50°  10',  amounts  to 
69. 1 4 miles.  The  difference  of  longitude  between  Green- 
wich and  Paris  is  equal  to  2°  19'  51",  or,  in  time,  Sm  19" 
4'".  It  may  be  mentioned  that  a line  drawn  across  the 
English  Channel,  from  the  South  Foreland  to  Blanc- 
nez,a  is  equal  to  20.025  miles  ; such  is  the  breadth  of 
the  natural  barrier  which  has  secured  Britain  against  for 
eign  aggression.  A remarkable  example  of  the  accuracy 
to  which  practical  geometry  had  attained,  was  afforded 
in  the  course  of  the  survey.  In  two  distances  deduced 
from  sets  of  triangles,  measured  by  General  Roy  in 
1787,  and  by  Colonel  Mudge  in  1794,  the  one  of  24.133 
miles,  the  other  of  38.688,  the  two  agree  within  a foot  as 
to  the  first  distance,  and  within  sixteen  inches  as  to  the  sec- 
ond. Formerly,  the  calculations,  or  rather  the  conjec- 
tures, concerning  the  area  of  England  and  Wales,  were 
of  such  a nature  that  no  reasonable  confidence  could  be 
placed  in  them  ; now,  the  extent  of  the  country  may  not 
only  be  better  determined  than  that  of  any  other,  but 
with  a degree  of  accuracy  more  than  sufficient  for  the 
purposes  of  geography. 

It  is  vain  to  compare  the  climate  of  England  with  that 
of  other  countries  in  more  favorable  latitudes.  If  the 
genial  influence  of  the  sun  is  never  long  felt,  it  may  be 
attributed  to  a situation  in  the  northern  part  of  the  tem- 
perate zone,  while  the  chilly  and  damp  weather  of  so 
frequent  occurrence  may  be  accounted  for  by  an  insular 
position  and  other  causes  that  may  be  afterwards  men- 
tioned. Stinted  as  it  is  of  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  ex- 
posed to  frequent  rains  or  blasting  winds,  the  soil  does 
not  yield  those  vegetable  treasures  which  appear  in  such 
luxuriance  in  tropical  climates,  and  which,  almost  with- 
out any  labour,  satisfy  the  wants  or  luxuries  of  indolent 
inhabitants.  England,  it  has  often  been  remarked,  is 
better  adapted  for  the  growth  than  the  ripening  of  the 
productions  of  the  earth.  Extreme  cold  is  not  felt  in 
winter,  and  the  summers  are  seldom  oppressive  ; hence 
an  appearance  of  verdure  that  continues  in  a greater  or 
less  degree  throughout  the  year,  vegetation  not  being 
destroyed  by  the  winter’s  cold,  nor  wholly  parched  and 
withered  by  the  summer’s  heat.  IV o charm  in  the  rural 

■’  Blanc-nez  (The  White  Cape,)  a promontory  4 miles  west  of  Calais. 
The  name  is  corrupted  by  English  sailors  into  Blackness. — P. 


BOOK  CLiIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


4G3 


districts  is  comparable  to  their  perpetual  verdure,  none 
is  more  characteristic  of  England  ; the  English  them- 
selves may  be  insensible  to  it  from  custom,  foreigners 
can  appreciate  it  better.  To  enjoy  such  scenery,  one 
must  visit  the  country  in  summer  or  in  autumn,  for  even 
in  the  fruit  season,  the  freshness  of  spring  is  apparent, 
and  the  flowers  exhale  the  sit  eetness  of  their  early 
perfume.® 

The  theoretic  arrangement  of  the  seasons,  so  well 
adapted  for  the  southern  latitudes,  is  not  equally  applica- 
ble to  the  climate  of  Britain  ; on  the  continent  their 
commencement  and  duration  may  be  predicted  with  suf- 
ficient precision,  while  in  England  the  weather  is  so  varia- 
ble, and  all  the  seasons  are  so  much  intermixed,  that  it 
is  very  difficult  to  determine  the  periods  of  their  arrival 
and  departure.  According  to  a common  opinion,  De- 
cember, January  and  February  are  the  winter  months  ; the 
three  following  form  the  spring,  while  the  summer  begins 
in  June,  and  continues  to  the  end  of  August;  Septem- 
ber, October  and  November  are  the  autumnal  months. 
It  must  not  however  be  imagined  that  the  seasons  are 
confined  to  their  respective  months  ; something  like  the 
spring  appears  occasionally  in  January  or  February; 
the  air  is  mild,  buds  are  seen  on  the  hedges  or  the  trees, 
and  the  songs  of  the  birds  enliven  the  woods.  But 
these  gleams  of  a warmer  sunshine  are  soon  dissipated, 
winter  resumes  its  horrors,  and  the  intervals  of  fine 
weather  are  not  longer  than  what  the  French  call  un  cte 
de  St.  Martin,  or  Martinmas  summer.  Those  who  have 
paid  most  attention  to  such  subjects,  and  who  have  ob- 
served with  the  greatest  attention  different  indications  or 
probable  signs,  confess  their  ignorance  of  any  by  which 
the  severity  or  mildness  of  an  English  winter  can  be 
foretold.  It  is  known,  however,  that  frost  seldom  sets  in 
before  Christmas  ; however  severe  the  season  may  be, 
it  is  much  milder  than  in  continental  countries  under  the 
same  parallels.  The  sea-ports  of  Holland  and  Germany 
are  every  winter  blocked  with  ice,  while  those  in  Eng- 
land are  always  open. 

a Baron  O.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale  de  la  Grande  Bretagne. 

b Milton’s  Ode  to  May,* *  although  the  production  of  his  younger 
years,  is  an  ode  of  uncommon  beauty,  but  it  is  not  descriptive  of  what 
May  is  in  England. 

* Song-  on  May  Morning. — P. 

c Pinkerton’s  Modern  Geography,  vol.  I.  p.  70.  3d  Edit. 

d Different  maladies  are  produced  or  aggravated  by  the  variableness 
of  the  climate  ; it  is  one  reason  of  the  frequency  of  pulmonary  con- 
sumption, it  increases  scrofula,  and  it  gives  rise  to  catarrhs,  rheuma- 
tisms and  many  other  diseases.  These  remarks  are  generally  applicable 
to  the  climate  of  Great  Britain,  but  what  has  been  called  the  mild  re- 
gion of  England  forms  an  exception  ; it  is  divided  into  four  groups,  of 
which  the  first  includes  the  tract  of  coast  between  Hastings  and  Port- 
land Island,  the  second  extends  from  the  last  point  to  Cornwall,  the 
third  forms  the  district  of  the  Land's  End,  and  the  fourth  comprehends 
the  country  on  the  borders  of  the  Bristol  Channel  and  the  estuary  of 
the  Severn. 

The  climate,  with  all  its  defects,  has  been  extolled  by  many,  among 
others  by  the  celebrated  Sir  William  Temple.  Numerous  instances  of 
longevity  are  mentioned  in  his  essay  on  health. — “ I must  needs  add 
one  thing  more  in  favour  of  our  climate,  which  I heard  the  king  say, 
and  I thought  new  and  right,  and  truly  like  a king  of  England  that 
loved  and  esteemed  his  own  country  ; it  was  in  reply  to  some  of  the 
company  that  were  reviling  our  climate,  and  extolling  those  of  Italy  and 
Spain,  or  at  least  of  France  : he  said,  he  thought  that  was  the  best  climate 
where  he  could  be  abroad  in  the  air  with  pleasure,  or  at  least  without 
trouble  and  inconvenience,  the  most  days  of  the  year,  and  the  most 
hours  in  the  day;  and  this  he  thought  he  could  be  in  England  more 
than  any  other  country  in  Europe.” 

It  has  been  maintained  that  a considerable  change  to  the  worse  must 
have  taken  place  in  the  climate  of  Great  Britain,  because  at  an  early 
period  the  vine  was  cultivated,  and  not  without  success.  The  argu- 
ments, or  rather  the  alleged  facts,  on  which  this  opinion  is  founded, 
may  be  briefly  examined.  The  Isle  of  Ely  was  called  the  Isle  of  Vines 


March,  April  and  May,  it  has  been  observed,  are  the 
nominal  spring,  but  there  is  certainly  no  month  in  which 
the  weather  is  more  unsettled  or  variable  than  in  March  ; 
when  it  does  not  assume  the  character  of  winter,  it  is  wet 
and  boisterous,  or  accompanied  with  frequent  storms  of 
hail.  The  injury  thus  occasioned  to  agriculture,  has 
probably  given  rise  to  the  English  proverb,  “ a peck  of 
March  dust  is  worth  a king’s  ransom.”  April,  although 
a wet,  is  commonly  a mild  month,  but  the  east  winds 
prevalent  in  May,  seem  ordained  to  destroy  the  efforts 
of  reviving  nature,  and  to  blast  the  hopes  of  the  husband- 
man. Warmth,  and  genial  breezes  or  refreshing  showers, 
are  the  attendants  of  May  in  F ranee,  and  all  nature  appears 
instinct  with  life.  Constant  disappointment  has  not  con- 
vinced the  English  that  the  same  month  is  very  different 
in  the  two  countries.11  It  has  been  often  said  that  there 
is  no  spring  in  England  : the  saying  is  true,  if  by  spring 
is  meant  a succession  of  fine  weather,  constantly  improv- 
ing and  terminating  in  the  warmth  and  luxuriance  of 
summer  ; but  intervals  of  spring,  sometimes  a week  or 
two  at  a time,  are  not  unknown  over  the  whole  country. 

The  cold  easterly  winds  prevalent  in  May,  are  often 
felt  in  the  early  part  of  June;  during  their  continuance, 
the  two  months  cannot  be  classed  under  any  of  the  sea- 
sons ; they  belong  as  much  to  winter  as  to  summer. 
June,  however,  is  much  milder  in  the  southern  than  in 
the  northern  counties.  July,  August  and  September  are 
summer  months  throughout  the  country,  but  slight  frosts 
have  been  felt  even  in  August  in  the  north,  and  during 
September  in  the  south.  October  is  the  precursor  of 
winter  in  the  northern,  and  November  in  the  southern 
counties.  The  weather  then  becomes  disagreeable  and 
unsettled,  and  it  is  in  November  that  the  dark  fogs  gen- 
erally take  place  in  London  and  the  neighbourhood. 
Such  are  the  seasons  in  England,  and  so  great  is  their 
uncertainty  that  a writer  of  some  celebrity®  does  not 
hesitate  to  affirm  it  might  be  better  to  divide  them  into 
eight  months  of  winter  and  four  of  summer,  than  accord- 
ing to  the  ordinary  method. d 

by  the  Normans.  It  appears  from  the  accounts  in  Domesday , that  there 
were  vineyards  in  different  parts  of  England;  that  they  existed  at  so 
early  a period  as  the  commencement  of  the  eighth  century  is  confirmed 
by  the  authority  of  the  venerable  Bede.  The  bishop  of  Ely  used  to 
receive  three  or  four  tuns  of  wine  annually  as  tithes  from  the  produce 
of  the  vineyards  in  his  diocese.  A piece  of  ground  near  London  was 
withheld  from  a religious  house  by  four  successive  constables  of  the 
tower,  in  the  reigns  of  Rufus,  Henry  and  Stephen,  and  converted  by 
them  into  a vineyard  “ to  their  great  emolument  and  profit.”  The 
tithe  on  wine,  it  is  said,  was  no  uncommon  article  in  the  old  accounts 
of  the  rectorial  and  vicarial  revenues  in  Kent,  Surrey, and  other  coun- 
ties. The  sheriffs  of  Northamptonshire  and  Leicestershire  were  al- 
lowed so  much  for  the  livery  of  the  king’s  vinedresser,  and  other  ne- 
cessaries of  the  vineyard.  The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  the 
church  archives  by  the  dean  of  Ely  : — 


Exitus  Vineti £2  15  3 

Idem  Vinece 10  12  2^ 

Ten  bushels  of  grapes  from  the  vineyard 0 7 6 

Seven  dolia  inusti  from  the  vineyard,  12  Edward  II.  .15  10  0 

Wine  sold  for 1 12  0 

Verjuice y 70 

One  doliumand  one  pipe  filled  with  wine, supposed  at  Ely 

Wine  out  of  this  vineyard 1 22 

Verjuice  from  thence 0 16  6 

No  wine  but  verjuice  made  9th  Edward  IV 


According  to  the  above  valuable  extract,  verjuice  only  was  some- 
times obtained  from  the  English  vineyards  ; it  is  reasonable,  therefore 
to  conclude,  that  they  yielded  at  best  but  imperfect  wines  in  the  most 
favourable  seasons.  If  sheltered  spots  were  cultivated  at  present  after 
the  same  manner,  and  with  as  much  care,  the  results,  in  all  probabili- 
ty, would  be  the  same.  It  is  incorrect,  therefore,  to  derive  any  argu- 
ments on  the  deterioration  of  the  climate  from  such  facts.  But  there 
is  reason  to  infer  from  registers  of  the  weather  that  some  change  lias 


464 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIII 


It  may  bo  readily  supposed,  that  the  climate  in  so 
extensive  a country  as  England,  is  different  in  different 
places.  In  the  north  the  line  season  commences  later, 
and  is  still  more  uncertain  and  of  shorter  duration  than 
in  the  southern  counties.  The  winters  are  not  only  more 
severe,  but  they  continue  a greater  length  of  time  ; in- 
deed, it  is  generally  admitted  that  spring  or  summer 
begins  a fortnight  later  on  the  north  of  the  Mersey  and 
the  Humber,  than  in  the  south  and  the  south-west.  It 
is  doubtful,  however,  that  there  is  so  much  difference  in 
the  coldness  or  severity  of  winter  in  the  northern  and 
southern  parts  of  the  country.  The  autumn  is  shorter 
in  the  north,  and  frosty  nights  are  of  more  frequent  occur- 
rence. The  difference  of  the  climate  in  the  eastern  and 
western  counties,  although  not  of  the  same  kind,  is  not 
less  remarkable  than  that  between  the  north  and  the 
south.  The  weather  in  the  west  is  much  more  humid 
and  also  milder  than  in  the  east  ; the  difference  depends 
on  three  causes,  the  vicinity  of  the  western  counties  to 
the  Atlantic  Ocean,  the  prevalence  of  the  westerly  winds, 
and  a ridge  of  hills  that  extends  along  the  western  side 
of  the  island. 

The  west  winds  are  saturated  with  the  vapours  that 
rise  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  ; these  being  intercepted 
in  their  passage  across  the  range  of  hills,  the  aqueous 
particles  are  disengaged,  but  before  the  same  winds  reach 
the  eastern  part  of  the  kingdom,  their  vapours  are  ex- 
hausted in  the  form  of  rain.  The  winds  that  blow  from 
the  continent  on  the  east  are  much  colder,  and  fewer 
vapours  are  collected  in  their  passage  to  England.  The 
temperature  of  the  ocean,  it  is  well  known,  is  more 
equable  than  that  of  the  land,  milder  during  winter,  and 
cooler  in  the  summer.  The  western  part  of  England 
being  exposed  to  the  winds  from  the  Atlantic,  the  win- 
ters are  wet  but  not  severe,  and  snow  seldom  lies  on  the 
ground  any  length  of  time.  The  same  causes  account 
for  the  genial  climate  of  the  south-western  counties  ; the 
proverbial  mildness  of  Devonshire  and  Cornwall  depends 
in  a great  degree  on  their  exposure  to  the  winds  from 
the  Bristol  and  English  Channels. 

It  has  been  proved  by  careful  observers  that  the  south- 
western coasts  are  much  more  exposed  to  rain  than  the 
south-eastern  side  of  the  island.  It  is  now  more  than  a 
century  since  the  quantity  of  rain  which  fell  at  Townley 
in  Lancashire,  was  measured  and  compared  with  the 
quantity  that  fell  at  Axminster  in  Essex.  It  was  ascer- 
tained that  the  annual  quantity  at  Townley  during  a 
period  of  six  years  from  1700  to  1705,  inclusive,  was 
equal  to  forty-two  inches  and  a half,  while  that  at  Ax- 
minster amounted  only  to  nineteen  and  a half.  It  ap- 
pears from  observations  made  in  Rutlandshire  that  the 
mean  quantity  of  rain  which  falls  in  the  county,  is  twenty 
inches  and  a half.  It  is  known  that  36.98  inches  were 
the  average  quantity  that  fell  at  Selbourne  in  Hamp- 
shire, between  the  years  1780  and  1786. 

Devonshire,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  is  much  moister, 
and  the  actual  quantity  of  rain  much  greater  than  in  the 
southern  and  south-eastern  counties;  still  in  1731,  the 
rain  measured  only  17.266  inches,  in  1741,20.344,  and 
in  1743,  20.998.  ' 

It  appears  from  a meteorological  journal  kept  by 
Major  Uooke,  that  the  quantity  of  rain,  which  fell  in 

taken  place  within  the  last  sixty  years,  that  the  winters  are  in  general 
milder,  and  the  summers  colder  and  more  humid  than  formerly. 

1 Less  than  the  mean. 


London  in  1798,  was  26.22,  at  West  Bridgeford  in  Not- 
tinghamshire, 27.22,  at  Lancaster,  48.19,  and  at  Kendal, 
60.85.  The  average  gauge  of  rain  at  Sheffield  is  33 
inches,  nearly  the  mean  between  that  of  Lancashire  and 
the  eastern  coast. 

The  annual  rains  in  the  midland  counties  are  nearly 
equal  to  the  mean  of  those  in  the  east  and  west,  or  more 
correctly,  they  do  not  amount  to  so  great  a quantity.* 1 
Thus  Derbyshire,  although  a mountainous  district,  is 
much  less  exposed  to  rain  than  Lancashire,  Stafford- 
shire, or  even  Shropshire.  It  appears,  indeed,  from  a 
register  kept  during  fourteen  years  at  Chatsworth  in 
Derbyshire,  that  the  following  was  the  average  quantity 
of  rain,  which  fell  in  each  season  : — in  spring,  4.959,  in 
summer,  7.547,  in  autumn,  8.181,  and  in  winter,  6.686. 
In  that  part  of  Derbyshire,  therefore,  most  rain  falls  in 
autumn,  and  least  in  spring  ; the  same  remark  is  appli- 
cable to  Liverpool. 

The  average  quantity  of  rain  increases  as  we  advance 
northwards  on  the  western  coast.  In  Liverpool  it  is 
ascertained  to  be  equal  to  34.41  inches,  while  at  Lan- 
caster it  amounts  to  40.3.  In  the  last  place  too,  the 
greatest  quantity  falls  in  the  autumn,  or  perhaps  during 
the  months  of  July,  August  and  September. 

The  counties  in  the  neighbourhood  of  London  are  not 
exposed  to  much  rain.  The  observations  in  this  part  of 
England  may  not  have  been  made  with  sufficient  accu- 
racy, nor  may  they  have  been  continued  a sufficient 
length  of  time;  but  in  one  place,  at  Youngsbury  near 
Ware  in  Hertfordshire,  about  twenty  miles  from  London, 
a register  was  kept  during  five  vears  ; there  the  annual 
fall  in  1787,  was  equal  to  23.664  inches,  in  1788,  to 
17.676,  in  1789,  to  29.493,  in  1790,  to  22.970,  and  in 
1791,  to  24. 200. b A tolerably  correct  notion  of  the 
annual  falls  in  the  neighbouring  counties,  may  be  inferred 
from  these  results  ; at  all  events,  the  difference,  if  it  be 
great,  must  be  attributed  to  local  causes. 

Some  conclusions  may  be  deduced  from  the  above 
details.  The  greatest  quantity  of  rain  falls  near  Kendal, 
where  the  annual  average  exceeds  sixty  inches.  Al- 
though the  southern  parts  of  the  western  coast  are  less 
liable  to  rain  than  the  northern,  it  is  doubtful  if  the  rule 
he  equally  applicable  to  the  peninsula  of  Cornwall,  and 
the  west  of  Devonshire.  More  rain  falls  in  the  north- 
eastern than  in  the  south-eastern  counties;  still  in  both, 
the  climate  is  much  drier  than  in  the  western  part  of  the 
island.  Norfolk  is  probably  the  county  in  which  the 
least  rain  falls  during  the  year.  July,  August,  Septem- 
ber and  October  are  the  wettest  months  in  the  west- 
ern ; November,  December  and  January,  in  the  eastern 
counties. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  determine  with  any  thing  like 
accuracy,  the  quantity  of  rain  that  falls  annually  in  Eng- 
land and  Wales;  a sufficient  number  of  experiments  have 
not  been  made  in  different  places,  and  the  mean  of  all 
the  observations  cannot  be  considered  applicable  to  the 
whole  surface.  Dr.  Halley  supposed  the  annual  quan- 
tity equal  to  twenty-two  inches,  but  Mr.  Dalton  fixed  it 
with  greater  probability  at  31.3.c  The  same  philosopher 
concluded  from  a series  of  experiments,  that  five  inches 
of  water  fall  annually  throughout  the  country  in  the  form 
of  dew  ; hence  taking  thirty-one  inches  for  rain,  and  five 

b See  the  article  England  in  the  Encyclopedia  Edinensis  [Edin- 
burgh Encyclopedia.] 

c See  Mr.  Dalton's  paper  in  the  Manchester  TransacUons  for  1798 


BOOK  CLIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


465 


for  dew,  and  supposing  the  whole  extended  over  the 
surface  of  England  and  Wales,  it  is  equal  to  twenty-eight 
cubic  miles,  or  11.500,000,000  tons  in  weight. 

In  England,  the  warmest  months  are  July  and  August, 
and  a greater  degree  of  cold  occurs  commonly  about  the 
end  of  December,  or  beginning  of  January,  than  at  any 
other  period  of  the  year.  The  thermometer,  it  has  been 
ascertained,  rises  higher  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
metropolis  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  island.  The 
north-eastern  districts  are  exposed  to  the  greatest  degree 
of  cold,  but  the  difference  of  temperature  in  winter  is 
not  nearly  so  great  as  the  difference  during  summer  in 
the  northern  and  southern  counties.  The  mean  range 
of  the  thermometer  has  been  determined  in  different 
parts  of  the  island.  The  mean  temperature  at  Liver- 
pool, during  a period  of  twenty-five  years,  was  53°  of 
Fab  renheit  at  noon,  the  greatest  degree  of  heat  86°,  and 
the  lowest  22°.  The  greatest  range  of  the  thermometer 
at  the  same  place  is  64°,  and  the  mean  annual  range,  46°. 
At  Dover  the  mean  heat  is  57°;  the  highest  degree  ob- 
served between  the  years  1790  and  1793,  was  86°,  and 
the  lowest,  16°;  the  greatest  range,  70°,  and  the  mean 
annual  range,  51°.  The  mean  height  of  the  thermome- 
ter at  Lancaster  during  seven  years  was  51°. 8 at  two 
o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  45°. 6 at  ten  o’clock  at 
night;  the  mean  heat,  noon  and  night,  48°. 7,  the  high- 
est 82°,  and  the  lowest  18°. 

It  appears  from  a series  of  observations,  made  at  the 
Royal  Society  from  1772  to  1780,  that  the  mean  annual 
temperature  is  51°. 9,  and  the  monthly  temperature  as 
follows  : January  35°. 9,  February  42°. 3,  March  46°. 4, 
April  49°. 9,  May  56°.61,  June  63°. 22,  July  66°.3, 
August  65°. 85,  September  59°. 63,  October  52°. 81,  No- 
vember 44°. 44,  and  December  41°. 04.  The  greatest 
cold  is  20°,  and  the  greatest  heat  81°;  the  former  occurs 
generally  in  January,  and  the  latter  in  July. 

Dr.  Young  remarks,  that  the  mean  temperature  of  the 
six  winter  months  from  October  to  March  at  London,  is 
43°. 5,  while  it  is  45°. 3 at  Dawlish  on  the  south  coast 
of  Devonshire,  and  so  high  as  59°  at  Ilfracombe  on  the 
Bristol  Channel.  The  temperature  in  the  most  sheltered 
parts  of  Devonshire,  during  winter,  is  1°.5  above  that 
of  London  ; in  the  coldest  months,  it  is  4°. 5 higher  at 
Penzance  than  in  the  metropolis. 

It  would  be  incorrect  to  infer  from  these  observations 
on  the  climate  of  England,  that  extremes  of  cold  or  heat 
are  unknown  in  the  country.  A degree  of  cold  has  been 
felt  in  some  years,  that  is  of  rare  occurrence  in  more 
northern  parallels,  in  countries  more  remote  from  the 
sea.  In  the  years  1794,  1798,  and  1813 — 14,  the 
thermometer,  it  is  said,  fell  to  five  degrees  above  zero  ; 
it  is  certain  that  in  the  last  of  these  years  it  was  within 
8°  of  the  same  point.  The  heat,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
sometimes  excessive  ; in  the  summer  of  1808,  the  ther- 
mometer rose  higher  than  89°  in  many  places  round 
London.  It  happens  sometimes  in  the  southern  dis- 
tricts, if  the  sun  shines  bright,  and  the  weather  is  serene 
or  unclouded,  a few  days  or  even  hours  in  summer,  that 
the  temperature  becomes  suddenly  as  warm  as  in  the 
south  of  France  or  even  Italy  ; but  these  moments  of  a 

a In  the  course  of  the  year,  and  on  an  average  in  the  same  part  of 
the  country,  the  south-west  winds  blow  112  days,  the  south-east  32, 
the  north-east  58,  the  east  26,  the  north-west  50,  the  south  18  days, 
the  west  53,  and  the  north  16  days. 

VOL  III.— NO.  56  59 


more  genial  climate  are  commonly  succeeded  by  cold 
weather,  storms  of  hail,  or  violent  showers. 

It  has  already  been  observed  that  the  west  and  south- 
west winds  are  most  prevalent  in  England  ; their  con- 
stancy may  be  attributed  to  the  situation  of  the  island, 
and  its  exposure  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  same 
winds  are  also  the  most  violent,  not  only  in  the  western, 
but  also  in  the  midland  and  eastern  counties.  The  trees 
in  every  part  of  the  country  have  an  evident  bending  in 
the  same  direction,  and  no  other  proof  of  the  violence 
and  constancy  of  these  winds  can  be  more  satisfactory. 
The  east  and  north-east  winds  are,  next  to  the  west  and 
south-west,  perhaps  the  most  regular  ; it  seldom  hap- 
pens, however,  that  they  blow  violently  any  length  of 
time.  The  north-west  wind  is  not  of  common  occur- 
rence, but  the  most  rare  of  any  is  that  which  proceeds 
from  the  south.  In  the  summer  season,  and  in  calm 
weather,  the  wind  veers  frequently  to  different  quarters 
in  the  same  day,  or  even  in  the  course  of  a few  hours. 
Near  the  sea-coast,  during  the  same  season,  and  in  this 
sort  of  weather,  the  wind  at  break  of  day  blows  from  the 
land  ; at  noon,  or  a little  before  it,  it  changes  to  the 
direction  of  the  sea,  and  becomes  again  a land  wind  in 
the  course  of  the  evening.  A wind  not  unlike  the  Ital- 
ian sirocco  is  sometimes  felt  in  England,  but  the  change 
of  temperature  is  comparatively  inconsiderable.  Occur- 
ring commonly  in  April  or  May,  the  medium  height  of 
the  thermometer  being  about  45°,  the  barometer  falls, 
the  winds,  before  variable,  continue  stationary  at  south- 
west or  south,  and  the  thermometer  rises  suddenly  to 
65°  ; no  sooner,  however,  has  the  wind  ceased,  than  it 
descends  again  to  the  usual  level. 

The  following  facts  are  deducible  from  the  observa- 
tions which  were  made  by  order  of  the  Royal  Society. 
In  the  vicinity  of  London,  the  south-west  wind  blows 
more  frequently  every  month  in  the  year  than  any  other, 
particularly  in  July  and  August  : the  north-east  wind 
prevails  during  the  months  of  January,  March,  April, 
May  and  June  ; it  occurs  most  rarely  in  February,  July, 
September  and  December:  the  north-west  wind  is  most 
frequent  from  November  to  March  ; it  is  less  so  in  Sep- 
tember and  October  than  in  any  other  months. 

It  follows  from  the  careful  observations  made  by  Mr. 
Hutchinson  at  Liverpool,  that  the  south-east  wind  is 
most  common  in  that  place,  a fact  at  variance  with  the 
general  remark  that  has  been  made  on  the  prevalent 
winds  in  England.1  Dr.  Darwin  attributes  this  remark- 
able deviation  to  an  atmospheric  eddy,  produced  by  the 
situation  of  the  town  ; there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is 
occasioned  by  local  causes.  As  to  the  connexion  be- 
tween the  height  of  the  barometer  and  the  different 
winds,  it  is  well  known  that  in  England,  nay,  in  every 
part  of  the  island,  the  mercury  rises  higher  when  the 
wind  proceeds  from  the  north  or  east,  or  from  any  point 
between  these  quarters,  than  when  it  blows  from  the 
south  or  west,  or  from  any  point  between  them.  Thus 
it  often  rains  during  a north  or  east  wind,  when  the 
barometer  remains  at  a height,  which  would  be  consid- 
ered an  indication  of  fair  weather  with  a west  or  south- 
west wind.b 


b The  author  of  the  article  England  in  the  Encyclopedia  Edinensis 
[Edinburgh  Encyclopedia]  has  collected  the  results  of  most  of  the 
observations  concerning  the  climate  ; to  mention  them  might  lead  to 
too  long  details 


460 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXIII 


The  coasts,  an  important  feature  in  the  geography  of 
a maritime  country,  may  he  briefly  described.  The 
western  coast  is  formed  on  the  north,  by  Cumberland, 
Lancashire  and  Cheshire,  by  Flintshire,  Denbighshire, 
Caernarvonshire,  Anglesea  and  Merionethshire  in  North 
Wales,  and  by  Cardiganshire  and  part  of  Pembrokeshire 
jn  South  Wales.  The  remaining  portion  of  the  Pem- 
brokeshire coast,  and  those  of  Caermarthenshire  and 
Glamorganshire,  bound  the  Rristol  Channel  on  the  north, 
while  Somersetshire  and  the  northern  coast  of  Devon- 
shire confine  it  on  the  south;  lastly,  the  northern  coast 
of  Cornwall  forms  the  extremity  of  the  western  side  of 
the  island. 

The  Esk  separates  Scotland  from  England  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  Solway  Firth,3  which  is  bounded  in  many 
places  by  a marshy  shore.  The  coasts  of  Cumberland 
and  part  of  Lancashire  form  a sort  of  semicircle  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Eden  to  the  Isle  of  Walney.  Between  the 
two  last  places,  and  on  the  south  of  the  Derwent,  the 
small  bay  of  Whitehaven  is  sheltered  by  naked  hills  and 
by  the  white  rocks  from  which  its  name  has  been  derived. 
Not  more  than  six  miles  from  Whitehaven,  the  promon- 
tory of  St.  Bees  Head,  the  resort  of  numerous  sea-fowfl, 
protrudes  into  the  sea. 

The  rugged  and  indented  coast  of  Lancashire  may  be 
divided  into  three  parts;  the  first  comprehends  the  space 
between  the  Dudden  and  the  Ken,  which  separate  it 
from  Cumberland  and  Westmoreland  ; the  second  ex- 
tends from  the  Ken  to  the  Kibble  ; and  the  third  from 
the  Ribble  to  the  Mersey,  which  separates  the  county 
from  Cheshire.  The  coast  of  Furness,  the  first  of  these 
divisions,  is  nearly  equal  to  thirty  miles  in  length  ; the 
long  and  narrow  isle  of  Walney,  which  appears  to  have 
formed  at  one  period  part  of  the  Lancashire  coast, 
now  serves  to  protect  it  against  the  impetuous  wraves  of 
the  Irish  Sea.  The  broad  estuary,  which  separates  Fur- 
ness from  the  rest  of  the  county,  is  sometimes  forded  at 
low  water,  but  not  without  danger.  The  Dudden,  the 
Ken,  the  Lune  and  other  streams  discharge  themselves 
into  the  deep  bay  of  Morecambe,  opposite  the  town  of 
Lancaster.  The  second  part  is  flatter  than  the  first ; a 
marshy  tract  almost  encloses  Poulton,  and  the  coast  be- 
yond it,  is  indented  by  the  estuary  of  the  Ribble. 

The  Romans  gave  the  name  of  the  Port  of  Lancashire 
to  this  part  of  the  coast,  which  appears  to  be  much 
changed  since  their  time.  “Tradition,”  says  Mr.  Whita- 
ker, “ the  faithful  recorder  of  many  a fact,  that  history 
has  forgotten,  speaks  confidently  of  the  cause,  ascribing 
the  final  ruin  of  Ribchester  to  the  overwhelming  vio- 
lence of  an  earthquake.  And  nothing  but  such  an  acci- 
dent could  have  originally  changed  the  nature  of  the 
estuary,  once  the  most  remarkable  in  the  county,  or 
have  thrown  out  that  large  and  broad  barrier  of  sand, 
which  crosses  the  entrance,  almost  chokes  the  inlet  into 
the  tide,  and  contracts  the  original  breadth  of  the  navi- 
gable channel  from  the  majestic  extent  of  eight  or  nine 
miles,  to  the  narrow  span  of  a hundred  yards.”  The 
last  part  of  the  Lancashire  coast  between  the  Ribble  and 

1 This  is  not  correct.  The  boundary  from  the  head  of  Solway 
Firth,  is  first  formed  by  the  Sark,  a small  river  entering  the  Firth  to 
the  west  of  the  Esk  ; then  by  a line  drawn  eastward  from  the  Sark  to 
the  Esk  ; then  by  the  Liddel,  an  eastern  branch  of  the  Esk  ; and 
lastly,  by  Kershope  Water,  a southern  branch  of  the  Liddel. — P. 

k renmaenmawr* *  is  a promontory,  1550  feet  high,  projecting  into 

* Welsh,  pen,  head;  maen,  stone  or  rock;  and  maior,  great. 


the  Mersey  is  nowhere  bold  or  lofty,  and  it  becomes 
gradually  flatter  towards  the  southern  extremity. 

The  short  line  of  coast  in  the  county  of  Chester,  may 
be  compared  to  a headland  stretching  a considerable  way 
into  the  Irish  Channel ; the  Mersey  and  the  Dee  form  the 
northern  and  southern  boundaries.  The  coast  of  Flint- 
shire extends  between  the  last  river  and  the  Clwyd  ; it 
is  in  general  low  and  marshy,  but  in  some  places,  par- 
ticularly in  the  neighbourhood  of  Holywell,  the  hills  rise 
a considerable  height  above  the  sea.  The  county  of 
Denbigh  begins  beyond  the  Clwyd  ; although  rich  in 
lead  mines,  and  famed  for  its  manufactures,  it  has  no 
convenient  port;  it  terminates  in  the  peninsula  and  cape 
of  Great  Ormes  Head  at  the  mouth  of  the  Conway,  the 
boundary  between  Denbighshire  and  Caernarvonshire. 
The  long  line  of  coast  in  the  last  county  is  bold  and 
lofty,  broken  by  precipices,  and  indented  by  bays.  An 
excellent  road  has  been  cut  across  the  once  inaccessible 
height  of  Penmaenmawr,  which  rises  near  the  middle  of 
an  extensive  inlet  between  Aberconway  and  Bangor.b 
At  the  last  place  commence  the  Menai  Straits,  a narrow 
channel,  which  changes  the  character  of  the  coast  by 
separating  Wales  from  the  Isle  of  Anglesea,  sometimes 
appearing  as  motionless  as  a lake,  and  at  other  times, 
flowing  majestically  from  north  to  south.® 

The  small  island  of  Holyhead,  on  the  wrest  of  Angle- 
sea, at  the  entrance  of  St.  George’s  Channel,  is  well 
known  on  account  of  its  port,  admirably  adapted  to  af- 
ford shelter  to  ships  on  their  way  from  the  north  or 
south.  Hundreds  of  vessels  unable  to  run  out  to  sea  from 
contrary  winds,  are  sometimes  detained  in  the  harbour  ; 
they  have  been  seen  setting  sail  at  the  same  time,  as  soon 
as  the  wind  has  changed  in  their  favour.  Returning 
to  the  Welsh  coast,  we  observe  no  harbour  of  any  con- 
sequence in  tbe  bay  of  Caernarvon,  or  the  sweep  from  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  Menai  Straits  to  the  promon- 
tory of  Bronhy-Swil,  on  the  east  of  which  are  the  road- 
stead of  Aberdaron,  and  the  gulf  of  Hell’s  Mouth. 
Beyond  these  places,  the  Caernarvonshire  coast  turns 
to  the  north-east,  and  reaches  the  limits  of  Merioneth 
shire,  a county  in  which  the  population,  relatively  to  the 
surface,  is  less  than  in  any  other  in  Wales. 

Cardigan  Bay,  the  largest  of  any  on  the  western  side 
of  the  island,  extending  from  the  abrupt  angle  at  Aber- 
daron Point  to  the  north  of  St.  Davids,  washes  North 
and  South  Wales.  The  coast  of  Merionethshire,  part  of 
the  same  bay,  is  wild  and  rugged  : Harlech  Fort  defends 
a good  anchorage,  and  Barmouth,  the  only  port  in  the 
county,  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Avon,  on  an  arm 
of  the  sea,  into  which  other  rivers  and  streams  are  dis- 
charged. The  coast  of  Cardiganshire  fronts  the  west,  a 
considerable  way  below  Aberystwith,  and  afterwards  di- 
verges gradually  so  as  to  front  tbe  north.  The  line  of 
coast  in  this  county  is  nearly  equal  to  forty  miles  ; it  has 
been  much  exposed  to  the  encroachments  of  the  sea  ; 
once  covered  with  numerous  towns,  a few  wretched  vil- 
lages are  all  that  can  now  be  seen. 

The  bold  coast  of  Pembrokeshire  is  bounded  by  nu- 

the  eastern  entrance  of  the  Menai  Straits,  about  half  way  between 
Aberconway  and  Bangor.  A road  winds  round  it,  on  a ledge  of 
rock. — P. 

c The  Menai  Straits sometimes  appear  land-locked,  like  a lake, 

and  at  other  times  assume  the  form  of  a large  navigable  river,  flowing 
with  several  curves,  nearly  in  a direction  from  north  to  south.  (Ed 
Enc.  art.  England.) — P. 


BOOK  CLIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


467 


merous  hills,  or  by  steep  and  precipitous  cliffs,  and  is  cut  in 
many  places  by  different  bays.  The  first  of  any  conse- 
quence is  that  of  Aberkikar,  formed  by  Kenmaes-Head 
on  the  north,  and  Pendrowy  on  the  south.  The  last 
promontory  is  the  northern  boundary  of  Newport  Ha- 
ven, which  stretches  towards  the  south-west  to  Di- 
nas-Head.  A larger  bay,  that  of  Fisguard,  cuts  deeper 
into  the  land,  and  is  limited  on  one  side  by  Dinas- 
Head,  and  on  the  other  by  Pen  Anglas.  The  coast  be- 
yond it,  bending  towards  the  south-west,  winds  round 
Strumble  Head,  and  continues  in  a south-south-west  di- 
rection to  Cape  St.  David.  Having  doubled  the  last 
cape,  we  enter  St.  Bride’s  Bay,  of  a semicircular  form, 
open  on  the  west,  and  prolonged  on  the  south  by  seve- 
ral small  islands. 

On  the  south-east  of  these  islands,  and  at  no  great 
distance  from  them  is  situated  Milford  Haven,  enclosed 
by  lofty  mountains,  sinuous,  penetrating  far  into  the 
land,  and  of  a sufficient  depth  to  receive  the  largest 
ships.  In  time  of  war,  Milford  Haven  is  of  impor- 
tance as  a naval  station  ; in  time  of  peace,  it  is  equal- 
ly so  for  the  purposes  of  commerce,  as  a place  of  shelter 
from  storms  or  contrary  winds,  to  the  merchant  vessels 
that  depart  from  or  return  to  the  Bristol  Channel.  The 
Dugledy  and  the  Cleddy,  which  are  navigable  to  Haver- 
ford  and  Narbeth,  fall  into  the  same  bay  ; it  thus  affords 
an  outlet  to  the  produce  of  the  coal  mines  and  chalk 
pits  in  the  vallies  watered  by  these  rivers. 

Leaving  Milford  Haven,  and  pursuing  an  easterly 
course  into  the  Bristol  Channel,  the  coast  of  South  Wales 
continues  rocky  and  broken  by  natural  cavities  to  the  en- 
trance of  Caermarthen  Bay,  bounded  on  one  side  by  the 
rock  on  which  the  small  port  of  Tenby  is  built,  and  on 
the  other  by  Penryhn  Gwye  point,  the  extremity  of 
Gower,  a remarkable  headland  of  Glamorganshire  ; its 
limestone  cliffs  tower  above  the  sea,  and  a great  quantity 
of  lime  is  obtained  and  exported  from  it  to  the  English 
counties  on  the  other  side  of  the  channel. 

The  bay,  the  peninsula  and  town  of  Swansea  are 
situated  on  the  east  of  Gower,  nearly  midway  between 
Tenby  and  Bristol.  The  town,  a convenient  port,  is 
built  near  the  mouth  of  the  Towy,  and  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  its  banks,  coal,  iron-ore  and  limestone  are  obtain- 
ed. The  Bristol  Channel  is  so  much  contracted  beyond 
the  peninsula  of  Swansea,  that  all  the  heights  on  the  op- 
posite coasts  of  Devonshire  and  Somersetshire  may  be 
distinctly  seen  from  the  bay  of  Glamorgan. 

The  province  of  Wales  abounds  in  coal,  iron-ore  and 
other  valuable  minerals  ; their  conveyance  to  the  coasts 
is  facilitated  by  artificial  communications,  by  rail-roads, 
canals  and  other  works,  in  the  construction  of  which 
much  ingenuity  has  been  exerted,  and  many  natural  ob- 
stacles have  been  surmounted.  It  is  by  the  same  means 
that  the  copper  and  tin  ore  dug  in  Cornwall  are  conveyed 
to  the  extensive  founderies  near  the  rich  coal  mines  in 
Wales. 

Of  the  Monmouthshire  coast,  it  may  be  remarked  that 
one  part  is  low  and  marshy,  while  the  other  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Wye  is  rocky  and  precipitous. 

The  Bristol  Channel  enters  an  extensive  bay  on  the 
coast  of  Somersetshire,  of  which  the  curved  and  indented 
outline  is  nearly  equal  in  length  to  sixty  miles.  The  Axe 
and  the  Yeo  convey  their  streams  to  the  same  coast ; the 
former  ascends  to  Glastonbury ; the  latter  passes  by  Bridge- 


water and  Langport.  Beyond  the  Yeo,  the  coast  turns 
to  the  west,  and  in  this  part  of  it  is  situated  the  small  port 
ofWatchet,  formerly  famous  for  its  herring  fisheries,  now 
better  known  for  a species  of  alabaster,  which  is  con- 
verted into  hydraulic  lime.  Continuing  our  journey 
westwards,  we  pass  along  a rocky  and  rugged  shore,  to 
the  safe  and  commodious  port  of  Minehead,  of  which  the 
trade  has  ceased,  since  the  herring  has  disappeared  from 
the  neighbouring  sea.  Beyond  the  last  place,  the  north- 
ern coast  of  Devonshire  joins  that  of  Somersetshire  ; the 
port  of  Ilfracombe  is  defended  by  a semicircular  range  of 
hills,  which  add  greatly  to  the  beauty  and  salubrity  of  its  sit- 
uation : it  is  visited  by  strangers  in  the  bathing  season,  and  it 
carries  on  a regular  intercourse  with  Bristol,  Swansea  and 
Milford.  The  coast  turns  to  the  south  from  Ilfracombe  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Taw  in  the  bay  of  Barnstaple,  in  which 
the  small  town  of  Bideford  may  be  remarked  for  the 
industry  of  its  inhabitants  ; they  carry  on  a great  coasting 
trade  with  Ireland  and  Scotland,  convey  to  Wales  the 
produce  of  the  mines  in  Devonshire  and  Cornwall,  and 
send  a considerable  number  of  vessels  to  the  fisheries 
on  the  banks  of  Newfoundland.  The  promontory  of 
Hartland  Point  forms  the  southern  extremity  of  Barnsta- 
ple Bay  ; at  no  great  distance  from  it,  the  northern  part 
of  the  Cornish  coast,  the  last  on  the  western  side  of 
England,  commences.  A long  and  broken  shore  extends 
from  Beedshaven  to  St.  Ives,  between  which  and  the 
Land’s  End,  the  most  westerly  point  in  the  island,  no 
harbour  of  any  consequence  can  be  mentioned.  Some 
statistical  results,  relative  to  the  population  of  the  west- 
ern coast,  may  be  subjoined. 

Inhabitants 


Population. 

Square 

miles. 

per  square 
mile. 

Cumberland  and  Westmoreland 

. 211,700 

. 1,349,500 

2241 

94 

Lancashire  and  Cheshire . . . 

2882 

468 

Wales — western  part  of  . . . 

. 309,850 

3331 

111 

Counties  on  the  Bristol  Channel 

. 2,392,400 

4146 

1G0 

Total 

4,323,450 

12,600 

189 

The  southern  side  of  England  is  bounded  by  the 
southern  coasts  of  Cornwall  and  Devonshire,  by  the 
coasts  of  Dorsetshire,  Hampshire  and  Sussex,  and  by 
part  of  Kent. 

Doubling  the  Land’s  End,  and  passing  between  the 
main-land  and  the  Scilly  Isles,  we  enter  the  bay  of  St. 
Michael,  on  which  are  situated  the  three  ports  of  Pen- 
zance, Marazion  and  Helston.  The  same  bay  affords,  in 
the  event  of  storms  or  contrary  winds,  a safe  retreat  to 
the  ships  that  return  to  or  depart  from  England.  It 
terminates  on  the  east  near  the  promontory  of  the  Liz- 
ard,1 which  maybe  mentioned  as  the  southernmost  point 
in  Great  Britain,  being  somewhat  below  the  fiftieth  de- 
gree of  latitude.  The  shore  is  irregularly  indented  from 
the  same  point  to  the  southern  extremity  of  the  Ram  Head, 
that  fronts  the  coast  of  Devonshire.  Several  bays  and 
havens  lie  on  this  part  of  the  coast  of  Cornwall,  among 
others,  Falmouth  Haven,  the  estuaries  of  the  Fowey  and 
the  Looe,  and  lastly,  that  of  the  Tamar,  where  the  har- 
bour and  sound  of  Plymouth,  one  of  the  first  military 
ports  in  England,  pass  between  the  counties  of  Cornwall 
and  Devon.  The  harbour  is  formed  by  the  junction  of 
the  Plym  and  the  Tamar  at  their  confluence  with  the 


1 Lizard  Point. 


4G8 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLUJ. 


sea.  The  Eddystone  rocks  are  irregularly  scattered 
about  the  distance  of  twelve  miles  from  the  middle  of 
Plymouth  Sound.  Exposed  to  the  tremendous  swells 
from  the  Ray  of  Biscay  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  the 
waves  break  over  them  with  great  violence,  and  the 
number  of  shipwrecks  might  be  still  as  great  as  formerly, 
were  not  vessels  warned  of  their  danger  by  a light-house, 
which  attests  the  skill  and  ingenuity  of  the  late  Mr. 
Smeaton. 

Start  Point  and  Forward  Point  are  the  boundaries  of 
the  spacious  and  safe  bay  of  Dartmouth.  The  harbour 
of  the  same  name  is  defended  by  a fort  and  two  batteries; 
it  may  contain  live  hundred  ships.  Torbay,  about  five 
miles  to  the  north-east  of  Dartmouth,  is  not  less  than 
twelve  miles  in  circumference  ; as  it  affords  a secure  re- 
treat against  westerly  winds,  it  has  become  a rendezvous 
to  the  royal  navy.  The  coast  is  protected  by  a natural 
rampart  of  rocks,  crowned  by  thick  woods  and  lofty 
trees.  The  clefts  in  the  rocks  are  very  large  ; Kent’s 
hold,a  one  of  the  most  remarkable,  is  a wide  cave  about 
six  hundred  feet  in  length.  The  small  river  Teign  and 
the  Exe  enter  the  English  Channel  on  the  north-east  of 
Torbay  ; from  the  mouth  of  the  last  river,  the  shore 
turns  gradually  towards  the  south, b and  unites  at  Lyme- 
Regis  with  that  of  Dorsetshire.  The  shore  fronts  the 
south-west  at  the  last  place,0  and  stretches  as  far  south 
as  Portland-Bill.d  Thus  Start  Point  and  Portland-Bill 
may  be  considered  the  western  and  eastern  extremities 
of  a large  gulf,  in  which  are  included  the  numerous  small 
bays  between  them,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  Devon 
and  Dorset  coasts.  A safe  road  for  ships  is  situated  on 
the  north  of  Portland,  but  the  southern  point  or  Port- 
land-Race,  so  called  from  the  rapid  currents  produced 
by  the  tides,  is  perhaps  more  dangerous  than  any  other 
part  of  the  Channel.  Having  passed  Portland-Race,  we 
enter  the  bay  of  Weymouth  on  which  the  town  of  the 
same  name  is  built,  and  only  separated  from  Melcombe- 
Regis  by  a bridge  over  the  Wye.°  The  harbour  is  com- 
pletely sheltered  by  the  surrounding  hills,  which  by  op- 
posing a barrier  to  the  north  winds,  add  considerably  to 
the  mildness  and  salubrity  of  the  climate.  The  bays  of 
Swanwiclff  and  Studland  are  situated  on  the  same  coast, 
on  the  north-east  of  Cape  St.  Albans  ;S  the  spacious 
haven  of  Poole  communicates  with  the  latter  ; as  its 
entrance  is  very  narrow  in  proportion  to  the  width,  that 
circumstance  accounts  sufficiently  for  the  stillness  of  its 
waters.  Pevrel-Point  forms  the  eastern  limit  of  the 
county ,h  and  at  no  great  distance  from  it,  is  seen  the  Isle 
of  Wight,  which  from  the  mildness  of  its  climate,  and  the 
richness  and  variety  of  its  vegetation,  may  be  considered 
one  of  the  finest  situations  in  Great  Britain.  It  is  twenty- 
two  miles  in  length  and  more  than  twelve  in  breadth  ; 
bounded  by  four  sides  that  are  almost  rectilinear,  the  two 
northern  front  England,  and  the  two  others,  the  open  sea. 
It  thus  affords  shelter  to  the  flourishing  ports  and  the 
excellent  anchorages  on  the  opposite  shove. 

To  jud  ge  from  the  appearance  of  the  rocks  on  the 
island,  and  from  the  projecting  point  of  Hurst  Castle  on 
the  opposite  shore  of  Hampshire,  it  is  by  no  means  im- 
probable that  the  Isle  of  Wight  and  the  mainland  were 

1 Kent’s  Hole.  (Ed.Enc.) — V.  *>  So  as  to  front  the  south. — P. 

c The  shore  fronts  the  south- \y.eut  from  a little  east  of  Lyme -Regis 
to  the  Bill  of  Portland. — P. 

d The  Bill  of  Portland. 


once  united.  The  natural  causeway  on  which  Hurst 
Castle  stands,  runs  two  miles  into  the  sea,  and  approaches 
within  a mile  of  the  island.  The  tide  rushes  with  great 
violence  through  the  strait  thus  formed,  and  the  depth 
of  the  water  is  not  less  than  twenty-eight  fathoms.  The 
bold  ledges  on  the  side  of  the  island  may  be  attributed 
to  the  impetuosity  of  the  waves,  but  the  opposite  coast 
is  in  many  places  undermined  by  the  water  which  the 
tide  collects  into  a smooth  and  sequestered  bay. 

The  Avon  descends  by  Christchurch  to  the  Hamp- 
shire coast.  The  bay  of  Christchurch  is  formed  by  the 
streams  of  the  Avon  and  the  Stour,  which  join  each 
other  a short  way  below  the  town.  As  the  promontory 
of  Hengistbury  Head,  its  western  limit,  appears  when 
seen  from  the  sea  to  be  connected  with  the  town,  it  is 
generally  known  by  the  name  of  Christchurch  Head. 

Southampton  Water  or  Trissanton  Bay,  a remarkable 
inlet  on  the  same  coast,  extends  in  a north-westerly 
direction  from  Caldshot  Castle  to  the  distance  of  ten 
miles  ; large  vessels  can  sail  to  its  head.  The  shores  of 
the  inlet  are  varied  by  picturesque  scenery  and  romantic 
sites  ; on  one  side  they  terminate  in  the  New  Forest, 
on  the  other  are  the  majestic  ruins  of  Netley  abbey. 

Further  east,  the  coast  of  Hampshire  fronts  the  south- 
west, and  that  part  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  where  the  river 
Medina  throws  itself  into  the  channel.  The  well  known 
road  of  Spithead,  the  common  rendezvous  of  ships  of 
war  and  merchant  vessels  on  their  departure  for  long 
voyages  or  distant  expeditions,  lies  between  the  Isle  of 
Wight  and  the  entrance  to  Portsmouth  harbour. 

The  coast  of  Sussex  begins  on  the  east  of  Portsmouth 
harbour,  and  is  indented  by  a large  basin  or  inlet,  in 
which  several  small  islands  are  situated.  The  port  of 
Chichester  is  formed  by  a branch  of  the  inlet,  and  a flat 
shore  extends  beyond  it  to  the  headland  of  Selsea  Bill. 
Although  some  rocks  are  scattered  in  different  directions 
near  Bognor,  the  coast  continues  low  and  apparently 
almost  level  with  the  sea,  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Little 
Hampton.  The  South  Downs  form  a better  defined 
barrier;  approaching  gradually  to  the  shore,  they  are 
broken  by  the  lofty  cliffs,  which  terminate  in  the  bold 
promontory  of  Beachy  Head,  the  highest  of  any  on  the 
southern  coast  of  England,  dreaded  by  mariners  on  ac- 
count of  numerous  shipwrecks,  and  pierced  by  several 
caves  to  which  the  sea  finds  a passage.  A sandy  shore 
stretches  from  Beachy  Head  to  Hastings  Rock,  but  the 
port  of  Hastings  lies  between  two  cliffs.  On  a capacious 
bay  near  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  county,  are  the 
once  frequented  ports  of  Winchelsea  and  Rye;  the  sea 
has  now  receded  from  the  one,  and  the  other  is  so  much 
encumbered  with  sand  as  to  admit  only  very  small  ves- 
sels. The  long  coast  of  Sussex,  upwards  of  seventy 
miles  in  length,  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Dungeness, 
the  extremity  of  Romney  Marsh. 

The  part  of  the  Kentish  coast  next  to  Sussex,  is  low, 
flat  and  sandy  ; a hilly  district  extends  beyond  Sandgate, 
passes  from  the  interior  of  the  county  to  the  shore,  and 
ends  in  the  chalky  cliffs  that  are  familiar  to  the  readers 
of  Shakspeare.  Part  of  the  same  range  forms  a sort  of 
curve,  and  recedes  a short  way  from  the  shore;  the  town 

f Swanage  Bay.  s St.  Albans  Head. 

h Peverell  Point  is  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  county  (Ed.  Enc.) 
— rather  of  the  Isle  of  Purbeck.  fronting  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  on  the 
south  side  of  the  entrance  of  Swanage  Bay. — P. 


e The  Wey. 


BOOK  CLIII.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


469 


of  Dover  is  situated  below  it,  and  occupies  almost  all  the 
space  between  the  cliffs  and  the  sea.  The  same  chalky 
range,  broken  in  different  places  by  intervening  hollows, 
stretches  to  the  South  Foreland,  which  may  be  consid- 
ered the  eastern  extremity  of  the  southern  coast,  for 
beyond  it  the  shore  recedes  and  fronts  the  east,  leaving 
a large  space  that  appears  to  have  been  abandoned  by 
the  sea.a  To  complete  the  survey  of  the  same  part  of 
England,  it  may  be  necessary  to  subjoin  a table  of  its 
superficies  and  population. 

. Inhabitants 


Counties. 

Population. 

Square 

miles. 

per  square 
mile 

Cornwall  (a  half)  . 

. 131,300 

663 

198 

Devon  (a  half)  . . 

. 223,950 

1,289 

173 

Dorset  .... 

. 147,400 

1,005 

1,628 

147 

Hants  .... 

. 289,300 

177 

Sussex  .... 

. 237,700 

1,463 

162 

Kent  (two  fifths)  . 

. 134,600 

615 

248 

Total 

1,164,250 

6,663 

Mean  172i 

The  eastern  side  of  England  is  formed  by  part  of  Kent, 
and  by  the  coasts  of  Essex,  Suffolk,  Norfolk,  Lincoln, 
Yorkshire,  Durham  and  Northumberland. 

The  Downs,  a much  frequented  road  for  ships,  par- 
ticularly in  time  of  war,  front  the  port  of  Deal,  and  are 
not  less  than  six  miles  in  length  from  the  South  to  the 
North  Foreland. b The  dangerous  Goodwiq  Sands  lie 
off  the  port  of  Deal,  and  extend  to  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  North  Foreland  ; a vessel  is  always  moored  on  them, 
and  lights  are  constantly  burning  to  warn  mariners  of 
their  danger. 

The  Isle  of  Thanet,  part  of  Kent,  separated  from  the 
rest  of  the  county  by  the  narrow  channel  of  the  Stour, 
is  about  ten  miles  in  length  from  the  North  Foreland  to 
Sarr  Bridge,  and  eight  miles  from  Westgate  to  Sand- 
wich Ferry.  It  has  undergone  great  changes;  now 
hardly  a peninsula,  it  was  an  island  in  the  time  of  the 
Romans,  and  at  the  same  period,  the  sea  between  it  and 
Kent,0  was  four  miles  in  breadth.  Such  was  the  greatest 
distance  between  tbe  island  and  the  mainland  ; on  the 
southern  side  it  was  not  more  than  two,  and  at  Sarr  or 
the  port,  it  did  not  exceed  a mile  and  a half.  The  South 
met  the  North  Sea  at  the  same  place,  which  was  called 
Northmutha,  the  mouth  or  entrance  of  the  latter. d An 
accustomed  passage  to  London  by  sea,  at  so  late  a period 
as  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century,  lay  between  the  Isle 
of  Thanet  and  the  mainland  of  Kent.  The  breadth  of 
the  passage  was  considerably  diminished  in  the  time  of 
the  venerable  Bede,  who  says  it  was  then  only  three 
furlongs  wide,  and  so  shallow  as  to  be  fordable  at  two 
places.  It  afforded,  however,  a passage  for  small  vessels 
about  the  period  of  the  Norman  conquest ; at  last  the 
inhabitants  observing  that  the  tide  flowed  no  longer  with 
any  rapidity,  began  to  erect  dikes,  and  brought  about  the 
present  change.  Formerly  separated  from  the  mainland 
by  the  channel  of  the  Portus  Ritupensis,  it  is  now  at 
most  a river  isle,  having  the  Stour-Wantsome  on  the 


a Between  the  North  and  South  Forelands,  the  shore  fronts  the  east. 
Off  the  coast  lie  the  Downs,  and  beyond  them  the  Goodwin  Sands, 
supposed  to  have  been  originally  a part  of  Kent,  and  submerged  about 
the  end  of  the  reign  of  William  II.  Near  the  South  Foreland,  the 
chalk  cliffs  recede  from  the  coast  in  a direction  west  by  north,  and 
leave  a low  tertiary  tract  between  them  and  the  chalk  of  Thanet. — P. 

b Between  the  North  and  South  Forelands  are  the  Downs.  They 
extend  about  six  miles.  The  Goodwin  Sands  extend  N.  N.  E.  and 


south,  the  Mill-stream  on  the  south-west,  and  the 
Nethergong-Wantsome  on  the  west  ; the  rest  of  Tha- 
net fronts  the  sea  as  before.  The  junction  was  thus 
effected,  and  the  sea,  impeded  in  its  course,  threw  up 
immense  quantities  of  sand;  in  this  way,  Estanore 
on  the  eastern  shore  was  formed,  being  originally  an 
island,  which  the  monks  united  to  Thanet  by  means  of  a 
causeway. 

The  Kentish  coast  becomes  marshy  as  it  descends  the 
Swale,  a narrow  arm  of  the  sea,  which  bathes  the  Isle  of 
Sheppey. 

It  turns  eastwards'5  to  the  entrance  of  the  Medway 
into  the  Swale,  and  on  the  north  of  the  last  place  are 
the  projecting  fort  of  Sheerness,  and  the  mouth  of  the 
Thames.  The  last  river  discharges  itself  into  the  sea 
between  the  North  Foreland  in  Kent,  and  the  Naze,  a 
hooked  promontory  in  Essex,  or  more  definitely,  be- 
tween Sheerness  in  Kent,  and  Leigh  in  Essex. 

The  coast  of  Essex,  the  most  southern  of  the  three 
maritime  counties,  that  form  the  peninsula  between  the 
Thames  and  the  Wash,  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the 
Thames,  and  on  the  north  by  the  Stour.  Essex,  Suffolk 
and  Norfolk  form  a continuous  tract  of  great  extent,  un- 
distinguished by  any  considerable  eminence  or  ridge,  but 
sufficiently  elevated  in  most  places  to  be  dry,  arable  and 
productive.  The  Crouch,  the  first  river  north  of  the 
Thames,  on  the  Essex  coast,  enters  the  sea  at  Foulness  ; 
it  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  the  oysters,  which 
are  taken  at  its  mouth,  and  which  are  considered  supe- 
rior to  any  others  in  England.  The  coast  runs  north- 
wards from  the  mouth  of  the  Crouch  to  the  distance  of 
about  ten  miles,  where  the  fine  bay  formed  by  the  Black- 
water,  is  enlarged  by  a great  number  of  small  streams, 
and  by  the  Chelmer,  which  has  been  rendered  navigable 
to  Chelmsford. 

The  Colne,  which  communicates  with  the  northern 
shores  of  the  same  bay,  is  now  navigable  for  ships  to 
Wivenhoe,  and  for  smaller  vessels  to  Colchester.  A 
more  important  bay,  on  the  northern  confines  of  the 
Essex  coast,  receives  the  waters  of  the  Stour  and  Or- 
well, the  former  of  which  is  navigable  to  the  distance  of 
twenty-eight  miles.  Harwich  is  built  on  a peninsula  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Stour,  and  the  packet  boats  to  Holland 
and  Belgium  set  sail  from  its  harbour.  More  than  once 
during  the  great  struggle  between  the  English  and  the 
Dutch,  a hundred  men  of  war,  and  three  hundred  mer- 
chant vessels,  have  been  moored  at  the  same  time  in  the 
spacious  haven  of  Harwich.  The  greater  part  of  the 
Essex  coast  is  low,  marshy  and  exposed  to  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  sea.  According  to  tradition  the  outlets  of 
the  Stour  and  Orwell  were  formerly  situated  on  the  north 
of  Landguard  Fort,  and  the  Fleets,  as  they  are  now 
called,  formed  part  of  the  channel. 

The  waving  shore  of  Suffolk  is  chiefly  composed  of 
loamy  cliffs,  continually  falling  down,  and  occasioning 
great  changes  on  the  coast,  so  that  whole  towns  and  vil- 
lages have  been  destroyed  by  the  sea.  The  small  town 


S.  S.  W.  about  12  miles.  (Ed.  Enc.)  The  South  Foreland  is  m lat. 
51°  12'  N.,  long.  1°  25'  E.  The  North  Foreland,  in  lat.  51°  25'  N., 
long.  1°  2T  E.  The  Downs  begin  near  the  S.  Foreland,  and  lie  off 
the  port  of  Deal. — P. 

c On  the  south-west  side. — P. 

d The  North  Sea  entered  at  what  was,  from  this  circumstance,  called 
Northmutha,,  or  North-Mouth.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
e So  as  to  front  the  east. — P. 


470 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIII. 


of  Felix  Stow*  is  situated  to  the  north  of  Harwich  Bay 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Deben,  which  is  navigable  to  Wood- 
bridge,  a distance  of  ten  miles.  The  Aide  and  the  Blyth 
are  only  navigable  a few  miles  : Orford,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  former,  was  once  a flourishing  port  ; it  is  now 
wholly  blocked  up  by  sand  and  alluvial  deposits.  Aid- 
borough,  situated,  as  its  name  imports,  on  the  same 
river,  has  on  the  contrary  been  almost  washed  away  by 
the  sea.  The  Suffolk  coast  stretches  due  north  from 
Orfordness  to  Southwold  ; the  last  place  is  built  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Blyth,  on  Solebay,  which  was  formerly 
bounded  by  Eastonness,  and  another  cape  to  the  south- 
east o f Du  nvvich,  but  these  limits  have  been  removed  by 
the  waves.  The  picturesque  town  of  Lowestoff,  near  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  coast,  may  be  remarked  on 
account  of  its  position  on  the  most  eastern  promontory 
in  Great  Britain.  The  sea  coast  of  Norfolk  is  formed 
either  by  clayey  cliffs,  continually  a prey  to  the  ocean, 
or  by  low  sandy  shores,  overspread  with  loose  pebbles, 
and  rising  in  many  places  into  a kind  of  natural  bank, 
covered  with  sand  that  is  held  together  by  the  roots  of 
the  sea  reed  grass.  Behind  these  sand-hills  are  salt 
marshes  of  considerable  extent,  occasionally  inundated  by 
the  tides,  which  find  an  entrance  through  gaps  between 
the  hillocks.  Hunstanton  Cliff,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Wash,  is  the  only  rocky  eminence  on  the  coast.  Various 
ports  are  formed  on  the  northern  side  by  creeks  and 
bays,  but  they  can  only  admit  small  vessels.  Sand- 
banks, the  dread  of  the  coasting  mariners,  and  the  occa- 
sion of  numerous  shipwrecks,  lie  oft'  the  coast;  of  these 
the  most  remarkable  run  parallel  to  the  coast  of  Yar- 
mouth, and  form  the  celebrated  Yarmouth  Roads,  a 
place  of  great  resort  for  ships  ; they  may  ride  there  in 
security,  although  the  entrance  is  difficult  and  dangerous. 

A great  part  of  the  Norfolk  coast  fronts  the  north,  and 
hounds  on  the  south  the  gulf  of  the  Wash,  which  re- 
ceives the  waters  of  many  streams  and  rivers.  The  same 
gulf  serves  as  a limit  between  Norfolk  and  Lincolnshire. 
'File  coast  of  Lincolnshire,  like  that  of  Holland,  is  pro- 
tected by  dikes  against  the  waves.  It  is  distinguishable 
by  churches,  not  by  hills,  being  so  low  as  to  be  seen  only 
a short  way  from  the  land.  The  sea  has  made  encroach- 
ments in  some  places,  and  the  remains  of  forests  have 
been  discovered  under  the  water;  in  others,  fruitful  tracts 
have  been  gained  by  its  recession.  Former  ports  are 
now  either  obstructed  with  sand,  or  wholly  deserted  by 
the  ocean,  a circumstance  which  has  been  adduced  by 
some  writers  to  account  for  the  decay  of  trade  in  this 
part  of  England.  The  Lincolnshire  coast  is  upwards  of 
a hundred  miles  in  extent  ; it  stretches  first  to  the  north- 
east, and  then  inclines  westwards  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Humber,  which  separates  it  from  Yorkshire. 

The  river  Humber,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  is  a large 
gulf  or  arm  of  the  sea,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ouse,  en- 
larged by  the  Trent  and  its  numerous  feeders,  and  by  all 
the  streams  from  Yorkshire. b The  extremity  of  Holder- 
ness  or  Spurn-Head,  a long  and  curved  promontory,6  on 
which  a light-house  has  been  erected  for  the  direction  of 
ships,  protects  the  mouth  of  the  estuary.  Sunk  Island 


'•Ylixtow,  Felixstow.  (Shoberl.) — P. 
h The  Humber  is  formed  by  the  confluence  of  the  Ouse  and  the 
Trent. — P. 

c The  extremity  of  [Jolderness  [the  low  country  S.  E.  of  the  York- 
shire Wolds]  contracts  into  a neck  of  land,  forming  a curve  towards 


consists  of  the  sand,  which  has  been  deposited  on  the 
Yorkshire  side.  The  sea  has  occasioned  great  changes 
in  this  part  of  the  country.  Headon,  a free  port  in  the 
time  of  King  John,  and  so  populous  as  to  contain  three 
parishes,  is  now  little  better  than  a village  with  scarcely 
any  harbour.  The  shore  continues  low  and  flat  from  the 
Humber  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Bridlington  Bay,  which 
is  sheltered  by  Flamborough-IIead  from  the  north-east 
and  north-west  winds.  The  character  of  the  coast 
changes  at  the  same  promontory ; snow-white  rocks  and 
lofty  cliffs  stretching  far  out  at  sea,  serve  as. beacons  to 
mariners.  They  are  composed  of  mouldering  limestone, 
and  their  base  is  pierced  by  numerous  caverns,  and 
broken  by  the  violence  of  the  waves.  In  the  breeding 
season,  their  summits  are  tenanted  by  countless  multi 
tudes  of  sea  fowl,  that  animate  the  air  and  ocean  all 
around.  A remarkable  ledge  called  Filey-Bridge,  con- 
necting a kind  of  natural  mole,  runs  nearly  half  a mile 
into  the  sea  from  the  other  extremity  of  the  bay  ;d  the 
rocks  are  left  dry  at  low  water,  and  serve  to  protect  the 
coast  against  the  high  waves,  which  break  upon  them  in 
stormy  weather.  Further  north  are  situated  the  town 
and  port  of  Scarborough  in  the  recess  of  a bay,  forming 
a sort  of  amphitheatre  crowned  by  a cliff  or  scar,  from 
which  the  name  of  the  place  has  been  derived.  The 
port  is  the  only  one  between  the  Humber  and  the  Tyne, 
that  affords,  a secure  refuge  for  large  ships  in  violent 
gales  from  the  east.  Lofty  hills  of  alum  rock  bound  the 
coast  beyond  Scarborough  ; on  the  north  of  them  is 
Robinhood’s  Bay,  in  which  the  small  but  populous  vil- 
lage of  the  same  name  is  inhabited  by  fishermen,  who 
supply  Whitby  with  the  produce  of  their  industry.  The 
prosperity  of  the  last  place  depends  chiefly  on  its  exten- 
sive alum  works,  and  the  aluminous  schistus  which 
abounds  in  the  neighbourhood.  A rude  and  precipitous 
coast  extends  from  Whitby  to  the  mouth  of  the  Tees  ; 
many  fishing  villages,  singularly  placed  like  nests  on  the 
ledges  of  the  rocks,  are  situated  in  different  places,  and 
no  part  of  the  English  coast  abounds  more  with  various 
kinds  of  fish. 

The  river  Tees,  although  not  even  navigable  as  far  as 
Darlington,  forms  at  its  mouth  a considerable  estuary, 
which  separates  the  coasts  of  Yorkshire  and  Durham. 
The  town  of  Hartlepool,  built  on  a small  promontory,  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides  except  the  west  by  the  sea,  is  the 
first  place  on  the  north  of  the  Tees.  Sunderland  stands 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  mouth  of  the  Wear,  and  Wear- 
mouth  on  the  left.  The  two  towns  are  united  by  a 
bridge  of  a single  arch,  of  which  the  span  is  236  feet,  and 
the  height  from  the  keystone  to  the  level  of  the  highest 
tide,  not  less  than  ninety-eight.  The  view  of  the  two 
towns,  and  of  the  bridge  that  unites  them,  is  remarkable  ; 
the  arch  appears  suspended  in  the  air,  ships  of  consider- 
able burden  with  topsails  set,  pass  beneath  it,  while 
heavy  waggons  are  drawn  by  many  horses  along  its  aerial 
causeway  : vessels  are  constantly  loading  and  unloading 
on  both  banks  of  the  Wear  ; they  sail  down  the  river 
when  the  tide  is  ebbing,  while  others  arrive  from  the  sea 
when  it  is  flowing.  Coal  and  limestone  are  transported 


the  south-west.  The  extremity  of  this  neck  ofland  is  the  Spurn  Head, 
a sickle-shaped  promontory.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

d Filey  Bay.  between  Flamborough  Head  on  the  south,  and  Filey 
Point  on  the  north. — P. 


BOOK  CLIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


471 


in  numerous  waggons  along  iron  rail-ways  to  the  place  of 
embarkation  ; lastly,  two  fine  towns  crown  this  magnifi- 
cent amphitheatre,  in  which  the  varied  resources  ot  art 
and  industry  form  a singular  contrast  with  many  natural 
and  picturesque  beauties.  The  Tyne  falls  into  the  sea 
at  no  great  distance  from  the  Wear,  and  serves  equally 
for  the  exportation  of  coal,  lime  and  many  other  articles. 
These  two  rivers,  watering  an  extent  of  coast,  which  a 
foot-passenger  may  wralk  over  in  three  or  four  hours, 
receive  annually  16,000  vessels,  and  send  them  away 
laden  with  the  produce  of  their  banks.  It  need  not 
therefore  excite  surprise,  if  six  flourishing  towns,  con- 
taining in  all  a population  of  86,000  inhabitants,  are  sit- 
uated on  this  narrow  tract,  of  which  the  length  is  little 
more  than  the  breadth.1 

North  Shields  is  the  first  port  on  the  coast  of  North- 
umberland ; beyond  it,  at  the  distance  of  about  a mile 
and  a half,  rise  the  majestic  ruins  of  Tynemouth  Castle. 
Small  vessels  sail  on  the  Wansbeck  to  Morpeth,  a dis- 
tance of  five  or  six  miles  ; but  the  Coquet  is  not  even 
navigable  to  Rothbury,  the  only  town  that  has  been  built 
on  its  banks.  Holy  Island  is  situated  on  the  north  of  the 
Farn  Isles,  which  lie  nearly  opposite  to  Bamborough  Cas- 
tle, once  a strong  hold  of  great  importance.  A sandy 


shore  extends  from 
Tweed. 

Bamborough 

to  the 

mouth  of  the 

Eastern  Coast. 

Population, 

Extent, 

Inhabitants 

census  18*21. 

square  miles,  per  square  mile. 

Kent  (a  part)  . . 

300,000 

921 

326 

Essex 

. 205,300 

1532 

192 

Suffolk  .... 

276,000 

1512 

182 

Norfolk  .... 

351,300 

2092 

167 

Lincoln  .... 

288,800 

2746 

105 

York 

1,197,130 

5961 

200 

Durham  .... 

211,900 

1061 

199 

Northumberland  . 

203,000 

1871 

108 

Total 

3,123,430 

17,696 

Mean  185 

It  may  be  remarked,  that  no  islands  of  any  conse- 
quence are  situated  near  the  eastern  shores  ; the  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  a few  others  of  a much  smaller  size,  lie  on  the 
south  ; the  Scillv  Islands,  Anglesea  and  Man  front  the 
western  coast.  The  estuary  of  the  Exe  is  the  principal 
inlet  on  the  south  ; the  most  important  on  the  east  are 
that  of  the  Thames,  the  Wash,  and  the  indentation  by 
which  the  Humber  communicates  with  the  German 
Ocean  ; lastly,  Cardigan  Bay  and  the  Bristol  Channel,  the 
largest  inlet  on  the  English  coast,  are  situated  on  the  west. 

The  remarkable  resemblance  between  the  British 
coasts  and  the  opposite  shores  of  the  continent, 
has  not  failed  to  attract  the  attention  of  geologists. 
“ In  the  neighbourhood  of  Aberdeen,”  says  M.  Coque- 
bert,  “one  might  imagine  himself  transported  to  the 
precipitous  granite  shores  of  Norway,  and  below  Aber- 
deen the  coasts  are  very  similar  to  those  of  Den- 
mark.” There  is  a great  resemblance  between  the  Low 
Countries  on  the  continent  and  the  marshy  districts  in 
the  south-east  of  England.  Thus,  the  elevation  of  the 
land,  and  the  nature  and  stratification  of  the  soil,  are  the 
same  in  maritime  Flanders,  and  in  the  low  shores  on  the 


* C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale  de  la  Grande  Bretagne. 

•°  “ These  deposits  [viz.  green  sand  ( glauconie ,)  chalk,  plastic  clay, 
and  other  formations  analogous  to  those  in  the  environs  of  Paris  (i.  e. 
the  tertiary  formations  of  the  Paris  basin,)  just  mentioned  as  skirting 
the  English  coast  of  the  Channel,]  which  are  continued  beyond  the 


opposite  side.  The  superficial  suataonboth  sides,  con- 
sist of  clay  silt  and  sand,  which  are  mixed  in  many  places 
with  vegetable  remains.  They  cover  on  both  sides, 
a deep  stratum  of  dark  coloured  clay,  unmixed  with  ex- 
traneous matter ; lastly,  they  are  bounded  on  both  sides 
by  lines  of  hills.  Tropical  plants  have  been  discovered 
in  the  British  and  the  Belgic  ridge.  Cocoa  nuts  and  the 
fruits  of  the  areca  have  been  collected  on  the  Belgic  side  ; 
many  petrified  fruits  of  the  same  sort,  and  many  impres- 
sions of  tropical  plants,  have  been  found  in  the  Isl e of 
Sheppey.  The  coasts  of  Devonshire  and  Cornwall  may 
be  compared  to  those  in  the  departments  of  Finisterre 
and  the  North  Coast.  The  same  remark  is  also  appli- 
cable to  the  marshes  in  Sussex,  and  to  others  in  the 
Pays  de  Caux.  Appearances  render  it  highly  probable 
that  France  and  England  were  once  united  ; the  deposits 
on  the  coast  of  Kent,  extending  to  a great  distance  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Channel,  the  narrow  strait  sepa- 
rating the  two  countries,  and  the  nature  of  the  rocks, 
as  easily  undermined  as  clay,  sand  or  chalk,  may  be  con- 
sidered the  proofs  of  a disruption.* 

Four  rivulets,  which  rise  from  different  parts  of  the 
Coteswrold  Hills  in  Gloucestershire,  form  the  sources  of 
the  Thames,  the  most  important  of  the  British  rivers  ; these 
streams  are  the  Lech,  the  Colne,  the  Churne  and  the  Isis. 
The  last  is  navigable  to  a considerable  distance,  but  the 
course  is  sinuous,  and  the  river  abounds  in  shallows.  It 
waters  Oxford,  and  receives,  below  the  same  town,  the 
streams  of  the  Chenvell.  It  is  joined  by  the  Thame  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Dorchester  in  Oxfordshire.  The 
last  river  is  formed  by  different  streams,  some  of  which 
have  their  sources  in  the  central  districts  of  Bucking- 
hamshire, others  on  the  confines  of  Hertfordshire,  and 
several  in  the  lower  part  of  Oxfordshire.  The  one  and 
the  other,  after  their  junction,  form  the  Thames  or  the 
Thame-isis,  as  it  was  originally  called.  The  general 
direction  of  its  course  is  towards  the  south-east,  but  from 
Wallingford  to  Pangbourn  it  is  almost  due  south,  and 
from  the  latter  place  to  Henley  it  bends  to  the  north-east. 
In  the  vicinity  of  the  metropolis,  it  turns  with  a bold 
swell  to  the  east,  and  pursues  the  same  direction,  which 
is  only  varied  by  broad  reaches,  until  it  falls  into  the  sea. 

The  Thames  receives  not  fewer  than  eleven  navigable 
rivers,  and  six  of  a comparatively  large  size,  although 
not  navigable.  The  length  of  its  course  is  equal  to  a 
hundred  and  sixty  miles,  and  the  length  of  the  navigation 
to  a hundred  and  thirty  from  its  mouth.  It  is  navigable 
for  vessels  of  almost  any  burden  to  Deptford,  for  vessels 
of  four  hundred  tons  to  the  Pool,  and  of  more  than  two 
hundred  to  London  Bridge.  The  effect  of  the  tide 
is  perceptible  at  the  distance  of  eighty  miles  from  its 
mouth.  It  waters  a hilly  country  and  the  most  fruitful 
districts  in  England,  but  in  no  part  of  its  course  does  it 
assume  the  character  of  a rapid  river.  It  is  distinguished 
by  clear  and  limpid  waters,  which  are  only  discoloured 
after  great  floods  ; when  these  happen,  the  banks  are  in 
some  places  submerged  ; still,  the  injury  which  the  hus- 
bandman sustains,  is  not  so  great  as  that  occasioned  by 
smaller  but  more  impetuous  streams. 


Straits  of  Calais,  and  even  to  a great  distance  in  the  interior  of  France, 
are  irrefutable  proofs  that  Great  Britain  was  originally  united  with  the 
continent.  Does  not  the  little  width  of  the  Straits  of  Calais  also  prove 
that  the  ocean  may  have  gradually  undermined  strata  as  easily  broken 
as  sand,  clay  and  chalk?”  M.  B.  t.  viii.  p.  571. — P. 


472 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLII1. 


The  principal  source  of  the  Severn,  the  second  river 
in  Great  Britain,  is  a small  lake  on  the  eastern  side  of 
Plinlimmon,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  head  of  the 
Wye,  and  on  the  borders  of  two  shires,  those  of  Cardigan 
and  Montgomery.  Watering  the  last  county,  and  also 
Shropshire,  Worcestershire  and  Gloucestershire,  it  dis- 
charges itself  into  the  Bristol  Channel.  It  flows  through 
a hilly  but  well  wooded  country,  in  the  upper  part  of  its 
course,  and  bears  the  name  of  the  Hafren  until  it  arrives 
at  Llanidloes;  but,  in  ancient  times,  it  was  known  to 
the  Britons  by  the  same  name  through  the  whole  of  its 
course.*  Passing  through  the  romantic  vale  of  Mont- 
gomeryshire, it  enters  fhe  great  plain  of  Shropshire,  and, 
after  a considerable  circuit,  turns  abruptly  beyond  Welsh- 
pool, to  the  south-east.  Continuing  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, it  almost  encircles  the  town  of  Shrewsbury;  it  then 
traverses  the  famous  Coalbrook-dale,  passes  Bridgenorth, 
bends  to  the  south,  leaves  the  county  of  Salop,  and  en- 
ters Worcestershire  at  Bewdley.  As  it  proceeds,  it  is 
joined  by  the  numerous  canals  that  bear  the  treasures  of 
Birmingham,  Kidderminster,  and  the  trading  towns  in 
Warwickshire,  Staffordshire  and  Worcestershire.  It 
crosses  part  of  the  vale  of  Evesham,  between  the  Mal- 
vern Hills  and  the  heights  of  Bredon.  It  divides  itself 
into  two  branches  about  a mile  above  Gloucester;  these 
unite  below  the  same  town,  and  enclose  the  tract,  which 
is  called  Alney  Island.  It  is  enlarged  in  this  part  of  its 
course  by  several  streams,  and  communicates  with  the 
canals  that  convey  the  products  of  the  woollen  manufac- 
tories in  the  county.  Lastly,  it  receives  the  Wye  near 
Chepstow,  and  the  Avon  from  Somersetshire. 

One  might  be  apt  to  form  an  incorrect  notion  of  the 
Severn  from  the  nature  of  the  country  in  which  it  has  its 
source.  Thus,  it  would  be  inaccurate  to  consider  it  an 
impetuous  river;  in  some  places,  it  is  broad  and  shallow, 
and  the  fields  on  both  sides  are  liable  to  inundations  ; in 
others,  the  waters  are  almost  concealed  by  deep  and 
overhanging  banks.  Not  broken  by  torrents  below 
Llanidloes,  it  resembles  more  the  slow  rivers  in  the  ex- 
tensive plains  of  England  than  the  rapid  streams  that 
flow  through  the  narrow  vallies  and  ravines  in  Wales. 
It  is  connected  by  numerous  canals  with  the  principal 
trading  districts  in  the  kingdom,  being  united  with  the 
Thames  on  the  east,  and  the  Trent,  the  Mersey  and  the 
Hu  nrber  on  the  north. b 

The  Washes  serve  as  an  outlet  to  many  rivers,  which 
intersect  a low  and  marshy  country  ; if  it  is  not  so  popu- 
lous as  other  districts  in  England,  it  may  be  attributed 
to  the  stagnant  and  unwholesome  waters  that  cover  the 
greater  pait  of  it.  Natural  obstacles  retarded  the  cultiva- 

a Or  Severn  swift,  guilty  cf  Maiden’s  death. — Milton. 

“ Locrine,  king  of  the  Britons,  married  Guendolen,  the  daughter  of 
Corineus,  duke  of  Cornwall  ; but  he  loved  Estrildis,  a fair  captive, 
whom  he  had  taken  in  battle  with  llumber  king  of  the  Huns;  and 
had  by  her  a daughter,  equally  fair,  whose  name  was  Sabra.  The 
secret  of  the  king's  love  was  confined  to  a very  few,  lest  it  should  be 
revealed  to  Corineus.  But  when  his  fear  was  removed  by  the  death 
of  the  duke,  not  content  with  secret  enjoyment,  he  divorces  Guendo- 
len, and  makes  Estrildis  his  queen.  Guendolen,  tormented  with 
jealousy  and  rage,  departs  into  Cornwall,  gives  battle  to  her  husband, 
who  is  shot  with  an  arrow  near  the  river  Stour,  and  ends  his  life. 
But  not  so  ends  the  fury  of  Guendolen,  who  throws  Estrildis  and  her 
daughter  Sabra  into  a river  ; and  to  leave  a monument  of  revenge, 
proclaims  that  the  stream  be  thenceforth  called  after  the  damsel's 
name,  which,  by  length  of  time,  has  been  changed  into  Sabrina  or 
Serna,  the  ancient  name  of  Hafren  falling  gradually  into  disuse.” 
Such  is  the  account,  given  by  Milton,  in  the  first  book  of  his  history 
of  England. 


tion  and  improvement  of  the  soil,  and  it  was  found  neces- 
sary at  so  early  a period  as  the  middle  ages  to  obtain  the 
resources  of  Dutch  industry,  to  secure  the  land  against 
inundations,  and  to  recover  plains  which  had  been  sub- 
merged by  the  sea  and  by  rivers.  The  superfluous  water 
has  been  partly  directed  of  late  years  into  different  canals, 
which,  by  facilitating  inland  navigation,  have  diffused 
wealth  among  the  inhabitants.  The  Great  Ouse  rises  on 
the  confines  of  two  counties,  those  of  Northampton  and 
Oxford ; it  first  proceeds  eastwards,  and  waters  Bucking- 
hamshire ; it  then  pursues  a very  sinuous  course,  until  it 
reaches  Bedford,  where  it  becomes  navigable  ; flowing 
through  Huntingdonshire,  Cambridgeshire,  and  the  Isle 
of  Ely,  it  passes  into  Norfolk,  and  falls  into  the  Wash 
at  Lynn-Regis.  The  principal  feeders  are  the  Nen  from 
Northamptonshire,  the  Cam  from  Cambridgeshire,  the 
Little  Ouse  from  Norfolk,  and  the  Mildenhall®  from  Suf- 
folk, all  of  them  navigable  rivers.  The  course  of  the 
Great  Ouse  is  not  less  than  a hundred  miles  in  length. 
In  the  latter  part  of  its  course,  it  communicates  with  the 
extensive  marshes  which  abound  on  this  part  of  the 
eastern  coast.  The  Welland  and  the  Glen  flow' into  the 
bay  of  Foss-Dike  Wash,  so  called  from  the  ancient  Fossa 
of  the  Romans,  which  w'as  repaired  by  Henrv  the  First, 
and  extended  from  Lincoln  to  the  Trent ; at  the  former 
place,  the  Witham  becomes  navigable,  and  afterwards 
falls  into  the  same  bay.  Such  are  the  principal  rivers 
that  communicate  with  the  Washes,  the  natural  drains  of 
the  extensive  marshes  on  the  low  shores  of  England. 

The  Trent,  one  of  the  finest  rivers  in  Great  Britain, 
and  the  chief  link  in  that  vast  chain  of  inland  navigation, 
which  unites  all  the  central  parts  of  England,  may  be 
more  fully  described. d It  rises  from  the  hills  beyond 
Newcastle  under  Lyne,  in  that  part  of  Staffordshire  near 
the  confines  of  Cheshire.  Following  first  a south-east- 
erly course,  it  turns  abruptly  by  the  east  to  the  north 
near  Barton,  and  serves  a short  way  as  a boundary  be- 
tween Leicestershire  and  Derbyshire  ;e  it  crosses  the 
southern  part  of  the  latter,  skirts  the  north-western  por- 
tion of  the  former  county/  and  enters  Nottinghamshire 
a little  below  Thrumpton.  It  then  waters  Nottingham, 
Newark  and  Gainsborough,  enters  Lincolnshire  at  Eas't 
Stockworth,®  and  falls  into  the  Humber  about  five  miles 
below  Burton  upon  Strather.h  Vessels  sail  on  the  Trent 
to  the  distance  of  more  than  a hundred  miles  from  its 
mouth. 

The  same  river  waters  verdant  meadows,  and  flows 
through  populous  districts.  It  meets  with  numerous 
canals  beyond  Newcastle  under  Lyne,  some  of  which 
extend  in  a direction  parallel  to  its  course.  Enlarged  bv 

■’  The  barges  on  the  Severn  are  120  feet  long,  20  broad,  and  5 deep ; 
they  carry  more  than  100  tons. 
c The  Larke,  flowing  by  Mildenhall  in  Suffolk. — P. 

d Or  Trent,  who  like  some  earth-born  giant  spreads 
His  thirty  arms  along  the  indented  meads. 

Milton. 

And  bounteous  Trent  that  in  himself  enseams 
Both  thirty  sorts  of  fish,  and  thirty  sundry  streams. 

Spenser. 

“The  name,”  says  Camden,  “ is  of  Saxon  origin;  although  some 
ignorant  and  idle  pretenders  imagine  the  name  to  be  derived  from  the 
French  word  trente,  and  upon  that  account  have  feigned  thirty  rivers 
running  into  it,  and  likewise  as  many  kinds  of  fish  swimming  in  it.” 
e So  in  the  Edinb.  Encyc.  It  should  read:  Staffordshire  and 
Derbyshire. — P. 

1 Of  Leicestershire  (correct.) — P. 
s East  Stockwith.  (Luckombe.) — P 
h Stather.  (Luckombe.) — P. 


BOOK  CLrlll.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


473 


several  streams,  it  enters  the  fruitful  meadows  that  are 
bounded  on  the  left  by  the  hills  in  Sherwood  Forest.  It 
divides  itself  into  two  branches  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Newark,  one  of  which  flows  beneath  the  walls  of  that 
town,  while  the  other  waters  Kelham.  The  two  branches 
unite  in  an  extensive  plain  below  the  last  place.  It 
passes  through  a number  of  fens  in  a very  uninteresting 
country  beyond  Gainsborough  ; joined  at  last  by  tbe 
Yorkshire  Ouse,  it  forms  the  great  estuary  of  the 
Humber. 

The  Blyth,  a river  of  some  importance,  joins  the 
Trent  in  the  neighbourhood  of  King’s  Bromley.  The 
Tame,  which  rises  near  Coleshill  in  Warwickshire,  falls 
into  it  a few  miles  above  Burton.  It  receives  the  Dove 
below  the  same  place,  a feeder  which  rises  near  the 
Peak  in  Derbyshire,  and  passes  through  the  dell  of 
Dovedale.  The  Derwent,  like  the  Dove,  has  its  source 
near  the  Peak,  and  flows  parallel  to  it  until  it  reaches 
Derby ; but  as  it  proceeds,  it  bends  eastwards,  and  unites 
with  the  Trent  at  Savvley  near  the  confines  of  Leicester- 
shire and  Nottinghamshire.  The  Soar  issues  from  the 
neighbourhood  of  Hinckley,  passes  through  a rich  graz- 
ing country,  and  almost  encompasses  the  town  of  Leices- 
ter. Continuing  its  course  along  a very  fruitful  tract,  it 
receives  the  Wreke  from  the  north-east,  and  falls  into 
the  Trent  at  no  great  distance  from  Cavendish  Bridge. 

The  tributary  streams  from  the  north1  are  not  less  im- 
portant. The  Don  falls  into  the  Northern  Ouse  near 
Thorne.  The  Calder  rises  in  Yorkshire,  not  far  from 
the  borders  of  Lancashire,  joins  the  Aire  near  Ferry- 
bridge, and  falls  into  the  Ouse.  It  is  remarkable  on 
account  of  the  numerous  canals  by  which  it  is  intersect- 
ed, and  which  form  a communication  between  the  east- 
ern and  western  seas.  The  Ure  issues  from  Wensley- 
Dale  in  Yorkshire,  rushes  into  a deep  cascade  at  Ays- 
garth,b  joins  the  Swale  at  Aldborough,  and  their  united 
streams  form  the  Ouse.  The  latter  waters  York,  Ca- 
wood,  where  it  receives  the  Wharfe,  Selby,  and  other 
towns ; it  takes  the  name  of  the  Humber  at  its  conflu- 
ence with  the  Trent,  below  which  it  forms  the  great 
estuary  that  divides  Yorkshire  and  Lincolnshire. 

If  the  basins  of  the  rivers,  which  have  been  now  men- 
tioned, be  determined,  if  their  extent  and  relative  popu- 
lousness be  ascertained,  it  may  be  easy  to  compare  them 
with  each  other,  or  to  estimate  their  relative  importance. 
The  basin  of  the  Thames  is  included  in  the  following 
counties. 


Counties. 

Population, 
census  of  1821. 

Square  miles. 

Inhabitants 
to  each 
square  mile. 

Kent  .... 

. 300,000 

921 

326 

Surrey .... 

. 406,700 

757 

537 

Berks  .... 

. 134,700 

756 

178 

Oxford  . . . 

. 139,800 

751 

186 

Buckingham  . . 

. 136,800 

740 

185 

Hertford  . . . 

. 132,400 

528 

251 

Middlesex  . . 

. 1,167.500 

281 

4,154 

Essex  .... 

. 295,300 

1,532 

192 

Suffolk  . . . 

. 276,000 

1,512 

182 

Total 

2,989,200 

7,778 

Mean  384 

a As  there  is  some  confusion  in  the  language  here  used,  respecting 
the  connexion  of  the  different  streams  forming  the  Humber,  I will  just 
state,  that  the  Humber  is  an  arm  of  the  sea  or  estuary,  formed  by  the 
union  of  the  Ouse,  from  the  north,  and  the  Trent,  from  the  south,  and 
that  the  Trent  receives  most  of  the  streams  from  the  Midland  counties, 
viz.  the  Blyth,  Tame,  Dove,  Derwent,  Soar,  &c.  and  the  Ouse,  those 
frim  Yorkshire,  viz.  the  Ure  and  Swale,  which  form  it  by  their  union, 

VOX.  HI.— NO.  57  60 


It  appears  from  the  above  table  that  the  basin  of  the 
Thames  is  the  most  populous  part  of  Great  Britain.  In 
extent  it  is  equal  to  more  than  an  eleventh  part  of 
England  and  Scotland,  while  a fifth  part  of  the  British 
population  are  collected  on  its  surface.  It  has  been  re- 
marked in  the  account  of  France  that  the  population  of 
the  basin  of  tbe  Seine,  is  to  the  whole  population  of  the 
kingdom  as  one  to  five  ; that  of  the  basin  of  the  Thames 
is  to  the  whole  population  of  Great  Britain  in  the  same 
proportion.  The  superficial  extent  of  the  former  is  to 
that  of  France  as  one  to  nine,  while  that  of  the  latter  is 
to  the  whole  of  England  and  Scotland  as  one  to  eleven 
and  a half.  It  has  been  seen  that  the  average  number 
of  inhabitants  on  each  square  mile  of  the  basin  of  the 
Thames  is  equal  to  three  hundred  and  eighty-four  per- 
sons, but  the  mean  number  on  each  square  mile  of  the 
basin  of  the  Seine  does  not  exceed  a hundred  and  eighty- 
four.  Thus  on  an  equal  superficies,  tbe  population  of  the 
one  is  more  than  double  that  of  the  other.  The  country 
watered  by  the  Thames  is  naturally  less  productive  than 
the  banks  of  the  Seine  ; the  difference  then  in  the  num- 
ber of  inhabitants  must  be  attributed  to  the  more  ad- 
vanced state  of  commerce  and  industry.  It  is  a remark- 
able fact  that  the  population  of  the  basin  of  the  Thames 
has  more  than  doubled  since  a comparatively  recent  pe- 
riod ; in  other  words,  since  the  canals  were  commenced, 
and  the  numerous  public  works,  which  have  been  under- 
taken and  completed  in  England.® 

The  counties  bordering  on  the  Bristol  Channel,  or  the 
country  from  the  most  western  promontory  in  Wales  to 
the  Land’s  End  in  Cornwall — the  south-western  extrem- 
ity of  England,  may  be  included  in  the  basin  of  the  Severn. 
This  large  tract  is  contained  in  the  following  counties. 


Counties. 
Pembroke  . 

Inhabitants. 

. 37,750 

Square  miles. 

305 

Inhabitants  to 
each  square  mile 

123 

Caermarthen 

. 92,000 

974 

97 

Brecon  . . 

. 44,500 

754 

59 

Glamorgan  . 

. 103,800 

792 

131 

Monmouth  . 

. 72,300 
. 105,300 

459 

158 

Hereford 

860 

128 

Radnor  . . 

. 23,500 

426 

55 

Shropshire  . 

. 210,300 

1341 

157 

Montgomery 

. 61,100 
. 188,200 

1070 

57 

Worcester  . 

729 

244 

W arwick 

. 280,000 

902 

310 

Gloucester  . 

. 342,600 

1251 

273 

Wilts  (i).  . 

. 113,300 
. 362,500 

688 

164 

Somerset 

1642 

221 

Devon  (£)  . 

. 223,950 

1289 

173 

Cornwall  (£) 

. 131,300 

663 

198 

Total 

2,392,400 

14,145 

Mean  169 

Thus  the  basin  of  the  Severn  is  almost  twice  as  ex- 
tensive as  that  of  the  Thames,  but  the  population,  rela- 
tively to  the  surface,  is  not  nearly  so  great.  The  coun- 
try near  the  Bristol  Channel  furnishes  numerous  resources 
to  commerce,  and  various  employments  to  industry.  In 
this  part  of  England,  the  three  natural  kingdoms  are 
rendered  subservient  to  the  wants  of  the  inhabitants. 


the  Nidd,  the  Wharfe,  the  Derwent,  and  the  Aire,  the  last  of  which 
receives,  in  its  course,  the  Calder  and  the  Don. — P. 

b “ The  Ure  rises  in  the  vale  of  Wenslev,  and  passes  by  Aysgarth, 

where  it  forms  a superb  cascade.”  M.  B.  t.  viii.  p.  569 Asgarth 

Force  is  a cascade  on  the  Tees,  a few  miles  W.  of  Barnard  Castle  in 
Durham,  23  yards  in  height.  (Luckombe.) — P. 

c C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale  de  la  Crande  Bretagne.  Book  ii. 
Chap  1. 


474  EUR 

Gloucestershire  and  Somersetshire  are  fruitful  in  grain, 
and  abound  in  oxen  and  sheep ; Monmouthshire,  Devon- 
shire, Cornwall,  and  the  opposite  coast  of  Wales,  are 
not  less  distinguished  for  their  mineral  wealth.  Addi- 
tional facilities  are  afforded  to  an  immense  inland  trade 
by  the  Severn,  from  the  extent  of  its  course,  from  the 
great  difference  in  the  soil  and  the  natural  productions  of 
the  country  which  it  waters,  and  also  from  the  no  less 
striking  difference  in  the  products  of  industry  to  which 
it  furnishes  the  means  of  exportation. 

The  following  counties  make  up  the  basin  of  the  Wash. 

Inhabitants  to 

Counties.  Population.  Square  miles.  each  square  mile. 

Norfolk  . . . 351,300  2092  167 

Cambridge  . . 124,400  858  145 

Bedford  . . . 85,400  463  184 

Huntingdon  . . 49,800  370  124 

Northampton  . 165,800  1018  163 

Rutland  . . . 18,900  148  127 

Lincoln  (f)  . . 192,533  4831  105 

Total  988,133  9780  Mean  145 

If  the  population  of  the  basin  of  the  Wash  is  less  con- 
siderable than  that  of  the  Severn,  it  may  be  attributed 
to  the  nature  of  the  country.  It  is  well  known  that  great 
difficulties  had  to  be  surmounted,  before  it  could  be  ren- 
dered habitable  or  fit  for  cultivation  ; even  at  present, 
many  parts  of  it  are  covered  with  stagnant  waters  and 
unwholesome  marshes. 

Six  counties  form  the  basin  of  the  Humber. 

Inhabitants  to 

Counties.  Population.  Square  miles.  each  square  mile. 

Lincoln  (1)  . . 96,267  915  105 

Leicester.  . . 178,100  803  222 

Nottingham  . . 190,700  837  228 

Derby  ....  217,600  1033  210 

Stafford  . . . 347,900  1148  303 

York  . . . 1,197,130  5961  200 

Total  2,227,697  10,697  Mean  208 i 

Thus,  although  the  basin  of  the  Humber  is  not  much 
larger  than  that  of  the  Wash,  it  surpasses  it  greatly  in 
the  number  of  inhabitants. 

The  Mersey  is,  without  doubt,  one  of  the  secondary 
English  rivers,  but  it  waters  a country,  of  which  the  inhab- 
itants are  distinguished  by  their  industry  and  their  wealth. 

It  is  formed  by  several  streams  in  Cheshire  ; it  passes 
Stockport,  and  receives  below  it  the  waters  of  the  Irwell. 
Following  a serpentine  course  westwards,  it  enters  the 
arm  of  the  sea,  on  which  the  commercial  port  of  Liver- 
pool is  built.  It  is  navigable  for  vessels  of  considerable 
burden  from  Liverpool  to  the  confluence  of  the  Irwell,  a 
distance  of  thirty-five  miles ; the  latter  river  has  een 
made  navigable  for  boats  and  barges  to  Manchester.  The 
Mersey  communicates  by  means  of  canals  with  the  Dee, 
the  Ribble,  the  Ouse,  the  Trent,  the  Derwent,  the  Sev- 
ern, the  Humber,  the  Thames  and  the  Avon. 

The  basin  of  the  river  is  contained  in  two  counties. 

Inhabitants  to 

Counties.  Inhabitants.  Square  miles.  each  square  mile. 

Lancashire  . 1,074,000  1830  587 

Cheshire  275.500  1052  262 

Total  1,349,500  2882  Mean  468 

.... 

OPE.  [book  cun 

Thus,  with  the  exception  of  the  country  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  metropolis,  and  one  or  two  other  districts, 
no  part  of  England  is  more  populous  than  the  basin  of 
the  Mersey. 

Such  are  some  of  the  principal  rivers  in  England ; the 
others  of  less  importance  are  very  numerous.  Accord- 
ing to  Camden,  there  are  not  fewer  than  five  hundred  and 
fifty  rivers  and  streams  in  England  and  Wales,  that  are 
distinguished  by  particular  names.  The  bounty  of  nature 
in  this  respect  has  not  been  without  advantage  to  the  in- 
habitants. The  rivers  supply  the  numerous  canals,  and 
by  means  of  the  former,  tlie  latter  are  joined  to  each 
other  ;a  in  the  same  way,  it  has  been  seen,  the  eastern 
and  western  seas  are  united,  and  outlets  for  the  natural 
productions  of  the  country,  and  the  various  products  of 
industry,  are  facilitated  and  increased.  These  indeed 
may  be  considered  the  greatest  advantages  which  the 
English  have  derived  from  their  rivers,  but  before  they 
were  obtained,  it  was  necessary  to  overcome  many  diffi- 
culties, and  to  obviate  many  prejudices.  It  is  related 
that  the  celebrated  Brindley,  when  examined  before  a 
committee  of  the  House  of  Commons  on  the  subject  of 
a projected  canal,  maintained  the  utility  of  the  scheme, 
although  the  proximity  of  a river  appeared  to  render  if 
superfluous.  “ For  what  purpose,”  asked  a member, 

“ do  you  suppose  providence  created  so  many  fine  rivers 
in  England  ?”  “ To  feed  canals replied  the  engineer. 

A long  time  elapsed  before  the  bold  but  most  correct 
opinion  of  Mr.  Brindley  was  generally  believed ; as  if 
in  a country  where  commerce  and  the  useful  arts  flourish, 
rapid  and  impetuous  streams  could  be  employed  to  a more 
useful  purpose. 

The  lakes  in  England,  like  the  rivers,  are  numerous, 
but  none  of  them  are  large.  Some  are  famed  for  their 
romantic  beauties ; others  render  the  country  in  the 
neighbourhood  unwholesome,  on  account  of  the  miasms 
that  rise  from  them.  Of  the  latter  sort  are  those  in 
Huntingdonshire,  formerly  more  extensive  than  at  pres- 
ent ; their  banks  have  been  contracted  since  the  inhabit- 
ants betook  themselves  to  drain  their  lands.  Whittle- 
sea-meer,  the  largest  lake  in  that  county,  is  about  six 
miles  in  length,  and  three  in  breadth.  It  is  mentioned 
that  there  was  a water  communication  in  former  times 
from  Peterborough  to  this  lake,  and  from  it  to  Ramsey. 

It  is  long  since  the  series  of  meers  or  marshes, b which 
formed  the  communication,  has  been  broken.  The  lakes 
in  Cheshire  are  not  remarkable  for  their  size,  but  almost 
all  of  them  are  the  sources  of  rivulets,  if  not  of  rivers  ; 
the  largest  are  Bog-meer,  Comber-meer,  Oakhanger- 
meer,  and  Pick-meer. 

It  might  be  difficult  to  mention  a county  in  Wales  with- 
out a lake,  but  more  perhaps  are  situated  in  Cardigan- 
shire and  Caernarvonshire,  than  in  any  other  part  of  the 
country.  The  Tivy,  the  principal  river  in  Cardiganshire, 
issues  from  one  of  these  lakes.*  Lyn-Savadhan,  in  Breck- 
nockshire, at  no  great  distance  from  the  town  of  Brecon, 
is  about  two  miles  long  and  as  many  broafl.  When  the 
ice  dissolves,  it  emits  loud  sounds,  which  have  been  com- 
pared to  long  and  repeated  peals  of  thunder.  Bosher- 
ton-meer,  near  Stackpole  in  Pembrokeshire,  is  also  well 
known  on  account  of  the  sounds  which  are  heard  from  it, 

* Qu.  Is  it  not  the  reverse — do  not  the  canals  join  the  rivers,  not  the 
rivers  the  canals  ? — P. 

b Meer  is  a local  term  for  lake  or  pond. — P. 

book  cun.]  DESCRIPTION  Of 

and  by  which  the  country  people  in  the  neighbourhood 
can  prognosticate  the  state  of  the  weather. 

But  the  largest  lakes,  and  the  most  celebrated  on  ac- 
count of  their  scenery,  are  situated  in  the  counties  of 
Cumberland,  Westmoreland  and  Lancashire.  Ulleswater, 
partly  in  Cumberland  and  partly  in  Westmoreland,  is 
supposed  to  be  equal  to  nine  miles  in  length,  but  it  is  of 
an  irregular  form,  and  of  inconsiderable  breadth.  Many 
of  the  views  it  presents  are  very  striking ; they  contrast 
well  with  the  crags  and  mountains  that  surround  it,  and 
give  great  variety  to  the  scene.  Thirlemere  or  Leathes- 
water,  in  the  vicinity,  is  comparatively  narrow,  but  about 
three  miles  in  length.  It  lies  sequestered  at  the  base  of 
the  huge  Helvellyn,  and  the  banks,  covered  with  stones 
or  masses  of  naked  rock,  which  appear  to  have  fallen 
from  the  mountain,  add  to  the  picture  of  desolation. 
The  impression  thus  produced  is  heightened  by  the  noise 
of  cataracts,  which  fall  on  every  side  from  lofty  rocks. 

Derwent- Water,  called  also  Keswick  lake,  from  its 
vicinity  to  the  town  of  the  same  name,  is  of  an  ellipti- 
cal form  ; the  length  is  not  less  than  three  miles,  while 
the  breadth  may  be  equal  to  one  and  a half.  It  is  of  a dif- 
ferent character  from  those  which  have  been  mentioned  ; 
the  scenery  and  the  beauties  are  of  the  milder  kind  ; less 
grand  perhaps,  but  more  pleasing  than  the  others.  The 
prospect  on  the  north  terminates  in  the  high  mountain  of 
Skiddaw,  while  the  southern  extremity  is  lost  among  the 
wild  rocks  of  Borrowdale.  “ The  soft  undulation  of  its 
shores,  the  mingled  wood  and  pasture  that  front  them, 
the  brilliant  purity  of  the  water,  that  gives  back  every 
landscape  on  its  bank,  and  frequently  with  heightened 
colouring;  the  fantastic  wildness  of  the  rocks  and  the 
magnificence  of  the  amphitheatre  they  form,  are  circum- 
stances, the  view  of  which  excites  emotions  of  sweet  and 
tranquil  pleasure.  When  visited  by  moon-light,  the  deep 
shades  of  the  frowning  mountain,  the  reflected  light  of 
the  moon  on  the  unrippled  surface,  and  the  silence  of  the 
night,  broken  only  by  the  murmurs  of  cascades,  excite 
emotions,  which  cannot  be  easily  described.”1 

Bassentlnvaite-Water  is  situated  on  the  north-west  of 
Keswick  lake,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  the  Der- 
went. The  lofty  Skiddaw,  which  soars  above  the  adja- 
cent valley ,b  adds  greatly  to  the  grandeur  of  the  scenery. 
The  opposite  banks  are  bounded  by  a range  of  heights, 
and  their  declivities,  covered  in  many  places  with  thick 
woods,  descend  almost  to  the  water’s  edge.  Barren  hills 
and  cultivated  plains  extend  from  the  northern  part  of 
the  lake. 

“ None  of  the  lakes  in  this  part  of  England,”  says 
the  author  last  quoted,  “ have  juster  claims  to  the  char- 
acter of  picturesque  than  Crummock- Water ; the  barren 
Mollbreak,  and  other  high  mountains,  confine  the  west- 
ern banks  of  this  lake,  while  the  eastern  are  much  in- 
dented and  varied  with  low  bays,  curious  promontories 
and  little  coppices,  the  whole  terminating  in  a rich  scene 
of  woodland  that  covers  the  higher  grounds.  On  each 
side  there  is  a chain  of  mountains,  some  naked,  others 
wooded  to  their  bases ; some  verdant,  some  rocky  and 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  475 

heathy,  and  some  covered  with  shiver,  which  streams 
down  their  furrowed  sides.”  The  length  of  the  lake  ex 
ceeds  four  miles,  while  the  average  breadth  is  little  more 
than  half  a mile. 

Buttermere  is  only  separated  from  the  last  lake  by  a 
narrow  but  fruitful  valley ; the  distance  between  them  is 
less  than  a mile.  It  is  chiefly  celebrated  on  account  of 
its  waterfalls,  but  none  of  them  are  so  high  as  the  one 
called  Scale-Force,®  about  a mile  and  a half  to  the  west 
of  it.  Ennerdale-Water  is  surrounded  on  three  sides  by 
wild  and  rugged  heights;  the  scenery,  it  may  be  easily 
believed,  is  of  a sombre  cast,  but  the  gloom  is  in  some 
measure  relieved  by  the  farms  and  country  houses  on  the 
eastern  banks. 

Wastwater  lies  in  the  middle  of  Wastdale,  which  is 
enclosed  by  mountains  that  rise  to  a great  height,  and 
almost  meet  at  their  bases. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  these,  as  well  as  other  lakes 
in  Cumberland,  have  each  of  them  a distinct  character ; 
some  are  distinguished  by  the  contrast  of  pleasing  scenery 
and  savage  wildness  on  their  opposite  banks,  but  several 
are  so  difficult  of  access  that  they  are  only  visited  by 
pedestrians. 

Winandermere  serves  as  a boundary  between  West- 
moreland and  Lancashire.  It  is  about  fourteen  miles 
long,  but  the  breadth  is  very  disproportionate,  varying 
only  from  one  to  two  miles.  The  greatest  depth  near 
Eccles-crig-craggd  has  been  ascertained  to  be  equal  to  200 
feet.  The  Brathay,  the  Rothay  and  the  Troutbeck  are 
the  principal  feeders  of  the  lake.  The  surface  is  spot- 
ted by  a number  of  islands,  and  on  some  of  them  build- 
ings have  been  erected,  which  cannot  be  considered  any 
ornament  to  the  scenery.  The  banks  are  not  bold  ; they 
rise  gently  on  the  Westmoreland  side,  while  those  on  the 
Lancashire  side  are  more  precipitous  and  better  wooded. 
The  effect  is  that  of  a rich  landscape,  in  which  the  dis- 
tance is  bounded  by  lofty  hills.  The  char  is  common  to 
almost  all  the  lakes,  but  trouts,  pikes,  perch  and  eels  are 
taken  in  the  waters  of  Winandermere,  and  in  the  win- 
ter season  numerous  water-fowl  of  different  species  re- 
sort to  it. 

The  loftiest  heights  in  England  and  Wales  form  part 
of  the  groups  which  extend  along  the  western  side  of 
the  kingdom.  Two  lower  ranges  traverse  the  country  in 
different  directions;  one  extending  from  Dorsetshire  into 
Kent,  the  other  from  the  Isle  of  Portland  to  the  Yorkshire 
Wolds.  The  groups  on  the  western  side  are  broken  by 
the  low  grounds  in  Lancashire  and  Cheshire,  and  also  by 
the  indentation  into  which  the  Bristol  Channel  finds  a 
passage.  They  may  thus  be  divided  into  the  Northern, 
the  Cambrian  or  Welsh  and  the  Devonian  ranges.  They 
serve  to  determine  the  length  of  the  country  ; the  lower 
chains  indicate  the  breadth,  but  less  accurately,  on  ac- 
count of  the  irregular  lines  which  they  describe. 

The  Northern  range  passes  from  Scotland  into  Eng- 
land, and  covers  part  of  Cumberland,  Westmoreland, 
Northumberland  and  Durham.  The  Cheviot,  the  highest 
of  the  Northumbrian  branch,  and  the  one  from  which 

1 Gilpin  on  Picturesque  Scenery. 

b On  the  east  of  Bassenthwaite-Water  is  spread  the  beautiful  and 
extensive  vale  of  Bassenth waite,  beyond  which  Skiddaw  rears  its 
lofty  head.  (Ed.  Enc.  art.  England.) — P. 

c Force,  in  the  North  of  England  dialects,  signifies  a waterfall.  This 
is  a word  of  Scandinavian  origin  (Swed.  fors,  a waterfall,)  like  many 
other  words  in  those  and  the  Lowland  Scottish  dialects ; all  of  them  1 

indicating  the  Scandinavian  origin  of  at  least  a portion  of  the  population 
in  that  part  of  the  island.  Such  words  are,  fell,  a mountain,  (Swed .fjcell, 
Dan  .field;)  by,  a termination  of  the  names  of  towns,  as  in  Whitby 
Appleby,  Canobie  (Scott.)  (Dan.  Swed.  by,  a town  ;)  toorn  (Scott.) 
empty,  (Dan.  tom  ;)  gar  (Scott.)  to  make,  (Dan.  gioerc.) — P 
d Ecclesrig-Crag.  (Luckombe.) — P. 

[7 


476 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIII 


the  other  hills  in  the  northern  part  of  the  same  county- 
take  their  name,  is  not  more  than  eighteen  miles  from 
the  coast.  The  top  of  the  Cheviot  is  covered  with  heath  ; 
in  this  respect  it  forms  an  exception  to  the  others,  for  in 
most  of  them  the  green  sward  rises  to  a great  height, 
and  gives  place  only  to  the  naked  rocks  or  loose  stones 
at  their  very  summits.  Thus,  the  soil,  if  the  elevation 
De  taken  into  account,  must  be  considered  very  fruitful, 
being  almost  everywhere  covered  with  rich  pastures  on 
which  numerous  herds  and  flocks  are  reared.  Neither 
are  the  Cheviots  destitute  of  romantic  beauty  ; in  some 
places  their  sides  terminate  in  precipices,  or  form  narrow 
and  deep  glens  ; in  others  they  are  furrowed  by  moun- 
tain streams,  and  many  of  them  enclose  peaceful  and 
sequestered  vallies.  As  to  their  form,  some  of  them 
rise  like  so  many  cones,  but  in  general  their  shape  is  very 
irregular.  They  communicate  on  the  west  with  other 
green  hills  of  the  same  character  in  Scotland,  and  pass 
southwards  to  the  moorland  districts  in  Northumber- 
land. It  is  not  easy  to  calculate  their  superficies,  but  it 
is  probably  greater  than  a hundred  and  fifty,  and  less  than 
two  hundred  square  miles. 

The  Cumberland  branch  of  the  Northern  range  com- 
mences at  Geltsdale  forest,  about  fourteen  miles  to  the 
south-east  of  Carlisle,  and  passes  to  the  west  of  Durham 
and  Yorkshire.  The  surface  of  these  mountains  is  very 
rugged,  exhibiting  no  regularity  of  arrangement,  and  no 
lengthened  ridge  or  continuous  chain.  In  appearance, 
they  may  he  compared  to  a number  of  broken  and  point- 
ed masses,  of  which  the  bases  are  united,  or  only  sepa- 
rated by  the  lakes  that  lie  between  them.  In  their  ver- 
dure they  resemble  the  mountains  of  Northumberland, 
but  Skiddaw,  like  the  Cheviot,  is  covered  with  heath. 

The  superficial  extent  of  the  mountains  in  Cumber- 
land, Westmoreland  and  Durham,  is  supposed  to  be  equal 
to  six  hundred  square  miles  ; their  height  varies  from 
3000  to  3400  feet,  and  within  the  area  which  they  oc- 
cupy, are  situated  the  romantic  lakes  that  have  been 
already  mentioned. 

The  vallies  of  the  Ribble,  Craven  and  Aire  separate 
these  hills  from  another  range, a of  which  the  length  may 
be  about  sixty  miles  ; their  breadth,  however,  is  very 
irregular,  being  in  some  places  upwards  of  twenty,  and 
in  others  less  than  four  or  five.  Kinderscout  near  Hay- 
field,  Axe-Edge  near  Buxton,  and  Whinhill  and  Mam- 
Tor  near  Castleton,  are  the  loftiest  heights  in  Derbyshire. 
But  the  highest  part  of  Derbyshire  is  not  more  than 
2100  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea;  the  hills,  there- 
fore, cannot  be  compared  with  those  in  the  northern 
counties. 

Other  hills,  still  lower  than  the  former,  are  situated  on 
the  east  of  Wales.  The  Malvern  Hills  in  Herefordshire 
and  Worcestershire  extend  to  part  of  Gloucestershire. 
The  Herefordshire  and  Worcester  beacons,  as  they 
are  called,  form  the  highest  of  the  Malvern  Hills  ; the 
one  rises  to  1260,  and  the  other  to  1500  feet  above  the 
plain.  They  terminate  on  the  eastern  side  in  the  flat 
country,  which  forms  the  vale  of  the  Severn,  but  they  are 
connected  on  the  west  with  a range  of  hills  that  passes 
into  Herefordshire. 

It  has  been  maintained  that  the  Coteswold  and  Stroud- 
water  Hills  in  Gloucestershire  ought  to  be  considered  a 


continuation  of  the  central  chain,  extending  from  Derby- 
shire into  Wiltshire,  there  forming  the  Salisbury  Downs, 
and  afterwards  stretching  in  a western  direction  towards 
the  Land’s  End  in  Cornwall.  If  this  opinion  be  admit- 
ted, and  it  does  not  appear  to  be  incorrect,  it  follows 
that  these  hills  unite  the  Northern  chain  with  the  one  in 
Devonshire. 

But  the  highest  mountains  in  the  kingdom  form  part 
of  the  Cambrian  range  ; no  others  are  so  lofty  as  the 
heights  in  North  Wales.  They  extend  through  Caernar- 
vonshire, Merionethshire  and  Cardiganshire  ; in  the  last 
county  their  altitude  is  perceptibly  diminished.  The 
range  increases  gradually  in  height  from  the  extremities 
to  the  centre,  which  is  occupied  by  the  famed  Snowdon, 
a mountain  not  less  than  3600  feet  above  the  high  water 
mark  on  Caernarvon  quay.  It  consists  of  numerous 
cliffs  towering  above  each  other,  and  the  one  that  bears 
the  name  of  Snowdon  is  little  higher  than  the  others 
which  surround  it. 

The  summit  of  Cader  Idris  is  the  highest  part  of  a 
mountainous  line  which  passes  from  Snowdon  to  Plinlim- 
mon,  a boundary  of  North  Wales.  In  point  of  height, 
it  is  the  second  in  the  country,  being  only  inferior  to 
Snowdon.  Rising  above  the  small  town  of  Dolgelly, 
it  is  steep  and  craggy  on  every  side,  particularly  on  the 
south  near  Tallylin  lake.  According  to  different  calcula- 
tions, it  is  3540  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  so  that 
it  is  considerably  higher  than  any  mountain  in  the  north 
of  England.  The  hills  in  the  eastern  part  of  North 
Wales  are  not  nearly  so  lofty  as  those  which  have  been 
mentioned.  A comparatively  low  chain  in  South  Wales 
extends  from  the  north  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Cardiff, 
but  a small  branch  diverges  from  it  in  a westerly  di- 
rection. 

The  Devonian  range  covers  part  of  Somersetshire, 
passes  through  Devonshire  and  Cornwall,  and  terminates 
at  the  Land’s  End.  The  hills  in  Dartmoor  are  the  lofti- 
est eminences  in  this  range  ; their  height  varies  from  fif- 
teen to  eighteen  hundred  feet.  They  are  situated  in  the 
tract  which  extends  from  the  vale  of  Exeter  to  the  bor- 
ders of  Cornwall,  a tract  containing  between  two  and 
three  hundred  thousand  acres  of  open  and  uncultivated 
land,  in  which  Dartmoor  occupies  more  than  eighty  thou- 
sand. The  large  waste  of  Dartmoor  exhibits  gigantic 
tors,  and  surfaces  covered  with  scattered  masses  of  granite 
that  appear  to  have  fallen  from  the  declivities  into  the 
vallies.  The  higher  parts  are  covered  with  marshes  or 
wet  and  swampy  ground,  dangerous  to  cattle,  but  valua- 
ble on  account  of  the  fuel  which  they  furnish  to  the  in- 
habitants. These  morasses  are  generally  very  deep  : in 
dry  summers,  they  afford  a strong  succulent  grass.  The 
Mendip  Hills  in  Somersetshire,  the  only  other  portion  of 
the  same  range,  extend  southwards  from  Bedminster  to 
Glastonbury. 

The  two  lines  of  hills  which  extend  in  a different  di- 
rection, the  one  from  Dorsetshire  to  Kent,  and  the 
other  front  Portland  Isle  to  the  Wolds,  are  much  lower 
than  those  that  may  be  supposed  to  determine  the  length 
of  England.  It  is  not  improbable  that  the  three  highest 
ridges  in  the  south-eastern  districts  commence  on  Salisbury 
plain,  an  immense  tract  of  high  and  chalky  land,  fifty- 
three  miles  in  length  from  east  to  west,  and  thirty-five  or 

of  the  Aire.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Craven  is  a mcorland  district  in  Yorkshire 
between  the  sources  of  the  Ribble  and  the  Aire. — P. 


1 The  southern  division  of  the  northern  range  is  divided  from  the 
northern  division,  by  the  valley  of  the  Ribble,  Craven,  and  the  valley 


BOOK  CLIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF 

forty  in  breadth.  Hampshire  and  Sussex  are  intersected 
by  the  first  ridge,  which  terminates  at  Beachy  Head  ; 
the  second  extends  to  the  eastern  shore  of  Kent ; the 
third  crosses  Oxfordshire,  passes  to  Norfolk,  and  forms  the 
Gogmagog  Hills  in  Cambridgeshire. 

It  appears  then  that  England  is  by  no  means  a moun- 
tainous country  ; the  loftiest  heights  are  lower  than  those 
in  Scotland,  neither  are  they  accompanied,  like  many  in 
the  sister  kingdom,  with  all  the  features  of  sterility.  In 
the  one  country,  the  nature  of  the  ground  has  retarded 
the  progress  of  civilization  ; the  same  obstacles  were  not 
found  in  the  other. 

England,  however,  is  sufficiently  varied  with  hill  and 
dale,  while  the  plains  are  extensive,  and  some  of  them 
very  fruitful.  The  largest  stretches  from  the  banks  of 
the  Thames  through  Essex,  Suffolk,  Norfolk  and  the 
adjacent  counties  on  the  west.  The  road  from  London 
to  Norwich  by  Newmarket,  along  the  western  sides  of 
Essex  and  Suffolk,  is  equal  to  a hundred  and  eight  miles 
in  length,  and  the  country  is  more  even  and  unvaried  in 
its  surface  than  any  other  tract  of  the  same  extent  in 
England.  Lincolnshire  may  be  said  to  form  a part  of 
the  same  plain,  which  terminates  beyond  the  Humber  in 
the  low  grounds  of  Holderness  in  Yorkshire. 

The  Wealds  of  Kent,  Surrey  and  Sussex  form  a large 
plain,  broken  in  some  places  by  gentle  heights  or  decliv- 
ities ; they  are  covered  with  a pale  clayey  soil,  and 
many  parts  of  them  yield  rich  harvests.  The  length  of 
the  plain,  or  the  distance  from  Ashwortha  in  Kent  to  Pet- 
worth  in  Sussex,  is  about  sixty  or  seventy  miles,  the  breadth 
varies  from  ten  to  fifteen,  and  the  surface  is  nearly  equal 
to  a thousand  square  miles.  The  area  of  the  vale  of 
York  is  still  greater  ; it  extends  from  the  small  lakes  be- 
tween the  Tees,  the  Swale  and  the  Wiske  to  the  marshes 
of  Lincolnshire  on  the  south,  and  from  the  Wolds  in  the 
East  Riding  to  the  limestone  districts  of  West  Yorkshire, 
a length  of  more  than  sixty  miles,  and  an  average  breadth 
exceeding  sixteen.  None  of  the  other  plains  or  vales  in 
England,  although  numerous,  are  so  extensive. 

Many  places,  now  almost  destitute  of  trees,  still  retain 
the  name  of  forests  ; such  are  Dartmoor  Forest  in  Dev- 
onshire, Enfield  Chase  in  Middlesex,  Witham  and  Ep- 
ping  Forests  in  Essex,  Peak  Forest  in  Derbyshire,  Mal- 
vern Chase,  Wyre  Forest,  and  several  others.  The  most 
important  of  those  that  still  exist,  are  Dean  Forest  in 
Gloucestershire,  Sherwood  Forest  in  Nottinghamshire, 
Windsor  Forest  in  Berkshire,  and  the  New  Forest  in 
Hampshire.  Some  formed  part  of  the  royal  demesnes 
during  the  early  period  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  princes,  but 
the  passion  for  the  chase  was  carried  to  its  height  by  the 
kings  of  the  Norman  race,  and  at  one  time  nearly  a hun- 
dred extensive  forests  belonged  to  the  crown.  Cotem- 
porary writers  describe  the  evils  which  were  thus  occa- 
sioned. “ He  also,”  William  the  Conqueror,  “ set  many 
deer  friths,  and  he  made  laws  therewith,  that  whoever 
should  slay  hart  or  hind,  him  man  should  blind.  As  he 
forbade  the  slaying  of  harts,  so  also  did  he  of  boars.  So 
much  he  loved  the  high  deer  as  if  he  had  been  their  fa- 
ther. He  also  decreed  about  hares  that  they  should  go 
free.  His  rich  men  moaned  and  his  poor  men  murmured, 
but  he  was  so  hard  that  he  wrecked  not  the  hatred  of 
them  all.  For  it  was  meet  they  should  follow  the 

* Ashford. — P. 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  477 

king’s  will  withal,  if  they  wished  to  live  or  to  have  lands 
or  goods  or  his  favour.  Alas  that  any  man  should  be  so 
moody,  and  should  so  puff  up  himself,  and  think  himself 
above  all  other  men  ! May  Almighty  God,”  adds  the 
pious  chronicler,  “ have  mercy  on  his  soul,  and  grant  him 
forgiveness  of  his  sins.”  The  same  monarch  was  lord 
of  sixty-eight  forests,  besides  parks  and  chases  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  England  ; these,  however,  were  not  consid- 
ered sufficient,  and  it  was  deemed  right  to  afforest  a 
fruitful  and  cultivated  district  between  the  city  of  Win- 
chester and  the  sea  coast.  The  inhabitants  were  ex- 
pelled ; houses,  cottages  and  even  churches  were  destroy- 
ed ; and  a fertile  country,  more  than  thirty  square  miles 
in  extent,  was  converted  into  a desert.  The  name  of  the 
New  Forest  serves  still  to  record  this  act  of  despotism. 
The  royal  forests,  then  so  large  a portion  of  the  kingdom, 
distinct  in  their  nature,  and  subject  to  different  regulations 
from  the  rest  of  the  country,  were  the  source  of  much 
grievance  to  the  neighbouring  proprietors,  nor  was  re- 
dress obtained  until  the  barons  forced  Henry  the  Third 
to  grant  the  forest  charter,  by  which  greater  equity 
was  extended,  and  the  more  oppressive  enactments 
abolished. 

From  the  details  into  which  we  have  entered  concern- 
ing the  climate  of  England,  some  notion  may  be  formed 
of  its  vegetable  productions.  It  may  be  inferred  that  the 
plants  indigenous  to  the  country  are  wholly  inadequate 
to  the  sustenance  of  man.  In  more  favoured  regions 
nature  pours  out  her  treasures,  and  affords  more  than  a 
supply  to  the  wants  of  indolent  inhabitants.  The  ever 
verdant  hills  and  plains  in  Britain  show  how  well  they 
are  adapted  for  the  support  of  graminivorous  animals,  and 
this  circumstance  may  have  had  some  influence  on  the  char- 
acter of  the  early  Britons.  While  different  fruits,  many  of 
exquisite  flavour,  afforded  food  to  the  natives  of  warmer 
climates,  without  any  exertion  on  their  part,  the  rude  Brit- 
ons depended  on  the  produce  of  the  chase  for  a scanty  sub- 
sistence, sought  the  deer  in  the  recesses  of  their  forests, 
and  disputed  their  prey  with  the  wolf  and  other  carnivo- 
rous animals.b  Although  the  vegetable  riches  of  every  cli- 
mate have  been  long  at  the  disposal  of  the  English,  it  is 
not  improbable  that  the  first  germs  of  their  activity  and 
exertion  were  called  forth  by  a scanty  supply  of  animal 
food,  not  to  be  obtained  without  labour,  the  necessity  of 
relieving  their  most  urgent  wants  stimulating  them  to 
exertion.  In  later  times,  the  benefits  arising  from  com- 
merce and  industry  have  rendered  the  advantages  of 
climate  of  comparatively  little  consequence.  It  is  now 
ascertained  that  the  British  Flora,  although  it  cannot 
boast  of  any  very  valuable  or  useful  plants,  contains  as 
many  as  are  generally  found  in  other  countries,  similar  to 
Great  Britain  in  climate  and  extent.  To  enumerate, 
therefore,  the  different  plants,  might  be  to  repeat  such  as 
have  been  already  mentioned  in  different  parts  of  this 
work.  It  may  be  remarked  that  some  very  ordinary  and 
useful  potherbs  were  first  transported  to  England  from 
Holland,  in  the  time  of  Henry  the  Seventh.  The  decid- 
uous trees  are  the  oak,  the  chestnut  and  the  beech,  all  of 
which  are  mast-bearing  trees  ; the  birch,  the  alder,  the 
horn-beam,  the  abele,  the  black  poplar  and  the  aspen, 
bearing  catkins  ; the  sycamore,  the  maple  and  the  ash  ; 
and  lastly,  the  lime,  the  elm  and  the  wich-hazle.  The 

b Pinkerton’s  Geography,  vol.  i.  chap.  7.  [vol.  i.  p.  78  (England 
chap.  4.) — P.] 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIII 


478 


numerous  species  of  willows  and  the  hazle  may  be  sup- 
posed to  occupy  a middle  station  between  the  trees  and 
shrubs.® 

The  oak  is  the  most  valuable,  although  by  no  means 
the  most  common  of  the  British  trees.  It  arrives  at 
great  perfection  in  Kent,  Surrey,  Sussex,  Cheshire  and 
Monmouthshire,  but  the  principal  supply  is  obtained  from 
the  royal  forests,  of  which  the  timber  belongs  to  the 
crown.  It  may  be  shown,  however,  that  the  oak  is  now 
less  common  than  at  a former  period.  The  wood,  in  a 
great  part,  but  not  in  the  whole  of  the  crown  lands,  was 
surveyed  in  the  year  1608,  and  it  appeared  from  the 
survey  that  there  were  then  not  fewer  than  649,880  loads 
of  timber  fit  for  the  navy,  and  1,148,660  of  a less  per- 
fect sort.  A second  survey  was  made  in  1783,  by  order 
of  the  house  of  commons,  and  it  was  then  ascertained 
that  the  New  Forest,  Alice-Holt  and  Wolmer,  Bere, 
Whittlewood,  Salcey  and  Sherwood,  which  might  have 
yielded  234,229  loads  of  naval  timber  in  1608,  contain- 
ed only  50,445  in  1783;  so  that,  in  the  latter  period, 
little  more  than  a fifth  part  of  the  trees  which  existed  in 
1608,  remained.  The  difference  in  the  quantity  of  de- 
cayed or  imperfect  timber  was  not  less  remarkable  ; in 
1608  it  amounted  to  265,145  loads,  and  in  1783  to 
35,554.  Other  facts,  which  lead  to  the  same  conclusion, 
have  been  since  brought  to  light ; the  answers  returned 
to  the  House  of  Commons  by  the  principal  wood-mer- 
chants in  England,  and  by  the  chairmen  of  the  quarter 
sessions  in  the  different  counties,  prove  the  decrease  of 
oak  timber  in  the  country.  The  deficiency,  however, 
may  in  time  be  supplied,  as  many  trees  have  of  late  years 
been  planted  by  the  landed  proprietors  in  different  parts 
of  England.  The  comparative  scarcity  has  compelled 
government  to  make  use  of  inferior  timber  for  the  navy  ; 
some  of  the  trees,  which  have  been  employed,  are  con- 
sidered too  young,  and  others  not  sufficiently  perfect ; 
to  this  circumstance  has  been  attributed  the  frequency 
of  the  dry  rot  in  ships,  a disease  which  was  certainly 
little  known,  when  old  and  good  oaks  were  more 
abundant. 

Some  observations  ought  perhaps  to  be  made  on  the 
different  soils,  in  which  the  vegetable  productions  are 
found  ; in  England,  however,  they  are  so  various  and  nu- 
merous that  it  might  be  difficult  to  enumerate  them,  still 
more  so  to  mark  their  position,  the  transitions  being  so  irreg- 
ular and  abrupt.  They  may  be  classed  under  six  gen- 
eral divisions,  those  of  clay,  loam,  sand,  chalk,  gravel  and 
peat.  These  again  may  be  subdivided  into  many  varieties. 
Of  the  clay,  two  sorts  are  perhaps  more  common  than 
the  rest ; the  one  is  rich  and  of  a dark  colour  ; the  other  is 
not  so  tenacious,  and  of  a less  fruitful  quality ; the  for- 
mer descends  to  a considerable  depth  ; the  latter  is  only 
found  near  the  surface.  The  different  kinds  of  loam 
are  equally  numerous  ; what  is  commonly  called  strong 
loam,  consists  of  clay  that  has  been  long  under  a course 
of  tillage,  impregnated  with  manure,  and  exposed  to  the 
action  of  the  atmosphere  ; it,  as  well  as  sandy  loam,  is  an 
artificial  soil.  The  sandy  tracts  in  France  are  much 
more  extensive  than  any  in  England ; indeed,  in  the 
latter  country,  it  is  impossible  to  mention  any  large  tract 


* Pinkerton’s  Geography,  vol.  i.  p.  82. 

b The  Upper  Freshwater  Formation  lies  above  the  Upper  Marine' 
Formation  (the  one  to  which  the  Bagshot  sand  belongs)  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight ; but  in  the  London  Basin,  the  Upper  Marine  is  the  highest  for- 
mation.— P. 


in  which  a covering  of  pure  sand  renders  the  soil  wholly 
useless  for  the  purposes  of  agriculture.  The  sand  is 
either  mixed  with  vegetable  mould,  or  enriched  by  ma- 
nure and  the  continued  action  of  the  sun  and  air.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  chalk  as  a soil,  it  having,  in  most 
parts  of  the  kingdom,  received  the  nature  and  qualities 
of  calcareous  loam  by  cultivation.  Of  the  gravel  soils, 
one  sort  of  a light  colour,  and  not  uncommon  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country,  is  unfruitful  ; other  kinds 
are  more  or  less  productive,  but  their  fertility  depends 
on  the  quantity  of  earth  or  alluvial  deposits  that  is  mixed 
with  them.  The  peat  soil,  as  it  is  called,  occurs  in 
many  parts  of  England,  but  is  most  common  in  the  north 
it  is  observed,  but  not  in  so  great  an  extent,  in  the  south 
and  the  south-west.  It  may  be  remarked  that  the  same 
sort  of  soil  extends  in  few  places  to  a great  distance 
without  exhibiting  different  appearances,  if  not  a change 
of  kind.  It  is  well  known  that  the  largest  tracts  of  a 
uniform  soil  are  those  in  the  county  of  Norfolk  and  in 
the  Wealds  of  Kent,  Surrey  and  Sussex.  If  some  vari- 
eties be  excepted,  red  loam  may  be  said  to  form  a uni- 
form soil  ; it  gives  its  name  to  Rutlandshire,  the  county 
in  which  it  is  most  abundant;  in  a north-eastern  direc- 
tion it  passes  to  Nottingham,  and  terminates  towards  the 
south-west  in  Devonshire,  but  the  continuity,  it  may  be 
easily  imagined,  is  often  broken  in  so  vast  an  extent. 

The  knowledge  of  the  goological  structure  of  a coun- 
try has  been  considered  indispensable  to  that  of  its  physi- 
cal geography.  It  is  thus  that  new  limits  have  been 
assigned  to  different  regions,  limits  much  less  subject  to 
variation  than  those  of  a political  character.  Although 
the  limits  of  such  a country  as  Great  Britain  may  be 
sufficiently  defined  without  having  recourse  to  the  con- 
sideration of  geology,  still  the  same  science  serves  to 
unfold  the  riches  of  the  mineral  kingdom,  marks  their 
position,  and  determines  such  as  have  contributed  to  in- 
crease the  wealth  or  power  of  the  inhabitants. 

If  the  gravels  and  alluvia  be  not  taken  into  account, 
the  sand  that  covers  Bagshot  heath,  and  a great  portion 
of  Surrey,  as  well  as  several  districts  in  the  southern  and 
eastern  counties,  may  be  considered  the  highest  stratum 
in  England,  the  one  from  beneath  which  the  others  rise  in 
succession. b The  same  deposit  is  met  with  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  the  sand  at  Alum  Bayc  is  supposed  to  be 
better  adapted  for  making  flint  glass  than  any  other  in 
the  kingdom. 

Of  an  earlier  origin  is  an  argillaceous  formation  which 
may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  organic  remains,  and 
which  has  been  called  the  London  clay,  from  its  occur- 
ring in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  metropolis,  immediately 
beneath  the  vegetable  soil.  It  occupies  a large  part  of 
Essex,  all  Middlesex,  and  part  of  Berkshire,  Surrey 
and  Kent.  It  appears  in  the  last  county  on  the  northern 
side  of  the  Medway,  and  forms  the  Isle  of  Sheppey.d 

Some  of  the  organic  remains  are  those  of  crocodiles  and 
turtles,  vertebral  fish  of  different  species,  and  nautilites 
resembling  others  that  still  frequent  the  Indian  Seas. 
The  bones  of  the  elephant,  the  rhinoceros,  the  hippo- 
potamus, the  tapir  and  the  elk  were  discovered  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  London,  when  the  excavation  was 


c The  sand  at  Alum  Bay  belongs  to  the  sands  of  the  plastic  clay 
formation. — P. 

d Smith’s  Geological  Map  of  England  and  Wales. 


book  cliii.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

making  for  the  Highgate  archway.  The  remains  of 
the  vegetable  kingdom  are  not  less  extraordinary,  but 
they  are  perhaps  more  abundant  in  the  Isle  of  Sheppey 
than  in  any  other  part  of  the  stratum.  It  is  there,  at 
least,  that  the  greatest  number  of  fruit  or  ligneous  seed 
vessels  have  been  observed  ; one  gentleman,  Mr.  Crowe 
of  Faversham,  having  carefully  examined  the  external 
and  internal  appearance  of  the  plants,  selected  seven 
hundred  specimens,  of  which  none  were  duplicates,  and 
of  which  very  few  corresponded  with  any  that  are  now 
known  to  exist.  The  most  of  them,  however,  appeared 
to  belong  to  tropical  climates  ; some  differed  little  from 
the  cocoa-nut  ; others  were  probably  varieties  of  spices. 

The  alluvium  covering  the  surface  of  the  clay  is  full 
of  water,  and  a great  advantage  is  thus  obtained  by  the 
inhabitants  of  London  and  the  neighbouring  country  ; 
indeed,  the  quantity  drawn  daily  in  the  metropolis 
alone  might  almost  exceed  belief.  The  wells  or  the 
public  pumps  to  which  the  people  have  access,  afford  a 
plentiful  supply  of  clear  but  somewhat  hard  water,  which 
is  used  in  many  of  the  large  distilleries,  sugar-houses,  and 
also  in  some  of  the  breweries.  Abundance  of  soft  water 
may  be  had  by  increasing  the  depth  of  the  wells,  or  by 
piercing  through  the  London  clay  to  the  plastic  clay 
stratum,  the  next  in  succession. a Some  of  these  wells 
have  been  dug  in  London,  and  very  many  on  the  north 
and  north-east  of  it.  The  effect  has  been  to  supply  dif- 
ferent places,  which  were  destitute  of  good  water  for 
domestic  purposes,  until  within  the  last  thirty  years.  If 
a new  well  be  sunk,  the  water  in  the  neighbouring  wells 
is  for  a time  depressed  ; nay  more,  the  sinking  of  one 
on  the  south  of  the  Thames  above  London  Bridge,  low- 
ered the  water  in  another  on  the  northern  bank,  show- 
ing evidently  that  the  communication  extended  below 
the  bed  of  the  river.b 

The  chalk  deposit  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  Eng- 
land ; stretching  with  little  interruption  from  Flamborough 
Head  on  the  coast  of  Yorkshire  to  the  neighbourhood  of 
Sidmouth  on  the  coast  of  Devonshire,  it  is  connected  with 
the  chalk  districts  in  the  south,  and  forms  a range  of 
hills,  which  are  generally  most  precipitous  on  the  north- 
west. The  Yorkshire  Wolds,  which  are  broken  by  the 
Humber,  are  part  of  these  heights  ; they  appear  anew  on 
the  opposite  banks  of  the  same  river,  and  form  the  Lin- 
colnshire Wolds.  The  Wash  separates  the  same  tract 
from  Norfolk,  but  in  that  county,  a ridge  of  chalk  extends 
nearly  in  a southern  direction  to  the  distance  of  sixteen 
miles.'  It  passes  from  Cambridge  to  Goring  in  Oxford- 
shire, where  it  is  broken  by  the  valley  of  the  Thames  ; 
the  distance  between  the  two  last  places  is  not  less  than 
seventy  miles. 

It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  add  that  the  Chiltern  Hills 
in  Buckinghamshire  and  Oxfordshire,  and  the  Royston 
and  Luton  Downs  in  Bedfordshire,  are  composed  of  chalk; 
their  average  breadth  varies  from  fifteen  to  twenty  miles. 
The  chain  is  continued  on  the  west  of  the  Thames, 
where  it  is  known  by  the  names  of  Ilsey  Downs, 
the  Whitehorse  Hills  and  Marlborough  Downs  ; hut  the 
last  are  broken  by  the  valley  of  the  Kennet,  which,  like 

* These  wells  arise  from  the  sands  of  the  plastic  clay  formation. — P. 

b Geology  of  England  and  Wales,  by  Conybeare  and  Phillips,  Part  I. 
p.  35. 

c Commencing  in  Hunstanton  Cliff,  and  terminating  at  Castle  Acre, 
where  it  sinks  beneath  the  diluvial  sands  of  Norfolk.  It  recommences 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  479 

many  of  the  rivers  that  water  this  formation,  rises  in  the 
older  and  subjacent  stratum,  and  has  broken  a passage 
for  itself  through  the  chalky  downs.  The  same  valley 
separates  the  northern  Marlborough  Downs  from  the  long 
ridge  on  the  south  of  Marlborough,  which  stretches  west- 
wards to  Bagdon  hill  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Devizes 
in  Wiltshire.  This  last  ridge  skirts  round  the  vale  of 
Pewsey,  and  connects  itself  with  the  cretaceous  district, 
which  occupies  the  northern  part  of  Hampshire,  and  the 
southern  of  Wiltshire,  a surface  about  fifty  miles  in  length 
from  east  to  west,  and  about  twenty  from  north  to  south. 
It  is  this  vast  area  which  Mr.  Pennant  has  designated  the 
central  P atria  of  the  chalk,  of  which  the  different  ranges 
that  traverse  the  island,  may  be  considered  so  many  ram- 
ifications. It  may  be  remarked  that  the  loftiest  summit 
in  this  formation  reaches  to  the  height  of  101 1 feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  A great  part  of  the  central  mass 
is  known  by  the  name  of  Salisbury  plain,  an  elevated 
platform  broken  by  gentle  hills,  and  covered  with  scanty 
herbage.  The  chalk  chain  which  bounds  the  London 
basin  on  the  south,  extends  from  the  north-eastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  same  area,  forms  the  North  Downs  in 
Surrey  and  Kent,  and  terminates  at  the  Straits  of  Dover. d 

The  same  chain  exhibits  one  of  the  characteristic 
phenomena  of  the  chalk  formation  ; it  is  broken  by  all  the 
rivers  which  run  northwards  from  the  Wealds,  namely,  by 
the  Wey,  the  Mole,  the  Darent,  the  Medway,  and  the 
Stowe,®  which  have  made  for  themselves  so  many  trans- 
verse vallies  at  right  angles  to  the  great  valley  which 
passes  along  the  base  of  the  heights. 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  mention  an  error  that  has 
been  committed  by  Camden.  “ The  Mole,”  says  that 
writer,  “ coming  to  White-hill/  hides  itself,  or  is  rather 
swallowed  up,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  there  ; but,  about 
two  miles  below,  it  bubbles  up  and  rises  again  ; so  that 
the  inhabitants  of  this  tract,  no  less  than  the  Spaniards, 
may  boast  of  having  a bridge  that  feeds  several  flocks  of 
sheep.”  If  it  be  inferred  that  the  river  disappears,  forms 
a channel  for  itself  under  ground,  and  rises  again  at  a cer- 
tain distance,  the  account  is  incorrect.  The  appearance 
depends  on  the  cavernous  nature  of  the  chalk,  and  the 
porous  texture  of  the  soil  ; the  water  being  admitted  by 
passages  in  the  banks  and  channel  of  the  river.  In  or- 
dinary seasons,  the  caverns  are  full,  and  their  contents 
are  not  discharged  faster  than  they  are  supplied  by  the 
river,  whence  it  suffers  no  diminution ; but  in  dry  sea- 
sons the  water  in  these  reservoirs  being  gradually  absorb- 
ed, the  streams  are  diverted  from  their  ordinary  course, 
and  the  river  is  diminished.  The  decrease  depends  on 
the  state  of  the  weather,  and  in  times  of  great  drought, 
part  of  the  channel  is  left  dry.? 

Another  chain,  which  branches  from  the  south-east 
angle  of  the  central  mass,  forms  the  South  Downs,  or 
southern  limit  of  the  Weald  district,  which  is  bounded 
by  the  North  Downs  in  the  opposite  direction. 

Lastly,  a third  chain,  which  extends  from  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  great  chalk  formation  near  Salisbury, 
passes  west-south-west  to  Shaftesbury  and  then  south  to 
Blaridford,  where  it  is  broken  by  the  valley  of  the  Stour. 

on  the  north  of  Thetford,  and  passing  by  Newmarket  and  a little  to  the 
east  of  Cambridge,  stretches  S.  W.  to  Goring  on  the  Thames. — P. 

d Geology  of  England  and  Wales,  book  ii.  chap.  i. 

« The  Stour.— P. 

f The  same  probably  that  is  now  called  Boi-hill. 

s Geology  of  England  and  Wales,  book  ii.  chap.  i. 


480 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIII 


It  bends  towards  the  west  at  the  last  place,  and  continues 
in  that  direction  to  the  distance  of  twenty  miles.  But  at 
Horn-hill,*  the  westernmost  point  of  the  chain, b it  turns 
abruptly  to  the  east,'  and  proceeds  through  the  middle 
of  the  isle,  or  rather  peninsula,  of  Purbeck.  The  cliffs 
that  rise  above  the  sea,  form  Handfast-Point  on  the  east, 
and  Whitenose  on  the  west,  the  eastern  and  western  ex- 
tremities of  Purbeck. d 

The  frequent  occurrence  of  chalk  in  other  countries 
has  been  indicated  in  a former  part  of  this  work.  The 
belt  which  sweeps  across  the  eastern  and  southern  coun- 
ties of  England  is  part  of  the  extensive  tract  that  occu- 
pies the  great  central  basin  of  Europe.  The  chalk  for- 
mation stretches  from  the  Thames  to  the  Don  ; extend- 
ing on  the  east  to  the  Ural  and  its  branches,  on  the 
north  to  the  primitive  districts  of  Russian  Finland,  Swe- 
den, Norway  and  Scotland,  on  the  west  to  the  primitive 
and  transition  chains  in  the  north,  the  west  and  the  south 
of  England,0  and  on  the  south  to  the  ramifications  of  the 
Cevennes  in  the  centre  of  France,  the  Alps  with  the  an- 
cient groups  of  Germany/  and  the  Bohemian,  Silesian 
and  Carpathian  mountains. s 

The  chalk  formation  throughout  its  vast  extent  affords 
a striking  confirmation  of  Mr.  Smith’s  method  of  identi- 
fying strata  by  their  organic  remains,  for  more  than 
eight-tenths  of  the  organic  remains  which  are  found  in 
chalk  are  common  to  all  the  localities  in  which  it  has  been 
observed.  It  is  asserted,  indeed,  that  a fossil  has  never 
been  dug  from  a continental  chalk  pit  to  which  a similar 
one  cannot  be  produced  from  the  pits  in  Britain.11 

It  may  be  observed,  that  the  lower  strata  of  chalk  in- 
crease generally  in  hardness,  and  afford  sometimes  a 
tolerably  compact  limestone.  The  cliff  on  the  east  of 
Dover  is  blasted,  squared  and  used  in  repairing  the  har- 
bour ; it  was  employed  in  constructing  the  docks,  and  it 
is  found  to  be  well  adapted  for  buildings  under  water. 

The  different  kinds  of  chalky  marles  are  obtained  in 
many  parts  of  England.  Pliny,  in  his  account  of  the 
British  marles,  observes  that  they  last  eighty  years,  there 
not  being  an  example  of  the  same  man  being  obliged  to 
marie  his  land  twice  in  the  course  of  his  life.  An  intel- 
ligent farmer  in  Hertfordshire  informed  Mr.  Pennant,  that 
he  had  used  the  same  marie  on  a field  thirty  years  before, 
and  if  he  were  to  live  the  time  mentioned  by  Pliny,  he 
need  not  have  any  occasion  to  repeat  the  operation.1 
The  method  now  used  to  obtain  chalk  in  Hertfordshire 
and  different  counties,  has  been  described  by  Pennant. 
“ The  farmer  sinks  a pit,  drives  out  on  all  sides,  leaving 
a sufficient  roof,  and  draws  up  the  chalk  in  buckets 
through  a narrow  mouth.”  It  is  remarkable  that  the 
same  method  was  employed  in  the  time  of  the  Roman 
naturalist.  “ Creta  argentaria  petitur  ex  alto,  in  centenos 
pedes  actis  plerumque  puteis,  ore  angustatis,  intus,  ut  in 
metallis,  spatiante  vena.  Hac  maxime  Britannia  utitur.” 

a To  the  north  of  Beaminster. — P. 

b West  of  Horn-hill,  there  are  several  outlying  masses  of  chalk,  rest- 
ing upon  and  surrounded  by  the  greensand.  They  proceed  in  a west- 
south-west  direction,  by  Crewkerne  and  Chard,  to  Sidmouth,  east  of 
which  there  are  three  large  outliers,  very  near  to  the  coast. — P. 

c From  Horn-hill,  the  escarpment  of  the  chalk  runs  south  to  within  a 
mile  of  the  coast  near  Abbotsbury.  It  then  suddenly  turns  to  the 
east. — P. 

d Besides  these  continuous  ranges  of  chalk,  and  the  outlying  masses 
on  the  west,  it  forms  a range  of  downs,  stretching  through  the  middle  of 
the  Isle  of  Wight  from  west  to  east,  from  the  Needles  on  the  west  to 
Culver  Cliffs  on  the  east ; also,  an  outlying  mass  above  the  southern 


The  Romans  in  this  instance  followed  the  same  practice 
as  the  Britons,  and  it  is  doubtful  that  any  other  of  a more 
ancient  origin  is  still  in  use  in  England.  Chalk  is  also 
employed  for  another  economical  purpose  ; and  it  may 
be  observed  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  Smeaton,  that,  if  well 
burnt,  it  makes  as  good  lime  as  the  hardest. marble. 

It  has  been  observed  in  different  parts  of  this  work 
that  the  presence  of  chalk  is  generally  accompanied  with 
sterility  ; it  has  been  seen  in  the  account  of  Champagne, 
that  some  districts  are  almost  uninhabited,  and  statistical 
data  are  not  wanting  to  show  that  the  chalk  lands  in  Eng- 
land are  less  populous  in  proportion  to  their  extent,  than 
any  other  secondary  formation.  No  portion,  however, 
is  wholly  unproductive  ; on  the  contrary,  some  of  the 
vallies  are  very  fruitful,  and  hops  are  cultivated  in  those  of 
Kent  and  Surrey.  The  downs  afford  excellent  pasturage 
for  sheep,  and  the  different  sorts  of  clover  and  sainfoin 
thrive  on  a chalky  soil.  The  same  may  be  said  of  differ- 
ent trees,  particularly  the  beech.  It  is  well  known  that 
the  Chiltern  Hills  in  Oxfordshire  were  formerly  covered 
with  woods,  which  were  frequented  by  robbers  and  freeboot- 
ers ; hence  the  office  of  steward  of  the  Chiltern  Hundreds, 
now  become  nominal,  but  which,  being  held  under  the 
crown,  enables  a member  to  vacate  his  seat  in  parliament.10 

Although  oolites  occur  extensively  on  the  continent, 
the  different  members  of  the  series,  and  their  relation  to 
each  other,  have  only  been  examined  and  explained  in 
Britain.  The  oolites  occupy  a zone  nearly  thirty  miles 
in  average  breadth,  extending  across  the  island  from  York- 
shire on  the  north-east  to  Dorsetshire  on  the  south-west 
in  other  words,  within  the  limits  of  the  zone  are  contain- 
ed the  best  materials  for  architectural  purposes  in  Eng- 
land. The  Purbeck  beds,  which  occupy  the  highest 
place  in  the  series,  consist  of  many  thin  strata  of  argilla- 
ceous limestone.  The  stone,  which  is  commonly  called 
Purbeck  marble,  is  generally  found  in  the  uppermost  beds. 
It  was  formerly  much  used  in  adorning  Gothic  churches, 
and  the  finest  specimens  of  it  may  still  be  seen  in  many  of 
the  old  columns  and  monuments.  The  Purbeck  stone  is 
not  considered  so  valuable  for  architecture  as  the  Port- 
land ; but  of  the  one  or  other  most  of  the  edifices  in 
London  and  in  the  neighbourhood  have  been  built. 

The  great  oolite,  on  account  of  its  thickness  and  util- 
ity, is  more  important  than  any  other.  It  consists  of  a 
stratified  calcareous  mass,  vary  ing  in  thickness  from  a hun 
dred  and  thirty  to  two  hundred  feet.  The  quality  of  the 
strata  is  different  even  in  neighbouring  quarries.  The 
softer  kinds  are  not  only  marked  by  those  distinct  oviform 
concretions,  which  give  their  name  to  the  whole  series, 
but  they  afford  the  freestone,  which  renders  this  rock  so 
valuable.  The  Kettering  freestone  of  Northamptonshire, 
says  Mr.  Smith,  is  rendered  extremely  beautiful  by  the 
distinctness  of  its  oolitic  structure  ; that  of  Bath,  how- 
ever, has  generally  a finer  grain.  The  latter  stone  was 

point  of  the  island.  The  Isle  of  Thanet  consists  too  of  chalk,  separated 
from  the  North  Downs  by  a tertiary  valley. — P. 

e “ On  the  west,  the  transition  and  primitive  chains  of  Cumberland, 
Wales,  Devonshire  and  Brittany — ” (Conybeare  and  Phillips,  Part  I. 
p.  64.) — P. 

f Such  as  the  Black  Forest,  the  Rhingau,  the  Vosges,  and  the  Thur- 
ingian  mountains. — P. 

£ These  are  given  by  Conybeare  and  Phillips  as  the  boundaries  of 
the  great  central  basin  of  Europe. — P. 

b Conybeare’s  and  Phillips’  Geology  of  England  and  Wales. 

' Pennant’s  Chester,  page  1103. 

k Capper's  Topographical  Dictionary  of  England  and  Wales 

1 Smith's  Geological  Map. 


BOOK  Clilll.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN.  481 


used  in  repairing  Henry  the  Seventh’s  chapel  at  West- 
minster, but  it  was  from  the  quarries  near  Burford  in  Ox- 
fordshire, that  the  materials  were  supplied  for  the  erection 
of  St.  Paul’s,  the  finest  architectural  monument  in  London. 

The  oolites  are  remarkable  for  the  number  of  their 
organic  remains.  Different  bones,  believed  by  M.  Cuvier 
to  belong  to  a species  of  Didelphis,  or  opossum,  have 
been  discovered  near  Stonesfield  in  the  calcareous  slate, 
which  forms  part  of  the  series.  They  are  imbedded  in  the 
slate,  not  intruded  into  the  fissures,  exhibiting  a singular 
instance  of  the  occurrence  of  beings  of  such  an  order,  in 
strata  older  than  the  lowest  members  of  the  tertiary 
class.* *  A well  characterized  crocodile,  but  of  a species 
distinct  from  those  that  now  exist,  and  from  those  that 
have  been  found  in  a fossil  state  in  Germany,  was  dug 
up  at  Gibraltar  near  Oxford, b and  may  now  be  seen  in 
the  museum  of  the  university.  The  ichthyosaurus  has 
been  observed  in  the  strata  both  above  and  below  the  argil- 
laceous slate  ;e  in  the  same  slate, d an  immense  animal, 
bearing  some  resemblance  to  the  monitor  in  its  dentition 
and  other  external  characters,  has  been  discovered,  and 
bones  of  it  are  not  wanting,  which  must  have  belonged 
to  individuals  forty  feet  in  length,  and  at  least  twelve 
in  height.  Lastly,  specimens,  of  which  there  are  two  or 
three  different  species,  and  which  are  believed  by  natu- 
ralists to  be  the  elytra  of  coleopterous  insects,  occur  in 
the  Stonesfield  slate. 

Aluminous  shale  is  included  under  this  series.13 
The  earthy  part  of  the  shale  is  found  to  contain  the  most 
alum,  and  the  following  process  is  carried  on  at  the  works 
near  Whitby.  A layer  of  brush-wood  serves  as  a base, 
and  shale  is  thrown  over  it  until  a mound  is  raised.  The 
brush-wood  is  then  kindled,  and  a slow  combustion  en- 
sues. The  fire  is  at  last  communicated  to  the  shale,  and 
it  continues  to  burn  without  any  addition  of  fuel.  The 
residuum  is  put  into  vats  with  water,  and  boiled  twenty- 
four  hours  ; it  is  then  thrown  into  other  vats,  and  by  the 
addition  of  an  alkali,  is  made  to  crystallize  ; lastly,  it  is 
again  melted  and  purified  by  a second  crystallization. 
Thus  prepared,  it  is  shipped  off  to  London,  and  from 
thence  exported  to  Sweden,  Russia  and  other  countries/ 

The  most  important,  and  by  far  the  most  valuable  of 
the  British  mineral  products,  the  one  on  which  the 
wealth  and  prosperity  of  the  country  mainly  depend, 
remains  to  be  examined.  The  other  substances  which 
have  been  mentioned  are  comparatively  of  so  little  utility, 
that  they  can  hardly  be  taken  into  account.  It  is  to  the 
coal  mines  that  Great  Britain  is  indebted  for  its  manufac- 
turing power,  which,  although  colossal,  must  other- 
wise have  been  insignificant.  The  labour  of  man  has 
been  superseded  by  this  wonderful  agent,  the  productive 
power  of  the  country  has  been  increased  more  than  a 
hundred-fold,  and  among  the  monuments  of  English 
genius,  those  are  not  the  least  worthy  of  admiration,  by 
which  the  same  substance  has  been  made  conducive  to 
the  various  purposes  of  civilization. 

it  must  not  be  imagined  that  this  source  of  wealth  is 

a Geological  Transactions,  vol.  ii. 

b In  one  of  the  uppermost  beds  of  the  lower  division  of  the  Oolites, 
perhaps  the  Cornbrash. — P. 

c The  Ichthyosaurus  has  not  yet  been  noticed,*  but  as  it  occurs  in 
the  beds  both  above  and  below  these,!  it  is  probably  to  be  found  in  this 
part  of  the  series  also.*  (Conybeare  and  Phillips,  Part  1.  p.  208.) — P. 

* In  the  upper  beds  of  the  lower  division  of  the  Oolites,  including  the  Corn- 
brash,  Stonesfield  slate,  Forest  Marble,  Bradford  clay,  and  Great  Oolite. — P. 

+ In  the  Kimmeridge  clay  in  the  upper  division,  and  in  the  Coral  Rag 

VOL.  III.— NO.  57  til 


inexhaustible;  on  the  contrary,  there  is  a limit  to  which 
it  is  always  approaching.  The  distribution  of  this  sub- 
stance, it  is  well  known,  is  by  no  means  proportionate  to 
its  utility  ; even  in  Great  Britain,  one  of  the  countries  in 
which  it  is  most  abundant,  the  superficies  of  the  coal  district 
is  very  small  relatively  to  the  size  of  the  island.  The 
transition,  however,  from  abundance  to  scarcity,  can  only 
be  very  gradual,  and  many  ages  must  yet  elapse  before  it 
can  be  sensibly  felt;  when  it  does  begin,  the  increasing 
difficulty  of  working  the  coal  mines  must  operate  by  slow 
and  successive  checks.  If  these  mines  could  be  sud- 
denly exhausted,  the  effect  might  be  as  destructive  of 
private  comfort  as  of  national  wealth.  Such  a calamity 
could  not  happen  without  taking  away  the  means  of  sub- 
sistence from  an  immense  number  of  productive  hands, 
and  without  depriving  the  country  of  the  blessings  which 
they  diffuse.  As  a consequence  of  such  an  event,  the 
inferior  lands  must  be  withdrawn  from  cultivation  ; they 
were  first  cultivated  to  supply  the  wants  of  an  increasing 
and  a flourishing  population,  but  if  the  country  were 
exhausted  of  its  coal,  they  might  again,  as  in  ancient 
times,  be  covered  with  forests. 

The  three  principal  coal  districts  in  England,  and 
three  only  are  of  any  importance,  are,  \st,  the  Great 
Northern  district,  including  all  the  coal-fields  north  of  the 
Trent ; 2d,  the  Central  district,  including  Leicestershire, 
Warwickshire,  Staffordshire,  and  Shropshire;  and  3d, 
the  Western  district,  which  may  be  subdivided  into  the 
North-western,  including  North  Wales,  and  the  South- 
western, including  South  Wales,  Gloucestershire,  and 
Somersetshire.  The  coal  deposits  rest  on  limestone 
and  sandstone,  and  extensive  iron  ores  are  situated  near 
the  carboniferous  strata.  Thus,  all  the  great  iron-works  in 
England  have  been  established  within  the  limits  of  the 
coal  country,  because  it  is  only  within  these  limits  that 
the  fuel  and  the  flux  necessary  for  smelting  the  ore  are 
easily  obtained.  Copper  and  zinc  are  found  in  the  tran- 
sition and  primitive  series,  but  it  may  be  remarked  that 
they  are  of  secondary  importance. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  describe  more  minutely  the 
limits  which  have  been  mentioned.  The  first  or  the 
Northern  district,  it  has  been  already  stated,  includes  all 
the  coal-fields  on  the  north  of  the  Trent  and  Mersey. 
A central  chain  traverses  the  district  from  north  to  south. 
These  mountains  were  known  to  the  Romans  by  the 
name  of  the  Penine  Alps,  at  least  they  are  thus  denom- 
inated by  a British  writer, s in  describing  the  Roman 
province  of  Maxima  Cccsaricnsis.  “ Totam  in  asquales 
fere  partes  provinciam  dividunt  montes  Alpes  P enini 
dicti.”  It  is  not  believed  that  they  were  thus  called 
from  any  fancied  resemblance  between  them  and  the 
Alpine  crest  near  St.  Bernard  ; it  is  more  probable  that 
they  were  so  named  from  the  British  word  Pen,  which 
signifies  a head  or  summit.  As  there  is  no  modern  name 
which  comprehends  the  whole  of  this  range,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  make  use  of  the  one  that  has  been  left  by  the 
Romans.  The  Penine  chain  consists  of  the  rocks  which 

and  Oxford  clay  in  the  middle  division  of  the  Oolites,  above  ; and  in  the 
Lias,  below— perhaps,  also,  in  the  lower  beds  of  the  lower  division  of  the 
Oolitic  series,  including  the  Inferior  Oolite,  Fullers’  earth,  sand  and  marl 
stone  5 undetermined  remains  of  large  Laccrtca  having  been  there  dis 
covered.’ — P. 

d In  the  calcareous  slate  of  Stonesfield. — P. 

' The  Alum  slate  of  Whitby  belongs  to  the  Lias  formation. — P. 

1 History  of  Whitby,  by  Lionel  Charlton. 

e Richard  of  Cirencester. 


482 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL.III. 


are  associated  with  the  coal  formation  ;*  it  is  remarkable 
in  some  places  for  its  wild  scenery,  the  extent  of  its  cav- 
erns, the  depth  of  its  ravines,  and  the  height  of  its  preci- 
pices ; it  is  broken  by  torrents  and  cataracts.  Two  facts 
may  throw  some  light  on  the  nature  of  the  scenery  in  the 
Staffordshire  part  ofit.  The  sun,  when  nearest  the  tropic 
of  Capricorn,  never  rises  to  the  inhabitants  of  Narrow- 
dale,  during  a period  of  nearly  three  months,  and  when  it 
is  visible,  it  never  rises  until  one  o’clock  p.  m.  Secondly, 
at  Leek,  during  a certain  period  of  the  year,  the  sun  is 
seen  to  set  twice  in  the  same  evening,  a phenomenon 
which  must  be  attributed  to  a mountain  at  some  distance 
irom  the  town,  for  after  it  sets  behind  the  summit,  it 
breaks  out  again  on  the  northern  or  most  precipitous 
side.  Thus,  in  a tract  of  no  great  extent,  the  sun  ap- 
pears to  set  twice  in  the  same  evening,  and  to  rise  when 
it  has  passed  the  meridian. b 

This  district  is  more  important  on  account  of  its  min- 
eral products  than  any  other  in  England.  The  great  coal- 
field of  Northumberland  and  Durham,  several  others  of 
a smaller  size  in  the  north  of  Yorkshire,  and  the  great 
coal-field  in  South  Yorkshire,  Nottinghamshire  and  Derby- 
shire, are  situated  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Penine  chain  ; 
the  principal  deposits  on  the  west  are  those  of  North 
Staffordshire,  Manchester  or  South  Lancashire,  North 
Lancashire  and  Whitehaven. 

The  first  of  these  coal-fields*  is  the  most  remarkable  ; 
situated  in  the  north-eastern  extremity  of  England,  it 
occupies  the  greater  part  of  two  counties,  Northumber- 
land and  Durham.  Commencing  near  the  river  Coquet 
on  the  north,  it  extends  nearly  to  the  Tees  on  the  south, 
forming  an  area,  of  which  the  greatest  breadth  is  equal  to 
twenty-four  miles,  and  the  length  to  fifty-eight. d J arrow 
on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Tyne,  and  about  five  miles 
from  its  mouth,  is  considered  the  centre  of  the  coal- 
measures,  or  in  other  words,  the  beds  of  coal  are  there 
found  at  the  greatest  depths  ; the  High  Main,  one  of  the 
thickest,  is  not  less  than  nine  hundred  and  sixty  feet  be- 
low the  surface.  It  is  well  known,  however,  that  the  incli- 
nation of  the  strata  is  not  uniform,  so  that  the  depths  are 
not  equal  at  equal  distances  from  Jarrow. 

This  coal  is  generally  admitted  to  be  superior  in  qual- 
ity to  any  in  the  other  formations  of  the  same  kind,  and 
the  difference  in  the  quantity  is  not  less  remarkable. 
Forty  beds  have  been  already  seen,  but  many  of  these 
are  of  no  great  thickness  ; the  most  important  have  been 
distinguished  by  the  names  of  the  High  Main  and  the 


Low  Main.  Shields  and  Sunderland  are  the  places  from 
which  the  coal  is  exported,  and  the  distribution  of  the 
trade  depends  on  the  size  of  the  two  rivers. e The  Tyne 
vessels  being  large,  are,  therefore,  chiefly  destined  for  the 
London  market ; the  Wear  vessels,  on  the  other  hand, 
are  so  small  that  they  can  make  their  way  into  the  small 
rivers  and  harbours  in  most  parts  of  the  kingdom.  They 
supply,  therefore,  the  eastern  and  southern  coasts  as  far 
west  as  Plymouth. 

It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  quantity  of  coal  contained  in 
the  formation,  called  the  coal-measures.  It  is  not  easy  to 
determine  accurately  their  length  and  average  breadth  ; 
at  all  events,  a great  difference  in  the  necessary  data  may 
be  found  in  the  different  calculations,  which  have  been 
made  on  the  subject.  The  quantity  exhausted  by  mining 
must  be  very  great,  as  nearly  four  millions  of  chal- 
drons are  annually  taken  from  the  coal-fields  in  Northum- 
berland and  Durham ; but  however  great,  it  cannot  be 
ascertained.  There  is  a source  of  error  in  supposing  the 
beds  equally  thick  throughout,  which  is  by  no  means  the 
case ; neither  are  they  co-extensive  ; the  upper,  it  is 
well  known,  occupy  a less  space  than  the  lower.  The 
calculations  which  have  been  made  of  their  contents, 
ought  to  be  regarded  merely  as  approximations  ; but 
even  in  this  light,  it  is  not  easy  to  estimate  their  rela- 
tive value.  One  of  the  most  recent  was  lately  present- 
ed to  the  House  of  Peers  ; it  is  partly  founded  on  hy- 
pothesis, and  also  perhaps  on  inaccurate  data  ; even  some 
of  the  necessary  elements  are  not  taken  into  account/ 

According  to  Dr.  Thomson,  the  extent  of  the  coal- 
measures  is  only  equal  to  180  square'  miles  ; and  even 
according  to  this  hypothesis,  it  appears  that  they  may 
be  worked  in  the  same  way  that  they  have  hitherto  been, 
during  a period  of  fifteen  hundred  years.  It  is  not,  how- 
ever, improbable  that  the  beds  are  assumed  to  be  thicker 
than  they  really  are. 

The  abundance  of  coal  cannot  justify  the  waste  that 
takes  place  in  Northumberland  and  Durham.  The 
practice  of  separating  the  more  fragile  from  the  sounder 
parts,  was  adopted  about  forty  years  ago  by  some  miners  ; 
it  has  now  become  general,  and  immense  heaps  of 
coal  are  piled  at  the  mouths  of  the  pits.  The  heat 
evolved  by  the  decomposition  of  the  pyrites  sets  fire  to 
them,  and  they  continue  to  burn  for  years.  One  of 
these  masses,  which  is  still  burning,  is  said  to  cover 
twelve  acres.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  this  small  coal 
might  be  used  with  profit ; it  might  be  converted  into  coke, 


* The  whole  of  the  Penine  chain  is  composed  of  the  four  series  of 
rocks  associated  in  our  coal  districts,  viz.  Coal  Measures,  Millstone- 
grit  and  Shale,  Carboniferous  Limestone,  and  Old  Red  Sandstone. 
(Conybeare  and  Phillips,  p.  3GG.) — P. 

b Conybeare  and  Phillips’  Geology  of  England  and  Wales,  Part  I. 
p.  3(J5 — 8. 

0 The  great  coal-field  of  Northumberland  and  Durham. 

d Two  accounts  of  this  district  have  been  published  ; the  one  by  N. 
T.  Winch,  Esq.  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Geological  Society  ; the 
other  by  Dr.  Thomson,  in  the  Annals  of  Philosophy.  We  shall  refer 
to  both  of  them  in  the  text. 

e Winch,  Geological  Transactions,  volume  fourth. 

1 An  estimate  of  the  extent  and  produce  of  the  Durham  and  North- 
umberland coal-fields,  by  Mr.  Hugh  Taylor  : 

DURHAM. 

From  South  Shields  southward  to  Castle  Eden,  twenty-one  miles ; 
fhence  westward  to  West  Auckland,  thirty-two  miles;  north-east  from 
West  Auckland  to  Eltringhain,  thirty-three  miles;  and  thence  to 
Shields,  twenty-two  miles ; being  an  extent  of  504  square  miles. 


NORTHUMBERLAND. 

From  Shields  northwards  twenty-seven  miles,  by  an  average  breadth 
of  nine  miles  ; 243  square  miles.  In  all,  837  square  miles. 


Portion  Excavated. 


In  Durham.  S<luare  mi,es' 

On  Tyne,  say 39 

On  Wear 40 

In  Northumberland. 

Say  thirteen  miles  by  two 26 


The  surface  of  the  coal-fields  is  thus  equal  to  . . . 732 

Estimating  the  workable  coal  strata  at  an  average  thickness  of 
twelve  feet,  the  contents  of  a square  mile  are  nearly  12,300,000  tons, 

and  of  732  square  miles 9,069,480,000  tons. 

Deduct  one-third  for  loss  by  small  coal,  interrup- 
tions by  dikes,  and  other  interruptions  . . . . 3,023.160,000 

There  remains 6,046.320.000  tons. 

Tile  coal  worked  annually  in  this  tract  amounts  to  3,500,000  tons  • 
so  that  the  present  sale  may  continue  during  1727  years. 


hookcliii.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

and  for  tlje  purpose  of  coal  gas,  it  is  not  inferior  to  any 
other  sort.  Wallis  gives  an  account  in  his  history  of 
Northumberland  of  a fire,  which  happened  in  the  High 
Main  coal  about  a hundred  and  forty  years  ago.  It 
began  at  Ben  well,  a quarter  of  a mile  north  of  the  Tyne, 
and  at  last  extended  itself  to  the  estate  of  Fenham, 
nearly  a mile  from  the  place  where  it  first  appeared. 
Eruptions  were  observed  in  many  places  ; sulphur  and 
sal  ammoniac  were  sublimed  from  the  fissures, but  no  stones 
of  any  size  were  ejected.  Red  ashes  and  burnt  clay, 
the  relics  of  this  pseudo-volcano,  are  still  seen  on  the 
western  declivity  of  Benwell  hill  ; and  it  is  credibly 
attested  that  the  soil  in  some  parts  of  Fenham  has  been 
rendered  unproductive  by  the  action  of  the  fire. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  most  valuable  of  the 
British  minerals  is  obtained  without  danger ; the  calam- 
itous accidents,  which  still  take  place  in  the  mines,  al- 
though fortunately  their  occurrence  is  now  less  frequent, 
prove  that  the  natural  obstacles  which  present  them- 
selves, have  not  been  wholly  removed  by  the  art  of  man. 
It  is  by  no  means  a matter  of  surprise  that  something 
more  remains  to  be  done,  but  rather  that  so  much  has 
already  been  accomplished  ; and  it  is  certain  that  the 
accidents,  which  still  happen  occasionally,  cannot  be 
attributed  to  negligence  or  want  of  skill  in  those  to  whom 
the  superintendence  of  the  works  is  committed.  The 
choak-damp,  the  fire-damp  and  the  stythe  or  after-damp 
are  the  names  that  the  minors  give  the  gases  to 
which  the  coal  mines  are  exposed.  Their  rapid  produc- 
tion has  been  attributed  to  the  following  causes  : first,  the 
coal  parts  with  a portion  of  its  carburetted  hydrogen  on 
exposure  to  the  air  ; secondly,  the  pyritous  shale  which 
forms  the  floors  of  the  coal  mines,  decomposes  the  water 
that  lodges  in  them  ; the  latter  process  is  constantly  oper- 
ating in  old  mines.  Other  causes  are  in  all  probability 
going  on  in  these  natural  laboratories  ; for  the  gases  are 
generated  so  rapidly  and  in  such  quantities  as  might  ap- 
pear almost  incredible  without  unquestionable  evidence. 
They  often  take  fire  in  a shaft,  long  before  the  sinkers 
have  reached  the  coal  seam  ; and  the  pickmen  open 
crevices  occasionally,  which  emit  seven  hundred  hogs- 
heads of  fire-damp  in  a minute.  These  currents  continue 
sometimes  for  several  months,  and  are  of  more  frequent 
occurrence  in  the  deep  and  valuable  collieries,  where  the 
most  tremendous  explosions  take  place.  The  after- 
damp or  stythe  by  which  these  currents  are  succeeded, 
is  a mixture  of  the  carbonic  acid  and  azotic  gases,  result- 
ing from  the  combustion  of  the  carburetted  hydrogen  in 
atmospheric  air,  and  more  lives  have  been  lost  by  it  than 
by  the  fire-damp.  If  these  calamities  are  now  less  fre- 
quent than  formerly,  it  is  because  much  ingenuity  has 
been  exercised  in  obviating  them,  and  in  this  point  of 
view  the  safety-lamp  may  be  considered  an  invaluable 
present  which  the  sciences  have  made  to  the  arts  ; but  it 
is  not  the  only  means  by  which  the  chance  of  danger  is 
averted  ; large  furnaces  are  kept  burning  at  the  upcast 
shafts  ; powerful  air-pumps,  worked  by  steam-engines, 
are  employed  to  quicken  the  draught,  and  their  effect 
may  be  ascertained  from  the  fact  that  a thousand  hogs- 
heads of  air  are  thus  drawn  out  of  one  mine  in  a minute. 
A sort  of  trap-door,  the  invention  of  Mr.  Buddie,  is  now 
used  in  the  mines  ; it  is  suspended  wherever  a door  is 
found  necessary  to  prevent  the  escape  of  air.  It  is 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  483 

propped  close  to  the  roof  in  a horizontal  .position,  but  in 
case  of  an  explosion,  the  blast  removes  the  prop,  and  the 
door  falls  and  closes  the  aperture.1 

The  importance  of  the  trade  to  which  these  mines 
have  given  rise,  is  so  great  as  to  render  some  remarks  on 
its  history  not  unnecessary.  It  has  been  supposed  that 
coal  was  obtained  at  a very  early  period  in  the  vicinity 
of  Newcastle ; some  writers  affirm  that  a colliery  was 
wrought  not  far  from  Benwell,  the  Condercum  of  the 
Romans,  at  the  time  when  they  were  in  possession  of 
Britain.  The  fact,  however,  is  very  problematical,  and 
if  it  be  true,  it  is  certain  that  the  use  of  the  same  sub- 
stance was  long  afterwards  unknown  to  the  inhabitants 
themselves.  In  the  Leges  Burgorum,  which  were  en- 
acted in  Scotland  about  the  year  1140,  particular  privi- 
leges are  conferred  on  those  who  bring  fuel  into  burghs  ; 
wood,  turf  and  peats  are  mentioned,  but  no  notice  is 
taken  of  coal.  It  does  not  appear  that  any  advantage 
was  derived  from  it  in  England  before  the  year  1234, 
when  Henry  the  Third  granted  by  a charter  the  right  of 
digging  coal  in  the  neighbourhood  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Newcastle,  and  not  long  afterwards  it  was  designated  by 
the  name  of  sea  coal.  The  trade  made  some  progress 
in  the  reign  of  King  John,  but  although  coal  was  found 
to  be  the  best  kind  of  fuel,  its  use  was  prohibited  in  Lon- 
don by  a royal  proclamation.  A license  was  granted  by 
Edward  III.  to  the  burgesses  of  Newcastle  to  dig  coals  and 
stones  in  Castle  Field  without  the  walls,  and  the  colliery 
at  Elswick  was  demised  at  the  same  time  to  Adam  Cole- 
well  for  five  pounds  of  yearly  rent.  In  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury, the  coal  trade  had  risen  to  such  importance,  that 
acts  of  parliament  were  framed  for  its  regulation,  and  it 
was  directed  by  one  that  was  passed  in  the  year  1421, 
that  all  vessels  carrying  coal,  must  be  measured  by  com- 
missioners nominated  by  the  king,  and  must  have  their 
burden  marked  upon  them,  that  his  majesty  may  not  be 
deprived  of  his  duty  of  twopence  per  chaldron  by  false 
measure.  It  was  in  the  middle  of  the  same  century  that 
Scotland  was  visited  by  Pope  Pius  the  Second  ; he  relates 
that  he  saw  poor  people  begging  in  rags  at  the  churches, 
and  receiving,  not  money  nor  alms,  but  pieces  of  black 
stone  with  which  they  went  away  satisfied.  This  species 
of  stone,  adds  the  pope,  whether  with  sulphur  or  what- 
ever inflammable  substance  it  may  be  impregnated,  they 
burn  instead  of  wood,  of  which  their  country  is  destitute. b 

It  appears  that  a lease  of  two  coal  pits  at  Elswick  was 
granted  in  1538  for  the  term  of  eight  years  by  the  prior 
of  Tynemouth  to  Christopher  Midford,  at  the  annual 
rent  of  £50.  The  price  of  coals  at  that  time  in  New- 
castle was  2s.  6d.  a chaldron,  and  about  4s.  in  London. 
Queen  Elizabeth  obtained,  in  1582,  from  the  Bishop  of 
Durham,  a lease  of  the  manor  of  Gateshead  and  Whick- 
ham,  with  the  coal  mines,  common  wastes  and  parks,  for 
ninety-nine  years,  at  the  annual  rent  of  £90.  This  lease, 
which  occasioned  an  increase  of  two  shillings  in  the  price 
of  coals  per  chaldron,  was  first  assigned  to  the  Earl 
of  Leicester,  the  queen’s  favourite,  and  afterwards  to  the 
celebrated  Sutton,  the  founder  of  the  Charter-house. 
An  assignment  of  the  same  lease  for  the  sum  of  £12,000 
was  made  by  Mr.  Sutton  to  Sir  William  Liddle  and 
others  for  the  use  of  the  mayor  and  burgesses  of  Newcastle. 
Coals  then  rose  to  seven,  afterwards  to  eight,  and  lastly 
to  nine  shillings  per  chaldron.  Various  regulations  and 

* Geological  Transactions,  vol.  iv. 

jl 

b iEneoe  Silvii  Opera. 

r 


484 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIII. 


acts  relative  to  the  coal  trade  were  made  during  the 
same  and  the  four  succeeding  reigns  ; it  is  said  indeed  that 
in  the  year  1648,  the  price  of  coal  was  so  high  in  London 
that  many  poor  persons  perished  for  wantof  fuel.  In 
the  year  1655,  the  price  of  coals  in  London  was  upwards 
of  twenty  shillings  per  chaldron,  and  during  the  same 
period  three  hundred  and  twenty  vessels  were  employed  in 
the  coal  trade  upon  the  Tyne,  each  of  them  carrying  annu- 
ally eight  hundred  chaldrons.  An  act  of  parliament  was 
passed  in  1655,a  by  which  a duty  of  one  shilling  per  chal- 
dron was  granted  to  the  lord  mayor,  to  enable  him  to  rebuild 
the  churches  and  other  public  buildings,  which  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  great  fire  in  the  preceding  year.  The  sum, 
however,  was  found  to  be  insufficient,  and  it  was  raised  to 
three  shillings.  Charles  the  Second  granted  to  the  Duke 
of  Richmond  a duty  of  one  shilling  per  chaldron,  on  coal 
exported  by  the  Tyne,  and  the  right  to  it  continued  in 
the  same  family  until  the  year  1800,  when  it  was  pur- 
chased by  government. 

The  state  of  the  coal  trade  accorded  ill  with  the  liberal 
spirit  which  pervaded  other  branches  of  British  commerce, 
and  it  called  at  last  for  the  interference  of  the  legislature. 
The  high  price  of  fuel  in  the  metropolis  was  attributed  to 
an  impost  of  six  shillings  a chaldron  levied  by  govern- 
ment on  sea-borne  coal,  and  to  other  local  dues  equally 
oppressive.  It  may  be  remarked  that  the  same  impost 
was  not  exacted  at  the  pits  or  in  the  counties  from  which 
fuel  is  obtained,  and  where  it  is  comparatively  cheap. 
Tlius  a chaldron  of  coal  which  costs  twelve  or  thirteen 
shillings  at  the  coal  works,  was  not  sold  in  London  under 
fifty-five.  But  the  evils  of  such  a system  were  not  con- 
fined to  the  capital,  they  extended  to  the  country,  and  it 
required  no  great  sagacity  to  discover  that  this  was  one 
and  certainly  not  the  least  cause  of  the  superior  condition 
of  the  labouring  classes  in  the  north  over  those  in  the  south. 

It  may  not  perhaps  be  readily  believed  that  the  north- 
ern coal  trade,  or  extracting  coal  from  the  pits,  and  con- 
veying it  to  different  places,  affords  the  means  of  sub- 
sistence to  more  than  forty-five  thousand  individuals. 
Such,  however,  is  certainly  the  case,  and  as  no  other 
proof  illustrates  better  the  importance  of  this  trade, 
it  may  be  right  to  subjoin  a quotation  from  the  evidence 
of  Mr.  Buddie,  taken  by  a committee  of  the  House  of 
Commons.  “ I hold  a paper  in  my  hand  stating  the 
number  of  people  employed  in  the  coal  trade  in  each 
department.  I beg  to  observe  the  returns  from  the 
Tyne  are  official  documents;  from  the  Wear  I have  no 
returns,  but  it  is  by  an  approximate  calculation. b The 
number  of  persons  employed  under  ground  on  the  Tyne 
are — men  4937, boys 3554,  together  8491 ; aboveground, 
men  2745,  boys  718  ; making  the  total  employed  in  the 
mines  above  and  below  ground  11,954,  which  in  round 
numbers  I shall  call  12,000,  because  I am  pretty  sure 
there  were  some  omissions  in  the  returns.  On  the  Wear 
I conceive  there  are  at  least  9000  employed,  making 

21.000  employed  in  digging  the  coal,  and  in  delivering 
it  on  the  two  rivers.  From  the  best  calculations  it  would 
appear  that  averaging  the  coasting  vessels  that  carry  coal, 
at  the  size  of  220  London  chaldrons  each  vessel,  there 
would  be  1400  vessels  employed,  which  would  require 

15.000  seamen  and  boys.  I have  made  a summary; 

1 l(iG7. — The  great  fire  in  London  happened  in  Sept.  lCfifi. — P. 

b The  approximate  calculation  has  since  been  ascertained  to  be  under 
the  truth. 


there  are  seamen,  15,000  ; pitmen  and  above  ground 
people  employed  at  the  collieries,  21,000;  keelmen, 
coal  boatmen,  casters  and  trimmers,  2000  ; making  the 
total  number  employed  in  what  I call  the  northern  coal 
trade,  38,000  ; in  London,  whippers,  lightermen  and  so 
forth,  5000  ; factors,  agents,  &sc.  on  the  coal  exchange, 
2500  ; 7500  in  all  in  London.  Making  the  grand  total 
in  the  north  country  and  London  departments  of  the 
trade,  45,500.  This  does  not  of  course  include  the  per- 
sons employed  in  the  outports  in  discharging  the  ships.” 

The  trade,  however  important  in  itself,  is  much  more 
so  in  its  relation  to  others ; on  it  the  others  in  a great 
degree  depend.  It  enables  us  to  explain  the  rapid  and 
extraordinary  rise  of  many  populous  towns,  such  as 
Manchester,  Glasgow,  Birmingham  and  Leeds  ; it  accounts 
for  the  commercial  greatness  of  Britain,  to  which  nothing 
analogous  can  be  found  in  ancient  or  in  modern  times. 
If  the  immense  power  which  the  genius  of  man  has 
derived  from  this  substance  be  considered,  it  need  not 
excite  surprise  that  the  products  of  British  industry  have 
been  multiplied  almost  to  infinity.  What  has  actually 
happened,  may  therefore  be  easily  inferred  ; the  different 
eras  that  mark  the  progress  of  this  trade,  indicate  also  cor- 
responding advances  in  the  arts  and  civilization. 

The  other  places  from  which  coal  is  obtained,  may 
now  be  briefly  mentioned.  Other  coal  districts  are  situ- 
ated in  the  Great  Northern  division,  or  in  the  country 
north  of  the  Trent  : of  these  some  are  little  inferior  to 
the  one  that  has  been  described.  The  detached  basins 
or  seams  in  the  north  of  Yorkshire  are  too  insignificant 
both  in  extent  and  thickness  to  require  any  particular 
notice  ; but  it  is  otherwise  with  the  field  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  same  county.  The  great  Yorkshire  and 
Derbyshire  coal-field  agrees  so  closely  with  that  of 
Northumberland  in  the  direction,  inclination  and  charac- 
ter of  its  strata,  that  it  has  been  considered  a re-emer- 
gence  of  the  same  beds  from  the  magnesian  limestone, 
which  conceals  them  through  the  long  intermediate 
space.®  The  area  which  it  occupies  may  be  compared 
to  a triangle  with  a truncated  apex.  The  northern 
extremity  forms  the  base  or  broadest  part,  while  the 
apex  or  narrowest  is  situated  in  the  opposite  direction. 
The  greatest  length  from  north  to  south,  between  Leeds 
in  Yorkshire  and  Nottingham,  is  more  than  sixty  miles  ; 
the  greatest  breadth,  which  is  equal  to  twenty-two,  is  situ- 
ated in  Yorkshire.  Like  the  strata  of  the  Northumberland 
coal-field,  they  range  from  north  to  south,  dip  to  the  east, 
where  they  sink  beneath  the  magnesian  limestone,  and 
rise  towards  the  west  and  north-west,  where  the  lowest 
measures  at  length  crop  out  against  the  millstone-grit 
rocks,  that  form  the  higher  ridges  of  the  Penine  chain. 

Indications  of  coal  have  been  discovered  on  the  south 
of  the  Penine  chain,  between  Ashborne  and  Derby,  con- 
sequently on  the  north  of  the  Trent.  Turning  from  the 
southern  to  the  western  side  of  the  same  chain,  two  coal- 
fields may  be  observed,  those  of  Cheadle  and  Newcastle 
under  Lyne.  The  latter,  or,  as  it  is  generally  called,  the 
Pottery  coal-field,  forms  a triangular  area,  of  which  the 
sides  are  each  nearly  equal  to  ten  miles,  and  the  base  to 
seven.  The  number  of  beds,  it  has  been  ascertained, 
amounts  to  thirty-two,  while  their  thickness  varies  from 

c Geology  of  England  and  Wales,  Part  1.  page  378. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


BOOK  CLIII.] 

three  to  ten  feet.  Mole-Copt  hill  may  be  considered 
the  vertex  of  the  triangle,  the  sides  of  which  diverge 
toward  the  south-south-east  and  south-south-west.  Much 
more  important  than  the  last  is  the  coal-field  of  Manches- 
ter or  South  Lancashire,  which  commences  in  the  north- 
western part  of  Derbyshire,  and  extends  to  the  south- 
western part  of  Lancashire,  forming  a crescent,  of  which 
the  opposite  horns  are  at  least  forty  miles  from  each 
other,  and  almost  at  an  equal  distance  between  them  is 
situated  the  town  of  Manchester.  The  Derbyshire  part 
of  the  field  has  been  described  by  Mr.  Farey  in  his  nat- 
ural history  of  that  county ; it  may  be  regretted  that  his 
example  has  not  been  imitated,  or  that  no  accurate 
account  has  hitherto  been  published  of  the  Lancashire 
portion,  a fact  not  a little  surprising,  considering  the  zeal 
of  English  geologists.  But  the  same  may  be  said  of 
another  and  a smaller  field,  occupying  probably  a detach- 
ed basin  in  the  northern  extremity  of  the  same  county, 
between  Lancaster  and  Ingleton. 

The  transition  group  of  the  Cumbrian  mountains,  says 
Mr.  Conybeare,  protrudes  like  an  immense  excrescence 
from  the  side  of  the  Penine  chain,  and  the  formations  of 
which  it  consists  are  thus  forced  to  make  a long  detour,  as 
the  layers  of  wood  are  seen  to  do  in  surrounding  a knot. 
The  coal  measures  might  be  found  on  the  soutli  of  this 
circle,  were  it  not  for  the  indentation  formed  by  More- 
cambeBay  ; they  extend,  however,  on  the  western  coast 
from  Egremont,  on  the  south  of  Whitehaven,  to  Hesket, 
and  onwards  at  irregular  distances  to  the  vicinity  of  Or- 
ton ; in  other  words,  they  may  be  traced  through  the 
northern  semi-circle  or  boundary  of  the  transition  group. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Townsend  makes  the  following  remarks 
concerning  the  coal  of  Cumberland  : “ Collieries  pro- 
ceed along  the  coast  by  Cockermouth  to  Maryport,  form- 
ing a district  of  about  one  hundred  square  miles,  in  which 
three  coal-fields  are  particularly  noticed.  First,  Howgill, 
west  of  Whitehaven,  two  miles  and  a half  wide  from  the 
rivulet  called  Pow  on  the  eastern  side,  to  more  than  one 
thousand  yards  under  the  sea.  In  this  field,  seven  beds 
have  been  worked.  Second,  Whingill,  north-east  of 
Whitehaven  ; it  extends  3000  yards  in  length  by  2800 
in  width.  In  the  depth  of  165  fathoms,  they  work  seven 
large  beds,  and  eighteen  thin  ones  have  been  observed. 
Third,  Besides  these,  a more  extensive  coal-field  has 
been  discovered  on  the  south  and  south-west  of  White- 
haven, which  is  yet  unexplored. ”a 

All  the  coal-fields  of  any  importance  in  the  Great 
Northern  district,  have  now  been  enumerated  ; they  may 
be  considered,  not  only  in  their  relation  to  the  physical 
geography  of  the  country,  but  also  as  having  an  influence 
on  the  destinies  of  the  inhabitants,  accounting  for  the 
nature  of  their  occupations,  the  diffusion  of  wealth,  and 
the  greatness  of  the  population  in  comparison  of  the 
surface. 

Three  coal-fields  are  situated  in  the  Central  district, 
namely,  one  on  the  confines  of  Leicestershire  and  Staf- 
fordshire, another  in  Warwickshire,  and  a third  in  South 
Staffordshire.  The  first  of  these  has  obtained  its  name 
from  the  town  of  Ashby  de  la  Zouch,  around  which  it 
forms  an  irregular  oval,  equal  in  length  to  ten  miles,  and 


3 Vindication  of  the  character  of  Moses  as  an  historian. 
b Geology  of  England  and  Wales.  [The  Bedworth  works  are  upon 
the  same  beds,  but  here  the  first  and  second  coal-seams  of  Griff  run 


485 

to  nearly  eight  at  its  greatest  breadth.  But  the  coal 
formations  within  this  boundary  are  much  broken,  and  it 
is  uncertain  whether  they  occupy  two  detached  basins, 
or  belong  to  one  common  field.  The  second  or  the  War- 
wickshire field  extends  to  the  distance  of  sixteen  miles 
from  south-east  to  north-west,  from  Wicken,  about  three 
miles  east  from  Coventry,  to  Wareston,  about  five  miles 
to  the  east  of  Tamworth.  The  average  breadth  of  the 
tract  exceeds  three  miles.  The  principal  works  are  at 
Griff  and  Bedworth,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  field. 
In  the  former  place  four  beds  of  coal  are  worked  ; the 
depth  of  the  first  is  about  117  yards,  and  the  principal 
seam  is  three  yards  in  thickness.  The  Bedworth  works 
are  on  the  same  strata,  but  the  first  and  second  run  to- 
gether, and  form  a seam  of  five  yards. b 

The  Dudley  or  South  Staffordshire  field  is  more  ex- 
tensive than  either  of  the  former,  being  about  twenty 
miles  in  length,  and  about  four  at  its  greatest  breadth. 
The  area  has  been  ascertained  by  measurement  to  be 
equal  to  sixty  square  miles.  It  may  be  divided  into  two 
portions,  of  which  the  northern  stretches  from  Cannock 
Chase  to  Bilston,  and  the  southern  from  the  last  place 
to  the  neigbourhood  of  Stourbridge.  It  may  be  mention- 
ed that  a bed  of  remarkable  thickness,  not  less  than  thirty 
feet,  is  worked  in  this  field.  As  this  part  of  the  country 
is  inconveniently  situated  for  conveying  coals  to  a great 
distance,  the  produce  is  sold  at  a cheap  rate,  and  much 
of  it  is  never  carried  from  the  works.  It  is  well  known 
that  coals  are  cheaper  in  Birmingham  than  in  any  other 
part  of  England,  and  that  circumstance  accounts  suffi- 
ciently for  the  rise  of  the  town.  There  is  reason  to 
believe  that  little  more  than  a third  part  of  the  coal  ob- 
tained from  the  mines  is  actually  sold,  while  the  rest  or 
the  smaller  fragments  become  useless  by  exposure  to  the 
air.  All  the  neighbouring  counties  are  now  supplied 
with  coal  by  means  of  the  canals  that  communicate  with 
Birmingham,  and  an  immense  quantity  is  necessary  for 
the  numerous  iron  works  in  the  vicinity. 

It  may  be  observed  that  the  North  Welsh  coal-fields0 
have  been  less  accurately  examined  than  most  others  in 
England.  A valley  nearly  parallel  to  the  Menai  Straits, 
and  about  six  miles  distant  from  it,  traverses  the  Isle  of 
Anglesea.  It  is  bounded  on  both  sides  by  carboniferous 
limestone,  and  coal,  which  has  been  found  in  the  depres- 
sions, is  worked  near  the  Maltraeth  estuary,  while  the 
same  substance  extends  probably  along  the  whole  line. 
The  coal  measures  in  Flintshire  are  supposed  to  extend 
nearly  thirty  miles  from  Llanassa,d  near  the  western  cape 
of  the  Dee,  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Oswestry  in  Shrop- 
shire. The  plain  of  Shrewsbury  is  in  most  places  cov- 
ered with  strata  of  the  newer  red  sandstone,  but  several 
broken  patches  of  coal  are  scattered  over  it ; they  are 
besides  found  in  the  intervals  between  the  transition 
chains  by  which  the  same  plain  is  indented.  The  Coal- 
brook-dale  field  extends  from  Wombridge  to  Coal-port 
on  the  Severn.  The  length  of  the  tract  is  equal  to  six 
miles,  while  the  greatest  breadth  does  not  exceed  two. 
Some  of  the  beds  are  very  sulphureous,  and  on  account 
of  the  fetid  odour  which  they  emit,  they  are  only  used 
for  burning  lime.  Brown  Clee  Hill  and  Titterstone  Clee 

together,  and  constitute  one  five-yard  seam.  Conybeare  and  Phillips 
Geology,  Part  I.  p.  407. — P.] 
c North-western  district. 
i Llan  Asaph  (St.  Asaph’s  Church.) — P. 


486 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL.III. 


Hill,  two  of  the  loftiest  heights  in  Shropshire,  are  situ- 
ated a few  miles  to  the  south  of  Coalbrook-dale.  The 
summits  are  covered  with  overlying  masses  of  basalt, 
but  the  coal  is  worked  about  midway  from  the  base  ; in 
the  first,  the  coal  is  observed  in  thin  strata,  but  in  the  other, 
the  principal  stratum  is  upwards  of  six  feet  in  thickness. 
The  most  valuable  field,  or  that  of  Cornbrook,®  is  about 
a mile  long  by  a quarter  broad.  The  Billingsley  tract  on 
the  east  of  the  Clee  hills,  stretches  from  Deuse  hill  on 
the  north,  to  the  borders  of  Shropshire  and  Worcester- 
shire on  the  south,  a length  of  eight  miles  ; but  it  is 
doubtful  whether  it  consists  of  one  continuous  field  or 
several  small  ones.  Two  small  fields  are  situated  near 
the  base  of  the  Aberley  hills,  the  one  at  Pensex,  the 
other  at  the  distance  of  three  miles  to  the  west  of  it ; 
their  geological  relations  have  not  been  examined.15 

Another  coal  country  may  now  be  mentioned ; it  has 
been  called  the  South-western  district,  and  it  compre- 
hends the  South  Welsh  basin,  that  of  the  Forest  of  Dean, 
and  that  of  South  Gloucestershire  and  Somersetshire. 
These  basins  are  connected  with  each  other  by  contigu- 
ity of  position,  and  geologically  by  a common  base  and 
the  general  analogies  of  their  structure.  The  strata  near 
the  edges  of  the  basins  are  often  very  highly  inclined, 
but  nearer  the  centre  a great  portion  of  them  is  concealed 
by  horizontal  deposits  of  more  recent  formation,  such 
as  calcareo-magnesian  conglomerate,  new  red  sandstone, 
red  marie  and  lias.  Thus,  in  many  instances  in  Somer- 
setshire, the  shafts  are  begun  in  lias,  and  sunk  completely 
through  the  newer  sandstone  to  the  coal  measures  ; 
some  of  them,  indeed,  have  been  sunk  to  the  great  depth 
of  two  hundred  fathoms.0 

The  great  coal-field  of  South  Wales  extends  from 
Polity  pool  on  the  east,  to  St.  Bride’s  Bay  on  the  west. 
The  lowest  beds  of  coal  are  about  seven  hundred  fathoms 
beneath  the  highest  elevations  in  the  district,  but  from 
this  circumstance,  the  miner  is  rot  put  to  much  incon- 
venience, for  the  country  is  intersected  by  deep  vallies, 
which  extend  generally  from  north  to  south.  It  appears, 
from  a survey  of  the  district,  that  there  are  twelve  beds 
of  coal  from  three  to  nine  feet  thick,  together  seventy  feet 
and  a half,  and  eleven  others  from  eighteen  inches  to 
three  feet,  together  twenty-four  feet  and  a quarter;  in  all 
nearly  ninety-five  feet.  The  extent  of  surface  is  not 
less  than  one  hundred  square  miles,  and  according  to  the 
common  method  of  working,  every  square  acre  may  yield 
100,000  tons,  or  every  square  mile,  64,000,000  tons  of 
coal.  Different  sorts  of  coal  are  obtained  in  different  parts 
of  the  district ; on  the  north-east,  it  resembles  coke  ; what 
is  termed  stone  coal  is  more  common  on  the  north-west ; 
the  larger  sort  is  used  for  drying  malt  and  hops,  and 
the  smaller  or  culm,  as  it  is  termed,  for  burning  lime- 
stone ; on  the  south  side,  it  is  mostly  of  a bituminous 
quality. 

The  Forest  of  Dean  coal  is  contained  in  an  elliptical 
basin,  of  which  the  superficial  extent  is  nearly  equal  to 
forty  square  miles.  There  are  not  fewer  than  seventeen 
strata,  but  the  total  thickness  of  coal  does  not  exceed 
thirty-seven  feet. 

The  last  coal  basin  that  shall  be  mentioned,  is  that  of 
South  Gloucestershire  and  Somersetshire  ; it  stretches 

* On  the  Titterstone  Clee  Hill  there  are  six  different  coal-fields,  of 
which  the  Cornbrook  coal-field  is  the  most  extensive  and  valuable.  It 
is  about  a mile  long,  and  half  a mile  broad.  (Conybeare  and  Phillips, 
p.  423.)— P. 


from  Iron  Acton  on  the  north,  to  the  foot  of  theMendip 
Hills  on  the  south,  a distance  of  twenty-five  miles  ; its 
breadth  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Bath  on  the  east,  to 
that  of  Bristol  on  the  west,  is  about  eleven  miles,  and 
this  last  line  is  marked  by  the  course  of  the  river  Avon, 
which  divides  the  basin  into  two  nearly  equal  parts.  In  this 
tract  there  are  several  extensive  faults,  some  of  which 
elevate  the  strata  more  than  one  hundred  feet ; in  the 
greater  portion  of  it,  also,  the  coal  measures  are  conceal- 
ed by  more  recent  deposits  ; the  labour  of  working  them 
is  thus  greatly  increased,  but  the  difficulty  has  been  sur- 
mounted by  British  industry. 

All  the  coal  districts  of  any  importance  in  England, 
have  now  been  enumerated ; it  was  thought  necessary 
to  describe  them  minutely,  not  because  this  substance 
forms  a distinguishing  feature  in  the  physical  geography 
of  the  country,  but  an  important  element  of  its  wealth, 
the  ingenuity  of  man  rendering  it  subservient  to  his  pur- 
poses, and  thus  increasing  his  power.  It  places  the  mar- 
iner beyond  the  control  of  the  winds,  while  it  renders  the 
land  traveller  no  longer  dependent  on  animal  force,  and 
enables  him  to  proceed  with  a velocity  which,  in  the  last 
age,  might  have  been  deemed  impossible,  so  little  are  in- 
ventions or  improvements  contemplated  by  the  genera- 
tion that  immediately  precedes  them. 

Iron  and  lead,  the  most  useful  of  the  metals,  are  found 
in  the  coal  districts  ; we  shall  afterwards  have  occasion  to 
allude  to  them  more  fully  ; at  present  it  may  be  remarked 
that  other  metals  of  great  utility,  such  as  copper  and  tin, 
are  the  products  of  transition  or  primitive  districts.  On 
account  of  these  metals,  Cormvall  has  been  long  famous  ; 
at  an  early  period  the  Phoenicians  repaired  to  this  part 
of  England,  and  traded  with  the  inhabitants  ; in  a later 
age  the  Cornish  mines  were  deemed  of  so  much  impor- 
tance that  the  stannary  courts  for  essaying  and  stamping 
the  metals,  the  produce  of  these  mines,  were  established 
in  different  towns.  In  several  parts  of  Cornwall,  allur 
vial  deposits  of  tin  are  found  in  vallies  and  low  grounds  ; 
they  are  worked  or  separated  from  the  earthly  matter  by 
passing  a stream  of  water  over  them  ; with  this  exception, 
copper  and  tin  are  not  found  in  strata  or  beds  in  Corn- 
wall. The  veins  in  which  they  occur,  extend  generally 
from  east  to  west;  their  deviation  from  that  direction, or 
their  inclination  to  the  north  or  south  in  some  parts  of  their 
course,  is  termed  by  the  miners  the  underlie  of  the  load. 
What  might  be  naturally  expected  when  two  veins  un- 
derlie each  other  in  opposite  directions,  and  meet  under 
ground,  does  not  often  happen,  for  in  many  instances 
they  are  rich,  when  separate,  and  poor,  beyond  their 
junction.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  two  veins  underlie  each 
other  in  the  same  or  nearly  the  same  direction,  and  the 
one  overtakes  the  other,  they  seem  mutually  to  enrich 
each  other.d 

No  precise  information  has  been  obtained  concerning 
the  length  or  depth  of  the  veins.  The  most  productive, 
it  is  known,  extend  to  a greater  distance  than  three  or 
four  miles ; it  has  been  supposed  indeed  that  they  ex- 
tend the  whole  length  of  the  county,  but  such  an  opin- 
ion is  merely  conjectural,  as  there  is  every  reason  to 
believe  that  no  miner  ever  observed  the  termination  of 
a vein  either  on  the  east  or  the  west.  The  same  may 

b Tracts  on  Natural  History  by  Dr.  Townson. 

c Dr.  Townson's  Tracts,  &c. 

d Transactions  of  the  Geological  Society,  volume 4th.  Mr.  Phillips 
on  the  veins  of  Cornwall. 


BOOK  CL.III.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


487 


be  said  of  their  depth,  for  no  instance  has  occurred  in 
which  the  miners  have  reached  the  lowest  part  of  the 
vein  ; before  that  happens,  the  works  are  abandoned 
either  on  account  of  their  poverty,  or  because  the  ex- 
pense of  continuing  them  is  not  likely  to  be  indemnified 
by  the  produce.  The  mine  of  Dolcoath  is  said  to  be 
the  deepest  in  Cornwall,  and  the  works  are  carried  on 
at  the  depth  of  228  fathoms. 

As  to  the  breadth  of  the  veins,  they  vary  from  one  to 
thirty  feet,  but  the  widest  are  not  considered  the  most 
productive  ; on  the  contrary,  one  of  two  or  three  feet  is 
preferred,  as  the  ore  is  found  to  be  mixed  in  less  propor- 
tion with  foreign  ingredients.  A hundred  and  twenty 
mines  were  worked  a few  years  ago  in  Cornwall,  and  the 
net  annual  produce  of  the  copper  mines  alone  amounts  in 
value  to  nearly  £400,000.a  A century  ago  the  English 
imported  the  same  metal  from  Germany  and  Sweden  ; 
it  is  now  exported  from  England  to  every  quarter  of  the 
globe. 

The  manner  in  which  the  works  are  managed,  and  the 
prospect  of  gain  held  out  to  individuals,  are  probably  the 
chief  causes  of  so  great  a change.  In  other  parts  of  Eu- 
rope, works  of  the  same  sort  are  under  the  control  of  the 
different  governments,  and  a portion  of  the  public  revenue 
is  set  apart  for  such  purposes,  or  grants  and  immunities 
are  established  in  their  favour;  lastly,  officers  educated 
to  the  profession  of  mining  are  appointed  by  the  state  to 
superintend  the  mines.  But  in  England  the  method  is 
different ; all  that  government  does  is  to  respect  and 
secure  private  property  ; the  rest  is  left  to  individual  inge- 
nuity and  enterprise. 

It  might  be  shown,  were  it  at  all  necessary,  that  indi- 
viduals are  better  qualified  than  governments  to  estimate 
the  profits  likely  to  arise  from  such  undertakings.  But 
while  it  is  not  doubtful  that  the  English  method  is  the  best, 
the  defects  that  arise  from  the  habits  and  ignorance  of 
the  miners,  may  be  mentioned  with  regret.  No  class  of 
men  are  more  expert  than  the  Cornish  miners  in  discov- 
ering veins,  a branch  of  their  profession,  in  which  skill 
is  the  result  of  long  experience  and  repeated  trials.  It 
may  not  perhaps  be  readily  believed  that  all  of  them, 
even  the  directors  of  the  works,  or  the  captains  as  they 
are  provincially  styled,  are  ignorant  of  chemistry  and 
geology,  two  sciences,  of  which  some  knowledge  at  least 
is  of  the  highest  use  in  their  art.  Much  loss  and  waste 
which  might  have  been  otherwise  prevented,  must  be 
attributed  to  the  above  cause.  It  is  not  more  than  a 
century  since  the  copper  ore  was  discovered  beneath  the 
tin,  and  within  that  period,  whatever  was  not  tin  was  con- 
sidered of  no  value.  It  is  well  known  that  many  roads 
in  the  county  have  been  mended  with  copper  ore.  Co- 
balt has  been  thrown  away  by  the  miners  on  the  heaps 
at  Dolcoath  mine,  and  bismuth  has  been  mistaken  for 
cobalt  in  the  works  at  Huel-Sparnon.  The  native  silver 
in  Herland  might  have  remained  concealed,  had  not  the 
vibrations  of  some  filaments  attracted  the  attention  of  a 
workman  ; before  that  time  the  ore  containing  the  pre- 
cious metal  was  thrown  away  as  useless.1* * 


a Taylor  on  the  Economy  of  the  Mines  of  Cornwall  and  Devon. 
Geological  Transactions,  volume  4th. 

b Phillips  on  the  veins  of  Cornwall.  Geological  Transactions,  vol- 
ume 4th. 

c “ Whether  tin  doth  grow  again,  and  fill  up  places  which  ha  ve  been 
formerly  wrought  away,  or  whether  it  only  separateth  itself  from  the 
consumed  offal,  hath  been  much  controverted,  and  is  not  to  this  day 


Some  improvement,  however,  has  taken  place  of  late 
years,  and  some  good  has  been  effected  by  mechanics’ 
institutions ; still  it  might  be  of  advantage  to  establish 
schools  in  the  most  convenient  places,  that  the  miners 
may  attain  a competent  knowledge  of  their  art.  The 
laudable  desire  of  diffusing  knowledge  among  the  lower 
orders  might  thus  be  gratified,  and  the  mines  might  be 
worked  with  much  greater  profit.  It  is  certain  that  the 
workmen  still  make  use  of  the  divining  rod,  and  still 
believe  in  the  reproduction  of  metals.®  But  the  Cornish 
miners  are  patient  and  laborious  ; they  brave  great  dan- 
gers for  a very  trifling  profit.  It  is  customary  for  a work- 
man to  walk  two  or  three  miles  in  the  middle  of  the 
night,  and  in  the  worst  weather ; having  reached  the 
mine,  he  throws  off  his  dress,  and  puts  on  his  underground 
clothes,  slings  his  tools  over  his  shoulder,  and  descends 
by  ladders  with  the  light  of  a small  candle,  a depth  of  a 
thousand  or  twelve  hundred  feet.  The  same  person 
works  six  or  eight  hours  amidst  the  noise  of  pumps  and 
steam-engines,  with  as  much  alacrity  and  as  little  con- 
sciousness of  danger,  as  if  he  were  engaged  in  his  ordi- 
nary occupations  above  ground. d “ The  mine  of  Huel- 
Cock,”  says  Mr.  Pryce,  “ is  wrought  eighty  fathoms  in 
length  under  the  sea,  below  low-water  mark  ; and  the 
sea  in  some  places,  is  only  three  fathoms  over  the 
back  of  the  works,  so  that  the  men  underneath  hear  the 
break,  flux,  ebb  and  reflux  of  the  waves,  which  having 
had  the  run  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean  for  many  hundred 
leagues,  are  consequently  impetuous  and  boisterous.  They 
also  hear  the  rumbling  noise  of  every  nodule  and  fragment 
of  rock,  continually  rolling  on  the  submarine  stratum,  and 
producing  a kind  of  thundering  noise,  which  is  not  heard 
without  dread  by  a stranger.  Add  to  this,  that  several 
parts  of  the  vein,  which  are  richer  than  others,  have 
been  very  indiscreetly  hulked  and  worked  within  four 
feet  of  the  sea ; whereby  m violent  stormy  weather,  the 
noise  has  been  so  tremendous  that  the  workmen  have 
often  fled  from  their  labour,  fearing  that  the  sea  was 
about  to  break  in  on  them.”6 

Such  is  their  occupation,  and  although  they  are  not 
better  paid  than  men  engaged  in  other  sorts  of  labour, 
attended  with  less  danger  and  less  toil,  comparatively 
few  of  them  change  their  calling,  or  seek  elsewhere  the 
means  of  subsistence. 

To  describe  minutely  the  mineral  kingdom  in  Eng 
land  is  not  the  design  of  the  present  work  ; the  most 
valuable  substances  have  now  been  mentioned,  and  in 
the  remarks  on  the  different  counties,  occasion  shall  be 
taken  to  notice  the  most  remarkable  of  their  mineral 
products. 

If  a line  be  drawn  from  the  coast  of  Berwickshire  to 
Liverpool,  and  through  Montgomery  in  North  Wales,  to 
Ludlow,  then  east  of  Hereford,  and  onwards  to  Teign- 
mouth  on  the  coast  of  Devon,  on  the  west  of  it  are  the 
mountainous  tracts  of  Cormvall  and  Devonshire,  Wales, 
Cumberland  and  Westmoreland;  it  may  serve  also  as  a 
boundary  between  the  primitive  and  transition  rocks  that 
extend  towards  the  west,  and  the  more  regularly  stratified 

decided.  And  whether  dead  lodes  that  have  not  one  grain  of  tin  in  them, 
may  not  hereafter  be  impregnated,  matured  and  prove  a future  supply 
to  the  country  when  the  present  lodes  are  exhausted,  I think  well  de- 
serves our  highest  consideration.”  Notes  to  Carew’s  Survey  of  Corn 
wall  by  Tomkin,  edited  by  Lord  de  Dunstanville,  1811. 

d Phillips  on  the  veins  of  Cornwall. 

• Mineralogia  Cornubiensis. 


488 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIH. 


and  newer  deposits  on  the  east.  If  another  line  be  ex- 
tended northwards,  fiom  Exmouth,  through  Taunton,  to 
Tewkesbury,  and  thence  with  a moderate  curvature  to 
the  east,  through  Stratford  upon  Avon,  Leicester,  east  of 
Nottingham, Newark, Gainsborough  and  York,  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Tees,  it  will  also  divide  the  island  into  two  portions, 
of  which  the  western  includes,  besides  the  mountainous  re- 
gions already  mentioned,  the  remaining  metaliferous  tract, 
and  all  the  coal  districts,  that  on  the  east  consisting  entire- 
ly of  the  more  recent  stratified  rocks  ; a division  which, 
it  has  been  remarked,  is  attended  with  a corresponding 
difference  in  the  occupations  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  two 
portions,  and  forms  a sort  of  natural  boundary  between 
the  agricultural  and  manufacturing  population.® 

The  science  of  geology  has  been  cultivated  with  much 
success  in  England,  and  many  persons,  whose  only  ob- 
iect  is  to  gratify  a desire  of  knowledge,  have  bestowed 
on  it  their  time  and  their  labour.  If  Mr.  Smith  had  con- 
cealed his  discoveries,  he  might  have  reaped  a golden 
harvest,  but  he  took  every  opportunity  of  proclaiming 
them,  thinking  it  best  for  the  interests  of  science,  and  the 
welfare  of  his  country.  The  practical  advantages  result- 
ing from  the  labours  of  such  men  might  be  appreciated, 
were  it  possible  to  ascertain  the  sums  that  have  been  lost, 
or  may  still  be  lost,  in  speculations,  of  which  the  failure 
may  be  predicted  with  certainty.  It  is  not  long  since 
£80,000  were  expended  in  seeking  for  coal  at  Bexhill 
in  Sussex,  although  the  sand  of  that  placeb  is  separated 
by  so  great  a depth  from  the  coal  series,  as  to  render 
abortive  every  attempt  to  pass  through  the  intermediate 
strata.6  Mr.  Townsend  informs  us,  that  a pit  was  sunk 
for  coal  to  the  depth  of  six  hundred  fathoms,  at  Bruham 
near  the  chalk  hills  of  Bradley-Nole,  and  that  the  miners 
reached  only  to  the  uppermost  beds  of  the  great  oolite. d 
The  history  of  mining  operations  in  England  abounds 
with  such  examples.  It  may  be  mentioned,  on  the  au- 
thority of  the  last  writer,  that  the  commissioners  of  the 
Bath  roads  sent  ten  miles  for  flints,  while  their  waggons 
actually  passed,  without  their  knowing  it,  over  a bed  of 
flints  for  the  greater  part  of  the  way,  which  was  concealed 
by  the  sand  that  covers  the  surface.  The  stone  of  which 
the  Bath  cathedral  is  built,  was  conveyed  from  the  dis- 
tance of  four  miles  ; it  was  not  then  known  that  the  same 
stone  might  be  obtained  in  the  immediate  vicinity ; 
quarries  have  since  been  opened.  If  errors  of  a like 
nature  are  now  less  frequently  committed,  if  pits  are  not 
so  often  sunk  in  vain,  it  is  because  practical  men  have 
availed  themselves  of  the  discoveries  of  geologists,  or  in 
other  words,  have  become  better  acquainted  with  the 
geological  position  of  the  different  strata. 

The  animal  kingdom  in  England  differs  little  from 
that  of  other  countries  between  nearly  corresponding 
parallels  ; it  is  unnecessary,  therefore,  to  enumerate  the 
species  that  compose  it.  It  may  be  remarked  that  the 
wolf  and  the  wild  boar,  formerly  not  unknown  in  Eng- 
land, have  long  since  been  extirpated.  It  is  not  easy, 
however,  to  obtain  any  accurate  information  concerning 
(lie  precise  period  in  which  these  animals  were  destroyed. 

a Introduction  to  the  Geology  of  England  and  Wales  Smith’s 
Geological  Map. 

b Iron  sand. — This  formation  often  contains,  (especially  in  Bedford- 
shire, Dorsetshire,  and  near  Hastings,)  a considerable  quantity  of  fos- 
sil wood,  and  even  regular  beds  of  wood  coal.  The  sands  alternating 
with  these  beds  also  much  resemble,  in  some  places,  those  occurring  in 
the  great  coal  formation.  These  circumstances  have  led  to  expen- 


It  is  known  that  Edgar,  who  reigned  in  the  early 
part  of  the  tenth  century,  employed  many  persons  in 
hunting  wolves,  and  so  great  was  their  diligence,  that 
these  ravenous  animals  were  driven  or  fled  for  refuge  to 
the  mountains  and  forests  of  Wales.  Athelstan,  the 
predecessor  of  the  same  prince,  imposed  a tribute  on  the 
Welsh,  from  which  they  were  exonerated  by  Edgar,  on 
condition  of  rendering  him  every  year  three  hundred 
wolves’  heads.  The  latter  tax,  it  is  added,  was  punctu- 
ally paid.  It  appears,  from  the  laws  of  Hoel-Dha,e  the 
Welsh  legislator,  that  his  grand  huntsman  was  permitted 
to  chase  the  wild  boar  from  the  middle  of  November  to 
the  beginning  of  December.  The  same  animal,  it  is 
likely,  existed  in  England  after  the  reign  of  William  the 
Conqueror ; but  in  his  time  it  was  by  no  means  common, 
and  those  who  killed  a wild  boar  within  the  royal  forests, 
were  punished  with  the  loss  of  their  eyes. 

The  stag  in  its  natural  state  is  very  rare  in  England, 
still  a few  of  them  are  found  on  the  borders  of  Cornwall. 
In  most  countries,  the  colour  of  the  stag  is  yellow,  but 
in  England,  it  is  of  a dusky  red.  Of  the  fallow  deer  that 
are  seen  in  the  parks  of  the  landed  proprietors,  there  are 
two  sorts  ; the  one  of  a fine  dappled  colour  was  originally 
brought  from  India ; the  other  of  a dark  brown  was  im- 
ported from  Norway  by  James  the  First. 

The  hills,  the  woods,  and  the  valleys,  abound  with  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  game,  of  which  the  most  common  perhaps 
are  the  hare,  the  partridge,  and  the  pheasant.  The  red 
variety  of  the  partridge  is  by  no  means  scarce  in  Suffolk 
and  other  counties,  but  the  pheasant  can  hardly  be  said 
to  exist  in  a wild  state  ; some,  it  is  true,  are  bred  in 
the  woods  of  Norfolk,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, but  the  greater  number  are  brought  up  in  confine- 
ment ; the  eggs  are  hatched  under  domestic  fowls,  and 
the  young  at  a certain  age  are  set  at  liberty.  The  red 
grouse  is  observed  on  the  hilly  and  barren  tracts  in  the 
north  of  England,  but  they  are  not  so  common  as  in 
many  parts  of  Scotland.  The  black  cock  is  found  in 
Wales,  and  also  in  different  parts  of  the  New  Forest,  in 
Hampshire,  where  it  is  preserved  as  royal  game.  The 
ptarmigan  has  been  occasionally  seen  on  the  lofty  hills  of 
Wales  and  Cumberland.  The  bustard,  although  very 
scarce,  exists  still  in  different  parts  of  England,  as  in  the 
open  country  near  Dorchester,  on  Salisbury  plain,  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Newmarket,  and  in  the  Wolds  of 
Yorkshire.  The  wild  duck  is  nowhere  more  common 
than  in  the  fens  of  Lincolnshire. 

The  turtle  dove  arrives  late  in  the  spring,  and  departs 
about  the  end  of  August  ; they  appear  in  greater  num- 
bers in  Kent  than  in  any  other  county.  The  nightingale, 
the  finest  of  the  British  songsters,  visits  England  in 
April,  and  leaves  it  in  August;  it  is  rare  in  Yorkshire, 
and  is  not  heard  in  the  more  northern  counties.  The 
woodcocks  begin  to  appear  in  October,  but  the  greater 
number  do  not  arrive  before  November  or  December  ; 
they  return  about  the  middle  of  March  ; coming  down 
to  the  sea  coast  when  the  wind  is  favourable,  they  then 
repair  to  their  breeding  places.  It  has  been  observed 

sive  but  abortive  attempts  to  procure  this  combustible  from  these 
beds  near  Bexhill  in  Sussex.  (Conybeare  and  Phillips’  Geol. 
England  and  Wales,  p.  137.) — Bexhill  is  near  the  coast,  to  the  west  of 
Hastings.— P. 

c Herschel’s  Discourse  on  Natural  Philosophy,  page  34,  Am.  Ed. 

d Townsend’s  Vindication  of  Moses,  &c  page  128. 

e Hoel  Dda  (Howel  the  Good.) — P 


BOOK  CLIII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


489 


that  the  woodcock  is  gradually  becoming  rare  in  Eng- 
land, and  the  cause  is  attributed  to  the  progress  of  culti- 
vation. The  starlings  appear  perhaps  in  denser  flocks 
than  any  of  the  other  birds  ; they  actually  darken  the  air 
in  the  fens  of  Lincolnshire,  and  break  down  the  reeds 
with  their  weight. 

Of  the  different  kinds  of  fish  that  frequent  the  English 
rivers,  the  salmon  is  the  most  valuable  ; although  it  is 
found  in  most  of  the  principal  streams,  it  is  more  plenti- 
ful in  the  Tweed,  the  border  river,  than  in  any  other. 
Other  kinds  are  obtained  in  great  abundance  on  the  coasts, 
and  the  different  fisheries  to  which  they  have  given  rise, 
form  an  important  branch  of  commerce. 

The  herring  fisheries  on  the  coasts  of  England,  are  less 
valuable  and  extensive  than  in  Scotland  ; they  are  taken, 
however,  on  many  parts  of  the  eastern  coast,  and 
principally  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Yarmouth  ; they 
are  also  found  on  the  western  coast,  but  not  in  so  great 
numbers. 

Many  of  the  herrings  are  exported,  but  the  produce  of 
the  mackerel  fisheries  is  confined  to  the  supply  of  the 
home  market ; they  are  taken  between  the  coasts  of  Nor- 
folk on  the  east  and  north,  and  those  of  Hampshire  on  the 
south  and  west.  Mackerel  are  not  so  plentiful  to  the 
north  of  Yarmouth,  and  they  are  neglected  westward  of 
Hampshire,  on  account  of  the  greater  importance  of  the 
pilchard  fishery.  London  is  the  great  market  for  mack- 
erel, and  it  is  calculated  that  some  millions  of  them  are 
sold  there  every  year. 

It  is  on  the  coasts  of  Dorsetshire,  Devonshire  and 
Cornwall,  particularly  the  last,  that  the  greater  number 
of  pilchards  are  taken.  These  fish  were  once  in  so  much 
request  in  the  Italian  states,  that  the  orders  to  Cornwall 
for  tin  and  copper  were  frequently  conditional,  or  it  was 
stipulated  that  if  so  many  pilchards  could  not  be  sent,  the 
other  articles  would  not  be  received.®  Dartmouth  and 
Falmouth  are  the  two  ports  in  which  the  trade  is  chiefly 
carried  on,  and  although  it  has  much  declined  of  late 
years,  there  are  not  fewer  than  three  hundred  pilchard 
vessels  of  every  kind  in  the  former  place,  and  a still 
greater  number  in  the  latter. 

Colchester,  Wells,  Faversham,  Milton,  the  Swales 
of  the  Medway,  Queenborough,  Rochester,  Sea  Salter, 
Poole,  Tenby  and  Port  Inon  are  the  principal  seats  of 
the  oyster  fisheries.  The  Colchester  oysters  are  held 
in  the  greatest  repute,  but  they  are  only  fattened  there  ; 
most  of  them  are  taken  between  Chichester  and  South- 
ampton. Poole  employs  about  forty  sloops  and  boats 
in  fishing  oysters,  and  supplies  the  London  market  two 
months  every  season,  in  which  time  the  receipts  are  sup- 
posed to  average  £8000  or  £10,000.  Two  hundred 
fishermen  and  five  or  six  sloops  are  employed  at  Port 
Inon  in  this  trade ; it  supplies  the  Bristol,  Bath  and 
Gloucester  markets.  The  other  fisheries  are  of  less  con- 
sequence ; they  consist  chiefly  of  turbot,  cod  and  lob- 
sters: the  most  important  turbot  fisheries  are  situated  on 
the  coasts  of  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Essex  and  different  parts 
of  the  English  Channel  ; on  the  other  hand,  the  greatest 
quantity  of  cod  and  lobsters  are  taken  on  the  north-east- 
ern coasts. 

It  might  be  shown  that  England  derives  considerable 
advantage  from  her  fisheries,  some  affording  a cheap 

1 Edinburgh  Encyclopedia,  art.  England — Fisheries. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  57  62 


and  wholesome  article  of  food  to  every  class  of  the  com- 
munity, others  ministering  to  the  luxuries  of  the  rich, 
and  all  of  them  furnishing  a hardy  race  of  men  to  the 
navy.  Few  countries  indeed  are  so  favourably  situated 
in  this  respect,  the  extent  of  the  coasts  being  very  great 
in  proportion  to  the  extent  of  surface,  and  the  numerous 
indentations,  creeks  and  inlets  affording  shelter  from 
every  wind. 

In  every  civilized  country,  the  fern b are  of  infinitely 
less  value  than  the  domestic  animals  : the  food  which 
the  latter  afford,  depends  not  on  the  contingencies  of  the 
chase  ; their  strength  is  employed  for  the  advantage  of 
man  ; their  multiplication  is  subject  to  his  control,  and 
is  regulated  by  his  wants  ; nay  more,  the  very  qualities 
for  which  they  are  most  valuable,  are  improved  by  his 
care.  It  is  long  since  the  superiority  of  the  English 
horse  has  been  admitted  ; certainly  neither  the  soil  nor 
the  climate  is  favourable  to  that  animal  in  its  wild  state, 
but  every  obstacle  has  been  overcome  by  the  inhabitants, 
and  their  coursers  are  equal  to  any  for  strength  and 
swiftness.  The  English  racer  has  been  improved  with 
the  best  blood  of  Arabia  ; the  remarkable  resemblance 
between  them  was  observed  by  Buffon,  w ho  thought  the 
principal  difference  consisted  in  the  greater  size  of  the 
English  horse.  The  latter  are  probably  fleeter,  but  it 
need  not  be  forgotten,  that  the  best  of  them  were  sprung 
from  Arabs.  The  English  themselves  believe  that  the 
breed  of  their  racers  is  apt  to  degenerate,  if  it  be  not 
crossed  at  certain  intervals  with  the  Asiatic.  The  pas- 
sion of  the  English  for  horse  racing  has  been  at  least  at- 
tended with  one  advantage,  that  of  improving  the  breed  ; 
in  the  qualities  of  the  racer,  the  hunter  and  the  car- 
riage-horse participate  ; the  excellence  of  the  one 
is  well  known,  and  the  rate  of  travelling  is  the  best 
proof  that  can  be  adduced  of  the  superiority  of  the 
other. 

The  English  draught  horses  are  held  in  great  and 
merited  repute  ; the  three  best  sorts  are  the  Cleveland 
hay,  the  Suffolk  punch,  and  the  Old  English  black  or 
Lincolnshire  cart  horse.  The  first  are  bred  in  many 
parts  of  Northumberland  and  Durham,  and  also  in  Cleve- 
land, a district  in  Yorkshire,  from  which,  as  wrell  as  from 
their  ordinary  colour,  they  derive  their  name.  If  not 
urged  beyond  their  ordinary  pace,  they  can  bear  a long 
continuance  of  fatigue  ; it  is  said  on  good  authority,  that 
many  of  them  have  travelled  with  heavy  loads  the  ex- 
traordinary distance  of  sixty  or  seventy  miles  within 
twTenty-four  hours,  not  once,  but  three  or  four  times  in 
a week.  No  animal,  it  is  added,  is  better  adapted  for 
farm  labour,  and  the  mares  are  the  best  species  of  stock 
for  the  double  purpose  of  work  and  breeding.0  The 
second  variety  is  admirably  adapted  for  the  light  and 
sandy  lands  in  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  where  they  are 
generally  used,  and  where,  it  is  said,  they  can  plough 
more  in  a given  time  than  other  horses  ; this,  if  correct, 
is  as  much  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  soil  as  to  any  ex- 
cellence in  the  breed.  The  black  cart  horse  is  common 
in  Leicestershire,  Northamptonshire,  Lincolnshire,  and 
some  of  the  neighbouring  counties.  It  is  remarkable  for 
its  size  and  strength,  but  not  for  its  activity  ; on  the 
contrary,  it  is  supposed  to  be  heavy  and  sluggish.  These 
horses  have  been  at  different  times  improved,  particularly 

b Wild  animals.  c Agricultural  Survey  of  Durham,  p.  257. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL  III. 


490 


by  the  late  Earl  of  Chesterfield,  who  sent  six  Zealand 
mares  to  England  during  his  embassy  at  the  Hague,  and 
at  a latter  period  by  the  celebrated  Mr.  Bakewell.  The 
properties  of  this  breed  are  exhibited  in  the  London  dray 
horse,  and  his  extreme  docility  is  not  the  least  valuable 
of  his  qualities.  The  other  sorts  are  inferior  to  the  three 
that  have  been  now  mentioned  ; they  are,  however,  suf- 
ficiently numerous;  indeed,  it  is  hardly  possible  to  travel 
through  England  without  observing  a difference  in  the 
draught  horses  of  different  counties. 

The  type  of  the  English  ox  is  said  to  be  preserved  at 
Chartley  Park  in  Derbyshire,®  and  at  Chillingham  Castle 
in  Northumberland,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Tankerville. 
These  animals  exist  still  in  a wild  state,  and  their  colour, 
shape  and  habits  are  very  different  from  those  of  the 
domestic  ox.  The  following  description  of  them  is  given 
by  Mr.  Bailey.  “ Their  colour  is  invariably  white,  muzzle 
black  ; the  whole  of  the  inside  of  the  ear,  and  about  one- 
third  of  the  outside  from  the  tip  downwards,  red  ; horns 
white  with  black  tips,  very  fine,  and  bent  upwards. 
Some  of  the  bulls  have  a thin  and  upright  mane  about 
an  inch  and  a half  or  two  inches  long.  The  weight  of 
the  oxen  is  from  thirty-five  to  forty-five  stone  of  fourteen 
pounds,  and  that  of  the  cows  from  twenty-five  to  thirty- 
five  the  four  quarters. ”b 

The  county  of  Devonshire  has  been  long  famous  for 
its  oxen,  and  it  has  been  asserted  by  some  writers  on 
agriculture,  that  they  are  directly  descended  from  the 
wild  race.  It  is  certain  that  they  are  well  calculated  for 
draught,  and  fatten  readily,  and  from  them  are  derived 
the  old  red  cattle  of  Gloucestershire,  and  the  Hereford- 
shire and  Sussex  breeds.  But  the  old  Gloucester  reds 
are  now  very  scarce  ; they  appear  to  have  been  a mixed 
breed,  from  the  Devonshire  and  Welsh  cattle.  The 
Herefordshire  cattle,  although  larger  than  the  Devon- 
shire, resemble  them  in  other  respects.  The  Sussex 
cattle  are  supposed  to  be  the  best  in  the  kingdom  for 
draught,  and  oxen  are  used  more  for  labour  in  Sussex 
than  in  other  parts  of  England. 

The  neck  of  land,  containing  Cumberland  and  Lanca- 
shire on  the  western,  and  Northumberland,  Durham  and 
Yorkshire,  on  the  eastern  coast,  is  considered  the  native 
country  of  the  long  and  short  horned  oxen.  It  was  on 
the  former  that  Mr.  Bakewell  made  his  experiments  for 
the  improvement  of  cattle,  from  which  there  resulted  the 
new  Leicester  variety,  believed  to  he  better  adapted  for 
the  grazier  than  any  other  in  the  kingdom.  The  short 
horns,  or  theTeesdale,  Lincoln,  Holderness  and  Tweed- 
side  oxen,  are  the  largest  of  any  in  Britain.  The  data 
are  wanting  to  form  a correct  estimate  of  the  number  of 
cattle  in  England,  but  from  an  approximation  sufficiently 
near  the  truth,  it  cannot  be  less  than  4,000,000. 

The  rearing  of  sheep  forms  another  branch  of  rural 
economy,  more  important  than  the  last  in  its  relation  to 
commerce  and  manufacturing  industry.  To  enumerate 
the  different  varieties  of  this  useful  animal  might  lead 
us  into  minute  details,  which  it  is  necessary  to  avoid. 
Sheep  are  most  common  on  the  mountainous  districts  of 
England  and  Wales,  on  the  rich  pastures  in  the  midland 
counties,  and  on  the  marshy  lands;  they  are  also  fattened 
on  many  arable  farms  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 


* In  Stulfordshire,  3 miles  N.  E.  of  the  town  of  Stafford. — P. 
b Agricultural  Survey  of  Northumberland,  p.  111. 


All  the  varieties  in  the  kingdom  may  be  divided  into  two 
classes,  the  long  and  the  short  woolled  sheep  ; the  dif- 
ference between  them  is  founded  on  the  nature  of  their 
fleece,  the  wool  of  the  one  being  better  adapted  for 
woollen  goods,  that  of  the  other  for  the  fabrication  of 
worsted. 

The  former,  although  common  in  many  districts,  are 
more  numerous  on  the  eastern  than  the  western  side  of 
the  kingdom  ; they  are  found  too  in  greater  numbers 
near  the  coasts  than  the  middle  of  the  country.  The 
most  northern  are  reared  near  the  mouth  of  the  Tees ; 
others  in  the  tract  which  comprehends  the  south-eastern 
extremity  of  Yorkshire,  the  greater  part  of  Lincolnshire, 
and  the  fen-lands  of  Huntingdonshire,  Cambridgeshire 
and  Norfolk.  They  may  be  seen  in  the  small  marshes 
which  surround  the  inlets  of  the  sea  in  Essex  and  Kent, 
but  nowhere  in  so  great  numbers  as  in  those  of  Romney 
and  Guilford  in  the  latter  county.  They  are  common 
throughout  Leicestershire,  Rutlandshire  and  Northamp- 
tonshire, in  most  parts  of  Dorsetshire,  Devonshire  and 
Cornwall,  on  the  Coteswold  Hills,  and  along  the  banks 
of  the  principal  rivers. 

The  short  woolled  sheep  are  more  scattered,  and  are 
divided  into  six  different  kinds,  namely,  the  Norfolk, 
South  Down,  Wiltshire,  Herefordshire,  the  heath  sheep, 
and  the  Cheviot  or  mountain  breed. 

According  to  an  approximation,  which  is  not  believed 
to  be  very  wide  of  the  truth,  the  long  woolled  sheep  are 
equal  in  number  to  4,153,308,  and  the  number  of  acres 
on  which  they  are  maintained,  to  3,939,563.  The 
highest  stock  of  long  woolled  sheep  per  acre,  is  twenty- 
one  on  four,  and  the  lowest,  one  on  three  acres.  The 
weight  of  the  fleece  varying  from  five  to  nine  pounds, 
may  give  the  average  of  seven  pounds  ten  ounces.  The 
total  quantity  of  long  wool  is  not  less  than  137,288 
packs.  The  number  of  short  woolled  sheep  may  be  equal 
to  14,854,299  ; the  highest  stock  per  acre  is  about  four 
sheep  on  three  acres,  and  the  lowest,  one  on  four.  The 
fleece  varies  from  one  pound  and  a half  to  five  pounds, 
and  the  number  of  packs  is  calculated  to  be  equal  to 
255,948.  In  this  estimate  the  shorn,  the  carrion,  and 
the  wool  from  slaughtered  animals,  are  included.  If  to 
these  results  the  quantity  of  lamb’s  wool  be  added,  the 
total  produce  may  amount  to  403,954  packs.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  add  that  a considerable  portion  is 
not  fitted  for  manufacturing  purposes.® 

As  the  breeding  of  pigs  is  an  object  of  some  impor- 


c Some  notion  of  the  different  sorts  of  sheep  may  be  inferred  from 
the  following  table. 


Different  breeds  and  distinguishing  properties. 

Weight 

of 

fleece. 

Weight 

per 

quarter. 

1 Dishlev 

no  horns 

white  faces  and  legs 

combing  wool 

7 lbs. 

25  lbs. 

2 Lincoln 

ditto 

ditto 

ditto 

8 

25 

3 Teeswater 

ditto 

ditto 

ditto 

8 

30 

4 Dartmoor 

ditto 

ditto 

ditto 

8 

30 

5 Exmoor 

horns 

Ditto 

ditto 

6 

16 

f>  Dorset 

ditto 

ditto 

carding  wool 

18 

7 Hereford 

no  horns 

ditto 

tine  ditto 

2 

14 

3 South  Down 

ditto 

£rev  faces  and  legs 

ditto 

~i 

18 

9 Norfolk 

horns 

black  faces  and  legs 

ditto 

2 

18 

10  Heath 

ditto 

ditto 

coarse  combing 

34 

15 

11  Herdwick 

no  horns. 

speckled  ditto 

carding 

2 

10 

12  Cheviot 

ditto 

white  faces  and  lejrs 

ditto 

3 

16 

13  Dun-faced 

ditto 

dun  faces  and  legs 

ditto 

14 

7 

14  RomneyMarsh 

ditto 

\v  hite  faces  and  legs  combing 

7 

25 

15  Spanish 

horns 

ditto 

carding 

3J 

DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


BOOK  CLII1.] 

tance  in  England,  it  may  be  right  to  mention  the  most 
ordinary  sorts  or,  at  all  events,  the  most  valuable.  The 
Berkshire  is  small  boned,  and  disposed  to  fatten  quickly ; 
it  has  extended  from  the  county,  from  which  it  takes  its 
name,  to  most  parts  of  the  island.  The  Chinese  crosses 
are  very  common.  The  Gloucestershire,  supposed  to 
have  once  been  the  prevailing  breed  in  the  island,  are 
of  a white  colour,  large  and  ill-shaped.  The  Rudgwick, 


491 

so  called  from  a town  of  the  same  name  in  Sussex,  are 
the  largest  sort  in  England  : they  feed  to  an  extraordi- 
nary size ; at  two  years  old,  being  generally  twice  as 
heavy  as  other  kinds  of  the  same  age.  A new  variety, 
the  large  spotted  Woburn,  was  introduced  by  the  late 
Duke  of  Bedford  ; they  are  prolific,  hardy  and  easily 
fattened.  The  Dishley  breed  is  distinguished  by  the 
common  properties  of  Mr.  Bakewell’s  stock. 


EUROPE. 


492 


IBOOK  CLIV 


BOOK  CLIV. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  continued. — England. — Section  Third. — Topo- 
graphical Divisions. — Towns,  fyc. 

Having  endeavoured  in  the  preceding  chapters  to 
give  a succinct  account  of  the  physical  geography  of 
England,  and  having  also  entered  into  some  details  con- 
cerning its  early  inhabitants,  their  manners,  institutions 
and  government,  it  is  only  necessary  to  examine  the 
country  more  minutely,  to  describe  the  different  towns, 
and  to  make  known  the  sources  of  wealth,  or  the  products 
of  industry,  for  which  they  are  remarkable. 

The  principal  civil  divisions  are  counties  or  shires  ; 
of  these  there  are  forty  in  England  and  twelve  in  Wales. 
It  may  be  as  well,  however,  before  attempting  to  describe 
them,  to  take  some  notice  of  the  Anglo-Norman  islands 
near  the  coasts  of  France,  all  that  the  English  sovereigns 
now  possess  of  the  ancient  dutchy  of  Normandy.  The 
inhabitants  are  governed  by  their  own  laws,  which  are 
derived  for  the  most  part  from  Norman  customs.  Although 
nominally  under  the  government  of  a higher  power,  they 
may  be  considered  free  : they  are  exempt  from  naval  and 
military  service  ; they  are  not  subject  to  the  English 
church  ; and  lastly,  they  enjoy  the  benefit  of  a free  port, 
and  may  carry  on  a trade  with  the  enemies  of  England 
in  time  of  war. 

The  island  of  Jersey  is  situated  about  eighteen  miles 
west  of  Normandy,  and  about  eighty-four  south  of  Port- 
land in  Dorsetshire.  It  contains  two  towns,  St.  Helier 
and  St.  Aubin,  and  twelve  parishes.  The  number  of 
inhabitants  amounts  nearly  to  30,000  ; they  are  scattered 
over  a surface  not  more  than  twelve  miles  in  length  and 
six  in  breadth.  The  southern  side  is  almost  level  with 
the  sea ; the  three  others  are  defended  by  dangerous 
quick-sands  and  rocks,  which  rise  on  the  north  to  the 
height  of  forty  or  fifty  fathoms.  A series  of  hills  extends 
through  the  middle  of  the  island  ; they  are  so  thickly 
planted  with  orchards  that  they  resemble  a forest  ; indeed 
these  plantations  are  too  numerous,  enough  of  arable  land 
is  not  reserved  for  the  growth  of  corn,  and  the  deficiency 
is  supplied  by  importations  from  the  Baltic,  England  and 
France.  The  produce  of  the  apple  trees  yields  twenty- 
five  thousand  hogsheads  of  cider  in  a season.  The  island 
abounds  also  in  cattle  and  sheep  ; the  wool  which  the 
latter  afford  is  manufactured  by  the  inhabitants,  and  sold 
in  the  market  of  St.  Helier. 

Guernsey,  neither  so  large  nor  so  populous  as  Jersey, 
is  situated  about  twenty-one  miles  to  the  north  of  it. 
St.  Pierre  or  St.  Peter, a the  only  town  in  the  island, 

* Fr.  Port  St.  Pierre.  Eng.  St.  Peter  le  Port,  St.  Peter's  Port,  or 
Port  St.  Peter's. — P. 

b Sea  weed.  Vraic  (Ed.  Enc.)  Fr.  rarec.  Eng.  wrack. — P. 

e Sark  (Fr.  Cerq.)  a small  island,  east  of  Guernsey,  with  less  than 
600  inhabitants,  should  be  added  to  the  list  of  Anglo-Norman  isles. — P. 


consists  of  a long  narrow  street,  adorned  with  several 
fine  buildings.  The  harbour  is  safe  and  commodious, 
and  on  each  side  of  it  are  strong  piers.  The  town  and 
the  harbour  are  defended  by  the  strong  fortress  of  Castle 
Cornet,  built  on  a steep  rock,  surrounded  by  the  sea, 
and  only  accessible  at  low  water  by  a very  narrow  pas- 
sage. The  island  is  noted  for  its  fruits  and  for  tvrac,b  a 
marine  plant,  which  grows  in  profusion,  and  is  used  both 
for  fuel  and  manure.  The  inhabitants  are  distinguished 
by  their  loyalty,  but  they  resemble  the  French  more  than 
the  English  in  their  manners  and  customs.  A town, 
which  contains  only  a thousand  inhabitants,  and  which 
from  the  appearance  of  its  houses,  resembles  a village, 
is  situated  near  the  centre  of  the  small  island  of  Alderney. 
In  the  year  1119,  Henry,  Duke  of  Normandy,  son  of 
King  Henry  the  First,  and  many  of  the  nobility,  were 
shipwrecked  and  lost  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  island.® 

Not  more  than  five  or  six  of  the  Scilly  Islands  are 
inhabited, d and  the  total  number  of  inhabitants  does  not 
amount  to  three  thousand.  In  St.  Mary,  the  largest  of 
these  islands,  is  situated  the  small  town  of  Heughton  or 
Newtown,  in  which  the  most  remarkable  buildings  are  a 
custom-house,  a council-house,  and  a prison.  Dolphin, 
the  only  town  in  Tresco,  consists  of  a church  and  about 
forty  houses  built  of  stone.  The  people  earn  a subsist- 
ence by  acting  as  pilots,  by  fishing,  and  by  burning  kelp. 

The  county  of  Cornwall,  of  which  these  islands  form 
a part,  is  surrounded  by  the  sea  on  all  sides  except  the 
east,  where  it  is  bounded  by  the  Tamar,  which  separates 
it  from  Devonshire.  It  was  the  ancient  country  of  the 
Dumnonii ; it  derives  its  present  name  from  its  shape, 
which  bears  some  resemblance  to  a horn.  It  has  been 
found  by  actual  measurement  to  contain  849,280  acres, 
but  of  these  more  than  200,000  are  wraste ; the  rest  are 
divided  into  pasturage  and  tillage.  The  greatest  length 
of  the  county  is  upwards  of  ninety  miles,  the  greatest 
breadth  about  forty-two,  and  the  narrowest  part  towards 
the  Land’s-End,  or  from  Mount’s  Bay  to  the  Bristol 
Channel,  not  more  than  four.  Situated  at  the  extremity 
of  the  island,  and  long  deprived  by  their  secluded  position 
from  the  advantages  of  frequent  intercourse  with  the  other 
inhabitants,  the  Cornish  men  were  less  civilized  or  more 
ignorant  than  the  rest  of  their  countrymen  ; the  Armori- 
can,  a dialect  of  the  Welsh,  was  spoken  by  them  at  no 
remote  period,  but  it  has  since  been  superseded  by  the 
English.® 

It  may  be  inferred  from  the  extent  of  the  waste  lands 

d The  inhabited  islands  are  six  in  number,  viz.  St.  Mary’s,  Tresco, 
St.  Martin’s,  St.  Agnes,  Sampson,  and  Brehar  or  Breyer.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P 

e Till  about  three  centuries  ago,  a peculiar  language  was  spoken  in 
Cornwall,  which  was  evidently  Celtic,  and  allied  to  the  Welsh  and  the 
language  of  Brittany.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  Cornish  was  a dialect  of  the 


book  ciiiv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN.  493 


that  Cornwall  cannot  be  considered  an  agricultural 
county.  A ridge  of  bare  and  rugged  hills,  intermixed 
with  bleak  moors,  runs  along  its  whole  length,  and 
reaches  in  the  narrowest  parts  from  side  to  side.  The 
low  grounds  from  the  hills  to  the  coasts  are  rendered 
fertile  by  the  manure  which  the  sea  weeds  afford,  but  a 
brackish  atmosphere  and  violent  winds  prevent  the  growth 
of  trees  and  hedges  near  the  shore.  Barley  is  the  grain 
that  succeeds  best,  and  large  crops  of  it  are  produced 
near  the  banks  of  the  Camel ; the  potato  arrives  also  at 
great  perfection,  and  seems  to  be  admirably  adapted  to 
the  climate.  But  the  wealth  of  Cornwall  consists  in  its 
mines  and  fisheries.  Various  sorts  of  fish  are  taken  on 
the  Cornish  coast,  but  none  in  such  abundance  as  the 
pilchard  ; immense  shoals  of  them  appear  in  the  summer 
and  autumn  ; it  affords  a cheap  and  wholesome  food  to 
the  poor,  and  forms  besides  an  important  article  of  trade  ; 
large  quantities  of  them  are  cured  and  exported  to  the 
Mediterranean.  The  capital  employed  in  the  fisheries 
exceeds  £400,000  ; they  furnish  occupation  to  12,000 
individuals,  and  the  annual  revenue  derived  from  them 
is  not  less  than  £50,000. 

Cornwall  surpasses  most  other  counties  in  its  mineral 
products  ; by  an  accurate  survey  of  the  mines,  made  in 
the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and  by  subsequent 
observations,  it  has  been  ascertained  that  there  are  forty- 
five  mines  of  copper,  thirty  of  tin,  eighteen  of  copper 
and  tin,  two  of  copper  and  silver,  one  of  silver,  and 
others  of  cobalt,  antimony  and  manganese.  The  present 
stannary  towns,  viz.  Launceston,  Lostwithiel,  Truro, 
Helston  and  Penzance,  may  indicate  the  importance 
which  has  been  attached  to  the  tin  mines.  The  tinners 
are  obliged  to  convey  their  blocks  to  these  places  that 
they  may  be  stamped  by  the  proper  officers.  The  ordi- 
nary weight  of  these  blocks  is  about  336  lbs.,  the  value 
of  each  is  upwards  of  £10,  and  the  number  obtained 
every  year  varies  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  thousand. 
The  annual  value  of  the  produce  of  the  copper  mines 
has  lately  been  estimated  at  £400,000.  The  other 
minerals  are  lapis  calaminaris,  soap  rock,  and  China 
stone,  a decomposed  granite,  of  which  the  feldspar  hav- 
ing lost  its  fusibility,  renders  it  a valuable  substance  in 
the  Staffordshire  potteries.  Steatite3  abounds  between 
Mullien  and  the  Lizard  Point,  and  the  quarries  are  let 
to  the  Worcester  porcelain  company.  Granite,  not  the 
least  valuable  of  the  Cornish  minerals,  forms  the  chain 
that  passes  from  Dartmoor  to  the  Land’s  End  ; the  rock, 
when  first  broken,  is  so  soft  as  to  be  easily  worked,  but 
it  becomes  very  hard  by  exposure  to  the  atmosphere. 
The  industry  of  the  inhabitants  is  not  confined  to  the 
occupations  which  the  metals  and  the  minerals  of  the 
county  afford  ; there  are  many  paper  mills  on  the  streams 
near  Hayle,  a village  remarkable  for  its  extensive  smelt- 
ing works  ; carpets  are  manufactured  at  Truro,  and  coarse 
woollen  stuffs  in  Callington,  Launceston,  St.  Austle,b 
Bodmin  and  other  towns. 

As  a port  and  a place  of  trade,  Falmouth  may  be 
considered  the  most  important  town  in  the  county.  It 
consisted  only  of  a few  fishing  huts  about  two  centuries 


Kymric,  one  of  the  two  great  divisions  of  the  Celtic  family  of 
languages,  including  also  the  Welsh  and  the  Armoric  or  Breton 
(in  France.)  The  Gaelic,  the  other  division  of  the  Celtic,  includes 
the  Irish,  the  Highland  Scotch,  and  the  Manks. — P. 

* Soap  stone  b St.  Austell. 


ago,  but  its  position  without  the  channel,  enabling  vessels 
to  sail  to  the  south  of  Europe,  and  avoid  the  gulf  of 
Gascony,  have  rendered  it  an  important  town.  Packets 
sail  regularly  for  the  Peninsula,  the  West  Indies  and 
other  parts  of  the  world.  The  port  is  supposed  to 
occupy  the  site  which  Ptolemy  assigns  to  the  Cenionis 
Ostium , and  according  to  a tradition,  the  Black  Rock 
near  the  middle  of  the  entrance  was  once  an  island  in 
which  the  Phoenicians  carried  on  a trade  in  tin  with  the 
natives.  The  bay  from  its  numerous  creeks  or  windings 
is  capable  of  affording  shelter  to  the  whole  navy  of 
England.  The  river  Cenio,  mentioned  by  Ptolemy,  is 
the  modern  Fal,  which  gives  its  name  to  the  town  ; the 
latter  is  principally  composed  of  a single  and  well  built 
street  nearly  a mile  in  length.  The  harbour  is  defended 
by  the  two  forts  of  St.  Mawe’s  and  Pendennis,  on  two 
small  capes  about  a mile  and  a half  distant  from  each 
other.  They  were  both  built  by  Henry  the  Eighth,  but 
Pendennis  was  considerably  enlarged  by  Elizabeth  ; 
during  the  civil  wars  it  made  an  obstinate  resistance 
against  Cromwell,  whose  lines  of  defence  may  still  be 
traced  at  a short  distance  from  the  town. 

The  parliamentary  representation  of  Cornwall  is  too 
remarkable  to  be  passed  over  in  silence  ; the  county 
and  the  boroughs  send  forty-four  members  to  parlia- 
ment.® Elective  rights  were  conferred  on  different  places 
at  different  periods,  evidently  for  the  purpose  of  increas- 
ing the  influence  of  the  crown  over  the  commons.  The 
boroughs  from  which  members  are  returned,  are  very 
insignificant  ; still  all  the  bribery  and  corruption  that 
prevail,  are  insufficient  to  save  the  degraded  inhabitants 
from  poverty  and  wretchedness. 

Devonshire,  or  the  county  of  Devon,  in  size  the  second 
in  England,  lies  between  two  seas,  having  the  Bristol 
Channel  on  the  north  and  north-west,  and  the  English 
Channel  on  the  south  and  south-east.  It  extends  to  the 
distance  of  sixty-seven  miles  from  the  most  northern  to 
the  most  southern  point,  while  its  breadth  from  east  to 
west  is  not  less  than  sixty-four.  The  Tamar  and  the 
Exe  are  the  principal  rivers  ; the  first  forms  the  western 
limit  of  the  county  ; the  second  takes  its  rise  in  the 
sterile  and  marshy  district  of  Exmoor,  and  having  been 
enlarged  by  several  streams,  throws  itself  into  the 
English  Channel  at  Exmouth.  The  soil  and  the  face 
of  the  country  are  very  various ; the  district  from  the 
borders  of  Dorsetshire  to  Exeter, d comprehending  the 
greater  part  of  the  southern  coast,  is  pleasant  and  fruitful. 
Such  is  the  mildness  of  the  climate  that  the  myrtle 
grows  without  shelter  on  the  shore,  and  the  winters  are 
sometimes  not  less  favourable  to  invalids  than  those  in 
the  South  of  Europe.  The  South-Hams,  part  of  the 
same  tract,  has  been  frequently  called  the  garden  of 
Devonshire  ; it  abounds  in  picturesque  scenery,  varied 
by  bold  swells  and  rich  vallies.  Numerous  springs, 
flowing  from  the  sides  of  the  hills,  unite  into  brooks,  and 
spread  luxuriance  along  their  banks. 

The  country  extending  from  the  vale  of  Exeter  to  the 
borders  of  Cornwall,  or  the  greater  portion  of  the  western 
district,  consists  of  about  three  hundred  thousand  acres 


* This,  and  the  following  statements  on  parliamentary  representa- 
tion, apply  to  the  old  system,  previous  to  the  recent  reform. — P. 

<* *  This  should  doubtless  read : from  the  borders  of  Cornwall  to 
Exeter.  The  district  of  South  Hams  extends  along  the  southern  coast 
from  Plymouth  Sound  to  Torbay. — P. 


L 


— 
494  EUR 

of  uncultivated  land,  in  which  the  bleak  and  naked 
morass  of  Dartmoor  occupies  more  than  eighty  thousand. 
The  forest  of  Dartmoor,  as  its  name  implies,  was  once 
covered  with  trees,  but  a few  stunted  oaks,  together  with 
some  mountain  ashes  and  willows,  are  all  that  grow  on 
it  at  present.  The  marshes  in  the  higher  parts  of  Dart- 
moor, although  dangerous  to  cattle,  are  valuable  on 
account  of  the  fuel  with  which  they  supply  the  inhabit- 
ants. Sheep  and  black  cattle  are  the  riches  of  the 
people  ; the  latter  thrive  well  on  the  coarse  and  sour 
herbage,  but  the  former  are  of  a small  size  and  subject 
to  different  diseases. 

North  Devon  extends  from  Dartmoor  to  the  Bristol 
Channel ; in  this  district  the  land  yields  plenty  of  corn, 
and  the  soil  is  everywhere  productive  except  on  the 
tops  of  the  highest  hills ; lofty  trees  are  seen  in  the 
vallies,  and  the  heights  are  in  many  places  covered  with 
coppice  woods. 

The  value  of  the  mineral  products  of  Devonshire  may 
be  inferred  from  its  geological  position  ; tin  was  formerly 
obtained  in  great  quantities,  but  the  mines  are  no  longer 
worked  ; copper,  lead,  manganese  and  gypsum  are  found 
in  the  north-eastern  part,  or  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Exmoor ; in  other  places  are  quarries  of  marble,  and  of 
stone  well  adapted  for  building.  The  products  of  indus- 
try are  serges,  shalloons,  broad-cloths  and  blond  lace. 

Plymouth  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  was 
formerly  better  known  by  the  name  of  Devonportp  it 
is  now  a very  flourishing  town,  a well  frequented  port,  and 
an  important  maritime  arsenal.  The  Sound  by  means 
of  the  break-water,  lately  erected  across  its  entrance, 
may  afford  a safe  protection  to  a large  fleet  ; but  a reef 
of  rocks’*  about  fourteen  miles  south-west  by  south  from 
Plymouth,  rendered  the  access  dangerous  to  ships.  It 
was  found  very  difficult  to  erect  a sufficiently  strong 
light-house  on  these  rocks,  both  because  they  are  ex- 
posed to  frequent  storms,  and  because  at  high  water  they 
are  covered  by  the  sea ; besides,  as  a foundation  for 
such  a building,  they  offered  many  disadvantages,  which 
it  was  necessary  to  surmount.  Three  Eddystone  light- 
houses were  at  different  times  erected,  and  all  of  them 
were  overthrown.  The  present  one,  it  has  been  already 
observed,  was  built  in  1774,  under  the  direction  and 
according  to  the  plan  of  the  celebrated  Mr.  Smeaton. 

The  principal  imports  of  Plymouth  are  coal,  culm, 
corn,  wine  and  timber.  The  various  works,  that  are 
carried  on,  and  the  trade  it  possesses,  render  it  a place 
of  considerable  wealth  ; but  it  is  not  less  distinguished 
by  its  charitable  institutions : there  are  many  schools  for 
the  poor,  several  hospitals  and  alms-houses,  a public 
dispensary  and  a large  asylum  for  females. 

The  ancient  inhabitants  of  Devonshire  were  the  same 
as  those  of  Cornwall ; Tsex,  their  principal  city,  is  the 
Isca  Dumnoniorum  of  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine  ; it  after- 
wards took  the  name  of  Excester,  and  at  a still  later 
period  that  of  Exeter ; its  different  names  indicate  its 
position  on  the  Exe.  It  was  erected  into  the  capital  of 

OPE.  [BOOK  CLI1. 

a diocese  by  Edward  the  Confessor  in  the  year  1094, 
but  before  that  time  it  contained  so  many  convents  that 
it  was  known  by  the  name  of  Monkstown.  It  consists 
of  four  principal  streets,  which  terminate  in  Carfax  place, 
so  called  from  two  old  Norman  words,  signifying  four 
ways.6  The  upper  part  of  the  cityd  is  defended  by  an 
ancient  castle,  which,  it  is  generally  supposed,  was  built 
by  the  West  Saxons,  although  it  seems  more  probable 
from  the  name  of  Rougemont  that  it  was  the  work  of  the 
Normans.  The  cathedral,  dedicated  to  St.  Peter,  is  a 
magnificent  building,  but  the  Lady-Chapel  is  the  only 
part  of  the  original  fabric  that  remains.  Although  com- 
menced in  the  year  932,  in  the  reign  of  Athelstan,  and 
carried  on  under  different  bishops  during  four  hundred 
years,  it  appears  from  its  uniformity  and  the  proportions 
between  the  different  parts,  as  if  the  whole  had  been  the 
work  of  a single  architect.  The  modern  bridge  over  the 
Exe  might  be  considered  a fine  structure,  if  it  were  not 
disfigured  by  houses  on  both  sides,  and  by  a church 
which  covers  a great  part  of  it.  An  arm  of  the  sea 
flowed  formerly  near  the  walls  of  Exeter,  but  the  navi- 
gation was  almost  destroyed  by  one  of  the  earls  of  Devon. e 
The  present  haven  was  constructed  in  1697,  and  by 
means  of  flood  gates,  which  were  then  raised,  vessels  of 
a hundred  and  fifty  tons  can  arrive  at  the  quay  near  the 
walls  of  the  city.  The  manufactures  of  Exeter  consist 
of  cloths  and  woollen  stuffs ; the  serge  market  is  held 
weekly,  and  with  the  exception  of  that  at  Leeds,  it  is 
the  greatest  cloth  market  in  England. 

Dorsetshire,  or  the  county  of  Dorset,  situated  on  the 
east  of  Devonshire,  has  sometimes  been  called  the  garden 
of  England,  a name  by  no  means  applicable  to  the  whole 
of  it.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Wiltshire  and 
Somersetshire,  on  the  south  by  the  English  Channel,  on 
the  west  by  Devonshire  and  Somersetshire,  and  on  the 
east  by  Hampshire.  The  superficial  area  is  supposed  to 
be  equal  to  1130  square  miles.  The  northern  plains 
were  formerly  covered  with  wood  ; they  are  now  in  a 
high  state  of  cultivation.  A ridge  of  lofty  chalk  hills, 
which  extends  through  the  south-eastern  counties,  ter- 
minates in  Dorsetshire  ; at  least  no  considerable  beds 
are  found  on  the  west  of  it.  Numerous  flocks  are  fed 
on  these  hills,  and  on  the  downs,  which  extend  to  the 
sea  ; the  number  of  sheep  kept  in  the  county  is  estimated 
at  800,000,  and  the  annual  export  at  150,000.  A heathy 
common  extends  from  the  borders  of  Hampshire  to  the 
centre  of  Dorsetshire,  but  its  want  of  fertility  is  amply 
compensated  by  the  rich  vales  on  the  south-western  side. 
A sort  of  peninsula,  formed  by  the  Frome  and  the  sea, 
has  been  incorrectly  denominated  the  Isle  of  Purbeck. 
It  has  been  long  famous  for  its  limestone  quarries ; the 
coarser  sorts  are  used  in  paving,  while  the  finer  take  a 
polish  little  inferior  to  that  of  marble.  Pipe  clay  is  dug 
in  several  parts  of  Purbeck,  and  much  of  it  is  exported 
from  Corfe-Castle  to  the  Staffordshire  potteries. 

The  island  of  Portland,  another  peninsula,  is  connected 
with  the  land  by  a long  and  narrow  stripe  of  sand  and 

a Its  ancient  name  was  Sutton  (i.  e.  Southtown ;)  but  as  early  as  1383, 
it  appears  to  have  been  occasionally  called  Plymouth.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
b The  Eddystone  Rocks. 

c There  are  four  principal  streets,  all  centering  in  the  middle  of  the 
city,  which  is  therefore  called  Car  fox,*  from  the  old  Norman  word, 
Quatre-voix,  i.  e.  the  four  ways.  (Luckombe.) — P. 

* “ — which  meet  at  a point  where  a magnificent  conduit,  called  Carfoix, 
formerly  stood.”  (Ed.  Enc.) 
d On  the  north-east. — P 

e The  magistrates  of  the  town  having  in  their  official  capacity  de- 
cided that  no  citizen  of  Exeter  should  be  allowed  to  wear  the  livery 
of  a nobleman  within  their  township,  without  having  first  obtained 
the  consent  of  the  mayor  and  burgesses,  one  of  the  earls  of  Devon- 
shire,* offended  at  this  noble  spirit  of  independence  in  the  inhabitants 
of  Exeter,  caused  large  stones  and  trunks  of  trees  to  be  thrown  into 
the  bed  of  the  Exe,  in  order  to  obstruct  the  navigation  between  Exeter 
and  Topsham. 

* Hugh  Courtenay,  A.  D.  1316.— P. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


BOOK  CJLIY.] 

gravel.3  Some  notice  has  already  been  taken  of  the 
calcareous  stones,  of  which  the  whole  of  Portland  Isle 
is  composed ; it  may  be  added  that  the  stone  is  white 
and  durable,  easily  worked,  splits  freely  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  is  well  adapted  for  buildings  under  water  ; these 
qualities  render  it  a very  valuable  freestone,  and  great 
quantities  are  exported  to  different  parts  of  England, 
Ireland  and  France.  A safe  road  for  ships  is  situated 
on  the  north  of  the  isle,  but  the  southern  point  or  Port- 
land Race  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  places  in  the 
Channel. 

The  town  of  Dorchester,  a place  of  great  antiquity,  is 
pleasantly  situated  on  a rising  ground  above  the  river 
Frome.  It  was  in  ancient  times  inhabited  by  the  Duro- 
briga,b  who  called  it  Durnovaria  or  the  passage  of  the 
river.  The  Romans,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  Durnium, 
encompassed  it  with  walls  and  a deep  ditch.  Several 
antiquities  have  been  at  different  times  discovered ; a 
mosaic  pavement  about  four  feet  below  the  ground  may 
be  considered  the  most  remarkable,  but  there  are  also 
some  traces  of  Roman  ways,  that  terminated  in  Dor- 
chester. It  was  formerly  a place  of  some  importance 
on  account  of  its  manufactures,  which  are  not  so  flour- 
ishing as  they  once  were.  The  town  is  built  in  the 
direction  of  the  four  cardinal  points,  the  houses  are  of 
stone,  and  the  streets  are  all  paved  and  well  lighted. 
The  prison,  perhaps  the  finest  of  the  publie  buildings, 
can  contain  only  eighty-eight  prisoners,  but  under  the 
same  roof  are  a penitentiary  and  a house  of  correction. 

The  seaport  of  Poole,  the  only  other  place  that  re- 
quires to  be  mentioned  in  this  county,  rose  into  impor- 
tance some  centuries  ago,  when  the  ancient  town  of 
Wareham  fell  into  decay.  It  now  contains  more  than 
seven  thousand  inhabitants  ; it  sends  many  vessels  every 
year  to  Newfoundland,  which  carry  out  provisions  and 
different  commodities,  and  return  laden  with  fish  for 
Spain,  Portugal  and  Italy. 

The  maritime  county  of  Somei’set  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Bristol  Channel ; it  is  about  sixty-eight 
miles  in  length  from  east  to  west,  and  forty-eight  from 
north  to  south.  It  contains  more  than  a million  of  acres, 
of  which  upwards  of  400,000  are  arable.  Few  counties 
exhibit  so  great  a variety  of  soil  and  situation.  The 
north-eastern  part  abounds  with  rocks,  and  is  intersected 
by  the  Mendip  Hills,  a lofty  mineral  tract  ; the  rivers 
unite  near  the  centre,  and  form  marshes  and  fens.  The 
Quantock  Hills,  together  with  many  downs  and  heaths, 
occupy  the  western  side,  and  the  bleak  and  sterile  region 
of  Exmoor  extends  from  the  north-western  extremity. 
The  southern  part  towards  Dorsetshire  is  high  but  well 
cultivated  ; lastly,  vallies  of  great  fertility  are  scattered 
in  different  parts  of  the  county. 

Cheese,  not  inferior  to  any  in  the  kingdom,  is  made 
in  the  village  of  Chedder,  and  many  cattle  nearly  equal 
in  size  to  those  of  Lincolnshire,  are  bred  in  the  luxuriant 
meadows  near  the  sources  of  the  Parret.  The  mineral 
riches  of  the  county  are  more  important ; the  Mendip 


* The  Chesil  Bank. 

b Durotriges  (D’  Anv.  Enc.  Meth.  Ed.  Enc.) — This  name  is  said  to 
be  derived  from  the  two  British  words,  dioyr  [dwr,]  water,  and  trig , an 
inhabilant.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c This  should  be  stated  thus  : the  Somersetshire  coal  canal  (with 
two  branches)  joins  the  Kennet  and  Avon  canal. — The  Avon  is  ren- 
dered navigable  by  locks  from  Bristol  to  Bath,  where  the  Kennet  and 
Avon  canal  commences.  This  canal  passes  from  Bath  through  North 


495 

Hills  afford  abundance  of  coal,  lead  and  calamine.  The 
coal  is  consumed  in  Bath,  Wells,  Frome,  and  other 
places  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  lead  is  mostly  exported, 
and  converted  on  account  of  its  hardness  into  shot  and 
bullets.  The  calamine  is  conveyed  to  Bristol  and  other 
towns,  where  it  is  used  in  making  brass. 

Tbe  conveyance  of  goods  has  been  facilitated  by  water 
communications ; the  Exe  and  the  Thone  are  connected 
by  a canal  which  passes  from  Tiverton  to  Taunton  ; 
another  extends  from  Bristol  to  Bath,  and  the  Somerset- 
shire coal  canal  joins  by  means  of  its  two  branches  those 
of  the  Kennet  and  Avon.0 

The  small  city  of  Wells,  which  is  now  a joint  bishop’s 
see  with  Bath,  derives  its  name  from  a neighbouring 
spring,  called  St.  Andrew’s  Well.d  It  took  its  origin 
from  a collegiate  church  built  by  king  Ina  in  the  year 
704  ; it  was  afterwards  raised  to  its  present  dignity,  and 
the  cathedral,  one  of  the  most  ornamented  structures  of 
Gothic  architecture  in  the  kingdom,  was  founded  in  the 
thirteenth  century.  The  town  is  pleasantly  situated 
under  the  Mendip  Hills,  but  it  does  not  contain  more 
than  six  thousand  inhabitants. 

Bath,  a more  ancient  and  a more  important  city,  lies 
on  the  north-east  of  Wells,  at  the  distance  of  about 
nineteen  miles.  It  is  surrounded  by  an  amphitheatre  of 
hills  that  are  intersected  by  the  Avon,  which  encircles  a 
great  part  of  Bath,  and  continues  navigable  onwards  to 
Bristol.  The  Kennet  and  Avon  canal,  which  falls  into  tbe 
same  river  at  Bath,  completes  the  inland  water  communi- 
cation with  the  metropolis,  extending  through  Middle- 
sex, Buckinghamshire,  Berkshire,  Hampshire,  Wiltshire, 
Somersetshire  and  Gloucestershire,  to  Bath  and  Bristol. 
Bath  claims  a higher  antiquity  than  any  other  town  in 
England,  and  it  is  remarkable  that  all  the  ancient  names 
which  have  been  banded  down  by  tradition,  bear  some 
allusion  to  the  quality  of  its  waters.  Antiquaries  have 
traced  their  discovery,  with  greater  ingenuity  than  truth, 
to  Bladud,  son  of  Lud,  eighth  king  of  the  Britons,  in  a 
direct  line  from  Brute  or  Brutus,  the  grandson  of  Adneas. 
The  springs  continued  unknown,  however,  before  tbe 
arrival  of  the  Romans.  The  fine  situation  of  Bath,  the 
mildness  of  the  air,  the  hills  which  tower  above  it,  and 
the  streams  that  water  the  valley,  attracted  the  notice 
of  the  Romans,  and  induced  them  to  found  a city,  which 
was  often  the  residence  of  their  governors,  and  sometimes 
of  their  emperors.  Tbe  city  was  built  in  tbe  form  of  a 
quadrangle,  extending  about  four  hundred  yards  from 
east  to  west,  and  nearly  as  many  from  north  to  south. 
It  was  fortified  by  a wall  twenty  feet  in  height,  sixteen 
in  breadth  at  the  base,  and  not  more  than  eight  at  the 
top.  The  angles  were  supported  by  strong  towers,  and 
a gate  was  erected  at  each  extremity  of  the  two  principal 
streets,  by  which  the  town  was  intersected  and  divided 
into  four  parts.  The  name  of  Aqua,  Solis  indicated  tbe 
heat  and  efficacy  of  tbe  thermal  springs,  and  tbe  mag- 
nificence of  the  Roman  works  may  be  traced  in  the  ruins 
of  the  baths,  which  were  discovered  near  tbe  centre  of 


Wilts  to  Newbury,  where  it  joins  the  Kennet  navigation,  thus  opening 
a communication  with  the  Thames.  The  Somersetshire  coal  canal 
branches  from  this  canal  between  Bath  and  Bradford,  and  extends  to 
the  coal-field  near  the  Mendip  Hills.  It  divides  into  two  branches, 
the  northern  and  southern. — P. 

d The  town  is  so  called  from  the  wells  or  springs  that  rise  in  all  parts 
of  it.  St.  Andrew’s  Well  is  near  the  Bishop’s  palace.  (Luckombe.) — P 


496 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CUT 


the  city  in  the  year  1775.  The  virtue  of  the  springs 
has  been  acknowledged  both  for  external  applications, 
and  internally  as  a medicine ; the  highest  range  of  the 
thermometer  reaches  to  170°  of  Fahrenheit.  The  town 
has  long  been  a place  of  great  concourse,  and  such  is 
the  reputation  of  its  waters,  that  it  has  become  of  late 
years,  next  to  the  metropolis,  the  principal  resort  for  the 
nobility,  the  wealthy  and  the  indolent.  It  surpasses 
every  other  town  in  England,  in  the  elegance  and  splen- 
dour of  its  buildings,  but  their  greatest  ornaments  consist 
perhaps  in  the  materials  with  which  they  are  con- 
structed,— the  white  stone  that  abounds  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. In  former  times  Bath  was  situated  in  a valley, 
and  the  reflection  of  the  sun’s  rays  from  the  white  soil 
rendered  it  very  hot  in  summer,  but  as  it  became  enlarged, 
houses  were  built  on  the  steep  northern  side  of  the  val- 
ley, tier  rose  above  tier,  and  the  whole  affords  at  present 
a singular  and  striking  aspect." 

The  city  is  divided  into  four  parishes,  and  in  one  of 
them  is  situated  the  Abbey  Church,  the  finest  edifice  in 
Bath  ; its  architecture  is  of  the  florid  Gothic,  but  the 
great  number  of  its  windows  has  been  considered  a 
defect ; there  are  not  fewer  than  fifty-six,  and  on  this 
account  it  has  been  sometimes  called  the  lantern  of 
England.  Of  its  various  charitable  institutions,  the  most 
deserving  of  notice  is  the  general  hospital  for  patients 
from  every  part  of  the  kingdom,  who  are  likely  to  be 
benefited  by  the  use  of  the  waters.  Other  institutions 
of  the  same  sort,  societies  of  which  the  end  is  to  provide 
for  the  wants  of  the  poor,  or  to  meliorate  their  condition, 
prove  that  charity  is  not  incompatible  with  gaiety,  or 
even  with  dissipation. 

Although  the  next  town,  we  have  to  mention,  is  not 
so  important  as  it  once  was,  still  it  derives  its  importance 
from  its  commerce.  The  trade  of  Bristol,  long  second 
only  to  that  of  London,  is  now  surpassed  by  other  towns, 
more  distinguished  for  the  enterprise  and  activity  of  their 
inhabitants.  Bristol  stands  at  the  confluence  of  the  Avon 
and  the  Frome,  at  the  distance  of  about  ten  milesb  from 
the  place  where  the  Avon  discharges  itself  into  the 
Severn.  Although  only  a small  portion  of  it  is  situated 
in  the  northern  confines  of  the  county,  and  although  the 
greater  part  of  it  belongs  to  Gloucestershire,  it  may  be 
here  described,  because  it  was  included  in  Somersetshire 
before  it  formed  a separate  jurisdiction.®  The  effects  of 
the  tide,  or  the  height  to  which  it  raises  the  waters, 
enable  vessels  of  considerable  burden  to  arrive  at  the 
quay  of  Bristol ; but  its  trade  is  mainly  supported  by  its 
extensive  inland  communications  with  the  Severn  and 
all  its  branches,  the  Avon,  the  Wye,  and  many  other 
rivers.  It  thus  possesses  the  export  and  import  trade 
of  a considerable  part  of  the  kingdom,  and  has  thus  an 
outlet  for  its  varied  manufactures.  As  to  its  foreign 
trade,  it  is  principally  carried  on  with  the  West  Indies; 
it  furnishes  employment  to  a great  many  ships,  that  carry 
clothing  and  different  articles  to  the  inhabitants,  and 
bring  back  colonial  produce,  which  gives  rise  in  its  turn 
to  different  branches  of  industry.  Of  these  the  most 
important  are  the  sugar-refineries,  that  serve  for  the 

1 Aikin’s  England  Delineated. 

b Eight  miles.  (Mathews’  Bristol  Guide.) — P. 

e Bristol  forms  a county  of  itself. — P. 

d Gardner's  Cyclopedia,  vol.  i. 

e The  waters  of  the  Hot  Well,  as  analyzed  by  Dr.  Carrick,  contain, 
per  gallon  muriate  of  magnesia  7}  grains,  muriate  of  soda  4 grains, 


supply  of  Wales  and  all  the  western  counties  in  England. 
The  other  manufactures  are  different  sorts  of  glass,  cop- 
per and  brass,  white-lead,  gun-powder  and  earthen-ware. 
There  are  besides  works  for  smelting  lead  and  making 
shot,  iron  founderies,  tin-works,  and  also  rolling  and 
slitting  mills,  all  of  them  affording  valuable  articles  for 
exportation. 

Bristol,  it  may  be  added,  is  a place  of  great  antiquity  ; 
it  appears  to  have  been  founded  by  the  Britons ; it  was 
the  Brightstowe  or  pleasant  city  of  the  Saxons.  The 
unfortunate  Stephen  was  imprisoned  in  the  castle  of  the 
same  city  after  his  defeat  by  the  empress  Maud.  It  owed 
its  prosperity  to  Edward  III.,  who  made  it  a staple  for 
wool ; since  his  time  it  has  been  one  of  the  great  com- 
mercial cities  in  England  ;d  lastly,  it  was  raised  to  the 
seat  of  a diocese  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth.  The 
Bristol  and  Matlock  mineral  waters  are  of  the  same 
quality,  their  principal  ingredients  being  chalk,  lapis 
calcareus  and  calaminaris.e  It  is  affirmed,  on  very 
respectable  authority,  that  a singular  phenomenon  took 
place  at  these  wells,  in  November  1775,  during  the  great 
earthquake  at  Lisbon  ; the  water  became  suddenly  as 
red  as  blood,  and  so  turbid  that  it  could  not  be  drunk  ; 
at  the  same  time  the  water  of  a common  well  near  Kings- 
wood,  turned  as  black  as  ink,  and  continued  unfit  for  use 
nearly  a fortnight/ 

Before  leaving  the  county  of  Somerset,  it  may  be 
remarked  that  it  has  given  birth  to  several  eminent  men. 
The  famous  friar  Bacon,  one  of  the  earliest  philosophers, 
who  appears  to  have  been  acquainted  with  the  secret  of 
making  gun-powder,  and  who  veiled  the  interpretation 
of  it  in  an  enigma,  was  born  at  Ilchester  in  the  year 
1214.  Cudworth,  the  well  known  author  of  the  Intel- 
lectual System,  and  the  great  Locke,  were  natives  of 
the  same  county,  the  one  of  Aller,  and  the  other  of 
Wrington.  Fielding,  one  of  the  best  of  the  English 
novelists,  was  born  at  Sharpham,  and  Bristol  was  the 
birth-place  of  the  unfortunate  Chatterton.  To  these 
names  may  be  added  those  of  Cabot,  e Dampier  and 
Rodney. 

The  county  of  Gloucester,  partly  contiguous  on  the 
south  to  that  of  Somerset,  is  naturally  divided  into  three 
very  different  districts,  the  eastern,  the  middle  and  the 
western.  The  first  or  the  Coteswold  district,  the  largest 
of  the  three,  is  about  200,000  acres  in  superficial  extent. 
Although  a high  and  bleak  tract,  it  is  well  adapted  for 
rearing  sheep  ; a fine  short  grass  is  produced  in  many 
places,  and  sainfoin,  which  has  been  much  cultivated,  is 
used  both  for  hay  and  pasture.  The  native  sheep  were 
of  a small  light  sort  with  a very  fine  but  scanty  fleece ; 
the  breed  has  been  greatly  altered  by  mixtures  from  other 
counties  ; the  carcass  is  heavier,  and  a greater  quantity 
of  wool,  but  of  a coarser  quality,  is  now  obtained.  The 
Stroudwater  Hills,  adjacent  to  the  Coteswold,  sink  grad- 
ually into  the  Vale  or  middle  district,  which  borders  on 
the  Severn.  The  soil  is  mostly  of  a fertile  loam,  and 
the  pastures  furnish  the  cheese  for  which  the  county  is 
celebrated,  and  of  which  12,000  tons  are  annually  ex- 
ported. The  same  district  is  crossed  by  the  Stroud 

sulphate  of  soda  11}  grains,  sulphate  of  lime  11}  grains,  and  carbonate 
of  lime  12^  grains.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  ingredients  in  the  text  are  rather 
antiquated. — P. 

f Capper’s  Topographical  Dictionary,  article  Bristol. 

s Sebastian  Cabot,  born  at  Bristol  about  1477. — P. 


BOOK  CUV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


497 


canal,  which  connects  the  Thames  with  the  Severn,  and  J 
opens  a direct  communication  with  every  part  of  the 
kingdom.  The  forest  of  Dean,  which  once  afforded  tim- 
ber for  the  English  navy,  occupies  the  greater  part  of 
the  western  or  smallest  district.  The  same  forest  and 
that  of  Kingswood  are  now  mostly  cleared  of  trees ; the 
land  is  restored  to  cultivation,  and  both  of  them  contain 
iron,  coal  and  limestone  ; in  the  latter,  different  iron- 
works have  been  erected;  in  both,  a hundred  and  fifty 
coal  mines  have  been  opened,1  and  their  produce  is  con- 
sumed in  the  neighbouring  country  and  manufactories. 
The  same  part  of  Gloucestershire  abounds  with  orchards  ; 
the  styre-apple  is  converted  into  cider,  and  the  perry 
made  in  the  district,  is  said  to  form  the  basis  of  most  of 
the  champagne  that  is  sold  in  the  metropolis. 

Gloucestershire  was  inhabited  in  ancient  times  by  the 
Dobuni,  who  distinguished  themselves  by  their  resist- 
ance against  the  Romans  ; even  at  the  present  day  it 
affords  ample  materials  for  antiquarian  research.  The 
antiquities  of  Woodchester  have  already  been  ably  illus- 
trated by  Mr.  Lysons.  Camps,  stations  and  other  re- 
mains of  Roman  times  may  be  traced  in  different  parts 
of  the  county. 

Gloucester,  the  capital  of  the  county,  and  a very  ancient 
town,  was  the  Caer-Clovi  of  the  Britons  ;b  at  a later 
period  the  Saxons  gave  it  the  name  of  Gleaucestre , from 
two  British  words,  glaw,  fair,  and  caer,  a city.  It  was 
made  a borough  by  King  John,  and  a corporation®  by 
Henry  III.  Edward  I.  held  a parliament  in  the  same 
place,  and  several  useful  laws  were  enacted,  that  have 
been  since  called  the  Statutes  of  Gloucester.  Richard 
the  Third,  the  famous  duke  of  Gloucester,  gave  the  city 
his  sword  and  cap  of  maintenance,  and  erected  it  into  a 
county  with  jurisdiction  over  the  adjacent  hundreds  of 
Dudston  and  King’s  Barton.  These  privileges  continued 
in  force  until  the  restoration,  when  the  walls  were  razed 
to  the  ground,  because  the  inhabitants  had  shut  their 
gates  against  Charles  the  First. d Before  the  memorable 
siege  it  sustained  in  1643,  it  contained  eleven  churches, 
but  at  that  period  six  of  them  were  demolished ; they 
have  not  since  been  rebuilt.  The  remains  of  abbeys  and 
monasteries  are  scattered  over  the  neighbourhood ; they 
were  at  one  time  so  numerous  as  to  give  rise  to  the 
monkish  proverb,  As  sure  as  God’s  in  Gloucester .e 

The  abbey  church  was  erected  into  a cathedral  by 
Henry  the  Eighth  ; it  has  been  often  repaired,  and  partly 
rebuilt,  so  that  it  combines  the  architecture  of  different 
ages.  It  is  more  than  420  feet  in  length,  and  144  in 
width.  A majestic  tower,  198  feet  in  height,  rises  from 
the  centre  of  the  building:  The  interior  has  a solemn 

and  imposing  aspect,  and  the  cloisters  are  not  inferior  to 
any  in  the  English  cathedrals.  Among  the  various 
monuments  contained  in  it,  the  most  remarkable  are 
those  of  Robert,  Duke  of  Normandy,  and  the  unfortu- 
nate Edward  the  Second  ; the  former  is  of  wood,  and 
the  latter  of  alabaster ; from  its  perfect  execution,  it  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  work  of  an  Italian  artist. 

Although  ill-peopled  in  proportion  to  its  size,  Glou- 
cester possesses  many  natural  and  artificial  advantages 

a There  are  150  coal  pits  in  the  forest  of  Dean.  (M.  B.  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b The  Clevum  or  Glebon  of  the  Romans. — P.  c City. 

d After  the  restoration  the  hundreds  were  taken  away  by  act  of 
parliament,  and  the  walls  pulled  down  ; because  the  city  shut  its  gates 
against  Charles  I when  he  besieged  it  in  1643.  (Luckombe’s  Gazetteer 
of  England  and  Wales.) Gloucester  is  still  a county  of  itself.— P. 

VOI..  HI.— NO.  57  63 


for  commerce  ; it  is  situated  about  thirty  miles  from  the 
junction  of  the  Severn  with  the  Bristol  Channel  ; it  is 
connected  with  the  great  system  of  canal  navigation  in 
the  north,  and  it  is  united  by  means  of  the  Stroudwater 
canalf  with  the  eastern  counties.  The  principal  manu- 
factures are  those  of  hemp  and  cordage,  wool-stapling 
and  pin-making ; the  last  of  these  is  not  the  least  impor- 
tant ; it  has  been  estimated  that  pins  to  the  amount  of 
£20,000  are  sometimes  sent  in  the  course  of  a week  to 
London  ; thus  the  value  of  this  single  branch  of  industry 
may  be  easily  computed. 

Cheltenham  and  Clifton  in  the  same  county  have 
become  flourishing  places  from  the  great  number  of 
strangers  that  repair  to  their  mineral  springs,  which 
belong  to  the  saline  and  chalybeate  class,  of  the  same 
sort  and  by  no  means  superior  to  those  of  Gloucester. 

The  small  market  town  of  Stroud,  about  ten  miles 
to  the  south-east  of  Gloucester,  may  be  mentioned  on 
account  of  the  industry  of  its  inhabitants.  It  is  situated 
on  the  ridge  of  a declivity  near  the  confluence  of  the 
Frome  and  the  Sladewater,  and  it  has  long  been  consid- 
ered the  centre  of  the  cloth  manufactory  in  the  county. 
Of  the  8000  individuals  that  form  its  population,  the 
greater  number  are  engaged  in  trade,  particularly  in 
making  cloth.  The  water  is  celebrated  for  imparting  a 
scarlet  dye  and  other  grain  colours  ; for  this  reason  per- 
haps, cloth  manufactories  have  been  extended  upwards 
of  twenty  miles  along  the  river,  and  many  fulling  mills 
have  been  erected  on  its  banks.  Cirencester,  the  Corin- 
ium  of  Ptolemy,  and  the  Durocornovium  of  Antoninus, 
once  a place  of  great  importance,  and  still  famous  for  its 
antiquities,  is  now  little  better  than  a village  ; its  inhab- 
itants find  employment  in  making  edge-tools,  in  stapling 
wool,  and  in  manufacturing  carpets. 

The  small  town  of  Berkeley  was  the  birth-place  of  the 
celebrated  Jenner,  but  no  monument  has  been  erected 
to  announce  the  honour  which  it  claims,  or  to  record  his 
invaluable  discovery.  The  castle  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  town,  the  residence  of  the  Berkeley  family,  has 
been  the  scene  of  various  events  in  early  history,  the 
most  memorable  of  which  was  the  murder  of  Edward  II. 
in  1327. 

The  inland  county  of  Wilts  is  contiguous  on  the  north 
and  north-west  to  Gloucestershire,  on  the  west  to  Som- 
ersetshire, on  the  south  to  Dorsetshire,  on  the  south-east 
to  Hampshire,  and  on  the  north-east  to  Berkshire.  It 
may  be  readily  inferred  from  what  has  been  already 
mentioned,  that  its  boundaries  are  almost  wholly  artificial ; 
in  figure  it  bears  some  resemblance  to  an  ellipsis  of 
which  the  longer  axis  is  from  north  to  south. 

The  face  of  the  country,  and  the  quality  of  the  soil, 
are  very  different  in  the  two  great  divisions  of  Wiltshire. 
The  soil  of  South  Wilts  exhibits  a certain  degree  of 
uniformity  ; the  hills  are  composed  of  chalk  ; silex,*  the 
usual  accompaniment  of  that  substance,  appears  in  most 
places.  The  sides  of  the  hills  from  which  it  has  been 
washed,  consist  of  a chalky  loam  ; flints  abound  in  the 
lower  parts,  and  the  centre  of  the  tallies  through  which 
the  rivulets  run,  is  covered  with  a stratum  of  broken 

e Capper,  Idem. 

The  Stroudwater  or  Stroud  canal  extends  from  the  Severn  at 
Framilode  to  Wellbridge  near  Stroud,  where  it  communicates  with  the 
Thames  and  Severn  canal.  The  latter  extends  to  Lechlade  on  the 
Isis,  where  it  joins  the  Thames  and  Isis  navigation. — P. 

s Flint.— P. 


EUROPE. 


[HOOK  C1.IV 


498 

flints,  and  black  earth  deposited  from  the  neighbouring 
hills.  The  declivities  which  have  been  most  washed, 
are  barren  and  unfruitful ; the  more  level  places,  and  the 
vallies  which  have  been  least  exposed  to  the  rapid 
streams,  are  the  most  productive  in  the  district.  The 
Wiltshire  downs  are  situated  in  the  same  part  of  the 
county  ; they  may  be  divided  into  the  Marlborough 
downs  and  Salisbury  plain,  the  last  of  which  is  equal  in 
superficial  extent  to  more  than  500,000  acres.  Vast 
flocks  of  sheep,  accompanied  by  solitary  shepherds,  wan- 
der over  this  immense  plain,  in  some  respects  the  most 
remarkable  in  England.  The  soil  in  North  Wilts  is  less 
uniform ; the  under  stratum  in  a large  portion  of  it  is 
formed  by  a loose  and  irregular  mass  of  flat  broken 
stones,  which  the  country  people  call  corn-grate, a and 
which  extends  without  interruption  through  the  north- 
western part  of  Wiltshire.  It  is  covered  with  an  upper 
stratum  of  red  calcareous  loam,  known  by  the  name  of 
stone-brash,  from  the  loose  stones  with  which  it  is  mixed. 
A vein  of  excellent  gravel,  covered  with  rich  loam,  runs 
in  a broken  line  from  Tytherton  through  Christian- 
Malford  to  Somerton  ; the  richest  part  of  it  is  situated 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Dantsey.  A hard  rock  of 
bastard-limestone,  on  which  the  soil  is  by  no  means 
fruitful,  extends  with  little  interruption  through  the 
remainder  of  the  county.  Bradon  forest,  however,  forms 
an  exception  ; a cold  iron  clay  rises  to  the  surface,  and 
of  so  poor  a quality,  that  the  term  Bradon  land  has 
become  proverbial  in  the  county  for  a barren  and  ungrate- 
ful soil.6  Wiltshire  is  watered  by  the  Thames,  the  Upper 
and  Lower  Avon,  and  several  other  rivers.  The  Deverill, 
like  the  Mole  in  Surrey,  loses  itself  more  than  a mile, 
and  appears  again  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Warminster. 

Salisbury,  the  see  of  a bishop,  and  the  capital  of  the 
county,  is  situated  on  the  Upper  Avon,  by  which  and  its 
tributary  streams  it  is  nearly  surrounded.  The  cathedral, 
a fine  specimen  of  the  ecclesiastical  architecture  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  is  a very  uniform  and  regular  edifice  ; 
its  spire,  reckoned  at  more  than  four  hundred  feet,  is 
higher  than  that  of  any  other  English  cathedral.  The 
small  town  of  Amesbury®  may  be  mentioned  as  the  birth- 
place of  the  great  Addison,  and  also  on  account  of  its 
vicinity  to  Stonehenge,  from  which  it  is  not  more  than 
two  miles  distant.  It  is  perhaps  impossible  to  determine 
the  origin  of  this  stupendous  structure,  but  it  is  most 
probably  the  remains  of  a druidical  temple.  Seventeen 
huge  stones,  still  erect,  and  seven  others  lying  on  the 
ground,  form  the  outer  circle  of  the  fabric.  The  inner 
circle,  about  eight  feet  from  the  outer,  consists  of  nine- 
teen stones,  eight  of  which  have  fallen.  The  circumfer- 
ence between  the  two  circles  is  about  three  hundred  feet ; 
the  stones  are  from  eighteen  to  twenty  feet  high,  from 
six  to  seven  broad,  and  about  three  in  thickness.  The 
whole  appears  to  have  been  encompassed  with  a trench, 
in  which  the  remains  of  three  entrances  may  still  be 
traced.  Around  it  are  many  tumuli,  and  in  some  of 

1 The  Cornbrash  (one  of  the  upper  members  of  the  lower  division  of 
the  Oolites,)  a loose  rubbly  limestone,  of  a grey  or  bluish  colour.  In 
Wiltshire  it  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  cornbrash  or  corn-grit. 
(Conybeare  and  Phillips,  p.  202.) — P. 

b Davis’  Agricultural  Report  of  Wiltshire. 

c Amesbury,  or  Ambresbury. — P. 

d The  Thames  and  Severn  canal  (already  mentioned)  crosses  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  county  by  Cricklade.  The  Kennet  and 
Avon  canal  (already  mentioned)  crosses  the  middle  of  the  county  by 
Devizes.  The  Wiltshire  and  Berkshire  canal  leaves  the  Kennet  and 


them  human  skeletons,  urns,  armour  and  weapons  have 
been  discovered.  Independently  of  the  purposes  for 
which  they  were  erected,  it  is  difficult  to  imagine  the 
means  by  which  the  early  inhabitants,  ignorant  of  ma- 
chinery and  the  mechanical  powers,  could  have  trans- 
ported such  masses  to  a solitary  plain.  A Roman  camp 
at  no  great  distance  from  it,  is  defended  on  both  sides 
by  the  Avon. 

Wiltshire  possesses  an  undue  proportion  of  parliamen- 
tary boroughs  ; from  these  and  from  the  county  not  fewer 
than  thirty-four  members  are  returned.  The  towns  are 
more  important  for  their  industry  than  the  number  of 
their  inhabitants.  Wilton  is  famous  for  its  carpets; 
Salisbury  for  its  cutlery  and  woollen  stuffs.  The  inhab- 
itants of  Devizes,  Bradford,  Trowbridge,  Warminster, 
Westbury,  and  all  the  adjacent  towns  from  Chippenham 
to  Heytesbury,  are  occupied  in  woollen  manufactories, 
principally  of  fine  cloths.  There  are  indeed  few  villages 
in  which  some  branch  of  industry  is  not  carried  on.  The 
same  county  participates  in  the  advantages  of  inland 
navigation  ; the  canals,  by  which  it  is  intersected,  are 
those  of  the  Thames  and  Severn,  the  Kennet  and  Avon, 
the  Wiltshire  and  Berkshire,  the  Salisbury  and  South- 
ampton.1 * * 4 

Hampshire  or  Hants,  called  also  the  county  of  South- 
ampton, was  in  ancient  times  inhabited  by  the  Regni 
and  the  Belgce,  by  the  last  of  whom,  it  is  supposed,  the 
city  of  Winchester  was  founded.  The  county  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Berkshire,  on  the  east  by  Surrey  and 
Sussex,  on  the  south  by  the  English  Channel,  and  on 
the  west  by  Dorsetshire  and  Wiltshire.  It  might  be 
compared  to  a square,  were  it  not  for  a triangular  pro- 
jection at  the  south-western  extremity.  Exclusively  of 
this  portion,  it  is  about  forty-two  miles  in  length,  and 
thirty-eight  in  breadth.  Hampshire  is  distinguished  as 
an  agricultural,  although  its  sea-coast  renders  it  also  an 
important  maritime  and  commercial  county.  There  are 
several  different  kinds  of  soil,  but  chalk  forms  the  prin- 
cipal ingredient  of  the  greater  part ; extensive  and  fertile 
marshy  lands  reach  to  the  neighbourhood  of  the  sea. 
The  borders  of  Dorsetshire  are  covered  with  sterile 
heaths,  but  abundant  crops  are  raised  on  those  of  Berk- 
shire. The  products  of  the  county  are  excellent  wheat, 
barley  and  the  ordinary  leguminous  plants  ; hops,  which 
have  been  much  cultivated  of  late  years,  may  also  be 
reckoned  among  its  staple  commodities. 

The  forests  in  Hampshire,  although  formerly  more 
extensive  than  at  present,  are  too  remarkable  to  be 
passed  over  in  silence  ; the  principal  are  the  forest  of 
Alice-IIolt  and  Wolmer,  that  of  East-Bere,'  and  the 
New  Forest.  The  first,  situated  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  county,  is  bounded  by  the  river  Wye  ;f  the  second 
lies  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Portsdown,  and  is  not  less 
in  superficial  extent  than  16.000  acres;  the  last  or  the 
largest  received  the  name  of  the  New  Forest,  because  it 
was  added  to  the  others  by  William  the  Conqueror, 

Avon  canal  at  Semington,  and  passes  north-east,  at  the  foot  of  the 
chalk  hills,  to  the  Thames  at  Abingdon.  It  is  connected  with  the 
Thames  and  Severn  canal,  by  a branch  to  Cricklade.  The  Salisbury 
and  Southampton  canal  connects  those  two  towns. — P. 

e The  forest  of  Alice-IIolt  and  Wolmer  is  separated  into  two  por- 
tions by  intervening  private  property.  It  is  situated  on  the  borders 
of  Surrey  and  Sussex.  That  of  Bere  extends  northward  from  the 
Portsdown  hills,  near  Portsmouth.. — P. 

f The  Wey,  a branch  of  the  Thames  flowing  by  Guildford  in 
Surrey. — P. 


book  cl,iy.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

whose  injustice  in  dispossessing  the  inhabitants  of  their 
lands  and  houses,  was  supposed  to  have  been  avenged  by 
the  casual  deaths  of  his  sons  Richard  and  William  Rufus, 
and  his  grandson  Henry,  within  its  precincts.  It  stretches 
from  Godshill  to  the  sea,  and  the  space  which  it  occupies 
is  equal  to  more  than  92,000  acres.  The  forest  was 
principally  valuable  on  account  of  the  timber  with  which 
it  supplied  the  navy,  but  of  late  years,  the  trees  fit  for 
that  purpose,  have  decreased  in  number. 

The  Isle  of  Wight,  situated  at  the  eastern  entrance  of 
Stadland  Bay,3  has  long  been  considered  one  of  the  most 
delightful  residences  in  Britain  ; it  is  twenty-two  miles  in 
length,  by  twelve  and  a half  in  breadth  ; it  contained  in 
1820,  31,166  inhabitants.  The  climate  is  very  mild,  the 
land  rich  and  fruitful,  and  some  of  the  sites,  remarkable 
for  their  beauty  ; on  that  account  it  has  been  much  fre- 
quented during  the  fine  season.  The  mineral  products 
of  the  island  are  numerous  ; chalk  is  used  as  a manure, 
while  limestone,  fullers-earth  and  two  kinds  of  ochre 
are  exported.  It  has  four  sides  which  are  nearly  recti- 
linear ; the  two  northern  front  England,  and  the  two  others 
the  open  sea.  It  forms  a natural  shelter  to  the  flourish- 
ing ports  and  excellent  roads  from  which  Hampshire  de- 
rives so  much  importance. 

Southampton  Water,  a large  and  deep  haven  in  which 
the  largest  vessels  may  sail,  lies  opposite  the  projecting 
angle  formed  by  the  two  northern  sides  of  the  Isle 
of  Wight.  It  receives  the  waters  of  several  rivers, 
among  others,  the  Anton,  the  Itchin  and  the  Test. 
Southampton  is  built  on  its  shore  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Test  and  Itchin  ; it  was  formerly  considered  the  chief  town 
in  Hampshire,  which  is  still  called  the  county  of  South- 
ampton ; it  contains  at  present  13,353  inhabitants,  and 
reckons  about  187  ships,  measuring  more  than  10,000 
tons.  It  was  on  the  shore  near  Southampton,  that  king 
Canute  gave  his  flatterers  a memorable  reproof,  by  show- 
ing that  all  his  power  yielded  to  the  immutable  laws  of 
nature  ; it  was  at  the  same  place  that  Henry  the  Fifth 
collected  his  forces  for  the  conquest  of  France.  The 
present  inhabitants  carry  on  a considerable  trade  in  tim- 
ber, hemp  and  tallow  with  the  north  of  Russia ; in  wine 
and  fruit  with  Portugal ; and  in  iron,  lead,  coal  and  glass 
with  Wales,  Newcastle,  and  different  parts  of  England. 
The  ship  owners  send  a number  of  vessels  every  year  to 
the  Newfoundland  fisheries,  and  a regular  communication' 
is  established  between  Cherbourg  and  Southampton,  by 
means  of  packets. 

But  Portsmouth  is  by  far  the  most  important  maritime 
town  in  the  county,  nay  in  some  respects,  in  the  kingdom. 
Situated  on  the  western  side  of  the  island  of  Portsea,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  bay  termed  Portsmouth  harbour,  it  con- 
sists of  the  old  town  of  Portsmouth,  surrounded  with 
walls  and  fortifications,  and  the  new  town  of  Portsea, 
which  was  only  begun  about  a century  ago.  As  it  was 
found  impracticable  to  enlarge  Portsmouth  on  account  of 
the  walls  by  which  it  is  enclosed,  it  has  become  in  con- 
sequence less  populous  than  Portsea  ; they  may  be  said, 
however,  to  form  a single  town.  The  harbour  is  supe- 
rior in  size,  depth  and  security  to  any  other  in  the  king- 
dom ; it  is  not  much  broader  at  its  entrance  than  the 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  499 

Thames  at  London,  but  it  gradually  expands  into  a great 
width,  and  into  several  channels,  which  may  afford  a safe 
shelter  and  anchorage  to  almost  the  whole  British  navy. 
The  spacious  roadstead  of  Spithead,  between  Portsmouth 
and  the  Isle  of  Wight,  where  a thousand  ships  of  the 
line  may  ride  in  security,  forms  a great  addition  to  its 
harbour.  The  natural  advantages  of  its  position  have 
rendered  Portsmouth,  the  great  naval  arsenal  of  England, 
and  the  principal  station  of  the  British  fleet.  The  same 
place  has  been  rendered  impregnable  by  works  of  art, 
which  were  begun  at  a very  early  period,  continued  at 
distant  intervals,  and  not  completed  before  the  reign  of 
George  the  Third.  It  is  the  seat  of  a naval  college  and 
a school  of  naval  architecture,  of  which  the  governor  is 
the  first  lord  of  the  admiralty.  The  dock-yards  are  the 
most  complete  in  the  world  ; within  them  are  contained 
all  kinds  of  naval  and  military  stores,  and  all  the  neces- 
sary manufactories  for  the  supply  of  naval  equipments. 
Some  of  these  works  or  manufactories  may  be  mention- 
ed. The  ropery  is  a spacious  building,  three  stories 
high,  fifty-four  feet  broad,  and  a hundred  and  ninety-four 
long  ; the  strongest  cables  are  made  there,  and  the  labour 
has  been  much  simplified  by  the  use  of  machinery.  The 
rigging-house  and  sail-loft  are  fine  structures  ; the  former 
occupying  nearly  six  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  sixty  in 
width  ; the  two  latter  400  feet.b  The  two  hemp-houses 
and  the  two  sea-store  houses  form  a line  of  building  800 
feet  long.  The  tarring  house  and  the  other  appendages  of 
the  ropery  are  on  the  same  scale.  The  anchor-forge,  a 
vast  building  in  which  anchors  weighing  a hundred  cwts. 
are  wrought,  may  remind  a stranger  of  the  fables  concern- 
ing the  work-shop  of  Vulcan  ; on  approaching  it,  the  ear  is 
stunned  with  a tremendous  noise  ; it  is  impossible  to 
examine  it  minutely  without  admiring  the  various  substi- 
tutes, which  ingenuity  has  devised  for  the  abridgment  of 
labour.  Contiguous  to  the  forge  are  an  iron-mill,  a cop- 
per-mill, and  a refinery,  in  which  the  old  copper  is  remelt- 
ed and  rolled,  and  where  cast-bolts,  gudgeons  and  other 
articles  of  the  same  metal  are  made.  The  wood-mills 
front  the  northern  dock  ; the  machinery  is  moved  by 
steam,  and  that  for  making  blocks,®  is  perhaps  as  curious 
and  worthy  of  attention  as  any  in  Portsmouth.  The 
gun-wharf  is  an  immense  depot  for  guns,  carronades  and 
mortars,  with  shot  and  shells  of  every  weight  and  size. 
The  victualling-office,  situated  in  the  Portsmouth  division 
of  the  town,  comprehends  several  extensive  ranges  of 
building,  among  others  a large  store-house  that  occupies 
the  whole  length  of  a street,  and  serves  as  a repository 
of  the  provisions  and  liquors  that  are  used  in  the  navy. 
The  grain  for  the  consumption  of  the  mariners  and  the 
troops  is  ground  at  the  king’s  mill  on  the  Portsea  side  ; 
it  is  turned  by  a stream  of  salt  water,  admitted  from  the 
harbour  at  full  tide,  and  let  off  at  low  water.  Such  are 
some  of  the  public  works  at  Portsmouth,  and  from  them 
a stranger  may  derive  some  notion  of  the  resources  of  a 
great  nation.  It  may  be  added  that  during  the  last  war 
more  than  four  thousand  workmen  were  constantly  em- 
ployed in  the  dock-yards. 

Fareham,  at  the  head  of  Portsmouth  harbour,  has  be- 
come a place  of  consequence  from  its  connexion  with 

a 1 do  not  find  any  notice  of  Stadland  Bay,  on  this  part  of  the  Eng- 
lish coast.  Studland  Bay  is  on  the  east  coast  of  the  Isle  of  Purbeck, 
between  Handfast  Point  on  the  south,  and  the  entrance  of  Poole  Har- 
bour on  the  north.  A large  bay  is,  however,  formed  by  the  projection 
of  the  Isle  of  Wight  on  the  east,  and  the  Isle  of  Purbeck  on  the  west. 
In  the  north-west  part  of  it,  Studland  Bay  is  situated. — P. 

b The  range  of  storehouses  on  the  north-east  is  about  600  feet  long, 
and  the  sail-loft  and  rigging-loft  are  also  huge  buildings,  both  400  feet 
long.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c Invented  by  M.  Brunei,  engineer  of  the  Thames  tunnel. — P 

EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIY 


500 


the  town.  Sloops  and  smaller  vessels  are  built  in  it,  and 
the  inhabitants  carry  on  a considerable  trade  in  corn  and 
coals.  Gosport  at  the  mouth  of  the  same  harbour,*  is  a 
populous  town,  inhabited  chiefly  by  sailors  and  artificers. 
It  contains  a large  naval  hospital,1*  extensive  barracks, 
docks  and  wharfs  for  merchant  vessels.  The  produce 
of  the  neighbouring  country  supplies  in  part  the  demand 
created  by  the  government  establishments  in  these  places 
and  in  Portsmouth. 

The  ancient  city  of  Winchester  is  the  only  other  place 
in  Hampshire,  that  requires  to  be  mentioned.  It  was  the 
capital  of  the  whole  country  during  the  reign  of  the  Saxon 
king  Egbert ; it  became  at  a later  period  the  great  empo- 
rium of  the  wool  trade,  but  it  is  long  since  its  commerce 
has  fallen  into  decay.  It  declined  after  the  dissolution 
of  its  monastery  by  Henry  the  Eighth,  and  it  suffered 
greatly  in  the  course  of  the  civil  wars.  It  stands  on  the 
eastern  declivity  of  a hill  above  the  river  Itchin  ; it  seems 
to  have  derived  its  original  name  of  Caer  Gwent  or  the 
White  City , from  the  chalky  cliffs  which  surround  it. 
Although  the  streets  are  spacious  and  well  aired,  Win- 
chester has  the  appearance  of  an  ancient  city.  The 
cathedral  is  as  remarkable  for  the  antiquity  of  its  foun- 
dation, as  for  the  splendor  of  its  architecture.  It  occupies 
probably  the  site  of  a building  raised  by  the  zeal  and  piety 
of  the  Saxons.  It  was  much  altered  and  improved  in 
succeeding  ages,  and  Bishop  Fox  rebuilt  it  according  to 
its  present  form  in  the  sixteenth  century.  The  length 
of  the  building  is  545  feet ; and  among  the  distinguished 
prelates  of  Winchester,  may  be  mentioned  William  of 
Wykeham,  William  of  Wainfleet,  Fox  and  cardinal 
Beaufort,  whose  shrines  are  works  of  great  magnificence 
and  beauty. 

The  college  of  Winchester,  founded  by  William  of 
Wykeham,  has  now  become  one  of  the  great  public 
schools  in  England.  The  building  is  divided  by  two 
courts  ; the  entrance  to  one  of  them  is  under  a large 
gate-way,  adorned  with  busts  of  the  founder  and  Edward 
the  Third  ; the  other  is  admired  for  its  niches  and  pin- 
nacled canopies : the  chapel  and  hall,  which  form  the 
south  wing,  are  supported  by  massive  buttresses.  The 
college  is  founded  for  a warden,  ten  fellows,  seventy 
scholars,  three  chaplains,  and  six  choristers,  with  masters 
and  subordinate  officers.  A building  has  been  erected 
on  the  west  of  it  for  students  not  on  the  foundation. 
Although  our  limits  prevent  us  from  mentioning  the  other 
public  buildings  in  Winchester,  it  may  be  remarked  that 
the  chapel  of  the  ancient  castle  contains  what  is  denom- 
inated Arthur’s  Round  Table,  one  of  the  few  memorials, 
whether  counterfeit  or  real,  that  still  remain  in  England 
of  chivalrous  times. 

The  Isle  of  Wight,  it  has  already  been  observed,  is 
under  the  civil  jurisdiction  of  Hampshire  ; it  is  divided 
into  two  nearly  equal  parts  by  the  river  Medina,  which 
rises  in  the  southern  angle,  and  discharges  itself  at  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  island  ; hence  the  divisions  of 
East  and  West  Medina.  The  southern  coast  is  edged 
with  steep  cliffs  of  chalk  and  limestone,  hollowed  out  in 
many  places  into  caverns.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  St. 
Lawrence,  a large  tract  has  fallen  from  the  summit,  and 
formed  the  romantic  ledge,  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Undercliff.  The  western  side  is  fenced  with  ridges  of  rocks, 


* On  the  west  side,  opposite  Portsmouth. — P. 


of  which  the  most  remarkable  are  those  that  from  tlieii 
sharp  extremities,  have  been  called  the  Needles.  The 
safe  roadstead  of  St.  Helens  is  situated  off  the  eastern 
side  of  the  island. 

Newport,  the  principal  town,  is  a place  of  considera 
ble  population.  The  work-people  are  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  starch  and  hair-powder,  and  also  in 
making  biscuit  for  the  navy.  Carisbrook  castle,  at  a short 
distance  from  Newport,  was  in  former  times  an  important 
fortress  ; it  has  now  become  the  residence  of  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  island.  It  was  rendered  memorable  as  the 
place  where  Charles  the  First  was  confined  more  than  a 
year,  while  a prisoner  of  the  parliament.  The  former  im- 
portance of  theboroughof  Yarmouth, now  little  better  than 
a fishing  village,  is  attested  by  its  privilege  of  returning 
two  members  to  parliament. 

The  county  of  Sussex  forms  a long  stripe  of  land  on 
the  southern  coast ; it  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Surrey 
and  Kent,  on  the  south  by  the  English  Channel,  which 
together  with  Kent,  forms  also  its  narrow  eastern  boun- 
dary, and  on  the  west  by  Hampshire.  It  measures  more 
than  seventy  miles  from  east  to  west,  while  its  mean 
breadth  is  less  than  twenty  ; it  is  equal  in  superficial  ex- 
tent to  1461  square  miles.  It  is  divided  into  six  rapes, 
a division  peculiar  to  Sussex  ; the  western  are  Chichester, 
Arundel  and  Bramber  ; the  eastern  are  Lewes,  Pevensey 
and  Hastings  ; these  are  again  subdivided  into  sixty-five 
hundreds. 

The  soil  varies  between  chalk,  clay,  loam,  sand  and 
gravel,  according  as  each  of  these  substances  predomi- 
nates. The  northern  and  middle  portions  are  of  the 
same  nature,  and  may  be  said  to  form  a continuation  of 
the  Wealds  in  Kent  ; they  were  formerly  wholly  covered 
with  forests,  and  although  many  of  them  have  been  de- 
stroyed, the  country  still  abounds  with  lofty  trees  ; indeed 
the  oaks  of  Sussex  are  said  to  be  better  and  more  nu- 
merous than  those  of  most  counties  ; they  succeed  best 
in  the  stiff  clay  on  the  Wealds  ; the  chalk-hills  are 
equally  noted  for  their  beech  trees. 

A ridge  of  hills,  extending  in  a north-westerly  direc- 
tion, is  composed  of  gritstone,  limestone  and  iron-ore. 
A rich  tract  of  arable  and  meadow  land  forms  a narrow 
belt  below  the  middle  of  the  county  ; beyond  it  are  the 
downs,  a range  of  green  open  hills,  affording  excellent 
pasture  to  sheep.  It  is  in  this  tract,  between  Lewes  and 
the  sea,  that  the  South  Down  sheep  are  reared.  Differ- 
ent parts  of  Sussex  are  equally  famous  for  their  cattle, 
and  in  no  other  county  are  so  many  oxen  used  in  agricul- 
ture. There  were  at  one  time  many  iron  works  in  the 
same  county,  and  much  charcoal  was  used  in  smelting 
the  ore  ; in  this  way  the  woods  were  gradually  diminish- 
ed. The  same  branch  of  industry  is  now  abandoned  ; 
the  works,  from  the  comparatively  late  improvements  in 
smelting  tbe  metal  with  pit  coal,  are  now  confined  to  the 
counties,  which  abound  both  in  the  cheaper  fuel  and  in 
iron-ore.  The  products  of  Sussex  are  hops,  corn,  wool, 
cattle,  timber,  marl  and  limestone. 

The  principal  rivers  are  the  Adur,  the  Arun  and  the 
Ouse,  the  latter  a name  common  to  other  streams  in  Eng- 
land. They  rise  in  the  northern  part  of  the  countv.  and 
after  dividing  the  chalk  hills  into  four  or  five  different 
portions,  discharge  themselves  into  the  Channel ; the  first 


b The  Royal  Hospital  at  Hasler,  for  sick  and  wounded  seamen. — P 


book  ciiiv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

at  Newhaven,  the  second  near  Shoreham,  and  tlie  third 
at  Little  Hampton.3  Although  by  no  means  large,  they 
have  been  of  the  greatest  utility  in  affording  connecting 
points  to  the  different  canals  which  have  been  undertaken 
or  are  already  completed. 

There  are  few  populous  towns  in  Sussex,  and  the  most 
important  are  situated  at  a short  distance  from  the  sea. 
Chichester,  the  capital,  is  the  seat  of  a diocese,  which 
was  transferred  to  it  from  Selsey  in  the  reign  of  William 
the  Conqueror.  The  cathedral  having  been  destroyed 
by  fire,  a second  was  built  in  the  twelfth  century,  which 
has  been  at  different  times  enlarged  and  repaired.  It  is 
an  elegant  Gothic  edifice,  in  the  form  of  a cross,  with  a 
spire  nearly  three  hundred  feet  in  height.  The  town  con- 
sists principally  of  four  broad  and  well  paved  streets,  that 
intersect  each  other  at  right  angles ; it  claims  some  de- 
gree of  antiquity,  for  it  is  said  to  have  been  founded  by 
Cissa,  the  second  king  of  the  South  Saxons.  Traces  of 
an  earlier  period  may  be  observed  in  the  neighbourhood. 
A Roman  pavement  was  discovered  in  Chichester  in  1727, 
and  the  Brell,b  near  the  city,  is  the  site  of  a Roman 
camp,  supposed  to  have  been  raised  by  Vespasian,  and 
which  from  the  nature  of  the  soil  must  have  been  a work 
of  considerable  difficulty.  The  finely  situated  town  of 
Arundel,  on  the  Arun,  was  formerly  ranked  with  the 
strong  places  in  England ; it  possesses  a harbour, 
where  many  small  vessels  are  loaded  with  timber  for  the 
dock-yards.  Horsham,  on  a branch  of  the  same  river, 
near  the  Surrey  border,  derives  its  name  from  Horsa,  the 
brother  of  Hengist,  by  whom  it  is  said  to  have  been 
founded.  It  is  now  a populous  borough,  in  which  the 
spring  assizes  are  held  ; it  is  also  the  seat  of  the  county 
jail,  a modern  and  commodious  building.  Extensive 
barracks,  and  a large  magazine  of  arms,  are  situated  in 
the  neighbourhood.  Lewes,  on  the  river  Ouse,  one 
of  the  few  populous  places  in  the  county,  has  become 
important  from  the  industry  of  its  inhabitants,  from  its 
cannon  founderies,  and  from  its  corn  and  paper  mills.  It 
was  the  scene  of  a destructive  battle  between  Henry  the 
Third  and  the  barons,  in  which  the  former  was  defeated 
and  taken  prisoner. 

Although  Hastings  is  still  the  first  in  rank  of  the  Cinque 
Ports,  it  has  fallen  into  decay  ; it  now  possesses  a wretch- 
ed harbour,  and  the  only  method  by  which  ships  can  be 
secured  from  the  waves,  is  by  drawing  them  on  the  beach. 
It  may  also  be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  connexion 
with  a remarkable  event  in  English  history.  William  the 
Conqueror  is  supposed  to  have  landed  with  his  fleet  near 
Pevensey,  and,  after  burning  his  ships,  to  have  as- 
sembled his  army  at  Hastings,  whence  he  marched  to 
battle  in  an  adjacent  plain.  Harold  lost  his  crown  and 
his  life,  while  fifteen  thousand  of  the  victors,  and  many 
more  of  the  vanquished,  were  slain. 

It  is  not  many  years  since  Brighthelmstone  or  Brighton 
was  inhabited  by  fishermen  ; it  has  now  become  a pop- 
ulous town,  and  a place  of  fashionable  resort  in  the  sum- 
mer season.  The  preference  given  to  it  for  sea-bathing 
was  derived  from  its  vicinity  to  the  metropolis,  and  from 
its  healthful  situation  ; but  the  principal  cause  of  the 
great  extension  of  Brighton,  must  be  attributed  to  the 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  501 

choice  made  of  it  as  a summer  residence  by  George  the 
Fourth,  when  prince  regent,  in  consequence  of  which  a 
marine  pavilion  was  built  at  a vast  expense.  In  con- 
formity to  an  act  passed  in  1821,  a long  and  convenient 
chain  suspension-pier  for  the  improvement  of  the  harbour 
was  erected.  Brighton  is  much  benefited  by  the  nu- 
merous travellers  to  France,  embarking  there  on  board 
the  steam-packets  to  Dieppe,  and  proceeding  onwards 
through  Rouen  to  Paris,  the  distance  by  land  being  much 
shorter  than  by  the  route  through  Calais.  It  was  at 
Brighton  that  Charles  the  Second  embarked  for  France, 
after  the  battle  of  Worcester  in  1651. 

Two  individuals,  who  have  shed  a lustre  on  English 
literature,  were  natives  of  Sussex.  Collins  was  born  in 
Chichester  about  the  year  1720.  The  great  and  unfor- 
tunate Otway,  without  a rival  in  the  pathetic,  was  born 
at  Tooting'  in  1651  ; he  died  of  want  in  1685. 

Kent,  the  next  county  we  shall  mention,  is  about  sixty- 
three  miles  long,  and  nearly  forty  broad.  The  whole 
area  is  about  1537  square  miles,  or  983,680  acres  ; of 
these,  about  500,000  are  arable,  and  300,000  pasture 
lands  ; the  remainder  consists  of  hop  grounds,  woods  and 
marshes.  The  soil  is  different  in  different  parts  of  the 
county.  The  land  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
Thames  is  low  and  marshy  ; but  chalky  heights  rise  at  no 
great  distance  from  its  banks.  A hard  and  unfruitful  soil 
extends  to  the  north-eastern  extremity,  and  thence  round 
to  Dover,  forming  the  lofty  white  cliffs  which  bound  the 
island,  and  exhibiting  from  the  sea  that  striking  appear- 
ance, from  which  the  ancient  name  of  Albion  was  de- 
rived. The  southern  part  of  Kent,  or  the  Weald,  is  a flat 
woody  tract,  of  a clayey  soil,  fruitful,  but  unwholesome  on 
account  of  its  great  moisture.  The  midland  and  western 
districts  are  intersected  by  hills  and  dales,  arable  and  pas- 
ture lands,  equal  in  fertility  to  any  part  of  England. 

Kent  is  almost  entirely  an  agricultural  county ; it 
abounds  in  corn  ; its  other  products  are  large  oxen,  pigs, 
hops,  fruit,  particularly  cherries,  apples  and  filberts,  with 
which  the  London  market  is  supplied,  woad  and  mad- 
der for  dyeing,  samphire,  hemp,  and  oak  timber.  The 
manufactures  are  of  secondary  importance.  Dartford 
and  Feversham,  however,  are  famed  for  their  powder- 
mills  ; Maidstone  and  Dover,  for  their  paper-mills.  One 
of  the  largest  flour-mills  in  the  kingdom  is  to  be  seen  in 
Canterbury,  and  there  are  also  in  the  same  place,  silk, 
cotton  and  worsted  manufactories.  The  art  of  bleach- 
ing and  printing  calicoes  furnishes  employment  to  many 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Crayford.  Iron  furnaces,  cop- 
peras and  salt  works,  have  been  erected  in  different  parts 
of  the  Wealds  ;d  lastly,  a great  quantity  of  coarse  cloth 
for  packing  hops,  is  made  in  several  parts  of  the  county. 

The  sea-coast,  the  Downs,  the  dangerous  Goodwin 
Sands,  and  other  places,  illustrative  of  the  physical  ge- 
ography of  Kent,  have  been  already  mentioned,  but  no 
notice  has  been  taken  of  some  of  the  remarkable  towns  in 
the  county,  and  of  these  the  number  is  sufficiently  great. 
Dover,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  South  Foreland,  is 
nearer  the  continent  than  any  other  of  the  British  ports, 
the  breadth  of  the  Channel  between  it  and  Calais  being 
only  seven  leagues  ; it  is  on  that  account  much  frequented 

* The  Adur  enters  the  Channel  a little  below  New  Shoreham ; the 
Arun,  at  Little  Hampton  ; and  the  Ouse,  at  Newhaven. — P. 
b Brile  (Camden.)  Brill  (Luckombe.) — P. 

c Trotting  (Trotton,)  a village  near  Petworth.  Tooting  is  in  Surrey, 
near  London. — P. 

d There  are  salt-works  near  Sandwich  and  in  the  Isle  of  Grain  [con- 
sequently on  the  coast ;]  large  copperas  works  at  Whitstable  [on  the 
coast,  north  of  Canterbury]  and  Deptford  [on  the  Thames,  near  Lon- 
don ;]  and  in  that  part  of  the  Weald  which  borders  on  Sussex,  there 
are  furnaces  for  casting  iron.  (Ed.  Enc.  art.  Kent.) — P. 

502  EUR 

by  the  travellers  who  visit  France  ; for  their  accommo- 
dation not  fewer  than  thirty  regular  packets  have  been 
established,  and  many  of  them  are  steam  vessels.  The 
town  appears  to  have  been  a place  of  some  consequence 
in  the  earliest  times  ; it  was  the  Dour  of  the  Britons,* 
the  Dubris  of  the  Romans, b and  the  Dovre  of  the  Sax- 
ons.' It  is  mentioned  in  history  as  a place  of  the  great- 
est importance  at  so  early  a period  as  the  Norman  con- 
quest ; in  a later  age  it  was  often  called  the  Claris  et 
Repagulum  totius  Jlegni.11  The  ancient  castle  is  by 
some  supposed  to  have  been  built  by  Julius  Caesar, 
while  others  believe  that  it  was  founded  by  Claudius.  It 
was  long  deemed  impregnable,  but  in  the  reign  of  Charles 
the  First,  Drake,  a zealous  republican,  formed  a plan  to 
seize  the  garrison.  Accompanied  at  midnight  by  ten  or 
twelve  men,  they  reached  by  means  of  ropes  and  scaling 
ladders,  the  top  of  the  high  cliff  without  being  discovered. 
Having  despatched  the  sentinel,  they  threw  open  the 
gates,  and  the  garrison,  who  were  in  the  utmost  confusion, 
supposing  themselves  to  be  attacked  by  superior  num- 
bers, surrendered  this  important  castle  to  a handful  of 
desperate  men.  The  recent  improvements  connected 
with  the  fortress  are  the  subterranean  works  and  case- 
ments, capable  of  containing  2000  men.  The  town  con- 
sists of  two  parts,  the  upper  of  which  is  called  the  Town, 
and  the  other  the  Pier  ; they  are  connected  by  Snares- 
gate,  a long  and  narrow  street,  so  named  from  the  lofty 
rocks  that  overhang  it,  and  menace  the  inhabitants  with 
destruction. 

A remarkable  pile  of  dry  bones,  twenty-eight  feet  in 
length,  six  in  breadth,  and  eight  in  height,  is  to  be  seen 
at  some  leagues  westward  of  Dover,  in  a vault  under  the 
church  of  Hythe.  According  to  an  inscription,  they  ap- 
pear to  be  the  remains  of  Danes  and  Britons,  who  were 
slain  in  battle  near  the  place,  before  the  invasion  of  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror.  The  principal  canal  in  the  county 
is  a military  work  constructed  along  Romney  marsh,  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Hythe.'  It  is  thirty-two  yards 
in  width  and  six  in  depth,  with  a raised  bank  or  breast- 
work to  defend  the  soldiers.  Although  Hythe  has 
fallen  into  decay  by  the  filling  up  of  its  harbour,  it  retains 
the  privilege  of  sending  two  representatives  to  parliament. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  Romney  ; its  harbour  is  de- 
stroyed, but  in  its  corporation,  consisting  of  twenty-one 
persons,  is  vested  the  right  of  returning  two  members. 

The  ancient  town  of  Sandwich  was  once  a flourishing 
port,  but  from  the  influx  of  sand,  the  harbour  is  only 
accessible  to  small  coasting  vessels.  After  its  prosperity 
was  destroyed,  many  refugees  from  the  Low-Countries 
repaired  to  it  ; they  established  manufactories  of  baize 
and  other  cloths  in  the  town.  Among  these  emigrants 
were  some  gardeners,  who  finding  the  neighbouring  land 
well  adapted  for  the  cultivation  of  vegetables,  applied 
their  skill  to  that  purpose,  and  succeeded  so  well  that 
the  vicinity  is  still  distinguished  for  the  production  of 
garden  seeds,  which  with  several  other  products  are  ex- 
ported from  Sandwich. 

The  seaport  of  Deal,  between  the  North  and  South 

OPE.  [BOOK  CLIV 

Forelands,  contains  about  7000  inhabitants.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  the  Dola  of  the  ancients,  where 
Julius  Cresar  landed  on  his  first  invasion  of  Britain.  Ii 
has  no  harbour,  but  the  Downs,  or  that  part  of  the  sea 
between  the  shore  and  the  Godwin  Sands,  about  eight 
miles  in  length,  and  varying  in  depth  from  eight  to  twelve 
fathoms,  afford  generally  a secure  station  for  vessels. 
Homeward  and  outward  bound  ships  of  war  anchor  there 
to  put  in  letters,  set  passengers  on  shore,  take  in  pro- 
visions, or  wait  for  orders.  The  coast  is  defended  by  bat- 
teries and  martello  towers,  constructed  during  the  late  war, 
on  eminences  which  command  every  access  to  the  shore. 
The  town  is  not  included  among  the  Cinque  Ports  ; it  is 
supposed,  however,  to  depend  on  Sandwich;  the  streets 
in  the  upper  part  are  spacious  and  well  built,  while  the 
lower  are  narrow,  irregular  and  dirty.  The  most  impor- 
tant institutions  are  a naval  hospital  and  a house  of  in- 
dustry. It  was  at  Deal  that  Perkin  Warbeck,  the  fa- 
mous impostor,  landed  when  he  personated  the  Duke  of 
York.  The  vicinity  of  the  Godwin  Sands  renders  the 
frequent  service  of  pilots  indispensable,  and  those  of 
Deal  are  distinguished  for  their  boldness  and  activity, 
qualities  which  they  have  acquired  by  often  assisting  ves- 
sels in  distress. 

Of  the  inland  towns  in  Kent,  the  first  in  importance  is 
the  ancient  city  of  Canterbury,  the  capital  of  the  county, 
and  the  metropolitan  see  of  all  England  ; it  was  the 
Caer-Kent  of  the  Britons,  and  the  Durovernum  of  the 
Romans.  It  is  situated  in  a pleasant  valley,  between  hills 
of  moderate  height,  watered  by  numerous  springs,  and 
by  the  Stour,  which  divides  itself  into  several  small 
streams,  and  forms  different  islands,  on  one  of  which  the 
western  part  of  the  town  has  been  built.  Pope  Gregory 
sent  a number  of  Benedictine  Monks  with  Augustine  at 
their  head  to  Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent,  for  the  purpose 
of  converting  the  king  and  his  people  to  Christianity. 
The  conversion  of  Ethelbert  took  place  in  the  year  597  ; 
it  was  followed  by  the  installation  of  Augustine  as 
bishop  of  the  see  of  Canterbury  ; since  that  time  it  has 
been  in  possession  of  the  primacy.  The  strong  military 
causeways  leading  from  Canterbury  to  Dover  and 
Lymne/  as  well  as  many  Roman  relics  and  coins  which 
have  been  discovered  in  the  neighbourhood,  attest  its 
importance  at  an  earlier  period.  The  whole  city  was 
made  over  to  the  bishops  by  William  Rufus,  but  its  rep- 
utation for  sanctity  was  greatly  increased  by  the  murder 
of  Thomas-a-Becket  in  1 170.  The  offerings  of  kings, 
nobles  and  other  pilgrims  at  the  shrine  of  the  martyr 
were  so  numerous,  that  the  whole  church  and  the 
chapel  in  which  his  remains  were  interred,  glit- 
tered with  jewels.  Henry  the  Eighth  seized  all  these 
treasures,  and  by  his  orders  the  bones  of  the  saint  were 
burnt  to  ashes.  The  present  cathedral  was  commenced 
about  the  year  1174,  but  was  not  completed  until  the 
reign  of  Henry  the  Fifth.  Kings  and  princes,  among 
whom  are  Henryr  the  Fourth  and  the  Black  Prince,  and 
also  cardinals  and  bishops,  are  interred  in  it.  It  was  much 
injured  during  the  civil  wars,  and  Cromwell  converted 

a Derived  by  William  Lambard  from  Dwfyrrha,  a British  word  sig- 
nifying a steep  place.  (Camden’s  Britannia,  p.  247.) — P. 

11  I'ortus  Dubris,  in  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine. — P. 
c Called  by  the  Saxons,  Dorfa  and  Dofris  \_Dofra.  Camden,]  and  in 
Domesday  Book,  Dovcre.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

1 The  key  and  bar  of  the  whole  kingdom. 

c It  extends  from  Sandgate,  nearly  in  a straight  direction,  along  the 
coast,  till  it  passes  Hythe,  when  it  follows  the  course  of  the  hills  which 
skirt  the  marshes  [Romney  Marsh,]  and  terminates  at  Cliffend  in 
Sussex,  a distance  of  about  23  miles.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P . 

f Lymme,  Limme  (Luckombe) — the  Portus  Lemanis  of  Antoninus  ; 
on  the  coast  between  Hythe  and  Romney.  The  Roman  road,  called 
Stane  Street,  leads  from  it  to  Canterbury. — P. 

book  cT<iv.i  DESCRIPTION  OF 

it  into  a stable  for  his  dragoons;  it  was  imperfectly  re- 
paired after  the  Restoration.  Built  in  the  form  of  a 
double  cross,  it  is  about  514  feet  in  length  within  the 
walls,  and  178  in  breadth  ; the  height  of  the  vaulted  roof 
is  equal  to  80,  and  that  of  the  great  tower  to  235  feet. 

The  diocese  of  Canterbury  contains  257  parishes, 
besides  chapels  in  Kent,  and  about  a hundred  more  in 
other  dioceses  ; the  last  are  called  peculiars  from  an 
ancient  privilege  of  the  see,  by  which  wheresoever  the 
archbishop  had  manors  or  advowsons,  the  parishes  were 
exempted  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  ordinary  of  the 
diocese,  and  transferred  to  that  of  Canterbury.  The 
archbishop  is  primate  and  metropolitan  of  all  England  ; 
he  is  the  first  peer  of  the  realm,  taking  precedence  of  all 
the  great  officers  of  state,  and  of  all  dukes  not  of  the 
blood-royal.  At  coronations,  he  places  the  crown  on 
the  king’s  head,  and  wherever  the  court  may  be,  the 
king  and  queen  are  his  parishioners.  The  bishop  of 
London  is  his  provincial  dean,  the  bishop  of  Winchester 
his  subdean,  the  bishop  of  Lincoln  his  chancellor,  and 
the  bishop  of  Rochester  his  chaplain.11 

The  city  of  Canterbury  is  of  an  oval  shape,  and  the 
four  principal  streets  are  built  in  the  form  of  a cross.  It 
is  divided  into  six  wards,  which  are  subdivided  into  21 
streets,  56  lanes  and  62  alleys. 

The  Thames  bounds  the  county  on  the  north  ; the 
next  river  in  point  of  size  is  the  Medway  ; it  throws 
itself  into  the  former  near  its  mouth,  between  the  isles 
of  Grain  and  Sheppey,  at  some  leagues  below  Roches- 
ter, a town  in  which  the  most  remarkable  structures  are 
a cathedral  and  a stone  bridge  560  feet  in  length.  A 
long  row  of  buildings  on  a gentle  eminence,  called  the 
Bank,  unites  the  town  of  Rochester  with  that  of  Chat- 
ham. The  last  place  is  well  known  for  its  naval  arsenal, 
the  large  buildings  connected  with  it,  and  its  docks  de- 
fended by  strong  and  extensive  fortifications.  The  dock- 
yard is  one  of  the  largest  in  England,  and  some  of  the 
largest  ships  in  the  navy  have  been  built  in  it.  The 
Ordnance  Wharf,  in  which  all  kinds  of  naval  stores  are 
deposited,  is  adjacent  to  these  works,  and  in  order  that 
they  might  be  better  secured,  the  Lines,  a series  of  for- 
tifications, were  erected  according  to  act  of  parliament  in 
the  year  1758.  It  was  to  guard  against  the  danger  of 
an  invasion  that  these  fortifications  were  raised,  and  if 
they  had  been  built  in  the  time  of  De  Ruyter,  he  might 
have  found  it  impracticable  either  to  destroy  the  arsenal, 
or  to  burn  the  ships.  Although  the  present  town  may 
be  said  to  have  been  founded  by  Charles  the  Second,  it 
is  not  remarkable  for  regularity. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  at  the  distance  of  eight 
miles  to  the  east  of  London,  is  situated  the  town  of 
Woolwich.  Henry  the  Eighth  rendered  it  an  important 
place  by  building  a royal  dock,  that  has  been  gradually 
enlarged,  and  is  now  provided  with  every  convenience 
for  building  men-of-war,  of  which  it  has  sent  out  many 
first-rates.  But  Woolwich  is  still  better  known  as  a 
royal  arsenal,  and  as  the  principal  depository  of  naval 
and  military  ordnance  ; it  contains  also  an  excellent 
foundery  for  cannon,  and  a laboratory  for  cartridges  and 
all  sorts  of  fire-works.  It  was  selected  on  that  account 
as  a fit  place  for  an  academy,  or  place  of  education  for 
young  men  destined  to  the  service  of  the  artillery  and 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  503 

engineers.  From  these  buildings,  and  also  from  exten- 
sive artillery  barracks,  the  town  has  somewhat  the  ap- 
pearance of  a large  fortress. 

Greenwich  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  and  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  last  town,  has  several  claims  to 
celebrity.  It  was  a royal  residence  at  an  early  period  ; 
a palace  was  built,  and  a park  enclosed  by  Humphrey, 
duke  of  Gloucester,  and  it  became  afterwards  a favourite 
residence  of  several  sovereigns.  It  was  at  Greenwich 
that  Henry  the  Eighth  and  his  daughters,  Mary  and 
Elizabeth,  were  born.  As  the  palace  was  in  a ruinous 
state  at  the  time  of  the  Restoration,  Charles  the  Second 
caused  it  to  be  taken  down,  with  the  intention  of  erecting 
another  and  more  magnificent  edifice  on  its  site.  One 
wing  of  the  building  was  finished  in  his  time,  and  there 
the  king  used  occasionally  to  reside.  In  the  reign  of 
William  the  Third  a design  was  formed  of  founding  an 
hospital  for  aged  and  disabled  seamen  ; on  the  recom- 
mendation of  Sir  Christopher  Wren,  the  unfinished 
palace  was  enlarged  and  fitted  for  the  purpose.  Such 
is  the  origin  of  Greenwich  hospital,  one  of  the  finest 
buildings  in  England,  and  sufficiently  spacious  to  contain 
a thousand  pensioners,  nurses  and  boys.  The  park,  in- 
tended as  an  appendage  to  the  palace,  was  laid  out  by 
Le  Notre  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second,  and  Green- 
wich observatory  is  built  on  one  of  its  most  command- 
ing stations,  the  site  of  an  old  tower  erected  by  Duke 
Humphrey.  The  eminent  men  who  have  filled  the  office 
of  astronomer  royal,  have  conferred  on  it  a high  degree 
of  celebrity,  and  Greenwich  is  still  the  first  meridian  on 
the  English  charts. 

It  is  necessary  to  omit  several  places  of  secondary 
importance  in  the  county  of  Kent.  It  may  be  remarked, 
however,  that  the  naval  works  at  Deptford  occupy  an 
extent  of  32  acres.  The  town  is  watered  by  the  small 
river  Ravensworth,b  near  its  junction  with  the  Thames  ; 
the  works  consist  of  two  wet  docks,  the  one  single,  the 
other  double,  three  slips,  a basin,  and  two  ponds  for 
masts,  with  store-houses  and  the  various  works  for 
anchors,  cables,  masts,  blocks  and  the  other  implements 
of  naval  architecture.  The  manor-house  of  Say’s  Court, 
on  the  site  of  the  present  work-house  of  St.  Nicholas 
was  the  residence  of  Peter  the  Great  when  he  worked 
as  a ship-wright  at  Deptford.  It  was  in  the  same  place 
that  the  celebrated  Drake  was  visited  in  1581  by  queen 
Elizabeth,  who  conferred  on  him  the  honour  of  knight- 
hood, and  gave  him  the  world  and  a ship  for  his  arms. 

Of  Gravesend  it  is  only  necessary  to  remark  that  it 
is  considered  the  head  of  the  port  of  London  ; it  is  the 
place  where  the  outward  bound  ships  remain  until  they 
are  visited  by  the  custom-house  officers,  and  at  which 
passengers  commonly  embark  and  land. 

Kent  retains  the  name  of  the  people'  who  inhabited 
it  in  the  time  of  Ctesar ; their  territory  was  divided 
into  four  small  kingdoms,  which  were  united  during  the 
Heptarchy.  The  Saxon  kings  held  their  court  at  Can- 
terbury ; after  the  conquest  by  the  Normans,  it  was  the 
only  part  of  the  kingdom  that  preserved  its  ancient  laws 
and  usages,  of  which  the  most  remarkable  were  gavel- 
kind and  a complete  exemption  from  vassalage. 

Although  Middlesex  may  be  considered  one  of  the 
most  important  counties  in  England,  it  is  by  no  means 

1 Capper,  Idem. 

i 

b Raven sbourn.  (Luckombe.  Ed.  Enc.) — P.  c The  Cantii. 

EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV. 


504 


large ; indeed  it  does  not  contain  more  than  282  square 
miles.  It  is  contiguous  to  the  county  of  Hertford  on  the 
north,  while  it  is  separated  on  the  east  from  Essex  by  the 
Lea,  on  the  south  from  Surrey  and  Kent  by  the  Thames, 
and  on  the  west  from  Buckinghamshire  by  the  Coin.  It 
contains  about  180,480  acres  ; of  these,  100,000  are 
pasture,  40,000  are  arable,  and  not  fewer  than  15,000 
are  laid  out  iu  market  gardens  for  the  supply  of  the 
metropolis.  Much  of  the  clay  round  London  is  made 
into  bricks  ; an  acre  is  said  to  yield  about  a million,  and 
their  value  to  amount  to  £500.  But  the  greater  part 
of  the  land  has  been  converted  into  rich  pasturage  ; there 
is  reason  to  believe  that  8500  milch  cows  are  kept  in 
Middlesex,  and  1500  in  Kent  and  Surrey  for  the  supply 
of  the  inhabitants  of  London.  To  obtain  hay  for  the 
London  market  is  the  principal  object  of  the  farmers  in 
the  county,  and  they  raise  annually  on  an  average  a 
quantity  sufficient  for  30,000  horses. 

Middlesex  participates  in  all  the  advantages  of  inland 
navigation.  The  immense  line  of  canals  and  rivers,  that 
extend  along  and  across  the  kingdom,  communicate  with 
the  Thames  and  London  by  means  of  the  Grand  Junc- 
tion, which  enters  the  county  from  the  north  at  Rick- 
mansvvorth,  and  falls  into  the  Thames  at  Brentford 
above,  and  at  Limehouse  below,  the  metropolis.  Another 
branch  terminates  at  Paddington  on  the  north-east  of  the 
former. 

The  verdant  fields  and  the  woods  extending  along  the 
banks  of  the  Thames,  almost  to  the  gates  of  London, 
form  a singular  contrast  with  the  movement  and  activity 
on  the  river,  with  unnumbered  masts  apparently  rising 
from  the  water.  Other  signs  announce  at  a greater  dis- 
tance from  the  metropolis,  the  capital  of  a powerful  em- 
pire, the  most  populous  city  in  Europe,  and  the  most 
commercial  in  the  world.  The  last  assertion  may  be 
easily  confirmed  ; indeed  the  proofs  of  it  may  appear  to 
be  exaggerated.  It  has  been  ascertained  that  the  total 
value  of  property  annually  shipped  and  unshipped  on  the 
Thames,  is  upwards  of  £70,000,000;  and  that  in  addition 
to  the  crews  of  the  vessels,  8000  watermen  and  4000 
barges  are  employed  in  lading  and  unlading  ships.  The 
average  number  of  British  ships  and  vessels  always  lying 
in  the  Thames  and  docks  is  about  13,000.  It  is  not  less 
certain  that  about  a thousand  steam-vessels  sail  to  and 
from  London  in  the  course  of  the  year.  As  to  the  inland 
trade,  40,000  waggons  and  other  heavy  carriages  enter 
or  leave  the  metropolis  annually,  and  the  value  of  the 
goods,  which  are  thus  transported,  is  not  less  than 
£50,000,000.  If  £10,000,000  be  added  as  the  value 
of  goods  otherwise  conveyed  to  and  from  London,  and 
of  the  cattle  and  sheep  driven  to  it,  the  annual  amount 
of  the  trade  may  be  estimated  at  £130,000,000.  This 
does  not  include  the  various  private  methods  of  inter- 
course with  the  capital,  nor  the  fifteen  hundred  methods 
of  leaving  London  by  stage  coaches  and  other  public 
conveyances  in  the  course  of  a day,  nor  the  mail  coach 
establishment  for  the  conveyance  of  passengers,  small 
parcels  and  letters,  the  most  expeditious  mode  of  travel- 
ling ever  carried  into  effect  in  any  country,  communi- 
cating with  every  part  of  the  kingdom,  and  travelling 
continually  day  and  night  at  the  rate  of  ten  miles  an 
hour.11 

* Capper’s  Topographical  Dictionary. 


The  foundation  of  London  is  generally  believed  to 
have  been  anterior  to  the  Christian  era.  According  to 
Tacitus,  it  was  the  great  mart  of  British  trade  and  com- 
merce in  his  time.  The  Romans  called  it  Londinium ; 
the  Trinobantes,  the  Atrebates  and  the  other  British 
tribes,  Lundayn:  under  the  Saxon  domination,  it  re- 
ceived the  names  of  Londenceaster,  Lunden-Byrig, 
Lunden-Wyc,  and  lastly  London.  The  history  of  its 
successive  additions,  and  of  the  privileges  that  were  con- 
ferred on  it,  is  not  without  interest.  In  the  sixth  century 
it  was  made  the  metropolis  of  Essex,  or  the  kingdom  of 
the  East  Saxons.  It  became  under  Alfred  the  capital 
of  England,  and  the  rights  which  it  had  obtained  from 
former  princes  were  confirmed  by  the  Conqueror.  Henry 
the  First  extended  its  jurisdiction  over  Middlesex,  and 
empowered  the  inhabitants  to  choose  their  sheriff  and 
justiciary  among  the  citizens,  but  reserved  to  himself  the 
right  of  nominating  the  portreeve  or  mayor.  Not  long 
after  the  death  of  the  same  king,  the  citizens  purchased 
from  his  successors,  the  conservancy  of  the  Thames,  and 
the  right  of  electing  their  magistrates  ; lastly,  the  muni 
cipal  government  of  London  assumed  under  Richard  the 
First,  the  same  form  which  it  has  since  retained,  if 
some  modifications  and  additional  privileges  be  except- 
ed. Thus,  during  the  reign  of  John,  Henry  Fitz-Alwyn 
took  the  title  of  mayor,  instead  of  custos  or  bailiff,  under 
which  titles  he  had  held  the  same  dignity  during  twenty 
successive  years.  In  the  reign  of  Edward  the  First,  the 
city  was  divided  into  twenty-four  wards,  every  one  of 
which  was  governed  by  a magistrate  or  alderman,  and 
each  ward  chose  some  of  the  inhabitants  as  a common 
council,  who  were  sworn  to  assist  the  alderman  with 
their  advice  in  all  public  affairs.  Edward  the  Third 
united  the  town  with  the  southern  bank  of  the  Thames, b 
conferred  the  title  of  lord  on  the  mayor,  and  granted  him 
the  privilege  of  having  a gold  or  silver  mace  carried 
before  him  on  public  occasions.  Richard  the  Second 
seized  the  chartered  liberties  of  the  city,  which  were 
afterwards  restored  on  payment  of  a heavy  penalty. 

Henry  the  Fourth  conferred  additional  privileges  on 
the  city  ; but  his  reign  is  distinguished  by  the  burning 
of  “ obstinate  heretics,”  and  by  a plague  which  carried 
off  thirty  thousand  persons  in  London.  The  town  was 
first  lighted  in  the  year  1416,  by  lanterns  suspended 
from  cords  placed  across  the  streets  ; the  same  method 
is  still  used  in  France. 

The  reign  of  Edward  the  Fourth  is  remarkable  for 
the  establishment  of  the  first  English  printing  press  by 
William  Caxton  in  1472;  it  was  erected,  however,  in 
Westminster,  not  in  London.  Henry  the  Eighth  not 
only  caused  the  streets  to  be  paved,  but  removed  various 
nuisances,  among  others,  the  crowded  monastic  institu- 
tions. The  long  and  prosperous  reign  of  Elizabeth  was 
marked  by  rapid  advances  in  trade,  industry  and  wealth, 
more  than  by  improvements  or  architectural  embellish- 
ments of  the  capital.  The  Exchange,  the  principal  edi- 
fice erected  during  the  reign,  was  built  by  a merchant, 
not  by  the  queen.  In  1588,  when  the  country  was 
threatened  by  the  Spanish  Armada,  the  city  raised  ten 
thousand  troops,  fitted  out  sixteen  of  the  largest  ships  in 
the  river  Thames,  and  defrayed  the  charge  both  of  men 
and  ships  during  the  time  they  continued  in  the  queen’s 

b By  a charter  of  Edward  III.  Southwark  was  added  to  the 
diction  of  London.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


book  cliv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

service.  In  1615,  the  sides  of  the  principal  streets, 
which  had  been  formerly  covered  with  pebbles  or  gravel, 
were  laid  with  flag-stones.  Two  years  before  that  pe- 
riod, viz.  in  1613,  the  New  River  was  made  to  communi- 
cate with  London  by  Sir  Hugh  Middleton,  an  under- 
taking worthy  of  a sovereign. a While  Charles  the  First 
was  actually  opposing  the  liberties  of  his  subjects,  he 
granted  the  citizens  of  London  several  charters,  by  which 
lie  confirmed  all  their  former  privileges,  and  added  sev- 
eral new  ones.  The  town  embraced  the  cause  of  the 
republican  party,  and  it  displayed  in  the  year  1660  the 
same  zeal  in  bringing  about  the  Restoration.  On  account 
of  its  conduct  on  the  last  occasion,  Charles  the  Second 
granted  a confirmation  of  all  its  ancient  charters,  privi- 
leges, liberties,  rights  and  customs. 

The  short  reign  of  James  the  Second,  remarkable  for 
want  of  faith,  corruption  and  other  public  vices,  is  not 
less  so  for  the  establishment  of  the  most  important  manu- 
facture in  London,  that  of  silk  in  Spitalfields,  begun  by 
French  protestants  who  were  driven  from  their  native 
land  by  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes.  After 
the  Revolution,  to  which  the  citizens  of  London  con- 
tributed, all  the  privileges  they  had  received  from  former 
monarchs  were  anew  confirmed  by  William  and  Mary  ; 
not  long  afterwards,  under  the  reign  of  the  same  princes, 
the  bank  of  England  was  established.  An  act  was 
passed  in  the  reign  of  queen  Anne  by  which  fifty  addi- 
tional churches  were  built.  But  it  was  in  the  long  reign 
of  George  the  Third  that  the  limits  were  enlarged  be- 
yond example.  Two  leading  causes  may  account  for 
it ; the  first,  or  the  great  advances  in  commerce  and 
manufactures,  dates  from  the  end  of  the  American  war  ; 
by  the  second  or  the  increasing  public  debt,  a new  race 
of  capitalists  in  the  funds  were  naturally  attracted  to  the 
metropolis. b 

If  Constantinople  be  excepted,  it  is  doubtful  that  any 
other  city  in  Europe  has  suffered  so  much  as  London 
from  pestilence,  famine  and  conflagrations.  The  most 
dreadful  instance  of  pestilence  is  perhaps  the  one  known 
by  the  name  of  the  Great  Plague,  which  was  found  in 
the  course  of  five  months  to  have  carried  off  68,596  in- 
dividuals. Hardly  had  it  ceased,  when  a terrible  con- 
flagration commenced  on  Sunday  the  2d  of  September 
1666.  A violent  easterly  wind  spreading  the  flames,  the 
fire  continued  four  successive  days,  and  within  that  time 
were  consumed  four  hundred  streets,  13,200  houses,  the 
cathedral  of  St.  Paul’s,  eighty-six  parish  churches,  six 
chapels,  the  Royal  Exchange,  the  Custom-house,  several 
hospitals  and  libraries,  fifty-two  of  the  Companies’  halls, 
three  of  the  city  gates,  four  stone  bridges,  as  many  pris- 
ons, and  a great  number  of  other  buildings.  The  value 
of  the  property  destroyed,  is  said  to  have  amounted  to 
£10,730,500.  It  is  remarkable  that  six  persons  only 
lost  their  lives  during  this  great  devastation.  The  mon- 
ument, a fine  column  200  feet  in  height,  serves  still  to 
record  the  calamity. 

London  is  divided  into  twenty-six  wards,  and  each  of 
them  is  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  an  alderman,  chosen 
by  the  householders  or  freemen  at  large,  in  assemblies 
termed  wardmotes.  One  of  these  aldermen  is  elected 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  505 

Lord  Mayor  on  Michaelmas  day,  but  he  does  not  entei 
on  his  office  until  the  ninth  of  November  following.  The 
two  sheriffs  elected  annually  by  the  livery  are  appointed 
both  for  the  city  and  the  county.  The  recorder,  a ser- 
geant learned  in  the  law,  is  chosen  by  the  lord  mayor 
and  aldermen  for  their  instruction  and  assistance  in  legal 
proceedings  and  matters  of  justice.  The  same  person  is 
the  orator  of  the  city  on  all  extraordinary  occasions,  and 
when  seated  on  the  bench,  delivers  the  sentence  of  the 
court  on  criminals.  Besides  these  officers,  there  are 
several  others,  as  the  coroner,  the  town  clerk,  the  com- 
mon sergeant,  and  the  city  remembrancer.  The  suburbs 
in  Middlesex  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  justices  of 
the  peace  for  the  county,  and  there  are  besides  several 
courts  in  which  magistrates  sit  every  day  for  the  exami- 
nation of  offences,  and  the  summary  determination  of 
various  complaints. 

The  form  of  London  is  very  irregular ; it  extends  in 
a direction  parallel  to  the  Thames,  and  the  greater  part 
of  it  is  situated  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  river.  If 
Westminster  and  Southwark  be  included,  the  length  of 
the  town  is  equal  to  seven  miles,  while  the  broadest  part 
is  little  more  than  four,  and  the  narrowest  is  upwards  of 
two.  The  streets  are  for  the  most  part  wide,  few  of 
them  being  so  narrow  as  to  prevent  two  carriages  from 
passing  abreast,  and  many  of  them  broad  enough  to  admit 
of  five  or  six.  The  finest  are  those  in  the  west  end  of 
the  town,  the  residence  of  the  nobles  and  the  wealthy  ; 
the  narrowest  are  in  the  city,  the  most  ancient  and  the 
most  central  quarter  of  London,  and  the  principal  seat 
of  commerce.  But  the  east  end  is  also  inhabited  by 
opulent  merchants,  particularly  by  those  engaged  in  the 
foreign  and  colonial  trade.  In  the  same  quarter  are 
situated  immense  basins  or  docks,  constructed  for  the 
reception  of  ships,  and  the  largest  storehouses  in  the 
world.  The  latest  additions  made  to  the  town  are  situ- 
ated on  the  north,  where  by  means  of  different  streets, 
several  villages  have  been  united  to  the  capital. 

The  uniformity  of  the  houses,  almost  all  consisting  of 
three  stories,  and  almost  all  built  of  brick,  and  covered 
with  plaster,  the  cleanness  of  the  streets,  the  broad 
pavements  for  foot  passengers,  and  the  brilliant  light 
with  which  they  are  every  evening  illumined,  render 
London  unlike  most  of  the  continental  towns.  The 
finest  streets  are  Oxford  Street,  Piccadilly,  Pall-Mall, 
Portland  Place,  Haymarket  and  Regent  Street.  The 
last,  both  for  its  length  and  the  magnificence  of  its  build- 
ings, may  rival  any  in  Europe. 

There  is  nothing  in  London  like  the  Boulevards  which 
are  so  much  admired  in  Paris,  and  there  is  nothing  in 
Paris  like  the  squares  in  London.  Some  of  them  are 
very  large  ; Grosvenor  Square,  surpassing  in  many  re- 
spects every  other,  contains  five  acres  ; the  buildings, 
which  enclose  it,  are  perhaps  the  most  magnificent  in  the 
capital ; an  equestrian  statue  of  George  the  Second  is 
placed  in  the  centre,  and  the  ground  round  it  is  planted 
with  trees,  evergreens  and  shrubs.  Portman  Square 
holds  the  next  rank,  but  it  is  smaller,  and  the  houses  are 
not  so  large.  Berkley  Square  is  ornamented  with  an 
equestrian  statue  of  George  the  rl  bird  in  the  costume 

3 The  New  River  supplies  the  metropolis  with  thirteen  millions  of 
gallons  of  water  every  day.  Although  the  original  projector  was 
ruined  by  the  undertaking,  in  consequence  of  the  difficulty  he  experi- 
enced in  obtaining  support,  so  great,  however,  is  the  benefit,  which 
VOL.  TIT.— NO.  58  64 

the  inhabitants  have  derived,  that  a share  in  the  New  River  Company) 
which  was  at  first  sold  for  £100,  is  now  worth  £15,000.  See  Results 
of  Machinery,  page  85. 

b Lardner’s  Cabinet  Cyclopedia,  vol.  i. 

EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CUV. 


506 


of  Marcus  Aurelius  ; and  in  Cavendish  Square,  which  is 
for  the  most  part  surrounded  with  good  houses,  there  is 
a statue  of  William,  duke  of  Cumberland.  Lincoln’s 
Inn  Square,  the  largest  of  any,  covers  the  same  extent 
of  surface  as  the  Great  Pyramid  of  Egypt. 

London  contains  few  monuments  worthy  of  its  extent 
or  its  wealth.  A stranger  looks  in  vain  for  the  public 
fountains,  that  he  is  accustomed  to  see  in  other  capitals, 
and  to  admire  not  only  as  architectural  embellishments, 
but  as  giving  the  towns  in  which  they  are  situated,  an 
appearance  of  freshness  and  cleanliness.  The  ornament, 
however,  is  all  that  is  wanting  ; the  use  and  advantages 
of  public  fountains  are  more  commodiously  supplied  by 
subterranean  pipes,  by  which  abundance  of  fresh  water 
is  conveyed  to  every  dwelling.  Although  the  new  build- 
ings in  Covent  Garden  market,  render  it  one  of  the  best 
in  Europe,  London,  on  the  whole,  is  not  so  well  supplied 
with  markets  as  Paris. 

The  Royal  Exchange,  which  was  founded  by  a private 
citizen,  Sir  Thomas  Gresham,  is  entered  by  a detached 
Corinthian  portico  at  its  principal  front  in  Cornhill.  It 
has  been  improved  by  a new  entabulature,  balustrade  and 
bas-reliefs.  The  Guildhall  is  remarkable  for  its  spacious 
hall,  in  which  the  civic  entertainments  are  held.  The 
Mansion  House,  the  residence  of  the  Lord  Mayor,  is  a 
very  clumsy  building  ; according  to  Ralph,  it  looks  as  if 
it  had  been  built  by  a ship-carpenter.“  The  Bank  of 
England  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  is  a vast  and  charac- 
teristic pile,  covering  an  indented  area  of  about  eight 
acres.  The  prevailing  orders  are  the  Corinthian  and  the 
Doric.  Somerset  House,  although  incomplete,  is  one  of 
the  largest  buildings  in  the  metropolis  ; it  communicates 
with  the  Strand  by  means  of  three  arcades.  A vestibule 
with  Doric  columns  leads  into  a large  quadrangular  court 
with  a bronze  group  in  the  centre.  It  has  three  fronts, 
of  which  the  one  overlooking  the  court  is  rich  in  archi- 
tectural ornaments,  and  the  one  commanding  the  river, 
is  adorned  with  a fine  terrace.  The  buildings  which 
bound  the  quadrangle,  consist  partly  of  public  offices, 
connected  with  the  army  and  navy, and  also  of  the  apart- 
ments of  the  Royal  Society  and  Royal  Academy.  The 
British  Museum,  a brick  building  by  the  celebrated 
Puget,  in  the  taste  of  the  age  of  Lewis  the  Fourteenth, 
is  a large  and  imposing  rather  than  a graceful  edifice. 
It  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  purposes  to  which  it  is 
devoted,  and  the  interior  abounds  with  objects  of  an- 
tiquity, paintings  and  statues  ; among  the  last  are  the 
Elgin  marbles,  models  of  sculpture,  comparable  to  any 
that  have  been  left  by  the  ancients,  and  exercising  at 
present  a beneficial  influence  on  the  fine  arts  in  England. 
Although  the  library  contains  a great  many  volumes,  it 
is  unmethodically  arranged,  and  deficient  in  the  selection 
of  editions.  The  ancient  fortress  of  the  Tower  contains 
several  streets,  and  occupies  an  area  of  twelve  acres  and 
five  roods  square,  within  an  embattled  wall  and  ditch. 
It  was  for  many  ages  the  residence  of  kings,  and  the 
White  Tower  was  built  by  William  the  Conqueror.  The 
small  armoury,  a spacious  apartment,  not  less  than  345 
feet  in  length,  contains  complete  stands  of  arms  for 
200,000  men.  The  royal  train  of  artillery,  the  horse 

1 The  celebrated  amateur  architect,  Lord  Burlington,  to  whose  taste 
London  is  indebted  for  some  fine  private  mansions,  sent  the  corpora- 
tion an  original  plan  for  the  mansion  house,  by  Palladio.  Who  is  this 
Palladio  ? Is  lie  a freeman  ? said  a magistrate.  Having  been  answered 


armoury,  and  the  jewel  office,  where  the  regalia  are  pre- 
served, are  situated  within  the  Tower.  The  same  build- 
ing serves  still  as  the  great  state  prison  in  cases  of  high 
political  misdemeanour  and  treason. 

The  palace  of  St.  James  is  an  ancient  brick  building 
of  irregular  architecture,  by  no  means  resembling  a royal 
residence.  The  exterior  forms  a singular  contrast  with 
the  magnificence  and  costly  furniture  of  the  interior. 
Another  palace,  originally  destined  for  Geoige  the 
Fourth  and  his  successors,  is  almost  finished,  at  least 
more  than  enough  is  completed  to  enable  one  to  judge 
of  its  architecture,  and  to  be  convinced  that  it  may  bear 
a comparison  with  the  finest  structures  in  London.  It 
was  in  Whitehall,  a large  square  building  formerly  in- 
habited by  kings,  that  the  unfortunate  Charles  the  First 
was  beheaded. 

Of  the  three  hundred  and  forty-six  churches  in  Lon- 
don, three  are  chiefly  worthy  of  notice.  The  first  of 
these,  or  St.  Paul’s  cathedral,  is  confined  in  a narrow 
area  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  between  Cheapside 
and  Ludgate  Street.  The  body  of  the  church  is  in  the 
form  of  a cross  ; a stately  dome  which  rises  from  the 
centre  is  adorned  on  the  outside  with  Corinthian  columns, 
and  surrounded  at  its  base  by  a balcony  ; it  is  crowned 
by  a gilded  ball  and  cross,  the  highest  ornaments  of  the 
edifice.  The  length  of  the  church  is  five  hundred  feet, 
the  breadth  two  hundred  and  fifty,  the  height  to  the  top 
of  the  cross,  three  hundred  and  forty,  and  the  entire  cir- 
cumference, two  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-two. 
St.  Paul’s  is  adorned  with  three  porticos;  the  one  at  the 
principal  entrance  faces  the  west,  while  the  other  two  at 
the  extremities  of  the  cross  aisle,  front  the  north  and 
south.  The  western  portico  consists  of  twelve  lofty 
Corinthian  columns  below,  and  eight  composite  above, 
supporting  a grand  pediment;  the  whole  rests  on  an  ele- 
vated base,  the  ascent  to  which  is  by  a flight  of  twenty- 
two  square  steps  of  black  marble.  The  interior  of  the 
church  is  relieved  by  several  statues  and  monuments 
that  have  been  erected  to  the  memory  of  eminent  men. 
It  may  be  added,  that  St.  Paul’s  was  built  at  the  national 
expense  by  Sir  Christopher  Wren  ; the  sums  laid  out  on 
it  amounted  nearly  to  £750,000.  It  was  completed  in 
thirty-five  years,  having  been  begun  in  1675,  and  finish- 
ed in  171 0. 

Westminster  Abbey  was  originally  founded  by  Sebert, 
king  of  the  East  Saxons.  The  present  church  was  begun 
by  Henry  the  Third,  and  continued  by  Edward  the  First, 
as  far  as  the  extremity  of  the  choir;  the  nave  and  west 
front  were  erected  in  succeeding  reigns,  and  the  western 
towers  were  completed  by  Sir  Christopher  Wren.  The 
length  is  three  hundred  and  sixty  feet,  the  breadth  sev- 
enty-two, and  the  length  of  the  transept  or  cross  aisle, 
a hundred  and  ninety  feet.  The  interior  of  the  church 
cannot  be  too  highly  commended  ; it  is  in  the  form  of  a 
long  cross,  and  the  choir  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Europe. 
It  is  there  that  the  ceremony  of  crowning  the  kings  and 
queens  of  England  is  performed.  The  sepulchral  monu- 
ments of  illustrious  men  are  situated  in  twelve  small 
chapels  at  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  church,  and  these 
memorials  strike  the  beholder  with  endless  variety.  It 

in  the  negative,  a discussion  arose,  lasted  for  some  time,  and  was 
abruptly  terminated  by  somebody  saying,  Palladio  is  a papist.”  The 
result  was  the  building  of  the  Mansion  House  by  the  city  architect 
See  Lardner’s  Cabinet  Cyclopedia,  vol  i p.  2(>. 


book  CLiy.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

is  to  be  regretted,  however,  that  they  have  been  of  late 
profaned  by  the  indiscriminate  admission  of  obscure  and 
vulgar  names. 

The  church  of  St.  Stephen’s  Walbrook  is  perhaps  the 
finest  monument  of  the  genius  of  Wren.  The  area  is 
divided  and  adorned,  and  the  roof  sustained,  by  sixteen 
Corinthian  columns,  eight  of  which  support  a hemispheri- 
cal cupola. 

Six  bridges  communicate  with  both  banks  of  the 
Thames.  New  London  Bridge  is  not  yet  finished  ; it  is 
to  consist  of  five  arches,  and  the  central  one  is  a hundred 
and  fifty  feet  wide.  Southwark  Bridge,  at  a short  dis- 
tance above  it,  is  a noble  structure  of  cast  iron,  having 
three  arches,  the  central  spanning  two  hundred  and  forty 
feet.  The  middle  arch,  seen  from  the  Southwark  side, 
with  the  dome  of  St.  Paul’s  towering  in  conjunction 
above  it,  is  perhaps  one  of  the  grandest  architectural 
combinations  in  London/1  Blackfriars  Bridge  was  fin- 
ished in  1769;  it  is  remarkable  for  the  lightness  of  its 
construction,  and  the  length  of  it  is  equal  to  1100  feet. 
Waterloo  Bridge  is  massive  and  simple,  and  one  of  the 
grandest  fabrics  in  the  metropolis. b Westminster  Bridge 
has  been  deservedly  admired  ; it  was  finished  in  1750, 
and  cost  £389,000.  The  expense  of  the  Waterloo 
Bridge  was  upwards  of  a million. 

In  addition  to  these  communications,  a tunnel,®  a stu- 
pendous work,  forming  a subterranean  passage  beneath 
the  bed  of  the  Thames,  was  attempted  at  Rotherhithe, 
and  suspended  when  it  had  reached  half  way  by  an  irrup- 
tion of  water  ; but  enough  had  been  accomplished  to 
show  the  practicability  of  the  undertaking,  and  it  is  not 
improbable  that  London  may  ere  long  be  indebted  to  the 
genius  of  a Frenchman, d for  a work  to  which  nothing 
comparable  has  been  achieved  either  by  the  ancients  or 
the  moderns. 

The  parks  or  the  most  frequented  public  walks  have 
been  happily  denominated  the  lungs  of  the  metropolis. 
Into  them  and  into  the  neighbouring  villages  London 
discharges  its  multitudes  on  Sundays  and  holy-days  to 
the  amazement  of  foreigners.  These  parks,  although 
not  numerous,  are  sufficiently  spacious.  St.  James’  and 
the  Green  Park  may  be  regarded  as  one.  Hyde  Park 
is  the  resort  of  the  gay  and  fashionable,  promenading  in 
their  carriages  along  the  drive,  or  on  foot  in  Kensington 
Gardens,  which  although  detached,  are  supposed  to  form 
a part  of  it.  A building,  called  the  Coliseum,  but  which 
bears  a greater  resemblance  to  the  Pantheon,  has  been 
erected  in  Regent’s  Park.  The  purpose  for  which  it  was 
built  is  worthy  of  notice  ; it  was  to  exhibit  a panorama 
of  London  and  its  neighbourhood  on  a surface  of  4000 
square  feet,  consequently  the  largest  representation  of 
the  sort,  that  has  been  painted.  Adjoining  to  the  build- 
ing are  a covered  walk  of  great  extent,  gardens,  Swiss 
cottages,  and  three  cascades,  one  of  which  falls  from  the 
height  of  sixty  feet. 

Of  the  thirteen  theatres  in  London,  the  most  impor- 
tant are  Drury-Lane,  Covent-Garden  and  the  King’s 
Theatre  or  Italian  Opera.  As  a building,  the  last  is 
little  inferior  to  the  finest  theatres  in  France  and  Italy, 
but  it  is  deficient  in  machinery  and  decoration  ; indeed 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  507 

the  want  of  scenic  illusion,  which  strikes  a stranger  so 
forcibly,  would  not  be  tolerated  on  the  continent.  The 
national  drama  has  of  late  fallen  into  disrepute  ; it  is 
affirmed  that  persons  of  distinguished  rank  no  longer  fre- 
quent Drury  Lane  and  Covent  Garden,  and  it  is  equally 
true  that  there  are  at  present  no  dramatic  writers  of  dis- 
tinguished merit. e The  stage  for  which  Jonson  and 
Shakspeare  wrote,  has  been  degraded  by  dramas  taken 
from  popular  novels,  or  from  such  French  plays  as  are 
acted  in  the  minor  theatres  of  Paris.  Thus,  if  the  thea- 
tres are  not  well  attended,  it  is  because  dramatic  litera- 
ture has  declined,  and  not,  as  has  been  idly  alleged,  on 
account  of  the  increasing  morality  and  piety  of  the  Brit- 
ish people. 

It  may  be  seen  from  the  following  list,  which  is  by  no 
means  complete,  that  London  surpasses  every  other 
capital  in  the  number  of  its  scientific  and  benevolent  in- 
stitutions. There  are  two  universities/ sixteen  schools  ol 
medicine,  and  as  many  of  law,  five  of  theology,  eighteen 
public  libraries,  three  hundred  gratuitous  elementary 
schools,  the  royal  society,  the  society  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  arts,  manufactures  and  commerce,  that  of  an- 
tiquaries, those  of  chemistry,  geology  and  pharmacy, 
those  of  horticulture  and  statistics,  that  of  Palestine  for 
the  advancement  of  geography  and  natural  history  in 
Palestine  and  Syria,  another  for  the  encouragement  of 
discoveries  in  the  interior  of  Africa,  the  royal  Asiatic 
society,  of  which  many  excellent  memoirs  have  been 
published,  and  lastly,  the  Bible  society,  which  has  dif- 
fused an  immense  number  of  Bibles  in  a hundred  and 
forty  different  languages  and  dialects.  To  avoid  too 
long  details,  it  may  be  added  that  there  are  a hundred 
and  forty-seven  hospitals  or  houses  for  the  reception  of 
the  infirm  and  indigent, & seventeen  hundred  dispensaries 
where  medicine  and  medical  attendance  are  provided  for 
the  poor,  and  fourteen  spacious  prisons,  in  which  many 
improvements  have  from  time  to  time  been  introduced 
in  the  physical  and  moral  treatment  of  the  inmates  ; it 
is  still  to  be  regretted  that  similar  improvements  have 
not  been  adopted  on  the  continent. 

If  the  immorality  of  a town  is  always  in  a direct  ratio 
with  its  population,  it  follows  that  there  must  be  an  im- 
mense number  of  profligate  and  abandoned  persons  in  a 
capital,  which  contains,  on  a surface  of  more  than  seven 
geographical  leagues,  1,500,000  inhabitants,  170,000 
houses,  8000  streets,  fourteen  markets  and  seventy 
squares.  According  to  the  calculations  of  a London 
magistrate/  twenty  thousand  individuals  rise  every  morn- 
ing without  knowing  where  to  obtain  their  daily  food,  or 
where  to  find  a bed  during  the  night.  To  the  above 
number  it  is  necessary  to  add  16,000  beggars,  100,000 
sharpers  or  swindlers,  and  3000  receivers  of  stolen  goods. 
The  total  number  of  domestics  of  both  sexes,  who  are 
out  of  place,  amounts  to  more  than  10,000.  The  num- 
ber of  public  women  is  not  less  than  40,000;  the  haunts 
of  vice  and  debauchery  which  they  frequent,  must  be 
proportionate  to  so  great  a number.  Such  is  the  afflict- 
ing spectacle  that  the  greatest  capital  in  Europe  pre- 
sents, a capital  in  which  philanthropy  is  by  no  means  an 
empty  name  ; on  the  contrary,  the  benevolence  of  pri- 

a Idem.  Ibid. 

b It  was  begun  in  1811,  and  opened  in  1817,  on  the  anniversary  of 
Ihe  battle  of  Waterloo.  It  is  built  of  granite. — P. 
c The  Thames  Tunnel.  1 M.  Brunei. 

— 

c Idem.  Ibid. 

1 The  London  University  and  King’s  College. 
s Hospitals  and  almshouses. 
h Colquhoun  on  the  Police,  edition  of  1822 

[BOOK  CLIV. 


EUROPE. 


vate  individuals  is  fostered  both  by  public  opinion,  a 
powerful  engine  in  England,  and  by  the  influence  of 
government.  London,  however,  possesses  the  sad  ad- 
vantage of  being  in  proportion  to  its  population,  infinitely 
more  corrupt  than  Paris.  More  than  eight  thousand 
individuals  are  annually  put  into  the  different  prisons  ; 
but  a stranger,  particularly  a Frenchman,  may  admire 
the  manner  in  which  the  business  of  the  police  is  per- 
formed ; it  is  done  without  ostentation,  without  military 
parade,  and  without  any  thing  that  gives  the  duty  of 
preserving  order,  the  appearance  of  an  abuse  of  power. 
The  watchmen,  to  whom  the  public  safety  is  committed, 
are  very  numerous ; they  walk  the  streets  during  the 
night,  cry  the  hours,  give  alarm  in  case  of  fire,  warn  the 
inhabitants,  if  their  doors  have  been  left  open  bv  negli- 
gence, and  arrest  those  who  commit  crimes,  or  disturb 
the  public  peace  ; all  this  is  done  without  arms,  unless 
their  baton  or  staff  can  be  considered  one.  Their  duties 
are  in  a great  measure  pacific  ; their  number  enables 
them  to  preserve  order,  but  not  to  prevent  crimes  in  an 
immense  town,  where  more  than  one  individual  out  of 
every  fifteen  is  a knave,  a sharper  or  a pickpocket. 

London  has  been  examined  in  different  points  of  view  ; 
the  greater  part  of  it,  it  has  been  seen,  is  situated  in 
Middlesex  ; some  other  places  in  the  same  county  may 
be  mentioned.  Hackney,  near  the  Paddington  canal,  con- 
tains 23,000  inhabitants  ; it  was  the  birthplace  of  How- 
ard the  philanthropist  ; the  same  place  is  also  memorable 
from  its  antiquity,  and  the  remains  of  a Roman  road  may 
still  be  seen  in  the  vicinity.  St.  John’s  palace,  a very 
ancient  building,  was  inhabited  by  the  prior  of  St.  John 
of  Jerusalem  ; the  Knights  Templars  had  a residence  at  no 
great  distance  from  it,  but  as  it  has  been  long  converted  into 
flour  and  lead  mills,  it  is  now  better  known  by  the  name 
of  Temple  mills.11  Hampton  Court, b on  the  banks  of  the 
Thames,  is  adorned  with  a royal  palace  and  extensive 
gardens. 

Chelsea,  about  a mile  and  a half  from  London  on  the 
Westminster  side,  is  also  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
Thames.  It  contains  more  than  27,000  inhabitants,  but 
it  is  principally  worthy  of  notice  on  account  of  its  hos- 
pital for  decayed  and  maimed  soldiers,  one  of  the  finest 
buildings  and  the  best  institutions  in  the  kingdom.  Chelsea 
Hospital  was  begun  by  Charles  the  Second,  continued  by 
James  the  Second,  and  completed  by  William  the  Third. 
Sir  Stephen  Fox,  the  ancestor  of  the  celebrated  states- 
man, was  the  first  projector  of  the  building,  to  which  he 
contributed  £13,000.  The  pensioners  are  veterans,  who 
have  been  either  disabled  or  twenty  years  in  the  army. 
Their  number  amounts  to  336  ; there  are  besides  20,000 
out-pensioners,  and  their  allowance  is  proportionate  to 
their  length  of  service.  The  expenses  of  the  institution 
are  defrayed  by  a poundage  from  the  pay  of  the  army, 
and  the  deficiency,  if  any,  is  made  good  by  parliament. 
The  Royal  Military  Asylum,  lately  erected  in  the  same 
town,  serves  as  a place  of  education  for  one  thousand 
children  of  non-commissioned  officers  and  soldiers.  The 
whole  army  contributes  one  day’s  pay  per  annum  in  sup- 
port of  this  institution. 

The  county  of  Surrey,  in  which  that  part  of  London 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Thames  is  situated,  was  inhabit- 


ed by  the  Kegni,  and  during  the  period  of  the  heptar- 
chy, it  was  included  in  the  kingdom  of  the  South  Saxons. 
Contiguous  on  the  north  to  Middlesex  and  part  of  Buck- 
inghamshire, on  the  west  to  Berkshire  and  Hampshire, 
on  the  south  to  Sussex,  and  on  the  east  to  Kent,  it 
covers  an  area  of  758  square  miles.  As  an  agricultural 
county,  Surrey  is  much  inferior  to  many  others  ; of  its 
485,120  acres,  only  80,000  are  arable  ; it  is  true,  how- 
ever, that  t he  quantity  of  garden-ground,  cultivated  for 
the  supply  of  the  London  market,  exceeds  4000  acres. 
The  mineral  products  are  important ; they  consist  of  iron- 
ore,  firestone,  limestone,  fuller’s-earth  and  chalk.  Two 
sorts  of  fuller’s-earth  are  obtained,  the  one  of  a blue, 
the  other  of  a yellow  colour  ; the  latter  is  chiefly  used 
in  fulling  the  finer  cloths  of  Wiltshire  and  Gloucestershire, 
while  the  former  is  sent  to  Yorkshire  for  the  coarser  man- 
ufactures. The  firestone,  obtained  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Gadstone,  Gatton,  Mersham  and  other  parts  of  the 
county,  is  extremely  soft  when  first  worked,  and  incapa- 
ble of  resisting  a moist  atmosphere,  but  after  being  kept 
some  months  under  cover,  it  becomes  so  compact  as  to 
resist  the  heat  of  a common  fire  ; it  is  therefore  in  great 
demand  in  London.  Surrey  has  four  canals,  which  com- 
municate with  London  and  the  sea.  The  principal  man- 
ufactories and  products  of  industry  are  distilleries,  vine- 
gar works,  potteries,  paper,  snuff  and  gunpowder  mills, 
starch,  hats  and  calicos. 

Guildford,  the  capital  of  the  county,  does  not  contain 
four  thousand  inhabitants;  it  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the 
declivity  of  a chalk  hill  on  the  banks  of  the  Wye.  The 
town  has  often  been  the  residence  of  English  monarchs, 
and  it  retains  the  traces  of  its  former  grandeur.  Some 
parts  of  its  ancient  castle  are  still  visible,  and  the  square 
tower  or  Keep,  as  it  is  called,  must  have  been  atone  time 
a place  of  great  strength.  It  is  not  known  by  whom  it 
was  built. 

Kew,  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  and  about  six  miles 
west  from  London,  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  its 
botanic  gardens,  which  are  laid  out  in  a very  judicious 
manner,  and  contain  an  immense  number  of  flowers  and 
exotic  plants.  It  is  admitted,  however,  that  they  have 
been  comparatively  neglected  since  the  time  of  George 
the  Third.  Richmond,  about  two  miles  to  the  south  of 
the  last  village,  is  peopled  by  six  thousand  inhabitants, 
and  in  its  church  are  deposited  the  remains  of  Gilbert 
Wakefield  and  Thomson  the  poet.  The  small  town  of 
Putney  in  the  same  county,  is  distinguished  as  the  birth- 
place of  Gibbon,  the  historian. 

Berkshire,  contiguous  on  the  east  to  Surrey , is  sepa- 
rated on  the  north  from  Oxfordshire  and  Buckingham- 
shire by  the  Thames,  and  bounded  on  the  south  by 
Hampshire,  and  on  the  west  by  Wiltshire.  The  shape 
of  the  county  is  very  irregular,  being  about  forty-eight 
miles  long,  twenty-five  broad  in  some  places,  and  in 
others  only  six. 

Windsor,  situated  near  the  eastern  extremity  of  the 
county,  has  been  for  more  than  seven  hundred  years  the 
favourite  residence  of  British  kings.  The  castle,  erected 
soon  after  tin;  conquest  by  William  the  Conqueror,  was 
much  enlarged  by  succeeding  princes.  It  was  there  that 
Edward  the  Third  was  born,  and  it  was  there  also  that  he 


* Hackney  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  village  near  London,  to 
which  carriages  ran  at  stated  times  for  the  convenience  of  passengers; 
hence  the  term  hackney-coach,  has  been  derived. 


b Hampton  Court  is  the  name  of  the  palace,  adjoining  the  village  of 
Hampton. — P. 


book  clxv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

instituted  the  order  of  the  Garter,  of  which  the  knights 
have  always  been  installed  in  the  chapel  of  St.  George, 
an  addition  made  by  the  same  king  to  the  palace.  It  is 
situated  on  a height  above  the  Thames,  and  commands 
an  extensive  view  of  a rich  and  romantic  country  ; but 
it  might  occupy  too  much  space  to  describe  the  various 
parts  of  the  edifice,  the  additions  it  has  received,  the  in- 
ternal decorations,  and  the  valuable  paintings.  It  may 
be  sufficient  to  remark  that  a grant  of  £500,000  was 
made  by  parliament  in  1824,  for  the  purpose  of  repairing 
and  embellishing  Windsor  Castle.  St.  George’s  Chapel, 
which  may  be  considered  a part  of  the  building,  is  not 
inferior  to  any  Gothic  structure  in  the  kingdom. 

Reading,  the  capital  of  the  county,  has  been  the  scene 
of  several  important  events  in  civil  and  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory. It  is  situated  on  two  small  eminences,  and  their 
declivities  terminate  in  a pleasant  valley,  through  which 
the  branches  of  the  Kennet  flow,  and  join  the  Thames 
at  the  extremity  of  the  town.  It  possessed  since  the 
twelfth  century,  a magnificent  abbey,  one  of  the  richest 
in  the  kingdom  at  the  period  of  the  dissolution.  It  was 
afterwards  distinguished  by  its  woollen  manufactories, 
which  have  fallen  into  decay,  and  their  loss  has  been  in- 
adequately supplied  by  the  making  of  sail  and  sack-cloth. 
It  is  still,  however,  a place  of  considerable  population, 
and  much  business  is  carried  on  at  the  wharfs  on  the  Ken- 
net, in  the  import  and  export  of  commodities,  particularly 
of  flour,  which  is  sent  to  the  metropolis. 

Newbury,  on  the  banks  of  the  Kennet,  was  famed,  in 
the  reigns  of  Henry  the  Seventh  and  Henry  the  Eighth, 
for  its  woollen  manufactories,  a branch  of  industry  in 
which  John  Winchcombe,  commonly  called  Jack  of 
Newbury,  rose  to  celebrity.  Abingdon,  like  many  other 
places  in  England,  owes  its  origin  to  a monastery,  which 
continued  in  great  splendour  until  the  dissolution.  It 
carries  on  at  present  a considerable  trade  in  malt,  with 
which  it  partly  supplies  the  metropolis.  Wantage,  a 
small  market  town  on  the  border  of  the  vale  of  White- 
horse, is  remarkable  as  the  birth-place  of  Alfred  the 
Great,  from  which  it  has  been  inferred,  that  it  was  then  a 
royal  residence. 

The  county  was  inhabited,  in  early  times,  by  the 
Atrebales,  a tribe  that  migrated  from  Gaul,  probably 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  Arras,  before  the  island  was 
invaded  by  the  Romans.  It  is  impossible,  indeed,  to 
examine  Berkshire  without  observing  many  memorials  of 
different  epochs.  A Roman  camp  of  a quadrangular  form, 
may  be  seen  near  Wantage,  on  the  banks  of  a canal  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  county.  The  remains  of  a 
Roman  fort  are  still  visible  at  Lawrence-Waltham,  and 
it  is  supposed  that  the  castle  of  Cherbury  near  Dench- 
worth,  was  originally  founded  by  king  Canute.  A range 
of  chalk  hills  extends  towards  Oxfordshire,  and  one  part 
of  it,  destitute  of  herbage,  bears  some  resemblance  to  the 
gigantic  figure  of  a white  horse ; hence  the  plain  which 
these  hills  enclose,  has  been  called  Whitehorse-vale.  A 
white  horse,  it  is  well  known,  was  represented  on  the 
standard  of  king  Alfred,  and  the  country  people  still 
believe  that  the  figure,  which  covers  an  extent  of  more 
than  an  acre,  was  intended  to  commemorate  a victory 
over  the  Danes.  The  inhabitants  of  the  neighbouring- 
villages  meet  every  year  on  St.  John’s  day,  in  order  as 


a Aikin. 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  509 

they  say  to  clean  the  horse,  or  in  other  words,  to  take 
away  the  grass  and  plants,  which  might  alter  its  appear- 
ance. When  their  work  is  finished,  the  rest  of  the  day 
is  devoted  to  rural  mirth.  A number  of  stones  standing 
on  end,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  valley,  are  suppos- 
ed to  indicate  the  burying  place  of  several  Danish  kings. 
It  is  certain  that  the  neighbourhood  has  been  the  scene 
of  frequent  battles  between  the  Danes  and  Anglo-Saxons. 

Oxfordshire,  contiguous  to  the  northern  limit  of  Berk- 
shire, is  bounded  on  the  west  by  Gloucestershire,  on  the 
north  by  the  counties  of  Warwick  and  Northampton,  and 
on  the  east  by  Buckinghamshire.  Like  Berkshire,  its 
figure  is  very  irregular ; the  northern  portion  is  much 
broader  than  the  southern,  and  a narrow  neck,  if  it  may 
be  so  called,  extends  between  the  two.  The  three 
counties  of  Berks,  Oxford  and  Buckingham,  although 
separately  much  broken  and  indented,  form  together  a 
figure  resembling  a circle.3  The  soil  of  the  county  may 
be  divided  into  three  distinct  sorts  : viz.  1 st,  the  red  land 
of  the  northern  district,  which  in  fertility  is  superior  to 
any  other  portion  of  equal  extent  ; 2d,  the  stone-brash 
district ; and  3d,  the  Chiltern  Hills  : besides  these  there 
are  different  loams  in  different  parts  of  the  county.  The 
following  are  supposed  to  be  the  proportions  of  the  differ- 
entsoils — red  land,  79,635  acres;  stone-brash,  164,072; 
Chiltern,  64,778  ; different  soils,  166, 400. b The  same 
county  is  watered  by  not  fewer  than  seventy  distinct 
streams  or  rivers;  few  of  them,  it  is  true,  are  iarge,  and 
the  most  remarkable  have  been  already  mentioned.  The 
products  of  Oxfordshire  are  chiefly  those  of  the  midland 
farming  counties  ; corn  and  malt  are  exported  by  the 
Thames  to  the  metropolis.  Good  cheese  is  made  in  the 
grazing  districts,  but  it  is  chiefly  used  for  home  consump- 
tion. The  products  of  the  dairy  are  more  abundant  in 
the  central  or  enclosed  districts,  and  many  calves  are 
reared  of  which  the  veal  serves  to  supply  the  London 
markets.  The  hills  yield  ochre,  pipe-clay  and  other 
useful  substances. 

Oxford,  the  capital,  has  been  considered  the  great  glory 
of  the  county.  Besides  the  lustre  which  it  derives  from 
its  university,  the  city  is  venerable  from  its  antiquity. 
Some  have  invested  it  with  the  honours  of  fable,  and 
traced  its  origin  to  a thousand  years  before  the  Christian 
era.  But  the  authentic  history  of  Oxford  dates  from  the 
time  of  Alfred,  who  resided  there.  The  town  was  storm- 
ed by  William  the  Conqueror  on  its  refusal  to  admit  him, 
and  the  inhabitants  at  a later  period  took  part  with  King 
Stephen  against  the  empress  Matilda.  The  ruins  of 
Beaumont  palace  rise  near  Worcester  College  ; it  was 
built  by  Henry  the  First,  and  was  afterwards  the  resi- 
dence of  Henry  the  Second,  but  it  is  chiefly  famed  as 
the  birth-place  of  Richard  Coeur-de-Lion.  In  later  times, 
Oxford  has  not  only  been  often  inhabited  by  English 
kings,  but  it  has  been  the  seat  of  frequent  parliaments. 
The  unfortunate  Charles  the  First  held  his  court  there 
during  the  whole  of  the  civil  wars,  and  it  then  became 
the  centre  of  various  military  operations  in  the  adjoining 
country.  In  the  year  1643,  in  one  of  these  combats, — 
the  skirmish  of  Chalgrave  near  Watlington,  John  Hamp- 
den, the  celebrated  patriot,  was  slain. 

Oxford  is  pleasantly  situated  on  a gently  rising  ground 
in  the  midst  of  meadows,  at  the  confluence  of  the 


b Agricultural  Survey. 


EUROPE. 


510 

Isis  and  the  Cherwell.  It  surpasses  other  cities  in  the 
beauty  and  magnificence  of  its  buildings.  The  Univer- 
sity consists  of  twenty  colleges  and  five  halls  ; the  latter 
are  all  that  remain  of  the  numerous  halls,  hostels  or 
inns,  which  were  originally  the  only  academical  houses 
of  the  students.®  The  total  number  of  members  in  the 
University  books  is  upwards  of  three  thousand,  and  of 
these  a thousand  are  maintained  on  the  revenues  of  the 
different  colleges.  The  university  is  governed  by  a 
chancellor,  generally  a nobleman,  a high  steward,  a 
vice-chancellor,  a province  chancellor, b two  proctors,  a 
public  orator,  three  esquire  beadles  and  other  inferior 
officers.  To  give  a view  of  the  system  of  education 
would  far  exceed  our  limits.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  lec- 
tures are  delivered  on  every  branch  of  literature  and 
science.  To  obtain  academical  honours  requires  some 
degree  of  capacity  and  diligence,  but  the  ordinary  degree, 
which  qualifies  for  ordination  and  the  learned  professions, 
may  be  very  easily  acquired.  It  cannot  be  denied  that 
the  university  affords  the  most  valuable  means  of  obtain- 
ing knowledge,  and  that  the  students  have  it  in  their 
power  to  make  a good  or  a bad  use  of  the  advantages 
which  they  enjoy.  In  Oxford,  literature  is  chiefly 
cultivated  ; in  Cambridge,  science.  The  former  was 
distinguished  for  its  tory  politics,  the  latter  for  its 
liberal  principles ; but  the  distinction  has  been  less 
marked  in  later  times  than  at  the  period  of  the  Rev- 
olution.® 

Vain  deluding  pleasures  are  supposed  to  be  banished 
from  Oxford,  the  abode  of  useful  or  intellectual  occupa- 
tions. It  is  true  that  there  is  a theatre,  and  one  which 
displays  the  architectural  talent  of  Wren,  but  the  only 
actors  are  the  students,  and  the  only  plays,  those  of  Greek 
or  Roman  authors.  The  same  interesting  city  is  indebt- 
ed to  several  wealthy  individuals  for  different  useful  in- 
stitutions. The  botanic  garden  was  founded  in  1632,  by 
Henry  Danvers,  earl  of  Danby,  but  it  was  completed  and 
adorned  by  Dr.  Sherard,  who  added  a library  to  it,  en- 
dowed a professorship,  and  furnished  the  garden  with 
many  rare  and  valuable  plants.  The  Ashmolean  mu- 
seum was  presented  to  the  university  in  1682,  by  Elias 
Ashmole,  together  with  the  manuscripts  of  Sir  William 
Dugdale,  his  father-in-law.  The  Clarendon  press'* *  was 
erected  in  1712,  from  the  profits  arising  from  the  sale  of 


» The  following  are  the  different  Colleges  in  Oxford.  First,  Baliol 
College,  founded  in  1909,  by  John  Baliol  of  Bernard  Castle,  father  of 
John  Baliol,  king  of  Scotland.  9d,  Merton  College,  erected  in  1907, 
by  Walter  de  Merton,  Bishop  of  Rochester  and  Lord  Chancellor  of 
England.  3d,  University  College,  supposed  to  have  been  founded  by 
Alfred,  but  principally  restored  by  William,  Archdeacon  of  Durham, 
and  Walter  Shirlaw,  Bishop  of  Durham,  and  Henry  Percy,  Earl  of 
Northumberland.  4th,  Exeter  College,  founded  in  1314,  by  Walter 
Stapledon,  Bishop  ofExeter.  5th,  Oriel  College,  founded  in  1394,  by 
Adam  de  Brome,  Almoner  to  Edward  the  Second.  A tenement  called 
L'OrieUe  or  L'Oriele,  was  annexed  to  it  by  Edward  the  Third,  from 
which  the  College  derives  its  name.  6th,  Queen’s  College,  founded 
in  1340,  by  Robert  D’Eglesfield,  chaplain  to  Queen  Philippa,  consort 
of  Edward  the  Third.  7th,  New  College,  or  Winchester  College, 
founded  in  1379,  by  the  celebrated  William  of  Wykeham,  bishop  of 
Winchester,  and  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  England.  8th,  Trinity 
College,  founded  by  Sir  Thomas  Pope  in  1594.  9th,  Lincoln  College, 
founded  in  1497,  by  Richard  Fleming,  bishop  of  Lincoln.  10th,  Wor- 
cester College,  founded  by  Sir  Thomas  Coke  of  Bentley  in  Worcester- 
shire in  1714.  11th,  St.  John's  College,  founded  in  1557,  by  Sir  Thomas 
White,  Alderman  of  London.  19th,  All  Saints’  College,*  founded  in 
1438,  by  Henry  Chichele,  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  13th,  Magda- 
len College,  founded  in  1458  by  William  of  Wainfleet,  bishop  of  Win- 
chester. 14th,  Brazen  Nose  College,  founded  in  1509  by  William 
Smith,  bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  Sir  Richard  Sutton  of  Prestbury  in 
Cheshire.  Its  singular  name  appears  to  have  been  derived  from  an 


[BOOK  CL1V 

Lord  Clarendon’s  history  of  the  Rebellion.  The  fund 
for  the  RadelifFe  library  was  bequeathed  by  Dr.  Radcliffe 
in  1749, e and  to  the  same  person  the  university  is  in- 
debted for  an  observatory  worthy  of  Oxford.  In  an 
apartment  of  a quadrangular  building,  called  the  Schools, 
are  arranged  the  famous  Arundelian  marbles,  collected  in 
Greece  and  Asia  by  the  earl  of  Arundel,  and  presented 
to  the  university  by  his  grandson,  the  duke  of  Norfolk. 
The  Bodleian  or  university  library,  added  by  Sir  Thomas 
Bodley  to  the  remains  of  the  library  of  Humphrey,  duke 
of  Gloucester,  maybe  considered,  with  the  exception  of 
the  one  in  the  Vatican,  the  most  valuable  in  Europe. 
Oxford  contains  fourteen  parish  churches,  many  chapels 
for  dissenters,  some  gratuitous  schools,  and  other  chari- 
table institutions. 

The  roads  in  Oxfordshire  have  been  of  late  much  im- 
proved, and  its  commerce  has  been  increased  by  the  canal 
which  was  cut  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county/  The 
principal  manufactures  are  those  of  blankets  at  Witney 
shag  at  Banbury,  and  gloves  and  polished  steel  at  Wood- 
stock.  Many  of  the  poorer  classes  are  employed  in 
spinning  or  making  lace.  But  notwithstanding  the 
famous  forest  of  Wichwood,  the  want  of  fuel  is  every- 
where felt ; it  is  apparent  in  the  condition  of  the  lower 
orders,  and  it  accounts  for  their  comparative  poverty. 
The  county,  inhabited  in  ancient  times  by  the  Dobuni, 
included  by  the  Romans  in  the  province  of  Flavia  Ccc- 
sariensis,  and  forming  part  of  Mercia  in  the  time  of  the 
Heptarchy,  possesses  stdl  two  Roman  roads,  one  of 
which,  called  Ickenild  Street,  crosses  the  Thames  at 
Goring,  and  then  passes  north-north-east  to  Bucks,  while 
the  other,  called  Akeman  Street,  extends  across  the 
county  to  Burford. 

Buckinghamshire  is  contiguous  to  Oxfordshire  on  the 
west,  to  Northamptonshire  on  the  north,  to  Middlesex, 
Hertfordshire  and  Bedfordshire  on  the  east,  and  to  Berk- 
shire and  a small  portion  of  Surrey  on  the  south.  Its 
greatest  length  from  north  to  south  is  about  fifty  miles, 
while  its  greatest  breadth  is  not  more  than  sixteen.  It 
contains  518,400  acres,  of  which  240,000  consist  of 
clay  and  loam,  and  7000  of  sand  ; the  rest  is  of  a very 
mixed  nature,  composed  of  chalk,  gravel,  sand,  clay  and 
clayey  loam.  The  Chiltern  Hills  run  across  the  county 
from  east  to  west  ; the  Ickenild  way,  which  has  been 


iron  ring  fixed  in  a nose  of  brass,  and  serving  as  a knocker  to  the  gate 
15th,  Corpus  Christi  College,  founded  in  1516  by  Bishop  Fox,  Lord 
Privy  Seal  to  Henry  the  Seventh  and  Henry  the  Eighth.  16th,  Christ 
Church  College,  founded  by  Cardinal  Wolsey  in  1595.  17th.  Jesus 

College  founded  in  1571  by  Queen  Elizabeth.  18th.  Wadham  College, 
founded  in  1613  by  Nicholas  Wadham  of  Merrifield  in  Somersetshire. 
It  was  in  this  College  that  the  plan  of  the  Royal  Society  was  first  pro- 
posed. 19th,  Penfbroke  College,  founded  in  1690,  by  Thomas  Tesdale 
of  Glympton  in  Oxfordshire,  and  Richard  Wightwick.  rector  of  llsley 
in  Berkshire.  90th,  Hereford  College,  founded  in  1319,  by  Walter 
Stapledon,  bishop  of  Exeter. f 

* All  Souls  College.— P. 

t Hertford  College,  originally  Hart  Hall  (founded  by  Walter  de  Stapleton, 
bishop  of  Exeter,)  and  attached  to  Exeter  College,  till  raised  to  the  rank  ol  an 
independent  college  by  Dr.  Newton,  A.  D.  1740.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

b The  vice-chancellor  nominates  four  deputies,  or  pro-vice-chancel 
lors.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

c Lardner,  volume  first.  d The  Clarendon  Printing-house. 

e The  Radcliffe  library  was  erected  in  1749.  (M.  B.) — The  building 
was  erected  between  1737  and  1749.  Dr.  Radcliffe  died  in  1 /14.  P. 

f The  Oxford  canal.  It  leaves  the  Coventry  canal  at  Longford, 
four  miles  N.  of  Coventry  ; passes  S.  E.  to  Braunston,  where  the 
Grand  Junction  Canal  branches  off  eastwards  to  London;  then  passes 
S.  W.  to  Napton,  where  a canal  branches  from  it  to  Warwick  ; then 
S.  through  a tunnel  to  the  valley  of  the  Cherwell  at  Claydon  ; then 
following  the  Cherwell,  by  Banbury,  to  the  Isis  at  Oxford. — P. 


book  cliv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

already  mentioned,  lies  on  these  hills,  and  on  the  right 
side  of  the  same  road,a  towards  the  vale  of  Aylesbury, 
the  soil  is  much  more  valuable,  letting  to  the  amount  of 
10s.  per  acre  more  than  on  the  left.  Lastly,  as  an  agri- 
cultural county,  Buckinghamshire  has  been  divided  into 
three  parts,  namely,  arable  farms,  dairy  farms,  and  farms 
partly  grazing  and  partly  arable. 

No  part  of  the  county  is  situated  at  a great  distance 
from  a navigable  way  to  London.  Thus,  the  Thames  is 
navigable  on  the  south  from  Henley  by  Marlow,  Maid- 
enhead, Windsor  and  Staines  ; while  the  Grand  Junction 
Canal,  and  its  auxiliary  branches  from  W endover,  Ayles- 
bury and  Buckingham,  are  equally  navigable  on  the  east. 
The  mineral  products  are  not  numerous  ; marble,  how- 
ever, is  obtained  at  Newport-Pagnell,  and  there  are  sev- 
eral pits  of  excellent  fuller’s-earth  on  the  confines  near 
Woburn,  but  few  of  them  are  worked.  Lace  is  the 
principal  manufacture:  it  is  true  that  there  are  many 
paper  mills,  and  that  a cotton  manufactory  has  been 
erected  at  Amersham,  still  more  lace  is  made  in  Buck- 
inghamshire than  in  any  other  county  ; in  this  branch  of 
industry,  and  in  plaiting  straw  for  hats,  almost  all  the 
poor  women  and  girls  are  employed. b 

Aylesbury  and  Buckingham  are  the  capitals;  the  for- 
mer, much  more  populous  than  the  other,  contains  about 
18,000  inhabitants.  It  gives  its  name  to  the  rich  vale 
of  Aylesbury  in  the  middle  of  the  county,  one  of  the 
most  fruitful  tracts  in  the  kingdom,  extending  to  the  dis- 
tance of  many  miles,  from  Tame  on  the  borders  of  Oxford- 
shire to  Leighton  in  Bedfordshire.  The  town  was  a 
strong  place  in  the  time  of  the  Saxons,  and  was  included 
in  a royal  manor  by  the  Conqueror,  who  parcelled  it  out 
to  different  tenants,  and  from  the  nature  of  their  tenure, 
some  notion  may  he  inferred  of  the  luxury  or  simplicity 
of  the  Norman  court ; they  were  obliged  to  find  litter  or 
straw  for  the  king’s  bed-chamber  three  times  a year,  if 
he  passed  in  that  direction  so  often,  and  to  furnish  him 
besides  with  three  eels  in  winter,  and  three  green  geese 
in  summer.  It  was  erected  into  a corporation  by  a 
charter  of  queen  Mary  in  1553.  The  streets  lie  round 
the  market-place,  in  the  middle  of  which  a spacious  hall 
has  been  erected  for  the  quarter  sessions  and  the  lent 
assizes  ; it  is  also  adorned  with  a market-house,  which 
is  built  after  the  model  of  the  Temple  of  the  Winds  at 
Athens. 

Buckingham,  the  ancient  capital  of  the  county,  and 
venerable  from  its  antiquity,  was  fortified  with  a rampart 
and  tower  in  the  year  918  by  Edward  the  Elder,  to 
defend  it  against  the  incursions  of  the  Danes.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  the  river  Ouse,  over  which  there  are  three  stone 
bridges,  but  the  number  of  inhabitants  does  not  exceed 
four  thousand.  Buckingham,  indeed,  has  long  been  in  a 
state  of  decline  ; having  lost  the  privilege  of  holding  the 
assizes,  which  were  removed  to  Aylesbury,  it  was  recov- 
ered in  1758  for  one  half  of  the  year.  Lace-making  is 
the  only  manufacture  in  the  town. 

Eton,  the  only  other  place  in  the  county  that  shall  be 
mentioned,  is  situated  on  the  Thames  opposite  to  Wind- 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  511 

sor,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  means  of  a bridge. 
It  was  rendered  a seminary  of  learning  by  llenry  the 
Sixth  in  1440;  having  been  originally  endowed  for  a 
provost,  ten  priests,  six  clerks,  six  choristers,  twenty-five 
poor  grammar  scholars  with  a master  to  teach  them,  and 
twenty-five  poor  old  men.  It  now  supports  a provost, 
vice-provost,  seventy  scholars,  and  many  officers  and 
assistants.  Besides  the  king’s  scholars,  there  are  seldom 
fewer  than  three  hundred  noblemen’s  and  gentlemen’s 
sons  who  are  educated  at  Eton. 

Among  the  eminent  men  that  the  county  has  produced, 
may  be  mentioned  Francis  Atterbury,  bishop  of  Roches- 
ter, a prelate  distinguished  by  his  wit  and  learning,  but 
suspected  and  not  without  reason,  of  having  been  engaged 
in  a plot  to  bring  in  the  pretender.  Richard  Cox,  bishop 
of  Ely,  the  framer  of  the  liturgy,  was  a native  of  Whad- 
don.  Sir  Kenelm  Dighy,  born  at  Gothurst  in  1603,  was 
an  elegant  scholar,  a naval  commander,  a visionary  in 
philosophy  and  religion,  at  one  time  a protestant,  at 
another  a catholic  convert ; an  admirer  of  Cromwell,  and 
yet  imprisoned  by  the  parliament  during  the  civil  wars. 
Believing  it  practicable  to  prolong  the  life  of  man  to  the 
antediluvian  period,  he  laboured  to  discover  the  means 
by  which  it  could  be  accomplished,  and  was  assisted  by 
Descartes  in  the  vain  attempt. 

If  we  cross  the  Grand  Junction  Canal  near  the  boun- 
dary between  Buckinghamshire  and  Hertfordshire,  we 
may  arrive  at  the  capital  of  the  last  county,  in  the  vicinity 
of  which  the  rivers  Lea,  Maran,  Rib  and  Quin  unite,  and 
form  the  New  River,  which  flows  in  an  artificial  channel 
forty-two  miles,  supplies  the  inhabitants  of  London 
with  water,  and  communicates  with  the  Thames.  Hert- 
ford or  Hartford  bore  in  ancient  times  the  name  of  Duro- 
cobriva,  which  signifies  the  Red-Ford,  so  called  from  the 
colour  of  the  gravel  at  the  bottom  of  the  Lea,  which 
waters  it.  As  there  were  formerly  many  deer  in  the 
county,  it  has  been  maintained  that  its  modern  name 
is  derived  from  Hart,  a deer.  It  has  been  alleged  in 
support  of  this  opinion,  that  the  arms  of  the  town  are 
a hart  couchant  in  the  water.  This,  however,  cannot  be 
considered  any  proof  of  the  etymology,  as  the  arms  were 
devised  from  the  name  of  the  town.®  The  Saxon  kings 
often  held  their  court  at  Hertford  ; a strong  castle  was 
erected  in  the  same  place  by  Alfred,  to  check  the  incur- 
sions of  the  Danes,  who  frequently  laid  waste  the  country 
from  the  Thames  to  the  Ware.  A spacious  building,  a 
dependance  of  Christ’s  church  hospital*1  in  London,  and 
serving  as  a country  residence  to  part  of  the  scholars, 
has  been  erected  in  the  town.  The  commerce  of  Hart- 
ford consists  principally  in  the  exportation  of  malt  to 
London,  but  as  a place  of  trade  or  industry,  it  is  nowise 
remarkable.  The  county  was  inhabited  before  the  Roman 
invasion  by  the  Tnuni,  the  Trinobantes  and  the  Cassii, 
tribes  whose  territory  extended  to  the  shores  of  the 
ocean.®  Under  the  Saxons,  it  was  divided  between  the 
kingdoms  of  Kent  and  Mercia. f The  traces  of  several 
Roman  camps  may  be  seen  in  different  parts  of  the 
county  ; the  ancient  Duroletum  is  supposed  to  have 

a On  the  north. — The  Chiltern  Hills  (of  chalk)  occupy  the  soul  hern 
part  of  Bucks,  and  the  Vale  of  Aylesbury,  the  centre  ; the  northern 
part  is  diversified  with  sand  hills,  connected  with  those  in  the  west  of 
Bedfordshire. — P. 

* Aikin. 

c Capper’s  Topographical  Dictionary. 

d Christ’s  Hospital,  for  the  education  of  poor  children. — P. 

e “ The  county  was  inhabited  by  the  Cattievchlani,  by  the  Trino- 
bantes, a people  that  extended  to  the  shores  of  the  ocean,  and  by  the 
Cassii.”  (M.  B.) — The  Cattieuchlani,  called  also  Cassivellauni  or  Catti- 
vellauni,  and  Cassii  or  Cattii , inhabited  Bucks,  Bedfordshire  and  Hert- 
fordshire. The  Trinobantes  ( Trinovantes , or  Trinoantes)  inhabited 
Middlesex  and  Essex.  (Camden.) — P. 

1 Between  the  kingdoms  of  Essex  and  Mercia.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV 


512 

occupied  the  site  of  Cheshunt,  and  Ccesaromagus,  that 
of  Braughin. 

St.  Albans  and  Hertford  are  the  only  boroughs  in  the 
county,  and  the  former  is  as  populous  as  the  latter.  It  is 
also  distinguished  by  its  abbey  church,  a very  large  edi- 
fice, formerly  the  church  of  a celebrated  abbey,  founded 
ny  Offa  king  of  the  Mercians,  in  honour  of  St.  Alban, 
the  protomartyr  of  England  ; and  it  is  certain  that  the 
abbots  rose  to  the  dignity  of  taking  precedence  of  all 
others  in  the  kingdom.  When  the  monasteries  were 
abolished  by  king  Henry  the  Eighth,  the  abbey  church 
of  St.  Albans  was  offered  to  the  inhabitants  by  Edward 
the  Sixth  for  £400.  The  offer  was  accepted  and  the 
church  was  preserved.  But  besides  the  abbey  church, 
there  are  two  others  of  great  antiquity,  those  of  St. 
Michael  and  St.  Peter  ; in  the  former  has  been  placed 
the  monument  of  the  great  Bacon,  who  with  his  mother 
was  interred  within  its  walls.  The  remains  of  the  ancient 
town  of  Verulam,a  one  of  the  most  important  places  in 
England  during  the  Roman  period,  are  situated  in  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  of  St.  Albans,  and  many  relics 
of  that  celebrated  people  have  been  found  under  its  ruins. 

St.  Albans  was  the  scene  of  two  battles  during  the 
bloody  wars  between  the  roses.  The  first  combat  between 
the  parties  was  fought  near  the  town  in  1455,  and  termi- 
nated in  favour  of  the  Yorkists.  In  that  engagement  king 
Henry  the  Sixth  was  taken  prisoner,  while  the  brave 
Clifford  and  the  great  earl  of  Somerset  were  slain.  In 
the  second  battle  in  1461,  queen  Margaret  at  the  head 
of  the  Lancastrians  obtained  a decisive  victory.  A bloody 
battle  was  fought  during  the  same  wars  on  the  field  of 
Barnet,  between  St.  Albans  and  London.  Gladmore 
heath  was  also  the  scene  of  a memorable  engagement 
between  the  Yorkists  under  Edward  the  Fourth,  and  the 
Lancastrians  under  the  king-making  earl  of  Warwick,  in 
which  the  latter  lost  his  life.  The  action  is  recorded  by 
a monument  raised  on  the  spot,  where  the  roads  to  St. 
Albans  and  Hatfield  divide. 

The  boundaries  of  the  county  are  nowhere  marked 
by  nature,  except  where  the  Lea  and  the  Stort  separate 
it  from  Essex.  It  is  contiguous  on  the  north  to  Bedford- 
shire and  Cambridgeshire,  on  the  east  to  Essex,  on  the 
south  to  Middlesex,  and  on  the  west  to  Bedfordshire 
and  Buckinghamshire,  with  which  it  is  much  intermixed. 
It  contains  337,920  acres,  of  which  three-fourths  are  in 
tillage,  and  the  rest  in  pasturage.  The  northern  part  of 
the  county  is  hilly,  forming  a portion  of  the  chalky  ridge 
which  extends  across  England.  The  soil  throughout  is 
nowhere  very  rich,  but  it  is  made  productive  by  the 
chalk  and  lime  that  are  dug  and  burnt,  and  by  the  soot, 
ashes,  bones  and  other  substances  that  are  transported 
from  the  metropolis.  It  is  thus  rendered  very  favourable 
to  wheat  and  barley,  the  principal  agricultural  products 
of  the  county.  The  town  of  Ware  in  particular  sends 
more  malt  to  London  than  any  other  place  in  the  king- 
dom, hut  it  must  not  be  imagined  that  it  is  all  the  produce 
of  Hertfordshire,  part  of  it  is  undoubtedly  obtained  from 
the  adjoining  counties.  The  manufactories  are  too  insig- 
nificant to  require  notice. 

Of  the  eminent  persons  that  Hertfordshire  has  pro- 


* The  Verolamium  of  the  Romans. — P. 

b He  was  born  at  Abbot’s  Langley,  three  miles  S.  W.  of  St. 
Albans.— P. 
c Aikin. 


duced,  not  more  than  two  shall  be  named.  The  celebrated 
traveller,  Sir  John  Mandeville,  a native  of  St.  Albans, 
was  as  remarkable  for  his  credulity  as  for  his  enterprise 
and  research.  Nicholas  Brekespere  is  better  known  by 
the  title  of  Adrian  the  Fourth;  he  too  was  a native  of 
St.  Albans, b and  the  only  Englishman  that  ever  rose  to 
the  papal  chair.  One  of  his  acts  is  connected  with 
English  history,  for  he  issued  the  celebrated  bull,  which 
gave  the  sanction  of  the  church  to  the  conquest  of  Ireland 
by  Henry  the  Second. 

The  maritime  county  of  Essex  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Suffolk  and  Cambridgeshire,  from  the  first  of  which 
it  is  separated  by  the  Stour,  on  the  west  by  the  counties 
of  Hertfordshire  and  Middlesex,  from  the  last  of  which 
it  is  separated  by  the  Lea,  on  the  south  by  the  Thames, 
which  divides  it  from  Kent,  and  on  the  east  by  the  ocean. 
It  has  been  remarked  in  the  account  of  the  coasts  that 
the  maritime  side  is  broken  and  indented.  The  area  of 
the  county  is  supposed  to  be  equal  to  1525  square  miles  ; 
it  is  divided  into  twenty  parts,  of  which  fourteen  are 
hundreds,  five  half  hundreds  and  one  a royal  liberty. 
The  soil  and  the  face  of  the  country  are  sufficiently 
varied.  The  south-western  portion  is  occupied  by  Epping 
Forest,  which  is  covered  with  rich  pasturage,  not  with 
trees  as  its  name  imports.  The  same  part  of  the  county, 
watered  by  the  Roddon,  that  runs  parallel  to  the  Lea, 
yields  the  best  butter  that  is  sold  in  London.  Northwards 
the  country  becomes  less  uniform  and  level  ; Saffron- 
Walden,  in  this  part  of  Essex,  indicates  by  its  name  the 
product  for  which  it  is  famous.  Saffron,  which  was  at 
one  time  cultivated  in  many  parts  of  England,  is  now 
almost  confined  to  the  country  between  the  last  place 
and  Cambridge. 

A threefold  crop  of  coriander,  carraway  and  teasel 
may  be  mentioned  as  a singular  product  of  Essex.  The 
two  first  are  cultivated  on  account  of  their  aromatic 
seeds,  and  the  last  is  used  in  the  manufactories  of  woollen 
cloth.  They  are  all  sown  together,  but  they  come  to 
maturity  at  different  periods,  and  the  succession  of  the 
whole  lasts  three  or  four  years.® 

Potatoes  are  grown  in  greater  quantities  in  Essex  than 
in  any  other  southern  county  ; but  they  are  mostly  cul- 
tivated in  the  south-western  portion  between  the  Lea 
and  the  Thames,  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  London 
market. 

The  centra]  portion  of  Essex  is  in  general  a fine  corn 
country,  varied  with  hills  and  adorned  with  woods.  It 
becomes  gradually  marshy  towards  the  sea-coast ; some 
parts  are  exposed  to  frequent  inundations,  while  others 
are  formed  into  islands  by  inlets  of  the  sea.  The  north- 
ern part  of  the  coast  is  more  elevated  and  more  healthy, 
but  the  proverbial  insalubrity  of  the  Hundreds  of  Essex,*1 
is  not  compensated  by  their  fine  pastures,  and  the  same 
may  be  said  of  the  marshy  tracts  along  the  Thames  from 
the  junction  of  the  Lea  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  for 
they  are  equally  unhealthy. 

Essex  is  but  scantily  supplied  with  minerals  ; the  most 
important  are  the  lime  and  chalk  quarries  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Purfleet,  on  the  north  of  the  Thames,  where 
they  extend  across  the  river  from  the  county  of  Kent. 

d The  hundreds  in  Essex,  situated  near  the  Lea  and  the  Thames, 
are  emphatically  styled  the  Hundreds  of  Essex.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The 
Hundreds  of  Essex  are  situated  along  the  southern  coast  of  the  county 
(Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 


bookcliy.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

The  principal  manufactures  are  those  of  cloths,  baize 
and  woollen  stuffs.  Calico-print-works  have  been  erected 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  metropolis,  and  there  are 
several  mills  for  making  sheet  lead  on  the  banks  of  the 
Lea.  Not  fewer  than  two  hundred  vessels  from  eight  to 
fifty  tons  are  employed  in  the  oyster  fisheries  in  Essex, 
and  it  is  calculated  that  20,000  bushels  are  annually  sent 
to  the  metropolis,  or  exported  to  the  continent. 

Chelmsford  claims  the  rank  of  capital,  but  it  contains 
little  worthy  of  notice.  Situated  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Chelmer  and  the  Cann,  the  population  is  little  more  than 
five  thousand  inhabitants.  If  a great  part  of  the  business 
of  the  county  is  transacted  at  Chelmsford,  it  may  be  attrib- 
uted not  so  much  to  the  circumstance  of  its  being  the 
chief  town,  as  to  its  convenient  and  central  position. 
The  most  remarkable  buildings  are  a spacious  county 
hall,  and  a large  prison  constructed  according  to  the 
improved  plans  of  the  celebrated  Howard. 

The  ancient  town  of  Colchester,  much  more  important 
than  the  last,  formerly  the  Roman  colony  of  Camalodu- 
num,  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Colne,  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  county.  It  was  an  important  place 
in  the  early  period  of  English  history,  and  its  venerable 
castle  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  by  Edward,  the 
son  of  Alfred  the  Great.  At  the  time  of  the  persecutions 
in  the  Low  Countries  under  the  Duke  of  Alva,  a number 
of  refugees  settled  in  Colchester,  and  introduced  the 
manufacture  of  baize,  which  succeeded  so  well  that  the 
town  became  not  long  afterwards  the  most  wealthy  and 
populous  in  Essex.  Although  this  branch  of  industry 
has  been  abandoned,  Colchester  may  still  be  considered 
one  of  the  few  important  towns  in  the  county.  The 
walls  of  its  old  castle  are  nearly  entire,  and  some  notion 
may  be  inferred  of  its  ancient  strength  from  their  solidity 
and  extent.  The  same  place  sustained  an  obstinate  siege 
during  the  civil  wars,  but  it  was  at  last  forced  to  surren- 
der to  the  parliamentary  forces  under  Fairfax,  and  it 
may  be  added  that  the  two  commanders  of  the  besieged, 
Sir  Charles  Lucas  and  Sir  George  Lisle,  were  shot  under 
the  castle  wall,  for  no  other  cause  apparently,  than  their 
courage  in  defending  the  town.  Colchester  may  also  be 
remarked  for  its  commodious  work-house,  its  large  hos- 
pital, and  for  several  charity  schools  and  other  benevo- 
lent institutions.  It  has  long  been  famous  for  its  oysters  ; 
those  that  are  known  by  the  name  of  Pyefleet,  are  sold 
for  the  highest  prices  in  the  London  markets. 

The  position  of  Harwich,  the  principal  port  on  the 
Essex  coast,  has  been  already  indicated.  The  harbour, 
independently  of  the  bay,  is  not  only  safe,  but  very  large 
and  commodious.  The  post-office  packets  sail  and 
return  regularly  twice  a-week  to  and  from  Holland  and 
Germany.  More  than  5000  tons  of  shipping,  navigated 
by  500  men,  are  employed  in  the  North  Sea  fishery,  and 
other  vessels  are  engaged  in  the  London  and  coasting 
trade.  Harwich  possesses  also  a yard  for  the  Royal 
Navy,  at  which  ships  of  inferior  rates  are  built  and 
repaired. 

Coggeshall  on  the  Blackwater,  Braintree  to  the  west 
of  it,  and  Booking  on  the  north  of  the  last  place,  were 
formerly  in  great  repute  for  their  woollen  manufactures, 
the  raw  material  of  which  was  principally  supplied  from 

a Suffolk  is  divided  into  two  grand  divisions,  viz.  the  franchise  or 
liberty  of  Bury  St.  Edmunds,  and  the  Guildable  land,  or  body  of  the 
county,  each  of  which  furnishes  a distinct  grand-jury  for  the  county 

VOL.  UI.— NO.  58  65 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  513 

Lincolnshire.  The  goods  were  exported  to  Spain,  Por- 
tugal and  Italy  through  the  intervention  of  London 
merchants  ; of  late  years,  however,  the  trade  has  been 
diverted  into  a different  channel  ; it  has  been  transferred 
to  the  northern  towns.  Some  other  places  may  be  briefly 
mentioned.  It  was  at  Ashburn  near  Rochford  that  King 
Edward  Ironside  was  defeated  with  great  slaughter  by 
Canute,  King  of  Denmark,  in  1016.  Danbury  attests 
by  its  name  the  presence  of  the  Danes  ; it  is  built  on 
the  highest  eminence  in  Essex.  Borking  was  once  the 
seat  of  a Benedictine  nunnery,  of  which  the  abbess  was 
one  of  the  four  who  were  baronesses  in  right  of  their 
station  ; she  lived  in  great  splendour,  and  had  several 
officers  in  her  household.  Tilbury  Fort,  on  the  Essex 
shore,  opposite  to  Gravesend,  is  the  principal  defence  of 
the  passage  up  the  Thames.  It  is  a regular  fortification, 
mounted  with  a great  many  cannon,  and  well  manned  in 
time  of  war;  its  principal  strength,  however,  on  the  land 
side,  consists  in  the  practicability  of  laying  the  whole 
level  under  water.  Purfleet,  on  the  same  bank  of  the 
river,  deserves  notice  as  the  great  depot  of  gun-powder 
for  government.  A very  large  magazine  erected  for  the 
purpose,  has  been  secured  by  every  contrivance  against 
fire  and  lightning.- 

The  Stour  separates  the  county  of  Essex  from  that  of 
Suffolk  ; the  other  boundaries  of  the  last  county  are 
Norfolk  on  the  north,  Cambridgeshire  on  the  west,  and 
the  German  Ocean  on  the  east.  The  Waveney  and  the 
Little  Ouse  form  the  northern  limit,  and  the  Stour  almost 
the  whole  of  the  southern.  The  Larke  and  another  small 
stream  bound  it  on  the  north-west,  but  the  greater  part 
of  its  western  limit  is  not  marked  by  nature.  The  county 
is  equal  in  superficies  to  1566  square  miles;  it  has  been 
subdivided  into  twenty-one  hundreds.® 

The  soil  is  generally  level,  but  of  different  qualities ; 
it  may  be  included,  however,  under  three  varieties.  The 
coast  and  the  inland  districts  near  it,  are  for  the  most 
part  sandy  ; they  consist  of  arable  land,  heaths  and 
marshes.  The  first  is  fruitful  in  barley  and  different 
sorts  of  grain  ; the  second  are  well  adapted  for  sheep, 
and  numerous  herds  of  oxen  are  reared  in  the  marshes. 
The  inland  part  from  south  to  north,  or  the  larger  por- 
tion of  Suffolk,  is  covered  with  a rich  clayey  or  rather 
sandy  loam,  resting  on  a retentive  clay  marl  bottom.  It 
is  very  fertile  in  corn  and  other  plants,  and  much  butter, 
milk  and  cheese  are  obtained  from  it.  The  butter  is 
exported  in  great  quantities  to  London  and  different  parts 
of  England  ; the  Suffolk  cheese  is  said  to  be  the  worst  in 
the  kingdom,  but  it  is  principally  owing  to  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  made.  The  north-western  portion  is  an  open, 
sandy  country,  forming  part  of  the  extensive  heath-tracts 
in  this  part  of  England  ; it  is  mostly  laid  out  in  rabbit- 
warrens  and  sheep-walks.  Besides  the  ordinary  crops 
which  are  raised  in  Suffolk,  turnips,  mangel-wurzel  and 
cabbages  are  in  many  places  as  common  as  in  Norfolk. 

Some  of  the  domestic  animals  differ  from  those  in  the 
counties  that  have  been  mentioned.  The  Suffolk  draught 
horse,  it  has  been  seen,  is  middle-sized,  short-made  and 
capable  of  great  exertion,  but  of  late  years  comparatively 
light  active  horses,  and  almost  as  large  as  the  blacks  in 
the  midland  counties,  have  become  common.  All  the 


assizes.  These  are  subdivided  into  21  hundreds.  (Shoberl’s  Suffolk 
Ed.  Enc  1 I*. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL1T. 


514 

cows  are  of  the  polled  kind,  and  they  are  inferior  to  none 
in  England  for  the  abundance  of  their  milk,  in  proportion 
to  their  size.  The  Suffolk  sheep  differed  little  from  those 
of  Norfolk,  but  they  are  now  rare ; they  have  been  suc- 
ceeded by  the  South  Down. 

If  shell-marl  be  excepted,  by  which  the  soil  has  in 
many  places  been  much  improved,  the  other  fossils  are 
not  very  valuable. 

Suffolk  was  once  as  much  distinguished  for  its  manu- 
facturing, as  it  is  now  for  its  agricultural  industry.  Sud- 
bury was  formerly  peopled  by  a colony  of  Flemings,  who 
were  invited  by  Edward  the  Third  to  instruct  the  English 
in  the  art  of  manufacturing  wool.  This  circumstance 
accounts  for  the  former  populousness  and  wealth  of  the 
town.  It  continued  to  flourish  during  several  centuries, 
and  many  of  the  inhabitants  were  employed  in  manufac- 
turing different  sorts  of  woollen  stuffs.  Although  it  is 
long  since  its  ancient  trade  has  fallen  into  decay,  Sudbury 
still  exports  serges,  and  possesses  an  extensive  silk  manu- 
factory. An  additional  impulse  has  been  given  to  the 
industry  of  the  place  since  the  Stour  has  been  made 
navigable  for  barges  to  Manningtree. 

Ipswich,  the  county  town,  has  also  lost  much  of  its 
ancient  splendour ; it  is  situated  on  the  Orwell ; it  con- 
tained at  one  time  not  fewer  than  twenty-one  parish 
churches  and  other  religious  houses,  in  particular,  a 
monastery  of  Dominican  friars,  of  which  the  cloisters  are 
still  entire.  Once  noted  for  its  broad  cloths,  and  for  the 
best  sail-cloth  in  England,  it  had  several  companies  of 
traders,  possessing  distinct  charters,  and  according  to  the 
unwise  policy  of  former  times,  exclusive  privileges.  But 
the  woollen  trade  began  to  decline  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  was  gradually  transferred 
to  a different  part  of  England.  The  commerce  of  Ipswich 
consists  at  present  in  malting  and  exporting  corn  ; it  is 
not  without  some  foreign  and  coasting  trade,  but  both 
are  inconsiderable.  There  are  two  yards  for  building 
ships,  and  vessels  of  five  hundred  tons  have  been  con- 
structed in  them.  Packets  sail  every  tide  from  Ipswich 
to  Harwich.  The  famous  cardinal  Wolsey,  a native  of 
Ipswich,  endowed  a college  and  grammar  school,  as  a 
place  of  education  preparatory  for  his  college  at  Oxford  ; 
but  his  disgrace,  before  the  building  was  completed,  put 
an  end  to  his  benevolent  intentions.  The  same  town  was 
the  seat  of  a mint  during  the  heptarchy,  and  it  received 
a charter  during  the  reign  of  king  John.  It  still  possesses 
many  rights  and  privileges,  among  others,  an  admiralty 
jurisdiction  on  the  Suffolk  coast,  and  on  that  of  Essex  to 
the  neighbourhood  of  Harwich.® 

Bury  St.  Edmunds,  situated  on  the  Larke,  need  not 
be  mentioned  for  what  it  now  is,  but  for  what  it  was  at 
a former  period.  Edmund,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  ninth  century,  was  cruelly  murdered 

a The  admiralty  jurisdiction  oflpswich  extends  to  the  coast  of  Essex 
beyond  Harwich,  and  to  that  of  Suffolk  beyond  Landguard  Fort, 
including  the  estuaries  of  the  Stour  and  the  Orwell. — P. 

b This  conduit,  from  which  Cambridge  derives  so  much  advantage, 
was  built  and  given  to  the  town  by  a very  worthy  man,  Mr.  Tobias 
Hobson,  a carrier  between  Cambridge  and  London,  and  the  first  person 
who  let  out  horses  to  the  students  of  the  university.  Observing  that 
the  scholars  rode  hard,  he  kept  a large  stable  of  horses,  with  boots, 
whips  and  spurs,  that  the  young  gentlemen  might  be  speedily  equipped. 
If  a person  came  for  a horse,  he  was  led  into  the  stable,  where  there 
was  a great  choice,  but  he  was  obliged  to  take  the  horse  nearest  the 
stable  door,  in  order  that  “ every  customer  might  be  served  according 
to  his  chance,  and  every  horse  ridden  with  equal  justice.”  Hence  the 
proverbial  expression,  “ Hobson’s  choice,”  “ This  or  none.  A short 


by  the  Danes,  and  received  after  his  death,  the  honours 
of  martyrdom  : his  body  having  lain  unnoted  during 
thirty-three  years,  became  suddenly  an  object  of  great 
veneration,  and  shortly  afterwards  an  abbey  was  erected 
on  the  spot.  Other  religious  edifices  were  built  at  differ- 
ent periods,  and  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  Bury 
possessed  forty  churches  and  chapels,  most  of  them  richly 
endowed.  It  has  at  present  several  charitable  institu- 
tions ; it  is  still  the  seat  of  the  county  assizes,  and  if  the 
absence  of  trade  and  industry  can  entitle  a town  to  such 
a privilege,  it  is  likely  to  preserve  it. 

The  greater  part  of  Newmarket  is  situated  in  Suffolk, 
but  the  whole  of  the  race-course  lies  in  the  county  of 
Cambridge ; perhaps  on  that  account,  the  claims  of  the 
latter  county  have  been  preferred,  and  Newmarket  is 
generally  included  in  the  towns  of  Cambridgeshire.  It 
has  been  long  famous  for  its  horse-races,  which  take 
place  in  April,  July  and  October.  The  passion  of  James 
the  First  for  racing  appears  to  have  first  rendered  it 
fashionable,  and  it  is  well  known  that  he  sent  for  some 
Cambridge  divines,  to  hold  a conference  with  him  at 
Newmarket.  Charles  the  Second,  also  a patron  of  the 
turf,  built  a house  in  the  same  place,  which  is  still  a 
royal  residence.  The  town  consists  chiefly  of  a long  and 
well  built  street,  and  the  fleetest  horses  in  England  are 
kept  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  trained  for  the  course. 

The  ancient  Granta  or  the  modern  Cam  waters  the 
chief  town  in  the  county,  the  Camboritum  of  the  Romans, 
which  derives  its  modern  name  of  Cambridge,  from  a 
bridge  over  the  river.  The  gate-house  of  a castle  built 
by  William  the  Conqueror,  has  been  converted  into  a 
county  gaol.  The  town  was  destroyed  in  the  reign  of 
William  Rufus,  and  often  laid  waste  during  the  baronial 
wars  by  outlaws  from  the  Isle  of  Ely,  before  Henry  the 
Third  secured  it  by  a deep  ditch.  The  followers  of  Wat 
Tyler  and  Jack  Straw  were  not  idle  in  Cambridge; 
having  seized  the  records  of  the  university,  they  burnt 
them  in  the  market-place.  It  is  about  twice  as  long  as 
it  is  broad,  and  it  is  not  more  than  a mile  in  length  ; old 
and  clumsy  houses,  and  narrow  and  irregular  streets, 
attest  its  antiquity.  The  market-place  is  formed  by  two 
squares,  and  in  that  part  of  it  opposite  the  county  hall, 
is  situated  Hobson’s  conduit,  which  furnishes  the  inhab- 
itants with  a plentiful  supply  of  excellent  water.b 

According  to  an  old  observation,  Oxford  is  an  univer- 
sity in  a town,  and  Cambridge,  a town  in  an  university  ; 
it  is  literally  true  that  the  buildings  of  the  university 
encircle  the  town  of  Cambridge.  The  police  is  jointly 
governed  by  the  corporation  and  the  university,  the  vice- 
chancellor  being  always  a magistrate  by  virtue  of  his 
office.  Nay  more,  the  proctors  not  only  attend  to  the 
discipline  and  behaviour  of  all  the  under  masters  of  arts, 
but  are  also  clerks  of  the  market,  and  have  cognizance 

account  of  this  extraordinary  person  appeared  in  the  Spectator,  No.  509. 
The  lines  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Hobson,  by  Milton,* *  are  perhaps  the 
most  ordinary  of  the  great  poet’s  productions ; unlike  his  other  juvenile 
performances,  they  contain  few  indications  of  rising  genius.  Their 
mediocrity  is  reluctantly  admitted  by  Dr.  Newton,  the  learned  editor 
of  Milton. 

* There  are  two  short  poems  by  Milton  on  the  death  of  Hobson  (On  the 
University  Carrier,  Nos.  xt.  xii.  Occasional  Poems.)  The  criticism  above  is 
rather  unnecessarily  severe,  since  they  can  only  be  considered  jeux  d’  esprit, 
in  the  taste  of  the'  age ; not  very  lively,  it  is  true,  but  well  worthy,  for  their 
pun-ge ncy,  of  a place  in  Hood’s  Comic  Annual. — 

e.  g.  He  died  for  heaviness  that  his  cart  went  light — 

Yet  (strange  to  think)  his  i cam  was  his  increase. — P. 


BOOK  CLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


over  weights  and  measures.  It  is  certain,  too,  that 
without  this  source  of  prosperity,  Cambridge  might  fall 
into  decay  ; it  is  not  a manufacturing  town,  nor  is  it 
distinguished  in  any  branch  of  industry. 

The  university,  it  is  said,  was  first  founded  in  the  year 
630,  by  Sigibert,  king  of  the  East-Angles  ; but  the  col- 
leges were  not  built  before  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Third, 
and  as  a corporate  body,  it  dates  its  first  charter  from  the 
time  of  Elizabeth.  The  privilege  of  sending  two  mem- 
bers to  parliament,  conferred  on  it  by  James  the  First, 
has  since  been  preserved.  The  senate-house,  an  impos- 
ing edifice,  is  built  of  Portland  stone,  and  adorned  with 
piasters,  supporting  an  entablature.  In  the  same  build- 
ing, the  election  of  all  officers  takes  place,  the  appoint- 
ment of  magistrates,  the  admission  to  degrees,  and  every 
important  business  connected  with  the  university.  St. 
Peter’s  College  claims  the  distinction  of  being  the  most 
ancient;  founded  in  1284  by  Hugh  de  Balsham,  bishop 
of  Ely,  it  is  nowise  remarkable  for  its  architecture. 
Clare  Hall1 * 3  was  founded  by  Richard  Badew  or  Badow 
in  1326  ; having  been  destroyed  by  fire,  it  was  afterwards 
rebuilt  by  Lady  Clare.  Among  the  illustrious  men  edu- 
cated in  this  college,  were  archbishop  Tillotson  and  Cud- 
worth,  the  author  of  the  Intellectual  System  of  Philoso- 
phy. Pembroke  Hall  was  founded  in  1363  by  the  “vir- 
gin-wife” of  Andomer  de  Valentia,  the  unfortunate  earl 
of  Pembroke,  who  was  killed  in  a tilting  match  on  his 
wedding-day.  The  chapel  built  by  bishop  Wren  from  a 
design  of  his  brother  Sir  Christopher,  is  one  of  the  finest 
in  Cambridge. b Corpus  Christi  College,  founded  by 
two  societies  or  guilds,  the  one  called  Corpus  Christi, 
and  the  other  the  Virgin  Mary,  was  begun  in  1344,  and 
completed  by  Henry  duke  of  Lancaster  in  1356.  Arch- 
bishop Parker  enriched  it  by  the  addition  of  fellowships 
and  scholarships,  and  also  by  a collection  of  books  and 
manuscripts.  The  manuscripts,  relative  to  the  eccle- 
siastical history  of  England,  are  considered  of  great 
value.  Caius  College  was  originally  founded  by  Ed- 
ward Gonville,  rector  of  Terrington  in  Norfolk,  and 
afterwards  endowed  by  Dr.  Caius,  physician  to  Queen 
Mary.c  It  consists  of  three  courts  and  as  many  gates, 
those  of  Humility,  Virtue  and  Honour.  In  the  chapel 
\s  the  tomb  of  Dr.  Caius,  and  from  the  epitaph,  of  which 
the  Doctor  himself  was  the  author,  it  is  evident  that  he 
formed  very  high  notions  of  his  own  merit,  a delusion  to 
which  the  secluded  life  of  a college  is  by  no  means  unfa- 
vourable.d It  is  undeniable,  however,  that  several  truly 
great  men  are  ranked  in  the  number  of  its  students  ; 
among  the  divines  are  the  names  of  Jeremy  Taylor  and 
Samuel  Clarke  ; among  the  physicians,  none  is  more  emi- 
nent than  William  Harvey,  the  great  discoverer  of  the 
circulation  of  the  blood.  King’s  College,  founded  by 
Henry  the  Sixth,  has  enabled  Cambridge  to  vie  in  archi- 
tectural grandeur  with  Oxford,  and  it  is  very  doubtful 
that  King’s  College  chapel  has  any  rival  in  the  sister 
university.  If  the  intention  of  the  royal  founder  had 
been  carried  into  effect,  the  college  might  have  been  one 
of  the  most  magnificent  buildings  in  the  kingdom  ; but 
he  was  prevented  from  accomplishing  his  purpose,  by 


515 

the  calamities  and  misfortunes  of  his  reign.  A range  of 
buildings,  in  the  Roman  style,  was  erected  to  form  the 
side  of  a quadrangle,  which  should  be  afterwards  con- 
tinued, and  the  whole  was  recently  remodelled  and  com- 
pleted. The  dimensions  of  the  quadrangle,  much  infe- 
rior to  those  of  the  original  plan,  are  280  feet  in  length 
by  270  in  breadth.  The  chapel  was  begun  by  the  same 
king;  Henry  the  Seventh  completed  the  outside,  and 
Henry  the  Eighth,  the  stalls,  relievos  and  painted  win- 
dows. It  combines  extent  and  solidity  with  grace,  and 
it  is  not  less  admirable  for  the  minuteness  of  its  details. 
Sir  Christopher  Wren,  it  is  well  known,  was  in  the  habit 
of  visiting  it  every  year,  and  that  great  man  considered 
it  the  finest  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture  in  England. 
Catharine  Hall  was  founded  in  1475,  by  Robert  Wood- 
lark, chancellor  of  the  university,  and  in  the  chapel 
belonging  to  the  college  are  some  memorable  sepulchral 
monuments.  Jesus  College  was  originally  a convent 
of  nuns,  established  about  the  beginning  of  Henry  the 
First’s  reign,  or  the  end  of  king  Stephen’s.  Adjoining 
lands  were  assigned  to  it  about  the  year  1160  by  Mal- 
colm the  Fourth,  king  of  Scotland,  and  earl  of  Hunting- 
don and  Cambridge.  The  monastery  was  at  last  dis- 
solved by  Henry  the  Seventh  and  pope  Alexander  the 
Fourth,  on  account  of  the  illicit  conduct  of  the  nuns. 
The  possessions  were  made  over  to  John  Alcock,  bishop 
of  Ely,  and  preceptor  to  Edward  the  Fifth,  for  the 
maintenance  of  a master,  six  fellows  and  six  scholars, 
but  the  number  has  since  been  increased  in  consequence 
of  succeeding  endowments.  Jesus  College  is  not  remark- 
able for  its  architecture,  but  it  was  the  place  where  Cran- 
mer  and  Bancroft,  Hartley,  Jortin  and  Flamstead  were 
educated.  Christ’s  College  was  first  built  on  the  site 
of  an  hostel  called  God’s-house,  by  William  Bingham, 
rector  of  St.  John’s,  London.  It  was  removed  to  its 
present  site  by  Henry  the  Sixth,  who  intended  to  in- 
crease the  number  of  scholars  to  sixty,  but  was  pre- 
vented from  doing  so  by  the  ensuing  civil  wars.  His 
maternal  sister,  Margaret,  countess  of  Richmond,  and 
mother  to  Henry  the  Seventh,®  completed  the  building, 
and  endowed  the  college  for  a master  and  twelve  fellows. 
Some  superstitious  objections  having  been  urged  against 
this  number,  as  containing  an  allusion  to  our  Saviour  and 
his  twelve  apostles,  a thirteenth  fellowship  was  added  by 
Edward  the  Sixth,  and  two  others  by  different  individ- 
uals at  a subsequent  period.  Christ’s  College  boasts  of 
having  educated  Milton,  but  from  its  treatment  of  that 
great  man,  it  seems  to  have  been  unworthy  of  the  hon- 
our. There  is  still  in  the  gardens  a decayed  but  vener- 
able mulberry  tree,  which  was  planted  by  the  poet  when 
a student.  St.  John’s  College  was  also  founded  by  the 
mother  of  Henry  the  Seventh,  at  the  request  of  her  con- 
fessor Fisher,  bishop  of  Rochester.  It  reckons  Cecil, 
the  minister  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  Ben  Jonson,  Otway, 
Prior,  Ambrose  Philips  and  John  Horne  Tooke  among 
the  number  of  its  students.  Trinity  College,  founded  by 
Henry  the  Eighth,  is  the  largest,  and  in  some  respects 
the  finest,  in  the  university.  It  consists  of  three  quadran- 
gles, and  is  entered  by  two  magnificent  portals,  adorned 


1 Halls  and  colleges  are  synonymous  at  Cambridge. 

b Lardner’s  Cabinet  Cyclopedia,  volume  first. 

c Gonville  and  Caius  College,  originally  founded  in  1348  by  Ed- 
mund Gonville— enlarged  in  1557  by  Dr.  John  Caius,  who  procured 
a charter  of  incorporation  under  its  present  name. — P. 
d Lardner’s  Cabinet  Cyclopedia,  volume  first. 


e The  countess  of  Richmond  was  interred  in  Henry  the  Seventh’s 
chapel  at  Westminster,  where  an  altar  tomb,  with  a statue  of  brass, 
was  erected  to  her  memory.  Around  the  monument  is  a Latin  in 
scription  written  by  Erasmus,  for  which  he  received  twenty  shillings 
from  the  university  of  Cambridge. 


516 


EUROPE. 


with  statues  and  lofty  towers.  In  the  chapel  is  Roubil- 
liac’s  marble  statue  of  the  great  Newton,  and  underneath 
it  the  following  inscription  from  the  third  book  of  Lu- 
cretius— “ Qui  genus  humanum  ingenio  superavit.” 
Emanuel  College,  an  extensive  and  elegant  building, 
was  founded  in  1548  by  Sir  Walter  Mildmay,  a privy 
counsellor  to  queen  Elizabeth.  Sidney-Sussex  College, 
originally  a monastery  of  Franciscans,  was  granted  at  the 
Reformation  by  Henry  the  Eighth,  to  the  master  and 
fellows  of  Trinity,  but  it  was  purchased  from  them,  and 
endowed  as  a separate  institution  by  Frances  Sidney, 
countess  of  Sussex.  It  reckons  Oliver  Cromwell  among 
the  number  of  its  students,  and  it  may  be  added  that  a 
plaster  impression,  taken  of  the  protector’s  face  after 
death'  was  sent  into  Italy,  and  a bust  made  from  it  by  the 
celebrated  Bernini ; the  same  bust  has  lately  been  placed 
in  the  library.  Queen’s  College,  founded  in  1448  by 
Margaret  of  Anjou,  the  intrepid  consort  of  Henry  the 
Sixth,  is  the  one  in  which  Erasmus  was  professor  of 
divinity.  There  are  besides  two  other  colleges,  those 
of  Downing  and  Trinity  Hall  ; the  foundation-stone  of 
the  former  was  laid  with  much  solemnity  in  1807  ; the 
latter  was  a hostel  for  the  entertainment  of  students 
before  any  colleges  were  erected.  Thus  it  appears  that 
there  are  not  fewer  than  seventeen  colleges  in  Cam- 
bridge.1 As  an  university,  it  enjoys  a higher  reputation 
in  the  exact  sciences  than  Oxford  ; and  although  a long 
period  has  elapsed  since  the  time  of  its  great  luminary, 
the  advantage  may  still  he  attributed  to  the  impulse 
communicated  to  these  sciences  by  the  genius  of  Newton. 

The  town  of  Ely  in  the  isle  of  the  same  name,  may 
be  remarked  on  account  of  its  cathedral,  a very  large 
edifice,  which  affords  a striking  object  to  an  extensive 
surrounding  country.  The  revenues  of  the  sea  are  con- 
siderable, and  the  bishop  possesses  the  rights  of  a pala- 
tine,1’ and  exercises  temporal  jurisdiction  in  the  isle.  The 
town  is  the  only  episcopal  city  in  England,  that  is  not 
represented. 

The  county  of  Cambridge  was  in  ancient  times  in- 
habited by  the  lceni,  and  afterwards  included  in  the 
third  province,  or  that  of  Flavia  Cccsariensis.  It  con- 
tains about  858  square  miles,  and  the  Ouse  divides  it 
into  two  parts.  The  northern,  in  which  the  Isle  of  Ely 
is  situated,  forms  an  immense  plain,  broken  on  the  south 
by  some  comparatively  high  hills;  on  the  north,  however, 
the  elevations  are  very  inconsiderable,  being  merely  suf- 
ficient to  raise  the  villages  that  have  been  built  on  them, 
above  the  general  level.  The  whole  tract,  naturally  a 
marsh,  is  still  in  rainy  seasons  subject  to  inundations  by 
the  rivers,  which  move  slowly  through  it  to  the  sea.  It 
has  been  rendered  habitable  by  means  of  great  labour ; 
unnumbered  drains  are  cut  through  it  in  various  direc- 
tions, and  the  water,  raised  in  many  places  by  wind- 
mills, is  thus  pumped  from  the  ditches,  which  every- 
where intersect  the  low  grounds,  and  which  are  confined 
by  banks  on  a higher  level  than  that  of  the  surrounding 
country.  The  most  remarkable  of  these  works  are  the 
Old  and  New  Bedford  rivers,  so  called  from  the  noble 
family  that  has  given  its  name  to  the  whole  tract,®  which 
they  were  so  instrumental  in  improving.  These  rivers 
which  enclose  the  Isle  of  Ely,  branch  from  the  Ouse  at 
Earith  in  Huntingdonshire,  and  communicate  again  with 

* Thirteen  colleges  and  four  halls. — P. 


[BOOK  CLIV 

the  same  river  at  Denver-sluice  near  Downham  in  Nor- 
folk. The  Nen,  which  waters  the  north-western  part  of 
the  county,  is  also  conveyed  through  an  artificial  chan- 
nel. The  county  is  varied  by  bleak  moors,  luxuriant 
meadows  and  in  some  places  by  cultivated  fields.  In 
the  lower  tracts  oats  is  almost  the  only  sort  of  grain  ; in 
the  higher,  wheat  and  barley  are  raised.  The  drier  spots 
are  marked  by  villages  and  groups  of  trees.  Coleseed, 
a common  crop  in  this  part  of  Cambridgeshire  and  in 
all  the  low  counties,  is  valuable  as  winter  feeding  for 
sheep,  and  also  on  account  of  its  seed,  from  which  oil  is 
extracted. 

The  south-western  part  of  Cambridgeshire  is  a very 
different  country  ; it  is  fruitful  in  corn,  particularly  in 
barley,  which  is  malted  and  exported  in  great  quantities. 
The  south-eastern  portion,  extending  from  the  Gogma- 
gog  Hills  to  Newmarket,  is  connected  with  the  vast  tract 
which  stretches  southwards  into  Essex,  and  northwards 
into  Norfolk,  and  forms  one  of  the  largest  plains  in  Eng- 
land. The  soil  is  poor  and  in  many  places  covered  with 
gravel ; saffron  is  cultivated  in  some  places,  and  in  others 
scanty  crops  of  barley  are  raised,  but  sheep-walks  cover 
the  greater  portion  of  the  surface.  Cherry-Hinton,  at 
the  foot  of  the  Gogmagog  Hills,  is  noted  for  its  large 
chalk-pits,  for  the  marine  productions  contained  in 
them,  and  for  many  rare  plants  that  grow  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

Washed  on  the  north  and  the  east  by  the  German 
Ocean,  the  county  of  Norfolk  is  bounded  on  the  south 
and  south-east  by  Suffolk,  and  on  the  west  by  part  of 
Lincolnshire  and  Cambridgeshire.  Presenting  an  almost 
regular  curve  to  the  sea,  and  a convex  line  somewha* 
indented  to  the  land,  its  figure  resembles  an  ellipsis,  of 
which  the  shorter  axis  may  be  about  forty-eight  miles 
from  north  to  south,  and  the  other  about  seventy  from 
east  to  west.  According  to  the  statistical  returns,  it 
contains  1,094,480  acres,  and  of  these  not  fewer  than 
730,000  are  arable.  It  has  been  divided  into  thirty- 
three  hundreds,  and  these  are  again  subdivided  into  many 
parishes,  in  all  756,  a greater  number  than  in  any  other 
county  in  England. 

The  inland  limits  are  marked  by  rivers.  The  Great 
Ouse  forms  part  of  the  south-western  side,  and  falls  into 
the  sea  below  Lynn.  The  Nen,  part  of  the  western 
limit,  communicates  by  several  channels  with  the  Ouse, 
and  empties  itself  into  the  Lincoln  Wash.  The  Little 
Ouse  rising  from  a marsh  on  the  southern  part  of  the 
county,  divides  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  flows  westwards, 
and  joins  the  Great  Ouse.  The  source  of  the  Waveney 
is  only  separated  by  a causeway  from  that  of  the  Little 
Ouse  ; it  forms  the  remaining  portion  of  the  Suffolk 
boundary,  and  falls  into  the  Yare,  a short  way  above 
Yarmouth.  These  and  other  rivers  mostly  rising  in 
marshy  lands,  and  proceeding  slowly  through  a level 
country,  diffuse  themselves  over  the  lower  tracts,  form- 
ing large  pools,  to  which  the  country  people  have  given 
the  name  of  hroads.  They  are  stocked  with  fish  and 
different  sorts  of  wild-fowl,  and  the  rivers  have  at  least 
one  advantage,  they  may  be  easily  rendered  navigable 
or  converted  into  canals. 

Norfolk  has  long  been  distinguished  as  an  agricultural 
county ; cultivation  has  been  extended  and  improved, 

b Lord  of  a county  palatine. — P.  c The  Bedford  Level. 


BOOK  CLIV-1 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


and,  on  the  whole,  the  various  implements  of  husbandry 
are  superior  to  those  in  many  parts  of  England.  The 
lace  of  the  country  is  more  uniform  than  in  other  tracts 
of  an  equal  extent.  It  cannot  be  said  to  be  wholly  level, 
for  it  is  broken  by  gentle  inequalities,  but  there  is  not  a 
single  hill  in  the  county.  The  low  and  marshy  grounds 
in  "Cambridgeshire  and  Lincolnshire  extend  from  the 
western  extremity  ol  Norfolk  to  Lynn.  On  the  east,  a 
narrow, and  humid  tract  runs  from  Yarmouth  to  a con- 
siderable distance  up  the  country.  Other  marshes,  less 
extensive  than  the  former,  are  situated  in  the  northern 
part  of  Norfolk.  A considerable  tract  on  the  west,  from 
Thetford  northwards,  consists  of  open  heaths.  The 
other  parts  are  in  a state  of  cultivation,  but  the  soil 
varies  in  different  districts.  In  the  north-eastern  it  is 
composed  of  a light  sandy  loam,  easily  cultivated,  and 
by  no  means  unfruitful ; on  the  south-east  the  land  is 
deep  or  humid,  and  the  central  and  southern  districts  are 
covered  in  many  places  with  a rich  clay.  The  agricul- 
tural products  depend  on  the  situation  and  the  nature  of 
the  soil.  The  light  and  sandy  districts  are  fruitful  in 
barley  ; wheat,  on  the  other  hand,  thrives  best  on  the 
strong  clayey  lands.  Norfolk  is  also  noted  for  its  turnips ; 
they  are  more  generally  cultivated  in  the  county  than 
in  any  other  part  of  the  kingdom.  The  field  cultivation 
of  turnips  dates  from  the  reign  of  George  the  First ; 
before  that  period  they  were  confined  to  gardens,  and 
merely  used  as  a culinary  plant.  Lord  Townshend, 
who  accompanied  the  same  king  to  Hanover,  as  secre- 
tary of  state,  having  observed  whole  fields  of  turnips  in 
the  electorate,  brought  home  some  seeds,  and  recom- 
mended them  to  his  tenants  in  Norfolk.  The  experi- 
ment succeeded  beyond  expectation  ; turnips  became  a 
common  crop,  and  were  afterwards  gradually  extended 
to  every  part  of  the  country.  It  is  not  the  least  advan- 
tage of  this  culture,  that  the  ground  never  lies  fallow,  or 
in  other  words,  the  turnips  prepare  it  for  corn.  The 
same  root  is  principally  used  by  the  farmers  for  feeding 
cattle,  and  numerous  herds  of  oxen,  bred  in  Scotland, 
are  fattened  in  Norfolk.  Thus,  there  is  a weekly  mar- 
ket for  Scotch  cattle  at  Norwich,  and  one  every  fort- 
night at  Setch.a 

Buck-wheat,  an  ordinary  crop  on  the  light  soils,  is 
used  for  feeding  poultry,  or  fattening  pigs.  A great 
quantity  of  butter  is  exported  from  the  fenny  districts, 
and  sold  in  London  under  the  name  of  Cambridge  butter. 
The  sheep  are  much  valued  on  account  of  their  mutton, 
and  their  wool  serves  to  supply  the  manufactories  of 
coarser  cloth  in  Yorkshire.  The  poultry  is  supposed  to 
be  the  best  in  England,  and  the  rearing  of  turkeys  is  an 
object  of  profit  to  the  small  farmers,  and  a considerable 
trade  is  thus  carried  on  with  the  metropolis.  The  same 
county  abounds  in  game,  in  hares,  partridges  and  pheas- 
ants ; the  latter  are  so  numerous  that  the  crops  in  many 
places  are  injured  by  them.  According  to  a calculation, 
which  is  believed  to  be  correct,  the  value  of  the  different 
sorts  of  grain,  and  of  the  flour  and  malt,  exported  annu- 
ally from  Norfolk,  amounts  to  more  than  £900,000. 
The  wool  and  the  provisions  that  are  exported,  including 
merely  the  profit  arising  from  feeding  Scotch  cattle, 
are  estimated  at  £250,000.  No  better  proof  need  be 
adduced  of  the  industry  and  good  husbandry  of  the  in- 
habitants. 

1 Sechy,or  Seeching — 4 miles  S.of  King’s  Lynn.  (Luckombe.) — P. 


517 

Although  the  ancient  city  of  Norwich  w7as  not  founded 
by  the  Romans,  it  is  by  no  means  unlikely  that  it  owes 
its  origin  to  that  celebrated  people.  When  the  camp  at 
Castor,  the  famous  Ventn  Iccnorum,  was  no  longer  used, 
the  rude  beginning  of  a town  became  visible  on  the  road 
which  leads  from  it  to  the  present  city.  The  one  in- 
creased as  the  other  fell  into  decay,  and  Norwich  was  in 
all  probability  a place  of  some  importance,  when  the  first 
authentic  mention  was  made  of  it  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle, 
in  consequence  of  its  having  been  laid  in  ruins  by  Sweno 
the  Dane,  in  the  year  1004.  Some  notion  of  its  popu- 
lousness at  a later  period,  may  be  inferred  from  the  rav 
ages  which  the  plague  made  among  the  inhabitants.  It 
is  said  that  58,000  persons  were  carried  off  by  that  dis- 
ease in  the  year  1348.  Although  some  allowance  ought 
to  be  made  for  exaggeration,  still  the  exaggeration  cannot 
be  supposed  to  have  been  greater  with  respect  to  Nor- 
wich than  to  other  towns,  which  suffered  from  the  same 
calamity.  The  same  city,  it  is  undeniable,  bears  many 
traces  of  antiquity,  and  although  adorned  with  numerous 
public  buildings,  the  streets  are  narrow,  ill  arranged  and 
ill  paved.  The  cathedral  was  founded  by  Herbert  de 
Losinga  in  1096,  after  he  had  removed  with  his  monks 
from  Thetford  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Norwich.  The 
general  style  of  the  building  is  Norman,  characterised 
by  sRnicircular  arches  and  short  columns  ; it  is  likely, 
however,  that  it  has  since  been  much  altered  or  im- 
proved. The  number  of  parish  churches  in  Norwich  is 
greater  than  that  in  any  other  town  in  England,  with  the 
exception  of  the  metropolis.  At  one  period  there  were 
not  fewer  than  fifty,  but  they  have  been  since  reduced 
to  thirty-six.  The  finest  are  those  of  St.  Peter,  St. 
Stephen  and  St.  Andrew,  but  the  small  church  of  St. 

Julian  is  considered  the  most  ancient.  It  appears  as  if 
the  number  of  dissenting  chapels  and  meeting-houses 
corresponded  with  that  of  the  churches;  both  are  out  of 
all  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  city,  or  the  number  of 
inhabitants.  The  other  public  buildings  are  the  ancient 
castle,  the  town  and  guild  halls,  the  theatre,  the  new 
corn-exchange,  and  the  hospital  or  infirmary. 

It  is  as  a manufacturing  town,  and  as  a place  of  com- 
merce and  industry,  that  Norwich  is  chiefly  celebrated. 

The  wmollen  manufacture  was  first  introduced  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  the  First  at  a place  called  Worsted, 
from  which  the  name  of  the  article  was  afterwards  de- 
rived. In  the  latter  part  of  the  fourteenth  century, 
other  Flemings,  driven  from  their  country  by  oppressive 
enactments,  settled  in  Norwich,  and  laid  the  foundations  * 
of  its  trade.  About  two  hundred  years  afterwards,  it 
received  an  accession  of  most  useful  hands,  by  the  arri- 
val of  many  Hollanders  and  Walloons,  who  fled  from 
the  sanguinary  Duke  of  Alva.  But  even  before  the 
settlement  of  the  last  colony,  Norwich  had  become  an 
important  town.  According  to  Blomefield,  in  the  time 
of  Henry  the  Eighth,  the  annual  sale  of  stuff’s  made  in 
the  city  only,  amounted  in  value  to  £200,000,  exclu- 
sively of  stockings,  which  were  estimated  at  £60,000. 

From  an  act  passed  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  the  same 
reign,  it  appears  that  the  making  of  worsteds  and  stam- 
mins,  which  had  greatly  increased  in  the  city  of  Norwich, 
and  county  of  Norfolk,  was  now  more  diligently  practised 
in  Yarmouth  and  Lynn.  The  wardens  of  these  towns 
were  therefore  made  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Nor- 
wich. New  manufactures  were  introduced  in  the  reigns 


518  EUROPE.  [book  cliv 


of  Edward  the  Sixth  and  Mary,  and  regulations  were 
passed  for  the  making  of  satins,  satins-reverses,  Naples- 
i’ustians  and  other  articles.  The  prudent  and  politic 
Elizabeth,  by  the  advice  of  the  duke  of  Norfolk,  offer- 
ed an  asylum  and  protection  to  the  persecuted  inhab- 
itants of  the  Low  Countries.  These  colonists,  it  has  been 
already  stated,  formed  a great  accession  to  the  industry 
of  Norwich  ; they  afforded  too  an  example  of  the  folly 
of  interfering  with  religious  scruples,  and  the  wisdom  of 
an  enlightened  toleration.  New  fabrications  were  made 
from  the  intermixture  of  silk,  mohair  and  wool ; new 
names  were  also  introduced  for  them,  and  bayes,  sayes, 
arras  and  mochades  were  then  first  exposed  in  the 
English  markets.  In  the  year  1575,  the  Dutch  elders 

resented  in  court  a specimen  of  a new  article  called 

ombazine  ; such  is  the  earliest  date  of  a manufacture, 
for  which  Norwich  has  since  been  distinguished  above 
other  cities  in  England.  It  may  be  right  to  add  that 
exclusive  privileges  were  unwisely  conferred  on  the 
Flemings  and  the  other  foreign  settlers,  and  that  then- 
descendants  enjoy  some  of  them  at  the  present  day. 
The  trade  of  the  town  was  further  extended  in  conse- 
quence of  a liberal  enactment  of  George  the  Second. 
It  was  determined  to  open  the  port  of  Yarmouth  for 
the  importation  of  wool  and  woollen  yarn.  The  ad- 
vantage, however,  was  insufficient  to  enable  it  at  '«  later 
period  to  compete  with  Manchester.  The  cottons  of 
the  latter  town,  from  the  cheapness  and  rapidity  with 
which  they  are  manufactured  by  the  admirable  inven- 
tions of  Arkwright  and  other  ingenious  men,  proved 
destructive  to  the  home  trade  of  Norwich.  Extraordi- 
nary efforts  were  made  by  the  industrious  inhabitants,  and 
new  outlets  were  created  for  their  products.  Foreign 
connexions  were  improved  and  extended,  the  taste  of 
every  climate  was  consulted,  and  Norwich  goods  found 
many  purchasers  in  the  great  annual  fares  of  Frankfort 
and  Leipsic.  To  supply  the  demand  thus  occasioned, 
the  distaff  and  the  loom  were  continually  plied  in  Nor- 
folk and  Suffolk  ; it  was  calculated  that  in  the  former 
county  fifty  thousand  tods  of  wool  were  annually  spun  ; 
the  quantity,  however  great,  proved  insufficient,  and 
yarn  was  imported  from  Scotland  and  Ireland.  It  ap- 
pears from  a computation  which  has  been  published,  that 
the  yarn  then  imported  every  year  from  Ireland  to  Nor- 
wich was  greater  than  the  quantity  imported  about  fifty 
years  before  that  period  into  the  whole  kingdom.3  The 
trade,  however,  fell  a second  time  into  decay  ; its  con- 
nexions were  abridged,  and  its  foreign  outlets  were  shut, 
in  consequence  of  the  long  and  destructive  war  that  fol- 
lowed the  French  revolution.  Norwich  has  not  recov- 
ered its  ancient  prosperity,  but  it  is  still  a populous  and 
industrious  town.  It  is  situated  on  the  Yare,  over  which 
six  bridges  have  been  erected.  The  Wensum,  which 
falls  into  it  in  the  neighbourhood,  has  lately  been  en- 
larged so  as  to  make  Norwich  a port.b 

Yarmouth,  although  formerly  much  more  flourishing 
than  at  present,  is  still  a place  of  importance  as  a har- 
bour and  fishing  town.  Situated  on  a peninsula  at  the 
eastern  extremity  of  the  county,  it  possesses  by  means 

s Lardner’s  Cabinet  Cyclopedia,  volume  first. 

11  Norwich  is  situated  on  the  Wensum,  a little  above  its  confluence 
with  the  Yare.  (Some  accounts  erroneously  represent  Norwich  as  sit- 
uated on  the  Yare.  Ed.  Enc.)  The  Wensum,  which  is  navigable  for 
barges,  divides  Norwich  into  two  unequal  parts,  the  southern  the 
largest. — P 


of  rivers  all  the  export  and  import  trade  of  Norwich  and 
other  places  on  the  same  side  of  Norfolk  and  Suffolk. 
It  carries  on  a foreign  trade  with  the  Baltic,  Holland, 
Portugal  and  the  Mediterranean  ; it  sends  likewise  sev- 
eral vessels  to  the  Greenland  fisheries.  The  home 
fishing  is  carried  on  at  two  seasons ; that  for  mackerel  in 
May  and  June,  and  the  other  for  herrings  in  October 
and  November.  The  latter  is  the  more  important;  not 
fewer  than  70,000  barrels  of  herrings  are  often  taken 
and  cured  in  the  course  of  the  season.  The  town  was 
formerly  enclosed  with  walls,  and  the  plan,  according  to 
which  it  is  laid  out,  renders  it  probable  that  it  was  the 
object  of  the  architect  to  contain  as  many  persons  as 
possible  in  a given  space.  Thus,  the  streets  run  from 
north  to  south,  and  are  joined  by  nearly  two  hundred 
lanes.®  Yarmouth  consists  only  of  a single  parish  ; it  is 
encompassed  on  the  east  and  the  south  by  the  sea, 
on  the  north  by  the  main  land,  and  on  the  west  by 
the  Yare,  over  which  a handsome  drawbridge,  that  has 
lately  been  erected,  unites  it  with  Suffolk. 

King’s  Lynn  or  Lynn-Regis,  at  the  other  extremity 
of  Norfolk,  is  also  a great  commercial  outlet ; it  carries 
on  by  means  of  its  inland  communications,  a considera- 
ble trade  with  the  neighbouring  counties,  and  supplies 
them  with  wines,  coal  and  other  articles.  These  advan- 
tages it  possesses  from  its  situation  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Ouse  ; but  it  is  likewise  watered  by  four  rivulets,  over 
which  eleven  small  bridges  have  been  erected.  A custom 
well  deserving  praise  has  been  long  established  in  the 
town  ; it  is  usual  to  hold  every  month  a feast  of  recon- 
ciliation, or  in  other  words,  a meeting  of  the  mayor, 
magistrates  and  clergymen,  who  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
venting law-suits,  hear  and  determine  the  disputes  that 
arise  between  the  inhabitants. 

The  parsonage  house  of  Burnham-Thorpe,  a very 
simple  building,  may  be  mentioned  as  the  birth-place  of 
Nelson,  the  greatest  and  the  bravest  admiral  of  his  age. 
The  unfortunate  Ann  Boleyn,  one  of  the  celebrated  vic- 
tims of  Henry  the  Eighth,  and  the  mother  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  was  born  in  the  old  mansion-house  of  Blick- 
ling  Hall. 

The  large  maritime  county  of  Lincoln,  the  third  in 
point  of  size  in  England,  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  the 
German  Ocean  and  the  Wash,  which  separates  it  from 
Norfolk,  on  the  north  by  Yorkshire,  from  which  it  is 
separated  by  the  Humber,  on  the  west  by  the  last  county 
and  those  of  Nottingham  and  Leicester,  on  the  south  by 
those  of  Northampton,  Rutland  and  Leicester. 

It  was  included  in  the  province  of  Britannia  Prima 
by  the  Romans,  and  before  the  period  of  their  invasion, 
it  was  inhabited  by  the  Coritani.  It  was  called  Lin- 
coIlnscyred  by  the  Saxons,  and  Nicolshire  by  the  Nor- 
mans. The  Anglo-Saxons  united  it  first  to  the  kingdom 
of  Mercia,  and  afterwards  to  Wessex.  The  whole 
county  was  divided  after  the  conquest  among  the  follow- 
ers of  William. 

The  area  of  Lincolnshire  is  stated  to  be  1,758,720 
acres  or  2748  square  miles,  and  the  number  of  inhab- 
itants to  each  square  mile,  not  more  than  ninety.  The 

c It  has  four  principal  streets  running  from  N.  to  S.  and  156  narrow 
lanes  or  rows  intersecting  them  in  the  opposite  direclion.  (Luck 
ombe.) — P. 

d Lincollscyre.  (Camden.) — P. 


BOOK  CLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


discriminating  features  of  the  county  are  strongly  marked 
by  nature,  and  although  many  parts  are  now  very  fruit- 
ful, they  have  only  been  rendered  so  by  the  gradual 
labour  of  centuries.  Originally  covered  with  fens  and 
marshes,  it  is  now  fertile  ; it  abounds  in  flocks  and  cattle, 
but  it  is  destitute  of  beauty,  humid  and  unhealthy.  The 
heaths  on  the  north  and  south  of  Lincoln,  the  only 
heights  that  can  be  observed,  are  calcareous  hills,  com- 
manding an  extensive  view  of  the  low  lying  plains. 

The  whole  county  has  been  divided  into  three  districts, 
those  of  Holland,  Kesteven  and  Lindsey.  The  first,  by 
no  means  unlike  the  country  from  which  it  derives  its 
name,  occupies  the  south-eastern  portion  of  the  county, 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  Wainfleet  to  the  shallow  inlet 
of  the  Wash.  It  consists  of  two  divisions,  Upper  and 
Lower  Holland,  both  abounding  in  marshes,  some  still  in  a 
state  of  nature,  others  intersected  by  numerous  drains  or 
canals,  and  crossed  by  raised  causeways.  The  lower  or 
the  southern  district  is  the  most  humid  ; indeed  it  is  only 
protected  against  constant  inundations  by  vast  banks  raised 
along  the  rivers  and  the  coasts.  The  air  is  damp  and 
unwholesome,  the  water,  brackish  or  unfit  for  domestic 
purposes,  and  the  inhabitants  are  therefore  provided  with 
cisterns  for  rain  water.  Industry,  however,  has  tri- 
umphed over  every  obstacle,  and  has  diffused  comfort 
and  wealth  ; the  richest  pastures  in  the  kingdom  have 
been  formed  out  of  swamps  and  marshes  ; nay  more, 
they  have  been  converted  into  arable  lands,  and  crowned 
with  luxuriant  harvests.  Much  still  remains  to  be  done, 
but  some  notion  may  be  inferred  of  what  has  been  ac- 
complished from  the  fact,  that  within  a period  of  thirty 
years,  from  1780  to  1810,  100,000  acres  in  Lincolnshire 
have  been  drained,  restored  to  agriculture,  and  let  on  an 
average  at  a rental  exceeding  fifty  shillings  an  acre.3 
The  aquatic  fowls  that  frequent  the  fens,  are  wild  ducks, 
teal,  widgeon  and  other  birds  of  a like  sort  ; the  largest 
decoys  in  England,  are  kept  in  these  parts,  and  more 
than  three  thousand  wild  ducks  are  often  sent  to  London 
in  the  course  of  a week.  The  same  tracts  abound  in 
wild  geese,  grebes,  godwits,  whimbrels,  ruffs  and  reeves, 
that  find  plenty  of  food  in  the  fishy  pools  and  streams. 
The  avoset  or  yelper  appears  in  numerous  flocks  near 
the  Fossdike-Wash,  where  the  knot  and  the  dottrel,  that 
are  considered  great  delicacies,  are  taken  and  sent  to 
London. b 

The  district  of  Kesteven,  or  the  south-western  portion 
of  Lincolnshire,  extending  from  the  centre  to  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  the  county,  is  distinguished  by  the 
variety  of  its  soil,  and  although  interspersed  with  several 
large  heaths,  is  on  the  whole  a fruitful  country.  The 
largest  of  these  heaths  are  Ancaster  and  Lincoln,  but 
much  of  them  has  of  late  years  been  enclosed.  The 
fens  in  Kesteven  are  not  so  numerous  or  so  large  as  those 
in  Holland.  Lindsey,  the  largest  division  of  the  three, 
comprehends  all  the  country  on  the  north  of  the  Witham 
and  Fossdike.  It  may  be  said  to  he  destitute  of  hills, 
but  it  is  the  highest  part  of  the  county.  The  extensive 
heaths,  called  the  Lincolnshire  Wolds,  are  situated  in 
the  north-eastern  part  of  the  district.  Many  flocks  of 
sheep  are  fed  throughout  this  tract,  and  it  has  been  com- 
puted that  in  the  whole  county,  2,500,000  are  reared, 
which  are  supposed  to  yield  22,000,000  pounds  of  wool. 
The  river  isle  of  Axholme,  formed  by  the  Trent,  the  Dun 

a Stone’s  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Lincolnshire.  I 


519 

and  the  Idle,  a rich  low  tract  in  which  much  flax  is 
cultivated,  is  situated  in  the  north-western  part  of 
Lindsey. 

If  Lincolnshire  is  no  longer  a manufacturing  county,  it 
may  partly  be  attributed  to  the  extraordinary  decay  of  its 
ports,  which  although  once  numerous,  are  now  either 
choked  with  sand,  or  wholly  deserted  by  the  sea.  The 
higher  grounds  yield  all  the  ordinary  sorts  of  grain  in 
abundance,  and  the  lower  are  fruitful  in  oats,  hemp,  flax, 
woad,  sainfoin  and  other  plants.  But  Lincolnshire  is 
chiefly  noted  as  a grazing  county,  and  the  domestic  ani- 
mals that  are  reared  in  its  pastures  are  the  largest  of  their 
sort  in  England.  Thus,  the  ox  weighs  from  eighty  to  a 
hundred  stone,  while  the  horse  and  the  sheep  are  dis- 
tinguished by  similar  properties.  The  latter  afford  a 
thick  coarse  wool,  well  adapted  for  the  worsted  and 
coarser  manufactures  of  Yorkshire. 

The  Humber  and  the  Trent  water  the  northern  and 
the  western  sides  of  the  county.  Some  of  the  other  riv- 
ers are  the  Witham,  the  Ankholme,  the  Welland  and  the 
Glen.  The  inland  navigation  of  the  county  has  been 
much  extended  and  improved  by  means  of  canals.  One 
from  Boston  by  Brothertoft  on  the  Witham,  proceeds  to 
Lincoln,  enters  the  Fossdike  canal,  and  thus  communi- 
cates with  the  Trent.  The  canal  from  Grantham  to 
Nottingham,  which  is  about  thirty-three  miles  in  length, 
was  completed  in  1796,  and  cost  £100,000.  It  passes 
near  extensive  plaster  beds,  and  lime  is  brought  in  great 
quantities  from  Crich  in  Derbyshire.  The  Stainforth 
and  Keadby  canal  commences  at  the  river  Don,  about  a 
mile  west  of  Fishlake,  waters  Crowle  and  Keadby,  and 
passes  onwards  to  the  Trent.  Thus  by  means  of  these 
works,  Lincolnshire  communicates  with  all  the  manu- 
facturing towns  in  Lancashire  and  Yorkshire. 

Boston  and  Lincoln  are  the  most  important  towns  in 
the  county  ; the  first,  situated  in  the  district  of  Holland 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Witham,  is  surrounded  by  rich 
pastures  and  recent  enclosures,  fruitful  in  corn.  The 
harbour  was  almost  blocked  up  about  half  a century  ago, 
but  the  channel  has  of  late  years  been  opened  and  deep- 
ened. Thus  restored  to  the  purposes  of  commerce,  it 
carries  on  a considerable  trade  with  the  Baltic,  and  more 
than  a hundred  small  vessels  sail  from  it  every  year  in 
the  fishing  season.  The  town  was  chosen  as  the  site  of 
a monastery  by  Botolph,  a Saxon  monk,  and  the  church 
of  St.  Botolph  is  considered  the  largest  parish  church  in 
England,  being  about  three  hundred  feet  long  within  the 
walls,  and  a hundred  wide.  The  height  of  the  tower  is  not 
less  than  282  feet ; it  is  crowned  by  a very  large  lantern, 
which  serves  as  a pharos  to  the  dangerous  channels  of  the 
Lynn  and  Boston  Deeps.  The  same  place  was  at  an  early 
period  more  opulent  than  at  present  ; even  in  the  time 
of  Henry  the  First,  it  afforded  a rich  booty  to  a gang  of 
robbers,  who  came  to  its  fair  in  the  disguise  ol  monks, 
and  laid  it  in  ashes.  It  was  incorporated  by  Henry  the 
Eighth,  and  Elizabeth  gave  the  corporation  a court  of 
admiralty  with  jurisdiction  over  the  neighbouring  coasts. 
It  has  already  acquired  something  of  its  ancient  pros- 
perity from  the  new  enclosures  and  the  improvements  in 
its  harbour,  and  it  possesses  an  advantage  which  was 
wanting  in  past  times  ; it  communicates  with  Lincoln, 
Nottingham,  Derby  and  many  other  places  by  means  of 
canals. 

b Aikin. 


520 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV. 


Lincoln,  the  capital  of  the  county,  is  situated  on  the 
banks  of  the  same  river,  about  thirty-six  miles  above  Bos- 
ton. It  occupies  the  site  of  Lindum,  a town  built  in  the 
form  of  a large  square  by  the  Romans.  The  ancient 
Lindum  was  surrounded  by  walls,  and  defended  by 
towers  ; one  of  its  gates,  still  remaining  and  built  in  the 
form  of  a semicircular  arch  ten  feet  in  diameter,*  and  as 
many  in  thickness  at  the  base,  has  been  considered  one 
of  the  most  perfect  relics  of  Roman  architecture  in 
Britain.  Other  monuments  of  the  same  period  are  not 
wanting  : several  stone  coffins  were  found  in  1739  ; be- 
neath them  was  a tesselated  pavement,  and  still  lower 
down  a Roman  hypocaust ; lastly,  a sudatory  was  dis- 
covered in  another  part  of  the  town  in  1782.  During 
the  earliest  struggles  between  the  Saxons,  the  Danes  and 
the  Normans,  the  name  of  the  town  is  frequently  men- 
tioned ; and  at  the  epoch  of  the  conquest,  it  was  ranked 
witli  the  largest  and  wealthiest  cities  in  England.  The 
castle,  erected  by  the  Conqueror  to  keep  the  citizens  in 
awe,  was  long  supposed  impregnable,  and  even  at  so 
late  a period  as  the  civil  wars,  the  possession  of  it  was 
eagerly  contested  both  by  the  royal  and  parliamentary 
forces. 

The  cathedral,  a very  lofty  building,  was  founded  in 
the  year  1086  ; it  has  been  much  injured  and  in  many 
places  repaired.  It  consists  of  a nave  with  its  aisles, 
three  transepts,  one  near  the  centre,  the  two  others  near 
the  eastern  and  western  extremities  ; there  are  besides  a 
choir  and  chancel  with  aisles  ; lastly,  three  chapels  and 
cloisters  are  connected  with  the  last  divisions.  On  the 
whole,  it  is  only  inferior  in  size  and  grandeur  to  that  of 
Fork,  and  the  west  front  is  perhaps  unequalled  on  account 
of  the  richness  and  lightness  of  its  Gothic  architecture. 
In  former  times,  it  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  English 
cathedrals,  and  according  to  some  authors,  Henry  the 
Eighth  took  from  it  2921  ounces  of  gold,  and  4285  ounces 
of  silver.  Some  of  the  shrines  were  of  pure  gold,  others 
of  silver,  and  the  mitre  of  the  bishop  was  resplendent 
with  diamonds,  sapphires  and  other  precious  stones.  The 
see  of  Lincoln,  although  much  reduced  from  what  it  once 
was,  is  even  at  present  the  largest  in  England.  The 
town,  independently  of  its  religious  edifices  and  its  ves- 
tiges of  Roman  times,  possesses  other  monuments  of 
past  days.  Some  notion  may  he  formed  of  the  strength 
and  grandeur  of  the  ancient  castle  from  what  remains  of 
the  massive  walls  and  embattled  towers.  Fort  Lucybis 
now  in  ruins,  but  its  old  tower  was  connected  with  the 
citadel  by  a subterranean  communication.  Antiquaries 
have  not  determined  whether  the  priory  was  originally 
intended  as  a religious  or  military  edifice.  It  is  known 
that  the  house  inhabited  by  John  of  Gaunt,  the  celebrated 
Duke  of  Lancaster,  added  greatly  to  the  strength  and 
magnificence  of  Lincoln,  but  the  site  and  a few  detached 
parts  of  the  building  are  all  that  remain.  In  the  same 
city  Henry  the  Second  repeated  the  ceremony  of  his  coro- 
nation, and  it  was  the  seat  of  a parliament  in  1301  under 
Cd ward  the  First.  It  is  certain  that  in  former  times 
Lincoln  was  a wealthy  and  magnificent  town,  but  neither 
its  past  wealth  nor  magnificence  can  be  attributed  to  the 
industry  or  commercial  greatness  of  the  inhabitants.  It 
appears  as  if  its  rise  in  the  darkness  of  the  middle  ages  was 
owing  to  the  number  of  its  churches  and  monasteries, 


and  also  to  the  choice  of  it  as  a place  of  residence  by 
many  noble  and  royal  personages.  It  is  true,  however, 
that  particular  privileges  were  conferred  on  it  at  different 
times,  and  of  these  the  most  important,  or  the  one  grant- 
ed by  Edward  the  Third,  rendered  Lincoln  a staple  for 
wool,  leather  and  lead.  The  present  trade  consists  chiefly 
in  corn  and  wool,  and  the  latter  furnishes  employment  to 
many  of  the  lower  orders.  It  has  been  already  remarked 
that  Lincoln  is  built  on  the  Witham,  but  that  part  of 
the  river  which  passes  along  the  principal  street  is  arched 
and  concealed.  The  Fossdike  canal  forms  a communi- 
cation between  Lincoln  and  the  Trent,  and  by  means  of 
that  river  with  the  principal  canals  in  the  kingdom. 

The  other  places  in  the  county  may  be  briefly  men- 
tioned. Gainsborough  on  the  Trent,  a place  famous  for 
its  beer,  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in  corn  and  other 
commodities,  and  participates  also  in  the  commerce  of 
the  Baltic.  Great  Grimsby,  a decayed  port  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Humber,  has  become  again  flourishing  in 
consequence  of  the  improvements  made  in  its  harbour. 
Louth  on  the  banks  of  the  Ludd,  rose  into  importance 
after  a canal  was  cut  parallel  to  that  river  from  the  town 
to  the  neighbourhood  of  Tetney  creek.  By  this  chan- 
nel vessels  of  considerable  burden  sail  to  the  metropolis 
and  to  different  parts  of  Yorkshire.  Stamford,  a place 
of  great  antiquity,  was  divided  at  one  time  into  fourteen 
parishes.  Although  now  fallen  into  decay,  it  derives 
some  advantage  from  its  situation  on  the  great  northern 
road. 

In  no  part  of  the  kingdom  are  to  be  found  in  the  same 
extent,  so  many  early  ecclesiastical  monuments  as  in  the 
fenny  tracts  of  Lincolnshire,  where  stone  is  wholly  want- 
ing, and  where  the  soil  does  not  apparently  afford  a 
secure  foundation  to  a building.  Their  situation,  how- 
ever, was  a sort  of  natural  defence  against  the  attacks  of 
freebooters,  and  the  conveyance  of  heavy  materials  might 
have  been  facilitated  by  the  drains  or  canals,  which  must 
have  been  cut  before  such  a situation  could  be  rendered 
habitable. 

Lincolnshire  has  produced  several  eminent  men. 
Lord  Burleigh  was  born  at  Bourne  in  1521  ;c  and 
the  two  Wesleys,  the  founders  of  the  Arminian  meth- 
odists,  were  natives  of  Epworth.  The  small  manor- 
house  of  Woolsthorpe  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Gran- 
tham, was  the  birthplace  of  Newton,  who  completed 
what  Copernicus  and  Kepler  had  left  unfinished. 
In  this  great  man,  qualities  which  are  seldom  com- 
bined, were  united  ; genius  with  patient  perseverance, 
a most  comprehensive  mind  with  great  powers  of  con- 
centration, an  almost  unerring  judgment,  and  a sagacity 
that  enabled  him  more  than  once  to  lay  open  the  veil 
of  nature,  and  to  predict  truths,  which  were  confirmed  in 
a later  age. 

Yorkshire  is  out  of  all  proportion  in  point  of  size  with 
the  other  counties.  It  extends  the  length  of  a hundred 
and  thirty  miles  from  Spurn-Head  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Humber,  to  the  north-western  frontier,  while  it  is  ninety 
miles  in  breadth  from  Flamborough-Head  to  the  borders 
of  Lancashire.  The  circumference  is  not  less  than  460 
miles,  and  the  superficial  extent  exceeds  6000  square 
miles.  This  great  extent  gave  rise  in  all  probability  to 
its  division  into  three  ridings.  The  North  Riding  is 


a Sixteen  feet  in  diameter.  (M.  1$.  liees’  Cyc.) — P. 


^ Lucy-tower. 


* 1520.— P. 


bookcliv.]  DESCRIPTION  OJ 

bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Tees,  which  separates  the 
county  from  Durham,  on  the  east  and  north-east  by  the 
German  Ocean,  on  the  south-east  by  the  East  Riding, 
on  the  south  by  the  ainsty  of  York,a  and  the  West  Rid- 
ing, and  on  the  west  by  the  county  of  Westmoreland. 
It  is  eighty-three  miles  in  length  from  east  to  west,  and 
thirty-eight  in  breadth  from  north  to  south.  The  East 
Riding,  the  least  of  the  three,  is  partly  separated  from 
f ile  North  Riding  by  the  Hertfordb  and  the  Derwent ; an 
irregular  line  from  the  Derwent  to  the  Ouse,  commencing 
a short  way  above  Stamford  Bridge,  forms  the  rest  of 
the  boundary  in  the  same  direction  ; lastly,  the  Ouse 
divides  it  from  the  West  Riding  on  the  south-west.®  The 
West  Riding  is  the  largest  of  the  three;  the  ainsty  of 
York  and  the  Ouse  form  its  eastern  limits,  while  it  is 
contiguous  to  the  North  Riding  on  the  north,  to  Lancashire 
on  the  west,  to  the  counties  of  Chester,  Derby  and  Notting- 
ham on  the  south,  and  to  Lincolnshire  on  the  south-east. 

The  North  Riding,  it  has  been  seen,  comprehends  the 
whole  northern  part  of  the  country  from  side  to  side. 
The  country  along  the  shores  of  the  German  Ocean  is 
cold,  bleak  and  mountainous.  The  cliffs  on  the  coast  vary 
m height  from  fifty  to  a hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  the 
neighbouring  lands  rise  very  rapidly  to  the  elevation 
of  four  or  five  hundred.  The  soil  consists  chiefly 
of  a brown  loam,  and  the  hills  near  the  sea  abound  in 
aluminous  shale,  which  is  worked  in  many  places.  The 
district  of  Cleveland  is  remarkable  for  its  fertility ; the 
same  may  perhaps  be  said  of  the  vale  of  York,  but  both 
are  surpassed  by  Swale-dale,  or  the  plain  on  both  sides 
of  the  Swale.  The  eastern  Moorlands,  a wild,  barren 
and  mountainous  tract,  occupy  a space  not  less  than 
thirty  miles  in  length,  and  fourteen  in  breadth.  They 
are  intersected  by  ravines  and  vallies,  some  of  which  are 
very  large,  and  in  many  of  them  cultivation  reaches  to  a 
considerable  height.  The  western  Moorlands  form  part 
of  the  mountainous  range,  which  extends  from  Scotland 
to  Staffordshire.  The  mineral  products  of  these  lofty 
tracts  are  not  without  value  ; aluminous  shale,  the  most 
important  of  any,  has  been  already  mentioned,  andiron- 
ore  and  coal  are  common  to  many  parts  of  the  eastern 
Moorlands.  It  is  supposed  that  veins  of  copper  are 
scattered  in  different  parts  of  the  western ; the  fact, 
however,  requires  additional  confirmation,  and  it  is  cer- 
tain that  none  of  them  are  worked.  Lead  is  wrought  to 
great  advantage,  and  next  to  alum,  it  is  considered  the 
most  valuable  mineral  product  of  the  district. 

The  East  Riding  admits  of  almost  every  variety  of 
soil  from  the  heaviest  clay  to  the  lightest  sand.  The 
country  near  the  sea  from  the  Humber  to  the  North 
Riding,  is  naturally  unfruitful,  and  rendered  more  so  by 
the  climate.  But  from  Spurn-Head  to  Bridlington,  a 
distance  of  thirty-eight  miles,  the  shore  is  low,  and 
tli e blasting  effects  of  cold  winds  are  less  severely  felt. 
The  sheep  district  or  the  Wolds  occupies  300,000  acres, 
and  extends  almost  from  the  northern  to  the  southern 
limits  of  the  Riding.  The  tract  bounded  by  the  Wolds, 
the  Ouse  and  the  Humber,  is  flat  in  most  places,  and  the 
soil  consists  of  a stiff  clay  or  sandy  loam.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  the  country  watered  by  the  Humber  from  the 

F GREAT  BRITAIN.  521 

neighbourhood  of  Hull  to  Spurn-Head.  The  whole  ex- 
tent of  the  Riding  is  equal  to  819,000  acres,  and  of 
these  350,000  are  pasture,  and  more  than  150,000, arable 
lands.  Agriculture  has  been  much  extended  of  late  years 
throughout  this  part  of  the  county.  Large  tracts,  for- 
merly flooded  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  yielding 
nothing  but  rushes  and  a coarse  scanty  grass,  are  now 
covered  with  abundant  harvests,  and  the  value  of  the 
land  has  been  increased  in  more  than  a tenfold  propor- 
tion. The  Wolds  have  been  rendered  more  fruitful,  and 
the  vallies  and  the  declivities  of  the  hills,  where  oats  and 
barley  were  lately  the  only  kinds  of  grain,  wave  with 
plentiful  crops  of  wheat.  Rabbit-warrens  are  rapidly 
disappearing,  and  the  sheep  have  been  crossed  and  im- 
proved with  the  best  breeds  of  Leicestershire.  The 
manufactures  are  not  so  numerous,  nor  the  population  so 
dense  as  in  the  other  districts  ; but  in  point  of  trade,  Hull 
has  become,  from  its  situation,  the  emporium  of  York- 
shire, and  of  several  other  counties. 

The  West  Riding,  the  largest  of  the  three,  is  equal  to 
ninety-five  miles  in  length,  and  forty-eight  in  breadth. 
There  is  a great  variety  of  soil,  but  it  consists  in  most 
places  of  a strong  and  deep  loam.  The  number  of  acres 
amounts  to  1,671,000,  and  of  these  more  than  a fourth 
are  arable.  The  greatest  part  of  the  country  is  enclosed 
with  hedges  or  fences,  and  not  the  least  valuable  of  its 
products  are  corn  and  cattle.  But  it  is  principally  as  a 
manufacturing  district  that  the  West  Riding  is  distinguish- 
ed ; in  this  respect  it  possesses  many  advantages  ; it  con 
tains  within  itself  the  necessary  materials,  as  it  abounds  in 
coal  and  iron-ore,  limestone,  lead,  and  other  metals  and 
minerals  of  inferior  value.  The  rivers  facilitate  its  inland 
navigation,  by  which  the  products  are  not  only  conveyed 
to  the  different  ports  in  the  county,  but  to  every  part  of 
the  kingdom. 

In  respect  of  soil,  products  and  the  appearance  of  the 
country,  Yorkshire  exhibits  in  miniature  the  whole  of 
England.  It  has  been  seen  that  the  northern  and  north- 
western portions  have  all  the  grandeur  and  variety  of 
mountainous  scenery,  while  a central  belt  from  north  to 
south  is  little  inferior  in  fertility  to  the  richest  plains  in 
the  country.  Marshes  and  abundant  pastures  are  scat- 
tered in  the  south  and  south-eastern  districts,  and  in  the 
numerous  list  of  minerals  are  found  the  most  valuable 
and  useful  that  are  wrought  in  England. 

It  possesses  besides  all  the  advantages  that  water  com- 
munications afford,  and  the  different  rivers  are  admirably 
arranged  by  nature.  The  Tees  separates  it  from  Dur- 
ham, and  cannot  be  exclusively  considered  a Yorkshire 
river,  but  the  greater  number  rise,  continue  their  course, 
and  discharge  themselves  in  the  county.  They  issue,  for 
the  most  part,  from  the  lofty  tracts  in  the  north  and  south- 
west, join  each  other  as  they  water  the  central  districts, 
and  form  a main  channel,  that  terminates  in  the  Humber. 
Thus,  in  as  much  as  they  can  be  rendered  navigable,  all 
the  parts  of  this  large  county  communicate  with  each 
other  and  with  the  sea.  But  independently  of  these 
natural  advantages,  others  of  the  same  sort  have  been 
obtained  by  art.  The  Grand  Trunk  canal,  one  of  the 
noblest  works  of  the  kind  in  the  kingdom,  unites  Hull 

a The  city  of  York,  which  is  a liberty  independent  of  either  of  the 
Ridings,  has  jurisdiction  over  36  villages  and  hamlets  west  of  the  Ouse, 
called  the  Liberty  of  Ainsty.  (Luckombe’s  Gazetteer.)  P. 

11  Harford  (Luckombe) — rises  near  Filey  Point  on  the  eastern  coast, 
and  runs  westward  to  the  Derwent. — P 
VOL.  UT.— NO.  58  65 

c The  Ouse  first  separates  it  from  the  Liberty  of  Ainsty,  and  then 
from  the  West  Riding.  It  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  Humber 
and  on  the  east  by  the  German  Oeean. — If 

522 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIP. 


with  Liverpool  and  Bristol,  and  thus  facilitates  the  inter- 
change of  their  products.  Leeds  is  united  to  Liverpool 
by  the  canal  which  bears  the  name  of  these  two  towns, 
and  Huddersfield,  by  means  of  its  canal,  communicates 
with  Manchester. 

York,  the  ancient  Eboracum,  the  residence  of  several 
Roman  emperors,  has  lost  much  of  the  splendour  and 
populousness,  that  enabled  it  at  an  early  period  to  rival 
London.  Although  no  longer  distinguished  either  by  in- 
dustry or  trade,  it  was  long  considered  the  capital  of  the 
north  of  England,  and  in  point  of  rank  the  second  city  in 
the  kingdom.  Situated  in  that  part  of  Yorkshire  where 
the  three  ridings  meet,  it  forms  a county  of  itself;  it  is 
watered  by  the  Ouse  and  the  Fosse  ; a stone  bridge  of 
three  arches  was  erected  over  the  former  in  1820,  while 
the  other  is  crossed  by  three  bridges,  one  of  which,  the 
finest  in  point  of  architecture,  was  lately  finished.  Al- 
though by  no  means  a manufacturing  place,  it  is  not  with- 
out importance  as  the  capital  of  an  archiepiscopal  see, 
and  the  residence  of  a numerous  priesthood.  The  num- 
ber of  churches  is  equal  to  twenty-four,  while  the  popu- 
lation does  not  amount  to  twenty-one  thousand.  York 
has  been  stationary  or  perhaps  retrograde,  while  other 
towns  have  made  rapid  advances  ; still,  as  it  possesses 
the  courts  for  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  business  of  a 
large  province,  it  is  amply  provided  with  proctors  and 
attorneys.  The  ancient  fortifications  are  in  many  places 
entire;  the  city  is  entered  by  four  gates  and  five  posterns, 
and  although  the  walls  are  falling  into  decay,  they  still 
form  an  agreeable  walk. 

The  cathedral  of  York,*  the  largest  in  England,  may 
bear  a comparison  with  any  other  building  of  the  same 
sort  in  Europe.  The  see  had  its  origin  in  Roman  times, 
and  one  of  its  bishops  was  present  at  the  council  of  Arles 
in  the  year  347.  In  the  same  period  the  diocesan  church 
of  York  is  mentioned  on  account  of  its  magnificence  ; 
but  when  the  city  was  taken  in  the  ninth  century  by  the 
Danes,  it  was  levelled  with  the  ground.  A new  edifice 
was  raised  not  long  afterwards  on  its  site,  but  it  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  1069.  A third  building,  surpassing  the  two 
former  both  in  its  dimensions  and  in  the  magnificence  of 
its  architecture,  was  almost  consumed  in  the  year  1137. 
The  calamity,  it  is  said,  was  soon  repaired  by  the  piety 
and  the  zeal  of  the  archbishop  ; but  it  is  equally  certain  that 
no  part  of  the  church  as  it  then  stood,  remains  at  present. 
The  south  transept,  or  the  oldest  part  oftthe  present 
structure,  was  built  by  Walter  de  Grey  in  the  thirteenth 
century  ; succeeding  prelates  vied  with  each  other  in  con- 
tinuing the  work  which  their  predecessor  had  begun,  and 
which  was  not  completed  before  the  lapse  of  two  cen- 
turies. The  entire  length  of  the  cathedral  is  equal  to 
524  feet,  the  breadth  of  the  eastern  end  to  105,  and  t hat 
of  the  western  to  109;  the  height  of  the  lantern  tower 
to  213,  and  of  each  of  the  two  western  towers  to  196. 
The  western  front  is  remarkable  for  its  magnificence  ; the 
lantern,  and  the  two  western  towers,  exhibit  different 
styles  of  architecture,  and  the  south  transept  is  distinguish- 
ed by  pointed  arches  and  slender  columns.  As  the  build- 
ing was  carried  on  at  different  periods,  it  is  marked  by 
the  styles  of  different  ages,  so  that  the  students  of  archi- 
tecture may  contemplate  the  successive  progress  of  their 
art.  But  even  an  uninitiated  person  cannot  contemplate 


it  without  admiring  the  vastness  of  its  dimensions,  the 
beauty  of  the  several  parts,  and  the  majesty  of  the  whole. 
The  late  calamity  by  which  part  of  this  venerable  struc- 
ture was  destroyed,  has  shown  in  what  estimation  it  is 
held  by  the  English  ; the  expense  of  restoring  it  to 
its  original  form  is  defrayed  neither  by  government  nor 
by  the  church,  but  by  the  subscriptions  of  individuals. 

In  a county  so  extensive  and  so  populous  as  that  of 
York,  it  is  chiefly  such  places  as  are  distinguished  for  the 
wealth,  industry  or  enterprise  of  their  inhabitants,  that  can 
be  mentioned.  But  in  this  point  of  view  no  place  is  more 
remarkable  than  Leeds,  the  most  populous  town  in  the 
county,  and  the  commercial  capital  of  Yorkshire.  It  is 
situated  about  twenty-four  miles  to  the  south-west  of 
York,  and  some  notion  of  its  rapid  rise  may  be  inferred 
from  the  circumstance,  that  it  contained  only  a single 
church  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  First.  In  1811,  the 
population  amounted  to  62,534 ; in  1821,  it  was  equal 
to  83,796  individuals.  Leeds  has  thus  become  the  prin- 
cipal market  of  the  woollen  cloths  that  are  manufactured  in 
the  West  Riding.  The  building,  which  is  used  as  a place 
of  sale  for  the  coloured  or  mixed  cloths,  is  380  feet  long  by 
180;  it  has  six  double  rows  of  stalls  or  shops,  and  the 
total  number  of  stalls  is  equal  to  two  thousand.  The  skill 
of  the  architect  is  displayed  in  the  admirable  way  in 
which  the  building  is  lighted,  an  advantage  almost  essen- 
tial to  the  purposes  for  which  it  is  intended,  and  one  that 
gives  it  a great  superiority  over  every  other  structure  of 
the  same  sort  in  France.  The  white  woollen  cloths  or  all 
those  that  are  not  dyed,  are  sold  in  a different  building, 
which  although  less  spacious  than  the  former,  contains 
not  fewer  than  1210  stalls.  The  market  for  mixed  cloth 
is  held  on  Tuesday  and  Saturday  ; it  commences  at  eight 
o’clock  in  summer,  and  at  nine  in  winter.  The  dif- 
ferent stalls  are  filled  in  a few  minutes ; each  vender 
stands  behind  his  goods,  the  benches  are  covered  with  cloth, 
and  the  different  pieces  are  placed  as  closely  together  as 
they  can  be  laid  lengthwise,  and  all  this  is  done  without  noise 
or  confusion.  When  the  bell  ceases  to  ring,  the  buyers 
and  agents  from  different  parts  of  the  country  enter  the 
hall.  According  to  the  regulations  of  the  market,  the 
business  is  transacted  in  a whisper ; the  purchaser  fixes 
on  the  cloth,  leans  over  the  benches,  and  addresses  the 
clothier  in  too  low  a voice  to  be  audible  by  his  neighbour ; 
both,  however,  agree  or  differ  about  the  price  in  a few 
seconds.  In  this  way,  cloth  to  the  amount  of  £20,000,  and 
sometimes  much  more,  is  sold  in  less  than  an  hour.  The 
market  for  the  sale' of  white  cloths  opens  as  soon  as  the 
other  is  closed,  and  in  both  the  same  regulations  are  ob- 
served.11 The  manufactories  from  which  the  halls  are 
supplied,  extend  to  a considerable  distance  from  the 
town  ; to  about  ten  miles  on  the  south,  to  nearly  fifteen 
on  the  south-west,  and  to  more  than  eight  on  the  north 
and  west.  The  other  branches  of  industry  are  of  sec- 
ondary importance ; there  are,  however,  several  manu- 
factories of  linen  and  cotton  stuffs,  and  of  Scotch  and 
Wilton  carpets,  and  also  extensive  potteries,  from  which 
both  the  home  and  foreign  markets  are  partly  supplied. 
A considerable  trade  is  also  carried  on  in  tobacco,  for  the 
preparation  of  which  numerous  mills  have  been  erected. 
Leeds  enjoys  many  advantages  for  commerce ; the  long  line 
of  canals  and  rivers  extends  to  Hull  on  the  eastern,  and  to 


1 Called  York  Minster. — P. 


6 Capper,  Idem. 


BOOK  CliIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF 

Liverpool  on  the  western  sea.  It  is  situated  in  the 
vicinity  of  abundant  coal  mines ; it  possesses,  besides, 
easy  means  of  communication  with  the  metropolis  and 
every  trading  district  in  the  kingdom.  Such  advantages, 
aided  by  the  spirit  and  industry  of  its  inhabitants,  account 
sufficiently  for  its  present  importance,  and  it  resembles 
other  flourishing  towns,  in  as  much  as  it  is  not  yet  repre- 
sented in  parliament. 

However  great  the  trade  of  Leeds  may  be,  it  is  not 
sufficient  for  the  numerous  woollen  manufactories  in  the 
west  of  Yorkshire  ; these  commencing  below  Craven, 
occupy  a tract  of  which  Leeds,  Bradford,  Halifax,  Hud- 
dersfield and  Wakefield  may  be  considered  the  centres. 
But  the  principal  trade  of  Bradford  consists  in  its  nume- 
rous worsted  manufactures,  which  are  supposed  to  be 
more  extensive  and  varied  than  those  of  any  other  town 
in  Yorkshire.  Coal  and  iron  are  obtained  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  the  most  ponderous  articles  in  malleable 
and  cast  iron  are  wrought.  Bradford  is  pleasantly  situ- 
ated at  the  junction  of  three  valleys  on  the  south  of  the 
Aire,  about  twelve  miles  west  from  Leeds ; a navigable 
canal,  drawn  from  that  of  Leeds  and  Liverpool,  passes 
through  the  middle  of  the  town,  and  enables  the  inhab- 
itants to  export  iron,  coal,  flagstones  and  slates. 

Wakefield,  the  handsomest  of  the  trading  towns  in  the 
West  Riding,  is  finely  situated  on  an  eminence  above 
the  waters  of  the  Calder,  at  the  distance  of  eight  or  nine 
miles  to  the  south  of  Leeds.  Although  long  noted  for 
ts  woollen  trade,  it  has  made  more  rapid  advances  within 
the  last  thirty  or  forty  years  than  at  any  former  period, 
and  the  numerous  manufactories  that  have  been  erected 
in  the  town  and  in  the  neighbouring  villages,  partly  sup- 
ply the  markets  of  Leeds  and  Huddersfield.  It  carries 
on,  besides,  a great  trade  in  corn  and  coal,  and  it  is  also 
a mart  for  the  wool  that  is  imported  for  the  Yorkshire 
manufacturers  from  different  parts  of  the  kingdom.  It 
communicates  with  Huddersfield  by  means  of  a canal, 
and  with  Leeds  by  the  Calder,  which,  having  been  ren- 
dered navigable  from  Ealand  to  its  junction  with  the 
Aire,  has  greatly  contributed  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
adjacent  country. 

Huddersfield,  sprung  up  in  the  last  century,  surrounded 
by  bleak  moorland  built  near  the  site  of  the  ancient 
Cambodunum,  has  become  the  mart  of  narrow  cloths. 
This  manufacture  extends  ten  miles  to  the  south,  where 
the  coarser  cloths  that  are  exported  to  the  Mediterra- 
nean, are  made.  The  Huddersfield  canal,  which  opens 
a communication  with  Ashton-under-Line,  Manchester 
and  some  of  the  most  important  manufacturing  districts, 
has  been  already  mentioned  ; but  another  extends  from 
the  same  town  to  the  Calder,  whence  the  river  naviga- 
tion is  continued  to  Wakefield. 

Halifax,  near  the  borders  of  Lancashire,  is  an  ancient 
and  flourishing  town.  It  appears  to  have  possessed  no 
inconsiderable  share  of  the  cloth  trade  during  the  six- 
teenth century,  while  its  barbarous  gibbet  law  was  in 
force,  by  which  theft  could  be  punished  by  decapitation 
within  the  limits  of  its  extensive  parish.  It  has  been 
affirmed  that  the  Halifax  machine  differed  little  from  the 
guillotine,  and  that  Lord  Morton,  when  regent  of  Scot- 

* It  might  be  added,  to  America. — P. 

b Chaucer,  who  wrote  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.,  mentions  the 
“ Sheffield  Whittle”  in  one  of  his  poems.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — 

A Shefild  thwitid  bare  he  in  his  hose. 

(The  Reve’s  Tale,  line  13.) 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  523 

land,  carried  a model  of  it  into  his  native  country,  where 
it  was  used  and  known  under  the  name  of  the  maiden. 
The  many  rivulets  that  water  Halifax  have  facilitated 
the  erection  of  numerous  mills  and  extensive  machinery. 
Although  it  participates  largely  in  the  cloth  trade,  other 
articles  are  manufactured.  Many  shalloons  are  woven 
for  the  Turkey  market ; they  are  sent  to  Hull,  and 
thence  shipped  to  the  Levant.  Of  late  years  great  cjuan- 
tities  of  woollen  stuffs  have  been  exported  to  the  South 
American  states. 

Such  are  the  most  important  of  the  clothing  towns  in 
the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire.  The  merchants  attend 
the  several  markets,  and  deal  in  the  manufactures  of 
other  districts  as  well  as  of  those  they  inhabit.  The 
woollens  not  only  supply  the  home  market,  but  are  ex- 
ported to  the  places  that  have  been  mentioned,  and  also 
to  Holland,  Germany,  Russia,  Italy  and  Spain.1  The 
raw  materials  are  obtained  from  different  quarters : Spain, 
Saxony,  and  the  south  of  England,  Shropshire  and  Nor- 
folk, supply  the  wool  for  the  finer  cloths  ; the  counties 
of  Lincoln  and  Leicester  furnish  an  inferior  sort  for  the 
worsted  and  the  coarser  stuffs. 

‘ Iron  and  coal  are  found  in  the  country  in  which 
the  manufactures  are  carried  on  ; in  other  respects  it 
possesses  few  advantages.  As  to  climate,  it  is  even 
more  variable  than  many  parts  of  England.  It  is  natu- 
rally difficult  of  access,  and  for  the  most  part  sterile 
or  unfruitful.  The  means  of  communication  were  for- 
merly few,  but  at  present  they  are  numerous  and  varied. 
Hills,  on  which  heath  was  only  found,  are  now  adorned 
with  country  houses,  surrounded  by  plantations  and  ver- 
dant pastures.  Plains  that  yielded  a scanty  herbage, 
and  in  which  the  divisions  were  marked  by  loose  stones, 
are  enclosed  by  lofty  hedges,  and  covered  with  luxuriant 
harvests.  It  is  not  wonderful,  then,  that  the  same  dis- 
trict was  long  thinly  peopled,  and  one  of  the  poorest  in 
England  ; nor  is  it  likely  to  excite  surprise,  if  the  ob- 
stacles which  industry  can  surmount  be  considered,  that 
it  is  now  little  inferior  to  the  most  populous  and  wealthy 
in  the  kingdom. 

But,  although  all  the  natural  products  have  been 
mentioned,  it  is  necessary  to  enumerate  other  products 
of  industry.  Thus,  in  Sheffield  and  the  circumjacent 
villages,  more  than  fifty  thousand  persons  find  employ- 
ment on  a soil  rich  in  iron  and  in  coal.  The  town  is 
pleasantly  situated  on  an  eminence  near  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  county,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Sheaf 
and  the  Don,  the  one  bounding  it  on  the  east  and  the 
other  on  the  north-east.  It  is  regularly  built,  and  adorned 
with  several  public  buildings,  and  two  modern  bridges  ; 
but  the  stranger  who  enters  it  for  the  first  time,  is  less 
likely  to  admire  its  edifices  than  the  extensive  works 
and  unnumbered  forges,  that  are  never  suffered  to  re- 
main at  rest.  The  town  was  famed  for  its  hardwares  at 
so  early  a period  as  the  thirteenth  century,  and  it  is 
more  than  once  mentioned  in  the  writings  of  Chaucer  ;l 
its  rise,  however,  dates  from  modern  times.  An  enter- 
prising townsman  began  to  trade  with  the  continent  in 
1750,  and  much  about  the  same  period  the  navigation  ot 
the  Don  was  extended  and  improved.  Not  long  after- 

Tliwitid.  In  the  Cholmondely  MS.  and  the  former  editions, -it  is 
Thweetell,  Thwytell,  or  Thwittell,  a whittle.  Ang.  Sax.  hwitel,  a little 
knife.  (Urry’s  Chaucer.  Poems,  p.  31.  Glossary,  p.  66.') — P. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV 


524 

wards,  the  silver-plating  of  brass  and  copper  buttons  was 
introduced,  and  the  profitable  manufacture  of  plated 
goods  lias  been  gradually  carried  to  an  unparalleled  ex- 
tent. The  situation  of  the  town,  the  two  rivers  that 
water  it,  and  the  abundance  of  coal,  have  facilitated  the 
use  of  machinery,  by  means  of  which,  and  the  improve- 
ments that  the  workmen  have  made  in  their  art,  the 
manufacturers  of  Sheffield  are  now  able  to  undersell 
every  market  in  Europe.  According  to  the  census  of 
1821,  the  town  contains  42,000  individuals,  but  the 
whole  parish,  of  which  it  forms  a part,  is  peopled  by 
62,015  persons.  It  may  be  added,  that  it  possesses 
ample  means  for  the  instruction  of  its  inhabitants,  such 
as  mechanics’  institutions,  numerous  schools,  and  a Lan- 
casterian  one  for  the  education  of  eight  hundred  children. 
It  requires,  indeed,  but  a superficial  knowledge  of  the 
present  state  of  England  to  be  convinced  that  the  edu- 
cation of  the  people  in  the  different  towns  is  everywhere 
in  the  ratio  of  their  commerce  and  industry. 

Although  the  East  Riding  is  neither  so  wealthy  nor 
so  populous  as  the  one  that  has  been  described,  Hulla 
may  be  ranked  with  the  most  important  towns  in  York- 
shire. It  owes  its  foundation  to  Edward  the  First,  who, 
on  his  return  from  the  conquest  of  Scotland,  visited  the 
confluence  of  the  Hull  and  the  Humber,  and  thought 
the  position  well  adapted  for  a place  of  defence.  It  has 
also  been  supposed  that  the  king  entertained  other  and 
nobler  views,  and  discovered  in  the  future  port  the  cen- 
tre of  commerce  between  the  north  and  south  of  Britain, 
and  between  the  interior  of  England  and  the  coasts  of 
Flanders,  Holland,  Denmark  and  Sweden.1* 

Notions  so  enlightened  accord  ill  both  with  the  times 
in  which  Edward  flourished,  and  with  the  bent  of  his 
genius,  which  excited  him  to  war  and  conquest  rather 
than  the  useful  arts  of  peace.  It  is  certain  that  he  built 
a strong  town,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Kingstown, 
and  that  it  became  the  place  of  a garrison,  and  was  con- 
sidered impregnable  ; as  a proof  of  the  last  assertion  it 
may  be  remarked  that  even  at  so  late  a period  as  the 
civil  wars,  the  royal  troops  made  many  attempts  to  take 
it  without  success.  It  is  equally  certain  that  its  com- 
merce first  rose  into  notice,  when  it  became  of  secondary 
importance  as  a garrisoned  town. 

Little  more  than  fifty  years  ago  Hull  had  no  other 
harbour  than  the  bed  of  the  river,"  and  as  it  has  hut  little 
depth  of  water,  vessels  were  left  aground  at  low  tide. 
In  1774,  a company  was  authorized  by  act  of  parliament 
to  build  within  the  period  of  three  years  a dock  and 
warehouses  on  the  northern  front  of  the  old  fortifica- 
tions.11 The  new  works  on  the  dock,  quays  and  ware- 
houses occupy  a surface  of  thirty-three  acres.  Another 


a Called  in  all  documents,  Kingston  upon  Hull. — P. 
b C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale,  volume  1st.  c The  Hull — P. 

■i  It  opens  into  the  Hull,  and  divides  the  town  into  two  parts,  the 
old  town  on  the  south,  and  the  new  town  on  the  north. — P. 

e Called  the  Humber  Dock.  It  opens  into  the  Humber,  and  by 
extending  it  a little  farther  north,  it  would  meet  the  old  dock,  and 
thus  completely  insulate  the  old  town.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P 
f Idem,  Ibid. 

e The  inhabitants  of  Hull  began  to  frequent  the  coasts  of  Greenland 
about  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  ; but  afterwards  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  eighteenth  century,  that  lucrative  trade  declined  not  only  in 
Hull  but  in  all  the  ports  of  England. — Mr.  Standidge,  a persevering 
and  speculative  merchant,  and  a native  of  Hull,  was  anxious  to  pro- 
mote this  important  branch  of  commerce.  He  fitted  out  a vessel  on 
his  own  account,  which  he  sent  to  Greenland,  an  enterprise  that  had 
never  before  been  undertaken  by  any  but  companies  The  success  of 


dock  was  commenced  in  1807  on  the  western  front  of  the 
old  fortifications  ;e  it  is  a hundred  and  twenty  yards  long, 
and  three  hundred  and  twenty  wide,  and  the  quays  and 
warehouses  belonging  to  the  New  Dock  Company  cover 
a space  of  three  acres.  A third  dock,  which  was  begun 
in  1814,  and  left  unfinished,  was  commenced  anew  in 
1817  ; it  is  provided  with  an  admirable  ballast  machine, 
that  is  set  in  motion  by  a steam-engine/  Thus,  in  place 
of  fortifications  the  old  town  is  surrounded  by  the  three 
docks  and  the  waters  of  the  Humber  and  the  Hull.  The 
prosperity  of  the  place  may  be  attributed  to  its  situation, 
which  affords  it  the  means  of  a very  extensive  intercourse 
with  the  interior,  communicating  by  the  Humber  with  all 
the  navigable  rivers  and  canals  in  Yorkshire,  and  con- 
nected by  means  of  the  same  river  with  the  Trent  and 
its  numerous  artificial  ramifications.  Possessing  such 
advantages,  it  retains  the  export  and  the  import  trade 
of  many  of  the  midland  and  northern  counties.  It  carries 
on  an  extensive  traffic  with  the  Baltic,  for  which  it  is 
very  conveniently  situated,  and  it  has  also  commercial 
relations  with  the  southern  countries  of  Europe,  and  with 
America.  The  act  of  parliament  by  which  individuals 
are  permitted  to  undertake  on  their  own  account  certain 
branches  of  commerce  with  the  Indies,  has  laid  open  a 
new  and  an  important  trade  to  the  inhabitants.  But  its 
earliest  trade  and  the  first  sources  of  its  wealth  were 
derived  from  the  Greenland  fisheries,  and  more  ships  are 
still  fitted  out  for  that  country  than  from  any  other  port.s 
The  streets  in  the  old  town  are  narrow,  dirty  and  irregu- 
lar, but  in  the  new  town,  or  the  part  beyond  the  ancient 
ramparts,  the  streets  are  clean,  spacious  and  well-built. 

Other  towns  might  be  added  to  the  above  list ; thus, 
a number  of  vessels  are  fitted  out  from  the  port  of  Scar- 
borough, and  Doncaster  has  become  wealthy  from  its 
manufactures  ; still,  however,  they  must  be  considered 
of  secondary  importance  in  comparison  of  those  that 
have  been  mentioned.  If  the  populous  county  of  York 
has  risen  to  a state  of  prosperity,  to  which  it  is  vain  to 
look  for  a parallel  in  its  past  history,  it  may  serve  to 
illustrate  the  importance  of  a liberal  government  and  free 
institutions,  promoting  the  arts  of  peace,  encouraging 
private  industry,  giving  full  scope  to.  individual  enter- 
prise, and  rendering  property  inviolable.  The  present 
state  of  the  country  forms  a remarkable  contrast  with  its 
history  during  the  darkness  of  the  middle  ages,  and  even 
at  a later  period.  The  venerable  city  of  York  was 
destroyed  by  the  Conqueror,  and  a great  part  of  the 
country  converted  into  a desert.  Afterwards  exposed  to 
the  incursions  of  the  Scots,  the  habitations  were  burned 
and  the  country  laid  waste  by  David  king  of  Scotland, 
who  was  at  last  defeated  with  great  slaughter  in  the  battle 


liis  undertaking  was  long  doubtful.  From  her  first  voyage,  the  vessel 
returned  with  one  whale  and  four  hundred  seals.  At  this  period  the 
skin  of  the  seal  was  considered  useless,  and  the  sailors  threw  them 
into  the  sea.  It  appeared  to  Mr.  Standidge,  that  they  might  be  tanned 
with  profit;  but  the  tanners  of  Hull  refused  to  soil  their  pits  with  the 
skins  of  fish.  Having  applied  to  the  tanners  of  a neighbouring  town, 
whose  notions  about  the  purity  of  their  pits  were  less  scrupulous,  the 
plan  succeeded  beyond  the  projector's  expectations,  and  shortly  after- 
wards he  and  his  family  wore  seal-skin  shoes.  Mr.  Standidge  had 
thus  the  merit  of  having  enriched  his  country  with  a new  product  and 
a new  article  of  trade,  which  has  become  an  important  branch  of 
revenue  to  the  government.  Seal-skins,  that  were  formerly  sold  at 
most  for  2d.  or  3d.  each,  now  rose  in  value  to  five  and  six  shillings 
The  Greenland  fisheries,  which  had  fallen  into  decay,  began  to  be 
carried  on  again  with  fresh  vigour.  (C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale, 
volume  1st.) 


book  CBiv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

of  the  Standard.  It  was  destined  to  become  the  scene 
of  the  wasteful  conflicts  between  the  Yorkists  and  Lan- 
castrians, and  Edward  the  Fourth  gained  a victory  near 
Sherburn,  which  was  purchased  by  the  slaughter  of 
35,000  men.  It  was  alternately  pillaged  by  the  king’s 
troops  and  the  parliamentary  forces  during  the  civil  wars  ; 
and  the  rise  of  Cromwell,  and  the  continued  adverse 
fortune  of  Charles,  date  from  the  battle  of  Marston-Moor, 
which  was  fought  in  the  neighbourhood  of  York. 

The  Brigantcs  formed  one  of  the  most  powerful  na- 
tions in  ancient  Albion  ; originally  settled  in  Thrace,  they 
diffused  themselves  over  Germany  and  Gaul,  and  passed 
from  those  countries  into  Britain.  They  occupied  almost 
the  whole  of  Durham  and  Yorkshire,  and  a part  of  North- 
umberland and  Cumberland,  in  which  last  county,  one  of 
their  tribes  assumed  the  name  of  Cumbri.  The  migrations 
of  the  same  people  are  attested  by  ancient  authors  ;a  but 
history  takes  no  notice  of  the  causes  which  induced  them 
to  leave  their  native  land.  It  is  apparent  from  a very 
slight  examination,  that  neither  the  excellence  of  the 
climate,  nor  the  productiveness  of  the  soil,  were  likely  to 
attract  them  to  these  northern  regions.  Much  less  can 
it  be  supposed  that  the  mineral  treasures  in  which  the 
country  abounds,  possessed  any  value  in  the  estimation 
of  barbarians.  In  the  Roman  period,  Durham  was 
included  in  the  province  of  Maxima  Ccesariensis,  and  in 
the  time  of  the  heptarchy  it  formed  part  of  the  kingdom 
of  Northumberland.  But  when  the  sovereigns  of  that 
petty  kingdom  embraced  Christianity,  the  superstition  of 
the  period  induced  King  Egfrid  to  make  over  the  whole 
county  in  the  year  685,  to  St.  Cuthbert,  bishop  of  Lin- 
disfarne,b  and  his  successors.  The  donation  was  confirm- 
ed by  the  Conqueror,  who  conferred  the  title  of  counts 
palatine  on  the  bishops,  and  invested  them  with  so 
great  authority  that  they  were  said  to  be  as  powerful  in 
their  diocese  as  the  king  in  his  dominions.  Hence  it  hap- 
pens that  the  county  is  frequently  styled  the  Bishopric 
of  Durham. 

Durham,  situated  between  the  rivers  Tees  and  Der- 
went, is  contiguous  on  the  east  to  the  German  Ocean.  It 
is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Northumberland,  from  which 
it  is  separated  by  the  Derwent  and  the  Tyne,c  on  the 
south  by  the  river  Tees,  which  divides  it  from  Yorkshire, 
and  on  the  west  by  Cumberland  and  Westmoreland. 
The  superficial  area  has  been  computed  at  1040  square 
miles,  and  it  is  divided  into  the  four  wards  of  Chester, 
Durham, d Easington  and  Stockton. e The  air,  which  is 
cold  and  piercing,  might  be  still  more  so,  if  the  ice  and 
snow  were  not  dissolved  by  the  vapours  from  the  Ger- 
man Ocean.  The  northern  part  of  the  county  is  bar- 
ren, and  in  many  places  thinly  peopled  ; the  western  is 
bleak  and  hilly,  being  crossed  by  the  central  ridge,  which, 
however,  is  no  where  very  lofty  in  Durham.  But  these 
heights  give  rise  to  numerous  streams  that  flow  eastwards, 
and  lower  eminences,  connected  with  the  higher,  extend 
in  different  directions.  The  southern  as  well  as  the 
eastern  districts  are  fruitful  and,  although  the  farms  are  in 

* Herodotus,  Book  vii.  Strabo,  Book  xii. 

b The  see  of  the  bishopric  was  originally  at  Lindisfarne,  but  was 
removed  to  Durham,  A.  D.  995. — P. 

c The  Derwent  crosses  a corner  of  Durham,  before  it  enters  the 
Tyne. — P. 

d Darlington.  (Rees’  Cyc.  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

e Besides  the  main  body  of  the  county,  there  are  two  detached  por- 
tions, viz.  a larger  portion  on  the  north  of  Northumberland,  bounded  S. 
by  that  county,  N.  VV.  by  the  Tweed,  which  separates  it  from  Scotland, 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  525 

general  small,  well  cultivated.  The  abundance  of  coal 
has  been  already  mentioned  ; the  other  mineral. products 
are  iron  and  lead,  which  are  obtained  in  Teesdale  from 
upwards  of  forty  mines/  excellent  mill-stones,  fire-stones 
for  ovens  and  furnaces,  freestone  for  building,  and  slates 
for  roofing. 

The  city  of  Durham  was  founded  by  the  monks  of  Lin- 
disfarne, who  removed  to  it  in  the  year  995,  and  carried 
along  with  them  the  hones  of  St.  Cuthbert.  It  is  situated 
on  an  eminence,  and  almost  surrounded  by  the  wind- 
ings of  the  Wear,  of  which  the  banks  are  covered  with 
woods,  or  broken  by  precipices.  The  loftiest  part  of  the 
city  is  enclosed  with  walls,  and  in  the  same  quarter  the 
cathedral  and  the  castle  are  the  most  conspicuous  build- 
ings. The  first  is  worthy  of  notice  for  its  size  and 
costly  ornaments,  but  the  architecture  is  of  a mixed  sort, 
and  the  Norman  style  is  contrasted  with  the  additions  of 
later  ages.  It  may  have  a solemn  and  imposing  effect, 
but  as  it  is  inferior  to  other  English  cathedrals,  it  does  not 
correspond  with  the  character  of  the  see,  its  great  wealth 
and  extraordinary  privileges.  The  castle  is  converted 
into  an  episcopal  palace,  and  although  very  different  from 
the  last  building,  it  must  at  least  be  considered  a more 
perfect  specimen  of  Norman  architecture.  Besides  the 
cathedral,  there  are  six  other  churches,  two  catholic 
chapels,  and  several  meeting-houses  for  quakers,  presby te- 
rians,  methodists  and  other  dissenters.  Some  of  the  im- 
provements in  the  town  date  from  a very  recent  period  ; 
the  principal  streets  are  now  covered  with  broad  pave- 
ments for  foot  passengers,  all  of  them  are  lighted  with  gas, 
old  and  ill  built  houses  have  been  pulled  down,  and  oth- 
ers more  commodious  and  elegant  are  erected  on  their 
site.  Few  of  the  episcopal  cities  in  England  are  distin- 
guished by  the  trade  or  industry  of  their  inhabitants,  and 
Durham  forms  no  exception  to  the  general  rule.  It 
possesses  manufactories  of  shalloons,  flannels  and  car 
pets,  but  they  are  not  supposed  to  be  in  a flourishing 
condition. 

An  old  cross?  at  no  great  distance  from  the  town  was 
erected  by  Ralph,  Lord  Neville,  to  commemorate  a 
victory  gained  by  the  English  over  the  Scotch  ; the  for- 
mer were  commanded  by  Philippa,  the  wife  of  Edward 
the  Third  ; the  latter  were  routed  with  great  slaughter, 
and  David  Bruce  their  king,  together  with  many  of  the 
nobles,  was  taken  prisoner. 

Sunderland,  at  the  distance  of  thirteen  miles  to  the 
north-east  of  Durham,  may  be  considered  a more  impor- 
tant town  than  the  capital  of  the  county.  It  is  situated 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Wear,  and  although  now  populous 
and  prosperous,  it  was  at  one  time  merely  a part  of 
Wearmouth  parish.  The  High  Street,  the  principal  one 
in  Sunderland,  is  about  a mile  in  length,  and  not  less 
than  thirty  yards  in  breadth  ; it  is  adorned  in  many 
places  with  well  built  houses.  The  Low  Street  which 
extends  parallel  to  it,  and  along  the  banks  of  the  river, 
may  be  termed  the  Wapping  of  the  town  ; it  communi- 
cates with  the  other  by  a great  many  narrow  and  dirty 

and  N.  D.  by  the  German  Sea,  and  divided  into  Islandshire  on  the 
east,  along  the  coast,  and  Norhamshire  on  the  west,  along  the  Tweed  , 
and  a much  smaller  portion,  on  the  coast  of  Northumberland,  between 
the  rivers  Coquet  and  Blyth. — P. 

f This  clause  should  refer  only  to  the  lead  mines. — There  are  about  8b 
lead  mines  wrought  in  this  county,  of  which  48  are  in  Teesdale.  The 
iron  mines  are  in  the  western  part  of  the  coal  district,  which  occupies 
the  north-eastern  part  of  the  county,  and  does  not  extend  to  Teesdale. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P.  e Neville’s  cross. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLTV 


526 

lanes,  where  it  is  in  vain  to  look  for  the  cleanliness  which 
characterises  English  towns.  The  trade  arises  princi- 
pally from  the  exportation  of  coal,  and  in  that  branch  of 
industry,  it  is  only  inferior  to  Newcastle;  the  other  exports 
are  lime,  glass,  grindstones  and  copperas;  the  imports  con- 
sist of  Baltic  produce  and  various  articles  for  domestic 
consumption.  The  Wear,  it  has  been  already  remarked, 
does  not  admit  merchant  ships  of  a great  tonnage,  but 
vessels  get  much  more  readily  out  to  sea  than  from  the 
Tyne.  The  manner  in  which  the  harbour  is  constructed 
adds  to  its  security  ; it  consists  of  two  piers,  one  on  each 
side  of  the  Wear.  In  common  with  the  great  commer- 
cial towns  in  England,  it  possesses  charitable  institutions, 
and  others  of  which  the  object  is  to  diffuse  knowledge 
among  the  lower  orders. 

Bishop  Wearmouth,  a place  of  antiquity,  and  situated 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Sunderland,  may  now  be 
said  to  form  a part  of  the  modern  town  ; the  inhabitants 
participate  in  the  same  trade,  and  are  engaged  in  the 
same  branches  of  industry.  It  is  there  that  an  iron 
bridge,  one  of  the  wonders  of  modern  art,  crosses  the 
Wear,  and  connects  Sunderland  with  Newcastle  and 
Shields.*  The  dimensions  of  the  bridge  have  been 
already  mentioned  ; it  may  be  added  that  it  was  erected 
in  consequence  of  the  patriotic  exertions  of  Rowland 
Burdon,  the  member  for  Durham.  Monk-Wearmouth, 
which  is  not  more  than  a mile  from  Sunderland, b derives 
its  name  from  a monastic  institution  of  the  seventh  cen- 
tury, some  remains  of  which  may  still  be  traced.  The 
town  is  not  very  populous,  but  the  inhabitants  are  indus- 
trious ; they  are  employed  in  building  ships,  and  in 
other  branches  of  industry  connected  with  the  Sunderland 
trade. 

On  the  north  of  Sunderland,  and  on  the  southern  bank 
of  the  Tyne,  is  situated  the  town  of  South  Shields,  which 
is  separated  from  North  Shields  by  the  river,  the  boundary 
between  the  counties  of  Durham  and  Northumberland. 
Some  of  the  largest  coal  vessels  in  England  take  in  their 
lading  at  the  same  place  ; indeed  its  principal  business 
consists  in  providing  vessels  for  the  coal  trade,  and  on 
that  account  several  naval  yards  and  docks  for  the  con- 
struction of  ships  have  been  at  different  times  erected. 
The  making  of  salt  from  sea  water  furnished  employment 
to  a great  number  of  hands,  hut  that  branch  of  industry 
has  declined,  since  an  abundant  and  strongly  impreg- 
nated brine  spring  was  discovered  near  Newcastle.  More 
glass,  however,  is  now  made  than  at  any  former  period, 
and  there  are  at  present  upwards  of  twelve  large  glass- 
houses. The  town  consists  chiefly  of  a long,  narrow  and 
crooked  street  almost  two  miles  in  length  ; a square  near 
the  centre  of  it,  which  serves  as  a market  place,  is  adorn- 
ed with  the  town  hall  and  other  public  buildings.  From 
what  lias  been  already  said,  it  may  be  inferred  that  South 
Shields  is  a dirty  town,  but  independently  of  its  smoke- 
covered  houses,  and  the  narrow  and  crooked  street,  which 
is  never  very  clean,  it  has  an  unseemly  appearance  from 
many  artificial  hillocks,  formed  by  ballast  and  the  refuse 
of  the  glass,  salt  and  soap  works. 

The  many  lives  that  had  been  lost  at  sea  near  Shields, 
induced  a number  of  the  inhabitants  to  form  themselves 
into  a society  for  the  purpose  of  saving  mariners  from 


* It  connects  Sunderland  immediately  with  Monk-Wearmouth. — P. 
b On  the  opposite  (north)  bank  of  the  Wear. — P. 
c Partly  of  English,  and  partly  of  foreign  flax  ? — P 


shipwreck.  A reward  was  proposed  by  the  society  to  the 
person  who  should  furnish  the  model  of  a boat  better 
adapted  for  resisting  the  impetuosity  of  the  waves  than 
any  that  had  been  hitherto  used.  The  result  of  the  pro- 
posal was  the  invention  of  the  Life-Boat  by  Mr.  Great- 
bead. 

No  port  has  been  built  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tees  on 
account  of  the  breadth  and  shallowness  of  the  river;  but 
Stockton,  at  no  great  distance  above  it,  may  be  consid- 
ered its  harbour.  A fine  bridge  of  five  arches,  of  which 
the  central  one  is  about  seventy-five  feet  wide,  was 
erected  over  the  Tees  at  Stockton  in  the  year  1777. 
The  town,  on  account  of  its  well  built  houses  and  nume- 
rous public  buildings,  has  been  considered  one  of  the 
finest  in  the  north  of  England.  The  manufactures  are 
sail-cloth,  ropes,  damask,  diaper  and  linen,  and  it  carries 
on  a great  trade  in  proportion  to  its  population  ; thus  it 
has  extensive  commercial  relations  with  the  Baltic, 
Hamburg,  Norway  and  Holland,  and  many  small  ves- 
sels are  every  year  built  in  its  docks.  The  ancient 
castle  was  taken  and  destroyed  during  the  civil  wars,  and 
the  only  stone  houses  in  the  town  are  built  of  its  ruins. 
Stockton,  it  may  be  added,  serves  as  a port  to  the  manu- 
facturing and  industrious  town  of  Darlington,  which  has 
been  long  noted  for  its  table  and  napkin  linen,  made 
partly  of  English  and  foreign  flax.®  It  possesses  besides 
two  iron  founderies,  several  mills  for  spinning  wool,  and 
others  for  grinding  optical  instruments.  The  most  re- 
markable building  is  a large  church  of  ancient  and  curi- 
ous architecture,  erected  in  the  twelfth  century  by  Hugh 
Pudsey,  bishop  of  Durham. 

It  may  be  remarked  that  the  small  island  of  Lindis- 
farne,  which  has  been  already  mentioned,  and  which  is 
better  known  by  the  name  of  Holy-Island,  from  having 
been  the  ancient  residence  of  monks,  is  under  the  civil 
jurisdiction  of  Islandshire,  a detached  portion  of  Durham, 
on  the  north-eastern  side  of  Northumberland. d No 
towns  of  any  importance  are  situated  in  that  part  of  the 
county,  where  Lindisfarne  forms  part  of  the  mainland  at 
low  water,  and  is  surrounded  at  full  tide  by  the  sea. 
The  extent  of  the  island  is  equal  to  1000  acres,  and  of 
these  more  than  five  hundred  consist  of  sand.  The  vil- 
lage at  the  south-western  extremity,  and  all  the  other 
houses,  do  not  contain  more  than  700  inhabitants. 

Such  are  the  most  important  towns  in  the  county  of 
Durham,  and  the  products  of  industry  for  which  they 
are  distinguished.  In  many  places  various  articles  of 
wrought  iron  are  made,  while  in  others  there  are  founderies 
for  casting  iron  and  brass  ; the  glass-houses  and  potteries, 
and  the  salt, copperas  and  sal-ammoniac  works,  furnish  the 
materials  of  an  extensive  trade  ; linen,  cotton  and  wool- 
len stuffs  are  made  in  the  county,  coal-tar  is  exported, 
and  paper-mills  and  other  manufactories  have  lately  been 
established. 

Northumberland,  the  most  northern  county  in  England, 
is  washed  on  the  east  by  the  German  Ocean  ; it  borders  on 
Scotland  and  Cumberland  on  the  west,  and  is  bounded  by 
the  last  county  and  by  Durham  on  the  south.®  Included  by 
the  Romans  in  the  province  of  Maxima  Ccesariensis,  the 
Saxons  raised  it  to  the  rank  of  a kingdom,  and  called  it 
Northan-Humber-Larul,  a name,  which  with  little  varia 


d See  note  ' p.  1205. 

e It  should  be  added  : and  by  the  detached  portion  of  Durham,  in- 
cluding Islandshire  and  Norhamshire,  on  the  north. — V 


BOOK  CLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


527 


tion  it  has  since  retained.  But  its  ancient  limits  have 
been  much  contracted,  for  in  the  time  of  the  heptarchy 
it  included  Yorkshire,  Durham,  Lancashire,  Westmore- 
land and  Cumberland,  and  extended  northwards  to  the 
Clyde  and  Forth  in  Scotland.  The  modern  boundaries, 
exclusively  of  the  coast,  are  marked  in  most  places  by 
mountains  or  rivers,  and  even  in  its  present  reduced  form, 
it  must  be  considered  a large  county.  Thus,  the  greatest 
length  from  north  to  south  is  nearly  equal  to  seventy 
miles,  and  the  utmost  breadth  is  not  less  than  forty.  It 
appears  from  a return  made  to  the  House  of  Lords,  that 
it  contains  1850  square  miles,  or  1,157,760  acres. 

The  face  of  the  country  is  sufficiently  varied,  and  a 
considerable  portion  of  it  is  unfit  for  cultivation.  The 
sea-coast  is  nearly  level,  while  the  central  districts  are 
more  diversified  ; they  are  intersected  or  broken  by  rocky 
hills,  running  into  ridges,  of  which  the  bases  are  watered 
by  the  principal  rivers.  Open  hills,  moors,  waste  land 
and  marshes  form  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  western 
districts.  The  Cheviot  Hills  near  the  Scottish  border 
have  a more  agreeable  aspect ; they  rise  in  unnumbered 
forms,  and  are  covered  with  verdant  pastures,  and  their 
sloping  sides  enclose  fruitful  vales  or  ravines.  They 
extend  from  the  head  of  the  Coquet  to  Allentown,  and 
onwards  to  Prendwick,  Brunton,  Elderton,  Wooller  and 
Mindrim.a  These  hills  have  some  influence  on  the  cli- 
mate, for  the  snow  remains  on  them  several  months  after 
it  has  disappeared  in  the  plains.  The  most  fruitful  tracts 
are  the  vallies  on  the  eastern  side,  through  which  the 
rivers  take  their  course.  The  eastern  or  level  part  of 
the  country  is  covered  with  a strong  and  fruitful  clay, 
which  reaches  in  general  beyond  the  great  northern  road. 
A sandy  and  dry  loam  forms  the  vales  of  Breamish,  Till 
and  Beaumont,  and  the  same  sort  of  soil  may  be  observed 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Newburn,  on  the  Coquet  both 
above  and  below  Rothbury,  and  on  the  Ain  from  Alnwick 
to  its  mouth.  A dry  loam,  mixed  with  gravel,  is  the 
most  common  soil  in  the  Cheviot  tract ; but  moist  loams 
on  a wet  cold  bottom  occupy  a great  portion,  particularly 
the  central  and  south-eastern  districts.  Black  peat  earth, 
the  prevailing  soil  on  most  of  the  hills,  extends  in  many 
places  through  the  lower  parts  of  Northumberland^ 

Enough  has  been  said  to  render  it  apparent  that  neither 
the  climate  nor  the  soil  is  favourable  to  the  production 
of  food,  but  these  natural  obstacles  have  been  surmounted 
by  perseverance  and  industry;  many  hills  and  lofty  tracts, 
formerly  barren  or  covered  with  useless  plants,  are  now 
cultivated,  agriculture  has  been  brought  to  a high  degree 
of  perfection,  and  more  than  140,000  acres  have  been 
enclosed  within  the  last  fifty  years.  The  farms  were 
formerly  small,  but  they  are  now  large,  and  the  advan- 
tages that  have  been  gained  by  uniting  many  into  one, 
are  infinitely  greater  than  the  temporary  evils  which  were 
occasioned  by  the  change.  The  growth  of  grain  from 
the  investment  of  capital  on  the  soil  has  been  increased, 
and  large  corn  tracts  in  which  wheat  takes  its  rotation, 


a Their  eastern  outline  extends  from  the  Coquet  by  Alnham,  Prend- 
wick, Brandon,  Ilderton  and  Wooler,  to  Mindrum.  (Atlas  Soc.  Useful 
Knowledge.) — P. 

b Agricultural  Survey  of  Northumberland,  by  Messrs.  Bailey  and 
Culley. 

c Both  stone  and  shell  marl  are  likewise  extensively  diffused. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — Stone  and  shell  marl  are  distinct  varieties.  Shell  marl  is 
an  aggregate  of  decomposed  shells;  stone  marl,  an  indurated  variety 
of  earth  marl,  and  of  an  uniform  texture. — P. 


have  thus  been  added  to  the  arable  lands  of  the  county 
The  progress  of  improvement  has  been  accelerated  by 
the  great  quantity  of  lime  in  almost  every  part  of  North- 
umberland, and  by  the  stone  or  shell  marl,  which  in 
some  districts  is  equally  abundant.®  The  farmers  in  the 
pastoral  tracts  on  the  Cheviot  Hills  devote  themselves 
to  the  breeding  of  cattle,  and  oxen  not  inferior  to  the 
finest  in  the  kingdom,  have  been  reared  by  the  graziers 
on  the  Scottish  border.  But  however  much  the  agricul- 
tural riches  of  Northumberland  may  have  been  increased, 
they  are  secondary  in  importance  to  its  mineral  treasures. 
If  the  value  of  an  article  be  estimated  by  its  utility,  the 
coal,  for  which  the  county  is  distinguished,  and  of  which 
the  mines  have  been  already  described,  forms  its  real 
wealth.  It  accounts  in  a great  degree  for  that  facility 
and  rapidity  of  production,  which  has  rendered  England 
the  emporium  of  the  world,  and  for  the  great  accumula- 
tion of  capital,  which  has  enabled  the  inhabitants  to 
increase  the  fertility  of  their  soil,  and  to  improve  and 
extend  communications  of  every  sort.  The  most  valua- 
ble of  the  metals  holds  the  next  rank,  and  an  almost 
inexhaustible  supply  of  iron-stone  is  embedded  in  the 
strata  of  the  coal  districts.  The  same  substance  is 
shipped  from  Holy-Island  to  different  parts  of  England 
and  to  Scotland.*1  Lead  ore  is  found  in  abundance  in 
the  mountainous  districts  on  the  south-west,  and  most 
of  the  veins  from  which  it  is  obtained  are  rich  in  zinc, 
and  from  some  of  them  silver  is  extracted.  Although 
the  country  offers  such  advantages  to  industry,  and 
although  it  is  watered  by  numerous  rivers,  still  many  of 
them  are  ill  adapted  for  inland  navigation,  and  the 
deficiency  is  very  imperfectly  supplied  by  means  of 
canals.  The  Tyne  and  the  Tweed  have  been  long 
famed  for  their  salmon  fisheries,  and  the  metropolis  is 
principally  supplied  with  their  produce.'  The  fish  are 
packed  in  pounded  ice,  and  conveyed  by  this  means 
almost  as  fresh  to  the  London  market  as  when  they  were 
taken  from  the  water.  The  sea  coasts,  which  afford  the 
means  of  subsistence  to  many  of  the  poorer  inhabitants, 
abound  with  a great  variety  of  fish,  such  as  cod,  ling, 
turbot  and  soles. f 

Newcastle,  the  most  important  place  in  the  county,  is 
situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Tyne,  at  the  distance  of  about 
ten  miles  from  its  mouth  ; it  is  connected  by  means  of  a 
bridge  with  Gateshead,  which  although  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river,  and  consequently  in  Durham,  forms  part  of 
the  town.  Situated  in  a country  abounding  in  coal, 
Newcastle  has  become  the  centre  of  an  extensive  trade, 
and  a place  of  great  manufacturing  industry.  The  advan- 
tages of  such  a situation  are  the  causes  of  its  wealth  and 
increasing  population  ; but  at  an  early  period,  while 
the  island  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Romans,  the 
ancient  Gabro-Gentum s was  distinguished  for  the  impor 
tance  of  its  military  position  ; it  was  one  of  the  principal 
stations  connected  with  the  vallum  of  Adrian,  or  the  old 
Piets’  Wall,  which  was  built  to  defend  the  inhabitants 


d “ The  iron  mines  furnish  considerable  quantities  of  that  metal, 
which  are  exported  from  the  island,  called  Holy-Island,  to  the  neigh- 
bouring countries.”  (M.  B.) — P. 

e “ The  Tyne  and  the  Tweed  have  been  long  famous  for  their  salmon 
fisheries.  This  fish  is  exported  from  the  small  port  of  Berwick  to 
London — ” (M.  B.) — Salmon  are  no  longer  caught  in  the  Tyne,  but 
are  still  taken  in  great  quantities  in  the  Tweed.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
f Capper,  Idem. 

6 Gabrosentum.  (Camden.) — P. 


528 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL.IV. 


of  the  south  against  the  incursions  of  the  barbarous  hordes 
in  the  north.  When  the  province  was  abandoned  by  the 
Romans,  and  the  English  had  to  trust  to  their  own 
resources,  Newcastle  was  fortified  with  great  care,  and 
the  old  walls  were  flanked  with  towers,  of  which  several 
are  even  at  present  in  a state  of  preservation.  It  bore 
the  name  of  Monkcester a not  long  before  the  Norman 
invasion,  and  it  derives  its  present  name  from  a castle 
erected  by  Robert,  son  of  William  the  Conqueror, b after 
his  return  from  an  expedition  into  Scotland  in  the  year 
1080. 

Many  works  and  manufactories  are  situated  in  the 
town  and  neighbourhood  ; hardwares  and  wrought  iron 
are  exported,  and  several  potteries  might  be  enumerated, 
in  each  of  which  more  than  a hundred  persons  are  con- 
stantly employed.  It  carries  on  a considerable  trade  in 
the  finer  sorts  of  glass  : its  chemical  works  are  not  without 
importance  ; they  consist  chiefly  of  white-lead,  minium 
and  vitriol.  The  total  number  of  vessels  belonging  to  it 
is  about  850  ; their  burden  is  not  less  than  200,000  tons, 
and  they  are  manned  by  9000  men.  It  has  a share  in 
the  Greenland  fisheries  ; it  imports  wines  and  fruits  from 
the  south,  and  timber,  hemp  and  other  articles  from  the 
north  of  Europe.  In  the  coal  trade  it  is  the  first  port  in 
Britain,  and  waggons  for  the  conveyance  of  coal  were 
first  set  in  motion  by  steam  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Newcastle.  Such  were  the  germs  of  an  invention,  which 
has  led  in  its  improved  and  developed  state  to  the 
rapid  communication  between  Manchester  and  Liverpool. 
More  than  twenty  packets  sail  regularly  between  the 
same  port  and  London,  and  others  sail  to  the  principal 
harbours  in  England  and  Scotland. 

The  town  possesses  several  charitable  institutions,  one 
of  which,  the  keelmen’s  hospital,  is  wholly  supported  by 
contributions  from  the  coal-workers.  The  children  of 
the  poorest  inhabitants  may  reap  the  advantages  of 
instruction  ; for  their  benefit  different  schools  have  been 
erected,  and  a Lancasterian  one  was  built  by  subscription 
to  commemorate  the  fiftieth  year  of  the  reign  of  George 
the  Third.® 

Many  yards  for  building  ships  are  situated  on  the  banks 
of  the  Tyne,  and  the  workmen  are  chiefly  employed  in 
constructing  vessels  for  the  coal  trade.  The  river  is  navi- 
gable for  ships  of  three  or  four  hundred  tons  from  its 
mouth  to  the  bridge  at  Newcastle,  but  the  largest  coal 
vessels  anchor  off  Shields.  The  bed  of  the  Tyne  from 
the  same  town  to  tne  bar  at  Tynemouth,  may  be  con- 
sidered a vast  basin  in  which  ships  sheltered  from  the 
sea  and  from  every  wind,  receive  the  valuable  products 
of  the  mines  and  manufactories. 

Two  places  below  Newcastle,  and  on  the  same  river, 
may  be  briefly  mentioned.  It  has  been  already  seen 
that  North  and  South  Shields  are  connected  with  each 
other  by  means  of  an  iron  bridge. d The  inhabitants  of 
both  towns  are  engaged  in  the  same  trade,  and  employed 
in  the  same  branches  of  industry.  At  no  very  remote 
period  the  former  place  consisted  of  only  one  or  two  dark 
alleys,  with  a few  dirty  and  wretched  fishing  huts  ; these 


a Munk-ceastre.  (Cyc.) — P. 

b Robert  Curthose,  a younger  son  of  William  the  Conqueror. 
(Cyc.) — P. 

c “ The  loyalty  of  the  inhabitants  was  disinterested  and  noble ; 
George  the  Third  was  then  insane,  insensible  to  flattery,  and  unable 
to  reward  it.”  C.  Dupin,  Force  Commercials,  volume  2d. 

1 No  mention  has  been  previously  made  in  this  Geography  of  an 


have  been  succeeded  by  spacious  and  airy  streets,  and 
by  commodious  and  well-built  houses.  The  trade,  which 
keeps  pace  with  a rapidly  increasing  population,  may 
soon  vie  with  that  of  the  great  towns  in  England  ; even 
at  present  more  than  four  hundred  vessels  are  annually 
laden  at  the  harbour.  Tynemouth,  the  other  town,  is 
situated  about  a mile  and  a half  from  North  Shields,  and, 
as  its  name  imports,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tyne.  It  is 
built  on  a promontory,  which  rises  almost  perpendicularly 
on  the  side  of  the  sea,  and  it  is  defended  by  a castle 
which  is  chiefly  worthy  of  notice  on  account  of  its  fine 
military  position,  an  advantage  that  did  not  prevent  it 
from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Scotch  during  the  civil 
wars.  The  bar,  a dangerous  sand  bank,  extends  across 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  it  is  broken  in  several  places 
by  rocks.  To  obviate  the  danger  which  might  be  other- 
wise occasioned,  a light-house  has  been  erected  ; it  is 
about  sixty  feet  in  height,  and  stands  on  a promontory 
nearly  two  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  supposed 
that  nearly  800,000  chaldrons  of  coals  are  annually 
shipped  from  Tynemouth  to  London. 

The  other  towns  in  Northumberland  are  of  secondary 
importance.  Hexham,  finely  situated  in  the  vale  of  the 
Tyne  above  Newcastle,  was  once  an  episcopal  city,  and 
its  ancient  cathedral  is  still  its  most  magnificent  ornament. 
The  inhabitants  are  industrious,  and  many  of  them  are 
employed  in  tanning  leather.  Morpeth,  on  the  north 
road,  about  fourteen  miles  beyond  Newcastle,  may  be 
mentioned  on  account  of  its  cattle  fairs.  The  town  of 
Alnwick,  the  titular  capital  of  the  county, e is  situated  mid- 
way between  Newcastle  and  Berwick.  It  is  a borough 
by  prescription,  but  it  contains  little  worthy  of  notice 
except  its  ancient  military  castle,  which  has  long  since 
been  converted  into  the  residence  of  the  Northumberland 
family.  The  same  place  was  more  than  once  disastrous 
to  the  kings  of  Scotland.  Having  been  strongly  fortified 
in  the  reign  of  William  Rufus,  it  resisted  a long  time  the 
forces  of  Malcolm  the  Third,  by  whom  it  was  besieged. 
It  was  at  last  delivered  from  this  danger  by  the  cowardly 
treachery  of  a soldier,  who  pretending  to  give  up  the 
keys  to  the  Scottish  king,  drew  his  dagger,  and  pierced 
him  to  the  heart. f Edward,  the  son  of  Malcolm,  wishing 
to  avenge  the  death  of  his  father,  was  defeated  and  slain 
in  the  neighbourhood.  In  the  year  1167,  Henry  the 
Second  of  England  gained  a decisive  victory  at  Alnwick 
over  William  the  Lion,  king  of  Scotland,  took  him  pris 
oner,  and  compelled  him  to  pay  a large  ransom.  The 
town  exhibits  a singular  spectacle  on  the  day  of  St. 
Mark,  and  one  not  very  creditable  to  the  state  of  society, 
or  at  all  events  proving  the  observance  of  the  ridiculous 
customs  that  prevailed  in  the  dark  ages.  Those  who 
are  to  acquire  the  freedom  of  the  town,  or  according  to 
the  phrase,  to  hap  the  well,  appear  on  horseback  at  an 
early  hour  in  the  market-place.  Each  man  is  dressed 
in  white,  with  a sword  by  his  side,  and  wears  in  place 
of  a hat,  a white  nightcap  on  his  head.  The  cavalcade, 
accompanied  by  four  chamberlains  in  the  same  costume, 
proceed  to  a neighbouring  moor,  where  the  future  free- 


iron  bridge,  over  the  Tyne,  between  North  and  South  Shields.  Is  not 
the  iron  bridge  over  the  Wear  at  Sunderland,  which  is  said  (p.  1206)  to 
connect  Sunderland  with  Newcastle  and  Shields,  here  referred  to? — P. 
e The  place  where  the  county  courts  are  held. — P. 
f It  was  on  the  point  of  surrendering,  when  a soldier  stabbed  him 
(Malcolm)  with  a spear,  pretending  to  deliver  him  the  keys  on  the 
point  of  it.  (Luckombe.  M.  B.) — P. 


book  ciiiv.i  DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN.  529 


men  dismount,  ran  through  a muddy  pool,  and  perform 
other  foolish  ceremonies. 

Benvick-upon-Tvveed  was  an  important  and  strong 
fortress  when  England  and  Scotland  were  hostile  nations, 
to  each  of  which  it  belonged  according  to  the  chances  of 
war.  Although  the  greater  part  of  it  is  situated  in  North- 
umberland,® it  has  never  been  annexed  to  any  local 
jurisdiction  ;b  it  is  not  supposed  to  be  either  in  England 
or  Scotland,  but  is  separately  named  when  included  in 
public  acts.  It  is  defended  on  the  north  and  east  with 
flanks,  bastions  and  a ditch,  and  on  the  south  and  west 
by  high  walls,  to  which  the  river  serves  as  a moat.  The 
harbour  is  by  no  means  commodious ; vessels  drawing 
more  than  twelve  feet  of  water  cannot  cross  the  bar,  and 
there  is  no  safe  riding  in  the  offing.  But  in  spite  of  this 
disadvantage,  Berwick  carries  on  a considerable  trade 
with  the  metropolis,  and  of  late  years  different  branches 
of  industry  have  been  extended  and  improved. 

Cumberland,  like  the  last  county,  borders  upon  Scot- 
land on  the  north,  from  which  the  maritime  part  is  sepa- 
rated by  the  Solway  Firth,  and  the  inland  by  a small 
brook  and  the  river  Liddel  ;c  on  the  east  it  is  contiguous 
to  Northumberland  and  Durham,  and  the  limits  in  that 
direction  are  for  the  most  part  artificial  ; it  is  washed  by 
the  Irish  Sea  on  the  west,  and  it  is  bounded  on  the  south 
by  part  of  Lancashire  and  the  whole  breadth  of  West- 
moreland. The  greatest  length  of  the  county  is  about 
eighty  miles,  and  the  greatest  breadth  nearly  forty.  In 
superficial  extent  it  is  equal  to  1178  square  miles,  or 
945,920  acres  ; but  of  these  little  more  than  a half  are 
arable,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  remainder  is  wholly 
unfit  for  cultivation,  consisting  either  of  lofty  mountains, 
barren  moors,  or  the  romantic  lakes,  of  which  some 
mention  has  been  made  in  a former  chapter.  The  civil 
divisions  form  five  wards,  so  called  from  the  inhabitants 
having  at  one  time  been  obliged  to  keep  watch  and  ward 
against  the  Scottish  borderers. 

The  various  sorts  of  soil  have  teen  classed  under  four 
different  heads : viz.  1st,  a strong  rich  loam,  of  which 
there  appears  to  be  but  a small  portion  ; 2d,  a variety 
of  loams  from  the  rich  brown  to  the  light  sandy  ; under 
this  division  a great  part  of  the  county  is  included;  3d, 
wet  loam,  generally  on  a clay  bottom;  and  4th,  black 
peat  earth,  the  most  common  in  the  mountainous  dis- 
tricts, particularly  those  in  the  neighbourhood  of  North- 
umberland and  Durham. d 

A mountainous  ridge  in  Cumberland  forms  part  of  the 
chain,  which  runs  north  and  south  between  the  eastern 
and  western  sides  of  England,  and  another  tract  in  the 
south-western  part  of  the  county  is  little  inferior  to  the 
former  in  height.  In  the  first,  and  not  far  from  the  bor- 
ders of  Durham,  is  situated  Cross-Fell,  which  rises  to 
the  elevation  of  3400  feet,  and  is  consequently  the 
highest  mountain  in  England  ; in  the  second,  Helvellyn 
attains  the  height  3324,  Skiddaw,  or  Skyday,  is  equal 
to  3270,  and  Saddleback  is  not  supposed  to  be  lower 

a This  is  not  true.  It  is  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  Tweed,  at 
its  mouth,  and  originally  belonged  to  Scotland,  of  which  it  was  one  of 
the  four  principal  boroughs.  It  is  separated  from  Northumberland  by 
the  detached  portion  of  Durham,  called  Islandshire. — P. 

b It  forms  a town  and  county  of  itself,  with  its  own  separate  as- 
sizes.— P. 

c See  note  a p.  1146.  d Agricultural  Survey. 

e Alston-Moor.  f Black  lead, 

s The  mines  are  only  opened  at  intervals  for  a short  period.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

VOL.  Ill— NO.  58  67 


than  3048  feet.  In  the  former  are  obtained  various 
minerals  useful  for  different  purposes,  and  also  coal, 
limestone  and  lead.  The  last  substance  is  chiefly  worked 
near  Aldston-Moore  on  the  borders  of  Durham.  The 
second  tract,  composed  for  the  most  part  of  the  schistua 
that  affords  the  blue  slate  for  covering  houses,  is  also 
rich  in  plumbago  or  wadd/  the  name  which  the  miners 
have  given  to  this  valuable  substance,  of  which  the  finest 
kinds  are  so  abundant  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Borrow- 
dale,  that  the  mines  are  opened  and  closed  after  certain 
intervals^  lest  the  price  of  the  commodity  should  be 
diminished  by  too  great  a supply.  The  quality  of  the 
metal* 1*  accounts  sufficiently  for  the  superiority  of  the 
English  pencils,  which  are  so  much  prized  in  France 
and  other  countries  on  the  continent.  It  is  not  many 
years  since  copper  mines  were  wrought  at  Caldbeck  and 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Keswick.  Iron  ore  is  obtained  at 
Egremont  and  in  the  country  between  it  and  Whitehaven. 

It  appears  that  Cumberland  is  in  proportion  to  its  size, 
one  of  the  least  populous  counties  in  the  kingdom,  and 
the  cause  of  it  may  be  discovered  in  the  nature  of  the 
country,  and  in  the  difficulty  of  multiplying  communica- 
tions through  a lofty  and  rugged  district.  Agriculture  in 
consequence  of  these  natural  disadvantages,  is  in  a less 
advanced  state  than  in  other  parts  of  England  ; the  land 
is  for  the  most  part  divided  into  small  farms,  and  much 
capital  has  not  been  laid  cut  in  the  improvement  of  the 
soil.  Mountain-torrents  or  impetuous  streams  are  abun- 
dant, but  the  county  is  ill  supplied  with  navigable  rivers. 

Carlisle,  the  capital  of  Cumberland,  is  situated  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Eden  and  Calder,1  of  which  the  united 
streams  fall  into  the  Solway  Firth,  about  five  miles  below 
the  town.  Although  the  navigation  of  the  Eden  is  inter- 
rupted by  shallows,  it  was  not  before  the  year  1823 
that  an  artificial  channel  was  cut  between  Carlisle  and 
the  sea.  The  name  of  the  town  seems  to  have  been 
derived  from  the  Saxon  word  Caerlyall,  signifying  the 
town  near  the  wall,k  and  thus  indicating  its  vicinity  to 
the  vallum,  from  which  it  was  only  distant  a quarter  of 
a mile.  As  a frontier  town,  it  was  exposed  to  frequent 
attacks,  and  for  its  defence  it  was  fortified  with  a castle, 
a citadel  and  massive  walls.  The  walls  were  first  built 
in  the  seventh  century  by  Egfrid,  king  of  Northumber- 
land ; the  castle  and  citadel  were  erected  by  William 
Rufus.  The  former,  situated  at  the  north-western  ex- 
tremity of  the  town,  is  still  kept  in  repair,  and  contains, 
among  other  buildings,  a magazine  for  gunpowder,  and 
an  armoury,  in  which  more  than  10.000  stands  of  arms 
are  generally  deposited.  It  was  in  the  castle  that  the 
unfortunate  Mary  Stuart  was  confined  in  the  year  1568, 
and  a neighbouring  garden  which  she  used  to  frequent, 
is  still  known  by  the  name  of  the  Lady’s  Walk.1  The 
principal  streets  communicate  with  the  market-place 
which  is  much  disfigured  by  a guard-house  that  was 
built  during  the  civil  wars,  when  Cromwell  occupied  the 
town.  The  ancient  fortifications,  like  other  works  of  the 

h Plumbago  is  not  a metal.  It  is  composed  of  carbon  with  a small 
quantity  of  iron. — P. 

' Caidew. 

k The  name  is  most  probably  derived  from  the  Celtic,  Caer,  a city, 
and  Luel ; signifying  the  town  or  city  of  Luel.  Gibson's  Camden. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 During  her  imprisonment,  the  royal  captive  used  to  walk  in  front 
of  the  castle,  which  yet  retains  the  name  of  the  Lady’s  Walk.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 


530 


EUROPE. 


BOOK  CLIV. 


same  period,  are  certainly  imperfect,  and  inadequate  to 
the  purposes  of  modern  warfare  ; the  same  remark  is 
equally  applicable  to  the  comparatively  late  additions 
which  have  been  erected  for  their  defence ; still,  how- 
ever insignificant  both  may  appear,  Carlisle  was  twice 
besieged  in  the  rebellion  of  1745;  it  was  first  taken  by 
the  Scotch,  and  afterwards  by  the  English  under  the 
Duke  of  Cumberland,  in  both  times  not  without  a siege. 
It  may  be  remarked  that  it  was  once  a Scotch  town,  and 
that  Henry  the  Second  received  at  Carlisle  the  honour  of 
knighthood  from  David  the  First.  One  or  two  instances 
may  be  mentioned  to  show  how  much  it  has  suffered 
from  its  frontier  position  ; having  been  taken  by  the 
Scotch  in  the  time  of  Henry  the  Third,  the  greater  part 
of  it  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  it  was  twice  exposed  to 
a similar  calamity  in  the  succeeding  reign ; at  a later 
period  Henry  the  Eighth  laid  siege  to  it  with  an  army 
of  8000  men,  inflicted  unjust  punishments  on  many 
of  the  inhabitants,  and  reduced  the  rest  to  obe- 
dience. 

The  cathedral,  for  Carlisle  is  an  episcopal  city,  having 
been  built  at  different  periods,  displays  different  styles 
of  architecture,  and  although  some  detached  portions  of 
it  may  be  admired,  it  can  neither  vie  in  size  nor  in  mag- 
nificence with  other  buildings  of  tbe  same  sort.  Part  of 
the  western  wing  was  demolished  during  the  civil  wars ; 
the  breach  or  opening  thus  made  was  afterwards  closed, 
and  the  space  between  the  transept  and  the  new  wall  has 
been  transformed  into  the  church  of  St.  Mary.® 

The  population  and  trade  of  Carlisle  were  long  incon- 
siderable, but  the  latter  has  been  greatly  extended  within 
the  last  forty  years,  and  different  manufactures  have  been 
introduced  by  the  enterprise  of  different  individuals. 
Various  branches  of  the  cotton  trade  are  carried  on  with 
success,  printed  linens  are  exported  to  different  parts 
of  the  country,  and  iron  works  and  founderies  are 
established.  If  the  impulse  which  was  first  given,  has 
been  maintained,  it  may  in  part  be  attributed  to  the  com- 
parative cheapness  of  labour. 

The  other  inland  towns  are  too  insignificant  to  require 
notice  ; they  are  so  in  point  of  population,  still  some 
branch  of  industry  is  carried  on  in  every  one  of  them. 
Penrith  possesses  some  trade  in  fancy  woollen  stuffs  ; 
the  inhabitants  of  Wigton  are  employed  in  manufacturing 
cotton,  and  extensive  waste  lands  in  the  neighbourhood 
have  of  late  years  been  enclosed.  Hats,  shalloons,  coarse 
woollens  and  linens  are  made  at  Cockermouth,  and  sev- 
eral cotton-works  have  been  erected  in  the  romantic  town 
of  Keswick. 

The  maritime  town  of  Whitehaven,  situated  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  promontory  of  St.  Bees  Head, 
and  now  much  more  important  than  the  places  which 
have  been  last  mentioned,  consisted  only  of  six  fishermen’s 
huts  in  the  year  1566.  The  cause  of  its  prosperity 
dates  from  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  when  several  moles 
and  bulwarks  were  erected,  by  which  vessels  are  secured 
against  the  Corfe  rocks.  But  these  works  have  been 


a The  opening  was  afterwards  closed  with  a wall,  and  the  space 
within  the  wall,  and  the  transept  fitted  up  as  the  parochial  church  of 
St.  Mary.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 
b Capper,  Idem. 
c The  Isle  of  Man. 

d The  Isle  of  Man  is  not  legally  dependent  on  the  county  of  Cum- 
berland, nor  is  it  even  considered  a part  of  England.  It  has  a govern- 
or appointed  bv  the  king,  a council  of  five  persons  cx  officio , two  deem- 


since much  improved,  and  Whitehaven  possesses  at  pres- 
ent not  fewer  than  six  yards  for  building  ships.  The 
same  port  carries  on  a considerable  trade  with  the  West 
Indies,  and  nearly  two  hundred  vessels  belong  to  it.  The 
coal,  which  is  chiefly  exported  to  Ireland,  is  obtained 
from  neighbouring  pits  that  have  been  dug  to  the  extraor 
dinary  depth  of  130  fathoms, b and  extended  to  so  great 
a distance  below  the  sea,  that  ships  of  large  burden  sail 
above  the  miners. 

The  small  town  of  Workington  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Derwent,  was  the  landing-place  of  the  unfortunate  Mary, 
when  in  an  evil  hour  she  fled  for  refuge  to  the  dominions 
of  her  rival. 

An  island  in  the  Irish  Sea,*  about  thirty  miles  from  the 
English  coast,  is  considered  a dependence  of  Cumberland. d 
In  superficial  extent  it  is  not  equal  to  more  than  220 
square  miles,  but  it  is  in  some  places  thirty  miles  in 
length,  and  in  others  more  than  twelve  in  breadth. e The 
climate,  although  humid,  is  mild  and  salubrious  ; frost 
and  snow  are  never  of  long  continuance,  but  the  harvests 
are  retarded  by  cold  and  variable  summers.  The  two  ex- 
tremities of  the  island  consist  of  good  arable  and  pasture 
lands  ; the  southern  side  is  composed  of  loam  ; the  soil 
varies  in  other  parts,  but  clay  and  sand  form  perhaps  the 
most  common  sorts.  The  fisheries  afford  the  most  impor- 
tant occupation,  and  so  many  men  are  engaged  in  them, 
that  the  cultivation  of  the  ground  is  generally  committed 
to  women.  The  sea-weed  is  used  for  manure,  and  furze, 
heath  and  peats  for  fuel.  Excellent  mutton,  good  poul- 
try, eggs  and  fish,  it  is  said,  are  much  cheaper  than  in 
England. 

Ramsay,  one  of  the  principal  ports,  is  situated  on  the 
north-eastern  coast  of  Man,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  a 
bay,  which  may  afford  a safe  anchorage  to  a large  fleet ; 
but  the  present  harbour  is  inconvenient,  and  only  fit  for 
small  vessels.  Douglas,  on  the  south-eastern  coast,  and 
about  sixteen  miles  distant  from  Ramsay,  is  the  most 
populous  town,  and  contains  nearly  six  thousand  inhab- 
itants. The  harbour  can  admit  the  largest  vessels,  and 
it  is  defended  by  a strong  fort,  which  renders  the  place 
impregnable  on  the  side  of  the  sea.  Castletown  is  the 
capital  of  the  island,  but  its  port  is  difficult  of  access,  and 
its  population  does  not  exceed  two  thousand  inhabitants. 
It  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  a castle,  built  on  a rock  in 
the  middle  of  the  town,  and  encompassed  with  so  thick 
walls,  that  three  persons  can  walk  abreast  on  them.  The 
black  marble  steps  of  St.  Paul’s  cathedral  were  obtained 
from  a quarry  in  the  neighbourhood. 

Westmoreland,  the  next  county  that  shall  be  mention- 
ed, is  bounded  on  the  north  and  north-west  by  Cumber- 
land, on  the  east  by  Yorkshire  and  Durham,  and  on  the 
south  and  south-west  by  Lancashire/  The  limits  are  for 
the  most  part  formed  by  lakes,  rivers  or  streams,  and 
mountains.  Thus,  Winandermere,  the  largest  lake  in 
England,  and  one  remarkable  for  its  romantic  beauty, 
separates  it  from  Lancashire,  and  the  Lune,  which  rises 
near  the  sources  of  the  Eden,  is  the  boundary  between  it 


sters  or  judges,  and  a house  of  commons,  called  the  House  of  Keys. 
These,  united,  form  what  is  called  the  Tinwald  Court. — P. 

e It  is  about  30  miles  in  length,  and  about  10  miles  at  its  greatest 
width.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f It  is  bounded  in  that  direction,  for  a short  distance,  by  the  head  of 
Morecambe  Bay,  and  thus  separates  the  district  of  Furness  from  the 
main  body  of  Lancashire.- — P. 


BOOK  CLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


531 


and  Yorkshire*  The  area  is  equal  to  763  square 
miles  or  488,320  statute  acres,  but  of  these  more  than 
two  thirds  are  uncultivated.  The  county  may  be  briefly 
described;  indeed  its  name  indicates  its  nature.  West- 
moreland or  the  west-moor-land  consists  of  bleak  moun- 
tains, naked  hills  and  sterile  moors  or  heaths,  which  are 
better  known  in  the  north  of  England  by  the  name  of 
fells. b The  vallies,  which  are  watered  by  the  rivers, 
are  not  unfruitful,  and  a plain  of  considerable  extent  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  county  yields  abundant  harvests. 
The  rest  of  the  cultivated  land  is  made  up  of  glens  or 
ravines,  surrounded  by  lofty  heights.  No  great  quantity 
of  corn  is  raised,  and  no  sort  of  grain  is  so  common  as 
oats.  Herds  of  Scotch  cattle  are  fattened  by  the  farmers, 
and  many  milch  cows  are  kept,  by  which  the  inhabitants 
of  London  are  supplied  with  excellent  butter.  Sheep  are 
reared  on  the  mountains,  and  numerous  flocks  of  geese 
wander  on  the  moors.  Great  attention  is  paid  to  the 
rearing  of  pigs,  and  the  hams  of  Westmoreland  are  not 
the  least  valuable  of  its  exports. 

The  mineral  riches  of  the  county  are  not  great;  it  is 
almost  destitute  of  coal,  and  the  metallic  ores  lie  so  deep 
as  to  render  the  working  of  them  unprofitable.  Lime- 
stone and  freestone  are  by  no  means  uncommon,  but 
slate  is  perhaps  the  most  abundant  and  most  important 
of  the  mineral  products.  Few  of  the  towns  require  to  be 
mentioned.  Appleby,  the  county-town,  a place  of  no 
great  consequence,  occupies  the  site  of  Aballaba,  a Ro- 
man station  which  communicated  with  a military  way. 
The  market-house,  a handsome  Gothic  edifice,  was  fin- 
ished in  1811  ; each  of  the  two  extremities  of  the  town 
is  now  adorned  with  a stone  obelisk,  and  on  one  of  them 
the  following  inscription  has  been  placed  : — “ Retain 
your  loyalty,  preserve  your  rights.”  It  is  only  in  free 
countries  where  such  inscriptions  are  observed,  and  it  is 
only  in  free  countries,  that  they  appear  to  be  unnecessary  ; 
thus  the  English  are  not  unmindful  of  their  duty  to  their 
king,  still  less  are  they  forgetful  of  their  rights  and 
liberties. 

In  the  country  between  Appleby  and  Orton,  there  is 
a calcareous  cavern,  which  winds  to  a great  distance 
through  numerous  galleries ; many  of  these  are  filled 
with  pools,  and  others  are  watered  by  streams  that 
escape  at  last  by  chasms,  of  which  the  extent  has  never 
been  measured,  and  which  the  country  people  have  de- 
nominated the  Badger’s  den. 

Kendal,  or  more  correctly  Kirkby  in  Kendal,®  the 
church  in  the  dale  of  the  Ken,d  is  situated  in  a pleasant 
valley  about  twenty  miles  to  the  north  of  Lancaster.  It 
is  the  only  populous  and  commercial  town  in  the  county  ; 
it  was  one  of  the  places  to  which  Flemish  weavers  were  in- 
vited in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  the  cloths  made  by 


a Winandermere,  for  about  half  its  length  on  the  north,  separates  it 
from  the  district  of  Furness,  and  the  Lune,  for  only  a short  distance, 
from  Yorkshire. — P. 

b Fell  properly  signifies  mountain  (Dan.  field,,  Swed.  Jjtell,)  and  is  ap- 
plied to  different  ridges  and  summits  of  the  great  chain  dividing  the 
eastern  from  the  western  counties  in  the  north  of  England. — P. 
c Kirkby-  or  Kirby-Kendal. 

d Properly,  the  church  (kirk)  town  (Dan.  by)  in  the  dale  of  the 
Ken. — P. 
e Lune,  Lone. 

f This  should  be  stated  thus  : From  Liverpool,  a communication  is 
opened  by  the  Mersey,  the  Duke  of  Bridgewater’s  canal,  as  far  as  Pres- 
ton Brook,  the  Grand  Trunk  (Staffordshire)  canal,  the  Coventry  canal, 
and  the  Oxford  canal,  or  the  Oxford  canal  and  the  Grand  Junction 
canal,  with  the  Thames. — The  Duke  of  Bridgewater’s  canal  extends 


them  were  held  in  such  repute  that  they  were  long 
known  by  the  name  of  the  town.  It  retained  its  manu- 
facturing industry,  although  it  was  long  deprived  of  the 
advantages  of  water  carriage,  and  it  possesses  at  present 
not  fewer  than  seven  trading  companies,  each  having  its 
ball.  The  present  manufactures  consist  of  cottons, 
coarse  woollens,  linseys,  druggets,  worsted  stockings, 
serges  and  hardwares. 

It  is  not  many  years  since  the  Lancaster  canal  was 
completed,  a work  which  has  greatly  contributed  to  the 
prosperity  of  Kendal  by  affording  a convenient  outlet  to 
its  products.  It  commences  at  West  Houghton  in  Lan- 
cashire, and  intersects  the  Leeds  and  Liverpool  canal 
between  Wigan  and  Preston,  then  waters  Preston,  Spi- 
tal  Moss,  Barton  and  Garstang,  crosses  the  Wier  at  the 
last  place,  and  proceeds  to  Lancaster.  It  is  carried  over 
the  Loynee  above  Skerton  by  means  of  a stone  aqueduct, 
supported  by  five  arches,  664  feet  in  length  ; from  Sker- 
ton it  passes  to  Burton,  and  onwards  through  a tunnel  to 
Kendal,  a course  of  seventy-six  miles.  It  communicates 
with  Liverpool  by  the  Leeds  and  Liverpool  canal,  and 
from  the  last  place  by  the  Mersey  and  the  Duke  of 
Bridgewater’s  canal,  with  Preston  brook,  where  the  Staf- 
fordshire canal  joins  the  Trent  and  Severn,  and  extends 
from  thence  to  the  Thames  by  the  continuation  of  the 
Oxford  and  Coventry  canal/ an  inland  navigation  of  more 
than  500  miles. 

Lancashire,  a maritime  county,  and  a county  palatine, 
is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Westmoreland  and  a part  of 
Cumberland, s on  the  east  by  Yorkshire,  on  the  west  by 
the  Irish  Sea,  and  on  the  south  by  Cheshire.  It  is  of  a 
very  irregular  shape,  and  it  has  already  been  remark- 
ed, that  one  portion  is  separated  from  the  rest  by  an  arm 
of  the  sea.  The  greatest  length  inclusive  of  the  detach- 
ed part,  is  nearly  seventy-four  miles,  and  the  greatest 
breadth  about  forty-five.  According  to  a return  made 
to  the  House  of  Lords  in  1818,  the  area  is  said  to  be 
equal  to  1831  square  miles.  The  former  scantiness  of 
the  population  may  be  inferred  from  the  small  number  of 
parishes  into  which  Lancashire  was  divided,  and  other 
facts  are  not  wanting  to  prove  that  few  counties  are  less 
favoured  by  nature,  while  none  are  more  important  by 
the  industry  of  their  inhabitants.  Thus,  in  confirmation 
of  what  has  been  asserted,  it  may  be  remarked  that  the 
climate  is  almost  proverbial  for  its  moisture,  and  what  is 
worthy  of  notice,  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  is  more 
humid  than  the  western  or  the  coast.  The  reason  may 
be  easily  assigned  ; the  eastern  boundary  that  separates 
it  from  Yorkshire,  forms  part  of  the  ridge  which  has  been 
often  called  the  Hack-bone  of  England,  and  the  clouds 
that  are  wafted  by  the  Irish  Sea  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean, 
are  first  checked  in  their  course  by  the  same  heights,  of 


from  the  Mersey  at  Runcorn  to  Manchester.  The  Grand  Trunk  canal 
branches  off  from  it  at  Preston  Brook,  and  extends  to  tire  Trent,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Derwent  in  Derbyshire.  The  Staffordshire  and  Worces- 
tershire canal  leaves  the  Grand  Trunk  at  Hey  wood,  east  of  the  town  of 
Stafford,  and  passes  by  Wolverhampton,  to  the  Severn  at  Stour- 
port.  The  Coventry  canal  leaves  the  Grand  Trunk  near  Lichfield, 
and  extends  to  Coventry.  Four  miles  north  of  Coventry,  the  Oxford 
canal  branches  off  to  the  east,  and  extends  to  the  Thames  at  Oxford. 
The  Grand  Junction  branches  off  from  the  Oxford  canal  at  Braunston, 
and  extends  to  London. — P. 

s The  main  body  of  the  county  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  West- 
moreland. The  detached  district  of  Furness,  on  the  south  by  the  sea 
on  the  west  by  Cumberland,  and  on  the  north  and  east  by  Westmore 
land. — P. 


[BOOK  ClilV 


n 


532 


EUROPE. 


which  the  western  side  is  exposed  to  frequent  and  heavy 
showers.  The  soil  offers  few  attractions  to  the  husband- 
man ; it  is  in  many  places  unfruitful,  and  even  in  the 
fruitful  parts,  the  crops  are  frequently  destroyed  by 
incessant  rain.  The  detached  portion,  or  the  Hundred 
of  Furness,  as  it  is  called,®  abounds  in  iron,  but  it  is  a 
wild  and  bleak  district,  covered  with  underwood,  of 
which  the  cuttings  are  only  useful  in  supplying  the 
numerous  furnaces  that  have  been  erected.  Connistone 
Meer,b  a lake  in  the  same  part  of  the  county,  occupies 
no  inconsiderable  space,  for  it  is  more  than  seven  miles 
in  length.  The  most  fertile  part  is  situated  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  sea,  and  near  the  ancient  abbey 
of  Furness ; but  even  there,  the  land,  which  is  only 
moderately  fruitful,  is  protected  against  the  boisterous 
waves  of  the  Irish  Sea,  by  the  long  and  narrow  isle  of 
Walney,  in  all  probability,  once  a part  of  the  coast.  The 
main  part  of  the  county  is  naturally  divided  into  two 
unequal  portions  ; the  smaller  extends  from  the  West- 
moreland border  to  the  Ribble,  while  the  larger  includes 
the  country  between  the  last  river  and  the  Mersey.  The 
former  has  been  long  known  to  agriculturists  on  account 
of  its  oxen,  which  are  not  inferior  in  symmetry  to  any 
in  England.  The  Fild  or  Field,®  a low  tract  between 
Garstang  and  Preston,  is  not  unfruitful,  but  the  remain- 
ing or  eastern  portion,  in  which  the  ancient  forests  of 
Wiersdale  and  Rowland  are  situated,  is  mountainous  and 
barren.  The  southern  part  of  the  country  between  the 
Ribble  and  the  Mersey,  although  neither  sterile  nor 
broken  by  hills,  is  disfigured  in  many  places  by  large 
morasses.  They  seem  to  have  originated  from  the 
stagnation  of  springs  in  low  grounds,  where  a perpetual 
accumulation  of  vegetables,  successively  growing  and 
decaying,  produces  a spongy  soil,  of  which  the  upper  part 
forms  a shaking  bog,  while  the  lower  consists  of  a black 
moss,  affording  turf  or  peat  for  fuel.  These  moving 
marshes  are  liable  to  disruptions  after  heavy  rains,  and 
on  these  occasions  the  neighbouring  country  is  inundated 
or  laid  waste  by  their  debris.  Some  of  the  bogs  are 
very  large  ; others,  not  without  much  labour  and  great 
expense,  have  been  drained  and  rendered  productive. 
The  fruitful  tracts  are  well  adapted  for  the  growth  of 
potatoes,  many  of  which,  it  is  well  known,  have  been 
exported  to  Ireland.  But  the  nature  of  the  soil,  and 
the  wetness  of  the  climate,  must  prevent  Lancashire 
from  ever  being  a corn  country  ; oats  is  the  most  com- 
mon grain  ; the  rest  are  insufficient  for  two  months  con- 
sumption of  the  inhabitants.  What  then  are  the  causes 
of  the  prosperity  of  Lancashire,  of  its  commercial  great- 
ness, and  of  a population  in  which,  according  to  the  last 
returns,  the  ratio  to  the  surface  is  more  than  six  hundred 
and  twenty  persons  to  the  square  mile  ?d  It  is  certain 
that  if  it  had  been  destitute  of  coal,  and  if  numerous 
rivers  had  not  afforded  many  facilities  to  inland  naviga- 
tion, it  might  still  have  been  what  it  was  in  past  times, 
poor  and  thinly  peopled.  Inexhaustible  beds  of  coal,  it 
has  been  already  seen,  are  wrought  in  the  southern 
and  central  districts,  particularly  in  the  two  southern 

a Furness  is  not  a hundred  of  itself,  but  part  of  the  hundred  of 
Lonsdale. — P. 

b Coniston-mere  or  Coniston  Water.- — P. 

c Fylde  or  Field.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

J Rickman’s  Population  Returns  of  1831. 

0 AVest  Derby. 

1 In  Furness,  west  of  Winander  Mere. — P. 


hundreds  of  Derby®  and  Salford,  which  traverse  the  whole 
breadth  of  the  county.  Products  of  industry,  almost  as 
varied  as  they  are  numerous,  and  every  mechanical 
contrivance  by  which  labour  can  be  abridged,  owe  their 
origin  to  the  abundance  of  so  valuable  an  article  over  so 
extensive  a tract.  The  other  minerals  are  of  secondary 
importance  in  comparison  of  coal,  but  limestone  is  ob- 
tained in  great  quantities  in  the  northern  and  north- 
eastern districts,  and  one  sort  of  it,  dug  near  Manchester 
and  also  near  Leigh,  has  been  found  to  resist  the  effects 
of  water,  and  is  therefore  much  used  in  subaqueous 
works.  A quarry  of  excellent  freestone  near  Lancaster 
has  afforded  the  materials  of  which  the  town  is  built,  and 
a more  extensive  quarry  near  Liverpool  has  furnished 
the  stone  for  its  public  edifices.  Flag-stones  and  whet- 
stones are  the  products  of  different  districts,  and  slate 
abounds  in  the  mountainous  tract  near  Hawkshead/ 

The  principal  rivers  are  the  Mersey,  which  rises  in 
Derbyshire,  receives  several  small  streams,  separates 
the  last  county  from  Cheshire, s and  falls  into  the  sea  at 
Liverpool.  The  Ribble  rises  in  Yorkshire,  crosses  the 
county,  and  discharges  itself  into  the  Irish  Sea  near 
Preston.  The  Wierh  has  its  source  in  the  moors  on  the 
north-eastern  border,  is  enlarged  by  several  small  streams, 
and  enters  the  same  sea  about  twelve  miles  to  the  north 
of  the  Ribble.  Lastly,  the  Lune  or  the  Loune,* 1 II  rising 
near  Kirkby-Lonsdale  in  Westmoreland, k waters  Lancas- 
ter and  falls  into  the  sea  at  no  great  distance  below  it. 
Thus  all  these  rivers  rise  from  the  mountainous  ridge 
which  has  been  called  the  Back-bone  of  England,  and 
all  of  them  form  estuaries  at  their  entrance  into  the  sea. 
But  by  means  of  the  system  of  inland  or  canal  naviga- 
tion, Lancashire  communicates  with  all  the  neighbouring 
counties,  with  numerous  rivers,  with  the  western  and 
eastern  seas,  with  Liverpool  and  Hull,  with  the  Severn 
and  the  Thames. 

Lancaster,  the  capital  of  the  county  of  w’hich  it  bears 
the  name,  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Lune  ; it  con- 
tains a population  of  more  than  12,000  individuals;  it 
reckons  85  vessels  measuring  9111  tons,  but  the  shal- 
lows in  the  river  below  Lancaster  prevent  the  larger 
vessels  from  reaching  the  town  ; they  anchor  at  the 
mouth,  and  are  unloaded  by  means  of  lighters.  The 
same  place  has  been  long  celebrated  for  its  manufacture 
of  sail-cloth,  merchant  vessels  are  budt  in  its  docks,  and 
other  branches  of  industry  are  cultivated,  but  the  prin- 
cipal trade  is  carried  on  with  the  British  colonies  of 
North  America.  A long  quay  has  been  built  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  river  for  the  accommodation  of  ships ; the 
suburbs  rise  on  the  opposite  bank,  and  communicate  with 
the  town  by  a bridge  of  four  arches. 

Numerous  antiquities  dug  up  in  the  neighbourhood  at 
different  periods,  prove  that  Lancaster  had  been  a station 
of  some  consequence  in  the  time  of  the  Romans.  It  was 
not,  however,  before  it  was  made  over  by  Edward  the 
Third,  with  ducal  privileges,  to  John  of  Gaunt,  that  it  be- 
gan to  assume  the  importance  which  it  has  since  retained. 
The  castle,  which  is  generally  believed  to  have  been 

s It  first  separates  Derbyshire  from  the  north-eastern  horn  of 
Cheshire,  then  crossing  the  latter,  divides  Cheshire  from  Lancashire, 
for  nearly  (iO  miles. — P. 

h AVyre. 

I Lune,  Loyne,  or  Lone. 

II  It  rises  in  the  fells  in  the  middle  of  AA'estmoreland.  near  Orton,  and 
passes  S.  to  Kirkby-Lonsdale,  near  the  southern  line  of  that  county  — P 


book  cbiy.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

erected  about  the  same  period,  added  to  its  military 
strength  during  the  wars  between  the  Roses  ; but  these 
disastrous  convulsions  had  the  effect  of  desolating  the 
town,  which  is  said  to  have  been  inhabited  many  years 
afterwards  by  a few  poor  husbandmen.  The  castle,  too, 
was  laid  in  ruins,  and  it  is  merely  from  the  walls,  which 
are  still  mostly  entire,  that  any  notion  can  be  formed  of 
its  strength  and  extent.  The  principal  entrance  by  the 
eastern  gate,  under  a fortified  tower,  conducts  into  a 
spacious  court-yard,  surrounded  by  other  strong  towers. 
The  keep,  a square  building,  containing  several  large 
apartments,  and  formerly  defended  by  strong  military 
works,  is  now  converted  into  the  county  gaol  and  court- 
house of  the  assizes. a 

Preston,  nearly  twenty  miles  to  the  south  of  Lancas- 
ter, has  long  been  considered  one  of  the  best  built  towns 
in  the  county  ; situated  in  a fruitful  district,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Ribble  and  the  Lancaster  canal,  at  a short  dis- 
tance from  the  sea,  and  at  the  junction  of  six  important 
roads,  it  derives  many  commercial  advantages  from  its 
position.  The  inhabitants  are  employed  in  different 
branches  of  industry,  principally  in  weaving  and  spin- 
ning cotton  ; no  small  number,  however,  are  occupied 
in  the  silk  manufactories,  and  the  town  has  long  been 
distinguished  for  the  excellence  of  its  weaving  machinery. 
An  imperfect  notion  may  be  formed  of  the  varied  com- 
mercial relations  of  Lancashire,  from  the  immense  num- 
oer  of  public  coaches,  carriages  and  stage  waggons  that 
are  continually  travelling  to  and  from  Preston.  Although 
the  trade  of  the  same  place  dates  from  a comparatively 
recent  period,  it  is  by  no  means  a modern  town  ; on  the 
contrary,  it  appears  to  have  risen  while  Ribchester,  the 
ruins  of  which  are  at  no  great  distance,  fell  into  decay, 
and  it  was  inhabited  during  the  dark  ages  by  so  many 
monks  and  ecclesiastics,  that  it  received  the  name  of 
Priests’-town,  which  has  been  gradually  changed  into 
Preston. 

The  Ribble,  which  waters  Preston,  and  the  Mersey, 
at  the  mouth  of  which  Liverpool  is  built,  are  separated 
by  a considerable  tract  of  coast,  and  no  port  of  any  con- 
sequence is  situated  between  them.  It  is  a remarkable 
fact  that  there  is  no  important  town  in  England,  of  which 
the  early  history  is  more  involved  than  that  of  Liver- 
pool. The  numerous  conjectures  that  have  been  made 
concerning  the  etymology  of  its  name,  indicate  bow  little 
is  known  on  the  subject.  In  the  reign  of  Henry  the 
Eighth,  Liverpool  was  “ a chapelry  or  hamlet  to  the 
parish  of  Walton.  The  king,”  continues  the  same  au- 
thor, “ hath  a castlet  there,  and  the  erle  of  Derbe  hath 
a stone  house  there.  Irish  merchants  come  much  thither 
as  to  a good  haven.  Good  merchandise  at  Lyrpool,  and 
much  Irish  yarn  that  Manchester  men  do  bye  there. 
Little  custom  is  paid,  that  causeth  merchants  to  resort. ”b 
The  inhabitants  petitioned  Queen  Elizabeth  to  exempt 
them  from  certain  impositions,  and  used  the  humble  title 
of  “ her  majesty’s  decayed  town  of  Liverpool.”  It  is 
known  from  the  rates  of  ship  money  that  was  levied  by 
Charles  the  First,  that  it  then  held  a secondary  rank 
among  the  commercial  towns  of  England.  Thus,  Ches- 
ter is  rated  at  £26;  Bristol  at  £1000;  and  Liver- 
pool at  £25.  It  is  equally  certain  that  the  first 
parochial  church  was  built  in  the  reign  of  William  tne 

— „ ) 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  533 

Third.  Some  notion  of  its  progressive  population  mav 
be  inferred  from  the  following  table  : — 

Years  1700.  1750.  1780.  1800.  1820. 

Baptisms.  Burials.  Bap.  Bur.  Bap.  Bur.  Bap.  Bur.  Bap.  Bui. 

162  117  824  1031  3579  1486  2905  2782  4540  2944 

The  next  table  indicates  the  progress  of  its  commerce: — 

Years  17G0.  1770.  1780.  1790.  1800.  1810. 

Ships  (number)  1245  2073  2271  4223  4746  6729 

Customs  (duty)  £2330  4143  3528  10,037  23,379  65,782 

The  disadvantages  of  its  position  are  a dangerous  bay 

at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  it  was  necessary  to 
overcome  many  natural  obstacles.  But  it  is  also  situ- 
ated in  the  centre  of  the  western  coast,  thus  forming  the 
most  convenient  point  of  communication  with  the  east  of 
Ireland,  and  becoming,  with  the  extension  of  its  trade, 
the  mart  of  the  western  coasts  of  Scotland.  It  received 
from  Ireland  an  accession  of  useful  hands,  when  the 
laborious  and  peaceable  inhabitants  left  their  native  land, 
from  which  industry  was  banished,  and  where  the  effects 
of  a policy  as  unwise  as  it  was  unjust,  are  but  too  ap- 
parent at  the  present  day.  It  was  after  these  men  had 
settled  in  Liverpool,  that  the  circle  of  its  commerce  was 
enlarged ; it  competed  with  Lancaster  and  Chester, 
which  from  their  vicinity  were  the  first  to  yield,  and  the 
wealthy  merchants  of  these  places  removed  to  the  rising 
town.c  The  contest  between  Liverpool  and  Bristol  was 
of  longer  duration.  These  great  ports  on  the  western 
coast  are  the  depositaries  of  imports,  which  are  diffused 
over  different  parts  of  England,  and  the  exports  by 
which  these  imports  are  obtained,  are  the  products  of 
neighbouring  towns  and  districts.  The  extent  of  coun- 
try through  which  their  home  trade  circulates,  corre- 
sponds with  their  means  of  communication ; in  other 
words,  the  exports  that  are  more  easily  conveyed  to 
Bristol,  are  not  sent  to  Liverpool,  neither  does  the 
former  place  receive  such  as  are  transported  at  a less 
expense  to  the  latter.  Having  obtained  a share  of  the 
home  trade,  proportionate  to  their  local  advantages,  and 
to  the  roads  and  canals,  which  have  been  since  multi- 
plied in  every  direction,  the  inhabitants  of  Liverpool 
sought  wealth  from  the  same  channels  by  which  it 
flowed  to  Bristol,  and  so  extended  their  commerce  with 
foreign  countries.  Bristol  imported  the  manufactures 
of  Germany,  and  sent  them  out  to  the  American  colo- 
nists. The  merchants  of  Liverpool  found  as  good,  if 
not  better  manufactures,  in  their  own  country.  Ireland 
supplied  them  with  linen,  and  Scotland  with  different 
articles,  which  were  exported  to  the  same  settlers 
Much  about  the  same  time,  the  neighbouring  town  of 
Manchester  made  gigantic  strides  in  various  branches  of 
industry,  and  its  manufactures,  of  which  Liverpool  be- 
came the  natural  outlet,  were  found  to  be  cheaper,  and 
of  a better  quality,  than  any  others.  This  victory,  of 
which  Liverpool  still  reaps  the  fruits,  prepared  the  way 
for  new  contests.  The  privilege  of  importing  goods  into 
the  Spanish  colonies  having  been  conferred  on  a limited 
number  of  individuals,  they  exacted  a duty  equivalent 
to  four  times  the  amount  that  the  consumers  had  been 

a Lardner,  Id.  Ibid.  b Leland’s  Itinerary,  vol.  ii. 

c C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale,  volume  1st. 

EUROPE. 


534 

accustomed  to  pay.  So  great  a hardship  gave  rise  to  a 
smuggling  trade  between  the  English  possessions  in  the 
West  Indies  and  Spanish  America,  and  this  fraudulent 
traffic  was  continued  by  means  of  Liverpool  vessels  with 
perseverance  and  success. 

The  slave  trade  was  not  the  least  lucrative  one  in 
which  the  merchants  of  Bristol  were  engaged,  and  their 
rivals  sought  wealth  from  the  same  source.  The  differ- 
ent articles  exported  to  the  South  American  colonies 
were  rendered  so  many  monopolies  by  the  Spanish  cab- 
inet, and  although  the  trade  in  slaves  was  committed  to 
a company,  the  profits  arising  from  it  served  to  enrich 
Liverpool  smugglers,  who  engaged  in  the  traffic  of  hu- 
man beings  with  as  much  indifference  as  in  any  ordinary 
branch  of  commerce,  and  it  is  undeniable  that  the  re- 
sources of  the  town  were  increased  by  immense  capitals, 
which  were  in  this  way  accumulated. 

It  may  be  easily  inferred  that  the  war  of  independence 
with  the  British  colonies  in  North  America,  retarded  the 
prosperity  of  Liverpool,  but  no  sooner  was  that  war  ter- 
minated, than  the  same  port  became  the  European  em- 
porium of  the  United  States,  and  the  trade  thus  begun, 
has  since  corresponded  with  the  increasing  importance, 
population  and  wealth  of  the  American  republic.  Eng- 
land obtained  the  monopoly  of  the  Brazil  trade,  in  terms 
of  the  Portugal  treaty,  and  that  vast  territory  became  a 
new  outlet  to  the  exports  of  Liverpool. 

If  these  facts  be  considered,  the  following  statement 
cannot  excite  surprise : — Liverpool  possessed  about  a 
century  ago  only  a two  and  fortieth  part  of  the  trade  of 
England  ; it  now  possesses  a sixth.  Thus,  it  has 
increased  in  a ratio  seven  times  greater  than  that  of  a 
nation,  whose  advances  in  commerce  and  industry  are 
unparalleled  in  Europe. a It  is  obvious  that  the  flour- 
ishing state  of  the  port  is  intimately  connected  with  the 
prosperity  of  other  towns,  to  which  its  admirable  com- 
munications extend  ; it  accounts  for  the  rise  of  Man- 
chester, Birmingham  and  other  places,  in  as  much  as 
they  are  in  some  respects  the  workshops  of  Liverpool. 

Some  of  the  public  buildings  in  the  same  place  may 
he  briefly  mentioned.  The  exchange  may  bear  a com- 
parison with  the  finest  structures  which  the  mercantile 
inhabitants  of  any  city  have  erected  from  their  own  re- 
sources. The  area  which  it  occupies,  is  twice  as  great 
as  that  of  the  Royal  Exchange  in  London.  The  portico 
of  the  principal  entrance  is  formed  by  eight  double 
Corinthian  columns,  each  equal  to  twenty-five  feet  in 
height,  and  each  cut  from  a solid  mass  of  stone.  The 
inner  fronts  on  the  east  and  west,  are  composed  of  a 
rustic  basement,  supporting  pilasters  and  Corinthian 
columns  that  are  surmounted  by  a balustrade.  The 
northern  front  corresponds  with  the  opposite  one  of  the 
town-hall,  which  completes  the  quadrangle  formed  by 
the  two  structures.  Within  the  space  thus  enclosed, 
three  piazzas  fifteen  feet  wide,  communicate  with  apart- 
ments for  the  underwriters,  with  counting-houses,  and 
with  extensive  ware-rooms. 

The  town-hall  exhibits  an  extensive  line  of  pilasters 
and  columns  alternating  with  windows,  and  the  capitals 
of  the  columns  are  divided  by  basso-relievos  emblemat- 
ical of  commerce.  A dome,  lighted  by  large  lateral 
windows,  and  like  the  Pantheon  at  Paris,  surrounded  bv 

* C.  Dupin,  Force  Coinmerciale  de  la  Grande  Bretagne,  vol.  i. 

6 C.  Dupin,  Force  Commercials,  vol.  ii 


[BOOK  C'LIY 

a colonnade  of  the  Corinthian  order,  rises  from  the  cen- 
tre of  the  building,  and  is  crowned  by  a female  statue, 
holding  a spear  on  which  the  cap  of  liberty  is  attached  ; 
this  statue  represents  Britannia. b 

Institutions  of  merited  celebrity  prove  that  the  varied 
occupations  of  commerce  are  by  no  means  incompatible 
with  higher  pursuits.  The  Royal  Institution  of  Liver- 
pool resembles  the  Royal  Institution  of  London,  and 
both  are  founded  on  the  model  of  the  ancient  Lyceum 
in  Paris.  The  one  in  Liverpool  was  formed  by  a num- 
ber of  subscribers,  and  professors  were  appointed  to  de- 
liver lectures  on  different  subjects.  It  is,  besides,  the 
object  of  the  institution  to  encourage  similar  societies 
and  to  render  assistance  to  undertakings  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  sciences  and  arts.  It  was  opened  in  1817, 
and  an  excellent  discourse,  giving  a view  of  the  objects 
of  its  founders,  was  delivered  by  Mr.  Roscoe,  the  en- 
lightened historian  of  the  Medici  and  Leo  the  Tenth. 
It  might  be  difficult  to  estimate  such  institutions  too 
highly  by  judging  of  the  future  from  the  past,  by  reflect- 
ing that  since  the  sciences  have  been  made  to  minister 
to  the  arts,  the  sphere  of  commerce  has  been  enlarged, 
while  the  products  of  industry  have  been  so  much  mul- 
tiplied and  improved  that  articles  which  princes  could 
not  formerly  command,  are  now  deemed  essential  to  the 
comforts  of  the  lower  orders. 

The  Liverpool  Atheneum  is  the  oldest  institution  of 
the  kind  in  England ; the  library  consists  of  more  than 
20,000  volumes ; wise  regulations  are  enforced,  and 
every  convenience  is  afforded  to  the  studious. 

The  Lyceum  is  formed  by  two  classes  of  subscribers, 
the  one  to  the  room  for  newspapers,  and  the  other  to 
the  library.  A remarkable  fact  relative  to  this  institu- 
tion is  mentioned  by  M.  Dupin.  In  1807  the  news- 
room had  800  subscribers,  and  the  library  893.  This 
is  worthy  of  notice  in  a country  where  the  passion  for 
news  is,  if  possible,  greater  than  in  France. 

The  benevolent  institutions  are  not  unworthy  of  the 
town.  More  than  fifteen  hundred  persons  are  received 
into  the  public  infirmary  in  the  course  of  a year.  The 
wants  of  the  indigent  mariners  that  frequent  the  port  are 
relieved  by  the  Seamen’s  Hospital,  of  which  the  princi- 
pal resources  are  derived  from  the  monthly  tax  of  six- 
pence, that  every  seaman  who  sails  from  Liverpool  is 
obliged  to  contribute  out  of  his  pay.  A hundred  and 
seventy  boys  and  sixty-six  girls  are  boarded,  clothed  and 
educated  at  the  Blue  Coat  School.®  It  was  at  the 
school  of  industry*1  in  Liverpool,  the  earliest  institution 
of  the  sort  in  England,  that  an  asylum  was  first  opened 
to  the  blind.  Lastly,  the  simple  mode  of  tuition  adopted 
in  the  schools  of  Bell  and  Lancaster  has  been  introduced 
with  great  success,  and  in  one  large  building  more  than 
a thousand  children  are  instructed. 

But  the  most  striking  features  of  the  town,  and  its 
most  important  works,  are  yet  to  be  described.  The 
provisions  that  have  been  made  for  the  different  ships 
that  frequent  the  port,  may  bear  a comparison  with  the 
first  in  Europe.  Some  notion  may  be  formed  of  them 
from  their  dimensions,  which  shall  be  briefly  stated. 
The  old  dock  at  the  east  end  of  the  custom-house  was 
constructed  in  1710;  it  is  195  yards  long,  and  92  wide 
at  the  broadest  part.  The  quay  of  the  dry  docks  is  360 

c Blue-Coat  Hospital. 

d The  School  of  Industry  for  the  Indigent  Blind- 


BOOK  CLIV.l 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


535 


yards  in  length,  and  they  communicate  with  the  graving 
docks,  in  which  vessels  are  repaired.  The  quay  of 
Salthouse  dock,  the  second  that  was  constructed,  is  640 
yards  long.  George’s  dock  is  246  yards  in  length,  and 
100  in  breadth,  and  its  quays,  which  extend  to  the  dis- 
tance of  700  yards,  are  lined  with  storehouses.  A com- 
munication leads  from  it  to  the  graving  docks,  so  that 
vessels  can  pass  from  the  one  to  the  other  without  enter- 
ing the  river.  The  King’s  dock,  which  is  set  apart  for 
all  vessels  from  America,  the  East  Indies  and  the  Baltic, 
is  270  yards  long  and  95  broad.  The  Prince’s  dock  is 
also  one  of  the  largest,  and  its  locks  are  so  constructed 
as  to  let  vessels  in  and  out  at  half  tide.  The  gates  of 
the  docks  are  42  feet  wide  and  26  deep,  and  they  are 
each  of  them  provided  with  a cast-iron  bridge.  Besides 
these,  the  Duke  of  Bridgewater  has  a small  dock  for  the 
vessels  that  frequent  his  canals  ; and  the  length  of  the 
quays  which  bound  all  these  docks  is  greater  than  in 
any  other  town  in  Europe,  and  consequently  on  the 
globe.  The  management  of  the  revenues  derived  from 
these  works  is  vested  in  the  corporation,  but  their  ac- 
counts are  annually  examined  by  seven  commissioners. 

The  manufactures  of  Liverpool  are  of  secondary  im- 
portance, still  it  possesses  extensive  works  for  making 
ropes  and  sail-cloth,  numerous  iron  founderies,  large 
buildings  in  which  sugar  is  refined,  and  potteries  that 
furnish  employment  to  many  of  the  poorer  inhabitants. 

Manchester,  situated  in  the  south-eastern  angle  of 
Lancashire,  has  become  the  great  centre  of  the  cotton 
trade,  the  greatest  manufacturing  town  in  the  kingdom, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  the  capital,  equal  to  any 
other  in  the  number,  industry  and  wealth  of  its  inhabit- 
ants. It  is  besides  a very  ancient  town,  and  its  early 
history  has  afforded  a subject  of  research  to  a learned 
and  laborious,  although  not  very  impartial  antiquary.® 
It  has  been  maintained  that  it  was  founded  by  an  ancient 
British  tribe,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  Mancenion.  It 
became  a Roman  station  in  the  time  of  Agricola,  and 
many  remains  of  the  ancient  Mancunium  have  been  dis- 
covered since  the  seventeenth  century.  It  is  mentioned 
as  a manufacturing  town  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the 
Sixth,  and  in  the  year  1560  its  trade  is  said  to  have 
afforded  employment  to  men,  women  and  children. 
Salford  bears  to  Manchester  the  same  relation  that 
Southwark  does  to  London  ; and  in  1757,  nearly  a cen- 
tury after  the  period  that  has  been  last  mentioned, b 
Manchester  and  Salford  contained  19,800  inhabitants  ; 
in  1773,42,900;  in  1782,50,000;  in  1791,70,000; 
and  in  1811,  104,000.  But  with  the  extension  of  the 
town  different  villages  have  been  united  to  it,  and  the 
population  of  Manchester  and  its  suburbs  amounted  in 
1821  to  nearly  200,000  persons.  Thus  within  a period 
of  sixty-four  years  the  number  of  inhabitants  has  in- 
creased in  a greater  ratio  than  one  to  nine. 

To  account  for  its  rapid  and  extraordinary  rise,  much 
must  be  attributed  to  the  advantages  of  its  position, 
which  have  only  been  developed  by  art  and  ingenuity 
within  a comparatively  recent  period,  and  in  proportion 
to  their  development  the  population  has  increased. 
Manchester  is  watered  by  a navigable  river;'  it  is  sur- 


a John  Whitaker,  in  his  History  of  Manchester  ? — P. 
b More  than  two  centuries. — P. 
c The  Irwell,  a branch  of  the  Mersey. — P. 

a Spun  ? — The  machine  at  first,  contained  8 spindles,  but  by  niodify- 


rounded  by  immense  fields  of  coat ; and  lastly,  it  is  situ- 
ated near  the  centre  of  the  kingdom,  and  numerous 
communications  have  been  facilitated  by  the  nature  of 
the  country.  Thus  it  lies  in  the  line  of  inland  naviga- 
tion, which  extends  from  the  western  to  the  eastern  sea, 
and  it  is  equally  open  on  the  north  and  south  by  the  nu- 
merous branches  of  the  Great  Trunk.  The  Irwell  and 
the  Mersey  afford  an  easy  access  to  Liverpool  ; it  has 
three  distinct  lines  of  navigation  through  Yorkshire,  and 
it  communicates  in  the  same  manner  with  Nottingham, 
Birmingham  and  Bristol. 

No  article  appears  to  have  been  made  of  cotton  in 
Great  Britain  before  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury ; even  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth,  cotton, 
as  an  article  of  commerce,  was  little  used  in  the  country, 
and  the  value  of  the  manufacture  was  estimated  at  less 
than  £200,000.  It  now  affords  employment  to  more 
hands  than  any  other  manufacture,  and  it  has  become 
the  most  important  of  British  exports.  Europe  is  thus 
made  tributary  to  England  ; the  western  world  is  sup- 
plied with  the  same  articles  from  the  same  country,  and 
the  cottons  of  Manchester  find  a ready  market  in  Africa 
and  in  Asia.  But  before  the  trade  was  so  much  ex- 
tended, before  the  manufactures  were  so  greatly  multi- 
plied and  so  much  improved,  ingenuity  was  exerted,  and 
difficulties  were  overcome.  Cotton  yarn  was  first  spun 
on  the  one-thread  wheel,  and  the  quantity  obtained  by 
this  method  was  not  only  very  small,  but  of  a coarse  and 
irregular  texture.  The  spinning  jenny  by  which  thirty 
or  forty  threads  can  be  wovend  at  once,  was  at  last  in- 
vented by  Ilargreave,®  and  it  was  next  discovered  that 
two  or  three  threads  thus  woven,  might  be  substituted 
for  the  warp,  which  until  then  had  been  made  of  linen. 
The  admirable  invention  of  Hargreave  was  brought  to 
perfection  by  the  celebrated  Arkwright,  who  in  the  year 
1775,  took  out  a patent  for  machinery  by  which  any 
number  of  spindles  could  be  worked,  and  a single  thread 
made  sufficiently  strong  and  fine  for  the  warp.  The 
two  distinguished  individuals,  who  have  been  mentioned, 
are  deservedly  considered  the  benefactors  of  their  coun- 
try ; they  have  laid  open  new  sources  of  wealth,  cre- 
ated new  elements  of  productive  power,  and  diffused 
increased  comfort  over  every  class  of  the  community. 
It  has  been  seen  that  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  the  cotton  manufactures  were  estimated  at  less 
than  £200,000,  but  not  many  years  after  the  date  of  these 
inventions,  their  annual  value  exceeded  £7,000,000 
The  various  branches  of  these  manufactures,  so  diver 
sified  in  their  forms  and  uses,  and  which  have  given 
rise  to  so  extensive  a system  of  machinery,  centre  in 
Manchester,  and  extend  around  it  in  all  directions  to 
Carlisle  and  Derby  on  the  north  and  south,  and  to  Leeds 
and  Liverpool  on  the  east  and  west.  Manchester  is 
besides  the  depot  from  which  the  raw  material  is  dis- 
tributed over  the  district,  and  in  which  all  the  scattered 
manufactures  are  again  collected  to  be  again  diffused 
over  a wider  circle,  reaching  to  Liverpool,  Hull  and 
London,  whence  they  are  exported  to  every  quarter  of 
the  globe. 

The  various  means  of  instruction,  which  Manchester 


ing  its  construction,  a single  person  was  enabled  to  work  40  spin 
dies. — P. 

e Richard  Hargreaves,  of  Blackburn.  He  invented  the  Spinning 
Jenny  in  ]7(S7.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


536 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV 


possesses,  have  greatly  contributed  to  its  manufacturing 
spirit ; the  children  of  the  poorest  inhabitants  receive 
an  elementary  education,  and  mechanics’  institutions  are 
open  to  the  workmen.  The  modern  history  of  Man- 
chester affords  abundant  proofs  that  the  culture  of  the 
sciences,  and  the  theory  of  the  useful  arts,  are  essential 
to  the  practice  and  perfection  of  the  latter.  The  Lite- 
rary and  Philosophical  Society  of  the  same  place,  insti- 
tuted in  1781,  has  been  raised  to  its  present  eminence 
by  the  labours  of  Henry,  Dalton  and  others,  who  rank 
with  the  philosophers  of  their  age. 

The  town  is  watered  by  the  Ashton,  Bolton,  Man- 
chester and  Bridgewater  canals,®  and  by  the  Irwell  and 
two  of  its  feeders,  the  Irk  and  the  Medlock.  The  sub- 
urb of  Salford  communicates  with  Manchester  by  three 
bridges, b while  six  have  been  erected  over  the  Irk,  and 
nine  over  the  Medlock,  so  that  there  is  an  easy  access 
to  every  part  of  the  town.  Fine  buildings  and  spacious 
squares  mark  the  additions  that  have  been  made  of  late 
years,  but  in  too  many  places  it  is  distinguished  by 
densely  peopled  streets  and  lanes,  built  apparently 
without  regularity.  It  has  been  remarked  in  the  account 
of  Leeds,  that  it  is  not  yet  represented  ; in  that  respect 
it  resembles  Manchester,  but  it  is  not  imagined  that  a 
long  period  can  elapse  before  the  elective  franchise  is 
extended  to  these  important  towns. 

It  is  not  many  years  since  the  numerous  communi- 
cations between  Liverpool  and  Manchester  were  found 
inadequate  to  the  conveyance  of  goods  from  the  one 
place  to  the  other.  It  was  then  known  that  the  average 
quantity  of  goods  thus  transported,  exceeded  daily  a 
thousand  tons,  and  that  in  dry  summers,  the  supply  of 
water  being  diminished,  the  barges  were  not  loaded  with 
their  usual  freights,  while  in  winter  the  navigation  of  the 
canals  was  sometimes  retarded  or  interrupted  by  frost. 
The  delay  thus  occasioned  led  to  a very  important  re- 
sult, or  rather,  to  one  of  the  greatest  inventions  of  the 
age,  the  successful  application  of  steam  to  carriages. 
But  the  projectors  of  this  great  work  had  to  encounter 
many  difficulties  even  at  the  outset ; the  bill  for  the 
Liverpool  and  Manchester  rail-road  was  lost  in  one  ses- 
sion, nor  was  it  carried  afterwards  without  much  oppo- 
sition, nor  without  incurring  an  expense  of  £70,000  in 
parliamentary  proceedings.  The  most  persevering  op- 
ponents were  those,  whose  influence  and  exalted  station 
might  have  led  them  to  support  every  great  work,  and 
to  encourage  every  useful  undertaking. 

The  Liverpool  extremity  of  the  railway  terminates  in 
a tunnel  near  the  northern  end  of  the  Queen’s  Dock. 
The  excavation,  about  twenty-two  feet  deep  and  forty- 
five  wide,*  affords  space  to  four  lines  of  rails,  and  be- 
tween them  are  lofty  cast-iron  pillars  that  support  an 
extensive  range  of  warehouses.  The  warehouse  keepers 
receive  or  deliver  the  finer  goods  through  hatchways  in 

1 The  canals  centering  in  Manchester, are:  l.the  Duke  of  Bridgewater’s 
canal — two  branches;  one  towards  Liverpool,  entering  the  Mersey  at 
Runcorn ; the  other  (Worsley  canal,)  to  the  Worsley  coal  mines,  con- 
tinued by  Leigh  to  the  Leeds  and  Liverpool  canal  at  Wigan,  forming 
the  Leigh  and  Manchester  canal:  2.  the  Rochdale  canal,  extending 
by  Rochdale  to  the  Calder  at.  Halifax  : 3.  the  Ashton  and  Oldham 
canal,  passing  by  Ashton  under  Line,  and  terminating  at  Ducken- 
ficld,  in  the  Huddersfield  canal;  it  sends  out  a branch  to  Stockport, 
and  another  (j  mile  in  length)  to  the  Peak  Forest  canal : 4.  the  Bolton 
and  Bury  canal— two  branches,  one  to  each  of  those  towns.— P. 

b Over  the  Irwell,  on  the  north-west  of  which  Salford  is  situated.— P. 


the  floors,  and  the  waggons  are  propelled  to  the  very 
spots  beneath  the  hatchways,  by  means  of  turning  rails 
communicating  with  the  main  lines,  and  attached  to 
moveable  wooden  circles.  Beyond  this  area  or  court, 
the  breadth  of  the  tunnel  is  twenty-two  feet,  while  the 
height  of  the  arch  that  supports  it,  is  equal  to  sixteen, 
and  the  radius  to  eleven. d The  height  from  the  roof  of 
the  tunnel  upwards  to  the  surface  of  the  ground, varies  from 
fifteen  to  seventy  feet,  and  the  total  length  of  the  sub- 
terranean work  is  not  less  than  2240  yards.  Another 
tunnel,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  former,  is  of  smaller 
dimensions,  about  fifteen  feet  in  width,  twelve  in  height, 
and  290  yards  in  length.  On  the  open  road  to  Manchester 
and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Wavertree,  the  railway  ex- 
tends along  deep  marl,e  and  beyond  it,  a ravine  seventy 
feet  in  depth,  has  been  cut  through  the  solid  rock  of 
Olive  Mount.  This  portion  of  the  work  is  not  the  least 
wonderful  ; the  perforation,  if  it  may  be  so  called,  is 
little  short  of  two  miles;  the  traveller  advances  on  a 
level  twenty  feet  in  width,  and  enclosed  on  both  sides 
by  stone  walls  that  rise  almost  perpendicularly  to  the 
great  height  that  has  been  already  mentioned.  The 
materials  dug  out  of  Olive  Mount,  have  served  to  con- 
struct an  embankment  about  fifty  feet  above  the  valley 
of  Roby.  A bridge  that  rises  above  the  Rainhill  level, 
and  crosses  it  at  an  angle  of  thirty-four  degrees,  forms 
part  of  the  turnpike  road  from  Liverpool  to  Manchester. 
The  line  is  carried  across  the  Sankey  valley  and  canal/ 
and  over  the  top  masts  of  the  barges,  by  a viaduct  of 
nine  arches,  each  fifty  feet  in  diameter.  Another  via- 
duct of  four  arches  conducts  the  railway  above  the  val- 
ley of  Newton,  and  a few  miles  beyond  it,  the  Kenyon 
excavation  commences,  from  which  more  than  700,000 
cubic  yards  of  sand  and  clay  have  been  removed  to  form 
the  neighbouring  embankments.  It  is  in  this  part  of  the 
work  that  the  Kenyon  and  Leigh  junction  rail-way  meets 
the  main  line,  and  by  this  means  Bolton  is  united  to 
Liverpool  and  Manchester.? 

The  Chat  Moss  part  of  the  work  is  not  inferior  to  any 
other,  and  cultivation  is  now  extending  over  this  hitherto 
dreary  waste,  of  which  the  surface  is  not  less  than  twelve 
square  miles.  These  green  spots  and  cultivated  fields 
have  appeared  within  the  last  two  years,  forming  a sort 
of  oasis  in  a surrounding  desert,  destined  ere  long  to  be- 
come productive,  and  to  afford  a striking  example  of  the 
combined  power  of  agricultural  and  mechanical  resources. 
The  railway  is  raised  above  the  Worsley  canal  by  a 
viaduct  of  two  arches  ; it  then  proceeds  through  Eccles 
and  a portion  of  Salford  under  six  bridges,  crosses  the 
Irwell  by  means  of  a handsome  stone  bridge,  and  is  car- 
ried over  twenty-two  brick  arches  to  Water  Street, 
Manchester,  a distance  of  thirty-one  miles  from  the 
Liverpool  station. 

It  is  a remarkable  fact  in  the  history  of  rail-way  com- 


c This  is  an  open  cutting  (at  the  entrance  of  the  great  tunnel.) 
above  which  the  company’s  warehouses  are  erected. — P. 

d The  tunnel  is  22  feet  wide  and  1C  feet  high,  the  sides  being  per- 
pendicular to  the  height  of  five  feet,  and  surmounted  by  a semicircular 
arch,  of  11  feet  radius. — P. 

e Through  a deep  marl  cutting. — P. 

1 The  Sankey  canal  extends  from  the  Mersey  below  Warrington,  to 
the  collieries  near  St.  Helens,  12.1  miles. — P. 

s The  Kenyon  and  Leigh  junction  joins  the  main  line  by  two 
branches,  leading  to  the  two  towns  respectively.  The  Kenyon  branch 
joins  the  Bolton  and  Leigh  railway,  and  thus  serves  to  connect 
Bolton  with  Liverpool  and  Manchester.— P. 


BOOR  CLIV.l 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN.  037 


munications,  that  the  first  experiment  on  a great  scale 
succeeded  beyond  the  most  sanguine  expectations.  It 
was  not  imagined  that  l'esistance  could  be  diminished  to 
so  great  a degree,  nor  consequently  that  the  engines 
could  proceed  at  so  great  a velocity,  and  for  the  same 
reasons  their  powers  of  traction  could  not  have  been 
anticipated.  It  is  unnecessary  to  add  that  they  afford 
advantages  until  then  unknown  for  the  conveyance  of 
goods,  and  that  they  have  changed  our  notions  of  dis- 
tances, for  if  distances  be  estimated  by  the  times  of  per- 
forming them,  Manchester  is  brought  as  near  to  Liver- 
pool, as  the  two  extremities  of  the  metropolis  are  to  each 
other.  Such  encouragement  has  been  thus  afforded  to 
similar  works,  that  surveys,  plans  and  sections  have  been 
already  made  for  rail-roads  from  Liverpool  to  Birming- 
ham and  onwards  to  London. a 

It  would  occupy  much  space  to  mention  all  the  other 
flourishing  towns  in  Lancashire,  but  some  of  them  are 
too  important  to  be  passed  over  in  silence.  Bolton, 
about  twelve  miles  to  the  north-west  of  Manchester,  has 
been  distinguished  by  the  addition  of  Le  Moor,b  from  its 
situation  in  a bleak  and  dreary  country.  It  contains 
more  than  twenty-five  thousand  inhabitants,  and  it  is 
believed  to  have  been  the  first  place  in  which  the  im- 
proved machinery  of  the  cotton  manufactories  was  intro- 
duced. The  town  has  rapidly  increased  in  wealth  and 
population,  and  its  muslins  and  various  products  of 
industry  supply  the  markets  of  Manchester.  Black- 
burn, not  more  than  eight  miles  to  the  east  of  Preston, 
has  become  one  of  the  great  marts  for  calicoes.  The 
first  calico  printers  in  the  county  reside  in  the  town  or 
the  neighbourhood,  and  every  department  of  this  useful 
and  curious  art  has  been  brought  to  a high  degree  of 
perfection. 

Cheshire,  or  the  county  of  Chester,  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Lancashire  and  part  of  Yorkshire,  on  the  east 
by  Staffordshire  and  Derbyshire,  on  the  south  by  Shrop- 
shire and  a detached  portion  of  Flintshire,  and  on  tbe 
west  by  Denbighshire,  Flintshire  and  the  river  Dee. 
One  of  the  hundreds,  however,  situated  between  the 
estuaries  of  the  Dee  and  the  Mersey,  is  bounded  at  its 
north-western  extremity  by  the  Irish  Sea.  Although 
the  form  of  the  county  may  be  compared  to  an  oval, 
two  horns  extend  to  the  west  and  east  on  the  northern 
side  : the  one  or  the  hundred  of  Wirral  has  been  already 
mentioned  ; the  other,  a portion  of  the  Macclesfield 
hundred,  stretches  between  Derbyshire  and  Yorkshire. 

The  former  inhabitants  of  Cheshire  appear  to  have 
lived  under  a separate  government  from  the  rest  of 
England.  Thus,  after  the  conquest  of  the  Danes  by 
Mfred  the  Great,  that  monarch  appointed  Etheldred, 
duke  or  governor  of  the  county,  and  it  is  well  known 
that  there  were  earls  of  Chester  in  the  time  of  king 
Canute.  William  continued  the  government  of  the 
earls  after  the  conquest,  made  it  a county  palatine,  and 
vested  Hugh  Lupus  with  sovereign  authority.  The 
earls  held  an  independent  council  or  parliament  and 
courts  of  law  in  which  treason  and  other  offences  against 
the  Sivordof  Chester  were  cognizable,  and  it  is  believed 
that  the  sword  of  Lupus  is  still  preserved  in  the  British 
museum.  Barons  were  created  by  Lupus  ; they  had 
their  separate  courts,  in  which  they  exercised  the  power 


11  Booth’s  Description  of  the  Manchester  and  Liverpool  Railway, 
von  m.— no.  59.  cs 


of  life  and  death  in  offences  not  connected  with  the 
earl’s  sword  or  the  royal  authority.  Some  alterations 
were  introduced  by  Henry  the  Third,  and  the  earldom 
wag  then  vested  in  the  king’s  eldest  son,  who  is  to  this 
day  earl  of  Chester.  But  Henry  the  Eighth  first  made 
Cheshire  subordinate  to  tbe  crown  ; as  it  is  still,  how- 
ever, a county  palatine,  the  privileges  which  it  formerly 
possessed  are  not  wholly  destroyed. 

The  area  is  equal  to  1052  square  miles,  or  673,280 
acres,  of  which  less  than  a third  part  are  arable.  The 
county  is  in  general  flat,  but  towards  the  eastern  borders 
some  considerable  elevations  form  a chain  with  the  Der 
byshire  and  Staffordshire  hills.  Another  ridge,  crossing 
the  county  from  north  to  south  on  the  western  side, 
commences  near  Frodsham,  extends  along  Delamere 
Forest,  and  terminates  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Malpas. 
The  extent  of  the  waste  lands  appears  the  more  extraor- 
dinary, as  there  are  few  or  no  heights  in  other  parts 
of  the  county.  It  is  watered  by  many  streams,  all  of 
which  find  a passage  to  the  Irish  Sea  by  the  Dee,  the 
Weaver  or  the  Mersey. 

The  brine  springs  form  a remarkable  feature  in  the 
physical  geography  of  Cheshire.  They  are  mostly  ob- 
served in  the  valleys,  which  the  Weaver  and  Wheelock 
water,  and  generally  at  no  great  distance  from  their 
banks.  The  springs  near  the  former  river  are  not 
strongly  impregnated  above  Nantwich,  but  at  that  place 
they  yield  a great  quantity  of  salt.  They  occur  at  irreg- 
ular intervals  between  Nantwich  and  Weverham,  a dis- 
tance which,  if  the  course  of  the  river  be  taken  into 
consideration,  is  nearly  equal  to  six  miles.  The  brine 
springs  on  the  Wheelock  extend  to  a greater  distance,  and 
are  scattered  over  the  tract  from  Lawton  on  the  confines 
of  the  county,  to  Middlewich,  where  the  river  falls  into 
the  Dane.  The  proportion  of  muriate  of  soda  in  some 
of  the  springs  has  been  found  equal  to  26.566.  It  is 
not  wonderful  that  the  brine  springs  were  known  to  the 
inhabitants  at  a very  early  period,  but  it  may  excite 
surprise  that  the  first  bed  of  fossil  or  rock-salt  was  dis- 
covered so  lately  as  the  year  1670.  The  miners  of 
Marbury,  while  they  were  searching  for  coal  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Northwich,  observed  a bed  of  rock- 
salt  thirty  yards  in  thickness,  and  resting  on  indurated 
clay.  The  same  substance,  it  was  ascertained  by  re- 
peated trials,  extended  to  the  distance  of  nearly  half  a 
mile  in  all  directions  from  the  place  where  it  was  first 
discovered.  In  1781,  the  proprietors  of  one  of  these 
mines  sunk  through  the  indurated  clay,  and  new  beds 
of  rock-salt  were  found  below  it.  But  the  strata  are 
not  confined  to  the  vicinity  of  Northwich  ; others  are 
worked  near  Lawton,  and  in  different  parts  of  the 
county.  Thus,  in  the  township  of  Wilton,  a circular 
excavation,  108  yards  in  diameter,  is  supported  by 
twenty-five  immense  pillars  of  rock-salt,  and  yields 
annually  about  156,000  tons.  It  has  been  already 
seen  that  the  south-eastern  portion  of  Cheshire  abounds 
in  coal;  the  other  mineral  substances  are  of  secondary 
importance,  but  it  may  be  remarked  that  lead,  cobalt 
and  copper  are  obtained  at  Alderley  Edge,  and  that  the 
last  metal  has  been  worked  on  the  Peckforton  hills. 

The  soil  is  very  various,  but  clay  and  sand  are  perhaps 
the  most  common,  and  according  as  one  or  other  of  them 


b Bolton  le  Moors,  or  Bolton  in  the  Moor. — P . 


538 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CliIV 


predominates,  they  form  sandy  or  clayey  loams.  The 
heaths  or  marsh  lands  are  extensive,  and  the  largest  tracts 
are  those  of  Macclesfield  or  Delamere  Forest,  Frodsham 
marsh  and  others  on  the  north-eastern  border.*  Great 
quantities  of  potatoes  are  raised  in  the  county,  and  a ready 
market  is  obtained  for  them  in  the  towns  of  Liverpool  and 
Manchester.  Every  branch  of  husbandry  connected  with 
the  dairy  is  well  understood,  and  not  fewer  than  11,500 
tons  of  cheese  are  annually  made  in  Cheshire,  and  of  these 
more  than  four  thousand  are  exported. 

Chester,  the  capital  of  the  county,  contains  more  than 
twenty  thousand  inhabitants,  and  it  reckons  sixty-two 
vessels,  measuring  more  than  4071  tons;  these  are  all 
that  belong  to  Chester,  at  a former  period,  one  of  the 
most  flourishing  ports  in  the  west  of  England,  the  mart 
of  the  Irish  linens  and  other  products  that  were  exchanged 
for  English  produce  ; it  is  almost  unnecessary  to  add  that 
the  trade  has  been  transferred  to  Liverpool.  The  town 
is  situated  on  an  eminence,  which  commands  an  extensive 
view  of  a romantic  country,  and  the  Dee  waters  its 
ancient  ramparts  on  the  south.  Castrum,  the  ancient 
name  of  Chester,  shows  that  it  was  once  a Roman  mili- 
tary station.  The  two  principal  streets  which  cross  each 
other  at  right  angles  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  on  which 
the  city  stands,  were  formerly  the  roads  that  commu- 
nicated with  the  ancient  camp.  These  streets  lead  to 
the  four  gates  of  the  city  ; they  were  cut  out  of  the  hill, 
which  is  composed  of  a soft  stone,  that  is  easily  worked. 
The  ground  floors  form  a range  of  shops,  and  an  open 
portico  or  piazza  above  them  is  surmounted  by  one  or 
two  stories.  The  story  on  the  level  of  the  portico,  forms 
the  ground  floor  on  the  back  part  of  the  houses.  The 
manner  in  which  the  streets  are  built,  maybe  uncommon, 
but  it  is  by  no  means  convenient ; the  shops  are  small 
and  narrow  ; the  porticos  low,  irregular  and  supported  by 
massive  columns.  The  preceding  remark  is  inapplica- 
ble to  the  suburbs,  which  are  not  only  larger  than  the 
town,  but  much  better  built. 

Chester  is  watered  by  two  canals  ; the  one  communi- 
cates with  Nantwich,  where  a branch  leads  to  Shropshire 
and  Montgomeryshire  ; the  other  passes  to  Liverpool, 
and  connects  the  Dee  with  the  Mersey. b The  making 
of  gloves  forms  the  principal  branch  of  industry,  but 
shot,  lead  and  white  lead  are  manufactured  on  a great 
scale.  In  the  shot  works  there  is  a tower  more  than  a 
hundred  feet  high,  and  the  melted  lead  is  let  fall  from  its 
summit  into  a receiver  filled  with  water  at  the  bottom. 

The  cathedral,  an  irregular  and  heavy  pile,  appears  as 
if  it  were  fallen  into  decay  from  the  mouldering  quality 
of  the  stone  with  which  it  is  built,  and  a considerable 
portion  of  the  original  structure,  now  in  the  state  of  a 

* Macclesfield  Forest  is  on  the  borders  of  Derbyshire,  near  the  town  of 
Macclesfield.  Delamere  Forest  is  in  the  western  part  of  the  county, 
on  the  ridge  of  hills  separating  the  valley  of  the  Dee  from  that  of  the 
Weaver.  Frodsham  is  situated  near  the  junction  of  the  Weaver  and 
Mersey.  A range  of  heathy  hills  runs  along  the  eastern  border  of  the 
county,  connected  with  those  of  Staffordshire  and  Derbyshire. — P. 

b These  canals  form  parts  of  a system  called  the  Ellesmere  and 
Chester  Canal.  It  commences  in  the  Mersey  at  Ellesmere  Port,  and 
crosses  the  Hundred  of  Wirral  to  Chester  (this  part  called  the  Wirral 
line  of  the  Ellesmere  canal ;)  thence  extends  to  Nantwich  (forming 
the  Chester  canal,)  whence  the  Birmingham  and  Liverpool  canal  ex- 
tends by  Wolverhampton  to  Birmingham  : the  Ellesmere  canal  leaves 
the  Chester  canal  at  Harleston,  two  miles  west  of  Nantwich,  and  pro- 
ceeds by  Ellesmere  to  Frankton,  where  it  divides  into  three  branches 
— one  south-east  to  Shrewsbury  (incomplete  on  the  Shrewsbury  side,) 
rme  north-west  to  Llandisilio  on  the  Dee,  in  Denbighshire,  and  one 
south-west  to  Llanymynech,  where  the  Montgomeryshire  canal  com- 


picturesque  ruin,  forms  part  of  the  abbey  of  St.  Wer- 
burgh,  out  of  which  the  see  of  Chester  was  founded  at  the 
dissolution.  The  castle  of  Chester  was  long  one  of  the 
petty  fortresses  in  the  kingdom,  but  the  greater  portion  * 
of  it  has  been  taken  down,  and  a county-ball,  courts  of 
justice,  and  a prison,  are  erected  on  its  site.  The  last 
building  is  worthy  of  notice  on  account  of  its  interior, 
which  is  constructed  according  to  a panoptic  plan,  so  that 
the  keeper  can  survey  the  whole  of  it  from  the  windows 
of  his  apartment.  The  cells  are  situated  in  a semicir- 
cular building,  divided  into  six  equal  parts,  and  each  of 
them  communicates  with  a garden  ; by  this  means  the 
prisoners  are  kept  apart  from  each  other,  and  divided 
into  classes  according  to  the  nature  of  their  offences. 

In  the  north-eastern  part  of  the  county,  and  near  the 
wild  and  bleak  tract,  that  is  still  called  Macclesfield  For- 
est, is  situated  the  market  town  of  Macclesfield,  which 
although  important  from  the  industry  of  its  inhabitants, 
was  formerly  little  better  than  a village.  Not  fewer  than 
sixteen  silk  mills  are  erected  in  the  town  or  neighbour- 
hood, and  different  branches  of  the  cotton  manufacture 
have  been  introduced  with  success. 

The  small  town  of  Nantwich0  may  be  mentioned  on 
account  of  its  salt  mines,  which  have  been  worked  since 
the  beginning  of  the  last  century,  and  which  are  little 
inferior  in  extent  to  those  at  Wieliczka.d 

The  Grand  Trunk  canal,  which  has  been  more  than 
once  mentioned,®  pursues  a course  of  thirty  miles  in  the 
county  of  Chester.  A tunnel,  which  it  enters  at  Preston 
on  the  Hill,  is  equal  to  1241  yards  in  length,  eighteen 
feet  in  height,  and  fourteen  in  width.  The  shme  canal 
passes  through  two  other  tunnels  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Saltersfield  ; the  one  is  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
in  length,  and  the  other  more  than  five  hundred  and 
seventy/ 

The  inland  county  of  Derby  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Yorkshire  and  part  of  Cheshire,  on  the  east  by  Not- 
tinghamshire, on  the  south  by  Leicestershire,  and  on  the 
west  by  Staffordshire  and  Cheshire.  The  limits  of  the 
county,  it  may  be  easily  supposed,  are  very  irregular,  and 
it  is  doubtful  that  its  superficial  extent  has  been  correctly 
determined  ; according  to  one  of  the  latest  measurements 
it  is  not  less  than  720,640  acres,  and  of  these  a great  num- 
ber are  cultivated.  The  most  prominent  part  of  the 
central  chain,  which  extends  southwards  from  Scotland, 
and  forms  a natural  boundary  between  the  eastern  and 
western  sides  of  England,  covers  a considerable  portion 
of  Derbyshire,  particularly  the  northern  and  western 
districts,  and  terminates  in  the  same  county.  Of  the 
numerous  rivers  that  water  it,  the  most  remarkable  are 
the  Derwent,  the  Dove  and  the  Trent.  The  first,  which 

mences,  and  thence  extends  up  the  valley  of  the  Severn  by  Welshpool 
to  Newtown. — P. 

c Namptwich. 

d “ The  Chester  canal  extends  to  Nantwich,  a town  of  5000  inhab- 
itants, which  carries  on  a great  trade  in  eheese  and  salt.  Near  the 
town  is  a large  salt  mine,  which  has  been  wrought  for  more  than  a 
century,  and  which,  although  of  less  extent,  presents  a spectacle  analo- 
gous to  that  of  Wieliczka.”  (M.  B.) This  is  a mistake.  The  salt 

works  at  Nantwich  are  brine  springs.  The  mines  of  rock  salt  are  near 
Northwich  ; the  largest  in  the  township  of  Wilton.  The  pits  of  rock 

salt  in  Cheshire  were  first  discovered  in  1G70. Northwich  is  the 

only  salt  town  in  Cheshire,  that  possesses  mines  of  rock  salt.  (Ed. 

Enc.) — P. 

e See  note  f p.  121 1 . 

1 There  is  a tunnel  at  Barton  in  Great  Budworth,  572  yards  long, 
and  another  at  Saltersford  or  Saltersfield,  in  the  same  parish,  350  yards 
long. — (Rees’  Cyc.  art  Canals.)  — P. 


BOOK  CUV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


539 


must  not  be  confounded  with  the  three  rivers  of  the  same 
name  in  Yorkshire,  Durham  and  Cumberland,  rises  in  the 
High  Peak,  almost  divides  the  county,  and  joins  the 
Trent  on  the  borders  of  Leicestershire.  The  second 
runs  nearly  parallel  to  the  former,  between  Derbyshire 
and'  Staffordshire,  and  falls  into  the  same  river.  The 
Trent  crosses  the  southern  angle  of  the  county,  and 
separates  it  from  Staffordshire  and  Nottinghamshire.® 

The  loftiest  hills  are  the  Axe-edge  and  the  Kinder- 
scout,  but  they  are  much  inferior  in  elevation  to  the 
mountains  in  Cumberland,  Westmoreland  or  Wales.  Al- 
though Derbyshire  does  not  possess  romantic  lakes  and 
waterfalls,  it  abounds  in  natural  curiosities  which  are  not 
to  be  found  in  the  northern  counties.  A laborious 
writerb  has  collected  an  alphabetical  list  of  700  hills  in 
the  county  and  its  confines,  fifty  narrow  valleys  or 
ravines,  ninety  mineral  springs,  and  five  hundred  col- 
lieries, of  which,  however,  not  more  than  a half,  and 
many  of  these  no  longer  worked,  are  situated  within  the 
limits  of  Derbyshire.  The  caverns,  the  natural  excava- 
tions, and  the  wonders  of  the  Peak,  as  they  are  called, 
have  been  described  by  numerous  writers.  The  most 
remarkable  of  the  caverns  may  be  briefly  mentioned. 
Poole’s  Hole  near  Buxton,  is  a fissure  in  a calcareous 
mass,  where  a narrow  and  winding  entrance  forms  a 
passage  into  a spacious  cavern,  of  which  the  roof,  floor 
and  sides  are  adorned  with  stalactites.  A cavern  near 
Castleton,®  a village  in  the  Peak,  forms  a subterranean 
passage  of  750  yards,  which  is  broken  in  several  places 
by  narrow  pools.  The  sides  are  composed  of  different 
coloured  spars,  and  a petrifying  water  continually  exudes 
from  them.  Mam-Tor  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Castle- 
ton  has  been  called  the  Shivering  Mountain,  on  account 
of  the  decomposed  shale,  that  falls  from  a precipice  into 
the  valley  below  it.  Elden  Hole,  a perpendicular 
chasm,  not  more  than  three  miles  from  the  last  place, 
was  long  considered  unfathomable,  but  by  more  correct 
examinations,  its  depth  has  been  reduced  to  seventy 
yards. 

The  mineral  products  of  the  same  hills  are  numerous 
and  valuable.  Lead,  the  most  important  of  any,  has 
been  obtained  in  great  quantities,  and  one  sort  of  it,d 
which  appears  to  be  confined  to  Derbyshire,  is  found 
in  a vertical  position,  and  explodes  in  mining.  Many 
of  these  mines  are  exhausted,  but  calamine  is  still  ob- 
tained in  their  vicinity.  Lime  of  the  best  quality  is 
burnt  in  the  Lower  Peak,*  and  conveyed  to  considera- 
ble distances.  Iron  ore  is  chiefly  dug  on  the  north-east- 
ern side,  and  it  has  already  been  observed  that  coal  is 
most  plentiful  on  the  same  side,  and  that  the  strata  ex- 
tend from  north  to  south.  The  Derbyshire  sparf  is 
wrought  into  a variety  of  ornamental  articles,  and  the 
neighbouring  hills  are  rich  in  marble,  of  which  the  finest 
kinds  are  worked  at  Ashton.  The  numerous  quarries 
yield  different  kinds  of  stone,  and  gypsum,  not  the  least 
valuable  of  their  products,  abounds  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Chellaston.  Of  the  numerous  mineral  springs,  the 

» The  Trent  first  separates  Staffordshire  from  Derbyshire,  then 
crosses  the  southern  extremity  of  the  latter,  and  finally  separates  it 
from  Leicestershire,  and  for  a shorter  distance,  from  Nottingham- 
shire.— P. 

b Farey. 

c Called  Peak  Cavern,  or  Peak’s  Hole. — P. 

4 Called  Slickenside. — P. 

e Particularly  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Crich. — P. 


most  celebrated  or  those  of  Buxton  and  Matlock  belong 
to  the  sulphureous  class. e The  first  were  known  to  the 
Romans ; they  are  used  both  externally  and  internally, 
and  are  chiefly  resorted  to  on  account  of  scorbutic,  ner- 
vous and  rheumatic  affections.  Their  temperature  is 
about  82°  of  Fahrenheit,  and  the  principal  difference 
between  them  and  those  of  Matlock,  consists  in  the 
lower  temperature  of  the  latter. 

Derby,  the  capital,  and  almost  the  only  populous 
town  in  the  county,  is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of 
Derbyshire,  and  watered  by  the  Derwent,  of  which  the 
streams  set  in  motion  the  machinery  of  the  silk  and  cot- 
ton manufactures  in  the  town  and  neighbourhood.  The 
raw  materials  and  the  manufactures  are  conveyed  by 
means  of  the  Derby  canal,  which  consists  of  three 
branches  that  meet  in  the  same  city.  The  first  crosses 
the  Grand  Trunk,  and  falls  into  the  Trent  at  Swarkstone, 
the  second  extends  northwards,  and  the  third  communi- 
cates with  the  Ere  wash  canal.  It  was  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  that  the  first  mill  for  winding  and  twisting  silk 
was  erected  in  1718,  by  John  Lombe,  who  having  dis- 
covered the  secret  from  the  Italians,  is  supposed  to  have 
been  poisoned  by  them.  It  may  be  doubted  that  there  is 
at  present  any  mill  in  Italy,  of  which  the  machinery  is  so 
perfect  ; a single  wheel  puts  in  motion  more  than  25,000 
reel  bobbins,  and  nearly  2000  star-wheels.  It  may  be 
added  that  any  one  of  the  reels  can  be  stopped  at  pleas- 
ure, and  that  every  time  the  wheel  goes  round,  which  is 
thrice  in  a minute,  it  makes  73,728  yards  of  thread. 
The  silk  and  cotton  manufactories  do  not,  however, 
afford  occupation  to  all  the  industrious  inhabitants  ; the 
same  place  is  also  famous  for  its  porcelain,  which  in 
brilliancy  of  colour,  and  fineness  of  texture,  may  bear  a 
comparison  with  that  of  China.  Many  persons  find  em- 
ployment in  the  marble  works,  or  in  turning  vases,  urns 
and  other  ornaments  of  the  spar,  which  abounds  in  the 
vicinity.  Other  individuals  are  employed  in  the  iron 
and  lead  works,  and  it  is  calculated  that  four-fifths  of  the 
inhabitants  are  engaged  in  these  different  branches  of 
industry.1* 

Derby  is  divided  into  five  parishes,  and  the  Church 
of  All  Saints  is  considered  the  finest  in  the  town, 
although  a rich  Gothic  tower  appears  out  of  place  in  a 
Grecian  building.  Of  the  other  edifices,  the  most  re- 
markable are  the  county  hall,  the  town  hall  and  the 
county  gaol,  and  it  may  be  observed  that  the  infirmary, 
which  was  finished  in  1810,  is  one  of  the  most  perfect 
institutions  of  the  kind  in  England.* 

Chesterfield,  the  only  other  important  place  in  the 
county,  rises  on  the  western  side  of  the  Rother.  Like 
Derby,  it  is  noted  for  its  cotton  and  silk  manufactories, 
but  several  potteries  and  iron  works  have  been  estab- 
lished in  the  neighbourhood,  from  which  the  fuel  and 
the  ore  are  obtained.  The  products  of  the  lead  and  the 
coal  mines  are  conveyed  by  a canal,  that  extends  from 
the  same  place  to  the  Trent. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  the  celebrated  Sir  Richard 


f Fluor  spar. — P. 

e Buxton  and  Matlock  waters  are  simply  thermal,  with  scarcely 
more  mineral  impregnation  than  common  water.  There  are,  however 
several  sulphureous  springs  in  the  county,  of  which  the  most  noted  is 
that  of  Keddlestone. — P. 
h Capper. 

5 The  town  of  Derby  is  mentioned  in  history,  as  the  furthest  point 
to  which  the  rebels  of  1745  advanced. 


n 


540  EUROPE.  [booxcliv, 


Arkwright  was  a native  of  the  county  ; this,  however,  is 
a mistake  ; he  was  born  at  Preston  in  Lancashire.  But 
the  small  town  of  Tunstead  in  Derbyshire,  was  the  birth- 
place of  Mr.  James  Brindley,  the  greatest  engineer  of 
his  age,  and  who  in  some  respects  may  be  compared 
with  Arkwright ; both  were  self-educated,  both  rose  to 
eminence  from  the  humblest  rank,  and  the  genius  of 
both  is  displayed  in  the  increased  resources  of  their 
country. 

The  inland  county  of  Nottingham  is  bounded  on  the 
west  by  Derbyshire,  on  the  north  by  Yorkshire,  on  the 
east  by  Lincolnshire,  and  on  the  south  by  Leicester- 
shire. The  area  does  not  amount  to  more  than  800 
square  miles,  but  the  greatest  length  of  the  county  is 
equal  to  fifty,  and  the  greatest  breadth  to  nearly  twenty- 
six.  Situated  between  the  Lincolnshire  flats  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  Derbyshire  hills  on  the  other,  the  climate 
is  comparatively  dry,  wholesome  and  not  unfavourable 
to  the  growth  of  useful  plants.  The  soil  and  the  face 
of  the  country  are  sufficiently  varied,  but  the  former 
may  be  included  under  four  divisions.  The  limestone- 
and  coal  district  is  formed  by  a narrow  stripe,  which 
commences  at  the  Derbyshire  border,  and  stretches  in  a 
south-east  direction  to  Bilborough  and  VVollaton.  A 
much  broader  bfelt,  which  extends  to  the  northern  ex- 
tremity of  the  county,  consists  chiefly  of  sand  and 
gravel.  The  length  of  this  district  is  about  thirty  miles, 
and  the  breadth  varies  from  seven  to  ten.  In  this  part 
of  Nottinghamshire  is  situated  the  ancient  royal  forest 
of  Sherwood,  the  scene  of  many  fabulous  adventures. 
It  remained  long  destitute  of  trees,  and  without  cultiva- 
tion, but  the  greater  part  of  it  has  been  enclosed,  and 
many  large  parks  have  been  granted  to  different  propri- 
etors by  the  crown  ; these  have  been  brought  into  till- 
age, and  adorned  with  thriving  trees.  The  turnip  hus- 
bandry has  been  introduced  with  great  success  in  the 
same  district,  which  is  equally  fruitful  in  barley  and 
other  sorts  of  grain.  If  the  level  land  along  the  banks 
of  the  Trent  and  the  Soar  be  excepted,  the  clay  district 
occupies  the  rest  of  the  county.  The  former,  which 
appears  on  both  banks  of  the  river  throughout  an  extent 
of  thirty  miles,  with  an  average  breadth  of  nearly  six, 
is  in  general  a fruitful  vegetable  mould,  resting  on  a 
bottom  of  sand  or  gravel,  that  appears  in  some  places  at 
the  surface.  The  clay  thus  divided  into  two  parts, 
which  are  generally  called  the  North  and  South  Clay 
Divisions,  is  not  of  so  tenacious  a quality  as  in  other 
counties,  a circumstance  which  must  be  attributed  to 
‘ts  mixture  with  sand.  The  northern  division  includes 
the  picturesque  vale  of  Belvoir,*  which  is  little  inferior 
in  fertility  to  any  other  in  England.  The  Nottinghamshire 


* The  Vale  of  Belvoir  is  situated  in  the  South  Clay  Division  to  the 
south  of  Newark. — The  natural  divisions  of  the  county  may  be  better 
defined  thus  : the  Coal  and  Limestone  District  forms  a belt  of  about 
two  miles  wide,  along  the  borders  of  Derbyshire,  from  the  Trent 
northwards;  the  Sand  and  Gravel  District  forms  a parallel  belt,  about 
seven  miles  wide,  from  the  Trent  to  the  northern  boundary ; the  Clay 
District  occupies  all  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  with  the  exception 
of  the  valley  of  the  Trent,  called  Trent  Bank,  which  divides  it  into  two 
parts — the  North  Clay,  and  the  South  Clay  Divisions,  each  about  five 
miles  wide  ; the  former  on  the  north  of  the  Trent,  from  Nottingham  to 
Gainsborough  ; the  latter  on  the  south,  from  Newark  to  Leicestershire, 
including  the  Vale  of  Belvoir  and  the  Wolds. — P. 

11  Lowe’s  Agricultural  Survey  of  Nottinghamshire. 
c The  Nottingham  canal  extends  from  the  Trent,  near  Nottingham, 
north-west  fifteen  miles,  to  the  junction  of  the  Croinford  and  Erewash 
canals,  at  Langley  bridge.  From  this  point,  the  Croinford  canal  pro- 


Wolds  extend  on  the  south  ; they  were  formerly  un- 
productive, but  are  now  enclosed  and  in  a state  of 
improvement.b 

The  farmers  devote  their  attention  to  the  raising  of 
grain  for  home  consumption  or  exportation  ; the  rearing 
of  cattle,  and  the  management  of  the  dairy,  are  objects 
of  secondary  importance.  Hops  are  much  cultivated  in 
many  parts  of  the  North  Clay,  and  in  the  central  dis- 
tricts, particularly  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Ollerton  and 
Betford.  They  are  inferior  in  value  to  the  Kentish 
hops,  and  are  supposed  to  be  of  a coarser  and  stronger 
flavour. 

Coal,  lime  and  gypsum  are  the  most  valuable  of  the 
mineral  products.  The  first  commences  near  Teversall, 
and  runs  southwards  to  Trow  ell  and  Wollaton,  including 
in  its  range  almost  every  parish  within  two  or  three 
miles  of  the  Erewash.  The  second  lies  on  the  east  of 
the  former,  between  it  and  the  sand  district ; it  forms  an 
equally  long  but  somewhat  narrower  stripe,  and  covers 
the  coal,  which  sinks  beneath  it.  Much  gypsum  is 
raised  near  Newark,  and  converted  into  plaster  of  Paris. 

The  same  county  abounds  in  rivers,  but  none  is  so 
celebrated  as  the  Trent,  which  after  crossing  Staffordshire 
and  Derbyshire,  enters  the  south-western  extremity  of 
Nottinghamshire,  winds  alongthe  eastern  side,  and  diffuses 
fertility  over  the  meadows,  which  it  waters.  The  same 
river,  to  which  the  others  are -tributary,  partly  separates 
the  county  from  Lincolnshire.  The  Mann,  the  Meden 
and  the  Poulter,  flowing  from  the  middle  and  north- 
western part  of  Nottinghamshire,  unite  and  form  the 
Idle,  which  falls  into  the  Trent  near  its  confluence  with 
the  Ouse. 

The  artificial  channels,  which  have  been  cut  at  differ- 
ent periods,  have  greatly  contributed  to  improve  the 
trade,  agriculture  and  industry  of  the  inhabitants.  The 
most  of  them  run  in  different  directions  from  the  Trent 
near  Nottingham.  The  Nottingham  canal  extends  from 
the  town,  fifteen  miles  in  a north-west  direction,  through 
the  county,  and  onwards  to  Cromford  in  Derbyshire.® 
The  Trent  canal  proceeds  from  Nottingham  in  a south- 
west direction,  unites  the  Trent  with  the  Mersey,  and 
communicates  with  the  former  by  different  branches.3 
Lastly,  by  means  of  the  Leicester  and  Grand  Junction 
canals,  the  first  of  which  enters  the  Trent  a short  way 
above  Nottingham,  the  inland  navigation  extends  to 
the  metropolis.0 

Although  the  inhabitants  of  Nottingham  are  engaged 
in  different  branches  of  industry,  the  staple  manufacture 
is  that  of  silk  and  cotton  stockings.  They  are  all 
wrought  on  the  stocking  frame,  a simple  and  ingenious 
machine,  which,  it  has  already  been  remarked,  was 


ceeds  eighteen  miles  north-west,  chiefly  in  Derbyshire,  by  Crich  to 
Cromford,  and  the  Erewash  canal,  south  11|  miles,  to  the  Trent,  op- 
posite the  mouth  of  the  Soar. — P. 

d The  Trent  canal  is  a side  cut  of  10  miles,  along  the  Trent,  from 
Trent  bridge,  near  Nottingham,  to  the  commencement  of  the  Grand 
Trunk  (Trent  and  Mersey)  canal  at  Sawley.  (See  note  f p.  1211.)  It 
is  connected  with  the  Nottingham  canal  by  the  Erewash  canal. — P. 

e This  line  is  formed  by  the  Loughborough  and  Leicestershire  nav- 
igations, (the  former  commencing  in  the  Trent  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Soar,  and  proceeding  up  the  course  of  the  last  river  to  near  Loughbor- 
ough, and  the  latter  continuing  it  up  the  same  river  to  Leicester;) 
then  the  Union  canal,  from  Leicester  to  Market  Harborough  ; the 
Grand  Union  canal,  (leaving  the  Union  canal  near  Foxton,  two  miles 
W.  of  Market  Harborough,  and  entering  the  Grand  Junction  canal 
near  Buckley  wharf,  north-east  of  Daventry;)  and  lastly,  the  Grand 
Junction  canal,  to  London. — P. 


book  cur.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

invented  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  by  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Lee,  a native  of  the  county.  It  appears  that  the 
number  of  frames  amounted  about  the  middle  of  the  last 
century  to  tvvelv®  hundred,  and  that  exclusively  of 
weavers,  they  furnished  employment  to  four  hundred 
workmen,  to  many  winders,  sizers  and  seamers.  The 
present  number  exceeds  twelve  thousand,  and  in  conse- 
quence of  the  demand  for  silk  and  cotton  in  the  manu- 
factories, the  spinning  of  these  stuffs  has  been  introduced 
into  the  town,  into  different  parts  of  the  county,  and 
also  into  Derbyshire.  Many  hands  are  employed  in 
manufacturing  shawls  and  lace  for  veils,  but  the  other 
branches  of  industry,  the  tanning  and  malting  trades,  for 
which  Nottingham  was  formerly  distinguished,  have 
fallen  into  decay.  It  contained  34,253  inhabitants  in 
1811  ; ten  years  afterwards,  in  1821,  the  number  had 
increased  to  40,415;  but  about  thirty  years  ago,  when 
the  population  was  comparatively  small,  the  mechanics 
attributed  low  wages  and  want  of  employment  to  the  use 
of  machinery ; conspiring  to  abolish  it,  they  became 
incendiaries  and  frame-breakers.  The  vanity  of  the 
attempt  was  only  equalled  by  its  injustice,  and  experi- 
ence shows  what  have  since  been  the  results  of  machine- 
ry in  the  same  town,  for  the  manufactories  are  now 
more  than  doubled,  a half  is  added  to  the  population, 
and  the  condition  of  the  working  classes  is  improved. 
It  is  not  improbable  that  most  of  the  English  workmen 
are  now  aware  that  the  abridgment  of  labour,  or  addi- 
tional facility  of  production,  tends  both  to  diffuse  wealth 
and  to  increase  their  comforts. 

The  town  rises  on  a rock  above  the  meadows  watered 
by  the  Trent.  The  same  rock  is  of  so  soft  and  porous 
a texture,  that  all  the  cellars  are  cut  out  of  it,  and  in  the 
largest  are  deposited  the  malt  liquors,  for  which  Not- 
tingham was  formerly  distinguished.  It  is  long  since  the 
ancient  walls,  the  fortress  and  the  gates  were  destroyed  ; 
a castle,  however,  was  erected  near  the  site  of  the 
fortress  by  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  in  the  short  reign  of 
James  the  Second.  It  was  on  a neighbouring  hill  that 
Charles  the  First  hoisted  his  standard  in  1642,  the  sig- 
nal for  the  commencement  of  the  civil  wars  ; but  the 
same  height  is  now  intersected  by  four  streets,  those  of 
King,  Charles,  Standard  and  Hill. 

The  infirmary  is  a large  building  to  which  additions 
have  been  made,  in  consequence  of  a donation  of  £20,000 
from  an  unknown  individual.  Other  institutions,  such 
as  hospitals  for  the  relief  of  the  aged  and  the  poor, 
have  been  founded  by  benevolent  persons. 

Newark,  the  town  next  in  importance  to  the  capital, 
is  watered  by  a branch  of  the  Trent,  and  situated  on  the 
great  northern  road  near  the  eastern  confines  of  the 
county.  It  is  considered  the  greatest  market  for  corn 
in  this  part  of  the  kingdom,  and  it  carries  on  an  exten- 
sive trade  in  malt,  wool,  cattle  and  coal.  Limestone 
and  gypsum  abound  in  the  neighbourhood  ; the  latter  is 
converted  into  plaster  of  Paris,  and  exported  by  sea  to 
London. 

The  august  ruins  of  a castle  form  the  finest  ornaments 
of  the  place.  It  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  a bishop 
of  Lincoln  in  the  reign  of  king  Stephen,  and  it  is  added 

a It  is  contiguous  for  a short  distance  on  the  west  to  Staffordshire. — P. 

b Ledecestrescire.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — This  signifies  the  shire  (Sa x.  scire, 
from  scyran,  to  divide)  of  Ledecestre. Leicester  was  formerly  writ- 

ten Lege-cestria,  Legeo-cester,  and  in  the  Saxon  annals,  Leger-ceaster. 
(Rees’  Cyc.) — Leicester  (Saxon,  Lcagceaster,  from  Icag,  fallow  ground 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  541 

that  it  was  long  called  the  New- Work,  a name  which 
was  given  to  the  town.  It  is  certain  that  king  John  died 
within  its  walls  in  the  year  1216,  and  at  the  same  place 
the  unfortunate  Charles  surrendered  himself  after  the 
defeat  at  Naseby  to  the  Scotch  army,  that  were  then  be- 
sieging Newark.  At  no  very  remote  period,  the  great 
road  in  the  vicinity  was  often  impassable  in  consequence 
of  inundations.  To  obviate  this  inconvenience,  an  act 
was  obtained  for  a new  one  in  1770.  Thirteen  bridges 
of  various  sizes,  and  consisting  of  ninety-four  arches, 
now  carry  it  above  the  reach  of  the  floods  to  Muskham 
bridge,  a distance  of  a mile  and  a half.  This  excellent 
road,  which  forms  a fine  approach  to  the  town,  is  the 
work  of  the  celebrated  Smeaton. 

The  ancient  town  of  Mansfield,  the  only  other  place 
of  any  consequence,  is  situated  on  the  western  side  of 
Sherwood  Forest,  about  fourteen  miles  from  Nottingham. 
It  carries  on  a trade  in  corn  and  malt,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants are  occupied  in  different  branches  of  industry,  but 
principally  in  cotton  spinning,  hosiery,  lace  and  stocking 
manufactories.  The  largest  cotton  mill  has  2400  spin- 
dles, and  furnishes  employment  to  nearly  200  persons. 
An  easy  outlet  to  these  manufactures  and  to  the  mineral 
products  that  are  worked  in  the  neighbourhood,  is  ob- 
tained by  means  of  a cast-iron  rail-way,  which  extends 
from  Mansfield  to  the  Pinxton  canal,  a distance  of  more 
than  seven  miles. 

The  county  of  Leicester  is  contiguous  to  Nottingham- 
shire and  Derbyshire  on  the  north,  to  the  latter  county 
and  Warwickshire  on  the  west,®  to  Northamptonshire  on 
the  south,  and  to  Rutlandshire  and  Lincolnshire  on  the 
east.  The  limits  are  for  the  most  part  artificial  ; but 
the  Soar  and  the  Trent  form  part  of  the  northern 
boundary,  while  the  small  river  Anker,  and  Watling 
Street,  a celebrated  Roman  road,  are  the  limits  on  the 
Warwickshire  side,  and  the  Avon  and  the  Welland  sep- 
arate it  from  Northamptonshire.  According  to  a return 
to  the  House  of  Lords,  the  superficial  extent  is  equal  to 
804  square  miles,  the  greatest  length  to  forty-five,  the 
utmost  breadth  to  thirty,  and  the  circumference  to  a 
hundred  and  fifty.  It  was  inhabited  by  the  Coritam 
before  the  invasion  of  the  Romans,  who  included  it  in  the 
province  of  Flavia  Ccesariensis.  It  formed  part  of 
Mercia  in  the  time  of  the  Heptarchy,  and  its  present 
name  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  the  Saxon  word 
Ledccsterscyre,  which  signifies  a fortress  on  the  Scyr, 
the  ancient  name  of  the  Soar.b 

The  country  is  varied  by  hills  and  plains  ; the  decliv- 
ities of  the  former  serve  to  carry  off  the  water,  but  their 
altitude  is  in  few  places  a barrier  to  cultivation.  The 
capital  is  situated  on  a plain  in  the  centre  of  the  county  ; 
the  land  rises  towards  the  east  and  the  south,  but  the 
loftiest  heights  are  those  in  the  west  towards  Charnwood 
Forest.  Their  elevation,  however,  is  not  great,  for  it 
appears  from  the  Trigonometrical  Survey,  that  no  part 
of  Leicestershire  is  higher  than  nine  hundred  or  lower 
than  one  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The 
central  plain  is  watered  by  the  Soar,  the  principal 
river  in  the  county,  and  the  outlet  of  the  streams  from 
the  surrounding  hills.  All  the  waters  of  Leicestershire 

(lea,)  and  ccaster  (Lat.  castrum,)  a city — the  Roman  stations  or 
camps  ( castra ) having  become  the  sites  of  the  old  Saxon  towns.) 

(Bailey’s  Diet.) The  Soar,  anciently  the  Leire,  (whence  the  name 

of  the  county.)  (Luckombe.) — P. 


EUROPE. 


542 

serve  to  enlarge  the  Trent,®  and  thus  to  form  that  admira- 
ble system  of  inland  navigation,  which  has  so  much 
contributed  to  the  prosperity  of  England.b  But  Leices- 
tershire is  more  distinguished  as  a pastoral  than  a manu- 
facturing county,  and  the  soil  has  been  described  as  a 
fine  mixture  of  clay  and  sand,  without  the  sterility  of  the 
one,  or  the  too  great  tenacity  of  the  other.  It  is  remarka- 
ble that  the  highest  districts  are  in  general  the  most 
productive,  and  the  lowest,  the  least  fruitful ; in  other 
words,  the  clay  of  the  valleys  does  not  appear  to  be 
tempered  with  a sufficient  proportion  of  sand.  According 
to  the  agricultural  survey,  many  farms  in  the  south-eastern 
and  central  districts  are  wholly  pastoral,  but  in  the  north 
and  west  a portion  of  each  farm  is  generally  reserved 
for  grain  and  other  crops.  The  number  of  acres  under 
occasional  tillage  is  supposed  to  be  equal  to  240,000.® 
At  no  distant  period,  before  the  fields  in  this  fruitful 
county  were  enclosed,  it  produced  plenty  of  corn,  but 
grass  has  been  found  to  be  more  profitable,  and  every 
Branch  of  husbandry  is  now  subservient  to  the  rearing 
of  stock.  Of  the  sheep  there  are  three  varieties,  the 
Forest,  the  Old  Leicester  and  the  New  Leicester;  the 
two  first,  however,  are  almost  superseded  by  the  last, 
which  are  now  scattered  over  most  parts  of  England. 
Th  is  valuable  variety  was  the  result  of  experiments 
undertaken  by  Mr.  Bakewell  of  Dishley,  who  appears 
to  have  made  the  most  valuable  properties  not  only  of 
that  useful  domestic  animal,  but  also  of  the  horse  and  the 
ox,  subject  to  his  control. 

Stilton-cheese  is  made  near  Melton-Mowbray,  and 
about  two  hundred  tons  of  it  are  sold  at  the  Leicester 
October  fair.  Five  thousand  tons  of  cheese  are  annually 
exported  by  the  Trent  from  this  and  the  adjoining  coun- 
ties, and  it  is  not  supposed  that  Leicester  contributes  less 
than  1,500,  the  produce  of  7,500  milch-cows. d Coal 
and  lime,  the  most  valuable  minerals,  are  obtained  on 
the  borders  of  Derbyshire.  Iron  ore  is  common  on  the 
Ashby  wolds,  but  as  it  is  only  found  below  the  depth  of 
six  hundred  feet,  the  metal  does  not  pay  the  expense  of 
extracting  it.  Granite  is  exported  from  Mount  Sorrel, 
and  slate  from  the  eastern  side  of  Charnwood  Forest. 

The  manufacture  of  wool  is  the  staple  one  of  the 
county,  and  Leicester,  the  capital,  is  only  inferior  to 
Nottingham  in  this  department  of  industry  ; the  coarser 
goods  are  more  common  in  the  former  place,  and  the 
finer  sorts  in  the  latter.  It  is  calculated  that  the  different 
branches  of  the  hosiery  manufactures  furnish  employment 
to  seven  or  eight  thousand  inhabitants  of  Leicester,  and 
it  is  certain  that  in  prosperous  seasons  more  than  five 
thousand  dozens  of  stockings  have  been  made  in  a week. 
The  same  place  boasts  of  a high  antiquity  ; anterior  to 
the  Roman  invasion,  it  was  the  chief  town  in  the  country 
of  the  Contain,  and  it  was  known  at  a later  period  as  the 
Rata  of  Antoninus.  Situated  on  the  Fosse-way,  many 
valuable  antiquities  have  been  found  near  it,  and  coins, 
which  might  afford  a complete  series  from  the  reign  of 
Nero  to  that  of  Valerius.  It  was  afterwards  the  seat  of 


1 The  streams  on  the  south-eastern  border  flow  into  the  Welland, 
and  on  the  south-western,  into  the  Avon. — P. 

b “ The  most  elevated  district,  called  Charnwood  Forest,  gives  rise 
to  six  rivers,  all  of  which  unite  witli  the  Trent,  and  may  thus  be  con- 
sidered the  centre  of  that  great  system  of  inland  navigation,  which 
has  contributed  so  greatly  to  the  progress  of  agriculture  and  manu- 
factures." (M.  B.) — P. 

c Pitt’s  Survey  of  Leicestershire.  d Pitt,  Idem. 


[BOOK  CLIV 

a mint,  and  Saxon  money  struck  at  Leicester,  is  still 
preserved  in  more  than  one  collection.  The  town  be 
came  memorable  at  a later  period  as  the  seat  of  a par- 
liament, that  enforced  by  law  the  burning  of  heretics. 
Lastly,  in  an  abbey,  of  which  the  ruins  still  adorn  the 
neighbourhood,  the  ambitious  Wolsey  ended  his  days  in 
poverty  and  disgrace. 

It  appears  from  Domesday  book,  that  Leicestershire 
then  contained  36,000  inhabitants.  The  extent  of  sur- 
face is  equal  to  816  square  miles,  so  that  the  ratio  of  the 
population  to  the  surface,  must  have  been  about  forty- 
four  to  every  square  mile ; but  according  to  the  returns 
of  1831,  the  present  number  is  greater  than  two  hundred 
and  forty.  This  fact  is  the  more  remarkable  as  Leices- 
tershire has  been  surpassed  by  many  counties  in  the 
career  of  commerce  and  wealth. 

The  small  county  of  Rutland,  the  least  in  England,  is 
encompassed  on  the  north  by  Lincolnshire,  on  the  west 
by  Leicestershire,  and  on  the  south-east  by  Northamp- 
tonshire. It  contains  an  area  of  200  square  miles,  but  it 
is  nowhere  more  than  eighteen  miles  in  length,  and  fifteen 
in  breadth.  The  vale  of  Catmose,  in  the  central  district, 
is  the  largest  and  most  fruitful  in  Rutland,  but  numerous 
small  vallies  are  intersected  by  gently  sloping  hills, 
extending  from  east  to  west,  and  bounding  many  varied 
and  romantic  views.  Different  parts  of  the  county  are 
fruitful  in  corn,  while  others  are  well  stocked  with  sheep. 
The  most  prevalent  soil  consists  of  a strong  red  loam, 
mixed  with  keal,°  and  resting  on  clay.  But  in  the  vale 
of  Catmose,  the  same  loam  is  mixed  with  clay,  and  to  that 
circumstance  its  fertility  has  been  ascribed/  Although 
there  are  many  sorts  of  soil  in  the  southern  and  south- 
eastern districts,  they  are  on  the  whole  the  least  fruitful 
in  the  county.  The  mineral  products  are  of  secondary 
importance  ; limestone  is  worked  in  different  places ; 
numerous  chalybeate  springs  denote  the  existence  of  iron 
ore,  but  it  has  not  yet  been  discovered  in  any  part  of 
Rutlandshire.  Many  brooks  and  streams  enlarge  the 
two  principal  rivers,  the  Welland  and  the  Guash.e  The 
first  separates  Rutlandshire  from  Northamptonshire,  while 
the  second  flows  through  the  middle  of  tbe  county.  No 
branch  of  manufacturing  industry  is  established  on  a great 
scale ; but  the  trade  of  different  places  has  been  improved, 
and  the  conveyance  of  agricultural  products  facilitated, 
since  the  Oakham  canal  was  completed.  It  commences 
at  the  Melton  Navigation,1 11  waters  Wymondham  and 
Market-Overton,  and  extends  to  Oakham  on  the  north 
of  the  vale  of  Catmose.  Of  Oakham,  the  chief  town,  it 
may  be  sufficient  to  remark  that  it  contains  only  1700 
inhabitants. 

The  inland  county  of  Northampton  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Leicestershire,  Rutlandshire,  and  Lincolnshire, 
on  the  east  and  south  by  Cambridgeshire,  Huntingdon- 
shire, Bedfordshire,  Buckinghamshire  and  part  of  Oxford- 
shire, and  on  the  west  by  Oxfordshire  and  Warwickshire. 
As  it  touches  on  not  fewer  than  nine  counties,  it  may  be 
inferred  that  it  is  of  a very  elongated  and  irregular  form. 


e Small  angular  fragments  of  stone,  such  as  limestone,  sandstone,  or 
slate. — P. 

f Parkinson's  Agricultural  Survey  of  Rutland, 
s The  Guash  or  Wash,  a branch  of  the  Welland. — P. 
h At  the  termination  of  the  Melton-Mowbray  navigation. — This  last 
leaves  the  Leicester  navigation  8 miles  above  Loughborough,  and  fol 
lows  the  course  of  the  Wreake  and  the  Eye  rivers,  twelve  miles,  to 
Melton-Mowbray. — P . 


BOOK  CLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


543 


It  appears  indeed  that  it  is  sixty-five  miles  long,  twenty- 
five  in  breadth  in  some  places,  and  only  eight  in  others. 
According  to  the  same  measurement,  it  contains  965 
square  miles,  and  according  to  the  last  population  returns, 
the  number  of  inhabitants  to  each  square  mile  is  greater 
than  a hundred  and  eighty-five.  It  has  been  long  noted 
for  its  healthful  climate,  its  varied  sites,  and  the  number 
of  country-houses  with  which  it  is  adorned.  The  ancient 
forests,  still  of  considerable  extent,  and  still  well  wooded, 
occupy  nearly  80,000  acres ; of  these  the  largest  are 
that  of  Rockingham  on  the  north,  and  those  ol  Salcey 
and  Whittlebury*  on  the  south.  They  afford  shelter 
to  different  sorts  of  game,  and  the  wild  cat,  the  fiercest 
of  the  English  quadrupeds,  still  frequents  them.  They 
must  be  considered,  however,  a very  inadequate  com- 
pensation for  the  advantages  of  coal,  of  which  the 
county  is  destitute,  and  of  which  the  high  price  presses 
severely  on  the  lower  orders.  Northampton  is  princi- 
pally distinguished  as  a grazing  county,  but  the  grain 
that  is  raised  for  exportation  forms  no  small  portion  of  its 
products.  Wheat,  flour,  oats,  beans  and  woad  for  dyeing 
are  exported.  Fruitful  meadows  are  scattered  in  differ- 
ent directions,  and  the  largest  tract  extends  on  both  sides 
of  the  Nen  from  Northampton  to  Peterborough.  The 
north-eastern  districts,  contiguous  to  Lincolnshire  and 
Cambridgeshire,  abound  in  marshes,  and  the  Peterbor- 
ough Fen,  which  reaches  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Crow- 
land,  is  not  inferior  to  the  richest  meadows  in  England. 
Many  large  horses  of  the  Leicestershire  breed,  are  reared 
in  these  pastures ; the  oxen  too,  are  remarkable  for  their 
size  and  weight;  they  are,  however,  of  no  particular  kind, 
but  are  bought  at  different  fairs,  and  fattened  in  the 
county. 

The  ground  rises  on  the  north  and  north-west,  and 
becomes  gradually  lower  towards  the  south-eastern  boun- 
dary. The  loftiest  eminences  extend  along  the  north- 
western borders,  and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Daventry, 
they  reach  the  height  of  more  than  eight  hundred  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  Nen,  the  principal 
ri^er,  has  its  source  in  this  part  of  Northamptonshire, 
traverses  it  nearly  its  whole  length,  and  is  enlarged  by 
many  streams.  The  Cherwell,  which  like  the  Nen,  flows 
into  the  eastern  sea,  and  the  Leam,  which  discharges 
itself  into  the  western,  rise  in  the  same  part  of  the  county. 
Communications  have  been  improved  or  extended  by 
numerous  canals.  A branch  of  the  Oxford  canal,  the 
first  which  was  cut  in  Northamptonshire,  extends  west- 
wards, and  communicates  with  others  in  the  populous 
districts  round  Birmingham. b The  Grand  Junction  com- 
mences in  Northamptonshire,0  and  advances  southwards 
in  an  unbroken  line  to  the  Thames. d The  Leicester 
canal  proceeding  in  an  opposite  direction,  opens  a com- 
munication with  the  Trent  and  Mersey.  These  opposite 
lines  are  joirited  by  the  Grand  Union,  which  enters  the 
Junction  near  Daventry,  and  the  Leicester  at  Market- 
Scarborough.e 

Northampton,  the  capital  of  the  county,  is  pleasantly 
situated  on  an  eminence  above  the  waters  of  the  Nen. 


1 Whittlewood  or  Whittlebury. — P. 

v The  Oxford  canal  runs  a short  distance  in  Northamptonshire,  on 
its  western  confines,  near  the  origin  of  the  Grand  Junction  canal.  The 
branch,  here  referred  to,  is  the  Warwick  and  Napton  canal,  leaving 
the  Oxford  canal  at  Napton  in  Warwickshire,  and  extending  to  the 
town  of  Warwick,  where  it  joins  the  Warwick  and  Birmingham 
canal. — P. 


It  consists  of  four  principal  streets,  with  which  several 
others  communicate,  and  the  houses  are  uniformly  built 
ol  a kind  of  freestone  that  hardens  by  exposure  to  the 
air.  The  inhabitants  carry  on  a trade  in  shoes,  stock- 
ings and  lace,  but  more  individuals  are  employed  in 
making  boots  and  shoes  than  in  any  other  branch  of 
industry.  The  mart  for  these  articles  is  not  confined  to 
London  ; many  of  them  are  exported  to  the  colonies. 
The  market-place  is  built  in  the  form  of  a square  about 
six  hundred  feet  in  length  ; it  is  there  that  the  horse 
fairs  are  held,  to  which  the  dealers  from  London  and 
York  repair,  and  which  for  carriage  and  saddle  horses, 
are  considered  equal  to  any  in  England.  The  same  town 
is  mentioned  in  history  on  account  of  the  number  of 
councils  which  were  held  in  it,  and  also  on  account  of  its 
monastic  institutions,  its  formidable  castle,  and  its  military 
importance.  King  John,  offended  with  the  citizens  of 
London,  commanded  the  exchequer  to  be  removed  to 
Northampton  in  the  tenth  year  of  his  reign.  Edward  the 
First  made  it  frequently  a place  of  residence,  and  one  of 
the  numerous  crosses,  which  that  monarch  erected  to  the 
memory  of  Queen  Eleanor,  is  still  to  be  seen  in  the 
neighbourhood.  In  the  year  1460,  a memorable  battle 
was  fought  in  the  adjoining  meadows  on  the  banks  of  the 
Nen,  between  the  forces  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  and  the 
Yorkists,  in  which  the  former  were  defeated,  and  the. 
king  taken  prisoner  by  the  earl  of  Warwick. 

The  small  town  of  Peterborough  on  the  borders  of 
Huntingdonshire,  was  formerly  distinguished  for  its  mon- 
astery, which  Henry  the  Eighth  changed  by  letters 
patent  into  an  episcopal  see,  and  in  the  same  manner, 
the  conventual  church  was  converted  into  a cathedral. 
It  is  a building  of  irregular  architecture,  in  which  the 
Norman  style  predominates ; the  interior  may  be  men- 
tioned for  its  sepulchral  monuments,  particularly  for  those 
of  Catharine  of  Arragon,  and  the  unfortunate  Mary,  queen 
of  Scotland,  who  was  buried  there  in  1587. f Peterbor- 
ough is  the  least  episcopal  city  in  England,  but  it  is  a 
place  of  considerable  industry  and  trade  ; many  of  the 
inhabitants  are  engaged  in  manufacturing  stockings,  and 
the  commerce  consists  in  coal,  corn,  malt  and  timber, 
that  are  transported  by  means  of  the  Nen,  which  is  navi- 
gable for  barges.  The  same  town  was  the  birth-place 
of  Dr.  William  Paley,  and  it  may  be  added  that  the 
celebrated  Dryden  was  a native  of  the  county.  The 
ruins  of  Fotheringay  Castle  may  be  traced  near  the  vil- 
lage of  the  same  name.  It  was  there  that  Richard  the 
Third  was  born,  and  it  was  there  also  that  the  queen  of 
the  Scots  terminated  her  wretched  fate,  and  suffered  with 
the  utmost  fortitude  the  death  to  which  she  was  unjustly 
condemned.  The  same  castle  was  demolished  by  James 
the  First,  and  little  more  than  the  moats  remain  to  mark 
its  site. 

The  county  of  Huntingdon  is  enclosed  by  those  of 
Bedford,  Cambridge,  and  Northampton.  The  first  is  con- 
tiguous to  it  on  the  south-west,  the  second  on  the  south- 
east and  north-east,  and  the  last  on  the  north  and  west. 
The  boundaries  are  very  irregular  and  mostly  artificial  ; 

c In  the  Oxford  canal,  at  Braunston,  near  the  western  confines. — P. 

d Through  Northamptonshire,  Bucks,  Hertfordshire,  and  Middlesex, 
to  London. — P. 

e See  notes  d and  c p.  1220. 

f The  remains  of  the  queen  were  afterwards  removed  by  her  son  to 
Westminster  Abbey. 


544 


EUKUPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV. 


the  area  is  supposed  to  be  equal  to  310  square  miles,  so 
that  if  Rutland  and  Middlesex,  be  excepted,  Hunting- 
donshire is  less  than  any  other  county  in  England.  It  is 
only  distinguished  as  a farming  county  ; its  manufactures 
are  too  insignificant  to  require  notice.  The  Ouse,  which 
enters  Huntingdonshire  from  Bedfordshire,  passes  by 
St.  Neots,  Huntingdon  and  St.  Ives,  is  navigable  through- 
out its  course,  and  waters  meadows  that  have  been  long 
noted  for  their  fertility  ; of  these,  Portholm-mead®  in  the 
vicinity  of  Huntingdon,  is  not  the  least  celebrated  ; such 
too,  are  the  south-eastern  districts  ;b  the  central  and  the 
western  are  more  varied,  fruitful  in  corn,  and  by  no 
means  destitute  of  trees.  The  uplands  were  formerly 
covered  with  wroods,  and  well  adapted  for  the  chase; 
hence  they  were  denominated  the  Hunting-Downs , from 
which  the  county  derives  its  name.  The  Nen,  which 
separates  Huntingdonshire  from  Northamptonshire,  forms 
several  lakes  or  meres,I * * * * 6  and  the  marshy  districts  on  the 
north-east  are  composed  of  fens  which  are  connected 
with  those  of  the  last  county,  and  with  the  extensive 
tract  that  has  been  denominated  the  Bedford  Level,  that 
passes  through  Cambridgeshire  and  Lincolnshire.  Wliit- 
tlesea-Mere,  although  much  smaller  than  it  once  was,  is 
equal  in  length  to  six  miles,  and  in  breadth  to  three,  and 
covers  an  area  of  1570  acres  ; like  the  others  in  the  same 
county,  it  abounds  with  wild  fowl  The  fen-lands  have 
been  estimated  at  44,000  acres,  or  rather  more  than  a 
fifth  part  of  the  surface  but  of  these  more  than  10,000, 
which  have  been  drained,  afford  good  pasturage.  Although 
the  village  of  Stilton  is  famous  for  its  cheese,  the  cattle 
are  admitted  to  be  of  an  inferior  kind.d 

The  county  contains  no  towns  of  much  importance, 
nut  it  may  be  remarked  that  Huntingdon,  the  capital,  is 
finely  situated  on  an  eminence  above  the  rich  and  ver- 
dant meadows  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  Ouse,  which 
being  navigable  for  barges  and  small  vessels,  enables  the 
inhabitants  to  carry  on  a trade  in  coals,  timber  and  other 
articles  that  are  imported  at  Lynn.  The  town  consists 
principally  of  a single  street,  extending  more  than  a mile 
in  a north-western  direction  from  the  bank  of  the  river. 
It  is  connected  by  means  of  a causeway  and  three  bridges 
with  the  ancient  village  of  Godmanchester,  of  which  it  is 
said  to  have  been  originally  a dependence.  It  is  proba- 
ble, however,  that  it  was  once  more  important  than  at 
present,  as  it  formerly  contained  fifteen  parishes,  a num- 
ber which  has  since  been  reduced  to  two.  Huntingdon 
is  well  known  as  the  birth-place  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  and 
the  parish  register  of  the  year  1599,  in  which  his  baptism 
is  recorded,  is  still  preserved  with  great  care. 

The  inland  county  of  Bedford  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Huntingdonshire  and  Northamptonshire,  on  the  west 
by  Buckinghamshire,  on  the  south  by  the  same  county 


I Portsholme  Mead  (Ed.  Enc.)  Portsholm,  or  Portmead  (Luck- 
ombe.)— P. 

b The  borders  of  the  Ouse,  flowing  across  the  S.  E.  part,  consist  of 
a tract  of  most  beautiful  and  fertile  meadows,  of  which  Portsholme 
Mead,  near  Huntingdon,  is  particularly  celebrated.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c The  Nen  forms  the  northern  boundary  of  the  shire.  On  the  north- 
eastern confines  are  several  large  meres  or  pools.  The  Nen  sinks  into 
the  fens  below  Peterborough,  but  it  is  not  directly  connected  with  the 
meres,  nor  can  it  be  considered  as  forming  them. — P. 

II  Parkinson’s  Agricultural  Survey  of  Huntingdonshire. 

e Aikin,  Idem. 

r Lignite,  or  Brown  Coal — in  the  Iron  sand  formation,  between  the 
Chalk  and  Oolitic  formations. — P. 

s “ A Roman  way,  called  Ickenild  Street,  traverses  the  county  and 
nasses  by  the  small  town  uf  Dunstable  ; a second  crosses  the  former, 


and  Hertfordshire,  and  on  the  east  by  the  last  county  and 
Cambridgeshire.  The  Ouse  and  a small  river  are  the 
only  natural  limits ; the  first  bounds  it  a short  way  on  the 
east  and  west,  while  the  second  waters  the  south-western 
confines.  The  figure  of  the  county,  although  very  irregu- 
lar, bears  some  resemblance  to  an  ellipsis,  of  which  the 
longer  axis  is  about  thirty-six  miles,  and  the  shorter  about 
twenty.  It  contains  about  296,000  acres,  and  of  these, 
according  to  a recent  return,  more  than  80,000  are  in  a 
course  of  tillage,  and  168,000  in  pasturage.  There  are 
few  extensive  plains,  but  the  country  is  varied  by  hill 
and  dale.  The  ridge  of  chalk  hills  rises  to  a considera- 
ble height  on  the  south,  and  in  many  places  projects 
abruptly  into’  the  vallies.  A tract  of  comparatively  sterile 
land  extends  beneath  the  chalk  to  a considerable  distance, 
but  the  soil  has  been  improved  by  the  chalky  earth,  which 
is  used  as  a manure.  A stripe  of  good  land  passes  from 
the  south-eastern  corner  to  the  middle  of  the  county,  and 
terminates  northwards  in  sandy  hills.  The  western  part 
is  in  general  flat  and  sandy,  and  well  cultivated  according 
to  the  Norfolk  method.  Large  tracts  of  deep  and  barren 
sand  in  the  vicinity  of  Woburn  appear  to  be  only  fit  for 
plantations.  Lastly,  the  cultivation  of  garden  vegetable? 
furnishes  employment  to  many  of  the  inhabitants  between 
the  town  of  Biggleswade  and  the  village  of  Sandy. e The 
minerals  are  not  numerous,  and  with  one  exception,  not 
very  important.  Limestone,  coarse  marble  and  imper- 
fect coalf  are  obtained  in  many  places,  and  also  a variety 
of  petrifactions,  particularly  different  shells  and  Cornua 
Ammonis.  Mineral  waters  are  common,  but  none  of 
them  are  held  in  great  repute  ; some  are  saline,  and  others 
chalybeate,  but  the  greater  number  have  not  been  ana- 
lyzed. Fuller’s  earth,  which  has  been  long  worked,  and 
is  still  obtained  in  great  abundance,  must  be  considered 
the  most  valuable  of  the  mineral  products. 

Bedfordshire,  like  Huntingdonshire,  was  inhabited  in 
early  times  by  the  Catieuchlani,  better  known  perhaps 
by  the  name  of  the  Cassii,  who  sent  ambassadors  to 
Ctesar,  and  declared  their  willingness  to  submit  to  the 
Romans.  Traces  are  left  not  onlv  of  the  Roman,  bftt 

j - ' 

of  the  Saxon  and  Norman  domination.  The  village  of 
Sandy  near  Potton  stands  on  the  site  of  the  Magiovinium 
of  Antoninus.  The  remains  of  a Roman  amphitheatre 
may  still  be  observed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bradford- 
Magna  ; one  Roman  way  passes  by  the  small  town  of 
Dunstable,  another  extends  on  the  north  of  the  same 
place,  and  a third  crosses  the  Ouse  and  leads  to  Newport- 
Pagnel.s  The  name  of  Bedicanford  in  the  Saxon  annals, h 
attests  the  antiquity  of  Bedford,  the  capital  of  the  county, 
which  is  watered  by  the  Ouse,  and  finely  situated  in  a 
fruitful  tract,  that  is  called  the  vale  of  Bedford.  It  is 
said  to  have  been  the  burying-place  of  Offa,  king  of  the 


to  the  north  of  that  town  ;*  and  lastly,  a third  passes  the  Ouse  and 
leads  to  Newport-Pagnell.”  (M.  B.) — Only  two  Roman  roads  are 
generally  represented  as  crossing  Bedfordshire,  viz.  the  Ickenild  and 
Watling  Streets.  But  there  is  a difference  in  tracing  the  course  of 
the  latter  through  the  county.  The  Ed.  Enc.  represents  it  as  entering 
at  Dunstable,  and  leaving  it  between  Heath  [near  Leighton-Buzzaid] 
and  Potsgrove  [near  Woburn.]  Luckombe  (Gazetteer,  Append.  Roman 
Roads)  says  it  enters  at  Luton  ; then  turns  westward,  till  it  intersects 
the  Ickenild  Street,  near  Dunstable;  then  northward,  by  Barton,  Sliel- 
ford  and  Sandy,  to  Bedford,  where  it  crosses  the  Ouse,  and  leads  to 
Newport-Pagnell  in  Bucks.  The  Ickenild  crosses  the  southern  border 
of  the  county  by  Dunstable. — P. 

* The  Walling  Street. — The  old  Roman  Watling  Street  is  crossed  by  the 
Ickenild  Street  at  Dunstable.  (Luckombe.) — P. 

>'  Bedanford.  (Camden.) — P 


BOOK  CLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF 

Mercians  ; at  a later  period,  it  was  made  over  by  Wil- 
liam Rufus  to  Pain  de  Beauchamp,  who  fortified  it  with 
a strong  castle.  The  possession  of  it  enabled  Faukes 
de  Brent  to  sustain  a siege  against  the  army  of  Henry 
the  Third.  The  castle  was  destroyed,  but  the  favourite 
escaped  ; and  the  details  of  the  event,  at  the  same  time 
that  they  illustrate  the  state  of  society,  are  of  as  singular 
a nature  as  any  in  English  history.  The  town  is  an 
ancient  corporation,  and  its  first  charter  bears  the  date 
of  1166.  It  is  now  divided  into  five  parishes.  The 
charitable  institutions  are  not  without  importance  ; a free 
grammar  school,  founded  in  1556,  by  Sir  William 
Harpur,  a London  alderman,  was  endowed  with  thirteen 
acres  of  land,*  which,  having  been  since  let  for  building, 
yield  a yearly  rent  of  £6000.  The  surplus  funds  are 
applied  to  different  purposes,  and  among  others,  £800 
are  annually  distributed  as  marriage  portions  among 
forty  poor  maidens  ; each  receives  £20,  but  if  any  do 
not  marry  within  a month  afterwards,  the  money  is  for- 
feited. The  town  is  greatly  indebted  to  the  late  Mr. 
Whitbread  for  its  gaol  and  infirmary.  Although  the 
manufactures  are  of  little  value,  Bedford  carries  on  a 
considerable  trade  in  corn,  coal,  iron  and  timber,  which 
are  conveyed  by  the  Ouse  from  Lynn  and  Yarmouth. 
It  may  be  added  that  the  northern  and  southern  parts 
of  the  same  town  are  connected  by  a handsome  stone 
bridge,  which  was  erected  over  the  river  in  1814. 

The  popular  author  of  the  pilgrim’s  progress,  a person 
almost  as  much  distinguished  for  the  profligacy  of  his 
youth,  as  for  the  religious  fervour  of  his  maturer  years, 
officiated  long  as  the  anabaptist  minister  of  Bedford. 
The  courage  of  the  man  is  worthy  of  admiration ; per- 
severing in  defiance  of  the  unjust  laws  that  were  enacted 
against  dissenters,  he  incurred  the  sentence  of  transporta- 
tion. It  is  true  that  the  sentence  was  not  put  in  exe- 
cution, but  Bunyan  passed  more  than  twelve  years  of 
his  life  in  prison. 

The  small  town  of  Woburn  near  the  Buckinghamshire 
border,  was  well  known  in  past  times  on  account  of  an 
abbey,  founded  in  the  twelfth  century  by  Cistertian 
monks.  The  same  abbey,  on  the  suppression  of  the 
monasteries,  was  granted  by  Henry  the  Eighth  to  John 
Russel,  the  founder  of  a family  that  has  since  become 
illustrious  in  the  annals  of  English  freedom. 

Warwickshire,  a county  of  an  irregular  form,  termi- 
nating in  a point  on  the  north  and  south,  is  surrounded  by 
six  other  counties,  namely,  by  Leicestershire  on  the 
north-east,  Northamptonshire  on  the  east,  Oxfordshire 
on  the  south-east,  Gloucestershire  on  the  south-west, 
Worcestershire  on  the  west,  and  Staffordshire  on  the 
north-west.  Equal  in  some  parts  to  fifty  miles  in  length, 
and  to  thirty-five  in  breadth,  the  area  is  not  more  than 
902  square  miles.  Almost  a half  of  the  county  consists  of 
pasture  lands,  nearly  a third  partis  arable,  and  154,530 
acres  are  in  a constant  course  of  tillage.  The  same 
county  is  adorned  with  many  picturesque  sites,  hills  alter- 
nating with  vallies,  woods,  limpid  streams  and  rivers. 
The  highest  lands  are  situated  in  the  hundred  of  Hem- 
lingford,  and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Packington.  The 


» In  St.  Andrew’s  parish,  Holborn — now  forming  Bedford  Row  and 
the  .adjoining  streets. — P. 

b The  Cld  Birmingham  canal.— It  is  now  continued,  beyond  the 
Staffordshire  and  Worcestershire  canal,  in  the  Birmingham  and  Liv- 
erpool canal,  to  the  Chester  canal  at  Nantwich. — P. 

VOh.  III.— NO.  59.  59 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  545 

streams  from  this  ridge  descend  on  one  side  to  the  Avon, 
and  onwards  to  the  Bristol  Channel,  and  on  the  other, 
to  the  Blythe,  the  Tame  and  the  Trent.  The  Brailes 
and  Edge  Hills  form  part  of  another  ridge  on  the  south- 
east, less  elevated  than  the  former. 

The  soil,  in  common  with  that  of  other  midland  coun- 
ties, is  very  variable,  and  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the 
varieties  occur  frequently  within  a very  limited  space, 
or  that  many  of  them  may  be  observed  in  a single  field. 
Agriculture,  it  may  easily  be  imagined,  is  modified  by 
these  natural  causes,  and  different  methods  or  different 
rotations  are  followed  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
land.  The  common  crops  are  wheat,  barley,  oats,  legu- 
minous plants  and  turnips  ; rye,  potatoes  and  flax  are 
of  rarer  occurrence.  It  is  also  distinguished  as  a feeding 
and  dairy  county  ; much  cheese  is  made  in  the  northern 
districts,  and  the  different  breeds  of  cattle  have  been 
crossed  and  improved.  The  plantations  are  extensive  ; 
the  woodlands  in  the  ancient  forest  of  Arden  are  now 
under  excellent  management,  and  oaks  as  lofty  as  any 
in  England  may  be  seen  in  the  parks  of  different 
proprietors. 

The  minerals  are  coal,  limestone,  freestone,  ironstone, 
flagstone  and  marl.  The  best  coal,  it  has  been  observed, 
is  wrought  near  Bedworth.  Limestone  is  common  in 
many  parts,  and  freestone  abounds  in  the  light  sandy 
districts.  Extensive  quarries  of  blue  flagstone,  which  is 
much  used  in  paving  streets,  are  worked  near  Bidford  and 
Wilnecote.  The  western  districts  abound  in  marl  of  a 
good  quality,  and  ironstone  was  formerly  wrought  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Oldbury. 

The  rivers  are  the  Avon,  the  Tame,  the  Learn,  the 
Stour,  the  Alne,  the  Blythe,  the  Cole  and  the  Dove. 
But  if  the  Avon  be  excepted,  these  and  other  rivers, 
although  they  enrich  the  pastoral  districts,  and  add 
greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  country,  are  too  insignificant 
to  facilitate  the  purposes  of  commerce.  And  as  War 
wickshire  is  conspicuous  for  the  enterprise  of  its  mer- 
chants, and  the  skill  of  its  artisans,  it  may  readily  bo 
supposed  that  the  industrious  inhabitants  have  availed 
themselves  of  the  advantages  which  artificial  channels 
afford.  The  county  may  bear  a comparison  with  any 
other  in  the  number  and  importance  of  its  canals,  and 
the  history  of  its  commerce  proves  that  almost  simulta- 
neously with  the  completion  of  these  modern  works, 
great  accessions  have  been  made  to  its  products  of  in- 
dustry. Although  it  might  occupy  too  much  space  to 
mention  all  the  canals,  some  of  them  need  not  be  omit- 
ted. The  town  of  Birmingham  may  be  considered  the 
point  from  which  the  numerous  ramifications  diverge. 
The  Birmingham  canal, b extending  from  the  Stafford 
shire  and  Worcestershire  canal  near  Wolverhampton, 
terminates  in  the  Birmingham  and  Fazeley  canal  ; coals 
are  thus  conveyed  from  Staffordshire,  and  Manchester 
and  Liverpool  receive  the  manufactures  of  Birmingham, 
The  Birmingham  and  Fazeley  canal  serves  for  the  trans 
portation  of  the  same  manufactures  to  Hull  and  London, 
and  the  boats  return  laden  with  grain  and  other  corn 
modifies  to  Birmingham.®  The  Warwick  and  Binning 


c The  Birmingham  and  Fazeley  canal  terminates  in  the  Coventry 
canal,  near  Fazeley  ; it  communicates  with  Hull,  by  the  Coventry, 
Grand  Trunk  and  Trent  canals,  and  the  river  Trent,  and  with  London, 
by  the  Coventry,  Oxford  and  Grand  Junction  canals. — P. 


546  EUR 

ham  canal  extends  from  Warwick  to  the  Digbeth  cut  ;a 
the  distance  between  London  and  Birmingham  is  thus 
shortened,  and  the  capital  of  the  county  is  supplied  with 
coal.b  Lastly,  by  the  circuitous  course  of  the  Coventry 
canal  to  Birmingham,®  the  products  of  the  neighbouring 
country  are  placed  in  the  line  of  communication  with 
London  in  one  direction,  and  with  Manchester  and  Liv- 
erpool in  the  other.  Such  are  some  of  the  works  which 
the  inhabitants  have  constructed  from  their  own  resources 
to  facilitate  their  commerce. d 

Warwick,  the  capital,  is  finely  situated  on  the  banks 
of  the  Avon  in  the  central  part  of  the  county.  The 
streets  are  regular  and  well  built,  and  most  of  them  meet 
on  an  eminence  in  the  middle  of  the  town.  It  contained 
formerly  six  parish  churches,  but  of  these  two  are  all  that 
remain.  St.  Mary’s  church,  a magnificent  Gothic  build- 
ing, was  granted  as  a place  of  worship  to  the  inhabitants 
by  Henry  the  Eighth  at  the  dissolution  of  the  monas- 
teries. It  was  almost  destroyed  by  fire  in  1694,  and 
afterwards  rebuilt ; but  of  the  original  structure,  the 
Beauchamp  chapel  still  remains,  and  it  is  little  inferior 
to  any  English  building  both  in  its  exterior  and  interior 
ornaments.  Among  the  latter  are  several  monuments 
of  the  earls  of  Warwick,  and  one  of  the  Earl  of  Essex, 
the  unfortunate  favourite  of  Elizabeth.  The  other 
church,  or  that  of  St.  Nicholas,  is  by  no  means  remark- 
able for  its  architecture. 

Although  the  town  has  been  the  scene  of  important 
events  in  English  history,  its  origin  seems  to  be  un- 
known ; it  is  probable,  however,  that  it  was  not  founded 
before  the  time  of  the  Saxons.  It  is  mentioned  after  the 
conquest  as  a borough  containing  261  houses,  and  not 
long  afterwards  it  was  erected  into  an  earldom,  and  to 
this  distinction  it  owed  in  a great  measure  its  future  con- 
sequence and  prosperity.  The  fame  of  Warwick  is 
intimately  connected  with  its  castle,  which  is  supposed 
.o  have  been  built  in  the  tenth  century®  by  Ethelfleda, 
jueen  of  Mercia. f It  was  enlarged,  fortified  and  re- 
paired by  the  Conqueror,  who  granted  it  to  Henry  de 
Newbury,  the  first  earl  of  Warwick.  At  a later  period, 
during  the  baronial  wars,  it  was  nearly  destroyed  by 
Gifford,  the  governor  of  Kenilworth  Castle  ; a few  years 
elapsed  before  it  was  rebuilt,  and  it  was  a second  time 
enlarged  by  Beauchamp,  Earl  of  Warwick.  It  is  un- 
necessary to  mention  its  succeeding  vicissitudes,  but  it 
may  be  remarked  that  it  was  degraded  into  a common 
prison,  until  it  was  granted  by  James  the  First  to  Sir 
Fulke  Greville,  afterwards  Lord  Brooke,  who  restored 
it  to  its  original  purpose.  It  stands  on  a rock  on  the 
northern  bank  of  the  Avon;  the  broad  deep  moat,  which 
once  formed  an  almost  insurmountable  obstacle  to  an 
invading  foe,  is  now  covered  with  grass,  and  adorned 
with  trees  ; the  stone  bridge  is  now  unguarded,  and  the 
battlements  are  clothed  with  ivy,  but  the  edifice  is  still 
the  greatest  ornament  to  the  town,  and  perhaps  the  finest 
castle  that  remains  in  England. 

The  city  of  Coventry  is  situated  between  Warwick 

OPE.  [BOOK  CUV 

and  Birmingham, s and  although  its  antiquity  may  not 
remount  to  Roman  times,  it  is  mentioned  at  a very  early 
period  of  English  history.  It  owed  its  origin  to  a neigh- 
bouring convent  that  was  pillaged  by  the  Danes,  and  it 
is  probable  that  it  was  a place  of  some  consequence  in 
the  time  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  or  at  the  date  of  the 
legendary  story  of  Leofric  and  the  pious  Godiva.h  The 
obduracy  of  the  count  is  not  forgotten ; the  strange 
manner  in  which  the  countess  displayed  her  benevolence 
or  piety,  and  the  misfortunes  of  “ Peeping  Tom,”  are 
still  represented  in  a procession  that  takes  place  in 
Trinity  week.  Not  long  after  the  conquest,  the  lordship 
of  Coventry  was  attached  to  the  earls  of  Chester,  and  it 
received  many  advantages  during  the  middle  ages  from 
the  protection  of  these  powerful  barons.  It  has  been 
the  seat  of  two  parliaments,  one  in  1404,  the  other  in 
1459.  The  first  has  been  since  called  Parliamentum 
Indoclorum  (the  Unlearned  Parliament),  from  the  cir- 
cumstance of  lawyers  being  excluded  from  it ; the  sec- 
ond was  known  by  the  name  of  Parliamentum  Diaboli- 
cum  (the  Devil’s  Parliament),  on  account  of  the  attain- 
ders that  were  passed  against  Richard,  duke  of  York, 
the  earl  of  March,  and  the  most  eminent  of  the  Yorkists. 
In  the  time  of  Henry  the  Third,  and  in  consequence  of 
disputes  between  the  chapters  of  Coventry  and  Lichfield, 
it  was  determined  that  both  were  entitled  to  elect,  but 
that  the  precedence  in  the  episcopal  title  should  be 
given  to  Coventry.  Matters  continued  in  this  state  until 
the  Reformation,  when  it  was  ordained  that  the  dean  and 
chapter  of  Lichfield  should  be  for  ever  the  sole  property 
of  the  bishopric  of  Coventry.  Not  long  afterwards,  the 
cathedral  of  the  same  place,  which  is  said  to  have  been 
little  inferior  to  any  in  England,  was  destroyed  by  order 
of  Henry  the  Eighth.  Of  the  three  churches  that 
remain,  that  of  St.  Michael  is  a very  perfect  specimen 
of  its  kind,  and  its  lofty  steeple,  which  reaches  to  the 
height  of  303  feet,  is  perhaps  its  greatest  ornament. 

The  same  town  was  early  distinguished  for  the  indus- 
try of  its  inhabitants,  and  it  carried  on  during  the  fifteenth 
century  a considerable  traffic  in  cloths  and  other  articles, 
which  remained  its  staple  manufactures  until  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Turkey  trade  at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth. 
The  present  branches  of  industry  are  of  comparatively 
recent  origin.  The  making  of  watches  was  first  intro- 
duced about  forty  years  ago,  and  it  is  probable  that  more 
watches  are  now  made  in  Coventry  than  in  London. 
The  silk  manufactures,  which  date  from  the  eighteenth 
century,  are  more  important,  and  it  may  be  mentioned 
that  in  the  year  1808,  there  were  2819  silk  and  ribbon 
looms  in  the  city.  But  the  inhabitants  have  made  great 
improvements  in  the  art  since  that  period,  or  more  defi- 
nitely, since  it  became  legal  to  import  foreign  manufac- 
tures. An  able  and  impartial  judge,  having  been  exam- 
ined by  a committee  of  the  House  of  Commons,  declared 
that  he  should  now  blush  for  the  work  which  his  best 
hands  had  formerly  furnished,  and  that  in  his  opinion  the 
manufactures  of  Coventry  were  now  equal  to  those  of 

1 A branch  of  the  Birmingham  and  Fazeley  canal,  passing  through 
that  part  of  Birmingham  called  Digbeth. — P. 

b See  note  b p.  1223. 

c Coventry  and  Birmingham  communicate  by  the  Coventry  and 
the  Birmingham  and  Fazeley  canals — together  forming  nearly  a semi- 
circle.— P. 

4 Phe  canals  centering  in  Birmingham,  are  the  Old  Birmingham, 
the  Birmingham  and  Fazeley,  and  the  Warwick  and  Birmingham 

canals,  already  mentioned  ; and  lastly,  the  Worcester  and  Birming- 
ham canal,  connecting  those  two  towns,  and  with  side  branches  to 
Dudley  and  Stratford  on  Avon. — P. 
e A.  D.  915. 

f Countess  of  Mercia,  daughter  of  Alfred. — P. 
s It  is  situated  north-east  of  Warwick,  and  east  of  Birmingham. — P 
b Leofric,  earl  of  Mercia,  and  Godiva,  his  countess. — P. 

book  cbiv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

foreign  rivals,  and  might  successfully  compete  with  the 
finest  fabrics  of  Lyons. 

Birmingham,  situated  on  the  north-western  side  of  the 
county,  is  by  far  the  most  important  town  in  Warwick- 
shire. It  has  been  asserted  that  some  branches  of 
industry  were  cultivated  at  a very  early  period,  and  that 
it  afterwards  carried  on  an  extensive  trade  in  leather ; 
but  these  facts  are  at  best  doubtful,  and  it  is  certain  that 
the  sources  of  its  present  prosperity  existed  only  in 
modern  times.  Carpenters’  tools,  nails  and  coarse  agri- 
cultural implements  were  the  only  products  of  its  forges 
until  after  the  Revolution.  William  the  Third  having 
expressed  his  regret  that  his  people  were  dependent  on 
the  continent  for  arms,  the  member  of  parliament  for 
Warwickshire  engaged  that  arms  should  be  obtained  in 
sufficient  numbers  from  Birmingham.  Such  is  the  origin 
of  a manufacture  by  which  the  wealth  of  the  town  has 
been  greatly  increased,  for  since  the  comparatively  recent 
period  of  its  introduction,  Birmingham  has  become,  if  it 
may  be  so  termed,  the  armoury  not  only  of  Britain,  but 
of  Europe.  The  rapid  rise  of  this  branch  of  industry 
may  be  attributed  to  the  judicious  management  of  a few 
enterprising  individuals,  and  the  extent  to  which  it  has 
been  carried,  may  be  estimated  from  the  following  facts. 
About  the  beginning  of  the  last  war,  5,000  stand  of 
arms  were  seldom  made  within  a month  ; but  before  the 
close  of  the  same  war,  14,500  muskets  were  delivered 
weekly  into  the  ordnance  offices  for  the  supply  of  gov- 
ernment and  the  different  powers  that  were  subsidized 
by  England.  The  industry  of  the  inhabitants  is  directed 
to  the  working  of  metals,  from  the  smelting  of  the  largest 
masses  to  the  execution  of  the  most  delicate  trinkets  in 
steel,  copper,  silver  and  gold.  The  immense  quantity 
of  goods,  which  are  sent  from  the  same  place,  and  ex- 
posed in  the  markets  of  every  quarter  of  the  world,  are 
wrought  by  25,000  families,  but  many  hundred  times 
that  number  might  be  insufficient  for  the  task,  without 
the  aid  of  inorganic  matter  in  the  abridgment  of  labour. 
To  give  even  a superficial  notion  of  the  different  pro- 
cesses that  are  adopted,  or  of  the  various  substitutes  for 
human  labour,  might  occupy  several  pages.  They 
comprehend  every  contrivance  from  the  most  ponderous 
machines,  from  steam-engines,  wheels,  cylinders  and 
levers,  of  which  the  vast  power  cannot  be  witnessed 
without  admiration,  down  to  those  delicate  instruments 
that  are  formed  for  operations  of  the  minutest  accuracy. 
One  fact  is  certain  ; Birmingham  without  its  means  of 
communication  could  never  have  been  the  third  manu- 
facturing city  in  Britain,  inferior  only  to  Manchester  and 
Glasgow.  Numerous  rail-ways  and  lateral  canals  ex- 
tend from  different  iron  and  coal  mines  to  the  old  Bir- 
mingham canal, a and  their  products  are  thus  conveyed 
to  tbe  town.  To  keep  these  works  in  an  efficient  state 
is  by  no  means  so  easy  as  might  be  imagined  ; thus,  the 
proprietors  of  the  mines  are  obliged  to  turn  into  their 
respective  canals,  the  water  drawn  from  these  mines  by 
steam-engines.  The  Horsley  mine  is  drained  at  a depth 
of  660  feet,  by  an  engine  of  a hundred-horse  power,  but 
the  water  obtained  from  it  is  not  sufficient  for  the  supply 
of  the  principal  channel ; ten  other  steam-engines  are 
necessary  to  feed  it. 

It  is  only  of  late  years  that  the  mechanical  products 
a See  note  b p.  1225 


GREAT  BRITAIN.  547 

of  Birmingham  have  attained  their  high  degree  of  per- 
fection, and  it  is  only  of  late  years  too  that  the  wealthy 
inhabitants  have  contributed  to  the  happiness  and  welfare 
of  the  poor,  by  providing  for  them  the  means  of  educa- 
tion. It  now  possesses  a great  many  elementary  schools, 
and  there  are  besides  three  on  the  Lancasterian  plan,  in 
which  two  thousand  children  may  be  instructed.  In 
addition  to  its  numerous  benevolent  institutions,  one  has 
been  established  for  the  relief  of  persons  labouring  under 
bodily  deformities,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  its  ex- 
ample may  ere  long  be  imitated  in  other  towns,  where 
the  nature  of  the  occupations  is  injurious  to  the  human 
frame.  It  might  be  wrong,  however,  to  consider  Bir- 
mingham unhealthy ; although  perpetual  smoke  rises 
from  its  forges,  and  although  so  many  persons  are  em- 
ployed in  working  metals,  the  average  mortality  is  only 
one  in  fifty,  while  in  London,  it  is  one  in  thirty-one,  and 
in  Manchester,  one  in  thirty-seven.  It  is  not  unpleas- 
ing to  contemplate  the  rapid  progress  of  the  town  in 
industry,  riches  and  population  ; it  is  little  more  than 
two  centuries  and  a half  since  Edward  the  Sixth  en- 
dowed a free  school  with  a revenue  of  £30  from  land  ; 
th^  present  revenue  exceeds  £3000,  an  increase  of  a 
hundred-fold.  It  had  a population  of  ten  thousand 
inhabitants  about  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury ; a hundred  and  ten  years  afterwards  it  contained 
85,733  persons,  ten  years  later  the  number  amounted 
to  106,722,  and  according  to  the  returns  of  1831,  it  is 
now  equal  to  146,986.  It  is  unnecessary  to  add  that 
the  products  of  industry  have  advanced  in  a much  greater 
ratio  than  that  of  the  population. 

The  small  town  of  Stratford  on  Avon,  about  eight 
miles  to  the  south-west  of  Warwick,  might  be  passed 
over  in  silence,  had  it  not  been  the  birth  place  of  Shak- 
speare,  “ the  pride  of  Englishmen,  and  the  glory  of  their 
theatre.”  The  house  in  which  the  poet  was  born,  and 
a hall  in  which  his  jubilee  is  celebrated,  are  the  only 
objects  that  excite  the  curiosity  of  strangers. 

The  midland  county  of  Stafford  forms  a long  and  nar- 
row tract  on  the  east  of  Cheshire  and  Salop,  on  the 
west  of  Derbyshire  and  Warwickshire,  and  on  the  north 
of  Worcestershire.  A range  of  hills  runs  along  the 
north-western  border,  and  spreads  out  towards  the  north 
over  the  whole  breadth  of  the  county.  These  hills, 
which  are  termed  the  Moorlands,  form  part  of  the  chain, 
that  extends  northwards  through  Yorkshire  to  the  bor- 
ders of  Scotland.  According  to  the  Trigonometrical 
Survey,  some  of  the  hills  in  the  Moorlands  are  upwards 
of  1200  feet  in  height.  The  southern,  central  and  east- 
ern parts  of  the  county,  being  in  general  fruitful  and 
level  or  only  varied  by  gentle  undulations,  form  a strik- 
ing contrast  with  the  cold  and  bleak  hills  in  the  northern 
and  north-western  districts,  where  Cannock-Chase,  which 
was  formerly  covered  with  woods,  presents  the  appear- 
ance of  a naked  and  desolate  waste,  almost  without  a 
single  tree  to  enliven  the  scene.  The  rivers  rise  from 
these  heights,  but  within  the  limits  of  the  county,  none 
of  them  are  large.  They  have,  however,  contributed 
materially  to  that  extensive  system  of  inland  navigation, 
by  which  the  cultivation  of  the  land  has  been  improved, 
the  products  of  industry  multiplied,  and  the  commerce 
of  the  inhabitants  extended.  The  Trent,  the  principal 
river,  and  the  one  to  which  most  of  the  others  are  trib- 
utary, rises  from  the  Moorlands  near  the  northern 


rr~~— 

548  EUR 

extremity  of  the  county,  and  in  its  winding  course  first 
southwards  to  the  vicinity  of  the  Potteries,  then  east- 
wards to  its  junction  with  the  Tame,  and  lastly  north- 
eastwards to  the  borders  of  Derbyshire,  waters  sites  as 
picturesque  as  any  in  Leicestershire.  Although  much 
of  the  soil  is  fertile,  and  although  waste  lands  have  been 
restored  to  cultivation,  Staffordshire  is  of  secondary  im- 
portance as  an  agricultural  county;  its  treasures  consist 
in  its  minerals;  they  form  the  sources  of  its  trade,  and 
the  raw  materials  of  its  various  manufactures.  Coal, 
iron  and  limestone  are  the  most  valuable,  and  the  most 
extensively  distributed.  The  coal,  it  has  been  seen,  is 
obtained  in  a district  not  less  than  50,000  acres  in  ex- 
tent, and  in  some  parts  of  it,  the  seams  are  found  to  be 
thirty-six  feet  in  thickness.  The  strata  of  iron  ore  lie 
under,  and  alternate  with  the  coal ; the  most  abundant 
mines  and  those  of  the  best  quality  are  situated  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Wednesbury,  Tipton,  Bilston  and 
Sedgeley.  Copper  is  worked  at  Ecton-hill  near  Warslow, 
and  at  Mixon  near  Leek  ; veins  of  lead  have  been  open- 
ed at  no  great  distance  from  the  same  hill,  and  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  Stanton  moor.a  But  these  metals  are  of 
little  value  in  comparison  of  the  first,  from  the  abundance 
of  which  the  county  has  been  denominated  the  Chalyhia 
of  England.  Limestone  is  perhaps  the  most  common 
of  the  mineral  products  ; the  Sedgeley  and  Dudley  hills 
on  the  south  afford  an  inexhaustible  supply  ; the  same 
remark  is  applicable  to  the  upper  banks  of  the  Dove,  to 
the  north-eastern  Moorlands,  and  to  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  Weever  hills,  whence  the  greatest  consumption 
does  not  lessen  the  supply  in  any  perceptible  degree. 
The  same  substance  is  used  extensively  in  Stafford- 
shire for  manure,  and  a great  quantity  is  exported  to  other 
counties,  in  which  it  is  chiefly  used  for  mortar.  The 
limestone  passes  in  different  places  into  marble ; the  ronce 
sort  is  the  most  common,  but  grey  and  black  varieties  are 
by  no  means  scarce,  the  former  at  Stanshope  and  Pokehill, 
the  latter  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bentley.  Lastly,  the 
sulphate  of  lime,  known  by  the  name  of  alabaster,  is  ob- 
tained from  many  quarries  near  the  banks  of  the  Dove. 
Potter’s  earth  is  found  in  different  places,  and  also  in  the 
district  of  the  Potteries. b But  the  principal  supply  of 
Staffordshire  is  derived  from  Dorsetshire  and  Devonshire  ; 
four  sorts  of  clay  are  imported  from  these  counties,  and 
that  from  the  Isle  of  Purbeck  in  Dorsetshire  is  sold  for 
the  highest  price.  Mineral  substances,  similar  in  their 
properties  to  the  porcelain  earths  in  China,  were  discov- 
ered in  England  by  Mr.  Cookworthy  in  1768,  the  first 
person  by  whom  real  porcelain  was  made  in  Britain.  It 
is  unnecessary  to  add  that  the  mineral  substances  were 
decomposed  feldspar  or  the  kaolin  of  the  Chinese,  which 
is  now  sent  from  Cornwall  to  Staffordshire. 

The  district  in  which  almost  all  the  English  earthen 
ware  is  made,  commences  near  the  borders  of  Cheshire, 
and  extends  from  the  village  of  Golden-Hill  to  Lane- 
End,  a distance  of  seven  miles.  Between  these  two 
places  are  situated  Newfield,  Smithfield,  Tunstall,  Long- 
port,  Burslem,  Cobridge,  Etruria,  Hanley,  Shelton, 
Stoke,  Lower  Lane  and  Lower  Delf.  All  these  places 
were  formerly  distinct  from  each  other,  but  with  the  in- 
crease of  the  staple  manufacture,  so  many  new  potteries 

-| 

OPE.  [BOOK  CLtV 

and  dwelling-houses  have  been  built,  that  tne  different  vil- 
lages are  now  united;  the  whole  exhibits  the  appearance  of 
a large  town,  and  in  every  part  of  the  kingdom,  except  the 
district  itself,  they  are  all  included  under  the  general 
name  of  the  Potteries.  It  might  be  shown  that  about  the 
beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  earthen  wares  of 
Staffordshire,  and  the  trade  to  which  they  gave  rise,  were 
in  a national  point  of  view,  wholly  insignificant.  The 
traffic  was  either  carried  on  by  the  workmen  themselves, 
or  by  pedlars,  who  carried  the  wares  in  baskets  through  the 
adjoining  counties.  Not  long  afterwards  the  art  was  im- 
proved by  the  use  of  salt  in  glazing,  a practice  that  was 
first  introduced  into  Staffordshire  by  the  two  Elers ; at 
a still  later  period  the  ingenious  and  self-educated  Mr. 
Astbury  added  calcined  flint  to  the  composition  of  the  ware, 
and  it  cannot  be  denied  that  these  improvements  were 
accompanied  with  a corresponding  extension  of  the  trade. 
Such  was  the  state  of  an  art,  which  was  afterwards  so 
much  advanced  by  the  celebrated  Wedgwood,  who  found 
the  products  of  the  Potteries  inferior  and  flimsy  in  their 
materials,  inelegant  in  their  forms,  and  grotesque  in  their 
ornaments.  Before  his  time,  foreign  wares  wer»  largely 
imported ; since  his  successful  labours,  the  Potteries 
not  only  supply  all  England,  but  export  their  products  to 
every  quarter  of  the  globe.  Some  notion  of  the  change 
produced  in  the  trade  and  in  this  branch  of  industry  by  a 
single  individual,  may  be  formed  from  the  following  state- 
ment of  M.  Faujas  de  St.  Fond.  “ The  excellent  work- 
manship, the  solidity,  the  advantages  which  it  possesses 
of  sustaining  the  action  of  fire,  the  fine  glaze,  impenetra- 
ble to  acids,  the  beauty  of  the  form,  and  the  cheapness  of 
the  price,  have  given  rise  to  a commerce  so  active  and  so 
universal,  that  in  travelling  from  Paris  to  St.  Petersburg, 
from  Amsterdam  to  the  furthest  extremity  of  Sweden, 
and  from  Dunkirk  to  the  south  of  France,  the  traveller  is 
served  at  every  inn  on  English  ware.  Spain,  Portugal 
and  Italy  are  supplied  with  it,  and  vessels  are  loaded  with 
it  for  the  East  Indies,  the  West  Indies  and  the  continent 
of  America.”*  But  the  extent  to  which  the  same 
branch  of  industry  had  arrived  even  some  years  before 
the  period  that  this  intelligent  traveller  visited  England, 
may  be  better  appreciated  from  the  statement  of  Mr. 
Wedgwood  himself.  Having  been  examined  in  1785  by 
a committee  of  the  privy  council,  and  at  the  bars  of  both 
bouses  of  parliament,  Mr.  Wedgwood  declared  “ that  the 
manufacturing  part  alone  furnished  in  the  Potteries  and 
their  immediate  vicinity  the  means  of  subsistence  to 
twenty  thousand  persons  ; but  that  this  was  a small  object, 
when  compared  with  the  many  others  dependent  on  it  : 

1st,  The  immense  quantity  of  inland  carriage  to  which  it 
gave  -rise  throughout  the  kingdom  both  for  the  raw  ma- 
terials and  the  finished  goods  ; 2d,  the  great  number  of 

people  employed  in  the  extensive  collieries  for  its  use  ; 

3d,  The  still  greater  number  employed  in  raising  and 
preparing  its  raw  materials  in  several  distant  parts  of 
England,  from  the  Land’s  End  in  Cornwall,  one  way 
along  different  parts  of  the  coast,  to  Falmouth,  Teign- 
mouth,  Exeter,  Poole,  Gravesend  and  the  Norfolk  coast, 
and  the  other  way  to  Biddeford,  Wales  and  the  Irish 
coast;  4th,  The  coasting  vessels,  which  after  having 
been  employed  at  the  proper  season  in  the  Newfoundland 

* Ecton-hill  has  likewise  a considerable  vein  of  lead,  and  another  of 
the  same  mineral  has  been  found  near  Stanton-moor.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P 

* Potter's  clay  of  various  sorts  is  found  here,  particularly  in  the  vi- 

cinity  of  Newcastle,  where  the  potteries  are  chiefly  carried  on.  (Rees 
Cyc ')— P. 

• c M.  Faujas  de  St.  Fond,  Voyages  en  Angleterre  el  en  Ecosse. 

GREAT  BRITAIN. 


549 


book  cliv.]  DESCRIPTION  OF 

fisheries,  carry  these  materials  coastwise  to  Liverpool 
and  Hull,  to  the  amount  of  more  than  20,000  tons  yearly, 
and  at  times  when  without  this  employment,  they  would 
be  laid  up  idle  in  the  harbour ; 5th,  the  further  convey- 
ance of  these  materials  from  those  ports  by  river  and 
canal  navigation  to  the  Potteries,  situated  in  one  of  the 
most  inland  parts  of  the  kingdom;  and  6th,  The  recon- 
veyance of  the  finished  goods  to  the  different  ports  of  the 
island,  where  they  are  shipped  for  every  foreign  market, 
that  is  open  to  the  earthern-wares  of  England.”  Impor- 
tant as  the  advances  made  by  Mr.  Wedgwood  were,  he 
repeatedly  declared  that  the  progress  of  improvement 
was  still  in  its  infancy  ; and  although  it  would  be  idle  to 
deny  that  successive  improvements  have  been  made  since 
his  time,  or  that  the  trade  has  been  greatly  extended,  still 
it  cannot  be  affirmed  that  any  individual  has  since  distin- 
guished himself  by  so  many  and  so  valuable  inventions  in 
this  useful  art. 

Although  it  is  evident,  from  what  has  been  already 
said,  that  Staffordshire  holds  a high  rank  among  the  in- 
dustrious and  commercial  counties  of  England,  it  is  equal- 
ly true  that  few  of  its  towns  are  important.  Stafford, 
the  capital,  is  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  Sow,  about 
three  miles  from  its  junction  with  the  Trent.  The  prin- 
cipal branches  of  industry  consist  in  making  shoes,  and 
in  tanning  leather,  both  for  home  consumption  and  expor- 
tation. It  contains  at  present  only  two  churches,  St. 
Mary’s  and  St.  Chad’s;  it  had  formerly  a priory  of 
Black  Friars,  a convent  of  Franciscan,  and  another  of 
Augustine  monks.  It  appears  from  the  Saxon  Chronicle 
that  a castle  was  built  at  Stafford  in  913  by  Ethelfieda, 
countess  of  Mercia,  and  sister  to  Edward  the  Elder  ; but 
of  this  castle  no  vestiges  remain.  It  seems  to  have 
been  a place  of  some  consequence  in  past  times,  for  in 
Domesday-book  it  is  mentioned  as  a city  ; and  it  is  certain 
that  the  ancient  custom  of  borough-english  is  not  un- 
known to  the  inhabitants. 

Lichfield,®  which  participates  with  Coventry  in  the 
dignity  of  an  episcopal  town,  is  situated  on  a feeder  of 
the  Trent,  near  the  ancient  Etocetum,  a Roman  station. 
The  cathedral,  the  greatest  ornament  of  the  place,  is  sur- 
rounded with  walls  like  a castle,  and  stands  on  an  emi- 
nence that  commands  a distant  view.  It  is  about  412 
feet  in  length,  and  154  in  breadth.  A spire,  256  feet 
high,  rises  from  the  centre,  and  two  towers  terminating 
in  spires,  form  the  western  front.  Although  the  interior 
is  richly  adorned,  the  monuments  that  attract  most 
attention,  are  those  of  Samuel  Johnson  and  David  Gar- 
rick, both  natives  of  Lichfield.  Other  monuments  have 
been  erected  in  the  same  church  in  honour  of  Lady 
Wortley  Montague  and  Anna  Seward.  A free  school 
founded  by  Edward  the  Sixth,  may  be  mentioned  as  the 
place  where  Addison,  Ashmole,  Johnson,  Garrick  and 
Wollaston  were  educated. 

Newcastle  under  Line,  situated  in  the  centre  of  the 
Potteries,  and  watered  by  a branch  of  the  Trent, b is  im- 
portant from  its  commerce  ; it  carries  on  a considerable 
trade  in  cloth  and  felt,®  and  has  become  the  mart  of  many 
articles  that  are  consumed  in  the  Potteries.  Wolver- 


* Litchfield. 

b The  Line  or  Lyne.  c flats. 

d It  communicates  with  Birmingham  by  the  Old  Birmingham  canal, 
and  with  the  Grand  Trunk  canal  by  the  same  canal  to  its  junction  wth 
the  Staffordshire  and  Worcestershire  canai,  and  tnen  by  the  latter  till 


hampton,  a place  of  great  antiquity,  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  county,  is  the  most  populous  town  in  Staffordshire. 
It  has  risen  in  consequence  of  its  trade  in  locks,  keys  and 
other  articles  of  the  same  sort,  for  which  it  is  more  cele- 
brated than  any  town  in  the  kingdom.  But  however  in- 
genious the  artisans  may  be,  they  do  not  confine  them- 
selves to  one  branch  of  industry.  Many  farmers  in  the 
neighbourhood  have  their  forges,  where  they  labour 
when  not  employed  in  the  field,  and  where  women  assist 
them,  and  work  with  the  file.  The  goods  thus  made 
are  exposed  in  the  market,  bought  for  different  ports,  and 
sold  in  every  country  in  Europe.  To  these  products 
of  industry,  japanned  goods  and  the  heavier  sorts  of  iron 
work  are  added,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  them,  Wol- 
verhampton possesses  the  advantage  of  cheap  fuel  and 
a canal  navigation  to  the  Grand  Trunk  and  to  Birming- 
ham.'1 To  account  for  the  comparatively  slow  increase 
of  the  same  place,  it  should  be  remembered  that 
almost  all  the  land  in  the  neighbourhood  is  church-land, 
of  which  the  tenure  affords  but  little  encouragement  to 
building. 

The  inland  county  of  Salop  or  Shropshire  is  contigu- 
ous to  Staffordshire  on  the  east,  to  Denbighshire,  a de- 
tached portion  of  Flintshire,  and  Cheshire,  on  the  north, 
to  Radnorshire,  Montgomeryshire  and  Denbighshire  on 
the  west,  and  to  Worcestershire  and  Herefordshire  on  the 
south.  It  is  about  forty  miles  in  length  from  north  to 
south,  and  thirty-five  in  breadth  from  east  to  west  ; 
in  superficies,  it  is  not  less  than  1340  square  miles,  and  it 
bears  some  resemblance  in  figure  to  a parallelogram.  It 
is  memorable  from  its  historical  associations  and  nu- 
merous remains  of  antiquity,  interesting  from  the  variety 
and  beauty  of  its  scenery,  and  important  from  the  value 
of  its  mineral  products,  and  from  the  extent  of  an  arti- 
ficial navigation,  which  has  rendered  it  in  some  degree  the 
emporium  of  the  inland  trade  between  England  and  Wales. 
The  face  of  the  country  is  very  diversified,  and  the  capital 
is  situated  in  the  large  plain  of  Salop,  which,  although  flat 
in  comparison  of  the  surrounding  districts,  is  by  no  means 
level  or  monotonous.  Hills,  of  which  some  attain  a great- 
er elevation  than  1800  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
bound  the  plain  on  the  south-west,  and  are  connected 
with  the  great  western  range.  It  has  been  remarked 
in  a former  chapter,  that  the  Severn  flows  through  the 
middle  of  the  county  ; it  may  be  added,  that  the  length 
of  its  winding  course  within  Shropshire  is  estimated  at 
more  than  seventy  miles,  and  that  it  is  navigable  for  barges 
in  every  part  of  it.  The  different  soils  are  so  much  in 
tersected,  that  it  might  be  difficult  to  define  their  limits  ; 
suffice  it  to  say,  that  except  chalk  and  flint,  few  sorts 
are  wanting.  Although  other  counties  may  be  better  culti- 
vated, it  produces  a large  quantity  of  grain,  and  the  sur- 
plus is  exported  by  the  Severn.  Many  cattle  are  fed  in 
the  plains  or  low  districts,  and  much  of  the  cheese,  sold 
under  the  name  of  Cheshire,  is  made  in  Shropshire. 
Numerous  flocks  of  sheep  are  reared  in  the  hilly  districts, 
and  the  wool  from  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Wrekin, 
Bridgenorth  and  Clun,  is  little  inferior  to  that  of  Leices- 
tershire. Although  much  timber  is  cut  every  year, 


its  union  with  the  Grand  Trunk  near  Stafford.  It  also  communicates 
with  the  Grand  Trunk  by  the  Wyerley  and  F.ssington  canal,  which 
extends  from  the  Old  Birmingham  canal  at  Wolverhampton,  by  Lich- 
field, to  the  Coventry  canal,  about  five  miles  from  its  union  with 
the  Grand  Trunk. — F. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV 


550 

there  are  still  many  lofty  oaks  and  extensive  tracts  cov- 
ered with  coppice-wood  for  the  use  of  the  iron-works. 
On  the  whole,  Shropshire  is  comparatively  free  from 
waste  lands,  most  of  the  cultivated  districts  are  enclosed, 
and  the  commons  are  every  year  decreasing. 

But  it  is  the  mineral  products,  and  the  trade  and  man- 
ufactures to  which  they  have  given  rise,  that  constitute 
the  chief  wealth  of  the  county.  It  has  been  already 
seen  that  coal  is  found  in  abundance  in  different  districts. 
It  may  be  repeated  that  the  Coalbrook-dale  field  is  about 
eight  miles  long,  and  two  broad  ; in  every  part  of  it  coal 
is  found  at  different  depths,  and  the  strata  alternate  with 
ironstone,  sandstone  and  other  substances.  The  north- 
ern extremity  of  a long  range  of  limestone  is  almost  con- 
tiguous on  the  south  to  the  coal  districts.  Thus  although 
the  ironstone  is  not  rich,  it  is  accompanied  with  a great 
quantity  of  coal  and  limestone,  and  on  account  of  this 
conjunction  of  the  fuel  and  the  flux  with  the  ore,  the 
most  extensive  iron-works  in  the  kingdom  have  been 
established  in  Coalbrook-dale  and  the  neighbourhood. 
The  rocks  that  bound  or  separate  the  coal  fields,  consist 
of  sandstone,  limestone,  trap  and  schistus,  and  the  metals 
that  they  contain,  are  lead  and  calamine.  The  Wrekin, 
the  Acton  Burnel  and  Hope  Bowdler  hills,  the  Frodesly, 
the  Lawley,  and  the  Caer-Caradoe,  cross  the  Severn, 
extend  southwards,  and  are  composed  of  trap  rocks.® 
The  vale  of  Stretton  separates  these  hills  from  the  schis- 
tose hills  of  Longmynd.  The  Skipperstonesb  form  the 
most  elevated  peak  of  a high  tract  between  Bishop’s 
Castle  and  the  vale  of  Montgomery,  and  it  is  there  that 
the  lead  mines  of  Shropshire  are  situated.  The  matrix 
is  crystallized  quartz,  sulphate  and  carbonate  of  barytes, 
and  carbonate  of  lime.  The  ore  is  sulphuret  of  lead, 
carbonate  of  lead,  red-lead  ore  and  blende,  which  con- 
tains besides  calamine  or  zinc.0  Quartz  and  clay  are 
worked  at  Cardington,  and  the  former  is  said  to  be  supe- 
rior to  that  exported  from  Caermarthenshire  to  the  Staf- 
fordshire Potteries.  Lastly,  the  sandstone  that  occurs  so 
extensively  in -the  county,  is  in  general  well  adapted  for 
building. 

The  most  important  products  of  industry  are  returned 
from  the  iron-works  in  the  great  coal  and  iron  districts, 
east  of  Shrewsbury,  at  Ketley,  Oakengates,  and  in  Coal- 
brook-dale, a winding  valley,  enclosed  by  hills,  breaking 
into  various  forms,  and  covered  with  hanging  woods  and 
thick  foliage.  In  this  sequestered  vale,  the  noise  of 
forges,  mills  and  vast  machinery  is  heard,  flames  issue 
from  the  furnaces,  and  clouds  of  smoke  rise  from  the 
lime-kilns.  A bridge  made  entirely  of  cast-iron,  and 
stretching  across  the  Severn,  heightens  the  romantic 
effect  of  the  scene.  Several  potteries  have  been  estab- 
lished in  the  same  dale  ; Broseley  is  noted  for  coarse 
earthenware,  and  Caughley  and  Coalport  for  porcelain 
and  queen’s-ware.  Numerous  mills  for  dyeing  woollen 
cloths,  are  situated  in  different  parts  of  the  county,  and 
cotton  and  linen  manufactures  have  of  late  years  been 
established. 

The  ancient  town  of  Shrewsbury,  the  capital  of  the 
County,  rises  on  a peninsula  formed  by  the  Severn.  The 


1 The  Wrekin,  an  insulated  mountain  of  a sugar-loaf  form,  [north 
of  the  Severn,  above  Coalbrook-dale,]  rises  from  a plain  to  the  height 
of  1324  feet.  From  it  there  proceeds  southward,  across  the  Severn,* * 
a range  of  trap  mountains  consisting  of  the  hills  of  Acton-Burnel, 


origin  of  it  is  attributed  to  the  Britons  of  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, who  founded  it  on  the  ruins  of  the  still  more  an- 
cient Uriconium.  It  continued  in  the  possession  of  the 
Britons,  until  some  centuries  afterwards,  when  they  were 
conquered  by  the  Saxons,  and  these  invaders  changed 
its  old  name  of  Pengwerne  into  Scrobbcs-Byrig.  If,  at 
a later  period,  it  became  one  of  the  principal  cities  in 
England,  and  as  such,  often  visited  by  English  kings,  it 
was  owing  to  the  military  importance  of  its  situation  on 
the  Welsh  marches.  Thus  it  is  well  known  that  Edward 
the  First  made  it  the  residence  of  his  court,  while  he 
was  employed  in  the  subjugation  of  Wales,  and  that  he 
removed  thither  his  courts  of  exchequer  and  king’s 
bench.  Like  other  old  towns,  many  of  the  streets  are 
narrow,  ill  planned,  and  of  a singular  appearance  from 
the  ancient  and  modern  buildings,  which  compose  them. 
Others,  however,  of  a more  recent  date,  are  wide  and  clean, 
well  paved,  well  lighted  and  adorned  with  good  houses. 
Two  stone  bridges  have  been  erected  over  the  Severn  ; 
the  eastern  or  the  New  Bridge,  an  elegant  structure, 
consists  of  seven  semicircular  arches,  in  all  more  than 
410  feet  in  length.  The  other  or  the  Welsh  Bridge,  so 
called  from  its  leading  into  Wales,  was  lately  rebuilt ; it 
is  ornamented  with  a handsome  portal ; the  number  of 
arches  is  five,  their  length  270  feet,  their  height  twenty, 
and  their  breadth  forty.  The  parish  churches  are  six  in 
number,  and  one  of  them  belonged  to  an  ancient  abbey, 
of  which  some  ruins  still  remain,  among  others  a curious 
relic  known  by  the  name  of  the  stone  pulpit,  and  supposed 
to  have  answered  the  purposes  of  an  oratory.  The  in- 
firmary, which  is  managed  with  great  credit,  is  one  of  the 
earliest  institutions  of  the  kind  in  England.  The  other 
buildings  are  a county  hall,  completed  in  1785,  and  a 
new  county-gaol,  after  the  plan  of  Mr.  Howard.  The 
public  walks  are  the  greatest  ornaments  of  the  town  ; they 
are  shaded  by  lofty  lime-trees,  they  cover  a surface  of 
more  than  twenty  acres,  and  they  extend  between  the 
old  walls  and  the  banks  of  the  Severn. 

The  staple  trade  consists  in  fine  flannels  and  in  Welsh 
webs,  which  are  manufactured  at  Welshpool  and  finished 
in  Shrewsbury,  from  which  last  place  they  are  distributed 
over  England,  and  exported  to  foreign  markets.  Spin- 
ning and  fulling  mills  are  erected  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  there  are  besides  several  linen  manufactories  and 
extensive  iron-works. 

It  was  on  the  field  of  Shrewsbury  that  the  valiant 
Hotspur  was  slain,  and  that  Henry  the  Fifth,  then 
Prince  of  Wales,  gave  the  first  indications  of  that  mili- 
tary talent  which  proved  afterwards  so  calamitous  to 
France.  During  the  later  period  of  the  civil  wars, 
Shrewsbury  was  distinguished  by  the  loyalty  of  its  in- 
habitants ; Charles  the  First  came  to  it,  and  was  wel- 
comed ; but  the  parliamentary  army  having  succeeded 
in  taking  the  town  by  surprise  in  1645,  the  communica 
tion  with  North  Wales  was  cut  off,  and  an  end  was  put 
to  a loyal  association  then  forming  in  the  western  counties. 

The  county  of  Worcester,  contiguous  to  Shropshire 
and  Staffordshire  on  the  north,  to  Herefordshire  on  the 
west,  to  Gloucestershire  on  the  south,  and  to  Vi  arwick 


Frodesley,  the  Lawley,  Caer-Caradoc,  and  Hope  Bowdler  hill.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — P. 

* On  the  south  side  of  the  Severn. 

* Stipperstones.  (Luckombe.  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
c Blende  ts  sulphuret  of  zinc. — P 


BOOK  CliIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


551 


shire  on  the  east,  is  perhaps  more  irregular  in  its  form 
than  any  other  in  England,  and  as  it  is  nowhere  marked 
by  natural  limits,  several  detached  portions  of  it  are  en- 
closed by  neighbouring  counties.  It  might  be  difficult  on 
this  account  to  determine  its  area  correctly,  but  according 
to  an  official  return,  it  is  equal  to  six  hundred  and  seven- 
ty-four square  miles. 

The  face  of  the  country  is  varied  by  hill  and  dale. 
Of  the  hills,  the  most  remarkable  are  the  Lickey  near 
Bromsgrove,  the  Aberley  on  the  west,  the  Malvern  on 
the  south-west,  and  the  Bredon  on  the  south-east.  The 
vale  of  Evesham  on  the  banks  of  the  Avon,  and  the  vale 
of  the  Severn,  are  the  most  fruitful  tracts  ; in  the  former, 
in  addition  to  the  ordinary  harvests,  great  quantities  of 
vegetables  are  grown  and  exported  to  the  neighbouring 
towns.  In  the  same  part  of  Worcestershire,  the  mild- 
ness of  the  climate  depends  in  some  degree  on  the  lowness 
of  the  situation,  and  the  crops  are  reaped  a fortnight  and 
sometimes  a month  earlier  than  in  more  elevated  coun- 
ties. The  products  of  the  county  are  corn  and  cattle,  fine 
wool,  hops,  cider  and  perry;  the  last,  in  particular,  is 
held  in  high  repute,  and  exported  to  most  parts  of  the 
kingdom.  The  brine-springs  yield  a large  quantity  of 
the  whitest  salt,  and  the  mineral  springs  of  Malvern, 
Kidderminster  and  other  places  are  frequented  on  account 
of  their  medicinal  properties.  Limestone  abounds  in 
the  high  grounds,  but  from  the  scarcity  of  coal,  little  of 
it  is  burnt  or  used  for  manure.  The  soil  is  watered  and 
fertilized  by  many  streams,  by  the  Severn,  which  enters 
the  county  from  Shropshire,  and  flows  through  its  whole 
length,  and  by  its  tributary  rivers,  such  as  the  Avon,  the 
Stour  and  the  Teme.  The  same  rivers  have  facilitated 
the  construction  of  several  canals,  which  have  contrib- 
uted to  the  prosperity  of  Worcestershire.  It  has  thus  been 
placed  in  the  line  of  communication  with  the  adjacent 
mining  and  manufacturing  counties,  and  has  become  in 
consequence  a sort  of  depot  for  their  products.  Leav- 
ing the  verdant  hills,  the  woods  and  the  fruitful  meadows, 
which  have  been  described  by  tourists,  we  shall  make 
some  remarks  on  the  industrious  towns  in  the  same  county. 

The  Staffordshire  and  Worcestershire  canal, a which 
passes  through  Kidderminster,  has  added  greatly  to  its 
trade  and  industry  by  opening  a communication  with  Hull, 
Liverpool,  Manchester  and  Bristol.  The  town  was 
noted  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth  for  its  broad  cloths, 
at  a later  period  for  its  wolseys,  and  afterwards  for  its 
crapes  and  poplins.  The  manufacture  of  Scotch  and  flat 
carpets  was  introduced  about  the  middle  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century  ; in  the  year  1772,  the  number  of  looms 
in  the  town  and  neighbourhood  amounted  to  250  ; at 
present  there  are  1000  carpet,  and  nearly  700  silk  looms, 
and  these  afford  the  means  of  subsistence  to  a third  part 
of  the  population.  The  small  town  of  Droitwich,  which 
may  be  seen  from  a canal  that  communicates  with  the 
Severn ,b  has  been  long  famed  for  its  brine  springs, 
which  are  said  to  contain  a greater  quantity  of  culinary 
salt  than  any  others  in  England,  and  which  yield  annually 
a revenue  of  £150,000.  The  barges  that  descend  the 
Severn,  pass  beneath  a stone  bridge  that  communicates 
with  Worcester,0  the  capital  of  the  county,  which  is  little 

a Extending  from  the  Grand  Trunk,  near  Stafford,  to  the  Severn  at 
Stourport. — P. 

b “ Droitwich  is  situated  on  a canal  that  communicates  with  the 
Severn.”  (M.  B.) — The  Droitwich  Canal  extends  fi  tom  the  Severn  at 
Hawford  to  the  town  of  Droitwich,  about  six  miles.— P. 


more  than  three  miles  distant  from  the  last  place. d It  is 
watered  by  the  Severn,  situated  in  one  of  the  finest  parts 
of  the  county,  and  remarkable  for  the  salubrity  of  its  cli- 
mate. The  cathedral,  a spacious  and  lofty  edifice  in  the 
simple  Gothic  style,  is  built  in  the  form  of  a double  cross. 
It  is  514  feet  in  length,  78  in  breadth,  and  68  in  height. 
The  tower  rises  from  the  centre  of  the  cross  aisle,  and 
is  adorned  with  many  curious  and  highly  finished  orna- 
ments. The  most  remarkable  of  the  sepulchral  monu- 
ments are  those  of  King  John,  and  Prince  Arthur,  the 
son  of  Henry  the  Seventh.  The  trade  of  Worcester 
does  not  consist  merely  in  its  manufactures  nor  in  the 
surplus  products  of  the  county  ; it  has  been  increased  by 
the  numerous  conveniences,  which  its  water  communi- 
cations afford.  Extensive  works,  in  which  porcelain  is 
manufactured,  have  been  established  in  the  town,  and 
gloves  are  sent  from  it  to  most  parts  of  England,  and  ex- 
ported to  the  colonies.  The  city  suffered  greatly  during 
the  sanguinary  contests  between  the  houses  of  York  and 
Lancaster ; and  it  is  memorable  as  the  scene  of  a battle, 
in  which  Cromwell  and  the  English  defeated  the  Scotch 
army  that  invaded  England,  for  the  purpose  of  placing 
Charles  the  Second  on  the  throne.  This  battle  was 
what  Cromwell  called  his  crowning  victory ; two  thou- 
sand of  the  Scotch  fell  on  the  field,  and  8000  were  taken 
prisoners,  most  of  whom  were  sold  and  transported  as 
slaves  to  the  American  colonies. 

Part  of  Wales  forms  the  western  boundary  of  Hereford- 
shire, which  is  contiguous  to  Gloucestershire  and  Mon- 
mouthshire on  the  south,  to  Worcestershire  on  the  east, 
and  to  Salop  on  the  north.  It  is  almost  unnecessary  to 
remark  that  the  limits  are  mostly  artificial  and  very  ir- 
regular, and  that  some  detached  parts  are  enclosed  by 
the  adjacent  counties.  It  is  principally  distinguished  as 
an  agricultural  county  ; it  produces  plenty  of  wheat,  bar- 
ley, oats  and  leguminous  plants.  The  meadows  are  cov- 
ered with  the  richest  pasture  ; the  Ryeland  sheep  are 
famed  for  their  mutton,  and  more  so  for  their  wool,  and 
the  oxen  have  been  considered  the  finest  in  the  kingdom. 
If  Dorsetshire  is  the  garden,  Herefordshire  is  the  orchard 
of  England.  The  apples  producing  cider  grow  in  greater 
abundance  than  in  any  other  county,  and  they  are  plen- 
tiful even  in  the  hedge-rows.  The  various  kinds  yield 
liquors  of  different  qualities  ; some  of  them  are  sent  to 
every  part  of  Britain,  and  the  styre  or  the  strongest 
is  exported  to  the  East  and  West  Indies.  It  may  be 
added  that  it  was  not  before  the  reign  of  Charles  the 
First  that  the  county  was  distinguished  for  this  product, 
and  if  it  has  now  the  appearance  of  an  orchard,  it  was 
owing  to  the  exertions  of  Lord  Scudamore  and  other 
patriotic  individuals.  The  same  county  is  in  some  places 
covered  with  woods,  and  hop  plantations  are  scattered  in 
different  directions. 

The  appearance  of  the  country  indicates  its  fruitfulness  , 
there  are  no  lofty  heights,  but  gentle  eminences  swelling 
in  every  direction,  and  enclosing  vallies  covered  with  plan- 
tations and  orchards,  or  fruitful  fields  bounded  by  hedges  or 
rows  of  trees.  The  lowest  lands  are  those  in  the  south, 
while  the  highest  are  situated  on  the  east  and  west. 
The  general  character  of  the  soil  is  that  of  clay  mixed 

c Worcester  is  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Severn  ; from  the 
bridge,  a new  street  has  been  opened,  leading  to  the  middle  of  the 
town.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — F. 

d Droitwich  is  5J  miles  from  Worcester.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 


552  EUR 

with  marie,  and  its  great  fertility  is  partly  attributable  to  the 
calcareous  subsoil  on  which  it  rests.  The  total  number 
of  acres  are  estimated  at  580,000,  and  of  these  500,000 
are  cultivated  ; of  the  remaining  80,000,  30,000  are  occu- 
pied by  towns,  buildings,  roads,  canals  and  rivers,  and 
50,000  are  waste  lands  or  covered  with  woods.  The 
Wye,  a feeder  of  the  Severn,  enters  from  the  west,  flows 
eastwards,  and  is  enlarged  by  the  principal  streams  that 
water  Herefordshire. 

Hereford,  the  capital,  is  situated  on  the  northern  bank 
of  the  same  river  near  the  centre  of  the  county.  It  is  a 
place  of  great  antiquity  ; some  writers  affirm  that  it  re- 
ceived the  name  of  Ercinna  from  the  Silures,  who  inhab- 
ited Herefordshire  before  the  Roman  invasion.4  It  is  also 
affirmed,  that  it  occupies  the  site  of  Ariconium,  an  an- 
cient town,  mentioned  by  Antoninus,  and  which,  it  is 
added,  was  destroyed  by  an  earthquake.  The  present 
name  is  derived  from  two  Saxon  words,  which  signify  the 
ford  of  an  army  ;b  in  allusion,  perhaps,  to  the  Saxons 
crossing  the  Wye  in  pursuit  of  the  Britons,  who  fled  for 
refuge  to  Wales.  It  began  to  flourish  about  the  year  825, 
afterachurch  was  built  by  Milfred,  kingof  Mercia,  in  mem- 
ory of  Ethelbert,  king  of  the  East  Angles,  who  was  murder- 
ed by  the  wife  of  Offa  while  he  was  courting  her  daughter 
in  the  neighbouring  village  of  Marden.®  The  sarfie  church 
was  soon  afterwards  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a cathedral, 
hut  the  present  building  was  begun  by  Robert  de  Losin,  the 
second  Norman  bishop,  after  the  model  of  the  church  of 
Aix-la-Chapelle  in  Germany,  and  completed  by  his  suc- 
cessor. Although  the  city  is  confessedly  ancient,  it 
bears  few  marks  of  antiquity  ; the  streets  are  in  general 
spacious,  clean  and  well  built.  The  manufactures  are  of 
secondary  importance  ; they  consist  of  gloves,  hats  and 
flannels. 

None  of  the  other  towns  are  so  large  as  the  capital. 
Leominster,  situated  to  the  north  of  it,  and  in  the  fertile 
vale  of  the  Lugg,  although  insignificant  in  point  of  popu- 
lation, still  sends  two  members  to  parliament.  Ledbury, 
Ross  and  Bromyard  formerly  sent  representatives,  hut  the 
privilege  was  voluntarily  declined  on  account  of  the  pe- 
cuniary burdens  then  attached  to  elective  rights.  Ross, 
the  second  of  these  places,  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its 
situation  on  an  elevated  rock,  above  the  valley  of  the 
Wye,  and  for  the  fine  prospect  which  it  commands.  It 
is  also  known  as  the  native  town  of  Mr.  John  Kyrle,  the 
Man  of  Ross,  whose  benevolence  and  public  spirit  are 
celebrated  by  Pope. 

The  Wye,  it  has  been  seen,  waters  Hereford,  and 
Monmouth  is  also  situated  on  its  banks.  The  last  place 
is  the  capital  of  a county,  which  was  added  to  the  others 
by  Henry  the  Eighth,  but  it  was  supposed  to  form  part  of 
Wales  until  it  was  visited  by  the  judges  of  the  Oxford  cir- 
cuit in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second.  The  Welsh  is 
still  spoken  by  the  common  people,  and  the  same  language 
is  still  preserved  in  the  names  of  the  towns  and  villages, 
mountains  and  rivers.  It  is  contiguous  to  Herefordshire 
and  Brecknockshire  on  the  north,  to  the  last  county  and 
Glamorganshire  on  the  west,d  to  Gloucestershire  on  the  east, 
and  to  the  Bristol  Channel  on  the  south  and  south-east. 

OPE.  [BOOK  CLIV. 

A considerable  portion  is  thus  bounded  by  the  sea,  while 
the  other  limits  are  mostly  formed  by  rivers,  namely,  by 
the  Wye  and  Mynnow  on  the  east  and  north-east,  and  by 
the  Rumney  on  the  west.  If  the  boundary  rivers  be  ex 
cepted,  the  Usk  is  the  only  other  of  any  importance,  and  it 
traverses  the  county  in  its  whole  length  from  north  to 
south.  The  construction  of  the  canals,  which  have  con- 
tributed so  much  to  the  extension  of  the  trade,  and  also  to 
the  working  of  the  mines  in  Monmouthshire,  has  been 
facilitated  by  the  rivers  and  their  tributary  streams.  The 
land  rises  towards  the  north  and  the  north-west,  where  it 
joins  the  mountains  in  Wales,  and  the  loftiest  elevations 
are  more  than  1500  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  In 
an  agricultural  point  of  view,  it  may  be  divided  into  three 
portions.  The  first  or  the  southern  consists  partly  of 
marsh  lands,  of  a rich  loamy  soil  in  some  places,  and  of 
a black  peaty  earth  in  others  ; a large  proportion  of  it  is 
fit  for  cultivation.  But  towards  the  coast,  the  fields  are 
subject  to  inundations,  and  to  protect  them  large  dikes 
have  been  erected  along  the  extensive  levels  of  Caldecot 
and  Wentloog.  The  second  or  the  eastern  portion,  con- 
sisting of  the  finest  land,  and  in  appearance  resembling  a 
garden,  extends  along  the  banks  of  the  Usk,  and  to  a 
considerable  distance  on  each  side  of  them.  The  third 
or  the  western  portion  is  hilly  and  unfruitful.  The  com- 
merce and  different  branches  of  industry  are  dependent 
on,  or  connected  with,  the  mineral  products  of  the  coun- 
ty. Situated  on  the  eastern  border,  and  including  a con- 
siderable portion  of  the  great  mineral  basin  of  South 
Wales,  it  abounds  in  iron  ore  and  in  coal.  The  latter  is 
more  than  sufficient  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants,  and  a con 
siderable  quantity  is  exported.  The  iron  works  were  first 
established  in  the  prosperous  reign  of  Elizabeth,  but  they 
began  to  decline  from  the  deficiency  of  fuel,  that  of  wood 
being  thought  indispensable  to  the  extraction  of  the  metal. 
It  was  not  before  a comparatively  recent  discovery  had 
been  made,  by  which  it  was  ascertained  that  coal  might 
be  used  as  a substitute  for  wood,  that  the  same  branch 
of  industry  was  pursued  with  increased  vigour,  and  it 
might  be  shown  that  the  greatest  number  as  well  as  the 
most  extensive  works  in  the  county  have  been  erected 
within  the  last  fifty  years.  Such  are  the  principal  works 
at  Blenavon,  Nant-y-Glo,  Abercorn,  Pontypoo!  and  Caer- 
leon.  The  other  metals  are  tine  and  lead,  and  the  tin 
works  are  perhaps  next  in  importance  to  those  of  iron. 
Limestone  is  so  common  that  it  is  generally  used  as  a 
manure  ; quarries  of  breccia  afford  excellent  millstones, 
and  different  kinds  of  freestone  are  used  in  building.  I* 
may  not  be  out  of  place  to  remark  that  the  art  of  japan- 
ning goods  was  first  practised  and  made  known  to  the 
English  at  Pontypool  and  Usk,  and  although  it  was  long 
confined  to  these  two  places,  they  have  been  unable  in 
later  times  to  compete  with  Birmingham. 

The  towns  are  neither  large  nor  well  peopled,  and  the 
capital,  of  which  the  situation  has  been  already  indicated, 
forms  no  exception  to  this  remark  ; for  although  it  is  the 
most  populous  place  in  the  county,  the  number  of  inhab- 
itants does  not  amount  to  more  than  six  thousand.  It 
derives  its  name  from  its  position  at  the  confluence  of  the 

* Herefordshire  was  called  by  the  Britons,  Ereinuc.  (Camden’s 
Britannia,  p.  085.) — P. 
b Sax.  here,  an  army,  and  ford. — P. 

c This  church  was  erected,  about  825,  by  Milfrid,  a viceroy  or  pro- 
vincial governor  under  Egbert.  Offa  (kingof  Mercia,  A.  D.755 — 704)  ! 
has  been  considered  its  founder,  from  the  large  gifts  left  by  him  for  that  ! 

purpose,  in  expiation  of  the  murder  of  Ethelbert,  king  of  the  East  An 
gles.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 

d More  properly,  to  Herefordshire  on  the  north-east,  to  Brecknock 
shire  on  the  north-west,  and  to  Glamorganshire  on  the  west. — P. 

e Tin  is  not  found  in  Monmouthshire;  but  there  are  extensive  man 
ufactories  of  tin  plate. — P. 

BOOK  CLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


553 


Mynnovv  and  the  Wye,  which  join  each  other  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  a valley,  that  is  enclosed  by  thickly  wooded 
hills.  These  rivers  are  crossed  by  three  bridges,  and  a 
fourth  has  been  erected  over  the  Trothy,  which  is  also 
tributary  to  the  Wye.  The  town  consists  of  one  princi- 
pal street  and  several  small  ones.  Many  of  the  inhabit- 
ants are  occupied  in  manufacturing  iron  and  tin,  while 
others  are  employed  in  preparing  the  bark,  which  is  con- 
veyed from  the  forests  on  the  upper  banks  of  the  Wye, 
and  after  having  been  prepared  at  Monmouth,  is  sent  to 
Chepstow,  whence  it  is  exported  to  different  parts  of 
England  and  Ireland.  The  town  has  given  birth  to  two 
distinguished  men,  namely,  to  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth, 
the  old  chronicler  of  the  Britons,  and  to  Henry  the  Fifth, 
who  is  frequently  called  Henry  of  Monmouth,  and  whose 
statue  still  adorns  or  disfigures  the  modern  town-hall. 
Troy-house,  the  seat  of  the  Beaufort  family,  is  not  more 
than  half  a mile  from  Monmouth,  and  there,  it  has  been  af- 
firmed, the  cradle  of  Henry  the  Fifth  is  preserved,  and 
the  armour  which  he  wore  at  the  battle  of  Agincourt. 

Following  the  course  of  the  Wye  to  the  distance  of 
two  miles  from  its  junction  with  the  Severn,  we  enter  the 
romantic  town  and  port  of  Chepstow.  Advantageously 
situated  for  commerce,  it  has  become  the  port  of  all  the 
towns  on  tlife  Wye  and  the  Lugg.  Timber,  bark,  iron 
and  other  articles  are  sent  from  it  to  Portsmouth,  Plym- 
outh and  Deptford  ;a  the  imports  are  wine  from  Opor- 
to, and  planks,  hemp,  flax  and  pitch  from  the  Baltic. 
Tlie  harbour  admits  vessels  of  700  tons,  but  the  adjoin- 
ing buildings  have  been  more  than  once  inundated,  and 
a cast-iron  bridge  over  the  river  has  been  damaged  by 
the  tides.  Thirty  or  forty  feet  are  not  uncommon,  and 
on  one  occasion  the  tide  rose  to  the  extraordinary  height 
of  seventy.  A well  in  Chepstow  is  mentioned  by  old 
writers  as  a phenomenon,  for  which  they  are  at  a loss  to 
account ; it  may  contain  about  fourteen  feet  of  fresh 
water,  but  it  empties  itself  as  the  tide  flows,  and  fills  as 
it  ebbs.  A tower  of  an  old  castle  is  also  shown  as  a cu- 
riosity to  strangers  ; it  was  there  that  Henry  Martin,  one 
of  the  judges  of  Charles  the  First,  was  confined  from  the 
time  of  the  Restoration  until  that  of  his  death  in  1680. 

The  principality  of  Wales  resembles  a peninsula  ; it  is 
contiguous  on  the  east  to  the  counties  of  Monmouth, 
Hereford,  Salop  and  Cheshire,  while  it  is  washed  on 
the  north  and  west  by  the  Irish  Sea,  and  on  the  south 
and  south-east  by  the  Bristol  Channel.  The  length 
from  north  to  south  extends  from  one  hundred  and  thir- 
ty to  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles,  and  the  breadth  from 
fifty  to  eighty,  including  an  area  of  nearly  8125  square 
miles.  Thus  the  superficial  extent  is  not  equal  to  a sixth 
part  of  England,  and  although  the  inhabitants  have  in- 
creased greatly  within  the  last  twenty  years,  they  do  not 
amount  to  a sixteenth  part  of  the  English  population. 
It  might  be  easy  from  these  data  to  show  that  the  mean 
size  of  each  Welsh  county  is  little  more  than  one-half  the 
mean  size  of  each  English  county,  and  that  the  mean  popu- 
lation of  each  county  in  the  former  country  is  considerably 


1 Great,  quantities  of  timber  are  sent  from  Chepstow  to  Portsmouth, 
Plymouth,  Deptford  and  Woolwich  ; grain  is  exported  for  the  Bristol 
market ; and  oak-bark,  cider,  coals,  grindstones,  millstones  and  iron,  to 
several  parts  of  Ireland,  Liverpool,  and  other  places.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
b 823,100,  in  the  Statistical  Tables. — P. 

c Gloucestershire,  Herefordshire  and  Shropshire.  By  an  act  (34 
Henry  VIII.)  the  Welsh  marches  (borders)  were  partly  divided  into 
new  counties,  and  partly  annexed  to  old  counties, both  in  England  and  ' 
VOL.  III.— NO.  50..  70 


less  than  a fourth,  or  nearly  a fifth  part  of  the  mean 
population  of  each  county  in  England.  If  it  were 
necessary  to  be  more  definite,  it  might  be  stated  that 
Wales,  according  to  the  census  of  1831,  contains  805,236 
inhabitants, b consequently  that  the  population  of  the 
whole  principality  is  much  less  than  that  of  Lancashire, 
Middlesex  or  Yorkshire.  It  is  well  known  that  the  whole 
of  Monmouth  and  a considerable  portion  of  several  ad- 
jacent English  counties,0  were  at  one  time  ir  eluded  in 
Wales,  which  now  consists  of  twelve  shires,  and  all  of 
them  except  three  touch  the  coast  in  some  part  of  their 
boundaries.  Thus  it  appears  that  the  counties  are  com- 
paratively thinly  peopled,  and  much  smaller  than  those 
of  England  ; on  that  account  it  may  be  as  well  to  adhere 
more  to  geographical  than  artificial  divisions,  and  to  ex- 
amine the  principality  as  it  is  naturally  divided  into  North 
and  South  Wales. 

Although  the  height  of  the  Welsh  mountains  cannot 
be  compared  with  that  of  the  Alps,  the  country  has 
sometimes  been  styled  the  British  Switzerland.  The 
resemblance  between  them  consists  in  steep  descents, 
broken  and  perpendicular  sides,  deep  and  narrow  vallies, 
limpid  lakes  and  numerous  streams,  which  in  some  places 
form  cascades,  and  in  others  roll  slowly  in  the  midst  of 
meadows.  The  humid  mists  that  rise  from  the  surface  of 
these  waters,  and  rest  sometimes  on  the  highest  summits, 
and  the  snow  that  remains  frequently  until  the  end  of 
spring,  render  them,  (although  the  highest  does  not  ex- 
ceed 3600  feet),  not  unlike  the  stupendous  masses  that 
obstruct  the  clouds  in  the  high  chains  of  the  globe,  and 
serve  as  the  abode  of  perpetual  snow. 

The  general  arrangement  of  the  mountains  may  be 
described  in  a few  words.  Two  primitive  chains,  those 
of  Snowdon  and  Cader-Idris,  extend  from  north  to  south. 
As  the  primitive  and  secondary  mountains  approach  each 
other,  the  calcareous  ridge  follows  an  irregular  course. 
It  may  be  said,  however,  to  commence  near  the  port  of 
Crickhaeth,  whence  proceeding  northwards  in  an  unin- 
terrupted line  along  the  coast,  it  arrives  at  Caernarvon, 
from  which  it  extends  along  the  Menai,  and  bounds  the 
eastern  shore  as  far  as  Bangor  Ferry.  Between  the  last 
place  and  Ormes-Head,  it  is  broken  by  the  northern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Snowdon  range,  which  terminates  in  the 
Bay  of  Conway,  at  the  heights  of  Penmaen-mawr  and 
Penmaen-bach.d  Appearing  anew  in  the  lofty  promonto- 
ry of  Ormes-Head,  it  bounds  the  coast  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Dee,  takes  a westerly  direction,  passes  by  Holywell 
and  the  upper  end  of  the  vale  of  Clwyd,  and  is  again 
broken  near  Oswestry  by  the  Ferwyn  heights. e It  ap- 
pears a third  time  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Llanymynech, 
and  is  at  last  terminated  by  a line  of  primitive  mountains 
stretching  northwards  from  Radnorshire.  Schistus  occu- 
pies the  intermediate  space  between  the  calcareous  and 
primitive  ridges. 

It  is  not  too  much  to  assert,  that  the  shape  of  these 
mountains  indicates  the  formations  to  which  they  belong. 
The  primitive  rocks  are  craggy,  steep  and  tending  in 


Wales.  The  new  counties  were  Monmouthshire  (English,)  and  Breck- 
nockshire, Radnorshire,  Montgomeryshire  and  Denbighshire  (Welsh). 
The  annexations  were  to  the  three  English  counties  just  mentioned, 
and  to  all  the  remaining  Welsh  counties.  (Ed.  Enc.  England.) — P. 

d Great  and  Little  Rocky  Promontories. — Welsh,  pen,  head  or  head- 
land ; maen,  stone  ; mawr,  great;  hack,  little. — P. 
e Berwyn  mountains. — P. 


554 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV, 


many  places  to  a peak  or  pointed  summit.  The  loftiest 
heights  are  generally  about  the  middle  of  the  chains, 
which  commence  and  terminate  in  abrupt  precipices. 
These  and  the  insulated  peaks  that  are  continually 
breaking  the  outline,  form  a very  distinctive  character. 
The  slate  or  schist  is  distinguishable  from  the  primitive 
heights  by  its  inferior  elevation,  and  by  the  uniformity  of 
the  hills  and  the  regularity  of  the  outline.  The  calcareous 
hills  are  much  lower  than  the  last,  more  varied  in  their 
forms,  rising  gradually  from  one  extremity,  or  terminat- 
ing abruptly  in  the  other.* 

The  nature  of  the  country  presented  many  obstacles 
to  communications,  and  it  is  only  of  late  years  that  they 
have  been  extended  and  improved.  One  of  the  most 
remarkable  has  been  cut  along  the  high  range  of  Snow- 
donia; the  interior  districts  of  North  Wales  have  thus 
been  made  to  communicate  with  the  coast,  and  in  the 
same  manner  the  great  thoroughfare  from  London  to 
Dublin  by  Holyhead,  has  been  diminished  twenty-five 
miles  in  length.b  Other  roads  that  were  formerly  almost 
impassible  in  many  places,  have  been  widened,  shorten- 
ed and  rendered  of  easy  access  by  means  of  drains, 
arches  and  bridges,  which  have  contributed  much  to  the 
convenience  of  travellers,  and  more  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  country.  The  same  remarks  are  not  inapplicable  to 
the  canals,  which  shall  be  afterwards  mentioned,  for  the 
advantages  of  artificial  navigation  were  reaped  in  Eng- 
land long  before  they  were  known  in  Wales.  It  may  be 
inferred  from  what  has  been  said  of  the  different  chains, 
that  the  northern  region  is  much  less  fruitful  and  popu- 
lous than  the  southern.  In  the  former,  the  produce  of 
the  land  is  little  more  than  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the 
frugal  inhabitants.  The  climate  is  modified  in  the  cen- 
tral districts  by  the  height  of  the  mountains  ; near  the 
shores  on  the  south,  the  west,  and  the  north,  the  weath- 
er is  mild  but  humid  ; no  part,  however,  is  considered 
unwholesome. 

Manufacturing  industry  and  maritime  commerce  have 


a Aikin’s  Tour  through  Wales. 

b This  has  doubtless  reference  to  the  new  Irish  road,  cut  transverse- 
ly across  the  Snowdon  range,  from  the  Menai  bridge  to  Capel-Cerrig. 
1'he  old  Irish  road  to  Holyhead  led  from  Bangor  Ferry  around  the 
promontory  of  Penmaenmawr  to  Conway. — P. 

e The  copper  is  brought  from  Anglesea,  Cornwall  and  Devon.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — Copper  is,  however,  wrought  to  a considerable  extent  in  the 
counties  of  Wicklow,  Waterford  and  Cork,  in  Ireland. — P. 

<*  The  following  is  a general  view  of  the  principal  canals  in  Wales. 

1.  The  Brecknock  and  Abergavenny  canal  leaves  the  Monmouth  ca- 
nal at  Pontypool,  and  passing  through  a tunnel,  proceeds  up  the  val- 
ley of  the  Uske  to  Brecknock.  Several  side  rail-ways  extend  from  this 
canal.  Together  with  the  Monmouth  canal,  it  forms  a line  extending 
45  miles  from  Brecknock  to  Newport  near  the  mouth  of  the  Uske. 
The  Brinore  rail-way,  connected  with  the  Sirhowy  rail-way  in  Mon- 
mouthshire, crosses  the  Black  Mountains  from  the  Romney  iron-works, 
in  that  county,  and  extends  to  Brecknock,  and  thence  to  Hay  on  the 
Wye.  2.  The  Glamorganshire  (Cardiff)  canal  commences  by  a sea 
lock  for  vessels  of  300  tons,  at  Pennarth-IIead,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Taff,  and  proceeds  up  the  valley  of  that  river,  by  Cardiff,  twenty-five 
miles,  to  Merthyr-Tydvil.  A rail-way  runs  parallel  to  it  up  the  same 
valley.  3.  The  Aberdare  canal  branches  off  from  the  former  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Cynon,  nine  miles  below  Merthyr-Tydvil,  and  proceeds 
seven  and  a half  miles  north-west,  up  the  vale  of  the  Cynon,  to  Aber- 
dare, whence  there  is  a communication  by  a rail-way  and  inclined 
plane  with  the  Neath  canal.  4.  The  Neath  canal  commences  at  the 
shipping  port  of  Britton-Ferry,  four  miles  below  the  town  of  Neath, 
and  proceeds  up  the  valley  of  the  river  Neath  by  the  town,  fourteen 
miles  to  Aberfergwn,  where  a rail-way  connects  it  with  the  Aberdare 
canal.  5.  The  Crumlin  canal,  on  the  westside  of  Neath  river,  proceeds 
from  the  portat  Britton-Ferry.  three  and  a half  miles  on  a level,  through 
the  Crumlin  Bog,  to  New  Chapel  collieries.  It  was  the  first  canal 
opened  in  Wales.  6.  The  Swansea  canal  proceeds  from  the  town  of 
Swansea,  about  eighteen  miles  up  the  western  side  of  the  Taafe,  to 
the  Henoyndd  lime- works  in  Brecknockshire.  Several  rail-vtivs  com-  I 


been  so  much  increased  in  the  principality  within  the 
last  twenty  years,  that  the  population  has  increased  more 
than  a fourth  during  that  period.  Glamorganshire,  par- 
ticularly the  portion  of  it  near  the  sea,  is  so  fruitful  that 
it  is  styled  the  garden  of  Wales  ; but  if  it  has  become 
more  populous,  commercial  and  wealthy  than  any  other 
Welsh  county,  it  must  be  attributed  less  to  its  fertility, 
than  to  its  inexhaustible  fields  of  coal,  ironstone  and  lime. 
A considerable  quantity  of  the  coal  is  exported,  but 
enough  is  left  for  the  supply  of  the  many  iron-works  in 
the  county,  and  of  other  large  works  established  by  en- 
terprising men  for  the  smelting  of  copper,  which  is  con- 
veyed from  Cornwall,  North  Wales  and  Ireland.0  Mer- 
thyr-Tydvil has  become  the  seat  of  the  principal  iron- 
works ; next  to  them  are  those  of  Aberdare,  Neath  and 
Swansea;  and  the  metal  is  transported  along  canals  that 
communicate  with  these  places.  The  first  passes  from 
Merthyr-Tydvil  to  Pennarth  Bay  below  Cardiff,  and  a 
branch  from  Aberdare  joins  it  near  the  river  Cynon. 
The  Neath  canal  communicates  with  Briton-Ferry,  and 
the  Swansea  canal  passes  from  the  port  of  the  same 
name  into  Brecknockshire.  The  nature  of  the  country 
does  not  afford  many  facilities  for  such  works,  and  they 
could  not  have  been  constructed  without  frequent  re- 
course to  the  expensive  and  tedious  method  of  locks  ; 
but  it  would  be  incorrect  to  suppose  that  these  are  the 
only  canals  ; the  line  of  coast  is  joined  by  others  and  by 
excellent  roads  to  the  immense  founderies  in  the  interi- 
or.11 And  it  is  only  since  they  have  been  completed 
that  tin  was  exported  from  Cornwall,  and  that  extensive 
manufactories  of  tin-plates  were  erected  near  the  iron- 
works.6 Lastly,  as  to  the  geological  position  of  the  min- 
erals, it  may  be  remarked  that  they  are  contained  in  a 
calcareous  basin,  of  which  Glamorganshire  occupies  the 
central  portion,  and  that  the  same  basin  is  not  less  than 
a hundred  miles  in  length,  and  about  twenty  in  average 
breadth/ 

Besides  the  metalse  that  have  been  already  mention- 


municate  with  the  collieries  along  its  course.  The  Oystermouth  rail- 
way proceeds  south-west  from  Swansea,  seven  miles  along  the  coast, 
to  the  Oystermouth  lime-works.  From  Llanelly,  on  the  Burr}-  River, 
the  Caermarthenshire  rail-way  extends  fifteen  miles  through  a coal 
country  to  Llandebie.  Besides  the  above,  several  short  lines  of  canal 
and  rail-way  extend  to  particular  collieries,  iron  and  lime-works,  &c. 

In  North  Wales,  the  only  important  canals  are  the  two  branches  of 
the  Ellesmere  canal  (see  note  b,  p.  1218,)  one  of  which  proceeds  up  the 
valley  of  the  Dee  to  Llandisilio,  and  the  other  to  Llanymynech  on  the 
Severn,  where  the  Montgomery  canal  commences,  and  proceeds  up 
that  river  twenty-five  miles  to  Newtown.  These  canals,  particularly 
the  Dee  branch,  have  several  side  cuts  and  rail-ways  to  collieries,  iron 
and  lime-works,  &c.  The  Dee  branch  is  carried  over  the  river  Dee, 
at  Pontcysylte,  on  an  aqueduct  1007  feet  long,  and  126  feet  high,  said 
to  be  the  largest  in  the  kingdom. — P. 

e Particularly  in  the  vicinity  of  Neath  and  Cardiff. — The  tin-works 
of  Melyn-Gryffydd,  four  miles  from  Cardiff,  are  perhaps  the  largest  in 
the  kingdom  ; producing  not  less  than  30,000  boxes  of  tin-plates  in  one 
year.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f The  great  coal  formation  of  South  Wales  is  included  in  a limestone 
basin,  the  form  of  which  is  an  irregular  oval.  It  extends  100  miles  in 
length,  from  Pontypool  on  the  east,  to  St.  Bride’s  Bay  on  the  west,  and 
where  broadest,  from  18  to  20  miles  in  width  ; but  in  Pembrokeshire, 
it  is  not  more  than  five  miles  broad.  Its  greatest  breadth  is  at  Neath, 
in  Glamorganshire.  The  superficial  extent  of  the  basin  is  about  100 
square  miles,  containing  1)5  feet  of  coal,  yielding,  by  calculation.  <14 
million  tons  per  square  mile.  This  basin  includes  parts  of  Monmouth- 
shire, Glamorganshire,  Brecknockshire,  Caermarthenshire  and  Pern 
brokeshire.  (Ed.  Enc.  Conybeare  and  Phillips,  Geol.  Eng.  and 
Wales.) — P. 

S Minerals  ? The  southern  border  of  Brecknockshire  is  included 

within  the  great  coal  basin  of  South  Wales,  and  abounds  in  coal  and 
iron-ore.  The  basin  is  there  bounded  on  the  north  by  a belt  of  lime 
stone. — P. 


BOOK  CJLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


555 


ed,  copper  and  lead  are  found  in  Brecknockshire,  a coun- 
ty different  from  the  last,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  most 
mountainous  of  any  in  South  Wales,  and  also  because  it 
is  intersected  by  two  lofty  ranges,  the  one  on  the  north 
and  the  other  on  the  south. a The  products  of  the  mines 
are  of  secondary  importance  ; still  they  are  much  naore 
valuable  than  formerly.  Thus  it  appears  that  the  rent 
of  the  iron  mines  in  1711  amounted  to  L.20,  and  in 
1807  to  L.2000  ; within  the  same  period,  and  in  the 
same  county,  the  price  of  provisions  has  been  doubled, 
and  the  price  of  labour  more  than  quadrupled.11  As  a 
pastoral  county  it  is  more  productive  than  Glamorgan- 
shire ; numerous  flocks  are  reared  on  its  hills,  and  the 
principal  branch  of  industry  consists  in  the  manufacture 
of  stockings  and  woollen  stuffs. 

Caermarthenshire  is  famed  for  its  barley  and  oats  ; 
the  climate  is  less  favourable  for  wheat,  but  good  crops 
even  of  that  grain  are  raised  on  the  low  grounds.  The 
oats  are  much  more  than  sufficient  for  the  consumption, 
and  the  surplus  produce  is  sent  to  Bristol.  Many  oxen 
are  bred  in  the  county,  and  much  butter  is  made  for 
exportation.  Limestone  is  wrought  near  the  coast ; it 
extends  also  towards  the  Black  Mountains,'  and  the  prod- 
uce of  the  works  has  contributed  to  the  improvement  of  the 
soil.  Large  blocks  of  marble  of  a dark  blue  colour,  and 
susceptible  of  a high  polish,  are  obtained  from  the  quar- 
ries in  the  parish  of  Llangyndeirn.  The  other  products 
are  iron,  lead  and  coal,  and  the  exportation  of  the  last 
substance  is  now  rendered  easy  by  means  of  a canal  that 
extends  from  the  collieries  to  Kidwelly,  a small  town  on 
a creek  near  the  mouth  of  the  Towy.d 

Fruitful  corn-fields,  extensive  meadows,  and  a sea  that 
abounds  with  fish,  are  perhaps  so  many  obstacles  to  the 
development  of  manufacturing  industry  in  Pembroke- 
shire. It  might  be  difficult  otherwise  to  reconcile  the 
low  state  of  industry,  with  the  advantages  it  possesses 
for  commerce,  with  its  numerous  harbours  and  extensive 
coast.  It  may  be  added  that  the  calcareous  basin  which 
contains  the  iron  and  coal  of  South  Wales,  terminates  in 
Pembrokeshire  ; the  depth  of  the  strata  diminishes  as 
they  approach  the  boundary,  and  their  quality  is  impair- 
ed, consequently  the  mineral  riches  of  the  county  are 
by  no  means  great. 

As  a metalliferous  county,  Cardiganshire  is  more  dis- 
tinguished, and  silver,  lead  and  copper  are  contained  in 
its  mines.  The  lead  mines  yield  a considerable  propor- 
tion of  silver  • some  of  them  not  less  than  thirty-five  or 
forty  ounces  per  ton,  and  it  appears  that  during  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth,  seventy  and  even  a hundred  ounces 
were  occasionally  obtained.  The  ore  is  also  rich  in  lead, 


a The  northern  range  is  primitive  or  transition  ; the  southern,  which 
includes  the  Vanns  or  Beacons  of  Brecon,  consists  of  old  red  sand- 
stone.— P. 

b Agricultural  Survey. 

c The  range  of  the  Black  Mountains  extends  from  the  eastern  part 
of  Caermarthenshire,  along  the  southern  border  of  Brecknock- 
shire . — P. 

d Kidwelly  stands  on  both  sides  of  the  Lesser  Gwendraeth,  near  its 
mouth.  The  Great  and  Lesser  Gwendraeth* *  are  two  small  creeks 
which  enter  the  bay  of  Caermarthen  by  the  same  estuary. — P. 

* Welsh,  Gwendraeth-vawr,  and  Gwendraeth-vag  or  vach. Gwen,  fair; 

traeth,  frith  or  estuary,  a tract  of  sand  left  bare  at  low  tide  ; mawr,  great ; bach 
or  bag,  little.  This  example  illustrates  a striking  peculiarity  of  the  Celtic  lan- 
guages, especially  the  Welsh  ; namely,  the  change  of  initial  consonants,  ac- 
cording to  the  word  preceding  in  construction — here,  t to  d,  and  m and  b to  v. — P. 

B During  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  the  mines  were  wrought  by  a com- 
pany of  Germans.  Sir  H.  Middleton  wrought  his  mine  in  the  reign 


and  about  1250  pounds  of  metal  are  extracted  from  the 
ton.  The  mines  were  in  a flourishing  condition  during 
the  seventeenth  century,  and  from  the  profits  then  de- 
rived from  them,  Sir  Hugh  Middleton  was  enabled  to  ac- 
complish his  great  undertaking,  namely,  to  bring  the  New 
River  to  London,  and  to  confer  a lasting  benefit  on  his 
country.  Not  long  after  the  death  of  that  great  man,  the 
produce  of  the  mines  began  to  decline,  and  they  have 
since  been  gradually  neglected,  but  it  is  probable  that 
they  might  still  be  worked  with  advantage,  were  it  not 
for  the  scarcity  of  fuel.®  The  agriculture  of  the  county, 
in  common  with  that  of  most  others  in  the  principality, 
is  still  susceptible  of  much  improvement  ; the  land  near 
the  coast  is  fertilized  by  sea-weed,  and  it  is  affirmed  that 
sixty  successive  crops  of  barley  have  been  raised  on  the 
same  field. 

The  small  county  of  Radnor  forms  an  exception,  for 
although  it  may  be  more  sterile  and  less  populous  than 
any  that  has  been  mentioned,  it  is  certainly  better  culti- 
vated. The  sinuous  course  of  the  Wye  determines  its 
figure/  and  it  waters  pastoral  and  arable  vallies,  in  which 
the  land  is  good  and  the  climate  tolerable.  But  in 
most  places  the  inhabitants  have  had  to  resist  the 
effects  of  a barren  soil  and  a chilling  atmosphere. 
The  north-western  angle  forms  still  an  almost  impas- 
sable desert,  which  at  an  early  period  afforded  shelter 
to  Vortigern  after  the  direful  effects  of  his  invitation  to 
the  Saxons. 

The  county  of  Montgomery  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  principality  is  diversified  and  mountainous.  The  na- 
ture of  the  climate  and  the  soil  has  hitherto  proved  an 
insurmountable  obstacle  to  the  improvement  of  the  mid- 
land, western  and  south-western  districts.  But  the  nar- 
row vallies  that  are  enclosed  by  the  heights  yield  rich 
pasturage  and  plentiful  crops  of  corn.  The  vale  of  the 
Severn,  extending  along  the  course  of  the  river  in  the 
south-eastern  part  of  the  county,  has  long  been  noted  for 
its  fertility  ; and  it  is  not  now  less  distinguished  by  its 
improved  husbandry.  The  ground  rises  from  the  same 
vale  towards  the  north-west,  and  the  heights  are  connect- 
ed with  the  ridge  that  meets  the  lofty  Plinlimmon.  It  is 
not  improbable  that  the  county  is  still  better  wooded 
than  any  other  in  North  Wales;  but  the  finest  oaks  in 
Montgomeryshire  were  cut  during  the  last  war,  and 
transported  to  the  dock-yards  of  Deptford  and  Plymouth. 
The  metals  are  lead  or  galena  and  silver/  but  the  most 
valuable  of  the  mineral  treasures,  those  at  least  that  yield 
the  greatest  revenue,  consist  in  the  slate  quarries,  of 
which  the  largest  are  situated  near  Llangynnog  and  near 
the  confluence  of  the  Virnwy  and  Severn.11 


of  James  I.  A Mr.  Bushel,  a distinguished  royalist,  in  the  time  of 
Charles  I.,  is  said  to  have  made  immense  sums  by  his  mines.  These 
mines  were,  however,  soon  after  exhausted  ; but  in  1G90,  other  mines 
were  discovered  on  the  estate  of  Gogerthan,  so  rich  as  to  have  obtain- 
ed the  appellation  of  the  Welsh  Potosi.  They  have  been,  however, 
long  neglected.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f The  Wye  rises  on  the  south  side  of  Plinlimmon  in  Montgomery- 
shire, and  entering  Radnorshire  at  Savan-y'-Coed,  flows  across  its 
north-western  corner ; after  which  it  separates  the  county  on  the 
south-west  and  south  from  Brecknockshire,  till  it  enters  Hereford- 
shire.— P. 

s There  are  several  lead  mines  in  the  county,  the  ore  of  which  is 
galena  containing  a portion  of  silver  (argentiferous  galena.) — P. 

h From  the  lofty  rocks  of  Llangynnog,  a considerable  quantity  of 
coarse  slates  is  obtained.  Slate  is  also  procured  near  the  junction  of 
the  Firnwy  and  Severn,  and  sent  down  to  Bristol.  (Ed.  Enc.)1 — P. 


556 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  C1IV, 


The  adjacent  county  of  Merioneth,  still  more  roman- 
tic than  the  last,  possesses  all  the  features  of  a wild  and 
mountainous  region.  The  Berwyn  heights*  rise  above 
the  fruitful  valley  watered  by  the  Dee,  which  may  be 
traced  to  its  source  in  tbe  lake  of  Bala,b  almost  surround- 
ed by  hills,  and  forming  an  expanse  of  clear  and  limpid 
water.  The  lofty  tract  commences  on  the  south  of 
Bala  ;c  deep  and  narrow  vallies  extend  between  the 
heights,  and  the  moors  afford  plenty  of  peat,  the  only 
fuel  in  the  county.  Cader-Idris  held  long  the  first  rank 
among  the  heights  in  Merionethshire,  but  it  appears  from 
the  trigonometrical  survey  that  it  is  only  2914  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  while  Arran  Fowdeyd  is  2965.  The 
mountains  are  rugged  and  precipitous,  and  although  their 
peaked  summits  seem  to  approach  each  other,  their  bases 
are  separated  by  intervening  spaces  of  considerable  ex- 
tent. Many  of  them  are  enlivened  with  woods,  and 
watered  by  torrents  or  cataracts.  Although  the  herbage 
is  coarse,  still  it  reaches  to  the  summits,  and  affords  pas- 
ture to  numerous  flocks.  The  high  region  is  composed 
of  granite,  porphyry  and  other  primitive  rocks  ; differ- 
ent schists  form  the  hills,  and  schistose  clay  is  found 
in  the  vallies. e 

The  rugged  and  mountainous  scenery  of  Merioneth  is 
softened  in  Denbighshire  by  a greater  extent  of  fruitful 
and  well  cultivated  land.  The  hundred  of  Yale  in  the 
northern  part/  although  hilly  and  destitute  of  trees, 
is  rich  in  pasture  and  abounds  with  oxen.  The  vale 
of  Clwyd,  commencing  in  the  centre  of  the  county, 
stretches  towards  the  sea,  a distance  of  about  twenty 
miles  ; enclosed  by  mountains  on  every  side  except  the 
north,  its  breadth  varies  from  three  to  eight  miles.  It  is 
remarkable  for  its  fertility,  cultivation  reaches  to  a con- 
siderable height/  and  it  is  studded  with  towns,  villages 
and  country  houses.  The  Dee  passes  along  fruitful 
meadows  on  the  south-eastern  confines,  and  the  cheese 
exported  from  them  is  not  inferior  to  any  from  the  neigh- 
bouring county  of  Cheshire.  The  other  products  are 
corn  and  cattle,  while  wool  forms  the  material  of  the 
staple  manufacture.  Lead  is  found  on  the  eastern  bor- 
ders ; iron  ore  is  dug  on  the  Rualionh  hills,  and  on  both 
sides  of  the  Berwyn  ridge  ; and  coal,  another  product 
of  the  same  county,  is  rendered  available  for  the  smelt- 
ing of  the  ore. 

Flintshire,  a small  stripe,  more  level  than  the  rest  of 


a The  Berwyn  or  Ferwyn  mountains  [Berwyn  ; by  initial  mutation, 
Ferwyn,  as  Mynydd  Ferwyn,  mountain  of  Berwyn,]  extending  from  east 
to  west  along  the  borders  of  Denbighshire.  Montgomeryshire  and  Me- 
rionethshire. They  consist  of  argillite. — P. 

b The  Dee  rises  from  two  sources  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county, 
near  the  sides  of  the  Arran  mountains.  These,  after  uniting  and 
passing  through  the  lake  of  Pemblemeer  (Bala  pool,)  run  north-east- 
erly into  Denbighshire.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c The  Berwyn  mountains  extend  along  the  southern  side  of  the  val- 
ley of  the  Dee.  A higher  chain,  including  the  summits  of  Cader-Idris 
and  the  Arrans,  extends  in  a north  and  north-easterly  direction,  from 
the  coast  in  the.  southern  part  of  the  county,  nearly  to  its  northern  ex- 
tremity.— P. 

d Properly,  Aran  Vowddwy. — Aran  is  a Welsh  word  signifying 
height  or  alpine  summit.  There  are  other  mountains  in  the  same 
range,  bearing  the  name,  viz.  Aran  Benllyn,  Aran-nig,  &c. — P. 

e The  mountains  consist  principally  of  granite,  porphyry,  and  other 
unstratified  rocks.  The  secondary  hills  are  composed  of  mixed  schis- 
tus ; the  valleys  contain  schistose  clay,  and  the  level  parts  of  the 
county  abound  with  peat  earth.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  range  including 
Cader-Idris,  and  a mountainous  tract,  connected  with  the  Snowdon 
range,  and  occupying  the  central  portion  of  the  northern  half  of  the 
county,  is  marked  in  Conybeare  and  Phillips’  map,  as  sienite  and  trap 
(primitive  or  transition.)  The  remainder  of  the  county  is  marked  in 
the  same  map,  as  greywacke  and  clay-slate  (argillite.)— P. 


Wales,  is  watered  by  many  streams,  and  varied  by  hills 
passing  into  vallies.  Tbe  low  tract  near  tbe  Dee  con- 
sists of  a clayey  soil,  fruitful  in  corn  and  well  stocked 
with  wood.  But  tbe  heights  near  the  estuary  of  the  river 
extend  in  a direction  parallel  to  its  course,  and  decline 
on  tbe  opposite  side  into  the  rich  vale  of  Mold,  from 
which  wheat  and  other  sorts  of  grain  are  sent  to  Liver- 
pool. Tbe  commerce  of  the  county  is  derived  from  its 
metals  it  supplies  Chester  with  coal,  which  was  former- 
ly exported  to  Ireland.  Rich  mines  of  lead  and  calamine 
are  wrought  beneath  the  barren  surface  of  the  hills. 
Some  of  the  lead  ore  contains  a small  proportion  of  silver, 
and  several  thousand  ounces  of  silver  have  been  annually 
exported  from  Flintshire  to  the  manufacturing  towns  of 
Sheffield  and  Birmingham.11 

Tbe  Snowdonian  range  runs  in  an  unbroken  line  across 
Caernarvonshire,  the  most  mountainous  of  tbe  Welsh 
counties,  and  the  ridge,  which  it  forms  from  Traeth- 
mawr  to  Penmaen-mawr,  is  varied  by  conical  peaks,  that 
have  been  compared  to  tbe  needles  of  the  Alps.* 1  Of 
these,  the  highest  or  the  famed  Snowdon  reaches  to  the 
height  of  3570  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  the 
others  descend  gradually  on  either  side  of  it.  This  lofty 
region  abounds  in  precipices,  deep  ravines,  lakes  and 
moors;  but  it  is  now  destitute  of  trees,  the  climate  is 
bleak  and  piercing,  and  the  character  of  desolation  is  im- 
pressed on  its  romantic  scenery.  The  extremity  of  the 
chain,  or  Penmaen-mawr,  which  it  has  been  observed, 
was  formerly  impassable,  is  now  traversed  by  a secure 
road,  about  two  hundred  feet  above  the  sea,  that  lashes 
the  base  of  the  mountain.  A narrow  pass  between  the 
same  height  and  Penmaen-bach,  leads  to  the  long  and 
narrow  vale  of  Conway,  equally  romantic  and  beautiful ; 
clothed  with  woods,  corn  fields  and  rich  pastures,  and 
forming  a fine  contrast  to  the  bleak  heights  that  tower 
above  it.  The  minerals  of  the  county  are  not  without 
importance  ; a considerable  revenue  is  derived  from  the 
slate  quarries,  and  copper  is  the  most  valuable  of  the 
metals  in  the  Snowdon  chain.  The  country  is  better 
adapted  for  the  rearing  of  cattle  than  the  culture  of  grain, 
and  its  wealth  consists  in  its  oxen,  sheep  and  goats.  The 
life  of  the  inhabitants  in  the  rural  districts  resembles  that 
of  the  mountaineers  in  Switzerland.  In  the  month  of 
May  they  leave  the  vallies,  and  drive  their  herds  and 
flocks  to  the  mountains,  where  they  reside  during  the 

f Ifll  is  a small  hilly  district  between  the  upper  part  of  the  vale  of 
Clwyd  on  the  west,  and  Wrexham  on  the  east ; including  Vale  Crucis 
and  the  sources  of  the  river  Alen.  (Camden’s  Britannia.) — P. 

« It  is  in  a high  state  of  cultivation,  and  is,  moreover,  naturally  very 
fertile.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

h Ruabon.  (Cyc.  Ed.  Enc.) — The  iron  works  and  collieries  near 
Ruabon  Brook,  are  connected  by  a rail-road  with  the  Ellesmere  canal, 
at  Pontcysylte.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

‘ The  importance  of  Flintshire  is  derived  almost  entirely  from  its 
mineral  productions;  of  these,  the  lead  mines  in  the  vicinity  of  Holy- 
well  are  the  most  valuable.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k The  geological  position  of  the  metals  in  Flintshire  has  been  accu- 
rately determined  by  the  celebrated  Pennant,  a native  of  the  county. 

1 The  Snowdon  range  extends  from  north-east  to  south-west  through 
the  whole  length  of  the  county,  from  Penmaenmawr  on  the  bay  of 

Conway,  to  Aberdaron  Bay.  The  range  makes  a curve  to  the  south- 
east near  the  centre  of  the  county,  where  the  highest  peaks  are  situ- 
ated, and  thence  communicates  with  the  mountains  of  Merioneth- 
shire. This  range  consists  of  sienite  and  trap,  like  that  of  Cader-Idris. 
Traeth-mawr  and  Traeth-bach  (Great  and  Little  Friths)  are  two  inlets 
at  the  head  of  Cardigan  Bay.  which  are  bare  at  low  tide,  leaving  dry  a 
large  tract  of  sands.  In  1807,  the  former,  consisting  of  3500  acres,  was 
granted  by  the  crown  for  embankment,  and  in  1820,  2000  acres  had 
been  recovered. — P. 


BOOK  CLIV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


557 


summer,®  and  subsist  chiefly  on  the  produce  of  the  dairy. 
In  autumn  they  return  to  the  vallies,  and  in  winter  they 
manufacture  from  the  wool  of  their  sheep,  the  coarse 
cloth  which  they  wear.  The  Menai  Straits  separate 
Caernarvonshire  from  the  Isle  of  Anglesea,  which  is  also 
included  in  the  Welsh  counties  ; but  both  are  now  united 
by  one  of  the  wonders  of  modern  art.b  The  properties 
of  the  catenary,0  which  afforded  a subject  of  intellectual 
research  or  speculation  to  mathematicians,  were  discov- 
ered long  before  it  was  imagined  that  it  could  be  applied 
to  practical  purposes,  or  before  a chain  describing  the 
same  curve  was  extended  over  the  arm  of  the  sea  that 
separates  Anglesea  from  the  rest  of  Wales.  The  dis- 
tance between  the  piers,  or  points  of  suspension,  is  equal 
to  580  feet,  and  the  height  from  the  surface  of  the 
water,  to  100.  The  chains,11  all  made  of  wrought  iron, 
are  fastened  to  vertical  rods,  of  which  the  ends  are  bolt- 
ed in  iron  sleepers  or  transverse  bars.  There  are  1 1 1 of 
these  sleepers,  in  each  of  which  four  vertical  rods  are 
fixed,  making  the  total  number  of  rods  amount  to  four 
hundred  and  forty-four.  The  road-ways  consist  of  two 
carriage  lines,  each  twelve  feet  broad,  and  a foot-path 
between  them,  four  feet  wide,  and  enclosed  by  iron  rail- 
ings, to  secure  passengers  from  accidents.®  This  stu- 
pendous work,  almost  as  remarkable  for  its  solidity  as 
for  its  novelty,  and  which  is  likely  to  perpetuate  the 
name  of  Telford/  was  opened  on  the  30th  January, 
1826,  by  the  London  and  Holyhead  mail-coach  crossing 
it  with  the  bags  for  Dublin.  On  the  first  of  February, 
the  first  three-masted  vessel  sailed  under  the  bridge  with 
all  her  spars  up,  and  her  top-masts  cleared  twelve  feet 
and  a half  below  the  centre  of  the  road-way.s  While 
this  great  work  was  in  progress,  its  accomplishment  was 
considered  doubtful  or  hopeless  by  many  ; but  the  end 
for  which  it  was  erected  has  now  been  attained,  and  the 
communications  from  London  to  Dublin  by  Holyhead 
are  no  longer  retarded  by  the  inconvenient  ferry  of  Ban- 
gor. The  part  of  Anglesea  bordering  on  the  Menai  is 
covered  with  thick  woods  ; at  no  great  distance  in  the 
interior,  the  scene  changes  into  a naked  tract,  destitute 
of  trees,  but  fruitful  in  corn,  varied  by  hills  and  watered 
by  many  streams.  Grain  and  cattle  are  the  principal 
agricultural  produce,  and  it  appears  that  about  a hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  ago,  nearly  3000  oxen  were  annually 
sent  to  England  ; the  number  has  since  been  increased  to 
fifteen  or  twenty  thousand.11  The  coasts  are  well  provided 

a They  reside  during  the  summer  in  hafod-tai,  or  summer  dairy 
houses,  as  the  farmers  of  the  Swiss  Alps  do  in  their  senncs.  (Ed. 

Enc.) Hafod  or  havod  (Welsh,)  a summer  dwelling,  a dairy  ; Lai, 

houses,  (plur.  of  ty,  a house.) — P. 

b The  Menai  bridge — a chain  or  suspension  bridge. — P. 
c The  Catenarian  Curve  ( Catcnaria ) is  the  figure  which  a heavy 
chain  or  rope  assumes,  when  suspended  at  its  two  extremities.  This, 
when  inverted,  is  the  proper  form  for  an  arch. — P. 

d There  are  four  chains,  from  each  of  which  a vertical  rod  descends 
to  each  sleeper. — P. 

e Historical  Description  of  the  Menai  Bridge,  by  Dr.  Pringle. 
f The  bridge  was  constructed  by  Mr.  Telford.  He  was  first  com- 
missioned by  the  government  in  1810,  and  in  1811,  he  reported  his 
plans  and  estimate. — P. 

s Historical  Description  of  the  Menai  Bridge,  by  Dr.  Pringle. 
h It  sends  annually  several  thousand  head  of  cattle  to  the  English 
market.  They  are  driven  to  the  port  of  Aethwy,  the  principal  ferry 
to  Caernarvonshire,  and  are  there  compelled  to  swim  across  the  Me- 
nai. (Ed.  Enc.) — This  was  before  the  construction  of  the  Menai 
bridge. — P. 

1 Found  in  the  stratum  of  earth  that  covers  the  copper  ore.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — P. 

k Fifty-seven  ounces.  (Rees’  Cyc.  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

The  coal  formation  of  Anglesea,  which  is  of  very  small  extent,  lies 


with  harbours,  and  the  neighbouring  seas  are  abundant- 
ly stocked  with  fish.  The  metals  are  not  the  least  val- 
uable products.  Copper  ore  was  found  within  a few 
feet  of  the  surface,  not  in  veins,  but  in  a continuous 
mass  sixty  feet  deep,  over  a large  portion  of  the  Parys 
mountain.  The  quantity  formerly  obtained  varied  from 
40,000  to  80,000  tons  ; but  of  late  years  it  has  been 
greatly  reduced.  Lead  ore,  another  of  the  products/ 

yields  from  six  to  ten  hundredweights  per  ton,  and  from 
a ton  of  ore  thirty-seven  ounces'1  of  silver  may  be  ex- 
tracted. The  other  minerals  are  coal  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Maltreat!), 1 excellent  millstones,  which  are  ob- 
tained from  different  quarries,  and  green  marble  not  un- 
like the  verd-antique  of  the  Romans.  The  greatest  length 
of  the  island  from  north-west  to  south-east  is  more  than 
twenty  miles,  and  the  greatest  breadth  about  eighteen  ; 
the  circumference  is  not  less  than  eighty,  and  the  area 
is  said  to  be  equal  to  320  square  miles. 

To  regulate  the  administration  of  justice,  Wales  has 
been  divided  into  four  circuits,  in  each  of  which  the  as- 
sizes are  held  twice  a year.  The  first,  or  the  circuit  of 
Chester,  comprehends,  besides  the  English  county  of  the 
same  name  on  the  borders  of  Wales,  the  Welsh  coun- 
ties of  Flint,  Denbigh  and  Montgomery.  The  second, 
or  the  northern  circuit,  includes  the  counties  of  Anglesea, 
Caernarvon  and  Merioneth.  The  third,  or  the  south- 
eastern, extends  over  those  of  Radnor,  Brecon  and 
Glamorgan.  The  last,  or  the  south-western,  compre- 
hends those  of  Pembroke,  Cardigan  and  Caermarthen."1 
As  to  the  ecclesiastical  polity,  the  principality  is  under 
the  province  of  York/  and  is  divided  into  the  dioceses 
of  St.  David’s,  Bangor,  LandafF  and  St.  Asaph. 

We  shall  principally  confine  our  remarks  in  the  ac- 
count of  the  Welsh  towns  to  the  capitals,  and  the  few 
places  that  are  distinguished  by  the  industry  of  the  in- 
habitants ; and  it  may  here  be  observed  that  all  the 
counties  except  those  of  Glamorgan,  Merioneth  and 
Anglesea,  derive  their  name  from  their  capitals. 

Cardiff,  the  chief  town  of  Glamorganshire,  is  situated 
on  the  Taff,  the  banks  of  which  are  united  by  a hand- 
some bridge.  The  harbour  of  Pennarth,  on  the  banks 
of  the  same  river,  and  about  three  miles  lower  down/  is 
considered  a dependence  of  the  town.  It  receives  ves- 
sels of  the  largest  burden,  and  those  of  three  hundred 
tons  sail  up  to  Cardiff/  It  may  be  affirmed  without  ex- 
aggeration that  additional  buildings  have  altered  the  ap- 

in  a valley  that  crosses  the  island,  from  north-east  to  south-west,  par- 
allel to  the  Menai,  and  at  no  great  distance  from  it.  This  valley  is 
bordered  by  parallel  belts  of  limestone,  and  in  the  hollow,  coal  has 
been  wrought  near  the  Maltraeth  estuary  (on  the  south-west  coast,) 
and  probably  extends  throughout  the  valley.  Besides  this  coal  format  ion 
and  its  surrounding  belt  of  mountain  limestone,  there  are  two  tracts  of 
sienite  and  trap  on  the  Menai,  (one  opposite  Bangor,  and  the  other  at  its 
southern  entrance,)  and  a small  tract  of  old  red  sandstone  on  the  shore 
of  Conway  Bay.  The  mountain  limestone  is  bounded  on  the  north-west 
by  a belt  of  old  red  sandstone.  All  the  rest  of  the  island,  to  the  north-west, 
is  transition,  consisting  of  graywacke  and  argillite,  with  a small  tract 
of  granite,  near  its  southern  border,  and  a belt  of  serpentine  crossino-  it 
near  the  north-western  extremity.  (Conybeare  and  Phillips.) — P. 

m In  Myers’  Geog.  (1822,)  Wales  is  divided  into  four  circuits,  in 
which  the  counties  are  arranged  as  in  the  text.  The  two  first  circuits 
are  called  the  north-eastern  and  north-western.  Cheshire,  as  a coun- 
ty palatine,  is  not  included  in  any  circuit. — P. 

n The  province  of  Canterbury.  (Pinkerton.  Myers.) — P. 

° At  the  mouth  of  the  river. Pennarth  (Eng.  Bear’s  Head.)  from 

pen,  head,  and  artli,  bear. — P. 

p Vessels  of  300  tons  ascend  to  the  quay  of  Cardiff,  bv  the  Glamor 
ganshire  canal,  which  has  been  so  far  deepened  for  that  purpose.  This 
canal  terminates  in  a floating  sea  dock  in  the  Severn,  at  Pennarth 
Point.  (Rees’  Cyc.) — P. 


558 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV. 


pearance  of  the  town,  and  that  the  pursuits  of  the  inhab- 
itants have  been  changed,  since  the  Cardiff  canal  was 
completed.  It  extends  from  Merthyr-Tydvil,  a distance 
of  twenty-five  miles,  and  the  head  of  it  is  608  feet 
higher  than  the  tide-lock  at  Cardiff.11  An  immense 
quantity  of  cast  and  wrought  iron  is  thus  conveyed  from 
the  works  to  the  town,  and  onwards  to  Pennarth,  whence 
it  is  shipped  for  different  parts  of  England.  From  other 
extensive  works  not  more  than  four  miles  from  the  town, b 
30,000  boxes  of  tin  plates  are  annually  exported  to 
Bristol. c It  appears  then  that  the  capital  of  Glamor- 
ganshire is  now  a place  of  commerce,  but  it  was  chiefly 
known  during  the  middle  ages  on  account  *)f  a fortified 
castle,  where  Henry  the  First  confined  his  own  brother, d 
the  rightful  heir  to  the  throne,  and  where  he  died  after 
an  imprisonment  of  twenty-six  years. 

It  is  further  evident  that  the  recent  prosperity  of  the 
same  place  must  be  attributed  in  a great  degree  to  the 
products  of  the  iron-works.  But  the  same  remark  is  ap- 
plicable to  the  whole  of  South  Wales.  The  rela- 
tive importance  of  that  part  of  the  principality  and 
of  the  county  of  Monmouth,  has  within  a recent  period 
been  much  increased  by  the  great  number  of  new,  and 
by  the  enlargement  of  old  works.  These  works  extend 
in  a line  of  about  twenty-five  miles  long,  in  the  direction 
of  north-west  and  south-east,  and  they  yield  annually 
between  two  and  three  hundred  thousand  tons  of  iron. 
The  works  at  Hirwain  in  Brecknockshire  and  at  Aber- 
dare  in  Glamorganshire  form  the  western  points  ; on  the 
east  of  them  are  situated  the  important  works  and  the 
populous  neighbourhood  of  Merthyr-Tydvil  ; from  the 
last  place  a chain  of  furnaces  is  formed  by  the  works  of 
Dowlais,  Romney,  Tredegar,  Sirhowey,  Beaufort,  Nant- 
y-Glo,  Blaenafon,  the  Vorteg,  Abersychan  and  Pont-y- 
Pool,  where  the  mineral  range  terminates.  It  may  be 
necessary  to  indicate  more  fully  the  site  of  Merthyr-Tyd- 
vil, at  no  very  remote  period  an  obscure  village,  now  by 
the  industry  and  enterprise  of  its  inhabitants,  the  first 
town  in  Wales. e It  is  situated  in  the  same  county  as 
Cardiff,  on  the  northern  borders,  on  the  bank  of  the  same 
river,  and  at  the  distance  of  nine  miles  from  its  source. 
But  the  houses  are  still  mean,  dirty  and  irregularly  built; 
in  most  places  they  are  not  connected  by  streets,  and 
the  market-place  is  ill  adapted  for  the  business  that  is 
transacted  in  it.  Landaff/  at  no  great  distance  from 
Cardiff,  resembles  a village  more  than  the  seat  of  a dio- 
cese. The  ancient  part  of  its  cathedral  may  be  consid- 
ered a fine  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture,  but  it  ac- 
cords ill  with  the  modern  part,  which  resembles  a Gre- 
cian building.  An  excellent  road,  about  thirty-nine 
miles  in  length,  leads  from  Cardiff  to  Neath,  a port  that 

a The  expense  of  the  work  amounted  to  L.500,000.  (C.  Dupin, 

Force  Commerciale.) 

The  tin-works  of  Melyn-Gryffydd. — P. 
c Capper’s  Topog.  Diet. 

J Robert,  Duke  of  Normandy. — P. 
c Population,  22,083,  in  1831. — P. 

f Properly,  Llandaff — the  church  on  the  Taff.  The  word  linn,  pre- 
fixed to  so  many  Welsh  names,  signifies  church  or  church-town. — P. 

e On  the  Lower  Taafe  (Taff.  Taw,  Tawey,  or  Towy) — a river 
which  rises  in  the  south  part  of  Brecknockshire,  and  flows  southerly, 
across  Glamorganshire,  into  the  bay  of  Swansea.  The  town  is  called, 
from  its  position  near  the  mouth  of  the  river,  Abertaw,  by  the  Welsh. 
The  name  of  the  river,  variously  modified,  is  common  to  many  rivers 
in  South  Wales.  It  is  said  to  signify  a stream  or  river. — P. 
t 13,004,  in  1831.— P. 

1 This  is  a mistake. — Caermarthen  stands  on  another  river  Towy, 
which  rises  in  the  south-eastern  corner  of  Cardiganshire,  and  flows 


admits  vessels  of  two  hundred  tons,  and  built  on  the 
river  of  the  same  name,  which  throws  itself  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood into  the  bay  of  Swansea.  But  the  town  of 
Swansea  on  the  last  mentioned  bay,  and  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Towy.e  is  the  most  considerable  port  in  the  coun- 
ty; and  the  commerce,  industry  and  number  of  its  inhab- 
itants* 1* render  it  better  entitled  than  Cardiff  to  the  rank 
of  capital.  The  products  of  the  county  are  conveyed  to 
it  by  several  canals,  which  account  in  some  degree  for 
its  rapid  extension  and  for  its  present  trade  in  coal,  iron, 
limestone  and  other  articles.  To  facilitate  that  trade, 
the  harbour  has  been  enlarged,  stone  piers  have  been 
erected,  the  river  has  been  deepened,  and  obstructions 
have  been  removed  from  its  entrance  into  the  sea.  The 
establishments  of  industry  are  potteries,  iron-founderies 
and  several  large  copper-houses,  in  which  more  than  fifty 
thousand  tons  of  ore  are  annually  smelted. 

If  we  ascend  the  last  river,1  we  may  arrive  at  the 
county  town  of  Caermarthen,  which  is  adorned  with  a 
handsome  stone  bridge  of  sixteen  arches. k It  boasts  of 
a high  antiquity,  and  there  is  good  reason  to  suppose 
that  it  occupies  the  site  of  Maridunum T a town  of  the 
Dematecep..1  It  was  once  fortified  with  walls  and  a strong 
castle,  of  which  the  gate  only  remains  ; it  is  long  since 
the  rest  of  the  building  was  levelled  with  the  ground, 
and  a county  gaol,  a modern  edifice  of  hewn  stone,  now 
rises  on  the  place  where  the  old  fortress  stood.  It  is  al- 
so a place  of  considerable  industry  and  trade  ; the  first 
is  directed  to  the  products  of  the  mines,  that  are  situated 
in  the  neighbourhood,"1  and  the  second  is  carried  on  by 
means  of  the  river,  which  is  navigable  to  vessels  of  three 
hundred  tons.  The  same  town  is  the  supposed  birth- 
place of  the  famous  Merlin.  A hill  in  the  neighbour- 
hood is  still  known  by  the  name  of  Merlin’s  hill,  and  a 
rock  on  the  brow  of  it  forms  Merlin’s  chair,  on  which  he 
is  said  to  have  proclaimed  his  prophecies.  Not  more 
than  fifteen  miles  to  the  south-east,  and  at  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  county,  is  situated  the  flourishing  town 
of  Llanelly,  where  a neighbourhood  abounding  with  coal 
and  iron,  has  given  rise  to  extensive  manufactures.  The 
harbour  on  the  estuary  of  the  Loughor”  has  in  conse- 
quence been  much  improved,  and  numerous  rail-roads 
passing  in  different  directions  into  the  interior  facilitate 
the  conveyance  of  the  mineral  products. 

Continuing  our  journey  along  the  coast,  we  arrive  at 
the  county  town  of  Pembroke,  which  is  built  on  a neck 
of  land  that  bounds  the  small  estuary  of  Down-Pool,"  a 
branch  of  Milford-Haven.  Although  in  antiquity  it  may 
rival  Caermarthen,  it  is  much  inferior  to  it  in  commerce 
and  industry.  An  ancient  castle  on  a high  rock  at  the 
western  extremity  of  the  town,  forms  a grand  object, 

south-westerly,  through  the  centre  of  Caermarthenshire,  into  the  bay 
of  Caermarthen. — P. 

k There  is  a long  narrow  bridge  over  the  Towy,  of  six  arches,  with 
other  four  in  the  parapet  at  the  south  end,  to  allow  the  water  to  pass 
when  the  river  is  swollen.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 Caermarthen — the  Maridunum  of  Ptolemy,  and  the  Caer-ryrddin 
of  the  Britons.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Maridunum  was  the  chief  town  of  the 
Dcmctte,  who  occupied  the  three  south-western  counties  of  Wales. 
(Martiniere,  Diet.  Geog.) — Cacr-ryrddin  (Caer-mardhin)  is  a Welsh 
word,  signifying  the  fortress  of  Merlin  (Welsh.  Mtjrddin.) — P. 

m The  principal  manufactures  are  those  of  tin-plate  and  cast- 
iron.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

n The  Louorhor  is  the  boundary  between  Caermarthen  and  Glamor- 
ganshires.  its  estuary,  called  also  Burry  River,  forms  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity of  Caermarthen  Bay. — P. 

° On  a neck  of  land,  that  divides  the  estuary  of  Down-Pool.  It  ter 
minates  on  the  west,  in  the  rock  on  which  the  castle  is  situated. — P. 


BOOK  C1.IV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


559 


even  in  its  present  dilapidated  state.  It  is  now  useless 
as  a place  of  strength,  but  at  so  late  a period  as  the  civil 
wars,  it  was  taken  by  Cromwell  after  a siege  of  consid- 
erable duration.  It  was  built  by  Arnulph  de  Montgom- 
ery, in  the  time  of  William  Rufus,  and  the  cavern  of 
Wogan  beneath  its  ancient  chapel,  is  remarkable  for  an 
echo  that  repeats  several  syllables.  Milford-Haven,  a 
bay  surrounded  by  mountains,  cutting  deeply  into  the 
land,  and  resembling  a lake  from  its  placid  waters,  has 
been  already  described  ; but  it  may  be  remarked  that  in 
consequence  of  an  act  of  parliament,  passed  in  1790,  a 
town  of  the  same  name  was  founded  on  the  northern  side 
of  the  bay,  about  six  miles  to  the  north  of  Pembroke.® 
As  its  foundation  dates  from  so  recent  a period,  it  may 
be  easily  inferred  that  it  is  well  and  uniformly  built,  and 
although  its  commerce  is  not  yet  considerable,  it  is  likely 
ere  long  to  be  extended,  because  it  possesses  many  ad- 
vantages in  its  situation  at  the  south-west  point  of  Wales, 
and  in  a harbour  as  commodious  as  any  in  Britain,  and 
which,  with  its  numerous  creeks,  inlets  and  roadsteads, 
may  contain  in  security  a thousand  ships.  The  distin- 
guished author  of  the  commercial  resources  of  Great 
Britain®  observes  that  Milford-Haven  may  become  a very 
important  place,  whenever  England  engages  in  a war 
with  America,  or  whenever  the  state  of  Ireland  calls  for 
active  vigilance  by  sea.  Such  events,  however  much 
they  might  be  deplored,  are  not  unlikely  to  increase  the 
naval  or  military  importance,  and  add  to  the  number  of 
government  establishments  in  the  town  ; but  it  is  not 
likely  by  such  means  to  become  a commercial  port.  It 
is  now  one  of  the  royal  docks  ; it  has  its  dry  docks,  and 
thirteen  building  slips,  from  whicli  the  vessels  are  sent 
with  ballast  to  Plymouth  to  be  rigged  and  fitted  out.b 

The  metropolitan  see  of  Wales  was  translated  from 
Caerleon  to  St.  David’s  on  the  promontory  of  the  same 
name,  the  Caput  Octoyitarum . of  the  Romans.  St. 
David’s,  although  a city,  does  not  contain  3000  inhabit- 
ants, and  nothing  can  be  more  mean  and  squalid  than  its 
appearance.  The  cathedral,  once  visited  by  noble  and 
royal  pilgrims,  is  an  edifice  of  mixed  architecture,  in 
which  the  Gothic  predominates.  A leek,  the  plant  of 
the  saint  to  whom  it  is  dedicated,  is  worn  by  the  inhab- 
itants on  the  anniversary  of  his  birth;  and  although  it 
might  be  difficult  to  account  correctly  for  so  singular  an 
emblem,  Welsh  theologians  have  assigned  to  it  different 
and  contradictory  meanings. 

The  port  and  county  town  of  Cardigan  gives  its  name 
to  a large  gulf,d  which  is  broken  by  several  small  bays  or 
harbours,  and  by  the  Aeron,e  the  Ystwith,  the  RheidoF 
and  other  streams  formed  by  brooks  that  are  shallow  in 
dry  weather,  but  swollen  by  rains  into  impetuous  tor- 
rents, that  lay  waste  the  vallies  in  their  course.  The 

a Baron  C.  Dupin. 

b It  has  an  establishment  of  mail  packets  to  Waterford  in  Ireland. 
A colony  of  Quakers  from  Nantucket,  have  erected  a quay,  and  form- 
ed an  establishment  for  the  southern  whale  fishery. — P. 

c Octopitarum  Promontorium.  (Martiniere.) — P. 

d The  Bay  of  Cardigan — opening  between  the  south-western  point 
of  Caernarvonshire,  and  the  north-western  point  of  Pembroke- 
shire . — P. 

e The  Avon — a small  river  in  Merionethshire,  passing  by  Dolgally, 
and  entering  the  sea  near  Barmouth. — P. 

1 The  Rydol  or  Rhyddol.  This  river  and  the  Ystwith  enterthe  sea 
by  the  same  estuary  in  Cardiganshire. — P. 

5 Called  also  Tivey,  Tivy,  Taw,  Taff  and  Tave — in  Welsh,  Teivi. 
(See  note  s,  p.  1238.)  The  town  is  called  by  the  Welsh,  from  its  situa- 
tion, Mertdvi — the  word  after  signifying  a river’s  mouth  or  haven. 
rhe  Tivy  rises  in  the  eastern  part  of  Cardiganshire,  and  below  Llan- 


town  is  built  on  a steep  bank  about  two  miles  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Teivey,?  which  is  crossed  by  a bridge  of 
seven  arches.  Once  a place  of  considerable  extent,  it 
was  surrounded  with  walls,  and  defended  by  a strong 
castle  now  in  ruins.  It  carries  on  an  active  commerce 
with  different  parts  of  England  and  Ireland  ; and  al- 
though the  burden  of  the  largest  vessels  that  pass  its 
bar  at  spring  tide,  does  not  exceed  300  tons,  it  finds 
trade  for  more  than  10,000  tons  of  shipping. 

Brecon  or  Brecknock,  the  capital  of  Brecknockshire, 
is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Hondey  and  the  Uslce, 
the  last  of  which  is  crossed  by  one  bridge,  and  the  Fir- 
mer by  three.  It  contained  4190  inhabitants  in  1821. 
and  ten  years  afterwards  the  number  amounted  to  5026 
It  had  a castle  and  a monastery  in  the  time  of  Henry 
the  First,11  but  of  the  former,  a single  tower* 1  and  part  of 
the  walls  are  all  that  remain.  The  same  tower  has  been 
converted  into  an  armoury,  in  which  fifteen  thousand 
stand  of  arms,  and  fifteen  hundred  swords,  are  arranged 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  arms  in  the  tower  of  London. 
It  is  supposed  that  nearly  half  of  the  inhabitants  are  en- 
gaged in  trade  or  manufactures,  and  the  latter  consists 
principally  of  cloth,  bats  and  stockings.  Old  and  New 
Radnor,  situated  in  a narrow  pass  between  two  high  con- 
ical hills,  about  two  miles  distant  from  each  other,  are 
too  insignificant  to  require  any  particular  notice.  It  may 
be  remarked,  however,  that  although  the  assizes  are  no 
longer  held  in  New  Radnor,  it  still  returns  a representa- 
tive. It  is  mentioned  as  a strong  place  in  early  times, 
and  the  destruction  of  its  walls  and  castle  is  attributed 
to  Owen  Glendower.  The  assizes  are  held  at  Pres- 
teigne, the  Welsh  Llanandrew,k  on  the  borders  of  Here- 
fordshire, and  if  it  be  not  the  nominal,  it  may  be  con- 
sidered the  real  capital  of  the  county,  for  it  is  better 
built  and  more  flourishing  than  Radnor. 

A castle  rising  on  a lofty  rock  near  the  right  bank  of 
the  Severn,1  is  seen  from  a great  distance  ; it  was  built 
by  the  conqueror,  and  it  became  the  scene  of  various  ac- 
tions in  subsequent  reigns.  At  so  late  a period  as  the 
time  of  Charles  the  First,  it  was  garrisoned  for  the 
king  by  Lord  Herbert  of  Cherbury,  who  abandoned  it 
on  the  approach  of  the  parliamentary  army,  and  it  was 
soon  afterwards  dismantled.  Such  is  the  state  of  Mont- 
gomery Castle,  still  imposing  in  its  ruins.  The  town  oi 
Montgomery  is  neatly  built,  but  small,  and  nowise  re- 
markable for  any  branch  of  industry  or  trade. m Welsh 
pool,  near  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  county,  and  in 
the  picturesque  vale  of  the  Severn,®  is  the  principal  place 
of  trade  in  Montgomeryshire,  and  the  great  mart  for  the 
flannels  which  are  manufactured  in  the  town,  and  in  the 
mountainous  country  near  the  sources  of  the  river.0  The 
small  and  picturesque  town  of  Machynlleth  in  the  same 

beder  (Eng.  St.  Peter's,)  forms  the  boundary  between  that  county, 
and  those  of  Caermarthen  and  Pembroke. — P. 

h Its  castle  was  built  in  the  reign  of  Henry  I.  On  the  banks  of  the 
Uske  are  the  ruins  of  a Benedictine  priory,  and  on  the  east  of  the  town 
is  a collegiate  church,  once  a Dominican  priory.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

‘ Called  Ely  tower,  from  Morton,  bishop  of  Fly,  who  was  confined 
there  by  Richard  III. — P. 

k Andrew’s  church — Eng.  St.  Andrew's. — P. 

I It  stands  on  a high  projecting  rock,  at  the  extremity  of  a hill  on 
the  north  side  of  the  town  of  Montgomery. — P. 

m By  means  of  its  canal,  it  now  carries  on  an  extensive  import  and 
export  trade  with  Chester.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

II  It  is  situated  about  a mile  west  of  the  Severn,  and  is  connected  by 
a side  cut  with  the  Montgomery  canal. — P. 

° The  principal  manufactories  for  flannels  are  within  twenty  miles 
round  Welshpool.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


560 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLIV. 


county,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Dovey,  is  famed  in  his- 
tory as  the  place  where  Owen  Glendower  was  crowned 
king  of  Wales  in  1402. 

It  has  been  seen  that  almost  all  the  towns  in  the  prin- 
cipality are  crowned  by  the  ruins  of  ancient  castles. 
Those  of  Denbigh  Castle,  with  its  vast  enclosure  on  the 
top  of  a hill,  form  a striking  object  above  the  romantic 
town  of  the  same  name  in  the  vale  of  Clwyd.  It  resem- 
bles Flint,  the  chief  town  of  an  adjoining  county,  in 
■he  style  of  its  houses,  recalling  the  period  of  the  middle 
ages,  and  in  the  circumstance  that  both  of  them  are  over- 
topped by  ancient  fortresses.  But  Flint  Castle  rises  on 
a solitary  rock  in  a marsh  on  the  Dee,  which  washes  its 
walls  at  high  tides.  It  is  known  as  the  place  where  the 
unfortunate  Richard  the  Second  was  seized  by  the  Duke 
of  Lancaster,  afterwards  Henry  the  Fourth,  to  whom  he 
surrendered  his  crown.  Both  Denbigh  and  Flint  are 
insignificant  in  point  of  population,  and  if  the  former 
contains  a greater  number  of  inhabitants,  the  latter  is 
more  frequented  in  the  summer  season.  The  small  town 
of  Caerwys,  not  more  than  five  miles  from  Flint,  and 
once  the  capital  of  the  county,  does  not  contain  more 
than  1200  souls.  Four  streets  meet  in  the  middle  of  the 
town/  where  it  was  customary  for  the  bards  to  assemble, 
and  to  contend  for  a silver  harp,  which  was  annually 
given  by  the  princes  of  North  Wales  ; and  it  may  be 
added  that  the  custom  was  not  wholly  abolished  before 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth. b Holywell,  a market  town  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Dee,c  and  containing  about  nine  thou- 
sand inhabitants/  is  enriched  by  its  mines  and  manufac- 
tures. It  is  likewise  celebrated  for  the  well  of  St.  Wini- 
fred, a copious  stream  bursting  with  great  impetuosity 
from  the  foot  of  a hill,  and  emitting  40,320  pints  in  a 
minute. e It  was  known  on  account  of  its  wonderful  cures, 
but  the  waters,  it  is  certain,  are  not  different  from  those 
of  any  other  spring  in  a similar  situation.  The  faith  in 
its  miraculous  virtue  has  passed  away,  and  it  has  of  late 
years  been  applied  to  useful  purposes.  The  power  of  the 
stream  now  serves  to  turn  a series  of  mills  for  working 
copper  into  sheets  and  bolts,  for  drawing  brass  into  wires, 
manufacturing  paper,  grinding  tobacco,  and  spinning  cot- 
ton. The  mines  that  are  wrought  in  the  neighbourhood, 
consist  of  lead,  calamine  and  copper/  St.  Asaph,  at 
the  confluence  of  the  Elwy  and  the  Clwyd,  is  entitled  a 

1 The  town  consists  of  four  spacious  streets  crossing  each  other  at 
right  angles,  and  corresponding  to  the  points  of  the  compass.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — P. 

b Caerwys,  as  appears  from  its  etymology  ( cacr , town,  and  gicys, 
summons,)  was  in  early  times  a seat  of  judicature.  It  is  more  noted, 
however,  for  its  Eisteddfod *  * or  session  of  bards  and  minstrels,  which 
was  held  there  for  many  centuries.  The  judges,  who  awarded  the 
prizes,  were  at  first  commissioned  by  the  princes  of  North  Wales,  but 
after  the  conquest  by  Edward  I.,  by  the  kings  of  England.  In  1568,  an 
Eisteddfod  was  held  by  commission  from  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  55 
degrees  conferred,  in  vocal  and  instrumental  music.  From  that  time, 
these  meetings  were  neglected  till  1798,  when  one  was  held  by  public 
notice  from  the  Gwyneddigiont  or  Venedotian  Society  of  London  for 
the  encouragement  of  Welsh  Literature.!  On  that  occasion,  20  bards, 
18  singers  and  12  harpers  exhibited  their  performances  in  the  presence 
of  a large  assembly  in  the  town-hall.  (Ed.  Enc.  Rees’  Cyc.) — The 
Eisteddfod  (annual  bardic  session  and  musical  festival)  is  still  held  at 
Denbigh.  (Bell’s  Geog.)— P. 

* Eistcddvod,  a session  or  assembly,  from  eistedd,  to  sit,  and  bod,  to  be. 
— Eisteddvod  y beirdd,  meeting  or  congress  of  the  bards.  (Owen’s  Welsh 
Diet.)— P. 

t Gioiineddirion,  plural  of  Chryneddig,  a Venedotian  or  North  Welshman, 
from  Crwijnedd,  one  of  the  three  native  divisions  of  Wales,  including  *11  North 
Wales,  except  Montgomeryshire — in  Latin,  Venedotia.  Montgomeryshire 
formed  a part  of  I’oicys,  which  with  South  Wales,  In  Welsh  Dekeuharth  ( dehcu , 
the  right,  the  south,  and  parth,  a part,  a region — i.  e.  the  south  country,) 
'.ncluded  the  rest  of  Wales  and  the  Welsh  marches.  (Owen.) — P. 


city,  because  it  is  the  seat  of  a diocese  ; it  consists  merely, 
however,  of  a single  street,  and  contains  only  2000  in- 
habitants. The  cathedral,  which  is  falling  into  decay,  is 
no  longer  used  as  a place  of  worship.  The  Merioneth 
assizes  are  alternately  held  in  Bala  and  Dolgelly.  The 
first  place  is  ill  peopled  and  meanly  built  ; it  claims, 
however,  a high  antiquity,  which  is  verified  by  the  re- 
mains of  three  Roman  camps  in  its  vicinity.  It  gives  its 
name  to  the  lake  on  which  it  is  situated, e and  which  al- 
though larger  than  any  other  in  the  principality,  is  not 
more  than  four  miles  in  length,  and  about  one  and  a half 
in  breadth. h Caernarvon  or  Carnarvon  was  founded  in 
the  year  12851  by  Edward  the  First  near  the  site  of  the 
Roman  Segontium,  of  which  some  vestiges  still  remain. 
Situated  on  the  southern  coast  of  the  Menai  Strait,  its 
port  can  admit  ships  of  700  tons,  its  quays  afford  great 
facility  to  the  lading  and  unlading  of  merchandise,  and 
many  trading  vessels  resort  to  it  from  different  parts  of 
the  kingdom.  But  it  is  not  perhaps  so  well  known  on 
account  of  its  commerce  as  on  account  of  a castle,  that 
was  built  by  the  insidious  conqueror  of  Wales,  who, 
having  promised  a native  prince  or  ruler  to  the  Welsh, 
and  having  afterwards  appointed  his  own  son,  Edward 
the  Second,  the  first  prince  of  Wales,  assured  the  people 
that  he  had  fulfilled  his  promise,  as  the  young  Edward 
was  born  in  Caernarvon  Castle.  The  same  ancient  castle 
is  not  only  the  most  magnificent,  but  the  most  entire  of 
any  in  the  principality.  Equally  remarkable  for  the  ex- 
tent and  solidity  of  its  walls,  contrasting  well  with  its 
light  and  graceful  turrets,  that  rise  above  an  embattled 
parapet,  it  may  be  considered  a very  creditable  monu- 
ment of  the  architecture  of  the  period.  Bangor,  like 
the  other  episcopal  towns  in  Wales,  consists  of  mean  and 
dirty  houses  ; the  old  cathedral,  which  towers  above  the 
other  buildings,  was  partly  destroyed  by  Owen  Glen- 
dower. 

Beaumaris,  which  may  be  seen  on  the  eastern  coast 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  Bangor/  is  the  only  town 
that  is  represented  in  the  Isle  of  Anglesey.  But  Amlwch 
on  the  northern  coast  is  the  most  important  maritime 
place  in  the  island  ; its  population  amounts  to  nearly 
6000  inhabitants,  and  its  port,  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock, 
and  capable  of  containing  30  vessels  of  200  tons,  was 
constructed  by  the  Anglesea  Mining  Company.1  Lastly, 

t Besides  this  and  other  efforts  for  the  encouragement  of  their  native  litera- 
ture, the  Gwyneddigion  Society  has  published  in  a work  called  the  Mvvyrian 
(Poetical)  Archaeology,  a large  and  very  complete  collection  of  its  oldest  monu- 
ments.— Myvyr,  study  (particularly  of  poetry,)  the  muse.  (Owen.) — P. 

c On  the  slope  of  a hill,  rather  more  than  a mile  from  the  estuary 
of  the  Dee.  The  well  of  St.  Winifred  is  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  below 
the  town. — P. 

d Population  10,255,  in  1821.  (Bell’s  Geog.) — P. 
e Twenty-one  tons,  in  a minute.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
fThe  principal  products  of  the  Holywell  mines  are  lead  (galena) 
and  zinc  (calamine.)  Copper  is  found  only  in  a small  quantity.  The 
copper  used  in  the  copper  and  brass  works  at  Holywell,  is  imported 
in  a refined  state,  in  blocks,  chiefly  from  Swansea  in  S.  Wales,  and 
Hanley  in  Staffordshire. — P. 

s Called  by  the  English,  Bala  Pool  or  Pemblemeer — by  the  Welsh, 
Llyn-Tegid  (lake  of  beauty.) — P. 

['  The  greatest  breadth  is  1200  yards.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

In  1283.  (Camden.) — The  town  was  finished  in  one  year,  and  the 
fortifications  and  castle  were  completed  before  1284,  in  which  year 
Edward  II.  was  born  there.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k Beaumaris  stands  on  the  western  coast  of  Conway  Bay,  at  the  north 
entrance  of  the  Menai  Straits.- — P. 

1 By  the  Anglesea  Copper  Companies. — The  mines  in  the  Parys 
mountain  are  the  property  of  Lord  Uxbridge  (Marquis  of  Anglesea) 
and  Rev.  E.  Hughes.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


BOOK  C1.IV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


the  small  island  of  Holyhead,  near  the  eastern  point  of 
Anglesea,  is  united  to  it  by  means  of  a bridge.  It  is  the 
station  of  the  government  packets  to  Dublin,  and  it  is 
frequented  by  travellers  as  the  most  convenient  place  of 
embarkment.  A headland  that  protects  its  port,  forms 
a sort  of  precipice,  hollowed  by  caverns,  and  frequented 
by  sea-fowl. a 

Having  mentioned  all  the  towns  of  any  consequence 
in  Wales,  some  notice  may  be  taken  of  the  manners  and 
customs,  peculiar  to  the  inhabitants  on  the  western  side 
of  the  Severn.  It  has  been  often  observed  that  civiliza- 
tion and  knowledge  have  not  made  the  same  advances 
in  the  Highlands  and  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland,  and  the 
observation  is  perhaps  as  applicable  to  Wales  and  Eng- 
land ; in  other  words,  the  Highlanders  are  to  the  Lowland 
Scots  what  the  Welsh  are  to  the  English.  The  limits  in 
which  the  dialects  of  either  country  are  spoken,  are  rap- 
idly contracting,  and  the  English  language  might  have  been 
still  more  widely  diffused,  had  it  not  been  for  the  too 
great  zeal  of  public  associations,  and  amiable  but  not 
very  judicious  individuals. b But  although  knowledge  is 
gradually  dispelling  the  darkness  in  which  the  inhabitants 
of  both  countries  were  so  long  benighted,  it  is  worthy  of 
remark  that  there  are  few  absurd  superstitions  or  ridicu- 
lous customs,  believed  or  observed  by  the  Welsh,  to 
which  analogies  may  not  be  found  in  the  mountains  of 
Caledonia.  The  Welsh  raptures,  and  the  second  sight 
of  the  Highlanders,  derive  their  origin  from  the  same 
source,  and  both  may  be  traced  to  the  period  of  the 
druids.  In  Wales  indeed,  the  A.wenyddionc  appears  to 
have  undergone  fewer  changes  by  the  lapse  of  ages. 
The  prophet  is  carried  out  of  himself,  or  is  possessed 
by  a spirit,  and  the  only  difficulty  consists  in  attaching  a 
meaning  to  his  wild  and  incoherent  rhapsody,  for  so  soon 
as  he  returns  to  his  usual  state,  he  is  supposed  to  forget 
all  that  passed,  all  his  prophetic  or  insane  effusions.  It  is 
but  right  to  add  that  such  oracles  are  now  seldom  con- 
sulted, and  only  in  the  most  sequestered  and  thinly  peo- 
pled parts  of  the  principality.  Witches  are  believed  to 
exist  in  many  parts  of  Wales,  and  numerous  are  the 

a The  town  of  Holyhead  stands  on  a harbour  on  the  north  side  of 
the  island  of  the  same  name.  The  promontory,  here  alluded  to,  is 
called  the  Head  ; it  rises,  however,  at  the  west  end  of  the  island,  the 
port  being  protected  by  another  peninsular  rock,  on  which  the  church- 
yard is  situated.  To  the  west  of  the  Head  is  an  insulated  rock,  called  the 
South  Stack,  on  which  a light-house,  with  a revolving  light,  has  been 
lately  erected.  The  island  of  Holyhead  is  called  by  the  Welsh,  Inys- 
Cybi  (island  of  Cybi,)  and  the  town,  Caer-Cybi  (fortress  of  Cybi.)— P. 

b The  Welsh  language  is  still  spoken  by  the  middle  and  lower 
classes  in  all  the,  Welsh  counties,  and  in  the  western  part  of  Monmouth- 
shire. It  is  a Cimbric-Celtic  dialect,  immediately  connected  with 
the  Cornish  and  Armoric  or  Breton,  and  more  remotely  with  the 
(xaelic-Celtic  (Irish,  Highland  Scotch  and  Manks.)  The  Welsh  call 
themselves  Cumru  (Cymry ;)  their  country,  Cumry  (Cymru;)  and  their 
language,  Curnnig  (Cymracg.) — P. 

0 Awenyddion,  plural  of  awenydd,  a man  of  genius,  a poet,  a rhap- 

VOL.  lit.— NO.  59.  71 


charms,  which  are  more  or  less  efficacious  in  averting  the 
wrath  of  these  wicked  beings.  A horse-shoe,  a cross  or  a 
circular  stone  may  be  seen  in  different  parts  of  the  house, 
and  the  hypericum,  which  has  now  almost  as  many  mys- 
tical virtues  as  were  formerly  attributed  to  the  veronica 
of  the  druids,  is  scattered  at  the  entrance  of  many  a cot- 
tage on  the  vigil  of  St.  John,  from  which  custom,  its 
popular  name  of  St.  John’s  wort  has  been  derived. 
Witches  are  believed  to  be  malevolent,  and  it  is  of  much 
consequence  to  conciliate  them,  for  they  have  it  in  their 
power  to  commit  great  mischief;  they  prevent  the  cows 
from  giving  milk,  and  the  butter  from  forming  in  the 
chum,  and  it  is  equally  certain  that  they  have  often 
spread  diseases  among  men  and  cattle.  The  spirits  of 
the  mountains,  celebrated  by  the  Welsh  bards  and  in  the 
poems  of  Ossian  or  rather  Macpherson,d  are  on  the  con- 
trary benevolent  beings ; they  protect  the  good  and 
punish  the  wicked  ; and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the 
elves,  fays  or  fairies,  that  still  dance  by  the  light  of  the 
moon,  and  describe  their  circles,  on  the  green  hills  of 
Wales.  Mountainous  scenery,  it  has  often  been  asserted, 
accounts  for  the  belief  in  these  ideal  existences;  it  is 
certainly  not  unfavourable  to  similar  delusions  ; but  be- 
fore they  can  be  wholly  attributed  to  such  a cause, 
mountainous  scenery  must  be  made  to  signify  want  of 
communications,  want  of  intercourse,  and  want  of  the 
means  by  which  knowledge  is  diffused,  and  education 
extended  to  every  order  of  the  community. 

Pride  of  ancestry  is  common  to  the  Welsh  and  High- 
landers. It  was  customary  for  the  Briton  to  commit  to 
memory  the  names  of  his  progenitors,  and  to  trace  them 
to  some  individual  distinguished  by  his  skill  in  war,  his 
success  in  plunder,  or  any  other  quality  that  is  considered 
a virtue  by  the  savage.  The  same  barbarous  custom  is 
partly  preserved  ; it  is  not  confined  to  the  lower  ranks, 
it  extends  to  the  gentry,  and  persons  of  whom  the  Eng- 
lish and  the  Lowland  Scots  would  not  certainly  be  dis- 
posed to  boast,  are  often  included  by  the  Welshman 
and  the  Highlander  in  the  long  list  of  their  progeni- 
tors. 

sodist,  from  awen,  genius,  particularly  poetical  genius,  inspiration,  the 
muse.  The  Awenyddion  were  a class  of  persons  in  Wales,  who 
indulged  in  poetical  raptures,  and  like  the  ancient  sibyls,  prophesied 
in  incoherent  rhapsodies.  (Owen.  Rees’  Cyc.) — They  were  doubtless 
the  origin  of  the  Welsh  Ranters  and  Jumpers.— P. 

d The  question  about  the  authenticity  of  Ossian’s  Poems  was  set  for 
ever  at  rest  by  the  late  Mr.  Malcolm  Laing,  but  not  before  Dr.  Henry 
used  them  as  historical  monuments.  It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  tradi- 
tions, however  much  they  may  have  been  obscured  or  perverted  to 
suit  the  purposes  of  the  poet,  were  handed  down  from  generation  to 
generation  both  in  Ireland  and  Caledonia. 

A portrait  or  a print  of  Ossian,  it  may  be  remarked,  was  lately  sent 
from  Scotland  to  the  Royal  Institute  of  France.  It  is  at  least  within 
the  limits  of  probability  that  the  portrait  resembles  the  original,  partic- 
ularly as  there  is  much  left  to  the  imagination  both  in  his  ci">racter 
and  existence. 


562 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLY 


BOOK  CLY. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Description  of  the  British  Islands. 

— Second  Section.  Scotland. 

The  coasts  of  Wales  are  separated  from  those  of  Scot- 
land by  a distance  of  about  thirty  leagues.  The  naviga- 
tion of  the  Irish  Sea  is  not  without  danger,  but  both  the 
Welsh  and  Scotch  mariners  are  accustomed  to  it,  and  a 
stranger  may  safely  confide  in  their  experience.  Besides, 
the  numerous  inlets  by  which  the  western  coast  of  Great 
Britain  is  so  deeply  indented,  form  so  many  places  of  shel- 
ter against  the  impetuosity  of  the  waves.  The  voyage  from 
Wales  to  the  Solway  Fritha  may  be  made  in  a short 
time,  but  before  describing  the  district  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  same  frith,  some  remarks  may  be  made  on 
the  nature  of  the  country  which  is  to  form  the  subject  of 
the  present  chapter. 

Scotland  extends  from  54°  37'  to  58°  41/  north  lati- 
tude, or  from  the  Mull  of  Galloway  to  Cape  Dunnet.b 
If  the  Orkney  and  Shetland  Islands  be  included,  it 
stretches  to  60°  52'  north,0  and  from  1°  to  7°  50' 
west  from  Greenwich.* *1  The  mainland  is  almost  isolated 
from  England  by  a mountainous  chain,  and  by  the  rivers 
Tweed,  Liddel,  and  Esk ; in  every  other  direction  it  is 
bounded  by  the  sea.  The  greatest  length  from  north  to 
south,  measuring  along  the  meridian  of  Kirkcudbright,  is 
equal  to  244  miles.  A straight  line  drawn  along  the 
coast  from  the  Mull  of  Canty  re  to  Cape  Wrath  is  little 
more  than  220  miles,  and  in  other  directions  the  distance 
is  not  so  great. e The  breadth  is  very  various  ; from  Bu- 
chan-ness  in  Aberdeenshire  to  the  western  point  of  Ross- 
shire,  it  is  137  miles,  while  it  is  only  36  from  Dornoch 
Frith  to  Lochbroom.  The  former  is  the  broadest,  and 
the  latter  the  narrowest  part  of  the  kingdom.  The  same 
country  is  naturally  divided  by  three  mountainous  ranges. 
The  first  or  the  northern  is  separated  from  the  second 
or  the  central  by  the  friths  of  Moray,  Linnhe  and  the  in- 
termediate lakes  ;f  the  low  country  that  extends  from 
the  Frith  of  Forth  to  the  mouth  of  the  Clyde,  lies  be- 
tween the  southern  heights  and  the  central  ridge. 

a This  word  is  properly  and  more  usually  written  Firth,  and  is  the 
same  as  the  Scandinavian  fiord,  a bay,  inlet,  or  estuary.  Frith  is  de- 
rived from  the  Latin /return,  which  properly  signifies  a strait  or  narrow 
passage . — P. 

b Dunnet  Head,  in  Caithness. — P. 

« 01°  11'  (dell’s  Geog.)— 61°  13'  (Ed.  F.nc.)— P. 

d The  mainland  of  Scotland  extends  from  Peterhead,  in  1°  40'  W., 
to  Ardnamurchan  Point,  in  6°  10'  W.  of  Greenwich.  (Bell’s  Geog.) 
— Longitudes  1°  47'  and  0°  7'  west.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Including  the  islands, 
the  extreme  longitude  east  is  52'  W.  (that  of  the  Shetlands,)  and 
the  extreme  longitude  west  8°  18'  W.  (that  of  St.  Kilda.)  (Ed.  Enc.) 
— The  extreme  longitude  west,  of  the  Hebrides  (not  including  St.  Kil- 
da,) is  7°  40'  W.  (Bell’s  Geog.)— P. 

0 Its  greatest  length  on  any  one  meridian  is  275  miles,  viz.  from  the 
Mull  of  Galloway  to  Farout  Head  ; but  the  distance  between  the  two 
extreme  parallels  of  the  mainland  is  284  miles.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

1 The  valley  separating  the  two  ranges  is  called,  in  Gaelic,  Glcn- 
m ore  na  Alhin  (the  great  glen  of  Caledonia,)  and  it  forms  the  line  of 
the  Caledoninn  canal.  Beginning  at  the  north-east,  its  bottom  is  oc- 
cupied successively  bv  the  head  of  Moray  Firth,  the  river  Ness.  Loch 
Ness,  Loch  Oich,  Loch  Lochy,  the  river  Lochy,  and  the  inlet  of  Loch 


A chain  stretching  from  south-west  to  north-east,  and 
crossing  the  southern  portion  of  Scotland,  commences  at 
Port-Patrick  and  terminates  at  St.  Abb’s  Head.  The 
highest  summits  are  situated  near  the  northern  limits  of 
Dumfries-shire  ; Hartfell  reaches  to  an  elevation  of  3302 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  several  others  are 
higher  than  2000.  But  the  heights  on  both  sides,  as 
they  recede  from  these  lofty  hills,  become  gradually 
lower  ; thus  the  Moorfoot,  Soutra  and  the  Lammermuirs 
on  the  east,  and  the  hills  of  Kirkcudbright  or  Galloway 
on  the  west,  vary  from  1800  to  800  feet.® 

The  wall  of  separation  between  the  two  kingdoms  of 
Great  Britain,  extending  first  to  the  east,  and  afterwards 
to  the  north-east,  is  connected  with  the  same  central 
group,  and  terminates  in  the  Cheviots,  which  have  been 
mentioned  in  a former  chapter.  Another  series  stretches 
in  a north-west  direction,  to  the  low  hills  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Clyde. 

Criffel,  which  is  nearly  2000  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea,  forms  part  of  a different  branch  that  separates 
the  counties  of  Kirkcudbright  and  Dumfries.  The  small 
chain  of  the  Pentlands  is  connected  with  the  common 
centre  ; the  group  of  Tintoch  is  in  some  places  more  than 
2300  feet  in  height,  but  the  eastern  extremities  of  the 
Pentlands  are  nowhere  higher  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Edinburgh  than  1700,*  and  in  some  places  so  low  as  six 
or  seven  hundred  feet.k 

The  populous  and  fruitful  valleys  of  Scotland  are  sit- 
uated between  the  mountainous  chains  or  branches  that 
meet  in  Hartfell  and  the  Leadhills  ; but  even  the  val 
leys  are  in  some  places  crowned  by  considerable  heights. 
This  remark  is  applicable  to  the  western  coast,  to  the 
southern  part  of  Ayrshire,  to  the  county  of  Dumfries, 
where  the  low  districts  are  subdivided  by  the  Eildon  and 
Girleton  hills.1  Numerous  small  valleys  are  enclosed  by 
these  heights,  and  all  of  them  are  watered  by  streams, 
the  tributaries  of  the  principal  rivers  that  rise  from  the 
vicinity  of  the  central  chain. 

Linnhe  (on  the  south-west.)  The  waters  of  the  opposite  seas  are 
separated  by  a small  space  of  level  ground  between  the  heads  of  Loch 
Oich  and  Loch  Lochy. — P. 

s The  Muirfoot  Hills,  on  the  southern  border  of  Mid  Lothian,  rise  to 
1850  feet.  Soutra  Hill,  in  the  south-west  corner  of  E.  Lothian,  is 
171G  feet  high,  and  Cockburn-law,  near  the  eastern  extremity  of  the 
Lammermuir  ridge,  in  Berwickshire,  000  feet  high.  Clint  Hill,  at  the 
north-western  extremity  of  the  same  ridge,  is  1544  feet  high.  Spartle- 
ton  Hill,  in  the  parish  of  Spott,  south  of  Dunbar,  rises  to  the  height  of 
1615  feet.  The  granite  ridges  ofCairnsmuir,  between  the  Ken.  the  Dee 
and  the  Fleet,  in  Kirkcudbrightshire,  rise  in  their  highest  points  to 
2597  and  2329  feet.— P. 

11  Tinto  Hill,  a detached  summit  or  group  in  Upper  Clydesdale, 
round  the  base  of  which  the  Clyde  winds  on  the  east  and  north. — P. 

• Eastside  Blackhill,  the  highest  of  the  Pentlands.  near  the  middle 
of  the  range,  is  1878  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. — P. 

k Boue.  Introduction  a l’Essai  Geologique  sur  l'Ecosse. 

1 The  Eildon  Hills,  remarkable  for  their  three-forked  summit,  rise 
south  of  Melrose,  in  the  north-western  part  of  Roxburghshire.  The 
Garleton  Hills  form  a ridge  in  the  low  country  of  East  Lothian,  near 
Haddington  — P. 


BOOK  CLiY.l 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


563 


The  country  on  the  north  of  the  Forth  is  crossed  by 
two  lofty  chains,  the  Grampians  and  the  mountains  of  In- 
verness-shire, connected  with  each  other  by  the  pass  of 
Drumochter,  and  imperfectly  separated  by  the  valleys 
of  the  Orchy*  and  the  Spey,  and  the  sterile  plain  or 
moor  of  Rannoch.  The  first  of  these  chains  derives  its 
name  from  the  Mons  Grampius  of  Agricola,  and  the  de- 
termination of  its  site  is  still  an  object  of  research  to  an- 
tiquaries.11 The  ridge  forms  a belt  about  forty  miles  in 
breadth,  stretching  in  a north-east  direction  across  the 
island  from  Cantyre  to  the  coast  between  Stonehaven 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Spey.  In  the  group  of  Cairngorm 
are  situated  the  highest  summits  ;c  Ben-na-Muich-Duidhd 
is  about  4300  feet  in  height,  and  some  others  in  the 
neighbourhood  are  nearly  equal  to  4000.®  The  moun- 
tains descend  on  the  east  of  the  same  group,  and  Mo- 
rayshire and  Banffshire  are  in  many  places  comparative- 
ly low  or  level  ; but  a line  of  bold  heights,  (some  of 
3000,  and  on  an  average  not  less  than  2500  feet,)f  ex- 
tends on  the  west  of  Cairngorm,  and  terminates  in  hills 
near  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

The  Grampians  are  separated  from  the  more  civilized 
part  of  Scotland  by  a parallel  and  lower  chain,  of  which 
the  crest  forms  a line  from  Aberdeenshire  to  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  Loch-Lomond.s  It  is  naturally  divided 
into  three  sections.  The  Sidla  hills,  which  pass  from 
Redhead* 1*  in  Angus-shire  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Perth, 
and  which  are  in  few  places  higher  than  1000  feet,’ 
enclose  with  the  Grampians  the  fruitful  valley  of 
Strathmore.  The  Ochils,  or  the  second  group,  extend 
from  Parton  Craigsk  to  Stirling,  and  are  connected  with 
the  Grampians  by  their  highest  summits  on  the  west, 
which  are  equal  to  2200  feet  in  height  on  the  east, 
however,  their  altitude  is  not  in  general  greater  than  that 
of  the  Sidla  hills.  The  third  section  consists  of  the 
Campsie  hills,  between  Stirling  and  Dumbarton  ; in  some 
places  they  are  1500  feet  high,  but  on  an  average  little 
more  than  800.  The  northern  heights"1  that  run  parallel 
to  the  Caledonian  canal  cover  a space  about  thirty  miles 

a The  Orchy  (Orchay  or  Urchay)  is  a small  river,  flowing  through 
Glenorchy  into  the  head  of  Loch  Awe. — P. 

b That  is,  the  site  of  Mons  Grnmpius.  Some  have  placed  it  in  Stor- 
mont (Perthshire,)  between  the  Tay  and  the  Isla ; others,  near  Stone- 
haven, on  the  sea-coast,  in  Kincardineshire. — P. 

c This  group  is  situated  at  the  western  extremity  of  Aberdeenshire, 
near  the  source  of  the  Dee. — P. 

d Ben-muc-dhu  (Ed.  Enc.) — Ben  na  Muc  Dubh,or  BeinnnaMuich 
Duibh  (Peak  of  the  black  boar.) — P. 

c The  summit  of  Cairngorm  is  40G0  feet  high  ; that  of  Cairntoul 
4220.— P. 

f In  this  line  are  Cairn-Gower  (3G90  feet,)  Schihallion  (3564  feet,) 
Ben-Lawers  (4015  feet,)  Ben-More  (3980  feet,)  and  Ben-Lomond, 
(3176  feet.) — P. 

s The  south  front  of  the  Grampians  extends  from  the  north-eastern 
corner  of  Kincardineshire  to  Ben-Lomond  ; the  lower  chain  here  men- 
tioned, from  Redhead  in  Forfarshire,  or  rather  from  Stonehaven  in 
Kincardineshire,  to  near  Dumbarton. — P. 

h The  Redhead  is  a promontory  on  the  coast  between  Montrose  and 
Aberbrothock.  The  Sidla  range  properly  extends  along  the  coast  of 
Kincardineshire  to  Dunottar,  south  of  Stonehaven. — P. 

1 The  highest  of  the  Sidla  Hills  is  1406  feet  high. — P. 

k Ferry-Port-on-Craig,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Tay,  at  its  mouth. 
The  Ochils  skirt  the  south  shore  of  the  Tay  to  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Earn. — P. 

1 The  Ochils,  after  skirting  the  south  shore  of  the  Tay  to  near  Ab- 

ernethy,  extend  south-westerly,  between  Perthshire  on  the  north, 
and  Fifeshire,  Kinross-shire  and  Clackmannanshire  on  the  south, 
nearly  to  the  banks  of  the  Forth,  opposite  Stirling.  They  swell  into 
a very  lofty  group,  north  of  Clackmannanshire,  where  the  highest  sum- 
mit is  Bencleugh  or  Bencloch  (2420  feet  above  the  sea.)  On  the  south 
side  of  the  Forth  the  same  range  is  continued  by  the  rock  of  Stirling, 
the  hills  of  Gargunnock,  and  the  Campsie  Fells,  towards  Dumbarton. 
The  Ochils,  at  their  western  extremity,  are  not  immediately,  if  at  all. 


in  breadth,  and  the  principal  summits  are  situated  in  the 
western  part  of  the  chain  ; there  Ben-Nevis,  the  loftiest 
of  the  British  mountains,  reaches  to  an  elevation  of 4380 
feet.  If  the  intermediate  valleys  be  not  taken  into  ac- 
count, the  mountains  that  extend  from  Ben-Nevis  to  the 
Murray  Frith,  descend  very  gradually,  while  a line  in  an 
opposite  direction,  from  the  same  point  to  the  inlet  of 
Etive,"  or  even  to  the  islands  of  Jura  and  Isla,  which 
rise,  however,  to  the  height  of  2400  feet,®  forms  a suffi- 
ciently rapid  declivity. 

The  Dee  and  the  Don  rise  in  the  Cairngorm  heights, 
from  which  many  streams  descend  and  join  other  large 
rivers.  The  Garry,  the  Spey  and  the  RoyP  have  their 
sources  near  the  pass  of  Drumochter,  one  of  the  highest 
valleys  in  Scotland,  and  one  which  forms,  as  has  been  al- 
ready indicated,  the  connecting  line  between  two  chains 
that  were  probably  at  a former  period  united.  In  anoth- 
er direction,  the  inequalities  in  the  surface  are  concealed  by 
numerous  lakes,  whence  several  rivers  take  their  source  ; 
among  others,  the  Forth,  of  which  the  basin  separates 
the  Grampians  from  the  southern  chain.  In  the  same 
part  of  Scotland,  and  besides  the  valleys  of  the  Dee  and 
the  Don,  are  those  of  the  Earn,  the  Tay,  and  other 
large  streams,  of  which  the  course  is  not  less  than  sixty 
miles.  The  same  valleys  are  connected  with  others  of 
smaller  dimensions,  that  are  watered  by  the  feeders  of 
the  principal  rivers. 

If  the  plain  which  covers  the  greater  part  of  Caithness 
be  excepted,  the  rest  of  the  country  on  the  north  of  the 
Caledonian  canal  is  very  mountainous.  The  heights  form 
a broad  belt  almost  parallel  to  the  other  chains,  and  ex- 
tend from  the  Hebrides  along  the  confines  of  Ross-shire 
and  Caithness  to  the  Ord  of  Caithness  on  the  shores  of 
the  German  Ocean.  Stretching  northwards,  they  run  into 
the  North  Sea,  and  appear  anew  in  the  islands  of  Shet- 
land/ Their  arrangement  in  another  respect  resembles 
that  of  the  Scottish  chains  ; for  the  highest  summits  are 
situated  on  the  west,  and  they  descend  gradually  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  island/ 

connected  with  the  Grampians.  They  are  there  bounded  on  the  west  and 
north-west  by  the  vale  of  the  Allan,  a part-of  the  great  vale  of  Strath- 
more, which  skirts  the  whole  southern  foot  of  the  Grampians. — P. 

ra  The  mountains  of  Inverness,  mentioned  in  the  preceding  para- 
graph. They  form  the  eastern  boundary  of  Glenmore  na  Al- 
bin. — P. 

n Loch  Etive,  in  Argyleshire. — P. 

° The  mountains  of  Jura  terminate  on  the  south-west,  in  four  coni- 
cal summits,  called  the  Paps  of  Jura  ; of  which  the  two  highest,  viz. 
Beinn  an  Oir  (golden  mountain)  and  Beinn  Shianta  (consecrated  or 
holy  mountain)  are  respectively  2359  and  2476  feet  high.  Some  of 
the  mountains  in  the  east  and  north  of  Isla  rise  to  the  height  of  1800 
feet. — P. 

p The  Garry,  a branch  of  the  Tay,  descends  to  the  eastern  coast 
the  Spey  to  the  northern  ; and  the  Roy,  a branch  of  the.  Lochy,  to  the 
western. — P. 

a The  language  here  used  is  certainly  very  inaccurate.  The  heights, 
here  mentioned,  are  of  primitive  formation,  and  occupy  the  western 
part  of  Inverness-shire,  and  nearly  the  whole  of  Ross  and  Sutherland 
They  terminate,  on  the  north-east,  nearly  on  the  line  between  Suth- 
erland and  Caithness;  the  greater  part  of  the  latter  county  being  a 
comparatively  level  tract,  and  composed  of  old  red  sandstone.  The 
north-eastern  extremity  of  these  heights  thus  forms  a range  of  high 
lands,  overlooking  the  low  country  of  Caithness,  and  extending  from 
the  Ord  of  Caithness  on  the  south-eastern  coast,  to  Reay  on  the  north- 
ern coast.  The  northern  coast  of  Caithness  consists  thus  of  red  sand- 
stone, which  forms  nearly  the  whole  of  the  Orkneys,  and  reappears"*in 
the  Shetland  Islands,  particularly  on  the  eastern  coast  of  the  Main- 
land. The  northern  coast  of  Sutherland  consists  of  primitive  rocks, 
which  reappear  in  the  Shetlands,  forming  the  greater  part  of  those 
islands. — P. 

1 For  a more  complete  and  full  account  of  the  Scotch  mountains,  the 
reader  may  consult  the  excellent  essav  on  the  geology  of  Scotland,  bv 
M.  A.  Boue. 


564 


EUROPE. 


[BOOfC  CLV 


The  principal  rivers  in  Scotland  communicate  with  the 
German  Ocean  ; the  Clyde  forms  the  only  exception  ; 
the  others  on  the  west,  are  mostly  torrents  or  mountain 
streams  that  fall  into  the  Atlantic  at  no  great  distance 
from  their  source.  And  this  fact  is  confirmatory  of  what 
has  been  already  said  concerning  the  height  of  the  moun- 
tains on  the  west,  and  their  descent  or  total  absence  on 
the  east.  It  follows  also,  from  the  same  fact,  that  the 
fruitful  plains,  or  rather  the  large  and  populous  vallies  in 
Scotland,  are  situated  near  the  eastern  coast.  In  a sta- 
tistical point  of  view,  the  Forth,  the  Clyde  and  the  Tay 
are  the  most  important  of  the  Scottish  rivers,  but  it  must 
not  be  inferred  that  they  are  the  largest  ; others  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  country,  may  bear  a comparison 
with  the  two  former.4 

The  following  tables  indicate  the  actual  population 
and  the  dimensions  of  the  basins  of  the  three  rivers  : — 


Counties. 

Inhabitants. 

Square 

miles. 

Inhabitants 
per  square 
mile. 

Haddington 

. . 36,145 

272 

136 

Edinburgh  . . 

. . 219,592 

354 

624 

Linlithgow  . . 

. . 23,291 

121 

192 

Stirling11  . . . 

. . 72,621 

502 

144 

Clackmannan  . 

. . 14,729 

48 

306 

Kinross  . . . 

. . 9,072 

. . 42,450 

78 

116 

Fife  (J)°  • • . 

158 

268 

Total 

417,900 

1533 

mean  273 

Counties. 

Basin  of  the  Clyde. 

Inhabitants. 

Square 

miles. 

Inhabitants 
per  squaro 
mile. 

Dumbarton  . . 

. . 33,211 

259 

124 

Renfrew 

. . 133,443 

227 

587 

Lanark 

. . 316,819 

945 

335 

Ayr  .... 

. . 145,055 

1122 

129 

Total 

628,528 

2553 

mean  246 

Counties. 

Basin  of  the  Tay. 

Inhabitants. 

Square 

miles. 

Inhabitants 
per  square 
mile. 

Fife  (J)  . . . 

316 

270 

Perth  .... 

2638 

54 

Angus  or  Forfar 

. . 139,600 

892 

156 

Kincardine11  . . 

. . 31,430 

382 

82 

Total 

399,530 

4228 

mean  94 

a The  Spey  is  said  to  he  the  longest  river  in  Scotland.  Its  length  is 
0°  miles  in  a direct  course,  and  120  including  its  windings.  The  Dee 
and  the  Don  are  the  next  longest  rivers  in  the  north  of  Scotland. — P. 

b The  south-western  part  of  Stirlingshire  lies  in  the  basin  of  the 
Clyde.— P. 

c If  Fife-ness  be  taken  as  the  boundary  between  the  basins  of  the 
Forth  and  Tay,  at  least  one  half  of  Fife  will  lie  in  the  basin  of  the  for- 
mer. No  part  of  the  county,  south  of  that  line,  can  be  reckoned  in 
the  basin  of  the  Tay,  and  nearly  the  whole  of  the  county,  north  of  that 
line,  lies  in  the  basin  of  the  Eden. — P. 

d The  basin  of  the  Tay  must  be  extended  to  the  mouth  of  the  Dee, 
to  include  the  counties  of  Forfar  and  Kincardine.  Only  the  western 
border  of  Forfarshire  lies  within  the  proper  basin  of  the  Tay  ; the 
greater  part  of  the  remainder  lies  within  the  basins  of  the  North  and 
South  Esks.  No  part  of  Kincardineshire  lies  within  the  proper  basin 
of  the  Tay  ; its  northern  border  is  included  within  the  basin  of  the 
Dee. — P. 

° Inch  Garvey,  Inch  Colme,  Inch  Keith,  Cramond  Island,  Fidrie 
Island,  Bass  Rock,  and  the  Isle  of  May,  in  the  Forth;  the  latter,  six  or 
seven  miles  from  the  coast  of  Fife,  with  a light-house.  Bell  Rock,  off 


It  appears  from  the  above  tables  that  the  basin  of  the 
Forth  is  the  least  in  extent,  and  the  greatest  in  relative 
population  ; the  basin  of  the  Clyde  is  more  extensive, 
and  holds  the  next  rank  in  point  of  population  ; while 
that  of  the  Tay,  although  greater  than  the  two  others 
together,  is  both  relatively  and  absolutely  less  populous 
than  either. 

The  Tay,  however,  is  the  largest  of  the  Scottish  rivers, 
and  it  is  related  that  the  Romans,  under  the  command 
of  Agricola,  having  crossed  the  first  mountains  on  the 
north  of  the  Lowlands,  entered  the  fruitful  valley  of  the 
Tay  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Perth.  A majestic  river, 
and  a country  rich  in  comparison  of  the  one  they  had 
passed,  awakened  emotions  natural  to  men,  who  are  re- 
minded of  their  native  land  by  sensible  objects  in  a dis- 
tant and  unknown  region.  Imagination  created  or  dis- 
covered some  resemblance  between  the  cold  Caledonia 
and  the  sunny  Italy,  and  no  sooner  was  the  Tay  descried 
by  the  soldiers,  than  they  shouted  with  one  accord,  Ecce 
Tiberim ! 

The  number  of  islands  enclosed  by  the  seas  that 
bound  Scotland,  is  too  remarkable  to  escape  observation  ; 
they  appear  always  in  groups,  are  confined  to  the  west- 
ern and  northern  coasts,  and  are  not  seen  on  the  eastern, 
unless  indeed  a few  detached  and  barren  rocks  that  rise 
above  the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  friths  of  Forth  and 
Tay,®  can  be  dignified  with  the  name.  The  larger  islands 
are  separated  from  each  other  in  some  places  by  very 
deep  water,  in  others  by  so  shallow  a sea  as  to  render  it 
probable  that  they  were  formerly  united.  This  remark 
is  applicable  to  the  sea  between  Tireef  and  Coll,  and  be- 
tween several  islands  in  the  group,  that  has  been  denomi- 
nated Long  Island. s The  connexion  between  others  is 
indicated  by  shelving  rocks,  or  by  a strait  that  is  left  dry 
at  low  water.  Violent  currents  occasioned  by  the  flux 
and  reflux  of  the  tides,  such  as  the  impetuous  Corry- 
V rechan, h rush  between  some  of  them,  and  the  effect  of 
the  great  Atlantic  current  is  made  manifest  by  plants, 
pieces  of  wood,  or  other  products,  which  are  occasionally 
carried  from  the  New  World  to  the  shores  of  the  Hebri- 
des. But  the  sea  between  the  islands  and  the  coasts  of 
Scotland  is  subject  to  the  most  rapid  currents ; the 
waters  in  the  arm  of  the  sea  that  separates  the  island  of 
Mull,  one  of  the  Hebrides,  from  the  district  of  Lorn, 
are  thus  impelled  with  great  velocity.  The  Pentland 
Frith,  the  “ Scylla  and  Charybdis”  of  Scotland,  is  ex- 
posed in  certain  seasons  to  opposite  currents.  “ The 
current,”  says  Mr.  Playfair,  “ is  exceedingly  strong  dur- 


the  mouth  of  the  Tay,  about  1 1 miles  distant  from  the  nearest  coast, 
has  also  a light-house. — P. 

f Tiry,  Tirey,  Tiree,  Tyrie. — Gaelic,  Tir , land;  /,  Iona',  i.  e.  land 
belonging  to  1 or  Iona.  (Statist.  Acc.  x.  393.)  Rather,  Ti'r,  land,  and 
/,  island ; Iona  (Gaelic  Ithonn)  being  itself  a compound  of  I,  island, 
and  ton,  wave  : i.  e.  island  of  waves.  Tiree  is  very  low  and  level ; so 
low,  indeed,  that  the  breakers  on  one  coast  can,  in  some  places,  be 
seen  from  the  opposite  ; hence  it  is  also  called,  in  Gaelic,  Rioghachd 
barfo  ( fuidh ) thuin,  kingdom  of  summits  below  the  waves. — P. 

e The  Long  Island,  so  called,  forms  a chain  of  islands,  extending 
north  by  east,  parallel  to  the  west  coast  of  Scotland,  from  the  rock, 
called  Barra  Head,  on  the  south,  to  the  north  point  of  Lewis,  called 
the  Butt  of  Lewis,  on  the  north.  It  includes,  besides  numerous  small 
islands  and  rocks,  the  larger  islands  of  Barra.  South  Uist.  Benbecula, 
North  Uist,  and  Lewis  (including  the  peninsula  of  Harris,  on  the 
south.)  The  passages,  from  east  to  west,  between  these  islands,  are  gen- 
erally shallow,  and  encumbered  with  rocks  and  shoals  ; hence  the  whole 
chain  has  been  supposed  to  have  originally  formed  a single  island. — P 
h Corryvreckan — whirlpool  of  Brechan,a  son  of  a king  of  Denmark, 
I who  perished  in  it. — P. 


BOOK  CBV.l 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


565 


ing  spring  tides.  The  flood  tide  runs  from  west  to  east, 
at  the  rate  of  ten  miles  an  hour,  at  full  and  new  moon. 
It  is  then  high  water  at  Skarfskerry,  (whence  the  ferry- 
boat crosses  from  Dunnet  to  Orkney),  at  9-8  o’clock  A. 
M.  ; but  in  the  middle  of  the  frith,  the  tide  continues  to 
run  eastward  till  mid-day,  while  the  current  along  the 
shore  flows  in  an  opposite  direction.  The  same  phe- 
nomena are  reversed  about  three  o’clock,  and  they  thus 
continue  in  succession.”*  b These  causes  account  for  the 
danger  to  which  mariners  are  exposed  in  the  Pentland 
Frith,  but  the  necessity  of  its  navigation  has  been  fortu- 
nately superseded  in  a great  measure  by  the  Caledo- 
nian canal. 

The  eastern  coast  of  Scotland  is  naturally  divided  into 
two  large  gulfs,  the  one  stretching  from  the  shores  of 
Northumberland  to  Kinnaird’s  Head,  and  the  other  from 
the  latter  promontory  to  Duncansby  Head.  In  figure 
both  resemble  each  other ; they  form  two  triangles,  of 
which  the  southern  is  larger  than  the  northern,  although 
the  base  of  the  latter  is  upwards  of  sixty-five  miles  in 
length.0  In  other  respects  they  are  not  unlike,  and  the 
neck  of  land  that  separates  the  friths  of  Dornoch  and 
Murray  may  be  compared  to  the  extremity  of  Fife,  the 
boundary  between  the  friths  of  the  Forth  and  Tay  ; but 
there  is  no  inlet  in  the  one,  like  the  frith  of  Cromarty  in 
the  other.  There  is,  however,  a considerable  resem- 
blance in  the  sinuations  that  are  observed  in  the  two  di- 
visions, in  the  course  of  the  rivers,  and  the  direction  of 
the  streams. 

The  outline  of  the  western  coast  is  very  different ; the 
large  frith  of  the  Clyde,  and  the  extent  of  sea  between 
the  island  of  Mull  and  the  shores  of  Lorn  may  per- 
haps resemble  the  two  great  divisions  on  the  eastern 
coast.  But  all  the  numerous  bays  in  the  west,  are  small 
in  comparison  of  those  in  the  east.  The  inlets  penetrate 
far  into  the  land,  and  might  be  mistaken  for  lakes  or 
rivers,  if  it  were  not  for  the  loud  noise  occasioned  by  the 
flux  and  reflux  of  the  tide,  and  for  the  alga,  that  decay 
on  their  surface. d The  extraordinary  depth  of  these 
narrow  inlets  at  great  distances  from  the  open  sea,  may 
perhaps  be  considered  characteristic  of  the  western  coast. 
Thus,  Loch  Fine  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Inverary  is 
sixty  fathoms  deep,  and  Loch  Goyle/  although  not  much 
broader  than  a mile  at  its  upper  extremity,  is  at  least 
fifty-seven  fathoms/  The  shores  are  in.  general  bold 
and  lofty,  a fact  that  might  have  been  inferred  from  the 
height  of  the  mountains  towards  the  south-west,  and  the 
dip  of  the  strata  in  an  opposite  direction,  a conformity 
which  is  observed  both  in  continents  and  islands,  although 
the  cause  cannot  be  explained  in  the  present  state  of 
geological  science.  But  the  same  shores  appear  as  if 
they  had  been  broken  or  shattered  in  many  places,  and 
to  account  for  the  phenomenon,  something  must  be  allow- 
ed for  the  violence  of  the  western  waves.  The  opposite 
coasts  are  only  lofty  at  the  places  where  the  extremities 


a This  sentence  in  the  original  stands  thus : “ This  phenomenon  is 
reversed  at  three  o’clock.” — P. 

b Playfair's  Description  of  Scotland,  vol.  ii.  p.  205. 

0 The  south  side  of  the  latter  is  80  miles  in  length.  (Bell’s 
Geog.) — P. 
d Boue,  p.  10. 

c Loch  Fyne — Loch  Goyl  or  Goil.  The  latter  is  a long  and  narrow 
inlet,  penetrating  north-west  into  Argyleshire,  from  Loch  Long. — P. 
f Jameson’s  Travels,  vol.  i.  p.  139. 

& Playfair’s  Description  of  Scotland,  vol.  i.  p.  7. 
k Besides  the  great  coal-field,  here  mentioned,  there  is  a small  coal 


of  the  chains  extend  to  the  eastern  limits  of  the  king- 
dom. Thus,  precipices  of  several  hundred  feet  in  height 
may  be  observed  along  the  shore  from  Redhead  to  Aber- 
deen, and  at  Peterhead,  Portsoy,  the  Old  of  Caithness, 
St.  Abb’s  Head  and  Tantallon  Castle. 

However  numerous  and  different  the  depths  that  are 
indicated  by  the  sounding  line  near  the  opposite  sides  of 
Scotland  may  be,  they  depend  more  or  less  on  the  phe- 
nomena that  have  been  mentioned.  Near  the  low  shores 
on  the  east,  the  depth  increases  by  an  almost  impercepti- 
ble descent,  while  the  line  sinks  several  fathoms  near 
the  bold  rocks  on  the  west.  There  are,  however,  excep- 
tions to  the  rule,  and  at  no  great  distance  from  the  flat 
and  level  shore  of  Irvine,  the  water  is  thirty  or  thirty- 
five  fathoms  deep.  The  eastern  coasts  are  more  exten- 
sive than  the  western,  and  they  are  relatively  more  popu- 
lous, consequently  industry  has  made  more  rapid  ad- 
vances, and  the  land  is  more  productive.  But  the  same 
fact  which  is  ascertained  by  statistical  results,  might  also 
have  been  determined  by  the  nature  of  the  coasts  and 
the  country  in  their  vicinity. 

The  northern  coast,  the  least  in  point  of  extent,  is 
bounded  by  bold  rocks,  or  indented  by  numerous  bays 
and  headlands,  and  difficult  of  navigation  on  account  of 
a tempestuous  sea  and  opposite  currents.  The  cor- 
respondence of  the  rocks  and  soils  on  the  southern 
and  northern  limits  of  the  Pentland  Frith,  and  onwards 
between  the  Orkneys  and  the  Shetland  Islands,  renders  it 
highly  probable  that  the  two  groups  formed  once  part  of 
the  mainland  of  Scotland  ; but  the  period  when  the  con- 
vulsion that  separated  them  took  place,  and  the  agent  by 
which  it  was  effected,  are  alike  unknown.  Lastly,  if  the 
area  of  Scotland  were  bounded  by  straight  lines,  the  length 
of  the  lines  might  be  less,  at  all  events  not  greater,  than 
600  miles,  whereas  the  coasts  are  so  much  broken  and 
indented,  or  so  extensive  in  proportion  to  the  surface, 
that  the  actual  distance  is  equal  to  two  thousand. s 

The  mineral  kingdom  in  Scotland  has  been  the  sub- 
ject of  much  research  to  geologists,  and  it  has  conse- 
quently been  examined  with  greater  accuracy  than  that 
of  most  countries.  The  riches  which  are  obtained  from 
it,  have  increased  the  resources,  commerce  and  industry 
of  the  inhabitants,  and  part  of  Scotland  must  have  been 
less  distinguished  for  wealth  and  civilization,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  products  that  are  contained  beneath  its 
surface. 

The  coal  district  is  situated  in  the  populous  and  fruit- 
ful country  between  the  transition  chain  in  the  south, 
and  the  loftier  primitive  chains  in  the  north.  It  may  be 
almost  said  to  be  confined  to  this  part  of  the  kingdom,  for 
although  it  occurs  elsewhere,  it  is  only  observed  in  in- 
considerable quantities  and  of  an  inferior  quality/  The 
quantity  of  coal  consumed  annually  in  the  country,  is 
more  than  two  millions  and  a half,  and  considerably  less 
than  three  millions  of  tons.  Of  these,  two  millions  are 


formation,  forming  a very  narrow  belt  along  the  shore,  at  Brora,  on  the 
eastern  const  of  Sutherland,  and  resting  almost  immediately  on 
granite  ; also,  another  small  formation,  on  the  western  coast  of  Can- 
tyre,  near  Campbelltown,  appearing  to  lie  immediately  on  mica-slate  ; 
and  lastly,  a series  of  coal  strata,  of  little  or  no  value,  covered  and  in- 
tersected by  trap  rocks,  extending  in  a narrow  line  through  the 
Shiant  Isles,  Raasay,  the  eastern  part  of  Sky,  F,gg,  Muck,  Mull  apd 
Morven.  These  formations  are  independent  of  the  gr<  at  coal-field. 
Coal  is  also  wrought  in  a basin  on  the  lower  part  of  the  bisk,  in  Cano 
bie  (Dumfries-shire.) — P. 


566 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLV. 


necessary  for  domestic  purposes,  and  the  remainder  is 
consumed  in  the  iron  and  lime  works,  and  in  differ- 
ent manufactories.  Besides,  a considerable  quantity  is 
exported  to  Ireland,  and  a good  market  is  obtained  for 
the  better  sorts  in  some  parts  of  England.  The  super- 
ficial extent  of  the  great  coal-field  that  stretches  in  a 
diagonal  direction  from  the  Frith  of  Clyde  at  Dumbarton 
to  St.  Andrews  in  Fife,  and  to  East-Lothian/  has  been 
estimated  at  620,000  acres  or  nearly  1000  square  miles ; 
and  it  has  also  been  calculated  that  according  to  the 
present  consumption,  it  may  be  worked  with  advantage 
during  3000  years. 

Although  iron  is  not  uncommon  in  many  counties,  and 
although  it  abounds  in  the  coal  districts,  all  the  produce 
of  the  mines  is  insufficient  for  the  supply  of  the  different 
iron-works,  and  metal  is  still  imported  in  considerable 
quantities  from  the  south,  and  in  particular  from  Wales. 
It  appears  from  a comparatively  recent  account  of  the 
country,  that  there  are  at  present  twenty-one  blast  fur- 
naces in  Scotland,  yielding  annually  about  33,000  tons, 
and  furnishing  employment  to  nearly  8000  inhabitants. 

The  principal  lead  mines  are  those  at  Leadhills  and 
the  village  of  Wanlockhead,  on  the  confines  of  Lanark 
and  Dumfries.  Evidence  is  not  wanting  to  show  that 
lead  was  wrought  by  the  Romans  in  some  parts  of  the 
sister  kingdom,  and  it  is  very  probable  that  other  works 
of  the  same  sort  were  carried  on  in  Scotland  by  the 
Danes.  It  is  worthy  of  notice,  therefore,  that  the  most 
productive  lead  veins  in  Scotland  were  not  known  before 
the  year  1540.  Long  after  that  period,  however,  the 
discovery  of  mines  depended  on  chance,  fortunate  acci- 
dents and  fortuitous  circumstances.  Galena  is  the  prin- 
cipal ore  which  is  obtained  by  the  miners  of  Leadhills 
and  Wanlockhead.  The  matrix  is  generally  calcareous 
spar,  quartz,  manganese  and  clay,  and  the  accompany- 
ing metallic  ores  are  blende,  calamine,  iron  and  copper. 
Other  mines  are  worked  at  Strontian  on  the  west  coast, 
and  in  the  island  of  lsla,  one  of  the  Hebrides.  The 
mines  of  Strontian  traverse  gneiss  rock,  and  are  remark- 
able for  the  mineral  substance  which  derives  its  name 
from  that  of  the  place. b The  veins  of  lsla  run  in  prim- 
itive limestone,  and  it  is  supposed,  not  without  reason, 
that  they  were  wrought  by  the  Danes.0  The  annual 
produce  of  the  mines  in  Leadhills  and  Wanlockhead 
varies  from  three  to  four  thousand  tons;  and  it  has  been 
estimated  that  the  price  obtained  for  the  lead,  which  is 
yearly  obtained  from  all  the  Scotch  mines,  is  not  less 
than  L.  136,000. 

The  silver  extracted  from  the  lead  is  not  equal  on  an 
average  to  ten  ounces  in  each  ton.  Little  more  than 
thirty  years  ago,  the  inhabitants  were  ignorant  of  the 
method  of  extracting  the  silver,  and  for  that  purpose  it 

a The  great  coal-field  extends  across  the  island  in  a south-west  di- 
rection, from  the  coast  of  Fife  and  East  Lothian,  to  that  of  Ayrshire. 
It,  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  a chain  of  trap  mountains,  including  the 
Ocliils,  the  Lennox  Hills,  and  the  ridge  of  hills  extending  from  the 
Clyde  opposite  Dumbarton,  along  the  east  shore  of  the  Frith,  to  Ard- 
rossan.  The  soutii  boundary  extends  along  the  northern  base  of  the 
transition  chain  in  the  south  of  Scotland,  through  Ayrshire,  Lanark- 
shire, l’eebles-shire.  Mid  Lothian  and  East  Lothian,  nearly  to  St.  Abb’s 
Head  in  Berwickshire. — P. 

b Strontianite,  Carbonate  of  Strontian — found  in  veins  in  gneiss, 
with  galena,  carbonate  and  sulphate  of  barytes  and  calcareous  spar. 
In  this  mineral,  Dr.  Hope  first  discovered  the  new  earth  Strontites,  in 
1791  — P. 

c Williams'  Mineral  Kingdom. 

* Granite  is  extensively  quarried  near  Aberdeen,  both  for  home 


was  sent  to  Holland.  The  work,  however,  is  now  done 
in  the  country,  and  nearly  L.  10,000  worth  of  silver  are 
extracted  by  the  Scotch  from  their  lead  mines.  Al- 
though other  metals  are  observed  in  the  same  country, 
and  although  some  of  them  have  been  worked  at  dif- 
ferent periods,  they  are  not  in  a national  point  of  view 
of  much  importance. 

Granite,  basalt,  sandstone  and  other  stones  used  for 
building  are  so  common  in  most  districts,  that  they  are  on- 
ly valuable  in  the  vicinity  of  ports  or  large  towns.d  Slate 
is  wrought  on  a great  scale  in  the  Hebrides,  in  Argyle- 
shire  and  different  counties. e Lime  is  abundant,  and  it 
appears  from  the  compendium  of  the  statistical  account 
that  12,000,000  bushels  of  slaked  lime,  worth  more  than 
L. 350, 000,  are  wrought  in  different  places,  particularly 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  coal-works.  Much  marble 
might  be  obtained  from  the  Hebrides/  the  western  coast 
of  Argyleshire,  Sutherland  and  other  parts  of  the  coun- 
try. But  its  value  is  diminished  by  the  foreign  sub- 
stances with  which  it  is  mixed,  and  by  the  same  cause 
the  labour  of  working  it  is  increased. 

It  is  affirmed  that  the  greater  number  of  precious 
stones  have  been  discovered  in  the  mountainous  districts 
of  Scotland.  The  ruby,  it  has  been  said,  is  found  in  the 
counties  of  Fife,  Banff,  Inverness  and  Aberdeen,  the 
emerald  in  the  mountains  of  Cairngorm,  the  aqua-marine  or 
precious  beryl  in  Inverness-shire  and  the  Orkney  Islands, 
the  sapphire  in  different  parts  of  the  Highlands,  and  the 
amethyst  in  Strathspey.  Lastly,  the  topaz  occurs  in 
the  same  strath,  in  Cairngorm,  and  in  the  Isle  of  Arran, 
and  the  garnet  is  common  in  Aberdeenshire.  Stones,  to 
which  the  above  names  have  been  applied,  are  certainly 
found,  and  it  is  equally  true  that  most  of  them  are  incor- 
rectly designated.  Thus,  the  ruby  of  Fifeshire  and  the 
other  counties  is  a species  of  garnet  ; the  emerald  of 
Cairngorm  and  Strathspey,  and  the  aqua-marine  of  the 
Orkneys,  are  varieties  of  precious  beryl  ; the  sapphire 
of  the  Highlands  is  a pale  green  coloured  topaz  ; while 
the  topaz  of  Cairngorm,  the  Isle  of  Arran,  and  other 
places,  is  rock  crystal  of  different  colours,  such  as  brown, 
wine-yellow  and  orange-yellow.s 

Having  entered  into  details  concerning  the  climate  of 
England,  or  rather  Britain,  it  need  only  be  observed  that 
the  difference  in  this  respect  between  the  two  countries, 
may  be  explained  by  the  more  northern  situation  of  the 
latter/  by  mountainous  groups  and  other  local  causes. 
The  difference,  however,  is  by  no  means  inconsiderable, 
and  it  is  plainly  exhibited  in  the  phenomena  of  vegeta- 
tion. The  crops  in  Scotland  are  not  reaped  with  the 
same  certainty,  and  the  expectations  of  the  farmer  are 
more  frequently  disappointed.  Neither  do  the  ordinary 
kinds  of  grain  arrive  at  the  same  perfection  ; thus,  al- 

consumption  and  exportation.  Great  quantities  are  shipped  to  Lon- 
don. There  are  very  extensive  quarries  of  excellent  sandstone,  near 
Edinburgh,  with  which  all  the  new  houses  in  that  city  are  con- 
structed.— P. 

e Slates  of  an  excellent  quality  are  wrought  to  a very  great  extent, 
in  the  islands  of  Seil,  Luing  and  Easdale,  between  the  north  point  of 
Jura  and  Lorn  ; also  in  Glenco,  and  in  the  islands  of  Bute  and  Inch 
Marnoch.  Slate  is  also  wrought  in  various  places  along  the  southern 
border  of  the  Grampians,  from  Loch  Lomond  to  Blair-gowrie. — P. 

1 The  island  of  Tiree  furnishes  a beautiful  green  marble,  in  high 
estimation. — P. 

e See  the  Paper  on  the  topaz  of  Scotland  by  Professor  Jameson — 
Wernerian  Transactions,  volume  4th. 

h Scotland. 


BOOK  CLY.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


567 


though  Scotch  and  English  barley  may  be  of  the  same 
weight,  the  former  is  not  sold  at  so  high  a price  ; it  con- 
tains less  saccharine  matter,  and  yields  a less  quantity 
of  malt.  Fruits,  which  ripen  in  the  one  country,  seldom 
arrive  at  maturity  in  the  other,  and  never  in  the  same 
perfection ; while  different  berries  acquire  somewhat  of 
that  delicious  flavour  which  distinguishes  them  in  still 
higher  parallels.  Independently,  however,  of  the 
climate,  communications  are  rendered  difficult  by  the 
nature  of  the  surface,  and  the  labour  of  cultivating  the 
land  is  necessarily  increased.  It  is  stated  in  the  supple- 
ment of  the  Statistical  Account,  that  “ the  total  number 
of  English  acres  in  the  kingdom,  amounts  to  18.944,000  ; 
of  these  5,044,450  have  been  cultivated,  leaving 
13,900,550,  (including  913,695  in  woods  and  planta- 
tions), in  an  uncultivated  state.”  Of  that  immense  tract 
the  elevation  is  in  general  so  high,  and  the  soil  and  sub- 
soil so  barren,  that  there  are  not  probably  above  three 
millions  of  acres,  which  can  ever  be  rendered  arable. 
In  round  numbers,  therefore,  there  are  nineteen  mil- 
lions of  acres  in  Scotland,  of  which  five  are  in  culti- 
vation, three  capable  of  being  brought  into  it,  about  one 
in  woods  and  plantations,  and  the  remaining  ten  millions, 
or  more  than  one-half  of  the  entire  surface,  are  doomed 
to  remain  in  sterility. 

Remains  of  antiquity  may  be  discovered  in  almost 
every  parish  of  the  kingdom  ; mention  has  already  been 
made  of  the  Roman  wall  between  the  friths  of  Forth 
and  Clyde  ; it  is  called  in  the  country  Graham’s  dyke 
from  the  first  Scottish  warrior,  who  is  supposed  to  have 
crossed  it.  The  remains  of  Roman  camps  are  situated 
in  the  neighbourhood,  and  one  of  them  is  believed  to 
have  been  the  camp  of  Agricola. a The  conical  towers 
that  crown  the  lofty  summits,  and  the  subterranean 
dwellings  attributed  to  the  Picti,b  belong  probably  to 
the  same  epoch.  It  is  uncertain  whether  the  old  towers, 
some  of  them  round,  others  square,  and  all  remarkable 
for  the  solidity  of  the  cement  by  which  they  are  united, 
were  raised  by  the  Romans,  or  by  natives,  whom  the 
Romans  instructed  in  the  art  of  building  ; it  has  never, 
however,  been  doubted  that  they  were  erected  at  a very 
early  period.0  Several  monuments  of  Saxon  architec- 
ture date  from  the  ninth  and  tenth  centuries,  but  the 
religious  edifices  and  the  old  castles,  which  became  asy- 
lums to  the  nobles  during  the  civil  wars,  were  mostly 
erected  in  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth. 

Such  are  the  relics  of  the  three  most  obscure  periods 
of  Scottish  history.  It  appears  from  the  earliest  his- 
torical researches  that  the  original  inhabitants  of  Scotland 
were  Cimbri,  who  left  the  Cimbric  Chersonesus  or  the 
present  Denmark  about  two  centuries  before  the  Chris- 
tian era.  These  tribes  continued  in  possession  of  the 
country  until  the  Calcdones J or  Picti,  whom  Tacitus 

11  The  camp  at  Ardoch,  the  largest  and  most  complete  in  Scotland, 
has  been  considered  the  camp  which  Agricola  occupied,  before  his 
engagement  with  Galgacus.  It  is  situated  in  the  parish  of  Muthil,  in 
Perthshire,  between  the  Teith  and  the  Erne,  near  the  south  foot  of 
the  Grampians. — P.  b The  Piets. 

0 The  lofty  circular  towers  of  Abernethy  and  Brechin,  the  only 
monuments  of  the  kind  in  Scotland,  have  been  attributed  to  the  Piets. 
Abernethy  was  the  capital  of  the  Pictish  kingdom.  These  monu- 
ments, however,  stand  in  the  churchyards,  and  may  be  compared  with 
the  detached  belfries  in  Italy. — P. 

d Caledoties  or  Culedonii.  Tacitus  does  not  use  either  of  these  terms, 
or  that  o Picti,  but  employs  the  expression  “ Caledoniam  habitantes” 
(inhabitants  of  Caledonia,)  including  them  under  the  general  term 
Britanni. — P 


includes  among  the  Germans,'  sailed  from  Norway,  and 
landed  on  the  northern  coasts  ; by  these  new  settlers 
the  Cimbri  were  driven  into  the  southern  districts  of 
Scotland/  The  Picti  became  the  ancestors  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Lowlands,  who  have  ever  been  distin- 
guished from  the  people  in  the  Highlands.  It  was  about 
the  year  258  that  the  Dalriads  of  the  venerable  Bede, 
or  the  Attacotti  of  Ammianus  Marcellinus  and  the  Roman 
writers,  passed  from  Ireland  to  Argyleshire,  and  became 
the  germ  of  the  Highlanders,  who  speak  the  Irish  or 
Celtic  language,  while  the  Lowlanders  have  always  used 
the  Scandinavian  or  Gothic. s The  country  having  been 
subdued  by  Agricola,  the  conquest  was  not  preserved,  but 
Caledonia  continued  a nominal  province  of  Rome  during 
300  years.  It  was  governed  by  the  chiefs  of  different 
tribes,  their  peculiar  customs  were  preserved,  and  that 
of  painting  the  body  was  retained  by  the  Picti. 

The  Cimbri  and  the  Attacotti  leagued  against  the 
Picti  after  the  fall  of  the  Roman  empire,  and  in  many  a 
battle  contended  for  sovereignty.  An  alliance  was  at 
last  concluded  by  the  chiefs  of  the  opposite  parties,  but 
it  was  not  before  the  year  843  that  all  the  inhabitants 
submitted  to  Kenneth  II.  king  of  Scotland.  The  coun- 
try during  several  reigns  after  this  period,  became  the 
prey  of  Danes  and  Norwegians,  but  its  independence 
was  secured  by  the  courage  of  the  inhabitants.  The 
northern  part  of  the  kingdom  retained  the  name  of  Pict- 
land  until  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  century  ; the 
southern  was  styled  Valencia  and  Cumbria,  names 
which  recalled  the  period  of  the  Roman  domination. 
The  vallies  at  the  base  of  the  Grampians  were  inhabited 
by  the  descendants  of  the  Attacotti.  These  distinctions 
continued  until  the  eleventh  century,  when  the  name  of 
Scotia  was  applied  by  the  Irish  to  modern  Scotland. 
This  new  confusion  of  names  must  be  attributed  to  the 
vanity  or  nationality  of  Hibernian  clergy,  then  settled  in 
Scotland,  and  then  the  sole  instructors  of  the  Scots.  It 
has,  however,  been  maintained  that  the  Attacotti,  who 
were  an  Irish  tribe,  gave  the  name  of  Scotia  to  Pictland 
or  the  country  which  they  subdued.  The  fact  appears 
very  doubtful,  and  it  is  certain  that  the  name  was  un- 
known and  never  used  by  the  Irish  and  Saxon  writers 
during  three  centuries  after  the  event  is  said  to  have 
taken  place.'1  But  the  reign  of  Malcolm  111.  is  not  only 
remarkable  in  this  respect,  it  forms  the  commencement 
of  a period  distinguished  by  greater  cultivation  or  less 
barbarism  and  more  authentic  history.  The  extinction 
of  the  ancient  line  of  kings  in  the  person  of  Margaret  of 
Norway,  occasioned  the  arbitrary  interposition  of  Ed- 
ward I.  of  England,  the  origin  of  the  enmity  that  after- 
wards prevailed  between  the  two  kingdoms.  The  English 
monarch,  availing  himself  of  the  opportunity  afforded  by 
the  death  of  Alexander  the  Third,  destroyed  the  prin- 

e Tacitus  simply  observes  that  their  German  origin  is  proved  by 
their  red  hair  and  large  frames,  contrasting  them  with  the  Sihtres  of 
Wales,  whose  Iberian  origin,  he  says,  is  rendered  probable  by  their 
dark  complexion,  curled  hair,  and  position  opposite  Spain.  (Vit.  Agr 

§ 11)— P- 

f “ So  far  as  historical  researches  can  discover,  the  original  popula- 
tion of  Scotland  consisted  of  Cimbri,  from  the  Cimbric  Chersonese 
About  two  centuries  before  the  Christian  era,  the  Cimbri  seem  to  have 
been  driven  to  the  south  of  Scotland  by  the  Caledonians  or  l’icti,  a 
Gothic  colony  from  Norway.”  (Pinkerton’s  Geog.  vol.  I.  p.  94.  4to. 
London,  1811.) — P. 

e Pinkerton’s  Geography,  vol.  1st,  page  150. 

h Pinkerton.  Idem.  Ibid. 


568 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVt 


cipal  archives  of  Scotland,  that  he  might  lay  claim  to  a 
sovereignty,  which  his  predecessors  had  never  possessed. 
John  Baliol  was  decorated  with  the  vain  title  of  king, 
but  he  was  forced  to  acknowledge  his  dependence,  to 
submit  to  many  indignities,  and  to  appear  six  times  be- 
fore the  English  parliament.  Such  a policy,  it  was 
thought,  might  excite  the  king  of  the  Scots  to  war,  and 
lead  to  the  forfeiture  of  his  crown,  and  the  event  was  not 
different  from  what  had  been  anticipated.  Baliol  resist- 
ed humiliating  concessions,  and  proclaimed  the  inde- 
pendence of  his  country.  Edward,  master  of  all  the 
strong  places,  subdued  a nation  without  the  means  of 
defence,  led  the  king  in  captivity  to  London,  and  carried 
off  the  insignia  of  royalty,  along  with  the  famous  stone 
of  Inisfail,®  the  palladium  of  Scottish  freedom.  The 
Scots  were  in  vain  roused  against  their  oppressor  by  the 
brave  Wallace;  in  so  unequal  a contest,  the  slight 
chance  which  the  weaker  party  had  of  success,  depended 
on  their  union,  but  they  were  divided  into  parties,  and 
the  patriot,  betrayed  and  delivered  to  the  sanguinary 
conqueror,  suffered  the  last  punishment.  When  too 
late,  the  Scots  deplored  that  they  had  not  conferred  an 
authority  on  Wallace  of  which  he  was  worthy;  but  the 
honour  of  avenging  him  was  reserved  for  the  celebrated 
Bruce,  who  having  been  proclaimed  king  in  1306, 
gained  eight  years  afterwards  the  decisive  battle  of  Ban- 
nockburn, by  which  the  independence  of  Scotland  was 
secured. 

Anarchy  and  revolt  became  afterwards  of  frequent 
occurrence  in  Scotland.  It  was  the  object  of  James  the 
First,  an  able  prince,  and  of  a refinement  above  that  of 
his  subjects,  to  extend  the  influence  of  the  crown,  and 
to  improve  the  government  of  his  kingdom  by  intro- 
ducing institutions,  which  he  had  observed  in  England. 
To  weaken  the  power  of  the  nobles,  the  estates  of  some 
were  seized  on  account  of  defects  in  their  titles,  while 
the  lands  of  others  were  confiscated  on  account  of  al- 
leged crimes.  But  this  policy  proved  fatal  to  the  mon- 
arch ; the  nobles  united  against  him,  an  insurrection 
took  place,  and  the  king  was  slain.  To  humble  the 
! nobles  was  likewise  the  policy  of  his  son  James  the  Sec- 
ond, but  his  conduct  was  marked  with  greater  ferocity, 
cruelty  and  perfidy.  If  he  escaped  the  danger  of  a for- 
midable rebellion,  it  was  owing  to  the  treachery  of  some, 
and  the  irresolution  of  others.  Having  improved  the  ad- 
vantages, which  follow  from  a subdued  revolt,  he  was 
suddenly  cut  off' by  the  bursting  of  a cannon  at  the  siege 
of  Roxburgh.  The  incapacity  of  his  successor,  James 
•lie  Third,  was  evinced  in  the  choice  of  low  and  worth- 
less favourites  ; despised  by  his  subjects,  hated  by  the 
nobles,  whom  he  oppressed,  they  entered  into  a conspir- 
acy, and  freed  their  country  from  a weak  and  wicked 
prince.  Very  different  was  the  character  of  his  suc- 
cessor, James  the  Fourth  ; if  the  father  was  satisfied 
with  vulgar  amusements  or  pleasure,  to  attain  military 
glory  was  the  great  ambition  of  his  chivalrous  son.  Gen- 
erous and  free  from  deceit,  he  confided  in  his  nobles, 

| | gained  their  attachment,  secured  their  fidelity,  and  lived 

1 The  fatal  stone  of  Scone,  inserted  in  the  seat  of  a marble  chair 

on  which  the  Scottish  kings  sat  at  their  coronation — still  preserved  in 

Westminster  Abbey.  This  stone  is  said  to  have  been  originally 

placed  in  the  seat  of  the  kings  of  Munster  at  Cashel.  Inis-fail  is 

one  of  the  old  Gaelic  names  of  Ireland. — P. 

“James  had  sent  a body  of  10,000  men  into  Cumberland,  against 

the  English.  lie  had  given  a commission  to  Oliver  Sinclair,  one  of 


with  them  in  that  sort  of  intimacy,  which  was  common 
in  feudal  times  between  a warlike  leader  and  his  vassals. 
The  effects  of  his  policy  are  remarkable,  for  it  is  admit- 
ted that  the  nobles  suffered  more  during  this  reign  from 
their  devotedness  and  attachment  than  they  had  done 
on  any  former  occasion  from  the  jealousy  or  enmity  of 
the  crown.  Lewis  the  Twelfth  meditated  an  invasion 
of  England  ; to  facilitate  his  project,  James  made  an 
incursion  into  the  same  country,  and  fell  with  the  flower 
of  his  nobility  on  the  field  of  Flodden. 

James  the  Fifth  alienated  the  affections  of  his  people 
and  nobles  by  favouring  the  pretensions  of  the  clergy. 
But  neither  the  king  nor  the  clergy  could  compete 
against  the  haughty  barons.  Having  incurred  their  re- 
sentment, he  uTas  unable  to  bear  repeated  disappoint- 
ments, a degraded  authority,  and  the  more  degrading 
spectacle  of  ten  thousand  Scotchmen  laying  down  their 
arms  to  five  hundred  Englishmen.b  A fever  brought  on 
by  grief  terminated  his  days  a wTeek  after  his  queen  had 
given  birth  to  the  unfortunate  Mary  Stuart. 

The  religious  reformation  was  the  most  important 
event  in  the  succeeding  reign, c and  one  which  formed  the 
commencement  of  a new  series  of  calamities  that  befell 
the  house  of  Stuart.  If  the  new  system  was  of  a more 
democratical  tendency  than  could  have  been  anticipated 
from  the  government,  institutions  and  state  of  knowledge 
in  Scotland,  it  arose  from  many  causes,  of  which  the 
following  are  perhaps  the  most  obvious.  The  reforma- 
tion took  place  at  a comparatively  late  period  ; other 
countries  were  liberated  from  the  Roman  hierarchy  be- 
fore the  new  opinions  and  the  excitement  that  pre- 
vailed, penetrated  into  Scotland.  This  effect,  probably 
of  a remote  and  isolated  situation,  was  attended  with 
important  results  ; it  gave  rise  to  more  exalted  notions 
of  purity,  and  to  greater  horror  of  abuses,  and  was  the 
means  of  establishing  the  tenets  of  the  Genevese  theolo- 
gian,1 * * 4 * * * the  last  and  most  exclusive  of  the  reformers.  In 
England  the  king  was  the  leading  reformer,  and  the  new 
system  was  adapted  to  strengthen  monarchy  ; for  that 
purpose  the  ancient  hierarchy  was  preserved.  But  in 
Scotland  the  change  was  more  complete,  and  the  actors 
were  very  different.  The  mother  of  Mary,  and  her 
uncles  of  the  house  of  Guise,  all  rigid  catholics,  directing 
public  affairs,  and  exerting  their  influence  over  the  young 
queen,  became  the  authors  of  the  powerful  and  uniform 
opposition  against  the  progress  of  the  reformation.  The 
enthusiasm  of  the  people,  inflamed  by  the  obstacles 
against  which  they  had  to  struggle,  made  them  recede 
further  from  the  ancient  faith.  However  wild  their  zeal, 
however  exalted  their  notions,  their  firmness  is  worthy 
of  admiration,  and  their  sufferings  of  compassion.  It 
cannot  be  denied  that  the  people  were  assisted  in  their 
great  work  by  the  nobles,  although  it  need  not  be  im- 
agined that  the  latter  were  actuated  by  the  same  sincere 
motives.  It  appears  that  immediately  before  the  refor- 
mation commenced,  the  secular  and  regular  clergy  pos- 
sessed in  tithes  and  land  more  than  half  the  landed  rent 
in  the  kingdom. e It  is  well  known  that  the  clergy  had 

his  favourites,  to  assume  the  chief  command  on  entering  England. 
Soon  after  crossing  the  Solway,  he  read  his  commission,  which  so  dis- 
satisfied the  army,  that  they  abandoned  all  discipline.  In  this  state 
of  disorder,  they  were  suddenly  attacked  by  five  hundred  English 
horse,  when  the  Scotch  took  to  flight,  and  although  few  were  killed 
in  the  rout,  great  numbers  were  taken  prisoners. — r. 

c That  of  Mary.  11  Calvin.  e Forbes  on  Tithes 


r 


BOOK  CliY.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


569 


been  the  favoured  order  during  the  reign  of  James  the 
Fifth,  and  that  they  co-operated  with  the  king  in  hum- 
bling the  nobles.  Animated  by  resentment  as  well  as 
by  avarice,  the  latter  appropriated  the  wealth  of  their 
enemies  ; and,  perhaps  to  gratify  bad  passions,  became 
apparently  as  zealous  in  the  new  cause  as  the  people, 
who  embraced  it  from  principle.  Thus  the  new  religion 
was  more  firmly  settled  in  Scotland  than  in  the  sister 
kingdom ; even  the  nobles  became  members  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  the  supreme  ecclesiastical  court ; and 
when  James  the  Sixth  introduced  afterwards  a sort  of 
episcopal  government,  they  took  care  to  prevent  the 
restitution  of  the  church  lands  ; lastly,  when,  at  a still 
later  period,  the  measures  of  the  unfortunate  Charles 
menaced  the  subversion  of  the  presbyterian  system,  the 
nobles  took  a principal  part  in  forming  that  solemn  league 
and  covenant,  in  which  the  whole  nation  was  enlisted 
against  the  monarch.  In  the  long  contest  for  religious 
liberty,  begun  in  the  reign  of  Mary,  and  not  finally  set- 
tled before  the  revolution,  men  submitted  to  all  sorts  of 
privation,  even  to  tortures  and  death,  rather  than  profess 
a faith  which  they  abhorred.  But,  however  great  their 
energy  in  the  cause  of  religion,  the  civil  institutions  of 
the  Scots  were  not  so  favourable  as  those  of  England  to 
freedom,  knowledge  or  civilization. 

The  Scottish  parliament,  as  far  as  it  can  be  traced  in 
the  records  of  history,  appears  to  have  been  composed 
of  the  greater  barons  or  independent  land-owners.  Bor- 
oughs were  probably  represented  before  the  time  of 
Robert  Bruce  ; at  all  events  they  were  so  during  his 
reign.  The  character  of  the  assembly,  however,  was 
not  altered  by  this  innovation  ; the  towns  were  long 
insignificant,  the  number  of  their  representatives  was  in- 
considerable, they  appeared  only  on  extraordinary  occa- 
sions, and  the  low  state  of  commerce  and  the  arts  pre- 
vented them  from  weakening  the  influence  of  the  rude 
and  warlike  barons. 

A more  important  change  was  introduced  by  James 
the  First,  an  accomplished  and  able  prince,  whose  long 
captivity  in  England  enabled  him  to  observe  the  institu- 
tions of  that  country,  and  to  confer  a benefit  on  his 
kingdom.  It  was  provided  in  his  reign  that  the  smaller 
vassals  of  the  crown  should  be  excused  from  personal 
attendance  in  parliament,  on  condition  of  their  sending 
representatives,  and  maintaining  them  at  the  common  ex- 
pense. The  poverty  of  the  barons  led  them  to  consider 
this  enactment  an  important  immunity  to  themselves, 
and  from  the  same  cause,  they  seldom  fulfilled  the  con- 
ditions which  it  imposed,  in  other  words,  they  either 
neglected  to  send  representatives,  or  having  sent  them, 
refused  to  defray  their  expenses.  The  statute  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  made  imperative  before  the  reign 
of  James  the  Sixth.  But  although  an  imitation  of  the 
English  plan  was  thus  introduced  into  Scotland,  they 
differed  from  each  other  in  some  important  particulars. 
Thus,  in  the  one  country,  all  who  held  lands  of  a certain 
value,  under  the  crown  or  under  a subject,  even  all  who 
enjoyed  liferents  to  the  same  amount,  were  entitled  to 
elect  representatives  for  counties.  But  in  Scotland,  the 
elective  franchise  was  confined  to  the  immediate  vassals 
of  the  crown,  or  the  tenants  in  capite,  while  the  other 
proprietors,  or  those  who  held  their  lands  by  a different 
tenure,  whatever  might  have  been  the  extent  or  value  of 

their  estates,  were  necessarily  excluded.  Other  differ- 
vnx.  nr.— no.  6i  72 


ences  in  the  parliaments  of  the  two  kingdoms  were  not 
less  remarkable.  The  members  of  the  lower  house  in 
England,  the  knights  of  shires  and  burgesses,  formed  a 
numerous  body,  invested  with  no  ordinary  powers,  en- 
joying valuable  privileges,  and  representing  distinct  but 
important  interests  ; by  such  means  a barrier  was  raised 
against  the  encroachments  of  a feudal  nobility.  But  in 
Scotland  there  were  no  knights  of  shires,  and  the  bur- 
gesses, forming  only  a small  proportion  of  the  whole,  sat 
and  voted  in  the  same  house.  This  confusion  of  differ- 
ent orders,  whose  powers  ought  to  have  been  as  distinct 
as  their  interests,  this  assembly  of  nobles,  ecclesiastics 
and  burgesses  under  the  same  roof,  modified  in  no  slight 
degree  the  character  of  the  government.  The  burgesses 
never  asserted  their  rights,  or  never  acted  in  opposition 
to  the  aristocracy;  on  the  contrary,  enactments  were 
passed  at  different  periods,  by  which  their  dependence 
was  established.  Thus,  it  was  ordained  in  the  reign  of 
James  the  Third  that  the  old  council  shall  elect  the  new, 
and  that  the  old  and  new  council  jointly  shall  elect  the 
officers  of  the  borough.  The  effect  of  this  law  was  to 
render  the  town-councils,  or  municipal  authorities,  the 
creatures  of  a noble,  whose  lands  lay  in  the  vicinity.  It 
is  true  that  after  the  union  of  the  two  crowns,  the  power 
which  had  been  thus  acquired  was  gradually  transferred 
from  the  aristocracy  to  the  sovereigns  of  the  house  of 
Stuart,  and  accordingly  it  is  said  in  the  Claim  of  Rights, 
that  “the  abdicated  family  had  subverted  the  rights  of 
the  royal  boroughs,  by  imposing  upon  them  the  magis- 
trates, the  town-council  and  the  clerks  and  the  other 
officers,  contrary  to  their  liberties  and  express  statutes.” 
Thus  at  one  period,  the  town-councils  were  subservient 
to  the  aristocracy,  and  at  another  to  the  crown,  and 
so  long  as  the  laws  which  were  enacted  to  mould  them 
to  such  purposes,  continued  in  force,  the  representation 
of  Scotland,  so  far  as  the  inhabitants  of  towns  or  burghs 
were  concerned,  was  rendered  illusory. 

The  custom  of  committing  the  whole  business  of  par- 
liament to  a few  members,  a custom  unknown  in  every 
period  of  English  history,  proved  equally  detrimental  to 
free  institutions.  In  the  year  1367,  a parliament  having 
assembled  at  Scone,  a committee  was  appointed  by  the 
three  estates  ; full  powers  were  conferred  on  it,  and  the 
other  members  returned  home  on  account  of  the  late  pe- 
riod of  the  season.  The  same  precedent  was  followed 
in  the  succeeding  year,  and  if  any  cause  or  pretext  was 
alleged  in  favour  of  such  an  innovation,  it  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  mentioned.  The  powers  of  the  com- 
mittee were  first  modified  in  the  year  1369  ; but  even 
then  it  was  appointed  to  determine  all  matters  that  should 
be  treated  in  parliament,  and  to  put  them  into  “ a fit 
shape”  for  the  decision  of  the  three  estates  on  the  last 
day  but  one  of  the  session.  It  happened  frequently  in 
the  subsequent  period  of  Scottish  history  that  the  three 
estates  never  met,  and  consequently  the  whole  business 
of  parliament  was  transferred  to  a committee,  of  which 
the  members  were  distinguished  by  the  name  of  Lords 
of  the  Articles. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  discover  the  causes  that  gave  rise 
to  so  important  a change.  The  rude  barons  were  as 
impatient  of  the  restraints  of  a parliamentary  attendance 
as  they  were  ill-qualified  for  the  duties  which  it  imposes. 
And  it  was  undoubtedly  to  dispense  with  personal  at- 
tendance, which  they  considered  a hardship,  that  the 


570 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CliV. 


whole  business  of  parliament  was  arranged  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  require  nothing  more  than  their  assent  or 
dissent.  The  effect  of  the  change,  it  may  be  naturally 
supposed,  was  to  weaken  the  aristocracy.  The  Lords 
of  the  Articles  were  generally  chosen  from  the  nobles 
of  the  court,  or  the  ministers  of  the  crown  ; and  by  such 
means  the  kings  of  Scotland  eluded  many  subjects  of 
discussion,  that  it  was  their  interest  to  keep  in  the  shade, 
and  carried  measures  that  could  only  have  been  passed 
by  a Parliament,  in  which  the  members  were  ignorant 
or  neglectful  of  their  duties. 

The  Scottish  Parliament  was  composed,  after  the  union 
of  the  crowns,  of  the  nobility,  the  bishops,  the  knights 
of  shires  and  the  burgesses.  But  in  Scotland  the  great 
officers  of  state  sat  in  Parliament  in  virtue  of  their  office, 
not  by  right  of  representation — a practice  never  resorted 
to  in  England.  In  the  same  period,  successive  changes 
were  introduced  in  the  mode  of  appointing  the  Lords  of 
the  Articles,  and  the  end  of  all  of  them  was  to  render 
that  committee  more  effectual  in  controlling  Parliament. 
The  accuracy  of  the  last  remark  is  obvious  from  the 
following  facts : James  the  Sixth  obtained  an  act  of  the 
legislature,  ordaining  that  before  the  meeting  of  Parlia- 
ment, four  persons  should  be  named  out  of  each  estate 
as  a committee  to  consider  previously,  and  to  determine 
the  business  to  be  laid  before  the  house  ; and  as  this 
committee  was  nominated  by  the  king,  he  might  indi- 
rectly exclude  from  the  consideration  of  Parliament  the 
measures  he  opposed.  But  as  this  indirect  method  was 
irksome  to  his  successor,  the  appointment  of  the  Lords 
of  the  Articles  was  brought  directly  under  the  guidance 
of  the  crown.  According  to  an  act  passed  in  the  reign 
of  Charles  the  First,  the  peers  were  empowered  to 
choose  eight  bishops,  the  bishops  eight  peers,  and  those 
sixteen  persons  to  elect  eight  knights  of  shires,  and  eight 
burgesses,  to  whom  were  added  the  officers  of  state. 
The  bishops  were,  during  this  period,  uniformly  in  the 
interest  of  the  crown.  From  the  ordinary  state  of  the 
peerage,  they  might  always  elect  one  or  two  peers  in  the 
same  interest ; a majority  of  the  sixteen,  and  conse- 
quently of  the  whole  committee,  became  thus  necessarily 
the  adherents  of  the  prerogative.* 1 

It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  details,  or  to  describe 
the  calamitous  period  between  the  union  of  the  crowns, 
and  that  of  the  kingdoms  in  1707, b an  event  fortunate  for 
both  nations,  and  one  by  which  the  subsequent  history 
of  Scotland  was  merged  into  that  of  Britain.  But  while 
an  end  was  put  to  the  committee  of  the  Lords  of  the 
Articles  at  the  Revolution,  another,  perhaps  a greater 
evil  was  allowed  to  continue  long  after  the  union.  The 
heritable  jurisdictions  were  not  abolished  in  Scotland 
before  the  year  1755.c  They  were  exercised  according 
to  the  genius  of  the  feudal  system  by  territorial  proprie- 
tors under  royal  charter  or  prescription,  and  their  au- 
thority was  so  vague  or  so  great,  that  they  could  fre- 


>  Millar  on  the  English  Constitution.  Essays  on  British  Antiqui- 
ties by  Lord  Karnes. 

b The  articles  of  union  were  agreed  upon  by  the  commissioners  of 
the  two  kingdoms,  July  22,1706.  The  act  of  union  was  passed  by  the 
Scottish  parliament,  March  23,  1707.  The  union  commenced  on  the 
lirst  of  May  of  the  same  year. — P. 

c The  heritable  jurisdictions  were  abolished  immediately  after  the 
suppression  of  the  rebellion,  in  1747.  (Continuation  of  Buchanan’s 
Hist.  Scotland,  by  J.  Watkins.  Vol.  II.  p.  664.) — P. 

u The  Court  of  Session  was  established  in  the  place  of  two  other 


quently  set  at  defiance  the  highest  tribunals  of  the  land. 
Their  abolition  cannot  be  attributed  to  the  necessity  of 
any  improvement  in  the  administration  of  justice,  to  a 
more  advanced  state  of  knowledge,  or  more  liberal  opin- 
ions among  the  people,  or  to  increased  wealth  and  com- 
mercial importance.  Scotland  might  have  retained  still 
longer  its  hereditary  judges,  had  not  the  danger  of  their 
influence  been  acknowledged  in  the  rebellion  of  1745. 
To  prevent  the  recurrence  of  such  scenes,  heritable 
jurisdictions  were  annulled,  and  the  consequence  was  to 
establish  the  peace  of  the  country,  and  to  lay  the  founda- 
tions of  its  subsequent  prosperity. 

The  lords,  who  possessed  these  jurisdictions  or  regali- 
ties, as  they  were  called,  could  recall  any  of  their  vassals 
who  were  summoned  before  another  court,  and  judge 
them  for  capital  offences.  The  regular  tribunals  were 
thus  necessarily  limited  both  in  the  degree  of  their  au- 
thority, and  in  the  extent  of  country  over  which  they 
reached.  The  kings  had  their  aula,  and  in  some  cases 
supreme  authority  was  committed  to  it ; their  bailiffs 
administered  justice  within  the  royal  domains,  and 
sheriffs  in  the  counties,  if  their  authority  was  not  ex- 
cluded by  grants  of  regality.  An  appeal  might  be 
brought  from  the  baron’s  court  to  that  of  the  sheriff,  and 
from  the  last  to  the  parliament.  This  appellate  jurisdic- 
tion was  transferred  in  1532  to  the  Court  of  Session, d 
which  was  then  established,  and  consisted  at  first  of  fifteen 
judges,®  of  whom  seven  besides  the  president  were 
churchmen.  Two  innovations  happened  much  about  the 
same  time  ; the  use  of  juries  in  civil  cases  was  discon- 
tinued, and  many  principles  of  the  Roman  law  were 
adopted.  Hence  the  laws  of  Scotland  and  England  are 
in  many  respects  different  ; but  the  use  of  juries  has 
lately  been  introduced  in  civil  cases,  and  other  improve- 
ments have  been  at  different  times  effected.  The  Court 
of  Session  still  styles  itself  a supreme  court,  although  its 
decisions  may  be  reversed  by  the  upper  house  of  the 
British  parliament. 

The  Justiciary  Court  consists  of  five  judges,  who  are 
likewise  Lords  of  Session/  It  is  the  highest  tribunal  in 
criminal  cases,  which  are  determined  by  the  majority  of 
a jury,  and  not  by  unanimity  as  in  England.  The  sheriff- 
courts  are  unknown  in  the  sister  kingdom,  but  all  the 
advantages  which  such  institutions  might  afford,  have  not 
been  experienced  in  Scotland,  because  the  judges  do 
not  reside  within  the  limits  of  their  jurisdiction,  and  the 
business  of  their  courts  may  be  committed  to  substitutes. 
The  expense  of  administering  justice  to  the  middling  and 
the  poorer  classes  is  thus  necessarily  increased. 

The  Presbyterian  religion  was  finally  established  in 
Scotland  at  the  revolution  of  1688.  The  ecclesiastical 
divisions  are  parishes,  presbyteries  and  synods  ; several 
parishes  form  a presbytery,  and  the  synods  are  made  up 
of  contiguous  presbyteries.  There  are  941  parishes,  69 
presbyteries,  and  15  synods.®  The  presbyteries  and 

courts,  viz.  the  Daily  Council  and  the  Session,  by  a statute  in  1537. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

e The  judges  are  now.  as  at  first,  fifteen  in  number.  (Ed.  Enc.) 
This  includes  the  Lord  President  and  the  Lord  Justice  Clerk. — The 
court  is  familiarly  called  by  the  Scotch,  the  Fifteen. — P. 

1 The  High  Court  of  Justiciary  consists  of  six  judges,  who  are  also 
Lords  of  Session,  the  Lord  Justice  Clerk  presiding.  It  has  a nomi- 
nal head,  the  Lord  Justice  General,  who  however  never  presides 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

s 893  parishes;  78  presbyteries;  15  synods;  938  clergymen.  (Sir 


BOOK  CLV.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


571 


synods  are  ecclesiastical  tribunals  subordinate  to  the 
General  Assembly,  which  meets  every  year  in  the  month 
of  May,  the  king  appointing  a commissioner  as  his  rep- 
resentative, and  the  members  nominating  their  moderator 
as  president.  Laymen  are  admitted  into  this  venerable 
council  under  the  name  of  ruling  elders,  and  their  num- 
ber is  nearly  equal  to  a third  part  of  the  members.  The 
Scottish  clergy  are  men  of  moderate  incomes,  without  the 
great  revenues  of  the  English  priesthood,  and  on  that  ac- 
count better  qualified  for  the  duties  of  their  sacred  office. 
Eminent  names  both  in  literature  and  philosophy  might 
be  found  in  their  ranks,  and  of  their  information  as  a 
body,  they  have  left  a creditable  monument  in  the  sta- 
tistical account  of  their  country.1  The  Scottish  church 
is  superior  in  other  respects  to  the  English  ; pluralities 
are  unlawful,  and  the  minister  must  reside  within  the 
limits  of  his  parish.  It  is  of  little  consequence  whether 
episcopacy  be  or  be  not  of  apostolic  origin ; the  name  is 
certainly  preserved  in  England,  but  the  Scottish  plan  is 
more  accordant  with  the  spirit  of  Christian  institutions. 
Accordingly  the  number  of  sectarians  is  comparatively 
small ; the  Methodists,  the  most  important  sect  that  has 
appeared  in  modern  times  in  England,  have  not  made  a 
great  impression  in  Scotland.  The  prejudices  of  the 
people,  it  is  true,  are  not  in  favour  of  Arminianism  ; still 
the  repeated  and  unsuccessful  attempts  of  the  followers 
of  Wesley  cannot  be  solely  attributed  to  that  cause,  but 
partly  to  the  greater  vigilance  and  usefulness  of  the  clergy. 

The  mode  of  education  is  still  more  admirable,  and 
the  diffusion  of  knowledge  among  the  lower  orders  affords 
the  best  proof  of  its  excellence  ; in  no  other  country  is 
the  plan  of  tuition  attended  with  so  many  practical  ad- 
vantages. The  nature  of  the  system  is  not  to  be  dis- 
covered in  the  towns ; in  these  places  the  youth  are 
educated  as  in  England,  in  private  or  public  schools  and 
in  colleges ; the  fitness  of  the  plan  for  the  wants  of  the 
people  can  only  be  observed  in  the  country.  A school- 
master is  as  necessary  as  a clergyman  to  a parish  ; a 
salary  is  attached  to  the  office,  and  indigent  persons  are 
thus  enabled  to  give  their  sons  an  education  at  a small 
expense,  and  there  are  few  poor  parents  in  Scotland 
who  do  not  send  their  children  to  school.  If  the  Scotch 
have  long  been  ranked  among  the  best  informed  people 
of  Europe,  it  is  owing  to  their  parochial  schools,  and  as, 
in  the  present  day,  much  is  done  for  the  diffusion  of 
knowledge,  a similar  or  modified  plan  ought  perhaps  to 
be  introduced  into  the  remote  districts  of  England.  The 
expenses  attending  it  are  not  great ; at  all  events,  the 
public  money  has  seldom  been  laid  out  with  the  reason- 
able expectation  of  so  much  advantage. 

The  occupations  of  commerce  and  industry  were  long 
incompatible  with  the  unsettled  government  of  the  Scots, 
and  accordingly  the  useful  arts  were  cultivated  in  Eng- 
land while  they  were  unknown  in  Scotland.  The  present 

J.  Sinclair’s  General  Report  of  Scotland,  1814,  vol.  1.  p.  19 — 20.) — 910 
parishes;  940  clergymen;  78  presbyteries;  15  synods.  (Ed.  Enc. 
art.  Scotland,  1829.) — 903  parishes  ; 972  ministers ; 55  chapels  of  ease  ; 
38  chapels  in  the  Highlands  depending  on  the  royal  bounty  ; 7 chapels 
depending  on  the  Society  for  propagating  Christian  Knowledge  ; 40 
chapels  recently  granted  by  parliament.  These  chapels  are  all  con- 
nected with  the  established  church.  (Bell’s  Geog.  vol.  I.  p.  200. 
1832.)— P. 


state  of  the  arts  in  the  latter  country  affords  the  best 
proof  of  the  rapid  advances  that  hove  been  made  since 
the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  same 
people  that  languished  under  a feudal  aristocracy,  too 
haughty  to  be  restrained  by  law,  or  under  kings  who 
weakened  the  nobles  for  the  purpose  of  appropriating 
their  ill-gotten  power,  have  overcome  difficulties  arising 
from  an  unfavourable  climate,  an  insulated  situation,  and 
an  unproductive  and  mountainous  surface.  However 
much  may  be  attributed  to  the  impulse  given  by  Eng- 
land, the  Scotch  could  never  have  made  such  advances 
in  the  same  course  without  free  institutions;  and  the 
past  indolence  and  present  industry  of  the  inhabitants, 
their  past  poverty  and  present  wealth,  are  not  more 
widely  different  than  the  past  and  present  government 
of  the  country.  One  or  two  statistical  results  may  place 
the  foregoing  conclusion  in  a remarkable  point  of  view. 
A considerable  time  after  the  calamitous  period  of  Scot- 
tish history,  even  so  lately  as  the  commencement  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  the  population  of  Scotland  did  not 
exceed  1,048,000  ; by  the  present  census  it  amounts  to 
2,365,807.  Within  the  same  period  many  parts  of 
Scotland  have  been  rendered  more  than  doubly  pro- 
ductive, while  other  departments  of  industry  have  in- 
creased in  a much  greater  proportion.  Thus,  the  rev- 
enue after  the  union  of  the  two  kingdoms  in  1707  was 
not  more  than  L.  160,000  ; at  present  it  is  greater  than 
L.4,000,000.  It  might  be  shown  from  these  and  similar 
results,  that  the  means  of  subsistence  are  now  supplied 
in  greater  plenty  to  the  numerous  inhabitants  than  for- 
merly to  the  scanty  population  of  Scotland.  And  this 
fact  enables  us  to  detect  much  exaggeration  and  many 
errors  in  the  popular  opinion  concerning  the  present 
poverty  and  wretchedness  of  the  lower  orders. 

The  commercial  prosperity  of  the  country,  and  the 
consequent  diffusion  of  wealth  among  the  people,  are  the 
more  remarkable,  considering  the  long  degraded  state  of 
parliamentary  representation.  It  has  been  shown  how 
much  the  population  and  the  public  revenue  have  in- 
creased since  the  union,  the  one  being  now  more  than 
double,  and  the  other  nearly  a hundred  times  greater  ;b 
but  from  the  same  period  to  the  present  time,  the  num- 
ber of  members  has  been  limited  to  forty-five,  one  more 
than  the  number  formerly  returned  by  the  single  county 
of  Cornwall.  The  electors  did  not  exceed  3000,  and 
of  these  more  than  a half  enjoyed  the  privilege  from 
rights  of  superiority,0  not  from  any  property  in  the  soil. 
The  Scotch  members  representing  their  electors,  devot- 
ing themselves  to  their  interest,  and  not  to  that  of  the 
people,  were  almost  proverbially  distinguished  by  want 
of  independence.  It  is  unnecessary  to  allude  further  to 
the  subject;  the  old  system  is  now  abolished,  civil 
liberty  is  extended  to  Scotland,  and  the  people  return 
their  representatives. 

«■  Published  by  Sir  John  Sinclair  (1791 — 9)  in  twenty-one  vol- 
umes.— P. 

b Only  twenty-five  times,  by  the  preceding  statement. — P. 

c A superiority  was  a nominal  title  to  land,  which,  without  any 
property  in  the  soil,  conferred  the  right  of  suffrage.  Superiorities 
were  abolished  by  the  reform  bill. — P. 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CI,TI. 


572 


BOOK  CLVI. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Scotland. — Section  Second. — Civ- 
il Divisions. — Topographical  Details. 

Scotland,  like  England  and  Wales,  is  civilly  divided 
into  counties,  and  the  number  is  equal  to  thirty-three. 
They  may  perhaps  be  most  aptly  classed  under  the  north- 
ern, central  and  southern  divisions,  at  least  these  corre- 
spond in  some  degree  with  the  distinctive  features  of  the 
country.  The  northern  are  those  of  Orkney,  Caithness, 
Sutherland,  Ross,  Cromarty,  and  Inverness  ; the  central 
or  midland  are  those  of  Argyle,  Bute,  Nairn,  Murray  or 
Elgin,  Banff,  Aberdeen,  Mearns  or  Kincardine,  Angus  or 
Forfar,  Perth,  Fife,  Kinross,  Clackmannan,  Stirling  and 
Dumbarton  ; lastly,  the  southern  division  is  made  up  of 
those  of  Linlithgow  or  West  Lothian,  Edinburgh  or  Mid 
Lothian,  Haddington  or  East  Lothian,  Berwick,  Rox- 
burgh, Selkirk,  Peebles,  Dumfries,  Lanark,  Renfrew, 
Ayr,  Wigton  and  Kirkcudbright.  It  appears  from  the 
last  census*  that  the  mean  population  of  each  county  is 
71,691  inhabitants,  and  the  relative  population  to  the 
surface  is  78  to  the  square  mile.  The  superficial  extent 
is  considerably  greater  than  the  half  of  England,  and  the 
number  of  inhabitants  is  little  more  than  a sixth  part,b  but 
the  result,  if  the  barren  and  rugged  surface  be  taken  into 
consideration,  indicates  sufficiently  the  improved  state  of 
the  country. 

In  the  chorographical  account  of  Scotland,  it  may  be 
as  well  to  begin  at  that  part  of  it  nearest  the  Welsh  coast, 
the  one  that  has  been  last  described.  The  small  town  of 
Wigton,  which  may  be  seen  on  entering  the  Solway 
Frith,  stands  on  the  declivity  of  a hill  at  the  bottom  of 
the  bay  of  Wigton.  Although  a chief  town,  it  is  not  a 
place  of  any  importance.  It  gives  its  name  to  a maritime 
county  at  the  south-west  extremity  of  Scotland,  washed 
by  the  Irish  Sea  on  the  south  and  west,®  and  contiguous 
to  Kirkcudbright  on  the  east,  and  to  Ayrshire  on  the 
north.  The  extent  of  Wigtonshire  is  probably  equal  to 
485  square  miles,  and  not  more  than  a third  part  of  the 

* Of  1331. 

b The  superficial  extent  of  England  and  Wales  is  57,900  sq.  miles 
(that  of  Wales  alone,  7,425)  ; that  of  Scotland,  29,871  sq.  miles.  (Bell's 
Geog.) — The  population  of  England  and  Wales  in  1831,  was  13,894,574 
(that  of  Wales,  805,236) ; that  of  Scotland,  2,365,807.  (Stat.  Tab.) — P. 

c On  the  west  by  the  narrow  entrance  into  the  Irish  Sea  on  the 
north,  called  the  North  Channel.— P. 

ll  Laig  Fell,  in  the  north-eastern  corner,  whence  it  extends  north- 
east between  Kirkcudbright  and  Ayrshires,  rises  1758  feet. — P. 

e It  ic  divided  into  three  districts,  viz.  the  Rhyns  (peninsula.)  west 
of  a line  drawn  between  Luce  Bay  and  Loch  Ryan ; the  Machers 
(flat  country,)  between  Wigton  and  Luce  Bays;  and  the  Moors, 
which  include  the  remainder,  being  more  than  the  half  of  the  coun- 
ty. (Ed.  Enc.) — These  districts  correspond,  in  a reverse  order,  to 
those  in  the  text. — P. 

1 Called  also  Burgh  Head  and  Borough  Head. — P. 
e The  town  of  Stranraer,  the  largest  in  the  county,  stands  in  a plain 
at  the  head  of  Loch  Ryan. — P. 


surface  is  cultivated.  The  heights  on  the  north  rise  1100 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea  ;d  the  rest  of  the  land 
consists  mostly  of  low,  broken  and  undulating  hills, 
detached  rocks  and  extensive  moors.  The  manufactures 
are  few  or  of  little  value,  and  the  trade  is  confined  to  the 
export  of  raw  produce,  and  the  import  of  coal,  lime  and 
other  articles  required  for  consumption.  It  appears, 
however,  that  the  relative  population  is  more  than  75  to 
the  square  mile,  consequently  that  it  is  very  little  below 
the  mean  term.  It  may  be  further  observed  that  the 
county  is  of  an  irregular  form,  deeply  indented  by  bays 
and  inlets.  It  has  been  divided  into  the  three  districts 
of  Wigton,  Whithorn  and  Stranraer,®  according  to  the 
situation  of  its  towns.  The  first  or  the  eastern  division 
is  watered  by  the  Cree  and  several  streams  that  descend 
from  the  heights  of  Carrick.  The  second  or  the  south- 
eastern is  of  a triangular  form,  watered  by  the  bays  of 
Wigton  and  Glenluce,  and  terminating  towards  the  south 
in  the  promontory  of  Burrowhead/  The  district  of 
Stranraer®  or  the  Rhinns  of  Galloway  extends  nine  miles 
from  north  to  south,1*  and  is  almost  separated  from  the 
rest  of  the  county  by  the  bay  of  Loch  Ryan.  The  Mull 
of  Galloway  and  Fairland  Point  are  the  southern  and 
northern  extremities  of  this  detached  portion.  Lastly, 
Port-Patrick,  which  is  concealed  from  the  rest  of  tbe 
shire  by  the  Mull  of  Galloway,*  is  the  nearest  point 
between  Britain  and  Ireland.  The  harbor  was  for- 
merly small  and  inconvenient ; it  now  possesses  a 
reflecting  light-house,  and  one  of  the  finest  quays  in 
Britain. 

Wigtonshire  forms  the  western  district  of  the  ancient 
province  of  Galloway  :k  the  eastern  is  comprehended  in 
the  stewartry  of  Kirkcudbright.  The  western  district 
or  the  county  is  not  remarkable  for  the  altitude  of 
its  mountains,  or  the  size  of  its  rivers  ; but  the  heights 
which  divide  the  stewartry  from  Ayrshire,  are  little 
inferior  in  elevation  to  any  in  the  south  of  Scot- 

h The  Rhinns  extend  at  least  30  miles  from  north  to  south,  from 
Kirkcolm  Point,  at  the  entrance  of  Loch  Ryan,  to  the  Mull  of  Gallo- 
way. The  isthmus  between  Loch  Ryan  and  Luce  Bay  is  about  nine 
miles  in  width. — P. 

‘ This  is  certainly  a very  strange  expression.  Port-Patrick  is  situ- 
ated on  the  western  coast  of  the  Rhinns,  south-west  of  Stranraer,  on  the 
shore  of  the  North  Channel,  nearly  opposite  Donaghadee,  in  Ireland,  to 
which  place  is  a line  of  mail  packets.  It  has  a south-western  exposure, 
being  surrounded  in  other  directions  by  a chain  of  low  hills.  In  order 
to  arrive  at  it  by  sea.  from  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  sail  round  the  Mull  of  Galloway. — P. 

k It  is  sometimes  called  West  Galloway,  or  the  shire  of  Galloway  ; 
the  stewartry  of  Kirkcudbright  being  called  East  Galloway.  Gallo- 
way, including  these  two  counties,  was  an  independent  princi- 
pality previous  to  the  13th  century,  governed  by  its  own  lords  or 
princes. — P. 


BOOK  CLVI.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


573 


land.*  They  extend  along  the  northern  boundary,  and 
form  a sort  of  amphitheatre,  which  occupies  more  than 
the  half  of  it.  Viewed  from  these  lofty  mountains,  the 
rest  of  Kirkcudbrightshire  appears  like  a plain  ; it  must 
not,  however,  be  imagined  that  it  is  destitute  of  hills  ; 
those  on  the  south  near  the  sea,  although  not  comparable 
to  the  northern,  are  by  no  means  inconsiderable.  Rising 
in  some  places  above  the  margin  of  the  waters,  they 
exhibit  a variety  of  forms,  and  contribute  to  the  beauty 
or  grandeur  of  the  scenery.  It  may  be  inferred  from 
the  nature  of  the  country  that  the  quantity  of  arable  or 
productive  land  is  small,  and  this  conjecture  is  con- 
firmed by  the  relation  of  the  population  to  the  surface, 
for  the  county  consists  of  882  square  miles,  and  the 
number  of  inhabitants  is  not  more  than  forty-six  to  the 
square  mile. 

Much  of  the  mountainous  tract  consists  of  granite,  and 
according  to  the  agricultural  survey,  there  are  three  sep- 
arate districts  of  granite,  which  cover  nearly  a fourth  part 
of  the  surface. b Different  strata  of  schistus  are  common 
in  the  lower  parts,  and  with  these  are  mixed  layers  of  a 
soft,  argillaceous  stone,  which  yields  readily  to  the 
weather,  and  is  popularly  known  by  the  name  of  slate- 
land.  Limestone  is  found  at  Kirkbean  on  the  Nith,  the 
only  place  in  the  county,  where  it  is  worked.  Iron  ore, 
although  very  common,  is  rendered  of  little  value  from 
the  want  of  coal  or  fuel.  Lead  mines  were  formerly 
wrought  in  Minnigaff,  and  copper,  which  was  lately 
discovered  near  Gatehouse,  is  now  worked  by  an 
English  company. 

The  Dee,  the  principal  river,  enters  Loch  Ken,calake 
almost  in  the  centre  of  the  county,  about  eight  miles  in 
length,  and  in  some  places  more  than'one  in  breadth. 
The  river  falls  into  the  Solway  Frith  about  six  miles 
below  the  town  of  Kirkcudbright,  and  it  is  navigable  two 
miles  above  it  for  vessels  of  200  tons.  Kirkcudbright, 
the  county  town,  although  by  no  means  populous,  may 
be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  pleasant  situation  on  the 
Dee,  and  also  on  account  of  its  commodious  port.  In 
ordinary  spring-tides  the  depth  of  the  water  is  30  feet, 
and  it  is  never  less  than  18  during  the  lowest  tides;1*  the 
harbour  besides  is  safe  and  well  sheltered,  and  there 
is  good  anchorage  at  its  mouth.  Societies  have  been 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  members  with 
houses.®  Each  individual  makes  a small  monthly  pay- 
ment into  a general  fund,  which  is  employed  in  erecting 
houses,  and  these,  as  they  are  finished,  are  assigned  to  the 
contributors  by  lot  ; those  who  obtain  them,  pay,  in  addi- 
tion to  their  monthly  contributions,  five  per  cent,  on  the 

1 Larg  Fell  has  been  already  mentioned  (note  d,  p.  1252.)  The 
highest  summits  in  the  county  are  found  in  the  granite  ridges  which 
pervade  it.  Criffel  forms  a detached  group  in  the  south-east,  on  the 
west  of  the  Nith.  near  its  mouth,  the  highest  summit  of  which  is  2044 
feet  in  height.  The  granite  ridge  of  Cairnsmuir  commences  between 
the  Fleet  and  the  Dee,  and  extends  north,  parallel  to  the  Ken,  to  the 
northern  border  of  the  county.  It  forms  two  groups,  divided  by  the 
Dee.  The  southern,  on  the  Fleet,  rises  to  the  height  of  2329  feet ; the 
northern,  on  the  Deugh,  a branch  of  the  Ken,  to  that  of  2597  feet. — P. 

b The  mountain  of  Critfel  forms  the  centre  of  the  first  of  these 
tracts  of  granite  ; the  two  others  occur  in  the  ridge  of  Cairnsmuir,  the 
one  on  the  south  and  the  other  on  the  north  of  the  Dee. — P. 

0 The  river  Ken  flows  south  into  the  head  of  the  lake,  and  the  Dee 
enters  the  lake  on  the  western  side.  The  river  that  flows  from  the 
lake  is  also  called  the  Dee.  That  part  of  the  lake  below  the  entrance 
of  the  Dee,  is  sometimes  called  Loch  Dee. — P. 

d Opposite  the  town,  the  depth  is  8 feet  at  low  water,  and  28  at  high 
water;  the  rise  being  20  feet.  In  the  road,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
there  is  1C  feet  at  low  water,  and  40  at  high  water ; rise  24  feet.  (Stat. 
Acc.  vol.  xi.  p 11 — 12) — P. 


money  laid  out  in  building  their  houses  ; and  this  arrange- 
ment continues  until  habitations  have  been  provided  for 
all  the  members. 

The  county  of  Dumfries,  contiguous  to  Kirkcudbright- 
shire on  the  west,  and  to  the  Solway  Frith  on  the  south, 
covers  an  area  of  more  than  1006  square  miles.  It  was 
anciently  divided  into  the  three  divisions  of  Annandale, 
Eskdale  and  Nithsdale/ so  called  from  the  rivers  that  wa- 
ter it,  and  each  of  them  was  under  a separate  jurisdiction. 
Surrounded  on  the  north,  the  east  and  the  west  by  the 
mountainous  ranges/  that  have  been  already  indicated, 
the  county  has  for  the  most  part  a southern  exposure, 
and  the  climate,  although  moist,  is  mild  and  salubrious. 

The  Nith,  after  entering  the  county  from  Ayrshire, 
traverses  it  in  a south-east  direction  more  than  forty 
miles,  and  passing  the  town  of  Dumfries,  falls  into  the 
Solway  Frith.  The  Annan  or  central  river  rises  from 
the  mountains  on  the  north,  near  the  confines  of  Lanark- 
shire,*1 and  near  the  sources  of  the  Clyde  and  the  Tweed, 
flows  southwards  through  Moffat,  and  discharges  itself 
into  the  Solway  Frith  below  Annan.  The  Esk*  issues 
from  the  borders  of  Selkirkshire,  and  enters  the  same 
frith  below  Langtown,k  after  a course  of  forty  miles. 
Of  the  numerous  lakes,  Loch  Skeen  is  not  the  least 
remarkable  ; it  is  situated  more  than  1300  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  and  it  supplies  the  waters  of  the 
Gray  Mare’s  Tail,  a romantic  and  well  known  cas- 
cade. 

The  same  county  is  important  on  account  of  its  min- 
erals ; the  lead  mines  have  been  already  mentioned,'  and 
it  may  be  added  that  the  miners  are  distinguished  by  their 
knowledge  and  good  conduct.  The  workmen  of  Wan- 
lockhead  set  apart  a portion  of  their  earnings  for  the 
purchase  of  books,  and  they  are  already  in  possession  of 
an  useful  library.  May  the  same  practice  now  so  com- 
mon in  Britain,  be  introduced  into  France;  may  the 
higher  orders  promote  the  diffusion  of  knowledge,  and  by 
so  doing,  guard  the  working  classes  against  idleness  and 
grovelling  pleasures,  elevate  their  character,  render  them 
more  useful  citizens,  and  contribute  to  their  happiness 
and  enjoyments.  The  other  minerals  are  antimony, 
manganese,  coal  in  small  quantities,  sandstone,  iron, 
limestone,  marble  and  slate.  * The  only  coal  fit  to  be 
wrought  is  situated  at  the  two  extremities  of  the  county, 
namely,  at  Sanquhar  on  the  north-west,  and  Canobie  on 
the  south-east ; the  principal  supply,  therefore,  is  obtain- 
ed from  Lanarkshire,  Ayrshire  and  England.  Mineral 
springs  are  not  uncommon  in  the  county,  but  none  are 
more  frequented  than  the  two  at  Moffat,  of  which  the  one 

e House  Societies. 

f The  sheriffdom  of  Nithsdale,  the  stewartry  of  Annandale,  and 
the  regality  of  Eskdale — all  now  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  sheritf- 
depute  of  Dumfries-shire.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

S Properly,  on  the  north-west,  north  and  north-east,  separating  it 
from  the  counties  of  Ayr,  Lanark,  Peebles,  Selkirk  and  Roxburgh. 
On  the  western  border,  which  is  partly  formed  by  the  Nith,  near  its 
mouth,  there  is  no  prominent  range  of  mountains. — P. 

h It  rises  in  the  Hartfell  mountains,  near  the  point,  where  the  shires 
of  Dumfries,  Lanark  and  Peebles  meet. — P. 

‘ Esk,  a name  common  to  several  rivers  in  Scotland,  as  well  as  Exe 
(Lat.  Isca ) in  England,  and  Usk  inWales,is  doubtless  the  Gaelic,  uisgc 
water — the  smaller  rivers  in  Scotland  being  still  called  waters. — P. 

k Longtown,  in  Cumberland. — The  Esk  enters  the  head  of  the  Sol 
way. — P. 

1 p.  1246. — Leadhillsis  in  Lanarkshire,  and  Wanlockhead  in  Dum 
fries-shire  ; both  in  the  ridge  dividing  the  two  counties,  and  sepa 
rating  the  waters  of  the  Clyde  and  Nith. — P. 


574 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CJLVI. 


is  sulphureous  and  the  other  a chalybeate.  The  surface 
is  very  irregular,  a great  part  of  it  is  mountainous,  and 
much  of  the  land  is  barren  or  covered  with  heath.  Of 
the  forty-two  parishes  into  which  the  whole  is  divided, 
seven  are  considered  maritime,  eighteen  midland,  and 
seventeen  mountainous ; the  last  occupy  more  than  a 
half  of  the  county.  The  number  of  churches  or  parishes 
appears  more  than  sufficient,  but  the  population  is  not  so 
scanty  as  might  be  inferred  from  the  nature  of  the  coun- 
try. In  relation  to  the  surface,  it  is  equal  to  more  than 
seventy-three  persons  to  the  square  mile,  or  nearly  to 
the  mean  number  throughout  Scotland.  No  branch  of 
the  arts  or  manufactures  is  conducted  on  a great  scale, 
except  the  smelting  of  lead  ore.  The  principal  exports 
are  lead,  cattle,  wool,  grain  and  potatoes,  and  the  im- 
ports are  coal,  iron,  timber  and  wine. 

Dumfries,  the  county  town,  is  pleasantly  situated  on  a 
rising  ground  on  the  east  of  the  Nith,  about  nine  miles 
from  its  influx  into  the  Solway  Frith.  It  was  formerly  a 
place  of  considerable  importance,  and  it  still  bears  une- 
quivocal marks  of  antiquity.  Thus,  although  one  of  its 
bridges  is  comparatively  of  modern  construction,*  another 
at  no  great  distance  from  it,  is  supposed  to  have  been 
built  by  the  mother  of  John  Baliol.  king  of  Scotland.b 
Although  the  town  was  more  than  once  burned  by  the 
English,  and  often  exposed  to  depredations,  while  Eng- 
land and  Scotland  were  under  distinct  governments,  the 
inhabitants  were  so  indignant  against  the  articles  of  the 
union,  that  they  burned  them  with  great  solemnity  in  the 
market  place  in  1706.  The  port  of  Dumfries  extends 
from  Southwick  in  the  parish  of  Colvend  in  the  stewart- 
ry  of  Kirkcudbright,  along  the  Solway  Frith  to  the  bor- 
der stream  of  Sark,  and  by  this  means  nearly  all  the  ex- 
ports and  imports  of  the  county  by  sea  are  conveyed  to 
the  town.0  The  public  buildings  are  a town-house  built 
in  1706,  and  a county  jail  and  court  house,  which  were 
lately  finished.  The  wall  of  Adrian  terminated  near 
the  small  burgh  of  Annan, d which  is  supposed  to  have 
been  a Roman  station  ; at  all  events,  the  remains  of  Ro- 
man camps,  and  other  antiquities,  have  been  discovered 
in  the  neighbourhood. 

The  county  of  Roxburgh,  situated  at  the  south-east- 
ern extremity  of  the  kingdom,®  is  remarkable  for  the  riv- 
ers and  numerous  streams  with  which  it  is  watered,  for 
its  pastoral  beauty  and  romantic  sites.  The  boundaries 
are  very  irregular  ; it  is  partly  separated  from  Berwick- 
shire by  the  Tweed  ;f  it  is’  contiguous  to  Selkirkshire 
and  Dumfries-shire  on  the  west  and  south-west,  and  to 

1 Begun  1792 ; completed  1795 — crossing  the  river  a little  way  above 
the  old  bridge. — P. 

b Dervnrgilla,  daughter  of  Allan,  the  last  lord  of  Galloway. — It 
was  built  in  the  13th  century,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Franciscan 
convent  founded  by  her  in  Dumfries.  It  is  too  narrow  for  the  conve- 
nient use  of  wheel  carriages.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c This  is  the  extent  of  the  revenue  port,  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  collector  of  Dumfries,  but  it  is  not  necessary  that  all  imports 
should  be  made  at  Dumfries. — Within  the  above  limits,  vessels  receive 
and  discharge  their  cargoes  only  in  the  Nith  below  Dumfries  and  at 
Annan.  At  the  latter  place  only  a small  share  of  business  is  done. 
(Slat.  Acc.  v.  125.) — P. 

d The  wall  of  Adrian  terminated  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Solway, 
at  Boulness  in  Cumberland. — P. 

r The  south-eastern  extremity  of  the  kingdom,  on  the  coast,  is  in 
Berwickshire. — P. 

f It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Berwickshire,  but  the  boundary  line 
is  very  irregularly  indented.  The  Tweed  crosses  the  county  near  its 
northern  border,  nearly  from  west  to  east,  and  in  two  places,  viz.  near 
the  middle  and  at  the  eastern  extremity,  forms  the  northern  boun- 
dary.—P. 


Cumberland  and  Northumberland  on  the  south-east  and 
east.  A small  portion  between  Berwickshire  and  Sel- 
kirkshire is  adjacent  to  Mid  Lothian  ; it  terminates  al- 
most in  a point  between  Dumfries-shire  and  Cumber- 
land ; it  surrounds  different  parts  of  Selkirkshire  in  some 
places,  and  cuts  deeply  into  it  in  others.  In  superficial 
extent  it  is  equal  to  715  square  miles,  and  the  relation 
between  the  surface  and  population  is  less  than  sixty- 
five  persons  to  the  square  mile,  consequently  the  number 
is  considerably  smaller  than  in  Dumfries-shire. 

Few  counties  are  better  supplied  with  rivers  and  nu- 
merous streams.  The  Tweed  passes  from  Selkirkshire 
into  the  north-western  part  of  Roxburghshire,  and  leaves 
it  below  Redden  on  the  north-east.  The  Teviot  rises 
and  joins  the  Tweed  within  the  limits  of  the  county  ; it 
has  its  source  in  the  south-west,  near  the  confines  of 
Dumfries-shire,  and  flowing  in  a north-east  direction, 
falls  into  the  Tweed  a short  way  above  the  town  of  Kel 
so.  The  feeders  of  the  Teviot  are  the  Allen, s the  Stau- 
nch,11 the  Rule,  the  Jed,  the  Oxnam  and  the  Kale' 
from  the  south,  and  the  Bortlnvick  and  the  Ale  from  the 
north  and  west.  The  other  tributaries  of  the  Tweed  are 
the  Etterick,k  which  joins  it  on  the  south-west  as  it  en- 
ters the  county,  a second  Allen  and  the  Leader,1  which 
flow  from  the  north,  and  the  Eden,  which  after  an  east- 
erly course,  enters  the  same  river1"  near  its  egress  from 
Roxburghshire.  Thus  the  Tweed  receives  almost  all 
the  waters  of  the  county  ; the  principal  exceptions  are 
the  Liddel,"  which  gives  its  name  to  the  tract  of  Liddes- 
dale,0  and  the  Beaumont?  which  rises  from  the  Cheviots 
and  enters  Northumberland.  These  streams  and  rivers, 
it  may  be  repeated,  contribute  greatly  to  the  beauty 
of  the  country,  heightening  the  charms  of  the  romantic 
and  pastoral  districts,  and  adorning  the  luxuriant  and  fer- 
tile lands. 

The  most  remarkable  heights  form  part  of  the  Chevi- 
ot range,  and  they  are  chiefly  composed  of  whinstone. 
A sandy  loam  is  the  prevailing  soil  in  the  arable  land 
and  on  many  of  the  hills.  A barren  or  a clayey  soil  oc- 
cupies a considerable  tract  on  the  north-west.  Moss, 
marsh  and  heath  occur  in  the  south-west  and  in  other 
directions.  The  light  soil,  it  may  be  readily  inferred,  is 
well  adapted  for  turnips,  and  the  field  culture  of  that  use- 
ful plant  was  first  introduced  into  Scotland  in  1753,  by 
Mr.  Dawson,  an  intelligent  farmer  of  Roxburghshire, 
who  had  previously  observed  the  advantages  which  at- 
tended it  in  different  parts  of  England. i The  want  of 
minerals  has  hitherto  retarded  the  cultivation  of  the  soil ; 

e Allan.  h Slittrick,  Slitridge,  Slittrige. 

‘ The  Kail  Water.  k Ettrick.  1 The  Lauder  Water 

m On  the  north,  near  the  village  of  Edenham  or  Ednam,  the  birth 
place  of  Thomson. — P.  “ Liddal. 

0 Liddisdale. — This  tract  lies  on  the  south  side  of  the  ridge  extend- 
ing eastwardly  from  the  Hartfell  to  the  Cheviot,  and  separating  the  wa- 
ters of  the  Teviot  from  those  that  flow  south  into  the  Solway.  The 
Liddel  rises  near  the  Tyne,  on  the  borders  of  Northumberland,  flows 
south-west,  and  after  receiving  the  Hermitage,  the  Kershope  and  ma- 
ny other  small  streams,  leaves  the  county  at  its  southern  point,  and 
then  forms  the  boundary  for  a few  miles  between  Dumfries-shire  and 
Cumberland,  till  it  meets  the  Esk. — P. 

p Bowmont.  It  first  flows  north,  and  then  bending  east  into  Eng- 
land, joins  the  Till,  a branch  of  the  Tweed. — P. 

a Mr.  Craik  of  Arbigland,  in  Dumfries-shire,  is  said  to  have  first 
cultivated  drilled  turnips  in  Scotland,  about  1745.  About  1755,  Mr. 
Pringle,  near  Coldstream,  in  Berwickshire,  commenced  the  culture  of 
drilled  turnips.  Wm.  Dawson  Esq.  of  Graden,  in  Roxburghshire, 
adopted  Mr.  Pringle’s  method,  in  preference  to  that  which  he  had  ob- 
served in  Norfolk,  and  in  1764,  began  the  drilled  turnip  husbandry  on 
a large  scale.  (Sir  J.  Sinclair’s  Gen.  Rep.  i.  553-4.)—  P 


BOOK  CLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


575 


coal  and  lime  are  still  imported  from  Northumberland,* 
and  the  principal  agricultural  wealth  consists  not  in  corn 
or  grain,  but  in  oxen  and  sheep. 

The  county  is  divided,  for  the  purposes  of  justice  and 
police,  into  the  districts  of  Kelso  and  Jedburgh  on  the 
east,  and  Melrose  and  Hawick  on  the  west.  Kelso,  the 
chief  town  in  the  first  of  these  districts,  is  pleasantly  situ- 
ated on  the  north  side  of  the  Tweed,  opposite  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Teviot.b  The  river  is  crossed  by  a modern 
bridge  of  five  arches,  equal  in  elegance  and  solidity  to 
any  other  work  of  the  same  sort  in  Scotland.  In  former 
times,  Kelso  was  the  seat  of  an  abbey,  a great  part  of 
which  still  remains.  It  was  founded  by  David  the  First 
in  1128;  much  land  was  afterwards  annexed  to  it,  which 
on  the  forfeiture  of  the  Earl  of  Both  well,  the  admiral  of 
Scotland,  was  made  over  by  James  the  Sixth  to  Sir  Rob- 
ert Ker  of  Cessford,  the  founder  of  the  Roxburgh  fami- 
ly. Jedburgh,  the  capital  of  the  county,  is  about  eleven 
miles  to  the  west  of  Kelso.  It  is  more  populous  and 
more  worthy  of  notice  from  its  industry.  The  manufac- 
tures consist  of  stockings,  flannels  and  narrow  cloths,  and 
many  of  the  inhabitants  are  employed  in  tanning  leather. 
Like  Kelso,  it  possessed  a large  abbey,  which  has  been 
partly  transformed  into  a parish  church.  The  celebrity 
of  Melrose  depends  not  on  the  number  or  industry  of  its 
inhabitants,  but  on  one  of  the  finest  Gothic  ruins  in  Scot- 
land. Melrose  abbey  was  founded  in  1136  by  King  Da- 
vid, who  consecrated  it  to  the  virgin,  and  endowed  it 
with  extensive  privileges  and  a great  revenue.  It  became 
the  principal  residence  of  the  Cistertians,  and  the  capital, 
if  it  may  be  so  termed,  of  that  order  in  Scotland.  It  is 
built  in  the  form  of  a St.  John’s  cross,  and  the  present 
dimensions  of  the  ruins  are  258  feet  in  length,  137  in 
breadth,  and  943  in  circumference.  Hawick,  situated  at 
the  confluence  of  the  Slitridge  and  the  Teviot,  is  a place 
of  greater  importance;  leather,  worsted,  carpets,  stock- 
ings and  inkle  are  the  principal  manufactures.  Lastly, 
the  small  town  of  Galashiels  is  not  more  than  four  miles 
north-east  from  Melrose  ; being  divided  into  two  parts  by 
the  Tweed,  it  is  situated  partly  in  Selkirkshire  and  part- 
ly in  Roxburghshire.0  It  was  formerly  an  obscure  vil- 
lage, but  has  now  become  flourishing  from  the  industry  of 
its  inhabitants.  The  only  manufacture  at  no  very  dis- 
tant period  consisted  of  coarse  cloth,  worn  by  the  peas- 
antry, and  known  by  the  name  of  Galashiels  greys ; but 
within  these  few  years,  fine  broad  cloths  have  been 
made,  and  a hall,  similar  to  those  in  the  manufacturing 
towns  of  England,  has  been  opened  for  the  sale  of  them. 
It  carries  on  besides  a considerable  trade  in  flannels  and 


1 Coal  has  been  opened  on  Carter  Fell,  a hill  on  the  border  of  North- 
umberland, and  also  near  the  south  point  of  Liddisdale  ; but  nearly  all 
the  coal  used  in  the  county  is  imported — in  the  west,  from  Dumfries- 
shire and  the  Lothians,  and  in  the  east,  from  Northumberland.  Lime- 
stone is  found  in  Liddisdale  and  on  the  southern  border,  but  from  the 
want  of  coal  little  is  burnt.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

0 Kelso  extends  about  half  a mile  along  the  Tweed,  which  is  joined 
by  the  Teviot  opposite  the  west  end  of  the  town.  The  bridge  is  over 
the  Tweed.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c Galashiels  is  situated  to  the  west  of  Melrose,  higher  up  the  Tweed. 
The  parish  is  divided  by  the  Tweed  into  two  parts;  the  northern  in 
Selkirkshire  ; the  southern  in  Roxburghshire.  The  town  of  Galashiels 
stands  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Tweed,  on  both  sides  of  the  Gala  Wa- 
ter, at  its  mouth,  and  as  the  Gala  here  forms  the  boundary  between 
•he  counties  of  Roxburgh  and  Selkirk,  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  is 
in  the  former  (Melrose  parish,)  and  the  western  or  principal  part  in  the 
latter  county. — P. 

d Only  two  parishes  lie  entirely  within  its  limits,  while  five  or  six 
lie  partly  in  it,  and  partly  in  the  neighbouring  shires.  (Gazetteer  of 


different  stuffs,  and  it  is  now  the  principal  seat  of  the 
woollen  manufactures  in  the  south-east  of  Scotland. 
Such  are  the  principal  towns  in  Roxburghshire,  and 
in  the  account  of  them,  notice  has  been  taken  of  dif- 
ferent religious  edifices  ; but  it  may  also  be  remarked 
that  many  parts  of  the  same  county  are  adorned 
with  the  ruins  of  castles,  towers  and  baronial  resi- 
dences, erected  for  the  purposes  of  security  or  defence 
in  an  age  when  the  inhabitants  were  exposed  to  frequent 
depredations  from  their  vicinity  to  England. 

The  county  of  Selkirk  is  contiguous  to  Mid  Lothian 
on  the  north,  Roxburghshire  on  the  east  and  south-east, 
Dumfries-shire  on  the  south,  and  Peebles-shire  or  Tweed- 
dale  on  the  west.  But  all  the  boundaries,  except  the 
one  on  the  south,  are  so  irregular  that  it  is  difficult  to  de- 
termine the  area.  It  is  not,  however,  more  than  269 
square  miles  ; it  is  divided  into  two  entire  parishes,  and 
seven  others  are  partly  situated  in  Selkirkshire,  and  part- 
ly in  the  adjoining  counties/  According  to  the  last  re- 
turns, the  absolute  population  amounts  to  6833  individ- 
uals, and  consequently  the  relative  is  not  more  than 
twenty-five  to  the  square  mile.  The  nature  of  the  coun- 
try may  be  inferred  from  the  last  statement  ; it  is  almost 
wholly  a pastoral  district ; it  resembles  the  more  lofty 
and  barren  part  of  Roxburghshire,  but  the  Leigh ts  reach 
to  a greater  elevation,  and  the  vallies  are  more  contract- 
ed. The  general  declivity  is,  as  in  the  last  county,  to- 
wards the  north  and  north-east,  where  all  the  streams 
discharge  themselves  into  the  Tweed.  Of  these  the 
principal  are  the  Ettrick  and  the  Yarrow, e both  of  which 
water  a romantic  country,  and  both  are  celebrated  in 
song.  The  Yarrow  passes  through  two  lakes,  the  Loch 
of  the  Lows  and  St.  Mary’s  Loch  ; the  latter,  perhaps 
the  finest  in  the  south-east  of  Scotland,  is  separated  from 
the  other  by  a narrow  neck  of  land.  The  county  is  des 
titute  of  coal,  sandstone  and  limestone  ; shell-marle  is 
common  in  the  mosses  and  in  the  beds  of  the  lakes,  and 
it  is  used  as  a manure.  It  may  be  further  observed  that 
the  cultivated  land,  which  is  by  no  means  rich,  does  not 
exceed  a twentieth  part  of  the  uncultivated. 

Selkirk,  the  county  town,  is  the  only  place  that  re- 
quires to  be  mentioned.  It  is  situated  on  a rising  ground 
below  the  confluence  of  the  Yarrow  and  the  Ettrick,  near 
the  borders  of  Roxburghshire,  and  it  is  more  remarka- 
ble for  its  antiquity  than  its  manufactures.  A hundred 
townsmen,  it  is  related,  followed  James  the  Fourth  from 
Selkirk  to  the  field  of  Flodden,  and  none  of  them  re- 
turned/ At  a later  period,  in  the  year  1645,  the 
Marquis  of  Montrose,  until  then  victorious,  was  first 

Scotland,  Dundee,  1803.) — It  includes  the  entire  parishes  of  Etterick 
and  Yarrow,  the  greater  part  of  Selkirk  and  Galashiels,  and  minor 
portions  of  Ashkirk,  Roberton  and  Inverleithen.  The  remainder  of  all 
these  parishes  lies  in  Roxburghshire,  except  the  last  (in  Peebles- 
shire.)— P. 

e The  Ettrick  and  the  Yarrow  both  rise  among  the  mountains  on 
the  south-western  border  of  the  county,  and  flowing  north-east  through 
two  parallel  valleys,  meet  each  other  a little  above  the  town  of  Sel- 
kirk. The  united  stream  retains  the  name  of  Ettrick,  and  about  tw" 
miles  below  enters  the  Tweed.  The  Loch  of  the  Lows  and  St.  Mary  's 
Loch  are  properly  the  source  of  the  Yarrow,  which  issues  from  the 
latter,  much  the  largest  of  the  two.  They  lie  in  the  same  basin,  on 
the  confines  of  Peebles-shire,  and  are  embosomed  in  a group  of  lofty 
rounded  hills,  from  which  several  small  streams  flow  into  them  : the 
largest  of  these,  the  Megget,  runs  wholly  within  Peebles-shire. — P. 

f Only  a few  survived.  (Ed.  Enc.) — A few  returned,  loaded  with 
the  spoils  of  the  enemy.  (Stat.  Acc.  ii.  436.) — William  Rrydone,  the 
town  clerk,  was  knighted  fiar  his  valour  on  that  occasion. — P. 


576  EUR 

defeated  by  General  Leslie  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
town.a 

The  Tweed,  the  boundary  between  Roxburghshire 
and  Berwickshire, b separates  the  last  county  from  Eng- 
land.0 The  same  county  is  contiguous  to  East  Lothian 
on  the  north,  and  to  Mid  Lothian  on  the  north-west,  and 
it  is  washed  by  the  German  Ocean  on  the  east.  It  is 
popularly  divided  into  three  districts,  the  Lammermoors, 
Lauderdale  and  the  Merse  ;d  but  the  second  may  be  in- 
cluded under  the  other  two,  and  a greater  part  of  it  be- 
longs to  the  first  than  to  the  last.  It  is  connected  with 
East  Lothian  by  the  Lammermoors, e a range  that  com- 
mences at  St.  Abb’s  Head  on  the  south-east  of  the  coun- 
ty/ and  passes  into  Mid  Lothian  ; their  height  varies 
from  fifteen  hundred  to  a thousand  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea/  and  the  surface,  covered  with  heath  and  the 
coarsest  herbage,  is  more  sterile  and  unproductive  than 
might  be  inferred  from  its  altitude.  The  Merse  or  the 
other  great  division  comprehends  all  the  lowlands  of  the 
county,  and  these  are  cultivated  according  to  the  most 
approved  methods  of  modern  husbandry  ; indeed  it  is 
doubtful  if  there  is  any  other  district  in  which  the  manage- 
ment of  arable  land  is  so  skilfully  combined  with  that  of 
live  stock  and  pasturage.  The  perseverance  of  the  inhabit- 
ants in  the  improvement  of  their  soil  is  the  more  remark- 
able on  account  of  the  obstacles  which  they  have  sur- 
mounted. If  their  land  in  many  places  resemble  a gar- 
den, it  might  be  imagined  that  they  possessed  many  natu- 
ral advantages,  but  they  are  situated  far  from  any  crowd- 
ed or  dense  population,  they  are  without  coal  and  lime/1 
and  a rocky  or  precipitous  coast  limits  the  exports  and 
imports  by  sea  to  one  or  two  places  at  a considerable 
distance  from  the  centre  of  the  county.1  The  Merse  is 
watered  by  the  Whittadder,  the  Blackadder,  the  Lead- 
er11 and  other  small  streams  that  enlarge  the  Tweed. 
The  principal  towns  are  Dunse,  Greenlaw,  Lauder,  Eye- 
mouth and  Coldstream.  The  first  has  been  rendered 
the  county-town,  but  none  of  them  are  of  much  impor- 
tance. 

Remains  of  past  times  may  still  be  observed,  and  differ- 
ent castles  exhibit  the  ruins  of  border  fortresses.  A deep 
ravine  in  the  north-east  part  of  the  county  was  formerly 
a sort  of  natural  barrier  agains  the  incursions  of  English 
freebooters.  It  is  now  crosseu  by  a bridge1  300  feet 
long  and  fifteen  wide,  and  rising  from  the  stream  below 
to  the  great  height  of  124  feet.  The  low  grounds  were 
suffered  to  lie  waste  during  the  border  wars  ; the  inhab- 
itants were  then  accustomed  to  plunder  ; they  lived  in 

OPE.  [BOOK  CliVI. 

poverty  and  wretchedness.  The  same  grounds,  now 
enclosed  with  hedges,  and  sheltered  by  plantations,  yield 
abundant  crops.  The  industry  of  the  present  inhabit- 
ants forms  a remarkable  contrast  with  the  indolence  of 
their  ancestors,  and  their  rural  prosperity  with  the  deso- 
lation consequent  on  predatory  habits.  The  relative 
population  is  upwards  of  eighty-three  to  the  square  mile, 
and  the  total  number  of  square  miles  is  probably  greater 
than  486. 

Continuing  our  course  towards  the  north-west  along 
the  shore,  we  enter  East  Lothian  or  Haddingtonshire,  a 
county  still  more  distinguished  for  its  agricultural  riches. 
The  greatest  length  of  the  county  from  east  to  west  is 
twenty-five  miles,  and  the  utmost  breadth  from  north  to 
south,  about  seventeen  ; but  such  is  the  irregularity  of 
its  boundaries  that  the  area  does  not  exceed  272  square 
miles.  According  to  the  last  census,  the  number  of  per 
sons  to  the  square  mile  is  equal  to  more  than  133,  a re- 
sult the  more  remarkable,  if  it  be  considered  that  no 
branch  of  manufacturing  industry  is  conducted  on  a great 
scale,  and  that  the  labor  of  the  inhabitants  is  almost  ex- 
clusively confined  to  the  culture  or  improvement  of  the 
soil.  Of  the  whole  land  about  four  fifths  are  in  tillage, 
or  fit  for  cultivation,  and  the  remaining  fifth,  consisting 
of  hills  or  moorish  ground,  is  covered  with  heath  and  the 
coarser  grasses. 

The  Lammermuirs,”1  which  tfaverse  the  county,"  occu- 
py the  greater  portion  of  the  uncultivated  land,  and  the 
rest  of  Haddingtonshire,  when  viewed  from  these  heights 
on  the  south,  appears  like  a plain  sloping  gradually  to 
the  Frith  of  Forth  and  the  German  Ocean.  In  reality, 
however,  the  apparent  declivity  consists  of  a number  of 
smaller  and  parallel  ridges,  commencing  near  the  western 
extremity,  extending  a considerable  distance  eastwards, 
and  diminishing  in  height  as  they  approach  the  sea.° 
Some  hills  in  the  lower  part  of  the  county,  although  by 
no  means  lofty,  have  an  imposing  appearance  ; they  rise 
abruptly  from  a flat  surface,  and  are  conspicuous  in  ev- 
ery direction.  Such  are  North  Berwick  Law  and  Trap- 
rane  Law/  of  which  the  former  is  not  more  than  940,  and 
the  latter  ly  700  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

According  to  the  agricultural  survey,  the  soil  is  very 
various  ; the  greater,  part  of  it,  however,  is  said  to  con- 
sist of  clay  and  loam,  mixed  in  nearly  equal  proportions 
and  of  very  different  qualities.  Much  of  it  is  not  fruit- 
ful, the  clay  is  shallow,  and  it  rests  on  a wet  bottom. 
The  superiority  of  the  grain  may  be  partly  attributed  to 
the  climate  ; little  rain  falls  during  the  summer  months 

a At  Philiphaugh,  opposite  the  town,  Sept.  15, 1645. — P. 

b See  note  f,  p.  1254. 

c Berwick  upon  Tweed,  with  a small  surrounding  territory,  depen- 
dent on  it.  is  situated  on  the  north  of  the  Tweed,  at  its  mouth.  It  be- 
longs neither  to  Scotland  nor  England.  (See  p.  1209.) — P. 

<*  Formerly  the  county  was  divided  into  two  jurisdictions  : viz.  that 
of  the  Merse  or  March  (whence  the  Earl  of  March) — the  Merches 
(Guthrie,)  i.  e.  the  borders,  which  also  included  the  low  country  of 
Roxburghshire  ; and  the  bailliary  of  Lauderdale.  Of  the  present  di- 
visions, that  of  the  Merse  includes  the  low  country  along  the  Tweed, 
on  the  south  ; that  of  Lauderdale,  the  valley  of  the  Leader  and  the 
surrounding  hills,  in  the  north-west  corner  ; and  that  of  Lammermoor, 
the  ridge  of  hills  extending  east  along  the  northern  border,  from  Lau- 
derdale to  the  German  Sea. — P. 

e Properly,  the  county  is  separated  from  East  Lothian  by  the  ridge  of 
Lammermoor  (or  Lammermuir.) — P. 

f St.  Abb’s  Head  is  rather  in  the  north-east  of  the  county,  where  the 
coast  turns  to  the  west.  The  ridge  of  Lammermoor  stretches  from  it 
Dearly  west  to  Mid  Lothian. — P. 

e The  average  height  of  the  chain  is  about  1000  feet ; rising  towards 

1 

the  west,  and  descending  towards  the  east.  Clint  Hill,  at  the  western 
extremity,  is  1544  feet  high. — P. 

h Coal  and  lime  have  been  found  at  Lamerton,  on  the  sea-coast  near 
Berwick.— P. 

• The  only  port  in  the  county  is  at  Eyemouth,  on  the  small  river 
Eye,  to  the  north  of  Berwick.  The  Tweed  forms  the  great  natural 
outlet  of  the  county,  by  Berwick. — P. 

k These  streams  all  rise  in  the  Lammermoor,  and  flow  south.  The 
two  former  (the  Whitewater  and  Blackwater)  unite,  and  soon  after 
enter  the  Tweed  near  Berwick.  The  latter  enters  it  a little  below 
Melrose. — P. 

1 Pease  Bridge. 

m Generally  in  the  singular,  Lammermuir. — P. 

n Rather,  which  stretch  along  the  southern  border  of  the  county. — P. 

° The  principal  ridge  in  the  lower  part  of  the  county  is  that  of  the 
Garleton  Hills,  which  run  east  and  west  between  the  Tyne  and  the 
Forth,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Haddington. — P. 

p Traprene  or  Traprane  Law — an  isolated  trap  hill  between  Had- 
dington and  Dunbar. — P. 

BOOK  CLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


577 


in  the  eastern  part,  and  the  harvests  are  generally  about 
ten  days  earlier  than  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  coast, 
although  even  in  that  quarter,  the  crops  are  reaped  three 
weeks  or  a month  sooner  than  in  the  hilly  district.3 

The  same  county  abounds  with  the  most  valuable  min- 
erals, and  these  in  common  with  its  soil  and  climate, 
have  contributed  to  its  agricultural  wealth.  Coal  has 
been  worked  since  a very  early  period, b and  it  is  still 
found  in  great  quantities,  particularly  in  the  western  dis- 
tricts, from  the  borders  of  the  Lammermuirs  to  the  sea. 
No  part  of  the  same  tract  is  more  than  six  miles  distant 
from  limestone,'  and  several  extensive  parishes  rest  on 
that  rock.  Lastly,  ironstone  is  wrought  in  different  parts 
of  the  county,  and  some  of  the  mineral  springs,  although 
now  deserted,  were  once  held  in  great  repute. 

It  was  in  Haddingtonshire  that  the  spirit  of  agricultural 
improvement  commenced,  and  it  was  diffused  from  it 
over  the  rest  of  Scotland.  It  was  there  that  the  practice 
of  summer  fallow  was  first  introduced  and  extensively 
adopted,  and  the  plan  of  encouraging  tenants  to  make  im- 
provements by  granting  them  long  leases  was  begun  and 
carried  into  effect  by  the  proprietors.  Many  other  im- 
provements might  be  mentioned,  but  it  may  be  sufficient 
to  add  that  the  threshing  machine  was  invented  and  per- 
fected by  Mr.  Meikle,  an  ingenious  mechanic  of  the  coun- 
ty.'1 The  effect  of  these  improvements,  or  the  continued 
exercise  of  skill  and  ingenuity,  has  increased  the  value 
and  fertility  of  the  soil  ; the  produce  in  the  worst  seasons 
is  much  more  than  sufficient  for  the  consumption,  and 
with  the  exception  of  the  districts  in  the  vicinity  of  great 
towns,  land  lets  for  a higher  rent  in  East  Lothian,  than 
in  any  other  part  of  Scotland.  Independently,  however, 
of  all  these  advantages,  several  defects  are  still  apparent ; 
the  farm-houses  are  indeed  excellent,  but  the  cottages 
are  much  inferior  to  those  in  England;  the  corn  lands 
in  some  places  are  open,  in  others  they  are  ill-enclosed, 
and  too  much  land  is  suffered  to  lie  waste  ; thus,  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Dunbar,®  a common  of  more  than 
4000  acres  is  still  uncultivated  ; it  is  true  that  it  belongs 
to  the  burgh. 

None  of  the  towns  are  important.  Haddington,  the 
capital,  is  situated  on  the  Tyne,  some  miles  from  the 
sea,  near  the  centre  of  the  lower  district.  The  products 
of  industry,  except  those  of  distilleries,  are  confined  to 
the  consumption  of  the  county  ; different  manufactories 
have  been  at  different  times  established,  but  none  of 
them  have  flourished.  It  carries  on,  however,  a con- 


a  In  the  east  part  of  the  county  [i.  e.  on  the  coast  of  the  German 
Sea],  where  little  rain  falls,  the  harvest  in  mild  seasons  is  generally 
ten  days  earlier  than  upon  the  coast  lands  in  the  north  [i.  e.  on  the 
Firth  of  Forth]  ; and  these  again  are  about  three  or  four  weeks  earlier 
than  the  hilly  districts. — P. 

b It  was  dug  at  Prestongrange,  by  the  monks  of  Newbottle,  as  early 
as  A.  D.  1200  (Ed.  Enc.)— P 

c Scarcely  any  part  of  the  county  is  above  six  miles  distant  from 
lime  rock.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

d The  threshing  machine,  now  in  general  use  in  Great  Britain,  was 
invented  by  Mr.  Andrew  Meikle,  near  Haddington,  in  1785 — 6.  Sev- 
eral ineffectual  attempts  had  been  previously  made  ; the  first  by  Mr. 
Michael  Menzies  of  East  Lothian  ; the  second,  by  Mr.  Michael  Stir- 
ling of  Dunblane,  about..  1758 — the  last  of  these  still  used,  particularly 
for  threshing  oats  James  Meikle,  the  father  of  the  above,  first  intro- 
duced the  fanners  (fanning  mill)  into  Scotland  from  Holland,  in  1710, 
under  the  patronage  of  the  celebrated  Andrew  Fletcher  of  Saltoun. 
Phis  is  now  one  of  the  appendages  of  the  threshing  machine,  and 
moved  by  the  same  power.  (Ed.  Enc.  art.  Agric.  Sir  J.  Sinclair’s 
Gen.  Rep.  i.  22<> — 53.) — P. 

f On  the  ridge  of  Lammermuir,  intersecting  the  muirland  farms 

vOL.  III.— NO.  di). 


siderable  trade,  and  more  grain  in  bulk  is  sold  weekly  at 
its  market,  than  in  any  other  town  in  the  kingdom.  Al- 
though the  same  market  is  the  principal  support  of  the 
town,  and  one  cause  of  the  agricultural  prosperity  of  the 
county,  little  convenience  is  afforded  to  those  who  attend 
it  ; carts  loaded  with  grain,  are  crowded  together,  and 
many  of  them  are  not  accessible  to  purchasers  without 
inconvenience. 

The  ancient  town  of  Dunbar,  formerly  an  important 
place,  and  frequently  mentioned  in  Scottish  history,  is 
situated  on  the  east  coast,  at  the  distance  of  twenty- 
seven  miles  from  Edinburgh.  Ship-building,  the  making 
of  sail-cloth  and  cordage,  soap-works,  founderies,  and 
other  branches  of  industry  are  carried  on  in  a small  scale, 
and  its  inhabitants  engage  occasionally  in  the  northern 
whale-fisheries.  North  Berwick,  to  the  north-west  of 
the  last  place,  is  little  better  than  a village,  but  it  may 
be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  hill  or  Law,  a noted  land- 
mark to  mariners,  and  also  on  account  of  the  ruins  of 
Tantallon  castle/  a stronghold  of  the  Douglases,  that 
was  destroyed  in  1639  by  the  covenanters. 

The  same  county  is  associated  with  the  memory  of  sev- 
eral eminent  men,  with  that  of  the  Fletchers,  the  Mait- 
lands  and  the  Dalrymples.  The  poet  Dunbar  was  born 
in  Saltoun, s and  Bishop  Burnet,  t lie  historian,  officiated 
as  rector  in  the  same  parish.  George  Heriot,  the  founder 
of  the  noble  institution  that  bears  his  name,  was  a native 
of  Gladsmuir,  where  Robertson  wrote  his  history  of 
Scotland.  Lastly,  an  old  house  in  the  suburbs  of 
Haddington1’  is  still  shown  to  strangers  as  the  birth-place 
of  Knox  the  reformer.1 

Contiguous  to  Haddingtonshire  on  the  east/  the  countv 
of  Mid  Lothian  occupies  an  area  of  360  square  miles,  and 
the  population,  relatively  to  the  surface,  is  equal  accord- 
ing to  the  last  returns,  to  more  than  600  to  the  square 
mile.  So  great  a number  indicates  that  we  have  arrived 
at  the  county  in  which  the  capital  of  Scotland  is  situated. 

The  lower  and  richer  part  of  Mid  Lothian  is  of  a semi- 
circular form  resembling  an  amphitheatre  with  an  incli- 
nation towards  the  Frith  of  Forth.  But  the  Pentland 
chain  approaches  to  the  distance  of  five  miles  from  the 
frith,  covers  about  forty  square  miles,  and  thus  divides 
the  same  tract  into  two  plains.1  The  Moorfoot  Hills, 
another  lofty  tract,  are  situated  on  the  south-east,  where 
the  county  terminates  almost  in  a point  between  the 
shires  of  Roxburgh  and  Selkirk ; they  are  more  than 
fifteen  miles  distant  from  the  sea  ; the  highest  rises  to 


in  the  parish  of  Spott,  south  of  Dunbar — used  for  sheep  pastur- 
age.— P. 

f Tamtallan  Castle — about  two  miles  east  of  North  Berwick,  on  a 
rock  overhanging  the  sea,  which  surrounds  it  on  three  sides.  (Stat. 
Acc.  v.  443.)— P. 

s Salton — a parish  on  the  Tyne,  west  of  Haddington.  It  was  the 
seat  of  the  Fletchers  of  Saltoun. — P. 

h In  the  suburb  of  Gifford-gate. — P. 

' Blair,  the  author  of  the  Grave,  and  Home,  the  author  of  Douglas, 
were  successively  ministers  of  Athelstaneford.  Dr.  Witherspoon, 
President  of  Princeton  College,  and  Dr.  Nisbet,  President  of  Carlisle 
College,  were  both  natives  of  Yester. — P. 

k Mid  Lothian  or  Edinburghshire  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Had- 
dingtonshire and  a part  of  Berwickshire  ; on  the  south  and  south-west 
by  the  counties  of  Selkirk,  Peebles  and  Lanark  ; on  the  west  by  Lin- 
lithgowshire ; and  on  the  north  by  the  Firth  of  Forth,  which  separates 
it  from  Fifeshire. — P. 

1 The  Pentland  Hills  rise  in  the  parish  of  Liberton,  about  four  miles 
south-west  of  Edinburgh,  and  extend  south-west  about  twelve  miles, 
to  the  borders  of  Lanarkshire.  This  range,  together  with  most  of  the 
heights  in  the  lower  part  of  the  county,  is  of  the  trap  formation. — P. 


578 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVI. 


upwards  of  1800  feet,  and  they  extend  over  fifty  square 
miles.  The  rest  of  Edinburghshire  may  be  considered 
a low,  but  not  a flat  or  level  county  ; it  is  varied  by  an 
undulating  surface,  and  by  detached  hills  of  moderate 
height,  among  which  may  be  mentioned  Arthur’s  Seat 
on  the  east,  and  Corstorphine  Hill  on  the  west  of  the 
capital. 

The  county  is  destitute  of  rivers,  and  the  streams  are 
too  insignificant  to  require  notice ; they  have,  however, 
been  rendered  subservient  to  the  abridgment  of  labour; 
thus,  the  course  of  the  Water  of  Leith  is  not  more  than 
sixteen  miles,  but,  in  a distance  of  ten  miles,  it  turns 
seventy  mills.a 

The  minerals  are  very  valuable  ; a continuous  bed  of 
coal  extends  across  the  county  from  the  confines  of 
Peebles-shire  in  a direction  from  south-west  to  north-east. b 
Limestone  is  not  only  found  in  the  same  tract,  but  still 
further  to  the  east  and  south-east,  in  places  where  coal  has 
not  been  discovered  ; sandstone,  or  freestone,  as  it  is 
popularly  called,  is  another  important  mineral,  and  several 
quarries  of  it  are  worked  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
city.  Ironstone  abounds  in  the  coal  district,  and  along 
the  shore  to  the  west  of  Leith. c A substance  similar  in 
its  properties  to  the  petunse  of  the  Chinese,  and  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  porcelain,  is  obtained  on  the  Pent- 
land  Hills, d and  clay,  which  is  converted  into  crucibles, 
is  wrought  in  the  parish  of  Duddingstone. 

The  ports  of  Dunbar  and  North  Berwick  have  been 
already  mentioned  ; no  other  place  of  any  consequence 
is  situated  between  them  and  Leith,®  which  forms  one 
of  the  suburbs  of  the  capital.  Edinburgh  is  no  longer 
the  residence  of  kings,  nor  is  it  longer  the  centre  of  gov- 
ernment, but  it  is  still  the  seat  of  the  highest  tribunals, 
and  still  the  metropolis  of  the  country.  The  courts  of 
justice  are  even  at  present  the  principal  source  of  its 
opulence,  and  many  lawyers,  attorneys  and  clerks  attend 
them.  In  past  times  the  town  was  distinguished  by  the 
turbulence  of  its  inhabitants,  and  by  constant  feuds  ; it 
is  now  still  more  distinguished  by  the  peacefulness  of  its 
citizens,  by  the  progress  of  industry  and  the  useful  arts, 
by  the  cultivation  of  knowledge,  and  by  its  ennobling 
results.  All  have  it  in  their  power  to  obtain  an  elemen- 
tary education,  and  to  all  on  whom  nature  has  conferred 
more  than  ordinary  talent,  the  road  to  distinction  is 
open.  From  the  effects  of  this  system  in  Edinburgh 
and  other  parts  of  Scotland,  many  advantages  have 
ensued  ; the  limits  of  knowledge  have  been  extended  ; 
the  true  principles  of  political  economy  were  first  de- 
veloped and  demonstrated  by  a Scotchman  ; additional 
wealth  and  additional  comforts  have  been  diffused  from 
the  same  country  to  every  region  where  British  com- 
merce extends,  for  by  the  genius  of  Watt,  the  steam- 
engine  has  been  rendered  the  most  powerful  agent  of 
productive  industry.  Within  the  last  hundred  years, 


“ The  Almond,  which  forms  the  north-western  bonndary,  and  the 
North  and  South  Esks,  which  unite  below  Dalkeith,  and  enter  the 
Forth  at  Musselburgh,  are  the  largest  streams  in  the  county. — P. 

b The  coal-field  of  Mid  Lothian  is  15  miles  in  length  and  8 in 
breadth.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

e Ironstone  and  coal  are  both  found  on  the  shore  in  Cramond  parish, 
west  of  Leith,  where  there  are  very  extensive  iron  works  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Almond. — P. 

d On  the  north  side  of  Logan-house  Hill,  at  the  height  of  1460  feet. 
(Gaz.  of  Scotland.) — P. 

Prestonpans,  on  the  Forth,  at  the  north-western  corner  of  Had- 
dingtonshire ; Musselburgh,  including  Inveresk  and  Fisherrow,  at  the 


the  sciences  have  been  illustrated  by  Maclaurin,  Simscm, 
Ferguson  and  Black.  Hume,  Robertson,  Smith  and 
Stewart  are  equally  eminent  in  philosophy  and  literature. 
The  greater  number  of  these  celebrated  men  devoted 
their  time  and  their  talents  to  public  instruction  in  the 
university  of  Edinburgh/  and  contributed  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  town,  inasmuch  as  they  attracted  students 
from  every  part  of  the  united  kingdom,  and  from  foreign 
countries.  The  patrons  have  not  shewn  themselves  of 
late  years  so  careful  of  the  interests  of  the  city,  eminent 
men  have  not  been  appointed  to  the  vacant  chairs,  and 
if  the  same  system  be  continued,  or  if  other  recommen- 
dations are  more  cogent  than  that  of  merit,  the  pros- 
perity of  the  university  cannot  be  long  maintained. s 
The  town  derives  a considerable  income  from  the  seat- 
rents  of  the  churches,  and  the  magistrates  have  increased 
it  by  appointing  popular  preachers,  as  vacancies  occur 
in  the  capital.  It  might  be  well  if  they  were  to  take 
more  extensive  views,  and  by  increasing  the  reputation 
of  the  city  as  a seat  of  learning,  render  it  a place  of 
greater  resort  to  young  men  for  the  purposes  of  edu- 
cation. 

The  city  is  built  on  three  hills  that  run  parallel  to 
each  other.  The  old  town  occupies  the  central  hill, 
which  is  the  highest;  the  new  town  stands  on  the  north- 
ern or  lowest  hill,  and  the  third  eminence  is  covered 
with  additions  made  to  the  old  town.  Of  the  two  vallies 
which  separate  the  three  hills,  the  one  on  the  north  is 
deeper  and  wider  than  the  other  on  the  south,  and  it 
formed  at  no  very  remote  period  the  basin  of  a lake/  of 
which  the  stagnant  waters  were  injurious  to  the  health 
of  the  inhabitants.  The  lake  or  marsh,  however,  has  been 
drained,  and  its  bed  is  now  converted  into  gardens  and 
public  walks.  It  is  not  much  more  than  half  a century 
since  the  old  town  made  up  the  whole  of  Edinburgh/ 
and  it  then  consisted  of  dark  and  dirty  houses,  built 
without  regularity,  without  taste,  and  so  much  confined 
as  to  render  them  unhealthy.  The  principal  street  in  the 
same  quarter/  extends  along  the  ridge  o)  the  central  hill, 
and  is  intersected  by  an  immense  number  of  narrow  and 
crooked  lanes  ; the  houses  consist  of  six  or  seven  stories 
in  front,  and  nine,  ten  or  eleven  on  the  side  of  the  valley. 
The  Castle,  an  irregular  and  Gothic  edifice,  separated 
from  the  town  by  an  esplanade,  rises  on  a rugged  rock 
at  the  western  extremity  of  the  same  hill.  The  build- 
ing and  the  fortifications  occupy  an  area  of  seven  English 
acres  ; in  past  times  it  was  considered  a place  of  great 
strength,  but  as  there  are  points  within  the  range  of  ar- 
tillery, which  command  it,  it  might  now  be  easily  reduced. 
It  is  now  used  as  a station  for  soldiers,  and  it  may  con- 
tain about  3000  ; the  apartments  in  which  James  the 
Sixth  was  born,* 1  are  converted  into  barracks  for  officers, 
and  a new  range  of  barracks  for  soldiers  has  been  erected 
on  a very  injudicious  plan,  and  by  no  means  according 


month  of  the  Esk  ; and  Dalkeith,  between  the  North  and  South  Esks, 
near  their  junction,  are  places  of  some  importance  for  their  trade  and 
manufactures. — P. 

f Maclaurin,  Black.  Robertson  and  Stewart  were  connected  with 
the  university  of  Edinburgh. — P. 

s C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale,  vol.  2d. 

» The  North  Loch.— P. 

■ The  New  Town  was  begun  to  be  built  in  1767.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — P. 

k The  High  Street — extending  from  the  Castle  to  Holyrood-ljouse. — P. 

1 On  the  east  of  the  castle  buildings  were  formerly  royal  apart- 
ments. James  VI.  was  born  in  a small  square  apartment  in  the  south- 
east part  of  the  castle.  (Gaz.  Scot.  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


BOOK  CL  VI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


579 


with  the  rest  of  the  fortress.  The  Parliament  Square,® 
at  no  great  distance  from  the  Castle,  possesses  little  to 
attract  attention,  except  the  spacious  hall,  in  which  the 
Scottish  Parliament  held  its  sessions.b  The  church  of 
St.  Giles  forms  one  side  of  the  square  ; four  different 
places  of  worship  were  formerly  contained  in  it,  but  the 
number  has  since  been  reduced.  A square  tower  rises 
from  the  centre  of  the  structure  ; it  is  surmounted  by 
slender  arches  of  good  workmanship,  supporting  a 
steeple,  the  whole  representing  in  the  air  the  figure  of 
an  imperial  crown.  Beneath  the  vault  of  this  venerable 
building  rest  the  ashes  of  Lord  Napier,  the  immortal  in- 
ventor of  logarithms.  The  mint  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  last  place,  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  its  an- 
tiquity and  preservation.  Although  no  money  is  coined, 
all  the  officers  are  still  appointed,  agreeably  to  the  act 
of  union,  and  the  bell  is  regularly  rung  at  the  hours  in 
which  the  workmen  left  off  their  work  in  the  sixteenth 
century.  The  palace  is  situated  at  the  eastern  or  oppo- 
site extremity  of  the  old  town,  in  a valley  with  Arthur’s 
Seat  and  Salisbury  Crags  on  the  one  side,  and  the  Cal- 
ton  Hill  on  the  other.  It  was  originally  a monastery ,c 
and  it  is  still  called  Holyrood-house  or  the  house  of  the 
holy  cross.  It  is  of  mixed  architecture,  and  the  Gre- 
cian style  is  blended  with  castellated  turrets,  which 
destroy  the  regularity  without  adding  to  the  imposing 
effect  of  the  building.  Such  are  the  most  remarkable  of 
the  ancient  monuments,  but  many  modern  works  have 
been  erected  even  in  the  old  town.  The  courts  of  jus- 
tice, the  County  Hall,  the  Bank  of  Scotland,  the  Advo- 
cates’ Library,  and  the  library  of  the  writers  to  the  signet, 
are  grouped  round  the  cathedral, d and  all  of  them  have 
been  built  within  a comparatively  recent  period.  Other 
improvements  are  at  present  in  progress  ; a new  bridge 
and  a new  line  of  communication  are  forming  between 
the  old  and  new  town,  and  another  bridge  now  almost 
completed,  and  a road  cut  along  the  south  side  of  the 
Castle-hill  are  to  connect  the  two  towns  on  the  west. 

The  ground  on  which  the  new  town  stands  was  added 
to  the  royalty  in  1767,  and  it  was  afterwards  laid  out  in 
conformity  to  a plan  designed  by  Mr.  Craig.  Some 
notion  may  be  formed  of  the  immense  additions  made 
within  the  period  already  specified,  from  the  fact  that 
the  new  town  comprehends  by  far  the  greater  portion  of 
Edinburgh.  The  houses  are  large  and  well  built  ; the 
streets  are  no  less  regular  than  spacious  ; and  the  squares 
present  admirable  sites  for  the  monuments  with  which 
they  are  adorned.  The  whole  affords  a grand  and  im- 
posing spectacle,  one  to  which  it  might  be  difficult  to  find 
a parallel  in  the  finest  capitals  of  Europe.  Every  part  is 
not  entitled  to  unqualified  praise,  and  a critic  might  con- 
demn some  of  the  edifices  ; still  the  combination  of  the 
whole  is  in  a style  of  great  simplicity,  and  the  effects  of 
architecture  are  conspicuous  in  the  judicious  arrangement 
and  well-chosen  site  of  most  of  the  public  buildings. 
Thus,  the  line  from  east  to  west  is  not  marked  by  super- 
stition or  prejudice  for  the  nave  of  the  church  ; and 


a The  Parliament  Square  or  Close  is  an  open  space  in  front  of  the 
Parliament-house,  in  the  middle  of  which  is  an  equestrian  statue  of 
Charles  II.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — P. 

b It  is  122  feet  in  length  by  49  in  width,  and  40  feet  high,  with  an 
elegant  carved  roof.  It  is  called  the  Outer  House,  and  is  now  occu- 
pied by  the  courts  of  the  Lords  Ordinary.  The  inner  courts,  or  In- 
ner House,  meet  in  two  adjoining  chambers. — P. 

‘ The  ruins  of  the  Abbey  church  still  remain. — P. 


wherever  a church  can  be  placed  at  the  extremity  of  a 
spacious  street,  the  front  rises  in  the  direction  of  the 
street,  to  which  it  forms  a majestic  termination.  The 
register  office  in  which  the  records  of  the  kingdom  are 
deposited,  was  built  by  the  late  Mr.  Adam,  after  the 
style  of  Palladio,  and  it  is  perhaps  the  best  work  of  that 
celebrated  architect.  It  commands  a view  of  the  finest 
street  in  the  old  town,e  a street  continued  across  two 
vallies  from  north  to  south,  by  two  bridges  correspond- 
ing with  it  in  width.  The  north  bridge  consists  of  five 
arches,  three  of  which  are  seventy-six  feet  and  a half 
wide,  and  the  two  others  nearly  twenty.  The  road-way 
is  elevated  fifty-four  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  valley, 
which  is  also  crossed  by  a mound  about  698  feel  in 
length,  and  210  wide  at  the  summit.  The  materials  of 
which  this  vast  work  is  formed,  were  supplied  from  the 
foundations  of  the  buildings  in  the  new  town.  A third 
bridge/  situated  near  the  register  office,  serves  as  a com- 
munication between  the  new  town  and  the  Calton-hill, 
on  which  many  buildings  have  of  late  been  erected. 
The  most  remarkable  are  the  High-school,  the  admired 
work  of  Mr.  Hamilton,  the  Observatory,  and  the  monu- 
ments of  Playfair  and  of  Stewart,  both  of  whom  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  the  Edinburgh  University. 
The  first  illustrated  the  theory  of  Hutton,  and  the  second 
is  known  as  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  eloquent  mental 
philosophers  of  his  age.s  The  spectator  may  observe 
from  these  monuments  a circular  tower  in  the  Grecian 
style  ; it  is  the  tomb  of  Hume,  the  most  philosophical  of 
the  British  historians.  The  view  from  the  public  walk 
along  the  same  hill  commands  the  Frith  of  Forth,  with 
the  adjacent  country  on  both  its  banks,  and  requires  only 
the  sky  of  Italy  or  Greece  to  vie  with  the  shores  of  the 
bay  of  Naples,  or  the  coast  of  the  Bosphorus  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Constantinople. 

The  university  was  begun  about  forty  years  agoh  after 
the  plan  of  Mr.  Robert  Adam,  but  it  was  conceived  on 
too  great  a scale  for  the  wealth  of  the  town.  It  was 
found  necessary  to  deviate  from  the  original  plan  ; and 
to  complete  it  according  to  its  reduced  form,  a grant  of 
money  was  obtained  from  parliament.  The  site  is  in- 
convenient, and  as  a work  of  art,  it  is  not  unexceptiona- 
ble ; it  is  probable  indeed  that  the  sums  expended  in 
finishing  what  was  begun  by  Mr.  Adam,  might  have  suf- 
ficed for  the  erection  of  a finer  building  in  a more  eligi- 
ble or  less  confined  situation. 

Edinburgh  is  celebrated  for  the  number  and  grandeur 
of  its  monuments,  and  the  elegance  and  regularity  of  its 
streets  ; but  its  celebrity  in  this  respect  dates  only  from 
a recent  period,  and  houses  which  were  formerly  inhab- 
ited by  nobles,  are  now  too  mean  for  the  middling 
classes.  If  towns,  of  which  the  importance  or  existence 
depends  solely  on  commerce  and  industry,  be  excepted, 
it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a place,  of  which  the  exten- 
sion has  been  so  great,  or  the  improvements  so  manifold 
and  various.  The  increase  in  the  population  must  bear 
some  relation  to  the  enlargement  of  the  town,  and  ac- 


d Church  of  St.  Giles. 

« It  stands  at  the  north  end  of  the  North  Bridge,  fronting  it,  and 
receding  40  feet  from  the  north  line  of  Prince’s  Street  in  the  New 
Town. — P.  1 Regent  Bridge. 

e The  life  of  Reid  has  been  written  by  Mr.  Stewart,  who  was  his 
pupil,  and  the  ablest  defender  of  the  system  which  is  called  in  France 
the  Scotch  system  of  philosophy. 

h The  foundation  was  laid,  Nov.  16th,  1789. — P. 


.580 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVI 


cordingly  it  has  been  very  great.  In  1687  the  number  of 
inhabitants  amounted  to  20,000,  in  1830  it  was  equal  to 
162,156,  so  that  it  is  now  more  than  eight  times  greater 
than  it  was  a hundred  and  fifty  years  ago.  Various 
branches  of  industry  have  sprung  up  and  become  flour- 
ishing within  a later  period  ; we  may  mention  the  nu- 
merous paper-mills  in  the  vicinity,  the  casting  of  iron,  the 
distillation  of  spirituous  liquors  on  a great  scale,  the 
printing  of  calico  and  cloth,  and  the  weaving  of  kersey- 
meres and  shawls  ; but  the  most  remarkable  example  of 
any  is  to  be  found  in  an  art  that  is  as  much  connected  with 
the  diffusion  of  knowledge  as  the  enterprise  of  com- 
merce : about  fifty  or  sixty  years  since  few  books  were 
printed  in  Edinburgh  ; it  has  now  become  second  to  Lon- 
don in  the  number  of  its  printing  presses,  and  consequent- 
ly of  the  products  that  issue  from  them.  Admirable 
communications  extend  in  every  direction  from  the  same 
town,  and  most  of  them  are  of  recent  formation.  Rail- 
ways pass  from  Musselburgh  and  Dalkeith  or  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  coal  mines,  and  their  produce  is 
thus  sent  to  the  capital.  The  Union  Canal  joins  that  of 
the  Forth  and  Clyde,  and  facilitates  the  conveyance  of 
the  manufactures  of  Glasgow.  A new  work  is  now  in 
contemplation  ; the  example  set  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Liverpool  and  Manchester  is  likely  to  be  imitated  in 
Scotland,  and  steam  carriages  may  ere  long  run  between 
Glasgow  and  Edinburgh. 

It  has  already  been  remarked  that  Leith  is  almost  a 
suburb  of  Edinburgh  ; streets  extend  between  them,  and 
unite  two  towns  that  were  formerly  separated.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  both  sides  of  the  Water  of  Leith,  at  its  confluence 
with  the  Frith  of  Forth,  and  is  thus  divided  into  two 
districts,  the  southern  and  northern.* 1  The  northern  part 
is  modern  ; the  southern  is  ancient.  The  one  is  laid 
out  according  to  a plan  ; the  other  is  built  without  regu- 
larity, and  consists  mostly  of  dirty  houses,  and  narrow  or 
crooked  lanes. b The  two  districts  communicate  with 
each  other  by  two  draw-bridges  across  the  harbour.  In 
the  year  1777,  the  harbour  was  considerably  improved, 
and  it  has  since  been  enlarged.  The  pier,  which  forms 
the  eastern  boundary  of  the  confluence  of  the  stream,  has 
been  carried  farther  into  the  sea  ; quays,  basins  and  docks 
have  been  constructed  on  the  opposite  side,  and  these 
successive  additions  were  rendered  necessary  by  an  in- 
crease in  the  trade. 

In  a military  point  of  view,  Leith  is  of  great  impor- 
tance to  the  defence  of  Edinburgh,  and,  accordingly,  in 
past  times,  the  French  and  the  English  landed  there  fre- 

a  Called  South  Leith  and  North  Leith,  and  forming  two  distinct 
parishes. — P. 

b By  far  the  greater  part  of  the  town  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river ; hut  both  in  North  and  South  Leith,  the  streets  of  the  old 
part  are  narrow  and  irregular.  The  parts  of  the  town  which  have 
been  erected  during  the  last  twenty  or  thirty  years  are.  not  surpassed 
by  the  finest  parts  of  Edinburgh.  (Ed.  Enc.  1819.) — P. 

c In  North  Leith — called  the  Citadel. — P. 

d A village,  with  a harbour,  about  one  mile  north-west  of  Leith. — P. 

c See  note  e,  p.  1258. 

1 A range  of  hills  extends  across  the  middle  of  the  county,  oblique- 
ly from  north-west  to  south-east.  The  highest  of  these  are  Cairnpa- 
ple,  in  the  centre,  about  1498  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  Cock- 
ierue  in  the  west,  about  500  feet.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  first  of  these  is 
properly  Cairn-naple,  and  lies  south-west  of  Linlithgow. — P. 

* Silver  and  lead  mines  were  formerly  wrought  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Linlithgow  [in  the  hills  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  parish,] 
and  a vein  of  silver  was  discovered  in  a limestone  rock  in  Bathgate 
parish,  but  too  inconsiderable  to  pay  the  expense  of  working  it.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — The  Bathgate  hills,  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  Bathgate  parish, 
are  u continuation  of  the  range,  already  mentioned,  including  Cockle-  ' 


quently  to  succour  or  oppress  Scotland.  A fort  was  built 
in  tbe  same  place  by  Cromwell,0  and  probably  for  that 
very  reason  was  destroyed  by  Charles  the  Second.  The 
harbour  is  protected  by  a battery  on  the  eminence  that 
rises  on  the  west  of  the  docks,  and  extends  beyond  New- 
haven.d  The  works  are  surrounded  by  an  entrenchment 
and  defended  by  bastions  at  the  gorge. 

If  Edinburgh  and  Leith  be  excepted,  no  other  town  of 
consequence  can  be  mentioned  in  Mid  Lothian. e The 
Almond,  a small  river,  or  rather  stream,  separates  it  from 
Linlithgowshire  or  West  Lothian,  a county  contiguous 
to  the  last  on  the  east  and  south-east,  to  the  Frith  of 
Forth  on  the  north,  to  Lanarkshire  on  the  south-west, 
and  to  Stirlingshire  on  the  west.  In  figure  it  resembles 
a triangle,  and  the  area  is  not  greater  than  112  square 
miles,  and  each  square  mile  contains  on  an  average,  209 
inhabitants.  A large  portion  of  the  surface  is  either  lev- 
el or  gently  undulating,  and  only  a fifth  part  of  it  is  sup- 
posed to  be  unfit  for  cultivation.  It  must  not,  however, 
be  inferred  that  it  is  destitute  of  hills  ; a ridge  extends 
across  it,  of  which  Cairnpapple  or  the  highest  point  is 
more  than  fifteen  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.f 
The  richest  carse  lands  and  some  of  the  best  loams,  as  well 
as  a great  portion  of  gravel  and  sandy  land,  are  situated  in 
different  parts  of  the  county,  but  the  prevalent  soil  consists 
of  clay,  and  it  varies  from  the  best  to  the  worst  sorts. 

The  same  county  is  distinguished  by  the  number  and 
value  of  its  mineral  products.  Silver  and  lead  were  once 
obtained  on  the  hills  of  Bathgate  in  the  parish  of  Lin- 
lithgow, and  it  is  not  many  years  since  a small  vein  of 
silver  ore  was  found  in  a limestone  quarry  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood.£ It  may  be  also  remarked  that  there  is  an  in- 
exhaustible supply  of  limestone,  while  iron  ore  is  wrought 
in  Borrowstonness  and  Carriden  on  the  Forth  ; but  coal 
is  perhaps  the  most  abundant  of  the  mineral  products;  it 
is  wrought  in  different  parts  of  the  coast,'1  in  Uphall  and 
Whitburn  on  the  east  and  south,  in  the  central  parish  of 
Bathgate,  and  at  Cultmuir  on  the  south-western  border  ; 
and  as  the  Union  Canal  passes  through  the  country,  the 
produce  of  the  mines  is  easily  conveyed  to  the  capital 

Queensferry1  is  situated  about  nine  miles  from  Edin 
burgh,  on  the  principal  road  to  Perth,  where  the  frith  is 
rather  less  than  two  miles  in  breadth.  The  superinten- 
dance of  the  ferry  is  committed  to  a lieutenant  in  the  na- 
vy, and  the  use  of  steam  vessels  is  likely  to  supersede 
that  of  the  numerous  passage  boats.  The  small  port,  of 
Borrowstonnessk  on  the  same  coast,  reckons  140  vessels, 
measuring  nearly  1000  tons.1 

rue  and  Cairn-naple,  and  extending  along  the  southern  border  of  Lin- 
lithgow parish. — P. 

h Particularly  at  Borrowstounness  and  Carriden,  at  the  former  of 
which  it  has  been  wrought  for  more  than  500  years. — P. 

> Called  also  South  Queensferry.  North  Queensferry  is  a small  vil- 
lage, where  the  passage  boats  land,  on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  Frith, 
in  Fife. — P. 

k Properly  Borrowstounness  (borough,  town,  and  ness) — from  its  sit- 
uation on  a promontory  on  the  Forth,  near  the  borough  of  Linlithgow. 
Also  called  Boroughstownness,  Borrowstoness  and  popularly  Boness. 
It  is  situated  in  the  north-western  corner  of  the  county,  on  the  coast 
north  of  Linlithgow.  Its  trade  was  more  considerable  before  the  open- 
ing of  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal,  which  has  transferred  much  of  it 
to  Grangemouth.  Its  extensive  coal  works,  with  the  manufactures  of 
iron,  salt  and  pottery,  depending  on  them,  render  it  still  a place  of  im- 
portance.— P. 

1 There  must  be  some  error  in  this  statement.  According  to  it,  the 
average  tonnage  of  its  vessels  would  be  but  about  7 tons.  In  1796,  the 
shipping  belonging  to  the  town  was  about  25  sail,  and  the  tonnage  of 
the  revenue  port,  nearly  10,000  tons,  about  one  fourth  of  which  belong 
ed  in  Boness.  (Stat.  Acc.  xviii.  433.) — P. 


BOOK.  CL, VI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


581 


Linlithgow,  the  county  town,  is  more  remarkable  for 
its  antiquity  than  its  trade  or  industry.  It  consists  of  a 
single  street,  nearly  three  quarters  of  a mile  in  length. 
The  royal  palace  occupies  the  site  of  an  ancient  castle  ;a 
in  the  north-west  corner  is  the  room  in  which  Queen 
Mary  was  born  in  1542,  and  the  spacious  hall  on  the 
east  side  of  the  building  was  set  apart  for  the  Parliament. 
These  memorials  of  a past  age  are  falling  fast  into  decay, 
and  the  palace  is  now  roofless.  The  church  almost  con- 
tiguous to  it,  a noble  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture, 
has  lately  been  repaired  in  a style  suitable  to  the  gran- 
deur of  the  fabric.  The  length  is  equal  to  180  feet,  the 
breadth  to  100,  the  height  to  90,  and  a lofty  spire  adorn- 
ed with  an  imperial  crown  rises  from  the  western  extrem- 
ity. The  same  town  was  often  the  residence  of  the 
court,  and  it  has  been  the  scene  of  events  that  are  re- 
corded in  history.  It  was  there  that  the  Regent  Murray 
was  shot  by  Hamilton  of  Bothwellhaugh  in  1569  ;b  and 
at  a later  period,  in  1662,  the  solemn  league  and  cove- 
nant was  burnt  with  great  solemnity  in  the  market  place. 

The  traveller  passes  from  Edinburgh  through  Linlith- 
gowshire, or  West  Lothian,  on  his  road  to  Lanarkshire 
or  Clydesdale,  the  most  important  as  well  as  the  most 
populous  of  the  Scottish  counties.0  Situated  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  country  between  the  German  and  Atlantic 
oceans,  it  is  divided  into  three  wards,  the  upper,  the  mid- 
dle, and  the  lower  ;J  Lanark  is  the  chief  town  in  the  first, 
Hamilton  in  the  second,  and  Glasgow  in  the  third.  The 
last  town  is  the  largest  of  any,  and  the  others  are  com- 
paratively insignificant.  The  upper  ward,  which  occu- 
pies nearly  two  thirds  of  the  county,  is  for  the  most  part 
mountainous  or  sterile,  and  from  the  unevenness  of  the 
surface,  and  the  quality  of  the  soil,  it  is  not  likely  to  be 
rendered  fruitful  by  industry  or  labour.  The  others  are 
more  productive,  and  they  abound  in  many  places  with 
valuable  minerals,  sucb  as  freestone,  limestone,  coal  and 
granite.®  From  the  lower  extremity  of  the  county  to  a 
considerable  distance  upwards,  freestone  is  the  most 
common  rock,  and  it  is  interspersed  with  different  ridges 
of  whin/  Limestone  is  found  in  the  same  tract,  but  on- 
ly in  elevated  positions,  and  generally  near  the  surface. 
More  than  300  labourers  are  employed  in  the  lime  quar- 
ries within  the  county,  and  the  value  of  the  produce  va- 
ries from  L.  12,000  to  L.  15,000.  The  coal  lies  beneath 
the  freestone  ; it  is  supposed  to  stretch  in  a solid  mass 
over  an  extent  of  110  square  miles,  and  the  average 
thickness,  it  is  certain,  is  not  less  than  five  yards.  The 
quantity  of  coal  annually  obtained  from  this  vast  area  is 

a It  was  built  on  the  site  of  a Roman  station.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — It 
stands  on  a rising  ground  running  into  a small  lake  on  the  north  side 
of  the  burgh,  on  the  site  of  a fort  or  castle,  erected  by  Edward  I. 
(Leighton’s  Scenes  in  Scotland.) — P. 

11  Jan.  23,  1570.  (Chambers’  Picture  of  Scotland,  ii.  40.  Hume. 
Smollet.) — Jan.  23,  1571.  (Watkins’  Edit,  of  Buchanan’s  Hist.  Scot, 
p.  485.) — P. 

c It  contains  the  greatest  absolute  population,  but  is  inferior  to  Mid 
Lothian  and  Renfrewshire  in  relative  population. — P. 

d Each  of  these  wards  is  governed  by  a sheriff-substitute,  ap- 
pointed by  the  sheriff-depute  of  the  county.  (Chambers.) — Lanark- 
shire was  anciently  divided  into  three  wards  or  jurisdictions,  viz. 
Clydesdale,  Douglasdale  and  Avendale  ; but  it  is  now  divided  into 
two.  viz.  the  Shire  of  Lanark,  of  which  Lanark  is  the  chief  town,  and 
the  Barony  of  Glasgow,  of  which  that  city  is  the  seat  of  the  courts. 
(Gaz.  Scot.  1803.) — P. 

e Is  not  this  last  statement,  a mistake  ? The  two  lower  wards  of 
Lanarkshire  are  almost  entirely  within  the  coal  formation  ; the  upper 
ward  is  chiefly  within  the  transition  formation  of  the  south  of  Scot- 
land.— P 

f Trap  or  greenstone. — P. 


nearly  equal  to  800,000  tons,  and  no  part  of  it  has  been 
so  much  worked  as  the  field  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Glasgow,  which  yields  seven  different  sorts,  and  which, 
by  facilitating  the  means  of  production,  has  mainly  con- 
tributed to  the  rise  and  prosperity  of  the  town.  Ironstone 
occurs  in  regular  strata  above  the  limestone  and  coal  : it 
is  also  found  in  contact  with  the  sandstone ; in  some 
places,  in  the  form  of  balls,  which  are  arranged  in  beds, 
and  are  of  so  rich  a quality  as  to  yield  fifty  per  cent,  of 
ore.  The  lead  mines,  which  have  been  already  men- 
tioned, and  which  have  been  now  worked  about  two  hun- 
dred years,  are  situated  in  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
county. s The  Clyde  and  the  numerous  Streams  that 
water  Lanarkshire,  are  more  or  less  subservient  to  the 
purposes  of  commerce  ; they  facilitate  the  transportation 
of  goods,  or  machinery  is  erected  on  their  banks/ 

A line  of  defence  was  erected  in  the  third  century’  by 
tbe  Romans  against  the  incursions  of  the  Caledonians,  and 
the  same  line  was  fixed  upon  in  the  eighteenth,  as  the  site 
of  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal/  The  purpose  for  which 
the  two  works  were  intended,  was  very  different  ; if  the 
fate  of  the  falling  empire  cannot  be  said  to  have  been 
retarded  by  the  one,  intercourse,  industry  and  civili- 
zation have  been  extended  by  the  other.  The  canal 
was  begun  in  1768,  and  not  completed  before  1790.  It 
cost  L. 500, 000,  and  some  notion  of  the  navigation  per- 
formed on  it  may  be  inferred  from  its  progressive  returns. 
In  1800,  it  yielded  a dividend  of  ten  per  cent.,  of  twenty 
in  1815,  and  nearly  30  in  1820.  The  produce  of  the 
extensive  coal-fields  in  Old  and  New  Monkland  is  con- 
veyed to  Glasgow  by  the  Monkland  canal,* 1  and  although 
the  Ardrossan  canal  is  not  yet  completed,  it  serves  as  a 
communication  from  the  same  town  to  Paisley.1" 

Lanarkshire,  according  to  the  last  returns,  contains 
316,820  inhabitants  ; it  is  therefore  the  most  populous 
of  the’  Scottish  counties.  The  superficial  sxtent  is  not 
less  than  870  square  miles  ; consequently  the  mean 
number  of  persons  to  the  square  mile  amounts  to  365. 

If  the  rank  of  a city  be  estimated  by  its  commerce, 
wealth  and  population,  Glasgow  must  be  considered  the 
capital  of  Scotland.  Like  other  great  towns,  its  origin 
is  involved  in  fable,  and  the  foundation  ofit  is  attributed 
to  St.  Mungo,  or  St.  Kentigern,"  a person  whose  celebrity 
depends  on  his  miracles.  William  the  Lion  erected  it 
into  a barony,0  and  in  1450,  it  was  raised  into  a regality 
by  James  the  Second,  but  in  its  new  character,  it  con- 
tinued subject  to  its  bishop.  The  dignity  was  at  last 
vested  in  the  dukes  of  Lennox  by  James  the  Sixth,  who 

s The  village  of  Leadhills  is  situated  in  Lanarkshire  — P. 

h All  the  streams  of  any  size,  in  Lanarkshire,  are.  tributaries  of  the 
Clyde.  The  principal  of  these  are  the  Douglas,  the  Nethan  and  the 
Avon,  on  the  west,  and  the  North  and  South  Calder  and  the  Kelvin, 
on  the  east. — P. 

' In  the  second  century — A.  D.  140.  (See  p.  1110.) — P. 

k The  lines  of  Graham's  Dyke  and  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal  do 
not  coincide,  but  intersect  each  other  ; the  former  terminating  on  the 
east,  at  Carriden  in  West  Lothian  ; the  latter  at  Grangemouth  in  Stir- 
lingshire. The  canal  on  the  west  crosses  the  dyke  and  approaches 
nearer  Glasgow,  before  it  terminates  in  the  Clyde.  Both  the  lines, 
however,  are  conducted  along  a remarkable  valley,  which  here  crosses 
the  island  from  the  Forth  to  the  Clyde,  between  the  trap  range  of  the 
Campsie  Fells  on  the  north,  and  the  hills  of  the  coal  formation  on  the 
south,  and  including  the  northern  outcrop  of  the  coal. — P. 

1 This  canal  is  connected  at  its  western  extremity  with  the  Forth 
and  Clyde  canal. — P. 

mThe  Ardrossan  canal  is  completed  to  the  village  of  Johnstone 
three  miles  beyond  Paisley.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

° A.  D.  570.— P. 

» A.  D.  1172.  (Stat.  Acc.)— P. 


582 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL VI. 


granted  the  town  an  advantageous  charter,  and’ made  it  a 
royal  burgh.a  The  inhabitants  engaged  at  an  early 
period  in  the  salmon  and  herring  fishery,  but  their 
foreign  trade  previously  to  the  union,  was  almost  con- 
fined to  Holland,  and  carried  on  by  doubling  the  north 
of  Scotland,  a circuitous  and  dangerous  navigation. 
In  1707,  when  the  two  kingdoms  were  united,  Glas- 
gow took  the  lead  in  opposing  the  act ; the  citizens 
revolted,  and  to  restore  obedience,  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  have  recourse  to  the  rigours  of  martial  law.b 
It  might  not  be  easy  to  account  for  the  notions  that 
prevailed,  but  the  inhabitants,  it  is  certain,  believed 
the  prosperity  of  their  city  at  an  end,  and  their  own  ruin 
inevitable,  in  consequence  of  an  act,  from  which  many 
advantages  have  resulted  to  Scotland,  and  to  no  place 
more  than  to  Glasgow.  In  1707,  the  population 
amounted  to  14,000,  in  1807,  to  114,000,  and  in  1821, 
to  147, 000. c The  accession  gained  within  the  last  ten 
years  is  still  more  extraordinary  ; it  is  nearly  equal  to 
56,000,  for  Glasgow  contains  at  present  202,426  inhabit- 
ants. This  progression,  so  great  and  so  rapid,  can  only 
be  attributed  to  the  power  of  industry,  and  to  the 
advantages  of  a favourable  position.  Abundant  mines 
of  coal  are  wrought  in  the  vicinity,  and  their  produce  is 
conveyed  at  a low  rate  along  the  Monkland  canal.  The 
Forth,  the  Clyde,  and  the  canal  which  unites  them, 
afford  the  most  direct  access  to  the  old  and  the  new 
world,  and  Glasgow  receives  in  exchange  for  her  manu- 
factures the  products  of  both  hemispheres. 

But  it  may  be  necessary  to  show  how  much  the  pros- 
perity of  the  town  was  increased  in  consequence  of  a 
measure,  which  the  inhabitants  opposed  with  equal 
violence  and  folly.  The  act  of  union  was  no  sooner 
passed  than  Glasgow  obtained  a free  navigation  for  its 
ships  to  all  the  British  colonial  ports,  and  possessing  that 
advantage,  it  became  the  principal  station  from  which  the 
tobacco  of  Maryland  and  Vinrmia  was  transported  to 
France. d Not  long  afterwards^  manufactories  of  cloth, 
lawn  and  cambric  were  erected  in  the  town,  and  before 
the  introduction  of  its  muslins,  these  articles  formed  its 
most  valuable  exports. e The  long  contest,  which  termi- 
nated in  the  independence  of  America,  proved  very 
detrimental  to  the  commerce  and  industry  of  the  town, 
and  the  intercourse,  which  the  war  had  destroyed  or 
interrupted,  was  established  on  a new  basis,  in  other 
words,  products  different  from  those  which  were  formerly 
admitted,  were  exported  to  America  after  the  peace/ 
Not  long  afterwards  the  new  process,  of  spinning  cotton 
by  machinery,  the  invention  of  the  celebrated  Arkwright, 
was  generally  adopted  in  Glasgow,  and  new  branches  of 
industry  were  successively  introduced.  Iron  founderies 
were  erected,  (lax,  hemp  and  woollen  manufactories  were 


“ A.  D.  1011.  (Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

This  doubtless  refers  to  the  riots  in  Glasgow,  on  account  of  the 
malt  tax,  in  1725 — suppressed  by  General  Wade,  with  a military 
force . — P. 

c In  1708  (by  census,)  12,766;  in  1811,  110,460;  in  1819,  150,000. 
(Chambers.) — P. 

d The  farmers-general  of  France  received  the  greater  part  of  their 
tobacco  through  the  medium  of  Glasgow.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c The  linen  trade  began  in  1725,  and  was  for  a long  time,  till  sup- 
planted by  the  cotton,  the  staple  manufacture  of  Glasgow.  The 
principal  articles  were  linens,  lawns,  cambrics,  checks  and  diapers. 
(Gaz.  Scot.  Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

1 The  most  important  import  trade  with  the  United  States, since  the 
peace  of  1783,  has  been  that  of  cotton  from  the  Southern  States. — P. 

e In  the  improvement  of  the  steam-engine. — P 


established , and  the  inhabitants,  in  place  of  confining 
their  manufactures  to  the  supply  of  the  colonies,  sent 
their  goods  to  London  and  the  principal  markets  in 
England.  But  the  mills  in  which  the  different  articles 
were  manufactured,  and  in  which  cotton  was  spun 
according  to  the  process  of  Arkwright,  might  have  been 
still  confined  to  the  banks  of  the  streams  that  set  them 
in  motion,  had  it  not  been  for  the  genius  of  Watt. s The 
history  of  modern  art  might  be  examined  in  vain  for  the 
purpose  of  showing  any  other  invention  from  which  so 
much  advantage  has  resulted,  one  from  which  so  great 
and  so  uniform  a power  has  been  obtained  in  so  small  a 
compass  and  at  so  small  an  expense.  The  application 
of  steam  to  navigation,  the  consequence  of  the  same 
invention,  is  now  common,  but  it  was  not  before  1812 
that  the  first  steam  vessel  sailed  on  the  Clyde.  In  like 
manner,  the  process  of  spinning  and  of  weaving  by  steam, 
although  of  modern  date,  is  now  carried  on  to  a great 
extent,  and  the  city  of  Glasgow  possesses  more  than  210 
steam  engines,  which  communicate  their  power  to  as  many 
mills  or  manufactories/  There  are  at  present  in  the 
same  town  fifty-four  large  spinning  factories,  in  which 
nearly  600,000  spindles  are  turned,  and  the  capital 
invested  in  these  works  is  upwards  of  L.  1,000, 000. 1 
Eighteen  mills  for  weaving  cotton  move  by  mechanical 
power  2,800  looms  and  32,000  hand  looms/  In  the 
calenders  that  are  moved  by  steam,  110,000  yards  of 
calico  may  be  calendered  in  a day,  the  same  number  can 
be  dressed,  and  30,000  glazed.1  m The  other  products  of 
industry  are  of  less  importance  ; they  consist  of  glass, 
delft  ware  and  different  substances  that  are  used  in  the  arts. 

Some  of  the  useful  institutions  may  be  briefly  enumer- 
ated. The  college  occupies  an  area  of  more  than  two 
acres,  and  in  an  elegant  building  designed  by  Mr.  Stark, 
is  contained  the  Hunterian  museum,  a very  valuable 
collection  of  natural  history,  anatomical  preparations  and 
medals.  The  number  of  students  that  attend  the  univer- 
sity is  upwards  of  1400.  In  1795,  Mr.  Anderson,  a 
professor  in  the  university  of  Glasgow,  founded  and 
endowed  the  Andersonian  Institution.  If  oung  men, 
who  do  not  receive  an  university  education,  are  instructed 
in  this  seminary  in  mathematics,  natural  philosophy, 
pharmacy,  chemistry,  and  the  application  of  chemistry 
to  the  arts.  The  numerous  schools  for  the  instruction 
of  the  poor  are  creditable  to  the  benevolence  of  the 
upper  classes;  by  their  means  6516  children  of  both 
sexes  are  gratuitously  educated,  while  in  the  other 
schools,  the  total  number  of  pupils  does  not  exceed 
10,283.  The  advantages  of  education  are  put  within 
the  reach  of  every  individual. 

The  same  town  is  adorned  with  many  public  build- 
ings, and  its  ancient  cathedral0  is  considered  the  most 


h There  are  73  steam  engines  in  Glasgow  and  the  immediate 
suburbs,  employed  in  manufactures.  (Ed.  Enc.  1817.) — P. 

* There  are  52  cotton  mills  (in  town  and  country,)  belonging  to 
Glasgow,  with  511.200  spindles,  and  a capital  invested  of  about 
L.  1 , (TOO, 000.  (Ed.  Enc.  1817.)— P. 

k There  are  18  works  belonging  to  Glasgow,  for  weaving  by  power, 
which  contain  2800  looms.  The  number  of  hand  looms,  employed  by 
the  manufacturers  of  Glasgow,  is  about  32,000.  (Ed.  Enc.  1817.) — P. 

1 There  are  17  calendering  houses  in  Glasgow,  containing  39  calen- 
ders moved  by  steam,  in  which  118,000  yards  may  be  calendered  in  a 
day,  besides  dressino* *  116,000  not  calendered,  and  glazing  30,000. 
(Ed.  Enc.  1817.)— P. 
m C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale,  vpl.  2. 
n The  High  Kirk  (church) — dedicated  to  St.  Mungo. — P 


BOOK.  CJLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


perfect  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture  in  Scotland, 
almost  all  the  other  churches  of  equal  antiquity  having 
been  injured  or  demolished  by  the  blind  zeal  of  the 
reformers.  The  length  of  the  interior  from  east  to  west 
is  equal  to  319  feet,  but  as  it  is  now  divided  into  several 
distinct  churches,  the  symmetry  of  the  whole  is  lost.a 
The  building  was  preserved  from  the  fury  of  Knox  and 
his  Vandals,  by  the  firmness  of  the  municipal  authorities. b 
The  college,  a neat  and  commodious  building,  extends 
more  than  a hundred  yards  along  the  high  street  ; the 
interior  is  divided  into  two  courts,  of  which  the  larger  is 
103  feet  in  length,  and  80  in  width.  The  town-house  is 
a modern  edifice,0  and  it  has  been  admired  on  account 
of  the  magnificence  of  its  front,  which  is  supported  on 
rusticated  pillars,  and  adorned  with  Ionic  pilasters  ; the 
space  between  the  columns  and  the  building  affording  a 
convenient  piazza  to  the  merchants  and  men  of  business 
that  frequent  it.  The  Tontine  is  the  name  of  a spacious 
hall  in  which  the  English,  Scotch  and  French  newspa- 
pers are  read  ; the  expenses  are  defrayed  by  fifteen 
hundred  subscribers,  but  free  access  is  allowed  to  stran- 
gers and  the  inhabitants.  Independently  of  the  purposes 
for  which  the  institution  is  intended,  it  may  easily  be 
imagined  that  it  is  favourable  to  commerce,  and  the  lib- 
erality by  which  it  is  supported,  is  worthy  of  a commer- 
cial city. 

The  town  of  Hamilton  rises  on  the  banks  of  the  Clyde 
about  ten  miles  and  a half  above  Glasgow, d and  fourteen 
miles  further  is  the  village  of  New  Lanark,  celebrated  on 
account  of  the  cotton  factories,  that  have  been  establish- 
ed by  their  philanthropic  proprietor.6  f The  lead  hills 
are  situated  at  some  distance  above  the  last  place,  and 
not  far  from  the  Clyde  ; their  name  denotes  the  sub- 
stance for  which  they  are  famous,  and  which  is  found 
there  in  greater  abundance  than  in  any  other  part  of 
Scotland,  s 

A large  meadow  adorned  with  trees  and  situated  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Clyde,  serves  as  a public  walk  to 
the  inhabitants  of  Glasgow,11  and  is  intersected  by  the 
road  that  leads  to  Peebles,  the  capital  of  a county, 
although  it  does  not  contain  3000  inhabitants  ; still  differ- 
ent branches  of  industry  are  carried  on  in  a small  scale, 
such  as  the  manufacture  of  stockings,  carpets  and 
flannels,  and  there  are  besides  one  or  two  large  brew- 
eries. The  county  itself  is  inferior  to  many  others  both 
in  size  and  in  the  number  of  inhabitants;  for  it  is  not 


a It  is  now  divided  into  two  places  of  worship,  the  Outer  and  Inner  ; 
the  former  occupying  the  western  part  of  the  choir ; the  latter,  the 
nave — with  a common  vestibule  between  them.  The  cemetery 
underneath  the  eastern  part  of  the  church,  formerly  served  as  a 
place  of  worship  for  the  Barony  or  Landward  (country)  parish,  and 
was  called  the  Laigh  Kirk  (Low  Church,)  but  is  now  restored  to  its 
original  use. — P. 

b In  1579,  at  the  instigation  of  the  protestant  clergy,  the  magistrates 
engaged  to  demolish  the  edifice,  and  assembled  a body  of  workmen 
for  the  purpose  ; but  the  craftsmen  or  members  of  trade  corporations 
flew  to  arms,  took  possession  of  the  building,  and  threatened  to  kill 
the  first  man  who  should  lay  hands  on  it.  The  magistrates  were  thus 
forced  to  desist  from  their  purpose,  and  the  building  was  preserved. 
It  was  then  converted  into  three  protestant  places  of  worship  (see 
note  ■’),  after  having  been  cleared  of  the  statues  of  saints  and  other 
Catholic  appendages.  (Chambers.  Ed.  Enc.)— P. 

L The  town-house  (town-hall)  was  built  in  1G36.  (Ed.  Enc.  Piet, 
of  Glasgow.) — P. 

ll  On  the  west  bank  of  the  Clyde  near  the  mouth  of  the  Avon. — P. 

<'  Mr.  Owen. 

f The  village  of  New  Lanark  and  the  cotton  factories  were  founded 
Dy  David  Dale,  father-in-law  of  Robert  Owen.  It  stands  in  a valley 
on  the  banks  of  the  Clyde,  between  the  falls  of  Corra  Linn  and  Stone- 


5b  3 

more  than  365  square  miles  in  superficial  extent,  and  the 
mean  population  is  less  than  twenty-nine  individuals  to 
the  square  mile.  The  boundaries  of  Peebles-shire  are 
the  counties  of  Lanark  on  the  west,  Dumfries  on  the 
south,  Selkirk  on  the  east,  and  Mid  Lothian  on  the  north. 
The  surface,  which  is  in  many  parts  hilly,  becomes 
mountainous  towards  tbe  south,  and  the  heights  that 
separate  it  from  Annandale  in  Dumfries-shire,  vary  from 
2500  to  3000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The 
general  elevation  of  the  pasture  lands  is  about  1200  feet, 
and  the  hills  with  few  exceptions  are  covered  with 
herbage,  heath  being  almost  exclusively  confined  to  the 
highest  summits.  The  dale  or  valley  of  the  Tweed, 
which  forms  a great  part  of  the  county,  and  from  which 
it  derives  its  popular  name  of  Tweeddale,  communicates 
with  many  narrow  vallies,  that  branch  from  it  indifferent 
directions.  Thus,  the  scenery  consists  of  hills,  dales, 
and  numerous  streams,  but  the  spectator  looks  in  vain 
for  lofty  trees  or  indeed  for  trees  of  any  kind,  and  the 
effect  of  the  natural  beauties  is  apt  to  be  associated  with 
the  idea  of  bleakness  or  sterility. 

The  soil  of  the  cultivated  land,  lying  chiefly  on  the 
sides  of  the  lower  hills,  and  the  banks  of  the  rivers,  is 
for  the  most  part  a light  loam  ; clay,  moss  and  moor  are 
more  common  on  the  high  grounds.  As  to  the  minerals, 
coal  and  limestone  are  wrought  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  county,  or  in  the  parishes  of  Linton  and  Newlands ; 
ironstone  too  is  obtained  in  the  last  of  these  parishes, 
and  slate  is  exported  to  the  adjacent  counties  from  the 
parish  of  Stobo  on  the  Tweed.1  Peebles-shire,  however, 
is  not  distinguished  by  its  mineral  riches,  and  as  it  is  by 
no  means  a manufacturing  county,  it  has  little  to  offer 
except  sheep  and  wool  in  exchange  for  the  articles  that 
are  consumed. 

The  next  county,  although  smaller  than  the  last,  is 
more  important  from  the  number  and  industry  of  its 
inhabitants.  In  the  yq^^.754,  Renfrewshire  contained 
only  26,654  inhabitants  ; in  1831,  the  population 
amounted  to  133,433.  The  extent  of  surface  is  not 
more  than  241  square  miles,  and  it  is  bounded  by  the 
Frith  of  Clyde  on  the  north  and  west,  by  Lanarkshire 
on  the  east,  and  by  Ayrshire  on  the  south.  Nearly  two 
thirds  of  the  surface  are  hilly,  but  the  highest  hill  or 
Misty-law  is  not  more  than  1240  feet  in  height.  The 
greater  portion  of  this  district  is  ill  adapted  for  tillage, 
and  it  is  generally  kept  in  pasture.  The  cultivated  land 


byres,  and  west  of  the  town  of  Lanark.  The  Clyde  is  precipitated  over 
three  large  falls  in  this  vicinity,  viz.  Bonnington  Linn,  Corra  Linn 
and  the  Fall  of  Stonebyres.  The  town  of  Lanark,  a royal  burgh, 
and  the  county  town,  stands  on  elevated  ground,  to  the  east  of  the 
Clyde,  but  is  not  a place  of  much  importance. — P. 

e The  range  of  the  Lead  Hills  is  that  part  of  the  great  transition 
chain  in  the  south  of  Scotland,  which  divides  the  waters  of  the 
Clyde  from  those  of  the  Nith.  The  village  of  Leadhills  is  situated  at 
a great  height  on  this  range,  and  near  the  sources  of  the  Clyde.  It 
is  entirely  inhabited  by  miners,  who,  like  those  in  the  neighbouring 
mining  village  of  Wanlockhead  in  Dumfries-shire,  have  long  devot- 
ed a part  of  their  earnings  to  the  establishment  of  a library. — P. 

11  The  public  park,  or  green,  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  adjoining  ihe 
south-east  side  of  the  town,  contains  upwards  of  108  acres  of  grass, 
and  more  than  3 miles,  ti  furlongs,  of  gravel  walks.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

' At  least  two  thirds  of  the  county  on  the  south  and  east  consists  of 
greywacke  and  argillite,  forming  part  of  the  great  transition  range  of 
the  south  of  Scotland.  The  remainder  of  the  county  on  the  north- 
west consists  of  sandstone,  with  coal  and  limestone.  The  dividing 
line  enters  the  county  at  Kingside,  and  passes  through  the  parish  of 
Newlands  and  along  the  northern  border  of  Stobo  into  Lanark- 
shire.— P. 


584 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLYL 


is  almost  exclusively  confined  to  the  north  and  north-east 
districts,  and  to  the  centre  of  the  county.  The  rivers  and 
streams  are  the  Clyde,  theWhite  Cart,  the  Black  Cart,  and 
the  Gryfe,  from  which  last  the  county  is  often  styled 
Strathgryfe.®  The  Clyde,  the  only  large  river,  flows  along 
the  confines  ; the  White  Cart  has  been  rendered  navigable 
from  Paisley  to  the  Clyde.  The  Black  Cart  flows  from 
the  south-west,  and  the  Gryfe  from  the  west,  and  both 
meet  at  Walkinshaw  about  two  miles  above  their  conflu- 
ence with  the  White  Cart.  These  streams  are  chiefly 
worthy  of  notice  on  account  of  the  many  cotton  and  other 
mills  which  they  set  in  motion.  Smaller  streams  are  ap- 
plied to  the  same  purpose,  and  a constant  supply  of  water 
is  secured  by  means  of  reservoirs,  several  of  which  from 
their  size  and  appearance  might  be  mistaken  for  lakes. 

The  minerals  are  of  primary  importance,  and  they  con- 
stitute the  main  source  of  the  commerce  and  manufac- 
tures. Coal  is  worked  in  part  of  the  hilly  district,  and 
both  coal  and  lime  in  the  flat  district  near  Renfrew. 
But  it  is  in  the  central  district  that  coal  is  obtained  in  the 
greatest  quantities.  More  than  twelve  different  works  are 
established,  and  of  these  the  most  extensive  is  the  one  at 
Quarelton  on  the  Black  Cart.b  The  coal  at  that  place 
consists  of  five  contiguous  strata,  and  the  thickness  of 
the  whole,  measured  at  right  angles  to  their  surface,  is 
upwards  of  fifty  feet,  but  as  in  some  places  the  seam 
forms  a considerable  angle  with  the  horizon,  the  thickness 
of  the  strata,  measured  vertically,  is  there  upwards  of 
ninety  feet.  The  coal  in  consequence  of  so  great  a depth 
is  wrought  in  floors  or  stories.  Limestone  abounds  in 
different  directions,  and  twelve  or  fourteen  quarries  are 
at  present  worked.0  Ironstone,  which  is  scattered 
throughout  the  middle  district,  is  found  in  strata  and  in 
the  form  of  balls.  Considerable  quantities  of  pyrites, 
obtained  from  the  coal  stratum  at  Hurlet  and  Househill, 
are  manufactured  into  sulphate  of  iron,  or  green  vitriol. 4 
Lastly,  excellent  freestone,  lying  near  the  surface,  is 
wrought  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paisley,  and  in  other 
parts  of  the  county. 

Renfrew,  the  nominal  capital  of  Renfrewshire,  is  an 
ancient  and  small  burgh  too  insignificant  to  require  notice. e 
But  Paisley,  from  its  size  and  importance,  may  be  con- 
sidered the  third  city  in  Scotland.  It  is  situated  on  the 
White  Cart,  between  two  and  three  miles  south  of  the 


* From  the  river  Gryfe  the  county  derived  its  most  ancient  name 
of  Strathgryfe.  (Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

b Coal,  limestone  and  freestone  abound  in  various  parts  of  the  county. 
There  are  no  fewer  than  twelve  coal  works  in  actual  operation.  The 
most  extensive  are  those  at  Quarreltown,  near  the  centre  of  the  county, 
at  Polmadie,  on  its  north-east  boundary,  and  at  Hurlet  and  Househill, 
to  the  south-east  of  Paisley.  (Ed.  Enc.) — All  the  works,  above  speci- 
fied, except  Polmadie,  are  in  the  Abbey  parish  of  Paisley.  That  of 
Quarreltown  is  near  the  manufacturing  village  of  Johnstone  (on  the 
Black  Cart,)  begun  in  1782,  and  now  one  of  the  most  flourishing  places 
in  the  county.  The  whole  eastern  part  of  the  county  is  included 
within  the  coal  formation.  The  limestone  is  properly  an  appendage 
of  that  formation,  very  little  being  found  beyond  its  limits. — P. 

c Limestone  is  wrought  at  about  eight  different  quarries.  One  of  the 
most  singular  masses  of  it  occurs  at  the  entrance  of  the  romantic  glen 
of  Glenniffer,  three  miles  south  of  Paisley.  It  appears  in  the  face  of 
a high  rock,  under  a superincumbent  mass  of  greenstone,  and  forms  a 
bed  about  ten  feet  thick,  dipping  towards  a centre,  where  several  mines 
meet,  forming  a subterranean  labyrinth.  (Ed.  Enc.  1825.  Stat. 
Acc.  vii.) — P. 

(l  The  coal  mines  of  Hurlet  afford  materials  for  a manufactory  of 
sulphate  of  iron,  and  the  most  extensive  alum  manufactory  in  Great 
Britain  is  carried  on  at  the  same  place.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  materials 
are  obtained  from  a stratum  of  shale,  placed  above  the  coal,  and  abound- 
ng  in  iron  pyrites,  which  having  been  exposed  to  the  atmosphere  for 
nove  than  200  years,  and  at  the  same  time  kept  dry,  the  natural  forma- 


Clyde,  and  nearly  seven  west  from  Glasgow.  Tbe  old 
town  stands  on  a rising  ground  on  tbe  western,  and  the 
new  in  a valley  on  the  eastern  bank  of  tbe  river,  and 
they  communicate  with  each  other  by  three  bridges. 
The  most  remarkable  of  its  public  buildings  is  an  ancient 
abbey,  part  of  which  has  been  converted  into  a parish 
church,  while  tbe  rest  is  in  ruins/  A monument,  how- 
ever, is  still  preserved  ;s  it  was  raised  in  honour  of 
Margery  Bruce,  the  daughter  of  king  Robert  Bruce,  and 
wife  of  Walter,  the  great  steward  of  Scotland,  from 
whom  the  Stuarts  descended. 

It  was  after  the  union  that  Paisley  began  to  flourish  as 
a manufacturing  town.  The  various  branches  of  the 
linen  manufacture  were  established  after  the  same  period  ; 
in  1760,  the  manufacture  of  silk  gauze  was  introduced, 
and  became  in  a few  years  so  successful  as  to  afford 
employment  to  nearly  5000  workmen.  But  the  cotton 
manufacture  or  the  one  by  which  the  others  have  been  in 
some  degree  superseded,  was  commenced  about  tbe  year 
1780.  In  1810,  the  cotton  yarn  which  was  sold,  amount- 
ed in  value  to  L.63,000,  and  the  capital  laid  out  in  the 
buildings  and  machinery  of  the  mills,  was  estimated  at 
L.630,000.  Seven  thousand  looms  were  then  employed 
in  tbe  weaving  of  muslins,  five  hundred  were  wrought  by 
steam,  and  they  produced  coarse  cottons  to  the  value  of 
L. 125,000  yearly.  These,  however,  are  not  the  only 
branches  of  industry,  that  are  carried  on  ; soap-making, 
tanneries,  distilleries,  breweries  and  founderies,  together 
with  numerous  bleach-fields  and  print-fields,  furnish 
employment  to  many  of  the  inhabitants.  Of  the  rapid 
rise  of  Paisley  some  notion  may  be  inferred  from  the 
fact  that  the  population  of  the  town  and  abbey-parish 
amounted  to  less  than  7000  in  1755,  and  to  more  than 
50,000  in  1831. 

Port-Glasgow  and  Greenock  are  situated  in  the  same 
county  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Clyde,  the  former  about 
twenty,  and  the  latter  about  twenty-three  miles  below 
Glasgow.  The  former  contains  between  ten  and  eleven 
thousand  inhabitants  ; it  is  built  around  a basin,  excavat- 
ed so  as  to  serve  as  a dock  for  the  vessels  which  are 
prevented  by  the  weight  of  their  cargoes  from  proceeding 
to  Glasgow,  ^t  reckons  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
vessels  measuring  nearly  20,000  tons.  Greenock  was 
only  ai  obscure  village  at  the  period  of  the  union,'1  and 

tion  of  alum  and  sulphate  of  iron  has  been  continued  by  the  decompo- 
sition cf  the  pyrites,  so  that  the  rock  has  become  impregnated  with 
these  substances,  which  are  extracted  from  it  by  lixiviation.  (Nichol- 
son’s Journal,  xvi.) — P. 

e Renfrew  is  the  county  town — situated  near  the  junction  of  the 
Clyde  and  Cart,  north  of  Paisley. — P. 

< The  nave  of  the  Abbey  Church  is  now  occupied  as  a place  of  wor- 
ship for  the  Abbey  Parish,  an  extensive  country  parish  in  the 
heart  of  which  the  town  (burgh)  of  Paisley  is  situated,  and  of  which 
the  New  Town  is  considered  a part.  The  west  end  of  the  church  is 
open,  and  forms  a fine  Gothic  ruin.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Originally  Paisley 
formed  but  one  parish,  dependent  on  the  Abbey.  In  1488,  the  town 
(now  Old  Town)  of  Paisley  was  erected  into  a burgh  of  barony  by 
James  IV.  and  formed  into  a separate  parish  inclosed  by  the  Abbey  or 
country  parish.  The  suburbs,  including  the  New  Town,  are  of  course 
within  the  limits  of  the  Abbey  Parish — the  Abbey  itself  being  situated 
in  the  new  town  on  the  east  of  the  Cart.  In  the  burgh,  in  1821.  there 
were  three  parishes,  viz.  the  High,  the  Middle,  and  the  Low  Church, 
besides  numerous  places  of  worship  for  dissenters.  Paisley  was  not 
represented  before  the  passage  of  the  Reform  Bill. — P. 

s In  a building  called  the  Abercorn  Chapel,  still  entire,  on  the  east 
side  of  the  cloisters,  and  south  of  the  church. — P. 

h Greenock  consisted  of  only  a few  fishermen's  huts  about  1G!)7 
The  directors  of  the  Sc.  tch  India  and  African  Company  having  then 
determined  to  establish  salt  works  on  the  shores  of  the  Firth,  Sir  John 
Shaw,  the  superior,  was  led  to  improve  its  maritime  advantages 


BOOK  CLYI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


585 


afterwards  in  1740,  the  gross  receipt  of  the  customs 
amounted  to  L.  15,000  ; in  1828,  they  were  equal  to 
L. 455, 596. a It  now  possesses  three  hundred  and  fifty 
vessels,  measuring  more  than  50,000  tons.  It  is  at 
Greenock  and  Port-Glasgow  that  the  foreign  and  coast- 
ing trade  of  the  county,  and  the  principal  foreign  trade 
of  Scotland,  are  carried  on.  They  have  an  extensive 
trade  with  America  and  the  West  Indies,  Ireland  and 
(lie  west  of  England,  and  by  the  means  of  the  Forth  and 
Clyde  canal,  with  every  part  of  Scotland.  The  herring 
and  whale  fisheries'* 1 11  were  once  more  important  than  at 
present,  but  the  former  is  still  flourishing,  and  the  mer- 
chants of  Greenock  are  extensively  engaged  in  the  New- 
foundland and  Nova  Scotia  fisheries.0 

The  maritime  county  of  Ayr  is  contiguous  to  Renfrew- 
shire on  the  north,  to  Lanark  and  Dumfries-shires  on  the 
east,  and  to  Gallowayd  on  the  south,  and  it  is  washed  in 
an  extent  of  nearly  seventy  miles  on  the  west  by  the 
Irish  Sea  and  the  Frith  of  Clyde.  It  is  important  as  an 
agricultural  county,  and  as  a manufacturing  one,  it  is 
only  inferior  to  Lanarkshire  and  Renfrewshire.  The 
area  is  not  less  than  1039  square  miles,  and  the  relative 
population  is  nearly  equal  to  one  hundred  and  forty  in- 
dividuals to  the  square  mile.  It  is  divided  into  the  three 
bailiwicks  of  Cunningham,  Kylee  and  Carrick.  The 
first  or  the  most  northern  is  separated  from  the  second 
or  central  division  by  the  river  Irvine  ; and  the  Doon, 
which  is  familiar  to  the  readers  of  Burns,  forms  the 
boundary  between  the  second  and  Carrick  or  the  south- 
ern district.  Cunningham  is  level  and  fruitful,  Kyle  is 
varied  by  heights,  and  the  greater  portion  of  Carrick  is 
hilly  or  mountainous.  Most  of  the  rivers  rise  in  the 
county,  and  fall  into  the  frith  or  the  sea,  which  washes 
it  on  the  west ; the  principal  are  the  Stinchar,  the  Gir- 
van,  the  Doon,  the  Irvine,  the  Garnock  and  the  Ayr, 
from  which  last,  valuable  whetstones  are  exported  to 
England  and  different  parts  of  Scotland.  But  Ayrshire 
possesses  other  advantages  besides  numerous  rivers,  an 
extensive  coast  and  several  commodious  harbours — it 
abounds  in  coal  and  lime  ; to  the  one  may  be  traced  the 
origin  and  rise  of  its  manufactures,  and  to  the  other  its 
general  improvements  and  increased  fertility.  The  old 


rotation  of  three  consecutive  crops  of  corn,  followed  by 
six  years  hay  and  pasture,  has  been  generally  abandon- 
ed, and, '■after  the  example  of  the  eastern  counties,  has 
given  place  to  an  alternation  of  white  and  green  crops. 
The  dairy,  however,  is  the  great  object  of  attention, 
the  cows  are  not  surpassed  by  any  in  Scotland,  and 
the  cheese  is  exported  to  most  parts  of  Britain.  An 
immense  number  of  horses  are  bred  in  the  same  county  ; 
indeed  it  has  been  called  the  patria r of  the  Lanarkshire 
or  Clydesdale  horse,  which,  for  purposes  of  draught, 
may  bear  a comparison  with  any  in  the  island.  It  must 
not  be  inferred  that  the  agricultural  improvements  are 
yet  complete  ; on  the  contrary,  most  of  the  lands  are 
not  sufficiently  manured,  and  imperfectly  drained,  defects 
which  must  be  partly  attributed  to  the  small  size  of  the 
farms,  affording  little  or  no  opportunity  for  the  employ- 
ment of  capital,  or  the  division  of  labour. 

The  products  of  industry  are  the  various  articles  of 
the  woollen  manufacture,  and  in  addition  to  the  extensive 
works  in  which  the  different  branches  are  carried  on, 
private  families  in  almost  every  parish  are  employed  in 
making  blankets  and  coarse  cloth,  which  are  sold  in  the 
markets  and  fairs  of  the  county.  Beith  has  long  been 
noted  for  its  thread  manufacture, e and  the  cotton  works 
at  Catrine  are  probably  the  most  extensive  of  any  in 
Scotland,  at  all  events,  it  is  not  many  years  since  they 
furnished  occupation  to  more  than  nine  hundred  persons, 
who  consumed  10,000  lbs.  of  cotton  wool,  and  made 
35,000  yards  of  cloth  every  week.1'  Pig  and  bar  iron 
are  wrought  on  a great  scale,  and  founderies  are  erected 
at  Muirkirk,  Glenbuck,  and  other  places.  The  other 
manufactures  are  leather,  saddlery,  earthen  ware,  kelp 
and  salt. 

The  seaport  town  of  Ayr,  the  capital  of  the  county, 
is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  river  whose  name  it  bears, 
and  at  no  great  distance  from  the  Doon,  of  which  the 
bar  is  impassable  to  ships.1  The  public  monuments  are 
not  remarkable,  and  some  of  them  date  from  the  time  of 
Cromwell,  who  built  a citadel  in  the  vicinity,  and  con- 
verted the  principal  church  into  an  armoury. k The  har- 
bour begins  below  a bridge  of  four  arches,1  built  between 
the  town  and  the  northern  suburbs. m Two  piers  of  stone 


e The  manufacture  of  linen  thread  was  introduced  into  the  town  of 
Beith  (on  the  east  of  Kilbirnie  Loch),  and  the  surrounding  country,  in 
1730,  and  in  1760,  it  is  said  to  have  amounted  in  value  to  L. 16, 000  an- 
nually. Since  then  it  has  greatly  declined.  (Stat.  Acc.  viii.  319.) — P. 

h The  cotton  works  at  Catrine  (on  the  north  side  of  the  river  Ayr, 
fourteen  miles  N.  E.  of  the  town  of  Ayr)  were  established  in  1787,  by 
Mr.  Alexander  of  Ballochmyle,  in  partnership  with  the  celebrated 
David  Dale,  founder  of  the  New  Lanark  cotton  works. — P. 

* The  construction  would  seem  to  imply  that  the  entrance  of  the 
Doon  is  impeded  by  a bar ; but  the  entrance  of  the  river  Ayr  is  im- 
peded by  a bar  occasionally  thrown  across  it,  especially  by  north-west 
winds.  The  bed  of  the  river  is  narrow,  and  the  depth  of  water,  at 
spring  tides,  not  above  twelve  feet;  so  that  vessels  exceeding  140  tons 
cannot  pass  the  bar.  (Ed.  Enc.  Stat.  Acc.  ii.) — P. 

k Cromwell  built  his  citadel  around  the  old  church  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist,  which  stood  near  the  sea,  and  also  near  the  site  of  the  old 
castle  built  by  William  the  Lion.  The  citadel  enclosed  twelve  acres 
of  ground,  including  the  church  and  the  site  of  the  castle.  He  con- 
verted the  church  into  an  armoury,  and  as  an  indemnity,  gave  1000 
English  merks  to  the  citizens  for  building  a new  one.  The  tower  of 
the  old  church  still  remains. — There  are  now  two  established  churches 
in  Ayr.  (Ed.  Enc.  1813.)— P. 

1 The  river  is  crossed  by  two  bridges,  the  Auld  and  New  Brigs  of 
Burns— the  former,  which  is  very  narrow,  with  several  low  arches,  is 
said  to  have  been  built  in  the  reign  of  Alexander  III.;  the  latter  is  a 
recent  structure,  situated  about  a hundred  yards  below  the  old  bridge 
(Chambers’  Piet.  Scot.  i.  295.) — P. 
m The  principal  suburb  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  forms  a sepa 


(Myers’  Geog.  i.  178.) — Before  the  Union  (1707),  the  merchants  of 
Greenock  had  some  trade  to  the  Baltic  for  timber,  in  exchange  for 
herrings,  and  to  France,  Spain  and  other  parts  of  Europe.  In  1714, 

I a custom-house  was  established  in  Greenock,  as  a member  of  Port- 
Gla  gow.  About  1745,  the  town  was  formed  into  a separate  parish, 
called  the  New  Parish  of  Greenock,  and  in  1757,  it  was  erected  into  a 
j burgh  of  barony,  by  Sir  John  Shaw.  (Stat.  Acc.  v.) — Greenock, 
like  Paisley,  was  not  represented  previous  to  the  Reform.  In  the 
town  of  Greenock,  in  1817,  there  were  two  parishes  (the  new  one 
erected  in  1809.)  The  suburbs  were  included  in  the  Old  or  country 
Parish.  Besides  these  (hree  established  churches,  there  was  a Gaelic 
| chapel,  and  six  other  places  of  worship.— P. 

a In  1728,  the  gross  receipt  of  the  customs  amounted  to  L. 15, 231  ; 
in  1828,  they  amounted  to  L. 455, 596.  (Bell’s  Geog.) — P. 

a The  Whale  Fishery  from  the  Clyde  has  been  by  no  means  suc- 
cessful. It  was  first  attempted  in  1752,  but  soon  given  up.  It  was 
again  revived  in  1786,  but  the  Greenock  merchants  soon  tired  of  it,  and 
it  was  confined  to  Port-Glasgow.  (Stat.  Acc.  x.580.  A.  D.  1793.) — P. 

c This  last  statement  is  made,  in  the  same  terms,  in  the  Statistical 
Account  (vol.  v.  580,)  from  which  it  is  copied  into  the  Gazetteer  of 
Scotland,  1803.— P. 

11  Wigtonshire  %-nd  the  stewartry  of  Kirkcudbright. — P. 
e Kyle  is  divided  by  the  river  Ayr  into  King's  Kyle  on  the  south, 
and  Kyle  Stewart  on  the  north.  Kyle  or  Coil  has  derived  its  name 
either  from  the  Gaelic  coill,  a wood,  or  from  Coilus,  a British  king 
(“auld  King  Coil,  ) who  is  said  to  have  been  killed  in  battle  on  the 
river  Coil(Coyl)  asouth  branch  of  the  Ayr.— P. 

1 Native  country. 

VOL.  lit NO.  6 i.  71  7 X 


586 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVI 


and  wood,  prolonged  to  the  distance  of  550  yards  on 
the  right  and  left  of  the  river,  serve  as  moorings  to  ves- 
sels which  take  in  cargoes  of  coal  from  wharfs  similar  to 
those  at  Sunderland  and  Tynemouth.  The  port  reckons 
about  sixty  vessels,  which  measure  5000  tons,  and  they 
are  mostly  employed  in  exporting  the  coal  that  abounds 
in  the  surrounding  country.  The  town  and  neighbour- 
hood have  been  rendered  classical  by  the  muse  of  Burns, 
and  the  ruins  of  Alloway  Kirk  excite  a deeper  interest 
than  that  resulting  merely  from  a romantic  situation.  A 
costly  monument,  erected  in  honour  of  the  poet,  rises 
near  the  humble  dwelling  in  which  he  was  born  ;a  the 
one  contrasts  well  with  the  other,  and  both  are  emblem- 
atic of  the  conduct  of  his  countrymen — they  suffered 
him  to  live  in  poverty,  they  raise  monuments  to  his 
memory. 

Kilmarnock,  the  most  flourishing  town  in  the  county, 
was  at  no  very  remote  period  an  obscure  village.b  It  is 
situated  on  the  Fenwick  near  its  junction  with  the  Ir- 
vine, about  fourteen  miles  to  the  north-east  of  Ayr.  It 
wras  formerly  one  of  the  worst  built  places  in  Scotland  ; 
it  is  now  distinguished  by  modern  houses  and  regular 
streets.  Independently  of  the  carpets,  blankets,  tartans, 
bonnets  and  woollen  manufactures,  of  which  it  is  the 
principal  seat  in  Ayrshire,  many  workmen  are  employed 
in  weaving  cotton,  muslin  and  silk  for  the  manufacturers 
of  Glasgow  and  Paisley.  Greater  extension  has  of  late 
been  afforded  to  its  trade  by  improved  communications, 
for  which  the  inhabitants  are  indebted  to  the  Duke  of 
Portland.  The  works  of  that  public  spirited  nobleman 
are  the  harbour  at  Troon,  a promontory  which  stretches 
about  a mile  into  the  Frith  of  Clyde,0  and  the  rail  road, 
which  extends  from  the  same  harbour  to  the  town  of 
Kilmarnock,  a distance  of  more  than  ten  miles.  The 
harbour  extends  more  than  two  hundred  yards  into  the 
sea,  and  it  is  proposed  to  prolong  it  to  three  hundred. 
The  depth  at  the  present  extremity  is  about  18  feet 
at  low  water.  A graving  dock  was  finished  about  five 
years  ago,  and  it  is  now  much  frequented  for  the  repair- 
ing of  coasting  vessels.  Another,  which  was  still  more 
lately  completed,  is  thirty-seven  feet  wide  at  the  gate, 
and  vessels  of  almost  any  burden  may  enter  it.  Exten- 
sive warehouses  are  erected,  and  a yard  is  open  for  the 
building  of  ships.  There  are  upwards  of  3000  acres 
of  coal  fields  in  the  country  along  which  the  railway 
passes  from  the  harbour  to  Kilmarnock.  Coal,  accord- 
ingly, has  hitherto  been  the  principal  article  of  convey- 
ance to  Troon,  and  the  average  quantity  exceeds  a hun- 
dred tons  daily.  Iron,  grain,  timber,  and  other  articles, 
are  transported  to  Kilmarnock. 

Another  instance  of  public  spirit  is  exhibited  in  the 
works,  which  have  been  begun  and  carried  on  at  Ardross- 

rate  burgh  (of  barony),  called  Newton  upon  Ayr.  Ayr  itself  is  a royal 
burgh. — P. 

* This  house  is  situated  about  a mile  and  a half  south-east  of  Ayr, 
on  the  right  hand  side  of  the  road  to  Maybole,  within  a few  hundred 
yards  of  Alloway  Kirk,  and  but  little  farther  from  the  Brig  of  Doon. 
The  monument,  a costly  edifice  of  white  stone,  in  the  form  of  a 
Grecian  temple,  rises  on  a height  between  the  kirk  and  the  bridge. 

b Kilmarnock  was  erected  into  a burgh  of  barony  in  1591.  It  was 
not  represented  before  the  Reform  Bill. — P. 

c It  is  about  midway  between' the  mouths  of  the  Ayr  and  Irvine.  Off 
it.  at  about  two  miles  distance,  is  a small  island,  called  Lady's  Isle, 
Within  which  is  a road  for  ships. — P. 

d Irvine  stands  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  Irvine  at  its  mouth. 
Saltcoats  is  on  the  coast,  about  five  miles  north-west  of  Irvine,  and 


an  by  the  Earl  of  Eglinton.  The  Frith  of  Clyde  is  in 
many  respects  ill  adapted  for  the  purposes  of  navigation; 
the  channel  is  narrow — it  is  exposed  to  squalls,  and 
rendered  dangerous  by  shallows.  Besides,  it  can  only 
be  navigated  when  the  wind  blows  from  certain  direc- 
tions, and  that  appears  almost  a sufficient  reason  for 
having  the  harbour  of  Glasgow  in  the  open  bay  of  Ard- 
rossan,  where,  whatever  be  the  direction  of  the  wind, 
mariners  can  put  to  sea,  which  they  cannot  do  either  at 
Greenock  or  Port-Glasgow.  As  Ardrossan  thus  offered 
the  site  of  a safe,  commodious  and  accessible  harbour, 
the  works  were  commenced  with  much  spirit,  and  a 
circular  pier  of  900  yards  was  completed  in  1811.  A 
wet  dock  was  afterwards  begun,  which  according  to  the 
plan  of  Mr.  Telford,  should  contain  a hundred  vessels, 
and  have  a depth  of  water  equal  to  sixteen  feet.  But 
the  works  have  been  given  up,  and  they  are  not  likely 
to  be  finished  without  public  aid.  The  harbour  was 
only  part  of  the  original  plan  ; it  was  proposed,  instead 
of  the  present  circuitous  passage  by  the  Frith  of  Clyde, 
to  open  a direct  communication  with  Glasgow,  Paisley 
and  the  other  flourishing  towns  in  the  vicinity.  The 
line  of  a canal  was  therefore  marked  from  Glasgow  to 
Ardrossan,  a distance  of  thirty-one  and  a half  miles, 
and  the  expense  of  cutting  it  was  estimated  at  L. 125,000. 
About  a third  part  of  this  work,  namely,  that  which 
extends  from  Glasgow  to  Johnstone,  is  finished,  and 
it  cost  nearly  L. 90,000.  The  other  ports  in  the 

county  are  those  of  Saltcoats  and  Irvine, d and  their 
principal  trade  consists  in  the  export  of  coal  to  Ire- 
land. 

Returning  to  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal,  we  enter 
Stirlingshire,  which  is  situated  on  the  isthmus  between 
these  two  friths. e It  is  contiguous  to  the  counties  of 

Perth  and  Clackmannan  on  the  north,  to  Linlithgow- 
shire on  the  east,  to  Lanarkshire  on  the  south,  and  to 
Dumbartonshire  on  the  south-west  and  west.  The  pop- 
ulation amounts  by  the  last  returns  to  72,621  individuals, 
and  the  surface  has  been  estimated  at  625  square  miles. 
Nearly  two-thirds  of  the  surface  consist  of  hills,  and  are 
unfit  for  cultivation  ; they  afford,  however,  good  pastur- 
age to  sheep,  for  although  heath  appears  occasionally, 
they  are  mostly  covered  with  green  herbage.  The 
Lennox  hills,  the  principal  tract  of  this  description,  ex- 
tend across  the  county  from  Dumbartonshire  on  the  west 
to  the  town  of  Stirling  on  the  north,  and  their  elevation 
is  not  higher  than  1,500  feet/  Loftier  summits  are 
situated  in  other  directions  ; Ben-Lomond  on  the  north- 
west, on  the  banks  of  Loch  Lomond,  is  3262, e and 
Bencloch  in  the  parish  of  Alva  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Forth  is  2400  feet.1* *  The  country  is  low  on  the  north 
and  on  the  east  of  the  Lennox  hills,  and  much  of  the 

one  and  a half  south  of  Ardrossan  Point.  It  has  a good  artificial  har- 
bour.— P. 

* The  Firths  of  Forth  and  Clyde. 

f Seldom  exceed  an  elevation  of  1500  feet  above  the  sea.  The 
height  of  the  Campsie  hills  is  about  1500,  and  that  of  the  Kilsyth  hills 
1306.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  trap  range  extending  from  the  Clyde  at  Dum- 
barton, in  a north-east  direction  to  the  Forth  at  Stirling,  where  it  meets 
the  Ochils,  is  called  by  the  general  name  of  the  Lennox  Hills.  Dif- 
ferent portions  of  the  range  receive  different  local  names,  viz.  from 
east  to  west,  the  rock  of  Stirling,  the  Gargunnock  and  Kilsyth  hills, 
the  Campsie  Fells  (hills),  the  Kilpatrick  hills,  and  the  rock  of  Dum- 
barton.— P. 

* 3170  feet.  (Bell.)— P. 

h 2420  feet.  (Bell.) — Bencloch  or  Bencleugh  (Gaelic,  Bcinn-CInich, 


BOOK  CLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


587 


land  near  the  Forth  is  only  a few  feet  higher  than  the 
surface  of  the  water. 

Almost  every  variety  of  soil,  common  to  Scotland, 
may  be  found  in  Stirlingshire,  but  that  by  which  it  is 
most  distinguished,  is  the  alluvial  or  carse  land  on  the 
Forth.  It  covers  an  extent  of  about  40,000  acres  with- 
in the  county,  and  twice  as  many  in  the  adjoining  coun- 
ties of  Perth,  Clackmannan  and  Linlithgow,  in  all  about 
200  square  miles.  It  is  without  doubt  the  most  fruitful 
land  in  the  kingdom  ; it  is  unmixed  with  stones,  it  con- 
sists of  the  finest  particles  of  earth,  and  in  point  of  fria- 
bility it  approaches  to  loam.  It.  is  in  some  places  thirty 
feet  deep,  and  nowhere  so  much  above  the  level  of  the 
sea  at  high  water.  Lastly,  the  debris  of  plants  and  ani- 
mals have  been  found  at  the  depth  of  nineteen  feet, 
while  the  upper  surface  consists  entirely  of  fine  earth. 

The  same  county  is  well  supplied  with  valuable  min- 
erals, and  the  abundance  of  coal  in  particular,  has  given 
rise  to  different  manufactures.  The  northern  boundary 
of  the  great  coal  belt,  which  extends  in  an  oblique  direc- 
tion from  Cantyre  on  the  west,  to  Fifeshire  on  the  east, 
runs  in  Stirlingshire  along  the  southern  base  of  the  Len- 
nox hills ; the  mineral  abounds,  as  has  been  already 
seen,  on  the  south,  although  it  has  not  yet  been  discov- 
ered in  any  quantity  on  the  north  of  this  line.  Lime- 
stone, ironstone  and  sandstone  are  common  in  different 
places,  and  other  substances,  such  as  copper,  lead  and 
silver,  have  occasionally  been  wrought. 

Stirlingshire  was  at  an  early  period  exposed  to  fre- 
quent contests,  and  to  defend  it  against  the  incursions 
of  the  Caledonians,  who  descended  like  torrents  from  its 
mountains,  a chain  of  forts  was  built  by  Agricola. a At 
a later  period  it  was  the  boundary  of  four  kingdoms, 
namely,  the  Cumbrian  and  Northumbrian  on  the  south, 
and  the  Scottish  and  Pictish  on  the  north, b and  became  in 
consequence  the  battle-field  of  these  warlike  barbarians. 

Stirling,  the  capital,  was  formerly  called  Striveling, 
the  place  of  contention  or  fight,  and  from  its  ancient 
castle,  it  is  said,  may  be  seen  twelve  spots  in  which  as 
many  battles  were  fought.  It  is  certain  that  the  castle 
itself  was  long  one  of  the  most  important  fortresses  in 
the  kingdom,  and  as  such,  its  possession  was  contested 
from  the  time  of  the  Danish  invasion  in  the  year  1009c 
until  it  was  taken  by  General  Monk  in  1651.  Situated 


peak  of  the  stone  or  rock)  is  the  highest  of  the  Ochils,  and  near  their 
western  extremity  ; it  is  situated  at  the  point  where  the  three  counties 
of  Clackmannan,  Perth  and  Stirling  meet,  partly  in  each.  Alva  hill, 
or  Wood  hill,  farther  west  in  the  same  range,  is  1620  feet  high. — P. 

1 The  chain  of  forts  (pratentara,)  built  by  Agricola,  occupied  nearly 
the  same  line  as  the  wall  of  Antoninus,  and  of  course  extended  along 
the  southern  border  of  the  county.  It  could  not  therefore  have  been 
a direct  defence  to  it  against  the  Caledonians. — P. 

b The  Cumbrian  ( Cumraig , or  Cymraig)  kingdom  of  Strath-Clyde 
continued  till  the  10th  century.  It  extended  over  all  the  west  of 
Scotland,  south  of  the  Frith  of  Clyde.  Its  inhabitants  are  said  to  have 
been  of  kindred  origin  with  the  Welsh,  i.  e.  Cimbri,  or  Cymry.  (Pink- 
erton.) The  Anglo-Saxon  kingdom  of  Bernicia  or  Northumberland 
extended  over  the  eastern  part  of  Scotland,  south  of  the  Forth,  in- 
cluding the  Lothians.  The  Pictish  kingdom  occupied  the  east  of 
Scotland,  north  of  the  Forth.  Abernethy,  on  the  Tay,  in  Perthshire, 
was  its  capital.  The  Piets  are  considered  by  G.  Chalmers  as  descend- 
ants of  the  original  Celtic  population  of  Scotland  (the  Caledonii  of  the 
Romans)  ; by  Pinkerton,  as  descendants  indeed  of  the  Caledonians, 
but  originally  a Gothic  colony  from  Norway.  The  Scottish  kingdom 
was  founded  in  the  6th  century  by  the  Dalriads  (Gaelic,  Dalruaidhini,) 
an  Irish  colony,  who  settled  in  Argyle,  and  became  the  ancestors  of 
the  Highlanders.  They  occupied  the  north-west  of  Scotland. — P. 
c Stirling  Castle  was  rebuilt  by  the  Northumbrians,  who  had  taken 


at  the  western  extremity  of  the  rock  on  which  the  town 
is  built,  it  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  beautiful 
country  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  Scottish  kings  used 
frequently  to  hold  their  court  in  Stirling  castle  ; there 
James  the  Second  was  born,  and  there  he  murder- 
ed with  his  own  hand  his  kinsman,  the  earl  of  Doug- 
las. The  palaced  is  now  converted  into  a house  for 
the  governor,  and  barracks  for  the  soldiers,  but  the 
apartments  occupied  by  the  celebrated  Buchanan,  while 
tutor  to  James  the  Sixth,  are  still  shown  to  strangers. 
The  Forth,  which  waters  the  valley  below  it,  pursues  a 
very  meandering  course,  so  much  so  that  following  it  to 
Alloa,  the  distance  is  more  than  twenty  miles,  while  in  a 
direct  line  it  is  less  than  seven.®  These  windings  are 
called  by  the  common  people  the  links  of  the  Forth. f 
The  town  itself  is  ancient  and  irregularly  built  ; all  the 
old  streets,  except  the  one  on  the  summit  of  the  hill, 
which  is  broad  and  spacious,  are  crooked  and  narrow. 
Considerable  additions  have  been  made,  however,  within 
the  last  thirty  years,  and  modern  houses  and  regular 
streets  have  been  erected  on  the  north  and  on  the  east 
of  the  town.  Although  not  remarkable  for  its  manufac- 
tures or  any  branch  of  industry ,e  it  is  not  without  some 
inland  and  foreign  trade,  the  latter  chiefly  to  the  Baltic. 
Vessels  of  seventy  tons  ascend  to  the  quay,  after  a cir- 
cuitous and  tedious  navigation  from  Alloa. 

The  village  of  Bannockburn  is  situated  about  two 
miles  to  the  east  of  Stirling,  and  is  still  memorable  on 
account  of  the  battle  in  which  the  Scots,  under  the  con- 
duct of  Bruce,  defeated  the  English,  and  regained  inde- 
pendence.11 The  marsh  into  which  the  English  soldiers 
incautiously  rushed,  still  remains,  and  the  stream  that 
was  stained  with  their  blood,  has  since  been  made  sub- 
servient to  the  purposes  of  industry.  It  is  long  since  the 
inhabitants  have  been  disturbed  by  the  march  of  hostile 
armies,  and  the  village  is  now  flourishing;  although  still 
a place  of  very  moderate  population,  it  possesses  exten- 
sive manufactories  of  carpets,  tartans  and  leather. 

Continuing  our  journey  eastwards,  we  arrive  at  the  town 
of  Falkirk,  which  may  be  mentioned  on  account  of  its 
three  annual  trysts  or  fairs,  the  most  important  of  any  in 
Scotland  for  the  sale  of  oxen  and  sheep.  The  neigh- 
bouring port  of  Grangemouth  has  become  flourishing  from 
its  position  on  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal but  the  vil- 


possession  of  that  part  of  Scotland,  in  the  9th  century.  In  the  10th 
century,  it  was  retaken  by  the  Scots,  and,  during  the  banish  invasion 
in  1009,  it  was  the  place  of  rendezvous  of  the  Scottish  army.  (Gaz. 
Scot.) — The  Danes  made  three  successive  invasions  of  Scotland  in  the 
reign  of  Malcolm  II.  (A.  D.  1003 — 33)  viz.  in  Moray,  Angus  and 
Buchan. — P. 

d The  palace  is  a large  building,  in  the  form  of  a quadrangle,  in  the 
south-eastern  part  of  the  castle. — P. 

e The  distance,  by  the  windings  of  the  Forth,  from  the  quay  of 
Alloa  to  the  bridge  of  Stirling,  is  19J  miles,  whereas  the  distance  by 
land  does  not  exceed  seven  miles, ‘though  the  turnings  in  the  road  are 
numerous.  (Stat.  Acc.  viii.  593.) — P. 

f The  Scottish  word  links  signifies,  1.  the  windings  of  a river,  form- 
ing peninsulas  : “ the  bonny  links  o’  Forth  2.  the  rich  carse  land  in 
those  peninsulas  : Forth’s  links  o’  waving  corn”  (Macneill  ;)  3.  sandy 

flat  ground  on  the  sea  shore,  covered  with  bents,  furze,  &c.,  and  used 
in  playing  golf:  the  links  of  Leith,  of  Montrose,  &c. ; 4.  any  tract  of 
sandy  ground,  not  on  the  sea-coast,  of  a similar  character,  as  Brunts- 
field  Links,  part  of  the  old  Borough-muir  of  Edinburgh. — P. 

e Cotton  and  woollen  goods,  but  particularly  sarpets,  are  among  its 
chief  manufactures.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
b July  24,  1314. 

‘ It  is  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  canal  with  the  Forth,  and  is 
thus  an  important  port.  It  was  built  in  1777. — P. 


588 


EUROPE 


IBOOK  CL. VI. 


lage  of  Carron  must  be  considered  the  most  remarkable 
place  in  the  vicinity,  for  its  iron  works  are  among  the 
most  extensive  of  any  in  Britain.  They  were  erected 
about  the  year  1760  ; twenty  furnaces  are  now  employed, 
more  than  two  hundred  tons  of  coal  are  consumed  week- 
ly, and  employment  is  provided  for  upwards  of  2000 
persons.*  Various  articles  used  in  the  arts  and  in  war 
are  manufactured  at  Carron  ; among  the  former  are 
cylinders,  steam  engines,  pumps,  boilers,  flies,  wheels 
and  pinions  ; among  the  latter  are  different  articles  of 
ordnance,  and  the  carronade,  a short  ship  gun  with  a 
chamber,  which  derives  its  name  from  that  of  the  place. 
The  transportation  of  these  ponderous  articles  to  different 
parts  of  Britain,  and  to  foreign  countries,  is  facilitated  by 
means  of  the  Forth  and  a navigable  canal. b 

The  Forth  separates  Stirlingshire  from  Clackmannan- 
shire ; the  latter  is  bounded  on  the  south-east  by  Fife- 
shire,  and  in  every  other  direction  by  Perthshire.0  Al- 
though the  smallest  county  in  Scotland,  it  is  more  im- 
portant than  might  be  inferred  from  the  extent  of  its 
surface  ; thus,  the  area  does  not  exceed  fifty-two  square 
miles,  but  the  population  is  not  much  less  than  three 
hundred  persons  to  every  square  mile.d  Nearly  three- 
fourths  of  the  surface  are  under  cultivation,  a greater 
proportion,  with  the  exception  of  East  Lothian,  than 
that  of  any  other  Scottish  county.  It  is  besides  rich  in 
minerals;  silver,  copper,  lead,  iron-ore,  cobalt  and  anti- 
mony have  all  been  discovered  on  the  Ochil  hills,  be- 
tween Airthrie  and  Dollar.e  They  have  never  been 
worked  on  an  extensive  scale,  and  the  miners  have 
never  penetrated  below  the  level  of  the  plain  or  the  base 
of  these  mountains;  but  it  is  still  believed  that  valuable 
metallic  veins  are  contained  in  them,  and  that  they  may  re- 
ward the  enterprise  of  future  capitalists.  A mass  of 
greenstone,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Stirling,  is  known  by 
the  name  of  the  Abbey-Craigs  ;f  its  external  appearance 
is  columnar,  and  the  internal  structure  is  crystallized. 
It  affords,  in  the  grinding  of  wheat  into  flour,  a useful 
substitute  for  the  French  buhr-stones,  which  could  not 
be  obtained  in  Britain  during  the  last  war.  It  is  not 
many  years  since  the  stone  of  the  Abbey  Craig  was  first 
applied  to  that  purpose,  and  the  discovery  was  made  by 
Mr.  James  Brownhill,  a miller  at  Alloa.  The  Clack- 
mannanshire millstones  are  now  considered  superior,  in 
some  respects,  to  the  French  ; many  hundreds  of  them 
are  used  in  different  parts  of  England  and  Scotland,  and 
the  ingenious  individual  already  mentioned,  was  rewarded 


a There  are  five  blast  furnaces,  which  produce  nearly  200  tons  of 
pig  iron  weekly,  and  above  20  air  furnaces  and  cupolas  for  castings. 
No  less  than  200  tons  of  coal  are  consumed  daily.  Upwards  of  2000 
people  are  employed  at  the  works.  (Ed.  Enc.  1813.) — P. 

b A canal  leads  directly  from  the  works  to  the  Carron  Wharf,  on 
the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal. — P. 

c The  county  is  properly  bounded  on  the  south-west  by  the  Firth  of 
Forth,  separating  it  from  Stirlingshire  ; on  the  north  by  Perthshire  ; 
on  the  east,  for  a short  distance,  by  Fifeshire  ; and  on  the  south-east 
by  a detached  portion  of  Perthshire,  including  Culross.  On  the  north- 
west, it  is  interlocked  with  detached  portions  of  Stirlingshire. — P. 

ll  About  283. — P. 

e The  trap  range  of  the  Ochils  is  a continuation  of  that  of  the  Len- 
nox Hills,  which  terminate  at  Stirling.  It  commences  in  the  Abbey 
Craig,  in  the  parish  of  Logie,  on  the  north  of  tile  Forth,  opposite  Stir- 
ling, and  thence  extends  easterly  along  the  northern  border  of  the 
parishes  of  Alva,  Tillicoultry  and  Dollar.  It  thus  skirts  the  county  of 
Clackmannan  on  the  north,  and  along  its  southern  foot  ranges  the  val- 
ley of  the  l)ovan  (Devon.)  The  rest  of  the  county  on  the  south-east,  of 
which  the  surface  is  uneven,  belongs  to  the  coal  formation.— P. 

1 The  Abbey  Craig  (in  Logie  parish,  separated  by  the  Forth  from 


for  his  discovery  by  the  Society  for  the  Encouragement 
of  the  Arts.  Coal  has  been  worked  during  two  hundred 
years,  and  the  quantity  obtained  annually  from  this 
small  county,  amounts  to  more  than  130,000  tons.s 
The  excess  above  what  is  required  for  the  home  con- 
sumption, is  exported  to  Leith,  Dunbar  and  other  parts 
of  the  country.  Machinery  for  drawing  water  from  the 
mines,  was  constructed  before  the  invention  of  the  steam- 
engine,  and  the  Alloa  colliery  is  drained  by  an  overshot 
water  wheel,  which  is  thirty  feet  in  diameter,  and  which 
raises  the  water  from  the  depth  of  three  hundred.  And 
it  may  be  remarked,  that  a powerful  steam-engine,  be- 
longing to  the  Devon  coal  company,11  is  capable  of  raising 
1,000,000  gallons  of  water  in  twenty-four  hours,  from 
the  depth  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  feet. 

The  small  town  of  Clackmannan,  the  capital  of  the 
county,  is  finely  situated  on  an  eminence  above  the 
banks  of  the  Forth,  and  is  crowned  by  an  ancient  tower 
or  keep,  all  that  remains  of  the  palace  of  King  Robert 
Bruce.1  The  port  of  Alloa  is  well  situated  for  commerce  ; 
the  quay  is  well  built,  and  the  dry  dock  can  admit  vessels 
of  large  burden.  The  custom-house  comprehends  within 
its  precincts,  the  creeks  of  Stirling,  Kincardine,  and 
Clackmannan.  A hundred  and  thirty  vessels  are  regis- 
tered, carrying  nearly  10,000  tons.  There  are  cleared 
outwards,  on  an  average,  from  900  to  1000  vessels,  car- 
rying 50,000  tons,  and  employing  2500  seamen.  The 
distillation  of  spirits,  it  may  be  added,  is  the  most  im- 
portant branch  of  industry  ; there  are  not  fewer  than  six 
large  distilleries  in  this  small  district,  and  two  of  them 
paid  some  time  ago  to  government,  in  the  form  of  excise 
duty,  a greater  sum  than  the  whole  land-tax  of  Scotland.11 

If  Clackmannanshire  be  excepted,  no  other  county  is 
so  small  as  Kinross-shire,  which  is  bounded  on  the  north- 
east, east  and  south  by  the  county  of  Fife,  and  on  the  north 
and  west  by  Perthshire.  The  greatest  length  from  east 
to  west  is  about  twelve  miles,  the  utmost  breadth  from 
north  to  south  is  not  more  than  ten,  and  the  area  is 
probably  equal  to  eighty-three  square  miles.  The  num- 
ber of  persons  amounts  to  a hundred  and  ten  to  the 
square  mile  ; it  is  therefore  much  inferior  to  the  last 
county  in  point  of  population. 

It  is  the  highest  level  land  in  the  peninsula  formed  by 
the  Forth  and  the  Tay  ; it  was  formerly  called  Ross  or 
the  promontory,  and  it  comprehended  in  addition  to  the 
present  county  those  of  Fife  and  Clackmannan.1  The 
productive  lands  cover  an  extent  of  30,000  acres,  or 


the  rock  of  Stirling,  with  which  it  corresponds) — so  called  from  its 
vicinity  to  the  ruined  abbey  of  Cambuskenneth. — P. 

e The  present  annual  output  of  coals  may  be  taken  at  130,000  tons. 
(Ed.  Enc.  1815.) — P. 

h At  the  Sauchy  mine,  in  Clackmannan  parish.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

‘ The  old  tower  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  King  Robert  Bruce, 
and  was  long  the  seat  of  the  chief  of  the  Bruces,  the  hereditary  sheriff 
of  the  county.  (Stat.  Acc.  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k There  are  no  less  than  six  large  distilleries  in  this  small  district 
[the  county  of  Clackmannan]  ; Kilbagie,  in  the  parish  of  Clackman- 
nan, is  the  most  extensive.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  two  great  distilleries  of 
Kilbagie  and  Kennetpans,  in  Clackmannan  parish,  paid  to  govern- 
ment an  excise  duty  considerably  greater  than  the  whole  land  tax  of 
Scotland,  previous  to  1788,  when  the  license  duty  was  doubled,  and 
an  increased  duty  levied  on  all  Scotch  spirits  imported  into  Eng- 
land. From  that  time,  the  business  declined,  but  in  1795  the  duty 
paid  by  those  two  distilleries  was  L.8000  yearly.  (Stat.  Acc.  xiv.  C23— 
6.) — P. 

1 This  is  erroneous.  The  subject  is  stated  more  correctly  in  the 
Edin.  Encyc.  “ The  county  of  Fife  at  a former  period  included  the 
county  of  Kinross,  and  part  of  Clackmannan.  The  whole  district  was 


I 

I 

I 


BOOK  CL, VI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


589 


about  three-fifths  of  the  whole  ; the  remaining  portion 
consists  either  of  a light  and  scanty  soil,  or  of  moorish 
and  barren  land.  Coal  is  worked  in  the  southern  dis- 
tricts, and  the  prevailing  rocks  are  whinstone,a  sandstone 
and  limestone.  Several  lakes  are  scattered  in  different 
directions,  and  Loch  Leven,  the  largest,  may  bear  a 
comparison  with  any  other  in  the  lowlands  of  Scotland. 
It  is  situated  in  the  middle  and  near  the  capital  of  the 
county  ; it  covers  an  extent  of  about  six  square  miles, 
is  adorned  with  several  islands,  and  abounds  with  differ- 
ent kinds  of  fish.  The  largest  of  the  islands  is  upwards 
of  two  acres, b and  it  is  crowned  by  the  ruins  of  the  castle 
in  which  the  unfortunate  queen  Mary  was  confined. 
The  lake  is  fed  by  several  rivulets,  but  only  one  stream  of 
any  size  issues  from  it  at  the  eastern  extremity,  passes 
through  a considerable  part  of  Fife,  and  enters  the  sea 
at  the  town  of  Leven. c 

Kinross  rises  in  a plain  at  the  west  end  of  the  lake,  on 
the  great  road  from  Edinburgh  to  Perth  ; it  is  styled  the 
capital,  and  the  only  town  in  the  county  ;d  in  reality, 
however,  it  is  little  better  than  a village.  A few  weavers 
are  employed  by  the  manufacturers  of  Glasgow,  but  no 
branch  of  industry  is  conducted  on  a great  scale. e 

The  county  of  Fife  is  contiguous  to  the  last,  and  to 
Perthshire  and  Clackmannanshire,  on  the  west ; the  river 
Tay  forms  the  boundary  on  the  north  ; it  is  bathed  by 
the  German  Ocean  on  the  east,  and  by  the  Frith  of 
Forth  on  the  south/  The  mean  length  of  the  county 
from  east  to  west  is  about  thirty -six,  and  the  mean 
breadth  from  north  to  south  about  fourteen  miles, s so 
that  the  surface  is  equal  to  five  hundred  and  four  square 
miles.  The  relative  population  is  upwards  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-five  persons  to  the  square  mile. 

It  is  varied  in  every  direction  by  hill  and  dale,  but 
the  surface  in  general  is  by  no  means  lofty,  and  it  has 
been  calculated  that  about  four-fifths  of  it  are  fit  for  cul- 
tivation ; the  remaining  portion  consists  of  hills  and 
moors.  It  is  divided  into  two  portions  by  a high  tract, 
of  which  the  western  part  is  formed  by  the  Lomond  hills, 
and  which  stretching  almost  in  a direct  line  eastwards 
approaches  within  a few  miles  of  the  shore.  West  Lo- 


known by  the  name  of  Ross,  or  the  peninsula,  and  hence  Culross  [in 
the  detached  portion  of  Perthshire  on  the  Forth]  signified  the  lower 
[hack]  part  of  the  peninsula  [Gaelic,  cal,  backside,]  Kinross  the  head 
of  the  peninsula  [Gaelic,  ccann,  head,]  and  Muckross,  now  Fifeness, 
the  snout  of  the  peninsula,  or  the  latter  may  have  been  so  called  from 
the  number  of  wild  boars  [Gaelic,  muc,  a boar]  that  infested  it.” 
(Art.  Fifeshire.) — Kinross-shire  was  not  separated  from  Fifeshire  until 

1426.  (Ed.  Enc.) The  whole  peninsula  between  the  Forth  and  the 

Tay  formerly  went  under  the  general  name  of  Ross.  (Stat.  Acc.) — 
This  Gaelic  name,  Ross,  is  frequently  applied  to  peninsulas  in  Scot- 
land. Thus,  the  county  of  Ross,  so  called  from  the  two  peninsulas  on 
its  eastern  coast,  on  the  north  and  south  of  the  Firth  of  Cromarty; 
Montrose,  the  fenny  peninsula  (Gaelic,  Moinross,  from  moin,  a fen  or 
morass,  and  toss')  \ Roseneath,  a peninsula  on  the  Clyde  in  Dumbar- 
tonshire— Gaelic,  Rossnachoich  ( Ross-na-h-oighe ,)  peninsula  of  the  vir- 
gin ( oigh .) — P. 

Greenstone  or  trap. — This  forms  the  summit  rock  on  the  hills, 
both  of  the  Ochils  on  the  north,  and  of  those  of  the  coal  formation  on 
the  south.  Sandstone  is  the  underlying  rock  of  the  whole  county. 
The  limestone  accompanies  the  coal. — P. 

11  The  largest  island  (St.  Serf  's  Isle,  or  the  Inch)  is  generally  said  to 
contain  48  acres  (28.44  acres.  Ed.  Enc.)  Castle  Island  contains  about 
two  acres. — P. 

c It  would  be  singular  if  more  than  one  stream  of  any  size  issued 
from  it.  Its  outlet  is  the  river  Leven. — P. 

d Kinross  is  the  county  town,  and  the  seat  of  the  sheritf  courts  and 
other  public  meetings. — P. 

e Population  in  1811,  2214.  It  was  formerly  celebrated  for  its  man- 
ufacture of  cutlery,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century  was  ex- 


mond,  the  highest  of  these  hills,  is  seventeen  hundred 
and  twenty-one  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea  ; Largo 
Law  on  the  east  is  nine  hundred  and  fifty-two,  anti  Kelly 
Law  is  eight  hundred  and  ten.  The  same  county  is 
naturally  divided  into  three  parts  by  the  Eden  and  the 
Leven ; the  northern  extends  between  the  former  of 
these  rivers  and  the  Tay,  the  central  lies  between  the 
Eden  and  the  Leven,  and  the  southern  between  the 
Leven  and  the  Frith  of  Forth.  In  the  southern  part 
the  soil  is  very  fruitful,  and  consists  of  a deep  rich  loam 
which  covers  a tract  about  three  miles  in  breadth.  In 
the  central  division  a cold  and  sterile  clay,  resting  mostly 
on  sandstone,  stretches  to  the  heights  on  the  south  of 
the  Eden.  But  along  both  the  banks  of  the  same  river 
is  situated  the  How  of  Fife,  or  the  rich  valley  of 
Stratheden.  A continuation  of  the  Ochils  separates  this 
valley  from  the  Tay,  but  the  soil  is  in  many  places  fertile, 
and  often  deeper  on  the  acclivities  than  at  their  base. 
It  thus  appears  that  the  most  fruitful  lands  are  situated 
on  the  confines,  while  the  bleak  or  barren  parts,  the 
moors  and  mosses,  are  chiefly  confined  to  the  central 
districts.  It  was  formerly  said  by  James  the  Sixth,  that 
Fife  resembled  a gray  cloth  mantle  with  a golden  fringe, 
and  the  simile  is  not  inapplicable  to  it  at  the  present  day.h 

The  southern  division  of  Fifeshire  from  the  Forth 
almost  to  the  Eden,  abounds  in  coal,  and  every  kind 
common  to  Scotland  is  found  in  that  part  of  the  country. 
The  strata  incline  to  the  east  and  south-east,  and  do  not 
extend  more  than  two  or  three  miles  from  the  shore.* 1 
Thus,  coal  occurs  in  this  district  and  along  the  coast  line 
from  west  to  east  in  the  parishes  of  Torryburn,  Abbots- 
hall,  Kirkaldy,  Dysart,  Wemyss,  Scoonie,  Largo  and 
Pittenweem.  The  works  in  Dysart  are  very  extensive, 
and  one  of  the  beds,  eighteen  feet  thick,  is  said  to  have 
been  worked  more  than  three  hundred  years  ago.k  On 
the  north  of  this  tract,  the  coal  and  the  slrata  that  ac- 
company it,  incline  commonly  to  the  north  or  north- 
east, and  the  largest  collieries  are  situated  in  the  parishes 
of  Dunfermline,  Dalgety,  Auchterderran  and  Leslie. 
Lastly,  from  the  vale  of  Eden  northwards  to  the  Tay, 
there  is  no  appearance  of  coal  or  the  concomitant 


tensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  coarse  linens,  called  Silesias  ; 
the  quantity  stamped  averaging  annually,  from  1780  to  1790  inclusive, 
118,434  yards,  at  the  value  of  L.4441.  (Stat.  Acc.  vi.  1G9.) — P. 

f Following  the  western  boundary  from  the  Tay  on  the  north,  Fife- 
shire is  first  bounded  in  that  direction  by  Perthshire  (W.)  ; then  by 
Kinross-shire  (S.  W.,  W.,  N.  W.  and  N.)  ; then  by  Fos-away  parish, 
in  Perthshire  (N.);  then  for  a short  distance  by  Clackmannanshire 
(W.  and  S.  W.)  ; and  lastly,  by  Culross,  in  the  detached  portion  of 
Perthshire  (W.)  The  Firth  of  Forth  is  generally  considered  as  ex- 
tending along  its  south  and  south-eastern  coast  to  Fifeness,  whence 
the  coast  extends  north-west  by  St.  Andrews  to  the  mouth  of  the  Eden, 
and  then  north  to  the  mouth  of  the  Tay. — P. 

s Its  greatest  breadth  is  about  19  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  its 
greatest  length  about  48  miles,  from  Fifeness  on  the  east,  to  the  bor- 
ders of  Clackmannanshire  on  the  west.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

h This  remark  was  made  in  allusion  to  the  close  line  of  boroughs 
along  the  southern  coast,  compared  with  the  moors  in  the  interior  of 
the  county. — P. 

1 This  must  refer  to  the  strata  on  the  coast,  particularly  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Dysart. — P. 

k There  are  14  beds  of  coal  on  the  Sinclair  estate,  in  Dysart  parish. 
Three  of  the  thickest,  which  are  contiguous,  are  now  working.  The 
upper  is  5 feet  thick,  separated  from  the  second,  by  a stratum  of  18 
inches  thick  (thin  coal  and  till  or  slate)  ; the  second,  8 feet  thick,  and 
underneath  it,  a stratum  of  stone  2 feet  3 inches  thick  ; the  lower,  5 feet 
thick;  so  that  the  whole  thickness  of  workable  coal  is  18  feet.  The 
coal  is  now  worked  at  the  depth  of  60  fathoms.  Dysart  coal  was 
among  the  first  wrought  in  Scotland,  having  been  begun  300  years 
ago.  (Stat.  Acc.  xii.  A.  D.  1794.) — P. 


590 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLYI. 


minerals.  Limestone  abounds  in  the  same  part  of  Fife- 
shire  that  is  so  rich  in  coaI,a  and  it  may  be  sufficient  to 
remark  that  the  lime  works  at  Charlestown  on  the  Forthb 
are  the  most  extensive  of  any  in  Scotland.  More  than 
a hundred  thousand  tons  are  annually  raised  from  them  ; 
they  are  partly  sold  as  they  are  taken  from  the  quarry, 
and  12,000  tons  of  coal  are  consumed  every  year  in 
calcining  the  remainder.0  Such  are  the  most  important 
mineral  substances  ; some  of  the  others  are  ironstone, 
lead,  and  clay  well  adapted  for  fire  bricks. 

The  civil  divisions  of  Fifeshire  are  the  districts  of  St. 
Andrews,  Cupar,  Kirkaldy  and  Dunfermline.  Cupar  is 
entitled  the  capital,  but  it  is  by  no  means  the  most  popu- 
lous or  the  most  industrious  town  in  the  county.  It  is 
situated  at  the  junction  of  the  St.  Mary,  a small  stream, 
with  the  Eden  ; it  consists  of  three  or  four  streets,  sev- 
eral detached  houses  and  many  lanes.  The  manufacture 
of  linen  is  the  most  important  branch  of  industry,  and 
more  than  500,000  yards  have  been  stamped  in  a year.d 
The  other  articles  made  in  the  same  place  are  soap, 
candles,  leather,  cordage,  bricks  and  tiles.  Although 
remarkable  for  its  antiquity,  few  ancient  monuments 
remain,  and  no  part  of  the  castle  in  which  the  thanes  of 
Fife  held  their  courts  can  be  discovered.®  The  hill  on 
which  it  stood,  is  still  styled  the  Play-field  of  Cupar,  and 
the  satyre  of  the  Three  Estates,  one  of  the  oldest  Scot- 
tish dramas,  was  acted  on  it  in  1535/ 

At  no  great  distance  from  the  mouth  of  the  Tay,  and 
about  twelve  miles  to  the  east  of  Cupar,  is  situated  the 
ancient  city  of  St.  Andrews.  It  was  erected  into  the 
capital  of  a diocese  at  the  intercession  of  James  the 
Third  by  Pope  Sixtus  the  Fourth  in  the  year  1441/  and 
it  possessed,  during  a long  period,  the  distinction  of  being 
the  metropolitan  see  of  the  kingdom.  The  cathedral, 
once  its  great  ornament,  is  now  in  ruins ; to  build  it  was 
the  labour  of  a century  and  a half ; it  was  destroyed  in 
a single  day  by  the  zeal  of  the  reformers. h The  remains 


a In  the  range  of  the  Ochils,  limestone  is  found  only  at  one  place, 
near  Newburgh.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
b In  Dunfermline  parish. — P. 

c The  following  statements  are  contained  in  Sir  J.  Sinclair’s  Stat. 
Acc.  vol.  xiii.  p.  468.  “ From  80,000  to  90,000  tons  of  limestone  are 
quarried  annually.  It  is  partly  manufactured  into  lime  at  the  works, 
and  partly  sold  in  the  unburnt  stone.  About  12,000  tons  of  coal  are 
annually  consumed  in  burning  the  lime.”  This  was  in  1793 — 4.  Has 
there  been  no  increase  since  then  ? — P. 

<i  About  500,000  yards  of  linen  are  annually  stamped  at  Cupar. 
(Stat.  Acc.  1790.)— P. 

e It  was  long  the  residence  of  the  Earls  of  Fife,  and  afterwards 
became  a national  fortress.  (Stat.  Acc.) — The  Thanes  of  Fife,  from 
the  earliest  times  of  which  any  account  has  been  transmitted  to  us, 
held  their  courts  of  justice  at  Cupar.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — P. 

f The  place,  where,  during  the  middle  ages,  the  theatrical  represen- 
tations, called  mysteries  and  moralities,  were  presented,  was  styled  the 
Plat  (field.  Arnot.  in  his  Ilist.  of  Edinburgh,  says,  “that  of  Cupar  in 
Fife  was  on  tire  Castle-hill.”  (Stat.  Acc.  xvii.) — In  1555,  the  esplanade 
in  front  of  the  castle  was  appropriated  for  the  performance  sub  dio  of 
Sir  David  Lindsay's  Satire  of  tire  Three  Estates,  a witty  drama, 
principally  levelled  at  the  clergy,  and  supposed  to  have  had  great 
influence  in  bringing  about  the  religious  revolution,  which  soon  after 
ensued.  (Chambers'  Piet,  of  Scot.  ii.  178.) — The  same  date  (1555)  is 
give!,  in  the  Stat.  Acc.,  in  which  the  Proclamation  is  inserted.  The 
first  outbreak  of  the  Reformation  at  Perth  was  in  1559.  Sir  D.  Lind- 
say is  said  to  have  written  the  Three  Estates  before  153G.  (Gorton.) 
His  estate,  called  the  Mount,  was  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cupar. — P. 

8 St.  Andrews  was  the  see  of  a bishop  in  the  time  of  the  Piets,  at 
least  in  the  9th  century.  It  was  erected  into  an  archbishopric  by 
Sixtus  IV.  at  the  request  of  James  III.  during  the  incumbency  of 
Patrick  Graham.  This  could  not  have  been  in  1441.  James  III  was 
born  in  1452.  Patrick  Graham  finished  the.  monastery  of  the  Obser- 
vantines  in  1478.  Sixtus  IV.  became  pope  in  1471. — P. 
h It  was  begun  in  1159,  and  finished  in  1318,  and  was  thus  159  years 


are  part.of  the  south  side,  of  the  east  and  west  ends,  and 
the  chapel  of  St.  Regulus,  of  which  the  body  and  great 
tower  are  still  standing.* 1  The  ancient  castle,  like  the 
cathedral,  has  now  fallen  into  decay,  but  it  is  remember- 
ed as  the  scene  of  many  a struggle  and  many  an  act 
of  injustice.  It  may  be  sufficient  to  add  that  Cardinal 
Beaton  beheld  from  one  of  its  windows  the  execution  of 
the  reformer  Wishart,  whom  he  had  unjustly  condemned 
to  death,  and  before  the  same  window  the  body  of  the 
cardinal  himself  was  exposed  immediately  after  his 
assassination.  The  principal  church,  which  is  sufficiently 
large  to  hold  between  two  and  three  thousand  people, 
contains  the  monument  of  Archbishop  Sharpe,  who  was 
murdered  near  the  town  by  the  covenanters, k an  event 
which  is  still  recorded  by  rude  sculptures  on  the  walls.1 
The  university  of  St.  Andrews,  the  oldest  in  Scotland, 
consisted  originally  of  three  colleges,  St.  Salvator’s,  St. 
Leonard’s,  and  St.  Mary’s ; but  the  second  has  been 
dissolved,  and  the  first  is  set  apart  for  the  students  of 
divinity.”  The  number  of  students  seldom  exceeds  three 
hundred,  and  the  university  has  been  long  known  abroad 
on  account  of  the  facility  with  which  it  confers  degrees. 
The  same  town  carried  on  formerly  a considerable  trade, 
and  it  possessed  in  the  time  of  Charles  the  First  from 
thirty  to  forty  vessels.  It  is  now  nowise  remarkable  for 
commerce  or  industry. 

Kirkaldy,®  like  St.  Andrews,  is  the  chief  town  of  a dis- 
trict; it  is  situated  on  the  Frith  of  Forth  about  thirteen 
miles  to  the  north-east  of  Edinburgh.  It  consisted  former- 
ly of  several  lanes,  communicating  with  a very  long,  narrow 
and  irregular  street,  but  of  late  years  improvements  have 
been  made,  and  new  streets  and  modern  houses  have  been 
erected.®  The  town,  once  a place  of  much  more  conse- 
quence than  at  present,  was  a port  of  some  importance  so 
early  as  the  fourteenth  century,  when  it  was  made  over  as  a 
burgh  of  regality  to  the  abbot  of  Dunfermline  by  David  the 
Second.?  It  was  afterwards  raised  to  the  rank  of  a royal 


in  building.  It  was  destroyed  in  a single  afternoon  (June  1559)  by  a 
mob,  after  having  been  excited  by  a sermon  of  John  Knox  against 
idolatry. — P. 

‘ The  only  remains  of  the  cathedral  are  part  of  the  east  and  west 
ends,  and  of  the  south  side.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Both  towers  at  the  east  end 
are  still  standing.  One  only  of  the  western  towers  now  remains,  and 
a part  of  the  west  end  of  the  outermost  south  wall.  (Stat.  Acc.) — The 
chapel  of  St.  Regulus  (St.  Rule’s  chapel,)  though  near  the  cathe- 
dral, was  not  a part  of  that  edifice.  It  is  said  to  have  been  erected  by 
Hergust,  king  of  the  Piets,  for  St.  Regulus,  a Greek  monk,  who  land- 
ed at  St.  Andrews,  A.  D.  370.  The  walls  of  the  chapel,  and  its  square 
tower,  still  remain.  The  latter  is  in  fine  preservation.  Its  low 
semicircular  arches,  and  general  style  of  architecture,  indicate  a great 
antiquity. — P. 

k On  Magus  moor,  three  miles  west  of  St.  Andrews,  1679. — P. 

1 The  monument  is  30  feet  high,  and  contains  besides  a Latin  epi- 
taph, a statue  of  the  archbishop  kneeling,  and  a bass-relief,  on  an 
oblong  marble  slab,  representing  his  murder.  (Chambers’  Piet. 
Scot.) — P. 

m St  Mary’s  was  appropriated  to  the  study  of  theology  in  1579,  by 
James  VI.  ; the  university  having  been  then  remodelled  by  the  cele- 
brated Buchanan.  It  is  therefore  called  the  Divinity  or  New  College. 
In  1747,  on  a petition  from  the  masters  of  St.  Salvator’s  and  St.  Leon- 
ard’s, these  two  colleges  were  united  by  parliament  into  one  society, 
called  tlie  United  College  of  St.  Salvator’s  and  St.  Leonard's.  (Stat 
Acc.)— P. 

n Kirkcaldy,  i.  e.  Kirk-Keldei,  church  of  the  Culdees. — P. 

° Kirkaldy,  including  Pathhead  on  the  east,  in  Dysart  parish,  anu 
Linktown  on  the  west,  in  Abbotshall  parish,  all  of  which  form  one 
continuous  street,  is  about  three  miles  in  length.*  The  extremities  of 
this  street  are  narrow,  tortuous  and  ill-built,  but  in  the  middle  it 
expands  to  a noble  breadth,  and  is  almost  perfectly  straight,  with  tall 
and  elegant  houses.  (Chambers.) — P. 

* From  this  circumstance,  it  is  familiarly  called  “ the  Lang  Toun  o’  Kirkaldy.’ 
p A.  D.  1334.— P. 


BOOK  CLiVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


591 


burgh,3 * *  and  important  privileges  and  immunities  were  con- 
ferred on  it.  About  a hundred  vessels  belonged  to  Kirkal- 
dy  during  the  reign  of  Charles  the  First,  and  evidence  is 
not  wanting  to  shew  that  it  was  then  more  populous  than 
at  present.  The  period  of  the  civil  war  was  the  com- 
mencement of  its  decline,  and  the  inhabitants  suffered  so 
much  in  consequence  of  their  exertions  in  behalf  of  the 
Parliament,  that  it  was  deemed  necessary  in  1682  to 
present  a petition  for  relief  to  the  convention  of  royal 
burghs.  Its  commerce,  however,  has  revived  since  the 
middle  of  the  last  century,  and  it  now  possesses  about 
eighty  vessels,  the  burden  of  which  amounts  to  7000 
tons.  Its  spinning-mills,  linen  manufactories  and  tan- 
neries, a foundery,  and  a large  distillery,  afford  em- 
ployment to  the  poorer  inhabitants.  It  may  be  add- 
ed that  the  town  was  the  birth-place  of  Adam  Smith, 
the  author  of  the  Wealth  of  Nations,  and  the  first 
person  who  raised  political  economy  to  the  rank  of  a 
science. 

Dunfermline,  the  only  other  place  that  requires  to  be 
mentioned,  and  the  most  important  manufacturing  town  in 
the  county,  is  situated  about  fourteen  miles  to  the  west 
of  Kirkaldy,  and  more  than  four  to  the  north  of  the 
Frith  of  Forth.b  The  principal  manufacture,  and  the 
one  in  which  nearly  1800  looms  are  employed,  consists  of 
diaper  and  damask  table  linen  ; the  cotton  manufacture, 
which  is  now  increasing,  was  introduced  at  a later  period, 
in  consequence  of  the  demand  for  such  articles  by  the 
manufacturers  of  Glasgow  and  Paisley.  The  same  place 
is  memorable  on  account  of  its  remains  of  royal  and 
ecclesiastical  magnificence  ; the  sites  of  two  palaces 
have  been  discovered  by  antiquaries,0  and  the  ancient 
monastery  is  now  in  ruins.  The  last  building  founded  by 
Malcolm  the  Third,  was  much  injured  by  Edward  the 
First,  who  quartered  his  troops  in  it  during  winter, d and 
was  finally  desecrated  at  the  Reformation.6  The  part 
occupied  by  the  chancel  and  transepts  was  lately  trans- 
formed into  a Gothic  church/  which  accords  ill  with  the 
Saxon  character  still  visible  in  the  ruins. b While  the 
workmen  were  occupied  in  building  the  church,  the 
tomb  and  the  remains  of  King  Robert  Bruce  were 
discovered. 

“ Oppidulis  pr(£cingitur”h  are  the  terms  used  by 
Buchanan  in  reference  to  the  numerous  small  towns  On 
the  northern  shore  of  the  Frith  of  Forth.  These  places 
are  now  fallen  into  decay,  but  they  derived  their  former 
importance  from  the  advantages  of  commerce,  to  which 
the  inhabitants  had  devoted  themselves  at  a time  when 
it  was  almost  unknown  in  most  parts  of  . Scotland. 

a In  1450,  the  commendator  of  the  abbey,  and  the  convent,  disposed 
of  the  burgh  and  harbour,  with  all  their  rights  and  privileges,  to  the 
baillies  and  community  of  Kirkaldy,  soon  after  which  it  was  erected 
into  a royal  burgh.  (Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

b About  3 miles  north  of  the  Frith  of  Forth  at  Queensferry.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — This  is  the  general  statement. — P. 

c The  tower  or  castle  of  Malcolm  III.  (Canmore,)  and  a little  S.  E. 
of  it,  a palace  of  later  construction,  in  which  James  VI.  resided. 
Only  a few  fragments  of  these  buildings  remain. — P. 

J A.  D.  1303.— P. 

c The  Abbey  of  Dunfermline  was  founded  for  the  Benedictines  in 
the  11th  century,  by  Malcolm  Canmore  (Gaelic,  crann-mor,  great 
head.)  Edward  I.  destroyed  all  but  the  church  and  a few  cells  for  the 
monks.  At  the  reformation,  these  cells,  and  the  choir  and  transepts 
of  the  church,  were  demolished,  leaving  only  the  nave,  which  was 
used  as  the  parish  church  till  1818,  when  the.  choir  and  transepts  were 
restored,  and  the  edifice  thus  completed.  The  nave,  however,  is  of 
heavy  Saxon  architecture,  while  the  new  structure  appended  to  it,  is 
of  light  Gothic.  (Chambers.) — P 

f In  1818— P 


The  county  of  Forfar  or  Angus'  is  separated  from 
Fife  by  the  Frith  of  Tay  ; its  boundaries  are  Aberdeen- 
shire and  Kincardineshire  on  ffie  north,  the  German 
Ocean  on  the  east,  the  Frith  of  Tay  on  the  south,  and 
Perthshire  on  the  west.  The  superficial  extent,  accord- 
ing to  the  lowest  computation,  is  upwards  of  840  miles, 
and  the  population  by  the  last  census  amounts  to  139,606 
individuals. 

It  may  here  be  remarked  that  what  is  popularly 
termed  the  east  coast  of  Scotland  comprehends  that 
part  of  the  country  between  the  friths  of  Tay  and  Mo- 
ray ; it  forms  a sort  of  large  plain,  which  descends 
from  the  Grampians  to  the  sea,  and  includes  the  coun- 
ties of  Forfar,  Kincardine  and  Aberdeen.  The  north- 
ern division,  or  more  than  a third  part  of  Forfarshire, 
is  covered  by  the  Grampians  ; but  the  heights  are 
not  bold  or  precipitous,  their  summits  are  generally 
rounded,  and  Catlaw,  the  loftiest  in  the  county,  is 
not  more  than  2264  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.k 
The  same  hills  are  covered  with  a thin  stratum  of 
moorish  soil  bearing  heath  and  coarse  herbage.  They 
are  intersected  by  small  vallies,  watered  by  rivulets  that 
are  enlarged  in  their  course  towards  the  south-east  by 
streams  or  torrents  from  the  heights.* 1 *  The  Sidlaw  hills, 
a parallel  and  a lower  range,  situated  on  the  south  of  the 
Grampians,  attain  in  some  places  an  elevation  of  fourteen 
hundred  feet. 

Strathmore,  or  the  Great  Valley,  as  its  name  signifies 
in  Gaelic, m is  situated  between  these  two  divisions,  reach- 
ing in  length  a distance  of  thirty-three  miles, n with  a 
breadth  varying  from  four  to  six.  This  part  of  it  is 
commonly  called  the  How  of  Angus,  but  the  whole  of 
Strathmore  stretches  from  Stonehaven  to  Perth,  and  is 
prolonged  by  the  vale  or  strath  of  the  Earn,  a distance 
of  about  112  miles.0  If  lime  for  manure,  and  coal  for 
fuel  were  more  abundant  in  this  tract,  it  might  become 
equally  important  as  an  agricultural  and  manufacturing 
district.  The  How  of  Angus,  the  most  fruitful  division 
of  the.  county,  is  diversified  by  corn  fields,  plantations 
and  villages,  and  no  part  of  it  is  much  higher  than  200 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It  has  been  at  different 
times  proposed  to  carry  a canal  through  the  district,  and 
to  prolong  it  to  Dumbarton,  and  thus  to  unite  the  three 
great  rivers  of  Scotland,  the  Forth,  the  Tay  and  the 
Clyde.  This  enterprise,  too  vast  for  the  means  of  the 
proprietors,  is  not  likely  to  be  realized  without  the 
assistance  of  government.  The  fourth  and  the  last 
division  extends  from  the  Sidlaw  hills  to  the  German 
Ocean  on  the  east,  and  the  Frith  of  Tay  on  the  south 

e In  the  nave. — P. 

h It  is  girt  by  a belt  of  little  towns. 

> Forfarshire  or  Angus-shire. 

k The  Braes  of  Angus  [Grampians]  in  some  places  possess  an  eleva 
tion  of  nearly  3000  feet.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Catlaw  is  on  the  northern 
border  of  the  parish  of  Kingoldrum,  and  near  the  southern  skirt 
of  the  Grampians. — P. 

1 The  principal  rivers  of  the  county  rise  in  the  Grampians,  viz.  the 
North  and  South  Esk,  which  flow  south-east  into  the  German  Sea, 
and  the  Isla,  which  flows  west  into  the  Tay.  In  their  descent  from 
the  mountains,  they  receive  numerous  branches. — P. 

m The  Gaelic  term  Strath  is  applied  to  a wide,  open  valley,  and  that 
of  Glen  to  a deep  and  narrow  one. — P. 

n This  only  includes  that  part  of  the  valley  within  the  county. — P. 

0 The  distance  from  Stonehaven  to  Perth,  by  the  post-road  through 
the  strath,  is  67  miles;  from  Perth  to  Stirling,  38  miles.  (Gaz.  Scot. 

Roads.) — The  distance  from  Stonehaven  to  Stirling  is  thus  105  miles. 

The  writer  probably  intends  to  include  in  this  distance  of  112  miles 
the  whole  length  of  the  valley  from  Dumbarton  to  Stonehaven. — P. 


592 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL, VI. 


The  principal  towns  are  situated  in  this  part  of  Forfar- 
shire, which  occupies  nearly  a fourth  part  of  the  county, 
and  is  on  the  whole  fruitful  and  well  cultivated. 

Granite,  micaceous  Sfchistus  and  porphyry  are  the  most 
common  minerals  in  the  Grampian  district.  The  Sidlaw 
hills  are  chiefly  composed  of  sandstone  of  different 
colours,  and  in  some  places,  susceptible  of  a high  polish. 
Shell  marl,  which  is  much  used,  abounds  in  different 
parts,  particularly  in  the  lochs  near  the  base  of  the 
Grampians,  on  the  Sidlaw  hills,  in  the  parish  of  Kirrie- 
muir, and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Forfar.a  The  most 
important  lime-works  are  in  the  maritime  division,  at 
Heddenvick  near  Montrose, b and  in  the  parish  of  Craig 
on  the  sea-shore. c 

None  of  the  streams  can  be  dignified  with  the  name 
of  rivers.  The  North  Esk  issues  from  Lochlee,  flows 
eastwards,  and  then  bends  towards  the  south-east,  when 
it  forms  the  boundary  between  the  county  and  Kincar- 
dineshire, and  falls  into  the  sea  about  three  miles  to  the 
north-east  of  Montrose.  The  South  Esk  rises  from  the 
Grampians  in  the  north-western  part  of  the  county, 
waters  Brechin,  and  discharges  itself  into  the  basin  of 
Montrose,  about  five  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
North  Esk.d 

The  five  royal  burghs  of  Forfar,  Dundee,  Arbroath, 
Montrose  and  Brechin  are  situated  in  the  county  of  For- 
far. Dundee,  the  most  important  of  any,  occupies  the 
site  of  the  ancient  Alectum , and  according  to  tradition, 
it  was  called  Donum-Dei  in  1 189,  by  the  Earl  of 
Huntingdon,  in  gratitude  for  his  miraculous  escape  from 
shipwreck  on  his  return  from  the  third  crusade.  The 
town  is  situated  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  Tay,  about 
twelve  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  contained  a population 
of  30,575  souls  in  1820, e and  the  number  amounts  at 
present  to  nearly  40,000.  Public  buildings,  warehouses, 
and  whole  streets,  consisting  of  new  houses,  are  the 
proofs  of  its  modern  prosperity.  It  possessed  upwards 
of  170  vessels  in  1820,  measuring  nearly  18,000  tons; 
they  are  employed  in  the  foreign  and  coasting  trade,  and 
in  the  Greenland  fisheries.  The  docks  are  left  dry  at 
low  water,  and  the  port  is  not  free  from  inconvenience. 
The  mouth  of  the  frith  is  comparatively  narrow,  and 
the  tide  at  its  entrance  rushes  with  considerable  force, 
and  carries  along  with  it  a great  quantity  of  sand. 
But  as  the  channel  becomes  broader,  the  velocity  of  the 

a Shell  marl  is  found  in  great  abundance  in  the  bottoms  of  lochs  and 
mosses,  in  that  part  of  Strathmore,  extending  west  from  Aberlemno. 
It  is  found  in  Balrie  moss  in  Airley  parish,  and  in  the  Loch  of  Kinnordy 
and  the  moss  of  Logie  in  Kirriemuir  parish,  all  of  which  are  near  the 
base  of  the  Grampians ; also  in  the  moss  of  Meigle  along  the  south  of 
the  Dean,  but  most  abundantly  in  a chain  of  small  lakes  near  Forfar, 
viz.  the  Loch  of  Forfar,  which  flows  into  the  Dean,  and  the  Lochs  of 
Restenet,  Reseobie  and  Balgavies,  which  flow  into  the  Lunan.  The 
Dean  flows  west  into  the  Isla,  a branch  of  the  Tay,  and  the  Lunan  into 
the  sea  south  of  Montrose,  thus  showing  the  great  uniformity  of  level 
in  Strathmore.  The  two  first  of  these  lochs  had  been  drained  (1791.) 
and  the  marl  was  obtained  from  the  others  by  dragging.  (Stat. 
Acc.) — P. 

b In  the  parish  of  Montrose.  This  lime-work  is  not  mentioned  in 
the  Stat.  Acc. — In  1793,  there  were  extensive  lime-works  in  the  parish 
of  Pert,  on  the  North  Esk,  near  its  mouth.  (Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

c At  Bodden,  on  a small  point  on  the  north  side  of  the  bay  of 
Lunan. — P. 

<>  The  South  Esk,  about  two  miles  from  its  mouth,  expands  into  the 
basin  of  Montrose,  and  contracting  opposite  the  town  of  Montrose, 
enters  the  sea  about  three  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  North 
Esk.— P. 

' In  1801,  26,084 ; in  1811, 29.610.— P. 

f C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale,  vol.  ii. 

g The  principal  channel  of  the  Tay  is  on  the  south  side,  near  the 


current  is  diminished,  and  sand,  which  was  held  in  sus- 
pension, is  deposited,  and  forms  large  banks  or  shallows 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  town.  When  the  tide  ebbs, 
the  waters  take  necessarily  a contrary  direction,  and 
carry  along  with  them  much  mud  from  the  upper  part  of 
the  river.  A ballast  machine,  worked  by  a steam- 
engine,  is  used  for  clearing  the  harbour,  which  otherwise 
might  be  obstructed  with  alternate  deposits  of  sand  and 
mud  at  every  flux  and  reflux  of  the  tide/s  Two  light- 
houses, built  at  the  expense  of  the  town,  have  been 
erected  on  the  sands  of  Barry  ; the  one  consists  of 
stone,  and  the  other  of  wood  ; the  one  is  about  sixty, 
and  the  other  about  forty  feet  in  height.  The  light  in  the 
latter  is  shifted  so  as  to  correspond  with  the  changes 
that  often  occur  in  the  sands,  and  the  mariners,  who 
enter  the  frith,  make  it  a rule  to  keep  both  lights  in  a line.h 
The  principal  manufactures  are  osnaburghs  or  coarse 
linen,  thread,  gloves,  canvas  and  cordage.’  As  the 
demand  for  sail-cloth  has  been  less  since  the  peace, 
many  manufacturers  have  adopted  the  expedient  of 
spinning  finer  thread,  which  is  made  into  cloth  for 
domestic  purposes. 

Arbroath  or  Aberbrothwickk  is,  after  Dundee,  the  most 
commercial  town  in  Angus.  It  is  situated  about  eigh- 
teen miles  to  the  north-east  of  Dundee,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants are  engaged  in  the  same  sort  of  industry  ; they  are 
employed  in  making  sail-cloth  and  coarse  linen  ; indeed 
there  are  upwards  of  one  hundred  factories  in  Forfarshire 
for  spinning  and  weaving  the  thread  for  that  purpose. 
The  harbour  is  built  in  the  form  of  a rectangle,  and 
is  defended  from  the  sea  by  a wall  of  hewn  stone  on 
the  north,  and  a pier  on  the  south.  In  this  part  of  the 
town  are  the  house  inhaoited  by  the  keepers  of  the  cel- 
ebrated light-house  on  the  Bell  Rock,  and  the  signal 
tower  by  which  the  keepers  on  shore  correspond  with 
those  on  duty.  The  Inch  Cape  or  Bell  Rock  is  situated 
about  twelve  miles  to  the  south-east  of  Arbroath,  and 
about  thirty  to  the  north-east  of  St.  Abb’s  Head  in 
Berwickshire.  It  may  be  seen  from  the  charts  of  the 
coast  that  it  lies  in  the  direct  track  of  the  shipping  on 
the  Frith  of  Tay,  and  of  the  greater  proportion  on  the 
Frith  of  Forth,  embracing  not  only  the  extensive  local 
trade  of  many  populous  counties,  but  forming  the  princi- 
pal inlet  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Britain,  in  which  -the 
shipping  on  the  German  Ocean  and  the  North  Sea  take 

shore  of  Fife.  The  sand  banks,  which  are  numerous  between  Dundee 
and  Errol  on  the  west,  in  which  distance  the  river  is  from  two  to  three 
miles  wide,  are  on  the  north  side.  The  shore  on  that  side,  along  the 
Carse  of  Gowrie,  consists  of  light  earth,  subject  to  continual  encroach- 
ment from  the  river,  which  thus  adds  to  the  obstructions.  The  harbour 
was  formerly  cleared  by  a basin,  left  open  at  low  water,  and  afterwards  by 
opening  arched  passages  in  the  piers,  by  which  rapid  currents  were 
produced,  which  carried  off  the  sand  and  mud  deposited.  (Stat. 
Acc.  viii.) — P. 

h The  channel  at  the  entrance  of  the  Tay  is  about  a mile  broad, 
between  two  sand  banks  running  out  from  the  shores  on  the  north  and 
south.  These  sands  are  frequently  shifting,  from  nearly  the  same 
causes  that  vary  the  bed  of  the  river.  The  two  light  houses  are  erected 
on  the  flood  mark  on  the  sandy  downs  or  links,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  in  the  parish  of  Barrie.  The  larger,  or  stationary  light,  is  a cir- 
cular stone  building  erected  on  piles ; the  smaller  is  a moveable  wood- 
en building,  raised  on  rollers.  This  is  shifted,  when  necessary,  so  that 
the  two  lights  may  be  always  in  the  same  line  with  the  entrance  of  the 
river,  and  so  that  when  they  appear  as  one,  the  mariner  may  be  sure  of 
his  safety.  The  expense  oi  the  lights  is  defrayed  by  a small  tonnage 
duty  on  all  vessels  entering  the  Tay.  (Stat.  Acc.  viii.  Malham’s  Nav 
Gaz.  ii.) — P. 

' Cotton  bagging  is  extensively  manufacture.d. — P. 

k Aberbrotliock,  mouth  of  the  Brothock,  so  called  from  its  situation 
at  the  mouth  of  a small  river  of  that  name. — P. 


f 


BOOK  CL, Vi  ] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


593 


refuge  from  easterly  storms.  During  the  quadratures 
when  the  sea  does  not  fall  so  low  at  the  reflux,  the  rocks 
can  hardly  be  distinguished,  but  in  spring  tides  when  the 
ebbs  are  greatest,  the  part  visible  at  low  water  is  142 
yards  in  length,  70  in  breadth,  and  aboutl.  1 feet  in  height. 
A chain  of  rocks  still  lower  and  almost  contiguous  to  the 
last  extends  to  the  distance  of  nearly  two  miles. a Accord- 
ing to  a tradition,  which  does  not  appear  very  probable, 
a large  bell  was  erected  in  the  fourteenth  century  by  the 
monks  of  Arbroath,  on  the  principal  rock  in  this  vast  reef. 
Mariners  were  thus  warned  of  their  danger,  and  the  name 
of  the  Bell  Rock  serves  still  to  commemorate  the  benev- 
olent labour  of  the  monks.  The  light-house  that  has 
lately  been  erected  on  the  Bell  Rock,  is  an  extraordinary 
monument  of  its  kind,  more  so  in  some  respects  than  the 
celebrated  Pharos  of  Alexandria,  the  tower  of  Cordouanb 
at  the  entrance  of  the  Garonne,  or  the  far-famed  Eddy- 
stone  light-house  for  independently  of  its  distance  from 
the  land,  the  obstacle  arising  from  the  depth  of  water  at 
which  the  operations  were  commenced,  was  greater  than 
in  any  other  work  of  the  same  sort.  It  was  begun  in 
1807,  and  finished  in  1811.°  The  light  from  it,  when 
the  sky  is  serene,  may  be  distinctly  seen  at  the  distance 
of  eight  leagues.  As  the  only  mode  of  warning  mari- 
ners of  their  danger  in  dark  and  cloudy  weather,  when 
neither  the  building  nor  the  lamps  can  be  distinguished, 
two  large  bells,  each  weighing  1324  pounds,  are  tolled 
day  and  night  by  means  of  the  machinery  that  sets  the 
reflectors  in  motion. 

Montrose,  about  twelve  miles  from  Arbroath,  is  the 
first  port  on  the  north  of  it.  It  is  situated  on  a flat  and 
sandy  peninsula,  formed  by  the  German  Ocean,  the 
South  Esk,  and  a large  expanse  of  water,  called  the 
Basin.  A handsome  wooden  bridge  has  lately  been 
erected  across  the  river  to  the  island  of  Inchbrayrayock, 
which,  together  with  the  stone  bridge  from  the  island  to  the 
shore,  opens  a communication  on  the  south.  The  quay 
commences  beyond  the  wooden  bridge  on  the  side  front- 
ing the  sea,d  and  vessels  of  three  or  four  hundred  tons 
can  reach  it  at  high  water.  The  harbour  of  Montrose 
reckons  150  vessels,  measuring  nearly  13,000  tons  ; they 
are  chiefly  employed  in  the  coasting  and  Baltic  trade,  and 
in  the  whale  fishery.  Their  number,  it  may  be  added,  is 
rapidly  increasing,  and  Montrose  is  rising  in  importance. 
The  population  amounts  to  10,000  inhabitants,  and  the 
products  of  industry  are  the  same  as  those  of  Dundee. e 

Brechin  and  Forfar,  the  only  other  towns  in  the 
county,  are  of  minor  importance;  the  first  claims  the 

a The  rock  extends  from  north-east  to  south-west,  in  the  direction  of 
the  sandstone  strata,  and  consists  of  an  upper  and  lower  level.  The 
former  measures,  at  low  water  of  spring  tides,  427  feet  in  length,  and 
230  in  breadth.  The  lower,  on  the  south-west,  which  appeals  only  at 
the  ebb  of  spring  tides,  and  then  is  not  entirely  bare,  extends  1700 
feet  in  length,  making  the  whole  length  of  the  rock,  visible  at  that  time, 
2127  feet.  During  spring  tides,  the  higher  level  is  about  four  feet 
above  water  at  ebb,  and  the  lower  level  just  visible  ; while  at  flood, 
the  higher  level  is  about  twelve  feet  under  water.  During  neap 
tides,  which  are  six  or  seven  feet  less  than  the  springtides,  the  higher 
level  is  two  or  three  feet  under  water  at  ebb.  On  the  south-west,  a 
reef  extends  under  water,  so  that  at  the  distance  of  a mile,  there  is 
only  4 or  5 fathoms.  In  other  directions,  particularly  on  the  south- 
east, in  the  direction  of  the  dip  of  the  strata,  the  depth  increases  more 
rapidly,  so  as  to  be  3 fathoms  at  100  yards,  and  18  to  22  fathoms  at  a 
mi'e’s  distance.  (Ed.  Enc.  Malham’s  Nav.  Gaz.) — P. 

1 Tour  de  Cordouan. — P. 

c The  work  was  begun  by  Mr.  Stevenson,  the  architect,  Aug.  17, 
1807,  and  the  light  was  first  exhibited,  Feb.  1,  1811. — P. 

d On  the  side  towards  the  sea.  The  South  Esk  enters  the  sea  about 
two  miles  below  the  bridge. — P. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  60.  75 


rank  of  capital,  but  the  sheriff  courts  are  held  in  the 
second/  Brechin  is  situated  about  eight  miles  to  the 
west  of  Montrose,  on  the  side  of  a hill,  the  base  of  which 
is  washed  by  the  South  Esk.s  It  is  remarkable  for  its 
antiquity  ; it  was  formerly  walled,  and  some  relics  of  its 
fortifications  may  be  still  discovered.'* 1  It  was  twice  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  once  by  the  Danes  in  1012,  and  a second 
time  by  the  Marquis  of  Montrose  in  1645.  It  was 
erected  into  an  episcopal  see  by  David  the  First  in  1150, 
and  the  present  parish  church  occupies  the  west  end  of 
the  ancient  cathedral.1 

Kincardineshire,  or,  as  it  is  frequently  called,  the 
Mearns,  is  contiguous  to  the  German  Ocean  on  the  east,  to 
the  river  Dee  and  Aberdeenshire  on  the  north,  and  to 
the  county  of  Forfar  on  the  west  and  south.  It  is  of  a 
triangular  form,  and  contains  380  square  miles,  exclu- 
sively of  three  square  miles  of  lakes.  According  to  the 
last  returns,  the  population  amounted  to  31,431  individ- 
uals ; so  that  the  average  number  to  every  square  mile 
is  upwards  of  82,  a greater  proportion  than  might  have 
been  anticipated  from  the  scarcity  of  minerals,  and  the 
nature  of  the  soil. 

More  than  half  the  surface  is  made  up  of  hills  and 
heaths  of  little  value  ; little  more  than  a fourth  part  of 
it  is  cultivated.  A third  of  the  area  is  covered  with  the 
Grampians,  which,  crossing  the  whole  breadth  of  the 
county  from  east  to  west,  are  sterile,  rugged,  and  very 
thinly  inhabited.  Hills  of  five  or  six  hundred  feet  may 
be  observed  within  three  miles  of  the  coast  in  this 
mountainous  tract  ; and  at  the  western  extremity  of  the 
county,  about  twenty  miles  from  the  sea,  Mount  Battock, 
the  loftiest  in  Kincardineshire,  rises  to  the  height  of 
3500  feet. 

Lime  is  by  no  means  abundant,  and  there  is  no  coal  in 
the  county.  Native  iron  has  been  found  in  detached 
pieces  in  the  parish  of  Fettercairn,  where  no  indications 
of  iron  have  been  discovered.  Granite,  basalt,  pudding- 
stone,  and  sandstone  are  the  prevailing  rocks.  The 
Grampians  are  mostly  composed  of  the  first,  which  is 
scattered  over  the  surface,  and  much  of  the  soil  in  that 
part  of  the  county  is  formed  from  the  decomposition  of 
granite.  A very  fruitful  soil,  consisting  of  decomposed 
basalt  or  rotten  rock,  as  it  is  popularly  called,  extends 
along  the  coast  on  the  south  of  Stonehaven.  Pudding- 
stone  abounds  in  the  same  quarter,  and  is  formed  into  mill- 
stones. Sandstone  prevails  in  the  tract  along  the  coast, 
and  also  in  the  How  of  the  Mearns,  which  is  covered  with 
loam  of  various  qualities,  none  of  which  are  unfruitful. 

e The  principal  manufactures  are  sail-cloth,  sheeting  and  linen.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — P. 

f Brechin  was  formerly  the  county  town,  and  the  see  of  a bishopric. 
Forfar  is  at  present  the  county  town,  where  the  courts  and  other  public 
meetings  of  the  county  are  held.  The  sheriff  courts  have  been  held 
in  Forfar  for  more  than  200  years.  (Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

s On  the  north  bank  of  the  South  Esk,  over  which  there  is  a stone 
bridge. — P. 

11  It  was  formerly  walled  about,  and  some  relics  of  the  ancient  gates 
still  remain.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — Brechin  informer  times  had  ports  or  gates 
at  the  different  entries  of  the  city.  Some  vestiges  of  them  are  extant, 
and  the  names  of  North,  South  and  West  Port  still  remain.  (Stat. 
Acc.  xxi.  App.) — P. 

“ The  chancel  (east  end)  of  the  cathedral  was  destroyed  at  the 
Reformation,  as  being  defiled  by  the  idolatries  of  the  mass;  the  nave 
(west  end)  was  converted  into  the  parish  church,  and  has  lately  been 
repaired.  At  one  of  its  corners  rises  the  steeple,  an  elegant  square 
tower,  120  feet  high.  The  round  tower  of  Brechin,  called  the  little 
steeple,  stands  near  the  church,  and  is  a remarkable  specimen  of  an- 
tiquity ; there  being  only  one  other  structure  of  the  kind  in  Scotland, 
a smaller  one  at  Abernethy  in  Perthshire  The  tower  of  Brechin  is  80 
feet  high,  with  an  octagonal  spire  of  23  feet — in  all  103  feet. — P. 


594 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  Cl. VI. 


Although  the  county  is  watered  by  numerous  streams, 
the  only  rivers  of  any  consequence  are  the  North  Esk 
and  the  Dee  ;a  the  first,  it  has  been  remarked,  forms  the 
boundary  between  the  county  and  Angus-shire,  and  the 
second,  which  flows  about  eight  miles  through  the  northern 
part  of  Kincardineshire,  separates  it  from  Aberdeenshire. b 
The  Loch  of  Drum,  and  the  Loch  of  Leys,  are  situated 
on  Dee  side  or  in  the  northern  district  ;c  the  latter  is 
remarkable  on  account  of  an  artificial  island,  founded  on 
piles  of  oak,  and  crowned  with  the  ruins  of  an  edifice 
concerning  which  tradition  is  silent. 

The  towns  and  villages  are  small,  and  their  manufac- 
tures are  inconsiderable.  Stonehaven,  Stonehive  or 
Rockharbour  is  situated  on  the  coast  about  fourteen 
miles  from  Aberdeen.  It  contains  about  two  thousand 
inhabitants,  who  are  partly  employed  in  rope-making, 
and  in  the  manufacture  of  canvass  and  osnaburghs.  The 
harbour  is  well  sheltered,  and  formed  by  a natural  gap 
between  the  rocks  ; but  it  has  not  sufficient  depth  of 
water.  The  commerce  of  the  county,  besides  its  trade 
in  sheep  and  cattle,  consists  in  the  import  of  timber, 
coal  and  lime,  and  the  export  of  grain  and  fish.  The 
ports  by  which  the  trade  is  carried  on  are  Stonehaven, 
Johnshaven,  and  Gourdon.  Lastly,  the  village  of  Lau- 
rencekirk, in  the  centre  of  the  county,  is  noted  for  its 
wooden  snuff-boxes. 

The  German  Ocean  washes  Aberdeenshire  on  the  north 
and  east ; it  is  contiguous  to  the  counties  of  Kincardine, 
Forfar  and  Perth  on  the  south,  and  to  those  of  Inverness, 
Moray  and  Banff  on  the  west.  The  greatest  length  is 
about  eighty-five  miles,  and  the  greatest  breadth  nearly 
forty  ; the  boundary  line  is  upwards  of  280  miles,  and  of 
these  sixty  extend  along  the  coast.  The  area  of  the 
county  is  not  less  than  1960  square  miles,  or  nearly  a 
sixteenth  part  of  Scotland.  The  total  population,  by 
fhe  last  returns,  amounts  to  177,651  individuals. 

It  is  made  up  of  five  divisions.11  Marr  comprehends 
the  district  between  the  Dee  and  the  Don,  and  a consid- 
erable tract  on  the  south  of  the  Dee.  It  is  the  loftiest 
part  of  Aberdeenshire  ; few  of  the  bounding  lines  are 
lower  than  3000,  and  some  of  them  are  higher  than 
4000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Formartin,  or 
the  second  division,  includes  in  a distance  of  ten  miles 
all  the  lands  between  the  Don  and  the  Ythan,  and  ex- 
tends beyond  the  last  river  to  the  banks  of  the  Deveron.® 
The  land  on  the  coast  is  low  and  fruitful  ; but  beyond  it, 
and  at  no  great  distance  from  the  sea,  hills  and  mosses 
are  spread  over  the  country.  Buchan,  after  Marr,  the 
largest  division  in  Aberdeenshire,  extends  along  the 
eastern  coast,  and  a considerable  portion  of  it  has  been 

a The  only  other  river  of  importance  is  the  Bervie  Water.  It  rises 
in  the  Grampians  in  the  northern  part  of  Glenbervie,  then  flows  south 
across  the  How,  and  passing  through  the  trap  range  along  the  coast,  by 
a pleasant  valley,  enters  the  sea  at  the  town  of  Inverbervie. — P. 

b The  Dee  rises  at  the  head  of  Braemar,  and  after  flowing  east  in 
Aberdeenshire,  about  53  miles,  crosses  a projection  of  Kincardineshire 
on  the  north  for  eight  miles,  and  then  forms  the  boundary  between 
the  two  counties  for  fourteen  miles,  till  it  enters  the  sea  below  Aber- 
deen. Its  course  is  nearly  due  east  for  75  miles.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c These  two  lochs  are  each  about  three  miles  in  circumference,  and 
are  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  Dee,  with  which  they  communi- 
cate, in  a tract  of  low  grounds  and  mosses,  running  parallel  to  the 
river,  at  one  or  two  miles  distance,  and  in  the  parish  of  Ban- 
chory Taman,  which  includes  that  part  of  the  county,  north  of  the 
Dec. — P. 

d The  divisions,  here  mentioned,  are  ancient. — Aberdeenshire  is  at 
present  divided  into  eight  civil  divisions  viz.  the  districts  of  Kincar- 


improved  and  rendered  productive  by  labour.  Several 
fruitful  vallies  are  scattered  over  Garioch,  or  the  district 
surrounded  by  Marr,  Formartin  and  Strathbogie.  Strath- 
bogie,  or  the  last  division,  about  150  square  miles  in 
extent,  derives  its  name  from  that  of  the  river  which 
waters  it,  and  consists  mostly  of  hills,  mosses  and  moors. 
Although  the  eastern  coast  is  flat,  Aberdeenshire,  it  has 
been  seen,  is  a high  country,  and  in  the  south-western 
or  largest  division,  some  of  the  heights  are  little  inferior 
to  any  in  Scotland. 

Of  the  numerous  straths  or  vallies  in  different  parts  of 
the  county,  several  are  comparatively  large  and  fruitful ; 
but  although  Aberdeenshire  has  participated  in  the  im- 
provements of  modern  husbandry,  and  although  the  best 
rotations  are  now  followed,  the  wealth  of  the  farmer  con- 
sists in  his  cattle,  not  in  his  corn.  The  number  of  oxen 
is  supposed  to  be  about  120,000,  and  the  sales  in 
England  and  the  south  of  Scotland,  amounting  to  more 
than  12,000,  are  estimated  to  bring  L.  150,000  an- 
nually. 

The  fishings  on  the  coasts  and  rivers,  together  with  the 
Greenland  whale  fishery,  which  has  been  lately  much  ex- 
tended, form  an  important  branch  of  trade,  of  which  the 
revenue  is  not  less  than  L.80,000  or  L.  100,000. 

The  minerals  are  not  the  most  valuable  ; no  coal  has 
been  discovered,  and  limestone  is  not  obtained  in  suffi- 
cient quantities.  The  mountains  of  Braemar  are  famed 
for  their  precious  stones  or  cairngorums / which  are  sought 
by  the  country-people  in  the  summer  season,  and  sold  to 
the  London  jewellers.  Manganese  is  found  near  Aber- 
deen, and  black-lead  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Huntly. 
Granite,  however,  is  the  most  valuable  as  well  as  the 
most  abundant  mineral  ; and  in  preparing  the  land  for 
tillage,  granite  stones,  amounting  in  value  to  L.40  or 
L.50,  are  sometimes  collected  from  an  acre,  and  shipped 
to  London,  where  they  are  used  in  paving  the  streets. 
The  total  quantity  exported  from  the  county  yields  a 
yearly  revenue  of  more  than  L.40, 000,  and  seventy 
vessels  of  7000  tons,  and  manned  by  4000  sailors,  are 
employed  in  transporting  it  to  England. 

The  Dee  and  the  Don,  the  principal  rivers,  receive  the 
waters  of  a great  many  tributary  streams,  and  empty 
themselves  into  the  sea  at  no  great  distance  from  each 
other.  Old  Aberdeen  is  situated  on  the  Don  ; the 
modern  town,  or  New  Aberdeen,  on  the  Dee  ; they  are 
little  more  than  a mile  distant  from  each  other,  and  their 
united  population  is  upwards  of  50,000  souls.  The 
churches,  some  of  which  were  almost  destroyed  by  the 
reformers,  and  King’s  college,  which  was  formerly  under 
the  direction  of  the  celebrated  Boelius,®  are  situated  in 

dine  O’Neil  (in  the  south-west,)  Garioch,  Alford  (on  the  upper  part  of 
the  Don,)  Strathbogie,  Turrefl'(in  the  north-west,)  Deer  (in  the  north- 
east,) Ellon  (in  the  east.)  and  Aberdeen  (in  the  south-east.)  (Gaz. 
Scot.) — That  part  of  the  county,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  town  of 
Aberdeen,  is  sometimes  called  Aberdeen  Proper;  but  Aberdeen  was 
properly  in  Mar. — P. 

e Formartin  lies  on  the  east  coast,  between  the  rivers  Don  and 
Ythan,  and  stretches  across  the  whole  county,  from  S.  E.  to  N.  W., 
at  an  average  breadth  of  about  ten  miles,  till  it  reaches  the  Deveron. 
(Sinclair’s  Gen.  Rep.) — P. 

f Cairngorm  stones,  so  called  from  the  mountain  of  Cairngorm  (blue 
mountain.)  They  are  properly  rock  crystals,  (brown  and  yellow,) 
topazes  (blue,  white  and  brown)  and  beryls  ; the  latter  rare,  the  others 
abundant.  The  yellow  rock  crystals  have  been  called  topazes ; other 
specimens,  emeralds  and  amethysts. — P. 

s Hector  Boece  or  Boies  (Boethius,)  a native  of  Dundee — first  prin- 
cipal of  King’s  College. — P. 


BOOK  CIiVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


595 


Old  Aberdeen.1 II  The  town  was  erected  into  a bishopric 
or  city  in  the  year  1153  by  the  translation  of  the  epis- 
copal see  of  Mortlach  in  Banffshire,  and  the  college  was 
endowed  more  than  three  hundred  years  afterwards  by 
Bishop  Elphinstone.b  The  library,  which  contains  about 
15,000  volumes,  is  entitled  to  a copy  of  every  work 
entered  in  stationers’  hall.  Marischal  college,  which  is 
situated  in  the  new  town,  was  founded  in  1593  by 
George,  Earl  Marischal  of  Scotland.  The  buildings, 
which  occupy  a considerable  area,  are  very  irregular,  in 
consequence  of  having  been  erected  at  different  periods. 
The  observatory,  which  was  lately  built,  commands  an 
extensive  view  of  the  horizon;  and  the  cabinet  of 
natural  philosophy  belonging  to  the  college,  is  considered 
one  of  the  finest  in  Scotland.  It  must  be  observed, 
however,  that  the  number  of  young  men  attending  the 
two  colleges,  is  much  less  than  might  have  been  expected 
from  the  eminence  or  zeal  of  the  professors,  the  system 
of  tuition  and  the  advantages  afforded  to  the  students. 

New  Aberdeen  is  in  a far  more  flourishing  condition 
than  the  old  town.  It  is  spacious  and  well  built,  and  the 
stranger  observes  everywhere  the  signs  of  extension  and 
improvement.0  The  principal  streets  are  adorned  with 
fountains;  and  the  bridges,  edifices  and  houses  are  mostly 
built  of  granite.d  The  cause  of  so  much  prosperity 
must  be  attributed  to  the  commerce  and  industry  of  the 
inhabitants.®  The  entrance  into  the  Don,  below  Old 
Aberdeen,  is  almost  closed  by  a bank,  which  affords  only 
a passage  for  small  boats.  This  obstruction  has  occa- 
sioned the  gradual  migration  of  the  citizens  from  the  old 
to  the  new  town  on  the  banks  of  the  Dee ; and  even 
there  the  harbour  was  long  rendered  difficult  of  access 
by  the  sand  and  alluvial  deposits  of  the  river/  an  incon- 
venience which  is  now  removed.  A mole  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  river,  extending  in  the  direction  of  N.  N. 
E.,  and  originally  built  by  Mr.  Smeaton,  has  been 
lengthened  nearly  300  yards  ; its  breadth,  at  the  summit, 
is  six  yards,  and  its  total  length  492.  A light-house  on 
the  mole,  shows  the  entrance  into  the  harbour  ; and  a 
break-water  has  been  constructed  on  the  opposite  bank 
of  the  river.  But  notwithstanding  these  works,  vessels, 
when  the  winds  are  contrary,  are  often  liable  to  run 

I The  construction  requires  it  to  be  understood,  that  the  churches,  or 
at  least  those,  some  of  which  were  almost  destroyed  by  the  reformers, 
are  situated  in  Old  Aberdeen.  In  Old  Aberdeen,  before  the  Reforma- 
tion, was  a large  cathedral,  dedicated  to  St.  Machar,  of  which  there  re- 
mains only  the  aisle  (converted  into  the  parish  church  of  Old  Machar, 
the  parish  including  the  burgh  of  Old  Aberdeen.)  In  New  Aberdeen, 
there  were  at  the  same  period,  besides  the  ancient  parish  church  of  St. 
Nicholas  (rebuilt  about  1750,)  four  chapels,  two  of  which  were  occu- 
pied in  1797,  as  places  of  worsliip,  and  five  monasteries.  (Stat.  Acc.) 
In  1830,  there  were  twenty-six  places  of  worship,  of  all  denominations, 
in  Aberdeen  (nearly  all  in  New  Aberdeen.)  (Chambers.) — P. 

II  The  college  was  founded  by  Bishop  Elphinstone  in  1505.  The 
bull  of  institution  was  issued  by  Pope  Alexander  VI.  in  1494.  The 
charter  was  granted  by  James  IV.  in  1497. — P. 

c The  expenses  attending  the  various  public  improvements  have  been 
such  as  to  create  a deficiency  in  the  burgh  funds,  of  not  less  than 
L.4000  per  annum,  and  eventually  to  place  its  whole  property  in  the 
hands  of  trustees.  (Bell’s  Geog.  iii.  213.) — P. 

d Immense  quantities  of  granite  and  sienite  are  quarried  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Aberdeen. — In  1821,  there  were  exported  41,000  tons  of 
stone,  the  value  of  which  was  upwards  of  L.40,000.  (Bell.  Idem.) — P. 

e New  Aberdeen  is  extensively  engaged  in  manufactures.  These 
consist  chiefly  of  linen,  woollen  and  cotton — also  hosiery  and  carpeting ; 
coarse  yarn  spun  by  machinery,  partly  exported, and  partly  worked  into 
canvass  and  sheeting — also  iron  founderies,  and  several  large  brew- 
eries. (Bell.  Idem.) — The  manufacture  of  knit  woollen  stockings  was 
formerly  the  most  important  in  Aberdeen.  The  wool  was  chiefly  im- 
ported by  the  Aberdeen  merchants  from  England,  and  after  having 


ashore,  so  much  is  the  neighbouring  coast  exposed  to 
the  waves  of  the  North  Sea,  and  to  the  current  of  the 
Dee,  which  runs  to  the  south.  An  extensive  quay  has 
been  erected  above  the  mole,  and  it  is  partly  lined  with 
large  buildings  for  the  preparation  of  train  oil ; beyond 
the  same  quay  are  situated  the  downs,  which  com- 
mand the  beach  between  the  two  Aberdeens. 

Aberdeen  holds  a high  rank  among  the  industrious 
towns  in  Scotland  ; its  principal  manufactures  consist  of 
cotton,  linen  and  woollen  goods  ; one  of  the  largest  flax 
manufactories  in  the  country  has  been  established  on  the 
Don,  and  the  manufacture  of  cotton  affords  employment 
to  more  than  a thousand  inhabitants.  Three  hundred 
and  fifty  vessels,  of  400,000  tons,  belong  to  the  port, 
and  they  are  employed  in  the  different  fisheries,  and  in 
the  foreign  and  coasting  trade.  Lastly,  a navigable 
canal,  eighteen  miles  in  length,  passes  from  Aberdeen  to 
Inverury/  and  the  products  of  the  country  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood are  thus  conveyed  to  the  town. 

No  towns  of  any  importance  are  situated  in  the  inte- 
rior of  the  county.1*  If  we  continue  our  journey  north- 
wards from  Aberdeen,  along  the  coast,  we  pass  the  vil- 
lage of  Newburgh,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ythan,  a river 
formerly  celebrated  on  account  of  its  pearl  fisheries.1 
Peterhead,  the  most  easterly  point  of  Scotland,  is  situ- 
ated to  the  north-north-east  of  the  last  place.  The 
town  contains  nearly  7000  inhabitants,  and  is  built  on 
the  edge  of  an  extensive  bay,  which  affords  good  anchor- 
age to  ships  of  all  sizes.  Besides  the  old  harbour  on 
the  south,  a new  one  has  been  erected  on  the  north,  so 
that,  whatever  be  the  direction  of  the  wind,  vessels  can 
now  enter  Peterhead.  The  governors  of  the  Merchant 
Maiden  Hospital  in  Edinburgh,  are  the  trustees  of  the 
harbour,  and  they  have  expended  L.  15,000  on  these 
works.  The  commissioners  of  public  roads  in  the 
Highlands,  have  applied  a like  sum  for  the  same  pur- 
pose, from  the  funds  placed  at  their  disposal  by  parlia- 
ment. Cape  Kinnairdk  is  situated  to  the  north-west  of 
Peterhead,  and  the  harbour  of  Fraserburgh  has  been 
built  at  its  base.  The  townsmen  subscribed  L.5620  for 
the  repairs  of  the  harbour,  and  an  equal  sum  was  grant- 
ed by  the  road  commissioners.  The  jetty  has  in  con- 

been  prepared,  was  distributed  by  agents,  throughout  the  north-eastern 
counties,  particularly  Aberdeenshire  and  the  adjoining  part  of  the 
Mearns.  The  stockings  were  knit  by  hand,  by  the  women,  children 
and  aged  persons,  and  were  returned  hy  the  same  agents  to  Aberdeen, 
where  the  trade  centred.  In  1797,  not  less  than  30,000  persons  were 
occasionally  employed  in  spinning  and  knitting,  and  the  amount  an- 
nually exported  was  estimated  at  L. 103, 000.  (Stat.  Acc.)  L. 183, 000. 
(Gaz.  Scot.  1803.) — P. 

f By  a bar  of  sand,  which  was  perpetually  shifting  its  situation. 
(Ed.  Enc.)— P. 

s The  canal  commences  in  the  harbour  of  Aberdeen,  and  crossing 
to  the  valley  of  the  Don,  proceeds  up  that  river  to  Inverury,  an  ancient 
royal  burgh,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Don  and  the  Ury.  The  rise  is 
169  feet  by  17  locks,  15  of  which  are  near  Aberdeen.  It  might  be 
extended  12  miles  farther  on  a level.  (Ed.  Enc.) — It  was  originally 
proposed  to  continue  it  up  the  Don  to  Monyinusk,  with  a branch  up 
the  Ury,  through  Garioch,  to  Insch.  (Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

h The  only  other  royal  burghs  in  the  county,  besides  Aberdeen,  are 
situated  near  each  other,  on  the  Don,  viz.  Kintore,  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  river,  and  Inverury,  a little  above,  on  a point  of  land  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Don  and  Ury.  They  are  decayed  places,  of  little 
importance. — P. 

' The  Ythan  is  chiefly  noted  for  the  large  pearls,  which  its  muscles 
produce,  some  of  which  have  been  sold  as  high  as  L.3  sterling. 
(Gaz.  Scot.) — P. 

k Kinnaird’s  Head — an  elevated  promontory,  at  the  north-eastern 
point  of  Aberdeenshire.  A light-house  is  erected  on  it.  Fraserburgh  is 
situated  on  the  south  side. — P 


r 


EUROPE. 


596 

sequence  been  prolonged  to  the  distance  of  146  yards 
from  low  water  mark  ; and  so  much  advantage  has  re- 
sulted from  this  improvement,  that  additional  subscrip- 
tions have  been  levied  among  the  inhabitants,  to  com- 
plete the  harbour,  which  is  now  one  of  the  safest  and 
the  best  on  the  eastern  coast. 

Almost  all  the  country  through  which  we  have  travel- 
led, and  which  extends  from  the  Solway  Frith  to  the 
Grampians,  has  been  denominated  the  Lowlands  of  Scot- 
land. The  remaining  portion,  or  the  Highlands,  is 
widely  different.  The  inhabitants  wear  a different  dress; 
they  speak  a different  language  ; they  are  of  a different 
origin.  The  government  of  petty  chiefs,  and  the  evils 
of  the  feudal  system,  a system  long  established  and 
abolished  at  a comparatively  recent  period,  have  had 
their  influence  on  the  character  of  the  people,  and  the 
Highlander  is  not  perhaps  less  distinguished  by  cunning 
and  servility,  than  he  confessedly  is  by  courage.  The 
latter  is  the  virtue  of  a military  vassal,  and  the  former 
arose  necessarily  in  a small  community,  of  which  the 
different  members  held  small  portions  of  land  at  the  will 
of  a barbarous  chief,  who  exercised  almost  despotic 
authority  over  their  property  and  their  lives.  Com- 
merce, and  every  sort  of  industry,  except  that  of  raising 
a scanty  subsistence  from  the  ground,  or  from  rearing 
cattle,  were  almost  unknown  in  the  period  of  which 
we  speak,  and  if  bleakness  and  sterility  are  not  less 
characteristic  of  the  Highlands  than  “ the  mountain 
and  the  flood,”  it  is  not  wonderful  that  the  infe- 
rior condition  of  the  people  is  evinced  in  their  miser- 
able cottages,  or  rather  hovels,  in  their  wretched  cloth- 
ing, and  still  more  wretched  food,  and  in  the  absence  of 
comforts,  in  which  the  lower  classes  throughout  other 
parts  of  Scotland  participate.  All  the  causes  by  which 
civilization  has  been  retarded,  no  longer  exist,  but  the 
effects  of  those  causes  are  still  apparent,  and  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  the  best  means  have  not  hitherto 
been  employed  for  so  desirable  an  end  as  the  moral  and 
intellectual  improvement  of  the  inhabitants.  The  sub- 
ject may  be  afterwards  more  fully  examined,  but  it  may 
be  remarked  that  a hundred  years  have  not  yet  elapsed 
since  the  tyranny  of  petty  chiefs  was  at  its  height,  or 
since  the  great  bulwarks  of  English  liberty  afforded  no 
protection  in  the  Highlands  against  “ the  speedy  course 
of  feudal  justice.”  Many  traces  of  the  state  of  society 
under  such  a system1  are  still  conspicuous,  and  a long 
period  may  pass  away  ere  they  are  wholly  effaced.  It 
was  the  object  of  every  proprietor  to  divide  his  lands 
into  as  many  small  farms  as  possible,  a custom  by  which 
the  number  of  his  retainers  was  increased,  and  which 
was  rendered  necessary  by  the  manner  of  life,  the  habits 
and  inclinations  of  the  people.  The  farms  were  thus 

a Previous  to  1745,  or  before  the  abolition  of  heritable  jurisdic- 
tions.— P. 

h A tenure  formerly  prevailed  very  generally  in  Scotland,  called  in 
the  Lowlands,  run-rig , or  rig  aiul  rennet , by  which  a large  farm  or 
town  was  held  in  common  by  a number  of  tenants,  who  divided  the 
arable  land  into  narrow  ridges  or  small  portions,  which  were  so  allot- 
ted that  their  individual  possessions  were  intermingled,  and  these, 
too,  were  alternated  from  year  to  year.  This  tenure  was  particularly 
prevalent  in  those  parts  of  the  country  exposed  to  military  or  preda- 
tory incursions,  as  on  the  English  and  Highland  borders.  This  prac- 
tice even  continued  in  some  parts,  till  the  close  of  the  last  century. 
(Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

c Gaelic  (Scotch  and  Irish)  bailc  (plu.  bailte),  a town  or  city — also  a 
manor  or  township.  (Manks,  bailey,  plu.  baljyn.)  This  word  is  the 


(BOOK  CLVI. 

possessed  by  joint  tenants.11  of  which  the  number  was 
regulated  by  the  quantity  of  food  that  could  be  raised 
from  the  land.  The  larger  farms  occupied  a portion  of 
a valley  to  which  many  miles  of  mountain  pasture  were 
annexed  ; they  formed  so  many  hamlets  or  petty  town- 
ships, which  the  inhabitants  called  bailef  and  which  are 
known  in  the  low  country  dialect  by  the  name  of  touns. 
The  rate  at  which  the  lands  wrere  let  was  very  moderate, 
and  the  wealth  of  a chief  was  not  estimated  by  the  ren- 
tal, but  by  the  number  of  his  tenants;  they  were  his 
soldiers  in  war  ; be  associated  with  them,  or  lived  in  in- 
dolence, during  peace. 

There  were  besides  other  tenants,  who  were  denom 
inated  tacksmen,  and  they  formed  an  intermediate  class 
between  the  chief  and  the  ordinary  tenantry.  They 
were  little  different  from  the  ordinary  landowners;  they 
were  the  officers,  who,  under  the  chief,  commanded  the 
soldiers  in  war,  and  they  traced  their  origin  to  some  an- 
cient or  celebrated  warrior,  who  had  made  over  a portion 
of  his  land  as  a provision  to  the  younger  branch  of  his 
family.  Part  of  their  farm  was  sufficient  to  supply  their 
wants,  and  the  rest  was  divided  among  a number  of  sub- 
tenants or  cotters,  who  were  bound  to  perform  a certain 
quantity  of  labour,  as  rent  for  their  land.  Cotters  were 
likewise  settled  as  labourers  on  the  farms  of  the  small 
tenants,  and  they  had  generally  a share  in  the  stock  of 
cattle,  which  formed  a joint  property.  A few  individ- 
uals exercised  the  most  common  trades ; there  were 
some  blacksmiths,  weavers,  tailors  and  shoemakers,  and 
a portion  of  land  was  assigned  to  them  by  one  or  other 
of  the  tenants.  Thus,  every  man  in  the  Highlands 
had  a certain  quantity  of  ground  ; there  was  no  such 
person  as  an  independent  labourer  or  artisan,*1  for  what- 
ever his  calling  might  be,  that  of  a husbandman  was 
united,  and  bis  subsistence  with  that  of  his  family  was 
derived  from  the  soil.  The  produce  of  the  land  was 
consumed  on  the  spot  ; there  was  no  separation  of  em- 
ployment, much  less  any  thing  like  a division  of  labour. 
While  the  vast  and  complicated  system  of  commerce 
and  production  was  pervading  other  parts  of  the  island, 
it  was  cut  off  from  the  Highlands  by  the  same  moun- 
tains that  served  as  barriers  against  law  and  justice. 

Many  advantages,  however,  resulted  from  the  unsuccess- 
ful rebellion  in  1745;  and  the  measures  which  were  after- 
wards adopted,  while  they  were  necessary  for  the  subjuga- 
tion, were  not  less  so  for  the  civilization,  of  the  Highlands. 
The  country  was  disarmed,  a force  sufficient  to  command 
it  was  stationed  at  the  principal  passes,  it  was  intersected 
for  the  first  time  by  roads,  it  became  subject  to  the  same 
laws  as  the  rest  of  Scodand,  and  all  the  benefits  of  regular 
government  were  gradually  obtained.  But  it  seldom  hap- 
pens that  a sudden  change  takes  place  from  imperfect  civil 

prefix  to  the  many  names  of  places  in  Scotland  and  Ireland,  beginning 
with  bid  (Scotland)  and  balli  or  bally  (Ireland.)  Dublin  was  called  by 
the  native  Irish,  Balhy-l can- death,  the  town  of  the  harbour  of  hurdles. — 
Bailc  is  not  written  with  an  accent  in  Gaelic,  but  is  pronounced  as 
two  syllables. — The  bade  of  the  Gaels  corresponds  with  the  tre  or  trev 
of  the  Welsh  (Cymry) — hence  Cantrev  ( cant  and  trev,)  a hundred,  i.  e. 
a hundred  hamlets  or  townships.  Although  bailc  ( bailey ) is  common 
to  all  the  present  Gaelic  languages,  and  is  used  by  them  all  equally  in 
the  sense  of  town,  yet  in  the  sense  of  city,  it  is  used  only  by  the  Scotch 
Gaels;  the  Irish  using  in  that  sense,  cathair  (the  Welsh  carr  or  cadre, 
properly,  a fortress.)  and  the  Manks,  ard-vallcy,  high  town  (Gaelic, 
aird-bhatle.)  The  Welsh  now  use  for  city,  ilinas. — P. 

d Qu.  one  who  was  simply  a labourer  or  artisan. — P. 


BOOK  CLVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


institutions  of  long  standing  to  others  of  a better  descrip- 
tion without  producing  much  inconvenience  and  many  tem- 
porary evils.  The  business  of  plunder  was  at  an  end,  and 
the  glory  of  the  chieftains  was  gone.  Regardless  of  the 
tenantry  that  had  been  their  pride  in  feudal  times,  they  fol- 
lowed the  example  of  the  proprietors  in  the  south,  and  let 
their  lands  to  the  highest  bidder.  Persons  of  capital  were 
thus  induced  to  settle  in  the  Highlands,  and  many  small 
farms  were  united  into  one.  Of  the  numerous  Highlanders, 
thus  thrown  out  of  employment,  some  removed  to  the  Low- 
lands, and  engaged  in  different  branches  of  industry,  others 
migrated  to  America,  and  many  entered  the  British  army, 
of  which  they  have  been  the  flower  since  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  country,  too,  has  been 
improved ; many  roads  have  been  made,  canals  have  been 
cut,a  and  inland  navigation  has  been  extended  by  means 
of  these  canals  and  numerous  lakes.  The  fisheries  have 
become  an  object  of  national  importance,  and  although  it 
might  have  been  at  first  necessary  to  excite  the  indolent 
Highlander  by  the  lure  of  a government  bounty,  it  may  be 
doubted  if  its  continuance  be  accordant  with  sound  policy. 
The  rearing  of  sheep,  the  department  of  rural  economy  best 
adapted  for  the  soil  and  climate  of  the  Highlands,  is  every 
year  becoming  more  general  ; extensive  woollen  manufac- 
tures may  in  time  be  established,  other  branches  of  industry 
may  be  introduced,  and  the  country,  instead  of  containing 
a scanty  and  indolent  population,  may  be  peopled  by  active 
and  industrious  men.  Much  good  has  already  been  effected 
by  the  Highland  Society,  the  improvement  of  the  High- 
lands and  Islands  being  one  of  the  objects  of  that  institu- 
tion. Another  object  is  to  contribute  to  the  preservation 
of  the  language,  poetry  and  music  of  the  Highlands.  It 
may  be  remarked  that  the  limits  within  which  the  Gaelic 
is  used,  are  gradually  contracting  ; in  other  words,  it  is 
unknown  in  places  where  it  was  spoken  fifty  years  ago.b 
Such  indeed  is  the  natural  consequence  of  the  measures 
adopted  after  the  rebellion,  and  of  every  successive  attempt 
to  improve  the  country,  or  to  enable  the  inhabitants  to 
participate  in  the  industry  and  civilization  of  the  Lowlands. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  inquire  whether  the  two  objects  of  the 
Society  are  incompatible  with  each  other ; it  is  certain  that 
the  first,  or  the  improvement  of  the  Highlands,  is  retarded 
by  the  second,  or  the  preservation  of  the  Gaelic  language.0 
The  introduction  and  diffusion  of  useful  knowledge  are 
thus  in  some  degree  prevented,  or  at  all  events  rendered 
more  difficult,  and  prejudices  which  ought  to  be  eradicated 
are  thus  perpetuated.  The  improvement  so  much  desired 
cannot  be  complete,  so  long  as  these  prejudices  exist,  and  so 
long  as  the  language  and  habits  of  the  Highlanders  are  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  the  other  inhabitants  of  Scotland. 

The  superior  condition  of  the  lower  orders  forms  a 
characteristic  difference  between  the  past  and  present  state 

a The  Highland  canals  are  the  Caledonian  Canal,  through  the 
Ci'cn-morc-na-Mbin,  in  Inverness-shire,  and  the  Crinan  Canal,  across 
the  isthmus  of  Cantyre,  in  Argyleshire.  (Ed.  Enc.  Bell.) — P. 

b The  Gaelic,  Erse  or  Highland  Scotch  (called  by  the  Highlanders, 
Gaelic.  /Hbannuich,  Albanian  or  Caledonian  Gaelic)  is  a dialect  of  the 
Gaelic-Celtic  family,  so  closely  allied  to  the  Irish  language  (Irish 
Gaelic,)  that  the  two  are  to  a large  extent  mutually  intelligilde.  The 
term  Gaelic  properly  characterizes  the  whole  family  ; the  Irish  calling 
their  language  Gaelic,  as  well  as  the  Highlanders  theirs.  The 
Manks  (native  language  of  the  Isle  of  Man)  is  radically  a Gaelic  dia- 
lect. but  more  widely  separated  from  the  original  stock  (particularly 
by  foreign  admixture — Norse,  English)  than  either  the  Scotch  or  Irish 
Gaelic. — P. 

c The  design  of  the  society  is  not  so  much  to  preserve  the  Gaelic 
as  a living  language,  as  to  collect  and  preserve  its  literary  monu- 
ments. For  this  purpose,  they  have  critically  investigated  the  autlien- 


597 

of  the  Lowlands;  the  houses  of  the  peasantry  are  better 
built,  the  inmates  pay  greater  attention  to  cleanliness,  and 
from  the  facility  with  which  the  various  products  of  in- 
dustry are  multiplied,  the  people  are  in  possession  of  many 
articles  of  household  furniture  and  dress,  which,  among 
the  peasantry  at  least,  might  have  been  sought  in  vain 
fifty  years  ago.  But  a corresponding  improvement  has  not 
yet  taken  place  among  the  lower  orders  in  the  High,  nds  ; 
their  costume  is  still  the  same,  and  their  houses  are  only 
remarkable  for  their  rudeness.  They  are  built  of  round 
stones,  cemented  with  clay  or  mud,  and  the  roof  is  formed 
by  a covering  of  turf  or  heath.  The  interior  consists  gene- 
rally of  a single  chamber,  but  in  those  of  the  best  descrip- 
tion it  is  divided  by  a wicker  partition.  The  smaller  division 
is  reserved  for  the  poultry,  pigs  or  cattle,  if  there  are  any, 
and  the  other  serves  as  the  kitchen,  dining-room  and  bed- 
room of  the  whole  family.  The  fire  is  placed  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  chamber,  and  a hook  suspended  from  a chain, 
supports  a single  pot,  all  that  is  used  for  dressing  the 
victuals.  An  aperture  is  made  in  the  roof  for  the  passage 
of  smoke ; the  opening  is  not  placed  in  a direct  line  above 
the  fire,  lest  it  might  be  extinguished  by  the  rain,  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  smoke  is  thus  diffused  through  the  apart- 
ment, or  escapes  only  by  the  door.  The  beds  of  the  fami- 
ly are  so  many  blankets  laid  over  ferns  or  heath,  and  their 
food,  as  simple  as  their  habits,  consists  of  oat-meal,  milk, 
and  vegetables.  The  grain  that  is  raised  in  the  country, 
suffices  for  their  subsistence,  and  for  the  distillation  of 
whisky, d their  favourite  liquor. 

It  will  be  afterwards  seen  that  the  industry  of  the  in- 
habitants is  now  directed  to  objects  that  are  likely  to  re- 
ward them,  to  the  rearing  of  cattle  and  sheep,  to  the  mines, 
forests  and  fisheries,  which  form  the  wealth  of  the  High- 
lands. The  country  may  now  be  examined.  Buteshire,  a 
county  on  the  west  coast  of  Scotland,  in  the  Frith  of  Clyde, 
consists  entirely  of  islands,  and  comprehends  those  of  Bute 
and  Arran,  the  two  Cumbraes,  Inchmarnoch,  and  a few 
islets.  The  first  of  these  islands,  one  of  the  most  important 
of  the  Hebrides,  and  the  one  that  gives  its  name  to  the 
county,  is  separated  by  a narrow  channel  from  the  district 
of  Cowal  in  Argyleshire.  It  is  about  fifteen  miles  in 
length,  and  nowhere  so  much  as  five  in  breadth,  but  in 
some  places  it  is  so  much  indented  by  the  sea,  that  the 
heads  of  opposite  bays  are  not  more  than  a mile  from 
each  other.  The  superficial  extent  is  nearly  equal  to 
30,000  acres. 

It  is  as  remarkable  for  the  mildness  as  for  the  moisture 
of  its  climate;  in  the  former  respect  it  has  been  compared 
to  the  southern  counties  of  England,  and  it  has  been  ascer- 
tained that  the  annual  fall  of  rain  is  at  least  equal  to  twice 
the  average  quantity  on  the  eastern  coast.®  The  surface  is 
varied  by  low  hills,  of  which  the  highest  is  not  more  than 

ticity  of  the  Ossianic  poems,  and  have  published  a highly  valuable 
Report  on  the  subject.  They  have  made  large  collections  of  Gaelic 
literature,  especially  poetry,  and  have  promoted  the  philological  study 
of  the  language.  Similar  efforts  have  been  made  by  the  Highland 
Society  of  London. — P. 

d Whisky  is  a corruption  of  the  Gaelic  uisge,  water,  and  usque- 
baugh, of  uisge  beatha  (pron.  bcalui.)  water  of  life.  The  river  of  the 
water  of  life  (Rev.  xxii.  1)  is  rendered,  amhainn  do  uisge  na  beatha  (prcn. 
avain  do  uisge  no  beaha,)  river  of  water  of  the  life.  There  is  the  same 
distinction  in  French,  cuu  tic  vie  and  caude  la  vie. — P. 

e At  Mount-Stuart,  in  Bute,  the  annual  quantity  of  rain,  on  an  av- 
erage of  seven  years,  was  4G.6  inches  ; at  Duddingstone,  on  the 
Forth,  near  Edinburgh,  on  an  average  of  eight  years,  25.7  inches. — 
There  is  said  to  be  less  rain  in  Bute,  than  in  the  adjoining  districts, 
owing  to  the  attraction  of  the  clouds  by  the  mountains  of  Arran  and 
Cowal.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


MS 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  OB VI 


720  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Slate  and  lime  are 
found  in  different  places,  and  extensive  beds  of  sea-shells 
are  scattered  on  the  western  side  of  the  island.  Agricul- 
ture has  of  late  years  been  extended,  all  the  crops  in  the 
lowlands  of  Scotland  are  raised,  and  nearly  three-fourths 
of  the  surface  are  fit  for  cultivation.  Fifty  thousand  bar- 
rels of  herrings  were  often  exported  from  the  island  in  the 
course  of  a year.  The  manufacture  of  cotton  is  one  of 
the  branches  of  industry,  which  has  been  introduced  within 
a comparatively  recent  period,  and  the  extensive  spinning 
mills  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Rothesay  afford  employment 
to  many  of  the  inhabitants.1 

Rothesay ,b  the  only  town,  is  situated  on  the  north-west- 
ern side  of  the  island,  opposite  a spacious  bay,  in  which 
there  is  a safe  anchorage.0  The  pier  is  commodious,  and 
the  number  of  vessels  belonging  to  the  port  measure  up- 
wards of  5000  tons.4  Packets  sail  regularly  from  the  town 
to  Greenock,0  and  there  is  a daily  mail  boat  to  Largs  in 
Ayrshire/  The  ruins  of  the  ancient  castle  of  Rothesay  are 
the  principal  ornament  of  the  place  ; it  was  long  a residence 
of  the  Stuarts,  and  the  bed-rooms  and  banqueting  room  of 
Robert  the  Second  and  Third,  the  last  monarchs  by  whom 
it  was  inhabited,  are  still  shown  to  strangers. 

Arran,  about  twelve  miles  to  the  south  of  Bute,  is  more 
than  twenty  miles  in  length,  and  from  seven  to  eleven  miles 
in  breadth.  The  surface  is  equal  to  165  square  miles,  but 
it  is  rugged  and  mountainous,  and  not  more  than  a seventh 
part  is  fit  for  cultivation.  The  loftiest  summits,  the  deepest 
and  most  romantic  vallies,  are  situated  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  island.  GoatfelF  towers  above  the  rest,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  trigonometrical  survey,  it  is  2865  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  Limestone,  marl  and  slate  are  by  no 
means  uncommon,  and  indications  of  coal  have  been  at  differ- 
ent times  discovered.  The  herring  fishery  is  the  most  produc- 
tive branch  of  industry, and  convenient  harbours  are  situated  at 
the  two  towns,  or  rather  villages  of  Lamlash  and  Loch-Ran- 
za,  the  one  on  the  eastern,  and  the  other  on  the  northern  side 
of  the  island.  It  is  divided  into  the  two  parishes  of  Kilbride 
and  Kilmory,and  in  both  of  them  the  Gaelic  was  formerly  the 
only  language  of  the  inhabitants,  but  it  is  now  little  known, 
and  there  are  at  present  twelve  English  schools  in  Arran. 

The  Cumbraes  are  two  small  islands  on  the  coast  of  Ayr- 
shire ; the  largest  is  about  four  square  miles  in  extent,  and 
nearly  a half  of  it  is  cultivated.  A light-house  is  erected  on 
the  small  one,  which  is  inhabited  by  five  or  six  families. 

n A large  cotton  mill  was  established  in  1778,  by  an  English  Compa- 
ny— the  first  in  Scotland.  This  establishment  has  been  recently  en- 
larged, and  greatly  improved  by  Mr.  Thom,  who  has  superseded  the 
use  of  steam-engines  by  water  power.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b Rothesay,  or  Rothsay — (he  first  the  more  usual  form.  Some  have 
supposed  the  name  of  Danish  origin ; others  have  derived  it  from  the 
Gaelic,  Riorrh  ( [Righ ) Suidhe,  the  King's  Seat,  from  the  Castle  of 
Rothesay,  once  a royal  residence.  Rothesay  is  a royal  burgh,  and  the 
county  town. — P. 

c It  is  situated  at  the  bottom  of  an  extensive  bay,  on  the  N.  W. 
side  of  the  island,  in  which  there  is  safe  anchorage.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — 
This  is  a mistake  ; Rothesay  is  on  the  N.  E.  coast  of  the  island. — 
Rothesay  is  situated  on  a bay  of  the  same  name,  on  the  north-east  side 
of  Bute.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

ll  In  1790,  the  shipping  amounted  to  424G  tons,  of  which  3104  were 
employed  in  the  herring-fishery.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — P. 

e By  means  of  steam-boats  on  the  Clyde,  it  communicates  with 
Glasgow  commonly  many  times  in  a day.  (Bell.) — P. 

f It  lies  on  the  west  side  of  the  Firth  of  Clyde,  nearly  opposite 
Largs. — P. 

e Goatfield.  Fell  and  field  are  here  the  Dan.  field,  Swed.  fjcdl, 
mountain. — P. 

11  Inchmarnoch  (island  of  Marnoch)  is  about  a mile  long.  On  the 
west  side  are  vast  strata  of  shells.  The  ruins  of  a chapel,  dedicated  to 
St.  Marnoch,  are  still  visible.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — P. 


The  islet  of  Inchmarnocb,  on  the  south-west  of  Bute, 
derives  its  name  from  a chapel  dedicated  to  St.  Marnoch. 
The  area  is  less  than  a square  mile,  and  the  greater  part  of 
it  is  fruitful.1*  A light-house  has  been  built  on  the  islet  of 
Pladda  on  the  south  of  Arran,*  for  the  guidance  of  vessels 
into  the  Frith  of  Clyde.1* 

If  we  ascend  the  same  frith,  and  turn  to  the  right,  we 
may  arrive  at  the  town  of  Dumbarton,  which  is  situated  near 
the  confluence  of  the  Clyde  and  the  Leven,1  and  almost 
insulated  by  the  last  river  at  high  water.  More  than  two 
thousand  tons  of  shipping  belong  to  the  harbour,  and  the  rise 
of  water  is  equal  to  eleven  feet  at  spring  tides.  The 
principal  manufacture,  or  that  of  crown  glass,  affords  em- 
ployment to  many  of  the  inhabitants,  and  of  the  extent  to 
which  it  is  carried,  some  notion  may  be  formed  from  the 
government  duties,  of  which  the  annual  amount  has  not  been 
less,  on  an  average  of  several  years,  than  L.  100,000.***  The 
fairs  that  are  held  in  the  town  attract  many  persons  from 
different  parts  of  the  country,  and  the  one  that  takes  place 
in  the  month  of  June,  is  considered  the  principal  mart  for 
Highland  cattle  in  the  west  of  Scotland. 

The  ancient  castle  of  Dumbarton  crowns  a lofty  rock 
that  rises  abruptly  from  a plain  at  the  confluence  of  the  two 
rivers,  which  wash  both  sides  of  its  base,**  and  surround  it 
during  high  tides.  Although  the  fort  was  considered  im- 
pregnable in  the  days  of  the  venerable  Bede,  it  was  reduc- 
ed by  famine  in  706  ;°  and  at  a later  period,  w hile  held  by 
the  adherents  of  Queen  Mary,  it  was  taken  by  escalade.? 
It  has  since  stood  several  sieges,  and  before  the  rebellion  of 
1745,  it  was  not  inaccurately  designated  the  key  of  the 
West  Highlands. 

When  the  merchants  of  Glasgow  found  it  necessary,  in 
consequence  of  the  increase  of  their  trade,  and  the  distance 
of  their  town  from  the  sea,  to  have  a port  and  a depot  for 
their  exports  and  imports  towards  the  mouth  of  the  Clyde, 
they  made  choice  of  Dumbarton.  The  proposition  was 
communicated  to  and  rejected  by  the  municipal  authorities 
and  burgesses.  Numerous  shipping,  it  was  urged,  always 
raised  the  price  of  provisions,  seaports  were  necessarily 
dirty,  the  townsmen  hated  the  bustle  of  trade,  and  other  ab- 
surdities had  their  weight  in  influencing  their  opinion.  The 
proposal  was  rejected,  and  it  is  perhaps  impossible  to  men- 
tion another  instance  in  which  Scotchmen  acted  so  contrary 
to  their  interest.*1 

The  county  of  which  Dumbarton  is  the  capital/  is  divid- 


1 Pladda  is  about  a mile  distant  from  the  south-east  point  of  Ar- 
ran.— P. 

k This  light-house  is  furnished  with  two  lights,  to  distinguish  it  from 
the  others  in  the  Frith. — P. 

1 On  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Leven,  a little  to  the  north-west  of  the 
castle. — P. 

m A manufactory  of  glass  is  carried  on  to  such  an  extent,  as  to  pay 
nearly  L.4000  of  duty  annually.  (Ed.  Enc.  1817.) — Average  duties 
L.3800  per  ann.  (Stat.  Acc.  1792.) — P. 

n The  Clyde  on  the  south,  and  the  Leven  on  the  west. — P. 

° The  venerable  Bede  informs  us,  that  it  was  the  strongest  fortification 
in  the  kingdom  in  his  time,  and  deemed  almost  impregnable  ; it  was 
reduced  by  famine  in  the  year  756,  by  Egbert,  king  of  Northumberland. 
(Gaz.  Scot.) — In  726,  this  city  was  attacked  by  Egbert,  kingof  Northum- 
berland, and  Oangus  (Ungus,)  king  of  the  Piets,  and  the  Britons  were 
compelled  to  submit.  (Leighton’s  Scenes  in  Scotland,  100.) — Ungus 
reigned  from  730  to  761.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Dumbarton  (the  Alduith  of 
Bede,  the  Balclutha  (town  of  the  Clyde)  of  Ossian,  and  the  Dunlrritton 
(fort  of  the  Britons)  of  the  Gael)  was  the  capital  of  the  Strathclyde 
Britons  ( Cyinry .) — P. 

p A.  D.  1571.  It  was  the  last  place  in  Scotland,  that  held  out  for 
Mary. — P. 

<t  C.  Dupin,  Force  Commerciale,  tom.  vi.  p.  300. 

r Dumbartonshire. 


BOOK  CLTI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


599 


ed  into  two  parts  that  are  some  miles  distant  from  each  oth- 
er ;a  the  larger  or  the  western  is  bounded  by  Perthshire  on 
the  north,  by  Argyleshire  on  the  west,  from  which  it  is  sep- 
arated by  Loch  Long,  an  arm  of  the  sea,  by  Lanarkshire 
and  the  Clyde  on  the  south,  and  by  Stirlingshire  on  the 
east.  The  eastern  portion  is  enclosed  by  the  last  county 
and  by  Lanarkshire.  The  area  is  equal  to  230  square 
miles,  and  the  relative  population  is  not  less  than  144  per- 
sons to  every  square  mile. 

The  soil  on  the  low  grounds,  consists  of  schistose  clay, 
and  in  some  places,  particularly  on  the  banks  of  the  Clyde, 
of  a rich  black  loam.  But  about  two  thirds  of  the  county 
are  occupied  by  lofty  hills,  some  of  which  are  3000  feet  in 
height, b and  all  of  them  form  part  of  the  ridge  which  trav- 
erses the  island  from  Forfarshire  to  the  Frith  of  Clyde.c 
Coal,  iron-ore  and  limestone  are  the  most  valuable  minerals. 
But  the  first  is  only  worked  on  the  south-east  border,  where 
little  more  than  1 1,000  tons  are  annually  raised.  As  to  the 
second,  it  is  computed  that  3000  tons  of  ironstone  are  sent 
every  year  to  the  Canon  foundery  from  the  parishes  of 
Kirkintullochd  and  Cumbernauld.  Although  limestone 
abounds,  it  is  only  worked  in  two  or  three  places  on  account 
of  the  scarcity  of  fuel. 

The  Leven,  the  outlet  of  Loch  Lomond,  is  the  princi- 
pal river  ; it  flows  five  or  six  miles  through  a fruitful  plain, 
and  joins  the  Clyde  at  Dumbarton  Castle.  The  extent  of 
coast  formed  by  Loch  Long  and  Gareloch6  affords  the  ad- 
vantage of  water  carriage  to  a large  part  of  the  county,  and 
in  the  remaining  portion  the  conveyance  of  goods  is  equally 
facilitated  by  the  Forth  and  Clyde  canal/  Loch  Lomond 
is  about  twenty -five  miles  in  length,  and  more  than  six  at  its 
greatest  breadth.  A small  part  of  it  is  situated  in  Stir- 
lingshire, the  rest  in  Dumbartonshire.  It  is  not  inferior  to 
any  of  the  British  lakes  in  the  beauty  and  variety  of  its 
scenery,  which  depend  on  its  numerous  and  well  wooded 
islands,  and  the  striking  contrast  of  its  verdant  and  shaded 
banks  with  the  rugged  mountains  that  rise  above  them.  The 
northern  part  is  comparatively  narrow,  the  southern  or 
broadest  is  hounded  by  a fruitful  plain,  and  between  the 
two  extremities  extend  the  heights,  which  are  crowned  by 
Benlomond.s 

As  a manufacturing  county,  Dumbartonshire  is  not  with- 
out importance,  and  the  printing  and  bleaching  of  cottons 


a The  eastern  portion  is  a long  narrow  tract,  composed  of  the  par- 
ishes of  Cumbernauld  and  Kirkintilloch,  separated  from  the  rest  of  the 
county  by  a part  of  the  parish  of  Calder  (Cadder)  in  Lanarkshire.  It 
is  bounded  by  Stirlingshire  on  the  north  and  east,  and  by  Lanarkshire 
on  the  south  and  west.  The  Great  Canal  passes  through  it  longitudi- 
nally. The  main  body  of  the  county  is  of  a very  irregular  figure.  It 
consists  of  two  arms,  one  extending  north,  and  the  other  east  from 
Dumbarton.  The  Clyde  forms  the  southern  and  south-western  boun- 
dary, separating  it  from  Renfrewshire;  Lanarkshire  bounds  it  on  the 
south-east  for  a short  distance;  Stirlingshire  on  the  north-east  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Endrick  in  Loch  Lomond,  and  then  on  the  east  to  the 
northern  boundary,  Loch  Lomond  separating  the  two  counties  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  distance  ; Perthshire  on  the  north  ; Argyleshire  on 
the  west,  Loch  Long  forming  the  boundary  for  the  greater  part  of 
the  distance,  toward  the  south. — P. 

b In  the  parish  of  Arroquhar  at  the  northern  extremity.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

c That  part  of  the  west  division  of  the  county,  which  lies  east  of  the 
river  Leven,  is  intersected  by  a continuation  of  the  lofty  ridge,  which 
crosses  the  island  from  Forfarshire  to  the  Frith  of  Clyde.  (Ed.  Enc.) — 
This  portion  of  the  ridge  forms  part  of  the  chain  of  the  Lennox  Hills. 
The  highest  hills  in  the  county,  viz.  those  on  the  west  of  Loch  Lo- 
mond, have  no  connexion  with  this  ridge,  but  form  part  of  the  Gram- 
pians.— P. 

d Kirkintilloch.  (See  note *  *.) — P. 

e Gairloch,  or  Loch  Gair — an  arm  of  the  Firth  of  Clyde  to  the  west 
of  the  Leven,  extending  about  twelve  miles  north  into  Dumbarton- 


form  a great  branch  of  industry.  There  are  besides  three 
extensive  cotton  mills,  several  paper  mills,  and  an  iron- 
work for  edge  tools  and  other  articles.1’  The  glass  works 
of  Dumbarton  have  been  already  mentioned  ; there  are  sev- 
eral tanneries  in  the  same  place,  a manufactory  of  alkali  at 
Burnfoot,  and  another  of  pyrolignous  acid  at  Millburn. 
Many  printfields  are  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Leven,* 
and  the  small  stream  of  Dunlocher  turns  in  its  short  course 
sixteen  water-wheels. 

The  maritime  county  of  Argyle,  made  up  partly  of  the 
mainland,  and  partly  of  islands,  which  shall  be  afterwards 
described,  is  bounded  by  Perthshire  and  Dumbartonshire 
on  the  east,  by  Inverness-shire  on  the  north,  by  the  Irish 
Sea  and  the  Frith  of  Clyde  on  the  south,  and  by  the  Atlan- 
tic Ocean  on  the  west.  The  greatest  length  of  the  conti- 
nental portion  from  the  Mull  of  Kintyre  on  the  south  to 
Ardnamurchan  Point  on  the  north,  is  about  115  miles,  and 
its  breadth  is  more  than  sixty-eight.  The  surface  has  been 
computed  at  3800  square  miles,  of  which  1065  are  insular, 
and  the  remainder,  or  more  than  a thirteenth  of  the  whole 
of  Scotland,  is  situated  on  the  mainland.  The  coast  in  the 
last  portion  consists  of  many  long  promontories,  and  deep 
bays  or  inlets,  and  the  length  of  line  thus  formed  is  up- 
wards of  600  miles.  Several  fresh  water  lakes  are  situated 
in  the  interior,  and  their  superficial  extent,  it  has  been  sup- 
posed, is  equal  to  sixty  square  miles.  Like  the  rest  of  the 
Highlands,  Argyleshire  presents  the  dreary  prospect  of 
hills,  rocks  and  barren  mountains.  The  lofty  Ben-Cruachan 
is  3390  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  some  of  the 
heights  are  not  much  inferior  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Ben- 
lomond.k  The  inlets  cut  deep  into  the  land,  and  the  dis- 
trict of  Cowal  is  peninsulated  by  Loch  Long  on  one  side, 
and  Loch  Fine  on  the  other.  Some  barley  is  raised  for 
the  supply  of  the  distilleries,  the  other  crops  are  oats,  po- 
tatoes and  turnips,  hut  the  arable  land  bears  a very  small 
proportion  to  the  uncultivated  ; indeed  there  are  not  more 
than  125,000  acres  of  the  former  out  of  1,408,000.*  The 
rearing  of  cattle  was  long  the  principal  branch  of  rural  econ- 
omy, and  the  breed  of  oxen  is  still  considered  superior  in 
many  respects  to  most  in  Britain.  But  about  the  middle 
of  the  last  century  the  coarse  woolled  heath  sheep  were 
introduced,  and  it  was  soon  discovered  that  they  were  much 
better  adapted  than  oxen  for  the  lofty  and  barren  districts, 

shire,  and  with  Loch  Long  on  the  west,  forming  the  peninsula  of 
Roseneath. — P. 

f The  Forth  and  Clyde  canal  traverses  the  eastern  division  of  the 
county,  and  just  crosses  the  south-eastern  corner  of  the  western  divis- 
ion . — P. 

s Loch  Lomond  is  nearly  surrounded  by  ranges  of  mountains  or  hills 
On  the  south-east  are  the  Kilpatrick  Hills  (trap  range,)  leaving  be- 
tween them  and  the  lake,  a tract  of  low  land,  extending  along  the 
Leven.  On  the  west  are  the  mountains  of  Luss  and  Arroquhar,  sepa- 
rating it  from  Loch  Long.  On  the  east  is  Ben  Lomond,  the  highest 
summit,  with  the  chain  that  extends  north  and  connects  it  with  the 
Grampians.  At  the  upper  extremity,  a narrow  valley  extends  in  the 
direction  of  the  lake,  called  Glenfalloch. — P. 

h At  Dalnotter  iron-work  (in  Old  Kilpatrick.)  nails,  edge-tools  and 
all  sorts  of  wrought  iron  goods  are  manufactured  on  an  extensive 
scale.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

• The  banks  of  the  Leven  are  covered  with  numerous  bleachfields, 
printfields  and  cotton-works.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — Bleaching  flourishes  to 
a greater  extent  on  the  Leven.  than  in  any  other  part  of  Scotland,  on 
account  of  the  limpid  purity  of  its  water.  (Chambers.) — P. 

k Ben  Lomond  is  in  Stirlingshire,  separated  from  Argyleshire  by 
Loch  Lomond  and  Dumbartonshire.  Does  the  writer  refer  to  the  sum- 
mits on  the  borders  of  Dumbartonshire  ? Beinn  Ima,  or  the  Cobler  ol 
Arroquhar,  in  that  direction,  is  2389  feet  above  the  sea. — P. 

1 Number  of  acres  on  the  mainland,  1,415,898;  in  the  whole  coun- 
ty, 1,918,714.  (Bell.) — Number  of  acres  cultivated  on  the  mainland, 
126,130.  (Sinclair’s  Gen.  Rep.) — P. 


COO  EUR 

yielding  both  a much  greater  quantity  of  food  for  man,  and 
the  raw  material  of  an  important  manufacture.  There  are 
not  probably  fewer  than  350,000  of  these  valuable  animals 
throughout  the  continental  part  of  Argyleshire,  and  although 
they  have  increased  so  rapidly  since  the  time  of  their  intro- 
duction, it  must  not  be  inferred  that  the  number  of  oxen  is 
diminished  ; on  the  contrary,  there  is  reason  to  suppose  it 
greater  at  present  than  at  any  former  period,  a circumstance 
that  must  be  attributed  to  the  improved  state  of  the  arable 
and  pasture  lands. 

The  products  of  the  fisheries  are  not  less  important  than 
those  of  agriculture  ; they  afford  perhaps  a greater  quantity 
♦ of  food  ; they  furnish  employment  to  a greater  number  of 
hands.  The  form  of  the  county  is  admirably  adapted  for 
this  branch  of  industry ; it  is  penetrated  almost  in  every  di- 
rection by  arms  of  the  sea,  it  is  traversed  by  extensive  lakes, 
and  some  idea  of  its  importance  may  be  derived  from  the 
fact  that  the  herrings  caught  during  two  seasons  in  Loch 
Fine,  were  computed  to  be  worth  more  than  L.80,000.a 

If  the  spirit  of  improvement,  which  was  introduced  sev- 
eral years  ago,  be  continued,  Argyleshire  is  likely  to  be- 
come important  as  a manufacturing  and  commercial  coun- 
ty. The  old  roads  have  been  extended,  and  new  ones 
have  been  made  almost  in  every  direction.  The  Crinan 
canal,  which  has  been  cut  across  the  peninsula  of  Kintyre,  at 
an  expense  of  L.  1 40,000,  shortened  the  voyage  from  the 
ports  in  the  West  Highlands  and  the  Hebrides  by  a distance 
of  nearly  two  hundred  miles.  Lastly,  the  county  has  been 
made  to  communicate  with  the  German  Ocean  by  means  of 
the  Caledonian  canal,  of  which  Loch  Linnhe  forms  the  en- 
trance into  the  Atlantic  ; and  from  the  completion  of  this 
vast  work,  Argyleshire  has  derived  the  advantages  of  in- 
creased navigation  and  frequent  intercourse. 

A portion  of  Argyleshire,  it  has  already  been  observed, 
is  insular,  and  the  islands  form  part  of  the  Hebrides.  The 
Western  Isles  or  Hebrides  lie  between  55  30'  and  58°  28' 
north  latitude,  and  4°  52'  and  7°  40'  west  longitude  from 
Greenwich.  They  are  about  200  in  number,  but  not  more 
than  eighty-seven  are  inhabited.  Their  superficial  contents 
are  probably  greater  than  2800  square  miles,  and  their  total 
population  is  nearly  equal  to  eighty  thousand  inhabitants. 
The  Norwegians  and  the  Danes  contended  for  the  posses- 
sion of  them  in  ancient  times,  but  in  the  present  day  the  in- 
habitants appear  to  differ  little  from  the  Highlanders;  they 
speak  the  same  language,  wear  the  same  dress,  and  observe 
the  same  customs.  Bute,  Arran  and  two  or  three  small 
islands,  it  has  been  already  seen,  make  up  a distinct  county. 
The  other  Hebrides  form  part  of  the  counties  of  Argyle, 
Inverness  and  Ross.  The  superficies  of  those  belonging  to 
the  first  county  is  equal  to  992  square  miles ; 1150  are 
attached  to  the  second  or  Inverness-shire,  and  560  to 
Ross-shire. 

They  are  sometimes  divided  into  the  Outer  and  Inner 
Hebrides,  and  as  the  latter  lie  nearer  the  shore,  they  are 
much  better  known.  The  former,  separated  from  them  by 
a channel  varying  in  breadth  from  fifteen  to  forty  miles, 
exhibit  a great  variety  of  forms  ; some  of  them  are  conical, 
others  are  flat ; some  are  several  miles  in  diameter,  others 
| ! are  only  a few  yards.  The  eastern  sides  of  the  islands  are 

low  or  marshy,  and  they  afford  excellent  anchorages  ; the 

OPE.  [BOOK  CL, VI. 

western  sides,  on  the  other  hand,  are  rugged  or  precip- 
itous, and  almost  destitute  of  safe  harbours. b The  same 
islands  are  remarkable  for  the  number  of  their  dark  and 
sombre  lakes.  Peat  is  the  most  prevalent  soil  on  the  low 
grounds,  but  on  the  heights  it  appears  only  in  patches. 
The  vegetation  on  the  peat  land  consists  chiefly  of  heath, 
mosses  and  lichens,  and  these  plants  are  most  abundant  on 
the  eastern  sides  of  the  islands ; the  western  are  more  fruit 
ful,  and  the  vegetation  is  comparatively  rich  and  verdant 
In  winter,  the  islands  are  exposed  to  violent  storms  ; the 
Atlantic,  after  a continued  gale  of  westerly"  wind,  rolls  its 
impetuous  billows,  and  dashes  them  against  the  headlands 
on  the  western  coasts,  presenting  sometimes  the  terrific 
spectacle  of  breakers,  extending  in  ranges  for  miles.c  The 
most  important  islands  and  the  principal  ports  shall  be  after- 
wards enumerated,  although  few  of  the  latter  are  remarka- 
ble for  their  buildings  or  public  works. 

Inverary,  the  capital  of  the  county,  is  the  only  town  of  any 
consequence  in  Argyleshire.  It  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Aray,  on  a small  bay  about  eight  miles  from  the  head 
of  the  Loch  Fyme.d  The  houses  are  well  built,  and  they 
form  a handsome  street  in  front  of  the  lake.  Repeated  at- 
tempts have  been  at  different  times  made  to  introduce  man- 
ufactures, but  none  of  them  appear  to  have  succeeded. 
The  principal  support  of  the  place  is  derived  from  the  her- 
ring fisheries,  which  have  flourished  during  a long  period, 
and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  French  merchants 
were  formerly  in  the  habit  of  repairing  to  Inverary  for  the 
purpose  of  bartering  their  wine  for  herrings.  It  is  long, 
however,  since  the  inhabitants  have  been  engaged  in  any 
commerce  with  foreigners  ; their  trade  consists  in  the  ex- 
port of  wool,  timber,  bark  and  fish  to  Glasgow  and  Liver- 
pool, and  in  the  import  of  different  articles  that  are  consum- 
ed in  the  town  and  neighbourhood.  The  counties  of  Bute, 
Dumbarton  and  Argyle  make  up  what  is  commonly  called 
the  West  Highlands. 

Perthshire  is  contiguous  to  the  last  county  and  Dumbar- 
ton on  the  west,  to  Stirling  and  Clackmannan  on  the  south, 
to  Fife,  Kinross  and  Forfar  on  the  east,  and  to  Aberdeen 
and  Inverness  on  the  north.  The  superficial  extent  is  not 
less  than  2638  square  miles,  but  of  these  more  than  fifty 
are  occupied  by  lakes.  The  greatest  length  from  east  to 
west  is  about  77  miles,  and  the  utmost  breadth  from  north 
to  south  is  equal  to  68.  The  extent  of  Perthshire  indicates 
its  importance ; in  that  respect  it  is  only  inferior  to  Inver- 
ness-shire, but  the  relation  between  the  surface  and  the  pop- 
ulation, amounting  to  little  more  than  fiftyr-four  persons  to 
the  square  mile,  is  considerably  below  the  mean  term 
throughout  Scotland.  It  is  partly  lowland  and  partly 
highland  ; the  last  portion,  however,  occupies  a much  larger 
space  than  the  first,  and  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  whole 
are  unfit  for  cultivation.  The  arable  land  is  mostly  con- 
fined to  the  southern  and  eastern  extremities,  and  to  the 
plain  of  Strathmore,  bounded  in  Perthshire  by  the  Gram- 
pians on  the  north-west,  and  on  the  east  by  the  Ochils  and 
Sidlaw  hills. 

Benlawers,  the  highest  mountain,  on  the  side  of  Loch 
Tay,  is  upwards  of  4000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea;  the 
next  in  point  of  elevation  are  Benmore  on  the  south-west, 
and  Schihallion  on  the  north-east ; and  it  is  supposed  that 

a Smith’s  Survey  of  Argyleshire. 

b Tlie  contrary  is  the  fact,  particularly  in  the  islands  of  North  and 
i South  Uist — the  eastern  coast  being  steep  and  rocky,  with  many  inlets 

forming  harbours;  the  western  coast  sloping  down  to  the  sea.  and  bor- 
dered by  a sandy  beach,  but  without  harbours.  The  Cultivated  lands 
are  generally  along  the  west  coast. — P. 

c Bell's  Geography,  vol.  iii. 

d Loch  Fine — Gaelic,  Loch-fhin  or  fhionn,  fair  lake  or  estuary 
Loch  Long  is  also  Gaelic  ( Loch-luing , lake  of  ships — from  loch,  lake 
and  long  (pin.  luing,)  ship.) — P. 

I 


BOOK  CliVI.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


601 


there  are  at  least  seven  in  the  county,  which  are  more  than 
3000  feet  in  height.  But  the  different  mountains  through 
almost  the  whole  breadth  of  the  county,  are  intersected  by 
straths  or  vallies,  some  of  them  comparatively  large,  and  all 
of  them  watered  by  streams,  or  varied  by  lakes,  of  which 
the  banks  are  adorned  with  natural  woods.  The  lakes  have 
been  described  by  many  tourists  ; it  is  therefore  only  ne- 
cessary to  mention  the  situation  and  extent  of  the  most  re- 
markable. Loch  Tay  almost  in  the  centre  of  the  Highland 
district,  is  about  twelve  miles  in  length,  one  in  breadth,  and 
in  some  places  a hundred  fathoms  in  depth.  Loch  Ericht 
on  the  north-west,  although  not  so  broad,  is  longer  than  the 
former,  and  extends  into  Inverness-shire.  Loch  Earn  is 
situated  on  the  south  of  Loch  Tay,  and  Loch  Rannoch  on 
the  south-east  of  Loch  Ericht.  Lastly,  Lochs  Vennachar, 
Achray  and  Katrine  on  the  south-west,  are  famed  for  their 
romantic  scenery. 

The  principal  rivers,  the  Tay  and  the  Forth,  have  been 
already  mentioned.  The  Earn  rises  from  the  lake  of  the 
same  name,  flows  in  an  easterly  direction,  and  bending  to- 
wards the  south,a  waters  Strathearn,  a fruitful  district,  and 
joins  the  Tay  after  a course  of  twenty-five  miles.  At  no 
great  distance  from  their  confluence,  it  passes  by  the  village 
of  Pitcaithly,  a celebrated  place  on  account  of  its  mineral 
waters. 

If  all  the  soils  common  to  Scotland  have  not  been  ob- 
served, the  number  may  be  readily  supposed  to  be  consid- 
erable in  so  extensive  a county,  and  it  is  certain  that  some 
of  the  best  and  worst  sorts  are  contained  in  it.  The  allu- 
vial soils  or  carse  lands  are  the  most  productive ; and  the 
Carse  of  Gowrieon  the  west  and  north-west  of  the  Frith  of 
Tay,b  a tract  of  about  18,000  acres,  is  one  of  the  most  fer- 
tile in  Scotland.  The  lands  at  the  base  of  the  Ochilsc  are 
only  inferior  to  the  last  district  in  point  of  productiveness, 
and  some  of  the  straths  in  the  Highlands  are  by  no  means 
unfruitful.  A great  part  of  the  county  was  in  former  times 
covered  with  forests,  which  were  successively  destroyed  as 
agriculture  extended,  or  population  increased.  The  defect, 
however,  has  been  supplied  within  the  last  fifty  or  sixty 
years ; the  larch,  which  has  been  transported  from  the  Ty- 
rol, flourishes  on  the  heaths  and  barren  districts,  and  planta- 
tions of  different  forest  trees,  which  are  profitable  to  the 
proprietors,  and  ornamental  to  their  estates,  may  be  seen  in 
most  parts  of  the  county. 

Perthshire,  it  is  said,  was  the  boundary  between  two  di- 
visions of  Scotland,  which  were  distinguished  in  former 
times  by  their  woods  or  forests ; firs  abounded  in  the  one, 
and  deciduous  trees  were  common  in  the  other.  It  may  be 
said  too  to  divide  the  granite  and  the  freestone  districts  in 
the  same  country,  the  latter  being  comparatively  rare  on  the 
north,  and  the  former  on  the  south  of  Perthshire.  There 
is,  however,  a scarcity  of  valuable  minerals  ; coal  has  only 
been  found  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Culross,  a detached  por- 
tion of  the  county  on  the  south-east  of  the  rest,  and  on 
the  shores  of  the  Forth.  Although  limestone  is  not  uncom- 
mon, it  is  rendered  of'  comparatively  little  value  from  the 
want  of  fuel  to  calcine  it.  Slates  abound  in  the  Highland 
district,  and  indications  of  Qppper,  lead  and  iron  have  been 


a The  Earn  bends  south-east,  not  far  from  its  outlet,  and  then  flows 
nearly  east  through  Strathearn. — P. 

b It  is  situated  on  the  north  of  the  Tay,  between  that  river  and  the 
foot  of  the  Sidla  Hills,  and  between  Perth  and  Dundee. — P. 
c Strathearn  extends  along  the  foot  of  the  Ochils  on  the  north. — P. 
d At  Scone,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Tay. — P. 

• The  town  divides  a spacious  plain  into  what  are  called  the  North  and 
VOL.  Ill— NO.  Cl  76 


observed  in  different  places  ; a copper  mine  was  at  one 
time  wrought  in  the  parish  of  Logie,  and  twro  lead  mines, 
the  one  near  Tyndrum,  and  the  other  in  Glenlycn,  al- 
though formerly  considered  productive,  have  been  both 
abandoned. 

Perth,  the  capital,  is  a place  of  great  antiquity ; it  was 
formerly  the  seat  of  parliaments,  and  the  frequent  residence 
of  Scottish  kings,  who  were  crowned  in  the  vicinity.* *1  To 
enumerate  the  many  memorable  events  in  the  history  of 
Scotland,  of  which  the  same  place  was  the  scene,  might  oc- 
cupy several  pages.  It  may  be  doubted,  however,  if  it 
ever  was  more  flourishing  than  at  present ; at  all  events, 
different  branches  of  industry  are  now  cultivated,  which 
were  formerly  unknown.  It  is  the  commercial  capital  of 
the  South  Highlands,  and  their  improvement  has  been  ac- 
companied with  a corresponding  extension  of  its  trade  ; 
and  until  industry  is  diffused  over  that  part  of  Scotland, 
until  the  work  of  improvement  is  complete,  Perth  is  like- 
ly to  rise  in  importance.  A steam-boat  descends  daily 
from  it  to  Dundee,  and  another  arrives  from  the  same 
place.  Seven  different  roads  diverge  to  the  defiles  or 
straths  in  the  Highlands,  and  the  excellence  of  these  roads, 
and  the  difficulties  that  have  been  overcome  in  making 
them,  are  equally  worthy  of  admiration.  The  Tay  runs 
south,  and  takes  a bend  towards  the  east  about  a mile  be- 
low the  town,  which  is  situated  on  an  extensive  plain,  part- 
ly surrounded  by  hills  on  the  south  and  west  of  the  river. 
The  part  on  which  the  town  stands,  is  divided  into  two 
meadows,  the  North  and  South  Inches,  each  about  a mile 
and  a half  in  circumference,  and  each  forming  an  agreeable 
walk.e  The  town  is  regularly  built,  and  consists  of  several 
streets  extending  from  east  to  west,  which  are  intersected  by 
others  at  right  angles  from  north  to  south.  It  contained  for- 
merly many  churches  and  religious  houses,  most  of  which 
were  destroyed  by  the  blind  zeal  of  the  reformers.  It  is  not 
without  importance  as  a place  of  instruction  ; the  grammar 
school  has  long  enjoyed  a high  and  merited  reputation,  and 
there  is  an  academy  in  which  drawing,  mathematics  and 
the  different  branches  of  natural  philosophy  are  taught. 

The  principal  manufactures  of  the  county  are  carried  on 
in  the  same  place  ; they  consist  of  linen,  cotton,  leather, 
paper  and  other  articles.  The  vessels  belonging  to  the 
port,  measure  about  3000  tons,  and  the  exports  are  corn, 
salmon  and  different  manufactures.  The  imports  are  the 
raw  materials  of  the  manufactures,  and  various  articles  of 
consumption.  Although  other  towns  and  villages  are  situ- 
ated in  the  county,  none  of  them  are  of  sufficient  importance 
to  require  notice. 

Inverness-shire  is  contiguous  to  Perthshire  on  the  south, 
and  is  the  largest  county  of  any  in  Scotland.  The  outline, 
however,  is  very  irregular ; a narrow  tract  extends  be- 
tween Nairnshire  and  the  Moray  Frith,  and  another  por- 
tion detached  from  the  rest  is  enclosed  by  the  counties  of 
Banff  and  Moray  ; Argyleshire  penetrates  into  it  from  the 
south-west ; it  is  indented  on  the  west  by  several  lochs 
or  arms  of  the  sea,  and  it  has  already  been  remarked,  that 
several  of  the  Hebrides  are  politically  attached  to  it/ 

It  is  obvious  from  these  remarks  that  the  surface  cannot 


South  Inches.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — The  Inches  are  level  fields  or  meadows 
on  the  north  and  south  of  the  town,  used  for  public  walks  and  pas- 
tures. The  South  Inch  is  planted  with  rows  of  trees. — P. 

f Its  general  boundaries  are  Nairn,  Moray  and  Aberdeen  on  the  east, 
Perth  and  Argyle  on  the  south,  the  Atlantic  on  the  west,  and  Ross 
and  a part  of  Moray  Frith  on  the  north. — P. 


602 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVT 


be  easily  calculated  ; it  has  not,  however,  been  computed  at 
less  than  3036  square  miles,  and  of  these  132  are  occupied 
by  lakes.a  If  the  calculation  be  correct,  the  extent  of  land 
is  equal  to  2904  square  miles,  and,  in  each  of  them,  the  av- 
erage number  of  inhabitants  is  little  more  than  twenty-eight 
individuals. 

The  appearance  of  the  country  is  varied  by  lofty  moun- 
tains, deep  and  narrow  vallies,  and  numerous  rivers  and 
lakes.  Glenmore,  or  the  Great  Glen,  which  is  bounded  on 
either  side  by  precipitous  heights,  is  for  the  most  part  about 
a mile  in  breadth  ; it  extends  from  north-east  to  south-west, 
and  divides  the  county  into  two  nearly  equal  parts.  The 
Ness  discharges  itself  into  the  Murray  Frith  at  the  northern 
extremity  of  Glenmore,  and  the  southern  is  formed  by  an 
inlet  of  the  sea,  that  communicates  with  the  Atlantic.  The 
intermediate  country  is  watered  by  several  lakes  that  shall 
be  afterwards  mentioned. 

Eight  subordinate  vallies  join  the  great  glen  of  Cale- 
donia, which,  it  has  been  already  seen,  extends  from  sea  to 
sea.  The  mountains,  too,  stretch  across  the  island,  confin- 
ing and  running  parallel  to  the  vallies,  and  forming  lofty 
boundaries  on  both  sides  of  them.  The  deep  glens  be- 
tween these  masses  are  the  natural  recipients  of  the  waters 
that  fall  from  the  high  grounds,  and  which  for  want  of  an 
outlet  are  formed  into  lakes  ; and  as  the  vallies  are  long  and 
narrow,  so  are  the  lakes ; their  average  breadth  is  less  than 
a mile ; their  average  length  is  probably  more  than  nine. 
Loch-Ness,  the  largest,  is  twenty-two  miles  long  and  from 
one  to  two  broad. 

The  length  of  the  rivers  is  modified  by  the  direction  of 
their  course,  and  those  that  flow  westwards  into  the  Atlan- 
tic are  in  general  shorter  than  those  that  fall  into  the 
German  Ocean.  The  Spey,  the  largest  of  any,  rises  from 
a loch  on  the  east  of  Glenmore, b flows  a distance  of  about 
ninety-six  miles  in  a north-east  direction,  and  receives  the 
waters  of  1300  square  miles.  The  Ness  issues  from  the 
lake  of  the  same  name,  waters  the  town  of  Inverness,  and 
discharges  itself  into  the  Murray  Frith.  The  Lochy  flows 
westwards,0  and  enters  Loch  Eil  after  a course  of  ten  miles. 
The  Beauly  has  its  source  in  the  north-west,  and  carries 
the  waters  of  several  feeders  into  the  frith  that  bears 
its  name.11 

Mention  has  been  made  in  a former  chapter  of  the  chain 
of  mountains  that  traverses  the  county  ; it  has  been  seen  that 
Ben-Nevis,  in  the  district  of  Lochaber,  rises  to  a greater 
height  than  any  in  Britain,  and  that  some  of  the  others  in 
the  neighbourhood  are  not  much  lower. 

The  western  side  of  the  county,  between  Glenmore  and 
the  Atlantic,  from  Argyleshire  on  the  south,  to  Ross-shire 
on  the  north,  is  the  most  desolate  tract  in  Inverness-shire. 
The  extensive  district  of  Badenoch,  which  lies  on  the  east 
tide  of  the  valley,  terminates  in  Lochaber  on  the  south,  and  in 
the  Aird,  the  most  fruitful  part  of  the  county,  on  the  north.® 

The  nature  of  the  country  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact 
that  two  thirds  of  it  are  covered  with  heath,  that  the 
arable  land  does  not  exceed  a fortieth  part,  and  that  the 
woodlands,  green  pastures,  and  cultivated  fields,  do  not 


“ This  is  the  extent  of  the  mainland,  as  given  by  Sinclair  (Gen. 
Rep.) — That  of  the  islands  (Sky,  Harris,  Uist,  Barra),  by  the  same, 
120!)  square  miles. — P. 

b The  Spey  rises  in  Badenoch,  and  a few  miles  from  its  source,  forms 
an  expansion  called  Loch  Spey.  (Bell.) — P. 

c The  Lochy  issues  from  Loch  Lochy,  and  flows  south-west  through 
Glenmore. — P. 

'*  The  Frith  of  Beauly,  or  Loch  Beauly.  forms  the  western  extremi- 
ty of  Moray  Frith,  between  the  counties  of  Inverness  and  Ross. — P. 


make  up  more  than  eight  acres  out  of  a hundred.  The 
productive  land  lies  chiefly  on  the  sea-coast,  and  along  the 
banks  of  the  lakes  or  rivers  where  the  soil  is  alluvial 
and  fruitful. 

The  most  common  minerals  are  granite,  limestone, 
slate  and  marble.  A great  part  of  Ben-Nevis  is  com- 
posed of  beautiful  porphyry ; lead  has  been  discovered  in 
the  same  mountain,  and  plumbago  in  Glengarry/  The 
want  of  coal  is  severely  felt  by  the  inhabitants,  and  lime- 
stone, the  most  useful  of  their  minerals,  is  thus  rendered  of 
little  value. 

The  public  works  by  which  the  same  county  is  distin- 
guished, have  been  completed  within  a comparatively 
recent  period.  The  memorable  rebellions  in  1715  and 
1745  contributed  to  the  security  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
south,  and  to  the  subjugation  of  the  Highlands.  To  accom- 
plish so  desirable  an  end,  the  three  military  stations  of  Fort 
George,  Fort  Augustus  and  Fort  William  were  erected  in  the 
valley  of  Glenmore.  The  first  was  raised  to  guard  the  en- 
trance of  the  Moray  Frith  on  the  east,  the  second  to  repel 
attacks  from  the  centre,  and  the  third  to  prevent  any  rising 
in  the  west. 

The  military  roads  which  were  made  for  a similar  pur- 
pose by  the  soldiers  under  General  Wade,  attract,  even  at 
the  present  day,  the  attention  of  strangers,  both  on  account 
of  the  patient  labor  requisite  for  the  completion  of  such 
works,  and  also  on  account  of  the  skill  with  which  they  are 
executed.  It  may  be  sufficient  to  add  that  mountains  and 
marshes,  formerly  impassable,  are  now  intersected  by 
roads,  which  were  made  at  a time  when  the  country  was 
barbarous,  and  which  have  mainly  contributed  to  its  civili- 
zation. In  later  times,  other  roads  have  been  extended 
in  many  directions  ; and  an  easy  communication  is  now 
afforded  to  most  parts  of  the  county.  The  public  spirit  oi 
the  proprietors  has  been  encouraged  by  government,  for  of 
the  sums  expended  on  the  roads,  only  one  half  is  defrayed 
by  the  county  ; the  other  is  granted  by  parliament. 

It  has  already  been  remarked  that  a series  of  lakes  ex- 
tends in  a direct  line  from  north-east  to  south-west  along 
the  great  valley  of  Caledonia.  These  lakes  are  Lochs 
Ness,  Oich,  Lochy,  Eil  and  Linnhe.s  It  is  highly  proba- 
ble from  the  geological  appearance  of  the  country,  that 
in  a period  now  unknown,  the  lakes  were  continuous  or 
the  whole  valley  was  submerged.  If  this  supposition  be 
correct,  the  waters  must  have  broken  the  barriers,  which 
confined  them  on  the  east  and  west,  and  made  a passage 
for  themselves  to  the  German  and  Atlantic  Oceans.  The 
natural  effect  of  such  a change  must  have  been  to  uncover 
the  higher  parts  of  Glenmore,  or  to  form  the  necks  of  land 
that  separate  the  salt  and  fresh  water  lakes.  This  opinion 
is  further  strengthened  by  the  excavations  which  have  been 
made  in  the  valley,  and  which,  with  few  exceptions,  consist 
of  sand,  gravel  and  water-worn  stones.  The  work  of  an, 
or  the  communication  between  the  two  seas,  was  thus  ren- 
dered comparatively  easy,  and  the  advantages  of  a canal  in 
such  a situation,  were  pointed  out  by  the  celebrated  Watt 
at  so  early  a period  as  1773.h  A considerable  time,  how- 


« The  Aird  extends  along  the  south  side  of  the  Frith  of  Beauly,  be- 
tween Beauly  and  Inverness.  (Sinclair’s  Gen.  Rep.) — P. 
f Glengary. 

s Lochs  Eil  and  Linnhe  are  sea  lochs,  or  rather  different  parts  of 
the  same  inlet.  Loch  Linnhe  commences  at  the  strait  of  Ardgower, 
about  nine  miles  below  Fort  William,  and  extends  to  the  sea. — P. 

h Mr.  Watt  was  employed  in  making  a survey  of  the  valley,  for  that 
purpose,  in  1773. — P. 


book  ciiYi.]  DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN.  603 


ever,  elapsed  before  its  commencement,  and  one  of  the 
motives,  which  induced  government  to  undertake  the  work, 
was  to  afford  relief  to  the  Highlanders.  The  system  of 
sheep  farming,  a very  great  improvement,  was  perhaps  too 
rapidly  extended,  and  it  cannot  be  denied  that  it  had  for  a 
time  the  effect  of  throwing  many  out  of  employment.  The 
formation  of  roads  and  canals,  and  the  multiplication  of 
fishing  stations,  were  considered  by  government  the  best 
means  of  alleviating  the  distress  resulting  from  a too  sud- 
den change.  The  Caledonian  Canal  was  therefore  begun 
in  1804,®  and  completed  in  1822,  at  an  expense  of  more 
than  L.800,000.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  be- 
nevolent purposes,  which  it  was  intended  to  promote,  were 
in  a great  degree  realized  during  the  long  period  that  elapsed 
from  its  commencement  to  its  completion.  The  summit 
level  of  the  navigation,  in  a distance  of  about  sixty  miles 
from  sea  to  sea,  is  only  ninety-four  feet  above  the  ocean, 
and  that  circumstance  renders  Glenmore  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  vallies  in  the  kingdom.  The  length  of  the  ex- 
cavations of  the  canal  is  twenty-one  miles  and  a half,  and 
that  of  the  intermediate  lakes  thirty-seven  and  a quarter, 
which  gives  a total  length  of  fifty-eight  miles  and  three 
quarters.  It  is  20  feet  deep,  50  wide  at  the  bottom,  and 
110  at  the  top.  It  is  thus  rendered  navigable  for  frigates 
of  32  guns,  and  merchant  ships  of  a like  size.  The  differ- 
ences of  the  level  are  compensated  by  25  locks,  of  which  the 
depth  is  20  feet,  the  length  170,  and  the  breadth  40.  The 
canal  rises  94  feet  from  the  east  sea  to  Loch  Oich  by  13 
locks,  and  it  descends  90  from  the  same  loch  to  the  opposite 
sea  by  12  locks.  Eight  of  these  twelve,  to  which  mariners 
have  given  the  appropriate  name  of  Neptune’s  Stairs,  are 
situated  near  the  western  extremity  of  the  canal,  towards 
the  bay  that  terminates  in  the  Atlantic1*.  The  greatness  of 
the  dimensions  renders  the  canal  accessible  to  the  largest 
class  of  merchant  vessels  in  the  trade  of  the  North  Sea ; 
and  although  a short  period  has  elapsed  since  its  completion, 
many  advantages  have  resulted  from  it.  Others  may  be 
reasonably  expected  ; commerce  is  likely  to  be  further 
extended,  and  industry  more  widely  diffused.  The  forts, 
which  have  been  already  mentioned,  and  which  were  raised 
to  keep  the  Highlanders  in  awe,  are  now  wholly  useless  for 
that  purpose,  and  the  time  may  come  when  the  strong  built 
barracks  and  spacious  magazines  shall  be  converted  into 
store-houses  and  manufactories,  affording  employment  to 
an  increasing  population,  and  spreading  wealth  over  the 
surrounding  country. 

No  part  of  the  county  has  been  more  benefited  by  the 
canal  than  the  capital,  which,  after  the  rebellion  of  1745, 
was  little  better  than  a mass  of  ruinous  houses.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  both  sides  of  the  Ness,  at  its  entrance  into  the 
Murray  Frith.  Part  of  the  town  and  the  old  fort  were 
built  by  a military  colony  sent  by  Cromwell  to  keep  the 
Highlanders  in  subjection.  It  now  possesses  an  academy, 
a library  and  a collection  of  philosophical  instruments.  It 
is  besides  the  seat  of  different  manufactures,  and  the  centre 
of  a mercantile  intercourse,  which  extends  to  every  part  of 
the  county. 

No  other  towns  of  any  consequence  are  situated  in 


J Mr.  Telford  was  employed  by  government,  in  1802,  in  making  a 
new  survey. — P. 

b At  Banavie,  one  mile  from  the  western  termination  in  Loch 
Eil. — P. 

c Banff  or  Bamff. 

d Cairngorm,  40G0  feet  high,  is  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
county. — P. 


Inverness-shire ; but  it  has  been  remarked  that  several 
of  the  Hebrides  are  politically  attached  to  it.  Of  these, 
the  largest  or  the  Isle  of  Sky  contains  nearly  10,000  in- 
habitants. It  is  very  long  and  much  indented  by  deep 
bays,  and  many  smaller  isles  are  situated  in  the  vicinity. 
Roads  made  by  government  pass  from  one  extremity  to  the 
other,  and  they  are  connected  with  others  that  lead  to 
the  small  ports  of  Trotternish,  Snizort,  Dun  vegan  and 
Sconser. 

The  northern  ramifications  of  the  Grampians  bound  the 
valley  of  the  Deveron,  which  flows  into  the  North  Sea,  and 
waters  the  small  town  of  Banff,0  the  capital  of  a county, 
and  one  of  the  best  built  towns  in  the  north  of  Scotland. 
The  river  is  crossed  by  a handsome  bridge  of  seven  arches, 
but  the  harbour  is  rendered  inconvenient  by  the  shifting  of 
sand  banks.  The  boundaries  of  Banffshire  are  the  counties 
of  Inverness  and  Moray  on  the  west,  the  Murray  Frith  on 
the  north,  and  Aberdeenshire  on  the  east  and  south.  The 
surface  is  not  less  than  627  square  miles.  The  soil  along 
the  coast  consists  chiefly  of  sand  and  loam,  and  is  in 
many  places  well  cultivated.  But  although  there  are 
several  fertile  vallies,  and  valuable  pastures,  sheltered  with 
natural  wood  on  the  banks  of  rivers,  Banffshire  is  in  gene- 
ral a hilly,  and,  on  the  south,  a mountainous  district. 
Numerous  streams  are  tributary  to  the  Spey  and  the 
Deveron,  the  former  of  which  forms  its  western,  and  the 
latter  its  eastern  boundary,  and  both  of  them  yield  a 
considerable  revenue  from  their  salmon  fishings. 

Marble,  limestone  and  marl  abound,  but  from  the  want 
of  coal,  most  of  the  lime  is  imported  from  Sunderland. 
The  other  minerals  are  freestone,  granite,  slate,  brick-clay, 
and  the  rock  crystals  that  are  found  on  the  elevated  range 
that  forms  the  southern  and  western  limits  of  the  county .d 

A vegetable  substance,  the  cupbear  or  cupmoss,®  grows 
only  on  rocky  and  high  situations,  and  its  use  as  a purple 
dye,  is  said  to  have  been  discovered  in  1755,  by  a native 
of  the  county.  The  quantity  that  is  annually  exported 
from  Banffshire  to  Glasgow,  amounts  in  value  to  more 
than  L.700. 

No  manufactures  are  established  on  a great  scale.  The 
wealth  of  the  farmer  consists  in  bis  cattle ; the  climate  and 
the  soil  are  on  the  whole  unfavourable  to  the  raising  of 
corn,  and  not  more  than  a fifth  part  of  the  county  is 
considered  fit  for  tillage.  The  relation,  however,  between 
the  surface  and  the  population,  is  greater  than  in  most 
parts  of  the  Highlands  ; it  is  nearly  as  seventy-five  to  the 
square  mile. 

Elginshire  or  the  county  of  Moray  is  washed  by  the 
frith  of  the  same  name  on  the  north,  and  bounded  by  the 
last  county  or  Banffshire  on  the  east,  by  Inverness-shire  on 
the  south,  and  by  Nairnshire  on  the  west.  The  area  is 
not  more  than  480  square  miles,  but  in  former  times  it  was 
much  larger,  and  the  province  of  Moray,'  as  it  was  then 
called,  comprehended  a considerable  portion  of  the  adjoin- 
ing counties/  Not  more  than  a third  part  of  the  land  is 
productive,  and  the  relative  number  of  inhabitants  is  up- 
wards of  seventy-one  to  the  square  mile.  The  county  is 
naturally  divided  into  two  parts,  the  northern  and  the 

0 Cudbear  (so  called  from  Dr.  Cuthbert  Gordon,  who  first  manufac- 
tured it  on  a large  scale)  is  a red  or  brownish  red  dye-stuff,  prepared 
from  lichens,  particularly  the  Lccanora  tartarea.  The  cup-moss  is  the 
Cerwmyce  pyxidata.  The  first  manufactory  of  cudbear  in  Glasgow, 
was  established  in  1777. — P. 

f It  formerly  comprehended  the  shires  of  Nairn  and  Elgin,  and  a 
great  part  of  the  shire  of  Banff.  (Gaz.  Scot.)—  P. 


604 


EUROPE. 


[ROOK  CLVI. 


r 


southern,  and  these  are  widely  different  from  each  other. 
The  first  comprehends  the  low  grounds  which  stretch  from 
the  coast  to  the  distance  in  some  places  of  twelve,  and  in 
others  of  only  five  miles.  The  second  division  includes 
the  heights  or  mountains  in  the  interior.  In  the  former, 
the  climate  may  bear  a comparison  with  that  of  most  parts 
in  Scotland,  and  the  prevailing  soil  is  a sandy  loam,  which 
yields  plentiful  harvests  ; in  the  latter,  the  winters  are  long 
and  severe,  the  quantity  of  rain  is  greater  than  on  the  coast, 
and  it  sometimes  happens  that  the  ground  is  covered  with 
snow,  before  the  crops  are  collected.  Limestone,  sand- 
stone, marl  and  slate  abound  in  different  parishes,  and 
about  a century  ago  iron  ore  was  wrought  in  the  county. 

The  numerous  mountain  streams  serve  to  enlarge  the 
principal  rivers,  the  Spey,  the  Lossie,  and  the  Findhorn. 
Of  these,  the  first  or  largest  forms  the  eastern  boundary  of 
Morayshire,  which  it  enters  at  Aviemore,  a place  more  than 
thirty  miles  from  its  source.  It  then  flows  in  a deep  bed 
with  a considerable  declivity,  and  reaches  the  sea  at  Spey- 
mouth.a  It  affords  the  means  of  transporting  the  products 
of  the  woods  on  its  banks,  but  it  is  ill  adapted  for  the  pur- 
poses of  navigation  ; indeed  it  is  only  navigable  near  its 
mouth,  and  that  merely  for  small  vessels. 

Many  of  the  inhabitants  are  employed  in  agricultural,  few 
in  manufacturing  industry  ; in  the  former  of  these  occupa- 
tions, particularly  in  the  branch  that  relates  to  the  rearing 
of  cattle,  considerable  advances  have  been  made.  The 
native  cattle  have  been  crossed  and  improved  by  the  Ar- 
gyleshire  race,  and  the  Shetland  sheep,  once  the  only  sort 
in  the  county,  is  now  superseded  by  a better  breed. 

Elgin,  the  county  town,  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
Lossie,  about  three  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  was  formerly 
a place  of  more  importance  than  at  present,  having  been 
once  the  seat  of  a diocese, b possessing  the  largest  revenue 
of  any  in  Scotland.  Little  of  the  ancient  cathedral  now 
remains,  but  the  ruins  are  still  imposing.  The  modern 
town  consists  principally  of  a single  street  more  than  a mile 
in  length,  and  near  the  middle  of  it  are  the  court-house,  the 
parish  church,  the  town-house,  and  the  county  gaol.  The 
harbour  in  the  neighbourhood,0  admits  vessels  of  eighty  tons 
at  spring  tides,  and  a considerable  quantity  of  grain  is  ex- 
ported to  Grangemouth  and  Leith.  Lastly,  the  burgh  of 
Forres  near  the  bay  of  Findhorn, d and  about  twelve  miles 
west  of  Elgin,  contains  nearly  4000  inhabitants. 

The  small  county  of  Nairn  was  formerly  contained  in 
the  ancient  province  of  Moray.  It  is  contiguous  to  the 
modern  shire  on  the  east  and  south,  to  Inverness-shire  on 
the  west,  and  to  the  Moray  Frith  on  the  north.  The  ex- 
tent of  surface  is  equal  to  198  square  miles,  and  the  total 
population  according  to  the  last  returns,  to  9354  individuals. 
The  northern  or  maritime  part  of  Nairnshire,  like  the 
northern  part  of  Morayshire,  is  fruitful ; the  prevailing  soils 
consist  of  loam  and  clay,  and  both  of  them  are  considered 
equally  productive.  But  the  portion  of  arable  land  in  the 
south,  or  at  the  distance  of  a few  miles  from  the  shore,  is 

a The  Spey  enters  the  sea  at  the  port  of  Garmouth,  in  the  parish  of 
Speymouth. — P. 

b The  bishopric  of  Moray,  comprehending  the  counties  of  Moray 
and  Nairn,  and  a great  part  of  Banff  and  Inverness. — P. 

c Lossiemouth — at  the  mouth  of  the  Lossie,  six  or  seven  miles  from 
Elgin.  (Gaz.  Scot.  Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

11  The  village  of  Findhorn,  at  the  mouth  of  the  bay,  three  miles 
distant,  is  its  port. — P. 

e The  shire  of  Cromarty  originally  consisted  of  a narrow  tract,  ten 
miles  in  length,  extending  along  the  coast  of  Murray  Frith,  south  from 
tlie  entrance  of  Cromarty  Frith,  in  which  was  included  the  town  of 


very  inconsiderable,  and  mostly  confined  to  a sandy  loam 
or  gravel.  Sandstone  and  marl  are  the  only  minerals  of 
any  importance,  and  the  latter  is  not  only  abundant,  but 
of  an  excellent  quality. 

The  Findhorn  and  the  Nairn,  the  only  streams  of  any 
consequence,  pass  into  the  county  from  Inverness-shire, 
and  it  has  been  seen  that  the  former  also  waters  Moray- 
shire, where  it  discharges  itself  into  the  sea,  but  the  town 
of  Nairn,  the  capital  of  the  county,  is  situated  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  latter  with  the  Moray  Frith.  It  is  a place  of 
great  antiquity,  and  it  was  formerly  defended  by  a castle,  of 
which  the  ruins  cannot  easily  be  discovered.  It  is  now, 
however,  without  commerce  or  industry,  and  the  population 
amounts  to  little  more  than  two  thousand  individuals. 

The  small  shire  of  Cromarty  consists  for  the  most  part 
of  different  districts  that  are  surrounded  by  Ross-shire.® 
The  boundaries  of  both  counties  are  the  sea  on  the  east  and 
west,  Sutherland  on  the  north,  and  Inverness  on  the  south. 
The  friths  of  Dornoch,  Cromarty  and  Moray  cut  into  the 
land  on  the  eastern  side,  and  the  western  is  more  deeply 
indented  by  numerous  smaller  inlets  or  lochs,  which  run 
into  the  interior,  and  of  which  the  most  remarkable  are 
lochs  Gareloch  and  Carron/  The  superficial  extent  of 
the  two  counties,  exclusively  of  the  islands  that  depend 
on  Ross-shire,  is  not  supposed  to  be  less  than  2474 
square  miles.  But  the  population  is  so  thinly  scattered, 
that  even  according  to  the  last  returns,  the  ratio  between 
the  inhabitants  and  the  surface  is  little  more  than  30  to  the 
square  mile. 

If  a narrow  tract  on  the  eastern  coast  be  excepted,  where 
the  soil  and  climate  are  not  unfavourable  to  vegetation,  the 
general  aspect  of  the  country  is  rugged,  mountainous  and 
barren.  A few  patches  of  natural  wood,  and  some  planta- 
tions near  the  seats  of  the  principal  proprietors,  relieve  the 
prospect  of  this  bleak  and  desolate  region,  subject  to  fre- 
quent rains  in  summer,  and  to  much  snow  in  winter.  The 
western  districts  exhibit  many  broken  summits,  rocky  moun- 
tains, and  snowy  glaciers  in  their  deep  and  shaded  recesses. 
But  the  numerous  lakess  in  the  same  quarter  are  well 
adapted  for  fishing  stations,  and  they  are  regularly  visited 
by  shoals  of  herrings.  The  principal  rivers  are  the  Conon 
and  the  Orrin,  the  Beauly  which  separates  the  county 
from  Inverness-shire,  and  the  Oickel'1  which  divides  it  from 
Sutherland. 

Many  of  the  farmers  hold  only  a few  acres  of  land  with 
grazing  ground,  which  is  commonly  contiguous,  but  in 
some  instances,  at  a distance  from  their  farm.  They  raise 
oats,  barley  for  the  distillation  of  spirits,  and  potatoes.  It 
is  customary  for  them  to  keep  a great  many  cattle  and 
horses,  hut  for  want  of  food,  all  of  them  are  stunted  in  their 
growth,  and  from  the  same  cause  together  with  the  severity 
of  the  climate,  many  of  them  perish  in  winter.  It  cannot, 
however,  be  denied  that  the  state  of  the  country  has  been 
improved  of  late  years.  Thus  the  repeal  of  the  tax  on 
salt  has  led  to  a more  successful  prosecution  of  the  fisheries, 

Cromarty.  But  in  1685  and  1698,  George  Earl  of  Cromarty  procured 
by  acts  of  parliament,  the  annexation  of  all  his  estates  in  Ross-shire 
to  this  county,  giving  it  an  extent  far  greater  than  before.  The  largest 
division,  thus  annexed,  lies  near  the  western  coast,  between  Ross  and 
Sutherland.  Thirteen  smaller  districts  are  scattered  through  Ross- 
shire,  even  including  islands  on  the  western  coast.  In  matters  of 
police,  this  county  is  united  with  Ross,  and  it  is  placed  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  sheriff  of  Ross. — P. 

r Gairloch  and  Loch  Carron. — Also,  Loch  Broom,  Lcch  Torridon 
and  Loch  Alsli. — P. 

s Sea  lochs,  or  inlets. — P. 


h Ockel  or  Oikel. — P 


BOOK  CL.VI.I 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


605 


and  within  the  same  recent  period,  many  small  farms  have 
been  united  and  let  to  persons  of  capital  from  different 
parts  of  Scotland ; and  although  much  opposition  has  been 
experienced,  it  may  now  be  said  that  the  system  of  sheep- 
farming, the  one  best  adapted  for  the  Highlands,  is  estab- 
lished in  Ross-shire. 

The  minerals  are  freestone  and  limestone,  and  the  latter 
approaches  in  many  places  to  the  qualities  of  marble.  Iron- 
stone is  abundant,  and  according  to  a highland  tradition,  it 
was  smelted  many  hundred  jeears  ago  on  the  banks  of  Loch 
Eu.  Repeated  but  hitherto  unsuccessful  attempts  have 
been  made  for  the  discovery  of  coal.a 

The  towns  are  Dingwall,  Fortrose  and  Tain,  all  of  them 
royal  burghs,  and  all  of  them  inconsiderable  in  point  ol 
population  or  industry.  The  first  is  situated  on  a plain  at 
the  west  end  of  the  Cromarty  Frith,  and  small  vessels  can  as- 
cend to  the  town.  Although  the  streets  are  paved,  and 
many  of  the  houses  are  well  built,  it  is  an  ancient  place,  and 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  it  was  formerly  larger  than  at 
present.  No  branch  of  industry  worthy  of  notice  is  carried 
on  by  the  inhabitants,  and  their  number  does  not  amount  to 
2200.  Fortrose,  on  the  northern  side  of  the  Moray  Frith, 
is  still  less  populous,  but  it  is  the  station  from  which  ferry 
boats  ply  to  Fort  George  on  the  opposite  coast.  The  two 
forts  were  built  after  the  rebellion  of  1745  by  George  the 
Second,  and  their  cross  fire  defends  the  entrance  of  the  bay.b 
Tain,  on  the  southern  coast  of  the  Dornoch  Frith,  is  con- 
sidered the  capital  of  Ross-shire  ;c  it  possesses  nearly  3000 
inhabitants,  and  the  only  branches  of  industry  in  which  they 
are  engaged,  are  the  spinning  of  flax,  and  the  dressing  of 
leather.  The  village  of  Ullapool,  on  the  banks  of  Loch 
Broom,  is  the  most  important  place  on  the  western  side  of 
the  county,  and  it  was  built  at  an  expense  of  more  than 
L.20,000  by  the  British  Society  for  the  improvement  of 
the  fisheries. 

The  port  of  Cromarty,  a place  of  greater  consequence 
than  any  in  Ross-shire,  is  situated  on  the  bay  that  bears  the 
name  of  the  small  county  and  the  town.d  The  bay  or 
frith,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  receives  the  waters  of  sever- 
al lakes  and  mountain  streams ; it  is  deep,  spacious,  and 
sheltered  on  all  sides.  Cromarty  is  thus  rendered  one  of 
the  safest  and  most  capacious  harbours  of  any  in  the  king- 
dom ; and  it  is  likely  from  its  situation  to  become  a depot 
of  trade  in  the  northern  part  of  Scotland,  and  a place  of 
resort  to  the  royal  navy  in  the  northern  and  eastern 
seas.  The  principal  manufacture,  that  of  hempen  bag- 
ging, has  been  estimated  at  L.27,000,  and  there  are  be- 
sides extensive  breweries  and  different  branches  of  the 
woollen  manufacture. 

The  island  of  Lewis, e the  largest  of  the  Hebrides  that 
are  attached  to  Ross-shire,  may  be  mentioned  on  account 
of  Stornoway,  the  principal  port,  which  contains  nearly 


a A seam  of  coal,  four  inches  thick,  has  been  discovered  on  the 
eastern  coast,  near  Cromarty.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b Fort  George  stands  on  a long  narrow  neck  of  land,  called  Arder- 
sier  Point,  on  the  south  side  of  Moray  Frith,  east  of  the  Ness.  It  was 
begun  in  1747  (after  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion  of  1745,)  and  fin- 
ished in  twenty  years.  Chanonry  Ness  projects  into  the  Frith  on  Ihe 
north  side,  nearly  opposite  Fort  George,  leaving  comparatively  a nar- 
row passage  into  the  upper  partof  the  Frith.  This  last  point  extends 
from  the  town  of  Fortrose,  and  forms  what  are  called  the  Links  ofFort- 
rose.  The  ferry  is  at  the  extremity  of  the  point.  I can  find  no  men- 
tion of  a fort  on  Chanonry  Ness.  Fort  Augustus  and  Fort  William 
were  built  at  the  same  time  with  Fort  George. — P. 
c It  is  the  seat  of  the  courts  and  the  county  jail. — P. 
d Cromnrtv,  in  Crorrnr' vsllire.  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  the 
entrance  of  Cromarty  F.ith. — I'. 


5000  inhabitants,  most  of  whom  find  employment  in  the 
white  and  herring  fisheries.  The  harbour  is  well  frequent- 
ed, and  the  seat  of  a custom-house  ; a packet  sails  regularly 
from  k every  week  with  the  mail  and  passengers  to  the 
mainland. 

The  county  of  Sutherland  is  washed  by  the  sea  on  the 
west,  the  north  and  the  south-east ; Caithness  and  Ross- 
shire  are  the  boundaries  on  the  north-east  and  south.  It 
extends  from  35  to  50  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  from 
45  to  50  from  east  to  west.  The  area,  although  not  accu- 
rately determined,  is  not  less  than  1840  square  miles,  and 
the  population  relatively  to  the  surface  is  not  so  great  as 
fourteen  persons  to  the  square  mile. 

The  coast,  like  that  of  the  other  Highland  counties,  is 
formed  by  a number  of  inlets,  bold  promontories,  rocks  and 
islets.  The  principal  arms  of  the  sea  are  Lochs  Assynt, f 
Laxford  and  Inchard  on  the  west ; Durness  Bay,  Loch 
Eriboll,  the  Kyle  of  Tongue, s and  the  bays  of  Torrisdale 
and  Strathy,  on  the  north ; and  Loch  Fleet  in  the  Dor- 
noch Frith  on  the  south-east.  The  most  remarkable  prom- 
ontories are  Ru-Stoirh  on  the  south  side  of  Loch  Assynt, 
Cape  Wrath  at  the  north-west  extremity  of  the  county, 
Farout  Head  on  the  north,  and  Strathy  Head  on  the 
north-east. 

The  interior  consists  of  mountains,  mosses  or  heaths, 
lakes  and  streams,  and  although  it  exhibits  considerable 
variety  of  surface,  the  different  parts  resemble  each  other 
in  sterility,  ruggedness  and  the  appearance  of  desolation. 
But  the  western  side  is  perhaps  more  remarkable  in  this 
respect  than  any  other  portion  of  the  county  ; no  valley  of 
any  extent  can  be  observed,  and  seldom  a tree  or  shrub  to 
vary  the  gloomy  scene.  It  appears  from  the  agricultural 
report,  that  the  cultivated  land,  green  pastures  and  woods 
do  not  exceed  60,000  acres,  or  a thirtieth  part  of  the 
whole,  and  that  the  cultivated  land  alone  is  little  more  than 
one  acre  in  a hundred. 

The  principal  streams  are  the  Fleet,  the  Brora  and 
Helmsdale,  which  rise  from  the  central  part  of  the  county, 
and  fall  into  the  Dornoch  Frith  on  the  south-east.*  The 
extent  of  surface  occupied  by  lakes  is  about  47  square  miles, 
or  30,000  acres. 

The  sea  has  formed  several  large  cavities  in  the  limestone 
rock  on  the  northern  coast ; one  of  them  at  Snowk  on  the 
east  of  Durness,  is  about  32  yards  in  width  and  20  in 
height,  and  another  in  Fraisgill  is  50  feet  high  and  20 
broad  at  its  mouth,  but  it  contracts  gradually  to  its  termina- 
tion, a distance  of  more  than  half  a mile.  It  has  already 
been  remarked,  that  with  one  or  two  exceptions  the  High- 
lands are  destitute  of  coal  ; but  that  useful  and  valuable 
substance  is  included  among  the  minerals  of  Sutherland,  and 
it  is  worked  not  without  profit  near  the  banks  of  the  Brora, 
where  a railway  has  been  constructed  from  the  mines  to  the 


e Lewis  and  Harris  form  two  parts  of  one  island,  connected  by  a 
narrow  isthmus.  Lewis  is  in  Ross-shire,  and  Harris,  in  Inverness- 
shire. — P. 

f By  Loch  Assynt  is  doubtless  meant  the  arm  of  the  sea  between 
Assint  and  Edrachilis,  called  Kilis  ( Caolis ) or  Kiliscuig  (the  Kyle  or 
the  Narrow  Kyle.)  Loch  Assint  is  a fresh  water  lake  in  the  interior 
of  Assint. — P. 

e The  Bay  of  Tongue.  Kyle  (Gaelic,  Kilis)  signifies  a separation  by 
water,  an  inlet  or  estuary. — P. 

h Great,  Point — also  written,  Row-Store.  It  forms  the  western  point 
of  Assint. — P. 

1 The  Dornoch  Frith  is  here  made  to  include  the  whole  arm  of  the 
sea  between  Tarbat  Ness  and  the  Old  of  Caithness,  and'  consequently 
the  whole  eastern  coast  of  the  county. — P. 

1 Smovv.—  Sino  tr  Smoah.  (Gaz.  Scot.) — P. 


606 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CI.VI. 


harbour  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  The  other  minerals  are 
limestone,  marble  and  sandstone.  The  first  abounds  on  the 
coast,*  and  is  common  in  some  parts  of  the  interior.  Two 
sorts  of  marble  have  been  observed  in  the  district  of  Assynt ; 
the  first,  white,  pure  as  alabaster,  and  of  an  excellent  quali- 
ty, has  been  wrought  during  several  years  at  Lead-more 
and  Lead-begg  ; the  second  sort,  which  is  black  with  yel- 
low veins,  is  found  in  Edderachylis.b 

Many  boats  are  employed  in  the  fisheries  on  the  west  and 
north  coast  for  cod,  ling,  haddock  and  herring  ; and  many 
of  the  small  tenants,  who  were  removed  from  their  habita- 
tions in  consequence  of  the  introduction  of  sheep  farming, 
have  become  fishermen  on  the  eastern  coast.® 

Dornoch,  a royal  burgh,  situated  on  the  south-eastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Dornoch  Frith, d is  the  only  town  in  the  coun- 
ty, and  it  does  not  contain  700  inhabitants.  Golspie,  Helms- 
dale and  Brora  are  the  principal  villages. 

Caithness  is  the  most  northern  county  on  the  mainland 
of  Great  Britain.  If  the  island  of  Stroma  in  the  Pentland 
Frith,  which  is  politically  attached  to  it,  be  included,  the 
surface  is  not  less  than  620  square  miles, e and  the  popula- 
tion relatively  to  the  surface  is  at  present  more  than  fifty- 
five  persons  to  the  square  mile.  A fourth  part  of  the  sur- 
face is  mountainous,  more  than  a half  consists  of  moss  or 
heath,  and  not  more  than  the  eighth  part  is  cultivated/  It 
may  be  added  that  it  formed  part  of  Sutherland  until  the 
year  1807,  when  it  was  made  a separate  county  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  a sheriffs  The  boundaries  are  the  Pentland 
Frith  on  the  north,  the  Moray  Frith  and  the  German  Ocean 
on  the  east,  and  the  Ord  of  Caithness  on  the  south/  The 
last  promontory  or  its  southern  limit  separates  it  from  Su- 
therland,1 to  which  Caithness  is  contiguous  on  the  south- 
west and  west.  On  account  of  the  northern  situation  of  the 
county,  the  phenomenon  of  constant  twilight  may  be  ob- 
served about  the  summer  solstice  ; but  the  climate  is  by  no 
means  insalubrious.  Westerly  winds  prevail  nearly  three 
quarters  of  the  year,  and  the  annual  quantity  of  rain  is  very 
considerable.  According  to  the  celebrated  Pennant,  the 
whole  county  was  formerly  a morass, k but  it  is  certain  that 
even  in  the  present  day  many  trunks  of  trees  are  dug  from 
the  mosses.  The  surface,  it  has  been  already  seen,  is  une- 
ven, and  the  highest  summits  or  the  Paps  of  Caithness  are 
more  than  1900  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  coasts 
are  broken  by  numerous  bays  and  promontories,  and  pene- 
trated in  several  places  by  extensive  caverns,  which  are  fre- 
quented by  seals.  It  is  supposed  that  about  10,000  acres 
are  covered  by  lakes  or  water,  but  none  of  the  lakes  occupy 
so  great  a surface  as  two  miles  in  length  by  one  in  breadth. 
The  principal  river,  or  the  Thurso,  which  rises  from  the 
confines  of  Sutherland,  has  a course  of  about  thirty  miles, 
and  is  navigable  a short  distance  for  small  vessels.  The 

a The  west  coast  is  in  a great  measure  formed  of  limestone.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

b Assynt  (Assint)  and  Edderachylis  are  two  districts  on  the  west 
coast  of  Sutherland ; the  former  on  the  south,  the  latter  on  the  north 
of  Kiliscuig.  Leadmore  (Great  Plain)  and  Leadbeg  (Little  Plain)  are 
in  Assynt. — P. 

c At  Helmsdale,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Marquis  of  Staf- 
ford. (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

d On  the  north  side  of  Dornoch  Frith,  nearly  opposite  Tain. — P. 

c 697  square  miles.  (Sinclair’s  Gen.  Rep.) — P. 

f About  one  fifth  cultivated  and  in  green  pasture.  (Sinclair.) — P. 

e Is  there  not  a mistake  in  the  date  ? Let  the  reader  compare  the 
following  statements.  “ Caithness  was  formerly  part  of  Sutherland, 
but  is  now  a separate  shire.”  (Britannia  Fortior,  1709.)  “The  Earl 
of  Breadalbane  is  hereditary  sheriff  of  Caithness.  Wick  is  the  resi- 
dence of  the  sheriff,  or  his  officer  (substitute.)  The  Earls  of  Suther- 
land are  hereditary  sheriff’s  of  Sutherland.  By  the  act  of  Union  (1707,) 


others,  or  the  waters  of  Wick,  Forss  and  Wester,  are  not 
navigable. 

Although  copper  and  lead  have  been  discovered,  the 
minerals  on  the  whole  are  of  little  value.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  the  manufactures,  for  although  repeated  at- 
tempts have  been  made  to  introduce  them,  none  appear 
to  have  succeeded.  Fishing  and  agriculture  are  the  chief 
occupations  of  the  inhabitants.  The  annual  revenue  deriv- 
ed from  the  herring,  cod,  lobster  and  salmon  fisheries 
amounts  to  L.45,000,  and  of  that  sum,  more  than  L.40,000 
are  obtained  from  the  herring  fishery  alone.  Many  boats 
are  likewise  employed  in  the  creeks  and  bays  in  fishing  for 
haddock,  ling  and  other  fish  that  are  consumed  in  the  coun- 
ty, and  several  smacks  sail  every  year  from  Gravesend  to 
the  cod  fisheries  on  the  northern  coast. 

Different  agricultural  improvements  have  been  introduc- 
ed within  a comparatively  recent  period,  and  perhaps  the 
most  important  is  the  successful  introduction  of  the  Cheviot 
sheep  by  Sir  John  Sinclair.  But  other  improvements  may 
yet  be  effected  ; the  implements  of  husbandry  are  still  ex- 
tremely rude  ; the  harrows  consist  entirely  of  wood,  and 
there  is  only  a thin  plate  of  iron  on  the  plough  to  prevent 
it  from  wearing  by  the  friction  of  the  soil.  There  are  no 
granaries  or  barns,  and  the  thrashing  mill  is  almost  un- 
known. The  crops  are  barley  and  oats  alternately  on  the 
old  tillage  lands,  and  four  or  five  successive  crops  of  grey 
oats  on  the  outfield  or  inferior  land.  Wheat  has  been  tried 
in  a few  places,  but  it  appears  to  be  ill  adapted  to  the  cli- 
mate. An  act  of  parliament  was  passed  about  thirty  years 
ago  for  commuting  the  statute  labour,  under  which  L.550 
have  been  annually  expended  on  the  repair  of  roads,  and 
within  a still  later  period,  the  proprietors  have  availed 
themselves  of  the  aid  granted  to  the  northern  counties,  by 
which  one  half  of  the  estimated  expense  of  the  great  lines 
of  road  is  defrayed  by  government.  Thus,  a communica- 
tion has  been  formed  from  the  Ord  of  Caithness  to  Wick, 
and  from  Wick  to  Thurso. 

Wick  and  Thurso  are  the  only  towns.  The  former  is  situ- 
ated at  the  mouth  of  the  river  of  the  same  name,  on  the 
German  Ocean.  It  contains  about  1200  inhabitants.  The 
harbour,  which  was  formerly  very  inconvenient,  has  been 
much  improved  ; piers,  quays  and  dry  docks  have  been 
constructed  at  an  expense  of  L.  12,000,  and  in  consequence  of 
these  works,  Wick  has  become  an  important  fishing  station. 
Thurso,  a place  of  nearly  2000  inhabitants,  is  situated  on 
the  north-west  coast  of  Caithness,  at  the  head  of  a spacious 
bay,  the  estuary  of  the  Thurso.  The  town  consists  of 
two  parts  ; the  houses  and  streets  on  the  east  of  the  river 
are  old  and  irregularly  built,  but  several  moderfi  buildings 
have  been  erected  on  the  western  bank.1  The  same 
place  is  a port  of  the  custom  house,  and  it  reckons  about 

Bute  and  Caithness  were  joined  in  sending  representatives  to  Parlia- 
ment.” (Chamberlayne’s  Mag.  Brit.  Notit.  1737.)  “ James  IV.  (1489 — 
1514)  appointed  the  sheriffs  of  Caithness  to  reside  at  Dornoch,  or  else 
at  Wick,  as  occasion  should  require.”  (Camden’s  Britannia,  Gibson’s 
Edit.) — P. 

h The  North  Sea  and  the  Pentland  Frith  on  the  north  ; the  German 
Ocean  on  the  east  and  south-east ; Sutherland  on  the  west  and  south- 
west ; and  on  the  south,  terminating  in  a point  at  the  Ord  of  Caith- 
ness.— P. 

‘ The  Ord  is  merely  a point  of  land,  on  which  the  line  between 
Sutherland  and  Caithness  meets  the  German  Ocean. — P. 

k “ Caithness  may  be  termed  an  immense  morass,  interspersed 
with  some  fruitful  spots,  but  poorly  cultivated.”  (Pennant's  First 
Tour.)— P. 

1 The  town  of  Thurso  is  irregularly  built,  but  very  elegant  houses 
have  been  erected  to  the  south  of  the  old  town.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The 
town  of  Thurso  stood  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river  in  1798,  and  was 


BOOK  CLVI.J 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


607 


thirty-six  decked  vessels,  of  which  more  than  twelve  belong 
to  the  town.3 

Two  groups,  the  Orkney  and  Shetland  or  Zetland 
Islands,  form  the  most  northern  county  of  Great  Britain. 
The  former  are  separated  from  Caithness  by  the  Pentland 
Frith,  a strait  which  varies  in  breadth  from  six  to  twelve 
miles. 

Fair  Isle  and  Foula  are  situated  between  Orkney  and 
Shetland  ; the  former  is  about  twenty-four  miles  to  the 
south,  and  the  latter,  which  has  been  supposed  to  be  the 
Thule  of  Tacitus,  about  twenty  miles  to  the  west  of  the 
Shetland  group.  Both  of  them  are  included  in  the  same 
group,  from  which  they  may  be  distinctly  seen  in  clear 
weather,  and  from  which  Fair  Isle  is  more  than  thirty 
miles  distant.b 

The  Orkneys,  it  has  been  computed,  contain  384,000 
acres,  a calculation  which  is  probably  above  the  truth,  and 
it  is  also  said  that  300,000  acres  are  waste  lands  or  covered 
with  water.  The  Shetland  Islands  are  perhaps  twice  as 
large,  but  in  the  whole  of  them  not  more  than  22,000  acres 
are  cultivated.  As  no  correct  survey  has  been  taken  of 
these  islands,  as  their  forms  are  very  irregular,  and  as  they 
are  indented  almost  in  every  direction  by  arms  of  the  sea,  it  is 
impossible  to  estimate  their  superficies  with  any  thing  like 
accuracy. 

The  Orcades  or  Orkneys,  exclusively  of  insulated  rocks, 
which  bear  little  or  no  herbage,  make  up  a group  of  sixty- 
seven  islands,  but  of  these  not  more  than  thirty  are  inhabit- 
ed ; the  others,  or  holms6  as  they  are  called,  afford  only 
scanty  pastures  for  cattle.  South  Ronaldshay,  the  most 
southern  of  the  inhabited  islands,  is  about  twenty-four 
square  miles  in  extent,  and  contains  nearly  1700  inhabitants, 
most  of  whom  are  employed  in  agriculture  or  in  the  manu- 
facture of  kelp.  Hoy,  on  the  north-west  of  it,  is  probably 
twice  as  large,  but  it  does  not  contain  a third  part  of  the 
inhabitants  ; the  ground  indeed  is  not  nearly  so  fruitful,  the 
greater  part  of  it  being  lofty/  or  covered  with  heath.  Bur- 
ray,  on  the  north  of  South  Ronaldshay,  from  which  it  is 
separated  by  a channel  about  a mile  in  breadth,  produces 
grain,  green  crops  and  good  pastures,  but  it  is  only  three 
square  miles  in  extent.6  Mainland  or  Pomona,  the  largest 
of  the  Orkneys,  is  situated  on  the  north  of  the  last ; it  con- 
tains more  than  two  hundred  square  miles ; it  extends  30 
miles  from  east  to  west,  and  in  the  same  island  are  situated 
the  towns  of  Kirkwall  and  Stromness.  Shapinshay  and 
Rousay,  each  about  ten  or  twelve  square  miles,  consist 
partly  of  arable,  and  partly  of  pasture  lands.  Still  further 
north  are  Stronsay  and  Eday,  the  former  about  sixteen 
square  miles  in  extent,  the  latter  about  twelve,  and  both  of 
them  containing  a considerable  proportion  of  productive 

very  irregularly  built,  but  Sir  J.  Sinclair  then  proposed  to  feu  a tract 
for  building,  on  the  south  side  of  the  town.  Thurso  Castle  stood 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  nearly  opposite  the  town.  (Sir  J.  Sin- 
clair. Stat.  Acc.) — P. 

a Twenty  decked  vessels  belong  to  the  town.  (Ed.  Enc.  1831.) — P. 

» If,  as  the  construction  seems  to  require,  the  writer  means  to  say 
that  both  these  islands  are  included  in  the  Shetland  group,  he  has  con- 
tradicted himself ; for  in  the  first  sentence,  he  says,  Fair  Isle  is  24 
miles  south  of  that  group,  and  in  the  second,  30  miles  distant  from  it. 
The  following  statements  will  explain  the  matter.  “ Fair-Isle  is  situ- 
ated about  24  miles  to  the  south  of  the  Mainland  in  Shetland,  and 
Foula  about  20  miles  to  the  west.”  (Ed.  Enc.) — “ The  Fair  Isle  ( Fara ) 
is  30  miles  distant  from  the  most  northerly  of  the  Orkney  Islands.” 
(Stat.  Acc.  xiv.) — Fara  or  the  Fair  Isle,  and  Foula  (Fowla,)  Fula  (Fule) 
or  the  Foul  Isle,  are  isolated  islands,  not  included  in  the  Shetland 
group,  but  politically  dependent  on  it ; Fara  being  included  in  Dun- 
rossness  parish,  and  Foula,  in  Walls  and  Sandness  parish,  both  on  the 
Mainland  of  Shetland.  The  terminations  a,  e,  ay,  ey,  in  the  Scottish 


land.  The  former  possesses  two  good  harbours,  and  the 
manufacture  of  kelp  in  the  latter  affords  employment  to 
many  of  the  inhabitants.  Sanday  lies  on  the  north-east, 
and  Westray  on  the  north-west  of  the  two  last/  The  first, 
although  only  nineteen  square  miles  in  extent,  has  a popu- 
lation of  nearly  1900  persons,  being  naturally  productive, 
and  yielding  about  a fifth  part  of  all  the  kelp  made  in  Ork- 
ney. North  Ronaldshay,  the  most  northern  of  the  Ork- 
neys, lies  about  three  miles  to  the  north  of  Sanday,  and  on 
a surface  of  nearly  six  square  miles,  contains  about  550  in- 
habitants. As  the  superficial  extent  of  the  Orkneys  must 
still  be  considered  unknown,  the  relation  between  the  popu- 
lation and  the  surface  cannot  be  determined,  but  it  is  not 
probably  less  than  fifty  persons  to  the  square  mile. 

The  ancients  were  not  wholly  ignorant  of  these  islands, 
which  appear  to  have  been  the  subject  of  many  errors  and 
fables.  Pliny  makes  their  number  amount  to  forty,  and 
Solinus  affirms  them  to  be  uninhabitable,  and  covered  with 
reeds.  According  to  Ossian,  they  formed  a powerful  king 
dom,  and  those  who  believe  not  only  in  his  poems,  but  can 
determine  the  period  in  which  the  bard  flourished,  may 
from  that  fact  form  some  notion  of  the  other  powerful  king- 
doms then  established  in  Scotland.  It  is  probable  that 
the  Piets  possessed  them  until  the  subversion  of  their 
kingdom  in  the  year  838.S  From  that  period  until  the 
end  of  the  eleventh  century,  when  they  were  made  over  to 
Norway,  they  were  under  the  dominion  of  the  kings  of 
Scotland.  They  were  exposed  to  frequent  aggressions 
from  the  Scots,  the  Norwegians  and  the  Danes,  until  the 
marriage  of  James  the  Third  with  Margaret  of  Norway, 
who  obtained  them  as  her  dowry.  The  Orcadians  speak 
English  with  a Scottish  accent ; the  upper  classes  are  pol- 
ished and  hospitable ; the  lower  orders,  although  much 
addicted  to  superstition,  are  bold  and  adventurous,  patient 
of  fatigue  and  inured  to  hardships.  The  exports  are 
oxen,  sheep  and  kelp ; the  imports  are  different  articles  of 
consumption,  and  of  these,  the  most  important  are  coal 
and  iron. 

Kirkwall  in  the  island  of  Pomona,  the  capital  of  the 
county,  is  small,  dirty  and  ill  built.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
founded  in  1138  by  Ronwald,  count  of  Norway,11  and 
among  its  antiquities  are  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  fortress 
and  palace/  The  cathedral,  which  is  still  entire,  and  used 
as  a parish  church,  is  a fine  Gothic  edifice.  The  harbour 
lies  opposite  a spacious  and  safe  roadstead,  and  is  defended 
by  a fort  that  was  built  by  Cromwell.  An  excellent  port 
is  all  that  is  worthy  of  notice  in  the  small  town  of  Strom  - 
ness  on  the  southern  side  of  the  same  island. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  Shetland  Islands  are  robust,  well 
made,  and  of  a sun-burnt  or  swarthy  complexion.  Not  less 

Islands,  are  the  Danish,  aee,  island.  Fara  (Dan.  Faaroee)  is  Sheep 
Island,  and  Fula  (Dan.  Fuglaze),  Bird  Island. — P. 
c Holm  is  a Danish  word,  signifying  islet. — P. 

d Hoy  (Dan.  hoi-Oe,  high-island)  contains  a mountain  group  of three 
summits ; the  highest,  1600  feet  high.  These  mountains  consist  of 
sandstone,  a formation  which  includes  the  whole  of  the  Orkneys,  ex- 
cept a small  tract  of  granite,  of  little  elevation,  at  Stromness,  in  the 
south-west  corner  of  the  Mainland. — P. 

e It  is  four  miles  long,  and  from  one  to  two  broad.  (Gen.  Rep.) — P. 
f Rather  of  Eday. — P. 

s The  Pictish  kingdom  was  subverted  by  Kenneth  II.  in  843. — P. 
h The  cathedral  was  founded  by  Rognvald  (Ronald,)  Count  (Earl — 
Dan.  Jarl)  of  Orkney,  in  1138.  (Stat.  Acc.  vii.  Ed.  Enc.) — Rognvald 
was  a Norwegian,  the  father  of  Rolf  (Rollo),  conqueror  of  Normandy, 
and  the  first  Earl  (jarl)  of  Orkney. — P. 

> The  Castle  of  Kirkwall  (founded  by  Henry  St.  Clair,  the  first  Earl 
of  the  Sinclair  family,  near  the  close  of  the  14th  century,)  the  Earl’s 
Palace,  and  the  Bishop’s  Palace. — P. 


G08 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVI. 


hospitable  than  their  neighbours  the  Orcadians,  they  are 
equally  bold  and  regardless  of  danger.  It  is  customary 
for  them  to  marry  early,  and  nothing  is  more  rare  than 
celibacy.  A small  hut,  one  or  two  blankets,  a single  cow, 
a pot  to  boil  provisions,  and  a spade  to  labour  the  ground, 
make  up  the  most  valuable  property  of  many  who  enter 
into  the  married  state.  The  language,®  laws,  dress,  man- 
ners and  customs  of  the  inhabitants,  are  the  same  as  in  the 
north  of  Scotland.  The  number  of  islands  is  86,  but  more 
than  a half  of  them  are  not  inhabited.  The  most  impor- 
tant are  the  Mainland,  Yell,  Unst,  Whalsay,  Bressay,  Bur- 

• The  language  of  the  Shetland  and  Orkney  Islands  and  of  Caith- 
ness was  originally  Norse.  It  is  now  English,  with  provincial  pe- 
culiarities, which  in  Shetland  particularly,  are  said  to  have  little  re- 
semblance to  the  Scotch  dialect.  The  names  of  places  are  mostly  of 
Norse  origin. — P. 


ray,  House, b Fetlar,  Mickle  and  Little  Roe,  Skerries'  and 
Noss.  • 

Lerwick  and  Scalloway,  the  only  towns,  are  both  of  them 
situated  in  Mainland.  The  first  is  a place  of  rendezvous 
for  the  vessels  engaged  in  the  whale-fishery,  and  the  second 
is  provided  with  a commodious  harbour.  The  origin 
of  these  islanders  has  given  rise  to  different  conjec- 
tures ; it  appears,  however,  that  they  are  sprung  from  a 
Norwegian  colony.  Their  small  archipelago  and  the 
Orkneys  were  annexed  at  the  same  period  to  the  Scot- 
tish crown. 


b Burray  and  House  are  parallel  to  each  other,  and  are  connected 
by  a bridge. — P. 

c The  Out  Skerries — a cluster  of  islets  and  rocks,  at  some  distance 
to  the  east  of  the  Mainland.  They  are  the  easternmost  of  the  group, 
as  Unst  is  the  most  northern  (and  the  most  northern  part  of  the  British 
Home  Dominions — 60°  52 ' N.) — P 


book  ci/vn.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


609 


BOOR  CLVII. 


EUROPE. 


Europe  Continued. — Description  of  Ireland. — Bounda- 
ries.— Nature  of  the  Country. — Harbours. — Rivers. 

— Islands,  fyc. 

The  undeviating  progress  of  civilization  towards  the 
west  has  gradually  brought  Ireland  into  historical  noto- 
riety. Scarcely  known  but  by  name  to  the  writers  of 
classic  antiquity,  seldom  noticed  in  the  earliest  ages  of 
Christianity  except  as  a place  of  refuge  from  persecu- 
tion, and,  even  at  a later  period,  cited  chiefly  in  the 
annals  of  ecclesiastical  literature,  its  central  position  in 
one  of  the  main  circuits  of  commercial  activity,  and  its 
connexion  with  the  greatest  maritime  power  in  the 
world,  have  latterly  invested  it  with  a character  of  im- 
portance sufficient  to  entitle  it  to  an  enlarged  share  of 
attention.  The  many  peculiarities  of  its  physical  and 
political  constitution  will  amply  repay  the  inquirer  for 
the  time  and  labour  of  investigation. 

The  island  of  Ireland,  the  second  in  magnitude  of 
those  considered  as  belonging  to  Europe,  is  situated  to 
the  north-west  of  that  continent,  and  due  west  of  the 
larger  island  of  Great  Britain,  between  the  latitudes  of 
5U  26'  and  55°  20'  north,  and  the  longitudes  of  5°  28' 
and  10°  21'  west.  The  Atlantic  Ocean  surrounds  it  on 
all  sides  but  the  eastern,  on  which  it  is  separated  from 
the  island  just  mentioned  by  a confined  arm  of  the  sea, 
of  which  the  southern  extremity  is  known  by  the  name 
of  St.  George’s  Channel,  the  centre  expands  into  the 
Irish  Sea,  and  the  northern  part  is  again  contracted  into 
the  narrow  strait  of  the  Northern  passage.*  Its  geo- 
graphical position  gives  it  great  commercial  advantages. 
An  uninterrupted  expanse  of  sea  admits  an  easy  com- 
munication with  the  northern  regions  of  Europe,15  the 
north-west  of  Africa,  and  the  entire  line  of  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  transatlantic  continent  as  far  south  as  the 
empire  of  Brazil,  including  the  whole  of  the  West  Indian 
archipelago;  the  numerous  and  spacious  gulfs  and  har- 
bours by  which  its  western  and  southern  coasts  are  in- 
dented, afford  a safe  refuge  from  all  those  quarters  to 
the  vessels  which  the  prevalence  of  westerly  winds,  and 
the  influence  of  the  great  gulf  stream,  necessarily  impel 
upon  its  coasts  in  their  progress  to  any  of  the  northern 
parts  of  Europe,  while  its  proximity  to  all  the  great 
continental  emporiums  of  commerce,  presents  an  equally 
commodious  vent  for  its  natural  productions,  or  its  im- 
ported commodities.  These  great  advantages  will  be 


1 North  Channel. — P. 

b Rather  the  western,  particularly  France,  Spain  and  Portugal,  on  the 
south . — P. 

c It  extends  7938  feet  (more  than  l.t  mile,)  40  feet  wide,  to  the 
VOl.  HI.—  NO.  fil  77 


still  more  clearly  perceptible  from  an  enlarged  descrip- 
tion of  the  principal  features  of  the  country;  and,  as 
from  its  insulated  situation,  those  connected  with  its 
maritime  position  must  be  considered  as  the  most  im- 
portant, the  investigation  will  best  be  commenced  by  an 
examination  of  the  local  peculiarities  of  its  several  bays, 
harbours,  and  other  naval  stations,  as  they  would  present 
themselves  to  an  inquirer  in  a circumnavigation  of  the 
island  made  for  this  special  object. 

Commencing  with  Dublin,  as  well  because  this  city  is 
the  metropolis  of  the  island,  as  because,  in  consequence 
of  the  progress  of  steam  navigation,  it  has  become  a 
great  focus  of  communication  with  the  manufacturing 
districts  of  Great  Britain — Dublin  Bay  is  formed  by  the 
mouth  of  the  Liffey,  a river  of  little  importance  beyond 
what  it  derives  from  the  city  seated  upon  its  banks:  the 
bay,  open  to  the  east,  is  confined  on  its  northern  side  by 
the  hilly  peninsula  of  Howth,  while  to  the  south  it  is 
bounded  by  a low  and  undulating  shore  extending  to  the 
Killiney  hills  that  form  its  southern  extremity.  Its  ex- 
tent across  the  mouth  is  eight  miles,  and  its  inland  depth 
about  nine.  The  passage  of  large  vessels  to  the  quays 
of  Dublin  is  prevented  by  a bar  at  the  river’s  mouth, 
over  which  the  depth  of  water  at  high  spring  tides  is 
but  sixteen  feet.  To  remedy  this  defect  of  nature,  re- 
course has  been  unavailingly  had  to  art.  A wall  has  been 
built  on  each  side  of  the  river  so  as  to  confine  its  waters, 
by  preventing  them  from  spreading  over  the  adjacent 
low  lands,  in  the  hope  of  thus  diminishing  the  bar  by  the 
increased  impulse  of  an  accumulated  body  of  water. 
The  wall  on  the  northern  side  is  of  small  extent  ; that 
to  the  south  projects  in  the  form  of  a broad  carriage 
road  upwards  of  a mile  into  the  sea,  where  its  termina- 
tion is  marked  by  a fort  used  as  a depot  for  heavy  guns 
and  other  military  stores.  A massive  pier  ol  solid  ma- 
sonry is  carried  out  from  this  spot  nearly  two  miles  fur- 
ther, where  it  is  terminated  by  a light-house.c 

Experience  having  at  length  led  to  a conviction  of  the 
impossibility  of  removing  the  natural  impediments  in  the 
mouth  of  the  river  that  preclude  the  hope  of  rendering 
it  a place  of  resort  for  vessels  of  heavy  burden,  the 
formation  of  a safety  harbour  in  the  vicinity  suggested 
itself.  A position  on  the  north  of  the  promontory  of 
Howth  was  selected  ;d  but,  after  the  expenditure  of  near- 
ly a million  sterling,  the  harbour  has  been  found  to  be  ill 


Block-house  ; thence  9810  feet  (nearly  two  miles),  28  feet  wide  at  the 
top,  to  the  Light-house.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

'*  Howth  harbour. 


610 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLYII. 


adapted  for  its  intended  object,  and  is  now  used  solely 
as  a station  for  the  packets  which  ply  between  Dublin 
and  Holyhead,  and  as  an  occasional  shelter  for  the 
neighbouring  fishing  craft.  Another  situation  was  then 
chosen.  A safety  harbour  has  been  nearly  completed  on 
the  southern  shore,  to  the  west  of  the  Killiney  hills,  at 
Dunleary,  now  called  Kingstown,  as  being  the  place 
whence  the  late  king  embarked  on  leaving  Ireland.  The 
harbour  is  formed  by  two  piers  extending  into  the  sea 
and  gradually  approaching  at  their  outer  extremities  : it 
has  depth  of  water  sufficient  for  vessels  of  large  size,  and 
is  already  the  place  to  which  ships  of  this  description 
steer,  when  either  their  commercial  engagements  or  stress 
of  weather  direct  them  to  Dublin. 

Upon  quitting  Kingstown  harbour  and  proceeding 
southwards  from  Dublin  Bay  along  the  eastern  coast  of 
Leinster,  the  small  and  uninhabited  island  of  Dalkey* 
presents  itself,  remarkable  for  little  more  than  the  recol- 
lections of  times  long  past,  when  it  formed  the  outer 
side  of  a port  at  which  the  chief  governors  of  the  country 
frequently  landed  and  embarked,  and  where  merchants 
deposited  their  cargoes  intended  for  the  Dublin  market. 
The  traces  of  its  former  importance  are  still  discernible 
on  the  adjoining  mainland  in  the  ruins  of  several  castles, 
which  served  as  places  of  storage  for  securing  the  prop- 
erty deposited  in  them  from  the  incursions  of  the  neigh- 
bouring tribes  of  native  Irish  who  inhabited  the  Wicklow 
mountains.  The  only  harbours  between  those  of  Dub- 
lin and  Wexford  are  at  Wicklow  and  Arklow,  suited 
merely  for  small  craft.  That  of  Wexford,  though  spa- 
cious and  deep,  is  obstructed  by  a bar  at  its  entrance,  on 
which  there  is  at  times  not  more  than  seven  feet  water : 
it  is  also  rendered  unsafe  by  several  shifting  sand-banks. 
The  navigation  through  the  whole  of  this  part  of  the 
channel  is  peculiarly  hazardous  to  strangers  on  account 
of  the  shoals  which  lie  along  the  coast,  although  due 
precaution  has  been  taken  to  warn  them  of  the  danger 
by  floating  lights  placed  at  each  extremity  ; the  northern 
is  called  the  Kish/  the  southern  the  Star  light.  The 
port  of  Wicklow  is  also  marked  by  two  light-houses. 

On  turning  southward  by  Carnsore  Point,  which  also 
is  marked  by  a light-house  far  out  at  sea  on  the  Tuscar 
rock,  the  Saltees  become  visible,  two  uninhabited  islands, 
near  which  some  concealed  rocks  and  shoals  are  also 
indicated  by  a floating  light.  Beyond  these  a few  small 
islets  present  themselves,  fit  only  for  fishing  stations. 
Among  them  the  estuary  of  the  river  Bannow  may 
be  noticed  as  being  the  spot  where  the  little  band  of 
Cambrian  English,0  by  their  successful  invasion,  laid 
the  foundation  of  a total  change  of  the  political  destinies 
of  the  country. 

The  first  harbour  of  importance  on  the  southern  coast 
is  that  of  Waterford,  being  in  fact  an  estuary  formed  by 
the  three  great  rivers,  Suir,  Nore  and  Barrow ; it  is  of 

“ Dalkey  Island  lies  off  Dalkey  Point,  the  southern  limit  of  Dublin 
Bay,  and  is  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a narrow  channel,  called 
Dalkey  Sound,  in  which  there  is  good  anchorage.  (Malham’s  Nav. 

b Kishbank  floating  light,  moored  off  Dublin  Bay — a vessel  carry- 
ing three  lanterns.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c Robert  Fitzstephen,  with  390  followers,  from  S.  Wales.  He  was 
•onstable  of  Aberteivi  (Cardigan,)  then  occupied  by  Henry  II. — P. 

d Waterford  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  Suir,  which  joins  the  Barrow 
and  the  Nore  below  the  town. — P. 

0 Dungarvon  Bay. 

f Youghal  Bay  is  at  the  mouth  of  the  Blackwater. — P. 


sufficient  depth  to  admit  large  vessels  to  discharge  their 
cargoes  at  the  quay  of  Waterford  city.d  Within  this 
estuary  is  also  the  harbour  of  Dunmore,  formed  arti- 
ficially at  considerable  expense  for  the  purpose  of  facili- 
tating the  commercial  intercourse  between  this  part  ot 
Ireland  and  Bristol,  which  is  regularly  maintained  by 
means  of  steam-vessels  : it  is  likewise  the  station  for  the 
post-office  packets  that  ply  to  Milford-Haven.  The 
pier  extends  700  yards  from  the  cliff  in  four  fathoms  at 
low  water,  enclosing  an  area  of  six  acres.  Vessels  of 
fifteen  feet  draft  may  lie  afloat  here  at  all  times. 

Tramore  Bay,  further  west,  though  sufficiently  capa- 
cious for  a large  fleet,  is  cautiously  avoided  by  sailors. 
The  similarity  of  its  entrance  to  that  of  Waterford  often 
deludes  the  inexperienced  mariner,  who,  when  too  late, 
finds  himself  locked  up  in  a situation  whence  egress  is 
nearly  impossible,  and  safety  as  nearly  hopeless  from  the 
total  want  of  places  of  shelter  for  large  ships. 

Dungarvan  Bay,e  though  extensive,  is  too  shallow  fo 
large  vessels ; it  is  therefore  little  more  than  a fishint 
station.  The  same  may  be  said  of  Youghal/  the  next 
in  succession,  the  entrance  of  which  is  likewise  impeded 
by  a bar,  having  on  it  only  five  feet  water  at  low,  and  but 
thirteen  at  high  water  neaps.  Ballycotton  Bay  is 
wholly  unsheltered,  and  is  distinguished  by  two  small 
uninhabited  islands  at  its  entrance. 

Next  in  succession  westward,  and  among  the  most 
important  in  size  and  value,  is  Cork  harbour,  whose 
narrow  entrance,  guarded  on  each  side  by  heavy  bat- 
teries, expands  into  a magnificent  and  deep  basin  in  which 
a numerous  fleet  may  set  at  defiance  the  fury  of  the 
elements  in  their  most  tempestuous  mood.  The  entrance 
is  further  marked  by  a brilliant  light  on  Roche’s  tower 
at  the  eastern  side.s  Within  the  harbour  are  three 
islands.  On  Great  Island,  the  largest  of  them,  consti- 
tuting a parish  in  itself,  and  containing  a population  of 
9400  souls,  is  built  the  town  of  Cove/  the  great  mer- 
cantile emporium  of  Cork;  for,  while  ships  of  every 
size  can  discharge  here,  none  drawing  more  than  ten  or 
eleven  feet  water  can  proceed  as  far  as  the  city  of  Cork, 
which  lies  several  miles  inland  on  the  river  Lee.‘  Spike 
Island  and  Hawlbowling/  the  two  others,  are  used  as 
naval  depositories,  for  which  purpose  they  have  been 
fortified  at  a very  great  expense.* 1 

The  next  harbour  of  note  is  that  of  Kinsale.1"  Ves- 
sels of  every  size  may  lie  in  safety  within  it,  although 
there  is  a bar  at  the  entrance  with  but  twelve  feet  water 
at  low  spring-tides.  This  harbour  is  marked  by  a large 
light  at  the  entrance,  while  a smaller  in  the  interior  in- 
dicates the  place  of  anchorage  for  large  vessels  within." 
Cloghnakilty0  and  Castlehaven  harbours  are  fit  for  small 
vessels  only  ; the  former  contains  Inchidony  island,  hav- 
ing a population  of  2090  souls.  The  harbour  of  Balti- 
more affords  protection  for  ships  of  every  size,  and  is 

s Cork  Harbour,  or  Roche’s  Point  light-house — one  stationary  light, 
with  red  coloured  shades  to  seaward.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

h Usually  called  the  Cove  of  Cork. — P. 

* The  bay  or  harbour  is  7 or  8 miles  below  the  city.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P 

k Haul  Bowling  Island.  (Malham.) — P. 

1 The  fortifications  on  Spike  Island  are  said  to  have  cost  a million 
sterling.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

m Kinsale  Harbour  is  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bandon. — P. 

" There  is  a light-house  at  Charles’  Fort,  which  defends  the  en- 
trance of  the  harbour,  and  another  on  the  Old  Head  of  Kinsale,  about 
five  miles  south.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

0 Clonakilty  Harbour.  (Bell.) — Clonekilly  Bay,  (Malham.) — P 


- 

book  CLiVii.]  DESCRIPTION 

easy  of  access  to  vessels  bound  either  eastward  or  west- 
ward, as  there  are  from  twelve  to  nineteen  fathoms  water 
at  the  entrance.  The  island  of  Cape  Clear  or  Clare  Island 
contributes  much  to  ensure  the  safety  of  vessels  which  take 
advantage  of  this  port.  The  island  was  once  considered  to 
be  a cape  on  the  mainland,  and  as  such  was  marked  as 
being  the  most  southern  point  of  Ireland  ;a  but  incorrectly, 
for  it  is  separated  from  the  mainland  by  the  sound  or  chan- 
nel of  Gaskenane,  which  is  about  seven  miles  across. 
Cape  Clear  Island  measures  five  miles  from  north-east  to 
south-west : it  is  a parish  within  itself,  maintaining  a popu- 
lation of  886  souls.  Several  singular  peculiarities  con- 
nected with  it  are  worthy  of  notice.  It  rises  high  above 
the  surrounding  ocean,  encompassed  with  inaccessible  cliffs, 
excepting  only  where  two  small  inlets  serving  for  harbours, 
nearly  intersect  it  from  north  to  south.  Nature  has  been 
peculiarly  bountiful  to  its  inhabitants,  by  providing  them 
with  a small  but  perennial  fresh-water  lake,  endowed  with 
the  peculiar  quality  of  purifying  in  a few  days  any  thing 
thrown  into  it : casks  which  had  contained  train  oil,  after 
lying  in  it  a short  time,  have  been  rendered  fit  to  hold  milk. 
The  natives  were  remarkable  for  size  and  strength.  The 
thigh-bone  of  one  of  theO’Driscol  family,  which  long  claim- 
ed the  superiority  here,  is  still  preserved,  and  has  been  pro- 
nounced to  belong  to  a man  at  least  seven  feet  high.  Fish- 
ing is  the  sole  occupation  of  the  people.  The  men  go  out  to 
sea  in  open  boats  on  Tuesdays  to  the  distance  of  from 
twenty  to  thirty  leagues,  guiding  their  venturous  course  by 
the  stars  ; returning  on  Friday  or  Saturday,  they  transfer 
the  whole  of  their  cargoes  to  the  women,  on  whom  de- 
volve not  only  the  subsequent  labours  of  curing  and  dis- 
posing of  the  fish,  but  all  the  processes  of  agricultural 
industry.  Formerly,  and  even  within  the  last  half  century, 
the  islanders  elected  a king  from  among  themselves,  to 
whose  decisions,  regulated  by  a code  of  laws  handed  down 
by  tradition,  unqualified  obedience  was  conceded.  But 
the  late  era  of  political  revolutions,  amongst  other  changes, 
has  swept  away  the  dynasty  of  the  monarchs  of  Clear 
Island.  The  regal  title  is  no  longer  known  ; the  regal  au- 
thority no  longer  recognised;  and  of  the  whole  code  of 
laws  concocted  by  the  collected  wisdom  of  the  islanders, 
nothing  now  remains  but  a few  isolated  customs.  By  one 
of  these,  strangers  are  prohibited  from  settling  in  the  island  ; 
by  another,  offences  of  a deep  dye  are  punished  by  ex- 
portation from  it.  Between  Clear  Island  and  the  mainland 
is  Sherkin  Island, b close  to  the  shore. 

The  coast  between  Baltimore  and  Dunmanus  Bay  is 
marked  by  a number  of  islands,  most  of  which,  though 
small,  are  inhabited,  but,  from  their  vicinity  to  the  main- 
land, and  the  consequent  frequency  of  intercourse  with 
strangers,  their  residents  are  not  noted  for  those  peculiari- 
ties of  character  or  manners  that  mark  the  hardy  islanders 
of  Cape  Clear.  Within  this  space  is  Crookhaven,  a fine 
harbour,  though  narrow,  with  water  sufficiently  deep  for 
large  ships,  and  always  tranquil  except  during  eastern  gales. 

OF  IRELAND.  611 

Passing  by  Brow  Head,  the  most  southern  point  of  Ire- 
land, and  Mizen  Head,0  supposed  to  be  the  Notium  pro- 
montorium  of  Ptolemy, d Dunmanus  Bay  presents  itself, 
having  deep  water  and  good  anchorage,  yet  but  little  fre- 
quented, except  by  small  vessels,  as  being  exposed  to  the 
western  gales,  which  here  are  very  prevalent.  To  the 
north  of  this  is  Bantry  Bay,  large,  safe  and  commodious 
for  every  kind  of  shipping ; the  stream  of  tide  is  scarcely 
felt  in  it ; the  water  is  deep  almost  close  to  the  shore  on 
both  sides,  nor  are  there  any  rocks  from  which  danger  can 
be  apprehended.  At  its  north-eastern  extremity  is  Whiddy 
Island  ; in  its  western  part  are  Glengariff,  a small  port,  and 
Berehaven,  a fine  and  safe  harbour,  well  sheltered  by 
Bere  Island,  which  lies  contiguous  to  it.®  Both  these 
islandsf  are  inhabited  ; the  former  containing  a population 
of  590,  the  latter  of  2110  souls.  This  bay  is  celebrated 
in  the  most  ancient  period  of  Irish  history,  as  the  place 
where  the  Milesian  colony  landed,  and  in  modern  times 
not  less  so,  as  the  point  to  which  the  French  fleet  directed 
its  course,  for  the  purpose  of  invasion,  in  the  winter  of 
1796.S 

At  Dursey  Island  the  coast  assumes  a more  decidedly 
northern  direction.  On  passing  it,  are  the  bays  of  Bally- 
donaghan  and  Quolagh,  both  with  deep  water,  yet  little  fre- 
quented on  account  of  their  numerous  rocks.  In  Kenmare 
River,  a large  estuary,  with  abundance  of  wrater  and  sure 
anchorage,  are  the  harbours  of  Ardgrome  and  Kilmickalog, 
each  suited  to  the  reception  of  large  ships. 

Ballinskelig  Bayh  has  the  Skelig  Islands  at  its  northern 
extremity.1  These  are  merely  barren  uninhabited  rocks, 
the  largest  marked  by  a light-house ; yet  they  are  of  his- 
toric, or  rather  of  romantic  notoriety.  The  ancient  tradi- 
tions of  the  country  record  the  death  of  one  of  the  sons  of 
Milesius,  by  drowning,  near  them.  They  are  much  fre 
quented  by  gannets.  It  is  even  said  that  they  are  the  only 
places  on  the  Irish  coast  on  which  these  birds  light  to  lay 
their  eggs.  The  fact,  if  true,  may  serve  to  explain  an  old 
tradition  recorded  by  Keating,  the  Irish  historian,  con- 
cerning them,  which  slates  that  a certain  attractive  quality 
in  the  soil  draws  down  the  birds  that  attempt  to  fly  over 
them. 

The  sound  between  Valentia  Island  and  the  mainland  of 
Kerry  forms  a deep  and  safe  harbour,  which  has  plentv 
water,  and  is  well  sheltered.  The  island  itself  is  about 
nine  miles  long,  and  has  a population  of  2130  souls,  the 
greatest  proportion  of  whom  exist  in  a state  of  extreme 
poverty. 

In  Dingle  Bay,  which  includes  the  harbours  of  Castle- 
main,  Ventry  and  Dingle,  a vessel  may  anchor  in  any  part 
within  a mile  of  the  shore,  which  is  steep  on  every  side. 
To  the  north  of  this  bay  are  the  Blasquet  or  Ferriter 
Islands,  twelve  in  number ; most  of  them  are  merely  bar- 
ren rocks.  A vessel  of  the  Spanish  armada  of  1000  tons 
burden  foundered  here,  and  but  two  of  the  crew  were 
saved.k 

1 Cape  Clear  is  on  an  island  of  the  same  name,  and  forms  the  most 
southern  point  of  Ireland.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Geographers,  in  calling  it 
the  most  southern  point  of  Ireland,  do  not  consider  it  a part  of 
the  mainland,  but  the  most  southern  point  of  land  dependent  on  Ire- 
land. Fastnet  Rock  is,  however,  about  two  leagues  W.  by  S.  of  it. — P. 

b Inisherkin  (Malham) — on  the  north-east,  near  Baltimore  Point. — 
Inis  (Welsh,  Ynys)  is  a Gaelic  word  signifying  island.  Prefixed  to 
names  in  Scotland  and  Ireland,  it  is  spelt  variously,  viz.  Inis,  Innis, 
Inish,  Inch, Enis,  Ennis.  Ynys  is  still  used  in  the  Welsh  ; but  in  pres- 
ent use,  the  Gaelic  dialects  have  adopted  the  English  word  island 
(Ir.  oileun,  Sc.  eilean,  M.  ellan.) — P. 

e Mizen  Head  is  the  south-west  point  of  the  mainland  of  Ireland. — P. 

— 

d Some  have  supposed  Cape  Clear  to  be  the  Nntiurn  oi'Ptolemy. — P. 
e Beerhaven  and  Beer  Island.  (Malham.)  Bearhaven  and  Bear 
Island.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f Whiddy  Island  and  Bere  Island. — P. 

s The  French  fleet  anchored  in  Bantry  Bay,  Dec.  24th,  1796. — P. 

11  Ballynaskellig  Bay.  (Bell.) — P. 

' The  Skeligs,  Skelligs  or  Shellocks  are  three  large  rocks,  west  of 
the  entrance  of  Ballynaskellig  Bay,  and  S.  W.  of  Valentia  Island, 
about  twelve  miles  from  the  mainland.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k Dunmore  Head  is  the  west  point  of  the  peninsula  of  Dingle,  as 
well  as  of  Europe  ; off  it  lie  the  Blasquet  Islands.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

r 


612 


EUROPE. 


Smerwick  Bay,a  although  open  to  the  north  and  north- 
west, affords  good  shelter  for  large  vessels.  The  Spaniards 
built  a fort  here  during  the  wars  in  Elizabeth’s  reign  ; it 
was  ultimately  taken  by  the  English,  and  all  the  Spaniards 
in  the  garrison,  except  the  officers,  were  slaughtered  in 
cold  blood.  Tralee  Bay  also  admits  vessels  of  large 
tonnage. 

The  estuary  of  the  Shannon,  eight  miles  wide  at  its 
mouth,  and  extending  many  miles  inland,  lies  between 
Kerry  Head  and  Loop  Head,  on  the  latter  of  which  there 
is  a light-house.  Vessels  of  large  tonnage  can  proceed  up 
it  as  far  as  Limerick.  Besides  this  principal  port  there  are 
numerous  inlets  on  each  side,  affording  shelter  for  smaller 
vessels,  and  commercial  advantages  to  the  adjoining  dis- 
tricts. Among  the  many  islets  with  which  this  estuary 
abounds,  that  of  Inniscattery  is  peculiarly  celebrated  in 
monastic  records,  on  account  of  being  the  chosen  residence 
of  St.  Senanus,  and  for  the  exclusion  of  women  from  its 
hallowed  precincts. 

The  shores  between  Loop  Head  and  Galway  Bay  are 
chiefly  comprehended  within  Malbay,  justly  so  named,  for 
a vessel  driven  into  it  by  stress  of  weather,  has  but  little 
chance  of  escaping  shipwreck. 

The  entrance  of  the  magnificent  bay  of  Galway  is  shel- 
tered by  the  islands  of  Arran, b on  both  sides  of  which  am- 
ple scope  is  afforded  for  the  admission  of  vessels  of  every 
description,  but  the  prevalence  of  western  winds  rendered 
egress  at  times  extremely  difficult,  until  this  check  to  its  nau- 
tical utility  was  removed  by  the  application  of  steam  power. 
Like  the  estuary  of  the  Shannon,  it  has  many  havens  or  in- 
lets in  its  interior  adequate  to  the  accommodation  of  smaller 
vessels.  The  islands  of  Arran  are  three  : Arranmore,  Inis- 
main  and  Inishere.  The  ruins  of  ancient  structures  still 
existing  on  them,  particularly  on  the  largest,  afford  reason- 
able confirmation  of  the  traditional  opinion  that  these  islands 
were  the  chosen  seats  of  superstitious  ceremonies  before  the 
introduction  of  Christianity.  During  the  invasions  of  the 
Danes,  they  suffered  much  from  the  piratical  assaults  of 
these  marauders,  and  even  so  lately  as  the  period  of  the 
civil  wars  that  desolated  Ireland  in  1 64 1 ,c  they  were  deemed 
of  sufficient  importance  to  be  the  subject  of  a special  capitu- 
lation by  which  they  were  surrendered  to  the  parliamenta- 
ry forces.  The  population  of  the  islands  is  as  follows : Ar- 
ranmore 2276,  Inismain  386,  and  Inishere  417.  The  in- 
habitants are  chiefly  employed  in  fishing,  but  there  are  in 
them  several  landholders  in  easy  circumstances. 

Cashin  Bay,  Kilkeeran  Bay,d  Birterbuy  Bay,e  and 
Roundstone  Bay,  which  succeed  each  other  closely  on  the 
west  of  Galway  Bay,  are  each  capable  of  sheltering  the 
largest  ships,  and  are  the  only  good  harbours  for  such  ves- 
sels along  the  north-western  coast  from  the  Shannon  to 
Lough  Swilly.  Roundstone  Bay  would  contain  and  shelter 
the  whole  navy  of  England. 

The  line  of  coast  hence  to  Clew  Bay  consists  of  indenta- 
tions suited  to  accommodate  ships  of  moderate  burden. 
The  principal  are  named  Ardbean,  Clifden,  Kingstown, 
Cleggan,  Ballynakill,  and  Killery.  Along  the  coast  are  the 
islands  of  Inishark,  Innisbofin  and  Innisturk,  containing  re- 
spectively 130,  1050,  and  456  souls. 


[BOOK  CLVTI. 

Clew  Bay  is  from  fifteen  to  seventeen  miles  long  and 
about  seven  broad  ; its  entrance  is  protected  for  about  one 
third  of  its  breadth  by  Clare  Island  ; its  interior  is  occupied 
by  a collection  of  small  islets  more  than  100  in  number, 
among  which,  and  in  the  adjoining  creeks  and  islets  of  the 
mainland,  is  a variety  of  safe  roadsteads  and  harbours.  Ver- 
bal description,  without  the  aid  of  a chart,  would  be  wholly 
inadequate  to  convey  a satisfactory  idea  of  those  valuable 
harbours.  The  average  depth  of  water  throughout  the 
bay  is  fifteen  fathoms.  The  chief  ports  in  the  interior  are 
Newport  and  Westport,  both  places  of  late  formation  and  of 
rapidly  increasing  wealth.  The  islands  and  channels  near 
the  latter  are  screened  from  the  violence  of  the  sea  by  a 
very  singular  natural  breakwater  of  shingle  and  bowlder- 
stones,  which,  with  little  interruption,  extends  nearly  to 
Newport.  In  this  line  of  beach  are  six  openings,  the  most 
important  of  which,  as  forming  the  main  channel,  is  marked 
by  a light-house  built  and  maintained  wholly  at  the  expense 
of  the  proprietor  of  the  surrounding  lands. 

The  island  of  Achil,  or  Eagle  Island,  so  named  from  the 
great  resort  of  eagles  to  it,  divides  Clew  Bay  from  Blacksod 
Bay,  and  is  the  largest  on  the  Irish  coast.  It  contains  an 
area  of  22,000  acres,  and  is  inhabited  by  a population  of 
3880  souls,  who  procure  a wretched  and  precarious  subsist- 
ence from  the  herring  fishery.  The  land  is  hilly,  with  little 
arable  ground,  but  peculiarly  adapted  for  the  fattening  of 
sheep.  It  is  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a narrow  gut 
so  shallow  at  one  part  as  to  be  easily  crossed  on  foot  at 
low  water. 

Blacksod  Bay  has  water  sufficient,  and  tolerable  shelter 
for  any  ship.  North  of  it  are  the  small  islands  ofEnniskea/ 
and  still  further,  that  of  Eagle  Island,  whence  the  coast, 
taking  a new  direction,  trends  due  east  by  Broadhaven  and 
Killala  Bay  to  Sligo  harbour.  Broadhaven  has  depth  of 
water  but  not  scope  sufficient  for  any  number  of  large  ves- 
sels ; Killala  Bay  is  barred  by  a bank  covered  by  not  more 
than  four  feet  water  at  low  spring  tides.  A small  body  of 
French  landed  here  without  opposition  in  the* *•  autumn  of 
1798.S  Sligo  Bay  is  about  five  miles  across  at  its  mouth, 
and  as  much  inland  ; it  branches  into  three  inlets,  of  which 
the  only  one  of  importance  is  that  leading  to  Sligo,  where 
a vessel  will  float  in  ten  feet  at  high  water. 

Donegal  Bay  is  of  great  extent,  containing  within  it  sev- 
eral harbours,  the  principal  of  which  are  Ballyshannon  on 
the  south,  the  entrance  to  which  is  dangerous,  and  Done- 
gal, Inver  and  Killibegs  on  the  northern  side  ; of  these  the 
last  named  only  is  fit  for  large  vessels.  Although  the  coast 
of  Donegal,  hence  to  Lough  Swilly,  forms  a succession  of 
creeks,  none  of  them  are  of  sufficient  importance  to  invite 
particular  notice.  Off  the  coast  are  many  islands,  the  most 
remarkable  of  which  are  North  Arranmore, h on  which  is  a 
light-house,  Inismadun  or  Rutland,  Croit  Island  and  Tor}' 
Island.  This  last  named  island  is  ten  miles  off  the  coast. 
It  is  not  more  than  three  miles  long  by  one  broad,  and  main- 
tains 300  inhabitants,  who  live  in  the  most  simple  state. 
They  choose  their  own  chief  judge,  and  yield  implicit  obe- 
dience to  his  mandate,  issued  from  a seat  of  turf.  So  little 
intercourse  have  the  natives  with  the  mainland,  that  of  a 
boat’s  crew  of  seven  or  eight  men,  who  were  driven  on  the 


* Corrupted  from  St.  Mary  Wick  Bay.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

” South  Arran  Islands,  or  South  Isles  of  Arran. — P. 

c The  civil  war,  or  rather  rebellion,  which  commenced  in  Oct.  1641, 
and  was  repressed  by  Cromwell  in  1651  -2. — P. 

*•  Kilkerran  Bay.  (Bell.) — P. 

• Batterby  Bay.  (Malham.)  Butterby  Bay.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


f North  and  South  Inishkea.  (Bell.) — P. 

s A body  of  000  men,  under  the  command  of  General  Humbert — 
Aug.  22, 1798.— P. 

h North  Arranmore  (Great  Arran)  is  the  largest  of  a group,  called 
the  North  Isles  of  Arran. — P. 


book  ciiVii.]  DESCRIPTION 

shore  by  stress  of  weather,  not  one  had  been  in  Ireland  be- 
fore. The  appearance  of  the  trees  astonished  them,  and 
they  collected  small  branches  and  leaves  to  exhibit  to  their 
friends  on  their  return. 

After  passing  Horn  Head,  which  takes  its  name  from  two 
sharp  projections  on  the  summit  of  the  cliff,  Sheep  Baya 
presents  itself.  It  is  much  exposed  to  the  north  and  north- 
western blasts,  but  the  largest  ships  may  ride  in  Dunfanaghy 
Bay  in  it.  Mulroy  Bay,  the  next  in  succession,  also  admits 
vessels  of  every  description,  but  the  difficulty  of  entrance 
deters  many  from  trying  the  experiment. 

Lough  Swilly  and  Lough  Foyle,  which  succeed  one 
another  on  the  Donegal  coast,  are  the  finest  harbours  on 
the  northern  shores  of  Ireland.  It  may  here  be  men- 
tioned, that  in  Ireland  the  name  of  lough,  as  in  Scotland 
that  of  Ioch,b  is  not  confined  to  inland  sheets  of  water  whol- 
ly detached  from  the  main  ocean,  but  is  applied,  as  in  the 
present  instance,  to  such  indentations  of  the  sea  as  have 
narrow  mouths,  and  trench  deeply  into  the  land.  Such  is 
peculiarly  the  case  with  Lough  Swilly.  It  penetrates  twen- 
ty-five miles  into  the  interior,  branching  out  into  several  lesser 
bays.  In  its  centre  is  the  large  island  of  Inch,  containing 
1094  inhabitants. 

The  form  of  Lough  Foyle,  which  lies  between  the  coun- 
ties of  Donegal  and  Derry ,c  is  somewhat  similar  to  that  of 
Lough  Swilly.  The  city  of  Londonderry  is  situated  at  its 
southern  extremity,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Foyle.  Off 
Malin  Head  is  the  island  of  Ennistrahul,d  distinguished  by 
a light-house. 

Passing  by  some  smaller  bays,  and  a group  of  islands 
near  the  coast,  called  the  Skerries,  and  also  the  precipitous 
shores  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Giant’s  Causeway,  the  next 
port  of  consequence  is  that  of  Ballycastle,  between  Bengore 
Head  and  Fair  Head,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Glensesk  river. 
Its  importance  is  derived,  not  so  much  from  the  magnitude 
or  convenience  of  the  harbour,  as  from  the  efforts  made  to 
render  it  a place  of  export  for  the  coal  raised  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. A pier  quay  was  erected  for  this  purpose.  But 
the  efforts  of  ingenuity  against  the  gigantic  powers  of  nature 
were  unavailing.  The  pier  has  been  washed  away  by  the 
influx  of  the  great  Deucaledonian  Ocean, e and  the  colliery 
is  now  nearly  abandoned.  The  port,  however,  is  in  some 
degree  protected  from  the  fury  of  the  ocean  by  the  island  of 
Rathlin  or  Raghery,  the  Ricnea  of  Pliny,  and  the  Ricina  of 
Ptolemy,  extending  in  the  form  of  a crescent,  with  its  tips 
towards  the  mainland,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  a strait 
six  miles  wide.  It  is  five  miles  in  length,  and  half  as  many 
broad,  affording  subsistence  to  a hardy  and  industrious  pop- 
ulation of  1 100  inhabitants.  Such  is  their  attachment  to 
the  place  of  their  nativity,  that  one  of  their  worst  wishes  to 
a neighbour  who  has  injured  them  is,  that  he  may  end  his 
days  in  Ireland.  Kelp  is  made  here  in  considerable  quan- 

a Sheep-Haven.  (Bell.) — P. 

b The  Gaelic  orthography  is  the  same  in  Ireland  and  Scotland,  viz. 
locli  (the  Scotch  and  Irish  Gaelic  dialects  not  differing  in  this  word.) 
The  Manks  word  is  logh.  All  are  pronounced  alike,  Idhh. — P. 

c Londonderry  county — Derry  bishopric. — P. 

d Ennistrahull  is  four  leagues  W.  N.  W.  of  Lough  Foyle.  (Mal- 
ham.) — Malin  Head  is  the  northernmost  point  of  Ireland. — P. 

e The  Deucaledonian  Sea  is  that  part  of  the  Atlantic,  north  of  Ire- 
land, and  west  of  Scotland.— P. 

1 — Where  Robert  Bruce  is  said  to  have  defended  himself  for  some 
time,  when  obliged  to  fly  from  his  country.  (Rees’  Cyc.)— Robert 
Bruce  (king  of  Scotland)  was  grandson  of  Robert  Bruce,  the  competi- 
tor of  John  Baliol. — P. 

s The  North  Channel. — P. 

h The  breadth  of  the  channel  between  the  Mull  of  Kintyre  and  Tor 
Head,  is  about  16  miles.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


OF  IRELAND.  613 

tities,  and  the  soil,  where  cultivated,  produces  good  barley. 
In  it  are  several  curious  arrangements  of  basaltic  pillars,  like 
those  of  the  Giant’s  Causeway,  This  island  formerly  be- 
longed to  the  Danes  or  Norwegians.  It  afforded  shelter  for 
some  time  to  Robert  Bruce  during  the  period  of  his  adver 
sity.  The  ruins  of  the  castle  in  which  he  defended 
himself  so  gallantly  against  his  rival  Baliol/  are  still  in  ex- 
istence. 

From  Fair  Head  and  Tor  Point  the  coast  turns  south- 
wards, and  the  northern  channels  commences,  the  breadth 
of  which,  measured  from  the  latter  of  those  promontories  to 
the  Mull  of  Cantyre,  is  but  twelve  miles.h 

The  subsequent  ports  or  havens  along  the  Antrim  shore, 
conspicuous  as  they  may  be  in  the  tablets  of  the  tourist,  are 
but  of  little  note  in  the  consideration  of  the  navigator. 
Larne  presents  an  excellent  harbour,  known  also  by  the 
name  of  Olderfleet,* 1  but  only  for  smaller  vessels  ; the  next 
which  admits  those  of  the  higher  classes,  is  Belfast  Lough, 
called  also  Carrickfergus  Bay.  This  bay,  as  valuable  for  its 
nautical  advantages,  as  admirable  for  the  scenic  beauties  of 
its  shores,  separates  the  counties  of  Antrim  and  Down,  and 
is  terminated  by  the  neat  and  busy  town  of  Belfast,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Lagan.  Large  ships  can  lie  no  nearer  to  that 
town  than  in  mid-channel  off  Carrickfergus.k  At  the  south- 
ern entrance  of  the  bay  lie  the  Copeland  Islands,1  three  in 
number,  with  a light-house  on  the  largest. 

Donaghadee  is  the  station  for  the  post-office  packets  be- 
tween Ireland  and  Scotland : the  distance  across  the  chan- 
nel to  Port-Patrick  is  twenty-two  miles.  The  harbour  has 
been  lately  considerably  improved  by  the  formation  of  two 
large  piers  built  on  ledges  of  rock,  and  enclosing  a space 
of  about  200  yards  each  way  outside  the  former  harbour. 
The  piers  extend  into  sixteen  feet  water  at  low  tide, 
and  a great  part  of  the  interior  has  been  excavated  to  the 
same  depth. 

Strangford  Lough  or  Lough  Cone  affords  a safe  harbour 
of  depth  sufficient  for  ships  of  the  greatest  draught,  and  of 
much  more  easy  access  than  is  generally  supposed  ; but, 
owing  to  the  rapidity  of  the  current  of  tide  which  will  carry 
vessels  against  the  wind,  and  to  the  risk  occasioned  by 
several  rocks  near  its  entrance,  against  which  the  sea  beats 
violently,  strangers  enter  it  with  great  reluctance.  Its  in- 
terior expands  into  a noble  basin,  lying  north  and  south, 
studded  with  numerous  islands,  some  richly  wooded,  others 
broused  on  by  sheep.  It  terminates  at  Newtown  Ardes, 
nine  miles  inland.” 

Carlingford  Loughn  is  a spacious  inlet  about  eight  miles 
long,  and  one  and  a half  broad  at  Warren  Point,  with  deep 
water  and  sure  anchorage  ; but  from  its  situation  among 
lofty  mountains  subject  to  sudden  flaws  and  gusts  of  wind. 
It  forms  the  passage  to  the  town  of  Newry.  A light-house 
at  Hawlbowling  Island0  marks  the  entrance. 

' Old  Fleet  or  Learn.  (Malham.)  Oldfield  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

k Large  vessels  lie  at  Carmoil  Pool,  three  miles  from  Belfast.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

1 Nouthead  forms  the  south  point  of  the  entrance,  off  which  lie  the 
Copeland  Islands.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

m Strangford  Lough  is  a basin,  fifteen  miles  long  and  five  broad,  and 
is  the  largest  salt  water  lough  in  Ireland.  It  runs  directly  north  to 
Newton,  and  sends  a small  branch  to  the  west,  on  which  stands  Down- 
patrick. Strangford  Bay  is  an  inlet,  five  miles  and  a half  long,  and 
a mile  broad,  opening  into  the  Lough  of  Strangford.  (Ed.  Enc.) — Thus 
the  whole  length  from  the  sea  to  Newtown  Ardes,  will  be  20^  miles. 
The  writer  probably  means  that  from  Newtown  Ardes  it  is  nine  miles  in 
a direct  line  overland  to  the  coast  on  the  east. — P. 

n Lough  Carlingford,  or  Carlingford  Bay.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

0 Haul  Bowling  Island — the  passage  is  on  the  east  side.  (Mal- 
ham.)— P. 


614  EUR 

Dundalk  Bay  is  about  seven  miles  across,  and  the  same 
distance  inland.  A ledge  of  rocks  across  the  mouth  forms 
a bar  over  which  there  is  seven  fathom  water : the  general 
depth  within  is  from  four  to  six  fathoms.  Large  vessels 
require  spring-tides  to  float  them  to  Dundalk  quay.  The 
tide  rises  on  the  bar  nearly  twenty  feet  at  high  springs. 

The  mouth  of  the  Boyne  forms  the  port  of  Drogheda. 
At  the  town,  vessels  of  ten  feet  draught  may  lie  afloat  in 
the  channel.  A considerable  export  trade,  chiefly  in  grain, 
is  carried  on  here,  but  the  harbour  is  not  suited  to  large 
vessels.  Proceeding  thence  southwards  by  Balbriggan, 
Skerries  and  Rush,  the  two  latter  of  which  are  merely  fish- 
ing stations,  passing  the  small  and  uninhabited  islands  of 
Skerries,  Lambay  and  Ireland’s  Eye,  and  doubling  the  pro- 
montory of  Howth,  the  bay  of  Dublin  again  presents  itself. 

In  a few  words,  Ireland  is  in  possession  of  upwards  of 
seventy  harbours  well  suited  for  the  purposes  of  com- 
merce ; of  these  fourteen  are  capable  of  accommodating 
fleets  of  war,  besides  which  the  number  of  fishing  sta- 
tions is  too  great  to  be  specified  in  detail.  Near  the 
shores  are  138  islands  inhabited  by  a hardy,  active,  and 
industrious  population  of  43,000  souls.  Several  of  the 
larger  bays  extend  far  into  the  country,  proportionally 
enlarging  the  range  of  commercial  utility  ; some  of  these 
are  formed  by  the  mouths  of  navigable  rivers,  thus  facili- 
tating the  export  of  native  produce,  and  the  introduction 
of  foreign  merchandize.  Another  illustration  of  the  great 
capabilities  for  traffic  enjoyed  by  the  island  may  be 
deduced  from  the  fact,  that  the  distance  across  the  island 
from  Galway  Bay  to  Dublin,  whence  there  is  an  imme- 
diate and  expeditious  transportation  of  goods  to  all  the 
western  ports  of  Great  Britain,  is  but  110  miles,  and  that 
no  point  in  the  whole  island  is  more  than  sixty-four  miles 
from  the  sea. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  coast  is  bold,  often  pre- 
cipitous, particularly  in  the  northern  districts.  It  pre- 
sents either  a succession  of  headlands  projecting  into  the 
sea,  comprehending  in  their  intervals  sweeping  lines  of 
depressed  shore  often  of  singular  beauty,  or  a range  of 
beetling  cliffs,  lowering  over  the  subject  ocean,  and  for- 
bidding all  access  to  the  land,  impressing  upon  it  the 
character  styled,  in  the  energetic  language  of  seaman- 
ship, an  iron-bound  coast.  The  peninsula  of  Island 
Magee,  lying  between  Larne  harbour  and  the  northern 
channel,  is  a striking  example  of  this  latter  characteris- 
tic feature,  where  the  land  terminates  at  once  in  a per- 
pendicular precipice  called  the  Gobbins,  upwards  of  200 
feet  high,  at  the  foot  of  which  the  largest  vessel  in  the 
British  navy  may  float. 

To  proceed  to  the  interior,  the  island,  of  which  the 
outline  has  thus  been  sketched,  is  of  a rhomboidal  form, 
measuring  306  miles  in  its  longer  diameter  from  Mizen 
Head  to  Fair  Head,  and  216  in  its  shorter,  from  Carn- 
sore  Point  to  Urris  Head  in  Mayo.  Its  breadth  in  aline 
drawn  due  west  from  Howth  Head  to  Sline  Head  in 
Mayoa  is  170  miles.  The  superficial  contents  have 
been  variously  stated  ; but,  from  the  calculations  of  wri- 
ters most  estimated  for  accuracy  and  intelligence,  they 
may  be  laid  down  as  being  20,400,000  acres,  or  31,875 

OPE.  [BOOK  CLYII. 

square  miles. b Of  this  number  it  is  supposed  that 
1,000,000  acres  are  lakes,  rivers,  roads,  and  land  utter- 
ly irreclaimable  ; 3,500,000  waste,  but  reclaimable  ; 
1,500,000  unproductive,  from  injudicious  or  negligent 
treatment;  leaving  a remainder  of  14,400,000,  available 
towards  supplying  the  wants  of  the  population. 

Ireland  is  in  general  a hilly  country,  though  not  with- 
out extensive  plains  in  several  parts  ; yet  even  these 
exhibit  occasional  undulations  of  surface  which  prevent 
the  monotony  of  a continuous  level  so  wearisome  to  the 
traveller  in  alluvial  districts.  The  land  seldom  rises  to 
an  elevation  that  precludes  culture  ; even  on  the  loftiest 
eminences  the  snow  does  not  remain  for  any  length  of 
time.  The  mountains  are  distributed  rather  ingroups  or 
masses  than  in  chains.  The  west  and  north  is  generally 
mountainous.  Wicklow  county  is  an  immense  collection 
of  mountain  land,  with  no  intervention  of  plains.  The 
Mourne  mountains  occupy  a large  portion  of  the  south  of 
Down  county.  Kerry,  in  the  south-west,  presents  a num- 
ber of  ridges,  between  which  deep  and  productive  valleys 
are  the  basins  that  conduct  rivers  of  various  dimensions  to 
the  sea.  In  Cork  the  mountain  ridges  lie  nearly  east  and 
west.  The  Slieve  Bloomc  and  Devils  Bit  mountains 
form  a central  range  between  the  King’s  and  Queen’s 
counties  ; Kilkenny  also  contains  a considerable  extent 
of  rugged  hilly  land.  The  south  of  Carlow  county  rises 
into  the  lofty  ridges  of  Mount  Leinster  and  the  Black- 
stairs. 

The  highest  mountains  are  situated  near  the  coast ; 
their  respective  heights  above  the  level  of  the  sea  are  as 
follows : — 

Feet 

Gurran  Tual,  the  highest  part  of  Macgillicuddy’s  Reeks, 

Kerry  county, 3430 

Lugnaquilla,  Wicklow  county, 3070 

Slieve  Donard,  Down  county, 2809 

Muilrea,  Mayo  county, 2737 

Mangerton,  Kerry  county, 2693 

Nephin,  Mayo  county, 2540 

Croagh  Patrick,  Mayo  county, 2532 

Benbana,  the  highest  of  the  Twelve  Pins, Gal  way  county,  2406 
Keeper,  in  Slieve  Bloom,  King’s  county, 2200 

A catalogue  of  all  the  rivers  that  discharge  themselves 
directly  into  the  sea,  exclusively  of  their  numerous 
branches,  contains  the  names  of  ninety-four.  Many  of 
these,  however,  are  little  more  than  rivulets,  serving  for 
the  irrigation  of  very  limited  districts.  The  following 
are  among  the  most  important  rivers. 

Indisputably,  first  in  rank  is  the  Shannon.  Issuing 

from  an  insignificant  source  in  the  mountainous  district 
that  separates  Fermanagh  from  Leitrim,  it  takes  a south- 
ern course  between  the  provinces  of  Leinster  and 
Connaught  ; then  changing  to  a south-western  direction, 
it  flows  between  the  counties  of  Clare  and  Limerick, 
until  it  discharges  itself  into  the  Atlantic  through  the 
estuary  already  described  among  the  western  bays.  Its 
course  is  more  than  230  miles  in  length, d during  which  it 
expands  into  several  lakes,  the  chief  of  which  are  Lough 
Allen  in  Leitrim  county,  Lough  Reagh"  between  Ros 
common  and  Longford,  and  Lough  Dearglff  between 

a Sline  Head  is  in  the  county  of  Galway. — P. 
b Mr.  Wakefield  estimates  the  superficial  contents  at  32,201  Eng. 
eq.  miles,  and  20,437,074  Eng.  acres.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

c Slieve,  prefixed  to  the  names  of  so  many  mountains  in  Ireland,  as 
Ben  is  in  Scotland,  is  a Gaelic  word  ( slinbh , pron.  sleeve)  signifying 
mountain.  Ben  (Gaelic,  bcinn)  also  signifies  mountain,  or  rather  peak. 

These  words  are  both  found  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  ; but  slieve  is 
almost  peculiar  to  the  latter,  as  ben  is  to  the  former. — P . 

d The  whole  course  of  the  Shannon  is  about  170  miles.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 
e Lough  Ree. 
f Lough  Derg. 

BOOK  CL. VII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


615 


Galway  and  Tipperary.  It  is  navigable  for  shipping  as 
far  as  Limerick,  above  which  the  river,  though  obstruct- 
ed by  a ledge  of  rocks,  has  been  rendered  navigable  for 
small  craft  by  a short  line  of  canal.1 

The  three  rivers,  Barrow,  Nore  and  Suir,  proceed  from 
different  parts  of  the  Slieve  Bloom  mountains.  The 
Barrow  rises  in  their  northern  extremity,  and  takes  a 
course  at  first  east,  but  afterwards  due  south.  Meeting 
the  Nore  near  New  Ross,  the  united  stream  assumes  the 
name  of  the  Ross  river,  and  after  forming  an  island 
called  Great  Island, b it  meets  the  Suir  east  of  Waterford, 
where  the  three  conjointly  form  the  fine  estuary  of 
Waterford.0  The  Suir  rises  from  the  southern  extremity 
of  the  same  range  ; flows  first  south  and  then  east,  af 
fording  the  means  ol  water  conveyance  for  goods  to  sev- 
eral populous  towns,  and  at  Waterford  expands  into  a 
deep  and  spacious  channel.  The  Nore  takes  a direction 
between  both.  Each  is  navigable  for  large  boats  to  a 
considerable  distance  up  the  country. 

The  Southern  Blackwaterd  rises  on  the  confines  of 
the  counties  of  Cork  and  Kerry.  Its  direction  is  east- 
ward during  the  greatest  part  of  its  course,  but  it  ulti- 
mately turns  southwards,  forming  the  line  of  division 
between  Cork  and  Waterford  counties,  and  falling  into 
the  sea  at  Youghal. 

The  streams  that  feed  Lake  Allua  in  the  west  of  the 
county  of  Cork,  are  the  origin  of  the  Lee,  whence  it  takes 
a direction  parallel  to  the  Blackwater,  from  whose 
basin  it  is  separated  by  the  long  and  barren  ridge  of  the 
Derrynasagart  and  Bogra  mountains.  On  approaching 
the  sea,  it  passes  through  the  city  of  Cork,  and  falls  into 
the  harbour  of  the  same  name.  The  Bandon,  still  more 
southerly,  and  of  comparatively  inconsiderable  length, 
takes  a similar  direction  to  the  sea  at  Kinsale  harbour. 

The  Slaney  rises  on  the  borders  of  Wicklow  and 
Carlow  counties. e Its  course  is  nearly  due  south  to 
Wexford.  The  Lifley  obtains  admission  into  the  cata- 
logue of  principal  rivers,  chiefly  from  the  metropolis 
being  seated  on  its  bank:'  ; perhaps  also  its  scenic  beauties 
add  something  to  its  claim.  Its  source  is  in  the  moun- 
tainous district  in  the  western  part  of  Wicklow  county, 
whence,  after  forming  the  fine  waterfall  of  Poulaphuca, 
it  pursues  a tranquil  course  through  the  level  county  of 
Kildare,  until  on  quitting  it  for  that  of  Dublin,  it  precip- 
itates itself  over  a ledge  of  rocks  at  the  romantic  falls  of 
the  Salmon-leap,  near  Leixlip,  when  again  resuming  its 
tranquil  character,  it  glides  silently  into  Dublin  Bay. 
Its  navigation  extends  no  farther  than  the  western  ex- 
tremity of  Dublin  city,  and  even  thus  far  is  available  for 
boats  only. 

The  central  elevation  over  which  the  Bog  of  Allen  is 
spread  gives  rise  to  the  Boyne.  This  river  taking  a 
north-eastern  direction,  and  having  its  stream  increased 
by  the  Blackwater,  proceeds  to  the  Irish  Sea  at  Drogh- 

a The  Limerick  navigation,  from  Limerick  twelve  miles  to 
Killaloe . — P. 

b Does  not  the  writer  here  confound  the  Barrow  with  the  Lee,  which 
forms  an  island  called  Great  Island,  below  Cork  ? — P. 

c Waterford  Haven. 

d There  are  two  considerable  rivers,  called  Blackwater,  in  the  north 
of  Ireland  ; one  of  which  is  a branch  of  the  Boyne,  and  the  other 
flows  into  the  south-west  coiner  of  Lough  Neagh. — P. 

e The  Slaney  rises  in  the  south-western  corner  of  Wicklow  county. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f To  its  junction  with  the  Blackwater. — P. 

e The  principal  source  of  the  Foyle  is  the  Mourne,  which  rises  in  the 
south  of  Tyrone  ; after  receiving  the  Poe  and  the  Derg  from  the  west, 


eda.  With  the  aid  of  some  artificial  channels,  it  has 
been  made  navigable  for  boats  to  its  junction  near  Nav  \n.f 
Old  Bridge,  a village  on  its  banks,  about  three  miles 
west  of  Drogheda,  is  a place  of  much  historical  notoriety, 
as  being  the  spot  where  the  armies  of  William  and 
James  decided  the  claims  of  these  kings  to  the  sove- 
reignty of  the  British  dominions. 

The  Mourne  mountains  give  rise  to  the  Bann,  which 
flows  northward,  passes  through  Lough  Neagh,  and  still 
preserving  the  same  direction,  forms  the  boundary  be- 
tween the  counties  of  Antrim  and  Londonderry,  till  it 
gives  vent  to  its  waters  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  a few  miles 
north  of  Coleraine.  A ledge  of  rocks  across  its  channel 
to  the  north  of  Lough  Neagh,  presents  a barrier  hitherto 
insuperable  to  the  free  navigation  of  this  fine  river. 

The  junction  of  the  Poe,  the  Finn,  the  Derg,  and 
other  smaller  streams,  forms  the  Foyle  ;s  it  flows  north- 
wards, and  discharges  itself  into  the  lough  of  the  same 
name  at  Londonderry.  Ballyshannon,  or  Belleek  river, h 
though  containing  a large  body  of  water,  is  of  very  short 
extent,  merely  passing  through  the  isthmus  that  separates 
Lough  Erne  from  Ballyshannon  Bay. 

The  lakes  in  Ireland  are  numerous.  Lough  Neagh,  in 
Ulster,  is  by  much  the  largest,  being  spread,  according  to 
the  calculations  of  Beaufort,  over  a surface  of  94,274 
acres,  or  147  square  miles.*  In  shape  it  is  oblong,  some- 
what approximating  to  a square  ; it  is  further  distinguished 
from  the  other  lakes  by  the  tameness  of  its  surrounding 
scenery  and  its  want  of  islands  ; Ram  Island  in  its  south- 
ern part  is  the  only  one  of  importance.1*  A brisk  trade 
between  the  five  counties  that  form  the  boundary  of  the 
lake,  is  carried  on  by  means  of  it.  The  level  of  its 
surface  is  considerably  raised  in  winter,  and  plans  have 
been  suggested,  though  never  yet  attempted  to  be  carried 
into  execution,  by  clearing  the  obstructions  at  the  egress 
of  the  Bann  from  it,  so  far  to  lower  the  level  of  its 
waters,  as  to  add  considerably  to  the  quantity  of  arable 
land  in  the  surrounding  districts.  This  lake  has  long 
been  celebrated  for  its  petrifying  qualities.  Numerous 
fragments  of  trees,  in  part,  or  wholly  converted  into  a 
silicious  substance,  have  been  found  near  its  shores,  but 
the  process  by  which  this  extraordinary  change  was 
effected,  has  never  been  observed  in  actual  operation. 
A peculiar  species  of  trout,  called  by  the  people  Dolo- 
chan,  is  found  in  its  waters. 

Two  lakes  in  the  south-west  of  Ulster,  connected  by  a 
narrow  channel,  on  the  banks  of  which  the  town  of 
Enniskillen  is  built,  assume  the  common  name  of  Lough 
Erne.  Both  are  long  and  narrow  ; the  more  inland 
measures  about  twelve  miles  in  length  ; that  nearer  the 
sea,  twenty-five.  Many  islands  are  interspersed  through 
each,  several  of  them  well  wooded,  which,  with  the 
varied  outline  of  the  surrounding  shores,  gives  the  whole 
much  scenic  beauty. 

and  the  Moyle  from  the  east,  it  unites  with  the  Finn,  and  assumes  the 
name  of  the  Foyle. — P. 

h Also  (tailed  the  river  Erne.  It  is  simply  the  outlet  of  Lough 
Erne. — P. 

> Lough  Erne  is  the  most  extensive  fresh-water  lake  in  Ireland. 
Lough  Neagh  was  formerly  believed  to  cover  100,000  acres  of  land, 
but  by  a recent  accurate  survey,  its  area  is  reduced  to  58,200  acres. 
(Ed.  Enc.)— P. 

11  The  tameness  of  its  surface  is  broken  only  in  two  parts,  by  Black 
water  Island,  in  the  south-western  angle  of  the  lough,  at  the  mouth  of 
.he  river  of  the  same  name,  and  by  Ram  Island,  on  its  eastern  bor 
ders,  near  the  coast  of  Antrim.  (Ed-  Enc.) — P. 


616  EUR 

In  the  west  of  Connaught,  is  Lough  Corrib,  thirty 
miles  long,a  and  nine  or  ten  broad  in  some  places.  At  its 
southern  extremity  it  approaches  the  bay  of  Galway,  into 
which  it  discharges  its  waters  by  a short  river.  Though  the 
level  of  this  lake  is  but  thirteen  and  a half  feet  above  that 
of  the  sea,  no  attempt  has  yet  been  made  to  connect  them 
by  a navigable  canal  carried  across  the  insignificant  isth- 
mus by  which  they  are  now  separated.  On  the  north  it 
is  separated  from  Lough  Mask,  a lake  of  somewhat  small- 
er dimensions,  by  a neck  of  land  not  more  than  three  miles 
across.  The  still  smaller  lake  of  Lough  Garra  communi- 
cates with  the  latter  of  those  by  a short  strait  or  river. 
Still  further  north,  but  wholly  unconnected  with  those 
now  mentioned,  is  Lough  Conn,  fourteen  miles  long. 

To  recapitulate  the  names  or  local  peculiarities  of  all 
the  smaller  lakes  in  Ireland  would  be  tedious  and  unprof- 
itable. They  are  most  numerous  in  the  central  tract, 
occupied  by  the  counties  of  Cavan,  Longford  and  West 
Meath.  Two  however,  Lough  Lane  and  Lough  Derg, 
are  not  to  be  passed  over  in  silence.  The  former,  situ- 
ated in  the  west  of  Munster,  and  better  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Lakes  of  Killarney,  as  consisting,  in  strict- 
ness of  fact,  of  three  sheets  of  water  connected  by  nar- 
row channels,1*  is  annually  visited  by  strangers  from  every 
part,  on  account  of  its  singularly  romantic  scenery.  The 
latter,  situated  in  the  north-west  of  Ulster,®  is  equally, 
if  not  still  more  famous,  as  a place  of  resort  for  pilgrims 
who  collect  thither  for  the  performance  of  certain  reli- 
gious rites  ; and,  though  the  observance  of  these  has  been 
frequently  forbidden  by  the  heads  of  the  Roman  catholic 
church  in  Ireland,  the  practices  are  still  continued,  and 
the  island  in  it,  called  St.  Patrick’s  Purgatory ,d  which  is 
the  main  object  of  attraction,  is  still  annually  visited  by 
multitudes  confiding  in  the  efficacy  of  the  pilgrimage. 

Ireland  was  once  so  thickly  covered  with  trees,  as  to 
have  acquired,  among  its  other  numerous  appellations, 
that  of  the  Isle  of  Woods.  It  is  now  lamentably  the 
reverse  ; insomuch,  that  an  Anglo-American,  when 
coasting  along  its  north-western  shores,  on  perceiving 
the  total  want  of  standing  timber,  which  presents  such  a 
contrast  to  the  general  appearance  of  his  native  soil, 
where  agricultural  improvements  are  chiefly  impeded  by 
the  exuberance  of  the  forests,  has  been  heard  to  exclaim 
in  a tone  of  admiration,  “ what  a well-cleared  country  1” 
Many  tracts  of  land,  where  not  a vestige  of  plantations 
can  now  be  discovered,  still  retain  the  name  of  woods. 
The  number  and  density  of  the  forests  was  one  great 
check  to  the  military  progress  of  the  English  invaders : 
the  noble  hall  of  Westminster  is  roofed  with  oak  from 
the  woods  of  Shillelagh  in  Wicklow.  The  disturbed 
state  of  the  country  during  many  centuries,  together  with 
the  uncertain  tenure  of  the  new  proprietors  to  whom  the 
greater  part  of  the  land  was  transferred  on  the  close  of 
the  civil  wars  of  1641,  are  amply  sufficient  to  account 
for  the  change.  Attempts  have  since  been  made  to 
supply  a want  now  so  severely  felt.  Spirited  landhold- 
ers have  planted,  and  the  Irish  legislature,  in  aid  of  their 
exertions,  has  secured  to  the  occupying  tenant,  on  the 

OPE-  [BOOK  CI/VTI 

close  of  his  tenure,  a right  to  the  benefits  of  the  trees 
which  he  had  raised.  The  effects  of  this  salutary  law 
are  but  partial  ; much  still  remains  to  be  done.  The 
country  continues  to  labour  under  a defect  equally  detri- 
mental to  its  agricultural  prosperity  and  to  its  scenic  beau- 
ty. This  is  the  more  to  be  lamented,  because  all  kinds 
of  valuable  timber  trees  grow  freely  in  a soil,  whose 
variety  accommodates  itself  to  the  healthy  sustenance 
of  every  species.  The  oak  attains  its  most  majestic  ex- 
pansion on  the  rich  plains ; the  more  elevated  hills,  too 
chilly  for  tillage,  and  in  many  parts  affording  but  a scanty 
pasturage  for  sheep,  would  give  the  intelligent  planter  an  , 

ample  return  for  the  outlay  of  capital  in  hardy  timber 
trees  congenial  to  the  situation.  Besides  the  oak,  already 
noticed,  the  larch,  which  though  of  comparatively  mod- 
ern introduction  thrives  rapidly,  the  various  species  of  fir, 
the  ash,  beech,  lime  and  other  large  trees,  together  with 
several  of  the  more  elegant  and  delicate  species,  grow 
freely.  The  arbutus  is  found  in  abundance  in  the  vales 
of  Kerry  ;e  the  myrtle  thrives  in  the  open  air  on  the 
sandy  soils  of  Cork,  Waterford,  and  even  so  far  north  as 
Wicklow,  seldom  checked  by  the  occasional  frosts  of  a 
short  and  generally  mild  winter. 

But  among  the  most  singular  natural  features  of  the 
country,  and  most  retarding  the  progress  of  agricultural 
improvement,  are  the  bogs.  These  are  not  to  be  con- 
sidered as  low  and  marshy  tracts  incapable  of  drainage ; 
on  the  contrary,  they  are  found  universally  in  elevated 
situations,  and  in  every  case  admit  of  water  communica- 
tion by  some  river  to  the  sea.  The  entire  extent  of 
bog-land  exceeds  2,830,000  acres,  or  nearly  one-seventh 
of  the  whole  superficies.  The  bogs  are  principally  situ- 
ated in  the  elevated  district  in  the  midland  counties. 

If  two  diverging  lines  be  drawn  across  the  island  from 
east  to  west,  the  one  from  Howth  Head  to  Sligo,  the 
other  from  Wicklow  to  Galway,  the  included  space, 
resembling  in  form  a broad  belt  drawn  across  the  centre 
of  the  island,  with  its  narrowest  end  nearest  the  capital, 
and  gradually  enlarging  as  it  approaches  the  Atlantic, 
will  comprise  by  much  the  greater  portion  of  the  bogs  in 
the  island/  exclusive  of  mere  mountain  bogs  and  those 
of  less  extent  than  500  acres  each. 

This  great  division  of  the  island  is  traversed  by  the 
Shannon  from  north  to  south,  and  is  thus  divided  into 
two  parts  ; the  quantity  of  bog  contained  in  the  more 
western  of  these  divisions  is  double  of  that  in  the  east- 
ern ; so  that  if  the  whole  of  the  bogs  of  Ireland,  exclu- 
sively of  those  in  mountains  and  in  small  detached  por- 
tions, were  to  be  divided  into  twenty  parts,  seventeen  of 
these  would  be  comprised  within  the  great  central  band, 
twelve  parts  lying  westward  and  five  eastward  of  the 
Shannon  ; and  of  the  three  remaining  parts,  two  are  to 
the  south  and  one  to  the  north  of  the  same  band.  Al- 
though the  mountainous  and  detached  bogs  do  not  enter 
into  the  preceding  calculation,  their  importance  as  an 
aggregate  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  in  the 
county  of  Cavan  alone,  there  are  more  than  ninety 
tracts  of  bog,  no  one  of  which  exceeds  800  acres, s but 

“ Twenty  miles  long.  (Ed.  Enc.  Myers.  Bell.) — P. 
b The  lower  lake  (5000  acres)  to  the  north  ; the  middle  or  Mucross 
I<ake  ((>40  acres) ; and  the  upper  lake  (720  acres)  to  the  south.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — P. 

0 In  the  south-western  part  of  Donegal. — P. 

ll  In  the  centre  of  the  lake,  and  about  a mile  from  the  shore,  is  an 
island  containing  not  more  than  an  Trish  acre.  There  is  a cavern  there 
called  the  Cave  of  St.  Patrick,  or  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory.  (Ed. Enc.) — P. 

e The  romantic  scenery  of  Killarney,  in  the  county  of  Kerry,  is  the 
most  northern  habitat  of  the  Arbutus  Uncdo.  (Ed.  Enc.)  In  177(1,  there 
was  a very  large  arbute  tree  at  Mount  Kennedy,  near  Wicklow,  one 
branch  of  which,  parting  from  the  body  near  the  ground,  was  six  feet 
two  inches  in  circumference.  (Young’s  Tour  in  Ireland.) — P 
f Six  sevenths.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
e 500  acres  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

BOOK  CLVII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


617 


which  collectively'  contain  about  17,600  acres,  besides 
many  smaller  plots,  varying  from  five  to  twenty  acres. 
It  may  be  deemed  almost  superfluous  to  remark,  that  as 
the  only  use  to  which  bog  is  applied  is  for  fuel,  its  value, 
as  a marketable  commodity,  is  generally  in  the  inverse 
proportion  to  its  extent  of  surface,  particularly  in  those 
districts  where  mineral  coal  is  of  difficult  attainment. 
A shrewd  landed  proprietor  remarked  that  he  considered 
the  bog  to  be  the  most  profitable  part  of  his  estate. 

The  total  amount  of  the  bogs  is  thus  estimated  by  the 
parliamentary  commissioners  appointed  to  investigate  the 
subject  in  1810.a 


Acres. 

Flat  red  bog,  convertible  to  the  general  purposes  of 

agriculture 1,576,000 

Mountain  bog,  a large  proportion  of  which  might  be 

converted  into  pasture  or  plantation 1,255,000 


Total  2,831,000 

There  are  two  species  of  bog,  the  red  or  fibrous,  and 
the  black  or  compact.  The  former  predominates  ; the 
chief  part  of  the  most  extensive  bog  districts  being 
composed  of  it.  It  is  formed  chiefly  of  the  fibres  of  the 
Sphagnum  palustre  or  bog  moss,  but  the  following  spe- 
cies of  plants  also  aid  in  its  formation,  namely,  Hypnum 
or  feather  moss,  P oly  trichum  or  hair  moss,  Bryum, 
Lichen  rangiferinusb  or  rein-deer  moss,  Scirpus  ccespi- 
tosus  or  dwarf  club  rush,  Anthericum  ossifragum,  Jun- 
cus  bufonius  or  toad  rush0 — the  three  last  named  plants 
are  found  in  large  quantities  in  soft  wet  bogs  ; the  first 
of  them,  called  by  the  peasants  keeve-grass,  flourishes 
most  in  the  wettest  parts,  where  its  long  and  slender 
roots  may  be  traced  to  the  depth  of  two  feet : — Erica 
vulgaris  or  common  heath,  Equisetum  limosum  and 
arvense ,d  Lemna  or  duck-weed,  Conferva, 0 Schcenus 
Mariscus  or  bog-rush,  Mentha  sylvestris / Hypericum 
pulchrumf  Vaccinium  Oxycoccus  or  cranberry,  Empe- 
trum  nigrum  or  crowberry,  Myrica  Galeb  Arundo 
Phragmites  or  common  reed  grass,  Eriophorum  angusti- 
folium  or  narrow-leaved  cotton  grass,  Holcus  lanatus  or 
meadow  soft  grass,  Melica  crerulea  or  purple  melic 
grass,  and  Agrostis  stolonifera  or  florin  grass  : the  two 
last  named  plants  are  very  general,  and  found  growing 
together.  The  external  appearance  of  this  kind  of  bog 
is  usually  reddish  brown  ; when  dry  it  is  darker,  ap- 
proaching to  an  olive  ; in  this  state  its  surface  is  usually 
covered  with  the  Erica  vulgaris  or  common  heath, 
which  gives  it  at  a distance  an  olive,  or,  if  in  blossom,  a 
pinkish  hue. 

Those  parts  of  the  red  bogs  that  are  so  wet  and  soft 
as  to  render  their  interior  nearly  inaccessible  are  distin- 
guished by  the  name  of  fluid  peat  or  quagmire.  They 
frequently  occupy  the  most  elevated  situations,  and  di- 
verge by  winding  courses  to  the  edges  ; the  bog  is 
usually  shallow  where  they  occur,  seldom  exceeding 
fourteen  feet  in  depth.  The  red  peat,  from  its  tough 
and  fibrous  texture,  is  cut  with  difficulty  by  the  spade  ; 


a In  Sept.  1809,  a warrant  was  issued,  by  which  commissioners  were 
appointed  to  inquire  into  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  bogs  in  Ire- 
land, and  the  practicability  of  draining  and  cultivating  them.  Four 
reports  were  presented  by  them,  the  last  of  which,  laid  before  Parlia- 
ment, in  the  session  of  1813 — 14,  contains  the  numerical  statements 
in  the  text.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 
b Cenomyce  rangiferina. — P. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  61  78 


whence,  and  from  its  porous  nature,  it  is  not  used  as 
fuel  except  in  cases  of  necessity. 

The  compact  or  black  bog  varies  in  colour  from  deep 
reddish  brown  to  jet  black,  in  which  latter  case,  the  mass 
is  perfectly  close-grained,  strongly  resembling  pitch  oi 
pitch-coal,  the  fracture  being  concboidal  in  every  direc- 
tion and  the  lustre  glistening.  This  kind  of  bog  very 
rarely  contains  any  vegetable  remains  ; when  any  such 
occur,  they  consist  of  some  of  the  varieties  of  rushes 
common  in  stagnant  waters. 

Compact  or  black  bog  is  frequently  met  with,  unac- 
companied with  fibrous  bog,  but  in  such  cases  it  seldom 
forms  large  tracts;  while  in  all  bogs  where  the  upper 
partis  fibrous,  the  lower  consists  of  the  black.  Where 
turf  cuttings  have  been  made,  black  bog  is  universally 
found,  but  as  the  turf-cutters  are  frequently  prevented, 
by  the  want  of  sufficient  drainage,  from  cutting  to  a suf- 
ficient depth,  they  necessarily  leave  untouched  the 
larger  and  by  far  the  more  valuable  part,  as  it  is  invaria- 
bly found,  that  the  compactness  of  the  bog  increases 
with  its  depth,  and  the  more  dense  and  solid  the  turf,  the 
hotter  and  more  durable  the  fire. 

An  accurate  perpendicular  section  of  a portion  of  red 
bog  gave  the  following  results:  1,  To  the  depth  of  two 
feet,  being  the  surface  of  the  bog  decomposed  by  the 
atmosphere,  was  a dark  reddish  brown  mass,  rarely  ex- 
hibiting any  vegetable  remains.  2,  Three  feet  further 
down,  a light  reddish  brown  mass,  in  which  the  moss 
was  still  so  perfect  as  to  be  distinguishable  into  its  vari- 
ous species.  3,  Five  feet  thickness,  deep  reddish  brown, 
fibres  visible,  but  the  component  parts  less  distinguish- 
able ; this  portion  may  be  used  for  fuel,  but  it  burns 
badly  from  the  openness  of  its  texture,  and  its  containing 
no  empyreumatic  oil.  4,  Eight  feet  and  a half  thick, 
deep  reddish  brown,  the  fibres  discernible,  though  com- 
pact ; it  burns  tolerably  well  as  fuel.  5,  Three  feet 
thick,  of  a blackish  brown,  the  fibrous  texture  scarcely 
discernible,  numerous  twigs  and  small  branches  of  birch, 
alder  and  fir  interspersed  through  the  mass;  these  are 
always  found  to  be  hollow,  the  woody  part  having 
wholly  disappeared,  leaving  the  bark  in  a tubular  form  : 
this  is  the  commencement  of  the  compact  or  black-bog 
formation.  6,  Three  feet  thick  ; a blackish  brown 
mass,  compact,  without  any  trace  of  fibrous  texture  ; as 
fuel  it  burns  swiftly  with  a bright  flame,  and  is  vulgarly 
named  greasy  turf  from  its  inflaming  quickly  like  grease. 
7,  Ten  feet  thick  ; a blackish  brown  mass,  very  com- 
pact, without  any  vegetable  remains,  containing  much 
empyreumatic  oil,  and  burning  slowly  with  an  unpleasant 
smell.  8,  Four  feet  thick  ; a black  mass,  very  compact, 
bearing  a strong  resemblance  to  pitch  or  coal,  fracture 
conchoidal  in  every  direction,  lustre  shining,  susceptible 
of  a high  polish,  but,  from  its  offensive  smell  when  ig- 
nited, it  is  seldom  used  as  fuel.  Here  the  bog  formation 
terminates  at  a depth  of  38£  feet.  9,  Three  feet  thick, 
yellowish  white  marl  not  adhering  to  the  tongue,  and 
containing  64  per  cent,  of  carbonate  of  lime.  10,  Four 

c The  Scirpus  is  a sedge  ( Cyperoidea ;)  the  Anthericum,  a.  flag;  and 
the  Juncus,  a rush. — P. 

d Species  of  horsetail  or  scouring  rush. — P. 

e The  Conferva;  are  a family  of  aquatic  Alga:,  usually  appearing  as 
a floating  mass  of  green  fibres. — P. 

f Wild  mint.  s St.  John’s  wort 

h Dutch  myrtle,  or  Bog  myrtle. 


618 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVII 


feet  thick,  blue  clay,  adhering  strongly  to  the  tongue, 
and  containing  72  per  cent,  of  alumine,  22  of  silex  col- 
oured by  oxide  of  iron,  and  the  remainder  of  carbonate 
of  lime.  11,  Depth  unknown,  clay  mixed  with  lime- 
stone gravel.  However  much  the  internal  structure  of 
the  different  bogs  may  vary  from  that  now  described,  it 
appears  certain  that  all  without  exception  rest  on  a basis 
of  marl  or  of  limestone  gravel  either  pure  or  combined 
with  clay. 

Viewing  the  bogs  externally,  they  present  surfaces  by 
no  means  level,  but  with  planes  of  inclination  amply 
sufficient  for  their  drainage.  The  highest  level  of  the 
Bog  of  Allen,  in  the  eastern  division  of  the  central  band, 
is  298  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  while  the  lowest 
is  but  84  feet  less,  being  214  feet  above  the  same  level. 
There  is  no  part  of  them,  therefore,  from  which  the 
water  may  not  be  discharged  into  rivers  in  their  imme- 
diate vicinity,  and  with  a fall  adequate  to  their  complete 
drainage.  It  has  been  clearly  ascertained,  that,  though 
in  their  present  state  they  exhibit  little  more  than  an 
unproductive  waste,  a judicious  system  of  reclamation 
would  render  them  highly  productive,  without  diminish- 
ing in  any  degree  their  capability  of  being  converted 
into  fuel  at  any  future  period,  should  the  wants  of  the 
country  require  it. 

One  very  remarkable  feature  in  the  landscape  of  Ire- 
land cannot  fail  to  strike  the  observer.  In  traversing 
most  parts  of  the  island,  isolated  ranges  or  groups  of 
bold  mountainous  or  hilly  tracts  are  to  be  seen,  the  in- 
tervals between  them  being  occupied  by  a surface  which, 
when  viewed  on  the  great  scale,  appears  level,  but  on  a 
nearer  approach,  presents  a gently  undulating  plain.  A 
considerable  expansion  of  this  level  occupies  the  central 
counties  between  Dublin  and  Galway  Bays.  Such  a 
surface,  it  may  be  affirmed,  almost  without  exception, 
covers  a sub-soil  of  floetz  limestone,1  to  the  abundance 
of  which  mineral,  next  to  the  mild  temperature  and 
general  moisture  of  the  atmosphere,  the  soil  is  chiefly 
indebted  for  its  superior  fertility.  This  great  sheet  of 
limestone  comes  in  contact  with,  and  sweeps  round  eve- 
ry mountain  tract,  filling  up  all  the  intervals  and  hollows 
between  them.  There  is,  in  fact,  no  county  except 
Wicklow  in  which  limestone  rock  either  of  secondary  or 
primary  origin  is  not  to  be  found.  The  latter  of  these, b 
however,  is  chiefly  confined  to  the  counties  of  Sligo  and 
Galway,  in  the  west,  and  to  Donegal,  Derry,  Tyrone 
and  Antrim,  in  the  north. 

The  north-eastern  region  of  Ireland  is  peculiarly  re- 
markable by  being  chiefly  composed  of  three  mountain- 
ous groups  marked  by  singular  diversities  of  geological 
character.  The  Mourne  mountains,  a well  defined 
group  in  the  south  of  the  county  of  Down,  of  which  the 
towering  Slieve  Donard  is  the  summit,  may  be  consid- 
ered as  the  first  of  these.  Granite  is  the  constituent 
not  only  of  the  main  group,  but  also  of  the  subordinate 
ranges  that  branch  from  it  in  several  directions  under  the 
names  of  the  Fathom  Hills,  Slieve  Gullion  or  the  Newry 
mountains,  and  the  Ravensdale  and  Carlingford  moun- 
tains, northward  of  the  Mourne  mountains.  Slieve 
Croob,  composed  of  sienite,  and  Slieve  Anisky,  of 


» Secondary  Limestone. — P.  b Primitive  Limestone  ? — P. 

c The  peninsula  included  between  Strangford  Lough  and  the  Irish 
Sea.  known  bv  the  name  of  Ardes.  (Ed.  Lnc.) — P. 


hornblende  rock,  form  an  elevated  tract  dependant  upon, 
though  at  some  distance  from,  the  main  group.  Horn- 
blende rock  and  primitive  greenstone  are  abundant  on 
the  skirts  of  this  granitic  district.  Mica  slate  has  been 
noticed  only  in  one  instance.  Exterior  chains  of  transi- 
tion rock  advance  far  to  the  west  and  north  of  this  prim- 
itive tract,  extending  in  the  former  direction  into  Cavan, 
and  in  the  latter  to  the  southern  cape  of  Belfast  Lough 
and  the  peninsula  of  the  Ardes.c  The  primitive  nucleus 
bears  but  a very  small  proportion  in  superficial  extent  to 
these  exterior  chains,  which  are  principally  formed  of 
grauwacke  and  grauwacke  slate. 

The  coast  of  Scotland  opposite  to  the  Ardes,  where  the 
grauwacke  terminates  abruptly  on  the  western  side  of  the 
northern  channel,  presents  a resumption  of  the  same  for- 
mation in  the  neighbourhood  of  Portpatrick,  proceeding 
thence  through  the  Mull  of  Gallowayd  and  the  mountain 
chain  which,  under  the  name  of  Leadhills  and  other  local 
appellations,  traverses  Scotland  towards  the  south.  The 
composition  of  this  chain  agrees  with  that  of  the  corre- 
sponding mountainous  tract  in  Ireland  ; the  transition  rocks 
forming  its  predominating  constituent,  enveloped  by  which 
several  small  districts  of  granite  occur,  w'hile  mica  slate  is 
either  totally  absent,  or  of  very  rare  occurrence. 

The  second  of  the  north-eastern  groups  is  formed  by  the 
mountainous  tract,  partly  in  Derry  and  partly  in  Tyrone, 
between  the  rivers  Roe  and  Mourne.  The  whole  of  this 
tract  is  primitive.  Mica  slate  predominates,  comprehend- 
ing nine-tenths  of  the  country  ; it  is  accompanied  by  primi- 
tive limestone  in  the  lower  parts.  On  the  eastern  side  of 
the  Roe,  this  system  is  succeeded  by  a range  of  secondary 
heights,  covered  by  an  enormous  platform  of  basalt.  Those 
secondary  masses  repose  upon  and  conceal  the  mica  slate 
in  the  eastern  part  of  Derry,  but  it  again  emerges  from  be- 
neath this  covering  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  Antrim,  and 
swells  into  mountains  which  break  dow7n  suddenly  between 
Tor  Point  and  Cushenden  Bay. 

The  correspondence  of  structure  between  Ireland  and 
Scotland  here  again  becomes  visible.  The  Mull  of  Can- 
tyre,  which  faces  Tor  Point,  resumes  the  chain  of  mica  slate 
which  was  broken  off  on  the  Irish  coast.  The  Cantyre 
hills  are  connected  with  the  Grampians,  a chain  strikingly 
similar,  in  all  the  circumstances  of  its  composition,  to  that 
now  described.  Further,  the  mica  slate  in  Ireland  is  suc- 
ceeded on  the  south,  where  the  Antrim  coast  exhibits  it  in 
section,  by  a conglomerate,  perfectly  resembling  that  which 
skirts  the  Grampian  hills  on  their  southern  border. 

The  third  group  is  divided  into  two  chains  by  the  valley 
of  the  Bann  from  Lough  Neagh  to  the  Atlantic.  The 
eastern  of  these,  lying  between  that  river  and  the  northern 
channel,  presents  an  abrupt  declivity  towards  the  east,  with 
a gentle  slope  in  the  contrary  direction,  in  which  the  beds 
composing  its  mass  dip.  The  western  chain,  between  the 
Roe  and  the  Bann,  is  the  exact  counterpart  of  the  preced- 
ing ; but  the  strata  dip  towards  the  north-east,  the  fall  of 
the  hills  being  gradual  in  this  direction,  while  they  front  the 
west  and  south  with  abrupt  and  precipitous  escarpments. 
The  eastern  system  is  wholly  secondary,  and  uniformly  cov- 
ered with  enormous  stratified  masses  of  basalt.  The  aver- 
age depth  of  this  superstratum,  which  acquires  its  greatest 


d The  Rhinns  of  Galloway,  of  which  the  Mull  of  Galloway  is  the 
southern  extremity. — P. 


BOOK  CLVII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


619 


thickness  in  the  north,  where  it  measures  more  than  900 
feet,  may  be  estimated  at  545  feet,  and  its  superficial  ex- 
tent at  800  square  miles,  a solid  mass  of  extraordinary  and 
imposing  dimensions. 

In  the  strata  underlying  the  basalt  are  to  be  found  many 
of  the  most  important  of  those  formations  which,  reposing 
on  the  coal  measures,  occupy  such  an  extensive  tract  in  the 
southern  and  eastern  counties  of  England,  but  which  in  Ire- 
land never  extend  beyond  the  circumference  of  the  great 
basaltic  mass.  They  occur  in  the  following  order:  1. 

Chalk.  No  two  formations  can  be  more  identical  in  ex- 
ternal characters  and  fossil  organic  remains  than  those 
Irish  beds,  frequently  called  white  limestone,  and  the  Eng- 
lish chalk  in  the  Isles  of  Wight  and  Purbeck.  In  both, 
the  lower  beds  are  destitute  of  flints,  which  the  upper  con- 
tain in  abundance.  2.  Mulattoe,  an  arenaceous  stone, 
with  a calcareous  cement  of  a mottled  appearance,  whence 
it  derives  its  name.*  The  numerous  beds  of  oolites  which 
in  England,  almost  without  exception,  succeed  the  green 
sandstone,  are  entirely  wanting  in  Ireland,  where  the  mu- 
lattoe reposes  immediately  on  the  lias  limestone.  3.  Lias 
limestone,  disposed  in  thin  beds  alternating  with  slate  clay, 
and  distinguished  by  ammonites  and  gryphites,  and  the  re- 
mains of  the  pentacrinusb  with  which  it  abounds  : its  thick- 
ness has  not  been  ascertained.  4.  The  lias  reposes,  as  in 
England,  on  beds  of  red  and  variegated  marie,  containing 
gypsum,  and  further  distinguished  by  numerous  salt  springs. 
The  marie  is  underlaid  by  a thick  deposit  of  red  and  varie- 
gated sandstone,0  containing  clay-galls. 

The  four  formations  here  specified  vary  considerably  in 
thickness  in  different  places.  The  mulattoe  and  lias  are 
often  wanting,  but  the  chalk  and  the  sandstone  are  remark- 
ably constant.  The  whole  series  appears  to  the  greatest 
advantage  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Belfast. 

The  dykes,  or  wliyn-dykes,  form  a feature  peculiar  to  the 
northern  part  of  Ireland,  as  none  have  yet  been  discovered 
in  the  southern  or  midland  counties.  Of  those  noticed, 
nearly  one  half  are  situated  on  the  shore,  and  the  remotest 
of  the  others  is  within  fifteen  miles  of  it.  The  highest  ob- 
served is  near  the  summit  of  Arragh,  the  loftiest  mountain 
in  Donegal ; being  2220  feet  above  the  sea. 

Dykes  seldom  occur  singly  ; they  are  generally  found  in 
groups,  several  within  a short  distance  of  each  other.  Their 
parallelism  or  uniformity  of  direction  is  another  striking  cir- 
cumstance. Of  31,  whose  direction  has  been  accurately 
noted,  the  greatest  variety  of  range  is  from  17°  to  53°  north 
of  west.  The  bearing  of  all  the  dykes  is  from  south-east  to 
north-west,  and  all *cut  the  planes  of  the  strata  through  which 
they  pass  at  a very  considerable  angle. 

In  their  relative  width  they  vary  considerably,  some  be- 
ing but  a few  inches,  others  several  hundred  feet  broad,  but 
those  of  the  latter  description  are  very  rare.  Their  height 
above  the  intersected  strata  is  often  very  considerable  ; that 
on  Arragh  rises  perpendicularly  forty  feet  like  a partition 
wall.  At  Scrabo  hill,  near  Newtown  Ardes,adyke  appears 
like  a standing  pillar  at  the  entrance  of  one  of  the  freestone 
quarries.d  Their  depth  is  unknown  ; nor  does  it  appear, 

a Qu.  Green-sand — a sandstone  with  a calcareous  cement,  coloured 
green  by  hydrated  silicate  of  iron.  The  green  grains  are  often  so  few 
in  number,  that  the  rock  has  a grey  or  buft’  colour,  in  particular  por- 
tions. Sometimes  it  is  deeply  coloured  by  brown  oxide  (hydrate)  of 
iron.  The  chalk  in  Ireland  reposes  on  green  sand.  (Conybeare  and 
Phillips.) — The  only  other  sandstone  deposite  between  the  chalk  and 
lias,  is  the  iron -sand — entirely  silicious. — P. 

b Pentacrinites. — P. 

* New  red  sandstone. — P. 


from  observations  on  those  lying  along  the  coast  in  cliffs  from 
50  to  500  feet  in  height,  that  their  sides  converge,  or  that 
they  branch  off,  like  the  metallic  veins,  into  slender  strings, 
or,  except  in  very  rare  cases,  swell  into  what  the  miners  call 
bellies. 

Their  position  is  in  all  cases  nearly  vertical,  the  mean 
angle  of  deviation  from  the  perpendicular,  deduced  from  ten 
cases,  being  13°,  and  from  seven  others,  7°  ; but  no  genera, 
conclusion  has  yet  been  formed  as  to  the  direction  of  this 
deviation.  Neither  is  there  that  variety  in  their  substance 
which  might  be  inferred  from  their  number,  their  relative 
distance,  or  the  variety  of  their  substrata.  They  are  form- 
ed either  of  a number  of  diminutive  pillars  aggregated  to- 
gether, or  of  rhomboidal  pieces,  piled  one  on  another  like 
blocks  of  masonry,  and  formed  of  the  following  rocks,  nam- 
ed in  the  order  of  their  most  frequent  occurrence,  namely 
trap  and  greenstone,  with  their  associates,  Lydian  stone, 
flinty  slate,  graustonee  and  wacke.  One  dyke  of  clay  por- 
phyryf  has  been  discovered  at  Farland  Point  in  Donegal. 

No  general  connexion  has  been  discovered  between  the 
substance  of  the  dyke  and  the  rock  through  which  it  passes. 
Neither,  in  general,  does  any  foreign  matter  intervene,  ex- 
cept a slight  rusty  appearance  on  the  surface  of  the  divided 
stratum.  The  contact  between  the  dyke  and  rock  is  close, 
but  they  may  be  always  disjoined  by  the  blow  of  a hammer. 
The  mean  specific  gravity  of  the  substances  of  the  dykes  is 
2.86.  The  minerals  found  imbedded  in  them  are  augite  in 
angular  fragments,  olivine  in  disseminated  grains,  crystal- 
lized glassy  felspar,  compact  felspar,  radiated  zeolite,  green 
soft  steatite,  iron  pyrites,  calcareous  spar,  carbonate  of  lime 
mixed  with  the  trap,  -glassy  quartz,  sulphate  of  barytes,  and 
plates  of  mica. 

To  the  south  of  Dublin  a great  granite  region  extends 
in  a continuous  mass,  without  interruption,  to  the  Black- 
stairs  mountain,  occupying  generally  the  highest  portion 
of  the  range  throughout,  though  it  is  found  also  in  the 
lowest  position,  as  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Dublin  moun- 
tains.s  It  also  forms  an  extensive  flat  on  the  western  side 
of  the  range,  to  Castledermot  and  the  Shillelagh  hills.  This 
constitutes  the  broadest  part  of  the  granite  soil,  being  about 
fifteen  miles  across  from  east  to  west,  whence  it  gradually 
narrows  to  a point ; its  breadth,  in  its  northern  extremity,  is 
about  seven  miles. 

Such  is  the  extent  of  the  continuous  tract  of  fundamental 
granite  on  which  all  the  succeeding  rocks  repose.  Granite, 
however,  reappears  in  other  quarters,  not  only  protruding 
and  breaking  forth  in  isolated  denuded  portions  of  the 
great  base,  but  occurring  as  a later  production,  interstra- 
tified  with  rocks  which  unequivocally  rest  on  the  fundamen- 
tal granite. 

The  mica  slate,  wherever  it  occurs  in  this  district,  is  in 
direct  contact  with  the  granite  on  both  sides  of  the  great 
granitic  range  ; but,  in  its  widest  part,  it  nowhere  exceeds 
three  or  four  miles,  as  it  soon  graduates  into  clay  slate,  by 
which  it  is  bounded  for  the  greatest  part  of  its  course.  In  it 
have  been  incidentally  found  hornblende,  andalusite,  hollow 
spar,h  garnet  and  sphene.1 

d There  are  quarries  of  excellent  freestone  at  Scraba,  near  New- 
town. (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

e Greystone  ( graustein ,)  a variety  of  trap,  in  which  felspar  predomi 
nates. — P. 

f Claystone  Porphyry. — P. 

s Granite  occurs  along;  the  south  shore  of  Dublin  Bay.  (Ed 
Enc.)— P. 

h Made. — P. 

' Silico-calcareous  oxide  of  Titanium. — P. 


C20 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CIiVII 


r 


The  clay-slate  formation  is  spread  over  considerable 
tracts  of  the  granitic  chain,  extending  on  the  western  side 
in  a narrow  border,  to  Castledermot,  and  on  the  eastern, 
from  Bray  southwards  along  the  coast,  where,  gradually 
expanding,  it  spreads  itself  over  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
county  of  Wexford.  The  total  absence  of  metallic  veins 
on  the  western  side  of  the  granitic  region,  while  they  exist 
in  abundance  on  the  eastern,  presents  a singular  feature  of 
this  district. 

The  flcetz  sandstone*  is  found  resting  upon  granite,  clay- 
slate,  grauwacke,  grauwacke  slate,  and  transition  rocks  ;b 
it  occurs  sometimes  in  isolated  portions,  sometimes  in  ex- 
tensive mountain  ranges.  The  Slieve  Bloom  mountains 
consist  of  a nucleus  of  clay-slate  surrounded  by  sandstone. 
The  Bilboa  and  Keeper  mountains  are  surrounded  by  a 
mantle  of  sandstone,  except  in  a small  portion  on  the  north 
side,  where  the  clay-slate  nucleus  comes  immediately  in  con- 
tact with  and  supports  the  floetz  limestone.  This  nucleus 
has  yielded  lead,  silver  and  copper.  The  Slievenamana 
group  consists  of  a nucleus  of  clay-slate  surrounded  and 
surmounted  by  sandstone,  which  is  connected  with  the  sand- 
hills that  extend  towards  Thomastown  on  the  north,  and 
have  the  clay-slate  for  their  foundation. 

The  tract  adjacent  to  the  lower  part  of  Lough  Dearg  on 
the  Shannon  consists  partly  of  mica  slate, c and  partly  of 
sandstone : the  slate  raised  from  the  quarries  of  Killaloe  is 
equal  in  quality  to  that  of  Wales. 

The  noble  range  of  the  Galtees  and  its  subordinate  ridge 
of  Slievenamuck,  consists  of  sandstone.  The  north-western 
face  of  the  Galtees  is  in  many  parts  extremely  precipitous, 
and  even  inaccessible  ; while  that  on  the  south-east  is  of  a 
more  subdued  character.  The  mountainous  tract  between 
the  Suir  and  Blackwater  may  be  considered  as  table  land 
of  clay-slate,  partly  bordered  by  sandstone,  and  sustaining 
isolated  caps,  or  more  widely  extended  ridges  of  the  same 
rock.  This  tract  is  surrounded  by  flcetz  limestone  on  all 
sides,  except  the  eastern,  which  consists  almost  entirely  of 
clay -slate. 

The  component  rock  of  the  mountains  lying  still  more 
westerly  in  Kerry  is  a clay-slate,  the  argillite  of  Werner, 
penetrated,  especially  towards  the  north,  and  in  the  central 
mountains,  by  veins  of  quartz.  The  clay-slate  is  frequently 
raised  for  roofing,  but  the  inconvenience  of  export  has  ad- 
mitted quarries  to  be  opened  only  at  Cahir  Begnish  and 
Valentia.  The  northern  part  of  this  district  is  chiefly  form- 
ed of  secondary  limestone,  with  marine  remains  and  calca- 
reous spar,  usually  of  a light  blue,  or  smoke-grey  colour. 
From  the  mouth  of  the  Cashin  river  to  the  Kerry  Head, 
stretches  a bank  of  upland,  composed  of  beds  of  argillaceous 
sandstone,  in  the  partings  of  which  the  well-known  quartz 
crystals,  called  Kerry-stones,  are  found  ; steel-grained  leadd 
is  also  found  traversing  this  formation. 

In  the  interior  of  the  great  limestone  plain,  already  no- 
ticed, as  spreading  itself  over  the  whole  of  the  level  region 
of  Ireland,  three  isolated  protuberant  masses  of  sandstone 
arise  from  beneath  the  limestone  at  Moatgrenogue,  Bally- 
mahon  and  Slievegoldry.  To  the  west  of  the  clay-slate 
country  in  Longford,  this  rock  occupies  a considerable 
space,  crossing  the  Shannon,  and  extending  into  the  coun- 
ties of  Roscommon  and  Leitrim. 

The  extensive  region  still  further  westward,  as  far  as 

1 Secondary  sandstone. — P. 

b Grauwacke  and  grauwacke  slate  are  transition  rocks. — P. 


Galway,  is  chiefly  calcareous.  A line  drawn  from  that 
town  to  Oughterard,  marks  the  limit  of  the  formation 
All  to  the  north,  over  Lough  Corrib  into  Mayo  and  Ros- 
common, except  the  neighbourhood  of  Dunmore,  is  lime- 
stone ; that  to  the  south  and  west,  as  far  as  Sline  Head, 
with  the  exception  of  two  masses  of  primitive  limestone, 
which  occur  between  Oughterard  and  Clifden,  is  granite,  or 
rather  sienite. 

The  mountains  in  the  northern  part  of  this  region  are 
composed  of  quartz ; round  the  bases  they  are  gneiss  and 
mica  slate,  with  bands  of  hornblende  and  primitive  lime- 
stone. Along  the  northern  side  of  Lough  Corrib,  and  to  Bal- 
lynakill,  the  mica  slate  and  hornblende  rise  into  mountains, 
and  the  limestone  disappears.  From  Lough  Mask  to  Kil- 
lery  Bay,  is  a transition  country  of  greenstone  and  grau- 
wacke slate,  covered  with  red  sandstone,  which  also  forms 
the  hill  of  Muilrea,  the  highest  point  of  Mayo.  The  upper 
beds  of  this  and  of  the  greenstone  are  frequently  porphyrit- 
ic.  Greenstone  and  clay-slate  prevail  to  the  north  of  Mayo, 
and  to  the  mountain  of  Croagh  Patrick,  the  summit  and 
western  side  of  which  are  quartz,  the  eastern  side  slate  and 
serpentine,  but  without  any  limestone,  none  of  which  is 
found  in  this  direction  beyond  the  great  secondary  limestone 
field.  The  component  part  of  the  mountain  of  Benebola 
or  Twelve  Pins,  the  highest  in  Connamara,  is  quartz,  in 
general  distinctly  stratified,  or  at  least  schistose. 

The  great  limestone  field,  though  affording  indications 
of  several  metals,  more  particularly  lead  and  copper,  is 
singularly  ill  adapted  for  mining  operations,  as  it  occupies 
the  lowest  and  richest  parts  of  the  country,  and  frequently 
supports  a considerable  depth  of  alluvial  matter  and  soil. 
Hence  mines  cannot  be  freed  from  water  without  machinery  ; 
the  value  of  fuel  and  the  drainage  of  lands  become  likewise 
important  elements  in  the  estimate  of  expenses.  The  marly 
tracts  covering  the  limestone  are  distinguished  in  several 
places  by  the  relics  occasionally  preserved  in  them  oi  that 
extraordinary  animal,  the  Irish  elk  or  moose  deer.  A 
head  and  branches  of  one  measuring  ten  feet  ten  inches 
between  the  tips  of  the  horns,  is  described  by  Molyneux. 
But  the  valuable  remains  of  this  stately  animal  preserved 
in  the  museum  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  contain  a greater 
variety  and  number  of  bones  than  are  to  be  seen  in  any 
other  collection.  A complete  skeleton  has  not  yet  been 
discovered. 

Though  indications  of  metallic  ores  are  to  be  met  with 
in  most  parts  of  Ireland,  few  mines  have  as  yet  been  found 
capable  of  being  worked  to  advantage.  The  principal  of 
those  now  wrought  are  in  the  granitic  region  of  the  county 
of  Wicklow.  A vein  of  gold,  which  has  been  discovered 
at  Croghan-Kinselagh,  by  the  particles  of  that  metal  ob- 
served in  the  bed  of  a neighbouring  rivulet,  was  worked 
for  some  time  for  the  benefit  of  the  crown  as  a special 
royalty ; but  the  profits  were  not  found  sufficient  to  justify 
the  continuance  of  the  expenditure,  and  the  workings  have 
been  relinquished. 

Rich  veins  of  copper  have  been  wrought  at  Cronebane 
and  Ballymurtagh  in  the  same  county.  Copper  of  excel- 
lent quality,  and  in  large  quantities,  is  also  raised  at  Knock- 
mahon  and  Bonmahon,  in  the  county  of  Waterford.  A 
mine  at  Allihies,  in  the  county  of  Cork,  is  accounted  one  of 
the  richest  in  Ireland  ; another  at  Cappagh,  though  yield- 

c Qu.  clay  slate.  The  slate  from  these  quarries  must  be  clay  slate 
Killaloe  is  at  the  foot  of  Lough  Derg. — P. 

d Granular  sulphuret  of  lead. — P. 


BOOK  CLYII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


621 


ing  metal  of  fine  quality,  has  been  lately  relinquished  as  not 
being  sufficiently  productive,  as  have  also  others  at  Ken- 
mare  and  Ross  Island,  in  the  county  of  Kerry,  and  at  Bou- 
lard  in  Galway. 

Lead  is  raised  at  the  Ballycorus,  Luganure,  Hero  and 
Carrigeenduff  mines  in  Wicklow,  and  at  Came  in  the  neigh- 
bouring county  of  Wexford  ; mines  of  the  same  metal  are 
also  wrought  at  Clea  in  Armagh,  and  at  Kildrum  in  Done- 
gal. Those  of  Castlemaine  and  Kenmare  in  Kerry,  and 
that  of  Sheffry  in  Mayo,  have  been  relinquished  after  the 
loss  of  a considerable  outlay  in  ascertaining  their  probable 
produce. 

At  Arigna,  near  the  western  shore  of  Lough  Allen,  is  a 
rich  and  copious  vein  of  iron,  which,  after  having  been  for- 
merly wrought  to  much  advantage  as  long  as  the  surround- 
ing country  supplied  timber  for  fuel,  remained  for  many 
years  neglected.  The  workings  have  been  resumed  by  one 
of  the  lately  formed  companies,  with  every  prospect  of  a 
favourable  result,  as  coal  is  now  raised  in  the  neighbour- 
hood in  sufficient  quantity  to  justify  the  expectation  of  an 
adequate  supply  for  many  years.  Antimony  is  found  at 
Castleshane. 

Coal  has  been  discovered  in  greater  or  smaller  quanti- 
ties in  seventeen  counties,  which  may  be  classed  in  four 
districts,  one  in  each  of  the  provinces.  Those  of  Leinster 
and  Munster  contain  carbonaceous  or  stone  coal,  the  slaty 
glantz  coal  of  Werner  ;a  the  two  other  provinces,  bitumi- 
nous or  blazing  coal. 

The  Leinster  coal  district  is  situated  in  the  counties  of 
Kilkenny,  Queen’s  county  and  Carlow,  extending  also  a 
short  distance  into  Tipperary.  It  is  divided  into  three  de- 
tached parts,  separated  from  each  other  by  a secondary  lime- 
stone country  which  not  only  envelopes,  but  in  continuation 
passes  under  the  whole  of  the  coal  district  :b  the  neighbour- 
ing country  is  abundantly  supplied  from  this  source. 

The  Munster  coal  district  occupies  a considerable  por- 
tion of  the  counties  of  Limerick,  Kerry,  and  Cork.  Though 
by  much  the  most  extensive  of  the  four,  it  is  only  now 
attracting  to  it  that  degree  of  scientific  and  manufacturing 
attention  which,  from  its  importance  as  an  object  of  peculiar 
national  interest,  has  long  been  called  for.  Coal  and  culm 
have  been  raised,  for  nearly  a century,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Kanturk  in  Cork.  At  Dromagh,  particularly,  the  works 
have  been  carried  on  with  much  effect,  and  the  annual  sup- 
ply from  them  would  have  materially  contributed  to  the 
agricultural  improvement  of  a great  extent  of  the  maritime 
and  commercial  counties  of  Cork  and  Limerick,  had  the 
improvements  on  the  surface  for  facilitating  the  land  car- 
riage, by  means  of  judiciously  planned  and  well  formed 
roads,  kept  pace  with  the  exertions  of  the  individuals  en- 
gaged in  the  production  of  the  coal. 

Next  in  order  of  value  and  importance  is  the  Connaught 
coal  district  in  the  county  of  Leitrim,  where  workings  are 
now  carrying  on  with  much  energy  at  Aughabehy  and 
other  collieries  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Arigna  iron-works. 
That  the  great  natural  facilities  for  distributing  the  produce 
of  these  collieries,  arising  from  the  neighbouring  lakec  and 

a The  slaty  glance  coal  of  Jameson — schicfrige  glanzkohle  of  Wer- 
ner— foliated  or  slaty  anthracite. — P. 

b This  must  bo  the  carboniferous  or  mountain  limestone,  on  which 
the  coal  formation  rests  in  a basin  the  borders  of  which  are  of  course 
surrounded  by  the  limestone. — P. 

1 Lough  Allen. 

d The  Upper  Shannon  navigation,  commencing  above  Lough  Ree, 
at  Lanesborough,  and  extending  33  miles  along  the  river,  to  near  Lei- 
trim. (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


its  communication  through  the  Shannon,  or  by  means  of 
roads,  have  not  been  adequately  seconded  by  the  hand  of 
art,  will  appear  from  the  following  quotation,  which  forms 
the  first  sentence  of  a late  report  of  the  directors  of  the 
Arigna  mining  company.  “ The  roads  in  the  Connaught 
coal  district  remain  nearly  in  as  bad  a state  as  they  were 
in  prior  to  the  interference  of  government  in  1823,  conse- 
quently the  company  is  deprived  of  land  sale  at  the  colliery, 
while  the  sale  in  the  lower  Shannon  district,  upon  which 
the  board  relied,  has  been  interrupted  for  some  months  by 
the  progress  of  certain  repairs  at  the  lock  of  the  Lanes- 
borough  canal. ”d 

The  coal  district  of  Ulster  is  of  trifling  importance,  when 
compared  with  any  of  the  foregoing.  The  principal  col- 
lieries are  at  Coal  Island  and  Dungannon  in  Tyrone.  In- 
dications of  coal  have  been  observed  at  Drumquin  in  the 
same  county,  and  at  Pettigoe  to  the  north  of  Lough  Erne. 
Possibly  the  formation  may  extend  westward  from  the  first 
mentioned  coal  field  to  that  part  of  the  lake.  Coal  has 
also  been  found  at  Belturbet  in  Cavan,  and  at  Ballycastle 
in  Antrim.  This  latter  vein,  though  long  wrought,  is  by 
no  means  extensive.  It  had  been  worked  at  a very  early 
period,  for,  in  the  year  1770,  the  miners,  when  pushing 
forward  an  adit  level  at  a newly  explored  part  of  the  cliff, 
unexpectedly  discovered  a passage  cut  through  the  rock. 
This  passage  was  very  narrow  owing  to  incrustations  on  its 
sides.  On  examination  it  wras  found  to  be  a regular  gallery 
leading  to  thirty-six  chambers ; in  short,  the  explorers 
found  themselves  at  once  in  the  heart  of  an  extensive  mine 
which  had  been  wrought  by  workmen  at  least  as  expert  as 
those  of  the  present  generation.  Some  remains  of  the 
tools,  baskets,  &c.,  were  found,  but  in  such  a decayed  state 
as  to  crumble  into  dust  when  touched  ; several  of  the  tools 
appeared  to  have  been  made  of  wood  thinly  shod  with  iron. 

Numerous  mineral  springs  have  been  discovered  in  vari- 
ous counties  in  Ireland  ; few,  however,  have  rendered  their 
vicinity  a place  of  general  resort  for  invalids.  The  most 
remarkable  are  that  at  Mallow  in  Cork,  wdfich  strongly 
resembles  the  hot  wells  of  Bristol  ; those  of  Lucan  and 
Golden-bridge  near  Dublin,  the  former  sulphureous,  the  latter 
sulphureous  and  chalybeate;  and  that  of  Ballynahinch,® 
also  sulphureous  and  chalybeate,  which  attracts  many  visitors 
from  the  neighbouring  counties.  Swanlingbar  in  Cavan  is 
sulphureous,  and  Castleconnel  near  Limerick,  chalybeate. 
The  first  mentioned  of  these  is  the  most  noted. 

To  proceed  from  the  physical  to  the  political  circum- 
stances of  the  country.  It  is  now  generally  admitted  that 
Ireland  owes  its  first  colonization  to  a tribe  of  the  Celtse. 
The  language  is  a Celtic  dialect,  and  the  names  of  many  of 
its  mountains,  districts,  lakes,  rivers  and  towns  are  deducible 
from  the  same  source.  Still,  however,  the  derivation  of 
its  best  known  appellation,  Erin,  has  been  much  disputed. 
“ Iri,”  says  Ledwich,  an  antiquarian  more  distinguished  for 
learning  than  sagacity,  “or  as  now  written  Eri,  is,  in  Irish, 
the  great  isle/  In  Teutonic,  Er-aii,  contracted  into  Eri,  is 
the  farther  isle.”s  Camden  derives  it  from  Hiere,  an  Irish 
word  signifying  west,  or  the  westward/ 

e In  Down  county. — P. 

f Er,  great ; /,  island.  A more  frequent  Gaelic  word  for  island  is 
Inis;  whence  Innis,  Ennis  and  Inch,  in  names  of  islands  in  Scotland 
and  Ireland.  The  modern  Gaelic  word  is  Oileun  (Uilean,  Eilean.) — P. 

s Qu.  fer  ( verre ,)  far,  or  eer,  ante,  and  etc  or  ey,  insula — or  ur-ey, 
primitive  or  parent  island. — P. 

h Siar  is  the  Gaelic  for  west ; Leath-shiar  (pron.  Leah-hlar,)  west- 
ward, literally,  half  of  west.  So  also,  soir,  east;  taobh-slioir  (pron 
tav-bor,)  eastward,  literally,  side  of  east. — P. 


622 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL VII. 


The  name  of  Scotia  first  occurs  in  writers  of  the  fourth 
century ; yet,  however  prevalent  among  various  authors  of 
different  countries,  it  never  entirely  superseded  its  former 
designation.  Usher  says  that  the  promiscuous  application 
of  this  name,  both  to  Ireland  and  Scotland,  arose  from  the 
coalition  between  the  Scots  and  Piets  in  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury;* * and  even  then  all  accurate  writers  distinguished  the 
former  by  the  name  of  vetus,  major  or  ulterior  Scotia,  the 
latter  being  styled  in  contradistinction  nova,  minor  or  cite- 
rior.  The  word  “Scotland”  is  by  some  authors  derived 
from  Scythia,  supposed  to  have  been  the  mother  country. 
Whitaker  and  Chalmers,  with  more  probability,  attribute  the 
name  to  their  love  of  roving  ; the  term  Sceite,  in  Irish,  sig- 
nifying dispersed  or  scattered. 

The  Celtic  descent  of  the  aborigines  may  also  be  traced 
by  the  existing  remains,  though  few,  of  their  antiquities. 
Several  of  the  rocking  stones,  similar  to  those  found  in 
various  parts  of  England,  are  still  to  be  seen.  One  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Dublin  was  but  lately  displaced  from  its 
equilibrium  by  the  vvantonness  of  a party  of  soldiery.  An- 
other in  full  perfection,  is  in  Island  Magee.  The  swords, 
axes  and  arrow-heads  of  a mixed  copper  metal  are  also 
adduced  as  proofs  of  their  origin.  But  among  the  most 
singular  traces  of  antiquity,  should  be  reckoned  the  round 
towers  of  Ireland,  of  which  upwards  of  fifty  are  still  to  be 
seen,  dispersed  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  Their  ori- 
gin and  use,  though  made  the  subjects  of  many  elaborate 
treatises,  are  still  involved  in  obscurity.  Their  juxtaposition 
to  monastic  ruins  has  led  to  the  conjecture  that  they  were 
erected  in  the  earlier  ages  of  Christianity  ; but  arguments 
equally  probable  have  been  adduced  to  prove  their  ex- 
istence prior  to  the  erection  of  these  structures.  Attempts 
have  been  made  to  trace  the  descent  of  the  Irish  colony  to 
other  countries  by  the  existence  of  similar  buildings  in  the 
latter,  but  as  yet  the  evidence  of  such  existence  has  not 
been  conclusive.  Erected  generally  in  situations  not  pecu- 
liarly elevated,  their  uses  as  signal-towers  would  be  very 
limited  ; the  confined  extent  of  their  tubular  cavity  would 
not  afford  scope  for  the  ringing  of  a bell ; they  therefore 
still  remain,  and  to  all  appearance  will  long  continue,  an 
enigma  for  the  exercise  of  antiquarian  ingenuity. 

Few  traces  of  the  history  of  the  tribe  thus  settled  are 
to  be  found  in  ancient  authors.  The  island  is,  indeed, 
supposed  to  be  noticed  by  the  writer  of  the  Argonautic 
Expedition, b under  the  name  of  Iernis : Aristotle  notices  it 
by  that  of  lernef  by  Caesar  and  other  Roman  writers,  it  is 
called  Hibernia ; Marcianus  Heracleotes  names  it  Jouer- 
nia,A  as  also  does  Ptolemy,  a writer  particularly  exact  in 
the  appellation  of  places  according  to  their  native  names. 
The  last  named  writer  proceeds  further,  laying  down  the 
position  of  several  remarkable  points,  and  the  names  and 
situation  of  the  principal  tribes  and  towns. 

For  an  account  of  the  acts  of  the  inhabitants  from  their 
first  settlement  to  the  period  of  the  English  invasion,  re- 
course must  be  had  to  the  native  chronicles.  In  the  Psal- 
ter of  Cashel  and  other  Irish  annals,  it  is  recorded,  that 


a The  union  of  the  Scots  and  Piets,  under  Kenneth,  took  place 
A.  D.  843.— P. 

b The  Argonautics,  attributed  to  Orpheus. — P. 

c ItQvij — Ierna  (Vers.  Lat.) — P. 

*'  IovtQna. — P. 

• Gaelic  heath  Chuinn  (pron.  Leah  Hhuin,)  Half  of  Conn,  and 
Lenth  Mliodha  (pron.  Leah  Voha,)  Half  of  Modha.  The  Conn  here 
mentioned  was  Conn  of  the  hundred  fights  (Gaelic  Conn  Cett- 
cathaigh — Lat.  Constantinus  Centimachus,)  king  of  Connaught.  Modha 


soon  after  the  flood,  a number  of  Fowmarries,  or  pirates 
from  Africa,  attempted  a settlement,  from  which  they  were 
soon  dispossessed  by  an  Asiatic  colony  headed  by  a chief 
named  Partholan,  a descendant  in  the  eighth  generation  from 
Noah.  These  were  in  turn  dispossessed,  after  a lapse  of 
more  than  two  centuries,  by  another  colony  from  the  same 
region  named  Firbolgs,  whom  some  antiquarians  suppose  to 
have  been  a tribe  of  the  Belgae.  Their  dominion  was  ter- 
minated by  the  invasion  of  a fourth  colony  which  came 
from  Spain,  under  the  command  of  the  eight  sons  of  Mile- 
sius ; five  of  these  perished  through  the  casualties  incident 
on  landing,  leaving  the  honour  of  the  conquest,  and  the 
establishment  of  the  family  to  the  three  survivors,  Heber, 
Heremon,  and  Ir.  The  last  named  died  shortly  after  the 
subjugation  of  the  country,  Heber  was  killed  by  his  brother, 
and  Heremon  thus  became  sole  monarch.  The  history 
of  his  successors  for  many  generations  presents  little  to 
arrest  attention.  One  of  them,  surnamed  Ollamh-Fodlah, 
or  the  learned  doctor,  is  celebrated  as  the  founder  of 
several  sage  institutions  ; he  is  said  to  have  ordained  a tri- 
ennial meeting  of  the  elders1  or  legislators  at  Tarah,  and  to 
have  founded  a college  for  the  investigation  and  preserva- 
tion of  the  national  records.  Two  other  princes  of  the 
same  line  are  said  to  have  fixed  the  first  territorial  division 
of  the  island,  by  a line  from  Dublin  through  Clonmacnois 
to  Galway,  marked  by  a deep  trench  strengthened  by  a 
rampart  and  a series  of  forts.  The  portion  of  the  island  to 
the  north  of  this  line  was  named  Leah  Quin  or  Conn’s 
share,  that  to  the  south,  Leah  Mowa  or  Mowa’s  share,  from 
the  names  of  the  princes  by  whom  it  was  partitioned.®  But 
a still  more  remarkable  division,  yet  partially  existing,  was 
subsequently  made  into  the  five  provinces  of  Ullah  or  Ulster, 
Layean  or  Leinster,  Mumha  or  Munster,  Connaught,  and 
Ciuge-na-Mee,f  or  Meath, s which  last,  comprehending  the 
central  counties  of  Meath,  West  Meath,  and  some  sur- 
rounding districts,  was  afterwards  absorbed  into  the  neigh- 
bouring provinces  of  Leinster  and  Ulster,  especially  the 
former. 

The  reigns  of  the  Milesian  monarchs  were  almost  inces- 
santly disturbed  by  intestine  commotions,  suspended  only 
by  the  temporary  combinations  of  the  rival  chieftains  for 
the  purpose  of  repelling  the  predatory  incursions  made  from 
the  neighbouring  shores  of  Great  Britain,  or  by  expedi- 
tions fitted  out  by  themselves  in  retaliation.  In  one  of 
these,  it  is  said  that  St.  Patrick  was  brought  captive  to  the 
north  of  Ireland,  where,  during  a servitude  of  several 
years,  he  acquired  a knowledge  of  the  native  language  and 
manners  which  considerably  forwarded  his  subsequent  apos- 
tolical labours. 

Much  as  the  country  may  have  been  indebted  to  this  cel- 
ebrated missionary,  it  is  generally  thought  that  Christianity 
had  been  introduced  into  it  some  time  before  by  Declan, 
St.  Kieran  and  others,  who  had  succeeded  in  converting 
many  of  the  lower  classes,  while  St.  Patrick,  who  returned 
to  Ireland  in  432,  armed  with  credentials  from  Pope  Ce- 
lestine,  gave  it  stability  and  influence  by  persuading  the 


( Eugenios  Maximus,  Eugene  the  Great)  was  founder  of  the  dynasty  of 
Munster. — P. 

f Qu.  Coigc-na-Meadh  (Coige-na-Meah,)  province  of  the  middle ; 
Meath  occupying  the  centre  of  the  island. — P. 

e The  Irish  (Gaelic)  names  of  these  five  provinces  are  Uladh 
(Ulah.)  iMighiem  (Layeen,)  Mumha  (Muha.)  Connachda  (Connahda,)  and 
Midhc  (Meeva.) — Connachda  is  Conn’s  field  ( Conn , and  aehadh,  field  ;) 
Connaught  being  included  in  Conn’s  half,  and  Cruachan,  in  the  same 
province,  his  capital. — P. 


BOOK  CLVII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


623 


princes  and  nobility  to  embrace  its  doctrines,  by  building 
churches  and  religious  houses,  and  by  appointing  regular 
orders  of  priests  and  instructors.  In  noticing  this  celebrat- 
ed character,  it  should  not  perhaps  be  wholly  omitted  that 
Ledvvich  denies  his  existence,  and  that  a later  writer,  whose 
opinion  is  entitled  to  still  less  weight,  endeavours  to  prove 
him  a Roman  of  patrician  origin. 

The  introduction  of  the  new  faith  does  not  appear  to  have 
bad  much  influence  on  the  conduct  of  the  native  princes. 
The  succeeding  part  of  the  history  contains  accounts  of 
war,  turbulence  and  assassination,  similar  to  those  with 
which  the  era  of  paganism  had  been  stained.  The  calami- 
ties of  the  country  were  further  augmented  by  the  invasions 
of  the  northern  freebooters,  known  in  the  Irish  annals  by 
the  name  of  the  Black  and  White  Scandinavian  pirates, a 
and  in  English  history  by  that  of  Ostmen  or  Danes. 
Seizing  first  on  the  principal  seaports,  and  afterwards  avail- 
ing themselves  of  the  still  continued  broils  of  the  native 
chieftains,  they  at  length  obtained  the  sovereignty  of  the 
whole  island  about  the  year  860.  But  they  did  not  main- 
tain tranquil  possession  of  this  rich  prize.  Turgesius, 
their  sovereign,  was  killed  by  treachery,  and  the  Danes 
were  driven  from  the  interior ; but  they  still  retained  pos- 
session of  the  ports  through  which  they  were  enabled  again 
to  strengthen  themselves  by  fresh  supplies  from  their  na- 
tive regions. 

In  the  year  1014,  Brian  Boru,b  who  stands  recorded  in 
the  annals  of  Ireland  as  a model  of  royal  virtues,  a valiant 
hero,  and  a consummate  statesman,  after  raising  himself  to 
the  sovereignty  of  the  whole  island — for  at  this  period  each 
province  had  its  petty  king,  one  of  whom,  on  acquiring  a 
superiority  over  his  fellows,  was  recognised  as  supreme 
ruler — defeated  the  Danes  at  Clontarf,  near  Dublin,  so 
completely,  as  to  afford  his  countrymen  a breathing  time  to 
recover  from  the  exhausting  desolation  of  civil  war  and 
foreign  invasion. 

This  period  of  tranquillity  was  marked  by  an  important 
ecclesiastical  event.  A national  synod  was  held  at  Kells  in 
Meath,  in  the  year  1152,  at  which  Cardinal  Paparon,  the 
pope’s  legate,  presided.  At  this  meeting  tithes  were  intro- 
duced, the  Irish  clergy  having  previously  maintained  them- 
selves wholly  from  the  produce  of  their  mensal  lands.  Four 
palls  were  also  given  as  badges  of  archiepiscopal  jurisdic- 
tion under  the  papal  see  ; one  to  the  archbishop  of  Armagh 
as  primate,  the  other  three  to  those  of  Dublin,  Cashel,  and 
Tuatn. 

The  ecclesiastical  revolution  thus  tranquilly  and  speedily 
effected,  was  followed  by  another  of  a political  nature,  which 
wholly  changed  the  destinies  of  the  nation,  and  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  arrangements  that  continue  to  the  present 
time.  Henry  II.  of  England  had  early  in  his  reign  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  adding  Ireland  to  his  dominions.  To 
effect  this,  he  prevailed  on  Pope  Adrian  to  issue  a bull, 
which  was  published  in  the  year  1 154,  granting  him  the 
sovereignty  of  the  island,  on  the  condition  of  reducing  it 
completely  under  the  spiritual  authority  of  the  Roman  see, 
and  of  paying  him  a tribute  of  a penny  for  each  hearth, 
better  known  by  the  name  of  Peter’s  pence.  The  title, 
such  as  it  was,  lay  dormant  for  several  years.  Too  much 


1 Called  by  the  Irish,  Duff-galls  and  Fin-galls,  black  and  white  for- 
eigners. (Ed.  Enc.) — Gaelic,  Dubli-Gkaill  and  Fionn- Ghaill.  (pron. 
Duv-hiodtl  and  Fin-lncdll.) — The  Danes  were  called  by  the  Irish, 
Dubh-Lochlonnaich  (Black  Lochlinians — the  Duff-galls  :)  the  Norwe- 
gians, Fionn-Lochlonnaich  (White  Lochlinians — the  Fin-galls.) — 


engaged  by  domestic  troubles,  Henry  had  little  time  to  de- 
vote to  a foreign  expedition  of  such  magnitude.  An  un- 
expected circumstance  at  length  induced  him  to  turn  his 
attention  westwards. 

Dermod  M’Morrough,  king  of  Leinster,  having  been 
driven  from  his  dominions  by  Roderick,  king  of  Ireland,  in 
consequence  of  an  atrocious  breach  of  hospitality  committed 
by  him  against  O’Ruark,  chieftain  of  Brefney,  whose  wife 
he  had  seduced  and  carried  off,  applied  to  Henry  to  replace 
him  on  his  throne,  offering  to  bold  bis  kingdom  under  the 
English  monarch  as  the  price  of  his  restoration.  Too  much 
occupied  to  pay  personal  attention  to  this  tempting  offer, 
yet  unwilling  to  reject  it  altogether,  Henry  dismissed  the 
Irish  prince  with  a general  assurance  of  protection,  and  a 
vague  permission  to  any  of  his  subjects  to  volunteer  their 
services  in  the  cause  of  his  new  tributary.  Strengthened 
with  this  permission,  Dermod,  while  on  bis  journey  home- 
wards through  Wales,  prevailed  upon  Richard  de  Clare, 
Earl  of  Chepstow,  better  known  by  the  soubriquet  of 
Strongbow,  to  assist  him,  under  an  engagement  of  giving 
him  his  daughter  Eva  in  marriage,  and  of  securing  to  him 
the  succession  to  the  crown  of  Leinster.  Dermod  then 
returned  to  Ferns,  his  capital  city,  to  prepare  for  the  recep- 
tion of  his  expected  ally,  who  shortly  after  sent  over,  as  a 
kind  of  advanced  guard,  a small  detachment,  consisting  of 
150  knights,  70  men-at-arms,  and  600  archers,  under  the 
command  of  Robert  Fitz-Stephen.  This  little  band,  after 
having  made  good  a landing  at  the  creek  of  Bag  and  Bun 
in  Bannow  Bay,  and  being  joined  by  Dermod  and  bis  Irish 
forces,  took  the  town  of  Wexford,  and  made  a permanent 
settlement  in  the  neighbouring  districts  of  Bargie  and  Forth, 
where  their  descendants  continue  to  the  present  day ; 
Strongbow  shortly  followed  with  a larger  force,  and  after 
taking  Waterford  by  storm,  followed  up  bis  success  by  the 
capture  of  Dublin.  Roderick,  king  of  Ireland,  now  seri- 
ously alarmed  at  the  progress  of  the  invaders,  endeavoured 
to  expel  them  from  their  new  conquest,  but  after  laying 
siege  to  the  last  named  city,  he  was  defeated,  and  his  army 
totally  dispersed. 

The  rapid  progress  of  Strongbow  drew  upon  him  the 
jealousy  of  the  king  of  England,  by  whom  he  was  com- 
pelled to  surrender  the  whole  of  his  conquests,  on  condition 
of  receiving  the  greater  part  back  as  a fief  from  the  crown, 
resigning  Dublin  and  the  other  large  towns  wholly  to  the 
king.  Henry  himself  soon  after  crossed  over  into  Ireland 
with  a numerous  and  splendid  train  of  noblemen  and 
troops.  No  opposition  was  attempted.  Roderick  remained 
inactive  in  Connaught.  The  petty  chieftains  of  Leinster 
did  homage  to  Henry  in  Dublin,  where  they  were  received 
by  him  with  all  the  pomp  of  a sovereign.  A council  at 
Cashel,  held  under  a papal  bull,  acknowledged  his  author- 
ity ; large  tracts  of  land  were  portioned  out  among  the 
principal  English  adventurers  ; the  system  of  English  laws 
and  English  tenures  was  introduced,  and  a commencement 
thus  formed  for  establishing  British  dominion  throughout 
the  country. 

Having  terminated  his  pacific  expedition  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  Hugh  de  Lacy  as  governor  of  Dublin,  and 
justiciary  of  Ireland,  Henry  returned  to  England.  Soon 


Lochlin  was  the  Gaelic  name  for  Scandinavia  in  general.  (Mac- 
pherson.) — Lochlonnach,  plu.  Lochlonnaich,  signifies  a sea-faring  nan; 
literally,  one  strong  at  sea,  from  loch,  a lake,  the  sea,  and  lonn,  strong 
(Lhuyd.) — P. 

b Brian  Boroimhe  or  Boromha  (pron.  Boroha.) — P, 


624 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVII. 


after  his  arrival  there,  a formal  treaty  was  concluded  be- 
tween him  and  Roderick,  whereby  the  latter  acknowledged 
Henry  as  his  liege  lord,  paying  him  an  annual  tribute  of 
every  tenth  hide,  and  a specific  number  of  hawks  and 
hounds. 

The  new  settlers,  in  the  mean  time,  were  actively  em- 
ployed in  securing  and  extending  their  possessions,  partly 
by  the  sword,  and  partly  by  treaties  and  family  alliances 
with  the  more  powerful  chieftains.  Placed  at  a distance 
from  the  centre  of  English  rule,  the  bands  of  union  hung 
very  loosely  upon  them.  I\ot  content  with  mixing  as 
partizan  auxiliaries  in  the  domestic  feuds  of  the  native 
princes,  they  quarrelled  among  themselves  as  to  the  par- 
tition of  their  newly  acquired  booty,  and  the  country, 
instead  of  finding  relief  from  the  uniform  control  of  a 
more  powerful  superintendance,  felt  its  former  evils  of 
intestine  division  aggravated  by  the  interference  of  those 
greedy  and  arrogant  intruders.  John  Earl  of  Morton, 
Henry’s  favourite  son,  was  at  length  sent  over  as  lord 
lieutenant.  But  he  was  young  and  ill  advised.  He 
offended  the  natives  by  his  undisguised  contempt  of 
their  manners ; he  insulted  them  in  the  persons  of  their 
leaders.  Some  of  the  native  princes,  on  presenting 
themselves,  were  made  objects  of  mockery  ; their  beards 
were  plucked  in  derision  by  the  young  English  cour- 
tiers. They  consequently  quitted  the  court  in  disgust, 
and  spread  the  flame  of  discontent  through  every  part  of 
the  country.  John  was  recalled,  but  some  years  after 
returned  as  king  of  England,  and  endeavoured  to  re- 
store order  and  tranquillity  upon  the  basis  of  a fixed  and 
uniform  government.  The  forms  of  the  English  laws 
were  observed  in  the  courts  of  judicature  ; all  the  parts 
of  the  country  in  any  manner  recognising  the  control  of 
British  authority  were  divided  into  the  twelve  counties 
of  Dublin,  Meath,  Kildare,  Uriel  (now  Louth,)  Cather- 
lough,a  Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford,  Cork,  Kerry,  Lim- 
erick, and  Tipperary.  The  remainder  of  Ireland,  consist- 
ing of  Ulster,  Connaught,  and  some  of  the  central  districts 
in  Leinster,  still  remained,  with  a few  slight  exceptions, 
under  the  dominion  of  the  native  chieftains. 

John  remained  but  six  months  in  Ireland.  After  his 
departure,  the  country  soon  lapsed  into  its  former  state 
of  confusion.  During  the  subsequent  reigns  of  the  first 
three  Edwards,  the  Irish  earnestly  and  frequently  ap- 
plied for  the  extension  of  the  benefits  of  the  English  laws 
throughout  all  parts  of  the  island.  Their  petitions  were 
favourably  received,  and  royal  mandates  were  issued  to 
ascertain  the  v propriety  of  granting  them  ; but  the  influ- 
ence of  the  great  English  settlers,  who  profited  by  the 
public  disorders,  always  prevented  the  practical  applica- 
tion of  the  remedy. 

During  this  period  the  part  of  the  island  subject  to 
English  law  was  called  the  Pale  ; it  extended  in  reality 
over  little  more  than  the  province  of  Leinster,  the  re- 
mainder of  the  country  being  still  subject  to  the  native 
princes,  who  ruled  according  to  the  principles  of  the 
Brehon  or  old  Irish  law.  The  English  themselves  were 
split  into  two  factions,  English  by  blood,  and  English  by 
birth  ; the  former  comprising  the  descendants  of  the 
original  adventurers  and  other  old  settlers,  who,  by  con- 
stant residence  among  the  natives,  and  frequent  inter- 

" Carlow — Gaelic,  Catliair-loch  (pron.  Gacr-loh,)  city  or  fortress  of 
the  lake. — P. 

b The  five  tribes  or  families  were,  the  O'Neils  of  Ulster,  the  O'Me- 


marriages  with  them,  had  acquired  many  of  their  customs, 
habits,  and  prejudices  ; the  latter  consisting  of  the  fresh 
supplies  of  settlers  whom  the  hope  of  large  grants  of 
lands,  or  of  lucrative  situations  under  the  government, 
had  allured  thither.  The  former  of  those  classes  gave 
greater  annoyance  to  the  ruling  powers  than  even  the 
natives,  insomuch  that,  in  the  writs  issued  for  repressing 
the  tumults  arising  from  this  state  of  disorganization, 
while  the  Irish  in  arms  against  the  king  are  called  ene- 
mies, the  refractory  English  are  designated  by  the  harsher 
name  of  rebels.  Not  that  the  epithet  thus  imposed  upon 
the  Irish  indicated  any  intention  of  visiting  their  trespasses 
with  a mitigated  portion  of  legal  vengeance.  On  the 
contrary,  the  mere  Irish,  as  they  were  called,  were  so 
utterly  excluded  from  the  protection  of  the  newly  intro- 
duced laws,  that  while  the  murder  of  an  Englishman 
was  punished,  as  now,  by  death,  that  of  an  Irishman 
was  passed  over  with  impunity,  unless  the  sufferer  had  the 
good  fortune  to  belong  to  one  of  the  five  tribes  which  were 
admitted,  by  special  favour,  to  a participation  of  the 
rights  of  British  subjects.b  Records  of  pleas  of  murder 
still  exist  in  which  the  defendant  acknowledges  the  fact, 
but  alleges  that  the  person  killed  was  not  English,  but 
a mere  Irish,  and  not  of  the  five  bloods,  and  is  accord- 
ingly dismissed  with  impunity. 

The  horrors  of  this  state  of  internal  anarchy  were  in- 
creased by  a foreign  invasion.  Edward  I.  had  directed 
all  the  energies  of  his  kingdom  to  the  subjugation  of 
Scotland.  Not  content  with  the  supplies  of  men,  arms 
and  provisions  to  be  procured  at  home,  the  scanty  re- 
sources of  Ireland  were  drained  to  swell  their  magnitude. 
On  the  commencement  of  the  feeble  reign  of  his  son, 
Edward  II.,  Robert  Bruce,  as  well  for  the  purpose  of 
creating  a diversion,  as  to  rid  himself  from  the  encum- 
brance of  a turbulent  auxiliary,  sent  his  brother  Edward 
into  Ireland  to  assert  his  claim  to  the  sovereignty  of  the 
country,  and  to  enforce  it  by  the  sword.  For  some  time 
he  was  singularly  successful.  Having  been  joined,  after 
his  landing  at  Carrickfergus,  by  most  of  the  discontented 
chieftains  of  tester,  he  proceeded  to  Dundalk,  where  he 
was  crowned.  Thence  moving  southwards,  he  devas- 
tated the  country  with  fire  and  sword  as  far  as  Munster. 
But  at  length  the  whole  force  of  the  English  was  col- 
lected against  him,  and  Bruce,  whose  army  was  ex- 
hausted by  the  rapidity  of  its  progress  and  the  magnitude 
of  its  exertions,  too  impatient  also  to  wait  the  arrival  of  an 
expected  supply  from  home,  joined  battle  with  it  near 
Dundalk.  The  contest  was  decisive  ; the  Scotch  were 
totally  routed,  and  the  body  of  their  commander  found 
among  the  heaps  of  slain. 

The  fascinating  though  delusive  prospect  of  the  crown 
of  France  distracted  the  thoughts  of  Edward  111.  from 
the  settlement  of  Ireland,  an  achievement  of  less  splen- 
dour, though  of  more  solid  utility.  Still,  however,  it 
was  not  wholly  overlooked.  His  son  Lionel  was  sent 
thither  as  chief  governor.  He  succeeded  in  some  de- 
gree in  repressing  the  spirit  of  insubordination  among  the 
feudal  barons,  and  in  checking  the  predatory  incursions 
of  the  Irish.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  bond  of  sepa- 
ration between  the  two  nations  was  sealed  during  his 
government,  by  the  celebrated  statutes  of  the  parliament 


laghlins  of  Meath,  the  OConoghers  of  Connaught,  the  O'Briens  of 
Thomond,  and  the  M'Murroughs  of  Leinster. 


book  clvii.]  DESCRIPTION 

at  Kilkenny,  which  enacted,  that  none  but  Englishmen 
should  be  admitted  to  holy  orders,  or  allowed  to  become 
members  of  a religious  house,  without  a licence  from  the 
king,  and  that  a native  was  not  to  enjoy  the  benefits  of 
English  law,  without  paying  a fine  for  a special  writ  for 
the  indulgence. 

The  affairs  of  Ireland  were  considered  by  his  imme- 
diate successor,  Richard  II.,  of  sufficient  importance  to 
call  for  his  personal  interference.  Having  landed  at 
Waterford  with  a force,  consisting,  according  to  the 
chronicles  of  the  time,  of  30,000  infantry  and  4000  men- 
at-arms,  he  proceeded  without  interruption  or  molesta- 
tion to  Dublin.  Here  he  received  the  submission  of  up- 
wards of  seventy  chieftains,  and  conferred  the  order  of 
knighthood  on  O’Neal,  O’Connor,  O’Brian,  M’Murchad 
and  some  others,  yet  not  without  reluctance  on  their  part, 
the  ceremony  being  considered  rather  as  a badge  of  in- 
feriority than  a token  of  elevation.  On  the  monarch’s 
departure,  after  a pompous  yet  inefficient  residence  of 
nine  months,  the  feuds  of  the  settlers  and  the  marauding 
warfare  of  the  natives  revived  with  aggravated  violence. 

In  1399,  Richard  again  visited  the  country,  but  his  ex- 
pedition was  now  neither  so  tranquil  nor  so  fortunate  as 
before.  During  his  march  from  Waterford  to  Dublin  he 
found  his  progress  impeded  at  Kilkenny  by  the  assaults 
of  Art.  M’Murcha,  who  with  a band  of  3000  resolute 
followers,  rushed  suddenly  from  the  impenetrable  fast- 
nesses of  his  woods  and  morasses,  and  so  harassed  the 
i royal  army  by  his  rapid  and  reiterated  assaults,  that  the 

king  experienced  no  small  difficulty  in  arriving  at  the  end 
of  his  journey.  The  insurrection  in  England  which  ter- 
minated in  setting  his  rival  Henry  of  Lancaster1  on  the 
throne,  hurried  him  from  Ireland,  and  the  country  was 
again  left  a prey  to  the  devastating  animosities  of  the 
contending  factions. 

So  powerful  were  the  Irish  princes  during  this  and 
the  subsequent  period  of  the  wars  of  York  and  Lancas- 
ter, that  their  cumrick  or  protection  was  anxiously  sought 
for  by  the  English  borderers  of  the  pale,  and  secured  by 
the  payment  of  an  annual  tribute  called  Black-rent. 
The  pale  itself  was  contracted  within  the  narrow  limits 
of  the  counties  of  Dublin,  Meath,  Kildare,  and  part  of 
Louth,  and  the  boundary  line  to  the  south  of  Dublin 
city,  beyond  which  the  king’s  writ  was  a dead  letter, 
was  fixed  as  far  as  Tallaght  by  the  stream  of  the  Dod- 
der, a rivulet  within  three  miles  of  Dublin,  and  thence 
by  a trench  with  redoubts  to  Newcastle  on  the  borders 
of  Kildare  ; all  the  district  to  the  south  of  this  line,  ex- 
cept a narrow  band  along  the  sea  coast  to  Bray,  being 
in  the  undisputed  possession  of  the  Irish,  two  families  of 
whom,  the  O’Birnes  and  the  O’Tooles,  asserted  and 
maintained  the  rank  of  independent  princes  throughout 
the  southern  part  of  Dublin  county,  and  the  mountainous 
district  since  designated  as  the  county  of  Wicklow. 

Ireland  was  not  tranquillized  by  the  termination  of  the 
civil  wars  in  England.  Even  after  Edward  IV.  obtained 
the  undisputed  possession  of  the  throne,  his  government 
in  Ireland  was  reduced  to  such  a state  of  imbecility,  that 
the  only  means  devised  for  protecting  the  pale  against 
; its.  surrounding  enemies  was  the  formation,  by  act  of 

OF  IRELAND.  025 

parliament,  of  a military  fraternity  under  the  name  cf  iVe 
Armed  Brotherhood  of  St.  George,  consisting  of  a captain 
and  160  horse-archers,  with  an  equal  number  of  attend- 
ants on  foot.  The  private  feuds  of  the  great  leaders  of 
the  degenerate  English  and  the  Irish,  of  the  Butlers 
and  Fitzgeralds  in  the  south,  and  of  O’Neil  and  Tyrcon- 
nel in  Ulster,  alone  prevented  the  total  overthrow  of  the 
king’s  government. b The  authority  of  his  lieutenant 
was  set  at  defiance  in  the  very  capital.  Keating,  prior 
of  Kilmainham,  then  a preceptory  of  the  order  of  the 
knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  though  deposed  for  his 
turbulence  and  misconduct  by  his  superior,  not  only  re- 
fused to  submit,  but  seized  upon  Lumley,  an  English- 
man, who  had  been  sent  over  to  succeed  him,  and  kept 
him  prisoner  till  his  death. 

The  general  alienation  of  the  public  sentiment  in  Ire- 
land from  the  English  dominion  was  so  great  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  reign  of  Henry  VII.,  as  to  induce  his 
enemies  to  select  this  country  as  the  theatre  for  their 
first  public  exhibition  of  the  mimic  kings,  through  whose 
agency  they  hoped  to  drive  him  from  his  throne.  Lam- 
bert Simnel  was  therefore  sent  thither ; and  so  numerous 
and  zealous  were  his  adherents,  that  he  was  enabled  to 
carry  over  a large  body  of  Irish  to  support  his  claims  by 
the  sword  in  England,  who  were  cut  to  pieces  in  the 
bloody  battle  of  Stoke  in  Nottinghamshire.  Perkin 
Warbeck  also  met  with  a similar  reception,  though  on  a 
more  limited  scale.  To  such  a pitch  were  the  minds  of 
the  native  chieftains  excited  by  the  imbecile  government 
of  the  English  about  this  time,  that  on  an  agreement 
made  by  Richard  Duke  of  York  with  M’Geoghegan  to 
prevent  the  repetition  of  his  incursions  from  the  north- 
western counties  into  Meath,  the  latter  boasted  among 
his  friends,  that  he  had  granted  peace  to  the  king’s  lieu- 
tenant. M’Gillypatrick  also,  a chieftain  in  Ossory,  de- 
spatched an  ambassador  with  a formal  complaint  to  the 
king  in  England,  who,  stopping  him  on  coming  out  of 
his  private  chapel,  delivered  his  commission  in  a set 
Latin  speech,  of  which  the  following  is  a literal  transla- 
tion ; — “ Stand  on  thy  feet,  my  lord  king : my  master 
M’Gillypatrick  has  sent  me  to  you,  and  ordered  me  to 
declare,  that  if  you  do  not  punish  Red  Peter,  he  will 
make  war  against  you.” 

But  Henry  was  not  of  a temper  to  be  insulted  or  re- 
sisted with  impunity.  When  firmly  fixed  on  his  throne, 
he  sent  over  Sir  Edward  Poynings,  an  English  knight, 
much  in  his  confidence,  as  chief  governor.  The  most 
remarkable  act  of  his  administration  was  the  passing  of 
statutes,  afterwards  the  subject  of  much  discussion,  under 
the  name  of  Poynings’  laws,  by  one  of  which  the  lord 
lieutenant  was  prohibited  from  holding  parliaments  at 
his  pleasure,  and  by  another,  a parliament  was  forbidden 
to  be  held  there  until  all  the  bills  proposed  to  be  intro- 
duced into  it  should  have  been  previously  laid  before 
the  English  privy  council  for  the  king’s  approval.  This 
continued  to  be  the  law  of  the  land  till  the  year  1782. 

The  intestine  wars  between  the  great  English  nobles 
and  the  native  Irish  still  raged  with  almost  unremitting 
violence.  During  their  continuance,  the  then  Earl  of 
Kildare  was  called  over  to  England  to  answer  in  person 

a Henry  IV. 

b The  interchange  of  messages  between  these  rival  potentates  is 
worthy  of  being  recorded  for  its  singularity.  O’Neil  claimed  a tribute 
from  Tyrconnel  as  his  feudatory  ; to  obtain  it  he  sent  him  a message 
VOL.  Iir.— NO.  61  • 79 

couched  in  the  following  laconic  terms  ; “ Send  me  my  tribute,  or 

else .”  Tyrconnel  answered  him  in  terms  equally  laconic  and 

significant — “ I owe  you  no  tribute,  and  if 

i 

626 


EUROPE. 


IBOOK  CliYII. 


some  charges  of  a treasonable  nature  ; but,  contrary  to  the 
expectation  of  his  enemies,  the  king  was  so  much  pleased 
by  his  manly  and  candid  explanations,  that  he  sent  him 
back  as  chief  governor.  On  his  return,  he,  with  the  aid 
of  the  O’Neils,  O’Reillys,  O’Connors,  M’Geoghegans, 
and  others  of  the  Irish,  defeated  the  united  forces  of 
Ulick  M’William  Burke,  chieftain  of  Connaught,  Tirlogh 
O’Brien,  Maelrony  O’Carrol,  and  others,  four  thousand 
of  whom,  according  to  some  accounts,  or  nine  thousand, 
according  to  others,  were  left  dead  upon  the  field. 

The  virulence  of  civil  discord  was  augmented  during  the 
succeeding  reign  by  religious  controversy.  Henry  VIII. 
having  succeeded  in  extinguishing  the  papal  power  in 
England,  attempted  to  accomplish  the  same  object  in  Ire- 
land, but  with  different  success.  Though  supported  by  the 
bishops  of  English  birth,  his  scheme  was  obstinately  resist- 
ed by  the  Irish.  The  native  chieftains,  also,  from  a con- 
viction that  in  opposing  these  innovations  they  were  main- 
taining the  cause  not  only  of  their  independence  but  of 
their  religion,  were  stimulated  to  the  greatest  efforts.  The 
Irish  of  Ulster  confederated  under  O’Neil  as  the  champion 
of  the  cause  ; but  a victory  gained  over  them  at  Ballyhae 
by  Lord  Grey,  the  lord  deputy,  dissolved  their  union. 
O’Neil,  De  Burgo  and  others  submitted  and  exchanged  their 
ancient  dignities  for  those  of  English  nobility.  About  this 
time,  also,  Henry,  from  a wish  to  confirm  his  authority  by 
the  assumption  of  a more  imposing  title,  had  himself  styled 
king  instead  of  lord  of  Ireland,  under  which  name  the  sov- 
ereign authority  had  been  hitherto  exercised. 

The  short  reign  of  Philip  and  Mary  was  marked  by  an 
attempt  to  restore  the  Roman  Catholic  form  of  worship, 
and  by  the  formation  of  the  districts  of  Leix  and  Offaley 
into  shire-ground,  under  the  names  of  the  King’s  and 
Queen’s  counties,  the  assize  towns  of  which  were  named 
Philipstown  and  Maryborough,  in  honour  of  the  sovereigns 
who  had  effected  the  measure. 

The  contest  between  the  conflicting  interests  was  carried 
to  its  greatest  height  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth.  The  Irish 
were  headed  by  John  or  Shane  O’Neil,  son  of  the  first  earl 
of  Tyrone.  Early  in  this  reign  he  had  not  only  tendered 
his  submission  to  the  lord  deputy,  but  even  proceeded  to 
London,  attended  by  a numerous  train,  to  offer  it  in  person 
to  the  queen.  The  appearance  of  his  retinue  there  struck 
the  beholders  with  astonishment.  His  guard  of  gallow- 
glasses,  or  heavy  armed  soldiers,  were  arrayed  in  the  full 
costume  of  their  native  country.  Each  carried  a large  bat- 
tle-axe, his  head  was  bare,  his  hair  flowed  loosely  over  his 
shoulders ; he  was  clad  in  a linen  shirt  of  extravagant  di- 
mensions, died  yellow,  over  which  he  wore  his  armour  and 
a loose  cloak.  The  queen  received  him  with  great  favour, 
and  dismissed  him  with  several  valuable  presents,  a large 
loan  of  money,  and  an  assurance  of  her  protection. 

But  these  proofs  of  a pacific  disposition  were  not  of  long 
continuance.  Shortly  after  his  return  he  broke  out  into 
open  rebellion,  from  what  cause  is  not  clearly  ascertained. 
After  a protracted  struggle  against  the  lord  deputy  Sir 
Henry  Sidney,  in  the  course  of  which  he  took  the  city  of 
Derry,  he  was  reduced  to  such  extremity  as  to  have  re- 
course to  his  bitter  enemies  the  Scotch,  rather  than  throw 
himself  on  the  mercy  of  those  he  still  more  abhorred.  His 
choice  proved  fatal  to  him.  On  his  arrival  at  the  Scotch 
quarters  he  was  hospitably  received  by  their  commander, 
but  on  the  same  evening  was  assassinated  in  his  tent  at 
an  entertainment,  during  a quarrel,  supposed  to  have 


been  intentionally  excited  as  a pretence  for  this  viola- 
tion of  the  rights  of  hospitality.  His  head  was  afterwards 
transmitted  to  Dublin,  where  it  was  exposed  on  the  cas- 
tle gate. 

During  this  and  other  similar  insurrections  in  various 
parts,  the  English  government  made  some  progress  in  ex- 
tending and  consolidating  its  authority.  The  Annaly,  a 
district  subject  to  the  M’Mahons,  was  formed  into  a county 
under  the  name  of  Longford.  Connaught  was  partitioned 
into  the  five  counties  of  which  it  consists  at  present,  in  addi- 
tion to  which,  Clare,  now  part  of  Munster,  was  considered 
to  be  a sixth  ; in  all  these  districts  Irish  chieftainries  were 
abolished,  and  the  supremacy  of  English  law  acknowledged. 
But  the  south  of  Ireland  still  continued  to  exhibit  scenes  of 
turbulence,  insurrection  and  desolation.  The  Earl  of  Des- 
mond, a scion  of  the  Geraldine  or  Fitzgerald  family,  had 
long  exerted  an  almost  regal  authority  throughout  the  coun- 
ties of  Kerry,  Cork  and  Waterford,  and  now,  relying  on 
the  assurances  of  support  from  foreign  powers  and  chiefly 
from  Spain,  he  at  length  openly  set  up  the  standard  of  re- 
volt. The  fate  of  a small  body  of  Spaniards,  who  landed 
at  Smerwick  to  cause  a division  in  his  favour,  has  been  al- 
ready mentioned.  Desmond  himself,  after  maintaining  a des- 
perate struggle  against  the  queen’s  forces,  was  compelled  to 
shelter  himself  among  the  woods  and  morasses,  where,  after 
undergoing  extreme  hardships,  he  was  at  length  put  to  death 
in  his  place  of  concealment.  His  immense  property  es- 
cheated to  the  crown,  and  was  parcelled  out  principally 
among  the  heads  of  the  great  families  that  had  preserved 
their  allegiance. 

The  spirit  of  insurrection  was  scarcely  quelled  in  Mun- 
ster, when  it  broke  out  again  in  the  north.  Hugh  O’Neil, 
grandson  of  the  first  earl  of  Tyrone,  taking  advantage  of  an 
attempt,  made  with  more  vigour  than  prudence,  to  force  the 
English  law  upon  the  natives  in  Ulster,  raised  the  standard 
of  revolt,  and  maintained  a position  of  independence  during 
all  the  latter  part  of  Elizabeth’s  reign.  This  princess  sent 
her  favourite  Essex  into  Ireland,  at  the  head  of  a numerous 
and  well-appointed  army,  to  subdue  him  ; but  the  royal 
forces  wasted  away  without  effecting  any  thing  of  conse- 
quence, and  Essex  himself,  returning  precipitately  into  Eng- 
land, met  with  the  fate  which  forms  so  romantic  a feature  in 
the  annals  of  her  last  years.  Ultimately,  however,  Tyrone, 
notwithstanding  a diversion  caused  in  his  favour  by  the  ar- 
rival of  an  armament  from  Spain,  which  kept  possession  of 
Kinsale  for  some  time,  was  reduced  to  such  extremities  as 
compelled  him  to  compound  for  his  personal  safety  by  a 
most  humble  submission. 

Sir  John  Davies,  who,  in  the  commencement  of  the 
reign  of  James  the  First,  published  his  elaborate  treatise  on 
the  causes  why  Ireland  had  never  been  completely  subdued, 
lays  it  down  as  a principle,  that  a barbarous  country  must 
first  be  broken  by  a war,  before  it  can  be  made  capable  of 
benefiting  by  good  government.  Without  entering  into  the 
discussion  of  a principle  the  soundness  of  which  is  upon  a 
par  with  its  humanity,  it  may  be  safely  asserted  that  its 
practical  efficacy  was  put  fully  to  the  test  in  Ireland.  The 
country  at  Elizabeth’s  death  was  nearly  a desert.  Mory- 
son,  in  his  account  of  the  war  against  Tyrone  in  Ulster,  es- 
timates the  surviving  population  at  not  more  than  seven 
hundred  thousand  souls,  and  both  he  and  Spenser  describe 
the  sufferings  of  the  wretched  peasantry  in  language  that 
makes  humanity  shudder. 

James  I.  during  the  greater  part  of  his  reign, applied  him 


BOOK  CliVII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


627 


self  sedulously  to  what  was  called,  in  the  quaint  phrase- 
ology of  the  time,  the  plantation  of  Ulster.  The  six  coun- 
ties forfeited  by  Tyrone  and  other  northern  chieftains  were 
parcelled  out  into  estates  of  various  dimensions ; flattering 
inducements  were  held  out  to  English  and  Scotch  agricul- 
turists to  settle  on  them.  Much  of  the  land  was  purchased 
by  some  of  the  London  trading  companies,  who  still,  under 
the  name  of  the  Irish  Society,  retain  the  proprietorship  of 
extensive  tracts  in  those  counties.  Large  portions  of  land 
were  also  appropriated  to  the  clergy  and  to  the  public 
schools. 

The  country  during  his  reign  was  peaceable  and  prosper- 
ous. But  the  progress  of  improvement  experienced  a fatal 
check  in  that  of  his  son  and  successor  Charles  the  First, 
whose  lieutenant,  the  Earl  of  Strafford,  by  his  harsh  and  un- 
justifiable measures,  utterly  destroyed  the  spirit  of  confidence 
between  prince  and  people.  By  calling  in  question  the  ti- 
tles of  the  landed  proprietors  in  Connaught,  he  excited  a 
suspicion  of  further  aggressions,  and  this,  joined  with  the 
unsettled  state  of  England,  led  to  the  catastrophe  which 
nearly  annihilated  the  British  dominion  in  Ireland. 

The  conspiracy  by  which  this  object  was  to  have  been 
effected,  and  which  was  detected  on  the  very  day  fixed  on 
for  its  execution,  was  to  have  commenced  its  operations  by 
the  seizure  of  the  castle  of  Dublin.1  Lord  Maguire,  one  of 
its  most  active  agents,  was  seized  and  executed  in  London. 
Yet  its  failure  in  the  capital  did  not  prevent  its  explosion 
elsewhere.  It  broke  out  with  dreadful  violence  in  the  north, 
where  Sir  Phelim  O’Neil  soon  found  himself  master  of  all 
Ulster,  with  the  exception  of  a few  of  the  larger  towns.  The 
accounts  of  the  atrocities  committed  at  the  commencement 
of  the  insurrection  have  been  much  exaggerated  by  the  vir- 
ulence of  party  ; some  of  the  details  of  the  murders  said  to 
have  been  committed  by  the  insurgents  are  of  a character 
to  excite  incredulity  rather  than  to  secure  belief.  But  this 
much  is  certain,  that  the  contest,  which  raged  with  various 
success  and  in  many  varieties  of  form  throughout  the  coun- 
try from  1641  to  1652,  was  carried  on  with  all  the  bitter- 
ness that  characterizes  civil  war  aggravated  by  religious  an- 
imosity. 

Cromwell,  who  landed  in  1649,  brought  the  contest  to  a 
speedy  termination.  His  first  military  act  was  the  invest- 
ment of  Drogheda,  which  he  took  by  storm  and  put  the 
whole  garrison  to  the  sword,  by  this  terrible  example  of 
military  execution  opening  to  himself  an  easy  entrance  in- 
to most  of  the  other  fortified  places  in  Ireland.  The  em- 
bers of  resistance  which  his  recal  to  England  obliged  him 
to  leave  unextinguished,  were  finally  quenched  by  Ireton 
and  his  other  generals,  and  the  country  remained  in  a state 
of  passive  subjection  to  the  Parliament  of  England  until  the 
Restoration. 

The  commencement  of  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second 
forms  one  of  the  great  epochs  of  Irish  history.  During  the 
republican  government,  the  landed  property  of  the  country 
had  been  transferred,  with  a few  exceptions,  from  the  an- 
cient owners  to  the  soldiers  of  the  conquering  army,  or  to 
speculating  adventurers  who  had  advanced  money  to  the 
Commonwealth,  on  the  assurance  of  repayment  with  liber- 
al interest  from  the  confiscations  that  had  been  anticipated 
as  the  necessary  consequence  of  unsuccessful  resistance  to 
the  constituted  authorities  of  the  day.  The  extent  of  these 
confiscations  was  enormous.  Of  upwards  of  20,000,000 

a The  day  fixed  for  the  seizure  ef  Dublin  Castle  was  Oct.  22,  IG41. 
The  principal  leader  in  this  rebellion  was  Roger  Moore. — P. 


acres  which  Ireland  contains,  12,634,711  were  thus  trans- 
ferred. A transfer  of  persons  as  well  as  of  property  took 
place.  The  Roman  Catholics,  who  were  so  fortunate  as  to 
prove  by  satisfactory  evidence  that  they  had  taken  no  part 
in  the  war,  and  who,  on  the  establishment  of  such  proof,  were 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  innocent  papists,  were  com- 
pelled to  remove  into  Connaught,  where  they  were  allowed 
to  hold  lands  of  inferior  quality,  but  subject  to  a chief  rent 
to  the  crown,  which,  however  trifling  its  amount  may  ap- 
pear at  the  present  day,  was  then  a heavy  drawback  upon 
the  tenant’s  industry.  They  were  also  restricted  from  set- 
tling within  a mile  of  the  sea-coast,  and  still  further,  were 
excluded  from  residing  within  any  walled  town.  The  links 
of  amicable  communion  being  thus  effectually  rent  asunder, 
between  the  two  great  classes  of  society,  the  proprietors  and 
the  peasantry,  and  the  line  of  demarcation  being  still  more 
strongly  marked  by  the  invidious  distinction  between  Prot 
estant  and  Catholic,  every  avenue  to  a mutual  amalgama 
tion  of  sentiment  and  interest  was  closed,  and  the  two  par 
ties  were  doomed  by  the  acts  of  Charles  the  Second,  con- 
firming the  confiscations  of  the  republican  government,  to 
exist  as  two  distinct  nations  in  the  same  country,  known  to 
each  other  only  by  a reciprocity  of  infliction  and  ofsufferance. 

The  reign  of  James  the  Second  excited  a hope  in  the 
depressed  party  that  this  system  was  to  have  an  end.  The 
pusillanimity  of  this  monarch  and  the  vigor  of  his  rival 
quickly  dissipated  any  such  expectation.  The  former, 
when  driven  from  Great  Britain,  made  an  effort  to  regain 
his  elevated  position  through  the  energies  of  his  Irish  sub- 
jects. But  he  was  wholly  unqualified  to  direct  or  to  sus- 
tain those  energies.  After  a struggle  of  four  years,  in 
which  he  was  baffled  personally  at  the  Boyne,  and  after- 
wards, through  his  generals,  at  Athlone  and  Aglnim,  the 
surrender  of  Limerick,  his  last  hold  in  the  country,  extin- 
guished eVery  gleam  of  hope.  The  whole  population  sub- 
mitted to  the  English  government  with  the  exception  of 
those  ardent  spirits  who  preferred  the  vicissitudes  of  a life 
of  exile  to  the  monotony  of  domestic  subjugation.  These 
were  formed  into  a corps  in  the  service  of  France  under 
the  name  of  the  Irish  brigade,  where  during  the  succeed- 
ing wars  on  the  continent  they  performed  good  service 
against  the  government  by  which  they  had  been  expat- 
riated. The  number  of  Irish  thus  driven  into  the  ranks 
of  the  enemy  maybe  estimated  from  the  fact,  that,  accord- 
ing to  the  official  statements  of  the  French  army  accounts, 
there  died  in  that  service  between  the  taking  of  Limerick 
in  1691  and  the  battle  of  Fontenoy  in  1745,  a period  of  lit- 
tle more  than  fifty  years,  no  fewer  than  450,000  Irish  sol- 
diers. These  regiments  were  always  led  on  against  the 
English  with  the  emphatic  words,  before  used  under  similar 
circumstances  at  the  battle  of  the  Boyne  by  Schomberg, 
when  encouraging  his  Huguenot  soldiers  against  King 
James’s  French  auxiliaries,  “Gentlemen,  behold  your 
persecutors.” 

The  attention  of  the  victorious  party  in  Ireland  was 
now  wholly  directed  to  the  securing  of  its  conquest.  To 
effect  this,  a new  confiscation  of  property  took  place,  to 
the  amount  of  1,718,320  acres,  which  was  succeeded 
by  the  enactment  of  a series  of  laws  of  extreme  rigour, 
since  known  by  the  name  of  the  Penal  Code,  framed 
for  the  express  purpose  of  utterly  extirpating  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion.  The  effect  of  this  system,  so  far  as 
it  affected  the  security  of  the  new  proprietors,  and  the 
prostration  of  the  proscribed  mode  of  faith,  was  com 


628 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL, VII. 


plete.  During  the  first  subsequent  rebellion  in  Great 
Britain  in  favour  of  the  son  of  James  II., a Ireland  was 
perfectly  tranquil  ; nor  could  the  slightest  trace  of  any 
communication  between  the  native  Irish  and  the  ad- 
herents of  the  Pretender  in  France  or  Scotland  be  de- 
tected. But,  at  the  same  time,  the  country  was  reduced 
to  such  an  extreme  of  internal  wretchedness,  that  Swift 
gave  vent  to  his  feelings  of  exasperated  patriotism,  in 
the  bitterest  strain  of  sarcastic  irony,  published  under 
the  title  of  “ a modest  proposal  for  preventing  the  chil- 
dren of  poor  people  in  Ireland  from  being  a burden  to 
their  parents  and  country,”  by  making  use  of  their  flesh 
as  an  article  of  food.  On  the  rumour  of  a second  at- 
tempt in  favour  of  the  dethroned  family,  which  was 
carried  into  effect  in  Scotland  in  1745,  the  Earl  of  Ches- 
terfield was  sent  over  as  lord  lieutenant,  and  this  noble- 
man, with  equal  good  feeling  and  good  policy,  relaxed 
the  rigour  of  the  penal  code  so  far  as  to  overlook  the 
breach  of  law  committed  by  Roman  Catholics  in  assem- 
bling together  for  the  celebration  of  divine  worship. 

In  the  year  1759,  the  landing  of  the  French  under 
Thurot  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  afforded  another  test  of 
the  spirit  of  the  country.  Though  this  petty  invasion 
was  merely  a feint  to  veil  the  movements  of  a larger 
armament,  and  proceeded  no  farther  than  the  momentary 
possession  of  the  almost  dismantled  castle  of  Carrick- 
fergus,  the  sensation  excited  by  it  pervaded  the  whole 
island  ; an  expression  of  determined  resistance  was  uni- 
versally and  unequivocally  displayed. 

Not  long  after,  an  important  change  took  place  in  the 
constitution  of  the  Irish  parliament.  The  members  of 
tbe  House  of  Commons  had  hitherto  held  their  seats 
during  the  life  of  the  reigning  king.  The  bond  be- 
tween the  constituent  and  his  representatives  was,  there- 
fore, little  more  than  nominal ; there  was  no  sympathy 
on  the  one  side,  no  control  on  the  other.  The  lord 
lieutenants,  also,  instead  of  making  the  country  the  place 
of  their  constant  residence,  visited  it  but  once  in  two 
years  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a parliament,  leaving 
the  details  of  government  during  the  intervals  in  the 
hands  of  two  or  three  of  the  chief  residents,  who,  under 
the  title  of  lords  justices,  actually  possessed  all  the  in- 
fluence, and  consequently  all  the  powers  of  the  state. 
In  the  year  1768,  an  act  was  passed,  in  consequence  of 
the  reiterated  remonstrances  of  the  Irish  House  of  Com- 
mons, limiting  the  duration  of  parliament  to  eight  years, 
and  at  the  same  time,  the  lord  lieutenant  was  required 
to  reside  in  Ireland.  The  secondary  influence  of  the 
lords  justices  being  thus  annihilated,  the  lord  lieuten- 
ant became  the  actual  as  well  as  the  nominal  governor, 
and  the  House  of  Commons  felt  the  necessity  of  being, 
in  some  degree  at  least,  the  real  protectors  of  those 
popular  rights  which  they  were  chosen  to  maintain. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  American  war  in  1775,  af- 
forded ample  scope  for  the  exertion  of  the  newly  ac- 
quired powers  of  the  popular  branch  of  the  legislature. 
Enlarged  views  of  the  reciprocal  interests  of  the  two 
great  portions  of  the  empire  called  for  new  enactments. 
The  Irish  parliament,  which  had  hitherto  acquiesced  in 
all  the  arrangements  transmitted  from  England,  began  to 
exert  the  right  of  judging  and  of  legislating  for  itself. 
The  agitation  of  the  American  question,  and  the  unex- 


pected incidents  consequent  on  the  commencement  of 
hostilities  with  that  country,  afforded  new  cause  of  ex- 
citement to  the  public  mind.  Most  of  the  troops  had 
been  called  out  of  Ireland,  for  transatlantic  service  ; so 
that,  when,  on  the  apprehension  of  an  invasion  from 
France,  an  application  was  made  to  the  government  for 
an  adequate  supply  of  troops  to  meet  the  impending 
emergency,  the  answer  given  by  the  lord  lieutenant  was, 
that  Great  Britain  had  no  troops  to  spare,  and  that  the 
nation  must  look  to  itself  for  the  means  of  self-defence. 
The  hint  was  taken  ; the  people  armed  themselves  ; at 
first  in  detached  and  unconnected  bodies,  but  gradually 
convinced  of  the  necessity  for  combined  exertion,  they 
ultimately  formed  themselves  into  an  organized  and 
disciplined  army,  amounting  to  42,000  men,  at  the 
head  of  which  was  placed,  by  unanimous  consent,  the 
Earl  of  Charlemont,  a nobleman  who,  after  having  spent 
the  bloom  of  his  youth  in  the  elegant  enjoyments  of  the 
most  polished  courts  in  Europe,  had  the  courage  to 
break  their  fascinating  bonds,  and  to  devote  himself  to 
a constant  residence  at  home,  at  that  time  a country  of 
few  intellectual  attractions,  in  order  to  aid,  by  his  ex- 
ample and  influence,  the  introduction  of  the  spirit  of 
refinement  which  his  observations,  when  abroad,  had 
taught  him  to  be  necessary  to  elevate  his  native  land  to 
its  proper  position  in  the  scale  of  civilized  society. 

The  people  having,  by  this  determined  and  simultane- 
ous act,  effectually  dissipated  all  apprehensions  of  danger 
from  a foreign  enemy,  began  to  turn  their  thoughts  to 
wards  the  internal  improvement  of  the  country.  They 
called  upon  their  representatives  for  a repeal  of  those 
laws,  which,  framed  with  the  expressed  intention  of  con- 
solidating the  strength  of  the  empire  by  confining  each 
division  of  it  within  the  limits  of  its  own  resources  and 
capabilities,  had,  in  reality,  weakened  it  by  ill-judged 
restrictions  on  the  dependent  portion.  The  volunteer 
association  changed  its  character ; it  became  a delibera- 
tive as  well  as  a military  body.  A meeting  of  delegates 
from  all  the  corps  in  Ulster,  convened  at  Dungannon, 
adopted  resolutions  declaratory  of  the  right  of  the  Irish 
legislature  to  make  laws,  uncontrolled  by  any  external 
interference.  The  spirit  thus  excited  rapidly  transferred 
itself  into  the  parliament.  Henry  Grattan,  whom  Lord 
Charlemont,  from  a conviction  of  his  great  latent  powers, 
had  introduced  into  the  House  of  Commons,  took  the 
lead  within  that  house,  in  asserting  the  independence  of 
the  Irish  legislature.  Supported  by  the  combined  exer- 
tions of  the  advocates  of  the  measure,  both  within  and 
without  its  walls,  he  eventually  succeeded  in  obtaining 
an  explicit  renunciation  of  the  claim  of  legislative  control 
on  the  part  of  Great  Britain. 

Another  great  question  still  remained  unsettled.  The 
independence  of  the  parliament  could  avail  but  little  if 
its  members  continued  liable  to  tbe  influence  of  ministe- 
rial corruption.  The  volunteers,  therefore,  called  for  a 
reform  in  the  House  of  Commons.  A second  delegated 
meeting  assembled  in  Dublin  for  the  express  purpose  of 
taking  the  opinion  of  the  armed  population  of  Ireland  on 
the  subject.  The  parliament  and  the  volunteers  were 
now  at  issue.  The  metropolis  presented  the  anomalous 
exhibition  of  two  rival  delegated  bodies,  each  professing 
to  emanate  from  the  people,  each  claiming  to  be  the  ex- 
clusive organ  of  its  sentiments,  and  each  determined  to 
control  the  other.  The  parliament  prevailed : it  passed 


» In  1715. 


BOOK  CliVII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


629 


a vote  declaratory  of  its  own  omnipotence  ; the  volun- 
teer assembly  adjourned  sine  die,  and  the  question  of 
reform  was  lost. 

From  this  moment  the  spirit  of  volunteering  began 
to  evaporate.  The  peace  with  America  rendered  their 
services,  in  a military  point  of  view,  unnecessary  ; the 
late  triumph  of  the  ministerial  party  in  parliament-, prov- 
ed their  inefficacy  towards  vindicating  the  right  of  the 
people  to  an  effective  control  over  the  conduct  of  their 
representatives.  They  gradually  declined  in  num- 
bers and  in  spirit,  until  they  were  finally  put  down, 
without  the  slightest  semblance  of  resistance,  by  a 
proclamation  from  the  government  prohibiting  their  as- 
semblage. 

In  the  .year  1789,  a great  international  question  arose, 
which  Served  to  show  the  practical  effect  of  the  lately 
acquired  independence  of  the  Irish  parliament.  George 
III.  was  attacked  by  a mental  derangement  that  wholly 
precluded  him  from  holding  the  reins  of  government. 
A regency  became  necessary.  The  parliaments  of  the 
two  countries  were  at  issue  on  the  point.  Both  agreed 
that  the  sovereign  authority  should  be  intrusted  to  the 
heir-apparent,  then  in  the  full  maturity  of  age.  But, 
while  the  parliament  of  Great  Britain  determined  to  im- 
pose restraints  on  his  exercise  of  the  functions  of  royalty, 
that  of  Ireland  resolved  to  present  the  regency  to  him 
unshackled  by  any  limitations  beyond  those  imposed  by 
the  constitution  on  the  sovereign  himself.  Matters  had 
proceeded  so  far  that  a delegation  from  both  houses  of  the 
Irish  parliament  was  despatched  to  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
to  offer  him  the  unrestricted  regency  of  Ireland.  On 
its  arrival  in  London,  the  king  was  declared  to  be  so  far 
restored  to  the  due  use  of  his  mental  faculties,  as  to  be 
enabled  to  resume  the  government.  The  delegates  re- 
turned ; but  from  that  moment  the  British  minister  de- 
termined, by  an  amalgamation  of  both  parliaments,  to 
prevent  the  risk  of  such  collisions  in  future. 

During  the  progress  of  those  political  movements,  the 
Roman  Catholics  were  gradually  extricating  themselves 
from  the  yoke  of  servitude  imposed  on  them  by  the 
penal  code.  In  the  year  1745,  as  has  been  already  no- 
ticed, the  first  alleviation  of  their  degraded  state  was 
afforded  them  by  the  Earl  of  Chesterfield’s  allowing 
their  assemblage  for  devotional  purposes  to  be  held  with- 
out molestation  from  the  constituted  authorities,  an  act 
of  toleration  in  its  most  limited  sense.  In  1774,  parlia- 
ment passed  a statute  allowing  them  to  testify  their  alle- 
giance. Even  this  was  a boon,  for  hitherto  the  exist- 
ence of  a Roman  Catholic  was  not  recognised  in  the  eye 
of  the  law.  In  1779,  they  were  permitted  to  hold  lands 
on  leases  for  999  years,  having  previously  taken  the  oath 
of  allegiance. 

In  the  year  1793,  the  progress  of  the  French  revolu- 
tion had  excited  a spirit  of  restless  innovation,  which, 
instead  of  endeavouring  to  obtain  the  redress  of  real 
grievances  by  constitutional  means,  displayed  itself  in 
acts  of  violence  against  the  constituted  authorities. 
The  ministry,  partly  with  a view  to  conciliate  the  great 
body  of  the  people,  partly  in  accordance  with  fee  grow- 
ing spirit  ot  liberality  that  every  day  more  strongly  mark- 
ed the  advance  of  knowledge,  granted  to  the  Roman 
Catholics^  besides  several  minor  privileges,  the  right  of 
voting  for  the  election  of  members  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  thus  extending  to  them  the  enjoyment  of 


every  privilege  exercised  by  Protestants,  except  that  of 
sitting  in  parliament.  But  the  concession,  made  unde 
unfavourable  circumstances,  was  accepted  as  *i  right 
rather  than  as  a favour.  The  spirit  of  discontent  still 
prevalent  was  sedulously  fostered  by  a society  formed  in 
Belfast  under  the  name  of  LTnited  Irishmen,  and  after- 
wards extended  to  Dublin.  Its  professed  object  was  the 
obtaining  of  parliamentary  reform;  but  soon,  enlarging 
its  views  with  its  increase  of  strength,  it  determined  on 
obtaining  a separation  from  England  by  force  of  arms. 
Such  was  the  activity  of  its  members,  that  in  a few  years 
they  had  organized  a secret  confederacy  of  500,000  men. 
Their  measures  at  home  were  ably  seconded  abroad  by 
Theobald  Wolfe  Tone,  originally  the  secretary  of  the 
society,  who,  having  been  forced  to  fly  in  order  to  avoid 
a criminal  prosecution  for  high  treason,  succeeded  in 
prevailing  on  the  republican  government  of  France  to 
send  a large  armament,  under  their  favourite  general 
Hoche,  to  invade  Ireland.  The  fleet,  by  a most  daring 
manoeuvre,  arrived  in  safety  on  the  south  coast  of  Ire- 
land ; but  the  vessel  of  their  commander-in-chief  having 
been  separated  from  the  rest  by  a storm,  Grouchy,  the 
next  in  command,  by  his  indecision,  lost  the  opportunity 
of  effecting  a landing,  and  the  fleet,  after  lying  a few 
days  unmolested  in  Bantry  Bay,  retraced  its  course,  and 
arrived  again  at  Brest  in  safety. 

The  possibility  of  the  recurrence  of  such  a visitation 
urged  the  government  to  use  the  most  violent  and  un- 
warrantable means  for  its  prevention.  The  Protestants 
were  all  armed  under  the  name  of  yeomanry  ; the  milita- 
ry were  encouraged  to  the  committal  of  such  excesses,  that 
General  Abercrombie,  then  first  in  command  in  Ireland,  in 
expressing  his  abhorrence  of  their  licentious  behaviour, 
declared  in  public  that  the  soldiery  were  formidable  to 
every  one  but  their  enemies.  He  was  forthwith  re- 
moved, and  General  Lake  appointed  in  his  stead.  The 
country  was  put  under  military  law ; suspected  persons 
were  seized,  tried  by  court-martial  at  the  drum-head, 
and  scourged  or  executed  by  its  summary  sentence. 
Torture  was  applied  to  force  confession.  At  length,  in 
the  spring  of  1798,  the  rebellion,  which  had  been  fo- 
mented by  the  United  Irishmen,  and  urged  forward  by 
the  barbarities  of  the  government,  burst  forth  in  the 
counties  of  Wexford  and  Antrim.  After  a short  but 
sanguinary  struggle,  it  was  quelled.  A small  force  oi 
about  1000  French  landed  in  the  autumn  of  the  same 
year  at  Killala,  and  after  routing  the  troops  collected  to 
oppose  them,  penetrated  as  far  as  the  county  of  Long- 
ford, where  they  surrendered  to  the  overwhelming  num- 
bers brought  against  them  by  Lord  Cornwallis,  then  lord 
lieutenant. 

The  next  two  years  were  employed  in  effecting  the 
union,  a measure  which,  as  has  been  already  said,  was 
never  lost  sight  of  by  the  government  since  the  pe- 
riod of  the  regency  question.  The  system  of  unre- 
lenting severity  which  had  characterised  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  ministry  before  and  during  the  rebellion, 
was  now  seconded  by  one  of  unlimited,  undisguised 
corruption.  Every  place,  every  office,  spiritual  as  well 
as  temporal,  was  for  sale;  parliamentary  influence  was 
the  price.  The  question  of  the  Union,  after  having 
been  rejected  in  the  House  of  Commons  by  a small  ma- 
jority in  1799,  was  brought  forward  again  in  the  suc- 
ceeding year,  and  carried.  The  first  day  of  the  year 


630 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CXVII 


1801  saw  the  union  standard  floating  over  the  gate  of 
Dublin  Castle. 

The  history  of  Ireland,  after  this  period,  becomes  in  a 
great  measure  identified  with  that  of  Great  Britain.  A 
partial  insurrection  which  broke  out  unexpectedly  in 
1803,  disturbed  for  a moment  the  torpid  tranquillity  of 
the  country.  It  was  the  act  but  of  a single  night ; its 
leaders  suffered  the  penalties  of  the  law,  and  the  aspect 
of  public  affairs  immediately  resumed  its  former  appear- 
ance. The  remainder  of  the  period  to  the  present  time 
presents  little  but  the  repetition  of  efforts  on  the  part  of 
the  Roman  Catholics  who  composed  the  bulk  of  the 
population,  to  obtain  the  great  privilege  from  which  they 
were  still  debarred,  the  right  of  sitting  in  parliament. 
Their  perseverance  has  at  length  been  crowned  with 
success;1  but  the  detail  of  the  proceedings  that  led  to 
this  result  is  too  complicated  to  be  compressed,  and  too 
recent  to  require  a detailed  narration. 

According  to  the  civil  division  of  the  country,  Ireland 
contains  thirty-two  counties,  of  which  twelve  are  in 
Leinster,  nine  in  Ulster,  six  in  Munster,  and  five  in  Con- 
naught; besides  which,  five  cities,  Dublin,  Cork,  Lim- 
erick, Waterford,  and  Kilkenny,  and  three  towns,  Gal- 
way, Drogheda,  and  Carrickfergus,  are  considered  to  be 
detached  counties,  having  a municipal  jurisdiction,  ex- 
tending to  a certain  tract  round  each,  wholly  inde- 
pendent of  that  of  the  county  in  which  they  are  situated, 
it  is  represented  in  the  imperial  parliament  by  twenty- 
eight  peers,  and  one  hundred  commoners,  of  which  lat- 
ter, two  are  returned  from  each  of  the  thiity-two  coun- 
ties, two  from  Dublin  city,  two  from  Cork  city,  one  from 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and  one  from  each  of  thirty-one 
borough  towns. b 

Until  the  year  1829,  the  right  of  election  in  counties 
was  vested  in  all  the  freeholders  of  forty  shillings  and 
upwards,  consisting  of  by  much  the  greater  part  of  the 
landholders  ; and  in  cities  and  corporate  towns,  of  those 
and  of  the  freemen  admitted  according  to  the  peculiar 
regulations  of  the  corporation.  But,  on  the  passing  of 
the  relief  bill,  which  restored  to  the  Roman  Catholics 
their  right  of  sitting  in  parliament,  the  privilege  of  voting 
for  members  of  counties  was  limited  to  landholders  pos- 
sessing freeholds  of  L.10  value  or  upwards  ; the  qualifi- 
cations of  electors  in  cities  and  boroughs  remaining 
unaltered.  The  number  of  electors  in  counties,  has,  in 
consequence,  been  reduced  from  216,891  to  39,772, 
while  that  of  the  electors  in  cities  and  towns  is  estimated 
at  20,520;  the  whole  of  the  constituency  of  Ireland, 
therefore,  consists  at  present  of  60,292  voters  for  eight 
millions  of  souls, c being  in  the  ratio  nearly  of  one  to 
every  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  individuals,  or  to  ev- 
ery twenty-two  families. 

The  administration  of  the  government  is  vested  nomi- 
nally in  the  lord  lieutenant,  removable  at  pleasure, 
though  usually  retaining  his  situation  for  five  years,  but 

* A.  D.  1820. 

''  By  the  articles  of  union,  Ireland  was  represented  by  four  lords 
spiritual,  by  rotation  of  sessions,  by  twenty-eight  lords  temporal,  elect- 
ed for  life  by  the  Peers  of  Ireland,  and  by  one  hundred  commoners, 
distributed  as  in  the  text.  (Ed.  Enc.) — The  representation  of  lords 
spiritual  and  temporal  continues  the  same.  By  the  Reform  Bill  (June 
7,  1832,)  Ireland  is  represented  in  the  House  of  Commons  by  105 
members,  of  which  64  are  representatives  of  the  32  counties,  and  41 
of  boroughs,  cities  and  the  University,  viz.  for  Dublin  city,  Cork  city, 
Limerick,  Waterford,  Galway,  Belfast,  and  the  University,  two  each 
(14,)  and  one  each  for  27  boroughs,  five  new  members  being  added. — P. 


really  in  this  functionary’s  chief  secretary,  who  is  con- 
sidered as  responsible  to  parliament  for  the  management 
of  the  country.  The  lord  lieutenant  is  assisted  by  a 
privy  council  invested  with  large  powers,  and  consisting 
of  the  great  law  officers,  and  a few  others,  chiefly  public 
servants  of  the  crown. 

The  judicial  power  is  lodged  in  the  hands  of  the  lord 
chancellor,  and  the  four  judges  of  each  of  the  courts  of 
King’s  Bench,  Exchequer,  and  Common  Pleas.  The 
chancellor  is  assisted  by  the  master  of  the  rolls,  who 
presides  in  a subordinate  court  of  equity.  For  the  gen- 
eral dispensation  of  justice,  the  country  is  divided  into 
six  circuits,  each  of  which  is  visited  by  two  of  the  law 
judges  twice  every  year.  Minor  causes  are  tried  at  the 
quarter  sessions,  at  which  such  of  the  county  justices  as 
choose  preside.  A salaried  lawyer,  called  asslsflnt  bar- 
rister, has  a place  on  the  bench,  to  afford  the  magistrates 
the  aid  of  his  legal  knowledge. 

By  a late  arrangement,  the  superintendance  of  the 
counties  is  committed,  as  in  England,  to  a lord  lieuten- 
ant appointed  by  the  government,  who  is  considered  as 
in  some  degree  responsible  for  the  preservation  of  the 
public  peace,  and,  therefore,  has  the  recommendation 
of  nominating  and  removing  the  magistrates. 

The  local  arrangements  of  the  counties  are  regulated 
by  the  grand  juries,  consisting  of  twenty-three  of  the 
principal  landed  proprietors,  if  resident,  or  of  their 
agents,  if  absentees.  They  are  nominated  by  the  high 
sheriff,  and  are  seldom  changed  ; thus  forming  a local 
aristocracy.  Their  power  is  very  extensive  ; they  have 
the  levying  and  expenditure  of  all  the  money  laid  out  on 
roads,  bridges,  and  public  buildings  of  every  descrip- 
tion ; a weighty  trust,  checked  only  by  an  appeal  to  the 
judges  of  assize.  This  department  of  the  local  govern- 
ment has  long  been  the  subject  of  much  complaint,  on 
account  of  the  magnitude  of  the  sums  levied,  the  par- 
tiality exercised  in  its  expenditure,  and  the  unequal 
pressure  of  the  mode  of  taxation  by  which  it  is  collected. 
Besides  these  county  taxes,  each  parish  is  required  to 
defray  from  its  own  resources  the  repairs  and  mainte- 
nance of  the  parish  church,  and  the  cost  of  rebuilding  it 
when  fallen  to  decay. 

The  protection  of  life  and  property  is  intrusted,  by  a 
late  enactment,  to  a constabulary  force  consisting  of  215 
chief  constables,  1328  petty  constables,  and  4394  sub- 
constables, in  all  5937  men,  besides  stipendiary  or  sala- 
ried magistrates  in  particular  districts.  These  are  main- 
tained at  an  annual  expenditure  of  somewhat  more  than 
L.250,000,  being  at  an  average  of  about  L.41  per  man. 

The  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  is  vested  in  four  arch- 
bishops, one  for  each  province,  who  take  their  titles 
from  the  cities  of  their  residence,  viz.  Armagh,  Dublin, 
Cashel,  and  Tuam  ; under  them  are  thirty  bishopricks 
consolidated  by  unions  and  incorporations  under  eighteen 
bishops.*1  The  following  table  exhibits  at  one  view  the 

« 7,734,365.  (See  Stat.  Tab.)— P. 

d Thirty-three  dioceses,  under  four  archbishops  and  eighteen  bish- 
ops. (Ed.  Enc.) — According  to  the  writer’s  own  statement  in  his 
table,  there  are  thirty-four  bishoprics  and  twenty-two  diocesans  ; the 
four  archbishops  each  presiding  over  a separate  diocese,  exclusive  of 
his  provincial  jurisdiction.  The  bishopric  ofGlendalogh  is  not  men- 
tioned in  Ed.  Enc.  art.  Ireland.  (In  the  accountof  Dublin  (Ed.  Enc.) 
it  is  stated  that  the  diocese  of  Glendeloch  was  united  to  that  of  Dublin, 
in  1214.)  The  ecclesiastical  provinces  do  not  correspond  with  the  civil. 


BOOK  CLVII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


631 


civil  and  ecclesiastical  divisions  of  the  country,  according 
to  provinces,  counties,  and  dioceses. 

LEINSTER. 


County. 

County  Town. 

Diocese. 

Dublin 

Dublin 

Dublin,  arch-diocese. 

Meath* * 

Trimb  and  Navan 

Meath. 

Louth 

Dundalk 

included  in  Armagh  diocese. 

West  Meath 

Mullingar 

included  in  Mealli  diocese. 

Longford 

Longford 

Ardagh,  united  to  Tuam. 

King’s  County 

Philipstown 

included  in  Kildare  diocese. 

Queen’s  County  Maryborough 

j included  in  Ossory  and  Kil- 
\ dare  dioceses. 

Kildare 

Naas0  and  Atliy 

Kildare. 

Wicklow 

Wicklow 

t (ilcnthilogh, incorporated  with 
^ Dublin. 

Carlow 

Carlow 

Leighlin. 

Kilkenny 

Kilkenny 

Ossory. 

W exford 

Wexford 

Ferns,  united  to  Leighlin. 

ULSTER. 

Donegal 

Lifford 

Raphoe. 

Londonderry 

Londonderry 

Derry. 

Antrim 

Carrickfergus'1 

Connor,  united  to  Doivn. 
Clogher. 

Tyrone 

Omagh 

Down 

Downpatrick 

Down. 

Dromore. 

Armagh 

Armagh 

Armagh,  arch-diocese. 

Monaghan 

Monaghan 

included  in  Clogher  diocese. 

Cavan 

Cavan 

Kilmore. 

Fermanagh 

Enniskillen 

included  in  Clogher  diocese. 

MUNSTER. 

Clare 

Ennis 

Killaloe. 

Kilfinora,  united  to  Killaloe. 

Tipperary 

CasheP 

Cashel,  arch-diocese. 
Emly,  united  to  Cashel. 

Limerick 

Limerick 

Limerick. 

Kerry 

Tralee 

Ardfert,  united  to  Limerick. 
Aghadoe,  incorporated  ivith 

Ardfert. 

Cork 

Cork 

Cork. 

Ross,  united  to  Cork. 
Cloyne. 

W aterford 

Waterford 

Waterford. 

Lismore,  united  to  Waterford. 

CONNAUGHT. 


Mayo 

Sligo 

Leitrim 

Roscommon 

Galway 


Castlebarf  and 

Ballinrobe 

Sligo 

Carrick  on  Shan- 
non 

Roscommon 

Galway 


Kill  ala. 

Achonry,  united  to  Killala. 
included  in  Kilmore  and 
Ardagh  dioceses. 

Elphin. 

Tuam,  arch-diocese. 

Clonfert. 

Kilinaduagh/  united  to  Clon- 
fert. 


The  number  of  parishes  in  tlie  country  is  2450,  which 
are  consolidated  into  1396  benefices.  The  archbishops 
and  bishops  derive  their  incomes  chiefly  from  the  rents 
of  land,  which  are  farmed  out  by  them,  on  leases  during 
their  own  lives,  or  for  twenty-one  years  ; the  parochial 
clergy  are  supported,  in  a small  degree,  by  their  glebe- 
lands,  but  chiefly  by  the  tithes.  Until  lately,  tithe  was 
payable  only  from  arable  land,  pasture  grounds  being 
relieved  from  it  by  a vote  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
which  was  afterwards  legalized  by  an  act  of  parliament 
as  part  of  the  compact  between  the  British  ministry  and 
the  landed  proprietors  for  carrying  the  LTnion.  But 
this  system  has  since  undergone  a great  modification, 
which,  though  an  unjustifiable  infringement  on  the  prop- 
erty of  those  who  held  lands  under  the  provisions  of  the 
last  mentioned  act,  has  been  a considerable  relief  to  the 
poor  occupying  tenant.  The  tithe  can  now  be  convert- 
ed, through  a voluntary  arrangement,  between  the  incum- 
bent and  the  parishioners,  into  an  acreable  imposition  on 
the  whole  of  the  cultivated  land,  whether  under  tillage 
or  pasture  ; thus  equalizing  the  pressure  on  the  individ- 
uals, and  diminishing  the  expense  of  its  collection, 
though  in  most  instances  increasing  the  amount  of  the 
incumbent’s  salary,  by  an  augmentation  of  the  total  sum 
levied  on  the  parish.  The  act  has  already  been  carried 
into  effect  in  more  than  one-half  of  the  parishes,  1497 
having  compounded,  and  963h  remaining  still  subject  to 
the  former  usage.  The  amount  of  tithe  paid  by  the 
parishes  which  have  compounded,  is  L. 427, 594,  2s.  5d. ; 
if  the  value  of  those  which  have  not  yet  come  under 
the  operation  of  the  act  be  estimated  at  the  same  rate,  the 
total  of  the  tithe  of  Ireland  would  amount  to  L. 704, 987, 
Os.  2d.  Taking,  in  addition  to  this,  the  value  of  the 
glebe  and  glebe-house,  at  a general  average  of  L.50  per 
annum  for  each  benefice,  both  together  would  afford  a 
net  income  of  L.560  per  annum  for  each  incumbent, — 
an  income,  if  equally  apportioned,  fully  adequate  to  the 
wants  and  services  of  a body  of  men  designed  to  be  the 
instructors  and  models  of  conduct  to  the  great  mass  of 
the  population,  which  consists  of  those  in  the  mid- 
dling and  lower  walks  of  life.' 

The  incomes  of  the  clergy  officiating  in  town  parishes 
are  not  included  in  the  foregoing  calculation,  being  col- 
lected in  a different  manner  by  an  assessment  on  houses, 
called  ministers’  money.  The  number  of  parishes  so 
circumstanced  is  about  fifty. 

d The  assizes  and  elections  are  held  at  Carrickfergus ; the  quarter- 
sessions,  at  Antrim.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

0 Clonmell  is  the  county  town,  in  which  the  assizes  are  held  ; 
Cashel,  an  archiepiscopal  city,  in  which  the  quarter  sessions  are  held. 
(Ed.  Enc.)— P. 

r Castlebar  is  the  county  town.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

s Kilmacduagh.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P.  h 953? — P. 

' The  following  is  the  summary  of  the  statement  made  by  Mr. 
Griffith,  the  boundary  surveyor,  in  his  evidence  before  the  Committee 
of  the  House  of  Lords  in  1832. 


those  of  Dublin,  Kildare,  Ossory  and  Ferns  ; that  of  Cashel,  those  of 
Cashel,  Waterford,  Cork,  Cloyne,  Limerick  and  Killaloe  ; that  of 
Tuam,  those  of  Tuam,  Clonfert,  Elphin  and  Killala. — By  the  Irish 
Church  Reform  Bill,  passed  July  30,  1833,  the  archbishoprics  of 
Cashel  and  Tuam  are  reduced  to  bishoprics,  and  ten  bishoprics  united 
with  other  sees,  viz.  Dromore  with  Down,  Raplioe  with  Derry,  Clogher 
with  Armagh,  Elphin  with  Kilmore,  Killala  with  Tuam,  Clonfert 
with  Killaloe,  Cork  with  Cloyne,  Waterford  with  Cashel,  Ossory  with 
Ferns,  and  Kildare  with  Dublin. — P. 

* East  Meath. 

b Trim  is  the  county  town.  (Bell.) — P. 

'■  Naas  is  the  assize  town.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


Ireland  is  divided  into  Archbishopricks  ....  4 

Bishops 23 

Parishes 2450 

Statute  acres  . . 20,400,000 

Gross  amount  of  tithe  composition  now  paid  . . £427,594  2 5 

Average  of  each  compounded  parish 287  15  0 

Average  of  tithe  composition  to  £1  Sterling  of  the 

value  of  the  land 0 1 3J 

Gross  annual  value  of  the  land  of  Ireland,  at  a rent 

of  12s.  5£d.  per  acre 12,715,578  0 0 

Amount  of  tithe  of  all  the  parishes  in  Ireland  . . 704,987  0 2 


632 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVII. 


The  Roman  Catholic  religion  is  superintended  by  four 
archbishops,  as  in  the  established  church, a and  twenty- 
two  bishops,  who  derive  their  support  partly  from  the 
profits  of  a parish,  generally  the  most  lucrative  in  the 
diocese,  partly  from  the  fees  of  licenses  for  marriages, 
and  partly  from  the  cathedraticum,  an  annual  contribu- 
tion from  every  incumbent  under  his  control,  proportion- 
ate to  the  value  of  his  benefice. b In  cases  of  old  age, 
infirmity,  or  any  accidental  visitation  from  heaven,  the 
episcopal  functions  are  discharged  by  an  assistant  or  co- 
adjutor, nominated  by  the  bishop.  The  parish  priests 
are  appointed  solely  by  the  bishop,  and  derive  their 
support  from  the  voluntary  contributions  of  their  parish- 
ioners, collected  chiefly  at  Easter  and  Christmas,  at  which 
periods  they  hold  what  are  called  stations,  being  half- 
yearly  meetings,  at  some  commodious  house  fixed  on  by 
themselves  for  the  convenience  of  those  residing  at  a 
distance  from  the  chapel,  where  they  hear  their  confes- 
sions, catechise  their  children,  and  deliver  spiritual  ex- 
hortations. Monasteries  and  convents  are  frequent  in 
Ireland,  many  being  in  the  enjoyment  of  considerable 
funds  arising  from  charitable  donations.  The  monks  of 
some  of  them  collect  contributions  through  the  country 
for  the  maintenance  of  their  respective  establishments. 
The  funds  of  nunneries  arise  in  a great  degree  from  the 
money  paid  by  ladies  on  their  entrance  into  the  order, 
the  amount  of  which  is  seldom  less  than  three  or  four 
hundred  pounds.  In  some  cases  their  income  is  increas- 
ed by  fees  paid  for  the  education  of  the  daughters  of 
persons  of  family  and  wealth. 

The  Presbyterian  religion  chiefly  flourishes  in  the 
north  of  Ireland.0  The  church  is  governed  by  a synod, 
consisting  of  ministers  and  lay  elders,  deputed  by  the 
respective  congregations.  The  synod  is  governed  by  a 
moderator,  annually  chosen  by  the  members.  The 
ministers  are  supported  partly  by  the  voluntary  con- 
tributions of  their  congregations,  and  partly  by  a grant 
of  public  money,  called  the  Regiurn  Donum.  Other  dis- 
senters are  similarly  governed.  The  Society  of  Friends, 
or  Quakers,  are  chiefly  resident  in  Dublin  and  in  the 
King’s  and  Queen’s  counties.  Jews  are  very  few  in 
number  in  Ireland. 

The  population  of  Ireland  has  increased  uniformly  and 
rapidly  since  the  commencement  of  the  period  at  which 
accurate  inquiries  began  to  be  made  for  the  solution  of 
this  great  political  question.  At  the  close  of  Elizabeth’s 
reign  it  was  estimated,  certainly  not  on  very  positive 
data,  at  no  more  than  700,000  souls.  It  was  conjec- 
tured by  Sir  William  Petty  to  have  been  850,000.  at 

a The  archbishops  derive  their  titles  from  the  same  towns  as  the 
protestant  archbishops. — F. 

b Easter  offerings  from  the  inferior  clergy.  (Myers’  Geog.) — P. 

c They  are  chiefly  descendants  of  the  Scotch  Presbyterians  and 
English  puritans,  who  settled  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  under  the 
patronage  of  James  I. — P. 

d This  and  the  three  following  are  derived  from  the  returns  of  the 
number  of  houses,  on  an  average  of  six  to  each  house.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

8 In  1778,  according  to  the  number  of  houses,  3,900,000.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

f See  note  d. 

s The  census  of  1821  was  the  only  one  taken  on  the  principle  of 
actual  enumeration,  subjected  to  effective  checks.  The  process  adopted 
was  as  follows : The  persons  employed  in  the  several  parishes  or  dis- 
tricts to  take  the  enumeration  were  furnished  with  books,  in  which 
they  were  required  to  enter  on  the  spot  the  name,  age,  occupation  and 
relationship  of  every  individual  in  every  house  on  every  town  land  in 
such  district,  together  with  a specification  of  the  number  of  acres  held 
by  every  householder.  Copies  of  these  entries,  when  verified  on  oath 


the  close  of  the  wars  in  1652,  and  to  have  increased  to 
1,100,000,  in  1672.  Subsequent  investigators  have 
arrived  at  the  following  conclusions: — 


1695,  Capt.  South, 1,034,102 

1712,  Thomas  Dobbs,  Esq 2,099,094 

1718,  The  same, 2,169,048 

1726,  The  same, 2,309,106 

1731,  Returns  of  the  established  clergy,  . . . 2,010,221 

1754,  Hearth-money  collectors,11 2,372,634 

1767,  The  same, • . . . 2,544,276 

1777,  The  same, 2,690,556 

1785,  The  same, 2,845,932 

1788,  Gerv.  Parker  Bushe,  Esq 4,040,000' 

1791,  Hearth-money  collectors/ 4,206,612 

1792,  Rev.  Aug.  Beaufort, 4,088,226 

1805,  Tho.  Newenham,  Esq 5,395,456 

1813,  Incomplete  parliamentary  census,  . . . 5,937,856 

1821,  Parliamentary  census, s 6,801,827h 

1831,  The  same, 7,734,365 


Of  the  aggregate  number,  thus  ascertained  by  the 
census  of  1821,  it  was  found  that  1,138,069  persons 
were  principally  engaged  in  agriculture,  1,170,044  in 
trades,  manufactures  and  handicraft,  and  528,702  were 
occupied  in  avocations  not  included  in  either  of  those 
classes,  making  the  total  of  occupied  persons  2,836,815. 

In  external  appearance  the  peasants  are  well  made, 
robust  and  active  ; generally  well  tempered,  yet  easily 
excited  to  violent  emotions  ; affectionate  to  their  kindred, 
and  singularly  attached  to  the  place  of  their  nativity. 
Their  appearance  and  character  are,  however,  consid- 
erably varied  by  local  circumstances,  arising  from  the 
various  sources  whence  the  country  was  peopled.  In 
the  north,  particularly  in  the  eastern  parts,  the  dress, 
manners  and  language  at  once  point  out  a Scottish  origin. 
Connaught  exhibits  features  equally  strong  of  the  abo- 
riginal habits  and  language.  In  the  south-west  are  to 
be  discovered  traces  of  Spanish  customs  ; the  eastern 
region  of  Leinster  is  more  decidedly  Saxon.  The  Irish 
language  is  still  spoken  in  many  parts,  but  in  the  greatest 
purity  in  the  mountainous  districts  of  the  county  of 
Donegal.  In  the  west,  and  more  particularly  in  the 
islands  and  peninsulas  on  the  coast  of  Galway,  Mayo 
and  Donegal,  where  the  intercourse  with  other  parts  *s 
but  small,  that  language  is  almost  exclusively  spoken, 
insomuch  that  interpreters  are  frequently  made  use  of 
in  the  courts  of  justice.1 

The  general  food  is  the  potato,  to  which  milk,  and  at 
times  salt  fish,  is  added  during  seasons  of  plenty.  Flesh 
meat  is  a luxury  seldom  enjoyed  but  on  occasions  of 
peculiar  festivity,  such  as  weddings,  christenings,  &c. 
The  clothing  is  chiefly  of  home-manufactured  coarse 

and  examined  by  two  neighbouring  magistrates,  were  forwarded  to 
the  chief  secretary’s  office  in  Dublin,  where  they  were  abstracted  and 
arranged  for  publication.  The  returns  made  by  the  enumerators  were 
also  subjected  to  the  inspection  of  the  parochial  clergy  of  the  district, 
both  Protestant  and  Catholic.  The  copies  deposited  in  Dublin  castle 
were  afterwards  examined  by  persons  of  respectability  from  various 
parts  of  the  country,  who  from  their  local  knowledge  could  vouch  for 
the  accuracy  of  the  returns  from  those  parts  with  which  they  were 
personally  acquainted.  The  payments  to  the  enumerators  were  sub- 
sequent to  those  investigations. 

b The  official  (amended  and  corrected)  return  was  made  to  parlia- 
ment in  1823.  (Bell's  Geog.) — P. 

‘ The  Irish  language,  as  has  been  observed  in  note  b p.  1277,  is  a 
Gaelic-Celtic  dialect,  generally  considered  the  purest  of  the  family, 
and  undoubtedly  the  most  cultivated.  The  Irish  call  their  language 
Gaelic  ( Gaoidheilg ,)  or  Irish  Gaelic  ( Gaoidhcilg  Eirinach.)  In  the 
etymologies  given  in  the  notes,  the  term  Gaelic  is  referable  both  to 
the  Irish  and  Scotch  Gaelic. — P. 


BOOK  CLiYII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


G33 


cloth  or  frieze  for  the  men ; but  the  influx  of  cheap 
cottons  has  latterly  caused  a great  change  in  the  costume 
of  the  female  peasantry  from  the  characteristic  dress  of 
their  ancestors. 

The  prevalent  religion  is  the  Roman  Catholic,  al- 
though the  precise  ratio  of  its  prevalence,  compared  with 
the  Anglican  and  Presbyterian  modes  of  doctrine,  is 
difficult,  indeed  almost  impossible,  to  be  ascertained. 
The  inquiries  lately  set  on  foot,  from  sectarian  or  politi- 
cal motives,  have  served  rather  to  obscure  them  than  to 
develope  the  truth. a Superstitious  practices  are  much 
observed,  particularly  in  the  remoter  districts.  Some 
may  be  traced  to  the  era  of  paganism:  such  are  the 
lighting  of  fires  at  Baaltine  or  Beltine,b  and  the  passing 
of  animals  through  the  fire.  Pilgrimages  to  places  of  pe- 
culiar sanctity  are  frequent  among  the  Roman  Catholics. 
Lough  Derg  in  Donegal,  and  Struel  wells  in  Down, 
are  peculiarly  celebrated.  The  belief  in  witchcraft  and 
second-sight  has  not  yet  been  eradicated  from  among 
the  descendants  of  the  Scottish  settlers  in  Ulster.  The 
love  of  learning,  which  peculiarly  marks  the  Irish  peas- 
antry, is  however  gradually  diminishing  the  extent  of 
the  sway  of  opinions  and  practices  originating  in  periods 
of  ignorance. 

The  means  now  in  operation  for  rendering  the  rapidly 
increasing  population  of  Ireland  fitted  to  fulfil  their  du- 
ties to  themselves  and  their  country,  through  the  irre- 
sistible influence  of  a well-ordered  system  of  education, 
has  been  minutely  analysed  and  detailed  by  reports  of 
two  parliamentary  commissions  appointed  to  investigate 
the  subject.  The  result  of  the  perusal  of  these  docu- 
ments leads  to  an  inference  far  from  consolatory,  unless 
in  prospect.  Much  as  has  been  spoken  and  written  on 
the  subject,  little  has  been  done. 

The  university  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  influences 
and  controls  the  education  of  the  higher  classes.  The 
superintendance  of  study  is  vested  in  teachers  called 
junior  fellows.  The  mode  of  instruction  is  almost  ex- 
clusively catechetical.  The  total  number  of  pupils  on 
the  books  of  the  university  may  be  estimated  at  1600. c 
The  curriculum,  or  regular  course  of  under-graduate 
studies,  is  completed  in  four  years ; the  annual  average 
of  pupils  is  therefore  400.  Estimating  the  duration  of 
human  fife,  after  arrival  at  years  of  maturity,  at  thirty- 
three  years,  it  will  appear  that  the  total  number  who 
enjoy  the  advantages  of  a complete  liberal  education  in 
Ireland  is  13,200,  out  of  a male  population  of  3,500,000, 
being  at  an  average  of  1 for  every  270.d 

Maynooth  College,  founded  in  1795, e exclusively  for 
the  education  of  the  Roman  Catholic  priesthood,  admits 
about  250  students  annually,  who  are  under  the  super- 
intendance and  instruction  of  14  professors  and  lecturers. 

The  education  of  the  lower  classes  has  long  been  con- 
sidered as  peculiarly  a national  concern,  and  as  such  was 
made  the  subject  of  legislative  enactments  so  early  as 
the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  By  these  statutes  every  in- 
cumbent is  bound  by  oath,  on  accepting  a benefice,  to 
keep  a school  in  his  parish  for  the  instruction  of  the 

a The  Protestants  have  stated  the  Catholic  population  at  4,500,000  ; 
the  Catholics,  at  6,500,000.  In  1821,  the  Protestant  census  gave 
4,830,000  Catholics,  and  1,963,487  Protestants.  (Bell’s  Geog.) — P. 

b Beltan  or  Beltane — Gaelic,  Bealteine,  fire  of  Bel  or  Baal,  on  the 
the  first  of  May;  supposed  to  be  in  honor  of  the  Sun. — P. 

c Number  of  students  in  1814,  900  (Ed.  Enc.) — in  1818,  1209 
(Morse.) — P. 

VOL.  III.— NO.  62  80 


I natives  in  English,  or  to  cause  one  to  be  kept  by  a com- 
petent teacher.  This  salutary  regulation  has  been  in 
too  many  instances  disregarded  or  evaded.  King  James, 
in  his  distribution  of  the  forfeited  lands  in  Ulster,  set 
apart  large  estates  for  the  endowment  of  free  grammar 
schools.  These  are  now  distinguished  by  the  title  of 
schools  of  royal  foundation/  Some  were  added  to  the 
number  by  Charles  I.,  but  they  were  too  few  and  per- 
haps too  richly  endowed  to  accomplish  the  intentions  of 
their  royal  founders.  A grammar  school  was  also  re- 
quired to  be  maintained  in  every  diocese  by  the  con- 
tributions of  the  beneficed  clergy : twenty  of  these 
schools^  are  in  existence. 

The  number  of  free  grammar  schools  was  increased 
by  a bequest  of  Erasmus  Smith,  one  of  the  English  ad- 
venturers, who  obtained  a large  grant  of  forfeited  lands 
during  the  government  of  the  commonwealth.  But 
these*1  like  the  former,  instead  of  being  employed  for  the 
instruction  of  the  poor,  were  converted  into  places  of 
liberal  education  for  the  sons  of  the  wealthier  classes; 
a character  which  they  still  retain  in  several  instances. 

After  the  revolution  in  1688,  an  attempt  was  made  to 
promote  the  conversion  of  the  Roman  Catholics  through 
the  medium  of  education.  Subscriptions  were  raised,  and 
lands  procured  by  purchase  or  donations,  which  were 
vested  in  a society  incorporated  for  the  management  of 
the  fund  thus  raised  ; hence  the  establishments  under  its 
control  acquired  the  name  of  charter  schools.  The  san- 
guine anticipations  of  the  originators  of  this  plan  have 
been  far  from  realised.  Notwithstanding  the  additional 
aid  of  large  annual  grants  of  public  money,  these  schools 
have  utterly  failed  as  an  engine  of  proselytism  on  an 
extensive  scale;  wealth  induced  thriftless  expenditure  ; 
mismanagement  opened  the  door  for  abuses  ; the  grants 
of  public  money  have  been  withdrawn,  and  the  trustees 
are  left  to  their  own  private  resources  for  the  mainte 
nance  of  the  schools. 

Within  the  last  twenty  years  the  efforts  to  disseminate 
elementary  instruction  among  the  great  mass  of  the  popu- 
lation have  increased  rapidly  by  the  exertions  of  severa 
new  societies  formed  wholly  or  principally  forthis  purpose. 
The  association  for  discountenancing  vice,  consisting  chief- 
ly of  the  clergy  of  the  established  church,  among  other  ob- 
jects, undertook  the  education  of  the  poor,  according  to 
the  doctrines  of  the  protestant  faith.  The  society  for  the 
education  of  the  poor,  now  better  known  by  the  name  of 
the  Kildare  Place  Society,  proposed  to  disseminate  moral 
instruction  without  any  interference  with  the  religious 
tenets  of  the  pupils  ; but  the  adoption  of  a regulation 
immediately  after  the  formation  of  the  society,  which 
excluded  from  any  share  in  its  benefits  those  schools  in 
which  the  Bible  without  note  or  comment  was  not  ad- 
mitted as  a class-book,  was  so  strongly  objected  to  by 
the  heads  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  as  to  check 
considerably  the  extension  of  the  benefits  of  the  institu- 
tion. The  Roman  Catholics  shrunk  from  a participation 
of  literary  advantages  to  be  purchased  by  the  dereliction 
of  one  of  the  tenets  of  their  church,  in  the  indiscriminate 

d 1 to  265  nearly. — P. 

e It  was  opened  in  1795.  It  was  established  by  an  act  of  parliament, 
by  which  it  was  placed  entirely  under  the  inspection  of  the  Lord 
Chancellor  and  Chief  Judges  of  Ireland.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f Royal  Schools. 

e Diocesan  Schools. 

h Erasmus  Smith’s  Schools. 


634 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLiYII. 


use  of  the  Bible  unaccompanied  by  the  superintending 
advice  and  explanation  of  their  pastors.  Both  these 
societies  were  supported  by  large  parliamentary  grants, 
until  very  lately,  when  the  legislature  was  at  length  con- 
vinced of  the  impolicy,  not  to  say  the  impracticability, 
of  educating  the  great  mass  of  the  people  according  to 
principles  in  direct  opposition  to  their  modes  of  thinking 
on  religious  subjects.  The  annual  grants  to  the  two  last 
named  societies  have  been  withdrawn,  and  the  general 
education  of  the  people  placed  under  the  superintend- 
ance of  a board  formed  of  individuals  selected  from 
among  the  most  influential  members  of  the  leading 
Christian  sects  in  Ireland. 

The  Irish  and  the  London  Hibernian  Societies  were 
formed  with  the  view  to  disseminate  religious  instruction 
throughout  those  parts  of  Ireland  in  which  the  native 
.anguage  is  prevalent  ; they  are  aided  by  several  minor 
societies  under  different  names  : all  are  supported  solely 
by  voluntary  contributions,  and  are  wholly  under  the 
direction  of  protestants. 

The  schools,  exclusively  catholic,  are  supported  and 
superintended  by  the  society  of  the  Christian  Brother- 
hood, and  other  religious  orders,  by  the  nunneries,  and 
by  the  collections  and  donations  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
inhabitants  of  various  parishes  under  their  respective 
parochial  clergy. 

In  addition  to  the  schools  already  mentioned,  must  be 
named  the  Sunday  schools,  which  originated  chiefly  with 
the  Methodist  society,  and  are  still  mainly  supported  by 
the  exertions  of  its  members. 

The  total  number  of  children  receiving  instruction 
amounted  in  the  year  1826,  to  568,964.  From  the 
return  of  ages  in  the  census  of  1821,  it  appears  that  the 
number  of  children  of  both  sexes,  between  five  and 
fifteen,  which  may  be  called  the  age  of  education,  then 
amounted  to  1,748,663,  and  therefore,  making  due  allow- 
ance for  the  probable  increase  in  five  years,  it  may  be 
estimated  in  1826,  at  2,000,000.  In  the  latter  of  these 
periods  the  number  receiving  education  in  the  public 
schools  will  be  found  to  be  somewhat  less  than  one-fourth 
of  this  part  of  the  population,*  or,  in  other  words, 
between  two-thirds  and  three-fourths  of  the  rising  genera- 
tion are  without  the  benefits  of  scholastic  instruction, 
notwithstanding  the  extended  endowments  in  lands,  the 
large  grants  of  public  money,  and  the  liberality  of  indi- 
vidual contributions  towards  the  supplying  of  this  na- 
tional defect.b 

Agriculture,  although  the  chief  source  of  support  for 
the  adult  population,  is  still  in  a very  backward  state  as 
compared  with  that  of  Great  Britain  or  the  Netherlands. 
The  implements  of  husbandry  are  of  an  inferior  descrip- 
tion, and  the  process  of  cultivation  executed  in  a less  care- 
ful manner.  The  prevalent  mode  of  letting  land  is  justly 
considered  as  one  great  cause  of  this  inferiority.  Farms, 
when  out  of  lease,  are  generally  let  to  the  highest  bid- 
der, regard  being  seldom  paid  to  the  tenant-right.  The 
occupier,  therefore,  feels  but  little  inducement  to  expend 
his  capital  on  his  land  ; he  hoards  or  lays  out  at  a mon- 
ied interest  what  would,  under  a better  system,  be  more 

* The  proportion  of  those  receiving  instruction,  in  182G,  is  more  than 
one  fourth. — P. 

b The  comparative  number  of  schools  and  pupils  maintained  by 
each  of  the  societies  above  named,  as  also  of  the  private  schools,  whose 
teachers  are  wholly  remunerated  by  the  fees  of  their  pupils,  is  given 

a table  in  the  appendix. 


profitably  invested  in  the  improvement  of  his  farm. 
Absenteeism  is  also  considered  to  be  another  cause  of 
this  evil.  The  tenant  is  neither  cheered  by  the  presence 
nor  enriched  by  the  expenditure  of  his  landlord  ; he 
toils  under  the  chilling  inspection  of  an  agent,  anxious 
chiefly  to  enhance  the  value  of  his  own  services  by  the 
amount  of  his  remittances,  and  too  often  a creditor  on 
the  estate  he  has  in  charge.  It  must,  however,  be 
acknowledged  that  the  estates  of  some  absentees  form 
brilliant  exceptions  to  this  remark,  and  that  the  pressure 
of  ill-judged  avidity  is  often  equally  visible  on  the  estates 
of  resident  proprietors.  The  want  of  internal  commu- 
nications by  well-projected  and  well-executed  roads  is  in 
many  cases  an  additional  cause  for  the  backward  state 
of  agriculture. 

A judicious  rotation  of  crops  is  still  but  imperfectly 
practised,  and  the  raising  of  green  food  for  the  winter 
supply  of  the  cattle  by  no  means  sufficiently  attended  to. 
In  the  northern  districts,  oats  and  barley  are  the  chief  pro- 
duce ; the  cold  and  dampness  of  the  atmosphere  checks 
the  growth  of  wheat.  In  the  southern  counties,  and  in 
the  districts  around  Dublin,  wheat  is  largely  raised,  but 
it  is  deemed  of  inferior  quality  to  that  of  England. 

Grazing  has  always  been  a favourite  mode  of  employ 
ing  land,  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere  and  the  genial 
mildness  of  the  climate  affording  an  almost  perennial 
supply  of  pasture  ; the  unsettled  state  of  the  country 
also  long  proved  a bar  to  tillage.  Hence  the  wealth  of 
the  native  chieftain  consisted  chiefly  in  his  numerous 
herds  and  flocks  ; his  tribute  was  mostly  paid  in  kine. 
During  the  latter  period  of  the  Irish  parliament  great 
attention  was  paid  to  the  encouragement  of  tillage,  and 
its  progress  was  proportionately  rapid.  The  chief  graz- 
ing counties  for  black  cattle  are  those  of  Limerick, 
Tipperary,  Roscommon  and  Meath,  where  the  farms  are 
sometimes  of  extraordinary  extent,  a single  occupier 
frequently  holding  more  than  1000  acres.  The  grazing 
of  oxen  and  sheep  is  seldom  combined ; that  of  the 
latter  is  an  important  object  with  the  Irish  husbandman, 
and  more  land,  though  of  a poorer  quality,  is  employed 
for  this  purpose  than  in  the  feeding  of  bullocks.  The 
chief  breeding  counties  for  sheep  are  Limerick,  Tippe- 
rary, Clare,  Roscommon  and  Galway  ; some  of  the 
finest  flocks  in  Ireland  are  to  be  seen  in  the  last  named 
county.  The  flocks  are  usually  managed  by  the  herd 
who  attends  the  cattle ; no  regular  shepherd  being  em- 
ployed, as  in  England.  The  custom  of  folding  is  sel- 
dom adopted,  and  great  backwardness  is  evinced  by  the 
neglect  of  using  turnips  for  winter  food.®  The  cattle, 
when  fit  for  market,  are  sent  in  immense  numbers  to  the 
fairs  at  Ballynasloe,d  held  twice  every  year.  The  prin- 
cipal fair  is  in  October;  it  regulates  the  prices  of  cattle 
for  the  ensuing  season,  and  is  the  great  standard  of  the 
prosperity  of  this  branch  of  the  national  wealth.  Fat 
cattle  are  exported  in  great  numbers  from  Meath  to 
Liverpool,  and  of  late  years,  the  facilities  of  canal  navi- 
gation, combined  with  those  afforded  across  the  channel 
by  steam,  bring  large  numbers  from  the  western  parts  to 
Dublin  for  exportation. 

c Mr.  Wakefield  says,  that  in  the  whole  course  of  his  tour  he  never 
saw  a sheepfold,  and  only  one  sheep  feeding  on  turnips.  (Ed 
Enc.) — P. 

d In  Galway  county. — P. 


BOOK  CL, VII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


635 


Hogs  are  kept  in  great  numbers  in  every  part.  This 
animal  is  the  inmate  of  the  peasant’s  cabin,  and  thus  ac- 
quires a degree  of  docility  unusual  in  other  countries  ; 
its  food  is  potatoes.  The  native  breed,  long  legged, 
bony,  and  ill-proportioned,  has  been  of  late  years  con- 
siderably improved  by  a cross  of  that  of  Leicestershire. 
Large  and  rapidly  increasing  quantities  of  pork  and  of 
live  stock  are  exported,  chiefly  to  Liverpool. 

The  dairy  farms  form  a conspicuous  feature  in  the  rural 
economy  of  the  interior,  occupying  a greater  extent  of 
country  than  those  held  by  the  feeding  grazier.  The 
farms  in  the  Walsh  mountains  in  Kilkenny  exhibit  strik- 
ing peculiarities  of  manners.  The  principal  of  them 
belong  to  one  family,  the  members  of  which  constantly 
intermarry  among  one  another,  at  such  close  degrees  of 
consanguinity  as  frequently  to  require  dispensations  from 
the  canonical  prohibitions.  The  land  is  grazed  in  com- 
mon ; the  people,  though  wealthy,  live  with  the  greatest 
economy,  subsisting  chiefly  on  potatoes  and  griddle  bread, 
and  indulging  in  no  animal  food  but  the  relics  of  the  pigs 
slaughtered  for  sale.  Ireland  has  long  been  celebrated 
for  the  excellence  of  its  butter.  The  best  is  made  in 
Carlow  ; the  most  inferior  comes  from  the  rich  soil  of 
Limerick  and  Meath.  It  is  remarkable  that  a country 
so  productive  of  butter  should  utterly  fail  in  the  cognate 
article  of  cheese ; yet,  with  the  exception  of  a small 
district  in  Antrim,  chiefly  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Car- 
rickfergus,  no  good  cheese  is  made  in  any  part ; the 
consumption  of  this  commodity  is  almost  wholly  supplied 
from  England. 

The  culture  of  apples  in  Waterford  and  Cork  in  the 
south  of  Ireland,  and  in  Armagh  in  the  north,  is  consid- 
ered as  one  of  those  regular  branches  of  rural  industry 
on  which  the  farmer  calculates  as  a sure  source  of  pecu- 
niary remuneration.  In  the  two  first  named  counties  the 
fruit  is  generally  converted  into  cider,  which  is  the  usual 
beverage  of  the  middling  classes  of  landholders ; a 
superior  quality  of  this  liquor,  when  prepared  with  care 
and  judgment,  is  highly  valued,  and  amply  repays  the 
attention  bestowed  on  its  manufacture. 

The  culture  of  tobacco  was  lately  introduced,  but  to 
a very  limited  extent.  The  results  on  small  detached 
spots  have  led  to  very  sanguine  anticipations  of  its  profit, 
when  cultivated  on  a large  scale  ; but  the  quantity  raised 
in  any  single  year  is  insignificant.  The  total  number  of 
acres  planted  in  1829,  was  but  461,  of  which  408  were 
in  the  county  of  Wexford  alone.  When  it  is  considered 
that  it  is  a crop  of  a quality  peculiarly  exhausting  to  the 
soil,  requiring  constant  attention  and  great  nicety  of 
management  in  every  period  of  its  growth,  that  it  is  liable 
to  frequent  and  irreparable  injuries  from  the  inconstancy 
of  the  climate,  and  that  the  plant  raised  is  at  best  of  an 
inferior  quality,  adequate  certainly  to  the  wants  of  the 
grower  who  is  content  with  an  herb  of  less  grateful 
flavour,  from  the  consideration  of  the  greater  economy  in 
its  use,  but  for  that  very  reason,  ill  suited  to  cope  in  the 
general  market  with  the  produce  of  a foreign  soil,  the 
ultimate  success  of  an  outlay  of  capital  to  a large  extent 
on  its  cultivation  must  be  extremely  problematical.  The 


a The  herrings  caught  off  the  coast  near  Galway,  are  particularly 
large  and  fine.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

b The  Bann. — A small  river  of  the  same  name  forms  a branch  of 
the  Slaney,  in  Wexford  county. — P 

* Varieties. — P. 


legislature  has,  however,  set  the  question  at  rest  for  the 
present,  by  prohibiting  its  cultivation,  on  the  ground  of 
its  interference  with  the  revenue  arising  from  the  impor- 
tation of  the  foreign  plant. 

A recurrence  to  the  sketch  of  the  coasts  already  given, 
would  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  the  people  derived 
from  the  surrounding  waters  an  inexhaustible  supply  of 
food  for  their  own  consumption,  and  a fund  equally  inex- 
haustible of  commercial  wealth  from  its  export.  Expe- 
rience contradicts  such  an  inference.  With  an  ocean 
rolling  round  him  stocked  with  fish  of  nutritious  quality 
and  varied  flavour,  with  rivers  abounding  also  with  fish 
of  similar  description  and  conveying  the  contributions  of 
the  ocean  almost  to  his  door,  the  peasant  is  still  compel- 
led to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  nature  by  the  scanty  and 
unvaried  produce  of  his  agricultural  labours.  Along  the 
southern  coast  of  Ireland  from  Cork  to  Wexford,  at  a 
small  distance  from  the  shore,  lies  the  Nymph  Bank, 
plentifully  stocked  with  cod,  hake  and  ling,  which  kinds 
of  fish  are  common  also  on  many  other  parts  of  the  coast. 
Turbot,  sole,  plaice,  and  every  other  species  of  flat  fish 
that  frequents  the  northern  seas,  are  also  taken  there. 
The  sun-fish  is  seen  at  times  in  large  numbers  on  the 
western  coasts.  One  part  of  the  great  northern  shoal  of 
herrings  annually  passes  through  the  Irish  Sea,  while 
another  generally  pursues  its  course  along  the  coasts  of 
Connaught.* *  Salmon  abounds  in  all  the  large  rivers ; 
the  greatest  fisheries  of  it  are  in  the  Northern  Bannb  at 
Coleraine,  the  Boyne  above  Drogheda,  the  Southern 
Blackwater,  the  Shannon,  and  the  river  of  Belleek  near 
Ballyshannon.  Great  part  of  the  fish  is  packed  in  ice, 
and  thus  conveyed  fresh  to  the  tables  of  the  British 
gastronomes.  Shell  fish  also  abounds.  Many  species® 
of  the  oyster  are  raised  from  various  parts  of  the  shore  ; 
some  of  a flavour  peculiarly  delicate,  as  those  of  Carling- 
ford  ; others  noted  for  size  ; others  again,  though  seldom, 
combining  both  these  qualities.  The  scallop,  another 
maritime  luxury,  is  often  used  merely  as  bait  for  larger 
fish.  Lobsters,  particularly  in  Kerry  and  Galway,  are  of 
large  size,  and  well-flavoured  ; the  same  may  be  said  of 
crabs  and  cray  fish.  The  sprat  of  Waterford,  the  sand 
eel  of  Newcastle,  and  the  smelt  of  Strangford,  will 
always  maintain  a high  estimation  among  the  minor 
delicacies  of  the  table.  Pilchards  were  formerly  caught 
in  such  abundance  at  Cloghnakilty , that  the  traffic  in 
them  rendered  the  town  a place  of  considerable  popula- 
tion ; but,  since  the  desertion  of  that  station  by  the  fish, 
the  town  has  declined. 

Yet  it  cannot  be  truly  asserted  that  the  apparent  disre- 
gard to  these  bountiful  offerings  of  nature  is  attributable 
to  want  of  industry  or  enterprise  for  their  attainment. 
Along  the  deep  shores  of  the  western  parts,  the  hardy 
fisherman  is  to  be  seen  in  his  wicker  corach,d  coated  with 
green  hide,  venturing  for  his  precarious  subsistence  upon 
seas  which  even  the  well-prepared  mariner  contemplates 
with  apprehension.  The  young  men  of  the  southern  bar- 
onies of  Wexford  and  Waterford,  quit  their  homes  in 
spring  for  the  Newfoundland  fisheries  ; some  return  with 
their  little  earnings  at  the  close  of  the  fishing  season, 


d The  corach  (Gaelic,  curach — Welsh  cwrwg  (cooroog),  or  cwrwgyl, 
whence  coracle)  is  a boat  made  of  wicker-work,  and  covered  with 
hides  or  pitched  cloth.  It  is  still  used  in  Wales  and  the  Highlands,  aa 
well  as  in  Ireland. — P. 


636 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVir. 


while  others  remain  one,  two,  or  more  winters  in  that 
inclement  region,  until  they  have  realized  the  means  of 
humble  independence  at  home. 

The  chief  cause  of  the  backwardness  of  the  fisheries 
is  to  be  traced  to  the  same  cause  as  that  of  agricultural 
improvement — the  want  of  capital.  The  fisherman 
depends  on  his  daily  labours  for  his  daily  bread  ; he  has 
not  wherewithal  to  fit  out  properly  a substantial  boat  with 
all  its  tackle,  much  less  to  save  and  store  a cargo  so  as  to 
fit  it  for  a foreign  market.  In  order  to  remedy  this  cry- 
ing evil,  a board  of  fisheries  was  some  years  ago  formed. 
It  has  already  been  productive  of  one  advantage — a 
knowledge  of  the  actual  state  of  the  fisheries,  their 
capabilities,  and  their  defects  ; it  has  excited  a spirit  of 
exertion,  and  produced  an  increased  attention  on  the 
part  of  the  ruling  powers  to  this  branch  of  national  in- 
dustry, which,  persevered  in  judiciously,  and  impartially 
regulated,  must  lead  to  those  results  that  a disinterested 
observer  would  say  ought  long  since  to  have  been  realized. 

The  attention  of  the  board  of  fisheries,  during  its  ex- 
istence, which  terminated  in  1830  by  the  stoppage  of  the 
annual  grant  of  public  money  for  its  support,  was  chiefly 
directed  to  two  objects,  the  erection  and  repairs  of  fish- 
ing-piers, and  the  formation  of  a loan  fund  for  building 
and  repairing  boats.  The  expenses  incurred  in  the  at- 
tainment of  the  former  of  these  objects  was  defrayed 
partly  by  grants  of  public  money,  and  partly  by  the 
contributions  of  the  neighbouring  proprietors,  and  of 
other  individuals  interested  in  the  improvement  of  the 
country.  At  the  commencement  of  the  year  1830, 
thirty-five  piers  were  completed,  and  twenty-two  in  pro- 
gress ; the  results  produced  by  those  completed  are 
stated  to  be,  in  most  instances,  even  more  gratifying  than 
might  have  been  anticipated,  exciting  a spirit  of  increased 
exertion  in  the  fishermen,  from  an  increasing  sentiment 
of  the  security  thus  aflbrded  to  their  frail  craft,  and 
consequently  inducing  them  to  fit  out  new  vessels,  and  to 
render  those  already  built  more  sea-worthy.  The  ex- 
pense thus  incurred  up  to  1830  has  been  L.  10,746. 

The  results  of  the  loan  fund  are  not  so  satisfactory. 
The  total  amount  of  the  sums  lent  out  is  L. 25, 204,  18s. 
4d.  Of  this  sum,  L. 14, 262,  0s.  Id.  was  to  be  repaid, 
according  to  the  conditions  of  issue,  in  the  year  1830. 
The  repayments  actually  made  at  that  period,  were 
L. 0,923,  9s.  Id.  leaving  an  arrear  of  L.4,338,  11s. 
The  remainder,  amounting  to  L.  10,942,  18s.  3d.  was 
not  due  at  the  date  of  the  return  whence  this  statement 
has  been  formed. 

Under  the  encouragements  thus  held  out,  the  num- 
bers of  the  fishermen  have  increased  considerably,  as 
appears  from  the  follownig  return,  which  shows  that 
the  number  under  the  cognizance  of  the  board,  was,  in 
the  year 


1822 

36,159 

1827 

58,044 

1823 

44,892 

1828 

59,321 

1824 

49,448 

1829 

63,421 

1825 

52,482 

1830 

64,771 

1826 

57,805 

Thus  exhibiting  a progressive  increase  every  year,  and 
a total  increase  of  28,612.  These  numbers  include 
the  fishermen  only,  and  do  not  comprehend  the  other 
persons  occupied  in  the  ulterior  process  of  preparing  the 
fish  for  market,  such  as  curers,  coopers,  salt-makers, 
uet-makers,  &ic. 


The  number  of  vessels  employed  in  the  fishing  trade 
has  increased  proportionally.  The  total  of  the  year 
1830  was  : — decked  boats,  345  ; half-decked,  769  : open 
sail-boats,  2,483  ; row  boats,  9,522:  total,  13,119. 

The  structure,  rigging  and  management  of  the  boats, 
and  the  mode  of  fishing,  vary  in  different  parts,  to  a 
degree,  in  some  cases,  singularly  surprising.  The  eastern 
and  western  suburbs  of  Carrickfergus  are  inhabited  al- 
most solely  by  fishermen,  those  in  the  former  beins: 
Scotch,  in  the  latter  Irish.  The  Scotch  fish  with  the 
hook  for  round  fish,  in  open  boats,  rigged  with  a single 
square  sail ; the  Irish  trawl  for  flat  fish,  in  half-decked 
smacks.  So  limited  is  the  communication  these  two 
classes  maintain  with  each  other,  though  the  interme- 
diate space  between  their  residences  is  not  more  than  a 
few  hundred  yards,  that  the  technical  phrases  employed 
for,  the  construction  and  working  of  their  boats  is  so 
different,  that  neither  can  avail  themselves  of  the  assist- 
ance of  the  other,  and  thus  they  live  little  more  con- 
nected than  if  they  inhabited  the  shores  of  separate 
islands. 

The  manufactures  of  Ireland  were  at  no  time  so  flour- 
ishing as  to  increase  much  beyond  the  wants  of  its  own 
population.  The  nature  of  its  soil  and  climate,  which 
tended  to  encourage  pastoral  pursuits,  the  habits  of  the 
people,  the  unsettled  state  of  the  government,  and  the 
want  of  coal,  have  all  contributed  to  this  result.  The 
woollen  manufacture,  however,  is  to  a certain  degree  an 
exception.  So  early  as  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Third, 
a brisk  export  trade  in  some  descriptions  of  woollen 
cloths  was  carried  on  with  the  north  of  Italy.  The  Irish 
caddow,  or  woollen  coverlet,  was  an  article  in  high  re- 
pute. The  influx  of  a colony  of  the  Palatines,  in  the 
time  of  James  the  First,  tended  to  improve  the  manu- 
facture. Their  chief  settlement  was  at  Carrick  on  Suir, 
on  the  confines  of  Tipperary  and  Waterford,  w'hich  for 
a long  period  was  celebrated  as  a woollen  mart,  affording 
employment  for  a large  number  of  the  surrounding  in- 
habitants of  both  sexes,  and  finding  a ready  vent  for  the 
wrought  article  throughout  other  parts  of  the  country 
and  in  foreign  markets. 

Notwithstanding  the  desolating  effects  of  the  wrars  of 
1641  and  1688,  the  woollen  trade  was  so  flourishing 
after  the  revolution  as  to  excite  the  jealousy  of  the 
British  manufacturers,  who  had  influence  sufficient  to 
procure  an  address  from  both  houses  of  parliament  to 
William  the  Third,  “ to  use  his  utmost  diligence  to  hin- 
der the  exportation  of  wool  for  Ireland,®  except  to  Eng- 
land, and  generally  to  discourage  the  woollen  manufac- 
ture in  Ireland.”  The  address  w’as  followed  up  by  acts 
prohibiting  the  exportation  of  woollens  as  therein  ex- 
pressed, and  by  the  imposition  of  duties  on  the  impor- 
tation of  woollens  to  England,  which  operated  as  a total 
prohibition. 

In  the  year  1779,  the  Irish  parliament  repealed  the 
prohibition  against  exporting  woollen  cloths  to  foreign 
markets  ; the  trade  in  consequence  revived,  and  the 
manufacture  again  became  a means  for  the  profitable  in- 
vestment of  capital  to  a large  amount. 

By  the  Act  of  Union,  the  duties  on  woollens  imported 
from  either  country  into  the  other,  were  confined  to  those 
called  old  and  new  draperies  ; the  ratio  payable  for  im- 
portation into  Ireland  was  fixed  at  8Jd.  per  yard  on  old, 


a Qu.  “ of  woollens  from  Ireland.” — P. 


BOOK  CL, VII.] 


DESCRIPTION 

and  2|d.  per  yard  on  new  drapery.  By  the  same  act 
England  also  relaxed  her  monopoly  of  export  so  far  as 
to  permit  wool  and  woollen  and  worsted  yarn  to  be  sent 
duty  free  from  Ireland. 

In  1822,  the  woollen  cloth  imported  from  England 
amounted  in  quantity  to  one-third  of  the  whole  con- 
sumption of  the  country,  but  in  value  it  is  calculated  to 
have  been  considerably  more  than  one-half ; because  the 
import  duty  of  8£d.  per  yard,  being  the  same  on  cloth 
of  every  description,  was  little  regarded  in  the  price  of 
the  more  expensive  article,  while  it  operated  nearly  as  a 
prohibitory  duty  on  those  of  low  price,  of  which  the 
general  consumption  mainly  consisted. 

These  circumstances  show  why  the  manufacture  of 
Ireland  has  been  confined  to  the  coarser  kinds,  and  ac- 
count for  the  failure  of  the  few  attempts  made  to  in- 
troduce that  of  the  finer  qualities.  Broad  cloth  and 
blanket  manufactories  of  any  magnitude  are  to  be  found 
nowhere  to  the  north  of  Dublin  ; flannels  are  made  in 
Wicklow,  and  blankets  in  Kilkenny. 

In  1823,  the  protecting  duties,  under  which  the  trade 
had  thriven  for  many  years,  and  which  were  to  have 
been  gradually  diminished,  in  the  view  of  assimilating 
the  state  of  the  trade  in  the  two  parts  of  the  empire, 
were  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  repealed.  To  this 
cause  in  part,  but  much  more  to  the  great  influx  of  cloth 
of  newer  fashion  sent  over  from  England  at  very  re- 
duced prices,  during  the  subsequent  depression  of  the 
woollen  trade  in  that  country,  is  to  be  attributed  the  al- 
most total  ruin  of  the  manufacture  and  the  utter  desti- 
tution of  those  depending  on  it.  In  1822,  there  existed 
eighty-three  woollen  factories  in  full  work ; they  are 
now  reduced  to  about  twenty,  which  are  but  partially 
employed.  In  the  years  1826  and  1829,  the  workmen 
were  dependent  on  charitable  contributions : numbers 
have  crossed  over  to  Great  Britain  in  quest  of  work, 
and  many  families  have  been  afforded  the  means  of  con- 
veying themselves  and  their  implements  of  industry  to 
the  United  States  of  America,  where  a promising  field 
of  exertion  is  presented  to  them,  in  lieu  of  the  gloomy 
prospect  of  idleness  and  destitution  at  home. 

The  few  manufactories  of  broad  cloths  at  present  at 
work,  and  which  are  mostly  in  the  vicinity  of  Dublin, 
employ  1560  hands,  giving  support  to  10,040  persons, 
and  producing  goods  to  the  value  of  L. 200, 000. 

In  Wicklow,  flannels,  although  fallen  off  to  about 
one-fourth  of  their  former  quantity,  may  amount  to 
L. 10,000  in  value  ; the  manufacture  gives  occupation 
to  about  100  families.  Blankets  are  still  manufactured 
in  Kilkenny,  so  as  to  employ  500  or  600  families. 

Fine  wool  is  grown  principally  in  Wicklow;  the  next 
in  quality  is  reared  in  Galway  and  in  other  parts  of 
Connaught.  The  wool  shorn  in  Ireland  amounts  to 
about  6000  bags,  of  50  stone  each.  Besides  the  cloth 
produced  in  large  factories,  the  manufacture  of  friezes 
and  cloths  of  the  coarsest  quality  for  domestic  use  is 
prevalent  throughout  many  parts  of  the  country,  but 
chiefly  in  Galway,  Meath,  Louth,  Wicklow,  and  Kil- 
kenny. 

Although  it  appears  from  what  has  been  just  stated, 
that  the  linen  manufacture  was  raised  upon  the  ruins  of 
the  woollen,  it  was  not  unknown  in  Ireland  previously 
to  the  reign  of  William  the  Third.  In  early  times,  the 
Irish  of  the  higher  ranks  were  profuse  in  the  quantity 


OF  IRELAND.  637 

of  linen  used  in  their  inner  garments : the  shirt  of  a 
man  of  rank  contained  from  twenty  to  thirty  yards  ; in- 
somuch that  the  limitation  of  this  article  of  dress  within 
reasonable  bounds  was  a prominent  feature  in  the  sump- 
tuary laws  of  those  days.  The  unfortunate  Earl  of 
Strafford,  when  lord  lieutenant,  made  great  exertions  to 
improve  the  linen  manufacture,  sending  to  Holland  for 
flax-seed,  inviting  competent  workmen  from  the  Neth- 
erlands and  France,  and  embarking  funds  to  the  amount 
of  upwards  of  L. 30,000  from  his  personal  fortune  in  the 
speculation.  His  example  was  followed  by  the  Duke  of 
Ormond,  who  exerted  himself  greatly  to  extend  the  man- 
ufacture ; but  the  legislative  measures  of  the  English 
parliament  after  the  revolution,  which  were  echoed  by 
enactments  of  a similar  character  in  Ireland,  gave  it  a 
stimulus  that  carried  it  forward  for  many  years  to  a high 
degree  of  perfection. 

In  order  further  to  excite  exertion  in  this  branch  of  in- 
dustry, a board,  appointed  to  superintend  its  progress,  un- 
der the  name  of  the  Trustees  for  the  Linen  Manufacture, 
was  charged  with  the  disposal  of  a large  annual  grant  of 
public  money  to  be  employed  in  premiums  for  its  extension 
and  encouragement.  This  board  was  also  invested  with 
powers  to  check  frauds,  so  as  thus  to  prevent  the  injury  to 
be  apprehended  from  sending  goods  of  inferior  quality  to 
market  under  a false  character.  Still  further  to  promote 
this  favourite  object,  a linen  hall  was  erected  in  Dublin  for 
facilitating  the  transactions  of  the  linen  factors  ; similar 
buildings,  on  a smaller  scale,  were  also  erected  in  Belfast 
and  Newry.  Among  other  expedients  for  nursing  this 
adopted  bantling  in  its  infancy,  the  use  of  linen  scarfs  and 
hatbands  at  funerals  was  introduced,  a custom  which  main- 
tains its  ground  to  the  present  day,  but  with  an  important 
alteration  as  to  its  primary  intention,  by  the  substitution  of 
cotton  for  linen  cloth. 

The  importation  of  flax  seed  was  another  object  of  the 
trustees’  superintendance  ; for  the  material,  forming  the 
basis  or  rudiment  of  what  the  legislature  at  the  Revolution 
established  as  the  staple  to  compensate  the  country  for  the 
deprivation  of  its  natural  manufacture,  cannot  be  raised  in 
it  in  sufficient  quantity  or  of  superior  quality.  Notwith- 
standing all  the  exertions  made  from  that  period  to  the 
present  time,  the  seed  raised  in  Ireland,  particularly  for  the 
finer  fabrics,  is  inadequate  to  the  demand,  and  the  small 
proportion  that  is  raised  is  considered  to  be  of  inferior  qual- 
ity. The  seed  is  imported  from  America,  Prussia,  Hol- 
land, and  England.  The  proportions  supplied  by  each  of 
these  countries  may  be  estimated  from  the  returns  made 
of  the  quantities  imported  in  1821: 


Hilda. 

American 36,176 

Prussian 8,424 

Dutch 7,308 

British 5,934 


Total  57,842 

The  quantity  of  flax  seed  imported,  on  an  average  of  four 
years  ending  1821,  was  47,000  hogsheads,  with  which 
83,000  acres  of  land  were  sown. 

The  silk  trade  in  Ireland  may  be  said  to  owe  its  origin 
to  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes,  by  which  cruel 
and  impolitic  measure  Louis  XIV.  transferred  to  the  rival 
kingdom  of  Great  Britain  a large  portion  of  the  industry 
and  ingenuity  of  his  Protestant  subjects.  Many  of  the 


638 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CliVII. 


refugees  settled  in  Dublin,  where  they  introduced  the  silk 
manufacture,  which  throve  for  a succession  of  years  to  a 
considerable  extent.  Besides  articles  of  entire  silk,  Ire- 
land has  been  celebrated  for  a manufacture  of  mixed  silk 
and  worsted,  known  in  the  country  by  the  name  of  tab- 
binet,  and  in  Great  Britain  by  that  of  Irish  poplin.  For 
a long  period  this  fabric  was  much  sought  after  both  at 
home  and  in  the  foreign  market ; but  the  fluctuation  of 
female  fashion  has  latterly  considerably  diminished  the  de- 
mand for  it.  The  silk  trade,  which  had  been  on  the 
decline  since  the  period  of  the  union,  is  now  almost  extinct, 
the  number  of  looms  at  work  being  wholly  insignificant, 
and  chiefly  employed  in  completing  orders  from  England. 
The  families  who  depended  on  it  have  emigrated  in  quest 
of  employment,  partly  to  Great  Britain,  and  partly  to  the 
United  States  of  America,  carrying  with  them  the  knowl- 
edge of  a manufacture  of  much  ingenuity  and  singular 
elegance,  which  hitherto  had  been  a source  of  wealth  to 
their  native  country,  and  of  competence  and  comfort  to 
themselves.  The  total  quantity  of  silk  imported  into  Ire- 
land in  the  six  years  immediately  following  the  Union,  was 
445,713  lbs.  ; in  the  six  years  ending  in  January  1822,  the 
amount  was  387,290  lbs. 

Dublin  has  always  been  the  favourite  seat  of  this  manu- 
facture. Factories  were  established  in  other  places,  but 
without  success.  In  1825  an  attempt  was  made,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Earl  of  Liverpool,  then  prime  minister,  to 
secure  to  Ireland  the  whole  of  the  profits  of  this  manufac- 
ture, from  the  rearing  of  the  worm  to  the  finishing  of  the 
cloth.  A large  number  of  mulberry  trees  were  imported 
into  the  south  of  Ireland,  and  planted  there  ; silk-worms 
were  also  introduced.  The  mulberry  tree,  though  not  un- 
productive, declined.  The  insects,  which  even  in  the  warm 
latitude  of  Italy  require  protection  from  the  variations  of 
the  atmosphere,  sunk  beneath  the  chilly  moisture  of  the 
Irish  climate,  and  all  hope  has  already  been  relinquished  of 
producing  the  desired  effect  upon  a scale  commensurate 
with  the  establishment  of  a national  manufacture. 

The  cotton  manufacture  has  risen  on  the  ruins  of  the 
linen.  The  first  cotton  factory  in  Ireland  was  erected  in 
1784,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Belfast.  The  trade  was 
fostered  in  its  infancy  by  the  Irish  legislature,  not  only  by 
a high  protecting  duty,  but  by  the  distribution  of  public 
money  in  the  form  of  bounties.  This  state  of  things  con- 
tinued till  the  Union.  A new  arrangement  was  then 
made.  The  duties  on  muslins  and  calicoes  were  to  re- 
main unaltered  for  eight  years,  after  which  they  were 
successively  lowered  by  eight  equal  annual  reductions, 
so  that,  after  the  year  1816,  they  remained  at  10  per 
cent,  ad  valorem. 

The  statements  of  historians  and  the  inquiries  of  wri- 
ters on  the  resources  of  the  country  show  that  the  manu- 
facture of  iron  was  once  flourishing  ; but,  in  consequence 
of  the  diminution  of  fuel  by  the  destruction  o.f  the  woods, 
it  declined,  so  as  to  be  at  present  almost  extinct.  It  ap- 
pears in  evidence  before  the  House  of  Commons,  that 
this  manufacture  had  scarcely  made  any  progress  from 
1801  to  1821.  The  few  founderies  which  existed  at  the 
latter  of  these  periods  were  principally  employed  in  ex- 
ecuting orders  for  manufactories  in  the  neighbourhood, 
which  necessarily  required  the  article  to  be  made  ac- 
cording to  pattern  and  on  the  spot.  The  manufacture 
continues  in  the  same  state  to  the  present  time.  The 
manufactures  of  brass,  copper,  tin,  and  hardware,  are 


struggling  under  circumstances  nearly  similar  to  that 
of  iron,  being  confined  to  the  making  articles  which  can- 
not be  readily  procured  according  to  pattern  from  Great 
Britain. 

The  manufacture  of  ardent  spirits  from  malt  has  long 
been  carried  on  to  a great  extent,  forming  one  of  the 
main  sources  of  revenue  ; but  the  pecuniary  benefit  de- 
rived from  it  has  been  purchased  by  a frightful  amount 
of  crime  and  misery,  the  results  of  illicit  distillation. 
For  the  suppression  of  this  practice  the  legislature  enact- 
ed various  regulations,  some  exceedingly  severe  ; but  the 
profits  accruing  from  it  were  too  great  to  be  thus  coun- 
teracted, and  the  distillers  carried  on  their  illegal  traffic 
with  such  indefatigable  ingenuity,  and  in  many  instances 
with  such  a determined  spirit  of  opposition,  as  to  place 
the  greater  part  of  the  population  of  extensive  districts 
in  direct  collision,  not  only  with  the  civil  authorities,  but 
with  the  military  force  of  the  government.  The  follow- 
ing facts  prove  the  utter  inefficacy  of  the  system  of  legis- 
lative severity.  In  the  ten  years  ending  with  1818, 
there  were,  according  to  official  documents,  16,244  un- 
licenced distilleries  destroyed,  in  which  36,965  gallons 
of  spirits,  and  47,843  barrels  of  mall,  besides  singlings 
and  pot  ale,  were  seized  or  destroyed.  In  the  subsequent 
ten  years  the  number  of  distilleries  destroyed  bad  in- 
creased to  41,645,  and  the  quantities  of  spirits  and  malt 
to  47,843  gallons  of  the  one,  and  156,636  barrels  of  the 
other.  A subsequent  change  of  the  law,  by  which  a re- 
duced scale  of  duties  has  been,  to  a certain  degree,  sub- 
stituted for  the  former  practice  of  fine  and  imprisonment, 
has  tended  considerably  to  diminish  the  prevalence  of 
this  baneful  practice. 

For  many  years  Ireland  was  chiefly  supplied  with  beer 
and  ale  from  Great  Britain  ; latterly,  however,  by  di- 
recting attention  to  the  internal  resources  of  the  country 
for  the  production  of  a species  of  manufacture,  the  prin- 
cipal material  of  which  is  to  be  had  in  such  plenty  with- 
in itself,  a sufficient  quantity  of  both  kinds  of  liquor  is 
produced  for  domestic  consumption,  and  for  export,  on  a 
scale  as  yet  limited,  to  other  countries,  and  even  to  Great 
Britain.  The  averages  of  the  quantities  imported  from 
Great  Britain,  at  different  periods,  will  serve  to  confirm 
this  statement. 

From  1721  to  1760  ] the  annual  average  of  f 9,307  gallons. 
1760  to  1801  I beer  and  ale  import- J 56,223 
1801  to  1811  j ed  from  Great  Britain]  37,703 
1811  to  1821  J amounted  to  1 5,123 

The  changes  in  the  circulating  medium,  through  which 
the  products  of  agricultural  and  manufacturing  industry 
are  made  available  to  the  increase  of  the  national  w’ealth, 
were  frequent  and  considerable,  to  an  extent  seriously 
affecting  the  political  arrangements  of  the  country.  The 
first  mint  noticed  in  history  was  established  by  the 
Danes,  but  the  coins  issued  from  it  circulated  only 
among  themselves,  traffic  being  carried  on  among  the 
natives,  both  during  that  period  and  for  some  centuries 
later,  by  barter,  in  which  cattle  was  the  standard  of  val- 
ue. Instances  of  this  are  on  record  even  in  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth,  when  the  tribute  of  several  chieftains  was  paid 
in  beeves. 

After  the  arrival  of  the  English,  a mint  was  establish- 
ed by  John,  who,  in  1210,  caused  pennies,  halfpennies 
and  farthings  to  be  coined  of  the  same  weight  as  those  in 


BOOK  OL VII.] 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


639 


England.  His  successors,  Heniy  III.  and  Edward  I. 
also  issued  coinages  of  small  money  ; the  latter  of  these 
was  the  first  sovereign  who  added  to  his  title  of  Rex 
Anglie  on  the  coins  that  of  Dominus  Hibernie.  In 
the  reign  of  Edward  III.  the  ounce  of  silver,  which  had 
hitherto  been  cut  into  20  deniers  or  pennies  sterling,  was 
divided  into  26.  Henry  VI.  appointed  mints  in  Dublin, 
Trim  and  Drogheda,  in  which  brass  as  well  as  silver  was 
coined.  In  his  reign  the  value  of  this  latter  metal  was 
raised  from  3s.  4d.  to  6s.  8d.  per  ounce.  The  conse- 
quence was  a sudden  rise  of  price  in  provisions  and  all 
other  necessaries  of  life.  The  remedy  applied  to  this 
evil  by  a subsequent  parliament,  was  the  issue  of  a new 
coinage  of  five  kinds  of  silver  coins,  the  gross,  the  demi- 
gross,  the  denier,  the  demi-denier,  and  the  quadrant  or 
farthing  ; eleven  groats  were  to  weigh  an  ounce  troy  ; 
the  groat,  if  not  clipped,  to  pass  for  fourpence. 

By  another  act,  in  1479,  the  price  of  silver  was  again 
raised  ; the  weight  of  the  groat  being  reduced  to  32 
grains,  so  that  the  difference  in  value  between  the  Eng- 
lish and  Irish  groat  was,  at  the  time,  nearly  fifty  per 
cent.  In  the  reign  of  Henry  VII.  the  difference  between 
English  and  Irish  money  was  one-third,  and  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  succeeding  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  the  cur- 
rent coin  was  so  clipped  and  defaced,  and  had  become 
so  scarce,  that  the  lord  lieutenant  petitioned  to  be  re- 
called in  consequence  of  the  want  of  money  to  carry  on 
the  wars.  Elizabeth  caused  the  ounce  of  silver  to  be  cut 
into  sixty  pennies;  the  value  of  a shilling,  better  known 
by  the  name  of  a harp,  during  her  reign  and  that  of  her 
successor,  was  9d.  English. 

Charles  I.  caused  the  name  of  Irish  money  to  be  abol- 
ished, and  directed  all  payments  into  the  treasury  to  be 
made  in  sterling  English  money.  During  the  Common- 
wealth, money  was  coined  for  the  special  service  of  Ire- 
land ; yet,  after  the  revolution,  small  money  was  so 
scarce,  that  several  towns,  and  even  private  individuals, 
were  obliged  to  coin  copper  tokens.  On  the  arrival  of 
James  II.  in  Ireland  after  his  abdication,  the  values  of 
gold  and  silver  coins  were  raised,  the  English  guinea  be- 
ing fixed  at  L.l,  4s.,  and  the  English  shilling  at  Is.  Id. 
But  he  soon  after  attempted  a still  greater  change  in  the 
currency  of  the  country,  by  the  issue  of  base  copper 
money,  which  was  ordered  by  proclamation  to  pass  at  a 
rate  so  extravagant,  that  copper  of  the  intrinsic  value  of 
L.6,495  was  made  to  pass  current  for  L.l, 596, 799. 
This  base  money  was  cried  down  by  King  William  im- 
mediately after  the  battle  of  the  Boyne. 

No  money  was  coined  during  the  reign  of  Anne.  In 
1725,  the  new  gold  coins  of  Portugal  were  allowed  to  pass 
current  in  Ireland  at  a stated  value.  Nor  did  any  further 
changes  in  the  circulating  medium  take  place,  till  the  as- 
similation of  the  currencies  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
in  1826,  when  the  British  shilling,  which,  since  the  time 
of  James  II.,  had  passed  for  thirteen  pence,  was  directed 
in  future  to  pass  for  tw'elve,  as  in  the  other  portions  of 
the  British  dominions. 

The  deficiency  of  a metallic  circulating  medium  in 
Ireland,  co-extensive  with  the  demands  of  an  increasing 
trade  and  commerce,  was  for  many  years  supplied  only 
by  private  banking-houses,  which  issued  notes  on  their 
own  responsibility.  But  as  the  quantity  of  paper  thus 
thrown  into  general  circulation  was  at  times  far  beyond 
the  amount  of  the  capital  it  purported  to  represent,  and 


even  exceeded  in  a great  Jlegree  the  demands  of  the 
country,  the  return  of  the  notes  to  their  respective  is- 
suers caused  sudden  failures  which  shook  public  credit 
to  its  basis. 

To  remedy  this  evil,  the  bank  of  Ireland  was  formed 
in  1783,  with  privileges  resembling  that  of  England. 
Its  capital  was  at  first  L. 600,000  ; but  on  various  re- 
newals of  its  charter,  it  was  gradually  increased  to 
L. 2, 850, 000.  At  the  last  renewal,  which  took  place  in 
1821  and  extends  to  1838,  the  amount  of  capital  was 
augmented  to  L. 3,000,000.  To  prevent  the  evil  conse- 
quences of  an  excessive  issue  of  private  bankers’  notes, 
every  partner  in  such  establishments  was  made  responsi- 
ble for  its  engagements  to  the  whole  amount  of  his  prop- 
erty, but,  by  a singular  contradiction,  the  number  of  part- 
ners in  each  was  limited  to  six,  thus  limiting  also  the 
amount  of  property  that  could  be  made  available  for  the 
liquidation  of  its  engagements,  in  cases  of  insolvency,  to 
the  aggregate  of  the  property  of  six  individuals. 

This  absurd  and  pernicious  limitation  has  been  lately 
removed.  Banks,  consisting  of  an  unlimited  number  of 
partners,  may  now  be  formed,  yet  still  with  a restriction 
in  favour  of  the  bank  of  Ireland,  that  such  joint  stock 
banking  houses  must  be  more  than  fifty  miles  from  Dub- 
lin ; thus  continuing  to  this  city  and  the  surrounding 
counties  the  disadvantages  under  which  the  whole  island 
had  laboured  in  consequence  of  the  impolitic  monopoly 
caused  by  the  limitation.  The  provincial  bank  of  Ire- 
land and  the  northern  bank  in  Belfast  have  been  formed 
according  to  this  new  regulation  : the  former  has  branch 
banks  in  twenty  of  the  principal  towns  in  Ireland.  The 
bank  of  Ireland,  following  the  example  of  this  new  rival, 
has  established  agencies  in  several  places,  thus  af- 
fording increased  facilities  to  trading  and  commercial 
transactions. 

Roads  and  canals  are  the  channels  of  internal  traffic. 
The  roads  in  Ireland  have  long  been  justly  celebrated 
for  the  excellence  of  their  construction.  The  principle 
of  the  method  now  styled  macadamizing,  was  practised 
there  for  many  years  before  it  was  introduced  into  gen- 
eral use  in  England,  by  the  spirited  exertions  of  the  en- 
gineer from  whom  it  derives  its  name.  Arthur  Young, 
in  his  tour  in  1777,  expresses  his  surprise  at  the  striking 
superiority  of  the  Irish  roads  over  those  of  England. 
“ For  a country,”  says  he,  “ so  far  behind  us  as  Ireland, 
to  have  suddenly  got  so  far  the  start  of  us  in  the  article 
of  roads,  is  a spectacle  which  cannot  fail  to  strike  the 
English  traveller  exceedingly.  I could  trace  a route  up- 
on paper  as  wild  as  fancy  could  dictate,  and  every  where 
find  beautiful  roads  without  break  or  hindrance,  to  enable 
me  to  realize  my  design.”  Since  the  introduction  of 
mail-coaches  in  1784,  the  roads  have  been  progressively 
increasing  in  number,  and  improving  in  construction- 
An  inexhaustible  supply  of  limestone,  the  substratum 
of  the  greater  part  of  the  country,  is  easily  procured, 
which,  broken  into  small  fragments,  affords  an  even  and 
durable  surface,  capable  of  being  repaired  at  a small  ex- 
pense. In  some  few  places,  the  old-fashioned  paved 
roads  are  still  to  be  met  with.  Yet  much  remains  to  be 
done.  Notice  has  already  been  taken  of  the  want  of 
roads  in  the  mining  districts.  The  western  part  of  Con- 
naught suffers  much  from  a similar  want.  In  many  parts 
goods  are  carried  several  miles  on  horses  ; in  some  the 
peasant  himself  is . the  bearer.  The  mountainous  dis- 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CBVII. 


640 

tricts  of  Cone  and  Kerry  labour  under  the  same  defect ; 
a circumstance  the  more  to  be  deplored,  because  experi- 
ence has  proved  that  wherever  a well  planned  line  of 
road  has  been  carried  through  a range  of  country  pre- 
viously impassable  for  carriages,  the  vent  of  agricultural 
produce,  and  the  consequent  increased  consumption  of 
exciseable  articles,  have  repayed  the  outlay  with  ample 
interest. 

With  respect  to  inland  navigation,  Ireland  is  far  behind 
the  sister  island.  While  the  latter  boasts  of  2400  miles 
of  still-water  navigation,  and  2000  miles  of  navigable  riv- 
ers, the  former  has  but  282  miles  of  canals,  and  380  of 
river  navigation  : the  total  of  water  communication  in  the 
one  case  being  4400  miles,  in  the  latter  660.  The  prin- 
cipal lines  of  inland  navigation  are  the  Grand  and  Royal 
Canals.  Both  commence  at  Dublin,  and  proceeding 
westward  in  lines  somewhat  diverging,  terminate  at  the 
Shannon.  The  former,  which  is  the  more  southern,  was 
commenced  in  1775,  and  has  united  the  metropolis  with 
the  Barrow  at  Athy,  and  with  the  Shannon  at  Banagher. 
The  canal  is  now  extended  beyond  the  Shannon  through 
Roscommon  as  far  as  Ballynasloe,  with  a view  of  carry- 
ing it  on  to  the  town  of  Galway.  The  ascent  to  the 
summit  level  is  278  feet  above  the  sea  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Liffey  : the  fall  thence  to  the  Barrow  is  97  feet,  and 
to  the  Shannon  162.  The  cargoes  conveyed  on  it  con- 
sist chiefly  of  turf,  in  large  quantities,  for  the  supply  of 
Dublin,  corn,  bricks  and  flag-stones.  The  traffic  is  far 
from  producing  a return  adequate  to  the  expenditure  in- 
curred ; the  affairs  of  the  company  are  therefore  in  a 
state  by  no  means  prosperous.  The  total  expenditure 
to  the  Shannon,  including  the  branch  cuts  to  Athy,  Mill- 
town  and  elsewhere,  amounts  to  L.  1,86 1,008,  being 
at  the  rate  of  L.18,610  per  mile  on  100  miles  of  still- 
water  navigation,  which,  though  yielding  a net  profit  of 
at  least  L.300  per  mile  per  annum,  would  amount  to  no 
more  than  15s.  8d.  per  cent.,  per  annum,  on  the  capital 
expended. 

The  Royal  canal  company  was  incorporated  in  1789. 
The  canal,  proceeding  from  the  north  of  Dublin,  passes 
through  the  counties  of  West  Meatli  and  Longford  until 
it  meets  the  Shannon  at  Tarmonbarry.  Its  line  was 
most  unhappily  projected : at  35  miles  distance  from 
Dublin  it  is  but  eight  miles  distant  from  the  Grand  Ca- 
nal, and  at  several  intermediate  places  not  more  than  four, 
so  that  these  two  great  navigations,  for  half  the  length 
of  each  westward  from  the  metropolis,  are  performing 
little  more  than  the  work  of  one.  The  expense  incurred 
was  L. 1,421, 954,  or  L.19,749  per  mile,  exclusive  of 
interest  for  many  years  upon  stock,  loan,  and  grants  of 
public  money.  The  company  having  become  insolvent 
in  1812,  when  not  more  than  53  miles  of  its  line  were 
executed,  the  undertaking  was  put  into  the  hands  of  a 
public  board,  and  completed  in  1817  by  parliamentary 
grants.  One  of  the  principal  objects  contemplated  by 
its  projectors  was  the  trade  arising  from  the  collieries 
and  iron  works  near  Lough  Allen.  These  sources 
have  not  yet  been  productive,  and  the  only  articles 
conveyed  on  it  are  similar  to  those  carried  along  the 
other  canal. 

The  Newry  Canal  is  the  oldest  in  the  country, 
being  commenced  so  early  as  the  year  1739.  It  ex- 
tends from  the  sea  below  Newry  to  Lough  Neagh, 
a distance  of  twenty-four  miles,  nine  of  which  are  in  the 


bed  of  the  river  Bann  ; a short  cut,  connecting  the  col- 
lieries at  Coal  Island  with  the  Lough,  may  be  considered 
as  part  of  the  navigation.  The  trade  on  this  canal  is 
seriously  impeded  by  the  obstacles  necessarily  consequent 
upon  an  attempt  at  making  rivers  navigable,  arising  from 
the  delays  caused  by  want  of  water  in  dry  seasons,  and 
from  damages  by  floods  in  wet  weather. 

The  Lagan  navigation  between  Belfast  and  Lough 
Neagh,  a distance  of  twenty-two  miles,  partakes  largely 
of  the  inconvenience  just  stated  to  arise  from  river  navi- 
gation. The  same  may  also  be  said  of  the  Boyne  and 
Limerick  navigations.  The  former  of  these  extends 
from  the  tide  water  at  Drogheda  to  Navan,  a distance 
of  fifteen  and  a half  miles,  and  is  carried  chiefly  through 
the  river  ; the  produce  of  the  tolls  is  totally  inadequate 
to  its  effective  maintenance.  The  Limerick  navigation 
from  Limerick  city  to  Killaloe,  designed  to  render  the 
Shannon  navigable  to  Lough  Dearg,  is  twelve  miles  long, 
partly  in  the  river.  If,  in  the  absence  of  more  satisfac- 
tory means  of  ascertaining  its  rate  of  profit,  an  estimate 
be  formed  from  the  imperfect  state  of  the  navigation  itself, 
the  uncertainty  of  the  passage  through  Lough  Dearg, 
navigable  only  by  sail  and  oar,  and  the  delays  from 
floods  and  foul  weather,  no  remunerating  rate  of  profit 
can  reasonably  be  expected. 

The  geographical  position  of  Ireland  has  been  already 
pointed  out  as  affording  great  facilities  for  commercial 
interchanges  with  some  of  the  most  wealthy  and  enter- 
prising nations  on  the  globe.  Notwithstanding  the  checks 
imposed  by  England  upon  this  branch  of  national  industry, 
the  commerce  of  Ireland  increased  with  rapidity  after  the 
nation  had,  in  any  degree,  recovered  from  the  severe 
shock  of  the  civil  war  in  1688.  But  in  1799,  its  com- 
merce assumed  a new  character,  in  consequence  of  the 
right  of  the  country  to  a free  trade  being  recognized  by 
the  British  parliament.  By  the  act  then  passed,  the 
laws  prohibiting  the  exportation  of  woollens  and  glass 
were  repealed,  and  the  country  was  allowed  to  trade 
with  all  parts  of  America,  the  West  India  Islands,  and 
Africa,  subject  only  to  regulations  framed  by  its  own 
parliament.  The  articles  of  the  Union  confirmed  this 
equality  of  commercial  privileges,  by  enacting,  that  the 
two  islands  should  be  on  the  same  footing  as  to  en- 
couragements and  bounties  on  the  like  articles,  the 
produce  of  each  country  respectively,  and  generally  also 
as  to  trade  and  navigation  in  all  parts  and  places  in  the 
United  Kingdom. 

A considerable  foreign  trade  is  now  carried  on  with 
America,  chiefly  by  the  merchants  of  Dublin,  Belfast 
and  Londonderry.  The  articles  principally  imported 
thence,  are  tobacco,  cotton,  wool,  rice,  timber,  and  flax 
seed  ; linen  is  chiefly  exported  in  exchange.  A trade 
for  wine  is  carried  on  with  Portugal  and  Spain,  and  large 
quantities  of  butter  are  sent  to  the  former  of  these  coun- 
tries, together  with  linen,  beef,  pork,  salt  fish,  and  some 
woollens.  In  addition  to  wines,  Ireland  receives  in  return 
fruit,  principally  oranges  and  lemons,  salt,  oil,  potash,  and 
cork.  Provisions  are  sent  to  France  in  exchange  for  the 
wines  of  that  country  ; as  also  to  the  Netherlands,  whence 
Geneva  spirit  and  linseed  oil  are  brought  in  exchange. 
To  the  Baltic  are  sent  linen  and  butter ; the  returns  are 
made  in  iron,  deals,  hemp,  potash,  and  herrings. 

But  the  chief  market  for  the  surplus  produce  of  the 
country  is  England.  Besides  grain  and  flour  to  a large 


BOOK  CLVII.l 


DESCRIPTION  OF  IRELAND. 


641 


amount,  black  cattle  and  swine  have  long  been  a staple 
article  of  export  to  Great  Britain  : their  numbers  have 
been  latterly  increased  to  a considerable  degree  by  steam 
navigation.  Previously  to  this  invention,  Portpatrick, 
in  Scotland,  bad  been  the  chief  landing-place  for  Irish 
cattle,  on  account  of  the  shortness  of  the  cross  passage  ; 
but  now  Liverpool  absorbs  nearly  the  whole  trade.  To 
Scotland,  also,  are  sent  linen  and  linen-yarn,  beef,  pork, 
tallow,  untanned  hides,  butter,  barley,  oats,  and  oatmeal. 
The  returns  from  Great  Britain  are  made  in  coal,  dried 
fish,  manufactured  goods  of  every  description,  both  for 
necessity  and  luxury,  tea,  coffee,  rum,  and  tobacco. 

Though  the  general  population  of  the  country  is  dis- 
tributed through  the  provinces,  nearly  in  proportion  to 
their  acreable  contents,  Connaught  excepted,  which  is 
by  much  the  most  thinly  peopled,  a considerable  diver- 
sity exists  between  them  as  to  the  mode  of  its  location 
in  each.  That  of  Munster  is  mostly  congregated  into 
large  towns,  while  in  Connaught  the  population  is  chiefly 
rural.  Of  the  cities  and  towns  containing  4000  inhab- 
itants, or  upwards,  each — nine  are  in  Leinster,  ten  in 
Ulster,  and  but  seven  in  Connaught,  while  Munster  can 
reckon  twenty-four,  ten  of  which  are  within  the  single 
county  of  Cork.  Or,  to  view  the  position  from  another 
point, — the  population  of  all  the  towns  containing  4000 
or  more  inhabitants,  amounts,  in  Leinster,  to  309,338 
souls  ; in  Ulster,  to  91,026  ; in  Connaught,  to  no  more 
than  69,173  ; while  in  Munster  it  increases  to  332, 921. a 
If  from  the  population  of  Leinster  be  deducted  that  of 
Dublin  city,  which,  as  being  the  metropolis  of  the  coun- 
try, is  swelled  into  a disproportionate  extent  by  supplies 
from  every  part  of  the  interior,  and  even,  in  some  degree, 
from  Great  Britain,  the  excess  here  pointed  out  will 
appear  more  striking.b 

Dublin,  the  metropolis  of  the  island,  and  the  chief 
city  in  the  province  of  Leinster,  is  situated  on  the  eastern 
coast,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Liffey.  Its  origin  is  wholly 
unknown.  Ptolemy  notices  it  by  the  name  of  Eblana ; 
it  is  also  mentioned  by  Irish  writers  previously  to  the 
invasion  of  the  Danes,  but  not  as  a place  of  first  rate 
importance.0  It  appears  to  have  been  at  first  plundered, 
and  afterwards  rebuilt  and  fortified,  by  these  freebooters 
in  the  ninth  century ,d  who  retained  it,  with  several  other 
maritime  positions,  till  they  were  expelled  by  the  Eng- 
lish.0 So  little  claim  had  the  city  to  the  title  of  metropo- 
lis at  this  latter  period,  that  Henry  II.,  on  his  arrival 
there,  found  it  necessary  to  erect  a temporary  palace  to 
receive  the  homage  of  the  Irish  chieftains.  But  its  po- 
sition, as  a point  of  communication  with  the  rest  of  that 
monarch’s  dominions,  soon  secured  to  it  a preference  for 
the  seat  of  the  local  government.  From  that  period  the 
city  increased  considerably  in  population  and  importance. 
King  John,  who  resided  in  it  for  some  time,  improved 


and  extended  it ; he  erected  a castle  on  a commanding 
eminence,  established  courts  of  justice,  and  appointed  a 
municipal  magistracy. f Yet  the  city  was  still  confined 
within  very  narrow  limits,  being  built  solely  on  the  southern 
bank  of  the  Liffey.  Its  walls,  a small  part  of  the  ruins 
of  which  are  still  visible,  included  merely  the  summit 
of  the  hill  on  which  the  castle  was  built,  and  part  of  its 
northern  and  southern  declivities.  Thenceforward,  its 
increase  was  uniformly  progressive,  though  not  rapid. 
In  Elizabeth’s  reign,  Trinity  College,  now  nearly  in  its 
centre,  was  designated  as  being  “ near  Dublin. ”e  During 
the  succeeding  civil  war,  temporary  works  thrown  up  to 
secure  the  south-eastern  suburbs,  which  lay  without  the 
walls,  were  constructed  between  the  castle  and  the 
college. 

At  present  the  city  extends  over  an  area  of  about 
1300  acres,’1  of  which  900  lie  to  the  south,  and  500  to 
the  north  of  the  Liffey,  giving  a circumference  of  nearly 
seven  miles.1  Its  extreme  bounds  are  marked  with 
tolerable  precision  on  all  sides,  except  the  west,  by  the 
two  canals.  The  interior  exhibits  a striking  contrast  of 
magnificence  and  wretchedness.  The  progress  of  archi- 
tectural improvement  has  proceeded  in  an  eastern  direc- 
tion towards  the  mouth  of  the  river,  in  which  portion  of 
the  city  most  of  the  public  buildings,  and  the  residences 
of  the  principal  inhabitants,  erected  within  the  two  last 
centuries,  are  to  be  found,  while  the  western  part,  the 
site  of  the  ancient  city,  is  falling  into  decay  and  ruin. 

The  most  remarkable  edifices  are  the  Bank  of  Ireland, 
formerly  the  Parliament  House  ; the  royal  exchange,  a 
building  of  peculiar  elegance  ; the  custom-house,  the 
courts  of  justice,  the  post-office,  and  the  extensive  anu 
massive  structure  of  Trinity  College.  The  castle  is  a 
pile  of  mean  and  unornamental  buildings.  Few'  of  the 
places  of  public  worship  can  be  cited  as  examples  of 
architectural  beauty.  Some  of  the  streets  are  spacious 
and  elegant.  There  are  five  squares,  the  largest  of 
which,  though  by  no  means  the  most  splendid,  is  St. 
Stephen’s  Green.  The  river,  which  traverses  the  city 
from  west  to  east,  is  crossed  by  nine  bridges,  three  of 
them  consisting  of  a single  arch  each  ; tw'o  of  these  are 
formed  of  iron.  Noble  quays  on  each  side,  faced  with 
cut  stone,  and  extending  through  the  heart  of  the  city, 
from  end  to  end,  afford  great  facilities  of  communication, 
and  present  an  appearance  of  airiness  and  salubrity 
peculiarly  pleasing  to  the  eye  of  taste. 

The  government  of  the  city  is  vested  in  the  Lord 
Mayor,  chosen  annually,  who,  on  public  occasions,  is 
distinguished  by  a collar  of  gold,  and  has  a mace  of 
office,  and  a sword  of  state,  borne  before  him.  He  is 
assisted  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  by  twenty-four 
aldermen,  out  of  which  body  he  is  elected,  and  by  a 
common  council,  consisting  of  members  chosen  every 

Dubh-leana  (Black-haven,)  whence  the  modern  name.  (Ed.  Enc.) — It 
was  called  by  the  Irish,  Balaclay  [Baile-cliath  (town  of  hurdles,)  pron. 
Balacleahi]  (Martiniere,  Diet.  Geog.) — P. 

d A.  D.  851.  (Ed.  Enc.)— P. 

e By  the  united  forces  of  Dermot  McMurrough,  and  of  the  English 
adventurers  under  Raymond  le  Gros.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

f The  first  charter  was  granted  by  Henry  II. ; a new  charter,  by 
Henry  III.  (Ed.  Enc.)— P. 

s Trinity  College  was  founded  by  Queen  Elizabeth,  in  1591.  (Ed. 
Enc.)— P. 

h 1600  acres.  (Ed.  Enc.) — More  than  1260  acres.  (Myers'  Geog.) — P 

' Two  miles  and  a half  long  from  east  to  west ; for  a mile  from  the 
west,  nearly  square  ; the  other  mile  and  a half,  one  mile  and  three 
quarters  from  north  to  south.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 


a By  the  Statist.  Tab.  (Ireland,  No.  vii.),  there  are  of  the  cities  and 
towns  containing  4000  inhabitants,  or  upwards,  each — nineteen  in  Lein- 
ster (nine  between  4000  and  (>000.)  twelve  in  Ulster  (seven  between 
4000  and  6000,)  eight  in  Connaught  (four  between  4000  and  6000,)  and 
twenty-five  in  Munster  (only  seven  between  4000  and  6000.)  By  the 
same  Table,  the  population  of  all  such  towns  in  Leinster,  is  348,296 ; in 
Ulster,  131,961  ; in  Connaught,  80,074  ; and  in  Munster,  366,614.  The 
statements  in  the  text  are  perhaps  from  the  census  of  1821. — P. 

b The  population  of  such  towns  in  Leinster,  exclusive  of  Dublin 
(203,752,)  is,  by  Stat,.  Tab.  No.  vii.,  144,544. — P. 

c It  was  called  by  the  native  Irish,  Jlth  Cliath  (ford  of  hurdles,)  and 
Bally  (Bn He)  Lean  Cliath  (town  of  the  haven  of  hurdles,)  from  the 
shallowness  of  the  river  rendering  it  fordable  at  low  water,  and  the 
depth  of  the  mud  rendering  a pathway  of  hurdles  necessary  ; also 
VOL.  III.— NO.  62  81 


642 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CL VII. 


third  year  by  the  twenty-five  guilds,  or  corporations  of 
trade.  A court  of  justice  for  the  trial  of  offences  com- 
mitted within  the  precincts  of  the  city  is  held,  at  which 
the  recorder,  aided  by  some  of  the  aldermen,  who  are 
the  chartered  magistrates,  presides.  Though  this  court 
has  power  of  life  and  death,  it  confines  its  jurisdiction  to 
minor  offences,  referring  cases  involving  the  penalty  of 
death  to  a superior  tribunal.  The  peace  of  the  city  is 
preserved  by  two  sheriffs,  annually  chosen  from  among 
the  common-council,  under  whom  is  a body  of  about  800 
police,  directed  by  twelve  stipendiary  magistrates  : their 
powers  extend  to  all  places  within  eight  miles  distance. 
By  their  exertions  the  city  and  its  vicinity  are  as  secure 
as  any  other  large  and  well  ordered  town  in  Europe. 
Crimes  of  great  atrocity  seldom  call  for  punishment. 

Dublin  can  boast  of  numerous  charitable  institutions, 
some  largely  supported  by  grants  of  public  money,  others 
entirely  dependant  on  voluntary  contributions.  Among 
the  former  are,  the  foundling  hospital  for  deserted  chil- 
dren, the  Hibernian  and  marine  schools  for  the  children 
of  soldiers  and  sailors,  the  royal  hospital  for  disabled 
soldiers,  the  house  of  recovery  for  fever  patients,  the 
general  hospital  in  Brunswick  street,  the  lying-in  hospi- 
tal, and  the  female  orphan-house  ; among  the  latter,  the 
mendicity  association  for  the  suppression  of  street  begging, 
the  society  for  the  relief  of  sick  and  indigent  room-keepers, 
the  strangers’  friend  society,  Stevens’  hospital  for  acci- 
dents, Simpson’s  hospital  for  blind  and  gouty  men, 
besides  many  others  of  minor  note.  Every  parish  has 
both  a Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic  school  for  the 
instruction  and,  in  several  instances,  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  children  of  the  poor.  Other  sects  also  support 
similar  institutions. 

The  literary  institutions  are  not  such,  either  in  number 
or  qualifications,  as  might  be  expected  from  the  appear- 
ance of  the  metropolis,  or  the  population  of  the  country. 
Public  libraries,  properly  so  called,  there  are  none.  The 
use  of  that  of  Trinity  College,  the  first  as  to  the  number 
and  selection  of  its  books,  is  confined  to  such  graduates 
of  that  university  as  choose  to  take  the  oath  of  admission, 
an  essential  preliminary  to  the  opening  of  a volume  in  it. 
The  King’s  Inns’  library  is  confined  to  the  members  and 
students  of  that  society.  Each  of  these  libraries  enjoys 
the  privilege  of  copies  of  all  books  published  in  the 
British  dominions.  Marsh’s,  or  St.  Patrick’s  library,  is 
more  liberal  as  to  the  qualification  for  admission,  but 
consists  of  a limited  number  of  books,  few  of  modern 
date.  The  Dublin  library,  and  the  Dublin  institution, 
are  private  establishments  supported  wholly  by  the  sub- 
scriptions of  the  members,  and  therefore  open,  with  some 
exceptions,  solely  to  them.  The  library  of  the  Dublin 
Society,  which  receives  a large  annual  grant  for  the  dis- 
semination of  useful  knowledge,  and  the  improvement  of 
the  arts,  is  confined  to  the  members,  who  pay  a sum  of 
L.30  for  admission.  This  society  maintains  professors 
in  chemistry,  botany,  experimental  philosophy,  and 
geology,  who  annually  deliver  public  courses  of  lectures. 
It  also  maintains  a school  of  drawing,  architecture,  and 
modelling. 

The  Royal  Irish  Academy  was  formed  for  the  encour- 
agement of  literature,  antiquities,  and  the  higher  branches 
of  science.  It  publishes  volumes  of  its  transactions 


from  time  to  time,  consisting  of  essays  on  some  of  the 
various  subjects  comprehended  within  the  scope  of  its 
investigations. 

The  school  of  physic  in  Dublin  is  rising  rapidly  in 
estimation,  partly  owing  to  the  talents  of  several  of  the 
professors,  partly  to  the  facilities  of  procuring  subjects 
for  dissection.  The  college  of  physicians  is  connected 
with  Trinity  College  : the  college  of  surgeons  is  detached 
from  it.  There  are  also  several  respectable  private 
schools  of  medicine. 

The  King’s  Inns,  intended  as  a place  of  legal  instruc- 
tion, has  but  two  public  halls,  namely,  one  for  the  dining- 
room, the  other  for  the  reception  of  the  library ; atten- 
dance at  the  former  of  these,  for  a certain  period,  is 
essential  towards  admission  as  a pleader  in  the  courts  of 
justice  ; the  presence  of  the  student  in  the  latter  is  regu- 
lated solely  by  his  own  inclination.  Lectures,  or  other 
modes  of  communicating  instruction  to  the  young  aspi- 
rant for  legal  honours,  are  unknown  here. 

The  environs  of  Dublin,  particularly  on  the  southern 
side,  present  numerous  situations  of  great  picturesque  beau- 
ty, which  are,  therefore,  frequently  visited  by  strangers. 

The  second  city  in  Leinster,  in  population  and  celeb- 
rity, is  Kilkenny,  beautifully  situated  on  the  banks  of 
the  Nore.  Like  Dublin,  its  origin  is  involved  in  the 
shades  of  antiquity.  Some  writers  suppose  it  to  be  the 
Terms’1  of  Ptolemy,  and  the  Hernia  of  Richard  of 
Cirencester  ; the  etymology  of  its  present  name  leads  to 
the  supposition  of  an  ecclesiastical  origin,  Kill-kenny 
signifying  the  church  or  cell  of  Kenny,  or  St.  Canice.b 
The  English  effected  a settlement  here  shortly  after  their 
landing  ; a charter  of  incorporation  was  granted  to  it  by 
one  of  Strongbow’s  immediate  successors.  Thus  favour- 
ed, it  soon  became  one  of  the  most  distinguished  inland 
cities  in  the  country.  At  the  close  of  the  fourteenth 
century  its  castle  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Butler 
family,  by  whom  it  has  ever  since  been  retained. 
One  of  the  descendants  of  this  house,  -the  Earl  of 
Ormond,  entertained  Richard  II.  in  it  for  fourteen  days, 
with  royal  splendour,  during  that  monarch’s  progress  to 
Dublin.  In  the  civil  wars  it  became  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment of  the  confederate  Catholics,  who  held  their  meet- 
ings there  in  the  form  of  a parliament.  It  made  a gal- 
lant defence  against  Cromwell,  who  was  glad  to  accept  its 
surrender  upon  terms  highly  honourable  to  the  garrison. 

The  city  consists  of  two  parts,  Kilkenny  properly  so 
called,  and  the  borough  of  St.  Canice  or  Irishtown,  a 
separate  jurisdiction.  On  the  two  most  elevated  part? 
of  the  united  town  are  placed  the  structures  which  con- 
stitute its  principal  ornaments,  the  castle  and  the  cathe- 
dral. The  former  contains  a good  collection  of  paintings, 
and  commands  a rich  and  extensive  prospect  of  the  fine 
and  varied  country  around  ; the  latter  is  the  largest 
ecclesiastical  structure  in  Ireland,  except  those  in  Dublin. 
Several  ruins  of  monastic  buildings  still  evince  the  former 
grandeur  of  the  religious  foundations  here.  As  a cen- 
tral depot  for  manufacturing  industry,  it  does  not  reap  all 
the  advantages  that  might  accrue  from  its  situation  on  a 
large  river,  in  the  midst  of  a fertile  and  populous  dis- 
trict; the  woollen  manufacture,  particularly  that  of  blan- 
kets, and  the  tanning  of  leather  being  the  only  processes 
carried  on  extensively.  Near  the  city  are  quarries, 


TovtQrig — Iucmis  (Edit.  Lat.  Mercat.) — P. 


b Cill-canic — Lat.  Celia  Canici. — P 


: 


book  cl, vii.]  DESCRIPTION 

whence  a marble  of  high  polish  is  raised  ; when  first 
wrought  it  is  almost  black,  but  after  exposure  to  the 
atmosphere  it  gradually  exhibits  numerous  white  marks 
throughout  its  surface,  which  an  attentive  examination 
proves  to  be  produced  by  the  sections  of  various  kinds 
of  fossil  shells.  The  annual  export  of  it  from  the  city 
averages  fifty  tons.  This  city  is  a separate  jurisdiction 
from  the  cognominal  county  with  which  it  is  surrounded, 
being  governed  by  magistrates  elected  under  a special 
charter. 

Thirty  milesa  northwards  of  Dublin  is  Drogheda,  for- 
merly called  Tredagh,  a town  of  great  antiquity  and 
much  historical  notoriety,  situate  on  the  Boyne,  about 
five  miles  from  its  mouth.  Though  seldom  named  in  the 
early  native  annals,  its  importance  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  II.  entitled  it  to  the  privilege  of  being  the 
place  of  a royal  mint.  In  the  succeeding  reign  it  was 
made  one  of  the  staple  towns,  a clear  proof  of  its  com- 
mercial importance  at  that  period.  Parliaments  were 
also  held  in  it,  particularly  that  celebrated  one  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  VII.  at  which  Poynings’  laws  were  enact- 
ed. It  obtained  a right  by  an  act  of  Edward  IV.  to 
have  an  university  with  the  same  privileges  as  that  of 
Oxford,  but  the  right  has  never  been  exercised.  During 
the  civil  wars  of  1641,  after  having  baffled  the  attempts 
of  the  northern  Irish  under  O’Neil,  and  of  the  parlia- 
mentary forces  under  Jones,  it  was  invested  by  Cromwell 
in  person,  who,  having  taken  it  by  storm,  caused  the 
whole  of  the  inhabitants,  without  distinction  of  age  or 
sex,  to  be  put  to  the  sword,  notwithstanding  a previous 
assurance  of  quarter.  Thirty  persons  only  escaped  from 
the  massacre,  and  they  were  transported  as  slaves  to  the 
West  Indies.  After  the  battle  of  the  Boyne  the  town 
surrendered  without  a struggle  to  the  victorious  army  of 
William. 

The  portions  of  the  town  on  each  side  of  the  Boyne 
were  formerly  separate  jurisdictions,  distinguished  by  the 
names  of  Drogheda  on  the  side  of  Meath,  and  Drogheda 
on  the  side  of  Uriel.b  The  dissensions  arising  from  this 
division  frequently  terminated  in  bloodshed,  until  at 
length  assuaged  by  the  exertions  of  Peter  Bennet,  a 
Dominican  friar,  who,  having  invited  the  leaders  of  both 
parties  to  a sermon  which  was  succeeded  by  a banquet, 
discoursed  with  such  effect  on  the  evil  consequences  of 
the  division,  that  they  joined  in  a petition  to  king  Henry 
V.  to  remove  the  cause  of  those  sanguinary  tumults,  by 
combining  both  parts  under  one  common  government. 
It  is  now  under  the  control  of  a mayor  and  aldermen. 
The  archbishop  of  Armagh  long  made  this  town  his  place 
of  residence,  the  portion  of  his  province  in  which  the 
city  of  Armagh  is  situated  being  without  the  pale,  and 
therefore  deemed  an  unsafe  residence  for  a prelate  recog- 
nising the  sovereignty  of  the  king  of  England.  The 
Roman  Catholic  archbishop  of  the  province  still  resides 
in  Drogheda. 

The  next  town  in  Leinster  as  to  population  and  impor- 
tance is  Dundalk,  the  county  town  of  Louth.  Before 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth  it  was  considered  to  be  a frontier 
town  of  the  pale,  and  underwent  many  of  the  changes 

OF  IRELAND.  643 

and  sufferings  incident  to  such  a position.  Edward  Bruce 
was  crowned  in  this  town,  and  fell  in  battle  near  it.  The 
first  army  sent  by  king  William  into  Ireland  under 
Schomberg  was  forced  to  stop  here,  in  its  progress  south- 
wards, in  consequence  of  the  ravages  of  disease  and 
famine.  It  is  now  noted  only  as  one  of  the  chief  places 
for  the  export  of  grain. 

Wexford,  the  next  in  rank,  was  the  first  town  of  which 
the  English  took  possession,  after  their  landing,  in  the  time 
of  Henry  II.  Their  descendants  still  inhabit  the  neigh- 
bouring districts,  where  they  retain,  to  the  present  day, 
in  their  manners,  appearance  and  dialect,  indisputable 
indications  of  their  original  stock.  The  town  is  now 
little  more  than  a fishing  station,  and  a place  of  residence 
for  families  of  limited  incomes,  who  enjoy  here,  from  the 
cheapness  of  all  the  necessaries  and  many  of  the  com- 
forts of  existence,  a degree  of  opulence  not  to  be  obtain- 
ed elsewhere.  During  the  rebellion  of  1798  it  remained 
for  some  time  in  the  possession  of  the  insurgents,  and 
the  long  wooden  bridge  by  which  the  Slaney  is  crossed 
near  its  mouth  was  the  place  of  execution  for  their  pris- 
oners. After  its  recovery  by  the  king’s  troops,  the 
town  became  the  scene  of  retaliation  by  the  victorious 
party  equally  sanguinary. 

Carlow  on  the  Barrow,  once  a place  of  strength,  and 
at  times  the  seat  of  the  king’s  exchequer,  is  now  of  little 
note.  It  is  built  in  the  midst  of  a rich  agricultural 
district ; and  its  inhabitants  depend  more  on  the  limited 
traffic  carried  on  by  means  of  the  river  Barrow  which 
passes  by  the  town,  than  on  any  of  the  main  sources  of 
manufacturing  industry.  New  Ross  on  the  Slaney,0 
once  a port  that  vied  in  commerce  with  Waterford,  is 
now  little  more  than  a village.  Portarlington  on  the 
Barrow,  in  consequence  of  a settlement  of  French 
refugees  there,  was  until  lately  a favourite  place  of  ele- 
mentary education  for  children  of  the  higher  classes. 

Belfast,  the  largest,  the  most  opulent,  and  the  most 
public-spirited  town  in  Ulster,  owes  its  pre-eminence 
neither  to  its  antiquity  or  its  political  constitution,  but 
solely  to  the  energetic  well  directed  exertions  of  its 
inhabitants. d It  was  a place  of  but  little  note  so  lately 
as  the  time  of  William  III.;  since  that  period  it  has 
risen  to  a great  height  in  commercial  importance,  main- 
taining an  extensive  traffic  with  the  United  States  and 
the  West  Indies.  The  following  table  will  serve  to 
exhibit  the  increase  of  its  shipping.  The  number  and 
tonnage  of  the  vessels  belonging  to  it  were  as  follows, 
at  the  dates  here  specified. 

No.  of  No.  of 

vessels.  Tonnage.  vessels.  Tonnage. 

1765  55  10,040  1819  104  10,489 

1792  58  9,765  1820  106  10,281 

1814  78  9,866  1829  184  21,557 

The  principal  building  is  the  Academical  Institution, 
a college  erected  solely  by  voluntary  contributions  for 
general  instruction  in  the  most  essential  departments  of 
literature  and  useful  knowledge  ; its  funds  have  latterly 
been  augmented  by  grants  of  public  money.  Belfast 
has  also  two  churches,  and  a dissenting  meeting-house  of 

a 23  miles.  (Myers.) — P. 
b Louth. 

c New  Ross  stands  on  the  Barrow,  a little  below  its  junction  with  the 
Nore. — P. 

<*  Belfast  is  more  ancient  than  is  generally  supposed ; the  parish  is  a 
. 

vicarage,  called  Shankil  [Gaelic,  sean-cill,  old  cell,]  or  the  old  church. 
The  castle  was  taken  by  the  Earl  of  Kildare,  in  1503  and  1512.  The 
town  was  made  a borough  in  1613.  The  custom-house  was  removed 
from  Carrickfergus  to  Belfast,  in  1638.  However,  in  1726,  it  was  a 
small  place  of  little  consequence,  (^d.  Enc.) — P. 

644 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVII. 


r 


some  architectural  elegance.* *  The  town  is  connected 
with  the  adjoining  county  of  Down,  by  a long  narrow 
bridge  over  the  Lagan.  It  was  one  of  the  great  marts 
for  the  sale  of  linen,  before  the  manufacture  was  super- 
seded by  that  of  cotton,  which  is  now  carried  on  here 
to  a greater  extent  than  in  any  other  part  of  Ireland.1* 
There  are  eight  large  cotton  factories  in  the  town,  or  in 
its  immediate  vicinity,  besides  seven  others  in  the 
adjoining  district. 

The  manufacture  of  damask,  for  table  linen,  is  carried 
on  with  much  spirit  at  Lisburn,  a neighbouring  borough 
town,  which  is  indebted  for  the  knowledge  of  the  fabric 
to  the  settlement  of  some  French  and  Flemish  refugees. 
Large  orders  are  executed  here  for  crowned  heads  and 
foreigners  of  distinction. 

Midway  between  Belfast  and  Drogheda,  is  the  town  of 
Newry,  formerly  noted  as  a military  pass  into  Ulster,  and 
now  as  a place  of  trade,  though  in  this  respect  consider- 
ably inferior  to  the  first-named  of  these  towns.  An 
extensive  inland  traffic  is  maintained  by  means  of  its 
canal,  navigable  for  vessels  of  sixty  tons  : it  also  partakes 
of  the  advantages  of  the  cross-channel  trade  with  Great 
Britain.  The  lordship  of  Newry,  comprehending  the 
town,  and  a small  surrounding  district,  is  an  exempt 
jurisdiction,  being  free  from  the  spiritual  control  of  any 
bishop.  The  proprietor  of  the  lordship  grants  marriage- 
licences,  probates  of  wills,  and  letters  of  administration, 
and  exercises  other  episcopal  powers. 

The  city  of  Londonderry,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Foyle,  is  a regular,  well-built  town,  consisting  of  four 
main  streets,  issuing  from  a central  square,  named  the 
Diamond,  and  terminating  at  the  gates.0  The  harbour 
affords  accommodation  sufficient  for  an  extensive  inter- 
course with  Great  Britain,  America,  and  the  West  Indies. 
But  Londonderry  is  best  known  for  its  successful  defence 
against  the  forces  of  James  II.  The  statue  of  the  Rev. 
George  Walker,  who  acted  as  governor  at  that  crisis,  is 
one  of  the  ornaments  of  the  town.  The  fortifications 
are  still  kept  in  good  repair,  and  the  ramparts,  which  are 
planted,  form  a fine  walk  round  the  city. 

The  honour  of  being  the  seat  of  the  primatial  see  of 
Ireland, d is  the  chief  claim  which  the  city  of  Armagh 
has  to  notice,  to  which  circumstance  it  also  owes  most  of 
the  public  institutions  that  now  adorn  it.  In  the  early 
ages  of  Christianity,  a college  flourished  here,  said  to 
have  given  instruction  to  several  thousand  students. 
The  foundation  of  its  cathedral,  which  is  built  on  an 
eminence,  called  Druimsailich,  or  the  Hill  of  Willows,  is 
attributed  to  St.  Patrick.  The  bodies  of  Brian  Boru, 
and  of  his  son,  both  of  whom  fell  at  the  battle  of  Clon- 
tarf,  were  interred  in  it.  During  the  incursions  of  the 


a The  houses  of  public  worship  are  ten  ; an  established  church  ; six 
dissenting  meeting-houses,  four  of  which  are  presbyterian ; a quaker 
meeting-house  ; a methodist  meeting-house  ; and  a Roman  Catholic 
chapel.  (Ed.  Enc.  1813.) — There  are  two  episcopal  churches. 
(Myers.) — 4*. 

b Belfast  was  the  first  seat  of  the  cotton  manufacture  in  Ire- 
land.— P. 

* Londonderry  has  four  main  streets,  crossing  at  right  angles,  within 
the  walls,  and  a mall,  with  a public  terrace,  or  diamond,  in  the  centre. 
(Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

d The  archbishop  of  Armagh  is  styled  lord  primate  and  metropolitan 
of  all  Ireland  ; that  of  Dublin,  lord  primate  of  Ireland. — P. 

' Richard  Robinson,  a native  of  Yorkshire,  made  archbishop  of 
Armagh  in  1705,  and  a peer  of  Ireland,  by  the  title  of  Baron  Rokeby, 
in  1777. — P. 

f This  should  read  Columba  (Gaelic,  Colum.)  Columbkill  (Gaelic, 


Danes,  the  city  suffered  severely  from  their  ravages,  in 
some  of  which  all  their  books  and  records  were  destroy- 
ed. Since  the  revolution,  it  has  been  enriched  by  Lord 
Rokeby,  otherwise  called  Primate  Robinson ,e  with  a 
library,  an  observatory,  and  an  extensive  grammar  school- 
house.  He  projected  the  foundation  of  an  University, 
but  unfortunately  for  the  interests  of  science,  intrusted 
the  execution  of  his  design  to  his  executors.  Armagh 
was  one  of  the  great  staples  of  the  linen  manufacture. 

Coleraine,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bann,  and  the  place  of 
one  of  the  most  extensive  salmon-fishings  in  Ireland — 
Carrickfergus,  once  the  capital  of  the  north  of  Ireland, 
but  now  a military  depot,  and  a fishing  town — Down- 
patrick, the  county  town  of  Down  county,  celebrated  in 
monastic  records  as  the  burial  place  of  the  saints  Patrick, 
Bridget  and  ColumbkilF — and  Enniskillen,  situated  on 
the  strait  or  river  that  connects  the  two  basins  of  Lough 
Erne,  have  little  to  entitle  them  to  a rank  among  the 
chief  towns  of  Ireland,  beyond  the  right  of  returning 
members  to  the  Imperial  Parliament. 

The  city  of  Cork,  which  stands  foremost  among  the 
numerous  towns  of  Munster,  was  for  many  years  after 
the  invasion  of  the  English,  a place  of  inferior  note, 
situated  in  a salt-water  marsh  subject  to  occasional  inun- 
dations, called  in  the  native  tongue,  “ Corcagh,”e  whence 
the  city  derives  its  name,  and  yielding  the  precedence  in 
population  and  trade  to  Limerick  and  Waterford.  In 
Elizabeth’s  reign  it  consisted  of  one  street,  terminated 
by  a bridge  over  the  Lee  ; several  smaller  streams,  which 
are  now  arched  over,  flowed  through  the  city.  Its  in- 
crease of  inhabitants,  and  its  present  celebrity,  are  at- 
tributable wholly  to  its  trade,  chiefly  in  provisions. 
During  the  late  war,  the  average  number  of  black  cattle 
annually  slaughtered  in  it  amounted  to  18,000,  and  not 
less  than  160,000  cwt.  of  butter  had  been  exported  in 
some  one  of  those  years.1*  Large  quantities  of  spirits, 
and  some  malt  liquor,  manufactured  here,  are  also  sent 
to  Great  Britain,  and  to  foreign  markets.  Its  public 
buildings  are  few  and  plain,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Chapel,  which  would  do  honour  to  any 
city,  particularly  in  its  internal  structure.  A literary 
institution,  for  the  promotion  of  useful  knowledge,  was 
founded  here  in  1807,  and  endowed  with  an  annual 
grant  of  public  money,  which  was  expended  in  the  for- 
mation of  a library,  and  in  maintaining  lectureships  in 
several  branches  of  science.1  The  grant  has  been  lately 
withdrawn. 

A favourable  commercial  station  on  the  Shannon,  gave 
rise  to  the  city  of  Limerick.  It  was  the  first  fordable 
place  to  be  met  with  on  that  river  from  its  mouth  ; and, 
therefore,  attracted  a concourse  of  settlers.  Soon  after 


Choluim-cill ) is  Columba’scell  or  church.  The  celebrated  island  off 
the  south-western  extremity  of  Mull,  is  Icolumbkill  (Gaelic,  1-choluim- 
ckill,  island  of  Columba’s  church,)  or  Iona  (Gaelic.  I-thonn  (pron. 
Ikon,)  island  of  waves.) — P. 

e Gaelic,  corcach,  a moor  or  inarsh.  The  rich  alluvial  flats  (meadows) 
on  the  Shannon  are  called  corcach,  corrupted  in  English  into  corcass  or 
caucus.  They  resemble  the  Scotch  carsc  lands  on  the  Forth  and  Tay. 
Curse  itself  maybe  derived  from  the  Gaelic,  though  it  seems  more  im- 
mediately connected  with  the  Welsh  cars,  a bog  or  fen  ; corsaicg,  fenny. 
The  Curragh,  an  extensive  grassy  plain  in  the  county  of  Kildare,  derives 
its  name  from  the  Gaelic  currach,  a bog  or  fen,  a plain. — P. 
h In  1800.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

' An  “ Institution  for  applying  Science  to  the  Common  Purposes  of 
Life,”  has  been  established,  and  is  in  a flourishing  state.  (Ed. 
Enc.) — P. 


BOOK  CliVII.] 


DESCRIPTION 

the  arrival  of  the  English  under  Strongbow,  it  was  seized 
by*  them,  but  was  immediately  after  evacuated,  in  con- 
sequence of  his  death,  and  burned  by  the  native  princes, 
to  prevent  it  from  falling  again  into  the  hands  of  their 
enemy.  Cromwell  invested  it  during  his  campaign  in 
Ireland,  but  was  forced  to  raise  the  siege.1  It  under- 
went two  sieges  in  the  subsequent  war  of  1688.  In  the 
former,  the  efforts  of  William,  who  opened  the  trenches 
in  person,  were  baffled  by  a daring  manoeuvre  of  General 
Sarsfield/  The  latter  terminated  by  the  memorable  sur- 
render, which  put  an  end  to  the  bloody  contest  that  had 
too  long  desolated  the  country.0 

The  city  is  composed  of  two  parts,  the  English  and 
the  Irish  town.  In  some  instances,  the  streets  are  nar- 
row and  gloomy  ; and  though,  in  the  ranges  of  buildings 
lately  erected,  great  attention  has  been  paid  to  external 
appearance,  hovels,  exhibiting  a picture  of  squalid  wretch- 
edness, are  to  be  seen  in  the  contiguity  of  splendid 
mansions.  As  an  emporium  of  commerce,  it  once  disput- 
ed the  title  to  precedence  with  Galway,  formerly  a first- 
rate  port.  Both  have  latterly  been  outstripped  in  the 
career  of  mercantile  competition  by  other  places. 

Waterford  occupies  a commanding  position,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Suir.d  Its  streets,  as  is  usual  in  towns 
which  had  been  fortified,  are  narrow  ; its  public  build- 
ings, in  general,  well  designed  and  elegant.  The  quays, 
which  extend  nearly  a mile  along  the  river,  are  much 
admired ; a well  constructed  bridge  affords  free  commu- 
nication with  the  adjoining  county  of  Kilkenny.  The 
city  was  anciently  one  of  the  Danish  seaports.  Regi- 
nald’s tower,  used  by  Strongbow,  after  his  capture  of  the 
place,  as  a prison  for  refractory  Danish  or  Irish  chief- 
tains, is  still  in  existence.  Waterford  derives  much  of 
its  wealth  from  the  Newfoundland  fishery,  to  which  it 
annually  sends  several  vessels ; it  also  exports  pork  and 
butter  in  large  quantities.  Dungarvan,e  a populous  town, 
about  twenty-four  miles  from  this  city,  is  considered  to  be 
the  largest  fishing  town  in  Ireland. 

Clonmel,  though  the  county  town  of  Tipperary,  and 
maintaining  a considerable  population,  presents  little  to 
arrest  attention,  while  Cashel,  a city  of  inconsiderable 
magnitude,  possesses  several  claims  to  particular  notice. 
This  city,  like  Dublin,  boasts  of  being  the  site  of  two 
cathedrals.  The  more  ancient  is  built  on  a precipitous 
rock,  whose  summit  is  attained  by  a winding  path.  Its 
ruins  exhibit  the  remains  of  several  splendid  edifices, 
among  which  was  the  royal  palace/  In  the  time  of 
Henry  VIII.  this  cathedral  was  burnt  by  the  Earl  of 
Kildare,  in  revenge  for  some  insult  offered  to  him  by 
the  archbishop.  In  it  was  deposited  the  fatal  stone  on 
which  the  kings  of  Munster  sat  at  their  coronation. e 
Tradition  states,  that  when  Fergus  obtained  the  crown 
of  Scotland,  he  borrowed  this  stone  for  his  own  cere- 
monial, and  retained  possession  of  it,  in  consequence  of 


a Limerick  was  taken  by  General  Ireton,  after  Cromwell’s  return  to 
England. — P. 

b Before  the  place  was  fully  invested,  Colonel  Sarsfield,  one  of  the 
inferior  officers  of  the  garrison,  made  a sally  by  night,  and  disabled 
William’s  train  of  artillery;  still  the  latter  continued  the  siege,  and 
was  induced  to  raise  it,  in  consequence  of  an  unsuccessful  assault. 
(Smollet.) — P. 

c Limerick  surrendered  to  General  Ginckel,by  a capitulation,  called 
the  Articles  of  Limerick. — P. 

d Waterford  stands  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Suir,  above  its  junction 
with  the  Barrow  — P. 


OF  IRELAND.  645 

a prophecy  which  declared  that,  wherever  it  was  kept, 
the  Milesian  race  of  kings  should  reign.  After  being 
preserved  for  some  centuries  at  Scone,  it  was  removed  by 
Edward  I.  to  Westminster,  where  it  still  remains.  Ad- 
joining the  cathedral  is  Cormac  M’Cuillenan’s  chapel. 
The  modern  cathedral  is  an  edifice  of  Grecian  architec- 
ture adorned  with  a handsome  spire. 

The  second  town  in  the  county  of  Cork  as  to  popula- 
tion is  Youghal,1*  a seaport,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Black- 
water.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  who  held  it  by  a grant  from 
the  crown,  disposed  of  his  interest  in  it  to  Richard  Boyle, 
the  first  Earl  of  Cork,  by  whom  it  was  much  improved. 
Cromwell  sailed  hence  on  the  termination  of  his  san- 
guinary campaign  in  Ireland.  It  is  a place  of  little  trade, 
being  chiefly  frequented  for  the  purpose  of  sea-bathing. 
The  potato  is  said  to  have  been  first  raised  in  Ireland  in 
a garden  here. 

The  next  town,  as  to  population,  is  Kinsale.  It  under- 
went two  sieges,  one  in  the  time  of  Elizabeth,  the  other 
in  that  of  William.  James  II.  also  landed  here  on  his 
arrival  to  recover  his  throne.  The  town  being  built  on 
the  side  of  a hill,  presents  a fine  prospect,  but,  on 
entering,  the  streets  are  found  to  be  narrow,  and  the 
communications  difficult  from  the  steepness  of  the  declivi- 
ties. A considerable  fishing  trade  is  carried  on  here. 
The  town  gives  the  title  of  baron  to  the  head  of  the 
De  Courcy  family,  who  enjoys  the  singular  right  of 
appearing  covered  in  the  royal  presence. 

Bandon  Bridge  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  singular 
antipathy  formerly  entertained  by  its  inhabitants  against 
Roman  Catholics,  expressed  by  an  inscription  over  one 
of  the  gates,  in  the  following  pithy,  though  not  very 
liberal  or  poetical  distich  : 

Turk,  Jew  or  Atheist 

May  enter  here,  but  not  a papist. 

So  lately  as  1750,  it  is  said  that  it  did  not  contain  a sin- 
gle resident  Roman  Catholic.  Nor  was  a piper  allowed 
to  play  in  the  streets,  the  pipe  being  proscribed  as  an 
Irish  instrument.  The  inscription,  however,  is  erased, 
and  the  sectarian  distinctions  are  dying  away.  Sir 
Richard  Cox,  the  writer  of  a prolix  history  of  Ireland,* 
was  a native  of  this  town.  His  work  breathes  the  undi- 
luted spirit  of  the  political  atmosphere  whence  he  imbibed 
his  opinions. 

Fermoy,  on  the  Blackwater,  is  one  of  the  most  regu- 
larly built  towns  in  Ireland.  It  consists  of  a square  with 
diverging  streets,  in  each  of  which  the  houses  are  built 
according  to  an  uniform  elevation.  Its  increase  in  wealth 
and  dimensions  was  rapid  during  the  late  war,  chiefly 
owing  to  the  erection  of  an  extensive  barrack  in  its 
immediate  vicinity. 

Mallow,  an  inland  town  in  the  same  county,1*  is  fre- 
quented chiefly  for  its  mineral  waters.  Tralee,  the 


e Dungarvon. 

f On  the  rock  of  Cashel,  are  the  old  Gothic  cathedral,  the  ruins  of 
Cormac’s  chapel,  adjoining  the  cathedral,  and  a high  round  tower,  of 
five  stories,  near  the  eastern  angle  of  the  north  aisle.  The  rock  was 
formerly  inclosed  with  a wall.  (Ed.  Enc.) — P. 

s Cashel  was  the  residence  of  the  kings  of  Munster. — P. 
h By  the  Stat.  Tab.  (Ireland,  No.  vii.)  Bandon  is  next  to  Cork  in  pop- 
ulation (12,(317)  ; Youghal,  third  (9, 608.) — P. 

* “ Hibernia  Anglicana,”  in  two  parts,  1689,  1700. — P. 
k Cork  county,  in  which  Ferinoy  is  also  situated. — P. 


646 


EUROPE. 


[BOOK  CLVII 


county  town  of  Kerry,  is  situated  at  the  extremity  of  a 
broad  but  shallow  bay,  between  Kerry  Head  and  Bran- 
don Head.  The  episcopal  church  is  a noble  modem 
structure.  Large  shoals  of  herrings  are  frequently  taken 
in  the  bay.  Ennis,  the  county  town  of  Clare,  situated 
at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  estuary  of  the  Fergus, 
has  little  to  boast  of  except  a Franciscan  abbey,  founded 
by  O’Brien  in  1250,  which  is  considered  the  most  ele- 
gant Gothic  monastery  in  Ireland. 

The  province  of  Connaught,  as  appears  from  the 
comparative  statement  of  the  numbers  of  inhabitants  in 
the  towns  of  each  of  the  great  divisions  of  Ireland,  is 
peopled  mostly  by  a rural  population.  Galway,  the 
chief  town  both  of  the  province,  and  of  the  county  of 
the  same  name,  is  but  the  sixth  in  Ireland  as  to  numbers. a 
The  town  is  situated  on  the  neck  of  land  that  separates 
Lough  Corrib  from  the  sea,b  and  was  formerly  of  consid- 
erable note,  both  as  a place  of  strength  and  as  a com- 
mercial emporium,  in  which  latter  character  it  long  dis- 
puted the  precedence  with  Limerick.  Some  manufac- 
tures are  carried  on  here,  but  the  fisheries  afford  the 
chief  source  of  employment  to  the  people.  During  the 
war  of  1688,  the  town,  after  a gallant  defence,  surren- 
dered to  General  Ginkell  on  honourable  terms.0 

Sligo,  the  second  town  in  size  in  the  province,  was 
built  by  the  English,  shortly  after  their  arrival  in  the 
country,  and  has  ever  since  been  a place  of  some  impor- 
tance. It  now  exports  grain  in  large  quantities.  Near 
the  town  is  a relic  of  antiquity,  called  Lugna  Clough, d 
or  the  Giant’s  grave,  consisting  of  a number  of  stupen- 
dous stones  placed  on  each  other,  somewhat  similar  to 
those  of  Stonehenge.  Tuam,  the  seat  of  the  archiepis- 
copal  see,  is  a town  of  small  note.  The  cathedral  is  a 
neat  modern  edifice.  In  trade  and  manufactures  it 
maintains  a respectable  rank  as  an  inland  town  ; the 
inhabitants  are  generally  in  good  circumstances,  and  its 
market  is  well  supplied.  The  archbishop  resides  here  in 
a spacious  but  antiquated  palace.  Athlone,  situated  on 
the  Shannon,  is  but  partly  in  Connaught,®  the  eastern 
portion  of  it  lying  in  the  county  of  West  Meath.  It  was 
the  main  pass  over  the  Shannon,  and  thence  considered 

a The  fifth,  in  Stat.  Tab.  No.  vii. — P. 

b It  stands  on  the  river  that  connects  Lough  Corrib  with  the  sea. 
(Myers.) — P. 

c General  Ginckel  (Ginkle)  commanded  in  Ireland,  after  William’s 
return  to  England.  He  took  Athlone,  Galway  and  Limerick. — P. 

d Gaelic,  Cloch,  a stone. — P. 


as  a place  of  much  importance.  During  the  war  of 
1688  it  underwent  two  sieges,  the  first  by  William  III. 
in  person/  who  failed  in  his  attempt  to  force  a passage 
through  it  ; in  the  second  it  surrendered  to  General 
Ginkell.  At  present  it  is  one  of  the  chief  depots  for 
arms  and  military  stores,  and  therefore  is  the  quarters  of 
a large  garrison,  upon  the  expenditure  of  which  the  town 
chiefly  depends. 


This  description  of  Ireland  cannot  be  concluded  more 
appropriately,  than  by  the  following  quotations,  which 
form  the  opening  and  close  of  Sir  John  Davies’s  cele- 
brated tracts  on  the  causes  why  Ireland  continued  so  long 
unsubdued  and  useless  to  the  crown  of  England.®  The 
work  commences  with  the  description  of  the  natural 
capabilities  of  the  country  : “ Wherein  I have  observed 
the  good  temperature  of  the  ayre,  the  fruitfulness  of  the 
soyle,  the  pleasant  and  commodious  seats  for  habitation, 
the  safe  and  large  ports  and  havens  lying  open  for 
trafficke  into  all  the  western  parts  of  the  world  ; the 
long  inlets  of  many  navigable  rivers,  and  so  many  great 
lakes  and  fresh  ponds  within  the  land,  as  the  like  are  not 
to  be  seen  in  any  part  of  Europe  ; the  rich  fishings  ; the 
wild  fowle  of  all  kinds;  and  lastly,  the  bodies  and 
mindes  of  the  people  endued  with  extraordinary  abilities 
of  nature.”  The  conclusion  of  the  treatise,  in  which  ho 
shows  that  the  island  was  then,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
reign  of  James  I.,  completely  subdued,  is  wound  up  by 
the  following  emphatic  passage  : — “ In  which  condition 
of  subjects  they  will  gladly  continue  without  defection  or 
adhering  to  any  other  lord  or  king,  as  long  as  they  may 
be  protected  and  justly  governed  without  oppression  on 
the  one  side,  or  impunity  on  the  other.  For  there  is  no 
nation  of  people  under  the  sun,  that  doth  love  equall 
and  indifferent  justice  better  than  the  Irish,  or  will  rest 
better  satisfied  with  the  execution  thereof,  although  it  be 
against  themselves,  so  as  they  may  have  the  benefit  and 
protection  of  the  law,  when  upon  just  cause  they  do 
desire  it.” 


e In  the  county  of  Roscommon.— P. 

The  first  attempt  on  Athlone  was  made  by  General  Douglas,  while 
William  was  on  his  march  from  Dublin  to  Kilkenny.  (Smollet.) — P. 

e Published  in  1612. — Sir  J.  Davies  was  successively  solicitor  and  at- 
torney-general, and  judge,  in  Ireland,  during  the  reign  of  James  I. — P. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN 


647 


STATISTICAL  TABLES. 


TABLE  I . 


ENGLAND. 


Real  Property , as  assessed.  April  1815.  Comparative  Population. 


COUNTIES. 

Annual  value  of 
thp  Real  Prop- 
eity,  as  assessed 
April  1815. 

POPULATION. 

1801. 

1811. 

1821. 

1831. 

Bedford 

Berks  

Buckingham  . . . 

Cambridge  .... 

Chester 

Cornwall 

Cumberland  .... 

Derby 

Devon  

Dorset 

Durham 

Essex 

Gloucester  .... 

Hereford 

Huntingdon  .... 

Kent 

Lancaster 

Leicester 

Lincoln 

Middlesex  .... 
Monmouth  .... 

Norfolk 

Northampton  . . . 

Northumberland  . . 

Nottingham  .... 

Oxford 

Rutland 

Salop 

Somerset 

Southampton  (Hants) 

Stafford 

Suffolk 

Surrey 

Sussex 

Warwick 

Westmoreland  . . . 

Wilts 

Worcester  .... 
York  East  Riding  . . 

City  of  York  and  Ainsty 
York  Nortli  Riding 
York  West  Riding 

£343,685 

643,781 

643,492 

645,554 

1,083,083 

916,060 

705,446 

887,659 

1,897,515 

698,395 

791,359 

1,556,836 

1,463,259 

571,107 

320,188 

1,644,179 

3,087,774 

902,217 

2,061,830 

5,595,537 

295,097 

1.540.952 
942,162 

1,240,594 

737,229 

713,147 

133,487 

1,037,988 

1,900,651 

1.130.952 
1,150,285 
1,127,404 
1,579,173 

915,348 

1,236,727 

298,199 

1,155,459 

7,999,605 

1,120,434 

69,892 

1,166,948 

2,396,222 

63,393 
109,215 
107,444 
89,346 
191,751 
188,269 
117,230 
161,142 
343.001 
115,319 
160,561 
226.437 
250, 80S) 
97,577 
37,568 
307,624 
672,731 
130,081 
208,557 
818,121 
45,582 
273,371 
131,757 
157,101 
140,350 
109,620 
16,356 
167,639 
273,750 
219,656 
239,153 
210,431 
269,043 
159,083 
208,190 
41,617 
185,107 
139,333 
111,693 
23,692 
158,255 
565,282 

70,213 

118.277 

117,650 

101,109 

227,031 

216,667 

133,744 

185,487 

383.308 
124,693 
177,625 
252,473 
200,906 
111,654 

42,208 

373,095 

828.309 
15()j419 
237.891 
953,276 

62,127 

291,099 

141.353 

172,161 

162,900 

119,191 

16,380 

194,296 

303,180 

245,080 

295,153 

234,211 

323,851 

190,083 

228.735 

45,922 

193,828 

160,546 

135,319 

26,422 

169,391 

656,042 

83,716 

131,977 

134,068 

121,909 

270,098 

257,447 

156,124 

213,333 

439.040 
144,499 
207,673 

289.424 
335,843 
129,714 

48,771 

426,016 

1,052,859 

174*571 

283,058 

1,144,531 

71,833 

344,368 

162,483 

198,965 

186,873 

136,971 

18,487 

206,153 

355,314 

283,298 

341.040 
270,542 
398,658 
233.019 
274,392 

51,359 

222,157 

184.424 
154,934 

29,527 

187,452 

801,274 

95.400 

145.200 

146.400 

143.200 
334,314 

301.000 

171.700 
236,900 

494.400 

159.400 

253.700 

317.200 

386.700 

143.300 
53,100 

478.400 
1,335,800 

197.000 

317.400 
1,358,200 

98,200 

390.000 

179.300 

223.000 

225.400 
152.100 

19.400 
222,800 
402,500 

314.700 

410.400 

296.000 

485.700 

272.300 
337,600 

55,000 

240.200 

211.400 

169.800 
34,461 

190.800 

976.400 

SCOTLAND. 


Real  Property,  as  assessed  April  1815.  Comparative  Population. 


COUNTIES. 

Annual  value  of 
the  Real  Proper- 
ty,  as  assessed 
April  1815. 

POPULATION. 

1801. 

1811. 

1821. 

1831. 

Aberdeen  . . 

£325.218 

123,082 

135,075 

155,387 

177,600 

Argyle . . . 

227,493 

71,859 

85,585 

97,316 

101 ,400 

Ayr.  . . . 

409,983 

84,306 

103,954 

127,299 

145,100 

Banff  . . . 

88,942 

35,807 

36,668 

43,561 

48,604 

Berwick  . . 

245.379 

30,621 

30,779 

33,385 

34,000 

Bute  . . . 

22,541 

11,791 

12,033 

13,797 

14,200 

Caithness  . . 

35,469 

22,609 

23,419 

30,238 

34,500 

Clackmannan 

37,978 

10,858 

12,010 

13,263 

14,700 

Dumbarton  . 

71,587 

20,710 

24,189 

27,317 

33,200 

Dumfries  . . 

295,621 

54,597 

62,960 

70,678 

73,800 

Edinburgh 

770,875 

122,954 

148,607 

191,514 

219,600 

Elgin  . . . 

73,288 

26,705 

28,108 

31,162 

34,200 

Fife  . . . 

405,770 

93,743 

101,272 

114,550 

128,800 

Forfar  . . . 

361,241 

99,127 

107,264 

113,138 

139,600 

Haddington  . 

251,126 

29,986 

31,164 

35,127 

36,100 

Inverness  . . 

185,565 

74,292 

78,356 

90,157 

94,800 

Kincardine  . 

94,861 

26,349 

27,439 

29,118 

31,400 

Kinross  . . 

25,805 

6,725 

7,245 

7,762 

9,100 

Kirkcudbright 

213,308 

29,211 

33,684 

38,903 

40,600 

Lanark  . . 

686,381 

146,699 

191,152 

224,387 

316,800 

Linlithgow  . 

97,597 

17,844 

19,541 

22,685 

23,300 

Nairn  . . . 

14,902 

8,527 

8,257 

9,006 

9,400 

Orkney  and  Shetland 

20,938 

46,824 

46,153 

53,124 

58,200 

Peebles  . . 

64,182 

8,735 

9,935 

10,046 

10,600 

Perth  . . . 

555,532 

126,366 

135,090 

10,046 

142,900 

Renfrew  . . 

265,534 

78,056 

92,596 

112,175 

133,400 

Ross  and  Crom 

arty 

121,557 

55,343 

60,853 

68,828 

74.800 

Roxburgh 

254,180 

33,682 

37,230 

40,892 

43,700 

Selkirk  . . 

43,584 

5,070 

5,889 

6,637 

6,800 

Stirling 

218,766 

50,825 

58,174 

65,376 

72,600 

Sutherland  . 

33,878 

23,117 

23,629 

23,840 

25,500 

Wigton  . . 

143,425 

24,918 

26,918 

33.240 

36,330 

Summary  of  the  annual  value  of  real  property,  as  assessed  April  1815, 
£6,652,655. 


Rate  of  Increase  in  the  Population  of  Great  Britain,  bettoeen  the 
periods  o/*  1801  and  1811,  1811  and  1821,  1821  and  1831. 


WALES. 


ENGLAND. 


COUNTIES. 

Annual  value  of 
the  Real  Prop- 
erty, as  assessed 
April  1815. 

POPULATION. 

COUNTIES. 

Population 
in  1801. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1811. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1821. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1831. 

1801. 

1811. 

1821. 

1831. 

Anglesey 

£92,581 

33,806 

37.045 

45.063 

48,300 

Bedford 

63,393 

11  per  ct. 

19  per  ct. 

14  per  ct. 

Brecon 

146,530 

31 ,633 

37,735 

43,613 

47,800 

Berks 

109,215 

8 

11  

10  

Cardigan 

141,889 

42,965 

50,260 

57,784 

64,700 

Buckingham  .... 

107,444 

9 

14  

9 

Caermarthen  . . . 

277,455 

61,317 

77,217 

90,239 

100,800 

Cambridge  .... 

89,346 

13  

20  

18  

Caernarvon  .... 

125,198 

40,521 

49,336 

57,958 

86,600 

Chester 

191,751 

18  

19  

24  

Denbigh 

221 ,783 

60,352 

64,240 

76,511 

82,800 

Cornwall 

188,269 

15  

19  

17  

Flint 

153,930 

39,622 

46,518 

53,784 

60,100 

Cumberland  .... 

117,230 

14  

17  

10  

Glamorgan  .... 

334,192 

71,525 

85,067 

101,737 

126,200 

Derby 

161,142 

15  

15  

11  

Merioneth  .... 

111.436 

27,506 

30,924 

34,382 

34,500 

Devon  

343,001 

12  

15  

13  

Montgomery  . . . 

207,286 

47,978 

51,931 

59,899 

65,700 

Dorset 

115,319 

8 

16  

10  

Pembroke  .... 

219,589 

56,280 

60.615 

74.009 

80,900 

Durham 

160,561 

11  

17  

22 

Radnor 

99,717 

19.050 

20,900 

22,459 

24,700 

Essex 

226,437 

11  

15  

10  

648 


EUROPE. 


Rale  of  Increase  in  the  Population , fyc.  (Continued.) 


COUNTIES. 

Population 
in  1801. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1811. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1821. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1831. 

Gloucester  .... 

250,809 

12  per  ct. 

18  per  ct. 

15  per  ct. 

Hereford 

89,191 

5 

10  

7 

Hertford 

97,577 

14  

16  

10  

Huntingdon  .... 

37,598 

12  

15  

9 

Kent 

307,624 

21  

14  

12  

Lancaster 

672,731 

23  

27  

27  

Leicester 

130,081 

16  

16  

13  

Lincoln  . . . 

208,557 

14  

19  

12  

Middlesex  . . . 

818,129 

17  

20  

19  

Monmouth  .... 

45,582 

36  

15  

36  

Norfolk 

273,371 

7 

18  

13  

Northampton  .... 

131,757 

7 

15  

10  

Northumberland  . . 

157,101 

9 

15  

12  

Nottingham  .... 

140,350 

16  

15  

20  

Oxford 

109,620 

9 

15  

11  

Rutland 

16,356 

0 

13  

5 

Salop 

167,639 

16  

6 

8 

Somerset 

273,750 

12  

17  

13  

Southampton  (Hants)  . 

219,656 

12  

15  

11  

Stafford 

239,153 

21  

15  

20  

Suffolk 

210,431 

11  

15  

9 

Surrey 

269,043 

20  

23  

22  

Sussex 

159,311 

19  

22  

17  

Warwick 

208,190 

10  

20  

23  

Westmoreland  . . . 

41,617 

10  

12  

7 

Wilts 

185,107 

5 

15  

8 

Worcester 

15  

15  

15  

York,  (East  Riding) 

111,693 

16  

14  

10  

York,  (City  & Ainsty  of) 

23,692 

12  

12  

17  

York,  (North  Riding)  . 

158,225 

7 

11  

2 

York,  (West  Riding)  . 

565,282 

16  

22  

22  

WALES. 


COUNTIES. 

Population 
in  1801. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1811. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1821. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1831. 

Anglesey 

33,806 

10  per  ct. 

21  per  ct. 

7 per  ct. 

Brecon  ...... 

31,633 

19  

16  

10  

Cardigan 

42,956 

17  

15  

10  

Caermarthen  .... 

67,317 

15  

17  

12  

Caernarvon  .... 

41,521 

19  

17  

15  

Denbigh 

60,352 

6 

19  

8 

Flint 

39,622 

17  

15  

11  

Glamorgan  .... 

71,525 

18  

19  

24  

Merioneth 

27.506 

4 

11  

0 

Montgomery  .... 

47,978 

8 

15  

9 

Pembroke 

56.280 

7 

22  

9 

Radnor 

19,050 

9 

7 

9 

SCOTLAND. 


COUNTIES. 

Population 
in  1801. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1811. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1821. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1831. 

Aberdeen 

123,082 

10  per  ct. 

15  per  ct. 

14  per  ct. 

Argyle 

61 ,859 

19  

14  

4 

Ayr 

84,306 

23  

22  

14  

Rate  of  Increase  in  the  Population,  fyc.  (Continued.) 


COUNTIES. 

Population 
in  1801. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1811. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1821. 

Rate  of 
Increase  in 
1831. 

Banff 

35,307 

2 per  ct. 

19  per  ct. 

12  per  ct. 

Berwick 

30,621 

1 

8 

2 

Bute 

11,791 

2 

15  

3 

Caithness 

22,609 

4 

29  

14  

Clackmannan  . . . 

10,858 

11  

10  

11  

Dumbarton  .... 

20,710 

17  

13  

22 

Dumfries 

54,597 

15  

13  

4 

Edinburgh 

122,954 

21  

29  

15  

Elgin 

26,705 

5 

11  

10  

File 

93,743 

8 

13  

12  

F orfar 

99,127 

8 

6 

23  

Haddington  .... 

29,906 

4 

13  

3 

Inverness  

74.292 

5 

15  

5 

Kincardine  .... 

26,349 

4 

5 

8 

Kinross 

6,725 

8 

7 

17 

Kirkcudbright  . . . 

20.211 

15  

15  

4 

Lanark 

146,699 

31  

27  

30  

Linlithgow  .... 

171.844 

9 

17  

3 

Nairn 

8,527 

0 

9 

4 

Orkney  and  Shetland  . 

46,824 

0 

15  

10  

Peebles 

8,735 

14  

1 

1 

Perth 

126,366 

7 

3 

3 

Renfrew 

78,056 

19  

21  

19  

Ross  and  Cromarty 

55,343 

10  

13  

9 

Roxburgh 

33,682 

11  

10  

7 

Selkirk 

5,070 

16  

13  

2 

Stirling 

50,825 

14  

12  

11  

Sutherland  .... 

23,117 

2 

0 

7 

Wigton 

22,918 

17  

23 

9 

Summary  of  the  Annual  Value  of  Real  Property,  as  assesses 
April  1815. 

England £49,744,622 

Wales 2,153,801 

Scotland 6,652,655 

£58,551,078 


Summary  of  the  Population  of  Great  Britain. 


Population 
in  the  year 
1801. 

Increase 
per  cent. 

Population 
in  the  year 
1811. 

Increase 
per  cent. 

Population 
in  the  year 
1821. 

Increase 
per  cent. 

Population 
in  the  vear 
1831. 

England  . 

8,331,434 

m 

9,551,888 

175 

11.261,437 

16 

13,089,338 

Wales  . . 

541,546 

13 

611 ,788 

J7 

717,438 

12 

805.236 

Scotland  . 

1,599,068 

14 

1,805,688 

16 

2,093,456 

13 

2,365,807 

Army,  Na-  > 
vy,  &c.  ) 

470,598 

— 

640,500 

— 

319,300 

— 

277,017 

Total  . . 

10,942,646 

12,609,864 

14 

14,391,631 

15 

16,537,398 

GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND. 


049 


TABLE  II. 


Number  of  Persons  of  both  Sexes  in  the  Counties  of  Great  Britain, 
according  to  the  returns  of  1831. 


ENGLAND. 


Counties  of 

Bedford  

Berks 

Backs 

Cambridge 

Chester 

Cornwall 

Cumberland 

Derby 

Devon  

Dorset 

Durham 

Essex 

Gloucester 

Hereford 

Hertford 

Huntingdon 

Kent 

Lancaster 

Leicester 

Lincoln 

Middlesex 

Monmouth 

Norfolk 

Northampton 

Northumberland  . . . 

Nottingham 

Oxford 

Rutland 

Salop  

Somerset 

Southampton  (Hants)  . . 

Stafford 

Suffolk 

Surrey 

Sussex 

Warwick 

Westmoreland  .... 

Wilts  

W orcester 

York,  East  Riding,  and ) 
York,  City  and  Ainsty  of ) 
York,  North  Riding  . . 

York,  West  Riding  . . . 

England,  Total . . 


WALES. 

Counties  of  Males. 

Anglesey 23,475 

Brecon 23,896 

Cardigan 30,868 

Caermarthen 48,648 

Caernarvon 31,810 

Denbigh 41,388 

Flint 29^924 

Glamorgan  . . ...  63,284 

Merioneth 17,334 

Montgomery 33,048 

Pembroke 37,947 

Radnor 12,453 

Wales,  Total  . . . 394,075 


Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

46,350 

49,033 

95,383 

72.453 

72,836 

145,289 

71,734 

74,795 

145,529 

72,031 

71,924 

143,955 

164,152 

170,258 

334,410 

146,949 

155,491 

302,440 

81,971 

87,710 

169.681 

117,740 

119,430 

237,170 

235,630 

258,538 

494,168 

76,536 

82,716 

159,252 

721,701 

132,126 

253,827 

158,885 

158,352 

317,237 

185,063 

201,841 

386,904 

55,715 

55,261 

110,976 

71,895 

71,946 

143,341 

26,365 

26,784 

53,149 

534,572 

244,583 

479,155 

650,389 

680,465 

1,336,854 

97,556 

99,447 

197,003 

158,717 

158,527 

317,224 

631,493 

727,048 

1,358,541 

51,095 

47,035 

98,130 

189,305 

200,749 

390,094 

87,889 

91,387 

179,276 

106,157 

116,755 

222,912 

110,443 

114,877 

225,320 

76,055 

75,671 

151,726 

9,721 

9,664 

19,385 

110,788 

111,715 

222,503 

194,169 

209,739 

403,908 

152,097 

162,216 

314*313 

206,895 

203,588 

410,483 

145.761 

150,543 

296,304 

230,855 

255,471 

486,326 

135,326 

137,002 

272,328 

165,761 

171,227 

336,988 

27,594 

27.477 

55,041 

117,118 

122,063 

239481 

103,367 

107,989 

211,356 

98,524 

105,484 

204,008 

93.232 

97,641 

190,873 

485,845 

490,570 

976415 

375,394 

6,713,944 

13,089,338 

Counties  of 

Aberdeen  . . . 

Argyle  .... 

vnc.  Ill— NO.  G3 


SCOTLAND. 

Males. 

82.582 

50,059 


Females. 

24,850 

23,867 

33,912 

52,007 

33.943 

41,779 

30,088 

63,328 

18,275 

33,437 

43,477 

12,198 

411,161 


Females. 

95,069 

51,366 


Total. 

48,325 

47,763 

64,780 

100,655 

65,753 

83,167 

60,012 

126,612 

35,609 

66,485 

81,424 

24,651 


805,236 


Total. 

177,651 

101,425 


Counties  of 

Males. 

Females. 

Total 

Ayr 

69,717 

75,338 

145,055 

Banff 

22,743 

25,861 

48,604 

Berwick 

16,239 

17,809 

34.529 

Bute 

6,495 

7,656 

14,729 

Caithness 

16,359 

18,170 

34,529 

Clackmannan  .... 

7,095 

7,634 

14.729 

Dumbarton 

16,321 

16,890 

33,211 

Dumfries 

34.829 

38,941 

73.770 

Edinburgh 

99,911 

119,681 

2191592 

Elgin 

15,779 

18,452 

34,231 

Fife 

60,780 

68,059 

128.839 

Forfar 

65,093 

74,513 

139,606 

Haddington  .... 

17,397 

18,748 

30.145 

Inverness  

44,510 

50,287 

94,797 

Kincardine 

15,016 

16,415 

31.43? 

Kinross 

4,519 

4,553 

9,072 

Kirkcudbright  . . . 

18,969 

21,621 

40,609 

Lanark 

159,259 

166,590 

316,819 

Linlithgow 

10,995 

12,296 

23,291 

Nairn 

4,307 

5,047 

9,354 

Orkney  and  Shetland  . 

26,594 

31,645 

58*239 

Peebles 

5,342 

5,236 

10,578 

Perth 

68,565 

74,329 

142,894 

Renfrew 

61,154 

72,289 

133,443 

Ross  and  Cromarty  . . 

34,927 

39,893 

24,820 

Roxburgh 

20,761 

22,902 

43.063 

Selkirk 

3,394 

3,439 

6,833 

Stirling 

35,283 

37,338 

72,021 

Sutherland  .... 

12,090 

13,420 

25,518 

Wigton 

17,078 

19,180 

36,258 

Scotland,  Total . . 

. 1,115,132 

1,250,675 

2,365,807 

IRELAND. 


No.  I. 

Table  of  the  Extent  and  Value  of  the  several.  Counties,  Counties  of 
Cities,  and  Counties  of  Towns,  with  the  amount  of  the  County 
Assessments,  and  the  Proportion  of  the  Sums  levied  for  County 
Cess  and  Tithe,  to  £1  sterling  in  the  value  of  the  Land. — The 
Parish  Cesses  are  not  included  in  this  Table. 


Average 

Proportion  of 

COUNTIES. 

Contents  in 
Statute 
Acres. 

Estimated 

Value. 

Value 

per 

Statute 

Average  of 
County  Cess  in 
1830—183 1. 

County  Cess  and 
Tithe,  to  One 
Pound  sterling-  in 
the  Value  of  Lhe 

Acre. 

Land. 

Cess. 

Tithe. 

Leinster. 

£ s.  d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

s. 

d. 

s. 

d ■ 

Carlow  . . 

219,863 

104,895 

0 15  0 

10,326 

1 10 

1 

3.1 

1 

4 

Dublin  . . 

240,104 

216,093 

0 18  0 

21,319 

0 

2 

2 

0 

1 

2 

Dublin  City 

8,527 

34,108 

4 0 0 

14.831 

16 

6.1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Kildare  . . 

392,435 

255,082 

0 13  0 

18,904 

10 

51 

1 

51 

l 

31 

Kilkenny  . 

491,399 

393,119 

0 16  0 

17,036 

9 

1 

0 

10 

l 

5 

Kilkenny  | 
King’s  . 

22,287 

44,574 

2 00 

2,232 

7 

7 

1 

0 

0 

0 

528,166 

317,019 

0 12  0 

15,095 

0 

0 

0 

111 

1 

1 

Longford  . 

263,645 

151,595 

0 11  6 

10,215 

10 

4.1 

1 

4 

1 

0 

Louth  . . 

200,484 

150,363 

0 15  0 

10,516 

7 

«i 

1 

31 

1 

51 

Drogheda  ) 
Town  5 

5,777 

14,402 

2 10  0 

1,178 

11 

2 

1 

71 

0 

0 

Meath  . . 

567,127 

510,414 

0 18  0 

25,724 

0 

61 

1 

0 

1 

0 

Queen’s 

396,810 

277,767 

0 14  0 

19,556 

12 

3 1 

1 

5 

1 

51 

West  Meath 

386,251 

251,063 

0 1.3  0 

15,735 

15 

7 

1 

31 

1 

0 

Wexford 

564,479 

395,134 

0 14  0 

33,728 

9 

23 

1 

8 

1 

51 

Wicklow 

494,704 

296,822 

0 12  0 

18,650 

12 

6 

1 

3 

1 

3 

Ulster. 
Antrim  . . 

742,324 

556,743 

0 15  0 

42,909 

10 

1 

1 

6| 

1 

4 

Carrickfer-  ) 
gus  Town  S 

16,542 

12,406 

0 15  0 

811 

18 

10 

1 

33 

0 

0 

Armagh 

328,183 

178,955 

0 17  0 

23,655 

9 

3 

2 

8 

1 

3 

Cavan  . 

473.449 

307,741 

0 13  0 

23,852 

7 

1 

6> 

0 

0 

Donegal 

1,165,107 

349,501 

0 60 

24,606 

15 

4-J 

1 

43 

2 

1 

82 


650 


EUROPE. 


Table  of  the  Extent  and  Value  of  the  several  Counties,  fyc. 
(Continued.) 


Table  of  the  Geographical  Positions  of  the  principal  Seaports  and 
Headlands.  (Continued.) 


COUNTIES. 

Contents  in 
Statute 
Acres. 

Estimated 

Value. 

Average- 

Value 

per 

Statute 

Acre. 

Average  of 
County  Cess  in 
1830—1831. 

Proportion  of 
County  Cess  and 
1 ithe,  to  One 
Pound  sterling  in 
the  Value  of  the 
Land. 

Ulster. 
Down  . . 

011,404 

489,123 

£ s.  d. 
0 10  0 

£ s. 
37,471  15 
10,705  18 

d. 

94 

Cess. 
s.  d. 

1 04 

Tithe. 
S.  d. 

1 4 

Fermanagh 

471,341 

259,241 

0 11  0 

8 

1 

34 

1 

0 

Londonderry 

518,270 

310,902 

0 12  0 

24,902  2 

14 

1 

01 

1 

114 

Monaghan 

327,048 

212,581 

0 13  0 

19,043  19 

6 

1 

14 

1 

0 

Tyrone 

754,395 

528,005 

0 14  0 

42,893  7 

9 

1 

74 

2 

0 

Munster. 
Clare  . . 

802,352 

441,393 

0 11  0 

30,439  2 

84 

1 

44 

1 

0 

Cork  . . 

1,725,100 

1,137,242 

0 13  7 

05,473  15  10 

1 

14 

1 

9 

Cork  City 

44,403 

00,094 

344,010 

1 10  0 

18,952  15 

8 

5 

8 

0 

0 

Kerry  . . 

1,148,720 

0 70 

30,559  0 

6* 

1 

94 

1 

0 

Limerick  . 

040,021 

544,527 

0 17  0 

30,515  2 

2 

1 

13 

I 

0 

Limerick 

City 

Tipperary 

34,102 

85,405 

2 10  0 

5,921  4 

84 

1 

44 

0 

0 

1,013,173 

880,439 

270j958 

0 17  0 

52,532  10 

7 

1 

24 

1 

3 

Waterford 

401,598 

0 12  0 

10,980  8 

74 

1 

24 

0 

0 

W atei'ord 
City 

9,083 

18,300 

2 00 

4,348  14  104 

4 

10 

0 

0 

Connaught 
Galway  . 

1,485,533 

850,000 

0 11  5 

30,441  11  114 

0 

84 

1 

2 

Galway 

Town 

25,059 

18,894 

0 15  0 

3,731  15 

4 

3 

6 

0 

0 

Leitrim 

420,375 

210,187 

0 10  0 

15,170  17 

04 

1 

5 

1 

0 

Mayo  . . 

1,355,048 

550,018 

0 80 

21,287  2 

8 

0 

114 

1 

14 

Roscommon 

007,405 

379,028 

0 12  0 

23,070  11 

14 

1 

24 

1 

0 

Sligo  . . 

454,887 

227,443 

0 10  0 

19,224  2 

54 

1 

8 

l 

0 

Ireland  . 

20,399,008 

12,715,578 

0 12  5J 

800,111  9 

34 

1 

5 

1 

34 

***  In  Counties  of  Cities  and  Counties  of  Towns,  the  Clergy  are 
chiefly  paid  by  a tax  on  the  houses,  called  Minister’s  Money,  and 
therefore  the  Tithe  has  not  been  introduced  into  this  Table. 


No.  II. 


Table  of  the  Geographical  Positions  of  the  principal  Seaports  and 
Headlands. 


Malin  Head  . . . 

Londonderry  city  . 
Fair  Head  . . . 

Tor  Point  . . . 

Carrickfergus  town 
Belfast  town  . . 

Donaghadee  town 

Ballywalter  town  . 

Ballyquintin  Point 
Downpatrick  town 
St.  John’s  Point  . 
Drogheda  town 
Howth,  bailey  of  . 
Dunsink  observatory 
Wicklow  Head 
Wexford  town  . . 

Carnsore  Point . . 

Hook  Head  . . . 

Waterford  city  . . 

Ardmore  Head  . . 

Youghal  town  . . 

Cove  town  . . . 

Kinsale  town  . . 

Brow  Head  . . . 

Crow  Head  . 


Latitude. 

Longitude. 

55° 

20' 

40" 

70 

24' 

0" 

54 

59 

20 

7 

19 

30 

55 

13 

20 

6 

9 

0 

55 

11 

0 

6 

2 

0 

54 

42 

45 

5 

47 

0 

54 

36 

0 

5 

56 

0 

54 

38 

20 

5 

31 

50 

54 

32 

20 

5 

28 

0 

54 

19 

30 

5 

28 

20 

54 

19 

50 

5 

42 

0 

54 

13 

30 

5 

39 

0 

53 

43 

45 

6 

24 

15 

53 

21 

30 

6 

3 

15 

53 

23 

10 

6 

21 

0 

52 

58 

10 

5 

56 

30 

52 

20 

0 

6 

21 

30 

52 

10 

0 

6 

16 

45 

52 

7 

20 

6 

58 

0 

52 

15 

0 

7 

7 

30 

51 

57 

20 

7 

41 

40 

51 

58 

0 

7 

52 

30 

51 

51 

0 

8 

18 

45 

51 

42 

0 

8 

33 

0 

51 

20 

0 

9 

48 

0 

51 

34 

20 

10 

11 

40 

The  most  northern 
point  of  Ireland. 


The  nearest  point 
to  Scotland. 


The  most  eastern 
point  of  Ireland. 


Near  Dublin. 


The  most  southern 
point  of  Ireland. 


Dingle  town  . . 

Dunmore  Head 

Brandon  Head  . . 

Tralee  town . . . 

Kerry  Head . . . 

Limerick  city  . . 

Loop  Head  . 

Black  Head  . . . 

Galway  town  . . 

Sline  Head  . . . 

Aghris  Point  . . 

Westport  town  . . 

Achil  Head  . . . 

Erris  Head  . . . 

Sligo  town  . . . 

Donegal  town  . . 

Telen  Head  . . . 

Bloodyfarland  Point 
Horn  Head  . . . 


Latitude.  Longitude. 


52° 

10' 

30" 

10° 

15' 

45" 

52 

8 

30 

10 

27 

30 

52 

19 

0 

10 

8 

20 

52 

16 

50 

9 

43 

0 

52 

24 

40 

9 

54 

0 

52 

39 

30 

8 

36 

30 

52 

33 

30 

9 

54 

0 

53 

9 

20 

9 

13 

0 

53 

16 

0 

9 

0 

0 

53 

24 

30 

10 

7 

40 

53 

32 

45 

10 

8 

30 

53 

48 

20 

9 

27 

30 

53 

58 

30 

10 

12 

20 

54 

17 

20 

9 

56 

15 

54 

16 

15 

8 

24 

0 

54 

38 

0 

8 

4 

30 

54 

40 

45 

8 

46 

30 

55 

8 

0 

8 

17 

0 

55 

12 

50 

7 

.58 

20 

The  most  western 
point  of  Ireland. 


No.  III. 

Names  and  Situation  of  the  Tribes  settled  in  Ireland,  according  to 
Ptolemy ; and  of  the  principal  Septs  or  Families  at  the  Com- 
mencement of  the  17 Ih  Century,  according  to  O'Connor. 

LEINSTER. 


County. 

Ptolemy. 

O’Connor. 

Carlow 

Brigantes 

Cooke,  Brown,  Bagnall,  O’Nolan, 

Caucoia 

O’Ryan,  Carew,  M’Morrough,  Ca- 
venagh. 

Dublin 

Eblanib 

Grace,  St.  Laurence,  Warren,  Lut- 
trel,  Talbot,  Harold,  Wolverston, 
O’Brin. 

Kildare 

Caucoi 

White,  Allen,  Sarsfield,  Rice,  Wogan, 
Aylmer,  Fitzgerald,  Brown,  Eus- 
tace. 

Eblani 

Kilkenny 

Brigantes 

Grace,  O’Brenan,  Wandesford, Butler, 

Caucoi 

O'Shea,  Rooth,  Harpur,  Walsh, 
Shortal. 

King’s  Co. 

Brigantes 

Fitz-Simons,  O'Connor,  Hy  Falie, 
O’Molloys,  O’Carrol,  O’Delany. 

Longford 

O’Ferral. 

Louth 

Portlance,  Bellew,  Taaffe,  Verdon, 
Gernon,  Dowdall,  Fleming,  Net- 
terville,  Darcy,  Nangle,  Barne- 
wall,  Denny,  Preston,  Cadell,  Cu- 
sack, Bellew,  Cheevers,  Mare- 
ward,  Plunket,  Hussey,  Dease. 

Meath 

Eblani 

Queen’s  Co. 

Brigantes 

O’Regan,  O’Dempsey,  O’Don, 

O'More,  O’Mooney,  Keating,  Fitz- 
Patrick. 

West  Meath 

Nugent,  O’Melaghlin,  Petit, 

M’Geoghegan,  Dillon,  M’Auley, 
O’Malone,  O'Daly. 

Wexford 

Manapii 

Hy  Kenselagh,  Brown,  Talbot, 
M’Murrough,  Colclough,  Sutton, 
Butler,  Masterson,  Keating,  Co- 
merford,  Redmond,  Devereux, 

Hay. 

Wicklou 

O’Birne,  Wallis  or  Walsh,  O’Toole. 

ULSTER. 

Antrim  Robogdii  M'Willins,  O'Hara,  O’Shiel,  Mac- 

Voluntii  Donall,  O’Neil. 

Armagh  Vinderiic  O’Neil,  Caulfield,  Brownlow,  O'Han- 

Voluntii  Ion,  Acheson. 

a Ka.vy.oi — Catici  (Lat.) — P. 

11  Blani.  (Edit.  Mercator.) — Blanii  or  Eblanii.  (Martiniere.) — In  a 
MS.  quoted  by  Ortelias,  'Epivroi  (Hebdyni.) — P. 

c In  Mercator’s  Edition,  there  is  no  people  mentioned  called  the 
Vinderii.  Among  the  geographical  positions  is  the  following  : Vindcrii 
Jtuvii  ostia  (mouth  of  the  river  Vinderius.) — P. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND. 


651 


County. 

Ptolemy. 

O’Connor. 

Cavan 

Erdini 

O’Reilly,  O’Curry,  Plunket,  O’Sher- 
idan, O’Brady,  M’Kiernan,  Ha- 
milton. 

Donegal 

Erdini 

O’Dogherty,  M’Swiny  Fanet, 

M’Conemy,  O’Donnel,  M’Swiney 
na  ttia,  M’Ward,  O’Boyle,  O’Gal- 
lagher, O’Clery. 

Vennicnii 

Down 

Vinderii 

M’Ginnes,  Savage,  O’Neil,  White, 

Voluntii 

Robogdii 

M’Cartan. 

Fermanagh 

Darini* 

M’Gwire,  Cole,  O’Flanegan. 

Londonderry 

Vennicnii 

O’Cahan,  O’Conor,  O’Murry,  O’Do- 
nell. 

Monaghan 

M'Mahon. 

Tyrone 

Erdini 

O’Neil,  Hamilton,  Caulfield,  O’Ha- 
gan, Chichester. 

MUNSTER. 

Clare 

Gangani 

O’Daly,  O’Loghlin,  O’Davoran, 
O’Brien,  O’Finn,  O’Dea,  M’Bru- 
eddin,  O’Honeen,  O’Conor,  M’Gil- 

Cork 


Kerry 


Limerick 


Tipperary 


lysaght,  O’Grady,  M’Innerny, 
O’Molony,  O’Halloran,  Sexten, 
M’Clancy,  M’Namara  Reagh, 
M'Namara  Finn,  M’Mahon,  O’He- 
hir,  M’Gillereagh,  M’Considin, 
O’Gorman,  M’Gorman. 

Juverniib  Fitzgerald,  Meagh,  Barry,  Condon, 

Coriondi  M’Carthy,  Gibbon,  M’Donogh, 

Yodiic  Roche,  Nagle,  O’Donohoe, 

O’Keefe,  O’Lyons,  Baine,  Copin- 
ger,  Gold,  O’Calaghan,  O’Hely, 
O’Hennesy,  O’Riordan,  O'Daly, 
Boyle,  Carevv,  Barry,  Waters, 
Skyddy,  Stackpole,  Archdeacon, 
Sandfield,  Galwey,  O’Kearney, 
O’Leary,  O’Crowly,  M’Carthy 
Reagh,  O’Hea,  O’Mahony,  O’Dris- 
coll, O’Sullivan,  O’Donovan, 
Barry. 

Duellabrid  O’Connor  Kerry,  Blenerhasset, 

Juvernii  Crosby,  Fitzmaurice,  Denny,  Fitz- 

gerald, M’Elliott,  Trant,  Rice, 
Browne,  O’Donoghoe,  Conway, 
O’Falvy,  M’Carty  More,  M’Gilli- 
cuddy,  O’Sullivan  More,  O’Ma- 
hown 


Coriondi  O’Brien,  O'Hurly,  O’Grady,  De 

Duellabri  Lacey,  Arthur,  Roche,  O’Quin, 

Fanning,  Corny n,  Browne,  Creagh, 
Stritch,  Harrold,  M’Mahon,  Nash, 
Purcel,  O’Casey,  Fitzgerald, 
O’Halinan,  O’Scanlan,  Aylmer, 
M'Sheehy,  White,  Morony,  Sars- 
field,  M’Enery,  O’Gorman. 


Darini  M’Egan,  O’Kennedy,  O’Hogan,  Ma- 

Coriondi  grath,  O’Brien  O’Mulrian,  O’Hick- 

ey, O’Meagher,  O’Carrol,  Purcel, 
O’Fogarty,  Matthews,  Butler,  Eve- 
rard,  O’Dwyer,  Burke,  Woulfe, 
O’Heffernan,  Cantwell  O’Kearny, 
Tobin,  Mandeville,  Fitzgerald, 
Fitzgibbon. 


a Darni.  (Ed.  Merc.) — Darni,  Darnii,  or  Darini.  (Martiniere.) — P. 
b Not  in  Ed.  Merc.  Qu.  Uterni. — Ptolemy  places  the  Uterni  on  the 
southern  coast  of  the  island.  In  a MS.  quoted  by  Ortelius,  the  reading 
is  Juberni.  In  others,  the  name  is  Juernii  (Iovcqvioi.)  (Martiniere.) — P. 


County. 

Waterford 


Ptolemy.  O’Connor. 

Manapii  O’Brien,  Aylward,  Poer,  O’Feolan, 

Wyse,  Walsh,  Wadding,  Sherlock, 
Dalton,  M’Thomas,  Boyle. 


Galway 


Leitrim 


CONNAUGHT. 

Gangani  O’Maly,  O’Flaherty,  Birmingham, 
Auteri6  O’Halloran,  O’Kirwan,  Martin, 

Blake,  Skerret,  Lynch,  Browne, 
O’Heney,  O’Shaughnesy,  O'Mad- 
den, Burke,  Ftench,  Darcy,  O'Mul- 
lallay.  O’Daly. 


O’Ruark,  M’Gauran,  M’Ranell, 
M’Conavan,  M’Dermot  Roe. 


Mayo  Auteri  M’William,  Burke,  Barrett,  Jordan, 

Dillon,  M’Phillips,  M’Costello  ot 
Nangle,  Browne,  Joyce,  Bingham, 
Fitzmaurice. 

Roscommon  Auteri  O’Fallon,  O’Kelly,  O’Naghton, 

O’Birn,  O’Flanegan,  King,  M’Der- 
mot, O’Conor  Don,  O’Donellan, 
Crofton,  O’Hanly,  O’Flyn,  M’Da 
vid,  Burke. 


Sligo  Nagnat®  O’Conor  Sligo,  O’Dowd,  M’Firbis, 

O'Hara,  O’Bean,  M’DonogL, 
O’Gara. 


No.  IV. 


Heights  of  the  Principal  Mountains. 


Feet. 

Macgillicuddy’s  Reeks,  Kerry, 3695 

Lugnaquilla,  ....  Wicklow, 3070 

Slieve  Donard,  . . . Down, 2809 

Muilrea, Mayo, 2733 

Mangerton, Kerry, 2693 

Croagh  Patrick,  . . . Mayo 2660 

Nephin Mayo, 2630 

Kippure-head,  ....  Wicklow, 2527 

Comaderry, Wicklow, 2268 

Arragh, Donegal, 2220 

Great  Sugar-loaf,  . . . Wicklow, 2004 


No.  V. 


Islands  on  the  Coast  of  Ireland. 


Province. 

Tot.il  number 
of  Islands. 

Number  of  in- 
habited Islands. 

Population 

Leinster, 

6 

i 

34 

Ulster, 

40 

27 

4,546 

Munster, 

70 

50 

22,827 

Connaught, 

80 

60 

15,592 

196 

138 

42,999 

c Vodise.  (Ed.  Merc.) — P. 

d Not  in  Ed.  Merc.  Qu.  Vellabri. — Velabori  or  Vellabori ; a Greek 
MS.  OveXXa/iQoi ; some  Latin  copies,  Vellagori.  (Martiniere.) — P. 
e Autini  (Ed.  Merc.  Text.  Ind.  Gen.)  Auteri  (Id.  Ind.  Eur.) — P. 


652 


EUROPE. 


No.  VI. 


Tabic  of  the  Population  of  Ireland  in  the  Years  1812,  1821,  and  1831. 


COUNTIES. 

1812. 

1821. 

1831. 

Total 

Increase. 

Carlow 

69,566 

78,952 

81,576 

12,010 

Dublin 

287,057 

335,892 

386,694 

99,637 

Kildare 

85,133 

99,065 

108,401 

23,268 

Kilkenny  .... 

155,664 

181,946 

193,024 

37,360 

King’s 

113,266 

131,088 

144,029 

30,763 

Longford  .... 

95,917 

107,570 

112,391 

16,474 

Louth 

105,111 

119,129 

125,533 

20,422 

Meath 

142,479 

159,183 

177,023 

34,544 

Queen’s  .... 

113,857 

134.275 

145,843 

21,986 

West  Meath  . . . 

112,000 

128.819 

148,161 

36,161 

Wexford  .... 

160,000 

170,806 

182,991 

22,991 

Wicklow  .... 

83,109 

110,767 

122,301 

39,192 

Leinster  .... 

1,523,159 

1,757,492 

1,927,967 

404,808 

Antrim 

237,684 

270,883 

323,306 

85,622 

Armagh  .... 

121,499 

197,427 

220,651 

99,152 

Cavan 

164,000 

195,076 

228,050 

64,050 

Donegal  .... 

212,100 

248,270 

298,104 

86,004 

Down 

287,290 

325,410 

352,571 

65,281 

Fermanagh  . . . 

111,250 

130,997 

149,555 

38,305 

Londonderry  . . . 

186,181 

193,869 

222,416 

36,235 

Monaghan  . . . 

140,433 

174,697 

195,532 

55,099 

Tyrone 

250,746 

261 ,865 

302,943 

52,197 

Ulster 

1,711,183 

1,998,494 

2,293,128 

581,945 

Clare  

160,603 

208,089 

258,262 

97,659 

Cork  

588.330 

730,444 

807,366 

219,036 

Kerry  . ... 

178,622 

216,185 

219,989 

41,367 

Limerick  . . . 

162,465 

277,477 

300,080 

137,615 

Tipperary  .... 

290,531 

346,896 

402,598 

112,067 

Waterford  .... 

144,924 

156,521 

176,898 

31,974 

Munster  .... 

1,525,475 

1,935,612 

2,165,193 

639,718 

Galway  .... 

269,000 

337,374 

427,407 

158,407 

Leitrim  .... 

94,095 

124,785 

141,303 

47,208 

COUNTIES. 

1812 

1821. 

1831. 

Total 

Increase. 

Mayo 

Roscommon  . . . 

Sligo  

237,371 

158,110 

119,265 

293,112 

208,729 

146,229 

367,956 

239,903 

171,508 

130,585 

81.793 

5j243 

Connaught  . . . 

877,841 

1,110,229 

1,348,077 

470,236 

SUMMARY. 

Leinster  .... 

Ulster 

Munster  .... 
Connaught  . . . 

1,523,159 

1,711,183 

1,525,475 

877,841 

1,757,492 

1,998,494 

1,935,612 

1,110,229 

1,927,967 

2,293,128 

2,165,193 

1,348,077 

404,808 

581,945 

639,718 

470,236 

Ireland  .... 

5,637,658 

6,801,827 

7,734,365 

2,096,707 

The  population  of  the  following  cities  and  towns  is  included  in  the 
preceding  table  in  the  total  contents  of  the  counties  to  which  they 
respectively  belong,  but  it  is  not  particularly  specified  in  the  enu- 
meration of  1812.  In  those  of  1821  and  1831,  the  amounts  are  as 
follow  : — 


CITY  or  TOWN. 

COUNTY. 

1821. 

1831. 

Increase  or  Diminution. 

Dublin  City  . . 

Dublin 

185,881 

203,652 

Increase, 

17,771 

Kilkenny  City 

Kilkenny 

23,230 

23,741 

Do. 

511 

Drogheda  Town  . 

Louth 

18.118 

17,365 

Decrease, 

750 

Carrickfergus  Town 

Antrim 

8,023 

8,698 

Increase, 

675 

Cork  City  . . . 

Cork 

100,658 

107,007 

Do. 

6349 

Limerick  City  . . 

Limerick 

59,045 

66,575 

Do. 

7530 

Waterford  City  . 

Waterford 

28,679 

28.821 

Do. 

142 

Galway  Town  . . 

Galway 

27,775 

33,120 

Do. 

5345 

No.  VII. 


Population  of  the  Cities  and  Towns  in  Ireland  of  1 000  Souls  and  upwards. 


*f  The  County  Towns  are  printed  in  Capitals. 


LEINSTER. 


ULSTER.  MUNSTER.  CONNAUGHT. 

Upwards  of  100,000  Inhabitants. 


Dublin,  Dull.  . . 

. £03,752 

Cork,  Cork,  . . . 

107,041  | 

From  100,000  to  10,000. 

Kilkenny,  Kilk.  . 
Drogheda,  Lou.  . . 

Athlone,  Rose.  West.  . 
Wexford,  Wcxf.  . . 

Dundalk,  Lou.  . . 

23,741 
. 17,365 
. 11,362 
. 10,673 
. 10,078 

Belfast,  Antr 53,287 

Londonderry,  L.derrij,  . 13,251 
Newry,  Down 13,134 

Limerick,  Lim.  . . 
Waterford,  Water.  . 
Clonmel,  Tip.  . . . 

Bandon,  Cork,  . . . 

. 65,092 
. 2S;821 
. 17,838 

. 12,617 

Galway,  Galw.  . . 
Sligo,  Sli 


33,120 

15,152 


From  10,000  to  S000. 


Carlow,  Carl.  . . 

. . 9,114 

Armagh,  Arm.  . . . 

. 9.189 

Carrick  on  Suir,  Tip.  . 

. 9,626 

Carrickfergus,  Ant.  . 

. 8,698 

Youghal,  Cork,  . . 

. 9.608 

Tralee,  Kct.  . . 

. 9,562 

Nenagh,  Tip.  . . . 

. 8,446 

GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND. 

653 

LEINSTER. 

ULSTER. 

MUNSTER. 

CONNAUGHT. 

From  8000  to  6000. 

Parsonstown,  King's,  . 

. 6,504 

Killarney,  Ker 

7,910 

Castlebar,  May.  . . . 

6,373 

Tullamore,  King’s,  . . 

. 6,342 

Ennis,  Cla 

7,711 

Loughrea,  Galw. 

6,28' 

Callan,  Kilk 

. 6,111 

Kinsale,  Cork,  . . . . 

7,312 

Thurles,  Tip 

7,084 

Fermoy,  Cork,  . . . . 

6,976 

Tipperary,  Tip 

6,972 

Cashel,  Tip 

6,971 

Cove,  Cork, 

6,966 

Dungarvan,  Wat.  . . 

6,519 

From  6000  to  4000. 

Enniscorthy,  IVex.  . . 

. 5,955 

Strabane,  Tyr.  . . . 

. 5,457 

Roscrea,  Tip 

5,512 

Ballina,  Mayo,  .... 

5,510 

Kingstown,  Dubl.  . . 

. 5,736 

Ballymacarrett,  Down. 

. 5,168 

Mallow,  Cork,  . . . . 

5,229 

Ballinasloe,  Galw.  . . . 

4,615 

New  Ross,  Wex.  . . . 

. 5,011 

Enniskillen,  Ferm.  . 

. 5,270 

Rathkeale,  Lim 

4,972 

Tuam,  Galie 

4,571 

Mountmellick,  Que. 

. 4,577 

Lisburn,  Ant 

. 5,218 

Charleville,  Cork,  . . 

4,766 

Westport,  Mayo,  . . . 

4,448 

Athy,  Kild 

. 4,404 

Downpatrick,  Down. 

. 4,784 

Skibbereen,  Cork,  . . 

4,430 

Navan,  Mea 

. 4,416 

Newtown  Ardes,  Down. 

. 4,442 

Dingle,  Kerry,  . . . . 

4,357 

Longford,  Long.  . . 

. 4,354 

Ballymena,  Ant.  . . . 

. 4,063 

Bantry,  Cork,  . . . . 

4,276 

Kells,  Mca 

. 4.326 

Mullingar,  West.  . . 

. 4,295 

From  4000  to  3000. 

Arbee,  Lnu 

. 3,975 

Monaghan,  Mon.  . . 

. 3,848 

Kilrush,  Cla 

Gort,  Galw 

3,627 

Naas,  Kild 

. 3,808 

Ballyshannon,  Don. 

. 3,775 

Cloghnakilty,  Cork,  . 

3,807 

Boyle,  Rose 

3,433 

Bray,  Wick 

. 3,656 

Coleraine,  Land.  . . 

. 3,774 

Mitchelstown,  Cork,  . 

3,545 

Roscommon,  Rose.  . . 

3,306 

Trim,  Mea 

. 3,282 

Dungannon,  Tyr.  . . 

. 3,515 

Cahir,  Tip 

3,408 

Maryborough,  Que.  . 

. 3,220 

Fethard,  Tip 

3,400 

Portarlington,  Que.  . . 

. 3,091 

Gorey,  Wex 

. 3,044 

Balbriggen,  Dubl.  . . 

. 3,016 

From  3000  to  2000. 

Thomastown,  Kilk.  . . 

. 2,871 

Donaghadee,  Down. 

. 2,986 

Tallow,  Wat 

2,998 

Ballinrobe,  Mayo,  . . 

2,575 

Banagher,  King. . . . 

. 2,611 

Carrickmacross,  Mon.  . 

. 2,979 

Templemore,  Tip.  . . . 

2,936 

Ardnaree,  Sli.  . . . 

2,479 

Mountrath,  Que.  . . . 

. 2,593 

Cavan,  Cav 

. 2,931 

Newcastle,  Lim 

2,908 

Skerries,  Dubl.  . . . 

. 2.556 

Cookstown,  Tyr.  . . 

. 2,883 

Lismore,  Wat 

2.894 

Swords,  Dubl.  . . . 

. 2,537 

Lurgan,  Arm.  . . . 

. 2.842 

Dunmanway,  Cork,  . . 

2.738 

Wicklow,  Wick.  . . 

. 2,472 

Bangor,  Down.  . . . 

. 2,741 

Carrickbeg,  Wat.  . . 

2,704 

Castlecomer,  Kilk.  . . 

. 2,436 

Antrim,  Ant 

. 2,655 

Doneraile,  Cork,  . . . . 

2,652 

Freshford,  Kilk.  . . . 

. 2,175 

Banbridge,  Dozen.  . . 

. 2,469 

Cappoquin,  Wat.  . . . 

2,289 

Rush,  Dubl 

. 2,144 

Newtown  Limavady,  Lond.  2,428 

Listowel,  Ker 

2,289 

Graige,  Kilk 

. 2,130 

Clones,  Mon 

. 2,381 

Cloyne,  Cork,  . . . . 

2,227 

Granard,  Long.  . . . 

. 2,058 

Ballymoney,  Ant.  . . 

. 2,222 

Tramore,  Wat 

2,224 

Maynooth,  Kild. . . . 

. 2,053 

Omagh,  Tyr 

. 2,211 

Passage  West,  Cork,  . 

2,131 

Blackrock,  Dubl.  . . 

. 2,050 

Portaferry,  Down.  . . 

. 2,203 

Macroom,  Cork,  . . . . 

2,058 

Leighlin  Bridge,  Carl. 

. 2,035 

Cootehill,  Can.  . . . 

. 2,178 

Arklow,  Wick. 

. 2,002 

Letterkenny,  Don.  . . 

. 2,160 

Belturbet,  Cav.  . . . 

. 2,026 

Rathfriland,  Down.  , . 

. 2,001 

From  2000  to  1000. 

Ranelagh,  Dubl.  . . . 

. 1,988 

Ballibay,  Mon.  . . . 

. 1,947 

Kilworth,  Cork,  . . . . 

1,963 

Eyrecourt,  Galw.  . . . 

1,789 

Kilbeggan,  West.  . . 

. 1,985 

Dromore,  Down.  . . . 

. 1,942 

Middleton,  Cork,  . . 

1,946 

Mohill,  Leif. 

1,606 

Graige,  Que 

. 1,976 

Warrenspoint,  Down.  . 

. 1,856 

Millstreet,  Cork,  . . 

1,935 

Strokestown,  Rose.  . . . 

1.548 

Athboy,  Mea 

. 1,959 

Castlebaney,  Mon.  . . 

. 1,828 

Clogheen,  Tip 

1,928 

Elphin,  Rose 

1,507 

Tullow,  Carl 

. 1,929 

Ramelton,  Don.  . . . 

. 1,783 

Abbeyside,  Wat 

1,859 

Crosmalina,  Mayo,  . . . 

1,481 

Ballynakill,  Que.  . . 

. 1.927 

Aughnacloy,  Tyr.  . . 

. 1,742 

BrufF,  Lim 

1,772 

Clare,  Mayo, 

1,476 

Stradbally,  Que.  . . . 

. 1.799 

Newton  Stewart,  Tyr. . 

. 1,737 

Kilfinane,  Lim.  . . . 

1,752 

Garrick  on  Shannon,  Leit 

1.428 

Moate,  West 

. 1,785 

Fintona,  Tyr 

. 1,714 

Ballingarry,  Lim.  . . 

1 ,685 

Manorhamilton,  Leit.  . . 

1,348 

Kildare,  Kild 

. 1,753 

Ballycastle,  Ant.  . . . 

. 1,683 

Rathcormuck,  Cork,  . 

1 ,656 

Athenry,  Gahe 

1,319 

Kilcock,  Kild 

. 1,730 

Kingscourt,  Cav.  . . 

. 1,616 

Portlaw,  Wat 

1.618 

Clifden.  Gahe 

1,257 

Baltinglass,  Wick.  . . 

. 1,669 

Portadown,  Arm.  . . 

. 1,591 

Killenaule,  Tip 

1,578 

Newport,  Mayo,  .... 

1 ,235 

Celbridge,  Kild.  . . . 

. 1,645 

Tanderagee,  Arm.  . . 

. 1,559 

Castle-island.  Ker.  . . . 

1,569 

Ballybadereen,  Mayo.  . 

1,147 

Chapelizod,  Dubl.  . . 

. 1.632 

Larne,  Old,  Ant.  . . 

. 1,551 

Buttevant,  Cork,  . . . 

1.536 

Killala,  Mayo.  . . . 

1,125 

Ballyragget,  Kilk.  . . 

. 1.629 

Hillsborough,  Down.  . 

. 1,453 

Rosscarbery,  Cork,  . . . 

1,522 

Portumna,  Gahe 

1,122 

Castlepollard,  West. 

. 1,618 

Magherafelt,  Lond.  . . 

. 1.436 

Askeyton,  Lim 

1,515 

Headford,  Gahe. 

1,026 

Rathmines,  Dubl.  . . 

. 1,600 

Raphoe,  Don 

. 1,408 

Sixmilebridge,  Cla.  . . 

1,491 

Foxford,  Mayo, 

1,024 

Rathfarnham,  Dubl. 

. 1,572 

Comber,  Dozen.  . . . 

. 1,377 

Newmarket,  Cork,  . . . 

1,437 

Oldcastle,  Mca.  . . . 

. 1,531 

Holywood,  Dozen.  . . 

. 1,288 

Ennistymon,  Cla.  . . . 

1,430 

Philipstown,  King.  . 

. 1,454 

Kilrea,  Lond 

. 1,215 

Milltown,  Ker 

1,427 

Monastereven,  Kild.  . 

. 1,441 

Ardglass,  Down.  . . 

. 1,162 

Killaloe,  Cla.  ... 

1,411 

Newtownbarry,  Wex.  . 

. 1,430 

Dungiven,  Lond.  . . 

. 1,162 

Kanturk,  Cor 

1,349 

654 


EUROPE. 


LEINSTER 


ULSTER. 


MUNSTER. 


CONNAUGHT. 


Ballycollinbeg,  Que.  . . 1,381 
Castlederinot,  Kild.  . . 1 ,375 
Urlingford,  Kilk.  . . . 1,366 
Carlingford,  Low.  . . . 1,319 
Bagnalstown,  Carl.  . . . 1,315 

Clontarf,  Dull 1,309 

Durrow,  Kilk 1,298 

Shinrone,  King’s.  . . . 1,287 

Edenderry,  King’s.  . . . 1,283 

Lucan,  Dubl 1,229 

Duleek,  Mea 1,217 

Clane,  Kild 1,216 

Rathdowney,  Que.  . . . 1,214 
Rathangan,  Kild.  . . . 1,165 

Leixlip,  Kild 1 ,159 

Collon,  Low 1,153 

Clara,  King’s 1,149 

Frankfort,  King's.  . . . 1,112 

Taghmon,  Wcx 1,109 

Harold’s  Cross,  Dubl.  . . 1,101 

Ballymahon,  Long.  . . . 1,081 

Rathdrum,  Wick.  . . . 1,054 

Prosperous,  Kild.  . . . 1,038 

Abbeyleix,  Que 1,009 

Baldoyle,  Dubl 1,009 

Gowran,  Kilk 1,009 

fidgeworthstown,  Long.  1,001 


Maghera,  Lond 1,154 

Killileagh,  Down.  . . . 1,147 

Killishandra,  Cav.  . . . 1,137 

Lifford,  Don 1,096 

Bailieborough,  Cav.  . . 1,085 

Caledon,  Tyr 1 ,079 

Larne,  New,  Ant.  . . . 1,064 

Buncrana,  Don 1,059 

Saintfield,  Down.  . . . 1,056 

Irvinestown,  Form.  . . 1 ,047 

Markethill,  Arm.  . . . 1,043 

Kilkeel,  Down 1,039 

Moneymore,  Lond.  . . . 1,025 

Randalstown,  Ant.  . . . 1,025 

Newtown  Hamilton,  Arm.  1,020 

Stewartstown,  Tyr.  . . 1,010 


Burrisoleigh,  Tip.  . . . 1,340 
Castleconnel,  Lim.  . . . 1,312 
Ballylongford,  Kcr.  . . . 1,300 

Croom,  Lim 1,268 

Kilmallock,  Lim.  . . . 1,213 
Cahersiveen,  Ker.  . . . 1,192 

Burrisokane,  Tip.  . . . 1,185 

Mullinahone,  Tip.  . . . 1,175 

Hospital,  Lim 1,131 

Abbey,  Tip 1 ,123 

Newmarket  on  Fergus,  Cla.  1,118 
Glanworth,  Cork,  . . . 1,098 

Castletownrocke,  Cork,  . 1,095 

Kenmare,  Ker 1,072 

Doogh,  Cla 1,051 

Glynn,  Lim 1,030 

Clare,  Cla 1,021 


Summary  of  the  preceding  Table  of  the  Population  of  Cities  and  Toivns  in  Ireland. 


Provinces. 

Upwards 

of 

100,000. 

100,000 

to 

10,000. 

10,000 

to 

8,000. 

8,000 

to 

6,000. 

6,000 

to 

4,000. 

4,000 

to 

3,000. 

3,000 

to 

2,000. 

2,000 

to 

1,000. 

Total 
Number 
of  Towns. 

Leinster, 

i 

5 

i 

3 

9 

8 

15 

48 

90 

Ulster, 

0 

3 

o 

0 

7 

4 

17 

37 

70 

Munster, 

i 

4 

4 

9 

7 

5 

13 

38 

81 

Connaught, 

0 

2 

0 

2 

4 

3 

2 

16 

29 

Ireland, 

2 

14 

7 

14 

27 

20 

47 

139 

270 

No.  VIII. 

EDUCATION. 


JV umber  of  Children  receiving  Education  in  Ireland,  in  the  Year  1824. 


Provinces. 

Established 

Church. 

Presby- 

terians. 

Other 

Dissenters. 

Roman 

Catholics. 

Sect  not 
specified. 

Total. 

Ulster, 

34.972 

43,667 

2,625 

58,164 

2,531 

141,959 

Leinster, 

30,487 

559 

485 

126.591 

2,909 

161,031 

Munster, 

17,297 

136 

456 

171,574 

1,450 

191,093 

Connaught, 

9,293 

204 

112 

64,514 

758 

74,881 

Total, 

92,049 

44,566 

3,678 

421,023 

7,648 

568,964 

No.  IX. 


JYumber  of  Teachers  in  Schools  in  1824. 


Provinces. 

Established 

Church. 

Presbyterians 
and  other 
Dissenters. 

Roman 

Catholics. 

Sect  not 
stated. 

Total. 

Ulster, 

1,093 

938 

1,482 

27 

3,540 

Leinster, 

1,128 

65 

2,612 

25 

3,830 

Munster, 

597 

45 

2,913 

17 

3,572 

Connaught, 

280 

10 

1,293 

5 

1,588 

Total, 

3,098 

1,058 

8,300 

74 

12,530 

No.  X. 

Total  Amount  of  Grants  of  Public  Money  for  the  Purposes  of 
Education. 


Charter  Schools, £1,105,869  0 0 

Foundling  Hospital, 820,005  3 4 

Association  for  discountenancing  Vice, 101,991  18  6 

Kildare  Place  Society, 170,508  0 0 

Lord-Lieutenant’s  Fund, 40,998  0 0 

Maynooth  College, 271,869  18  6 

Belfast  Institution, 4,155  0 0 

Cork  Institution,  43,710  0 0 

Hibernian  School,  240,356  1 6 

Marine  Society, 64,262  10  9 

Female  Orphan  School 50,414  10  9 


£2,914,140  3 4 


No.  XI. 

Table  of  the  Income  and  Expenditure  of  Ireland  from  the  Year  1792 
to  1830. 


I. — From  the  Commencement  of  the  War  with  France  to  the  Union. 


Year 

Revenue. 

Expenditure. 

Debt  incurred  by  the 
excess  of  expenditure 
above  the  revenue. 

1793 

1,162,588 

1,296,061 

133.473 

1794 

955,030 

1,462,415 

507.385 

1795 

1,119,190 

1,378,908 

189,718 

1796 

1,487,412 

2,799,593 

1.312,181 

1797 

1,891,479 

3.420,373 

1,528,894 

1798 

1,613,645 

4,944,944 

3,331.299 

1799 

2,137,543 

6,887,787 

4,750,244 

1800 

2,732,053 

7,110,537 

4,377,484 

GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND 


655 


Table  of  the  Income  and  Expenditure  of  Ireland,  S,'c.  (Continued.) 


II. — From  the  Union  to  the  Termination  of  the  War  with  France. 


Year. 

Revenue. 

Expenditure. 

Debt  incurred  by  the 
excess  of  expenditure 
above  the  revenue. 

1801 

2,645,716 

7,799,988 

5,154,272 

1802 

2,490,978 

8,02]  ,011 

5,530,033 

1803 

3,128,093 

7,184,522 

4,056,429 

1804 

2,745,762 

7,097,123 

4,351,361 

1805 

3,186,450 

8,889,885 

5,703,435 

1806 

3,218,774 

7,828,503 

4,609,729 

1807 

3,656,910 

7,758,815 

4,101,915 

1808 

4,179,923 

7.700,531 

3,520,608 

1809 

4,301,781 

8,564,200 

4,262,419 

1810 

4,027,583 

9,948,238 

5,920,655 

1811 

3,413,450 

10,823,800 

7,410,350 

1812 

3,929,106 

11,325,093 

7,395,987 

1813 

4,614,037 

11,614,024 

6,999,987 

1814 

4,820,511 

12,239,003 

7,418,492 

1815 

5,287,581 

14,836,409 

8,548,828 

III. — From  the  termination  of  the  War  with  France  to  the  present  Time. 


Year. 

Revenue. 

Expenditure. 

Debt  incurred  by  the 
excess  of  expenditure 
above  the  revenue. 

1816 

5,467,942 

18,165,729 

12,697,787 

1817 

4,394,630 

13,402,479 

9,005,849 

1818 

4,384,816 

6,018,551 

1,633,735 

1819 

4,577,286 

4,984,148 

0,406,862 

1820 

4,250,980 

6.447,685 

2,196,705 

1821 

3,605,446 

6,465,714 

2,860,268 

1822 

3,999,923 

5,853,623 

1,853,700 

1823 

3,690,973 

5,759,566 

2,068,593 

1824 

3,199,128 

3,836,486 

0,637,358 

1825 

3,690,090 

3,700,246 

0,010,156 

1826 

3,624,799 

3,622,593 

4,082.719 

0,457,920 

1827 

4,084,871 

1,462,278 

1828 

3,682,341 

3,703,807 

0,021,466 

Excess  of  revenue 
above  expenditure. 

1829 

3,961.432 

3,645.779 

0.315,653 

1830 

3,866,595 

3,622,370 

0,244,225 

No.  XII. 


Trade  of  Ireland  with  Great  Britain. 


In 

wards. 

Out 

wards. 

In  the  Year 

Ships. 

Tons. 

Ships. 

Tons. 

1801 

6,816 

582,003 

1805 

6,875 

598,720 

6.306 

566,790 

1809 

7,011 

580,587 

7,041 

600,898 

1813 

9,096 

773,286 

8,569 

718,851 

1817 

10,142 

845,260 

9,186 

770,547 

1821 

9,924 

844,997 

9,440 

819,648 

1825 

11,542 

984,754 

8,1)22 

741,182 

1829 

13,878 

1,292,041 

8,922 

906;i58 

Trade  of  Ireland  ivith  Foreign  Parts. 


Inwards. 

Outwards. 

In  the  Year 

Ships. 

Tons. 

Ships. 

Tons. 

1801 

874 

129,239 

1805 

1,085 

155,742 

829 

136,927 

1809 

853 

115,356 

696 

103,212 

1813 

826 

125,895 

986 

171,319 

1817 

748 

108,752 

723 

116,973 

1821 

800 

116,538 

621 

98,718 

1825 

1,116 

182,660 

767 

136,991 

1829 

1,093 

178,936 

723 

133,303 

No.  XIII. 


State  of  the  Cross-  Channel  Trade  since  the  Union. 

The  amounts  are  given  in  official  values,  which,  thougn  '.hey  afford 
no  criterion  as  to  present  prices,  inasmuch  as  for  the  last  eleven  years 
tlie  real  values,  which  had  previously  exceeded  the  official  by  several 
millions  per  annum,  have  rapidly  decreased  and  come  below  it,  yet 
they  serve  to  show  the  increase  and  decrease  »u  quantity. 


Exports  to  Great  Britain.  Imports  from  all  parts. 


1801 

£3,270.350 

12 

0 

J4 ,621 ,344 

16 

6 

1805 

4, 067 ’717 

1 

7 

5,294,967 

4 

11 

1809 

5,316,557 

5 

1 

6,896.821 

18 

10 

1813 

6,746.353 

12 

10 

7,797,286 

11 

0 

1817 

4,722*766 

0 

3 

5,646,563 

3 

9 

1821 

5,338.838 

4 

6 

6,407,427 

15 

9 

1825 

7,0481936 

5 

6 

8,596,785 

8 

11 

No.  XIV. 


Quantities  of  the  Articles  named  underneath  imported  into  Ireland  in 
the  Years  specified  in  the  Table. 


Tea. 

Tobacco. 

Brandy  & 
Geneva. 

Rum. 

Wine. 

Sugar. 

Coffee 

lbs. 

lbs. 

gals. 

gals. 

gals. 

cwts. 

lbs. 

1787 

1,680,325 

1,877,579 

380,696 

905,862 

1,467,579 

259,9 

12.530 

1797 

2,492,254 

8,445,555 

744 

72,120 

312,212 

231,233 

132,755 

1807 

3,555,129 

4,531,049 

16,680 

251.449 

1,603,278 

369,598 

72.274 

1817 

3,141,035 

4,778,469 

7,258 

36,823 

571,596 

338,415 

513.248 

1827 

3,887,955 

4,041,172 

11,015 

27,888 

929,629 

319,736 

585,739 

1828 

4,013,915 

11.735 

29,650 

1,017,177 

315,562 

592,386 

1829 

4,124,742 

12,449 

25,514 

955,091 

328,266 

559,655 

No.  XV. 


Exportation  of  Cattle  to  Liverpool. 


One  year,  to 

Cattle. 

Calves. 

Sheep. 

Pigs. 

Horses.  Mules. 

June,  1828. 

33,164 

3,875 

133,567 

107,066 

1114 

331 

June,  1829. 

49,674 

6,786 

15,846 

125,197 

155,319 

665 

329 

Dec.'  1829. 

32,816 

91,589 

82,561 

208 

161 

Total  2£  years. 

115,654 

26,507 

350,353 

344,946 

1987 

821 

No.  XVI. 


Table  of  the  Number  and  State  of  the  Parishes  and  Benefices  in 
Ireland. 


Number  of  Parishes  in  Ireland, 2450 

Number  of  Benefices  with  cure  of  souls, 1295 

Churches, 1192 

Benefices  without  churches, 286 

Unions,  517 

Glebe  houses, 771 

Incumbents  resident, 76y 

non-resident,  or  absent, 6C 


656 


EUROPE 


No.  XVII. 


Table  exhibiting  the  Number  of  Unions,  the  Number  of  Parishes  in  each,  and  their  Denominations 


Number  of  Parishes  in  each  Union,  2 3 4 5 


Parliamentary  Unions, 2 4 1 0 

Charter  Unions, 5 8 4 3 

Privy  Council  Unions, 46  34  1 9 12 

Episcopal  Unions, 119  51  29  16 

Immemorial  Unions, 49  34  18  13 

Total,  221  131  71  44 


6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

13 

Total  of 
Benefices. 

Total  of 
Parishes. 

3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

10 

38 

3 

1 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

25 

98 

7 

2 

4 

1 

0‘ 

0 

1 

126 

440 

5 

3 

3 

0 

2 

2 

0 

230 

704 

5 

5 

0 

1 

1 

0 

0 

126 

421 

23 

11 

8 

2 

3 

2 

1 

517 

1701 

No.  XVIII. 


No.  XXI. 


Table  showing  the  State  of  the  Patronage  of  the  Irish  Church. 

Parishes. 


I n the  patronage  of  Bishops,  1392 

the  Crown, 293 

Laymen, 367 

the  University, 21 

Impropriate  without  Churches  or  Incumbents, 95 


Total, 2168 


No.  XIX. 

Estimated  Values  of  the  several  Dioceses  of  Ireland,  and  the  Num- 
ber of  Acres  in  each,  as  returned  to  Parliament  in  1831. 


Armagh,  

Dublin, 

Cashel  and  Emly, 

Tuam, 

Ardagh,  united  with  Tuam,  and  1 
supposed  to  be  included  in  the  > 

return  thereof, } 

Clogher, 

Down  and  Connor, 

Dromore, 

Derry,  

Kilmore, 

Meath, 

Itaphoe, 

Ossory, 

Leighlin  and  Ferns, 

Kildare, 

Cork  and  Ross, 

Waterford  and  Lismore,  . . . 

Limerick,  Ardfert,  and  Aghadoe, 

Cloyne, 

Killaloe  and  Kilfinora,  . . . 

Elphin,  

Clonfert  and  Kilmacduagh,  . . 

Killala  and  Achonry,  . . . . 


£ 

Acres. 

15,080 

63,270 

no  return 

15,048 

3,500  and  upwards. 

13,372 

5,549 

49,281 

no  return 

no  return 

9,000 

27,070 

no  return 

no  return 

4,863 

no  return 

10,000  and  upwards. 

94,836 

no  return 

47,361 

5,815 

18,374 

5,379 

no  return 

3,000 

13,391 

5,000 

11,697 

no  return 

562 

3,000 

22,755 

5,000 

8,600 

2,916 

6,720 

2,000  and  upwards. 

15,871 

4,600 

11,081 

no  return 

31,017 

no  return 

6,555 

no  return 

32,282 

489,141 

Statement  of  the  Amount  of  Monies  deposited  in  the  Savings,  Banks 
of  Ireland  since  their  Establishment  under  the  Statute,  of  the  Sums 
annually  drawn  out,  and  of  the  Excess  or  Deficiency  thence  aris- 
ing in  each  Year. 


Lodged.  Drawn  out.  Difference. 


£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

1821 

46,615 

7 

9 

25,200 

0 

04 

24,415 

7 

84 

1822 

82,338 

9 

24 

8,030 

15 

4 

74,357 

13 

10* 

1823 

123,230 

15 

43 

11,723 

1 

6 

111,507 

13  103 

1824 

175,292 

6 

04 

17,538 

9 

34 

157,753 

16 

04 

1825 

207,738 

9 

H 

35,047 

5 

04 

172,691 

3 

4 

1826 

156,249 

4 

4| 

87,085 

14 

2 

69,163 

10 

21 

1827 

139,080 

0 

0 

164,939  12 

14 

25,859 

12 

14 

1828 

254,400 

0 

0 

134,608 

11 

9 

119,791 

8 

3 

1829 

311,600 

0 

0 

179,002 

2 

0 

132,597 

18 

0 

1830 

213,020 

0 

0 

221,769 

19 

9 

8,749 

19 

9 

No.  XXII. 


Statement  of  the  Length,  Rate  of  Lockage,  and  Cost  of  Execution 
of  the  several  Canals  in  Ireland. 


Name. 

Length. 

Rate  of 
lockage. 

Cost  per 
mile. 

Total  cost 

Miles. 

Feet. 

£ 

£ 

Grand  Canal, 

100 

54 

18,610 

1,861,008 

Royal  Canal, 

72 

74 

19,749 

1,421,954 

Limerick  Navigation, 

12 

7 

10,296 

123,560 

Barrow  Navigation, 

34 

5 

7,220 

255,502 

Boyne  Navigation, 

154 

54 

7,463 

115,677 

Newry  Navigation, 

27 

34 

2,804 

75,730 

Lagan  Navigation, 

22 

84 

4,363 

96,000 

2824 

3,949,431 

No.  XXIII. 


No.  XX. 


Stale  of  Crime  during  eight  Years  ending  1829. 


Committals. 

Convictions. 

Capitally 

sentenced. 

Executed. 

1822 

14,894 

7,272 

341 

101 

1823 

14,632 

7,285 

241 

61 

1824 

15,258 

7.743 

295 

60 

1825 

15,515 

8,571 

181 

18 

1826 

16,318 

8,716 

281 

34 

1827 

18,031 

10,207 

346 

37 

1828 

14,683 

9,269 

211 

21 

1329 

15,271 

9,449 

224 

38 

Total, 

124,602 

68,512 

2,120 

370 

Public  Conveyances. 


1800. 


1820. 


Dublin, 
Belfast,  1 

Cork,  1 

Limerick,  1 

Derry,  0 


"Erf  Etra  <-  rf  we; 

fi  o So  KB  s S 

rfO  too  O > E,  eo 
a a o i rfl 


0 151 
0 5 

0 5 

0 5 

0 0 


11  20  0 389 

4 4 2 126 


4 3 
2 3 


83 

58 


10  0 


7 8 0 166  22  30  3 661 


1829. 


13  22  12  612 
4 6 4 179 

6 4 0 118 

4 3 1 94 

3 0 0 24 

30  35  17  1027 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND, 


657 


FINANCE. 


INCOME  FOR  THE  YEARS 


Heads  of  Income. 


1828. 


1829. 


1830. 


CUSTOM  AND  EXCISE. 
C Foreign  .... 

Spirits  2 Rum 

( British  .... 

Malt 

Beer 

Hops 

Wine  

Sugar  and  Molasses  . . . 

Tea 

Coffee 

Tobacco  and  Snuff  . . . 

Butter 

Cheese 

Currants  and  Raisins  . . 

Corn 

Cotton  Wool  and  Sheep’s 
Wool  imported  . . . 

Silks 

Printed  Goods  .... 
Hides  and  Skins  .... 

Paper 

Soap 

Candles  and  Tallow  . . . 

Coals,  Sea  borne  .... 

Glass 

Bricks,  Tiles,  and  Slates  . 

Timber 

Auctions 

Excise  Licences  .... 
Miscellaneous  duties,  ) 
Customs  and  Excise  J 


Total  of  Customs  and  Excise 
STAMPS. 

Deeds  and  other  Instruments 
Probates  and  Legacies  . . 

T C Marine . . . 

Insurance  1 Firg 

Bills  of  Exchange,  Bankers’ 

Notes,  &c 

Newspapers  and  Advertise- 
ments   

Stage  Coaches  .... 

Post-Horses 

Receipts 

Other  Stamp  Duties  . . 

ASSESSED  AND  LAND 
TAXES. 

Land  Taxes 

Houses 

Windows 

Servants  

Horses 

Carriages 

Dogs 

Other  Assessed  Taxes  . . 

Post  Office 

Crown  Lands 

Other  ordinary  Revenues 
and  Resources  .... 

Grand  Total 


£ 

s. 

d. 

1,558,406  10 

11 

1,392,553 

7 

2 

4,969,685 

7 

0.1 

4,623,113  19 

34 

3,256,186  19 

34 

260,578  18 

0 

1,500,051 

6 

1 

3,193,148 

14 

5 

3,448,814 

2 

91 

440,244  13  10 

2,793,874 

11 

8 

195,793 

13 

5 

112,049 

0 

11 

436,581 

5 

11 

193,250 

12 

8 

395,773 

5 

3 

345,278 

1 

2 

657,741 

5 

44 

474,391 

6 

103 

727,377 

4 

95 

1,212,092 

7 

24 

665,758 

6 

54 

935,911 

5 

5 

616,534 

14 

10 

392,365 

10 

9| 

1,488,498 

0 

01 

275,564 

4 

3| 

845,160 

2 

7'i 

2,321,050 

19 

84 

1,686,315 

9 

81 

2,043,268 

4 

94 

243,359 

0 

9 

745,710 

15 

11 

603,237 

12 

2 

581,526 

18 

5 

407,529 

10  101 

238,858 

0 

4 

236,531 

6 

6 

531,272 

9 

21 

1,210,227  17  10.J 

1,295,550  12  10 

1,164,010 

13 

74 

277,759 

5 

41 

400,676 

9 

3 

352,478  16 

9 

182,944  17  11| 

279,224  16 

0 

s.  d. 


£29,436,658  4 1£ 


12,291,121  7 11 


£41,727,779  12  Of, 


£7,317,609  7 11£ 


2,207,998  11  5 
448,792  17  7 

620,542  3 11 


£57,485,596  2 7 4 


£ 

s. 

d. 

1,519,572 

8 

7 

1,434,782  13 

1 

1,783,951 

2 

1 

3,814,305 

1 

51 

3,055,453  13  114 

242,658 

0 10.4 

1,473,607  11 

4 

5,089,315 

0 

3 

5,321,722 

2 

6 

498,951 

8 

1 

2,849,706 

7 

8 

147,839 

3 

4 

87,122 

14 

4 

388,102 

2 

6 

898,793 

13 

2 

317,074 

10 

5 

205,615 

9 

0 

552,270 

12 

44 

452,768 

15 

7 

684,563 

10 

11| 

1,152,245 

11 

14 

652,971 

16 

114 

983,919 

9 

21 

670,494 

12 

9| 

398,145 

14 

81 

1,394,407 

19 

114 

251,562 

19 

63 

845,390 

18 

31 

1,892,668 

2 

4 

1,663,145 

14 

64 

2,035,719 

0 

4 

226,897 

6 

64 

764,939 

0 

HI 

593,485 

1 

14 

433,385 

5 

104 

426,472 

1 

3 

252,772 

2 

8 

225,996 

2 

6 

663,164 

5 

94 

1,200,159  10  111 

1,324,327  18 

9| 

1,163,760  17 

8 

286,552 

7 

0 

405,678 

1 

9 

374,677  14 

0 

183,060 

8 

4 

268,175 

a 

9 

s.  d. 


£28,084,025  11  10J 


11,975,957  18  6| 


£40,059,983  10  5 


£7,285,976  1 7£ 


5,206,392  1 
2,184,667  2 
465,481  4 


£ 

s. 

d. 

1,480,507 

8 

7 

1,599,445 

6 

11 

5,185,574 

4 

34 

3,436,272  14 

2 

2,345,122  10 

84 

118,912  5 

34 

1,524,177  18 

3 

4,927,025 

7 

6 

3,387,097  18 

94 

579,363  10 

7 

2,924,264 

13  11 

102,752 

3 

8 

54,870 

19 

5 

420,217 

0 

3 

790,109 

17 

8 

482,274 

11 

11 

209.047 

7 

3 

570,330 

15 

255.278 

3 

10 

690,610 

1 

44 

1,251,021 

12 

111 

662,944 

18 

84 

1,021,862 

5 

11 

567,632 

18 

11 

383,985 

5 

74 

1,319,233 

9 

11 

234,854 

2 

11 

848,469 

14 

114 

1,971,223 

8 

31 

1,6 21,427 

1 

84 

2,084,432 

15 

3 

219,565 

6 

1 

760,931 

3 

114 

568,564 

1 

84 

613,848 

2 

2| 

418,598 

5 

94 

220,357 

12 

10 

223,660 

6 

2| 

516,716 

18 

84 

1,184,790  12 

54 

1,361,625 

0 

54 

1,185,283 

7 103 

295,087 

5 

6 

425,125 

17 

0 

397,613  10 

0 

186,102 

2 

0 

259,242  11 

7 

s.  d. 


£27,507,763  14  1 


622,302  0 04 


£55,824,802  0 l.1. 


11,836,718  18  7 


£39,344,482  12  8 


7,248,083  14  6 


5,294,870  6 10$ 
2,212,206  5 6£ 
363,742  0 4 

376,805  0 6 


£54,840,190  0 4| 


vol.  in no.  02 


83 


658 


EUROPE. 


FINANCE  (Continued.)  — EXPENDITURE  FOR  THE  YEARS 


Heads  of  Expenditure. 

REVENUE. 

Charges  of  Collection. 

Customs.  $ ^vil  Departments 
( Preventive  service 

Total 

Excise 

Stamps 

Assessed  and  Land  Taxes 
Other  ordinary  Revenues,  (ex- 
cept Post  Office)  .... 

Total  Revenue  .... 

PUBLIC  DEBT. 
Interest  of  Permanent  Debt  . 
Actual  Payment  for  Terminable 
Annuities  ...  . . 

Actual  Payment  for  Life  Annui- 
ties, and  Annuities  for  terms 

of  Years 

Interest  of  Exchequer  Bills  . 
Management 

Total  Debt 

CIVIL  GOVERNMENT. 
Civil  List. — 1st  Class,  Privy 
Purse  ; 4th  Class,  Trades- 
men’s Bills  ; 5th  Class,  Sala- 
ries of  the  Royal  Household 
Allowances  to  the  Junior 
Branches  of  the  Royal  Fami- 
ly, and  his  Royal  Highness 
Leopold  George  Frederick 
Prince  of  Coburg.  . . . 

Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland’s 

Establishment 

Salaries  and  other  Expenses  of 
Houses  of  Parliament  (includ- 
ing Printing) * 

Civil  Departments  in  Great 
Britain,  exclusive  of  those  in 
the  Army,  Navy,  and  Ord- 
nance Estimates  .... 
Pensions  on  the  Consolidated 
Fund  and  Gross  Revenue  . 
Ditto  on  the  Civil  List  of  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  and  Ireland 

Total  Civil  Government 

JUSTICE. 

Police  and  Criminal  Prosecu- 
tions   

Courts  of  Justice  in  England, 
Scotland,  and  Ireland.  . . 

o fConvicts  at  Home  and 

1 Abroad 

S ^Convicts  New  South  Wales 
5 pother  Expenses.  . . . 

Total  Justice . . . . 

DIPLOMATIC. 

Salaries  and  retired  Allowances 
of  Foreign  Ministers  . . . 

Ditto  Ditto  Consuls  . 
Civil  Contingencies,  No.  1,  2,  3, 
Diplomatic  ...... 

Total  Diplomatic  . 


1828. 


1829. 


1830. 


£ 

s. 

d. 

1,027,870  17 

14 

260,940 

1 

44 

1,287,913  18 

6 

1,225,429  10 

94 

190,159 

7 

11 

281,959  12 

1 

28,782 

2 10 

24,091,750 

7 10 

1,843,106  11 

7 

1,453,269 

2 

5 

813,300  16 

5 

275,179 

3 

4 

401,628  16  101 

245,923 

1 

61 

32,749 

9 

3f 

144,374 

6 

5 

320,045 

1 

84 

264,247 

3 

24 

170,000 

0 

0 

407,801 

9 

94 

222,450 

9 

4 

140,305 

16 

1 

167,500 

0 

0 

55,620 

6 

111 

220,932  15 

91 

117,595 

0 

0 

37,097 

7 

l 

1,184,378  4 74 
202,940  5 01 


1,448,318  9 81 
1,226,403  6 71 
225,515  1 3 
280,812  6 11 

45,589  8 41 


25,332,782  11  41 
1,981,034  17  0 


650,851  13  9 
949,429  13  7 
275,877  16  10 


409,700  0 0 

248,500  0 0 
67,935  1 8 

123,094  17  5 

345,320  15  61 
208,218  3 114 
195,259  8 2 


187,361  19  9 
446,685  19  10 

155,783  12  9 
167,500  0 0 
63,263  6 1 


236,950  0 0 
127,870  0 0 

63,191  13  7 


£ s.  d. 

1,100,050  8 10| 
268,478  10  31 


3,225,638  12  04 


1,368,528  19  24 
1,240,948  12.  0 
193,279  13  9 
287,183  2 2 

28,162  10  64 


29,189,976  12  62 


25,318,866  10  74 
1,854,695  8 4 


826,402  13  10 
878,494  1 32 
275,143  7 12 


1,598,028  6 9 


1,000,592  18  6 


409,700  0 0 

247,974  4 64 
67,935  1 8 

141,599  18  5 

328,706  0 12 
204,370  7 9 
196,114  4 11 


s.  d. 


3,118,102  17  8 


29,153,602  1 2 


426,828  16  2 
203,639  11  3 

145,925  18  3 
167,500  6 0 
60,704  12  8 


423,011  13  7 


224,950  0 0 
119,470  0 0 

59,118  5 2 


1,596,899  17  44 


1,004,598  18  4 


s.  d. 


3,014,224  11  44 


28,476,606  1 7 


1,578,967  19  04 


993,678  2 2| 


403,538  5 2 


375,625  2 10 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND. 


059 


FINANCE  (Continued.)  — E X P E IV  D I T U R E FOR  THE  YEARS 


1828. 

1829. 

1830. 

£ s.  d. 

£ s.  d. 

£ s.  d. 

£ 8.  d. 

£ s.  d. 

£ e.  d. 

(89,047) 

(85,721) 

(84,172) 

5,140,463  8 34 

4,829,282  12  44 

4,492,687  5 74 

(96,916) 

(96,595) 

(96,081) 

2,903,476  0 0 

2,939,896  0 0 

2,930,006  9 6 

8,049,939  8 3£ 

7,769,128  12  44 

7,432,294  15  14 

(8906) 

(8,879) 

(8,878) 

1,223,770  0 0 

1,363,282  0 0 

1,332,354  0 0 

(12,439) 

(12,494) 

(12,364) 

372,380  0 0 

365,626  0 0 

357,090  0 0 

1,596,150  0 0 

1,728,908  0 0 

1,689,444  0 0 

(31,818) 

(32,458) 

(31,444) 

4,000,135  7 7 

4,299,645  11  11 

4,067,308  7 81 

(31,130) 

(30,467) 

(29,922) 

1,596,830  0 0 

1,579,149  0 0 

1,531,646  17  111 

5,995,965  7 7 

5,878,794  11  11 

5,594,955  5 8 

i c;  kao  (\^a  i ^ ini 

15,376,881  4 34 
236,898  3 0| 

i a *yi  k koa  n qi 

276,226  8 6 

207,966  10  11 

727,615  0 10 

606,396  8 4 

474,242  0 1 

421,838  17  6 

427,015  2 54 

252,601  5 71 

681,368  7 24 

696,801  16  111 

718,359  8 64 

159,709  4 94 

191,852  18  24 

214,037  14  63 

200,000  0 0 

1,485,840  12  8| 

1,336,287  16  7 

•* 

1,988,530  7 81 

54,836,901  10  9$ 

54,348,875  9 84 

53,011,533  3 51 

Heads  of  Expenditure. 


FORCES. 

. C t.  rc  ,•  (Number  of  Men 
§*  ^Effective.  ^ Charge  . . 

8 ) Non-  (Number  of  Men 
(Effective.  £ Charge  . . 


Total  Army 

^Effective.  \ ®?mheT  of  Men 
) ( Charge  . . 

J Non-  (Number  of  Men 
[Effective.  ) Charge  . . 


Total  Ordnance  . . . 

£ \ Non-  (Number  of  Men 
(Effective.  \ Charge  . . 


Total  Navy 
Total  Forces 


Bounties  for  promoting  Fishe- 
ries, Linen  Manufactures,  &c. 
paid  out  of  the  Gross  Revenue 

Public  Works 

Payment  out  of  the  Revenue  of 
Crown  Lands  for  Improve- 
ments and  various  public  ser- 
vices   

Post-Office,  Charge  of  Collection 
and  other  Payments  . . . 

Quarantine  and  Warehousing 
Establishments  .... 
Spanish  Claims  as  granted  by 

Parliament 

Miscellaneous  Services  not 
classed  under  the  foregoing 
Heads,  consisting  of  grants  of 
Parliament,  Payments  of  the 
Consolidated  Fund,  out  of  the 
Civil  List  of  England,  Scot- 
land, and  Ireland  .... 


Grand  Total 


Account  of  the  Total  Amount  of  the  NATIONAL  DEBT  in  each  Year,  from  the  ls<  February,  1786,  to  the  5th  January,  1818;  stating  the  Amount  of  Dcbi 
contracted,  the  Amount  of  Debt  redeemed,  and  also  the  Total  Amount  of  unredeemed  Debt  in  each  of  those  Years.  Ordered  to  be  printed,  27th  April,  18i8. 


660 


EUROPE 


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GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND. 


661 


Total  Debt  of  the  United  Kingdom,  Jan.  5, 1828,  . £785,530,326 


Annual  Charge  thereof, 30,230,037 


Amount  of  the  National  Debt,  March,  1834. 

Funded  Debt, £751,658,883 

Unfunded  Debt,  27,906,900 

Total, 779,565,783 

Charges  on  Funded  Debt, 27,782,116 

“ Unfunded  Debt, 779,769 

Total  Charges,  28,561,885 

Decrease  in  the  Debt  from  1815  to  1834, £64,653,057 


Table  of  the  Reformed  Parliament,  as  compared  with  the  former 
Parliament. 


I. — Comparative  Numbers. 


ENGLAND. 

Former.  Reformed. 


Counties,  . . 

82 

members. 

Counties,  . . . 

144  members. 

Cities,  . . . 

50 

tt 

Cities  and  1 

ooo 

u 

Boroughs  and 

• 353 

it 

Boroughs,  J 

o<4o 

Cinque  Ports, 

Universities,  . . 

4 

a 

Universities,  . 

4 

tt 

Total,  . . . . 

489 

tt 

Total,  . . . . 

471 

tt 

WALES. 

Counties,  . . 

12 

members. 

Counties,  . . . 

15  members. 

Cities  and ) 

12 

tt 

Borough  Dis-  ) 

14 

it 

Boroughs,  5 

tricts,  5 

Total,  . . . 

24 

tt 

Total,  . . . . 

29 

tt 

SCOTLAND. 

Shires,  . . . 

. 30 

members. 

Shires 

28  members. 

Burghs, . . . 

. 15 

it 

Burghs,  . . . 

22 

it 

Total,  . . . 

. 45 

tt 

Total,  . . . . 

50 

tt 

IRELAND. 

Counties,  . . 

64 

members. 

Counties,  . 

64  members- 

Cities  and ) 

u 

Cities  and  1 

qq 

(c 

Boroughs,  5 

• DO 

Boroughs,  ) ' 

oy 

University, 

. 1 

tt 

University,  . . 

2 

a 

Total,  . . . 

.’loo’ 

it 

Total,  . . . . 

105 

tt 

Total  Parliament 

658 

tt 

Total  Parliament, 

"655 

tt 

II. — Distribution  of  Members. 

House  of  Commons,  as  heretofore  constituted. 


ENGLAND. 

39  Counties,  2 each,  and  Yorkshire,  4, 

23  Cities,  2 each,  and  London,  4, 

166  Boroughs,  2 each  ; 5 Boroughs,  1 each  ; 8 Cinque- 

ports,  16, 

2 Universities,  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  .... 

WALES. 

12  Counties, 

12  Cities  and  Boroughs, 


sent  82 
“ 50 

“ 353 

“ 4 

489 


“ 12 
“ 12 
24 


SCOTLAND. 


Shires, “ 30 

Cities  and  Boroughs, “ 15 

IRELAND. 

Counties, “ 64 

Cities  and  Boroughs, “ 35 

University  of  Dublin, . . . “ 1 

100 

Total  Number  of  Members . 658 


Reformed  House  of  Commons. 


ENGLAND. 


26  Counties,  4 each , 7,  3 each  ; 6,  2 each  ; Yorkshire,  6 ; ) 

Isle  of  Wight,  1, ...  ) 

133  Cities  and  Boroughs,  2 each, 

53  Boroughs,  1 each, 

City  of  London, 

Universities  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  2 each,  . . . . 


144 

266 

53 

4 

4 

471 


WALES. 


3 Counties,  2 each ; and  9 Counties,  1 each,  .....  15 

14  Districts  of  Boroughs,  1 each, 14 


SCOTLAND. 


33  Counties, 28 

Edinburgh  and  Glasgow,  2 each, 4 

18  Boroughs  and  Districts  of  Boroughs,  1 each,  ....  18 


IRELAND. 


32  Counties,  2 each, 

6 Cities,  2 each  ; 27  Boroughs,  1 each, 
The  University  of  Dublin,  2,  . . . 


Total, 


64 

39 

2 

105 

655 


III. — Disfranchisements  and  Enfranchisements. 
ENGLAND. 


Disfranchised,  55  Boroughs,  2 each, HO  members. 

“ 1 Borough,  1, ]_  member. 

56  HI 


Reductions,  30  Boroughs,  2 each,  reduced  to  1 each,  30  members. 

2 “ 2 each,  united,  now  send- ) g <( 

ing  only  2,  . . . . ) 


Total  reduction, 


32  “ 

143  “ 


Additions,  22  New  Boroughs  and  Borough  Dis- ) ^ ,, 

tricts,  2 each, . } 

19  New  Boroughs  and  Borough  Dis- 1 jg  „ 

tricts,  1 each, J 

New  County  Members, 64  “ 

Total  additions,  127  “ 

Excess  of  reductions, 16  “ 


WALES. 

New  County  Members, 

New  Borough  “ 

Additions, 


SCOTLAND. 

Reduction  of  County  Members,  . . . 

Addition  of  Borough  Members,  . . . 

Total  addition, 


IRELAND. 

New  City  and  Borough  Members,  . . . 

New  University  Member, 

Additions 


Cl  I i->  ClI-JlO  Uiltsw 


662 


EUROPE. 


Comparative  Population  of  Towns  and  Country. 

About  half  the  population  of  Great  Britain  is  contained  in  the 
>wns,  and  the  other  half  inhabit  the  country.  On  this  subiect  the 


following  results  have  been  given  by 
on  the  wealth  and  power  of  Great  P 

• Dr.  Colquhoun,  in  his 
iritain viz. 

“ Treatise 

Counties.  Towns.  Houses. 

Inhabitants. 

In  England, 
Wales, 
Scotland, 

40  861 

12  78 

32  244 

746,308 

29,416 

139,670 

4,221,814 

143,467 

907,431 

84  1183 

915,394 

5,272,712 

Houses. 

Total 

Inhabitants.  Houses. 

Total 

Inhabitants. 

In  the  Country- 

-England,  979,723 
Wales,  93,077 

Scotland,  175,752 

5,317,013  1,726,031 
468,321  122,493 

898,257  315,422 

9,538,827 

611,788 

1,805,688 

1,248,552 

6,683,591  2,163,946 

11,956,303 

“ Thus  it  appears,  that  in  England  the  inhabitants  of  the  Country 
only  exceed  those  in  the  Towns  to  the  extent  of  95,199  persons,  less 
than  one  eleventh  part;  whereas  in  Wales,  the  difference  is  much 
greater,  being  more  than  double  on  the  whole  population ; while  in 
Scotland  the  population  in  the  Country  and  in  the  Towns  is  nearly 
equal.  During  the  10  years  between  1801  and  1811,  the  increase  of 
population  of  Great  Britain,  in  the  Country  and  in  the  Towns,  stands 
thus  : — 

The  Inhabitants  of  the  Country  have  increased  ....  787,612 

The  Inhabitants  of  the  Towns  have  increased 696,643 

Total 1,484,255 

The  Houses  have  increased,  in  the  Country, 127,661 

in  the  Towns, 98,796 

Total, . 226,457 

Which  shows  that  there  is  a greater  tendency  to  populate  the  Towns 
than  the  Country.  It  is  probable  many  of  the  buildings  erected  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  rural  population,  are  barns,  stables,  and  other 
out-houses  for  agricultural  purposes ; whereas  those  erected  in  towns, 
are  generally  for  the  dwellings  of  the  inhabitants  ; and  it  should  seem 
urobable  that  a greater  proportion  of  the  population  of  Great  Britain 


live  in  towns  than  in  any  other  country,  Holland,  perhaps,  excepted , 
and  yet  it  appears  that  the  general  mortality  has  been  progressively 
diminishing.” 


Classes  of  Inhabitants  in  1812. 

The  same  author  also  distributes  the  population  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  into  the  following  classes,  with  the  number  of  families,  of 
individuals,  and  the  income  of  each,  in  1812,  as  follows : — 


Royalty, 

Nobility,  

Gentry, 

State  and  Revenue,  . . . 

Army, 

Navy, 

Half-pay,  &c 

Pensioners, 

Clergy 

Law, 

Physic, 

Fine  Arts, 

Agriculture,  Mines,  &c. 

Foreign  Com.,  Shipping,  Man- " 
ufac.,  and  Trade,  including  ’ 

Fisheries, 

Universities  and  Schools  for  the  ' 
education  of  youth, 
Miscellaneous,  . . 

Paupers,  . . .... 


Families. 

12 

564 

46,861 

21,500 

75.000 

53.000 
2,500 

19.000 

19.000 

18.000 
5,000 

1,302,151 


Persons,  includ- 
ing domestics. 

300 

13,620 

402,915 

114,500 

490.000 

345.000 

14.500 

92.000 

96.500 

95.000 

90.000 

25.000 
6,129,142 


Income  of 
each  class. 

£501 ,000 
5,400.480 
53,022,110 

8.830.000 
14,000,000 

9,299,680 

856,600 

1.050.000 

4.580.000 

7.600.000 
5,400/100 

1.400.000 
107,246,795 


1,506,774  7,071,989  183,908,352 


35,874 

9,445 

387,100 


213,496  7,664,400 


354,441 

1,548,400 


9,890,955 

9,871,000 


Total,  . ... 

. . 3,501,781 
Aggregate. 

17,096,803 

£430,521,372 

Families. 

Persons. 

Income 

Agriculture,  Mines,  &c. 

. . 1,302,151 

6,129,142 

107,246,795 

Inland  Trade,  .... 

. . 970,224 

4,599,139 

98,029,352 

Manufactures,  .... 

. . 464,500 

2,066,500 

57,223,000 

Foreign  Commerce  and  Shipping,  72,050 
King’s  Military  and  Marine,  ) ^qq 

including  Pensioners,  . . S ’ 

406,350 

28,056,000 

941,500 

25,206,280 

Miscellaneous,  .... 

2,954,172 

114,159,945 

Total, 

17,096,803 

£430,521,372 

TABLES 


OF 


MATHEMATICAL.  GEOGRAPHY. 


i. 

COMPARISON  OF  FRENCH  AND  ENGLISH  WEIGHTS 
AND  MEASURES. 

Un'ts  which  form  the  Bases  of  the  New  French  System 
compared  with  the  Weights  and  Measures  of  England. 
English. 

3,2809167  feet,  or  39,371  inches. 
1076,411  square  feet. 

61,028 
35,317 
15,4441 
5,6481 


The  Metre  = 

Are  = 

Litre  = 

Stere  = 

Gramme  = 

Gramme  also  = 


cubic  inches, 
cubic  feet, 
grains  troy, 
drams  avoirdupois. 

New  Weights  and  Measures  of  France  compared  with  the 


Old 


and  also  with  English 


Weights  and  Measures. 


Distance  from  the 
Equator  to  the  > 
Pole  ) 

Degree  (centesimal) 
Myriametre 
Kilometre 
Hectometre 
Decametre 
Metre 


Linear  Measure. 

French  Feet. 


30784440 


English  Feet. 


32809167 


Decimetre 

Centimetre 

Millimetre 


Mi  Hare 

Kilare 

Hectare 

Decare 

Are 

Deciare 

Centiare 


307844,4 
30784/14 
3078,444 
307,8444 
30,78444 
3,078444 

Lines  French. 

44,3296 
4,43296 
0,443296 

Square  or  Superficial  M( 

French  Square  Feet. 

9476817,46113 
947681,7461 13 
94768,1746113 
9476,81746113 
^7,681746113 
94,7681746113 
9,47681746113 


328091,67 
32809,167 
3280,9167 
328,09167 
32,809167 
3,2809167 

Lines  English. 

47,2452 
4,72452 
0,472452 


Square  Decimetre 


Square  Centimetre 
Square  Millimetre 


sure. 

English  Square  Feet. 

10764414,3923 
1076441,43923 
107644,143923 
10764,4143923 
1076,44143923 
107,644143923 
10,7644143923 

Square  Inches.  Square  Inches. 

13,646617  15,500756 

Square  Lines.  Square  Lines. 

19,651134  22,321088 

0,19651134  0,2232108 


Myrialitre 
Kilolitre 
Cubic  metre 
Hectolitre 


Measures  of  Capacity. 

French 
cubic  feet. 

291,738519 

29,1738519 


Decalitre 

Litre  or  Cubic  Decimetre 
Decilitre 

Centilitre 


2,91738519 

Cubic  indies. 

504,121160 

50,4124160 

5,04124160 

Cubic  lines. 

871,126926 


Bar  or  cubic 

metre  of  water 

Myriagramme 

Kilogramme 

Hectogramme 

Decagramme 

Gramme 

Decigramme 

Centigramme 


English 
cubic  feet. 

353,1714693 

35,31714693 

3,531714693 

Cubic  inches. 

610,280264 
61,0280264 
6,10280264 

Cubic  lines. 

1 054. 564296 


The  Litre,  which  is  the  unit  for  measures  of  capacity 
= 2,113  English  pints,  wine  measure;  and  therefore 
the  Hectolitre  equals  26,4  such  gallons  — 35  litres  = a 
Winchester  bushel. 

Solid  or  Cubic  Measures. 

French  cubic  feet.  English  cubic  feet. 

Decastere  - - 291,738519  353,1700 

Stere  (cubic  metre)  29,1738519  35,3170 

Decistere  - - 2,91738519  3,5317 

This  measure  is  used  for  fire-wood,  stone,  &c.  The 
stere  is  the  same  as  the  kilometre  in  the  preceding 
measure. 

Weights. 

Poids  de  Marc.  English  Troy  weight, 

livres.  on.  gros.  grains.  lb.  oz.  dr.  gr. 

2042  14  0 14  2681  3 6 2, 

20  6 6 63,5  26  9 15  1,46 

2 0 5 35,15  2 8 3 12,146 

3 2 10,715  3 4 8,414 

2 44,2715  6 10,441 

18,82715  15,4441 

1,882715  1,54441 

0,1882715  0,15444 

French  New  Measure  of  Time  compared  with  the  Old  or 
Usual  System. 

Old  value. 

New  division.  h.  m.  s. 

second  - 0 0 0.864 

100  seconds,  1 minute  - 0 1 26.4 

100  minutes,  1 hour  - - 2 24  0. 

10  hours,  1 day  - 24  0 0. 

Reversed. 

New  value. 

Old  or  usual  division.  h.  m.  s. 

1 second  - 0 0 1.1574 

60  seconds,  1 minute  - 0 69  54.4 

60  minutes,  1 hour  - - 1 15  74. 

24  hours,  1 day  - - 10  0 0. 

French  New  Measure  of  the  Circle  compared  with  the  Old 
or  Common  System. 

New  division.  Old  value. 

100  seconds,  1 minute  of  space,  0°  O' 32//| 

100  minutes,  1 degree,  0 54  0 

100  degrees,  1 quadrant,  90  0 0 

400  degrees,  1 circle,  360  0 0 

Reversed. 

Old  division.  New  value. 

60  tierces,  1 second,  0°  07 

60  seconds,  1 minute  of  space,  0 1 85/U 

60  minutes,  1 degree,  1 11  111 

90  degrees,  1 quadrant,  100  0 0 

4 quadrants,  or  360°,  1 circle,  400  -0  0 

Old  Weights  and  Measures  of  France. 

Long  Measure. — The  toise  or  fathom  of  France  is 
equal  to  six  feet  French,  the  foot  to  12  inches  French, 
and  the  inch,  to  1 2 lines,  each  subdivided  into  12  points; 


TABLES. 


6G4 


76  French  feet  are  nearly  equal  to  81  English  feet ; or, 
more  accurately,  40,000  Frerjph  feet,  inches,  or  lines, 
equal  42,638  English  feet,  inches,  or  lines  Thus  1 
French  foot  equals  1.06597  English,  or  12.78934 
English  inches  ; and  hence  one  English  foot  equals 
11.26  French  inches.  The  Paris  aune  was  46\1 
English  inches. 

In  the  old  French  road  measure,  the  lieue,  or  league, 
is  two  French  miles,  each  mile  1000  toises  ; hence  the 
French  league  equals  two  English  miles,  three  furlongs, 
and  15  poles. 

The  French  league,  however,  in  different  parts  of 
France,  has  been  applied  to  different  distances.  The 
marine  league,  (20  to  a degree,)  equals  2853  toises,  or 
6081  English  yards  ; and  the  astronomical  league,  (25 
to  a degree,)  equals  2282|  French  toises,  or  1865 
English  yards. 

The  arpent,  or  acre  of  land,  contained  in  general 
1 00  square  perches  ; but  the  perch  varied  in  different 
provinces. 

The  old  French  weight  for  gold  and  silver  (called 
poids  de  marc,)  makes  the  pound  or  livre  contain  2 
marcs,  16  onces,  128  gros,  384  deniers,  or  9216  grains. 

The  French  marc  = 3780  grains  Troy  weight. 

For  commercial  weight,  the  poids  de  marc  was  like- 
wise used,  and  the  quintal  of  100  livres=108  lb.  avoir- 
dupois, very  nearly. 

Weights  and  measures,  however,  varied  considerably 
in  the  different  provinces. 

Corn  measure  was  the  muid  of  12  setiers,  24  mines, 
48  minots,  or  144  bushels. 

Wine  measure  was  the  muid  of  36  setiers,  144  quartes, 
or  288  pints. 

II. 

Synoptical  Table  of  the  Planetary  System .a 


Diameters  and  bulk  ; those  of  the  Earth  considered  as  unity. 

Diameter.  Bulk  or  Volume. 


The  Sun 

- 

111.45 

- 

1,3S4,462. 

Mercury 

- 

0.4012 

- 

0.06456 

Venus 

- 

0.9693 

- 

0.8902 

The  Earth  - 

- 

1. 

- 

1. 

The  Moon 

- 

0.2731 

- 

0.02036 

Mars 

- 

0.5199 

- 

0.1406 

Vesta 

- 

0.4 

- 

... 

Juno 

- 

0.1 

- 

... 

Ceres 

- 

0.3076 

- 

0.02913 

Pallas 

- 

0.154 

- 

0.00365 

Jupiter 

- 

10.862 

- 

1.281.00000 

Saturn 

- 

9.983 

- 

995.00000 

Uranus  b 

- 

4.332 

. 

80.49 

Rotation,  or  Sidereal  Day.  Flattening  at  the  Poles. 


Hours. 

Min. 

Sec. 

Mercury 

- 

24 

5 

28 

- 

- 

Venus 

_ 

23 

21 

0 

- 

- 

The  Earth 

23 

56 

4 

_ 

1 

3 3 4 

Mars 

- 

24 

39 

21 

- 

1 

1 6 

Jupiter 

- 

9 

56 

0 

- 

1 

1 4 

Saturn  j 

Ilerschel 

Calandillo 

10 

11 

16 

39 

0 

0 

- 20.91 

- 13.3 

; 22.81 
: 16.1 

* Laplace,  System©  du  Monde.  Biot,  Astronomic  Physique. 
b Ilerschol. 

c The  eccentricity  of  Pallas  proves,  that,  notwithstanding  the 
identity  almost  of  its  mean  distance  with  that  of  Ceres,  the  orbits  of 


Revolutions  Tropical.  Sidereal. 


Yrs.  Days 

Hrs.  Min.  Sec. 

Days. 

Hrs.  Min.  Sec. 

Mercury 

0 

87 

23 

14 

32  7 

87 

23 

15 

43.6 

Venus 

0 

224 

16 

41 

27.5 

224 

16 

49 

10.6 

The  Earth 

1 

0 

5 

48 

48 

365 

6 

9 

8 

Mars 

1 

321 

22 

18 

27.4 

686 

23 

30 

35.6 

Vesta 

3 

240 

. 

- 

_ 

- 

_ 

- 

_ 

Juno 

4 

130 

- 

- 

_ 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Ceres 

4 

221 

- 

- 

_ 

- 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Pallas 

4 

241 

17 

. 

_ 

- 

- 

_ 

_ 

Jupiter 

11 

315 

14 

39 

2 

4,332 

14 

27 

10.8 

Saturn 

29 

161 

19 

16 

15.5 

10,759 

1 

51 

11.2 

Uranus 

83 

294 

8 

39 

- 

30,689 

- 

29 

- 

Half  the  greater  Axis  of  the  Orbits  of  the  Planets  ; or 
their  mean  distances  from  the  Sun,  in  JWyriametres, 
each  containing  32809  English  feet. 


Mercury, 

_ 

Myriametres. 

5917938 

VeSus, 

- 

11058215 

The  Earth, 

- 

15287873 

Mars, 

- 

23294021 

Vesta, 

- 

36278123 

Juno, 

- 

40619979 

Ceres, 

- 

42282000 

Pallas,® 

- 

- 42666000 

Jupiter, 

- 

79511907 

Saturn, 

- 

- 145836700 

Uranus, 

- 

- 291720130 

The  relative  proportion  of  the  eccentricity  to  the  half  oj 
the  greater  axis. 


Mercury, 

- 

- 

0.205523 

Venus, 

_ 

- 

0.006885 

The  Earth, 

- 

- 

- 0.016814 

Mars, 

- 

- 

- 0.093088 

Ceres, 

_ 

_ 

0.0S2501 

Pallas, 

__ 

- 

- d>463 

Jupiter, 

- 

- 

- 0.048077 

Saturn, 

- 

- 

- 0.056223 

Uranus, 

- 

- 

0.046683 

Inclination  of  the  Orbit  to  the  Ecliptic. 


Mercury, 

- 

- 6° 

35' 

30" 

Venus, 

- 

- 3 

23 

10 

The  Earth,  - 

- 

- 0 

0 

0 

Mars, 

- 

- 1 

50 

47 

Ceres, 

- 

- 10 

36 

57 

Pallas, 

- 

- 34 

50 

40 

Jupiter, 

- 

- 1 

19 

38 

Saturn, 

- 

- 2 

30 

40 

Uranus 

- 

- 0 

46 

12 

these  two  planets  are  very  distant  front  each  other  at.  their  aphelion 
and  perihelion.  Between  these  points,  the  orbits  intersect  each  other 
Pallas  sometimes  approaches  Jupiter  and  sometimes  Mars. 


TABLES. 


665 


v-  1 

Table  of  the  Decrease  of  the  Degrees  of  Longitude,  according  to  the  New 

or  Centesimal  Graduation,  the  Earth  being  considered  ns  Spherical.  \ 

Lati- 

Degree  of  Longi- 

Lati- 

Degree  of  Longi- 

Lati- 

Degree  of  Longi- 

tude. 

tude. 

tude. 

tude. 

tude. 

tude. 

Deg. 

Kilometres. 

Deg. 

Kilometres. 

Deg. 

Kilometres. 

0 

100,000 

34 

86,074 

68 

48,175 

1 

99,988 

35 

85,264 

69 

46,793 

2 

99,951 

36 

84,433 

70 

45,339 

3 

99,889 

37 

83,581 

4 

99,803 

38 

82,708 

71 

43,994 

5 

99,692 

39 

81,815 

72 

42,578 

6 

99.556 

40 

80,902 

73 

41,151 

7 

99,396 

74 

39.115 

8 

99,21 '. 

41 

79,968 

75 

38,268 

9 

99,002 

42 

79,015 

76 

36,812 

10 

98,769 

43 

78,043 

77 

35,347 

44 

77,051 

78 

33,874 

11 

98,511 

45 

76,040 

79 

32,392 

12 

98,229 

46 

75,011 

80 

30,902 

13 

97,922 

47 

73,963 

14 

97,592 

48 

72.897 

81 

29,404 

15 

97,237 

49 

71,813 

82 

27,899 

16 

96,858 

50 

70,711 

83 

26,387 

17 

96,456 

84 

24,869 

48 

96,029 

51 

69,591 

85 

23,344 

19 

95,579 

52 

68,455 

86 

21,814 

20 

95,106 

53 

67,301 

87 

20,279 

54 

66,131 

88 

18,738 

21 

94.608 

55 

64,945 

89 

17,193 

22 

94,088 

56 

63,742 

90 

15,643 

23 

93,544 

57 

62,524 

24 

92,978 

58 

61,291 

91 

14,090 

25 

92,388 

59 

60,042 

92 

12,533 

26 

91,775 

60 

58,778 

93 

10,973 

27 

91,140 

94 

9,411 

28 

90.483 

61 

57,500 

95 

7,846 

29 

89,803 

62 

56,208 

96 

6,279 

30 

89,101 

63 

54.902 

97 

4,711 

64 

53.583 

98 

3.141 

31 

88,377 

65 

52,250 

99 

1,571 

32 

87,631 

66 

50,904 

100 

0,000 

33 

86,863 

67 

49,546 

VI. 

Tablenf  the  Decreaseofthe  Degreesof  Longitude, according  to  the  New  or 

Centesimal  scale,  the  Earth  bein 

or  supposed  to  be  a Spheroid., flattened-^  g-y . 

Lati- 

Degree  of  Longi- 

Lati- 

Degree  of  Longi- 

Lati- 

Degree  of  Longi- 

tude. 

tude. 

tude. 

tude. 

tude. 

tude. 

Deg. 

Metres.  | 

Deg. 

Metres. 

Deg. 

Metres. 

0 

100149.4 

34 

86269.5 

68 

48358.3 

1 

100137.1 

35 

85461.0 

69 

46972.4 

2 

100100.3 

36 

84631.4 

70 

45574.8 

3 

100038.9 

37 

83780.9 

4 

99953.0 

38 

82909.7 

71 

44165.9 

5 

99842.5 

39 

82018.1 

72 

42746.0 

6 

99707.6 

40 

81106.2 

73 

41315.3 

7 

99548  2 

74 

39874.4 

8 

99364  3 

41 

80174.1 

75 

38423.4 

9 

99156  2 

42 

79222.3 

76 

36962.8 

10 

98923.6 

43 

78250.9 

77 

35493.0 

44 

77260.1 

78 

34014.2 

11 

98666.8 

45 

76250.1 

79 

32527.0 

12 

983S5.8 

46 

75221.3 

80 

31031.6 

13 

98080.6 

47 

74173.8 

14 

97751.3 

48 

73108.0 

81 

29528.5 

15 

97398.1 

49 

72024.0 

82 

28017.9 

16 

97020.9 

50 

70922.1 

83 

26500.3 

17 

96616.9 

84 

24976.1 

18 

96195  1 

51 

69802.6 

85 

23445.6 

19 

95746  8 

52 

68665.8 

86 

21909.2 

20 

95274  9 

53 

67512.0 

87 

20367.3 

54 

66341.3 

88 

18820.3 

21 

94779.6 

55 

65154,2 

89 

17268.6 

22 

94260.9 

56 

63950.9 

90 

15712.6 

23 

93719.1 

57 

62731.7 

24 

93154.2 

58 

61496.8 

91 

14152.6 

25 

92566.4 

59 

60246.7 

92 

12589.0 

26 

91955.8 

60 

58981.5 

93 

11022.3 

27 

91322.6 

94 

9452.9 

28 

90666  4 

61 

57701.6 

95 

7881.0  1 

29 

89988  9 

62 

56407.4 

96 

6307.2  ■ 

30 

89288  6 

63 

55099.1 

97 

4731.8 

64 

53777.1 

98 

3155.7 

31 

88566.4 

65 

52441.7 

99 

1577.8 

32 

87822.4 

66 

51093.1 

100 

0.0 

1 33 

87056.7 

67  1 

49731.8 

, 

III. 

Tabic  of  Climates. 


Climates  of 
Half  an  Hour. 

Longest  Day. 

Latitude. 

Extent  of  Climates. 

Their  Number. 

Hours . 

Min . 

Degrees. 

Min. 

De  (Trees. 

Jilin. 

0 

12 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

12 

30 

8 

34 

8 

34 

2 

13 

0 

16 

43 

8 

9 

3 

13 

30 

24 

10 

7 

27 

4 

14 

0 

30 

46 

6 

46 

5 

14 

30 

36 

28 

5 

42 

6 

15 

0 

41 

21 

4 

53 

7 

15 

30 

45 

29 

4 

8 

8 

16 

0 

48 

59 

3 

30 

9 

16 

30 

51 

57 

2 

58 

10 

17 

0 

54 

28 

2 

31 

11 

17 

30 

56 

36 

2 

8 

12 

18 

0 

58 

25 

1 

49 

13 

18 

30 

59 

57 

1 

32 

14 

19 

0 

61 

16 

1 

19 

15 

19 

30 

62 

24 

1 

8 

16 

20 

0 

63 

20 

0 

56 

17 

20 

30 

64 

8 

0 

48 

18 

21 

0 

64 

48 

0 

40 

19 

21 

30 

65 

20 

0 

32 

20 

22 

0 

65 

46 

0 

26 

21 

22 

30 

66 

6 

0 

20 

22 

23 

0 

66 

20 

0 

14 

23 

23 

30 

66 

28 

0 

8 

24 

24 

0 

66 

32 

0 

4 

Climates  of 
Months. 

Longest  Day. 

Latitude. 

Extent  of  Climates 

Their  Number. 

Months. 

Degrees. 

Min. 

Degrees. 

Min. 

1 

1 

67 

23 

0 

51 

2 

2 

69 

10 

2 

27 

3 

3 

73 

39 

3 

49 

4 

4 

78 

31 

4 

52 

5 

5 

84 

5 

5 

34 

6 

6 

90 

0 

5 

55 

N B — We  do  not  in  these  Tables  take  any  notice  of  the  effects  of  the  refraction, 
which  increases  the  duration  of  the  day,  particularly  towards  the  poles.  Under  the 
pole  itself  the  refraction  alone,  independent  of  the  twilight,  increases  the  day,  which  is 
six  months,  67  hours  long. 


IY. 

Table  of  the  Decrease  of  theDegrees  of  Longitude,  according  to  the  ancient 
or  nonagesimal  graduation,  ' 


Lati- 

tudes. 

Degree  of  Lon- 
gitude. 

Lati- 

tudes. 

Degree  of  Lon- 
gitude. 

Lati- 

tudes. 

In  toises 
of  6 ft. 
Fr. 

In  nau- 
tical 
miles. 

In  toises 
of  6 ft. 
Fr. 

In  nau- 
tical 
miles. 

0 

57050 

60.00 

31 

48901 

51.43 

61 

1 

57041 

59.99 

32 

48381 

50.88 

62 

2 

57015 

59.96 

33 

47846 

51.32 

63 

3 

56972 

59.92 

34 

47298 

49.74 

64 

4 

56911 

59.85 

35 

46732 

49.15 

65 

5 

56833 

59.77 

36 

46154 

48.54 

66 

6 

56738 

59.67 

37 

45562 

47.92 

67 

7 

56625 

59.56 

38 

44956 

47.28 

68 

8 

56495 

59.42 

39 

44337 

46.63 

69 

9 

56347 

59.26 

40 

43703 

45.96 

70 

10 

56183 

59.09 

41 

43050 

45.28 

71 

11 

56002 

58.89 

42 

42397 

44.59 

72 

12 

55803 

58.69 

43 

41725 

43.83 

73 

13 

55587 

58.46 

44 

41038 

43.16 

74 

14 

55355 

58.22 

45 

40340 

42.43 

75 

15 

55106 

57.95 

46 

39630 

41.68 

76 

16 

54840 

57.67 

47 

38908 

40.92 

77 

17 

54557 

57.38 

48 

38174 

40.15 

78 

18 

54257 

57.06 

49 

37425 

39.36 

79 

19 

53941 

56.73 

50 

36671 

38.57 

80 

20 

5360!! 

56.38 

51 

35902 

37.76 

81 

21 

53260 

5ft  .01 

52 

35123 

36.94 

82 

22 

52895 

55.63 

53 

34333 

36.1 1 

83 

23 

52514 

55.23 

54 

33532 

35.27 

84 

24 

52117 

54.81 

55 

32722 

34.41 

85 

25 

51705 

54.38 

56 

31902 

33.55 

86 

26 

51276 

53.93 

57 

31076 

32.68 

87 

27 

50832 

53.46 

58 

30231 

31.79 

88 

28 

50372 

52.97 

59 

29384 

30.90 

89 

29 

49897 

52.47 

60 

28525 

30.00 

90 

30 

49406 

51.96  1 

Degree  of  Lon- 
gitude. 


in  toises 
of  6 ft. 

Fr. 


27659 

2G784 

25904 

25010 

24110 

23204 

22291 

2)371 

20445 

19512 

18573 

17629 

16G79 

15724 

14764 

13801 

12833 

11862 

10885 

9907 

8924 

7941 

6953 

5963 

4972 

3980 

2986 

1991 

996 

0 


In  nau- 
tical^ 
miles. 


29.09 

28.17 

27.24 

26.30 

25.36 

24.41 

23.44 

22.48 

21.50 

20.52 

19.53 

18.54 

17.54 

16.54 
15.53 

14.51 
13.50 

12.48 

11.45 

10.42 

9.38 

8.35 

7.32 

6.28 

5.23 

4.18 

3.14 

2.09 

1.05 

0.00 


l 


VOL.  ITI.-N0.  63 


64 


666 


TABLES. 


VII. 

Of  the.  Increase  of  Lite  Degrees  of  Latitude,  according  to  the  New  or  Ctn- 

tesima.l  Scale,  the  Earth  being  supposed  to  be  a spheroid,  fattened  335. 

Lati- 

tude. 

Decree  of  Lati- 
tude. 

Lati- 

tude. 

Degree  of  Lati- 
tude. 

Lati- 

tude. 

Degree  of  Lati- 
tude. 

Deg. 

0 

Metres. 

99552.5 

Metres. 

99789.7 

vet 

Metres. 

100245.9 

1 

99552.9 

35 

99802.2 

69 

100257.5 

2 

99553.8 

36 

99814.9 

70 

100269.0 

3 

99555.1 

37 

99827.8 

100280.2 

4 

99556.9 

38 

99840.9 

71 

5 

99559.0 

39 

99854.1 

72 

100291.1 

6 

99561.8 

40 

99867.5 

73 

100301.7 

7 

99564.7 

74 

100312.0 

8 

99568.2 

41 

99881.0 

75 

100322.0 

9 

99572.1 

42 

99894.6 

76 

100331.7 

10 

99576.4 

43 

99908.3 

77 

100341.1 

44 

99922.1 

78 

100350.1 

11 

99581.2 

45 

99936.0 

79 

100358.8 

12 

99586.3 

46 

99950.0 

80 

100367.2 

13 

99591.8 

47 

99964.0 

100375.1 

14 

99597.8 

48 

99978.0 

81 

15 

99604.2 

49 

99992.1 

82 

100382.7 

16 

99610.9 

50 

100006.2 

83 

100369.9 

17 

99618.0 

84 

100396.8 

18 

99625.4 

51 

100020.3 

85 

100403.2 

19 

99633.4 

52 

100034.4 

» 86 

100409.3  •- 

20 

99641.6 

53 

100048.4 

87 

100414.9 

54 

100062.4 

88 

100420.1 

21 

99650.2 

55 

100076.3 

89 

100424.9 

22 

99659.1 

56 

100090.2 

90 

100429.3 

23 

99668.4 

57 

100103.9 

100433.2 

100436.8 

24 

99678.5 

99687.9 

58 
| 59 

100117.6 

100131.2 

91 

92 

26 

99698.1 

60 

100144.0 

93 

100439.9 

27 

99708.6 

94 

100442.5 

1 28 

29 

99719.4 

99730.5 

61 

G2 

100157.9 

100171.0 

95 

96 

100444.7 

100446.5 

30 

99741.9 

63 

100184.0 

97 

100447.8 

64 
| 65 

100196.8 

98 

100448.7 

31 

99753.5 

100209.4 

99 

100449.2 

32 

99765.3 

I 66 

100221.7 

100 

33 

99777.4 

1 <57 

100233.9 

Cnmpt 

VIII. 

rative  View  of  Linear  Measures,  called  (or  equivalent  to)  Feet.* 

VIII. — Continued. 


States  and  T 


States  and  Towns. 


Amsterdam 

Augsbourg 

Bale 

Batavia 

Berlin 

Brabant 

Cadix 

China 

Copenhagen 

Cracovia 

Dantzick 

Dauphine 

Dijon 

Dresden 

[France 

Frankfort  on  the  Main 
Tranche  Comte 
i Genoa 

! Hamburgh 

jLeipzic 
Lisbon 
Loudon 
Lorraine  - 
Lubeck 

Madrid 


Malacca 

Messina 


Measures. 


Voet 

Stadt,  or  Werk-Schu 
Stadt,  or  Feldt-Schu 
Voet 

„ S of  Berlin 
* uss  * of  the  Rhine 
Fuss 
Pie 

Foot  of  the  Merchants 

Mathematical  foot 

Che  or  Carpenter’s  foot 

Land-surveyor’s  foot 

Fod 

Foot 

Fuss 

Pied 

Pied 

Fuss 

Pied  de  Roi 
Decimetre 
F uss 
Pied 
Palmo 

$ of  Hamburgh 
Fuss  \ of  the  Rhine 
F uss 
Palmo 
Foot 
Pied 
Fuss 
Codo 
Pies 

Palmo  \ great 
( small 
Common  foot 
Carpenter’s  foot 
Palmo 


Lines. 


125.5 
131.3 

132.2 
139.12 

137.3 
139.12 

120.6 

125.3 
150 

147.7 

143.1 

141.7 
139.12 
158 

127.2 

151.1 

139.2 

125.5 
144 

44.33 

127 

158.3 

111.3 
127 
139.12 

125.3 
96.9 

135 

129.2 
129 
187.9 

125.3 
93.97 
31.32 

139.1 

127.5 

107.3 


2.83 

2.97 

2.98 
3.14 

3.10 
3.14 
2.86 
2.83 
3.38 
3.33 

3.23 
3.19 

3.14 

3.56 
2.86 

3.41 

3.15 
2.83 
3.25 
1 

2.86 

3.57 
2.51 
2.86 
3.14 
2.83 
2.18 
3.05 
2.92 
2.91 

4.23 
2.83 

2.11 
0.70 
3.14 
2.87 

2.42 


Munich 
Naples 
Normandy 
Norway 

Nuremberg 

Padua 
Paris 
Palermo 

Prague 

Riga 
Rome 
Russia 
Sardinia  - 
Sweden 
Switzerland 
Stuttgard 
Turin 
Venice 
Vienna 
Warsaw,  duchy  of, 


Mi 


Palmo 
Fuss 
Palmo 
Pied 
Fod 

Stadt-SchuofCarpenters 

Werk-Schu  of  Masons 

Palmo 

Pied-de-Roi 

Palmo,  ancient 

of  Bohemia  - 
of  Moravia  - 

Fuss 

Palmo 

Foot 

Palmo 

Fot 

Fuss 

Fuss 

Palmo 

Palmo 

Fuss 

Fuss 


Fuss 


176 

128.2 

116.5 

132 
139.12 

134.7 

123.6 
189.9 
144 

107.3 

131.4 
131.2 

125.5 

130.6 
135 
110.1 

131 .6 

133 

126.8 

227.7 

153.7 
143 
158 


etres. 


3.97 
2.89 

2.03 

2.98 
3.15 

3.03 
2.78 
4.28 
3.25 
2.42 
2.97 

2.96 
2.74 
2.94 
3.05 
2.48 

2.97 
3.00 
2.85 
5.13 
3.46 
3.23 
3.56 


IX. 

A comparative  View  of  the  Agrarian  Measures  used  in  the  principal  States  of  Europe, 
in  ancient  French  square  Feet , (pieds  de  roi,)  compared  with  the  Arpcnt  fixed  by  the 
Government  for  measuring  the  waters  and  Forests, a and  with  the  Hectare , or  new 
Agrarian  Measure  of  France. 


States  and  Places. 


I Square  Feet,  f Arpents. 


a “ Piods  commuros.’ 


Alsace, 

Morgen  - 

- 

19.045 

Austria, 

Jochart 

- 

54.571 

Bavaria, 

Juchart 

" 

31.700 

104.854 

Denmark, 

Toende  Hartkorn 

to 

210.514 

England, 

Acre 

- 

38.376 

Arpent  of  the  waters  & forests'1 

48.400 

Arpent  of  Paris 

- 

32.400 

France,  < 

Arpent,  common 

- 

40.000 

Hectare 

- 

94.768 

Arec 

- 

00.9471 

Vorling 

- 

12.326 

Hanover 

Drohn 

- 

18.490 

M orgen 

- 

24.653 

Holland, 

Morgen'  - 

- 

77.016 

f ( Rubbio 

Rome  < Quarta 

- 

175.138 

- 

43.784 

( Pezza 

- 

25.020 

Italy, 

Milanese,  Pertia 

. 

7.127 

Naples,  Moggia 

- 

31 .679 

m S Saccate 

46.986 

Tuscany  } gtloro 

- 

5.546 

'-Venice,  1000  Passi 

- 

28.456 

Lorraine, 

Journal 

. 

40.328 

Piedmont 

Giornata 

- 

36.005 

f Great  Hufe 

- 

1,613.130 

Hakenhufe 

- 

107.542 

Prussia, 

Landhufe 

- 

53.771  > 

Morgen  j f™* 

53.771  ] 
24.197 

Russia, 

Dasaetina 

- 

109.782 

Saxony,  Acker 

{Yugada 
Fanega 
Cahizada  - 
Aranzada 
Swabia,  Jouchart 
Sweden,  Tunna-land 


f t i ^ S for  woods 

, Berne’  Juchart  { for  fields 


Switzer- 


la,,d’  ^ Zurich,  Juchart  | j-j*  woods 
Tvrol,  Jauch,  or  Jauchart 


52.247 

1,345.032 

32.521 

195.124 

10.781 

13.299 

46.773 

36.6661 

32.592 

30.711 

34.12 

40.999 


0.39283 
1 .12750 
0.65495 
2.16640 

4.34946 
0.79289 
1.00000 
0.66941 
0.82645 
1.95801 
0.01958 
0.25467 
0.38202 
0.50935 
1.59124 
3.61857 
0.90464 
0.51694 
0.14725 
0.65453 
0.97078 
0.11459 
0.38792 
0.83323 
0.74390 
33.32913 
2.22195 

1.11097 

0.49993  0 
2.2675C  1 
1 .07948 
27.78993 
0.67191 
4.03149 
0.22274 
0.27477 
0.96639 
0.75755 
0.67338 
0.63452 
0.70495 
0.84707 


Hectares, 

0.2009 

0.5758 

0.3345’ 

1.1064 

2.2213 

0.4049 

0.5107 

0.3418: 

0.4220 

1.0000 

0.0100 

0.1300 

0.1951 

0.2601 

0.8126 

1.8480 

0.4C20| 

0.2639! 

0.0752 

0.3342 

0.4957i 

0.0565 

0.3002 

0.4255! 

0.3799 

17.02181 

1.1347 


0.5674 

2553 

1564 

5513 

1928 

3431 

0589 

.1137 

1403 

.4935 

3869' 

.3439, 

3240 

3000 

,432( 


> ten 


a “ Arpcnt  d*  ordonnance,  dit  dcs  eaux  ct  forGts.71 

1)  This  Arpcnt  contained  100  square  perches  of  22  feet  square,  or  -1S  I square  feet, 
c The  Acre,  which  is  the  unity  of  the  new  French  agrarian  measures,  is  equal  to 
metres  square,  or  one  square  decametre,  that  is.  a space  containing  one  hundred  square 
metres.  Tire  Hectare  is  a space  containing  100  aies,  or  a square  hectometre. 

Ill  comparing  the  new  and  old  measures  of  France,  we  may  make  use  of  the  following 
approximations. 

H ' 24  = 47  Arpents  of  the  waters  and  forests. 

£ ) 27  = 79  Arpents  of  Paris,  of  It?  feet  to  the  perch. 

S 'j  19  = 45  Common  arpents,  of  20  feet  to  the  perch, 
o ( 67  = 82  Acres  of  Xoimandy,  of  ICO  perches  of  22  feet  each. 


TABLES. 

667 

I|X. — Ji  comparative.  Table  of  Itinerary  and  Topographical  Measures,  considered,  first,  as  measures  of  distance  in  their  relation  to  a deg  ree  (nona- 

gesimal ) of  the  Equator  ; to  a Geographical  French  League,  of  25  to  a degree  ; and  to  the  Kilometre  ('1000  Metres ; ) and,  secondly,  us  measures 

of  superficial  extent  in  their  relation  to  Geographical  square  Leagues  of  Germany  (15  to  a 

degree,)  to  square  Leagues  of  France,  (25  to  a 

degree ,)  and  to  a square  Kilometre. 

ITINERARY  PROPORTIONS. 

TOPOGRAPHICAL  PROPORTIONS. 

To  an  equatorial 

Leagues  of  25  to 

MEASURES. 

Square  Leagues. 

Square 

degree. 

a degree. 

15  to  a degree. 

25  to  a degree. 

Kilometres. 

12 

2.08353 

9.27083 

Great  Meile  of  Germany, 

1 .5625 

4.3389 

85.951 

15 

1.666 

7.41666 

Common,  or  Geographical  Meile,  of  ditto, 

1 

2.777 

53.004 

17.75 

1.4084 

6.2076 

Small  Meile,  of  ditto, 

0.714 

1.987 

39.2753 

69.5 

0.3616 

1.6094 

Mile  of  England,  .... 

0.0471 

0.13075 

2.5889 

60 

0.4167 

1.8542 

Mile,  Geographical,  of  ditto, 

0.0625 

0.17363 

3.4373 

20 

1.25 

5.5625 

League,  marine,  of  ditto,  . 

0.5625 

1.5625 

30.9357 

33 

0.7576 

3.371 

Lieue  of  Anjou,  .... 

0.2066 

0.5739 

11.3636 

57.125 

0.4371 

1.9449 

League  of  Arabia,  . . 

0.0687 

0.191 

3.78 

28 

0.8929 

3.9732 

Lieue  of  Artois,  .... 

0.2868 

0.7973 

15.785 

17.333 

1.4423 

6.4183 

Lieu,  Astronomical,  . . . 

0.7489 

2.079 

41.2 

105.6 

0.2367 

1 .0535 

Pfase  of  Batavia  and  of  Java,  . . 

0.02018 

0.005602 

1.109 

26.397 

0.9471 

4.2145 

Horaire  of  ditto,  .... 

0.3229 

0.897 

17.759 

16.087 

1.55405 

6.9155 

League  of  ditto,  .... 

0.8694 

2.4149 

47.823 

33 

0.7576 

3.371 

Lieue  of  Beauce,  .... 

0.2066 

0.5739 

11.3636 

26 

0.9615 

4.2788 

Lieue  of  Berry,  .... 

0.3328 

0.9245 

18.308 

16 

1.5625 

6.953 

Meile  of  Bohemia,  ... 

0.8789 

2.44 

48.344 

21.521 

1.1617 

5.1693 

Lieue  of  Burgundy, 

0.4858 

1.3502 

26.7186 

20 

1.25 

5.5625 

Meile  of  Brabant, 

0.5625 

1.5625 

30.9414 

17 

1.4706 

6.5441 

League  of  Brazil,  .... 

0.7785 

2.1638 

42.8239 

33 

0.7576 

3.371 

Lieue  of  Bretagne,  . 

0.2066 

0.5739 

11.3636 

28 

0.8929 

3.9732 

League  of  Cayenne,  . . 

0.2868 

0.7973 

15.7847 

28.54 

0.8759 

3.898 

League  of  Canada, 

0.2762 

0.7672 

15.1944 

35 

0.71429 

3.17857 

League  of  the  Carnatic,  (Hindostan,) 

0.1837 

0.5102 

10.1 

192.4 

0.1299 

0.5782 

Li  of  China,  .... 

0.006078 

0.01687 

0.3343 

tl 

2.2727 

10.1136 

Gros  or  Gau  of  Coromandel,  . . 

1.859 

5.1663 

102.2856 

14.77 

1.6926 

7.5321 

Mile  of  Denmark,  .... 

1.0315 

2.866 

56.731 

i 

12.333 

2.027 

9.002 

Meile  of  Dresden  or  Saxony, 

1.479 

4.1087 

81.036 

28.54 

0.8759 

3.898 

Lieue,  Post  (12,000  feet)  of  France, 

0.2762 

0.7672 

15.1944 

25 

1 

4.45 

Lieue,  geocr.  or  common,  of  ditto, 

0.36 

1 

19.8025 

20 

1.25 

5.5625 

Lieue,  marine  of  ditto, 

0.5625 

1.6625 

30.9414 

22.25 

1.1236 

5 

Lieue,  mean  of  ditto, 

0.4544 

1.2633 

25 

11.125 

2.2472 

10 

Myriainetre,  or  new  great  league,  of  ditto, 

1.818 

5.049 

100 

11.25 

0.2247 

1 

Kilometre,  or  new  small  league,  of  ditto, 

0.01818 

0.05049 

1 

19.025 

1.3139 

5.8476 

Lieue  of  Gascocme,  . . . 

0.6216 

1.72G6 

34.194 

26.838 

0.9315 

4.1452 

League  of  Guiana,  . . . 

0.3124 

0.8677 

17.181 

1.3158 

5.855 

Meile  of  Holland, 

0.6232 

1.7319 

34.281 

13.333 

1.875 

8.34375 

Meile  of  Hungary,  . . . 

1.266 

3.5159 

69.622 

42.75 

0.5848 

2.6023 

Cos  or  Corn  of  Hindostan, 

0.1231 

0.342 

6.7718 

40 

0.625 

2.78125 

Mile  of  Ireland,  .... 

0.1416025 

0.3907 

7.735 

3 

8.333 

37.0833303 

Tingmannaleid  of  Iceland,  . 

2.5 

69.444 

1375.1736 

9 

2.777 

12.3601 

Mil,  marine  of  ditto,  . . . 

2.778 

7.716 

152.797 

12 

2.0833 

9.2708 

Mil,  common  of  ditto,  . . . 

1.5625 

4.3389 

85.96 

58.48 

0.4275 

1.9024 

Lcga  of  Bologna,  Italy,  . . . 

0.0657.9 

0.1828 

5.619 

67.25 

0.3718 

1.65427 

Lega  of  Milan,  .... 

0.04975 

0.1383 

2.7366 

57.71 

0.4332 

1.9277 

Lega  of  Naples,  .... 

0.06756 

0.1877 

3.716 

74.7 

0.3347 

1.4719 

Lega  of  the  Roman  States,  . . 

0.0403 

0.1121 

2.1667 

68.25 

0.3663 

1.62967 

Lega  of  Tuscany,  . . 

0.0483 

0.1342 

2.6558 

60.62 

0.4124 

1.8352 

Lega  of  Venice,  .... 

0.06123 

0.17009 

3.368 

12.44 

2.001 

8.9429 

Meile  of  Lithuania,  ... 

1.454 

4.004 

79.977 

28 

0.8929 

3.9732 

Meile  of  Luxembourg,  ... 

0.2868 

0.79727 

15.7847 

23 

1.087 

4.83696 

Lieue  of  Lyons,  .... 

0.4253 

1.18157 

23.396 

10 

2.5 

11.125 

Gros  or  Gau  of  Malabar,  . . . 

1.25 

6.25 

123.7656 

17 

1.47066 

6.5441 

League  of  the  Mysore, 

0.7786 

2.164 

42.824 

10 

2.5 

11.125 

Mile  of  Norway,  .... 

2.25 

6.25 

123.7656 

24 

1.0417 

4.6354 

Lieue  of  Perche,  (in  France,) 

0.3906 

1.0857 

21.491 

12.5 

2 

8.9 

Parasang  of  Persia,  . . . 

1.44 

4 

79.21 

48 

0.5208 

2.3177 

Lega  of  Piedmont,  » . . . 

0.09766 

0.27123 

5.373 

24 

1.0417 

4.6354 

Lieue  of  Poitou,  .... 

0.3906 

1.0857 

21.491 

20 

1.25 

5.5625 

League  of  Poland, 

0.5625 

1.5625 

30.9414 

18 

1.3889 

6.18056 

Legua  of  Portugal,  . . . 

0.6944 

1.9293 

38.199 

14.37 

1.7328 

7.7488 

Meile  of  Prussia,  .... 

1.089 

3.003 

60.045 

19.025 

1.3139 

5.8476 

Lieue  of  Provence, 

0.6216 

1.7266 

34.194 

104.25 

0.2396 

1.06714 

Werste,  common  of  Russia,  . . 

0.0207 

0.05741 

1.1385 

104.716 

0.23874 

1.0624 

Werste,  fixed  of  Russia, 

0.0205 

0.057 

1.1278 

110.4 

0.22645 

1.0077 

Werste  of  Russia,  according  toM.Trescot, 

0.0192 

0.05128 

1.014 

17.453 

1.43244 

6.3744 

Mile,  geographical,  of  6 werstes,  of  ditto, 

0.7387 

2.05 

40.63 

12.29 

2.034 

9.0521 

Meile  of  the  Police,  of  Saxony, 

1.49 

4.1371 

81.939 

50 

0.5 

2.225 

Mile  of  Scotland,  .... 

0.09 

0.25 

4.9506 

28.942 

0.8638 

3.8438 

Roe-nins  of  Siam, 

0.2686 

0.74615 

14.77 

17.18 

1.4552 

6.475 

Meile  of  Silesia,  .... 

0.7623 

2.117 

41.93 

16.4 

1.5 

6.075 

Legua  nueva  of  Spain, 

0.8117 

2.25 

44.5556 

20 

1.25 

5.5625 

Legua  horaria  of  Spain,  . . 

0.5625 

1.5625 

30.9414 

26.4 

0.9375 

4.17187 

Legua  juridica  of  Spain,  . 

0.3164 

0.8789 

17.4056 

10.4 

2.4038 

10.6971 

Mile  of  Sweden,  .... 

2.08 

5.7792 

114.45 

10 

2.5 

11.225 

Gos,  or  Gau  of  Surat,  . . . 

2.25 

6.25 

123.7656 

26.838 

0.9315 

4.1452 

League  of  Surinam,  . . 

0.3124 

0.8677 

17.181 

66.4 

0.375 

1.6687 

Berri  of  Turkey,  .... 

0.05062 

0.1406 

2.786 

28.537 

0.8761 

3.8985 

Lieue  of  Touraine,  . . . 

0.2763 

0.7676 

15.195 

10 

2.5 

11.225 

Meile  of  the  Circle  of  Westphalia, 

2.25 

6.25 

123.76525 

668 


TABLES. 


XI. 


A Table  of  the  different  Measures  of  Antiquity. 


Itinerary  Measures. 


The  Schoene  of  middle  Egypt, 

The  Schoene  of  the  Thebaide,  or  the  Indian  Gau, 
known  under  the  name  of  Stathina,  . 

The  Schoene  of  the  Delta  = 9,600  paces, 

The  Parasang  = 7,200  paces, 

The  Indian  Coss  = 3,600  paces, 

The  Egyptian  Mile  = 2,860  paces, 

The  Persian  or  Asiatic  Mile, 

The  Hebrew  Mile, 

The  Pythian  or  Delphic  Stadium, 

The  mean  Stadium,  called  also  the  Nautical  or  Persia 
The  great  Alexandrian  or  Egyptian  Stadium, 

The  Phileterian  or  Royal  Stadium, 

The  Grecian  Olympic  Stadium,  . 

The  Stadium  of  Eratosthenes, 

The  Stadium  of  Cleoinenes, 

The  Stadium  of  Aristotle,  or  small  Stadium, 


French  Measures. 


Kilo- 

metres. 


20. 

10. 

6.66 

5. 

2.66 

2. 

1.5 

1.166 


Metres. 


XII. — Continued. 

COMPASS  OF  TWELVE  WINDS. 


148.148148 

166.4 

222.22 

210.14 

185.37 

159.2 

133.47 

99.8 


Linear  Measures. 

Metres. 

Millimetres. 

The  royal  Cubit  of  Babylon,  ..... 

. 

468.8 

The  mean  Cubit,  ....... 

. 

416.66 

The  Pygon  or  Palmipes,  ..... 

• 

347.22 

The  Geometeic  foot,  ...... 

The  Pythian  or  Delphic  foot,  .... 

• 

277.77 

• 

246.9 

The  Palmus  Major,  ..... 

The  common  Palm,  or  Palfesta, 

The  Inch,  or  Uncia  of  the  geometrical  foot,  . 

086.8 

069.3 

023.1482 

The  Dactylus  or  Digit,  ..... 

30.* 

017.361 

The  Olympic  Hecatonpede,  ..... 

864. 

The  Exapode,  ....... 

I. 

851. 

The  cubit,  of  IS  Olympic  inches,  .... 
The  Olympic  foot,  ...... 

463 

1.’ 

308.6 

The  exapode  of  six  Roman  feet,  .... 

• 

The  great  pace  ( opyvia )a  of  five  Roman  feet,  • 

The  common  pace,  of  two  Roman  feet, 

1. 

* 

The  Roman  foot.  ...... 

Agrarian  Measures. 

Square  Metres. 

The  Plethron  = 100  square  Olympic  feet, 

9.526 

The  Exapode  = 36  square  Olympic  feet, 

3.429 

The  Saltus  of  four  Centuries, 

20.22716 

The  Century  of  100  Heredies, 

50.5679 

The  Heredy  of  two  Jugera,  .... 
The  Jugerum  of  800  Exapodes, 

5056.79 

2528.395 

a The  opyvia  was  a measure  of  six  feet,  corresponding 
English.— P. 

to  6 feet  0 inches.  525  dec. 

XII. 

Comparative  Vieio  of  the  Principal  Winds. 
COMPASS  OF  FOUR  WINDS. 


Grecian  Names 

Modern  Names. 

Situation 
upon  the 
Compass,  b 

Boreas, 

Euros, 

Notos, 

Zephyros, 

North,  . 
East, 
South,  . 
West,  . 

Degrees. 

0 

90 

180 

270 

See  Homer, 
Odyss.  b.  v.  1. 

295. 

COMPASS  OF  EIGHT  WINDS. 

Grecian  or  Roman  Names. 

Modem  Names. 

Situation 
upon  the 
Compass. 

See  the  ex- 
planation  of 
the  Temple 
of  the  Winds 
at  Athens,  in 
Vitruvius,  1. 

I. cap.  G.Aris. 
Meteor.  1.  II. 
cap.  6.  Pliny 

II.  22.  Aulus 
Gellius  II.  42, 
<Scc 

Borens ; Aparctias ; Septentrion, 
Ciesias ; Aquilo ; (sometimesBoreas) 
Apeliotes;  Subsolanus  (sometimes 
Eurus) 

Euronotos;Vnlturnus  (often, Eurus) 
Notos ; Auster, 

Libs;  Africus, 

Zephyrus  ; Favonius, 

Corus  ; Skiron  ; Argestes, 

1 Boreas,  &c. 

North 

North-East 

East 

South-East 

South 

South-West 
W est 

North-West 

North 

Degrees. 

0 

45 

90 

135 

ISO 

225 

270 

315 

360 

Ancient  Names. 

Modern  Names. 

•Situation 
upon  the 
Compass. 

Aparctias ; Septentrio  (Boreas) 
Meses  (often  Boreas  and  Aquilo) 

North 

Degrees. 

0 

N.E.  IN.— 3°? 

30 

Cassias 

N.E.  { E.+30i 

60 

Apeliotes  ; Subsolanus 

East 

90 

Eurus;  Vulturnus 

S.E.  ]r  E. — 3°J 

120 

Phoenix ; Euronotus  . 

S.E.1S.+30J 

150 

Notus;  Auster 

South 

180 

Libonotus ; Libophcenix 

S.W.  1 S.— 3°3 

210 

Libs;  Africus 

S.W4W.+303 

240 

Zephyros;  Favonius  . 

West 

270 

Iapix  ; Corus  ; Argestes 

N.W.|W.— 3°| 

300 

Thracias;  Cercias 

N.W.!  N.+303 

330 

Aparctias 

North 

360 

See  Arist 
De  Mundo 
Pliny,  II.  22. 
Seneca,  Nat. 
Quest.  v.  lb.1 

For  the 
compass  of  24 
winds  found- 
ed upon  this 
of  12, see  Siu- 
rnaise,  Lxer- 
cit.  Plinian. 
878—892. 


COMPASS  OF  THIRTY-TWO  WINDS 


English  Names.  French  Names. 


North  (N.) 

N.  by  E.  . 
N.N.E.  . 
N.E.  by  N. 
N.E. 

N.E.  by  E. 
E.N.E.  . 
E.  by  N.  . 
East  (E.)  . 
E.  by  S.  . 
E.S.E. 

S.E.  by  E. 
S.E. 

S.E.  by  S. 
S.S.E.  . 

S.  by  E.  . 
South  (S.) 

S.  by  W.  . 

s.s.w.  . 

S.W.  by  S. 
S.W. 

S.W.  byW. 

w.s.w.  . 

W.  by  S.  . 
West  (W.) 
W.  by  N.  . 
W.N.W.  . 
N.W.  by  W. 
N.W. 

N.W.  byN. 
N.N.W.  . 
N.  by  W.  . 
North 


Nord  (N.) 
N.  i N.E. 
N.N.E.  . 
N.E.  i N. 
N.E. 

N. E.  i E. 
E.N.E.  . 
E.  i N.E. 
Est. 

E.  I S.E. 
E.S.E.  . 
S.E.  i E. 
S.E. 

S.E.  i S. 
S.S.E.  . 
S.  i S.E. 
SuD. 

S.  i S.O. 

s.s.o.  . 
S.O.  i s. 
S.O. 

S.O.  i o. 
o.s.o.  . 

O.  I S.O. 

OlTEST.  . 

O.  i N.O. 
O.N.O.  . 
N.O.  i O. 
N.O. 

jN.O.  I N. 
N.N.O.  . 
N.  i N.O. 
Nord. 


Italian  Names. 


Tramontana 
l di  T.  Verso  greco  . 
Greco-Tramontana  . 

di  Greco  Verso  T. 

Greco 

\ di  Gr.  Verso  Levante 
Greco-Levante 
l di  Levante  V.  Greco 
Levante 

i di  Lev.  Verso  Scirocco 
Levante-Scirocco 
1 di  Scirocco  V.  Levante 
Scirocco 

1 di  Scir.  Verso  Ostro 
Ostro-Scirocco  • . 

{ di  Ostro  V.  Scirocco 
Ostro 

\ di  Ostro  V.  Libeccio 
Ostro  Libeccio 
l di  Libeccio  V.  Ostro 
Libeccio 

i di  Lib.  V.  Ponente 
Ponente-Libeccio 
1 di  Ponente-Libeccio 
Ponente 

i di  Ponente  V.  Maestro 
Maestro-Ponente 
i di  Maestro  V.  Ponente 
Maestro 
1 di  Maestro  V.  Tramontana 
Maestro  Tramontana 
\ di  Tram.  V.  Maestro 
Tramontana 


Situation 
upon  the 
Compass. 


o 

m 
221 
331 
45 
561 
67  i 
78J 
90 
1011 
1121 
1231 
135 
1461 
1571 
1681 
180 
1911 
2021 
2131 
225 
2361 
247J 
2581 
270 
2811 
2921 
3031 
315 
3261 
337j 
3481 
360 


b In  reckoning  from  the  north  round  the  compass.  We  can  thus  better  understand 
I the  arrangement.  Navigators  reckon  by  quarters  of  circles  only,  ingoing  from  the 
lporth  to  east,  or  to  west,  and  also  from  the  south  to  east,  or  to  west. 


Professor  Leslie,  to  whose  liberality  the  publishers  are  indebted  for 
the  following  tables,  (XIII.  and  XIV.)  says,  “ I have  been  able,  after  a 
delicate  and  patient  research,  to  fix  the  law  which  connects  the  decrease 
of  temperature  with  the  altitude.  If  B and  b denote  the  barometric 

pressure  at  the  lower  and  upper  stations  ; then  will  — -gj  25  express, 

on  the  centigrade  scale,  the  diminution  of  heat  in  ascent.  Hence,  for 
any  given  latitude,  that  precise  point  of  elevation  may  be  found,  at 

which  eternal  frost  prevails.  Put  x~~  and  t — the  standard  tern- 
— — z I 25  = t,  or  x-  -f-  .04  tx  = 1,  which  quadratic 

equation  being  resolved,  gives  the  relative  elasticity  of  the  air  at  the 
limit  of  congellation,  whence  the  corresponding  height  is  determined. 
From  these  data  the  following  table  has  been  calculated. 

This  table  (XIII.)  will  facilitate  the  approximation  to  the  altitude  of 
any  place,  which  is  inferred  either  from  its  mean  temperature,  or  its 
depth  below  the  boundary  of  perpetual  congelation.  The  decrements 
of  heat  at  equal  ascents  are  not  altogether  uniform,  but  advance  more 
rapidly  in  the  higher  regions  of  the  atmosphere.  At  moderate  eleva- 
tions, however,  it  will  be  sufficiently  near  the  truth,  to  assume  the  law 
of  equable  progression,  allowing  in  this  climate  (56°  N.)  one  degree  of 
cold  by  Fahrenheit’s  scale  for  every'  ninety  yards  of  ascent,  and  for 
every'  hundred  yards  in  the  tropical  regions. 

Dr.  Francis  Buchanan  Hamilton  found  the  temperature  of  a spring 
at  Chitlong,  in  the  Lesser  Valley  of  Nepal,  to  be  14°.7  centigrade.  But 
the  mean  temperature  in  the  parallel  of  27°33'  being  22°.8,  the  density 
of  the  atmosphere  corresponding  to  difference  8.1,  is  8510,  which  gives 
4500  feet  for  the  corrected  altitude. 


TABLES. 


669 


XIII. 

Tabic  of  the  Decrease  of  Temperature  according  to  the  Altitude. 


Lati- 

tude 

Mean  temperature  at 
the  level  of  the  Sea. 

Height  of 
Curve  of 
Congelation. 
Feel. 

Lati- 

tude. 

Mean  temperature  at 
the  level  of  the  Sea. 

Height  ut 
Curve  of 
Congelation 
Feet. 

Centigrade 

Fahrenheit 

Centigrade 

Fahrenheit 

T- 

20O.U0 

840.2 

15207 

46° 

130.99 

57.2 

7402 

l 

28.99 

84.2 

15203 

47 

13.49 

56.3 

7133 

2 

28.96 

84.1 

15189 

48 

12.98 

55.4 

6865 

3 

28.92 

84.0 

15167 

49 

12.43 

54.5 

6599 

4 

28.86 

83.9 

15135 

5 

28.78 

83.8 

15095 

50 

11.98 

53.6 

6334 

6 

28.68 

83.6 

15047 

51 

11.49 

52.7 

6070 

7 

28.57 

83.4 

14989 

52 

10.99 

51.8 

5808 

8 

28.44 

83.2 

14923 

53 

10.50 

50.9 

5548 

9 

28.29 

82.9 

14848 

54 

10.02 

50.0 

5290 

55 

9.54 

49.2 

5034 

10 

28.13 

82.6 

14764 

56 

9.07 

48.3 

4782 

11 

27.94 

82.3 

14672 

57 

8.60 

47.5 

4534 

12 

27.75 

82.0 

14571 

58 

8.14 

46.6 

4291 

13 

27.53 

81.6 

14463 

59 

7.69  . 

45.8 

4052 

14 

27.30 

81.1 

14345 

15 

27.06 

80.7 

14220 

60 

7.25 

45.0 

3818 

16 

26.80 

80.2 

14087 

61 

6.82 

44.3 

3589 

17 

26.52 

79.7 

13947 

62 

6.39 

43.5 

3365 

18 

26.23 

79.2 

13798 

'63 

5.98 

42.8 

3145 

19 

25.93 

78. 

13642 

64 

5.57 

42.0 

2930 

65 

5.18 

41.3 

2722 

20 

25.61 

78.1 

13478 

66 

4.80 

40.6 

2520 

21 

25.23 

77.5 

•13308 

67 

4.43 

40.0 

2325 

22 

24.93 

76.9 

13131 

68 

4.07 

39.3 

2136 

23 

24.57 

76.2 

12946 

69 

3.72 

38.7 

1953 

24 

24.20 

75.6 

12755 

25 

23.82 

74.9 

12557 

70 

3.39 

38.1 

1778 

26 

23.43 

74.2 

12354 

71 

3.07 

37.5 

1611 

27 

23.02 

73.6 

12145 

72 

2.77 

37.0 

1451 

28 

22.61 

72.7 

11930 

73 

2.48 

36.5 

1298 

29 

22.18 

71.9 

11710 

74 

2.20 

36.0 

1153 

75 

1.94 

35.5 

1016 

30 

21.75 

71.1 

11484 

76 

1.70 

35.1 

887 

31 

21.31 

70.3 

11253 

77 

1.47 

34.6 

767 

32 

20.86 

69.5 

11018 

78 

1.25 

34.2 

656 

33 

20.40 

68.7 

10778 

79 

1.06 

33.9 

552 

34 

19.93 

67.9 

10534 

35 

19.46 

67.0 

10287 

80 

.87 

33.6 

457 

36 

18.98 

66.2 

10036 

81 

.71 

33.3 

371 

37 

18.50 

65.3 

9781 

82 

.56 

33.1 

294 

38 

18.01 

64.4 

9523 

83 

.43 

32.8 

226 

39 

17.51 

63.5 

9263 

84 

.32 

32.6 

167 

85 

.22 

32.4 

117 

40 

17.02 

62.6 

9001 

86 

.14 

32.3 

76 

41 

16.52 

61.7 

8738 

87 

.08 

32.2 

44 

42 

16.02 

60.8 

8473 

88 

.04 

32.1 

20 

43 

15.51 

59.9 

8206 

89 

.01 

32.0 

5 

44 

15.01 

59.0 

7939 

90 

.00 

32.0 

0 

45 

14.50 

58.1 

7671 

***  Dr.  Brewster,  in  Part  1.  Vol.  IX.  of  the  Edinburgh  Philosophical  Transactions, 
nives  the  following  formula  for  ascertaining  the  mean  temperature  in  a given  latitude,  in 
the  old  world.  If  T denote  the  mean  temperature  in  any  given  latitude,  and  81°. 5 the 
observed  temperature  on  the  equator,  the  formula  becomes 

T— 81°.5  cos.  lat. 


Places. 

Lat. 

Obs.  T 

Cal.  T. 

Difference. 

Equator  . 

0o  O' 

81°  50' 

810  50' 

0°  22'  + 

Rome 

41 . 54 

60.44 

60.  66 

Paris 

48.50 

51.89 

53.65 

1.  76  + 

London 

51.30 

50.  36 

50.74 

0.  38  + 

Edinburgh 

55.58 

46.23 

45.  (34 

0.  59  + 

Stockholm 

59.  20 

42.  26 

41.57 

0.  69  — 

Abo  ... 

61.27 

40.  00 

40.28 

0.  28  + 

Ulea 

65.  3 

33.  26 

34.38 

1.  12  + 

Melville  Island 

74.47 

1.33 

21.  40 

20.  07  + 

Table  of  Mean  Temperatures. 


XIV. 

Table  of  the  most  Remarkable  Heights  in  different  Parts 
of  the  World,  expressed  in  English  Feet.  The  Alti- 
tudes measured  by  the  Barometer  are  marked  B,  while 
those  derived  from  Geometrical  Operations,  and  taken 
chiefly  from  the  Observations  of  General  Mudge,  are 
distinguished  by  the  letter  G. 

Feet. 

Snae  Fiall  Jokull,  on  the  north-west  point  of  Iceland,  4558  G 

Hekla,  volcanic  mountain  in  Iceland,  - - 3950  G 


Feet. 

5910  B 

2655  B 
2265  B 
2457  B 
8120  Bi 
4575  B 
1929 

4358  G 
4080  B 
2597  G 
3944  G 
3870  B 
3651  G 
3513  G 
3207  G 
2863  G 
3028  G 
3191  G 
2863  G 
2359  G 


Sulitelma,  in  Lapland,  - 
Nuppi  Vara,  the  highest  of  the  table-land  in 
Lapland,  ------ 

Lommijauri,  elevated  lake  in  Lapland,  - 
Drifstue,  the  highest  pastoral  hamlet  inNorway, 

Snahatta,  centre  of  the  Norwegian  mountains, 
Harebacke,  Alpine  ridge  of  Norway, 

Pap  of  Caithness,  - 

Ben  Nevis,  Inverness-shire,  highest  mountain  in 
Scotland,  ------ 

Cairngorm,  Inverness-shire,  - 
Cairnsmuir  upon  Deugh,  Galloway, 

Ben  Lawers,  west  side  of  Loch  Tay,  Perthshire, 

Ben  More,  Perthshire,  - - - - 

Ben  Lui,  or  the  Calf,  near  Tyndrum, 

Schihallien,  Perthshire,  - - - - 

Ben  Voirlich,  near  Loch  Earn,  - - - 

Ben  Ledi,  near  Callender,  Perthshire,  - 
Ben  Achonzie,  head  of  Glen  Tilt, 

Ben  Lomond,  near  Aberfoil,  Stirlingshire, 

Cobbler,  near  Arrochar,  - - - - 

Ben  Clach,  in  the  Ochils,  above  Alloa, 

Lomond  Hills,  east  and  west,  Fifeshire,  1466  and  1721  G 
Soutra  Hill,  on  the  ridge  of  Lammermuir,  - 1716  G 

Coulter  Fell,  Lanarkshire,  - - - 2440  G 

Carnethy,  high  point  of  the  Pentland  ridge,  - 1700  B 

Tintoc  Hill,  Lanarkshire,  - - - - 2306  G 

Leadhills,  the  house  of  the  Director  of  the  mines,  1280  B 
Broad  Law,  near  Crook  Inn,  Peebles-shire,  - 2741  G 

Queensberry  Hill,  Dumfriesshire,  - - 2259  G 

Cairnsmuir  of  Fleet,  Galloway,  - - - 2329  G 

Hart  Fell,  near  Moffat,  - 2635  G 

Dunrich  Hill,  Roxburghshire,  - 2421  G 

Eldon  Hills,  near  Melrose,  Roxburghshire,  - 1634  G 

Whitcomb  Hill,  Peebles-shire,  - - - 2685  G 

Lother  Hill,  Dumfriesshire,  - 2396  G 

Ailsa  Rock,  in  the  Firth,  of  Clyde,  - - 1103  G 

Crif  Fell,  near  New  Abbey,  Kirkcudbright,  - 1831  G 

Kells  Range,  Galloway,  - 2659  G 

Goat  Fell,  in  the  Isle  of  Arran,  - - - 2865  G 

Paps  of  Jura,  south  and  north,  in  Argyle- 

shire,  - 2359  and  2470 

Snea  Fell,  in  the  Isle  of  .Man,  - 

South  Berule,  in  Isle  of  Man,  - 

Macgillicuddy’s  Reeks,  County  of  Kerry, 

Siiebh  Donard,  the  highest  of  the  Mourne 
Mountains,  - 

Helvellyn,  Cumberland,  - 

Skidd  aw,  Cumberland,  - - - - 

Saddleback,  Cumberland,  - - - - 

Whernside,  Yorkshire,  - - - - 

Ingleborough,  Yorkshire,  - - - - 

Shunnor  Fell,  Yorkshire,  - - - - 

Snowdon,  Caernarvonshire,  - 

Cader  Idris,  Caernarvonshire,  - - - 

Beacons  of  Brecknock,  - 
Plynlimmon,  Cardiganshire,  - 

Penmaen  Mawr,  Caernarvonshire, 

Malvern  Hills,  Worcestershire,  - - - 

Cawsand  Beacon,  Devonshire,  - 

Rippin  Tor,  Devonshire,  - 
Brocken,  in  the  Hartz-Forest,  Hanover, 

Priel,  in  Upper  Austria,  - 


2004  G 
1584  G 
3404  G 

2786  G 
3055  G 
3022  G 

2787  G 
2384  G 
2361  G 
2329  G 
3571  G 
2914  G 
2862  G 
2463  G 
1540  G 
1444  G 
1792  G 
1549  G 
3690 
7000  B 


J 


670 


TABLES 


Feet. 

Peak  of  Lomnitz,  in  the  Carpathian  ridge,  - 8870  B 

Terglou,  in  Carniola,  - 10390  B 

Mont  Blanc,  Switzerland,  - 15646  G 

Village  of  Chamouni,  below  Mont  Blanc,  - 3367  G 

Jungf’rauhorn,  Switzerland,  - 13730 

St.  Gothard,  Switzerland,  - 9075 

Hospice  of  the  Great  St.  Bernard,  - - 8040  B 

Village  of  St.  Pierre,  on  the  road  to  Great  St. 

Bernard,  ------  5338  B 

Passage  of  Mont  Cenis,  - 6778  B 

Gross  Glockner,  between  the  Tyrol  and  Ca- 

rinthia,  ------  12780  B 

Ortler  Spitze,  in  the  Tyrol,  - 15430 

Rigiberg,  above  the  Lake  of  Lucerne,  - - 5408 

Dole,  the  highest  point  of  the  chain  of  Jura,  - 5412  B 

Mont  Perdu,  in  the  Pyrenees,  - 11283 

Loneira,  in  the  department  of  the  high  Alps,  - 14451 
Peak  of  Arbizon,  in  the  department  of  the  high 

Pyrenees,  ______  8344 

Puy  de  Dome,  in  Auvergne,  - 4858  G 

Mont  d’Or, 6202  G 

Summit  of  Vaucluse,  near  Avignon,  - - 2150 

Village  on  Mont  Genevre,  - 5945  B 

St.  Pilon,  near  Marseilles,  - - - 3295  G 

Soracte,  near  Rome,  _ _ _ _ 2271  G 

Monte  Velino,  in  the  kingdom  of  Maples,  - 8397  G 

Mount  Vesuvius,  volcanic  mountain  beside  Ma- 
ples, -------  3978 

iEtna,  volcanic  mountain  in  Sicily,  - a10936  B 

St.  Angelo,  in  the  Lipari  Islands,  - - 5260 

Top  of  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar,  - 1439  B 

Mount  Athos,  in  Rumelia,  - 3353 

Diana’s  Peak,  in  the  Island  of  St.  Helena,  - 2692 

Peak  of  Teneriffe,  one  of  the  Canary  Islands,  12358  B 
Ruivo  Peak,  the  highest  point  of  Madeira,  - 5162 

Table  Mountain,  near  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  3520 
Chain  of  Mount  Ida,  beyond  the  plain  of  Troy , 4960 

Chain  of  Mount  Olympus,  in  Anatolia,  - 6500 

Italitzkoi,  in  the  Altaic  chain,  - 10735 


1 0.899  Herschel,  jun. — P. 


Feet. 

Awatsha,  volcanic  mountain  in  Kamtchatka,  - 9600 

The  Volcano,  in  the  Isle  of  Bourbon,  - - 7680 

Ophir,  in  the  centre  of  the  Island  of  Sumatra,  - 13842 
St.  Elias,  on  the  Western  coast  of  Mortli  America,  12672 
White  Mountain,  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  6230  B 
Chimborazo,  highest  summit  of  the  Andes,  - 21440  B 
Antisana,  volcanic  mountain  in  the  kingdom  of 

Quito, 19150  B 

Shepherd  station  on  that  mountain.  - - 13500  B 

Cotopaxi,  volcanic  mountain  in  ine  kingdom  of 

Quito,  ......  18890  B 

Tunguragua,  volcanic  mountain, near  Riobomba,  16579  B 
Rucu  de  Pichincha,  in  the  kingdom  of  Quito,  15940  B 
Heights  of  Assuay,  the  ancient  Peruvian  road,  15540  B 
Peak  of  Orizaba,  volcanic  mountain  east  from 

Mexico,  ......  17390  G 

Lake  of  Toluca,  in  the  kingdom  of  Mexico,  - 12195  B 
City  of  Quito,  - 9560  B 

City  of  Mexico,  _____  7476  B 

Silla  de  Caraccas, part  of  the  chain  of  Venezuela,  8640  B 
Blue  Mountains,  in  the  Island  of  Jamaica,  - 7431 

Pelee,  in  the  Island  of  Martinique,  - - 5100 

Morne  Garou,  in  the  Island  of  St.  Vincent's,  5050 

In  this  list  of  altitudes,  I have  not  ventured  to  insert 
the  Himalaya  or  Snowy  Mountains,  the  Imaus  of  the 
ancients,  or  Great  Central  Chain  of  Upper  Asia,  to 
which  some  late  accounts  from  India  would  assign  the 
stupendous  elevation  from  23,000  to  27,000  feet. I 
Such  at  least  are  the  results  of  observations  made  with 
a small  sextant  and  an  artificial  horizon,  at  the  enor- 
mous distance  of  226  or  232  miles,  as  computed  indeed 
from  very  short  bases.  But  even  with  the  best  instru- 
ments, and  under  the  most  favourable  circumstances, 
the  determination  of  minute  vertical  angles  is,  from  the 
influence  of  horizontal  refraction,  liable  to  much  un- 
certainty. The  progress  of  accurate  observation  has 
uniformly  reduced  the  estimated  altitudes  of  mountains. 
More  recent  statements  accordingly  diminish  those 
heights  near  2000  feet. 


APPENDIX. 


Book  VII. 

Pages  58-60.  “ We  shall,  perhaps,  forever  remain 

ignorant  of  the  secrets  which  the  two  polar  regions 
contain.”  Since  Malte-Brun’s  time,  both  the  polar 
regions  have  been,  to  some  extent,  explored ; and  it 
appears  on  the  one  hand,  from  the  explorations  of 
Dr.  Kane,  especially,  that  there  is  perhaps  an  open  sea 
about  the  north  pole,  two  of  his  party  having  made 
an  expedition  from  his  vessel  as  far  north  as  82°  27', 
when  they  saw  open  water  at  the  north,  and  various 
signs  of  a warmer  climate,  which  led  to  the  belief 
that  this  water  opened  into  a great  open  sea,  which 
abounded  with  life.  On  the  other  hand,  land  has 
been  discovered  in  the  southern  polar  sea,  and  has1 
been  traced  to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  called  a “ vast 
antarctic  continent.”  The  first  discovery  was  made 
by  the  United  States  exploring  expedition  under 
Captain  Wilkes,  in  1840,  and  it  was  confirmed  by 
the  explorations  of  the  French  and  English  expedi- 
tions in  1840  and  1841.  The  coast  of  this  land  was 
icebound  and  inaccessible,  so  that  the  only  exploration 
was  along  its  coast,  and  at  some  distance.  The 
English  expedition  above  named  reached  latitude 
78°  10',  the  highest  southern  latitude  ever  attained. 

Page  66.  The  comparison  of  the  height  of  moun- 
tains in  the  different  parts  of  the  world  would  be 
greatly  modified  by  the  discoveries  and  measure- 
ments made  since  the  author  wrote.  It  is  now  known 
that  Asia  contains  the  highest  mountains  on  the 
globe,  viz.,  the  Himalaya,  and  of  these  Mount  Everest 
is  supposed  to  be  highest,  being  29,000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  Mount  Kunchinginga  is  28,178  feet 
high.  Others  are  from  25,000  to  28,000  feet  high. 
In  the  Andes,  the  highest  mountains  are  Sorata,  which 
is  upwards  of  2,500  feet  above  the  sea,  and  the  two 
summits  of  Illimani,  which  rise  to  the  height  of  more 
than  24,000  feet.  In  Chili  is  Mount  Aroncagua, 
a volcano,  which  rises  about  24,000  feet  above  the 
sea,  and  is  the  highest  known  volcano  in  the  world. 
Chimborazo  is  21,300  feet  high. 

Books  IX.,  X. 

Pages  75,  80,  81.  “ The  precious  metals,  also,  more 

peculiarly  belong  to  the  equatorial  regions.”  The 
gold  regions  described  by  Malte-Brun  are  thrown  into 
the  shade  by  those  which  have  more  recently  been 
discovered,  and  the  statement  above  quoted  has 
proved  unfounded.  The  gold  fields  which  have 
yielded  the  greatest  abundance  of  the  precious  metal 
within  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years,  are  those  of  Cali- 
fornia and  Australia,  each  in  the  temperate  zone. 
The  first  discoveries  of  gold  in  each  of  these  regions 
were  in  deposits  of  rivers  and  streams,  and  the  yield 
from  these  “ placers”  has  been  very  large.  But  fur- 


ther explorations  discovered  veins  of  gold  and  gold- 
bearing  quartz,  and  these  being  extensively  worked, 
have  proved  as  productive  as  the  “ diggings.”  The 
first  discoveries  were  made  in  California  in  1848,  and 
in  Australia  in  1851.  For  some  years  previous  to 
this,  the  whole  annual  production  of  gold  was  about 
$20,000,000,  but  in  six  years  after  its  first  discovery 
in  California,  the  yield  of  gold  in  that  region  was 
estimated  at  about  $70,000,000,  and  that  of  Aus- 
tralia at  about  the  same  amount.  Gold  has  also 
been  discovered  in  considerable  quantities  in  the 
British  possessions  north  of  the  Columbia  River,  and 
in  Oregon  and  Washington  territory. 

The  total  yield  of  gold  in  the  principal  mining 
countries  of  the  world,  for  the  year  1854,  (as  late  a 
data  as  could  be  obtained  for  purposes  of  comparison,) 
as  shown  by  Mr.  J.  D.  Whitney,  in  his  work  on  “ The 
Metallic  Wealth  of  the  United  States,”  was  $119,- 
523,600.  Of  this,  Russia  furnished  $14,880,000 ; 
Southern  Asia  and  the  East  Indies,  $6,200,000 ; the 
northern  states  of  South  America,  $3,720,000 ; Mex- 
ico, $2,480,000 ; Australia  and  Oceanica,  $37,200,000 ; 
United  States,  $49,600,000.  Other  authorities  give 
the  amount  yielded  by  California  and  Australia,  for 
the  same  year,  as  much  larger,  making  that  of  Cali- 
fornia about  $70,000,000,  and  of  Australia  about 
$45,000,000  ; and  in  1857,  the  yield  of  California  is 
stated  at  $65,000,000,  and  that  of  Australia  at 
$59,000,000.  The  average  annual  yield  of  gold/*  of 
the  principal  gold-producing  countries,  is  stated  to  be 
as  follows : Australia,  $60,000,000  ; California,  $55,- 
000,000  ; Russia,  $20,000,000  ; — total,  $135,000,000. 

The  total  yield  of  silver  for  the  year  1854,  as  ap- 
pears by  the  authority  above  named,  was  $47,443,200, 
of  which  Peru,  Bolivia,  and  Chili  yielded  $10,880,000, 
and  Mexico,  the  great  silver-producing  country  of  the 
world,  yielded  $28,000,000. 

Page  82.  “ The  whole  of  Siberia  presents  to  us 

only  two  or  three  ambiguous  specimens  [of  mercury. \ 
The  new  continent  is  not  more  abundantly  provided 
with  it.”  The  discoveries  in  California  have  proved 
this  statement  not  well  founded,  for  that  state  has 
recently  furnished  about  2,000,000  pounds  avoirdupois, 
annually,  out  of  about  7,000,000  pounds,  the  total 
production  of  the  world. 

Page  82.  “We  are  assured  that  in  the  interior  of 
Louisiana  it  [lead\  forms  vast  beds  upon  the  surface.” 
The  “interior  of  Louisiana”  comprised,  formerly,  the 
vast  territory  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  the 
lead  regions  of  Missouri,  Iowa,  and  Wisconsin  are 
referred  to,  they  having,  since  Malte-Brun’s  writing, 
been  more  fully  explored  and  mined.  The  product 
of  these  mines  is  from  20,000  to  25,000  tons  annually. 


a United  States  Commercial  Digest. 


(671) 


APPENDIX. 


672 

The  product  of  this  region  is  likely  to  be  greatly  in- 
creased, as  capital  and  improved  methods  of  mining, 
Ac.,  are  introduced,  for  the  ore  exists  in  large  quan- 
tities. 

Page  83.  “ Immense  beds  of  it  [ copper ] are  found 

upon  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.”  Of  this  statement 
Mr.  Percival  remarks,  in  his  note,  that  it  is  not  known 
that  copper  occurs  in  any  quantity  on  the  Ohio,  but 
that  a large  mass  of  native  copper,  and  abundant  indi- 
cations of  copper  ores,  are  found  along  the  southern 
shores  of  Lake  Superior.  More  recent  explorations 
have  shown  that  copper  exists  in  abundance  in  that 
region,  and  numerous  mines  have  been  opened,  and  are 
being  successfully  and  profitably  worked,  and  several 
large  masses  of  native  copper,  of  immense  weight, 
have  been  found  and  taken  out.  Copper  has  also 
been  found  in  the  Blue  Ridge  in  Virginia,  but  not  in 
quantities  or  quality  to  prove  profitable.  In  Ten- 
nessee and  Georgia  more  profitable  mines  have  been 
opened,  and  the  mining  is  prosecuted  to  a considerable 
extent.  Great  Britain  and  Chili  are  the  two  largest 
copper  producing  countries,  and  yield  annually  from 
14,000  to  16,000  tons  each. 

Pages  84, 85.  Although  iron,  as  stated  in  the  text,  is 
profusely  distributed  throughout  nature,  more  than 
two  thirds  of  all  that  is  mined  is  produced  by  Great 


Britain  and  the  United  States.  In  the  United  States 
it  is  found,  in  some  of  its  various  formations,  in  al- 
most all  parts  of  the  country  ; but  it  is  most  abundant 
in  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Ohio,  Tennessee,  and  Ken- 
tucky. Pennsylvania  produces  much  the  largest  por- 
tion, mining  being  more  extensively  carried  on  than 
in  other  parts  of  the  country,  which  may  be  equally 
rich  in  the  ore.  The  best  iron  is  found  in  Michigan 
and  Wisconsin,  south  of  Lake  Superior,  and  the 
mines  promise  to  be  very  productive.  The  total 
amount  of  iron  produced  from  the  ore  in  the  United 
States,  in  the  year  1856,  was  estimated  at  about  1,000,- 
000  tons,  and  this  production  is  gradually  increasing. 
The  amount  produced  in  England  the  same  year  was 
about  4,000,000  tons. 

The  quantity  of  metal  produced  in  any  country  is 
not  a measure  of  its  mineral  wealth,  for  the  produc- 
tion depends  upon  the  capital  and  labor  engaged  in  it, 
and  these  upon  a variety  of  circumstances.  But  in 
this  connection  it  may  be  proper  to  give  a table,  pre 
pared  from  those  of  Mr.  Whitney,  from  returns  and 
estimates  for  the  year  1854,  the  latest  from  which 
such  a comparative  table  could  be  made,  though 
there  are  later  data  from  a part  of  the  countries 
named,  showing  the  value  of  the  various  metals  pro- 
duced by  some  of  the  principal  mining  countries. 


Countries. 

Gold. 

Silver. 

Mercury. 

Tin. 

Copper. 

Zinc. 

Lead. 

Iron. 

Russia,  .... 

$14,880,000 

$928,000 

... 

... 

$3,900,000 

$440,000 

$92,000 

$5,000,000 

Great  Britain,  . . 

24,800 

1,120,000 

... 

$4,200,000 

8,700,000 

110,000 

7,015,000 

75,000,000 

Belgium,  .... 

1,760,000 

115,000 

7,500,000 

Prussia,  .... 

• • • 

480,000 

... 

• • 

900,000 

3,630,000 

920,000 

3,750.000 

Austria,  .... 

1,413,600 

1,440,000 

$250,000 

30,000 

1,980,000 

165,000 

805,000 

5,625,000 

France,  . . . . 

80,000 

172,500 

15,000,000 

Spain, 

10,416 

2,000,000 

1,250,000 

6,000 

300,000 

1,800,000 

. . , 

3,450,000 

S.  Asia  and  E.  I., . 

6,200,000 

• • • 

3,000,000 

Austr.  & Oceanica, 

37,200,000 

128,000 

... 

2,100,000 

8,400,000 

Chili, 

744,000 

4,000,000 

... 

... 

Peru, 

471,200 

4,800,000 

100,000 

a900,000 

J b900,000 

Brazil, 

1,488,000 

11,200 

... 

... 

Mexico,  .... 

2,480,000  28,000,000 

... 

United  States,  . . 

49,600,000 

352,000 

500,000 

. 

2,100,000 

550,000 

1,725,000 

25,000,000 

Book  XIV. 

Much  time,  and  science,  and  numerous  observa- 
tions have  made  the  ocean  currents  better  known 
within  the  last  few  years,  and  the  general  courses  and 
characteristics  of  those  mentioned  in  Malte-Brun’s 
text  have  become  better  known  by  careful  explora- 
tion and  examination.  New  currents,  or  branches  of 
currents,  have  been  discovered,  or  more  accurately 
mapped,  and  the  charts  of  ocean  currents,  such  as 
those  by  the  United  States  astronomical  establish- 
ment, are  quite  exact  and  full,  considering  the  element 
which  is  to  be  defined.  The  limited  space  of  this 
Appendix  does  not  admit  of  any  resumd  of  such 
discoveries  and  explanations,  which  would  require 
considerable  space  to  add  much  useful  knowledge  to 
that  contained  in  the  text.  It  may,  however,  be  of 
some  interest  to  add  a recent  statement  about  the 
Maelstrom,  page  124. 


Of  late  years,  even  the  existence  of  the  Maelstrom, 
on  the  coast  of  Norway,  has  been  doubted.  The  an- 
cient accounts  of  its  terrible  power  were  doubtless 
fabulous,  but  the  Maelstrom  actually  exists,  and  is 
sometimes  dangerous.  M.  Hagerup,  minister  of  the 
Norwegian  marine,  has  recently  given  a reliable 
account  of  it,  in  reply  to  some  questions  from  a cor- 
respondent of  the  Boston  Recorder.  The  vast  whirl 
is  caused  by  the  setting  in  and  out  of  the  tides  be- 
tween Lofoden  and  Mosken,  and  is  most  violent 
half  way  between  ebb  and  flood  tide.  At  flood  and 
ebb  tide  it  disappears  for  about  half  an  hour,  but 
begins  again  with  the  moving  of  the  waters.  Large 
vessels  may  pass  over  it  safely  in  serene  weather,  but 
in  a storm  it  is  perilous  to  the  largest  craft.  Small 
boats  are  not  safe  near  it  at  the  time  of  its  strongest 


a With  Bolivia. 

b With  Ecuador,  New  Granada,  &c. 


J 


APPENDIX. 


673 


action  in  any  weather.  The  whirls  in  the  Maelstrom 
do  not,  as  was  once  supposed,  draw  vessels  under  the 
water,  but  by  their  violence  they  fill  them  with  water 
or  dash  them  upon  the  neighboring  shoals.  M. 
Hagerup  says, — 

“ In  winter,  it  not  unfrequently  happens  that  at 
sea  a bank  of  clouds  shows  a west  storm,  with  heavy 
sea,  to  be  prevailing  there,  while  farther  in  on  the 
coast,  the  clear  air  shows  that  on  the  inside  of  the 
West-tjord  (east  side  of  Lofoden)  the  wind  blows 
from  the  land,  and  sets  out  through  the  tjord  from  the 
east.  In  such  cases,  especially,  an  approach  to  the 
Maelstrom  is  in  the  highest  degree  dangerous,  for  the 
stream  and  under-current,  from  opposite  directions, 
work  there  together  to  make  the  whole  passage  one 
single  boiling  caldron.  At  such  times  appear  the 
mighty  whirls,  which  have  given  it  the  name  of  Mael- 
strom, (i.  e.,  the  whirling  or  grinding  stream,)  and  in 
which  no  craft,  whatever,  can  hold  its  course.  For  a 
steamer  it  is,  then,  quite  unadvisable  to  attempt  the 
passage  of  the  Maelstrom  during  a winter  storm,  and 
for  a sailing  vessel  it  may  also  be  bad  enough  in 
time  of  summer,  should  there  fall  a calm  or  a light 
wind,  whereby  the  power  of  the  stream  becomes  greater 
than  that  of  the  wind,  leaving  the  vessel  no  longer 
under  command.” 

Book  XXIV. 

ASIA. 

Asia  is  the  largest  continental  division  of  the  globe, 
and  includes  a surface  of  about  15,000,000  square 
miles.  Its  greatest  breadth,  from  north  to  south,  is 
5,300  miles,  and  its  greatest  length,  from  east  to  west, 
is  about  7,600  miles.  It  has  a coast  of  upwards  of 
30,000  miles,  not  including  the  northern  coast,  on 
the  Arctic  Ocean. 

Mountains. — There  are  three  grand  mountain  sys- 
tems, the  Altai,  the  Hindoo  Koosh,and  the  Himalaya, 
the  two  latter  being  sometimes  considered  one  sys- 
tem. The  Altai  system  belongs  to  Central  Asia,  and 
is  the  northern  limit  of  the  great  eastern  plateau.  It 
runs  in  the  mean  parallel  of  50°  north  latitude,  from 
70°  east  to  110°  east,  where  it  joins  the  great  chain 
of  the  Aldan,  which  runs  north-east  to  the  arctic 
circle.  The  second  great  system,  the  Hindoo  Koosh, 
traverses  Asia  from  the  Dardanelles  to  the  Yellow 
Sea,  the  central  chain  connecting  the  Kuen  Lun  of 
the  east  with  the  Parapomisan,  Elbrooz,  and  the  Ar- 
menian mountains  of  the  west.  It  separates  the 
great  desert  of  Gobi  from  China  Proper,  and  divides 
the  steppes  of  Independent  Tartary  from  the  plateau 
of  Iran.  The  Himalaya  chain  runs  north-west  and 
south-east  for  a distance  of  1,500  miles,  finally,  at  the 
north-west,  meeting  the  Hindoo  Koosh,  where  rise,  a 
group  of  some  of  the  loftiest  mountains  on  the  globe, 
more  than  20  of  them  being  upwards  of  20,000  feet 
high.  The  highest  summits,  so  far  as  ascertained,  are 
Mount  Everest,  about  29,000  feet  high,  and  Kunchin- 
giuga,  which  is  28,178  feet  high.  There  are  many 
others,  in  different  parts  of  the  chain,  which  rise  more 
than  21,000  feet. 

There  are  few  active  volcanoes  in  Asia.  In  Western 

VOL.  Ill— NO.  63  85 


Asia,  the  only  one  is  Demavena,  70  miles  south  of  the 
Caspian  Sea,  which  is  14,695  feet  in  height,  is  always 
covered  with  snow,  and  always  emits  smoke.  In 
Eastern  Asia,  in  the  volcanic  range  of  Thian  Shan, 
are  two  active  volcanoes,  Peshan  and  Hocheoo,  about 
670  miles  apart.  Fire  springs  and  fire  hills  are  nu- 
merous in  China,  but  there  are  no  volcanoes  known 
to  emit  lava.  In  Kamtschatka  there  are  nine  active 
volcanoes,  of  greater  or  less  magnitude.  In  Japan 
there  are  two  or  three  volcanoes,  generally  active. 

M.  Semenoff,  a Russian  traveller,  has  discovered  a 
volcano  in  that  part  of  Central  Asia  called  Mantchoo 
Tartary.  It  exists  in  the  district  of  Ujun-Holdongt, 
about  nine  and  a half  miles  north  of  the  village  of 
Tomolshin,  on  the  Nemez,  and  some  fifteen  miles 
from  the  town  of  Mergen.  In  January,  1721,  an 
eruption  occurred  there,  which  lasted  nine  months; 
and  again  in  May,  1722,  another  formidable  eruption 
took  place.  This  is  the  first  account  we  have  of  these 
eruptions,  and  as  the  volcanoes  in  question  are  situa- 
ted at  a distance  of  over  600  miles  from  the  sea,  the 
hitherto  received  theory  that  the  proximity  of  the  sea 
is  an  essential  condition  for  the  existence  of  volca- 
noes, is  thus  proved  to  have  been  fallacious. 

The  chief  political  divisions  of  Asia,  as  now  given 
by  geographers,  are  as  follows  : — 

Books  XXXVII.,  XXXVIII. 

ASIATIC  RUSSIA,  OR  SIBERIA, 

Comprising  Siberia  and  the  Caucasian  provinces, 
known  principally  as  Georgia,  but  comprising  several 
somewhat  distinct  provinces. 

Siberia  occupies  the  entire  northern  part  of  the 
continent.  Its  extreme  length  is  about  3,600  miles, 
and  its  breadth  about  1,800  miles ; area,  4,800,000 
square  miles.  Its  population  is  estimated  at  about 

2.900.000.  Irkutsh  is  the  principal  town,  and  the 
provincial  capital  of  Eastern  Siberia  ; population,  in- 
cluding garrison,  120,000.  Tobolsk  is  the  provincial 
capital  of  Western  Siberia;  population,  20,000. 
Kiachta  is  a frontier  town  towards  China,  where  the 
principal  trade  with  that  empire  centres  ; population, 
6,000  ; Tomsk,  population  24,000  ; Omsk,  population 

11.000. 

Georgia  lies  south  of  the  Caucasus  Mountains, 
and  its  extent  is  about  28,800  square  miles;  popula- 
tion about  350,000,  including  the  minor  provinces. 
The  capital  and  principal  town  is  Tefiis  ; population 
about  50,000. 

Books  XXXIX.,  XL.,  XLII.  — XLV. 

CHINESE  EMPIRE, 

Including  China  Proper,  Chinese  Turkistan,  or 
Little  Bucharia,  Mongolia,  Manchooria,  Elee,  Corea, 
Thibet,  and  the  Koko-nor  Territory.  Area,  5,200,000 
square  miles  ; population  42,000,000. 

China  Proper. — Area,  1,298,000  square  miles ; pop- 
ulation, 387,633,000.  It  is  divided  into  eighteen 
provinces,  which  are  subdivided  into  numerous  de- 
partments. 


APPENDIX. 


G74 

The  annual  average  export  of  tea  is  41,500,000 
pounds.  Of  this,  13,000,000  pounds  is  exported  to  the 
United  States,  9,000,000  pounds  to  Russia,  8,000,000 
pounds  to  England,  and  7,500,000  to  British  col- 
onies. 

Chinese  Turkistan,  Mongolia,  Manchnoria,  and  the 
Koko-Nor  territory  are  generally  included  under  the 
name  of  Chinese  Tartary.  They  are  provinces  of 
China,  being  under  the  dominion  of  that  empire. 
The  population  is  generally  sparse,  and  its  number  is 
unknown. 

Corea  comprises  a peninsula  north-east  of  China, 
and  several  groups  of  islands  in  the  Yellow  Sea.  It 
is,  in  most  respects,  an  independent  kingdom,  though 
tributary  to  China.  The  area  of  the  peninsula  is 
about80,000  square  miles;  population, about8, 000, 000. 

Thibet,  north  of  the  Himalaya  Mountains,  com- 
prises the  most  elevated  plains  and  plateaus  in  the 
world.  It  is  subject  to  China,  and  it  is  but  little 
known.  Lassa,  its  capital,  is  the  residence  of  the 
grand  lama,  and  it  is  the  centre  of  the  Boodhist  reli- 
gion. Its  population  is  estimated  at  about  five  or 
six  millions. 

The  chief  towns  in  the  Chinese  empire  are, — 


Pekin,  . 

Population. 

1,500,000 

Canton, 

Population. 
. 1,000,000 

Chang-chu-fu, 

1,000,000 

Nanchang, 

. 700,000 

Fu-chu-fu,. 

500,000 

Nankin,  . 

. 500,000 

Singan, 

300,000 

Amoy,  . . 

. 250,000 

Ningpo, 

250,000 

Shanghae, 

. 190,000 

Yarkand,  . 

100,000 

Ili,  . . . 

75,000 

Macao, . . . 

40,000 

Book  LII. 

INDO-CHINA. 

This  division  comprises  the  following  countries:  — 
Anam , an  empire,  comprising  the  provinces  of  Ton- 
quin,  Cochin  China,  (by  which  name  the  whole  is 
sometimes  called,)  Champa,  and  a part  of  Cambodia. 
The  population  is  estimated  to  be  from  twelve  to  fif- 
teen millions.  The  chief  town  is  Hue,  the  capital  of 
Cochin  China. 

Burmah,  sometimes  called  the  Kingdom  of  Ava. 
Area, about  200,000  square  miles;  population, estima- 
ted at  6,000,000. 

Siam,  comprising  a part  of  Cambodia  and  several 
Malay  provinces,  contains  a population  of  about 

6.000. 000.  The  Tenasserim  provinces,  belonging  to 
Great  Britain,  on  the  western  coast  of  the  Indo-Chi- 
nese peninsula,  formerly  belonged  to  Siam.  The  loss 
of  these  has  been  compensated  by  the  acquisition  of  a 
part  of  Cambodia  and  some  small  Malay  provinces. 

Anam,  Burmah,  and  Siam,  with  the  British  Tenas- 
serim provinces,  and  some  small  Malay  provinces,  are 
sometimes  called  Further  India,  or  the  Indo-Chinese 
peninsula. 

Books  XLVL  — L. 

HIND  O STAN  OR  INDIA. 

Area,  1,200,000  square  miles;  population,  about 

132.000. 000.  It  embraces  the  westerly  of  the  two 


great  peninsulas  of  Southern  Asia,  and  comprises 
the  British  territories,  the  Protected  states,  and  the 
Independent  states. 

The  British  territories  comprise  three  presidencies, 
Bengal,  Madras,  and  Bombay.  The  Bengal  presi- 
dency embraces  the  valley  of  the  Ganges,  the  country 
watered  by  the  tributaries  of  the  Indus,  and  the  Tenas- 
serim provinces  in  Indo- China.  The  Madras  presi- 

dency embraces  a large  part  of  the  southern  portion 
of  Hindostan.  The  Bombay  presidency  embraces 
the  western  part  of  the  peninsula,  with  a part  of  the 
interior  table  lands,  and  the  province  of  Sinde.  Pop- 
ulation of  the  three  presidencies,  about  80,000,000. 

The  Protected  states  are  in  the  central  part  of  Hin- 
dostan, and  are  more  or  less  under  the  control  of  the 
British.  Population,  about  45,000,000.  The  Inde- 
pendent states  comprise  Nepaul  and  Bootan,  which 
lie  along  the  southern  slope  of  the  Himalaya  Moun- 
tains. Population,  7,000,000. 

There  are  also  some  small  possessions  of  the  French 
and  Portuguese. 

The  chief  towns  in  India  are,  — 


Benares,  . . 

Population. 

. 580,000 

Madras, 

Population. 

. 350,000 

Oodipoor,  . . 

. 300,000 

Patna,  . . 

. 284,000 

Bombay,  . 

. 235,000 

Calcutta,  . 

. 230,000 

Cashmere, 

. 200,000 

Delhi,  . . 

. 200,000 

Dacca, . . . 

. 200,000 

Hyderabad, 

. 200,000 

Saignon,  . . 

. 180,000 

Surat,  . . 

. 157,000 

Nagpoor,  . . 

. 115,000 

Lahore, 

. 100,000 

Poonah,  . . 

. 90,000 

Moulton,  . 

. 80,000 

Agra,  . . . 

. 65,000 

Bangkok,  . 

. 55,000 

Cuttack,  . . 

. 40,000 

Pondicherry, 

. 40,000 

Book  XXXY. 

AFGHANISTAN. 

Area,  about  300,000  square  miles ; population,  esti- 
mated at  5,000,000. 

The  chief  towns  are  Cabul,  the  capital,  popula- 
tion, 60,000  ; Candahar,  population,  50,000  ; Herat, 
population,  40,000. 

Book  XXXY. 

BELOOCHISTAN. 

Area,  about  150,000  square  miles ; population,  esti- 
mated at  2,000,000. 

Kelat,  capital,  population,  about  12,000;  Chonbar, 
population,  about  2,000,  and  Gundava,  population, 
about  5,000,  the  chief  towns. 

Book  XXXYI. 

INDEPENDENT  TURKISTAN. 

Area,  about  720,000  square  miles.  Population, 
estimated  at  6,000,000. 

The  chief  towns  are  Bokhara,  famous  as  a seat  of 
Mahommedan  learning,  population  160,000,  and  Kho- 
kan,  population  80,000. 


APPENDIX. 


675 


Books  XXXI.  — XXXIII. 


PERSIA. 

Area,  450,000  square  miles ; population,  about 
9,500,000. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 


Population. 

Teheran,  the  capital,  60,000 
Balfrush,  ....  200,000 
Ispahan,  ....  150,000 
Tabriz,  ....  60,000 


Population. 

Kermanshah,  35,000 
Shiraz,  . . 30,000 

Bushire,  chief 

seaport,  . 15,000 


Books  XXVI.  — XXIX. 


Population. 

Hakodadi, 

Mijaco,  residence  of  the  spiritual  emperor,  . 220,000 


Nangasaki, 50,000 

Simoda, 6,000 

Matsmai, 50,000 

Osaca, 80,000 

Kotsi, 

Kokura, 


Simoda  and  Hakodadi  are  open  to  American  com- 
merce, by  the  treaty  made  by  Commdore  Perry  with 
the  Japanese  government.  Nangasaki  and  Hakodadi 
are  open  to  the  British. 


ASIATIC  TURKEY. 


Books  XLI.,  XLIII,  &c. 


Area,  437,000  square  miles ; population,  about 

11,000,000. 

Its  chief  towns  are,  — 


Population.  Population. 


Smyrna,  . 

. 150,000 

Erzeroum, 

. 40,000 

Damascus,  . 

. 90,000 

Scutari,  . . 

. 40,000 

Aleppo,  . 

. 75,000 

Bey  rout,  . 

. 30,000 

Bagdad, . 

. 65,000 

Trebizoud, 

Jerusalem, 

. 25,000 

Brusa, 

. 60,000 

. 20,000 

Bassora,  . . 

. 60,000 

Book  XXX. 

ARABIA. 

Area,  about  834,000  square  miles  ; population,  esti- 
mated at  12,000,000,  divided  into  numerous  tribes,  of 
which  Huot  gives  a list  of  upwards- of  150. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 


Aden,  . 
Mecca, . 
Muscat, 
Medina, 


Population. 

. 50,000 
. 30,000 
. 40,000 
. 18,000 


Sana,  . 
Derai,  . 
Mocha, 


Population. 

. 40,000 
. 15,000 
. 7,000 


Book  XLI. 

JAPAN,  OR  JAPANESE  ISLES, 

Comprise  the  islands  of  Niphon,  Sikoke,  Kioosioo, 
and  some  smaller  ones,  together  with  dependencies 
in  the  Kurile  Islands,  Jesso,  Saghalien,  &c,,  embracing 
in  all  a territory  of  about  170,000  square  miles,  and 
containing  a population  estimated  at  25,000,000,  and 
by  some  at  30,000,000.  For  two  hundred  years, 
closed  to  all  foreign  nations  except  the  Chinese  and 
Dutch,  who  had  a limited  trade  there,  these  islands 
have  at  last  been  opened  to  increased  foreign  trade 
through  the  efforts  of  the  United  States,  followed  by 
England,  Russia,  France,  &c.  Several  ports  are  now 
open  to  the  trade  of  these  nations,  and  the  commerce 
with  Japan  promises  to  become  important. 

The  chief  towns  are, — 

Yedo,  or  Jeddo,  in  Niphon,  the  capital,  and  resi- 
dence of  the  military  emperor,  containing,  formerly,  a 
population  estimated  at  1,500,000,  but  within  a few  j 
years  it  has  been  in  part  destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 


ASIATIC  ISLANDS. 

Besides  the  Japanese  Islands,  included  in  the 
islands  of  Asia,  are  the  following:  — 

Kurile  Isles,  a range  of  small  islands,  extending 
from  Japan  to  Kamtschatka,  containing  an  area  esti- 
mated at  3,000  square  miles.  The  population  is 
sparse,  and  they  are  but  little  known. 

Loo  Choo  Islands , consisting  of  the  Great  Loo 
Choo  Island  and  upwards  of  thirty  others,  wThich  are 
smaller,  lie  east  of  China  and  south  of  Japan.  Great 
Loo  Choo  is  about  65  miles  in  length.  These 
islands  are  dependencies  of  Japan,  though  in  some 
respects  independent. 

Formosa , about  90  miles  east  of  China.  Area, 
about  15,000  square  miles  ; population,  estimated  at 
2,500,000. 

Hong-Iiong,  a small  island,  about  ten  miles  long,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  estuary  that  leads  to  Canton.  It 
belongs  to  Great  Britain.  Population,  about 40,000. 
It  is  a place  of  great  commercial  importance,  being 
the  centre  of  British  trade  with  China.  It  has  at- 
tained this  position  since  it  was  ceded  to  Great 
Britain,  in  1841.  The  chief  town  is  called  Victoria. 

Hainan , a large  island  south  of  China,  and  separa- 
ting the  Gulf  of  Tonquin  from  the  Chinese  Sea.  Its 
area  is  estimated  at  12,000  square  miles,  and  its  pop- 
ulation at  1,200,000,  mostly  Chinese.  It  belongs  to 
China.  The  chief  town  is  Kiang-Choo,  which  is  a 
populous  city. 

Singapore,  an  island  south  of  the  Malay  peninsula, 
belonging  to  Great  Britain.  The  chief  town  is  Singa- 
pore ; population,  25,900.  It  is  a place  of  great  com- 
mercial importance. 

Nicobar  Islands  lie  west  of  Malaya.  Inhabited  by 
savages*,  but  nominally  belonging  to  Denmark. 

Andaman  Islands,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Bay 
of  Bengal,  also  inhabited  by  savages. 

Ceylon,  about  60  miles  south-east  of  the  southern 
extremity  of  Hindostan.  Area,  24,664  square  miles ; 
population,  1,500,000.  It  is  a very  productive  and  val- 
uable island,  belonging  to  Great  Britain.  The  pearl 
fishery,  for  which  it  was  once  famous,  has  ceased  since 
1837.  Coffee,  rice,  and  cinnamon  are  its  principal 
commercial  productions,  that  of  coffee  rapidly  increas- 
ing in  importance.  Chief  town,  Colombo. 

Maidive  Islands , an  extensive  chain  of  islands,  of 
coral  formation,  south  of  Hindostan.  Estimated  pop- 


APPENDIX. 


GT6 

ulation,  150,000,  mostly  Mohammedans;  tributary  to 
the  British. 

Laccadive  Islands , also  of  coral  formation,  north  of 
the  Maldives.  Population,  estimated  at  10,000. 


Books  LIIL  — LYIII. 

OCEANICA. 

Oceania,  or  Oceanica,  is  the  name  given  to  the  nu- 
merous islands  in  the  Pacific,  including  Australia, 
which  is  itself  sometimes  considered  as  a continent. 
The  estimated  area  of  the  land  in  these  islands  is 
4,500,000  square  miles,  and  the  population  about 
21,000,000.  Geographers  now  divide  Oceanica  into 
three  parts,  viz.,  Eastern  Oceanica,  or  Polynesia, 
Central  Oceanica,  or  Australasia,  and  Western  Ocean- 
ica, or  Malaysia. 

Polynesia  includes  numerous  groups,  the  principal 
of  which  are  the  following  : — 

Bonin  Isles,  three  small  groups,  about  500  miles 
south-east  of  Japan,  claimed  by  Great  Britain. 

Sandwich  Isles,  or  Hawaii  Group,  the  most  impor- 
tant group  in  Polynesia,  in  the  north  Pacific,  about  1,800 
miles  west  of  California,  consisting  of  seven  inhabited 
islands,  and  six  islets  uninhabited.  The  first  men- 
tioned are  Hawaii,  Mani,  Atauai,  Oahu,  Molokai, 
Ranai,  and  Nihan.  Aggregate  area,  about  G,500 
square  miles.  The  larger  of  these  islands  are  high, 
and  contain  several  volcanic  peaks.  In  Hawaii,  three 
of  these  are  constantly  active.  One  is  12,500  feet 
high.  Manna  Loa  is  the  most  active  of  these  volcanoes, 
and  a great  eruption  took  place  in  1852,  when  a 
column  of  molten  lava  was  projected  500  feet  into  the 
air.  A river  of  the  lava,  nearly  a mile  wide,  flowed 
down  the  ravines  and  valleys.  Some  of  the  valleys 
and  plains  are  fertile,  and  produce  sugar-cane,  coffee, 
Ac. 

The  islands  have  long  been  a resort  for  whale  ships 
in  the  Pacific,  for  the  purpose  of  transshipping,  pro- 
curing supplies,  Ac. ; upwards  of  500  of  these  vessels 
have  touched  there  in  a year. 

The  population,  since  the  natives  have  become 
partially  civilized,  has  rapidly  decreased.  By  Captain 
Cook,  it  was  estimated  at  400,000.  In  1832,  it  was 
130,315  ; in  1836, 108,579  ; in  1850,  84,165  ; in  1853, 
72,964.  The  government,  formerly  divided  among 
several  rulers,  one  for  each  island,  is  now  vested  in 
one  king,  and  is  administered  on  European  models. 
The  principal  town  and  seaport  is  Honolulu,  in  Oahu ; 
population,  6,000.  Most  of  the  commerce,  centres 
here. 

Marquesas  Islands,  about  2,000  miles  west  of  Peru. 
Nukahiva,  the  largest,  is  70  miles  in  circumference. 
They  belong  to  France. 

Low  Archipelago,  comprising  numerous  groups  be- 
tween the  Marquesas  and  Society  Islands,  in  all  90  or 
more  islands,  generally  uninhabited. 

Gambler  Islands,  in  the  South  Pacific,  south-east  of 
the  Society  Isles.  They  are  resorted  to  by  vessels  for 
water. 

Pitcairn  Island , 300  miles  south-east  of  the  last, 
midway  between  Panama  and  Australia. 


Society  Islands,  south-west  of  the  Low  Archipelago, 
consisting  of  Tahiti,  which  is  about  30  miles  long,  and 
many  smaller  islands.  Considerable  trade  is  carried 
on  here  with  the  natives,  who  resemble  the  Sandwich 
Islanders.  They  are  under  the  protection  of  France. 

Cork's,  or  Hervey  Isles,  a small  group  south-west  of 
the  Society  Isles.  • 

Tonga,  or  Friendly  Isles,  west  of  the  last  named, 
(Cork’s.)  Tongatabu,  the  largest,  is  about  50  miles 
in  circumference.  The  surface  is  low,  and  the  islands 
abound  in  tropical  fruits,  Ac. 

Feejee  Islands,  the  most  westerly  group  of  Polynesia, 
comprises  about  150  islands,  not  half  of  which  are  in- 
habited. Viti  Levu,  the  largest,  is  about  80  miles  long. 
The  surface  is  mountainous,  and  the  origin  of  the 
islands  is  supposed  to  be  volcanic.  The  inhabitants 
are  the  most  savage  and  barbarous  of  all  the  Polyne- 
sians. 

Navigator' s Isles,  eight  islands  north-east  of  the 
Feejee  Isles.  Lavaii,  the  largest,  has  an  area  of  about 
700  square  miles.  The  surface  is  mountainous,  and 
the  soil  fertile. 

Central  Archipelago  includes  several  groups  lying 
between  10°  north  and  10°  south  latitude.  Among  the 
largest,  are  Marshall  Islands,  Gilbert’s  Islands,  Kings 
mill  group,  Ac. 

Caroline  Islands  consist  of  numerous  groups,  lying 
between  5°  and  10°  north,  and  from  135°  to  160°  east 
from  Greenwich.  Many  are  of  coral  formation.  One 
of  the  Yap  group,  north  of  Pelew,is  mountainous,  and 
abounds  in  precious  metals.  The  most  westerly  is  the 
Pelew  group,  and  the  most  easterly  is  Onalan.  They 
belong  to  Spain. 

Ladrone  Islands  consist  of  20  islands,  north  of  the 
Carolines.  They  are  mountainous  and  picturesque. 
The  soil  is  fertile,  yielding  many  tropical  productions. 
They  belong  to  Spain. 

Australasia  includes  Australia  and  the  adjacent 
islands. 

Australia,  or  New  Holland.  Area,  about  3,000,000 
square  miles  ; population,  1,043,000.  It  lies  between 
the  Pacific  and  Indian  Oceans,  and  extends  from  about 
10°  south  to  39°  south  latitude,  and  from  113°  to 
153°  of  longitude  east  from  Greenwich.  Its  greatest 
length,  from  east  to  west,  is  about  2,400  miles,  and  its 
greatest  breadth  is  about  1,900  miles.  It  belougs  to 
Great  Britain,  and  is  divided  into  five  colonies,  North 
Australia,  West  Australia,  South  Australia,  New  South 
Wales,  and  Victoria.  The  first  of  these  colonies  is 
now  abandoned,  on  account  of  the  hot  and  unhealthy 
climate ; and  the  last  two  are  the  only  ones  wrhich 
have  flourished. 

The  north  and  west  coasts  are  low,  and  the  interior 
is  generally  sterile ; extensive  regions  consisting  of 
sandy  plains,  or  rugged  and  verdureless  hills.  Near  the 
east  and  south  coasts  are  ranges  of  mountains,  none, 
however,  over  7,000  feet  high.  The  valleys  and  plains 
here  are  more  fertile,  and  capable  of  sustaining  a large 
population.  The  central  part  of  Australia  is  almost 
wholly  unexplored,  and  offers  but  little  attraction  to 
the  explorer. 

In  1851  gold  was  discovered  in  the  south-western  part 
of  the  island,  or  continent,  at  Bathurst,  140  miles  from 


APPENDIX. 


677 


Sidney,  and  since  that  time  it  has  rivalled  California, 
and,  in  some  respects,  surpassed  it.  The  most  produc- 
tive mines  are  at  Ballarat.  The  gold  has  been  found 
in  remarkable  lumps,  or  nuggets,  some  weighing  from 
10  to  27  pounds  of  pure  gold,  and  even  upwards,  and 
others,  less  pure,  producing  50  to  160  pounds  of  gold. 
The  first  year  the  yield  was  about  $17,000,000,  and  it 
has  increased  from  that  to  nearly  or  quite  $60,000,- 
000  in  some  years.  Copper  is  also  found  in  largo 
quantities,  and  the  mines  (at  Burra-Burra,  in  New 
South  Wales)  were  producing  20,000  tons  or  more, 
annually,  when  the  discoveries  of  gold  diverted  the 
labor  and  capital  almost  wholly.  Tin,  manganese,  iron, 
coal,  &c.,  are  found.  New  South  Wales  is  a good  agri- 
cultural country,  and  yields  large  quantities  of  wool 
and  tallow. 

The  native  Australians  are  a distinct  race  from  that 
inhabiting  the  Indian  Archipelago.  They  are  black, 
or  dark  brown,  with  curly  but  not  crisp  hair.  They  are 
barbarous,  and  inclined  to  cannibalism.  The  different 
tribes  are  constantly  engaged  in  feuds.  The  highest 
estimate  of  their  numbers  is  80,000,  which  is  probably 
much  more  than  the  actual  number. 

The  population  of  Australia,  in  1857,  was  about 

1,013,000.  The  population  of  the  colony  of  Victoria, 
in  which  the  gold  region,  as  at  present  known,  lies, 
has  rapidly  increased.  In  1850,  it  was  about  50,000  ; 


in  1857,  it  was  414,000. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Sidney,  the  capital  of  New  South  Wales  ; pop- 
ulation, about 100,000 

Melbourne,  the  capital  of  Victoria ; population, 

about 50,000 

Adelaide,  the  capital  of  South  Australia  ; pop- 
ulation,   20,000 

Perth,  the  capital  of  West  Australia,  . . . 

Gulong, 

Brisbane, 


Van  Diemen’s  Land , or  Tasmania , an  island  con- 
taining an  area  of  24,000  square  miles,  south  of  Aus- 
tralia, from  which  it  is  separated  by  Bass  Strait.  It 
belongs  to  Great  Britain,  and  a penal  colony  of  that 
country  is  established  here.  The  interior  is  moun- 
tainous, some  of  the  peaks  being  snow-capped  even  in 
summer,  and  rising  to  the  height  of  7,000  or  8,000 
feet.  Coal,  lead,  and  iron  are  found,  of  excellent 
quality.  It  is  well  watered,  and  the  valleys  are  fertile. 
The  population  is  about  80,000,  of  whom  nearly  one 
third  are  convicts. 

The  chief  town  is  Hobart-Town,  the  capital,  in  the 
south-eastern  part  of  the  island.  Population,  about 

25,000. 

New  Zealand  comprises  three  islands,  New  Ulster, 
New  Munster,  and  New  Leinster,  together  with  some 
smaller  islands,  situated  south-east  of  Australia,  and 
belonging  to  Great  Britain.  The  area  of  all  is  about 

105,000  square  miles,  and  the  population  about  150,- 
000,  of  whom  about  27,000  are  whites.  The  interior 
of  the  islands  is  rugged  and  mountainous.  In  New 
Ulster  are  Mount  Edgecomb,  10,000  feet  high,  and  Mount 
Egmont,  8,300  feet  high.  The  island  is  well  watered 
and  fertile.  The  principal  settlements  of  the  English 
are  at  Auchland,  the  capital,  New  Plymouth,  and  Wel- 


lington, in  New  Ulster,  and  at  Nelson  and  Canterbury, 
in  New  Munster, 

Papua,  or  New  Guinea , north  of  Australia,  contains 
an  area  of  250,000  square  miles.  It  is  inhabited 
by  a mixed  Malay  and  Papuan  race,  and  has  no  Eu- 
ropean settlements.  But  little  is  known  of  its  in- 
terior. 

Admiralty  Isles , a group  of  about  30  fertile  islands, 
north  of  Papua.  The  largest,  Great  Admiralty  Island, 
is  about  60  miles  in  length. 

New  Ireland,  a long,  narrow  island,  south-east  of 
the  last,  about  200  miles  in  length  and  20  wide,  cov- 
ered with  luxuriant  forests. 

New  Britain,  two  large  islands  south-west  from  the 
last,  and  east  of  Papua,  well  wooded  and  fertile. 

Solomon  Isles , a group  east  of  Papua  and  New  Brit- 
ain, of  which  little  is  known. 

Louisiade  Isles,  a group  of  small  islands  south-east 
of  Papua,  80  of  which  are  known,  and  it  is  believed 
that  others  remain  to  be  discovered  and  explored. 
Some  of  these  islands  are  fertile,  and  inhabited  by 
savages  of  a dark  copper  color. 

New  Hebrides,  a group  of  about  20  islands,  south- 
east of  the  Solomon  Isles.  Espiritu  Santo  is  the 
largest,  and  is  about  65  miles  in  length  by  20  wide. 
They  are  inhabited  by  the  Papuan  race,  and  abound  in 
tropical  trees  and  fruits. 

Norfolk,  a solitary  island,  about  1,000  miles  east 
of  Australia,  comprising  an  area  of  14  square  miles. 
It  belongs  to  Great  Britain,  and  is  used  as  a penal  es- 
tablishment. 

Malaysia,  or  the  Asiatic  Archipelago,  is  the  general 
name  given  to  the  large  islands  lying  south-east  of 
Asia.  They  are  also  sometimes  called  the  East  Indies. 
Malaysia  comprises  the  following  islands  : — 

Philippine  Isles,  a group  consisting  of  about  1,200 
islands,  the  most  northern  in  the  Indian  Archipelago. 
The  estimated  area  of  the  whole  is  about  120,000  square 
miles.  They  mostly  belong  to  Spain,  and  are  a valua- 
ble colonial  possession  to  that  kingdom.  The  principal 
islands  are  Luzon,  Mindanao, Palawan,  Mindoro,  Samar, 
Leyte,  Negros,  &c.  Population,  estimated  at  about 

5,000,000,  of  whom  1,000,000  belong  to  the  Papuan 
race,  3,700,000  are  Malay  Indians,  55,000  half-castes 
and  Chinese,  and  245,000  whites.  The  chief  town  is 
Manilla,  which  has  an  extensive  foreign  trade.  Popu- 
lation of  the  city  and  suburbs,  140,000.  The  town 
has  many  times  suffered  from  earthquakes,  the  last 
severe  one  of  which  was  in  1852,  when  great  damage 
was  done. 

Borneo.  — This  island  contains  an  area  of  about 

290.000  square  miles,  and  is  more  than  three  times  as 
large  as  the  island  of  Great  Britain,  and  larger  than 
the  Eastern  and  Middle  States  of  the  United  States. 

Population,  estimated  at  2,000,000,  of  whom  about 

1.400.000  are  Dyaks,  the  aboriginal  tribes,  140,000 
Chinese,  400,000  Malays,  100,000  Boogis  from  Celebes. 
The  western  and  southern  coasts,  and  a part  of  the 
eastern,  are  subject  to  the  Dutch,  who  have  settle- 
ments at  Banjarmassin  and  Pontianale.  The  northern 
coast,  including  Borneo  Proper,  is  now  under  the  protec- 
tion of  Great  Britain,  with  a native  sovereign.  Under 
this  protection  piracy  has  become  less  frequent,  and  com- 


APPENDIX. 


678 


merce  more  prosperous.  Borneo  is  the  chief  town  of 
this  part  of  the  island  ; population,  22,000. 

Celebes , an  irregular-shaped  island,  east  of  Borneo. 
Area,  about  70,000  square  miles.  Population,  estima- 
ted at  2,000,000,  of  whom  the  Boogis  are  the  most 
numerous,  and  are  one  of  the  finest  races  in  Oceania 
in  appearance.  The  island  is  under  native  rule, 
though  the  Dutch  have  heretofore  claimed  authority 
over  some  portions,  and  still  hold  the  settlement  of 
Macassar. 

Moluccas,  or  Spice  Islands , a general  name  of  isl- 
ands between  Celebes  and  Papua,  the  largest  of  which 
are  Gilolo,  Ceram,  Booro,  and  Amboyna.  Area,  esti- 
mated at  38,000  square  miles.  They  are  subject  to  the 
Dutch,  who  have  a settlement  at  Amboyna. 

Timor,  an  island  south  of  the  Spice  Islands,  about 
300  miles  long  and  40  wide.  It  is  claimed  partly  by 
the  Portuguese  and  partly  by  the  Dutch,  each  of 
whom  have  some  small  settlements.  Population, 
about  200,000. 

Sunda  Isles,  consisting  of  Sumatra,  Java,  Sumbawa, 
Flores,  and  Sandalwood,  together  with  some  smaller 
islands. 

Sumatra , south-west  of  the  Malayan  peninsula,  a 
large  island  directly  under  the  equator.  Area,  about 

140.000  square  miles.  Population,  according  to  the 
most  reliable  estimates,  about  4,500,000,  and  com- 
posed of  mixed  races.  The  Dutch  have  long  had  set- 
tlements there,  and  have  gradually  extended  their 
dominion  over  a large  part  of  the  island. 

Java,  south-east  of  Sumatra,  has  an  area  of  about 

50.000  square  miles.  It  belongs  to  the  Dutch,  and  is 
the  centre  of  their  power  in  the  East  Indies.  It  has  a 
governor-general,  and  is  divided  into  22  residencies, 
with  local  governors.  Batavia,  Samarang,  and  Sou- 
rabaya  are  places  of  much  commercial  importance, 
especially  the  first,  which  is  the  capital,  and  the  centre 
of  the  Dutch  East  India  trade.  Population  of  the 
island,  (1845,)  9,560,380,  of  whom  16,000  were  Euro- 
peans or  their  descendants.  Population  of  Batavia, 
118,300,  of  whom  2,800  are  Europeans. 

Flores,  next  to  Java,  the  largest  of  the  Sunda  Isles, 
is  about  200  miles  long  and  35  wide.  It  has  several 
high  volcanic  peaks. 

Sandalwood,  south  of  Flores,  about  120  miles  in 
length  and  30  in  average  breadth.  The  Dutch  have 
settlements  there. 

Sumbawa,  west  of  Flores,  about  160  miles  in  length. 
It  is  divided  into  several  native  states,  which  are  gen- 
erally under  the  protection  of  the  Dutch. 

Book  LIX. 

AFRICA. 

This  great  division  of  the  globe,  though  the  seat  of 
the  most  ancient  civilization,  is  the  least  known,  and 
has  been  the  least  explored  of  any  of  the  grand  divis- 
ions. It  has  an  area  of  11,236,000  square  statute 
miles.  Its  length  is  estimated  at  4,968  statute  miles, 
and  its  breadth  at  4,692  statute  miles.  It  has  a coast 
line  of  about  16,000  miles,  a great  part  of  which  has 
never  been  accurately  surveyed,  and  much  is  very  im- 


perfectly known.  Of  the  interior,  vast  regions  are  un- 
explored ; and  though  Dr.  Livingstone  has  within  a 
few  years  penetrated  and  explored  some  distance  in 
Southern  Africa,  and  Dr.  Barth  in  Central  Africa,  and 
have  added  much  to  the  knowledge  of  those  portions  of 
the  continent,  yet  the  geographical  knowledge  of  the 
country  is  limited.  These  recent  explorations,  how- 
ever, have  met  with  such  success  as  to  lead  to  further 
expeditions,  which  will,  in  the  course  of  a few  years, 
probably  afford  a better  knowledge  of  this  vast  extent  of 
territory,  and,  in  the  process  of  time,  open  it  to  civili- 
zation. The  population  is  variously  estimated  from 
60,000,000  to  110,000,000,  composed  of  numerous 
savage  and  degraded  tribes,  mostly  black,  except 
where  a branch  of  the  Caucasian  race  has  extended 
along  the  northern  part  and  along  the  eastern  coast. 
These  tribes  speak  innumerable  languages  or  dialects, 
and  are  in  other  respects  very  dissimilar,  while  some 
of  those  of  the  southern  portion  appear  to  be  almost  a 
distinct  race. 

Mountains.  — The  Mountains  of  the  Moon  is  a name 
applied  to  a range  commencing  near  the  western  coast, 
in  latitude  9°  north,  and  longitude  9°  20'  west,  and 
thence  running,  it  was  supposed,  across  the  continent. 
It  has  been  discovered,  however,  that  this  range  does 
not  run  across  the  continent,  where  it  was  once  laid 
down  on  the  maps.  Whether  any  such  range  exists, 
as  supposed,  future  explorations  may  show.  The 
name  given  to  the  western  part  of  the  range  is  Kong 
Mountains.  The  name  of  Mountains  of  the  Moon  is 
also  sometimes  given  to  a range  north-west  of  Zangue- 
bar.  North  of  the  Kong  Mountains  are  other  lofty 
ranges  running  north.  The  Atlas  range,  in  Morocco 
and  Algiers,  is  an  extensive  range,  the  highest  known 
peak  of  which,  Mount  Miltsun,  is  11,380  feet  high.  A 
lofty  mountain  has  been  recently  discovered  in  Eastern 
Africa,  called  Killimandjaro,  which  rises  to  a height 
of  20,000  feet  or  upwards,  and  though  within  four  de- 
grees of  the  equator,  its  summit  is  covered  with  per- 
petual snow.  The  Black  Mountains,  north  of  the 
great  desert,  and  a range  west  of  Mozambique,  are 
extensive  ranges,  as  also  are  the  Red  Mountains,  in 
Madagascar. 

Rivers.  — The  principal  and  most  noted  rivers  are 
the  Niger  and  the  Nile,  the  sources  of  which,  and  the 
mouth  of  the  former,  were  long  the  subjects  of  geo- 
graphical speculation.  The  outlet  of  the  Niger  was 
finally  ascertained  to  be  in  the  Bight  of  Benin,  in  the 
eastern  part  of  Upper  Guinea.  The  sources  of  the 
Nile  have  not  yet  been  reached,  though  long  supposed 
to  be  in  the  Mountains  of  the  Moon.  The  following 
are  the  principal  rivers  : — 


Miles  in  Length. 

Nile,  (running  into  the  Mediterranean,)  about.  3,000 
Niger, (in  West  Africa,  emptying  into  the  Atlantic,  )2, 5 00 


Senegal, 

Gambia, 

Congo, 

Coanza, 

Orange,  “ 

Geba,  “ 

Rio  Grande, 

Sierra  Leone, 

In  East  Africa,  Zambeze,  J uba,  or  Fumbo,  and  Liowma. 


1,000 

1,000 

500 

1,000 


APPENDIX. 


Lakes.  — Tchad,  in  Central  Africa,  explored  by- 
Barth,  and  stated  to  be  about  220  miles  in  length  and 
140  in  breadth.  Lake  Nyassi,  north-west  of  Mozam- 
bique, unexplored.  Lake  Ngami,  discovered  and  ex- 
plored by  Livingstone,  in  the  central  part  of  South 
Africa,  about  70  miles  in  length.  Lake  Dembra,  in 
Abyssinia.  Lake  Lovvdeah,  in  Tunis. 

The  chief  political  divisions  of  Africa  at  present,  are 
as  follows : — 


Book  LXV. 

BARBARY  STATES. 

Morocco , (empire  of,)  the  largest  of  the  Barbary 
States,  in  North-Western  Africa.  Area,  223,000  square 
miles;  population,  8,500,000  Moors,  or  Arabs,  Berbus, 


and  Jews. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population. 

Morocco,  the  capital, 80,000 

Mequinez, 60,000 

Tangier,  a seaport  on  the  Strait  of  Gibraltar,  . 7,000 

Fez,  an  interior  town, 90,000 

Mogador,  on  the  Atlantic, 17,000 


679 

tained  its  power  only  through  the  interference  of  the 
great  powers,  and  the  government  is  a despotism  ; 
though  under  Mohammed  Ali,  it  has  advanced  the 
prosperity  of  the  country. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population. 

Cairo,  the  capital,  the  largest  city  in  Africa,  . 250,000 


Alexandria, 60,000 

Damietta, 28,000 


Suez,  on  the  Red  Sea,  though  numbering  but  two 
or  three  thousand  permanent  inhabitants,  is  a place  of 
importance,  as  being  one  of  the  stations  of  the  “ over- 
land route  ” to  the  East.  A railroad  is  being  con- 
structed to  connect  it  with  Cairo  and  Alexandria,  which 
places  are  already  connected  by  railroad. 

Book  LXIII. 

NUBIA,  ABYSSINIA,  &c. 

Nubia , south  of  Egypt,  and  under  the  dominion  of 


that  kingdom.  Area,  320,500  square  miles.  Popula- 
tion, 500,000.  The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population. 

Khartown,  the  residence  of  the  viceroy,  . . 15,000 

Sonakin,  on  the  Red  Sea, 8,000 


Abyssinia, south-east  of  Nubia.  Area,  280,000  square 
miles;  population,  estimated  at  3,000,000. 

The  country  is  little  known.  It  is  divided  into  sev- 
eral states,  or  provinces,  and  the  inhabitants  embrace 
many  tribes,  most  of  whom  are  in  a state  of  barbarism. 
The  Gallas,  a savage  tribe  on  the  west  of  Nubia,  have 
overrun  much  of  the  country. 

Gondar  and  Ankobar  are  the  chief  towns. 


Books  LXXI.,  LXXII. 

EASTERN  AFRICA 

Includes  the  following  countries  : — 

Somauli  Territory , consisting  of  the  districts  of  Adel 
and  Ajan,  south-east  of  Abyssinia,  and  south  of  the 
Straits  of  Babel  Mandeb. 

The  inhabitants  are  divided  into  numerous  tribes, 
some  of  whom  carry  on  considerable  trade  at  Berbera, 
the  chief  town. 

Zanguebar,  between  the  Somauli  Territory  and  Mo- 
zambique, belongs  in  part  to  the  Sultan  of  Muscat,  a 
sovereign  of  a district  in  Arabia,  and  in  part  to 
native  princes.  Considerable  trade  is  carried  on  by 
the  Arabs,  the  centre  of  which  is  at  Zanzibar,  the  chief 
town,  on  Zanzibar  Island.  Population  of  the  island, 
150,000 ; of  the  town,  80,000.  Other  towns  are 
Magadoxa,  Juba,  Melinda,  Quiloa. 

Mozambique , a country  extending  along  the  coast 
from  Cape  Delgado,  the  southern  limit  of  Zanguebar,  to 
the  Zoolu  country,  and  stretching  indefinitely  into  the 
interior.  On  the  coast  are  three  Portuguese  settle- 
ments — at  Mozambique,  Quilimane,  and  Sofala,  — 
and  that  nation  claims  the  whole  country,  though  it  is 
not  occupied  by  them.  The  population  of  the  first 
named  town  is  about  6,000 ; the  others  are  inconsid- 
erable places,  the  channels  of  trade  being  now  turned 


Algeria , or  Algiers , one  of  the  Barbary  States,  be- 
tween Morocco  and  Tunis,  now  belonging  to  France. 
Area,  about  90,000  square  miles;  population, 2,500,000. 
The  population  is  chiefly  composed  of  Moors,  Turks, 
Berbers,  Jews,  Ac.,  with  some  French  settlers.  Under 
French  rule  (since  1831)  the  resources  of  the  country 
are  being  somewhat  developed,  its  agriculture  im- 
proved, good  roads  constructed,  Ac. 

The  chief  towns  are, — 

Algiers,  the  capital,  on  the  Mediterranean  ; popula- 
tion 94,600,  of  whom  about  one  half  are  Europeans. 
Constantine,  population,  20,000. 

Tunis , another  of  the  Barbary  States,  east  of  Algeria. 
Area,  about  70,000  square  miles ; population,  2,500,000. 
The  inhabitants  are  like  the  last,  without  the  Euro- 
pean element. 

The  chief  towns  are, — 

Tunis,  the  capital,  population,  130,000.  Kairwan, 
an  interior  town,  estimated  population  at  50,000. 

Tripoli , another  of  the  Barbary  States,  south-east  of 
Tunis.  Area,  about  140,000  ; population  estimated  at 

1.500.000.  Barca , on  the  east,  and  Ferran , on  the 
south  of  Tripoli,  are  dependent  or  tributary  provinces 
of  Tripoli.  The  population  of  Barca  is  estimated  at 
about  1,000,000,  mostly  Bedouin  Arabs.  The  inhab- 
itants of  Ferran  are  a mixed  race,  and  number  about 

100.000.  The  chief  town  of  Tripoli  is  Tripoli.  Popu- 
lation, about  15,000.  Moorzouk,  in  Ferran,  a seat  of 
caravan  trade.  Population,  3,500. 

Books  LX.  — LXII. 

EGYPT. 

Area,  224,000  square  miles ; population,  2,896,000. 
More  than  2,000,000  of  the  inhabitants  are  Fellahs,  of 
Arabic  descent,  and  the  remainder  Copts,  Turks, 
Greeks,  Ac. 

Egypt  is  in  many  respects  an  independent  kingdom, 
though  a fief  of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  which  has  main- 


APPENDIX. 


680 


towards  Zanzibar.  The  Portuguese  tenure  of  the 
country,  except  in  the  towns,  is  altogether  uncertain. 

Book  LXX. 

SOUTHERN  AFRICA 

Includes  the  following  countries:  — 

Zoolu  Country , inhabited  by  a tribe  of  the  Caffre 
race,  lies  between  Mozambique  and  the  Natal  Colony 
of  Great  Britain. 

Natal  Colony,  a territory  of  about  18,000  square 
miles;  population,  about  120,000,  most  of  whom  are 
Caffres,  acknowledging  allegiance  to  the  British, 
who  possess  the  country  as  a dependency  of  Cape 
Colony.  The  chief  towns  are  Pietermaritzburg,  the 
capital,  and  Port  Natal,  the  latter  containing  about 

1.000  inhabitants. 

Cape  Colony  occupies  the  entire  south  of  Africa, 
from  the  ocean  on  the  south  to  Orange  River,  including 
a portion  of  the  Hottentot  Country  and  Caffraria, 
though  a part  of  the  Caffres  have  almost  constantly 
resisted  the  dominion  of  the  British.  Area,  about 

110.000  square  miles;  population,  166,000,  70,000  of 
whom  are  of  the  native  races.  The  chief  towns  are 
Cape  Town,  population  23,000  ; King  William’s  Town. 

Hottentot  Country  lies  north  of  Cape  Colony,  on  the 
coast.  In  the  interior,  north  of  Cape  Colony,  is 

Country  of  the  Bechuanas,  an  extensive  region, 
inhabited  by  offshoots  of  the  Caffres  and  Hottentots. 
This  region  has  been  explored  to  some  extent  of  late 
years,  especially  by  Dr.  Livingstone,  some  distance 
north  of  Lake  Ngami,  and  from  the  west  coast  into 
the  interior  of  Mozambique.  It  proves  to  be  a more 
fertile  country  than  was  supposed,  tolerably  well  wa- 
tered in  some  parts,  and  quite  productive.  Further 
explorations,  which  are  progressing,  and  efforts  to  gain 
the  good  will  of  the  various  native  tribes,  it  is  hoped 
will  result  in  opening  a considerable  trade  with  the 
interior.  Sugar-cane  and  cotton  are  both  produced, 
wild  and  cultivated,  as  well  as  wheat,  &c.  Gold  is 
found,  and  extensive  beds  of  coal  have  been  discov- 
ered. 

Books  LXVL  — LXIX. 

WESTERN  AFRICA 

Includes  the  various  countries  extending  from  the 
Hottentot  Country  to  the  Great  Desert. 

Country  of  the  Cimhebas  and  Damaras , north  of  the 
Hottentot  Country,  inhabited  by  savage  tribes,  and  but 
little  known.  North  of  this  country  is 

Lovier  Guinea,  extending  from  17°  south  to  10°  north 
of  the  equator,  near  the  mouth  of  the  River  Niger.  It 
is  divided  into  several  states,  the  chief  of  which  are 
Benguela,  Angola,  Congo,  Loango,  Biafra.  They  are 
inhabited  by  various  negro  tribes.  The  Portuguese 
have  some  small  settlements,  the  chief  of  which  is 
Loanda.  The  interior  of  the  country  is  productive, 
and  the  explorations  of  Livingstone  show  that  it  might 
produce  large  quantities  of  cotton,  &c. 

Upper  Guinea  lies  north  of  the  Gulf  of  Guinea,  ex- 
tending westward  along  the  coast  from  the  north- 
ern part  of  Lower  Guinea.  It  is  also  subdivided  into 
Benin,  Abomey,  Coomassie,  &c.  The  British  have  a ; 


few  small  settlements,  of  which  Cape  Coast  Castle  is 
capital. 

Liberia,  a republic,  established  as  a colony  by  the 
American  Colonization  Society,  for  free  negroes  from 
the  United  States.  It  became  an  independent  republic 
in  1847.  It  is  situated  in  the  western  part  of  Upper 
Guinea,  extending  about  320  miles  along  the  coast,  and 
80  into  the  interior.  Some  thousands  of  the  natives 
have  placed  themselves  under  the  government  of  Li- 
beria. The  country  is  productive,  yielding  cotton, 
sugar-cane,  and  coffee  abundantly,  and  tropical  fruits, 
&c.  Population,  250,000.  The  chief  town  is  Monrovia, 
the  capital ; population,  2,500. 

Sierra  Leone , a British  colony,  north-west  of  Liberia, 
and  in  the  southern  part  of  Senegambia,  comprises  an 
area  of  232  square  miles.  The  chief  town  is  Free- 
town ; population,  18,000. 

Senegambia  occupies  the  most  western  part  of  Af- 
rica, south  of  the  Great  Desert.  It  is  divided  into 
several  states,  all  of  native  government.  The  inhab- 
itants are  chiefly  negroes,  of  various  tribes,  the  most 
important  of  which  are  the  Foulahs,  Jaloofs,  and  Man- 
dingoes.  The  French,  English,  and  Portuguese  have 
some  small  settlements  on  the  rivers  Senegal,  Gambia, 
and  Nunez. 

Sahara , or  The  Great  Desert,  occupies  a large  part 
of  northern  Central  Africa.  Its  length  is  about  2,500 
miles,  and  its  breadth  from  600  to  900  miles,  its  area 
being  about  1,300,000  square  geographical  miles. 
Oases,  of  greater  or  less  extent,  relieve  this  barren 
region  in  the  east,  and  some  are  found  in  the  central 
and  western  parts,  the  latter  of  which  is  the  most  des- 
olate. Although  so  desolate,  Sahara  is  inhabited  by 
Moors,  Tuariks,  and  Tibboos.  Explorations  of  late 
years  have  added  but  little  geographical  knowledge  of 
this  region  more  than  is  given  in  the  text,  except  in 
limited  portions  of  it. 

Book  LXYII. 

CENTRAL  AFRICA 

Is  the  general  name  applied  to  a vast  region  extend- 
ing from  the  Great  Desert,  indefinitely,  south  to  the 
country  of  the  Bechuanas.  It  comprises  numerous 
states,  or  kingdoms,  and  is  inhabited  by  many  distinct 
tribes  of  negroes  and  mixed  l-aces.  The  great  division 
is  Soudan,  which  comprises  the  states  of  Bournou, 
Houssa,  Kanem,  Bergoo,  Darfur,  Begharmi,  Adamana, 
Yarriba,  Upper  and  Lower  Bambarra,  and  Kordofan 
and  the  Galla  country  are  sometimes  included  in  it, 
besides  many  smaller  states.  The  northern  part  of  this 
territory  is  sometimes  known  as  Nigritia,  and  is  so 
applied  indefinitely  in  the  text. 

Lake  Tsad,  or  Tchad,  is  situated  in  the  northern 
central  part  of  Soudan,  between  Bournou  and  Kanem. 
It  is  about  130  miles  long  and  60  to  80  wide.  This 
region  has  been  explored  to  some  extent  recently  by 
Drs.  Barth  and  Overweg,  and  their  explorations  will 
add  something  to  the  geographical  knowledge  of  the 
country,  but  the  expeditions  now  in  progress  will 
probably  in  a short  time  accomplish  more. 

The  country  south  of  Soudan  is  sometimes  called 
Ethiopia,  but  it  is  as  properly,  perhaps,  included  under 


APPENDIX. 


the  name  Soudan,  and  is  probably  made  up  of  numer- 
ous states  and  kingdoms,  of  which  little  is  known, 
though  enterprising  explorers  are  gradually  opening 
the  whole  of  this  vast  region  to  our  knowledge. 

Books  LXXIII.,  LXXIY. 

ISLANDS  OF  AFRICA. 


681 

Corvo,  . . . 700  St.  George,  . . 10,000 

St.  Michael,.  . 80,000  Santa  Maria,  . 5,000 

Fayal,  . . . 22,000  

Total, 203,500 

Book  LXXV. 

AMERICA. 


Socotra , in  the  Indian  Ocean,  120  miles  east  of 
Cape  Guardafin. 

Seychelle  Isles,  a group  of  about  30  small  islands,  in 
the  Indian  Ocean,  belonging  to  Great  Britain 

Amirante  Isles,  a smaller  group,  south  west  of  the 
preceding. 

Comoro  Isles,  near  the  north  end  of  Mozambique 
channel. 

Madagascar,  a large  island,  1,000  miles  long,  and 
240  in  average  breadth,  containing  a territory  nearly 
as  large  as  that  of  France,  east  of  Africa,  and  separated 
from  the  continent  by  the  Mozambique  channel.  The 
people  have  relapsed  from  the  civilization  which  was 
encouraged  under  one  of  their  princes,  who  was  edu- 
cated in  Europe,  in  the  early  part  of  this  century,  and 
who  conquered  the  whole  island  by  organizing  a pow- 
erful army.  They  have  returned  to  their  old  practices 
of  paganism  and  cruelty.  Population,  estimated  at 

4.700.000.  The  capital  and  chief  town  is  Tananarive. 

Mauritius,  east  of  Madagascar,  belongs  to  Great 

Britain.  Population,  162,000.  Chief  town,  Port 
Louis ; population,  35,000. 

Bourbon,  between  Mauritius  and  Madagascar,  be- 
longs to  France.  Population,  108,000.  Chief  town, 
St.  Denis  ; population,  20,000. 

St.  Helena,  about  1,200  miles  from  the  west  coast 
of  South  Africa,  in  the  Atlantic,  belonging  to  Great 
Britain.  It  contains  48  square  miles ; population, 

5.000. 

Ascension , about  800  miles  north-west  of  St.  Helena, 
belonging  to  Great  Britain.  Its  area  is  35  square 
miles. 

Cape  Verde  Isles,  a group  of  14  islands  in  the  At- 
lantic, 320  miles  west  of  Cape  Verde.  The  names  of 
the  ten  larger  ones  are  Sal,  Bonavista,  Mayo,  Santiago, 
Fogo,  Brava,  Grande,  Rombo,  St.  Nicholas,  and  Santa 
Luzia.  They  belong  to  the  Portuguese.  They  comprise 
an  area  of  1,680  square  miles;  population,  86,700. 

Canary  Isles,  a group  of  seven  large  and  several 
smaller  islands,  about  60  to  80  miles  west  of  the  coast 
of  Sahara  and  Morocco.  They  belong  to  Spain.  Area, 
about  3,000  square  miles  ; population,  258,000. 

Madeira  Isles,  consisting  of  Madeira  and  Porto 
Santo,  with  a few  small  islands,  west  of  Morocco.  They 
belong  to  Portugal.  Area,  about  400  square  miles ; 
population,  110,000.  Chief  town,  Funchal ; popula- 
tion, 25,000. 

Azores,  or  Western  Isles,  consist  of  9 islands  north- 
west of  Madeira,  belonging  to  Portugal.  They  are  in 
three  groups,  the  north-western  being  114  miles,  and 
the  south-eastern  being  70  miles  from  the  central 
group.  The  islands  are,  — 

Population.  Population. 

Terceira,  . . 40,000  Flores,  . . . 14,000 

Pico,  ....  24,000  Gracioza,  . . 7,800 

VOL.  III.— NO.  63  86 


The  area  of  the  American  Continent  is  stated,  by 
good  authority,  as  follows  : — 

Square  Miles. 

North  America, 7,400,000 

South  America, 6,500,000 

Islands, 150,000 

Greenland  and  islands  N.  of  Hudson’s  Strait,  900,000 

Total, 14,950,000 

The  length  of  the  entire  continent  is  about  10,500 
miles.  Its  greatest  breadth  north  of  the  equator  is  at 
about  the  parallel  of  45°,  where  it  is  3,100  miles  wide  ; 
its  greatest  breadth  south  of  the  equator  is  between 
4°  and  7°  south,  where  it  is  3,250  miles  wide. 

The  area  of  North  America  is  sometimes  stated 
larger  than  that  given  above,  the  United  States  census 
of  1850  making  it  8,373,648  square  miles,  including 
Central  America. 

Books  LXXVI.  — LXXXV. 

NORTH  AMERICA. 

The  great  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  the 
political  geography  of  North  America,  the  extension 
of  settlements,  and  the  more  thorough  exploration  of 
the  country,  render  it  impossible  to  follow  precisely  the 
order  of  the  text,  and  a brief  description  of  the  chief 
features  of  the  continent  and  of  the  several  countries 
is  given,  independent,  for  the  most  part,  of  the  text. 

Since  Malte-Brun’s  time,  arctic  explorations  have 
added  something  to  the  knowledge  of  the  northern 
regions  of  America.  The  expeditions  of  Sir  John 
Franklin,  Sir  John  Ross,  Captains  Beechey,  Clavering, 
Scoresby,  Back,  Sir  Edward  Belcher,  McClure,  Kellett, 
Bellot,  De  Haven,  Dr.  Kane,  and  others,  have  explored 
the  northern  seas  extensively,  but,  it  must  be  confessed, 
without  many  practical  results.  The  attempts  to  dis- 
cover the  north-west  passage,  which  was  the  object  of 
some  of  these  expeditions,  at  last  resulted  more  favor- 
ably than  Malte-Brun  anticipated  ; for  Captain  McClure, 
of  the  British  ship  Investigator,  after  long  struggles 
with  the  ice,  succeeded,  in  1850,  in  sailing  from  Behr- 
ing’s Strait  to  a point  73°  10'  north,  and  117°  10' 
west  longitude,  about  30  miles  from  the  series  of  straits, 
Melville,  Barrow,  and  Lancaster,  which  communicate 
with  Baffin’s  Bay,  leaving  an  extensive  region  at  the 
north.  Obstructed  by  ice,  McClure  left  his  ship,  and 
continued  his  explorations  along  the  shore,  and  discov- 
ered that  there  was  a passage  into  those  straits,  and 
thus  connected  his  explorations  on  the  west  with  those 
of  Parry  on  the  east.  The  passage,  however,  was  ob- 
structed by  ice,  and  impassable  on  that  account.  Sub- 
sequently, McClure  was  reached  by  another  expedi- 
tion, which  had  sailed  up  through  Baffin’s  Bay  as  far 
as  the  ice  would  permit,  and  then  sent  on  a party  by 


APPENDIX. 


682 

sledges.  McClure’s  party  returned  with  this  expedi- 
tion, abandoning  their  ship,  but  verifying  the  north- 
west passage,  though  frozen  and  impassable  for  vessels. 

Dr.  Kane’s  expedition  penetrated  through  Smith’s 
Sound,  which  is  north  of  Lancaster  Sound,  directly 
towards  the  pole  from  Baffin’s  Bay,  and  his  party 
reached,  by  sledge  and  foot  journeys  beyond  his  vessel, 
latitude  81°  22'  north.  At  this  point,  which  was 
reached  by  two  of  the  doctor’s  companions,  an  open 
channel  was  discovered,  extending  into  what  appeared 
to  be  an  open  polar  sea.  Seals  and  bears  were  numer- 
ous, and  a variety  of  birds  were  abundant.  This 
exploration  showed  that  Greenland  was  separated  from 
Grinnell  Land  and  other  land  on  the  west  of  Smith’s 
Sound,  as  Parry’s  and  McClure’s  expeditions  showed 
that  it  was  separated  from  the  continent  of  North 
America ; and  that  the  regions  north  of  Melville  and 
Barrow’s  Straits  are  one  or  more  large  islands,  known 
as  Melville  Land,  Grinnell  Land,  &c. 

Mountains.  — The  mountains  of  North  America 
comprise  two  principal  systems,  the  Rocky  Mountains 
on  the  west,  and  the . Appalachian  Mountains  on  the 
east.  The  Rocky  Mountains  are  a continuation  of  the 
Andes  of  South  America,  and  extend,  under  different 
names,  from  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  In  Central  America  the  mountains  increase 
in  height  as  they  recede  from  the  Isthmus,  and  there 
are,  within  a limited  space,  some  30  volcanoes.  The 
Volcan  d’Agua,  which  emits  water  and  stones  instead 
of  lire,  is  14,450  feet  high.  In  Mexico,  the  same 
mountain  chain,  called  Cordilleras,  spread  into  high 
table  land,  from  Durango  to  Puebla,  from  6,000  to 
9,000  feet  high,  and  from  100  to  300  miles  wide. 
Near  the  tropic  the  chain  divides  into  three,  one 
running  to  the  east,  and  terminating  near  the  coast, 
and  the  other  to  the  west,  and  sinking  in  the  same 
manner.  The  central  chain  runs  north  into  the  ter- 
ritory of  the  United  States,  and  so  on  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  The  highest  peaks  in  this  chain  are  as  fol- 
lows : — 

In  Mexico.  — Popocatapetl,  17,720  feet ; Orizaba, 
17,380  feet,  both  volcanoes, but  the  latter  extinct;  Iztac- 
cihuatl,  15,705  feet;  Nevado  de  Toluca,  15,250  feet. 

In  United  States.  — Fremont’s  Peak,  13,570  feet; 
Long’s  Peak,  13,57*5  feet ; and  Pike’s  Peak,  11,497 
feet. 

In  British  America.  — Mount  Brown,  15,990  feet ; 
Mount  Hooker,  15,700  feet. 

A range,  sometimes  considered  a part  of  the  same 
system,  extends  between  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the 
Pacific  from  the  Russian  Possessions  to  the  peninsula 
of  California,  and  is  called  the  Cascade  Range  and 
Sierra  Nevada.  The  range  widens  into  high  table 
land  in  some  places,  or  branches  into  other  ranges, 
and  is  not  altogether  a well-defined  range  in  the  north- 
ern part.  Mount  St.  Elias,  in  Russian  America,  is 
considered  as  belonging  to  this  range,  and  is  17,900 
feet  high.  Mount  Shaste  and  Mount  Hood,  in  Oregon, 
are  about  14,000  feet  high  ; other  peaks  reach  the 
height  of  10,000  feet.  Another  range,  less  lofty,  ex- 
tends along  the  sea-coast,  called  the  Coast  Range. 

The.  Appalachian  chain,  beginning  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  United  States,  extends  to  Alabama,  at 


a distance  of  100  to  300  miles  from  the  coast.  There 
are  numerous  branches  or  spurs,  and  even  distinct 
ranges,  which  may  properly  be  considered  a part  of  this 
chain,  as  the  Blue  Ridge,  Alleghany  Mountains,  Cum- 
berland Mountains,  &c.  The  highest  peaks  in  the 
range  are  Mount  Clingman,  in  North  Carolina,  6,941 
feet  high,  and  Mount  Mitchell,  in  the  same  state,  6,732 
feet  high.  The  mean  height  is  about  2,400  feet. 

There  are  several  smaller  ranges,  as  the  Adirondack 
Mountains,  in  New  York,  and  the  Green,  in  Vermont 
and  Massachusetts,  which  more  properly  belong  to  the 
Appalachian  range,  the  White  Mountains,  in  New 
Hampshire,  &c.  The  highest  of  these  are  Mount 
Marcy,  of  the  Adirondack,  5,460  feet,  and  Mount  Wash- 
ington, of  the  White,  6,234  feet.  The  Ozark  Mountains, 
in  Arkansas  and  Missouri,  are  a low  range.  The 
Humboldt  River  Mountains,  and  other  short  ranges, 
are  found  between  the  Rocky  and  Cascade  ranges. 
The  Black  Hills  are  a range  running  north-east  from 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  at  about  the  forty-third  par- 
allel. 

Between  the  two  great  systems  of  mountains  lies  the 
great  plain,  extending  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the 
Arctic  regions,  including  the  great  lakes  and  the  mighty 
rivers  of  North  America.  This  plain  is  the  largest  in 
the  world,  except  the  Desert  of  Sahara,  and  it  is  so 
plentifully  watered  that  all  that  lies  south  of  the  Arctic 
regions  is  fertile  and  habitable.  That  portion  south 
of  the  forty-fifth  parallel,  comprising  an  area  of  about 
1,500,000  square  miles,  is  a region  of  almost  unex- 
ampled fertility. 

Between  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  or  Cascade  Mountains,  is  a great  plain,  or 
basin,  which  is  sometimes  called  Fremont’s  Basin, 
which  is  not  abundantly  watered,  and  is  not  fertile, 
except  in  small  portions.  The  greater  part  is  rugged 
and  sterile. 

Lakes.  — North  America  has  some  of  the  largest 
inland  seas,  or  lakes,  on  the  earth,  and  the  chain  of 
great  lakes,  between  British  America  and  the  United 
States,  form  a remarkable  extent  of  inland  navigation. 
The  following  are  the  principal  lakes  : — 

Area  in  Sq.  Miles 


Lake  Superior,  between  Canada  and  U.  S.,  . 32,000 

“ Huron,  “ “ “ “ . 20,400 

“ Erie,  “ “ “ “ . 9,600 

“ Ontario,  “ “ “ “ . 6,300 

“ Michigan,  in  United  States, 22,000 


These  are  connected  with  each  other  by  straits,  or 
channels,  or  artificial  canals,  and  by  means  of  tbe  St. 
Lawrence,  open  the  commerce  of  a vast  region  to  the 
Atlantic.  Other  lakes  are, — 

Length  in  Miles. 


Great  Slave  Lake,  in  British  America,  ....  300 

Great  Bear,  “ “ “ .... 

Winnepeg,  “ “ “ ....  240 

Winnepegoos,  “ “ “ ....  125 

Athabasca,  “ “ “ ....  200 

Champlain,  in  United  States, 126 

Great  Salt,  “ “ 75 

Seneca,  “ “ 40 

Pontchartrain,  “ “ 40 

George,  “ “ 36 


APPENDIX. 


683 


Moosehead,  in  United  States, 40 

Winnepiseogee,  “ “ 23 

Utah,  “ “ 30 

Terminos,  in  Mexico, 70 

Tezcuco,  “ 15 

Nicaragua,  in  Central  America, 90 


There  are  numerous  smaller  sheets  of  water,  espe- 
cially in  the  northern  part  of  the  great  plain  between 
the  Rocky  and  Appalachian  chains. 

Rivers.  — The  rivers  of  North  America  may  be 
divided,  generally,  into  four  classes:  1.  Those  which 
flow  into  Hudson’s  Bay,  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  the 
waters  connected  therewith,  being  all  those  in  British 
America,  north  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  2.  Those  that 
flow  into  the  Atlantic,  mostly  from  the  eastern  side  or 
slope  of  the  Appalachian  chain.  3.  Those  which  flow 
into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  either  directly  or  by  the  Missis- 
sippi. 4.  Those  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  which 
flow  into  the  Pacific.  Besides  these,  there  are  a few 
rivers,  not  very  large  or  important,  which  flow  into  the 
great  lakes,  and  a few  in  the  basin  between  the  Rocky 
and  Cascade  Mountains,  which  flow  into  the  lakes  of 
that  region,  which  have  no  outlet  to  the  ocean. 

The  following  are  the  principal  rivers  in  North 
America : — 


RIVERS  IN  BRITISH  AMERICA. 

Flowing  into  Hudson’s  Bay  and  Arctic  Ocean, — 


Length  in  Miles. 

Length  in  Miles. 

Albany,  . . 

. . 340 

Great  Whale, . 

. 

Athabasca,  . 

. . 550 

Mackenzie’s,  . 

. 900 

Assinniboin, 

Coppermine, 

. . 480 

Nelson,  . . . 

. 300 

. . 250 

Peace,  . . . 

. 1,100 

East  Main, 
Great  Fish, 

. . 400 

Saskatchawan, 

. 1,300 

Flowing  into  the  Atlantic, 

— 

Ottawa,  . . 

. . 600 

Restigouclie,  . 

. 200 

St.  Lawrence, 

. . 770 

St.  Maurice,  . 

. 140 

Saguenay,  . 

. . 100 

St.  John’s, . 

. 320 

Flowing  into  the  Pacific  — 

-Frazer’s. 

RIVERS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Flowing  into  the  Atlantic,  directly  or  indirectly, — 


Length  in  Miles. 

Length  in  Miles. 

Androscoggin,. 

. 140 

Altamalia,  . . 

. 140 

Connecticut,  . 

. 410 

Cape  Fear,  . . 

. 300 

Delaware,  . . 

. 300 

Great  Pedee, 

. 450 

Hudson,  . . 

. 300 

James, 

. 500 

Kennebec,  . . 

. 200 

Merrimac,  . . 

. 110 

Penobscot,  . . 

. 275 

Potomac,  . . 

. 550 

Roanoke,  . . 

. 260 

Schuylkill,  . . 

. 140 

Susquehanna, . 

. 450 

Shenandoah, . . 

. 170 

Savannah,  . . 

. 450 

Flowing  into 

the  Gulf  of 

Mexico,  directly  or 

indi- 

rectly,  — 

Length  in  Miles. 

Length  in  Miles. 

Alabama,  . . 

. 380 

Kansas,  . . . 

1,200 

Arkansas,  . . 

2,000 

Alleghany,  . . 

. 400 

Chattahoochee, 

. 550 

Big  Horn,  . . 

. 400 

Colorado,  . . 

. 600 

Cumberland,  . 

. 600 

Des  Moines, 

. 400 

Canadian,  . . 

. 900 

Great  Kanawha, 

. 400 

Green,  . . . 

. 300 

Iowa, .... 

. 300 

Illinois,  . . . 

. 400 

Kentucky,  . 

. 260 

Minnesota,  . . 

. 450 

Mississippi,  . 

3,160 

Nueces,  . . . 

. 350 

Monongahela, 

. 300 

Osage,  . . . 

. 600 

Missouri,.  . 

3,096 

Red,  .... 

1,200 

Ohio,  . . . 

Platte,  . . 

. 950 
. 800 

a ( including 
{ So.  Fork, 

2,100 

Rio  Grande, 

2,000 

Sabine,  . 

. 300 

Sioux, 

. 300 

St.  Francis, . . 

. 450 

Tombigbee,  . 

. 500 

Tennessee,  . . 

1,200 

Trinity,  . . 

. 450 

White,  . . . 

. 800 

Wisconsin,  . 

. 360 

Wabash, . . .■ 

. 550 

Washita,. 

. 500 

Yellow  Stone,  . 

. 700 

Flowing  into  the  Pacific, 

Length  in  Miles. 

Big  Bfack,  . . . 400 

Length  in  Miles. 

Brazos,  ....  950 

Columbia,  . 

. 750 

Clarke’s, . . . 

. 500 

Green,  . . 

# 

Grand,  . . . 

. 300 

Gila,  . . . 

. 450 

Klamath, 

. 250 

Lewis,  or  Snake, 

. 520 

Rio  Colorado,  . 

. 800 

Sacramento, 

. 

. 370 

San  Joaquin,  . 

. 350 

Humboldt  River  flows  into 

Humboldt  Lake,  . 

. 350 

The  Mississippi  and  Missouri  are  navigable  for  boats 
for  the  distance  of  about  3,900  miles,  measuring  by  the 
stream,  and  their  numerous  tributaries  are  also  nav- 
igable to  a great  extent,  affording  facilities  of  trans- 
portation for  many  thousands  of  miles.  The  area  of 
the  basin  drained  by  the  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries 
is  estimated  to  be  about  1,350,000  square  miles. 

Book  LXXYI. 

RUSSIAN  AMERICA. 

Area,  about  450,000  square  miles  ; population,  esti- 
mated at  61,000.  The  inhabitants  are  chiefly  Indians 
and  Esquimaux,  and  the  Russian  Possession  is  but 
little  else  than  a fur-trading  establishment. 

The  chief  town  is  Sitka,  or  New  Archangel. 

Book  LXXYII. 

DANISH  AMERICA 

Consists  of  Greenland  and  Iceland,  neither  of  which 
belongs  to  the  American  continent,  though  usually  in- 
cluded under  the  name. 

Greenland.  — The  area  of  this  country  is  unknown. 
Its  climate  and  rugged  soil  has  prevented  any  exten- 
sive settlement.  The  Danish  settlements  are  mostly 
on  the  west  coast,  and  of  these  Upernavik  is  the  north- 
ernmost. The  population,  in  1851,  was  9,400,  of 
whom  but  250  were  Europeans. 

Iceland.  — Area,  about  40,000  square  miles;  popu- 
lation, in  1851,  60,000. 

Chief  towns,  Reykjavik,  the  capital,  population,  900, 
and  Skalholt. 

Spitzbergen , which,  in  the  text,  is  considered  as 
belonging  to  America,  is  now  classed  with  European 
islands,  and  is  claimed  by  Russia. 

Books  LXXYII.,  LXXYIII. 

BRITISH  AMERICA. 

Hudson's  Bay  Territory. — Area,  2,190,000  square 
miles  ; population,  180,000.  This  territory  is  usually 


APPENDIX. 


684 

considered  as  comprising  all  the  territory  of  North 
America  north  of  Canada  and  the  United  States, 
except  the  Russian  territory  in  the  north-west,  and 
extending  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Oceans,  and 
is  bounded  by  the  Arctic  Ocean  on  the  north.  Labra- 
dor, which  is  attached  to  the  colony  of  Newfoundland, 
forms  its  eastern  limit.  There  are  no  settlements  in 
the  northern  and  eastern  parts,  except  the  fur-trading 
posts.  West  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  government 
has  now  resumed  control  of  the  territory,  and  the  colony 
of  British  Columbia  is  established  there.  The  fisheries 
on  the  cast  coast  of  Labrador  are  profitable,  and  give 
employment  to  hundreds  of  vessels  from  the  British 
Provinces  and  the  United  States. 

BRITISH  COLUMBIA. 

This  colony  was  established  in  1858,  the  British  gov- 
ernment resuming  the  jurisdiction, which  it  had  granted 
for  a term  to  the  Hudson’s  Bay  Company.  It  extends 
from  the  northern  boundary  of  the  United  States  (49th 
parallel)  to  Simpson’s  River,  about  the  55th  parallel, 
and  from  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Pacific.  Includ- 
ing Queen  Charlotte’s  Island,  which  is  attached  to  the 
colony,  the  area  is  about  200,000  square  miles.  The 
colony  was  established  in  consequence  of  the  discovery 
of  gold,  and  the  great  influx  of  population  occasioned 
thereby. 

The  gold  region,  so  far  as  known,  is  confined  to  a 
portion  of  the  course  of  Fraser  River  and  its  tributa- 
ries. Hostile  Indians  have  prevented  extensive  ex- 
plorations or  mining,  and  the  quantity  of  gold  yet  pro- 
duced is  not  large.  But  it  is  believed  that  rich  placers 
will  be  found  on  the  table  land  between  the  Fraser 
and  Columbia  Rivers,  and  that  rich  auriferous  quartz 
will  be  found  upon  further  exploration.  Gold  has 
been  discovered  in  Queen  Charlotte’s  Island,  but  the 
hostility  of  the  Indians  has  prevented  any  prosecution 
of  mining  there.  It  is  also  said  to  exist  in  Vancouver’s 
Island,  which  lies  west  of  the  southern  part  of  the 
colony,  but,  though  under  the  same  administration,  is 
not  called  a part  of  Columbia.  The  present  organiza- 
tion and  limits  of  the  colony,  it  is  probable,  will  soon 
be  changed. 

Though  far  to  the  north,  the  climate  of  Columbia  is 
not  so  severe  as  it  is  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
much  of  the  soil  is  well  adapted  to  agriculture.  A con- 
siderable portion  is  well  adapted  for  settlements,  and 
wheat,  barley,  potatoes,  &c.,  can  be  grown,  while 
apples  and  some  other  fruits  will  ripen.  There  is  an 
abundance  of  timber,  and  coal  exists  in  extensive  fields. 

The  population  is  uncertain  and  fluctuating.  The 
first  discovery  of  gold  brought  from  twenty  to  thirty 
thousand  immigrants  the  first  year,  but  many  left. 
The  immigration  has  continued,  however,  more  mod- 
erately. 

The  principal  town  is  Victoria,  which  has  grown  up 
suddenly  in  consequence  of  the  gold  discovery. 

CANADA. 

Area,  (estimated,)  357,822  square  miles;  popula- 
tion, 2,506,755. 

Canada  extends  along  the  north  of  the  United 
States  and  the  great  lakes  and  New  Brunswick,  from  j 


Labrador  and  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  to  longitude 
90°  30'  west ; its  extreme  length  is  about  1,300  miles, 
and  its  average  width  is  something  less  than  300  miles. 

Mountains.  — The  surface  of  Canada  is  not  much 
broken  by  hills  and  mountain  ranges,  and  Canada 
West  lias  no  elevations  that  attain  to  the  dignity  of 
mountains,  that  province  being,  for  the  most  part,  of  a 
level  or  gently  undulating  surface,  scarcely  ever  rug- 
ged. In  Canada  East  are  the  Green  Mountains,  (so 
called  from  the  thick  forests  which  cover  them,)  ex- 
tending from  the  vicinity  of  Quebec  to  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  Lawrence,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  fol- 
lowing the  course  of  the  river.  A similar  range  rises 
on  the  north  side  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  These  hills 
sometimes  approach  the  great  river;  and  form  high 
precipices,  overhanging  its  waters.  Farther  north  are 
other  mountains,  as  the  Mealy  Mountains,  about  1,500 
feet  high,  and  generally  covered  with  snow,  and  the 
Wotchish  Mountains. 

Rivers.  — Besides  the  St.  Lawrence,  which  flows 
from  the  great  lakes  through  Canada,  the  principal 
rivers  are  the  Ottawa,  which  divides  the  two  provinces, 
about  750  miles  in  length,  the  Saguenay,  which  runs 
through  the  most  grand  and  beautiful  scenery,  the  St. 
Maurice,  the  Batiscan,  the  Chaudiej’e,  and  St.  Francis. 
There  are  numerous  smaller  rivers,  and  the  country 
is  dotted  over  with  lakes  of  more  or  less  magnitude. 

Canada  was  formerly  divided  into  two  colonies, 
Canada  West,  or  Upper  Canada,  and  Canada  East,  or 
Lower  Canada.  They  are  now  united  under  one 
colonial  government,  though  each  retains  some  of  its 
peculiar  laws  and  customs,  and  the  inhabitants  differ 
in  many  respects. 

Canada  West.  — Area,  147,822,  square  miles;  pop- 
ulation, (1861,)  1,396,091. 

Canada  West  is  rapidly  progressing  in  population  and 
wealth.  It  contains  some  excellent  agricultural  coun- 
try, and  the  facilities  for  commerce  are  excellent.  The 
country  about  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  lakes  is  being 
rapidly  settled. 

Canada  East.  — Area,  210,000  square  miles  ; popu- 
lation, (1861,)  1,110,664. 

This  portion  of  Canada  has  been  longer  settled  than 
the  upper  province,  being  the  territory  which  was 
chiefly  settled  by  the  French  when  the  country  be- 
longed to  France ; but  its  progress  has  not  been  so 
rapid  as  that  of  Canada  West,  and  it  does  not  offer  the 
agricultural  advantages  which  the  latter  possesses. 

In  Canada  West  the  population  is  principally  of 
English  or  Irish  origin,  while  in  Canada  East  a ma- 
jority of  the  people  are  of  French  origin.  Protestant- 
ism predominates  in  the  former,  while  the  Roman 
Catholic  is  the  prevailing  religion  of  the  latter. 

Agriculture  is  the  chief  employment  of  the  pop- 
ulation, and  lumbering  next.  The  forests  yield  vast 
quantities  of  timber.  Ship-building,  also,  is  an  impor- 
tant branch  of  industry.  Of  minerals,  gold  has  been 
found  on  the  Chaudiere  River,  and  more  recently  dis- 
coveries of  it  in  other  places  have  been  reported. 
Copper  is  found  in  the  western  part,  and  abounds 
about  Lakes  Superior  and  Huron,  where  considerable 
quantities  have  been  mined,  and  iron,  of  excellent 
quality,  is  found  in  some  localities,  but  the  mines  yield 


APPENDIX. 


685 


but  a small  proportion  of  the  products  of  the  country. 
In  1857,  the  agricultural  products,  including  animals, 
were  valued  at  about  $10,000,000 ; products  of  the 
forest,  at  about  $11,500,000  ; manufactures,  at  about 
$400,000,  and  products  of  the  mines,  at  about  $280,000. 
There  are  indications  of  coal,  but  no  mines  are  worked. 

Education  is  encouraged,  and  a common  school 
system  is  established,  supported  partly  by  legislative 
grant,  and  partly  by  local  taxation  and  contribution. 
In  1856,  the  amount  expended  for  common  schools  in 
Canada  West  was  about  $1,225,000,  and  in  Canada 
East,  about  $1,000,000. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Ottawa,  the  capital,  (selected  by  the  queen,  to  settle 
the  differences  arising  from  the  claims  of  various  cities,) 
situated  on  the  Ottawa  River,  formerly  called  By-town. 
Population,  14,669. 

Population,  (1861.) 


Montreal,  in  Canada  East, 90,823 

Quebec,  “ “ 51,109 

Three  Rivers,  “ “ 6,058 

Sherbrooke, 5,899 

Toronto,  in  Canada  West, 44,821 

Hamilton,  “ “ 19,096 

Kingston,  “ “ 13,743 

London,  “ “ 11,555 


The  following  is  the  population  of  Canada  by  coun- 
ties, (in  addition  to  the  foregoing  cities,)  according  to 
the  census  of  1861 : — 

CANADA  EAST,  OR  LOWER  CANADA. 


Assumption,  . . 

Population. 

. 17,355 

Maskinonge,  . . 

Population. 

. 14,790 

Argenteuil,  . . 

. 12,897 

Megantic,  . . . 

. 17,889 

Arthabaska,  . . 

. 13,473 

Missisquoi,  . . 

. 18,608 

Bagot,  . . . . 

. 18,841 

Montcalm,  . . . 

. 14,724 

Beauce, . . . . 

. 20,416 

Montmagny,  . 

. 13,386 

Beauharnois,  . . 

. 15,742 
. 16,062 

Montmorency, 

. 11,136 

Bellechasse,  . . 

Napierville,  . . 

. 14,513 

Berthier,  . . . 

. 19,608 

Nicolet,  . . . 

. 21,563 

Bonaventure,  . . 

. 13,092 

Outaouais,  . . . 

. 27,757 

Brome,  . . . . 

Chambly,  . . . 

. 12,732 

Pontiac,  . . . 

. 13,257 

. 13,132 

Portneuf,  . . . 

. 21,291 

Champlain,  . . 

. 20,008 

Quebec, .... 

. 27,893 

Charlevoix,  . . 

. 15,223 

Richelieu,  . 

. 19,070 

Chateauguay,  . . 

. 17,837 

Richmond, . . . 

. 8,884 

Chicoutimi,  . . 

. 10,478 

Rimouski,  . . . 

. 20,854 

Compton,  . . . 

. 10,210 

Rouville,  . . . 

. 18,227 

Dorchester,  . . 

. 16,195 

Saguenay,  . . . 

. 6,101 

Drummond,  . . 

. 12,356 

Shefford,  . . . 

. 17,779  ’ 

Gaspe  and  Madeleine 

Soulanges, . . . 
St.  Hyacinthe,  . 

. 12,221 

Isles, .... 

. 14,077 

. 18,877 

Hochelaga,  . . 

. 16,474 

St.  Jean,  . . . 

. 14,853 

Huntingdon,  . . 

. 17,491 

St.  Maurice,  . 

. 11,100 

Iberville,  . . . 

. 16,891 

Stanstead,  . . . 

. 12,258 

Islet, . . . 

Jacques  Cartier. 
Joliette, . . 
Kamouraska, 
Laprairie,  . 
Laval,  . . 

Levis,  . . 

Lotbini&re, . 


. 12,300 
. 11,218 
. 21,198 
. 21,058 
. 14,475 

. 10,507 
. 22,091 
. 20,018 
Total,  including  cities, . 


Temiscouata, 
Terrebonne, 
Deux-Montagnes, 
Vaudreuil, . 
Vercheres, . 
Wolfe,  . . 

Yamaska,  . 


. 18,561 

. 19,460 
. 18,408 
. 12,282 
. 15,485 
. 6,548 

. 16,045 

1,110,664 


CANADA  WEST,  OR  UPPER  CANADA. 


Brant,  . . 

Population. 

. . . 30,338 

Norfolk,  . . . 

Population. 

. 28,590 

Bruce,  . . 

. . . 27,499 

Northumberland, 

. 40,592 

Carleton,  . 

. . . 29,620 

Ontario,  . . . 

. 41,604 

Dundas, 

. . . 18,777 

Oxford,  .... 

. 46,226 

Durham,  . 

. . . 39,115 

Peel,  .... 

. 27,240 

Elgin,  . . 

. . . 32,050 

Perth,  .... 

. 38,083 

Essex,  . . 

. . . 25,211 

Peterborough, 

. 24,651 

F rontenac, . 

. . . 27,347 

Prescott,  . . . 

. 15,499 

Glengary,  . 

. . . 21,187 

Prince  Edward,  . 

. 20,869. 

Grenville,  . 

. . . 24,191 

Renfrew,  . . . 

. 20,325 

Grey,  . . 

. . . 37,750 

Russell, .... 

. 6,824 

Haldimand, 

. . . 23,708 

Simcoe, .... 

. 44,720 

Ilalton,  . . 

. . . 22,794 

Stormont,  . . 

. 18,129 

Hastings,  . 

. . . 44,970 

Victoria,  . . . 

. 23,039 

Huron,  . . 

. . . 51,954 

. . . 31,183 

Waterloo,  . . . 

. 38.750 

Kent,  . . 

Welland,  . ' . . 

. 24,988 

Lambton,  . 

. . . 24,916 

Wellington,  . . 

. 49,200 

Lanark, 

. . . 31,639 

W entworth,  . . 

. 31,832 

Leeds,  . . 

Lennox  and 

. . . 35,700 

York,  .... 

. 59,674 

Addington, 28, 002 

Algoma,  District, 

. 4,916 

Lincoln, 

. . . 27,625 

Nipissing,  District, 

. 2,094 

Middlesex, . 

. . . 48,736 

Total,  including  cities  before  given,  . 1,396,091 


Railroad  facilities  are  rapidly  multiplying  in  Canada, 
and  there  are  now  upwards  of  2,000  miles  in  operation 
and  under  construction.  These  railroads  open  com- 
munication, not  only  with  the  interior  of  Canada,  but 
with  the  North-Western  States  of  the  Union,  and  con- 
necting with  the  similar  works  in  the  United  States, 
connect  Canada  with  the  Atlantic  at  Portland,  Boston, 
and  New  York.  Similar  communication  with  Halifax, 
Nova  Scotia,  is  in  progress. 

Not  less  important  to  the  interests  of  Canada  are  the 
numerous  canals,  which  greatly  facilitate  commerce. 
The  most  important  of  these  are  the  Rideau  and  Wel- 
land Canals.  The  Rideau  Canal  extends  from  Lake 
Ontario,  at  Kingston,  to  the  Ottawa,  at  Chaudiere,  135 
miles,  and  is  capable  of  receiving  vessels  of  120  tons 
burden.  The  Welland  Canal  connects  Lake  Erie 
with  Lake  Ontario,  around  Niagara  Falls.  It  is  of 
sufficient  capacity  to  float  vessels  of  considerable  size, 
and  some  of  the  largest  lake  steamers  pass  through  it. 
By  means  of  these  canals  vessels  have  passed  from 
the  lake  ports  in  the  Western  States  to  the  Atlantic, 
and  one  or  more  have  sailed  from  Europe  to  Chicago, 
in  Illinois.  The  amount  of  tonnage  which  passes 
through  the  Welland  Canal  is  very  large.  Various 
other  canals  facilitate  navigation  around  the  rapids  of 
the  St.  Lawrence  and  other  rivers. 

NEW  BRUNSWICK. 

Area,  27,700  square  miles;  population,  (1851,) 
193,800. 

New  Brunswick  is  indented  by  numerous  bays,  the 
principal  of  which  is  the  Bay  of  Chaleur,  90  miles  in 
length  and  15  to  30  miles  in  width.  There  are  also 
numerous  rivers  and  creeks,  which  afford  facilities  for 
transportation.  The  soil  in  the  valleys  of  the  rivers  is 
very  fertile,  and  the  country  is  capable  of  great  agri- 
cultural products.  The  quantity  of  land  under  culti- 
vation, in  1851,  was  644,000  acres. 

The  chief  products  of  New  Brunswick  are  from  the 


r 


686  APPENDIX. 


fisheries,  agriculture,  the  forest,  and  mining.  Coal  is 
abundant,  the  coal  fields  occupying  an  extent  of  10,000 
square  miles.  Iron,  copper,  plumbago,  and  manganese 
also  abound. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population. 


Frederickton,  the  capital, 4,500 

St.  Johns, 22,800 

St.  Andrews, 8,000 

Bathurst, 2,000 

Liverpool, 


New  Brunswick  is  divided  into  14  counties.  Inter- 
nal improvements  and  railroad  facilities  are  increasing, 
and  several  important  railroads  are  already  in  opera- 
tion. 

NOVA  SCOTIA. 

Area,  (including  Cape  Breton,)  18,746  square  miles  ; 
population,  (1861,)  580,699. 

Nova  Scotia  is  indented  with  numerous  bays,  and  it 
abounds  in  small  lakes,  while  there  are  also  several 
rivers  navigable  for  some  miles.  The  most  remarka- 
ble bay  is  Mines  Bay,  the  eastern  arm  of  the  Bay  of' 
Fundy,  penetrating  60  miles  inland.  The  tides  rush 
into  these  bays  with  great  impetuosity,  and  in  Mines 
Bay  it  sometimes  rises  from  50  to  70  feet. 

Agriculture  flourishes,  though  a considerable  portion 
of  the  soil  is  not  fertile.  In  1851  there  were  about 
540,000  acres  under  cultivation,  40,000  acres  of  which 
was  diked  land.  The  chief  mineral  product  is  coal, 
excellent  bituminous  coal  abounding  in  several  parts 
of  the  province.  In  1850,  the  quantity  of  coal  pro- 
duced was  about  115,000  chaldrons,  and  the  quantity 
has  gradually  increased.  Iron  ore  of  excellent  quality 
is  also  abundant.  Native  copper  and  silver  are  also 
found  in  the  mountains  of  the  northern  part.  Large 
quantities  of  gypsum  are  also  found. 

Gold  has  been  found  recently  (1861)  in  Nova  Scotia. 
The  first  discoveries  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  Tan- 
gier. The  following  is  from  the  report  of  Mr.  Howe, 
the  Provincial  Secretary  : — 

“ The  Tangier  River  is  a stream  of  no  great  magni- 
tude, taking  its  rise  not  very  far  from  the  sources  of  the 
Musquodoboit,  flowing  through  a chain  of  lakes,  which 
drain,  for  many  miles  on  either  side,  a rugged  and 
wilderness  country,  and  falling  into  the  Atlantic  about 
40  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Halifax.  In  this  region 
from  600  to  800  persons  have  been  employed  the  pres- 
ent summer. 

“ The  lowest  depth  yet  reached  is  45  feet,  and  the 
largest  nugget  found  is  valued  at  $300.  The  gold  is 
got  in  quartz  veins,  running  through  slate  or  earth, 
resting  upon  granite,  in  the  form  of  scales,  jagged  and 
torn  bits,  like  shot  or  bullets  fired  against  a wall.  It  is 
sometimes  globular,  but  seldom  completely  round. 
The  veins  run  east  and  west. 

“In  June,  gold  was  discovered  in  the  county  of 
Lunenburg,  about  60  miles  to  the  westward  of  Halifax. 
A peninsula,  which  forms  the  western  side  of  Lunen- 
burg harbor,  and  which  stretches  from  the  shire  town 
of  that  name  for  five  miles  into  the  Atlantic,  termi- 
nates in  a bluff  promontory  about  40  feet  high,  with  ; 
steep  cliffs  on  the  eastern  side,  but  on  the  western  ! 


sloping  down  to  a stretch  of  level  land  with  another 
bay  beyond. 

“ The  quartz  veins  run  in  all  directions  through  the 
promontory,  and  are  visible  to  the  naked  eye  without 
labor.” 

Gold  has  also  been  discovered  in  other  places,  though 
but  little  that  is  tangible  in  regard  to  the  product  is 
given  to  us. 

Nova  Scotia  is  divided  in  18  counties.  The  chief 
towns  are, — 

Population,  (1851.)  Population,  (1851.) 

Halifax,  capital,  26,000  Annapolis,  . . 1,200 

Pictou,  . . . 2,000  Aricliat,  . . . 1,200 

Antigonisli,  . . 1,500 

Pictou,  Windsor,  Digby,  and  Sidney,  population  each 
about  1,000. 

Cape  Breton , an  island  north-east  of  Nova  Scotia, 
forms  a part  of  the  province.  Area,  3,122  square 
miles  ; population,  about  55,000.  Sidney  and  Aricliat 
are  on  the  island. 

ISLAND  OF  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

Area,  57,000  square  miles;  population,  (1851,) 
101,600. 

The  climate  and  soil  of  Newfoundland  are  not 
favorable  to  agriculture,  and  the  chief  employment 
of  the  inhabitants  is  in  the  fisheries.  Large  quantities 
of  fish  and  of  seal  skins  are  exported. 

Chief  town,  St.  John’s  ; population,  (1852,)  21,000. 

Trinity  Bay,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  island,  is 
the  place  of  the  western  terminus  of  the  Atlantic  tele- 
graph cable,  by  which  communication  was  had  for  a 
short  time  with  Europe,  by  way  of  Ireland,  from  which 
this  part  of  the  island  is  about  1,650  miles  distant. 

PRINCE  EDWARD’S  ISLAND. 

Area,  2,100  square  miles ; population,  (1854,)  90,- 

000. 

This  island,  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  east  of  New 
Brunswick  and  north  of  Nova  Scotia,  has  a climate 
milder  than  that  of  the  main  land,  and  the  soil  is  ex- 
cellent, rendering  it  a fine  agricultural  country.  It  has 
no  valuable  minerals.  It  is  sometimes  considered  as  a 
dependency  of  Canada,  but  has  a separate  government. 
The  principal  town  is  Charlottetown,  the  capital ; popu- 
lation, 4,800. 

OTHER  BRITISH  NORTH  AMERICAN  ISLANDS. 

Anticosti , a desert  island,  at  the  mouth  of  the  St. 
Lawrence.  Area,  2,600  square  miles. 

Magdalen  Isles,  a chain  of  small  islands  in  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence.  Population,  2,000. 

Bermuda  Isles.  About  300  small  islands,  containing 
an  area  of  about  20  square  miles,  situated  in  the  At- 
lantic Ocean,  600  miles  east  of  South  Carolina. 
Many  of  the  islands  are  not  habitable.  Others  produce 
fruits  and  vegetables,  of  both  tropical  and  temperate 
regions,  in  abundance. 

Vancouver' s Island,  west  of  British  Columbia,  in 
the  Pacific,  contains  an  area  of  16,000  square  miles. 
It  has  some  small  settlements,  and  from  its  position 
and  natural  advantages  will  grow  with  that  new 
I colony. 


APPENDIX. 


Books  LXXIX.  — LXXXII. 

THE  UNITED  STATES. 

The  United  States  comprise  the  central  portion  of 
North  America,  extending  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to 
the  Pacific,  and  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  great 
lakes,  or  from  latitude  24°  30'  to  latitude  49°.  The 
average  length  of  the  territory,  from  east  to  west,  is 
about  2,400  miles,  and  the  average  breadth,  from  north 
to  south,  is  1,300  miles.  The  greatest  length  is  2,700 
miles,  and  greatest  breadth  1,600  miles.  The  area 
is  2,936,166  square  miles.  All  this  territory  lies 
within  the  temperate  zone,  and  has  a variety  of  cli- 
mate, from  the  almost  tropical  heat  of  the  southern 
portion,  to  the  more  rigorous  but  not  unpropitious  cli- 
mate of  the  north.  It  is  greatly  diversified  in  its  sur- 
face, and  affords  a great  variety  of  soil. 

Topographically,  the  territory  of  the  United  States 
is  divided,  by  the  Appalachian  chain  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  into  three  grand  sections,  viz.,  the  Atlantic 
slope,  the  Pacific  slope,  and  the  Mississippi  valley. 
The  Atlantic  slope,  lying  between  the  Appalachian 
chain  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  extends  from  Maine  to 
Alabama,  and  varies  from  75  to  nearly  300  miles  in 
width.  The  Pacific  slope,  lying  between  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  the  Pacific  Ocean,  extends  through  the 
whole  territory  from  north  to  south,  and  is  from  600 
to  1,000  miles  in  breadth.  This  slope  is,  however, 
broken  and  divided  by  several  mountain  ranges,  as  the 
Coast  Range,  and  the  chain  called  Sierra  Nevada,  in 
California,  and  Cascade  Mountains,  in  Oregon  and 
Washington  Territory.  The  Mississippi  valley  com- 
prises all  the  vast  territory  lying  between  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  the  Appalachian  chain,  which  is  drained 
chiefly  by  the  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries,  and  extends 
through  18  degrees  of  latitude,  and  from  800  to  1,600 
miles  in  breadth.  On  the  north,  this  section  rises  to  a 
table  land,  of  an  average  elevation  of  about  1,500  feet 
above  the  sea,  varying  from  800  to  1,900  feet.  From 
this  table  land  the  waters  flow,  in  various  directions, 
towards  the  Great  Lakes  and  Hudson’s  Bay,  but  chiefly 
towards  the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi.  In  some 
parts  of  the  great  valley  are  chains  of  low  mountains 
and  ridges,  sufficient  to  diversify  the  surface,  but  not 
dividing  it  into  distinct  topographical  sections.  To- 
wards the  west,  the  valley  rises  almost  imperceptibly 
towards  the  Rocky  Mountains,  at  the  base  of  which 
it  is  about  7,500  feet  above  the  sea.  The  southern 
portion  of  the  valley  is  low,  and  towards  the  Gulf  it  is 
for  the  most  part  a vast  swamp  or  marsh. 

Mountains.  — The  Rocky  Mountains  form  the  most 
extensive  range  in  the  United  States,  extending  through 
the  country,  from  north  to  south.  Near  the  Pacific 
coast  is  a chain  of  mountains  stretching  from  the 
Straits  of  J uan  de  Fuca  to  about  the  34th  degree  of 
north  latitude,  where  it  joins  the  Sierra  Nevada,  in 
the  south  part  of  California.  As  a range,  they  run 
parallel  to  the  Pacific.  East  of  this  is  a lofty  chain, 
bearing  the  name  of  the  Cascade  Range,  in  Washington 
and  Oregon  Territories,  and  Sierra  Nevada,  in  Califor- 
nia. The  greatest  ascertained  heights  in  the  United 
States  are  in  this  chain.  Mount  Shaste,  Mount  St. 


687 

Helen’s,  Mount  Hood,  and  Mount  Rainier  rise  to  heights 
varying  from  12,000  to  14,000  feet.  This  chain  extends 
from  Russian  America  to  the  southern  extremity  of 
Old  California,  at  an  average  distance  from  the  sea 
of  100  to  150  miles,  and  has  a mean  elevation  of  5,000 
or  6,000  feet.  Between  the  Cascade  and  Rocky  Moun- 
tains are  several  groups,  called  Blue,  Humboldt,  and 
Wahsatch  Mountains.  The  Rocky  Mountains  also  run 
parallel  to  the  Pacific,  at  distances  varying  from  450 
to  850  miles,  within  the  territory  of  the  United  States, 
arid  attain,  in  Fremont’s  Peak,  (the  highest  known 
summit,)  an  elevation  of  13,570  feet.  The  great 
Appalachian  range  extends,  with  some  breaks,  from 
Maine  to  Alabama.  This  is  not  a high  range,  though 
Mount  Katahdin  in  Maine,  Mount  Washington  in 
New  Hampshire,  Mount  Mansfield  in  Vermont,  and 
Mount  Marcy  in  New  York,  reach  severally  the 
heights  of  5,000,  6,234,  4,280,  and  5,460  feet.  South 
of  New  York,  this  range  and  its.,  outlying  ridges  are 
mostly  within  an  elevation  of  2,000  feet,  though  the 
peaks  of  Otter  and  White  Top,  in  the  southern  part 
of  Virginia,  and  Black  Mountain,  or  Mount  Mitchel, 
in  North  Carolina,  (the  highest  land  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi) rise  from  4,000  to  6,476  feet,  but  in  no  case  do 
the  summits  reach  the  line  of  perpetual  snow. 

Rivers.  — Through  the  middle  of  the  territory  of 
the  United  States,  from  the  summit  of  the  great  table- 
land of  Minnesota,  runs  the  Mississippi  for  3,000  miles, 
“like  the  trunk  of  a vast  tree,  with  its  roots  in  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  and  its  branches  extending  east  to  the  Alle- 
ghanies,  and  west  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  receiving 
the  tributes,  of  perhaps,  100  important  affluents,”  some 
of  which,  such  as  the  Missouri,  Arkansas,  and  Red 
Rivers  (including  South  Fork)  from  the  west,  and  the 
Ohio  from  the  east,  are  streams  of  the  first  class  in 
point  of  magnitude  and  volume  of  water. 

These  rivers  are  severally,  in  the  order  named,  about 
2,900,  2,000,  2,000,  and  1,000  miles  in  length,  and 
many  of  the  secondary  tributaries  have  courses  of  from 
300  to  1,000  miles.  The  country  drained  by  the  Mis- 
sissippi reaches  from  Western  New  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania on  the  east,  to  the  summits  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains on  the  west,  and  from  the  49th  parallel  of  north 
latitude  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  rivers  of  the 
Alleghany  slope  of  the  most  importance,  are,  beginning 
in  Maine,  the  Penobscot,  Kennebec,  Connecticut,  Hud- 
son, Delaware,  Susquehanna,  Potomac,  Chowan,  Roan- 
oke, Pamlico,  or  Tar  River,  Neuse,  Cape  Fear,  Great 
Pedee,  Santee,  Savannah,  and  Altamaha.  These  are 
rivers  of  at  least  300,  and  some  600,  miles  in  length, 
and  are  more  or  less  navigable,  some  for  vessels  of  the 
largest  class  100  miles  or  more,  all  of  them  flowing 
directly  into  the  Atlantic,  or  into  bays  opening  into 
that  ocean.  The  southern  slope,  towards  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  has  also  several  large  rivers,  independent 
of  the  Mississippi,  as  the  Appalachicola  and  Mobile, 
with  their  large  tributaries  on  the  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  the  Sabine,  Trinity,  Brazos,  Colorado, 
and  Rio  Grande  del  Norte,  west  of  that  river.  These 
streams  vary  in  length,  including  their  main  affluents, 
from  300  to  1,800  miles,  and  are  navigable  by  steam- 
boats from  100  to  nearly  500  miles.  The  Rio  Grande 
forms  the  boundary  between  Texas  and  Mexico. 


APPENDIX. 


688 


The  Pacific  slope  has  but  one  great  river  flowing 
through  the  Cascade  Mountains  into  the  ocean.  This 
is  the  Columbia,  a river  of  1,500  miles  in  length,  and 
with  several  important  affluents  from  300  to  . 800 
miles  in  length.  There  is  but  one  other  great  open- 
ing into  the  territoi'y  of  the  United  States  from  the 
Pacific,  viz.,  the  channel,  or  strait,  from  one  to  two 
miles  in  width,  leading  into  the  Bay  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, which  receives  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin 
Rivers,  each  about  300  miles  in  length.  The  Colorado 
of  the  West,  entering  the  Gulf  of  California,  drains 
the  eastern  and  south-eastern  portions  of  the  great 
basin  between  the  Rocky  and  Sierra  Nevada  Moun- 
tains. 

Lakes.  — The  whole  of  the  United  States,  north  of 
the  42d  parallel  of  latitude,  is  dotted  over  with  sheets 
of  water,  from  a few  miles  circuit,  to  those  inland  seas 
which  separate  British  America  from  the  United 
States.  There  are  five  of  these,  viz.,  Lakes  On- 
tario, Erie,  Huron,  Superior,  and  Michigan,  the  latter 
only  being  wholly  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States. 
These  vast  lakes  are  navigated  by  steamers  of  the 
highest  tonnage,  and  by  sailing  vessels  of  large  capa- 
city, affording  a continuous  navigation  of  1,100  miles, 
and,  by  aid  of  the  Welland  Canal  around  the  Falls  of 
Niagara,  and  that  around  the  Saut  St.  Mary,  (recently 
completed,)  furnish  an  inland  ship  navigation  of  1,600 
miles.  These  lakes  cover  areas  of  from  6,300  to  32,000 
square  miles  each,  or  a total  of  90,000  square  miles. 

The  United  States  consist  of  thirty-four  States, 
composing  the  Federal  Union,  to  which  belong  the 
outlying  territories,  not  yet  formed  into  states,  but 
organized  as  seven  territories,  and  the  Distinct  of  Co- 
lumbia. The  limits  of  this  Appendix  will  not  admit  of 
a detailed  account  of  eacli  State,  but  statistics  of  the 
more  important  subjects  will  be  found  succinctly  given 
in  the  following  tables. 

According  to  geographical  situation,  the  States  are 
usually  arranged  as  follows  : — 


NEW  ENGLAND, 

, OR  EASTERN 

STATES. 

Area  in 

Total 

Pop. to 

No.  of 

Sq.  Miles. 

Population. 

Sq.  Mile. 

Counties. 

Maine,  . . . 

30,000 

628,279 

326,073 

20.94 

16 

New  Hampshire, 

9,280 

35,14 

10 

Vermont,  . . 
Massachusetts, . 

9,056 

315,098 

34.79 

14 

7,800 

1,306 

1,231,066 

157,83 

14 

Rhode  Island,  . 

174,620 

133.71 

5 

Connecticut, 

4,674 

460,147 

98.45 

8 

NORTHERN, 

OR  MIDDLE  STATES. 

New  York, . . 

46,000 

3,880,735 

84.36 

60 

New  Jersey,  . 

8,320 

672,035 

80.77 

21 

Pennsylvania,  . 

46,000 

2,906,115 

63.18 

65 

Delaware,  . . 

2,120 

112,216 

52.93 

3 

SOUTHERN  STATES. 

Maryland,  . . 

9,356 

687,049 

73.43 

22 

Virginia,  . . 

North  Carolina, 

61,352 

1,596,318 

26.02 

148 

45,000 

992,622 

22.06 

87 

South  Carolina, 

24,500 

703,708 

28.72 

30 

Georgia, . . . 

58,000 

1,057,286 

18.23 

137 

Florida,  . . . 

59,268 

140,425 

2.37 

37 

Alabama,  . . 

50,722 

964,201 

19.01 

52 

Area  in 
Sq.  Miles. 

Total 

Population. 

Pop.  to 
Sq.  Mile. 

No.  of 
Counties. 

Mississippi, . 

. 47,156 

791,305 

708,002 

16.78 

60 

Louisiana,  . 

. 46,431 

15.25 

48 

Texas,  . . 

. 237,321 

604,215 

2.55 

151 

WESTERN  STATES. 

Ohio,  . . . 

. 39,964 
. 33,809 

2,339,502 

58.54 

88 

Indiana,  . . 

1,350,428 

39.93 

72 

Illinois,  . 

. 55,405 

1,711,951 

30.90 

103 

Michigan,  . 

. 56,243 

749,113 

13.32 

62 

Wisconsin,  . 

. 53,924 

775,881 

14.39 

58 

Iowa,  . . 

. 55,045 

674,948 

12.26 

99 

Minnesota,  . 

. 83,531 

173,855 

2.08 

64 

Kansas,  . . 

. uncertain 

107,206 

• • • 

41 

Kentucky,  . 

. 37,680 

1,155,684 

30.67 

109 

Tennessee,  . 

. 45,600 

1,109,801 

24.34 

84 

Missouri, 

. 67,380 

1,182,012 

17.54 

113 

Arkansas,  . 

. 52,198 

435,450 

8.34 

54 

PACIFIC 

STATES. 

California,  . 

. 188,982 

379,994 

2.01 

44 

Oregon,  . . 

. 95,274 

52,465 

.55 

19 

Principal  cities  and  towns,  and  population.  Capital 
cities  in  Italics. 


MAINE. 

Population. 


Avgusta , on  the  Kennebec  River,  ....  7,609 

Portland,  (chief  seaport,)  on  Casco  Bay,  . . 26,341 

Bangor,  on  the  Penobscot  River, 16,407 

Bath,  on  the  Kennebec, 8,076 

Eastport,  on  Passamaquoddy  Bay,  .... 

NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

Concord , on  the  Merrimack, 12,000 

Manchester,  manufacturing  town,  on  the  Mer- 
rimack,   20,109 

Portsmouth,  only  seaport,  on  the  Piscataqua,  . 9,335 

Dover,  manufacturing  town,  on  the  Cocheco,  . 8,502 

Nashua,  “ “ on  Merrimack,  . 10,065 

VERMONT. 

Montpelier , 2,411 

Burlington,  on  Lake  Champlain, 7,714 

Brattleboro’,  on  the  Connecticut, 3,855 

Windsor,  “ “ 1,669 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

Boston , on  Massachusetts  Bay,  ....  177,818 

Cambridge, a near  Boston, 26,060 

Charlestown,®  “ “ 25,063 

Chelsea,®  “ “ 13,395 

Roxbury,®  “ “ 25,137 

Lowell,  manufacturing,  on  the  Merrimack,  . 36,827 
Lawrence,  “ “ “ . 17,639 

Lynn,  shoe  manufacturing,  near  Salem,  . . 19,083 

Newburyport,  commercial  and  manufacturing, 

near  the  mouth  of  the  Merrimack,  . . . 13,401 

Salem,  commercial,  on  Massachusetts  Bay, . . 22,252 

Worcester,  in  the  central  part, 24,960 

Springfield,  on  the  Connecticut, 15,199 


a These  four  cities  (Cambridge,  Charlestown,  Chelsea,  and  Rox- 
bury) might  properly  be  considered  a part  of  Boston,  with  which 
they  are  joined  (except  Chelsea)  as  closely  as  if  they  were  but  one 
continuous  city.  The  combined  population  would  be  267,467. 


J 


APPENDIX. 


Population. 

New  Bedford,  commercial, 22,300 

Fall  River,  “ and  manufacturing,  14,026 

Taunton,  manufacturing, 15,376 

Fitchburg,  “ 7,805 

Dorchester,  near  Boston, 9,761 

Gloucester, 10,904 


Providence , 
Newport , 


RHODE  ISLAND. 

Bristol, 


50,666 

10,508 


5,271 


CONNECTICUT. 


Hartford , . . 

29,154 

Norwich, 

. 14,048 

New  Haven , . 

39,267 

New  London, 

. 10,115 

Bridgeport,  . . 

13,299 

Middletown, 

. 5,182 

NEW  YORK. 

V 

Albany , . . . 

62,367 

Oswego,  . . 

. 16,816 

New  York,  . 

305,651 

Poughkeepsie, 

. 14,726 

Brooklyn,  . 266,661 

Rochester,  . 

. 48,204 

Buffalo,  . . . 

81,129 

Rome,  . . 

. 6,246 

Elmira,  . . . 

8,682 

Schenectady, 

. 9,579 

Kingston,  . . 

16,640 

Syracuse,  . 

. 28,119 

Lockport,  . . 

13,523 

Troy, . . . 

. 39,232 

Newburg,  . 

15,196 

Utica,  . . 

. 22,529 

Ogdensburg, 

7,409 

NEW 

JERSEY. 

Trenton , . . . 

17,228 

Newark,  . . 

. 71,914 

Camden, . . . 

14,358 

New  Brunswick,  11,256 

Jersey  City, 

29,226 

Patterson,  . 

. 19,588 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

Harrisburg , 

13,405 

Lancaster,  . 

. 17,603 

Alleghany,  . . 

28,702 

Philadelphia, 

562,529 

Carbondale, . . 

5,575 

Pittsburg,  . 

. 49,217 

Chambersburg, 

5,255 

Pottsville,  . 

. 9,444 

Easton,  . . . 

8,944 

Reading, . . 

. 23,161 

DELAWARE. 

Dover,  . . . 

1,289 

Wilmington, 

. 13,979 

Milford,  . . . 

1,179 

MARYLAND. 

Annapolis,  . . 

4,529 

Hagerstown* 

. 3,879 

Baltimore,  . 212,418 

Havre  de  Grace 

!,*  1,335 

Frederick  City, 

8,143 

Williamsport,* 

. 1,091 

VIRGINIA. 

Richmond,  . . 

37,910 

Norfolk,  . . 

. 15,611 

Alexandria, . . 

12,652 

Petersburg, . 

. 18,266 

Fredericksburg, 

5,022 

Portsmouth, 

. 9,502 

Harper’s  Ferry, 

1,339 

Wheeling,  . 

. 14,083 

Lynchburg, . . 

6,853 

Winchester, 

. 4,392 

Leesburg,*  . . 

1,691 

NORTH 

CAROLINA. 

Raleigh, . 

4,780 

Newbern,  . 

. 5,432 

Beaufort,  . . 

1,610 

Wilmington, 

. 9,552 

Fayetteville, 

4,790 

Washington,* 

. 2,015 

Goldsborough,  . 

885 

SOUTH 

CAROLINA. 

Columbia,  . . 

8,059 

Charleston,  . 

. 40,578 

Beaufort,*  . . 

Camden,.  . 

. 1,621 

VOL.  III.— NO.  63 

87 

* Not  returned.  The  popi 

Milledgeville , 
Atlanta,  . . 

Augusta, 
Athens,  . . 

Tallahassee , 
Key  West,  . 

Montgomery , 
Huntsville,  . 
Mobile,  . . 

Jackson , . 
Aberdeen,*  . 
Bolivar,* . . 

Columbus,  . 


Baton  Rouge , 
New  Orleans, 
Carrollton,* 

Austin , . . 

Brownsville, 
Galveston,  . 


Columbus , 

Cincinnati, 

Cleveland, 

Dayton,  . 

Hamilton, 

Newark,  . 

Piqua, 


Indianapolis,  . 
Cannelton,  . . 

Evansville,  . . 

La  Fayette,  . . 

Lawrenceburg, . 

Springfield , . . 

Chicago, . . 

Alton,  . . . 

Bloomington,  . 
Galena,  . . . 

Lansing , . . 

Adrian,  . . . 

Ann  Arbor, . . 

Detroit,  . . . 


Madison , 
Beloit,  . . 

Fond  du  Lac, 
Milwaukie,  . 


The  population  given  is  that  of  1850. 


689 

GEORGIA. 

Population. 

Population. 

2,480 

Columbus,  . 

. 9,621 

9,554 

Macon,  . . 

. 8,247 

12,493 

Rome,  . . 

. 4,010 

3,848 

Savannah,  . 

. 22,292 

FLORIDA. 

1,932 

Pensacola,  . 

. 2,876 

2,832 

St.  Augustine, 

. 1,914 

ALABAMA. 

35,902 

Tuscaloosa,  . 

. 3,989 

3,634 

Wetumpka,* 

• 

29,258 

MISSISSIPPI. 

3,199 

Holly  Springs, 

. 2,987 

Natchez, . . 

. 6,612 

Vicksburg,  . 

. 4,591 

3,308 

LOUISIANA. 

5,428 

Natchitoches,* 

. 1,261 

168,675 

Opelousas,*  . 

• 

1,470 

Shreveport,  . 

. 1,728 

TEXAS. 

3,494 

Houston, 

. 4,845 

2,734 

Matagorda,*. 

• 

7,307 

San  Antonio, 

. 8,235 

OHIO. 

18,554 

Portsmouth, 

. 6,268 

161,044 

Sandusky,  . 

. 8,408 

43,417 

Steubenville, 

. 6,154 

20,081 

Springfield,  . 

. 7,002 

7,223 

Toledo,  . . 

. 13,768 

4,675 

Zanesville,  . 

. 9,229 

4,616 

Xenia,  . . 

. 4,658 

INDIANA. 

18,611 

Madison, 

. 8,130 

2,155 

New  Albany, 

. 12,647 

11,484 

Richmond,  . 

. 6,603 

9.387 

Terre  Haute, 

. 8,594 

3,599 

ILLINOIS. 

9,320 

Joliet,  . . 

. 7,104 

109,260 

Peoria,  . . 

. 14,045 

7,338 

Quincy,  . 

. 13,632 

7,075 

Rockford,  . 

. 6,979 

8,193 

Rock  Island, 

. 5,130 

MICHIGAN. 

3,074 

Grand  Rapids, 

. 8,085 

6,213 

Kalamazoo,  . 

. 6,070 

4,483 

Pontiac,  . . 

. 2,575 

45,619 

Ypsilanti,  . 

. 3,955 

WISCONSIN. 

6,611 

Mineral  Point, 

. 2,389 

4,098 

Racine,  . 

. 7,822 

5,450 

Sheboygan, . 

. 4,262 

45,246 

Watertown,. 

. 5,302 

690  APPENDIX. 


IOWA 

Population. 

Population 

Population. 

Population. 

Memphis,  . . 

22,623 

Shelbyville, 

. 1,615 

Iowa  City , . 

5,214 

Davenport,  . 

. 11,267 

Murfreesboro’,  . 

2,861 

Burlington, . . 

6,706 

Fort  Madison, 

. 1,886 

MISSOURI. 

Des  Moines, 
Dubuque,  . . 

3,965 

13,000 

Keokuk, . . 

Muscatine,  . 

. 29,226 
. 5,324 

Jefferson  City,  . 
Booneville,  . . 

3,082 

2,596 

Lexington,  . 
St.  Louis,  . 

. 4,122 
160,773 

MINNESOTA. 

Hannibal,  . . 

6,505 

Weston,  . . 

. 1,816 

St.  Paul,.  . . 

10,401 

Stillwater,  . 

. .2,380 

Independence,  . 

3,164 

Fort  Snelling,* . 

ARKANSAS. 

KANSAS. 

Lawrence,  . 

1,645 

Leavenworth, 

. 7,429 

Little  Rock, 

3,727 

Fort  Smith, . 

. 1,530 

Lecompton, . 

917 

Batesville,  . . 

Helena,* . . . 

670 

Van  Buren,. 

969 

KENTUCKY. 

Frankfort , . . 

3,702 

Lexington,  . 

. 9,321 

CALIFORNIA. 

Bowling  Green,* 

Louisville,  . 

. 68,033 

Sacramento  City, 

13,785 

San  Francisco, 

. 56,802 

Covington,  . . 

16,471 

Maysville,  . 

. 4,106 

Benicia,  . . . 

1,470 

Sonora,* . . 

Danville,  . . 

4,962 

Newport, 

. 10,046 

Marysville,  . . 

4,740 

Stockton,*  . 

Hickman,  . . 

1,006 

Paducah, 

. 4,590 

Placerville,  . . 

1,754 

TENNESSEE. 

OREGON. 

Nashville,  . . 

16,988 

Clarksville,* 

Oregon  City,  . 

889 

Salem,*  . . 

Chattanooga,*  . 

Knoxville,  . 

. 2,076 

Portland,*  . . 

Population  of  the  States  and  Territories , 8fc.  — 1860. 


STATES. 

Census  of  1860. 

Census  of 
1850. 

Ratio  of  In- 
crease from 
1850  to  1860. 

Representative 

Population. 

Representation  under  the  Ap- 
portionment. 

Representation 
as  increased  by 
the  Law  of 
March  4, 1862,  in 
38th  Congresa. 

White. 

Free  Colored. 

Slave. 

Total. 

In  the  39th 
Congress. 

Loss. 

Gain. 

526,431 

2,690 

435,080 

964,201 

771,623 

24.96 

790,169 

6 

i 

6 

324,191 

144 

111,115 

435,450 

209,897 

107.46 

391,004 

3 

i 

3 

14,555f 

California,  . . . 

361,353 

4,086 

365,439 

92,597 

310.37 

365,439 

3 

i 

3 

Connecticut,  . . . 

451,520 

8,627 

460,147 

370,792 

24.10 

460,147 

4 

4 

90,589 

19,829 

1,798 

112,216 

91,532 

22.60 

111,496 

1 

1 

Florida,  .... 

77,748 

932 

61,745 

140,425 

87,445 

60.59 

115,727 

1 

1 

591,588 

3,500 

462,198 

1,057,286 

906,185 

16.67 

872,406 

7 

i 

7 

Illinois,  .... 

1,704,323 

7,628 

1,711,951 

851,470 

191.06 

1,711,951 

13 

4 

14 

1,339,000 

11,428 

1,350,428 

988,416 

36.63 

1,350,428 

11 

11 

673,844 

1,069 

674,913 

192,214 

251.14 

674,913 

5 

3 

6 

Kansas,  .... 

106,579 

625 

2 

107.206 

107,206 

1 

1 

Kentucky, .... 

919,517 

10,684 

225,483 

1,155,684 

982,405 

17.64 

1,065,490 

8 

2 

9 

Louisiana,  . . . 

357,629 

18,647 

331,726 

708,002 

517,762 

36.74 

575,311 

5 

... 

1 

5 

626,952 

1,327 

628,279 

583,169 

7.74 

628,279 

5 

1 

5 

Maryland,  .... 

515,918 

83,942 

87,189 

687,049 

583,034 

17.84 

652,173 

5 

1 

5 

Massachusetts,  . . 

1,221,464 

9,602 

• . • 

1,231,066 

994,514 

23.79 

1,231,066 

10 

1 

10 

Michisan 

742,314 

6,799 

. . . 

749,113 

397,654 

88.38 

749,113 

6 

. . 

2 

6 

Minnesota,  . . . 

171,864 

259 

172,123 

6,077 

2,760.87 

172,123 

1 

1 

2 

Mississippi,  . . . 

353,901 

773 

436,631 

791,305 

606,526 

30.47 

616,652 

5 

5 

Missouri,  .... 

1,063,509 

3,572 

114,931 

1,182,012 

682,044 

73.30 

1,136,039 

9 

2 

9 

New  Hampshire,  . 

325,579 

494 

326,073 

317,976 

2.55 

326,073 

3 

3 

New  Jersey,  . . . 

646,699 

25,318 

is 

672,035 

489,555 

37.27 

672,027 

5 

5 

New  York,  . . . 

3,831,730 

49,005 

. 

3,880,735 

3,097,394 

25.29 

3,880,735 

31 

2 

31 

North  Carolina,  . . 

631,100 

30,463 

331,059 

992,622 

869,039 

14.20 

860,198 

7 

1 

7 

2,302,838 

36,673 

. . . 

2,339,511 

1,980,329 

18.14 

2,339,511 

18 

3 

19 

52,337 

128 

52,465 

13,294 

294.65 

52,465 

1 

1 

Pennsylvania,  . . 

2,849,266 

56,849 

2,906,115 

2,311,786 

25.71 

2,906,115 

23 

2 

24 

Rhode  Island,  . . 

170,668 

3,952 

174,620 

147,545 

18.35 

174,620 

1 

1 

2 

South  Carolina,  . . 

291,388 

9,914 

402,406 

703,708 

668,507 

5.27 

542,745 

4 

2 

4 

Tennessee,  . . . 

826,782 

7,300 

275,719 

1,109,801 

1,002,717 

10.68 

999,513 

8 

2 

8 

421,294 

355 

182,566 

604,215 

212,592 

184.22 

531,188 

4 

. . 

2 

4 

Vermont,  .... 

314,389 

709 

315,098 

314,120 

0.31 

315,098 

2 

1 

3 

Virginia,  .... 

1,047,411 

58,042 

490,865 

1,596,318 

1,421,661 

12.29 

1,399,972 

ii 

2 

11 

Wisconsin,  . . . 

774,710 

1,171 

775,881 

305,391 

154.06 

775,881 

6 

3 

6 

26,706,425 

476,536 

3,950,531 

31,148,047 

23,067,262 

35.04 

29,553,273 

233 

241 

TERRITORIES. 

Colorado,  .... 

34,231 

46 

. . . 

34,277 

2,261f 

Dacotah 

2,576 

2,576 

Nebraska,  .... 

28,759 

67 

15 

28,841 

Nevada,  .... 

6,812 

45 

6,857 

10,507t 

New  Mexico,  . . 

82,924 

85 

83,009 

61,547 

51.94 

Utah 

40,214 

30 

29 

40,273 

11,380 

253.89 

426f 

Washington,  . . . 

11,138 

30 

11,168 

District  of  Columbia, 

60,764 

11,131 

3,185 

75,080 

51,687 

45.26 

26,973,843 

487,970 

3,953,760 

31,443,322 

23,191,876 

35.59 

* Not  returned.  The  population  given  is  that  of  1S50.  t Indians. 


APPENDIX. 


691 


MINERAL  PRODUCTS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  IN  I860. 


Value. 

Iron  ore  mined,  . . 2,514,282  tons,a  $19,487,790 

Copper, 14,432  “ 3,316,516 

Lead, 977,281 

Zinc, 11,800  tons,  72,600 

Nickel, 28,176 

Coal,  Anthracite,  . . 9,398,332  tons. 

“ Bituminous,  . 5,775,077  “ 

Aggregate,  15,173,409  “ 

Aggregate  value, 19,365,765 


Gold,  the  production  of  the  United 
States,  deposited  at  the  U.  S.  Mint 
and  its  branches,  during  the  year 
ending  June,  1861,  ....  $34,216,889  52 

Of  this,  $31,800,000  was  from 
California,  and  $2,000,000  from 
Kansas  or  Nevada. 

Silver,  the  production  of  the  United 
States,  deposited  at  the  mint  and 
its  branches  during  the  same  pe- 
riod,   $610,011 20 

These  statistics  do  not  show  the  real  product  of  the 
precious  metals  produced  in  the  United  States,  nor 
does  the  foregoing  statement  relative  to  other  metals 
appear  to  be  complete,  though  taken  from  the  prelim- 
inary report  on  the  eighth  census. 


Statistics  of  Coal  produced  in  the  United  States  dur- 
ing the  year  ending  June  1,  1860. 


Bituminous. 

Anthracite. 

Bushels. 

Value. 

Tons. 

Value. 

Rhode  Island,  . . . 
Pennsylvania,  . . . 

Maryland, 

Ohio, 

Indiana 

Illinois 

Iowa, 

Missouri, 

Kentucky, 

Virginia, 

Georgia, 

Alabama, 

Tennessee,  .... 
Washington  Territory, 

95.000 
66,994,295 
14,200,000 
28,339,900 

379,035 

14,258,120 

72,500 

97.000 
6,732,000 
9,542,627 

48.000 

10.000 
3,474,100 

134,350 

$28,500 

2,833,859 

464,338 

1,539,713 

27,000 

964.187 
6,500 
8,200 

476,800 

690.188 
4,800 
1,200 

413,662 

32,244 

1,000 

9,397,332 

$5,000 

11,869,574 

144,376,927 

7,491,191 

9,398,332 

11,874,574 

Anthracite — tons, 9,398,332  $11,874,574 

Bituminous  — tons, 5,775,077  7,491,191 


Aggregate  tons, 15,173,409  $19,365,765 

Value  of  coal  mined  in  1850, 7,173,750 

Increase,  (169.9  per  cent.,) 12,192,015 


a Of  the  whole  quantity  of  iron,  Pennsylvania  produced  62.5  per 
cent.  Pennsylvania  also  produced  the  whole  of  the  nickel  and  zinc 
given  above.  That  state  also  produced  75.9  per  cent  of  all  the  coal, 
in  value. 


LEADING  AGRICULTURAL  PRODUCTIONS  FOR  THE 
YEAR  ENDING  JUNE,  1860. 


Indian  Corn,  .... 

. 830,451,707  bushels. 

Wheat, 

. 171,183,381 

66 

Oats, 

. 172,554,688 

66 

Bye, 

. 20,976,286 

66 

Buckwheat, 

. 17,664,914 

a 

Barley, 

. 15,635,119 

a 

Rice, 

. 187,140,173 

u 

Peas  and  Beans,  . . . 

. 15,188,013 

(( 

Potatoes,  (Irish,)  . . . 

. 110,571,201 

u 

“ (Sweet,).  . . 

. 41,606,302 

a 

Tobacco, 

. 429,390,771 

pounds. 

Hops, 

. 11,010,012 

66 

Wool,  . 

. 60,511,343 

66 

Flax,  

. 3,783,000 

66 

Hemp, 

Hay, 

Butter, 

Cheese, 

Orchard  products,  (value,) 
Market  garden  “ “ 

Cotton,  (ginned,)  . . . . 

Sugar,  (cane,) 

“ (maple,)  . . . . 
Molasses,  (all  kinds,)  . . . 


17,300  tons. 

19,129,128  “ 

460,509,854  pounds. 
105,875,135  “ 

19,759,361  dollars. 

15,300,885  « 

5,198,077  bales,  of  400  lbs.  ea. 
302,205  hhds.,  1,000  lbs.  “ 
38,863,884  pounds. 

25,516,699  gallons 


Lands  improved, 163,261,389  acres. 

Cash  value  of  farms, 6,650,872,507  dollars. 

Value  of  farming  implements  and)  247  027  496  “ 

machinery, ) ’ ’ 

Value  of  live  stock, 1,107,490,216  “ 

Value  of  animals  slaughtered,  . . 212,032,055  “ 


Of  the  agricultural  productions  above  named,  it  will  be  seen 
by  the  following  table  (page  692)  that  the  state  of  Illinois  is 
by  far  the  greatest  producer  of  Indian  corn  and  wheat,  the 
quantity  produced  in  1860  being  upwards  of  115,000,000 
bushels  of  Indian  corn,  and  24,000,000  bushels  of  wheat. 
Wisconsin,  Indiana,  and  Ohio  are  the  next  largest  producers 
of  wheat,  and  Missouri,  Ohio,  and  Indiana  the  next  largest 
producers  of  Indian  corn. 

South  Carolina  and  Florida  produce  the  greater  part  of 
the  rice,  the  former  producing  more  than  119,000,000  bushels, 
and  the  latter  upwards  of  52,000,000  pounds.  Virginia  and 
Kentucky  are  much  the  largest  producers  of  tobacco.  The 
largest  cotton-growing  states  are  Mississippi,  producing 
nearly  1,200,000  bales,  (of  400  lbs.  each  ;)  Alabama,  produc- 
ing nearly  1,000,000  bales  ; Louisiana,  producing  more  than 
722,000  bales,  and  Georgia  producing  about  702,000  bales. 
Ohio,  New  York,  and  Pennsylvania  are  the  largest  wool- 
growing states,  but  other  states  at  the  west  are  likely  soon 
to  surpass  them.  California  is  very  rapidly  developing  as  a 
wool-growing  state,  as  well  as  a large  producer  of  other  agri- 
cultural T>r©diKx“ 


692  APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


693 


SOUTHERN  STATES. 


Virginia $2,537,130 

North  Carolina,  . . . 1,073,968 

South  Carolina,  . ..  . 1,077,712 

Georgia, 2,064,026 

Florida 1,475,240 

Alabama, 2,017,641 


Louisiana 1,018,554 

Texas, 1,612,829 

Mississippi, 2,055,396 

Arkansas, 1,033,185 

Tennessee, 1,975,481 


Total, $17,941,162 


LEADING  MANUFACTURES,  AND  THE  VALUE  OF  PROD- 
UCT OF  EACH,  FOR  THE  YEAR  ENDING  JUNE  1,  1860. 

Value,  in  Round  Numbers. 


Flour  and  meal, $224,000,000 

Cotton  goods, 115,000,000 

Lumber, 96,000,000 

Boots  and  shoes, 90,000,000 

Leather,  including  morocco  and  patent 

leather, 72,000,000 

Clothing, 70,000,000 

Woolen  goods, 69,000,000 

Machinery,  steam  engines,  &c.  . . . 47,000,000 

Printing  — book,  job,  and  newspaper,  . 42,000,000 

Sugar  refining, 38,500,000 

Iron  founding, 28,500,000 

Spirituous  liquors, 25,000,000 

Cabinet  furniture, 24,000,000 

Bar  and  other  rolled  iron, 22,000,000 

Pig  iron, 19,500,000 

Malt  liquors, 18,000,000 

Agricultural  implements, 17,800,000 

Paper, 17,500,000 

Soap  and  candles, 17,000,000 


Value  of  Sawed  and  Planed  Lumber  produced  during' 
the  year  ending  June  1,  1860. 


NEW  ENGLAND  STATES. 


Maine,  .... 
New  Hampshire,  . 
Vermont,  . . . 

. . 1,226,784 

Massachusetts,  . . . 
Rhode  Island,  . . . 
Connecticut, . . . . 

. 2,288,419 
. 172,174 

. 531,651 

Total,  . . 

MIDDLE 

STATES. 

$12,069,895 

New  York,  . . . 
Pennsylvania,  . . 
New  Jersey,  . . . 

. . 11,311,149 

Delaware, 

Maryland,  . . . . 
District  of  Columbia, 

70,825 

Total,  . . 

$26,455,005 

WESTERN  STATES. 

Ohio, 

Indiana,  . . . 

Michigan,  . . . 
Illinois,  .... 
Wisconsin,  . . . 
Minnesota,  . . . 
Total,  . . 

. . $5,600,045 
. . 3,169,843 

. . 816,808 

Iowa, 

Missouri, 

Kentucky,  . . . . 
Kansas,  .'.... 
Nebraska, 

945,088 

$33,274,793 

PACIFIC 

STATES. 

New  Mexico,  . , 

Utah, 

California,  . . . 
Total,  . . 

. . $65,150 

. . 4,214,596 

Oregon, 

Washington,  . . . 

. 1,172,520 
$6,171,431 

Aggregate  in  theUnited  States, 

$95,912,286 

Value  of  Flour  and  Meal  produced  during 
ending  June  1,  1860. 

the  Year 

NEW  ENGLAND  STATES. 

Maine,  .... 
New  Hampshire,  . 
Vermont,  . . . 

. . 1,486,981 

Massachusetts,  . . . 
Rhode  Island,  . . . 
Connecticut, .... 

. 4,196,710 
515,699 
. 1,719,294 

Total,  . . 

MIDDLE 

STATES. 

$11,155,445 

New  York,  . . . 
Pennsylvania,  . . 
New  Jersey,  . . 

. $35,064,906 

. . 26,572,261 
. . 6,399,610 

Delaware,  . . . . 

Maryland,  .... 
District  of  Columbia, . 

. 8,020,122 
. 1,184,593 

Total,  . . 

$79,086,411 

WESTERN  STATES. 

Ohio, 

Indiana,  .... 
Michigan,  . . . 
Illinois,  .... 
Wisconsin,  . . . 

Minnesota,  . . . 
Total,  . . 

. $27,129,405 

. . 8,161,183 

. . 1,310,000 

Iowa, 

Missouri, 

Kentucky 

Kansas,  ..... 
Nebraska,  . . . . 

$96,038,794 

SOUTHERN  STATES. 

Virginia,  .... 
North  Carolina,  . 
South  Carolina,  . 
Georgia,.  . , . 
Florida,  .... 
Alabama,  . . . 

Total,  . . 

. .$15,212,060 

. . 3,185,251 

. . 876,250 

. . 3,323,730 

. . 355,066 

. . 807,502 

Louisiana,  .... 

Texas, 

Mississippi,  .... 
Arkansas,  .... 
Tennessee,  .... 

11,694 
. 2,179,610 
541,994 
. 453,999 

. 3,820,301 

$30,767,457 

PACIFIC 

STATES. 

New  Mexico,  . . 

Utah, 

California,  . . . 
Total,  . . 

. . 4,335,809 

Oregon 

Washington,  . . . 

73,800 

$6,096,262 

Aggregate  in  the  United  States, 

$223,144,369 

694  APPENDIX. 


Cotton  Goods  produced  during  the  Year  ending  June  1, 1860. 


STATES 

No.  of  Estab- 
lishments. 

Capital 

Invested, 

Pounds  of 
Cotton. 

Value  of  Raw 
Material. 

Number  of 

Average  Number  of  Hands 
Employed. 

Annual  Cost 
of  Labor. 

Product  in 
1860. 

Spindles. 

Looms. 

Male. 

Female, 

Maine, 

19 

$6,108,325 

23,438,723 

$3,000,000 

300,000 

6,000 

1,908 

4,342 

$1,244,928 

$6,636,623 

New  Hampshire, 

44 

13,878,000 

39,212,644 

9,758,921 

669,885 

17,015 

6,300 

13,859 

4,574,520 

16,661,531 

Vermont, 

10 

321,000 

1,057,250 

133,000 

19,712 

424 

142 

225 

78,468 

357,400 

Massachusetts, 

200 

33,300,000 

126,666,089 

14,778,344 

1,739,700 

44,978 

12,635 

22,353 

7,221,156 

36,745,864 

Rhode  Island, 

135 

11,500,000 

38,521,608 

5,281,000 

706,000 

26,000 

5,474 

6,615 

2,417,640 

12,258,657 

Connecticut, 

64 

6,000,000 

15,799,140 

4,000,000 

464,000 

8,787 

3,314 

4^275 

1,453,128 

7,641,460 

Total  in  New  England  States, 

472 

71,107,325 

244,695,454 

36,951,265 

3,959,297 

103,204 

29,773 

51,669 

16,989,840 

80,301,535 

NewYork 

70 

5,427,079 

25,910,876 

2,988,270 

328,816 

7,511 

3,043 

4,288 

1,271,592 

7,471,961 

Pennsylvania, 

151 

8,253,640 

32,855,669 

6,732,275 

358,578 

10,678 

5,350 

7,370 

2,265,912 

11,759,000 

New  Jersey, 

29 

1,845,000 

2,257,885 

1,693,663 

96,112 

1,181 

853 

1,371 

435,684 

3,250,770 

Delaware, 

11 

572, 0U0 

2,717,000 

521,492 

25,704 

494 

486 

521 

202,884 

919,103 

Maryland, 

19 

2,214,500 

12,020,119 

1,641,913 

49,891 

1,520 

947 

1,568 

464,112 

2,796,877 

District  of  Columbia 

1 

45,000 

294,117 

47,403 

2,560 

82 

70 

25 

19,800 

74,400 

Total  in  Middle  States,  .... 

281 

18,357,219 

76,055,666 

13,625,016 

861,661 

21,466 

10,749 

15,143 

4,659,984 

26,272,111 

Virginia,  . 

13 

1,325,243 

7,302,797 

770,977 

28,700 

524 

741 

952 

262,440 

1,063,611 

North  Carolina, 

36 

1,049,750 

5,152,750 

564,612 

30,144 

479 

416 

1,210 

168,840 

930,567 

South  Carolina 

17 

827,825 

3,845,811 

419,500 

16,461 

931 

372 

584 

132,180 

588,950 

Georgia, 

32 

1,854,603 

12,977,904 

1,689,075 

44,312 

1,058 

1,376 

1,909 

482,520 

2,215,636 

Florida, 

1 

30,000 

200,000 

22,000 

..... 

40 

25 

7,872 

40,000 

Alabama, 

11 

1,306,500 

4,389,641 

623,963 

28,540 

663 

567 

765 

206,124 

917,105 

Louisiana, 

2 

1,075,000 

1,995,700 

283,900 

4,225 

150 

70 

70 

24,000 

509,700 

Texas, 

1 

500,000 

588,000 

78,920 

2,700 

100 

160 

36,480 

99.241 

Mississippi, 

4 

350,000 

534,400 

163,419 

1,844 

28 

155 

155 

33,996 

261,135 

Arkansas, 

1 

55,000 

60,000 

6,750 



20 

10 

7,200 

13,000 

Tennessee, 

25 

930,000 

3,172,000 

283,838 

7,914 

80 

244 

437 

109,764 

533,348 

Total  in  Southern  States, . . . 

143 

9,303,921 

40,219,003 

4,906,954 

164,840 

4,013 

4,161 

6,117 

1,471,416 

7,172,293 

Ohio, 

7 

250,000 

1,815,000 

250,000 

15,000 

400 

270 

340 

112,400 

629,500 

Indiana, 

2 

250,000 

800,000 

100,000 

11,000 

375 

176 

190 

72,468 

349,000 

Illinois, 

3 

10,000 

40,000 

8,000 

8 

8 

1,980 

15,987 

Missouri, 

3 

169,000 

100,000 

14,500 

14,500 

85 

85 

31,080 

230,000 

Kentucky, 

4 

104,000 

311,000 

139,000 

9,500 

93 

53 

21,000 

167,500 

Total  in  Western  States,  . , . 

19 

783,000 

3,066,000 

511,500 

50,000 

775 

632 

676 

238,928 

1,391,987 

Aggregate, 

915 

99,551,465 

364,036,123 

55,994,735 

5.035,798 

129,458 

45,315 

73,605 

23,360,168 

115,137,926 

Boots  and  Shoes  manufactured  in  the  following  States  during  the  Year  ending  June  1,  1860. 


STATES  AND  TERRITORIES. 

Number  of 
Establishments. 

Capital  invested 
in  Real  and  Per- 
sonal Estate. 

Value  of  Raw 
Material,  includ- 
ing Fuel. 

Average  No.  of 
Male. 

lands  employed. 
Female. 

Cost  of  Labor. 

Value  of  Prod- 
ucts in  1860. 

Maine, 

295 

$420,984 

$879,031 

1,820 

702 

$592,032 

$1,661,915 

New  Hampshire, 

337 

583,285 

2,497,471 

3,479 

1,365 

1,077,048 

3,863,866 

Vermont, 

148 

133,962 

210,595 

484 

58 

169,224 

440,366 

Massachusetts, 

1,497 

11,169,277 

24,497,344 

47,353 

22,045 

17,226,408 

46,440,209 

Rhode  Island, 

66 

104,495 

155,937 

382 

31 

86,028 

315,959 

Connecticut, 

211 

510,400 

839,435 

2,521 

777 

831,108 

2,044,762 

Total  in  N.  England  States, 

2,554 

12,922,403 

29,079,813 

56,039 

24,978 

19,981,848 

54,767,077 

New  York, 

2,276 

3,212,423 

4,848,877 

11,838 

2,028 

3,567,636 

10,878,797 

Pennsylvania, 

2,178 

2,823,672 

3,127,628 

10,826 

2,344 

3,102,128 

8,178,935 

New  Jersey, 

373 

574,055 

814,926 

2,357 

4S2 

761,976 

1,850,137 

Maryland, 

453 

333,955 

515,254 

1,577 

292 

. 

1,244,167 

Delaware, 

53 

85,026 

98,107 

263 

58 

80,664 

226,470 

District  of  Columbia,  .... 

56 

67,505 

96,549 

273 

20 

.... 

209,785 

Total  in  Middle  States,  . . 

5,389 

7,096,636 

9,501,341 

27,134 

5,224 

7,512,404 

22,588,291 

Ohio, 

950 

$1,115,476 

1,455,686 

4,259 

342 

1,340,712 

3,623,827 

Michigan, 

273 

339,167 

380,676 

976 

58 

295,392 

863,315 

Indiana, 

461 

347,370 

428,614 

1,148 

51 

381,516 

1,034,341 

Illinois, 

321 

378,110 

400,348 

1,047 

27 

292,292 

963,052 

Wisconsin, 

217 

266,065 

431,175 

917 

50 

204,964 

901,944 

Minnesota, 

60 

45,980 

59,578 

120 

20 

• • • • 

133,395 

Iowa, 

118 

125,377 

141,922 

336 

10 

109,404 

325,296 

Missouri, 

277 

291,680 

326,699 

904 

43 

331,704 

868,768 

Kentucky, 

264 

218,215 

290,766 

828 

29 

255,840 

685,783 

Utah, 

13 

4,520 

17,535 

28 

• • • • 

15,480 

36,833 

Nebraska 

9 

9,950 

9,824 

33 

1 

12,072 

28,651 

Total  in  Western  States, 

2,963 

3,141,910 

3,942,823 

10,596 

631 

3,239,376 

9,465,205 

APPENDIX.  695 

Boots  and  Shoes  manufactured  in  the  following  States  during  the  Year  ending  June  1,  1860.  — Continued. 


STATES  AND  TERRITORIES. 

Number  of 
Establishments. 

Capital  invested 
in  Real  and  Per- 
sonal Estate. 

Value  of  Raw 
Material,  includ- 
ing Fuel. 

Average  No.  of  Hands  employed. 

Cost  of  Labor. 

Value  of  Prod- 
ucts in  1860. 

Male. 

Female. 

Virginia, 

250 

$263,547 

$265,113 

879 

116 

$258,768 

$718,591 

Louisiana, 

497 

388,440 

547,001 

1,137 

170 

382,572 

1,391,121 

Tennessee, 

94 

84,617 

111,681 

153 

11 

72,684 

262,348 

Georgia, 

117 

153,430 

173,666 

349 

10 

92,904 

357,267 

Tot.  in  four  Southern  States, 

958 

890,034 

1,097,461 

2,518 

307 

806,928 

2,729,327 

Aggregate, 

11,864 

24,050,983 

43,621,438 

96,287 

31,140 

31,540,556 

89,549,900 

Approximate  Statistics  of  the  Products  of  Industry  for  the  Year  ending  June  1,  1860. 


STATES  AND  TERRITORIES. 

Number  of  Estab- 

Capital  invested  in 
Real  and  Personal 

Value  of  Raw  Ma- 
terial used,  includ- 

Average  No.  of 

lands  employed. 

Value  of  Annual 

Estate. 

ing  Fuel. 

Male. 

Female. 

Maine, 

New  Hampshire, 

3,582 

$22,000,000 

$20,861,452 

25,000 

14,710 

$36,075,498 

2,582 

25,900,000 

24,400,000 

19,200 

16,900 

45,500,000 

Vermont, 

1,501 

9,500,000 

8,110,000 

8,940 

1,860 

16,000,000 

Massachusetts, 

7,766 

133,000,000 

141,000,000 

148,800 

68,300 

266,000,000 

Rhode  Island, 

1,160 

23,300,000 

23,400,000 

21,200 

12,000 

47,500,000 

Connecticut, 

2,923 

45,720,000 

40,140,000 

44,160 

21,620 

83,000,000 

Total  in  N.  England  States, 

19,514 

259,420,000 

257,911,452 

267,300 

135,390 

494,075,498 

New  York, 

23,236 

175,449,206 

209,899,890 

174,059 

47,422 

379,623,560 

Pennsylvania 

21,100 

189,000,000 

145,300,000 

185,141 

38,000 

285,500,000 

New  Jersey, 

4,060 

40,000,000 

42,600,000 

114,660 

13,060 

81,000,000 

Delaware, 

564 

5,360,000 

5,375,000 

5,332 

860 

9,920,000 

Maryland, 

2,980 

51,800,000 

21,900,000 

20,800 

20,100 

42,576,000 

District  of  Columbia,  .... 

424 

2,650,000 

2,801,000 

2,556 

387 

5,512,000 

Total  in  Middle  States,  . . 

52,364 

464,259,206 

427,875,890 

502,548 

119,829 

804,131,560 

Ohio, 

10,710 

58,000,000 

70,000,000 

69,800 

11,400 

125,000,000 

Indiana 

5,120 

18,875,000 

27,360,000 

20,600 

710 

43,250,000 

Michigan, 

2,530 

24,000,000 

19,000,000 

22,860 

1,260 

35,200,000 

Illinois,  ......... 

4,100 

27,700,000 

33,800,000 

23,500 

870 

56,750,000 

Wisconsin, 

3,120 

16,580,000 

17,250,000 

16,320 

770 

28,500,000 

Minnesota, 

565 

2,400,000 

2,060,000 

2,215 

15 

3,600,000 

Iowa, 

1,790 

7,500,000 

8,500,000 

6,475 

102 

14,900,000 

Missouri, 

Kentucky, 

2,800 

20,500,000 

24,000,000 

20,130 

1,200 

43,500,000 

3,160 

20,000,000 

21,380,000 

20,580 

1,460 

36,330,000 

Kansas, 

299 

1,063,000 

669,269 

1,719 

2,800,000 

Nebraska, 

107 

271,475 

238,225 

331 

8 

581,942 

Total  in  Western  States, . . 

34,301 

196,889,475 

224,257,494 

204,530 

17,795 

390,411,942 

Virginia, 

4,890 

26,640,000 

30,880,000 

33,050 

3,540 

51,300,000 

North  Carolina, 

2,790 

9,310,000 

9,860,000 

11,760 

2,130 

14,450,000 

South  Carolina, 

1,050 

5,610,000 

3,620,000 

6,000 

800 

6,800,000 

Georgia, 

1,724 

11,160,000 

10,000,000 

9,910 

2,180 

13,700,000 

Florida, 

180 

6,675,000 

965,000 

2,310 

170 

2,700,000 

Alabama, 

1,117 

8,260,000 

4,400,000 

6,620 

1,140 

9,400,000 

Louisiana, 

1,710 

7,110,000 

7,380,000 

7,610 

80 

15,500,000 

Texas, 

Mississippi, 

910 

3,850,000 

2,770,000 

3,360 

110 

6,250,000 

860 

3,740,000 

2,460,000 

4,540 

150 

6,000,000 

Arkansas, 

375 

1,040,000 

909,000 

1,520 

35 

2,150,000 

Tennessee, 

2,420 

17,270,000 

9,365,000 

11,960 

1,135 

17,100,000 

Total  in  Southern  States, 

18,026 

100,665,000 

82,609,000 

98,640 

11,470 

145,350,000 

Utah, 

152 

412,126 

398,528 

348 

9 

823,000 

California, 

3,505 

23,682,593 

16,558,636 

23,803 

463 

59,500,000 

Oregon, 

300 

1,293,000 

1,452,000 

996 

10 

3,138,000 

Washington, 

52 

1,296,700 

505,000 

886 

4 

1,405,000 

New  Mexico, 

86 

2,081,900 

432,000 

949 

30 

1,165,000 

Total  in  Pacific  States,  . . 

4,095 

28,766,319 

19,346,164 

26,982 

516 

66,031,000 

Aggregate  in  United  States, 

128,300 

1,050,000,000 

•1,012,000,000 

.1,100,000 

285,000 

1,900,000,000 

696 


APPENDIX. 


Railroads  of  the  United  States. 

RECAPITULATION. 


Maine, 

New  Hampshire,  . 
Vermont,  . . . . 
Massachusetts, . , 
Rhode  Island,  . . 
Connecticut,  . . , 


New  England  States,  . 


New  Fork,.  . 
New  Jersey,  . 
Pennsylvania, 
Delaware,! . . 
Maryland,  , . 


Middle  Atlantic  States, 


Virginia,  . . . 
North  Carolina, 
South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  .... 
Florida,  .... 


Southern  Atlantic  States,  . 


Alabama,  . 
Mississippi, 
Louisiana,  . 
Texas,  . . . 


Gulf  States, 


Arkansas,  . 
Tennessee, . 
Kentucky,  . 


Interior  States,  South, 


Ohio,  . . . 
Indiana,  . . 
Michigan,  . 
Illinois,  . . 
Wisconsin, 
Minnesota, . 
Iowa,  . . . 
Missouri,  . 
Kansas,  . . 


Interior  States,  North, 


California, . 
Oregon,  . . 


Pacific  States, 


New  England  States, . . 
Middle  Atlantic  States,  . 
Southern  Atlantic  States, 

Gulf  States, 

Interior  States,  South,  . 
Interior  States,  North,  . 
Pacific  States, 


Total  United  States, 
City  Railroads  in  1860, 
Total, 


Mileage. 


1850. 


245.59 

465.32 

279.57 

1,035.74 

68.00 

413.26 


2,507.48 


1,403.10 

205.93 

822.34 

39.19 

253.40 


2,723.96 


515.15 

248.50 

289.00 

643.72 

21.00 


1,717.37 


132.50 

75.00 

79.50 


287.00 


78.21 


78.21 


575.27 

228.00 

342.00 

110.50 

20.00 


1,275.77 


2,507.48 

2,723.96 

1,717.37 

287.00 

78.21 

1,275.77 


8,589.79 


1860. 


472.17 

656.59 

556.75 

1,272.96 

107.92 

603.00 


3,669.39 


2,701.84 

559.90 

2,542.49 

136,69 

380.30 


6,321.22 


1,771.16 

889.42 

987.97 

1,404.22 

401.50 


5,454.27 


743.16 

872.30 

334.75 

306.00 


2,256.21 


38.50 

1,197.92 

569.93 


1,806.35 


2,999.45 

2.125.90 
799.30 

2.867.90 
922.61 

679.77 

817.45 


11,212.38 


70.05 

3.80 


73.85 


3,669.39 

6,321.22 

5,454.27 

2,256.21 

1,806.35 

11,212.38 

73,85 


30,793.67 


402.57 


31,1965 


Coat  of  Construction,  &c. 


1850. 


$6,999,894 

14,774,133 

10,800,901 

47,886,905 

2,802,594 

13,989,774 


97,254,201 


65,456,123 

9,348,495 

41,683,054 

2,281,690 

11,580,808 


130,350,170 


12,585,312 

3,281,623 

7,525,981 

13,272,540 

210,000 


36,875,456 


1,946,209 

2,020,000 

1,320,000 


5,286,209 


1,830,541 


1,830,541 


1860. 


$16,576,385 

23,268,659 

23,336,215 

58,882,328 

4,318,827 

21,984,100 


148,366,514 


131,320,542 

28,997,033 

143,471,710 

4,351,789 

21,387,157 


329,528,231 


64,958,807 

16,709,793 

22,385,287 

29,057,742 

8,628,000 


141,739,629 


17,591,188 

24,100,009 

12,020,204 

11,232,345 


64,943,746 


1,155,000 

29,537,722 

19,068,477 


49,761,199 


10,684,400 

3,380,533 

8,945,749 

1,440,507 

612,382 


25,063,571 


97,254,201 

130,350,170 

36,875,456 

5,286,209 

1,830,541 

25,063,571 


296,660,148 


111,896,351 

70,295,148 

31,012,399 

104,944,561 

33,555,606 

19,494,633 

42,342,812 


413,541,510 


3,600,000 

80,000 


3,680,000 


148,366,514 

329,528,231 

141,739,629 

64,943,746 

49,761,199 

413,541,510 

3,680,000 


1,151,560,829 


14,862,840 


1,166,422,729 


IMPORTS  AND  EXPORTS. 


The  following  table  shows  the  value  of  the  imports 
into  the  United  States,  and  the  value  of  the  exports  of 
domestic  produce  and  foreign  merchandise,  for  the 
year  ending  June  30,  1860. 


COUNTRIES. 


Great  Britain — England,  . 

Scotland, . 
Ireland,  . 

Total  Great  Britain,  . 


France, 

British  East  Indies, 
Philippine  Islands, . 

Cuba, 

Porto  Rico,  .... 
Two  Sicilies,  . . . 

Hayti, 

New  Granada,  . . . 

Venezuela 

Brazil 

China  

All  other  countries, 


Total, 


IMPORTS. 

EXPORTS. 

Foreign 

Merchandise. 

Domestic 

Produce. 

Total. 

$133,064,713 

4,607,187 

923,726 

$5,831,248 

137,206 

111,711 

$187,095,952 

4,867,218 

4,297,586 

$192,927,200 

5,004,424 

4,409,297 

138,595,626 

6,080,165 

196,260,756 

202,340,921 

43,218,094 

10,692,342 

2,886,166 

34,032,277 

4,512,188 

2,384,577 

2,062,723 

3,843,568 

2,883,464 

21,214,803 

13,566,587 

82,271,526 

3,158,047 

128,953 

73,265 

634,956 

263,913 

26,458 

231,777 

152,699 

91,650 

335,020 

1,735,334 

14,020,785 

58,048,231 

1,111,697 

368,209 

11,747,913 

1,517,837 

484,190 

2,441,905 

1,642,800 

1,056,250 

5,945,235 

7,170,784 

85,393,467 

61,206,278 

1,240,650 

441,474 

12,382,869 

1,781,750 

510,648 

2,673,682 

1,795,499 

1,147,900 

6,280,255 

8,906,118 

99,414,252 

26,933,022 

373,189,274 

400,122,296 

Of  the  exports  in  the  year  named,  the  following 
were  the  principal : — 

Products  of  agriculture,  (value,)  . . . 148,451,894 

“ the  forest, 13,738,559 

“ manufactures, 39,803,080 

Cotton, 191,806,555 

Tobacco, 15,906,547 

Specie  and  bullion, 23,799,870 

For  the  year  ending  June  30,  1861,  the  exports  of 
cotton  fell  to  134,051,483,  and  the  exports  of  agricul- 
tural produce  rose  to  1101,655,833. 

Tonnage  of  the  merchant  marine  of  the  United 
States,  for  the  year  ending  June,  1861, — 

Registered  sail  tonnage, 2,540,020 

“ steam  tonnage, 102,608 

Enrolled  and  licensed  sail  tonnage,  . . . 2,122,589 

“ “ steam  tonnage,  , 


774,596 


Total  tonnage, 5,539,813 

Estimated  value  of  aggregate  tonnage,  $221,592,520 

Books  LXXXIII.  — LXXXY. 

MEXICO. 

Area,  834,140  square  miles;  population,  (1854,) 

7,853,394. 

The  republic  of  Mexico  is  now  composed  of  22 
states,  5 territories,  and  the  federal  district  of  Mexico, 
as  follows : — 


States  or  Departments  and 
Territories. 

Population. 

Capitals. 

Population. 

Aguascalientes, 

81,727 

Aguascalientes, 

Chihuahua,  . . . 

147,600 

Chihuahua,  . . . 

14,000 

Chiciptij  • • • • 

161,914 

Ciudad-Real,  . . 

6,500 

Cinaloa,  .... 

160,000 

Villa  del  Fuerte,  . . 

12,000 

Cohahuila,  . . . 

66,228 

Saltillo,  .... 

19,898 

Durango,  . . . 

187,593 

Durango,  . . . 

22,000 

Guanajuato,.  . . 

718.775 

Guanajuato, . . . 

48,954 

Guerrero,  . . . 

270,000 

Tixtla,  .... 

4,500 

Jalisco,  .... 

774,461 

Guadalajara,  . . 

63,000 

Mexico,  .... 

1,001,875 

Toluca,  .... 

12,000 

APPENDIX. 


States  or  Departments  and 
Territories. 

Population. 

Capitals. 

Population. 

Michoacan,  . . . 

491,679 

Valladolid,  . 

18,000 

New  Leon,  . . . 

133,361 

Monterey,  . 

13,534 

Oajaca,  .... 

489,969 

Oajaca,  . . 

25,000 

Puebla,  .... 

683,725 

Puebla,  . . 

71,631 

Queretaro,  . . . 

132,124 

Queretaro,  . 

29,702 

San  Luis  Potosi,  . 

394,592 

San  Luis, 

40,000 

Sonora,  .... 

147,133 

Ures,  . . 

7,000 

Tabasco,  .... 

. 63,580 

San  Juan  Bautista, 

4,000 

Tamaulipas, . . . 

100,064 

Victoria,  . . 

5,500 

Yera  Cruz,  . . . 

274,686 

Vera  Cruz,  . 

8,228 

Yucatan,’.  . . . 

668,623 

Merida,  . . 

40,000 

Zacatecas,  . . . 

305,551 

Zacatecas,  . 

25,005 

Fed’l  Dist.,  Mexico, 

200,000 

Mexico,  . . 

170,000 

Tlaxcala,  Terri’y  of, 

80,171 

Tlaxcala, 

3,463 

Colima,  “ “ 

61,243 

Colima,  . . 

31,774 

Tehuantepec,  “ “ 

82,395 

L.  California,  “ “ 

12,000 

La  Paz,  . . 

, . 

500 

Isla  de  Carmen,  “ 

12,325 

• 

Total  population. 

7,853,394 

Total  population, 

703,189 

Of  the  population,  about  four  sevenths  are  Indians, 
two  sevenths  of  mixed  origin,  and  one  seventh  native 
whites  or  creoles. 

Mexico  is  sparingly  watered,  and  has  no  navigable 
rivers  of  importance.  Along  the  coast  of  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  there  are  scarcely  any  indentations,  and  the 
Gulf  Stream  sweeps  near  the  shore,  causing  a constant 
change  of  the  sands,  creating  bars  and  filling  channels, 
so  that  on  the  whole  coast  there  is  no  safe  and  commo- 
dious harbor. 

The  mines,  which  were  once  considered  the  great 
source  of  the  wealth  of  Mexico,  have  become  of  less 
importance.  Those  which  were  once  the  richest  are 
now  exhausted.  Silver  is  most  abundant,  though  gold 
is  found  to  some  extent.  The  disturbed  political  con- 
dition of  the  country  has  seriously  interfered  with 
mining  enterprise,  but  within  the  last  ten  years  the 
yield  of  the  mines  has  increased,  and  but  for  the 
greater  temptation  offered  to  miners  in  California, 
would  have  increased  still  more.  The  amount  of  gold 
coined  in  1850,  was  $1,351,400,  and  of  silver,  $27,003,- 
989.  In  1850,  valuable  quicksilver  mines  were  dis- 
covered in  Sonora. 

New  Mexico  and  Upper  California,  as  well  as  Texas, 
which  are  included  in  Mexico  in  the  text,  now  belong 
to  the  United  States.  The  extent  of  territory  thus 
lost  to  Mexico  was,  New  Mexico  and  California,  530,000 
square  miles,  Texas,  325,000  square  miles.  Yucatan 
separated  from  Mexico  in  1846,  but  has  since  rejoined 
the  confederation.  The  Central  American  states, 
which  are  also  included  in  Mexico  in  the  text,  are 
independent  republics. 

Book  LXXXV. 

CENTRAL  AMERICA. 

The  Central  American  states  are  Guatemala,  San 
Salvador,  Honduras,  Nicaragua,  and  Costa  Rica. 

Guatemala.  — Area,  44,500  square  miles  ; popula- 
tion, estimated  at  1,000,000,  only  7,000  or  8,000  of 
whom  are  whites,  the  remainder  being  Indians  and 

VOL.  III.— NO.  64  88 


697 

Mestizos.  One  of  the  most  important  articles  now 
produced  in  Guatemala  is  cochineal,  of  which  the 
quantity  produced  is  nearly  equal  to  the  entire  con- 
sumption of  that  article.  Cocoa,  tobacco,  indigo,  and 
cotton  are  also  produced. 

The  capital  and  chief  town  is  New  Guatemala.  Pop- 
ulation, estimated  at  35,000  to  50,000. 

San  Salvador.  — Area,  7,500  square  miles.  Popu- 
lation, 280,000.  This  state  is  well  watered,  and  the 
soil  is  fertile.  The  productions  are  coffee,  tobacco, 
cotton,  sugar,  and  indigo,  the  last  of  which  is  the  most 
important  crop.  Excellent  iron  ore  was  formerly 
mined  and  smelted,  but  the  mines  are  no  longer 
worked. 

The  chief  town  and  capital  is  San  Salvador,  the 
population  of  which,  pi’evious  to  1854,  was  about 

18.000,  but  in  that  year  the  town  was  almost  wholly 
destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 

Honduras.  — Area,  about  33,000  square  miles  ; pop- 
ulation, about  350,000.  It  has  some  extensive  forests 
of  fine  timber,  including  cedar  and  mahogany,  but  it 
is  not  an  agricultural  country.  Gold,  silver,  lead,  and 
copper  are  found,  the  two  former  often  combined.  Its 
mineral  wealth  was  formerly  better  developed  than  now. 

The  chief  towns  are  Comayagua,  the  capital,  popula- 
tion, estimated,  12,000,  and  Truxillo,  the  principal 
port,  population,  4,000. 

Nicaragua.  — Area,  about  39,000  square  miles;  pop- 
ulation, 235,000.  Much  of  the  soil  of  Nicaragua  is 
well  adapted  for  agriculture,  but  the  unsettled  condi- 
tion of  the  people,  by  reason  of  revolutions  and  civil 
wars,  has  rendered  its  agriculture  of  little  account. 
Cotton  of  superior  quality  has  been  grown  here,  but 
its  culture  is  now  almost  wholly  neglected.  Coffee, 
cocoa,  and  sugar  are  also  produced.  Gold,  silver,  and 
copper  are  said  to  exist  in  some  quantities,  but  they 
are  not  mined  or  explored.  A route  for  travel  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  has  been  opened  via  Lake 
Nicaragua,  and  a canal  has  been  contemplated,  but 
political  troubles  have  prevented  the  prosecution  of 
such  enterprises. 

The  chief  towns  are  Leon,  the  capital,  population, 

30.000,  formerly  one  of  the  finest  towns  in  Central 
America,  but  greatly  damaged  by  civil  commotions ; 
Nicaragua,  population,  about  8,000. 

Costa  Rica.  — Area,  about  16,500  square  miles ; 
population,  150,000.  The  climate  of  Costa  Rica, 
except  on  the  seacoast,  is  fine  and  healthy.  The 
country  produces  some  of  the  fruits  and  vegetables  of 
both  the  temperate  and  the  tropical  regions,  and  the 
soil  is  excellent.  Coffee  is  now  grown  to  a consider- 
able extent,  from  50,000  to  60,000  quintals  being  ex- 
ported annually,  but  the  country  is  capable  of  vastly 
greater  agricultural  products. 

Costa  Rica  contains  some  rich  gold  mines,  but  they 
are  worked  but  little.  Silver  and  copper  are  also 
found  there,  but  the  product  of  these  is  of  little 
account. 

The  chief  towns  are  San  Jose,  the  capital,  popula- 
tion, 18,000,  and  Puntas  Arenas,  the  principal  port. 

Balize,  or  British  Honduras.  — Area,  about  15,000 
square  miles ; population,  10,000.  The  greater  part 
of  the  population  are  blacks  and  Indians. 


698 


APPENDIX. 


The  chief  town  and  capital  is  Balize,  on  a small 
river  of  the  same  name.  The  exports  are  mahogany, 
cochineal,  sarsaparilla,  and  cocoa-nuts. 

Book  LXXXYI. 

SOUTH  AMERICA. 


The  mean  height  of  the  Andes  is,  in  Peru,  about 
12,000  feet ; in  Chili,  about  8,000  feet ; in  Patagonia 
the  height  is  unknown.  Some  of  the  highest  peaks 
are  as  follows  : — 


In  New  Grenada.  Feet  high. 

Tolima, 18,270 


Area,  6,500,000  square  miles  ; population,  about  17,- 
000,000.  The  greatest  length  of  South  America  is 
4,550  miles,  and  its  greatest  breadth  3,250  miles.  About 
three  fourths  of  the  entire  peninsula  are  within  the 
tropics,  and  the  remainder  in  the  southern  temperate 
zone.  It  may  be  divided  into  five  distinct  physical 
regions,  as  follows : 1.  The  extensive  plains  of  the 
basin  of  the  Orinoco,  which  are  generally  destitute  of 
wood,  but  covered  with  tall  herbage  for  a part  of  the 
year,  and  excessively  hot  in  the  dry  season.  2.  The 
basin  of  the  Amazon,  covering  an  area  of  about 
2,000,000  square  miles,  covered  with  dense  forests  of 
luxuriant  growth,  and  very  fertile,  but  thinly  inhab- 
ited. 3.  That  part  of  Brazil  east  of  the  Parana  and 
Araguay  Rivers,  covered  with  wood  on  the  Atlantic 
side,  and  opening  into  plains  or  steppes  in  the  interior, 
and  traversed  to  some  extent  by  mountain  ranges. 

4.  The  plains  watered  by  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  an 
extensive  region  abounding  in  steppes,  and  affording 
sustenance  for  innumerable  herds  of  cattle  and  horses. 

5.  The  low  country  between  the  Andes  and  the  Pacific, 
stretching  the  whole  length  of  the  peninsula,  and  from 
50  to  100  miles  in  width,  the  extremities  of  which  are 
fertile,  and  the  middle  a desert. 

Mountains.  — The  great  physical  feature  of  South 
America  is  its  succession  of  mountain  ranges,  stretching 
from  its  southern  extremity  to  its  northern  limit,  and 
connecting,  through  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  and  Central 
America,  with  the  Cordilleras  and  Rocky  Mountains  of 
North  America.  These  mountains  extend  over  4,500 
miles,  bearing  the  general  name  of  the  Andes,  though 
composed  of  successive  ranges,  with  numerous  lateral 
chains.  Between  6 and  33  degrees  south,  the  Andes 
spread  to  a width  of  200  to  300  miles;  north  of  the 
sixth  parallel  they  are  narrower,  and  form  elevated 
plateaus,  one  of  which  is  known  as  the  Desert  of  Asuay, 
which  is  13,000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  covers  an  area 
of  50  square  miles.  On  another  plateau,  9,500  feet 
high,  is  built  the  city  of  Quito.  North  of  this,  the 
mountains  divide  into  three  distinct  and  diverging 
ranges.  One  of  these,  the  Cordilleras  of  the  coast, 
finally  turns  to  the  east,  and  runs  about  700  miles  to 
the  vicinity  of  the  Gulf  of  Pavia.  Another  transverse 
range  starts  from  the  Andes,  between  three  and  four 
degrees  north,  and  extends  to  French  Guiana,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Amazon.  The  mean  height  of  both 
of  these  ranges  is  about  4,000  feet,  though ^ome  peaks 
rise  to  a much  greater  height.  A third  transverse 
range  extends  across  the  continent,  between  12  and 
18  degrees  south,  and  connects  with  the  Brazilian 
Mountains,  dividing  the  basin  of  the  Amazon  from 
that  of  La  Plata.  The  Brazilian  Mountains  extend 
parallel  to  the  coast,  from  5 degrees  to  25  degrees 
south.  They  are  a series  of  ridges  and  plateaus,  with 
a few  elevated  summits,  and  spread  to  a width  of 
nearly  or  quite  a thousand  miles. 


In  Ecuador. 

Feet  high. 


Chimborazo,  . . . 21,440 
Antisana  (volcano),  19,150 
Illinica,  ....  17,380 
Cutacache,  . . . 16,380 


Feet  high. 

Cayamba,  . . . 19,535 
Cotopaxi  (volcano),  18,890 
Tanguragua,  . . 16,424 
Sangay,  ....  16,138 


In  Peru. 

Chuguibamba,  . . 21,000  Omati,  or  ) , . N 0_.rt 

Asquipa,  j (volc')>  20>320 

In  Bolivia. 


Bahama,  ....  22,350  . 
Gualateiri  (vole.),  . 22,000 
Sorata,  ....  25,300 
(By  other  authority,)  21,286 
Two  summits  of  II- 1 24,450 
limani,  . . . ( 24,200 


(By  other  author-  f 21,149 

ity,).  . . . 121, 

Parinacota,  . 

Pomarape,  . 

Huayna,  . . 

Chachacomani, 

Chipicani, 


060 
22,030 
21,700 
20,260 
20,235 
19,740 


In  Chili. 


Aconcagua  (volcano),  23,200  ft.,  the  highest  volcano  known. 
Antuco  (volcano),  . 16,000  Maypu  (volcano),  15,000  ft. 


Other  peaks  are  from  13,000  to  18,000  feet  high. 

The  highest  summits  in  the  Cordilleras  of  the  coast 
are  Sierra  de  Merida,  15,300  feet  high,  and  Silla  de 
Caracas,  8,400  feet  high.  The  highest  summit  of  the 
Brazilian  Mountains  is  Itacolumi,  5,710  feet  in  height. 

It  is  supposed  that  there  are  at  least  30  volcanoes 
in  South  America,  all  in  the  Andes,  the  highest  of 
which  are  given  above,  and  are  the  highest  volcanoes 
in  the  world. 

Lakes  are  few  in  South  America.  The  largest  is 
Lake  Titicaca,  on  the  borders  of  Peru  and  Bolivia, 
12,800  feet  above  the  sea,  and  covering  an  area  of 
4,000  square  miles. 

Rivers.  — South  America  rivals  North  America  in 
rivers.  They  all  flow  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and 
Caribbean  Sea,  there  being  no  river  of  any  conse- 
quence west  of  the  Andes.  The  two  great  river  sys- 
tems are  those  of  the  Amazon  and  the  La  Plata,  which, 
with  their  tributaries,  water  the  greater  part  of  the 
continent,  and  afford  means  of  transportation  through 
thousands  of  miles.  It  is  stated  that  the  greater  part 
of  the  Amazon,  from  the  Andes  to  the  Atlantic,  is  un- 
interrupted by  any  cataract  or  serious  rapid.  Some 
of  the  principal  rivers,  with  their  length,  are  as  fol- 
lows : — 


RIVERS  IX  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


Amazon,  . . . 

Miles. 

. 4,000 

Araguay,  . . . 

. 1,000 

Beni,  .... 

. 2,000 

Caqueta,  . . . 

. 1,200 
. 500 

Essequibo,  . . 

Jutay,  .... 

. 700 

Magdalena,  . . 

. 800 

Medeira,  . . . 

. 1,000 

Miles. 

Negro,  . . 

Orinoco,  . 

. . . 1,200 

. . . 1,600 

Parnahiba, 

...  700 

Parana, 

. . . 2,000 

Paraguay, . 

. . . 1,600 

Pilcomayo, 

. . . 1,000 

Putumayo, 

...  700 

Rio  Negro, 

. . . 1,000 

c 

APPENDIX. 


699 


Miles.  Miles. 

Rio  de  la  Plata,  (from  Ucayle,  ....  500 

the  mouth  of  the  Uruguay,  ....  800 

Paraguay  to  Monte  Yermejo,  ....  750 

Video,)  ....  700  Xingu, 1,300 

St.  Prancisco,  . . 1,400  Yapura,  ....  1,000 

Tocantius, ....  1,100 


The  present  political  divisions  of  South  America 
differ  somewhat  from  those  given  in  the  text.  They 
are  the  republics  of  New  Grenada,  Ecuador,  and  Ven- 
ezuela, French,  English,  and  Dutch  Guiana,  the  em- 
pire of  Brazil,  the  republics  of  Peru,  Chili,  Bolivia,  the 
Argentine  Republic,  the  republics  of  Paraguay  and 
Uruguay,  Patagonia ; and  to  these  may  be  added 
Terra  del  Puego  and  the  Falkland  Islands. 

Book  LXXXVII. 

NEW  GRENADA. 

Area,  estimated  at  480,000  square  miles ; popula- 
tion, (1853,)  2,363,054.  Of  the  population,  about  one 
fourth  are  whites,  more  than  one  half  of  mixed  races, 
and  the  remainder  Indians  and  negroes. 

New  Grenada  joins  Costa  Rica  in  Central  America, 
and  includes  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  It  borders  on 
the  Caribbean  Sea  on  the  north,  and  the  Pacific  Ocean 
on  the  west.  It  is  diversified  in  its  surface,  soil,  and 
climate,  and  though  the  lower  country  is  hot  and  un- 
healthy, there  are  higher  regions  more  temperate,  but 
fertile,  and  producing  the  vegetables  of  the  temperate 
zone.  The  resources  of  the  country  are  as  yet  but 
little  developed,  and  the  more  healthy  regions  but 
little  improved  or  settled.  In  minerals,  the  country  is 
said  to  be  rich,  platina,  gold,  and  silver  existing  there, 
and  on  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  iron  and  copper,  but 
the  mining  is  not  pursued  with  any  enterprise.  The 
agriculture  and  manufactures  of  the  country  are  also 
limited,  the  former  being  confined  chiefly  to  raising 
cattle  and  horses,  immense  herds  of  which  are  pas- 
tured on  the  llanos,  or  plains. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population.  Population. 

Bogota,  the  capital,  45,000  Santa  Martha,  . . 8,000 

Popayan,  . . . 20,000  Panama,  ....  6,000 

Carthagena, . . . 18,000  Aspinwall,  . . . 2,500 

The  last  two  are  connected  by  the  only  railroad  in 
the  country,  which  forms  the  connecting  link  between 
the  Atlantic  and  Pacific.  Aspinwall  is  essentially  an 
Anglo-Saxon  town,  being  founded  chiefly  by  citizens 
of  the  United  States. 

ECUADOR. 

Area,  240,000  square  miles ; population,  500,000. 
The  Indians  form  a large  part  of  the  population. 

This  state  embraces  every  variety  of  climate,  which 
ranges  from  the  insufferably  hot,  on  the  low  tract,  to 
the  temperate  on  the  table  lands  and  valleys  between 
the  mountain  ranges,  and  the  cold  on  the  still  higher 
mountain  regions,  where  may  be  found  perpetual 
snow.  In  Ecuador  the  Andes  branch  into  two  distinct 
ranges,  each  of  which  has  many  lofty  peaks.  Chimbo- 
razo, Cayambe,  Antisana,  Cotopaxi,  and  other  lofty 


mountains,  are  within  the  limits  of  Ecuador.  The 
cultivated  land  lies  chiefly  in  the  valley  which  extends 
between  the  two  mountain  ranges,  and  its  average 
height  is  about  9,000  feet  above  the  sea,  though  at  its 
southern  extremity  it  is  not  more  than  2,000  feet 
above  the  sea.  Gold  and  silver  have  been  found  in 
some  parts  of  the  country,  but  little  attention  is  given 
to  mining,  except  iron  and  copper,  which  are  mined  to 
a moderate  extent. 

The  agricultural  products  are  wheat,  which  attains 
the  greatest  perfection  in  the  high  valleys,  maize, 
cotton,  sugar  cane,  rice,  and  pepper.  The  cocoa  tree 
flourishes  in  some  parts  of  the  state,  and  on  the  low 
lands  are  vast  forests,  and  a variety  of  tropical 
fruits. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population.  Population. 

Quito,  the  capital,  70,000  Cuenca,  ....  20,000 

Guayaquil,  the  chief  Ibarra,  ....  12,000 

port,  ....  20,000 

Riobamba,  near  the  site  of  a former  town  of  the  same  name, 

which  was  destroyed  by  a flood  caused  by  a volcanic  erup- 
tion. 

VENEZUELA. 

Area,  420,000  square  miles ; population,  (1854,) 
1,419,289. 

The  whites  compose  about  one  fourth  part  of  the 
population,  the  remainder  being  Indians,  negroes,  and 
mixed  races.  The  domesticated  Indians  form  about 
one  sixth  part.  Included  in  the  above  number  are 
about  50,000  independent  Indians. 

The  mountains  do  not  form  so  important  a feature 
in  this  state  as  in  the  two  preceding.  The  east  range 
of  the  Andes,  sometimes  also  considered  a part  of  the 
coast  range  of  the  Cordilleras,  stretches  transversely 
to  the  main  direction  of  the  chain,  and  runs  about  300 
miles  into  Venezuela,  forming  a rugged  mass  of  rocks. 
The  highest  peak  is  the  Nevado  de  Merida,  15,300  feet 
high.  There  are  other  mountains,  unexplored,  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  state. 

The  llanos  or  plains  of  Venezuela  cover  about  150,- 
000  square  miles.  In  the  wet  season  large  portions 
of  them  are  flooded  by  the  rivers,  and  in  the  dry  season 
they  are  a parched  and  barren  desert. 

Venezuela  is  well  watered  by  navigable  rivers,  the 
Orinoco  and  its  tributaries  affording  extraordinary 
facilities  for  communication  and  transportation.  Much 
of  the  country  in  the  valleys  of  these  rivers  is  fertile, 
and  abounds  in  sources  of  wealth. 

Gold  was  formerly  found  in  considerable  quantities, 
but  the  old  mines  appear  exhausted.  Silver  has  been 
found, but  the  mines  have  not  been  fully  explored.  Cop- 
per mines  have  proved  more  productive  and  profitable. 
There  are  also  extensive  beds  of  excellent  bituminous 
coal  in  the  coast  districts,  and  an  abundance  of  petro- 
leum. 

The  lower  regions  of  Venezuela  abound  with  tropical 
vegetation  and  fruits,  and  in  the  higher  regions  the 
cereals  of  the  temperate  zone  flourish.  One  of  the  chief 
productions  is  cocoa,  or  cacao.  Cotton,  coffee,  sugar 
cane, and  indigo  are  also  extensively  cultivated.  Large 
herds  of  cattle  are  raised,  and  hides,  with  the  pro- 


700 


APPENDIX. 


ductions  above  named,  form  the  chief  articles  of  ex- 
port. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population,  (1853.)  Population,  (1853.) 

Caracas,  the  capital,  63,000  Angostura,  . . . 8,000 

Maracaybo,  . . . 8,500  Barcelona,  . . . 15,000 

La  Guayra, . . . 8,000  Valencia,  . . . 17,000 

Cumana, ....  6,500,  (once  30,000.) 


Book  LXXXVIII. 

PERU. 

Area,  370,000  square  miles;  population,  (1851,) 
2,279,085.  About  one  fourth  of  the  population  are 
white,  one  half  Indians,  and  the  remainder  of  mixed 
races. 

The  present  republic  of  Peru  comprises  but  a part 
of  the  territory  which  formerly  went  under  that  name, 
the  republic  of  Bolivia  having  been  set  off,  as  also 
parts  of  the  present  republics  of  Chili,  Ecuador,  and 
the  Argentine  Republic. 

The  Andes  are  estimated  to  occupy  nearly  200,000 
square  miles  of  the  area  of  Peru.  Between  the  moun- 
tains and  the  coast  only  some  of  the  transverse  valleys 
are  really  habitable,  the  greater  part  of  the  country 
being  rugged  and  barren.  The  region  which  is 
most  inhabited  is  the  higher  sierras  or  table  lands  of 
the  mountain  region.  East  of  the  mountains  are 
boundless  plains,  watered  by  the  tributaries  of  the 
Amazon,  and  but  little  known.  The  average  height 
of  the  western,  or  coast  range,  of  the  Andes,  is  15,000 
feet,  and  of  the  eastern  range,  or  Andes  proper,  17,000 
feet.  Chuquibamba  and  Omati  are  the  highest  peaks. 
Between  the  two  ranges  are  the  sierras,  or  table  lands, 
from  8,000  to  14,000  feet  above  the  sea,  where  the 
fruits  and  cereals  of  the  temperate  zone  flourish.  In 
the  lower  valleys  and  east  of  the  mountains,  the  trop- 
ical fruits  and  plants  grow  in  great  perfection.  Agri- 
culture, however,  is  in  a very  low  condition. 

The  gold  and  silver  mines  of  Peru  were  formerly 
considered  inexhaustible,  and  capital  and  intelligent 
labor  would  probably  make  them  very  productive. 
The  gold  mines  or  diggings  are  of  little  consequence 
compared  with  California  or  Australia,  and  the  silver 
mines  are  so  situated  among  the  mountains  that  they 
cannot  well  be  worked  by  machinery.  The  annual 
produce  of  silver  is  live  or  six  million  dollars.  Coal 
is  found  at  a great  height. 

Political  commotions  and  revolutions,  as  well  as  the 
character  of  the  people,  retard  the  development  of  the 
agricultural  and  mineral  resources  of  the  country. 

The  Chincha  Islands,  lying  off  the  coast  of  Peru, 
about  150  miles  from  Lima,  have  of  late  years  afforded 
the  most  valuable  article  of  export  from  Peru,  viz., 
guano,  large  quantities  of  which  have*been  shipped  for 
manure  to  Europe  and  the  United  States. 

The  chief  towns  are, — 

Population,  (1850.)  Population,  (1850.) 

Lima,  the  capital,  100,000  Cuzco,  ....  41,152 

Arequipa,  . . . 35,000  Huanta,  . . . 26,300 

Callao,  ....  8,435  Pasco,  ....  10,000 


BOLIVIA. 

Area,  374,000  square  miles;  population,  1,030,000. 
Hardly  one  third  of  the  population  is  white,  the  re- 
mainder being  Indians  and  Mestizos. 

The  republic  of  Bolivia  is  almost  wholly  in  the  inte- 
rior of  South  America,  and  mostly  east  of  the  Andes ; 
having  Brazil  on  the  south  and  east,  La  Plata  on  the 
south,  and  Peru  on  the  west,  except  for  a space  of 
about  250  miles,  where  it  bounds  on  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
It  was  formerly  called  Upper  Peru. 

Bolivia  possesses  the  greatest  variety  of  soil  and 
climate,  from  tropical  heat  to  the  temperature  of 
perpetual  snow,  and  from  the  most  luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion to  barren  deserts.  The  western  part  is  a region 
of  immense  mountains,  the  Andes  attaining  their 
greatest  height  in  Bolivia.  Among  the  highest  peaks 
here  are  Sorata,  Illimani,  Lahama,  Gualateira,  Parina- 
cota,  Huayna,  and  Pomarapi.  Between  the  ranges  of 
the  Andes  is  a great  plateau,  in  which  is  Lake  Titicaca, 
12,000  feet  above  the  sea.  In  the  eastern  part  are 
valleys  and  plains,  covered  with  the  richest  of  vegeta- 
tion. On  the  sierras,  the  fruits  and  grains  of  Europe 
are  grown  ; on  the  lower  plains,  coffee,  cacao,  cotton, 
indigo,  tobacco,  Ac. 

The  minerals  of  Bolivia  are  gold  and  silver,  in  mod- 
erate quantities,  rich  mines  of  tin,  and  pure  copper. 
The  difficulty  of  transportation  to  the  coast  prevents 
the  exportation  of  the  latter  ores. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population.  Population. 

Chuquisaca,  or  La  Cochabamba,  . . 30,000 

Plata,  the  capital,  12,000  La  Paz,  ....  20,000 

Potosi,  ....  16,700 

Book  LXXXIX. 

CIIILI. 

Area,  170,000  square  miles;  population,  1,080,000. 

Chili  extends  along  the  Pacific  1,150  miles,  with  a 
breadth  of  88  to  130  miles,  its  eastern  boundary  being 
marked  by  the  Andes.  The  greater  part  of  the  coun- 
try is  rugged,  but  there  are  some  fertile  valleys.  In 
the  southern  part,  the  country  is  very  picturesque  and 
pleasant,  but  in  the  northern  part  it  is  rugged  and 
barren.  The  climate  is  very  healthy.  The  produc- 
tions are  similar  to  those  of  the  northern  temperate 
zone,  but  agriculture  is  in  a backward  state. 

Chili  is  rich  in  minerals,  especially  in  the  northern 
part,  where  are  found  gold,  silver,  Ron,  copper,  lead, 
quicksilver,  antimony,  arsenic,  Ac.  Bituminous  coal 
is  also  found.  The  product  of  the  silver  and  copper 
mines  is  very  considerable,  but  the  rugged  nature  of 
the  country  and  want  of  water  are  great  impediments 
to  mining.  The  business,  aided  by  foreign  capital,  is 
pursued  with  more  enterprise  than  in  the  other  coun- 
tries of  the  Andes,  and  the  inhabitants  generally  exhibit 
more  energy  and  industry  than  the  other  Spanish 
South  Americans.  The  foreign  commerce  of  Chili  is 
considerable. 

The  chief  towns  are, — 

Population.  Population. 

Santiago,  the  cap.,  80,000  Coquimbo,  . . . 8,000 

Valparaiso,  . . . 60,000  Quillota,  ....  8,000 

San  Felipe, . . . 12,500  Ballenar,  . . . 7,000 


APPENDIX. 


LA  PLATA,  OR  THE  ARGENTINE  REPUBLIC. 


Area,  estimated  at  820,000  square  miles  ; popula- 
tion, estimated  from  600,000  to  2,000,000 ; about 
800,000  is  probably  more  nearly  correct,  exclusive  of 
the  independent  Indians. 

From  the  Andes,  which  form  the  western  boundary 
of  La  Plata,  there  are  lateral  ranges  of  mountains  ex- 
tending into  the  great  plains  from  100  to  200  miles ; 
in  the  eastern  part,  around  the  River  Paraguay,  the 
country  is  hilly,  and  in  the  south-western  part,  are 
ranges  of  hills.  But  the  greater  part  of  the  territory 
opens  into  vast  plains  or  pampas,  which  afford  pastur- 
age to  immense  numbers  of  cattle  and  horses.  The 
cultivated  land  is  along  the  banks  of  the  rivei's,  but 
agriculture  is  in  a backward  condition.  In  some  por- 
tions of  the  northern  country  cotton,  rice,  sugar-cane, 
and  tobacco  are  grown,  and  in  the  south,  wheat,  maize, 
and  other  grains.  The  principal  wealth  of  the  country 
is  its  herds,  and  upwards  of  3,000,000  hides  of  horned 
cattle,  and  250,000  horse  hides  are  exported  annually. 
The  river  La  Plata  and  its  tributaries  afford  thousands 
of  miles  of  navigable  waters,  and  supply  the  only  facil- 
ities for  transportation.  The  main  rivers  are  open  to 
the  commerce  of  the  world. 

In  the  mountainous  districts,  gold,  silver,  copper, 
and  iron  are  found,  but  are  not  extensively  mined, 
though  some  of  the  ores  are  said  to  be  very  rich.  Coal 
is  said  to  be  abundant  in  the  south-western  provinces. 

The  number  of  states  or  provinces  is  13.  The  chief 
towns  are,  — 


Population,  (1854.) 

Buenos  Ayres,  the 

capital,  . . . 85,000 

of  which  number 
one  fifth  are  for- 
eigners. 

Santiago,  . . . 5,000 


Corrientes, 
Cordova, . 
Mendoza, 
Tucuman, 
Salta,  . . 


Population,  (1854.) 
. . . 12,000 

. . . 15,000 

. . . 12,000 

. . . 12,000 

. . . 10,000 


701 

may  become  a rich  and  thriving  country,  and  Monte 
Video  the  commercial  emporium  of  the  River  Plata. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population.  Population. 

Monte  Video,  the  cap-  La  Colonia, . . . 2,500 

ital,  ....  15,000  Maldonado,  . . . 

PATAGONIA. 

Area,  including  islands  near  the  western  coast, 
350,000  square  miles.  The  population,  composed  of 
savages,  is  unknown,  and  there  are  no  sufficient  data 
on  which  to  estimate  it. 

Patagonia  comprises  all  the  territory  south  of  the 
Rio  Negro,  the  southern  boundary  of  La  Plata.  The 
Andes  extend  through  Patagonia  to  the  Strait  of  Ma- 
gellan, (or  Magalhaens,)  and  among  them  are  several 
volcanoes.  The  highest  peak  known  is  8,030  feet  high. 
The  eastern  part  of  the  country  is  generally  low  and 
level,  but  there  are  vast  pampas,  or  table  lands,  eleva- 
ted above  the  lowest  plains.  There  are  no  settlements 
of  whites. 

Terra  del  Fuego.  — This  is  a large  group  of  islands 
at  the  southern  extremity  of  South  America,  from 
which  they  are  separated  by  the  Strait  of  Magellan. 
They  are  barren  and  inhospitable  islands,  inhabited  by 
savages. 

Falkland  Islands.  — A group  of  nearly  two  hundred 
islands,  east  of  the  southern  extremity  of  South  Amer- 
ica. Only  two  are  of  considerable  size.  The  islands 
are  not  attractive  in  appearance,  and  are  destitute  of 
trees,  but  have  a variety  of  flowering  shrubs  and  plants, 
and  grass.  There  are  numerous  herds  of  wild  cattle 
and  horses,  the  progeny  of  animals  carried  there  by 
early  Spanish  expeditions.  The  islands  belong  to  the 
British,  who  have  a settlement  in  East  Falkland,  called 
Stanley. 

Book  XCI. 


Civil  wars  and  dissensions  for  a long  time  have 
prevented  the  improvement  and  development  of  this 
fine  country  ; but  it  is  hoped  that  a new  era  has  com- 
menced. 

URUGUAY. 

Area,  75,000  square  miles;  population,  250,000. 

The  republic  of  Uruguay  lies  north  of  the  River  La 
Plata,  and  between  the  River  Uruguay  and  the  At- 
lantic, being  bounded  north  by  Brazil.  The  territory 
is  a vast  undulating  plain,  with  the  central  parts  some- 
what elevated  and  broken  by  ridges  and  hills  of  mod- 
erate height.  The  climate  is  humid,  but  temperate 
and  healthy.  The  extensive  plains  are  covered  with 
rich  pasturage,  and  are  roamed  over  by  vast  herds  of 
cattle  and  horses,  which  form  the  chief  source  of  the 
wealth  of  the  country.  The  soil,  where  cultivated,  is 
good,  and  wheat  and  other  cereals,  maize  and  other 
products  of  the  temperate  zone,  flourish,  but  the  agri- 
culture is  rude  and  limited.  Wars  with  Buenos 
Ayres  and  the  Argentine  Republic  have  prevented  the 
development  of  the  resources  of  the  country,  but  the 
prospect  is  now  more  encouraging ; and  as  the  laws 
offer  liberal  inducements  to  immigration,  Uruguay 


BRAZIL. 

Area,  3,004,460  square  miles,  or,  by  other  authority, 
3,956,800  square  miles  ; population,  6,065,000.  In  this 
number  are  included  3,500,000  slaves,  500,000  free  per- 
sons of  color,  and  the  savage  tribes  are  not  included. 

The  surface  of  Brazil  is  about  equally  divided  into 
upland  and  lowland,  the  former  comprising  the  hilly 
districts  and  table  lands  of  the  eastern,  southern,  and 
central  parts,  and  the  latter  comprising  the  woody  dis- 
tricts of  the  Amazon  and  the  llanos  or  plains  of  the 
northern  and  north-eastern  parts.  There  are  several 
mountain  ranges  of  moderate  elevation,  the  principal  of 
which  is  nearly  parallel  to  the  Atlantic  coast.  The 
highest  mountain  peak  is  the  isolated  mountain  of 
Itambe,  which  is  estimated  to  be  8,426  feet  high.  The 
river  system  is  hardly  equalled  in  any  other  country, 
and  affords  great  facilities  for  communication  and 
transportation.  Steam  navigation  is  now  introduced 
on  some  of  the  most  important  rivers. 

Brazil  has  been  famous  for  its  gold  and  diamonds, 
being  richer  in  the  latter  than  any  other  country. 
The  amount  of  gold  found  has  greatly  diminished  of 
late  years,  the  auriferous  sands  being  mostly  ex- 
hausted. 


702 


APPENDIX. 


The  most  valuable  products  are  the  agricultural, 
coffee  and  sugar  being  produced  in  large  quantities ; 
and  in  the  different  parts  of  the  country  various  fruits 
and  grains  of  the  tropics  and  temperate  zones  yielding 
abundantly.  The  quantity  of  coffee  annually  produced 
is  now  about  500,000,000  pounds,  and  is  constantly 
increasing.  In  1857,  nearly  200,000,000  pounds 
were  exported  to  the  United  States,  and  a little  more 
than  that  to  Europe.  The  total  export  of  sugar  is 
about  300,000,000  pounds. 

The  government  of  Brazil  is  an  empire,  but  it  is  a 
representative  and  constitutional  monarchy,  and  ex- 
ceedingly liberal.  Education  is  cared  for,  internal  im- 
provements fostered,  the  general  interests  of  commerce 
promoted,  the  freedom  of  the  press  secured,  and  the 
elective  franchise  enjoyed  to  some  extent.  Slavery 
exists,  but  manumission  is  easy,  and  the  emancipated 
slave  finds  all  positions  and  offices  open  to  him.  The 
stability  of  the  government  and  its  internal  peace 
have  given  advantages  to  Brazil  not  enjoyed  by  the 
other  South  American  states,  and  it  is  by  far  the 
most  prosperous  and  important. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population,  (1850.) 

Rio  Janeiro,  the 

capital,  . . . 170,000 

sometimes  esti- 
mated at  . . 400,000 
Bahia,  ....  120,000 
Pernambuco,  . . 38,000 

Maranham,  . . 30,000 


San  Paulo, 
Villa  Bella, 
Para,  . . 

Parahiba,  . 
Villa  Rica, 
Santarem,  . 


Population,  (1850.) 
. . 22,000 
. . 15,000 
. . 10,000 
. . 15,000 

. . 10,000 
. . 10,000 


Book  XCII. 

GUIANA. 


British  Guiana , or  Demerara.  — Area,  about  50,000 
square  miles;  population,  (1851,)  135,994;  of  whom 
96,467  are  whites,  7,682  coolies,  and  14,251  negroes, 
the  Indian  tribes  not  being  included.  The  European 
settlements  extend  along  the  coast,  and  about  50  miles 
inland  on  the  rivers  Demerara,  Berbia,  and  Corentyn. 
The  productions  are  sugar,  molasses,  rum,  coffee, 
timber,  dyestuffs,  Ac. 

The  colony  is  divided  into  three  counties,  Demerara, 
Essequibo,  and  Berbia. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population.  Population. 

Georgetown,  the  cap.,  25,508  New  Amsterdam,  5,000 

Dutch  Guiana,  ov  Surinam.  — Area,  about  30,000 
square  miles ; population,  (1856,)  52,533,  of  whom 
five  sixths  are  negroes.  The  productions  are  similar 
to  those  of  British  Guiana. 

The  chief  town  is,  — 

Paramaribo,  the  capital,  population, 20,000 

Slavery  was  abolished  in  Dutch  Guiana  in  1851,  but 
the  negroes  were  required  to  work  as  apprentices  till 
1863. 

French  Guiana,  or  Cayenne.  — Area,  14,000  square 
miles;  population,  (1851,)  17,625;  a large  decrease 
since  1836,  and  a decrease  of  2,170  since  1846.  The 
soil  and  general  character  of  the  country  is  like  those 
of  the  last  two,  but  the  climate  is  not  so  healthy  as  that 
of  British  Guiana,  and  the  productions  are  the  same, 
with  the  addition  of  pepper  and  spices.  Since  1848 
the  colony  has  been  a penal  settlement. 

The  chief  town  is, — 

Cayenne,  the  capital,  population,  (1853,)  ....  3,000 


Area,  estimated  at  94,000  square  miles,  (sometimes 
much  larger,)  but  the  boundaries  are  so  uncertain 
that  an  accurate  estimate  is  impossible.  A portion  of 
what  was  formerly  called  Guiana  is  now  comprised 
within  the  limits  of  Brazil.  The  coast  is  low  and  flat, 
and  for  a distance  varying  from  40  to  70  miles  the 
country  preserves  the  same  low  and  flat  surface,  its 
average  elevation  being  scarcely  above  high  water,  and 
in  some  places  dikes  being  necessary  to  keep  out  the  sea. 
Beyond  that  there  are  low  hills,  and  then  an  elevated 
plateau,  and  occasional  ridges  and  hills,  succeeded  by 
another  low  plain,  and  in  the  south-west  a chain  of 
mountains  of  moderate  height.  The  soil  is  very  fertile, 
and  the  low  lands  are  covered  with  water  during  the 
rainy  season,  which  leaves  a rich  deposit.  The  climate 
is  equable,  and  not  excessively  hot,  and,  except  in 
some  localities,  is  healthy  and  pleasant.  Vegetation  is 
luxuriant,  and  there  is  a magnificent  growth  of  timber, 
much  of  which  is  very  valuable.  The  cultivated  crops 
are  sugar-cane,  tobacco,  rice,  indigo,  maize,  coffee, 
Ac.  The  culture  of  cotton  is  now  nearly  abandoned. 
Among  the  native  fruits  are  pine-apples,  guavas,  cacao, 
Ac. 

Guiana  is  divided  into  the  three  colonies  of  British, 
Dutch,  and  French  Guiana. 


Book  XCIII. 

WEST  INDIA  ISLANDS,  OR  “COLUMBIAN  ARCHI- 
PELAGO. 

This  Archipelago  is  divided  into  three  groups,  the 
Bahama  Isles,  the  Greater  Antilles,  and  the  Lesser 
Antilles,  or  Caribbean  Isles.  Besides  these  there  are 
several  islands  along  the  coast  of  South  America, 
which  are  sometimes  called  the  Lesser  Antilles.  The 
entire  area,  including  the  small  islands,  is  about 
90,000  square  miles  ; population,  about  3,590,000. 

The  islands  are  mostly  in  the  possession  of  European 
powers,  the  extent  of  whose  colonial  possessions  here 
on  the  inhabited  islands  is  as  follows  : — 

Area  in  Square  Miles.  Population. 


British, 13,000  800,000 

Spanish, 38,500  1,600.000 

French, 1,026  250,500 

Dutch, 450  27,000 

Danish, 195  41,000 

Swedish, 35  18,000 


The  following  table  shows  the  area,  population,  and 
dominion  of  the  principal  islands  : — 


APPENDIX. 


Bahama  Islands. 


Abaco,  Great  and  Little, 

Andros 

Crooked  Isles,  . . . . 

Eleutherea, 

Exuma,  Great  and  Little, 
Great  Bahama,  . . . 

Great  Key, 

Inague,  Great  and  Little, 
Long  Island,  . . . . 

Mariguana, 

New  Providence,  . . . 
Providenciales, . . . . 
St.  Salvador,  . . . . 
Watting  Islands,  . . . 


Area  in 
Square 
Miles. 

Popula- 

tion. 

Dominion. 

United 

United 

area 

about 

pop. 

about 

5,000 

26,500 

British. 

Greater  Antilles. 


Caymanbrack,  ' 
Little  Cayman, 

200 

British. 

Great  Cayman, 
Cuba, .... 

. . . 34,800 

1,096,963 

Spanish. 

Isle  of  Pines,  . 

. . . 27,600 

943,000 

Independent. 

Hayti,  . . . 
Jamaica,  . . . 

...  600 

1,400 

Spanish. 

. . . 4,256 

377,433 

British. 

Porto  Rico, . . 

. . . 3,000 

500,000 

Spanish. 

Lesser  Antilles. 


Windward,  or  .South  Caribbee  Islands. 


Barbadoes,  . . . 

166 

122,198' 

Grenada,.  . . . 

Grenadines, . . . 

125 

32,671 

St.  Lucia,  . . . 
St.  Vincent,  . . 

270 

132 

24,318 

30,128 

” British. 

Tobago,  .... 

970 

14,794 

Trinidad,  . . . 

. 2,400 

68,645  J 

Martinique, . . . 

• 

380 

121,478 

French. 

Leeward 

or  North  Caribbee  Islands. 

Anguilla,  . . . 

35 

2,934 

Antigua, .... 

108 

36,405 

Barbuda,  . . . 

75 

1,600 

Dominica,  . . . 

. 275 

22,200 

Montserrat, . . . 

47 

7,365 

> British. 

Nevis,  .... 

20 

10,200 

Saba, 

15 

1,617 

St.  Christopher,  . 

68 

23,133 

St.  Eustatius,  . . 
Deseadu,  . . . 

190 

1,903  J 

Guadeloupe,  . . 
Marie  Galante, 

534 

129,050 

• French. 

60 

12,749 

Les  Saintes,  . . 

5 

1,100  J 

St.  Martin,  . . . 

30 

7,773 

French  and  Dutch. 

Santa  Cruz, . . . 

110 

25,600 

Danish. 

Virgin  Islands. 

Anegada,  . . . 
Bieque,  (Vieque,)  . 
Tortola,  .... 
Virgin  Gorda,  . . 

13 

*211 

8,500 

• British. 

# 

20 

St.  Jan,  . . . . 

St.  Thomas, . . . 

42 

. 45 

2,560 

12,800 

Danish. 

Culebra,  .... 

18 

300 

Spanish. 

703 

BAHAMA  ISLES. 

These  number  some  500  in  all,  but  many  are  mere 
coral  rocks.  They  are  the  least  productive  and  valua- 
ble of  the  great  groups.  The  chief  articles  of  export 
are  salt,  (from  Turk’s  Island,  principally,)  sponge, 
dyewoods,  mahogany,  and  a little  cotton.  Nassau,  on 
the  island  of  New  Providence,  is  the  capital ; popula- 
tion, 7,000. 

GREATER  ANTILLES. 

Cuba  is  the  largest  and  richest  of  the  West  India 
Islands.  The  latest  estimates  of  its  area  are  from 
42,383  to  45,277  square  miles.  A range  of  moun- 
tains extends  longitudinally  through  the  island,  spread- 
ing at  the  eastern  end  so  as  to  occupy  the  greater 
part  of  the  surface,  and  reaching  an  altitude  of  about 
8,000  feet.  From  the  bases  of  the  mountains,  or  high- 
lands, the  country  opens  into  extensive  plains  and 
meadows,  every  where  covered  with  the  most  luxuriant 
vegetation  of  the  tropics. 

Cuba  is  not  deficient  in  mineral  wealth,  though  its 
resources  in  this  respect  have  not  been  developed  or 
explored.  Copper  is  mined  in  considerable  quantities, 
and  coal  has  been  found  near  Havana,  but  not  yet 
mined  to  any  extent.  The  climate  is  equable  and 
generally  healthy,  the  thermometer  seldom  rising 
above  82°  in  summer,  or  sinking  below  55°  in  winter. 
The  forests  abound  in  valuable  timber  trees,  such  as 
mahogany,  cedar,  and  ebony.  The  principal  cereal 
crop  is  the  indigenous  maize,  of  which  two  crops  are 
raised  annually.  Rice  is  also  grown  extensively. 
The  principal  crops  for  export  are  sugar,  coffee,  to- 
bacco, with  some  cotton,  indigo,  and  cocoa.  Cattle 
are  also  raised  in  the  higher  portions  of  the  island. 
Oranges  and  other  tropical  fruits  are  abundant 

In  1852,  there  were  on  the  island  7,979  tobacco 
plantations,  1,560  sugar  plantations,  1,218  coffee  plan- 
tations, 5,128  cattle  farms,  224  cotton  plantations,  34 
cocoa  plantations,  &c. 

From  1853  to  1858,  the  yearly  exports  of  sugars 
were  from  700,000,000  to  750,000,000  pounds.  The 
cultivation  of  coffee  is  not  so  extensive  as  formerly. 

In  1857,  there  were  397  miles  of  railroad  in  Cuba, 
and  steamboats  ply  between  the  different  ports.  The 
electric  telegraph  extends  between  the  principal  towns. 

The  population  of  Cuba,  in  1857,  was  1,096,943,  of 
whom  549,674  were  whites,  174,810  free  colored,  and 
374,549  slaves.  To  this  may  be  added  5,240  emanci- 
pados,  and  5,308  coolies.  It  is  supposed  that  the 
census  is  not  complete,  the  number  not  reported  being 
chiefly  slaves. 

The  government  is  vested  in  a viceroy,  who  is  the 
head  of  all  departments,  civil  and  military,  and  is  re- 
sponsible only  to  the  Spanish  government. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 


South  American  Coast  Islands. 


Buenos  Ayres,  .... 

80 

1,955] 

Cura(joa, 

Omba, 

250 

15,164  | 

> Dutch. 

Tortuga, 

Coche, 

• : :J 

Cubugua,  (Cuagua,)  . . . 

Margarita, 

540 

15,000  j 

. Venezuela. 

Population,  (1853.) 

Havana,  . . . 134,225 
Puerto  Principe,.  26,684 
Matanzas,  . . . 26,000 


Population,  (1853.) 

Santiago  de  Cuba,  24,253 
Trinidad,  . . . 14,119 

Guanabucoa,  . . 8,100 


Porto  Rico , the  other  principal  island  belonging  to 
Spain,  is  the  fourth  in  size  of  the  Greater  Antilles.  It 
lies  east  of  Hayti,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  the 


— 


704 


APPENDIX. 


Mona  passage.  A range  of  wooded  mountains  runs 
through  the  island  from  east  to  west,  the  highest  peak 
of  which  is  3,678  feet  high.  In  the  interior  are  exten- 
sive savannas,  on  which  numerous  herds  are  pastured. 
On  the  north  side  are  numerous  navigable  lagoons,  but 
few  safe  harbors.  The  soil  is  every  where  fertile, 
though  but  a small  proportion  of  it  is  under  cultiva- 
tion, and  the  climate  is  more  salubrious  than  in  the  other 
islands  of  the  Antilles.  Gold  is  found  in  some  of  the 
streams  flowing  from  the  mountains,  and  copper,  iron, 
lead,  and  coal  have  been  found,  but  are  not  mined  in 
any  quantity.  The  agricultural  products  are  sugar, 
rum,  molasses,  coffee,  tobacco,  rice,  hides,  dyewoods, 
timber,  &c. 

The  island  is  governed  by  a captain-general,  with 
powers  similar  to  those  of  the  captain-general  of  Cuba. 

The  population,  by  recent  estimates,  is  about  500,000, 
of  whom  50,000  are  slaves. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population.  Population. 

San  Juan,  the  capi-  Guayamas,  . . . 5,000 

tal,  (on  a small  Mayaguez,  . . . 

island  off  the  N. 

coast,)  . . . 12,000 

Hayti , or  St.  Domingo.  — The  second  in  size  of  the 
Greater  Antilles,  lying  south-east  of  Cuba,  from  which 
it  is  separated  by  the  Windward  Passage.  The  island 
is  very  irregular  in  form,  and  the  numerous  indenta- 
tions of  the  coast  afford  many  excellent  harbors. 

There  are  three  chains  of  mountains  connected  by 
transverse  chains,  and  between  them  are  extensive 
savannas,  the  principal  of  which  is  the  Yega  Real,  or 
Royal  Valley,  130  miles  long,  and  watered  by  the  rivers 
Yagui  and  Yuma.  The  highest  mountain  peak  is  in 
the  central  chain,  and  is  7,200  feet  high.  There  are 
numerous  rivers,  mostly  flowing  west,  south,  or  east. 
Most  of  them  are  obstructed  by  sand  bars,  and  are  not 
navigable.  There  are  many  lakes  in  the  island,  two 
of  which  are  salt.  The  minerals  are  gold,  silver,  plat- 
inum, mercury,  copper,  iron,  tin,  sulphur,  manganese, 
antimony,  &c.  The  gold  mines  have  been  abandoned, 
and  but  little  is  done  with  the  other  minerals  for  want 
of  capital  and  machinery. 

The  climate  is  hot  and  moist,  but  generally  salubri- 
ous. The  soil  is  fertile  over  the  entire  island.  The 
mountains  are  covered  with  the  most  valuable  timber, 
— mahogany,  cedar,  lignum-vitse,  &c.,  — and  on  the 
lower  grounds  are  great  varieties  of  tropical  fruits,  veg- 
etables, and  flowering  plants.  The  staple  articles  of  ag- 
riculture are  coffee,  cacao,  sugar,  indigo,  cotton,  and 
tobacco,  but  the  production  is  not  so  great  as  formerly, 
the  natural  products  of  the  island  being  now  exported 
to  a greater  extent.  The  island  is  capable  of  pro- 
ducing great  quantities  of  all  the  above  articles,  but 
agriculture  is  in  a primitive  state,  and  is  pursued  with- 
out vigor  or  enterprise. 

Hayti  has  been  subject  to  destructive  earthquakes, 
the  last  most  serious  one  of  which  was  in  1842,  when 
many  towns  were  destroyed,  and  thousands  of  lives 
were  lost. 

The  island  is  politically  divided  into  two  republics, 
the  black  republic  of  Hayti  in  the  west,  and  the 
Dominican  republic  in  the  east,  corresponding  mainly 


to  the  territory  of  the  French  and  Spanish  colonies 

respectively. 

The  republic  of  Hayti  contains  about  10,000  square 
miles,  and  a population  estimated  at  550,000  to  572,- 
000.  The  annual  value  of  exports  is  stated  at  about 
$6,000,000. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 


Population. 

Port  au  Prince,  the 

capital,  . . . 25,000 
Cape  Haytien,  . . 6,000 


Population. 

Gonaives,  . . . 

Jacmel,  ....  6,000 

Jeremie,  ....  5,000 


The  Dominican  republic  comprises  nearly  three 
fifths  of  the  island,  or  an  area  of  17,500  square  miles. 
The  population  is  about  136,000,  of  whom  one  tenth 
claim  to  be  whites,  the  remainder  being  of  African  and 
mixed  descent.  The  agricultural  resources  of  the 
republic  are  very  great,  and  the  mineral  resources  are 
considerable,  but  neither  are  developed.  Political  dis- 
turbances and  revolutions  have  retarded  its  progress. 
The  most  recent  is  the  renewal  of  the  sovereignty  of 
Spain,  which  has  recently  been  brought  about,  (1861.) 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 


Population. 


San  Domingo,  the  capital, 10,000 

Santiago  de  los  Caballeros, 12,000 


Jamaica.  — The  third  in  size  of  the  Greater  Antilles, 
and  the  largest  of  the  British  West  India  Islands,  lies 
south  of  Cuba.  There  is  a range  of  mountains,  called 
Blue  Mountains,  extending  through  the  island,  the 
highest  of  which  are  Blue  Mountain  Peak,  7,770  feet 
high,  and  Portland  Gap  Ridge,  6,501.  According  to 
other  authorities  the  highest  peaks  are  8,184  and  7,656 
feet  high.  From  these  mountains  more  than  200 
streams  flow  into  the  sea,  the  largest  of  which,  Black 
River,  is  navigable  for  small  vessels  about  30  miles. 

Lead  is  found  in  some  quantities,  and  copper,  silver, 
zinc,  antimony,  iron,  and  some  gold  have  been  found, 
but,  with  the  exception  of  copper,  are  not  mined. 
But  the  vegetable  productions  form  the  chief  source 
of  the  wealth  of  the  island.  The  forests  furnish  quan- 
tities of  the  most  valuable  timber,  as  rosewood,  satin- 
wood,  mahogany,  lignum-vitse,  ebony,  cedar,  logwood, 
&c.  Coffee  is  cultivated  on  the  high  grounds ; the 
low  grounds  yield  abundantly  the  sugar-cane,  cacao, 
pimento,  ginger,  indigo,  tobacco,  plantain,  banana, 
yam,  &c.,  while  the  pine-apple,  orange,  lemon,  fig, 
and  a variety  of  other  tropical  fruits  are  plentiful ; and 
the  grape  and  apple  are  also  grown  in  some  parts  of 
the  island.  Sugar,  rum,  ginger,  pimento,  and  coffee 
are  the  principal  articles  of  export,  but  none  of  these, 
except  pimento,  is  exported  so  extensively  as  before 
the  emancipation  of  the  slaves,  in  1833. 

The  climate  is  very  hot  on  the  low  lands,  but  among 
the  mountains  it  is  much  cooler,  and  ice  is  sometimes 
formed  on  the  highest  peaks.  On  the  low  lands  it  is 
unhealthy,  fever  and  ague  prevailing  in  some  parts, 
and  the  yellow  fever  and  cholera  are  sometimes  very 
destructive. 

By  the  census  of  1844,  (the  last  previous  to  1861,) 
the  population  was  377,433,  of  whom  15,776  are 
whites,  and  the  remainder  negroes  and  mulattoes.  In 
1849,  Governor  Grey  estimated  the  population  at 


J 


APPENDIX. 


705 


400,000.  Between  1840  and  1856,  about  18,000 
coolies  and  other  emigrants  were  brought  into  the 
island,  while  in  1850  and  1851  nearly  40,000  persons 
died  of  cholera  and  small  pox. 

There  is  a railway  from  Kingston  to  Spanish  Town, 
and  communication  by  steam  with  England  semi- 
monthly. The  island  is  divided  into  three  counties. 

The  chief  towns  are, — 


Population. 

Spanish  Town,  the 

capital,  . . . 7,000 

Kingston,  . . . 32,000 


Montego  Bay, 
Falmouth,  . 
Port  Royal, . 


Population. 

. 4,000 


LESSER  ANTILLES. 

Of  the  Lesser  Antilles,  the  principal  islands  of  the 
Windward  group  belong  to  the  British,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Martinique,  which  belongs  to  the  French. 

Trinidad  is  the  largest,  and  is  the  southernmost 
of  the  Lesser  Antilles,  being  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gulf 
of  Paria,  in  South  America.  Much  of  the  island  is 
rugged  and  mountainous,  some  of  the  peaks  being 
3,000  feet  high,  but  there  are  extensive  plains  and  sa- 
vannas. In  the  south-western  part  are  several  mud 
volcanoes.  The  island  is  covered  with  a perpetual 
verdure,  is  well  watered,  and  seldom  subject  to  droughts. 
The  climate  is  healthy,  and  the  soil  is  generally  very 
fertile.  The  mountains  are  covered  with  timber  of  the 
most  valuable  kinds,  and  in  the  open  lands  sugar-cane, 
cocoa,  or  cacao,  coffee,  and  cotton  are  grown.  The 
population,  in  1851,  was  68,645. 

The  chief  town  is,  — 

Port  of  Spain,  the  capital,  and  a beautiful  town;  pop.,  11,700. 

Barbadoes  is  the  oldest  British  colony  in  the  West 
Indies,  and  is  the  residence  of  the  governor  of  the 
British  possessions  in  the  Windward  Islands.  Its 
chief  mineral  is  bituminous  coal.  It  is  healthy,  and 
the  soil  is  very  fertile.  Of  106,470  acres,  which  the 
island  contains,  100,000  are  cultivated,  and  40,000 
are  planted  with  sugar-cane,  of  which  the  yield  is 
abundant,  and  the  export  has  increased,  while  in  other 
islands  it  has  decreased.  It  is  very  densely  populated, 
and  in  a flourishing  condition. 

The  chief  town  is,  — 

Bridgetown,  the  capital ; population, 25,000 

Of  the  other  British  islands  of  the  Windward  group,  — 

Tobago  is  for  the  most  part  rocky  and  rugged,  with 
some  fertile  valleys,  and  lowlands  and  plains  in  the 
southern  part.  The  climate  is  unhealthy.  The  prin- 
cipal product  is  sugar.  The  chief  town  and  capital  is 
Scarborough. 

Saint  Lucia  is  of  volcanic  origin,  and  has  several 
mountain  peaks,  which  were  evidently  volcanoes.  The 
soil  is  very  fertile,  but  the  climate  is  insalubrious.  The 
principal  product  is  sugar.  The  chief  town  is  Castine, 
the  capital. 

Saint  Vincent  is  also  of  volcanic  origin,  and  has  a 
chain  of  mountains  running  through  it  from  north  to 
south,  with  lateral  branches.  The  low  land  is  very 
fertile,  the  principal  product  being  sugar.  The  chief 
town  is  Kingstown,  the  capital. 

Grenada  is  another  volcanic  island,  with  a chain  of 

VOL.  III.— NO.  64  89 


mountains  extending  through  it.  It  is  a beautiful  isl- 
and, with  a rich  soil,  well  watered  and  wooded.  The 
principal  production  is  sugar,  though  cotton  was  for- 
merly cultivated. 

Martinique  belongs  to  the  French.  It  is  a volcanic 
island,  with  high  mountains,  and  valleys  of  great  fer- 
tility. The  highest  peak  is  4,450  feet  high,  and  there 
are  six  extinct  volcanoes  on  the  island.  The  principal 
productions  are  sugar,  coffee,  cocoa,  and  cotton.  The 
chief  town  is  St.  Pierre. 

In  the  Leeward  Islands  the  British  possess  nine.  Of 
these,  the  most  important  are  as  follows  : — 

Antigua , which  has  rugged  coasts  and  a diversified 
interior,  with  a climate  of  remarkable  dryness.  It 
produces  sugar  and  grain.  Chief  town  and  capital,  St. 
John’s. 

St.  Christopher , or  St.  Kitts , an  island  of  volcanic 
origin,  with  a high  peak  in  the  central  part,  from  which 
the  land  slopes  on  all  sides  to  the  sea.  The  climate  is 
dry  and  healthy,  and  the  soil  fertile  and  highly  culti- 
vated, the  principal  production  being  sugar. 

Dominica , the  most  elevated  of  the  Lesser  Antilles, 
the  highest  peak  being  5,314  feet.  It  has  fertile  val- 
leys, and  abounds  in  valuable  timber.  The  prod- 
ucts are  sugar,  coffee,  cocoa,  &c.  The  other  British 
islands  of  this  group  are  of  less  importance. 

The  French  possess  four,  and  part  of  another  in  this 
group.  The  most  important  of  these  is,  — 

Guadaloupe , which  is  composed  of  two  distinct 
islands,  separated  by  Salt  River,  a narrow  stream  or 
strait.  The  surface  is  rugged  in  that  part  called 
Guadaloupe  Proper,  which  is  of  volcanic  origin,  and 
there  are  high  mountains,  the  most  prominent  of  which 
is  La  Souffriere,  which  is  5,108  feet  high.  The  other 
part  is  low  and  flat.  The  climate  is  hot  and  un- 
healthy ; the  soil  of  the  valleys  is  fertile  and  well  cul- 
tivated, and  in  the  mountainous  parts  are  fine  forests. 
The  chief  product  is  Tahiti  and  sugar-cane.  The 
island  is  subject  to  destructive  hurricanes.  A severe 
earthquake  took  place  here  in  1843,  when  Point  a 
Petre,  an  important  seaport,  was  destroyed,  and  other 
places  damaged. 

St.  Martin  belongs,  the  north  part  to  the  French, 
and  south  part  to  the  Dutch.  It  is  a hilly  island,  and 
the  climate  is  tolerably  healthy.  The  French  portion 
is  the  most  fertile,  sugar  being  a chief  product.  Many 
cattle  are  also  reared.  The  population  of  the  two 
colonies  is  about  equal.  The  other  French  islands  are 
of  little  importance. 

St.  Bartholomew , the  only  Swedish  colony  in  Amer- 
ica, is  a small  island,  quite  fertile,  but  destitute  of  fresh 
water.  Its  products  are  sugar,  cotton,  tobacco,  and 
cocoa. 

The  Danish  West  India  possessions  consist  of  three 
islands,  belonging  to  the  Virgin  group,  the  largest  of 
which  is, — 

Santa  Cruz , or  St.  Croix.  — This  island  is  gener- 
ally flat,  and  is  well  watered  and  fertile.  A large 
proportion  of  the  soil  is  under  cultivation,  the  princi- 
pal crop  being  sugar-cane,  though  some  indigo,  coffee, 
and  cotton  are  raised.  Christianstadt  is  the  chief 
town  and  capital. 

The  other  Danish  islands,  St.  John  and  St.  Thomas , 


APPENDIX. 


Population. 

Adrianople,  . . 160,000 
Salonica,  . . . 75,000 
of  whom  30,000 
are  Jews. 

Bucharest,  . . . 60,700 

Bosna  Serai,  . . 60,000 

Sophia,  ....  50,000 


Rodosto, 

Population. 

. . . 40,000 

Galatz,  . 

. . . 36,000 

Scutari,  . 

. . . 40,000 

Yaniva, . 

. . . 36,000 

Belgrade, 

. . . 30,000 

Shumla,. 

. . . 21,000 

Widin,  . 

. . . 25,000 

706 

are  not  very  productive,  but  St.  Thomas  is  a place  of 
great  commercial  importance,  having  a free  harbor, 
and  being  the  centre  of  trade  for  some  of  the  other 
islands. 

Tortola , the  principal  British  island  of  the  Virgin 
group,  is  a hilly  island,  fertile  but  unhealthy.  The 
other  British  islands  are  of  little  importance. 

The  islands  on  the  South  American  coast  are  some- 
times called  the  Lesser  Antilles,  while  the  Windward 
and  Leeward  groups  are  called  the  Caribbee  Islands. 
There  are  seven  principal  islands,  of  which  the  Dutch 
possess  four,  and  three  belong  to  Venezuela.  The 
only  two  of  importance  are  Curagoa,  (Dutch,)  and 
Margarita , (Venezuelan.)  CuraQoa  is  somewhat 
rugged  and  hilly.  Iron  and  copper  are  found  there, 
but  not  mined.  The  soil  is  not  rich,  and  is  destitute 
of  water,  though  some  sugar,  indigo,  and  cotton  are 
raised.  The  chief  article  of  export  is  salt,  which  is  of 
the  finest  quality.  Margarita  is  arid  and  barren  on 
the  coast,  but  the  interior  is  fertile,  producing  maize, 
sugar,  coffee,  cotton,  &c.  There  are  some  minor  man- 
ufactures, and  considerable  trade  is  carried  on  with 
some  of  the  West  India  islands. 

Book  XCIV. 

EUROPE. 

Area,  3,830,000  square  miles ; population,  about 
270,000,000. 

The  general  description  of  Europe,  which  is  the 
most  fully  known  of  all  the  grand  divisions  of  the 
earth,  its  physical  geography,  &c.,  are  fully  given  in 
the  text.  The  present  condition  of  its  political  geog- 
raphy is  as  follows,  in  the  order  of  the  text : — 

Books  XCVIL  — C. 

EUROPEAN  TURKEY. 

Area,  including  Wallachia,  Servia,  and  Moldavia, 
203,628  square  miles  ; population,  15,500,000. 

Of  the  inhabitants,  3,800,000  are  Mohammedans. 

11,370,000  Greeks  and  Armenians. 

260,000  Roman  Catholics. 

70,000  Jews. 

The  tenure  of  the  Ottoman  empire  in  the  Danubian 
provinces  is  somewhat  uncertain,  and  is  still  a matter 
of  dispute  among  the  great  powers  of  Europe.  It  is 
most  probable  that  the  European  part  of  the  Ottoman 
empire,  which  is  not  its  most  important  part,  and  con- 
tains but  a small  proportion  of  Mohammedans,  the  nat- 
ural supporters  of  the  empire,  will  gradually  diminish 
under  its  native  weakness  and  the  jealousy  and  influ- 
ence of  the  great  powers.  The  present  sultan  (1862) 
is,  however,  introducing  reforms  which  will  strengthen 
his  empire. 

The  chief  towns  and  population  are, — 

Constantinople ; pop.,  (including  suburbs,)  about  . 800,000 

The  suburbs  of  Constantinople,  15  in  number,  are 
like  independent  cities  in  some  respects.  About  one 
half  the  population  are  Mussulman. 


Books  CL  — CIII. 

HUNGARY.  — See  Austria. 

Books  CIV.  — CXII. 

RUSSIA  IN  EUROPE. 

Area,  2,142,504  square  miles ; population,  60,098,- 
821. 

Russia  is  divided  as  follows,  for  administrative  pur- 


poses : — 

Area  in  Sq.  Miles. 

Population,  (1851.) 

Great  Russia,  . . . 

. . . 893,913 

20,700,497 

Little  Russia,  . . . 

. . . 81,213 

6,046,467 

South  Russia,  . . . 

. . . 176,329 

4,234,329 

West  Russia,  . . . 

. . . 162,757 

8,021,510 

Baltic  Provinces,  . . 

. . . 57,809 

2,216,936 

Finland, 

. . . 146,489 

1,636,915 

Kezan, 

. . . 250,480 

6,990,580 

Astrakhan,  . . . . 

. . . 323,420 

5,939,532 

Poland, 

. . . 49,734 

4,852,055 

Total,  . . . 

. . 2,142,504 

60,098,821 

The  government  of  Russia  is  an  absolute  monarchy, 
the  supreme  power  being  vested  in  the  czar.  Al- 
though sometimes  termed  a despotism,  under  the  late 
emperors  the  despotic  power  has  been  somewhat  re- 
laxed, and  tlie  present  czar,  Alexander  II.,  has  taken 
steps  for  the  emancipation  of  the  serfs.  The  military 
power  of  Russia  is  greater  than  that  of  any  other  coun- 
try, the  army  numbering  nearly  800,000  men  ; and  the 
navy,  notwithstanding  the  limited  seacoast  and  com- 
merce, numbers  60  ships  of  the  line,  37  frigates,  7 0 cor- 
vettes and  small  vessels,  and  40  steamers,  the  whole 
carrying  9,000  guns,  42,000  seamen,  and  200,000 
marines  and  artillerists. 

Books  CXIIL,  CXIV. 

POLAND. 

This  kingdom  has  been  divided  between  Russia, 
Austria,  and  Prussia.  Successive  partitions  occurred 
from  1772  to  1795,  which  nominal  protectorates  finally 
resulted  in  the  absolute  partition,  and  the  parts  are  now 
incorporated  into  the  dominions  of  the  above-named 
powers.  The  attempt  of  the  Poles  to  establish  their 
independence  in  1830,  had  the  effect  to  bind  the  chains 
more  tightly,  and  the  country  was  then  made  integral 
parts  of  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prussia.  The  republic 
of  Cracow,  established  by  the  allied  powers  in  1815, 
existed  till  1846,  when  it  was  seized  by  Austria,  and 
incorporated  with  her  portion  of  Poland,  the  kingdom 
of  Gallicia.  A new  insurrection  has  recently  occurred, 
(1863.) 


APPENDIX. 


707 


Books  CXY.,  CXVIL,  CXX. 

PRUSSIA. 

(Partly  included  under  tlie  head  of  Germany  in  the  text.) 

Area,  109,314  square  miles ; population,  (1852,) 
16,935,420. 

The  principal  provinces  of  Prixssia  are  Prussia 
Proper,  Posen,  Brandenburg,  Pomerania,  Silicia,  Sax- 
on)'-, Westphalia,  Rhine.  The  principalities  of  Hohen- 
zollern  have  lately  been  added  to  Prussia.  Of  the 
population,  about  10,000,000  are  Protestants. 

In  education,  Prussia  has  taken  the  lead  of  the  Eu- 
ropean nations.  In  1849,  the  number  of  schools 
established  by  government  was, — 

Teachers. 

Elementary  schools, 24,201  30,865 

Higher  schools, 505  2,269 

Upper  female  schools, 385  1,918 

Gymnasia, 117  1,664 

Pupils  attending,  2,605,408  ; Universities,  7 ; Normal  semi- 
naries, 46. 

The  army,  (regular,)  on  a peace  footing,  numbers 
about  250,000 ; the  Landwehr,  or  provincial  army, 
numbers  about  350,000.  The  navy  consists  of  about 
60  vessels,  with  300  guns. 

Books  CXYI.  — CXXIX. 

GERMANY. 

The  area  of  the  states,  kingdoms,  and  principalities 
of  the  Germanic  Confederation  is  about  235,000 
square  miles,  and  the  population  about  42,000,000. 

The  confederation  comprises  a third  part  of  Austria, 
nearly  all  of  Prussia,  a part  of  Denmark,  (the  duchies 
of  Holstein  and  Lauenburg,)  the  duchy  of  Luxem- 
burg, besides  twenty-nine  independent  states  and  four 
free  cities.  The  confederation  is  for  defensive  pur- 
poses and  the  regulation  of  commerce,  to  some  extent, 
and  its  head  is  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  though  there 
has  long  been  a rivalry  between  Austria  and  Prussia 
for  a controlling  influence  in  the  confederation.  Those 
parts  of  the  confederation  belonging  to  Austria,  Prus- 
sia, &c.,  are  more  properly  comprised  under  those  coun- 
tries. The  twenty-nine  independent  states  and  four 
free  cities  compose 

GERMANY  PROPER. 

Area,  about  90,000  square  miles ; population,  about 
16,000,000. 

The  states  of  Germany  Proper  are  as  follows : — 


Grand  Duchy  of  Oldenburg,  .... 

Kingdom  of  Hanover, 

Grand  Duchies  of  Mecklenberg  Schwerin, 
“ “ “ Strelitz, 

Duchy  of  Brunswick, 

Kingdom  of  Saxony, 

Duchy  of  Anhalt  Dessau, 

“ “ Bernberg, 


Population. 

283,665 

1,819,253 

541,450 

99,628 

271,208 

1,987,832 

90.000 

72.000 


to 


Population. 

60,847 
60,038 
35,159 
79,824 
4,559,452 
132,850 
262,524 
150,412 
166,364 
7,360 
1,815,686 

65,574 
1,356,943 
854,319 
759,751 
24,921 
429,341 
59,697 
106,615 
30,226 
74,000 
200,690 
77,970 
55,500 

The  chief  towns  of  Germany  are,  — 

Dresden,  capital  of  Saxonia, 94,092 

Hamburg, 161,390 

Munich,  capital  of  Bavaria, 95,531 

Bremen,  the  city  alone, 53,156 

Frankfort, 62,511 

Leipsic, 65,370 

Nuremberg, 45,381 

Hanover,  capital  of  Hanover, 42,484 

Brunswick,  capital  of  Brunswick, 42,000 

Cassel,  capital  of  Hesse  Cassel, 34,547 

Stuttgard,  capital  of  Wirtemberg, 30,000 

Mayence,  or  Mentz, 31,345 

Darmstadt,  of  Darmstadt, 27,000 

Carlsruhe,  capital  of  Baden, 25,700 

Lubec,  the  city  alone, 27,000 

Wurzburg, 26,814 

Ratisbon, 23,000 

Heidelberg, 12,048 

Books  CXXV.  — CXXIX. 

AUSTRIA. 

Area,  about  250,000  square  miles;  population, 
about  34,000,000. 

The  provinces  of  Austria  are,  — 


Principalities  Schwarzberg  Sondershausen, 

Rudolstadt, 

Reuss  Principalities,  old  line,  . 

new  line, . 

Kingdom  of  Bavaria,  .... 

Saxon  Duchies:  Saxe  Altenberg, 

Weimar,  . . 

Coburg-Gotha, 

Meiningen, . . 

Principality  of  Leichtenstein,  . 

Kingdom  of  Wirtemberg,  . . 

Principalities  of  Hohenzollern,  (annexe* 

Prussia,) 

Grand  Duchy  of  Baden,  . . . 

Hessian  States : Hesse  Darmstadt, 

“ Cassel,  . 

“ Homberg, 

Duchy  of  Nassau, 

Principality  of  Waldeck,  . . 

Lippe  Detmold, 

Lippe  Schaumberg 
Free  Cities : Bremen,  .... 

Hamburg,  . . . 

Frankfort,  . . . 

Lubec,  .... 


Lower  Austria, 

Upper  Austria, 
Salzburg, 

Styria, 

Carinthia, 

Carniola, 

Littorale, 

Tyrol  and  Vorarlburg, 
Bohemia, 

Moravia, 


Silicia, 

Galicia, 

Bukowina, 

Dalmatia, 

Yenetia, 

Hungary, 

Servia, 

Croatia  and  Slavonia, 
Transylvania, 
Military  Frontier. 


Lombardy  was  included  in  the  Austrian  empire  till 
1859,  when  it  was  liberated  from  Austrian  rule,  and 


APPENDIX. 


708 

forms  a part  of  the  new  kingdom  of  Italy,  reducing 
the  area  of  Austria  about  8,000  square  miles,  and  the 
population  about  2,700,000.  Of  the  population,  7,000,- 
000  are  Germans,  15,000,000  Slavonians,  6,000,000 
Magyars,  5,000,000  Italians,  and  the  remainder  Jews, 
Gypsies,  Tartars,  and  Greeks. 

The  army  of  Austria  consists  of  about  450,000  men 
in  time  of  peace,  which  may  be  increased  to  650,000 
in  time  of  war.  The  navy  consists  of  100  vessels, 
(mostly  small,)  with  700  guns. 

Books  CL  — CIII. 

HUNGARY, 

Though  named  as  a separate  political  division,  is 
a part  of  the  Austrian  empire,  and  after  the  unsuccess- 
ful attempt  at  revolution,  in  1848,  the  Hungarian  con- 
stitution was  abrogated,  and  it  has  been  made  less 
independent  than  before.  Certain  reforms  have  been  in- 
stituted in  1861,  apparently  for  the  restoration  of  some 
of  the  independence  of  the  ancient  kingdom,  together 
with  its  constitution,  but  they  have  not  yet  proved 
satisfactory  to  the  Hungarians,  and  another  revolution 
is  not  improbable.  Croatia  and  Slavonia,  formerly 
connected  with  Hungary,  together  with  the  Transyl- 
vania countries  and  other  provinces,  in  1848,  were 
disconnected,  and  placed  under  different  governments. 

Hungary,  thus  reduced,  contains  83,724  square 
miles,  and  a population  of  7,864,262. 

The  chief  towns  are, — 

. Population.  Population. 

Presburg,  . . . 38,000  Buda,  ....  40,500 

Pesth,  (1854,)  . 100,000 

Book  CXXX. 

SWITZERLAND. 

Area,  15,261  square  miles ; population,  2,390,116. 
Switzerland  still  retains  its  territory  and  government 
as  established  by  the  congress  of  Vienna  in  1815. 

The  chief  towns  and  their  population,  by  census  of 
1850,  are, — 

Population. 


Basil,  in  Canton  of  Basil, 27,313 

Berne,  “ Berne, 27,758 

Geneva,  “ Geneva, 29,108 

Lausanne,  “ Vaud, 20,000 

Zurich,  “ Zurich, 17,040 

Lucerne,  “ Lucerne, 10,068 

St.  Gall,  “ St.  Gall, 11,234 


Books  CXXXI.  — CXXXVI. 

ITALY. 

The  kingdom  of  Italy,  as  established  by  conquest 
and  revolution  in  1859  and  1860,  comprises  all  of  the 
country  usually  known  by  that  name,  except  the  States 
of  the  Church  and  Venetia,  or  Venice,  and  the  little 
republic  of  San  Marino,  and  the  principality  of  Monaco, 
both  of  which  latter  states  are  insignificant  in  extent 
of  territory  and  population.  The  several  kingdoms  and 


duchies,  except  those  above  named,  have  been  united 
under  the  constitutional  monarchy  of  Sardinia,  which 
has  thus  expanded  into  the  kingdom  of  Italy.  Lom- 
bardy was  wrested  from  the  Austrians  by  the  Sardini- 
ans, aided  by  the  French.  The  duchies  of  Tuscany, 
Parma,  and  Modena  were  revolutionized  with  the  aid  of 
Sardinia,  and  annexed  to  the  latter  kingdom  by  popular 
vote.  Naples  and  Sicily  were  subsequently  annexed 
in  a similar  manner.  Austria  still  holds  Venetia, 
and  the  States  of  the  Church  are  still  under  the  do- 
minion of  the  pope,  protected  by  French  troops ; but 
the  indications  are,  that  these  important  parts  of  the 
country  may  also  be  annexed  to  the  new  kingdom  of 
Italy.  Nice,  a city  in  Piedmont,  with  its  surrounding 
territory,  and  a part  of  Savoy,  have  been  annexed  to 
France. 

The  kingdom  of  Italy  comprises,  — 

Area  in  Square  Miles.  Population. 

Piedmont  and  Sardinia,  . . . 28,229  5,090,245 


Lombardy, a about  8,000  about  2,700,000 

Tuscany,  (including  Lucca,)  . . 8,586  1,807,000 

Parma, 2,766  507,881 

Modena, 2,073  605,194 

Naples  and  Sicily, 41,906  8,704,472 


Total, 91,560  19,204,742 


The  capital  of  the  kingdom  is  Turin ; population, 
143,157. 

The  other  chief  towns  and  population  (1851-2) 


are,  — 

Population. 

Population 

Milan,  . 

. 161,966 

Pisa, . . 

. . . 25,000 

Naples,  . . . 

. 416,475 

Lucca,  . 

. . . 22,000 

Florence,  . . 

. 114,000 

Palermo, 

in  Sicily,  167,222 

Genoa,  . . . 

. 120,000 

Messina, 

“ . 97,074 

Leghorn,  . . 

. 78,060 

Catania, 

“ . 54,167 

Parma,  . . . 

. 40,900 

Cagliari, 

in  Sar- 

Modena,  . . 
Piacenza,  . . 

. 32,000 
. 29,000 

dinia, . 

. . . 30,000 

Monaco,  a 

small  principality,  between  Nice  and 

Genoa,  comprising  an  area  of  53  square  miles,  and 
containing  a population  of  6,800,  is  nominally  inde- 
pendent, but  virtually  under  the  protection  of  the 
king  of  Italy.  ~ 

The  Papal  States,  Pontifical  States,  or  States  of  the 
Church.  — These  states  occupy  the  same  territory,  sub- 
stantially, in  the  central  part  of  Italy,  as  described 
in  the  text.  Area,  17,210  square  miles ; population, 
(1850,)  3,006,771. 

The  chief  towns  and  population  are,  — 

Population,  (1852.)  Population,  (1852.) 

Rome,  ....  175.838  Ancona,  . . . 36,000 

Bol»gna,  . . . 75,000 

San  Marino,  a small  republic,  comprising  only  22 
square  miles,  and  containing  a population  of  7,600,  is 
surrounded  by  the  Papal  States. 

Austrian  Italy  now  comprises  the  territory  of  Vene- 
tian Italy,  Lombardy  having  been  annexed  to  Sardinia, 
and  now  forming  a part  of  the  kingdom  of  Italy.  Area, 

a The  boundaries  do  not  exactly  correspond  with  those  of  the 
former  Austrian  province  of  Lombardy. 


APPENDIX. 


about  17,800  square  miles, 
territory  is  about  2,800,000. 
The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population. 

Venice,  ....  127,900 
Verona,.  . . . 48,000 

Padua,  ....  60,000 


The  population  of  the 


Population. 

Vicenza,  . . . 33,000 
Mantua,  . . . 30,600 


Islands, — 

Area  in  Sq.  Miles.  Population. 


Sardinia, 9,235  552,665 

Sicily, 10,500  2,041,583 

Lipari  Islands,  22,000 


belong  to  the  kingdom  of  Italy,  together  with  some 
smaller  islands. 


Book  CXXXVIII. 

PORTUGAL. 

Area,  35,268  square  miles  ; pop.,  (1850,)  8,471,203. 
The  chief  towns  are,  — 

Population.  Population. 

Lisbon,  the  cap.,  . 280,000  Oporto,  ....  80,000 

Braga,  ....  17,000  Elvas,  ....  16,460 

Portugal  has  valuable  and  extensive  colonies,  as  fol- 
lows : — 


Area  in  Sq.  Miles. 

Azores  and  Madeira, . . . 1,448 

In  Africa, 530,112 

In  Asia  and  Oceanica,  . . 29,064 


Population. 

343,572 
• 997,130 
1,356,545 


Book  CXXXIX. 


SPAIN. 

Area,  193,244  square  miles ; population,  (I860,) 
15,688,000. 

Spain  is  now  divided  into  49  provinces,  including 
the  Canary  and  Balearic  Islands,  (Majorca,  Minorca, 
Ivica,)  for  administrative  purposes. 

The  chief  towns  are,  — 


Population,  (1849-50.) 

Population,  (1849-50.) 

Madrid,  the  cap. 

. 260,700 

Granada,  . . 

. 61,610 

Barcelona,  . . 

. 121,815 

Cadiz,  . . . 

. 53,920 

Seville,  . . . 

. 100,498 

Cordova,  . . 

Saragossa,  . . 

. 41,976 

Murcia, . 

. 55,000 

. 30,000 

Valladolid,.  . 

. 30,000 

Santiago,  . 

. 29,000 

Malaga,  . . 

. 68,577 

Carthagena,  . 

. 28,000 

The  colonial  possessions  of  Spain  are, — 

Area  in  Sq.  Miles.  Population. 

In  West  Indies,  ....  39,779  1,511,660 

In  Asiatic  Islands, ....  52,148  2,679,500 


In  Africa, 516  17,071 

In  Oceanica, 592 


During  the  last  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  Spain,  hav- 
ing been  comparatively  free  from  internal  dissensions, 


JL 


709 

has  increased  in  prosperity  and  national  power,  although 
her  policy  is  by  no  means  a liberal  one. 

Books  CXL.  — CXLVI. 

FRANCE. 

Area,  including  Corsica,  200,671  square  miles  ; pop- 
ulation, (1852,)  35,779,222. 

The  province  of  Nice,  or  department  of  Maritime 
Alps,  was  annexed  to  France,  by  treaty,  in  1860, 
adding  some  40,000  to  the  population.  It  had,  at  dif- 
ferent periods,  previously  belonged  to  France. 

The  foreign  or  colonial  possessions  of  the  French 


empire  are  as  follows  : — 

Area  in  Sq.  Miles.  Population. 

Algeria, 90,000  2,119,264 

In  West  Africa,  (Senegal,)  ....  14,876 

Bourbon, (island  in  Indian  Ocean,)  1,000  108,000 

St.  Marie,  “ “ “ 4,000 

Asiatic  Possessions, 170,000 

In  West  Indies,  (Martinique, 

Guadaloupe,  St.  Martin, 

Saintes  Group,  &c.,)  . . . 1,200  270,718 

In  South  America,  (Guiana,)  . 27,560  19,795 

St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon,  (islands 
on  coast  of  N.  America,  near 
Newfoundland,)  .....  85  2,000 


In  Oceanica,  (the  Marquesas,  Taiti,  New  Caledonia, 

&c.,)  area  and  population  unknown. 

The  imports  into  France,  in  1851,  were  $231,600,000 
in  value,  of  which  $27,400,000  were  from  the  United 
States,  and  $24,400,000  from  Great  Britain.  The 
exports  for  the  same  year  amounted  to  $325,800,000, 
of  which  $54,600,000  were  to  the  United  States,  and 
$59,000,000  to  Great  Britain.  The  exports  of  silks 
amounted  to  upwards  of  $40,000,000 ; of  wines,  to 
$16,000,000.  In  1853,  the  number  of  miles  of  rail- 
way in  operation  was  2,303,  and  1,100  miles  were  in 
course  of  construction. 

Under  the  Emperor  Napoleon  III.  the  military 
power  of  Fi-ance  has  been  increased,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  formidable,  though  not  the  greatest  numerically, 
in  Europe.  The  army  numbers  upwards  of  400,000 
men.  The  navy  comprises  300  sail  vessels,  including 
upwards  of  50  of  the  very  largest  class,  and  nearly  200 
steam  vessels,  many  of  the  largest  class,  and  several 


steel  or  iron  plated. 

The  chief  towns  in  France  are,  — 

Population. 

Population. 

Paris, . . . 

. 1,053,262 

Lyons,  . . . 

. 156,169 

Marseilles,  . 

. 192,527 

Bourdeaux, 

. 130,927 

Calais,  . . 

. 100,000 

Rouen,  . . . 

. 100,265 

Nantes,  . . 

96,360 

Toulouse,  . . 

. 93,379 

Toulon,  . . 

69,500 

Strasbourg, 

. 64,875 

St.  Etienne,. 

56,000 

Nismes,  . . 

. 53,619 

Amiens,  . . 

52,149 

Nancy,  . . . 

. 45,200 

Orleans,  . . 

41,000 

Montpellier,  . 

. 37,600 

Avignon,. 

35,890 

Versailles,  . . 

. 35,500 
. 32,250 

Brest, . . . 

Grenoble, 
Cherbourg,  . 

61,160 

Dijon,  . . . 

Le  Havre, . . 

31,500 

28,100 

. 30,000 

APPENDIX. 


Books  CXLVII.,  CXLYIII. 


SCANDINAVIAN  PENINSULA.  — KINGDOM  OF 
NORWAY  AND  SWEDEN. 

Norway  and  Sweden,  with  separate  constitutions, 
nr c united  under  one  king. 

Norway.  — Area,  123,386  square  miles ; population, 
1,330,000. 


Chief  towns,  ■ 


Population. 


Population. 


1830,  the  Belgians  revolted,  and  established  an  inde- 
pendent constitutional  monarchy,  of  great  liberality. 

Eight  ninths  of  the  territory  of  Belgium  is  profitably 
occupied  for  agriculture  or  other  purposes. 

Chief  towns,  — 

Population.  Population. 

Brussels,  the  capi-  Bruges, .•  . 50,000 

tal,  (1857,).  . 166,801  Liege,  ....  66,500 

Ghent,  “ . . 108,925  Mechlin,  . . . 27,500 

Antwerp,  (1855,)  79,000 


Christiana,  the  cap- 
ital  26,140 

Bergen,  ....  25,600 

Sweden.  — Area,  170,' 
£1851,)  3,482,541. 

Chief  towns,  — 

Population. 

Stockholm,  the  cap- 
ital of  the  United 
Kingdom,  . . 93,070 


Drontheim,  . . . 12,800 
Christiansand,  . . 8,800 
Dranmen,  . . . 8,100 

square  miles ; population, 


Population. 

Gottenburg,  . . 28,758 
Carlscrona,  . . . 12,000 
Malmo,  ....  10,503 


Book  CLI. 

HOLLAND,  OR  KINGDOM  OF  NETHERLANDS. 

Area,  13,643  square  miles ; population,  including 
Luxembourg,  (1853,)  3,962,290. 

The  grand  duchy  of  Luxembourg  is  attached  to  the 
Netherlands,  though  in  some  respects  independent. 
Its  possession  constitutes  the  king  a member  of  the 
German  Confederation. 

The  Dutch  colonial  possessions  are  extensive,  as 
follows : — 


Book  CXLIX. 

DENMARK. 

The  kingdom  of  Denmark,  including  the  peninsula 
f Jutland,  the  islands  in  the  Baltic,  and  the  duchies 
f Sleswick,  Holstein,  and  Lauenburg,  comprise  an 
rea  of  23,642  square  miles  ; population,  2,106,500. 

Besides  the  above,  Denmark  has  possessions  as  fol- 


iws : — 

Area  iu  Sq.  Miles.  Population. 

'eland, 38,400  57,500 

reenland, 8,100 

anta  Cruz,  St.  Thomas,  and 

San  Juan,  in  West  Indies,  188  41,000 

icobar  Islands,  in  Indian  Ocean,  640  6,000 


Sq.  Miles. 

Population. 

In  Asia  and  Asiatic  islands, 
In  South  America  and  West 

556,522 

16,974,097 

Indies, 

In  Africa, 

60,372 

90,581 

10,664 

100,000 

Making  a total  population,  including 

the  kingdom 

proper,  of  21,126,968. 

Chief  towns,  — 

Population. 

Population. 

Amsterdam,  the 

Utrecht,  . 

. . . 49,176 

capital,  . . . 228,800 

Groningen, 

. . . 31,000 

Rotterdam,  . . 88,850 

The  Hague,  . . 72,467 

Haarlem, 

. . . 26,000 

Books  CLIL  — CLVII. 


Chief  towns  are,  — 


Population,  (1852.)  ' Population,  (1852.) 

openhagen,  the  Flensburg,  . . . 16,500 

capital,  . . . 133,140  Kiel, 15,000 

ltona,  ....  32,500  Sleswick,  . . . 12,000 


Book  CL. 

BELGIUM. 

Area,  11,400  square  miles  ; population,  4,359,090. 
Belgium  was  united  with  Holland,  under  the  king 
the  latter,  by  the  allied  powers,  in  1815 ; but,  in 


THE  BRITISH  ISLES; 

OR,  THE  UNITED  KINGDOM  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN  AND 
IRELAND, 

Consists  of  the  large  islands  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  and  several  smaller  islands  and  groups  lying 
between  the  North  Sea  and  Atlantic  Ocein,  and  the 
channels. 

The  area  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  is  120,416 
square  miles.  Great  Britain  contains  87,903  square 
miles  ; Ireland,  32,513.  The  combined  area  of  the 
other  islands  is  about  9,000  square  miles. 


Population  of  the  United  Kingdom , according  to  the  Census  of  1861. 


Population  Enumerated. 

Increase  in  1861. 

Decrease  in  1861. 

1861. 

1851. 

Persons. 

Rate  per  cent. 

Persons. 

Rate  per  cent. 

gland  and  Wales, 

20,061,725 

17,927,609 

2,134,116 

12 

Aland, 

3,061,117 

2,888,742 

172,375 

6 

eland, 

5,764,543 

6,552,385 

787,842 

12 

Lands  in  the  British  Seas, 

143,779 

143,126 

653 

Total  of  the  United  Kingdom,  . . . 

29,031,164 

27,511,862 

2,307,144 

787,842 

Net  increase,  1,519,302,  or  6 per  cent. 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  are  some  of  the  principal  towns,  and 
the  population a : — 


In  England. 


Population. 

Population. 

London,  . . . 

2,362,236 

Norwich,  . . 

. 68,706 

Liverpool,  . . 

376,000 

Leicester,  . . 

. 60,584 

Manchester,  (in- 

Bath,  .... 

. 54,240 

eluding  Sal- 

Nottingham, 

. 57,407 

ford,)  . . . 

401,321 

Plymouth,  . . 

. 52,221 

Birmingham,  . 

232,841 

Wolverhampton, 

. 49,985 

Leeds,  . . . 

171,805 

Derby,  . . . 

. 40,609 

Sheffield,  . . 

135,310 

Macclesfield, 

. 39,048 

Bristol,  . . . 

137,328 

York,  .... 

. 36,303 

Greenwich,  . . 

105,784 

Southampton,  . 

. 35,305 

Newcastle  upon 

Cheltenham, 

. 35,000 

Tyne,  . . . 

87,784 

Exeter,  . . . 

. 32,500 

Hull,  .... 

82,520 

Yarmouth,  . . 

. 31,000 

Portsmouth, 

72,096 

Cambridge,  . . 

. 27,803 

Brighton,  . . 

69,673 

Oxford,  . . . 

. 27,843 

Preston,  . . . 

69,550 

Worcester,  . . 

. 27,500 

In  Scotland. 

Edinburgh, 

. 158,015 

Paisley,  . . . 

. 47,952 

Glasgow,  . . 

. 347,000 

Leith, .... 

Dundee,  . . 

. 78,829 

Perth,  . . . 

. 23,835 

Aberdeen,  . . 

. 73,400 

Montrose,  . . 

. 15,000 

Greenock,  . . 

. 36,689 

Kilmarnock, 

. 21,447 

In  Wales. 

Merthyr-Tydvil, 

. 63,080 

Caermarthen,  . 

. 10,500 

Swansea, . . . 

. 24,902 

Bangor,  . . . 

. 9,500 

Cardiff,  . . . 

. 18,351 

In  Ireland. 

Dublin,  . . . 

. 254,850 

Belfast, . . . . 

120,000 

Cork,  . . . 

. 84,485 

Limerick,  . . . 

55,268 

Galway,  . . 

. 24,697 

Waterford,  . . 

25,297 

Sligo,  . . . 

. 11,209 

Kilkenny,  . . . 

20,283 

The  smaller 

islands 

belonging  to  Great 

Britain 

are, — 


a By  the  census  of  1851,  the  details  of  the  last  census  not  haying 
been  received. 


711 

Shetland  Isles,  comprising  about  100  islands,  and 
a large  number  of  rocky  islets.  About  30  are  inhab- 
ited, and  70  used  for  grazing-.  Area,  5,300  square 
miles ; population,  31,000. 

Orkney  Isles,  comprising  29  inhabited  islands,  38 
grazing  islets,  and  numerous  rocks.  Area,  600  square 
miles ; population,  30,500. 

Hebrides,  comprising  160  islands,  70  of  which  are 
inhabited.  Estimated  area,  3,180  square  miles ; pop- 
ulation, about  100,000. 

Scilly  Isles,  consisting  of  about  100  small  islands 
and  rocks,  only  six  of  which  are  inhabited.  Area, 
about  40  square  miles ; population,  3,000. 

Isle  of  Wight.  Area,  136  square  miles : population, 
50,324. 

Anglesea,  (a  county  of  Wales.)  Area,  about  270 
square  miles ; population,  50,891.  It  is  connected 
with  the  main  land  by  a splendid  suspension  bridge 
across  the  Menai  Strait,  and  also  by  the  Britannia 
Tubular  Bridge,  on  which  a railroad  track  is  laid,  — 
opened  in  1849. 

Holyhead , a small  island  near  Anglesea,  from  which 
it  may  be  reached  by  a ford  at  low  water. 

Isle  of  Man.  — Area,  280  square  miles ; popula- 
tion, 52,000. 

The  colonial  possessions  of  the  British  Empire  are 
far  more  extensive  than  those  of  any  other  power, 
and  make  it  the  greatest  empire  of  the  world.  Its 
possessions  are,  — 


In  Europe . Area  in  Sq.  Miles. 

Helgoland,  in  North  Sea,  5 

Gibraltar,  a military  station,  1 
Malta  and  Gozo,  130 

Ionian  Islands,  1,092 

In  Africa, 135,799 

In  Asia, 1,472,837 

In  America, 3,194,790 

In  Australasia,  ....  3,431,156 


Population. 

2,300 

13,123 

119,247 

219,797 

940,426 

172,684,616 

3,634,874 

632,213 


Making  the  total  area  of  the  British  Empire  8,356,- 
781  square  miles,  and  the  population  205,884,357. 


